Dobsons 411

Hanging on for the ultimate ride--God's great adventure.

www.melaniedobson.com
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The author of fourteen contemporary and historical novels, Melanie Dobson lives with her family in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Her latest novels are Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor and Chateau of Secrets. More info at www.melaniedobson.com

Monday, August 20, 2012

Discovering Mackinac: Now & Then



Mackinac Island. It’s a magical place that allows you to step back in time from the moment you first step off the ferry. Authors Cara Putman and Melanie Dobson have teamed up for a tour of the island, now and then. Comment at each stop for a chance to win a copy of one of their books set on Mackinac Island. You’ll find the list of stops here. Share the tour on twitter, Facebook, pinterest and other places, and you’ll gain extra entries for the grand prize of a copy of each of their books and a 5 slice box of Murdick’s Fudge, straight from Mackinac Island. Just be sure to email Cara at cara@caraputman.com, so she can record your entries.

The act of getting to Mackinac Island takes effort, lots of it. It's not an easy place to reach unless you're from Michigan or Canada. But it is worth the effort. 



Growing up in Ohio, I always wanted to visit Mackinac Island where there are no cars, where I could freely walk and bike and explore. Researching and then writing Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan was truly a dream come true for me. From the moment I stepped off the ferry and heard the clip-clopping of horses’ hooves along the island’s historic Main Street, I was transported back a good hundred years. Pronounced “Mackinaw” like Mackinaw City (but spelled differently so the post office could differentiate between the island and town), Mackinac Island is a place that time seemed to forget. The diverse history on this island goes back hundreds of years, when Native Americans considered the island the home of their Great Spirit and local tribes gathered there each summer to fish. In the 1700s, lucrative French and American fur companies made their homes and millions of dollars on Mackinac until the British took over during the War of 1812 and held the island for three years before returning it to the United States. Then, in 1819, the first steamship of tourists arrived. The tourists have never stopped coming.

I didn't grow up aware of Mackinac Island. I wasn't even sure what I was getting into the first time we drove the ten hours from Lafayette, Indiana to the tip of Michigan's mitten. I knew is it took a long time to reach this tiny dot on the map. It didn't take me long to learn the island had worked hard to preserve a feel of days long ago. It took even less time to fall in love with this retreat. We've stayed at the Grand, in B&Bs and in Mackinaw City. Each time, I couldn't wait to reach the island and explore its roads, shops, and Fort. It was only natural that it became the perfect place to set a contemporary romance.

A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island
 Join attorney Alanna Stone as she returns home despite her determination to never set foot on Mackinac Island again. Once again in close proximity to Jonathan Covington, her first love, she vows to protect her privacy and her heart from the man who still makes her pulse race. But when her worst fears are realized and history repeats itself—landing her in the midst of a murder investigation—Jonathan may be her only hope. Will they be able to lay aside the past and let God heal their hearts, or will reconciliation come too late?  Read the first chapter here.

Love Finds You on Mackinac Island:
As the Gilded Age comes to a close, Elena Bissette’s family has lost most of its fortune. The Bissettes still own a home on fashionable Mackinac Island, and they spend summers there in hopes of introducing Elena to a wealthy suitor. Quickly tiring of the extravagant balls at the Grand Hotel, she spends her days walking along the island’s rugged coastline. There she meets Chase, a handsome laborer who invites her to watch the ships from an abandoned lighthouse. The two begin to meet there in secret, hoping to solve a mystery buried in the pages of a tattered diary. As Elena falls in love with Chase, her mother relentlessly contrives to introduce her to Chester Darrington, the island's most eligible bachelor. Marriage to the elusive millionaire would solve the Bissettes' financial woes, and Elena is torn between duty and love. Read the first chapter here

11 Comments:

Anonymous Pam K. said...

This is a terrific pairing of books. I hope to be able to read both of them. Since I haven't been able to visit Mackinac Island, I'll have to be content to "visit" through reading the books. Thanks for having the giveaway.

pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

4:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How wonderful to pair to books that take place at one of Michigan's finest spots -- Mackinac Island. I have found memories of it from frowing up in the Detroit area, though I now live in the South. Just thinking about it brings back the memories of those fudge samples! YMMM!

5:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I loved visiting Mackinac island, and would love a chance to win these books!

Karen Schulz
aregeetee5162 at yahoo dot com

5:17 AM  
Blogger Judy said...

Mackinac Island is a place you don't want to miss if you get the chance to visit there. I hope to go back again some day!

Thanks for this tour and great giveaway!

Blessings!
Judy sweetpea.judy(at)yahoo(dot)com

5:21 AM  
Blogger Cara Putman said...

Melanie, thanks for pairing up with me on this. Too much fun to read what everyone likes about Mackinac.

6:05 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Adding these two to my "to read" list!

laurelprincess12 at gmail dot com

5:22 PM  
Blogger Lane Hill House said...

I would like to be put in the drawing for Love Finds You on Mackinac Island! Kathleen
lanehillhouse[at]centurylink[dot]net
(I have A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island. What a great idea to post together!)

6:16 PM  
Blogger Cherie Hamby Kasper said...

Love this idea, can't wait to see what's coming

11:43 AM  
Blogger Amy said...

Loved your book Melanie!! Thanks for the heads up on another book to read :)

1:46 PM  
Blogger apple blossom said...

thanks for the chance to win

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

8:51 PM  
Anonymous bn100 said...

What a nice setting for a book.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

6:15 PM  

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