Summerside Press will be launching the new American Tapestries™ fiction line,
delighting romance readers and history lovers alike. The debut releases in the
series, Queen of
the Waves by Janice Thompson and Where
the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson, will be available in stores on
October 1.
Each American Tapestries™ novel sets a heart-stirring love story against the
backdrop of an epic moment in American history. Whether they fought in her
battles, built her cities or forged paths to new territories, a diverse
tapestry of men and women shaped this great nation into the Land of
Opportunity. Even then, as is true now, the search for romance was a major part
of the American Dream.
Summerside hopes to build on the success they have found with the Love Finds
You™ series, which has sold almost one million units during the past four
years. American Tapestries™ has the appeal and ongoing potential of the
popular Love Finds You™ line, but it is an epic series with longer books that
have a more premium, literary feel.
“While we were brainstorming ideas for the new series, we gave some
thought to what our readers enjoyed most about the Love Finds You™
series,” explains Rachel Meisel, Summerside’s fiction editorial director.
“One thing our readers all say is how they enjoy learning more about real
places in America. We were inspired by that-readers like to learn something;
they enjoy that element of real-life within the pages of fiction. Instead of
actual towns playing a major role in the narrative, these stories are set
during actual events in our nation’s history.”
The editorial team has also taken into account reader feedback via sources such
as Facebook when deciding which historical events will be featured in upcoming
releases. Some of the historical events that will be retold by some of the most
beloved authors in Christian fiction include:
* Sinking of the Titanic
* Forging of the Oregon Trail
* Women’s Suffrage Movement
* Battle of the Alamo
* Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
* Signing of the Declaration of Independence
* Construction of the Biltmore House
* First Flight at Kitty Hawk
* Oklahoma Land Rush
* American Civil War
* Yukon Gold Rush
With two titles to be released each fall (October) and spring (April),
Summerside invites lovers of historical romance not only to fall in love with
this line, but to fall in love with America all over again.
About the October 2012 American Tapestries™ releases:
Queen of the
Waves
by Janice Thompson
Queen of the Waves tells the story of two families on opposite sides of the
Atlantic that are shaken by the rise and fall of the Titanic, “queen of
the ocean.” To help her daughter escape an arranged marriage, Jacqueline
Abingdon’s mother secretly purchases a ticket for Jacquie on the
much-anticipated maiden voyage of the Titanic. But unbeknownst even to her
mother, the pampered Jacquie has concocted a second scheme. Another woman will
board in her place, and Jacquie will elope with the family gardener to a small
village in the English countryside.
From a poor corner of London, Tessa Bowen has been granted the opportunity of a
lifetime — a ticket to sail to America. But there’s a catch: She must assume
Jacqueline Abingdon’s identity. For the first time in her life, Tessa stays in
expensive quarters, dresses in luxurious gowns and dines with prestigious
people. When a wealthy, young American man takes an interest in her, Tessa
struggles to keep up the ruse while she finds herself falling for him.
When tragedy strikes, the game is up, and Jacquie’s and Tessa’s lives are
forever changed.
Praise for Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson
“I absolutely loved this novel. Janice Thompson captures the true heart of
the voyage and makes us feel as if we are a part of the Titanic. She also makes
sure God’s love shines through this tragedy and shows that He has better things
in store!”
— Cathy
Peeling, great-niece of Edward Smith, captain of the Titanic
“Janice Thompson has concocted a tale I couldn’t put down. Queen of the Waves
is a deft weaving of deceit confronted by truth, shame confounded by love, and
guilt swallowed in forgiveness. Beautifully written, this is a very different
take on Titanic’s many stories-one you won’t want to miss, one you won’t
forget.”
— Cathy
Gohlke, Christy-Award winning author
Where the
Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson
It’s 1842, and for 2,000 miles along the trail to Oregon Country,
eighteen-year-old Samantha Waldron and her family have faced tremendous
challenges to reach the Willamette Valley before winter. They have weathered
autumn storms, hunger, thirst and the dangers of a wild and unfamiliar country.
After they lose their father along the trail, Samantha and her young brother,
Micah, are rescued from the mighty Columbia River by British exporter Alexander
Clarke.
Once the three of them arrive at Fort Vancouver, Samantha is overwhelmed with
men vying for her affections; after all, few women made the journey, especially
unmarried ones. However, the only man who intrigues her, Alex, is already
promised to another. When his betrothed arrives unexpectedly from England to
escort him home, Samantha becomes determined to create a home for herself and
Micah in the fertile valley far away from the fort. But how will an unmarried
woman support herself and her brother in the wilderness alone? When Micah
disappears into the wilderness one rainy night, Samantha must rely on the man
she has fallen in love with – the man she’s trying desperately to forget – to
rescue her brother again before it’s too late.
Praise for Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson
“A lovely, well-paced novel with enchanting characters and surprising plot
twists. This is not your typical Oregon Trail story-there is more love than
loss and more hope than grief on this wagon train west. Melanie Dobson gives
her readers the delight of what happens after people arrived in the Oregon
territory, with the assurance that the end of the trail is really not the end
after all.”
— Jane
Kirkpatrick, bestselling author of All
Together in One Place
“This book will have readers feeling like they are a part of the harrowing
wagon train heading west on an exciting, amazing journey that they won’t want
to end. Dobson’s characters face a variety of threats as they seek better
lives.”
— Romantic Times Book Review