Grace Livingston Hill April 16 1865 ampndash February 23 1947 was an early 20thcentury novelist and wrote both under her real name and the pseudonym Marcia Macdonald She wrote over 100 novels and numerous short stories Her characters were most often young Christian women or become Christians within the confines of the storyampnbspHillamp39s writing career began as a child in the 1870s writing short stories for her auntamp39s weekly childrenamp39s publication The Pansy Her first story printed in book form was The Esselstynes which was published in 1877 as part of the ampquotMotheramp39s Boys and Girls Libraryampquot by D Lothrop ampamp CompanyA Chautauqua Idyl her first book as a young adult was written in 1887 to earn enough money for a family trip from her Florida home to the summer Chautauqua gathering at Chautauqua New York This illustrated allegory of a Chautauqua gathering held by the flowers tree and animals was published in time to be offered for sale that summer and brought enough earnings to take the family there Several books written in collaboration with her family followed in the early 1890s as well as her only childrenamp39s book A Little ServantLack of funds was a frequent motivator particularly after the death of her first husband left her with two small children and no income other than that from her writing After the death of Hillamp39s father less than a year later her mother came to live with her This prompted Hill to write more frequently During and...
