Novelist Cherie Dargan Unveils the Third Volume of her Grandmother’s Treasures Series of Dual Timeline Novels

 
Family History from both The American Civil War and World War 1 Collide in The Promise

 WordCrafts Press and Amazon.com bestselling author Cherie Dargan are pleased to announce the release of The Promise, the third volume in her Grandmother’s Treasures Series of dual timeline historical fiction novels. The Promise is resonating with fans as the novel has impacted multiple Amazon.com category charts, including hitting #19 in New Releases in Historical World War 1 Fiction (ebook); #47 in New Releases in World War 1 Historical Fiction (paperback), and  #56 in New Releases in World War 1 Historical Fiction (ebook).

Life is sweet for Mary Carlson. The 20th century is more than a decade old; she is nearly eighteen years old and is finishing up her senior year at Jubilee Junction High School. And she is experiencing her first romance. Charlie O’Connor has started leaving sweet notes for her and has asked for her hand in marriage. She spends time each day filling her lovely cedar chest with pillowcases, towels, aprons, and other items necessary for a new bride starting her home. Papa made the chest for her sixteenth birthday and carved the top with beautiful roses and vines. Soon she will begin work on a new quilt using the double wedding ring pattern. She blushes to think about it. But in the midst of such happy bliss, the war that is ripping Europe apart threatens to draw America into the fray. Congress declares war and institutes a military draft. Will Charlie have to go to war before they can even say their vows? And if he goes, will he ever come back.”

In present day, Gracie and her new husband, David, are setting out on a most unusual honeymoon. They are driving cross-country in a Class C motorhome retracing the route taken by the regiment of Gracie’s ancestor Michael during the Civil War and visiting the battlefields and historic sites along the way. But before they leave, Gracie gets a call from a relative with a cryptic request.

“Mother gave me an antique hope chest that belonged to Grandma Mary some years back, and I thought it was empty,” she says. “But when I cleaned it, I found a false bottom. Beneath it I discovered a bundle of letters, linens, and a pristine wedding ring quilt in the cubby hold underneath. It does not appear to ever have been used.”

Now it’s up to Gracie to once again investigate the origins of a family heirloom. But not everyone wants the past uncovered. “My Great-Grandma Mary is dead and can’t defend herself,” declares Aunt Catherine. “Do we really need to dig into all the unpleasant circumstances of her life? Do we have the right?”

Can Gracie find the story behind the red and white double wedding ring quilt; and if she does, what long buried family secrets will she have to dig up?

“The Promise grew out of wanting to explore the early 1900s in Iowa and trace the impact of the Great War on the cities and farms of our state,” explains novelist Cherie Dargan. “I’m fascinated with the history of the 19th Amendment and the origins of the League of Women Voters, and during my research I learned so about the horrors of trench warfare and the bravery of our troops, including the Buffalo Soldiers, American Black soldiers fighting in France who were celebrated for their tenacity. I was amazed by what I learned about the impact of the war on those at home, and the tremendous efforts required to not only feed and equip our soldiers, but help feed a starving Europe.”

“During the Great War, many women stepped up to keep the stores, schools, factories, and other places of work open. But when the war ended, and the men came home, they expected the women to go back to their traditional roles,” Cherie muses. “I think if any word describes this period, it’s the word change. The world was changing, and everyone had been changed by the war and the so-call Spanish Flu Pandemic. This was the world my grandparents were born into. If we are to understand their generation and their stories, we need to take a closer look at the forgotten war and everything else that took place during this era.”

“I always hope to entertain my readers with a good story, but also educate them. WWI seemed overlooked in my history courses because WWII came such a short time later and dominated our attention. And of course, I enjoyed writing the honeymoon journey of Gracie and David and watching their love story deepen. I like to describe my work as a little history, a little mystery, and some faith, hope, and love.”

About Cherie Dargan