Today we welcome back award-winning
author Judythe Morgan, an Air Force daughter and Army wife who has seen a quite
a bit of the world and sets her stories in many of those places. Learn more
about Judythe and her books at her website.
When Setting Drives
Your Story
My grandmothers on both sides have Irish roots, but I never planned
to set a story in Ireland. That is, until I went there, and the magic of the
Emerald Isle captured my heart.
My grandmothers’ journeys to America were not easy for
either of them. They didn’t talk much about Ireland. Traveling around the isle
and talking to the Irish, I quickly learned about the two separate countries
and how they came to be.
The Cliff Notes version
for those who aren’t familiar: the island started as a single entity. After
bitter fighting and political maneuvering with the United Kingdom, the island
was partitioned in 1921 into Northern Ireland, which remains a part of the UK,
and the Irish Free State or Republic of Ireland.
Many Irishmen were unhappy. They wanted a united Ireland and
full independence.
Violence erupted again in the 1960s and continued through
the 90s. The ceasefire of 1994 and the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, along
with the rebranding of the Orangemen parades in Belfast and Northern Ireland
counties, helped reduce flare-ups.
Still, the history remains fresh for those personally
affected and, after a few pints of Guinness, discussions about what is known as
The Troubles can become
heated. I quickly recognized how deeply The
Troubles touched Irish lives and decided to use that connection in a
story someday.
Slowly that plot seed percolated.
On another trip, I visited an Irish girl's boarding school
in County Connemara. Wandering the grounds and talking to the girls, I had a
rare writer moment. Annie Foster sprang fully formed into my head, commanding
me to tell her story.
Claiming Annie's Heart blends what Annie wanted, and the
suspense element centered around The
Troubles that I wanted.
I hope readers enjoy Claiming Annie's Heart as much
as I did creating a story that started with the setting.
Claiming Annie’s Heart
Annie Foster remains in Ireland after boarding school to nanny a
widower’s infant daughter. Five years later, she accepts the widower’s marriage
proposal.
Her first love
Chad Jones, whom she believed deserted her, arrives on an undercover assignment
weeks before the wedding investigating her Irish fiancé’s connection with an
IRA terrorist organization. Chad’s determined to change her mind because he’s
never stopped loving her.
Annie is torn between the man she'll always love and the young daughter
of her fiancé whom she’s promised never to abandon. Will Chad be able to claim
Annie’s heart?
Buy
Links
I read the book, and it is my favorite of all Judythe Morgan's book. I loved the others as well, but this is my personal favorite.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the history lesson, Judythe. I loved Claiming Annie's Heart! Of course, I love all your books, but this one had so much flavor of Ireland, it was simply charming!
ReplyDeleteTess
I love Claiming Annie's Heart. A terrific book. Thanks for the lesson on Ireland. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Unknown. =) Glad you liked Annie's story. It was a labor of love.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Tess. I do love Ireland. One of these days I set another story there. For now, I always have an Irish character somewhere in my stories.
ReplyDeleteCara, so happy to see you here. Ireland history is fascinating. So are the people that's why I have so many Irish characters popping up in my books.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the brief history lesson. Knowing context adds so much to one of my favorite books.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteClaiming Annie's Heart is a wonderful book, melding Judy's gift of story and her love for the Emerald Isle. Like all the Irish, she spins a terrific tale.
I loved the Irish history lesson as well.
Millie Martin
Sara,
ReplyDeleteHistory does help with context, doesn't it! Thanks for stopping by and double thanks for reading Claiming Annie's Heart.
Judythe
Wow, Millie thanks for the fabulous review. Could I bribe you to repeat on Amazon??? Seriously, do appreciate the thumbs up for one of my favorite stories.
ReplyDeleteJudythe