Donna Fletcher Crow’s gripping saga of Celtic history continues with Part II, Ireland: The Pursuit of Peace. Crow writes meticulously researched, entertaining novels of romance, history, adventure and mystery in an engaging you-are-there style that allows readers to live the history. Reviewers have compared her work with PD James, Dan Brown and Barbara Pym.
According to Wikipedia, St. Patrick's Day is a cultural and religious celebration held on March 17, the traditional date of death of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland. We've been celebrating St. Patrick's Day for hundreds of years. While traditional celebrations often involved festivals, parades, shamrocks and the wearing of green attire, today we have added to that mix St. Patrick's Day memes, shirts, clipart, online gifs and images, coloring pages and a host of other Internet resources, such as St. Patricks day quotes, recipes and drink concoctions numbering in the hundreds.
While the historical celebrations may seem a bit mundane and modern day festivities a bit too commercial, both are equally important if we are to understand how we arrived at the place in which we stand today, and what all of it means to us now.
In Donna Fletcher Crow's saga of Celtic history, Ireland: The Pursuit of Peace, she presents the full story of times past and present. She uses this unusual frame novel format so she can develop the story in two time periods—historical and modern. In a recent interview Crow explained, “I wanted to give my readers the experience of what it was like to live in significant, history-making times in the past, and I wanted them to understand the impact those long-ago events still have on life today.
“In the Irish epochs of the Celtic Cross series Mary Hamilton, my American heroine has gone to Belfast to work in a reconciliation center in a still-tumultuous time near the end of the Troubles. She is puzzled and appalled by the violence she sees around her, especially as it affects the lives of the young people she is trying to help. In order to gain understanding, Mary looks into the journals of her host’s family—journals he compiled while in prison for paramilitary activities.
“It’s my hope, as it is Mary’s, that through understanding the roots of animosity we can find our way forward to peace for the future.”
Ireland’s story begins with 'The Planting of Ulster, Of Visionaries and Builders'. In 1996, filled with trepidation, Mary agrees to accompany her fiancé Gareth to Belfast to work for peace. But what if those mad Irish start throwing bombs at each other again? In 1610 Lady Montgomery introduces the planting of potatoes to Scots settlers seeking to make a new life, including Calum Lanark, desperate to make a home for his beloved Deirdre.
In 'The Hammering of the Inhabitancy, Of Brothers and Strangers', Mary, struggling to understand the roots of the unimaginable atrocities she sees around her, uncovers accounts of the horrors of Oliver Cromwell in 17th century Ireland. In 1639 the Lanark family is torn apart as the sons march off to war—on opposing sides.
'The Strife of Ascendancy, Of People and Rulers', tells the story of two women: Mary Hamilton’s hopes for helping the Belfast youth crumble as sectarian strife boils into riots in 1996. Likewise, in 1683, desperately ill Janet Lanark agonizes as her husband and son march off to join King Billy at the Battle of the Boyne.
In the soon-to-be-released 'The Shaping of the Union, Of Plots and Parliaments', in 1996 Mary is determined to leave Ireland when the reconciliation center is burgled and her fiancé is injured. Yet, she is drawn by a sense of sisterhood with the valiant women who risked all for Ireland in 1789. Can Mary Ann McCracken save her brother from the scaffold? Can Lenny uncover the insidious spy bent on bringing all their plans for a revived Ireland to ruin, even as she harbors a secret message?
Donna Fletcher Crow is the author of 50 books, mostly novels of British history. She has taken a number of high-level industry awards for her work. Many of her books have been bestsellers in their categories, including 'A Most Inconvenient Death', which achieved #1 bestseller status in Christian Suspense. 'The Fields of Bannockburn', the epic from which The Celtic Cross Series, Part I: Scotland, The Struggle for a Nation is based, was listed as Fiction Bestseller by Christian Book Distributors and 'The Banks of the Boyne', the epic from which The Celtic Cross Series, Part II: Ireland, The Pursuit of Peace is based, hit #3 Best-Selling Fiction.
'Glastonbury' is her best-known book, which received the prestigious First Place, Historical Novel, award from the National Federation of Press Women. Readers and reviewers have raved about 'Glastonbury', calling it "The best of its kind," "richly fascinating," "beautifully researched," "gloriously evocative," and "panoramic." One Amazon reader said, "WHAT a work! Every reader can be enveloped in the sheer scope and quality, every historian be constantly nodding at the precise detail and accuracy, and every Christian can rejoice in the fullness of scripture. For me it is simply beyond descriptive praise. I would urge all who value truth to treat themselves to a feast."
The Celtic Cross is a 2-part series which begins with Scotland: The Struggle for a Nation. In 4 individual epochs it tells the stories of—'The Keeper of the Stone,’ St. Columba; ‘The Forger of a Nation,’ Kenneth MacAlpin; ‘The Refiner of the Realm,’ Queen Margaret; ‘The Vanquishers of Tyranny,’ William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. The 10-book series will complete in the summer of 2022.
The Elizabeth & Richard Mysteries is a literary suspense series using literary figures as background: Rudyard Kipling in 'The Flame Ignites', Dorothy L Sayers in 'The Shadow of Reality', Shakespeare in 'A Midsummer Eve's Nightmare', and Jane Austen in both 'A Jane Austen Encounter' and 'A Most Singular Venture'. Watch for 'A Prodigious Sum of Corpses: Seeking Sanditon at Jane Austen’s Seashore', which will take readers to all of Austen’s favorite seashore resorts. Accounts of Crow’s visits to these sites are available on her blog under the heading “Jane Austen Seashore Tour.”
The Monastery Murders Series features atmospheric contemporary crimes with their roots buried deep in the middle ages. Books in the series include 'A Very Private Grave', 'A Darkly Hidden Truth', 'An Unholy Communion', 'A Newly Crimsoned Reliquary', 'An All-Consuming Fire' and the newly-released 'Against All Fierce Hostility.'
The Daughters of Courage, 'Kathryn', 'Elizabeth' and 'Stephanie' is a pioneer family saga based on the stories of Crow's own family and other Idaho pioneers in the Kuna, Nampa and Boise area. A short story on her blog entitled “A Nostalgic Fourth of July” is based on a scene from ‘Kathryn: Days of Loss and Hope'.
Where There is Love is a 6-book series of the enduring legacy of love and faith all based on historic people and events. The titles are: ‘Where Love Begins’, ‘Where Love Illumines’, ‘Where Love Triumphs’, ‘Where Love Restores’, ‘Where Love Shines’, and ‘Where Love Calls’.
The Lord Danvers Victorian true-crime series is an Amazon bestseller in the British Detectives category. Books in the series include 'A Lethal Spectre', 'A Most Inconvenient Death', 'Grave Matters', 'To Dust You Shall Return' and 'A Tincture of Murder'. Donna provides a no-charge download of 'A Tincture of Murder' for those who sign up for her newsletter. More information is available at her website.
Donna Fletcher Crow's awards include:
Where Love Begins, Best Historical Romance, Pinnacle Awards 2019
A Lethal Spectre, Best Mystery, Pinnacle Awards, 2019
Glastonbury, First Place, Historical Fiction, National Federation of Press Women Award of Merit
The Banks of the Boyne, Silver Angel; First Place Historical Fiction, National Federation Press Women
The Fields of Bannockburn, First Place Historical Fiction, National Federation Press Women
Professional Achievement Award, Northwest Nazarene College
Juvenile Books Award of Merit, Idaho Press Women
Top Idaho Author
Pacesetter Award, Mt. Hermon Writers Conference
Outstanding Historical Fiction, Idaho Press Women, National Federation of Press Women,
Idaho Writer of the Year
Best Inspirational Novel, Finalist Romance Writers of America
Writer of the Year, Mt. Hermon Writers Conference
Donna is available for media interviews and can be reached by email at donna@donnafletchercrow.com. All of her books are available at online book retailers. More information, including a no-charge download of 'A Tincture of Murder', is available at her website at https://www.donnafletchercrow.com.
About Donna Fletcher Crow:
Donna and her husband live in Boise, Idaho. They have 4 adult children and 15 grandchildren living on 3 continents. Donna is a former English literature teacher and lifelong Anglophile. Idahoans with long memories will remember her as a former Queen of the Snake River Stampede, Miss Rodeo Idaho and runner-up for Miss Rodeo America. She is an enthusiastic gardener.
Contact:
Donna Fletcher Crow
donna@donnafletchercrow.com
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