Michelle Shocklee & Sarah Zimmerman (Reader)

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including UNDER THE TULIP TREE, a Christy Awards & Selah Awards finalist. As a woman of mixed heritage–her father's family is Hispanic and her mother's roots go back to Germany–she has always celebrated diversity and feels it's important to see the world through the eyes of one another. Learning from the past and changing the future is why she writes historical fiction. UNDER THE TULIP TREE is set in 1930s & 1860s Nashville and tells a story of unlikely friendship, reconciliation, and forgiveness. Based on extensive research into the Federal Writers' Project Slave Narratives of 1936, as well as the writings of Frederick Douglass and others, many scenes in UNDER THE TULIP TREE are taken directly from the pages of history. Library Journal gave UNDER THE TULIP TREE a starred review. With both her sons grown, she and her husband now make their home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about in her new book COUNT THE NIGHTS BY STARS, a time-slip story set during the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Michelle loves hearing from readers! Connect with her at www.MichelleShocklee.com