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Read the Prologue of my new and soon-to-be-published novel,
Run With the Wind
Prologue
Today, along the shores of Matagorda Bay nothing remains of what was once the largest port city in Texas.
In the 1870s emigrants from Europe were flooding into Texas, drawn by the promise of cheap land. Indianola was the port of entry not only for emigrants, but also cargos bound for San Antonio, the largest city in the state.
Two extraordinary events in that decade would seal Indianola’s fate. In 1875, a hurricane destroyed the city. That same year the railroad between Houston and San Antonio was completed, thus assuring that ocean cargos bound for San Antonio no longer need transit via ox-cart and wagon train through Victoria, but, more economically, through Galveston by rail via Houston.
Indianola soon ceased to exist, while Galveston’s economy surged.
Two Jewish brothers arrived in Galveston from Germany in 1876 and founded a shipping business, married and began their families. Both built huge mansions planning that their children and their children’s children would live there. In the 1890’s the older brother, Levi Weismann, left the shipping business and founded a bank. The younger brother, Abraham, continued in shipping and built an empire.
The Great Storm of 1900, which took 8,000 lives on Galveston Island, also decimated the families as well as the businesses of the brothers. Both struggled to rebuild. In 1905 Abraham’s surviving son presented him with a granddaughter, named Sarah. Three years later, Abraham died and his son inherited both his father’s mansion and the shipping business.
The young man was not a good businessman. He tried to rebuild what was once an empire using money borrowed from New York bankers. The newly-completed Houston Ship Channel siphoned business away from Galveston, and usurious interest siphoned profits from what remained of the shipping business.
Sarah was 13 in 1918 when the influenza epidemic took her mother and her great-aunt, wife of Levi Weismann, the banker.
At 21, Sarah Weismann impulsively married Glenn Jacobs, a gentile. Her great-uncle, strong in his faith and unforgiving of the sins of others, was incensed. However, Uncle Levi softened when she presented her son to the Rabbi at Congregation B’nai Israel.
Near the end of the second year of Sarah’s marriage, the Great Depression descended upon the United States, and her father took his own life as bankers took the remnants of what was once an empire. Sarah’s gentile husband lost his life at sea, and her son, that same year, was stricken with polio.
What follows is the story of Sarah Jacobs and her son Benjamin, as they battle poverty and the enemy of polio, and Galveston, along with the world, turns worried eyes to Europe as it faces the rapaciousness of Adolph Hitler, and the promised murders of millions of Jews.
The year is 1938…
January 28, 2016 at 10:55 pm
I could see the picture as you were painting it with your words as if it were a movie in front of me. Well done.
February 15, 2016 at 10:43 am
Each sentence, no each word, left me hungering for the next. Great read.
February 20, 2016 at 9:24 am
Don’t know where you found the photo at the beginning of Chapter 1, but it eerily portrays the ramshackle house where young Drew existed with his mother . Can almost hear the creaking of the front porch as Uncle Eugene shuffles in the front door for another visit with Edith
February 20, 2016 at 8:20 pm
Your writing simply mesmerizes me. The words you chose paints such a vivid picture of this skinny, little forlorn kid named Drew I felt I could reach out and hug him. He reminds me of many of the students I taught and what went on behind closed doors. Can’t wait for the next installment!!
March 6, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Each sentence keeps me wanting more. Such a amazing read that makes me feel like I’m there in the book!. Bravo 👏
Can’t wait to read more
March 13, 2016 at 10:14 am
Maude is Drew’s life vest during these early years of his turbulence and uncertainty. She keeps him afloat and does so in a loving way for she is his protective angel on earth. And her sweet spirit glows as she instills her love of GOD in Drew as they gather to worship and sing great gospel songs.
GOD’s Word tells us “Don’t neglect to open up your homes to guests, because by doing this some have been hosts to angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2)
March 13, 2016 at 11:05 am
I appreciate all comments, Thanks.
April 16, 2016 at 8:33 pm
A realistic portrayal of mother-son relationship. The mother is not much of a mother, it is amazing how the young lad accepts it. Masterfully done. I feel for both, the boy and his mother, and would love to know what happens to him in the next installment.
April 24, 2016 at 7:45 pm
What a tough life for the ten-year-old, and you have portrayed it well enough for us readers to love him, and hate Edith and Eugene. Can’t wait for the next installment.
April 24, 2016 at 9:40 pm
Wait until next weekend. Thanks for your comment.
May 11, 2016 at 12:15 pm
Hello! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow
you if that would be okay. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward
to new posts.
May 11, 2016 at 2:29 pm
Sorry, I don’t use Twitter. Glad you’re enjoying the blog. I post something new every weekend.
May 15, 2016 at 10:37 pm
Hi, Jim. Just started reading, now on Chapter 5, and I am enjoying it so much. Knew you wrote historical facts well, but your talent to tell a story is phenomenal. Even though we grew up in the 40s and 50s with relatively little, at least by today’s standards, of material things, we were blessed to grow up in Victoria with parents and friends who protected and cared for us. Unfortunately, many do not, in earlier days or today. Thank you for allowing us to share your talents, and I look forward to being able to buy the published work, and have the author sign it. It is good to be able to really get to know you and Marian as we share our interest in preserving our past.
May 18, 2016 at 10:12 am
Astonishingly well written and insightful for a freely available online editorial!
Kudos for this share!
May 20, 2016 at 5:43 pm
Appreciate you sharing, great forum post.Really thank you! Fantastic.
August 17, 2016 at 5:36 pm
Great read. I really love the main character . I look forward to read more of your work.
August 17, 2016 at 10:29 pm
Thanks for the comment, Cindy. The completed novel is available on Amazon.com, as e-book, soft cover, and hard cover.
October 15, 2016 at 1:13 am
Wow because this is excellent work! Congrats and keep it up. http://tinyurl.com/jjl3tn9
October 15, 2016 at 9:33 am
Thanks, Corene.
January 20, 2017 at 12:26 pm
Anticipation!
January 20, 2017 at 6:33 pm
Yea, Jodie! Yep, gonna keep you waiting!
April 7, 2017 at 3:55 pm
I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your sites really nice, keep it up!
I’ll go ahhead and bookmark your website to come back
down the road. Cheers
April 16, 2017 at 9:09 am
Thanks for the comment Eloy.
July 23, 2017 at 12:53 am
Nice post, im ron spinabella, a freelance writer and blogger for various different websites
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July 30, 2017 at 12:56 am
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August 1, 2017 at 9:48 pm
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August 17, 2017 at 3:27 am
Keep on working, great job!
August 17, 2017 at 8:55 am
Greetings from Idaho! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to check out your website on my iphone during lunch break.
I love the information you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I
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September 5, 2017 at 7:18 pm
Glad you responded. Thanks for keeping up with the adventures of the Neilan family!
Jim Cole
September 24, 2017 at 9:23 pm
Met you Saturday at Kroger in Pearland, I didn’t know of you and hadn’t read a book in years. Bought the book went home, started reading the book and could not stop. The book was so entertaining, I will definitely be on the look out for any other work from you. Thank you so much for getting my attention yesterday. And yes; I did need those tissues you gave me. thanks.