Strings: The Story of Hope

by Patricia Ann Ledford

Traumatic events linger – like strings tightly binding one’s soul. While many settlers are fighting the British for freedom, the O’Connor family is settled peacefully in northeast Tennessee’s new frontier. That is, until July 1776 when Dragging Canoe and his warriors attack their small settlement and militia forces retaliate by destroying a nearby Cherokee village. Simmering with rage, 17-year-old Maska escapes his burning village on foot, clenching his grandfather’s knife, ready to unleash revenge against the next white man he sees. Hope O’Connor, a naive ginger-haired 15-year-old, rides her horse Isaiah into the night, haunted by her parents’ screams and the lingering smell of smoke, unaware that Maska and greater dangers lie ahead. Now, Isaiah is all she has. Isaiah, and her own weapon -- a sling much like the one David used to slay Goliath. Hope’s journey spans four generations, interweaving with the lives of two young boys, Jared and Jake. While this intriguing tale is set during and after the Revolutionary and Cherokee-American Wars, the characters’ struggles are harbored within their own souls. Strings of hurtful events quickly destroy Hope’s innocence, wrapping her heart in deeply buried memories. She resists relationships of any kind. That is, until her search for her father leads her to an unexpected friendship. Hope’s compelling story will grab your heart with such concern, you’ll keep reading just to see if she survives -- and if the strings unravel enough to allow love.

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2019

About the author

Patricia Ann Ledford [PAL] grew up in Kingsport, a small town in eastern Tennessee. An early career in politics evolved into managing marketing campaigns for major clients and ultimately into working on film projects and producing television programming.
After 40 years of writing professionally for a diverse range of political, corporate and non-profit entities in Nashville and Chattanooga she finally achieved a life-time goal of writing stories of her own creation. "Strings - The Story of Hope" is her first novel.
Ledford divides her time between writing in her North Carolina hideaway and enjoying family and cultural activities in Chattanooga and Kingsport.
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On Writing "Strings – The Story of Hope".
Each morning after I settled into my North Carolina retreat, I sat in my rocking chair facing the Lord's extraordinary work of nature. I read the Bible, then I tried to be still. After all, that's one reason the Lord sent me here.
One morning as I looked across the mountain ranges, I heard the Lord's voice -- "Your grandfather was born right over there." In the next few days, I began my search for my grandfather's birthplace. And in my search, trekking one graveyard after another, I found my story: "Strings". It is loosely inspired by what I imagined during my ventures -- the story of a 15-year-old girl who escapes her burning home only to encounter traumatizing events that bind inescapable strings around her soul.

https://palinks.net/about-me

Reviews

[Cyn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel by Ledford is so engaging I felt as if I was living the story. It is evident that a great deal of time went into the research of this book, and the story will keep you turning the page. Of course, any book with a horse catches my attention, but this one was well-written. Fast-paced and vividly descriptive, the plot moves quickly through the historical time in which it is set. Highly recommend this author and the book.

[Karen Skelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner! I’m ready for a second........

[Cathy Hatfield]

Strings, the Story of Hope is a very well written historical fiction novel. Hope, is a young girl forced to flee her home in Northeast Tennessee when it was set on fire by the Cherokees in July, 1776. Her journey shows her courage as she struggles to survive on her own with only her horse, Isaiah, and a handmade sling for a weapon.

The author’s character descriptions bring all the characters to life, and this reader feels as if she knows all of them, even the evil ones. The story keeps the reader interested, and makes the book hard to put down.

The research allows the reader to learn about life in the late 1700’s and the struggles of the new settlers as they built homes, grew produce, and hunted animals for food. You learn about trading with the Cherokee’s etc., at trading posts, grain mills, blacksmith shops, etc.

The novel will cause the reader to feel emotionally involved in Hope’s story as she meets strangers, helps them, and lives her spiritual life through her reading of the Bible. The reader will experience joy, love, and tears and will not want the story to end. This novel will appeal to everyone. Five Stars!

[Ann Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe this is the authors first book❗️. This book is an excellent read. I didn’t want to put it down. The title “Strings” really does have meaning in the story flow. I live in the area of the books setting and learned a lot about our local history.

[Tom Yancey · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like books that move fast and take you to a place you may never have been, and give insights into the American frontier at the time of the Revolutionary War, not to mention the human condition, try Strings. I hope Pat Ledford writes more books.

[Cynthia B. Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Book!!!

Really enjoyed this book! Highly recommend it!!! Looking forward to her future books and to discussing this book tonight with my book club and Patricia!

[Jay Stedeford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner

Strings for me was exciting, gutsy, powerful, and a story of a young woman who over came a horrific past. A very gripping story!