Tuesday, November 5, 2013

MY FEISTY FOREBEARS

Grandmother and Great Aunts
For some
strange
reason  I wish
I could just
sit and
talk with
female
family
members
that came
before me.
Maybe it's 
nostalgia or
just plain wishful thinking.

What would they have thought about my writing career? Would they have enjoyed reading what I write? I have a sneaking suspicion they would. They had the Brontes and Jane Austen of course, but not the plethora of faith-based novels we have today. Maybe they'd be shocked at the way we portray our feisty heroines...no, on second thoughts, I reckon they'd be thrilled. Yes, come to think of  it, some of the family tales told and retold down the years involved some exciting (for those times) scrapes and adventures. None of these girls seemed to be "under the thumb" of their lord and masters. Or were they simply not admitting it?
My great great grandmother here.

You might say she appears to be a
disapproving type,but only because
the photographer is fiddling with his
apparatus and her corset is killing
her. However, my darling husband
tells me I can look at him like that
at times when I am merely thinking
of some plot twist, and that takes
concentration. ( Especially as the
other part of me is listening to him.


My sweet-faced great grandfather
left my great grandmother to go to
Heaven. She was desolate and I
don't think she would have liked
my heroines with strong tendencies
of optimism when things go awry.
She turned out to be a feisty lady.
With three young daughters to
care for and see to their future,
her own dreams were tucked
well away.
                  
Feisty Megan Trevallyn
gets a lot more than she
bargained for when she
meets Captain Cantrell.
This included two little
surprises leading to her
transportation to a penal
colony in Australia. A
world away from all she
has known and loved.
The question she must
face is - will this be a
land of perdition ...
or promise?

 
 Though fiction, in my research I discovered this scenario was all
too common in our early history. True, we had many felons
 convicted of awful crimes, but there were those who arrived on
our shores innocent of the crimes for which they were penalized.
* I am so pleased my historical romance and intrigue
   is now online at Amazon Kindle for $3.99.

Rita Stella Galieh leaves this week
for a ministry tour of Thailand. Her
husband is a violinist and preaches
while she sketches the theme. They
work in many Buddhist government
high schools, prisons, orphanages,
hospitals, and Christian churches.
They hand out thousands of Thai
John's Gospels for follow-up.
Right now she has a M/S for
review with Bethany House.













             

8 comments:

  1. I do wish more of our ancestors left written records of their lives, Rita. Love your post and praying for you as you head again to minister in Thailand.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Mary.
      Yes if only I'd pestered my elders for more!

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  2. Rita, great post! The stories from our family heritage can provide a fascinating spring board of ideas for historical writers. Thanks for sharing your family history with us :)

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    Replies
    1. I actually do use some examples, Narelle. And sometimes that leads to some nice plot twists.

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  3. Love those family stories, but they are hard to ferret out. My ancestors liked to talk or write in innuendo and hushed tones, never really coming out and saying what "dreadful thing" had occurred. I'm sure Reality TV would horrify them.

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  4. Thanks Alice. So true about those hush-hush accounts which our little ears were too innocent to hear! My. wouldn't I love to know now.

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  5. Sometimes we never think of asking family for more info until it is too late. Great post Rita. Hope your E book does well and brings a whole new audience to you

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  6. Maybe I should do the same for my son, Dale, but I think it's more of a feminine trait to want to know all such details.

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