Author C. Ellen Culverwell’s Book Guiding Hearts Honors Friendship

C. Ellen Culverwell is the author of Blind Horse Bluff, The Horse Lady and most recently Guided Hearts, which was released earlier this year. Readers share that “It’s a feel-good, engaging story with a fun twist, and “kick back and relax” kind of story.” Culverwell states, “ That is my ultimate goal in writing, to give someone a few hours of enjoyment with an engaging story line, and interesting, often relatable characters.” The audience for Guided Hearts are readers who want a break from their routine, an engaging book to take to the beach this summer, and perhaps for the readers who have also overcome heartbreak and betrayal, to encourage them to find the strength to persevere, while keeping the hope for a brighter future. The genre is fantasy/paranormal, yet it’s subtle in its presentation. The book Guided Hearts also reflects my sometimes quirky humor,” states Culverwell. I want my readers to enjoy my stories as much as I do writing them.”

Culverwell discussed that in all of her books she emphasizes the importance of “staying the course in following your conscience and staying true to what you know is right, no matter how rough life becomes. My character Laurel was devastated by her husband's betrayal, but she never allowed herself to be dragged down to his level. She rebuilt her life on the principles by which she was raised, and it ultimately led her to a life of purpose and happiness. All of us have been knocked down at one point or another, but it is how we lift ourselves back up that matters.”

C. Ellen Culverwell’s first two books Blind Horse Bluff and The Horse Lady are about the healing power of horses. The Horse Lady and Blind Horse Bluff have received positive reviews for their incorporation of working with horses as a means to heal emotional and physical problems in children.” Culverwell states, “ It is especially important for children to find empowerment, and connecting with an animal many times their size, animals who are truly special, gives that to them."

Guided Hearts is a story about the protagonist Laurel Quincy, whose life feels shattered after the betrayal of her husband. Laurel meets an eccentric old woman named Maggie who becomes a good friend and mentor, and she truly helps through her friendship to guide Laurel to help her be led to a place of happiness and peace again, and to even find true love. It is a story that shows the power of friendships and how these friendships can help others to heal and rebuild, remembering to always persevere and to continue to trust in the power of love. “It is a fictional story, Culverwell discussed, not inspired by any direct real life events, yet it lends itself to a relatable real life “what if'' scenario. I believe it's human nature to want to feel as though, to paraphrase Shakespeare, there are more things on Heaven and Earth than can be dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Culverwell describes her book to readers best, stating, “Laurel Quincy is truly the heroine. She rose from a modest blue collar upbringing to receiving an MBA from Harvard. She became very successful in the banking industry known for her hard work, kindness and integrity. It is those qualities which helped her to escape her conniving husband Chaz Tanner. Chaz is a selfish and reckless man who brought financial ruin to every life he touched, especially Laurel. The contradiction between the two characters leaves the reader heartbroken for her betrayal and the hope for Chaz’s comeuppance. Maggie is the eccentric old woman who Laurel later meets in the cemetery while visiting her parent’s grave, after Laurel’s divorce from Chaz . Maggie is often found walking the cemetery’s beautiful parklike paths sometimes wearing a pink bathrobe and fuzzy pink slippers. Aside from her unusual attire, she often gives Laurel sound advice and pushes her toward finding herself and love. The love interest Maggie has in mind for Laurel is a handsome young doctor David Bradford who jogs daily through the cemetery. Laurel and David find in each other the same decency and desire to help others, but not without the interference and influence of Chaz. There is subtle help from Maggie throughout the story, gentle nudges to encourage them to see what Maggie sees clearly, and the result is that they become a couple who find the strength together to overcome the pain of their past.”

Culverwell discussed why she loves reading and writing her books. It started from her love for reading, “When an author can make you feel as though you are a part of their story, to me, it’s nothing short of magic. When I found myself faced with events in my life over which I had no control, writing gave me that control in a sense, and I found an inspiring place to feel a lot of purpose and hope through my writing. It’s a gift more precious than gold. It wasn’t until I wrote The Horse Lady that I sought publication. They were written to entertain and provide comfort to my terminally ill step-daughter. The hospital brought a sleeper chair to her ICU room where I would spend nights with her. I wrote the stories and read them to her to get through the long nights. After she passed away I sent them to a publisher who printed them.” Concluding, “I have experienced more than my fair share of loss, but The Horse Lady and Blind Horse Bluff allowed me to go to a place I needed to find solace and purpose, and to reflect upon my own experiences, and to honor the healing power of horses. My horse farm is a physical embodiment of “The Horse Lady’s” farm. It was a place in my mind where I wanted to live; so, I created it in real life, and included this content in my books about horses. My horse farm has become a refuge for others as well. When my friends or family need a break they stop by to commune with nature, spoil the horses and decompress.”

Author C. Ellen Culverwell has more books in the works and plans to always keep writing. Her next book titled, Tattered Hearts will also be published in the forthcoming months by The Wild Rose Press, under their Champagne Rose division.

Guided Hearts is available via the following Amazon: Guided Hearts by C. Ellen Culverwell in both a kindle format and a paperback version. Her book is also available on the Barnes and Noble website, and through many other retailers. It is distributed by The Wild Rose Press. Follow Author C.Ellen Culverwell on Twitter and via Facebook on her author page, C. Ellen Culverwell.

Connect with her at Author C. Ellen Culverwell to learn more about her books, and to read her always engaging blog. Messages direct to C. Ellen Culverwell may be sent through the contact form on the aforementioned blog.

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