Having discovered so much captivating history while researching her Striking a Match series,
bestselling
author Tracie Peterson couldn’t resist writing more heartwarming stories set on the Texas frontier. With the
Land of the Lone Star series, she looks at the effect the Civil War had on the nation far
beyond the battlefields of the eastern states. Torn between loyalties to the Union, the
Confederacy, and their own state, Texans must decide what to do when a neighbor suddenly
becomes an enemy.
Her latest novel is
Taming the Wind (Bethany House), the third volume in the Land of the Lone Star series.
1. What sets Taming the Wind apart from other books you’ve written?
Taming the Wind has some elements that my readers will recognize—issues of
forgiveness being at the forefront. However, there are other aspects that will have a
different feel. I don’t often write novels with a widow or widower situation, and in this
story we have Carissa, who was an abused wife and is now a widow with a child. She
has to learn to trust and love again. We also have issues of faith for the hero, Tyler, who
must come to terms with vengeance and seeing the past made right. The setting starts
out in Texas, but this time I take the cattlemen on the trail as they drive steer to Kansas.
2. The setting for this book is 1868. Why was this time period of interest to you?
This is the time period when cattle drives take off. The years of cattle drives aren’t that
numerous, since the railroad moves in and soon makes the long drives obsolete, so I
wanted to show a story that has a bit of this flavor. It’s also interesting to see the way the
states are recovering from the Civil War.
3. Did you do any special research for this book?
Yes, I made a trip to Texas and visited several museums. I spoke with cattlemen and also
studied the journey along the Chisholm Trail. I found it very interesting and even
managed to get ideas for future books.
4. Was there anything unusual about writing this series?
There was something humorous that happened during the research stage of things. My
husband and I were at a museum researching and found an old photograph of a cowboy
being thrown from a steer during a rodeo. The way it was posed made it look like he
was purposefully sliding under the steer. We started joking about steer sliding, and that
turns up in the book as a joke on a greenhorn.
5. What do you want the reader to take away from this?
There are so many people out there who have been wounded by their pasts. I want them
to find healing and the freedom to let go in Jesus. Jesus is all about liberty—He said the
truth would set us free, and He is the truth. I hear from readers all the time about the
bondage they find themselves in, how they long to be set free. This story offers insight
into characters experiencing much the same.
6. This is book three in your Land of the Lone Star series. Will the reader need to read
the other two books first?
Not really. The overall experience will be richer for having read books one and two, but
I strive to make my series books stand alone. I want the reader to be able to pick up
any of the books and through the storyline get caught up to date, while still enjoying a
brand-new journey.