About "The Homeplace Saga"

About "The Homeplace Saga"

This page is an overview of "The Homeplace Saga" series of historical fiction family saga stories shared on multiple venues in print and online. These include essays, short stories, novels, novellas, ebooks, this home blog, a developmental wiki and more.

"The Homeplace Saga" series of stories span the time period dating from 1833 to the present, in one location. Occasional stories may follow characters to other locations, but generally the stories all take place in the fictional Oak Creek Township river valley, in northwest Shannon County, Missouri, deep in the southern Missouri Ozarks.

"The Homeplace Saga" began with the publication of the debut novel of author William Leverne Smith in 2010, "Back to the Homeplace," set in 1987. This novel introduced the Bevins-McDonald family and suggested a rich history in the family farm business dating from first settlement in 1833 on the same land, in the same river valley. [See Book Trailer video, right sidebar, scroll down]

"Murder by the Homeplace," is a novella (half the length of a novel), a murder mystery-style story, that takes place in the months that immediately follow "Back to the Homeplace."

With the novel, "The Homeplace Revisited," we jump nine years to 1996, when three members of the next generation return to the valley as young professionals to seek out their place in the growing family businesses. Some readers have suggested this is two romance stories entwined with a story of intergenerational conflict. [See Book Trailer video, right sidebar, scroll down]

The novel, "Christmas at the Homeplace," focuses on the fourth quarter of 1996, as various members of the extended families settle into new roles following an active summer and fall. The theme is "homecomings," for many of our characters, as a couple of new, key characters are incorporated into "The Homeplace Saga." [See Book Trailer video, right sidebar, scroll down]

The developmental wiki, "The Homeplace Saga: Beyond the Books," continues as the "creative center" of the growth of "The Homeplace Saga" series of stories. These include character sketches, background on characters, families and businesses, and a base for innovations in both story lines and presentation platforms. You, the reader, are invited to participate, as well, as interest develops.

Short stories of various kinds have become the primary story-telling mode of choice. Three of these have been published in the regional Ozarks Writers League (OWL) annual anthology, to date, in 2011, 2012, and 2013. [The first two of these has now been shared on this blog, as well, beginning here, with "The Trek to the Homeplace."] We have begun to publish some essays and short stories on the HubPages platform (now over 60 stories), as well. Other venues are added as deemed appropriate to reach new audiences.

The above stories were incorporated into "American Centennial at the Homeplace: The Founding (1833-1876)." Available now at Amazon.com.

Over 100 short stories covering activities in Oak Springs and the Oak Creek valley have been shared online over the past couple of years. Many of these are now available in eBook formats, more added regularly... and the short stories, individually, continue to be added online, weekly...related to both the 1879-80 period, and the 1997-98 period.

We now offer a regular newsletter to keep you up to date on our progress with these continually growing stories: http://eepurl.com/bpPujv

Your comments and suggestions are welcomed. We want these stories to be shared as widely as possible, across the country, and around the world.

"May each of us have a Homeplace, if only in our heart!"

Bill  ;-)