Witness to Tribulation follows a young woman who learns that Gettysburg’s past is still very much alive after she discovers an old Civil War diary when she inherits her grandmother’s family home. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Gettysburg was the inspiration for this story. As a frequent visitor to the town, I’ve always been beguiled by the history. Having a young woman move there and into an inherited house seemed to be a perfect setup for sharing the history of Gettysburg whilst telling another story about one family’s generational trauma. The protagonist left behind a painful past in the hope of finding a more promising future. The place that had been the turning point in the American Civil War becomes a turning point in this young woman’s life as well.

How much historical research went into writing the Civil War portions of the novel?

I’ve read non-fiction books and essays about the battle in addition to period newspaper articles. However, visiting the sites and hearing the information from the National Park Service as well as seasoned historians in Gettysburg provided what I needed to proceed writing with historical accuracy.

How did you develop Emily as a protagonist, and what aspects of her did you find most relatable?

I wanted Emily to experience Gettysburg in a way I had so many years ago. Like me, she knew about the town because of her studies. However, she had the advantage of hearing personal stories about it from her grandmother. Unlike me, she had a difficult, painful relationship with her own mother. In her case that family dysfunction can be traced back to the battle in 1863. In a way, I can relate to how the lingering effects of experiencing war affected my own family.

What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?

I have several ideas for my next novel. One of them is another Civil War story that follows one of the characters from this novel into a new adventure. I’ve written an outline and started to do some research, but it’s not quite at the point where I can share that information.

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