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Her Warrior Spirit Rises
Palisades of the Heart follows a troubled young woman in 1776 who moves to Western Virginia and falls in love for the first time. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Returning Mary and her family to the Cooks Fort settlement merges the fictional story with the factual location where William’s and Mary’s love story began.
Mary has shown great growth from the earlier novels; what were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Thank You. I’ve shown Mary’s developing survival skills throughout the series, but now she is weary and vulnerable. Her lifelong goal of security hasn’t changed, but her love for William challenges her determination to remain safe. When the danger she fears comes for her and those she loves, her warrior spirit rises and solidifies her destiny.
What is your background and experience in writing, and how did it help you write the Dangerous Loyalties series?
A Junior High teacher identified my writing talent, but my outdoor adventures as a child developed my imagination. When I learned of the tribulations Mary and William endured during the American Revolutionary War, the spark to write a fictional account of Mary’s teen years ignited.
With this series ending, what is the next book project you are working on?
I’ve ended the young adult series as happy for now, and I’ve explored how young Mary developed the survival skills needed as an eighteen-year-old to keep herself and young son alive in the future. Now I’m writing her biography, The Story She Couldn’t Tell: The True Account of DAR Patriot Mary Shirley McGuire.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Loud Hawk’s warning gripped Mary Shirley by the throat and wrenched her heart.She vowed she’d never settle in Kentucky.
When fifteen-year-old Mary and her family arrive at Cooks Fort in the Greenbrier Valley of Western Virginia in August 1776, she is strong-willed and resilient but in need of peace from traumatic events. She hopes for a fresh start and courtship from William McGuire.
William is a rugged, no-nonsense scout for Cooks Fort, who dreams of raising fast horses on the fertile meadows of Kentucky with Mary by his side—when she’s ready to trust in his and God’s protection. Yet his love for Mary remains travel-through-blizzards boundless.
Another man seeks her affections, but only William’s love can conquer the palisade of fear protecting Mary’s heart.
When a vengeful shaman’s lie endangers all she holds dear, her warrior spirit rises into action. She will no longer live in fear.
Inspired by Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot Mary Shirley-McGuire.
Palisades of the Heart is a sweet emotionally riveting Young Adult Historical Romance is the fourth and final book of the thrilling award-winning Dangerous Loyalties Series.
If you enjoy an emotion-packed romantic story packed with heart-racing and gritty scenes of life or death, this Young Adult Historical Romance is for you.
Buy Palisades of Heart and enjoy your dangerous adventure … Let me know you survived.
Palisades of the Heart
Phyllis A. Still’s Palisades of the Heart: Dangerous Loyalties, Book Four, is a captivating young adult historical romance that picks up right where its predecessor, Warrior on the Western Waters, left off. Set in August 1776, the novel follows Mary Shirley as she and her family settle into their new home in Cooks Fort, Western Virginia, following their escape from the Shawnee village. Mary is now nearly 15 years old and must navigate the challenges of finding peace after her traumatic experiences while also exploring her first love with William McGuire, a scout for Cooks Fort.
Still masterfully crafts Mary’s story, introducing new characters while developing the ones readers have come to know and love. What stands out most is Mary’s character development. Readers witness her transformation from a young girl to a woman who grapples with the lingering effects of her past trauma. Still writes about Mary’s PTSD with care and delicacy, so much so that even readers unfamiliar with the previous books will understand what she’s been through.
The perfectly crafted dynamic between Mary and Will is another highlight of the book. Still captures the beauty of first love through these characters, detailing their shyness and constant thoughts of one another. Their story reminds us that love is a constant throughout history. A fun fact about the book is that Phyllis is an eighth-generation descendant of DAR Patriot Mary Shirley McGuire, who inspired the Dangerous Loyalties series. Still’s commitment to doing justice to her ancestors shines through in this successful and thoroughly enjoyable series.
Palisades Of The Heart is a fantastic read for historical fiction enthusiasts. This story of romance and the thrilling adventure that comes from living on the frontier is sure to capture the heart of readers. Whether you’ve read the previous books or not, the novel will keep you captivated from beginning to end.
Pages: 257 | ASIN : B0BVGN6XPC
LITERARY TITAN 