EVERY HILL and MOUNTAIN by DEBORAY HEAL ~ Blog Tour ~ Giveaway

Visiting another century…not the summer vacation Abby had planned. 

Those who have read Time and Again and Unclaimed Legacy, the first two books in the young adult time-travel trilogy, know that Abby Thomas, is a college student on a summer service project with 11-year-old Merri. And you know that the summer is not going the way Abby had expected—but in a good way. For one thing, she meets a very nice guy named John Roberts. And for another, she discovers a strange computer program called Beautiful House that lets her fast-forward and rewind life. Not her own, of course, but those of the people who lived in Merri’s old house. And the Old Dears’ old house, and…well, any old house. 

And now their computer program is starting to attract attention. 

Since the program worked so well for the Old Dears’ family tree project, Abby’s college roommate Kate hopes it will help her find out more about her ancestor Ned Greenfield. And Kate’s fiancé Ryan thinks the program has lucrative commercial potential. 

Abby and John reluctantly agree to help Kate, but only on the condition that she and Ryan promise to keep the program a secret, because if it fell into the wrong hands…well, no one wants Big Brother invading their privacy. 

The two couples take a trip to the tiny town of Equality, set in the hills of southern Illinois and the breath-taking Shawnee National Forest. According to Kate’s research, Ned Greenfield was born there at a place called Hickory Hill. 

The mayor, police chief, and townspeople are hospitable and helpful—until the topic of Hickory Hill comes up. They seem determined to keep them away, telling them, “There’s nothing there for you to see.”

Eventually they find Hickory Hill on their own—both the mansion and the lonely hill it sits upon. Built in 1834, Hickory Hill stands sentinel over Half Moon Salt Mine where the original owner John Granger accumulated his blood-tainted fortune. 

Abby and her friends meet Miss Granger, Hickory Hill’s current eccentric owner, and they eventually get the chance to time-surf there. Their shocking discovery on the third floor concerning Kate’s ancestor Ned Greenfield is almost too much to bear. What they learn sends them racing to the opposite end of the state to find the missing link in Kate’s family tree. And there they are reminded that God is in the business of redemption—that one day he’ll make all things new.

Deborah Heal, the author of the Time and Again time travel mystery series, was born not far from the setting of her book Every Hill and Mountain and grew up “just down the road” from the setting of Time and Again. 

Today she lives with her husband in Waterloo, Illinois, where she enjoys reading, gardening, and learning about regional history. She has three grown children, three grandchildren, and two canine buddies Digger and Scout (a.k.a. Dr. Bob). 

She loves to interact with her readers, who may learn more about the history behind the books at her website www.deborahheal.com and her Facebook author page www.facebook.com/DeborahHeal. 

Available on Amazon.com: Time and Again Unclaimed Legacy Every Hill and Mountain

My Thoughts

Abby's college roommate and best friend Kate is working on her family tree as a gift to her parent's.  She is under the impression that the computer program Abby has been telling her about will give her the answers she is looking for.  Abby, John and Merri agree to show the program and reveal the secret of time-travel.  When Kate arrives at Merri's house she has a surprise for Abby.  But Abby has an even bigger surprise for Kate.

After all their surprises are revealed about the time travel and Kate introduces her fiance' Ryan they all go to a small town Equality to research Kate's family tree.  Kate's fiance' turns out to be somewhat snooty and appears to be wanting to change sweet Kate.  Abby's friend John has no patience for Ryan's rudeness. 

As they asked around to some of the towns people each time it came to a dead end when the asked about the old mansion Hickory Hill that owned by the owners of the Half Moon Salt Mines.  Rumors have said the old mansion may have been part of the underground railroad.  

What is this town hiding?  Why do they want to keep them away from Hickory Hill? 

The author has quite the imagination when it comes to time-travel and history.  This story is an adventure into ones family history in the state of Illinois.  Meeting some wonderful new characters along with revealing more than Kate had ever hoped to discover.  Each book in this series has brought me to the belief of the possibilities of time-travel. 

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5. 

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from the author for review.  I was in no way compensated fro this review.  This review is my honest opinion.

Enter the Rafflecopter contest below for a chance to win a set of signed books--the whole trilogy! Open to U.S. addresses only. Winner will be announced. May 16, 2013.

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Promo for Deborah Heal's New Release: Every Hill and Mountain ~ Blog Tour Spring 2013

  Visiting another century…not the summer vacation Abby had planned. Those who have read Time and Again and Unclaimed Legacy, the first two books in the young adult time-travel trilogy, know that Abby Thomas, is a college student on a summer service project with 11-year-old Merri. And you know that the summer is not going the way Abby had expected—but in a good way. For one thing, she meets a very nice guy named John Roberts. And for another, she discovers a strange computer program called Beautiful House that lets her fast-forward and rewind life. Not her own, of course, but those of the people who lived in Merri’s old house. And the Old Dears’ old house, and…well, any old house.

And now their computer program is starting to attract attention. Since the program worked so well for the Old Dears’ family tree project, Abby’s college roommate Kate hopes it will help her find out more about her ancestor Ned Greenfield. And Kate’s fiancé Ryan thinks the program has lucrative commercial potential. Abby and John reluctantly agree to help Kate, but only on the condition that she and Ryan promise to keep the program a secret, because if it fell into the wrong hands…well, no one wants Big Brother invading their privacy. The two couples take a trip to the tiny town of Equality, set in the hills of southern Illinois and the breath-taking Shawnee National Forest. 

According to Kate’s research, Ned Greenfield was born there at a place called Hickory Hill.

 The mayor, police chief, and townspeople are hospitable and helpful—until the topic of Hickory Hill comes up. They seem determined to keep them away, telling them, “There’s nothing there for you to see.” Eventually they find Hickory Hill on their own—both the mansion and the lonely hill it sits upon. Built in 1834, Hickory Hill stands sentinel over Half Moon Salt Mine where the original owner John Granger accumulated his blood-tainted fortune.

Abby and her friends meet Miss Granger, Hickory Hill’s current eccentric owner, and they eventually get the chance to time-surf there. Their shocking discovery on the third floor concerning Kate’s ancestor Ned Greenfield is almost too much to bear. What they learn sends them racing to the opposite end of the state to find the missing link in Kate’s family tree. And there they are reminded that God is in the business of redemption—that one day he’ll make all things new.

Deborah Heal, the author of the Time and Again time travel mystery series, was born not far from the setting of her book Every Hill and Mountain and grew up “just down the road” from the setting of Time and Again. 

Today she lives with her husband in Waterloo, Illinois, where she enjoys reading, gardening, and learning about regional history. She has three grown children, three grandchildren, and two canine buddies Digger and Scout (a.k.a. Dr. Bob).

She loves to interact with her readers, who may learn more about the history behind the books at her website www.deborahheal.com and her Facebook author page www.facebook.com/DeborahHeal. 

Her books may be purchased on Amazon.com: Time and Again Unclaimed Legacy Every Hill and Mountain

Enter the Rafflecopter contest below for a chance to win a set of signed books--the whole trilogy! Open to U.S. addresses only. Winner will be announced. May 16, 2013.

        a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unclaimed Legacy by Deborah Heal ~ Free on Kindle

Unclaimed Legacy by Deborah Heal

5.0 out of 5 stars Simulated trip of a lifetime!, October 7, 2012

By Robyn Campbell – 

This review is from: Unclaimed Legacy (Paperback)

Merrideth (Merri) and Abby have come across a remarkable computer program that was installed on Merrideth's computer. So now they can make a simulated trip back into time to see how life was for the people who lived there. . .

This book is beautifully written and extraordinarily fun and exciting to read. Deborah plops us right into the story with her vivid descriptions and strong characterizations. I fell in love with all of the characters and felt as though I knew Merrideth and Abby personally. John is utterly awesome and I wholeheartedly recommend you read both of these super fantastic stories.

See all the Amazon reviews here.

If you thought the reviews of Unclaimed Legacy (book two) sounded good but you never got around to buying it for your Kindle, good news! Procrastination pays off. Unclaimed Legacy will be

free for Kindle January 12-16.

But wait! If you order in the next 20 minutes… Just kidding. But I do have a special deal to go along with the upcoming free Kindle days. Order book one in the trilogy, Time and Again from my website for a limited time for only $9.99 (includes shipping). I’ll send your signed copy right out so you can read it before you get book two. Go here to order.

Still not sure? Click here to read chapter one of Time and Again.  

Guest Post by DEBORAH HEAL Author of Unclaimed Legacy

Words that Ignited a Dream

by Deborah Heal

Meissner Elementary School was a little intimidating when I arrived there as a second grader. The halls went up and down and all around—or at least they seemed that way to me—because of the additions to the building through the years. I used to have nightmares about wandering around lost and unable to find my way to class.

Some of the teachers also scared me. A tall, thin lady named Mrs. Crochet (or something like that) always glowered at me as I tiptoed past her room. Fortunately, I got to keep on walking to Mrs. McCormick’s classroom, where I felt safe, even loved. She was plump and nice and always smiling. Except for the amazing day she was called out to the hall and returned, red-eyed and crying, to tell us President Kennedy had been assassinated.

My 5^th grade social studies teacher wasn't one to smile much. I guess that when you knew as much as he did about things like the Cuban Missile Crisis you were bound to look a little grim.

I can’t say I learned much English that year from Mrs. XXX. (Sorry, even after all these years it’s still not safe to say her name aloud.) She terrorized us every day when she stomped into the room, dropped her stack of books with a resounding crash onto the oak desk, and yelled at us because we weren't open to the right page. That and her sneers and demeaning comments to the poor, raggedy boy in the back are all I really remember from her. Oh, and her hairnet and seamed stockings. She must have knitted her own, because those hadn't been seen in stores since the 1940s.

So there, Mrs. XXX!  Ha, ha, ha. I didn’t dedicate Time and Again to you.

No, that honor goes to Ruth Fite, my 8^th grade English teacher. Don’t get me wrong. She wasn’t all smiley and gooey sweet. She was tough. She didn’t allow any slacking. We WOULD learn how to diagram sentences if it killed us. But we really learned grammar there. And when I went off to Southern Illinois University to major in English I was the only student in the grammar class who knew the subject. SIUE, like other universities, is turning out English teachers who don’t know grammar themselves and have been told that grammar is somehow passé, unnecessary, maybe even illegal or immoral.

But I beg to disagree. A strong foundation in grammar gave us the tools to write, whether it be productive business correspondence, entertaining stories, or Christmas letters that won’t have our readers wanting to hang themselves.

I loved it when we got to write stories in Mrs. Fite’s class. I actually wrote my magnus opus there in 8^th grade. It was a story about a person being wrongfully incarcerated in a mental hospital. (The author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest stole my idea or I would be a rich and famous author today.) I felt pretty good about how my story turned out. That was its own reward, but I also got a red star at the top and Mrs. Fite’s words, “Be sure to give me a signed copy of your first book!”

She probably didn’t realize how important those words were. (Maybe she wrote them on everyone’s papers.) But they changed the way I thought about myself and ignited a dream I never forgot.  

She was good at encouraging, good at seeing into kids’ hearts. Heck, she actually liked her students. Unlike The Teacher Whose Name May Not Be Spoken, the one who verbally abused the poor and downtrodden, Ruth had a heart for the bad boys, the hard cases, even the ones who didn’t do so well in English grammar. My brother recently told me that it’s no exaggeration to say that the encouragement and hope she gave him may have saved his life. And I might never have had the courage to write if not for Mrs. Fite’s words.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Fite was no longer alive when I published my first book Time and Again. But I hope she knows, somehow, that I dedicated it to her. It was an honor to honor her memory by presenting a copy of Time and Again to Ruth’s family at a book signing in my hometown.

The moral of this story is that teachers ought to encourage their students. They might remember it a half a century year later. And students—listen and learn from the good ones so you can get your revenge on the bad ones by writing about them—using perfect grammar of course.

About Time and Again: Charlotte of Miles Station

The History behind Miles Station

About the Author

I am on my fourth career. First I was a farmer’s wife, homeschool mom, and then finally high school English teacher. But now I’m living my lifelong dream of being an author. It didn’t come easy or fast. As a matter of fact, my first book, Time and Again: Charlotte of Miles Station, was 18 years in the making. Unclaimed Legacy, the second book in the Time and Again trilogy, will be out in September 2012, and I’m currently hard at work on the third. When I am not writing I enjoy reading, gardening, and learning about southern Illinois history.  I am married and have three grown children, three grandchildren, and two canine buddies Digger and Scout (a.k.a. Dr. Bob)

            Website: http://www.deborahheal.com

            Facebook: http://facebook.com/DeborahHeal

Where to buy the books

            Amazon

            Barnes & Noble

About Book


“I call it time-surfing,” Abby said. “It’s like being there,
 except no one can see or hear us.”


“Whatever you call it,” John said, “that was crazy—what we just did.
 Beyond realistic. I mean, I was in that guy’s head
and knew everything he was thinking.”

Abby’s weird computer program is working again. And it comes in handy when they agree to help the Old Dears next door with their family tree. Except Abby and John learn more about one of the ladies’ ancestors than they ever wanted to know. Convicted in 1871 of murder and arson, Reuben Buchanan is a blight on the family’s reputation. But was he really guilty? Abby and John get inside the mind of a murderer to find out. But while they’re rummaging around in the Old Dears’ family history, they discover the truth of God’s promise to bless a thousand generations …
… and a legacy waiting to be reclaimed.

About Unclaimed Legacy, the second book in the series

The History behind Unclaimed Legacy

My Thoughts

Abby and Merri are upset because there virtual computer program is not working.  Abby's new friend John brings one of his computer geek buddie to Merri's home to try a retrieve the program.  But that does not mean John believes what the girls have been telling him about the time traveling.  Merri was very upset the program still did not work.  She had so hoped to spend more time with Charlotte.

John suggests taking young Michael to his sister Lucy for speech therapy. When they take Michael for his first consultation Lucy asked Abby and Merri if they would be interested in house sitting for a week.  They jumped at the chance to stay in Lucy's renovated Victorian Home.  While there they are introduced to the very eccentric twin sisters nicknamed the Old  Dears' that live next door to Lucy.

It was Abby's responsibility for watching over and helping out the Old Dears'  and John was more than happy to help.  One evening while on the computer John realized the program Abby had been talking about was now working.  Now he believed her.  The only difference  it was focused on Lucy's house in the year 1897.  Abby showed him how to navigate the program and fasted forwarded it forty years.  Lo and behold the Old Dears' appeared on the screen. But when it becomes uncomfortable for Abby to be spying into the lives of the Old Dears as young women she told John they should not watch them.  They agreed there were other places they could time-surf.

So much happens after that day.  They are not sure how to deal with what they were uncovering.

The author has outdone herself. I was so curious as to what she was going to come up with for book two.
It is even more intriguing and mind boggling than book one.  I was almost as giddy about it as Abby and Merri were.  The new characters the Old Dears' are hilarious and have so much to hide.  Yet the author in her unique way uncovers their past.

I hope there will be another book after this one!

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure
I received a free copy of this book for review from the author for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.

If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here

Deborah Heal author of Time and Again, Book one of Charlotte of Miles Station and Unclaimed Legacy, Book two

Mr. Brinkley’s Box of Books

by Deborah Heal

“My Best Friend is a person who will give me a book…” 

― Abraham Lincoln

I don’t have a good rememberer. Very few memories from childhood, good or bad, have stuck with me. But a disproportionate number of memories, some of my happiest memories, involve books.

My earliest literary memories were the nursery rhyme books Mom would read to us. The words tickled my ears in such a pleasant way. I don’t remember much else from my pre-school years, but I remember the book an aunt brought me when I was four. Little Bobo and his Blue Jacket is the story of a little elephant whose new jacket no longer fit because his mother washed it in Shrinko. I was thrilled to have a book that was just mine. 

I remember that same happiness and excitement again in 3^rd grade when books from the Weekly Reader Children’s Book Club arrived at Meissner Elementary and my teacher distributed them to those who had ordered them. I still have several of those books. Parcifal Rides the Time Wave was the first time-travel story I ever read. Another favorite was My Father’s Dragon, a mystical, mysterious, adventure story.

Later, Mom bought me Nancy Drew books for birthdays and Christmas. I was hooked on Nancy Drew until my freshmen English teacher told me it was time to move on and suggested Agatha Christie as a more appropriate choice in mysteries.

And then there is that pleasant memory of Mr. Brinkley’s box of books. Alec Brinkley was a friendly neighbor in Woodburn who always had a smile and a good word whenever you met him. One day he dropped off a large box of books for our family that he no longer wanted. I thought it was Christmas. Or maybe I should say Thanksgiving. After all, I ate them up like a tasty meal.

In it, there were books by familiar authors like Agatha Christie. But Mr. Brinkley’s box of books also opened my eyes to other literary avenues to explore. Victoria Holt’s Mistress of Mellyn and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca sent me on the trail of gothic romantic mysteries for many years.

A stack of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines and books gave me a love for detective stories. I’ve read a million books since then, but I still remember the first Ellery Queen story (although regrettably not the title). A woman is found stabbed to death in a locked room. At the end, we discover that she actually had killed herself in a ritual harikari ceremony with a jeweled dagger. The sleuth reveals that a raven had purloined the sparkly dagger, taking it away through the open window to its nest.

 

Of all my book memories so far, nothing beats the day when the box of my own books arrived at my house. I’m betting I won’t forget that any time soon. 

They say you are what you eat. But surely we are also what we read. With this kind of a literary background, it’s no wonder my own books have elements of mystery and mayhem.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE:

About Time and Again: Charlotte of Miles Station

The History behind Miles Station

About Unclaimed Legacy, the second book in the series

The History behind Unclaimed Legacy

About the Author

Deborah Heal is the author of the young adult novels Time and Again and Unclaimed Legacy. She lives in Waterloo, Illinois, where she enjoys reading, gardening, and learning about southern Illinois history. She and her husband Bob have three grown children, three grandchildren, and a canine buddy named Scout (a.k.a. Dr. Bob in the story). Currently, she is working on book three in the Time and Again series, in which Abby’s college roommate Kate enlists her help solving a family mystery.

            Website: http://www.deborahheal.com

            Facebook: http://facebook.com/DeborahHeal

Where to buy the books

            Amazon

            Barnes & Noble

My Thoughts

Abby Thomas is on her summer break from college. She has decided to do a college service project which will be tutoring  eleven year old Merrideth in small community called Miles Station, Illinois.  The girl and her mom Pat live in a very old two story house that is in desperate need of a makeover.  

As soon as Abby meets the unkempt young Merrideth it is apparent that this will not be as easy a project she was expecting. The young girl complains about everything she is asked to do. Plus she has a really sarcastic attitude.  That is until they find a virtual tour program on the computer that pulled them into a time 160 years in the past and into the real life of Charlotte Miles, daughter of Colonel Miles original owner of Merrideth's new home. Colonel Miles was also founder of Miles Station.

What was the deal could they really be watching and hearing what went on with Charlotte that many years ago?
It was just too freaky, yet they did not want to stop the program.  Was there any way to communicate with Charlotte?

Abby and Merrideth compare the rundown conditions of the almost ghost town to the booming Miles Station at the time Charlotte and her father were alive.  Then they became obsessed with the daily life or lack thereof that Charlotte was living while stuck in Miles Station because of her over protective father.  On one occasion Charlotte wanted to go to the fair with a young man she knew but her father forbid her to have anything to do with the young man.  She was so hurt and angry.  

The author has a great imagination coming up with this virtual tour computer program. She created many interesting character in the book.

For instance:

• Pat the workaholic mother of Merrideth
• Michael a little boy that is tormented by his peers calling him a tardo.
• Mrs. Arnold the eccentric and oldest native born resident of Miles Station.
• The charming handsome Jake that Abby first met at church and then again at the Tropical Frost where he sells snow cones. 

So you can see putting together all these characters along with the history, intrigue, mystery and romance of the past and present of the community of Miles Station definitely makes for a good read. 

Excerpt from back cover of Time and Again:  Charlotte at Miles Station is a story told in the past and in the present. A story of three girls - their perspectives, their relationships, and their journey of self-discovery and faith.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:
I received a free copy of this book from the author Deborah Heal for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.


If you found this review helpful please vote yes or no here.