The Sunstone Brooch Author Notes
Author Notes
“We have unleashed monsters that will commit atrocities. I am responsible, and so is my son—the last MacKlenna.”
– Dr. Elliott Fraser, Keeper of the Brooches.
When I started plotting The Sunstone Brooch, I intended to go to Medora and the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and my plans changed. So, Ensley’s “follow the water” trek across the Badlands is based on Google Maps.
All mistakes in mileage, distances, and towns are my own.
In nearly forty years in public and private life, the cowboy image remained an essential element of Teddy Roosevelt’s persona. He took the cowboy off the pages of western lore and turned him into a flesh and blood character. By 1885, TR was still a restless and easily influenced young man searching for himself, seeking direction, and renewed purpose.
I read several books and spent many hours with my TR expert Dr. Tom Appleton. Tom was always available to answer questions, but I couldn’t pin him down about how TR would have reacted to Ensley. TR supported women’s suffrage and became a champion of women’s rights, so I believe he would have enjoyed her company. Their interactions are strictly my imagination at work, except for the book discussions. Those were all based on TR’s reading preferences.
The fall into the ice pond, the cattle arriving on the train, the stampede, and the roundup were all actual events during TR’s time in the Badlands.
In future books, we’ll see him again when he becomes police commissioner in New York City, then as a Rough Rider, and finally as president. And with each of these “visits,” Tavis, Remy, and James Cullen will find their soul mates.
The Sunstone Brooch started as a love story set during TR’s time at Elkhorn Ranch, but once James Cullen left Ensley behind, the story took off in another direction. But that’s what usually happens when brooches are activated, and a short book became an extra-long one.
When I sit down to write, I rarely have a plan, and I’m often shocked by the turn of events. From the beginning, I didn’t even know the identity of Ensley’s soul mate. But of the four men, Austin was the only one ready for love.
While visiting my daughter during the 2019 Christmas holiday, I asked my son-in-law for an accident that could end a professional basketball player’s career. We tossed around some ideas, and then he suggested I google Jay Williams. Williams’s basketball career ended when he had a motorcycle accident. Williams has since turned his successful basketball career into a successful sportscasting career on ESPN. But in the Celtic brooch world, Austin gets a second chance to play the game he loved.
Paul Brodie was a complete surprise, and I didn’t know what role he would play when he first showed up on the page. And I didn’t know about Tavis’s secret life until he went into the fog with Erik’s body.
And Erik, wow! What a surprise he was. If you were shocked…well, so was I. Hopefully, we’re finished with the Vikings, although the Illuminati will probably show up again.
As for what happened to JC in Asia, I don’t have any idea. He was unable to talk about it before he went to the monastery, and by the time he gets home, it might not matter.
It was hard writing through a pandemic, and my focus suffered. Since I couldn’t visit my children and grandchildren, I brought home an eight-week-old Goldendoodle named Maddie, and yes, she loves to play ball, and of course, she had to show up in the book.
It was fun to see the clan back together for a songfest and to hear David’s sax again. Check out The Sunstone Brooch playlist on Spotify.
If you want to travel to Bhutan, it’s not as easy as the MacKlennas made it seem. Independent travel isn’t allowed. All travelers must make travel arrangements through an authorized tour operator on a preplanned, prepaid, and escorted all-inclusive tour package. The tour operators take care of all land arrangements, including in-country travel/road permits, temple permits, and special permits.
It takes a village to write and produce one of these big books. And I couldn’t do it without the assistance of a lot of people. If you’re reading the print version, check out the Author Notes for The Sunstone Brooch for links.
- Chief Editor and Content Editor: Faith Freewoman
- Virtual Assistant, Fact Checker, Researcher, and Keeper of the MacKlenna Clan Series Bible: Annette Glahn
- Freelance Proofreader: Elaini Caruso
- Beta Readers: Lori Seiderman, Paula Retelsdorf, and Jen Coleman
- Marine Advisor: John Retelsdorf
- Medical Advisor: Dr. Ken Muse
- Historical/Theodore Roosevelt Expert: Dr. Tom Appleton
- Cover Design by Damonza
- Interior Design by BB eBooks
- Cover image by photographer Jerry Blank
Some sites you might want to check out:
- Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
- Theodore Roosevelt’s Reading List
- Elkhorn Ranch
- Bill Sewall & Wilmot Dow
- Theodore Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch House Plan
- The layout of the house at Elkhorn Ranch
- Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation
- Roosevelt Island
- The early years of Chicago’s Palmer House
- Chicago—Passage of Time 1880s
- The Rarest Horse on Earth (Akhal-Teke)
- Jarlshof from Above
- Tiger’s Next Trek
- What It’s Like To Visit Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest) In Bhutan
- Dresses of Bhutan – Traditional Dress of The Himalayan Kingdom
- Official railroad map of Dakota issued by the railroad commissioners, November 1st, 1886.
- No flint? No problem. How to find a rock that will spark like flint
- Clovis Point
- How to make a survival spear
- Making birch bark bowls
- Becky’s thimble
- Yggdrasil: The Sacred Ash Tree of Norse Mythology
Places that inspired my imagination:
- MacKlenna Ranch in Colorado
- James Cullen’s house in Washington, D.C.
- The Williams’s house in Cambridge
- Flat Top Ranch
- Elliott’s airplane
A few books about Theodore Roosevelt that are now part of my library:
- Bill Sewall’s Story of Theodore Roosevelt by William Sewall
- Hunting Trips of a Ranchman: Sketches of Sport on the Northern Cattle Plains by Theodore Roosevelt
- Roosevelt in the Bad Lands by Hermann Hagedorn
- Roosevelt’s Ranch Life In North Dakota by Albert Tangeman Vollweiler
- The Naturalist: Theodore Roosevelt, A Lifetime of Exploration, and the Triumph of American Natural History by Darrin Lunde
- The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
- The Strenuous Life: Theodore Roosevelt and the Making of the American Athlete by Ryan Swanson
- Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography
- Theodore Roosevelt: A Literary Life by Thomas Bailey
- Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands: A Young Politician’s Quest for Recovery in the American West by Roger I. Silvestro
What’s next? The Bloodstone Brooch is set in 1895 New York City with Tavis, Remy, Austin, Ensley, and Gabe Morretti. When will it be out? It takes a year to research and to write a brooch book—the length of three regular-sized romance novels. I wish I could write faster.
How many brooch books will there be? I don’t know. I turn 71 this year, and as long as I can keep writing and readers still want to read them, I’ll keep doing what I love doing—writing in the MacKlenna World!
Oh, by the way, I don’t know what happened to JC in Asia. All we know is what Paul knows. Will we find out? I don’t know. JC and Paul won’t be in the next book so it might take a while.
Blessings, Katherine
Fraser Family Tree as of the end of this story
Wishing you a Happy Birthday and a Blessed Easter Katherine!
Thank you! It was a lovely day!
thank you for writing these wonderful stories!
I am hoping the audible version will out soon. I have all the versions of the fill series of 10.
The audiobook is in production. It will be another six weeks.
Is the narrator for this book going to be the one from books 1-8? I certainly hope so!
THE SUNSTONE BROOCH audiobook will be out in late May narrated by Maryne Young and Patrick Zeller!
Just started the audio version of Sunstone. It always takes a while to get into the rhythm of new performers’ when use to the same one for so many books.
Maryne and Patrick have big shoes to fill. Terri is great!
Thank you so much for your books. I have read them several times and they captivate me with every reading as they did the first time! I love this Clan and look forward to many more.
I hope you will continue to write and do the audible books for all the stories, when will the sunstone be out in audible format?
I was so sad when I finished Sunstone, that the only thing I knew to do was start over with Ruby. LOL I’m now on Amber. Katherine – please keep on Broochin’!
I will keep on but right now, I’m burned out and need a break for a couple more weeks. Then I’ll get back to it! I’m glad you’re enjoying the stories.
“Re-reading” the audible Celtic Brooch series and hopefully by the time I’m done, Sunstone will be available on Audible! I’m looking forward to a new “read.”
I have just finished reading all 11 brooch books and I absolutely loved them! Thank you Katherine for sharing your wonderful stories, you are a very talented story teller. I look forward to reading further brooch adventures in the future.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the stories. Many more to come!
I’m super excited because I pressed PLAY on this audiobook this morning! As a result, I should be pretty darn productive with (overdue!) housework over the next two days. I love escaping into the world of The Brooches. Keep up the great work, KLL!
I have truly enjoyed this series. Keep up the good work, you are truly gifted!
Thank you!
I patiently wait for every new lnstallment of this wonderful families adventures…. can we expect movies adaptations soon? The audiobooks keep me entranced for hours…
There aren’t any movie/tv companies knocking down my door so I don’t think we can expect adaptations. I’m so glad you are enjoying the series!
I just finished listening to the Sunstone Broach and I savored every last word. I am amazed at all the research you do and your creative imagination. I wish you much health so you may continue writing this series. At age 73 I know I could not write a book requiring such research and having such a complex family tree.
Mary-Martha, I’m 71 and it’s a struggle sometimes to not write myself into a corner!
I appreciate your response. Half the time I can’t remember the word I’m looking for. P
Any update on a new book in this series? Loved them❤️
Probably summer 2022.
Great! I have purchased the series from Amazon in the Kindle format and from Audible in the spoken format. I really am looking forward to the next book in the series.
It will be 2-3 more months. I’m writing as fast as I can!
I have read them all and listened on Audible. I LOVE them and I love that Elliot sounds like Sean Connery to me!
I told Patrick I wanted Elliott to sound like Sean Connery. I think he nailed it!
When is book 12 coming out? I have all your other books and rereading then for the 3rd time. Your books are the best
A couple more weeks.