My Loving Vigil Keeping

By Carla Kelly

Della's giving up all the comforts of bustling Salt Lake City to teach school in a rural coal mining camp. Little does she know, she may soon be giving up her heart as well. But when tragedy strikes in the Scofield Mine, Della's life is changed forever. Based on true events, this thrilling new romance from award-winning and bestselling author Carla is a must-read!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cedar Fort Publishing & Media
• Release date: Aug 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781462102471

Carla Kelly

Carla has always said that she only writes the books that she wants to read, which has made this whole writing business extra fun. She wrote her first book at age six. It was called The Old Mill, and she wrote it on her mother's Olivetti-Underwood typewriter. It had a cover (she spent more time on the cover than the narrative), and consisted of two sentences. But Carla said it had a plot. Carla was always writing something. She admits to going through that awkward, poetry-writing phase. Luckily, it passed. In high school (A.C. Jones High School, Beeville, Texas), she got involved in journalism, which was a great thing, since JHS had an exemplary journalism teacher, Jean Dugat (Miss D), the meanest teacher alive. To show how mean, she insisted that her students learn A LOT. She was the only teacher Carla ever knew who never needed a substitute when she was gone. "We wouldn't have dared not complete what she had assigned us," Carla said. Miss D was a wicked hard taskmaster, but it occurred to Carla that if she did what Miss D said, and paid attention, she'd be a writer someday. Brigham Young University was a great place to go to college. Papers were a breeze (refer to Miss D in the above paragraph), and Carla graduated with a degree in Latin American history. She was married by her senior year, and eventually Martin and Carla had five interesting children. Martin, retired now, was a university professor, teaching theatre courses, English courses and speech, plus directing plays. Carla says she began writing in earnest (i.e. selling stuff) when she lived in Ogden, Utah. She started out with short stories about the Indian Wars, reflecting academic interest, plus several years as a National Park Service ranger at Fort Laramie NHS. Great job. Carla said they paid her every two weeks for what she would have done for free… The result of those short stories were two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America and eventually the anthology Here's to the Ladies: Stories of the Frontier Army, which remains her personal favorite book of those she has written. In 1983 or 1984, Carla wrote her first novel, Daughter of Fortune (she called it Saintmaker), inspired by an incident in New Mexico history. After that, her then-agent suggested she might want to try her hand at Regency romance, which turned out to be a nice fit. Carla had written mainly for Signet and now Harlequin, with occasional academic works and state and Park Service–funded history projects thrown in to keep life interesting. She has two RITA® Awards for regencies, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews. She doesn't belong to any writing groups because they take up too much time, and she's too cheap to pay dues. Carla likes to write, but she does other stuff, too. More years in the Park Service meant a greater understanding of the American fur trade and Indians on the Northern Plains. She likes to read, focusing on police procedurals for her escape reading (John Harvey is her favorite such author) and whatever academic history interests her. She is currently researching coal mine history in Utah, because the Kellys moved to Wellington, Utah, in 2009, after Martin retired. Wellington is in Carbon County, well-known for coal mines. She has plans for a history of one 1900 mine disaster, and probably a novel on the same subject (she's a great one for using research many times—re: the Channel Fleet). Also in the works is a biography of Guy V. Henry, a well-known cavalry officer of the Indian Wars, Carla's primary history field. She's been known to present academic papers here and there, and never misses the Indian Wars Symposia at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. There will always be time for fiction, though. Carla recently sold a novel that reflects her years in southeast Wyoming and her Mormon background to a Utah publishing company. She anticipates more books in this vein, partly because she has always been a bit squeamish about bodice ripping, and she's always up for new ventures. Other than reading, Carla's only bona fide hobby is crocheting baby afghans. She does it while she watches television or rides shotgun in cars, and she's well on her way to making a gazillion. Years ago, one of Carla's friends and fellow authors made the perceptive observation that Carla is only writing herself in her books: someone practical, down-to-earth, not Too Stupid To Live, who solves her own problems. And she writes about stalwart, caring men and women because she personally knows a lot of stalwart, caring people. She was also told by a friend, a certified graphologist (handwriting analyst), that her handwriting indicates she hasn't a creative bone in her whole body. Sigh. So it goes.  

Reviews for My Loving Vigil Keeping

[bookworm_lisa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My Loving Vigil Keeping is a historical romance taking place from 1899-1900. The story takes place in Winter Quaters, a mine near Scoffield, Utah. I was unaware of this particular place or the events associated with it.Della accepts a job to be a school teacher in this remote settlement. She has been emotionally abused and neglected by her Uncle and his wife. Her father was a miner and died in the mine when she was 13 years old. The mining life is something she if familiar with and she goes to help the children of the miners, because she remembers what it was like.The miners are mainly immigrants from many different cultures and countries. I loved the diversity portrayed and how the families of the miners loved and supported each other. They were very inspirational to me.I particularly loved the use of Welch words in the book. I know a little weird, but I have always been fascinated and loved learning about people from Wales. My Great-Grandmother was an immigrant from Wales and I remember her stubbornness fondly. It brings a bit more of a longing to find out more about the people and culture.For me that is always a plus when a book helps you want to learn more.The story is sweet, sad, funny, and inspirational. I was literally brought to tears at some points and shaking my head at others.This book is beautifully written. I felt as if I were in that desolate canyon with the characters. I could practically picture it in my mind. I grew to love the characters and had empathy for their trials.

[rhonda1111 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My Loving Vigil Keeping by Carla Kelly 5 STARSI did not know about the diaster that happened in 1900 and feel bad about that lack of knowledge. Right now I wish I had a car that was working I would go up the canyon and visit the cemetary. I wonder how many of my town of Fairview were a part of that mine.The coals mines are a major employer of are town still today.I loved the characters and now wonder who might have been real and what parts of the story is fiction. I could picture the train rides up the canyons so well. Carla told a compeling story of life in the coal mines of the 1900s.I have always wondered why married women could not be teachers and when that changed.Della Anders's father died in a mine and was sent to her Uncle in Salt Lake City to live with his family. He was well paid lawyer but his wife and daughters never welcomed her into the family. Never bought her clothes when she out grew them but a kindly librain took matters in her own and helped her to become independant and arranged jobs, lessons in sewing clothes.Della because of her became a teacher after teaching two years in the west side of town she decided to teach in a mineing town for a year.Owen Davis is a miner and proud of it. He is also a widower who still loves his deceased wife. He has a little girl Anghatad who is just starting school this year. Owen is also a wood carver and he made lots of wooden letters for for the younger classrooms so his daughter would feel at home there. He was the choir directer andwas always trying to get Della to join the choir.This is a tear jerker especially when you realize that it really happened so many men and boys that died in the mine. I am glad that I read it, eventhough I went through a lot of tissue.I like how she told Mr. Auerbach about the children she taught. She also sent him pictures the children drew on the magic paper. I remember going to Auerbach department store. and all the windows that were decorated for the seasons. This is a very clean read except for all the coal dust.I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley. I also won a copy of it from LDS Retailers Blog and plan to give it to a friend to enjoy too.08/14/2012 PUB Cedar Fort Imprint Bonneville 440 pages