Swamp Rats
Trilogy on the River Book One
Grow up, fall in love, avoid alligators.
Abandoned by her mother, nine-year-old Princess lives in the swamp with her absentee father, a traveling trader. Her nearest neighbor is Cree, the twelve-year-old boy who lives two houses down on their tiny patch of land. One day he invites her to dinner with his baby brothers, because Cree, like Princess, is mostly alone in the world. That evening his eyes sparkle at Princess for the very first time, and Princess’ life truly begins.
Together the pair survives and raises his baby brothers. Occasionally hindered by Cree’s abusive father, they learn about life and growing up through her dad’s extensive library as well as the lessons they figure out on their own. But life in the swamp isn’t easy for two kids. They endure flooding storms, illness, and alligators along the way. And, maybe no surprise, budding romance, because they can’t be children forever.
Come visit a quieter place and time and drift down the river in the coming-of-age sweet romance Trilogy on the River.
Jill's Notes
- This is one of the first novels I ever wrote. I woke up one morning with the idea, and I wrote for nearly one solid week to get 70% of it down. That week my kids pretty much had to fend for themselves.
- I’m not sure how to classify this book. Romance, yes. Coming of age. The setting is imaginary, but it doesn’t read like fantasy. I settled on sweet romance, as it doesn’t have any faith components.
- As a child I read a book called Swamp Cat by Jim Kjelgaard that took place in the Louisiana Bayou, and it had an impact. I could see the swamp from that book. Those memories helped me create the swamp world of these trilogies.
