2023
Selah Award - “Abigail’s Peace” is a finalist
2022 Selah Award - won with “Sarah’s Choice” and
Thanks for having me on your
blog today. I’m always happy to meet new readers on blogs like yours. Here’s a
bit about me: I live on a hobby farm in Northern Michigan with my husband of
*mumble* years, a few chickens, and our spoiled rotten dog, Murphy. My hobbies
include gardening and spinning yarn on my antique spinning wheels.
What genre(s) do you write?
I write historical romance and
historical fiction. My main characters are all fictional. I weave their story through
real historical events and they often interact with real historical characters.
I like to write a series about a period of history and examine different points
of view through the different novels, but always strive to keep the history and
the characters as authentic to the period as possible.
Are you Indy, traditionally
published, or both?
Both.
What are you working on now?
My current series is A More
Perfect Union. The stories center on Civil War ex-cavalrymen who struggle to
rebuild their lives after the war, and the women who help them succeed. In
Emerald Fields, both hero and heroine are from the North. In Cobalt Skies, the
hero is from the North and the heroine is from the South. And in Silver
Prairies, both hero and heroine are from the South.
Do you read outside of your
genre? If so, what other genres do you like to read?
History is my thing, but I also
read non-fiction—usually about history or historical figures—and occasionally I
pick up a good fantasy novel just for fun.
Did the first book you wrote
get published? How long were you writing before you were published?
No. And it never will. For one thing, the first novel I wrote was women’s fiction—a genre I don’t even read! I’m not sure why I did that, but it proved to me that I could do it, so it wasn’t a total waste. I started seriously writing in 2009, and I signed my first contract in 2016.
When you are writing, do you
like complete silence, or do you like to listen to music? If so, what kind of
music do you like? What are your favorite writing snacks?
I like nature’s sounds while I
write. I can hear the chickens clucking, the horses snorting, or the dog dreaming
near my feet. That’s my music. And I’m not a snacker while writing.
Which do you prefer, writing
or editing? Why?
I prefer editing. Writing is
the hard work—pounding out the words. Editing is finessing the words into a dance
the reader can sway along with.
At what time of the day do
you do most of your writing?
I’m a morning person. Maybe
it’s the farmer in me.
Do you read your reviews? How
do you process negative reviews?
Every. Single. One. A reader
took the time to write that review when there were a thousand other things they
could have spent their time on. I ask my readers for reviews, so I feel like I
owe it to them to read what they wrote. Negative reviews are part of the
process. I read them even closer than the good reviews and try to see my book
through the reviewer’s eyes. Just because it’s negative doesn’t mean the
reviewer isn’t right!
How do you come up with
character names for your stories?
Because I write historical, I
want to get names that are accurate to the time and place. My favorite method
is to find the closest national census to the birthdates of the characters.
Then I pick and choose first and last names that I like to create my
characters’ names. How important was professional editing to your book’s
development?
CRITICAL. I worked for 3.5
years as the managing editor for Smitten Historical Romance, and I’m currently
a freelance content/substantive editor. I know a bit about editing. And I know
that I can’t put out a quality product without it. Even editors need editors. I
also hire a proofreader to go over my stories before they see print.
How much research is
involved in writing a historical novel?
History has been a passion of
mine for most of my life, so in a very real way, I’ve been researching my books
for years. But even so, I generally read several resource books on the time
period and/or around the historical event of the story before I start writing.
What does writing success
look like to you?
Success is putting out
top-quality books that people want to read. When I stepped into self-publishing
after 6 traditionally published books, it was a step of faith. My first series,
Forts of Refuge, has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. All three books,
Sarah’s Choice, Maggie’s Strength, and Abigail’s Peace are Selah Award
Finalists. Sarah’s Choice won in 2022 and Maggie’s Strength was 2 nd place.
I’ll find out later this year how Abigail’s Peace will do, but even being a
finalist is a real honor. If people want to connect with me, the easiest way is
to subscribe to my monthly newsletter:
https://www.subscribepage.com/PeggThomas
which includes writing updates, my spinning wheel and fiber arts adventures,
and more fun stuff.
You can find out more about Pegg here:
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15649848.Pegg_Thomas
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Pegg-Thomas/author/B01M8KLB3Y
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pegg.thomas.author
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/pegg_thomas/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/PThomas_Author
During
the explosive year of 1763, only three Colonial forts withstood the coordinated
onslaught of Pontiac's Rebellion. Fort Pitt, Fort Detroit, and Fort Niagara
stood strong. Forts of Refuge tells the tales of three women, one connected to
each fort, who also survived against the odds, and the men who shared in their
trials and triumphs.
