Jean M. Roberts's Blog, page 12

Yellow Bird's Song by Heather Miller

 

Happy Book Release Day to author Heather Miller. I'm thrilled to share her book, Yellow Bird's Song. Here are the details:

Genre: Historical Fiction

Published: 19 March 2024

Publisher: Historium Press

Page Count: 370

Available: ebook, paperback

Blurb:

In the realm of Cherokee history, this captivating family saga unfolds within the backdrop of American history, an intergenerational story that weaves a compelling lyrical tapestry of tribal sovereignty and the real-life experiences of historical figures.

This atmospheric story, at times resembling an alternative history, immerses readers in the annals of a tribal community as they grapple with the complexities of invigorating their culture and heritage. Rollin Ridge, a mercurial figure in this tribal tale, makes a fateful decision in 1850, leaving his family behind to escape the gallows after avenging his father and grandfather’s brutal assassinations. With sin and grief packed in his saddlebags, he and his brothers head west in pursuit of California gold, embarking on a journey marked by hardship and revelation. Through letters sent home, Rollin uncovers the unrelenting legacy of his father’s sins, an emotional odyssey that delves deep into Cherokee history.

The narrative’s frame transports readers to the years 1827-1835, where Rollin’s parents, Cherokee John Ridge and his white wife, Sarah, stumble upon a web of illicit slave running, horse theft, and whiskey dealings across Cherokee territory. Driven by a desire to end these inhumane crimes and defy the power pressures of Georgia and President Andrew Jackson, John takes a bold step to run for Principal Chief, challenging incumbent, Chief John Ross. The Ridges face a heart-wrenching decision: stand against discrimination, resist the forces motivated by land greed, and remain on the ancestral land or sign a treaty that would uproot their family beside a nation.  

 

Excerpt:

In the many dawns that followed, I took great pains for numbness. Lit the candle mount on my hat with clay-stained hands. Followed my lantern underground, tracing lingering sulfur air singed from blasts of dynamite. I followed the stench willingly, hand braced against embedded veins of iron ore. Work too brutal for shale so brittle.

With pickaxe supine, I heaved the miner’s tool in relentless rhythm against ribs of bedrock. Amidst such brainless work, my memory sparked in flashes against the limestone and gneiss.

Tragedy struck.

I woke again that dawn, heard the banging of the door, the clank of the broken lock, the scuffle of men’s feet across the wooden floor. Overlapping cries, some in anger, some with fear. Papa’s “Wait.” Mama’s “No.” And in drops like the sweat down my back, the warriors steadily spit their threats. “Treaty,” they said. “Traitor,” they said. “Trail,” they said. “Tears.”

Man against nature, in tedious monotony, I rose, hands sliding to grip, overlapping, and thwack. Axe teetering at the fulcrum point then, the collapse. First, a chink, then, the fall of sharp severs that buried my boots. Rocks rang as I bellowed, “Let him go. Leave him be.” No one heard me then; no one heard me now.

I threw my axe underfoot and grabbed the drill rod and hammer. Shadows and sunlight. Men against man, the war party carried him outside. Mama’s hands held me behind her. Mask and kerchief kept her from him.

Beat and turn. Arms pound and burn. They stabbed. Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight. The arrowhead on the bowie knife. Twenty-nine. They stole his breath, walked single file across his body. Mama in blood-soaked white. Papa raised himself to speak. Air escaped. No words.

See more about Heather's new release here: Yellow Bird's Song.

Anywhere but Schuylkill by Michael Dunn

 

 

Welcome to a stop on the Coffeepot Blog Tour forMichael Dunn’s Anywhere but Schuylkill. I have a great review for you, so getcomfy and settle in to check out this great book.

 

The Details  

BookTitle: Anywhere But Schuylkill

Series:The Great Upheaval Trilogy

Author:Michael Dunn

PublicationDate: September 25, 2023

Publisher:Historium Press

PageLength: 301

Genre:Historical Fiction 

 

 

 

The Blurb:  

In1877, twenty Irish coal miners hanged for a terrorist conspiracy that neveroccurred. AnywhereBut Schuylkill is the story of one who escaped, Mike Doyle, a teenagertrying to keep his family alive during the worst depression the nation has everfaced. Banks and railroads are going under. Children are dying of hunger. TheReading Railroad has slashed wages and hired Pinkerton spies to infiltrate theminers’ union. And there is a sectarian war between rival gangs. But none ofthis compares with the threat at home. 

 

My Review:  

Thankyou to the author and Coffee Pot Book Tours for providing a review copy of thisbook.

TheShort Story: Gritty, violent and heart-wrenching story of life in a 19thcentury mining town. 

Anywhere but Schuylkill is the aptlynamed story of young Mike Doyle, son of a Pennsylvania coal miner. After hisfather is killed in a mine explosion, Mike and his family move in with hisviolent uncle, Sean. Always one pay packet away from hunger the familyscrabbles to make ends meet. The threat of strikes, violence from rival gangs,and death or injury in the mines hangs over his young head daily. Any hope thatyoung Mike has of creating a better life is slowly crushed until it seems toofar out of reach. 

AuthorMichael Dunn draws a dark, terrible image of life in coal country. The story isas compelling as it is hard to read. This book should be requisite reading foranyone who longs for ‘the good ole days’. Short, brutish and apt to endviolently, life in Schuylkill Country was anything but good. The historicaldetail is fantastic and the story itself moves along. It’s not an easy readerand not for those looking for a light-hearted tale. The characters are, for themost part, morally gray, including young Mike. I’d like to tell you there is ahappy ending but I can’t. 

Irecommend this to serious readers of American history looking of realisticdepictions of 19th century life. 

Irate this book 4 ½ stars rounding up to 5 for Amazon

 

 

Buy Links: 

UniversalBuy Link: https://books2read.com/u/496Ag0 

Historium Press: https://www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/hp-authors/michael-dunn

 

Author Bio:

 

Michael Dunn writesWorking-Class Fiction from the Not So Gilded Age. Anywhere But Schuylkillis the first in his Great Upheaval trilogy. A lifelong union activist, he hasalways been drawn to stories of the past, particularly those of regular workingpeople, struggling to make a better life for themselves and their families.

 

Stories most people do notknow, or have forgotten, because history is written by the victors, the robberbarons and plutocrats, not the workers and immigrants. Yet their stories areamong the most compelling in America. They resonate today because they are thestories of our own ancestors, because their passions and desires, struggles andtragedies, were so similar to our own.

 

When Michael Dunn is notwriting historical fiction, he teaches high school, and writes about laborhistory 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/

AmazonAuthor Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michael-Dunn/author/B0CJXGQYZ8

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45063197.Michael_Dunn

 

The Knotted Ring by Myra Hargrave McIlvain

 

THE KNOTTED RING BY MYRA HARGRAVE MCILVAIN
Historical Fiction / Family Saga / Historical RomancePublisher: Next ChapterPage Count: 412Publication Date: December 7, 2023
Scroll down for Giveaway!

Susannah Mobley, expecting a baby by her lover, a slave owned by her family, submits to an arranged marriage to Hezekiah James who is headed to Texas to claim a Spanish land grant. Caught in a series of lies about the origin of a beautiful ring woven from her red hair and the circumstances of her pregnancy, Susannah embarks on the harsh trip to Texas, grieving for her lost love and determined to control her destiny.
On the wagon train journey, Hezekiah is tested by his beliefs and strengths with his slaves and Native Americans, as well as a strange Mad Stone. His determination to build a plantation as fine as Susannah’s home place and to make the best decisions for Susannah fails. Susannah will have to decide if she can live with the consequences of her lies and open herself to this man who shows every form of contrition or if she will allow longing for what she cannot have to destroy her life.
The Knotted Ring is currently a semi-finalist statusin the Laramie Awards for Western and Americana Fiction.
"An often engrossing and well-handled story of the 19th century."-- Kirkus Reviews
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Short Story: An intense look atslavery, the settlement of Texas and the longings of the human heart. 

My Review: Author McIlvain serves up a doozy of astory loosely based on the lives of her ancestors. Susanna, the pampered, harp-playingdaughter of a wealthy planter, is forced to marry a man she doesn’t know.Hezekiah is ambitious but not unkind, but his dreams take them far from thegenteel society of Natchitoches, Louisiana, that Susanna is accustomed to. Hisdreams lead them deep into the Mexican territory of Texas and the Stephen F.Austin land grants.

The journey to their new home is rife withdifficulties for the newly married couple, but the greatest barrier to theirfuture happiness is Susanna’s pregnancy by the young man she loves, a kind,intelligent but enslaved young man.

As a Texas resident, I enjoyed readingabout the couples’ journey to Texas, and their attempt to forge a new life. Theymust battle with Native Americans, illness, the elements and each other. Theauthor deftly draws the reader into their world with her realistic andwell-researched portrayal of pioneer life.

On a deeper note, McIlvain explores therelationship between the enslaved and their White owners, from the harshenforcement to ambivalent acceptance of the status quo. She portrays thecomplex issues of slavery in an unflinching and gritty manner.

At the heart of the story is a wonderfultale of love, forgiveness and personal growth as Susanna and Hezekiah test thebounds of their relationship. All in all, a great tale. I highly recommend thisbook to lovers of history, Texas history, life in the 19th century.

I rate this book 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CLICK TO PURCHASE!Amazon │ Apple │ BookPeople Barnes & Noble │ Google │ Kobo

Myra Hargrave McIlvain, a sixth-generation Texan, is a storyteller who has written Texas historical markers (yes, real people write those things lining Texas highways), articles for newspapers and magazines such as Texas Highways, and six nonfiction books about famous and infamous Texas characters and places.
McIlvain found her real love when she wrote her first historical fiction. All her tales take place in Texas during major periods of its history. However, The Knotted Ring was inspired by an old family story, and in her search to understand what may have happened, she imagined their lives set in a time that she knew well––the establishment of the first Anglo colony.
McIlvain views history as the story of a people; the people she knows best have made Texas home.                                                                                                                                     WEBSITE ◆ FACEBOOK ◆ X/TWITTERAMAZON ◆ GOODREADS

--------------------------------------GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!THREE WINNERS1st Prize: Autographed hardcover & tote bag; 2nd Prize: Autographed paperback + candle; 3rd Prize: Autographed paperback(US only; ends midnight, CST, 02/29/24)
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The Shadow Network by Deborah Swift

 

Welcometo The Book’s Delight and a stop on the Coffee Pot Book Tour for Deborah Swiftand her new book. We have a fantastic excerpt for you so get comfy and check itout.

 

The Details:

BookTitle: The Shadow Network

Series:Secret Agent Series (but can be read as a stand-alone)

Author:Deborah Swift

PublicationDate: 13th February 2024

Publisher:HQ Digital

PageLength: 376

Genre:Historical Fiction / WW2

 

 

Blurb:

Onewoman must sacrifice everything to uncover the truth in this enthrallinghistorical novel, inspired by the true World War Two campaign Radio Aspidistra…

England, 1942: Having fled Germany after herfather was captured by the Nazis, Lilli Bergen isdesperate to do something pro-active for the Allies. So when she’s approachedby the Political Warfare Executive, Lilli jumps at the chance. She’s recruitedas a singer for a radio station broadcasting propaganda to German soldiers – ashadow network.

ButLilli’s world is flipped upside down when her ex-boyfriend, Bren Murphy, appears at her workplace; the very manshe thinks betrayed her father to the Nazis. Lilli always thought Bren was aNazi sympathiser – so what is he doing in England supposedly working againstthe Germans?

Lilliknows Bren is up to something, and must put aside a blossoming new relationshipin order to discover the truth. Can Lilli exposehim, before it’s too late?

Set in the fascinating world of wartimeradio, don’t miss The Shadow Network, a heart-stopping novel of betrayal,treachery, and courage against the odds.

The Shadow Network by Deborah Swift

Extract from Chapter 4

England,1941

It was all very mysterious, being summoned like this by letter. Afterall, he was no use to anyone, hobbling about with two smashed legs. These daysit took him fifteen minutes to struggle up a flight of stairs. Neil hopedwhatever it was would have something to do with coding, because that was whathe did before – well, before that awful year when his life had gone off therails. He shuddered. Just the thought of it had the power to make him sweat. Ifthey were going to drag all that up again, he’d be in serious trouble.

He concentrated on the view through the dusty window. The car turnedleft between two sentries, and down a short drive to a country house with achurch tower at the front.

‘Wavendon Tower,’ Harrison said, as the wheels crunched to a halt onthe gravel. ‘Isn’t it spectacular? I’ll take you in to meet Mr Delmer.’

Neil eased himself out onto a gravelled drive. So not Bletchley andcoding after all. The plot thickened.

He was led through a gloomy corridor and into a library where a coalfire gave out sooty smoke in the corner.

Delmer, bear-like and bespectacled, stood up with his hand out and abig smile. Neil leant his stick against a chair and grasped hold. Delmer’shandshake was firm and warm. He had that air of easy confidence born of gettingwhat he wanted.

‘Do sit,’ he said. ‘Harrison will bring us some tea.’

Neil was glad to get off his feet and into one of the leatherarmchairs.

‘I expect you’re wondering what this is all about,’ Mr Delmer said,wedging himself into a too-small armchair. ‘Have you heard of the PoliticalWarfare Executive?’

‘I’ve heard of it, yes, but I’m not really sure what they do.’

‘Ah. Exactly the position I was in a few weeks ago.’ Delmer laughed.He had a broad open face and eyes that were very alive. He was a littleoverweight, which was unusual in these times, and balding already, though hewas only, Neil guessed, in his late thirties. ‘Basically,’ Delmer went on,‘it’s psychological warfare we’ll be involved in. You know I was a journalist?’

The ‘we’ bothered him, as if his job was a foregone conclusion, butNeil nodded.

‘Well, now I’m going into broadcasting. Radio. We’re going to make a radio stationthat will spout our propaganda. With me so far?’ He didn’t wait for Neil’sanswer. ‘The idea is to undermine Hitler – pretend to be his fanaticalsupporters, grow a base of his listeners, and then, once we’ve reeled them in,do everything we possibly can to damage German morale.’

‘If you’relooking at me to do this,’ Neil said, ‘I don’t think my spoken German’s goodenough. Not for radio broadcasting.’

‘No, MrCallaghan. We’re going to use captured prisoners of war, people who’ve fledGermany and have a grudge. They’ll all be native speakers. The thing is, weneed someone listening in; someone who can make sure these people are followingthe script. A chap who can alert us if they say or do anything out of order. Aminder, if you like. And of course I can’t be everywhere, so I need someGerman-speaking helpers. People who pick things up quickly. Are you willing tohave a go? It’s a desk job. Beauclerk thought it might suit, since you’re . . .less mobile these days.’

Just at thatmoment, Harrison brought in a tray of tea. She gave him a wink before passinghim the plate of biscuits.

Neil wondered ifBeauclerk had told Delmer about his less-than-salubrious past. It seemed not,and he certainly wasn’t going to enlighten him. After last year, he wasn’t surehe could cope with any more Germans, even the thought was terrifying.

‘I’m not sureI’m really ready for it,’ he said, searching for an excuse. ‘The bomb reallyknocked my confidence. I have bad days, you know, when I can’t—’

‘I don’t thinkI’m being clear. We need you, Mr Callaghan. And MI5 said you would be glad tohelp, particularly as you made a few . . . how shall we say? A few faux pas inyour last post.’

So Delmer didknow. And now he was piling on the pressure. Guilt kicked in, as Delmer musthave known it would. And shame. Neil straightened his tie and tried to thinkpositively. Maybe this time it wouldn’t all go belly-up and he’d be able to dosomething positive for his country. Reparation for his wrongs, if you like.

He had nochoice. And somehow that was a relief. That he didn’t have to choose a side.

‘I’m in,’ hesaid. He grabbed a Marie biscuit from the plate and took a bite.

 

Buy Links:

UniversalBuy Link: mybook.to/RadioLies

 

Linkto bookshop: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-shadonetwork-ww2-secret-agent-series-deborah-swift

 

Author Bio:

 

Deborah Swift isthe English author of eighteen historical novels, including Millennium Awardwinner Past Encounters, and The Lady’s Slipper, shortlisted for theImpress Prize.

Her most recentbooks are the Renaissance trilogy based around the life of the poisoner GiuliaTofana, The Poison Keeper and itssequels, one of which won the Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal. Recently she hascompleted a secret agent series set in WW2, the first in the series being The Silk Code.

Deborah used towork as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV and enjoys the researchaspect of creating historical fiction, something she loved doing as ascenographer. She likes to write about extraordinary characters set against thebackground of real historical events. Deborah lives in North Lancashire on theedge of the Lake District, an area made famous by the Romantic Poets such asWordsworth and Coleridge.

 

Author Links:

 

Twitter https://twitter.com/swiftstory

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

Website: www.deborahswift.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/deborahswift1/

Amazon  http://author.to/DeborahSwift

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/deborah-swift

Check out all the stops on this book tour!

 

Author Interview with Karen E. Osborne

Welcome Readers to another installment of our authorinterview series. Today we have the pleasure of chatting with the lovely and talented Karen E. Osborne,a multi-genre author with an amazing podcast. (More about that later!)

JMR-Welcome to the Books Delight, Karen.Tell our readers where you live, what you do for fun and what does the perfectday look like?

KO- Thanks so much for having me. I’m a native NewYorker living in south Florida – a cliché. New Yorkers often call Florida thesixth borough. My husband Bob and I date once a week. Breakfast or lunch out,bowling, movie, or theater. We love going to parties with lots of dancing. Iplay cards with friends. My perfect day starts with my gratitude list and is amix of writing, reading, movement, volunteering, and chatting with our adultchildren and grandchildren. But I never get to do all these things in any oneday.

JMR-What’s your favorite historical timeperiod? Why?

KO- The roaring twenties is number one. In the 1920swomen fought for, and won, the right to vote, threw away their girdles, liftedthe hemlines, sought more freedom and independence. It was also the time of theHarlem Renaissance. Jazz, art, literature, and poetry by Black artists came tothe fore. Zora Neal Hurston and Langston Huges, Ella Fitzgerald and LouisArmstrong, artist Romare Bearden, to a name a few. Madam Walker started asuccessful business and taught other Black women how to do the same. Yet, theperiod was also marred by crime, corruption, prohibition, and suppression.Women and Black folks still had to deal with misogyny and racism. It was a richera of change, contradictions, and possibilities.

JMR-Who is your favorite historicalfigure? Why? If you could ask them one question, what would it be?

KO- I’m a Shakespeare nut. I’ve read, studied, andwatched every one of his plays numerous times. They’re timeless, entertaining,and instructive. “May I sit with you and ask questions all day?” One questionwouldn’t be enough.

JMR- You’ve written several contemporaryfiction books. Why switch genres to historical fiction?

KO- I read a LOT of historical fiction and I try towrite what I enjoy reading. But I shied away from it because of all theresearch required and because I like making things up. But I found, as I wrote TrueGrace, a family drama set in 1924, that I enjoyed discovering details andunderstanding the era. Surprised myself. Plus, I wanted to write mygrandmother’s story. The time had come.

JMR- Did you visit any of the places inyour book? Where did you feel closest to your characters?

KO- Yes. The book is set in the Congo, England,Jamaica, Harlem, The Bronx, and Pelham, NY. I’ve visited all but the Congo. Asa young girl, I visited my grandmother often when she lived on Sugar Hill, inHarlem--a famous area of the city. That was where I felt closest to her.Visiting her father’s home in Cornwall, UK, and the school she attended in Kent,England brought me closer.

JMR- Karen, tell us about your new book,True Grace.

KO- As Imentioned, it is historical fiction, set in 1924, and inspired by mygrandmother. When the story opens, Grace, a mixed-race immigrant woman andmother of five, comes home to a harrowing event. Over the course of seven months,she must make wrenching decisions, fight misogynistic and racists courts,banks, the child welfare system, and bad actors to save her family. Onereviewer wrote she found herself praying for Grace, forgetting she was readingfiction. It’s a suspenseful, page-turner rich with historical details. Mysource material included books written about my great grandfather, threehundred pages of Grace’s handwritten letters, journals, stories she told me,plus research via the web, libraries, and other books about the era.

​

JMR- Youwrite about a lot of social issues. From where does that spring?  

KO- Personalexperience. #Metoo, sexual assault, and PTSD are all part of my background andfor far too many people. Every 68 seconds another American is sexuallyassaulted. Bob and I adopted our daughter when she was two and part of thefoster care system. So that shows up in my writing as well. On any given day inAmerica, 400,000 children are in the system. Sixty-two thousand a year age out,never finding a forever home, and their subsequent statistics are heartbreaking. I like exploring what it means to be family. All my novels aremulti-racial. 

JMR- Is there athread that’s goes through all your novels?  

KO- All four ofmy published novels, and my work in progress (WIP), feature strong, flawedwomen who must overcome great odds. Some of their struggles they brought onthemselves, and others come from the outside or from within their families. Thewomen must dig deep and tap into strengths that surprise them and allows each toaccomplish more than she ever dreamed with grit, grace, and resilience. We livein such intolerant times, so I also write about the coercive nature of secretsand lies, the power of forgiveness, and the possibility of redemption.

 

 

JMR- Your weeklyvideo podcast is three years old without missing a week. What drives you orinspires you to keep at it? 

 

KO- Thank you forasking. It started with the pandemic. Places for writers to connect withreaders shrunk as we all stayed home. In response, I started a video podcast – WhatAre You Reading? What Are You Writing? A place to feature authors andconnect with readers. You graciously became my 16th guest. And nowI’m passed 174 creatives who joined me. Through the podcast I’ve met so many outstandingwriters and, as a result, read books I might have passed up in a bookstore. Thewriting community is generous and inspiring, supporting and helping each other.Like you do. And readers are among my favorite people.

 

JMR-What projects do you have in thepipeline?

KO- I love trying new things -- pushing myself indifferent directions. My current WIP is both historical and present day, amystery about two murders that happened 50+ years apart. It also has someromance. All but one of my protagonists, in all five books, find or renew love.

JMR- Tell our readers how to find you onsocial media and the web.

KO- My website is www.KarenEOsborne.comThere you will find info about my books, episodes of the podcast, and listingsof upcoming events. Plus, book clubs can find discussion questions for eachnovel. My other links are:

Karen E. Osborne (@kareneosborne) /Twitter

(20+) Karen EOsborne, Author | Facebook

Karen E. Osborne - YouTube

https://www.instagram.com/writerkareneosborne/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-e-osborne

 

JMR- What question were you hoping I’dask but didn’t?

KO- Your questions were spot on.

JMR- Thank you, Karen, for stopping by. Your bookslook really great! Readers, I’ve included a link to Karen’s books below. Pleasebe sure to check them out.

 

The Tonkawa Falls Affair by G. Reading Powell

 

The Tonkawa Falls Affair: A Gilded-AgeLegal Thriller

Author: G. Reading Powell

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: December 2023

Genre: Historical Mystery/Thiller

Series: Book Three

Pages: 351

Available: ebook, paperback 

Violence: minimal

Sex: None

Thank you to the author for providing mewith a copy of his book. This is the third books by G. Reading Powell that Ihave read. 

The Short Story: A finely crafted legalthriller that completes an amazing series.

 As mentioned, this is the third book inthe ‘Catfish Calloway’ series. Catfish is a Waco lawyer with a thriving practicethat includes his son Harley and their delightful secretary, Peach. In thisfinal book in the series, Catfish is employed to defend the beautiful wife of aCotton Baron. During the preparations and trial, he is forced to work with railroaddetective Thaddeus Schoolcraft, the man who Catfish blames for his elder son’sdeath. When Catfish finds himself falsely accused of a crime, he must face thepast and his enemy to protect himself and his family.

 Once again, Powell pens a brilliantstory brimming with details of life in Texas in the late 19thcentury. It’s an age with one foot in the past and another in the present. Horse-drawncarriages and telephone exist alongside baseball and sporting houses. TheAmerican Civil War is alive in the memories of the citizens of Waco. The oneconstant is the power of the truth.

 Well written, entertaining, this pageturner will delight readers. With deft touches of humor, poignancy, and surprise,the story moves at a quick pace. The characters are well-drawn and come to lifein the author’s hand. I found myself thinking of which actors could portraythese characters. The story itself is a clever crime which kept me guessing.The ending perfectly wraps up the series.  

 I highly recommend this book and seriesto readers but would advise them to start with book one and not miss any of thestory. Lovers of legal thrillers, Texas history and good books in general willappreciate this brilliant story.

  I rate this book 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Blitz! The Amethyst Shallows by Kellye Abernathy

 

AMETHYST, THE SHALLOWS The Companion Novel to The Aquamarine Surfboard By KELLYE ABERNATHY
Young Adult / Magical Realism / Coming of AgeAtmosphere Press296 pagesFebruary 6, 2024
NEW RELEASE!

"This is a night for being brave."

In the aftermath of a devastating sickness that shatters their close-knit beach town, six lonely kids are drawn together during the unpredictable autumn equinox. Among them are fourteen-year-old Lorelei, who yearns to be an oceanographer, and her peculiar younger brother, Tad, who possesses an otherworldly curiosity.
When Lorelei has a strange and almost deadly encounter in a sea cave, her loyal boyfriend, Casey, cannot reconcile her fantastical experience with the rational world. Condi, Lorelei's best friend, understands ocean magic but isn't free to share what she knows. Kait, a girl from Ireland, regrets her impulsive move to America-all because of an odd occurrence involving her deceased boyfriend's lost surfboard. When tides turn and the moon shifts, Isaac, the new kid in town who despises the ocean, is forced to face the truth-a profound and powerful magic lives in the deep.
Guided by a wise surf master, mystical old women known as the Beachlings, and an open-hearted grandmother, six kids embark on transformative adventures that challenge their beliefs about possibilities and the intense nature of love.
Amethyst, The Shallows is the brand-newcompanion novel to The Aquamarine Surfboard.
PRAISE FOR AMETHYST, THE SHALLOWS
“Amethyst, The Shallows' sensitive and potent prose stirs the reader, leaving a lasting impression. Although this novel is the second installment in a series, it stands strong independently, welcoming newcomers and returning readers alike.” --Literary Titan
CLICK TO PURCHASE:AMAZON * BARNES & NOBLE * BOOKSHOP.ORG

 

 

Kellye Abernathy's passions are writing and serving trauma survivors as a yoga teacher and practical life skills advocate. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary English Education from the University of Kansas. Her home is in land-locked Plano, Texas—where she’s dreaming of her next trip to the sea!WEBSITE ◆ INSTAGRAM ◆ X (TWITTER) FACEBOOK ◆ GOODREADS ◆ AMAZON


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Author Interview with Leslie K. Simmons

 

Welcome Readers toanother installment of our author interview series. Today we have the pleasureof chatting with Leslie who just released her first historical biography.

JMR-Welcome to theBooks Delight, Leslie. Tell our readers where you live, what you do for fun andwhat does the perfect day look like?

LKS- I’m an AmericanExpat living in New Zealand for the last 20 years. I live on what is called a‘life-style block’ which is basically enough land for a house, gardens, anorchard, and livestock, though my only livestock is our cat, Zero and theneighbor’s sheep. For fun I love to read, bake, come out of my writing cave to stayconnected to friends, play boardgames with the familyand enjoy a sunset in thehot tub. Perfect day – a free trip to Disneyland. But other than that, takingin a new place or experience, enjoying a good meal that someone else cooked, andhanging with friends.

JMR-What’s yourfavorite historical time period? Why?

LKS-My favorite timeperiod has shifted over the years. I started with the Revolutionary War, movedbackwards to the Medieval/Renaissance period (European, of course), and endedup really becoming fascinated with Antebellum America because it was such apivotal period in our history that still is relatively unexplored. I learned alot things that really intrigued and surprised me that were going on during the1815 – 1840s.

JMR-Who is yourfavorite historical figure? Why? If you could ask them one question, what wouldit be?

LKS-Too hard to chooseone. Naturally, John Ridge’s name has to be mentioned. I don’t guess I wouldn’thave written a book about him if he didn’t really interest me, but I am mostdrawn to those who are lessor known outliers, people who were probablyconsidered rebels in their time, people who will fall on their sword over anissue and were the early leaders in the social curve of change.

A question for John:Would you have done anything differently to achieve your goals?

JMR- How did you cometo be a writer of historical fiction?

LKS- Shock and horror –I never set out to be a writer, although the only possible choice of genre washistorical fiction because History and Anthropology have always been a passion.I taught myself to write fiction so that I could tell the Ridges story, a storyI nurtured for a long time before any words went on paper. Now it seems I havediscovered I can tell a story and write, so since I am retired this seemed likea good time for a new career.

JMR- We are allaffected by the highs and lows in our lives. How has your lived life informedyour writing?

LKS-I use so much of mylife experiences when I write, things that may not be front of mind or seemimportant, emotions that I felt or senses I recall, or recollections longburied. Calling on these things adds texture and depth to the story, offeropportunities to explore shadowy memories, exorcise a few demons or just havefun.

JMR- Did you visitanyone of the places in your book? Where did you feel closest to yourcharacters?

LKS- I’ve visited almostall of the major locations in the book, some places more than once. I was evenlucky enough to visit many place in DC that are no longer open to the public.  There’s nothing like standing in the locations(even changed by time) to evoke the sense of place. The place I felt closest tothe characters in RCRW was at Running Waters, the home John built, which is nowa private residence. Also visiting his grave in Oklahoma. Those were both veryemotional for me.

JMR- Leslie, tell usabout your book, Red Clay Running Waters.

LKS-Red Clay, Running Watersis thelittle-known story of John Ridge, a Cherokee man dedicated to his people, andhis White wife, Sarah Northrop, a woman forfeiting everything to join him. Itis a timely and relevant saga about profound love, sacrifice, and the meaningof home in one family’s search for justice in the 1830s Removal Crisis. Readerswill be propelled on a stunning journey across true events that leads to ahaunting and moving conclusion.

 

JMR- What is thesignificance of the title?

LKS-The story is aboutdivision and internal conflicts within American and Cherokee/Native Americansociety. These divisions were political, moral and cultural. Red Clay is thename of the Council Grounds the Cherokee relocated to in Tennessee because ofGeorgia’s oppressions. Chief John Ross, the majority faction leader for theCherokee, conducted official business there. Running Waters was the name ofJohn Ridge’s home and also the site of several Councils held by the dissenting Ridgefaction. I felt that these two locations perfectly represented the conflictbetween Ross and the Ridges and would instantly tell anyone who knew thishistory what the story was about.

JMR-What projects doyou have in the pipeline?

LKS- I’ve just decidedwho my next book will be about, as Biographical Historical Fiction is where Iam happiest, but it’s very early days. All the research is still ahead, andthen of course, there’s the writing, so it will be a few years yet before itgets talked about. I will hint to say it will be about one of the charactersmentioned in RCRW and will stretch me back in time several decades, so new turffor me. Stay tuned.

JMR- Tell our readershow to find you on social media and the web.

LKS- You can find me onmy website,Facebookand Instagram.I also regularly post to the American Historical Novels FB Group.

JMR- What question wereyou hoping I’d ask but didn’t?

LKS- Favorite Reads orfavorite research rabbit-holesperhaps?

JMR- Thank you, Leslie,for stopping by. Your book looks really great! Readers, I’ve included a link toLeslie’s book below. Please be sure to check it out.

 

I will add a button and link to the book.

Witchy Book Blitz/Cover Reveal: To Rescue a Witch by Lisa A. Traugott

 

TO RESCUE A WITCHBy LISA A. TRAUGOTT
Historical Fiction / Action & Adventure / FantasyComing March 1, 2024


It’s 1739. An abused girl accused of witchcraft must be defended by a man married to an actual witch.
William MacLeod, a fierce Scottish lawyer with a kind heart, takes on a daunting task—rescue young Annaliese from the clutches of her tormentors in the untamed wilds of Virginia colony and deliver her safely to her aristocratic father in London. But lurking in the shadows are enemies eager to expose MacLeod’s own wife, Fiona, as a witch with a dark secret.
Their perilous journey takes an unexpected turn when their ship wrecks, and Annaliese’s haunting nightmares and unexplained “Devil marks” trigger suspicion among the crew. Tension peaks when MacLeod must become Annaliese’s unwavering protector in a witch trial, where Fiona’s clairvoyance and a murder are unveiled.
To Rescue a Witch navigates themes of betrayal and redemption, in a spellbinding narrative that blends history, magic and the unyielding resilience of the human spirit.


Lisa A. Traugott is an award-winning author and World Championship public speaker semifinalist -- who also spoke five lines on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She lives in Austin with her husband, two kids and English bulldog, Bruno.

WEBSITE ◆ BLOG ◆ INSTAGRAM ◆ FACEBOOK ◆ AMAZON ◆ BOOKBUB

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CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE TOUR PAGEFOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH BLOG PARTICIPATING IN THIS BOOK BLITZ!

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Author Interview with David Wessel

 

Welcome Readers toanother installment of our author interview series. Today we have the pleasureof chatting with historical fiction author, David Wessel.

JMR-Welcome to theBooks Delight, David. Tell our readers where you live, what you do for fun andwhat does the perfect day look like?

DW- My home is insouthern New Hampshire, which I love in the spring, summer and fall. A perfectday involves an early morning walk in the woods with my wife of some 40 years,a late afternoon swim or kayaking on a nearby pond, and sipping a nice PinotNoir while watching the sunset – with lots of time for reading and writing inbetween. I escape the harsh New England winter by visiting my daughter, wholives in New Zealand, and pretty much seek the same pleasures, but also get toplay with her dogs and cats – she has two of each.

JMR-What’s yourfavorite historical time period? Why?

DW – Hands down, myfavorite historical era to read about – and the era I write about – is theperiod between the two world wars. Maybe because it is just far enough backthat it’s considered to be history but close enough to the present that forsome of my older family and friends it is the recent past, not yet history. Imarvel at how some things, like telephones and air travel,  have changed so much in such a short time.And I wonder why some things, like prejudice and nationalism, don’t seem tohave changed at all. 

JMR-Who is yourfavorite historical figure? Why? If you could ask them one question, what wouldit be?

DW- My favoritehistorical figure? That’s a tough question. There are so many figures to choosefrom. But I think it would be great to meet Orville and Wilbur Wright and askthem to speculate on how they thought their invention might be improved upon,what useful purposes might the airplane be put to, and if they thought it couldbe useful in future wars?

JMR- How did you cometo be a writer of historical fiction?

I was inspired to writemy family’s story of emigration from Germany to the United States during theinter-war years – and a desire to really understand why so many family membersdecided to stay put.

JMR- We are allaffected by the highs and lows in our lives. How has your lived life informedyour writing?

DW- My biggest personalhighs and lows have been family related – getting married, becoming a father,losing my parents and several siblings – rather than driven by external factorslike pandemics, economic recessions, and political unrest. So my focus inwriting is about how family dynamics and relationships change and how theycarry us through in good times and in bad.

JMR- Did you visitanyone of the places in your book? Where did you feel closest to yourcharacters?

DW- I found myselfdriven to visit the village my father and his parents left behind when theycame to America. I wanted to get a true sense of the area - its topography, itsculture, the smell of the air, a full feeling for the place. I came away withall that, but also a much closer feeling for my main characters - Dad, Opa andOma – who had lived there. And I got to meet some distant family membersrelated to those who never left Germany, so got my first good feeling for theones who chose to stay behind.

JMR- David, tell usabout your book, Choosing Sides.

DW- I think the summaryon the cover pretty much says it all. This is a novel about an ordinary familytorn apart by Hitler’s Germany. I first set out to write it as a family sagalike Winds of War by Herman Wouk or as biographical history like Unbrokenby Laura Hillenbrand. Or maybe as narrative non-fiction like Eric Larson’s Inthe Garden of Beasts. But as  I gotinto it, I realized I did not have the source material – personal diaries,letters, newspaper accounts, family records, birth certificates, etc – toproperly document the family stories I wanted to share. So I set about writingit as historical fiction – “inspired by” or “based upon” family lore, set inthe historical context of a world rapidly going to hell in a handbasket.

JMR-What projects do youhave in the pipeline?

DW- I have a sequel inmind – as hinted at in the final four words of this book – “but that’s anotherstory.” As a follow-up to “Choosing Sides,” in which my father and otherfamily members make their decisions about where they wish to live out theirlives, the sequel will be called “Changing Sides” and will relate myfather’s post-World War 2 life working in the field of military intelligence.It’s a true story, but will again be historical fiction because he didn’t sharemany details of his life and career as a spy with us kids.

JMR- Tell our readershow to find you on media and the web.

DW- I hope readers willcheck out my website at www.davidkwessel.com,follow me on facebook (www.facebook.com/davidkwesselauthor)or on X/Twitter as @wessel4nh. 

JMR- What question wereyou hoping I’d ask but didn’t?

DW- I think yourquestions have been great and I really don’t have anything I had hoped to beasked but was not. I do, however, sometimes get asked if I’m related to ordescended from the Nazi Party martyr who wrote the Party’s anthem, Das HorstWessel Lied. If you had asked that, I’d have given my standard, tongue-in-cheek,reply – the answer lies within the pages of my book, so you’ll just have toread it to get an answer. Thanks.

JMR- Thank you, David,for stopping by. Your books look really great!