Welcome to Friday Reads!
Wendy has offered to give away an electronic copy of her latest release, Once Upon an Irish Summer. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends April 3, 2020. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I’ll contact you.)
The story behind the story…
I’m a professional Genetic Genealogist by day, a writer by night, and an artist in between.
My love of what we can learn from history compels me to write the true stories I unearth during research, and I’ve found that truth is, indeed, much more exciting and inspiring than fiction.
I write about family, faith, grief, art, and overcoming obstacles in life by coming to know who we truly are—children of God, and the descendants of remarkable people who paved the way before us—even if they really struggled. I believe in learning from our ancestors, honoring them, and then standing on their shoulders to become someone even better. I know that’s what they want for us. How do I know? Because that’s what I want for my own descendants, and how great would it be if every generation became just a little better than the one before?
As an award-winning author of professional articles and poems, I’ve turned to novel writing to share the true stories I discover with a greater audience. The spark of the dual-timeline story of Once Upon an Irish Summer came about while I researched an ancestor on location in Ireland. When I unearthed his story and found out why he left his homeland, and then researched his life after he came to the United States, I knew many readers would relate to what he overcame and feel inspired to successfully work through trials in their own lives.
I wrote the present-day timeline through the eyes of a struggling teenage girl, to show readers the impact of what can happen to us when we come to know our ancestors. It can literally change us.
Emory University has released the results of a study they conducted on teenagers knowing or not knowing their family history. It was based on 20 questions. The results showed that kids who knew the answers had a stronger sense of control over their lives, higher self-esteem, a greater belief in the successful functioning of their own families, and they proved to be more resilient to life’s challenges.
This is why I write. To inspire readers—especially the rising generation—to know who they came from, to learn from them, and to stand on their shoulders to become someone even better.
So, become an insider! Sign up for my newsletter at https://wendywilsonspooner.
Blurb…
A gifted artist suffering from debilitating grief finds healing and inspiration in her Irish ancestry and goes on to paint a masterpiece.
ONCE UPON AN IRISH SUMMER is a dual timeline novel of two teenagers, two centuries apart, in one city; the untold chronicle of Irish Allen Hamilton’s journey through antebellum America to find a way to save his family, woven with the struggle of his 15-year-old descendant, 200 years later, battling through grief to find herself again.
OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE APRIL 3!
My review…
I love stories that take place in multiple time periods, and this one fits the bill (1817 Ireland and 2018 Indiana).
In 1817, Allen Hamilton longed to help his family’s financial situation. That meant leaving his home country of Ireland and heading to America. Will the move meet his expectation?
In 2018, Beth wants to be an artist. In order to continue with art lessons, she must take a job with her grandma … in Fort Wayne, Indiana—the last place on earth she wants to go. To top it off, she’ll be researching her family’s history, and history is the last thing she’s interested in. She uncovers her connection to Allen Hamilton. Will she find that things aren’t as dull as she anticipated?
This story is based on a collection of letters from 200 years ago. I admit that I didn’t always enjoy learning about history in school, but I do enjoy learning it through novels.
The author uses beautiful, descriptive prose to pull the reader in. Both story lines are well developed, but I think I preferred the present (Beth’s) a bit more. I liked uncovering her family history along with her. Scenes with Mimi (her grandma) and references to Pops (her grandpa) reminded me of times with my own grandparents.
It’s a YA (young adult) story, so there is a bit of a romance angle, but it’s not a dominant part of the story. Secondary characters are well-utilized and as well-drawn as primary characters. It does take some time to learn Beth’s aversion to Fort Wayne, but the delay in unveiling the reason works well for the story. Her struggles in dealing with the past are relatable and realistic.
After reading this, I’m curious about my own family history dating back to the 1800s, and I’m sure other readers will feel the same.
If you’re a fan of dual timeline novels or YA, this is one to add to your list.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
Where you can find Wendy online…
Rules for giveaway can be found here.
If I could summer anywhere, I’d choose Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains. Maybe Estes Park. I love the nature and the quiet…this book sounds like one I’d love to read!
I’ve heard wonderful things about Colorado, and the pictures I’ve seen are always gorgeous!
Good luck, and thanks for stopping by.
Stay safe!