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Meet The Author – Laurel Anne Hill
Laurel Anne Hill—author and former underground storage tank operator—grew up in San Francisco with more dreams of adventure than good sense or money. Her close brushes with death, love of family, respect for honor and belief in a higher power continue to influence her writing and her life. Laurel has authored over 30 published short stories and two award-winning YA novels, most recently THE ENGINE WOMAN’S LIGHT, the gripping spirits-meet-steampunk, coming-of-age heroic journey of a young Latina in an alternate 19th Century California. (THE ENGINE WOMAN’S LIGHT has won a total of 13 honors and awards, including a Kirkus Star.) Sand Hill Review Press is on schedule to publish Laurel’s next YA novel—PLAGUE OF FLIES: REVOLT OF THE SPIRITS, 1846—in October 2021.
Book #2 Description
Plague of Flies: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846
In 1846 Alta California, Catalina Delgado daydreams about her future: roping cattle, marrying Angelo Ortega and raising children. But now, invaders from the United States—the Bear Flaggers—have declared war against México, her country. Bear Flaggers have imprisoned one close family friend and murdered others. What fate might befall her parents, abuelito and younger brothers? And what about her best friend, a Costanoan servant girl? How can Catalina, only sixteen, help protect all those she loves?
An old vaquero once predicted a mysterious spirit man would someday ride off with Catalina. This has clouded her reputation as a chaste young woman, one reason why Angelo’s father doesn’t want her for a future daughter-in-law. Now Catalina learns another reason. Her mamá is not her natural mother. Catalina is a mestiza, the daughter of her papi and an indigenous woman.
Catalina prays for guidance from the Catholic saints, then dares to leave her bedroom at night to seek a spiritual vision from Coyote. She ends up riding into the sky with Spirit Man. Later they remove gold nuggets from a river to prevent Bear Flaggers or anyone else from discovering the treasure. Will this be Catalina’s duty for the rest of her life? And is Spirit Man honorable—or a devil?
For the sake of all she holds dear, Catalina must risk what is left of her reputation, her future with Angelo, her life and her very soul. When hopes and dreams clash with cold reality, Catalina finds the fortitude to accomplish what only she can do.
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