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In September of 2022, I was asked to be the Keynote speaker for the Saginaw Branch Woman’s National Farm & Garden Association Books in Bloom literary banquet September 18, 2023.
It was an incredible honor and I was on top of the world. Fast forward to May, when I was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy, and things came to a screeching halt. I waited a couple of months to see how things progressed then contacted them to let them know I didn’t think I could fulfill my commitment. While I was ready to give up, they were not ready to let me go. They asked me to wait a bit to see if my situation changed. After several back and forth e-mails I told them I was not physically ready to speak for a full hour. Long story short, they were adamant they still wanted to focus on me and my books. They asked for recommendations for a replacement, and since they wanted to showcase the Orphan Trains, they brought in Kaily Carson to speak in my stead. Kaily is a wonderful choice as she is the Curator at the National Orphan Train Complex and fully versed on the subject. Over the next couple of weeks, I started to improve and, while still wonky, felt confident enough to go. I also agreed to speak for a few moments. Since Kaily was discussing the Orphan Trains, I decided to talk about my books and how I got started with my writing career. To say the day was a magical experience is an understatement. While I knew they wanted to showcase my books, I didn’t understand what that meant. I had given them a quote, which they placed on posters for attendees to purchase and have me sign. All the centerpieces were book-related, and they even had crystal trains on each table with purple candles to represent the Purple Gang, which is showcased in some of my books. There were multiple gift baskets designed around my Orphan Train Saga. The most stunning of all was a basket, which was painstakingly pieced together with items representing each of the books in my saga. The support I received from this amazing group of women was incredible, and they created an experience I will always cherish. #thenationalorphantraincomplex #lectureseries #anauthorslife This past week, the hubby and I traveled to Concordia, Kansas, for the unveiling and dedication of the bronze statue for George and Joseph Timmons Stone, two brothers who rode the orphan train to Michigan to find new homes.
Joining up at the age of 14, George Timmons Stone served as the drummer boy of Michigan's Company D in the civil war. He and his wife, Kittie Rice Stone, are buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan. We uncovered the statue on Friday, June 2. Among those in attendance were some of George's descendants, including George's great-great grandson, Steve. Steve and his family drove all the way from California to attend the short ceremony. Having Found descendants of George Timmons Stone (many thanks to the super sleuths at the National Orphan Train Complex for tracking them down) was incredible. Having them there for the unveiling was super cool and made the dedication even more special. Home of the National Orphan Train Museum, Concordia, Kansas, is fondly referred to as The Orphan Train. There are many other statues honoring the memories of the children who rode the trains sprinkled among the town. This playful statue is #44 and the first located in Hood Park. Standing in front of a crowd is nothing new for me, I have been giving lectures on the history of the orphan trains for years. However, saying a few words and posing for photos while dealing with a bout of Bell's Palsy was incredibly challenging. While I am not thrilled with the way I look in the pictures, I am beyond grateful I was able to be there for the unveiling. Something I have been looking forward to ever since I contacted The National Orphan Train Complex about donating the statue last year. #Nationalorphantraincomplex #NOTC #Georgewashingtonstone #littledrummerboy #MichigancompanyD #puremichigan #civilwar #Mounthope #lansingmichigan #orphanTrain #orphantrainmuseum #bellspalsy #bellspalsyawareness #Michigan #sharpshooter#Albion #albionmichigan #Statue #history #anauthorslife #sherryaburton #concordia #kansas #44 #orphans #crookedsmile |
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Check out my interview on The Authors Show.
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Book review from The National Orphan Train Complex.
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"Highly recommend for fans who are interested in tales of family history, 1920s America, or who enjoy a hint of mystery in their historical fiction."
Review by Jennifer C. Wilson.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
Review by Jennifer C. Wilson.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
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BOOK REVIEW
Discovery, the first book in The Orphan Train series, grabs you from the very moment Cindy Moore opens the storage shed containing her grandmother’s possessions. You are there, with her, every step of the way, rummaging through the memories and dust, anxious to find a treasure or skeleton hidden away. The stage is set and offers the reader a story of real family life – of buried secrets we all know families keep and take to their grave. The one Cindy’s grandmother, Mildred, kept reveals itself in a most unusual way. There is a doll, a pinned note, a key, and journals in an attic room. But what these inanimate objects reveal is the heart of an abandoned little girl, a rider on the Orphan Trains of the 1920s, whose hard-knock life leads to a closed-off woman afraid of sharing her feelings and her secrets with her family. I think we all know someone like that, which makes this book so satisfying and real, a book that tugs at your heart.
The history of the Orphan Trains, a new historical tidbit to me, kept me intrigued and I read the entire story in one sitting; and the transition from the modern-day to the past wove together without creating any sort of abruptness or confusion.
I think, ultimately, this is a book about survival under the most trying circumstances and how “life” creates the person we become. Sometimes we harden ourselves, and sometimes we soften, and more often than not, we learn from others.
Mildred is all our grandmothers pieced together into a quilt, dealing with a time in history we cannot imagine, but her experience helps not only Cindy but all of us see beyond our circumstances towards hope. I wished for more about Mildred in the story, about her history in Poland, as I imagined her speaking and thought of my own grandmother. The way Sherry A. Burton relays Mildred’s story left me curious about the complete lack of emotions at some extremely critical times, times you might expect a flood, and other times when the abundance appeared unwarranted. Thus, the skill and complexity the author shows in the fragility of human nature, especially growing up as a confused orphan.
The story is extremely well-written and highly recommended. Thank goodness there are more in this series!
DISCOVERY is the recipient of the "Highly Recommended" award for the best in historical fiction and now entered into the HFC 2021 Book of the Year awards.
Discovery, the first book in The Orphan Train series, grabs you from the very moment Cindy Moore opens the storage shed containing her grandmother’s possessions. You are there, with her, every step of the way, rummaging through the memories and dust, anxious to find a treasure or skeleton hidden away. The stage is set and offers the reader a story of real family life – of buried secrets we all know families keep and take to their grave. The one Cindy’s grandmother, Mildred, kept reveals itself in a most unusual way. There is a doll, a pinned note, a key, and journals in an attic room. But what these inanimate objects reveal is the heart of an abandoned little girl, a rider on the Orphan Trains of the 1920s, whose hard-knock life leads to a closed-off woman afraid of sharing her feelings and her secrets with her family. I think we all know someone like that, which makes this book so satisfying and real, a book that tugs at your heart.
The history of the Orphan Trains, a new historical tidbit to me, kept me intrigued and I read the entire story in one sitting; and the transition from the modern-day to the past wove together without creating any sort of abruptness or confusion.
I think, ultimately, this is a book about survival under the most trying circumstances and how “life” creates the person we become. Sometimes we harden ourselves, and sometimes we soften, and more often than not, we learn from others.
Mildred is all our grandmothers pieced together into a quilt, dealing with a time in history we cannot imagine, but her experience helps not only Cindy but all of us see beyond our circumstances towards hope. I wished for more about Mildred in the story, about her history in Poland, as I imagined her speaking and thought of my own grandmother. The way Sherry A. Burton relays Mildred’s story left me curious about the complete lack of emotions at some extremely critical times, times you might expect a flood, and other times when the abundance appeared unwarranted. Thus, the skill and complexity the author shows in the fragility of human nature, especially growing up as a confused orphan.
The story is extremely well-written and highly recommended. Thank goodness there are more in this series!
DISCOVERY is the recipient of the "Highly Recommended" award for the best in historical fiction and now entered into the HFC 2021 Book of the Year awards.