Journals of Corrie Belle Hollister

When her mother dies, Corrie Bell Hollister is left with four younger siblings to care for. Hoping to find her uncle, she arrives in Gold Rush territory determined to be strong and make her own way. But her long-lost father's so-called land of promise is a dangerous place, and she has never felt so alone.

After a shocking discovery in Miracle Springs, Corrie's world is turned upside down. But as the community grows and their cabin becomes a home, she feels the Hollisters are finally learning how to be a real family. Deep down, she knows she isn't old enough to be a true mother to her siblings, but can she trust anyone else with their care?

Now that her siblings are provided for, Corrie convinces a newspaperman to take a chance on her as a journalist. Soon, she is on her own in the rough and tumble towns of the California gold fields. In her quest for the next human-interest story, Corrie uncovers a dangerous conspiracy. The truth beckons to her, but is it worth the risk?

At almost twenty-one, Corrie has overcome the tragedies of her youth and made a name for herself as a journalist. Facing new challenges in Miracle Springs, including a secret that could tear apart her close-knit family, she must find a way to accept that sometimes the Lord uses difficult circumstances for good.

The dawning of 1860 brings rising tensions between the North and South that threaten to escalate into full-scale war. Corrie Belle Hollister finds herself thrust into the political arena with her new reputation as "California's woman reporter." Handsome political aide Cal Burton approaches Corrie to convince her that Lincoln--even the nation itself--depends upon the influence she can wield through her writing and speaking. Corrie is resolute in her belief that slavery is wrong, and that she should do what she can to help Lincoln get elected, but mounting conflict within the Hollister family makes her realize that taking a stand sometimes goes deeper than drawing a political line.

The War Between the States has escalated into a full-scale conflict threatening to tear the nation apart. Having been invited by President Lincoln to come to Washington, D.C., to assist in his reelection campaign, Corrie finds herself a long way from home in a most unusual situation--a young woman from the Wild West, with little education and experience, in the seat of power at the nation's capital. While writing and reporting from the battlefields, Corrie unwittingly uncovers a plot that could change the country's course forever, but taking action will put her very life at risk.

Pursued as a Union spy inside Confederate territory, Corrie's desperate attempt to escape on horseback is cut short by the sound of gunfire and the excruciating pain in her back from a bullet. Mercifully, the fear and pain are quickly overtaken by darkness as the reins slip through her fingers. When Corrie slowly awakens from weeks of unconsciousness, the first face she sees belongs to Christopher Braxton, the young man who found her nearly dead on the roadside and carried her to safety. As she is nursed back to health, Corrie finds that the physical damage to her body is not nearly as difficult to treat as her lingering amnesia. Beginning with the single letter in her pocket, Corrie and Christopher struggle to piece together the limited clues to Corrie's past.

The Civil War is finally over, and it has been more than two years since Corrie Belle Hollister left her home and family in Miracle Springs, California, to travel across the country at President Lincoln's invitation. Her writing skills and reporting experience have made their own contribution to the Union's success, and now she is on her way home . . . back to the community where she grew to maturity, back to the family she loves. But Corrie is returning a different young woman than the one who left with her journal tucked into her suitcase and the dream of being a writer tucked into her heart. She feels restless as she tries to settle back into the pace of a small town, and the latest letter from Christopher only creates more questions. Perhaps the most relentless among them: Where will she find a home for her heart?

When Zach Hollister hears stories of the first Pony Express riders, he jumps at the chance to finally strike out on his own and leave Miracle Springs behind. But he soon learns that the Pony Express Trail holds more than the promise of adventure, independence, and great pay. It's a challenging and dangerous road that will lead him to discover who he truly is.