One Year Anniversary of Colonial Quills Blog

   

We are excited to have you join us for Colonial Quills' first anniversary celebration! We have been blessed with a great team of contributors who delight us with all sorts of information about colonial history. Our founder, Carrie Fancet Pagels, does a fantastic job of managing the blog and highlighting Colonial American Christian novels. She is also the founder of Colonial American Christian Writers Yahoo group which is associated with and inspired this blog. Carrie, you do a great job and we love you!

(CFP: I did not write that. Since I am the one showing as having posted this I thought I should mention that LOL! Thank you, Carla!)

May we offer you a cup of chocolate?

Image from History.org

What CQ Contributors' have been blessed with, in their writing careers, this past year:

In March of 2012, Lori Benton signed a two-book contract with Waterbrook/Multnomah, for two 18th century historicals. The first, to be released in summer 2013, is set in upstate New York, 1784. The second, release date 2014, is set in western North Carolina, 1787.  The New York book will be her debut novel.

Carla Olson Gade received her second colonial American book contract, this one from Abingdon Fiction for their Quilts of Love series.  Pattern for Romance is set in Boston, Massachusetts in 1769 and releases in June 2013. Her  novella, Carving a Future, in the Colonial Courtships anthology along with CACW friend Laurie Alice Eakes, will be out in October 2012.  Carla's debut novel, The Shadow Catcher's Daughter, Heartsong Presents/Harlequin, launched in February.

A rendezvous at Colonial Williamsburg with "Quillers"
Carrie (founder), Carla (webmaster), and Carla's Mom.

In February 2012, Rita Gerlach's first book in her 'Daughters of the Potomac' trilogy was released. USA Today Books gave Before the Scarlet Dawn a rave review. Opening in the Hope Valley of Derbyshire, England, and transitioning to colonial Maryland at the start of the American Revolution, Before the Scarlet Dawn is a historical drama that shows the hardships women faced in the 18th century wilderness. In October 2012, the second book and sequel, Beside Two Rivers, a story of redemption and forgiveness, will be released. The last book in the trilogy, Beyond the Valley, will wrap up the series in February 2013.


In August 2011, MaryLu Tyndall's final installment of her War of 1812 Destiny series was released. Set in Baltimore, Surrender the Dawn is a romantic adventure surrounding the battle for Fort McHenry. In July of 2012, her 11th published novel, Veil of Pearls, a story of forbidden love set in Charleston, SC in 1811, will make its debut!

Roseanna M. White celebrated the release of her first colonial, Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland,in December 2011, which debuted to a 4 1/2 star Top Pick review from RT. She also signed a three-book contract with Harvest House for the Culper Ring Series, which will begin with Ring of Secrets, set during the Revolution, in January 2013.

On Thanksgiving Day 2011, Elaine Marie Cooper signed her contract with Sword of the Spirit Publishing for her third book in the Deer Run Saga, The Legacy of Deer Run. It will be released this month. Her second book in the series, The Promise of Deer Run, won first place in Romance at the 2012 Los Angeles Book Festival, and is a Finalist in Religious Fiction category in Forward Reviews' Book of the Year Contest.

Meeting up with the "Quillers" with Janet, Gina, Roseanna,
Rachel, Laura, and Carrie (behind the camera)

Susan F. Craft's Revolutionary War romantic suspense, The Chamomile, released in November 2011, won the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Fall 2011 Okra Pick, best novels of the season.


Last September, Lynn Squire's Joab's Fire released. A short novel set in 1906 Canada in the region now known as Alberta. Then in November for her church's Home Mission Conference, A Week of Faith More Precious than Gold was released. This is a collection of seven short stories with accompanying devotionals focusing on the need to stand fast in our faith.

Carrie Fancett Pagels has submitted two three-book proposals to CBA publishers. The current one has made it past the assistant editor at one large publishing house and prayers are appreciated for God's favor wherever this manuscript is supposed to be published. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to continue to moderate the CACW group and manage Colonial Quills and Overcoming Through Time - With God's Help.

Laura Frantz is writing a new four novel series for Revell Books. The Ballantyne Legacy, a sweeping family legacy set in Pennsylvania spanning from Colonial times through the Civil War. A Love's Reckoning will release in September 2012

"Quillers" Laura and Carrie at ACFW

Janet Grunst, Writer – Janet now serves as the co-hostess of the Yorktown Christian Fiction Writers, the northern branch of the Tidewater Christian Fiction Writers group. She attended her first ACFW conference this year, polished a full MS, and has made great progress on her current WIP. She has sought representation and her proposal sits with an agent this very minute. Prayers welcomed!

Pat Iacuzzi, Writer – Has had a breakthrough with her story, The Bondage Keeper (working title), and is now in the revision and editing stage. Pat is an active blogger at American Historical Christian Fiction and as with many other writers who are otherwise employed, she expects her work in progress to take her through the end of the year.

"Quillers" Janet and Carrie

In October 2011, Jennifer Hudson Taylor's medieval tale Highland Sanctuary released from Abingdon Press. She also received a contract from Abingdon for Path of Freedom: Quilts of Love Series #3 (2013). In February her colonial novella was published in Highland Crossings.  Another novella released in April, The Quakers of New Garden. Stay tuned for her first colonial novel coming in September 2013, The Forbidden Conquest, the book one in the MacGregor Quest.

This spring, J. M. Hochstetler released books 1 and 2 of her acclaimed American Patriot Series, Daughter of Liberty and Native Son, in a newly revised Heritage Edition featuring the paintings of acclaimed historical artist Don Troiani.

Rebecca DeMarino is our NEWEST CACW member and will be a contributor to CQ, also.  Rebecca just signed a three book contract for a colonial series with Revell. Welcome, Rebecca!

Please continue to visit the blog to see what our many Colonial American Fiction friends also have in the works.

From an 18th century handkerchief, at CW.

MaryLu Tyndall's Veil of Pearls releases in July. Two of our visitors, one today and one tomorrow, will have a paperback copy pre-ordered for them!

Order Veil of Pearls from Amazon, CBD, Barnes&Noble
MaryLu's Website:  http://www.marylutyndall.com/

Laura Frantz's The Colonel's Lady will go home with three guests this week!

Carla Olson Gade's Colonial Courtships, her October release, will be given away to two winners! This book can be pre-ordered from Barnes&Noble, Amazon, and CBD

Gina Welborn from CAFWs is giving away a copy of  Highland Crossings that features her debut novella, "Sugarplum Hearts", which also includes novellas from CACW members Pamela Griffin and Jennifer Hudson Taylor.

Elaine Cooper has graciously offered to give away a copy of The Promise of Deer Run to one of our winners as well!


J. M. Hochstetler will give away a set of the first 3 books of The American Patriot Series, Daughter of Liberty, Native Son, and Wind of the Spirit, this week. They are all available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and CBD in either print or ebook. Book 4, Crucible of War, which releases in September, can also be preordered!

Susan Craft is offering a copy of her novel The Chamomile as a prize for one blessed winner!

A copy of Surrender the Dawn,  signed by MaryLu Tyndall will be given away this week!  This is one of the ACFW Book Club picks for the month.  Carrie is the facilitator for that discussion which begins May 20th.

Rita Gerlach will give away one signed copy of Surrender the Wind, a historical romance and ACFW Book Club pick for a month, and one signed copy of book 1 Before the Scarlet Dawn in her Daughters of the Potomac Series (historical drama) to two special winners!  Included with the books will be keepsake bookmarks.

Thank you for visiting Colonial Quills
and make this a fantastic first year!
HUZZAH!