Boston and All Its Wonders

Good morning, friends! Amber coming to you today from the backseat of the traveling van.

There's nothing quite like visiting a place you have read, dreamed, and even written books about. Especially if you're visiting that place for the first time. This week, that's where I find myself. In the heart of New England experiencing all the history I have only read about. From the streets of Boston to the lighthouses of Maine, I am so excited to be standing where so much history and so much beauty converge!

So today I thought I'd upload a couple of pictures just to tell you what I've been up to.

Replica of the Boston Tea Party ships

We had the privilege of visiting the Boston Tea Party museum, where we saw the only surviving tea chest from the Boston Tea Party.

Posing with my buddy Sam Adams at Griffens Wharf

We've also seen the site of the Boston Massacre, Old North Church, the Paul Revere house, Lexington common, and the gravesite of Sam Adams.

Inside the Old South Meeting House

One stop that has been SUPER cool for me, is hearing the echoes of the halls where Samuel Adams made many of his speeches during the struggle for independence: the Old South Meeting house as well as Faneuil Hall.

Faneuil Hall

 Studying the life of Sam Adams was so much fun and so inspiring. The man was a dedicated Christian and a passionate patriot. Writing Dawn of Liberty was an honor, bringing this ambiguous character to life on the page. Since then, I have longed to walk the streets of Boston and see the city he so loved. Actually being here is surreal.

If you'd like to see more pictures and tidbits from our trip, you can join our newsletter. 

In the mean time, leave a comment to get your name in this week's drawing for an ebook edition of Dawn of Liberty!

Weekly Windup: Enter to Win Dawn of Liberty by Amber Schamel

Welcome to the Weekly Windup! We have a winner to announce. 

Winner of Before I Knew You by Beth Steury is...Marilyn R.!
Congratulations!




If you are a winner, please Contact Us with your email address to claim your prize.


This Week's Giveaway: 

Dawn of Liberty (ebook) by Amber Schamel

Amber is on a family vacation this week...IN BOSTON! To mark this exciting visit, she is giving away an ebook copy of her book, Dawn of Liberty which is about Samuel Adams, a Boston native. If you'd like to follow the adventures of Amber's trip to New England, you can sign up for her author newsletter where she will be sharing pictures and tidbits along the way.

2017 CSPA Book of the Year Award Winner – Historical Fiction category

Liberty comes with a price. Can a fledgling nation bear the cost?

British forces advance upon a struggling colonial army. The time of decision has come. Declare independence, or give up the fight. The weight of a nation rests on Samuel Adams' shoulders as he joins the delegates of the Second Continental Congress. Can he raise the cause of Liberty above the fear of the King's wrath in the hearts of his countrymen?

Three riveting short stories follow Samuel Adams as he struggles through the events surrounding the Declaration of Independence and evokes the Dawn of Liberty.

Check it out on Amazon

Be sure to leave comments throughout the week to get your name in the drawing. Giveaway ends October 7th. Winner will be announced in the October 8th edition of the Weekly Windup.

Coming up this week:

Tuesday, 10/2: History behind "A Heart for Freedom" with Janet Grunst

Wednesday, 10/3: Boston and all its Wonders with Amber Schamel

Thursday, 10/4: ACFW New Releases

Friday, 10/5: Toby's Troubles: A Ghost, A Thief, and a Girl with Carole Brown

Saturday, 10/6: Meet Mrs. Gruener from "The Cumberland Bride"

A New Wardrobe for Sam Adams

Blogger: Amber Schamel

One of the fun tidbits I learned while researching for the Dawn of Liberty series was in regards to a very special gift that Samuel Adams received from his constituents.

Sam was a politician, and that was his heart. He spend hours upon hours in political committees, writing letters and articles, and lobbying in whatever way possible. However, his fault was that he was not very good when it came to finances. Most of his work was without pay, and the job he did have paid very little.

As he was preparing to go to Continental Congress, he was badly in need of a new suit of clothes, but of course he couldn't afford them. One night as he was eating dinner with his family, there was a knock at the door. He opened the door to find one of Boston's finest tailors on his doorstep. "Mr. Adams, I am here to fit you for a new suit of clothes." As the tailor left he said, "Don't worry about the price, Mr. Adams. Consider it a gift of thanks from the people of Boston."

A short time later, another knock sounded. This time it was the cobbler. He fitted Sam with a smart new pair of shoes, again, as a gift from the folks in Boston who so appreciated his dedication to their interests and cause.

This gift was very humbling for Sam. It was a gesture he would never forget as he headed off to the Continental Congress looking almost as sharp as John Hancock.

My book, Dawn of Liberty is in the running for the CSPA Book of the Year award! Sam and I would be so grateful if you'd stop by and cast your honest vote in the contest.

 Click HERE to cast your vote!
And don't forget to leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for this week's giveaway, To Gain a Valentine by Tanya Eavenson!

Colonial Cocoa Recipes of the Revolution

Did you know the founding fathers had a version of Hot Chocolate? I discovered this while researching for Dawn of Liberty, my short story collection about Samuel Adams and the Declaration of Independence. I've featured 12 of the recipes I discovered in a cookbook I'm calling Taste of History, but I thought it would be fun to share one of them with ya'll today.

Colonial Cocoa (Drink)
Sam Adams says: Winters are cold in Boston, and there's nothing like sipping a cup of homemade cocoa with my children while curled up before the hearth. I invite you to try it on the next chilly evening.

Yield: 1 Breakfast Cup

Ingredients:
2 t of the prepared cocoa
1 t vanilla
1 T Sugar
cold milk
boiling milk
boiling water

Instructions:
Boil about 1c. milk in a small pot, taking special care not to scorch it. Once the milk is hot,
remove from heat.
Put the cocoa sugar and vanilla into a breakfast-cup.
Pour over it sufficient cold milk to make it into a smooth paste
Add equal quantities of boiling milk and boiling water
Stir all well together.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you can get all 12 as a pre-order bonus when you purchase Dawn of Liberty. BUT, you have less than 10 days to get your free copy!