A Peek at the New Book on the Way

I seldom do this, but because so many of you have been asking for a peek at the new book soon to be released, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of the opening. So here's a brief excerpt from the Prologue of River of Mercy (to be released October 1):

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         ...November
was a lonely month. Rachel loved to listen to the river from inside her
home, but the nighttime sounds—the distant lapping of the water, the blast from
a ship's horn, the night creatures in communion with one
another—never failed to set off a stirring of remembrance and an ache in her heart. Yet she couldn’t resist sitting by the window night after night, watching and listening, trying not to
let her memories struggle to the surface of her thoughts, trying not to let new
hope ignite the ashes of her dreams...

            Trying
not to think of Jeremiah.

            But
how could she not think of him? How did a woman love a man, even if their love was forbidden, and not see his face in her
mind or hear his voice in her ear or remember the imprint of his smile upon her
thoughts?

            Common
sense told her it should be easy to put the man out of her head. They
couldn’t be alone with each other. They couldn’t even pass the time of day
unless they were in the company of others. If they happened to meet by
accident, they were expected to separate as quickly as possible.

            Yet
even with all the rules and restrictions that kept them apart, Jereemiah Gant
was still a part of her life. He flowed through her heart and traced the current of her days as surely and completely as the
Ohio flowed through the valley, winding its way through the land,
coursing through the days and lives of Rachel and the other Plain people.

            Lately,
there had been talk of leaving. Two years and more of unrest and harassment and
threats—even death—had begun to wear on the Riverhaven Amish. It was rumored
that talks were taking place among the church leaders,
discussions of whether to remain in this once-peaceful valley that had become home to the entire community or to
consider moving on.

There was no thought
of fighting back, of seeking out the unknown adversaries and taking a stand
against them. Even if the People could identify their
tormenters, they would not confront them. The Amish were a people of
nonresistance. They would not fight, not even to protect their own lives. It wasn’t their way. To strike out at another
individual under any circumstances was strictly against the Ordnung, the
unwritten code that guided how they were to live.

            The
only person Rachel had ever known to defy the rule against fighting, even in
self-defense, was Eli, her deceased husband. He’d gone against the Amish way when he defended Rachel against those who ambushed
them on another November night, now four years gone. He had fought with
desperation and all his strength, only to die at the hands of their attackers
while allowing Rachel to escape.

            She
knew it was a grievous sin to have such a thought, but many had been the time
she wished she could have died alongside Eli that terrible night rather than
live through the grief-hollowed, barren days that followed his death. She had been totally devoted to Eli. Their
marriage had been good, for they had been close friends as well as
husband and wife. Rachel had thought she could never love another man after
losing Eli.

            And
then Jeremiah Gant had come to Riverhaven, turning her life around, enabling
her to love again—only to have that love forbidden. Even though Jeremiah had made it known he would willingly
convert to the Amish faith, Bishop Graber had refused to grant permission,
once again leaving Rachel with a lost love and a broken heart.

            Perhaps
it would be better if they were to leave Riverhaven...leave the fear and the dread and the pain-filled memories behind.

            Leave Jeremiah...

            The
thought stabbed her heart. Could she really face never seeing him again? Never again hear him say her name in that soft and
special way he had of making it as tender as a touch? Never again see the smile
that was meant for her alone?

            In
truth, it wasn’t only Jeremiah she would miss if they were to leave this
fertile Ohio valley. She loved the land, the gentle hills, the singing river.
She had come here when she was still a child, come from another place that had never truly been home to her. Here in Riverhaven
though, she had felt welcome and accepted. At peace. At home.

            At
least for a time. It was almost as if she had become a part of the land itself.
Even the thought of leaving made her sad beyond telling.

            She
sighed, knowing she should stir and make ready for bed, even though she felt far
too restless for sleep. Would this be another of too many nights when her thoughts tormented her, circling like birds
of prey, evoking an uneasiness and anxiety that would give her no
peace?

            Finally
she stood, securing the window to ward off the cold, although she sensed that the chill snaking through her had
little to do with the night air. All too familiar with
this icy wind of loneliness, she knew there was no warmth that could ease its
punishing sting ....

(River of Mercy--BJ Hoff)

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