(Reprint Cover Shown)
Inspired by true events
The unrivalled beauty and abundance of the Mohawk Valley, engulfed in the fight for liberty, forced the Eamers to choose between the freedom sought by many and their loyalty to the king. The impossible choice, once made, compelled them to abandon the land they loved and the hope that they would find peace amongst their once-loved neighbours, friends…and family.
Fleeing his impending arrest, Peter leaves Maria Catrina with their young children, telling her she must make her way north to the safety of the king’s lands in Quebec. Their exodus through the wild, untamed Adirondack Mountains reveals the darkness of men’s hearts and the lengths to which a mother will go to safeguard her precious ones.
(< Original Cover Shown – Online Bookseller Version)
Specs:
- ISBN 978-0-9947461-1-5
- Trade Paperback | 167 Pages | Dimensions: 9 × 6 × 0.68 in
- Full colour, laminate cover; natural colour interior pages
- Genre: Fact-Based Historical Fiction
- Original Publication Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Printed in Canada
ORDER at your favourite online retailer OR for Signed Copies contact Author for details
Reader Feedback after History Links
Explore the History of the Loyalists of the Mohawk Valley, NY who settled along St. Lawrence River
RADIO INTERVIEW & DRAMATIC READING
Jennifer DeBruin, Author of Shadows in the Tree (Feb 2017)
The County Writes…The County Reads is a program celebrating the written word hosted by Lynn Pickering | CountyFM 99.3 | Prince Edward County Ontario
SEGMENT 1 (Length 13:05):
SEGMENT 2 (Length 13:04):
1784 and On – A Brief Look at Cornwall’s History (ChooseCornwall.ca)
Interactive Map to Many Resources on the United Empire Loyalists (Archived site of Bridge Annex UELAC; maintained by UELAC)
Tracing Your Roots to the United Empire Loyalists (Video; CBC News)
American Loyalists in Canada (Ep. 85 BenFranklinsWorld Podcast hosted by Liz Covart)
American Revolution in the Mohawk Valley (Path Through History: Mohawk Valley Region)
The On-Line Loyalist Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies (Created by Todd Braisted)
United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada (UELAC)
Many photos and posts from my visits to the Mohawk Valley can be found on my FACEBOOK page
DeBruin writes to bring history to life: Will be among speakers at Fort Plain Museum’s American Revolution Mohawk Valley Conference (Daily Gazette; Schenectady, NY; 2018)
Discover the Humanity in History with New Novel (ChooseCornwall.ca; 2013)
John Baker Memorial Presentation
John Baker memorial unveiled at Cornwall Community Museum (Cornwall Standard Freeholder)
Unveiling Ceremony of John Baker Memorial (YourTV interview with Jennifer DeBruin; Length 3:52)
(Plot revelations have been removed from reader feedback)
“Shadows in the Tree is an amazing book that paints as vivid a picture of the Loyalist refugees as we see in the Syrian refugees in contemporary media. A couple of my 5th Great Grandmothers would have made a similar journey and this book made the hard realities and joys of their lives come alive. Thank you for bringing it alive in a very compelling book.” G. Walker
What a fantastic story! Jennifer DeBruin writes fact-based fiction, which means the timeline, characters, events, places and people are real; the day-to-day events as they unfold are fiction (since of course, she wasn’t there).
This is a story of the refugees of the American Revolution; a history shared by the thousands of descendants that live today. While I know the story, it is much the same as the facts of my husband’s family, Ms. DeBruin’s tale brought the story to life. I could barely put the book down. Her writing is superb, her characters intriguing, and I could feel the fear, desperation, anxiety and determination through her words.
Great, great story! – D. Bush
“Shadows in the Tree is an inviting and riveting story…DeBruin most skillfully explores the emotional toll on women and their families as they leave behind all they knew and face a dangerous and unknown future…I heartily recommend this book to anyone wanting to examine the human experience of many a Loyalist refugee.” – REVIEW EXCERPT: The Loyalist Gazette | Grietje R. McBride, UE, B Sc.
“My sister just gave me your second book “Shadows in the Tree”. Jennifer, I couldn’t put it down. You are truly a gifted writer. You make the reader a participant in the story, a reader who is transported all those years ago to share in the joys and trials of the times. Thank you once again for a brilliant novel and I am looking forward to your next book. Keep them coming.” M. Craig
“I just finished reading your second book (Shadows in the Tree), and had to tell you how much I enjoyed it. Your descriptions of scenery and events were good, but those of the heroine’s emotions exceptional. You brought reality and drama to the pages.” S. Hulsemann
This is the type of book we are not taught in the US education system. I highly recommend reading about both sides of history and this book gives the Loyalist perspective of being run out of the Colonies and having to start over in Canada. B. Ozog
“I have just finished Shadows in the Tree. Firstly, I must thank you for taking me on another incredible journey with Eliza… It is a POWERFUL and EMOTIONAL journey. What I can only begin to imagine, you put into words and made images so vivid in my mind that I felt I was on the trail with Maria Catrina. I cried and rejoiced along with her. Congratulations Jennifer, the book is wonderful… It truly is a heart felt story and I know that others will feel it as deeply as I did.” S. Seymour
