The Promise of Deer Run Giveaway

In honor of our upcoming Thanksgiving I wanted to share a post from Elaine Marie Cooper.  She is the author of The Promise of Deer Run.  This is a warm loving story taking place in the 18th century during birth of our nation.  I loved the setting colonial America especially during this season.  Thanksgiving always makes me wonder of our roots, settlers new to a wild world.  And finding hope right around the corner of their new lives.  Life continued on til we had to break away from our apron strings and totally become a nation unto itself.  It is in this setting that Nathaniel and Sarah's story unfolds.  A lil Romeo and Juliet on the the political fore front of the American Revolution.   If you get a chance to read a historical fiction romance then try out The Promise of Deer Run.  And see if it also hits home with you?  Make sure you read through on how to enter the giveaway.  You will love the winning basket.

Grand Prize (Retail Value: $297.38) Contains:

• Basket
• $25 Starbucks gift card  
• Spode Christmas teapot  
• Spode Christmas mugs   
• Yankee candle
• Hardbound copy The Road to Deer Run
• Hardbound copy The Promise of Deer Run 
• Bath and Body Paris Amour scent  

The Promise of Deer Run An Absolutely Charming Tale! Once again, Elaine Marie Cooper pens an absolutely charming tale of eighteenth century Americana. War, no matter the era, takes its toll on both soldiers and families. The Promise of Deer Run is a precious next story following Mary and Daniel’s story in The Road to Deer Run, picking up with Mary’s sister, Sarah a few years down the line. Be sure to read the first book too! As a historian and author, I am grateful to Elaine for her dedication to authenticity.  —Lisa Lickel,  author of A Summer in Oakville About The Promise of Deer Run:  America’s war for freedom from England has been over for seven years, but the wounds of that conflict still haunt the minds and hearts of the residents of Deer Run. Young American veteran Nathaniel Stearns has withdrawn to a life of isolation as he awaits his father who never returned from the war. A near-tragedy in the woods brings Nathaniel face-to-face with nineteen-year-old Sarah Thomsen, someone he had long admired but he assumed had eyes for another. This chance encounter opens a crack into the door of his heart as mutual affection quickly blooms. But slander and lies soon mar the budding romance, rendering both Sarah and Nathaniel wounded and untrusting as their faith in both their God and each other is shattered. Set in 1790, this book continues the story of the Thomsen and Lowe families as they struggle to survive in the aftermath of the war that birthed the United States. The Promise of Deer Run ISBN: 9781462037964            Softcover: $16.95            ISBN: 9781462037971            Hardcover: $26.95            ISBN: 1462037968 E-book: $9.99 Released: August 16, 2011 www.PromiseOfDeerRun.com

Watch the book trailer atwww.PromiseOfDeerRun.com  The Story Behind the Story: How The Deer Run Saga Was Birthed By Elaine Marie Cooper When I was young and first heard that one of my grandfathers had been a Redcoat during the Revolutionary War, I was somewhat embarrassed. Growing up in Massachusetts had made me proud of our country’s heritage. But instead of finding zealous patriots in my bloodline, my DNA was from an enemy soldier named Daniel Prince! Calmer reasoning prevailed, however, as I thought about the reality of his story. Living conditions in Colonial times were difficult, to say the least. It was a frightening period of our history for both Americans and the British. And in the midst of our nation struggling to be birthed, two people on opposing sides in a bloody war met and fell in love. This story from my family’s history was transformed in my thinking into an inspiring one of romance, unhindered by the politics of the day. It became, purely and simply, a love story. And so was birthed the idea to create a fictional account of actual events. Since the story is from my imagination, I opted to change last names, the names of the communities, and many other details of the time. However, many of the historical events are documented facts. The particular information on Daniel Prince’s military background was discovered thanks to the diligent work of Betty Thomson, independent researcher at The National Archives, Kew, in England.  In book one, The Road to Deer Run and now in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run, I made every effort to stay true to the colonial times. Descriptions of food, homes, clothing, farming, worship practices, medical care, etc. are the result of extensive research. It has been a personally inspiring experience to write these novels. While the times have changed since the 18th century, the same struggles of their day are our own. Forgiveness, fear, pain, illness, despair, the pain of having a family member at war, the death of a loved one—these are all the battles we contend with in the 21st century. But we also share faith, laughter, love, the excitement of that first kiss, the wonder of looking at a newborn. These are the same joys that we share with our ancestors who are so much a part of who we are. Their journeys are interwoven with our own.

About the Author: Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.   Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest calledThe Barn Door and a blog on Christian living calledReflections In Hindsight. She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse. The Road to Deer Run won the following honors: Finalist: 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards  Honorable Mention: 2011 Los Angeles Book Festival Best Romantic Moment: ClashoftheTitles.com, February 2011 Author Elaine Marie Cooper

Grand Prize Valued at $297.38 My readers are to leave comments on how they celebrate Thanksgiving to be entered in this giveaway opportunity. You have until November 18, 2011 to get their comments posted. Over that weekend, I will select one name from my group, to send to KCWC as my finalist.  KCWC will take all the finalists and draw one grand prize winner, to be announced November 21, 2011. Here's what the winner receives:  Grand Prize (Retail Value: $297.38) Contains: Basket $25 Starbucks gift card   Spode Christmas teapot   Spode Christmas mugs    Yankee candle Hardbound copy The Road to Deer Run Hardbound copy The Promise of Deer Run  Bath and Body Paris Amour scent

Thanksgiving in Early America by Elaine Marie Cooper When we sit down at our Thanksgiving meal this month, we’ll be recreating a celebration that is as old as our country: sharing food with loved ones while thanking the God Who has provided the abundance. While we understand that the First Thanksgiving was celebrated here by the Mayflower survivors along with the Indians that had helped them, the first official proclamation that was decreed to celebrate such a holiday was in 1777. It was a recommendation to the thirteen states by the Continental Congress to set aside December 18th that year as a “solemn thanksgiving” to celebrate the first major victory for the Continental troops in the American Revolution: the Battle of Saratoga. The Battle of Saratoga has significant interest for my own family since one of my ancestors was a soldier there. But he was not on the American side—he was a British Redcoat. After surrendering to the Americans, he escaped the line of prisoners and somehow made his way to Massachusetts and into the life and heart of my fourth great-grandmother. *SIGH* L’amour! This family story was the inspiration for my Deer Run Saga that begins in 1777 with The Road to Deer Run. There is an elaborate Thanksgiving meal scene in this novel as well as in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Some may wonder why such detail was afforded this holiday in my novels set in Massachusetts, while Christmas is barely mentioned. The reason is simple: Thanksgiving was the major holiday in the northern colonies, with Christmas considered nothing more special than a workday. According to Jack Larkin in his book, The Reshaping of Everyday Life, “The Puritan founders of New England and the Quaker settlers of Pennsylvania had deliberately abolished (holidays) as unscriptural.” But Thanksgiving was begun as a way to give thanks to God for His provision. It usually began with attending church services in the morning, followed by an elaborate feast in the afternoon. The food for this meal was prepared for weeks in advance. Since the individual state governors chose their own date to celebrate the holiday, it was theoretically possible for some family members—if they lived in close proximity—to celebrate multiple Thanksgiving meals with family and friends across state borders. The dates chosen could be anywhere from October to December, according to Dennis Picard, Director of the Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Chicken was most commonly served, said Picard, as it was readily available in the barnyard. And the oldest woman in the home had the honor of slicing the fowl for dinner. Pies were made well in advance of the holiday and stored and became frozen in dresser drawers in unheated rooms. “I like the idea of pulling out a dresser drawer for, say, a clean pair of socks, and finding mince pies,” said Picard, tongue in cheek. Indeed! Have a BLESSED Thanksgiving! Author Bio

Elaine Marie Cooper Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest called The Barn Door (www.thebarndoor.net) and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight (ReflectionsInHindsight.wordpress.com). She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse.