Sample Saturday - Ride to Raton

Welcome back to Sample Saturday!

Some writers plan out everything they will ever write. When I finished The Man from Shenandoah, I thought I had written the only full-length novel I would ever write. I thought that was it for these people, and any further long-form fiction.

But evidently I had more to tell. I left James Owen sorely wounded in heart and mind, and he demanded that I give him a chance to work through his pain.

Accordingly, I wrote Ride to Raton (It probably should have been called Ride to Raton Pass, but I liked the sound of the three words, and totally forgot the fact that there is a town in New Mexico named Raton). I thought this novel would finish up my account of the Owen family from Virginia.

Boy, was I wrong! The two books have grown to five, with offshoots and spinoffs going in all directions, and more to come.

It's been quite a while since I've posted any scenes or samples from Ride to Raton. This never-before-posted scene occurs after James is shot in Pueblo, Colorado Territory, by a disgruntled former Union soldier. Randolph Hilbrands, a friend of James's father, has taken him into his home to recuperate.
~~~

“Mister James, Mister James, wake up, please? You must be hungry.”

Surprised to hear his name, James rolled over, grinning at the soothing touch of the water on his naked body, and swam upward from exploring the bottom of the pond behind the flour mill on a creek feeding the Shenandoah River. He tried to shrug off the hand that gently touched his right shoulder, but the movement brought such a flood of pain to his side that he moaned before he could catch himself.

“Please, Mister James. Ma said I wasn’t to come back to the kitchen without feeding you. If you don’t wake up soon, your food’ll be stone cold.”

He thrust his head and shoulders above the water, opened one eye, then immediately shut it against the sunlight that streamed through an open window between muslin drapes and hit his face. His body felt bloated, invaded by aches and twitches. And although he was still naked, he seemed to be lying half covered by a sheet and quilt on a bed inside a room, instead of treading water in the millpond.

Someone besides himself was in the room. “Six little beans!” he grunted, trying to shade his eyes with his left hand, remembering that a girl’s voice had addressed him. “It’s brighter than noon day in here. Can you shut them curtains?”

A young girl put the tray of food on the washstand and ran to the window to pull the drapes together. She returned to stand beside the bed, and James blinked his eyes as she drew near.

The girl was about fifteen, he judged, slender and blonde. She wore a white bib apron with a full skirt over a light weight gingham gown patterned with sprigs of lilacs on a white background. Her wavy hair hung below her shoulders, tied back with a white ribbon. The girl smiled, tentatively, and one dimple appeared in her cheek.

“Who’re you?” he asked, wondering how he came to be between the sheets. The last thing he remembered, he had been lying atop the coverlet, enduring the sting of a thousand hornets as Amanda Hilbrands’ needle pierced the flesh of his side. Now he looked around. The tub was gone from the room, and the towel had disappeared from around his hips. James blinked twice, and reached down to draw the sheet over his chest, grateful that the quilt masked his nakedness from the girl.

“I’m Sylvia. My pa runs the hotel. Don’t you recall he brought you here?”

James shut his eyes for a moment, less to remember his arrival than to recall where he had heard the girl’s voice before. He gave his head a shake, then opened his eyes.

“Yeah,” he sighed, a long drawn out sound, and fingered the bandage around his chest. “Your ma put this thread into me a couple of hours ago.”

“That was two days back!” the girl exclaimed. “You’ve been asleep since then.”

“Six little beans! Did I take a fever?” James got himself onto his elbows, and the girl bent forward to put a pillow behind his back so he could sit partway up. As the sheet slipped and gathered in creases about his waist, the girl’s hair brushed his shoulder.

The blonde hair—he could see it on another head, arranged in tumbling ringlets behind a face twisted with fury. A voice—with the same timbre as this girl’s voice—batted at his ears: “You never came around, Carl Owen. Cecil was here. I have a right to marry a man I can trust!”

James shuddered.

“No.” A frown furrowed Sylvia’s forehead. “I reckon you’re just wore out. You been through a lot of woe since you came to Pueblo City.” She turned away to bring the food tray, then sat gingerly on the edge of the bed with the tray on her lap. “This is a good room, though. Pa let Ida use it for her wedding night.”

A wrenching pain invaded James’s gut. Ida Hilbrands had breathed this air, her body had lain on this bed. The body that should have quieted Carl’s lusts was given to an English dandy—on this bed, beneath this quilt. James swallowed. His throat closed on cotton.

The girl touched his wrist. James’s arm twitched under the cool fingers.

“Are you all right, Mister James?”

He cleared his throat. “You sound like your…older sister.”

“You mean Mary?” The girl’s face brightened. “How is her little baby doing? We all want to see her.” Sylvia picked up a spoon and a bowl and stirred the contents.

James again eased the sheet up to cover his chest. “The little gal’s growing, but no, I wasn’t speaking of Mary.” The sheet bunched in his lap again, and James jerked it upward and pinned it underneath his arm.

“Oh. You mean—”

“Ida! I mean Ida.” His voice rasped in his throat as he said the name.

The girl looked puzzled. “Are you angry with Ida?”

James felt his face settling into ridges as he scowled. Angry? The word was wrong. Wrong and far too weak. I hate her. I despise her wide blue eyes and her lying, cheating heart. He cleared his throat again. “I have reason.” His breath left his lungs in a lengthy shudder.

Sylvia looked at him for a moment, puzzlement crinkling the skin around her eyes. Then she picked up a spoon.

“Here, have a taste of porridge. Ma made it fresh for you today.” Sylvia held the spoon to James’s lips, and he accepted the morsel. “What did Ida do to you? I thought it was Carl she threw over.”

For a moment, he could only chew, then swallow. He sensed no taste, no savor. Before he had a chance to speak, Sylvia put another spoonful of mush into his mouth. He swallowed that down, then, as Sylvia brought up another bite, James shook his head.

They’ll know sooner or later. Pa will come in for supplies, or Ma will send a note to Mrs. H. by a passing stranger. He turned his head to look at the doorway. Will I be gone, first? Or will Danny O’Brien shoot me in the back? He looked at the girl and squeezed his hands into fists. The pain forced his mouth open.

“You didn’t hear, I reckon. Carl got over being mad at Ida. He wed Ellen Bates about a week past.”

“Oh, Mister James! She was pledged to you!” Sylvia dropped the spoon into the bowl, and it clanked against the side.

Instantly, he repented of his burst of words. “Forget I said that. Just forget it!”

“I’m sorry.” Sylvia held her hands tightly together in front of her mouth.

James snorted. “It’s done and over.”

“How could that happen?” The girl moved the tray from her lap to the bed and leaned forward.

Bitterness rose in James’s throat, and he turned his head to swallow it down.

Sylvia bounced once on the bed. “Ida caused it. She sure is mean.”

James shuddered anew, slumping against the pillow. “Go away,” he said.

“What?”

“Take your gruel and leave me be. I’m weary.”

“But you didn’t finish.”

“Tell your Ma I fell asleep again. It won’t be a lie. Look. I’m nodding off now.” James shut his eyes.

He heard her get to her feet and pick up the tray. “I reckon I tired you out, talking so much.”

“It’s not you. I’m wore out, like you said.” James twitched the quilt higher on his chest. Suddenly he bolted upright, winced, then lay down again. “You’d better get your papa, girl. I got to put myself deeper in his debt.”
~~~

If you haven't yet read Ride to Raton, here are links for print and ebook copies:
Print books $15.95: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
ebooks $3.99: Smashwords all formats | Kindle | nook | Kobo | iTunes Bookstore

Please remember that in this new world of publishing, YOUR reviews are vital to authors. Go post a review on any of my books, novellas, or short stories you have read. They don't have to be long. You only need to express what you thought about the work, and perhaps why. Did you like the characters? Did the history of the period excite you? Was the story enjoyable? Would you recommend the work to your friends? Writing a review is your chance to do just that.

Thank you!

Trust Your Process

by Marsha Ward @MarshaWard

For several years, I've been worried that I was not doing something all the books on writing said I was supposed to do in the process of writing my novels, but it seemed to work out okay anyway. Recently, I read a book about writing. Suddenly, lights flashed, bells and whistles blew, and I got a huge confirmation that I'm really okay with what I do. The book is Writing Into the Dark: How to Write a Novel Without an Outline, by Dean Wesley Smith. I'm a pantser, so I never outline anyway, but the truth is, I don't do extensive edits and rewrites, either. That latter fact is what had me so worried.

Smith explains the difference between Creative Voice and Critical Voice, and says we should not give in to the prompting to use the Critical Voice (editing) during our writing process. The job of our Critical Voice is to stop us cold from engaging in risky business, and writing is very risky business!

Instead, he holds to Heinlein's Business Rules:

Rule #1: You must write.
Rule #2: You must finish what you write.
Rule #3: You must refrain from rewriting unless to editorial demand.
Rule #4: You must put your work on the market.
Rule #5: You must keep your work on the market until it sells.

Smith gives tweaks of the rules if you are indie publishing. He also writes strange words like "practice," and "trust your process." That last one set off the bells and whistles for me.

I will say the book rambles a bit and could have been tightened, but despite its structural flaws, I found it very affirming to me. There is a bonus section in the back from another book, Killing the Top 10 Sacred Cows of Publishing. The chapter about rewriting was the whipped cream on top of the milkshake for me: his process is exactly what I've been doing all along. I write the first draft. The second draft is spell checking, then I send it to beta readers. For the third draft, I touch up the things the readers found. Then I'm done.

I know you're all crying "Heresy!" but it works for me.

Thoughts?

YEAR-END SALE - Trail of Storms print edition

I'm passing along news from WestWard Books: 

YEAR-END SALE: print copies of Trail of Storms, the third book in the Owen Family Saga, are on sale for $10.00 per copy, with optional personalization and/or signature from the author, Marsha Ward. This sale is good as long as supplies last, or until December 31, 2014. All sales final. Click here to purchase.

And here's the book description and a couple of reviews:

Jessie Bingham put heartbreak away to tend to her sister's needs, but when she settled for second best in love, she didn't foresee that James Owen would come back into her life.

The aftermath of the Civil War creates cruel circumstances for the Bingham family. A brutal attack on Jessie's sister, Hannah Fletcher, drives the extended family to flee to the West. They are soon joined by Heppie Bingham's beau George and his brother, Ned, who bring news that the Binghams are being pursued by cronies of Hannah's attacker. Even after they fight off that onslaught, poverty, bad weather, and Hannah's frightful secret plague their journey. Nursing her battered heart when she hears James Owen took a wife, Jessie accepts Ned's offer of marriage. But a stop on the trail holds surprises that launch Jessie into a bewildering tangle of values, emotions, and high adventure.

Shirley Bahlmann, author of the "Odds" pioneer series, says: Marsha Ward has the uncanny ability to transport readers back in time. You feel the characters' sorrows, hate the villains, cheer the heroes, and sit on the edge of your seat as one adventure after another unfolds. What a satisfying story this is, with real, believable trials and heart-warming conclusions. I recommend it to everyone, from history buffs to adventure lovers to romance readers.

Review from Meridian Magazine: Trail of Storms is not a romance, but a nitty gritty Western. It is the historical details of Colorado and New Mexico and the writer's understanding of both the American and Hispanic cultures of this place and time period that are superbly done. The author portrays vividly the lingering hatred that existed between Confederates and Yankees for years following the war, the bigotry between races, and the minimal rights of women. Historical and Western fans of either gender will enjoy this series, from the compelling covers to the last word of this third volume. - Jennie Hansen

Click here to purchase Trail of Storms in print.

Fresh Book Friday - The Line That Divides

Title: The Line That Divides
Author: Melanie Mason
Genre: Historical Romance (World War II)
Publisher: Walnut Springs Press
Date of Publication: November 2014

Synopsis:
With boundaries clearly drawn by the horror of World War II, Austrian teenager Marianne Leichtner doesn't think about love. Returning from Germany, where she was forced to attend school as a linguist, she settles back into life in the countryside.

The crash of an American B-17 bomber in the hills behind her family's home changes everything. Shortly following the accident, Marianne discovers Charlie and Sam, the only surviving crewmen from the plane, hiding in the barn. She decides to help them and is thrust into a world of danger and secrets. An unlikely friendship forms, and then the Nazis arrive. After a week of hiding the young men, Marianne is attacked by Lieutenant Herske, a Nazi officer, and is rescued by Charlie. She helps the Americans escape, but assumed the worst when she learns two Americans were killed trying to cross the border.

As she pieces together her broken heart, Marianne decides the only way she can defy the Nazis is to join the Austrian resistance. To cross that line means discovering who she really is and what she is willing to do. Because of Charlie, she is willing to take the chance.

When the war ends it seems impossible to return to normal life. But a miracle occurs, saving Marianne one more time.

Excerpt:
Marianne made her way over to the chicken coop and gathered the eggs. She set aside a dozen in a smaller basket for Frau Schmidt and put the remainder in the large basket to deliver later that day. The hens clucked uneasily in the pen, and collecting the eggs took longer than normal. Marianne quietly closed the coop and made her way back toward the door.

She stopped when she realized she had left the smaller basket in with the chickens. After carefully setting the large basket on the ground, she turned back to the coop but stopped when she heard a soft moan from behind her. She whirled around to face the pile of straw in the corner. Another low moan came from the pile, which seemed almost to shudder. Marianne’s mind shouted for her to run and tell her mother, but curiosity got the better of her.

She stepped toward the moving straw, hesitated, and then reached out to brush aside the loose covering of stalks. Suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth, and another one pinned her arms to her side and pulled her back. Her nostrils were assailed by the smell of sweat and pine trees.

In a panic she struggled against the tight, muscled arms, her cries muffled by the hand covering her mouth. She tried in vain to pull the arms away and escape.

My Review:
Melanie Mason's debut novel, The Line That Divides, is a fast-paced story of young love, dangerous choices, and inevitable consequences amidst the turmoil of World War II. Mason's writing shivers with intriguing twists and turns.

Purchase Links:

Deseret Book | Amazon  

Available in print at Deseret Book Stores

Author Bio:
Melanie Mason has told stories all her life and finds her passion in writing. She graduated from Utah State University with a degree in communications. She won first place in the Beginning of Book Contest for Young Adult Fiction at the American Night Writers Association 2014 conference, and she is the editor of ANWA’s monthly newsletter. Melanie has published several articles and stories that are featured on HubPages.com. She lives in Portland, Oregon, where the beauty of the Pacific Northwest feeds her imagination.

Find Melanie:
Website | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads | Pinterest

The Book Tour Continues

Yes, it will go all week, ladies and gentlemen. Here's a marvelous graphic that my friend, *Karlene Wells Browning, created, because, well, she has the mad skillz to do so.

Thank you, Karlene!

---

* Is there any lengths to which my mind will go when it's crazy sleep-deprived? Apparently not. Big apologies to my friend Karlene. I think I got it right now.

Blog Book Tour for Gone for a Soldier begins today!

Wow! Today begins the epic Blog Book Tour for my new novel, Gone for a Soldier!

Becca and Sarah at Loving the Book Launch Party have surpassed themselves with this event. All seven of the days of the tour are tripled booked. Triple booked!

Thanks to all the gracious bloggers who signed up to make this happen by hosting my book on your blogs!

There are going to be awesome posts, including reviews, author interviews, Tens Lists, excerpts, etc.

Oh yes. Did I mention there are PRIZES? Don't miss the Rafflecopter entry opportunities on the posts and shown below.

Here's the schedule for my Book Blog Tour over the next seven days. I'll update links to posts as I can.

October 6: melaniemasonauthor.blogspot.com
October 6: jaletaclegg.blogspot.com/
October 6: rebeccairvine.blogspot.com

October 7: sbkbooksandmore.wix.com/s-and-n-books- (multiple posts on Facebook)
Cover & Excerpt | Author Bio and Links | Character Casting (ooo, shivers!) | Cover & Purchase Links | Giveaway/Rafflecopter       
October 7: julkbearreads.wordpress.com
October 7: wishfulendings.com/

October 8: debraerfert.blogspot.com
October 8: mybookfairy.blogspot.com/
October 8: readingrenee.com

October 9: saslack.com
October 9: facebook.com/ShirleysBookshelf
October 9: bookgeekreviews.com/

October 10: donnakweaver.com
October 10: pennybrojacquie.wordpress.com/
October 10: semishort.blogspot.com/

October 11: facebook.com/PageByPageInsideOutReviewsandPromotion
October 11: thepleasureofreadingtoday.blogspot.com/ (requires your permission to enter adult-themed blog)
October 11: stephaniesaysso.blogspot.com AND/OR stephaniereadthat.blogspot.com

October 12: authorcandyodonnell.blogspot.com/
October 12: moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/
October 12: janmmartin.blogspot.com

I hope you will join me and these awesome bloggers on the Blog Book Tour for Gone for a Soldier.

Rafflecopter for Book Tour:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Melissa Lemon's Blue Sky

Earlier this month, author Melissa Lemon released her new book, Blue Sky. As part of her Blog Tour, I agreed to read and review the romance. She sent me a pdf ARC in exchange for my honest assessment.

Here is a bit about the author:

Melissa Lemon has had many imaginary friends (and enemies) since she was a child. Her vivid imagination had her writing stories and jotting down book ideas for years until she finally sat down and finished a novel. She is married to an awesome man and is the proud mother of three children. Music is also an important part of her life. She shares time with music students, teaching them piano, cello or guitar. Melissa is a graduate of the University of Utah and currently resides in the Salt Lake area.

Here's information about the plot and characters in Blue Sky:

Sunny is grieving the sudden death of her parents. Lewis is a homeless runaway seeking shelter in Sunny's basement from an early winter storm. In her unstable emotional condition, Sunny wants nothing more than to kill the unexpected intruder in her home. After a bizarre hostage situation and a poker game, Sunny realizes that Lewis isn't out to hurt her. Their initial distaste turns to friendship and love, but Sunny isn't keen on starting a relationship with a man she knows so little about. Lewis is loyal, and his patience paramount. Sunny is hesitant but her love runs deep and true. They are separated unwillingly, and must struggle and face overwhelming odds to find each other again.

My Review:

A richly embroidered tale of change, loss, relationships, trust, obstacles, and love, Blue Sky was not an easy read for me. That is probably because of all the losses (some violent) that I've undergone in my own life: parents, in-laws, sibling, husband, child. However, Ms. Lemon does a credible job in this novel that is such a departure from the fairy tales she has published previously. Showing how Sunny turns a risky proposition into a romance takes a good amount of skill, and Ms. Lemon pulls it off.

I liked Lewis better than I liked Sunny. He had already gone through a great deal of turmoil in his life--which is what drove him onto the streets in the first place--but seeing him so patiently putting up with the mood changes of the mercurial girl with whom he had fallen in love, was heart-rending.

Romantics will love this novel. It is available here for Kindle or here in paperback.

Follow Melissa: Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Find tadditional Blog Tour Stops here. 

Heart of the Ocean: Review and Interview with Heather B. Moore

Heart of the Ocean
by Heather B. Moore

A dark secret . . . a grieving ghost  . . . a handsome stranger  . . .
What more could Eliza Robinson want?
Except for maybe her life.

In Heather B. Moore’s enthralling 1840’s historical romance, Heart of the Ocean, Eliza Robinson has turned down the very pretentious Mr. Thomas Beesley’s marriage proposal. As a business partner of Eliza’s father, Thomas quickly discredits the family and brings disgrace to the Robinson name.

While her father scrambles to restore his good name in New York City, Eliza flees to the remote Puritan town of Maybrook to stay with her Aunt Maeve. Although relieved to be away from all- things-male and unforgiving gossip columns, odd things start to happen to Eliza, and she is plagued by a ghostly voice. Her aunt’s explanation? That Eliza is being haunted by a woman who died of a broken heart twenty years ago.

After Aunt Maeve is tragically killed, Eliza's life is put in danger as she tries to uncover the mystery of her aunt's death. She encounters Jonathan Porter in Maybrook, whose presence in the town seems suspicious, yet she finds herself drawn to him. When she discovers that Jonathan’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust.

Purchase your copy here:

Amazon * Smashwords * Barnes and Noble

Tour Schedule

 My Review

Heart of the Ocean intrigued me. Not only because the novel was a departure from Heather B. Moore's usual historical fiction, but because her characters were well drawn, the plot and settings were carefully crafted, and Heather's skill drew me right into the book. The paranormal aspects of the story added a suspenseful touch to the romantic story of Eliza and Jonathan. If you've been following the blog tour, you have the gist of the story, so I won't go into it here more than to say you won't find a sexually graphic context in this novel.

I had a few quibbles with details in the digital ARC I was given in exchange for this review. The dates on a headstone were wrong. A wagon became a carriage. A character went to bed, then was said to be still talking with others. A few historical touches that I knew about were missing or called by a more modern name.

However, I can overlook such details in favor of a compelling story. Recommended for readers of clean historical fiction.

 

Heather B. Moore is the award-winning author of ten novels, two inspirational non-fiction books, and two anthologies, including The Newport Ladies Book Club Series, A Timeless Romance Anthology, and Christ's Gifts to Women (co-authored by Angela Eschler).

Her historical fiction is published under the pen name H.B. Moore. She is the two-time recipient of Best of State in Literary Fiction, two-time Whitney Award Winner, and two-time Golden Quill Winner for Best Novel. Her most recent historical novel under H.B. Moore is Daughters of Jared (2012 LUW Gold Award of Excellence, and 2012 LUW Best Book Trailer).

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter

The Interview

Heather has written many books, as you can see above. However, with Heart of the Ocean, she has stepped away from her usual type of novel. When I agreed to participate in her blog tour, I asked her about this move, and added a few other questions I had for her in this initial appearance on my blog.

Heather, you are a renowned writer in several genres. I'll mention a few: historical scripture-based fiction, contemporary women's fiction, nonfiction, and now, historical romantic suspense. In which of these genres do you like writing the most? Or is there another genre you're aching to try?

I’ve written a couple of contemporary novels over the past two years, and I have really enjoyed them, but I will admit that historical is my greatest love. I’ve always loved historical fiction because I feel like I’m learning about the past as well as enjoying the read. The past fascinates me, so it was a natural combination of the two loves—history and writing.

You're a woman after my own heart. How did you come to write Heart of the Ocean?

I actually drafted Heart of the Ocean several years ago. I loved the story and characters, but it didn’t seem to fit with what I was currently publishing—it was too much of a tangent. A publisher likes an author to build up a “brand” so this book sat around for a while. With some measured success in publishing A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection with a group of historical romance authors, I took courage and decided to dive into revisions for Heart of the Ocean. As far as the writing went, Heart of the Ocean was a very organic book, meaning I had an idea for a girl coming into a Puritan town and finding out a dark secret. That was all I had to go on. I didn’t plot in advance, but plotted as the story unfolded. Then as I started writing, the voice of the past came up, and I realized that it would be the ghost who is trying to tell her story.
 

I loved the character of the ghost, Helena Talbot. Let me ask, who are the authors who inspire you the most?

One of the most inspirational books I’ve read is Kitchen Privileges, by Mary Higgins Clark. I’ve long been a mystery fan and when I read this memoir, I realized that it was possible to be a writer and a mother at the same time. Ms. Clark inspired me when she said she’d write from 5:00-7:00 a.m. every morning so as not to interfere with her job and her kids (she was a widow at the time). I thought, “I can do that.” And I did—it took three novels before I finally got one published, but Clark’s story inspired me not to give up.
 

What an inspiration she is! Writers are known to be voracious readers. What genre, author, or novel is your "guilty pleasure" in reading?

I’d have to say Historical Romance—surprise! Or historical with at least some romance in it. I’m currently reading The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani, and I’m loving it. It’s more of an epic love story, but heavy on the historical era. Also, since a lady in my critique group (Sarah M. Eden) is a regency romance writer, I’ve read several of those this year. Some of my favorite historical authors include Michelle Moran, Elizabeth Kostova, Anne Perry, and Daphne Du Maurier.
 
Oh yes. I can't get enough of Anne Perry, and I recently reread Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca. They are both memorable writers—and women! How do you want to be remembered, 1) as an author; 2) as a person?

1)      As an author, as someone who was well-respected and was always
willing to help out another author.

2)      As a person, it wouldn’t be for a spotless house, that’s for sure, so maybe as someone who was willing to put others first and make the world just a tiny bit brighter.

Thank you, Heather. 

Check out the giveaway below:

Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/31/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Book Tour Day 13 - Review & Giveaway!

Today, Debra Erfert posted a wonderful review of Spinster's Folly on her blog, Debra's Windows into Writing. Not only that, she has a Giveaway for those who comment on the blog post: a $15 Amazon Gift Card!

You don't want to miss this! Go on over and visit, then be sure to comment and give your email address to be entered into the Giveaway.

Thank you, Debra!

Book Review - Secrets of the Red Box, by Vickie Hall

Vickie Hall is a native of Utah, but growing up, lived in the states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Nebraska. When she's not writing, she's composing music, or shopping with her sister. She loves animals of all kinds and camping with her family. Her favorite pastime is watching old movies on TCM, and unashamedly has a crush on Cary Grant.

Links:

Blog * Website 
Facebook * Goodreads

Purchase link: Amazon 

My blog is one of the stops on an extensive blog tour for Secrets of the Red Box, by Vickie Hall. It is coordinated by Kathy at the I Am A Reader, Not A Writer blog, and includes a Blog Tour Giveaway (see below). I was provided with a copy of the manuscript for this review.

I reviewed a previous novel by Vickie Hall, and can see impressive growth in her as a writer.

Here's the back cover copy for Secrets of the Red Box:

Bonnie has secrets to keep - secrets with the potential to destroy lives, including her own. Running from her destructive and pain filled past, she recreates herself, believing she has escaped the damning evidence hidden in the red box. When her former life is revealed by a cruel twist of fate, Bonnie faces losing everything, including Glen, the only man she’s ever loved. But is Bonnie the woman he thinks she is? Set against the backdrop of the 1940s, Secrets of the Red Box is filled with intrigue and suspense - sure to keep you guessing to the very end!

Secrets of the Red Box is not an ordinary, feel-good romance or mystery. I think I would term it a novel of psychological suspense.

When I began reading, I was not sure where the story was going, but soon, it picked up steam and began to draw me in. At first, Bonnie wasn't a very likeable heroine, certainly not the typical main character, as she lied her way through  several encounters with men who wanted to date her. She had a different background story for each one, and soon began to stumble over her lies. 

Then the author managed to play with my perception of Bonnie, and I began to see her as a victim of her past instead of a cold-hearted, manipulative character. I was amazed that Hall was able to do this so deftly. By the end of the novel, I had true sympathy for Bonnie, and for Glen, the man who was able to inspire changes in her for the better.

Hall gives clear road marks when she switches time frames, which I appreciated. Sometimes, a reader is left to guess where a story has jumped to, but not here. I liked being able to immerse myself in the past, as Hall clearly did a lot of research to get to know the times and the ambiance of the novel's setting. I felt like I was a young girl again, with mentions of familiar surroundings out of my own memories. The forties were another time and place in America, and Hall brought them vividly to life. 

I enjoyed reading Secrets of the Red Box, and recommend it as a fascinating look into a tortured soul's journey toward redemption.

Click here for the Rafflecopter Giveaway that ends on November 25th: 

• $25 Amazon Gift Card or $25 PayPal Cash from Author Vickie Hall + copy of Secrets of the Red Box (US - Paperback, Kindle ebook - International)
• Paperback copy of Secrets of the Red Box (US only)
• Kindle Ebook copy of Secrets of the Red Box (International)

A Cool Review for Day Eight of the Blog Tour

Today, a friend and colleague from the Rim Country Writers group posted her review of Spinster's Folly on her blog. Thanks for taking the time to visit, and if you're so inclined, to leave a comment.

Spinster's Folly is available at this time in ebook formats at Smashword.com and Amazon.com. Various unavoidable factors have delayed the production of the print book, but it's coming soon.

Spinster's Folly Tour Hosts so far...

If you've missed out on the great posts offered by hosts on the Spinster's Folly Blog Book Tour to date, here are their links. Questions in the games on Saturday may have answers in these posts!
 
November 4
Joan Sowards - Two Questions

November 5
Words and Works - Guest Post

November 6
Ryan Hunter - Review and Guest Post
Tina Scott, Author and Artist - Author Interview

November 7
Mama Pike Says - Review
Murphy's Law - Author Interview
Writers Mirror - Party Announcement

And tomorrow's hosts are . . .
 
November 8
Teatime Romance - Author Interview
Donna K. Weaver, Author: Weaving a Tale or Two - Excerpt

Spinster's Folly Blog Tour: Day 4

Go read things you didn't know about me at the blogs of today's Blog Book Tour Hosts: Kari Pike and Heidi Murphy.

Mama Pike Says - Review
Murphy's Law - Author Interview

There is food mentioned. Here's one hint:

 

Sweet Saturday Sample - Nov 3, 2012

Welcome back to Sweet Saturday Samples.

I'm looking forward to the Online Book Release of Spinster's Folly in one week. Yep. One Week! I'll host a virtual Book Release event on November 10 over at Facebook, with prizes and fun. In addition, a Blog Book Tour will be running from November 4 through 17, so click at the appropriate tab above for the tour schedule. Go visit the blogs on the tour to add new dimensions to your Spinster's Folly experience. Fellow bloggers will interview me, host guest posts by yours truly, do reviews of Spinster's Folly, and maybe include an excerpt or two, as well! Enjoy!

This week's sample is a scene played out between Julia Owen and some of her neighbors. What are they waiting for?

Julia stopped stirring the pot hanging over the fire and returned to her seat. Gripping one hand with the other, she set her mouth and waited, her head inclined so she could see an area on the floor about fifteen inches in front of her shoes.

“It won’t do to fret, Julia,” Elizabeth said. “If Mr. Morgan catches up to them today, we’ll know by nightfall.”

“Leave her be, Lizzie.” Muriel Bates stood from her chair and went to Julia’s side, gave her a pat on the shoulder, then turned to remonstrate with Elizabeth, whose face had turned ashen. “Yes, you know I call you 'Lizzie' whenever I’ve a mind to. This is one of those times when a body ought to be allowed to fret all she wants, and I’ll stand here and tell you so to your face.”

“Well! I never heard the like in all my days! I’ve a mind to get in my wagon and go home, if this is the treatment I can expect hereabouts.”

“You know you’re blowing hot air, dearie. You’ve never hitched up a team in your life. Mind your manners and leave Julia to have as many dark thoughts as she’s willing to bear.”

“You really are being dreadful to her, Muriel,” Julia said, not moving a muscle beyond those necessary to talk. “I grieve in the open. Elizabeth hides her feelings behind charitable acts.”

“Charitable acts? Pshaw!” Muriel strode to the fireplace and stirred the pot. Then she rounded on Elizabeth again. “I don’t blame the girl for running off when her expectations were wrapped up in living her life under your thumb.”

“Stop it, Muriel!” Julia arose and felt her cheeks burning. “I don’t reckon quarreling will help me or you or Elizabeth abide the waitin’ with any hope of decorum or calm. It’s not your dog in this fight, much as I value your friendship and good sense.” Seeing Muriel’s crestfallen countenance, she took two steps and folded her in a tight embrace. “Oh, you know I mean you no ill will. I do need all the peace I can muster.” As the gravity of the night’s events overcame her again, she dropped her arms from around her friend and moaned, her voice breaking, “My girl. My girl! Will I ever see you again?” Her shoulders slumped and her head hung forward. “Please, pray with me.”

A voice came from the doorway. “I will join you. It is but the least thing I can do for you, Julia.”

Julia turned and saw Amanda Hilbrands coming toward her, and she swiped at her eyes. “Yes. Thank you. Ladies, please pray for my girl, and for my wounded boy, for that matter. And for Lizzie’s boy. His feelin’s must be mighty raw, Marie treatin’ him thataway.”

Thank you for participating in Sweet Saturday Samples. Click on the link to go visit other authors' blogs with samples of their work. I'm sure they like comments as much as I do.

Book Review: The Recruit, Cindy Grantham Brown

Recently, I read The Recruit, a debut novel written by Cindy Grantham Brown. Ms. Brown grew up in and around Memphis, Tennessee, and began writing stories in the third or fourth grade—in an attempt to avoid reading books for book reports. Instead, she would read the summaries, imagine her own versions of the books, and write reports that received high grades. She got away with this by seeking out books by "Author Unknown," which teachers wouldn't be able to find to check the story line.

This tactic failed her in the 10th grade, when the entire class had to read the same autobiography and write reports. Failing to turn in a report, she flunked the class. Yes, she went to summer school to make it up so she could advance to 11th grade.

Ms. Brown now resides in Arkansas with her husband. Five of her six children are married, and the Browns have eight grandchildren.

I was approached to review The Recruit, and agreed to do so after I had a look at the Amazon page, but I wasn't sure what kind of book it was. The description said it was a novel, but I couldn't tell the category. Was it Young Adult, general fiction, or something else? As I dug deeper, I learned it was a semi-autobiographical work that talked about biker gangs, and I had a few doubts about what I had gotten myself into. How raw was this going to be? I asked myself.

I took a leap of faith, and resolved to read it.

Here's the back cover description:

The Recruit will take you on the ride of your life!

Jess Talbot has already seen sorrow in her young life. Now one bad decision will destroy her dignity – will she also pay with her life?

At the age of twenty-one she is recovering from the breakup of her marriage. In an effort to get back into the social scene she hangs out at a Memphis, Tennessee park along with other rebellious teens and young adults. Here she meets her newest friend, Lisa Burns, who likes to party and hang out with bad boy bikers. Vulnerable and naïve, Jess goes with Lisa to a Kentucky MotoCross Rally for the weekend – which turns out to be anything but the fun, safe weekend she had imagined.

Unknown to Jess, Lisa is an initiate into a biker gang, the worst of its kind. Her job is to find that special girl who will be this year’s recruit. Will Jess figure out what dangers are prepared for her? Will she be forever scarred by her devastating decision to spend the weekend with Lisa and her friends? Will she escape or will the results be deadly for Jess…

Through the Grace of God, Cindy Grantham Brown survived the devastating events that this story is based upon. She now tells the fictionalized tale in the hopes that others will never have to face the possibility she did – that of a horrible and painful death; murder at the hands of an evil biker gang.

I'm glad I read The Recruit. Although the formatting is a bit unconventional, and I would have wanted more depth of characterization for some of the characters, the spell of the story caught me, and I couldn't put the book down. Ms. Brown doesn't share details of the horrific things she/Jess went through in a graphic way, which relieved my trepidation on that count. It was written from the mind set of a woman who has come to know Jesus Christ and his grace the hard way, and wants to keep other young women from making the same mistakes and wrong choices that she did.
 
Thank you, Cindy Brown, for a poignant novel. The Recruit can be found on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats.

Blog Tour Book Review: The Most Important Catch, by Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Today is my turn on the blog tour for a new romantic suspense novel by Jaclyn M. Hawkes, The Most Important Catch.

Here are the publication facts and the back cover copy:

About the Book

Title: The Most Important Catch
Author: Jaclyn M. Hawkes
Date Released: March 2012
Publisher: Spirit Dancer Books
Genre: LDS/Romantic Suspense

She knew too much, and she’d seen too much. And the police refused to help. Knowing that she was to be the next scheduled death, Kelly Campbell hid under head to toe black leather and a tinted motorcycle helmet and ran for her life.

When the weather turned cold, she turned south. She ended up in North Carolina, home to one of the most famed and eligible NFL football stars in the whole league; only she didn’t know that. She thought he was a businessman. Not being a huge fan, all she knew was that he was incredibly attractive, kind, generous, and that she was safe with him. Or was she?

His brand of fame proved to be all but deadly, but his fame wasn’t nearly as lethal as his attraction. He kept her safe and protected. Except for her heart.

Last year, I wrote a review of Jaclyn M. Hawkes's debut novel, Journey of Honor. She has published a second novel, The Outer Edge of Heaven, between that book and this one, a book I haven't had the chance to read. However, I can see that Ms. Hawkes has made tremendous strides in learning more about the writing craft.

I enjoyed the majority of The Most Important Catch, which initially passed my "keep me reading" test. Unfortunately, the ending didn't hold together for me.

At first, when I moved from page 272 to page 273, I thought someone had mis-edited the piece to delete a key scene. But then I came across the missing scene, and it was not only out of place, but the timeline elements were mixed up. A thorough editing should have caught the flaw in sequence and mended it before publication.

After the author spent so much time building up the threat to Kelly's life in conversations with others and narration, I was disappointed in the resolution of that threat.Too much actual tension and conflict were missing. In addition, I didn't find any evidence of the physical pain one character should have been experiencing.

Another disappointment came when too much time was spent on one character attempting to overcome another character's misunderstanding of the actual situation between them. In fact, the pleas and explanations went on for an uncomfortably long time in a public place, with few clues that other characters were present. For me, too many questions remained unanswered, and the ending felt thin.

Because of Ms. Hawkes demonstrably increased writing skills in other areas, I hope I can be assured that she will continue to work on plot structure skills and solve this weakness.

Despite my quibbles, I found most of the book to be a pleasant romantic tale.

Learn more about the author from her website here, and click on the links below to purchase The Most Important Catch.

Purchase the Book

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository