Monday, September 1, 2014

The Star-Spangled Banner turns 200!

September 13, 2014, marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Fort McHenry and the writing of what would eventually become the United States’ national anthem -The Star-Spangled Banner. 

But once again, historians have left out some important information.  Sammy (Samantha) Brown, a 7th grader in Miss Wickware’s history class, played a key role in the whole process.  Without her, Mr. Key may have never been on the boat that gave him a bird’s eye view of the whole battle which prompted the famous poet to….maybe you just have to read the story yourself.



Blurb
Sammy Brown, winner of the first junior sailing regatta for kids, ages twelve to fourteen, is walking on air Tuesday, after being absent the previous day, due to the race.  Miss Wickware, her history teacher, asks Sammy to stay after class because she needs to draw a subject out of a box and give an oral report on the drawn subject.

“UHG”  History and Sammy are not friends, but her good mood won’t be dampened until a fall and a bump on the head sends her back to 1814.  It’s her expertise in sailing that helps Francis Scott Key rescue an imprisoned friend from a British ship that leads to a historic battle and a famous poem!
Excerpt
“Don’t be afraid, child. I am Dr. Beanes, and these are my friends, Dr. William
Hill and Phillip Weems. We were on our way to my home. My wife, Sarah, can
help you.”

“Forget, it!” Sammy shouted, hysteria bubbling up in her voice. “I’m not some
moron that would just blindly goes off with three weird men, especially two that
dress like my mom in shorty pants and foo foo blouses and the third one dressed
like some fancy, shmancy bell hop!”

“What’s a bell hop?” Beanes asked under his breath to nobody in particular.

Meeks was plainly taken back by her comment, while Dr. Hill blustered, “Foo
foo, indeed!”

When Dr. Beanes recovered, he reminded his friends of her possible
concussion. “Let’s all calm down. Now look…what is your name?”

She leveled her gaze at the three men before answering. “Sammy Brown.”

“Sammy?” the three men echoed in unison.

Even in her fear and confusion, that response got her back up. She stood as tall
as she could raising her chin in the air. “Yea…Sammy.”

“Where is your home, Sammy?”

She searched her unfamiliar surroundings and swallowed hard. “Nineteen West
Glenrosa.”

“That’s odd,” Beanes said, looking at his friends. “You must be on the other
side of the Patuxent River.”

A tear slipped down Sammy’s cheek. “There’s no river or lake by that name in
Phoenix.” Her lower lip trembled, dreading his next statement.

The kindly doctor took her hand in his. “My dear girl, I’m sorry to say I have
never heard of Phoenix. We are in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.”

* * * *

Because of The Star-Spangled Banner having its 200th year anniversary, Bumped Back In Time has been reduced to 99 cents until September 13! More than half off!   
 
Bumped Back In Time Book 4 of The Wickware Sagas.  Take a look at



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