I write southern historical fiction, local history, and I've written a devotional book. The two novels I'm writing are set in Virginia and the Carolinas in the 1760s. My weekly blog started out to follow my journey as a writer and a reader, but in 2025 it has been greatly expanded to include current events and politics in the United States as I see our democracy under attack from within. The political science major in me cannot sit idly by and remain silent.
I am excited to tell you that my new book, Traveling Through History: A Collection of Historical Short Stories, will be released today as an e-book on Amazon! I thought the paperback would be released today, but there have been some bumps in the road over the last several days. I hope the paperback will be available in a few days.
Traveling Through History: A Collection of Historical Short Stories, by Janet Morrison
In a week or two, look for it at your favorite independent bookstore, such as Second Look Books in Harrisburg, NC. I will give shout-outs to other bookstores as they let me know they’ve ordered the book.
Here’s a list of the stories in Traveling Through History:
The Tailor’s Shears – A 1600s Scottish Story;
You Couldn’t Help But Like Bob – A Colonial Virginia Short Story;
To Run or Not to Run – George’s Story;
Making the Best of a Tragedy – Elizabeth Steele’s Story;
From Scotland to America – A 1762 Immigration Story;
Whom Can We Trust? – A Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence Short Story;
Go fight, Johnny! – A Story of a Battle of King’s Mountain Veteran;
A Letter from Sharpsburg – An American Civil War Letter;
Slip Sliding Away – A Southern Appalachian Short Story;
A Plott Hound Called Buddy – A Great Depression Era Southern Appalachian Short Story;
Secrets of a Foster Child – Dignity in a Simple Suitcase;
Ghost of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse – An American Revolutionary War Ghost Story; and
If This House Could Talk – Recollections of an Old Farmhouse.
Do some of these story titles pique your interest? I certainly hope they do!
Each story is followed by Author’s Notes that give you such information as background information, what inspired the story, and what’s truth and what’s fiction.
Traveling Through History: A Collection of Historical Short Stories is available for your Kindle from Amazon.
Calling all historical fiction fans: I need your help with something!
I mentioned in May 1, 2023 blog post, Some of the Books I Read in April 2023 that I was toying with the idea of writing some historical short stories related to the historical novel I’m working on. I’d read that suggestion in Writing Short Stories to Promote Your Novels, by Rayne Hall as a way to create interest in the characters in one’s novel before that book’s publication.
Since I need to grow my mailing list greatly before I publish the novel, it appears I’ll have plenty of time to write a few short stories. The process should produce various benefits to me and my potential readers.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
In addition to my novel readers getting a head start in learning about some of the book’s characters and the 18th century world in which they live, such writing will help me flesh out the characters and get better acquainted with them. You and I can both get a good grasp on what makes them tick.
I’ve been brainstorming ideas for the stories. If it all works out like I envision, I will self-publish the stories in an ebook collection. My timeline is written in pencil with a big eraser nearby. If nothing else in the last year of self-publishing two local history books and trying to self-publish a family cookbook, I’ve learned that flexibility is a necessity.
Readers, what do you think? If you’re a fan of historical fiction, let me know what you think of this project. Would you enjoy getting acquainted with some of the characters in my novel(s) and the world in which they live in the 1760s and 1770s before getting to read the novel(s)?
Characters such as Elizabeth Steele who had tavern in Salisbury, North Carolina? George, who was a slave in The Waxhaws in South Carolina? Oliver McNair, who was educated at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and ended up in The Waxhaws? Betty Jackson’s story of family obligations in The Waxhaws?
Would you be interested in reading such short stories while I continue to work on my novels?
In the meantime… if you haven’t subscribed to my newsletter yet, please visit my website at https://www.janetmorrisonbooks.com and click on the “subscribe” button. In return, you’ll receive a free downloadable copy of my first historical short story, “Slip Sliding Away” and you’ll receive my e-newsletter every other month. Do it right now!
Since my last blog post
My research last week for my historical fiction writing focused on how food was cooked in the southern colonies in the 1760s and 1770s. I have a growing appreciation for how time consuming it was to prepare a meal then.
A funny thing happened to me at the public library the other day. I had been given some soft mountain mint and was eager to find a book with good information about how to root it. I typed, “how to grow mint” in the library system’s search engine. The response I received was, “Nothing found for how to grow mint. Did you mean ‘how to grow marijuana’? View 13 results.” It’s sort of a sad commentary that the system has no books about how to grow mint, but 13 books on how to grow marijuana. a sign of the times, I suppose. (Before you try to enlighten me, yes, the library had plenty of books about growing herbs. I just started by looking for one specifically about mint.)
Until my next blog post
Take time on this Memorial Day in the United States to remember and give thanks for those who gave their lives in the military service of our country.
I hope you have a great book to read.
Take time to enjoy friends and family.
Remember the people of Ukraine.
Don’t forget to give me some feedback about my short story plan!
Janet's Writing Blog 