Authorpreneur Dashboard – Ann Mock
The Union of the North and the South
Romance
Romance and suspense come alive in this uplifting Christian novel set in the South in the 1870s. The reader will fall in love with the intriguing story of Laura who overcomes personal tragedy, and is forced to hide a secret that, if revealed, will cause her great heartache. Amidst the revitalized social scene of a South recovering from the War Between the States, Laura has to sacrifice one of her most precious desires in order to protect someone she loves above all else. Yet as the world around the Malcolm family improves they are also forced to overcome numerous challenges. Sitting on the banks of the Mississippi, Oak Grove, the ancestral home of the family, and the oaks that shaded it symbolize the Malcolms’ courage, resilience, and strength. Can Laura make her enemies become allies as she confronts her secret and finds the strength to forgive as well as to love again?
Book Bubbles from The Union of the North and the South
Can Laura forgive her father?
Laura is shocked to find out what her father has done. I love a character who can overcome personal challenges and go forward.
Bradford's longing
I enjoyed creating the interaction between Jenny and Bradford. Bradford grew to love her very quickly. He wondered, however, will he ever be able to capture her mother's heart?
Wonderful surprise!
The cottage was one of Laura's special places. What a surprise is in store for her when she sees it!
The dreaded meeting
Laura is forced to meet her father-in-law that had caused her so much trouble and heartache. Is there any way the meeting could go well?
The blessing
Laura is so blessed to find out her daughter was safe after the storm. When she sees Jenny she forgets to keep her secret and exposes the truth.
A welcome visitor
Laura is happy when Bradford arrives at the home of the judge. She is so thrilled he is there. But she wonders, will his arrival help heal their misunderstandings?
The Grand Ball
As a ballroom dancer I enjoyed using my experience along with my imagination in creating the ball scenes. I patterned the ballroom after the "all white ballroom" in Nottoway House in Louisiana. What a joy it would have been to go to a ball there!
Jenny
One of my favorite characters is Jenny. She is delightful and Bradford quickly falls in love with her energy and love of life.
Missing ring
Laura's suspicions about Bradford are aroused when she learns he has been going through her father's desk. Why did he do that?
Flying around the dance floor
Since I love to ballroom dance I enjoyed creating this scene where Laura and Bradford dance together. Their fluid movements ease their disagreements as they fly around the dance floor.
Thrill of the ride
Laura enjoys her time with Bradford as the canoe they're in is thrown into the rapids. This is a special time where, despite the danger, Laura comes to know Bradford better.
Could Laura's first husband be alive?
Laura is shocked when she sees a man who looks just like Gerald. Shaken she wonders if her husband is still alive. What does it all mean?
Who is behind the attacks?
Laura and Bradford both have fears as they share e their feelings with each other. Bradford's strong resolve to find Laura's attacker comforts Laura as she deals with her feelings for him.
The attack
The gleam of the knife the man held in his hand as he approached her bed was terrifying! As an author, I love mystery and suspense. Why would someone want to hurt Laura?
Tragic events often lead to healing
Laura must now deal with her greatest fear. Can she face her enemies with courage and resolve?
A terrible mistake
Often in life we do things that we shouldn't only later to realize how devastating they are to the people we love. Asking for forgiveness is the best way to go on and find happiness.
Kidnapped!
Laura is frantic when she discovers her darling daughter has been kidnapped. The entire town searches everywhere. Will they find Jenny? Can Laura trust in God to protect her child?
The promise not to reveal the secret
Laura's secret is finally discovered by Bradford. She has no choice but to tell him what is going on. Can Laura trust him to keep a secret that could destroy her if he didn't keep it to himself?
Would the animal attack?
The chapter "Dark Clouds and High Winds" is full of intrigue as Laura tries to outrun a storm in her effort to get back to her cottage. As she loses her way she falls into an old well. The yellow eyes that glow at her in the dark cause her to faint!
Was Nanny spying on her?
Nanny is one of my favorite characters in my novel. Some of my ancestors came from Ireland during the potato famine so I can sympathize with what she had gone through. Nanny always keeps her sense of humor and is a thoroughly charming character.
Descriptions of the ball
Laura loves telling her family all about the ball she attended the evening before. Since the war there hadn't been any balls. This is the first one to be held in several years and it brings lots of excitement!
Saundra's Deception
Every good story needs someone who plots to get his or her way. Saundra certainly fits that description as she schemes to get Bradford by any means she can conceive. Her deception causes lots of trouble as she only does what is best for herself.
Saundra's Grand Ball
Laura has mixed feelings about attending Saundra's Grand Ball. She worries about having an active social life. Jenny is so excited for her and wants to help her get ready. Being a good mother, Laura lets Jenny help her dress for the social event of the season.
Surprise escort to the ball
Laura is shocked to find out who her escort will be just before she goes to the ball. She is excited about the ball, but is not thrilled about this unexpected turn of events!
Romantic sparks fly!
Laura's fears of discovery and her failure to let go of the past has her taken completely off guard when Bradford kisses her. The dynamics between the two is one of the favorite parts of my novel.
Does Nanny know the secret?
Bradford is very puzzled about Laura's past and starts asking questions about her. This leads Laura to be very concerned. She knows that her secret must be guarded at all costs.
Who has been living in the cottage?
The mystery of who has been living in the cottage will come as a huge surprise to Laura. The discovery is very welcome to her, but it also creates a problem. Does Nanny know her long-held secret?
Bradford's Discovery
A hero that is strong, but gentle is was very important to me. Bradford is caring and understanding as he helps Laura to the cottage she hasn't been to since her husband passed away.
Will Bradford guess the secret?
Laura is afraid to revisit her past, which the cottage represented. The happy memories of her life there are still very real to her. She doesn't want anything to expose a secret that could cause her great heartache.
You need more than a love story
A romance needs to have secondary characters that pull the readers into the story. Jenny is one of my favorite characters in the book. I wanted her to appeal to the readers and for them to fall in love with her as Bradford does.
Bitter War Memories
The memories of the war left so much heartache that many people were never able to move on. I wanted to capture these feelings as Laura meets Bradford for the first time.
Cannon Ball
The cannon ball I saw at Cedar Grove Mansion in Vicksburg, Mississippi is what inspired me to write my story. I thought that would be fascinating to see how a heroine would react while meeting someone who may have fired cannons at her home.
Romantic sparks
Laura's first meeting with the new owner of her home is filled with emotions. Not pleased about meeting the future owner, Laura tries very hard to be polite despite her torn emotions.
Dreaded Meeting
Laura is now faced with meeting the new owner of her family estate as she descends the curving stairs with pride and dignity. She doesn't know where she will take her family or how she will provide for them. On top of all of this she is now forced to meet a former enemy that now ownes her beloved home!
What will she do?
My heroine is having to deal with a bad situation that her father created by taking on out-sized debts. I wanted the reader to understand how hard it is to address a bad situation that someone else created.
Why did her mother scream?
Often when a parent dies a child is forced to take on the parent's role. My heroine is very strong and I want the reader to appreciate how she handled her new responsibilities.
Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!
Laura's discovery will be such a blessing to her family. One of the greatest pleasures you can receive is to know you are going to bring a new life into the world. It is nice to have something nice happen to Laura after all of her recent hardships. Just like real life there are both joys and hardships to experience.
Deathbed confession
What had her father done? Parents can make mistakes that so often effect their children. The mistake Laura's father makes will be very hard on her as she deals with her future and decides how to protect her family.
Laura's fear of being discovered
Every story needs conflict and intrigue. I hope my reader develops strong feelings about Saundra, a popular member of a wealthy local family. Will Saundra discover the truth?
Can Laura hide her identity?
As a reader and an author I enjoy intrigue in a story. The best stories conceal things that the author gradually reveals to the reader to draw him/her along. Will Edward's plan work?
Struggling to overcome
In this scene, I want the reader to feel the devastation my heroine felt as she faces the loss of her first love. The loss is hard as Laura struggles to overcome her emotions while dealing with her in-laws' ultimatums.
Spared by the war!
As an author I was inspired when I visited an antebellum home that had been spared by the war since it had been used as a Union Hospital. I thought that would be a wonderful story to write about. I wanted to capture the deep love my heroine had of her home and the memories it represented to her and her family.
Heart-wrenching decision
My heroine, Laura, is going to have a baby when she discovers that her father-in-law, a judge, had annulled her marriage to his son. My heroine has cunning and strength as she solves this very difficult dilemma to protect her unborn child. Laura was afraid the powerful judge would take her child when it was born if he discovered that his son had a child. The child would be his only grandchild.
Shocking news!
As a reader I love to read a story with lots of suspense and twists and turns. I also enjoy a strong lady heroine who can overcome serious challenges. Laura is faced with so many challenges and I wanted the reader to enjoy her strength as she deals with the shocking news in this outrageous letter.
History meets fiction
You can still see the bed in which General Ulysses Grant slept by visiting Cedar Grove Mansion in Vicksburg, MS. I was fascinated with the history of the siege of Vicksburg during the Civil War and wanted to recreate the sentiments of that era through the eyes of fictional characters.
Capturing the beauty of the South
Growing up in the South left me with a deep appreciation of its lovely landscape. The majestic oaks have always captured my imagination.
Will Laura's creativity work?
Sometimes creativity is necessary to resolve difficult issues.
Laura's secret
Laura is so sad to know that she can never tell her child she is her mother. She fears she will lose her child.
Laura's secret revealed
Laura has a secret that she must keep for fear of dire consequences. Can she keep it?
What is Laura's secret?
This chapter provides the background of the story and introduces Laura's secret.
