Category: Lori-benton

2019 Favorites (Print)

1/9/2020

Favorite Print Books From 2019

Here is a list of Tell Tale Book Reviews' favorite books read and reviewed in 2019.
You can find all of these reviews and many more by visiting our Book Review List page

2019 Reviews

Fiction

Secular Fiction

We are excited to start reading and reviewing in the
new year and hope you will be joining us for...

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Book Review - The King's Mercy by Lori Benton

9/20/2019

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Genre:
Historical

The King's Mercy
by Lori Benton

-From Goodreads-

When captured rebel Scotsman Alex MacKinnon is granted the king's mercy--exile to the Colony of North Carolina--he's indentured to Englishman Edmund Carey as a blacksmith. Against his will Alex is drawn into the struggles of Carey's slaves--and those of his stepdaughter, Joanna Carey. A mistress with a servant's heart, Joanna is expected to wed her father's overseer, Phineas Reeves, but finds herself drawn instead to the new blacksmith. As their unlikely relationship deepens, successive tragedies strike the Careys. When blame falls unfairly upon Alex he flees to the distant mountains where he encounters Reverend Pauling, itinerate preacher and friend of the Careys, now a prisoner of the Cherokees. Haunted by his abandoning of Joanna, Alex tries to settle into life with the Cherokees, until circumstances thwart yet another attempt to forge his freedom and he's faced with the choice that's long hounded him: continue down his rebellious path or embrace the faith of a man like Pauling, whose freedom in Christ no man can steal. But the price of such mercy is total surrender, and perhaps Alex's very life.

ISBN-13: 9781601429964

They both have a choice to make...

I have to admit that it usually takes some time after finishing a Lori Benton book to fully formulate my thoughts about the story. I have to sort through the wash of emotions and even recover from what they characters go through because, believe you me, you'll be 'seeing' and feeling everything right alongside the characters.

This Book received a 4.5 Bark rating.

Lori Benton

Author Website

The King's Mercy was another one of those books that I never read the blurb for because Lori Benton is one the authors that I will automatically pick up. If her name is on the cover I know that it's a book that I WANT to read.

To say that The King's Mercy was an emotionally draining read would be an understatement. This book takes on the evils of slavery and how everyone involved was enchained. Truly, both races were enslaved by the heinous practice and the toll it took on the human soul was devastating. The biggest difference is that the 'master' chose his chains, which, I suppose is a good metaphor for how all people choose their chains of darkness or step out of them and into the light.

The historical era, the second Jacobite Rebellion, was a fascinating time, especially the effects of it on American history. The landscape is vividly painted in rich full color that leaves the reader feeling like they are right there. The characters are thoughtfully, and I think sensitively portrayed, and they quickly become your friends as you journey together through the pages of the book. But I think it is the message of hope, faith, and forgiveness, that will last long after that last page is turned...

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The King's Mercy by Lori Benton a 4.5 Bark rating.

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2017 Favorites (Print)

1/1/2018

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Favorite Print Books From 2017

Here is a list of Tell Tale Book Reviews' favorite books read and reviewed in 2017.
You can find all of these reviews and many more by visiting our Book Review List page

2017 Reviews

Fiction

The House On
Foster Hill

Lone Star
Christmas Rescue

The Silent
Songbird

Disillusioned

The Mark Of
The King

Death At
Thorburn Hall

Lady Jayne
Disappears

Mission
Undercover

High As The Heavens

Portrait Of
Vengeance

Catching
The Wind

Cowboy Christmas
Guardian

Many
Sparrows

Still
Life

Behind
The Scenes

Plain
Retribution

The Austen
Escape

Deadly
Proof

A Lady In
Disguise

Witch

Secular Fiction

Rose
Cottage

The Man In The
Brown Suit

Madam, Will
You Talk?

Non-Fiction

Gems Of Wisdom

We are excited to start reading and reviewing in the
new year and hope you will be joining us for...

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Book Review - Many Sparrows by Lori Benton

10/27/2017

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Genre:
Historical

Many Sparrows
by Lori Benton

-From Amazon-

Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would…

In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.
When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can to recover her son...especially when her second child is moments away from being born.

Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob’s life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do—be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?

ISBN-13: 978-1601429940

One woman will stop at nothing to find her children...

This Book received a 5 Bark rating.

Lori Benton

Author Website

I've been a confirmed fan of Lori Benton's amazing historical fiction since I first picked up what was actually her second book. I was blown away by her exquisite attention to detail and because she didn't paint historical characters with a modern brush. She is a true storyteller in every way!

I've looked forward to Many Sparrows since I first heard about it months ago. I just knew it was going to be another amazing story and I was in no way disappointed. It lived up to, and surpassed, every expectation. Not only was I completely engrossed in the story of a woman determined to get her son back no matter the odds, but I was transported to a time long, long ago and learned about a piece of history that I had been quite unaware of. I love books like this, ones that teach you something but it is couched in such an entertaining way that it ceases to feel like learning!

I truly can't speak of Many Sparrows, and Lori Benton's previous books, highly enough. They are GREAT! Always bittersweet but resonating with the hope of the human spirit and the love of the Almighty. They are not to be missed!

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Many Sparrows by Lori Benton a 5 Bark rating.

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Book Interview - Many Sparrows by Lori Benton + Giveaway

8/25/2017

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Many Sparrows
by Lori Benton

Either she and her children would emerge from that
wilderness together, or none of them would…

In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.

When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can recover her son...especially when her second child is moments away from being born.

Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob’s life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do—be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?

ISBN-13: 978-1601429940

with author Lori Benton about her
newest book Many Sparrows

#1. What was the inspiration for Many Sparrows?
Usually multiple points of inspiration come together to form the kernel of a novel. In the case of Many Sparrows the historical backdrop, Dunmore’s War, played a large part in how this story got started. I’d been intrigued by this little known campaign and battle on the frontier for years, since reading another novel that touched on it, and knew I’d like to write about a frontiersman who found himself involved in this conflict. The sort of person who might be torn between both sides (Shawnees and Virginians). Eventually Jeremiah Ring came into being. Then I started thinking about what sort of character to play off him. A woman, of course! But who was she, why would she have been on the frontier at this time? What was her story? After a little more research I realized she could be a settler headed for Kentucky who gets caught up in all that tension going on along the Ohio River frontier during the year 1774.
Hello, Clare Inglesby!

Point Pleasant Battle Monument
at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park **

#2. What was the hardest part in the writing process for Many Sparrows?
The hardest part was a reluctance I had to delve deeply into one of the characters who opposes Clare and her achieving the goal of regaining her captured son Jacob—the Shawnee woman, Rain Crow, who adopts Jacob and names him Many Sparrows. I’m not sure why it was a struggle, but once I realized not doing so was hampering my progress through the middle of the story (often a difficult part to write), I got into her head and more importantly her heart and began to see her as the heroine of her own story. That’s when the story gained complexity and the writing began to flow in a way it hadn’t been before. It was a breakthrough, and a reminder that as a writer I need to take time to see my stories from even the secondary characters’ point of view, so those characters come across as deep and layered as the main characters.

#3. What is the craziest/most interesting thing you did while researching this book?

The Scioto River near South Bloomfield, Ohio **

Getting to take a research trip along the Scioto and Ohio and Kanawha Rivers, all settings in the pages of Many Sparrows. Living on the west coast of the United States, I don’t always get to do this with my books. Having spent half my life on the east coast I have many memories of these places, yet it’s a real treat to get to visit them afresh while I’m writing a book.

#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read Many Sparrows?
I hope readers fall in love with Clare and Jeremiah and are swept away by their story for a few hours. I hope the history presented in these pages catches their imagination and sparks further reading. I hope they get a deeper glimpse of our Heavenly Father and take away whatever He might speak to each of them through these pages of His love, His patience, His goodness, His sovereignty.

#5. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.

Two rather sweet things concerning babies happened during the writing of Many Sparrows (which features a baby). There’s a scene in this book that was inspired by a photo of a friend whose firstborn came into the world while I was writing the story. One of the first photos of him and his baby I saw, before they ever left the hospital, was him lying with his tiny son on his chest, looking like they were both sleeping. It was a heart-tugging father/son bonding moment. I won’t give away the scene that photo inspired here, but I expect readers will know it when they come to it!

The second baby-related thing is another young couple whose second daughter was born during the early days of writing Many Sparrows. In the photos that began popping up on social media, and in person, I noticed how alert this tiny girl appeared, as if she was more aware of the world around her (and slightly amused by it) than an infant her age could possibly be. She became the physical embodiment of Clare’s daughter, Pippa.

#6. What is your main character's greatest strength and greatest flaw?
Clare Inglesby’s greatest strength is her courage and determination. Her greatest flaw is her inability to let go of control and to trust in God, rather than in her own understanding.

#7. What one piece of advice would your protagonist most like to give readers?

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
In the front matter of Many Sparrows is this verse:

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father… Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29–31

The title Many Sparrows has a double meaning. It’s a character’s name, yes, but this story is about what happens when we get a glimpse of the bigger canvas God is painting with the circumstances that touch our lives. It’s easy to put ourselves at the center of our universe. What a blessing when He gives us eyes to see beyond our own concerns and a heart to understand that He loves our neighbors as deeply as He loves us, and is as busy in their circumstances as He is in ours. He’s concerned with all the sparrows under the sun—every bit as much as He is with those who reside in our little nests.

Lori Benton

Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history. When she isn’t writing, reading, or researching, Lori enjoys exploring and photographing the Oregon wilderness with her husband. She is the author of Burning Sky, recipient of three Christy Awards, The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn; Christy nominee The Wood's Edge; A Flight of Arrows; and Many Sparrows.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Lori Benton is generously giving away 1 Print copy of Many Sparrows!
Sorry, USA entries only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* By Brian M. Powell, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3168066
** By I, ChristopherM, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2397655

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2016 Favorites (Print)

1/7/2017

1 Comment

Favorite Print Books From 2016

Here is a list of Tell Tale Book Reviews' favorite books read and reviewed in 2016.
You can find all of these reviews and many more by visiting our Book Review List page

2016 Reviews

Fiction

A Family Under The Christmas Tree

A Flight
Of Arrows

A Portrait
Of Emily Price

Anchor In
The Storm

At Love's
Bidding

Cold
Shot

Dressed
For Death

Fetching
Sweetness

Finding
Margo

Gone To
Ground

Incriminating
Evidence

Merchant
Of Alyss

Missing

My Sister's
Prayer

Playing
The Part

Proof

Random Acts
Of Malice

Silent
Sabotage

The Beautiful
Pretender

The Domino
Effect

The
Firefighter Daddy

The Golden
Braid

The Pattern
Artist

Titus
Returns

White

Kids/Juvenile

Esther: The Belle
Of Patience

The League And
The Lantern

The Nickle
Nuisance

Non-Fiction

My Mother's
Quilts

Gratitude: A Prayer And Praise
Coloring Journal

We are excited to start reading and reviewing in the
new year and hope you will be joining us for...

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Book Review - A Flight Of Arrows by Lori Benton

5/11/2016

0 Comments

Genre:
Historical

A Flight Of Arrows
The Pathfinders book 2
by Lori Benton

-From Amazon-

Hearts are Divided
Loyalties Will Be Tested
The Fates of Two Families Hang in the Balance

Twenty years past, in 1757, a young Redcoat, Reginald Aubrey stole a newborn boy—the lighter-skinned of Oneida twins— during the devastating fall of Fort William Henry and raised him as his own.
No one connected to Reginald escaped unscathed from this crime. Not his adopted daughter Anna. Not Stone Thrower, the Native American father determined to get his son back. Not Two Hawks, William’s twin brother separated since birth, living in the shadow of his absence and hoping to build a future with Anna. Nor Lydia, who longs for Reginald to be free from his self-imposed emotional prison and embrace God’s forgiveness— and her love.

Now William, whose identity has been shattered after discovering the truth of his birth, hides in the ranks of an increasingly aggressive British army. The Redcoats prepare to attack frontier New York and the Continentals, aided by Oneida warriors including Two Hawks, rally to defend it. As the Revolutionary War penetrates the Mohawk Valley, two families separated by culture, united by love and faith, must find a way to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.

ISBN-13: 978-1601427342

The best in Christian historical fiction

This Book received a 5 Bark rating.

Lori Benton

Author Website

As I close the book after finishing A Flight Of Arrows I ponder the bittersweet ending and marvel at Lori Benton's ability to immerse her readers so thoroughly in the story. There is no fluff here in this story, but rather it tells of history and life with both its beauty and savagery. Sometimes it was almost hard to read but the exquisite attention to detail left me unable to leave the story. There is just so much in a Lori Benton book that I usually read them slowly, a few pages at a time, then step back to think about what I've read.

A Flight Of Arrows is a powerful and moving story about our nation's history, about two families suffering from a choice two decades before, and even more importantly it is a story about love, sacrifice, and true Redemption. A gritty story masterfully told and beautifully written, A Flight Of Arrows is what more Christian historical fiction should be. Lori Benton is a truly talented and skilled author and her books are not to be missed.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives A Flight Of Arrows by Lori Benton a 5 Bark rating

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2015 Favorites (Print)

12/31/2015

4 Comments

Favorite Print Books From 2015

Here is a list of Tell Tale Book Reviews' favorite books read and reviewed in 2015.
They are in not listed in any particular order.
You can find all of these reviews and many more by visiting our Book Review List page,

Here

The Wood's Edge

Shadows Of Ladenbrooke Manor

The Pharaoh's Daughter

The Memory Weaver

A Most Inconvenient Marriage

Beyond All Dreams

The Crimson Cord: Rahab's Story

Sabotaged

Tiffany Girl

The Good Girl

Uncharted Redemption

Taken

The Cactus
Creek Challenge

Vendetta

Every Girl
Gets Confused

In Good Company

Lorie's Heart

Standoff At Christmas

My Brother's Crown

A Reason To Stay

Through
Waters Deep

Dangerous Tidings

Not By Sight

Emissary

The Huntress Of Thornbeck Forest

Yankee In Atlanta

Deadlock

We are excited to start reading and reviewing in the
new year and hope you will be joining us for...

With love,

4 Comments

Book Review - The Wood's Edge by Lori Benton

6/6/2015

1 Comment

Genre:
Historical

The Wood's Edge
The Path Finders book 1
by Lori Benton

-From Amazon-

At the wood’s edge cultures collide. Can two families survive the impact?

The 1757 New York frontier is home to the Oneida tribe and to British colonists, yet their feet rarely walk the same paths.

On the day Fort William Henry falls, Major Reginald Aubrey is beside himself with grief. His son, born that day, has died in the arms of his sleeping wife. When Reginald comes across an Oneida mother with newborn twins, one white, one brown, he makes a choice that will haunt the lives of all involved. He steals the white baby and leaves his own child behind. Reginald’s wife and foundling daughter, Anna, never suspect the truth about the boy they call William, but Reginald is wracked by regret that only intensifies with time, as his secret spreads its devastating ripples.

When the long buried truth comes to light, can an unlikely friendship forged at the wood’s edge provide a way forward? For a father tormented by fear of judgment, another by lust for vengeance. For a mother still grieving her lost child. For a brother who feels his twin’s absence, another unaware of his twin’s existence. And for Anna, who loves them both—Two Hawks, the mysterious Oneida boy she meets in secret, and William, her brother. As paths long divided collide, how will God direct the feet of those who follow Him?

A stunningly exquisite novel!

Three families experience the far-reaching consequences of one man's choice. A decision made during a horrific ordeal that scarred the lives of many. The Wood's Edge spans two decades, two very different cultures, and the intricacies of life that binds them all together.

This Book received a 5 Bark rating.

Lori Benton

Author's Website

With her trademark attention to detail and historical accuracy, Lori Benton has penned a gripping tale that will take readers on an emotionally intense journey through a very fascinating time in U.S. History. I am continually in awe of the amount of research that goes into each story. Rich detail and imagery so immerse me in each page that I feel like I am right there with the characters. The Wood's Edge so engaged my senses that time ceased to exist and it was a rude shock whenever I was interrupted even for only a few minutes. And each time my fingers itched to pick up the book and return to 1700's America. As a history buff I also really appreciate how accurately Lori Benton portrays the clothing, customs, and even viewpoints of the different characters.

I will freely admit that I started this book in the morning intending on reading a little here and there. Did. Not. Happen. I started in the morning and finished in the late evening, and this is no short book. I just couldn't seem to put it down and even when I was forced to I was still constantly thinking about the characters and both what had happened to them and what might happen.

The Wood's Edge is an amazing story of tragedy and faith, love, betrayal, and forgiveness. And Lori Benton is one of the best historical fiction authors I have ever read. I will excitedly await and devour any book she writes, I'm just not sure I can survive until 2016 to find out what happens next in The Path Finders series.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Wood's Edge by Lori Benton and unreserved 5 Bark rating.

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (April 21, 2015)
ISBN-10: 1601427328
ISBN-13: 978-1601427328

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Notice: I have an affiliate with Amazon so if you purchase a book through the links provided I will receive a small kickback.

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2014 Favorites (Print)

1/3/2015

3 Comments

Favorite Print Books From 2014

Here is a list of Tell Tale Book Reviews' favorite books read and reviewed in 2014.
They are in not listed in any particular order.
You can find all of these reviews and many more by visiting our Book Review List page,
HERE

Distortion

Down And Dead
In Dixie

Harvest Of Rubies

Stuck Together

A Bouquet Of Love

Price Of Privilege

A Match Of Wits

All For A Sister

Palace Of Darkness

Sidetracked

The Land Uncharted

The Princess Spy

Caroline's Secret

Annie's Stories

The Yuletide Rescue

Slave Again

A Bridge Unbroken

Abandoned Memories

A Woman Of Fortune

Silenced

The Quilted Heart Omnibus

The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn

Firewall

Where Courage Calls

Death By The Book

The Captive Maiden

The Turning

Unseen

In Perfect Time

We are excited to start reading and reviewing in the
new year and hope you will be joining us for...

2015 image from freedigitalphotos.net

3 Comments

Book Interview - The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton

4/17/2014

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The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn
by Lori Benton

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (April 15, 2014)
ISBN-10: 0307731499
ISBN-13: 978-0307731494

FRONTIER DANGERS
CANNOT HOLD A CANDLE TO
THE RISKS ONE WOMAN TAKES
BY FALLING IN LOVE.

In an act of brave defiance, Tamsen Littlejohn escapes the life her harsh stepfather has forced upon her. Forsaking security and an arranged marriage, she enlists frontiersman Jesse Bird to guide her to the Watauga settlement in western North Carolina. But shedding her old life doesn't come without a cost. As the two cross a vast mountain wilderness, Tamsen faces hardships that test the limits of her faith and endurance.
Convinced that Tamsen has been kidnapped, wealthy suitor Ambrose Kincaid follows after her, in company with her equally determined stepfather. With trouble head their way, Tamsen and Jesse find themselves thrust into the conflict of a divided community of Overmountain settlers. The State of Franklin has been declared, but many remain loyal to North Carolina. With one life left behind and chaos on the horizon, Tamsen struggles to adapt to a life for which she was never prepared. But could this challenging frontier life be what her soul has longed for, what God has been leading her toward? As her pursuers draw ever nearer, will her faith see her through the greatest danger of all – loving a man who has risked everything for her?

Our Review

Interview with Lori Benton about her brand new release
The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
Inspiration for The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn came straight out of the pages of history. While researching material for an earlier novel set in 18th century North Carolina, I came across the mention of the Lost State of Franklin—an attempt of the Overmountain citizens of western North Carolina to break away and form a separate state. Had they succeeded (and they nearly did) Franklin would have been the fourteenth state admitted into the Union, instead of Vermont.

This first post-Revolutionary War attempt at independent statehood spanned a relatively short period, 1784—1789. But what a tumultuous period it was, marked by courthouse raids, fisticuffs, siege, and battle. For a little over four years the people of the Tennessee Valley region lived under the jurisdiction of two governments vying for the same territory. How, I wondered, could such a situation result in anything but chaos—and a setting that begged for a story to be woven through it? I started a file to keep track of those tantalizing hints of conflict surrounding the failed statehood attempt. Over time the sparse contents of this file would nudge me, suggesting further possibilities. Gradually a cast of characters clustered around it, they began to speak to me, and The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn took shape.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?

The first draft came together fairly quickly, for me. About nine months of writing during 2011. Of course months and months of editing followed once the book was contracted.

#3. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Apart from the main characters, Tamsen and Jesse, my favorite secondary character is Cade, the enigmatic half-Delaware warrior/long-hunter who raised Jesse from the time he was ten years old. I’ve often reimagined this story told from his point of view, although there are no scenes from his point of view in the novel. I’m also quite fond of mountain man and confirmed bachelor Charlie Spencer.

#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
Several things. A new or deeper appreciation for the post-Revolutionary struggles the people of this 18th century frontier faced, Native and settler. I have my biases and opinions on this period of American history, but I try to present as many sides and ideologies of the times as I can in my stories. I want to present what happened, rather than tout one side as right or wrong—and to show how God might have worked in the lives of individuals who were given these times in which to live.

That leads me to the other thing I’d love for readers to take away from The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn: an awareness of God’s leading in our lives as we seek Him; for as we do seek Him, He puts His desires for us in our hearts, plants them there. We get to pursue those shared passions and purposes and discover the unique path He has planned for us.

Lastly, as always, I hope readers are transported to another time and place, and experience a connection to the characters that will make them feel like friends.

#5. What made you choose some of the specific locations for this book?
Tamsen and Jesse’s story is tightly woven with the historical record, so most of the locations were dictated by what I uncovered in my research. Given that, there was some leeway in choosing locations such as fictional Greenbird Cove and Thunder-Going-Away’s town. Some of the locations from the story that existed in the 1780s, or still do today, are Morganton, Jonesborough, and Sycamore Shoals.

#6. How did you name your characters?
Sometimes characters show up with their names. I knew my hero’s name was Jesse early on. Bird came much later after a long and careful search for a fitting surname. I often read historical documents on line (and my family tree, which goes back in the states of North Carolina and Virginia to the 1600s), for names in common usage at the time. During my research I came upon a woman named Tamsen who lived during the late 18th century. I jotted down her name to use in a future novel. When I began to glimpse the heroine of this story, Tamsen fit her. I plucked Littlejohn out of the ether. It simply rolled off the tongue nicely, paired with Tamsen.

For naming Native characters, I spend time researching the nation in question, in this case Cherokees and Shawnees, getting a feel for the historical names and how naming occurred in each nation (i.e. who named the child, when, and how, and how were names changed over time). I try to construct names for my Native characters that ring true for their nation and the time period. It can be challenging. I’m sure I don’t get it p

#7. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
I can tell you something surprising. In the pages of my most helpful resource, The Lost State of Franklin, America’s First Secession by Kevin T. Barksdale, I found mention of a relative living the history that forms the backdrop of Tamsen and Jesse’s story. He was my distant cousin, and he became a tavern and trade store owner in the area that was disputed between North Carolina and Franklin. We’re both descended from a man who purchased land in the Colony of Virginia in the 1600s.

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
Thank you for hosting me today on your blog, Jasmine. I’m thrilled to share a little of the background of writing The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn. I hope readers will enjoy her adventure, and sense in it echoes of that greatest pursuit, that of God for the hearts of His children (that’s us!).

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Notice: I have an affiliate with Amazon and DeeperShopping so if you
purchase a book through the links provided I will receive a small kickback.

Lori Benton

Bio

Lori Benton was born and raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American and family history going back to the 1600s. Her novels transport readers to the 18th century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history, creating a melting pot of characters drawn from both sides of a turbulent and shifting frontier, brought together in the bonds of God's transforming grace.

When she isn’t writing, reading, or researching 18th century history, Lori enjoys exploring the mountains with her husband – often scouring the brush for huckleberries, which overflow the freezer and find their way into her signature huckleberry lemon pound cake.

Connect With Lori Online:

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

0 Comments

Book Review - The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn

4/3/2014

1 Comment

Genre:
Historical

The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn
by Lori Benton

-From the back cover-

FRONTIER DANGERS
CANNOT HOLD A CANDLE TO
THE RISKS ONE WOMAN TAKES
BY FALLING IN LOVE.

In an act of brave defiance, Tamsen Littlejohn escapes the life her harsh stepfather has forced upon her. Forsaking security and an arranged marriage, she enlists frontiersman Jesse Bird to guide her to the Watauga settlement in western North Carolina. But shedding her old life doesn't come without a cost. As the two cross a vast mountain wilderness, Tamsen faces hardships that test the limits of her faith and endurance.
Convinced that Tamsen has been kidnapped, wealthy suitor Ambrose Kincaid follows after her, in company with her equally determined stepfather. With trouble head their way, Tamsen and Jesse find themselves thrust into the conflict of a divided community of Overmountain settlers. The State of Franklin has been declared, but many remain loyal to North Carolina. With one life left behind and chaos on the horizon, Tamsen struggles to adapt to a life for which she was never prepared. But could this challenging frontier life be what her soul has longed for, what God has been leading her toward? As her pursuers draw ever nearer, will her faith see her through the greatest danger
of all – loving a man who has risked everything for her?

I LOVED this book! I could hardly put it down and when I was forced to I spent the entire time either thinking about the story or imagining what might happen next.

I am a fan of historical fiction and have been for as long as I can remember, Laura Ingalls Wilder managed to hook me when I was about 5, and I also love history. Too often historical fiction differs so far from what the history books teach that I get a little frustrated. That did NOT happen with The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn at all, the story is well-written and catches the reader's attention without sacrificing any of the historical details. Lori Benton has done an amazing job weaving history and story in such a way that the reader does not see where one ends and the other begins. It is readily apparent that the author put in a lot of research and that she is a very talented writer.

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This Book earned a 5 Bark rating.

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Lori Benton

Author Website

I really can't say enough about this book. I loved the characters, the story, the history, and definitely the writing style.
Tamsen and Jesse are well developed, as are the secondary characters. I cared about them, what happened to them, and my emotions ran the gamut alongside theirs.
When I finished the book it was hard to say goodbye to them and I found myself wishing this would be a series and I would “see” them again. I will just have to console myself with reading Lori Benton's previous book, Burning Sky, and if it's anything like The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn I know I will enjoy it.

Lori Benton definitely has a new fan in me and I will be anxiously awaiting each future release.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Pursuit Of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton a 5 Bark rating.

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (April 15, 2014)
ISBN-10: 0307731499
ISBN-13: 978-0307731494

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