Augusta follows a thirteen-year-old farm girl forced into marriage and motherhood who, after being abandoned in the city, must find a way to survive for herself and her children. Where did the idea for this novel come from?

This novel is based on my grandmother’s life. The image of her on the cover was from a 2.5×3.5 inch daguerreotype. When my aunt Ivon gave it to me, she said it was taken on her wedding day, and she was wearing her eighth-grade graduation dress. EEEK.

You went into great detail to get the setting right, especially in regard to money, life in the city, and even the emergence of home appliances. Did you do a lot of research to maintain the accuracy of the subject?

I researched life in Arkansas at the turn of the twentieth century. Finding out what it was like for the very poor in 1920s Detroit was a surprise. My mother told me that my grandmother came to Detroit wearing a feed sack as a dress.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

My father was Buddy. He told me that his mother made him share, with other children, the goodies he received when he was in the hospital. I made a point of discovering what candies were popular at the time and what toys children may have received.

What is the next book you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?

My next book will be out in April 2023. Big Guy is a middle-grade children’s book. Like Black Beauty, this story is told by the horse. I trained horses and gave riding lessons for many years. The personalities that I convey are my imagining of the personalities of horses that I knew and loved.

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