Soldier's Heart
After returning home from the Civil War, will his soldier’s heart come between them?Noah Andrews, a soldier with the Ohio Seventh Regiment can’t wait to get home now that his three year enlistment is coming to an end. He plans to start a new life with his young wife. Molly was only sixteen when she married her hero husband. She prayed every day for him to return home safe and take over the burden of running a farm.
But they can’t keep the war from following Noah home. Can they build a life together when his soldier’s heart comes between them?
Soldier’s Heart is available in e-book from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Reader, and Barnes & Noble Nook. It will also be available in paperback in a couple of months.
Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction because there are so many stories in history. Tamera has recently celebrated her thirty-fourth anniversary with her loving husband. She has two grown and married children and two grandchildren.
Tamera has been a children’s pastor for over 20 years. She is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire For Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist. She is also a writer and has curriculum published including Kid Konnection 5: Kids Entering the Presence of God published by Pathway Press. She is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.
You can contact Tamera online at her website: www.tameralynnkraft.net
Word Sharpeners Blog: http://tameralynnkraft.com and on Facebook: and Twitter.
Tamera Lynn Kraft has crafted a well-researched tale about the residuals of war and the lessons of patience for husbands and wives. Well done! ~ Mary Ellis, author of A Heart Divided.
~*~In Soldier’s Heart, Tamera Lynn Kraft weaves an uplifting story of the healing power of love and restoration. The historical details add notable authenticity. You won’t want this story to end. ~ Ann Shorey, author of the Sisters at Heart series
Karen Wingate did a great interview with Tamera...
KW: Tell us a little bit about the two main characters in Soldier's Heart.
TLK: Sergeant Noah Andrews is a soldier from the Ohio Seventh Regiment, one of the most heroic regiments from the Union Army. Because he signed up for a three year enlistment when the war began, he came home before the war ended. During the last battle, he suffered the loss of his entire squad. Now that’s he’s home in his small town of Ravenna, Ohio, he’s suffering from PTSD, called Soldier’s Heart back then. He loves his wife and is glad to be home, but he’s having a hard time putting the war behind him.
Molly Andrews has always been in love with Noah. That’s why she married him as soon as she turned sixteen years old. It didn’t matter that he would be going to war the next day. She knew their love would be enough. She struggled during the years he was away, worrying about him and keeping the farm going. But she knew that as soon as he got home, everything would be better. She wasn’t prepared to handle his bout with soldier’s heart.
KW: What is the setting and time frame for your book?
TLK: The setting is Ravenna, a small town in Northeast Ohio that still exists today. I grew up in Ravenna and had fun researching the history. Many of the downtown buildings of that time period are still standing today. The time frame is July, 1864 when the Ohio 7th comes home. The war is still going on, but Sherman’s march to the sea is in progress and it’s only a matter of time before the South surrenders.
KW: What gave the idea to write this particular book?
TLK: I wrote another novel about the Ohio Seventh and was fascinated by that regiment. When the publisher wanted me to write a novel set in 1864, I thought about what is was like for the men from that regiment, who had fought many major battles and suffered its greatest losses in the last battle, to come home before the war was over. I started researching PTSD from that time period, and it all came together. When deciding what town to set the story in, I thought it might be fun to research the town I grew up in since some of the men from the Seventh came from there.
KW: Soldier's Heart is about a young man returning from the Civil War. It reminded me somewhat of the 1946 movie, "The Best Years of Our Lives." What can families and friends do to help soldiers return to everyday life after returning from a war front?
TLK: “The Best Years of Our Lives” is one of my favorite classic movies. I’ll never forget that haunting scene when the man who lost his arms has his girlfriend help him get ready for bed. I think one of the best things family and friends can do to help soldiers return to everyday life is to be patient. Let them reenter at their own pace. Don’t expect them to get over it right away. They need time and prayers.
KW: What can a church do to show grace and mercy to a returning soldier and his family?
TLK: That’s a good question. In Soldier’s Heart, Noah’s pastor helps him get through PTSD by counseling him about his thought life. I think spiritual counseling is something that is needed with a returning soldiers and their families. Of course, prayer and showing the love of Christ is also very important. I think one thing that is needed that is lacking is patience. Sometimes God miraculously heals, but most of the time, it takes a while.
Be sure to stop by Karen Wingate's blog, Grace on Parade, to see how God's grace is portrayed in Soldier's Heart.
Personally, I like reading light, fluffy books--romances that are tied all nice and pretty at the end with a bow. I'm an escapist at heart. Although Soldier's Heart is not my usual fare, it's very good and worth reading, with just enough romance to keep me happy. My heart ached for Noah and Molly and I came to understand a little more about PTSD and those who live with it. Kraft pulled me into the story with her characters and kept me reading. It's a novella I recommend.
Don't forget to pick up a copy from Amazon Kindle!
HI, Patty. Thanks for letting me and my new book hang out on your site.
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