Elaine Marie Cooper Author

Historical Fiction That Grabs Your Heart and Feeds Your Soul

Inspirational Fiction

“A Heart For Freedom” Releases!

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Author Janet Grunst won the Selah Award in 2016 for A Heart Set Free, and now the much-anticipated sequel, A Heart for Freedom, has released! Here is the back cover information:

 

He longs for freedom, but he won’t risk those he loves.

Matthew Stewart wants only to farm, manage his inn, and protect his family. But tension between the Loyalists and Patriots is mounting. When he’s asked to help the Patriots and assured his family will be safe, he agrees.

She’s seen the cost of fighting England, and she wants no part of it.

In Scotland, Heather Stewart witnessed the devastation and political consequences of opposing England. She wants only to avoid war and protect the family and peace she finally found in Virginia. But the war drums can be heard even from home in the countryside, and she has no power to stop the approaching danger.

The consequences are deadly.

When Matthew leaves for a short journey and doesn’t return, Heather faces the biggest trial of her life. Will she give up hope of seeing him again? Will he survive the trials and make his way home? What will be the consequences of his heart for freedom?

A Heart For Freedom Cover

My Review:

A Heart for Freedom by Janet Grunst is a historically-accurate novel that depicts the quandary of the colonists in 1776. While many Americans desired freedom from England, an equal number desired to remain loyal to the King. What is often missing from historicals during this time period is the other third of the colonists—those who desired freedom yet desired peace as well. Their simple lives as farmers and merchants were about to be turned upside down by war and they knew the consequences would be life-changing. They could no longer ride the fence of indecision.

This novel is a riveting look at the rippling effects of events that force the main characters to choose one side or the other. They long for peace that can no longer be, as the discontent of the Patriots and the military response of the King’s Army force the issue.

In A Heart for Freedom, a sequel to A Heart Set Free, Ms. Grunst shares the lives of Heather and Matthew Stewart, who struggle to remain neutral as farmers and owners of an ordinary (a Colonial era hotel). They, along with their children and their circle of friends, become impacted by the Revolution in ways that disrupt their peace of mind and challenge their faith. A compelling read that makes me look forward to Book 3 in this series!

 

Author Bio:

Janet S. Grunst 2

 

 Janet is a wife, mother of two sons, and grandmother of eight who lives in the historic triangle of Virginia (Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown) with her husband. Her debut novel, A Heart Set Free was the 2016 Selah Award winner for Historical Romance. A lifelong student of history, her love of writing fiction grew out of a desire to share stories that communicate the truths of the Christian faith, as well as entertain, bring inspiration, healing, and hope to the reader.

You can read Janet’s blog here

Available on Amazon here

Review: “A Reluctant Melody” by Sandra Ardoin

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For such a complex novel filled with twists and turns, the story line of “A Reluctant Melody” remains clear, easy to follow, and captures your attention throughout.

It’s 1892 and Joanna Stewart is a young widow of twenty-six, but the circumstances and bad decisions she has made in her past have brought enough tragedy and rejection to last a lifetime. All she wants to do now is sell her home bequeathed by her late husband and start a new life, far from the accusing eyes and castigating tongues of the town. These haughty neighbors only reinforce what she already knows: Her sins are unforgivable.

Just as she finds a glimmer of hope when a buyer makes an offer on her house, she is instead forced to face the very man who ruined her life.  Instead of running away, she must wrestle with her guilt all over again, as well as the feelings of attraction she has long repressed—feelings that sent her on a downward spiral so long ago.

ARM Cover

The settings in “A Reluctant Melody” by Sandra Ardoin sweep you back in time to 1890’s North Carolina. Ms. Ardoin has done her research well, helping the reader feel the sights, sounds and pacing of the era. Every detail from clothing to hair styles to the stricter mores of the time transport a reader to another time and place.

Although the atmosphere fills your senses, it is the characters who truly shine in this complicated yet well developed story. Ms. Ardoin creates believable protagonists and antagonists who draw you into understanding the complexities of life, the ramifications of sin, and the redemption that is possible for all if they will accept it.

This is a historical I will be recommending for a long time. A five-star tale of intrigue, hope and romance. Well done!

 

Author Bio:

Sandra Ardoin_Headshot

Sandra Ardoin writes inspirational historical romance. She’s the author of The Yuletide Angel and A Reluctant Melody. A wife and mom, she’s also a reader, football fan, NASCAR watcher, garden planter, country music listener, antique store prowler. Visit her at www.sandraardoin.com and on the Seriously Write blog. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, and Pinterest. Join her email community to receive occasional updates and a free short story.

 

You can enter her launch team giveaway by clicking here

Cover Reveal in One Week: Road to Deer Run

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Sometimes dreams unfold slowly. Often the journey to fulfillment takes many winding and bumpy roads before the path emerges onto a smooth road. That’s when you look back and realize it was worth all the effort to get to the highway. That’s how I feel with the re-birth of the Deer Run Saga.

And in just one week, the brand new cover for Road to Deer Run will be revealed.  The book itself will release on December 10.

The idea for Road to Deer Run was planted in my heart in 2007, exactly four years after the death of my daughter. It was an anniversary of her loss spent like most—hiding under my bed covers. I had no intention of climbing out of my quilted cave to face a world without Bethany. Then an inaudible voice spoke to my heart. It was as clear as if I’d heard it with my ears: A directive to write a book based on my ancestors.

Well, that wasn’t in my plan. I was already working full time as a nurse. Besides, I had given up writing altogether. I had tried creating an article one time after Bethany’s death, only to realize that bleeding words onto a keyboard was far too painful. No more writing for me, I determined.

 

American Revolution Monument
Site of the Homestead of Daniel Prince

And then the still small voice beckoned me out from beneath the covers.

 

I was confused, not to mention embarrassed. What would I tell my husband? Apparently God had that taken care of as Steve did not question my sanity, but took me to the used bookstore to start my research. It was just another adventure at the Cooper house.

 

So after a stint of self-publishing in 2010, the Deer Run Saga has a contract with a new publisher, new edits and brand new cover, which I can’t wait to share with you. Road to Deer Run’s cover will be revealed first.

In the meantime, I’ll share photos of a visit to the land of my ancestors in Massachusetts. The path they trod, the stone walls they likely created, the granite monument that now memorializes where Daniel Prince built his first home in America. It was an inspiring journey of connecting with my family’s past while seeing God’s hand in the present.

Rural Massachusetts
My ancestor’s path