Susan Diane Black Blackmon’s Volume One of Her Heritage Series Will Be Showcased at LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience

The interesting historical fiction book “Emma: Heritage Series – Volume I” by Susan Diane Black Blackmon is all set to be featured at LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience on January 27–30, 2023, at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA.

Blackmon nimbly delivers the effective trope of good versus evil and so much more.

“It wasn’t age or distance that mattered - love was all that mattered.”

“Emma” by Susan Diane Black Blackmon is the first in the Heritage Series. With a strong historical foundation, this fiction flows like a traditional fairy tale that has both dark and light elements, providing readers with an early 1900s Texas narrative, sweet romance, and an evil stepmother. Thirteen years have passed since the death of her mother. The youngest of eighteen children, Emma Jackson is now sixteen and loves her papa and younger half-sister but not her stepmother, Matilda.

Jane was the love of Ben Jackson’s life, but when he lost her and their nineteenth baby during childbirth, he became adrift and neglectful of the family who still needed him. Evil stepmother personified, Matilda set her villainous plan in motion even before Ben married her and brought her home to be his children’s new mother. While his children never trusted Matilda—and for good reason—Ben simply succumbed to caring for his family the only way he knew how, without his precious Jane by his side.

The pacing in “Emma” is mainly moderate and steady but accelerates as Matilda’s malevolence intensifies. Blackmon’s writing style is clean and uncomplicated, making “Emma” an ideal choice for readers of all ages, including middle grade and young adult readers who enjoy an interesting Texas fiction based on real-life people and events.

In “Emma,” Blackmon has crafted two stories in one, with Emma visiting her older sisters and falling in love with Charley, and with her father finally deciding to rid himself of the malicious woman he never should have married. But did Ben wait too long to set his household to rights? Will Matilda finally strike that final blow and declare her carefully plotted plan a success? The author meticulously builds the tension and drama by presenting the main characters and their backstories. She then introduces tragedy and antagonism, leading readers down that age-old path of grief, greed, heartache, and redemption, yet keeping the overall plot rooted in both familial and romantic love.

“Emma” can rightly be likened to Cinderella. However, this story resembles Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder as well, with the very act of survival in a harsh land during a harsh time providing more than enough turmoil, hardship, and even celebrations, such as box socials and courtship. Add a woman who chooses to destroy others to satisfy her avarice, and “Emma” quickly becomes a modest yet powerful parable and cautionary tale. Rising above and even overcoming wickedness will always resonate with readers as relatable and meaningful, with Blackmon nimbly delivering the effective trope of good versus evil and so much more in this first fascinating book in the Heritage Series. At the end of this historical fiction, the author includes an extensive family tree; an interesting description of mad stones; and, thankfully, a recipe for the pear pie that is so popular in “Emma.”

Have a good read of Susan Diane Black Blackmon’s “Emma: Heritage Series - Volume I.” Order a copy today on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Emma: Heritage Series - Volume I
Author | Susan Diane Black Blackmon
Genre | Historical Fiction
Publisher | Self-Published
Published Date | November 11, 2022

Author

Who knew that a junior high school history assignment would turn into a passion for genealogy, which has turned into a love of writing historical fiction stories?

In 1976, the assignment was to write an autobiography and fill out a pedigree chart; thus began “The Tale of the Beautiful Princess or Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Me, But Were Afraid to Ask” and 46-plus years of researching my family.

Countless hours of my “MamMaw” and “Great-Aunt Ruth” sharing the stories of my ancestors have resulted in the publication of two sets of genealogy books on my Boultinghouse and Driver lines. A third set in the John Gray Parks family is in the works.

In 2022, I was privileged to bring to life the dream of my late cousin, Joe Lee Mankins. The Daniel Brown Boultinghouse and Mary Jane Russell Civil War Letters book is a story of love and heartbreak in the written words of the main characters. The book contains images of many original letters, some more than 171 years old. Not to worry, each image has a transcript for easier reading.

After so many years of research, I have a wealth of stories and anecdotes in my mind. With a “nudge” from my older sister, some of those stories wandered onto the page and became “Emma.”

Based on my maternal great-grandmother and some of the events in her life, much of the story is fiction. However, there are threads of reality woven throughout Emma’s story.

If anyone had told me that I’d one day share the stories of my ancestors through fiction, I would have laughed. Yet here I am, living my sister’s dream for me.

Contact Information

Elizabeth Patino

Author Relations Officer

ReadersMagnet LLC.

authorrelations@readersmagnet.com