Whichever Way the Road Leads by J. A. Boulet

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Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I write historical fiction because I absolutely love history. The research is not a chore for me, it is a fascinating and fulfilling side job. In my personal perspective, digging into the past is equal to the enjoyment of writing.

Aside from that, historical events do make my job as an author easier too. World wars, mass immigration, and catastrophic weather provide a solid story, plot, and climax. Although I tend to write more about how these events affect families and individuals, it still provides me with a perfect backdrop for the story in my mind, which moves at the speed of a motion picture.

What research is required?

Initially, I pick the historical event that I want to write about. In my newest book, that event is the War of 1812 and what caused it. I visit plenty of museums, online and in-person, collecting as much data as possible. Sometimes, if the past event is recent enough, I will interview veterans to obtain valuable first-hand accounts.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

I learned that war is ugly, but the individual soldiers are human. They make mistakes but they also have values, that they must uphold, for themselves and their own peace of mind. As my main character, Jesse Eastman said, “This war needs men like me.”

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

The only thing I can think of, is that I write consistently, every week, without taking long breaks. It keeps the writing smooth and flowing. I find that if I put the book down for two weeks or longer, I lose the story. It is a death sentence for my book.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I am a plotter. I write an outline first and have rough outlines of each chapter before I start the first draft.

While I am writing, some things change and new characters are added, but I always control my characters from going wayward and changing the story.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

A sofa blanket lol

Anything new coming up from you? What?

At the end of August, I will be starting Bk 2 of The Eastman Saga (1830s American history)

Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes! I would like to ask readers what makes a book a page-turner for them. Is it action, violence, or impending romance? What makes a story that you can’t put down?

Thank you for the wonderful interview and I hope everyone enjoys Whichever Way The Road Leads!

Meet Jesse Eastman, a young man from a powerful and wealthy American family. When he joins a group of rough fur traders on a journey to open up the American Northwestern Frontier, Jesse thinks his days are numbered.

The looming War of 1812 and a rugged farm woman from Upper Canada may prove him right.

Zee Collard and her father, George, are half-American, and half-Canadian. They will stop at nothing to protect their livelihoods in Upper Canada. The Collard's family history goes back to the Revolutionary War and their past is not something many Americans are keen on.

Whichever Way The Road Leads will pull you into the lives of two American families on both sides of the border who struggle as war breaks out in 1812. This engaging and graphic first book of The Eastman Saga will take you through raging mountainous rivers and early Northwestern Frontier landscapes to the bloody Niagara battlefields of 1812.

Be careful which road you take, you never know where it'll lead.

Read an Excerpt:

Jesse walked confidently to the group as the man spoke commandingly to him in the Arikaran language. Jesse looked at him in bewilderment.

“He said that he would take everyone into the village and save our lives in exchange for the bear pelt and the canoe,” the woman translated slowly.

The Arikara guard spoke again, quickly, almost jumbling over his words with passion.

“He also says that this is not a free stay. Everyone must work once they are healthy enough.” The woman explained the rest of the agreement and looked at Jesse for confirmation.

Jesse looked back at the stranded Overland Astorian group. They were probably three more days away from dying, he thought. Losing the bear pelt was nothing, but the canoe would be a huge sacrifice. “Tell him we will give him what he wants,” Jesse replied, rubbing his long beard. “But he must allow us to rebuild a new canoe with the surrounding trees. It is our only survival to return to St. Louis.”

The woman frowned, turned to the Arikara guard, and relayed the message in their native tongue.

The Arikara man’s mouth frowned in deliberation. Then, a half smile graced his face. He spoke rapidly to the woman, then turned to his group of guards, gesturing for them to grab the canoe and bear fur. They began approaching the Astorians as the native woman spoke to Jesse. “They have agreed,” she translated, with a funny grin on her face. “He also said that you are stupid and young.”

Jesse laughed and patted her on the shoulder. “Thank you,” he said. “You saved our lives.”

“No,” she replied. “You did, Jesse.”

About the Author:

J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of six historical fiction novels. Raised in a Hungarian refugee family, J. A. was born and grew up in Canada with a strong moral foundation, which she has stood behind all her life. Ms. Boulet began writing poetry at a very young age and progressed to short stories and novels easily. She quickly became a history geek and became fascinated with ancestry and the rough path of immigration. Her university studies ranged from photojournalism to accounting. After decades of working in accounting, J. A. published her first book in 2020 and has since published one to two books annually.

She lives in the Niagara region of Canada with her two sons, a crested gecko, a large Doberdor dog, and a small orchard of fruit trees.

Website: https://jaboulet.ca
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Whichever-Road-Leads-Eastman-Saga-ebook/dp/B0D4FCQ66D
Twitter link: https://twitter.com/love_walk_life
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/jabouletauthor/
YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHyJHrncBj09F5119oxt6Vw
Reddit link: https://www.reddit.com/user/NormalFemale

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