TUSCON, Ariz., June 14, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- In times of crisis such as war, people have no choice but to survive any way they can and adjust themselves to drastic changes. Such elements affected many people during the Civil War and their struggles will forever be told and repeated in society in more ways than one. A dramatic story of courage, honor and love in 19th century America is about to begin as Xlibris proudly releases Willa, the captivating new war epic written by Mary Katherine Arensberg.
Set in 1860s rural Ohio, this novel tells the enduring story of Willa Rolf, a spinster farm woman who is forced to face explosive changes wrought by the Civil War. Overwhelmed at first, she fights to retain her once peaceful way of life and along the way she gains new responsibilities: inheriting the family farm, dealing with military commanders at nearby Camp Chase and more. With each new experience, Willa inches farther outside her shell and discovers that life has more to offer than security. Politics, machinations of war, racist hatred, betrayals, social standards, untimely death, and a chance meeting with Abraham Lincoln, she weathers them all as the saga sweeps across Ohio to Washington D.C. and to Chicago then southward to Arkansas and follows Sherman's March to the Sea. Finally, the North has its turn.
Dramatic and richly-layered, Willa symbolizes the strength and liberation of 19th century American women, particularly in the North. Readers will realize that the protagonist is a woman of character and can be deemed as a worthy rival of literature's Scarlet O'Hara of the South. Its compelling story will win the attention of many readers, especially history enthusiasts and mature women. To purchase a copy of Mary Katherine Arensberg's Willa, feel free to visit your local bookstore or shop online at Xlibris.com today!
About the Author
Mary Katherine Arensberg grew up in rural Ohio; the youngest of eight in a large extended family, she has been an observer of life since childhood. She is married to artist George Arensberg and has four daughters, two sons and seven grandchildren. She attended The Ohio State University and began writing seven years ago. She lives with her family in Tucson, Arizona.
Willa by Mary Katherine Arensberg
Publication Date: January 4, 2007
Trade Paperback; $21.99; 264 pages; 978-1-4257-2696-6
Cloth Hardback; $31.99; 264 pages; 978-1-4257-2697-3
To request a complimentary paperback review copy, contact the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7836. Tear sheets may be sent by regular or electronic mail to Marketing Services. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x.7876.
Xlibris books can be purchased at Xlibris bookstore. For more information, contact Xlibris at (888) 795-4274 or on the web at www.Xlibris.com.