Tags
Book Giveaway, Christian Fiction, Civil War Era, Endorsements, Fiction, Hearts Seeking Home Series, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Mona Hodgson, Prairie Fiction, Prairie Song, Praise for Prairie Song, Romance, The Quilted Heart Novellas, Wagon Trains, WaterBrook Multnomah, WaterBrook Press, Westward Expansion
We may have left the Colorado mining camp in The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series behind (for now), but we didn’t say goodbye to all of its characters. Nope. Couldn’t do it. If you’ve read The Quilted Heart ebook novellas, you know who might be saying goodbye to the post Civil War Saint Charles Quilting Circle to join the Boone’s Lick Wagon Train Company on the trek west.
August 6th, Book 1
Hearts Seeking Home Series
About This Book
The first step in a challenging journey is often the one that means the most.
Though it means saying goodbye to the beloved friends and spiritual mentors of her St. Charles, Missouri quilting circle, Anna Goben is certain that she needs to enlist her family in the Boones Lick Company wagon train. The loss of her beloved brother in the Civil War has paralyzed her mother and grandfather in a malaise of grief and depression and Anna is convinced that only a fresh start in the Promised Land of California can bring her family back to her. Although the unknown perils of the trail west loom, Anna’s commitment to caring for her loved ones leaves no room for fear—or even loving someone new.
During the five-month journey, trail hand Caleb Reger plans to keep a low profile as he watches over the band of travelers. Guarding secrets about his past and avoiding God’s calling on his life, Caleb wants to steer as far from Anna as she does him, but she proves to be just as he assessed her from the beginning— independent, beautiful trouble.
Led by a pillar of hope, the group faces rough terrain that begins to take a toll on their spirits. Will the wilderness of suffering lead them astray, or will the gentle song of love that echoes across the prairie turn their hearts toward God’s grace and the promise of a new home?
PRAISE FOR PRAIRIE SONG . . .
“Mona Hodgson pens a wonderful story of love and self-reflection in Prairie Song. Touching on elements of real life that are relevant to today, Mona weaves in a loving message of hope and forgiveness that gives the reader cause to pause and think on the blessing we have in grace. I enjoyed reading this story and definitely recommend it to readers who find pleasure in a tender historical romance.” ~Tracie Peterson, award-winning author of over ninety books, including the Land of Shining Water series
“Writing with great sensitivity, Mona Hodgson has crafted a beautiful story of family loyalties, loss, and forgiveness. Out of the pain of addiction springs new hope and strength and a chance for love. Prairie Song is a heartfelt journey you won’t want to miss.” ~Margaret Brownley, New York Times best-selling author of Dawn Comes Early, Waiting for Morning, and Gunpowder Tea
“As hearts and lives are still healing from the effects of the Civil War, the colorful cast of characters in Prairie Song will take you on an adventure where love is as unpredictable as the journey west. With a quilting circle of friends all seeking new beginnings, and a group of charming soldiers yearning to win their hearts, sweet romance abounds in this first installment of Mona Hodgson’s Hearts Seeking Home series.” ~Joanne Bischof, author of Be Still My Soul and Though My Heart Is Torn
“I fell in love with Caleb and Anna from the first page, and as their journeys led them down the path of love and faith, I followed happily. Prairie Song is a novel that will stay with me long after the last page has been turned. Mona Hodgson has done it again with Prairie Song!” ~Kathleen Y’Barbo, best-selling author of the Secret Lives of Will Tucker series and the Rocky Mountain Heiress series
CONGRATULATIONS going out to Tina who won the drawing for an early copy of PRAIRIE SONG!
If you had lived in the 1800’s, would you have been tempted to go west in a wagon? Why? Why not?
Hindsight by Mona Hodgson 
My first response is to say that I probably would have been too scared to go west in a wagon. However, if my living conditions were so dire that our family could not survive well wherever we currently lived, then I guess that would have been enough incentive to take the risk.
Brittany McEuen
kbmceuen@yahoo.com
Hi Brittany,
Good to see you here.
Blessings,
Mona
Loved Cripple Creek – can’t wait to read this series!
amybradsher@gmail.com
Love your enthusiasm, Amy. Happy Reading!
I loved your cripple creek series. I am excited to read this one. PLEASE pick me!!!!
gr8fullone@gmail.com From your biggest fan!
Good to see you here, Nancy. So glad you’re enjoying my books. Blessings!
Probably not – even though I grew up on a farm, getting hot & dirty has always been a problem for me, the west is a nice place to visit, read, & learn about – but I probably wouldn’t have been happy living there. I also like to experience all the seasons in the year.
bonnieroof60@yahoo.com
Hi Bonnie,
Thanks for joining me here. Definitely would’ve been a hot and dirty trek.
Happy Reading!
Mona
I love your books on the West! Would love to read this one first! Going West would have been so much fun, but I don’t know if I could take that first step. It would have been very daunting to leave behind everything you knew to embark on a journey where you didn’t know where you’d end up or if you’d even get where you thought you were going. I would hope my adventurous spirit would have kicked in so I could have experienced Going West!
tscmshupe@pemtel.net
Hi Sally! Good to see you here, and I so appreciate your enthusiasm for my books. Blessings!
Absolutely!! I know it would have been tough with many unforeseen hardships, but it would have also been so exciting & beautiful!! I’m loving the Sinclair sisters…so let the adventures continue!! Thanks! RW620 AT aol DOT com
Hi Robin, I so appreciate your enthusiasm for my books. Blessings and Happy Reading!
Mona,
This sounds like a book I’d love. And here’s an ironic note, I have a book releasing next January called Song of the Prairie. 🙂 The first book, Whispers on the Prairie released today!
Hi! Congratulations on today’s book release. Very exciting! Fun twist too. Blessings!
I would of went west in a covered wagon in a heart beat, because of the adventure, cooking over open fires , meeting new people, you bet i would of went, please enter me to win this book cause i know its going to be good
jcisforme@aol.com
Hi Shirley! Thanks so much for your vote of confidence. Happy Reading!
Sounds wonderful – it would be exciting to win one from you – thanks for the contest
Good to see you here, Deborah. I appreciate your interest in Prairie Song. Blessings!
I don’t think I would do it. My ancestors have been on the eastern part of the US for hundreds of years. A few did go west but were back within a couple of years. I guess there’s no place like home.
Campbellamyd at gmail dot com
Good to see you here, Amy. Blessings to you!
My husband and I love the farm life and the adventures that accompanies that life. If we didn’t have a good quality of life in the east, yes, we would move west to begin a new life and adventure. I also love discovering new authors.
Hi Tonnie,
Thanks for joining me here. I love reaching out to new readers.
Happy Reading!
Mona
I probably wouldn’t have signed on with a wagontrain had I lived in the 1800’s…I’m too much of a scaredy-cat. I do remember my grandmother saying as a young woman walking alongside a wagon as her family moved from Missouri to Colorado.
Hi Jackie,
Good to see you here. Any chance your grandmother kept a journal or sent letters of her journey west?
Blessings and Happy Reading!
Mona
oops…forgot to leave my email address 🙂 boattherapy4 at yahoo (dot) com
Got it. Thanks!
Yup, would probably go if that is where the family went, or the husband felt led to be. Not afraid of hard work for a better life.
mandn@wisper-wireless.com
Hi Natalie! Thanks for joining me here. Blessings! Mona
This is MY kind of book! Hope to win!
susanlulu@yahoo.com
Hi Susan,
I appreciate your interest in Prairie Song.
Happy Reading!
Mona
I would totally be tempted to go West! What an adventure that would be, but I know there were a great many risks in the journey, so that might give me second thoughts.
Hi Patty! I’m with you, I’d be real tempted . . . until the romance of it wore off. Blessings to you!
I seriously would be scared probly but I think the sense of adventure might pull me to the west. I get restless so it would be easy to have tempted me to go. 🙂
Thank you for the chance!
bunnysmip (AT) gmail (DOT) com
Good to see you here, Mippy. You’re welcome! Happy Reading!
I too, love the Cripple Creek series and would like to win this one. Thanks and God bless.
Good to see you here, Phyllis! Thanks for reading my books. Hope you enjoy this new series!
I love this style books, it sounds greart please enter me thanks
jcisforme@aol.com
You’re entered in the drawing, Shirley, and I’m blessed by readers like you. 🙂
Yes, I think I would have loved adventure like Laura Ingalls Wilder. I never tire of reading books like this!
Hi Susan. Thanks for joining me here. I appreciate your interest in Prairie Song. Happy Reading!
I can’t wait for this new book. I am a new reader to your books and love the way you write and tell each story. tinarie21@hotmail.com
Hi Tina. What a sweet reader-friend you are! I’m excited for you to read Anna’s story.
Congratulations, Tina! You won the autographed copy of PRAIRIE SONG. If you’ll get your mailing address to me, I’ll get your book in the mail to you. Happy Reading!
I would love to win. Thanks for the chance.
Good to see you here, Angela. I’m anxious for you to join me on the wagon trail in Prairie Song. 🙂
I’m fascinated with traveling to the west in covered wagons and prairie boos. But I don’t know if I can handle the heat with these long dresses and the dust. Would love to read PRAIRIE SONG, it sounds really good. Thank you for the chance to win.
Uh,oh! Forgot email. kmgervais(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com
Hi Karen! Me too. The dust, the wild critters, no bathtub…. I’m excited for you to join me on the trail…fiction style. 🙂
Yes! I love an adventure!! I would definitely want to go West… if I would, is another question.
ladette[at]live[dot]com
Well said, Ladette. Wonderful to see you here. Happy Reading!
I think that I would! I love reading about wagon trains! Those people really had gumption or something to move away from everything.
Thanks for joining me here, Jessica. Can’t wait for you to read Prairie Song. I love reading about and writing about folks with gumption.
I just got your Quilted Heart ebook novellas. Haven’t read them yet, but will sometime this summer. First of your books I will be reading. The Cripple Creek series sound very good, too. Have those and Prairie Song on my wish list. Thank you for the opportunity to win your book.
Also, I would not like to be on the wagon train – it’s too dangerous. I’d rather read about it in the books in the comfort of my home!!
Kay, thanks for downloading The Quilted Heart novellas. Happy Reading! I appreciate your interest in my books. My hope is that you’ll be able to enjoy the trail in Prairie Song without having to deal with the dust and danger. 🙂 Blessings!
Growing up and sharing the same first name as Laura Ingalls Wilder, I loved pretending I was a pioneer girl. So I would like to think I would have joined the wagon train, but in actuality, I think I would have been afraid of the dangers lurking on the prairie! I DO love to read about wagon train adventurers though!! 🙂 Thanks for blessing your readers through your writing!
lmcewen272b@kc.rr.com
What fun, Laura! I’m anxious for you to read Anna’s story in Prairie Song. Blessings!
This is my type of book. I respect what the pioneers went through. I know they went for a better life, but it was a hard life to get started. I don’t know if I could do it. Thank you for entering me in your giveaway.
Barbara Thompson
barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for joining me here, Barbara. You’re entered in the drawing. Happy Reading!
I’ve read a few books about the Oregon Trail and some of wagon trails. I don’t know how they survived for days and days in the blazing sun and all that dust. I’m sweating right now just thinking about it. Just got done taking a cool shower because we don’t have a pool. The heat is really awful right now. You’re a new author to me so I do look forward to reading your book. Hope the library will carry it. Thank you for the giveaway.
Kevlin, it is so good to see you here. It’s always fun to meet readers who like the kinds of books I write, but have not yet seen my work. I do hope you’ll ask your library to order Prairie Song, and, if you’re on Facebook, I’d love it if you’d come see me on my Mona Hodgson Author Page. Blessings! https://www.facebook.com/Author.Mona
Mona, I probably would have gone west if everyone in the family went, it’s hard enough today being geographically challenged to visit as you well know, then you might not ever have seen them again – no Skype 🙂
farmgirlphototaker at gmail dot com
Good to hear from you, Kim! Not even email. 🙂
Yes, I would go. I grew up in Montana. I read everything I can get my hands on about the old west/wagon trains. I love that era. I am anxious to read the new series.
Hi Skeeter! Great to see you here. I appreciate your enthusiasm for Prairie Song. Can’t wait for you to join the caravan. Blessings, and Happy Reading!