Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance
Format: ebook, paperback
Buy: The Legacy of Deer Run (The Deer Run Saga)
The year was 1800. A young man makes weapons for the defense of America, still a fledgling nation. He also protects his heart from the allure of a young woman who is so far above his station in life that he cannot win her.
The lady fights her own war against loneliness and grief. Despite her finery and airs, she is drawn to the young armory worker, who is distant yet disarming.
Love is not the only entanglement. The nation’s enemies are afoot. They creep within the very walls where America’s defenses are being forged. Who are they? When will they strike? Who will survive their terrorism?
Intrigue of the heart and intrigue of the times are only part of this compelling story – book three of the Deer Run Saga. This series finale is a gripping mix of romance and deception, faith and forgiveness, transgression and trial.
1. When and why did you begin writing?
I picked up my pen at an early age, writing stories, poems, and even a script for my favorite TV show. I’m not certain as to “why” I started to write, but it was just an inner prompting, an urge to put thoughts down on paper that brewed in my mind. I suppose it might have been an extension of my love for reading. I remember being enamored with books long before I could even read, checking out the maximum number of books allowed by the library.
2. What inspired you to write your first book?
It was a personal tragedy in my life that led to writing my first book. In fact, it was four years to the date of my daughter’s death from a brain tumor that I felt this strong impression to write a book. Up to that time, I had only written for newspapers and magazines and knew nothing about writing an entire novel. But I was driven in a way I had never known before to keep on writing. Between my historical research for my novel and the fact that I was working fulltime as a nurse, the process took about two years.
3. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
All of my books have continuing themes of faith, healing, and forgiveness. My deepest hope is that my readers will close my book when they are finished and find that their belief in God is strengthened, as well as their relationship with Him.
4. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I would encourage my readers to take a journey through the pages of my novels to the early years of America and not just be entertained, but learn about the faith, the hardships, and the triumphs of those who came before us. If we are to understand who we are as a nation now, we must understand its history. My goal is to bring about that understanding through the medium of well-researched fiction.
5. Can you share a little of your current work with us?
The Legacy of Deer Run continues the story of the Lowe family that was started in The Road to Deer Run. Legacy is set in 1800 in Springfield, Massachusetts and follows the story of a young armory worker who gets swept up in both unrequited love as well as a terrorist plot against the new nation of America. It is a tale of hurt and hope, trials and transgressions, and faith that is tested. Although it is Book 3 in the series, The Legacy of Deer Run also reads well on its own.
6. Is anything in your book based on real life experiences?
Yes, but most are not my own. The Deer Run Saga is loosely based on my ancestors that lived during the era of the American Revolution. The first book (The Road to Deer Run) follows the story of my 4th great-grandfather that came to this country in 1776 as an enemy Redcoat soldier. After he was captured and made prisoner, he somehow escaped (details are not known), met and married my 4th great grandmother, and became an American. I carefully researched much about my ancestor’s regiment in the Army, as well as details about colonial life to make my books as authentic as possible. It was a true labor of love!
The elements in the story of healing, hope, and forgiveness are based on my own experiences and struggles in my life. The tests of our faith and the loss of loved ones are universal struggles throughout the ages.
7. What is the most challenging part of being an Indie author?
I would say that two things are challenging: Getting stores to carry your books and getting the respect of those who feel only real authors are with large publishing houses. I think though, as time goes on and the publishing industry changes, there will be more acknowledgment that Indie books can be just as good or better than some from the large publishing houses. Those changes in attitude have already occurred in the industries of both Indie films and Indie music.
8. As an Indie author, what would you say to a potential reader who has never read anything from an Indie author?
I would encourage them to read a book in a genre they like, and decide if the writing was as good as the last book they read. I think they might be quite surprised! Most Indie authors are very aware of the need for editing and are more than willing to have their books out there for public scrutiny. There are many fine smaller publishing houses that have excellent quality books on the market. And if you ask most readers, they really don’t care what publisher’s name is on the book cover. They only care about what’s in between the covers!
9. Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
It is historic fiction that is based on an actual battle that occurred the first day of the American Revolution—yet rarely makes the history books. It is a story of a fiery trial and the young woman who survived it. More details will be forthcoming.
Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of The Road to Deer Run (Finalist in Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Religious Fiction, Honorable Mention in Romance at 2011 Los Angeles Book Festival) and The Promise of Deer Run (Romance Winner for 2012 Los Angeles Book Festival, Finalist in Religious Fiction for ForeWord Review Book of the Year). Cooper is also a contributing writer for Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home by Edie Melson. She is a wife, mom, Grammie to triplets, and a registered nurse.
Visit Elaine at her website: DeerRunBooks.com, on Facebook, or on her blogs http://ReflectionsInHindsight.wordpress.com and http://ColonialQuills.blogspot.com.
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Carol began writing years ago after reading a ten-page story her grandmother wrote about growing up in the early 1900s. It was then that she began to write down her own stories to share with her daughters someday.
But, I find it to be a release ~ therapy, if you will. I love getting to know my characters and what their lives entail.
