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Ingredients
| About Famished Heart |
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Chapters and Recipes |
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Author's Biographical
Information |
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References and Hot List |
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Contact Information |
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Approx. Publication Date: February 2003 |
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| Compelling
story of a search for love and acceptance |
| Could
you find your way without so much as a trail of bread crumbs? |
| In
1925 a tragic accident plunges nine-year-old Edna
Modene Gillen into the role of orphan. She's left alone, but for a callous stepmother, who soon abandons her. Famished Heart is the moving story of her journey to find her place in the world after it is shattered by tragedy. Edna Modene must find a way to piece herself together like her cherished patchwork quilt, into a whole person with the ability to love and survive. |
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against a sprawling Oklahoma sky, her travels begin
when she is cast off onto one unwilling relative after another. She experiences a stay in an Indian boys' school, where she comes face to face with a very ugly, personal truth. More life lessons are learned in an orphanage before Edna Modene finds a way to begin to forge her own destiny. |
| Join
this young orphan girl as she struggles to learn
the truth about love, beauty and prejudice. Share her search for a sense of self-worth. At times poignant, sad, funny, and uplifting, her story is liberally sprinkled with endearing characters,homespun wisdom, and treasured family recipes, from "Funeral Pie" to "Aunt Corrine's Mint Soother Bath Salts". Glimpses into the world of quilting, crafting and gardening richly texture this emotionally charged tale of Edna Modene's painful passage into womanhood. |
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FAMISHED
HEART
is a fact-based novel in which many
characters are based
on real people. Some characters are composites.
| Chapters | |
| Step one - | Dredge in flowers Click here to read an excerpt |
| Step two - | Stew in own juice |
| Step three - | Season with bitter roots |
| Step four - | Stuff with Sour Grapes |
| Step five - | Simmer, stirring pot |
| Step six - | Fold in love |
| Step Seven - | Hand Down Recipe and Pray |
| Epilogue | Learn the fate of some of your favorite characters. |
| Recipes | Each
chapter features at least one recipe, and |
| In Appreciation... |
I owe a
great debt of gratitude to all my family and friends who encouraged me in this process. To all the members of L. V. Writers' Ink, and to the other authors who encouraged me, I will be forever grateful. Famished Heart would not be a reality today without this support. |
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Professional
Marcia K.
Feese is an assistant librarian, a founding member
and Vice President of L. V. Writers' Ink, a Southern California, High Desert writers' group. She was awarded "Writer of the Year" by this organization in 2002. Marcia is a freelance writer of poetry and short stories. Articles and photos of Marcia's have been published in the Lucerne Valley LEADER newspaper, and several of her short stories were published in "Tumbleweeds In Time", a collection of short stories published by Lucerne Valley Library. |
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Personal
A quilter
and bearsmith, Marcia enhances this personal story
with crafting and quilting references, and includes directions for a unique, simple crocheted afghan. If hollyhock dolls are a part of your childhood memories, you'll revisit them here. |
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Why
Famished Heart? Edna Modene's story is very personal to me, as it grew out of my own genealogical research, and was woven from bits and pieces of family history, photos, and recipes, original documents (including orphanage records), newspaper articles, and the recollections of family members. Researching the early U. S. Indian Schools and the Orphan Trains has been an eye-opening experience and was key in telling this story. |
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Quilting
and Crafting References As an art major and crafter, I have explored many areas of the needle arts, and some of my own work may be seen on my"Minglement" webpage. Putting this story into words inspired me to create a rag doll for my own daughter, because of her enchantment with the doll of Edna Modene's early childhood memories. Around her face embroidered words read, "I love flowers". Her arms are embroidered with flowers and a bird house, and her right leg reads,"I wish I could be like the rose". Her left leg reads,"who gathers beauty as she grows". Her flower stitched pocket originally held a good luck penny, placed there by Lily, when the doll was created. Her body is a floral print pouch, filled with potpourri, scented with roses, lilacs and vanilla. My version of the doll appears at right, and she is now in the company of my daughter, Lori. In her pocket in place of the penny,I placed my mother's wedding ring. I hope you enjoy these elements of Famished Heart. |
 My creation, |
"'Famished Heart' is a
powerful and moving story staight from |
| References and Hot
List |
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| In
addition to the excellent book,"We Rode the Orphan
Trains", by Andrea Warren, I recommend the following websites for information on the various aspects of Edna Modene's life as depicted in Famished Heart. Pertaining
to U. S. Indian Boarding Schools |
Pertaining
to Orphan Trains |
Pertaining
to Harvey House |
Pertaining to Midwifery On the History of Midwifery and Midwife Birth Stories |
Pertaining
to Latvian Culture |
History
of the Cherokee including genealogy |
Personal
Sites |
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for further information,
please contact the author at: |
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Thank you David Bristol for
your |
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