This historic home holds the keys to their destiny . . . and their hearts...
Abandoned at birth, her family roots a mystery, historical museum curator Sloane Kelley has dedicated her life to making sure others know theirs. When a donor drops off a dusty old satchel, she doesn’t expect much from the common artifact...until she finds real treasure inside: a nineteenth-century diary. Now she’s on the hunt to find out more.
Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother’s historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to fund her medical care. With her advancing Alzheimer’s, he can’t afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles: Sloane, who’s fallen in love with both the diaries and the house, and his own heart, which is irresistibly drawn to Sloane.
A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and love—and a God who faithfully carries her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.
This warm, beautifully written split-time novel will resonate with readers looking for stories that reveal the beauty of God’s plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.
Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother’s historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to fund her medical care. With her advancing Alzheimer’s, he can’t afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles: Sloane, who’s fallen in love with both the diaries and the house, and his own heart, which is irresistibly drawn to Sloane.
A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and love—and a God who faithfully carries her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.
This warm, beautifully written split-time novel will resonate with readers looking for stories that reveal the beauty of God’s plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.
ISBN-13: 9780825446689
My Review
When the chips are down family means everything...
I picked Roots Of Wood And Stone for two reasons. The first was that it's a split time story, and the second is those three little words that describe the heroine's job, 'historical museum curator'. That's all it took. Amanda Wen had me completely intrigued.
I had a lot of random thoughts while I was reading Roots Of Wood And Stone, all of them good. The first came only a page or two in when the author perfectly describes the problems museum's face with old attic junk donations and the entire process of needing proper documentation before the item can even be considered for accessioning (acquisitions). Let me just tell you that I have experience with the entire process and it's exactly like it is in the book. Second, is just how impressed I was by the author's writing skills, not everyone can manage a split time novel, and you'd never realize that this is Amanda Wen's debut novel. In the same vein, I loved how she handled the historical threads of the story, it's not all tea parties and lace petticoats. I also have to tell you how much I loved the characters! They are flawed, they make mistakes, they get hurt, but with faith and a little love they also persevere through difficult circumstances. You can't help falling for them all, historical and contemporary alike!
I absolutely enjoyed this first Sedgwick County Chronicles novel and I can tell you that I am eagerly anticipating the release of book two. Roots Of Wood And Stone was a great read and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Once you've read Amanda Wen's debut you will be as impatient for more as I am....
Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Roots Of Wood And Stone by Amanda Wen a 4 Bark rating.
I picked Roots Of Wood And Stone for two reasons. The first was that it's a split time story, and the second is those three little words that describe the heroine's job, 'historical museum curator'. That's all it took. Amanda Wen had me completely intrigued.
I had a lot of random thoughts while I was reading Roots Of Wood And Stone, all of them good. The first came only a page or two in when the author perfectly describes the problems museum's face with old attic junk donations and the entire process of needing proper documentation before the item can even be considered for accessioning (acquisitions). Let me just tell you that I have experience with the entire process and it's exactly like it is in the book. Second, is just how impressed I was by the author's writing skills, not everyone can manage a split time novel, and you'd never realize that this is Amanda Wen's debut novel. In the same vein, I loved how she handled the historical threads of the story, it's not all tea parties and lace petticoats. I also have to tell you how much I loved the characters! They are flawed, they make mistakes, they get hurt, but with faith and a little love they also persevere through difficult circumstances. You can't help falling for them all, historical and contemporary alike!
I absolutely enjoyed this first Sedgwick County Chronicles novel and I can tell you that I am eagerly anticipating the release of book two. Roots Of Wood And Stone was a great read and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Once you've read Amanda Wen's debut you will be as impatient for more as I am....
Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Roots Of Wood And Stone by Amanda Wen a 4 Bark rating.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
An Interview with Amanda Wen,
Author of Roots Of Wood And Stone
For readers who can’t decide if they would like to pick up something historical or contemporary
for their next read, debut author Amanda Wen offers them the bestof both worlds in her new release. Roots of Wood and Stone (Kregel Publications)is a warm, delightfully written
split-time novel that will resonate with readers lookingfor stories that reveal the beauty
of God’s plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.
for their next read, debut author Amanda Wen offers them the bestof both worlds in her new release. Roots of Wood and Stone (Kregel Publications)is a warm, delightfully written
split-time novel that will resonate with readers lookingfor stories that reveal the beauty
of God’s plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.
Q: Which character in Roots of Wood and Stone was easiest for you to write and why? Which character presented the biggest challenge?
The most challenging character was probably Sloane. An introvert by nature, and one who’s been dealt some serious wounds, she doesn’t trust easily. In fact, that included me when I was first getting to know her. I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer, so the only way I get to know characters is by writing them, which doesn’t work well when a character isn’t quite ready to talk. We spun our wheels for a bit, but I finally decided to put a little of my own love for music into the book and gave Sloane a musical hobby. That, it seemed, gave us enough common ground for her to feel comfortable opening up to me.
By contrast, Jack Brennan was the easiest character for me to write. Inspired by (but not based on) Jack Pearson from This Is Us, Jack sprang into my head fully formed and quickly stole all his scenes in the best possible way. He wears his heart on his sleeve and was thus very easy for me to get to know and love.
The most challenging character was probably Sloane. An introvert by nature, and one who’s been dealt some serious wounds, she doesn’t trust easily. In fact, that included me when I was first getting to know her. I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer, so the only way I get to know characters is by writing them, which doesn’t work well when a character isn’t quite ready to talk. We spun our wheels for a bit, but I finally decided to put a little of my own love for music into the book and gave Sloane a musical hobby. That, it seemed, gave us enough common ground for her to feel comfortable opening up to me.
By contrast, Jack Brennan was the easiest character for me to write. Inspired by (but not based on) Jack Pearson from This Is Us, Jack sprang into my head fully formed and quickly stole all his scenes in the best possible way. He wears his heart on his sleeve and was thus very easy for me to get to know and love.
Q: Roots of Wood and Stone was inspired by your own family history. Can you tell us a little bit about your family’s story and what parts made their way into your book?
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The seed of inspiration for Roots of Wood and Stone is an 1890s farmhouse not far from where I grew up (and where I now live) which belonged to my great-great-grandfather, Francis Thomas Little. He immigrated to the United States from Ireland as a child and became one of the earliest settlers of Maize, Kansas. Grandpa Little, as he’s known in my family, wrote a memoir, A Kansas Farmer, which was an invaluable resource during my research process.
Francis Little married Mattie Stevens, daughter of another early settler, William Fletcher Stevens, who lost his first wife and infant son shortly after arriving in Sedgwick County in 1870. (In fact, my great-great-great-grandfather would go on to bury a second wife and eight of his fourteen children.) I wondered how someone would cope with such a tragic loss and emerge with his faith intact, and it’s this first early loss that forms the crux of the spiritual journey for my past hero, Jack Brennan. |
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My past heroine, Annabelle Collins, is very loosely based on a paternal ancestor, Antoinette Patrick Peterson, who as a young child was left with an aunt and uncle after the death of her mother. She moved to Kansas with her aunt and uncle, who raised her to adulthood, and I grew curious about the impact of such a decision on a child. The rest of Antoinette’s life was no less interesting and colorful, but I decided to save it for a future book.
Q: What did God teach you through the writing of Roots of Wood and Stone? What do you hope your readers take away from the book?
Roots of Wood and Stone was my first attempt at split time, and I depended on God for the wisdom to know how to weave the two time lines and stories together. It was an intimidating undertaking, and one possible only through him. Also, trusting God has always been a challenge for me. Like Garrett, I’m a type-A uber planner, one who needs a plan A, plan B, and plan C to feel fully on top of things. While writing this book, I quickly discovered that I could control very little. My characters had their own ideas of how the plot should progress, and the story was frequently better if I let go and trusted them.
The publishing journey was no different. Through the very lengthy (and also agonizing) submission process, I had to trust every day that the God who gave me the idea for the story and enabled me to put it on paper would do with it what he chose in the timing that was very best, not only for me but for all who will read the book.
Roots of Wood and Stone was my first attempt at split time, and I depended on God for the wisdom to know how to weave the two time lines and stories together. It was an intimidating undertaking, and one possible only through him. Also, trusting God has always been a challenge for me. Like Garrett, I’m a type-A uber planner, one who needs a plan A, plan B, and plan C to feel fully on top of things. While writing this book, I quickly discovered that I could control very little. My characters had their own ideas of how the plot should progress, and the story was frequently better if I let go and trusted them.
The publishing journey was no different. Through the very lengthy (and also agonizing) submission process, I had to trust every day that the God who gave me the idea for the story and enabled me to put it on paper would do with it what he chose in the timing that was very best, not only for me but for all who will read the book.
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As for those readers, I hope they come away with a renewed and restored faith. Though I would never in a million years have chosen to release my debut novel during a global pandemic, I think the message of the book—that God will take all your loose ends and broken pieces and weave them into something more beautiful than you can imagine—is especially timely for such a difficult period in our world.
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Many of us have been forced to alter the vast majority of our plans this past year, including plans for things—church, work, school, family get-togethers—that we never thought we’d have to alter. But God is still in control. This pandemic has not changed, nor will it change, his good and perfect plan.
Q: What’s next from you? Can readers hope for more stories from Sedgwick County?
I am working on a sequel to Roots of Wood and Stone that features with two secondary characters from that book: Garrett’s sister, Lauren, and his grandmother, Rosie. After a tailspin in her late teens, Lauren’s life is finally on track. Her food blog is successful, her photography studio bustling, and her battle with bulimia seems to be under control. But an unexpected wrinkle appears in the form of Carter Douglas, the summer fling whose rejection launched her downward spiral. When old feelings reappear with new strength, can Lauren risk her heart to love a man who already broke it once?
I am working on a sequel to Roots of Wood and Stone that features with two secondary characters from that book: Garrett’s sister, Lauren, and his grandmother, Rosie. After a tailspin in her late teens, Lauren’s life is finally on track. Her food blog is successful, her photography studio bustling, and her battle with bulimia seems to be under control. But an unexpected wrinkle appears in the form of Carter Douglas, the summer fling whose rejection launched her downward spiral. When old feelings reappear with new strength, can Lauren risk her heart to love a man who already broke it once?
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TV meteorologist Carter Douglas has a job he never thought he’d take in a city where he never planned to live . . . and comes face-to-face with a woman he never thought he’d see again. He’s determined to make the most of this second chance with Lauren, but when circumstances force the same decision he made as a teenager, will he have the courage to make a different choice?
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When Lauren’s elderly grandmother calls out a name from the depths of dementia, the name of a man her family has never heard of, Lauren and her family seek the truth. Who was this man? Who was he to her grandmother? Their journey takes them to the 1950s, when a gently blossoming love attempts to withstand a storm of racial prejudice and separation. As stories are told and secrets revealed, Lauren and Carter embark on a journey of forgiveness and second chances that will change their lives forever.
Amanda Wen
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Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. She has placed first in multiple writing contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity, the 2017 Phoenix Rattler, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions contests. She was also a 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest finalist.
Wen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and regularly contributes author interviews for their Fiction Finder feature. She also frequently interviews authors for her blog and is a contributor to the God Is Love blog. Her debut novel, Roots of Wood and Stone, releases from Kregel Publications on February 2, 2021. In addition to her writing, Wen is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist |
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who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her church’s worship team. She serves as a choral accompanist as well. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Wen lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.
To find Amanda Wen’s blog and short stories, visit www.amandawen.com.
Readers can also follower her on Facebook (@AuthorAmandaWen), Twitter (@AuthorAmandaWen), and Instagram (@authoramandawen). |
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