Post (c) Doris McCraw writing as Angela Raines
It's release day for "Josie's Dream", part of the "Grandma's Wedding Quilts" series. If you haven't already made your purchase at $.99, do so before it returns to the regular price on January 18, 2017.
I had the good fortune to grow up in the tri-state area composed of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa. The medical school Josephine Forrester attend was located in Keokuk, Iowa. I'd walked those streets many a time in my childhood.
Keokuk has an interesting history, located on the Mississippi where it is almost a mile wide. From its early days to the present, many people have landed in this town. It has one of the few National Cemeteries west of the Mississippi and was a place where soldiers and supplies for the Civil War departed, along with the wounded of that war arrived. Samuel Clemens also knows as Mark Twain, made his home in this town in 1857, working alongside his brother Orion in the printing business.
The Medical School Josephine attended was part of the University of Iowa, the first public university to be co-ed. The Keokuk School of Physicians and Surgeons began life in Indiana but by November of 1850, the school held its first session in Keokuk, Iowa in a seven story building located at the corner of Third and Paleon Streets. It continued until 1908 when it merged with Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Hope you have enjoyed the first eight offerings in the sweet, fun series of the grandchildren of Grandma Mary. Since today is the release day for Josie's Dream, I want to thank my cover models, Camille, Chris and my photographer Nadine and of course Shanna Hatfield for putting my photos into the amazing cover you see at the beginning of this post. I also want to thank the other authors for their encouragement and support. This book would not be here without them.
Please enjoy the excerpt below from "Josie's Dream":
Pulling up the hem, Josie bent
down to see a pair of gold eyes look at her from a coat of dark gray.
“How did you get there?” Josie asked. Lifting the small creature
up, she moved to the door. The kitten clung to her shoulder,
headbutting her chin, loud purrs sounding in her ear.
“Well I’ll be,” the clerk
exclaimed, followed by a series of sneezes. “Sure is a cute one,”
he continued when the sneezes abated once again. “No one’s been
able to get that close to it.”
“You know this because...?”
Josie asked.
The clerk smiled, covering his
nose before answering in the hopes of staving off any further
sneezing. “Yes, indeed,” he said. “It’s mother was killed a
short while ago and I’ve been leaving it some food.”
“I thought you were allergic?”
“I am, but I always liked cats.
Figured a few sneezes were worth it. But that one hasn’t cottoned
to anyone.” The clerk looked at the kitten making itself
comfortable on Josie’s shoulder then continued, “Looks like it’s
chosen you.”
Josie reached up, gently pulling
the kitten forward for a better look. She’d always enjoyed animals,
but a cat?
“I don’t...” Josie started.
“You’d make me feel better if
you...” the clerk began, then sneezed.
“Let me think about it,”
Josie said. “Now about that room?”
“Sure,” the clerk smiled as
he handed her the key. “Room 204 looking out over the town”
“Also, is there a freighting
service I could use to bring my things from the train depot at Kit
Carson?”
“Myers & Company make a run
from here to there twice a week, and they’re reasonable.”
“Thank you,” Josie replied,
as she gathered her bags and started up the stairs.
Josie opened her room door, but
before she could close it, the kitten bounded in, scratching its way
to the middle of the bed.
Just then, Josie heard laughter,
followed by cries of pain. Grabbing her bag, she closed the door and
headed downstairs again, determined to help whoever was hurt.
The Grandma's Wedding Quilts books will be released at the rate of one per day. You will want to read all the books in the series. To find then all in one location, please visit and follow the series page on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2iVfF1h .
The Sweet Americana Sweethearts authors plan to keep writing together to create more book series. You can keep track of our progress two ways. First, please sign up to follow this blog, SweetAmericana Sweethearts blog.
Second, join the SweetAmericana Book Club group on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2jnVw7y.
Angela Raines is the pen name for Doris McCraw. Doris also writes haiku posted at – http://fivesevenfivepage.blogspot.com Check out her other work and like her Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/1I0YoeL
The mystery is solved. NOW I know why you have had an interest and fascination in women doctors of a century ago or further back. You grew up around that old medical school which was among the first to accept female students studying to become doctors. Great bit of information. Thanks for sharing. Best of success on your book.
ReplyDeleteIt does play a part in my fascination with history. I'm glad you enjoyed my trip down memory lane. Doris
DeleteHave it and can't wait to read. Love this series. 5 stars all the way. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThank you Margie. I fell in love with the characters in this story, and believe me they had a mind of their own. *Smile*.
DeleteSo glad you are enjoying this series. It was great working with all these authors. Doris
Happy Release Day to you! Such a great back story to your story!
ReplyDeleteThank you Shanna. I guess I was lucky we chose Iowa for my siblings and I do grow up in. I was in Illinois, but spent a lot of time in Iowa. Doris
DeleteHappy release day, Dori! CONGRATULATIONS! I'm snapping this up. Looks like a wonderful story and a wonderful series!
ReplyDeleteThank you Cheryl. It was a challenge I wanted to try. It was also a great learning experience. I appreciate all you do even more after this.
DeleteHope you enjoy the story. These two took me on a merry chase. *Smile* Doris
Kudos to you, Doris! This sounds just as wonderful as your other stories. And haiku. And photographs. Haven't seen you act or sing yet, but I will. You know it's gonna happen.
ReplyDeleteA friend said if I ever wrote my 'memoir' it should be titled, "No One Told Me I Couldn't". I also find challenging myself a way to stay young and excited about life. I know we will get together. It just has to happen. *Grin* Doris
ReplyDeleteHappy new release day! Doris, I love that cover. What a great idea behind this series. My grandmother made quilts for all of her grandkids when they married. I no longer have mine because of a house fire, but I treasured it. I was happy to see the book was still 99 cents today.
ReplyDeleteThank you Livia.I'm so sorry you lost such a precious item. I'm fortunate to have a couple of quilts my great grandmother made. They did survive a house fire, but are a bit scorched.
DeleteGlad you like the idea. Once it was formed, the stories just took off. It has been a great learning experience for me, and I'm glad I made the effort. Makes me appreciate what you do.
The cover was made possible by my friends Chris and Camille. As actors they are comfortable in front of the camera and we had so much fun on the shoot. You should see some of the 'out takes'. (They may show up in the future)
I left the special price due to the lateness of some of my post. I was called into work, so didn't want to short anyone because of my schedule.
Doris
I really enjoyed the info about the school. I am very interested in learning all I can about medicine in the 1860's and 70's. I know it eas really difficult to research this because it's hard to find research material, especially about the first women doctors. I am writing an original Western TV pilot script and series which has a lot to do with medicine as one of the character's father was a well-known doctor and surgeon who became more famous in his efforts during the Civil War. My script takes place in 1867 and follows three Civil War buddies who co-own a ranch after the war. The one ehose father us the doctor never wanted to go to medical school like his dad though he was talented. It causes a big fight, but he finally goes to Havard Medical School only to drop out a semester before graduating because he did not like it and the war breaks out. Of course, I have several major storylines and many minor ones. One of the story arcs is told through flashbacks to the actual war which is also a fascinating but often complicated sunject. I bought your book and really look forward to reading about this woman doctor. I loved Dr. Quinn, so I guess O have always been interested in 19th Century medicine.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I forgot to edit.
ReplyDeleteNo problem Connie. I am adding a link to a post I wrote about some women doctors. You can contact me anytime. I've been researching for over four years and have written papers on the subject of women doctor in Colorado prior to 1900. http://prairierosepublications.blogspot.com/2017/01/five-women-doctors-who-knew.html It is just brief sketches, but may help. There were also women doctors in the Civil War, one who actually served, despite being told she couldn't. Her story can be found at http://www.northnet.org/stlawrenceaauw/walker.htm
DeleteAnd I do thank you for giving Josie's story a read. I will be reformatting, for the version uploaded didn't format correctly.
I wish you well on this Pilot Script. We need more of these kind of stories. Warmly, Doris/Angela