Touring with my friend Elaine Marie Cooper

About The Promise of Deer Run: America’s war for freedom from England has been over for seven years, but the wounds of that conflict still haunt the minds and hearts of the residents of Deer Run. Young American veteran Nathaniel Stearns has withdrawn to a life of isolation as he awaits his father who never returned from the war. A near-tragedy in the woods brings Nathaniel face-to-face with nineteen-year-old Sarah Thomsen, someone he had long admired but he assumed had eyes for another. This chance encounter opens a crack into the door of his heart as mutual affection quickly blooms. But slander and lies soon mar the budding romance, rendering both Sarah and Nathaniel wounded and untrusting as their faith in both their God and each other is shattered. Set in 1790, this book continues the story of the Thomsen and Lowe families as they struggle to survive in the aftermath of the war that birthed the United States.

The Promise of Deer Run
ISBN: 9781462037964
Softcover: $16.95 ISBN: 9781462037971
Hardcover: $26.95 ISBN: 1462037968
E-book: $9.99 Released: August 16, 2011

In book one, The Road to Deer Run and now in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run, I made every effort to stay true to the colonial times. Descriptions of food, homes, clothing, farming, worship practices, medical care, etc. are the result of extensive research. It has been a personally inspiring experience to write these novels. While the times have changed since the 18th century, the same struggles of their day are our own. Forgiveness, fear, pain, illness, despair, the pain of having a family member at war, the death of a loved one—these are all the battles we contend with in the 21st century. But we also share faith, laughter, love, the excitement of that first kiss, the wonder of looking at a newborn. These are the same joys that we share with our ancestors who are so much a part of who we are. Their journeys are interwoven with our own.

Leave a comment with your e-mail here by November 18 to be entered into a drawing for the following: Winner announced November 21, 2011.

Grand Prize (Retail Value: $297.38) Contains: • Basket • $25 Starbucks gift card • Spode Christmas teapot • Spode Christmas mugs • Yankee candle • Hardbound copy The Road to Deer Run • Hardbound copy The Promise of Deer Run • Bath and Body Paris Amour scent

ON THURSDAY, COME BACK TO READ THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY AND SEE THE TRAILER.

Elaine Marie Cooper - The Road to Deer Run

The Road to Deer Run

By Elaine Marie Cooper

Greenleaf Publishing

iUniverse

c. March 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4502-1919-8

Retail: $18.96

1777. Massachusetts Colony. Red Coats. Continental Army. Well, we know who didn’t win, but now we have another story behind the scenes. And the best part is that The Road to Deer run is based on family history.

The Thomsen family has already lost husband and father, a young brother to the ravages of hostile environment and the Revolution; another brother is currently serving in the war effort. Widow Ruth Thomsen is left to run her farm with the help of her eldest and youngest daughters. Deer Run settlers are a close-knit community, and the widow is also a healer and midwife. When Mary Thomsen makes a disturbing discovery on the family property, she must decide whether or not to keep the secret.

Daniel Lowe is a young Lieutenant in his majesty’s forces, wounded and taken prisoner after the loss at the Battle of Saratoga. Daniel’s physical wound is secondary to the loss of his young brother, who had died in his arms. Daniel accepted his fate when a Continental saber threatened to end his life, but Daniel’s life was spared. As a prisoner, the lieutenant attempted to keep his fellow soldiers’ spirits up on the terrible march to Boston, even knowing his festering gunshot wound would end his life sooner than later. Hoping for a lonely place to crawl off and die, Daniel takes advantage of a distraction and escapes…or so he thinks. He may not only lose his leg, but also his heart to a lovely American woman.

It doesn’t take long for Daniel to appreciate the cause of the Americans and for Mary to give him her heart.

Told in a dynamic flowing omniscient voice, Cooper’s story unfolds with the coziness of a family hearthside story. The fact that she based this lovely little story on her own family history makes it that much more precious. Well-done research and interesting farming and government details make The Road to Deer Run a very sweet historical love story.

She's got a pretty cool trailer on her web site too!