The Grace in Africa series is a sweeping three-part historical saga of slavery and freedom that takes the reader from an island off the west coast of Africa to Southern plantations and finally on to Canada. All her life, Grace Winslow, the daughter of a mixed marriage between an English sea captain and an African princess, has been sheltered from the truth about the family business--the capture and trade of slaves.
Set in 1787 in West Africa, The Call of Zulinaopens as the scorching harmattan winds blow. Desperate to avoid marriage to an odious suitor, Grace escapes the family compound only to be caught up in a slave revolt at the fortress of Zulina. Soon, she begins to grasp the brutality and ferocity of the family business. Held for ransom, viciously maimed by a runaway slave, and threatened with death, Grace is finally jerked into reality and comes to sympathize with the plight of the captives. She admires their strength and courage and is genuinely moved by the African Cabetos passion, determination, and willingness to sacrifice anything, including his own life, for his peoples freedom.
Author Bio
Of Kay Marshall Stroms 39 published books, four have been book club selections, nine have been translated into foreign languages, and one has been optioned for a movie. Her writing credits also include the Grace in Africa Series and the Blessings in India series. Her writing has appeared in several volumes, including More Than Conquerors, Amazing Love, The NIV Couple's Devotional Bible and The NIV Women's Devotional Bible, and The Bible for Today's Christian Woman. Her best-known book is Once Blind: The Life of John Newton, which is packaged with the recently released DVD Amazing Grace. She also has written several books with her husband, Dan Kline. Kay is a partner in Kline, Strom International, Inc., leaders in communication training. She currently lives in Eugene, Oregon. Learn more about Kay at www.kaystrom.com
Author Bio
Kay Marshall Strom is the author of 36 books. Her writing also includes numerous magazine articles, curriculum, and scripts for movies and television. An in-demand speaker, more and more both her writing and speaking are taking her around the world. She and her husband Dan Kline live in the Pacific Northwest.
Library Journal
Set in 1787 West Africa, this first novel in a sweeping three-part historical saga features Grace Winslow, whose mother is African royalty and her father a British sea captain. Grace is trapped in an impending unwanted arranged marriage, so she flees from her home and gets involved in a slave revolt at the fortress of Zulina. There she begins to understand the horrific nature of her family's involvement in the slave trade. Grace's heart goes out to the captives, particularly Cabeto, who is determined to win his people's freedom at any cost. VERDICT This compelling drama will challenge readers to remember slavery's brutal history, and its heroic characters will inspire them. Highly recommended.
Publisher's Weekly
Strom, evangelical Christian author of 34 books and an activist against modern slavery, takes an indirect approach to calling attention to that issue with her newest fiction title, the first of three planned in the Grace in Africa series, set in West Africa in 1787. Stroms protagonist, Grace Winslow, the daughter of an English sea captain and an African princess, aligns herself with her fathers slaves. Young adult Grace is promised in marriage to a pompous, offensive white man and even Graces mother (who endured the same fate, having been forced to marry for political reasons) colludes with Graces father in this scheme. Grace, realizing she is just as much a slave as her full African counterparts, runs away and discovers a new life and a better reason for living. She also has her eyes opened to the atrocities that have surrounded her for years. Stroms fictional account of the battle at the fortress of Zulina between the slaves and their masters is mostly believable, though some of the dialogue sounds a bit stilted. Strom does succeed in capturing how utterly reprehensible any form of slavery is, past or present. (Aug.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.