"Collins' ... debut novel ... is an extraordinary achievement in historical fiction that will transport readers through time while touching their hearts." —K.C. Finn, Readers' Favorite ★★★★★ "This is a history book, and a family saga wrapped in a novel and is an excellent read."—Lucinda E. Clarke, Readers' Favorite ★★★★★ "Collins’ descriptions of his ancestors’ sufferings and the horrendous ‘coffin ships’ are harrowing." —Susie Helme, best-selling author of The Lost Wisdom of the Magi -Goodreads ★★★★ This gripping, fact-based historical fiction account—composed as a New England immigrant family saga—unfolds through three personal journals written as if by Collins' ancestors nearly two hundred years ago. The story reveals intimate, emotional experiences, the survival memoir of strong immigrants, and the traditions of old-world craftsmanship and artisan immigrant life in 19th century America. Based on the legacies of two Boston Irish and Italian families, it is a perfect story for fans of cultural heritage fiction, historical Irish and Italian immigrant novels, ancestry family stories, and biographical historical fiction—particularly readers who enjoy family journals, diaries, and heirlooms from true family stories. Forgotten by Time, Rediscovered by Fate A century after her birth, Jessie (Ambrosini) Collins is laid to rest beside her husband, Joseph Cornelius Collins, in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Milford, Massachusetts. Weeks later, while settling her estate, her children and grandchildren discover a hope chest filled with artifacts and memories. Among these are handwritten diaries and journals—the family legacy and ancestry saga, passed down through generations. The Odyssey of Cornelius Collins It is 1852, during the Irish Potato Famine—when fourteen-year-old Cornelius Collins embarks on a harrowing survival journey. He escapes to Liverpool, then crosses the Atlantic on a "coffin ship," arriving in Boston to start a new life as an immigrant artisan and bootmaker in 19th century America. His story reflects the resilience so often celebrated in biographical historical fiction and family saga novels. Of Leather & Stone As years pass, the granite rush in Milford draws master stonecutter Giuseppe Ambrosini from Lombardy, intertwining two immigrant heritage families. Both families endure the radical shifts in technology, the devastation of war, labor struggles, economic collapse, and the Irish Rebellion—the trials faced by those in ancestry family stories and cultural heritage fiction. Their American-born children unite the two families in marriage, preserving traditions, personal journals, and stories that endure through hardship and change—hallmarks of any journal family saga and heritage fiction book. The Remembering Theirs is the common fate of strong survivors, immigrant families, and artisans—living quietly, known only to those who loved them, then remembered in diary-based survival sagas and family legacy stories. In THE REMEMBERING, their names and memories come alive for a new generation. 5 Stars ★★★★★ "A richly imagined family legacy, The Remembering blends fact and fiction into a compelling American saga. Remarkable in scope, emotion, and timeliness, this generations-long portrait of the immigrant experience is layered with emotional and historical detail. Sensitive, creative, and transportive, this is a must-read for avid readers of historical fiction, as well as anyone who wants to implicitly understand the American immigrant experience."— SPR Review 5 Stars ★★★★★ "Overall, THE REMEMBERING: Of Leather & Stone is an extraordinary achievement in historical fiction that will transport readers through time while touching their hearts."— K.C. FINN, USA Today best-selling author 5 Stars ★★★★★ "...a compelling insight into the history of the Irish-American experience that is as deep as it is wide. ...an attention to detail and insight that often feels like pure poetry, turning words on the page into something I could see, hear, and smell in my mind's eye."— ANDY HUTCHINGS, Readers' Favorite 5 Stars ★★★★★ "The author takes the reader into the minds of his family as their characters leap off the pages. I cared about them and enjoyed their triumphs and sorrows. ... the description of Cornelius' journey on the coffin ship across the Atlantic is so realistic that I was there, experiencing the conditions he suffered, the seasickness, lice, and open sores."— LUCINDA E. CLARKE, Readers' Favorite Loved It! 4 Stars ★★★★ "The 'poor, tired, huddled masses' who braved all these hardships and risks to create a better life in the New World, theirs is a big story, one for all of us." — SUZIE HELME, Goodreads