Back Cover Blurb:
At a time when
thousands are fleeing tyranny to find a home in the New World,
seventeen-year-old Kate Elyot witnesses a tragic accident that orphans a little
girl named Emily. Suddenly the sole guardian of a child she's never
met, Kate's only guide to the girl's surviving family is a signet ring and
a letter sewn into Emily's dress addressed "To Kate." Unsure of
whether she has walked into a fateful calling or a fatal coincidence, Kate is
determine to get Emily home but is unprepared for the journey awaiting
her.
Captain Anthony Scot will not rest until his enemy Simon Cephas is punished for a crime long forgotten. The signet ring that Emily carries is the evidence Scot needs to convict his rival. He is willing to obtain the ring at any cost in order to destroy Cephas.
Can Kate fight to free Emily from those who would use her to destroy her
Puritan family? Will her courage sustain her as she is brought face to face
with her worst fears, deepest regrets, and a God she cannot bring herself to
trust?
I’d
always imagined myself having peace at this moment, when I knew there was
nothing more I could do, when I knew I would die. The terrified panic that
consumed me was not what I had planned, but then, nothing in my life ever had
been.
“Kate!” James said my name over and over from the cliff
far above me, barking orders that made no sense to my frantic mind. What had I
been thinking? When I jumped from the cliff down to the crumbling ledge several
feet below, I had been sure it would hold. Now the only thing keeping me from
plunging hundreds of feet to the deadly rocks below was the weakening grip of
my burning fingers. Even if my grip could endure to the end of time, the ledge
would not, and my life was not the only one in danger.
I heard a crash as the unstable portions of the ledge
broke loose and plummeted downward. We didn’t have much longer. I gathered the
strength for one last effort, pulling myself up far enough to thrust one hand
forward and claw my fingers into the dirt. I steadied my grip, then plunged the
other hand forward as well. If I moved quickly enough I could walk my hands
forward and pull myself up inch by inch before the ledge or my strength gave
way. I started the slow process, and by the time I had pulled myself far enough
to see over the ledge, I could go no further.
The earthen shelf around us was crumbling. James was
above us on the cliff’s edge, still screaming commands that didn’t matter
anymore.
I looked at the little girl on the ledge in front of me.
She looked back. Swallowing the taste of dirt and blood in my mouth, I searched
for some shred of hope, some word of consolation. “I’m sorry,” I gasped, hating
myself for having attempted to be a hero. In the end, I was simply dragging her
down with me that much faster, just as I’d done to everyone I loved my whole
life.
She crept forward on the ever shrinking ledge, and set
her tiny hand on mine. The tranquility on her face astounded me. That was what
I wanted, what I had envisioned myself looking like at this moment. I saw in
her dark eyes the knowledge that we were both about to die, yet she seemed
unafraid.
Her quiet strength awakened something inside of me. I
couldn’t give up. Not now, not when she needed me.
My arms quivered with fatigue. My fingers were numb and
about to give way. I began to kick my feet back and forth. The movement jarred
the ledge, and it disintegrated faster. My left foot found a hold, and I pushed
myself upward. I felt a thrill when my knee slid onto the ledge. I tried to
stand up without causing another shift, but was unsuccessful. As I got my
footing, a cracking noise sounded. I reached down to snatch up the little girl,
but before I could, the ground beneath her came loose and collapsed. She
screamed and I frantically grasped the air, catching the back of her dress. I
heard the fabric ripping as I tightened my hold. With a deep breath, I drew her
slowly upward and into my shaking arms and watched as half of the ledge crashed
downward and exploded into a cloud of dust on the rocks below.
Book Trailer:
Author Bio:
Hannah Duggan is an author, worship leader, dance
instructor, and Bible teacher. Her
passion for writing stems from her desire to
spread the gospel through gripping stories of heroes and heroines throughout
history. She is an active part of her parents’ ministry at Calvary Chapel in
Hamakua on the Big Island of Hawaii.
You can find her on:
Hannah Duggan is giving away a copy of Dear
Kate. The giveaway is only available to U.S. addresses.
To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment along
with your email address. You may enter
the book giveaway twice--once on each spotlight post. (It's not too late to go back and leave a comment on yesterday's post)
You may purchase the book on Amazon:
9 comments:
Great lead in! I'm wanting to read more about Kate's journey...
dkstevensne AToutlookD oTCoM
Oh my goodness, what a heart pounding exerpt to share. would love to read this in its entirety.
Excited to read this book. Love it when children are found and cared for. Sm wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com
What a great opener! (And I know Kate and Emily are not going to die!) God bless your writing, Hannah.
Donna derobin7@gmail.com
I think I would really, really enjoy this book. This type of story and author are new to me, but I'm up to the challenge to broaden my horizons, or my reading types.
susanlulu@yahoo.com
Thanks for this interview Sharon. Sounds like Hannah has a good book. I would love to be her winner. Hope you both had a wonderful Easter.
Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <
I have been to 3 of the Hawaiian Islands and can't wait to go again.
Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
Janet E.
von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com
This definately sounds like a great book to read by thiss new to me author.
Deanne Patterson Cnnamongirl(at)aol(dot)com
So glad you liked the opening for Dear Kate. Your incredible encouragement means so much! Hope you all get the chance to read this novel and that you enjoy it!
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