tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59445709012996499582024-03-12T22:04:11.368+00:00Historical TapestryMarghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508430635744720721noreply@blogger.comBlogger1786125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-90807433658391677092020-08-07T11:38:00.001+01:002020-08-07T11:38:59.745+01:00PostJust checking...Marghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508430635744720721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-21623410821214866162015-03-14T14:54:00.000+00:002015-03-16T14:56:49.503+00:00A Life of the Twentieth Century by Irene Even<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiXi0Bk6fFijG6YWctFklTGepQQpSjRMtTJDgtCvwZV-Rzr-M-EHFTTuJEV7CW1Fdbmwt0SJxCLumnpdY46AAFxKfwyijH1hkilxui6RITnBN7_fs_1MNg7rHsh8NazRjC_6g6zhEnAc/s1600/Irene+Even+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiXi0Bk6fFijG6YWctFklTGepQQpSjRMtTJDgtCvwZV-Rzr-M-EHFTTuJEV7CW1Fdbmwt0SJxCLumnpdY46AAFxKfwyijH1hkilxui6RITnBN7_fs_1MNg7rHsh8NazRjC_6g6zhEnAc/s1600/Irene+Even+(2).jpg" /></a><br />
I firmly believe that we should never criticise others until we have a walked in their shoes. Do you recall that saying?<br />
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Born into a free and democratic Country in the twentieth Century I can not imagine what life was like as Europe was drawn into another war. I can not imagine waking up, living and going to bed scared, hungry and living all the time wondering who it is safe to trust. Neither can I imagine making decisions, that when it became clear they were the wrong ones, being forced to endure life with those poor choices, made out of desperation.<br />
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As I read this book which is a true account of the author's life, although the names have been changed and the book is written in the third person, I was often in awe of how the author managed to live with those decisions. How did she keep her emotions in check as she grieved for her parents and the loss of her free existence?<br />
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I get a sense that the book has been toned down from the horrors that she would have observed. The patience that was exhibited to her husband is overwhelming and I am quite sure he deserved none of it. The decisions to move to Canada and to go into teaching, to follow her dreams.<br />
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Having got to the end of the book I wasn't sure I could compose a coherent review. I am a reflector and felt that I needed to think about the book after I had read it. None of us can truly imagine how the author's life was. In fact we can not be sure that this book encapsulates her life entirely, only what she chose to share with the readers.<br />
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Overall I enjoyed the book, I loved how the characters evolved and I felt that they had been bought to life, so that I cared and felt a variety of emotions with them all.<br />
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To see what others thought about the book be sure to visit the other book tour participants<br />
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A Life of the Twentieth Century is available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Twentieth-Century-Irene-Even-ebook/dp/B00NJ520RO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1425233322&sr=1-1&keywords=irene+even">Amazon</a></div>
Julie Goucherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368170005503879489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-39594819205012405602015-03-13T14:15:00.003+00:002015-03-13T14:22:03.103+00:00Interview with Irene Even, author of A Life of the Twentieth Century<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuA1t0gul9Hx5RRRXPATSK7CaJ4dXMlecCMBg5TuZTv9WiTohKsaVuihPB9HeWKwl7eY6NeehMYGVKFy_cx7INedcaYhsr9Ryp4OIIaHe7XEyXY65pVPFZE9C-Z0Ez7J9GlQl97QBSujU/s1600/Irene+Even.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuA1t0gul9Hx5RRRXPATSK7CaJ4dXMlecCMBg5TuZTv9WiTohKsaVuihPB9HeWKwl7eY6NeehMYGVKFy_cx7INedcaYhsr9Ryp4OIIaHe7XEyXY65pVPFZE9C-Z0Ez7J9GlQl97QBSujU/s1600/Irene+Even.jpg" height="200" width="175" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Today Historical Tapestry brings to you an author interview from Irene Even.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">A Life of the Twentieth Century is written in the third person and fictional names, but all events and places are true. This is Irene's life story.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>1)</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>Why did you decide to write a memoir?</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The writing of my memoir wasn't so much a decision but a natural follow up to a life that needed a rational interpretation of all that I have lived through.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>2)</b> <b>Was it difficult to remember some of the painful incidents of your childhood when writing the book?</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">My painful memories were hidden so deep inside of me that most of the time I was not aware of them. It wasn't until I sat in front of the computer that those hidden memories appeared to me on the screen as if </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">it </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">was a new revelation.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>3) Would you consider your book inspirational?</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I think that this book is inspirational on so many level</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">s </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">as it points out that no matter what, you always have a choice. It is so easy to slip into the role of the victim, thereby </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">remaining </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">a victim. As I look at Aya the way she carries on under all circumstances, I see a very inspirational </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">person</span><br />
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<b>4) How did you write your book? Did you first jot down all your </b><b>memories </b><b>or did you just decide to write and see what came of it?</b><br />
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The writing of my memoir was the most amazing experience for me because I had never known what I was going to write about once I set out to do it. I never kept a diary or made notes; I just sat down in front of the computer and the story ended up writing itself, while I was only the facilitator as I worked the key board.</div>
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<b>5) Why do you want people to read your story?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b>When I first wrote my story I didn't have readers in my mind, but now that the story is written I would like people to read it because it is a true and incredible story, even to me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiXi0Bk6fFijG6YWctFklTGepQQpSjRMtTJDgtCvwZV-Rzr-M-EHFTTuJEV7CW1Fdbmwt0SJxCLumnpdY46AAFxKfwyijH1hkilxui6RITnBN7_fs_1MNg7rHsh8NazRjC_6g6zhEnAc/s1600/Irene+Even+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiXi0Bk6fFijG6YWctFklTGepQQpSjRMtTJDgtCvwZV-Rzr-M-EHFTTuJEV7CW1Fdbmwt0SJxCLumnpdY46AAFxKfwyijH1hkilxui6RITnBN7_fs_1MNg7rHsh8NazRjC_6g6zhEnAc/s1600/Irene+Even+(2).jpg" /></a><b>6) </b><b>Writing about past events and family members may cause hurt feelings. Did you worry about what your children would think when you wrote yo</b>u<b>r story?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b>At first I didn't think of anything, because it wasn't clear to me exactly what I was going to write about. However, once the story was told it did occur to me how my children might react to it. But when the book was written showed it to them and it was okay.<br />
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<b>7) How long </b><b>did </b><b>it take you to write your memoir?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b>It took me about 4 years<br />
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<b>Book Synopsis:</b><br /><br />
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<i>A Life of the Twentieth Century</i> is the story of Aya, who lived through the loss of her parents before the age of 3. At the age of twelve she was sent to a boarding school in Budapest, that closed after one year, because the Nazi army marched into the city.<br /><br />Aya was left totally alone to face the Nazi occupation, and to experience all the horrors of the war. She faced many life threatening situations, such as prison, bombardment or even the possibility of being executed on the spot, without really comprehending the gravity of it all.<br /><br />The end of the war was supposed to mean liberation, the return of hope and freedom for most people, however it didn't happen for Aya, who was part of a youth group on her way to Palestine. The destination of this youth group was to reach Italy and the Jewish Brigade. They crossed the Alps on foot from Austria to reach Italy.<br /><br />As they reached their destination Aya met a soldier from the Jewish Brigade, who was supposed to be her Hero, her Saviour, but turned out to be the devil incarnate. From day one, this soldier of the Jewish brigade took control of Aya's life when she was only 15 years old.<br /><br />After divorce, destitute and once again alone, she had no direction and almost no hope, when from deep inside her a small voice said; go back to school. It took all her courage to apply to university, where she was accepted and after 5 year was granted a B.A. and a Diploma of Teaching. She spent the rest of her life teaching, and as she contemplated her life she said to herself that if she had had all the choices in the world, she would have chosen teaching.</div>
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<b>Author's Bio:</b><br /><br />Irene Even was born in Hungary. As a child she lived through the Second World War, using false papers to survive. After the war, she immigrated to Palestine, lived in a Kibbutz, then later married and immigrated to Canada with her family. She returned to Israel to teach English and remained there for twenty-two years. Having written her memoir, <i>A Life of the Twentieth Century</i>, she now lives in retirement in Montreal.</div>
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A life of the Twentieth Century is available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Twentieth-Century-Irene-Even-ebook/dp/B00NJ520RO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1425233322&sr=1-1&keywords=irene+even">Amazon</a><br />
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A review of the book will be published tomorrow.<br />
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Image of author courtesy of <span style="background-color: transparent;">Debra who blogs at Girl With Camera</span></div>
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Julie Goucherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368170005503879489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-83887837402308419392015-01-01T22:50:00.002+00:002015-01-04T08:53:52.958+00:00The 2015 Historical Ficton Reading ChallengeAfter hosting the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge for several years now, I have decided that it is time to pass the baton on to someone else to run the challenge! Straight away I thought of a couple of bloggers who I thought would be the perfect host for the challenge, and luckily, the first person I asked said yes, they would love to host!<br />
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I hope that you all agree that <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/">Passages to the Past</a> is the perfect home for this year's challenge! Amy is so active in the historical fiction community and has great passion and energy for blogging, for working with authors, for supporting others and for historical fiction in general!<br />
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The sign up post will be up shortly and I hope that you all support her in the same way you have supported us here.<br />
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I have loved hosting the challenge, and constantly been astonished by how many books get read, and how wide the variety of historical fiction there is available. I know that I leave you all in good hands!<br />
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<br />Marghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508430635744720721noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-63405346444897316382014-12-18T03:00:00.000+00:002020-08-15T10:55:30.306+01:00Why I Love....Quilts: Guest Post by Leah Zieber, Author of Libby Morgan: Reunion<span style="font-family: inherit;">Quilts – I love quilts. The cozy feeling I get when snuggled
beneath my quilt is like getting a hug from someone I love. They are one of the
staples in my home that my family has grown to appreciate and love almost as
much as I do. But what I feel for quilts is more than just an affinity for the
actual, tangible thing that I wrap myself in each night; I love quilts for their
mystery and the history they hold in their stitches and for all the memories they
pass on for future generations to uncover, treasure and in my case – write
about. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To understand just how a quilt can
hold memories, it is important to understand what goes into making a quilt. It
is a lengthy process that entails design consideration, fabric selection,
gathering, cutting, sewing, sewing, and more sewing, block layout, more sewing,
then layering, more design consideration for the quilting, more sewing and
finally, the finishing process of binding up the unfinished edges. Hopefully,
the quilt is given a label, too – but not usually, otherwise it wouldn’t be
such a mystery. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Throughout
the quilt making process, knowledge about the maker and a record of the times are
often stitched into the folds of the object. The mystery comes in trying to
decipher this knowledge. When designing a quilt, the maker considers the news
of the day and the interests, desires and life altering events of the quilt’s
recipient, as well as her own interests, desires and life events. For example, use
of the heart design may indicate a marriage or death quilt, trees or the house
design may reflect one’s love of family or home, and signature blocks with endearing
sayings of remembrances may be used for someone leaving a community or for
someone being left behind. (See figure 1 and 2 for signed quilt blocks from an
1850’s quilt.) Even religious, political and organizational affiliations can be
represented in the designs of some quilts, both in the selected design (e.g., Temperance
Block for the prohibitionists) and the fabrics chosen for the quilt (e.g., political
ribbons or fabrics depicting government figures like presidents or war generals
for the patriots). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having a basic
understanding of history, some knowledge about a person’s life events - as can
be found on Ancestry.com - and a bit of background regarding the symbolism found
in a community can often lead to a greater understanding of why a quilt was
made. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love to find a quilt with little
or no history and try to unravel some of the mysteries held within.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The fabrics in quilts are usually quite beautiful. Every
image conceivable can be found in both old and modern textiles. I love the
variety of design and color, but my real love for the fabrics comes from a
different perspective. Taking a closer look at the materials used to make the
quilt can convey insight into the quilt’s secrets. A family legacy can be found
in the fabrics that were selected to make a quilt. Sometimes, makers’ dresses
gone out of fashion were used in quilts; old, quilted petticoats have also been
found. Relatives and friends would share bits of fabrics and close examination
of quilts from the same community will often reveal many of the same prints – this
is often found in signature quilts from the Quaker communities. Makers would
use feed sacks from the family farm; even salesman sample card fabric swatches
from Papa’s mercantile store can be found in some quilts. A maker’s frugality can
often be seen in fabrics they used; recycling was being done long before it was
hip. But not just a maker’s economy, the family’s prosperity can also be seen
in the costly yards of a French chintz fabric that was used to make up a quilt’s
backing or in the finely made binding of store-bought, woven tape. The
materials used to make a quilt imparts wisdom that bring me closer to
understanding the circumstances of the maker, the owner and history of the textiles
of the time, and for this reason I love the fabrics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Mother
Morgan’s Framed Angel Quilt – Made by Leah Zieber 2014 (a quilt from the
novel.) This quilt is full of fabric that I love!</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Quilt makers often remained anonymous, but many left pseudo-signatures
hidden for only the most discerning eye to find. Looking closely at the
quilting can reveal a lot about the maker or makers. Hidden in the multitude of
stitches that hold the quilt layers together I find many clues to the quilt’s mystery
of whom, why, where and when. Differences in the quality of quilting stitches
can reveal a group project such as a quilting bee or perhaps a teacher and
student (i.e., mother and child). Symbols stitched into the quilting can help
define a particular region from which the quilt may have come or an association
with a group. (e.g., The Order of Odd Fellows were often represented by the
three interlocking chain links or circles. See Figure 4. ). The type of thread
used for the quilting (two-ply or three) can reveal when a quilt was quilted.
Occasionally, just the tiniest of initials cross-stitched in a corner can
confirm or reject a names associated with the quilt. And sometimes, but not
often, a quilt has a goldmine of information stitched into the designs – names,
dates, locations, even the occasion for the quilt have all have been found in
the quilt stitches. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a secret
held in the stitches that brings me closer to the legacy waiting to be revealed.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "cambria";"><span style="color: black;">Interlocking Rings in the quilting could symbolize an Order
of the Odd Fellows affiliation</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It takes patience to thoroughly examine
a quilt, but my patience is usually rewarded with fragments of information
about a person or people, about an unknown place and about the events of a time
in history that, without the quilt, may have remained forever lost to posterity.
I love the mystery, I love the history, I love quilts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you so much, Leah, for this thought-provoking guest post! I never would have guessed the mysteries hidden within a quilt...I need to go back and look closely at some my grandmother made!</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em>Readers, please be sure to continue below for more about Leah's book, Libby Morgan: Reunion, and check out the rest of the blog tour!</em></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #4f81bd;"><span style="font-family: "cambria";"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>Publication Date: September 7, 2014<br /> Formats: eBook, Paperback<br /> Pages: 283<br /> ASIN: B00O35L1MO </strong></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>Series: American Heritage Quilt Series<br /> Genre: YA/Historical Fiction</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Coming from a long line of seamstresses, Libby has yet to sew anything more than the rudimentary button or hem, but on a visit to Connecticut she learns more than just how to sew patchwork. Set in 1855 New England and London, this tender story, <em>Libby Morgan: Reunion</em>, follows tenacious Elizabeth (Libby) Jane Morgan through her thirteenth summer of new adventures at home and abroad. She is given a birthday gift of sewing tools and fabric, as well as old family letters to use as templates for making her first quilt. Her decision to first read the letters results in questions that only her Grandmother Morgan’s stories can answer—stories of true love, horrible loss and family connections to London nobles. Her keen eye and inquisitive nature draws her family into a mysterious investigation that tests their faith, challenges their ability to forgive, and results in a resurrection and reunion of lost hearts.</span></div>
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Buy the Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Libby-Morgan-Reunion-American-Heritage-ebook/dp/B00O35L1MO/ref=asap_B00NYFE6P8_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414277761&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon</span></a></div>
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/libby-morgan-leah-zieber/1120332471?ean=9780990481607" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Barnes & Noble</span></a><br />
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About the Author</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLs958-984F8tgJEckhRQdiOmBlQU2FSp0r8ew04PUMqSJixKs_v1jY5557DnD08qt4HK8YY1FM6DSL5yYlJRDgxbxdBRImvj6_BuguJdGy14yHQ4UPCOZay34EPTZ93k380FnbAZasZZ/s1600/Author+of+Libby+Morgan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLs958-984F8tgJEckhRQdiOmBlQU2FSp0r8ew04PUMqSJixKs_v1jY5557DnD08qt4HK8YY1FM6DSL5yYlJRDgxbxdBRImvj6_BuguJdGy14yHQ4UPCOZay34EPTZ93k380FnbAZasZZ/s1600/Author+of+Libby+Morgan.jpg" width="212" /></a>Leah A. Zieber is a quilt historian and quilt maker from Temecula, California, specializing in <br />
American quilt history and reproduction quilts from the nineteenth century. Her quilts have been exhibited across the country in quilt shows, museums and historical societies and were most recently published in Stars: A Study of 19th Century Star Quilts. Leah has worked closely with Southern California collectors, cataloging, managing, and independently researching their textile collections. Her own collection of antique quilts and related textile items spans one hundred and eighty five years, and she shares her knowledge of American quilt history using her collection in lectures and workshops. Libby Morgan: Reunion is her debut novel and the first in her American Heritage Quilt Series.<br />
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For more information please visit Leah Zieber’s <a href="http://www.zieberquilts.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a> and <a href="http://zieberquilts.com/blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">blog</span></a>. You can also connect with her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/leah.zieber.7?fref=ts" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a> and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/zieber-quilts/72/8a5/66a/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">LinkedIn</span></a>.<br />
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Libby Morgan: Reunion Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, December 1</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://www.kittycrochettwo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">WV Stitcher</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, December 2</strong></span><br />
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Spotlight at <a href="http://www.idsoratherbereading.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">I’d Rather Be Reading</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, December 4</strong></span><br />
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Interview & Giveaway at <a href="http://readinglark.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Reading Lark</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, December 5</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Saturday, December 6</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mel’s Shelves</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, December 8</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://www.foreverashley.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Forever Ashley</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, December 9</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</span></a><br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://boombabyreviews.miadarien.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Boom Baby Reviews</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, December 10</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://luxuryreading.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Luxury Reading</span></a><br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mina’s Bookshelf</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, December 12</strong></span><br />
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Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://theteddyrosebookreviewsplusmore.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, December 15</strong></span><br />
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Spotlight at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_962483937" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, December 16</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_962483938" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_962483938" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, December 17</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Chick Who Reads</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_962483939" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, December 18</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_962483940" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, December 19</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Babe</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-71116653246040923632014-12-12T01:07:00.000+00:002014-12-12T01:07:48.584+00:00Bookish Secret SantaAh, Christmas...my favorite time of the year! I am one of those happy suckers who get so excited when the lights start coming out around the neighborhood and the Christmas movies and music are everywhere. So let's just say I was really excited when I saw that the always delightful Michelle Stockard Miller from <a href="http://www.truebookaddict.com/" target="_blank">The True Book Addict</a> was organizing a Bookish Secret Santa event on Facebook. I was in! <br />
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Having sent off my package to the recipient Michelle paired me up with (I hope she gets it soon and loves it!) I was eagerly waiting to see what my Secret Santa had in store for me. When I came home today my wait was over and this was waiting for me at the front door:<br />
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Oh the excitement! What could be in it?! Well it didn't take me long to tear it open to see what was inside. I discovered my Secret Santa...Stacy at <a href="http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Stacy's Books</a>.... had quite the surprise waiting for me! Inside was beautifully wrapped gifts with Godiva chocolates attached. It was almost too pretty to tear open! Almost....<br />
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To my absolute delight the smaller package had a real mistletoe inside that I have already had my husband hang up...it is so pretty! The bigger package was the real surprise for this bookie girl...a SIGNED copy of Jodi Picoult's newest novel, Leaving Time. A SIGNED COPY!!! Being that Jodie Picoult is one of my all time favorite writers this one is going on the forever shelf to be loved and savored and kept safe. I cannot wait to read it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dUesKKF2v-GKx_TsQbL_bSeSJGTMSRjIhiET31TPiGVEZNuz31PZ7vJY2CXfU1Lk3_gCp4NAAa3uUgmB7VXWhtZ8nRJR1UDsycjCYl1rHAP-qZyPKWy06UOs9MCGuGrq1KN-f0CmvClN/s1600/IMG_2396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dUesKKF2v-GKx_TsQbL_bSeSJGTMSRjIhiET31TPiGVEZNuz31PZ7vJY2CXfU1Lk3_gCp4NAAa3uUgmB7VXWhtZ8nRJR1UDsycjCYl1rHAP-qZyPKWy06UOs9MCGuGrq1KN-f0CmvClN/s1600/IMG_2396.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeXmFzKdCcji4DaBprR1VAjCVq3xMPXQejspp49__QtEI7mwJ0AztNj9e_95x96aD4ZoZqQUBb0rPi3loe5LfTnrErf2qCn4g9HTdGRcX7Qf2VT0s-6e8E1uYt-FDIjnrLyIhw0lzIVrW/s1600/IMG_2395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeXmFzKdCcji4DaBprR1VAjCVq3xMPXQejspp49__QtEI7mwJ0AztNj9e_95x96aD4ZoZqQUBb0rPi3loe5LfTnrErf2qCn4g9HTdGRcX7Qf2VT0s-6e8E1uYt-FDIjnrLyIhw0lzIVrW/s1600/IMG_2395.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>I am so happy I signed up to do this Bookish Secret Santa and I will definitely be doing it again next year! Thank you so much to Michelle for organizing it and to Stacy for the awesome gifts....I am definitely in the spirit of the season now!</div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-3188781220975230362014-12-09T03:00:00.000+00:002014-12-09T03:00:00.441+00:00Spotlight On The Oblate's Confession by William Peak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHIcBGkeBoQgWqYf86gMUqWQ97POIHTiT50z1t9gz3H0VgWHturhohi1KZvHTSSYsAOnRYXYayA1vXeYESyeVx-YyU-U9YGimLClm1ANvs_N1D1Vg4Xj1hYx49v-ssidUa8co6_l2f9Jk/s1600/02_The-Oblates-Confession.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHIcBGkeBoQgWqYf86gMUqWQ97POIHTiT50z1t9gz3H0VgWHturhohi1KZvHTSSYsAOnRYXYayA1vXeYESyeVx-YyU-U9YGimLClm1ANvs_N1D1Vg4Xj1hYx49v-ssidUa8co6_l2f9Jk/s1600/02_The-Oblates-Confession.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<strong>Publication Date: </strong><strong><span style="color: #222222;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449429" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">December 2, 2014</span></span></span> Secant Publishing<br /> Formats: eBook, Hardcover </strong><br />
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<strong>Genre: Historical Fiction</strong><br />
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Set in 7th century England, The Oblate’s Confession tells the story of Winwaed, a boy who – in a practice common at the time – is donated by his father to a local monastery. In a countryside wracked by plague and war, the child comes to serve as a regular messenger between the monastery and a hermit living on a nearby mountain. Missing his father, he finds a surrogate in the hermit, an old man who teaches him woodcraft, the practice of contemplative prayer, and, ultimately, the true meaning of fatherhood. When the boy’s natural father visits the monastery and asks him to pray for the death of his enemy – an enemy who turns out to be the child’s monastic superior – the boy’s life is thrown into turmoil. It is the struggle Winawed undergoes to answer the questions – Who is my father? Whom am I to obey? – that animates, and finally necessitates, The Oblate’s Confession.<br />
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While entirely a work of fiction, the novel’s background is historically accurate: all the kings and queens named really lived, all the political divisions and rivalries actually existed, and each of the plagues that visit the author’s imagined monastery did in fact ravage that long-ago world. In the midst of a tale that touches the human in all of us, readers will find themselves treated to a history of the “Dark Ages” unlike anything available today outside of textbooks and original source material.<br />
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Buy the Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oblates-Confession-William-Peak/dp/0990460800/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406297031&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-oblates-confession-william-peak/1120409108?ean=9780990460800" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Barnes & Noble</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Oblate-S-Confession-William-Peak/9780990460800" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Depository</span></a><br />
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About the Author</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxjIB4MjRLP3wUY7ocWvgG_QUASA9e743U2c8aHZdSWMElF2e67D2lgeDaj9Emwh2HUqn5inXCQ9-qw2Fc3cI25jGCRzAkiimaK2Gj7wFHn0tPnKyRh1DM_L3_kIGrE8JRoQTpFaUlDFN/s1600/03_William+Peak.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxjIB4MjRLP3wUY7ocWvgG_QUASA9e743U2c8aHZdSWMElF2e67D2lgeDaj9Emwh2HUqn5inXCQ9-qw2Fc3cI25jGCRzAkiimaK2Gj7wFHn0tPnKyRh1DM_L3_kIGrE8JRoQTpFaUlDFN/s1600/03_William+Peak.gif" height="320" width="237" /></a>William Peak spent ten years researching and writing The Oblate’s Confession, his debut novel. <br />
Based upon the work of one of the great (if less well known) figures of Western European history, the Venerable Bede, Peak’s book is meant to reawaken an interest in that lost and mysterious period of time sometimes called “The Dark Ages.”<br />
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Peak received his baccalaureate degree from Washington & Lee University and his master’s from the creative writing program at Hollins University. He works for the Talbot County Free Library on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Thanks to the column he writes for <em>The Star Democrat</em> about life at the library (archived at <a href="http://www.tcfl.org/peak/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://www.tcfl.org/peak/</span></a>), Peak is regularly greeted on the streets of Easton: “Hey, library guy!” In his free time he likes to fish and bird and write long love letters to his wife Melissa.<br />
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For more information please visit William Peak’s <a href="http://williampeak.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a>.<br />
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The Oblate's Confession Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449430" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 1</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://brokenteepee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Broken Teepee</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449431" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449431" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, December 2</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449432" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449432" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, December 3</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Back Porchervations</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://www.afantasticallibrarian.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Fantastical Librarian</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449433" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449433" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, December 4</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">What Is That Book About</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449434" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449434" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, December 5</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Back Porchervations</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449435" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449435" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 8</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://abookgeek-llm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Book Geek</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449436" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449436" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, December 9</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://tonyriches.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Writing Desk</span></a><br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449437" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449437" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, December 11</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://www.foreverashley.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Forever Ashley</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449438" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449438" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 15</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449439" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449439" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, December 16</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bibliophilic Book Blog</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449440" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449440" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, December 18</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">100 Pages a Day…Stephanie’s Book Reviews</span></a><br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://www.booksandbenches.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Books and Benches</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449441" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449441" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, December 19</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://bookramblings.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">bookramblings</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449442" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449442" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 22</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449443" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449443" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, December 23</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449444" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449444" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, December 24</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449445" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449445" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 29</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://princessofeboligossipcorner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Never-Ending Book</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449446" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449446" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, December 30</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.hf-connection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Connection</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449447" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449447" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, January 2</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://libraryeducated.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Library Educated</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449448" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449448" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, January 5</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://wordsandpeace.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Words and Peace</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449449" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449449" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, January 6</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449450" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449450" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, January 7</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://expatiatemiscellanarian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bibliotaph’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449451" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449451" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, January 8</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://impressionsinink.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Impressions in Ink</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449452" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449452" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, January 9</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The True Book Addict</span></a><br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://jorielovesastory.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Jorie Loves a Story</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-74075078938895959152014-12-06T03:00:00.000+00:002014-12-06T03:00:00.251+00:00Past Encounters Blog Tour: Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3QwHK8CwFRL-AzqJ46TnuNbvkfdUpIdMeilY4JoAu4OpSiy1SprPtGR_ToCkw6XImrWsU35k6aHtFAbCas3jKLSGFCJ3cY5etCtREUm-sIWeRlW9bQorj4n3o64D_b7p3hza7DoMB76h/s1600/02_Past+Encounters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3QwHK8CwFRL-AzqJ46TnuNbvkfdUpIdMeilY4JoAu4OpSiy1SprPtGR_ToCkw6XImrWsU35k6aHtFAbCas3jKLSGFCJ3cY5etCtREUm-sIWeRlW9bQorj4n3o64D_b7p3hza7DoMB76h/s1600/02_Past+Encounters.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
Publication Date: November 22, 2014<br />
CreateSpace<br />
Paperback; 442p <br />
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Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary Fiction<br />
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<h3>
Synopsis</h3>
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England 1955.<br />
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The day Rhoda Middleton opens a letter from another woman, she becomes convinced her husband, Peter, is having an affair. But when Rhoda tracks the mysterious woman down, she discovers she is not Peter’s lover after all, but the wife of his best friend, Archie Foster. There is only one problem – Rhoda has never even heard of Archie Foster.<br />
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Devastated by this betrayal of trust, Rhoda tries to find out why Peter has kept this friendship a secret for so long. Her search leads her back to 1945, but as she gradually uncovers Peter’s wartime experiences she must wrestle with painful memories of her own. For Rhoda too cannot escape the ghosts of the past.<br />
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Taking us on a journey from the atmospheric filming of Brief Encounter, to the extraordinary Great March of prisoners of war through snow-bound Germany, PAST ENCOUNTERS explores themes of friendship, hope, and how in the end, it is the small things that enable love to survive.<br />
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Includes bonus material for reading groups.<br />
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<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Story?</h3>
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WWII seems to be a hot topic in novels nowadays and I am one of those readers that eats it up! There is just something about the horror and sacrifice intermingled with the determination, bravery and sheer will to not only survive but to come out the other side stronger than ever that gets me every time. Most of these stories seem to take the reader to the frontlines of the battles or into the homes of those left behind to pine for loved ones fighting. Brief Encounters, however, is the first I have read that gives us an inside look at what it was like for British soldiers forced to work for the Germans in prisoner of war camps as well as the complicated emotions of someone left behind who is ready for her life to begin even while those around her expect her to put her life on hold for a man she barely knows. These varied topics really pulled me into Brief Encounters and kept me turning the pages to find out how the story would unfold.<br />
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The story goes back and forth between 1955, when Rhoda Middleton discovers her husband Peter has been hiding an entire part of his life from her since he returned from the war, and the late 1930s through 1945 when Rhoda and Peter meet, go through a quick courtship and Peter enlists and goes off to become a driver and finds himself a prisoner of war . Mostly alternating between Peter's and Rhoda's points of view, the reader gets to see first hand the struggles both of them go through during the war and what they hide from each other when Peter returns, leading to the marriage difficulties they are facing in 1955. <br />
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When we first meet Peter and Rhoda in 1955, their marriage of ten years seems to be a complete shame with no real relationship, either physical or emotional, and with both of them just going through the motions of everyday life. It isn't until Rhoda finds a letter from a woman named Helen and she thinks Peter is having an affair that she finally learns how little she knows about her husband's past and what he went through while he was in a prisoner of war camp. As she builds a friendship with Helen, the wife of a man Peter survived the camp with, she begins to better understand the man she's married to and how her secrets have served to put a wedge between them as much as his. It is only with being honest with each other and letting their guards down that they might stand a chance at a happy life together.<br />
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The most captivating part of this twisting story for me was Peter's time in the camp. Davina Blake does an exceptional job of plopping the reader into the camp and making them feel, hear, see what these prisoners had to go through. The descriptions of what would go through their minds and what they experienced really helped not only to immerse me in the action but to somewhat explain why Peter becomes this different man when he goes home. Watching Peter and his fellow prisoners not only try to survive but retain some humanity was inspiring and I won't soon forget their stories. <br />
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While Rhoda's side of the story is less dramatic and attention-grabbing I did enjoy seeing her struggle against what she believed was expected of her as a "fiancée" (although you can barely call Peter her fiancée while he is serving as he asked her so abruptly before leaving for the war) and what her heart was telling her she wanted out of life. I couldn't help but feel for her, left at home with a less than perfect family life, always expected to find something useful to do with every second she had to spare, and wanting nothing more than to live a little as any red-blooded young woman in her early twenties would want to do. I don't want to give too much away regarding the secret she has kept hidden from Peter but it is quite bittersweet and even when I finished the story I couldn't help but feel that she never really got what she wanted out of life. <br />
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Brief Encounters is a long but enticing story of the endurance of the human spirit, the hunger for love and appreciation and how secrets can fester and tear people away from each other. I only wish that the author had included an author's note at the back of the book that explained more about the real Great March of prisoners of war (something I knew nothing about) and maybe more facts regarding the loses sustained during the war (and I know I could just look this up online but I always enjoy turning that last page and finding that information ready to drive home the reality of what people such as the ones found in the book actually experienced). I highly recommend this to any lover of WWII history!<br />
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</h3>
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</h3>
<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Cover?</h3>
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<br />
I think its very pretty and I like the idea of the misty, grey man and background being the past that Rhoda is trying to forget.<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 4.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>Thank you to Amy at </em></strong><a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="color: #990000;">Historical Fiction Virtual Book
Tours</span></em></strong></a><strong><em> for providing me with a free copy
of Past Encounters in exchange for an honest review! Make sure to continue
below for more information about the book, the author and the rest of the blog tour.</em></strong></div>
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<h3 align="left">
Praise for Past Encounters</h3>
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“Her characters are so real that they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf. Highly Recommended!” – The Historical Novels Review</div>
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Buy The Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Past-Encounters-Davina-Blake/dp/1499568258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404491010&sr=8-1&keywords=past+encounters+davina+blake" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Past-Encounters-Davina-Blake/dp/1499568258/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1404491342&sr=8-3&keywords=Past+Encounters" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon UK</span></a></div>
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About the Author</h3>
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Davina Blake used to be a set and costume designer for theatre and TV, during which time she developed a love of research which fueled her passion for the past. She holds an MA in Creative <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7siSGHfjBgkekIk8m9XX2sYJ9czKcxze1baBF2i9s6TRL_HBvdmxIJ48cTpAteGYhYHspQenH6Q_SMWdbL5EINKCqSzKWm-rYJK22dm4GkFoZ2n1YWyCLRZE7qXCPABA7gROD_23afaN/s1600/03_Davina+Blake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7siSGHfjBgkekIk8m9XX2sYJ9czKcxze1baBF2i9s6TRL_HBvdmxIJ48cTpAteGYhYHspQenH6Q_SMWdbL5EINKCqSzKWm-rYJK22dm4GkFoZ2n1YWyCLRZE7qXCPABA7gROD_23afaN/s1600/03_Davina+Blake.jpg" /></a>Writing from Lancaster University and also writes successful seventeenth century historicals under the pen name Deborah Swift. ‘Her characters are so real that they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf. Highly recommended.’ The Historical Novels Review From Davina: ‘I was inspired to write ‘Past Encounters’ because I live close to the railway station where the iconic ‘Brief Encounter’ was filmed in 1945. I have often used the refreshment room that featured in the film when waiting for a train. I love a good cup of tea, preferably accompanied by a chocolate brownie!’<br />
<br />
For more information visit Davina Blake’s <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/pastencountersblogtour/www.davinablake.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a> and <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/pastencountersblogtour/www.davinablake.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">blog</span></a>. You can also find her on <a href="https://twitter.com/davina_blake" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>.<br />
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<h3>
Past Encounters Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Saturday, November 15</b></span><br />
<br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Sunday, November 16</b></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://libraryeducated.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Library Educated</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Monday, November 17</b></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://dianneascroft.wordpress.com/blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Dianne Ascroft Blog</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Tuesday, November 18</b></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Oh, For the Hook of a Book!</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Wednesday, November 19</b></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Thursday, November 20</b></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://agelesspagesreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Ageless Pages Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Friday, November 21</b></span><br />
<br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookish</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Saturday, November 22</b></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://www.historywomanperspective.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">History From a Woman’s Perspective</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Monday, November 24</b></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Peeking Between the Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Tuesday, November 25</b></span><br />
<br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735457" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735457" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 26</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735458" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735458" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 27</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Maiden’s Court</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735459" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735459" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, November 29</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">What Is That Book About</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735460" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735460" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 1</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://layeredpages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Layered Pages</span></a><br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://casualreadersbookclub.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Casual Readers</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735461" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735461" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, December 2</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">My Reader’s Block</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://expatiatemiscellanarian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bibliotaph’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735462" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735462" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, December 3</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://wormhole.carnelianvalley.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Worm Hole</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://diaryofaneccentric.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Diary of an Eccentric</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735463" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735463" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, December 4</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Beth’s Book Reviews</span></a><br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735464" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735464" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, December 5</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://bibliophiliaplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bibliophilia, Please</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735465" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735465" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, December 6</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://unshelfish.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unshelfish</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-4022890036497361312014-12-04T03:00:00.000+00:002020-08-15T10:56:58.183+01:00Past Encounters Blog Tour: Why I Love...the Film "Brief Encounter" <div style="text-align: left;">
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<span lang="EN-GB">A
classic film inspires a novel: Past Encounters
by Davina Blake</span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-GB">In England the film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brief Encounter</i> is rated as the best romantic film of all time. I
am pretty sure that in any other country in the world this wouldn’t be so, and
because of that the film gives audiences a rare insight into our Englishness<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">It is a film that I watched with my mother
on a TV repeat, and I was astonished to see it bring her to tears, and she was
a woman who rarely cried. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">In my novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Past Encounters</i>, Rhoda falls for Matthew, a location assistant for
the film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brief Encounter</i>, even though
she is already engaged to army officer Peter. Peter is a long-term intern in a
prisoner of war camp. This is a parallel to the film where middle class housewife
Laura, and respectable doctor Alec, contemplate an affair. In the film, for the
sake of their existing spouses, Laura and Alec sacrifice their love for each
other in favour of returning to lives of conformity. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">How many people must have been faced with
exactly this dilemma? The pain and intensity of illicit love have an enduring
fascination. In the US, the best-selling book (and film) ‘The Bridges of
Madison County’ expresses exactly this idea.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">This repression of passions and stiff upper-lip
approach is what made English people so stoic during WWII, and why the film
touched a nerve with the audiences of the time. The showing of emotion in this
period was viewed as a weakness, and too much affection as sentimentality. Partly
it was to do with wartime morale; that no matter what came, you would just grit
your teeth and carry on. The theme of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brief
Encounter</i> was made more poignant at the time by the fact that the film came
out when many men were away fighting and feared their wives would not wait for
them to come home from war. In modern times the film has come to highlight the
difference in attitudes to adultery between the pre and post-sexual revolution
in the 1960’s.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">One of the things I loved about the film
was how understated the performances were, and this was an effect I wanted to
build in the novel, to make the emotion deep but not showy, to build the relationships
slowly and to make my couple real. When interviewing people for the novel I was
struck by how matter-of-fact people were when talking about quite horrific wartime
events. This did not make the stories less moving, but rather more powerful. It
also put me in touch with the sensibility of the times, something I wanted to
recreate in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Past Encounters. </i>For
example class distinction was still an obvious part of English life (and still
is, if we’re honest, though we Brits try our best to pretend it’s not there). I
was also taken by the visual starkness of the film, and by Laura’s (Celia Johnson’s)
first person narration, which was a highly unusual device back then, that you
could actually hear the thoughts of the character in voice-over.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">As for the outcome of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Past Encounters</i> you will have to read Past Encounters to read what
happens in the love triangle of Rhoda, Peter and Matthew! And of course there
is also Helen …</span></div>
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<strong><em>Thank you so much, Davina, for this wonderfully insightful guest post! What a fascinating concept to use a movie like Brief Encounter as a backdrop for a story that deals with much of the same emotions and suppression of desires. Now I want to see the movie!</em></strong></div>
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<strong><em>Readers, come back on 12/6 for my review of Past Encounters and be sure to continue below for more information on the book, the author and the blog tour!</em></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3QwHK8CwFRL-AzqJ46TnuNbvkfdUpIdMeilY4JoAu4OpSiy1SprPtGR_ToCkw6XImrWsU35k6aHtFAbCas3jKLSGFCJ3cY5etCtREUm-sIWeRlW9bQorj4n3o64D_b7p3hza7DoMB76h/s1600/02_Past+Encounters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3QwHK8CwFRL-AzqJ46TnuNbvkfdUpIdMeilY4JoAu4OpSiy1SprPtGR_ToCkw6XImrWsU35k6aHtFAbCas3jKLSGFCJ3cY5etCtREUm-sIWeRlW9bQorj4n3o64D_b7p3hza7DoMB76h/s1600/02_Past+Encounters.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<strong>Publication Date: November 22, 2014<br /> CreateSpace<br /> Paperback; 442p </strong></div>
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<strong>Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary Fiction</strong></div>
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England 1955.</div>
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The day Rhoda Middleton opens a letter from another woman, she becomes convinced her husband, Peter, is having an affair. But when Rhoda tracks the mysterious woman down, she discovers she is not Peter’s lover after all, but the wife of his best friend, Archie Foster. There is only one problem – Rhoda has never even heard of Archie Foster.</div>
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Devastated by this betrayal of trust, Rhoda tries to find out why Peter has kept this friendship a secret for so long. Her search leads her back to 1945, but as she gradually uncovers Peter’s wartime experiences she must wrestle with painful memories of her own. For Rhoda too cannot escape the ghosts of the past.</div>
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Taking us on a journey from the atmospheric filming of Brief Encounter, to the extraordinary Great March of prisoners of war through snow-bound Germany, PAST ENCOUNTERS explores themes of friendship, hope, and how in the end, it is the small things that enable love to survive.</div>
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Includes bonus material for reading groups.</div>
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Praise for Past Encounters</h3>
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“Her characters are so real that they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf. Highly Recommended!” – The Historical Novels Review</div>
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About the Author</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7siSGHfjBgkekIk8m9XX2sYJ9czKcxze1baBF2i9s6TRL_HBvdmxIJ48cTpAteGYhYHspQenH6Q_SMWdbL5EINKCqSzKWm-rYJK22dm4GkFoZ2n1YWyCLRZE7qXCPABA7gROD_23afaN/s1600/03_Davina+Blake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7siSGHfjBgkekIk8m9XX2sYJ9czKcxze1baBF2i9s6TRL_HBvdmxIJ48cTpAteGYhYHspQenH6Q_SMWdbL5EINKCqSzKWm-rYJK22dm4GkFoZ2n1YWyCLRZE7qXCPABA7gROD_23afaN/s1600/03_Davina+Blake.jpg" /></a>Davina Blake used to be a set and costume designer for theatre and TV, during which time she developed a love of research which fueled her passion for the past. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University and also writes successful seventeenth century historicals under the pen name Deborah Swift. ‘Her characters are so real that they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf. Highly recommended.’ The Historical Novels Review From Davina: ‘I was inspired to write ‘Past Encounters’ because I live close to the railway station where the iconic ‘Brief Encounter’ was filmed in 1945. I have often used the refreshment room that featured in the film when waiting for a train. I love a good cup of tea, preferably accompanied by a chocolate brownie!’<br />
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For more information visit Davina Blake’s <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/pastencountersblogtour/www.davinablake.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a> and <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/pastencountersblogtour/www.davinablake.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">blog</span></a>. You can also find her on <a href="https://twitter.com/davina_blake" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Praise For Deborah Swift</h3>
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“stellar historical fiction” -Orange Prize Nominee Ann Weisgarber<br />
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“compelling'” -Westmorland Gazette<br />
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“The past comes alive through impeccable research…and the sheer power of descriptive prose” -Lancashire Evening Post<br />
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<h3>
Buy the Book</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Past-Encounters-Davina-Blake/dp/1499568258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404491010&sr=8-1&keywords=past+encounters+davina+blake" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Past-Encounters-Davina-Blake/dp/1499568258/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1404491342&sr=8-3&keywords=Past+Encounters" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon UK</span></a><br />
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<h3>
Past Encounters Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Saturday, November 15</b></span><br /> <br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Sunday, November 16</b></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://libraryeducated.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Library Educated</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Monday, November 17</b></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://dianneascroft.wordpress.com/blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Dianne Ascroft Blog</span></a><br /> Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Tuesday, November 18</b></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Oh, For the Hook of a Book!</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Wednesday, November 19</b></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Thursday, November 20</b></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://agelesspagesreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Ageless Pages Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Friday, November 21</b></span><br /> <br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookish</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Saturday, November 22</b></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.historywomanperspective.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">History From a Woman’s Perspective</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Monday, November 24</b></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br /> Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Peeking Between the Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Tuesday, November 25</b></span><br /> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735457" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735457" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 26</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735458" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735458" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 27</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Maiden’s Court</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735459" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735459" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, November 29</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">What Is That Book About</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735460" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 1</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://layeredpages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Layered Pages</span></a><br /> Review & Interview at <a href="http://casualreadersbookclub.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Casual Readers</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735461" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735461" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, December 2</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">My Reader’s Block</span></a><br /> Review at <a href="http://expatiatemiscellanarian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bibliotaph’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735462" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735462" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, December 3</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://wormhole.carnelianvalley.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Worm Hole</span></a><br /> Review at <a href="http://diaryofaneccentric.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Diary of an Eccentric</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735463" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735463" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, December 4</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Beth’s Book Reviews</span></a><br /> Guest Post at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735464" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735464" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, December 5</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://bibliophiliaplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bibliophilia, Please</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735465" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735465" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, December 6</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://unshelfish.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unshelfish</span></a><br /> Review at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-1049612772101903732014-12-01T03:00:00.000+00:002014-12-01T03:00:05.241+00:00Release Day! A Grave Inheritance by Kari Edgren<strong>I really enjoyed Kari Edgren's first book in her Goddess Born series, </strong><a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/2014/10/goddess-born-blog-tour-review.html" target="_blank"><strong>Goddess Born</strong></a><strong>, when I reviewed it a few months ago and am so excited the second book is coming out already! I'll be reading this one soon but in the meantime I am happy to share all the information you need about the book, the author and where you can get your own copy!</strong><br />
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<strong>Publication Date: </strong><strong><span style="color: #222222;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_313449428" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">December 1, 2014</span></span></span> Carina Press<br /> eBook; ASIN: B00OHV6MFA </strong></div>
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<strong>Series: Goddess Born<br /> Genre: Historical/Paranormal/New Adult/Romance</strong></div>
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Selah Kilbrid may descend from the goddess Brigid, but her heart beats—and breaks—the same as any human. Yet enduring the scorn of London’s most noble lords and ladies is a small price to pay for a chance at true happiness. Selah would endure much more for love, and her betrothed, Lord Henry Fitzalan, is prepared to challenge anyone foolish enough to stand in their way—even another goddess born.<br />
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But when a captivating young gentleman draws Selah into a world shadowed by secrets, she is forced to confront her darkest fears. What if some differences are too great to overcome and a future with Henry is doomed from the start?<br />
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With these doubts threatening her impending marriage and the very last of Brigid’s fire draining from her soul, a violent attack on an innocent child pushes Selah to the very edge of her power. She must find a way to cross into the Otherworld and regain her strength—or forfeit the streets of London to death and disease.<br />
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About the Author</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALZNwGW7_4OurDLBTtCIiS25a4vo_btBKSsaSkKTbQ-ZtsH5tlNcDQ_TiQ-T8UPrcwypqR8oTz7cwfMrLW5p9qu4stLk8mGb0k7TBifcZ4Q9a0xl02AQyiiy4i2n0ilYL7V5ku0Sz9x5a/s1600/AGraveInheritanceAuthorPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALZNwGW7_4OurDLBTtCIiS25a4vo_btBKSsaSkKTbQ-ZtsH5tlNcDQ_TiQ-T8UPrcwypqR8oTz7cwfMrLW5p9qu4stLk8mGb0k7TBifcZ4Q9a0xl02AQyiiy4i2n0ilYL7V5ku0Sz9x5a/s1600/AGraveInheritanceAuthorPhoto.jpg" /></a>Kari Edgren is the author of the Goddess Born series. In 2010 and 2011 she was a semifinalist for the Amazon Break Through Novel Award. In 2013, she was a RWA Golden Heart finalist. Ms. Edgren enjoys writing both historical and contemporary fiction, so long as there’s a spark of paranormal. She resides on a mountain top in the Pacific Northwest where she spends a great deal of time dreaming about the sun and torturing her husband and children with strange food and random historical facts.<br />
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For more information please visit Kari Edgren’s website. You can also find her on <a href="http://facebook.com/kari.j.edgren" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/KariEdgren" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7579878.Kari_Edgren" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Goodreads</span></a>.<br />
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Sign Up for Kari Edgren’s <a href="http://www.kariedgren.com/blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Newsletter</span></a>.<br />
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Buy the Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grave-Inheritance-Kari-Edgren-ebook/dp/B00OHV6MFA/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414593172&sr=1-2&keywords=a+grave+inheritance" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US</span></a><br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grave-Inheritance-Kari-Edgren-ebook/dp/B00OHV6MFA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1414593612&sr=8-2&keywords=A+Grave+Inheritance" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon UK</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #1155cc;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-grave-inheritance-kari-edgren/1120548894?ean=9781426899270" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></span><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-87864900326924590402014-11-28T03:00:00.000+00:002020-08-15T10:56:58.196+01:00The Sharp Hook of Love Blog Tour: Why I Love...the 12th Century by Sherry JonesIf you are a follower of Historical Tapestry then you probably saw my book release post for the Sharp Hook of Love (see <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/2014/08/exciting-upcoming-release-sharp-hook-of.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>) as well as my review of the book (see <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-sharp-hook-of-love-review-and.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>). Hint: I loved it! Well now I am honored to have the author of The Sharp Hook of Love, Sherry Jones, on the blog with a wonderful guest post about why she loves the 12th Century. So please enjoy the post and continue below for more information about this wonderful book, its author and the rest of the book blog tour!<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The First
Renaissance, Abelard, and Heloise: Why I Love the 12<sup>th</sup> Century </b></div>
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<o:p><div style="text-align: left;">
Love, not gravity, makes the world go ‘round, goes the song.
What if that were true? If the dawning of day and the fall of night, if the
changing of the seasons, if the planet’s very spinning depended on love, we’d
all be performing acts of kindness for one another all the time. We’d be loving
it up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I love love. At its best, it ennobles us, inspires us to be
our very best selves, to give of ourselves to others. At its worst, it blinds
us to others’ failings—but that only harms us if we’ve forgotten that, to love
another well, we must love ourselves first.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Love is patient, as the Scriptures say; love is kind. Yes.
But love is also messy, bewildering, frustrating, exalting, exciting,
frightening, and capricious. Love holds a mirror to those in its thrall, showing
us not only the other but our naked selves. And the best writing about love
holds a mirror up to this complex emotion, revealing it to us in all its
multi-faceted glory and inspiring us to think about love, to feel it, and,
perhaps most important, to enact it in our lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Self-love wasn’t something they talked about in the early-to-high
Middle Ages, or, if they did, they called it “vanity,” or “pride”: one of the
Church’s so-called deadly sins. That’s the world in which the 12<sup>th</sup>-century
Parisian scholar Heloise lived, one which cherished community over
individuality, sacrifice over personal gain, giving over receiving. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Fortunately, for Heloise and for me, the author telling her
tale in my book THE SHARP HOOK OF LOVE, another dynamic had begun to shape the
culture, as well: the awakening of an awareness of the self, making this era
one of the most exciting times to be alive in western Europe.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The dawn of a new era<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The 12<sup>th</sup> century heralded the true beginning of
the Renaissance Era, or at least as a prelude that set the stage for the
rebirth of arts, culture and knowledge so prevalent before the fall of the
Roman Empire. A new awareness of the individual as opposed to the collective
began to emerge, as well, including questioning of Church doctrines at the
highest level.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A number of events, beginning around 1070, led to this
reawakening. The marriage of the Frankish King Philip to Bertrade de Montfort, both
already married to others, captured the public’s imagination. Their passionate
love for each other caused them to defy the Church’s condemnations and
excommunications—and transformed marriage from a mere business arrangement,
easily broken, to an everlasting affair of the heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This scandalous, exciting union—Philip’s repudiated queen,
Bertha, left in shame for the convent—stimulated at least one copycat marriage.
Around 1115, the already-married Count William of Poitiers, also the Duke of
Aquitaine, “abducted” the wife of one of his vassals, a viscountess named
Dangerose, and brought her to Poitou to live in the luxury tower he’d built
there. They, too, suffered the censure of the Church, but neither seemed to
care. <o:p></o:p></div>
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William, a famously seductive ladies’ man of great intellect
and wit, wrote bawdy romantic songs, as well, starting the troubadour era from
which springs the long tradition of courtly love.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Forbidden love:
Heloise and Abelard<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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From this heady ferment of scholarly debate, rebellion, and
passion sprang the love affair of the 21-year-old Heloise with her teacher,
Pierre Abelard, the famously brilliant, and arrogant, philosopher and poet
whose beautiful love songs made women swoon. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Their society forbade their love. Abelard, as headmaster of
the Notre Dame Cloister school and a Church canon, was supposed to be chaste,
and Heloise was a single young woman living under the protection of her uncle,
a Notre Dame subdeacon. Yet the couple defied these strictures, risking
everything to be together, and ultimately losing all except the love itself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Caught by Heloise’s uncle and torn asunder by his cruel act
of revenge, these lovers live on today in our books, movies, art, poems, plays,
and songs. We love the story not only because of the shocking nature of Uncle Fulbert’s
revenge, but also because their courage and daring for the sake of love inspire
us all. In today’s throwaway society, it’s important to be reminded that love,
even when beset by so many obstacles and sorrows, can indeed last a lifetime.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Which tale to tell?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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In writing about the 12<sup>th</sup> century, I felt excited
and privileged to portray this exciting era. My next book will be much more
contemporary, but I know I will return again and again to the 12<sup>th</sup>
Century Renaissance, a time as thrilling as our own. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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William of Aquitaine, his granddaughter, Eleanor; Philip and
Bertrade; the troubadours; Blanche de Castille; the Crusades: If only time
travel had been invented, I’d go to 12<sup>th</sup>-century France in a
heartbeat. Instead, I get to write about it, which may be even better. The
question for me is, which story should I tell next?</div>
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<strong>Publication Date: October 7, 2014<br /> Gallery Books<br /> Formats: eBook, Paperback<br /> Pages: 352 </strong></div>
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<strong>Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance</strong></div>
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<strong></strong> </div>
The first retelling of the passionate, twelfth-century love story since the discovery of 113 lost love letters between Heloise d’Argenteuil and Pierre Abelard—the original Romeo and Juliet.<br />
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“While I sleep you never leave me, and after I wake I see you, as soon as I open my eyes, even before the light of day itself.” —Abelard to Heloise<br />
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Among the young women of twelfth-century Paris, Heloise d’Argenteuil stands apart. Extraordinarily educated and quick-witted, she is being groomed by her uncle to become an abbess in the service of God.<br />
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But with one encounter, her destiny changes forever. Pierre Abelard, headmaster at the Notre-Dame Cloister School, is acclaimed as one of the greatest philosophers in France. His controversial reputation only adds to his allure, yet despite the legions of women swooning over his poetry and dashing looks, he is captivated by the brilliant Heloise alone. As their relationship blossoms from a meeting of the minds to a forbidden love affair, both Heloise and Abelard must choose between love, duty, and ambition.<br />
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Sherry Jones weaves the lovers’ own words into an evocative account of desire and sacrifice. As intimate as it is erotic, as devastating as it is beautiful, The Sharp Hook of Love is a poignant, tender tribute to one of history’s greatest romances, and to love’s power to transform and endure.<br />
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Praise for The Sharp Hook of Love</h3>
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“Heloise is the sort of heroine you cannot help rooting for: brilliant and naïve, vulnerable and tough. The Sharp Hook of Love will have you up all night holding your breath as you turn each page.” (Rebecca Kanner author of Sinners and the Sea)<br />
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“Jones weaves history and passion in a tale full of emotional heft that questions what it means to truly love someone…” (Kirkus Reviews)<br />
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“A sensual journey into twelfth century Paris. With a sharp eye for historical detail, Jones weaves an unforgettable, compelling tale about enduring love.” (Lynn Cullen nationally bestselling author of Mrs. Poe)<br />
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“Passion and treachery mingle in Sherry Jones’s explosive novel The Sharp Hook of Love. Wrenching and erotic, this is a grand romance in every sense of the word.” (Mary Sharratt author of Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen)<br />
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Buy the Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-Hook-Love-Sherry-Jones-ebook/dp/B00IWTWS6U/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1406926231" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon (Kindle)</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-Hook-Love-Sherry-Jones/dp/1451684797/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1406926231&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon (Paperback)</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sharp-hook-of-love-sherry-jones/1118892238?ean=9781451684803&itm=1&usri=the+sharp+hook+of+love" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble (Nook)</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sharp-hook-of-love-sherry-jones/1118892238?ean=9781451684797" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble (Paperback)</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Sharp-Hook-Love/Sherry-Jones/9781451684797?id=6069264190989" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Books-a-Million</span></a><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-sharp-hook-of-love/id837580001?mt=11" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">iBooks</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781451684797" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">IndieBound</span></a><br /><a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/Sharp-Hook-of-Love/Sherry-Jones/9781451684797" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Simon & Schuster</span></a></div>
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About the Author</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ivkb5BWfWwaolnWU5Lt24U8kp8Co8TBsOH7you3t8mDDrA0fiDJHNKhrvVCuXEpJ2O2XaJvM3bHla4FXCk_UP1HEqoV0JiBOysUKZ8OOewKdzZ5S4BAz0j8WjwI5llCYGx0Q2rBK6eqp/s1600/sherry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ivkb5BWfWwaolnWU5Lt24U8kp8Co8TBsOH7you3t8mDDrA0fiDJHNKhrvVCuXEpJ2O2XaJvM3bHla4FXCk_UP1HEqoV0JiBOysUKZ8OOewKdzZ5S4BAz0j8WjwI5llCYGx0Q2rBK6eqp/s1600/sherry.jpg" /></a></div>
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Sherry Jones is the author of five biographical fiction books: The Sharp Hook of Love, about the famed 12th-century lovers Abelard and Heloise; The Jewel of Medina and The Sword of Medina, international — and controversial — best sellers about the life of A’isha, who married the Muslim prophet Muhammad at age nine and went on to become the most famous and influential woman in Islam; Four Sisters, All Queens, a tale of four sisters in 13th century Provence who became queens of France, England, Germany, and Italy, and White Heart, an e-novella about the famous French “White Queen” Blanche de Castille.<br />
<br />
For more information please visit Sherry Jones’s <a href="http://authorsherryjones.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a>. You can also find her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sherryjonesfanpage" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/sherryjones" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/authorsherryjones" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">YouTube</span></a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1219600.Sherry_Jones" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Goodreads</span></a>.<br />
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The Sharp Hook of Love Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 24</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://bibliophiliaplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bibliophilia, Please</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, November 25</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://agelesspagesreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Ageless Pages Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735781" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735781" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 26</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Babe</span></a><br /> Guest Post at <a href="http://www.hf-connection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Connection</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735782" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735782" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 28</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
<br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735783" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735783" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Sunday, November 29</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
<br />
Spotlight & Excerpt at <a href="http://thelustyliterate.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Lusty Literate</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735784" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735784" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 1</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
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Review at <a href="http://bookloversparadise.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Lovers Paradise</span></a><br /> Interview at <a href="http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mina’s Bookshelf</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735785" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735785" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, December 3</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
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Guest Post at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br /> Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735786" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735786" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, December 4</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://thelitbitch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Lit Bitch</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735787" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_964735787" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, December 5</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
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Review at <a href="http://www.historicalfictionobsession.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Obsession</span></a><br /> Feature at <a href="http://romantichistoricallovers.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Romantic Historical Lovers</span></a><br /> Interview at <a href="http://toreadornottoread.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">To Read or Not to Read</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-23283836841126450242014-11-26T03:00:00.000+00:002014-11-26T03:00:00.193+00:00Why I Wrote About Ancient Hookers: Guest Post by Stephanie Dray, Co-Author of A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii Plus Giveaway!Oh do I have a treat for you today! I am so excited that A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii has released as it is a compilation of six short stories by some of the best authors in historical fiction writing today. Below you'll find not only an exciting guest post by one of those wonderful authors, Stephanie Dray, but also more information about the book, the authors, the blog tour and even information about a giveaway of a GORGEOUS Roman-style necklace and earrings set (yay!!). <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="h.pqyor6tu2iid"></a>Why I
Wrote About Ancient Hookers</h3>
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By Stephanie Dray</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we think of ancient Rome, we tend to think about the magnificent
architecture. The roads, the innovative warfare, and the spectacular
contributions the Romans made in art and governmental theory. But underneath
all of that, of course, was the seedier side of the ancient world--the details
of which were preserved for us forever on that day in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius
erupted and buried the city of Pompeii in ash, trapping a whole city in time
for us to discover thousands of years later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And what was first discovered, of course, was how deeply sex and
sexuality ran through the culture. Early archaeologists were so scandalized, in
fact, by the myriad phalluses, sensual artwork, and clear references to sex work
that they reburied what they found.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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In writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Day of Fire</i> with
my fabulous co-authors, we wanted to be true of the Vegas-like nature of a
Roman resort town like Pompeii, which is why none of us shied away from the
predominance of brothels or sexual themes. But I very specifically wanted to
write about the lives of two ancient sex-workers--not just as background color,
but as protagonists in my story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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There were a few reasons for this. While sex work was entirely normalized
and legal in the Roman world, the people involved in the trade were classified
as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">infamia</i> and treated shabbily. They
enjoyed fewer rights and were subject to systematic abuse. In the ancient
world--as in current times--women who traded sex for money were essentially
dehumanized. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I wanted to put a human face on this. I wanted to show people whose
culture defined them by their profession, but who had their own hopes and
dreams, loves and losses, strengths and frailties. And a certain bit of
graffiti in Pompeii caught my eye, describing two tavern whores--Capella and
Prima--of very different physical types. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I began to wonder who these women were, beyond what was written about
their price and unique skill sets upon the wall. Who were they to each other, I
asked myself, and did they survive the eruption in Pompeii? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
And their story really started to take shape in my mind once we started
collaborating. My heroines appear briefly in the fast-paced
soldier-and-gladiator tale Ben Kane wrote at the book’s center. Then I realized
that Vicky Alvear Shecter’s hero-with-growing-pains would be in love with
Prima, my hooker-with-a-heart-of-mud. Prima then appears again to cause trouble
for the charming senator in Kate Quinn’s story. Meanwhile, her sister Capella
serves as a friend in Sophie Perinot’s tale and a visionary in E. Knight’s. And
I fell more deeply for them with each story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Their plight became even more interesting while I was researching. I
wanted to know what prostitutes wore. (Brightly colored clothing, often togas
to delineate themselves from other women.) What they were called. (They had
different names for different sorts of specialties and types of prostitutes.)
Where they worked. (They could rent beds at the brothels, use cubicles off the
street, or even ply their trade in the necropolis.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The details were fascinating. But none more than a note about Emperor
Vespasian’s ruling on prostitution in Thomas A. J. McGinn’s work on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prostitution, Sexuality and the Law in
Ancient Rome</i>. Allegedly, slaves sold with the express condition that they
not be used in prostitution would be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">freed</i>
if they were so used. What might that law mean for two girls who had been used
illegally in prostitution? And how would their struggle impact everyone around
them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Ultimately, I think I wrote the least salacious story about prostitutes
in the history of stories about prostitutes and I’m so very proud of it. The
characters moved me and will stay with me for a long time--I’m very honored to
have been able to shine a light on a part of Roman life that is often
overlooked. And I’m even more honored to have had to chance to creatively
collaborate with such fantastic authors to produce something so special for
readers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><em>Thank you so much for this insightful post, Stephanie! Knowing that the various characters find themselves hopping over into other stories makes me even more excited to read the book! </em></strong></span></div>
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<strong><em></em></strong> </div>
<br />
Please join historical novelists Vicky Alvear Shecter, Sophie Perinot, Ben Kane, Kate Quinn, E. Knight, and Stephanie Dray as they tour the blogosphere for A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii, from October 27-December 5 with <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/" target="_blank">HF Virtual Book Tours!</a><br />
<br />
In honor of the Blog Tour the authors have included a very special giveaway of a beautiful one-of-a-kind Roman style Necklace (18″) and Earring set inspired by jewelry from the ancient world. Handcrafted of real carnelian, the most popular semi-precious gemstone of the ancient world, it was designed to commemorate the release of “A Day of Fire.” Wear it yourself and imagine you are in Pompeii (not on the day of disaster of course), or, with the holidays approaching, it would make a great gift for a fan of ancient roman historical fiction.<br />
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<strong>Publication Date: </strong><strong><span style="color: #222222;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486678" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">November 4, 2014</span></span></span> Knight Media, LLC<br /> eBook; 315p<br /> ASIN: B00NI5CBXI</strong></div>
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<strong>Genre: Historical Fiction</strong></div>
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Pompeii was a lively resort flourishing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius at the height of the Roman Empire. When Vesuvius erupted in an explosion of flame and ash, the entire town would be destroyed. Some of its citizens died in the chaos, some escaped the mountain’s wrath . . . and these are their stories:<br />
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A boy loses his innocence in Pompeii’s flourishing streets.<br /> An heiress dreads her wedding day, not knowing it will be swallowed by fire.<br /> An ex-legionary stakes his entire future on a gladiator bout destined never to be finished.<br /> A crippled senator welcomes death, until a tomboy on horseback comes to his rescue.<br /> A young mother faces an impossible choice for her unborn child as the ash falls.<br /> A priestess and a whore seek resurrection and redemption as the town is buried.<br />
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Six authors bring to life overlapping stories of patricians and slaves, warriors and politicians, villains and heroes who cross each others’ path during Pompeii’s fiery end. But who will escape, and who will be buried for eternity?<br />
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<h3>
Order the Book</h3>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NI5CBXI" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00NI5CBXI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon UK</span></a><br />
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About the Authors</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUA0A9oaLpXISFicVvooV_iRe003HsrrXd9PrRxwF_F1A-2jWEcx8DPcrkxTi5FLt_kEHGkzKDHBU_Frlsr0gB7GYHF516_llrcWtINGJdLVEoW_GAiCcJkwF_dC8aTIdCUiHS_dt4JQp/s1600/Stephanie+Dray.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUA0A9oaLpXISFicVvooV_iRe003HsrrXd9PrRxwF_F1A-2jWEcx8DPcrkxTi5FLt_kEHGkzKDHBU_Frlsr0gB7GYHF516_llrcWtINGJdLVEoW_GAiCcJkwF_dC8aTIdCUiHS_dt4JQp/s1600/Stephanie+Dray.png" /></a><strong>STEPHANIE DRAY</strong> is a multi-published, award-winning author of historical women’s fiction and fantasy set in the ancient world. Her critically acclaimed historical Nile series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into more than six different languages, was nominated for a RITA Award and won the Golden Leaf. Her focus on Ptolemaic Egypt and Augustan Age Rome has given her a unique perspective on the consequences of Egypt’s ancient clash with Rome, both in terms of the still-extant tensions between East and West as well as the worldwide decline of female-oriented religion. Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Learn more at <a href="http://www.stephaniedray.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.StephanieDray.com</span></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7ZJxpiSrXAZXDPs9tN7cKy6Uwk3z0ZsMJv9V0uZtZzODQCnTSZXMlBUMNjaSSrvz2XkST8TwrXLdDynm4ADEWPJOJhLqDt2wD_A0Y6aeMfMpbQ0e1m4RKMHzvr3gji3hO4Ywb4Qnw9-L/s1600/Ben+Kane.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7ZJxpiSrXAZXDPs9tN7cKy6Uwk3z0ZsMJv9V0uZtZzODQCnTSZXMlBUMNjaSSrvz2XkST8TwrXLdDynm4ADEWPJOJhLqDt2wD_A0Y6aeMfMpbQ0e1m4RKMHzvr3gji3hO4Ywb4Qnw9-L/s1600/Ben+Kane.png" /></a><strong>BEN KANE</strong> worked as a veterinarian for sixteen years, but his love of ancient history and historical fiction drew him to write fast-paced novels about Roman soldiers, generals and gladiators. Irish by nationality but UK-based, he is the author of seven books, the last five of which have been <br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486679" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">Sunday</span></span></span> Times top ten bestsellers. Ben’s books have been translated into ten languages. In 2013, Ben walked the length of Hadrian’s Wall with two other authors, for charity; he did so in full Roman military kit, including hobnailed boots. He repeated the madness in 2014, over 130 miles in Italy. Over $50,000 has been raised with these two efforts. Learn more at <a href="http://www.benkane.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://www.benkane.net</span></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0luEVSNC39X7xwXNFDDBZ9Bd7z4hyTVwms1LQ1cEKS4XSj15PcmgAtaWyZbJXvBmJL6p0vYUuxZoutePtho9KHrtsLJrDansxSCHnt4cLpKXiUcWqiMOjlEol8aGDKyz4pH-dTbkut6cd/s1600/E.Knight.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0luEVSNC39X7xwXNFDDBZ9Bd7z4hyTVwms1LQ1cEKS4XSj15PcmgAtaWyZbJXvBmJL6p0vYUuxZoutePtho9KHrtsLJrDansxSCHnt4cLpKXiUcWqiMOjlEol8aGDKyz4pH-dTbkut6cd/s1600/E.Knight.png" /></a><strong>E. KNIGHT</strong> is an award-winning, indie national best-selling author of historical fiction. Under the name, Eliza Knight she writes historical romance and time-travel. Her debut historical fiction novel, MY LADY VIPER, has received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Historical Novel Society 2015 Annual Indie Award. She regularly presents on writing panels and was named Romance Writer’s of America’s 2013 PRO Mentor of the Year. Eliza lives in Maryland atop a small mountain with a knight, three princesses and a very naughty puppy. For more information, visit Eliza at <a href="http://www.elizaknight.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.elizaknight.com</span></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAhJZm6IDxmzat9v0tv3fJ7WymEpnbWhHHbeJIiLMvfXD-qEOTG1UFAZT3_LDi3wciwesrMp-Ts5xWa6tf_PdxEDhFZAZWiXkjwXVGkhmjwgKi-44ZSfv5Z1Vsk0RWSoBSU7K9rbV1Q1C/s1600/Sophie+Perinot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAhJZm6IDxmzat9v0tv3fJ7WymEpnbWhHHbeJIiLMvfXD-qEOTG1UFAZT3_LDi3wciwesrMp-Ts5xWa6tf_PdxEDhFZAZWiXkjwXVGkhmjwgKi-44ZSfv5Z1Vsk0RWSoBSU7K9rbV1Q1C/s1600/Sophie+Perinot.png" /></a><strong>SOPHIE PERINOT</strong> is the author of the acclaimed debut, The Sister Queens, which weaves the story of medieval sisters Marguerite and Eleanor of Provence who became queens of France and England respectively. Perinot has both a BA in History and a law degree. A long-time member of the Historical Novel Society, she has attended all of the group’s North American Conferences, serving as a panelist at the most recent. When she is not visiting corners of the past, Sophie lives in Great Falls, VA. Learn more at <a href="http://www.sophieperinot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.SophiePerinot.com</span></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxsleuJmlndHTmeaUn_Wjk-QZJftV8IYO39p5I7mHzxor63PnkGnw3WBrqzDp0y5fP4mpYjCD21wdJiZe5mDONc_0opg0kBEf62vgl6egBzp0VOvkEqsumgG8ViXp09Vqwt47MFtn2E_8/s1600/Kate+Quinn.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxsleuJmlndHTmeaUn_Wjk-QZJftV8IYO39p5I7mHzxor63PnkGnw3WBrqzDp0y5fP4mpYjCD21wdJiZe5mDONc_0opg0kBEf62vgl6egBzp0VOvkEqsumgG8ViXp09Vqwt47MFtn2E_8/s1600/Kate+Quinn.png" /></a><strong>KATE QUINN</strong> is the national bestselling author of the Empress of Rome novels, which have been variously translated into thirteen different languages. She first got hooked on Roman history while watching “I, Claudius” at the age of seven, and wrote her first book during her freshman year in college, retreating from a Boston winter into ancient Rome. She and her husband now live in Maryland with an imperious black dog named Caesar. Learn more at <a href="http://www.katequinnauthor.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://www.katequinnauthor.com</span></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVtAoGZfEJi-0Qqm_Tr0HNFljqJ4SeszvK8m4n3jwhZsAPOWRctFfeftI1RaUeFYVFXEpP5VWGx2VSepi51eCoo8qCILR0JKVWhEyjofbXLKMaoGczLbGzP__226MA6rg2lszW6NKPlwa/s1600/VASchecter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVtAoGZfEJi-0Qqm_Tr0HNFljqJ4SeszvK8m4n3jwhZsAPOWRctFfeftI1RaUeFYVFXEpP5VWGx2VSepi51eCoo8qCILR0JKVWhEyjofbXLKMaoGczLbGzP__226MA6rg2lszW6NKPlwa/s1600/VASchecter.png" /></a><strong>VICKY ALVEAR SHECTER</strong> is the award-winning author of the young adult novel, Cleopatra’s Moon (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2011), based on the life of Cleopatra’s only daughter. She<a href="http://www.vickyalvearshecter.com/main" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://www.vickyalvearshecter.<wbr></wbr></span>com/main</a>.<br />
is also the author of two biographies for kids on Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. The LA Times called Cleopatra’s Moon–set in Rome and Egypt–“magical” and “impressive.” Publisher’s Weekly said it was “fascinating” and “highly memorable.” Her young adult novel of Pompeii, Curses and Smoke (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic), released in June 2014. She has two other upcoming books for younger readers, Anubis Speaks! and Hades Speaks! Vicky is a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University in Atlanta. Learn more at <br />
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Giveaway</h3>
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To enter to win this beautiful one-of-a-kind Roman style Necklace (18″) and Earring set, hand-crafted with real carnelion, and inspired by jewelry of the ancient world, please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MzUyMmRmMzEyNWJhM2M1M2I1ZjgwZmVmZGZmMTBiOjIwNA==/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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Giveaway is open internationally.<br />
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Giveaway ends at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486695" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">11:59pm on December 5th</span></span></span>. You must be 18 or older to enter.<br /> <br />
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486696" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">December 6th</span></span></span> and notified via email.<br /> <br />
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.<br />
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<h3>
A Day of Fire Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 27</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Maiden’s Court</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486680" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486680" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 29</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://agelesspagesreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Ageless Pages Reviews</span></a><br /> Spotlight at <a href="http://passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486681" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486681" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 30</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://leeanna.me/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">leeanna.me</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486682" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486682" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 3</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://bibliophiliaplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bibliophilia, Please</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486683" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486683" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 5</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Peeking Between the Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486684" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486684" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 10</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486685" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486685" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 12</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486686" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486686" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 13</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://bookloversparadise.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Lovers Paradise</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486687" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486687" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 18</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.hf-connection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Connection</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486688" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486688" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 19</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Babe</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486689" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486689" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 25</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Reading the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486690" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486690" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 26</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486691" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486691" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 28</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The True Book Addict</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486692" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486692" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, December 1</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://www.fromthetbrpile.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">From the TBR Pile</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486693" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486693" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, December 4</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486694" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1486486694" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, December 5</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-51166703875783151092014-11-25T03:00:00.000+00:002014-11-25T03:00:04.344+00:00The Tudor Vendetta Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqHLqnmySZrBS99PmxCoOjwQjrrEe5FGhySC0RdPaSQ8phmtFUOx_F2JVxL6aJHLAuYYQUBi9Knaz3YTy2oSlXYgyyumUBhUFm_yXWU9aPDapUzhQoDjmLzMCrzjrot77uny1g-FGIaMq/s1600/02_The+Tudor+Vendetta+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqHLqnmySZrBS99PmxCoOjwQjrrEe5FGhySC0RdPaSQ8phmtFUOx_F2JVxL6aJHLAuYYQUBi9Knaz3YTy2oSlXYgyyumUBhUFm_yXWU9aPDapUzhQoDjmLzMCrzjrot77uny1g-FGIaMq/s1600/02_The+Tudor+Vendetta+(2).jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
Publication Date: October 21, 2014<br />
St. Martin’s Press<br />
Formats: eBook, Paperback<br />
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Series: Spymaster Chronicles<br />
Genre: Historical Mystery<br />
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<h3>
Synopsis</h3>
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Winter, 1558: Elizabeth I has ascended the throne but the first days of her reign are already fraught with turmoil, the kingdom weakened by strife and her ability to rule uncertain.<br />
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Summoned from exile abroad at the new queen’s behest, Brendan Prescott arrives in London to face his shattered past. He soon finds himself pitted in deadly rivalry with his life-long foe, Robert Dudley, but when a poison attempt overshadows the queen’s coronation, Elizabeth privately dispatches Brendan on a far more dangerous assignation: to find her favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, who has vanished in Yorkshire.<br />
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Upon his arrival at the crumbling sea-side manor that may hold the key to Lady Parry’s disappearance, he encounters a strange, impoverished family beset by grief, as well as mounting evidence that they hide a secret from him. The mystery surrounding Lady Parry deepens as Brendan begins to realize there is far more going on at the manor than meets the eye, but the closer he gets to the heart of the mystery, the more he becomes the quarry of an elusive stranger with a vendetta— one that could expose both his own buried identity and a long-hidden revelation that will bring about Elizabeth’s doom.<br />
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From the intrigue-laden passages of Whitehall to a foreboding Catholic manor and the prisons of the Tower, Brendan must risk everything to unravel a vendetta that strikes at the very core of his world, including his loyalty to his queen.<br />
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The Tudor Vendetta is the third book in Gortner’s Elizabeth I Spymaster Trilogy.<br />
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<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Story?</h3>
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There is just something about a thrilling, twisting Tudor suspense that lures me in every time and very few authors I have found do it quite as well as C.W. Gortner! While this final book in his Elizabeth I Spymaster Trilogy can easily be read on its own any reader who tries to do so will be doing themselves a disservice. This is a series to read from start to finish so you can fully appreciate and absorb Brendan Prescott's backstory and the revelations, actions and loses that lead him to what happens in The Tudor Vendetta. It wasn't until I immersed myself in this book that I remembered all that had come before and how much I had missed his adventures as well as the characters lost already.<br />
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From page one the intrigues and constant subterfuge are already in full swing and there isn't a slow moment until you turn the final page. One of the things I love most about this series is the chance to get a behind-the-scenes view of how Tudor spies were trained and worked and exactly what dangers and precautions they had to learn to handle if they were to stay alive in that ever shifting game of power. Even as the masters in the spy game - Walsingham and Cecil - work to protect Brendan and train him to best serve them the reader is never quite sure whether they can be trusted and exactly what the end game they are going for will be. And this skepticism doesn't end with these men....everyone seems suspect and I couldn't help myself from feeling that delicious sense of suspicion as I fought to figure out who was really foe and kept turning the pages so I could get to the next twist in the road. I am happy to say that, while I had a little inkling of some of what would end up being revealed, many of the secrets came as a complete surprise and I was left gasping along with Brendan when it all became perfectly clear. <br />
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Something else I love about this series is the fact that, while the dangerous world of the court and all that Elizabeth had to overcome and survive to become Queen are a big part, the real meat of the story is Brendan's struggles reconciling the way he was raised against how he should have been treated given his discovery of who he really is and his continual struggle between his duties to Elizabeth and his love for Kate Stafford, one of her ladies-in-waiting. You can really feel his internal battles and his desolation at trying to do the right thing and make the right choices and often, in his opinion, coming up wanting. He is a strong, caring and loyal character and I really will miss him now that his story is over.<br />
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With all the above being said the absolute delight of The Tudor Vendetta is the mystery surrounding Lady Parry's disappearance and what those at Vaughan Hall (the crumbling sea-side manor mentioned in the synopsis) are hiding. This aspect of the story had a very old fashioned murder mystery feel to it and I so enjoyed the immersion in this dilapidated manor and the sinister feeling overhanging all that happened there as Brendan fought to figure out exactly what was going on before more people disappeared or worse. The reader is kept guessing at all the mysteries and, for me, this really elevated and changed up what could have otherwise been a more typical Tudor historical.<br />
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Without giving too much away the ending was just perfect to me and I could not help tearing up a little as I turned that final page. While I am very sad to see the series end it wraps up wonderfully and the reader is left fully satisfied with the journey they have been on with Brendan and the other characters. Anyone who loves a story with strong characters and lots of twists and turns will eat this up. Anyone who also loves a novel set in Tudor times needs to pick these books up now!<br />
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<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Cover?</h3>
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It's okay. While it gives you that sense of isolation and mystery that permeates the novel I would have preferred more color or action given how exhilarating the story is. Maybe a dark shadow hanging over Brendan as he searches to uncover what happened to Lady Parry around the disintegrating world of the manor.<br />
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<strong><u></u></strong><br />
<strong><u>My Rating: 5.0/5.0</u></strong> <br />
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<strong><em>Thank you to Amy at </em></strong><a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="color: #990000;">Historical Fiction Virtual Book
Tours</span></em></strong></a><strong><em> for providing me with a free copy
of The Tudor Vendetta in exchange for an honest review! Make sure to continue
below for more information about the book, the author and how to enter the tour-wide giveaway of a complete set of the trilogy
!</em></strong></div>
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Praise for The Tudor Vendetta</h3>
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“Fast paced and exciting, with a most engaging hero . . . So vivid, you feel are there!” – Diana Gabaldon, bestselling author of the Outlander series<br />
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“C.W. Gortner has done it again! Full of breathtaking action, dark twists and unexpected revelations, this is an unputdownable read.” – Michelle Moran, bestselling author of Madame Tussaud<br />
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“Suspense, intrigue, betrayal and deadly rivalry: What more can you ask for? A swashbuckling, perilous adventure.” – M.J. Rose, bestselling author of The Reincarnationist</div>
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<br />
<h3>
Buy the Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tudor-Vendetta-Elizabeth-Spymaster-Chronicles/dp/0312658583/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397582283&sr=1-1&keywords=the+tudor+vendetta" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tudor-vendetta-c-w-gortner/1118139041?ean=9780312658588" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Barnes & Noble</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780312658588" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> IndieBound</span></a><br />
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<br />
<h3>
About the Author</h3>
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C.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.<br />
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After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, <br />
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freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels.<br />
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In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences in the US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding.<br />
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C.W. recently completed his fourth novel for Ballantine Books, about Lucrezia Borgia; the third novel in his Tudor Spymaster series for St Martin’s Press; and a new novel about the dramatic, glamorous life of Coco Chanel, scheduled for lead title publication by William Morrow, Harper Collins, in the spring of 2015.<br />
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Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats.<br />
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For more information please visit C.W. Gortner’s <a href="http://cwgortner.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a> and <a href="http://historicalboys.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">blog</span></a>. You can also connect with him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CWGortner" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/cwgortner" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/169656.C_W_Gortner" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Goodreads</span></a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/cwgortner/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Pinterest</span></a>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/cwgortner" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">YouTube</span></a>.<br />
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<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Giveaway Details </h3>
<br />
To win a complete set of CW Gortner’s Spymaster Chronicles Trilogy please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form <a href="https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MzUyMmRmMzEyNWJhM2M1M2I1ZjgwZmVmZGZmMTBiOjIwMA==/" target="_blank">HERE</a> . <br />
<br />
Giveaway is open to US residents only.<br />
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Giveaway ends at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579715192" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">11:59pm on November 28th</span></span></span>. You must be 18 or older to enter.<br />
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Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579715193" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">November 29th</span></span></span> and notified via email.<br />
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Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.<br />
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The Tudor Vendetta Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 20</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Maiden’s Court</span></a><br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mina’s Bookshelf</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, October 21</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://www.historicalfictionobsession.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Obsession</span></a><br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, October 22</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Back Porchervations</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Always With a Books</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, October 23</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, October 24</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://bibliophiliaplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bibliophilia, Please</span></a><br />
Interview at <a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Back Porchervations</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 27</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://julzreads.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">JulzReads</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://queenofallshereads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Queen of All She Reads</span></a><br />
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tuesday, October 28</span></strong><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Beth’s Book Reviews</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://expatiatemiscellanarian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bibliotaph’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, October 29</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://tbmarkinson.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Making My Mark</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://writingren.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Writing the Renaissance</span></a><br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookish</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, October 30</strong></span><br />
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Review & Guest Post at <a href="http://dreyslibrary.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Drey’s Library</span></a><br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://copperfieldreview.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Copperfield Review</span></a> & <a href="http://www.meredithallard.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">From Meredith Allard</span></a><br />
Interview at <a href="http://writingren.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Writing the Renaissance</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, October 31</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://pagebypagebookbybook.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book by Book</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 3</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://marireads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mari Reads</span></a><br />
Review & Gues Post at <a href="http://jmledwellwrites.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">JM Ledwell Writes</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, November 4</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, November 5</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://onebooktime.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">One Book at a Time</span></a><br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, November 6</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://booktalkandmore.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Booktalk & More</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, November 7</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://buildabookshelf.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Build a Bookshelf</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 10</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Oh, for the Hook of a Book!</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, November 11</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://abookgeek-llm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Book Geek</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://thelitbitch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Lit Bitch</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, November 12</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Chick Who Reads</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, November 13</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://agelesspagesreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Ageless Pages Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, November 14</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://paranormal-bookclub.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Paranormal Book Club</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 17</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://brokenteepee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Broken Teepee</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://princessofeboligossipcorner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Never-Ending Book</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, November 18</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://somanybookssolittletimeblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">So Many Books, So Little Time</span></a><br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">What is That Book About</span></a><br />
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Wednesday, November 19</span></strong><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://www.kateforsyth.com.au/BlogRetrieve.aspx?BlogID=4990" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Kate Forsyth’s Blog</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, November 20</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://thetudorenthusiast.weebly.com/my-tudor-blog.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Tudor Enthusiast</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, November 21</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://griperangsbookmarks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Griperang’s Bookmarks</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 24</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://jorielovesastory.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Jorie Loves a Story</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The True Book Addict</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579715189" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579715189" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 25</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://www.hf-connection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Connection</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579715190" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579715190" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 26</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579715191" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1579715191" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 28</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.booksintheburbs.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Books in the Burbs</span></a><br />
Interview at <a href="http://jorielovesastory.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Jorie Loves a Story</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-83128371619611119052014-11-20T03:00:00.000+00:002014-11-20T03:00:00.286+00:00Guest Post: Naomi Jacob - Author of The Founder of the House<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The author Naomi Jacob led a life that was every bit as interesting and eventful as those of her characters. In fact it was her own family background which influenced her most popular and well-known work - the seven volume historical family series The Gollantz Saga.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Jacob's paternal grandfather was a Jewish tailor who had escaped the pogroms of Western Prussia to settle in England, while her mother's father was a Yorkshireman who was twice the mayor of Ripon. The experience of this mixed heritage shaped her saga of the Gollantz family, whose founding father moves from eighteenth-century continental Europe to start a business and family in London. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">The author's own emigration was from England to Italy. After suffering with tuberculosis for many years, she moved to Sirmione on Lake Garda to benefit from the milder climate.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">The Gollantzes' story begins with </span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">The Founder of the House</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">, which introduces us to Emmanuel Gollantz. His father, Hermann, is an antiques dealer who lives according to the principles of loyalty, honesty and honour instilled in him as a child. But his wife's calculating family exploit this idealism, threatening Hermann's professional and personal positions. Set mostly in nineteenth century Paris and Vienna, <i>The Founder of the House</i> makes reference throughout to the real-life famous people of the day, including Napoleon, Prince Metternich and Strauss. Naomi Jacob was no stranger to the celebrated people of her own time. Not only was she a bestselling author, she also had success as a character actor. She worked and socialised with household names such as John Geilgud (starring opposite him in the West End), the Du Mauriers, Henry Irving, Marie Lloyd and Sarah Bernhardt. Jacob also established a life-long friendship with the novelist Radclyffe Hall, after appearing for the defence in the obscenity trial of <i>The Well of Loneliness</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Vienna, the Gollantz family are well-regarded but are barred from high society because they are Jewish. Emmanuel, therefore, takes a great risk when he embarks upon a love affair with a member of the inner circle of the Viennese Court. Although she was raised in the Church of England, and then converted to Roman Catholicism, Jacob was proud of her Jewish heritage, and fought against anti-Semitism in her life and work. In 1935 she returned an award for one of her novels when she learned that another recipient was Adolf Hitler. At the end of the Second World War, she helped the many Jewish refugees in her home town of Sirmione.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">The Founder of the House</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> is an insightful and entertaining tale about family ties and rivalries, love and ambition. It is told with the candour and wit which were the author's trademarks. The Gollantz Saga is being reissued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the author's death, so this is a fitting time for readers to rediscover her engaging chronicle of family life.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can read more about Naomi Jacob at </span><a href="http://www.naomijacob.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;">www.naomijacob.com</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<strong>Publication Date: August 23, 2014</strong><a href="http://www.greatstorieswithheart.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><strong>Corazon Books</strong></span></a><br /><strong> eBook; 320p<br /> ASIN: B00MZZDHMQ </strong></div>
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<strong>Genre: Historical Fiction</strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Set in nineteenth century Paris, Vienna and London, this is a novel about family ties and rivalries, love and ambition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Founder of the House introduces us to Emmanuel Gollantz, the son of a Jewish antique dealer, Hermann Gollantz.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hermann lives his life according to the principles of loyalty, honesty and honour instilled in him as a child. But these ideals are ruthlessly exploited by his wife’s family, threatening everything that is important to him. Protecting his beloved wife, Rachel, from the truth carries a great cost.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As a young man, Emmanuel, becomes involved with the inner circle of the Viennese Court, where his passion for the married baroness, Caroline Lukoes, has far-reaching consequences both for himself and the House of Gollantz.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Founder of the House is the first book in the bestselling Gollantz Saga – an historical family saga tracing the lives and loves of the Gollantz family over several generations. This seven-novel series explores how one family’s destiny is shaped by the politics and attitudes of the time, as well as by the choices and actions of its own members.</span> <br />
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The Gollantz Saga Titles</h3>
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Book One: Founder of the House<br /> Book Two: That Wild Lie<br /> Book Three: Young Emmanuel<br /> Book Four: Four Generations<br /> Book Five: Private Gollantz<br /> Book Six: Gollantz: London, Paris, Milan<br /> Book Seven: Gollantz & Partners<br />
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Praise for the Gollantz Saga</h3>
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“Recommended. Ms Jacob writes skilfully and with that fine professional assurance we have come to expect of her.” The Times<br />
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“Impressive.” London Evening Standard<br />
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“A good family chronicle.” Kirkus Reviews<br />
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“Besides the interest of the plot, Miss Jacob’s book has much to recommend it. The style of the novel is unimpeachable, marked by sincerity, dignity and a sense of the dramatic. I can safely recommend <br />
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“The Founder of the House.” Western Mail (Perth)<br />
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Buy the eBook</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Founder-House-Gollantz-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B00MZZDHMQ" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Founder-House-Gollantz-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B00MZZDHMQ/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Amazon UK</span></a><br />
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About the Author</h3>
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Naomi Jacob (1884-1964) was a prolific author, biographer and broadcaster. She is perhaps best known for her bestselling seven-novel series, The Gollantz Saga, which traces several generations of the Gollantz family in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.<br />
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Jacob had a mixed heritage, which influenced her life and work. Her paternal grandfather was a Jewish tailor who had escaped the pogroms of Western Prussia and settled in England, while her mother’s family had strong Yorkshire roots. Her maternal grandfather was the two-time mayor of Ripon in Yorkshire. He also owned a hotel in the town. Her father was headmaster of the local school.<br />
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Jacob loved the theatre and became a character actress on stage and in film, notably opposite John Geilgud in The Ringer (1936). She also associated with the Du Mauriers, Henry Irving, Marie Lloyd and Sarah Bernhardt.<br />
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She published her first novel, “Jacob Usher” in 1925. It became a bestseller.<br />
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In 1928 she appeared for the defence of Radclyffe Hall’s “The Well of Loneliness”, and developed a friendship with Hall and her companion Una Troubridge.<br />
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After suffering with tuberculosis, in 1930 she left England for Italy, where she lived for most of the rest of her life. She lived in a villa in Sirmione on Lake Garda, which she called “Casa Mickie” (she was known to friends and family as “Mickie”).<br />
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In 1935 she was awarded the Eichelberger International Humane Award, for outstanding achievement in the field of humane endeavour, for her novel “Honour Come Back”. She rejected the award when she discovered that another recipient of the award had been Adolf Hitler, for “Mein Kampf”.<br />
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Jacob was involved in politics – she stood as a Labour PPC (Prospective Parliamentary Candidate) and was a suffragette.<br />
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In 1940, she was evacuated back to England when Italy entered the Second World War. She joined the Entertainments National Service Association, becoming famous for her flamboyant appearance— crew cut hair, and wearing a monocle and First World War Women’s Legion uniform.<br />
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She returned to Sirmione before the end of the war, helping Jewish refugees in the town. Over the years, she frequently returned to the UK, and in the 1950s and early 1960s was regularly to be heard on the BBC radio programme “Woman’s Hour”.<br />
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She wrote the seven-novel Gollantz saga about several generations of a Jewish family, tracing their path from Vienna in the early nineteenth century to establishing a life and antique business in England in the twentieth century. It is a saga about family loyalty, honour and love, while also reflecting on the politics and ideals of the era.<br />
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The Founder of the House Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Monday, November 10</b></span><br /> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Tuesday, November 11</b></span><br /> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Oh, For the Hook of a Book</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Wednesday, November 12</b></span><br /> <br />
Excerpt at <a href="http://princessofeboligossipcorner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Never-Ending Book</span></a><br /> Spotlight at <a href="http://literarychanteuse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Literary Chanteuse</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Thursday, November 13</b></span><br /> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://www.madamegilflurt.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Madame Gilflurt</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Friday, November 14</b></span><br /> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Sunday, November 16</b></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://unshelfish.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unshelfish</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Monday, November 17</b></span><br /> <br />
Excerpt at <a href="http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mina’s Bookshelf</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374156" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374156" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 18</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mel’s Shelves</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374157" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374157" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 19</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374158" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374158" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 20</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374159" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374159" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Sunday, November 23</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://bibliophilesreverie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bibliophile’s Reverie</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374160" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374160" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 24</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374161" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374161" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 25</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Oh, For the Hook of a Book</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374162" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374162" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 26</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">What Is That Book About</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374163" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374163" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 27</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374164" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435374164" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 28</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review & Excerpt at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-7015231887662795212014-11-18T03:00:00.000+00:002014-11-18T03:00:00.937+00:00The Tiger Queens Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6NhsAvKYDaoeBKullsxANnEDEkP_c-XcUP4Vl0d_xV0kiVAjw66khHNOGnQaqxIB8mLMWD_CZtHZWWxe9AgCckcaDr3Sg86ys21kxH6l22rVIUpNiboWYpNk9p2Aoai9Cqq8izByFc5n/s1600/02_The+Tiger+Queens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6NhsAvKYDaoeBKullsxANnEDEkP_c-XcUP4Vl0d_xV0kiVAjw66khHNOGnQaqxIB8mLMWD_CZtHZWWxe9AgCckcaDr3Sg86ys21kxH6l22rVIUpNiboWYpNk9p2Aoai9Cqq8izByFc5n/s1600/02_The+Tiger+Queens.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a></div>
Publication Date: November 4, 2014<br />
NAL Trade<br />
Formats: eBook, Paperback<br />
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Genre: Historical Fiction<br />
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Synopsis</h3>
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In the late twelfth century on the sweeping Mongolian grasslands, following a violent feud between blood brothers, the victor Temujin ascends to power, declaring himself Genghis Khan. But behind one powerful man stand many strong women…<br />
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After her mother foretells an ominous future for her, darkness looms over Borte’s life. She becomes an outcast among her clan and after seeking comfort in the arms of an aristocratic traveler, she discovers he is the blood brother of Temujin, the man she was betrothed to years ago but who abandoned her long before they could marry. And he will only leave her behind again.<br />
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Temujin will make Borte his khatun, his queen, yet it will take many women to safeguard his fragile new empire. Their daughter, a fierce girl named Alaqai, will ride and shoot an arrow as well as any man. Fatima, an elegant Persian captive, seeks revenge against the Mongol barbarians who destroyed her city and murdered her family, but in the end will sacrifice everything to protect the Golden Family. Demure widow to Genghis’ son, Sorkhokhtani positions her sons to inherit the Empire when it begins to fracture from within.<br />
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As Genghis Khan sets out to expand his conquests and the steppes run red with blood, Borte and the women of the clan will fight, love, scheme, and sacrifice, all for the good of their family and the greatness of the People of the Felt Walls…<br />
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<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Story?</h3>
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Stephanie Thornton has become an author known for bringing to life the nearly forgotten stories of exceptional and courageous women from ancient history and, in the process, has become one of my all time favorite authors. I always know when she comes out with a new book that I need to set aside as much time as possible to dive deep into the world within the pages because once I plunge in I won't want to come out! Her newest novel, The Tiger Queens, is no exception and I am still reeling from the story now that I am through reading it.<br />
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While the most well known historical figure within the Tiger Queens is Genghis Khan, known to many armchair history buffs like me as a brutal conqueror who united many nomadic tribes into one unified empire and used vicious tactics and brute force to spread the boundaries of that empire to staggering proportions, the focus of The Tiger Queens is the women surrounding him who not only helped build that empire but keep it intact during his life and after his death. Ms. Thornton tells her story from the perspectives of four of these women: Borte, Genghis Khan's first wife and queen; Alaqai, their daughter; Fatima, a Persian woman captured when her city was destroyed by the Mongols; and Sorkhokhtani, wife of Genghis Khan's youngest son and the woman who would see the Empire continued when many others within this Golden Family would have caused its destruction. Using these four women as the storytellers not only gives a unique perspective to the life and conquests of this complicated historical man but advances the story across the years and lands of his rule in a delightful and unexpected way. They also make this terrifying man more human, showing him as a tender and understanding husband and a benevolent (if distant) father and father figure to his people. He is still the brutal warrior we all know but has a softer side I did not expect. <br />
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While all four of these women are remarkable there are a number of admirable secondary female (and a few male) characters that could have easily shared their stories and demonstrated their influences on the Mongolian Empire (such as my all time favorite character, Toregene, a noblewoman who married the Khan's son Ogodei and was as detrimental to the story as any other). The bravery, sacrifices and spirit of each and every one of these characters served to highlight their power and ability in the face of so many hardships. <br />
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Ms. Thornton's writing style is perfectly fitting for this world and the characters within it and her use of language and description are simply breathtaking. The reader is instantly on the steppes with the characters during the ferocious winters and searing summers and getting their hands dirty during the animal slaughters and on the battlefields. There is no shying away from the brutality of this world and this makes the reader feel that much more invested in the lives, decisions and actions of these women. I came away from the reading completely awed by their determination and endurance against a harsh and savage world. <br />
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Within the grimness of their lives, however, is a bonding and camaraderie between the women that most people can relate to and which served to, again, humanize a world most of us would not be able to imagine. These women are real and flawed, showing ambition and jealousy but also love, forgiveness and an understanding of obligation above their own selfish needs. Remarkable is too small a word for these people and I am grateful to Ms. Thornton for bringing their stories into the light and refusing to let them be forgotten by history while also making their stories accessible to everyone.<br />
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The Tiger Queens, like all of the author's novels, is a must read in my opinion. Combining historically accurate information about little known women (supported by the helpful author's note and cast of characters at the back of the book) with stellar storytelling to tie up the loose ends no longer known, we are once again able to witness the lives of people who set the foundation for what our world has become. <br />
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<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Cover?</h3>
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I absolutely adore it! The woman could be any of the strong and proud women found in the story and seems to encompass all of the characteristics I imagined they would have (except maybe Fatima). Getting to see the beautiful clothes, breathtaking yet dangerous landscape and the tents they lived in really helped solidify what was already quite clear from the marvelous descriptions given within the story. And I love the wild horses running through the background, not only because they are a huge part of the story but because they could represent the wild spirits of these brave women.<br />
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<strong><u>Rating: 5.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>Thank you to Amy at </em></strong><a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="color: #990000;">Historical
Fiction Virtual Book Tours</span></em></strong></a><strong><em> for providing me with a
free copy of The Tiger Queens in exchange for an honest review! Make sure to
continue below for more information about the book, the author and how to enter
to win a copy of your very own!</em></strong></div>
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Praise for The Tiger Queens</h3>
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“A gripping epic of sacrifice, revenge, and conquest…kept me riveted from beginning to end!” –Michelle Moran, bestselling author of The Second Empress</div>
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“From under the felted ger tents of Genghis Kahn emerge four powerful women. It is a testament to Thornton’s writing prowess that she can so intricately whittle heroines that are both compassionate and ruthless from the bones of our ancestors…a stunning achievement!” — Barbara Wood, New York Times bestselling author of The Serpent and the Staff and Rainbows on the Moon</div>
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“A vivid depiction of warrior women tough as the harsh, windswept steppes which nurtured them and who, as the warring Mongol clans battle for supremacy, survive… to ensure their men emerge the victors. Gripping stuff!” –Alex Rutherford, author of the Empire of the Moghul series</div>
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“A sprawling historical saga centering on the wives and daughters of Genghis Khan. These bold, courageous women make tremendous sacrifices in the face of danger, revenge and high-stakes survival, all in the name of family love and loyalty. Be prepared to be swept away by Thornton’s richly drawn epic of an empire and its generational shifts of power.” –Renee Rosen, author of Dollface and What the Lady Wants</div>
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“They were the Golden Family of Genghis Khan. Yet their lives were anything but golden as they struggled to hold together the very center of the largest empire the world has ever known. An empire that was built in one lifetime, and would have been destroyed in the next had it not been for the wives and daughters of the Great Khan. This is historical fiction at its finest.” — Gary Corby, author of The Marathon Conspiracy</div>
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“Three generations of strong women live, love, suffer, and triumph in a fresh and gritty setting—Genghis Khan’s forging of an empire in thirteenth century Mongolia. Marginalized in most histories, these Mongol mothers and daughters, empresses and slaves, claim their voices again in Stephanie Thornton’s The Tiger Queens. Unusual and imaginative!” –Elizabeth Loupas, author of The Second Duchess and The Red Lily Crown</div>
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“Stunning. The Tiger Queens sweeps the reader into the ruthless world of Genghis Khan’s wives and daughters with a gritty realism as intense as the eternal blue sky and blood-soaked steppes. Vivid characterization and top-notch writing. This story of strong women, their enduring friendships and passions give a rare glimpse into a shadowy period of history. A worthy successor to Taylor Caldwell’s The Earth is the Lord’s.” –Judith E. French, author of The Conqueror, The Barbarian, and The Warrior</div>
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Buy The Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451417801/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0451417801&linkCode=am2&tag=pgus-20" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon</span></a><br />
<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=eV0dE4uOcLU&subid=&offerid=239662.1&type=10&tmpid=8433&u1=pgus&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%252Fean%252F9780451417800" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Tiger-Queens-Stephanie-Thornton/9780451417800" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Depository</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-6051378-10876509?sid=pgus&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booksamillion.com%2Fsearch?query=9780451417800&where=isbn" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Books-a-Million</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780451417800?aff=PenguinGroupUS" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">IndieBound</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.powells.com/partner/36749/biblio/9780451417800?campaign=pgus" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Powell’s</span></a></div>
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<h3>
About the Author</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDveI9xSMSFKp3OivMesoT6HaPjIz3liVVur2TcJzSa2vPOiPNMrYGX7GY2zZftp__uauGlXGzaEVBwf_ZugQYsSErxDE20-mgj5tmCmoHWsN_5pxdAHJlsef3VfIt8WGNcl_G0nFs9HA/s1600/03_Stephanie+Thornton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDveI9xSMSFKp3OivMesoT6HaPjIz3liVVur2TcJzSa2vPOiPNMrYGX7GY2zZftp__uauGlXGzaEVBwf_ZugQYsSErxDE20-mgj5tmCmoHWsN_5pxdAHJlsef3VfIt8WGNcl_G0nFs9HA/s1600/03_Stephanie+Thornton.jpg" /></a><br />
Stephanie Thornton is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with infamous women from ancient history since she was twelve. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska, where <br />
she is at work on her next novel.<br />
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“The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora” and “Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt” are available from NAL/Penguin. “The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan” will hit the shelves November 4, 2014, followed by “The Conqueror’s Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great” in November 2015.<br />
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For more information please visit Stephanie Thornton’s <a href="http://www.stephanie-thornton.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a> and <a href="http://www.stephanie-thornton.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">blog</span></a>. You can also find her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorStephanieThornton" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/StephMThornton" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>, and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/StephanieThornton" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Goodreads</span></a>.<br />
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Giveaway Time!!</h3>
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<strong><em>For a chance to win a paperback copy of The Tiger Queens
(U.S. only!) leave a comment below telling me what woman or women from history you would love to see the heroine of her/their own novel. Be
sure to leave your email address (no email address/no entry!). For extra entries
share this review/giveaway online and leave a separate comment with a link to
where you shared. That's it! I'll pick a winner on November 25th and the winner
will have 48 hours to respond to my email before I have to pick another winner.
Good luck everyone!</em></strong></div>
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The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Saturday, November 1</strong></span><br />
Interview & Giveaway at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Sunday, November 2</strong></span><br />
Review at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 3</strong></span><br />
Review at <a href="http://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Oh, for the Hook of a Book</span></a><br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Peeking Between the Pages</span></a><br />
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<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tuesday, November 4</span></strong><br />
Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, November 5</strong></span><br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://brokenteepee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Broken Teepee</span></a><br />
Interview at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, November 6</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://carrieslager.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Mad Reviewer</span></a><br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Peeking Between the Pages</span></a><br />
Interview at <a href="http://jorielovesastory.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Jorie Loves a Story</span></a><br />
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<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Friday, November 7</span></strong><br />
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Review at <a href="http://jorielovesastory.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Jorie Loves a Story</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Scandalous Women</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 10</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Reading the Past</span></a><br />
Guest Post & Giveaway at <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/enchantressblogtour/" target="_blank" title="HFVBT Presents Maggie Anton’s Enchantress Blog Tour, October 6-30"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Connection</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, November 11</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</span></a><br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://bookloversparadise.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Lovers Paradise</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, November 12</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, November 13</strong></span><br />
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Guest Post & Giveaway at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, November 14</strong></span><br />
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Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The True Book Addict</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 17</strong></span><br />
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Review at <a href="http://www.turningthepagesx.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Turning the Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373968" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373968" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 18</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373969" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373969" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 19</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://thelitbitch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Lit Bitch</span></a><br />
Interview & Giveaway at <a href="http://unabridged-expression.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unabridged Chick</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373970" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373970" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 20</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://layeredpages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Layered Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373971" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373971" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 21</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373972" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373972" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 24</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://readinglark.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Reading Lark</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373973" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373973" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 25</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Maiden’s Court</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373974" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373974" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 26</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://wtfareyoureading.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">WTF Are You Reading?</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373975" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1435373975" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 28</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Babe</span></a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-60055962219094084142014-11-17T16:25:00.000+00:002014-11-17T16:25:00.086+00:00The Bitter Trade by Piers Alexander<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PywzitSnRkiCE16AC9h8G0KvUzWOYCXkn6hTEjjnZK8kx9ljKYZFpDP92QQXBSJiw7y4dWnrt2o1hvaOahNHFb78-waqmMlJevut6XRIDwCCy69p6yT5fXcJ5qjzaEUuG_PTGdnrBuQ/s1600/02_The+Bitter+Trade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PywzitSnRkiCE16AC9h8G0KvUzWOYCXkn6hTEjjnZK8kx9ljKYZFpDP92QQXBSJiw7y4dWnrt2o1hvaOahNHFb78-waqmMlJevut6XRIDwCCy69p6yT5fXcJ5qjzaEUuG_PTGdnrBuQ/s1600/02_The+Bitter+Trade.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a>I was drawn to this book by the cover and having read the synopis expected a book about the importation of coffee in the seventeenth century.<br />
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Instead the book was about a young man, called Calumny living with his family in rural England during the terbulance of the seventeenth century, the removal of James II and the installation of William of Orange.<br />
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Calumny has a hatred for his father, He can not understand why they live in the middle of nowhere, why he can not read and why he not allowed to learn a trade that will enable him to leave his family home and become his own person.<br />
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Very little is known of his father's background, but before long a visitor from his father's past arrives and with them a set of decisions to be made and Calumny has to find a way to undestand and deal with the secrets of his father.<br />
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Overall, I was a little disappointed there was not more details of coffee trading, but overall this was a good storyline. There was a little disjoinedness between the historical facts, but nonetheless this was an enjoyable read and this is a book I would recommend and I am looking forward to the sequel.<br />
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To whet your appetite here is an <b>excerpt from the book</b><br />
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<i>"In 1688, torn by rebellions, England lives under the threat of a Dutch invasion. Redheaded Calumny Spinks is the lowliest man in an Essex backwater: half-French and still unapprenticed at seventeen, yet he dreams of wealth and title.<br /><br />When his father’s violent past resurfaces, Calumny’s desperation leads him to flee to London and become a coffee racketeer. He has just three months to pay off a blackmailer and save his father’s life – but his ambition and talent for mimicry pull him into a conspiracy against the King himself. Cal’s journey takes him from the tough life of Huguenot silk weavers to the vicious intrigues at Court. As the illicit trader Benjamin de Corvis and his controlling daughter Emilia pull him into their plots, and his lover Violet Fintry is threatened by impending war, Cal is forced to choose between his conscience and his dream of becoming Mister Calumny Spinks."</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8a9iWh4fZuALtiWA9yAhLdm8ZG0KeTnE-PgaLhhZjbP8PTZf3dhi3EsrY7zepYtNvCEt1M362qTyDAjhSfetz3CBhcXVZSWo2ScNYZAPHEU8icukTSEt70CIuUX7hrQq7rBfKxpD83s/s1600/03_Piers+Alexander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8a9iWh4fZuALtiWA9yAhLdm8ZG0KeTnE-PgaLhhZjbP8PTZf3dhi3EsrY7zepYtNvCEt1M362qTyDAjhSfetz3CBhcXVZSWo2ScNYZAPHEU8icukTSEt70CIuUX7hrQq7rBfKxpD83s/s1600/03_Piers+Alexander.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><b>About the author.</b><br />
This is a debut novel from Piers Alexander and you can read a little about him as well as following via various social media channels.</div>
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Piers Alexander is an author and serial entrepreneur. After a successful career as CEO of media and events companies he became a Co-Founder and Chairman of three start-up businesses. In 2013 he was awarded the PEN Factor Prize for The Bitter Trade. He is currently working on the sequel, Scatterwood, set in Jamaica in 1692.<br />
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For more information visit Piers Alexander’s <a href="http://www.piersalexander.com/">website</a>. You can also find him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thebittertrade">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/thebittertrade">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8087997.Piers_Alexander">Goodreads</a>.</div>
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The Bitter Trade has been on a book tour for the last month and today marks the end of the tour. You can read the reviews from other readers by clicking the relevant links below:<br />
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<strong>Monday, October 13</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Back Porchervations</a></div>
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Spotlight at <a href="http://literarychanteuse.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Literary Chanteuse</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, October 14</strong></div>
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Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://passagestothepast.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Passages to the Past</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, October 15</strong></div>
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Interview at <a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Back Porchervations</a></div>
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Guest Post at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Historical Tapestry</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, October 16</strong></div>
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Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Peeking Between the Pages</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, October 20</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Flashlight Commentary</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, October 21</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Oh, For the Hook of a Book!</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, October 22</strong></div>
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Interview at <a href="http://www.hookofabook.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Oh, For the Hook of a Book!</a></div>
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<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Thursday, October 23</span></strong></div>
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Guest Post at <a href="http://www.hf-connection.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Historical Fiction Connection</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, October 28</strong></div>
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Spotlight at <a href="http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">What Is That Book About</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, October 29</strong></div>
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Spotlight at <a href="http://unshelfish.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Unshelfish</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, October 30</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://brokenteepee.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Broken Teepee</a></div>
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<strong>Saturday, November 1</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, November 3</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://pagebypagebookbybook.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Book by Book</a></div>
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Review & Interview at <a href="http://dabofdarkness.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Dab of Darkness</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, November 4</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Just One More Chapter</a></div>
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Spotlight at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">CelticLady’s Reviews</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, November 5</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://www.turningthepagesx.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Turning the Pages</a></div>
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Guest Post at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Just One More Chapter</a></div>
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<strong>Thursday, November 6</strong></div>
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Spotlight at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Let Them Read Books</a></div>
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<strong>Monday, November 10</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://abookgeek-llm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">A Book Geek</a></div>
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<strong>Tuesday, November 11</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Book Nerd</a></div>
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<strong>Wednesday, November 12</strong></div>
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Spotlight at <a href="http://layeredpages.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Layered Pages</a></div>
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<strong>Friday, November 14</strong></div>
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Review at <a href="http://anglersrest.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Anglers Rest</a></div>
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Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Booklover Book Reviews</a></div>
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The book tour was hosted by Amy at <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/" target="_blank">Historical Fiction Book Tours</a> and this review appearred at <a href="http://www.anglersrest.net/">Anglers Rest</a> last week.</div>
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Julie Goucherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368170005503879489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-41356992207008882162014-11-14T03:00:00.000+00:002014-11-14T03:00:00.457+00:00The Facts Behind The Ripper's Wife: Guest Post by Brandy Purdy<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong>If you read my review of </strong></em><a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-rippers-wife-by-brandy-purdy-blog.html" target="_blank"><em><strong>The Ripper's Wife</strong></em></a><em><strong> a few days ago you might have noticed that my only complaint was that there was no author's note included in the back of the book explaining what was fact and what was fiction in this incredible story of how love, addiction, pride and jealousy can bring people to do extraordinary - and sometimes heinous - things. Well, much to my happy surprise, author Brandy Purdy contacted me and offered to do a guest post explaining the facts behind the Maybrick's volatile life and how James Maybrick is tied to that infamous murderer Jack the Ripper. She also supplied some wonderful photos of the Maybricks which really help bring them to life. So, without further ado, Brandy Purdy...</strong></em></div>
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In 1993 an intriguing document came to light that claimed to
be the diary of Jack the Ripper. It gave the killer a name—James Maybrick—and a
motive—the adultery of his wife. As I read the transcript, which is published
in full and analyzed in The Diary of Jack the Ripper by Shirley Harrison, I vividly
remember thinking “I don’t know whether this is true or not, but this would
make a great novel, and I want to be the one to write it.” And that’s how the idea
of The Ripper’s Wife was born.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Though never previously a Ripper suspect, James Maybrick’s
name was already well known to crime buffs. His beautiful and flirtatious young
wife, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>,
stood trial in 1889 for allegedly murdering her husband with a fatal dose of
arsenic. The trial was a media circus with interest in Mrs. Maybrick’s adultery
often eclipsing the pivotal question of her guilt. Even the judge waved aside
the complex medical testimony in favor of more titillating testimony about her
extramarital peccadilloes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9K82wyuLkBzFO1FCjUX2F4YV8U2Iv9P4sGGWWksxULGtm9rrOXOPgKPH1yxEeZ1lBGoI9AfPNx8xu5NH8otskW7MgdDDUFGSYW_CyGWc0Jwuk3JFUx3gd7ab4Zmg-3jssUNGC8CkXCXR/s1600/Florence+Maybrick+in+black+lace+gown+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9K82wyuLkBzFO1FCjUX2F4YV8U2Iv9P4sGGWWksxULGtm9rrOXOPgKPH1yxEeZ1lBGoI9AfPNx8xu5NH8otskW7MgdDDUFGSYW_CyGWc0Jwuk3JFUx3gd7ab4Zmg-3jssUNGC8CkXCXR/s200/Florence+Maybrick+in+black+lace+gown+(1).JPG" width="105" /></a>I saw Florence Maybrick as the real life incarnation of
Bluebeard’s <o:p></o:p><br />
Bride, whether her husband was Jack the Ripper or not, her fairy
tale life literally turned into a horror story. In 1880 this rather naïve eighteen-year-old
Southern belle who lived for parties and pretty clothes—think Clueless in
Victorian garb and you’ve got Florie’s personality down pat—was traveling with
her family on a White Star liner and fell head over heels in love with a man
she saw as the epitome of the elegant English gentleman. Despite the
twenty-four year age difference, James Maybrick was equally smitten with her
and they were married within a year. But after the honeymoon it all started to
crumble. <br />
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Neither of them had been completely honest with the other.
James Maybrick thought he was marrying an American heiress; in reality the
foundation of Florie’s fortune was about two million <br />
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acres of worthless
swampland. James represented himself as a wealthy man with a thriving cotton
brokerage, but he had serious business and money troubles that only got worse
in years to come. Soon the debts were piling up but the couple kept spending,
buying on credit, to keep appearances up. James also had a common-law wife and
five children by her, and he was a hypochondriac and a drug addict. His drug of
choice was arsenic, which many men of his time took, it was the Victorian
version of Viagra and an energy drink combined. Drug use may have fueled his
temper, and Florie became his punching bag, hiding the bruises behind carefully
applied cosmetics, and stoically enduring for the sake of the children while
consoling herself in the arms of other men and with lavish shopping sprees that
only added to their money woes. She definitely had an affair with one of he
husband’s business associates, Alfred Brierley, and there is reason to believe
there was also a dalliance with her husband’s younger brother, Edwin Maybrick.<br />
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After James Maybrick died in May 1889, Florie suddenly found
herself surrounded by enemies, accused of her husband’s murder, and all her
mistakes came back to slap her in the face. The truth is, no one knew then, or
knows for certainty now, how James Maybrick died. He had been abusing drugs<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s6aQG5Txmbv4_IlVdwX-rIu0IEoNobjegImI8qbrrzfoK-oL_gV9jjb0ARwVip6fBOAlMUArfDzQ-5Smu6pJsO9aoVGaj96GHD2KCf0dAW58NbDwtbZmhUt2A2dkxxzRDwb-wlr4aiGI/s1600/florence+maybrick++widow's%2Bweeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s6aQG5Txmbv4_IlVdwX-rIu0IEoNobjegImI8qbrrzfoK-oL_gV9jjb0ARwVip6fBOAlMUArfDzQ-5Smu6pJsO9aoVGaj96GHD2KCf0dAW58NbDwtbZmhUt2A2dkxxzRDwb-wlr4aiGI/s1600/florence+maybrick++widow's%2Bweeds.jpg" /></a> for
years and the doctors trying to treat his final illness administered several
medications and he may have secretly dosed himself during that final illness;
we do know he begged for the drugs he craved. But Florie bore the blame, and
after the Nanny revealed her adulterous liaison with Mr. Brierley everyone was
prepared to believe the worst, even innocent remarks and actions were twisted
into something sinister. Her trial was the Victorian equivalent of O.J.
Simpson, even in a world before television, radio, and internet, it was
everywhere, there was no escaping it, and everyone had an opinion. To save
face, even beyond the grave, James’s brothers lied on the witness stand and
denied his drug addiction and his sexual indiscretions were swept under the
carpet. The end result was a grave miscarriage of justice; Florence Maybrick
became a tragic victim of Victorian hypocrisy, and was found guilty of murder
and condemned to death. In those days, there was no court of appeal for murder
cases, so her only hope was a royal pardon, and Queen Victoria was firmly convinced that Mrs. Maybrick was a very wicked woman who deserved death. But a huge public outcry finally swayed the powers that be to commute the sentence to one of life imprisonment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZumb7mh_76i238k7rKk34xuRdskZgYd4Zw80QgbZX2AhgCx8d0Fddz9HGGxS3Xl53P8DIqa7YszV3jI3CExvhyphenhyphenvr_lagxl_Po0gJTmZPq1to80EvAVcy0Gq6OLpNFcYt4aHSWyrTzcWHl/s1600/florence-maybrick+lecture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZumb7mh_76i238k7rKk34xuRdskZgYd4Zw80QgbZX2AhgCx8d0Fddz9HGGxS3Xl53P8DIqa7YszV3jI3CExvhyphenhyphenvr_lagxl_Po0gJTmZPq1to80EvAVcy0Gq6OLpNFcYt4aHSWyrTzcWHl/s200/florence-maybrick+lecture.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPQXMKEbXg7eVKsFWHqWN9r_ojTJWUb1Al07a3S_NrYsbn1CsJwPlBiXWeozoyfYqoijN_1ngzSzaaxqDnpqWEwFbznQBix2lqG23rjPN2rnzzCjcI3Nt3Xspz292rJOV0rUPIftYPCaj/s1600/maybrickchildrenboboandgladys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPQXMKEbXg7eVKsFWHqWN9r_ojTJWUb1Al07a3S_NrYsbn1CsJwPlBiXWeozoyfYqoijN_1ngzSzaaxqDnpqWEwFbznQBix2lqG23rjPN2rnzzCjcI3Nt3Xspz292rJOV0rUPIftYPCaj/s200/maybrickchildrenboboandgladys.JPG" width="148" /></a>But interest in the case did not die. Millions of people
signed petitions to set Mrs. Maybrick free. After fifteen years, and the death of Queen<st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Victoria</st1:place></st1:state>,
that is what finally happened in 1904. But Florie had already lost everything
that mattered. Her youth was gone. Her children had turned their backs on her,
their adopted parents and uncles had brought them up to believe in their
mother’s guilt. Florie returned to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> and tried to make a living
by writing a book and going on the lecture circuit, but it didn’t last. She
became an eccentric drifter, a Southern lady relying on the kindness of
strangers, who eventually found that cats made better companions than any of
the people she had ever known. She died a pauper in 1941.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNGBbvvBA4Ghdfc905QzgIroKddfIFovC_GbeDRERU57TfW5ocK0NQVpNd4Ox7T44i5ZnrA5CZu0DZDjUWzpJaKdPBwSi29vi6WYvEtvgl7f1vFWPLM_hErsAi6UzggmS971_5sqPHzTG/s1600/Florencemaybrickoldage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNGBbvvBA4Ghdfc905QzgIroKddfIFovC_GbeDRERU57TfW5ocK0NQVpNd4Ox7T44i5ZnrA5CZu0DZDjUWzpJaKdPBwSi29vi6WYvEtvgl7f1vFWPLM_hErsAi6UzggmS971_5sqPHzTG/s320/Florencemaybrickoldage.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
As for the Jack the Ripper connection, the jury is still
out. The authenticity of the diary remains a subject of hot debate and unless obvious
proof one way or the other is found that will probably never change. But it
makes a good story. I’m so glad I finally had the chance to tell it. As with
any novel, creative liberties have been taken, but the basic framework is the
truth as it has come down to us entwined with the terrible tale of abuse,
madness, and carnage told in the pages of the Ripper Diary, the rest is my
embroidery.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em></em></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Thank you so much, Brandy, for this exciting and informative guest post! This definitely sounds like a case of the truth being better than any fiction. Florie's story is a tragic one, whether or not James was Jack the Ripper, and I am so glad you have shared her story with all your readers!</em></strong></div>
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<strong><em></em></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Everyone please remember that you can enter to win a copy of The Ripper's Wife by commenting on my review <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-rippers-wife-by-brandy-purdy-blog.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I will pick a winner on Tuesday, November 18th so hurry and get your entry in! </strong></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-90361992713242739712014-11-13T03:00:00.000+00:002014-11-13T03:00:00.724+00:00Spotlight on Fire & Sword by Louise Turner Plus Giveaway!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKE0cDXInugphNyEbeFQ5reewdZLbGmQ1Y47XeGkiQHsT7lpl4VIZJN8NavJ6WOhFMjdBFJ11ClxUWzJg2XpDg_M7mS0GqIjpbgopKcjGB-em-OgUwD-8VGWea-tPcZgEEjjRaL3UPGiK/s1600/Fire&SwordCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKE0cDXInugphNyEbeFQ5reewdZLbGmQ1Y47XeGkiQHsT7lpl4VIZJN8NavJ6WOhFMjdBFJ11ClxUWzJg2XpDg_M7mS0GqIjpbgopKcjGB-em-OgUwD-8VGWea-tPcZgEEjjRaL3UPGiK/s1600/Fire&SwordCover.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a>Publication Date: September 19, 2013<br />
Hadley Rille Books<br />
Formats: eBook, Paperback <br />
<br />
Genre: Historical Fiction<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.louiseturner.co.uk/fire-sword/preview-fire-sword-chapter-1/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">READ AN EXCERPT</span></a><br />
<br />
On the <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935428" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">11th June</span></span></span> in 1488, two armies meet in battle at Sauchieburn, near Stirling. One fights for King James the Third of Scotland, the other is loyal to his eldest son, Prince James, Duke of Rothesay.<br />
<br />
Soon, James the Third is dead, murdered as he flees the field. His army is routed. Among the dead is Sir Thomas Sempill of Ellestoun, Sheriff of Renfrew, whose son and heir, John, escapes with his life.<br />
<br />
Once John’s career as knight and courtier seemed assured. But with the death of his king, his situation is fragile. He’s the only surviving son of the Sempill line and he’s unmarried. If he hopes to survive, John must try and win favour with the new king.<br />
<br />
And deal with the ruthless and powerful Lord Montgomerie…<br />
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<br />
<h3>
Praise for Fire & Sword</h3>
<br />
<br />
“The book is brutal in places and left me at times emotionally drained. But that just shows that I came to care about the characters. Recommended.” (Historical Novel Review, May 2014)<br />
“Louise Turner skillfully brings to life the conflict-ridden world of 15th century Scotland… A fantastic debut, recommended for all fans of historical fiction, medieval times, and romance.” (Karin Gastreich, Author of Eolyn)<br />
“If you like historical novels to be well-researched and well-written with a host of believable, three-dimensional characters, look no further than “Fire and Sword”.” (Juliet Waldron, Author of Mozart’s Wife)<br />
“Louise Turner skillfully brings to life the conflict-ridden world of 15th century Scotland. Based on the true story of John Sempill, the narrative takes us from near ruin to an uneasy but satisfying final triumph. Thomas is a wonderfully flawed character, not your typical knight-in-shining-armor, but a young man plagued by uncertainty, prone to dark moods, and keenly aware of the ax hanging over his head. Hugh Montgomery, at once John’s nemesis and eventual ally, is simply delightful in his charisma and ruthlessness. The principle women of the story, Mary, Margaret, and Helen, bring fresh and varied perspectives to the events at hand, each one admirable in her own way. Honestly, I found nothing to complain about in this novel. It is expertly written, kept me turning the pages and reading late into the night. A fantastic debut, recommended for all fans of historical fiction, medieval times, and romance. I look forward to seeing what Turner has to offer next.” – Karin Rita Gastrich, Amazon Reviewer<br />
<br />
<h3>
Buy the Book</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-Sword-Louise-Turner-ebook/dp/B00FB2W0ZU/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1393962330&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon UK (eBook)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-Sword-Louise-Turner/dp/0989263134/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1393962330&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon UK (Paperback)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Sword-Louise-Turner-ebook/dp/B00FB2W0ZU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1393962231" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US (eBook)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Sword-Louise-Turner/dp/0989263134/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393963160&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US (Paperback)</span></a><br />
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<br />
<h3>
About the Author</h3>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx8ZdKZ7B02AjE_oXIzCDOWM6cdRdMIztSmE9UXRv_0RBbQngmdVECd5e5oFrw7AmcPHxa8SqFQ0_Nm437uYtwLuyTwd1lt5oVvip93nOho_NagPek-1GmQLo1rjaVONUCYkayVXTbJau/s1600/Fire&SwordAuthor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx8ZdKZ7B02AjE_oXIzCDOWM6cdRdMIztSmE9UXRv_0RBbQngmdVECd5e5oFrw7AmcPHxa8SqFQ0_Nm437uYtwLuyTwd1lt5oVvip93nOho_NagPek-1GmQLo1rjaVONUCYkayVXTbJau/s1600/Fire&SwordAuthor.jpg" height="181" width="200" /></a></div>
Born in Glasgow, Louise Turner spent her early years in the west of Scotland where she attended the University of Glasgow. After graduating with an MA in Archaeology, she went on to complete a PhD on the Bronze Age metalwork hoards of Essex and Kent. She has since enjoyed a varied career in archaeology and cultural resource management. Writing has always been a major aspect of her life and in 1988, she won the Glasgow Herald/Albacon New Writing in SF competition with her short story Busman’s Holiday. Louise lives with her husband in west Renfrewshire.<br />
<br />
For more information please visit Louise Turner’s <a href="http://www.louiseturner.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Website</span></a> and <a href="http://www.louiseturner.co.uk/louises-blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Blog</span></a>. You can also find her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fire-Sword/355615681239957?ref=hl" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Giveaway!</h3>
<br />
To win one of five Fire & Sword eBooks please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MzUyMmRmMzEyNWJhM2M1M2I1ZjgwZmVmZGZmMTBiOjE5MA==/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. <br />
Giveaway is open to US residents only.<br />
<br />
Giveaway ends at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935436" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">11:59pm on November 30th</span></span></span>. You must be 18 or older to enter.<br />
<br />
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935437" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">December 1st</span></span></span> and notified via email.<br />
<br />
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Fire & Sword Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Monday, October 6</b></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://bookjunkiemom.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Rainy Day Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Thursday, October 9</b></span><br />
<br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">What Is That Book About</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935429" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935429" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 13</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Character Interview at <a href="http://boombabyreviews.miadarien.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Boom Baby Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935430" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935430" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 10</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935431" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935431" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 13</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at T<a href="http://thelitbitch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">he Lit Bitch</span></a><br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935432" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935432" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 17</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://dabofdarkness.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Dab of Darkness</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935433" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935433" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 24</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935434" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935434" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 25</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://brokenteepee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Broken Teepee</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935435" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935435" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Sunday, November 30</span></span></b></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://unshelfish.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unshelfish</span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBvpGXFcKBp4LX9dJjr9Zd1AmFGWT1b-dpkcrHVps8KvELZH02vYLmj02qHMeebsY9bCC4c6cPfkNFNGLxAqsf_J-CTHuKn96sAr6ljskMNI0s4pGmYlWB0jtbTDjti2xRcrJz221Grku/s1600/Fire&SwordBanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBvpGXFcKBp4LX9dJjr9Zd1AmFGWT1b-dpkcrHVps8KvELZH02vYLmj02qHMeebsY9bCC4c6cPfkNFNGLxAqsf_J-CTHuKn96sAr6ljskMNI0s4pGmYlWB0jtbTDjti2xRcrJz221Grku/s1600/Fire&SwordBanner.png" height="270" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-6247171769221014932014-11-11T00:00:00.000+00:002014-11-11T00:00:00.787+00:00The Ripper's Wife by Brandy Purdy Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8dY-GtoKX-kStGbFtWsUMlXP5iGhzf7dtm46NOZV44CfoOSGPQdtZvLsdrIMSPIOcW6Dg7duZWfaMclbWu2ws2t2aPQkSoH5nWtGKNQ4UQ9-kwqtDUIffrbgZ78aDhE-MvOj5tKrCuBu/s1600/The+Ripper's%2BWife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8dY-GtoKX-kStGbFtWsUMlXP5iGhzf7dtm46NOZV44CfoOSGPQdtZvLsdrIMSPIOcW6Dg7duZWfaMclbWu2ws2t2aPQkSoH5nWtGKNQ4UQ9-kwqtDUIffrbgZ78aDhE-MvOj5tKrCuBu/s1600/The+Ripper's%2BWife.jpg" height="400" width="268" /></a></div>
Publication Date: October 27, 2014<br /> Kensington Books<br /> Formats: eBook, Paperback <br />
<br />
Genre: Historical Fiction<br />
<br />
<h3>
Synopsis</h3>
<br />
A suspenseful, spellbinding novel of love, jealousy, and murder, The Ripper’s Wife re-imagines the most notorious serial killer in history through the eyes of the woman who sealed his fate.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>“Love makes sane men mad and can turn a gentle man into a fiend.”</em></strong><br />
<br />
It begins as a fairytale romance–a shipboard meeting in 1880 between vivacious Southern belle Florence Chandler and handsome English cotton broker James Maybrick. Courtship and a lavish wedding soon follow, and the couple settles into an affluent Liverpool suburb.<br />
<br />
From the first, their marriage is doomed by lies. Florie, hardly the heiress her scheming mother portrayed, is treated as an outsider by fashionable English society. James’s secrets are infinitely darker–he has a mistress, an arsenic addiction, and a vicious temper. But Florie has no inkling of her husband’s depravity until she discovers his diary–and in it, a litany of bloody deeds…<br />
<br />
<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Story?:</h3>
<br />
I have recently realized that I apparently have a huge problem: I find these authors that have books that sound so wonderful I go get their books and add them to my toppling TBR pile and I then cannot find the time to actually read them . I know, many of you fellow bookworms probably have the same problem. When I decided to read Brandy Purdy's newest novel as part of her blog tour I realized I have almost all of her previous novels on my shelves, ready to be loved and devoured, but that I had not yet read even one of them. And, per the usual, I am now kicking myself that I took this long to read her books!! <br />
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The Ripper's Wife pulled me in from page one. Set up for most of the novel as Florie Maybrick telling her side of the story - from her meeting and falling in love with James Maybrick to the downward spiral of their marriage and her discovery that James was Jack the Ripper all the way to her final sad and lonely days - and interspersed in the middle of the novel with James Maybrick's diary entries detailing his violent and twisted alternate life as one of the world's most infamous killers, the novel never had a dull moment for me. The reader knows from the beginning what the outcome of Florie's life will be and the horrid turn her life will take and this caused a delicious sense of foreboding to hang over the whole story, even the seemingly fairytale beginnings of the Maybrick's early marriage. <br />
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It doesn't take long for Florie's life to spin out of control and while Florie makes some very bad mistakes over the years that had me yelling at her to grow up and make the right decisions for her and her children it was heartbreaking to watch the vicious beatings she took at the hands of this supposedly loving husband and the eventual jail time she served for a murder she didn't commit. I am not completely sure how much of this novel is based in fact (and this would be one of my only complaints about The Ripper's Wife...no author notes at the back of the book explaining what is fact and what is fiction) but the life Florie lived within the pages of The Ripper's Wife is absolutely heartbreaking. Ms. Purdy does not hold back from detailing the horrible things Florie went through and the descriptions are quite intense.<br />
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James Maybrick's diary entries are likewise vivid and descriptive and I felt like I was watching those poor women be stalked and torn apart by this sick and twist man. For some it might be hard to read these passages but I would ask why someone would think to read a novel about Jack the Ripper and shy away from then reading the bloody details....the actions of this killer were violent and horrible and Brandy Purdy perfectly brings it all to life. <br />
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Having now finished the novel and looking back at the story as a whole, I feel Ms. Purdy did a remarkable job at giving life to these characters, each one of which is flawed and sympathetic in their own way (even James, believe it or not!). Her descriptive power is superb and I felt completely immersed in the story as it unfolded. If you are a fan of historical fiction and are able to stomach what by right should be a graphic and depraved story given the subject matter, I would highly recommend The Ripper's Wife. <br />
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So What Did I Think About The Cover?:</h3>
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I love it! The color's are beautiful and fitting and the woman fits the descriptions of Florie perfectly. Seeing her reading the diary and looking back at the reader with her mouth set like she had read something horrible gives you that feeling of confidence between the reader and Florie. I can't think of any changes I would have preferred to see. <br />
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<u><strong>My Rating: 4.5/5.0</strong></u><br />
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<strong><em>Thank you to Amy at </em></strong><a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em>Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours</em></strong></a><strong><em> for providing me with a free copy of The Ripper's Wife in exchange for an honest review! Make sure to continue below for more information about the book, the author and how to enter to win a copy of your very own!</em></strong></div>
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Praise for the Novels of Brandy Purdy</h3>
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“Recommended for readers who can’t get enough of the Tudors and have devoured all of Philippa Gregory’s books.” —Library Journal on The Boleyn Wife<br />
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“Purdy wonderfully reimagines the behind-the-scenes lives of the two sisters.” —Historical Novel Reviews on The Tudor Throne<br />
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“I love Brandy Purdy’s books, she does thorough research into the lives of the people in the Tudor era and it shows in her writing style. Very descriptive, engaging characters makes The Queen’s Rivals a page turning novel. If you are a fan of the Tudor era like I am, then this book is a must.” -CelticLady’s Reviews on The Queen’s Rivals<br />
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“The writing is inviting, intense and flawless, rich with the flavor of English country life as well as court life. The political machinations, the tragedy to befall the Dudley family and the mystery surrounding Amy’s death were weaved to captivating detail and the end result is a mesmerizing work of historical fiction that puts Brandy Purdy on my “must read” list.” -Psychotic State Book Reviews on The Queen’s Pleasures<br />
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<h3>
About the Author</h3>
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<span style="color: black;">Brandy Purdy is the author of several historical novels. When she’s not writing, she’s either reading or watching classic movies. She currently lives in Beaumont, TX. Visit her website at </span><a href="http://www.brandypurdy.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">http://www.brandypurdy.com</span></a><span style="color: black;"> for more information about her books. You can also follow her via her blog at </span><a href="http://brandypurdy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">http://brandypurdy.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/</span></a><span style="color: black;"> where she posts updates about her work and reviews of what she has been reading.</span><br />
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Buy The Books</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Rippers-Wife-Brandy-Purdy/dp/0758288891/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399470950&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Ripper%27s+Wife" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon UK</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=978-0-7582-8890-5" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rippers-wife-brandy-purdy/1118482468?ean=9780758288899" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Rippers-Wife-Brandy-Purdy/9780758288899" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Depository</span></a><br />
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The Ripper's Wife Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 27</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, October 28</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.historicalfictionobsession.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Obsession</span></a><br /> Interview & Giveaway at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, October 29</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.kinxsbooknook.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Kinx’s Book Nook</span></a><br /> Review at <a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Maiden’s Court</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, October 30</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://bookofsecretsblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book of Secrets</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, October 31</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://wtfareyoureading.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">WTF Are You Reading?</span></a><br /> Feature at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 3</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Chick Who Reads</span></a><br /> Interview & Giveaway at <a href="http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mina’s Bookshelf</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363461" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363461" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 4</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book reviews</span></a><br /> Interview at <a href="http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Chick Who Reads</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363462" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363462" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 5</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://julzreads.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">JulzReads</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363463" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363463" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 6</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.historyandwomen.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">History & Women</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363464" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363464" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 7</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://abookgeek-llm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Book Geek</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363465" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363465" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 10</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363466" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363466" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 11</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363467" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363467" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 12</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://brokenteepee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Broken Teepee</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363468" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363468" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 13</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://expatiatemiscellanarian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bibliotaph’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363469" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363469" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 14</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://girllostinabook.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Girl Lost in a Book</span></a><br />
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Giveaway Time!!</h3>
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<strong><em>For a chance to win a paperback copy of The Ripper's Wife (U.S. only!) leave a comment below letting me know if you have read any of Brandy Purdy's novels and, if you have, which is your favorite. Be sure to leave your email address (no email address/no entry!). For extra entries share this review/giveaway online and leave a separate comment with a link to where you shared. That's it! I'll pick a winner on November 18th and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before I have to pick another winner. Good luck everyone!</em></strong></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-63201241324670860202014-11-06T03:00:00.000+00:002014-11-06T03:00:00.070+00:00Book Blast: S.K. Rizzolo's John Chase Mystery Series Plus Giveaway!Please join S.K. Rizzolo as she tours the blogosphere for the John Chase Regency Mystery Series Book Blast, from <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363432" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">November 3-16</span></span></span>, and be entered to win all three books in the trilogy!<br />
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<u>The Rose in the Wheel (Book One)</u></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmtjehejRBaCzhCqaOpf3IgjG3vmZTiSlu7j5CjsaAUGyfIB1Y-BiYPx1SXZrYUyhS3BztG9to3X9xp2Y-aHY2mx7Stq8gIt4yU0AZnYhcJ2OPXBs773FqJbQgc37Smyrh3ktxK5HTNV6/s1600/JohnChaseBook1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmtjehejRBaCzhCqaOpf3IgjG3vmZTiSlu7j5CjsaAUGyfIB1Y-BiYPx1SXZrYUyhS3BztG9to3X9xp2Y-aHY2mx7Stq8gIt4yU0AZnYhcJ2OPXBs773FqJbQgc37Smyrh3ktxK5HTNV6/s1600/JohnChaseBook1.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a>Publication Date: January 1, 2002<br /> Poisoned Pen Press<br /> Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook<br />
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Series: John Chase Mystery Series (Book One)<br /> Genre: Historical Mystery/Regency<br />
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This well imagined, carefully detailed, and cleverly plotted debut draws on actual historical events of 1811 London.<br />
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Regency London knows Constance Tyrone as the conspicuously celibate founder of the St. Catherine Society, dedicated to helping poor women. One wet November evening a carriage mows down Constance outside her office. Curiously, while her corpse’s one foot is bare, the other is shod in a clean satin slipper despite the muddy road. Why was a gentlewoman abroad in the night? And if she died under the wheel, whose hands bruised her neck and stole her monogrammed crucifix?<br />
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Dismissing the idea of an accident, Bow Street Runner John Chase forms an unlikely alliance with Penelope Wolfe, wife of the chief suspect. A young mother paying the price for an imprudent marriage, Penelope is eager to clear her husband Jeremy, a feckless portrait painter whose salacious drawings of the victim suggest an erotic interest. Chase’s first task is to learn the identity of the mysterious benefactor who goes bail for Wolfe while Penelope traces the victim’s last movements. Barrister Edward Buckler, intrigued, shakes off his habitual lethargy and joins their investigation.<br />
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As horrifying murders on the Ratcliffe Highway claim all London’s attention, the trio discovers that it won’t be easy to unravel the enigma of Constance Tyrone, a woman who revives the legend of martyred St. Catherine.<br />
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<u>Blood for Blood (Book Two)</u></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloPxxt5ES0tt3bNXomME8fqUPqEozW9Bx9rzHOxVXiOzIghl-4l-n5bu_sV4G2uh4ULB13fZ200UXhYl02qIWmaa8r8otwz1LE5PWqMnc47nIQzwYU7MGdwspMxYnYuDzULTY1o8kTXa6/s1600/JohnChaseBook2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloPxxt5ES0tt3bNXomME8fqUPqEozW9Bx9rzHOxVXiOzIghl-4l-n5bu_sV4G2uh4ULB13fZ200UXhYl02qIWmaa8r8otwz1LE5PWqMnc47nIQzwYU7MGdwspMxYnYuDzULTY1o8kTXa6/s1600/JohnChaseBook2.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a>Publication Date: April 15, 2003<br /> Poisoned Pen Press<br /> Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook<br />
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Series: John Chase Mystery Series (Book Two)<br /> Genre: Historical Mystery/Regency<br />
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In the spring of 1812, the Luddites are on the march, Lord Byron is taking London drawing rooms by storm, and Penelope Wolfe has become a lady’s companion. When one of the footmen turns up dead with a knife to the heart, Penelope and Bow Street Runner John Chase are entangled in a web of family secrets and political conspiracy that stretches far beyond luxurious St. James’s Square.<br />
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With the help of barrister Edward Buckler, Chase follows the trail of a mysterious mad woman caught peeping in the window at the corpse. Penelope struggles to fit into the fashionable world, encountering people who hide resentment and deceit under smooth smiles.<br />
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Set against a backdrop of millennial fervor with thousands awaiting the end of the world, BLOOD FOR BLOOD explores the simple truth that every drop of blood spilled will be avenged.<br />
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<u>Die I Will Not (Book Three)</u></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2LIo0N9wmkaHCjkjup1T8fGgTTkCNW75gRfF4JF0TkGWKv1EADv44RBvicRTTGt6sZYo3Y4KLvnwt3Nr2GBxyO0EhZ82k6ofBatfs5Gr09rl5zQXAZVjcITUYrfGwSJXlVvY3OJmfY9G/s1600/JohnChaseBook3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2LIo0N9wmkaHCjkjup1T8fGgTTkCNW75gRfF4JF0TkGWKv1EADv44RBvicRTTGt6sZYo3Y4KLvnwt3Nr2GBxyO0EhZ82k6ofBatfs5Gr09rl5zQXAZVjcITUYrfGwSJXlVvY3OJmfY9G/s1600/JohnChaseBook3.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a>Publication Date: <span style="color: #222222;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363433" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">November 4, 2014</span></span></span> Poisoned Pen Press<br /> Formats: Hardcover, Paperback<br />
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Series: John Chase Mystery Series (Book Three)<br /> Genre: Historical Mystery/Regency<br />
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Unhappy wife and young mother Penelope Wolfe fears scandal for her family and worse. A Tory newspaper editor has been stabbed while writing a reply to the latest round of letters penned by a firebrand calling himself Collatinus. Twenty years before, her father, the radical Eustace Sandford, wrote as Collatinus before he fled London just ahead of accusations of treason and murder. A mysterious beauty closely connected to Sandford and known only as N.D. had been brutally slain, her killer never punished. The seditious new Collatinus letters that attack the Prince Regent in the press also seek to avenge N.D.’s death and unmask her murderer. What did the journalist know that provoked his death?<br />
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Her artist husband Jeremy is no reliable ally, so Penelope turns anew to lawyer Edward Buckler and Bow Street Runner John Chase. As she battles public notoriety, Buckler and Chase put their careers at risk to stand behind her while pursuing various lines of inquiry aimed at N.D.’s murderer, a missing memoir, Royal scandal, and the dead editor’s missing wife. As they navigate the dark underbelly of Regency London among a cast driven by dirty politics and dark passions, as well as by decency and a desire for justice, past secrets and present criminals are exposed, upending Penelope’s life and the lives of others.<br />
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Buy the Books</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Die-Will-Not-Chase-Mystery/dp/1464203245/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404683839&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon US</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Die-Will-Not-Chase-Mystery/dp/1464203245/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404683867&sr=8-1&keywords=Die+I+Will+Not%3A+A+John+Chase+Mystery" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Amazon UK</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/die-i-will-not-suzanne-rizzolo/1119393704?ean=9781464203244" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Barnes & Noble</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Die-I-Will-Not-Suzanne-Rizzolo/9781464203220" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Book Depository</span></a><br />
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About the Author</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRqzJgnHoKQXDhqUNnKh3Y7DBriwQ0Rwe_qD2ZLjHx26T6wj7uIyq6AWJkKd5f8clOhAqaymcQAZVBBfNA8PVzonVC_nx3dyQCf0R8qNOvfzfnOaN30cdKf17u_2fQeupGYFJlS34fd9v/s1600/JohnChaseAuthorPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRqzJgnHoKQXDhqUNnKh3Y7DBriwQ0Rwe_qD2ZLjHx26T6wj7uIyq6AWJkKd5f8clOhAqaymcQAZVBBfNA8PVzonVC_nx3dyQCf0R8qNOvfzfnOaN30cdKf17u_2fQeupGYFJlS34fd9v/s1600/JohnChaseAuthorPhoto.jpg" /></a></div>
S.K. Rizzolo is a longtime Anglophile and history enthusiast. Set in Regency England, The Rose in the Wheel and Blood for Blood are the first two novels in her series about a Bow Street Runner, an unconventional lady, and a melancholic barrister. An English teacher, Rizzolo has earned an M.A. in literature and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter.<br />
For more information please visit S.K. Rizzolo’s <a href="http://skrizzolo.com/skrizzolo/HOME.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a>. You can also find her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007728217416&fref=ts" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4380002.S_K_Rizzolo?from_search=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Goodreads</span></a>.<br />
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<h3>
John Chase Mystery Series Book Blast Schedule</h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, November 3</strong></span><br />
<a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookish</span></a><br /><a href="http://unshelfish.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unshelfish</span></a><br /><a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Back Porchervations</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363434" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363434" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 4</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://readinglark.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Reading Lark</span></a><br /><a href="http://bookjunkiemom.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Rainy Day Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363435" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363435" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 5</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br /><a href="http://expatiatemiscellanarian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bibliotaph’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363436" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363436" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 6</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://thelitbitch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Lit Bitch</span></a><br /><a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363437" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363437" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 7</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br /><a href="http://carolinewilsonwrites.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Caroline Wilson Writes</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363438" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363438" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, November 8</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Maiden’s Court</span></a><br /><a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The True Book Addict</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363439" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363439" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Sunday, November 9</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.brookeblogs.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Brooke Blogs</span></a><br /><a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363440" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363440" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 10</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://layeredpages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Layered Pages</span></a><br /><a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363441" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363441" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 11</span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<a href="http://toreadornottoread.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">To Read or Not to Read</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363442" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363442" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 12</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363443" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363443" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 13</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://abookgeek-llm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Book Geek</span></a><br /><a href="http://stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">100 Pages a Day</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363444" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363444" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 14</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Peeking Between the Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363445" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363445" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, November 15</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mel’s Shelves</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.hf-connection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Connection</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363446" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363446" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Sunday, November 16</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
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<h3>
Giveaway</h3>
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To win all three books in S.K. Rizzolo’s John Chase Regency Mystery Series please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MzUyMmRmMzEyNWJhM2M1M2I1ZjgwZmVmZGZmMTBiOjIxMQ==/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Giveaway is open internationally.<br />
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Giveaway ends at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363447" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">11:59pm on November 16th</span></span></span>. You must be 18 or older to enter.<br /> <br />
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1077363448" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">November 17th</span></span></span> and notified via email.<br /> <br />
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.<br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-74339862590811660192014-11-04T03:00:00.000+00:002014-11-11T20:08:38.674+00:00Spotlight On Sinful Folk by Ned Hayes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDLvwyfc7G4xmdS4tWqb2NXM2SpOHFywv1H5OHxsC5YQkE6p_t8bbIrUHs099Z5_Ax8ZcodRU-qfFPnNtXr6XfXSDCRAhbWfEUqkOgW5tufDi1niw1adRHIdfqsLNGOLtAolvcK7PP3MX/s1600/02_Sinful+Folk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDLvwyfc7G4xmdS4tWqb2NXM2SpOHFywv1H5OHxsC5YQkE6p_t8bbIrUHs099Z5_Ax8ZcodRU-qfFPnNtXr6XfXSDCRAhbWfEUqkOgW5tufDi1niw1adRHIdfqsLNGOLtAolvcK7PP3MX/s1600/02_Sinful+Folk.jpg" height="400" width="255" /></a>Publication Date: January 22, 2014<br />
Campanile Press<br />
Formats: eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook <br />
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Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery/Medieval<br />
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<strong><em></em></strong><br />
<strong><em>A tragic loss. A desperate journey. A mother seeks the truth.</em></strong><br />
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In December of 1377, four children were burned to death in a house fire. Villagers traveled hundreds of miles across England to demand justice for their children’s deaths.<br />
Sinful Folk is the story of this terrible mid-winter journey as seen by Mear, a former nun who has lived for a decade disguised as a mute man, raising her son quietly in this isolated village. For years, she has concealed herself and all her history. But on this journey, she will find the strength to redeem the promise of her past. Mear begins her journey in terror and heartache, and ends in triumph and transcendence.<br />
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The remarkable new novel by Ned Hayes, illustrated by New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Nikki McClure, Sinful Folk illuminates the medieval era with profound insight and compassion.<br />
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<h3>
Praise for Sinful Folk</h3>
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In December of 1377, five children are burned in a suspicious house fire. Awash in paranoia and prejudice, the fathers suspect it is the work of Jews and set out to seek justice from the king, loading the charred bodies of their boys onto a cart. Unbeknownst to them, among them is a woman, Mear, who has been hiding out in the town for the past 10 years posing as a mute man. It is a treacherous journey, for their rations are spare and the weather is brutal. And always, they are haunted by the question, Why were their boys in Benedict the weaver’s house, and who would do this to them? Mear, ever resourceful, not only watches for clues to unravel the mystery but also provides invaluable aid in finding their way, for she has traveled this way before and is the only literate one among them. The reason for her false identity is slowly revealed as the villagers are chased by bandits and must overcome numerous obstacles, hunger and fear among them. Brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed, Hayes’ novel is woven through with a deep knowledge of medieval history, all conveyed in mesmerizing prose. At the center of the novel is Mear, a brave and heartbreaking character whose story of triumph over adversity is a joy to read. –Joanne Wilkinson, Booklist <strong>*Starred Review*</strong><br />
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“A pilgrim tale worthy of Chaucer, evocative, compelling and peopled with unforgettable characters artfully delivered by a master storyteller.” – Brenda Rickman Vantrease, bestselling author of The Illuminator and The Mercy Seller<br />
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“Brilliant, insightful, unflinching and wise. This spellbinding mystery will keep readers turning pages until the last sentence. Remarkable.” – Ella March Chase, bestselling author of The Virgin Queen’s Daughter and Three Maids for a Crown<br />
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“Suspenseful, page-turning mystery of a mother pursuing the truth… Every reader will come to love the brave and intrepid Mear, a most memorable character in a most memorable story.” – Jim Heynen, award-winning author of The Fall of Alice K.<br />
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“Sinful Folk is a work of art. Miriam’s story is a raw and brutal and passionate tale, but her story touches the reader because it’s a timeless story – a wonderful portrayal of medieval life. Highly recommended.” – Kathryn Le Veque, bestselling author of The Dark Lord and The Warrior Poet<br />
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“A suspenseful and mesmerizing tale full of rich and vital characters. Ned Hayes crafts a narrative that shows a devotion to craft in each word.” – Renée Miller, editor of On Fiction and author of In the Bones<br />
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Buy the Book</h3>
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<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8J6ME6/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00F8J6ME6&linkCode=as2&tag=nedhayescom-20" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon (Kindle)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0985239301/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0985239301&linkCode=as2&tag=nedhayescom-20" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon (Hardcover)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Sinful-Folk-Audiobook/B00HQ15T4I/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Audible.com</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-folk-ned-hayes/1117652759?ean=2940148170662" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble (Nook)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-folk-ned-hayes/1117673414?ean=9780985239305" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble (Hardcover)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Sinful-Folk/Ned-Hayes/9780985239305?id=5887743406862" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Books-a-Million</span></a><br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-folk/id779620720?mt=11" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">iBooks</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780985239305" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">IndieBound</span></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h7iuPYRqW80" target="_blank">Book Note Interview with Author Ned Hayes</a></div>
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About the Author</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84BIOUu3L3r2vrzYP3V1BXHY4zdaNX7IywRvvdfvrCwKAF3K1UWuxnEGHy-phraO8i-Z58ax7AKpeqLq2luMvZbswIR6n883WOZe7uS25OAU93AEAbcNlpnkIx5rjo6wNQg3oaLZsFHhS/s1600/Author+of+Sinful+Folk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84BIOUu3L3r2vrzYP3V1BXHY4zdaNX7IywRvvdfvrCwKAF3K1UWuxnEGHy-phraO8i-Z58ax7AKpeqLq2luMvZbswIR6n883WOZe7uS25OAU93AEAbcNlpnkIx5rjo6wNQg3oaLZsFHhS/s1600/Author+of+Sinful+Folk.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
Ned Hayes is the author of the Amazon best-selling historical novel SINFUL FOLK. He is also the author of Coeur d’Alene Waters, a noir mystery set in the Pacific Northwest. He is now at work on a new novel, Garden of Earthly Delights, also set in the Middle Ages.<br />
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Ned Hayes is a candidate for an MFA from the Rainier Writer’s Workshop, and holds graduate degrees in English and Theology from Western Washington University and Seattle University.<br />
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Born in China, he grew up bi-lingually, speaking both Mandarin and English. He now lives in Olympia, Washington with his wife and two children.<br />
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For more information please visit <a href="http://www.sinfulfolk.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.sinfulfolk.com</span></a> and <a href="http://nednote.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://nednote.com/</span></a> . You can also find him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SinfulFolk" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/nedwriting" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>, <a href="http://pinterest.com/nedhayes/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Pinterest</span></a>, <a href="http://ned.booklikes.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Booklikes</span></a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/nedhayes?feature=watch" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">YouTube</span></a>, <a href="https://plus.google.com/109245392059827245470" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Google+</span></a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3343394.Ned_Hayes" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Goodreads</span></a>.<br />
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<h3>
Sinful Folk Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 20</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108917" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108917" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 21</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://historicalnovelreview.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Novel Review</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108918" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108918" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 22</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">What is That Book About</span></a><br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108919" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108919" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 23</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.historywomanperspective.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">History From a Woman’s Perspective</span></a><br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://www.booksandbenches.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Books and Benches</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108920" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108920" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 27</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.hf-connection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Connection</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108921" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108921" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 28</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://layeredpages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Layered Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108922" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108922" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 29</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Back Porchervations</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108923" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108923" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 30</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://backporchervations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Back Porchervations</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108924" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108924" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, October 31</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The True Book Addict</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108925" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108925" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 3</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://elisabethstorrs.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Triclinium</span></a><br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://boombabyreviews.miadarien.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Boom Baby Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108926" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108926" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 4</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108927" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108927" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 5</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Deal Sharing Aunt</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108928" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108928" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 6</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://bookramblings.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">bookramblings</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108929" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108929" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, November 8</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108930" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108930" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, November 10</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Babe</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108931" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108931" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 11</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://impressionsinink.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Impressions in Ink</span></a><br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108932" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108932" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 14</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://brokenteepee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Broken Teepee</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108933" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108933" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, November 18</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Beth’s Book Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108934" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108934" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, November 19</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.booksintheburbs.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Books in the Burbs</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://inspirationsbysimone.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookworm Babblings</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108935" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108935" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, November 20</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108936" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_692108936" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, November 21</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://libraryeducated.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Library Educated</span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoh6WB-bHNIyEsspB9nsOfxRt6-LL-4Fugv6BKSA_QX1axfJ0jDqGXWcYiGkyBlaPcm9anTCkvKXV5WcQkTmYPDhrpa4ux7_8U4q77YrJnpHKE-ekrg5bgup_WVd4G8Og1YMJXZWlwpnT/s1600/04_Sinful+Folk_Blog+Tour+Banner_FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoh6WB-bHNIyEsspB9nsOfxRt6-LL-4Fugv6BKSA_QX1axfJ0jDqGXWcYiGkyBlaPcm9anTCkvKXV5WcQkTmYPDhrpa4ux7_8U4q77YrJnpHKE-ekrg5bgup_WVd4G8Og1YMJXZWlwpnT/s1600/04_Sinful+Folk_Blog+Tour+Banner_FINAL.jpg" height="248" width="640" /></a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-20197265306359493282014-10-30T03:00:00.000+00:002014-10-30T03:00:01.253+00:00Night of a Thousand Stars Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PKz-FPQs4rdKPSMyoknaPgJ6cO7iHuYV8Um9FS6LWG3fKzAyk3DOqN4Nu4v3kITl4OFRUnt76IcNNj971OCpM5E5xgejNAHwVUvz2esRIGNrR3b1oEAuQdm7G4S_-aX7TQvxTkfcVydS/s1600/02_Night+of+a+Thousand+Stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PKz-FPQs4rdKPSMyoknaPgJ6cO7iHuYV8Um9FS6LWG3fKzAyk3DOqN4Nu4v3kITl4OFRUnt76IcNNj971OCpM5E5xgejNAHwVUvz2esRIGNrR3b1oEAuQdm7G4S_-aX7TQvxTkfcVydS/s1600/02_Night+of+a+Thousand+Stars.jpg" height="400" width="260" /></a></div>
Publication Date: October 1, 2014<br />
Harlequin MIRA<br />
Formats: eBook, Paperback <br />
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Genre: Historical Fiction<br />
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<h3>
Synopsis</h3>
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On the verge of a stilted life as an aristocrat’s wife, Poppy Hammond does the only sensible thing—she flees the chapel in her wedding gown. Assisted by the handsome curate who calls himself Sebastian Cantrip, she spirits away to her estranged father’s quiet country village, pursued by the family she left in uproar. But when the dust of her broken engagement settles and Sebastian disappears under mysterious circumstances, Poppy discovers there is more to her hero than it seems.<br />
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With only her feisty lady’s maid for company, Poppy secures employment and travels incognita—east across the seas, chasing a hunch and the whisper of clues. Danger abounds beneath the canopies of the silken city, and Poppy finds herself in the perilous sights of those who will stop at nothing to recover a fabled ancient treasure. Torn between allegiance to her kindly employer and a dashing, shadowy figure, Poppy will risk it all as she attempts to unravel a much larger plan—one that stretches to the very heart of the British government, and one that could endanger everything, and everyone, that she holds dear.<br />
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<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Story?</h3>
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While I have a few of Deanna Raybourn's novels on my shelves, Night of a Thousand Stars is the first of her books I have read. My first thought after finishing it is....what have I been waiting for?! Starting out with our heroine Poppy leaping out a window to escape a marriage she does not want, the action does not stop as Poppy follows her gut in search of Sebastian, a man she barely knows but who she believes must be in trouble, all the way from London to the Middle East. Hijinks of course ensue with Poppy diving head first into trouble and learning that no one she encounters is who they seem. <br />
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While the romance that develops between Poppy and Sebastian is somewhat predictable and typical (they are attracted to each other while simultaneously infuriating each other, neither want to give up ground and always want to be right, etc.) it was enjoyable watching them spar against each other until they have to work together to survive. The secrets Sebastian is hiding aren't overly hard to determine either but I was pleasantly surprised to see the more comic elements of the novel shot through with some more serious and graphic elements that drive home the serious danger Poppy comes to find herself in. <br />
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The ending of the novel came as a complete surprise to me, which I always find delightful! For those who have read Ms. Raybourn's Lady Julia series this might not be as big a surprise as apparently characters from that series make an appearance in Night of a Thousand Stars but for me I was excited to see the mysteries all wrap up nicely and to see it left open for Poppy to continue her adventures in future books now that she has found a purpose for her life in a field that we learn is apparently a family tradition of sorts. I am also now really excited to read the Lady Julia series to connect all the pieces I missed!<br />
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With well drawn characters, excitement and adventure abounding and just the right touch of romance thrown in for good measure, Night of a Thousand Stars is a thoroughly enjoyable way to while away the hours and draw yourself out of your own world into the world of 1920s London and the Middle East. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and a plucky, determined heroine. <br />
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<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Cover?</h3>
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It's very pretty! I love the colors and the fact that Poppy is standing out on a balcony with that spectacular view behind her (as happens a number of times in the novel). My only complaint is that I would have preferred either seeing Poppy looking out at the view or facing us looking up into the eyes of the reader with all the determination and spunkiness that her character exudes within the pages.<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 4.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>Thank you to Amy at <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/" target="_blank">Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours</a> for providing me with a free copy of Night of a Thousand Stars in exchange for an honest review! Make sure to continue below for more information on the book, the tour and your chance to win a copy of your very own!</em></strong></div>
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Buy the Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Night-Thousand-Stars-Deanna-Raybourn-ebook/dp/B00JD7P7TU/writerspace" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon (Kindle)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Night-Thousand-Stars-Deanna-Raybourn/dp/0778317757/writerspace" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon (Paperback)</span></a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #222222;">Barnes & Noble (Nook)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-of-a-thousand-stars-deanna-raybourn/1119054646?ean=9780778317753" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble (Paperback)</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Night-Thousand-Stars/Deanna-Raybourn/9780778317753?id=5518896211511" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Books-a-Million</span></a><br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/night-of-a-thousand-stars/id857568649?mt=11" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">iTunes</span></a><br />
<a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/night-of-a-thousand-stars" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Kobo</span></a></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
About the Author</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzT3YVSE0UXDGlJZB6SdK6J3-lmz9h7HSqOkGDJP-rIW_eNnKE3n_FhxOfzhyDKSjzpqkfA-1ZlDYwH1pfG2ETA_9SfjTHmC1HnPN0k6js6vKqP4O1-N8DDnHtTbCBhHyEM2N8m4pfh_Ya/s1600/03_Deanna+Raybourn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzT3YVSE0UXDGlJZB6SdK6J3-lmz9h7HSqOkGDJP-rIW_eNnKE3n_FhxOfzhyDKSjzpqkfA-1ZlDYwH1pfG2ETA_9SfjTHmC1HnPN0k6js6vKqP4O1-N8DDnHtTbCBhHyEM2N8m4pfh_Ya/s1600/03_Deanna+Raybourn.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a>A sixth-generation native Texan, Deanna Raybourn grew up in San Antonio, where she met her <br />
college sweetheart. She married him on her graduation day and went on to teach high school English and history. During summer vacation at the age of twenty-three, she wrote her first novel. After three years as a teacher, Deanna left education to have a baby and pursue writing full-time.<br />
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Deanna Raybourn is the author of the bestselling and award-winning Lady Julia series, as well as, The Dead Travel Fast, A Spear of Summer Grass, and City of Jasmine.<br />
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For more information please visit Deanna Raybourn’s website and blog. You can also find her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/deannaraybournauthor" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/deannaraybourn" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/156327.Deanna_Raybourn" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Goodreads</span></a>. <br />
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<u>Giveaway</u></h3>
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<strong><em>For a chance to win a paperback copy of Night of a Thousand Stars leave a comment below telling me if you have read any of Deanna Raybourn's books and, if you have, which is your favorite (I'm trying to decide which one to start next!). Be sure to leave your email address in your comment (no email address, no entry!). For extra entries share this review/giveaway online and leave a separate comment with a link to where you shared. That's it! I'll pick a winner on November 6th and email the winner for their address. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before I pick a new winner. Good luck everyone!</em></strong></div>
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<h3>
Night of a Thousand Stars Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
<br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookish</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, September 30</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, October 1</strong></span><br />
<br />
Interview at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://sveta-randomblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Svetlana’s Reads and Views</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, October 2</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Ramblings From This Chick</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, October 3</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Babe</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 6</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://unabridged-expression.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unabridged Chick</span></a><br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://readinglark.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Reading Lark</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, October 7</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://www.candacesbookblog.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Candace’s Book Blog</span></a><br />
Interview & Giveaway at <a href="http://unabridged-expression.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unabridged Chick</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, October 8</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://goodbooksandgoodwine.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Good Books and Good Wine</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, October 9</strong></span><br />
<br />
Excerpt at <a href="http://abookgeek-llm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Book Geek</span></a><br />
Guest Post & Giveaway at <a href="http://goodbooksandgoodwine.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Good Books and Good Wine</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, October 10</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://www.historywomanperspective.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">History From a Woman’s Perspective</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 13</strong></span><br />
Review at <a href="http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Chick Who Reads</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, October 14</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Reading the Past</span></a><br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, October 15</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://thelitbitch.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Lit Bitch</span></a><br />
Review at <a href="http://wtfareyoureading.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">WTF Are You Reading?</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thursday, October 16</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, October 17</strong></span><br />
Interview & Giveaway at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 20</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review at <a href="http://lifeasabookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Life & Times of a Book Addict</span></a><br />
Excerpt at <a href="http://www.hf-connection.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Fiction Connection</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, October 21</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://bookshelffantasies.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookshelf Fantasies</span></a><br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.susanheimonwriting.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Susan Heim on Writing</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, October 22</strong></span><br />
<br />
Review, Excerpt & Giveaway at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555268" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555268" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 23</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.literaryfeline.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Musings of a Bookish Kitty</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555269" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555269" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, October 24</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.curlingupbythefire.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Curling Up By the Fire</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555270" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555270" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 27</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Let Them Read Books</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555271" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555271" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 28</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.toreadornottoread.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">To Read or Not to Read</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555272" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555272" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 29</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://bibliophiliaplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bibliophilia, Please</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555273" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_428555273" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 30</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-3151647737699289162014-10-28T03:00:00.000+00:002014-10-28T03:00:01.034+00:00Spotlight on Enchantress by Maggie Anton<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcNUPJarSK8wZMNRbWXrybNvq-WWqBMDU2mZtvZONkTsktvjGXQDRlDaoK65XY8bBGIwahyphenhyphenr7IcQ1aGCM6SnRU9jkcTGgJjyjr_D_7rW3uPVjoMrnOSSPVtb6gxy2IuBfTNStPU7ecFto/s1600/02_Enchantress+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcNUPJarSK8wZMNRbWXrybNvq-WWqBMDU2mZtvZONkTsktvjGXQDRlDaoK65XY8bBGIwahyphenhyphenr7IcQ1aGCM6SnRU9jkcTGgJjyjr_D_7rW3uPVjoMrnOSSPVtb6gxy2IuBfTNStPU7ecFto/s1600/02_Enchantress+(2).jpg" height="400" width="260" /></a>Publication Date: September 2, 2014<br /> Plume<br /> Formats: eBook, Paperback<br /> Pages: 400 <br />
<br />
Series: Rav Hisda’s Daughter<br /> Genre: Historical Fiction/Historical Fantasy<br />
<br />
<br />
Fantastic tales of demons and the Evil Eye, magical incantations, and powerful attractions abound in Enchantress, a novel that weaves together Talmudic lore, ancient Jewish magic, and a timeless love story set in fourth-century Babylonia.<br />
<br />
One of the most powerful practitioners of these mysterious arts is Rav Hisda’s daughter, whose innate awareness allows her to possess the skills men lack. With her husband, Rava–whose arcane knowledge of the secret Torah enables him to create a “man” out of earth and to resurrect another rabbi from death–the two brave an evil sorceress, Ashmedai the Demon King, and even the Angel of Death in their quest to safeguard their people, even while putting their romance at risk.<br />
<br />
The author of the acclaimed Rashi’s Daughters series and the award-winning Rav Hisda’s Daughter: Apprentice has conjured literary magic in the land where “abracadabra” originated. Based on five years of research and populated with characters from the Talmud, Enchantress brings a pivotal era of Jewish and Christian history to life from the perspective of a courageous and passionate woman.<br />
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<br />
<h3>
Praise for Apprentice (Rav Hisda's Daughter: Book I)</h3>
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<br />
“A lushly detailed look into a fascinatingly unknown time and culture—a tale of Talmud, sorcery, and a most engaging heroine!” —Diana Gabaldon, author of the bestselling Outlander series<br />
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"Anton, the author of the acclaimed “Rashi’s Daughters” trilogy, has penned her best book to date. Using her extensive knowledge of the Talmud and other historical Jewish writings, she immersed herself in the tractates to uncover a marvelous heroine for this historical novel… Complex discussions of Jewish law and tradition as well as detailed description of the culture and customs of the times enhance truly wonderful storytelling. VERDICT This absorbing novel should be on everyone’s historical fiction reading list.” —Library Journal (starred review)<br />
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“Fascinating reading await those who dive into the vividly depicted world of Babylonian Jewry … Anton succeeds brilliantly in drawing us into the formative period leading up to the Talmud … what we have is the work of a master craftswoman set upon repairing a major gap in Jewish literature —Philadelphia Jewish Voice<br />
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“Rav Hisda’s Daughter provides a wealth of historical detail about Jewish life in Babylon and Israel in the 3rd century CE. It depicts the daily life and coming of age of a prominent rabbi’s daughter rather than propelling its reader through a traditional arc of action with a crisis and resolution. Its interest lies in its portrayal of the sorcery, incantations, and women’s customs in this exotic, faraway period of time and place, sometimes against the backdrop of war.” —Historical Novel Society<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Praise for the Rashi's Daughter Trilogy</h3>
<br />
<br />
“Anton delivers a tour de force . . . [Readers] will fly through the pages and come away wishing for more.” –Library Journal (starred review)<br />
<br />
“A compelling combination of drama, suspense, and romance.” –Lilith magazine<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Buy the Book</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Enchantress-Novel-Rav-Hisdas-Daughter/dp/0452298229/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1407882026&sr=1-3" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/enchantress-maggie-anton/1118663056?ean=9780452298224&itm=1&usri=9780452298224&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1&r=1,%201" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
About the Author</h3>
<br />
<br />
Maggie Anton was born Margaret Antonofsky in Los Angeles, California. Raised in a secular, socialist household, she reached adulthood with little knowledge of her Jewish religion. All that changed when David Parkhurst, who was to become her husband, entered her life, and they both discovered Judaism as adults. That was the start of a lifetime of Jewish education, synagogue involvement, and ritual observance. In 2006, Anton retired from being a clinical chemist in Kaiser Permanente’s Biochemical Genetics Laboratory to become a fulltime writer.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVCxqgsm1jb48rsjM6mJdmIH8NIG-hRUTq6lyy2ZZ6xovwU0ZdZLlDqhhGP_85Jr4m5bgHqL9tT-rcZQB2Qu4-XozW_t9PQSgvA4YzZQ3_a-hGaPJt1605v2FXMK7XjpXAUQVcZKAg8cs/s1600/Author+of+Enchantress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVCxqgsm1jb48rsjM6mJdmIH8NIG-hRUTq6lyy2ZZ6xovwU0ZdZLlDqhhGP_85Jr4m5bgHqL9tT-rcZQB2Qu4-XozW_t9PQSgvA4YzZQ3_a-hGaPJt1605v2FXMK7XjpXAUQVcZKAg8cs/s1600/Author+of+Enchantress.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a>In the early 1990’s, Anton learned about a women’s Talmud class taught by Rachel Adler, now a professor at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. She became intrigued with the idea that Rashi, one of the greatest Jewish scholars ever, had no sons, only three daughters. Slowly but surely, she began to research the family and the time in which they lived. Much was written about Rashi, but almost nothing of the daughters, except their names and the names of their husbands. Legend has it that Rashi’s daughters were learned in a time when women were traditionally forbidden to study the sacred texts. These forgotten women seemed ripe for rediscovery, and the idea of a trilogy of historical novels about them was born.<br />
<br />
After the success of “Rashi’s Daughters” Anton started researching the lives of women in 4th-century Babylonia, where the Talmud was being created. Surprised by the prevalence of sorcery among rabbinic families, she wrote “Rav Hisda’s Daughter: Bk 1 – Apprentice,” which was a 2012 National Jewish Book Award Fiction finalist and a Library Journal pick for Best Historical Fiction.<br />
<br />
For more information please visit Maggie Anton’s <a href="http://www.ravhisdasdaughter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a> and <a href="http://www.rashisdaughters.com/blog/#.U-qVZGOK3Aw" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">blog</span></a>. You can also connect with her <br />
on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Maggie.Anton" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MagiAnton" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/79249.Maggie_Anton" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Goodreads</span></a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Enchantress Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 6</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://unshelfish.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Unshelfish</span></a><br /> Review at <a href="http://abookdrunkard.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Drunkard</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, October 7</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://agelesspagesreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Ageless Pages Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Wednesday, October 8</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Dream Within a Dream</span></a><br />
<br />
T<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>hursday, October 8</strong></span><br /> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookish</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Friday, October 9</strong></span><br /> <br />
Guest Post & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935406" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935406" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 13</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://bookloversparadise.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Lovers Paradise</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935407" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935407" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 14</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://leeanna.me/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">leeanna.me</span></a><br /> Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://wordsandpeace.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Words and Peace</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935408" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935408" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 15</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.spiritblog.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Based on a True Story</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935409" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935409" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 16</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://marireads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mari Reads</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935410" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935410" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, October 17</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Interview at <a href="http://layeredpages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Layered Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935411" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935411" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 21</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.historywomanperspective.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">History From A Woman’s Perspective</span></a><br /> Spotlight at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935412" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935412" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 22</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://www.historywomanperspective.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">History From A Woman’s Perspective</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935413" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935413" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 23</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://layeredpages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Layered Pages</span></a><br /> Spotlight at <a href="http://abookgeek-llm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Book Geek</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935414" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935414" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, October 24</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Beth’s Book Reviews</span></a><br /> Interview at <a href="http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Mina’s Bookshelf</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935415" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935415" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, October 25</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Interview at <a href="http://acupofteaandabigbook.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Cup of Tea & A Big Book</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935416" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935416" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 27</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.teacherwriter.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">TeacherWriter</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935417" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935417" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 28</span></span></strong></span></span> Review at <a href="http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">My Book Addiction and More</span></a><br /> Spotlight at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935418" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935418" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 29</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935419" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935419" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 30</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Book Nerd</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-78844169154521055192014-10-24T03:00:00.000+01:002014-10-24T03:00:01.404+01:00Spotlight on Baudelaire's Revenge by Bob Van Laerhoven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Publication Date: April 15, 2014<br /> Pegasus Books<br /> Formats: eBook, Hardcover <br />
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Genre: Historical Mystery/Thriller<br />
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It is 1870, and Paris is in turmoil.<br />
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As the social and political turbulence of the Franco-Prussian War roils the city, workers starve to death while aristocrats seek refuge in orgies and seances. The Parisians are trapped like rats in their beautiful city but a series of gruesome murders captures their fascination and distracts them from the realities of war. The killer leaves lines from the recently deceased Charles Baudelaire’s controversial anthology Les Fleurs du Mal on each corpse, written in the poet’s exact handwriting. Commissioner Lefevre, a lover of poetry and a veteran of the Algerian war, is on the case, and his investigation is a thrilling, intoxicating journey into the sinister side of human nature, bringing to mind the brooding and tense atmosphere of Patrick Susskind’s Perfume. Did Baudelaire rise from the grave? Did he truly die in the first place? The plot dramatically appears to extend as far as the court of the Emperor Napoleon III.<br />
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A vivid, intelligent, and intense historical crime novel that offers up some shocking revelations about sexual mores in 19th century France, this superb mystery illuminates the shadow life of one of the greatest names in poetry.<br />
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<h3>
Praise for Baudelaire's Revenge</h3>
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“[An] intense historical crime thriller. The intricate plot, menacing atmosphere, and rich evocations of period Paris have undeniable power.” (Publishers Weekly)<br />
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“Vigorous. A finely-tuned balancing act between style and content. Add to all this the extremely convincingly painted tragic characters and the multitude of mysterious figures, and what you get is a winner who gives added luster to this jubilee edition of the Hercule Poirot Prize.” (The jury of the Hercule Poirot Prize)<br />
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“Van Laerhoven packs much complexity into 256 pages, giving this historical mystery the heft of a far longer work ( …) The book’s main preoccupation is the conclusive demonstration that everyone is guilty of something—the only mystery is, to what degree? The flowers of evil, sketched in lurid botanical detail…” (Kirkus Reviews)<br />
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“(A) decadent tale….Commissioner Lefèvre’s philosophical discussions with artists and poets and a creepy Belgian dwarf are fascinating….” (NY Times Book Review)<br />
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“Published for the first time in English, this roman policier isn’t so much a straight detective story (although there are two detectives in it) as an evocation of a mind-set that now seems extravagant: the 19th-century poet’s fascination with sex and death. It’s no wonder this title won the Hercule Poirot Prize: the author is Belgian, as is the prize, and the twisted plot is as complicated as Agatha Christie’s most convoluted mystery. Mystery aficionados will love this pastiche of Wilkie Collins and Edgar Allan Poe.” (Library Journal)<br />
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“(A) gritty, detail-rich historical mystery novel involves the reader in a subtle narrative web. This complex mystery from an award-winning Belgian author joins history and literary history to create a sly, smart revenge tale.” (Shelf Awareness Pro)<br />
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<h3>
Buy the Book</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baudelaires-Revenge-Bob-Van-Laerhoven/dp/1605985481/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389641492&sr=1-1&keywords=baudelaire%27s+revenge" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Amazon </span></a><br /><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baudelaires-revenge-bob-van-laerhoven/1116879856?ean=9781605985480" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble (Hardcover)</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baudelaires-revenge-bob-van-laerhoven/1116879856?ean=9781605985893" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Barnes & Noble (Nook) </span></a><br /><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781605985480" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">IndieBound </span></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NMz1poUVmUw" target="_blank">Watch the Trailer</a><br />
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<br />
<h3>
About the Author</h3>
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<br />
Bob Van Laerhoven became a full-time author in 1991 and has written more than thirty books in Holland and Belgium. The context of his stories isn’t invented behind his desk, rather it is rooted in personal experience. As a freelance travel writer, for example, he explored conflicts and trouble-spots across the globe from the early 1990s to 2005. Echoes of his experiences on the road also trickle through in his novels. Somalia, Liberia, Sudan, Gaza, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar… to name but a few.<br />
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During the Bosnian war, Van Laerhoven spent part of 1992 in the besieged city of Sarajevo. Three years later he was working for MSF – Doctors without frontiers – in the Bosnian city of Tuzla during the NATO bombings. At that moment the refugees arrived from the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica. Van Laerhoven was the first writer from the Low Countries to be given the chance to speak to the refugees. His conversations resulted in a travel book: <em>Srebrenica. Getuigen van massamoord – Srebrenica. Testimony to a Mass Murder</em>. The book denounces the rape and torture of the Muslim population of this Bosnian-Serbian enclave and is based on first-hand testimonies. He also concludes that mass murders took place, an idea that was questioned at the time but later proven accurate.<br />
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All these experiences contribute to Bob Van Laerhoven’s rich and commendable oeuvre, an oeuvre that typifies him as the versatile author of novels, travel stories, books for young adults, theatre pieces, biographies, poetry, non-fiction, letters, columns, articles… He is also a prize-winning author: in 2007 he won the Hercule Poirot Prize for best thriller of the year with his novel <a href="http://www.bobvanlaerhoven.be/en/page/80/de-wraak-van-baudelaire---baudelaires-revenge" target="_blank" title="De Wraak van Baudelaire – Baudelaire’s Revenge"><span style="color: #1155cc;">De Wraak van Baudelaire – Baudelaire’s Revenge</span></a>.<br />
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For more information please visit Bob Van Laerhoven’s <a href="http://www.bobvanlaerhoven.be/en/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a>. You can also connect with him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000473740301" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Facebook</span></a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/bobvanlaerhoven" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Twitter</span></a>.<br />
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<h3>
Baudelaire's Revenge Blog Tour Schedule</h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Monday, October 6</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tuesday, October 7</strong></span><br /> <br />
Review at <a href="http://diveunderthecover.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Shelly’s Book Shelves</span></a><br />
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<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Saturday, October 11</span></strong><br /> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The True Book Addict</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935420" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935420" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 13</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://sveta-randomblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Svetlana’s Reads and Views</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935421" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935421" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 14</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Booklover Book Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935422" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935422" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 15</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Guest Post at <a href="http://tonyriches.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Writing Desk</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935423" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935423" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, October 17</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935424" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935424" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Saturday, October 18</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">With Her Nose Stick in a Book</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935425" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935425" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 22</span></span></span></strong></span> <br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Peeking Between the Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935426" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935426" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 23</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookish</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935427" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935427" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, October 24</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br /> Guest Post & Giveaway at <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Bookish</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5944570901299649958.post-5560725160121224742014-10-22T03:00:00.000+01:002014-10-22T03:00:00.453+01:00Floats the Dark Shadow Audiobook Blog Tour: Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Publication Date: August 5, 2012<br />
BearCat Press<br />
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audio <br />
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Genre: Historical Mystery<br />
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<h3>
Synopsis</h3>
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Young American painter Theodora Faraday struggles to become an artist in Belle Époque Paris. She’s tasted the champagne of success, illustrating poems for the Revenants, a group of poets led by her adored cousin, Averill. When children she knows vanish mysteriously, Theo confronts Inspecteur Michel Devaux who suspects the Revenants are involved. Theo refuses to believe the killer could be a friend—could be the man she loves. Classic detection and occult revelation lead Michel and Theo through the dark underbelly of Paris, from catacombs to asylums, to the obscene ritual of a Black Mass. Following the maze of clues they discover the murderer believes he is the reincarnation of the most evil serial killer in the history of France—Gilles de Rais. Once Joan of Arc’s lieutenant, after her death he plunged into an orgy of evil. The Church burned him at the stake for heresy, sorcery, and the depraved murder of hundreds of peasant children. Whether deranged mind or demonic passion incite him, the killer must be found before he strikes again.<br />
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<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Story?</h3>
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Floats the Dark Shadow is a beautifully written story that is dark, disturbing and sensual as a tale of love and art against the backdrop of madness and murder. The portions told from the perspective of the killer, believing he is the reincarnation of Gilles de Rais, are beyond chilling and made me feel like I was actually within the mind of a madman. Following Theo and Inspector Devaux as they both try to uncover who is kidnapping, torturing and killing innocent children was thrilling and I can honestly say I did not see the eventual revelation coming! <br />
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My only complaint with Floats the Dark Shadow deals with the format and not the story at all, which I loved. I listened to the audiobook version of the story and given the many French names, the accents put on by the narrator and the fact that most of the characters sounded alike made it hard to keep up with the intricate plotlines and differentiate between the characters. Being that this story is a mystery to unravel the killer I found this frustrating and confusing at times. <br />
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With this being said, the descriptions of Paris and the surrounding countryside are breathtaking and really transport the reader/listener to Belle Epoque Paris. Theo is by far my favorite character as I found her to be well developed and admirable in her originality, determination and kindness. I believe if I had been reading this story as opposed to listening to it and able to flip back and forth between the pages I would have had less difficulty keeping up with the intricacies of the plot to discover the sadistic murderer and this would have helped with the confusion I experienced. I will also note to those thinking about picking this one up that it is quite graphic at times but, for me, this was needed to highlight the depravity of the participants and the deep-seeded dementia of the killer.<br />
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I would recommend this to those who love dark novels set in Paris during this time and those that enjoy a twisted journey to find a murderer and stop him from bringing more children into his web of destruction.<br />
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<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
So What Did I Think About The Cover?</h3>
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It's okay. I think I would have preferred a more ominous shadow lurking above a frightened child to really evoke the feelings brought on by the story, but the darkness and relative isolation go some way to bring about the chilling feelings I would expect. <br />
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<strong><u></u></strong><br />
<strong><u>My Rating: 4.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>Thank you to Amy at <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/" target="_blank">Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours</a> for providing me with a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Please continue below for more information about the book, the author and the book tour!</em></strong></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Praise for Floats the Dark Shadow</h3>
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“Yves Fey writes with the eye of an artist, the nose of a perfumer and the nerves of a hardened gendarme in this chilling tale of love and love’s perversion. Not for the faint of heart!” — Cuyler Overholt, award-winning author of A Deadly Affection<br />
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“Fey’s writing is gorgeous: she evokes the sights and smells of Paris and poetically presents the darkness and horror that plague tormented souls.” — Historical Novel Society<br />
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“Paris is painted with uncanny realism, using masterful splashes of descriptive color against a somber backdrop … The characters develop as their entwined relationships become ever more enmeshed in the dark plot woven around mysticism, Satanism, and sadistic murders…” — Kirkus Reviews<br />
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“Yves Fey delves into the dark well of occult, violence and eroticism lying just beneath the surface of fin-de-siècle Paris. The valiant heroine, American artist Theo Faraday, confronts the ultimate evils of child torture and murder as the serpentine page-turning plot unfolds. Beware! It’s strong stuff.” — Barbara Corrado Pope, author of Cézanne’s Quarry and The Blood of Lorraine<br />
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“This dark, gothic tale will delight fans of decadent, sensuous, fin-de-siècle Paris.” — Kenneth Wishnia, award-winning author of 23 Shades of Black and The Fifth Servant<br />
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“Yves Fey recreates the haunting world of absinthe, of the Symbolist poets, of Salomé, of the Golden Dawn, and of darker, more unfathomable forces, that was Paris in 1897. This well-researched thriller offers satisfyingly complex characters. Powerful, violent, elegant.” —Beth Tashery Shannon, Pushcart Prize winner, author of Tanglevine<br />
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<h3>
Buy the Book</h3>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Floats-Dark-Shadow-Yves-Fey/dp/1937356213/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1402602985&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon US</a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/floats-the-dark-shadow-yves-fey/1112417004?ean=9781937356200" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=floats+the+dark+shadow&search=Find+book" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><br />
<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781937356200" target="_blank">IndieBound</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1UcFbx4gNdU" target="_blank">Watch The Trailer</a><br />
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<h3>
About The Author</h3>
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Floats the Dark Shadow, Yves Fey’s debut mystery set in the dynamic and decadent world of Belle Époque Paris, has won the Silver Medal “IPPY” Independent Publishers Award in mystery, and both the Mystery and Historical Finalist Awards from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. It’s also nominated for ForeWord’s Independent Publishers BookTwitter of the Year Award in the Mystery <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5i0yh9sTJAIL7WQqmAWFI-PPBklyHZYJOppBKOXUUcMzPg5wgew8GVPi4gnplH5R0z3NAyPl38ZCYlMgA8WFPgoIgsLuiff-uKVyHNQV1jZM-XENByR1mrNUcYih03tOke6OJ8vXIcUD/s1600/Floats+the+Dark+Shadow+Author+Photo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5i0yh9sTJAIL7WQqmAWFI-PPBklyHZYJOppBKOXUUcMzPg5wgew8GVPi4gnplH5R0z3NAyPl38ZCYlMgA8WFPgoIgsLuiff-uKVyHNQV1jZM-XENByR1mrNUcYih03tOke6OJ8vXIcUD/s1600/Floats+the+Dark+Shadow+Author+Photo.png" /></a></div>
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Yves has an MFA in Creative Writing from Eugene Oregon, and a BA in Pictorial Arts from UCLA. She has read, written, and created art from childhood, and is an ardent movie buff. In her varied career, she has been a tie dye artist, go-go dancer, baker, creator of ceramic beasties, illustrator, fiction teacher, and now, novelist. A chocolate connoisseur, she’s won prizes for her desserts. Her current fascination is creating perfumes inspired by her new novel.<br />
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Yves has traveled to many countries in Europe and lived for two years in Indonesia. Currently, she resides in the San Francisco area with her husband and three cats, Marlowe the Investigator and Charlotte and Emily, the Flying Brontë Sisters.<br />
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Writing as Gayle Feyrer and Taylor Chase, she previously published four unusually dark and mysterious historical romances, The Prince of Cups, The Thief’s Mistress, Heart of Deception and Heart of Night. She plans to rerelease these with her own cover designs in the coming year. Her fantasy, House of the Twin Jewels, appears in Erotic Interludes.<br />
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For more information please visit Yves Fey’s <a href="http://yvesfey.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. You can also connect with her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YvesFey" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/YvesFey" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://pinterest.com/YvesFey/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/499414.Yves_Fey" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.<br />
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Floats the Dark Shadow Blog Tour</h3>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935396" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 13</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Passages to the Past</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935397" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935397" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 14</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Spotlight & Giveaway at <a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Flashlight Commentary</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935398" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935398" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 15</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Peeking Between the Pages</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935399" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935399" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 16</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Beth’s Book Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935400" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935400" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, October 17</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Just One More Chapter</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935401" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935401" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 20</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">CelticLady’s Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935402" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935402" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday, October 21</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935403" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935403" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday, October 22</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Historical Tapestry</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935404" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935404" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday, October 23</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.brookeblogs.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Brooke Blogs</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935405" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1242935405" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday, October 24</span></span></strong></span></span> <br />
Review at <a href="http://www.truebookaddict.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The True Book Addict</span></a><br /> Review & Giveaway at <a href="http://abookishaffair.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">A Bookish Affair</span></a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0