Dear Mary, Peggy, and Sally,

Congratulations on the publication of Orphan's Gift! I just placed my order through Amazon.

I'm looking forward to learning more about our Prather bloodline than Granny and Mom had time to share.

I have always been proud of each of you, but never more proud. Mom's warmth and wisdom lives on. Indeed!

I am forever grateful.

Love,

Tom

Hi Mary, Peggy & Sally

I just wanted to tell you that I just bought your book at Amazon.com for Jim for Christmas. This was at the top of his list this year.

Congrats to you all. I am very impressed that you actually wrote a book. I am proud of myself each week when I actually write out my grocery list!

Hi to you and your families. Maybe someday soon we can have another family reunion……we would like that.

Love,
Mary

From One of the Publishers of Orphan's Gift

I read "Orphan's Gift" personally. It's a good read--just enough sex and violence!

Jim

Micropress

From: Mindy of Houston, Texas

Hi Sally!

I read it! Terrific job! I just wanted more elaborate stuff from each character. I enjoyed each character very much. I now think it should be made into a mini-series for TV - like "Rome" or the "John Adams" type series. I think it was most interesting. Don't have as many movies made on that type of history coming from people/families from the north. "Roots" - I think it could be super!!!

Tell your sisters I really enjoyed it - and congratulations to you all!!!!

Love,

Mindy

Thank you, thank you Sam for putting up my first blog...even though you are not the author of that blog. I assume full responsibility for procrastinating. I am here now and you'all might regret it. In the very beginning the idea for the book was born out of a family reunion, sister Mary's 30+ years of genealogical work, and my love for the fast read. In 2006 we had one fantastic family reunion...sisters, brothers, spouses, children, grandchildren and a smattering of first and second cousins. How sad, they would never know their family history. You know... the way, way back history.
The idea was easy to pitch to my sister Peg and Mary came along with as much enthusiasm for the project.
I'm no fool. They have the real writing talent and understand the written word. Me, I spend a lifetime with 'dangling participles'. Are they still around? I wonder.
My granddaughter, Allison, while taking her catechism class had to name someone in her life that was closest to God.(I know you're wondering where I'm going with this. Hang in there.) She chose me. Not for any Godlike qualities I assure you but for the fact that I love telling stories. Family stories. You see, it's my immortality I worry about. Without the oral history, without knowing where I came from, I would be lost.
See you next time!

Orphan's Gift Rocks

Have had word back that people who have now read Orphan's Gift enjoy learning things about history that they didn't know. We're so glad that we could put our Prather ancestors in real time and real place.

The Beginning . . .

Once the idea for the book was permanently fixed in my mind, I opened my word document page, placed my hand on the key board and didn't move a finger, a muscle, a nerve ending, but stared straight on to the computer screen. Yikes. (and a few other choice words went through my mind).

OK,OK. How does one start to write a book? For me, I decided, its music and nature and the music of nature. Chapter one, a journey across the ocean. I slipped my compact disc of Masters and Commanders(music of seafaring film classics), Eric Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra into my 'boom box'. Yes, I still have one. I don't like 'ear buds'. It's powerful stuff. As with all things I say and do, I cranked it up.