Guest Post & Giveaway: Eternity Between Us by Stephenia H. McGee (Blog Tour)

About the Book:

An unnatural thunder rumbled through the air, carrying with it not thoughts of rain but of smoke and trepidation...

After being forced to use a pistol against invaders, Evelyn Mapleton is no longer the timid girl her extended family expects. The more her aunt and cousin resent her new independence, the more Evelyn is determined she'll make her missing father proud by taking up his cause and aiding Confederate soldiers--even if she has to outmaneuver the Yankees guarding her home to do it.

Samuel Flynn's life is consumed with two priorities: learning to become a proper guardian for the young orphans he's adopted and obtaining his physicians license. When his final testing sends him to a Federal Army field hospital, the last thing he expects is to be entranced by a mysterious woman. But when Evelyn's misguided exploits put her life in danger, will he risk everything he's worked for to save a woman he thinks is his enemy?

Based on first-hand accounts from the Civil War and with a strong romantic thread, this is a tale of faith, espionage, hope, and courage historical fiction fans won't want to miss.

 

Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/2xWG8FT

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GUEST POST

The crazy and (almost?) true adventures of Belle Boyd, Civil War spy.

When I first started researching for Eternity Between Us, I began with first-hand accounts. I find it fascinating to see not only what the history books tell us, but also the personal thoughts of people who lived through those days. My first stop in the journey brought me to a dynamic young woman by the name of Belle Boyd.

In her book Belle Boyd in Camp and in Prison, which she wrote from Europe after the end of the Civil War, Belle recounts numerous tales of how she carried notes, information, and supplies to Confederate soldiers. She was bold, feisty, and fearless.

Historians argue the exploits in her book have been greatly exaggerated, and perhaps they have, but she certainly makes for an interesting character! The opening scene in Eternity Between Us is taken from Belle’s account of what it was like when the Union Army first occupied Martinsville, Virginia. She describes a flood of soldiers in blue parading through the streets on July 4th, 1861. She and her mother huddled together as soldiers broke down their door, threatened their safety, and then attempted to burn the house.

Another time, Belle describes hiding supplies under her ample skirts and delivering them to Confederate soldiers. She claims to have to smuggle arsenals of sabers and pistols tied to the steel coils of her hoop skirt. Whether she truly accomplished all these tales or embellished them, Belle is remembered most not for her deeds, but the flair with which she accomplished them.

Evelyn Mapleton is not quite the brazen firebrand Belle Boyd was, but she has her fair share of adventures and also dabbles in the world of spying. And when her world is upended by the first fringes of Civil War, Evelyn fears she’s borrowed more trouble than she can ever repay.

Opening excerpt from Eternity Between Us:

Martinsburg, Virginia

July 4, 1861

They were here.

Evelyn Mapleton gathered her courage and stood at the parlor window to listen. The sound came first as a steady growl accompanied by the rat-a-tat of drums and squealing trumpets, upending the precarious calm of a town poised on the knife’s edge of war. An unnatural thunder rumbled through the air, carrying with it not thoughts of rain but of smoke and trepidation.

With each pound of the nearing forces Evelyn’s heart quivered. One single thought kept cadence in her mind, bringing with it a chilling fear that turned her stomach to lead. They were here.

The vibrations trembled through the house, rattling Aunt Mary’s porcelains and coaxing the other members of the household to gather in the parlor alongside Evelyn in the scant hope there might be a measure of safety found in numbers.

Prize package includes: 1 signed paperback of Eternity Between Us, “I love God, coffee & Christian Fiction” book cover coffee mug, 1 ebook (reader’s choice), Her Place in Time audible audiobook, $25 amazon gift card, and a few southern goodies in celebration of the release of Eternity Between Us! (US address only)

 Link:  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0727a5082/

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