“I think I was born a storyteller,” said historical author Shawn C. Roberts. “I have a love of stories and a joy in telling them.”

After the death of his grandfather, Earl Cox, Roberts began to delve into his family history and it was there that he found an outlet for his love of spinning a good yarn. He discovered the deposition of an ancestor, William Tipton, who had served in the American Revolution. In applying for a veteran’s pension, Tipton listed an outline of his experiences during the war.

“Luckily for me, the love of storytelling must run deep in the family, because William had named officers and battles in his deposition, unlike many who only stated that they had been in the war,” said Roberts. This prompted him to seriously research events surrounding the American Revolution and gather extra material for a book involving his ancestors.

“I have always been interested in the Colonial Period of America,” he said. “The men and women who lived through the birth of the United States experienced a time in the world unlike any other. It took such bravery and determination to rebel against the most powerful country in the world. I can only imagine what it took to survive and prosper during those times.”

Further research revealed that his ancestor, William Tipton, had brothers who served alongside him in the war. Having two younger brothers of his own, Roberts “could not help but draw comparisons between William’s relationships with his parents and brothers to that of mine with my own family.”

The search for more accurate information about the Colonial era in America took him to the various sites mentioned in his end result, Redskins & Lobsterbacks.”I am proud of my Colonial ancestors and wanted to share their story with others who also are drawn to the history makers who helped forge our country.”

Published in 2011, Redskins & Lobsterbacks follows an ordinary young man on his journey to become an extraordinary soldier and frontier scout. Perhaps William Tipton’s own words say it best. In getting ready to file for his military pension in the prologue of the novel, Tipton states to his daughter Sarah, “I know exactly what happened and I remember it like it was yesterday. Days like some of those, a man will never forget.”

Roberts has written his second novel entitled, Out of the Mist: To Kings Mountain. It is based on “the life of Rice Medaris and the men of Kings Mountain. Rice was also a relative on my mother’s side of the family,” said Roberts.

As a man entering adulthood at a time when the world was about to change like never before, Medaris’s decisions would put him on paths to face both his enemies and his allies in Out of the Mist: To Kings Mountain. Medaris, his friends, and fellow militiaman cross paths with Cherokee natives and home-grown Tories, culminating in a battle against the celebrated Patrick Ferguson at Kings Mountain.

Out of the Mist: To Kings Mountain describes a time when Colonial America was filled with intrigue, dangers, and political decisions that would dictate the outcome of every individual's future.

Roberts resides in northern Shelby County, Kentucky with his wife, Samantha, and two sons, Harrison and Wyatt.