TRAIL OF STORMS

"Good morning, Marsha. I finished the manuscript [to TRAIL OF STORMS] last night. It's a very compelling story, that as I read, I didn't want to put it down. The characters come alive on the pages and I have a good sense of who they are, internally and externally. Great story, and you told it very well."

~Dan Olsen

REVIEW:
"TRAIL OF STORMS delivers a powerful saga that doesn't water down the hardships of life in the untamed west. It covers a wide scope of feelings from drama to adventure to romance. Marsha Ward's skill as a writer makes the reader's skin crawl at the abduction and violation of a young woman, her family's ultimate flight from their home, and trek across unknown wilderness.
     "Ward makes her characters come alive with different personalities and ways of dealing with life, but when the odds stack against them, they pull even closer together to make it through. Ward's endings are always satisfying, not always what you expect, but the way you instinctively know things ought to be."

~Shirley Bahlmann, author of The Pioneers: A Course in Miracles
Shirley Bahlmann Biz Blog, April 21, 2009

REVIEW:
"TRAIL OF STORMS by Marsha Ward is the third book in a western series featuring the Owen family that takes place during those first years following the conclusion of the US Civil War. Ward is recognized as an award winning western writer, the founder of the American Night Writers Association, and an authority on Southwestern history.
     "This series chronicles the events, including a rape and several severe beatings, that send several families from the Shenandoah Valley west following the war, their journey westward, and their struggle to establish homes in the American Southwest. Trail of Storm takes up the story of the Bingham sisters who are roughed up by Yankee ruffians and the desperate measures that force them to flee from their home with their widowed mother, younger brother, and the oldest sister's husband. Two men, neighbors who are in love with the other two sisters, are also forced to run even though one of the brothers is also a Yankee. They catch up to the Binghams and circumstances bring them in contact with another former neighbor, James Owen, whose wife has just been murdered.
     "The love stories in all three volumes are similar, but the love stories are not the series' strongest point. Trail of Storm is not a romance, but a nitty gritty Western. It is the historical details of Colorado and New Mexico and the writer's understanding of both the American and Hispanic cultures of this place and time period that are superbly done and make all three novels worth reading. Their encounter with a Mormon wagon train and the hasty conversion of three members of their party feels a little rushed and when the small group of Southerners is stranded by a blizzard a few days later there is a feeling of incompleteness in not knowing how the Mormon group who were farther up the mountain fared.
     "I found a few typos distracting, but quickly got back into the story. Ward doesn't glamorize the West and some of her characters aren't particularly likable, but they are realistic and she is true to the rough times of that settlement period. She handles well the will to survive of those early settlers. Though the series is not directed toward an LDS audience, Trail of Storms does bring in the Church and includes strong messages concerning baptism and eternal marriage. The author portrays vividly the lingering hatred that existed between Confederates and Yankees for years following the war, the bigotry between races, and the minimal rights of women. Historical and Western fans of either gender will enjoy this series from the compelling covers to the last word of this third volume. It's a series I'm glad I had the opportunity to read."

~Jennie Hansen, Reviewer, Meridian Magazine
"LDS Fiction for the Lazy Summer Days", May, 2009

REVIEW:
"At first, I was not thrilled when LDS Publisher asked me to review TRAIL OF STORMS by Marsha Ward. First off, historicals, particularly westerns, aren’t my thing. It’s not that I hate them, it’s just that I prefer my stories to be set in the future or alternate realities, rather than in the past. A second strike against it is it’s self-published through iUniverse. I admit, I’m a bit of a snob. I wasn’t expecting much from this book.
     "So on a Sunday afternoon when I couldn’t find anything else to do, I resigned myself to reading the book. I read the whole thing in one sitting and I loved it! This is one well-crafted story.
     "This is Marsha Ward’s third book about the Owen family but you don’t need to have read the previous two to enjoy this story. In fact, it wasn’t until I finished the book and read the liner notes that I realized this was a continuing story. Ward skillfully gives us plenty of information about the characters, their history and motivations without using any annoying info dumps of backstory.
     "The characters were unique and individual, with distinct personalities that made them real and recognizable, and most importantly, believable. My heart ached over Hannah’s misfortune and her feelings of guilt and shame, as I sympathized with her husband Robert’s love and devotion to her. I grieved with James, over the death of his wife, yet still understood his attraction to Jessie, the love of his youth. I commiserated with Jessie over lingering feelings for James, applauded her determination to honor her word and make the safe choice with Ned—and then, just as willingly believed the various changes of her heart as time passed.
     "There were times when my modern woman sensibilities were strained, such as the fast romances and quick spiritual conversions. But that is the way things happened back then. I’ve read journals of that time period and it was not at all unusual for a man and woman to meet and agree to marry quickly, nor was it unusual for people to become immediately convinced of truth when presented with very basic gospel principles. For the time and place of this story, it was believable.
     "Although several of the key characters are converted and baptized when they meet up with Mormons, I didn’t feel that the book was overly preachy. The conversion is a very small part of the story and given the individual character's histories, it was believable.
     "As to the plot, it has an intense beginning and keeps going throughout the book. In a setting just after the Civil War, the story opens with an abduction, a rape, and a killing in self-defense—which propels the Brimhall/Fletcher family to flee their home in Mt. Jackson, Virginia and head out to Albuquerque, New Mexico. They are pursued by scoundrels seeking revenge, preyed upon by a shifty character, must face the outward challenges of traveling by wagon across the country, the loss of a horse, vicious storms, deep snow, all the while battling inner demons of guilt, shame, grief and fear. Oh, and then there are a couple of love stories thrown in as a bonus. My only caution is that this is definitely a book for adults.
     "As to this being a self-published book, it’s certainly not because the writing isn’t good enough. The writing is fantastic. IMHO, it’s because the story falls into that crack between LDS publishers and mainstream publishers—a little too harsh and realistic for the one, and a little too tame and Mormon for the other.
     "I really, really liked TRAIL OF STORMS and highly recommend it to readers who like historicals and westerns, and recommend that any reader who enjoys a good story give it a try. I plan to now read Marsha Ward’s first two books, THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH and RIDE TO RATON. If they’re anything like this one, I’ll enjoy them too.
     "I give TRAIL OF STORMS 4 1/2 stars."

~"Erin," Reviewer, LDS Fiction Review, May 17, 2009

REVIEW:
"Marsha Ward's new book TRAIL OF STORMS has recently been released and it is a page turner. I never read western novels, but boy, was I missing out. This one was full of adventure, romance and suspense. The story takes place after the civil war, when the south was occupied by Yankee soldiers.
     "On the back cover it says, After her sister suffers a brutal attack, Jessie Bingham and her family flee post-Civil War Virginia and undertake a perilous trek to New Mexico Territory. When she learns her former sweetheart, James Owen, took a wife, Jessie accepts Ned Heizer's marriage proposal, on the condition they wait until journey's end to wed. But then Jessie encounters James again...and he isn't married now!
     "Marsha does an excellent job with her characters making them true to life. I actually felt like I was in the old west. She is also an expert at creating suspenseful situations. All in all, I loved TRAIL OF STORMS! I can't wait to read Marsha's other books based on the same family."

~Kersten Campbell, author of Confessions of a Completely (In)Sane Mother
Life on the Funny Farm Blog, June 23, 2009

REVIEW:
"A couple years ago—or maybe it was three—I listened to Marsha Ward read a chapter she had just finished for the third book in her saga about the Owen family. I hadn’t yet read [THE] MAN FROM SHENANDOAH or RIDE TO RATON, the first two books in the series, and so couldn’t appreciate the background. What I did appreciate was Marsha’s knowledge of life in the 19th century and how she was able to build tension with a few well placed words.
     "I think TRAIL OF STORMS is Marsha Ward’s best book to date. The years she has spent honing her craft show as she has become a better writer with each book in the series. This book takes off like a scalded hound and never lets up, pulling the reader through one adventure after another as the Bingham family travels west after the Civil War. Jessie Bingham is the sweetheart James Owen, bowing to pressure from his father, left behind when his family went west.
     "Here’s a part of what I heard Marsha read that summer three years ago:
     From behind, noise pounded on the prairie like another roll of thunder. Heppie looked over her shoulder. What new danger was upon them? A horse approached with Ned bent low over its neck, driving forward to catch up to the runaway wagon. He passed Heppie. Clods of earth fell around her, stirred up by the horse’s hooves. A small chunk of sod hit her cheek, sticking in place, and she batted it as if it were a bug. She had to see what was happening to George.
     She realized she was running, half falling over the furrows of churned-up earth left behind by hooves and wheels. Her throat felt raw, filled with her high, keening cry. Her lungs burned as she filled them with air that seemed to have been singed by the lightning. The wagon was so far away!
     Another horse blew by, whipping up a dust cloud, pressing the thick yellow air against her. Mr. Fletcher. Luke sprinted by, his arms pumping with effort. She squinted her eyes, trying to find the wagon. Trying to see George.
     At last she broke out of the dust. Ahead of her, the wagon lay on its side at the end of a plowed-up rut in the earth, one wheel smashed, the other spinning crazily. Ned Heizer and Robert Fletcher were off their mounts, struggling with horses thrashing on the ground. Luke ran towards them. Where was George?
     Raindrops began to pelt her—needles on her flesh—but she kept running. Was George under the wagon? Her head seemed to reel as the storm grew in ferocity. Someone was screaming, “George!” over and over. She finally recognized her own voice.
     "See what I mean? I held my breath as I read through that passage.
     "Though this book begins with the story of Jessie Bingham and her family, when they meet up with James Owen, it becomes his story. That was okay with me, because I knew him from RIDE TO RATON, but I think it would be all right for someone who hadn’t read Marsha’s other books, too, because she gives the reader necessary tidbits of the back story as she goes. Also, though each book in the series may highlight one person, it’s actually about the family and the adventures they go through.
     "There are lots of adventures for the Bingham family in this book. It begins with the rape of Jessie’s sister by a Union soldier, which precipitates the decision to leave the South. Jessie, thinking she would never see James Owen again, accepts the marriage proposal of another man. When she does meet with her former sweetheart, she finds he is lost in grief for the wife he just buried. There’s more: pursuit by some ex-Union soldiers, a child born en route, a meeting with a group of Mormons on their way to Zion, rescue from a snowstorm by a Spanish Don.
     "Marsha Ward does a great job of putting you in the place and time and making you care about the families you’re reading about. That’s storytelling at its best."

~Liz Adair, author of Counting the Cost
Liz Sez Blog, June 24, 2009

REVIEW:
"TRAIL OF STORMS, written by award-winning author, Marsha Ward, is her third novel about the Owen family in her post-Civil War series. Marshaling adept storytelling with an intimate understanding of her subject matter, Ward delivers loyal fans an exciting continuation of the series, while new readers will rate TRAIL OF STORMS a satisfying stand-alone read that will send them back for more.
     "Prepare to be transported to another time . . . another place. Ward’s grasp of western dialect and culture is like a set of old leather reins in her skilled hands, driving her story’s authenticity. The book opens with Jesse Bingham and her sisters on a tense Virginia day, under the brutal occupation of Yankee forces. High drama begins on page three and you’re already invested up to your elbows.
     "TRAIL OF STORMS is not a 'pretty story', because these were not pretty times, and Marsha Ward does an excellent job stripping away any preconceived notions about a united, post-Civil War America. Still vastly divided and angry, prejudice continues to abound, and not just between races, but between geographies—north and south—and choices—Yankee vs. Rebs. The Binghams and the Heizers are two families torn by these elements until a merciless attack on one of their own distills each person’s core loyalties. No longer safe in Virginia, our characters lay aside differences, unite and head west.
     "Jesse Bingham is still heartbroken over having been abandoned by James Owen when his family headed west. With no other marriage prospects, she concedes to accept the proposal of Ned Heizer, an older-brother figure made controversial because of his service in the northern army during the war. Along the trail, they meet up with James Owens, and the tension over loyalties ignites anew.
     "Complex elements abound in the book, but Ms. Ward handles them honestly, contrasting the innocence and ignorance of nineteenth century decorum against the grit that era required of its men and women, particularly as they endeavored to survive a westward trek.
     "The Binghams and Heizers leave Virginia with little more than a wagon load of troubles and pure determination. James Owen is suffering as well—over the recent loss of his bride. Life is hard for this group, which adds to the sweetness of their interaction with a group of Mormon pioneers who briefly cross their path. It did feel rushed, but I actually enjoyed the hit-and-run feel of this exchange, and considering the threat of winter on the trail, it's likely an accurate account of how groups met, shared a few hours, and hurried quickly on. In TRAIL OF STORMS, these few shared hours provide a sweet distraction to both parties while imbuing a spiritual element of hope into a few of the more troubled Virginians.
     "Much of the story moves like the gait of the wagon trains along the prairie—steady action accentuated with heart-thumping chapters. This back-and-forth pace works very well for this book. The reader experiences the unsettling travail of trail life, as well as the daily, life-and-death struggle it presents. Loaded with interpersonal drama and raw western action, TRAIL OF STORMS crosses genders, delivering an appealing, engaging read men and women will both enjoy.

~Laurie (L.C.) Lewis, author of Dawn's Early Light
A View from the Other Side of the Hill Blog, June 30, 2009

REVIEW:
WARD, MARSHA. Trail of Storms. iUniverse. Trade paperback, 255 pps., $16.95. ISBN 978-1-4401-2604-8.
"Trail of Storms picks up where Ride to Raton left off. The Bingham family, after Hannah Bingham Fletcher is brutally attacked and raped by a soldier of the Union occupation, must flee Virginia. The Binghams are joined by the Heizer brothers, George and Ned, and together the party makes its way toward New Mexico Territory. But along the way, Jessie Bingham and James Owen meet again, and Jessie discovers, to her shock, that James had been married to a 'brown-skinned Mexican' woman, who has been murdered. Jessie can't come to terms with this, and in a fit of pique, accepts Ned's proposal. But the course of love never runs true, especially when Ned meets a Mormon miss for whom he immediately falls. When complications such as blizzards and attacks by the same trio of now ex-soldiers who abused Hannah crop up, there is plenty of hardship to endure, and heartache to cure.
     "Ward has written another of her gritty, fact-filled family sagas. Peopled with folks harboring complex emotions and striving always to do right within the confines of their values, her characters' lives tend to get real messy. How they solve their many problems is always an education in story-telling, and Ward excels in doing that."

~Uncredited review written by Eppie Award winner and double Spur Award finalist C.K. Crigger, author of Letter of the Law and One Foot on the Edge
Western Writers of America's Roundup Magazine, August 2009, Volume XVI, Number 6, page 21.

REVIEW:
"I found a few scenes in the beginning of this book a little disturbing, and the romance between James and Jessie felt a little too rushed for me towards the end, but I'm giving this book 5 stars because the overall storytelling and writing were so superior to many other books I've read this year. No overdose on adjectives or annoying eye rollings or head bobbings when a simple 'she nodded her head' would do. Marsha Ward knows how to write smoothly and well in a style that enhances, rather than detracts from the story she is trying to tell. The reader is completely caught up in the story and never jerked out of the world she's created by awkward or repetitive phrases. She spins an authentic yarn of a good ol' Western tale. Despite my personal quibbles in a few instances, I highly recommend ALL of Marsha Ward's books!
     Note: This book is self-published, but in my opinion, contains higher quality writing and plotting than several traditionally published books I've read. Moral? Don't judge a book by the publisher. You may be disappointed on the one hand and missing out on a gem on the other!"

~Joyce DiPastena, author of Illuminations of the Heart
Goodreads, October 4, 2009

"Marsha Ward has one foot in the 21st century and one in the 19th. Her characters hew closely to those wild days, portraying their lives and times. Readers love her for that. Other writers marvel at her use of the most modern of means to present her stories."

~Gary Svee, two-time Spur Award Winner, and author of The Peacemaker's Vengeance.
Western Writers Newsletter, September 2003 issue

"Marsha Ward has the ability to grab readers by the lapels, yank them into her stories, and make them care deeply about her characters. In her newest novel, she combines joy and pathos with revenge and redemption, adding enough satisfying action and surprises to keep readers breathlessly looking forward to the next page. I thoroughly enjoyed RIDE TO RATON."

~Phyllis Dugan, President of Wyoming Writers, Inc.
Westward News, September 2003 issue

REVIEW:
"When James Owen's fiancee up and marries his brother, James's rage drives him from his home. He sets out for [Northern] Colorado, looking to work in the mines. He makes the mistake, however, of stopping in Pueblo City where trouble finds him. Set upon, shot, then jailed, he is bailed out by an old family 'friend.' The help is not free, and James must work himself clear of these entanglements.
     "On his way over the mountains at last, he finds the body of a wealthy Mexican. A letter explains that the dead man was going to Leones to claim a bride. James has found an expensive bride gift on the body and determines he must take it, along with an explanation, to the woman.
     "At the same time, events have sent Amparo Garces y Martinez on a journey from Santa Fe into Colorado where an arranged marriage awaits her. Arriving at the mission, she waits there for her husband to claim her. However, it is James Owen who arrives. In a moment of chivalry, James marries the girl with the intention of taking her back to Santa Fe. Naturally, his plans go awry. First, although he fights his feelings, he falls in love with her. Second, Amparo willingly, joyously, returns his love, and somewhere between here and there, James decides they should go home to his family.
     "...upon reaching Trinidad, they are swept up in a fight between Mexican and white warring factions. Barricaded in the mercantile, they hope to avoid the trouble, but trouble comes to them....
     "RIDE TO RATON is the action packed story of a conflicted man who strives always to do the right thing. It will catch at your heart and stay with you long after you put the book down. Highly recommended."

~Carol Crigger, author of Liar's Trail, The Prince's Cousin, and The Gunsmith Series
Western Writers Newsletter, November 2003 issue

"I just finished RIDE TO RATON by Marsha Ward. It is a great read! Don't miss it, but start with THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH."

~Judith R. Parker, Author of Winter Kill, Ride a Cold Wind and Cato Wahl
January, 2004

"RIDE TO RATON is as enjoyable as THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH—maybe more so. You are a wonder at developing your characters, and their dialog is so natural."

~Pat Nipper, Author of A Life Within a Life: The Story and Adventures of Libbie Custer, Wife of General George A. Custer
December, 2003

"Marsha Ward must have a door to the past. She steps through it to the Old West, watches, listens, then comes back and writes about it vividly."

~Robert J. Randisi, Editor, Mystery and Western Author of Invitation to a Hanging
December, 2003

"Marsha, thank you for RIDE TO RATON. Not only do you share the continuing story of the Owen family, with compelling characters, intriguing story line, and well researched historical facts, you also open your heart to your readers and invite them to participate in your love of the old West. It's hard to wait for a copy of TRAIL OF STORMS.

~Connie Jo Wolfe

"Dear Marsha:
"Marjie and I recently finished reading THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH and RIDE TO RATON. We enjoyed both books very much, and feel that they are extremely well written. It is evident that the books are enriched by the extensive research behind them. Your characters came alive. In RIDE TO RATON, we liked the way Amparo and James learned to bridge the language barrier. We know just enough Spanish that we never had any trouble understanding Amparo's dialog. James' character, and how he came to be loving and forgiving, was very pleasing to us.
"Best regards,"

~Frederick Granger Johnson, Jr.

"I read THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH and RIDE TO RATON back to back. I appreciated the way Marsha Ward used some of the same characters to continue the family story. I have spent some time traveling in the areas in which she set her two books and felt at home during those captivating story settings. I am looking forward to reading her next book, TRAIL OF STORMS."

~Gerald W. Foster

"My husband is a voracious reader of Westerns—has read almost every one in our nearby library. However, when he discovered RIDE TO RATON, he realized how great writing can bring stories to reality. Now he anxiously awaits the next one that his favorite writer, Marsha Ward, writes!"

~Pat Eagan

REVIEW:
"Marsha Ward's western novel, RIDE TO RATON, reminded me why I swore off reading fiction a long time ago: I can't put the story down. I let housework, bookwork, writing, visiting teaching, and all my routines slide because I absolutely have to know what happens next. Luckily I no longer have children at home to neglect while I read that one last chapter.
     "I'm just one generation removed from the ranch. Or is it two? My mother was born on a homestead in New Mexico, and I have two uncles who worked cattle all their lives. The title of Marsha's book resonated with me, because I remember the title town from conversations in my grandmother's living room when the old cowboy stories were circulating. Since Raton is northern New Mexico and we lived in the south, it probably had to do with rodeos, as my uncles competed in the 1930's.
     "Another thing Marsha's book reminded me of was the old adage that there are two sides to every story. In her first novel, THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH, we're introduced to the Owen clan and follow their trek west after the Civil War. We also follow Carl's romance with Ellen and sigh when he gets the girl. It matters not that Ellen is promised to his brother James, because she loves Carl. All ends well.
     "Except for James. RIDE TO RATON opens with Carl and Ellen's wedding, and we see what we didn't see in the first book: their happiness is James's open wound. Unable to stay and witness their wedded bliss, James leaves everything he has in the world and sets out, penniless, to find someplace where he can make his fortune while he heals.
     "Marsha Ward has the ability to put you in the time and place. The west during the mid-1800s was not a hospitable region, and she doesn't romanticize it. I was particularly moved by how Marsha described the treatment of a gunshot injury James receives, first by the local doctor and then by an old friend from back home.
     "Marsha does a good job of setting up the adventures that James has and making them believable, and she carries those adventures through to the very end. She also makes communication between James and Amparo (a young lady from Santa Fe) believable as they travel alone together. He speaks no Spanish; she speaks no English.
     "Marsha's use of imagery is a treat. For instance: '…she had slipped from his grasp like quick-silver chased across a tabletop.' Those of us who grew up before knowledge of mercury poisoning know how hard it is to pick up a dollop of quicksilver. It's a very elusive metal. Here's another: 'Only much later did sleep lay a quilt of blackness over his exhausted body.' And one last one: '…with the November sun pouting on the breast of a hazy sky.' Don't you love it? The book is littered with similar gems.
     "You don't have to read THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH first. RIDE TO RATON stands on its own very well, and it leaves us caring about James Owen and wondering what will happen to him next.

~Liz Adair, author of the "Spider Latham" mystery series, The Mists of Quarry Harbor, and Counting the Cost
Mom Said Blog, October 25, 2008

"This is a book to prize, and not only for its gritty realism, exciting action, and compelling characters. The story further engages us by examining the ties that hold family and community together. Not many Westerns do that. Heartily recommended!"

~C.K. Crigger, Author of The Winning Hand and The Gunsmith Series
Western Writers' Newsletter, Nov. 2002

"It's tight and holds the interest and—as always—[Marsha Ward's] writing is clear, descriptive and gripping...vivid to the point of breathtaking.... [Her] characterization is so good...a more than terrific read!"

~Kerry Blair, Best-Selling Author of Mummy's the Word and Ghost of a Chance

"THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH is a book for the whole family to share. It offers action, romance and a realistic premise. ...Ms. Ward is a true storyteller who has created characters that demand and hold the reader's interest.... [Her] clear and vivid writing sweeps us along with her characters on their adventures."

~Anne Haw Holt, Author of Riding Fence and Blanco Sol
Western Fiction Review April/May 2003.

"Whatever happened to good, old fashioned westerns? If you've ever gazed over the shelves wondering this, then Ms. Ward has a book for you. It recaptures the simpler, more genteel times that used to be essential to the Hollywood Westerns starring people like Henry Fonda and Gary Cooper."

~Cindy Lynn, Midwest Book Review—Reviewer's Bookwatch, September 2003.

"For Civil War or Western romance lovers, this one is a bit of both. The story follows Carl Owen after the end of the Civil War. He comes home to find his brother has been killed in the war and his family is on the brink of ruin.... I found THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH immediately mesmerizing."

~Jennifer Hill-Russell, Roundtable Reviews, October 15, 2003.

A reader in Mesa writes:
"This is one of the best western novels I have ever read. It is filled with exciting adventures and characters that make the book come alive."

~Ron

An author in Arizona writes:
"Reading Marsha Ward's THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH is like experiencing time travel. I can be curled up comfortably on my couch in the 21st century, and find myself crying for the losses, chuckling at jokes, cheering the triumphs, and booing the bad guys from the 19th century."

~Rachel Andersen, Author of A Nurse's World

From a reader in Mesa:
"THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH is an excellent read. Had a hard time putting it down. The characters are well developed and the description of the locations is vivid. I have read many Westerns and this book is ranked with the best. Highly recommended."

~Duane

From an Illinois reader:
"Marsha,congratulations on a very well written book. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the story line. Hope there is a sequel."

~Sharon

From a Utah reader:
"Hi Marsha, I bought your book, THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH, but I haven't read it yet. However, my 12-year-old can't seem to put it down. She says it is a wonderful book.

"It is nice to own a book from somebody you know. Even though we did not do the work, we feel proud that one of our friends did such a wonderful work.
Best regards,"

~Teresa

From a reader in Arizona:
In the Tradition of Louis L'Amour
"This book follows the great tradition of Louis L'Amour. Marsha Ward's characters are believable and could very well have existed in the Old West. Carl Owen and his family reflect the gritty determination to stand up for what's right no matter the cost."

~Darrin

Two readers in Mesa, Arizona write:
"Dear Marsha,
"Dennis and I thoroughly enjoyed reading your book. We read about half of your book on the way up to Utah. And while we were there, we found ourselves thinking of Carl and Ida and Ellen and Rod and Julia etc. etc. etc. as if they were real people. We could not wait to get back to reading. On the way home, we took turns reading. I have never been able to read that much in a car. But, I found myself reading for 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours before I took my turn driving and let Dennis read. What great humor! We loved the ending. Your way of describing the feelings and emotions of the characters of your story made them come alive to us. What great talent! Several times Dennis and I commented on your gift to write. Thank you for sharing this with us. We can't wait to read your next book."

~Susan and Dennis

From an Arizona reader:
"Hi Marsha,
"I stayed up til midnight last night finishing your book. I was going to just read for an hour or so but I got into it and couldn't put it down. Great book! Great ending. I really, really enjoyed it. [My husband] Steve was going to take it out of town with him because he got into it. But I wouldn't let him. :) I highly recommend it."

~Mary

From a reader in Utah:
"Hello Marsha,
"I finished THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH at half-past midnight because I couldn’t put it down. I didn't know I was a western aficionado, but your book made me want to find a horse and put my hubby in riding gear (loved the cover). This was a great story; the gripping action, the believable characters, and the historical research. I loved that it was as much a romance as it was a family western, and I never realized I was a romance aficionado either!

"You skillfully took me into the past—the Owens had me there with the dust and the snowstorms and western towns and prairie fire. Especially beneficial was the story's ability to inspire me to be a better wife. I don't want to be so much like that shallow Ida (gulp); I best be gettin' more like Miss Ellen! Your blood, sweat and tears paid off; I will add your sequel(s) to my bookcase as well. Thank you for the fast-paced adventure, Marsha Dear!"

~Lorna

REVIEW:
"Carl Owen has just returned from serving his country in the Civil War. Things have not gone well for his family while he was gone—the farm is destroyed and one of his brothers was killed. His father wants to take the family and relocate, start afresh out West somewhere away from the ravages of the war. The Owen family loved living in the Shenandoah Valley, but they will follow their patriarch wherever he asks them to go—almost willingly. His brother James is nearly engaged and he doesn't want to leave his girl behind, but it's either that or lose his family.
     "Mr. Owen talks to some of his neighbors and convinces many of them to leave with him. Two pretty young women will be coming along on the journey, and Mr. Owen thinks it right that they become engaged to Carl and James right off the bat. The only trouble is, during the journey, Carl develops feelings for the girl arranged to marry James. Now Carl has to decide what's more important—following his heart or staying true to his brother, and no matter which way he turns, someone is going to get hurt.
     "THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH is a combination romance/great western saga as we see these families make their way across the unforgiving land to a new territory, where they hope to start all over again. Enough action, horses and gunplay to keep the menfolk riveted with enough kissin' and spoonin' to satisfy the women, this novel is a glimpse into America's past and the people who lived in it."

~Tristi Pinkston, author of Nothing to Regret, Strength to Endure, and Season of Sacrifice.
Tristi's Takes Blog, October 9, 2008

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