After the tragic death of her husband and son on a remote island in
Washington’s San Juan Islands, Eliza Waite joins the throng of miners,
fortune hunters, business owners, con men, and prostitutes traveling north to
the Klondike in the spring of 1898. When Eliza arrives in Skagway, Alaska, she
has less than fifty dollars to her name and not a friend in the
world—but with some savvy, and with the help of some unsavory
characters, Eliza opens a successful bakery on Skagway’s main street and
befriends a madam at a neighboring bordello. Occupying this space—a
place somewhere between traditional and nontraditional feminine
roles—Eliza awakens emotionally and sexually. But when an unprincipled
man from her past turns up in Skagway, Eliza is fearful that she will be
unable to conceal her identity and move forward with her new life. Using Gold
Rush history, diary entries, and authentic pioneer recipes, Eliza Waite
transports readers to the sights sounds, smells, and tastes of a raucous and
fleeting era of American history.
Excerpt
September 1, 1896
Cloudy, first fall chill. Deer in garden again. Need to
mend fences.
“Good fences make good neighbors,”
her aunt used to say.
Eliza examines her muddied property and stifles a
snort. There are no neighbors, no cheery hellos or help at harvest time, no
shared secrets or meals offered at the door when grief steals joy clean away.
No, her neighbors are all gone from this windswept island plagued with
relentless autumn rains that close in on the coming darkness.
Eliza
removes her nightclothes and rushes into her undergarments, woolen skirt,
muslin blouse, and thick socks. She gathers up her skirt, and pushes out
through the cabin’s rickety door, inhaling wood smoke and counting her
memories, both blessings and curses.
I do not know if I can endure
another winter here, especially after what happened last year.
Before the
epidemic there had been a store, and a post office, and a cannery, and a
school. And—of course—a church. On those long ago Sundays, Eliza
had squirmed each time Jacob mounted the stairs to the simple wooden pulpit at
First Methodist on tiny Cypress Island, his pompousness preceding him. Eliza
sat stiffly in the front pew with Jonathan close beside her. Jonathan’s
delicate hands held hers and his small brown leather boots dangled over the
front lip of the wooden bench. If she tries hard enough, Eliza can still hear
Jonathan’s warbling voice stumbling over the words of the ancient
hymns.
After Sunday services, Eliza and Ida
Lawson had poured weak coffee into china cups at opposite ends of the
cloth-covered table in the basement of the church. They adjusted the china
cups, filling in spaces when others were served. They checked the sugar bowls.
They rearranged the teaspoons, and placed them symmetrically. They exchanged
glances and shared private conversations in between parishioners.
Did you
hear the foreman killed a Chinaman over at Atlas Cannery?
Another
parishioner would interrupt. Pleasantries. Then another interruption. More
pleasantries.
Did you see Sly Chapman walking Adelaide Winters home from
school on Wednesday?
There was always scuttlebutt about the townsfolk, or
the trappers, or the fishermen, or the loggers. And always about the Chinamen.
In the kitchen, Eliza and Ida would mimic the Chinamen, taking small steps and
bowing to each other. They stifled their laughter. Only once had they had an
awkward and guarded conversation about the intimacies of marriage.
IDA’S
COFFEE CAKE
This is one of the best of plain cakes, and is very easily
made.
Take one teacup of strong coffee infusion, one teacup molasses, one
teacup sugar, one-half teacup butter, one egg, and one teaspoonful saleratus.
Add pinch of salt.
Add spice and raisins to suit the taste, and enough
flour to make a reasonably thick batter.
Bake rather slowly in tin pans
lined with buttered paper. Tops with cinnamon sugar and serve warm.
But
those days are long past. Now all Eliza has is a heap of gravestones to
visit.
About the Author
Multi award-winning author Ashley E. Sweeney’s fourth novel, The Irish
Girl, released December 2024. Her previous novels, Eliza Waite, Answer Creek,
and Hardland, have won a total of 20 awards, including the Nancy Pearl Book
Award, Independent Press Award, WILLA Literary Award, and New Mexico-Arizona
Book Award. Sweeney, a native New Yorker and graduate of Wheaton College in
Norton, Massachusetts, spends winters in Tucson and summers in the Pacific
Northwest.
Children’s Fantasy Adventure, Educational Fiction / Learning
Adventure,
Date Published: February 27, 2026
In this imaginative and heartwarming picture book, Tilly and the Wisdom
Trials introduces young readers to a world hidden beneath the prairie - a
place where learning is a magical adventure and knowledge is the key to
unlocking ancient secrets.
Tilly, a clever and kind-hearted young badger, discovers a mossy wooden gate
hidden among vines and roots, setting her on an unexpected path: the legendary
Wisdom Trials. With her loyal companions, the Brainy Bunch, she journeys
through a series of challenges that test more than just book smarts. From
riddle gates and logic tunnels to kindness puzzles and courage quests, each
trial demands wit, empathy, and commitment.
Written in lyrical rhyme and brimming with wonder, Tilly and the Wisdom Trials
is the first book in the Critter Quest Academy Collection - a series that
blends adventure, problem-solving, and joyful learning in an underground world
of whimsical crifters. Ideal for fans of The Questioneers and The Tale of
Despereaux, this story celebrates curiosity, resilience, and the magic of a
mind set on discovery.
My Review: With vibrant illustrations, this
book shows Tilly going through the Wisdom Trials. See how he answers these
riddles. Why can’t your nose be 12 inches long? Because it would be a foot.
Cute and witty! Kids will get a joy out of this book. Good read.
Rating:
4 stars
About the Author
David Tra is a computer scientist, educational game developer, and
children’s author who creates story-driven learning experiences that
blend games, books, and curiosity. He is the creator of Critter Quest Academy,
an interactive educational platform and book series that turns problem-solving
into adventure.
David previously developed the educational math games El Mathador and Treasure
Math, helping students build confidence through play. He is also the author of
The Star of Shanraz, a novel for teen readers. His latest work focuses on the
Prairie City Adventures and Critter Quest Academy books, beginning with Tilly
and the Wisdom Trials, the featured launch title that introduces young readers
to a whimsical underground world where questions, puzzles, and curiosity guide
the journey.
**Get 10% off signed copies at ChangingEarth.com with the code
ChangingEarth **
Day After Disaster
The Changing Earth Series Book 1
by Sara F. Hathaway
Genre: Postapocalyptic Family Drama Thriller
When a mega-quake buries Sacramento in toxic floodwaters,
Erika Moore emerges from a bomb shelter—burned and alone, she’s desperate to
find her husband and son. A country girl with a martial arts background, she
fights to survive a lawless Sierra Nevada, battling gangs and saving a lost
girl, Star. In a The Road-like wasteland with The Last of
Us grit, every choice tests her: help others or herself? Desperate to
reclaim her family, she presses on—until disaster strikes again. With raiders
and waves rising, her reunion teeters on ruin. A post-apocalyptic tale of
courage and chaos—will she outrun the next catastrophe?
Jane stood there watching her go. Just as Sam closed the
gate behind her, Jane heard Doug’s crew coming down the side of the mountain
from the right-hand side.
Moving the gate was a slow process. It slammed with a bang as people flooded down the
mountainside. There was no way to open it again in time to get Jaclyn safely
inside before the attackers ascended upon them.
Jane screamed to Jaclyn, “Run, Jaclyn, run and hide! They’ll
catch you!”
Jane was frantically pulling the gate open. Jaclyn started
to run along the river's edge, where the flowing water pulled back the mud and
left less slippery stone. Thinking fast, Erika ran to Artaz. Star was already
mounted, and Erika jumped up in front of her.
“Whatever you do, don’t
let go!” Erika yelled while driving her legs into Artaz.
Artaz leaped forward. In a flash, they flew around the edge
of the wall, splashing through the river. They hit the beach and galloped. The
mud flew in the air as they pounded along the river bed. Then, she saw Jaclyn
running in fear as fast as she could. Artaz was soaring now; his hoofs were clacking across the rock. Somehow, he
found solid footing every time. Erika was a short distance from Jaclyn. They
were going to make it. Then, all of a sudden, a truck came into her view from
her left. The engine roared as the truck bound across the mud. They were
closing in on Jaclyn! Erika realized she would never make it before the truck
and pulled back hard on Artaz, causing him to come to a sliding stop.
As Artaz spun around on his heels to scamper back to the
compound's safety, Erika heard Star scream, “They have her.”
“There’s nothing we can do now except get out of here,”
Erika shouted. She was out of her head to be running after Jaclyn. All that
would come of it was her and Star getting captured as well. Then she heard the
men from the truck shouting.
“There it is! The horse. That girl is riding it. Get it!”
They quickly turned and started chasing Erika down, but before they could get
their truck rolling through the deep muck, Erika was back around the wall,
galloping toward the bridge.
Erika raced across the camp. They tied Jaclyn up like an
animal in the back of the truck. The men were laughing at her and hitting her.
She screamed in horror for someone to help her, but there would be no help. She
would become another victim in a world that no longer had sympathy for the
defenseless.
Erika could not help her now. Too much time was wasted
already. The giant hooks were pulling on the walls. Some were starting to fall.
She watched Sam and Jane retreat to the designated point for the final attack.
The marauders were shooting guns and throwing spears at Jane and Sam. Jane and
Sam were firing back, but their ammo was limited, and Erika knew it. Sam ran
back to the cover point. Erika was forgotten in the fray. The bridge would be
blown, and Erika was on the wrong side!
She dug her heels deep into Artaz. They galloped toward the
bridge. She could see Jane getting ready to hit the switch, but in a second,
Jane was standing there with a spear directly through her eye, and it was
coming out the back of her head. Screaming for Jane, Sam shot the spear thrower
dead in his tracks. Sam went to fire again, but the only sound was: click. . . click. He was out of bullets and the marauders were closing in.
Erika jumped off a galloping Artaz and rolled over to the generator. Artaz hit
the brakes quickly on the bridge when he felt Erika jump. Star instinctually
moved up and gripped the reins. Yanking on one rein, Star wheeled back around
toward Erika. A group of men were closing in. She hit the switch. As she looked
back, she saw Artaz with Star at the reins.
Erika leaped up in front of Star, and they tore across the
bridge that was blowing up almost underneath them. They turned to get Sam and
saw a bullet rip through his chest. Debris rained down on them as the bridge
and the men exploded.
Artaz was now in a wild gallop, completely panicked from the
barrage of gunfire aimed at them. He barreled up the hill uncontrollably. Star
suddenly clenched Erika tightly and screamed. Artaz shied violently, and it
took all of Erika’s strength to stay seated in the saddle. He dodged left and
right, fear fueling his wild scramble up the mountainside. He ran like never
before. Halfway up the hill, he collapsed into a lifeless mass.
During the crash, Erika and Star were launched through the
air. They were knocked unconscious. All that could be heard was the quiet of an
unbelievable night. As Erika lay there somewhere between reality and
unconsciousness, she told herself, this is all just a horrible nightmare, and I’m going to wake up. What is this
life?
**Currently getting
made into a tv series!**
The Lost Vegas Years
The Changing Earth Series Book 1.5
In the wake of the Great Quake, Las Vegas lies in ruins,
transformed into a federal refugee camp where survival is a daily struggle.
Amidst the chaos and despair, Erika Moore fights to protect her family from the
government's iron rule. With her husband Vince by her side, they must navigate
a world filled with danger and betrayal. As their defiance sparks whispers of
Erika being the camp's "Savior," each act of resistance threatens to
tear their family apart.
But Erika is not alone in her fight. Vince, the camp's quiet hero, builds
aquaponics gardens to feed the starving, a symbol of resilience in the face of
oppression. As the government pushes for extreme measures and family adoption
programs, Erika and Vince's covert training and unwavering determination become
their greatest weapons. From the ruins of Sacramento to the dusty streets of
Vegas, their family's bond is tested by loss, sacrifice, and a rising
revolution that could destroy everything they hold dear.
For fans of post-apocalyptic thrillers like The Road and The Hunger Games, Back
to the Lost Vegas Years is a heart-pounding journey into a world of survival,
resistance, and unbreakable spirit. In the midst of a dystopian nightmare, one
woman's fire and one man's roots may be the key to saving their family and
sparking a revolution. Don't miss this gripping installment in the Changing
Earth series.
If you enjoyed The Road and The Hunger Games, you'll love Back to the Lost
Vegas Years.
Nine years trapped in a FEMA camp have crushed Erika
Moore—once a legendary survivor, now a shadow haunted by a failed riot and
iron-box torment. Her family—husband Vince and their kids—is her lifeline in a
world of forced infertility and despair. A rescue squad gig offers escape, but
betrayal and floods unravel her fragile hope. In a The Handmaid’s Tale-esque
nightmare with The Last of Us’ brutal edge, Erika battles a tyrannical system
to free her loved ones. Every step risks everything—submission or salvation.
This post-apocalyptic clash of grit and defiance hooks like a dystopian
thriller—can Erika shatter the walls? Dive into the next chapter of survival.
Erika and Vince Moore lead their family north through a
quake-scarred Sierra Nevada, nature reclaiming the ruins, fleeing feds and
mercenaries for freedom. Hunted and frail, a drifting haven spares them
starvation’s grasp—but storms and peril nearly claim young Daniel. In a Station
Eleven-like world of fragile renewal and The 100’s fierce
survival, Erika fights on as Vince teeters on death’s edge from brutal wounds.
Her spirit snaps, marching toward doom to shield her own. Allies Bennet and
Virgis offer refuge—until she’s summoned to a governing board to unveil a
decade of horrors and a new quake looms. This post-apocalyptic tale of grit and
sacrifice hooks like a rebel’s stand—will Erika break the chains? Dive deeper
into the fight.
Erika and Vince Moore trek south to warn of a looming
disaster, risking all to save her mom and friends in a crumbling Las Vegas.
Hunted by feds and mercenaries, they rally with a Texas militia through
hurricanes and heartbreak—until a vengeful shadow from Erika’s past strikes. In
a The Passage-like sprawl of ruin and resolve, with Snowpiercer’s relentless
fight, Erika battles storms and betrayal, her spirit forged in sacrifice as
foes close in. Allies crumble, cities teeter, and a desperate stand looms. This
post-apocalyptic epic of grit and loyalty grips like a survivor’s last cry—will
Erika save her own against the next calamity? Dive into the battle’s fierce
soul.
Riding rebel victories, Erika Moore guides her family to a
Denver homestead, a fleeting calm eclipsed by a brewing disaster. Hunted by
feds and bounty hunters, her cover shatters amid betrayal and bloodshed—old
bonds strain and new threats surge. In a Parable of the Sower-like
weave of raw resilience, with The Walking Dead’s brutal chaos,
Erika fights to safeguard her own as the West frays at the seams. A desperate
clash for the city tests her soul, with ruin closing in. This post-apocalyptic
epic of courage and survival grips like a rebel’s last breath—will Erika defy
the dark days? Dive into the fray of loyalty and loss.
Bound in a bounty hunter’s den, Erika Moore grips a shred of
defiance, her spirit bruised yet fierce. Hunted by feds and a merciless captor,
she mourns her lost family—until echoes of their resistance stir her fight. In
a The Road-like sprawl of stark desperation, with Swan
Song’s epic struggle, Erika endures TJ’s mind-breaking torment, her
will forged as he twists her soul. A storm churns outside, hinting at
salvation. This post-apocalyptic tale of grit and redemption cuts like a
survivor’s final plea—will Erika pierce the endless night? Dive into the
tempest of loyalty and ruin.
Arriving in Dallas, Erika Moore battles the mental scars TJ
Swenson left behind, her mind grasping for clues of the past while facing the
present. With Vince at her side, she claws toward recovery as a fractured
resistance wavers—still haunted by TJ’s relentless glare. In a Station
Eleven-like weave of fragile hope, with The Book of Eli’s unyielding
resolve, Erika defies cravings to rally her people, her son Dexter rising to
steady their cause. A northern refuge offers peace, but peril stalks their
path. This post-apocalyptic tale of grit and renewal lifts like a survivor’s
quiet cry—will Erika reclaim the horizon? Dive into a fight for family and
light.
Erika Moore stands fierce in Pine Springs, a rebel leader
hunted by TJ Swenson, a tyrant who claims her soul. With Vince and their son
Dexter at her side, she guards a fragile west against an ice age and TJ’s iron
grip. In a The Walking Dead-like clash of brutal stakes, with The
Hunger Games defiant spirit, Erika strikes at TJ’s core, her family
chasing secrets to shatter his reign. A last stand looms as ruin encroaches.
This post-apocalyptic epic of grit and defiance roars like a survivor’s final
cry—will Erika forge freedom from the bitter end? Dive into a saga of rebellion
and resolve.
Sara is an author, a fighter, a mother, and a wife. Her
writings’ central philosophy is that anyone can be confident in any
survival situation with the right skills and mental attitude. She wants people
to learn through a fictional experience just how fragile our manufactured
society is.
She practices these philosophies by training in various
martial arts disciplines and homesteading with her family. Sara graduated
from the California State University of Sacramento with a Bachelor of
Science in Business Administration and published her first novel in 2014. She
hosts self-defense seminars and avoiding abductions and sexual assaults.
Sara currently lives in the piney forest of east Texas. As a
happily married woman with two boys, she delights in quality family time
hiking and camping. Besides writing and fighting, she raises chickens,
tends to her garden, and works as an insurance agent during the week.
The brother of Suzie’s
boyfriend, Paul, was in town. Soon, one of the new guests turns up dead. What
could the murder have to do with the owner of the fruit smoothie stand? Could
Paul’s brother have had something to do with this? It was up to Suzie and Mary
to find out. I just enjoy getting into these little mysteries. Can Suzie and
Mary figure things out before the hitman finds them? A good mystery!
“Today would just be another
perfect day in the life of Shay Adler, resident of Liars Island.” Without
realizing it, Shay had become a Stepford Wife. Then, she saw Cabin Guy, an
alluring new man in town. For a while, nothing really happens. It’s just the
prospect of something possibly happening and the guilt that goes with it. It
wasn’t long before Shay gives in to the temptation and gets the taste of
betrayal. But what if the whole thing was someone else’s plan all along? What a
deadly ending! Never would’ve saw that truth coming. A good read!
