Sharon Dunn here. At the end of February, my new book Montana Ranch Crime Ring releases. I am especially excited about this book because my source of inspiration was a little different this time, my own heritage as a person of Norwegian descent. Years ago, my older sister put together a book that traced our ancestry on both sides of the family. My great grandmother who came over from Norway as a child used to visit us when we were kids. The story in Montana Ranch Crime Ring is a modern suspense story so it wasn't like I got to write directly about my ancestors, but they served as the inspiration. I include a character in my book who is a great deal like how my great grandmother was. The reader letter at the end of book explains what's real and what's not.
I've written over 45 books and I can't believe I didn't draw on this as a source for story ideas. The book my sister put together also contained an essay by one of my relatives on my father's side of the family who homesteaded in Montana. Maybe I'll use that in another book. It's my mother's side of the family that came from Norway. Interesting thing about my father's side of the family. My dad always said we were German when we asked him about our heritage but when the bloodlines are traced turns out we're not German at all but English. Funny how stories get passed down that aren't true or only partially true.
How about you? What do you know about your family heritage? Was there anything you were told that turned out not to be true or only half true? Any outlaws or royalty or important people in your bloodline? Leave a comment down below along with your email address. I'll choose at random several people to receive a copy of Montana Ranch Crime Ring (USA only).
Tracing your ancestry really does come with surprises. My family believed that we had Cherokee in our bloodline. If you saw a photo of my grandfather, you would believe it. Even my dentist told me that I must have an American Indian heritage because of my teeth. (?) But when we sent our DNA into a well-known company that checks your ancestry, my heritage was mostly English! No trace of American Indian! Frankly, I was a little disappointed. I love that you used family information for your book. Makes it so special! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletethe same thing happened to my mother in law. She was told her whole life she had Cherokee blood but when she did the DNA test they said she didn't have any Indian blood.
Deletenot much
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Hi. Always enjoy your books, Sharon! My late Father originally came from Norway. After he found the Lord, he got missionary training, got married, and ended up ministering in Paraguay for 34 years, working with tribes, where my brother and I also grew up. My Dad also was a veteran from WWII on the USS Saratoga, so I enjoy stories about that era as well. My favorite CF, however, is Romantic Suspense! For many years now, my husband and I have lived in rural Montana, which I've mentioned before, where my husband is a minister, so we appreciate your prayers for us! Thank you for the opportunity to enter this giveaway! Would love to win a print copy! Take care and God bless! Lual Krautter Email: krautter62520AToutlookDOTcom
ReplyDeleteMy great great great grandmother was on the trail of tears. Somehow got to St. Louis. My dad was 1/16th Cherokee and was upset that he wasn't 1/8. Because then he could have gotten a scholarship to college. This would make me 1/32 Cherokee. My mother's side was German and French Canadian. My name is Nancy Darby. I would love a copy of the book. nancydarby2007@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteMy ancestors on my Dads side came here from Finland. There is a monument in their honor in North Dakota. They were early homesteaders and the family farm stayed in the family for many years. My Dad could not speak a word of English when he started school in America. He learned the language quickly, so he could help his family with it. I admire their brave spirits and hard work. I'm thankful I was born in America. nanaalexander@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteMy family on both sides are Hispanic. We have a Spanish patriot among our ancestors which I found exciting when my father told me. Evidently there is a statue of him in a plaza in Puerto Rico. That is the only famous person I know of. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMy ancestors are hard to trace by maternal grandmother came from Austria Hungary before WW1 through Ellis Island of Russian decent. My paternal grandmother was raised in a foster home from the age of 7. She would tell us stories of her family but never found all of them once they were separated. jenningsask@verizon.net
ReplyDeleteWhile I mother’s side of the family has been traced back to Germany, my father’s side is a blank sheet. So many “facts” we were told have been proven to be false or slanted that way. Seems as a teenager, my grandfather migrated to the United States through Ellis Island. Documentation says at one year and my dad had been told another. For whatever reason, when my grandfather hit U.S. soil, he left anything to do with his past across the ocean where he left. It wasn’t until my dad was a young boy, about 9 or say dad said, that he realized the last name he thought was the family name wasn’t. Upon naturalization, my grandfather had his last name legally changed to his wife’s grandmother’s maiden name. My dad found out by finding a board up in the loft of the barn with this strange word burned into it. When he asked his mother, she told him, but also told him never to mention it to his father. My grandfather was always proud of this country and of his sons entering into the military service. My grandfather was very hard to understand talking in broken English and died with I was only 9. I hadn’t seen him that much because my dad was an Army career man meaning our times with relatives was reduced to a few days each summer while on vacation. This was what my dad surmised as to what might have happened. The area my grandfather migrated from shortly after he left turned to a communist country. My dad felt he got out of the country because of that when a chance to come to the United States came up. Having experienced that awful time, he wanted to leave it behind and the best way to do that was to erase it from his life. His pride in his sons in the military was proof that he wanted this country defended. Why didn’t he want his family to know will always be a mystery. Did he ever miss the family he left behind? Or had something already happened to them in this take over that he came here as an orphan? We will never know.
ReplyDeleteCan’t wait for the opportunity to read and review MONTANA RANCH CRIME RING. Thank you so much for the chance to win a copy!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
My cousin traced our family tree on my mom’s side before DNA came about. We’re mostly English. I may trace mine on my dad’s side one day.
ReplyDeleteI traced mine back for medical information but was surprised what a hodge podge of nationalities my ancestors possessed. No need to enter me in drawing.
ReplyDeleteI am related to guy who started Seventh Day Advent. My grandparents on that side met as missionaries to Indians on reservations. jrs0350@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteNo I haven't been able to find out much on my Dads side Your book sounds amazing Thank you for sharing this post! Sarahbaby601973@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHow awesome to know about your heritage! Part of my family came from England and the other half from Hungary and Quebec.
ReplyDeleteI come from a multitude of nationalities. We were always told we were Irish. That is not so much. I do not have any royality. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you. dpruss@prodigy.net
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's any outlaws or royalty in my bloodline, as far as I know. I know my ancestors were from Sicily, and my paternal grandfathers served in the military.
ReplyDeletemelanie_brac (at) yahoo (dot) com
Hi my dad's ancestors came from Mexico and my moms came from Mexico and from New Mexico. I think Ancestry is very very interesting. Alicia Haney. aliciabhaney (at) sbcglobal (dot ) net
ReplyDeleteI am mainly English, Scottish, and German.
ReplyDeleteOn my dad's side, he is Czech from both parents. My mom's side is Dutch and English, I think. I would love to see what a DNA test would reveal about our family, but I'm too much of a conspiracy theorist and I don't want just anyone having access to my DNA.
ReplyDeleteHeather Mitchell crhbmitchellfam@duck.com
Wow! That's so interesting about your family tree! Visiting Norway is on my bucket list! Well, my parents had never talked about our ancestors, paternal and maternal. I only knew my maternal grandparents through the photos that we have - that's it! My paternal grandfather passed away three days before I was born, and I got to stay with my grandmother until I turned an adult. But then my grandma didn't tell us much about our ancestors.. So, I think my family ancestry is a mystery! cwkuen(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteWhen my Grandma went into a coma before going home to heaven she talked about her time driving moonshine escaping sheriff. Her Mom was full blooded Cherokee. jrs0350@yahoo.com
ReplyDelete