Wedded To War And A Giveaway With Author, Jocelyn Green

Author, Jocelyn Green

Welcome everyone! Most of you know how I feel about the Civil War, that’s why this week I’m excited to introduce you to Author, Jocelyn Green. Jocelyn’s debut novel, Wedded to War, takes place during my favorite time period—The Civil War. I invited Jocelyn over to get to know her better and to learn a little more about her book—which, by the way, is an outstanding historical read.

Jocelyn has also graciously offered to give away a copy of Wedded to War. To be entered in the drawing, all you have to do is answer Jocelyn’s question (it’s in bold and green) at the end of the interview. Leave your answers in the comment section, or for those who have trouble commenting on Blogger, leave your answer on my Facebook Author Page on the link to this blog post. Every tweet on this post @LoreeHuebner will get you an additional entry. The winner of Jocelyn’s novel will be drawn at random on Sunday, September, 23rd at 9pm CDT. I will announce the winner on next Monday’s regular blog post, and Jocelyn will be mailing out the book.

Charlotte Waverly leaves a life of privilege, wealth–and confining expectations–to be one of the first female nurses for the Union Army. She quickly discovers that she’s fighting more than just the Rebellion by working in the hospitals. Corruption, harassment, and opposition from Northern doctors threaten to push her out of her new role. At the same time, her sweetheart disapproves of her shocking strength and independence, forcing her to make an impossible decision: Will she choose love and marriage, or duty to a cause that seems to be losing?

I’ve asked Jocelyn a few questions. I hope you enjoy the interview.

Welcome Jocelyn!

Your novel is titled, Wedded to War. How long have you been writing novels? Is this your first book?

This was my first novel! My first nonfiction book was published in 2008, though. I’ve been writing books ever since, with lots of magazine articles thrown in between, too.

The book is a work of historical fiction. What inspired you to choose the Civil War as the setting?

I was working in a nonfiction book which also released this summer, called Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front. That book is a collection of 365 stories about what women have done in times of war, from the French-Indian war up until today’s conflicts in the Middle East. My research for the Civil War time period was by far my favorite, and inspired all four books in the Heroines Behind the Lines series.

They say that there is a bit of each of us in all of our characters. Which character in the book is most like you, and why?

The main character, Charlotte Waverly, but it just happened as a coincidence—I didn’t plan it that way. Charlotte is based on a real Civil War nurse by the name of Georgeanna Woolsey, so I followed her personality, physical traits, strengths and weaknesses as closely as possible. We do have a few things in common though—a real independent streak, a soft spot for the underdog, love of a challenge, and strong desire to make a different not just in our own homes, but in society.

I love Charlotte's strength. I also have that soft spot for the underdog too. Now it sounds as if there is a sequel or series planned?

Yes. Wedded to War is the first in the Heroines Behind the Lines series. (See www.heroinesbehindthelines.com.) All four of these books will be set in the Civil War. The next one comes out in April and focuses on Gettysburg- the battle and the aftermath, and what women did to pick up the pieces after the armies left their gruesome wake.

I’m almost finished reading Wedded to War, and I will be looking forward to the next one for sure! What do you read for enjoyment, Jocelyn?

Lots of fiction! Although I do enjoy research books, I go to novels for fun. Here’s what I have either finished recently or have on my list to read next:

Hidden in Dreams by Davis Bunn

A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman

With Every Letter by Sarah Sundin

Still Life in Shadows by Alice J. Wisler

Veil of Pearls by Mary Lu Tyndall

Heiress by Susan May Warren

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

I tend to gravitate toward historical fiction, but you can see I am branching out a little bit in this list to historical romance and contemporary fiction. I have read LOTS of Civil War fiction too, of course.

Awesome list of books! Well, it has been a real pleasure to have you here, Jocelyn! Thank you so much for taking the time to visit.

Thank you, Loree!

Now Jocelyn has a question for you—

Question for readers: I was personally fascinated by the fact that nursing was a male profession prior to the Civil War. What little tidbit have you learned from the Civil War that took you by surprise? (Or if you’d rather share from a different war, that’s OK too!)

Great question, Jocelyn. I would say my surprising tidbit would be that during the Civil War, it wouldn't be unusual for a surgeon to extract a bullet out one soldier/patient and also find a piece of a garment in the wound that didn't match the patient's shirt, jacket, or pants - which meant that the lead ball had passed through another human being before it was found lodged in the patient. Strange stuff.

Jocelyn Green is an award-winning author and freelance writer. A former military wife, she authored, along with contributing writers, Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives and Faith Deployed . . . Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives. Jocelyn also co-authored ofStories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq & Afghanistan, which won the Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America in 2010, and Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front, which inspired her first novel:Wedded to War.

Jocelyn graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a B.A. in English, concentration in writing. She is an active member of the Evangelical Press Association, Christian Authors Network, the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Military Writers Society of America.

She loves Mexican food, Broadway musicals, Toblerone chocolate bars, the color red, and reading on her patio. Jocelyn lives with her husband Rob and two small children in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at JocelynGreen.com.

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree