Linda Shenton Matchett's Blog, page 43
January 6, 2022
Fiction Friday: New Releases for January
January 2022 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website
General Contemporary:
Grace Across the Miles by Christine Dillon -- How can you belong when you don't know who you are? Gina Reid is surrounded by people getting married or having babies. She's under pressure to settle down but how can she do that when she doesn't even know where she came from? Since the startling revelation that she was adopted, it's felt like there is something missing. But fear has kept her from searching for her biological parents. What if learning the truth is worse than not knowing? Now an overheard comment has propelled her into action. Can Gina find out who she truly is? Or will she discover that some secrets are best left undisturbed? (General Contemporary, independently published)
Contemporary Romance:
Her Faith Restored by Cynthia Herron -- Can two polar opposites meet in the middle to achieve a winning outcome? Sunset Meadows’ activity director Melinda Brewer has her work cut out for her. As a five-year veteran with the cutting-edge retirement community, “Mel” wears many hats. But her job is more than a title. The residents at “The Meadows” are like family—some of whom she’s known her entire life. Ruby—this little niche in the Ozark Mountains—may be a mere dot on the Missouri map, but it’s also Mel’s birthplace, the land of her heritage, reminiscent of old ways while cognizant of new seasons.Leave it to new kid on the block Matt Enders to upset the apple cart. When Enders is hired as the facility’s new social worker, his idea of a well-oiled machine is to eliminate a few rusty cogs—chiefly, some of Mel’s most successful programs. Mr. City Slicker doesn’t care about making waves. He delivers a hurricane! (Contemporary Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)
His Road to Redemption by Lisa Jordan -- Veteran Micah Holland's scars go deeper than anyone knows. An inheritance from his mentor could be a new beginning—if he shares the inherited goat farm with fiercely independent Paige Watson. Now the only way they can keep the farm is to work together. But first Micah must prove he's a changed man to keep his dream and the woman he's falling for. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin).
Love on Ice by Carolyn Miller -- She’s focused on winning gold. He wants to lose the player tag. Can a fake relationship become something real? Aussie short track skater Holly Travers has one goal - make the Vancouver Games, no matter what it takes. She has no time for distractions, even if they come in the handsome form of her Canadian best friend’s twin brother. This hockey player may say he’s not a player, but can she trust him? Brent Karlsson has one goal - make his sister’s best friend realize he’s a changed man and she should give him a chance. When a set-up in Hawaii helps these two opposites realize they have more in common than they thought, what happens when he wants to turn their fake relationship into something real? And how can a relationship work when these two elite athletes never see each other and live on opposite sides of the world? (Contemporary Romance, independently published).
Searching for Home by Jill Weatherholt -- When injured professional bull rider Luke Beckett returns to his hometown to recover, he doesn’t expect his B and B host and physical therapist to be his first and only love, Meg Brennan. He’s also unprepared for Meg’s adorable triplets to steal his heart. Luke’s past has him doubting he’s good enough for Meg and the children, but they might be just what the doctor ordered to help him heal. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)
Historical Romance:
Harmony on the Horizon by Kathleen Denly -- Her calling to change the world may be his downfall. On the heels of the Great Rebellion, Margaret Foster, an abolitionist northerner, takes a teaching position in 1865 San Diego—a town dominated by Southern sympathizers. At thirty-seven years of age, Margaret has accepted spinsterhood and embraced her role as teacher. So, when Everett Thompson, the handsomest member of the School Board, reveals his interest in her, it’s a dream come true. Until her passionate ideals drive a wedge between them. After two decades of hard work, Everett Thompson is on the verge of having everything he’s dreamed of. Even the beautiful new teacher has agreed to his courtship. Then two investments go south and a blackmailer threatens everything Everett has and dreams of. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
[image error] Her Darling Mr. Day by Grace Hitchcock -- New Orleans' most eligible bachelor insists he's not on the market . . . but he couldn't be more wrong. Jilted in front of all New York, Theodore Day decides to lose himself in his family's luxury riverboat business in New Orleans and compete against his brother to become the next company head. The brother with the most sales by summer's end will win the position. Thanks to Theodore's fame as a suitor in a socialite's outlandish competition to find a husband, he has become very desirable royalty in Southern society and thus has an advantage. It took Flora Wingfield's best work to convince her family to summer in New Orleans, but with Teddy Day a bachelor once again, she's leaving nothing to chance. Desperate to stand out from all the clamoring belles, Flora attempts a bold move that goes completely awry, only to find it's her interior design skills that finally catch his notice. But when Flora's father's matchmaking schemes come in the way of her plans, Teddy will have to decide where his happiness truly lies and what he is willing to sacrifice for it. (Historical Romance from Bethany House)
Love’s Twisting Trail by Betty Woods -- Stampedes, wild animals, and renegade Comanches make a cattle drive dangerous for any man. The risks multiply when Charlotte Grimes goes up the trail disguised as Charlie, a fourteen-year-old boy. She promised her dying father she'd save their ranch after her brother, Tobias, mismanages their money. To keep her vow, she rides the trail with the brother she can't trust. David Shepherd needs one more successful drive to finish buying the ranch he's prayed for. He partners with Tobias to travel safely through Indian Territory. David detests the hateful way. Tobias treats his younger brother, Charlie. But what does he do when he discovers Charlie's secret? What kind of woman would do what she's done? (Historical Romance from Scrivenings Press)
Marrying Mr. Wrong by Melissa Jagears -- Gwendolyn McGill wants to be loved and accepted for who she is, but that’s hard to do in a small town where everyone judges her by the scandal her father caused. Unfortunately, the man she hoped would sweep her away from all the wagging tongues is no longer interested in marrying her. Unable to leave town, she’s determined to prove she’s more than just a pretty face who knows how to bat her eyelashes. For years, Timothy O’Conner has loved Gwen from a distance, knowing someone like her would never be attracted to a lowly ranch hand with a blemished face like him. When Gwen unexpectedly shows up at the ranch, asking him to help her learn how to attract a man of quality, Tim’s feelings become even harder to suppress. When danger pushes them together, they discover there’s more to each other than either of them imagined. Though God is no respecter of persons, is the desire of their hearts strong enough to defy society’s expectations? (Historical Romance, independently published)
Song for the Hunter by Naomi Musch -- Wed to a trading company partner to escape life in Montreal under her harsh father's thumb, Camilla Bonnet finds herself tragically widowed and pregnant in the Upper Country frontier. When her brother fails to return for her from Fort William, she is cast on the mercy of the trading post owner's family. She also draws comfort from Bemidii Marchal, a Métis hunter who soothes away her misgivings as he finds his own refuge on Lake Superior's Madeline Island. Bemidii’s thoughts of courting a maiden are cut short when he raises his knife against a company man at Fort William’s Great Rendezvous. No one will believe he killed to protect his sister—least of all the beautiful Frenchwoman on Madeline Island who stirs his affections—not when she learns that her brother is dead and Bemidii stands accused of his murder. As the sharp blade of truth divides them, will Bemidii survive the justice of powerful men who are a law unto themselves? Or will his life—and Camilla—be lost to him forever? (Historical Romance from Iron Stream Media/Smitten Historical Romance/LPC)
Mystery:
Four Days Famous by Luana Ehrlich -- Mylas Grey doesn’t want to be famous. Not even for a day. As a private investigator, he prefers to fly under the radar. However, when a well-known doctor asks Mylas to investigate his father’s murder, that’s exactly what happens. Suddenly, Mylas is dodging reporters while interviewing suspects and searching for the dead man’s elusive girlfriend. (Mystery/Crime, independently published)
Speculative:
The Sword and the Song by Carla Laureano -- With a storm on the horizon, who will stand against the darkness? Conor and Aine have barely escaped Seare with their lives. Conor knows he must return to find the harp that could end the Red Druid’s reign of terror, but he must first see Aine safely to her family home on the isle of Amanta. When an unnatural storm tears them apart, they find themselves in even more danger than that which they fled. Because magic is not the only thing to fear in Aine's homeland, where the Sofarende invaders harry the coasts and shifting clan alliances make it impossible to know who to trust. Conor and Aine must cling to the whispers of Comdiu’s plans for them and their enduring love for one another, even when the future looks darkest. But with betrayal at every turn, will they give into fear? Or will they learn to depend on Comdiu completely ... before all hope is lost? (Speculative from Enclave Publishing)
Thriller/Suspense:
Shadow of Fear by Urcelia Teixeira -- What seemed like the end was really the beginning. Enemies collide in the second installment of the toe-curling Christian Suspense Thriller that left readers gasping for more at the end of book one! Blinded by revenge of her own, she hunted down her enemies, hoping to put her past behind her. Only to find that breaking free isn’t as easy as she’d thought it would be. Blood got shed, lives lost, and now, more lives are at stake. Caught in a deadlock between enemies who won’t stop until they serve revenge, Jorja has to make a choice. Die, or make a deal with the devil. Her choice sets in motion one of the biggest assignments she has ever undertaken. One where fear threatens to seize her heart and take her soul. Can she finally break free from death’s clutches, risk it all, one last time? (Thriller Suspense, independently published)
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
Growing a Family in Persimmon Hollow by Gerri Bauer, A temporary exile becomes a forever home. (Historical Romance)
Stephen Michaels and his Upside-down Umbrella by Lana Lynne, Stephen and Nikki learn to surrender everything in this Upside-down world to the Lord. (Thriller/Suspense)
General Contemporary:
Grace Across the Miles by Christine Dillon -- How can you belong when you don't know who you are? Gina Reid is surrounded by people getting married or having babies. She's under pressure to settle down but how can she do that when she doesn't even know where she came from? Since the startling revelation that she was adopted, it's felt like there is something missing. But fear has kept her from searching for her biological parents. What if learning the truth is worse than not knowing? Now an overheard comment has propelled her into action. Can Gina find out who she truly is? Or will she discover that some secrets are best left undisturbed? (General Contemporary, independently published)Contemporary Romance:
Her Faith Restored by Cynthia Herron -- Can two polar opposites meet in the middle to achieve a winning outcome? Sunset Meadows’ activity director Melinda Brewer has her work cut out for her. As a five-year veteran with the cutting-edge retirement community, “Mel” wears many hats. But her job is more than a title. The residents at “The Meadows” are like family—some of whom she’s known her entire life. Ruby—this little niche in the Ozark Mountains—may be a mere dot on the Missouri map, but it’s also Mel’s birthplace, the land of her heritage, reminiscent of old ways while cognizant of new seasons.Leave it to new kid on the block Matt Enders to upset the apple cart. When Enders is hired as the facility’s new social worker, his idea of a well-oiled machine is to eliminate a few rusty cogs—chiefly, some of Mel’s most successful programs. Mr. City Slicker doesn’t care about making waves. He delivers a hurricane! (Contemporary Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)
His Road to Redemption by Lisa Jordan -- Veteran Micah Holland's scars go deeper than anyone knows. An inheritance from his mentor could be a new beginning—if he shares the inherited goat farm with fiercely independent Paige Watson. Now the only way they can keep the farm is to work together. But first Micah must prove he's a changed man to keep his dream and the woman he's falling for. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin).
Love on Ice by Carolyn Miller -- She’s focused on winning gold. He wants to lose the player tag. Can a fake relationship become something real? Aussie short track skater Holly Travers has one goal - make the Vancouver Games, no matter what it takes. She has no time for distractions, even if they come in the handsome form of her Canadian best friend’s twin brother. This hockey player may say he’s not a player, but can she trust him? Brent Karlsson has one goal - make his sister’s best friend realize he’s a changed man and she should give him a chance. When a set-up in Hawaii helps these two opposites realize they have more in common than they thought, what happens when he wants to turn their fake relationship into something real? And how can a relationship work when these two elite athletes never see each other and live on opposite sides of the world? (Contemporary Romance, independently published).
Searching for Home by Jill Weatherholt -- When injured professional bull rider Luke Beckett returns to his hometown to recover, he doesn’t expect his B and B host and physical therapist to be his first and only love, Meg Brennan. He’s also unprepared for Meg’s adorable triplets to steal his heart. Luke’s past has him doubting he’s good enough for Meg and the children, but they might be just what the doctor ordered to help him heal. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)Historical Romance:
Harmony on the Horizon by Kathleen Denly -- Her calling to change the world may be his downfall. On the heels of the Great Rebellion, Margaret Foster, an abolitionist northerner, takes a teaching position in 1865 San Diego—a town dominated by Southern sympathizers. At thirty-seven years of age, Margaret has accepted spinsterhood and embraced her role as teacher. So, when Everett Thompson, the handsomest member of the School Board, reveals his interest in her, it’s a dream come true. Until her passionate ideals drive a wedge between them. After two decades of hard work, Everett Thompson is on the verge of having everything he’s dreamed of. Even the beautiful new teacher has agreed to his courtship. Then two investments go south and a blackmailer threatens everything Everett has and dreams of. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)[image error] Her Darling Mr. Day by Grace Hitchcock -- New Orleans' most eligible bachelor insists he's not on the market . . . but he couldn't be more wrong. Jilted in front of all New York, Theodore Day decides to lose himself in his family's luxury riverboat business in New Orleans and compete against his brother to become the next company head. The brother with the most sales by summer's end will win the position. Thanks to Theodore's fame as a suitor in a socialite's outlandish competition to find a husband, he has become very desirable royalty in Southern society and thus has an advantage. It took Flora Wingfield's best work to convince her family to summer in New Orleans, but with Teddy Day a bachelor once again, she's leaving nothing to chance. Desperate to stand out from all the clamoring belles, Flora attempts a bold move that goes completely awry, only to find it's her interior design skills that finally catch his notice. But when Flora's father's matchmaking schemes come in the way of her plans, Teddy will have to decide where his happiness truly lies and what he is willing to sacrifice for it. (Historical Romance from Bethany House)
Love’s Twisting Trail by Betty Woods -- Stampedes, wild animals, and renegade Comanches make a cattle drive dangerous for any man. The risks multiply when Charlotte Grimes goes up the trail disguised as Charlie, a fourteen-year-old boy. She promised her dying father she'd save their ranch after her brother, Tobias, mismanages their money. To keep her vow, she rides the trail with the brother she can't trust. David Shepherd needs one more successful drive to finish buying the ranch he's prayed for. He partners with Tobias to travel safely through Indian Territory. David detests the hateful way. Tobias treats his younger brother, Charlie. But what does he do when he discovers Charlie's secret? What kind of woman would do what she's done? (Historical Romance from Scrivenings Press)
Marrying Mr. Wrong by Melissa Jagears -- Gwendolyn McGill wants to be loved and accepted for who she is, but that’s hard to do in a small town where everyone judges her by the scandal her father caused. Unfortunately, the man she hoped would sweep her away from all the wagging tongues is no longer interested in marrying her. Unable to leave town, she’s determined to prove she’s more than just a pretty face who knows how to bat her eyelashes. For years, Timothy O’Conner has loved Gwen from a distance, knowing someone like her would never be attracted to a lowly ranch hand with a blemished face like him. When Gwen unexpectedly shows up at the ranch, asking him to help her learn how to attract a man of quality, Tim’s feelings become even harder to suppress. When danger pushes them together, they discover there’s more to each other than either of them imagined. Though God is no respecter of persons, is the desire of their hearts strong enough to defy society’s expectations? (Historical Romance, independently published)
Song for the Hunter by Naomi Musch -- Wed to a trading company partner to escape life in Montreal under her harsh father's thumb, Camilla Bonnet finds herself tragically widowed and pregnant in the Upper Country frontier. When her brother fails to return for her from Fort William, she is cast on the mercy of the trading post owner's family. She also draws comfort from Bemidii Marchal, a Métis hunter who soothes away her misgivings as he finds his own refuge on Lake Superior's Madeline Island. Bemidii’s thoughts of courting a maiden are cut short when he raises his knife against a company man at Fort William’s Great Rendezvous. No one will believe he killed to protect his sister—least of all the beautiful Frenchwoman on Madeline Island who stirs his affections—not when she learns that her brother is dead and Bemidii stands accused of his murder. As the sharp blade of truth divides them, will Bemidii survive the justice of powerful men who are a law unto themselves? Or will his life—and Camilla—be lost to him forever? (Historical Romance from Iron Stream Media/Smitten Historical Romance/LPC)Mystery:
Four Days Famous by Luana Ehrlich -- Mylas Grey doesn’t want to be famous. Not even for a day. As a private investigator, he prefers to fly under the radar. However, when a well-known doctor asks Mylas to investigate his father’s murder, that’s exactly what happens. Suddenly, Mylas is dodging reporters while interviewing suspects and searching for the dead man’s elusive girlfriend. (Mystery/Crime, independently published)Speculative:
The Sword and the Song by Carla Laureano -- With a storm on the horizon, who will stand against the darkness? Conor and Aine have barely escaped Seare with their lives. Conor knows he must return to find the harp that could end the Red Druid’s reign of terror, but he must first see Aine safely to her family home on the isle of Amanta. When an unnatural storm tears them apart, they find themselves in even more danger than that which they fled. Because magic is not the only thing to fear in Aine's homeland, where the Sofarende invaders harry the coasts and shifting clan alliances make it impossible to know who to trust. Conor and Aine must cling to the whispers of Comdiu’s plans for them and their enduring love for one another, even when the future looks darkest. But with betrayal at every turn, will they give into fear? Or will they learn to depend on Comdiu completely ... before all hope is lost? (Speculative from Enclave Publishing)Thriller/Suspense:
Shadow of Fear by Urcelia Teixeira -- What seemed like the end was really the beginning. Enemies collide in the second installment of the toe-curling Christian Suspense Thriller that left readers gasping for more at the end of book one! Blinded by revenge of her own, she hunted down her enemies, hoping to put her past behind her. Only to find that breaking free isn’t as easy as she’d thought it would be. Blood got shed, lives lost, and now, more lives are at stake. Caught in a deadlock between enemies who won’t stop until they serve revenge, Jorja has to make a choice. Die, or make a deal with the devil. Her choice sets in motion one of the biggest assignments she has ever undertaken. One where fear threatens to seize her heart and take her soul. Can she finally break free from death’s clutches, risk it all, one last time? (Thriller Suspense, independently published)Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
Growing a Family in Persimmon Hollow by Gerri Bauer, A temporary exile becomes a forever home. (Historical Romance)
Stephen Michaels and his Upside-down Umbrella by Lana Lynne, Stephen and Nikki learn to surrender everything in this Upside-down world to the Lord. (Thriller/Suspense)
January 5, 2022
Talkshow Thursday: Meet Tom Donnan
Talkshow Thursday: Meet Tom Donnan
Tom Donnan on right/Bob Crittenden on leftLinda: Welcome to my blog. It’s a pleasure to have you. After a long career in the elevator business, you had a “widow-maker” heart attack causing you to evaluate your life. What made you decide that writing was the avenue you wanted to take? Tom: It is threefold Linda, first looking into the face of my own mortality did change my life. The focus now is on the things that matter, (Family and loving others) and serving God. Second, while I was in the afterlife I heard God speak to me. His voice was deep, masculine, and like thunder. He said to me, “It is only while you are on earth that you can work for Jesus!” I love doing the work. In addition, I have had a life-changing experience with God showing me the fall of America if we did not seek Him and repent. That event is what brought me to begin writing. God gets all the glory here. I am mechanically orientated in my thinking and could not construct a proper sentence. Does God have a sense of humor?
LM: How do you decide which topic to tackle in your books?
Tom: I wrote the first three books as instructional. The book Healing the Nation is for people to see how we can receive God’s healing of our nation. I was in my local library for Authors Day when it hit me; people like a good story. The next three books were written based true stories, weaving in the supernatural accounts in their lives. I have written two books on two lady pastors who early in their lives God was very active.
LM: What sort of research goes into writing your books?
Tom: My research continues to improve as I progress. In book four, Angels on Assignment, I was part
of the story. Meaning I was there from the beginning and onsite where things took place. Now I do use creative license when writing about supernatural happenings. In book five; One Door Between Us, I did a lot of historical study, online and continued interviews by phone and text with the subject of the story. Then chapter by chapter I did touchup as needed after she and her husband proofread them. Book six, Jessalyn, being a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers group I queried a question to the group, “Should I go to the location of the person I am writing about?” It was an overwhelming response to yes. I spent a week in Bethany, Oklahoma going to places to learn the feel of the community. It was worth it. Invaluable information came with this adventure. (Jessalyn is a free ebook, a free PDF, and can be found on http://www.zoehealingcenter.com in the book tab.) LM: In addition to your writing, you are also a lay minister. How do you juggle your various responsibilities? Tom: Yes, I have been a volunteer of Need Him Ministry’s Evangelistic Chat forum http://www.chataboutjesus.com since 2004. I can login from home as time avails itself. From February 2020 until August I logged in for up to eight hours a day. I have had nearly ten thousand chats with people around the world since 2004. I also travel with a Pastor that has a healing revival ministry since 2009. I have been speaking in churches since that time and of course numbers interviews of all kinds. I like to help people get connected to the Holy Spirit and experience Him. It has become a way of life. Making myself available to serve the Lord. There is great joy in it. I will say, now that I am retired the time crunch doesn’t happen as much. LM: If you could sit down with one author, who would it be and why?
Tom: I would choose two authors. First, James A Mitchener. He didn’t consider his writings to be a book until he had penned over two hundred thousand words. Then to hear of his adventures while gathering information for each book. From there my second choice would be Laura Hillenbrand. How she brought the characters to life is exceptional. I would like to glean styles from each of them.
LM: What is one thing you wish you knew how to do?
Tom: Discover how to bridge the word of mouth barrier. Very often the readers of my books are spiritually impacted by them. My niece, while reading One Door Between Us said; “Uncle Tom, I have had to stop reading the book because the Holy Spirit overwhelms me. I stay in those moments before I return to reading it.” To me, it does not make sense that the sales of books are low when the spiritual impact to people is high.
LM: Now that you have several books published, what advice can you give to fledgling writers?
Tom: In most Authors I know, they feel called by God to write. Let me give you a case in point. In January of 2018 I had a dream. The message in the dream was to hire a Publicist. That brought me to Helen Cook of PrimeStar Publicity. When God leads, He provides. From the first words penned to completion I followed Him. From a person who for the most part was grammar illiterate to a published writer, it is all due to Him. My advice is to seek God first in your writing career. He opens doors we cannot.
LM: What is your next project?
Tom: It would be the third book in the series of the lady pastors I have been writing about. Right now, I am involved with the Christian Writer Collective http://www.christianwriterscollective.com where founder Stephanie Reynolds is looking for additional writers to join. It is the beginning of a book series called Jesus Can. Book one is in print and now entering the media stage. The Collective will be at the next CPE Show in February and doing interviews as God opens the doors. A spin-off to doing the books, I am seriously thinking of beginning a Podcast. I have been on Kingdom Crossroads Podcast numerous times. I believe it has been a training ground for me. LM: Where can folks find you on the web? Tom: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HealingTheNationMinistriesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-donnan-4a018272/Email: healingthenation1776@gmail.com
January 3, 2022
Traveling Tuesday: York, Maine
Traveling Tuesday: York, Maine
After spending a week in Lincoln, New Hampshire we traveled to the southern coast of Maine. Surprisingly, despite being “off-season,” the area was quite busy. We stayed in Ogunquit (beautiful place by the sea in Algonkian) and wandered into York several times during our stay. A summer-resort town, York encompasses four villages: York Village, York Harbor, York Beach, and Neddick Harbor. Its history hearkens back to 1624 when it was first settled by British colonists who later renamed the area from the original Agamenticus – the Abenaki term for the York River. The area was claimed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, but would be contested during numerous skirmishes between the French and English during the French and Indian Wars. Decimated during King William’s War (1688-97), attacks by natives continued through the years until they slowed with the French defeat at the Siege of Louisbourg (1745) and finally stopped after the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
Within a few years, York had become a major trading center, with dozens of warehouses and storage
facilities being built along the harbor and main thoroughfares of town. Founding father John Hancock was a successful merchant who had property in York (now a museum). Unfortunately the Embargo Act of 1807 devastated trade, with the exception of lobstering that had been a large industry in Maine since the 1840s. The town lost much of its prosperity until after the Civil War. Nathaniel Marshall, a well-to-do lawyer is credited with the idea of converting York into a summer resort. He purchased property and constructed a grand hotel in 1871 near the already existing Union Bluff Hotel. Soon other lodging establishments popped up. As the Gilded Age continued, the rich and famous built summer homes rather than stay in hotels. Many of these “shingle houses” still stand.
Cape Neddick Light (also called Nubble for having been built on a “nub” of land off Long Sands Beach) was built in 1879 for $15,000. Forty-one feet tall, the tower is lined with brick and sheathed in cast iron. Care for the lighthouse came under the U.S. Lighthouse Service until 1939 when the Coast Guard became caretakers. Automated in 1987, the town of York became the permanent guardian of the lighthouse in 1997. York continues to be a summer resort with hotels, motels, B&Bs, and cottages mingled among the mansions, some of which have remained in families since the late 1800s. Three golf courses, four beaches, and Mount Agamenticus are just a few of the places visitors can play.
Have you been to Maine?
______________
Legacy of Love
Will their love come at a cost? Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction.
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/32QiixP
December 28, 2021
Wartime Wednesday: Stark POW Camp
Wartime Wednesday: New Hampshire’s POW Camp
With a population of less than five hundred people, Stark, New Hampshire is easy to overlook. However, it was one of many American small towns transformed during World War II. Named for Revolutionary War General John Stark whose famous words “live free or die” became the state motto, Stark is located in northern New Hampshire less than fifty miles from the Canadian/US border. A paper manufacturer, The Brown Company couldn’t meet its quote of pulpwood needed for the war effort. Their number of employees had plummeted because many had enlisted, been drafted, or left the area for more lucrative positions in the defense industry. Enter Sherman Adams, a timberland manager in New Hampshire’s North Country who was about to become a congressman. He worked with U.S. Senator/Former Governor Styles Bridges to get a POW camp in place to provide workers for the paper company. Fortunately, home to a former Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp, Stark already had a location that could be used that required little renovation. About 250 German and Austrian soldiers, most of whom were captured in North Africa made up the
population of the POW camp. Interesting most of the inmates were members of the 999th Division, a collection of dissidents, communists, socialists, and perceived misfits who had once been imprisoned by the Nazis. The division had been created by Hitler to give members a “chance to redeem themselves for Germany.” The men were generally older and better educated than regular German troops. Some spoke multiple languages such as French, English, Dutch, Italian, and Norwegian. They worked in the forest cutting pulpwood. By all accounts, the camp and town coexisted peacefully. Some of the guards met and married local women, and remained after the war. They were entertained at church suppers and invited into people’s homes for Sunday dinner or holidays. Eventually, the spirit of goodwill extended to the prisoners, and some of the residents brought gifts to the POWs. One of the inmates, Franz Bacher, was an artist, and he sketched pictures of the guards and painted portraits of the townspeople. Some of his artwork still hangs in the homes. Bacher later escaped from the camp and managed to remain at large for over a month. He left a note: “I am going to escape today. The reason I am doing this is I live for my art. If I continue to cut wood, my hands will become so mutilated that I will be unable to paint. If I can’t paint, I can do nothing.” Unfortunately for Bacher who was living in New York, he ran into Sergeant Ted Tausig, on a three-day leave from the prison camp. Tausig was an Austrian Jew who had escaped to America and joined the U.S. Army. The two had lived near each other in Vienna and became friends at Stark.
Photo: Salmon PressThree days later, FBI agents arrested Bacher, and he was sent to Fort Devens, then Fort Eustis. The camp closed in 1946. Very little is left of the camp today, the wooden structures long dismantled, demolished, and decayed. Among the tangled and overgrown meadow can be found the crumbling fireplace-turned-memorial from the recreation hall, and the remains of one of the guard tower foundations.
Despite being in operation for little more than two years, feelings apparently ran strong for some. In 1986, townspeople and former guards and prisoners held a reunion. ______________________
A Doctor in the House (A WWII Christmas Romance):
They’re supposed to be allies, but mutual distrust puts this pair on opposite sides. Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital, and she leaves behind everything that is familiar. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart? Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she?
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Ju7ZjY
With a population of less than five hundred people, Stark, New Hampshire is easy to overlook. However, it was one of many American small towns transformed during World War II. Named for Revolutionary War General John Stark whose famous words “live free or die” became the state motto, Stark is located in northern New Hampshire less than fifty miles from the Canadian/US border. A paper manufacturer, The Brown Company couldn’t meet its quote of pulpwood needed for the war effort. Their number of employees had plummeted because many had enlisted, been drafted, or left the area for more lucrative positions in the defense industry. Enter Sherman Adams, a timberland manager in New Hampshire’s North Country who was about to become a congressman. He worked with U.S. Senator/Former Governor Styles Bridges to get a POW camp in place to provide workers for the paper company. Fortunately, home to a former Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp, Stark already had a location that could be used that required little renovation. About 250 German and Austrian soldiers, most of whom were captured in North Africa made up the
population of the POW camp. Interesting most of the inmates were members of the 999th Division, a collection of dissidents, communists, socialists, and perceived misfits who had once been imprisoned by the Nazis. The division had been created by Hitler to give members a “chance to redeem themselves for Germany.” The men were generally older and better educated than regular German troops. Some spoke multiple languages such as French, English, Dutch, Italian, and Norwegian. They worked in the forest cutting pulpwood. By all accounts, the camp and town coexisted peacefully. Some of the guards met and married local women, and remained after the war. They were entertained at church suppers and invited into people’s homes for Sunday dinner or holidays. Eventually, the spirit of goodwill extended to the prisoners, and some of the residents brought gifts to the POWs. One of the inmates, Franz Bacher, was an artist, and he sketched pictures of the guards and painted portraits of the townspeople. Some of his artwork still hangs in the homes. Bacher later escaped from the camp and managed to remain at large for over a month. He left a note: “I am going to escape today. The reason I am doing this is I live for my art. If I continue to cut wood, my hands will become so mutilated that I will be unable to paint. If I can’t paint, I can do nothing.” Unfortunately for Bacher who was living in New York, he ran into Sergeant Ted Tausig, on a three-day leave from the prison camp. Tausig was an Austrian Jew who had escaped to America and joined the U.S. Army. The two had lived near each other in Vienna and became friends at Stark.
Photo: Salmon PressThree days later, FBI agents arrested Bacher, and he was sent to Fort Devens, then Fort Eustis. The camp closed in 1946. Very little is left of the camp today, the wooden structures long dismantled, demolished, and decayed. Among the tangled and overgrown meadow can be found the crumbling fireplace-turned-memorial from the recreation hall, and the remains of one of the guard tower foundations. Despite being in operation for little more than two years, feelings apparently ran strong for some. In 1986, townspeople and former guards and prisoners held a reunion. ______________________
A Doctor in the House (A WWII Christmas Romance):
They’re supposed to be allies, but mutual distrust puts this pair on opposite sides. Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital, and she leaves behind everything that is familiar. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart? Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she?Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Ju7ZjY
December 27, 2021
Traveling Tuesday: Sugar Hill, New Hampshire
Traveling Tuesday: Sugar Hill, New Hampshire
author photoSugar Hill, New Hampshire is a tiny town about ninety minutes north of where I live. Nestled in the White Mountains, the town is named for the numerous sugar maples that dot the landscape. In the late 1800s, the area became a fashionable Victorian resort after the wealthy in Boston, Hartford, New York, and Philadelphia saw the paintings by White Mountain artists that were popular at the time. Hotels and hostelries were built, and rail service arrived in 1880. By 1900, the area boasted a 9-hole golf course and clubhouse, now on the National Register of Historic Places. That same year, Robert P. Peckett, Sr. purchased landed and opened the Peckett’s-on-Sugar-Hill-Inn. Trying to increase his winter traffic, he established the first resort-based ski school in the United States. (At this point, skiing was not a well-known sport in America.) Peckett recruited two German instructors, and the school became wildly successful. He continued to bring in European instructors, including Otto Lang. Some of the more famous students of the school were Nelson Rockefeller, Averell Harriman, and Lowell Thomas. By 1939, actress Bette Davis was ready for a break from Hollywood, having just completed two films. A
native New Englander from Lowell, Massachusetts, Bette decided a trip to New Hampshire would be a good cure-all. Familiar with NH and an avid skier after many trips to Europe, she made her way to Sugar Hill where she discovered Peckett’s-on-Sugar-Hill-Inn. During her stay, she fell in love with Arthur Farnsworth, the assistant manager, and they married the following year. Tragically, he died only three years later from a fall. Bette had so much pull that she told Jack Warner she would not attend the premiere for her movie “The Great Lie” if it was held in Hollywood. Instead, she insisted the event take place in New Hampshire, at The Jax Theater in Littleton. On her 33rd birthday, thousands of locals and Hollywood stars gathered to celebrate. Proceeds from the gala went to Littleton Hospital. (Check out this clip from NH television station WMUR: https://www.wmur.com/article/monday-july-9th-the-new-hampshire-home-built-by-bette-davis/22072670#)
During WWII, Sugar Hill and the surrounding area would be used as training grounds for the 10th Mountain Division, the only one of its type in the military to receive intense specialized training for fighting in mountainous and arctic conditions. Made up of many young men who grew up skiing in the Northeast, the group spent much of their time in Franconia notch covering mountain travel, rock climbing techniques such as rappelling and belaying. Additionally, the hiking trails were the scenes of mock ambushes. Another aspect of their training was learning Norwegian, in the event they would be used to be sent to the fjords of Norway for an invasion. Although the grand hotels are mostly gone, Sugar Hill remains a popular location to visit year-round, and locals are still proud of their association to Bette as well as the part they played to train soldiers for the war.
________________
A Doctor in the House (A WWII Christmas Romance):
They’re supposed to be allies, but mutual distrust puts this pair on opposite sides. Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital, and she leaves behind everything that is familiar. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart? Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she?
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Ju7ZjY
author photoSugar Hill, New Hampshire is a tiny town about ninety minutes north of where I live. Nestled in the White Mountains, the town is named for the numerous sugar maples that dot the landscape. In the late 1800s, the area became a fashionable Victorian resort after the wealthy in Boston, Hartford, New York, and Philadelphia saw the paintings by White Mountain artists that were popular at the time. Hotels and hostelries were built, and rail service arrived in 1880. By 1900, the area boasted a 9-hole golf course and clubhouse, now on the National Register of Historic Places. That same year, Robert P. Peckett, Sr. purchased landed and opened the Peckett’s-on-Sugar-Hill-Inn. Trying to increase his winter traffic, he established the first resort-based ski school in the United States. (At this point, skiing was not a well-known sport in America.) Peckett recruited two German instructors, and the school became wildly successful. He continued to bring in European instructors, including Otto Lang. Some of the more famous students of the school were Nelson Rockefeller, Averell Harriman, and Lowell Thomas. By 1939, actress Bette Davis was ready for a break from Hollywood, having just completed two films. A
native New Englander from Lowell, Massachusetts, Bette decided a trip to New Hampshire would be a good cure-all. Familiar with NH and an avid skier after many trips to Europe, she made her way to Sugar Hill where she discovered Peckett’s-on-Sugar-Hill-Inn. During her stay, she fell in love with Arthur Farnsworth, the assistant manager, and they married the following year. Tragically, he died only three years later from a fall. Bette had so much pull that she told Jack Warner she would not attend the premiere for her movie “The Great Lie” if it was held in Hollywood. Instead, she insisted the event take place in New Hampshire, at The Jax Theater in Littleton. On her 33rd birthday, thousands of locals and Hollywood stars gathered to celebrate. Proceeds from the gala went to Littleton Hospital. (Check out this clip from NH television station WMUR: https://www.wmur.com/article/monday-july-9th-the-new-hampshire-home-built-by-bette-davis/22072670#)
During WWII, Sugar Hill and the surrounding area would be used as training grounds for the 10th Mountain Division, the only one of its type in the military to receive intense specialized training for fighting in mountainous and arctic conditions. Made up of many young men who grew up skiing in the Northeast, the group spent much of their time in Franconia notch covering mountain travel, rock climbing techniques such as rappelling and belaying. Additionally, the hiking trails were the scenes of mock ambushes. Another aspect of their training was learning Norwegian, in the event they would be used to be sent to the fjords of Norway for an invasion. Although the grand hotels are mostly gone, Sugar Hill remains a popular location to visit year-round, and locals are still proud of their association to Bette as well as the part they played to train soldiers for the war. ________________
A Doctor in the House (A WWII Christmas Romance):
They’re supposed to be allies, but mutual distrust puts this pair on opposite sides. Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital, and she leaves behind everything that is familiar. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart? Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she? Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Ju7ZjY
December 21, 2021
Western Wednesday: Christmas in the Old West
Western Wednesday: Christmas in the Old West
Photo: public domainLife in the Old West is sometimes romanticized, with images of Ma and Pa rocking on the front porch, kids playing in the yard. Or perhaps seated around the rustic kitchen table partaking of a nice New England pot roast dinner. For some families, that may have been true, but in the early days of settling the West, most folks had a different experience. Christmas trees were popularized in the mid-1800s when Queen Victoria’s German husband brought the tradition from his homeland. Magazines picked up the story, and soon Americans embraced the practice as well. Living in the prairie where trees were scarce, most homesteaders probably didn’t put up a tree, but stockings and other decorations were popular. For those who did put up a tree, ornaments were bits of ribbon or yarn, berries, popcorn or paper strings, and other homemade decorations. The holiday meal was a big deal, and women pulled out all the stops to create a feast. Their husbands
Photo: UNM Archiveswent hunting for game, while they baked bread and sweets as well as brought out preserved fruits and vegetables. Plum pudding would have been prepared well ahead to allow it time to age before Christmas dinner. Gifts would have been simple and primarily homemade, either because of the financial situation of the family or the lack of items available. Cornhusk or rag dolls for little girls, carved wooden toys, embroidered hankies, pillows, scarves, hats, mittens, and socks would be worked on during the year. If the family had a successful year, children might also find candy and other store-bought goodies in their stockings.
Photo: WikiImages
Christmas eve traditions differed for each family, but many would gather to sing carols around the fireplace. On Christmas Day, most would head to church for a special service, then return home for the big meal and opening of presents. Afterward, if the weather was fine, they would travel around the community visiting with friends and neighbors. Wishing you a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!
____________________________ A Doctor in the House: A Christmas Romance
They’re supposed to be allies, but mutual distrust puts this pair on opposite sides. Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital. She leaves behind everything that is familiar and arrives in the unfamiliar country a short time before Christmas. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart? Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she?
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3E9HVXb
Photo: public domainLife in the Old West is sometimes romanticized, with images of Ma and Pa rocking on the front porch, kids playing in the yard. Or perhaps seated around the rustic kitchen table partaking of a nice New England pot roast dinner. For some families, that may have been true, but in the early days of settling the West, most folks had a different experience. Christmas trees were popularized in the mid-1800s when Queen Victoria’s German husband brought the tradition from his homeland. Magazines picked up the story, and soon Americans embraced the practice as well. Living in the prairie where trees were scarce, most homesteaders probably didn’t put up a tree, but stockings and other decorations were popular. For those who did put up a tree, ornaments were bits of ribbon or yarn, berries, popcorn or paper strings, and other homemade decorations. The holiday meal was a big deal, and women pulled out all the stops to create a feast. Their husbands
Photo: UNM Archiveswent hunting for game, while they baked bread and sweets as well as brought out preserved fruits and vegetables. Plum pudding would have been prepared well ahead to allow it time to age before Christmas dinner. Gifts would have been simple and primarily homemade, either because of the financial situation of the family or the lack of items available. Cornhusk or rag dolls for little girls, carved wooden toys, embroidered hankies, pillows, scarves, hats, mittens, and socks would be worked on during the year. If the family had a successful year, children might also find candy and other store-bought goodies in their stockings.
Photo: WikiImagesChristmas eve traditions differed for each family, but many would gather to sing carols around the fireplace. On Christmas Day, most would head to church for a special service, then return home for the big meal and opening of presents. Afterward, if the weather was fine, they would travel around the community visiting with friends and neighbors. Wishing you a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!
____________________________ A Doctor in the House: A Christmas Romance
They’re supposed to be allies, but mutual distrust puts this pair on opposite sides. Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital. She leaves behind everything that is familiar and arrives in the unfamiliar country a short time before Christmas. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart? Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she? Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3E9HVXb
December 19, 2021
Mystery Monday: Who was Cyril Hare
Mystery Monday: Who was Cyril Hare?
Despite being one of the prolific authors from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, Cyril Hare has been largely forgotten by the reading public. A combination of Hare Court (where he worked) and Cyril Mansion (where he lived), the name is a pseudonym for Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark, who was born on September 4, 1900. His family was part of the Matthew Clark & Sons drink distribution company founded in 1810. Clark was educated at St. Aubyn’s, then Oxford where he graduated with a First. He studied law and entered the Bar in 1924. Nine years later he married Mary Barbara Lawrence, daughter of Sir William Lawrence, 3rd Baronet, horticulturalist, hospital administrator, and collector. They had three children, a son and two daughters, all of whom were very successful.
At some point in the 1930s, Clark began penning mystery stories. The first, Tenant for Death, a story he adapted from a stage play he’d written, was published in 1937. That same year he also published a short story titled The Death of Amy Robsart. He published another novel and some short stories, but his breakout success came in 1942 with the publication of Tragedy at Law. Most scholars feel he based the plotline on his experiences during WWII when he toured as a judge’smarshal. He worked for the Director of Public Prosecution as well as serving with the Ministry of Economic Warfare. His wartime job must have kept him exceptionally busy because Clark wouldn’t publish another novel until 1946: With a Bare Bodkin.
In 1950, he was appointed a county court judge in Surrey but managed to continue writing with regularity, publishing three to five short stories per year, mostly for "The Evening Standard." Tragedy at Law has never been out of print and has been praised by critics and authors as being among the best legal whodunits ever written. All in all, Clark published ten novels, forty short stories, one radio play, and two stage plays. Because of a bout with tuberculosis during WWII, his health suffered, and he passed away August 25, 1958, ten days before his 58th birthday.
Have you ever heard of Cyril Hare?
___________________________
Murder at Madison Square Garden
The dream of a lifetime becomes a nightmare. Photojournalist Theodora “Teddy” Schafer’s career has hit the skids thanks to rumors of plagiarism. With any luck, a photo spread with Charles Lindbergh at the America First Rally will salvage her reputation. After an attempted assassination of Lindbergh leaves another man dead, Teddy is left holding the gun. Literally. Can she prove her innocence before the police lock her up for a murder she didn’t commit? Private Investigator Ric Bogart wants nothing to do with women after his wife cleaned out their bank account and left him for another man, but he can’t ignore the feeling he’s supposed to help the scrappy, female reporter who is arrested for murder at the America First rally. Can he believe her claims of innocence and find the real killer without letting Teddy steal his heart?
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3mcTXcs
Despite being one of the prolific authors from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, Cyril Hare has been largely forgotten by the reading public. A combination of Hare Court (where he worked) and Cyril Mansion (where he lived), the name is a pseudonym for Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark, who was born on September 4, 1900. His family was part of the Matthew Clark & Sons drink distribution company founded in 1810. Clark was educated at St. Aubyn’s, then Oxford where he graduated with a First. He studied law and entered the Bar in 1924. Nine years later he married Mary Barbara Lawrence, daughter of Sir William Lawrence, 3rd Baronet, horticulturalist, hospital administrator, and collector. They had three children, a son and two daughters, all of whom were very successful.
At some point in the 1930s, Clark began penning mystery stories. The first, Tenant for Death, a story he adapted from a stage play he’d written, was published in 1937. That same year he also published a short story titled The Death of Amy Robsart. He published another novel and some short stories, but his breakout success came in 1942 with the publication of Tragedy at Law. Most scholars feel he based the plotline on his experiences during WWII when he toured as a judge’smarshal. He worked for the Director of Public Prosecution as well as serving with the Ministry of Economic Warfare. His wartime job must have kept him exceptionally busy because Clark wouldn’t publish another novel until 1946: With a Bare Bodkin.
In 1950, he was appointed a county court judge in Surrey but managed to continue writing with regularity, publishing three to five short stories per year, mostly for "The Evening Standard." Tragedy at Law has never been out of print and has been praised by critics and authors as being among the best legal whodunits ever written. All in all, Clark published ten novels, forty short stories, one radio play, and two stage plays. Because of a bout with tuberculosis during WWII, his health suffered, and he passed away August 25, 1958, ten days before his 58th birthday. Have you ever heard of Cyril Hare?
___________________________
Murder at Madison Square Garden
The dream of a lifetime becomes a nightmare. Photojournalist Theodora “Teddy” Schafer’s career has hit the skids thanks to rumors of plagiarism. With any luck, a photo spread with Charles Lindbergh at the America First Rally will salvage her reputation. After an attempted assassination of Lindbergh leaves another man dead, Teddy is left holding the gun. Literally. Can she prove her innocence before the police lock her up for a murder she didn’t commit? Private Investigator Ric Bogart wants nothing to do with women after his wife cleaned out their bank account and left him for another man, but he can’t ignore the feeling he’s supposed to help the scrappy, female reporter who is arrested for murder at the America First rally. Can he believe her claims of innocence and find the real killer without letting Teddy steal his heart? Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3mcTXcs
December 16, 2021
Fiction Friday: A Blast from the Past
Fiction Friday: A Blast from the Past
Photo: Pixabay/
DariuszSankowski
Part of my research process is to read books from the time period in which my story is set. My next project is a series of books set during the 1880s. Here are just a few of the publications from that decade:
Ben Hur by Lew Wallace: Published in 1880, the story tells the adventures of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince who is enslaved by the Romances at the beginning of the first century. A parallel narrative is the story of Jesus, who was from the same region and around the same age. The book became a bestseller and is considered one of the most influential Christian books of the nineteenth century.
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Published in 1883, this novel consists of a series of episodes, compiling traditional material into a narrative using invented “Old English” idiom. The book is credited with influencing later authors, artists, and filmmakers.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain: Published in 1889,
the book is about Yankee engineer Hank Morgan who receives a blow to the head and is somehow transported in time and space to England during the reign of King Arthur. Hank uses his knowledge to make people believe he’s a magician and tries to modernize the past. In the end, he is unable to prevent the death of Arthur. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: Published in 1886, the book is about a London legal practitioner who investigates the strange occurrences between his old friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and the evil Edward Hyde. The impact of the novella is such that the phrase Jekyll and Hyde is known to refer to people with an unpredictably dual nature. The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling: Published in 1888, the story is narrated by a British Indian journalist, correspondent of The Northern Star, in nineteenth-century India (Kipling himself in all but name), and tells of the adventures of two British young men who become kings of Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan.
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle: Published in 1887, the detective novel marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The title comes from a speech given by Holmes during which he says, “There’s a scarlet thread of murder running through the colorless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it.” The story and its characters attracted little public interest when it first appeared. Which of these classics have you read?
___________________
Legacy of Love (On tour and on sale!)
Will their love come at a cost?
Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction.
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/31KOAdA
Photo: Pixabay/DariuszSankowski
Part of my research process is to read books from the time period in which my story is set. My next project is a series of books set during the 1880s. Here are just a few of the publications from that decade:
Ben Hur by Lew Wallace: Published in 1880, the story tells the adventures of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince who is enslaved by the Romances at the beginning of the first century. A parallel narrative is the story of Jesus, who was from the same region and around the same age. The book became a bestseller and is considered one of the most influential Christian books of the nineteenth century.
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Published in 1883, this novel consists of a series of episodes, compiling traditional material into a narrative using invented “Old English” idiom. The book is credited with influencing later authors, artists, and filmmakers.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain: Published in 1889,
the book is about Yankee engineer Hank Morgan who receives a blow to the head and is somehow transported in time and space to England during the reign of King Arthur. Hank uses his knowledge to make people believe he’s a magician and tries to modernize the past. In the end, he is unable to prevent the death of Arthur. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: Published in 1886, the book is about a London legal practitioner who investigates the strange occurrences between his old friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and the evil Edward Hyde. The impact of the novella is such that the phrase Jekyll and Hyde is known to refer to people with an unpredictably dual nature. The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling: Published in 1888, the story is narrated by a British Indian journalist, correspondent of The Northern Star, in nineteenth-century India (Kipling himself in all but name), and tells of the adventures of two British young men who become kings of Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle: Published in 1887, the detective novel marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The title comes from a speech given by Holmes during which he says, “There’s a scarlet thread of murder running through the colorless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it.” The story and its characters attracted little public interest when it first appeared. Which of these classics have you read? ___________________
Legacy of Love (On tour and on sale!)
Will their love come at a cost? Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction.
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/31KOAdA
December 15, 2021
Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back, Sami Abrams!
Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back, Sami Abrams
Linda: Welcome back to my blog, and congratulations on your upcoming debut novel, Buried Cold Case Secrets. What was your inspiration for the story?
Sami: Buried Cold Case Secrets was born during MurderCon. Sounds menacing, doesn’t it? Lol! MurderCon is part of the Writer’s Police Academy, a conference for authors to learn from law enforcement specialists. During this conference, I went to a forensic anthropology workshop and Melanie’s character took shape.
LM: How did the opportunity to write for Love Inspired come about? Sami: My agent Tamela Hancock Murray encouraged me to submit to Love Inspired Suspense, and I met two different editors at the ACFW conferences that asked for manuscripts. So, I decided to give it a shot and here we are. 😊
LM: Research is an important part of writing. What sort of research did you do for Buried Cold Case Secrets? Was there any sort of “aha” tidbit you found that you knew needed to be included?
Sami: I’m always asking my law enforcement consultant if something is plausible. So there’s that. But I
think for this one I go back to the antifreeze poisoning. I had to make sure the symptoms were correct and have a way of counteracting it. I’m not sure it was an “aha” moment, but it was definitely interesting.
LM: What authors influenced your writing? ami: Oh my, now that’s a loaded question. Lol! I’d have to say that the two authors that most influence my writing are Virginia Vaughan and Lynette Eason. Which comes in handy since they both mentor me on different projects. Virginia with my Love Inspired Suspense, and Lynette with my Elite Guardians Collection through Sunrise Publishing. 😊
LM: In addition to writing, you are part of the Suspense Squad, a group of authors who interview other authors and hold topical discussions. How do you juggle your many responsibilities?
Sami: The Suspense Squad is a great group. We love to have fun and can get quite silly at times. It’s a nice break from work when we are together. As for how do I juggle all my responsibilities…I’m a planner. (You notice I didn’t say plotter. Hehe!) My husband calls my calendar “the decade at a glance.” So, as long as it’s on my calendar and I’m not overbooked, all is good.
LM: What is one thing you wish you knew how to do?
Sami: Oh, there are so many things I wish I could do. But, I think my top two (sorry, there’s more than one. 😊)…I wish I knew how to draw. And the other, I wish I knew how to speak different languages.
LM: What is your next project?
Sami: I’m currently working on revisions for my Elite Guardians Collection novel with Lynette Eason and Sunrise Publishing which should release in June 2022. In addition, I have another Love Inspired Suspense releasing September 2022. Twin Murder Mix-up, book 2 in the Deputies of Anderson County series, will go on sale August 23, 2022.
LM: Where can folks find you on the web?
Sami: People can find me at http://www.samiaabrams.com. I’d love for everyone to sign up for my newsletter so we can stay in touch.
About Buried Cold Case Secrets:
Recovering her missing memories could be the key to solving a murder Searching for her best friend’s remains could help forensic anthropologist Melanie Hutton regain her memories of when they were both kidnapped—unless the killer gets to Melanie first. For her safety, Melanie must rely on Detective Jason Cooper, who still blames her for his sister’s death. Can Jason set the past aside to solve the cold-case murder…and shield Melanie from the same fate?
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3HKRU8A
Linda: Welcome back to my blog, and congratulations on your upcoming debut novel, Buried Cold Case Secrets. What was your inspiration for the story? Sami: Buried Cold Case Secrets was born during MurderCon. Sounds menacing, doesn’t it? Lol! MurderCon is part of the Writer’s Police Academy, a conference for authors to learn from law enforcement specialists. During this conference, I went to a forensic anthropology workshop and Melanie’s character took shape.
LM: How did the opportunity to write for Love Inspired come about? Sami: My agent Tamela Hancock Murray encouraged me to submit to Love Inspired Suspense, and I met two different editors at the ACFW conferences that asked for manuscripts. So, I decided to give it a shot and here we are. 😊
LM: Research is an important part of writing. What sort of research did you do for Buried Cold Case Secrets? Was there any sort of “aha” tidbit you found that you knew needed to be included?
Sami: I’m always asking my law enforcement consultant if something is plausible. So there’s that. But I
think for this one I go back to the antifreeze poisoning. I had to make sure the symptoms were correct and have a way of counteracting it. I’m not sure it was an “aha” moment, but it was definitely interesting. LM: What authors influenced your writing? ami: Oh my, now that’s a loaded question. Lol! I’d have to say that the two authors that most influence my writing are Virginia Vaughan and Lynette Eason. Which comes in handy since they both mentor me on different projects. Virginia with my Love Inspired Suspense, and Lynette with my Elite Guardians Collection through Sunrise Publishing. 😊
LM: In addition to writing, you are part of the Suspense Squad, a group of authors who interview other authors and hold topical discussions. How do you juggle your many responsibilities?
Sami: The Suspense Squad is a great group. We love to have fun and can get quite silly at times. It’s a nice break from work when we are together. As for how do I juggle all my responsibilities…I’m a planner. (You notice I didn’t say plotter. Hehe!) My husband calls my calendar “the decade at a glance.” So, as long as it’s on my calendar and I’m not overbooked, all is good.
LM: What is one thing you wish you knew how to do?
Sami: Oh, there are so many things I wish I could do. But, I think my top two (sorry, there’s more than one. 😊)…I wish I knew how to draw. And the other, I wish I knew how to speak different languages. LM: What is your next project?
Sami: I’m currently working on revisions for my Elite Guardians Collection novel with Lynette Eason and Sunrise Publishing which should release in June 2022. In addition, I have another Love Inspired Suspense releasing September 2022. Twin Murder Mix-up, book 2 in the Deputies of Anderson County series, will go on sale August 23, 2022.
LM: Where can folks find you on the web?
Sami: People can find me at http://www.samiaabrams.com. I’d love for everyone to sign up for my newsletter so we can stay in touch.
About Buried Cold Case Secrets:
Recovering her missing memories could be the key to solving a murder Searching for her best friend’s remains could help forensic anthropologist Melanie Hutton regain her memories of when they were both kidnapped—unless the killer gets to Melanie first. For her safety, Melanie must rely on Detective Jason Cooper, who still blames her for his sister’s death. Can Jason set the past aside to solve the cold-case murder…and shield Melanie from the same fate? Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3HKRU8A
December 13, 2021
Traveling Tuesday: U.S. Territories
Traveling Tuesday: U.S. Territories
Photo: Pixabay/CCPapaHow good is your knowledge of U.S. territories? Until recently, mine was scant at best. Most of the continental United States began as various territories that were either purchased or taken in conquest between the late 1700s and late 1800s. But during our nation’s history, the country purchased an island and obtained others as spoils of war. Currently, the U.S. administers fourteen territories; five of which are permanently inhabited (Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands). The other nine are not inhabited and include four islands, two atolls, one reef, and one collection of islands. Territories are classified by incorporation and whether they have an “organized” government through an act passed by Congress. Territories are under U.S. sovereignty and may be treated as part of the United States proper in some ways and not in others. The Constitution applies only partially in unincorporated territories. Territories were generally created to administer newly acquired land, and most
Photo: Pixabay/AndPondeventually attained statehood, however, others such as the Philippines, Palau, and the Marshall Islands became independent. Residents of territories cannot vote in U.S. Presidential elections, and they have only non-voting representation in Congress. With the exception of Puerto Rico, the territories are administered by the Office of Insular Affairs (part of the U.S. Department of the Interior).
Photo: Pixabay/inactionsolutionsEach territory is self-governing with three branches of government, including a locally elected governor and territorial legislature. Interestingly, people born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands are U.S. citizens by birth, however, people in American Samoa acquire U.S. nationality but not citizenship by birth if they don’t have a U.S. citizen parent. In order to gain citizenship, Samoans must reside in parts of the U.S. (other than American Samoa) and apply for naturalization.
Puerto Rico: Acquired at the end of the Spanish-American War (1899), and has been a U.S. Commonwealth since 1952. Guam: Acquired at the end of the Spanish-American War (1899). U.S. citizenship was granted in 1950. The island is the home of the Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base. American Samoa: A territory since 1900 after the end of the Second Samoan Civil War. The islands were divided into two regions, and the U.S took control of the eastern half of the island. U.S. Virgin Islands: Purchased from Denmark in 1917. U.S. citizenship was granted in 1927. The main islands are St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix.Northern Mariana Islands: The islands became part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific islands in 1947, administered by the U.S. as a U.N Trustee. Failed attempts to reunify Guam and the Marianas in the 1950s and 1960s, resulted in a covenant that established the Northern Mariana Islands as a commonwealth that was approved in 1975 and came into force in 1976. In 1986, the Islands formally left U.N. Trusteeship. Have you visited any of the U.S. territories?
__________________
Legacy of Love (on tour and on sale!)
Will their love come at a cost? Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction.
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/31KOAdA
Photo: Pixabay/CCPapaHow good is your knowledge of U.S. territories? Until recently, mine was scant at best. Most of the continental United States began as various territories that were either purchased or taken in conquest between the late 1700s and late 1800s. But during our nation’s history, the country purchased an island and obtained others as spoils of war. Currently, the U.S. administers fourteen territories; five of which are permanently inhabited (Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands). The other nine are not inhabited and include four islands, two atolls, one reef, and one collection of islands. Territories are classified by incorporation and whether they have an “organized” government through an act passed by Congress. Territories are under U.S. sovereignty and may be treated as part of the United States proper in some ways and not in others. The Constitution applies only partially in unincorporated territories. Territories were generally created to administer newly acquired land, and most
Photo: Pixabay/AndPondeventually attained statehood, however, others such as the Philippines, Palau, and the Marshall Islands became independent. Residents of territories cannot vote in U.S. Presidential elections, and they have only non-voting representation in Congress. With the exception of Puerto Rico, the territories are administered by the Office of Insular Affairs (part of the U.S. Department of the Interior).
Photo: Pixabay/inactionsolutionsEach territory is self-governing with three branches of government, including a locally elected governor and territorial legislature. Interestingly, people born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands are U.S. citizens by birth, however, people in American Samoa acquire U.S. nationality but not citizenship by birth if they don’t have a U.S. citizen parent. In order to gain citizenship, Samoans must reside in parts of the U.S. (other than American Samoa) and apply for naturalization. Puerto Rico: Acquired at the end of the Spanish-American War (1899), and has been a U.S. Commonwealth since 1952. Guam: Acquired at the end of the Spanish-American War (1899). U.S. citizenship was granted in 1950. The island is the home of the Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base. American Samoa: A territory since 1900 after the end of the Second Samoan Civil War. The islands were divided into two regions, and the U.S took control of the eastern half of the island. U.S. Virgin Islands: Purchased from Denmark in 1917. U.S. citizenship was granted in 1927. The main islands are St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix.Northern Mariana Islands: The islands became part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific islands in 1947, administered by the U.S. as a U.N Trustee. Failed attempts to reunify Guam and the Marianas in the 1950s and 1960s, resulted in a covenant that established the Northern Mariana Islands as a commonwealth that was approved in 1975 and came into force in 1976. In 1986, the Islands formally left U.N. Trusteeship. Have you visited any of the U.S. territories?
__________________
Legacy of Love (on tour and on sale!)
Will their love come at a cost? Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction. Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/31KOAdA
