New England Books and Authors

281 pages, published by  Westholme Publishing , ©2018 While the witch hysteria in Salem was playing on everyone's fears and superstitions at the time, a lesser-known mania was taking place in another town close by. Andover, Massachusetts was a small town under the protection of the English Crown. Founded in 1646, the town was founded by residents of nearby Ipswich and Newbury. Andover was a relatively quiet town King Phillip's War put settlers on edge. There was another period of unrest that plagued the residents of the town. This time the threat was supernatural. While many throughout the United States and the rest of the world are familiar with the Salem Witch Trials, there are a lot of people who don't know of a similar infamous event in nearby Andover. In the summer of 1692, Elizabeth Ballard fell ill and showed no signs of recovering. At the behest of neighbors, Elizabeth's husband Joseph called on the girls of Salem who had been victims of witchcraft's curse ...

263 pages; Published by Jean M. Roberts © 2018 I narrated the audiobook version of this work, so I get paid if you purchase it. Tales of arriving in a new land are numerous. History books tell students of all ages about people who left everything behind in order to make a better life for themselves and their family. The dangers they encountered were both exciting and harrowing. For people like Hugh Parsons, the dangers came from the wild of an untamed land and the very community he lived in. "Weave a Web of Witchcraft" by Jean M. Roberts details the struggles of a man who is forced to learn a trade despite wanting to farm and live off the land. After learning his trade, Parsons travels to the New World in hopes of better opportunities, only to find himself accused of witchcraft by his own family. Roberts' book begins in the 1630's. Parsons is working on his family's farm when his father informs him an apprenticeship has been arranged with a local brickmaker. Despi...