book details

Book: A Mother's Shadow by Carrie Groneman

categories: Book, Christian, Self Help, Family, Pioneer Life, Marriage, Religion, Spirituality, 1800's USA, Historical Fiction

Carrie Groneman

about this book: Do you remember as a child being afraid of the dark? Looking under the bed to check for bad things and peaking from under the covers to see if something truly awful was creeping from the closet. When it's gloomy and threatening shadows, it is very confusing and frightening. Due to the lack of direction, you have no course or direction to grasp or hold to.

Now imagine walking for miles and miles in the hot desert. Your water has long run out. You are so tired, you can't remember the last time you saw shade. As you walk over a small hill you see an oasis! As you get reach this wonderful place, there is a wonderful peace, calm and joyful feeling. Refreshing water, food to give you strength and you receive courage and guidance to go out and finish your journey valiantly and with success.

That is what the novel A MOTHER'S SHADOW exemplifies.

Every day we make choices and decisions that influence and effect not only our own life, but those around us, our family and even our posterity to come. Are you creating a shadow that is fearful and one that others do not want to follow, or worse that leads others to a life of sorrow and misery? Or are you learning, trying and becoming a shadow that is one to be admired, honored and followed because others know it will lead to a life of happiness and one worthy to emulate?

As I wrote the book A MOTHER'S SHADOW it came together, not like any other I had read before in its format. I wanted to write a book that everyone could relate to, learn something from and hopefully be a bit better after spending a few hours reading it.

The setting is the beginning of 1800 USA in Ohio. A fictional character Emily meets Harry. We follow their relationship and marriage, how they move to unsettled territory and their life with family. As their life unfolds I interweave musings after each chapter to teach principles, values and inspiration that we can use today in our own life.

This book took me about ten years to write as I raised my own family, had 'life' happen, and many other events came up. It was frustrating; however as I look back, I can see that I needed some of the experiences in order to finish this book.

I researched heavily to be correct in historical context. I realize that if I am not accurate, even though it is 'fiction' I would lose credibility. I searched high and low to find out how to make lye soap, what sound a baby bear makes, what Ohio looked like in 1800 Ohio and so forth. I'm very fortunate that I live by 'This Is The Place State Park' which is a pioneer working village and was able to get quite a bit of help there.

I am in the process now of writing the sequel to A MOTHER'S SHADOW.