Author Interview and Giveaway: Smoke in Her Eyes by Anna Blefrage

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17^th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14^th century England.  She has recently released Smoke in Her Eyes, the second in a new series, The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.

Links:

website www.annabelfrage.com

Amazon page, http://Author.to/ABG

FB: https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in South America which has left me trilingual and with a permanent fondness for spicy food and salsa rhythms.

When did you begin writing?

I have always written. Deep down in one of my various boxes I have kept the notebooks in which I wrote my first stories. From madly paced adventure stories featuring lady knights (me) to a very melodramatic love story set in the 17^th century (I was sixteen…) they will never, ever see the light of the day. But I can’t throw them away, and some of the various plot lines have popped up in my recent books, albeit severely revamped.

What is this book about?

Undying love. I sort of like writing about that…Of course, I make things complicated: Smoke in Her Eyes is about two people who first met and loved 3 000 years ago. Things didn’t end well that time round, mainly due to a powerful prince who wanted the girl for himself. Since then, they have fallen through time, Jason desperately trying to find his Helle in one fruitless life after the other. And then, finally, thet end up in the same time frame. Unfortunately, that ancient prince is here as well, just as determined to ensure they never get to the Happily Ever After…

What inspired you to write it?

Not sure, really. I’ve always had a fascination with the fall of Troy, and Jason’s and Helle’s first life plays out when the fall of Troy is as yet a memory, not a legend. I also love Greek myths, hence Jason being named Jason after that most famous of Argonauts, and Helle named after the princess who fell off the golden ram just over the Hellespont, because she was so entranced by the song of the mermaids below. 

Greek myths are usually very much about fate, about the futility of attempting to avoid your destiny. I think Jason recognizes himself in that, what with all those lives he has spent looking for Helle.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

It’s available on Amazon, both in pb and as an e-book. http://myBook.to/SmIHE
The paperback version is also available through other channels and can also be ordered from my publisher, Troubador. https://www.troubador.co.uk/bookshop/romance/smoke-in-her-eyes/

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

One piece of advice? Ha! I have a whole booklet… But right at the top of my list are three things:
1: Write the book you want to read, not the book you think the market wants.
2: Invest in a professional edit. To not do so is to short-change all your future readers/buyers and it is a MYTH that you can edit your own work, no matter how good you are at spelling and grammar
3: Invest in a professional cover. It doesn’t cost that much, but makes a lot of difference when it comes to making your book visible to potential readers.
Obviously, 2 and 3 above are mainly directed at Indie writers 😊

What is up next for you?

Well, the final instalment in my series about Jason and Helle is due out this autumn, so I need to do a final polish. I am also working on a new series set in 13^th century Wales and Spain as well as like five other WIPs. I like multi-tasking, I guess 😊

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we will be giving away two copies of Smoke In Her Eyes by Anna Belfrage! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on May 31st. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Smoke in Her Eyes

Interview with Patricia Boomsma, Author of The Way of Glory

Patricia Boomsma grew up in a far southwestern suburb of Chicago, moving to Arizona to escape the brutal midwestern winters. She was a lawyer in Arizona for over thirty years, including six years as the Flagstaff City Attorney. Before going to law school, she studied medieval literature at Purdue University, and her first novel, The Way of Glory, is, in part, a reflection of her love for all things medieval. She recently earned her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her publications include poems in Haiku Journal and Indolent Press, a book review in New Orleans Review, an article in the Journal of Modern Literature, and short stories in The Vignette Review, Persimmon Tree, and Scarlet Leaf Review.

Website: https://patboomsma.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patriciajboomsma/

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Palos Heights, a southwestern suburb of Chicago. It’s pretty built up now, but when my parents moved us there it was still a lot of farmland surrounded by forest preserve.

When did you begin writing?

I wrote my first “book” when I was nine. Pretty much all I remember about it is that it had shepherds and because I wrote it at the time Alan Shepard went into space I misspelled “shepherd” as “shepard” throughout. Luckily my grandma caught it. After that, I wrote the occasional poem or story, and did a lot of writing in my various jobs, but began writing my novel at age 59, after I retired from full-time work.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

Mostly during the day, and usually in long spurts. I find life distracting and so don’t write every day, but once I start, I write for many hours at a time.

What is this book about?

Set in the 12th century, The Way of Glory follows Cate, a teenage girl from Bristol, England, her two brothers Sperleng and Willard, and her aunt Mary on an armed pilgrimage to save Jerusalem. On their way, the crusader fleet joins the Portuguese and Spanish Christians trying to expel the Moors ruling Hispania.

Cate’s life changes when she finds the body of a young boy, Oxa, along the banks of the Frome River. At Oxa’s funeral, the local priest encourages the mourners to punish the local Jews presumed to be Oxa’s murderers and join those who were soon leaving to fight the Saracens. Cate assumes all pilgrims have religious motivations, only to discover that most are men looking for adventure, wealth, and a free pass to heaven. Life on a battlefield strains the family’s closeness as they face the terror and contradictions of holy war. Cate and her Aunt Mary cauterize wounds and confront decisions of who should be saved, while Willard becomes increasingly zealous and hateful toward the women in the camp and Sperleng, a soldier, becomes more entrenched in his military code.

After the siege of Lisbon, the fleet is asked to continue fighting in Hispania. Willard and much of the fleet head toward Jerusalem, while Sperleng stays, seeing the land the Count of Barcelona has promised as a way to improve his tradesman status. Cate’s dreams of sainthood change to those of a husband and children as she falls in love with Egric, one of her brother’s archers. The battles continue even after Sperleng receives land, and Cate must find her place in a strange culture. Cate’s friendship with a conquered Moor forces impossible choices between family, betrayal, and the threat of losing of all she’s known.

What inspired you to write it?

After I retired, I took a trip to Spain and was amazed at the Moorish architecture and culture, so different from Northern Europe. I’d studied medieval English literature and history in graduate school, and couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like for someone from medieval England to come across medieval Spanish culture – if I was amazed, how much stranger it would be for them? So, I started researching whether that ever happened, and came across articles talking about Anglo-Normans settling in Spain after the Second Crusade. I used that as the historical context for a story about ordinary people confronting the mixed motivations of religious warfare and living among people from a very different culture.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

I spent two years trying to find an agent or an independent publisher before deciding to self-publish my novel.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

The ebook is available from Amazon, but you can order a paperback from any bookseller, including online at IndieBound, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

What is up next for you?

I’m editing my second novel now. It’s a very different novel, set in the present and focusing on the strained relationship between a mother and daughter after the daughter goes to college and joins what her mother fears is a cult.

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: The Way of Glory by Patricia J. Boomsma

Publication Date: November 14, 2018

Edeleboom Books

eBook & Paperback; 390 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Cate, a teenage girl from twelfth century England, joins her brothers and aunt on a crusade to save Jerusalem that stops in Hispania to battle the Moors. Life on a battlefield strains the family’s closeness as they confront the terror and contradictions of holy war. Cate’s dreams of sainthood change to those of a husband and children when she falls in love with a soldier, but she finds no peace even after the family settles on land taken from the Moors. Cate’s friendship with a conquered Moor soon leads to impossible choices as she faces the cost of betrayal and the loss of all she’s known.

Praise for The Way of Glory

"One of the many impressive things about The Way of Glory is how lightly it wears its scrupulous research. This fine novel invites you to lose yourself to the compelling character and tumultuous life of a young woman trying to find God and love at the heart of a crusade rooted in greed and hate. This is a remarkable debut by a writer to watch." -Naeem Murr, author of The Perfect Man

"The Way of Glory convincingly portrays a place, a time, and a people vastly different from our own. Historical fiction is a fantastically difficult genre to get right, but Pat Boomsma manages it with aplomb." -Pinckney Benedict, author of Dogs of God

"The Way of Glory is a riveting read from first page to last, as it expertly traces the trajectories of several compelling characters caught up in the Crusades. As the protagonist, Cate will steal your heart; she's as complex a fourteen-year-old as you will ever meet, and the fate she struggles against is a complicated and often frightening vortex of forces, made ever richer by the intense evocation and very thoughtful depictions. This is a remarkable novel." -Fred Leebron, author of Welcome to Christiania

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

I grew up in a far southwestern suburb of Chicago among the trees and sloughs of the Cook County Park District, then attended college in Michigan. After graduating, I dreamed of an academic life teaching English literature and began a Ph.D. program at Purdue University. There I concentrated on medieval studies, receiving a Master's and continuing on for four more years before realizing that no one I knew was finding a permanent, let alone tenure-track, position. So, instead of writing my dissertation I went to law school. I moved to Arizona to escape the brutal midwestern winters and have been practicing law there for over thirty years. My first novel, The Way of Glory, is, in part, an extension of my love for all things medieval.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Friday, March 15
Interview at The Book Connection

Saturday, March 16
Feature at Maiden of the Pages

Monday, March 18
Guest Post at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Tuesday, March 19
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views

Wednesday, March 20
Guest Post at Among the Reads
Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Friday, March 22
Review at Locks, Hooks and Books
Excerpt at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Saturday, March 23
Feature at CelticLady's Reviews

Monday, March 25
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Tuesday, March 26
Feature at Coffee and Ink
Review at Red Headed Book Lady

Thursday, March 28
Feature at Passages to the Past

Saturday, March 30
Review at Impressions In Ink

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we will be giving away a paperback copy of Brandon-Tudor Knight! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on March 19th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to the US & Canada only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Way of Glory

Interview with Planaria Price, Author of Claiming My Place

Planaria Price went to public schools when the San Fernando Valley of Southern California was still a rural suburb. She had a fairly sheltered happy childhood. After graduating from Berkeley and earning a master’s degree in English Literature from UCLA, she followed her passion and started teaching English to adult immigrants in the public schools of Los Angeles. While teaching for forty years, she wrote several ESL books about American culture, folktales and myths and has lectured at more than a hundred conferences and schools. In addition to this, she has worked with her husband to save and restore over thirty Victorian and Craftsman homes in a historic Los Angeles neighborhood. Claiming My Place is her first book for young adults. Her website is www.planariaprice.com and her Instagram is @planariaprice. She is on Facebook as Planaria Price.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California.

When did you begin writing?

I had always been an avid reader. I clearly remember a day when I was eleven. I suddenly threw down the book I was reading and decided I was going to write a book, too. I got out a blank notebook and started writing.... maybe a sentence or two. Then realized, to my utter surprise and sadness, that I had no clue what to write about; I had no plot. I had only an imagination that went nowhere. Throughout school, especially middle and high school, I excelled in English and often won prizes for my imaginative writing. But, alas, all my school papers were imaginative re-tellings of the lives of famous historical characters. I have now accepted the fact that I am solely a nonfiction writer and of my seven published books all are nonfiction. But hooray! I now have a genre classification: creative nonfiction.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

Alas, my writing has landed at the bottom of the to-do pile.   Life keeps getting in the way. When I am able to grab unbroken spaces of time, I write………. whenever I can “sneak” in a few moments”.

What is this book about?

Claiming My Place is a unique Holocaust biography because my subject, Barbara Reichmann, had such an incredibly vivid memory from the time she was three. Therefore, the book is not just about that horrible time when the Nazis took over Poland in 1939. I was able to write a book that encompasses her whole life. It is the full picture of what normal middle-class Jewish life was like in Poland in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Barbara is an extraordinarily smart and feisty child, a thinker, a doer. The book details her life from kindergarten, describes Jewish traditions, normal family life, her teen age years with her friends and boyfriend Heniek, as well as her university life. When the war comes, it details what happened to the Poles and the Jews as the Nazis arrived, the labor camps, ghettos, the deportations. Barbara was able to escape just before the deportations……. she had false papers and was able to “pass” as a Polish gentile. The book then details her life in hiding, getting a job in Germany as a “Polish” worker, the liberation in 1944 and her life in America as a refugee. It runs the whole gamut so that the reader gets a chance to meet a fascinating person and at the same time the reader learns about that time in history. Reviewers say that the book is unique, a riveting and fast read that seems like fiction but is 100% true.

What inspired you to write it?

As I describe in the preface, it was truly a dark and stormy night in April 2005. My husband and I were eating dinner at the bar at Nepenthe in Big Sur, California. For some reason, (neither Helen nor I remember why) the woman sitting next to me, Helen West, turned to me and started telling her mother’s Holocaust story. It was so incredibly unique and fascinating, I urged her to write it down. She said she was a psychotherapist and not a writer. My husband said “Planaria’s a writer” and I gave her my card. She evidently googled me and a few months later emailed “Let’s do it”. In October 2005, I flew to Washington DC, stayed with Helen for a week and interviewed ninety-year-old Barbara Reichmann for five days. She was such a delightful vibrant woman with the clearest of memories that went back to when she was three. The collaboration process was that I would be the writer and Helen would be sure that everything included in the book was 100% accurate. Wanting Helen to be a major part of the process, I ended my part when Barbara got to America and asked Helen to write the afterward about her memories of their life in the USA from 1951 until the death of Barbara in 2007.

The fact that Barbara’s memory of her childhood was so fascinating and vivid made me realize that I had the makings of a totally unique book about the Holocaust. No other Holocaust book that I have read follows the protagonist from peacetime early childhood to the onslaught of the Nazis and describes the refugee experience as well. I realized I had a wonderful medium to show readers what normal middle class Polish Jewish life was like in the 1920’s-1930’s. I knew it would be a marvelous educational possibility as well as emotional—to portray the tragedy of what has been lost.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

I started writing the book in 2005. I finished the first draft within 3 months and spent 2006 re-writing and re-writing. From the beginning I wanted a real publisher so that this story would get out, especially to schools and libraries. I am hopeless and helpless at self-marketing, so not interested in self-publishing. I had sent a chapter of the book to about 50 literary magazines and it was published in two. From 2007 to 2015 I queried 87 agents and of the few who actually wrote back, they were rejections. I attended writing conferences and joined the SCBWI.

I was not going to give up, but it was so depressing and hard. Finally. In 2015, query #88 to the Deborah Harris Agency got a nod. Within a few months’ time it had been sold to Farrar Straus Giroux. The editing process took about two years, but since I have six other published books, I expected the frustrations of that process.

Editors will remove your favorite words, sentences, topics. You will fight back, sometimes you will win. After our back and forth, I was able to have them put back a lot of my favorite parts. They were absolutely right when they took out my excessive adverbs and excessive melodrama. In truth, the editing process with FSG was lovely and they helped with quite a lot of research and finding photos. They edited it with a fine tooth comb, for sure.

If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

Actually, no. I learned there is a hard world in publishing out there and finding the right agent is an often-insurmountable task. I can’t think of anything I could have done to have made the process go easier or faster. Maybe I should have eaten more dark chocolate.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

The book is available on Amazon, and Barnes and Noble and at a lot of Independent book sellers.

It’s also available on Macmillan’s website.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?
Don’t quit your day job, but never give up

What is up next for you?

I’m currently working on a YA travel memoir called Before McDonald’s Ate Europe. I feel quite hopeful about this one because I think my 88th agent will love it.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Just thanking you for considering Claiming My Place.

Interview with Nupur Tustin, Author of A Minor Deception (Giveaway)

A former journalist, Nupur Tustin relies upon a Ph.D. in Communication and an M.A. in English to orchestrate fictional mayhem. Childhood piano lessons and a 1903 Weber Upright share equal blame for her musical works.

Haydn Series: ntustin.com
Haydn Blog: ntustin.com/blog
Music: ntustin.musicaneo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nupur.tustin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/35208536-nupur-tustin


Where did you grow up?

I grew up in India, which also means that I was raised on a staple of British and European Literature. I suppose that's one of the reasons I can identify with the curious notion that the city is the center of life. I can sympathize with Haydn's desire to be in Vienna rather than in the backwaters of Eisenstadt, a small town in Royal Hungary, or Eszterháza, practically a village, some twenty miles distant from Eisenstadt.

Being married to an American now, I also completely understand Haydn's employer's aversion for the city. Prince Nikolaus Esterházy liked nothing better than to stay in the tiny, remote, marsh-ridden village of Eszterháza. The hunting lodge he owned there was converted into a magnificent palace with its own opera house. The Eszterháza Palace is still known as the Hungarian Versailles. That's the backdrop you see on the cover of A Minor Deception.

When did you begin writing?

I suppose from the age of about six. Creative writing—spontaneously writing a story or essay based on a prompt the teacher gave you—was a weekly, if not daily, activity at the school I attended. And I loved it. My stories, essays, and poems were frequently read out in class. I was published in the school magazine, and served as its editor in my last couple of years.

Later as a graduate student at UConn, I began selling freelance articles and short stories and wrote articles promoting events for the Von der Mehden Recital Hall. A few years later, I began working for CNBC, and then Reuters.

I'm not sure I'd ever have considered writing novels if it hadn't been for two people I encountered at UConn. One was the author Scott Bradfield. He taught a creative writing workshop that I took, and although we work-shopped short stories, he suggested I consider writing novels. That advice stayed with me, although for the longest time I had no idea what to write about.

And if it weren't for Janice Law, another mystery writer and one of my professors at UConn, telling students that we ought to write what we love, I doubt I'd have considered writing a mystery. I'd still be trying to write the Great American Novel!

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I have three young children—the oldest turns five on the 24th of January—and the youngest is about 18 months. So, I write when I can. I've often woken up at 5 a.m. to write for an hour before getting the kids ready for preschool. Sometimes, I write after the kids go to bed. At other times, I'm writing while the rest of the family is eating dinner. And then there are times when my muse insists I ignore the temper tantrums around me, and just write.

What is this book about?

Set in December 1766, A Minor Deception is a biographical mystery that features the composer Joseph Haydn as the protagonist. Although winters were usually spent in Vienna, the winter of 1766 is unusual. The Empress Maria Theresa will be visiting Eisenstadt instead.

But things threaten to go awry when a virtuoso violinist, recently hired for the imperial visit, disappears from his post. Replacing Bartó, however, is the least of Haydn's problems.

Both palace and town authorities are surprisingly reluctant to track Bartó down. And when Haydn begins his search, he comes to realize his violinist was a man with a deadly secret. What seemed like a minor musical mishap could turn into a major political crisis unless Haydn can find his missing virtuoso.

What inspired you to write it?

I'd been reading a number of biographical mysteries—Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen series, Susan Wittig Albert's Beatrix Potter mysteries, and Bruce Alexander's series about John Fielding. And I'd just come out of a Ph.D. program, and, as a new mother, was pretty much confined to the house with a baby with severe acid reflux disease.

Researching a historical mystery seemed the best way to keep boredom at bay. I love classical music, so researching a composer appealed to me. It was a way of keeping up with my music—by reading about music history and studying theory—at a time when I had very little time for the piano.

Haydn's story and his personality quite simply captured my heart.

Who is your favorite character from the book?

Apart from Haydn, I'd have to say Rosalie. She's a completely fictitious character, a palace maid who along with her friend Greta helps Haydn solve the mystery.

Like Venus rising from the sea, Rosalie sprung from my imagination, fully formed. Not content with the rather minor role I gave her in the first draft of A Minor Deception, she demanded and received her own POV (point-of-view) and scenes of her own.

Her role provides the cozy element in A Minor Deception, and the downstairs dynamic the book gets as a result enables me to portray the complexity of eighteenth-century society. Social mobility wasn't quite as impossible as we consider it to be. Haydn himself rose up the ranks by virtue of his talents. His mother was a cook, and his father a wheelwright.

Gluck was another musician of the period who did very well for himself. And Ditters, a virtuoso violinist and friend of Haydn, was knighted, and came to be known as Ditters von Dittersdorf.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

Surprisingly less rocky than I would have expected, although anything worth having, I think, involves some pain. When I prematurely queried the first draft of A Minor Deception, based on what I'd heard, I expected to hear. . . crickets. Seriously! Imagine my surprise when I received requests for my manuscript within minutes of sending out my query.

One agent was kind enough to call, and tell me what was going wrong with the manuscript. I took down notes as she spoke, but her advice was rather cryptic. And it took some weeks of watching the Murdoch Mystery Series on television before I realized what she meant by beginning with the "story."

We tend to be less tolerant of extraneous scenes in television shows than we do in books. And I'd begun the novel with backstory!

I used the agent's advice, a developmental editor's identification of plot holes, and Kris Neri's course on plotting mysteries to re-write the novel, and knew I had a winner. That impression was confirmed when I started re-querying agents. Even agents who thought the book wasn't for them, predicted it would be a huge success.

I hope it will. I feel so blessed to have endorsements from my favorite authors: Emily Brightwell, Kate Kingsbury, and Amanda Carmack. My very first Netgalley review was resoundingly positive. So, I think I've been very fortunate.

If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

I'm actually glad I knew nothing about the publishing world when I started out. I never would have embarked on this journey if I had. Just as I would never have had children if I'd known how tough it is to be a parent.

But I can't imagine life without my children, and I can't imagine not being a writer.

There are some hard truths you have to accept when you become a writer—that it's a business and you need to market and promote your books in addition to writing them. I accept this part of it just as I accept my children's temper tantrums and frequent bouts of ill-health. No matter what the trials and tribulations, some dreams are still worth having.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Print copies are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Ebooks can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iBooks.

Do you have a video trailer to promote your book? If yes, where can readers find it?

No. What I have is a text trailer, by which I mean a series of 10-12 excerpts that I worked on for another blog tour. I think it's a fun way of giving the reader a tantalizing glimpse into the book. Selecting scenes from a book is rather like selecting scenes from a movie to create a trailer. The excerpts still need to form a narrative of some kind. I enjoyed working on this, and I hope readers will enjoy it, too.

What is the best investment you have made in promoting your book?

The biggest challenge facing a new author is exposure. People can't buy your book unless they know it exists. There are a number of effective strategies available to authors: Goodreads Giveaways, a Netgalley listing, and guest-blogging for fellow authors.

But the most enjoyable one, I think, is going on a blog tour. This is probably the best way of meeting new readers short of having an event in a bookstore. And it's so much fun. Amy Bruno, who organized this tour, has been such a pleasure to work with. And I do like blogging.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

I was going to say: "Don't give up!" But a better piece of advice I think would be to join Sisters in Crime, and then to join the Guppy Chapter. I'd never heard of either until Susan Wittig Albert mentioned them to me. I'm so glad she did. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for that very sage piece of advice.

What is up next for you?

Aria to Death, the second novel in the Joseph Haydn series, is complete. It delivers a double-dose of history with Haydn on the track of a dangerous killer as well as the lost operas of Monteverdi.

I've now begun researching Prussian Counterpoint, the third book in the series. We'll meet C.P.E. Bach, the man Haydn counted as his mentor and Frederick of Prussia.

I also want to get some composing done before it's time to launch Aria.

Is there anything you would like to add?

For readers more interested in Haydn and his life, I'd suggest taking a look at my blog: ntustin.com/blog. I share snippets of my research and anecdotes from his life. I also share music and research in the Haydn newsletters. You can sign up from my web site: www.ntustin.com. And for anyone interested in listening to my music, the sheet music tab on ntustin.musicaneo.com has audio samples.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 16

Review at Bibliotica

Tuesday, January 17

Interview at The Book Connection

Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, January 18

Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Thursday, January 19

Guest Post at A Literary Vacation

Friday, January 20

Interview at Dianne Ascroft's Blog

Sunday, January 22

Review at Laura's Interests

Monday, January 23

Review at Luxury Reading

Giveaway

To win a paperback copy of A Minor Deception, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in Europe & North America only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

A Minor Deception

Guest Blogger: Jane Marlow, Author of Who Is to Blame

Jane Marlow’s debut novel is a beautifully written historical saga of two families—one born of noble heritage and the other bound as serfs to the noble’s household. Set during the mid-1800s in the vast grainfields of Russia, Who Is to Blame? follows the lives of two star-crossed serfs, Elizaveta and Feodor, torn apart by their own families and the Church while simultaneously trapped in the inhumane life of poverty to which they were born.

At the other end of the spectrum, Count Maximov and his family struggle to maintain harmony amidst a tapestry of deception and debauchery woven by the Count’s son. The plot twists further when the Tsar emancipates twenty million serfs from bondage as the rural gentry’s life of privilege and carelessness has taken its final bow, while much of Russia’s nobility faces possible financial ruin.

Aficionados of historical fiction will be captivated by the lyrical flow of Marlow’s intertwining stories of love, loss, courage, and pain against her backdrop of social upheaval. The novel’s riddles flow subtly throughout, spurring readers to ponder where the blame actually lies. In the end, we must tap into our own hearts to navigate the depths and quandaries of the author’s perplexing question.

THE SILVER SPOON & THE WOODEN BOWL

The excellent suggestion for this post’s topic came from Cheryl at The Book Connection. Downton Abbey made a colossal splash when it juxtaposed the lifestyle and adversities of the upper and lower British classes. The same contrast is portrayed in my novel, Who Is to Blame? A Russian Riddle, except my setting was rural 19th century Russia. It was a gratifying challenge for me to find techniques that would highlight the similarities and the disparities of the estate-owning Russian gentry and the serfs (peasants) that tilled their fields, cleaned their manor houses, and distilled their vodka.

First, I chose dignified names for the nobility that incorporated the 1) given name, 2) patronymic name, and 3) family name. An example is Anton Stepanovich Maximov. For most of the peasants, I selected simple diminutive names such as Pasha and Katya.

Ditto for their basic word usage and conversations. The peasants had no formal education whatsoever and, therefore, spoke with short words and poor grammar. Their discussion topics reached no further than the surrounding grainfields. On the other hand, the nobility’s multisyllabic words sometimes bordered on verbose, particularly when fulminating against Tsar Alexander’s Great Reforms.

Readers of Who Is to Blame? might notice the back-to-back positioning of scenes that underscores the differences in moral code and social conduct of the well-healed versus the indigent. For instance, a scene of serf family violence draws upon the peasant credo that wife-beating is a way of life. The next scene opens with persnickety etiquette lessons for the gentry children.

In another literary device, serfs are temporarily placed in the gentry’s environment. For instance, a teenage serf is befuddled when she sees the Count blow his nose into a square piece of cloth, which he then returned to his pocket. Why not simply blow the snot onto the ground? This writing technique also served a second purpose – to add a touch of humor to a heavy-weight story.

Woven between the disparities are the similarities that span the spectrum of all social classes. Nurturing children. The ravages of pandemic disease. Shattered dreams. The bond between lovers. The futility of trying to outwit Mother Nature. The yearning for a brighter tomorrow.

My sincere hope is that Who Is to Blame? is an eye-opener regarding the 1861 emancipation of the serfs as well as the final bow of the rural gentry’s life of privilege. Let me know if I succeeded.

Warmest regards and well wishes for a future full of thought-provoking books!
Jane Marlow

Who Is to Blame? A Russian Riddle
301 pages
Publisher: River Grove Books, October 18, 2016
Website: JaneMarlowBooks.com

Purchase:
Available in soft cover and ebook.
Audible version soon to be released. Check JaneMarlowBooks.com for updates.

Local bookstores – if not in stock, ask them to order it

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Who-Blame-Russian-Jane-Marlow/dp/1632991047/

Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/who-is-to-blame-jane-marlow/1124796416

Google Play Books
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=Who%20is%20to%20blame%20jane%20marlow

iBooks
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/who-is-to-blame/id1165205454

About the Author:

When not working at her bill-paying job, Jane Marlow penned the first version of Who Is to Blame?. Over the next 18 years, her stack of rejection letters from publishers grew taller than the empty wine bottle sitting next to it. After a jillion revisions, voila! A publishable manuscript.

Jane Marlow’s writing reflects change over time. Changes in the world around us. Changes within ourselves. Her characters, like each of us, have the choice of rolling with life’s punches, or curling into a ball, or gulping in a deep breath and building a stronger, more resilient person.

In addition to working on a sequel, Jane has put together a free e-newsletter for anyone who wants to delve deeper into the culture and history of Russia (a country truly like no other). Chockful of Russian riddles, proverbs, artwork, and tidbits of 19th century life, the 6-times-a-year newsletter is designed for inquisitive people who prefer to chuckle while they learn. The Nov-Dec 2016 edition can be viewed at here: (http://eepurl.com/chdh41) Sign up at JaneMarlowBooks.com (http://JaneMarlowBooks.com/contact) No spam or sales gimmicks. Never. Ever.

Jane uses Skype or speaker phones to meet long-distance with book clubs and reading groups. Want more info? Email (JaneMarlowBooks@gmail.com )

Interview with Julie K. Rose, Author of Dido's Crown

A member of the Historical Novel Society and former reviewer for the Historical Novels Review, Julie lives in the Bay Area with her husband and rescue cats, and loves reading, following the San Francisco Giants, and enjoying the amazing natural beauty of Northern California.

The Pilgrim Glass, a finalist in the 2005 Faulkner-Wisdom competition and semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards, was published in 2010.
Her second novel, Oleanna, short-listed for finalists in the 2011 Faulkner-Wisdom literary competition, was published in 2012. Dido's Crown, a literary-historical adventure, is her latest novel, published in 2016.

http://www.juliekrose.com

http://www.goodreads.com/juliekrose

https://www.facebook.com/juliekroseauthor/

http://www.twitter.com/juliekrose

http://www.youtube.com/juliekrose

Where did you grow up?

I spent the first part of my childhood in the Denver metro area. We lived there until I was 13, and it was a great place to grow up – my bedroom window had a view of the entire Front Range. After that we moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, which is, of course, an incredible place to live. I've lived here ever since, save for some time spent in Virginia for grad school.

When did you begin writing?

I started writing back in 2001 when I was 30. I'd never written fiction (beyond requirements for school) – I was much more focused on non-fiction. In fact, in high school, I wanted to be a journalist. But, it turns out, fiction is where my heart and my spirit are. Though I've definitely had my rough days, writing fiction is one of the best things that's happened to me.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I feel most energetic and creative in the morning, so I generally write before I start my day job. I like to get up and cruise social media and check email while I’m drinking my coffee, but I'm usually writing by 5:00 for an hour or so before I get my day started. On the weekends, I'll usually start writing around 8:00 or so.

What is this book about?

Ultimately, it's a story about secrets, and the lies we tell to others and ourselves.

Here's the official blurb: Set in Tunisia and France in 1935, Dido's Crown is a taut literary-historical adventure influenced by Indiana Jones, The Thin Man, and John le Carré.

Mary Wilson MacPherson has always been adept at putting the past behind her: her father's death, her sister's disappearance, and her complicated relationship with childhood friends Tom and Will. But that all changes when, traveling to North Africa on business for her husband, Mary meets a handsome French-Tunisian trader who holds a mysterious package her husband has purchased — a package which has drawn the interest not only of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, but the Nazis as well.

When Tom and Will arrive in Tunisia, Mary suddenly finds herself on a race across the mesmerizing and ever-changing landscapes of the country, to the shores of southern France, and all across the wide blue Mediterranean. Despite her best efforts at distancing herself from her husband's world, Mary has become embroiled in a mystery that could threaten not only Tunisian and British security in the dangerous political landscape of 1935, but Mary's beliefs about her past and the security of her own future.

What inspired you to write it?

I started writing the book while I was still trying to finish my last novel, Oleanna, in 2011.

I've always been interested in North Africa but had never planned on writing about the Maghreb. But I had a really powerful dream about Tunisia and I suppose I took it as a sign. I also love reading historical fiction set slightly off the beaten track, so it was natural to dig into learning about this beautiful country.

Who is your favorite character from the book?

Oh gosh, this is really hard. I love them all for different reasons. If you really pressed me, I think it would be Alain (who didn't actually appear until a much later draft). He's so suave, but that charm hides the real pain and conflict he deals with every day. And yet he's still good and steadfast. And gorgeous as hell.


Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Readers can purchase Dido's Crown (in paperback and ebook) anywhere they purchase books online, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

Do you have a video trailer to promote your book? If yes, where can readers find it?

I don't have a trailer, but I do have a YouTube channel where I've posted a number of videos giving context to the world of Dido's Crown: introductions to Tunisia, the upheaval of 1935, and numbers stations. Upcoming videos will include an overview of fashion in 1935 and an introduction to the British Secret Service.

What is up next for you?

I'm working on my next book now. It's set in the Bay Area in 1906, right at the time of the great earthquake. There's plenty of stories of the earthquake in San Francisco itself, but there are scores of amazing stories of destruction and heroism elsewhere. The history of the Santa Clara Valley (now known as the Silicon Valley) is fascinating, and little known outside California, so I'm excited to share those stories!

Book Spotlight: Dido's Crown by Julie K. Rose

Dido's Crown

by Julie K. Rose

Publication Date: September 29, 2016

Paperback; 340 Pages

ISBN13: 9781365316333

Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary

Set in Tunisia and France in 1935, Dido's Crown is a taut literary-historical adventure influenced by Indiana Jones, The Thin Man, and John le Carri.

Mary Wilson MacPherson has always been adept at putting the past behind her: her father's death, her sister's disappearance, and her complicated relationship with childhood friends Tom and Will. But that all changes when, traveling to North Africa on business for her husband, Mary meets a handsome French-Tunisian trader who holds a mysterious package her husband has purchased a package which has drawn the interest not only of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, but the Nazis as well.

When Tom and Will arrive in Tunisia, Mary suddenly finds herself on a race across the mesmerizing and ever-changing landscapes of the country, to the shores of southern France, and all across the wide blue Mediterranean. Despite her best efforts at distancing herself from her husband's world, Mary has become embroiled in a mystery that could threaten not only Tunisian and British security in the dangerous political landscape of 1935, but Mary's beliefs about her past and the security of her own future.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

A member of the Historical Novel Society and former reviewer for the Historical Novels Review, Julie lives in the Bay Area with her husband and rescue cats, and loves reading, following the San Francisco Giants, and enjoying the amazing natural beauty of Northern California.

Her forthcoming historical adventure novel, Dido's Crown, will be released in September 2016.

Oleanna, short-listed for finalists in the 2011 Faulkner-Wisdom literary competition, is her second novel. The Pilgrim Glass, a finalist in the 2005 Faulkner-Wisdom competition and semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards, was published in 2010.

For more information, please visit Julie K. Rose's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 26
Review & Excerpt at For Oh, the Hook of a Book
Interview at Let Them Read Books

Tuesday, September 27
Review at I'm Shelf-ish

Wednesday, September 28
Interview at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Thursday, September 29
Excerpt & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Friday, September 30
Review at Creating Herstory
Excerpt at Just One More Chapter

Monday, October 3
Review at Unabridged Chick

Tuesday, October 4
Review at Back Porchervations
Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, October 5
Excerpt at Books, Dreams, Life

Thursday, October 6
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Excerpt at A Literary Vacation

Friday, October 7
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective
Interview at The Book Connection

Monday, October 10
Excerpt at A Bookaholic Swede
Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

Release Day Blitz: The Boy Who Wanted Wings by James Conroyd Martin

The Boy Who Wanted Wings

by James Conroyd Martin

Publication Date: September 1, 2016

Hardcover ISBN: 97809978994516

Paperback ISBN: 9780997894509

358 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

Aleksy, a dark-complexioned Tatar raised by a Polish peasant family, holds in his heart the wish is to become a Polish hussar, a lancer who carries into battle a device attached to his back that holds dozens of eagle feathers. As a Tatar and as a peasant, this is an unlikely quest. When he meets Krystyna, the daughter of the noble who owns the land that his parents work, he falls hopelessly in love. But even though she returns his love, race and class differences make this quest as impossible as that of becoming a hussar. Under the most harrowing and unlikely circumstances, one day Aleksy must choose between his dreams.

On the eve of September 11, 1683, a massive Muslim Ottoman horde was besieging the gates of the imperial city of Vienna and had been doing so since the previous July. Now, however, they were just hours from capturing this capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The Turks intent was to bring Islam to all of Europe, and this city was seen by East and West alike as the gateway. With the window of time closing for Vienna, the walls were about to be breached on September 12 when the vastly outnumbered Christian coalition, led by Polish King Jan III Sobieski and his famous winged hussars, descended Kahlenberg Mountain to engage the Turks in an attempt to lift the siege. As crucial and consequential as the 1066 Battle of Hastings, the ensuing battle changed the course of European history.

(Was it the first 9/11? Some people believe that the date for the September 11th attack in 2001 was chosen to symbolically resume the effort that began in 1683.)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Praise

A poor archer in medieval Poland takes aim at the love of his life in this epic novel from Martin. The anxious Aleksy Gazdecki, a young farmhand, embodies the ethnic and political tensions of Europe during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. The believability of this novel, which is sprinkled with period-specific details, is never in question. Martin sets the stage so tidily that the plight of Aleksy and Krystyna, who desire to move beyond the social classes that keep them apart, transcends the historical moment. Sprawling but never slow, the plot moves naturally from battle to intimacy and back again. A gripping, transporting story of self-determination set against fate. ~Kirkus Reviews

"Amidst class and religious warfare, this alternately romantic and brutal love story is also a reminder that the struggle between Christianity and Islam is a great deal older than 2001. Culminating in the re-creation of the Siege of Vienna in 1683, where monstrous killing was perpetrated in the name of God and power, this is a meticulously researched and convincingly written tale of love s triumph that will surprise historical fiction readers with its little known historical backdrop. In an ethnically diverse Poland that is now long gone, the main characters struggle with loyalties to family, race, and country as they come to understand that no fear or evil is unchangeable." ~Leonard Kniffel, Past Editor in Chief of American Libraries Director, Polish American Librarians Association

About The Poland Trilogy

Based on the diary of a Polish countess who lived through the rise and fall of the Third of May Constitution years, 1791-94, Push Not the River paints a vivid picture of a tumultuous and unforgettable metamorphosis of a nation and of Anna, a proud and resilient woman. Against a Crimson Sky continues Anna s saga as Napolion comes calling, implying independence would follow if only Polish lancers would accompany him on his fateful 1812 march into Russia. Anna s family fights valiantly to hold onto a tenuous happiness, their country, and their very lives. Set against the November Rising (1830-31), The Warsaw Conspiracy depicts partitioned Poland s daring challenge to the Russian Empire. Brilliantly illustrating the psyche of a people determined to reclaim independence in the face of monumental odds, the story features Anna s sons and their fates in love and war.

About the Author

James Conroyd Martin is the award-winning author of The Poland Trilogy (Push Not the River, Against a Crimson Sky, & The Warsaw Conspiracy), a saga inspired by the diary of a countess in 1790s Poland. Hologram: A Haunting was inspired by a house he lived in in Hammond, Indiana. He currently resides in Portland, Oregon.

For more information please visit James Conroyd Martin's website. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Hosts

100 Pages a Day

Back Porchervations

Book Nerd

Broken Teepee

CelticLady's Reviews

Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne

Just One More Chapter

Passages to the Past

The Book Connection

The Never-Ending Book

Book Review: Portrait of a Conspiracy by Donna Russo Morin

Portrait of a Conspiracy is the first book in a new series by Donna Russo Morin. History, mystery, and art blend together in this story of a group of female artists who seek to find the missing member of their group and draw out conspirators who have created chaos in Florence.

After the brutal murder of Giuliano de' Medici, his brother Lorenzo seeks revenge on everyone involved. Despite the unrest in the city, five female painters secretly ply their craft. When a sixth member of their group goes missing and is rumored to have stolen a much sought after painting as she vanished, her friends venture out into the dangerous streets to find her. With the help of a young Leonardo Da Vinci, the women's art flourishes and they gain access to some of the most secretive places in Florence.

This novel is not for the faint of heart. Portrait of a Conspiracy starts out with the brutal murder of Giuliano. It is intense and it is bloody. The mix of historical and fictional characters against this backdrop is a character-driven reader's dream. You truly get to know these women, watch them flourish with Da Vinci's guidance, and go to place they never could have imagined they would go.

Morin has researched every detail of this fascinating novel and it shows. My only niggle is that I was over halfway through the book before I could begin putting the pieces together. I'm thinking this was on purpose to symbolize the chaos of the times, but it drove me a bit insane that the people and the happenings wouldn't just gel for me. There are a ton of characters to get to know, so that might have added to it.

That said, I will definitely be on the lookout for Book Two when it comes out.

If you're looking for a thrilling historical mystery, Portrait of a Conspiracy will fit the bill.


File Size: 2710 KB
Print Length: 298 pages
Publisher: Diversion Books (May 10, 2016)
Publication Date: May 10, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B01BN1QVJ8

I received a digital copy of this book from the author through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. This review contains my honest opinions, which I was not compensated for in any way.

I read this book for the following challenge:

First Chapter Review & Giveaway: Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours is touring author Nicole Evelina's novel, Madame Presidentess. Since I am familiar with Victoria Woodhull's story, I requested to review the first chapter.

BLURB: 

*Winner: U.S. Women’s History category – 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction

Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.

Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”

But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.

Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.

Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.

This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

COVER: Very nice. I would expect a strong personality such as Woodhull to be the focus of the cover. The flag in the background is a nice complement. Would have liked if it weren't so dark, but its still a stunning cover.

FIRST CHAPTER: We first meet the Woodhull family when they are in the midst of turmoil. As this first chapter ends, Victoria is about to start a new chapter in her own life.

KEEP READING: Definitely! Long before Hillary Clinton championed for the rights of women and made history by being the first woman to secure the nomination for president, Victoria Woodhull dared to run for president of the United States.

A controversial character, a woman ahead of her time, the first chapter of Nicole Evelina's novel explores a change in Woodhull's life that left a mark on her. Told in first person, as any story about Woodhull must, this engaging narrative is exciting and disturbing. The reader can already see how these events will shape Woodhull's future.

I'm totally fascinated by this novel and will definitely continue with it.

Paperback: 428 pages
Publisher: Lawson Gartner Publishing (July 24, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0996763201
ISBN-13: 978-0996763202

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Giveaway

To enter the Madame Presidentess Giveaway for a paperback of the book and/or Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker, please see the GLEAM form below. 3 winners will receive a copy of the book and a bumper sticker. 7 winners will receive the Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker.

Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.


Madame Presidentess

I received a free digital copy of this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.