Bestselling Author Donna Fletcher Crow Announces Release Of New Historical Fiction Novel, New NFPW Award And Upcoming Jane Austen Society Presentation

    WILMINGTON, NC, July 16, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Bestselling, award-winning author Donna Fletcher Crow has announced the release of a new historical fiction novel, 'The Famishment of the People, of Hunger and Fulfillment', Epoch 9 in the Celtic Cross series Part 2, Ireland: The Pursuit of Peace.

1996 Deep into a summer spent working for peace in strife-torn Belfast, American Mary Hamilton is ready to wash her hands of the whole thing. Until a devastating event changes her plans irrevocably.

1845 Andrew Armstrong is determined to break free of the strictures of life on his family plantation in Northern Ireland. Then the potato famine brings disaster to all that he loves.

Can these young people, more than a century apart, find the courage to overcome the calamities of their time?

The Celtic Cross will be a 10-volume series of novels covering the history of Scotland and Ireland. The leading historic figures of the day interact with fictional characters to bring the stirring events alive. Each epoch is tied to the series with the on-going events in the lives of modern young people as old wars and current conflicts keep them striving to find answers that provide hope for the future.

Epoch 4 in this series 'The Vanquishers of Tyranny, Of Priests and Patriots', was recently awarded third place in Fiction for Adult Readers at the National Federation of Press Women National Communications Conference held in Fargo, North Dakota.

This novel tells the story two great patriots who fought for Scotland's freedom: William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, bringing to a conclusion the first 4 epochs of the Celtic Cross series which comprise Part 1, Scotland: The Struggle for a Nation.

The NFPW National Communications Contest is a nation-wide, two-tiered contest open to all writers. First-place winners from state-level contests are then moved to the national level of judging.

In preparation for the Jane Austen Society of North America's annual meeting this September in Victoria BC, Crow is busy preparing her talk "In London with Jane Austen and the Dashwoods" which she will present in the persona of Jane Austen. "Austen" will explain the meaning of the London locations she uses in her novel 'Sense and Sensibility' and show how understanding these sites gives the reader a deeper insight into her characters.

Donna Fletcher Crow is no stranger to portraying her literary role model. Crow has two videos on YouTube "Jane Austen from Paradise to Lyme Regis" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W0WI_-qFwE and "Jane Austen from Paradise to Portsmouth" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDamVe-w60E. In each of these copiously illustrated talks, "Jane Austen" takes viewers to the sites she knew well in her lifetime and explains how she used them in her novels Mansfield Park and Persuasion.

Crow says, "In all my work I strive to present civility, beauty, and peace—the qualities our world needs most. I find these in abundance in the life and works of Jane Austen, which is why I am so excited to be part of The Jane Austen Society of North America and to be speaking at this year's annual general meeting in Victoria.

"I also strive to promote the qualities of courtesy, harmony and accord in all my work—even when telling stories that encompass brutal battles. This goal even applies to my current new release, the often-agonizing story of the Irish Potato famine. After all, when are we most in need of finding love, joy, and beauty than when in the middle of disasters? And when has there ever been a time in our world when there was no conflict or strife?"

Crow said she believes that, "The powers of darkness are always at work—but the Power of Light and Goodness is stronger. The Light shall overcome darkness. It is vital that we hold to that belief and work for it with kindness and civility.

"That is why I love to point people to Jane Austen, and what I hope readers will find in the works of Donna Fletcher Crow."

Donna Fletcher Crow is a frequent online guest for book club discussions and is available to speak to groups on Austen related subjects.

Donna Fletcher Crow is the author of 50 books, mostly novels of British history. She has taken a number of high-level industry awards for her work. Many of her books have been bestsellers in their categories, including 'A Most Inconvenient Death', which achieved #1 bestseller status in Christian Suspense. 'The Fields of Bannockburn', the epic from which The Celtic Cross Series, Part I: Scotland, The Struggle for a Nation is based, was listed as Fiction Bestseller by Christian Book Distributors and 'The Banks of the Boyne', the epic from which The Celtic Cross Series, Part II: Ireland, The Pursuit of Peace is based, hit #3 Best-Selling Fiction.

'Glastonbury' is her best-known book, which received the prestigious First Place, Historical Novel, award from the National Federation of Press Women. Readers and reviewers have raved about 'Glastonbury', calling it "The best of its kind," "richly fascinating," "beautifully researched," "gloriously evocative," and "panoramic." One Amazon reader said, "WHAT a work! Every reader can be enveloped in the sheer scope and quality, every historian be constantly nodding at the precise detail and accuracy, and every Christian can rejoice in the fullness of scripture. For me it is simply beyond descriptive praise. I would urge all who value truth to treat themselves to a feast."

The Celtic Cross is a 2-part series which begins with Scotland: The Struggle for a Nation. In 4 individual epochs it tells the stories of—'The Keeper of the Stone,' St. Columba; 'The Forger of a Nation,' Kenneth MacAlpin; 'The Refiner of the Realm,' Queen Margaret; 'The Vanquishers of Tyranny,' William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. The 10-book series will complete in the summer of 2022.

The Elizabeth & Richard Mysteries is a literary suspense series using literary figures as background: Rudyard Kipling in 'The Flame Ignites', Dorothy L Sayers in 'The Shadow of Reality', Shakespeare in 'A Midsummer Eve's Nightmare', and Jane Austen in both 'A Jane Austen Encounter' and 'A Most Singular Venture'. Watch for 'A Prodigious Sum of Corpses: Seeking Sanditon at Jane Austen's Seashore', which will take readers to all of Austen's favorite seashore resorts. Accounts of Crow's visits to these sites are available on her blog under the heading "Jane Austen Seashore Tour."

The Monastery Murders Series features atmospheric contemporary crimes with their roots buried deep in the middle ages. Books in the series include 'A Very Private Grave', 'A Darkly Hidden Truth', 'An Unholy Communion', 'A Newly Crimsoned Reliquary', 'An All-Consuming Fire' and the newly-released 'Against All Fierce Hostility.'

The Daughters of Courage, 'Kathryn', 'Elizabeth' and 'Stephanie' is a pioneer family saga based on the stories of Crow's own family and other Idaho pioneers in the Kuna, Nampa and Boise area. A short story on her blog entitled "A Nostalgic Fourth of July" is based on a scene from 'Kathryn: Days of Loss and Hope'.

Where There is Love is a 6-book series of the enduring legacy of love and faith all based on historic people and events. The titles are: 'Where Love Begins', 'Where Love Illumines', 'Where Love Triumphs', 'Where Love Restores', 'Where Love Shines', and 'Where Love Calls'.

The Lord Danvers Victorian true-crime series is an Amazon bestseller in the British Detectives category. Books in the series include 'A Lethal Spectre', 'A Most Inconvenient Death', 'Grave Matters', 'To Dust You Shall Return' and 'A Tincture of Murder'. Donna provides a no-charge download of 'A Tincture of Murder' for those who sign up for her newsletter. More information is available at her website.

Donna Fletcher Crow's awards include:

Where Love Begins, Best Historical Romance, Pinnacle Awards 2019
A Lethal Spectre, Best Mystery, Pinnacle Awards, 2019
Glastonbury, First Place, Historical Fiction, National Federation of Press Women Award of Merit
The Banks of the Boyne, Silver Angel; First Place Historical Fiction, National Federation Press Women
The Fields of Bannockburn, First Place Historical Fiction, National Federation Press Women
Professional Achievement Award, Northwest Nazarene College
Juvenile Books Award of Merit, Idaho Press Women
Top Idaho Author
Pacesetter Award, Mt. Hermon Writers Conference
Outstanding Historical Fiction, Idaho Press Women, National Federation of Press Women,
Idaho Writer of the Year
Best Inspirational Novel, Finalist Romance Writers of America
Writer of the Year, Mt. Hermon Writers Conference

Donna is available for media interviews and can be reached by email at [email protected]. All of her books are available at online book retailers. More information, including a no-charge download of 'A Tincture of Murder', is available at her website at https://www.donnafletchercrow.com.

About Donna Fletcher Crow:

Donna and her husband live in Boise, Idaho. They have 4 adult children and 15 grandchildren living on 3 continents. Donna is a former English literature teacher and lifelong Anglophile. Idahoans with long memories will remember her as a former Queen of the Snake River Stampede, Miss Rodeo Idaho and runner-up for Miss Rodeo America. She is an enthusiastic gardener.

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