Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant RideComing

Coming out this fall, my new historical fiction Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride. Former President Theodore Roosevelt twice rode on an electric trolley that ran between Lewiston and Portland, Maine. The Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport is restoring the Narcissus, the only remaining trolley from this run--historical records show that while on the Narcissus, Roosevelt accepted a bouquet of sweet peas from a young farm girl. I was commissioned by the Museum to create a middle-grade novel around this event. Following is the short summary that will be on the back cover, including the two blurbs:
   
     

In 1911, young Millie Thayer witnesses the building of a rail line passing through the back pasture of her family’s farm in Gray, Maine. Electric trolleys that will run from Portland to Lewiston capture Millie’s imagination and dreams of faraway places. A chance encounter with a gypsy who sees the future sets Millie on a path that intersects with former president Theodore Roosevelt and his trolley ride on the new Narcissus as it passes through her town. Millie’s fascination with “Mr. Teddy” and her childhood fantasies guide her actions for the next few years. Ultimately, Millie is faced with one of life’s harsh realities that casts a shadow on her dreams. In a moving twist, her answer comes in an unexpected place.

BACK COVER BLURBS:

As she’s done in her previous books, Jean Flahive expertly rolls back the years, bringing us back to the arrival of interurban rail service in small-town Maine. These “electric traveling machines” change young Millie’s life forever, opening up new worlds of possibility. She visits the city, rides with suffragettes, and even meets Theodore Roosevelt. An eye-opening and entertaining ride—you won't want the train to stop! Highly recommended.

Andrew Vietze, award-winning author of Becoming Teddy Roosevelt.

As the great-granddaughter and current holder of the legacy of Sewall House, the history of TR’s friendship with William Sewall held within its walls, the chapters that include the story of their friendship is beautifully woven into the touching story of the girl with the flowers, reflecting both their friendship and my great-grandfather’s temperament as guide and mentor.

        Donna Sewall Davidge, Sewall House, Island Falls, Maine