Linnea Tanner's Blog, page 24
December 15, 2022
Son of Anger Donovan Cook #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @DonovanCook20 @maryanneyarde
It is my pleasure to welcome Donovan Cook again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour held between December 5th — December 16th, 2022. Donovan Cook is the author of the Viking Historical Fiction, Son of Anger (Ormstunga Saga), which was released on 12 Nov 2020 (347 pages).
Below are highlights of Son of Anger, Donovan Cook’s author bio, and my 5-star review of his riveting novel for which the ending resonated with me after I finished the book.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule
HIGHLIGHTS: SON OF ANGER
Son of Anger
(The Ormstunga Saga, Book 1)
By Donovan Cook
(Blurb)
Ulf is like a storm, slowly building up its power, he grows more dangerous with each passing moment. And like all storms, he will eventually break. When he does, he will destroy everything in his path.
Ulf is one of a long line of famous Norse warriors. His ancestor Tyr was no ordinary man, but the Norse God of War. Ulf, however, knows nothing about being a warrior.
Everything changes when a stranger arrives on Ulf’s small farm in Vikenfjord. The only family he’s ever known are slaughtered and the one reminder of his father is stolen — Ulf’s father’s sword, Ormstunga. Ulf’s destiny is decided.
Are the gods punishing him? All Ulf knows is that he has to avenge his family. He sets off on an adventure that will take him across oceans, into the eye of danger, on a quest to reclaim his family’s honour.
The gods are roused. One warrior can answer to them. The Son of Anger.
Buy Links:
This book is available on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Link (if you have it): • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU • Barnes and Noble
AUTHOR BIO: DONOVAN COOK
Donovan Cook was born in South Africa but raised in England, and currently works as an English tutor. He is the author of the Ormstunga Saga, which includes his debut novel Son of Anger and the follow-up, Raid of the Wolves. His novels come from his fascination with the Viking world and Norse Mythology, and he hopes that you will enjoy exploring this world as much as he did writing about it.
When Donovan is not teaching or writing, he can be found reading, watching rugby, or working on DIY projects. Being born in South Africa, he is a massive Springboks fan and rarely misses a match.
Social Media Links:
Website • Twitter • Facebook • BookBub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads
BOOK REVIEW: SON OF ANGER
Son of Anger by Donovan Cook is an epic coming-of-age tale that sweeps you into a Nordic action/ adventure during the Viking age. Ulf, the son of the famous warrior Bjørn, is embittered because he believes his father, who died in battle, had abandoned him as a boy. Ulf’s uncle has adopted him as his son and trains him with weapons whenever they are not doing chores on the farm. A cruel Viking plunders the family farm, slaughtering Ulf’s adopted family and leaving him for dead. A voice in a near-death vision charges Ulf to slay a cloaked troll. Unarmed, Ulf asks how he can slay the troll, and the voice answers, “Trust in your blood, Bjørnson. Embrace it.”
Ulf wakes from his near-death experience to learn that an older man found him and an enslaved mute boy treated his wounds. After the boy unexpectedly kills his abusive master, Ulf accepts him as his companion and names him Vidar after Odin’s son, who avenged his father’s death. Likewise, Ulf swears to avenge the deaths of his adopted family, and he retrieves his father’s sword, Ormstunga. Finally, he sets off on his pathway of vengeance with the mysterious Vidar to seek aid from Jarl Thorgils.
Ulf saves the son of Jarl Thorgils from a bear attack. Seriously injured, Ulf recovers in the household of Jarl Thorgils, for whom Bjørn had championed. Ulf must prove himself as a loyal and capable warrior to the Jarl, but he repeatedly falls short, in part, due to his uncontrollable anger. Yet, on his adventures, he slowly learns from failures and embraces his legacy and destiny to be a great warrior like his father. The riveting, climactic ending took my breath away.
Author Donovan is a master storyteller, weaving supernatural elements of Norse mythology into the tale. Scenes move at a fast clip, but nuances of the supernatural molding Ulf’s destiny bubble just beneath the surface of the story. The tale follows the structure of the classic Joseph Campbell hero’s journey. Ulf is an engaging, flawed hero who must undergo trials on his road to self-discovery. He is often knocked down, but he gets back up, ready to face his next challenge. After I finished the book, his epiphany of what truly motivates a warrior to fight resonated with me.
On the surface, Son of Anger seems like a simple tale, but underneath there are powerful themes of coming-of-age, good vs. evil, and father vs. son. It is a story about friendship and the bond between warriors fighting alongside each other. Author Donovan vividly describes the Viking culture, the warriors’ training with weapons, and the fight scenes. The story works best when told from Ulf’s point of view, but there are occasional scenes when characters head-hop. The book is best suited to a mature audience due to some graphic scenes of violence and some explicit language. Extra bonuses at the end of the book are a glossary of Viking terms used in the narrative and a list of Norse gods.
Son of Anger is a compelling, fast-paced tale of a young Viking on a hero’s journey fraught with conflict, intrigue, and betrayal. It is highly recommended for readers who enjoy multi-layered Viking action and adventure with elements of Norse mythology spun into the story.
December 13, 2022
Book Spotlight Minotaur’s Lair Luciana Cavallaro #AncientGreece #GreekMythology #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @ClucianaLuciana @cathiedunn
It is my great pleasure to spotlight the Historical Fantasy Fiction, Action/Adventure, Minotaur’s Lair (Servant of the Gods – Book 3), by Luciana Cavallaro The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held on December 13th, 2022. Minotaur’s Lair, which was released by Mythos Publications today, December 13th, 2022 (396 pages).
Below are highlights of Minotaur’s Lair and Luciana Cavallaro’s bio.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page:
HIGHLIGHTS: MINOTAUR’S LAIR
Minotaur’s Lair
(Servant of the Gods – Book 3)
By Luciana Cavallaro
(Blurb)
The Minotaur stirs. Evan is drugged to forget the gods’ quest.
Evan and his companions are entrapped by the Amazon Queen Antioche and her warriors. Memories and allegiances are tested. The Dark Master’s victorious revenge over the gods is almost complete. The plight of the High Priestess is precarious, her health ailing, and unable to rescue her brother and fellow Atlanteans.
The last sacred relic, secreted in the lair of the Minotaur, must be recovered or the Dark Master’s succession plans of a new god are complete. The mystical lands of Krete, the final stage of Evan’s journey, are within his grasp. He must succeed so his father, Zeus, fulfills his promise. Then there is Queen Antioche, and the precious gifts she presents him.
Will Evan return home, and what will become of his future?
Minotaur’s Lair is the third and final book in the action-packed Servant of the Gods historical fiction series. If you enjoy well-researched landscapes, historic characters, excitement, mythical creatures and unique settings, then you’ll love Luciana Cavallaro’s heroic odyssey.
Buy Links:
Universal Link • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU • Smashwords • Author website
AUTHOR BIO: LUCIANA CAVALLARO
Luciana Cavallaro’s alter ego is a high school teacher where she plugs away educating teenagers the merits of reading and ancient history. She often looks for a brick wall to bang her head when faced with disinterested looks from her students. She’s also a historical fantasy and thriller/suspense author, who creates fast-paced, action-packed series for her readers.
Born and raised in Western Australia, residing in Perth, Luciana loves to travel and since getting her passport at the ripe old age of twenty-four has toured parts of Europe, a legacy of her Italian heritage. She enjoys being active, going out with friends, reading and tries to grow her own vegetables. She dreams of travelling again and visiting the ancient sites that inspired her stories, that is when she’s not spending time being an unofficial stunt person and knocking herself out in the process.
Social Media Links:
Website • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn • Instagram • Book Bub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads
December 11, 2022
The Fortune Keeper Deborah Swift Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub #FortuneKeeper #HistoricalFiction @swiftstory @maryanneyarde
I am pleased to welcome Deborah Swift as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between December 5th — December 16th, 2022. Deborah Swift is the author of the Historical Fiction, The Fortune Keeper (Italian Renaissance Series), which was released by Quire Books on 24th November 2022 (412 pages).
Below are highlights of The Fortune Keeper, Deborah Swift’s author bio, and my review of her gripping novel.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule
HIGHLIGHTS: THE FORTUNE KEEPER
The Fortune Keeper
(Italian Renaissance Series)
By Deborah Swift
(Blurb)
Count your nights by stars, not shadows ~ Italian Proverb
Winter in Renaissance Venice
Mia Caiozzi is determined to discover her destiny by studying the science of astronomy. But her stepmother Giulia forbids her to engage in this occupation, fearing it will lead her into danger. The ideas of Galileo are banned by the Inquisition, so Mia must study in secret.
Giulia’s real name is Giulia Tofana, renowned for her poison Aqua Tofana, and she is in hiding from the Duke de Verdi’s family who are intent on revenge for the death of their brother. Giulia insists Mia should live quietly out of public view. If not, it could threaten them all. But Mia doesn’t understand this, and rebels against Giulia, determined to go her own way.
When the two secret lives collide, it has far-reaching and fatal consequences that will change Mia’s life forever.
Set amongst opulent palazzos and shimmering canals, The Fortune Keeper is the third novel of adventure and romance based on the life and legend of Giulia Tofana, the famous poisoner.
‘Her characters are so real they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf’ – Historical Novel Society
NB This is the third in a series but can stand alone as it features a new protagonist. Other two books are available if reviewers want them.
Trigger warnings:
Murder and violence in keeping with the era.
This book is available to read Kindle Unlimited
Buy Links:
Universal Link • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU
AUTHOR BIO: DEBORAH SWIFT
Deborah Swift is a USA TODAY bestselling author who is passionate about the past. Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. She divides her time between writing and teaching. After taking a Masters Degree in Creative Writing, she enjoys mentoring aspiring novelists and has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com
Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today.
Recent books include The Poison Keeper, about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, which was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Readers Award and a Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal, and The Cipher Room set in WW2 and due for publication by Harper Collins next Spring.
Social Media Links:
Twitter • Facebook • Website • Pinterest • Bookbub • Amazon
REVIEW: THE FORTUNE KEEPER
The Fortune Keeper by Deborah Swift is the third novel in the Italian Renaissance Series which is based on the life of the historical figure, Giulia Tofana. The gripping, fast-paced historical fiction novel has elements of suspense, mystery, and political intrigue. In the late fall of 1643, Venice is awakening into a scientific era that often conflicts with the beliefs of the Catholic Church. Anyone professing that celestial bodies can foretell your destiny is under the watch of the Roman Inquisition, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a range of crimes according to Roman Catholic law and doctrine. It is against this dangerous backdrop that Mia Caiozzi is secretly studying astronomy with a mentor. She believes advances in astronomy improve the accuracy of astrology. And thus, her beliefs put her in danger with the Catholic church.
The danger is compounded by Mia living with her stepmother, Giulia, who is hiding in the Jewish Getto to escape the repercussions of her dark past. Duke de Verdi’s family believes Giulia, renowned for her poison Aqua Tofana, has murdered their brother and seeks to avenge him. A mysterious friend of the De Verdi family has moved to Venice for the purpose of finding this elusive poisoner who has been blamed for some of his assassinations. When Mia attends a lecture about astronomy, she bumps into a medical student working part-time as a gondolier to pay for his training, meets a charming merchant, and sits next to a Dominican monk. Little does she know how the planets and stars will align to determine her fate with these men. In the city’s shadows, unbeknownst enemies spin a web of political intrigue, murder, and vengeance around her to entangle her. To escape their entrapment, she must outmaneuver both an assassin and the Roman Inquisition.
Author Deborah Swift has written a complex, plot-driven story filled with twists at every corner. A gifted storyteller, she transports the reader into the shadowy world of Renaissance Venice with surreal descriptions of buildings, canals, and elaborate masks. “The tall arched windows were filled with honeycomb glass from Murano which distorted the view of the canal outside, twisting every building into something shimmering, yet grotesque. He blew on his hands; the air was cold enough to freeze wine.”
The suspense is gripping and the action scenes are riveting. It’s uncertain whether the alignment of planets and stars signals Mia’s forthcoming independence as a woman or her death for defying church doctrine. I especially enjoyed the characterization of the archvillain who kept my heart throbbing as I anticipated whom he would murder next in his quest to find Giulia. Disguised in a mask, he secretly stalks his victims and murders them in distinctive ways. Though the author does an admirable job of filling in the backstory without being overwhelming, details from the previous books would have provided more insight into the motives of some of the characters. Although I enjoyed reading Mia’s story of seeking independence as a woman and solving the murders, she sometimes made questionable decisions, despite her best instincts, and came across as too naive for the challenge.
I recommend The Fortune Keeper to fans of the existing series, and Deborah Swift’s writing to historical fiction readers everywhere.
December 6, 2022
The Founding Michael L. Ross #historicalfiction #biographicalfiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @MichaelLRoss7 @cathiedunn
I’m delighted to introduce Michael L. Ross as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between November 28th — December 9th, 2022. Michael L. Ross is the author of the Historical Fiction / Biographical Fiction, The Founding (Across the Great Divide: Book 3), which was released by HistoricalNovelsRUS on 6th December 2022 (480 pages).
Below are highlights of The Founding, Deep, the author bio of Michael L. Ross, and an excerpt from his book.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Schedule Page
HIGHLIGHTS: THE FOUNDING
The Founding
(Across the Great Divide: Book 3)
By Michael L. Ross
(Blurb)
Two men, two dreams, two new towns on the plains, and a railroad that will determine whether the towns—one black, one white—live or die.
Will Crump has survived the Civil War, Red Cloud’s War, and the loss of his love, but the search for peace and belonging still eludes him. From Colorado, famed Texas Ranger Charlie Goodnight lures Will to Texas, where he finds new love, but can a Civil War sharpshooter and a Quaker find a compromise to let their love survive? When Will has a chance to join in the founding of a new town, he risks everything—his savings, his family, and his life—but it will all be for nothing if the new railroad passes them by.
Luther has escaped slavery in Kentucky through Albinia, Will’s sister, only to find prejudice rearing its ugly head in Indiana. When the Black Codes are passed, he’s forced to leave and begin a new odyssey. Where can he and his family go to be truly free? Can they start a town owned by blacks, run by blacks, with no one to answer to? But their success will be dependent on the almighty railroad and overcoming bigotry to prove their town deserves the chance to thrive.
Will’s eldest sister, Julia, and her husband, Hiram, are watching the demise of their steamboat business and jump into railroads, but there’s a long black shadow in the form of Jay Gould, the robber baron who ruthlessly swallows any business he considers competition. Can Julia fight the rules against women in business, dodge Gould, and hold her marriage together?
The Founding tells the little-known story of the Exodusters and Nicodemus, the black town on the plains of Kansas, and the parallel story of Will’s founding of Lubbock, Texas, against the background of railroad expansion in America. A family reunited, new love discovered, the quest for freedom, the rise of two towns. In the end, can they reach Across the Great Divide? The Founding is the exciting conclusion to the series.
Praise for The Founding:
“Michael is an excellent storyteller and has done a wonderful job depicting Luther, and the other black characters in this book. He has done his homework and depicts many historical facts about Nicodemus in a most enlightening and creative way. It has been a pleasure working with someone who has made a concerted effort to get things right.”
~ Angela Bates
Nicodemus Descendant/Historian
Executive Director
The Nicodemus Historical Society and Museum
Buy Links:
Universal Link • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU
AUTHOR BIO: MICHAEL L. ROSS
Michael Ross is a lover of history and great stories.
He’s a retired software engineer turned author, with three children, and five grandchildren, living in Newton, Kansas with his wife of 39 years. Michael graduated from Rice University and Portland State University with degrees in German and software engineering. He was part of an MBA program at Boston University.
Michael was born in Lubbock, Texas, and still loves Texas. He’s written short stories and technical articles in the past, as well as articles for the Texas Historical Society.
Across the Great Divide now has three novels in the series, “The Clouds of War”, “The Search”, and the conclusion, “The Founding”. “The Clouds of War” was an honorable mention for Coffee Pot Book of the Year in 2019, and an Amazon #1 best seller in three categories, along with making the Amazon top 100 paid, reviewed in Publisher’s Weekly. “The Search” won Coffee Pot Cover of the Year in 2020, and Coffee Pot Silver Medal for Book of the Year in 2020, as well as shortlisted for the Chanticleer International Book Laramie Award.
Social Media Links:
Website • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn • Instagram • Book Bub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads
EXCERPT: THE FOUNDINGExcerpt 4:
Topeka, September 1876
Luther wiped the sweat away from his head. The stifling heat beat down, and the forge glowed. He couldn’t imagine autumn around the corner. Sighing, he picked up a hammer and worked on flattening the iron that was to be a mechanical corn planter. He’d heard about the design and had written to the patent office to get plans and a license. He was surprised to find the patent holder was another black man from forty years prior. They sure never had machines like this when he was at the Clay plantation in Kentucky. He turned the iron, pounded two more strokes, and saw a man in the doorway to the shop. He was about done with that piece anyway, so he plunged it into the water to cool, laid down the hammer, and cleaned his hands on his apron.
Luther walked over to the doorway, and in better light, he could see the man was black, with a triangular brand mark on his right cheek. The man wore a long black coat, even in the heat, a slouch hat, and a clerical collar.
“Afternoon, Reverend. What can I do for you?”
“I’m Reverend Simon Roundtree. Someone told me that you and your family here know most of the black folks around and that you’re originally from Lexington, Kentucky.”
Luther frowned and moved back toward the forge. “Somebody talks too much.”
Luther picked up the hammer again and heated an iron bar in the forge.
“Is it true?”
Luther turned toward him. “Yes, sir, it is. But I don’t much like talking about the slave days. I know we are free now, but I still look over my shoulder, ’specially round white folks. I have been betrayed by black folks too. My sister died because of it. Makes a man wary.”
Simon pointed to his cheek. “Think I don’t know? I understand that. But what if I told you that you got a chance to come to the Promised Land, to freedom, own your land, answer to nobody?”
Luther set the hammer down again. “I’m listening.”
“I’m partners with a white man named William Hill. We’re platting out a town in western Kansas. A colored town. I’m from Dry Lick, Kentucky, north of Lexington and Georgetown. I pastor the Mount Olivet church there.”
Luther stroked his chin. “How many people has this town got?”
Simon said, “Well, ain’t got any right now.”
“And where is this town with nobody?”
“Almost fifty miles north of Fort Hays. And before you ask, thirty-five miles north of Ellis and the railroad. But the railroad is coming.”
“I been out there. I worked the railroad. Ain’t nothin’ out there but a hell hole with jackrabbits in the summer and frozen wasteland in the winter.”
“There may be nothin’ there now, but think—a black town! We could start everything from scratch. Real freedom! And everything will change when the railroad comes through. Businesses, easy shipping for crops, and the land is good.”
“Mm-hmm. I’ve wanted somethin’ like that, but it sounds like freedom to starve. I hear you, but I can’t see how it could succeed. For the railroad to come, you gotta raise money and pay for building a depot. There are no trees for wood. That’s gonna take a lot of people.”
“That’s where you come in. I have families back in Lexington that will jump at the chance to get land. But they’ll have to come on the train, not by wagon. They won’t be able to bring much. A few will bring horses and plows, but not many. They’ll need tools made—plows, planters, all kinds of farm equipment, just like what you’re making there.”
Luther chuckled. “And I s’pose these black families are flowing with cash to pay for all these things.”
“No, no, they ain’t. But God will provide, just like when Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land.”
Luther raised an eyebrow. “I seem to recall those Israelites near died of thirst and starvation, not to mention Egyptians. I read the Good Book. And I’ve fought the Cheyenne.”
“Sure, the Israelites had to fight against a whole bunch of kings, but ain’t we been fighting our whole lives? Fight the white man to keep your family together, to learn to read—that’s how I got this!” He pointed at the brand on his face. “White man decided I got too smart for my own good, or at least for his good. Fighting for food, the right to walk down the street without someone saying, ‘Hey, black boy, pick that up.’ We didn’t ask to come to this country, but we’re here. We’re full citizens by the law. Now we just got to make folks respect us and show what we can do. This black man gonna get free and work to enjoy all the good Lord gives. What about you?”
Luther considered, pounding a few strokes. “Folks here in Topeka sure don’t respect a black man. Let’s say me and my family go with you. What about this white man, this Hill fella? How do you know he ain’t gonna just steal you blind, leave you in the wilderness with nothin’?”
“I do have papers for the land. Each family pays Hill five dollars for the land and opportunity. It’s all the white folks had when they came to America and more than we’ve had in a century. If you come back with me to Lexington, just for a time, you can help convince families to come. You’ve been around there. You know what it’s like. You can testify.”
“Let me think it over. I’ll talk to Ruth and my in-laws. My father-in-law is a blacksmith too Getting a little old, but he taught me everything I know. Come by the house for supper tomorrow.” Luther picked up a pencil and scribbled the address, handing it to Simon. “They can meet you, and we can decide.”
December 5, 2022
Book Spotlight The Hearts of All on Fire Alana White #HistoricalMystery #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @alanawhite1480 @cathiedunn
I’m delighted to spotlight the Historical Mystery, The Hearts of All on Fire (The Guid’Antonio Historical Mysteries), by Alana White in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held on December 6th, 2022. The Hearts of All on Fire was released by Atmosphere Press on September 27th, 2022 (392 pages).
Below are highlights of The Hearts of All on Fire and Alana White’s author bio.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule
HIGHLIGHTS: THE HEARTS OF ALL ON FIRE
The Hearts of All on Fire
The Guid’Antonio Historical Mysteries
by Alana White
(Blurb)
Florence, 1473. An impossible murder. A bitter rivalry. A serpent in the ranks.
Florentine investigator Guid’Antonio Vespucci returns to Florence from a government mission to find his dreams of success shattered. Life is good—but then a wealthy merchant dies from mushroom poisoning at Guid’Antonio’s Saint John’s Day table, and Guid’Antonio’s servant is charged with murder. Convinced of the youth’s innocence and fearful the killer may strike again, Guid’Antonio launches a private investigation into the merchant’s death, unaware that at the same time powerful enemies are conspiring to overthrow the Florentine Republic—and him. A clever, richly evocative tale for lovers of medieval and renaissance mysteries everywhere, The Hearts of All on Fire is a timeless story of family relationships coupled with themes of love, loss, betrayal and, above all, hope in a challenging world.
Buy Links:
Amazon Canada: Kindle Paperback
Amazon Australia: Kindle Paperback
Barnes & Noble: Paperback
Bookshop: Paperback
Waterstones: Paperback
Parnassus Books (Nashville, Tennessee): Paperback
AUTHOR BIO: ALANA WHITE
Alana White’s passion for Renaissance Italy has taken her to Florence for research on the Vespucci and Medici families on numerous occasions. There along cobbled streets unchanged over the centuries, she traces their footsteps, listening to their imagined voices, including that of her protagonist, Guid’Antonio Vespucci and his friends, Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo, Lorenzo de’ Medici.
Alana’s first short story featuring real-life fifteenth-century lawyer Guid’Antonio Vespucci and his favorite nephew, Amerigo Vespucci, was a Macavity Award finalist and led to the Guid’Antonio Vespucci Mystery Series featuring “The Sign of the Weeping Virgin” (Book I) and “The Hearts of All on Fire” (Book II).
She is a member of the Women’s National Book Association and the Historical Novel Society, among other organizations. She loves hearing from readers, and you can contact her at her website, www.alanawhite.com.
Social Media Links
Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Pinterest
November 30, 2022
Book Spotlight The Captain’s Woman Holly Bush #HistoricalRomance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @hollybushbooks @cathiedunn
I’m delighted to spotlight the Historical Romance, The Captain’s Woman (The Thompsons of Locust Street), by Holly Bush in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held on December 1st, 2022. The Captain’s Woman will be released by Holly Bush Books on January 10th, 2023 (218 pages).
Below are highlights of The Captain’s Woman on the Air and Holly Bush’s author bio.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Blog Tour Schedule
HIGHLIGHTS: THE CAPTAIN’S WOMAN
The Captain’s Woman
(The Thompsons of Locust Street series)
by Holly Bush
(Blurb)
Meet the Thompsons of Locust Street, an unconventional family taking Philadelphia high society by storm…
1870 ~ Muireall Thompson has taken her duties seriously since her parents died on the family’s crossing from Scotland to America in 1854. As the eldest sibling, their death made her responsible for her family and left little time for a life of her own. But now her brothers and sisters are adults; even the youngest is nearly ready to face the world on his own. What will she do when she is alone, other than care for an elderly aunt and volunteer at the Sisters of Charity orphanage? Has the chance for a husband and children of her own passed her by?
Widower Anthony Marcus, formerly a captain in the Union Army, is a man scraping the bottom of his dignity and hanging on to his honor by the barest thread. Reduced to doing odd jobs to keep a roof over his dear daughter Ann’s head, he often leaves her with the Sisters of Charity while he is out seeking steady work with a decent salary that will allow him to move from their single-room living quarters.
After an initial meeting that finds Muireall and Anthony at odds, a tentative friendship forms as they bond over their mutual affection for Ann. As friendship leads to passion, can a wealthy spinster and a poor soldier overcome their differences in station to forge a future together? Just as Muireall finds the courage to reach for her own happiness, Anthony’s past rises up between them and an old enemy reemerges to bring the Thompson family down once and for all. Will the divide between them be insurmountable, or can they put aside pride and doubt for a love worth fighting for?
Pre-order/Buy Links:
International Buy Link 
Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU
Kobo iBooks Barnes & Noble Google Books
Holly Bush writes historical romance set in the U.S.in the late 1800’s, in Victorian England, and an occasional Women’s Fiction title. Her books are described as emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance. She makes her home with her husband in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Connect with Holly at www.hollybushbooks.com and on Twitter @hollybushbooks and on Facebook at Holly Bush.
Social Media Links:
Website Twitter Facebook Book Bub Amazon Author Page Goodreads
November 25, 2022
Colorado Barnes & Noble Book Fair Nov 26-27 Supports CO Authors Hall of Fame #BNBookFair #books #gifts #Aurora #Glendale @COGreatAuthors @JudithBriles @BNBuzz
In Colorado this weekend? Join me and other local authors for the Barnes & Noble Book Fair to be held at two different locations in Colorado this weekend (November 26 – 27, 2022) as shown below:
Saturday, November 26th
Southlands B&NAuthor Event
6300 S Main St (Suite N101),
Aurora, CO
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, November 27th
Glendale B&N Author Event
960 S Colorado Blvd, Glendale CO
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Books are the perfect holiday gift. We’ll be there to sign, sell books, and support the Colorado Author’s Hall of Fame and its scholarship opportunities for writers. Barnes & Noble has been a generous supporter of Colorado Authors and the AuthorYOU community in conjunction with Dr. Judith Briles. Any books and other store merchandise purchased by visitors at the B&N store on either day will generate a donation to support the Colorado Author’s Hall of Fame, which provides funds to support the Aspiring Authors Scholarships.
I’ll be there with my books along with author award-winning fiction and nonfiction authors of all genres: adult, YA, juvenile, and children’s books.
November 22, 2022
Welcome to Day 3 of the REIMAGINING NEON Blog Tour featuring Author, Linda C. Mims! @boom_lyn @linneatanner @RRBC_Org @RRBC_RWISA @4WillsPub @4WP11 #TheNeonHouses
GIVEAWAYS
(3) $10 Amazon gift cards
Please leave Linda a comment below or anywhere along the tour,
for your chance to win one of her awesome giveaways!
REIMAGINING OLD STORIES
It’s time to go back and revisit the short stories and novellas you wrote years ago and tucked away. Did you print them as hard copies, stick them in an envelope, and place them on the back of the shelf? Or did you remove them from your hard drive and place them on a memory stick? It’s a cinch they weren’t half bad. I’m betting your terrible is another man’s “kinda good”. So, if they have even a glimmer of worth, why not freshen them up for 2023?
Let’s say your old novel was three quarters complete, but you couldn’t figure out where you’d take it. How about someplace new and different? If it started out as a romance, why not make it dark by turning your love interest into an obsessed stalker, or better yet, a vampire? Instead of trying to figure out if he loves her, your heroine must figure out if he wants her dead.
If mysteries and thrillers aren’t your genre, it’s okay to stick with the romance angle. What matters is you already have the bones of a story which would take you days or weeks of writing to recreate. Renew, restore, and reimagine that story.
How to Reimagine My Story
Read through it, editing out cliches and staid phrasing. Edit into the conversation some of the slang and phrasing of today? Update your plot with today’s politics, technological advances, scandals, or reality television nonsense.
Have you traveled since writing the old tale? Place the action in that new locale? You always said you’d put it in a story one day. Make today the day. Play up the beauty of the scenery and what it felt like driving along the coast. Were you on a motorcycle? How would that have played out with someone chasing you at high speeds?
Were buildings torn down or destroyed where you live? How did that make you and your community feel? Describe those feelings and make your efforts to save the structure a new part of your old story. Let it impact the character and add to his conflict.
Don’t hang on to old pages and chapters that aren’t relevant even if you love the way you turned a phrase or made the words flow. It’s difficult to destroy your words, because they cost you dearly, but more than likely, new, more effective words will spring up in you with way less effort as you write from this place of new imaginings. That’s the beauty of being an artist.
Your old writings have sat on the shelf long enough. Now, as you read them with fresh eyes, you see how to make them relevant for this current time. Get excited about what you will produce! And guess what? You’re the only one who knows you wrote those pieces ten, fifteen years ago.
BOOK BLURB: THE NEON HOUSES
What would you do if you were the daughter of a cult hero who boasted a past life full of exciting, colorful exploits? Suppose the thing that made your mother a cult hero was also inside you. Now, imagine spending your whole life trying to hide it—until you shared the heart-stopping death of someone close to you. Supposed that death brought you face to face with the gift of the neon houses.
New Chicago and its neighboring town, The Southland, are vastly different worlds in circa 2087, but Dr. Noel Kennedy is an expert at navigating both worlds. As the Deputy Chief of Schools in The Southland, Noel has perfected being a solid, middle-class citizen. Not even her husband, Fredrick Kennedy, truly understands what she is.
When Zarah Fisher, Noel’s young protégé, is murdered on a deserted street in The Southland, Noel knows the exact moment Zarah takes her last breath. Though miles away, Noel feels the girl’s terror, and hears her anguished screams inside her own head because of an inheritance that has left her with extraordinary gifts.
Can Noel find justice for Zarah without risking it all? Murder, mayhem, and suspense abound in this action-packed page-turner.
More than a mystery, The Neon Houses thrills the reader with scenes of a futuristic 2087. Autoplanes, body planes, and flying buses are the norm. Robots and androids cook, clean, and serve the affluent, while dystopia lurks just around the corner.
AUTHOR BIO: LINDA MIMS
Linda Mims is a writer, a dreamer, and an educator, who hails from a quiet village just south of Chicago. Her stories are mainly about urban characters who are engaged in mystery and mysticism. Her hope is that while entertaining and informing, she’s also sending the message that humans aren’t that different and all each of us want is a better world.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the AUTHOR’S TOUR PAGE on the 4WillsPublishing site. If you’d like to book your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, click HERE. Thanks for supporting this author and her work!
November 14, 2022
Book Spotlight Wolves of Wagria Eric Schumacher Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #Viking #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @DarkAgeScribe @cathiedunn
It is my pleasure to spotlight the Historical Fiction / Historical Action, Wolves of Wagria (Olaf’s Saga Book 3), by Eric Schumacher in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held on 15th November 15th 2022. Wolves of Wagria was just released by Bodn Books today, 15th November 2022 (344 pages).
I’ve read Forged by Iron (Book 1) and Sigurd’s Swords (Book 2) in the epic Viking saga. Eric Schumacher masterfully captures the essence of the characters in what I consider one of the best Viking age novels available. I look forward to reading the third book in Olaf’s Saga.
Below are highlights of Wolves of Wagria and Eric Schumacher’s author bio.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule page
Wolves of Wagria
(Olaf’s Saga Book 3)
by Eric Schumacher
(Blurb)
Three kingdoms. Two friends. Only one way to survive.
For fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden comes the tale of Olaf Tryggvason and his adventures in the battle-scarred kingdom of Wagria.
It is AD 972. Olaf Tryggvason and his oath-sworn protector, Torgil, are once again on the move. They have left the Rus kingdom and now travel the Baltic Sea in search of plunder and fame. But a fateful storm lands them on the Vendish coastline in a kingdom called Wagria.
There, they find themselves caught between the aggression of the Danes, the political aspirations of the Wagrian lords, and the shifting politics in Saxland. Can they survive or will they become just one more casualty of kingly ambitions?
Find out in this harrowing sequel to the best-selling Forged by Iron and Sigurd’s Swords.
Buy Links:
This book is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Link • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU
AUTHOR BIO: ERIC SCHUMACHER
Eric Schumacher discovered his love for writing and medieval European history at a very early age, as well as authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Bernard Cornwell, Jack Whyte, and Wilbur Smith. Those discoveries fueled his imagination and continue to influence the stories he tells. His first novel, God’s Hammer, was published in 2005.
You can follow Eric Schumacher on Amazon or by joining his newsletter at https://www.ericschumacher.net/readers-club.
Social Media Links:
Website • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn • Book Bub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads
November 13, 2022
#Blog Tour and @Giveaway Saddled Hearts by Jan Sikes #RomanticSuspense #ContemporaryRomance @JanSikes3
It is my pleasure to welcome Jan Sikes again and to host Day 15 of hrt SADDLED HEARTS BLOG TOUR being held from October 19 through November 18. She is the author of the Romantic Suspense / Contemporary Romance, Saddled Hearts (The White Runes Series, Book 3), which was released by The Wild Rose Press, Inc on October 19, 2022.
Below, Jan Sikes discusses the process of writing her series and provides highlights from her book.
***
Thank you, Linnea, for offering to host a stop on the Saddled Hearts blog tour. Your support is much appreciated.
Today I want to talk about the process of writing a series. Characters get introduced in the first book as secondary players, then wind up with a book of their own. When I finished Ghostly Interference, I immediately knew that Vann Noble needed his own story, his happy ending. It was also in the first book I knew I wanted to write Colt Layne’s story.
I brought all the characters from the first two books into Saddled Hearts in some way or another. Some of them only got a mention, and others played parts in scenes. I loved bringing it all together in a culmination.
Here are a few examples where I could bring several characters from book one:
EXCERPT 1:
Jag finished attaching an iPod to the speaker system, and music blared. He lowered the volume before joining them. “I’m happy you’re here, Sage. Rena will be here soon with little Sam.”
“Wonderful. The baby is growing fast. Charlotte shows me pictures of him all the time. Will she and Damien be coming out?” She stood on her tiptoes and placed Colt’s hat back on his head, only lopsided.
“They’ll be here when the music starts. Hey, I’ve gotta run.”
EXCERPT 2:
Now it was time to relax and enjoy the rest of the event. She felt a satisfaction in knowing she’d contributed to the welfare of the horses.
“Sage!”
When she turned, Jag’s mother, Charlotte, and husband, Damien, hurried toward her, so she waited for them. “So glad you guys made it. You just missed the excitement.” She gave them both a quick hug.
EXCERPT 3:
“I really want you to meet my neighbors, Vann and Nakina Noble. I think you have a lot in common with Nakina. She has the gift of seeing, as in psychic visions.” Colt took a bite of his sandwich.
“I’d love to meet them. Will they be at the benefit?”
“No doubt they would, but Nakina is due to deliver their first baby any day. But at some point, I want you to meet them both.”
“I’d like that.” She meant it. She’d love to meet everyone in Colt’s world.
***
I’d love to hear your thoughts about characters showing up in each book of a series. Does it feel like visiting an old friend? Let’s talk!
Jan, I enjoyed reading about the various secondary characters you introduced in Books 1 and Books 2. One of the aspects that I like about your series is that each of the primary characters has a story to tell, but you also delve into secondary characters who add a rich texture to your story. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone, but weaving similar characters into each book makes me feel at home again, visiting old friends.
HIGHLIGHTS: SADDLED HEARTS
BOOK BLURB:
Colt Layne owns the Layne Horse Sanctuary. He lives an idyllic life between caring for the animals and playing music with his band. That is until a stranger appears with unreasonable demands. When someone murders the man, Colt is arrested. He’s been framed, but by whom and why?
He needs to talk with his deceased grandfather. But that’s impossible. Or is it?
Sage Coventry is gifted with the ability to communicate with the deceased. Skeptical but desperate, when Colt consults with her, he gets more than messages from beyond the grave as she breezes into his heart with sweet patchouli fragrance and tempting lips he longs to kiss.
The race against time to clear his name and save the ranch launches them on a mission that brings shocking revelations.
BOOK TRAILER: SADDLED HEARTS
CLICK
UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK
SOCIAL MEDIA:
WEBSITE: http://www.jansikes.com
BLOG: http://www.jansikesblog.com
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/jansikes3
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/jks0851/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095856.Jan_Sikes
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-sikes
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sikesjan/
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Sikes/e/B00CS9K8DK
GIVEAWAYLet’s go on a scavenger hunt! Hidden
within the blog posts are clues you
will need to look for.
The theme is “Things You’d Find On
A Ranch.”
When you find these clues, email
your answers to me at
With CONTEST
In the subject line.
The person with the most correct
entries will win a $25 Amazon Gift
Card!
The runner-up will receive an eBook
