Can you tell us about your new book?
In Tragedy and Triumph, one man is forced to consider his identity, face his past and keep a promise while imprisoned in a Confederate Prisoner of War camp during the last year of the American Civil War.

Forced to survive under appalling conditions, Truman Haden struggles to honor his southern heritage while maintaining his principles in this sweeping historical epic. Tragedy and Triumph is an engaging and challenging historical fiction novel that spans multiple generations, and crosses boundaries. It includes a variety of characters from different classes who afford all readers the opportunity to relate to someone, as well as challenge them to consider the lives of others.

So what genre would you say it is?
Historical Fiction.

And what kind of readers will it appeal to?
Historical fiction lovers, US history/military history enthusiasts, social justice advocates, older audiences who love stories of redemption and cause.

How long did it take to write?
Oh, I worked on it on and off for at least seven years!

Wow, why did it take so long? What was the most challenging part of your creative process?
Making sure things were as accurate as possible. The story is about a real, notorious prisoner of war camp in Elmira, New York during the American Civil War. I wanted to make sure my descriptions were as accurate as possible, while keeping the story interesting and engaging.

A bit of a perfectionist, huh? Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I am introspective and reserved, imaginative and creative. I read a lot, live in a house filled with books. I love the outdoors. I’m a Master Gardener and enjoy fly fishing as well as bird-watching because I love the connectedness to natural things. I love art, especially the works of Bruegel and Giotto, probably for the same reason I love to write metaphors in poetry. I could listen to Bach, Monteverdi and the operas of Puccini forever. I consider myself a gourmet cook and studied pastry making in Paris because I wanted to learn from expert chefs.

I taught young children for thirty years and loved their liveliness and eagerness to learn. I sometimes cry when I see a yellow school bus pass by with young faces in the windows. I would love to return to the Arctic and the Neolithic sites on the Orkney Islands. I am a dog lover and have two labs and a cat named Cheddar Cheese.

I am a mother of two children and am not ashamed to tell them to “be careful” when I talk with them on the phone. My two grandsons are wonderful and exhausting. My husband and I have been married for eleven years. I consider him the most fascinating person I have ever known. My idea of a great time is to sit in a café with him, drinking wine and talking.

Have you got a blog where readers can keep up with your work?
Yes I do! http://tragedyandtriumph.wordpress.com.

And where can we buy Tragedy and Triumph?
The book can be purchased through the following vendors: iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.

What’s next for you?
I will continue to love reading, traveling and history. Right now I am busy promoting my book; I’m open to every opportunity that comes next. I don’t know that I will write another novel, but there is no telling what the future holds!