Today we’d like to introduce you to Tonya Blessing

Tonya, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

I started writing stories in high school. Later in life, I wrote devotionals for women in Christian in leadership. Because of those articles, I was invited to join a writer’s group. The group encouraged me to try my hand at writing a novel. The Whispering of the Willow, my first novel, was born. The story is inspired by my mother and her siblings. My mom, Virginia Ashby, grew-up in a rural Appalachian region known as Big Creek. She was one of eleven children. Her father was wheelchair bound and the family was poor. She and her sisters slept sideways in a bed. Their summer bedroom was the smokehouse. Clothes were washed in the creek. Gardens were grown and hogs were raised for food. Meals were cooked on a woodburning stove and outhouses were the normal. She attended a one-room schoolhouse.

My mother was born in 1934, and though she was the inspiration for The Whispering of the Willows, the novel is actually set in the late 1920’s. The story centers around the Ashby family who reside in Big Creek. The heroine of the story is Emerald Ashby. She is graduating from eight grade and already spoken for in marriage. Her trials and triumphs are recounted among her friends and foes in rural Appalachia.

My journey as a published author began with The Whispering of the Willows but has continued with a second work of fiction and a devotional. I am currently worked on a third novel.

The adventure of writing is just as powerful as the stories told.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

I wouldn’t call the writing road smooth, but I would say that creative twists and turns make for memorable journey. Writing is a joy and a discipline. Once the product is finished, the edits and opinions of professionals in the publishing business are both valued and spurned. It takes crocodile skin and a conscientious mind to have creativity challenged and changed.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

My writing generally centers around historical fiction. I also enjoy the customs and history surrounding Appalachia. I include an Appalachian folk belief at the beginning of each chapter. I also weave traditional music and West Virginian fauna and flora into my stories. I am proud of the research that goes into my writing. It is important to me that my representations are accurate historically. When others are asked to describe my novels, they usually comment on the Appalachian folk beliefs included in the stories.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?

Everyone has a story to tell. Sometimes those stories are told verbally. Sometimes revealed with actions, and at times recorded with written words.

Pricing:

• $15.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tonyajewelblessing.com