Local author takes on new genre

From the Bavarian Alps and the coast of Denmark, across the sea to the New World and into the Mountain West, M.F. Erler’s new book “Voices in the Past” traces 200 years in the lives and struggles of a family learning to make their way in a hostile world. To be released May 15, the historical fiction novel is a new venture for the fantasy author.

“I spent over five years researching my own ancestry and talking with elderly relatives to glean their stories before it was too late,” Erler said. “I hope our descendants will value it. I think this story will resonate with anyone whose ancestors came to this country to make a new start.”

Thirteen-year-old Cinda Parker knows she and her younger brother Ian have a special connection. It’s not until a mysterious stranger named Lexi arrives from the future that they realize they are more than typical mid-21st century children. Lexi convinces the siblings to travel back 200 years into the minds and lives of their ancestors in order to help their father, who is dealing with grief over his own father’s death and anger, with his brother’s questionable choices. When their family line is disrupted, Cinda and Ian learn the true value of a single life.

About the author

M.F. (Mary Frances) Erler is a music teacher, outdoor educator and author of fiction and non-fiction. Her teaching career has spanned over 25 years, and she has been writing most of her life. She is also a speaker for Women’s Connections, a Stonecroft Ministry, a musician with a Masters of Music Education from Concordia University-Chicago, as well as a world traveler, but her favorite place is her home in Northwest Montana.

Her books are designed to appeal to young adults and all who are young at heart.

Connect with her at mferler@peaksandbeyond.com or on her blog at M.F.Erler.Blogspot.com