The Oregon Trail was a route from Missouri to Oregon spanning about 2000 miles, and deemed too difficult for women and children until 1836 when the first white woman, 28-year-old Narcissa Whitman, crossed the Rockies with her newly-wedded husband (proving that women are tougher than believed!). Still, it wasn’t until over half of a decade later that the “Great Migration” really began, setting thousands out on this journey to the west. By the early 1850s upwards of 50,000 people traveled this trail every year!
While the journey was not easy and not everyone arrived at their destination, statistics show only around 400 settlers were killed by natives between 1840 and 1860. Cholera and other diseases presented much greater risks (they estimate 20,000 died in all).
But what if someone became lost from their group? That is the question that pestered me as I drove through the Rockies several years ago. A woman, maybe a pregnant woman, lost from the trail and her wagon train late in the season. That was the birth of Heart of a Warrior, my new release.
The Man She Fears Is Her Only Chance For Survival . . .
All Christina Astle wants is to reach Oregon before her baby is born, but the wagon train is attacked, and her husband killed, stranding her in a mountain labyrinth. Raised in the East, within civilization’s embrace, survival is not a skill she’s learned. Neither is evading the lone warrior dogging her trail.
Disgusted by the greed and cruelty of men like his white father, Towan has turned to the simpler existence of his mother’s tribal people. He is not prepared for the fiery woman who threatens to upturn his entire life … and his heart.
For More Info or To Purchase, check out the following links:
Pelican Books Amazon Barnes & Noble
So how about you? Have you ever found yourself lost? How did you react? Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card.
To keep from freezing in the Great White North, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and warm) by chasing after four—soon to be five!—munchkins. http://www.angelakcouch@hotmil.com
I wasn’t lost, but I couldn’t figure out how to reach the hotel for a conference after getting off the exit. Before GPS, and I was on the Capital Beltway outside of D.C. in rush hour. The one thing I did see was the Pentagon. So I asked the MP for help. I made it to the conference.
Glad you made it! Rush hour traffic alone is frustrating enough!
Got turned around in the labyrinth of a huge outdoor market in Mexico that covered blocks and blocks. And the bus with my group was leaving soon!
That would be a little frightening!
“Heart of a Warrior” looks so very interesting!
Thank you! It was a fun story to write. 🙂
Welcome. Oh your book sounds amazing.
I was lost once at The Ft. Worth Stockshow and Rodeo. I was only about 6 or 7 and I still remember the fear that went through me. I started panicking and I ran and stood by the woman bathroom, thank goodness because that was were I was found. My parents were still close by, but when you are little and 1000’s of people around all you see is jeans And belt buckles. To short to see faces.
Been there! Crazy how those memories stay with us!
Angela, hello to a fellow Pelican author. I also do Oregon Trail stories and I’m constantly fascinated by what these brave people undertook. There’s a story for everyone who stepped off from St. Joseph or Independence. Best wishes for your success with your new book.
Kathy Bailey
Thanks! <3
Never lost but at time off by a few blocks. Ask someone and they always point you in the right direction.
I’m all for asking directions, and saving time!
The only time I have ever been lost, I was 4 at a huge chuuch convention. And I didn’t obey my big sister, so she left me. I was found by lost and found, they called my parents over the loud speaker, and my dad came and got me. I got spanked, and told next time listen to big sister.
I am lucky that I have a great sense of direction, and almost never get lost while driving. Plus I am not afraid of asking for help. This was all before GPS was around, now my phone tells me how to get places.
Ouch, but yay for GPS!
When my sister moved down in the boonies on the lake I got lost trying to find her house.There was no road signs and it was way down in the country with little narrow roads. I don’t have much of a sense of direction any more so it happened a couple of times before I could find her house. Now I wonder why I had so much trouble the first time
Country roads can be frustrating that way. Been there plenty of times!
I have gotten lost many times. I get panic attacks when I am not in control of something.
This book is right up my alley! It would be frightening to be truly lost. I haven’t experienced that kind of fear. Thank you for blogging today. I loved it!
Thank you! Hope you get a chance to read Heart of a Warrior.
I get lost very easily. Thank goodness for my sweet husband and Google Maps!
I was lost once but kept walking until I was found. I watched my parents car get off the ferry without me.
Heart of a Warrior sounds like a good read. I have never been lost.
congratulations on soon to be number five. so exciting. prayers for a blessed event. I have been lost many times. when i first started to drive i would get turned around so easily. I finally said “to heck with it” and went exploring. i eventually would find my way. But oh the many wonderful sites I saw on the way. truly a scrap book of memories for me there. I love reading how women survived and thrived on the trails and in that time period. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
I have not been lost thankfully!
Good! 🙂
I did get lost but figured out where I was before I was really worried.
Welcome to P&P, Angela. I keep a fear of getting lost. For me, that’s the worst feeling in the whole world. I’ve been lost many times and separated from my group and it lead to lots of anxious moments. I cannot imagine being stranded by a wagon train and left entirely on my own in a part of the country I didn’t know. So scary. But what a great premise for a book! Wow. Wishing you tons of success with yours. Enjoy your stay.
Several times I had to turn around but didn’t consider myself really lost.
Being lost gives you a terrible feeling.. fear, dread.. not fun at all! As a child, I thought I was lost at the state fair when in reality, my mother and daddy were not far behind. Needless to say, tears feel.
Fortunately I’ve only been lost in “modern” times so I was able to slowly backtrack. And now, very spoiled when I can just tell my GPS to GO HOME and proceed until I recognize where I am. Great story. Thanks for the giveaway.
Once driving I realized I made a wrong turn and backtracked… finding the right way after a while… was definitely nervous being by myself.
I have missed a turn a time or two but never really been lost. Just not in the right place. Oh, and Google map is what got me in the wrong place. Always found the right place and as someone else said saw some interesting sights I would have missed if I had taken the right turn the first time.
Not lost but one time I could not find my way out of a haunted house!
If I can find what the location of the sun is in the sky, I can follow directions and find addresses and such.
I can’t recall a time when I was lost. I am very good at knowing North, West, East, and South directions and can follow a map easily
Hi, not only was I lost, but it was a full bus load of HS Band kiddos. Our son was in band and so I was one of the parent chaperones, It was about 3 buses, we had traveled about 5 hours to a football game so on our way back home our bus driver took the wrong turn and we ended up in some I believe it was like a rocky place like where they get stuff to make chalky things, and to top it off it was on a Friday 13th which I have nothing against a Friday 13th but some kiddos were kind of spooked because of it. Well we rode around for awhile until the bus driver got a hold of another bus driver and the other bus driver gave him directions of where to go. I must say it was an experience . We got home a couple of hours later then we should have , but all safe and sound.
Yes, I was lost as a child. I got separated from my mom and sibling and it upset me greatly. Also, a friend and i got lost in VAncouver Canada…that was interesting….lol