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My Standout Stories blog consists primarily of women authors, but today, Daryl Lott joins rank with the two other men I’ve featured.

• Chris Fabry—A Piece of the Moon (January 4, 2022)

• Chris Fabry—Under a Cloudless Sky (January 11, 2022)

• Sigmund Brouwer—The Thief of Glory (August 1, 2023)

Daryl’s debut novel, Isobel’s Song, is a deep dive into Texas history, prior to Texas becoming a state. Daryl’s roots go deep into Texas soil. Having proven his lineal ancestors to the First Texans, he’s a member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas.

In contrast, I have a total of three Texas memories:

• Houston, 1988—sleeping in a non-air-conditioned youth hostel in July (a stopover on the way to Belize)
• Dallas, 1988—visiting friends, then spending four days at my husband’s bedside in the hospital after returning from Belize (he had meningitis)—also in July
• San Antonio—walking along the River Walk for our anniversary and visiting the Alamo—again, in July

Yes, all three times were in July, with temperatures in the mid-90s and higher. Probably not the best time for a visit. 

They were all memorable for different reasons. Fortunately, the last one in San Antonio was as lovely as it was memorable. 

With Isobel’s Song, Daryl has definitely filled in the gaps of my knowledge of Texas history. And he did it with a female protagonist, primarily in 1836, interacting with Sam Houston and other men of that period. 

Throughout my reading, I kept wondering why he chose fictional Isobel to head the lineup. See below for an enlightening Q & A.

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Blurb

Isobel’s Song: Grace and Mercy in the Fight For Texas (Faith & Fiddle Book 1)

One woman. One song. One revolution that changed everything.

In the turbulent years of the Texas Revolution, young Isobel MacDonald hears a melody no one else can—the haunting tune of a divine Fiddler calling her toward courage, mercy, and a destiny she cannot yet see. From the hills of Tennessee to the war-torn plains of Texas, her journey intertwines with heroes and outcasts, soldiers and saints. When faith is tested and blood is spilled, Isobel learns that freedom’s song demands more than bravery—it demands grace.

Rich with history and spiritual depth, Isobel’s Song reveals how God’s unseen hand weaves redemption through war and loss, guiding one woman to discover that the faintest tune of hope can endure beyond the bitter heartbreak of Goliad and the Alamo.

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My thoughts

For lovers of literary fiction, Isobel’s Song has a gem on each page—lyrical prose with a memorable turn of phrase or vivid imagery. The characters are strong and distinct, from fictional Isobel and her husband Kelvin to the likes of Sam Houston, Stephen Austin, and other familiar historical figures. 

Isobel and Kelvin travel with Sam Houston from the east to the Mexican state of Texas, a slow build anticipating the dangers of the struggle for independence from Mexico. Eventually, with the defeat at the Alamo and Goliad, they learn firsthand the cost and sacrifices of such aspirations.

Literary fiction readers with an interest in learning about Texas history through historical fiction will enjoy this unique perspective of events relayed through the eyes of Isobel.

Join me for some Q & A with author Daryl Lott.

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Comment below for a chance to win an ebook or paperback of Isobel’s Song—USA only.

Questions about Isobel’s Song

What was your inspiration and personal connection to this story and its setting?

DARYL: My inspiration and connection come from being born and raised in Texas. My generation has been taught to respect the sacrifices of our ancestors. We grew up in the era of Walt Disney films that instilled a love of country and patriotism to the nation’s youth. Unfortunately, these values are under attack from a variety of sources. My novel is a rebuttal of popular notions that our ancestors in Texas are not worth remembering. The book Forget the Alamo, was the final straw for me.

What intrigues you most about this period? What elements did you want to include from the get-go?

DARYL: The main element I wanted to include is fact that our ancestors lived in a small, 4 mph, world. Texas was a place where even the famous, like Sam Houston and others were accessible to the common man or woman. You might be standing next to Jim Bowie or Sam Houston in a ferry line and they would be happy to know you. The sense of community was alive.

How did you develop your heroine?

DARYL: This is a super cool question. Initially, I wrote the book with a male protagonist in mind who be the progenitor of a family saga. As I researched the subject matter in archives and museums, I found strong women in the records standing in plain sight. 

Coincidentally, my sister and I conducted family research at the same time I was researching the novel. I found that my family lines stretched through the females of my family. As I began to research the historical persons, I found that they were no different from the women of my own family.

Isobel (spelled with an “o” as the Scottish spelling) takes full advantage of her literacy, frontier training, and the sense of justice and fair play that her parents have instilled in her. She takes off running in the story and the story had no natural answer to exclude her from becoming the lead protagonist. 

How well did you know your characters at the beginning?

DARYL: I knew the men as historical figures: Sam Houston, Davey Crockett, Jim Bowie, Andrew Jackson, etc. What I didn’t know is the backstory that women played in their lives. Each of the men listed had significant influence of their wives or some other female character. 

In Sam Houston’s case, he had three wives. Jim Bowie’s agonizing loss of his wife devastated the entire colony. Andrew Jackson’s devotion to his wife is legendary. I hope that my readers take lessons from these lesser known heroes of history.

What was the biggest challenge of writing this story?

DARYL: The biggest challenge is that modern readers try to read into the story something that is not there. Some may call the story “woke” while other readers call the story “white saviorism” or “whitewash.” When we have characters of multiple races and both genders all struggling to survive the ruthless nature of the frontier, it’s difficult for us to see that people worked together for their own survival. 

Because the story has no profanity, no sex, no graphic violence, some readers may characterize it a “sanitized” version of history. It’s not sanitized. The basic facts are all there to show how difficult life was whether one was enslaved or one was the governor of Tennessee. Our modern lives seem at times to rely on isolation and self-reliance. It’s difficult for such a modern reader to grasp what our ancestors experienced.

What unusual or interesting thing did you do while researching this story?

DARYL: Much of this series takes place within an hour or two from my house near the Johnson Space Center in Houston. I went to so many museums from Texas to Washington DC, but the one that got my mind racing, is a much simpler place.

San Felipe de Austin is used repeatedly as a setting in the book. This was the heart of the Anglo settlement in Texas. I studied the documents and exhibits of this actual historical site and museum and decided to make it the primary setting of the introductory book of the series. 

What is one of your favorite parts of this novel? 

DARYL: One of my favorite parts is when Isobel interacts with Washington Irving at Sam Houston’s Cherokee home, Wigwam Neosho in the Indian Territory. Washington Irving really did go to the Indian Territory and seek out Sam Houston as research for some tales he was writing about the frontier.

Isobel finds Irving to be a fascinating individual. She tells him that when they go across the Red River to Mexico and Tejas, there won’t be maps and charts in their saddlebags. 

Irving tells her that his friend says, “Rokovoko is down on any map; true places never are.” The reader will recognize that Irving’s friend is Herman Melville and Rokovoko is from Moby-Dick. Isobel correctly surmises that “the real truth of a place is made up of what we learn for ourselves. It’s what we hold dear in our hearts. That’s never gonna be on any map.”

I suppose that the thing that strains credibility is all these famous characters interacting with Isobel and Sam Houston. But, it really happened. Isobel, of course, is fictional, but the events happened in real life. 

One of my earliest critiques said the famous characters entering and leaving the stage were not believable. My latest readers tell me that they read the book with their phones nearby so they can Google the events as they appear in the book. They are flabbergasted that these events happened.

What deeper questions does the novel explore?

DARYL: The novel explores female roles, slavery, Indian affairs, freedom and what it means, Men’s justice, God’s justice, tyranny, courage, cowardice, sacrifice, legal immigration, illegal immigration, the love of a husband and wife, presidential power, plantations, the races as they rest side by side in a cemetery, and legacy. Isobel is the personification of the modern reader inserted into a complicated and contradictory time in our nation’s development.

What conversation do you hope book clubs will have after reading it?  

DARYL: The biggest conversation is the one where they dispel the notion of helpless females relying on the good graces of men for their station in life. History doesn’t support this concept. Life was simply too hard. All hands were on deck. Everyone worked. Everyone pulled their weight. Everyday people were the backbone of history.

Questions about your writing

Which books or authors have been most influential for you as a writer? What strikes you most about their work?

DARYL: There’s no doubt that Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick is the most influential book for me. My master’s thesis was about the book and Melville’s connection to Emerson. Therefore, I’ve delved into the subject for years. 

I always liked Melville because he was an ordinary working man. He never could break into the circle of New England writers like Hawthorne, Thoreau, Alcott, and the others. He was a whaler by trade and then worked at the customs house in New York. When you look at his most famous book, you can see the supernatural influence underlying the theme. 

This idea of a supernatural hand being present in times of trial or challenges is the same idea that drives my story. I believe God is still with us and his unseen hand guides the world and us in it.

Please share something about a current or next project.

DARYL: Book Two in my series, Isobel’s Hidden Melody, keeps the adventure going. The reader will learn of new battles and an almost completely unknown Underground Railroad that ran from Galveston to Mexico. These form the basis for the next book and Isobel is heavily involved. It releases in September 2026.

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Comment below for a chance to win an ebook or paperback of Isobel’s Song—USA only.

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

If you like dual timeline fiction about family dynamics in a small town Midwest setting, try The Broken Weathervane (launched September 2). 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 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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Daryl Lott bio:

Daryl Lott is a lifelong student of history and proud Texan. He studied Texas history at Texas Tech University and earned his B.A. in Historical Studies from the University of Houston, followed by an M.A. from California State University. Certified by the Texas State Board of Education to teach History, English, and Reading, he taught those subjects in Pasadena, Texas. He is a retired Houston Police officer, serving as a shift commander in multiple divisions. He graduated from Liberty University’s Bible Institute and now teaches Bible study at his local church and is an active member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas and the Sons of the American Revolution. Learn more on his website.

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Join me next time for a visit with author Cheryl Grey Bostrom.

Meanwhile, have you read Isobel’s Song or any others set in Texas? Do you have a favorite state you like to read about in fiction? 

Answer in the comments below for a chance to win an ebook or paperback of Isobel’s Song—USA only.

Ever reading,

Laura

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