Hannah Thorlo’s home town of Portland, Maine burned to the ground twice in her lifetime. The first time occurred when she was one month old and the British Navy burned the town as punishment for their participation in the Revolutionary War. The second time happened 91 years later, during a celebration of the first Independence Day after the Civil War. Both times, Hannah was carried out of her house to safety. And both times her home town built itself back up — out of the ashes.

Note: Though this is historical fiction and the characters have been developed to accommodate a story, their attributes and development may be useful as reference points and inspirations.