Faith Blum has a new book. And it’s not a Western! *gasp* It is a fairy tale retelling set during the time of King Saul. Read on to learn more about the book.
About the Book
A wicked priestess, a morally corrupt king, and two children stuck in the middle…
Hadassah and Gidal love their parents and will do anything for them. When Priestess Basmat tell Ehud and Jerusha to pay their debt, they cannot and she takes Hadassah and Gidal as her slaves for two years.
The priestess works them hard, but there are two other servants to divide the load with, so they cope as well as they can. Then King Saul comes in disguise requesting the priestess’s other services—as a medium.
Will Hadassah and Gidal trust Adonai to take care of them? What will happen after Priestess Basmat comes face-to-face with the prophet Samuel?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40227896-trust-and-obey
About the Author
Faith Blum is a small-town Wisconsin girl. She’s lived in, or outside of, small towns her whole life. The thought of living in a city with more than 60,000 people in it scares her, especially after some interesting adventures driving through big cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
Faith currently resides in the middle of the state of Wisconsin with her husband and their cat, Smokey. She is blessed to be able to have writing as her full-time career with household work and cooking to do on the side. She loves to paint walls as long as she doesn’t have to do hallways or ceilings.
When not writing, you can find her cooking food from scratch due to food allergies (fun), doing dishes (meh), knitting, crocheting, sewing, reading, or spending time with her husband (yay!). She is also a Community Assistant for the Young Writers Workshop and loves her work there. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her on her website.
Giveaway
Faith Blum is doing a giveaway with her blog tour. She is offering a paperback copy of Trust and Obey as well as a magnet with the cover on it! You can enter here.
Tour Schedule
June 26
Bookish Orchestrations – Introductory Post
Frances Hoelsema – Book Spotlight
Rachel Rossano’s Words – Book Spotlight
June 27
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Book Spotlight
June 28
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections – Special Post
Wildflower Acres – Book Spotlight
June 29
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae – Book Review
Purposeful Learning – Book Review
The King and His Kingdom – Book Review
June 30
Bookish Orchestrations – Giveaway Winner
Have you ever had a hard time loving someone? I think everyone probably has at one time in their life. But what would your life be like if you’ve never had the courage to love anyone? Faith Blum explores that idea in her new book, He Hideth My Soul.
About the Book
He’s never had the courage to love anyone…
The only thing Otis Miller has ever wanted to be is a doctor, and he wants to be the best. A surprise talk with his Aunt Eleanor days before his twenty-first birthday leads to a visit from his grandfather’s lawyer and the discovery that he is the heir to a large fortune. With all the papers signed, Otis heads to Chicago to follow his dream.
After graduating from Jenner Medical School, Otis goes to the mine he owns in Colorado to see how things are and to provide medical care for everyone in town. He finds horrible working conditions and learns to make difficult decisions that will be best for all.
Will Otis learn to let God cover him in the depths of His love? Can Otis hide in God’s presence whenever he doesn’t know where to go next?
Note: 50% of my income from this series will go to the World Orphans organization.
About the Author
Faith Blum is a 20-something author of multiple books in various genres. She loves to write, read, play piano, knit, crochet, sew, watch movies, and spend time with her husband. She lives in Wisconsin in a small town with her husband and cat where she can write to her heart’s content during the day. Faith’s goal in her writing is to encourage Christians in their walk with Christ.
Giveaway
Faith is giving away three prizes! The grand prize is a paperback of her new book. First and second prizes are both an eBook of He Hideth My Soul. Enter here for the chance to win!
Tour Schedule
February 20
Bookish Orchestrations – Introduction Post
Creating Romance – Book Spotlight
Rachel Rossano’s Words – Book Spotlight
February 21
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Book Spotlight
Rebekah Lyn Books – Book Spotlight
February 22
Ruth’s Real Life – Book Spotlight
Kandi J Wyatt, Where Fantasy and Reality Meet – Book Spotlight
February 23
With a Joyful Noise – Review
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae – Book Spotlight
February 24
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections – Post from the author
February 26
Bookish Orchestration – Giveaway winner post
About the Book
Caroline and I walked out the back door and went into the barn.
“What are we going to do?” Caroline asked.
“Head out on our own. Saddle Whitey, please.”
Caroline’s mouth gaped open. “They’ll find us.”
“I know.”
Caroline sighed. “What can we do then?”
I shook my head. “We can stick together. Always.”
Tragedy stole everything from him … except her …
Three years ago, an illness orphaned Henry and Caroline Sullivan. The harsh years at the orphanage have forged a strong bond between the pair.
But Henry’s about to age out.
He must choose whether to leave his only family behind in relative safety, or take her with him as he pursues dreams of owning a farm. Henry trusts that God has a plan for him, but little does he know that others have plans for him and his younger sister as well. He will need all his faith to find the right path.
Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
Note: 50% of my income from this series will go to the World Orphans organization.
About the Author
Faith Blum is a 20-something author of multiple books in various genres. She loves to write, read, play piano, knit, crochet, sew, watch movies, and play games with her family. She lives in Wisconsin with her family on a small family farm where they raise goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and have 2 dogs and a varying number of cats.
Faith’s goal in her writing is to encourage Christians in their walk with Christ. If you enjoyed this book, go to her website to sign up for her Monthly Newsletter so you can get an email with fun facts, giveaways, and so much more every month. You will also find links to her other Social Media sites on her website. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her.
Double Sale
For May 26-31 only, get both books in the Orphans of the West series for just $0.99 each! They are both available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and more.
Giveaway
Three prizes, three winners! The grand prize is a Savior, Like a Shepherd notebook and paperback. Sorry, but the lantern isn’t mine to giveaway. In second and third prize, the winners will receive a free eBook of All the Way My Savior Leads.
Note: The grand prize is open only to those in the continental US, but the other two are open to all.
Tour Schedule
May 26
Bookish Orchestrations-Intro Post
Annie Louise Twitchell-Review
May 27
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima-Book Spotlight
Zerina Blossom’s Books-Review
May 28
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae-Guest Post: Why Henry?
The Book Corner-Review
May 29
Sarah Allerding-Review
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Character Q&A with Henry
May 30
Frances Hoelsma-Book Spotlight
Purposeful Learning– Review
May 31
Rachel Rossano’s Words-Guest Post: How I Pick Hymns
Written Rest-Review
June 1
Bookish Orchestrations-Giveaway Winner
Faith Blum has a new book! She wrote, edited, and published a short story in just three short days and you can now get it for free! Read on to learn more about it.
About the Book
And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
No longer could I say I was lonely. But oh, how I wish I could! Who could have done such a thing to the Creator of the world? Who had so much hatred for Him?
Available for free on all eBook vendors: http://books2read.com/christ-arose
About the Author
Faith Blum is a 20-something author of multiple books in various genres. She loves to write, read, play piano, knit, crochet, sew, watch movies, and play games with her family. She lives in Wisconsin with her family on a small family farm where they raise goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and have 2 dogs and a varying number of cats.
Faith’s goal in her writing is to encourage Christians in their walk with Christ. If you enjoyed this book, go to her website to sign up for her Monthly Newsletter so you can get an email with fun facts, giveaways, and so much more every month. You will also find links to her other Social Media sites on her website. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her.
Giveaway
Faith is offering a really neat giveaway for this tour. The ParLaGrace Etsy seller has an April special right now for a really beautifully made block that says He Lives. Isn’t it pretty? You can enter the giveaway here:
Excerpt
I am empty. Bereft. No one visits, no one comes near. The garden is a comfort in some ways. The beauty of the flowers, the trees, and the sky above. But I am lonely. Not like my brothers and sisters nearby. They have been used. They are filled with the bodies of their masters’ loved ones.
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Yes, I am a tomb. The rock I am made from was created by God the Creator long ago. Sometime later, Joseph of Arimathea bought me and had men work on me until a beautiful place became hollowed out for my master’s body and for his loved ones when they went to be forever with their Creator.
Tour Schedule
April 22
Bookish Orchestrations-Intro Post
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima-Book Spotlight
Written Rest-Book Spotlight and Review
April 24
Leila Tualla-Book Spotlight
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae-Book Spotlight
April 25
With a Joyful Noise-Book Spotlight and Review
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Book Spotlight
April 26
Frances Hoelsma-Book Spotlight
Perpetual Indie Perspective-Book Spotlight and Review
April 27
Bookish Orchestrations-Giveaway Winner
Have you ever felt like too much was going on and you just couldn’t handle anything more? Or maybe someone has bothered you so much that you avoid them as much as you can, but they still keep coming back. David felt that way in Faith Blum’s short story, Faith is the Victory, and she’s here today to tell us more about her book.
About the Book
Winning story in Perry Elisabeth Design’s short story contest.
I don’t like change. I know most people get used to it, but I have never been able to. When Dad announced their move and I couldn’t go with them, I didn’t handle it well. Would I ever find the faith to be victorious?
Content warning: A character does attempt suicide, so please read with caution.
Paperback coming soon!
Excerpt:
My dad is the manager at a big department store, and I think he does a great job. You can probably guess what Mom’s job is. A few years ago, I saw a neat job title for what she does and have told her a few times that she should get a diploma made up or something. The title is: Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations. Pretty neat, don’t you think?
During my high school years, I had the opportunity to take a couple of math classes at the local high school. With my interest in engineering, I needed some higher math that Mom wasn’t comfortable teaching me. While there, I got teased quite a bit for only attending a few classes, but could ignore that. What was harder to ignore was Carl Matthews. He was a senior when I was a sophomore and loved to rub it in that he was athletic and I was a nerd. I tried to ignore him, too, but he wouldn’t let me.
One thing about me. I stutter when I’m nervous or scared, so I try to avoid situations where I might become one or the other. Or I just don’t talk which has also worked well. When Carl talked to me, I ignored him and got labeled the most unfriendly, unsociable kid in school. I tried not to care, but every name drove deep down into me, hurting me more and more until for once, I couldn’t wait for school to end.
Three years passed and I’d just started attending the local community college to get a degree in Engineering. I planned to go to the community college until I could afford to transfer to a better one in a year or two. My first day of classes started out great! My professors were helpful and I learned quite a bit from them, even just after one day.
Everything was perfect until one of the older students ran into me. I tried to avoid him, but it didn’t work and all of my books flew around the sidewalk.
“Watch where you’re going!” he yelled. “What are you? A clumsy fool?”
I gulped when I saw the size of him. Then I recognized him. This was the star quarterback for the college football team and the most popular guy at school. “I’m s-s-sorry. I tried to s-s-stay out of your way, but—”
Carl burst out laughing. “What’s the matter? Can’t s-s-say your s’s? What’s your name?” He paused. “Wait, you look familiar. Aren’t you the mute kid from high school?”
My face burned. He had remembered. I knelt down to pick up my books and muttered, “David Conyers.”
About the Author
Faith Blum started writing at an early age. She started even before she could read! She even thought she could write better than Dr. Seuss. (The picture doesn’t show it well, but there are scribblings on the page of Green Eggs and Ham). Now that she has grown up a little more, she knows she will probably never reach the success of Dr. Seuss, but that doesn’t stop her from trying.
When she isn’t writing, Faith enjoys doing many right-brained activities such as reading, crafting, playing piano, and playing games with her family. One of her dreams is to visit Castle City, Montana. She currently lives on a hobby farm with her family in Wisconsin.
There are many ways to connect with Faith online. All of them can be found in one convenient place: http://FaithBlum.com. On her website you can find links to her various social media sites and both of her blogs.
Sale
This book doesn’t have much to do with Faith is the Victory, but if you like Westerns or stories about mail order brides, you might just like this novella. And it’s written by Faith Blum.
Truth Through the Ages Party
Faith and her friend, Amanda Tero, are hosting a Facebook party on September 30th to celebrate their new releases! There will be giveaways, games, fun times, and a grand prize. They are also giving away a set of 4 eBooks to the person who invites the most guests. So head on over, invite some friends and then ask them to vote for you in the poll. The Party link is here and the link to the poll can be found here. They are also doing some fun pre-party posts and on September 26th and 27th, they are taking questions from the guests.
Tour Schedule
September 26
Bookish Orchestrations-Tour Introduction
Ember’s Reviews-Author Interview
Zerina Blossom’s Books-Excerpt
Karan Eleni-Excerpt
September 27
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae-Excerpt
Melanie Snitker, Author-Excerpt
In the Bookcase-Book Review
September 28
Keturah’s Korner-Book Review and Author Interview
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima-Excerpt
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Why this story and theme?
September 29
Bookish Orchestrations-Tour Wrap-up
Who doesn’t like a good mystery? I’m sure there are a few, but most people do like mysteries. What about a mystery within a mystery. Faith Blum’s new novella is just that. First there’s the mystery of who tried to dupe five mail order brides. Then Adelaide finds out someone is claiming she’s a runaway bride. What happens to her? Find out in Blessed Assurance.
About the Book
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mineO what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Adelaide lost her parents a year before and now a rich man in town is making unwanted advances toward her. Desperate, she writes to two men and quickly accepts the one from Cheyenne, Wyoming. On the final leg of her journey, in a stagecoach with four other mail order brides, her suspicions are confirmed. Will she ever find a man she can truly trust?
About the Author
Faith Blum started writing at an early age. She started even before she could read! She even thought she
could write better than Dr. Seuss. Now that she has grown up a little more, she knows she will probably never reach the success of Dr. Seuss, but that doesn’t stop her from trying.
When she isn’t writing, Faith enjoys doing many right-brained activities such as reading, crafting, playing piano, and playing games with her family. One of her dreams is to visit Castle City, Montana, someday to see the ghost town she chose for her characters to live in. She currently lives on a hobby farm with her family in Wisconsin.
There are many ways to connect with Faith online. All of them can be found in one convenient place: http://FaithBlum.com. On her website you can find links to her various social media sites and both of her blogs as well as learn about any events she has coming up.
Excerpt
Detective Bradley Connor stepped off the train in Cheyenne and gathered his horse, saddle, and saddlebags from the cattle car. After stabling his horse at the livery and finding a hotel, he headed to the sheriff’s office.
“Are you the sheriff?” he asked the man behind the desk.
“I am. What can I do for you?”
“Bradley Connor. I’m a Pinkerton detective and I need some information from you.”
The sheriff sat up straighter. “Sheriff Leland Granger. I’ll certainly help in any way I can. What do you need to know?”
“Do you know of an Adelaide Brown?”
“Yes, I do. Surely she isn’t a criminal!” Sheriff Granger’s face was filled with horror.
“No, nothing like that. She simply ran away from someone and that person is looking for her. Could you tell me where she is staying?”
Sheriff Granger gave him an assessing look. “Why?”
“I need to speak with her alone. I have an uncomfortable feeling about the person who is looking for her and need to hear her side of the story first. Is she married?”
“No.”
Bradley leaned forward. “But she came out here as a mail order bride.”
“Yes, but she, and four others, were lured here by those ads. They were meant to be sold to saloons, but the outlaw’s plans were thwarted. Four of the five have now married. Adelaide is the only one who has not.”
“Why not?”
Sheriff Granger shrugged. “I don’t know. As for where she lives, she lives with Allen Reese and Edward Harris.” He gave Bradley the address. “But I would be careful about approaching her.”
Bradley nodded. “I will. Thank you.”
Bradley found the house and watched it carefully. It only took a few hours before he caught his first glimpse of her. She was truly as beautiful as his client had said she was. So why had she run away?
Giveaway
Faith’s sister, Naomi, graciously hand painted two beautiful bookmarks for this giveaway. There will be one lucky winner. The bookmarks are made with Adelaide in mind. Aren’t they gorgeous?
Tour Schedule
August 26
BookishOrchestrations-Tour Introduction
Letters from Annie Douglas Lima-Excerpt
With a Joyful Noise-Excerpt
Rebekah Lyn Books-Excerpt
August 27
Blue-Brown Books-Author Interview
August 29
Singing Librarian Books-Excerpt
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae-Excerpt
August 30
Ramblings of a Young Author-Review
August 31
Jaye L. Knight-Excerpt
Rachel Rossano’s Words-Excerpt
September 1
The Abrahamic Adventures-Excerpt
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections–Character Interview (Adelaide)
September 2
Bookish Orchestrations-Tour Conclusion and Winner
Faith Blum’s newest novella is available! This one is double trouble! Not only is it about twins, but these twins have reckless and adventurous spirits. When they go against their family, they run into more trouble than they bargained for.
About the Book
Just as I am, without one pleaBut that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Eve and Evangeline Collins are adventurous twins who decide to take a risk and head west as mail order brides. Their parents are less than pleased, but do nothing to stop them. Eve and Eva don’t realize their danger until they stop just outside Cheyenne. Will they ever see their family again?
(more…)
Check out the covers for Faith Blum’s three new novellas, I Love Thee, Pass Me Not, and Redeemed. They will all be published this summer! Instead of doing three separate reveals, she chose to do one reveal for all three. To learn how these novellas came into being, check out Faith’s blog post today. Read on to see the covers and learn about each of the stories. Don’t forget to enter to win the novel that started it all!
Synopses
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| Click on image to order now. |
I Love Thee
Mom and Dad dead STOP Please come STOP Gage
Confirmed bachelor, Cole Baxter, finds himself raising his sister’s four young children. After one week of leaving his ranch in the hands of his foreman to take care of the grieving, needy children, he has to admit the task is beyond him and he needs help. But hired help won’t suffice: those children need a mother’s hand. Cole needs a wife. Approximately 17,800 words.
Pass Me Not
Let me at Thy throne of mercy/Find a sweet relief/Kneeling there in deep contrition/Help my unbelief Timothy is at his wit’s end. His twelve year old half-sister has run off five housekeepers in almost a year. Since their parents died, she has grown wilder than ever. What can he do? As he looks for a new housekeeper, his eye catches sight of a mail order bride advertisement. One young lady has a younger sister and sounds like a God-fearing woman. Could this be the answer to his dilemma or will Louise run her off, too? Approximately 15,300 words
Redeemed
Mail Order bride seeks wealthy Western man. Write Mona Sommers, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Alexander Granger is tired of his father’s lectures and sermons. It’s time for payback. His plan is to pretend to marry a woman and scandalize his father when he finds out they aren’t really married. Will Mona accept his offer? Can Alex get away with his plan? Approximately 11,600 words.
About the Author
An avid reader, Faith Blum started writing at an early age. Whether it was a story about the camping trip that summer or a more creative story about fictional characters, she has always enjoyed writing. When not writing, Miss Blum enjoys reading, crafting, playing piano, Captaining on the Holy Worlds Historical Fiction Forum and playing games with her family (canasta, anyone?). As a history enthusiast who has been fascinated for years with the Old West, Faith has endeavored to create a clean, fun, and challenging Western story. Faith lives with her family on a hobby farm in the Northern Midwest, where she enjoys the many cats they have. You can find Faith on her Website, Blog, Facebook, and Twitter
Giveaway
How would you like your very own copy of the book that started it all? Well, at least started it all for the novellas. Enter the giveaway below and you could win a signed paperback copy of Amazing Grace.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Or, if you would like another chance to win a signed copy, you can also enter the Goodreads giveaway that is open today through July 2nd!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Other Bloggers
See what everybody else is saying:
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections Jaye L. Knight The Antrim Cycle God’s Peculiar Treasure Raechel Wildflower Acres Shanna Hatfield Letters from Annie Douglass Lima Read, Write, Laugh, Dance Zerina Blossom Morgan Elizabeth Huneke Valerie Howard Books Rebekah Lyn Books Shannon Pemrick Amanda Tero
About the Book
Caleb hurried to the post office. He had to get in and out before his sister finished at the general store. “Any mail for the Stuarts?” he asked the postmaster.
The postmaster took a lazy look at him over the top of his eyeglasses and gave a heaving sigh as he turned around to check. “Yep. Somethin’ from Ohio and somethin’ from Montana.”
Tapping his foot, Caleb waited until the large man put the letters lazily in his hand. As he left he wondered why Anna had written someone in Montana and who she knew in Montana. It was really none of his business, but he was still curious. He folded the Ohio letter in half and stashed it in his back pocket. It would get wrinkled, but at least Anna wouldn’t know about it.
As Caleb struggles through some inner battles, he secretly starts a correspondence with a widow and her daughter. Their unabashed faith in God convicts him and increases his inner struggles.Unable to find a steady job, Maggie places an advertisement to become a mail-order bride. Her daughter, Rachel, is her motivation and encouragement, but if Maggie doesn’t find a job or husband soon, Rachel might not survive through the next year.
Can Caleb learn to trust God despite his past? Can Maggie and Rachel hold onto their faith despite all their trials? What will happen when they meet in person?
An Interview with One of the Characters:
Name: Caleb Iain Stuart
Age: 32
Appearance: Brown hair with reddish streaks, tan, tall, muscular, the perfect farmer build
History: Caleb’s mother died in childbirth when he was eleven. His father beat his little brother, Jed, almost daily from age six through fourteen. When Jed was fourteen, he beat up his father and ran away. Since then, Caleb has just been living one day at a time and became more reclusive than he was before.
What was going through your mind when your brother ran away?
After I learned he’d run away, the first thing that ran through my mind was, “Will he be okay? Will he survive? Did he learn enough morals from his limited church attendance to keep him from doing wrong things?” When I tried to find him and failed, all I could think about was if we would ever know what happened to him.
When Da was beating your brother did you want to stop it?
Definitely! I hated the way Da treated Jed. But he threatened Anna and me with the same beating or giving Jed a second beating if we interfered. When I was big enough to actually do something, I didn’t because Da’d threatened us so many times I didn’t question it anymore.
What do you remember and hold dear to your heart?
Any memory of Mama. She was the bright spot in my life. All the stories she told kept me going after she died. Some of the stories were from the Bible and others were made up. Sometimes I wonder if she made them up or if she just retold them.
What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
I’d like to get married and maybe have some kids someday, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to. Between my reclusiveness and Da’s drinking problem, I doubt I’ll be able to. I guess just live the life I’m given and go from there.
Was there a time when you were certain things just were not going to turn out right?
When wasn’t there? When Mama died, I couldn’t imagine how things to turn out right. When Da started beating Jed, when Jed ran away, when we got Jed’s letter. Sometimes I wonder if life is even worth living. But then other times I wonder why it isn’t.
About the Author
An avid reader, Faith Blum started writing at an early age. Whether it was a story about the camping trip that summer or a more creative story about fictional characters, she has always enjoyed writing. When not writing, Miss Blum enjoys reading, crafting, playing piano, Captaining on the Holy Worlds Historical Fiction Forum and playing games with her family (canasta, anyone?).As a history enthusiast who has been fascinated for years with the Old West, Faith has endeavored to create a clean, fun, and challenging Western story. Faith lives with her family on a hobby farm in the Northern Midwest, where she enjoys the many cats they have.
Links
Blog Tour Schedule
May 7…………LeAnne Douglas…………Book Review
May 18……….Dawnita Fogleman………Book Review/Author Interview
June 1…………Raechel…………………..Author Interview
June 15……….Jaye L. Knight……………Character Spotlight
June 25 ……….Karilyn Putt………………Book Spotlight
Book Blurb
The church was empty when I dragged myself out of the pew and headed out the door. As I opened the door, the corner of my eye caught a flicker of movement which I chose to ignore. I walked down the steps and was nearly bowled over by two wild boys. With arms grown strong and quick from man-handling two brothers growing up, I grabbed the two boys before they had a chance to escape me.
Anna Stuart is comfortable with her life. She may be a 30 year old spinster, but she has her routine and enjoys taking care of her father and older brother. One letter shatters all her routines, comfort, and enjoyment. After learning of her brother’s death, Anna feels like her life will never be the same again.
Then she meets two motherless boys. Did God place them in her life to lead her to a new vision of life? Can she trust God to give her the desires of her heart before she even knows what they are?
Food in the 1870sBy Faith Blum
One of my beta-readers challenged me to add the food and the price paid in one or more of the scenes where Anna goes shopping. At first, I was rather intimidated with the task of finding the prices she would have paid back then, not to mention what kind of food they ate. With no refrigerators or freezers, fresh meat would have been difficult unless they bought it from the butcher or killed an animal themselves. They also had to can everything that wouldn’t keep otherwise.
I’ve never been very good at figuring out what to type into the search engine so I can get the results I am looking for. Sometimes I get it the first time, sometimes it takes a few wording changes, and sometimes I totally fail. When I finally decided to bite the bullet and do some research, I struck gold.
Not only did I find a wonderful list of what the prices were in 1870, but the list also included how much it costs for everything and anything that they sold during that time period. From horses, to buggies, to weapons and ammunition to chairs, material, and jewelry. It was the perfect list!
But that wasn’t all! I also found three online recipe books from that time period. I was thrilled! I now have recipes to include in my stories and can describe in further detail how my characters make them. Here is one of the scenes that I doctored up after my research success:
Friday was similar to Wednesday except that instead of going through clothes in the morning, I spent the morning shopping for material and food. I bought flour, butter, lard, sugar and the material needed for new shirts. The total I spent—with Pastor Jenkins’ money—was actually less than either of us were anticipating; only $1.70 instead of the $2.00 I was anticipating.
After school, the boys finished their homework and we scrubbed the kitchen down. The Jenkins men would have a cold supper, but it would be in an extra clean kitchen and at least two of them didn’t care as long as their da wasn’t doing the cooking.
The kitchen was clean, the table was set and supper was on the table. Pastor Jenkins wasn’t home when I left, but I had to get home or my da and Caleb would be grumping that their supper wasn’t ready. I left the boys with careful instructions on how to behave and what to do before their da got home.
When I stepped outside, I took a deep breath and worked up the energy to walk home. I couldn’t wait until their house was scrubbed so I could get on with some of the normal chores for once. Chores like bread baking and doing the laundry. Chores I used to dislike.
Do you ever have trouble researching things online? Do you have a favorite website for historical information? Feel free to answer in the comments below!
About the Author
An avid reader, Faith Blum started writing at an early age. Whether it was a story about the camping trip that summer or a more creative story about fictional characters, she has always enjoyed writing. When not writing, Miss Blum enjoys reading, crafting, playing piano, leading on the Holy Worlds Christian Writing Forum and playing games with her family (canasta, anyone?). As a history enthusiast who has been fascinated for years with the Old West, Faith has endeavored to create a clean, fun, and challenging Western story. Faith lives with her family on a hobby farm in the Northern Midwest, where she enjoys the many cats they have.
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Giveaway
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