Authors: Karen Baney

A Heart Renewed (49 page)

BOOK: A Heart Renewed

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Communication within the Arizona Territory and to points outside of the territory was sporadic, at best, for more than a decade after the territory was formed. Numerous express lines, pony express, and stages won contracts to carry the mail. Some, like Robertson & Parish, only lasted a few months. Others lasted several years. While the La Paz Express is fictional, it is loosely based on the La Paz Express & Saddle Train, among other several other express lines.

The governor’s ball mentioned early in the book did occur on the date cited. Many area citizens were invited to attend the ball in the 2,000 square foot mansion which was four times larger than the average pioneer’s home. The accounts of the first ball mentioned only a handful of women in attendance. Those that were there danced their feet off!

William Hardy was really involved in building a toll road from Hardyville (yes he owned a good bit of that town) to Prescott. While he initially acted as the manager, he eventually owned shares in the toll road company. His associates, Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Franklin, and Mr. Brighton are inventions of my imagination and represent the investors Hardy worked with to build the road. Hardy did end up building a store in Prescott as well.

While Thomas’s character is purely fictional, the places he saw and battles he participated in while a part of the XVI Corps were true. For the Battle of Nashville, I found a few good eye witness accounts that described the slow start of the battle due to heavy fog. The colonels and major generals mentioned by name were real commanders that participated in the events as mentioned in the story.

Much of the information about dispatch riding came from a wonderful firsthand account I found from a young man who served as one in the Civil War. Many of the dispatchers really did bring their own horses with them. They also were often lackadaisical with using the appropriate passcodes and hand signals, according to the firsthand account.

I did take some liberty with the timing of when Thomas found out that the war was over. Most likely, the western territories would not have heard the news for several months. In fact, there were battles fought after Lee’s surrender in April of 1865, most notably the battle of Mobile which happened in May, I think. Anyway, in order for Thomas to have time to search for Drew and then find Hannah prior to the baby’s birth, I took the liberty of allowing the western territories to discover the news only weeks after the end of the war.

I hope you enjoyed Julia and Adam’s story. Thomas’s story does not end here. This is only the beginning.

No book would be possible without the effort and prayers of many individuals. I’d like to thank:

My editors – Arlene and De. Thanks for all of your help with rewording and editing.

My critique group – Fae, Karen, and Tami. Thanks for your encouragement and feedback.

My prayer group – Thank you for always lifting me and this book up in your prayers.

My husband, Jim, for always supporting my writing and listening to all of the highs and lows that come with it.

My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray that this book honors you and helps others know you more.

Book Club Questions

1. How could Will and Hannah handled Julia’s situation differently?

2. Like Julia and Hannah, do you have someone in your life that you need to forgive?

3. Thomas was confused by the strange events in his life. Has there been a time when you looked back on your life and could see certain things falling into place? How did that make you feel?

4. Have you experienced pain from lack of patience, like Adam did when he tried to rush things with Julia?

5. What was your favorite part of the novel?

KAREN BANEY, in addition to writing Christian historical and contemporary fiction novels, works as a Software Engineer. Spending over twenty years as an avid fan of the genre, Karen loves writing about territorial Arizona.

Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. She is active in various Bible studies throughout the year. Karen and her husband make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs. She also holds a Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University.

To find out how Caroline Larson handles the separation from her brother and her best friend, look for Prescott Pioneers 3:
A Life Restored
.

Making mistakes is a part of life…

Social butterfly, Caroline Larson, longs for adventure. Since her best friend left Texas, she grows dissatisfied with her life. A little lie to her parents sends her on the journey of her life. Stranded in the Arizona desert, far from her final destination, she must rely on a stranger who gets under her skin.

Thomas Anderson has always struggled with making good decisions. A twist of fate, or Providence, leads him to Arizona to take a job as an express rider. Dealing with the ghosts of his past threatens to overshadow his future—until he meets a woman needing his help. Sparks fly as she grates on his nerves.

As they both struggle to move beyond their past mistakes, will they find their lives restored?

For more information about Karen Baney, the history behind the books, or other books written by her, please visit
www.karenbaney.com
.

Other books by Karen Baney: