Sweet Glory and Giveaway with Lisa Potocar

Sweet Glory is a great book I just recently finished, and I am thrilled to have the author, Lisa Potocar, as a guest today! This is Lisa's first published book, and I think it would make a great gift for any female in your life~ especially with its gorgeous purple cover. How about in an Easter basket? What a great way to educate and inspire at the same time.

Jana Brady is a teenage girl who disguises herself as a boy, "Johnnie," to join the Union army during the Civil War. The story revolves around Jana, and the others in her unit who experience the thrills and the horrors of the war. Along the way, there is a special guy who suspects Jana's true identity and works hard to find out the truth. . . .  You can find Sweet Glory on Amazon by clicking here.

My Amazon Review: 

In reading this book, the Civil War came alive for me. The reality of what it was like for young soldiers to go into battle was so descriptive, I think the author was somehow there. The characters were so likable, and there was a sweet love story interwoven. There was also enough suspense built up that I followed it to the end-- I knew that our main character was going to make it out of her predicament, but I just didn't know how. Then the HOW was surprising and unpredictable, but still completely on track with what I knew of her!

While this was more of a story behind the Civil War, the author stayed true to historical accuracy, and she even points out in the back of the book what is fact. This was a great addition to put in, especially for younger readers. It's obvious when a story is a labor of love. The author's passion showed through every page, and I am hoping that she will write more books like this one! It is worth the read, especially for any patriotic American!

Lisa, welcome to A Story Club!

Will you tell us how you found the idea for your book?

First, thank you, Christina, for having me as a guest on your “A Story Club.” Great title for a blog! Second, I greatly appreciate your lovely introduction of me, your kind words about Sweet Glory, and your enthusiasm for my “Fact and Fiction” section—that was a fun document to write.

Anyhoo—it’s a long story, but I’ll do my best to abbreviate how I happened upon the idea behind my story. I’ve always loved to read/I didn’t always love history—at least not until I was well into my thirties. After great reluctance, I was coaxed into touring some of the colonial homes in Newport, Rhode Island. In one such residence, the guide (dressed in period garb) exorcised some ghosts with his melodic voice; they came out to play with me, and, magically, brought my senses alive to the past—I found an appreciation for it in everything around me--the furniture, décor, and household implements. I returned home from my sojourn, eager to feast upon historical fiction, amongst my favorites: John Jakes’s Kent Family Chronicles and North & South trilogy. (Though, more recently, I’ve become a HUGE fan of award-winning Kaki Warner’s historical romances, including her Blood Rose Trilogy and Runaway Bride Series). Er…uh…yes…back to the “how” in your question. The more I read, the more my curiosity especially around the Civil War times grew. When I began digging into non-fiction, I stumbled upon this little known fact: at least 300 women disguised themselves as soldiers to fight for their country too. One woman—a soldier, nurse, and spy—kept calling to me from the graveyard of records as though she wanted me to tell her story. Aha! My main protagonist, tomboy Jana Brady, who trims her auburn tresses and rides off as Union Cavalryman Johnnie to fight in the American Civil War, was born.

How did you decide the best way to balance your historical facts with the fictional story?

Wow! This is an incredible question; one that I’ve never been asked or thought about before. But it does resurrect that overwhelming feeling of me swimming (maybe even a few times nearly drowning) in volumes of historical facts—all of which could thrill readers if sketched in artfully, only a fraction of which I knew I could possibly use—or else write an encyclopedia of Civil War times—NOT! Because I couldn’t decide which to toss and which to keep, I turned to my characters for help. And they didn’t disappoint! All through the writing of my story, they’d tickle my brain to remind me of something exciting in my research that would work well for them in given scenes or situations. Come to think of it, it was quite the bizarre but reciprocal relationship: The “real” me thought out and wrote their fiction while they, the imaginary, pointed me to the facts. No...I’m not cuckoo. Just ask my characters. LOL!

Are you currently working on another project, and can you tell us anything about it?

I am! And ever so gleeful to have marketing and promotion and social media reined in enough to allow me to be back playing the mad scientist in my cellar lab to create my brain children. I’m actually experimenting with two separate projects: The first is salvaging large chunks of a full-length historical novel (also set during the Civil War, only in the South) that I wrote some time ago—my stepping stone to Sweet Glory—to weave into a new idea that I’m really gung ho to sit down and mold. The second is a sequel to Sweet Glory. I never even would’ve entertained the notion if it hadn’t been for readers demanding one. It took some time for me to imagine such a story, especially one geared more to young adults but with adult appeal. I don’t quite have the ending worked out for it yet, but I’m hoping that with a little more digging in the archives, another little exciting morsel will reveal itself as it did for Sweet Glory.

What have you enjoyed most about publishing your first book?

I’ve been having a grand old time, getting back out into the public, meeting new people, and presenting my novel’s subject, which has been near and dear to my heart for many years now. I’m so appreciative of the warm receptions I’ve received and of the great interest in my story everywhere I’ve gone. 

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Four things:

1. Read! Read! Read! -- Especially books in your chosen genre and for your targeted audience.

2. Hop on opportunities to hone your craft via writing classes, workshops, and/or writers' group meetings.

3. Make sure your writing is the very best it can be before you send it out to agents and publishers-- seek feedback from these experts via writing contests, activities for this at conferences, your targeted audience, and/or book clubs and join a critique group-- though for the latter,  it can be difficult to find one in your area that's compatible with you and your writing.

4. NEVER EVER give up on your work or believing in yourself!

Thank you so much, Lisa! I'm so happy for you and honored that you gave of your time to do this. I'm excited to hear there's going to be a sequel!

Readers, it is your turn! Lisa is generously giving away two signed copies of her book, Sweet Glory.


Winner Update: Debbie and Marne Ann! Please send your mailing addresses to me at cmlass@sbcglobal.net. Congratulations!

What about you? Has history ever surprised you? Do you have a question or comment for Lisa?