Lilacs for Juliana (The Christy Lumber Camp Series Book 3)
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Lilacs are abundant in northern Michigan (Lower Peninsula), and in the Upper Peninsula, but especially on Mackinac Island, where many varieties flourish and an annual Lilac Festival is held. The lilacs were brought to the area by French settlers. The area has a rich French history and the French military occupied the area until after the French Indian Wars ended. So there are families with French names, whose ancestors may have lived in the area for over four hundred years.
Although most librarians today are female, in times past male librarians were the norm, especially before the turn of the 20th century. But women were attending “normal schools” or colleges, especially in progressive states of Michigan and Ohio. The Dewey Decimal System (or Classification) was rather new in the 1890s and most librarians hadn’t been trained in the method, which was still somewhat controversial. Something we take for granted, as far as bringing order in our library searches, was only just coming into full acceptance during this time.
Acknowledgements
First I want to thank my Heavenly Father; every book is for you! Thank you to my husband, Jeffrey, and my son, Clark, for bearing with me as I wrote this book and my daughter, Cassandra, for her input.
I raise my teacup to thank Debbie Lynn Costello for help as a wonderful critique partner. Thank you to my Pagels Pals Readers and Reviewers Group on Facebook—such a blessing to me! You keep me going!
And more toasts go out to my Beta readers: Sonja Hoeke Nishimoto, Regina Fujitani, Tina St. Clair Rice, Gracie Yost (thanks for letting me “borrow” your names, too!). Many thanks to advance readers: Robin Bunting, Deanna Stevens, Betti Mace, Ann Ellison, Angi Griffis, Cheryl Baranski, Nancy McLeroy, Britney Adams, Chicki Crawford Foley, Chris Granville and Anne Payne. Thanks to my advance readers the Overcoming with God blogger “Angels”: Diana Flowers, Teresa Mathews, Noela Nancarrow, and Bonnie Roof.
Thank you to Narielle Living for editing this novel. Any errors in the book are my own. Thank you, Cynthia Hickey, for my cover—Juliana and her lilacs came to life! Thank you to Amber Goos, my cover model who makes a lovely Juliana, and to Reginia Fujitani and Kathleen Harwell for arranging the photo shoot.
I’d like to acknowledge the librarians at the York County Library for their suggestions, which were invaluable, and for supporting local authors. In particular I want to thank Eric Wilson, Library Assistant, from Hampton, Virginia, for discussing early library science with me and giving me suggested reading.
Thank you, also, to the folks at the Tahquamenon Logging Museum in Newberry, Michigan.
Author Biography
Carrie Fancett Pagels “Hearts Overcoming Through Time” is an award-winning and Amazon best-selling Christian historical fiction author. Carrie enjoys reading, traveling, baking, and beading—but not all at the same time! Many of her stories are set in Michigan, where she grew up. Possessed with an overactive imagination, she loves sharing her stories with others. A psychologist for twenty-five years, she is no longer practicing. Married for twenty-eight years to the man of her dreams, with a teenage son and adult daughter. Carrie resides in Virginia’s Historic Triangle, which is perfect for her fascination with history. Under contract with White Rose/Pelican Book Group, Forget-Me-Not Press, and Barbour Publishing.
Contact Information: Website is www.CarrieFancettPagels.com
Carrie has an author page on Facebook, is on Twitter (cfpagels), goodreads, pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+.
OTHER BOOKS BY CARRIE FANCETT PAGELS
Contributor to: Christmas Traditions Eight-in-One Boxed set (Forget-Me-Not Press, July 2015) is available on Amazon in Kindle format.
Eight heart-warming Christian novellas, including Carrie Fancett Pagels’ The Fruitcake Challenge!
The Fruitcake Challenge novella is the first book in The Christy Lumber Camp series and a Selah Award Finalist. With endorsements from Serena B. Miller, Julie Lessman, Lisa Norato, MaryLu Tyndall, Kathleen Maher, and more, this book became a #1 Amazon Bestseller in Christian Historical Romance and was also a finalist in the Family Fiction Book of the Year, 2014.
The Lumberjacks’ Ball is a short novel and Book Two in The Christy Lumber Camp Series (Hearts Overcoming Press, 2015) available in ebook and print.
The Substitute Bride (October, 2015) is one of the stories in the O’ Little Town of Christmas collection.
A Christmas Carol meets It’s A Wonderful Life
A letter for Sonja’s deceased friend arrives at the post office in Michigan, and with it a proposal. With her father threatening to kick her out of his home, Sonja impulsively responds, offering to travel west to be a substitute bride. At the same time, Louis’s railroad promotion sends him back to Michigan, the one place on earth he’d hoped to never return—where Christmas past was full of pain. A mysterious stranger leaves him marked copies of “A Christmas Carol” as he considers romancing Sonja in Christmas present. Will Louis discern the best choices for Christmas future? Does it include the Poor House, again? Even so—will God bring healing and love to him this year?
Carrie’s short story, “Snowed In,” is published in Volume One, Tales of Faith and Family for the Holidays in Guidepost Books (2013) A Cup of Christmas Cheer.
Carrie contributed a chapter in the nonfiction book, God’s Provision in Tough Times, by Cynthia Howerter and LaTan Murphy, (Lighthouse of the Carolinas, 2013) on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, in E-book and paperback. This book was a Selah Award finalist.