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Moon Dance
That day, that dreadful day began it all... It began like any other, just another carefree, lazy, May afternoon... Then without warning, as we rounded the corner, my heart commenced beating rapidly and just like that, I knew... I just knew something terrible had come to pass. Maggie didn't notice being poor; her family managed to scrape by, even during the Depression. Times were hard for everyone she knew, but as long as she had her family, she felt contented. After a devastating accident, Maggie's world is shattered. A Second Chance 'Sometimes we just don't understand why such things come to pass, but I don't think God plans on bad things happenin' to us. I believe he helps us through our troubles, and helps us realize that even in hard times, there's been some good things happen this past year.' I fixed my eyes on him and whispered softly, 'You're my good thing, Joe.' While Maggie longs to find the love and trust she desires, Joe strolls into her heart. After the heartaches she's endured, can Maggie believe there is happiness in store for her? Should she trust Joe, or will he abandon her as well? Moon Dance, by Susan K. Earl, is a captivating family saga portraying the heart and soul of hard-working small-town Texans during the Great Depression, bringing to life highly flavored, 'deep in the heart of Texas' characters readers will loveor love to hate. Let Moon Dance transport you to a simpler place in time; experience a tale that transcends generations and offers an outspoken story of faith, hope, love, and forgiveness.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
324 pages, Perfect Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 21, 2010
Moon Dance by author, Susan Earl, is a believable story about the life of people who survived the Great Depression. Set in the countryside near Fort Worth, Texas, Moon Dance is about a girl of strong character named Maggie. Readers will be impressed with the gamet of emotions Maggie's family endures. It is my belief that readers will become invested in Maggie and her family. Mrs. Earl weaves descriptions of the sweltering Texas heat that puts the readers in the midst of the action. The story is about family, romance, anger, and loss. I recommend this book for the depth of its content.
Elaine Littau, author of Nan's Journey
Elaine Littau, author of Nan's Journey
June 12, 2010
I loved this book...It has great character development and a great story that kept my interest, in fact, I couldn't put it down- I read it in one night! The love story is sweet, and how the characters dealt with hard, lifelike problems was touching to me. I really enjoyed it!
April 13, 2011
Reviews old and New!!
*“I thoroughly enjoyed reading the novel, Moon Dance, by Author Susan Earl. It is very easy to discern that Susan is passionate about her relationship with God as she so skillfully intertwines her own values in her novel about Maggie and Joe. The story takes place in Texas during the Great Depression yet despite the poverty and hardship that so many people endured; Maggie and Joe manage to find love and romance. Although, the main plot of Moon Dance revolves around the love they share, there are many other delightful characters that enhance the story line. There is much sadness and sorrow that is also addressed in this well-written, descriptive novel, but the faith of the family and the love that they all share manages to bring it to a happy conclusion. This book grabbed my attention right from the onset and I enjoyed it immensely.” ~ Dolores Ayotte, author of Growing Up and Liking It
*I turned on the TV and planned to read a little during commercials, but I was flabbergasted when I got so involved in the story that I turned off the TV and just kept on reading and reading. I finally went to bed, and then got up and finished reading Moon Dance. I never really read, but this story kept me so involved I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! Now I’m sharing Moon Dance with my friends and they love it just as much as I do! You’ve got some talent there, Susan! ~ Kathy Element (Michigan)
*Susan K. Earl’s characters in Moon Dance were so vividly described that I found myself wanting to go back a page or two to see a picture of a previous scene, but that scene was only in my mind! It was almost like watching a movie of these two poor families who were brought together by their children’s love for each other. Both families lived their faith in God and shared that faith with others. The time setting of the Great Depression allowed us to learn how the families coped during hard times and how they relied on neighborly love and God. The lessons taught in this beautifully written romance can and should be lessons we are teaching today in our families. — Linda Duff Niemeir, Co-Author, Sharecropping in North Louisiana: A Family’s Struggle Through the Great Depression
*I loved this book…It has great character development and a great story that kept my interest, in fact, I couldn’t put it down- I read it in one night! The love story is sweet, and how the characters dealt with hard, lifelike problems was touching to me. I really enjoyed it! ~ Jennifer N.
* Moon Dance by author, Susan Earl, is a believable story about the life of people who survived the Great Depression. Set in the countryside near Fort Worth, Texas, Moon Dance is about a girl of strong character named Maggie. Readers will be impressed with the gamet of emotions Maggie’s family endures. It is my belief that readers will become invested in Maggie and her family. Mrs. Earl weaves descriptions of the sweltering Texas heat that puts the readers in the midst of the action. The story is about family, romance, anger, and loss. I recommend this book for the depth of its content. ~ Elaine Littau, author of Nan’s Journey
* Susan Earl captured the nature and hearts of two young people in love. Maggie’s story hits close to home and touched my heart. As I flew through the pages of the book, I was captivated by Maggie and her relationship with Joe. I kept wondering what Maggie would endure next, and where her future would lead. As a Texas girl myself, the language of the town folks and the beautiful country setting, so well described, made me feel right at home. Susan Earl, when will you write another one? ~ Traci Michener Pacatte – Arlington, TX
* Hi Susan, It was such a pleasure meeting you on Sunday at your book signing. I finished reading Moon Dance last evening. It was a great read and very smooth flowing. I hope you are considering writing a sequel! I think I can relate to the book so well for several reasons. One - because we lost my Mom last August and I am still grieving her death. Also, I think because we are helping family members in several ways, much like the 2 families in the book. ~ Barbara Riser Howser
* Dear Aunt Susan, I’ve finished Moon Dance and the review. Here it is: “Moon Dance is a wonderful novel full of heartaches and sweetness. And the feelings are even closer to my heart than most readers because it just happens to be about a relative of mine, just like the author, Susan K. Earl. ” ~Jillian Moore
* “I was prepared to make a lot of allowances because this is a first novel. When I started reading it, I was surprised to find that I was not having to make those allowances for the story or the language. It doesn’t feel like a first novel. The story has a depth that I wasn’t expecting, and the writing is polished. It just pulled me right in, and there was nothing to distract me from the really good story.” ~Nancy James Wiggins
* I read it all in one day…..I just couldn’t seem to put it down. I was very moved by the story as well as the underlying message of forgiveness, hope, redemption and God’s Love. Moon Dance is one of the most beautiful stories and so full of life and characters. I just want to read more about what happens to them and I want to follow them on the journey their lives take. Susan, you did an amazing, wonderful and exquisite job of this book and I cannot even begin to tell you how very Proud I am of what you have accomplished. I know it will be a huge success and that there are other stories inside of you just waiting to bubble out…….~ Julia Alkire – Chicago, IL
* Moon Dance truly touched my heart. Maggie and Joe’s love story, in the midst of their families’ struggles and troubles, grabbed me and kept me reading. I wanted the story to keep going! Maggie is such a strong and determined young woman, standing up for herself and her family against adversity — even against her own father — at a time period when women were considered unimportant. And Joe — strong, kind, and loving — every woman hopes to find her Joe! Both the characters and the setting pulls us in as readers of Moon Dance — we care, we love, we cry… ~Vickie Moore – Arlington, TX
* I felt an immediate connection to the characters. The characters came to life on the page, and I could easily relate to them and their range of emotions. I thought the setting was perfect. The time and place were especially relevant to me because I grew up hearing stories similar to these from my grandmother who grew up in this time near Stephanville, Texas. I think it is a true love story and a spiritual journey for Maggie. The love Joe and Maggie share for each other and their families brings them through many obstacles, and their constant reliance on God is prominant throughout the book. I loved the way the story was told from two perspectives, both Maggie’s and Joe’s, it helped to reinforce their growing feelings for each other. I felt that Maggie grew up into a wonderful woman throughout the time line of the book. She went from being a girl who was already helping her family through hard times, into a woman who could walk through anything with grace. She was a great example for her family. The country Texas dialect was a great way to enforce the characters. Yet, I believe it is easy to understand even to someone not used to it. Do I want to know more? Yes, I want to know more about their lives… did they have children? How did their families survive during WWII? ~ Amy Murphey, Arlington, Texas
*“I thoroughly enjoyed reading the novel, Moon Dance, by Author Susan Earl. It is very easy to discern that Susan is passionate about her relationship with God as she so skillfully intertwines her own values in her novel about Maggie and Joe. The story takes place in Texas during the Great Depression yet despite the poverty and hardship that so many people endured; Maggie and Joe manage to find love and romance. Although, the main plot of Moon Dance revolves around the love they share, there are many other delightful characters that enhance the story line. There is much sadness and sorrow that is also addressed in this well-written, descriptive novel, but the faith of the family and the love that they all share manages to bring it to a happy conclusion. This book grabbed my attention right from the onset and I enjoyed it immensely.” ~ Dolores Ayotte, author of Growing Up and Liking It
*I turned on the TV and planned to read a little during commercials, but I was flabbergasted when I got so involved in the story that I turned off the TV and just kept on reading and reading. I finally went to bed, and then got up and finished reading Moon Dance. I never really read, but this story kept me so involved I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! Now I’m sharing Moon Dance with my friends and they love it just as much as I do! You’ve got some talent there, Susan! ~ Kathy Element (Michigan)
*Susan K. Earl’s characters in Moon Dance were so vividly described that I found myself wanting to go back a page or two to see a picture of a previous scene, but that scene was only in my mind! It was almost like watching a movie of these two poor families who were brought together by their children’s love for each other. Both families lived their faith in God and shared that faith with others. The time setting of the Great Depression allowed us to learn how the families coped during hard times and how they relied on neighborly love and God. The lessons taught in this beautifully written romance can and should be lessons we are teaching today in our families. — Linda Duff Niemeir, Co-Author, Sharecropping in North Louisiana: A Family’s Struggle Through the Great Depression
*I loved this book…It has great character development and a great story that kept my interest, in fact, I couldn’t put it down- I read it in one night! The love story is sweet, and how the characters dealt with hard, lifelike problems was touching to me. I really enjoyed it! ~ Jennifer N.
* Moon Dance by author, Susan Earl, is a believable story about the life of people who survived the Great Depression. Set in the countryside near Fort Worth, Texas, Moon Dance is about a girl of strong character named Maggie. Readers will be impressed with the gamet of emotions Maggie’s family endures. It is my belief that readers will become invested in Maggie and her family. Mrs. Earl weaves descriptions of the sweltering Texas heat that puts the readers in the midst of the action. The story is about family, romance, anger, and loss. I recommend this book for the depth of its content. ~ Elaine Littau, author of Nan’s Journey
* Susan Earl captured the nature and hearts of two young people in love. Maggie’s story hits close to home and touched my heart. As I flew through the pages of the book, I was captivated by Maggie and her relationship with Joe. I kept wondering what Maggie would endure next, and where her future would lead. As a Texas girl myself, the language of the town folks and the beautiful country setting, so well described, made me feel right at home. Susan Earl, when will you write another one? ~ Traci Michener Pacatte – Arlington, TX
* Hi Susan, It was such a pleasure meeting you on Sunday at your book signing. I finished reading Moon Dance last evening. It was a great read and very smooth flowing. I hope you are considering writing a sequel! I think I can relate to the book so well for several reasons. One - because we lost my Mom last August and I am still grieving her death. Also, I think because we are helping family members in several ways, much like the 2 families in the book. ~ Barbara Riser Howser
* Dear Aunt Susan, I’ve finished Moon Dance and the review. Here it is: “Moon Dance is a wonderful novel full of heartaches and sweetness. And the feelings are even closer to my heart than most readers because it just happens to be about a relative of mine, just like the author, Susan K. Earl. ” ~Jillian Moore
* “I was prepared to make a lot of allowances because this is a first novel. When I started reading it, I was surprised to find that I was not having to make those allowances for the story or the language. It doesn’t feel like a first novel. The story has a depth that I wasn’t expecting, and the writing is polished. It just pulled me right in, and there was nothing to distract me from the really good story.” ~Nancy James Wiggins
* I read it all in one day…..I just couldn’t seem to put it down. I was very moved by the story as well as the underlying message of forgiveness, hope, redemption and God’s Love. Moon Dance is one of the most beautiful stories and so full of life and characters. I just want to read more about what happens to them and I want to follow them on the journey their lives take. Susan, you did an amazing, wonderful and exquisite job of this book and I cannot even begin to tell you how very Proud I am of what you have accomplished. I know it will be a huge success and that there are other stories inside of you just waiting to bubble out…….~ Julia Alkire – Chicago, IL
* Moon Dance truly touched my heart. Maggie and Joe’s love story, in the midst of their families’ struggles and troubles, grabbed me and kept me reading. I wanted the story to keep going! Maggie is such a strong and determined young woman, standing up for herself and her family against adversity — even against her own father — at a time period when women were considered unimportant. And Joe — strong, kind, and loving — every woman hopes to find her Joe! Both the characters and the setting pulls us in as readers of Moon Dance — we care, we love, we cry… ~Vickie Moore – Arlington, TX
* I felt an immediate connection to the characters. The characters came to life on the page, and I could easily relate to them and their range of emotions. I thought the setting was perfect. The time and place were especially relevant to me because I grew up hearing stories similar to these from my grandmother who grew up in this time near Stephanville, Texas. I think it is a true love story and a spiritual journey for Maggie. The love Joe and Maggie share for each other and their families brings them through many obstacles, and their constant reliance on God is prominant throughout the book. I loved the way the story was told from two perspectives, both Maggie’s and Joe’s, it helped to reinforce their growing feelings for each other. I felt that Maggie grew up into a wonderful woman throughout the time line of the book. She went from being a girl who was already helping her family through hard times, into a woman who could walk through anything with grace. She was a great example for her family. The country Texas dialect was a great way to enforce the characters. Yet, I believe it is easy to understand even to someone not used to it. Do I want to know more? Yes, I want to know more about their lives… did they have children? How did their families survive during WWII? ~ Amy Murphey, Arlington, Texas
January 4, 2017
A truly sweet and pure story of love and hardship, Moondance immerses one in the trials and troubles of a Texas family during the throes of the Great Depression. Filled with both heartbreak and great love and joy, Moondance is a tale lovingly told.
August 26, 2019
The story is okay, but I would recommend this as good reading for girls ages 10-13.
July 14, 2011
Susan K. Earl has written a very appealing book about people who lived in Texas during the Great Depression. The dialect is believable and the narrative follows the factual living conditions during the Depression.
“That day, that dreadful day began it all, yet there was nothing else to do except what my mama did, because in her eyes she had no other choice. My aunt Rachel had two small children and no job, nor any hope of one for that matter, what with the Depression going on. What else could we have done? I have asked myself this question a thousand times since that day Aunt Rachel and her girls moved in with us, but every action has a reaction, so they say.”
The story centers around two families, the Bowens and Gilleys, who have been friends for years. The two oldest children, Maggie and Joe, in the respective families, fall in love and get married. Their courtship is often interrupted by the younger siblings teasing them, but they take it good naturedly. The families support them and share their sage advice for a happy life together.
The trials of the poverty during the Depression in small town Texas are well documented by the author, but she also describes the abundant love and faith of the characters that get them through the hard times. Most of the time they don’t realize they are in a Depression.
There is another aspect to the story that deals with abuse by Maggie’s father against Maggie and her mother. The story line is no different from other abuse stories; the abuser drinks and always says he is sorry afterward, the abused person wants to believe that it won’t happen again, forgives the abuser and then it happens again. In this story, Maggie cannot forgive her father for what he did to her mother, but was able to forgive, although not forget, what he did to her. Her mother was able to forgive him and go on with her life, supporting and loving her children.
The happiness and tragedies in the two families’ lives are intertwined. They all have an abiding faith that helps them through the misfortunes and heartbreak and a love of life that makes them enjoy the happy times.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the realistic characters, but the author’s transition from Texas dialect to a normal narrative after the first chapter is a distraction that requires the reader to adjust to the change. Personally, I found the dialect more realistic.
This book is one I would recommend to young adults and older people for an enjoyable read. The most objectionable part of it is the abuse, but it is handled with tact and sensitivity.
Susan K. Earl is from East Texas. She has been an educator for 25 years and now has written a lovely book to be read and re-read. She lives in Central Texas with her husband, her cat and her dog.
“That day, that dreadful day began it all, yet there was nothing else to do except what my mama did, because in her eyes she had no other choice. My aunt Rachel had two small children and no job, nor any hope of one for that matter, what with the Depression going on. What else could we have done? I have asked myself this question a thousand times since that day Aunt Rachel and her girls moved in with us, but every action has a reaction, so they say.”
The story centers around two families, the Bowens and Gilleys, who have been friends for years. The two oldest children, Maggie and Joe, in the respective families, fall in love and get married. Their courtship is often interrupted by the younger siblings teasing them, but they take it good naturedly. The families support them and share their sage advice for a happy life together.
The trials of the poverty during the Depression in small town Texas are well documented by the author, but she also describes the abundant love and faith of the characters that get them through the hard times. Most of the time they don’t realize they are in a Depression.
There is another aspect to the story that deals with abuse by Maggie’s father against Maggie and her mother. The story line is no different from other abuse stories; the abuser drinks and always says he is sorry afterward, the abused person wants to believe that it won’t happen again, forgives the abuser and then it happens again. In this story, Maggie cannot forgive her father for what he did to her mother, but was able to forgive, although not forget, what he did to her. Her mother was able to forgive him and go on with her life, supporting and loving her children.
The happiness and tragedies in the two families’ lives are intertwined. They all have an abiding faith that helps them through the misfortunes and heartbreak and a love of life that makes them enjoy the happy times.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the realistic characters, but the author’s transition from Texas dialect to a normal narrative after the first chapter is a distraction that requires the reader to adjust to the change. Personally, I found the dialect more realistic.
This book is one I would recommend to young adults and older people for an enjoyable read. The most objectionable part of it is the abuse, but it is handled with tact and sensitivity.
Susan K. Earl is from East Texas. She has been an educator for 25 years and now has written a lovely book to be read and re-read. She lives in Central Texas with her husband, her cat and her dog.
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September 3, 2010When I write I always hope to touch others lives in a positive way with my words, as well as tell a good story. Writing Moon Dance was a true work of heart for me. It is a work of fiction interwoven with family stories and historical events that occurred during the Great Depression. Moon Dance is a story of falling deeply in love, of family, faith, and forgiveness. I would like to say "Thank You" to all my readers for giving Moon Dance, my first novel, a chance. I love all the wonderful reviews and look forward to hearing from more of you after you've read Moon Dance.
August 15, 2011
This story is so wonderfully written! Susan has described the characters so well and told us so vividly about their families and their loving ways that we feel we know them all personally by the end of the book. The Christian love they have for one another reminds us how we all should support and love one another. The love story of these two young people was enchanting. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.
Linda Duff Niemeir
Co-author, Sharecropping in North Louisiana: A Family's Struggle Through the Great Depression
Linda Duff Niemeir
Co-author, Sharecropping in North Louisiana: A Family's Struggle Through the Great Depression
May 6, 2014
best ever, is the sequel out yet? i cant wait!!!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews