my work from another perspective....

Good Historical Fiction Books travel easily from reading chair to classroom

Good historical Fiction Books with a good plot and strong characters are one of the best ways to teach history. In The Alley of Wishes, Dandelion author Laurel Johnson serves as both a novelist and teacher by delivering a memorable picture of Europe during World War I.

Like Dostoyevsky, Dickens and Hugo, Johnson paints a large palette and subtly uses a historical setting to background for her plot. The two main characters in Alley, Beck Sanow and Cerise, come to life through her skillful rendering of their tender love story.

“Laurel Johnson’s work is much more than Les Miserables,” writes book reviewer and literary agent, Jeanette Lundgren. “If you believe in the ultimate triumph of love, faith and friendship, The Alley of Wishes is a book you should both read and cherish.”

“Laurel Johnson has penned a modern masterpiece. Her poetic words flow seamlessly, creating a story of incredible depth. Beck and Cerise become flesh and bone as the reader feels their pain and celebrates their triumph. "The Alley of Wishes is a book no one should miss--and no one will forget,” Nancy Mehl for MyShelf.com.

A past life experience? Perhaps; Johnson candidly admits she became obsessed with both story line and characters, as if they were writing the story for her. It is not surprising that Johnson’s next published book, My Name Is Esther Clara, was a biography of her grandmother, who was a character as vivid and colorful as the fictional Beck and Cerise. Note that Esther Clara’s last name was Sanow-Ford (notice the name “Sanow” appearing as an actual part of Johnson’s family tree!).

Although this work is a biography, Esther Clara could have been passed for one of the several historical fiction books that have been written about 20th century rural America.
“Laurel Johnson's latest book, is a living reproduction and tribute, a period piece typifying many grandmothers who settled on the Great Plains of the United States, writes author Christina Pacosz. “This is a book for the history buff, whatever age, to dig a little deeper into the events of that time told by one of the so-called little people, who drop-by-drop of sweat and blood, always make the world of their day.”

This article courtesy of Dandelion Books