Friday, April 15, 2011

My next series.

I know this is a LONG way in the future, but I thought you'd like to know a bit about my next series.  It's a trilogy called Escape to Paradise.


Series Theme:  You can’t run away from your problems, your past, or your pain, and especially not from God. Trouble is, no matter how green your new pastures seem to be, your pain, problems and past follow you because the true problem is within you. Only God can deliver you from all three and from yourself.

Backdrop: In 1866, a year after the Civil War ended, the federal government’s reconstruction of the south has caused nothing but turmoil, depression, hardships, and chaos. Southern cities are in shambles: railroads are torn up, schools and banks closed, employment is at a standstill, and nearly everyone is mourning a loved one who died in the war. Angry and humiliated by their defeat and resentful of the military occupation, some southerners opt for fresh beginnings in a new fertile land—Brazil. During the years after the war nearly 20,000 southerners escaped to this beckoning paradise. Though some returned, several stayed and started townships where they created new, successful lives. Called the Confederados by the Brazilians, the culture of these hardy southerners still lives on in their ancestors today.

Book 1: The Heart’s Escape  (to be published Fall of 2012) 
A disillusioned confederate Colonel who hates anything or anyone associated with the North organizes a ship full of his fellow southerners to start over in Brazil and falls for the widow of the Brigadier General who killed his brother. 

Book 2:  The Rebel’s Retreat (to be published 2013)
A conman running from the law and searching for his father and the spoiled daughter of a plantation owner  desperate for her old life of security find love in the jungles of Brazil.

Book 3: Abandoned Memories  (to be published 2013)
Both failures at life, a preacher with a sordid past falls for a prostitute seeking redemption and a new life
















I have a lot of research to do on Brazil, but I'm very excited about getting started with this series. As I already posted, I pitched it as a cross between LOST and Gone With The Wind.  The jungles of Brazil provide the perfect backdrop for all kinds of mayhem, intrigue and romance. I may even throw in a pirate or two!

27 comments:

  1. It sounds amazing! Oh I wish that you had already written them. It would be such a good read! Plus, its never been done like that. You hear confederated stories that always take place in the south of U.S. But you take it to a whole new level. Its really cool! Keep up the good work MaryLu. I'll be praying for God to guide you every step of the way.

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  2. Friday, April 15th,
    "Morning, MaryLu."
    Thank-you for sharing this news with us all ! The books, once again, sound wonderful !!! How exciting to have the stories take place in Brazil ! "Mayhem, intrigue, romance, and .... a pirate or two ..." -- can hardly wait ! But, wait ... we must ! May God Bless you on this journey, MaryLu ... and may He continue to inspire you as He has done thus far.
    "Happy trails in your writing !"
    (*** Just to note -- the two trailers with an arrow in each ... when I click on them, nothing comes up on display -- so wasn't able to 'see' anything.)
    Take care, and, God Bless,
    In Him, Brenda Hurley

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  3. Very fun, MaryLu! Looking forward to reading them!

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  4. Love the theme for your next series! Something we all need to learn. Can't wait to read them!

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  5. Yay! Sounds like a fantastic series and I can't wait!! :D

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  6. Thanks, Ladies! As soon as I finish Veil of Pearls (due Sept 1st), I'll get started on these. I appreciate your enthusiasm.!!! It's nice to find readers who aren't only looking for Amish or Old West stories. Nothing against them, but I just don't think I could ever write something like that. Sigh. I guess God made me for a different purpose. I hope you all have a blessed and restful weekend!
    Oh, and Brenda. No worries. Those aren't trailers.. just pictures, so you aren't missing anything. Not sure why they have arrows on them.?

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  7. It sounds so wonderful, MaryLu! I am especially interested by Book 3. I love the change of time periods in your books and the settings! I can't wait to read them!!!!
    ~Abigail =D

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  8. WOW!!! I've never heard of anything like this - sounds amazing! :-)

    LOL, I'm really glad you DON'T write Amish or Old West stories, MaryLu! It's quite hard to find Christian books that aren't in either of those genres anymore.

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  9. Well, these sound great, Cap'n! You are going to have so much fun writing these stories. So much that you can do with them. I have been reading one of my daughter's Amish novels and to be honest, it is quite boring. I find myself skipping over most of the words and just reading the dialog.
    Anyway, these sound great and I can't wait. But, as Brenda says, we have to. God bless.

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  10. For those who do not know, GrammyDebbie is me, Debbie Mitchell. It is my blogger name.

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  11. Agreed. Your writing is so unique! We can't wait for this series(or Veil of Pearls either)!

    Heather and Cortney

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  12. This sounds so awesome, Cap'n MaryLu! :) I can't wait to read this series!

    I know I'll love it, because I've loved every single one of your books!!

    ~Amber

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  13. Thanks Thanks thanks! You all are making my Friday! I wish I could dive right into this series right now! But Charleston of 1811 is calling me right now. :-)
    Be blessed everyone. God is good. He's the best Father anyone ever had!

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  14. Sounds really exciting! Is the series done yet!? :)

    ...just kidding...

    Anyways I can't wait till the books are published now! :D

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  15. I'm glad you don't write Amish or Old West books. There are far too many of them anyway. You bring something fresh for us to read. Can't wait to read this series and get your new releases from this year!
    kath

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  16. Thanks everyone! Believe it or not, my publisher actually asked me to write a Western...something in Texas. Really? I politely declined. Even if I tried, I don't think I could pull it off. My heart is on the sea (or at least close to it!) That's the way God made me...
    Have a great weekend!

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  17. Yes! Sounds great! Since I didn't get American history in school, I'm counting on you to get it accurate. ;)
    As for the mayhem, I have a little suggestion: back then (and still a bit today) farm fields were cleared by slash-and-burn where the jungle was cut down and then burned. They'd cycle through fields every couple of years. Thus, lots of burning with large chances of disaster.

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  18. Thank you, Bridget! Yes indeed, that would present many problems. Oh, my little impish mind can't wait to create disaster after disaster for these characters. :-)

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  19. Aah! I can't wait!!! XD

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  20. Oh my goodness!! Brazil is such an amazing place!! I went there for a month on a mission trip, and have loved it since! I cannot wait to read these books! I also love the show Lost! Lol

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  21. Oh, I'm so jealous, Sarah. I wish I had the time and money to go to Brazil and do research. Do you remember it well? Maybe if I need to know something, I could ask you.

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  22. This series sounds AWESOME!!! I can barely wait to read all three!!! I think I like the plot of The Rebel's Retreat the best. And I agree with people who have already commented, I love that you write about times and places and stories that others haven't. I definitely don't like Amish stories, there's not much action. I think you would write a great western, but that has been done A LOT. Have fun in all your researching! Do you think you will visit Brazil?

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  23. Thanks Sarah! I would love to visit Brazil!! Just not sure I can afford it and I wouldn't want to go alone, so I'd need to find someone who can take off work for a week or two. But we'll see what God does. :-)

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  24. This sounds awesome. Aah! Cant wait for these new and exciting books to be written, first of all ;) and then published so I can read them!

    This is off topic but I saw the preview for the new Pirates of the Caribbean on tv today. It looks great. It reminded me of you MaryLu. :)

    God Bless!
    -Tori

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  25. Thanks Tori. Yes, I can hardly wait for the new Pirate movie!!!

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