Tara Chevrestt's Blog, page 66
February 17, 2014
Let's Talk Suffragettes, With Ian Porter
As an historian/writer/researcher with a particular interest in women's history in the 19th and early 20th centuries, my first novel was set in the Whitechapel of 1888. I had been inspired to write the novel by my increasing frustration at all the poorly researched books and TV programmes about the identity of a serial killer. l wanted to tell the story of the women of the slums and the terrible choices that some of them had to make which led them into the path of a maniac. A social history novel.
Sylvia PankhurstI wanted the inspiration for my second novel to come out of a positive rather than a negative. And what could be more inspiring than the gaining of the vote for women. I was drawn to the idea of setting a novel in the world of Suffragettes. But when I thought about it I was shocked to appreciate that I knew very little about the Suffragettes. And I'm an historian! It is a subject that has received remarkably little coverage in the media, history books, novels or TV drama. I asked around and it appeared that the average person in the street knew even less - Mrs Pankhurst won the vote for women (sic); women won the vote at the end of the Great War (sic); a Suffragette committed suicide by throwing herself under the king's horse (sic); women chained themselves to railings, and not much else.
I decided I needed to research the subject thoroughly. I did this and quickly found that Suffragette history is full of distortions. Note the number of sics above. Consequently I was particularly keen to relay the true story of the Suffragettes.
I had no preconceived ideas as to what precisely I would write about. I would allow the research to lead me. A year later, with the research notes piled up, I realised that the work of Sylvia Pankhurst had most inspired me. In particular her years in the East End politicising working class women and galvanising working class men into joining the struggle. And it was clear that to do the subject justice, no one novel (I'm not one for writing huge 1000 page doorstop tomes) could cover the whole Suffragette era, so I decided my novel would start in April 1912, when the increase in Suffragette violence was turning public opinion against them. And Sylvia Pankhurst headed down to the East End to support a Votes for Women bye-election candidate, and to distance herself from what she believed were her mother and sister's failing tactics. And the war years would be a whole different novel, so my book would concentrate on the turbulent, dramatic years of 1912 to 1914.
It is clear from the novel that Sylvia is quite a heroine of mine, for which I make no apology.
And coming as I do from Lewisham in South London, I was also very interested in the role that fellow Lewishamite, May Billinghurst played in the struggle. She was known as the 'Cripple Suffragette' ('cripple' being a perfectly acceptable word up until the Great War) because she was wheelchair-bound. She was an amazing woman, travelling on her own by train up to London and wheeling herself miles to bye-elections, protest marches, WSPU shops and coordinating a Suffragette pillar box sabotage campaign.
And I was brought up in Greenwich, a stone's throw from where Emily Davison was born, and having an interest in horse-racing I've always been interested in the most militant of the militants.
With a desire to tell the true story of the Suffragettes, and with so may interesting real-life women in my research notes, I decided that I would as often as possible use real people as characters in the novel, and where possible use their actual words in dialogue. Consequently, Sylvia Pankhurst, May Billinghurst, Emily Davison, Emmeline & Christabel Pankhurst, Mary Richardson, Nora Smyth, Melvinia Walker and the six women who finally succeeded in speaking to Prime Minister Asquith, are all characters in the novel.
But the main character, Ruby, is from my imagination. At many events she is either an addition to or replacement of real life women. For example at the two-woman assault on the Derby, she joins Emily and Mary at Epsom, and through her eyes the reader sees the terrible events of that day. You also see through her the horrors of force-feeding in prison.
The second main character, Nash, is an East End man and through him you see how men, as well as women, were important in the fight for equality. Working class men, like "convicts, lunatics and women" had no vote. He was one of the main characters in my first novel and I thought it would be interesting to have a character reappear 23 years later in a completely different story and environment, well out of his comfort zone. He's also a much needed protector of women at their meetings. We see how, even when the intellectual argument was being won, how women had to be wary of male mysogyny.
My first novel has been very well received but some readers have commented that the story took a while to get going. I took this literally 'on board' by starting this second novel on the Titanic just as it's about to sink. Not only does this get the story off to a fast start, but few things in history (except of course the war that was to follow 2 years later) better encapsulates the stubbornness, slapdashery and lack of human understanding of the British middle class male circa 1912. There are 1500 dead at the end of chapter one to support this. It's here, in a lifeboat, that a Suffragette is effectively born.
***
Ian is an historian, writer, public speaker and walks guide. He spent his formative years living in St Johns, Lewisham, Catford and pretty much every other place in South East London (the full list sounds like a railway announcement) to which his restless parents moved. He obtained a degree in history at the University of Birmingham, where he was awarded the Chancellor's Prize, before becoming a ski journalist, during which time he wrote most of the original edition of the skiers' bible, Where to Ski. More recently he has written a novel, Whitechapel, set in the East End slums of 1888. This received very good reviews and has also proved popular with readers. he has also contributed to the non-fiction book, Jack the Ripper: the Suspects and writes articles and gives lectures on various elements of old East End life from the start of the industrial revolution through to the era of 'Call the Midwife'.
Having spent several years researching his second novel, which is set in the world of Suffragettes, he has become an expert on the militant fight for the vote for women, and regularly lectures on the subject. he has helped the National Portrait Gallery on a project involving Sylvia Pankhurst and regularly gives guided Suffragette tours through London's Westminster and Bow.
Ian's heroes/heroines are Sylvia Pankhurst, Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, May Billinghurst and all the brave women and men who fought for the vote for women, and also the philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts and everyone with a plaque in Postman's Park.
Ian lives in mid Kent with another of his heroines, his wife (and novel editor) Jenny.
His site is here
***
This is the story of two Titanic survivors; a young crewwoman, Ruby, and an East End man, Nashey. The story begins in spectacular, if shocking fashion, aboard the Titanic as it’s sinking. An important scene, which Ruby later realises was the genesis of her becoming a Suffragette, takes place in a lifeboat. Ruby and Nashey are left traumatised and horrified – not just by the disaster itself, but by the failures of the ship’s officers. Ruby is also profoundly affected by the misplaced trust in, and subservience to, these men.
Readers are then taken to New York, and on to Halifax, Nova Scotia, before the novel unfolds in Suffragette London, 1912-1914. Much of the story takes place within the militant struggle for Votes for Women, into which both main characters become drawn through different avenues. Ruby gets involved in Mrs Pankhurst’s WSPU, which sees her imprisoned, hunger-striking and being force-fed. Nashey is initially interested in social change rather than the vote – but a different Pankhurst working down in the East End impresses upon him that the former will follow the latter.
Through the five p’s – publicity stunts, protests, political speeches, prison torture and police tactics – we see the lengths to which the women and government went to ensure they would prevail. A main character then questions the direction the movement is taking. But out of this apparent Suffragette autumn comes a women’s spring…
Suffragette Autumn Women’s Spring is, predictably, a fast-paced page turner, but characterisation and interpersonal relationships are important themes, brought in through cracking dialogue. This gripping work of historical fiction will appeal primarily to women and has been inspired by a number of sources, including Sylvia Pankhurst and her books on the Suffragette movement, Hilary Mantel and Arthur Morrison.
Sylvia PankhurstI wanted the inspiration for my second novel to come out of a positive rather than a negative. And what could be more inspiring than the gaining of the vote for women. I was drawn to the idea of setting a novel in the world of Suffragettes. But when I thought about it I was shocked to appreciate that I knew very little about the Suffragettes. And I'm an historian! It is a subject that has received remarkably little coverage in the media, history books, novels or TV drama. I asked around and it appeared that the average person in the street knew even less - Mrs Pankhurst won the vote for women (sic); women won the vote at the end of the Great War (sic); a Suffragette committed suicide by throwing herself under the king's horse (sic); women chained themselves to railings, and not much else.I decided I needed to research the subject thoroughly. I did this and quickly found that Suffragette history is full of distortions. Note the number of sics above. Consequently I was particularly keen to relay the true story of the Suffragettes.
I had no preconceived ideas as to what precisely I would write about. I would allow the research to lead me. A year later, with the research notes piled up, I realised that the work of Sylvia Pankhurst had most inspired me. In particular her years in the East End politicising working class women and galvanising working class men into joining the struggle. And it was clear that to do the subject justice, no one novel (I'm not one for writing huge 1000 page doorstop tomes) could cover the whole Suffragette era, so I decided my novel would start in April 1912, when the increase in Suffragette violence was turning public opinion against them. And Sylvia Pankhurst headed down to the East End to support a Votes for Women bye-election candidate, and to distance herself from what she believed were her mother and sister's failing tactics. And the war years would be a whole different novel, so my book would concentrate on the turbulent, dramatic years of 1912 to 1914.
It is clear from the novel that Sylvia is quite a heroine of mine, for which I make no apology.
And coming as I do from Lewisham in South London, I was also very interested in the role that fellow Lewishamite, May Billinghurst played in the struggle. She was known as the 'Cripple Suffragette' ('cripple' being a perfectly acceptable word up until the Great War) because she was wheelchair-bound. She was an amazing woman, travelling on her own by train up to London and wheeling herself miles to bye-elections, protest marches, WSPU shops and coordinating a Suffragette pillar box sabotage campaign.
And I was brought up in Greenwich, a stone's throw from where Emily Davison was born, and having an interest in horse-racing I've always been interested in the most militant of the militants.
With a desire to tell the true story of the Suffragettes, and with so may interesting real-life women in my research notes, I decided that I would as often as possible use real people as characters in the novel, and where possible use their actual words in dialogue. Consequently, Sylvia Pankhurst, May Billinghurst, Emily Davison, Emmeline & Christabel Pankhurst, Mary Richardson, Nora Smyth, Melvinia Walker and the six women who finally succeeded in speaking to Prime Minister Asquith, are all characters in the novel.
But the main character, Ruby, is from my imagination. At many events she is either an addition to or replacement of real life women. For example at the two-woman assault on the Derby, she joins Emily and Mary at Epsom, and through her eyes the reader sees the terrible events of that day. You also see through her the horrors of force-feeding in prison.
The second main character, Nash, is an East End man and through him you see how men, as well as women, were important in the fight for equality. Working class men, like "convicts, lunatics and women" had no vote. He was one of the main characters in my first novel and I thought it would be interesting to have a character reappear 23 years later in a completely different story and environment, well out of his comfort zone. He's also a much needed protector of women at their meetings. We see how, even when the intellectual argument was being won, how women had to be wary of male mysogyny.
My first novel has been very well received but some readers have commented that the story took a while to get going. I took this literally 'on board' by starting this second novel on the Titanic just as it's about to sink. Not only does this get the story off to a fast start, but few things in history (except of course the war that was to follow 2 years later) better encapsulates the stubbornness, slapdashery and lack of human understanding of the British middle class male circa 1912. There are 1500 dead at the end of chapter one to support this. It's here, in a lifeboat, that a Suffragette is effectively born.
***
Ian is an historian, writer, public speaker and walks guide. He spent his formative years living in St Johns, Lewisham, Catford and pretty much every other place in South East London (the full list sounds like a railway announcement) to which his restless parents moved. He obtained a degree in history at the University of Birmingham, where he was awarded the Chancellor's Prize, before becoming a ski journalist, during which time he wrote most of the original edition of the skiers' bible, Where to Ski. More recently he has written a novel, Whitechapel, set in the East End slums of 1888. This received very good reviews and has also proved popular with readers. he has also contributed to the non-fiction book, Jack the Ripper: the Suspects and writes articles and gives lectures on various elements of old East End life from the start of the industrial revolution through to the era of 'Call the Midwife'.
Having spent several years researching his second novel, which is set in the world of Suffragettes, he has become an expert on the militant fight for the vote for women, and regularly lectures on the subject. he has helped the National Portrait Gallery on a project involving Sylvia Pankhurst and regularly gives guided Suffragette tours through London's Westminster and Bow.
Ian's heroes/heroines are Sylvia Pankhurst, Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, May Billinghurst and all the brave women and men who fought for the vote for women, and also the philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts and everyone with a plaque in Postman's Park.
Ian lives in mid Kent with another of his heroines, his wife (and novel editor) Jenny.
His site is here
***
This is the story of two Titanic survivors; a young crewwoman, Ruby, and an East End man, Nashey. The story begins in spectacular, if shocking fashion, aboard the Titanic as it’s sinking. An important scene, which Ruby later realises was the genesis of her becoming a Suffragette, takes place in a lifeboat. Ruby and Nashey are left traumatised and horrified – not just by the disaster itself, but by the failures of the ship’s officers. Ruby is also profoundly affected by the misplaced trust in, and subservience to, these men. Readers are then taken to New York, and on to Halifax, Nova Scotia, before the novel unfolds in Suffragette London, 1912-1914. Much of the story takes place within the militant struggle for Votes for Women, into which both main characters become drawn through different avenues. Ruby gets involved in Mrs Pankhurst’s WSPU, which sees her imprisoned, hunger-striking and being force-fed. Nashey is initially interested in social change rather than the vote – but a different Pankhurst working down in the East End impresses upon him that the former will follow the latter.
Through the five p’s – publicity stunts, protests, political speeches, prison torture and police tactics – we see the lengths to which the women and government went to ensure they would prevail. A main character then questions the direction the movement is taking. But out of this apparent Suffragette autumn comes a women’s spring…
Suffragette Autumn Women’s Spring is, predictably, a fast-paced page turner, but characterisation and interpersonal relationships are important themes, brought in through cracking dialogue. This gripping work of historical fiction will appeal primarily to women and has been inspired by a number of sources, including Sylvia Pankhurst and her books on the Suffragette movement, Hilary Mantel and Arthur Morrison.
February 15, 2014
My Reading Radar 2/15/2014
I loved the first two books in this series, so I am stoked to announce the release of book three and of course, it's on my "to acquire" list. Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom by Stephanie Jefferson. This series follows a female king as she learns the intricacies of the throne. Clean and empowering.
Princess Kandake, youngest child of King Amani and heir to the throne of Nubia, has determined to continue her warrior training, but that is not the only thing that complicates her 14 year old life. When the king receives a dispatch from Pharaoh Nakhtnebef of Egypt, Kandake is sent to find out why the pharaoh would need Nubia's warriors to remain in Egypt any longer and why he has included a secret symbol within his message-help. In Egypt, Kandake discovers treachery and a poisoned pharaoh, the identity of the bandits that attacked Nubia's caravans, a Nubian orphan, and that Kandake may be Sakhmet-the Egyptian goddess of war.
***
Apparently this book four of a series and I have only come across it on Amazon so I've some catching up to do, but the book that caught my eye and is on my wishlist is: The Puerto Rico Pearl by J.A. Jernay. I love traveling to PR. I guess this heroine solves mysteries in exotic places, mostly Latin American countries. Each book takes place in a new location. Sounds awesome.
It's hurricane season. An airplane en route to the States has just been forced to land on the island of Puerto Rico-and onboard is AINSLEY WALKER. Stranded in torrential rain, she is guided by another passenger towards a rickety plantation house in the island's tropical interior, where she meets an elderly woman who has lost a precious family heirloom. It's a pearl brooch that had once belonged to an actual pirate of the Caribbean-and the spinster needs Ainsley to find it ... fast. Soon she finds herself on another runaway adventure-one that propels Ainsley from wealthy art museums to abandoned sugar mills, from colonial-era cities to buried pirate chests on abandoned naval bases. Along the way, she discovers joy, pain, friendship, danger, the limits of her endurance-and the fact that things are never quite as they seem. From an author who worked on the foreign desk of The Washington Post ... ...who explored North and South America for nearly twelve months... ...who was a finalist in a prestigious short story contest sponsored by the estate of F. Scott Fitzgerald... ...comes a travel adventure that will change the way you see your life.
***
Because I love Downton Abbey and Netgally happened to say if you like DA...you'll love...and I fell for it.....The Best of Daughters by Dilly Court is on my kindle. And of course, it doesn't hurt that the Suffragette movement is mentioned in the blurb. *grins*
Despite her privileged upbringing, Daisy Lennox has always longed to make something of her life.
She is drawn to the suffragette movement, but when her father faces ruin they are forced to move to the country and Daisy's first duty is to her family.
Here she becomes engaged to her childhood friend - a union both families have dreamed of.
But, on the eve of their wedding, war is declared, and Daisy knows her life will never be the same again.
***
The Language of Silence by Peggy Webb or Anna Michaels? I don't know. The cover says Peggy Webb and yet both NG and GR say AN. Regardless of who wrote it, I'm going to give this one a go.
Following in the footsteps of her tiger-taming grandmother, a woman flees her abusive husband to join the circus in this masterful, heartfelt work of women’s fiction.
Anna Michaels won raves for her debut novel, The Tender Mercy of Roses, with novelist Pat Conroy calling her “a truly gifted writer.” Now Michaels has crafted a poignant portrayal of a woman on the edge seeking solace in the past.
Nobody in the family talks about Ellen’s grandmother, Lola, who was swallowed up by the circus and emerged as a woman who tamed tigers and got away scot-free for killing her husband.
When Ellen’s husband, Wayne, beats her nearly to death, she runs to the only place she knows where a woman can completely disappear—the same Big Top that once sheltered her grandmother.
Though the circus moves from one town to the next, Wayne tracks it, and Ellen, relentlessly. At the same time, Ellen learns more about her feisty, fiery relative, and the heritage that is hers for the taking—if she dares.
With her violent husband hot on her trail, Ellen must learn to stand up and fight for herself, to break the cycle of abuse, and pass down a story of love and redemption to her children.
Princess Kandake, youngest child of King Amani and heir to the throne of Nubia, has determined to continue her warrior training, but that is not the only thing that complicates her 14 year old life. When the king receives a dispatch from Pharaoh Nakhtnebef of Egypt, Kandake is sent to find out why the pharaoh would need Nubia's warriors to remain in Egypt any longer and why he has included a secret symbol within his message-help. In Egypt, Kandake discovers treachery and a poisoned pharaoh, the identity of the bandits that attacked Nubia's caravans, a Nubian orphan, and that Kandake may be Sakhmet-the Egyptian goddess of war.***
Apparently this book four of a series and I have only come across it on Amazon so I've some catching up to do, but the book that caught my eye and is on my wishlist is: The Puerto Rico Pearl by J.A. Jernay. I love traveling to PR. I guess this heroine solves mysteries in exotic places, mostly Latin American countries. Each book takes place in a new location. Sounds awesome.It's hurricane season. An airplane en route to the States has just been forced to land on the island of Puerto Rico-and onboard is AINSLEY WALKER. Stranded in torrential rain, she is guided by another passenger towards a rickety plantation house in the island's tropical interior, where she meets an elderly woman who has lost a precious family heirloom. It's a pearl brooch that had once belonged to an actual pirate of the Caribbean-and the spinster needs Ainsley to find it ... fast. Soon she finds herself on another runaway adventure-one that propels Ainsley from wealthy art museums to abandoned sugar mills, from colonial-era cities to buried pirate chests on abandoned naval bases. Along the way, she discovers joy, pain, friendship, danger, the limits of her endurance-and the fact that things are never quite as they seem. From an author who worked on the foreign desk of The Washington Post ... ...who explored North and South America for nearly twelve months... ...who was a finalist in a prestigious short story contest sponsored by the estate of F. Scott Fitzgerald... ...comes a travel adventure that will change the way you see your life.
***
Because I love Downton Abbey and Netgally happened to say if you like DA...you'll love...and I fell for it.....The Best of Daughters by Dilly Court is on my kindle. And of course, it doesn't hurt that the Suffragette movement is mentioned in the blurb. *grins*Despite her privileged upbringing, Daisy Lennox has always longed to make something of her life.
She is drawn to the suffragette movement, but when her father faces ruin they are forced to move to the country and Daisy's first duty is to her family.
Here she becomes engaged to her childhood friend - a union both families have dreamed of.
But, on the eve of their wedding, war is declared, and Daisy knows her life will never be the same again.
***
The Language of Silence by Peggy Webb or Anna Michaels? I don't know. The cover says Peggy Webb and yet both NG and GR say AN. Regardless of who wrote it, I'm going to give this one a go.
Following in the footsteps of her tiger-taming grandmother, a woman flees her abusive husband to join the circus in this masterful, heartfelt work of women’s fiction.Anna Michaels won raves for her debut novel, The Tender Mercy of Roses, with novelist Pat Conroy calling her “a truly gifted writer.” Now Michaels has crafted a poignant portrayal of a woman on the edge seeking solace in the past.
Nobody in the family talks about Ellen’s grandmother, Lola, who was swallowed up by the circus and emerged as a woman who tamed tigers and got away scot-free for killing her husband.
When Ellen’s husband, Wayne, beats her nearly to death, she runs to the only place she knows where a woman can completely disappear—the same Big Top that once sheltered her grandmother.
Though the circus moves from one town to the next, Wayne tracks it, and Ellen, relentlessly. At the same time, Ellen learns more about her feisty, fiery relative, and the heritage that is hers for the taking—if she dares.
With her violent husband hot on her trail, Ellen must learn to stand up and fight for herself, to break the cycle of abuse, and pass down a story of love and redemption to her children.
February 14, 2014
The Devil's Daughter (The Devil Ryder #1) by Suzie Grant
I love Suzie Grant's books. She always writes a strong heroine, women who know their own minds and aren't afraid to fight for what they love. She doesn't disappoint in this book, but once again delivers a kick-ass woman. Her name is Blaze. She's got a very cloudy past, refuses to wear dresses, can herd cattle and shoot, and mouths off when the situation calls for it.But she's the only female in the story. There isn't another woman at all, except for a...what do ya call it...a woman who runs a boarding house, briefly. So let me just get that complain out of the way right now. Too much testosterone, too many men in this one. I had a hard time remembering who was who. Too many fights between brothers. And...honestly? I couldn't stand the hero in this book. He never grew on me, at all. I liked him better in the second book.
But it's still a very entertaining read with shootings, murder, cattle herding, bad weather, flooded rivers, steamy sex. (I confess I skim those scenes, but I promise they are steamy if that's what you're looking for.) And I sure did like Blaze.
When the hero kisses her at a bad moment, what does this lady do? (I have shortened the passage some. Where there are ...s, I left out some text.)
One fist shot out. She hit him with enough force blood spurted from his mouth. A knee in his stomach doubled him over, and with a thrust to the face, he fell....a knife sailed past his head and embedded into the tree...
"You've misjudged me from the beginning. Don't be so cocky. Underestimating your opponent will your downfall. I'm done playing your game. You made sure of that the moment you took my freedom from me....I'm forced to stay with you. Don't expect me to give over and let you toy with my emotions whenever you feel the need to exert your masculinity."
Whoo hoo! You go, girl!
And as always with a Suzie Grant book, there was a perfect blend of description/action/dialogue/telling/showing. Not too much, not too little. She always gives you exactly what you need to set a scene in your mind.
The ending has a twist I saw coming, but it doesn't end peachy and predictable. Nobody is coming out of this mess unscathed or unchanged... As I said above, too many male characters, not enough female hurt it for me, but that's a personal issue. LOL
I bought this on Amazon.
February 13, 2014
Strong is Sexy Heroine of the Week: Francesca Taymon
Book: Mangled HeartsAuthor: Felicia Tatum
Heroine: Francesca Taymon
Francesca Taymon of Mangled Hearts is a twenty five year old independent lawyer who has had her heart broken in many ways, but continues to live, hope, dream, and fulfill her wishes. Losing someone very important to her at a very young age made her rethink her life, her decisions, and question the only boy she ever loved.
She trusts her heart enough to learn the truth and finally let go of the past that haunts her. Being strong isn't burying it deep inside, it's facing your demons head on and fighting them. Her intelligence and ambition make Francesca incredibly sexy, though her large brown eyes and curvaceous body help. Francesca faces her problems head on, finding the answers she seeks and accomplishes more than she thought possible.
Blurb:Can two loves find their way back to each other despite an addiction and a hardened heart? Will their love overcome it all?Francesca Taymon is young, successful, and broken. A tragic accident years ago haunts her to this day, and she blames only one person--the one that holds her heart. When she finally gets her first case, will she be able to handle seeing him again? Can she do her job and keep her heart intact?
Cade Kelling doesn’t take life seriously. He’s reckless and irresponsible, drinking all his problems away. When his parents bail him out for the last time, will he be able to handle seeing Francesca after all of these years? Will he be able to tell her what really happened that night five years ago or will he lose her forever?
And the most important question….
Can these mangled hearts be mended?
Amazon UK B&N Smashwords Goodreads
February 12, 2014
The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
Truly a riveting read, drama at its near finest. I almost gave this a five.
A man is missing, possibly dead, and despite all the gangsters, lawyers, dirty detectives, newspaper reporters, this isn't loaded with testosterone, but estrogen. The mystery follows three different woman and what they see and how they all in their own ways, willingly or unwillingly, participated in the death/disappearance of a man who is...well, better off dead. LOL
Maria is the maid, who comes off as rather innocent, but surprisingly is not. She's paying for her husband's detective position.. Stella is the slighted wife. She seems to know more than she wants to, has to sit on a secret for 38 years. Ritzi...is a hard-to-like showgirl/woman of loose morals. She is dumb. I had a harder time with her, but have to admit her story adds a certain charm and ties things up. Like her or not, she's necessary. Her parts permit the reader to see the world of Broadway during this time period, what all a woman had to do to obtain stardom, the regrets.
So we see three different walks of life: the wealthy wife, the middle-class maid, the struggling starlet. The book does a superb job showing us the time period.
Everyone has their own dilemmas and the book keeps you guessing as to what's going to happen next and to who. I loved it, except for the jarring of time jumping. Most of the story occurs in a neat time frame, but at times, it suddenly jumps back from August 1930 to February 1930 or even in some cases, years before. I almost had to grab a pen and paper to keep track, especially at first, until I became accustomed.
I recommend it though. It would make an interesting gangster movie/tv show, somewhat like Mob City, but with more estrogen than testosterone.
LOL moment:
Reporter: "I need a name."Ritzi: "Just call me a source."Reporter: "I got sources coming out of my ass."Ritzi: "Sounds like a personal problem."
Guess maybe I liked Ritzi more than I thought. :)
I received this via Shelf Awareness and Netgalley.
A man is missing, possibly dead, and despite all the gangsters, lawyers, dirty detectives, newspaper reporters, this isn't loaded with testosterone, but estrogen. The mystery follows three different woman and what they see and how they all in their own ways, willingly or unwillingly, participated in the death/disappearance of a man who is...well, better off dead. LOLMaria is the maid, who comes off as rather innocent, but surprisingly is not. She's paying for her husband's detective position.. Stella is the slighted wife. She seems to know more than she wants to, has to sit on a secret for 38 years. Ritzi...is a hard-to-like showgirl/woman of loose morals. She is dumb. I had a harder time with her, but have to admit her story adds a certain charm and ties things up. Like her or not, she's necessary. Her parts permit the reader to see the world of Broadway during this time period, what all a woman had to do to obtain stardom, the regrets.
So we see three different walks of life: the wealthy wife, the middle-class maid, the struggling starlet. The book does a superb job showing us the time period.
Everyone has their own dilemmas and the book keeps you guessing as to what's going to happen next and to who. I loved it, except for the jarring of time jumping. Most of the story occurs in a neat time frame, but at times, it suddenly jumps back from August 1930 to February 1930 or even in some cases, years before. I almost had to grab a pen and paper to keep track, especially at first, until I became accustomed.
I recommend it though. It would make an interesting gangster movie/tv show, somewhat like Mob City, but with more estrogen than testosterone.
LOL moment:
Reporter: "I need a name."Ritzi: "Just call me a source."Reporter: "I got sources coming out of my ass."Ritzi: "Sounds like a personal problem."
Guess maybe I liked Ritzi more than I thought. :)
I received this via Shelf Awareness and Netgalley.
February 11, 2014
A Heroine on a Harley. Please Welcome Miriam Auerbach
From StockxchngMy series protagonist, Dirty Harriet, is a wisecracking, ass-kicking, Harley-riding private eye. Naturally, readers often ask if I’m a Harley rider myself. Afraid not. Or, more accurately, afraid to. While Harriet rides a motorcycle, I ride a bicycle. The kind with fat tires and a single speed. It tops out at about 10 mph as opposed to Harriet’s Harley Hugger’s max speed of 103 (which she has taken it to). And the dissimilarities between me and my lead character don’t end there. Harriet lives in a log cabin in the Everglades; I live in an air-conditioned house. In a gated community. Harriet does martial arts; I do ballet barre. Harriet shot and killed her abusive husband; I’ve shot and killed a beer can. 
From StockxchngSo what gives? Why did I give Harriet a Harley? Okay, here’s the thing. Jimmy Buffett said Margaritaville in not a place – it’s a state of mind. I say a Harley is not a thing – it’s a state of mind. A symbol: Strength. Freedom. Control. Self-reliance. Independence. Ingenuity. Courage. America. So while I’m outwardly living my reclusive, reticent writer’s life, the biker chick that resides within gives me the guts to meet life’s challenges head on. Like all women, I’ve had my share, from schoolyard bullying to divorce to bosses from hell to illness and loss. Now, when crap happens, I ask myself: what would Harriet do? And I always get my answer. She wouldn’t cower and cry – she’d face it and fight. And not only for herself or her loved ones. Harriet fights for the world’s dispossessed – those who haven’t been given a fair shake.
Harriet and her Hog didn’t spring out of nowhere, of course. When I was eighteen I met a Harley-riding preacher and spent the next 12 years of my life on the road with him (while also going to college, grad school, and supporting us financially, since he also happened to be chronically unemployed with addiction issues). So while that relationship was a rough ride, I did get plenty of insight into the Harley world and the Harley psyche. And I experienced what I call High on the Hog – that feeling of flow, of being in the zone, that altered state of mind that comes with hearing the repetitive rumble of a V-twin engine and seeing the road roll by under your feet. It’s when she’s in that altered state that Harriet is able to assemble the diverse clues that point to the killer she’s hunting in each of her cases.My hope for readers is that Harriet inspires them to channel their own inner biker babe. Here’s wishing you a Harley state of mind!
***
Miriam was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The first of many changes in her life occurred at age six, when she witnessed tanks rolling past her family’s home during the Soviet occupation of the country. Shortly thereafter, her family fled to the United States, taking her with them. She grew up in Denver, where she spent her high school and early college years studying diligently to become a particle physicist. However, during a brief stint at Los Alamos National Lab, she began to suspect that building nuclear weapons just might not be the best way to spend her life. Thus, at age twenty she rebelled and spent the next decade living on the fringes of the Harley biker world.In her thirties she returned to semi-conventional life, earning a Ph.D. in social work and becoming a university professor, publishing academic treatises under her real name of Miriam Potocky. She has found this to be a rewarding career, with the minor exception that one fine day she crashed headfirst into the glass ceiling of the ivory tower. Falling into a funk, she took to her bed to eat chocolates and watch old Dirty Harry movies. She didn’t get Harry’s appeal until she suddenly had a vision of him as a woman, and then it all made sense. Thus her debut novel, DIRTY HARRIET, was born. It won the 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best First Series Romance. Miriam can only guess that this is because the heroine kills her husband on page one.
DIRTY HARRIET and its sequel, DIRTY HARRIET RIDES AGAIN, were originally published by Harlequin and were reissued by Bell Bridge Books in 2013. The third in the series, DEAD IN BOCA, will be published by Bell Bridge in 2014.
Miriam lives in South Florida with her husband and their multicultural canines, a Welsh Corgi and a Brussels Griffon. She continues to profess by day and decompress by night by writing her next Dirty Harriet novel.
Miriam's website.
Read Book Babe's reviews here.
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February 10, 2014
Grace Elliot's Inspirational Heroines
Hello, I’m Grace and it seems I share a common interest with the Book Bake in that we both love strong heroines. Indeed, as an author of historical romance, it fascinates me how women strove to get what they wanted at a time when men dominated their world. Hundreds of years ago women had the same desires and hopes as we do today, and yet men conspired to keep them submissive and under the thumb. I love exploring how these women reacted and used whatever means they could to overcome prejudice and as a writer this can throw up some compelling dilemmas and wonderful storylines.
This doesn’t mean my heroines are strident feminists, more that they are realists with an instinct for survival. I’m an avid reader, as well as writer, but as a reader it struck me there is a lack of stories featuring working class heroines. I wanted to change this and in The Ringmaster’s Daughter, the romance features a working girl, Henrietta Hart. The book is set in the Georgian era when a woman’s best hope for leading a comfortable life was to snag a husband, and unmarried women were looked on as failures and housed by relatives out of charity.
From Stockxchng.com The setting for The Ringmaster’s Daughter is the Foxhall Gardens (the 18th century equivalent of an amusement park). Henrietta is the daughter of a circus ringmaster and a natural horsewoman, strong (both physically and mentally) and resourceful. When her father is taken ill she is determined to preserve their livelihood– and steps up into a man’s world. By placing Hetty in jeopardy, I wanted to stretch Hetty, to push her and see what she would and wouldn’t do to survive in an unfair world. Even as a talented performer, Hetty is under the control of men: from the manager, Mr Wolfson, to the duke who owns the horse she performs with. There is an irony, as Hetty tries to protect a man, her father, she becomes vulnerable to the manipulations of another…. I love history, but it’s salient to remember how hard and unsatisfying life could be – especially for women. As to whether Hetty succeeds in a man’s world without sacrificing her morals…well, you’ll have to read the book to find out.
***Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace lives near London and is housekeeping staff to five cats, two teenage sons, one husband and a bearded dragon. Grace believes that everyone needs romance in their lives as an antidote to the modern world. The Ringmaster’s Daughter is Grace’s fifth novel, and the first in a new series of Georgian romances.
***
1700s, London
The ringmaster’s daughter, Henrietta Hart, was born and raised around the stables of Foxhall Gardens. Now her father is gravely ill, and their livelihood in danger. The Harts' only hope is to convince Foxhall’s new manager, Mr Wolfson, to let Hetty wield the ringmaster’s whip. Hetty finds herself drawn to the arrogant Wolfson but, despite their mutual attraction, he gives her an ultimatum: entertain as never before – or leave Foxhall.When the winsome Hetty defies society and performs in breeches, Wolfson’s stony heart is in danger. Loath as he is to admit it, Hetty has a way with horses…and men. Her audacity and determination awaken emotions long since suppressed.
But Hetty’s success in the ring threatens her future when she attracts the eye of the lascivious Lord Fordyce. The duke is determined, by fair means or foul, to possess Hetty as his mistress – and, as Wolfson’s feelings for Henrietta grow, disaster looms.
Buy LinksAmazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I2650GS
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I2650GS
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/951338.Grace_Elliot
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February 8, 2014
My Reading Radar 2/8/2014
I came across this one while searching for suffragette stories. It's on my wishlist for sure:
Suffragette Autumn Women's Spring by Ian Porter.
This is the story of two Titanic survivors; a young crewwoman, Ruby, and an East End man, Nashey.
The story begins in spectacular, if shocking fashion, aboard the Titanic as it’s sinking. An important scene, which Ruby later realises was the genesis of her becoming a Suffragette, takes place in a lifeboat. Ruby and Nashey are left traumatised and horrified – not just by the disaster itself, but by the failures of the ship’s officers. Ruby is also profoundly affected by the misplaced trust in, and subservience to, these men.
Readers are then taken to New York, and on to Halifax, Nova Scotia, before the novel unfolds in Suffragette London, 1912-1914. Much of the story takes place within the militant struggle for Votes for Women, into which both main characters become drawn through different avenues. Ruby gets involved in Mrs Pankhurst’s WSPU, which sees her imprisoned, hunger-striking and being force-fed. Nashey is initially interested in social change rather than the vote – but a different Pankhurst working down in the East End impresses upon him that the former will follow the latter.
Through the five p’s – publicity stunts, protests, political speeches, prison torture and police tactics – we see the lengths to which the women and government went to ensure they would prevail. A main character then questions the direction the movement is taking. But out of this apparent Suffragette autumn comes a women’s spring…
***
Spotted on NG. (Sure do like the AU cover better, the pink one) On my wishlist.
The Pink Suit by Nicole Mary Kelby. I not only love the suit, but I've long been interested in a historical novel featuring Jaqueline.
A novel based on the true story behind Jacqueline Kennedy's iconic pink suit.
On November 22, 1963, the First Lady accompanied her husband to Dallas, Texas, dressed in a pink Chanel-style suit that was his favorite. Much of her wardrobe, including the pink suit, came from the New York boutique Chez Ninon, where a young seamstress, an Irish immigrant named Kate, worked behind the scenes to meticulously craft the memorable outfits.
While the two women never met, Kate knew every tuck and pleat of the First Lady's polished, perfect image. When the pink suit Kate created becomes iconic for all the wrong reasons, her already fragile world--divided between the excess and artistry of Chez Ninon and the traditional values of her insular neighborhood--threatens to rip apart.
The Pink Suit is the unforgettable story of an ordinary young woman with extraordinary access to glamour and fashion, living in an America on the brink of transformation.
Suffragette Autumn Women's Spring by Ian Porter.This is the story of two Titanic survivors; a young crewwoman, Ruby, and an East End man, Nashey.
The story begins in spectacular, if shocking fashion, aboard the Titanic as it’s sinking. An important scene, which Ruby later realises was the genesis of her becoming a Suffragette, takes place in a lifeboat. Ruby and Nashey are left traumatised and horrified – not just by the disaster itself, but by the failures of the ship’s officers. Ruby is also profoundly affected by the misplaced trust in, and subservience to, these men.
Readers are then taken to New York, and on to Halifax, Nova Scotia, before the novel unfolds in Suffragette London, 1912-1914. Much of the story takes place within the militant struggle for Votes for Women, into which both main characters become drawn through different avenues. Ruby gets involved in Mrs Pankhurst’s WSPU, which sees her imprisoned, hunger-striking and being force-fed. Nashey is initially interested in social change rather than the vote – but a different Pankhurst working down in the East End impresses upon him that the former will follow the latter.
Through the five p’s – publicity stunts, protests, political speeches, prison torture and police tactics – we see the lengths to which the women and government went to ensure they would prevail. A main character then questions the direction the movement is taking. But out of this apparent Suffragette autumn comes a women’s spring…
***
Spotted on NG. (Sure do like the AU cover better, the pink one) On my wishlist.
The Pink Suit by Nicole Mary Kelby. I not only love the suit, but I've long been interested in a historical novel featuring Jaqueline. 
A novel based on the true story behind Jacqueline Kennedy's iconic pink suit.On November 22, 1963, the First Lady accompanied her husband to Dallas, Texas, dressed in a pink Chanel-style suit that was his favorite. Much of her wardrobe, including the pink suit, came from the New York boutique Chez Ninon, where a young seamstress, an Irish immigrant named Kate, worked behind the scenes to meticulously craft the memorable outfits.
While the two women never met, Kate knew every tuck and pleat of the First Lady's polished, perfect image. When the pink suit Kate created becomes iconic for all the wrong reasons, her already fragile world--divided between the excess and artistry of Chez Ninon and the traditional values of her insular neighborhood--threatens to rip apart.
The Pink Suit is the unforgettable story of an ordinary young woman with extraordinary access to glamour and fashion, living in an America on the brink of transformation.
February 7, 2014
You might be a Glistening If…. Guest Post from Jill Cooper #Giveaway Included
Glistenings are the oppressed race of people in the dystopian universe of Glistening Haven. In Glistening Rebellion, some have broken free from living in encampment cities and are on the run for their lives. Some want to live simple lives while others will not rest until the rules change. Until all glistenings have the same rights as humans.
And there are even other Glistenings that wish to see humans imprisoned or dead.
Heroes or villains it’s not my job to say. It’s up to you, humble reader.
If your skin glows and you haven’t gained a wrinkleIn the spirit in their guest for freedom, here’s a checklist on what make you a glistening, Jeff Foxworthy style:· If the thought of a sock hop makes you more excited than the next episode of Walking Dead, you might be a glistening.
· If all those zombies eating human flesh on the Walking Dead, makes you jealous and incredibly hungry, you might be a glistening.
· If you’re torn between the latest Justin Timberlake CD and that old Chuck Berry 45 record, you might be a glistening.· If your skin glows and you haven’t gained a wrinkle even though you’re sixty years old, you might be a glistening.
And my favorites:
· If you’re on the run for your life, lying to your neighbors, and hunted by the government. You might be a glistening.
If you’re on the run for your life...If you’re wearing a mind- controlling harness that strips you of all personality and free will, leaving you a docile prisoner...
Misunderstood species or murderous animals? Where were your loyalties lie? Your loyalties may shift over the course of Glistening Haven and Glistening Rebellion several times. Hit the comments and let me know where you think you’ll fall.
Blurb:In Glistening Haven, Jenna Morgan fought to uncover a government conspiracy. In Glistening Rebellion, she fights for her life.
New Haven 57 is opening for business—bigger landscape, nicer homes, and tougher reconditioning techniques that will make resistant glistenings docile.
A caravan of glistenings from overcrowded concentration camps are enroot to their new home. For Jenna Morgan it’s the final job before she retires forever to a happy low key life. When the escape glistenings from New Haven 56 attack, a simple transportation job turns into life or death.
Jenna does the unspeakable and is pulled back into a fight she wants no part of. With an assassin on her tail, her loyalties are questioned. She will need to decide once and for all, which side she’s on as she teeters on the brink of full out war.
***
Author of the YA Dream Slayer series, Jill loves to blend horror, comedy, the supernatural, and love, through her novels. A fan of genre blending, her work strives to cross boundries, but most of all strives to entertain.She loves soft cuddly cats, warm blankets, and paranormal romances.Jill resides in Massachusetts, is constantly renovating her home that she shares with her husband, young daughter, and two skittish cats.
Follow Jill on Twitter | Facebook | Website
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February 6, 2014
Strong is Sexy Heroine of the Week: Fallon O'Shea
Book: In Too DeepAuthor: Brandy L. Rivers
Heroine: Fallon O'Shea
Fallon O'Shea is an independent woman who won't take shit from anyone. She's a druid who never fit in with her kind and a tattoo artist. She has more tattoos than most. Submission isn't in her vocabulary. Fallon is loyal, she puts others first, and she kicks some serious ass.
When In Too Deep starts, she's on her Harley driving as far away from her cheating ex as she can get. She's done, and killing Isaac didn't seem like a smart move so she simply moved on. She crashes into a werewolf who was already torn up. Unable to leave him broken and bleeding, Fallon stops to heal him, and then quickly kills the vampires. She finds herself stuck in Edenton, and in the middle of a big mess, but she's more than happy to help clean it up.
Yes, she's beautiful, but she doesn't care about that. I love that she doesn't hold her tongue for anyone, she tells it like it is. She has no problem putting anyone in their place if they need it, but she's smart about it. She's fearless and willing to step up to the plate to keep everyone safe, often putting herself in danger, but she can more than handle herself.
Blurb: Brody is a talented motorcycle mechanic and werewolf stuck in his painful past. On yet another depressing night, he is viciously attacked by vampires.
Fallon is a brilliant tattoo artist with inherent magic. Tired of men and their games, she climbs onto her Harley and leaves her old life behind.
Running for his life, Brody crashes into Fallon and sparks fly. She ends up stranded in the Northwest with her ride out of commission.
With no ride and nowhere to go, Fallon allows her best friend to convince her to stay in Brody’s apartment. He’s determined to claim her heart and keep her safe from the shadows in her past. Fallon prides herself on her independence and would rather keep him safe, even from herself.
With the impending danger from the group of vampires and dark mages, they will have to work together. The closer they get, the harder it is for her to fight her attraction.
Be prepared for monsters, magic and lots of ink.
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Available in paperback at Amazon http://amzn.to/18BdF6y
