Where the River Birches Beckon

SOMETIMES THINGS AREN'T WHAT THEY APPEAR TO BE …

Sarah Brinley is a plain spinster from Pittsburgh, recently impoverished by the death of her abolitionist parents. Desperate for work, she accepts a post as governess for the son of a wealthy Kentucky planter. Once there, she finds the job, the plantation, and its people far from what she expected.

She struggles with her own feelings about working for a slaveholder. Her young charge is withdrawn and mute after witnessing the violent death of his mother. And as a series of mysterious events unsettle her, she resists falling in love with the charismatic planter. When the truth finally surfaces, she is astounded.

Where the River Birches Beckon explores life in Kentucky during the buildup to the Civil War. The story merges historical events and people with imaginary ones in a suspenseful tale of love, loss, courage, and loyalty.

Testimonials

"A gothic romance, skillfully interwoven with the history of the Underground Railroad. The peaceful rural setting of Where the River Birches Beckon is also the hunting grounds of vicious brutes, lusting to brutalize anyone they suspect of aiding runaway slaves seeking liberty and human dignity." —Otis Amanda Dick, Kentuckiana historian, actress, and storyteller

About the Author

Fred Schloemer is a career psychotherapist, author, and educator. He has published widely, but this is his first gothic-style romance. His book Parenting Adult Children: Real Stories of Families Turning Challenges into Successes won a 2012 Nautilus Book Award Silver Medal for books that promote positive social change. His first novel, Behind the Footlights, a tribute to community theater, was named one of LEO magazine's "Top Ten Must-Read Books by Bluegrass Authors in 2015." He now lives in semi-retirement in Southern Indiana.