Orphan Journeys

Marie and Mary | Journey to Love

Published on February 11, 2016 by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

Get to know some characters in “Journey to Love!” Today, meet Marie and Mary.

Marie Dixon

The main character of “Journey to Love,” Marie is recently orphaned and whisked away from the only life that she has ever known. She has created a shell around her heart and refuses to make Creston her new home. Will this shell ever be broken?

Mary Thornton
When Marie first saw Mary, she was strangely drawn to her, and thought of her as a friend…but her dreams for this friend soon come crashing down when there is a barrier Marie does not want to cross.

Come back on Tuesday to meet Mr. and Mrs. Bowles–the couple who took Marie in.

Coming Soon: "Journey to Love"

Published on February 9, 2016 by Amanda Tero7 Comments

Yes, if you’ve been following my blog for the last year, you’ve seen me mention “Journey to Love” before (here and here). Well, the exciting time is coming when “Journey to Love” will be available to the public!

It has indeed been a journey! And, as I like “behind-the-scenes,” I’m going to give you some!

~The original idea came in September 2014. I first thought that Marie would be sent to her mother’s French friend in Louisiana. However, in Spring 2015, the Lord gave me the idea of creating an orphan train novella series. With a little adaptation, Marie’s story fit in perfectly.

~The original titles for “Journey to Love” were Echoes of Mercy, Quest for Truth, and Journey to Love (as you can see, “Journey to Love” stuck)

~There was one quote in my original idea that just didn’t fit into the new story. I kinda wish I could have put it somewhere, but hey–I can just share it here!

For a moment, Marie just wanted to throw her arms around Madame – just like she had always wanted to do so to Mama. But she held back. No; she would say nothing. It was an inward battle she had to fight; she could handle it on her own.

~I started writing this version of “Journey to Love” on March 17, 2015. It will be almost exactly a year later that it is released. I sure thought that a novella wouldn’t take a year…but so it has! Continue reading to get a glimpse why.

~”Journey to Love” was written while I was helping my family building our house. Yep, I got many ideas while cutting wood or painting. 😉

~I thought that I had finished “Journey to Love” in July 2015. At that time, I emailed a couple of friends, saying, “I’m thinking that this really ought to be ‘Journey to Truth’ or ‘Journey to Freedom!'” The next day, I visited my sister’s church. Their Sunday school hour was on 1 John. During that lesson, I felt God impress in my heart, “No, Amanda, this novella WILL be ‘Journey to Love.'” I went home and rewrote the ending.

~Again, I had thought that “Journey to Love” was finished by November 2015, but no. After one beta-reader’s feedback and a phone conversation with a friend, I prayed about expanding the story. It went from 15 chapters (and 17,912 words) to 20 chapters (and 25,000+ words). I am so, so, so thankful for the friends who were kind in suggesting some pretty in-depth changes. “Journey to Love” would not be what it is today without their suggestions!

~The cover also went through a pretty drastic change…but, you’re going to have to wait to see the full cover, as I’ve not yet taken pictures of my “Marie.” But, here’s a sneak-peak of what I’m pretty sure won’t be changing:

Stay tuned…because in the next few weeks I’m going to be giving you a lot of glimpses into this novella!

Are any of you working on a big project?

Has God allowed a certain project to take longer than you anticipated? What lessons did you learn from it?

Published on December 19, 2015 by Amanda Tero3 Comments

Imagine yourself as an orphan, struggling for survival in dirty New York streets, where disease and crime run rampant. Journey from these wretched streets to a temporary lodging in an overcrowded orphanage and then to the train station. After riding the train for hours, picture yourself lining up with other children, waiting as adults look you over. Would they choose you–or would you have to hold onto the hope that maybe, at the next station, someone would want to bring you home?

Charles Loring Brace had a vision for New York orphans that brought them through the journey from streets to homes. He began his orphan work in 1853, then in 1854, because of lack of orphanage space, Brace sent the first orphan train to Dowagiac, Michigan, where the children could be sheltered by local families. The orphan train continued until 1929, bringing at least 150,000 children to new homes.

From the 1850s up through the 1920s, abandoned or homeless children in New York City were uprooted and put on trains that took them to rural communities. Here several children are lined up with the hopes that someone will take them to a new home.

Pictures via my Pinterest Board

Brace desired to place children in good, Protestant homes but this did not always happen. Siblings were often separated and some couples would take orphans for cheap labor. Though many orphan train riders ended up as successful men and women, not all of them turned out to be trustworthy citizens.

Such is the preface of Orphan Journeys, a fictional novella series based off of the American Orphan Train saga, following orphans not only as they adjust to a new life, but also as they travel a spiritual journey. The first installment of this series, Journey to Love (which you may remember a little from here and here), is on its last leg of the journey and should be open to the public in winter 2016. I would greatly appreciate your prayers as I submerge into editing. I have some pretty amazing beta readers who are not only encouraging, but also aren’t afraid to be bold in their critique. Keep your eye out–I might give you more of a peek into Marie’s life in the next few weeks.

Have you heard of the orphan train before?

What projects are you working on this winter?