Pamela S. Thibodeaux's Blog, page 24

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Amanda Wen @AuthorAmandaWen & Roots of Wood and Stone!

Good Morning Friends!

Well, May just keeps marching on and the afternoon temps around here reflect that, although, we've been blessed with cooler nights which is a huge relief. Those Gulf waters need to stay as cool as possible for as long as they can to keep those storms off of us.

Today's guest is brand new to our blog and brought to us by Audra Jennings Publicity and Kregel Publications with her debut novel, Roots of Wood and Stone, so please give her a HUGE, SWLA       W-E-L-C-O-M-E!

Sloane Kelley was abandoned at birth, and while she wants more than anything to learn where she came from, her family roots remain a mystery. As curator of the Sedgwick County Museum of History, Sloane has dedicated her life to making sure others can connect with their history. When a donor drops off a dusty old satchel, she doesn’t expect much from the common artifact; after all, the museum has a few on display and more in storage. However, she finds real treasure inside: a nineteenth-century diary. Now, she’s on the hunt to see if there’s more where it came from. 
Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother’s historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to fund her medical care. He’s always been the responsible one, and with her advancing Alzheimer’s, he can’t afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles after he takes a few things to the local museum: Sloane, who’s fallen in love with both the diaries and the old house, and his own heart, which is drawn to Sloane. Selling the house that holds so much history will disappoint both Sloane and his sister, Lauren, who is doing her best to care for their grandmother, but Garrett finds himself in an impossible situation.
A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and love—and a God who faithfully carried her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.
And Sloane may just find her roots in a place she never would have expected.
Roots of Wood and Stone is set in the area of Kansas Wen has lived in most of her life. In fact, the story is inspired by aspects of her own family history. “One of my favorite things about split time is watching the contemporary characters dig into the past,” Wen explains. “My mother is a genealogist who’s been tracing our family history since before I was born, and her passion for uncovering our family’s stories has been an important backdrop my entire life. Her research has given me an appreciation for those who came before and a desire to pass along this appreciation to my own kids.” As an homage to her mother and all the rest of her ancestors, Wen named many of the people and places in the book after family. Parts of their stories are even woven into the historical portion of the book.
Wen not only offers readers two plotlines filled with plenty of history and romance wrapped into one story, she mixes in a healthy dose of humor and strong faith elements as well. “All my characters have deep needs that they try to fill through other means (achievement, research, hard work, planning, etc.), but throughout the story they learn that only God can fill those needs,” Wen shares. “He has a beautiful plan, one that goes far beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine, and he takes all our broken pieces and loose ends and weaves those trials into a tapestry more beautiful than we could possibly imagine. He is always there, faithfully guiding our steps, even—or perhaps especially—when we’re not aware of it. I hope my readers will trust him, his individual love and care for each of us, and his perfect plan just a little bit more after they close this book.”
Excerpt: Sloane Kelley stood in the lobby of the Sedgwick County Museum of History, the thick buffalo robe hanging warm and heavy on her arms. A line of first graders filed past to stroke the robe’s coarse brown fur. But no matter how many little hands poked and prodded that robe, it held up. It was resilient.
Just like the pioneers who’d worn it.
The last child, a girl with wide brown eyes and a riot of red curls, trailed her hand over the robe. “It’s softer than I thought it’d be.”
“That’s a great observation.” Sloane loved those light-bulb moments when history came to life.
“That is a great observation, Josie.” Mrs. McPherson, the dark-haired teacher charged with controlling the chaos, rewarded her student with a warm smile.
But Josie looked instead to a beaming, T-shirt-clad woman at the back of the room. Same brown eyes, same coppery curls.
Mother and daughter, no doubt.
Jaw tight, Sloane turned to hang the robe on its wooden rack. She scanned the placard beside it, covered with facts she’d researched. Facts to fill gaps in people’s knowledge.
A semi-successful cover for the utter lack of facts about her own past.
Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. She has placed first in multiple writing contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity, the 2017 Phoenix Rattler, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions contests. She was also a 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest finalist.
Wen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and regularly contributes author interviews for their Fiction Finder feature. She also frequently interviews authors for her blog and is a contributor to the God Is Love blog. Her debut novel, Roots of Wood and Stone, releases from Kregel Publications on February 2, 2021.
In addition to her writing, Wen is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her church’s worship team. She serves as a choral accompanist as well. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Wen lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.
To find Amanda Wen’s blog and short stories, visit www.amandawen.com. Readers can also follower her on Facebook (@AuthorAmandaWen), Twitter (@AuthorAmandaWen), and Instagram (@authoramandawen). 
Roots of Wood and Stone can be found at Amazon and where other great Christian fiction is sold.
Thank YOU, So Much, Amanda for sharing your debut novel with us! We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it.
PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes TI Lowe @TILowe

Good Morning!

I hope you're enjoying lovely, Spring weather wherever you are. We're getting lots of rain this week but after the storm or shower, pretty sunsets and (usually) mild temps. 

Today's guest, TI Lowe has visited several times, but please give her a warm W-E-L-C-O-M-E as she shares with us some information about her newest novel, Under the Magnolias! 

1. Under the Magnolias is different from your usual romance novels. What compelled you to deviate from your usual subject matter in this book? How was your writing process different?
I always write what I’m led to, and I really never want to limit my stories to a certain genre. With romance, there’s typically a loose formula to follow—boy meets girl, they fall in love, something gets in their way, they overcome it for their happily ever after. But with this book, I just wrote it like no one was looking. I wasn’t even sure where it would end up until I reached the ending. It challenged me as a writer and I loved it!
2. Can you walk us through the emotions you felt while writing this book?My emotions were all over the place. I fully invest in my characters. When they hurt, I hurt. When they rejoice, so do I. One scene where Austin starts unraveling and doesn’t see how to hold her family together, I was right there with her. It was a tough writing day, for sure, and I walked away from the computer not knowing how she would either. I definitely stayed in my head for several months while writing this one.
3. You’ve said that this book is the most important book you’ve written to date. Why?The subject matter of this book, even though it’s fiction set in the eighties, is so relevant today. Everyone hurts. Everyone struggles. And everyone hides their truths to some degree. I was led to write this book in a way that I hope readers will realize it’s not so healthy to hide, that it’s okay to seek help no matter what they are going through.
4. You say you are an observer of people. What do you mean by that? How do you use that to craft your stories?People are so fascinating. I know I look like a weirdo but I’m all about people watching. I also want to understand things that I see, whether it’s from a news headline or something I’ve witnessed in person, so I work that out through my stories.
5. This book has been said to highlight the best of humanity. Can you explain what you mean by that?Honestly, I fear the world we are living in today has forgotten how beautiful it is to be compassionate and to empathize with others. This book has characters from all walks of life and highlights how those characters choose to show kindness for no other reason than to be kind. Simple enough!
6. Some of the common themes in this book are the power of community and connectedness, as well as the impact that small and simple kindnesses can have on those around us. How do you hope those themes encourage the reader? Why did you include those themes specifically?I hope the reader will reflect on their own actions and attitudes toward others. As I’ve already said, kindness is a simple act but can have such a profound effect on the one receiving it. Austin was able to stop hiding due to the strength she garnered from those who reached out to help her and her family. We can be that for someone—how powerful is that?
Simple act of kindness example: I’m always on people-watching duty, so when I go through a checkout line and the cashier is in a terrible mood and being rude, instead of complaining to the manager, I ask the cashier if they’re having a bad day. I can’t tell you how many times this was exactly what they needed. Just someone to take the time to acknowledge them and to let them unload a second. I’ve always left those situations with the cashier smiling at me. Simple kindness, ladies and gentlemen.
7. What was the research process like for this book? Did it require more research due to the subject matter?The research was extensive, for sure. An entire summer was spent doing nothing more than research for this book. Mental illness is a subject that I made certain I got right. Even though it’s fiction. I spent days reading articles and watching testimonies from those suffering bipolar disorder as well as the loved ones who stood by them through it. And even more time researching treatments.
8. Why did you choose to set this book in the eighties? Why was it important to you to write a coming-of-age book that wasn’t set during the age of social media?The eighties was a great decade, so why not! I truly wanted to get to a simpler time for this book. One with less noise, so to speak. I think it’ll be easier for someone to read this subject from afar and not have cell phones and all that to distract from it. It makes Austin different yet shows her coming-of-age journey is still relevant today.
9. You used to work on a tobacco farm. What made you choose this setting for the book? How did you draw from personal experience to create the setting?Working tobacco was my first job and my hardest job. This job taught me that everyone has to do their part. It cannot be put on the shoulders of one person. It’s quite symbolic to the story. Austin tried taking care of her father and siblings all on her own, but the burden was too heavy and came close to ruining them until the community stepped up to take a part in helping.
10. What was your inspiration for this book? You’ve referenced some of the conversations you had with God about writing this book. Can you walk us through that a bit?Spring of 2019, it seemed every time I turned on the news or pulled up Facebook, there was a headline that a community leader, mostly church leaders, had committed suicide. Man, did that put such a burden on my heart. I wanted to know their story and why they got to the point of feeling that hopeless. Before I knew it, I was deep into research. I discovered most times those victims were secretly suffering with mental illness. They were worried what others would think, so they kept it hidden. A lot of prayer went into the book, asking God to help me understand and to express that understanding to readers. Days of writing with goose bumps along my arms and a tightened chest, I knew I wasn’t telling this story alone.
11. This book is gritty in parts, but it also serves up a good dose of humor. Why did you intentionally include humor in this story? Can you give us an example?Life is tough! It is gritty, yet I lean heavily on humor to get me though the rough patches of life. I also needed it to get through the rough patches of this book and I think readers will too. You will meet Phoenix, aka Peg. He is the next-to-oldest brother and boy, does he have a mouth on him. The scene where he gets ahold of a man who is making racists remarks cracks me up even now. It’s a lot of dry humor, my favorite type, and Peg always gave me some comic relief on the hard writing days with his sarcastic one-liners.
12. Why is it important to write stories about characters who deal with real issues? What are some of the real issues that this story addresses?Sometimes I think reading about real issues in fiction is easier for us to digest than reading it in nonfiction or in a self-help book. It takes us out of it, so to speak. The issues addressed in this book are quite extensive, but it is mostly about ill-fitting labels that need to be done away with.
13. What was special about crafting the Foster children in this book? Austin Foster specifically?The Foster children lived an isolated life out on the farm. It gave me the opportunity to explore hard topics through their curious, naive eyes with an honesty that I would not have been able to pull off otherwise.
14. Under the Magnolias features several noteworthy, misfit characters. Who was your favorite supporting character to write?This is like asking me to pick a favorite child! Yikes! I will say it’s a toss-up between Foxy and Miss Wise. Both women faced gross social injustices. They were survivors who chose not to live like victims. They are great characters to look up too, if you ask me.
15. Why did you choose to represent characters who are marginalized or misunderstood in this book?I don’t know about you but I am just so tired of the labels and the unrealistic boxes society creates and expects you to live up to. That’s hogwash. If God wanted us all to fit in the same box, he would have created us as carbon copies. He didn’t, so that means it’s a gift to be different and I think differences should be celebrated. I did a lot of celebrating this in Under the Magnolias.
16. Chances are readers are going to have a love/hate relationship with Vance Cumberland. He’s different from the male love interests we’ve seen in your other books. What do you love about Vance? What irks you about Vance?Vance is different from most of my male leads because we meet him in the beginning as a privileged kid. Just as we go on the coming-of-age journey with Austin, we get to do the same with Vance. That boy had a lot of growing up to do. I love his determination, but he irked me when he succumbed to those socially labeled boxes in his younger years. He eventually gets it right, and I think he’s pretty swoon-worthy at times.
17. This book gives an inside look at the reality of mental illness, through a fictional story. How do you hope the themes of this book bring mental health awareness?I want it to open our eyes, to start more conversations about mental health, and to be more empathetic to those suffering. Being more proactive in mental health awareness requires those suffering in silence to find their voice and for everyone else to take off their blinders and pay attention.
18. This book is very raw and real, as told from Austin Foster’s point of view. Did you draw from personal experience in writing her character?Austin and I both lost our mothers, so I shared in her grief. And we both had a parent who was sick and we felt helpless when we realized we couldn’t fix it. I drew many parallels with my mother’s battle with cancer and Austin’s father’s battle with mental illness. Both illnesses need treatment and can be life-threatening when undiagnosed. I also think it’s important to point out that both patients are the main victims of their disease, but their loved ones endure suffering as well.
19. What was the hardest part about writing a book with such heavy themes? How did you make sure you protected and prioritized your own mental health during the writing process?Walking away from it at the end of the day. I lived this story, even dreamed about it at times while writing it. I remember one significantly heavy writing day and how I told my friend about it. She encouraged me to take a break. To do something outside the house and away from the computer. Talking about the process with my friend helped me keep my own mental health in check.
20. Nobody is immune to hardship in life and the Fosters know that well. For readers going through a personal battle, what does Under the Magnolias offer them?It will give them the courage to seek help in those times, realizing it’s not healthy to keep it all hidden. And that people genuinely do care and want to help.
21. Fiction is often cited by people as being a form of escapism. By contrast, Under the Magnolias holds up a mirror to the joys and sorrows we experience as people. Why did you take that approach with this story?First off, I love a good book that is all about helping me escape reality. I mean, hello, that’s why I love writing romance. But Under the Magnolias has such a different purpose. I wrote this story with no expectations on how the reader would view it, but I have no doubt God will reach many through it. I think we need more fictional books that are brave enough to open our eyes.
22. We see a beautiful picture of what it means to be the church in this book. What do you hope readers take away from this?Exactly as you put it in the question, the church is beautiful and I’m so sad that so many are missing out on this because they have misguided views of what church is supposed to be. I’m not an expert on theology, but I do love how Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 puts it: “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
23. Why do you think it’s important for people to be vulnerable with their hurt, pain, and secrets?We are all human and all flawed and all going through something. I think when you choose to be authentic instead of pretending to be what folks expect you to be, there’s a great freedom in that.
24. What is one thing you learned about yourself from writing this book?I’m more aware now of how I keep things hidden. I hide my pain through making jokes, sometimes at the wrong time. I’m much like Austin in the sense that I’ve put up walls to hide my emotions. I don’t cry in public. A few instances come to mind where my eyes watered, but the only time I can actually sob is in the shower or in the car by myself and that doesn’t happen often. I don’t know how to overcome this, but I’m praying about it and talking about it.
25. What do you hope your readers walk away with when they’ve turned the last page of this book?My hope is that they say, “Dang, that girl can write!” Ha! Just kidding. Kinda . . . No, seriously, I want them to get to the end of this book and find their own sense of freedom. To bravely go out and live without putting on airs. To exercise their compassion and empathy muscles more.
T. I. Lowe is an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories and is the author of nearly twenty published novels, including her debut, Lulu’s Café, a number one bestseller. She lives with her husband and family in coastal South Carolina. Find her at tilowe.com or on Facebook (T.I.Lowe), Instagram (tilowe), and Twitter (@TiLowe).

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This night not only marked the end to the drought, but also the end to the long-held secret we’d kept hidden under the magnolias.
Magnolia, South Carolina, 1980
Austin Foster is barely a teenager when her mama dies giving birth to twins, leaving her to pick up the pieces while holding her six siblings together and doing her best to stop her daddy from retreating into his personal darkness.
Scratching out a living on the family’s tobacco farm is as tough as it gets. When a few random acts of kindness help to ease the Fosters’ hardships, Austin finds herself relying upon some of Magnolia’s most colorful citizens for friendship and more. But it’s next to impossible to hide the truth about the goings-on at Nolia Farms, and Austin’s desperate attempts to save face all but break her.
Just when it seems she might have something more waiting for her—with the son of a wealthy local family who she’s crushed on for years—her father makes a choice that will crack wide-open the family’s secrets and lead to a public reckoning. There are consequences for loving a boy like Vance Cumberland, but there is also freedom in the truth.
T. I. Lowe’s gritty yet tender and uplifting tale reminds us that a great story can break your heart . . . then heal it in the best possible way.
Get your copy of Under the Magnolias from Tyndale House Publishing or anywhere great Christian fiction is sold!

Oh my goodness, TI, what a wonderful and timely message. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your book!
Hope you enjoyed the post friends! Until next time take care and God bless. PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Jo Richardson & Blind Spot!

Good Morning,

Returned from the lake yesterday afternoon. Didn't catch a whole bunch of fish, but enjoyed some lovely weather. It's another beautiful morning here in SWLA, cool and clear. I hope all the mothers out there have a wonderful, blessed Mothers Day tomorrow!

Today's guest is brand new to our blog so please welcome Jo Richardson to the spotlight with her book, Blind Spot a  Paranormal Romance / Psychic / Mystery that's "steamy, but not erotica." ...

Sydney Fallon has spent her entire life seeing things before they happen.
Tucker Chase is no exception.
He’s not looking for any new friends when he rolls into town.He's not looking for anything but a way to escape his past.
But how do you stay out of someone's life when you see it flashing before your eyes on a daily basis? 
EXCERPT: 

I can’t help but let down my guard for a minute as I watch him. He looks like he’s pondering something. I want to peek around at the expression on his face to see if it reflects what I’m feeling. Then I remember why he’s here.

Probably wondering how quickly he can get down the river and over to New Orleans.

There are plenty of lowlifes who use the winding rivers by Madisonville and the surrounding towns as a convenient waterway escape after conducting who knows what kinds of illegal business.

I step closer and lift the piece of driftwood over my head, ready to knock him out if I have to.

When I hit a creaky board, I freeze.

The man spins around.

He takes one look at me and his brow knits together into a scowl. Like he’s angry with me for interrupting him. And his plans for ransacking Ian’s place.

"What the hell?" he mutters.

I decide I better not waste any more time thinking.

I swing the wood down at his head, but he catches it mid-strike. He looks like he’s about to laugh except for the fact that he’s so irritated.

I yank at my weapon, trying to get it out of his grasp so I can take another swipe at him, but he holds on tightly.

Then the silence between us is broken.

"Can I help you?" he growls. "I mean, you know, other than giving you a head to swing at?"

"Can you help me?" I pull again, to no avail. "You're the one on private property!"

"Yeah, I know. Mine."

"Yours?” HA! “Liar! This place happens to belong to a very good friend of mine." I’m still tugging as hard as I can at the piece of wood. And he’s still scowling at me.

"A good friend of yours, huh?"

Why. Won’t. He. Let. Go!

"Yes, Ian Hedder, as a matter of..." I pull again. "...fact, and I've already called the police, by the way."

"Good," he tells me. Then he lets go of the wood.

As he lets go, I’m giving it my all, and suddenly, I’m flying backwards off the dock, into the chilly, muddy river's water with a scream.

The water is freezing.

I come up for air.

“Holy shit!”

About Jo: Jo describes herself as a "writer of things." You can find out more about her by visiting and/or connecting with her through Amazon | Website | Facebook | Goodreads
Get your copy of Blind Spot at Amazon

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care, God Bless and be sure to check out NN Light's Book Heaven's Mother's Day Bookish Event and Bookaholics Unite giveaways!

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes @AlinaKField Alina K Field!

Good Morning from Toledo Bend!

Yep, FINALLY got a chance to come back to the lake yesterday afternoon and let me tell you being here is so relaxing I hardly know what to do with myself LOL! I'll be fishing later and then just chillin'

Our guest today has visited often so please welcome Alina K Field as she shares some words with us....

It’s a Beautiful Day

I confess, though I’m a pretty casual housekeeper, when it comes to schedules, I have a tendency to perfectionism. When things and people aren’t lined up and right on schedule, I can get a tad tense. And so, I’m sharing a little story about one of my favorite people, a guy who knows how to coax a laugh when we both need it: 

It’s a Beautiful Day

Within families, most of us wear a lot of titles. One of my favorites is “Grandma”. 

The grandkids are now 3 ½ and 20 months old. Babysitting them and watching them grow and develop is a blessing and privilege. And also a challenge sometimes, especially at naptime! 

I like routine, and I like naps. My granddaughter (the 20-month old) runs out of steam by early afternoon and puts up a fight as tiny as herself.  

My grandson has never liked naps. He doesn’t fight them though—he’s learned to charm his way out of them. 

Me: “Your eyes are getting droopy. You’re getting cranky. Let’s go have a nap.”

Him: (Pauses, leans close, and gives me a wide-eyed look) “But, Grandma…” Waves his hand toward the window. “It’s a beautiful day.” 

He stops Naptime Grandma dead in her tracks and makes me laugh. 

We’ve reached a compromise of sorts: he sits with Gramps and watches Paw Patrol, and I take sister and we stretch out and snooze. By the time Mom picks him up, he’s ready to fall asleep in his car seat, so he has that nap anyway! 

Now, it’s a standing joke between my husband and me: when one of us is feeling tense, the other one says, “But Grandma, it’s a beautiful day.” 

And it usually is! 

My most recent standalone release is FATED HEARTS, a retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The Scottish hero and his lady get a true happy ending, Regency romance style! 

Fated Hearts , A Love After All Retelling of the Scottish PlayA Regency Romance, part of the Tragic Characters in Classic Lit Series 
Heat rating: R
Everything he believed to be true was a lie. 
Plagued by hellish memories and rattling visions of battle to come, a Scottish Baron returning from two decades at war meets the daughter he denied was his, and the wife he divorced, and learns that everything he’d believed to be true was a lie. What he can’t deny is that she’s the only woman he’s ever loved. They’re not the young lovers they once were, but when passion flares, it burns more hotly than ever it did in their youth.
They soon discover, it wasn’t fate that drove them apart, but a jealous enemy, who played on his youthful arrogance and her vulnerability. Now that old enemy has resurfaced, more treacherous than ever. When his lady falls into a trap, can he reach her in time to rescue this love that never died? 
Get your copy of Fated Hearts at the following locations....
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NYWR3KH
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fated-hearts-6
Nook:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940163084159
Apple books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/fated-hearts/id1541737451?ls=1
GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alina_K_Field_Fated_Hearts?id=YcMKEAAAQBAJ
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/fated-hearts-a-love-after-all-retelling-of-the-scottish-play-by-alina-k-field
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56023442-fated-hearts
Other distributors can be found Here.
About Alina: Award winning and USA Today bestselling author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but prefers the much happier world of romance fiction. Though her roots are in the Midwestern U.S., after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California, where she shares a midcentury home with her husband and a spunky, blond rescued terrier. She is the author of several Regency romances, including the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best winner, Rosalyn’s Ring. Though hard at work on her next series of romantic adventures, she loves to hear from readers!
Website: https://alinakfield.com/ 
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alina-K.-Field/e/B00DZHWOKYFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/alinakfield MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/alinakfieldTwitter: https://twitter.com/AlinaKFieldBookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alina-k-fieldInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/alinak.field/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173518.Alina_K_FieldPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/alinakf/Bingebooks: https://bingebooks.com/author/alina-k-fieldNewsletter signup: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z6q6e3

Other books in the Tragic Characters in Classic Literature Project
The Monster Within, The Monster Without by Lindsay Downs (Frankenstein)
I Shot the Sheriff by Regina Jeffers (Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham)
The Colonel’s Spinster by Audrey Harrison (Pride and Prejudice)
The Redemption of Heathcliff by Alanna Lucas (Wuthering Heights)
Captain Stanwick’s Bride by Regina Jeffers (The Courtship of Miles Standish)
Glorious Obsession by Louisa Cornell (Orpheus and Eurydice
Wow, Alina, this sounds like an intriguing collection of stories. It's amazing how those grandbabies can manipulate us - in an incredibly sweet way of course. I remember when my granddaughter was little she'd tell her Paw Paw, "But I not tired." (with big, heavy eyes LOL!) He'd tell her to just lay there while he slept. Worked every time 😊

Thanks for sharing with us today and Thanks, Friends for dropping by. Be sure and visit Saturday for a spotlight on another great author and book!
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
PS: I'm on Maris Soule's blog today so please drop by and visit me - THANKS!

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Dreams of the Queen Audio Book!

Good Morning!
It's been a while since we had an audiobook tour brought to you from Audio Bookworm Promotions so I won't take up any of your time yammering about me LOL!
Enjoy.....


 Author: Jacqueline PatricksNarrator: Skyler MorganLength: 12 hours 35 minutesSeries: The Brajj, Book 1Publisher: Crazy Bird PublishingReleased: Feb. 19, 2021Genre: Science Fiction; Horror

A Wormhole to Another World A Team of Scientists and Soldiers Unimaginable Evil, Unexpected Mysteries, Unending Destiny An Epic Adventure Across Time and Space Listen to the science fiction trilogy from the nominee for Top Female Author of 2017 by The Author Show. Awarded the IndiePENdent’s Seal of Good Writing, Dreams of the Queen is the first book in The Brajj Trilogy, a multi-genre, sci-fi thriller. ____________________________________________________________ Dr. Cass Baros is haunted by dreams of an alien world and will do anything to find it. Relentlessly, she works her science team and her fiancé, Dr. Julian Saunders. Captain Lewis’ military Spec Op team joins the scientists. Egos clash and agendas cross. Trapped, the team is plunged into a dangerous adventure beyond their control. They struggle to unravel millennia old secrets in an alien world where nothing is what it seems, especially the aliens. Dr. Baros and her team are tossed between allies and enemies, genius and madness, and a betrayal frightening enough to cause the destruction of worlds.

 

    
     Nominated by The Author Show as Top Female Author 2017, a staff writer for Art Houston magazine, a PAN member of the Romance Writers Association, a volunteer with Houston’s Writespace, and a winner of the Seal of Good Writing from the IndiePENdents for her first published novel, Dreams of the Queen, Jacqueline Patricks’ passion for writing began early in life. Before she published, however, Jacqueline traveled a winding path through the U.S. Army, college, over twenty years in 911 as a paramedic, professional teaching, and all the exciting adventures in between. She currently resides with her husband and four parrots and hopes to meet Mark Twain someday since he understands parrot people. Website ⎮ Twitter ⎮ Facebook ⎮ Instagram      Skyler Morgan is an audiobook Narrator with over 170 titles under his belt. He previously was a paramedic for 7 years in Montana prior to becoming a narrator. He has been creating and voicing audiobooks for six years.. He currently has built a mobile studio and is traveling the country while recording. Website ⎮ Instagram Q&A with Narrator Skyler Morgan When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator? I had a two hour commute to and from work. I started listening to audiobooks during the drive and, after about a year, realized that I absolutely loved how a narrator can bring a story to life. Soon after I started my pursuit of narration. How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance? I was working a job that required a 2 hour commute to and from work with a 10 hour shift in between. I really felt like my creative mind was hamstrung and ALL my time was spent working on something I wasn't even really interested in if I'm being honest. I wanted a change. I needed a change. Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started? It was the hardest career choice I have ever made. There were months where I would only make enough money to cover my portion of the rent and food for my dogs. It wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination. Learning how to sing improved my narrations drastically. It taught me how to control my voice and really get the most out of it without fatigue. A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career? I didn't. But, as my earlier narrations portray, my acting and character development was terrible. I ended up sharpening that knife along the way. I would assume theater experience prior to narrating would have sped up my success quite a bit. What type of training have you undergone? Daily singing lessons for over 5 years. I have also recently learned multiple metal screaming techniques which I have been able to mold into my character voices. How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating? Burn out can't really be avoided. At some point, working on long projects, it's inevitable. As a narrator we spend a lot of time in a dark room talking to ourselves. Getting outside and getting active helps me recover! It's important to find something to do that's not related to a book in any sort of way. Really connecting to the characters in a genre that I like to read in really helps keep my motivation high. Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you? I listen to audiobooks to go to sleep. I enjoy listening to how other narrators bring the book to life. It's interesting to compare techniques and pacing while hearing a fun story. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook? Editing can become a bit monotonous after a certain period of time. Computers are useful but not perfect, every so often a harddrive crashes or corrupts and I have lost work that wasn't backed up. That's pretty much perfect recipe for an instant headache and a small amount of tears. What would you say are your strongest narration abilities? Over the past couple years I have really been trying to expand my character voice range. I think it has come a long way. Jacqueline Patricks' Top 10 Literary Inspirations Jacqueline Carey George R. R. Martin Hugh Howey Jane Austen Elizabeth Moon Bram Stoker Barbra Hambly Anne McCaffrey Isaac Asimov Brandon Sanderson
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Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back weekly for another edition of Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.Until next time, take care and God bless.PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Karen Malley @KarenLMalley !

Good Morning,

Well, the house is gone and I am two steps closer to finalizing my mom and dad's estate. 

Bittersweet relief. 

Please give today's guest, Karen Malley a huge, warm, W-E-L-C-O-M-E!!!

Thank you for having me back again, Pam!

A few years ago, I was talking with a coworker who I knew to be an avid reader. When I mentioned writing my first book, he told me “you should write a series.” At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but when I came to the end of Following the Sparrows, I knew he was right. I had so much fun writing about the characters and the town of Pine Springs, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. There were other characters with stories to tell, so I took his advice and a series was born.

            Since that conversation, I have now written three books in the series, along with a free prequel. This month, book two, A Second Chance for Grace, releases. I’ve enjoyed exploring the secondary characters who first showed their faces in the first book.

            Here’s a little bit about it: 

A new life coming into the world disrupts Susan's quiet life ...

Susan Montgomery is used to a quiet, peaceful life managing her apartment building, where the hardest problem is her grouchy neighbor's leaky faucet. She soon finds herself dealing with a pregnant teenage niece, a mysterious briefcase left behind by a tenant, and two very different men vying for her heart.

A near-death experience gives Mac a new outlook on life ...

Christopher "Mac" MacAllister is trying to figure out how to "do the Christian thing." As a new convert, he's drawn to Susan's love for life and for God. She's nothing like the women he used to date; but can Mac compete with the guy who's come out of nowhere and knows all the right things to say?

It may be obvious from the title, but the book is all about second chances. We serve a God who specializes in second chances. Moses murdered an Egyptian and ran away to the wilderness, and when God came to recruit him, he asked God to send someone else, yet God used him to lead his people out of slavery. David committed adultery and had the woman’s husband murdered to cover up the resulting pregnancy, but God made him a mighty king of Israel. Peter spent three years of his life swearing his allegiance to Jesus, but in His time of need denied knowing the Lord. Jesus restored him and used him to draw thousand of Jewish people to Christ. Paul persecuted Christians and dragged them off to prison, but God changed his heart and he became the greatest missionary of all time. God used each of these men mightily by lifting them out of their sins. They became heroes of the faith. He can do the same for us if we open our hearts to His leading.

Personally, I’m encouraged God chose to record the mistakes made by the heroes of the faith because it means he can use even me. Maybe not to lead people out of slavery, be a king, or start dozens of churches, but I’m hopeful He uses my words to encourage others.

If you’re interested in reading about second chances, love, friendship, betrayal, and mystery, give A Second Chance for Grace a try!

Karen lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. She works full time as a scientist, but enjoys writing in her spare time whenever she can find some! When not writing (with her left hand), she enjoys baking, volunteering at her church, camping, hiking, playing board games, and reading. She loves reading faith-based stories, because we can all use a happy ending.

Find out more about Karen by visiting her Website and connecting with her on Twitter, FaceBook, GoodReads and BookBub.

Get your copy of A Second Chance for Grace at Amazon and where other great Christian fiction is sold.

Thank you so much, Karen for visiting with us today. A Second Chance for Grace sounds like a wonderful read and we certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it and all of your writings!

Hope you enjoyed today's post as much as I did, Friends and that you'll stop by weekly for another edition of Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Colleen L Donnelly & Letters and Lies!

Good Morning!

Today's guest is brand new to our blog so please welcome Colleen L Donnelly with her novel, Letters and Lies! Take it away Colleen.....

Louise Archer boards a westbound train in St. Louis to find the Kansas homesteader who wooed and proposed to her by correspondence, then jilted her by telegram – Don't come, I can't marry you. Giving a false name to hide her humiliation, her lie backfires when a marshal interferes and offers her his seat.
Marshal Everett McCloud intends to verify the woman coming to marry his homesteading friend is suitable. At the St. Louis train station, his plan detours when he offers his seat to a captivating woman whose name thankfully isn't Louise Archer.
Everett's plans thwart hers, until he begins to resemble the man she came west to find, and she the woman meant to marry his friend.
EXCERPT: 

“He wrote and changed your plans? Why didn’t you tell me? You know I love hearing his letters.”

Everyone loved hearing his letters. Or at least they’d pretended to. I glanced at my friends, especially the one who’d first suggested I correspond with her husband’s homesteading friend in Kansas who was ready to look for a wife. She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief while she flicked the fingers of her other hand in a weak wave. I dredged my soul in search of a smile. The man she’d introduced me to truly had penned everything I’d ever wanted in a husband, months of letters which convinced Mama Jim was my open door. Letters I’d foolishly carted from family to friend to blather every word like a desperate spinster. Drat.

“He didn’t send his change of plans in a letter, Mama. He sent them in a telegram.” Don’t come, I can’t marry you. The only words I never shared.  

“Well I imagine your Jim has a surprise for you and didn’t have time to send a letter before you left for Crooked Creek. How thoughtful to wire you instead.” 

Thoughtful…I felt poisoned and Mama would too if she ever found out Jim had shut my open door. Which she wouldn’t, since as soon as I got out there and found him, I’d wedge it back open again. 

Born and raised in the Midwest, Colleen studied and worked in science, using that career to travel and explore other parts of the country. An avid fan of literature, both reading and writing, she loves tales involving moral dilemmas and the choices people come up against. A lover of the outdoors as well as a comfy living room, Colleen is always searching inside and out for the next good story.
Connect with Colleen by visiting here Website, on Facebook, GoodReads and BookBub
Get your copy of Letters and Lies at the following locations:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2yNFGNvBarnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3aXuMCl iTunes: https://apple.co/2YinxBY

Oh my goodness, Colleen, my heart broke for Louise but I admire her tenacity in traveling to Kansas to find Everett and find out what's going on! I hope they find their HEA!

Hope you enjoyed the spotlight friends and that you'll check back weekly for another edition of Saturday Spotlight and Wednesday Words with Friends.

Until next time,take care and God Bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes ME with a #CoverReveal

Good Morning Friends,

If you are signed up to receive my newsletter some of this information will be redundant for you but, thanks for visiting anyway.

A lot has happened since my last post. We've completed our Lenten season and I must say I've rediscovered my first love ~ Jesus ~ and my life is full of surprises and growth! God and His promises are becoming more and more real to me every day.

I went to my son's house in Nacogdoches, TX to help take care of his animals while he took his SFA dance and cheer teems to competition in Florida. I came home with about 2K words on my current WIP and he came home with 2 First and 3 Second place national championships!

I have a contract on my mom and dad's home. We're supposed to close at the end of this month then I'll be able to put all that behind me and move forward. It's never easy to go through your parent's things and get rid of their home, but life goes on and we have to let go of something to receive new from God.

Tempered Truth has been out for a month and I've already had one avid reader review the book and ask for a sequel LOL! That idea is definitely on the back burner but will come to pass sometime in the not-too-distant future. Meanwhile....

I've put my WF novels together into a collection titled: Love's Overcoming Power. Here is the blurb....

Temptation, Abuse, Grief and Doubt are plagues common to women all over the world. In John, 16 Jesus said…. In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.

In this Women's Fiction collection comprised of three full-length novels and one novella, Pamela S Thibodeaux shares stories that exemplify the power of God's love to overcome whatever situations life throws at you. 

Includes: The Visionary, Circles of Fate, My Heart Weeps and Keri's Christmas Wish.

This will be available in Ebook only (much like the Tempered series bundle) sometime this Summer, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on the cover.

Please leave a comment and/or suggestion about the cover for Love's Overcoming Power - I'm not too sure about the text color and appreciate your opinion, help and insight. Once this book is up, Kyleigh's Cowboy is next, hopefully sometime later this year.
If you're a regular visitor here, you'll notice the Western Fiction Romance Bookish Event by NN Light's Book Heaven in the sidebar. If you LOVE Western Romances, check out the books featured and enter to win an Amazon gift card!
Well, Friends, not much else to talk about today. I hope you enjoyed the post and will return weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God bless. PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Alina K Field @AlinaKField and Storm & Shelter!

Good Morning,

I'm about tired of the rain, let me tell you! It has rained every day this week and the weather app changed from sunshine through Thursday to cloudy - UGH. My Newsletter went out Thursday. If you haven't signed up for it, please consider doing so. Tempered Truth is a month old now. If you've read the book, please consider leaving a review - THANKS!

Today's guest has visited before, so please welcome Alina K Field with her latest release, Storm & Shelter. Take it away Alina....

The year 2020 was awful in many ways, but there were some bright spots. For me, one of those was being invited by the Bluestocking Belles, a group of historical romance authors, to be one of the guest authors in their 2021 story collection. It was a unique experience, and a great deal of fun, interweaving our stories and characters into the collection's setting. All of the stories take place in the fictional Suffolk town of Fenwick on Sea during a "storm of the century". It is the first week of April 1815, and Napoleon Bonaparte has just escaped from Elba.

When this opportunity arose, I was in the middle of writing Fated Hearts, my Regency-set retelling of the Macbeth story. Since Fated Hearts was set in London in March 1815, in the middle of the Corn Riots, and in the week that ended with the arrival of news of Bonaparte's escape, the Storm & Shelter project gave me the perfect opportunity for a secondary character's romance.

Blurb for Storm & Shelter:

When a storm blows off the North Sea and slams into the village of Fenwick on Sea, the villagers prepare for the inevitable: shipwreck, flood, land slips, and stranded travelers. The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel.

One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.

Blurb for The Comtesse of Midnight:

A Scottish Earl on a quest for the elusive Comtesse de Fontenay rescues a French lady smuggler from the surf during a devastating storm, and takes shelter with her. As the stormy night drags on, he suspects his companion knows the woman he’s seeking, the one who holds the secret to his identity.

Marielle Plessiers may dress like a boy and go out with the local free traders, but she’s really the Comtesse de Fontenay. She trades in spirits, not secrets, but the information she holds will change Malcolm Comyn’s life forever.

Excerpt:

The Scotsman, however, was dead on his feet. She could almost feel sorry for him. He was far from home, and had been traveling for several days. His neckcloth was limp, his cuffs soiled, his coat wrinkled. His boots, well and carefully crafted, if not by Hoby then by some equally fashionable bootmaker in Edinburgh, had not been properly polished in the last few days.

Did he have a razor in his interesting valise? She wouldn’t molest him, unless he thought to do the same to her. If it came to that, and she prayed that it wouldn’t, she would use her own blade and not some unfamiliar shaving instrument.

“Is this one of your imports?” he asked, swirling the amber liquid. “It’s very good.”

His words stirred her out of her imaginings about handsome young men, and she realized she must manage the conversation else she’d slip into sleep, or perhaps something more inconvenient, without thinking.

The Comte had always succumbed to sleep when they’d conversed, no matter the topic. She must soothe this fine-looking and very fatigued man the same way.

Outside, the thunderstorm had moved on, and the rain pounded in a comforting downpour. With the warm fire, and the heavy blankets, and the sleeping dog, it was quite cozy.

But what to talk about? Most certainly not the free trade. It would be far too diverting to put him to sleep, and besides she had no idea what he would do with the knowledge.

The countryside? She might slip and drop a hint about her home at Bloodmoor Hill.

She thought back to her time on the fringes of a London society that she’d found unbearably dull.

The weather.

“I am glad you are enjoying the brandy,” she said. “But I daresay you are not liking this weather. It is quite the worst storm in many seasons, people are saying. Normally at this time of year the sea has quietened.” A lie, of course, but how would he know?

He sipped his drink, eyeing her over the glass.

Oh. Given that it might remind him of her activities that evening and spark questions, the sea was an inappropriate topic, whether or not one was fudging a weather report. “Winters, however are generally mild.”

He yawned, and she went on, discussing the number of rainstorms in March and going back to February, and then January, and making up the story as she went along, until his eyes drooped and the empty glass fell into his lap and lodged itself next to his fall.

Warmth uncurled in her. His trousers were tight in the usual fashion for gentlemen, outlining masculine endowments that sparked her interest far too much. Retrieving the fallen tumbler was out of the question.

She set down her own glass and fought the urge to join him in slumber.

Storm & Shelter also includes novellas by Jude Knight, Carolyn Warfield, Sherry Ewing, Rue Allyn, Cerise DeLand, Mary Lancaster, and Grace Burrowes. 

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3kgRmLG

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3lZYHja

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storm-shelter-bluestocking-belles/1137958115

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3o0z977

Google books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Grace_Burrowes_Storm_and_Shelter?id=TNMhEAAAQBAJ 

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/38Rr8w

Website: https://alinakfield.com/ 

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alina-K.-Field/e/B00DZHWOKY

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alinakfield 

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/alinakfield

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlinaKField

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alina-k-field

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alinak.field/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173518.Alina_K_Field

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/alinakf/

Newsletter signup: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z6q6e3

Great spotlight don't'cha think? I certainly enjoyed it. Thank You, Alina for sharing with us today. We wish you and the other authors involved in this anthology the best of luck and God's blessings.

Until next time, Friends, take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordwithFriends welcomes Diana Rubino @DianaLRubino

Good Morning!

I am home. Returned from my son's house Monday afternoon and let me tell you, it's nice to go but it's always good to be home. I'm sure many of you understand and relate. No matter how much I love to travel and enjoy staying at my son's house and helping him out, I love being home too. I went to his house to help take care of his animals while he was in FL for national dance & cheer competitions. He came home with 3 1st place championships and 3 2nd place and I got a couple thousand words added to my current WIP. Great week!

Anyway, today's guest has visited before so please welcome Diana Rubino back as she shares some words with us on A Necessary End.....

Hello, readers. One hundred fifty-six years ago today, President Lincoln was shot in Ford’s Theater, in the back of the head by a deranged coward, John Wilkes Booth. I’ve been a Lincoln buff since childhood, and in 2006, I decided to combine my love of Lincoln and the paranormal. I began researching A NECESSARY END , my paranormal twist on Booth's insane plot to assassinate President Lincoln. It contains no fictional characters.  

Abraham Lincoln has fascinated me since I was eight years old. I don’t know what got me started, but it might’ve been a book which I still have titled The Life of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 1, written in 1895. When I was in 3rd grade, in the mid-60s (which shows how long I’ve been a Lincoln nut), my teacher asked us to bring a book to school from home, for a show & tell. My mother suggested I bring this Lincoln book, which even in 1966 was in bad shape—yellowed, stiffened strips of Scotch tape barely held the covers to the spine. With the wisdom of an 8-year-old that sadly, all of us outgrow, I demurred, saying, “This old book? She’ll think we’re poor!” My mother corrected me: “No, she’ll think we’re rich. Books like this are rare.” Then she proceeded to tape it up some more. Those 47-year-old Scotch tape fragments adhere to the book’s spine and pages to this day. My teacher, Miss Cohen, was duly impressed. I treasure that book to this day, and it’s one of many on my “Lincoln shelf” which holds books about our murdered president, his wife Mary, his assassin John Wilkes Booth and his family, the “Mad Booths of Maryland” and the conspirators who faced the gallows or years of hard labor because Booth, their charismatic leader, sucked these poor impressionable souls into his insane plot. 

After writing 8 historicals set in England and New York City, I wanted to indulge my passion for Lincoln-lore. I began researching in depth about Lincoln’s life, his presidency, his role in the Civil War, and Booth’s plans to first kidnap him, and then to assassinate him. A NECESSARY END combined two genres I’m passionate about—history and paranormal. I joined The Surratt Society, based in Maryland, and attended their conferences and tours. Through the Surratt Society I met several Lincoln/Booth/Civil War experts. One lady I’ll never forget meeting is Marjorie “Peg” Page, who claimed to be John Wilkes Booth’s great granddaughter. My trips to Lincoln's home and tomb in Springfield, Illinois, Gettysburg, Ford’s Theater, and the house he died in, Petersen House, brought me close to Mr. Lincoln’s spirit. My travels also acquainted me with Booth’s brother Edwin, the most famous actor of his time, and his unconventional family.  A recording of Edwin’s voice reciting Shakespeare on one of Edison’s wax cylinders still exists at  http://www.britannica.com/shakespeare/browse?browseId=248018 

Tragically, we’ll never hear Abraham Lincoln’s voice. But his spirit lives on. In my book, which is fiction--but we all know that novels are fictionalized truths--I gave Booth what was coming to him. He got his justice in real life, but in A NECESSARY END, he also got the paranormal twist he deserves.

And I enjoyed sticking it to him!

I paralleled the Shakespeare play Julius Caesar in this story because in the play, Caesar was known as a tyrant to the Senators, who feared losing their power, as Booth feared losing the Confederacy. Booth always considered Lincoln the tyrant, hence his proclamation ‘sic simper tyrannis’ (be it ever to tyrants) when he jumped to the stage after shooting Lincoln.

Caesar’s Senators, Brutus and Cassius among them, conspired to stab Caesar to death on an appointed day. Booth recruited a group of like-minded disciples to aid him in his insane plot, at first to kidnap Lincoln, then to kill him.

By day, Booth was a Confederate spy and courier, taking dangerous missions so that his beloved South could fight the North in the war that tore the nation in two. But in this story, an even darker secret plagues him–he believes he’s the reincarnation of Brutus, the man who slew the tyrant Caesar, and Booth’s destiny in this life is to murder the tyrant who’s ravaged the South—Abraham Lincoln. In obeying the spirit of Brutus, Booth devises a plot to assassinate the tyrant. 

I wrote it as a paranormal instead of a straight historical novel because spirituality was extremely popular in 1865 and all throughout Victorian times. Mary Lincoln was a staunch spiritualist. So stricken with grief after the deaths of her boys Willie and Eddie, she hired mediums such as Nettie Maynard to visit the White House and hold séances in attempts to contact her boys from beyond the grave. 

The extent of séances, table-tapping, Ouija boards, Tarot cards, and otherworldly activities in this era fit perfectly with the story I wanted to tell. We could never enter Booth’s head, but his insane behavior begs the question: was he truly haunted by a spirit who drove him to his heinous act that changed history forever?

Or was he simply insane? 

Excerpt:

“And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus!" Booth declared to the proud reflections in his three facing mirrors.

The center mirror clouded over. Puzzled, he leaned into it to peer closer. His reflection faded as if the mirror were clear glass, and another human form took shape, becoming sharper as the mist faded. He was astonished to be looking into the face of a man whose eyes bored into his, pinning him with an unnerving stare. Booth took a step back, glancing to the left, then to the right, but his own reflections were moving right along with him. He focused once more on the stranger in the center, the Roman nose giving the weathered features distinction. He’d seen this face before, but where? 

The head nodded and the hint of a pleased smile curled the thin lips. Without so much as a word, the figure faded into the mirror’s eternal depths, and Booth was once again looking at his own astonished face.

“Damn you! Who are you?” He pounded the mirror and it wavered, his image jerking back and forth with the moving glass.

Exasperated, he turned away.

“I’ll find out who you are if I die doing it.” He twirled around to face the mirror, seeing only his three perplexed reflections.

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What an interesting premise for a book, Diana! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it.

Hope you enjoyed the post friends, and that you'll check back weekly for more Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT