Shoulder to the Wheel follows one extended family's journey from Queen Victoria's England to post-World War I Louisiana. Along the way, it presents stories of immense courage and passion.
The novel begins in turn-of-the-century London, when Richard Robson, an accountant, nearly suffers a nervous breakdown, and his doctor recommends a change of scene. With his wife, children, and bulldog in tow, he sets sail for New Orleans with little money but big dreams. His story eventually leads into those of Marshall Robson, an idealistic lawyer defending an African American accused of murder, and Molly, an orphaned woman who works as a seamstress but yearns to become a musician.
Shoulder to the Wheel not only features three generations of characters but also the writing of three generations of authors. At its heart is a previously unpublished novel written by Ella W. DeBlieux. Her grandson, John DeBlieux III, edited and expanded his grandmother's novel to make the characters and settings come alive and wove in several short stories written by his father, John DeBlieux II.
Now, in Shoulder to the Wheel, three voices combine to tell a gritty, gutsy saga about the triumph of the human spirit.
About the Author: John DeBlieux III is an ordained Catholic deacon who currently works as a chaplain at a Baptist hospital in Jasper, Alabama. His work has given him powerful insights into the human condition and the strong bonds of family and friendship. He feels especially close to people who are struggling with addiction and has helped many addicts along the road to recovery. He is a proud father and grandfather as well as a nature lover and history buff.
To create Shoulder to the Wheel, John DeBlieux III combined his own writing with an unpublished novel written by his paternal grandmother, Ella W. DeBlieux, and several short stories written by his father, John DeBlieux II. Although his grandmother and father are now deceased, they both aspired to be published writers, so the publication of Shoulder to the Wheel fulfills their dreams.
