Linnea Tanner's Blog, page 13
March 19, 2024
Book Review Anywhere But Schuylkill Michael Dunn #MikeDoyle #AnywhereButSchuylkill #MollyMaguires #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @MikeDunnAuthor @cathiedunn
It is my pleasure to introduce Michael Dunn as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour that is being held between January 31st — Mach 20th, 2024. Michael Dunn is the author of the Historical Fiction novel, Anywhere But Schuylkill (The Great Upheaval Trilogy), released by Historium Press on September 25th, 2023 (301 pages).
Below are highlights of Anywhere But Schuylkill, Michael Dunn’s author bio, and my review of his gripping story about the beginning of the unionization of coal miners in the 19th century.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/12/blog-tour-anywhere-but-schuylkill-by-michael-dunn.html
HIGHLIGHTS: ANYWHERE BUT SCHUYLFIL
Anywhere But Schuylkill
(The Great Upheaval Trilogy)
by Michael Dunn
Blurb:
In 1877, twenty Irish coal miners hanged for a terrorist conspiracy that never occurred. Anywhere But Schuylkill is the story of one who escaped, Mike Doyle, a teenager trying to keep his family alive during the worst depression the nation has ever faced. Banks and railroads are going under. Children are dying of hunger. The Reading Railroad has slashed wages and hired Pinkerton spies to infiltrate the miners’ union. And there is a sectarian war between rival gangs. But none of this compares with the threat at home.
Buy Links:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/496Ag0
Historium Press: https://www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/hp-authors/michael-dunn
AUTHOR BIO: MICHAEL DUNN
Michael Dunn writes Working-Class Fiction from the Not So Gilded Age. Anywhere But Schuylkill is the first in his Great Upheaval trilogy. A lifelong union activist, he has always been drawn to stories of the past, particularly those of regular working people, struggling to make a better life for themselves and their families.
Stories most people do not know, or have forgotten, because history is written by the victors, the robber barons and plutocrats, not the workers and immigrants. Yet their stories are among the most compelling in America. They resonate today because they are the stories of our own ancestors, because their passions and desires, struggles and tragedies, were so similar to our own.
When Michael Dunn is not writing historical fiction, he teaches high school, and writes about labor history and culture.
Author Links:
Website: https://michaeldunnauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeDunnAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michael.Dunn.Fiction
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldunnauthor/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michael-Dunn/author/B0CJXGQYZ8
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45063197.Michael_Dunn
BOOK REVIEW: ANYWHERE BUT SCHUYLFIL
Anywhere but Schuylkill by Michael Dunn is a historical fiction that depicts the dangers of coal mining and violence that workers faced trying to unionize in Pennsylvania from 1871 to 1875. The story is told through the eyes of Mike Doyle who is a thirteen-year-old breaker boy in the mines of Pennsylvania. After his father tragically dies in a mine explosion, Mike assumes responsibility for supporting his destitute family who must move in with his aunt and her abusive husband. For the next four years, he must endure the hardship and grim reality that he could experience the same fate as his father as he rises in position to a miner. However, it is almost impossible to get ahead when the coal barons block the worker’s attempts to unionize for safer conditions and livable wages. In their efforts to strike, the workers are met with violence from local cops and hired policemen. Rival gangs of Irish, Welsh, and German fight over decreasing pay and benefits. This is a coming-of-age story of a young Irishman who must overcome almost impossible odds to rise above his impoverishment.
Author Michael Dunn has written a grim, realistic depiction of the darker side of the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century. The impeccable, historical details reflect the author’s passion for bringing to light the plight of immigrants working in harsh conditions in the United States. The workplace was unsafe and often led to deadly accidents. For a family to survive, children were often forced to do repetitive work to supplement their family’s income. Mike’s younger brother loses a foot in a painful accident, resulting in devastating consequences to the family who must care for him while working for substandard wages.
The vivid, sensory descriptions of the coal mine add to the heart-wrenching scene when Mike frantically searches for his trapped father after the explosion. “The air got warmer, heavier, the deeper they went. Stale, deathly. Difficult to breathe. The odor of scorched, wet wood. Melted iron. Burnt grease.” Each scene is riveting, but I found it difficult at times to connect all of the subplots with the various factions fighting each other. I suggest that you first read the glossary at the end of the book to familiarize yourself with terms and various groups before starting the story.
For readers who enjoy delving into the American Industrial Revolution, I recommend reading Anywhere but Schuylkill for its gripping tale of a young Irishman striving for the American dream in the backdrop of the harsh reality of rich barons taking deadly, life-changing advantage of their workers.
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
March 18, 2024
MJ Porter Royal Women Who Made England #NonFiction #TheTenthCentury #ForgottenWomen #WomenInHistory #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @coloursofunison @cathiedunn
I’m delighted to welcome MJ Porter again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour held March 19th – 21st, 2024. MJ Porter is the author of the non-fiction book, The Royal Women Who Made England: The Tenth Century in Saxon England, published by Pen and Sword on 30th January 2024 hardback UK / epub direct from publisher / 4th April 2024 US and kindle edition (237 pages)
Below are highlights of The Royal Women Who Made England, MJ Porter’s author bio, and a snippet from the book.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-the-royal-women-who-made-england-by-mj-porter.html
HIGHLIGHTS: THE ROYAL WOMEN WHO MADE ENGLAND
The Royal Women Who Made England: The Tenth Century in Saxon England
by MJ Porter
Blurb:
Throughout the tenth century, England, as it would be recognized today, formed. No longer many Saxon kingdoms, but rather, just England. Yet, this development masks much in the century in which the Viking raiders were seemingly driven from England’s shores by Alfred, his children and grandchildren, only to return during the reign of his great, great-grandson, the much-maligned Æthelred II.
Not one but two kings would be murdered, others would die at a young age, and a child would be named king on four occasions. Two kings would never marry, and a third would be forcefully divorced from his wife. Yet, the development towards ‘England’ did not stop. At no point did it truly fracture back into its constituent parts. Who then ensured this stability? To whom did the witan turn when kings died, and children were raised to the kingship?
The royal woman of the House of Wessex came into prominence during the century, perhaps the most well-known being Æthelflæd, daughter of King Alfred. Perhaps the most maligned being Ælfthryth (Elfrida), accused of murdering her stepson to clear the path to the kingdom for her son, Æthelred II, but there were many more women, rich and powerful in their own right, where their names and landholdings can be traced in the scant historical record.
Using contemporary source material, The Royal Women Who Made England can be plucked from the obscurity that has seen their names and deeds lost, even within a generation of their own lives.
Buy Links:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/TheRoyalWomenWhoMadeEngland
Publisher Link: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Royal-Women-Who-Made-England-Hardback/p/24395
AUTHOR BIO: MJ PORTER
MJ Porter is the author of over fifty fiction titles set in Saxon England and the era before the tumultuous events of 1066. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a young age that it housed the long-dead bones of Saxon kings, it’s little wonder that the study of the era was undertaken at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
The Royal Women of the Tenth Century is a first non-fiction title. It explores the ‘lost’ women of this period through the surviving contemporary source material. It stemmed from a frustration with how difficult it was to find a single volume dedicated to these ‘lost’ women and hopes to make it much easier for others to understand the prestige, wealth and influence of the women of the royal House of Wessex.
Author Links:
Website Blog Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Threads Bluesky
Pinterest Book Bub Amazon Author Page Goodreads TikTok LinkTree
SNIPPET: THE ROYAL WOMEN WHO MADE ENGLAND
The royal women of the long tenth century is an opportunity to delve into what is known about these women and the time in which they lived and ensure that their story is told, as well as that of their slightly better-known male counterparts. It is also an opportunity to place them into this context of seeming stability and to assign them a part other than that of mothers and grandmothers to the next generation in the proceedings of this long and turbulent period, although, admittedly, it is as mothers and grandmothers that they seem to have truly discovered their abilities to govern.
There is no surviving contemporary image of any of the royal women of the tenth century. These women are not only difficult to ‘find’ in the written sources, but they are also entirely faceless, apart from in the words of their contemporaries or near contemporaries. But, as far as is known, there are only images of King Athelstan that survive, in manuscript 183, folio IV Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, and also King Edgar, in London, British Library Cotton Vespasian A.viii, fol. 2v. And we seem to have only one physical item associated with these women: priestly vestments which may well have been stitched by Lady Ælfflæd’s hands (the second wife of Edward the Elder) and that survive in Durham as part of the collection of items linked with the tomb of St Cuthbert, the Northumbrian saint associated with Lindisfarne.
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
March 14, 2024
Debra Borchert Château de Verzat Series #ChateauDeVerzatSeries #HerOwnLegacy #HerOwnRevolution #DebraBorchertAuthor #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @debraborchert @cathiedunn
I’m pleased to introduce Debra Borchert as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between March 11th – 15th, 2024. Debra Borchert is the author of the Historical Fiction series, Château de Verzat. The two books in her series released by Le Vin Press are as follows:
Her Own Legacy (Book 1) released on September 1st, 2022 (568 pages)
Her Own Revolution (Book 2) released on July 14th 2023 (422 pages).
Below are highlights of each book in the Château de Verzat Series, Debra Borchert’s author bio with delightful photos of her, and an intriguing excerpt from Her Own Revolution. 
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-chateau-de-verzat-series-by-debra-borchert.html
HIGHLIGHTS: HER OWN LEGACY (BOOK 1)
Her Own Legacy
(Book 1 of Château de Verzat Series)
by Debra Borchert
Blurb:
A Woman Fights for Her Legacy as the French Revolution Erupts
Determined to inherit her family’s vineyard, Countess Joliette de Verzat defies society’s rules, only to learn of her illegitimate half-brother, the rightful heir.
Universal Buy Link for Her Own Legacy: https://books2read.com/u/bWYod1
*Her Own Legacy will be only 0.99 in the UK, CA and AU stores from March 5th – 15th, 2024!*
Her Own Revolution
(Book 2 of Château de Verzat Series)
by Debra Borchert
Blurb:
Woman Forges a Treacherous Path to Save Hundreds from the Guillotine
If Geneviève Fouquier-Tinville had the same rights as a man, she wouldn’t have to dress like one. A suspenseful page-turner led by a renegade heroine whose compassion for innocent people leads to both loss and love.
Universal Buy Link for Her Own Revolution: https://books2read.com/u/m0aJVl
CHÂTEAU DE VERZAT SERIES BUY LINKS:
US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B9KN1536
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B9KN1536
AUTHOR BIO: DEBRA BORCHERT
Debra’s the author of the Château de Verzat series that follows headstrong and independent women and the four-hundred loyal families who protect a Loire Valley château and vineyard, and its legacy of producing the finest wines in France during the French Revolution. Her Own Legacy published 2022, Her Own Revolution published 2023, and Her Own War will be published in 2024. A passionate cook, she also wrote a companion cookbook to the series: Soups of Château de Verzat, A Culinary Tribute to the French Revolution, 2023.
A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she weaves her knowledge of textiles and clothing design throughout her historical fiction. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and standard poodle, named after a fine French Champagne.
Author Links:
Website Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram
Pinterest Book Bub Amazon Author Page Goodreads
EXCERPT: HER OWN REVOLUTION (BOOK 2)
Paris, August 7, 1793
Geneviève visits Louis LaGarde in prison
I took a deep breath and stepped into the dark cell. Straw cracked beneath my boots. The door slammed shut. I jolted. The key grinded in the lock. The sour stink of an unemptied slop bucket made me want to cover my nose. LaGarde stood in the corner, his shoulders hunched, his blond hair hanging in greasy strands. The sound of the guard’s footsteps faded.
My legs trembled. I could be thrown into such a cell. “Do you remember me?” My voice was as weak as the light.
He peered at me and then a grin slowly emerged. “Who could forget your charms?”
My face warmed as the memory of his exposing my breasts rushed me.
“So, my execution has been delayed so you—Monsieur Fouquier—could gloat.”
I shook my head and held out the wine. He didn’t move, so I placed the bottle near his feet. “It’s not what you’re accustomed to, but the guard enjoyed some of it.” I pulled out bread, sausage, and cheese.
He rubbed his forehead. “Ah, a last meal.”
I ripped off a piece of bread and offered it. He snatched it and gnawed, catching the crumbs with his hand, and licking them from his palm.
I detested the pity I felt. I couldn’t be the only one who cared about him. “Has your family been to visit?” Withdrawing my dagger, I cut a hunk of sausage and tossed it to him.
He caught it and waved his fingers at the cheese, which I also tossed. “What family? My brother? Killed defending the King at the Tuileries. My parents? Murdered in the September Massacres.”
“I’m sorry.” His losses seemed not to affect his appetite in the least, but still, I would have to break down his defenses to save him. “Any friends visit?”
He bit into the cheese and closed his eyes as he chewed. “I have no friends.”
That, I believed.
He chomped at the bread. But as he turned his head away and stopped chewing, I knew it was not from lack of hunger. He was missing someone. “A lady?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He snorted. “My whore.” His low voice rumbled against the stone walls. “What about you, Fouquier? Got a whore of your own?”
“Wish I did.”
He laughed.
Had there been more time I’d have laughed, too. “Has your mistress been to see you?”
“Like I, she is a guest of Bicêtre prison.” He tilted his head back as if praying for patience.
“For prostitution?”
“For Royalist sympathies!” He swatted at a fly on his neck. “She despised the Queen.” He laughed. “Even a whore has more courage to be honest than I have.”
It was only a matter of time before her name would appear on another list. The binding around my chest tightened as sympathy filled me. “I can get a message to her.”
“Why would you give her a message from me? To taunt her?” He kicked a clump of straw. “Torture us both?”
“To let her know you’re alive.” The muscles in his face flinched. He resembled a beggar, a depth to which, I imagined, he had never dreamed of falling. “What should I tell her?”
“What else can a dead man say?” He cried a laugh. “Adieu!” He slid down against the wall until he sat in the straw with his legs stretched out.
I crouched down and whispered, “Did you tell anyone you’ve been sentenced?”
He shook his head.
“Guards? Prisoners?”
“No.”
“You must not tell anyone of your sentence. No one. Do you promise?”
He cocked his head and, for a moment, he was the old arrogant LaGarde. “Why?”
“Hush.” I listened for footsteps. “So long as they do not call your name, you live. Understand?”
“They will call. I have been condemned.”
“Your name will not be called. You will not go to the guillotine. Do you understand?” He sat lifeless. I pinched his arm.
“Ow!” He jerked his head and looked at me, his eyebrows peaked high above his dark eyes.
“Do you?”
The taut skin around his eyes began to relax as he stared at me. “Yes.” His voice was hesitant, like a child’s.
A feeling of wanting to take him out of this hell swept over me. I should have thought he deserved this punishment after exposing me as a woman at University, but now my compassion surprised me. I gripped his hand. Although filthy, it was still the soft hand of a person who ordered others to do his work. “What’s her name?”
“Magdeleine Corrié.” He winced, as if hearing her name pained his heart.
“The message?”
He stared at the ceiling.
I squeezed his hand. “We have but a few minutes more.”
He pressed his lips together, his nostrils widening as he sucked in the dank air.
I hated pushing him. I softened my voice. “Do you wish me to tell her of your love?”
He nodded, then pulled me close. “She is with child. Ask her…if she will marry me.”
“That is honorable.”
“It is not honor.” The muscles around his mouth quivered.
I patted his arm. “I will bring her food and your message.” I stood and prayed I would be the clerk to receive the list with her name. “Remember, say nothing. I do not wish to join you at the guillotine.”
He squinted. “You leave me to rot in this hell?”
His words hit me like a slap. Why wasn’t he grateful? I’d saved his life, and he was angry? “I’d think anyone would prefer to live, even if among rats.”
He lifted his chin. “You get me out of here, or you will go to the guillotine with me.”
I was a cowering bug beneath a rock, taunted by the snapping tongue of a warty toad dressed in a ruined golden silk waistcoat. If I could have felt one drop of sympathy for this arrogant bastard, I’d not feel so ashamed. He’d exposed me once, and he’d do it again.
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
March 13, 2024
Trish MacEnulty Cinnamon Girl #HistoricalYA #ComingOfAge #HistoricalFiction #YAFiction @pmacenulty @cathiedunn
I‘m delighted to host Trish MacEnulty again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between February 22nd — March 14th, 2024. Trish MacEnulty is the author of the Historical Fiction, Cinnamon Girl, released by Livingston Press on September 11th, 2023 (311 pages)
Below are highlights of Cinnamon Girl, Trish MacEnulty’s author bio, and her fascinating guest post about the historical background of the politically charged Vietnam War era.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/01/blog-tour-cinnamon-girl-by-trish-macenulty.html
HIGHLIGHTS: CINNAMON GIRL
Cinnamon Girl
by Trish MacEnulty
Blurb:
Winner of the Gold Medal in YA Fiction from The Historical Fiction Company!
When her beloved step-grandmother, a semi-retired opera singer, dies of cancer in 1970, 15-year-old Eli Burnes runs away with a draft-dodger, thinking she’s on the road to adventure and romance. What she finds instead is a world of underground Weathermen, Black Power revolutionaries, snitches and shoot-first police.
Eventually Eli is rescued by her father, who turns out both more responsible and more revolutionary than she’d imagined. But when he gets in trouble with the law, she finds herself on the road again, searching for the allies who will help her learn how to save herself.
“The book is a fantastic read: fast-moving, full of smoothly woven historical detail and rich characterizations, all told in Eli’s appealing voice.” — Sarah Johnson, Reading the Past
Buy Links:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3Ldonw
AUTHOR BIO: TRISH MACENULTY
Trish MacEnulty is the author of a historical novel series, literary novels, memoirs, a short story collection, children’s plays, and most recently, the historical coming-of-age novel, Cinnamon Girl (Livingston Press, Sept. 2023). She has a Ph.D. in English from the Florida State University and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Florida. She currently writes book reviews and features for the Historical Novel Society.
She lives in Florida with her husband Joe and her two tubby critters, Franco and Tumbleweed. More info at her website: trishmacenulty.com.
Author Links:
Website: https://trishmacenulty.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pmacenulty
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100055362621397
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trishmac_historicalfiction/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/trish-macenulty
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Trish-MacEnulty/author/B01G4A797G
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15085884.Trish_MacEnulty
GUEST POST: TRISH MACENULTY
Like my protagonist Eli Burnes in Cinnamon Girl, I was a teenager in the early 1970s. I remember it as a time of idealism, community, and hopefulness in spite of terrible things going on in the world.
One of those terrible things was the Vietnam War. Young men were sent overseas by the thousands to fight in the jungles of a small country that had not harmed us. This wasn’t the sort of war most young people could support. It had taken the bombing of Pearl Harbor to convince the U.S. to join the allies in World War II. When that happened, the whole country was willing to accept sacrifices in order to stop our enemies. Some guys even lied about their age so they could join up. But I can’t remember a single boy in high school saying he couldn’t wait to go fight in Vietnam. Most of them were praying for a high draft number so they wouldn’t get called up to fight and then come home in a body bag.
University of San Diego students holding sign saying “bring all the troops home now!”
Feelings about the war brought a lot of young people together, but the war wasn’t the only thing that brought people together. Racism was another issue that angered many young people, especially college students. In the 60s, our television sets showed sheriff’s deputies in Birmingham sic German shepherds on Black protestors. Newspapers published images of people in Selma being beaten simply because they wanted to vote. People had heard the inspiring speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. and many of them — white and black — were devastated by his assassination.
Martin Luther King Jr. speaking to an anti-Vietnam War rally at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul on April 27, 1967
There was a sense, in spite of all this injustice, that regular people could create change. Some things did change. The U.S. finally got rid of the draft. The voting age was lowered to 18. Universities changed their curricula to offer Black studies, Women’s studies, and other courses that had never been offered before. Laws were enacted to offer equal opportunities for all races. And women finally won the right to reproductive choice.
Of course, now, we see some of those early gains being rolled back. I suppose it’s natural. When progress happens, there are always those who want to take it back to the way it was before. They’re afraid of losing power or privilege. So a whole new generation has a whole new set of problems on its hands, even if some of those problems were the same ones young people faced in the 70s.
Cinnamon Girl is about a teenage girl who is a lot like other teenage girls. She wants friends, she wants a boyfriend, she loves her music. At first, she’s mostly unaware of the important societal issues of the time. Little by little, she learns about the war, about racism, and about the underhanded tricks the government used to squash protest. She also sees the conflicts in the peace movement itself and the mistakes that even well-meaning people make. In the end, however, she has hope for a better world.
I’ve been inspired by the abolitionist movement of the 19th Century, the women’s suffrage movement in the early part of the 20th Century and the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and ‘60s. I hope that people today might be inspired as well by the Peace Movement of the 1970s. Those activists made their share of mistakes, but they had a hopefulness and an energy necessary to effect change. To me the biggest lesson is that idealism isn’t a bad thing. In fact, idealism can help us create the world we want, not just try to destroy the world we don’t want.
The Arcadian or Pastoral State, second painting in The Course of Empire, by Thomas Cole
*All photos, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
March 7, 2024
Charles Presti Covered in Flour #HistoricalFiction #coveredinflourjourney #comingofage #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn
I am pleased to host Charles Presti as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between February 16th — April 5th, 2024. Charles Presti is the author of the Historical Fiction, Covered in Flour, independently released by the author on October 10th, 2023 (220 pages)
Below are highlights of Covered in Flour, Charles Presti’s author bio, and his fascinating guest post about the historical background of the political turbulence in 1968.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/01/blog-tour-covered-in-flour-by-charles-presti.html
HIGHLIGHTS: COVERED IN FLOUR
Covered in Flour
By Charles Presti
Blurb:
It’s 1968 in Whisper Haven, and 8-year-old Carl Pozzi’s world is about to change.
For eight-year-old Carl Pozzi, 1968 begins like any other year—playing kickball with friends and enjoying the comforting aroma of Mom’s pasta dinners in their predominantly white suburban Whisper Haven home. But when Carl’s teacher introduces lessons about racial prejudice and injustice, his worldview cracks wide open.
How far can innocence stretch before it snaps?
As Carl flips through the pages of his 3-ring binder, each lesson serves as a gateway to a journey of self-discovery and understanding. It’s an expedition that not only changes him but reshapes his whole concept of family and justice—especially as he watches his father put on a police uniform during one of the most fraught periods in American history.
Covered in Flour is not just a heartfelt stroll down memory lane. It’s a captivating coming-of-age saga that digs deep beneath the surface of suburban tranquility. It beckons you to reconsider long-held family values and confront the societal norms you’ve taken for granted.
Written with genuine love, humor, and a tinge of sorrow, this story blends the nostalgia of tradition with the inevitability of change, offering a stirring mix that leaves you pondering long after the last page is turned. This book isn’t just a delightful read; it’s a catalyst for introspection, freshly baked and served for your soul.
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3LdWED
AUTHOR BIO: CHARLES PRESTI
Charles Presti, emerging from the sun-drenched shores of Pensacola, Florida, crafts narratives that echo with the richness of his varied life. His journey from a USF College of Medicine graduate to a storyteller is as unconventional as it is inspiring. Drawing from his days as a physician and informatics specialist, Charles infuses his writing with a rare blend of scientific precision and heartfelt emotion. His debut novel, “Covered in Flour,” is a vivid tapestry of his Italian-American heritage, his experiences in the whirlwind era of the 1960s, and his personal journey as a gay man. These elements converge to create stories that not only entertain but resonate deeply with themes of family, discovery, and the delicate dance of life’s everyday moments.
Charles’s passion for storytelling is paralleled only by his commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. Alongside his husband, Mike Bruce, and their beloved Wheaton Terrier, Zoey, he is a vibrant force and founder of “Sunday’s Child,” a local charity dedicated to nurturing inclusion and empowering LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities through grants to local charities. A pillar in the Emerald Coast Writers group, he continually explores the nuances of identity, heritage, and a sense of belonging. Discover more about Charles’s captivating world and Covered in Flour at www.coveredinflour.com, where each story is a window into a life lived fully and authentically.
Author Links:
Website: www.coveredinflour.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552112886658
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckpresti/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/covered_inflour/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/charlespresti
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45201473.Charles_Presti
GUEST POST: CHARLES PRESTI
We’re back on the journey through Covered in Flour, diving headfirst into the heart of 1968, a year that forever altered the fabric of our nation and, indeed, the world. Let’s peel back the layers of history together, shall we?
The Civil Rights Movement and Racial Tensions
1968 was a cornerstone for the civil rights movement, especially marked by the loss of Martin Luther King Jr. Through the eyes of our young protagonist and his family, we’re thrust into the midst of race riots, a tangible representation of the era’s strife. His father, a figure of law and authority, stands on the frontlines, offering us a window into the raw challenges faced by those sworn to protect amidst a backdrop of societal upheaval.
Race isn’t just a theme in our story; it’s the very pulse of the narrative, shaping every moment of our protagonist’s journey. It’s about the struggle to find a balance between the heritage that binds us and the change that propels us forward. Through the protagonist’s eyes, we confront prejudices—both inherited and hidden within. This journey underscores the power of compassion, the strength found in understanding, and the crucial fight against hate.
Political Turmoil and the Vietnam War
As we navigate the tumultuous waters of the Vietnam War, our story captures the essence of a family ensnared in the web of political and social discord. The departure of the cousin to Vietnam intertwines the personal pains with the political, reminding us of the war’s ripple effects on American families.
Politics at the Dinner Table and Beyond
Then there’s the slice of life from our mock election, where politics spilled from the TV screens and newspapers straight onto our dinner table. Nixon, Wallace, and Humphrey weren’t just candidates; they were characters in our daily conversations, shaping our understanding of democracy and citizenship. This moment, a microcosm of the national scene, paints a vivid picture of how deeply politics influenced our young minds and the conversations that shaped our perceptions of right, wrong, and everything in between.
Reflection and Resonance
Covered in Flour transcends the bounds of a mere historical narrative; it’s a meditation on how the events of 1968 continue to resonate, shaping the characters’ views, relationships, and destinies. By weaving personal stories with the historical fabric, the novel invites readers to reflect on the enduring impact of that pivotal year and its lessons for future generations.
As you wander through the pages of Covered in Flour, remember, it’s more than a journey through time. It’s a reminder of the complexities of our shared history, the resilience of the human spirit, and the imperative to grasp our past firmly to chart a course for our future.
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
March 6, 2024
Download Free eBook Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner March 7-12 #Arthurian #BookBoost #KindleDeals #Adventure #Rome #Britain #IARTG #Romance #Fantasy #HistoricalFantasy #Mythology @Linneatanner
SPECIAL KINDLE DEAL
APOLLO’S RAVEN
GRAB FREE EBOOK MARCH 7 – 11, 2024
CLICK https://bit.ly/ApollosRaven
Calling all Historical/Fantasy/Adventure readers to grab a free e-book of the multi-award, winning APOLLO’S RAVEN (Book 1 Curse of Clansmen and Kings) by Linnea Tanner for a limited time on Kindle from March 7-11, 2024. Be swept into an epic tale of love, betrayal, and intrigue in ancient Rome and Britain. GET AT https://bit.ly/ApollosRaven
WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT APOLLO’S RAVEN
“An engaging historical fantasy, Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner is a captivating tale of triangles; love, lust and espionage, friend, foe, and spies; barbarians, civilized Rome and spiritual-supernatural beings…she weaves a tapestry of intrigue, a Gordian knot of rivalry and a love story.”—Authors Reading [2019 Pencraft Book of the Year Award]”
The requisite fantasy elements of magic and mystery abound . . . Tanner also does an admirable job weaving in politics and mythology of a bygone people. A complex and promising start to a new fantasy series.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Apollo’s Raven is a historical fantasy with strong elements of romance, political intrigue, and magic. Many surprising twists enrich the historically drawn plot. Points of view shift between different characters effectively, heightening the tension from one moment to the next.”—Historical Novel Society Review”
“If you’re looking for something entertaining with a fast, action-paced rhythm, Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner is a definite must. For a woman who is trying to figure out where she belongs in her world, this tale is relatable to other young women in our timeline who are also trying to figure out where they belong.”— Literary Titan (Gold Book Award)
February 29, 2024
Book Spotlight Lighten the Load David Fitz-Gerald #HistoricalWestern #WesternAdventure #AmericanWest #Pioneers #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @AuthorDAVIDFG @cathiedunn
It’s a pleasure to welcome David Fitz-Gerald back and to spotlight his book, Lighten the Load, in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour held on March 1st, 2024. The Western, Historical Fiction novel, Lighten the Load (Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail, Book 2), was independently released by the author on January 31st, 2024 (203 pages).
Below are highlights of Lighten the Load and David Fitz-Gerald’s author bio.
T
T
our Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-lighten-the-load-by-david-fitzgerald.html
HIGHLIGHTS: LIGHTEN THE LOAD
A Grave Every Mile: A Pioneer Western Adventure
(Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail, Book 2)
By David Fitz-Gerald
Blurb:
After a devastating tragedy, Dorcas Moon faces brutal choices in the unforgiving wilderness.
An unsolved hometown murder casts a foreboding shadow over the journey. Mounting responsibilities weigh heavy on Dorcas’ shoulders while navigating the trail along the Platte River. Family, friends, and neighbors can’t seem to get along without her help.
The gruesome trail exacts a heavy toll. A sweeping grass fire blazes across the prairie. A doomed wagon careens down a treacherous hill. A fellow traveler is gored to death while hunting buffalo. Each disaster pushes the pioneers to the brink. Amidst the chaos, Dorcas grapples with the realization that she must dump her precious cook stove and her husband’s massive safe. The oxen can no longer haul the heavy weight of unnecessary cargo.
When her daughter mysteriously disappears while the wagons are at Fort Laramie, Dorcas despairs. She is desperate to help her daughter when the troubled youth is found in the arms of a Brulé man in Spotted Tail’s village.
Secure your copy of Lighten the Load and delve into an unforgettable saga of empowerment, sacrifice, and the haunting echoes of the American frontier. Rejoin Dorcas Moon on the adventure of a lifetime as she confronts the challenges that shape her destiny.
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/lighten-the-load
SERIES TRAILER: GHOSTS ALONG THE OREGON TRAIL
FEATURED AUTHOR: DAVID FITZ-GERALD
David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.
Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.
Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.itsoag.com/lastthing
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorDAVIDFG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDaveFITZGERALD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordavefitzgerald/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AuthorDaveFITZGERALD/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/david-fitz-gerald
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/dfitzgerald
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17341792.David_Fitz_Gerald
Linktree https://linktr.ee/authordavidfitzgerald
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
Book Spotlight The Trail to Crooked Creek MK McClintock #HistoricalWesternRomance #AmericanRomance #TheTrailtoCrookedCreek #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn
I am pleased to spotlight the novella, The Trail to Crooked Creek, by MK McClintock in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour held February 27th – 29th, 2024. The Trail to Crooked Creek (Crooked Creek series, Book 3 [stand-alone]) is a Historical Western Romance (Content: PG-13; no sex; sensual kisses; some action and violence) published by Trappers Peak Publishing on February 20th, 2024.
Below are highlights of The Trail to Crooked Creek and MK McClintock’s author biography.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-the-trail-to-crooked-creek-by-mk-mcclintock.html
HIGHLIGHTS: THE TRAIL TO CROOKED CREEK
The Trail to Crooked Creek
(Crooked Creek
series, Book 3)
by MK McClintock
Blurb:
Everyday heroes who find the courage to believe in extraordinary love.
Two years after the devastations of war left their mark on a country torn apart, Wesley Davenport, a former soldier haunted by his experiences on the battlefield crosses paths with Leah Tennyson, a teacher who helps him heal his emotional wounds—and discovers unexpected love in the most unlikely place.
The Trail to Crooked Creek, a novella, is a tale of resilience, compassion, and the triumph of the human spirit set in the breathtaking and sometimes unforgiving landscape of post-Civil War Montana Territory.
“MK McClintock knows what readers want.” ~ Readers’ Favorite
Set in post-Civil War Montana Territory, in the small town of Crooked Creek, it all started with Emma. Her story was written for a contest, but I soon realized there were more women whose tales needed to be written. The war is over between the North and the South, but the battles at home are just beginning. If you love stories of bravery and courage with unforgettable women and the men they love, you’ll enjoy the Crooked Creek series.
Also Available:
The Women of Crooked Creek Christmas in Crooked Creek
Buy Links:
This title is available to read in #KindleUnlimited, and also in paperback and large print.
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bM2N08
AUTHOR BIO: MK MCCLINTOCK
MK McClintock is an award-winning author who writes historical romantic fiction about chivalrous men and strong women who appreciate chivalry. Her stories of romance, mystery, and adventure sweep across the American West to the Victorian British Isles with places and times between and beyond.
Her works include the following series: Montana Gallaghers, Crooked Creek, British Agents, Whitcomb Springs, and the stand-alone collection, A Home for Christmas. She is also the co-author of the McKenzie Sisters Mysteries.
MK enjoys a quiet life in the northern Rocky Mountains. Visit her at www.mkmcclintock.com, where you can learn more about her books, explore extras, view her blog, and subscribe to receive news.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.mkmcclintock.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mkmcclintockbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mkmcclintock
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mkmcclintock
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mk-mcclintock
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/MK-McClintock/e/B006UV5PPI
Instagram & Threads: @thecoffeepotbookclub
Bluesky: @cathiedunn.bsky.social
February 25, 2024
Lynn Downey Dude or Die #DudeRanch #HistoricalFiction #WomensFiction #WesternWomen #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @WriterLynnD @cathiedunn
I am pleased to host Lynn Downey the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between February 12th — March 4th, 2024. Lynn Downey is the author of the Historical Fiction, Dude or Die (H Double Bar Dude Ranch series), released by Pronghorn Press on October 15 2023 (328 pages)
Below are highlights of Dude or Die, Lynn Downey’s author bio, and her fascinating guest post about the American dude ranch where you find the touch of a cowboy and the thrill of the West.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/01/blog-tour-dude-or-die-by-lynn-downey.html
HIGHLIGHTS: DUDE OR DIE
Dude or Die
(H Double Bar Dude Ranch series)
by Lynn Downey
Blurb:
It’s 1954, and San Francisco writer Phoebe Kelley is enjoying the success of her first novel, Lady in the Desert. When Phoebe’s sister-in-law asks her to return to Tribulation, Arizona to help run the H Double Bar Dude Ranch, she doesn’t hesitate. There’s competition from a new dude ranch this year, so the H Double Bar puts on a rodeo featuring a trick rider with a mysterious past. When accidents begin to happen around the ranch, Phoebe jumps in to figure out why, and confronts an unexpected foe. And a man from her own past forces her to confront feelings long buried. Dude or Die is the second book in the award-winning H Double Bar Dude Ranch series.
Buy Link:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5BVwp
AUTHOR BIO: LYNN DOWNEY
Lynn Downey is an award-winning novelist, short story writer, historian of the West, and native Californian.
She was the Historian for Levi Strauss & Co. in San Francisco for 25 years. Her adventures as ambassador for company history took her around the world, where she spoke to television audiences, magazine editors, and university students, appeared in numerous documentaries, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She wrote many books and articles about the history of the company and the jeans, and her biography, Levi Strauss: The Man Who Gave Blue Jeans to the World, won the Foreword Reviews silver INDIE award.
Lynn got interested in dude ranches during her time at Levi’s. Her debut historical novel, Dudes Rush In, is set on an Arizona dude ranch in the 1950s; Arizona because she’s a desert rat at heart, and the 1950s because the clothes were fabulous.
Dudes Rush In won a Will Rogers Medallion Award, and placed first in Arizona Historical Fiction at the New Mexico-Arizona book awards. The next book in this series, Dude or Die, was released in 2023. And just for fun, Lynn wrote a screenplay based on Dudes Rush In, which is currently making the rounds of reviewers and competitions.
She pens short stories, as well. “The Wind and the Widow” took Honorable Mention in the History Through Fiction story contest, and “Incident at the Circle H” was a Finalist for the Longhorn Prize from Saddlebag Dispatches. The story “Goldie Hawn at the Good Karma Café,” won second place in The LAURA Short Fiction contest from Women Writing the West, and is based on her experiences in a San Francisco religious cult in the 1970s. (That will be another book one of these days.)
Lynn’s latest nonfiction book is American Dude Ranch: A Touch of the Cowboy and the Thrill of the West, a cultural history of the dude ranch. It was reviewed in The Wall Street Journal, True West, Cowgirl, and The Denver Post, and was a Finalist for the Next Generation INDIE Award in Nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews said the book is “…deeply engaging and balances accessible writing style with solid research.”
When she’s not writing, Lynn works as a consulting archivist and historian for museums, libraries, cultural institutions, and businesses. She is the past president of Women Writing the West, a member of the Western Writers of America, and is on numerous boards devoted to archives and historic preservation.
Lynn lives in Sonoma, California, where she sometimes makes wine from the Pinot Noir grapes in her back yard vineyard.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.lynndowney.com [My site is being redesigned and will be live in another week or so.]
Tumblereads blog: https://tumblereadsblog.com/blog-sg/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterLynnD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynndowney/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-downey-b82460249/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynn.downey.historian/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/westernhistorygal.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/WesternHistoryGal/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lynn-Downey/author/B001IXQ2N2
GUEST POST: LYNN DOWNEY
My two historical novels, Dudes Rush In, and the new sequel, Dude or Die, are both set on a fictional Arizona dude ranch in the 1950s. Even my most recent work of history is about this topic, American Dude Ranch: A Touch of the Cowboy and the Thrill of the West.
I love the concept of the dude ranch: a place where you can go and live the cowboy life for a few days. This vacation destination began in the 1880s, and today you can do everything from helping the ranchers herd cattle, to getting a spa treatment in a room with views of cactus-studded mountains. Working as the company historian for Levi Strauss & Co. in San Francisco sparked my interest in dude ranching, because the company made clothing specifically for men and women to wear on ranches: the jeans and jackets, of course, but also gabardine riding pants, wildly patterned western shirts, and shiny satin rodeo shirts with embroidery on the yoke.
Most people who visited dude ranches – especially early in their history – came from the eastern states or even countries across the oceans. So, everything from riding a horse with a western saddle, to wearing clothing they never wore at home, meant a dude ranch vacation made memories guests couldn’t get anywhere else.
Dude ranches are an endless source of stories, including tales of the famous and infamous, who have also enjoyed going to ranches over the years. These include presidents and presidential family members (which seems appropriate for February, the month Americans celebrate President’s Day).
Theodore Roosevelt is at the top of this list. In 1883 he was a rising political star, as well as an author and a well-known outdoorsman. In that year he decided to head West to shoot a buffalo, and a friend recommended going to Medora, North Dakota, a tiny town on the Little Missouri River, where he would find abundant game. He was so taken with the area that he bought a place called the Chimney Butte Ranch, known locally as the Maltese Cross for the design of its cattle brand. He went back home to New York and managed the ranch from afar.
Also in the area were the Eaton brothers of Pittsburgh, who the year before had started up the very first dude ranch on their own cattle spread. Although they would move to Wyoming in 1903, they took in a lot of guests at their place near Medora.
In 1884, Theodore Roosevelt’s world collapsed: his mother and wife died on the same day. To deal with his grief, Roosevelt went West, where he hoped to heal. He arrived at his ranch in June and met the Eaton brothers, and also spent time with other ranchers in the area.
The locals liked him, but they branded him a “dude” for the way he dressed. In the 1880s, a “dude” was a man who was a little too fancy to be considered really masculine. Within just a couple of decades, as the dude ranch industry grew, the word would come to mean someone who came West from somewhere else, to spend time on a dude ranch.
Anyway, Roosevelt apparently loved wearing buckskins, and Howard Eaton – the driving force behind the first dude ranch – knew that was not very practical. He once said of Roosevelt, “Buckskin shirts were all right as long as they didn’t get wet, but when they got wet they’d shrink up. I never did like that buckskin hunting shirt he had but he wouldn’t have anything else.”
The future president kept his ranch until about 1887, and then he sold off his cattle interests. His Maltese Cross cabin is now part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
But the Roosevelt dude ranch story doesn’t end there.
His oldest daughter, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, inherited his love of the West, especially the Rocky Mountain region. In August of 1969 she arrived in Cody, Wyoming for her fourth dude ranch vacation. She was 85 years old, and stayed at the Sunlight Ranch, run by Faye and Don Snyder about 45 miles from Cody.
Faye Snyder said Alice was a real character, which is not a surprise. She was famous for some version of this line, “If you don’t have anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me.”
One day during Alice’s time at the ranch, the Snyders’ daughter Sally answered the office phone. She then ran to her mother saying, “Mom, the president wants to talk to Mrs. Longworth, where is she?”
They tracked Alice down, and she took the call on the phone in the staff dining room. Faye Snyder heard her say, “Oh, hi Dick! How are you? What do you want?”
And who was Dick?
President Richard Nixon.
Instagram Handles: @thecoffeepotbookclub
Bluesky Handles: @cathiedunn
February 21, 2024
Book Spotlight Steel Valley Jerry Madden #HistoricalFiction #SteelValley #ComingOfAge #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @JerryMadden1948 @cathiedunn
I am pleased to spotlight the book, Steel Valley, by Jerry Madden in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour held on February 22nd, 2024. Steel Valley: Coming of Age in the Ohio Valley in the 1960s is a Historical Fiction published by Potomac Publishing Company on January 20, 2023 (350 pages).
Below are highlights of Steel Valley and Jerry Madden’s author biography.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/01/blog-tour-steel-valley-by-jerry-madden.html
HIGHLIGHTS: STEEL VALLEY
Steel Valley: Coming of Age in the Ohio Valley in the 1960s
By Jerry Madden
Blurb:
For readers of The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni and Last Summer Boys by Bill Rivers
Love is never easy…even in easier times, like the 1950s and 1960s in the Ohio Valley with the steel industry booming.
Second-generation immigrant families were reaching for the American middle class. And Catholic schools — made feasible by selfless Catholic nuns — promised bigger lives for everyone, including Jack Clark and Laurie Carmine. As they spent years searching for their separate futures, though, they were also stumbling toward love just as their world came crashing down.
Steel Valley depicts a story of love longed for, lost, and perhaps still within reach, just as our nation’s mythic yesterday became our troubled today, our last summer of innocence.
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3nGw5K
AUTHOR BIO: JERRY MADDEN
Jerry Madden grew up in the Upper Ohio Valley in the 1960s. He holds a B.A. from the College of Steubenville and law degrees from the University of Dayton School of Law and the Georgetown University Law Center. After law school, Jerry served as the sole law clerk to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, C. William O’Neill. He served in the United States Marine Corps (R) between 1970 and 1976.
Jerry has practiced law in Washington, D.C., since 1979, including fourteen years at the Department of Justice as a trial and appellate attorney. He is the principal of The Madden Law Group PLLC in Washington, D.C.
He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, Cyndi, a retired educator. They have two children, Kelsey and Jack, both of whom hold M.Ed. degrees. They have one grandchild, Jamie Maclennan.
Author Links:
Website: https://steelvalleymadden.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JerryMadden1948
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jerry-Madden/author/B0BV19VM3F
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199752995-steel-valley
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
Bluesky Handle: @cathiedunn.bsky.social
