How amazing would it be to set a novel in your own hometown and mold its unique history into a full-blown story? I did that very thing!

Blood of Pioneers is the second book of my Divided Decade series, a trilogy of loosely related middle grade titles that view the American Civil War from different perspectives. After setting The Candle Star in Detroit, I decided to keep the entire series in-state and soon realized the agricultural theme planned for Blood of Pioneers meant my own hometown of Wayland, Michigan would make a perfect stage!

Located inland and on the opposite side of the state from Detroit, Wayland saw few Europeans until the Erie Canal opened the Midwest to settlement and pioneers began pouring into Michigan. But without a railroad, the region remained isolated for another 30 years. Traveling anywhere meant slogging over muddy wilderness tracks—until the Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids Plank Road Company laid a toll road right up Wayland's Main Street in 1854, just eight years before Blood of Pioneers takes place. Those wooden planks brought several stages to town each day, provided a much-improved route to market for area farmers, and prompted rapid growth. Blood of Pioneers captures that spirit of westward expansion and illustrates the hardships of frontier families who gave up their men to the war effort and still had to keep the farm running.

The Divided Decade series was librarian-nominated for the 2012 Great Michigan Read and earned two Readers Favorite 5-Star Seals. You can find links here.

Are you a teacher or homeschooler? I've drawn on my own background in the classroom and created TONS of teaching resources to compliment the series. They're designed around the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations for a 5th-8th grade social studies curriculum. You can view the materials on my teachers page. If you sign up at the bottom of that page, you'll receive the three resource booklets plus a bunch of bonus lesson plans free. (Don't worry, you won't be subscribed to my mailing list twice. You'll just get the goodies.)

Before you go, be sure to check out the books and promos featured below. They're always free or bargain priced. I bounce between speculative and historical fiction (the main genres I write in), also some fantasy, middle grade, and a bit of romance, just to keep things interesting. 

Happy reading!

Michelle

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Deals and steals:

Paula Wynne

Paula is a prolific and award-winning historical fiction author. Alixa is her newest release. Flying Without Wings, releases in four days. 

May Freighter

The complete book one in this highly rated scifi-thiller-romance trilogy is FREE!

When America Was Young is a FREE boxed set I've put together with two other historical fiction writers. We raffled it off earlier this summer but decided to make it free for everyone for a limited time. Sara Whitford writes in the Colonial period, Lars Hedbor features the Revolution, and my Ella Wood series takes place in the Civil War. Together, we journey through 100 years of American history. The boxed set is available at all major vendors but only through the end of the summer. Grab a copy before it disappears!

Current Promos: