Friday, November 11, 2011

Book Review and Big Giveaway




Book Cover Photo
ISBN: 9781462037964           
Softcover: $16.95           
ISBN: 9781462037971           
Hardcover: $26.95           
ISBN: 1462037968
E-book: $9.99
Released: August 16, 2011

I am participating in a blog tour today reviewing the book, The Promise of Deer Run.You all know  novels aren't my first choice of reading, but when I saw this tour I thought it would be a great addition to our history study in our home school. Unfortunately, the content; while tasteful and from a Christian perspective; is not such that I could read it to a child. However, if you love Christian historical romance, this may be the book for you. More details below and an awesome giveaway at the bottom of the post!

 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 Young American veteran Nathaniel Stearns has withdrawn to a life of isolation as he awaits his father who never returned from the war.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.


About the Author:
Author Photo
Author Elaine Marie Cooper
Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest called The Barn Door and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight. She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse.



The Story Behind the Story:
How The Deer Run Saga Was Birthed
By Elaine Marie Cooper
When I was young and first heard that one of my grandfathers had been a Redcoat during the Revolutionary War, I was somewhat embarrassed. Growing up in Massachusetts had made me proud of our country’s heritage. But instead of finding zealous patriots in my bloodline, my DNA was from an enemy soldier named Daniel Prince!
Calmer reasoning prevailed, however, as I thought about the reality of his story. Living conditions in Colonial times were difficult, to say the least. It was a frightening period of our history for both Americans and the British. And in the midst of our nation struggling to be birthed, two people on opposing sides in a bloody war met and fell in love.
This story from my family’s history was transformed in my thinking into an inspiring one of romance, unhindered by the politics of the day. It became, purely and simply, a love story.
And so was birthed the idea to create a fictional account of actual events. Since the story is from my imagination, I opted to change last names, the names of the communities, and many other details of the time. However, many of the historical events are documented facts.
The particular information on Daniel Prince’s military background was discovered thanks to the diligent work of Betty Thomson, independent researcher at The National Archives, Kew, in England. 
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.

 Now for the giveaway:
Grand Prize Photo
Grand Prize
Valued at $297.38
 

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

Giveaway will be open to U.S. residents until Friday, November 18, 9:00 P.M. EST. The winner from our blog will be added to the list of other blog tour winners and entered into the grand prize drawing above. However, I will send my own copy of The Promise of Deer Run to the winner here at Joy Ever After.

This giveaway will be centered around growing our Facebook page, which is aptly managed by Jessica, the children contributor here at Joy Ever After. If we get to 50 likes this week, I'll throw in an extra entry for each entry below! Here are the ways you can enter, but remember to leave a comment on this blog post for each thing you do or it won't be counted!
  • Like us on Facebook (or leave a comment saying you already do) and leave a comment here.
  • Post about this giveaway in your Facebook status and leave a comment here letting us know.
  • Leave a comment on the Facebook page on one of the previous posts (besides this one) and then leave a comment here letting us know you did so.
I hope you win, and I hope one of the Joy Ever After readers will win the grand prize!

26 comments:

  1. I posted a comment on your fb page and also "shared" your link. What a great giveaway!!

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  2. Hi Jennifer! Thank you for being a part of my novel's blog tour. And you are so correct that this is not a read for younger children. This is definitely a book for teens and adults. But it is written from a Christian perspective so I hope that older readers will be blessed by my writing. Thank you again for participating!

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  3. I 'liked' your fb page, commented on the link, and shared it also! I surely enjoy reading your posts. Damara Poledna

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  4. shared on FB
    http://www.facebook.com/just.Karrieann/posts/291091227578969

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  5. Caltory is me - the former Miss Thomas :)

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  6. Ok, I commented on the romance post. AmI doing this right? Caltory, alias the current Mrs. M :)

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  7. Shared the link on my FB. Did I get the directions right? Now I understand how you students felt ! Yours truly, Ms.Caltory Thomas Morgon

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  8. I should have proofread. My one previous post should have real I like you on FB ( already ). Gotta keep up with corrections ! Signed, You Know Who !

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  9. Left a comment on one of your posts. I truly do enjoy reading your posts. Damara Poledna

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  10. Going to share this link and leave a comment. Thanks!

    Vonnie Warden

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  11. rockin_robin54@hotmail.comNovember 17, 2011 at 10:28 AM

    I liked you on fb and posted a comment on your page.

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  12. What a great basket! Snuggling up by a warm fire with a yankee candle burning and a starbucks hot chocolate in hand while reading a good book sounds like a taste of heaven! Enter me, please! I'm a fb fan :-) Star Kirby kirbyfive @ att dot net

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  13. I liked you on FB. :)
    This sounds like an amazing basket! I can't wait to win it! ;)

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  14. I posted on a comment on your FB page.

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  15. I posted about this giveaway on FB too!

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  16. Looking forward to reading the books. We have just studied the colonial and post war periods in our home school. Thanks. ~CS

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