Forgotten Women: Book 3
Publication Date: February 12, 2025
SHE IS GOING TO BE THE GREATEST SCULPTRESS Of THE GILDED AGE
Spirited Vinnie Ream might have been driven from her prairie home to the political hotbed of Washington City by the outbreak of the Civil War. But despite her plainspoken ways and western twang, she’s a survivor, and nothing will stop her from pursuing her art in a world dominated by men.
UNTIL DISASTER STRIKES
But on the cusp of success, all her dreams come tumbling down. With her family destitute and her sister threatened, she does the unthinkable. Can she claw her way back to the top or will she go down in history as a failure?
A biographical historical novel about the power of family ties, the pursuit of fame, and the pain of unrequited love, based on the life of 19th century American sculptor, Vinnie Ream Hoxie.
The second half of the 19th century features a period of little government regulation and unlimited get-rich-quick schemes. This is the playground for American sculptor Vinnie Ream.
As the third installment in the Forgotten Women series, Prairie Cinderella comes to life under the hands of author Joan Koster.
With a mix of both historical fact and fiction, many of the characters featured in the story actually lived and worked during the time period. Told from Vinnie’s perspective (real name Lavinia Ellen), the story focuses on her efforts to make a name for herself in Washington through government commissions.
Even with her talent, though, Vinnie struggles to make a living as a professional artist. As a result, there is some debate as to how she managed to gain political favor.
Her life, along with her marriage to Richard Hoxie, unfolds through the pages and illustrates the challenges Vinnie experiences in a male-dominated society.
Prairie Cinderella tells the story of a forgotten woman who played a significant role in the arts and politics of the Gilded Age.
Dr. Joan Koster is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction in the fields of art, anthropology, education, and history. In a life full of adventures, she has scaled mountains, chased sheep, illustrated books, and been abandoned on a deserted island for longer than she wants to remember. All of which makes curling up on a Nova Scotia beach writing biographical historical novels about forgotten women who deserve to be remembered a true enjoyment.
Her newly released That Dickinson Girl: A Novel of the Civil War, Book 1 in the Forgotten Women series, was a Historical Fiction Company Finalist and placed 2nd in the 2022 RTTA. She is also the author of the top-selling Write for Success series, designed to help you write faster, clearer, more authoritatively, and more creatively. She blogs about historical women at Joan Koster Author, about romance at Zara West Romance, about writing tips at Zara West’s Journal, and about everyday life during the Civil War at American Civil War Voices.
Fantastic review!
Thank you so much for the terrific review! I am so glad you noted the political elements of the story.