| Mia’s father is dead, and her mother has left her in the rural Mississippi Delta town of Marigold with family she’s never known. Her two sets of grandparents are separated not only by a fence dividing their properties, but by skin color and a deep-seated hatred for each other which none of them will discuss. When Mia learns their mutual hatred concerns a long-ago murder, she and her new friends set out to uncover who was murdered and why. Their search leads them to unspoken secrets and buried tragedies, stretching from the years of the Great Depression to the Freedom Summer Movement of ‘64. Mia hopes to reconcile her grandparents by finding the truth. But can broken family fences be truly mended in the face of decades of unforgiving hate? Genre: YA Release Date: October 13, 2023 Click here to get your copy! |  |
Interview with Kristen
#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
Watching a documentary started it all, revealing the little-known historical facts of the massive role Mississippi landowners played in the Civil Rights Movement and Freedom Summer. In the 1930s, sharecroppers became some of the first black landowners under Roosevelt’s New Deal and became essential to the civil rights movement. The documentary is called Dirt and Deeds in Mississippi (https/vimeo.com/ondemand/dirtanddeeds/). As I watched it, I couldn’t help but think, there’s a story here. And this thought led me to think about all the families before and after 30s and 60s this would’ve affected. And so, the story of Mia was born.
Watching a documentary started it all, revealing the little-known historical facts of the massive role Mississippi landowners played in the Civil Rights Movement and Freedom Summer. In the 1930s, sharecroppers became some of the first black landowners under Roosevelt’s New Deal and became essential to the civil rights movement. The documentary is called Dirt and Deeds in Mississippi (https/vimeo.com/ondemand/dirtanddeeds/). As I watched it, I couldn’t help but think, there’s a story here. And this thought led me to think about all the families before and after 30s and 60s this would’ve affected. And so, the story of Mia was born.
#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
Six months.
Six months.
#3. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
Not sure, but I’ve always read a lot in this genre, and I have two teens myself, so that could have impacted my desire to tell a story they needed to hear.
Not sure, but I’ve always read a lot in this genre, and I have two teens myself, so that could have impacted my desire to tell a story they needed to hear.
#4. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Not really, but one character is super witty, so I’ll say him— Drew.
Not really, but one character is super witty, so I’ll say him— Drew.
#5. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
Holding unforgiveness and bitterness is never the answer. It only causes more pain.
Holding unforgiveness and bitterness is never the answer. It only causes more pain.
#6. How did you name your characters?
I love asking on social media what my characters’ names should be. I find visual inspiration for what they might look like, toss out some options, and see what my followers decide. From there, I make sure every first name in my stories begins with a different letter. Because I write timeslips, there are a LOT of characters. So I will fill in the characters’ names based off what letter if the alphabet isn’t taken yet.
I love asking on social media what my characters’ names should be. I find visual inspiration for what they might look like, toss out some options, and see what my followers decide. From there, I make sure every first name in my stories begins with a different letter. Because I write timeslips, there are a LOT of characters. So I will fill in the characters’ names based off what letter if the alphabet isn’t taken yet.
#7. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
There are so many characters (because the story goes “back” in time) that I had to keep a very accurate Family Tree for BOTH sides of Mia’s family. It was hard to remember the names I’d given each character without going back to it. The family trees, both maternal and paternal, made it into the book!
There are so many characters (because the story goes “back” in time) that I had to keep a very accurate Family Tree for BOTH sides of Mia’s family. It was hard to remember the names I’d given each character without going back to it. The family trees, both maternal and paternal, made it into the book!
#8. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
My husband and I have been married for twenty years by the grace of God. We have two kids, one in college and one beginning high school next year. I’ve been doing ministry in some capacity for over fifteen years. I am also a literary agent with Martin Literary Management, and I love every minute of working with my clients (fellow authors) and playing a role in their dreams coming true.
My husband and I have been married for twenty years by the grace of God. We have two kids, one in college and one beginning high school next year. I’ve been doing ministry in some capacity for over fifteen years. I am also a literary agent with Martin Literary Management, and I love every minute of working with my clients (fellow authors) and playing a role in their dreams coming true.
#9. If you could change one thing in your life, past or present, what would it be?
I really wouldn’t change anything. But if I had to answer, maybe sticking with writing right from the start versus having four careers before I committed to writing and joining the publishing world full-time ten years ago.
I really wouldn’t change anything. But if I had to answer, maybe sticking with writing right from the start versus having four careers before I committed to writing and joining the publishing world full-time ten years ago.
#10. What one piece of advice would you like to give readers?
Something that I still work on everyday— Holding bitterness inside is like a festering disease. Release it and forgive! And, what you see or hear or even think is not always true.
Something that I still work on everyday— Holding bitterness inside is like a festering disease. Release it and forgive! And, what you see or hear or even think is not always true.
#11 Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
“This is why it is said:
‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”
Ephesians 5:14
‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”
Ephesians 5:14
More from Kristen
All you need is a spark.
When people find out I’m an author or have read one of my books, I’m often asked how I came up with the story. My answer is always the same. They all begin with a spark, a small idea, sometimes even taking root first in a remote corner of my mind, that says, “There’s a story there.” And that one spark lights, then it quadruples, over and over until it ends up a bright and thriving fire.
The spark for Fences Left Broken was a documentary from 2016 called Dirt & Deeds in Mississippi which told of “the largely unknown and pivotal role played (in the Freedom Sumer Movement and the Voting Rights Act) by black landowning families in the deep South who controlled over a million acres in the 1960s.” This documentary was fascinating and linked generations who had no idea just how important they would end up being in a much-needed and changing time in history. Black sharecroppers who benefitted from an agricultural program during Roosevelt’s New Deal became landowners overnight. Skip ahead a few decades, and these same landowners, or their heirs, had the power to force change.
In the sixties, Mississippi law said that if you were a landowner, you could vote, which opened doors for black families. But, also, these black landowners had leverage. Land was king. Land was also collateral. So when Freedom Summer came along and the wave of black Southerners tried to register to vote, these black landowners had a unique advantage.
Blacks and whites who were volunteering for the Freedom Summer Movement were arrested, often on bogus charges like disrupting the peace and put in jail. But guess what? Black landowners put their land titles up as collateral and got these people out on bond.
Even crazier, out of the hundreds of arrests and bail bonds issued that summer, not ONE failed to follow through and appear in court. Not ONE person charged with a bogus crime was found in default, their bail revoked, and the bond kept. This means not ONE black family who put their land up as collateral lost it.
Historians have gone so far as to say the success of Freedom Summer and the result of the Voting Rights Act wouldn’t have been possible without these families risking it all for the sake of justice and equality.
This documentary was my spark. I got to thinking about these families. They were real people, now generations of people, living in these intertwined communities. What would this have looked like through the years? What became of these families? Where are they now?
And the rabbit trail of my mind began. That spark ignited, and I followed it, outlining potential events that could have happened to families in Mississippi before and after the 1960s, and it all led to my main character, Mia. And Fences Left Broken was born.
I hope you enjoyed learning some little-known history, and a little tidbit of my writing inspiration. And I hope you are curious to find out more about Mia’s story!
When people find out I’m an author or have read one of my books, I’m often asked how I came up with the story. My answer is always the same. They all begin with a spark, a small idea, sometimes even taking root first in a remote corner of my mind, that says, “There’s a story there.” And that one spark lights, then it quadruples, over and over until it ends up a bright and thriving fire.
The spark for Fences Left Broken was a documentary from 2016 called Dirt & Deeds in Mississippi which told of “the largely unknown and pivotal role played (in the Freedom Sumer Movement and the Voting Rights Act) by black landowning families in the deep South who controlled over a million acres in the 1960s.” This documentary was fascinating and linked generations who had no idea just how important they would end up being in a much-needed and changing time in history. Black sharecroppers who benefitted from an agricultural program during Roosevelt’s New Deal became landowners overnight. Skip ahead a few decades, and these same landowners, or their heirs, had the power to force change.
In the sixties, Mississippi law said that if you were a landowner, you could vote, which opened doors for black families. But, also, these black landowners had leverage. Land was king. Land was also collateral. So when Freedom Summer came along and the wave of black Southerners tried to register to vote, these black landowners had a unique advantage.
Blacks and whites who were volunteering for the Freedom Summer Movement were arrested, often on bogus charges like disrupting the peace and put in jail. But guess what? Black landowners put their land titles up as collateral and got these people out on bond.
Even crazier, out of the hundreds of arrests and bail bonds issued that summer, not ONE failed to follow through and appear in court. Not ONE person charged with a bogus crime was found in default, their bail revoked, and the bond kept. This means not ONE black family who put their land up as collateral lost it.
Historians have gone so far as to say the success of Freedom Summer and the result of the Voting Rights Act wouldn’t have been possible without these families risking it all for the sake of justice and equality.
This documentary was my spark. I got to thinking about these families. They were real people, now generations of people, living in these intertwined communities. What would this have looked like through the years? What became of these families? Where are they now?
And the rabbit trail of my mind began. That spark ignited, and I followed it, outlining potential events that could have happened to families in Mississippi before and after the 1960s, and it all led to my main character, Mia. And Fences Left Broken was born.
I hope you enjoyed learning some little-known history, and a little tidbit of my writing inspiration. And I hope you are curious to find out more about Mia’s story!
 Kristen Terrette | With a background in education and theology, Kristen served as a children’s ministry director and women’s leader for many years before returning to her first love—writing the stories playing out in her head. She dove into the publishing world writing numerous articles, devotionals, and novels in both the Romance and Young Adult genres. After managing an international blog and a publishing house’s social media feed, she found herself as an intern at the esteemed literary agency, Writers House, in the summer of 2022. This landed her a job with Martin Literary Management where she now takes on author clients of her own. Stories are her thing and authors are her people. When not on her computer writing, editing, or emailing, or with her nose in a book, you can find her |
getting a little too loud from the sidelines of a kids’ basketball or football game. She’s also a recent transplant to rural
Georgia where she thrives on jogging her forty acres terribly, drinking coffee while birdwatching, and daydreaming of
new book characters, plotlines, and making her client’s dreams come true (which are her dreams as well).
Georgia where she thrives on jogging her forty acres terribly, drinking coffee while birdwatching, and daydreaming of
new book characters, plotlines, and making her client’s dreams come true (which are her dreams as well).
It's Time For A Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Kristen is giving away the grand prize package of
a $75 dollar Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
a $75 dollar Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!
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For Him and My Family, March 8
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 9
Artistic Nobody, March 10 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, March 11
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 12 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 13
A Reader’s Brain, March 14 (Author Interview)
The Lofty Pages, March 15
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 16 (Author Interview)
Blogging With Carol, March 17
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 18 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 19
Guild Master, March 20 (Author Interview)
Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 20
Fiction Book Lover, March 21 (Author Interview)