The setting is in a fictitious town called Tolivers Pond which is actually based on a town called Grandin MO.
The story idea is based on a writing assignment that my daughter was doing for a high school English class.
Sada Marsh was a real person that died in 1905 and is buried in Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
While many of the last names in the story are familiar to local people, the name Newton Marian Burns is taken from my great-great-grandfather Newton Jasper Burns, and my great grandfather Francis Marian Bounds.
The “song verse” at the end of the book was totally made up. Since it is copyright infringement to use someone else's lyrics in a book. I made up my own instead to replace the words to “When I went down to the River to Pray.”
Boyer’s Chapel is actually the original name for Mt Carmel Missionary Baptist Church that is still located some eight to ten miles from the real town of Grandin. The church was established in the late 1800’s and is still active. Many of my family members have attended this church over the years (some of us have been excluded from that church too, but that’s another story!).
Pastor Adams was named after a pastor I had when I was growing up. Although I assure you the name is the only thing that is like him. Bro. Jerry Adams and his beautiful wife Suzan were a big part of my teenage years, taking me to youth meetings, revivals, and summer church camp. I spent many Sunday afternoons at their house. This is meant to be a small token of appreciation by using his name for one of my characters (sorry Bro. Jerry, he turned out to be nothing like you!).
The religious practices of the clan were a combination of Choctaw and Norse (there is a reason here) practices. I had a great deal of fun just making up how they would do things. I wanted it to be primitive and simple, but still symbolic of my Christian faith. We will be exploring this more in book three entitled, “The Birth Right.”
The dog, Prince, in the story, was named after a dog my husband had when we got married. We didn’t bring him to live with us, though, because he was more at home on the farm where my husband grew up. He died at a good old age running the field and the woods on his grandparent's farm.
The name Boyer comes from my husband’s family. There are still a lot of family members that live in the local area. The name James comes from my father, who was never called that by his own family. Instead, they used his middle name, Lester. James Boyer will show up again (in future generations). Because the two families (the Burns’ and the Boyers’) are tied by a special mission, it is imperative that they work together to help mankind.
Any other questions readers have? Leave them in the comments and the author will try to answer.
