In truth, this book can reach classic status, Alice in Wonderland or Narnia. Timeless and enduring, long outliving us. That’s not something you see often.
~ ACFW 2026 Editor of the Year
Deirdre Lockhart
Brilliant Cut Editing
📖 Haven’t read the preview yet? Step into the opening scene of Broken Sanctuary here!
Who Would You Be in 1885? Meet the Whitaker Children
Welcome to Peckles-Wood Shire. It is November 1, 1885, and our world is merging with another. The skies are dark with volcanic ash, the local iron mines have closed, and the industrial revolution is burning hot just down the road in Hexham.
On a struggling family farm, eight brothers and sisters soon face choices that will alter their lives forever—just days after a hidden, ancient sanctuary tore open right beneath their feet.
To step into this adventure, we want you to look back at your own life. Think of the age you felt the most challenged, grew up the fastest, or felt trapped. Which Whitaker child matches your story?
Meet the Siblings:
- The Eldest (Ages 15–16): Facing Adult Burdens
- Emma: The eldest child. She has watched her friends desert the Shire for the city and feels she has earned the Will’s chores.
- Will: Right on Emma’s heels. He sees a dying farm and a burning city of opportunity. He is determined to build a new life in Hexham, even if it means starting a kitchen-table war over who gets to leave first. All the other males his age have left the Shire as farm after farm failed.
- The Middles (Ages 12–14): Caught Between Two Worlds
- Our middle siblings are watching the family friction unfold. They are old enough to understand that their farm isn’t failing, just the work is harder. They are young enough to still remember when the Shire felt magical. They are torn between wanting to grow up and wanting to preserve their fracturing family.
- The Youngest (Ages 9–11): The Last Days of Innocence
- Stacy: Heartbroken and feeling abandoned. Her siblings are already bickering about packing up and moving awa. She thinks her favorite game of Rounders in the meadow will be officially dead. She is terrified that if Will and Emma leave, the last remnants of her happy childhood will vanish into the smoke.
- Our youngest siblings don’t care about city wages or economic collapse. They just want their family together. But they are the ones who will first spot the strange, talking Pureling fleeing into Mother’s neeps patch.
🗳️ Cast Your Vote & Choose Your Perspective!
We want to hear from you. Look at these children through the lens of your own childhood memory:
- Which sibling reminds you most of yourself, and why?(Were you the eldest carrying the weight, the middle child caught in the crossfire, or the youngest watching your world change?)
- Whose story would you like to discover first?
Tell us your choice in the comments below!
In our next post we’ll share the bios of all eight children. But for now, check out the free preview link above!
📖 Haven’t read the preview yet? Step into the opening scene of Broken Sanctuary here!
Copyright © 2026 by Lee Wimmer. All rights reserved. This post first appeared on www.leewimmer.net.