Judith Arnopp's Blog, page 9
February 11, 2024
The Coffee Pot Book club presents: Dude or Die by Lynn Downey
Book Title: Dude or Die
Series: H Double Bar Dude Ranch series
Author: Lynn Downey
Publication Date: October 15, 2023
Publisher: Pronghorn Press
Page Length: 328
Genre: Historical Fiction
Dude or Die
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.
Read an Excerpt of Dude or Die by Lynn Downey
Synopsis: It’s1954, and San Francisco writer Phoebe Kelley returns to the H Double Bar duderanch in Tribulation, Arizona to help her late husband’s sister Mary, herhusband Sam, and their young son Joe run the ranch for the fall season. Phoebeand the ranch were introduced in the first book in this series, Dudes RushIn. There’s stiff competition from a new guest ranch in town, called theDesert Grande, run by a powerful woman named Thelma Powell who seems determinedto put other ranches out of business. Phoebe and Mary decide to put on a“dudeo,” a rodeo for both the ranch’s wranglers and the visiting dudes, tothwart Thelma’s efforts. They bring in a trick rider from California with amysterious past named Eden Williams, and a man from Phoebe’s past alsoreappears. When accidents happen around the ranch, Phoebe must confront anunexpected foe.
Excerpt fromChapter 12: The “dudeo” events are over, and people are waiting for the trickrider’s performance.
The morning hadkept its warm promise, and by noon many of the spectators took off theirjackets and sweaters before they headed toward the food tables, returning withsandwiches and cups of soda or coffee. The dude and wrangler events were over,and everyone had been encouraged to get something to eat before Eden’sperformance.
As they mingled,people chatted and laughed about how hilarious it was to watch the dudes,especially in the egg and spoon race. Mary had deputized Joe to clean up allthe spilled eggs, and he had run into the corral and scooped up the splatteredyolks with a short shovel and a bucket like a ball boy at a tennis match. WhenSam questioned Mary about why she wanted the eggs removed, she retorted, “Idon’t care if it is just a dirt corral, I’m not leaving a mess behind.”
Jason McIntyre’sbrother Matthew surprised everyone with his riding during the pole bending,coming in a close second to a girl from the Triple S Dude Ranch. JacobRandolph’s little sister Ava Grace jumped and squealed when he won the beltbuckle for the best performance in steer head roping. Chris, the other McIntyrebrother, came in third. A boy from Jim and Laura Stevenson’s Bar K Ranchastounded the crowd with his egg balancing and easily took first prize for theevent.
None of thedudes from the Desert Grande joined the competition, but two wranglers enteredthe bucking bronc event. One of them was a very young man whose time on thehorse was just a tick shorter than Gene Bowman’s. Phoebe caught sight of Marywhen that happened and saw her scowl, but it didn’t last long. Lorraine wasbested in the barrel race by Maggie, one of the wranglers at the Bar K Ranch.The two women were good friends, and Lorraine applauded when Sam announcedMaggie’s winning time.
Phoebe assumedthat Mary or Sam would give out the prizes when the events were over, so shewas surprised when a rodeo clown strutted into the corral dragging a largeblack drawstring bag. It took her a few moments to realize that it was Carl. Hewore oversized jeans held up with ragged suspenders, a red-and-white polka dotshirt, and straw hat. He’d also painted his face and blacked out one of histeeth. He made funny faces at the kids when he dug into the bag to pull outtheir ribbons, stuffed burros, and pins, and did an exaggerated vaudeville bowto each of the winning wranglers. The crowd’s laughter just spurred him on tomore antics, which included doing a few trick spins with a lariat that he alsohad in the bag. Phoebe thought he’d missed his calling, and planned to tell himso.
Mary watched tomake sure everyone was back in their seats after the lunch break, and oncefolks looked settled, she and Sam walked back into the corral, now cleared ofpoles, steer head, eggshells, and a few dropped bandannas. Sam turned on thebullhorn again, and passed it to his wife.
“Ladies andgentlemen! We hope you enjoyed the first part of our dudeo, and we congratulateall of the winners.”
The crowdapplauded enthusiastically and a few people stamped their feet, making Marychuckle and smile before she continued.
“The H DoubleBar is now proud to introduce trick rider Eden Williams and her famous horse,Berry-Wise, making their first ever appearance in Arizona.”
More and even louderapplause followed this announcement. It was obvious that the audience had beenanticipating the climax of the day’s events.
“I won’t makeyou wait a moment longer. I give you Miss Williams and Berry-Wise!”
All eyes wereaimed toward the barn, but a moment later everyone turned as a horse and riderburst through the corral’s far gate, which Phoebe had opened while people weregetting their food.
Eden and Berrystopped in the center of the corral, and the horse reared on its hind legs asEden took off her cowboy hat and waved to the crowd, a brilliant smileilluminating her face as the audience clapped and hooted. Her tight blackriding pants were tucked into short boots, and they were paired with a deeppink satin shirt with red piping. Embroidered on the back of the shirt, inshiny black thread, were the words Western Pride Berry Farms, Sebastopol,Cal. She also wore a pink bandanna around her neck, tied to the side with ajaunty bow. Phoebe thought she looked like a summer rosebush. Berry-Wise haddark pink ribbons braided into his mane and tail.
The horselowered his front legs and suddenly he and Eden began spinning in place. Aftera few revolutions, Eden brought him to a halt and with a swift movement shestood upright in the saddle, her feet tucked into what looked like extrapockets. Grabbing the reins, she made a slight movement and Berry-Wise began togallop toward the open gate. But instead of going through it, the horse turnedand began to run parallel to the corral. As he sped up, Eden bent over into afull backbend, keeping the position as the horse made one full circuit back tohis starting point.
Plopping backdown into the saddle, Eden acknowledged the cheering crowd, and with barely abeat, goaded Berry into a gallop again. The crowd gasped when she seemed tofall off the horse, but she held on to the saddle, bounced on her feet in thedirt, and then jumped back on. She did the same movement five more times as theaudience continued to cheer.
Eden then rodeBerry again toward the corral’s center. Around her arm was a lariat and as shestood straight up in the saddle Berry-Wise began to trot around in a circle asbefore, while Eden twirled the rope around her head. She then made the loopwider and jumped into the air as she spun the lariat up and around her body.She finished with another flourish above her head and looped the rope over herarm.
She then slid tothe ground and after whispering something to her horse, Eden and Berry-Wisebowed in tandem to the audience.
Before theapplause died down, she leaped into the saddle, stood up in the stirrups, andtook off her hat again in tribute to the audience. Berry turned and gallopedtoward the open gate, Eden did a final backbend, and they passed through theopening, a berry-colored blur.
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
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.
Website: https://www.lynndowney.com
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
February 5, 2024
The Low Road by Katharine Quarmby
Book Title: The Low Road
Author: Katharine Quarmby
Publication Date: UK: 22nd June 2023. US: 19th September 2023. Australia/NZ: 2nd January 2024
Publisher: Unbound Publishing
Page Length: 400
Genre: Historical Fiction / Lesbian Fiction / Women’s Literature
The Low Road
Katharine Quarmby
In 1828, two young women were torn apart as they were sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay. Will they ever meet again?
Norfolk, 1813. In the quiet Waveney Valley, the body of a woman – Mary Tyrell – is staked through the heart after her death by suicide. She had been under arrest for the suspected murder of her newborn child. Mary leaves behind a young daughter, Hannah, who is later sent away to the Refuge for the Destitute in London, where she will be trained for a life of domestic service.
It is at the Refuge that Hannah meets Annie Simpkins, a fellow resident, and together they forge a friendship that deepens into passionate love. But the strength of this bond is put to the test when the girls are caught stealing from the Refuge's laundry, and they are sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay, setting them on separate paths that may never cross again.
Drawing on real events, The Low Road is a gripping, atmospheric tale that brings to life the forgotten voices of the past – convicts, servants, the rural poor – as well as a moving evocation of love that blossomed in the face of prejudice and ill fortune.
Buy Links:
Katharine Quarmby has written non-fiction, short stories and books for children and her debut novel, The Low Road, is published by Unbound in 2023. Her non-fiction works include Scapegoat: Why We Are Failing Disabled People (Portobello Books, 2011) and No Place to Call Home: Inside the Real Lives of Gypsies and Travellers (Oneworld, 2013). She has also written picture books and shorter e-books.
She is an investigative journalist and editor, with particular interests in disability, the environment, race and ethnicity, and the care system. Her reporting has appeared in outlets including the Guardian, The Economist, The Atlantic, The Times of London, the Telegraph, New Statesman and The Spectator. Katharine lives in London.
Katharine also works as an editor for investigative journalism outlets, including Investigative Reporting Denmark and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.katharinequarmby.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatharineQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katharinequarmbywriter/
LinkedIn: Katharine Quarmby - Writer, Journalist, Editor - Self-employed | LinkedIn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katharinequarmby_/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Katharine-Quarmby/author/B004GH8LS6
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2082356.Katharine_Quarmby
February 2, 2024
Release day of A Matter of Time: Henry VIII, the Dying of the LIght
I am thrilled and relieved to see the third and final book in my Henrician Trilogy launched today. I have spent four years in Henry's company.
Those of you who write will know that characters encroach on your real life and with Henry, it was sometimes quite difficult to deal with. I had to keep taking breaks from the harrowing tale I was telling and to have him follow was disconcerting, to say the least. He is so much larger, louder and more dangerous than anyone else I've written about, and so much more real.
Written in the first person, Henry's narrative is not always as honest as it could be. He blames others, makes excuses and sometimes just refuses to co-operate. I persuaded him to open up in the end though. I found an angry man, a vindictive man and also a man who is terribly sorry for himself.
But then, he does have much to be sorry about; there is nothing harder to deal with than self-loathing.
A Matter of Time, Henry VIII, the Dying of the Light traces Henry's final years, his last three marriages, his wars, his disappointments, his pain, his failure, both as man and king. Written from his perspective, the story reads very differently to that of his wives. I haven't whitewashed him but I have given him the chance to speak.
Available on Kindle, and in Paperback
January 10, 2024
The Coffee Pot Blog Tour is pleased to present: The Dream Collector (Book 1: Sabrine & Sigmund Freud)
Book Title: The Dream Collector “Sabrine & Sigmund Freud”
Series: Book 1 of 2
Author: R.w. Meek
Publication Date: December 19th, 2023
Publisher: Historium Books
Page Length: 723
Genre: Literary Historical Fiction
The Dream Collector
“Sabrine & Sigmund Freud”
Book 1
by R.w. Meek
The Dream Collector immerses the reader into the exciting milieu of late 19th Century Paris when art and medicine were in the throes of revolution, art turning to Impressionism, medicine turning to psychology. In 1885, Julie Forette, a self-educated woman from Marseilles, finds employment at the infamous Salpêtrière, hospital and asylum to over five thousand disabled, demented and abandoned women, a walled city ruled by the famed neurologist and arrogant director, Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot.
Julie Forette forms a friendship with the young, visiting intern Sigmund Freud who introduces her to the altering-conscious power of cocaine. Together they pursue the hidden potential of hypnotism and dream interpretation. After Freud receives the baffling case of the star hysteric, Sabrine Weiss, he is encouraged by Julie to experiment with different modes of treatment, including “talking sessions.” Their urgent quest is to find a cure for Sabrine, Princess of the Hysterics, before Dr. Charcot resorts to the radical removal of her ovaries.
In Paris, Julie finds a passion for the new art emerging, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, and forms friendships with the major artists of the period, including Pissarro, Monet, and Degas. Julie becomes intimately involved with the reclusive Cezanne only to be seduced by the “Peruvian Savage” Paul Gauguin. Julie is the eponymous ‘Dream Collector’ collecting the one unforgettable, soul-defining dream of the major historical figures of the period.
READ AN EXCERPT
“Meeting Cezanne”
I agreed to take my clothes off under certain conditions. First, Cezanne would give me a dream. What I wanted was the dream that no one forgets. The dream that defies the gravity of common sense, escapes propriety, and trespasses past the boundaries of morality. The dream which opens a door to the most improbable fantasies and desires. I had a theory I hoped to prove—Cezanne’s chosen dream would be the lodestar to explain what led the artist along his path.
The second condition was that I would not pose in a recumbent position. I deemed Cezanne too innovative to follow the worn-out pattern of the compliant nude.
Lastly, the more elaborate condition, I had to observe his painting method. Cezanne said that he could, through a series of mirrors, set at proper angles, fix it so that everything was visible to me. I would have a view of his palette, the colours he chose, and also a glimpse over his shoulder to watch how his brushstroke was applied.
“Your desire to understand the construction of painting,” he admitted, “is impressive.”
Praise for The Dream Collector:
"Meek never fails to stun and impress with his evocation of scenes and events, of sights and dialogue, and of peoples' reactions to them."~ HFC Reviews
"Tribute must be paid to the obvious and clear literary skills of the author R.w. Meek and to his ability to invoke historic personages and the Belle Époque he so evidently adores."~ Julian de la Motte, award winning author of Senlac.
R.w. Meek has a Master’s degree in Art History from the American University in Washington, D.C., his areas of expertise are Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, with a particular interest in Vincent van Gogh. He has interned and conducted tours at the National Museum of American and the National Gallery of Art. In 2022 and 2023 five of his chapter excerpts from his soon to be published novel “The Dream Collector” were either finalists or published in various literary journals. The author has also won the Palm Beach Book Festival Competition for “Best Writer in Palm Beach’ his manuscript judged by a panel of NYT Best Selling authors. “The Dream Collector” also received gold and silver medals in the Historical Fiction Company literary contest and earned runner-up for the “Best Historical Fiction Novel’ of 2022.
The author was born in Baltimore, adventured in Europe for many years, and recently moved from Delray Beach, Florida to Santa Clarita, California. His wife is a psychologist, sculptress, playwright and stand-up story teller. His daughter Nora is a story board artist in the animation world and resides in Hollywood, California. His favorite writers are Dostoevsky, John Fowles, and Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
Website: https://www.ronmeekauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010220437381
December 20, 2023
The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Beautiful Ghost by Milana Marsenich
Book Title: Beautiful Ghost
Series: Sequel to Copper Sky
Author: Milana Marsenich
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Publisher: Open Books
Page Length: 217
Genre: Historical Fiction
Beautiful Ghost
by
Milana Marsenich
During the fall of 1918, the influenza pandemic crosses the nation and reaches the mining town of Butte, Montana.
Marika Jovich, who wants to go to school to become a physician, works menial tasks for Dr. Fletcher. She feels useless as she tries to save friends and neighbors from the ravages of the flu. In the midst of the pandemic, she watches the town shut down, young and old perish, and her medical dreams all but evaporate.
Kaly Monroe used to be a half-good woman of the night. She left that life to raise her daughter, Annie, and live and work with her long-lost mother, Tara McClane. Kaly waits for her husband, Tommy, to return from the war. Word from the east is that soldiers are dying of influenza and she prays that Tommy is not one of them.
When an out-of-town woman named Amelia suddenly dies in Dr. Fletcher's office, both women try to learn more about the mysterious woman and the circumstances regarding her death. Is she another casualty of the pandemic, or the victim of manmade foul play? Who is this stranger, and is her demise a portent of the fate that awaits the residents of Butte?
Praise for Beautiful Ghost:
“Marsenich doesn't just describe the place and times, she conjures it up like time travel.” ~ Amazon Review by Ellen Leahy Howell
Read a Snippet
And then there she was, sitting across from her in the upstairs room at Miss Anderson’s Big House. Rain had poured and the heater clanked through the night, as if nothing had changed. But something had changed. Something in Kaly shifted, bitterness watering the seed she’d kept buried all those years. It sprouted like an angry, tangled bush.
Tara hadn’t even come for her. And that made it worse. She had come to ask her to talk Danny, her son and Kaly’s half-brother, out of joining the army. The rain had splintered the sky, relentlessly pelting the empty streets, and Kaly felt the chill in her bones. She felt that cold darkness crawl into her chest, a bad rhythm pounding in her head that she’d never quit.
Later that night, George had slipped into her room and offered to take care of her if her mother wouldn’t. Even a young boy like George knew how wrong her own mother had been. He offered her comfort, a young boy like George had offered comfort where her mother had failed.
Now, her mother was trying to right the losses of the past.
Kaly still felt the primal sting of rejection, a cold moss growing on the wrong side of her heart. Tara had told her she’d been poor, with no help, and unable to feed her and her sister. She had feared they’d die in her care.
Kaly wanted to understand. And she did. After all, she herself had tried to find someone else to raise Annie, knowing that no good life could come from the child living in the tenderloin while her mother tried to eke out a living. The thing was, Tara had raised Danny. That was the part that Kaly couldn’t put right. She had tried to forgive but failed.
Then everything had changed again.
Award winning author, Milana Marsenich lives in Northwest Montana near Flathead Lake at the base of the beautiful Mission Mountains. She enjoys quick access to the mountains and has spent many hours hiking the wilderness trails with friends and dogs. For the past 20 years she has worked as a mental health therapist in a variety of settings. As a natural listener and a therapist, she has witnessed amazing generosity and courage in others. She first witnessed this in her hometown of Butte, Montana, a mining town with a rich history and the setting for Copper Sky, her first novel.
Copper Sky was chosen as a Spur Award finalist for Best Western Historical Novel in 2018. Her second novel, The Swan Keeper, was a Willa Award finalist in 2019. Her short story, Wild Dogs, won the Laura Award for short fiction in 2020.
She has an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. She has previously published in Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, The Polishing Stone, The Moronic Ox, BookGlow, and Feminist Studies.
She has three published novels, Copper Sky, The Swan Keeper, and Beautiful Ghost, and one popular history book, Idaho Madams. Her upcoming novel, Shed Girl: A Juliet French Novel, will be released January 2024. Her popular history book, Mary MacLane: Butte’s Wild Woman and her Wooden Heart, will be out sometime in 2025.
You can find her books and blog posts at https://milanamarsenich.com/.
Website: https://milanamarsenich.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/milanamarsenich
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilanaMarsenichAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milanammarsenich/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/milanamarsenich/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/milana-marsenich
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Milana-Marsenich/author/B07DTJRR2K/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/16544640.Milana_Marsenich
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December 17, 2023
The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tours welcome Twelfth Cake House by Heidi Eljarbo
Book Title: Twelfth Cake House
Series: Heartwarming Christmas
Author: Heidi Eljarbo
Publication Date: December 15th, 2023
Publisher: independently published
Page Length: approx. 90 pages
Genre: Clean Historical Christmas Romance
Twitter Handles: @HeidiEljarbo @cathiedunn
Instagram Handles: @authorheidieljarbo @thecoffeepotbookclub
Bluesky Handle: @cathiedunn.bsky.social
Twelfth Cake House
Heidi Eljarbo
Blurb:
Even a clever matchmaker may need a push in the right direction if she’s to find true love. When she’s asked to find a match for herself, it proves to be the most difficult task she’s ever undertaken.
Mid-December 1796.
Sixty-year-old spinster Miss Jemima Thurgood has three weeks to finish the preparations for her annual Twelfth Night party. In her position as a matchmaker, for over forty years she has assumed a grave responsibility. Luckily, she’s a shrewd observer of people, and many happy reunions have come about due to her exceptional talent for nudging kindred hearts in the right direction.
Every year, Jemima invites twelve carefully selected men and women to her festivity, and each guest is assigned a dinner partner. The days before the merrymaking are constantly disrupted by one unforeseen event after another. Jemima must work hard to be ready in time, and more importantly, to provide the kind of celebration her chosen guests deserve.
But this year, what Jemima doesn’t know is that her life is about to take a sudden change of course—one she could not have predicted or planned for. As the days pass, several gentlemen indicate they are interested in becoming better acquainted with her, but only a very special man can charm a matchmaker.
A sweet romance novella set during a witty and enchanting Georgian-Era Christmas, Twelfth Cake House is a story about traditions, goodwill, and finding hope and the courage to change and take a chance on finding true love.
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Heidi Eljarbo is the award-winning author of dual-timeline historical fiction with heartwarming clean romance, wit, and adventurous mystery.
Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and never imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, danced on the BYU Ballroom Dance Team, and still sings in choirs.
After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, and fifteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.
Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.
Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.
Sign up for Heidi’s newsletter at https://www.heidieljarbo.com/newsletter
Website: https://www.heidieljarbo.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiEljarbo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorheidieljarbo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorheidieljarbo/
Pinterest: https://no.pinterest.com/heidieljarbo/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heidi-eljarbo
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Heidi-Eljarbo/e/B073D852VG/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16984270.Heidi_Eljarbo
December 13, 2023
The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu by Ann Bennett
Book Title: The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu
Series: Echoes of Empire
Author: Ann Bennett
Publication Date: 31st October 2023
Publisher: Andaman Press
Page Length: 356
Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Romance / Women’s adventure and romance
The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu
Ann Bennett
A sweeping wartime tale of secrets and love, mystery and redemption, moving from the snow-capped Himalayas to the steamy heat of battle in the Burmese jungle.
Perfect for fans of Dinah Jeffries, Victoria Hislop and Rosie Thomas.
Hampshire, UK, 2015. When Chloe Harper’s beloved grandmother, Lena dies, a stranger hands her Lena’s wartime diary. Chloe sets out to uncover deep family secrets that Lena guarded to her grave.
Darjeeling, India, 1943, Lena Chatterjee leaves the confines of a strict boarding school to work as assistant to Lieutenant George Harper, an officer in the British Indian Army. She accompanies him to Nepal and deep into the Himalayas to recruit Gurkhas for the failing Burma Campaign. There, she discovers that Lieutenant Harper has a secret, which she vows never to reveal.
In Kathmandu, the prophesy of a mysterious fortune teller sets Lena on a dangerous course. She joins the Women’s Auxiliary Service Burma (the Wasbies), risking her life to follow the man she loves to the front line. What happens there changes the course of her life.
On her quest to uncover her grandmother’s hidden past, Chloe herself encounters mystery and romance. Helped by young Nepalese tour guide, Kiran Rai, she finds history repeating itself when she is swept up in events that spiral out of control...
"A great read" Advance Reader.
" Thank you so much for allowing me to read the advance copy. I could barely put it down!" Advance Reader,
"What a wonderful book... I loved it. The dual time lines were delineated to perfection... the settings were perfectly rendered.." Advance Reader.
Read an Excerpt
They passed through more tiny villages and farms, all old stone-built houses thatched with reeds and straw and often painted white and terracotta. The road went on for a long way along another steep-sided river valley and at one point they had to cross the river on a narrow bridge. It looked very flimsy to Lena, strung high above the rocky torrent, made of string and bamboo. She started to dismount from the pony, thinking that it would lighten the load.
‘There’s no need to do that,’ Lieutenant Harper said, kicking his own pony past Lena and onto the bridge. She watched him cross the swaying structure and step off safely on the other side.
With her heart in her mouth, she kicked Snowy on, and he stepped onto the bridge and began walking across it slowly and deliberately, as if he knew it was important to keep the pace steady. Halfway across, though, he stopped, lifted his head and whinnied, and for a few tense moments, Lena thought he was going to take some persuading to carry on. But with a gentle nudge of the heels, he continued on to join Lieutenant Harper on the other side.
‘Well done!’ the Lieutenant said to Lena, and they carried on along the stone path, the short distance to the next village, her heartbeat gradually slowing down.
There, they repeated the ritual established at the first village, this time enrolling eight young men for the tests. Then they were shown by the headman to the house where they were to stay that night. The family greeted them warmly with smiles and a small boy led the ponies off to a nearby stable for the night.
They ate supper on the front porch, watching the sun go down over the mountaintops.
‘Have you been up here many times?’ Lena asked the lieutenant. He appeared very comfortable in the surroundings and seemed well known and well-liked by the locals.
‘I’ve been so many times that I’ve lost count, Miss Chatterjee,’ he said.
‘Do you think the villages might run out of young men at some point?’ she asked.
‘The village elders are very careful who they allow to join up. Young men are reaching the recruitment age all the time, but the elders don’t allow all of them to join the army. They need some to stay and farm the land, take care of the villages.’
‘You seem to have a real rapport with the villagers, Lieutenant Harper,’ Lena remarked.
‘I hope so. You won’t find more loyal, generous people anywhere in the world.’
But then Lena noticed his face take on an awkward look, as if he wanted to tell her something but was holding himself back, or didn’t think it was the right moment.
‘Was there something you were going to say?’ she asked, but he shook his head and got up to ask for another helping of dahl baht.
When they had finished eating, the lady of the house, a stout, middle-aged woman dressed in long black robes with a colourful, embroidered waistcoat, showed Lena and Lieutenant Harper upstairs via a ladder to the sleeping quarters. So, there was no chance to ask the lieutenant what had caused him to reflect while they had been speaking about his rapport with the villagers.
Lena lay down on the lumpy bed, listening to the bleating of goats and the lowing of cattle in the stable beneath her. There were gaps between the floorboards, so if she looked down, she could see goats, cattle and chickens beneath. The family was staying at one end of the house, Lieutenant Harper somewhere in the middle and Lena at the other end, behind a thick curtain and with only a candle for light.
I am tired now and must get some sleep, although I’m not sure how easy that will be with the animals shifting about underneath me and the ever-present smell of woodsmoke curling up through the floorboards from the cottage fire. I am intrigued by Lieutenant Harper’s reaction when we were talking about the villagers and hope that tomorrow I will be able to get him to speak about it.
This title is available to read with #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/tftok
Ann Bennett is a British author of historical fiction. She was born in Pury End, a small village in Northamptonshire, UK and now lives in Surrey. Her first book, Bamboo Heart: A Daughter's Quest, was inspired by researching her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway. Bamboo Island: The Planter's Wife, A Daughter's Promise and Bamboo Road:The Homecoming, The Tea Panter's Club and The Amulet are also about the war in South East Asia, which together with The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu make up the Echoes of Empire Collection.
Ann is also author of The Runaway Sisters, bestselling The Orphan House, The Forgotten Children and The Child Without a Home, published by Bookouture.
The Lake Pavilion, The Lake Palace, both set in British India in the 1930s and WW2, and The Lake Pagoda and The Lake Villa, set in French Indochina during WW2, make up The Oriental Lake Collection.
Ann is married with three grown up sons and a granddaughter and works as a lawyer. For more details please visit www.annbennettauthor.com.
Website: https://www.annbennettauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annbennett71
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annbennettauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annbennettauthor/
Amazon Author Page UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00D21SJ7A
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1951323.Ann_Bennett
December 12, 2023
Millie's Escape by Marcia Clayton on a Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Book Title: Millie’s Escape
Series: The Hartford Manor Series
Author: Marcia Clayton
Publication Date: 2 November 2023
Publisher: Sunhillow Publishing
Page Length: 348
Genre: Historical Fiction/Family Saga/Women’s Literary Fiction
Twitter Handle: @MarciaC89111861 @cathiedunn
Instagram Handle: @marciaclayton97 @thecoffeepotbookclub
Bluesky Handle: @marciaclayton.bsky.social @cathiedunn.bsky.social
Millie’s Escape
By Marcia Clayton
1885 North Devon, England
It is winter in the small Devon village of Brampford Speke, and a typhoid epidemic has claimed many victims. Millie, aged fifteen, is doing her best to nurse her mother and grandmother as well as look after Jonathan, her five-year-old brother. One morning, Millie is horrified to find that her mother, Rosemary, has passed away during the night and is terrified the same fate may befall her granny, Emily.
When Emily’s neighbours inform her that Sir Edgar Grantley has also perished from the deadly disease, the old woman is distraught, for the kindly gentleman has been their benefactor for many years, much to the disgust of his wife, Lilliana. Emily is well aware that Sir Edgar’s generosity has long been a bone of contention between him and his spouse, and she is certain Lady Grantley will evict them from their cottage at the first opportunity.
As she racks her brain for a solution, Emily remembers her father came from Hartford, a seaside village in North Devon and had relatives there. Desperate and too weak to travel, she insists Millie and Jonathan leave home and make their way to Hartford before the embittered woman can cause trouble for them. There, she tells them, they must throw themselves on the mercy of their family and hope they will offer them a home.
With Emily promising to follow as soon as possible, the two youngsters reluctantly set off on their fifty-mile journey on foot and in the harshest of weather conditions. Emily warns them to be cautious, for she suspects Lady Grantley may well pursue them to seek revenge for a situation that has existed between the two families for many years.
Read a Snippet:
One morning, Millie sent the children out to play, intending to clean the kitchen thoroughly. Jonnie had a bad cold, so she let him stay inside with her, and the pair were enjoying a few rare moments alone. Millie was scrubbing the floor when the front door opened, and Liz staggered in, very drunk despite the early hour. Behind her was a plump man with a ruddy complexion, and his eyes gleamed when he surveyed Millie’s shapely bottom as she worked hard on her hands and knees.
“Why, Liz, you didn’t tell me you had a new maid here, and, no disrespect, love, but I think I might like to explore pastures new, if you know what I mean. What’s your name, my lovely?”
“No, Ted; yer wasting yer time, there, mate. ‘er’s no prossie, ‘er’s just our cleaner and far too ‘igh and mighty for the likes of ye. Ye’ll ‘ave to make do wi’ me, though I’m not sure I’m willin’ now if yer so picky. I’ve always been good enough for ‘ee before.”
Millie was embarrassed as the man’s eyes explored every inch of her body, and he held out his hand to help her up.
“No need to be frightened of me, my love, and if ‘tis your first time, why that’s even better, and I’ll be kind. I know my manners, and I can be a gentleman when I want to be. Whatever this lot is paying you to clean, I’ll pay you far more to spend an hour or two with me. What do you say?”
“No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I’m happy doing the cleaning. My brother and I aren’t staying here long, just a few days, so that I can earn some money.”
This title is available to read with #KindleUnlimited.
All the books in The Hartford Manor Series can be ordered from any bookshop.
Marcia Clayton is the author of five books in The Hartford Manor Series, a heart-warming family saga stretching from the Regency period to Victorian times. A sixth book is to be released in 2024.
Marcia was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David. As the children grew older, Marcia worked as a Marie Curie nurse caring for the terminally ill and later for the local authority managing school transport.
Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.
Author Links:
Website: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarciaC89111861
Facebook: Marcia Clayton - Author | Facebook
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marciaclayton97/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/marciaclayton.bsky.social
Amazon Author Page: Amazon: Marcia Clayton
Allauthor: https://allauthor.com/author/marciaclayton/
December 3, 2023
The Coffee Pot Blog Tour presents: The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland
Book Title: The Mark of the Salamander
Series: The Island of Angels
Author: Justin Newland
Publication Date: 28th September 2023
Publisher: The Book Guild
Page Length: 256
Genre: Historical Fiction
Twitter Handles: @JustinNewland53 @cathiedunn
Instagram Handles: @drjustinnewland @cathiedunn
Bluesky Handle: @cathiedunn.bsky.social
Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #TudorFiction #GoldenHind #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub
The Mark of the Salamander
Justin Newland
1575.
Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder.
Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.
Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.
THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.
“The constables are here with a warrant to arrest Master Nelan for murder.”
“Let them in,” Laurens said. “No, don’t!” Nelan cried.
“Let. Them. In,” Laurens snapped. The footman left the study.
“Then I must go,” Nelan said.
“No,” his father replied. “We are visitors here. Refugees. England is renowned for its adherence to the law. You must surrender to the constables.”
“Quickly, Dr Dee, what do I do?” Nelan asked.
“There are other significant elements in your horoscope that suggest you have a part to play in the future of this country. That’s why I’m here to help you escape: because you can’t do that while confined within a prison. So, you must run away and avoid capture for as long as possible. Then you can absolve yourself of this unjust accusation. Now, you must go,” Dee said, pointing to the window.
Nelan opened it.
“Do not go,” his father said. “You must defend yourself, and my honour.”
“Father, I must. The constables—”
Laurens squeezed himself between Nelan and the window. There he stood, legs astride, arms folded, glaring at him. At times, he had a fearsome presence. This was one of them. “You are staying here,” he said through gritted teeth.
“But, Dr Dee, even if I run, they’ll catch me,” Nelan said. “It’s broad daylight outside.”
“Not anymore,” Dee murmured, nodding his head. “Look out the window.”
Outside, a mist as thick as pea soup hung over the river. Where’s that come from? Did it arise naturally, or did Dr Dee conjure it out of the ether?
“Where is he?” an unfamiliar voice boomed from the corridor. “Nelan, be a man,” his father said, “and account for your actions. If you flee, you will dishonour the Michaels’ family name.”
Nelan clenched his fists. “Father, I have to find another way to clear my name. I’ll not end my days in Newgate or Marshalsea for a crime I didn’t commit. Besides, if anyone’s guilty, it’s Guillermo. Now, move, please!”
“I will not!”
“This time, I’ll not bow to your wishes. I’m innocent and disappointed that you don’t believe me. I beg you, get out of my way.”
“No.”
The study door burst open, and Laurens glanced towards the intruder. In one swift, agile movement Nelan darted between his father’s legs and came out the other side. He scrambled onto the windowsill and jumped down to the ground outside before his father had time to stop him. Finally, he’d found an advantage to being small. The ground was moist and soft from the mist. A light breeze swirled vapour around him, adding a ghostly effect to the scene. From the study he heard muffled voices: those of the constables, his father, and Dr Dee.
He knew the paths leading to and from the house like he knew the course of the river. He felt invisible to the world, and in a way, he was. Leaving one life behind and taking the first frightened, tentative steps into a new one, he concentrated on every footstep. He could barely see the path, but he knew that the river flowed by some fifty paces in front of his house.
There he met an extraordinary sight. He stepped out of the swirling mist and into broad daylight. Apart from his house, everywhere was clear: the north bank of the river in Chiswick, the monastery of Syon Abbey to the west, and to the east the city of London, where filaments of woodsmoke snaked into the dawn skies on the horizon. The mist had settled around his house, but nowhere else. He’d never witnessed such a strange phenomenon in all the years he’d lived there.
Universal Link: Barnes and Noble: Waterstones: Kobo: WH Smith: Saxo DK: UK Bookshop: Wordery: Blackwells: Foyles:
JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe.
Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.
The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.
The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.
The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.
The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age.
His work in progress is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, the charting of the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada.
Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts.
Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
Website: https://www.justinnewland.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustinNewland53
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-newland-b393aa28/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/
Book Bub: https://partners.bookbub.com/authors/4862998/edit
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Justin-Newland/author/B06WRQVLT8
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jnewland
November 22, 2023
Welcoming author Nancy Bilyeau to the blog
Nancy Bilyeau, a magazine editor, is the author of seven published historical novels and one novella. Her debut was “The Crown,” set in 1530s England. The main character is Joanna Stafford, a half-Spanish, half-English Dominican novice from an aristocratic family in disgrace. In ‘The Crown’ and its follow-up novels, ‘The Chalice’ and ‘The Tapestry,’ Joanna is up against some of the most ruthless men in England. After writing the Tudor novels, published in the US, the UK and 11 foreign countries, between 2012 and 2015, Nancy wrote two 18th century-set novels with a French Huguenot character. ‘The Blue’ and ‘The Fugitive Colours,’ set in the porcelain workshops and portrait studios of England and France, drew on her own Huguenot descent. Most recently, she wrote ‘Dreamland’ and ‘The Orchid Hour,’ set in New York City in the early 20th century. She moved to the Hudson Valley, just north of NYC, several years ago, and is busy working on her first garden.
Why are you talking about the Tudors again?
Last year, my UK publisher, Orion, told me that they were re-publishing ‘The Crown’ and ‘The Chalice’ with brand-new covers and jacket material. I was very pleased! It’s been so interesting to see these books with new covers but even more so, to delve back into the period of time that I began my fiction career writing about. I’ve been reading fiction and non-fiction set in the 16th century before, during, and after writing my trilogy. It’s a great interest of mine, I would never want to stop. But it’s different to be a writer of Tudor fiction and to be purely a reader.
Why did you move from the Tudors to the 18th century in your work?
It was a combination of things. By the time ‘The Tapestry’ came out, my U.S. publisher, Touchstone, was not as invested in putting out historical fiction. (Now that imprint of Simon & Schuster is closed.) Some people said that the Tudors were “over.” It didn’t seem that way to me, and obviously authors are continuing to create wonderful Tudor fiction. I looked at it as an opportunity to explore other world. I am a magazine writer and editor and for a while I was a screenwriter—in other words, I am used to jumping around among different periods and styles. I came up with the idea that became ‘The Blue’ while I was touring Hillwood, the Marjorie Merriweather Post estate in Washington, DC. Post owned an amazing collection of Sevres porcelain. The tour guide said, “In the 18th century, the rivalries between the porcelain workshops was like the space race of its time.” I thought that was fantastic! I’d always wanted to write a spy story, and I decided to make it an 18th century spy story set in the porcelain world.
And then you wrote books set in early 20th century New York. Why that change?
Again, it was because I had an idea for a novel. When I found out that on Coney Island, in the 1910s, there were beautiful resort hotels for the rich and powerful a mile down the beach from “America’s Playground,” the amusement park that was drawing thousands every day, including from the tenements of New York City, I thought it would make for an amazing culture clash story. I created an heiress who falls in love with an immigrant artist—and of course there is a string of murders going on at the same time! After that I wrote a novella, ‘The Ghost of Madison Avenue,’ because I woke up one day feeling, “I MUST write a Christmas ghost story.” So I did, and set it in the Morgan Museum in 1912. And then most recently I wrote “The Orchid Hour,” set in Little Italy and Greenwich Village in 1923, a place and time I am obsessed with. I’d lived in New York City for years, and read a great deal about its history. I am always on the lookout for a historical flourish in a building’s architecture or a stretch of cobblestone where you least expect it.
How do your publishers and your readers feel about your jumping through time and across continents?
The publishers seem fine with it! They want a compelling story, a strong main character, well paced, and lots of conflict. There is a common thread running through each of my novels: a woman solving a crime, launching an investigation, or becoming a spy, in a rich, fascinating time and place. Often there is a romance bubbling away in the background, but it’s rarely the whole point. Neither are these traditional murder mysteries. But there is that similarity among all my books. Everyone knows how much I love to write atmosphere. I try to build a world in each historical novel. So it’s not like I’m showing up with a science fiction story one day or a modern noir plot. I haven’t plunged too far off course.
Now, my readers. I have to say there is a hard core of committed Joanna Stafford readers who would love to see another Tudor book. They usually like ‘The Blue’ and ‘The Fugitive Colours’ as well, but to be honest, they sometimes find the New York City-set books too far from their comfort zone in fiction. While people who enjoy ‘Dreamland’ or ‘The Orchid Hour’ are usually happiest in the 20th century as far as their novels go and not reading a lot of Tudor. So I have two groups, it sometimes seems. I think that’s delightful, actually.
If you have readers who want you to return to the Tudor world, why don’t you do that?
That goes back to publishers and who has which series and their editorial mindset. It’s something I am open to. I’ve found myself in an interesting headspace lately. I wrote a short story for an anthology in the last month and it was an opportunity to explore my earlier enthusiasms. I can’t give anything away in this stage, but I’ll share this with you. The name of the short story is “The Reliquary.” That should say a lot.
To find out more about Nancy’s work, go to www.nancybilyeau.com
The Crown and The Chalice will be republished by Orion books in the UK on November 23rd. Go here
