The Rose of Washington Square: A Novel of Rose O’Neill, Creator of the Kewpie Doll
by Pat Wahler

Publication Date: January 20, 2023
Evergreen Press

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

She set out to make her way in a man’s world, rising from obscurity into one of the most famous women of her era.

Self-taught artist Rose O’Neill leaves the Midwest for New York in 1893, determined to become an illustrator in a field dominated by males. Mindful of her duty to the impoverished family she left behind, Rose’s obligations require her to yield to the men who hold the reins of her career; as well as the men she grows to love.

Yet despite every obstacle facing her, she excels at her craft, eventually designing a new character, the Kewpie. Her creation explodes into a phenomenon, but Rose’s disenchantment with the status quo fosters new ambitions. She must decide whether to remain within the boundaries dictated for her, or risk everything she’s gained to pursue the creative and personal passions that ignite her soul.

With grit and tenacity, Rose O’Neill blazed an unforgettable path during the tumultuous times of the early 20th century.

Available in eBook

Praise

“Rose O’Neill was a trailblazer of her time, and her life is a testament to the power of perseverance in the face of impossible odds.”
—Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen House

“A classic reinvention of the life of Rose O’Neill, the creator of the iconic Kewpie doll.”
—Nina Romano, award-winning author of The Secret Language of Women

“From start to finish, this story honors the talent, devotion to family, and the success that was such a huge part of Rose O’Neill’s life.”
—Readers’ Favorite

About the Author

Pat Wahler is a Missouri native and avid reader. She is winner of Western Fictioneers’ Best First Novel of 2018, a Walter Williams Award winner, and the winner of Author Circle Awards 2019 Novel of Excellence in Historical Fiction for I am Mrs. Jesse James.

Pat has also authored a three-book contemporary romance series-the Becker Family Novels, and two holiday-themed books; all named Five-Star Readers’ Favorites. A frequent contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies, Pat is an avid reader with a special passion for historical fiction, women’s fiction, and stories with heart. She makes her home in Missouri with her husband and two rescue critters—one feisty Peek-a-poo pup and a tabby cat with plenty of attitude.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 20
Review at Dive Into a Good Book

Wednesday, February 22
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, February 24
Feature at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Monday, February 27
Excerpt at Books & Benches

Tuesday, February 28
Review at Girl Who Reads
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Wednesday, March 1
Review at Novels Alive

Monday, March 6
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Giveaway

Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on March 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Rose of Washington Square

The White Sails Series: Special Hardback Omnibus
by Emma Lombard

If Bridgerton and Pirates of the Caribbean had a love child.

Are you a fan of sweeping romantic adventures?
Do you fall for tall, brooding Naval Officers?
Love a feisty female lead who makes you yell aloud?

Then hop aboard Emma Lombard’s hardback Collector’s Edition of The White Sails Series, and batten down the hatches!

But Why?

Well, firstly, let me tell you what my Kickstarter campaign isn’t. It isn’t a plea for donations, it’s not a beg for money, and it’s not just another retailer.

Okay, so what is it then?

Kickstarter is a wonderful way for me to give more to my fans.

It allows fans access to a special collector’s edition that is not (and will never be) available from online retailers.

It allows fans to have each and every copy personalised, which is just not doable on retailers.

It also allows fans a more intimate view of the story behind my series.

And best of all, it allows fans to get involved in my next series, whether through an exclusive sneak peek of the first draft or even having a character named after them.

Oh, and did I mention there’s an opportunity to win the original oil painting of the cover?

Where else in the world do you get all this extra cool stuff thrown in just because you bought a book?

What’s in it for you, Emma?

Without wanting to sound too cheesy, I’m beside myself to put such a pretty book out in the world. I’m mean, just look at that dreamy sunset! I’m not going to lie, I love a chunky book. This collector’s edition fulfils my ultimate author dream—to be able to hold (and smell) a weighty tome. I’m not the only one—I’ve had folks walk up to my books at the market and pick them up just to smell them! My kind of peeps!

I know it’s taboo to talk about money, but the pledges received for this campaign will help me recoup some of the upfront expenses that I have already laid out, like editing, book cover design, audiobook narration, and it will give me the momentum I need to invest in those same services for my next series, The Gold Hills Series.

You’ll be helping keep the indie publishing ecosphere turning, which in turn lets me keep creating more stories.

So, what’s The White Sails Series about?

One of my readers described it best: If Bridgerton and Pirates of the Caribbean had a love child.

The idea for this series was born from a tiny nugget of family gossip that my grandmother shared with me. She told me how my 3x great grandmother left her well-to-do family in England to elope with an English sea captain, and live aboard his ship with him.

I took the basic concept of this story and had a blast creating an entirely fictitious imagining of what it might have been like for a woman to live aboard a ship in those days. Quite ironic considering that I get terribly sea-sick myself.

Curious? Never seen what a Kickstarter campaign looks like?

Just looking: Take an exclusive pre-launch look at Emma’s campaign to see it in detail, click HERE.

Note: clicking on this link will not sign you up to anything, it’s simply an exclusive behind-the-scenes look.

To follow the campaign: Open the campaign, and click ‘Notify me on launch’ button at the top of the page

Note: this will not commit you to any pledges, it’s how you will be able to have ring-side seats to watch the campaign play out.

Giveaway

Batten down the hatches, m’lovelies, for a chance to win an exclusive, personalised, hardcover Collector’s Edition of The White Sails Series: Fill out the entry form HERE.

Book Blast Hosts

Books & Benches
Passages to the Past
The Book Junkie Reads
Books, Cooks, Looks
Elodie’s Reading Corner
Carole’s Ramblings
My Reading Getaway
Gwendalyn’s Books
Bookish Mya
I’m Into Books
Reading Is My Remedy
CelticLady’s Reviews
Coffee & Ink
History from a Woman’s Perspective
Jorie Loves a Story

Madame Pommery
by Rebecca Rosenberg

Publication Date: March 21, 2023
Lion Heart Publishing

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

Champagne, France, 1860. Madame Pommery, an etiquette teacher and orphanage founder, loses her husband and is forced to support her family. With no experience, the forty-year-old widow decides to make champagne. Her unique vision is to change it from a sweet dessert beverage to a dry, crisp wine to be enjoyed anytime. When champagne makers refuse to teach her their craft, she forges ahead on her own and secretly begins the excavation of champagne caves under the Reims city dump.

Soon after, her son and her entire crew are conscripted to fight the Franco-Prussian war, leaving Madame Pommery alone to struggle with her champagne dreams. After Napoleon and a hundred thousand French troops are captured, the Prussians invaded France, and Prussian General Frederick Franz occupies Madame Pommery’s house as his army headquarters. Undaunted, Pommery uses her secret wine caves to hide the Francs-Tireurs, resistance fighters for France, while she plans to build a spectacular castle winery above the caves.

But when her former lover, a Scottish Baron, unexpectedly proposes marriage, Madame Pommery must choose between nobility and her passionate quest for fine champagne and the most beautiful winery in the world.

Based on a true story, Madame Pommery is a heroic novel about a mother and widow who fights the Prussians, the social class system, champagne patriarchs, and champagne tastes to create a champagne legacy.

Pre-Order on Amazon

About the Author

California native Rebecca Rosenberg lives on a lavender farm with her family in Sonoma, the Valley of the Moon, where she and her husband founded the largest lavender product company in America. A long-time student of Jack London’s work and an avid fan of his daring wife, Charmian, Rosenberg is a graduate of the Stanford Writing Certificate Program. Her books include: GOLD DIGGER, the Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor, The Secret Life of Mrs. London, Lavender Fields of America, and the Champagne Widows series.

For more information, please visit Rebecca’s website and blog. You can also find her on Amazon, BookBub,  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Cover Reveal Schedule

Tuesday, February 21
Books In Their Natural Habitat

Thursday, February 23
The Book Junkie Reads

Friday, February 24
My Reading Getaway

Monday, February 27
Getting Stuck In The Past

Tuesday, February 28
A Girl Reads Bookss
The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Wednesday, March 1
History from a Woman’s Perspective

Friday, March 3
Novel Nerd Blog

Monday, March 6
Reading is My Remedy

Thursday, March 9
CelticLady’s Reviews

The Castle Keepers
by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, Rachel McMillan

Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Harper Muse

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

Leedswick Castle has housed the Alnwick family in the English countryside for generations, despite a family curse determined to destroy their legacy and erase them from history.

1870. After a disastrous dinner at the Astor mansion forces her to flee New York in disgrace, socialite Beatrice Holbrook knows her performance in London must be a triumph. When she catches the eye of Charles Alnwick, one of the town’s most enviably-titled bachelors, she prepares to attempt a social coup and become the future Marchioness of Northridge. When tragedy and scandal strike the Alnwick family, Beatrice must assume the role of a lifetime: that of her true, brave self.

1917. Artist Elena Hamilton arrives in Northumberland determined to transform a soldier’s wounds into something beautiful. Tobias Alnwick’s parents have commissioned a lifelike mask to help their son return to his former self after battle wounds partially destroyed his face. But Elena doesn’t see a man who needs fixing—she sees a man who needn’t hide. Yet secrets from their past threaten to chase away the peace they’ve found in each other and destroy the future they’re creating.

1945. Alec Alnwick returns home from the war haunted but determined to leave death and destruction behind. With the help of Brigitta Mayr, the brilliant young psychoanalyst whose correspondence was a lifeline during his time on the Western Front, he reconstructs his family’s large estate into a rehabilitation center for similarly wounded soldiers. Now Alec’s efforts may be the only chance to redeem his family legacy—and break the curse on the Alnwick name—once and for all.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Praise

‘A trio of talented storytellers skillfully brings to life three eras in The Castle Keepers. I found myself yearning to walk the halls of Leedswick Castle to soak up the secrets the walls held, and also the whispers of love. Intrigue, a poison garden, and a long-standing curse make for a colorful and rich read.’ — Heather Webb, USA TODAY bestselling author of Strangers in the Night

‘The Castle Keepers is a fascinating story of love’s ability to overcome family curses, scandals and even war. Told in three parts, this multi-generational tale is wonderfully heartwarming!’ — Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London

‘Take one castle and the dramatic tales of three generations of fascinating characters who reside there, and you’re in for a treat with The Castle Keepers by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan. Every generation has its challenges, but for the owners of Leedswick Castle, their actions will affect their descendants over and over again. Filled with sweet romances, a little humor, and touches of intrigue, this novel written in three parts is sure to delight readers!’ — Eliza Knight, USA TODAY bestselling author of Starring Adele Astaire

About the Authors

Aimie K. Runyan

Internationally bestselling author Aimie K. Runyan writes to celebrate unsung heroines. She has written six historical novels (and counting!) and is delving into the exciting world of contemporary women’s fiction. She has been a finalist for the Colorado Book Award three times, a nominee for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ ‘Writer of the Year,’ and a Historical Novel Society’s Editors’ Choice selection. Aimie is active as a speaker and educator in the writing community in Colorado and beyond. She lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her wonderful husband, two adorable (usually) children, two very sweet cats, and a pet dragon. Visit her online at aimiekrunyan.com; Instagram: @bookishaimie; Facebook: @aimiekrunyan; Twitter: @aimiekrunyan.

J’nell Ciesielski

Bestselling author with a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories, J’nell Ciesielski weaves fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black-and-white movies. She is a Florida native who now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle. Learn more at www.jnellciesielski.com. Instagram: @jnellciesielski; Facebook: @J’nellCiesielski.

Rachel McMillan

Rachel McMillan is the author of The London Restoration, The Mozart Code, the Herringford and Watts mysteries, the Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries, and the Three Quarter Time series of contemporary Viennese romances. She is also the author of Dream, Plan, Go: A Travel Guide to Inspire Independent Adventure. Rachel lives in Toronto, Canada. Visit her online at rachelmcmillan.net; Instagram: @rachkmc; Facebook: @rachkmc1; Twitter: @rachkmc; Pinterest: @rachkmc.

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, May 2
Review at Tammy Reads
Review at Ms. Darcy Reads
Excerpt at MK McClintock Blog

Wednesday, May 3
Review at A Girl Reads Bookss

Thursday, May 4
Review at Amy’s Booket List

Friday, May 5
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Saturday, May 6
Review at Bookworlder

Monday, May 8
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books
Review at Books In Their Natural Habitat

Tuesday, May 9
Review at Rebecca is Reading

Wednesday, May 10
Review at Novels Alive

Thursday, May 11
Review at Amanda in PA

Friday, May 12
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Saturday, May 13
Feature at Passages to the Past

Monday, May 15
Review at Reading is My Remedy
Review at She’s Becoming Bookish

Tuesday, May 16
Review at Reader_ceygo

Wednesday, May 17
Review at The Lit Bitch

Thursday, May 18
Review at Girl Who Reads

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of The Castle Keepers by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, Rachel McMillan!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on May 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Castle Keepers

Salem Burning (The Lives Of Lilly Parris Book 1)
by Daniel Sugar

Publication Date: February 20, 2018

In 1692, a disreputable young man named Kyle Edwards breaks his engagement by accusing his fiancee, Lilly Parris, of witchcraft.

Kyle is a liar; he does not believe in witchcraft, he is simply trying to get rid of Lilly. But Kyle is in for a shock because, as it turns out, Lilly really is a witch.

“Salem Burning” is a fast-paced, brand-new take on the Salem witch trials.

The Witch And The Guillotine (The Lives Of Lilly Parris Book 2)
by Daniel Sugar

Publication Date: January 26, 2019

After narrowly escaping the horrors of the Salem witch trials, Lilly Parris comes of age in 18th Century France, where she is pampered by Louis XVI and pursued by one of history’s greatest fiends: Maximilien Robespierre, the monster who sent thousands of innocent men, women and children to the guillotine.

“The Witch and the Guillotine” is a fast-paced, brand-new take on the French Revolution.

The Witch and the Revolution (The Lives Of Lilly Parris Book 3)
by Daniel Sugar

Publication Date: March 23, 2020

As the Tsar’s subjects turn against him, Lilly Parris races to save Anastasia Romanov and her brother Alexis – the heir to the Russian throne.

The Witch and the Revolution is a fast-paced, brand-new take on the Russian Revolution.

The Witch And The Resistance (The Lives Of Lilly Parris Book 4)
by Daniel Sugar

Publication Date: November 13, 2020

As the Allies prepare to liberate Europe, Lilly Parris learns of a diabolical Nazi plot.

“The Witch And The Resistance” is a fast-paced, brand-new take on the Second World War.

The Witch And The Merry Monarch (The Lives Of Lilly Parris Book 5)
by Daniel Sugar

Publication Date: August 16, 2021

After witnessing the execution of King Charles I, Lilly Parris tries to save the life of his son, Charles II.

The Witch And The Merry Monarch is a fast-paced, brand-new take on the English Civil War.

The Witch And The Physician (The Lives Of Lilly Parris)
by Daniel Sugar

Publication Date: July 7, 2022

As fear grips London, Lilly Parris matches wits with one of history’s most notorious serial killers.

“The Witch and the Physician” is a fast-paced, brand-new take on a killing spree that shocked the world.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Daniel Sugar has written for a number of celebrities and for several TV shows, including “The Tonight Show, With Jay Leno”. He has always been fascinated by witches, witchcraft, the Salem witch trials, and the French Revolution. The Lives of Lilly Parris includes six novels: “Salem Burning”, “The Witch and the Guillotine”, “The Witch and the Revolution”, “The Witch and The Resistance”, “The Witch and The Merry Monarch”, and “The Witch and the Physician”.

Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Genes of Isis
by Justin Newland

Publication Date: August 28, 2018
Troubador/Matador

Genre: Historical Fantasy

 

 

Akasha is a precocious girl, born into a world where oceans circulate in the sky waters. She dreams of releasing the Surge, the next evolutionary step for an embryonic human race. But it’s dormant, trapped inside every human.

Horque is a Solarii, a tribe of angels who’ve manifested in human form and settled in ancient Egypt. Desperate to return home, they must first undo the devastation caused by the Helios, another tribe of angels who came to Earth to deliver the Surge and instead left humanity on the brink of extinction and sired a race of interspecies monsters: the hybrids.

When Akasha foretells the falling of the sky waters and falls in love with Horque, her life becomes an instrument for apocalyptic change.

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

 

About the Author

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical fiction and crime, to supernatural thrillers and mystery. His stories deal with the themes of war, religion, evolution and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe.

Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he found his way to the creative keyboard and conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

Next came the historical fantasy, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

His next historical fantasy, The Coronation (Matador, 2019), speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.

His fourth, The Abdication (Matador, 2021), is a supernatural thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

His work in progress is a two-book series, The Island of Angels, set in Elizabethan England. The first novel, The Mark of the Salamander, explores the significance of Francis
Drake’s circumnavigation of the world. The second, The Midnight of Eights, culminates in the repulse of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

He was born three days before the end of 1953 and lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

We have two copies of The Genes of Isis by Justin Newland up for grabs!

The giveaway is open internationally and ends on March 10th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Genes of Isis

Ascent
by Cathie Dunn

Publication Date: April 8, 2022
Ocelot Press

Series: House of Normandy, Book One
Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty – the House of Normandy
Neustria, Kingdom of the West Franks
AD 890

Fourteen-year-old Poppa’s life changes when Northmen land near Bayeux. Count Bérengar, her father, submits to them, and she is handfasted to Hrólfr, the Northmen’s heathen leader, as part of their agreement.

To her relief, Hrólfr leaves immediately in search of further conquest, only returning to claim her years later. In the face of retaliating Franks, they flee to East Anglia, where she gives birth to their son and daughter.

When Hrólfr and Poppa return to reclaim Bayeux, his new campaign strikes at the heart of Frankish power, and King Charles of the West Franks offers him a pact he cannot refuse. In exchange for vast tracts of land in Neustria, Hrólfr must convert to Christianity and accept marriage to Gisela, the king’s illegitimate daughter.

Poppa’s world shatters. She remains in Bayeux, with her daughter, Adela. When Gisela arrives one day, demanding she hand over Adela, to be raised in Rouen, Poppa’s patience is at an end. But Gisela makes for a dangerous enemy, and only one woman will survive their confrontation high up on the cliffs.

Will Poppa live to witness the dawn of a new era?

ASCENT is the first in a new series about the early women of the House of Normandy – women whose stories have been forgotten through time.

Until now!

Readers of Viking and medieval fiction will enjoy ASCENT, a fictional account of the life of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo the Viking.

Ascent is on sale for eBook for only $.99 across all Amazon platforms!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Cathie Dunn writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance. The focus of her historical fiction novels is on strong women through time.

Cathie has been writing for over twenty years. She studied Creative Writing, with a focus on novel writing, which she teaches in the south of France. She loves researching for her novels, delving into history books, and visiting castles and historic sites.

At the moment, Cathie is working on two novels: Treachery, #2 in the House of Normandy series, about Sprota the Breton, handfasted wife of William Longsword, the son of Poppa and Rollo; and The Alchemist’s Daughter, #2 in the Affair of the Poisons series. She also continues to plot a medieval murder mystery series set in 13th century Languedoc at the height of the Cathar persecutions.

Cathie’s stories have garnered awards and praise from reviewers and readers for their authentic description of the past.

Cathie is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Alliance of Independent Authors, and she organises historical fiction blog tours for The Coffee Pot Book Club.

After many years in Scotland, Cathie now lives in south of France with her husband, and rescued Charlie Cat and Ellie Dog.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | Goodreads

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, January 9
Gwendalyn’s Books

Tuesday, January 10
History from a Woman’s Perspective

Wednesday, January 11
Lisa Everyday Reads

Thursday, January 12
Historical Fiction with Spirit

Friday, January 13
Bookworlder
CelticLady’s Reviews

Monday, January 16
Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Tuesday, January 17
Passages to the Past

Thursday, January 19
Reading is My Remedy

Friday, January 20
Coffee & Ink
Jathan & Heather

Giveaway

Enter to win a signed copy of Ascent by Cathie Dunn!

The giveaway is open internationally and ends on January 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Ascent Book Blast

Look Unto the Land
by George Rollie Adams

Publication Date: August 22, 2022
Barn Loft Press

Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Small Town Race Relations, Book 3

 

 

A Riveting Story of Love, Hate, Greed, and Thirst for Revenge in an Oil-Drenched 1920s Southern Boom Town

When Henry Grant returns home from WWI, he finds his family decimated by violence, death, and debt. He blames it all on one man and aims to make him pay.

In 1922, Henry follows the fellow from Indiana to Berrytown in southern Arkansas, site of the nation’s latest oil boom, a good place to hide and a hard place to search. It’s overflowing with lease hounds, roughnecks, drillers, bootleggers, and gamblers. Crime is rampant, and the Ku Klux Klan is gearing up against booze, prostitution, and Black people.

Meanwhile, Mary Dutton, a near-destitute Berrytown widow with a twelve-year-old son, is struggling to survive. The owners of the pharmacy where she works are forcing her to sell marijuana, cocaine, and heroin under the nose of federal agents.

Otis Leatherwood, a farmer who is Mary’s uncle, likes moonshine and is unaware of the drug traffic. His problem is with the oil. He believes drilling is ruining the environment, and he’s willing to risk everything to stop it. Even though his best friend and Black neighbor Isaiah Watson sees it as a means of escaping bigotry in the South.

As Berrytown grows apace and oil blackens the land, each of them faces life-changing decisions.

Amazon

Praise

“A captivating tale of love and hate that captures the essence of the time with skill and authenticity.” – David F. Rankin, President Emeritus, Southern Arkansas University

“Brings a little-known period of history alive with characters that move in a world as dark as the oil-field setting.” – Gerald George, past director, American Association for State and Local History

“A meaningful tale of loss and love told with page-turning style.” – Celeste Schantz, Editor, Mason Street Review

“A carefully plotted and well-paced story about issues of deep relevance today, including environmental justice and racism.” – Timothy W. Kneeland, Chair of History, Politics, and Law, Nazareth College

“Mystery, romance, industrial expansion, environmental degradation, race relations, and more—all woven into a masterful tapestry of daily life in the rural South.” – Susan Asbury, Assistant Professor of Public History, Middle Georgia State University

“A vivid picture of one of Arkansas’s most tumultuous periods.” – Samantha Bynum, past curator, Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources

About the Author

George Rollie Adams brings a storytelling background, historian’s eye, and educator’s passion to historical fiction about the Jim Crow and Civil Rights-era South.

A native of southern Arkansas, he creates authentic characters, writes true-to-life dialogue for them, and puts them in settings and plots inspired by real places and real events.

A former teacher, biographer, and museum director, Adams has lived and worked in Nashville and New Orleans and resides currently in Western New York’s picturesque Finger Lakes Region.

His novels South of Little Rock and Found in Pieces have received ten publishing awards for historical, regional, social issues, and race relations fiction. Together with his latest novel, Look Unto the Land, they form the Small Town Race Relations Series.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Sisters of Castle Leod
by Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard

Publication Date: January 19, 2023
Black Rose Writing

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

Finalist – 2022 American Writing Awards

Millions are fans of Diana Gabaldon’s popular Outlander books and television series, but few know that Gabaldon’s fictional Castle Leoch was inspired by a real Scottish castle, Castle Leod. The two sisters who lived there at the turn of the twentieth century were among the most fascinating and talked-about women of their era.

Lady Sibell Mackenzie is a spiritualist, a believer in reincarnation, and a popular author of mystical romances. Petite and proper, she values tradition and duty. Her younger sister Lady Constance, swimming champion and big game hunter, is a statuesque beauty who scandalizes British society with her public displays of Greek-style barefoot dancing. The differences between the sisters escalate into conflict after Sibell inherits their late father’s vast estates and the title 3rd Countess of Cromartie. But it is the birth of Sibell’s daughter that sets in motion a series of bizarre and tragic events, pitting sister against sister and propelling Sibell on a desperate mission to challenge the power of fate.

Sisters of Castle Leod, by award-winning author Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard, is the emotionally charged story of two sisters torn apart by jealousy and superstition, and the impossible leap of faith that could finally bring them together.

Available for Pre-Order

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million

Praise

“Heartbreaking and redemptive…a thoroughly engrossing story that will have readers quickly turning the pages.” -Megan Chance, bestselling author of A Splendid Ruin

“This expertly written novel is a beautiful example of how historical facts can be researched and transformed into a work of art. To say this novel was difficult to put down would be an understatement. From the first page, I knew this would become one of my favorite historical novels.” -Sublime Book Reviews

“A magical, mystical, mesmerizing tale of two real-life noble sisters of Castle Leod, caught up in shocking passions that cast them in opposition, yet desperate for reconciliation.” -Rebecca Rosenberg, triple-gold seed-winning novelist of Champagne Widows

“With shocking revelations and twists throughout the book, the reader is never sure what each new chapter will bring. Overall, with an excellent plot and character development, this book is awe-inspiring.” -Pacific Book Review

“Whilst the historical element of this novel can easily be compared to some of the great historical novelists, like Sharon Kay Penman, the ghostly apparitions and contact with the spirit world add an original view of a woman who was, in so many ways, ahead of her time.” -Readers’ Favorite

“The stage is set for sibling rivalry [in this] grand novel about two fascinating sisters of the Scottish Highlands at the turn of the 20th century.” -Sheila Myers, author of The Truth of Who You Are

“…a carefully researched historical novel with a touch of the supernatural.” -Gail Ward Olmsted, author of Landscape of a Marriage: Central Park Was Only the Beginning

About the Author

Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard is the author of two Amazon bestsellers: THE BEAUTY DOCTOR, a compelling historical novel steeped in mystery with strong elements of a medical thriller (Readers’ Favorite), and TEMPTATION RAG: A NOVEL, a resonant novel … about the birth and demise of ragtime … luxuriously crafted (Publishers Weekly). Her books have been finalists for the Eric Hoffer Book Award and National Indie Excellence Awards, received a gold medallion from Book Readers Appreciation Group, and been named a historical fiction Discovered Diamond.

Elizabeth and her family live near Phoenix, Arizona.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, December 19
Review at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, December 21
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Friday, January 6
Review at Novels Alive

Thursday, January 12
Feature at I’m Into Books

Friday, January 13
Instagram Feature at Dive Into a Good Book

Monday, January 16
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Wednesday, January 18
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Friday, January 20
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Monday, January 23
Review at jypsylynn

Monday, January 30
Review at Rajiv’s Reviews

Thursday, February 2
Review at Coffee and Ink

Friday, February 3
Review at Cover Lover Book Reviews

Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy of Sisters of Castle Leod by Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on February 3rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Sisters of Castle Leod

Campbell’s Boy
by Mary Kendall

Publication Date: November 21, 2022
Moonshine Cove Publishing

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

Heartbreak…with an underlay of hope.

California plains in the 1850s. After losing his mother to cholera on the wagon train out west, Emmet Campbell mostly fends for himself in the boom town of Colusa, California where he and his busy and ambitious father settle.

Coming of age for Emmet means hiding in the corners of his father’s new saloon, scrounging for food in the local brothels and finding refuge in tunnels underneath Colusa’s Chinatown.

While fighting off town bullies, an evil Irish stepmother and his own learning disabilities, Emmet struggles to find his footing but never loses his curiosity about the world around him and the people in it.

When forced into a court case to establish his identity and rightful inheritance after the untimely death of his father, Emmet must find family and identity in places he might not have reckoned for. But can he?

With equal measures of the dark and the light, CAMPBELL’S BOY is a tender tale about a boy whose fractured beginnings lead him on a journey through life that reveals what it can mean to be human.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Mary Kendall lived in old (and haunted) houses growing up which sparked a life-long interest in history and story-telling. She earned degrees in history related fields and worked as an historian for many years. Her fiction writing is heavily influenced by the past which she believes is never really dead and buried.

Fueled by black coffee and a possible sprinkling of Celtic fairy dust, she tends to find inspiration in odd places and sometimes while kneading bread dough.

The author currently resides in Maryland with her family (husband, three kids, barn cat and the occasional backyard hen) who put up with her mad scribbling at inconvenient hours.

THE SPINSTER’S FORTUNE , a mystery set in Georgetown, Washington DC, is her debut novel and is a twisty, tangled dive into a web of family deception murky with gothic undertones.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 21
Feature at Passages to the Past

Friday, November 25
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews

Tuesday, November 29
Instagram Feature at Dive Into a Good Book

Thursday, December 1
Review at Bookworlder

Sunday, December 4
Review at Reading Is My Remedy

Monday, December 5
Feature at I’m Into Books
Instagram Feature at Tammy Reads

Thursday, December 8
Feature at Coffee and Ink

Friday, December 9
Review at Novels Alive

Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy of Campbell’s Boy by Mary Kendall!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on December 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Campbell’s Boy