

from a major disaster and wins a presidential medal. When the German truck farm where young Hilda Lessing works turns out to be swarming with German spy activity, Hilda shows herself to be both brave and lucky as she saves the U.S. A good example is The Red Signal (1919), set during World War I. Hill-Lutz was especially successful at writing fast-paced adventures featuring intelligent and resourceful heroines. She wrote 107 books, which sold over three million copies during her lifetime. Hill-Lutz worked in a wide range of genres, specializing in the adventure story and contemporary romance but also including fantasy (her first novel, A Chautauqua Idyll, 1887), nonfiction ( The War Romance of the Salvation Army, 1919), historical romance ( Marcia Schuyler, 1908), and mystery ( The Mystery of Mary, 1912).


She was active as a writer until the end of her life, her final novel being completed by her daughter Ruth for posthumous publication. Hill-Lutz's second marriage was unhappy and soon led to separation, although she remained adamant in her opposition to divorce. By 1904 she was successful enough to build herself a comfortable home in Swarthmore. She began with Sunday school lessons in a column syndicated by 10 local newspapers, but soon turned to fiction. Hill-Lutz was forced to publish enough to support herself and her two daughters. Hill-Lutz's first husband, also a Presbyterian minister, died after seven years of marriage. Perhaps the strongest of all family influences was that of her aunt, Isabella Macdonald ("Pansy") Alden, an author who not only encouraged Hill-Lutz to write but persuaded her own publisher to print the youngster's first effort, The Esseltynes or, Alpsonso and Marguerite. His influence is reflected in Hill-Lutz's establishment and direction of a mission Sunday school in Swarthmore. Hill-Lutz's father, a Presbyterian minister, also did some writing, exclusively on theological topics.

Apparently in order to honor her mother as an individual, Hill-Lutz published three novels under her mother's given name, Marcia Macdonald. Livingston, but devoted herself primarily to being a preacher's wife. Grace Livingston Hill-Lutz's mother published four romances under the name of Mrs. Lutz, 1916 (separated) children: two daughters and Marcia Macdonald Livingston married Frank Hill, 1892 (died) Flavius J. Born 15 April 1865, Wellsville, New York died 23 February 1947, Swarthmore, PennsylvaniaĪlso wrote under: Grace Livingston Hill, Grace Livingston, Marcia Macdonaldĭaughter of Charles M.
