Eventful August coming!

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Dear Reader,

Well, I have some news I'm still a little giddy about.

Fading Light has been chosen as the current read for the ISSDAR book club! If you know me at all, you know what that means to me. Captain Edward Beeson is my fourth great grandfather, and it was through him that I joined the Daughters of the American Revolution in the first place. Writing his story was my way of honoring him before America's 250th anniversary. Now the very organization that connected me to him is reading his book. I couldn't have dreamed that up if I tried.

And it gets better. On August 22nd I'll be featured on their podcast, talking about Edward, the research behind the book, and what it was like turning two hundred year old records into a family you can get to know.

Though before that, on Saturday, August 1st, I'll be signing copies of Fading Light for DAR members at the Asotin County Library in Clarkston. Members, if you already have a copy, bring it along and I'll happily sign it. If you don't, order yours now and bring it with you — or pick one up right there and support me AND Judi's lovely bookstore, ...And Books at the same time. I just love the name of her store, and I visited a while back. It's a beautiful three hour drive through the countryside for me, but it was worth it to end up at this cute little bookstore in downtown Clarkstone that is just full of lovely books and gifts.

Now, fair warning: both the podcast and the signing are for DAR members and prospective members. But here's my shameless plug, ladies. If you've ever wondered whether you have a Revolutionary War patriot hiding in your family tree (and you might be surprised), DAR is exactly the place to find out. And if you're in the Clarkston area and curious, the signing on August 1st would be a lovely chance to come meet me and talk with the local chapter about joining. That's how these things start — one ancestor, one conversation, and suddenly you belong to something.

If you haven't read it yet, here's a little taste. This is from Chapter 1, after the county committee rides off with ten bushels of the Beesons' grain:

"They took more than grain," he said.

Elizabeth rose, wiping her hands on her apron. "What does thee mean?"

"They took our silence," Benjamin said. "They took the assumption that we could live quietly and be left in peace. From now on, every choice we make will be weighed against their cause. And those who do not choose with them will be counted against them."

And this, from Edward himself, years deeper into the war:

Silence did not protect you. It only meant you had no say in what the world decided to do to you.

That's the heart of the whole book right there. A Quaker family that just wanted to be left in peace, and a son who decided peace wasn't something you could wait for.

One more thing before I go — if you've finished Fading Light and find yourself wondering what became of the family after the Revolution, Borrowed Light is my free companion read. It picks up with Edward and Ann years later, and it will cost you exactly nothing. Grab your free copy here.

And I'm going to make another request. Those of you who have read Fading Light, would you please consider leaving a review. This book could use a little love, if it's worth it.

Hope to see some of you in Clarkston — members and future members alike!

Until next time,

Risør, Norway, 1851. Olga Sundstrom's quiet, well-ordered life is upended when an itinerant preacher's radical faith takes hold of her heart — and an icy baptism brands her a heretic among her own people. Can she withstand persecution from those who were once her friends? Pioneers Across the Sea is the short story prequel to the Frontier Women of Courage series — for readers who love women with grit in their souls.

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