Heart of Grit

Beatrice, a dependable teen, vows to save her family from eviction. Her friend Charlie, a freewheeling cardplayer, has his own troubles to escape. In a stroke of luck, the Pony Express is hiring riders. They split from their small town, learning to discern friend from foe. Their luck runs dry when they find themselves in the sights of their enemies and they must draw on their last ounce of grit to survive.

It's 1860 on the American frontier. Talk of a civil war is brewing, and the Pony Express is born. Fifteen-year-old Beatrice Brannon, a peacekeeper and rule-follower, faces losing her family's most prized possessions: their land and their hard-won respect. She vows to save both, but earning fast money is nearly impossible for a girl in those parts. Bea's friend, Charlie Rye, has carved out a hardscrabble existence, surviving by his own rules until his father drains Charlie's reputation down to the dregs. He's desperate for a lifeline. When the Pony Express comes to town recruiting riders, Bea and Charlie consider it fate, but they'll need to break their familiar rules. Both in disguise, they venture out into a world filled with injustice and corruption. Even folks they'd trusted are playing crooked games. They'll need to keep hidden to stay ahead. But after some missteps, Bea and Charlie fall into the traps set by their enemies. It's going to take more than belief in nice principles to save their lives and everything they hold dear. It's going to take drastic action and a heart of grit.

Shelli Sivert grew up minimally supervised in a small town called Pleasant Grove, to which she credits her wild imagination and storytelling spirit. As soon as she learned to write, she began putting stories on paper. She hails from the Bookmobile era and relishes the days when it rolled into town bearing literary treasures. Studying English in college deepened her love for literature. She has a special affinity for a well-crafted essay and has helped hundreds of college-bound students learn the self-reflective process of writing and revising personal essays. She lives in the Arizona desert with her husband, two sons, and dog Luna. "Heart of Grit" is her debut novel.