Lynn is a typical 7 year old, growing up in the south in 1964, who loves her family, the Beatles, playing outside until dark and twisting to Chubby Checker's hit single, most days in that particular order. She also secretly dreams of being crowned a queen one day, just like the contestants on the Miss America pageant. One Sunday afternoon as she stands before the newly crowned queens at the Girl's Auxiliary coronation at First Baptist Church, a small white pillow with a crown on it in her hands, Lynn makes the decision to begin her own GA journey. She quickly discovers, however, there is one huge obstacle that threatens to prevent her from ever achieving that or any other goal. Cora, a middle aged friend of Lynn's grandparents, dreams of being a queen too, each weekday morning as she watches one of her favorite shows, "Queen for a Day." Little does she know the same thing that threatens to keep Lynn from the crown also threatens to keep her from her future and more than she is even aware of, perhaps even forcing her to give up before she has the courage to dream again. Will Lynn and Cora ever see their dreams come true? It is what happens one stormy night on the Pamlico River that has the power to free them both from all that is holding them back, if their hearts are strong enough to live through it. Sweet, inspirational and deeply rooted in Southern 1960's culture, "Your Hand in Mine" captures the power of renewed Hope and the pursuit of dreams, blending the lives and struggles of two similar, but unlikely characters, set apart only by age. Set against the backdrop of a changing America, grieving from the recent assassination of President John Kennedy, this story reminds us of an innocent time so quickly slipping away. It was a time of church picnics, five and dime stores, the birth of rock and roll, a love for the simple things in life, and the pursuit of the American Dream, before that dream began to fall apart, and social change, injustice, war and unrest became such a huge part of our daily dialogue. It is my hope this book will inspire us all to dream Big dreams again, and live fearless and hopeful lives.
About the Author: Lynn Cavanaugh-Blades lives in Wilmington, NC, with her husband Peter, and daughter Summer. After teaching school for 24 years, she opened a random book in a local bookstore and read the words, "Write your book already," so that is exactly what she did. "Your Hand in Mine, We Will Go" is a tribute to her greatest loves: Faith, family, friends, the ocean, traveling, and music, especially Bruce Springsteen and the Beatles.