MAGGIE'S JOURNEY - Lena Nelson Dooley - Free Book

Today, I have a guest blogger interviewing me about my newest release, Maggie’s Journey. Thank you for helping me, Lee Carver.

Lee: Please tell us something about this new trilogy, and then specifically about Maggie's Journey.

My McKenna’s Daughters Series is about identical triplets, who were born on one of the last wagon trains on the Oregon Trail. Shortly after giving birth, their mother dies. They are separated and grow up in different places on the west coast. Only near their 18^th birthdays do they discover they have sisters. Maggie had been adopted by a family that ended up being wealthy merchants in Seattle, Washington Territory. Her journey to find the truth about herself also brought a man into her life who loved her for who she really was.

 Lee: No doubt you are often asked where you get ideas for more and more novels. Was there any particular stimulus for this trilogy?

God gave me the idea for the stories several years ago, and they percolated in my brain for all that time before the series was contracted.

Lee: I enjoyed Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, so much. That's a hard act to follow. Is Maggie's Journey better classified as historical romance or maybe historical women's fiction?

It is classified as a historical romance, but there are deeper elements that could put it into the women’s fiction/romance category.

Lee: How similar are the young protagonists in this coming trilogy?

Of course, they look alike and share some similar characteristics, they are also a product of their environment, so there are also differences.

Lee: Your books are well-researched. You make a huge effort to be authentic for the year and setting. What was the most difficult thing you had to research for this manuscript?

I was having a hard time actually picturing Seattle in 1885, but I contacted the Seattle Public Library. The research librarian gave me a link to a website where the library had digitized historical photographs by decade. Thousands of them. I was able to construct the neighborhoods and business district utilizing the actual businesses, street names, and even see what the buildings looked like. A real goldmine of information.

Lee: Lena, your mother died when you were very young. Does your heroine reflect some of the pain you experienced as a child?

Yes, some of the things I experienced help me understand how Maggie felt when she found out she was adopted.

Lee: Multiple births are much more common now as a result of infertility treatments. How rare were triplets in the era of your novel, and do you have any numbers on the survival rates for mother and children then?

I don’t have actual statistics, but triplets did occur, and some of them lived long lives. I chose to go with that information.

Lee: Putting together a trilogy must require a lot of advance planning. Do you advise your fans to read them in order, or will they stand alone as independent novels?

Actually, it probably would be better to read them in order, even though each book is a complete story. Because of the progression of the series, reading them out of order will give away things you probably wish you didn’t know before you read the first books.

Lee: Will your latest novels be available in e-book format? If so, how soon?

The book is available for download right now on Kindle. I’m not sure when the other formats will be available.

Lee: What is your highest hope for your novels as they are read throughout the world?

I want readers to be entertained. And I want them to see how God’s plans are higher than our plans. They can trust Him in their dilemmas just as He worked in the lives of my characters.

Lee: May your efforts be successful. I wish you excellent sales, knowing that readers are blessed with entertainment and a touching spiritual experience with each book.

Thank you, Lee, for leading this discussion.


Here's the first page of the book:

Chapter 1

September 1885

Seattle, Washington

Margaret Lenora Caine sat in the library of their mansion on Beacon Hill. Because of the view of Puget Sound which she loved, she had the brocade draperies pulled back to let the early September sunshine bathe the room with warmth. Basking in the bright light, she concentrated on the sketch pad balanced on her lap. After leaning back to get the full effect of the drawing, she reached a finger to smudge the shadows between the folds of the skirt. With a neckline that revealed the shoulders, but still maintained complete modesty, this dress was her best design so far. One she planned to have Mrs. Murdock create in that dreamy, shimmery green material that came in the last shipment from China. Maggie knew silk was usually a summer fabric, but with it woven into a heavier brocade satin, it would be just right for her eighteenth birthday party. And with a few changes to the design, she could have another dress created as well.

Once again, she leaned forward and drew a furbelow around the hem, shading it carefully to show depth. The added weight of the extra fabric would help the skirt maintain its shape, providing a pleasing silhouette at any ball. She pictured herself wearing the beautiful green dress, whirling in the arms of her partner, whoever he was. Maybe someone like Charles Stanton, since she’d admired him for several years, and he was so handsome.

“Margaret, what are you doing?”

The harsh question broke Maggie’s concentration. The charcoal in her hand slipped, slashing an ugly smear across the sketch. She glanced at her mother standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her bosom. Maggie heaved a sigh loud enough to reach the entrance, and her mother’s eyebrows arched so quickly Maggie wanted to laugh … almost, but she didn’t dare add to whatever was bothering Mother now. Her stomach began to churn, a thoroughly uncomfortable sensation. Lately, everything she did put Mother in a bad mood. She searched her mind for whatever could have set her off this time. She came up with nothing, so she pasted a smile across her face.

And the book trailer:

I have just returned from the American Christian Fiction Writers national conference in St Louis. While I was there the Romantic Times Book Reviews magazine arrived at the hotel.

Maggie's Journey received this 4-star review.
Dooley begins the McKenna's Daughters series with lovable characters finding out that who they thought they are is not really who they are. Readers are a part of the characters' journey to discover the truth. Dooley is a wonderful author who brings her characters to life.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

For the print book:
Maggie's Journey (McKenna's Daughters)

For the Kindle book: Maggie's Journey


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