I’m super exciting to reveal this beautiful cover for my next novel, Under the Weeping Willow, in my inspirational historical fiction series, Sheltering Trees. This novel’s plot revolves around the relationship of a mother and daughter. Told in a spilt-timeline in 1918 and 1985, Under the Weeping Willow reveals the story of Robin and her daughter, Enid, their relationship threatened by a deep secret.
A bit of inside info about the cover:
I looked for quite a while to find the right images for the cover of this book, but could not find anything that worked. I deliberated between having mother and daughter on the cover but came to the conclusion an expectant mother might be best. So, I started searching for those images from around the 1920’s, but they were always dressed too fancy for the little farm gal that Robin is.
After praying about it, I got the inspiration to ask my brother-in-law, Craig if he’d be willing to do a photo shoot for me. He agreed, and I asked his daughter to be the model. She agreed as well. Next, I found the right clothes, but come photo shoot day, we weren’t settled on a location.
I told Craig about our neighbor’s farm with the pond and willow trees out front and how I had imaged the book to be set there. Being the confident man that he is, he went and talked with them (I had never met them), explaining our situation, and they agreed to let us do the shoot on their farm. It was such a wonderful answer to prayer. And how many authors can say they were able to create a book cover from the exact place they imagined the book to be set? Not many I bet!
Book Synopsis:
A historical novel about a mother and daughter and the secret shaping their rocky relationship
1918:
Just as Robin Holcomb settles into married life with her husband, Willis, on his aunt and uncle’s farm in Wisconsin, WWI calls Willis away. With an unknown future and a child on the way, Robin makes the best of life among people she barely knows.
After the birth of her child, Robin struggles with depression and battles to overcome her inner demons before despair and hopelessness drive her to attempt to take her own life. Will Robin survive her dive into postpartum depression, let alone see Willis again?
1985:
Enid Fenton clears out her Mother’s house and puts the family farm up for sale, trying to not be consumed by guilt for installing her mother into the county nursing home.
Reading through some of her mother’s diary entries, Enid uncovers a secret that helps her make sense of the unnamed point of division that has always soured their relationship.
Can Enid reconcile with her mother before the ravages of Alzheimer’s claim her?
Readers of historical fiction, Christian historical fiction, literary fiction, and women’s fiction will be moved as this novel takes them from the depths of a person’s psyche and grief to the pinnacle of long-hoped-for peace.
“A heart-rending, emotionally packed love story between a mother and daughter, Under the Weeping Willow is a journey of loss and brokenness coupled with forgiveness and healing. This time-split novel captured my heart and didn’t release it until the final page. Beautiful and haunting, Robin and Enid’s story swept me to another era. These characters lived, and I loved watching them find their way to each other. Keep the tissues handy. You don’t want to miss this story!” ~Candace West, Selah award finalist and author of the Valley Creek Redemption series
Thanks for reading:
As always, thanks for taking the time to read my post and connect with me. Next time, I’ll share about my Christmas novella and how you can read it for free.
Blessings, J