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Author Interview,  Giveaway,  Hope-filled Fiction

Interview with Michelle Shocklee & a Giveaway

October 1, 2025 / 27 Comments

I’m thrilled to share my interview with Michelle Shocklee about her new release, The Women of Oak Ridge. I love every book of Michelle’s I’ve read, and I have no doubt I’ll love this one too.

For a chance to win a paperback copy, be sure to comment below by October 7. (US only)

Welcome back to the Hope-filled Fiction blog, Michelle! Please tell any new readers a little about yourself and your family.

I’ve been married to my college sweetheart for 38+ years. For the first 30 years of our marriage, we lived in Texas where we raised our 2 sons. They still live there, and now each of them are married to wonderful girls who are the daughters of my heart. 

Congratulations on over thirty-eight years of marriage. What a blessing. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a Stewardess, which is what they called Flight Attendants back in the day. But you had to be 21 years old to go to Flight Attendant school, which meant I would’ve had to wait nearly four years after high school to attend. I ended up going to college as an Elementary Education major…but never taught school.

Who was your favorite book character as a child and why?

Jo March from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women will always be my favorite character because she came alive in my 9-year old imagination the summer my mom read the book to my sister and me. It was the first time characters in a book became real people in my mind. I could “see” the March girls and their mother as Mom read their story. That sweet time is a treasured memory in my heart. 

Love that! How and when did you start writing? 

I’d always enjoyed writing—diaries, letters, book reports—but I didn’t attempt to write a novel until I was in my late 20s. It would take many years of learning, going to writers’ conferences, writing, submitting, and enduring rejections before my first novel was published. 

Most people have no idea how many years authors spend learning the craft and working toward publication. I’m so glad you persevered! What genre do you write and what inspired you to write that particular genre? 

I’ve always loved history. When I choose a novel to read, 99.9% of the time I choose an historical. Although I’ve written (but not published) a couple contemporary stories, my love of history is what finds its way into the pages of my novels. 

And you do it so well! What would you tell your younger writing self?

God’s timing is perfect. Just wait and trust.

Amen. How do you incorporate Christ and hope into your writing?

I want the faith elements in my books to be as natural as they are in my own life. I never want to preach at readers, but I will always take my characters on a faith journey. I like to say that Jesus is welcome in the pages of my books, because without him, there is no reason to write.

I love following characters along their faith journey in a novel. Is The Women of Oak Ridge inspired by true events or personal history? 

The Women of Oak Ridge is the true history of the town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which was a “Secret City” during World War II. Growing up in Santa Fe, NM, I knew a lot about the Manhattan Project and the making of the atomic bomb, but I hadn’t known that all of the uranium was enriched in Oak Ridge. 

It was fascinating to learn how farmland and small Tennessee communities were turned into a town that would eventually have 75,000 residents by the end of the war. These people worked in huge factories, doing jobs they neither understood nor could they talk about. All they were told is that their work would hopefully bring an end to the war.

That’s so interesting. How do you tackle research for your novels?

Research is my favorite part of writing a novel. I spend weeks and weeks researching the setting and the history of my chosen time period before I ever write one word on the manuscript. Once I feel I have a good grasp on the details, I’ll begin the book. But all throughout the writing process, I will continue to research. I often say research breathes life into my books and characters, and it’s so, so true. 

I can only imagine how many hours you invested in this story. What do you hope your readers take away from The Women of Oak Ridge?

I chose John 8:36 as the theme verse for the book: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Mae, the main character, finds herself caught up in a situation that is frightening and leaves her with much guilt. Guilt she will live with for decades. 

Although most of us won’t carry the kind of guilt Mae does, all of us have done things we’re ashamed of. That kind of guilt is heavy, but Jesus says we don’t have to carry it forever. The Son, Jesus, offers us freedom from guilt, freedom from the bondage of sin. My hope is that every reader, whether they enjoy the book or not, will know that Truth.

You’ve nailed the most important takeaway for each of us in this life. Thanks so much for sharing a little about your new book, Michelle. I wish you God’s blessings as you continue your writing and publishing journey.

Visit the #HopeFilledFiction blog and comment on Michelle Shocklee’s interview by 10/7 for a chance to win her new release, #TheWomenofOakRidge! #giveaway

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Join the conversation. Are you a Michelle Shocklee fan? Which of her books is your favorite? Does The Women of Oak Ridge sound like a book you’d like to read? What questions or comments do you have for Michelle?

Be sure to comment below for a chance to win a paperback of Michelle’s book! (US only)

The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle Shocklee

Click the book cover for purchase link

Not every secret needs to be told. Some just need to be forgotten. 

1944. Maebelle Willett arrives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, eager to begin her new government job and send money home to her impoverished family. She knows little about the work she will be doing, but she’s told it will help America win the war. Not all is what it seems, however. Though Oak Ridge employees are forbidden from discussing their jobs, Mae’s roommate begins sharing disturbing information, then disappears without a trace. Mae desperately attempts to find her but instead comes face-to-face with a life-altering revelation—one that comes at significant cost.

1979. Laurel Willett is a graduate student in Boston when she learns about the history of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where thousands unknowingly worked on the atomic bomb. Intrigued because she knows her Aunt Mae was employed there, Laurel decides to spend the summer with her aunt, hoping to add a family connection to her thesis research. But Mae adamantly refuses to talk about her time in the Secret City. Mae’s friends, however, offer to share their experiences, propelling Laurel on her path to uncovering the truth about a missing woman. As Laurel works to put the pieces together, the hidden pain and guilt Mae has tried so hard to bury comes to light . . . with potentially disastrous consequences.

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including Appalachian Song, a Christy Award finalist; Count the Nights by Stars, a Christianity Today fiction book award winner; and Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy and Selah Awards finalist. Her work has been featured in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs.

Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons and two lovely daughters-in-law, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about.

Connect with Michelle: Website / Facebook/ Instagram

Michelle Shocklee head shot

Please share Michelle’s interview on social media to help spread the word about her new book!

If you missed Joanne Bischof DeWitt’s spotlight on The Heart of Bennet Hollow last week, FIND IT HERE.

As a Jesus girl for more than thirty years, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true to life stories. She is a multi-award-winning author, an active ACFW member, and a six-year ACFW Virginia board member. Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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