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Starcursed

5/28/2014

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Blurb: In the ancient city of Ujjayani, the planets align to decide the fate of two starcursed lovers. Born under the curse of Mars, brilliant and beautiful Leelavati, daughter of the famed astronomer Bhaskarya Acharya of Ujjayani, knows she can never wed. But when her childhood playmate, the handsome and rich Rahul Nagarseth, returns from sea, their attraction is rekindled under stormy monsoon skies. As Leela, forced by fate to relinquish Rahul, tries to find solace in teaching at her fathers observatory, a fleeting alignment of the stars is discovered that can help overcome her curse. But Rahul is called away on a war to defend his kingdom. Can he return in time or will she lose him forever to the will of the planets?

Set in turbulent twelfth century India, against the backdrop of the savage wars waged by Muhammad of Ghor and his band of Turkis, Starcursed is a sweeping tale of science, romance and adventure that will transport its readers to another world.

Review:

What if your destiny was written in the stars?  What if it wasn't good?
This is the reality for Leelavati in the twelfth-century, India.  Her star-chart says that she is a Manglik and if she weds, her husband will die within the year.  Leela has grown up knowing that fact and has focused instead on her education.  Her father, an astronomer has given her the opportunity to learn mathematics, languages and of course, astronomy. Now that Leela is older, she even teaches some younger students; a privilege most women of the time do not enjoy.  However, when Leela's childhood friend, Rahul returns from a long voyage their eyes are set for one another and Leela will go to great lengths to save Rahul from the fate written in her stars.

I loved this sweet love story!  Though Starcursed is set in a time period long ago, Leela's voice transcends time and is easily relatable to any woman in any place at any time.  Leela is a strong character that desperately wants to overcome her fate, but does not want to risk Rahul's life to see if she is correct.  I liked that Leela just didn't throw herself at Rahul or put herself in his path, she does everything to stay out of his way.  Although, I did find myself smiling throughout every scene where Rahul and Leela interact.  Nandini Bajpai has brought 12th century India to life in this book.  I enjoyed reading about a time, place and culture that I did not know a lot about.  Here is one of my favorite quotes about the setting:
            "It was a day of sun and shadow.  That rarest of monsoon days when sunshine could suddenly
          streak through the mass of dark clouds to dance on the hills and rivers below.  A day for surprises."

The swayamvara ceremony was interesting to learn about, I had no idea that a woman would be allowed to pick from a line up a suitors at that time.  Also, the war of Muhammed of Ghor and the Turkis was a new one for me, so I'll have to do some research into that. The science and math throughout was engaging as well, the debate scene was eye-opening into scientific theories and math at the time

Another interesting note, there really was a man named Bhaskara Acharya, who in this story is Leela's father.  Bhaskara Acharya wrote The Crest Jewel of Astronomy.  The first chapter of the book deals with arithmetic and is named Leelavati. 

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26th May
Samarpita @ Words' Worth By Samarpita
A'ishah @ Inksugar
27th May
Nikita @ Njkinny's World of Books
Namrata @ Redpillows
Victoria @ Deal Sharing Aunt
28th May
Stephanie @ 100 Pages a Day
Nicole Hewitt @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
29th May
Jenn @ Book Reviews And Giveaways
Maniparna @ Scattered Thoughts
30th May
Sudeshna @ Proses, Verses and Conversations
Sanchit @ Musings of Immortals
- See more at: http://b00kr3vi3wtours.blogspot.com/#sthash.KITJwLn3.dpuf

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About the Author: Nandini Bajpai grew up in New Delhi, India, one of four sisters and many cousins, in a family that liked to read. Although she dabbled in corporate finance, business analysis, and fostering shelter animals, her first love is writing. Her novel Red Turban White Horse: My Sister's Hurricane Wedding was published in 2013 by Scholastic India.  She lives in the Boston area with her husband, kids, their dog Yogi and cat Rakhan.

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Website

Read an Excerpt:
I didn’t stop running until I reached the lotus tank. The temple shone in the distance, its lights shimmering on the mirror of the water, music and laughter wafting from its crowded halls with every gust of wind. The lamp tower soared above me, quiet, inviting, deserted. I pushed open its heavy door and started to climb. High up in the tower the sounds from the temple faded, leaving only the echo of my footsteps, and the tinkling of my silver anklets as I climbed. The steep, curved staircase could be treacherous in the dark, but tonight every niche in the tower was lit up in honour of the festival. I pushed the door open at the top and walked to the railing. There was someone there. The clear night sky ablaze with stars framed his lithe form. His face looked serious in the glow of a single flickering lamp. I could see that the tender light of the other day still shone in his eyes—Rahul. He’d been waiting.  My mind went blank. I was breathless from the exertion of the steep climb and shocked at finding him there. How had he known where to find me? Perhaps he knew I would try to avoid him, and guessed I might be here. ‘Leela,’ he said, coming towards me. ‘I beg leave to speak with you.’ I looked away, trying to think of a way to stall his words. ‘I’ve wanted to thank you,’ I said, buying time, ‘for saving Loky.’ He would not be distracted.  ‘I came to see you,’ he said. ‘But you weren’t home. I sent a message through Loky, but you didn’t reply.’ I couldn’t deny it. ‘I don’t know if you are avoiding me of your own will or if you were compelled to do so…’ He took both my hands in his. ‘We started something on board that ship,’ he said, ‘and I’m determined to finish it. I can’t go away like this, not knowing.’ 

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Mrs. Poe Blog Tour

5/26/2014

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I will be participating in the Virtual Book Tour for Mrs. Poe on May 26th!

Great Reads of 2013 –NPR
Books That Make Time Stand Still –Oprah.com
Editor’s Pick—The Historical Novels Review
Best Books of 2013—Atlanta Magazine
Indie Next List Pick

Paperback Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Gallery Books

Blurb:
A vivid and compelling novel about a woman who becomes entangled in an affair with Edgar Allan Poe—at the same time she becomes the unwilling confidante of his much-younger wife.

It is 1845, and Frances Osgood is desperately trying to make a living as a writer in New York; not an easy task for a woman—especially one with two children and a philandering portrait painter as her husband. As Frances tries to sell her work, she finds that editors are only interested in writing similar to that of the new renegade literary sensation Edgar Allan Poe, whose poem, “The Raven” has struck a public nerve.

She meets the handsome and mysterious Poe at a literary party, and the two have an immediate connection. Poe wants Frances to meet with his wife since she claims to be an admirer of her poems, and Frances is curious to see the woman whom Edgar married.

As Frances spends more and more time with the intriguing couple, her intense attraction for Edgar brings her into dangerous territory. And Mrs. Poe, who acts like an innocent child, is actually more manipulative and threatening than she appears. As Frances and Edgar’s passionate affair escalates, Frances must decide whether she can walk away before it’s too late…

Set amidst the fascinating world of New York’s literati, this smart and sexy novel offers a unique view into the life of one of history’s most unforgettable literary figures.

Review:
"Is there a creature more unstable than a woman made mad by desire?"

In this eerie story the lives of Edgar Poe, Virginia Poe and Frances Osgood.  It is a fact that Edgar Allen Poe married his cousin Virginia when she was 13 years old.  It is also fact that Frances Osgood, famous for Puss in Boots, exchanged poetry with Poe.  With these facts Lynn Cullen has created a scandalous story of the interactions between the two ill-fated lovers and Poe's sickly wife. 

As Frances and Edgar begin their relationship, we are drawn into the dazzling world of New York in the 1840's.  Lynn Cullen has recreated the sights and sounds of the elite New York society.  Through Frances' eyes the Astor mansion was recreated as well as the atmosphere of an Anne Charlotte Lynch's
conversazione.  I enjoyed the view of New York through Frances' perspective, as she saw things for what they were.  Poe has been created as a highly romantic character, although still a little strange.  It was interesting to see Poe and Frances' relationship progress through their poems to one another. 

And oh, Mrs. Poe and her mother Mrs. Clemm, the most interesting characters.  What would a story with Poe be without a little madness?  The psychological aspects of this mystery build as the reader finds out more about Mrs. Poe, her capabilities and her state of mind.  Interestingly enough, Virginia Poe builds a friendship with Frances Osgood.  Though it is a slow build, the reader is able to conclude that this friendship may not have the best intentions through foreshadowing and great character building, a little Gothic mystery is put in place. 

Historical fic
tion at it's best with a twist of forbidden romance and it's consequences.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 


Read an Excerpt

Buy the Book
Amazon (Kindle)                  Amazon (Paperback)                      Barnes & Noble
                       Books-a-Million                                 IndieBound
iTunes                                       Simon & Schuster

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About the Author
Lynn Cullen grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the fifth girl in a family of seven children. She learned to love history combined with traveling while visiting historic sites across the U.S. on annual family camping trips. She attended Indiana University in Bloomington and Fort Wayne, and took writing classes with Tom McHaney at Georgia State. She wrote children’s books as her three daughters were growing up, while working in a pediatric office and later, at Emory University on the editorial staff of a psychoanalytic journal. While her camping expeditions across the States have become fact-finding missions across Europe, she still loves digging into the past. She does not miss, however, sleeping in musty sleeping bags. Or eating canned fruit cocktail. She now lives in Atlanta with her husband, their dog, and two unscrupulous cats.

Lynn Cullen is the author of The Creation of Eve, named among the best fiction books of 2010 by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and as an April 2010 Indie Next selection. She is also the author of numerous award-winning books for children, including the young adult novel I Am Rembrandt’s Daughter, which was a 2007 Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection, and an ALA Best Book of 2008. Her novel, Reign of Madness, about Juana the Mad, daughter of the Spanish Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand, was chosen as a 2011 Best of the South selection by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and was a 2012 Townsend Prize finalist. Her newest novel, MRS. POE, examines the fall of Edgar Allan Poe through the eyes of poet Francis Osgood.

For more information please visit Lynn Cullen’s website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

Follow The Tour!

Monday, May 19
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, May 20
Interview & Giveaway at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Wednesday, May 21
Interview & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary

Thursday, May 22
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Friday, May 23
Review at A Bookish Affair

Monday, May 26
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Guest Post & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

Tuesday, May 27
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, May 28
Review at Turning the Pages

Friday, May 30
Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Monday, June 2
Review at Let Them Read Books
Review & Giveaway at Book Lovers Paradise

Tuesday, June 3
Review at Kelsey’s Book Corner
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, June 4
Review & Giveaway at Reading Lark

Thursday, June 5
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Friday, June 6
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Interview & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, June 9
Review at Historical Tapestry

Wednesday, June 11
Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry

Thursday, June 12
Interview & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, June 13
Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, June 16
Review at Unabridged Chick
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews

Tuesday, June 17
Review & Interview at Layered Pages
Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, June 18
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views


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Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice- with Giveaways!

5/25/2014

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A themed tour with Prism Book Tours

It's the Grand Finale for THE ROSE GARDEN TOUR for
Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice
by Heidi Ashworth

Roses in the Miss Delecourt Series

It all begins when the Dowager Duchess of Marcross sends her grandson, Sir Anthony Crenshaw, to accompany her niece, Miss Ginny Delacourt, to their country estate to check on the roses. The Dowager is concerned since her neighbor is keen on stealing cuttings from her spectacular rose garden for Rosehaven, his rose-inspired country home. On the way, they have a carriage accident and are held up by highwaymen but it isn't until they are quarantined at Rosehaven for the pox that Ginny's and Sir Anthony's love begins to bloom.

Thus the series begins...

Launch - Author Interview

What do you hope readers take with them when they read your book?
I hope that they develop a lingering affection for the characters and that they get something more from it than pure entertainment. I hope that my stories illustrate what it means to truly love someone rather than to simply be infatuated or "in lust" and that there is a realization that great relationships require work and sacrifice.

Kelly P's Blog - Excerpt

Colin opened his mouth to reply, but his attention was abruptly born away by the sight of a young maiden's face as it appeared at the door of the carriage.  She was breathtaking, her heart-shaped face possessed of a pair of large, impossibly green eyes set off by arched brows, black as the hair that curled along her temples.

"If you have had your fill," Sir Anthony drawled, "you had best look away.  You are utterly defenseless in the face of such beauty."

Pieces of Whimsy - Author Interview

Tell us a little bit about your book, Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice.

Miss A is a traditional regency romance (i.e. clean and sweet) about a man who is determined to stay away from women for the time being and a woman who is engaged to be married to another. They feel an instant attraction for one another but neither feels themselves free to pursue it. However, they also feel safe to spend time together since it is clear that they can never be anything but friends. As they draw closer to one another, each must learn to trust in spite of betrayals in their past. It is my most romantic story yet!

Brooke Blogs - The Betrothal

A Maid suitable for marriage
The Regency era is known to be one of the most romantic of all time. One reason for this is the manner in which people became betrothed. Though regency romance novels abound with tales of formally arranged marriages, it was not a time period known for an overabundance of rigid strictures. It was this very freedom from constraints that made the regency the romantic period we so love. Though it was not unheard of for a gentleman to approach the father of the maiden he favored to beg his permission prior to offering marriage to the young lady, it was not required or even particularly the norm. And though there were bound to be fathers who were incredibly controlling and who wished to arrange the marriages of their daughters, it was most likely a rare occurrence.

My Ereader and Me - Tens List

1. I have an identical twin.
2. I am one of eight children and the sixth of seven daughters–all from the same two parents.
3. I am obsessed with pink roses...

Coffee Books & Art - Author Interview

Did you do any kind of research to determine the details of your characters lives / lifestyles?

Yes, I had to do research about India since this is where the heroine was born and raised. It was very interesting. Of course I have done quite a bit of research with regard to the regency era from my first book going forward. It is an endless source of fun for me.

I Am A Reader - Characterizations

Though it is tempting to choose from pictures of famous people, I steer away from that. My characters are very real people to me and I simply can't think of them as such if they look and (inevitably) behave like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Once I have decided the color of my characters' eyes and hair, I spend time googling "men with brown hair and gray eyes" or "women with red hair and blue eyes". It is rare that I find a photo of a person that exactly matches up with what I think he or she should look, however, I have had more luck with period paintings. Though a representation of a real person can never look like the people I imagine, I enjoy selecting illustrations of people who come close.


The Wonderings of One Person - Author Interview

What was the inspiration for Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice?

Prism RoseI knew that I wanted my next book to be set in Miss Delacourt’s world. I had just finished writing The Lord Who Sneered and found myself wondering what happened to a gentleman to whom Julian, Lord Trevelin briefly refers. This gentleman had been engaged and found it necessary to break the engagement, something that was rarely done by the male in the regency period. I wondered what happened to him and decided to make him the friend of Sir Anthony (the hero in my first two books) which made it possible to go back to the beginning of our association with Sir Anthony and Miss Delacourt and have some fun with that. The theme of the book, that of how our appearance says nothing about who we are inside, is one that I touched on in The Lord Who Sneered and could not stop thinking about. This theme is pivotal to the plot of Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice.

The Written Adventure - Excerpt

She supposed it was to avoid the debacle of their last waltz that he took such great care to hold her at arm's length. Yet, she wished he would grasp her so tightly that she could not be faulted if she were to rest her cheek against his chest, her head tucked under his chin while he spun them about the room. There was a peace she felt in his arms that was unlike any she felt, even in the embrace of her papa, in whose presence she felt like a child no matter her years. The mere existence of her intended husband served only to remind her that she must lend her strength to others whilst fearful that the strength demanded should run out before it was no longer needed. As she compared one circumstance to another, she was astonished to learn that, in the arms of Mr. Lloyd-Jones, she was exactly enough.

Getting Your Read On - Review

"I love books that transport me back to old English times. Regency romance is one of my favorite genres, especially when an author writes in a way that scenes just come alive in my head. This was a book that filled my head with beautiful visions and played out like a movie...

This was a fun, diverting read. Clean and proper, just like I like them."

Mommynificent - Review

"I absolutely loved this book. It is the perfect novel for any fan of Jane Austen looking for a light-hearted escape and a fun and highly romantic read...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend it for any and all Jane Austen lovers, and I highly look forward to reading other books by this author..."
Rose #13

My Devotional Thoughts - Review HERE

"From the first page of this romance, I was completely smitten. This is a completely clean historical romance, and the story is simple but well-written. Although the ending is assured, the author quite deftly included a bit of tension right before the conclusion. That extra measure alone has made me a super fan of this author! In addition to this, the writing style is quite reminiscent of the classic authors such as the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen. I had to remind myself that this is a book written by a modern author because it is unlike the vast majority of historical romances I have read."

Katie's Clean Book Collection - Review

"I really enjoy this time period and the characters in this story are delightful! I love the references to Miss Delacourt...

I loved the mystery and suspense element, which wasn't the main theme. It added a little flair to the ending and was just the right touch to the story."

Laughing With Lizzie - The Regency Era

The regency is a time period full of drama and romance. Very much like the second decade of the 1900′s in America (think flappers and prohibition) its fashions, culture and sensibilities were vastly different from those just prior and just after. It was a period of transition in England, the only country which experienced “the regency” (this same time period is referred to as the “empire” period in France and was the tail end of the “colonial” era in America) and had its own fashions, (ankle-length muslin dresses were worn primarily during this time) language terms (what was known as a reticule in the regency was a pocketbook, bag or purse shortly thereafter) and what we would call fads (the rage for all things classical Greek in dress and furniture comes to mind).

I Love to Read and Review Books :) - Author Interview

What is your favorite flower?

This is also one of those exceptions: roses (though I really love tulips, daffodils, impatiens...sigh, there are so many gorgeous flowers!) But roses are, hands down, my favorite. Yes.

Bookworm Lisa - Review

"The book explores a myriad of emotions. There is love, betrayal, guilt, jealousy, compassion, kindness, etc. Each emotion is portrayed well. I felt empathy for the character's in their trials. I felt that the time period was well portrayed. The characters were well developed and believable.

This is a great book to read in the summer. It is light and engaging."

Mel's Shelves - Review

"I was sure the ending would be happy but it almost seemed like an impossible situation. How would loyal, determined Elizabeth get out of an engagement to a blind man? There are some twists and turns and I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. The entire book was enjoyable and what I love the most is that it's 100% clean!!

This is the first book I've read in the Miss Delacourt series, and even though it's #6, I didn't feel lost at all. I'm sure there are some references and characters that I didn't quite understand so it would be fun to read again after I've read the other ones!"

My Love for Reading Keeps Growing - Excerpt

"Mr. Lloyd-Jones, I must beg you to stop!"

"Why?" he asked as he tossed the hat to the ground and took her hands in his. "Are my attentions so unwelcome?"

"No!" she said so quickly that he felt he had reason to hope. "That is to say, there is naught in your manner or your character that I find in the least unwelcome. If I were but free," she said, shaking her head, her eyes wet with tears, "but it is of no use. I have made my choice and I must abide by it."


Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice
(Miss Delacourt #6)
by Heidi Ashworth
Adult Historical Romance
Ebook, 274 pages
April 24th 2014 by Dunhaven Place Publishing

Mr. Colin Lloyd-Jones and his friend, Sir Anthony Crenshaw, make a pact to avoid the fair sex during the course of an entire season in order to nurse their wounded hearts. As they shake hands on it, they have no idea that one would soon be off on a trip to escort a young lady to the country and the other soon to fall head over heels in love with Miss Elizabeth Armistead. Sadly, Miss Armistead is only interested in those she trusts not to become so besotted with her beauty that they cannot see her true self. Prior to meeting Colin, she had only met one man fitting that description and she has promised to be his bride. However, Mr. Cruikshank is not due to arrive in London for a full month. Can Colin convince Miss Armistead that he loves her for more than her beauty before her betrothed's ship arrives on British shores?

Purchase from Amazon.

Heidi Ashworth, author of the popular Miss Delacourt series, including the award-winning Miss Delacourt Has Her Day, is a busy wife and mother who's grateful for a bit of peace and quiet in which to write. An unapologetic anglophile, she is determined to return to England to see the home of Jane Austen, a landmark she missed during her first trip across the pond, though she knows Lord Byron's house to be a suitable substitute. She's smitten with books, chocolate, and roses, not necessarily in that order, and is never averse to a round of Guitar Hero.

Website - Blog - Goodreads - Facebook

Tour-Wide Giveaway

- US Grand Prize: $50 Amazon gift card and paperback copy of Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice
- 3 ebooks of Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice (US and open INT to these countries: England, Canada, Belguim, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Poland, Italy, France, Japan, and Australia)

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To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis

5/22/2014

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Title: To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis

Author:
Andra Watkins

Genre: Paranormal Fiction

Explorer Meriwether Lewis has been stuck in Nowhere since his mysterious death nearly two centuries ago. His last hope for redemption is helping nine-year-old Emmaline Cagney flee her madame mother in New Orleans and find her father in Nashville. To get there, Merry must cross his own grave along the Natchez Trace, where he duels the corrupt Judge, an old foe who has his own despicable plans for Em.

Review:

I am absolutely in love with this book.  It may have a strange, multi-genre concept, but it works in the most wonderful of ways.  Meriwether Lewis, of the famed Lewis and Clark died along the Natchez Trace trail 1809 in a most mysterious way; with two bullet wounds that was ruled a suicide.  This is a historic fact, but what Andra Watkins has done with this fact is an incredibly amazing story.  Upon his death, Meriwether Lewis, or Merry as we get to know him, believes he is a failure.  He did not get to publish is expedition journals and he failed to excel in the governmental position he was given, the governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory, the position that James Wilkinson was kicked out of.  Now, Merry is stuck in the Nowhere, a kind a purgatory where he must successfully complete a mission in the real world in order to move on.  Merry has failed 12 missions, number 13 will be his last chance.  Mission 13 concerns nine year old Emmaline Cagney in the year 1977.  Emmaline has gone through a bitter custody battle where she saw her father ripped from her life by a rather odd Judge. Emmaline is forced to live by her mother's strict rules in  a rather unusual setting where her mother wants her to serve tea to men with her dress unbuttoned.  When the police and the Judge arrive to bust her mother's operation, Em's Aunt Bertie tells her to make a run for it and find her father in Nashville.  Merry's quest is to take Emmaline from New Orleans to Nashville to reunite with her father, but he must outwit and outrun the strange Judge who want Emmaline for himself and face his own ghosts along the Natchez Trace.

First of all, Emmaline and Merry's characters and companionship are brilliant.  Such a strange pair, but so well done.  Andra Watkins writing takes you into the mindset and emotions of a nine year old girl and a thirty-five year old explorer so perfectly that it will break your heart.  I had so many favorite quotes from this book to share; 
                "The door slammed, and it was like a clock stopped.  Like I would never be older than that moment.                                                                      Everything would always be 'Before Daddy' and 'After Daddy.' "
This is Em's defining moment, so perfectly wrapped up as a nine year old would see it.  When Merry finds Em, his next assignment, she is desperately trying to outrun the Judge's men.  He knows he must help her and gain her trust to complete his assignment. Merry has no idea what he is in for.
                "I watched her face and cogitated the meaning behind her words.  Imagined who-or what-her mother was,                     right before she told me. Not in so many words.  A nine-year-old girl should never have to say her mother                                     is a prostitute.  But, she colored in the picture for me with broken crayons in damaged hues."
I loved the decision that the best way for Em and Merry to get to Nashville is to take the old Natchez Trace trail.  Not only do we get to experience part of the trail, but Merry is forced, quite literally and figuratively to face old ghosts that he did not get to vanquish in his life.  We also get to see a newly-painted portrait of just how great an explorer and outdoorsman Meriweather Lewis was, which brings him back to life in reader's eyes.
            " The Trace was a tunnel through time.  Sunlight cast shadows through the timber, and a squirrel                                        scampered across the trail ahead of us.  I breathed in the rich smell of earth and rotting leaves and                                 tried to remember what it felt like to lead.  To be fearless, decisive. To guide another person through                                                                                                                         the unknown."
The Judge's character, a villain for both Merry and Emmaline was a great addition.  His use of the Nowhere and his quest to seek Emmaline is such a juxtaposition to Merry, that he is the perfect antagonist. Also, Emmaline's descriptions of him are so spot-on, that when I looked up the real James Wilkinson, he was just as I had pictured.  Em and Merry's journey is is insightful, adventurous, dangerous, hilarious and heartbreaking all at the same time.  I would think anyone who enjoys historical fiction, coming-of-age, paranormal or just plain, old good writing would enjoy this story. 



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Author Bio

Andra Watkins is the first living person to walk the 444-mile Natchez Trace as the pioneers did. Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN. 15 miles a day. 34 days. Alone. Her historic walk launched her debut novel To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis, a mishmash of historical fiction, paranormal fiction and suspense that follows Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis & Clark fame) after his mysterious death on the Natchez Trace in 1809.






Links

Amazon US Kindle version or

Amazon US Paperback

Amazon UK/Europe Kindle version

Amazon UK/Europe Paperback

Barnes & Noble Nook version

Barnes & Noble Paperback

Kobo eBook version

Apple iBook version (available at the iTunes Store)

You can email the author at readme(at)andrawatkins(dot)com. You can also follow her on Google+,Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and Goodreads.

Giveaway!!!!!!   
Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of To Live Forever!

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More about Meriwether Lewis, his death and his world

Reading To Live Forever really made me want to discover more about Meriwether Lewis, his strange death and his rival James Wilkinson. So, I decided to do a bunch of research and share it with you here.  Lewis and Clark are well enough known for their Corps of Discovery Expedition that crossed the US from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast.  That's over 6000 miles of country that they walked!  Lewis hunted and scouted along the way. leading the group of young men (at the average age of 29).  While doing this, he took meticulous notes of the landscape, plants and animals throughout his 13 journals and maps. Their journey lasted 848 days. 
After returning from their journey, Lewis was appointed Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory.  He replaced General James Wilkinson, who had been implicated in a plot to establish a separate nation in the Louisiana Territory along with Vice President Aaron Burr. 
To this day, Meriwether Lewis' death along the Natchez Trace on October 10, 1809 remains a mystery.  Lewis stopped at Grinder's Stand, a  lodging cabin that night.  There are separate accounts that said he arrived alone or that he arrived with servants.  Mrs. Grinder was interviewed and said that she heard several shots and found Lewis crawling around asking for help.  Lewis had several different pistols with him.  They might have taken a lot of work to re-load.  His death was ruled a suicide and believed by Thomas Jefferson and William Clark, even with all the flimsy evidence.  Some believe that Meriwether was on his way to expose James Wilkinson's plot. 
Today there is some push from Meriwether's descendants to exhume his body and try to find some truth behind his death, or at least figure out how tall he was and what color hair he had.
What do you think, death or suicide?

Thank you to these sites:
Smithsonian.com       Symonsez.wordpress    Mikewaltteacher.com
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Puritan Witch Blog Tour

5/20/2014

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I will be participating in the Puritan Witch blog tour on May 20th!

Publication Date: September 17, 2013
iUniverse
Formats: Ebook, Hardcover, Paperback
Blurb:
On a cold night in 1692, two young girls are caught up in the divining games of a slave woman-and then begin to act very strangely when the game goes wrong. Suddenly, Salem Village is turned upside down as everyone fears that witches may be involved. Six months later, as news of the girls’ strange behavior becomes known, fear and suspicion overwhelm a nearby farming community, pitting neighbors against neighbors and turning friends into enemies. When Rebecca Eames makes one careless utterance during a verbal attack on her family, she is falsely accused of witchcraft. After her fate is decided by three magistrates, Rebecca must endure a prison sentence during which she and her fellow captives have no choice but to valiantly struggle to find humanity and camaraderie among dire conditions. In this novel based on a true story, a woman wrongly imprisoned during the seventeenth-century witchcraft trials comes full circle where she must determine if she can somehow resume her life, despite all she has endured.

Review:
Puritan Witch is based on the true story of the trials of accused witch Rebecca Eames in Andover, Massachusetts, 1692.  Rebecca Eames was one of the survivors of the trials, now her direct descendant, Peni Jo Renner, has brought life to her story. 

I love reading about the Salem Witch Trials, it was such an interesting part of our history.  I enjoyed that this book focused on the story of a survivor of the trials. Peni Jo Renner offered insight into how Rebecca's life before she had been accused of witchcraft and gave the reader a good feel of what it was like to live during that time period. 
Rebecca Eames lives a hard-working life on her farm with her family.  However, the Eames family have been in a long dispute with their neighbors, the Swans.  When the hysteria from Salem reaches Andover, the Eames and Swan family dispute reaches it boiling point.  Rebecca lashes out against her neighbor.

"
It was known that out of sheer spite, Robert Swan had ordered his sons to chop down a neighbor's orchard.  The Eames family had also fallen under Swan's wrath, and a cavernous rift had grown between the two households.  Blood simmered in her veins like a kettle over a low fire, and she bit her lips to keep from speaking her mind...'Damn you, Robert Swan!' Rebecca blurted. 'And may the devil himself visit your home!'"

This is the type of small political disputes that caused the demise of so many people.  Rebecca's story begins with an emotional outburst against her neighbor.  Soon after, she is accused of witchcraft and a clear picture is painted of the time Rebecca spent in prison enduring physical and psychological pain.  There is a good mix of fact and fiction; enough fiction to keep the story interesting and kept me reading, but also enough facts to match what I already know of the
trials.  It was probably the most interesting to learn of how Rebecca Eames survived the trials and the hangings and returned to her former life.

Buy the Book
Amazon US                                       Barnes & Noble                                              iUniverse

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About the Author
Peni Renner is the author of “Puritan Witch: The Redemption of Rebecca Eames”, an award-winning historical novel based on the true-life account of Peni’s 9th great grandmother. The book is Renner’s first published work, and follows Eames’ life and struggles in 1692 Massachussetts during the Salem Witchcraft Trials.

Writing historical fiction has always been a lifelong dream of mine. I was discouraged for many years after receiving multiple rejection slips, and turned to other creative outlets like crocheting, quilting and cross-stitch for many years. Then I met a 3rd cousin of mine online who is also into geneology and history. She told me we shared a common ancestor who was involved in the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692, and her story had never been told. My love of writing was rekindled and I began to research this ancestor, Rebecca Blake Eames. In August of 2012 I had the privilege of visiting her grave in Boxford, Massachusetts.

After months and months of research, writing, rewriting and revising, Puritan Witch came into being, featuring a lovely sketch done by my sister-in-law, Jane Sisk.

I have several other story ideas I am working on at the moment, all pertaining to interesting ancestors my 3rd cousin has introduced me to.

For more information please visit the Puritan Witch Facebook Page. You can also follow Peni Jo Renner on Twitter.

Follow The Tour!

Monday, April 28
Book Blast at The Musings of ALMYBNENR

Tuesday, April 29
Book Blast at A Book Geek
Book Blast at The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, April 30
Review & Giveaway at Closed the Cover

Thursday, May 1
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Obsession

Friday, May 2
Interview at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Monday, May 5
Book Blast at Kincavel Korner

Tuesday, May 6
Review at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, May 7
Review at Books in the Burbs

Thursday, May 8
Book Blast at Curling Up with a Good Book

Friday, May 9
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Monday, May 12
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, May 13
Book Blast at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, May 15
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews

Friday, May 16
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, May 19
Review at Book Lovers Paradise

Tuesday, May 20
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Thursday, May 22
Guest Post at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Friday, May 23
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Monday, May 26
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Tuesday, May 27
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Guest Post at Layered Pages

Wednesday, May 28
Book Blast at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, May 30
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Monday, June 2
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages




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Release: A Dangerous Madness 

5/19/2014

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It's RELEASE DAY for Michelle Diener's third book in her Regency London Series, 
A Dangerous Madness!

A Dangerous MadnessA Dangerous Madness
by Michelle Diener
Adult Historical
May 19th 2014

The Duke of Wittaker has been living a lie...

He’s been spying on the dissolute, discontented noblemen of the ton, pretending to share their views. Now he’s ready to step out of the shadows and start living a real life...but when the prime minister of England is assassinated, he's asked to go back to being the rake-hell duke everyone believes he still is to find out more.

Miss Phoebe Hillier has been living a lie, too...

All her life she's played by society's rules, hiding her fierce intelligence and love of life behind a docile and decorous mask. All it's gotten her is jilted by her betrothed, a man she thought a fool, though a harmless one. But when she discovers her former fiancé was involved in the plot against the prime minister, and that he's been murdered, she realizes he wasn't so harmless after all.

And now the killers have set their sights on her...

The only man who can help her is the Duke of Wittaker--a man she knows she shouldn't trust. And she soon realizes he's hiding behind a mask as careful as her own. As the clock ticks down to the assassin's trial, the pair scramble to uncover the real conspiracy behind the prime minister's death. And as the pressure and the danger mounts, Phoebe and Wittaker shed their disguises, layer by layer, to discover something more precious than either imagined–something that could last forever. Unless the conspirators desperate to hide their tracks get to them first.

Amazon * Kindle * iTunes * Kobo

SPECIAL OFFER

It just so happens that In Defense of the Queen, one of my Tudor-set historicals, is on special offer at the moment on Amazon, down to $0.99 from $4.99. The offer ends on May 24th, so if you like historicals with twists, turns and a lot of suspense, be sure to grab a copy.

Connections

I am so excited that my historical novel, A Dangerous Madness, releases today. A Dangerous Madness is set during the Regency period in London, and the plot revolves around the assassination of the British prime minister, Spencer Perceval.

A Dangerous Madness stands alone, but it is also connected to two other of my historical novels, The Emperor's Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies. The fun part of connecting the novels for me was to revisit characters I love from the previous two books (which are also connected to each other) but introducing those characters so that a reader of A Dangerous Madness doesn't have to have read the other two books to understand them. The characters have to stand alone, as much as the books do. But for those readers who have read either one or both of the previous books, they'll see those characters again, and learn a little about what has happened to them since the last book.

I've had so many readers contact me and comment on how much they enjoyed catching a glimpse of one or other of their favorite characters, which I really love. And quite a few people who read Banquet of Lies went back to read The Emperor's Conspiracy, and told me they found it equally satisfying, so readers don't have to read the books in any particular order.

In this way, connected books are more versatile than a series, because most people are hesitant to read a series out of order, and I totally understand that. I also love that so many people wrote to me after Banquet of Lies, asking if the Duke of Wittaker would get his own story. It was very satisfying to tell them I had started working on it straight after I finished Banquet of Lies. :)

From the beginning of Banquet of Lies, the Duke of Wittaker is mentioned by various characters again and again, although readers only 'meet' him near the very end. But when he did arrive on the scene, he made a real impact. I wrote and rewrote the scenes with him in them, because he really shone as a character and I wanted to do him justice. I loved that readers felt the same way, and those who read Banquet of Lies and have been waiting for their Duke of Wittaker fix, I hope they enjoy A Dangerous Madness as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Image of Michelle DienerMichelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King's Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.

Michelle's other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor's Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor's Conspiracy).

Michelle's first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Goodreads * Amazon * Website * Twitter * Facebook

Blitz-Wide Giveaways:

Grand Prize: Print copies of The Emperor's Conspiracy, Banquet of Lies, and A Dangerous Madness
5 Print or Kindle copies (winner's choice) of A Dangerous Madness
Both giveaway are open internationally.
May 19th - 26th
See Rafflecopter for restrictions.

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See my reviews of Michelle Diener's other books:
In Defense of the Queen
The Golden Apple

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Cover Reveal: Reign of Shadows

5/18/2014

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On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for the third book 
in the YA/NA Urban Fantasy Descendants Series:
Reign of Shadows
By Melissa Wright



Brianna can see her future, but it’s the past that haunts her. Plans laid in place centuries ago are threatening not only her and her sister, but all of the Seven Lines. As the shadows plot their way to old rule, the visions shift again. Her power has led to some hard choices—and the occasional stab wound—but this set of futures holds nothing but darkness.

Unable to bear the idea of losing the footing they've so recently gained, she turns the soldiers of the Seven. But with shadows hidden among the ranks, can she overcome the path they've set in place, or is she blindly following their lead?

The other books in the Descendants Series

Shifting Fate (Descendants Series, #2)Shifting Fate
(Descendants #2)
by Melissa Wright

Summary

According to prophecy, Brianna Drake was born to save the world. The trouble is, she doesn't have the slightest idea how. Her visions should have given her the answer, but they’re beginning to shift, making the danger too unpredictable, even for a prophet.

If she can just help her sister restore their hidden powers, she might be able to stop what’s coming. But an old enemy returns, and he’s got plans for Brianna and her visions.

What neither of them knows is that fate has given a stranger one chance to find her. He was trained to protect the chosen—but if he fails, the future will crumble.

Shifting Fate is the second book in the Descendants Series (following Bound by Prophecy) and focuses on Brianna and Logan.

There is a teaser posted here and the first chapter posted here, but beware, it's full of spoilers from the first book.

Purchase from Amazon , Barnes and Noble, and the Book Depository. Can also purchase in audio at iTunes and Audible.

Bound by Prophecy
(Descendants #1)
by Melissa Wright

Summary

Twenty-two-year-old Aern is done watching his brother destroy the only thing that matters. He never wanted to take Morgan’s place among council, never wanted to rule their hidden world. But when the key to the prophecy is found, a young girl named Brianna whom Morgan will destroy, Aern knows he has to take action.


What he really wants, is for things to go back to normal. But now he’s kidnapped a girl, and his brother’s men are after him. His only hope is to join with the Division, but they have plans of their own, and it’s the last thing Aern is willing to do.


Emily just wants her sister back. She doesn't care about the prophecy, or realize what’s at stake. But when she goes after Aern, the truth of the matter uncoils, and Brianna isn't the only one who’s in danger.


Suddenly, they’re at the center of a secret war, and unless they can work together, they’ll both have a sacrifice too big to make.


You can read an excerpt of Bound by Prophecy here.


Get the ebook for FREE on Nook and Kindle. Can also purchase from the Book Depository, and in audio at iTunes and Audible.



About the Author

Melissa Wright is the author of the Frey Saga and the new Descendants series. Melissa spends her time working on novels, but when not writing she can be found on Goodreads and Pinterest.

Website - Blog - Goodreads - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+

Giveaway

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Open internationally.
Ends May 25th. 


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Bound Blog Tour

5/16/2014

1 Comment

 
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Bound by M.J. Stevens 
(The Guardians #1) 
Publication date: January 21st 2014 
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Blurb:

‘No good deed ever goes unpunished, Mellea…’

Mellea Wendorn hasn’t exactly had a normal life. Misfortune seems to follow her, and her family, wherever she goes.
However, when Mellea stops to assist a mysterious young man suddenly her prior hardships seem trivial.

His name is Leo. He is a Successor, a child of the Guardians of Selestia.

He is royalty.
He is handsome.
And he wants Mellea completely to himself.

Unable to escape the Guardian’s laws, Mellea must learn the ways of the royals. She is convinced her life can’t get much worse. But when a timeworn Guardian enemy arises from the shadows, Mellea must make a choice that will change her destiny forever.

Review:
Mellea seems like any other seventeen year old girl.  She is working a job in the city to help her underprivileged family while she saves money up to go to school.  Then we find out that Mellea lives in the world of Selestia, ruled by the mysterious and possibly magic Guardians.  Mellea's father absolutely hates the Guardians and everything they stand for due to a dispute years ago.  Mellea's father won't even let her read a newspaper article about them and he really dislikes that Mellea works in the big city of Poridos, where the crystal towers of the royal Guardian family are located.  When Mellea is leaving Poridos City after work one day, she comes across a young man that has been shot.  She insists on helping him and staying with him until help arrives, even though it seems like that is the last thing that the man wants and he is rude, arrogant and kind of a jerk.  This is why it is such a surprise to Mellea that the man she tried to help is a Successor to the Guardian throne, Leo; and for some reason he has chosen Mellea to be his bride.  Now, Mellea finds herself bound to a man she hates and trapped in the crystal towers with the family that her father despises.

I ended up loving this story.  It is a good mix of fantasy, science fiction, romance and action.  Any young woman will find it easy to identify with Mellea's character.  She is down to earth, brave even in uncertainty and does not fall in love with the hunky Guardian Successor just because he's cute and has dreamy blue eyes.  In fact, Mellea fights their engagement almost every step of the way. 
At first, I was very confused at why Leo chose to be bound to Mellea (as was Mellea), but as the story progresses, Mellea meets other members of the family and gets to know Leo as a real person, they seem to be the perfect match for one another.  The world of Selestia is an interesting one, there is the rich, sparkling and plasticy Poridos city where the Guardians live and the less affluent country side where the majority of the population seem to survive.  The Towers are the most richly described, as Mellea is trapped in them for most of the story.  As Mellea learns more of the history of the Guardians and the Tower, so do we.  It seems that M.J. Stevens has put a lot of thought into the world-building of Selestia.  I hope we get to explore it more in the next book, Divided.  The action really picked up near the end of the book, enough that I had to read until I was finished.  A foe from the Guardians past is back to hurt the family, there are a lot of plot twists and turns with Mellea's family and the old enemy to the Guardians.  The story ends on a very suspenseful cliffhanger leaving Mellea with many choices to make and decisions of loyalty. 


                                         Goodreads                                                              Amazon


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About the Author
AUTHOR BIO: M.J. Stevens is a true storyteller.

For a long time, words were never her best friend. However she has always had a creative spirit and writing became the lead way that she could share her ideas with the world. Today, it is her number one passion in life.

“I wish I could say that I was one of those kids that read insane amounts of books and that’s why I was inspired to write, like a lot of authors. But I actually found the joy on people’s faces [when they talk about stories they love] more inspiring and wanted to create something of my own that will give young readers that same excited expression.”


Author Links
http://boundtotheguardians.com/
https://twitter.com/MelanieJStevens
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7686588.M_J_Stevens
https://www.facebook.com/boundtotheguardians?ref=hl

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The Forgotten Seamstress

5/14/2014

1 Comment

 
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Review:
A beautiful and captivating dual-time story that takes you back and forth between 1910 and 2008.

Maria is an orphan in 1910 who, with her tiny hands has become an excellent seamstress.  She and her friend Nora are soon whisked away to Buckingham Palace to work as seamstresses. Maria catches the eye of the young Prince of Wales and finds herself in a delicate situation.  Not wanting a royal scandal, Maria is taken away to a mental institution.  The staff at the mental institution not only take her baby and her sanity, but Maria still has her story that she preserves in a quilt.

In 2008, Caroline has just lost her boyfriend and her job.  She is also trying to take care of her mother who has dementia.   Caroline is helping her mother clean out her house when she comes across a beautiful and unique quilt.  Caroline needs something to fill her time, so she decides to try and figure out the history behind it. 

Maria and Caroline's story are both enthralling and  tragic.  I found the book more and more addicting as their stories begin to intersect and Caroline becomes closer to finding the mystery behind the quilt.  Artfully woven, Liz Trenow brings us back and forth between Maria's story and Caroline's.  Although we really only get to meet Maria through a series of transcribed cassette tape recordings when she is an older woman, her story is enchanting and I wanted nothing more than the truth to be unraveled.  The quilt as a character itself was very intriguing;  we follow the quilt from it's inception through the worst parts of Maria's life, to Caroline discovering it's secrets. 

I love historical fiction, obviously, and learning about different periods of history.  This was a different time period for me to read about and I enjoyed learning about the inner workings of Buckingham Palace and the Prince of Wales.  However, the most interesting aspect of this time period was the institution.  It did not surprise me at all that people were institutionalized agaist their will, especially women.  Maria's story is a good insider's look at how people were treated in institutions at this time.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Pre-Order Campaign:
All readers who pre-order a copy (print or ebook) of The Forgotten Seamstress before May 6 and send their proof-of-purchase to seamstress@sourcebookspr.com will receive a free signed bookplate AND will be entered to win an Etsy gift card. Giveaways will be held when we hit 100, 250, 500, 750 and 1,000 pre-orders with prizes ranging from $25-$100.

Read The First Four Chapters!

The first four chapters are available on Kindle and NOOK
o   Amazon: http://amzn.to/1pWLlzH                o   B&N: http://bit.ly/1pWxuJS

Make Maria's Quilt:
You may not be able to find the royal silks to go in it, but if you are a quilter you may want to try your hand at the quilt pattern featured in the story
.  Find directions here.


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About the Author:
I was born and brought up in a house next to the family silk mill. My father, and then my brother, went to work each day at the mill, so silk played a large part in my early life, even though I didn’t really appreciate that at the time.

As a student I did a range of holiday jobs in the mill but, like Lily in The Last Telegram, the business held no real romance for me. What I really wanted was to become a journalist so, after a few years teaching skiing in Canada, that is what I became. I worked in news and features for local and regional newspapers, as a news journalist for local radio and regional television, and at BBC Broadcasting House and Television Centre, before leaving to work in PR which had much more family-friendly working hours!

The silk company has a long and distinguished history which had never been recorded, so I started to research it with the intention of writing a book, but work, marriage and my two lovely daughters took precedence in my life and, like Harold Verner’s, my research languished in a file. As my parents reached their eighties, I realised there might not be much time left, and started recording conversations with them, individually and together, about their extraordinary lives.

During one of these conversations, my father mentioned that during the Second World War what kept the mill going were contracts to weave silk for parachutes, surgical dressings (silk has amazing antiseptic properties) and electrical insulation (plastic had not been invented). He also told me how tricky it had been getting the porosity of the fabric just right for parachutes.

The germ of an idea for a novel was born, but it was not until I retired from full-time work and took an MA in Creative Writing at City University in London that I started writing The Last Telegram, and the story started to unfold.

My research into the history of the company is also complete and some of information is already available on the website for Stephen Walters & Sons Ltd. The fuller version will be published later this year, although probably not for public sale.

Author Website        Goodreads          Amazon

1 Comment

Outside In

5/12/2014

3 Comments

 
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Blurb:
From Memorial Day until the student workers and tourists leave in the fall, the island community of Put-In-Bay, Ohio, thrives on alcohol, drugs, sexual experimentation, and any other means of forgetting responsibilities. To Brad Shepherd–recently forced out of his job as a junior high math teacher after the overdose death of a student–it’s exactly the kind of place he’s looking for.Allured by the comfort and acceptance of the hedonistic atmosphere, Brad trades his academic responsibilities and sense of obligation for a bouncer’s flashlight and a pursuit of the endless summer. With Cinch Stevens, his new best friend and local drug dealer, at his side, Brad becomes lost in a haze of excess and instant gratification filled with romantic conquests, late-night excursions to special island hideaways, and a growing drug habit. Not even the hope from a blossoming relationship with Astrid, a bold and radiant Norwegian waitress, nor the mentoring from a mysterious mandolin player named Caldwell is enough to pull him out of his downward spiral. But as Labor Day approaches, the grim reality of his empty quest consumes him. With nowhere left to run or hide, Brad must accept that identity cannot be found or fabricated, but emerges from within when one has the courage to let go.A look at one man’s belated coming of age that’s equally funny, earnest, romantic, and lamenting, Doug Cooper’s debut novel explores the modern search for responsibility and identity, showing through the eyes of Brad Shepherd how sometimes, we can only come to understand who we truly are by becoming the person we’re not.

Review:
" Don't let yourself get bored.  Exist to question, question your existence."

Brad Shepherd is a younger high school math teacher, who for all of his life has followed the rules and his parents wishes.  Suddenly, while in the middle of a lesson, one of his students passes out and dies from a drug overdose.  The school-board, not wanting any trouble, offers Brad a nice package to leave.  Brad takes his package and runs away to a small summer-vacation island in Put-in-Bay, Ohio.  There he meets up with a menagerie of friends, Haley, Cinch, Birch and Astrid.  Brad picks up a job as a bouncer at one of his friends bars and quickly falls into the party scene, drugs, more drugs and even harder drugs and women (and other lovers).  Trying to erase from his mind the school tragedy,Brad may just create more problems for himself. 

This is a modern-day coming of age story for adults; adults that have succeeded in the eyes of society, but still feel like something is missing, that all that they were promised is not present. Being the same age as Brad in this story, I can relate.  Though I haven't quite gone through a tragedy like his and hopefully would not fall into sex, drugs and alcohol to fix it; Brad's struggle with finding what he wants to do in life still resonates for my age group.  I felt particularly bad for Brad's character when the school so quickly pushed him out of his job since he was a younger, non-tenured teacher and the issue would be more easily fixed by letting him go then trying to deal with whatever mess was left in it's wake.  The setting and eternal-summer type atmosphere of Put-in-Bay is a great setting for Brad's raucous quarter-life-crisis and subsequent recovery.  With great descriptions, I could easily picture this small island town and feel the atmosphere of the party life.  Even though, Brad's fall was a hard one, he eventually learns that he is "drowning in a worse reality than the one I was trying to escape."


Take a 360 tour of The Round House, where Brad's character worked.

Giveaway!
Leave an awesome comment below that includes your email address (Don't Worry, only I'll see it!) for a chance to win a physical copy of Outside In!

A Deeper Look at Outside In from  Doug's Blog: By Cooper.  We'll take a deeper look into
Setting:
Much of what appears on the surface of Outside In is a mask concealing a much deeper and sometimes opposite meaning. Although some of the events are similar to those in my life, everything that happens in Outside In is there for a reason and has many layers of meaning. Setting Outside In at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island in the middle of Lake Erie might seem to those who know about my background as a connection to my roots. But despite growing up merely fourteen miles away from the island in the Lake Erie coastal town of Port Clinton, I never spent much time at Put-in-Bay in my formative years except for twice. The first was a sixth grade safety patrol spring field trip rewarding us for our service in which I remember only the waves being so high on the ferry ride back, I questioned I would ever leave firm ground again. The second was a rainy, chilly day after high school when a girlfriend and I snuck over to her family’s summer condo to be alone without the fear of parents pulling in the driveway and sparking the frantic search for clothes followed by the transparent facade of composure that nothing was going on when they entered.

Not until I left Port Clinton for college at Miami University, came back to teach junior high math for a year, then left again to teach in St. Louis, and I had the serendipity of connecting with a bunch of Put-in-Bay workers on a trip to Key West that I found my way back to South Bass Island. Despite my mathematics background, I guess I never learned the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. It was during the several summers I spent there while teaching in St. Louis during the school year that the contrast, mystery and beauty of the island resonated with me. I remember standing on the porch of the Round House, the very one described in the story, as golf carts buzzed by and people flowed through the park with the lake shimmering in the background that I thought, This would be the perfect setting for a literary novel.

Using an island as a setting in a novel is nothing new. The unique attributes of isolation, finite resources, and the influence of water have made islands a popular choice in novels ranging from Robinson Crusoe to Treasure Island to Lord of the Flies. Islands are recognized as a microculture and place for escape, transformation, or sometimes even exile and punishment. The archetype of the island is one buried deep in the psyche often representing the earth’s mandala and a symbol of unification of self. In Outside In, South Bass Island plays all these parts at times. But more than just a backdrop of where the action happens, the island serves as another character in the story, one that inspires, guides, challenges, and even levies consequences.

But why this island? Why choose to set the story at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island in Ohio? Two unique factors set this island apart from all others and make it the perfect setting for a story about a teacher, who is fleeing from the haunting death of a student due to a drug overdose, becoming lost in a haze of excess and instant gratification. These attributes are, one, the contrast to the classic Manifest Destiny theme and, two, the Battle of Lake Erie history. By starting the journey of the protagonist in St. Louis, known as the Gateway to the West, but rather than forging west in search of a better life, he delves deeper into the middle of the country, it is a direct contrast to the concept of Manifest Destiny. With minimal external unexplored land and frontier remaining, the character’s path represents the need to look deeper in oneself to find the answers to problems and that dreams don’t lie on the horizon; they lie within.

The Battle of Lake Erie history, however, is the main reason why South Bass Island was chosen over all others. It was there that Oliver Hazard Perry led a decisive naval battle in the War of 1812 which secured the North shore for the US forces and established peace between US, Canada, and Great Britain. Commemorating the victory, which celebrated its bicentennial on September 10, 2013, stands the world’s tallest Doric column at 352 ft (107m) known as Perry’s Monument. The monument, which is the setting of many scenes in the novel, serves as a protective and comforting figure. It represents the conflict that took place there so long ago with Perry sending his famous message to William Henry Harrison following the battle, “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”, but it is also symbolic of the inner struggles the characters are having and contrasts the difficulty in the modern search for identity of knowing exactly who the enemy is.

Characters:
This is another installment in my “A Deeper Look” series peeling back the layers of Outside In to better understand the meaning of the setting, themes, characters, plot, and style.

In creating Outside In I envisioned a cross between The Catcher in the Rye and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Whereas Catcher is about how to enter adulthood without losing oneself and Fear and Loathing deals with finding the American Dream by destroying and abusing the symbols of American consumerism, Outside In proposes identity can’t be found or fabricated but emerges from within when one has the courage to let go.

This letting go for many of the characters in Outside In translates to a hedonistic pursuit involving alcohol, sex, and drugs, the vices so readily available to a person who wants to forget. These vices symbolize the modern trials people face in their journeys of becoming. What starts as recreational experimentation and the exploration of new experiences transform to obsession and complete loss of self. This descent into excess and instant gratification is meant to raise awareness of current societal issues with addiction and self-medication and pose the question, At what point do the tools we use in our journey become the focus of our search?

Watching the characters react with immaturity and irresponsibility to deal with their lives is often frustrating and uncomfortable in the story. This is intentional and meant to represent what psychologist Erik Erikson referred to as a “Quarter Life Crisis”. Erikson theorized when events transpire to thwart the development of intense, intimate relationships for those in their twenties and early thirties, an identity crisis ensues triggering doubt of the life decisions made and the steps to take going forward, inducing feelings of betrayal, isolation, and loneliness. Related to the Quarter-Life Crisis, the characters’ actions are also meant to draw attention to the delayed rites of passage so prevalent in modern culture. With the abundance of choices, twenty-somethings are spending extended periods in higher education and living at home with parents for longer periods of time than previous generations. This uncertainty and fear to move forward into adulthood can create a paralysis in which a person is more likely to go backward than forward.

The connection to the title in Outside In is how the characters hide behind masks and veils and put themselves in environments to create the image of who they think they should be. They believe to become, they must change their outside worlds to allow their true selves to come out instead of strengthening their inner selves so that they emerge confidently and are no longer guarded and hidden. Evidenced in not only action but also in speech, the dialogue is often intentionally on-the-nose and represents another shield the characters use to protect themselves. They talk about passion and living life to the fullest but rarely do anything except escape to whatever vice is available. Outside In is rich in symbolism and meaning. Even the character names, from the main characters to the ones with supporting roles, have been chosen to say something about that person and also have a common theme connecting them all. But I won’t reveal all the secrets here. Just as one has to unwrap a present to appreciate the contents, peel back the layers and see beyond the party in Outside In.

and Literary References:
This is another installment in my “A Deeper Look” series peeling back the layers of Outside In to better understand the meaning of various aspects and characteristics of the novel. Warning! This article contains spoilers of events in the novel.  Although on the surface, Outside In may appear to be simply a hedonistic pursuit of the endless summer, as the title suggests, one must look past the appearance to get to the true meaning at the core. Just as the characters wear masks and put themselves in situations to be the people they think they should be rather than letting go and allowing the person they really are to emerge from the inside, many of the events and actions have a  deeper meaning through their connection to other literary works.

Following are some of the literary references in Outside In:

1) A Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Both Scarlet and Outside In deal with sin, legalism, and guilt as major themes and the main characters are motivated to create a new life devoid of the shame of past experiences. One direct reference is in Chapter 11 when Brad, Cinch, Stein, Griffin and Birch are at Heineman’s Winery in the back courtyard playing the Name Game. After a trip to the restroom to balance their escalating alcohol buzz, the suggestion is made to join the others in the front bar. Griffin says, “You go ahead. I’m way too amped to be around those folks. I might as well tattoo a big red C on the end of my nose.” This is referencing the scarlet “A” Hester Prynne is forced to wear on her dress after being found guilty of adultery in Hawthorne’s 1850 work of romantic fiction. Just as Hester was cast out to live with the shame and guilt of her sin, Griffin fears he would be discovered and face consequences for his indulgence.

2) The Tell-Tale Heart and The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe: From the rhythmic passages to the supernatural atmosphere and frequent descent of the lead character into monomania and paranoia similar to Poe’s narrators, Outside In is loaded with references to The Tell Tale Heart and The Raven. During his drug-induced delusions and hallucinations, Brad suffers from the same “over-acuteness of the senses” that Poe’s narrator does in Tell Tale Heart. The opening and closing of doors to investigate and block out painful feelings is another connection between Outside In and Poe’s works. The smile Cinch hides behind when confronted by the police on the way back from the monument after being up all night and the one Brad casts into the night at the invisible surveilance team once he realizes there is nothing in the apartment to incriminate him allude to the narrator’s smile when the police come to search the place in Tell Tale Heart. One of the most glaring similarities is at the end of Outside In as grief-stricken Brad laments the loss of Cinch, the faint tapping and consistent gentle rapping from Cinch’s room that awakes Brad pays homage to the similar sounds in The Raven: “While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.”

3) Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce: Similar to Joyce in Portrait, Outside In contains certain autobiographical facts from my life. By using factual details in Outside In, I am paying tribute to Portrait as Joyce did the same in his creation of Stephen Dedalus, his fictional alter ego, and also having fun with the tendency of first novels to be autobiographical, leaving it up to the reader decide what actually happened and what is fabricated for the story. Both stories incorporate the pursuit of sensual pleasures to initiate the awakening of the protagonist after a self-imposed exile and extensively use free indirect speech. Brad’s first visit to the top of Perry’s Monument is a direct reference to the classic Daedalus myth for which Joyce names his protagonist. At the top of the monument, Brad feels imprisoned by his family, the events of his past, and his culture in general. He contemplates how easy it would be to jump from the deck: “At the edge of the observation deck, only a four-foot concrete wall separates me from an attempt at flight. In just one motion I could be over the side. It would be so easy—too easy. I have to step back.” This alludes to how Daedalus, the father of Icarus, was imprisoned in a tower to prevent the knowledge of the labyrinth from spreading, and he created a set of wings for him and Icarus to escape. Also paying homage to Portrait are the boat ramp and cliff diving scenes in Outside In. Just as the leap from the rocks into the water in Portrait represented a rite of passage to freedom and independence so does it in Outside In. As the characters emerge from the water and Brad muses, “The moonlight reflects off the water on their skin, radiating a soft glow.”, this is a reference to how Dedalus remembers how they “gleamed with cold wet lustre” and “their bodies were heavy with cold seawater”.

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About the Author:

DOUG COOPER has traveled to more than twenty countries on five continents and has held jobs in service, teaching, and business. He now lives and writes in Las Vegas. Outside In is his first novel.
Connect with Doug and buy Outside In here:

Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/Outside-In-Doug-Cooper/dp/1626340048
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17355767-outside-in
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/trubelo/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ByCooper
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ByCoop

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    Hi there! I'm Stephanie and I obviously love reading.  As, the title suggests, I read at least one hundred pages a day.  I enjoy most book genres; however, my favorites are historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, thriller, horror and YA.  I also read a lot of non-fiction science and gardening books for my occupation.  I enjoy reviewing books and as always, any book that I receive for free is read in return for my honest review.  

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