Song of Promise

About the Book

Song of Promise documents history through a chaotic period of America’s growth, accenting the Confederate South and European realm.

Set in the late 1800’s, the novel follows Rachel, a strong-willed heroine of fair skin who is unaware of her bi-racial birth. Rachel’s southern prominent grand parents, unable to accept an ethnic scandal, force their daughter, Bluebell (Rachel‘s mother), from their ancestral home.

Homeless and alone, Bluebell is attended by runaway slaves and succumbs giving birth in an abandoned cabin in the southern wilderness. Orphaned, Rachel is cared for by slaves fleeing their lawless owners in the turbulent south, a dangerous place for a small white child, where vigilante slave hunters are rampant and merciless. At age eight, Rachel is fostered by a caring clergy family who recognizes and helps develop her gifted voice.

The saga covers three years of action-packed historical and emotional drama. Amid catastrophic civil war repercussions, social and ethnic issues expose raw, painful, and unjust incidents, keeping readers anxiously alert. A Negro attorney, hired by Rachel’s family, unravels her mysterious birth, culminating in startling twists of fate.

As history affects us all, this compelling read forces self-judgment, guilt, praise, and determination and proves that no matter what one’s beginning may be, through discipline, perseverance, and hard work, one can always reach the top! Never give up!

About the Author

Born in Sweden 84 years ago, Ms. Henning immigrated to the US in 1924. She finds life exciting, full, and challenging and has worked in many facets--from business to entertainment where she still frequently travels to San Francisco (a 240 mile round trip) for interviews and work in films, TV--commercials and series--radio and print. Ms. Henning’s mother instilled the wisdom of not wasting time or life, so in later years she has immersed herself in writing while enjoying her 25 member family, including 11 great-grandchildren. Her philosophy is: A productive mind and body is a happy, active soul, proving that age is of no consequence.