Heart of My Own Heart

Do you like to read on Kindle? My third novel Heart of My Own Heart is now available for free, on Kindle (through Friday Jan. 23rd). It's an epic novel of time travel and adventure. 

The main character, Sara, is born in England during the reign of Elizabeth I, and narrowly escapes the witch trials there, to build a new life in America. She travels through time to instruct her descendants on how to manage their powers in the New World, finally winding up in the South where she witnesses wars and civil unrest, and falls in love. 

I did a lot of research and it's my most ambitious novel, one that I'm proud of. 

I would love to see it made into a series on Netflix or Hulu and in my mind this is the perfect cast: Amy Adams as Sarah, Nicole Kidman as the Goddess, and Sting as Azor, the angel/warrior. 

 #timetravelnovels, #novelsaboutwitches, #novelsfeaturingjohndee 

Below is an excerpt. 

I was uninvited and unbidden, and yet I felt at home immediately. Eleanor walked over to greet me and I knew immediately that she felt a sense of relief and sisterhood, which startled her. She had never met me, and yet I seemed so familiar. She had no idea I was her ancestor, of course.

“Good afternoon,” I said with a smile. “I am Sarah Walker, the new governess.”

I immediately picked up on two things. Eleanor desperately wished her last living child would be educated, but they had barely enough food to feed themselves.

“Did my husband write to you, to employ you?” Eleanor asked, puzzled. She didn’t know where her husband was, but thought he was in Virginia somewhere. She had not heard from him in months.

“No, but you need me,” I answered quietly.

“Well, yes, but -- I’m sorry, but I cannot pay you,” Eleanor said, staring past me, embarrassed.

“I can tutor your daughter, teach her reading, writing, sums, everything she needs to know, to earn my keep, and help you with the work,” I explained patiently. “My husband was killed in the war and my only son. I have nobody and nothing.”

Eleanor looked embarrassed, but helpless. Time to try another tack.

“I can also show you how to make your farm yield better.”

There was an uncomfortable pause.

“Let me think about it a moment,” Eleanor replied. “Please come rest a spell on the porch and I will find something to drink.” She turned to go back to the kitchen but at that moment, Mary came bounding downstairs, out the front door, and down the porch steps and took one look at me, regarding me frankly with startling blue eyes.

“Hello,” she said shyly.

I regarded my young charge, who had flaming red hair, and knew this one was the promised child, the child with magic in her.

“Would you like to learn to read?” I asked gently.

“Oh YES! Can you teach me?!” Mary said excitedly.

“Of course,” I replied with a smile, pulling a child’s illustrated book from my bag. I had conjured it from the remains of the tattered old newspaper. It was beautifully illustrated.

Mary had never seen such a beautiful book, and she squealed with pure joy. “Mama mama look! A beautiful book just for me!”

Eleanor stayed in the other room. “What do you say?”

“Thank you!” Mary enthused.

She had been born just before the war and knew only hardship, I realized instantly. My heart warmed to the tiny girl. I could see the spirit in her that would help her to thrive.

Thank you, I thought quietly, hoping the heavens could somehow hear her. The war here was almost over, and the rebuilding time would be challenging but I felt like I could manage that.

Little did I know how complicated life was going to get.