Category: character

  • Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (Unpublished) – Chapter 11

    December 31, 2017 – Sunday “You know I ain’t gonna be surprised,” Russ grumbles as Brandy drives. “Can you at least pretend?” his sister asks. Russ glances in her direction. Her wavy brown hair is pulled up in a high ponytail, and she’s dressed up, which means her nice jeans and a new sports jersey.…

  • Excerpt from Rocks and Flowers in a Box (Unpublished Book)

    The first snow made its greeting just in time for Christmas. I stood on a stool, trying to place the star on top of the tree. Tristan sat in my dad’s old armchair, his nose buried in a book. Nearly toppling, I regained my balance and huffed, then pushed my hair out of my face.…

  • Blogmas 2018 – Day 15 #christmas #blogmas #blogmas2018 #christmas2018

    Today’s post is an excerpt from Christmas Day of 1944 in my unpublished novel, Rocks and Flowers in a Box: We stepped into a winter wonderland after the service concluded. White dusted our shoulders as we made our way to the Speedster. When we reached the car, we stopped and looked at the heavens. “This…

  • Excerpt from Hannah’s Rainbow: Every Color Beautiful (Chapter 29)

    On Christmas morning, Brenda was busy playing with her new toys in the living room, remarking that she needed a cradle and a buggy for the baby doll. Hannah worked in the kitchen at preparing a sweet potato casserole for later that day.  The whole family would be gathering at her parents’ house that afternoon…

  • Blogmas 2018 – Day 14 #christmas #blogmas #blogmas2018 #christmas2018

    Today I share with you an excerpt from one of my unpublished novels, Rocks and Flowers in a Box. Below is a Christmas scene from 1945: Tristan and I lounged on the couch. My eyes lingered on the tree, the warm glow of the strands of lights the only source of illumination in the living…

  • Blogmas 2018 – Day 12 #christmas #blogmas #blogmas2018 #christmas2018

      https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcyndi.hilston%2Fvideos%2F10154756953580030%2F&show_text=0&width=560   Merry Christmas!! As a gift to you, I’m sharing with you a part of a Christmas chapter from my story, Hannah’s Rainbow, which is based on my late grandma’s life. I recreated what a typical Christmas morning was like at my house when growing up and Grandma would spend the night. While…

  • Review of Indian Paintbrush (Carson Chronicles #3) by John A. Heldt

    My reviews for the first two book in the series: Review of River Rising (Carson Chronicles Book 1) by John A. Heldt Review of The Memory Tree (Carson Chronicles Book 2) by John A. Heldt Description: Arizona, December 1943. After surviving perilous six-month journeys to 1889 and 1918, the Carsons, five siblings from the present…

  • Excerpt from Hannah’s Rainbow: Every Color Beautiful

    Standing around the perimeter of the ballroom rented for the occasion, Hannah shifted uncomfortably in a deep red taffeta evening gown and in heels that were too high for her taste.  She lifted her right hand to her hair and smoothed it down. She wasn’t accustomed to such luxury, and without Maria’s help, she wouldn’t…

  • Blogmas 2018 – Day 1 #christmas #blogmas #blogmas2018 #christmas2018

    Incorporating history into historical fiction is fun. With Christmas on the verge, I am loving writing Christmas scenes right now. In my current work in progress novel, Rocks and Flowers in a Box, there is a scene in 1944 at Christmas where the two main characters put on Bing Crosby’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”…

  • Excerpt from Hannah’s Rainbow: Every Color Beautiful (Chapter 3)

    While the summer of 1918 was rough because of one childhood illness after another, Hannah enjoyed the last two weeks outside before school resumed.  Ma had a piano in the living room, which she seldom played, but Hannah began taking lessons on it. The busyness of raising a family afforded her little time to devote…