It takes some time to write a book and get it done correctly. Between coming up with an idea, developing the characters, choosing names and locations for the stories and the actual writing, it takes time and patience. But then there is the editing, the corrections, the rechecking of the corrections, the approvals for cover design and a myriad of other details. The whole process at times, takes the patience of Job.

After the book is published, it can be sent in to a professional reviewer. Talk about nerve wracking! Maybe your family and friends think the story is great, but they might be a little prejudiced. Okay that is understandable. Maybe your publisher likes the story too. They probably wouldn’t have published it if they didn’t think it had some merit. But to be sent to a professional reviewer, that is really scary

That is what happened to my book, “Journey to the Pacific, One Man’s Quest.” The following is the Kirkus Review of my book.

TITLE INFORMATION

Journey to the Pacific, One Man’s Quest by Judith A. Perkins

BOOK REVIEW:

In Perkins’ historical novel, a young boy raised in an Illinois orphanage vows to one day see the Pacific Ocean.

George Seevers was born in Streator, Illinois in 1859 and he was just 2 years old when he was sent to an orphanage. He was his parents’ unexpected third son, after his two older brothers lost their lives in the Civil War and his father died from dysentery, his mother fell into a severe depression and could no longer care for him. For the next 13 years, George endures an arduous childhood of cleaning kitchen and field labor, finding relief only through his love of reading. Stories about the Pacific Ocean inspire him, and he hopes to one day reach its shores. As he approaches his 15th birthday, he runs away, hops a freight car, and begins his journey west, landing in Rapid City in the Dakota Territory; he spends 10 months as a ranch cook there and then heads to Cheyenne in the Wyoming Territory, which turns out to be a turning point in his life when Fred Lewis hires him as his assistant in his hotel restaurant. Fred and his wife Mary have three daughters; 17 year old Marie, 15 year old Susan, and 10 year old Jane. George enjoys cooking and baking and he falls in love with Marie, who’s equally smitten with him. Their marriage provides George with a close extended family that will eventually travel with him to Portland, Oregon and finally to Rawlings, in what will become Washington State.

In unadorned, straight forward prose, Perkins presents a pleasant, engaging narrative of the American West. Despite a few crises here and a couple of tragic losses, the narrative features few surprises and little tension. Still, George is a fully developed character who will capture readers’ hearts and they’ll enjoy the books intricate inside view of the development of the small town of Rawlings, which grows from an end-of-the-line railroad community into a burgeoning city. Overall, this is an uplifting family saga with plenty of optimism and warmth.

A quiet, amiable read that extols the determination and fortitude of 19th-century Western settlers.

Kirkus Indie, Kirkus Media LLC 2600 Via Fortuna Suite 130 Austin, TX 78746

Indie@kirkus reviews.com

I am thrilled with this review. It is not what I expected for a first review of my first novel. The request for the review was submitted to Kirkus in November, 2023 and we just received it in July, 2024, so it was a long process, I Kirkus is the most honest and most sought after reviewer and they have a huge back log of books to read, so I am very honored that they read my book and liked it.

I hope you enjoy it also!