Serious Wednesdays:

Welcome, dear followers! Here's your chance to check out Sandra M. Hart's newest historical romance: A Musket in My Hands. Read on to find out a little about the Civil war era and the women who managed to serve as a soldier. 

Women as Civil War Soldiers

by Sandra Merville Hart

There are about four hundred known cases of women serving as Civil War soldiers on either side. Since most of them were discovered after serving at least two years, it’s likely that the real number is much higher.

The Civil War began with the first shots fired by the Confederates on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. It lasted until 1865—four long years of suffering and loss for the whole country.

Early on, there were women on both sides who wanted to fight in the war as soldiers. Girls who tried to muster into the army by going to recruiting stations were praised by war journalists for their courage.

Of course, neither the Confederates nor the Federals accepted women as soldiers at recruiting stations. Yet determined women figured out ways to disguise themselves as men and muster into the armies. Soldiers wrote home when discovering women soldiers during the war. Folks were aware of female soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

Reporters and editors praised the patriotism of women soldiers throughout the war. Newspaper articles were reprinted in other cities.

My third Civil War romance, A Musket in My Hands, follows two sisters as they disguise themselves as soldiers in the fall of 1864 and join the men they love in the Confederate army—just in time for the war to grow progressively difficult for Southern soldiers. Tough marches lead them to the Battle of Franklin. How can anyone survive?

Back Cover Blurb:

Can I count on you in times of great need?”

Callie Jennings reels from her pa’s decision that she must marry his friend, a man older than him. Her heart belongs to her soldier hero, Zach Pearson, but Pa won’t change his mind. Callie has no place to hide. Then her sister, Louisa, proposes a shocking alternative.

Zach still hears his pa’s scornful word—quitter. He’s determined to make something of himself as a soldier. He’ll serve the Confederacy until they win the war. If they win the war.

Callie and Louisa disguise themselves as soldiers and muster into the Confederate army in the fall of 1864. Times are tough and getting tougher for their Confederacy. For Callie, shooting anyone, especially former countrymen, is out of the question—until truth and love and honor come together on the battlefield.

Buy the book here:

https://www.amazon.com/Musket-My-Hands-Civil-Romance/dp/1946016675/

About Sandra:

Award-winning and Amazon bestselling author Sandra Merville Hart loves to uncover fascinating historical facts for her stories. Her debut Civil War Romance, A Stranger on My Land, was IRCA Finalist 2015. A Rebel in My House, set during the historic Battle of Gettysburg, won the 2018 Silver Illumination Award and second place in 2018 FHL Readers’ Choice Award. A Musket in My Hands, is a story where two sisters join the Confederate army with the men they love. Her novella, Surprised by Love in “From the Lake to the River” released in September of 2018. Trail’s End, in “Smitten Novella Collection: The Cowboys” releases in August of 2019.

Find her on her blog, 

https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com/.

Excited? I am. Sandra is developing into a real knowledgeable Civil War novelist. Don't miss out on a chance to buy her book!

Serious Wednesdays: Surprised by Love by Sandra Merville Hart

It's my pleasure to welcome my friend and fellow author to my blog site today. Please welcome her! 

The Troy Flood of 1913

Troy citizens couldn’t foresee the tragedy ahead as they traveled to church on the stormy Easter morning of March 23, 1913.

The previous day had been unseasonably beautiful in the small Ohio city set on the banks of the Great Miami River. The Miami and Erie Canal ran through town.

While the river rose, the canal overflowed on Sunday night. Men, carrying lanterns, walked between the two waterways to monitor water levels.

When ankle-deep water became waist high in twenty minutes, folks became alarmed.

Relentless rain flooded houses, driving people from their homes. Some were trapped. Men rowed to their neighbors’ aid.

Tragically, not everyone survived. Temporary hospitals and public shelters were set up for those displaced by the flood.

The Flood of 1913 is Ohio’s greatest natural disaster. The worst flooding occurred along the Great Miami River. Statewide, at least 428 people lost their lives.

This flood is the setting for my novella, Surprised by Love, in the “From the Lake to the River” anthology.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sandra’s bio: 

Award-winning and Amazon bestselling author Sandra Merville Hart loves to uncover fascinating historical facts for her stories. 

• Her debut Civil War Romance, A Stranger on My Land, was IRCA Finalist 2015. 
• A Rebel in My House, set during the historic Battle of Gettysburg, won the 2018 Silver Illumination Award and second place in 2018 FHL Readers’ Choice Award. 
• A Musket in My Hands, where two sisters join the Confederate army with the men they love, releases November of 2018. 
• Her novella, Surprised by Love in “From the Lake to the River” released in September of 2018. 
• Trail’s End, in Smitten Novella Collection: "The Cowboys” releases in August of 2019.

Find her on her blog, 

https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com/.

Here’s a blurb about Surprised by Love:

Lottie’s feelings for an old school crush blossom again during the worst flood her town has endured in years.

Lottie shoulders the burden for her siblings after their mother’s death. Her seventeen-year-old brother’s disobedience troubles her, especially since she also cares for the boarders in their home. When the flooding river invades not only the town of Troy but also her home, Lottie and her family need to be rescued. 

Desperate circumstances throw Lottie and Joe, her schoolgirl crush, together. Can tragedy unite the couple to make her long-buried dream of winning his love come true?

Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1949564002/

Thanks for reading! Do check out her book on Amazon!

Historical Novelist is Here: Sandra M. Hart!

It's with great pleasure that I introduce you to my friend's (Sandra M. Hart) newest book. I hope this piques your interest and you'll check out her book ASAP! 

First a YouTube video to raise that interest :): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j3JI-wECyY&feature=youtu.be

My novel is set during the famous Battle of Gettysburg. I snapped lots of photos at research trips to Gettysburg. I thought readers might enjoy seeing a few.

This is Willoughby Run, the creek near Sarah Hubbard’s solitary home outside Gettysburg. Confederate soldier, Jesse Mitchell, fights here the morning of July 1, 1863, as part of the 7^th Tennessee Infantry, Archer’s Brigade, Heth’s Division, Hill’s Corps.

On the third day of battle, Jesse waited here for orders to form a line that was part of Pickett’s Charge. A deluge of cannon fire that preceded the charge would soon soar over his head as he lay in a field. But for now, the Southerners eat breakfast, write letters to loved ones, talk in groups, and pray.

The field where so many died at Pickett’s Charge. Though peaceful now, the land has a story to tell.

I invite you to read the story that came to me

 at Gettysburg in my newest novel: 

A Rebel in My House.

Book Blurb:

When the cannons roar beside Sarah Hubbard’s home outside of Gettysburg, she despairs of escaping the war that’s come to Pennsylvania. A wounded Confederate soldier on her doorstep leaves her with a heart-wrenching decision.

Separated from his unit and with a bullet in his back, Jesse Mitchell needs help. He seeks refuge at a house beside Willoughby Run. His future lies in the hands of a woman whose sympathies lay with the North.

Jesse has promised his sister-in-law he’d bring his brother home from the war. Sarah has promised her sister that she’d stay clear of the enemy. Can the two keep their promises amid a war bent on tearing their country apart?

Excerpt:

Friday, June 26, 1863

Two miles outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

      Running feet on the dirt road outside quickened Sarah Hubbard’s heartbeat. Her fingers stiffened on her sewing machine and her back straightened.

Were they coming? Every conversation these days centered on the Confederate soldiers crossing into southern Pennsylvania.

“Miz Hubbard. Miz Hubbard, please let us in!”

Not soldiers but friends. Sarah’s body sagged at Elsie Craig’s voice, but why did she yell? Sarah dropped the gingham dress she’d been sewing and ran to throw open the front door. Alarmed at the fear lining Elsie’s dark face and eyes as she clutched the hand of her four-year-old daughter, Mae, Sarah scanned the horizon for Confederate soldiers. “Hurry inside.”

Elsie needed no second bidding. She guided Mae over the threshold and closed the door. “Miz Hubbard, you gotta hide us.” Her tall, thin body leaned against the door. “The Rebs are in town gathering up all the colored folks they can find. Someone said they’ll be taking them south as slaves and that they’re warning folks not to hide us.”

Sarah gasped. “Why do such a terrible thing?”

“Don’t make sense, does it? Some of us have lived in Gettysburg for years. Others like me have always been free, but it don’t seem to matter to the Southern army.” A long loaf of bread peeked out among jars and clothing in a well-laden basket Elsie set on the rug. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around her trembling child. “I had to leave my house and most of my possessions, but I’ve got the most important thing right here.” She looked up at Sarah as she patted Mae’s shoulder. “Last week my Sam left for Pine Hill, the settlement up near Biglerville. With it being two miles off the main road to Carlisle, the Rebs won’t find him there. Sam never expected the army to come after women and children or he’d never have left us. I miss him something fierce. We’ll go to him when the soldiers get out of town.”

Tears etched tracks in a smudge on Mae’s cheek, tugging at Sarah’s heart as much as Elsie’s wide eyes and trembling hands. Sarah rushed to an open window and pushed aside the curtain a few inches. The Pennsylvania governor, Andrew Curtin, had declared a state of emergency two weeks earlier and called for local militia. Where was their help?

BUY her book here:
https://www.amazon.com/Rebel-House-Sandra-Merville-Hart/dp/1941103383/

About Sandra Merville Hart:

Sandra Merville Hart, Assistant Editor for DevoKids.com, loves to find unusual or little-known facts inMy n her historical research to use in her stories. Her debut Civil War romance, A Stranger On My Land, was an IRCA Finalist 2015. Her second Civil War romance novel, A Rebel in My House, is set during the Battle of Gettysburg. It released on July 15, 2017. Visit Sandra on her blog at https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com/.

Connect with Sandy here:

Sandra’s Blog, Historical Nibbles: https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandra.m.hart.7

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sandra_M_Hart

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sandramhart7/

Sandra's Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8445068.Sandra_Merville_Hart

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/100329215443000389705/posts

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Thanks for joining me here today, Sandy. 

Readers, do check out Sandy's newest book! 

Blessings!

The Twelve Things I Love About Christmas by Sandra Hart

Twelve Things I love at Christmastime

12) Window shopping before the season starts to get gift ideas.

11) Looking for great deals on Black Friday!

10) Buying a new Christmas decoration for our home.

9) Listening to my husband read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" at our family Christmas party.

8) Wrapping gifts while watching "Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

7) Shopping with my daughter to purchase Christmas gifts.

6) Wrapping up in a warm blanket while watching holiday specials on television. 

5) Watching "It's A Wonderful Life" once again. 

4) Purchasing new Christmas novels and reading them the whole month of December.

3) Reading about the birth of Jesus in first two chapters of Matthew and Luke to prepare my heart for Christmas.

2) Attending Christmas Eve Candlelight church service.

1) Watching "White Christmas" after all the preparations are done.




Author Bio  
Sandra Merville Hart serves as Assistant Editor for DevoKids.com where she contributes articles about history and holidays. Her inspirational Civil War novella, A Stranger on My Land, released in 2014.  She has written for several publications and websites including The Secret Place, Harpstring, Splickety Magazine, Pockets Magazine, Common Ground, Afictionado, and ChristianDevotions.us. Sandra loves to find unusual historical facts for her stories. She and her husband enjoy traveling to many of the sites in her books to explore the history.

A Christmas novella 

set during the Civil War!

Back Cover Blurb:

A Stranger on My Land by Sandra Merville Hart

Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find a wounded soldier on their land after a battle which later became known as "The Battle Above the Clouds." Adam, a Union soldier, has been shot twice in the arm. Though Carrie is reluctant to take Adam to their cave where her family hides their livestock from both armies, she cannot turn her back on him. 

But her Aunt Lavinia, bitter over what Yankees have done to their land, urges Carrie to allow Adam to die. Carrie refuses, but cannot remove the bullets. Adam's friendship with Jay softens her heart toward him. It's not long until his gratitude and teasing manner spark a friendship between the young couple. Even though Carrie's father fights for the Confederacy in far-off Virginia, her feelings for the handsome young soldier begin to blossom into love. 

When Adam's condition worsens, Carrie knows a Union surgeon is needed to save his life. How can she accomplish this and keep her family's hiding place a secret?

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore  
(HINT: Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount at the LPC store site!!!)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble: 



Blessings, readers!

The Five Things I Love About Autumn by Sandra M. Hart

What Fun to Enjoy my friend, Sandy's post today of her favorite things about Autumn! Read on and make YOUR own "favorites" list!


Five Things I Love about Autumn

1. The snap in the air that prompts me to pull out sweaters and jackets again.

2. The magnificent beauty of the season with the changing of the leaves.

3. Buying a new outfit or two to supplement last year's wardrobe.

4. Roasting hotdogs over an open fire and then making s'mores from toasted marshmallows.

5. Returning to the normal routine at the end of summer break.

ABOUT SANDY: 
Sandra Merville Hart serves as Assistant Editor and contributor for DevoKids.com. She loves to discover unusual facts in her historical research to use in her stories. She and her husband travel to many of the sites in her books to explore the history. She has written for several publications and websites. She is inspired by the everyday heroes living all around us. Her inspirational Civil War novella, A Stranger on My Land, released in 2014.








BOOK BLURB:
A Stranger on My Land 

Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find Adam, a wounded Union soldier, on their land after a battle near their Lookout Mountain home. Carrie takes Adam to the cave where her family has been hiding from the soldiers. Before long, she falls in love with him, but she can't save his life. He requires a surgeon. Carrie weighs the danger of revealing her family's hideaway with saving Adam's life.

BUY her book here:
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Land-Civil-War-Romance/dp/1941103278/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1423058469.

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-stranger-on-my-land-sandra-merville-hart/1120155194?ean=9781941103272

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/a-stranger-on-my-land/

Sweet Sandra Hart Visiting Today!

It's a pleasure to have my friend and fellow-author, Sandra Hart visiting today. Enjoy her post!

Early Morning Thoughts at a Writers Retreat
by Sandra Merville Hart

I'm at a writers retreat this morning. It's 7:10 am and I'm showered and dressed. It's been raining since before Becky and I arrived yesterday afternoon.

Mary isn't feeling well. The damp chill is having a harsh effect on her RA. I think she slept some but not nearly enough. I believe she's upstairs resting in the recliner now.

It felt like a refrigerator in this cabin basement last night. I'm glad I brought an extra blanket.
Carole just popped her head in. She was freezing last night, too -- so chilled, in fact, that she now has a headache because of it. This rustic and homey cabin is beating us up a little. I have a headache and the start of a cold. Mine might be from taking a not-too-warm shower. I rushed for fear that the water would get completely cold.

I hear voices now -- Carole and Tamera, I think. Michelle just turned on the light in the futon room.
The authors are waking up. Beware, world. Who knows what will happen in our morning's writing session?
Killers revealed? Innocent people murdered in a crime of greed?

A man and woman in a promising dating relationship quarrel over some insignificant event and it spirals out of control. Or maybe they fight over something vitally important and seemingly part ways forever. Seemingly. We authors excel at painting a picture of how bad it gets when people don't communicate.

Perhaps a couple will receive news of a pregnancy. She's thrilled; he pushes for an abortion.

How about a story of a little girl who befriends the lonely old woman next door -- the one who doesn't want any children walking through her yard so the child stays on her side of the bushes and talks louder?
Knowing Michelle, some sci-fi adventure will take place in a scope and dimension that my brain can only marvel at.

Or perhaps we will step back in time to Victorian America with settings in a small town, a prairie, or a progressive college.

Just look out, world. The authors will be hard at work today.

And we hope you are the better for it.

We will be.


Author Bio  
Sandra Merville Hart loves to find unusual facts in her historical research to use in her stories. She and her husband enjoy traveling to many of the sites in her books to explore the history. She serves as Assistant Editor for DevoKids.com and contributes articles about history and holidays. She has written for several publications and websites including The Secret Place, Harpstring, Splickety Magazine, Pockets Magazine, Common Ground, Afictionado, and ChristianDevotions.us. Her inspirational Civil War novella, A Stranger on My Land, released on August 21, 2014.

BLURB for A Stranger on My Land
Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find a wounded soldier on their land after a battle which later became known as "The Battle Above the Clouds." Adam, a Union soldier, has been shot twice in the arm. Though Carrie is reluctant to take Adam to their cave where her family hides their livestock from both armies, she cannot turn her back on him. 

But her Aunt Lavinia, bitter over what Yankees have done to their land, urges Carrie to allow Adam to die. Carrie refuses, but cannot remove the bullets. Adam's friendship with Jay softens her heart toward him. It's not long until his gratitude and teasing manner spark a friendship between the young couple. Even though Carrie's father fights for the Confederacy in far-off Virginia, her feelings for the handsome young soldier begin to blossom into love. 

When Adam's condition worsens, Carrie knows a Union surgeon is needed to save his life. How can she accomplish this and keep her family's hiding place a secret?



BUY her book here:
Amazon.
LPC Bookstore



Blessings!