TOOTS is the unforgettable tale of one woman’s path to self-discovery. From the time she traveled from the shores of her home in Ireland and crossed the sea to America at the age of ten, Annie Smith worked to support herself. And just when she thinks her life is settled, and it’s as good as it gets, she unexpectedly meets a handsome homesteader who sweeps her off to the plains of Nebraska for a life she never could have imagined. Brimming with silent strength, Annie learns to push through every obstacle life throws her way, drawing courage from the family that keeps her going, including her husband Michael, her sister Nellie, and her supportive brother-in-law Frank. A celebration of trailblazing Irish-Americans and the resilience of the human spirit, TOOTS inspires us all to face challenges head-on and fight for the lives we want to live.
Some may remember my postings from September of 2022 when I started my search into my great-aunt Toots' history, which took me cross country to Nebraska. The cover photo is actually the site of their homestead outside of Albion, Nebraska. It has been an amazing journey for me to track her journey. Her story is, of course, part fiction, but the framework is hers. I hope readers enjoy and learn a bit about this part of our history---homesteading, farming in the Dust Bowl era, wartime, and the endurance of our ancestors.
This month, I'll be adding a new section to the website:
Discussion Questions for Book Clubs
This will begin with TOOTS and to which I'll be adding for each of my seven other books. I will also be including a recipe that will be related to either the people or the setting of the particular book. I hope you will enjoy and find the additions of interest.
Loved the book! I am of Irish decent, and I often wondered how hard it must have been for my relatives and other immigrants coming to a new country. The idea of sending a ten or twelve year old, on a boat, by themselves, to a new country, seems unfathomable! That could ever happen these days. I wish I could have seen a picture of Toots, she must have been a very remarkable person to endure a life like that. The research into the lives back then was great, it transported me back in time, as if I was there too. Thank you!