Chuck Locklear's Blog

Would you let Core Tom, the antagonist, date your daughter?

As I shielded my eyes from the sun, I was startled by three figures standing on the hill overlooking Mallard Creek. I approached, undetected, and guessed these men to be the expected hunting party, including the mysterious Core Tom.

—A Storm Coming

Core Tom was a real person, and the perfect provocateur, sent by the Iroquois to push the Tuscarora into war with the English… and it worked.

Core Tom was attractive, and he knew it. A narcissist, he struggled with feelings of inadequacy and felt offended when others did not treat him as if he were special. He enjoyed being the center of attention.

What would a man like this do if he saw someone kicking a dog… or if he failed an important test?

The truth about Core Tom is that the pain of others, including animals, was not his priority… and he would never admit to failure.

Read A Storm Coming and tell me whether or not you’d let Core Tom date your daughter.

Order on Amazon.

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If you loved Claire Randall in Outlander, you will love Jane in A Storm Coming. Readers first meet Jane in July of 1710 on the Coastal Plains of North Carolina.

Like Claire, Jane struggles with the English. Jane’s aunt, the clan mother, warns her that there is danger outside the village. “Women and children disappear all the time… likely seized for the slave trade.”

Despite these warnings, Jane cannot resist the lure of wild flowers on the hillside, which is where she meets Core Tom. Like Jamie Fraser in Outlander, he is handsome and mysterious. Jane plucks flower petals, until she has a handful, and throws them high into the air. The swirling bits of color remind her of how the English value their money.

Like flower petals, their money blows away on the wind.

Put here by the Great Spirit, the land remains.

As long as the sun shines, it gives us life.

As long as the water flows, we drink it in.

Can the land be bought? Can we sell it for money?

They know nothing. It does not belong to us.

Jane’s world is about to change. She will not be able to turn back time. Like Outlander, A Storm Coming will immerse you in a time period and a world you won’t soon forget.

Write a review of A Storm Coming on Amazon so others can discover this amazing story.

The post If You Loved Outlander… appeared first on Chuck Locklear.

Looking for the perfect gift?

Buy your dad a gift he will love.

I’m probably your dad’s age, and if he is like me, he loves history. A Storm Coming is the perfect gift.

This is what one reader said:

“If you have ever wondered what Native Americans faced when the Europeans came to these shores, here is a fictional history with evident truths. As the Europeans immigrated into Native lands, the tribes did what they could to resist the taking. This is a story repeated many times in the history of humans. The author clearly has a studied knowledge and has woven it into the story with a particular understanding through his own experiences. This is the history you didn’t learn in high school. I highly recommend A Storm Coming for summer reading.”

You can order directly from Amazon or from this website.

The post Father’s Day appeared first on Chuck Locklear.

Two days to go before I’m a published author.

This is my first royalty check. Zoom in on the amount and you’ll be able to rule out one motivation for writing a novel.

All seriousness, I want to thank Histria Book for taking a changed on a first-time author. I want to thank Lizzy for being my editor in chief. I must also thank Suzanne Triviere, Mary Portser, and Alexandra Bednar for being loyal beta readers. There have been many who have supported my journey. That you everyone!

A Storm Coming is the story of his 7x great-grandmother and the 3x great-grandmother of Henry Berry Lowry, starting with her as a seventeen-summers-old Tuscarora woman, named Runehu’hu. She is unflinching until a handsome, yet mysterious, stranger arrives, recruiting allies to fight the English. She hopes for a wedding proposal, but he recruits her to spy against her own people instead. Runehu’hu reluctantly accepts her English name, Jane, “…just one syllable, plain.” A Storm Coming is a story about forbidden love, survival, and redemption.

Spoiler alert: she survives. (She was my ancestor.)

A Storm Coming was written for readers who enjoy historical fiction, who are fans of The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, addicted to Amy Harmon books, and binge-watchers of Outlander episodes.

A Storm Coming is available June 2nd form Histria Books.

The post Spoiler Alert appeared first on Chuck Locklear.

Five days until publication day.

I have shared many sections from A Storm Coming on this site. I need your review.

Early Reviews are Key

The first week reviews drive Amazon rankings. Don’t wait; I’m hoping to make the top ten.

Anything you write is good. Here are some suggestions:

A Storm Coming pulls you in from the first chapter and keeps your interest throughout. The book is based on true events and features a strong female protagonist. All the characters “jump off the pages.” The story has emotional depth.A Storm Coming is a heartwarming, yet heart wrenching story.A Storm Coming is emotional, at times tense, with just the right amount of romance.The author seamlessly weaves the facts into the story; similar to the style of authors Ariel Lawhon and Amy Harmon.The routines of Native American life give this narrative its intimate sense of connection — and set Jane up for a pivotal confrontation,Gripping historical fiction based on true events, with well-developed characters, particularly a strong female protagonist, and masterful writing that draws readers in from the first page.A Storm Coming features unexpected twists with a well-researched portrayal of pre-colonial America.This gripping tale feels like an authentic foray into the past and the wonderful heroine rings true. Indeed, Jane is so vividly portrayed that it is hard not to become emotionally invested in her life.Jane, the main character, struggles against evil men on both sides, producing a winning blend of fact and fiction.A tense, yet tender story about a remarkable woman, Jane, meant to be remembered.I Promise

Pledge to write a review and I will mail you a free backpack. Starting June 2nd, go to Amazon and write a Customer Review.

The post I Promise appeared first on Chuck Locklear.

Nine days until release day of A Storm Coming. The excitement is building!

Let talk about Thomas Kearsey, one of the main characters. One reviewer, Fiza Pathan, says “… the most surprising voice of all appears who is Kearsey, a half-Weyanoke indentured servant on Colonel Benjamin Harrison’s Virginia plantation, who will eventually re-enter the central narrative as its agent of grace.”

“Agent of grace” perfectly describes Kearsey. He embodies kindness, forgiveness, and unconditional love. Spoiler alert: He comes to the rescue in the end.

Known simply as Kearsey, Thomas Kearsey is from the Weyanoke tribe. He is diametrically opposite to Jane in personality. He is a good-natured jokester who enjoys bringing joy to others. Most of his actions center on the goals of faith and family. Kearsey is my 7x great-grandfather.

Kearsey was raised on the Harrison plantation.

The Harrison plantation on the James River is officially known as Berkeley. Located in Charles City County, Virginia, this 1,000-acre estate is famously the ancestral home of the Harrison family. It is the birthplace of William Henry Harrison (the 9th U.S. President) and Benjamin Harrison (the 23rd U.S. President). Benjamin Harrison V, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was also born here.

I have visited Berkeley Plantation. It still boasts the original 1726 three-story Georgian brick manor. Benjamin Harrison IV, Kearsey’s best friend, built Berkeley. It is one of the oldest three-story brick houses in Virginia. It also houses the slave cabins, where Kearsey likely lived. Berkeley is a great summer trip.

Free Stuff

The post Travel to Berkeley Plantation appeared first on Chuck Locklear.

Join me in Greenville NC on June 24th at the Joyner Library on the campus of East Carolina University as I reveal a locked away secret.

The secret… a 16th century gunlock. The artifact motivated me to write A Storm Coming, set during the Tuscarora War, 1710-1715.

500 Years of American History

This gunlock solves the mystery of the Lost Colony. It is physical evidence linking the English who sailed to the New World from 1584-1587 with Croatoan Indians of Hatteras Island.

The 1580s “snaphaunce” gunlock was discovered by archaeologist Dr. David Phelps, Professor Emeritus at East Carolina University, in 1998 at Buxton, NC.

The name snaphaunce comes from the Dutch Snaphaan, which roughly means “pecking rooster.” This is due to the shape of the mechanism and its downward-darting action. Manufacturing of these gunlocks began in Scotland about 1575. One of the earliest known records of these gunlock is a document dated 1580. It is the sale of “9 cases of snaphaunces at 40s the peece” (40 shillings each). English soldiers sent to put down the Irish rebellion used these guns. These were some of the same soldiers who traveled to Roanoke Island in 1585.

During my research, I enjoyed visiting the places where the story occurred. But I also spent time in libraries, such as the Joyner Library. This is where I was able to hold this gunlock linking the Lumbee people and the Lost Colony.

Meet Runehu’hu

A Storm Coming tells the story of my 7x great-grandmother, starting with her as a seventeen-summers-old Tuscarora woman, named Runehu’hu. She reluctantly accepted her English name, Jane, “…just one syllable, plain.” Jane was unflinching until a handsome, yet mysterious, stranger arrived, recruiting allies to fight the English. She hoped for a wedding proposal, but he recruited her to spy against her own people instead. A Storm Coming is a story about forbidden love, survival, and redemption.

Despite attempts to exterminate Native American people, we are still here.

Free Events

The post Secretly Locked Away appeared first on Chuck Locklear.

I checked Amazon this morning and there are fourteen days left until publication day.

“We are Family” are not just words. If you are reading this you know my story and you are an advanced reader. I need your help to write a review. I have shared many sections from A Storm Coming on this site. Don’t wait to finish reading the book. You have already started the book by reading my posts.

Early Reviews are Key

Early reviews drive the Amazon rankings. I want Jane’s story to be in the top ten.

Anything you write is good. Knowing what to write can be an obstacle. So I can help jump start your thinking by providing ten suggestions. These are my words, but I give you permission to use them:

A Storm Coming pulls you in from the first chapter and keeps your interest throughout. The book is based on true events and features strong a female protagonist. All the characters “jump off the pages.” The story has emotional depth.A Storm Coming is a heartwarming yet heart wrenching story.A Storm Coming is emotional, at times tense, with just the right amount of romance.The facts are seamlessly woven into fiction; similar to the style of authors Ariel Lawhon and Amy Harmon.The routines of Native American life give this narrative its intimate sense of connection — and set Jane up for a pivotal confrontation,Gripping historical fiction based on true events, with well-developed characters, particularly a strong female protagonist, and masterful writing that draws readers in from the first page.A Storm Coming features unexpected twists with a well-researched portrayal of pre-colonial America.This gripping tale feels like an authentic foray into the past and the wonderful heroine rings true. Indeed, Jane is so vividly portrayed that it is hard not to become emotionally invested in her life.Jane, the main character, struggles against evil of men on both sides, producing a winning blend of fact and fiction.A tense yet tender story about a remarkable woman, Jane, meant to be remembered.Join the Family

We are family. You know Jane’s story. You can write a review. Starting June 2nd, go to Customer Reviews on Amazon and say something.

Order on Amazon

Free Events

The post We are Family appeared first on Chuck Locklear.

Leading up to the launch of A Storm Coming on June 2, 2026, I will introduce the main characters. Starting with Jane, the heroine.

You are a valuable part of my team and you can help by writing an Amazon review. You will not be able to post your review until after the launch, but I need your review posted during that first week. Your review will help A Storm Coming rise in the Amazon rankings, which will determine my novel’s success.

25% Off

If you do not have a copy of A Storm Coming, I am offering a 25% off sale. I have advanced copies that I can send now. This price is my cost, plus shipping.

What Should I Say?

You need a copy now so that you can get a feel for Jane and her world. Your review does not need to be thorough, just heartfelt. You might say:

I was hooked from the beginning chapter and eager to know what happened next.This story is carefully researched, immersing the reader in Jane’s world.The book is a captivating telling of American history.I got a sense of foreboding about Core Tom, and he lived up to my expectations.I felt the tension from the beginning as I read of Jane’s dramatic adventures.I found this a beautiful story of a strong, resourceful indigenous woman in early colonial America.Meet Jane

A seventeen-summers-old Runehu’hu, meaning turtledove, is unflinching, until a handsome, yet mysterious, Core Tom arrives, recruiting allies to fight against English encroachment. She is forced to take the English name, Jane. A proud Tuscarora woman, she is my 7x great-grandmother and the 3x great-grandmother of Henry Berry Lowry. (Legendary outlaw/hero to members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.)

Jane thinks before speaking and plans her actions. She is a reluctant hero. Her main drive is to be strong.

Free Stuff

Mark your calendar and join me for these Free Events.

Click this link for an early copy of A Storm Coming for 25% off.

Stay tuned for more free stuff to come.

The post I Need Your Help appeared first on Chuck Locklear.

Just for fun, take this short quiz to find your dream date from the characters in A Storm Coming. You can choose “tall, dark, and handsome” or “beautiful and alluring.”

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A Storm Coming is a sweeping historical novel set in 1710 North Carolina, where a young Tuscarora woman must choose between love and loyalty as colonial forces threaten her people’s survival.

The book is about my 7x great-grandmother and Henry Berry Lowry’s 3x great-grandmother. At eighteen years old, Jane of the Tuscarora Nation faces an uncertain future as her people’s world begins to unravel. For generations, the Tuscarora have thrived in the lush coastal plains. The rivers, forests, and ancient traditions sustain them. But English settlers push deeper into their lands, bringing broken promises, stolen territory, and the threat of war.

When Core Tom, a powerful Tuscarora warrior, arrives calling for resistance, Jane’s carefully balanced life is upended. Drawn to his strength and vision, she feels the pull of a forbidden desire that could cost her everything—her standing, her safety, even her people’s trust. Jane must decide between her duty to family and nation, and the dangerous possibility of love.

Through Jane’s eyes, A Storm Coming reveals the Tuscarora people’s struggle to preserve their culture and sovereignty in the face of colonial expansion. The story is woven with the rhythms of everyday life—harvest feasts, sacred stories, and the bonds of kinship. This novel immerses readers in a world rarely explored in historical fiction. As alliances fracture and the storm of war gathers, Jane learns that survival demands more than weapons—it demands courage, sacrifice, and the strength to choose one’s own path.

Step into Jane’s world, witness the fight for her people’s survival, and experience a story that will stay with you long after the last page.

Book Tour

Just for fun, mark your calendar to join the book tour.

Help me celebrate the launch of A Storm Coming by attending one of these Free Events. There are three in Michigan and three in North Carolina. I’ll be there signing books and giving out free stuff.

Free Books

Join me on GoodReads for a book Giveaway during the month of March.

Order now

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