BOOK LAUNCH ! Before the Scarlet Dawn

Book 1 in

The Daughters of the Potomac Series

Has Been Released!

When I first signed the contract for the series with Abingdon, and saw that the first book would not be released until 2012, I thought 'that is so faraway'. But the time flew by and now, with a thankful heart, the book is officially on the shelves.

 

* * *

On a windswept night in April of 1775, Eliza sat at her father’s bedside hoping he would recover. Forced to leave the home she grew up in, Eliza grows desperate. She could marry her former suitor, but cannot bear the thought of a loveless marriage.

Instead she falls in love with Hayward Morgan, the condescending son of a landed gentleman. When Eliza learns of his plans to leave England and build a life in the Maryland frontier, she decides to present a proposal of her own.

 

* * * 

Writing a series was an amazing, challenging experience, especially since the heroines in the stories are attached in some way to the others. In book 1 there is Eliza, a daring heroine willing to do all she could to be with the man she loved, even if it meant living a life in the wilderness of Maryland during the Revolution. She is not without flaws, however. So keep a box of tissues handy as you journey with her through heart-wrenching trials.

When book 2 comes out, Eliza's daughter Darcy continues the story from her point of view, as she quests for answers about her past, and the meaning of unconditional love in Beside Two Rivers.

Book 3, Beyond the Valley, will be Sarah's story. She appears throughout book 1, and will take readers on a journey from the coast of Cornwall, England, to the wiles of Virginia and Maryland. 

Some reviews have come in for Before the Scarlet Dawn. Here are a few snippets.

“…a big, beautiful, well-told story of love, faith, and the struggles of war that changed lives...and  hearts.

~ Author Loree Lough ~

With as many twists and turns as the Potomac, and a VERY unexpected conclusion, I found myself not wanting to let go of this story even after I was done reading. I simply cannot wait for the next book in this series, and next time I will have the tissues handy! 

~ Diana Flowers, book reviewer ~

If you would like to help promote this book, please post the below link on your Facebook page. Or feel free to copy and paste the content and share it on your blog. I would appreciate it more than words can say. And if you purchase a copy, either in paperback or e-book, thank you! I love my readers, and write with them in mind.


http://daughtersofthepotomacseries.blogspot.com/

~ Read Chapter One for free ~

http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/displayImage.aspx?pcid=2517746

 

New Cover

I am thrilled to announce that the first book in the Daughters of the Potomac Series, Before the Scarlet Dawn, has been released. It is available in paperback at bookstores everywhere, and all the online bookstores, including Kindle, Nook, and other available electronic downloads. 

Also I received the cover for book 2, Beside Two Rivers, to be released in August. Do you like it? 

I want to encourage aspiring writers to keep at it. Don't give up on your writing when you receive a rejection. Keep moving on. Keep writing stories. Keep submitting. Remember faith without works is dead.

A Few Words of Advice

Have a teachable spirit and the willingness to listen to an editor or an established author. If you think not one jot or tittle of your work should be touched, you will fall short in your efforts to improve your writing and to be published.

If you are not yet published, listen to constructive critiques. A constructive critique will give you guidance on how to make your story better in content, narrative, dialogue, etc. Don't shoot me, but if all you get in a critique is don't use 'was', 'ing', or 'ly' ever, or 'you broke a rule', you are being critiqued by inexperienced writers.

To keep the passion alive for writing, try variety. Listen to inspiring music. I prefer classical and movie soundtracks. Take your laptop outside on a warm day, or move to a different area in the house. If you don't have a laptop, write by hand in a notebook away from your computer. Don't answer the phone, unless the caller id screen tells you it may be important.

When you have those moments where the words are not flowing, be patient. As a writer friend told me when I shared with her what was happening, 'continue to stare....something BIG is about to break!' But do not neglect your muse. Dwell on the scene. Listen to inspiring music and read or watch a movie in your genre.

Next time you sit down and open a novel think of the work that the author put into writing it. It took months to write, perhaps a year. They went through moments where they froze, moments of intense creativity, moments of despair wonder if it was good enough, and lonely moments too. Writing is hard work. But we do it because we love it and we love our readers and want to please them.