Today I welcome guest author Gail Kittleson as she shares the story behind her recent release, Land that I Love. And read all the way through--she's offering a free ebook to one randomly selected person who leaves a comment.

 The subtitle of this collection, Hope for Hardscrabble Times, was conceived last January as Texas author Lynn Dean and I drove to Hill Country communities to launch Land That I Love.

 We marveled at the emigrants who founded these towns over one-hundred years ago. What stamina and tenacity

they possessed!

           During the early 19th century, writers used hardscrabble as a noun for a ‘place thought of as the epitome of barrenness.’ Some might have classified the Hill Country’s rocky clay soil this way, but these hardy souls visualized land cleared of cedar growth and producing orchards and vineyards.,

 Soon, hayfields would feed their stock, and vegetable crops await harvest. Coming as they had from countries that had more citizens than space, the word land took on almost sacred dimensions.

 Picture John Meusebach, who led many of these settlers across the Atlantic under the auspices of The Society of Protection for German Immigrants in Texas. They docked at Galveston and took wagons inland.

  Astride his horse on a day in 1846, John crossed the Pedernales River from New Braunfels in search of suitable homesteads for these hopeful settlers. Looking out over beautiful fertile hills, he knew his search had ended.

 Soon, he made peace with the Comanches and established Fredericksburg and many other communities. Hard-working German-Americans began to clear their claims. Having sacrificed so much to come here, they gave their all to fulfill their dreams.

 They succeeded, and generations passed, bringing wars and tumult. We now use hardscrabble as an adjective because it paints a picture of our times. With so much division and strife in modern society, unity often seems beyond our reach.

But isn’t this the perfect situation to dig down into our past and learn from those who’ve gone before us? They faced adversity, too, yet managed to work together.

Lynn and I share a love of historical research. Along with other Hill Country authors who contributed to A Hill Country Christmas, we offer stories of hope for these times. And we hope you enjoy!

About Land That I Love:

Through the tumult of history, the hope of Christmas has sustained many a weary soul, and the Texas Hill Country has known its share of tumult.A HILL COUNTRY CHRISTMAS compiles heartwarming tales from this region—some true, some fictional. Pull a chair up to the fire and lean back. With so much to be learned from our history, these stories aim to encourage and delight modern-day readers.   Check out the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Land-That-Love-Gail-Kittleson-ebook/dp/B09F5H5B7M

And follow Gail online here: https://www.gailkittleson.com/   

About Gail:

Texas Hill Country won Gail Kittleson’s heart as she researched her novel, Land That I Love. The World War II era, when faith, work, and family anchored our lives, also intrigues her.

A former ESL and college writing instructor who came late to professional writing, Gail’s fourteen historical and literary fiction titles feature make-do characters conquering adversity. She and her retired Army Chaplain husband enjoy grandchildren, their Northern Iowa cottage garden, and in winter, Arizona’s Mogollon Rim Country. Gail loves connecting with readers and other authors, especially when facilitating writing workshops. 

Leave a comment and enter to win: We will randomly draw one winner for a free ebook copy of Land that I Love. Cleverly disguise your email address so we can notify you, for example: Donna AT livebytheword DOT com