Madison, WI Author Releases Her First Historical Romance Novel, Heartstrings.

(PRWEB) June 13, 2004

Inna Larsen's HEARTSTRINGS is a beautiful, poignant love story, guaranteed to touch your heart's strings and keep you turning the pages” – Linda Morelli, Author of FIERY SURRENDER

HEARTSTRINGS is a bittersweet, tender love story set in 1899 America, when working conditions were abominable and prejudice was widely curried as sophistication among the racial classes. I fell in love with Anna and Nils from the very first time I met them and cried when they finally got their hearts' desire. Inna Larsen is an exquisite writer I look forward to reading more from—and recommending to others--in the future.

– Award-winning Author Karen Wiesner http://www.karenwiesner.com

Port Town Publishing, located in Superior, WI, is proud to announce the release of Heartstrings, a historical romance written by Inna Larsen, a native of Madison, WI. The novel is set in St. Paul, MN in the late nineteenth century, when unions were a new concept—and one to be feared.

Heartstrings tells the story of Anna Katz, who has one goal in life: to convince the women at the St. Paul, MN Garment Factory to join the union and fight for the working rights they justly deserve. When she meets the tall, handsome Nils Bjørnsen, a fiddler from Voss, Norway, she convinces him to join her at a union meeting.

Nils left the family farm-and bitter memories-to start a new life in America. He is charmed by the feisty, independent red head and soon discovers Anna's family left Russia in 1891 to escape persecution. The common bond they share as immigrants sets the basis for a budding friendship.

Anna, however, comes from a strict Jewish family, and her mother strenuously objects to her daughter's friendship with a non-Jew. Her father though, immediately takes a liking to Nils. He tells Anna to make her own decision, but advises that she choose someone of her own heritage and religion.

Anna convinces Nils to play his Hardanger fiddle at a union picnic. His music reaches out and soothes Anna's troubled mind, and she remembers her father’s words: a violinist must have a good heart; it takes something of a man's soul to make the instrument sing.

After the concert, Anna contemplates her mother's commands and her father's sage advice. Her heart, however, tells her that Nils is a good man and she decides to meet him secretly.

Her decision leads to life-changing consequences. Hired thugs break Nils' hand and beat him viciously until he faces death's door. Anna, in turn, learns a shattering family secret that sends her fleeing from her home. Can their love survive the deception and pain to come? To read an excerpt, please go to the Port Town Publishing Web Site, http://www.porttownpublishing.bigstep.com/.

Inna Larsen – Brief Biography

Inna was born in Russia and came to the US at the age of 10. She has been playing the violin since middle school and, nine years ago, she picked up the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle for the first time. Inna and her husband Jeff created the duo, Nord Musikk. They play at Madison venues and for Scandinavian festivals. In her REAL life, Inna has a BA in Biology from Carleton College and an MA in Psychology-Animal Behavior from Indiana University. She works as an administrative assistant for the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Wisconsin. The Larsen family (Jeff, Inna, Karianna and cats) is on the web at http://www.geocities.com/jeffinnakari

Ordering Information

Ingram is a distributor for Port Town Publishing and Heartstrings can be obtained through them. Otherwise, the book may be purchased by mail by sending payment to the Port Town Publishing offices, at 601 Belknap Street in Superior, WI 54880, 715-392-6843. The title can also be ordered on-line with a credit card by visiting the company website at http://www.porttownpublishing.bigstep.com. Bookstores can buy Heartstrings for $4.80 a copy and if the order is prepaid, shipping is free. Heartstrings retails for $7.95 per copy. Wisconsin businesses, please add 5.5% sales tax.