ELIZA'S HOPE - June Foster and Kelly Cordova - One Free Book

Welcome back, June, and welcome, Kelly. I know this is a collaboration. How did this story come about? I mentioned to my daughter that my publisher asked for historical romances set in the Gold Rush days. She loves to read historical novels, so I asked her if she wanted to join me in writing a historical romance. She readily agreed and said she looked forward to it.

Did you find it easy to work together on it? Oh, yes. I don't always find it easy to work with others on writing projects so I was pleasantly surprised at how well we worked together. Especially in light of the fact she'd never written a novel before and I had never co-authored before.

How did collaborating impact you? I believe my daughter Kelly's ideas helped to spark my own and vice versa. She would have an idea, and I was able to expand on it.

That sounds great. What is the hardest thing about writing as a team? The communication was hardest. We used Marco Polo, text, email, and phone chats as we lived in two different states. Fortunately, my daughter was available most any time of the day as she doesn't work outside the home.

What are you reading right now? I'm reading Stacey Simmons' new release, A Promise for Faith.

I’m eager to get that book soon. How did you choose your characters’ names? Kelly chose the names she liked from that era. In fact, she plotted the entire story on her own. I did the larger part of the writing, and she wrote some of the scenes. She created a lovely motif that appeared throughout the story – the monarch butterfly.

Would you want to work on another book together? Most definitely. Kelly energized my ideas and allowed me to become even more creative. Writing can be a lonely venture, and it was wonderful having someone with whom to confer.

What do you want to tell us about the book? Here's a blurb. On the ship from Ireland, Eliza O’Connor loses her mother and husband to cholera. She longs to become a doctor after training under the local physician, but few schools accept women. Now that the doctor has passed away, she works at her father's boarding house. When a handsome doctor arrives beaten and stripped of his jacket and boots, she believes he's another gold-crazy miner heading for the hills where her brother has ventured.

At his mother's desperate request, Dr. Levi Dumont travels from Boston to find his younger brother and bring him home. After Levi is robbed and beaten, his trustworthy horse drops him in back of the O'Connor's Boarding House where the enchanting Eliza treats his wounds.

When Eliza's brother returns from the gold fields with a broken leg, Eliza learns her friend needs medical attention. Eliza is determined to make the treacherous journey. When she accompanies Levi to Diamond Falls, Levi discovers affection for Eliza despite his engagement to a woman in Boston.

Though Eliza and Levi come from different worlds, their hopes are the same. Will Eliza find opportunity to study medicine? Can Levi find a life with Eliza despite his fiancé and medical practice in Boston?

Please give us the first page of the book.

September 27, 1850

Buena Esperanza, California

Eliza O'Connor tucked a strand of her long thick hair behind her ear, fetched the wooden tray of mugs brimming with ale, and swept into the dining room of her father's boarding house.

"Eliza. Hurry up. We're thirsty," one of the fifteen miners demanded while the others slammed their fists on the dining room table that almost extended the length of the room.

"Hush your mouths. I'll be to your table when I'm good and ready." She steadied the tray and made her way closer to the noisy men. A tug on her skirt set her off balance.

"Lizzie, doll, when ya gonna marry me?" Tommy Brown flirted with her every chance he got it seemed.

"Go bother someone else." Eliza jerked away from the attentive miner and slipped on a puddle of ale. Her feet flew out from under her, sending her onto the rough wood floor as the tray sailed from her hands, the sound of shattering glass warning of her worst fear. She landed in an unladylike pose with her legs sprawled out in front. She'd broken eight of Papa's best glassware.

"Oops," Tommy smirked. "But ya know you want to marry me. I'll make you rich, girl."

Tommy's riotous laugh sent heat rushing through her body. The other miners might think he wanted to marry her, but he had no real interest in her. The women Tommy sought were bought and paid for. He didn't want to settle down. Still, she wouldn't mind slapping the smirk right off his face.

But what if she led the other miners to believe she was Tommy's girl? He'd never taken the thought seriously, but the others might. That way they'd keep their hands off her. She gave herself a pat on the back. Her plan would work.

The kindly old miner who sat at the end of the table stood and offered his hand.

"Thank you, sir." She scurried off to the kitchen to grab an empty box, the broom, the mop, and the bucket from the storage room. Then she raced back into the dining room. A few mugs had remained intact. She gathered them onto the tray she retrieved from the floor and swept the shards of glass into the box. Then she scrubbed the mop over the floor to soaked up the ale.

"What's the problem, Sweat Pea?" Papa strode in from chopping wood.

"Oh, Tommy's acting the maggot." She hauled the box of broken glass into the kitchen and peered out the window.

Across the street, one of Buena Esperanza's finest ladies floated along the boardwalk, her lace-trimmed skirt fashionable over her petticoat and her bonnet perfectly secured under her chin with a satin ribbon.

Eliza smoothed the skirt of her plain, wool dress. A poor Irish immigrant, she would never be accepted into the same social circles as the mayor's wife. She held up a polished cooking pot and peered at her reflection. Bright green eyes stared back. She had smooth pale skin and a spattering of amber freckles. Nope, she could never be refined like that woman. But she didn't want to join up with the members of high society. She had other things to accomplish in life.

"Sweet Pea, don't let that bulk of a man bother ya," her father said from behind her.

Where can our readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.junefoster.com

Amazon Author page 

Twitter 

https://www.facebook.com/authorjunefoster

Thank you, June, for sharing your and Kelly’s new book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Elizas-Hope-historical-romance-novella-ebook/dp/B09N1S117H/ref=sr_1_3?crid=8TTG8F9RS5E2&keywords=Eliza%27s+Hope&qid=1643909178&s=books&sprefix=eliza%27s+hope%2Cstripbooks%2C7621&sr=1-3

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