Blog Tour: The Search by Michael L. Ross

Posted on February 16, 2021 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, Coffee Pot Book Club, historical fiction

Title: The Search (Across the Great Divide, Book II)

Author: Michael L. Ross

Genre: Historical Fiction

Blurb:

Where do you go when home is no longer an option?

The guns of the Civil War have ceased firing, and the shots are but an echo… yet the war rages on, deep inside Will Crump’s soul. His “soldier’s heart” is searching for peace, and in that quest Will joins the westward movement, setting his path on a collision course with adventure, loss, and love.

The Westward Expansion floods the sacred, untouched lands with immigrants, bringing conflict to the Shoshone, Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. Amidst the chaos Will finds safety in the shadow of the US Army, but the army brings battle-hardened troops into Red Cloud’s War, pulling Will into a tornado of conflict. Broken treaties and promises leave both sides searching for answers. Will’s search leads him to a battle for survival, and there he finds a love that could change him forever.

Dove, a young Shoshone woman, is a survivor of the Bear Creek Massacre. After being kidnapped and escaping from the Cheyenne, she joins Will’s search, seeking where she belongs. Dove longs for more than the restricted role placed on women in her tribe. If she can learn to trust a white man, he just might help her find home… and hope.

Together, Will and Dove must search for understanding, and reach Across the Great Divide.

Buy Links:
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU • Barnes and Noble • Kobo

Review:

I immensely enjoyed this novel, even though I’ve not read the first one in the series (something I’m going to have to remedy). As an author of historical fiction set around the American Civil War as well, I fully appreciated the discussion of how early PTSD in soldiers was treated, and how the men suffering often had to cope by simply escaping. I loved Dove’s character, and felt she was a necessary part of Will’s journey, as well as providing pertinent parallels to modern day prejudices. I look forward to reading more by Michael Ross!

About the Author:

Best-selling author Michael Ross is a lover of history and great stories. He’s a retired software engineer turned author, with three children and five grandchildren, living in Newton, Kansas with his wife of forty years. He was born in Lubbock, Texas, and still loves Texas. The main character of “Across the Great Divide”, William Dorsey Crump, is one of the founders of Lubbock and Shallowater, Texas. Michael knew Will’s granddaughter when he was a child. He has written a scholarly article on Will Crump for the Texas Historical Society, published in the Handbook of Texas Online, and has sold short stories in the past. This is his first novel and the first in the Across the Great Divide series, now an Amazon bestseller.
Michael attended Rice University as an undergraduate, and Portland State University for his graduate degree. He has degrees in computer science, software engineering, and German. In his spare time, Michael loves to go fishing, riding horses, and play with his grandchildren, who are currently all under six years old.

He sees many parallels between the time of the Civil War and our divided nation of today. Sanctuary cities, immigration, arguments around the holiday table, threats of secession – all are nothing new. Sometimes, to understand the present, you have to look at the past- and reach Across the Great Divide.

Social Media Links:

Website • Blog • Newsletter sign up • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • LinkedIn

Blog Tour: The Salty Rose by Beth M. Caruso

Posted on January 24, 2021 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, historical fiction

Title: The Salty Rose

Author: Beth M. Caruso

Genre: Historical Fiction

Blurb:

Marie du Trieux, a tavern keeper with a salty tongue and a heart of gold, struggles as she navigates love and loss, Native wars, and possible banishment by authorities in the unruly trading port of New Amsterdam, an outpost of the Dutch West India Company.

In New England, John Tinker, merchant and assistant to a renowned alchemist and eventual leader of Connecticut Colony, must come to terms with a family tragedy of dark proportions, all the while supporting his mentor’s secret quest to find the Northwest Passage, a desired trading route purported to mystically unite the East with the West.

As the lives of Marie and John become intertwined through friendship and trade, a search for justice of a Dutch woman accused of witchcraft in Hartford puts them on a collision course affecting not only their own destinies but also the fate of colonial America.

Excerpt:

The Director General slammed the gavel down with the harsh thud of an ending.

“Marie du Trieux, you are hereby banished from New Netherland forever!” he said.

As I held on to the railing of a departing schooner, I remembered the jarring finality of those stark words against me. Looking back one last time at my town, a little place in the wilderness that had grown up with me—I longed to stay in the home where I gave birth to all my children, the location of my loves and of my losses.

This is the best place to begin recounting the story of how I played a part in the transition from Dutch New Amsterdam to English New York, my dear granddaughter.

I suppose the English will have their own tales to tell about the events that transpired but I want you to know my personal and secret version of the history of my beloved city before I am gone.

Having left New Amsterdam for the first time on that cold winter day in 1664, I felt unsettled, not quite believing that the time for my departure had finally come. Where had the time gone? How quickly had it passed? It had been nearly forty years since I first set foot on the shores of Manhattan with my mother, father, and little brother.

The view from our vessel, The Morning Star, was unrecognizable from the one my family saw many decades earlier. We had arrived to nothing but marsh, forest, and a few Indian canoes that approached our ship in greeting and curiosity. It’s easy to recall my excitement as a young girl of flowing dark hair seeing the Natives for the first time when we reached these shores many years ago.

But at the point of my expulsion, I wasn’t an adventurous, naïve child anymore. A mature and defiant woman who had faced her share of hardship and disappointment had taken her place. The Council of New Netherland and Director General Stuyvesant had told me they were finished with my repeated offenses and had given the order for banishment. I’d been in trouble with the authorities far too often they said. They’d insisted that my tavern be closed.

“So this is how it must end,” I uttered in disbelief to my son Pierre, your uncle, as we huddled together on deck.

About the Author:

Award-winning author, Beth M. Caruso, is passionate to discover and convey important and interesting stories of women from earlier times. She recently won the literary prize in Genre Fiction (2020) from IPNE (Independent Publishers of New England) for her most recent novel The Salty Rose: Alchemists, Witches & A Tapper In New Amsterdam (2019). The Salty Rose is Beth’s second historical novel and explores alchemy in early colonial times, an insider’s view of the takeover of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, and the Hartford Witch Panic with information she gathered from previous and ongoing research. Beth’s first historical novel is One of Windsor: The Untold Story of America’s First Witch Hanging (2015), a novel that tells the tale of Alice ‘Alse’ Young and the beginnings of the colonial witch trials. She based the story on original research she did by exploring early primary sources such as early Windsor land records, vital statistics, and other documents. She lives in Connecticut with her family. Beth kayaks and gardens to unwind.

Website: http://www.oneofwindsor.com

Email: oneofwindsor@yahoo.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/oneofwindsor

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Salty-Rose-Alchemists-Witches-Amsterdam/dp/1733373802

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-salty-rose-beth-m-caruso/1133991342

Beth M. Caruso will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Blog Tour: A Lightness in My Soul by Annette Oppenlander

Posted on January 24, 2021 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, historical fiction

Title: A Lightness in My Soul

Author: Annette Oppenlander

Genre: Historical biographical

Blurb:

Inspired by the incredible true story of a German teen taken prisoner at the end of WWII, determined to survive and to reunite with his mother – A Lightness in My Soul is a tribute to the triumph of hope and redemption against all odds.

Germany, October 2019: In a car repair shop an elderly man waits next to a woman. They begin to talk about the Great War, when he was just a teen. He tells her a story, one he has never shared—his own.

Bavaria, April 1945: For the last two years, fifteen-year old Arthur and his classmates have lived in a youth camp. Far from home and allied bombs they spend their days with lessons, hikes, play fights and helping local farmers harvest ever decreasing crops. They have been told that the war will be over soon and that they’ll return home to a victorious Germany.

When the U.S. Army marches into camp, they are arrested and taken to the just liberated Dachau concentration camp. Everything they ever believed turns out to be false. They were lied to… not only has Germany lost the war, what they find is monstrous. But being a prisoner is only the beginning of their ordeal…

Review:

A heartwarming, short novella based on a true story, A Lightness in my Soul takes the reader to the opposite side of WWII, through the eyes of a young man sent to a Hitler Youth camp in the closing years of the war. I loved this short snippet of Arthur’s life. There was no shying away from the evil realities of the Holocaust, and how some did not know what was going on right under their own noses. I would love to see this expanded out into a full novel, but the emotional impact gained by this format was enough to create a lasting impression.

Excerpt:

The Hitler Youth ran the camp, and even Herr Wagner had to follow their orders. He was pretty strict, a tall, skinny guy with a stern mouth, his hair short and stubbly with graying temples. He’d look at you with those deep-set eyes and you’d shut up. But the camp leader, a fellow named Steinmann, outdid him by far. He didn’t even have to look to get his point across. When he showed up we all hushed, including our teacher.

How he did it, I don’t know. He wasn’t even particularly tall; in fact, most of us towered over him. But that didn’t seem to stop him from doling out punishment when he saw fit. And that was daily. His favorite was marching and standing at salute for hours at a time.

Half of Steinmann’s face was burned, leaving a pockmarked, scarred landscape that was rumored to be a war wound he’d suffered in one of the early battles in Poland. It made his face lopsided, having obliterated his right brow altogether. They say our eyes are windows into the soul, and that was the first time I believed it: Steinmann’s eyes were a metallic gray, cold and distant, and a little bit dead.

About the Author:

Annette Oppenlander is an award-winning writer, literary coach and educator. As a bestselling historical novelist, Oppenlander is known for her authentic characters and stories based on true events, coming alive in well-researched settings. Having lived in Germany the first half of her life and the second half in various parts in the U.S., Oppenlander inspires readers by illuminating story questions as relevant today as they were in the past.

Oppenlander’s bestselling true WWII story, Surviving the Fatherland, received multiple nominations/awards. The recently translated German version received the silver Skoutz Award 2020. Uniquely, Oppenlander weaves actual historical figures and events into her plots, giving readers a flavor of true history while enjoying a good story.

Oppenlander shares her knowledge through writing workshops at colleges, libraries, festivals and schools. She also offers vivid presentations and author visits. The mother of fraternal twins and a son, she recently returned to her home, Solingen, Germany where she lives with her husband.

Contact:

Website: http://www.annetteoppenlander.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aoppenlander

Pinterest: annoppenlander

Blog: http://www.annetteoppenlander.com/blog/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Annette-Oppenlander/e/B00W8QRTJ4/

Email: annette.oppenlander@yahoo.com

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lightness-My-Soul-Inspired-Story-ebook/dp/B08KS9RGRQ/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/de/en/ebook/a-lightness-in-my-soul

Apple iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-lightness-in-my-soul/id1538221421

Giveaway: Annette Oppenlander will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Blog Tour: I Know You, Don’t I? by Bethany Askew

Posted on December 10, 2020 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, Women's Fiction

Title: I Know You, Don’t I?

Author: Bethany Askew

Genre: Women’s Fiction / General

Blurb: When Carly Spurway is mistaken for old school friend Caroline Westminster, she has the chance to re-invent her life.

As the lines between fantasy and reality become blurred, the web of deceit Carly weaves around herself for protection threatens instead to trap her.

But what has happened in her past to make Carly want to escape? And is Caroline’s life as perfect as Carly thinks it is?

This story explores how well we really know the people we have relationships with; the different versions of the truth we tell ourselves and others; and the impact of the past on the present.

Review:

A tale of the grass is always greener, Carly believes the life of former classmate, Caroline, is better than her own, after seeing her Facebook photographs. Little does she know, appearances can be deceiving. I very much enjoyed this exploration of how we perceive others through the stories we tell on social media. It’s a stark reminder that not everyone has an easy ride through life, and coming to terms with who we really are is better than pretending to be someone we’re not.

Excerpt:

“I know you, don’t I?”

“No,” she says, “you must be mistaken…”

“Caroline,” he says firmly. “Caroline Westminster…”

She shakes her head but he’s seen the flash of recognition in her eyes.

“I used to teach you,” he says. “At East Devon College. Maths. You were very good…”

He’s older, of course. His hair is greying and there are laughter lines around his eyes, but there’s no mistaking him. This is her moment to correct him.

“I’m not Caroline,” she should say. “I’m Carly. Carly Spurway.” but the moment’s gone and she finds herself shaking hands with him automatically. “Mr. Exton…” she says politely.

“Mark, please.” He laughs. “What’re you doing here?”

She glances around at the pictures on the walls.

“Not here, literally.” He laughs again and she can see now that he’s a bit nervous. “I mean, here in Taunton?”

“I live here. Well, only just. I’ve been here a few weeks. You?”

“Oh, we’ve been here for years. I’m teaching at Wyvern’s now. The sixth form college.”

The ‘we’ isn’t lost on her. Married, obviously. Well, of course, he would be by now. He must be, what, early forties? He was probably only a few years older than them when they were in the sixth form, though he seemed so much more mature, not long out of university; the good-looking Maths teacher that all the girls fancied and all the boys wanted to emulate. He’s still good-looking, despite the slightly greying hair. More confident now, though. Slim, athletic-looking. Clearly he looks after himself. He senses her examining him and his dark eyes hold hers. Embarrassed, she looks back at the painting.

Someone pushes past them, jogging his elbow so that his red wine spills slightly over the back of his hand. He bends his head to lick it off and says, “It’s getting crowded in here. Why don’t we go through to the bar?”

“I’ve got to go,” she says quickly, glancing at her watch for authenticity.

“Oh, please,” he says. “Just a few minutes. I don’t often bump into former students. You’ve all moved away…”

She knows she shouldn’t. This goes against everything she’s moved here for. But he doesn’t know who she is. He thinks she’s someone else. She doesn’t have to see him again.

About the Author:

Bethany Askew is the author of six novels: The Time Before, The World Within, Out of Step, Counting the Days, Poppy’s Seed and I know you, don’t I?

She has also written a short story, The Night of the Storm.

Bethany likes to write about women’s lives and is particularly interested in their role in society, their positions as wife and mother and the impact of marriage, children and divorce on family dynamics.

Bethany was born and brought up in Somerset and has lived there all her life. A Dispensing Optician by profession, she was able to fulfil her lifelong ambition to be a writer when she retired from employed work seven years ago. She is married and has four grown-up children and six grandchildren.

Links:

www.bethanyaskew.co.uk

www.onactiveservice.co.uk

Facebook: Bethany Askew Novelist

Twitter: @AskewBethany

Publisher’s Author Page: https://www.wallacepublishing.co.uk/bethany-askew.html

Amazon UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Know-You-Dont/dp/1999613678/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Bethany+Askew&qid=1603832764&sr=8-1

Amazon USA

https://www.amazon.com/I-Know-You-Dont-ebook/dp/B08KQGX83X/

Barnes and Noble:

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-know-you-dont-i-bethany-askew/1137848773

Blackwells UK:

https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/I-Know-You-Dont-I-by-Bethany-Askew-author/9781999613679

Andersons USA,

https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781999613679

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

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Blog Tour: A Song for Another Day by Maria Imbalzano

Posted on December 8, 2020 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, review

Title: A Song for Another Day

Author: Maria Imbalzano

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb: Gigi Jenson, an up-and-coming Broadway star, finds herself in Willow Springs, Vermont, for the summer as director of their first annual community revue. This sleepy town is worlds away from her vibrant and beloved New York City, but the experience she’ll gain will be invaluable to her career.

Jason Simmons has lived in Willow Springs his entire life. Working several jobs while writing music, he yearns for a contract to record his songs. The one chance he had to make it in Nashville he blew due to stage fright.

When Jason volunteers to help Gigi with the revue, sparks ignite but their dreams are taking them in different directions. Will their love for each other ever guide them to the same path?

Review:

A Song for Another Day is what I would class as a mildly steam contemporary romance. I really liked Jason’s character, as it was nice to read a non-alpha male, who has some notable flaws. Gigi was fun and I related to her desire to act and dance as opposed to following her parents into entertainment law.

I have a few more points to make, but they would spoiler some parts of the novel, so I’ve made them over on Goodreads, where I can hide the review. Again, they didn’t really ruin my enjoyment of the novel, but they were points I did find lacking.

Excerpt:

“Are you ready to run screaming back to the city?”

Jason’s voice curled around her from the left, and she turned to see him planted on a bench beneath an old oak tree, his long jeans-clad legs stretched before him, arms snaked over the wooden back, as if to hold him up. He was too attractive for her own good.

She strode over to him. “So you think I’m a lightweight? That I can’t handle a hundred forty-nine participants in a community revue?”

The lazy grin on his mouth did funny things to her insides, and she couldn’t contain her growing smile.

“Once you shed your glossy outer layer, you’ll fit in better. People will warm up to you.”

She lost the smile. “People here don’t like me?”

“I didn’t say that. I just heard some comments around town today that they were looking for this revue to be fun. But the city woman in charge was all business, focusing on commitments and rules.”

She straightened her spine and clenched her jaw. “How can we have a successful revue if the townspeople don’t hear from me that their commitment to rehearsals is key, especially since we’re throwing them together to do something they’ve never done before?”

His eyes sparkled with amusement. “I’m just suggesting that you tone it down a notch. Make it fun. Exciting. The participants are already committed.” He unfolded his long, lean body from the bench and stood. “And get rid of the suit and heels.”

He ambled away, heading toward Main Street.

And here she’d been thinking Jason might be as attracted to her as she was to him.

Clearly, she needed to stop thinking.

About the Author:

Maria Imbalzano is a retired matrimonial lawyer who now writes full time. Instead of drafting motions, legal memoranda, and briefs, although fascinating, she now spends her days creating memorable characters and taking them on their emotional journeys through her contemporary romance novels.

In addition to writing fiction, Maria is on the Friends of Thomas Edison State University Foundation Committee and is still involved with Dress for Success Central Jersey, having been a founding Board member. She also serves on the finance committee for The Present Day Club. She has received the distinguished Family of Edison Award for her work with The Thomas Edison State University Foundation, the Iron Mike Professional Achievement Award from Trenton Catholic Academy and was inducted into the Italian American National Hall of Fame.

Her novel, “Unchained Memories,” won the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers’ Award and the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award. “Sworn to Forget,” the first of the four-book Sworn Sisters Series was a finalist for the illustrious RONE award as well as the Book Buyers Best Award.

Visit Maria at http://www.mariaimbalzano.com

https://www.facebook.com/mariaimbalzanoauthor

https://twitter.com/MariaImbalzano

Giveaway!

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Blog Tour: Impeachment by Mark Spivak

Posted on November 12, 2020 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, Thriller

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mark Spivak will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A pair of billionaire brothers with unlimited resources, a secret agenda, and no accountability.

Mysterious “peace-keeping forces” that materialize out of nowhere.

Detention camps on the U.S.-Mexican border.

Bungled assassination attempts with untraceable origins.

A reactive Congress, lobbyists bought and paid for, and upheavals at the highest levels of government.

How was it all engineered, and could it happen tomorrow?

Is it fiction or uncomfortable reality?

Read an Excerpt

The President spread aerial photos of the detention camps on the desk.

“Did your kids ever go to summer camp?” .

“A long time ago, yes.” .

“Well, mine did too. And when I look at these pictures, there are a number of things missing. There’s no baseball diamond. There’s no soccer field or archery range. There’s no swimming pool. These aren’t supposed to be summer camps, Curt. And you don’t need to be a G-man to figure that out.” .

“Of course they’re not. With all due respect, sir, I’ve been around politics longer than you have. And there’s obviously a pattern here. There’s some connection between the Angels of Democracy and whoever built these camps.” .

“Agreed. But since nobody can tell me what it is, it really doesn’t matter.” .

“Well, there’s that study commissioned by the Democratic National Committee that establishes a link between the Angels of Democracy and the Hafts.” .

“I’ve read it. But it doesn’t connect the dots between the Hafts, the Angels and whoever built the camps.” .

“This whole immigration operation was planned by someone, and it cost a huge amount of money. It had to be backed by somebody like the Haft brothers. No one else would have the resources to do it.” .

About the Author

Mark Spivak is an award-winning writer specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. He’s the author of Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History and Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle. His first novel, Friend of the Devil, tells the story of America’s most celebrated chef who has cut a deal with Satan for fame and fortune.

Mark is also a political junkie who loves turning his fascination with the seamy underbelly of the American political system into taut, page-turning thrillers. The American Crusade, the story of a devastating terrorist attack and the government’s response, was published in April 2019; Impeachment, a tale of two billionaire brothers who manipulate that system for their own ends, is a sequel that also stands alone as an unusual and compelling story.

Website: https://markspivakbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.spivak.3
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/eatdrinkjourney

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HR1CF8B
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/impeachment-mark-spivak/1137054375.

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Blog Tour: Trickster’s Law by Sofia Aves

Posted on October 30, 2020 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, Fantasy

Trickster’s Law

Not So…Evil Book 4

by Sofia Aves

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Dark Fantasy

A child isn’t born evil…is he?

Mischiefmaker, silver tongue, trickster… Mayhem follows Loki throughout the nine realms, earning him a reputation as a bringer of chaos. But there is more to Loki than mortals see, and life is boring for an immortal when no one really gets him.

A little mischief is harmless in the hands of a god, right?

Companion to Odin and Thor but shunned by the Norse gods of the Ӕsir, Loki still seeks their acceptance. No matter how many times he saves their supreme backsides, his every effort ends with a death threat casually tossed in his direction.

Increasing his attempts to impress the Ӕsir, Loki tires of their constant disdain despite his successes in their impossible challenges. So, he turns to what he does best: chaos.

Follow the trickster god Loki through the perfectly normal life of a disillusioned god, and find out what makes him NOT SO…EVIL.

This book is a stand-alone read, a chronicle of Loki’s mischief and love in this collection of NOT SO…EVIL origin stories.

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Books2Read

tricksterslaw - my review
fourstars

A novel that brings new light to what we know about the trickster Norse god, Loki, Sofia Aves gives us an almost sympathetic main character based off the actual Norse lore of the time. Well worth the read for mythology fans.

Sofia is a romantic suspense author from Brisbane, Australia. She started writing romance when she couldn’t find the books she wanted on the shelves in her local bookstore and became addicted to storytelling. She exists on a diet of coffee and champagne and routinely kills her collection of tortured orchids.

Facebook * FB Group * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Blog Tour: Sannah by Miriam Newman

Posted on October 20, 2020 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, historical fiction, historical romance

Title: Sannah

Author: Miriam Newman

Genre: Ancient times historical romance

Blurb:

Barely more than a girl, Sannah is taken by a man who is both warrior and shaman in a winter raid on her Stone Age camp. But Memmet believes the spirits have given her to him and he will keep her at any cost.

Two strong people must find the reason they have been brought together, because lives depend upon it.

Review:

Having not read many Ancient historical romance novels, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with Sannah, but the cover intrigued me. I had enjoyed historical novels set during the Egyptian, Greek and Roman times, so I decided it would stand to reason, a book set in Ancient times wouldn’t be much different. I was very surprised at how much I did enjoy Sannah, especially the tribal dynamic.

The time period was, however, hard for me to pinpoint and that was probably the only criticism I had for the novel. From the cover, I did expect Middle East, yet still, I wasn’t really sure where the setting was.

However, this did not diminish my reading experience as the descriptions of the characters as well as the setting were enough to keep me drawn into the story. I appreciated the character development and the underlying theme of survival. I would be keen to read more from this author in the future.

Excerpt:

Stumbling through snow, she looked up at the man above her, trying to deduce what sort of monster had taken her. Not much was visible amid the hooded bearskin except the craggy profile of a man not as young as their young hunters but much younger than Jodiah. There were two diagonal scars beneath his eyes, too symmetrical to have been caused by injury, and a strip of thumb printed blue paint in a line from the bridge of his nose to his hairline. Unlike the men of her clan, he had no beard, though shaggy dark hair stuck out at places beneath his hood. He looked savage and alien.

He was more sun-browned than her men—not one of the fair mountain tribes. Those tribes did not often stray from their mountain camps, anyway, and had no horses. This rider was something different. His language was not far removed from hers, since she had been able to understand him. But he didn’t say a word or look at her except to slow his horse slightly when she stumbled.

That was a more frequent occurrence as biting cold sliced through her hide shoes, even though the fur had been turned to the inside. Her feet grew cold, then burning hot, then numb as she faltered beside the horse down the slope that led to the lowlands. Her hands quickly lost all feeling and her breath came hard, then in panting gasps, and apparently he finally heard that.

He stopped his horse, calling to the others, who did the same, granting their captives a precious moment of respite. Sannah stood, ribs heaving, starting in terror as he dropped down from his horse. He would cut her throat if she could not keep up, and though perhaps in a way it was a better, she had the instinctive fear of death and jumped back from him.

“No,” he said—just that. Short, sharp, an unmistakable command. She froze and he reached for her, one hand gripping the back of her wrap, the other around her leg. Lifting her easily, he pushed her on top of the horse and forward, almost over its shoulders. “Move.”

Feeling like she would topple off at any moment, she did her best to comply as he mounted behind her. Reaching around, pinning her with his arms, he picked up the reins, clucking to the horse. She gasped in alarm and clutched its mane as best she could as it began to walk, but there was nowhere she could go. She would not fall as long as he held her.

Her feet hung down along the warmth of the heavy-coated horse just as her hands rested on its neck, and eventually she regained some feeling there, but the rest of her was frozen. As the horse plodded solidly on, followed by the others, the man behind her opened his bearskin, wrapping it around her, sharing its heat.

But he was an enemy. He might speak to her or not, might kill her or not, might rape her or not. Silently, trying not to let him hear, she sobbed in despair.

He lifted one hand from his reins, pushing it inside her hood, his hand cupping her face.

“Be quiet,” he said. “No one will hurt you.”

She was too shocked to move, but she did stop crying because tears were freezing on her cheeks.

Saying nothing more, he rode on.

About the Author:

Fantasy poetry driven by myths and legends has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I was published in poetry before catching the romance writing bug. I bring that background to my writing along with a lifelong addiction to horses, an 18 year career in various areas of psychiatric social services and many trips to Ireland, where I nurture my muse. My published works range from contemporary fantasy romance to fantasy historical, futuristic, science fiction and historical romance. Currently I live in rural Pennsylvania with a “motley crew” of rescue animals. You can see my books at http://www.miriamnewman.com.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://miriamnewman.com

Website: http://thedarkcastlelords.net

Blog: http://miriamnewman.com/blog

Blog: http://thecelticroseblog.blogspot.com

Email: mrmireland@aol.com

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

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/miriamnewman

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/miriam-newman-cf7ca8bf-caab-4b7e-a6f2-7dbtr90d9215

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3146550.Miriam_Newman

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Miriam-Newman/e/B005DBFZUG

SANNAH Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CSX2HSB

Giveaway:

Miriam Newman will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Blog Tour: A Prayer for the Broken by Mark Tilbury

Posted on October 9, 2020 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, Thriller

I am so pleased I was asked to host as a part of this blog tour for Mark’s release! As many of you know, I’ve been a fan for some time, and oh boy, this one does not disappoint. I honestly think it is his best so far, right next to Abattoir of Dreams. In any case, without further ado…A Prayer for the Broken!

55038004._sy475_ Title: A Prayer for the Broken

Author: Mark Tilbury

Genre: Thriller

Blurb: When eleven-year-old John McCormack’s mother is murdered, he is placed in the care of Pastor Ian Stone and his family. Clearwater House is a far cry from the squalid flats he’s been used to, but John soon learns that Pastor Stone’s perverted form of religion is anything but compassionate. As Stone attempts to purify John’s soul of “dangerous levels of toxicity”, it becomes increasingly clear he’s at the mercy of a madman.

Who can John talk to when no one wants to listen?
Who can he trust when all he knows is betrayal?

A Prayer for the Broken is the story of one child’s desperate fight to escape a sadistic killer who has complete control over him.

Review:

It is with no massive surprised that a Tilbury novel hits the five star mark (no pun intended) for me. However, if I could award higher than five stars for this brilliant thriller, I would. No, I’m not gushing (okay, maybe a little). From the first page, I was hooked, unable to extract myself from the bath (yes, I read in the bath) until I finished every last page. By the end, I was shaking, terrified, hopeful, and found myself thinking about the book long after it had finished. This is, without a doubt, one of my top two Tilbury novels to date. Hear that, Mark? You’re challenged to utterly FLOOR me next time. Five enthusiastic stars from this reader!

About the Author (haha, I still have your picture saved):

Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised. After being widowed and raising his two daughters, Mark finally took the plunge and self-published two books on Amazon, The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused.

He’s always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have had seven novels published by Bloodhound Books. Now self-publishing, Mark has published The Last One To See Her and his most recent book, A Prayer For The Broken. When he’s not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking.

Social media links:

Website: http://www.marktilbury.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marktilburyauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MTilburyAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marktilburyauthor/

Blog Tour: Threads by Charlotte Whitney

Posted on October 8, 2020 by heatherosborneauthor under Blog Tour, historical fiction, review

Title: Threads

Author: Charlotte Whitney

Genre: Historical Fiction, Women’s Lit, Book Club Lit

Blurb:

It’s a boring, hardscrabble life for three sisters growing up on a Michigan farm during the throes of the Great Depression. But when young Nellie, digging for pirate treasure, discovers the tiny hand of a dead baby, rumors begin to fly. Narrated by Nellie and her two older sisters, the story follows the girls as they encounter a patchwork of threatening circumstances and decide to solve the mystery.

Review:

I really enjoyed this novel of three sisters growing up during the Great Depression. The way the author wrote each sisters’ point of view, while keeping it appropriate for their ages, took great skill. I have to say, my favorite character was Nellie. I loved her innocence and the way she made up imaginary friends and stories. Miss Whitney has that talent where, even though there are major world events occurring in the background, she focuses on the people living during those events, and envelops you into their lives. Certainly worth the read for any American historical fiction fan.

Excerpt:

When I got home from high school today, Jeepers, I knew immediately that something wasn’t right. Aunt Hazel and Ma were sitting out by the milk house on a couple of turned-over pails, and Irene and Nellie were sitting on the ground close by. All of them were looking towards the lane that goes down to the two meadows and onto the woods and crick. The county sheriff’s car sat empty near the silo. No one was talking.

Worried, I raced across the yard. Could Pa have gotten hurt? As I ran toward Ma I looked over at the west field and saw Ace and King hitched up to the wagon piled with brush. Rover was sleeping near the wagon.

It looked like Pa had finished about half of the field, but he was nowhere in sight. Pa never leaves the horses hitched up when he isn’t working. When he comes up for noontime dinner he al- ways puts them in the barnyard so they can rest, too. Naturally, I panicked.

When Ma saw me running over she jumped up and walked over to me, a strange look on her face.

“Is Pa all right?” I blurted out.

“Yes, yes,” Ma answered. “He and Elmer are down in the woods with Sheriff Devlon.” Nellie pushed me aside and threw her arms around Ma’s legs.

“Nellie thinks there’s a dead baby in the woods,” Irene piped up, all knowingly. “The Sheriff’s gone with them to look at it. Who in their right mind would bury a baby in that woods? Nellie musta gotten it all mixed up.”

About the Author:

Charlotte Whitney grew up in Michigan and spent much of her career at the University of Michigan directing internship and living-learning programs. She started out writing non-fiction while at the University and switched to romance with I DREAM IN WHITE. A passion for history inspired her to write THREADS A Depression Era Tale chronicling the stories of three sisters on a farm during the throes of the Great Depression. She lives in Arizona, where she loves hiking, bicycling, swimming, and practicing yoga.

BUY LINK:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/THREADS-Depression-Tale-Charlotte-Whitney-ebook/dp/B07ZBN35JF/ref

Author’s Website:

http://www.charlottewhitney.com

Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=charlotte%20whitney%20author

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/charlottewhitney65/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-whitney-8235463a/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/CWhitneyAuthor