Sharelle Byars Moranville remembers the miracle of electricity: ice cubes, ice cream, bright lights at the flick of a switch, and especially her father scrambling to get her grandparents’ farmhouse wired before Christmas so there would be lights on the tree. Ms. Moranville grew up in deep country darkness. “My grandpa could show me the splash of the Milky Way on any clear night—so the changes rural electrification brought were profound,” says the author. Several years ago, Ms. Moranville discovered a batch of family letters from 1945 that opened up a world of memories, inspiring her to write Willa Mae’s story.
A professor of writing and literature, Ms. Moranville lives in West Des Moines, Iowa, with her family. This is her first novel for young readers. You can sign up for email updates here.