Let’s Chat! Author Michelle Shocklee
Let’s Chat With Author Michelle Shocklee
Welcome, everyone! And welcome, Michelle Shocklee!
Michelle Shocklee joins our chat this week. I met Michelle in our local American Christian Fiction Writers group and knew right away I wanted you to meet this delightful author. She’s offering The Planter’s Daughter in ebook form to someone who joins the conversation. So grab a cup, gather ’round, and don’t forget to comment below.
**NOTE: The winner of the drawing this week is Jean Billingsley! Congratulations, Jean!
Welcome, Michelle Shocklee
Thank you for joining us this week, Michelle. I’ve enjoyed very much getting to know you in our writers’ group and sharing common writing interests. I know others will also.
Michelle’s Before
I was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, so I like to say I’m a Rocky 
Mountain girl at heart. (Tweet That!) I truly loved growing up in Santa Fe. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, with four true seasons, but we lived outside the city limits. We played in miles of wilderness. I have three older brothers and an older sister, so our house was always noisy.
Daddy, an engineer with the highway department, decided shortly after he and Mom married in 1950 to build our adobe house himself. All throughout my growing up years, there was some type of construction going on. Several years 
after all of us kids were adults and had moved out, he finally finished our beautiful sprawling New Mexico style adobe home.
Both of my parents loved to read, so books have always been a huge part of my life. Not a birthday or Christmas went by without us kids receiving a book as a gift.
When it came time to head off to college, it 
never occurred to me to go into something that involved writing. Instead, I followed in my mother’s footsteps and studied Elementary Education. I met my wonderful husband in college, and we’ll celebrate our 30th anniversary this month! Our two amazing sons are grown and making their way in the world.
A few years ago we moved to the Texas Hill Country to become estate caretakers. We live and work on a gorgeous 400-acre ranch where we have sheep, llamas, and chickens. We feel incredibly blessed.
Michelle’s Debut
The Planter’s Daughter is my debut novel. It’s been an exciting journey, from the first inspirations for the story to my agent telling me I had not one but two contract offers! From the beginning, I was blessed with an editor who truly understood the story I wanted to tell. Her input and knowledge on all-things southern was invaluable.
One of the things I was not quite prepared for was the vulnerability I felt when the book released. Even though I write a blog with readers from all over the world and have had numerous short stories and articles published, releasing The Planter’s Daughter was different. I poured my heart into the book, writing about a time in our nation’s history that is not pleasant and can often be controversial. I’m very pleased that so many readers have enjoyed The Planter’s Daughter and some even say they learned a few things about Texas history and slavery.
Michelle’s Next
After waiting so long for my first book to release, I’m excited that I won’t have to wait too long for the next one to be published. The second book in The Women of Rose Hill series releases in early 2018. It’s set five years after The Planter’s Daughter, right at the end of the Civil War. I’m also tickled to have a novella releasing in February 2018 in The Mail-Order Bride Collection with Barbour Publishing.
This journey taught me God has a plan and a timetable. Too many times I rushed ahead of him, only to have him remind me I need to wait on him. That is true in writing and in life. God’s plan is always best.
Readers, you can find Michelle and her books at the following links:
Amazon Goodreads Facebook Website Twitter
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Lord, Your plans are perfect; yet we often try to improve them. How foolish. Thank You for Michelle and her commitment to Your plan. I pray You will bless The Planter’s Daughter and her other stories in unexpected and powerful ways. Keep us as writers and readers in the center of Your will. ~ For Jesus’ sake
I lived in a small town growing up but we never came home from playing until the streetlights were on. (Those were the rules) LOL Kids now-a-days will never get it. The amount of fun we had doing that.
Your book sounds great also. 🙂
I was reared on a farm, so the thought of life in a neighborhood was a bit foreign to me. But “supper time” was time to go inside. (If Mother had known what all we did, the chances we took, etc. she would have snatched us up and set our bottoms down in our rooms!) 🙂 Thanks for joining our conversation, Linda. You’re entered into the drawing. Please come back.
Hi Linda, I agree … kids today won’t ever understand the freedom we enjoyed as kids. The world was a different place. Thank you for your encouraging comment about the book! Have a blessed day!
Hi, Michelle! 🙂
You don’t look old enough to be celebrating your 30th anniversary! 🙂
What a “coincidence” that Linda’s blogging about you this week! On Tuesday, I posted a blog about your novel and other new ACFW historical romances. You can check it out here: http://www.christybrunke.com/blog/mothers-day-new-historical-romances/
I didn’t realize you were in Linda’s ACFW group! That’s great! 🙂 She’s a sweetheart.
Hi Christy! Glad your post finally made it here! 😀 THANK YOU so much for including The Planter’s Daughter on your blog! That is awesome! Mucho appreciation! And yes, Linda is a sweetheart! We have a great group of writers in San Antonio!
Blessings to you!
PS. Girl, you get extra points for not thinking I look old enough to be married 30 years! I am indeed, but thank you anyway!! 😀
Your upbringing sounds so different than mine! I grew up on Cape Cod–no room for mountains and prairies. I, too, started writing later in life. It’s exciting to know there’s still work to be done after the children are grown. Looking forward to reading your debut novel. Congratulations, Michelle!
Thank you, Clarice! Visiting Cape Cod is on my bucket list! Blessings on your writing too! I do hope you enjoy The Planter’s Daughter! It’ll give you a little taste of Texas! 😀
Hi, Clarice 🙂 Yes, it’s exciting knowing there’s still work to be done after rearing children. (Not that what I do at home compares with the work Michelle accomplishes on the ranch, but writing has been good for my aging brain.) 🙂 Always so happy to share these chats with my New Hampshire friend.
It’s nice meeting you Michelle Shocklee here on Linda Davis’ blog. Congratulations on the release of your novel and wedding anniversary.Growing up in a certain area does impact our lives. Caring for a 400 area ranch would be a great experience along with lots of work and responsiblity.
I definitely want to read your book, The Planter’s Daughter. The Civil War era is one of my favorite in historical fiction books. Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you, Marilyn! We do love living on the ranch, but you’re right … it is A LOT of work! Good luck in the drawing for the free book, but if you miss it this time, I hope you’ll still grab a Kindle copy. I think you’ll enjoy it! 😀
Hi, Marilyn. So good to see you joined our conversation. Life on the farm definitely influences my writing. I’m grateful for my upbringing. And I’m a bit in awe of Michelle and her husband’s daily responsibilities on the ranch. Great to “talk.” Come back!
How blessed to have been raised in the beautiful area around Santa Fe and now to experience the Hill Country of Texas.
Where we are raised has a lasting affect on us all our live.
Congratulations of your book, look forward to reading it.
Jean Billingsley
Thank you, Jean! Yes, Santa Fe is a special place! And we do love living in the Hill Country–even if there aren’t any mountains! 😉 Thank you for your congratulations!
Hi, Jean. So glad you joined our chat. So true that where and how we’re reared impacts us all our lives! What a blessing we can decide what to emulate and what to leave aside. The older I get, the more l realize how much good there was in my rearing. And the more I focus on it alone. Please come back!
How blessed to live in two such special places. I know where we are brought up has a lasting affect on us all our live. Looking forward to reading you books.
Jean Billingsley