When I was a child, my great grandmother told her great grandchildren the following story--one evening when she was thirteen years old she went out to feed the chickens. The hour had grown late and when she didn't answer the call to come for supper, her father went to look for her. What he found was the empty tin plate that Sarah always used to hold the chicken feed, and foot prints; not shoe prints, but moccasins. Sarah had been kidnapped by a band of roving Indians. She was sixteen when she and her baby girl were rescued.
For her entire life, Sarah was afraid of the dark. At sundown, she wanted to be inside the house with all the doors and windows locked. In fact, she would refuse to sit on the front porch in her favorite rocking chair, even if the men folks were there with her. She would say, "Thar's In'dans hidin' 'mongst the trees."
My siblings and cousins grew up with this story. We always wondered what tribe of warriors kidnapped my great grandmother. Great granny either couldn't remember or didn't want to remember. I've considered taking the DNA test to see if any Native American genes linger in my bloodline. Whether true or not, my great grandmother's story inspired me to write Bitter Autumn, a historical romance based on fact but fictionalized for interest and readability.
My great grandmother passed away at the age of ninety-two. She never got over her fear of sitting on the porch after dark.
Please let me know if you enjoyed reading Bitter Autumn. I would also appreciate it if you'd leave a review.
Excerpt
Flame-haired Birdie Mae Dix has no idea what tomorrow will bring. Kidnapped by the Pawnee and traded to the Comanche, she is now in the custody of the US Cavalry. After eighteen years of loss and cruelty, she trusts no one, not even the handsome captain whose piercing blue glare fills her with apprehension...and unwanted desire. Years of war have hardened Captain Ford Thackery. Pledging his life to a military career, he has sworn never to consider married life-until he rescues Birdie. He knows he must earn her trust as well as find a way into her heart. When she is abducted by a renegade Pawnee cavalry scout, Ford embarks on a dangerous journey of rescue, but he and Birdie must still bridge the gaping chasm of hatred that separates their worlds.
For more books by Loretta visit Amazon's Author Central
Until we meet again,
HAPPY READING!
Loretta