Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Janelle Molony.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids
What’s the book’s first line?
This book is the result of seven years of research into my Rousseau family ancestry.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch.”
Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids captures both front-row and birds-eye views of a thrilling series of attacks by Northern Plains Indians on travelers on the Oregon and Overland Trails in July of 1864 that prompted one of the largest military defensives in Civil War history. Diaries, letters, and reminiscences allow readers to feel personally invested in the lives of the innocent families who were caught in the crossfire of a political “tit-for-tat” situation that got out of control. This book will take readers on a journey that will challenge everything they’ve been previously taught about the history of the American West.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
After discovering my ancestor Sarah Rousseau’s 1864 trail diary and studying it at length, I wondered who else might have had a similar experience. I began comparing hundreds of diaries, letters, and other source records to Sarah’s diary and saw there was not just some correlation between them, but there was a huge number of stories that were inextricably related. I remember thinking, “ No way…,” when I finally saw the special connection between the Rousseau’s wagon train the family of pre-Civil War Abolitionist, John Brown. That discovery alone made this book worthwhile.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The everyday reader needs to hear about the Platte River Raids from those who were actually there – not told to them by a historian 200 years into the future who is writing through a biased lens of today’s knowledge and today’s politically charged reasons to refrain from ideas that contradict what is found in our modern day non-emotionally triggering textbooks. Emigrant Tales is my way of simply laying out all the facts – for better or worse – for the reader to draw conclusions for themselves and see what they have been missing for 200 years.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I sort of stumbled upon it after creating an online blog, then forming a Facebook group to share about my recent genealogical discoveries. The mini-stories grew into something much bigger than I initially bargained for and I was encouraged by other authors to develop my first nonfiction, Unadoptable? Faith Beyond Foster Care, a memoir from one of my own stand-out life events. After that won a bunch of awards and accolades, I decided to put myself to the task full time. Writing nonfiction allowed me to use my investigative skills from a prior career to produce poignant and immersive pictures of the past while uplifting important female figures in my own family. All of my books have featured family ancestors, which I find makes the result feel more of a private look instead of coming from clinical educator-of-history type stance.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Emigrant Tales is the fourth book I’ve published, though I’ve written more. The others, well, let’s just say they need a bit more “seasoning” before they see the light of day. My favorite work in progress right now is the fictionalized retelling of my ancestor, Sarah Rousseau, as she crossed the Great Plains in 1864. I use her exquisite diary (which is currently competing for a Pulitzer Prize) as the framework and elaborate on the dramatic elements and character conflicts. I must say, switching to nonfiction for a while has been extremely freeing. Though an immense effort has gone into presenting a historically responsible portrayal of those in her covered wagon train, I enjoy dressing the characters up and allowing them to speak their minds in the dialog without having to cite any sources other than my imagination.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
If I’m not writing for myself, I’m usually writing for a local newspaper, contributing towards projects with various historical societies, or dragging my ever-patient spouse with me to fancy museums. That last one’s really more a of a song and dance to distract him when he asks if I’ll ever have a “real” job again.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Because of the type of work I do, the majority of my time is spent on researching… then researching about what I just researched. For a magazine article, this process could take up the first 60% of the project, while cranking out a first draft is about 10% and polishing it up for submissions is the final 30%. Writing is never a slog for me. Tempering my next-level excitement over the minutiae and making sure the material is approachable to my audience is where I truly have to “work.”
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part for me is choosing exactly who I present my manuscripts to for pre-publication input. I seek out working experts in my field of study and trust the opinions of those who have put the time into their careers as researchers, genealogists, museum professionals, etc. Those are the people I want deciding what and how much of the content is “publishable.” I’m not writing for mass market fandom. I want my work to be known for its integrity to the truth and I’m not so willing to whittle that down to appease a crowd.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
You have to remember that you are your biggest investor and you only get out what you put in. The financials, for example, towards the book’s development, editing and marketing, etc. demonstrate your belief in it’s potential. If you believe in your book so much that you are willing to upfront $2-4K into that initial push, then continue the daily grid for representation, interviews, and appearances… then you will see sweeter fruits than those who think indie publishing is their preference because it’s cheaper or faster to get into print. The only thing I want that is cheap and fast is a pile of french fries. My books, however, are more Michelin Star type cuisine.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Not necessarily. I’d need to vet the publisher to make sure they are qualified to evaluate my manuscript. I would, however, love to entertain script writers wanting to partner with me for a TV or movie adaptation. If that’s you, my direct number is…
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
I am a sucker for Mark Twain (Samuel Clements) and appreciate his command of the English language and double entendres. His prose is so engaging that his words often reach out beyond the page to poke into my internal dialog, twist it up and send me into a fit of laughter in every single chapter.