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I’ve always been interested in genealogy research. But even more important than individual’s names on branches of family trees are the stories that accompany them. 

So, several years ago, I interviewed my mother-in-law and later my dad with questions about their childhood memories and adult years (my mother and father-in-law had already passed away). I wrote up their life stories—which included information about their spouses—and printed copies for their kids and grandkids. 

I love having a written record of our family history, and I hope that someday, my children will value these stories as much as I do. 

Author Becky Van Vleet has taken her love for preserving family stories one step further by writing two novels inspired by family members’ experiences, Unintended Hero and Her Strength Within. 

The former title is inspired by Becky’s father, Walter Troyan, and his adventures aboard the USS Denver in World War II. The latter is based on the life of her grandmother who immigrated from Czechoslovakia in 1921 at age nineteen. You can watch the book trailers here and here.

These stories, written as historical fiction, honor her ancestors and the fortitude, perseverance, and hope needed to overcome tremendous obstacles. 

Incidentally, one of Becky’s more recent blog posts is her own childhood memory about participating in the children’s television show Romper Room in 1958. This was fascinating to me because I grew up watching Romper Room in the 1960s! That and Captain Kangaroo. Lucky Becky—getting to be on Romper Room would have been a dream come true for me back then!

Blurb:

The lush, green hills of Poland and Czechoslovakia are all that Alzbeta Holeva has ever known. Yet, as a nineteen-year-old peasant girl in 1921, her life is on the brink of a drastic upheaval. Papa plans to send her to America for a better life. The very thought of severing ties with her family, abandoning her homeland, and facing the frightening unfamiliarity of a new country fills her with an overwhelming dread.

Although her aunt and uncle are willing to sponsor her and have already braved the journey successfully, the thought of venturing alone to a distant land makes her stomach roil. Still, with the haunting memories of German military planes menacing the skies of her childhood and her brothers later embroiled in the horrors of the Great War, she must summon every shred of courage to embrace Papa’s plan. She would pave the way for the rest of her family to follow.

At last, Alzbeta steps onto the SS La Touraine, the mighty vessel that will carry her across the perilous Atlantic waves to an uncertain future. The grueling trials awaiting her in steerage passage will forever change the course of her life and shape her path toward America.

Inspired by a true story.

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My thoughts

Many images in this story become meaningful metaphors that take Alzbeta on her journey from Krakow as a child to Czechoslovakia as a teen and later to America at age nineteen. 

Besides the terror of living surrounded by Cossack soldiers, German military planes, and the Lithuanian War, Alzbeta loses her mother at age five, lives with a Cinderella-type stepmother, misses her dear aunt and uncle in the USA, worries about her older brothers in the military, and cares for her younger siblings as they all live off the land. Alzbeta’s father is her main constant. 

But when Alzbeta finally gets a job with a Jewish family, her father wants her to save her wages for going to America—alone. He plans to move the family there later.

The most gripping parts of the story are Alzbeta’s travels from Czechoslovakia to Paris and then on the ship headed to the USA. She befriends and helps a young mother and her kids. Unfortunately, danger always lurks, sparking one disaster after another—from illness in crowded immigrant quarters to shady characters to storms at sea. 

I gained so much more appreciation for my own ancestors who risked all to come to America—only to find that their troubles were far from over.

The early chapters (after the opening scene) accurately reflects a child’s perspective with the feel of a middle grade novel. The narrator voice changes as Alzbeta grows from year to year. When Alzbeta is older in Czechoslovakia, the scene progressions are more fully developed, making me feel like I was on the ship with her. If you want to know what ocean travel was like for immigrants in the early 1900s—and their lives before immigrating—you will gain much from reading this story.

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Comment below for a chance to win an ebook or paperback of Her Strength Within.

Join me for some Q & A with author Becky Van Vleet. 

Questions about Her Strength Within

What was your inspiration for writing Her Strength Within? What’s your personal connection to the story and/or setting?

Becky: During my teenage years, I found myself captivated by my paternal grandmother’s journey to America. Alzbeta Holeva Troyan had left everything familiar— her homeland, her family—to cross an ocean alone. Her bravery both awed and inspired me. 

When she passed away during my college years, grief settled heavily upon me. Yet her immigration tales remained nestled in my memory like treasured heirlooms. 

By 2024, I felt an undeniable pull to preserve these stories. Something within me recognized that her journey deserved documentation—not just for our family, but as testament to the profound sacrifices made by those early immigrants who sought new beginnings in America.

I love that you actually got to hear her stories as a child. How did you develop her as your heroine? Did she hijack the story, or did you have full rein? 

Becky: I held the reins of this story in my hands, free to shape it as I saw fit. Yet with my grandmother as the central figure, I felt the weight of responsibility. Each word I wrote was an attempt to capture her essence, to render her journey to America with the clarity it deserved. For every writing attempt, I sat with her memory, wrestling with how best to honor her.

It seems that you definitely achieved that goal of honoring her. If you were to write a spin-off book about one of your secondary characters, which one would you choose and why? 

Becky: I didn’t expect to become so attached to Kasia, the fictional character I created to accompany Alzbeta across the Atlantic. What began as a narrative device—someone for my grandmother to interact with on those long train rides and longer ocean crossing—evolved into a woman with her own story. Full of life, I’m tempted to give Kasia a story of her own.

How fun! There’s some serendipity for you. I hope you get to write Kasia’s story sometime. What was the biggest challenge of writing your grandmother’s story?

Becky: Managing my emotional response proved to be my greatest hurdle. While researching the steerage accommodations my grandmother endured during her journey, I often found myself overcome with grief. The reality of her experience crystallized for me—the wrenching separation from her homeland and loved ones, compounded by the squalid conditions she was forced to endure during the crossing.

It’s hard enough reading about those situations, let alone writing them. You practically had to be in her shoes. What was the hardest scene to write?

Becky: I struggled most with capturing Alzbeta’s overnight stay at Ellis Island. After enduring the lengthy in-processing, she faced the crushing realization that her uncle, her sponsor, hadn’t arrived and she was forced to spend the night. 

Surrounded by unfamiliar voices speaking a language she couldn’t comprehend, she somehow endured until the next day when he finally arrived to pick her up. The vulnerability of that moment—adrift between worlds, clinging to hope while battling rising panic—truly unsettled me.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to find myself in that spot. What unusual or interesting thing did you do or discover while researching for this story?

Becky: My husband and I made the journey to Ellis Island, where I arranged to meet with a curator. I’d reached out weeks to him before, hoping he might answer a few questions for my novel. 

The meeting exceeded all expectations. He was actually able to pull up my grandmother’s record from the digital archives—her name, her arrival date, even the detailed menu of what she’d eaten during her unplanned overnight stay. My whole tour at this extraordinary historical site proved remarkable.

What a fantastic experience for you! If a reader could underline only one passage, which would you choose—and why?

Becky: As Alzbeta stepped up to board the train, soft words from behind reached her ears. “Welcome to America.” She turned around and gave Aunt Minnie a hug, overcome with gratitude for this new beginning in a land of hope and promise.

These final lines of the novel reveal Alzbeta’s genuine gratefulness and renewed optimism that now filled her heart. 

I’m so glad she survived all those ordeals to get to that point of “Welcome to America.” What conversation do you hope book clubs will have after reading it?

Becky: I envision book clubs reflecting on the immigrant journey to America—those who left behind family heirlooms and childhood homes, who endured weeks in the dank bellies of ships where disease spread and sometimes took lives. I see readers discussing the courage of the emigrants. These conversations might illuminate how such sacrifices thread through the tapestry of American identity.

Those are valuable considerations for contemplating. If you could live in one of the story worlds you’ve created, which one would you choose and why?

Becky: Unintended Hero, my debut novel, chronicles my father’s service aboard the USS Denver, a light cruiser that saw action in the Pacific Theater. His firsthand accounts transported me back to those turbulent years. 

Through his stories, I glimpsed a generation defined by their willingness to set aside individual desires for a greater purpose. If given the chance to live in any era, I’d choose those years without hesitation.

There’s a reason why they’re called “The Greatest Generation.” 

Questions about Writing

Where do your story ideas usually originate from—character, plot, setting, theme, or a combination?

Becky: I am passionate about family stories, preserving them for future generations. My literary journey began with Unintended Hero, weaving my father’s actual WWII experiences into fiction. 

I continued this tradition with Her Strength Within, transforming my grandmother’ s immigrant pilgrimage into narrative. Now, I’m crafting Waves of Faith, which resurrects my uncle’s harrowing survival at Pearl Harbor—another chapter of my family’ s intersection with history that refuses to be forgotten.

You will never run out of stories the way you value and preserve your family history! Share a little about your novel writing process, and the length of time it takes to complete a book.

Becky: Since I’m retired, I probably have a little more time on my hands than some of my younger author friends. But I’m certainly busy with grandchildren, extended family, church activities, traveling, and all kinds of things. But most weeks I have several days to sit and write, a hobby for me that is very fulfilling. 

Including the actual writing, researching, editing, and going through the publication process with a traditional publisher, the total length of time to complete a book is about 12-14 months.

It’s a blessing to have that post-retirement time to write, even with all your other activities. Please share something about a current project or the direction you want to go as an author.

Becky: As I mentioned earlier, my work in progress is Waves of Faith, is a work inspired by my uncle’s experiences in WWII as a Pearl Harbor survivor and his love story. What I’m especially excited about this third novel is that it spun off two more novels. 

I have signed a contract with my publisher for Waves of Faith to be the first book in a three-book WWII romance series. Waves of Faith is slated for publication at the end of the summer of 2026 with Waves of Peace and Waves of Hope to follow.

Congratulations! That’s exciting. Is there any writing advice you wish you’d known 10 or 15 years ago?

Becky: Yes! It’s never too late to pick up the hobby of writing. I had no idea I’d ever write a book in my golden years, especially since I never liked writing! But here I am, working on my fourth novel. It’s exciting. I’d like to encourage “seniors” that it’s never too late to start writing.

I’m a firm believer that all people should write—especially journaling and recording memories. What best prepared you for being a novelist?

Becky: What best prepared me for becoming a writer is my passion for family stories and preserving them for future generations. As a baby boomer, I have connections with my parents who experienced the Great Depression and later fought in WWII. I have their firsthand accounts. Treasures. Priceless. 

If we don’t write down our stories in some kind of format, they are permanently lost upon our deaths. My passion for preserving my own family stories catapulted me into writing novels.

Absolutely! Thank you for the way you encourage others to share their stories. 

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Comment below for a chance to win an ebook or paperback of Her Strength Within.

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Back to Laura . . . On a similar note . . . 

If you like historical fiction inspired by family stories, you might enjoy The Broken Weathervane (launched September 2, 2025). Two co-workers seek the same information. One wants to publish it; the other has good reasons to keep it hidden. The timeline alternates between 2015 and the 1950s. Check out the reviews and book trailer here.

If you like biographical historical fiction, you might enjoy A Hundred Magical Reasons (launched January 2025). This story spotlights L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, his friendship with a young girl, and his impact through the decades. Set in Holland, Michigan, this dual timeline novel alternates between 1980 and the early 1900s. Read more and watch the book trailer here. 

If you like Southern fiction and small town/rural stories about family dynamics and secrets, you might enjoy my novel All That Is Hidden. Set near North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1968, the story spotlights the bond of family and the connections of a tight-knit community. Northern exploitation threatens as a father’s hidden past catches up to him and tests family ties. Learn more and watch the trailer here.

All That Is Hidden is now an audiobook! 

I invite you to join my monthly newsletter for writing updates, freebies, and giveaways. Sign up and I’ll send you a prequel and 7 Oz-inspired recipes: StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com  

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Becky Van Vleet bio:

Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and award-winning multi-genre author. Her books are the recipients of the BookFest, Purple Dragonfly, Excellence in Editing, Christlit, and Angel Book awards. She’s a published author of numerous articles in Guideposts, The Country Register, Christian Devotions Ministries, Inkspirations Online, and more. She is passionate about sharing the values from the Greatest Generation and is frequently booked as a guest speaker for middle and high school classes about patriotism. A member of ACFW, Allauthor, and Shepherd for Authors, Becky has devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs. Connect with Becky at: beckyvanvleet.com.

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Join me next time for a visit with author Suzanne Woods Fisher.

Meanwhile, have you read any of Becky’s novels or family stories written as historical fiction? OR . . . Do you have a family story you wish somebody would write as a novel or a memoir?

Comment below for a chance to win an ebook or paperback of Her Strength Within.

Ever reading,

Laura

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and receive the 7 free Oz-inspired recipes: StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com