Christmas Mail-Order Brides

Just in time for the Holiday season, Barbour's collection of Christmas novellas made an enchanting romantic escape. Three mail-order brides head west to seek new lives and hope for love as they meet their matches through Mrs. Mayberry's Matrimonial Society for Christians of Moral Character. As a delightful conclusion, the fourth novella involves Mrs. Mayberry herself.

Carrie Turansky tugged on my heartstrings with Annika Bergstrom's story, a Swedish immigrant who must leave her newly married sister to seek a place and a husband of her own. When the man whom she believed to send for her rejects her, she faces the fear of abandonment, until an unexpected love blossoms right where God planted her. Tender, real and touching, this story kicks off the four-part novella collection with a gentle hero that stole my heart.

Next, Vickie McDonough brings an action-packed tale of a young emancipated orphan escaping the odious clutches of her new employer. Jolie Addams is bound for Nevada to set up house with a shop-owner, but when a gunman holds up the stage on which she rides and shoots her traveling companion, her plans take a detour. Can she find love in a hostile land where her very reputation is on the line? The chemistry between the hero and heroine in this novella had me up past midnight to find a great happily ever after.

Therese Stenzel writes a story of suspense and secrets between a woman scorned by her former fiance and a widower seeking a new start for himself and his daughters. Elisabeth Lariby is thrust into a contract of marriage with Zane Michaels, a gentle, philanthropic soul who longs to win her reticent heart. Their unsettled past seeks to drive a wedge between them, and they each must lay it to rest before accepting God's future for them.

Finally, I had the pleasure of reading my first Susan Page Davis story, and from the first lines, Mrs. Amelia Mayberry won me over. It takes a writer of refinement and grace to depict a character with those attributes, and Amelia was all of that and full of warm genuineness, too. Facing retirement from her matchmaking business, Amelia has one last loose string to tie--her late husband's best friend Lennox Bailey. She had failed in her prior attempt to find Lennox a suitable wife, but with God's help, she is determined to succeed this time. Will the matchmaker find the love she has sown out to so many other happy couples?

These engaging stories are sure to brighten many Christmas seasons with hope, love and a happily ever after.

Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer

Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer is one of those stories that hearkens to fans of westerns and regencies alike. When gritty little heroine Adelaide Proctor, the daughter of a rancher, meets Gideon Westcott, son of an English Lord, the sparks fly.

Gideon needs a governess for his adopted daughter, and Addie needs a job after her hopes for love and marriage fizzle. When she starts seeing stars in her eyes at Gideon's smile, she must get her head out of fantasies of her own personal Mr. Rochester, especially when her young charge is threatened by a ruthless inheritance seeker.

Fast-paced and yet beautifully written, I found this second novel of Karen Witemeyer every bit as good as the first, with rich primary and secondary characters, visceral emotions, and a tangible setting. Highly recommended.

Karen Witemeyer is a very promising new author, definitely one to watch for. She has written this and the delicious historical romance A Tailor-Made Bride. She creates wonderful plots and realistic, human characters who steal your heart. You'll want to keep a watch for her books in the future.

Interview with Sandi Rog/Giveaway

I am thrilled to welcome Sandi Rog today. Sandi is the debut author of The Master’s Wall, a historical romance to be released November 1st. It is now available to pre-order from DeWard publishers www.deward.com .

Sandi writes a fabulous blog called Dare to Dream, and I just love the motto: WHEN THE WORLD SAYS YOU CAN'T, FAITH SAYS YOU CAN! http://sandirog.blogspot.com/
She also is the founder and chief contributor to the blog, The Book Doctor, where she provides tips to learn the writing craft. http://thebookdoctorbd.blogspot.com/

A blurb about The Master’s Wall
He fights for his freedom. She fights for her life. Together, they fight for each other.
After watching Roman soldiers drag his parents away to their death, David, a young Hebrew, is sold and enslaved to serve at a villa outside of Rome. As David trains to become a skilled fighter, he works hard to please his master and hopes to earn his freedom. However, an opportunity to escape tempts him with its whispering call. Freedom beckons, but invisible chains hold him captive to the master’s granddaughter, an innocent girl with a fiery spirit. David vows to protect Alethea from his master, the murderous patriarch, and contrives a daring plan—sacrifice his own life to save hers.

Ahhh, that sounds heavenly. Sandi, welcome! I am beyond excited about your debut book. Tell me why Ancient Rome beckoned you to write this story, and how the characters were birthed in your heart.

Thank you, Kathy! I’m so thrilled to be here!
One of the reasons I chose Ancient Rome is because I wanted to bring the Biblical time period to life, to bring it closer to home. I lived in Europe for thirteen years, and one thing I learned about my American heritage is that we’re a lot like the Romans. For example, we’re sticklers on showering every day (Europeans believe showering everyday isn’t necessary). Likewise, the Romans were sticklers on bathing daily, and called all those outside of Rome who didn’t bath daily, barbarians. That for me is one of the more humorous comparisons. There are many others, but I won’t get into them here. My hope is if I can show that this time period really isn’t that much different from our own, then what we read in the Bible really isn’t so “ancient” that it can’t apply to us today. In those days, Romans had plumbing, they invented roads (many of which are still used to this day all over Europe), they had mile-markers, baths, swimming pools, curling irons (of course, not plugged in), amphitheaters, etc. Their neighbors, the Greeks, invented the Olympics, something we all look forward to once every four years. I can go on and on.

I came up with the characters by wondering what in the world it would have been like to live in that time if your parents were taken away from you because of their faith. How would that affect a child? Would it make him stronger in his faith? Or weaker because he was away from their influence? As I studied Jewish history (because my main character is Hebrew), I learned that sons were made to memorize scriptures. And so I thought, David, even at age ten, would have had the Word deeply engrained in him. He wouldn’t know everything, but he’d have a solid foundation. So, I tried to build on that with him. I also had the question: what if a Christian (because of persecution) was forced to be a gladiator? What if this Christian had the ability to defend himself? Wouldn’t it be a natural instinct to defend oneself against death? But what would happen if he was threatened with his life to then kill the person who tried to kill him? I deal with some of that (and a whole bunch of other things) in my next book.

I love talking to debut authors, because their excitement is so palpable it’s contagious. But your writing journey hasn’t always been ticker tape and toasts. What was the lowest time in your journey to publication, and how did you press on? What advice do you have for writers who feel like their day will never come?

Boy, that lowest time was so low I thought it was certain I would never be published. It’s a long complicated story, so I won’t get into it, but when I was faced with that time, I dreamed of my grandchildren coming across my stories and getting them published for me. Knowing that my children would have my stories and would be able to pass them down to their family was what I decided would have to be enough for me. I figured, I’d just self-publish a few copies for them and that’d be the end of it. It also broke my heart because I’d written this book (these books) for God, and I wanted Him to USE them for His glory. How could He do that if they were collecting dust in a drawer somewhere? God and I had a lot of talks about that. Or maybe I should say, He heard a lot from me during that time. LOL

As for advice for writers who feel that day may never come, really no one knows what the future holds. I can only tell you how I dealt with it. I actually liked the thought of my grandkids being so touched by my stories that they inspired them to remain faithful to God. I also imagined them falling so in love with my stories that they’d end up finding a publisher for me. But I told God that I wanted to reap the benefits of my labor, while here on earth. I mean, from heaven I’d likely be too busy and having fun up there to care. I also had to decide to accept God’s will for my writing. Yes, I was devastated thinking it would never happen (in my lifetime, lol), but I also had given these stories to God. I told them they were His books for Him to do with as He pleases. So, if for some reason, He didn’t want them published in my lifetime, so be it. I would have to find joy in that. It wasn’t easy, but like I said, I decided to put my hope in future generations of my lineage. If you’d like to read about some of my struggles with this, you can go to my blog. This post in particular talks about it: http://sandirog.blogspot.com/2010/01/oh-god-wont-you-ride-your-bike.html. This will give you a hint of just how great that devastation was later. When you set your sights on greatness, the fall to the ground is a lot higher and harder.
Anyway, you just have to find something positive to focus on during that time, and trust in what God has in store. In the great scheme of things, He knows what’s best. Also, never give up. Half the work is writing the book. The other half is trying to sell the thing.

What do you wish for this book to accomplish, in terms of your readers, your career, and your genre?

I want it to encourage people to read their Bibles. To question what I’ve written and hold it next to the scriptures. I want them to move closer to God and realize just how passionate He is about them, just how passionately He loves each and every one of us.
As for my career, I think every writer dreams of becoming the next bestseller. Yes. I dream big. Even when being published through a small press. Why not? Since God can part the Red Sea, He can do amazing things with what I write for Him. And why can’t my book be born in a stable? LOL Okay, all that said, it’s all up to God. He knows what I want. The question is, what does He want?
As for my genre, I don’t really have a wish for that. What I mean is, I just want my story to inspire others to write the best stories they can, no matter what the genre.

God tends to speak to me through my own writing. Has this happened to you, and if so, what have you learned from this book?

I’ve learned to pray over everything, every line, every paragraph and every page. And this is no exaggeration . I want my work to be pleasing to God, so I ask Him constantly if there’s something in my work that He doesn’t approve of, to show me so I can fix it. I also ask Him to show me how to fix things, and He does! I’m not saying He speaks to me in this low, heavenly whisper. He usually sends a friend or a critique partner, or a sermon or a song, or a scripture, or whatever, my way to show me the answer. I just have to keep my eyes and ears open because I never know where it’s going to come from. That’s when I also pray and ask Him to help me not to miss it! I tend to get a little distracted and lost in daydreams—which are really my stories, but yah.

Do you have other books in the works?

Yes! Right now, I’m nearing the end of Book Two titled, Yahshua’s Bridge. If you’re wondering what in the world “Yahshua” means, it’s Christ’s name. I just love the thought of having His original Hebrew name on the cover of my book. Lord willing, after that will come “Father’s Rock.”
Thank you so much for having me, Kathy. You’re a fabulous writer, and I’m honored to be here.

Sandi, it is always a blessing spending time with you. You have one if the sweetest spirits I’ve encountered in my cyber travels, meeting Christian fiction authors. I wish you the utmost success with The Master’s Wall.

For a chance to win Sandi's book, The Master's Wall, all blog guests in the U.S. can leave a comment with your email addy. Follow my blog for an extra chance to win. Thank you for visiting today! Winner will be chosen at random Friday at 10 AM Eastern.

Interview with Cheri Hardaway

Hi, Cheri. I am so pleased to announce the release of your debut book, Worth Every Tear. You and I “met” online through a Christian writer’s network, and instantly I was drawn to your humble spirit and your gentle sincerity. Your wisdom and compassion have blessed me over the two years since we have corresponded. I understand Worth Every Tear is a memoir of your family’s journey to healing and deliverance.

Q First, what needed healing and what was the deliverance from?

My husband Wayne and I have four children, two sons and two daughters. Both of our sons chose to go the route of the prodigal.
The oldest walked out of our lives at the age of 18, when confronted over his drug use and general rebellion to our authority – behaviors that surfaced without warning during his senior year of high school. There were so many times my husband and I looked at one another and said, “Who is this kid?” It was like he went to bed the night before his 18th birthday, our son, and woke up the next day a totally different person … someone we’d never met before.
His brother, on the other hand, had been a handful for several years. Not wanting a repeat of what happened with Son No. 1, Wayne and I ignored the obvious problem signs until we could no longer play ostrich. Finally, when he was 19, a series of events brought us to the point of no return – we had to deliver him an ultimatum: “Get help or get out.” He too was abusing drugs, on his way to addiction, if not already there. He chose to go to Teen Challenge, a faith-based drug rehabilitation program.
My mom and both of her parents were alcoholics, so the fact that our family needed healing and deliverance from issues of substance abuse and addiction is readily obvious. But that was merely the tip of the iceberg. God went so much deeper than that. In essence, He delivered us – Wayne and me – from ourselves. We were plagued with feelings of shame, inferiority, and failure – not only as parents, but as people. We were full of bitterness and disillusionment – towards both ourselves and others. We’d walked with God for two decades, but we didn’t truly know Him. God used the circumstances of our prodigal sons to meet us right where we were and teach us about His unconditional love and acceptance. He delivered us from the lies we had believed, that we had to perform to earn His love. And then He filled us with a passion to see other hurting people set free from those same lies – the lies that had imprisoned us and kept us from the abundant life He intends for each of His kids.

Q You are brave to bare your family secrets. Why are you willing to expose what some might consider skeletons in the closet?

Actually, bravery is overrated and misunderstood. It isn’t walking around feeling invincible or fearless. It’s pushing past fear to do what you must; it’s “doing it ‘afraid,’” so to speak. If I am going to be honest with you, I’m terrified.
That said, why then have I chosen to write a book that exposes the skeletons in my family’s closets? Better yet, why has my family given their consent to this project?
God impressed on my heart back in 1995 that He had something for me to write. I sensed it would be in the form of a testimony, but I had no idea I had not yet lived all of what He would ask me to share. Life went on and He called Wayne and me to the task of home education, which was an all-encompassing thirteen-year undertaking. Thoughts of writing were pushed to the back burner of life. When we reached the crisis point with our second son in 2006, I knew that the time to write was drawing closer.
So, basically, I wrote Worth Every Tear in obedience to a call from God, to be used for whatever purposes He has for it. The rest of the reason can be summed up in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, which says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” God comforted Wayne and me through some trying times, and we want to share that same comfort with others.

Q How has your family’s struggle affected your relationship with God and with the body of Christ?

Wayne and I experienced some disillusionment with the body of Christ, as we encountered, in the midst of our struggles, almost what you might call a bi-polar response from people. Some came alongside, shoulder to shoulder with us in the trenches. They were there for us even when things weren’t pretty; they provided a safe place for us to try and process what was happening as our lives turned inside out. These precious folks exhibited the kind of response we expected from brothers and sisters in Christ. There were others who prayed for us, but who seemed afraid that our troubles might rub off on them. They kept their distance, and we felt a sting of judgment. To be honest, the judgment might have come from within ourselves, because we already felt such shame and failure … but whether these brothers and sisters in Christ meant to judge or not, their attitudes definitely reinforced our negative self-images.
God used the pain of that experience to plant the seed for a ministry in our hearts; it birthed what Wayne and I call Glass House Ministries. We’re not sure of all that God has in store for Glass House, but at present it functions as a prayer ministry and a place where hurting folks can find encouragement. We all have struggles in life, even Christians, and it is our desire to provide a safe place to be real for people who need support.
Our family’s struggles served to test and prove true my relationship with God. When Wayne and I first got saved, I was determined to prove to God that He hadn’t made a mistake in choosing me. I vowed to live the rest of my life better than I had the first 25 years … Wayne and I would raise our kids to know the Lord, and they wouldn’t fall into the traps that we had fallen into. I spent the ensuing years doing just that. When our oldest rebelled and walked out, I was shocked. What happened? God, we followed the rules and we did things the way we were supposed to … why didn’t You keep this from happening? I had a lot of bitterness to overcome at that point. God and I worked through all that, and I went on my merry way, figuring we’d passed the test.
Then our second son got in trouble. My world turned upside down. I couldn’t understand why it had happened again. And in the middle of the trials with our sons, my mom passed away from cancer. I battled with confusion, anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness … but I never let go of my faith. The whole thing culminated in surrender … mine. When I finally threw my hands up and said, “God, I can’t do this anymore,” He was ready and waiting, finally able to minister His touch on my life. Please don’t misunderstand … there were victories along the way, but before He could really move, I had to let go of my self-sufficiency and embrace Him with a childlike dependence.
Though I’ve heard it my whole Christian walk, I finally understand what it means to be unconditionally loved and accepted by God. I don’t have to perform to gain His approval; I already have it. I always did, I just didn’t realize it. This whole process has brought me closer to God than I’ve ever been before, and though it may sound odd, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I’m a stubborn woman, and it took a lot for me to “let go and let God,” to borrow a well-known phrase. But it was truly “worth every tear,” to be where I am with the Lord today and to see my family where they are.

Q What do you hope your readers will take away from your family’s triumphs and tears?

When I first started to write the book, I thought it was just to be about our sons. But some months into the writing, God gave me the outline for the whole book, chapter titles and all, and He let me know that it was to cover my entire testimony, not just the story of our prodigals. He basically impressed on me that we are all prodigals in His eyes.
There’s something for everyone in this book. Maybe you have great kids, but sexual intimacy in your marriage is a struggle. Maybe as a woman, you cringe when you hear the ‘S’ word – submission! Do you ever find it hard to forgive someone who has hurt you? Have you watched a loved one die of cancer? How about the challenge of a blended family? There’s a smattering of all that and more within the pages of Worth Every Tear. In each of these scenarios, God has come alongside me and walked with me through the desert, making a way in the wilderness, shining His light into the darkness of my pain.
He’s shown me the path to peace and then supplied me with the strength to make the journey, all the while causing me to fall more and more deeply in love with Him, giving me pause to consider anew His never-ending mercy, grace, and hope – all there for anyone who will ask for it. That’s what I want my readers to take from our story: peace in the midst of pain; mercy in exchange for judgment; grace to replace shame; healing from the memories of yesterday; and hope … hope for today, hope for each new tomorrow … hope for eternity. God is for us. He is not against us.

Q If there is one thing you could tell young Cheri Hardaway when she was caught up in the midst of all the heartache and pain, knowing what you know now, what would that be?

“Cheri, you are not alone in your struggles. God sees it all. You belong to the Lord, and you have nothing to prove. You don’t have to pay for your sin; Jesus already did, with the shedding of His blood. That’s how much God loves you; He loves you just because you are. Stop trying to fix everything. Stop trying to earn God’s favor. You already have it.”


Q Do you have a website or a blog you’d like to share, and what are the links where our readers might purchase your book ?

Yes, the Glass House Ministries blog can be found at: http://blog.cherihardaway.com/
my personal website can be found at: http://www.cherihardaway.com/
To purchase Worth Every Tear ~ Forever and for Always, you can visit this post on our blog: http://blog.cherihardaway.com/2010/09/worth-every-tear-is-here.html which outlines all the different purchasing options available.

Thank you so much for being here, Cheri, and I wish you every blessing as you share your testimony through your book, Worth Every Tear.

The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

Have you ever dreamed in color? Have you ever fantasized about forbidden love? This fairy-tale retelling was a bold and beautiful story with a spectrum of characters, places and plot twists which gave me a great escape inside its pages.

Colorful characters make up the cast. Lord Hamlin is the quintessential noble and handsome hero, and Rose is the sweet, unassuming heroine with a steel backbone. Secondary characters like Hildy, who I'd want as my best friend, and Frau Gerusha, a wise and caring mentor, added depth to the foreground plot of romance. The dark villain Moncore sent chills down my spine and kept me in suspense. And the contrast between the chivalrous Lord Hamlin and his cavalier brother Lord Rupert added dimension to the plot.

Set in medieval Germany with wonderful period detail of clothing, food, architecture, and dance, the book transported me the way a good dream does--making me feel like I'd been there and shared the experiences. I could feel the cold stone of the castle, smell the rich pine scent of the woods, hear the hoof beats of the knights' chargers on the road. Medieval feasts and festivals, music, and townspeople hawking wares in the Marktplatz all delivered me to an authentic story world.

But above all, I was drawn by the yearning between two hearts embroiled in forbidden love. Rose is the daughter of a lowly woodcutter, but has gained the favor of Frau Gerusha, the town healer. Serving as her apprentice, Rose must tend Lord Hamlin's hunting injuries one afternoon. Despite their mutual love at first sight, both are too honorable to pursue their longing for the other, knowing that Lord Hamlin is betrothed to Lady Salomea, a mystery figure kept in hiding from the evil conjurer Moncore. Rose feels she could never hope to be worthy of royalty with her low-born status. What happens made me believe in the impossible--that Fairy Tales can come true.

Filled with the grandeur of knights and ladies and epic romance, this heart-warming story will charm both young and old.

Surrender the Heart by MaryLu Tyndall

MaryLu Tyndall has added another great nautical historical romance to her impressive fleet. Surrender the Heart, set amidst the backdrop of the War of 1812, had me savoring the adventure, tension and romance between a high-born lady of Baltimore's aristocracy whose fortunes have run out, and a working class man of ambition who initially sees her as a means to an end.

Marianne Denton wishes only to care for her sickly mother and little sister. She needs her inheritance money which her marriage to Noah Brenin will unlock. She braves the prospect of a loveless marriage, accepting her fate as an ordinary, plain woman unworthy of love. But she is not without her pride. When Noah acts the cad and leaves their engagement party abruptly to embark on his father's merchantman, she chases after him to give him a piece of her mind.

Captain Noah Brenin carries his fate in his cargo hold. He believes that financial success will liberate him from a family scar. But he has sailed with precious cargo he hasn't bargained for: Marianne has accidentally stowed away.

With war brewing between Britain and the United States, peril awaits them at sea. The hand of God awaits, too, poised to turn their fortunes again and shape the course of history, if the cast of eclectic and endearing characters will trust His divine leading.

Fast-paced, suspenseful, and resonating with the patriotic virtues of courage, selflessness, and passion for freedom, this book is an authentic portrait of a little-understood but vital part of our history.
As rich as the history and research, the romance is not to be undersold. Love born of mutual admiration and genuine character makes this story transcendent.

New York City's Titanic, the General Slocum

Tompkins Square Park, Manhattan, New York City monument to the General Slocum disaster.
The inscription on the side reads: "IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE DISASTER TO THE STEAMER GENERAL SLOCUM JVNE XV MCMIV"
The inscription on the front reads: "THEY WERE EARTH'S PUREST CHILDREN, YOUNG AND OLD"
photo taken by Erik Edson on November 20, 2007.

Reverend Keith Boyer, who grew up in New York City, shares a little-known story about his native town.
A Nearly Forgotten New York Story.
This story was originally posted on Gail Pollotta’s blog: http://www.gailpallotta.blogspot.com/

In the 1950’s I lived on East 6th Street in New York City. While normally taking a bus to school, I occasionally walked following a route that took me through Tompkins Square Park. The park was home to a simple and what appeared to be long-neglected fountain. It was just something to walk by.

It wasn’t until 2004 that I learned the fountain had been built as a memorial to the 1,021 New Yorkers who lost their lives on June 15, 1904 in a fire on the excursion ship General Slocum. On that bright sunny day, over 1300 people, mostly women and children who had emigrated from Germany, crowded aboard the ship at the East River’s 3rd street pier in anticipation of a day of fun at the Locust Grove picnic grounds on Long Island. The excursion had become an annual congregational event of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. Over 1500 tickets had been sold. The church, now long closed, was located on 6th street, my street.

The General Slocum was an attractive steam powered side-wheeler. In 1891 it was recognized as one of the finest recreational passenger vessels serving the New York area and was in great demand, but by 1904 it was past its prime. It was equipped with six lifeboats, but due to many coats of paint they were virtually glued to their davits. Over 2000 life jackets were available throughout the ship, but they were filled with cork that had over time turned to powder. When wet they became weights instead of providing buoyancy. The fire hoses on the ship had never been used and their fabric had begun to rot. The ship itself had kept its handsome appearance thanks to multiple coats of highly flammable paint. Nevertheless, the General Slocum passed a safety inspection in the spring of 1904. Following the fire, an investigation revealed that it was common for the inspectors to accept gifts in exchange for a good report.

The fire broke out in a small storage room containing jars of lamp oil, a container of oily rags and bales of straw. Within minutes the wooden ship was ablaze from head to stern. The rotting fire hoses burst under pressure. Those who put on life jackets and jumped overboard quickly sank and drowned. In desperation the captain attempted to ground his ship on an island in the East River. By the time he did so, it was too late. Fewer than 300 survived. Later that day husbands returned home from work to learn that they had lost their entire families. The tragedy marked the beginning of a major population shift in Manhattan’s lower east side as grieving husbands and fathers moved away, making room for a new influx of immigrants, most notably Jewish people from Eastern Europe.
As I see it, the General Slocum disaster has never received the attention such a tragedy deserves. While the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 has become legendary, the loss of life in the East River was quickly forgotten. Not until 9-11 had New Yorkers experienced an event involving comparable loss of life. The likely reason for the neglect of this tragedy was that the majority of those who died were working class immigrants who were not yet considered “Americans” or New Yorkers. While an investigation documented the failure of the Knickerbocker Steamship Company to provide and maintain the mandatory safety standards in place in 1904 the families of the victims received no compensation for their loss. The ship’s captain was held responsible, convicted and imprisoned for three years. In 1934, the film Manhattan Melodrama with Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, William Powel and Mickey Rooney began with a scene of the burning General Slocum but only to set the context for the remainder of the film. It seems to me the story itself is worthy of a screenplay and producer.
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣
Thank you, Reverend Keith, Gail, for allowing me to share your writing on this fascinating bit of New York history.
I recall my mother’s stories of her grandmother, born Catherine Ann Meeghan, who recounted this event to my mother as a child. Catherine Meeghan lived near little Germany, or Kleindeutschland on Manhattan’s lower East side at the turn of the century with her husband William Lee and family. Though Irish Catholic and somewhat separated by language and culture barriers, my great-grandmother befriended many of the families who would later suffer in the tragedy. In the aftermath, she was called upon by a distraught gentleman who asked her to identify a body at the morgue —presumably his wife— because he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Hers was the sad task of affirming that his beloved wife had perished among the others.
She related that most of the remaining families moved, presumably to be near Lutheran Cemetery, their loved ones’ final resting place. She told of the place the fire occurred—Hell’s gate—a turbulent and unpredictable stretch of water where the East and Hudson Rivers meet in swirls of incoming and outgoing tide. On June 18th, 154 funerals took place, and on that day, there were no Lutherans or Catholics, only neighbors held together by shared grief and a common faith in the Resurrection.

For further reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/19/nyregion/catherine-connelly-109-escaped-slocum-fire.html
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/YOU%27D%20NEVER%20BELIEVE/brothers/brothers.html
http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/new_york_new_york/remember_the_general_slocum.php

Gail Pollotta’s Bio: A 2004, regional Writer of the Year for the American Christian Writers Association, Gail is the author of the newly released inspirational suspense romance, LOVE TURNS THE TIDE. It's available from Awe-Struck E-Books. www.awe-struck.net Read more about Gail and her upcoming events at http://www.gailpallotta.com

Reverend Keith's Bio: Keith Boyer is a retired Presbyterian minister living in Barrie, Ontario, Canada.