Date Published: 08-16-2025
Publisher: Solander Press
One afternoon, A.J. returned home from school to find a surprise waiting for him in the barn - a beautiful little horse named Lady Star. She was now his to ride and care for. From that day on, A.J. spent all his free time learning how to ride Lady Star and caring for her. He dreamed of being skilled enough to ride alongside his grandfather, father, and Jon, the farm hand, during the cattle roundups.
Award-winning author Sherry Roberts weaves a heartfelt story about growing up in the 1930s and 1940s. Based on the tales passed down by her father, Just Call Me Pardner is a must-read for history lovers and those who enjoy stories of the American West.
Interview with Sherry Roberts
Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?
No research trips were needed for this story. You see, I am from this area originally and my family had always gone back to visit my grandparents in Northeast Oklahoma. I have even fished as a child in some of the fishing holes my father did in his childhood.
Most of my research has been in collecting his childhood stories, researching historical background information for the story, gathering information about horses from my friend who is an accomplished horse woman, and another friend who is very involved with the Indian culture of Northeast Oklahoma.
What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?
I’m not sure it is strange but researching the school system during that period was interesting more than strange.
What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?
The period of this book did require that I research the area, what was happening at that time, places of business, but most came from the tellings of my father.
Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.
My mother was my writing mentor. She was my go-to when I was unsure where to take a story or how to end a story. The hardest part of ending my middle grade series was losing her before the series was completed. I found I was in a writer’s slump and just could not think of what to do next but then it came to me and I could not stop writing until it was finished.
For this series, My father has been such a fun resource, telling me names and happenings. Writing is not really his “thing” since he is a musician but he is god to provide details that I can add to the stories.
Do you write in the same genre all the time?
I change up what I am writing (picture book, chapter books, middle grade books) but the odd writing that I have done while I do fiction books in the children’s genre is I am also a secondary education textbook co-author.
If so, have you ever consider writing in another one?
I have considered writing cozy romcoms. I have yet to try my hand at it but I think about it.
Which character, supernatural or human, do you enjoy writing the most and why?
I have truly enjoyed writing this chapter book series since it is about my father. The main character’s name, A.J., is actually my father and his father’s initials in reverse. My father is John and my grandfather was Allie.
About the Author
As a former middle school teacher, Dr. Roberts decided to write her first middle-grade novel (ages 8-13). Her debut novel, The Galaxy According to CeCe, is the first book in a three-book series. It was officially released on February 24, 2024. Book two, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Mysterious Dr. Pruitt, was released August 2024. Book three, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Stars Align, released February 2025.
Sherry’s next venture is a chapter book series (ages 6-8). The first book, Just Call Me Pardner, was released August 1, 2025. The series is about a young boy in the 1930s on a small farm in Northeastern Oklahoma and is inspired by stories of her father’s childhood in the 1930s. Book 2, Just Look at Those Boots, launches in early 2026, with Book 3, Just Don’t Give a Girl a Frog, launching in November 2026.
Dr. Roberts has also written many articles that appear in various academic journals, along with three textbooks. Personal Financial Literacy is in its fourth edition (Pearson). She is an associate professor of Marketing in Jones College of Business at Middle Tennessee State University.
https://mybook.to/JustCallMePardner
