Christina grew up in rural Wisconsin so I am thrilled to have her visit today. She has a new book out, The Edge of the Earth, was released April 2. Check out my review after Christina’s post and be sure to enter the giveaway.
In An American Childhood, Annie Dillard writes about how the books she read as a girl led her away from the Midwest that had nourished her and that she loved with its “big hardwood trees outside the windows, and the terrible Midwest summers, and the terrible Midwest winters.” She says that the Midwest lovingly wills its children to “stay and find a place among its familiar possibilities.” In the end, though, she sorrowfully left it, “having grown strong and restless” in the very act of opposing that will. The theme in The Edge of the Earth that feels most tightly tied to my real life is the idea of feeling compelled to leave a loving world of familiar possibilities for who knows what. When I decided that my character was going to travel to a strange and isolated lighthouse in California, I knew instantly that the other side of that story—the known and civilized world that she would leave—would be Milwaukee.
However long I live in California—or elsewhere (I’ve flitted back and forth across the country several times)—I will forever identify myself first as a Midwesterner. Perhaps distinctions of geography are less powerful than they once were, but to me there’s still a detectable difference. The Easterner has a degree of sophistication and the Westerner conveys an uncomplicated self-confidence that I will forever lack. Instead, I possess the down-to-earth quality of the Midwesterner, a trait I’m convinced is not unrelated to a matter-of-factness that comes from thinking that it’s perfectly normal to move through air chilled to 40 below and then superheated to 97 humid degrees within a six month period.
Wisconsin settings are key elements in three of my four novels, and even in the book that has no scene in the literal Midwest—All Is Vanity —I deliberately incorporated a California town, Glendale, that has for me a Midwestern flavor. The Midwest is where I learned to see and appreciate the world. That its beauties are often subtle, softened by rolling hills and dense layers of green, has made me a careful observer, alert to fine detail. That drama in the Midwest is often understated, cloaked by polite cheerfulness, gives me a keen understanding of the complexity of people’s motives and behavior.
In The Great Gatsby, Nick Carroway finds himself unable to fully enter into the excesses of the east coast, but because he has the perspective of a Midwesterner, which in his case might boil down to a clear sense of who he is, he’s able to clearly perceive and tell the story of Gatsby, Daisy and Tom (other Midwesterners who lose their way). For me, too, the Midwest is the grounding place, the essence of home.
~Christina
About This Author
Christina Schwarz, author of three previous novels, including Oprah Book Club pick Drowning Ruth, grew up in rural Wisconsin. She has lived in Washington D.C., New York City, England and New Hampshire, and now lives in Pasadena, California. To capture the atmosphere of the central California coast for The Edge of the Earth, she dragged her husband and son (along with a passel of dogs and a cat) to Big Sur for months at a time.
The Edge of the Earth: A Novel Historical Fiction Atria Books (April 2, 2013) A Division of Simon & Schuster Hardcover: 288 pages ISBN-13: 978-1451683677 E-Book File Size: 741 KB ASIN: B008J2BZVY
In 1898, a woman forsakes the comfort of home and family for a love that takes her to a remote lighthouse on the wild coast of California. What she finds at the edge of the earth, hidden between the sea and the fog, will change her life irrevocably.
Trudy has been raised to marry her childhood sweetheart and make her home in Milwaukee but she yearns for a more adventurous life and she falls in love with Oskar. He plans to travel far away from the Midwest and she believes she has found an escape to her preordained life.
But she never imagined a life like this. Alienated from friends and family the couple moves to Point Lucia, California. A desolate outcropping between the ocean and inaccessible wilderness. Oskar is the new assistant lighthouse keeper and the only other inhabitants of the area are the Crawleys who are very set in their ways. Trudy will find that nothing is as she might have predicted, especially as she discovers what hides among the rocks.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Schwarz is a truly gifted storyteller. Her descriptive style of writing gives this poignant story a life that was pure pleasure to read.
She has created rich and realistic characters and placed them in an extraordinary place. Imagine days filled with talking with 4 other adults and 4 children for months and months on end. The tender only brings supplies every few months.
Trudy goes from a life where practically everything was done for her to taking care of herself and her husband and even teaching the children. Oskar is a stubborn, selfish man. He has dreams for a great invention but he loses interest before any come to fruition. Euphemia Crawley is a woman hardened by her isolated life. She tries to keep rein on 4 wild, rambunctious children who have frequent “mermaid sightings”.
The story takes some unexpected turns and this reader was surprised by the ending. I enjoyed The Edge of the Earth. It is a story that will stick with you.
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I am giving my gently read review copy to one lucky winner.
U.S. and CANADIAN RESIDENTS You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower.
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Leave a comment for Christina for 5 Bonus Entries !
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Contest Will End May 2, 2013 at 11:59 PM CST Winners Will Be Chosen By Random.org Winners Will Be Notified By Email and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Annie has a job she hates but moonlights as a ghostwriter and she loves that job. Unfortuately she doesn’t make enough to pay the bills. When she gets an offer to ghost write a book for a client her editor warns her is a challenge she has a decision to make. The money offered is higher than she ever imagined and it would allow her to quit her day job. The one stipulation is that she must move to Door County to work with the client. Decision made, she quits her job, packs a bag and heads to The Lighthouse Inn hoping she hasn’t made a huge mistake.
Just a few days after she arrives her editor comes for a visit and within hours he is found dead in his room at the inn and Annie becomes the prime suspect. With the help of her new Door County friends Annie will try to find the killer before she finds herself at Death’s Door.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This is a fun debut for the Annie Malone series. Annie is a unique protagonist. She has wonderful intentions but when she gets in a bit of hot water or when she sees something a little unpleasant she faints dead away. She also has a tendency to babble on when she is nervous or in awkward situations. She is not the smoothest amateur sleuth out there but she is really easy to love both by the reader and a certain gentleman who comes to her rescue more than once.
One of my favorite places to visit in Wisconsin is Door County. Elizabeth Rose has captured the setting perfectly. It was so easy to picture exactly Annie was or where she was going.
Rose also added a very clever twist to the story in addition to the usual red herrings found in a mystery like this. A interesting surprise and a great foundation for moving the series forward. It is also written in a way that will have you unable to put it down. It is fast paced and easily read in one sitting.
Cozy readers will enjoy this trip to Wisconsin’s Door County, I sure did.
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About This Author
Elizabeth Rose was born in Wisconsin. She has lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Fox Valley region of Wisconsin. After working as a technical writer, desktop publisher, ghostwriter, and waitress, she decided to put pen to paper for herself. The book “Murder in Death’s Door County” is very loosely based on a bizarre ghostwriting project she had (names, specific circumstances, and situations have been changed significantly). In addition to continuing with the Annie Malone mystery series, Elizabeth loves to write children’s literature, and draw and paint. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time in Door County, which really is one of the most beautiful places.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker Historical Fiction Dutton (January 15, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Hardcover: 352 pages ISBN-13: 978-0525953616 E-Book File Size: 716 KB ASIN: B008BM4NFC
This story tells of the friendship between Mary Todd Lincoln and her seamstress, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Keckley. Lizzie, a slave who bought the way out of slavery for both herself and her son did so using her sewing talents. She went on to sew for some of the elite woman in Washington D.C. When Mrs. Lincoln moved to The White House she chose Lizzie over many applicants to be her her personal “modiste,” responsible not only for creating the First Lady’s gowns, but also for dressing Mrs. Lincoln in the beautiful attire she created for the first lady. Their friendship quickly evolved and she became part of the fabric of the Lincoln White House. She was there to see Mary through the loss of her son and the assassination of her husband.
Dollycas’s Thoughts Chiaverini has written an in depth look at an important time in history from the women’s point of view as only she can. It is well researched and flows smoothly into the reader’s heart and mind. This being her first novel away from her characters in the Elm Creek Series there were a bit of growing pains in places. She is writing about real people and tries to keep all the facts straight even though the book is fiction which can be extremely difficult. Readers should know this is not a quilting or a quilter’s story but Lizzie does create a quilt from the scraps leftover from her creations for Mrs. Lincoln. This is a very small part of this novel.
The author has a reputation of writing strong woman and Elizabeth Keckley is one strong woman. She definitely went above and beyond for Mrs. Lincoln. Chiaverini has captured her excellently and it is easy to forget Lizzie was a real person. Her insight into Mary Todd Lincoln was enlightening as well. Reading stories like this one are superb ways to learn more about the people the history texts forget about or only mention in passing.
This book is everything I expect a Jennifer Chiaverini novel. Wonderful characters in a fascinating time and exciting places.Fans of historical fiction will absolutely love this book. I sure did!! I can’t wait to read her next novel due out in October. The Spymistress features Elizabeth Van Lew, a Union loyalist who was a spy for General Grant.
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A CONVERSATION WITH
JENNIFER CHIAVERINI
AUTHOR OF
Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker
Picture by Steven Garfinkel
Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker chronicles the friendship between First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and Elizabeth Keckley, who was born a slave and earned her freedom through her skill with a needle. What brought this story to your attention, and how did it inspire your first stand-alone historical novel?
More than a decade ago, I was researching antebellum and Civil War era quilts for my fourth novel when I discovered a photograph of an antique masterpiece. Arranged in the medallion style, with appliquéd eagles, embroidered flowers, meticulously-pieced hexagons, and deep red fringe, the quilt was the work of a gifted needleworker, its striking beauty unmarred by the shattered silk and broken threads that gave evidence to its age. The caption noted that the quilt had been sewn from scraps of Mary Todd Lincoln’s gowns by her dressmaker and confidante, a former slave named Elizabeth Keckley. I marveled at the compelling story those brief lines suggested—a courageous woman’s rise from slavery to freedom, an improbable friendship that ignored the era’s sharp distinctions of class and race, the confidences shared between a loyal dressmaker and a controversial, divisive First Lady. What I would give, I thought, to have been present as Elizabeth Keckley measured Mary Lincoln for a new gown, to overhear their conversations on topics significant and ordinary, to observe the Lincoln White House from such an intimate perspective. From that moment, my interest in their remarkable friendship was captivated, and it never really waned.
Readers may be surprised to learn that Elizabeth Keckley was not only an accomplished modiste and businesswoman, but also a published author. Was meeting a historical figure through her own words different than encountering her via more distant historical sources?
A few years after I learned about the Mary Todd Lincoln Quilt, I was researching a Civil War novel set on the Pennsylvania home front when I realized that many of my secondary sources cited the same work—Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House, a memoir published in 1868 by Elizabeth Keckley. Struck by the familiar name, I immediately found a reprint and plunged into her story, which told of her harrowing years as a slave, her difficult struggle for freedom, and her ascendance as the most popular dressmaker of Washington’s social elite, including the new president’s wife. Sewing in the Lincoln family’s chambers within the White House, dressing Mrs. Lincoln for balls and receptions, Keckley observed Abraham and Mary Lincoln in their most private, unguarded moments, and with them she witnessed some of the most glorious and most tragic events in the nation’s history. Reading the story of her life in her own words made her experiences more immediate and more compelling, and for a long time afterward, I longed to delve more deeply into Elizabeth Keckley’s history, to learn about the woman she was beyond her friendship with Mary Lincoln, to discover what had happened after the closing passages of her memoir, and to uncover the details of everyday life in wartime Washington she had omitted.
President Lincoln is often characterized by his calm, thoughtful, and wise demeanor. The same, however, can’t be said for Mrs. Lincoln. In Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, you paint a picture of a complex, yet fascinating woman with mood swings and emotional outbursts but who also possesses a strong and confident presence. Can you describe your insights on her character? Why is she such an intriguing person, not just in your book but also in history?
Despite the volumes of historical and psychological research devoted to Mary Lincoln, she remains an enigma. She was the first wife of a US president to be called First Lady, and she was then and remains to this day one of the most controversial. Regrettably, descriptions of her tend to fall into the extremes of caricature: She is either portrayed as an unstable, shrill, vicious, corrupt shrew who made President Lincoln utterly miserable, or as a devoted wife and mother and a brilliant, shrewd, political helpmeet whose reputation was savaged by biased male historians. As a friend and confidante who observed Mary Lincoln closely in moments of triumph as well as tragedy, Elizabeth Keckley knew her as a real woman, full of flaws and virtues and surprises like any other. It was this far more nuanced woman that Elizabeth Keckley depicted in the pages of her memoir, and since Elizabeth Keckley is my narrator, I shaped the character of Mary Lincoln according to her perceptions.
Mrs. Lincoln chose Elizabeth Keckley first for her superior dressmaking skills; later for her confidence and friendship. Despite differences in temperament, status, and race, each woman made profound sacrifices for her country. Was it shared experience that cemented their bond?
Shared experiences certainly strengthened their bond, and for as long as their relationship endured, it was, for the most part, mutually beneficial. Mary Lincoln provided Elizabeth Keckley with opportunities for social and economic advancement she probably could not have even imagined during her years as a slave, while Elizabeth offered Mary the loyal, steadfast friendship she craved but had always found so elusive. But Mary assumed that the faithful Elizabeth would keep their shared experiences confidential. Loyalty meant everything to Mary, which is why their friendship could not survive the publication of Elizabeth’s memoir. Elizabeth claimed to have written her memoir in part to place Mary “in a better light before the world,” but since she was determined to write the truth, her portrayal was often unflattering. As publication day approached, Elizabeth worried that she might be criticized for revealing too much about the private lives of President Lincoln and the First Lady. “I have been prompted by the purest motive,” she defended herself in the book’s preface. “A breach of trust—if breach it can be called—of this kind is always excusable.” Understandably, Mary did not agree, and her sense of betrayal was so profound that she abruptly severed ties with the woman she had once considered her “best and kindest friend.” For the rest of her life, she rebuffed Elizabeth’s attempts to reconcile.
History has a way of offering its lessons in the way of recognizable trends and patterns. Elizabeth Keckley’s story was largely lost to history, yet it has recently been restored, through efforts to restore her gravesite, and now your novel. What do you regard as her legacy?
Certainly her writing is a significant part of her legacy. Despite the vitriol of her critics and Robert Lincoln’s efforts to rid the world of Behind the Scenes, Elizabeth Keckley’s memoir, so denounced in its time, is today respected for its invaluable insights into the Lincoln White House. The influence she had upon President Lincoln—not in any official role of advisor, but rather through her presence and conversation, making him better aware of the needs of the African-American community—and how it might have informed his opinions and thus guided his policy decisions is another. Another part of her legacy—perhaps impossible to measure—springs from her role as a teacher, not only in her later years, when she worked as a domestic arts instructor at Wilberforce University, but also and especially when she taught sewing, reading, and other important skills to the former slaves living in Washington’s overcrowded refugee camps. She helped countless numbers of women gain the skills and knowledge they needed to build better lives for themselves and their families in the new world of freedom.
Entertainment Weekly has recently described President Lincoln as “having a moment.” Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed film Lincoln has renewed interest in this renowned figure in American history. From your experience in writing about him and his era, what has brought his Presidency back into cultural consideration?
Although interest certainly has escalated recently, Abraham Lincoln has always loomed large in the American imagination, perhaps because his story is so quintessentially American—from humble beginnings, through hard work and perseverance, he rose to success and renown. His tragic assassination just as the dawn of peace rose above the horizon only enhances his legend, because we will forever wonder what might have been, what else he would have accomplished had he lived. He consistently ranks at or near the top in national surveys rating the presidents on their greatness, their achievements, their leadership, and even those who disagree with his methods acknowledge that he saw the country through its most serious national crisis. The story of his presidency is especially relevant today, as the United States grapples with many of the same issues President Lincoln faced—matters of race, of the gulf between socioeconomic classes, of the role of government and the presidency, and of the challenge of fostering democracy in a nation of deeply divided citizens.
Your New York Times bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series has frequently drawn on history to great acclaim, and your passion for the American people, their struggles and triumphs, shines through. What is it about the antebellum and Civil War eras, especially, that intrigues you as a writer?
The antebellum and Civil War eras were a tumultuous and transformative time for our nation, showing the best and worst of humanity in stark contrast. Looking back, we discover great moral failings alongside true heroism in the struggle for justice, equality, and freedom. My personal heroes are people who face adversity with moral courage and dignity, whose hunger for justice and compassion for others lead them to stand up for what is right even at great risk to themselves. My favorite characters to write about either possess similar qualities, or are given the opportunity to summon up these qualities and do what is right but fall short. What slavery, the Underground Railroad, secession, and the Civil War say about our country—that we are capable of both great moral failings and tremendous goodness—resonates strongly even today, perhaps especially today, and as a creative person, I am drawn to explore and try to understand that conflict.
What is your next work of fiction? Can readers expect to meet another remarkable yet little known figure from America’s past?
My next novel, The Spymistress (Dutton, October 2013), will explore the suspenseful, clandestine life of Elizabeth Van Lew, a Union loyalist who was General Grant’s most valuable spy in her native Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate capital during the tumultuous years of the Civil War.
I loved this book and would really like to add it to my Keeper Shelf but I am going to share it with one lucky person. Thank you to the people a Dutton for this copy! The book hits shelves in exactly one week so this is going to be a quick giveaway so if you haven’t won the copy you can rush out and purchase the book!
YOU MUST BE A FOLLOWER OF THIS BLOG TO ENTER!
There will be no Bonus Entries to give everyone a fair chance.
CONTEST ENDS SUNDAY NIGHT JANUARY 13 AT 11:59 P.M. CST Winner will be notified by email and will be posted in the sidebar of this blog. Good Luck Everyone!!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
The Sunday Salon used to be a meme but was getting so huge it became unmanageable, so it is now a Facebook group that has become an informal week in review
gathering place for bloggers. It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature.
So Happy Sunday Everyone!
I can’t believe how quickly 2012 flew by. The biggest events for me happened in April and December when my new grandchildren were born. I known their parents won’t agree but the months went pretty fast. I am looking forward to spending as much time with them and 5 year old Kaden and the rest of my family as I can in 2013. I am also excited about 2013 in my blog world. I think it is going to be an awesome year for books and sharing my thoughts with all of you. What are you looking forward to in 2013??
I finished 2012 reading 222 books. So I completed this challenge and the Outdo Yourself Challenge with some to spare even with going 48 hours this week without reading a word.
I have not seen anyone running a Total Number of Books Reading Challenge for 2013. Please let me know if you know of one.
0 / 3 books. 0% done! This was a personal challenge to read 3 books from the year I was born. I failed miserably. I am not going to try in 2013.
So I was successful at all but 2 challenges. Not a bad year.
Due to the New Years Holiday January Cozies have a release date of 12/31/2012. I was getting worried because the review copies had not arrived yet last week. They finally arrived Thursday.
These books also arrived for review:
and Mary Daheim will be here January 30 for Cozy Wednesday!
This was a huge post!
Looking forward to an awesome 2013 full of great reads!!
The Giving Quilt:
An Elm Creek Quilts Novel 20th in Series Dutton (October 30, 2012) Published by The Penguin Group Hardcover: 336 pages ISBN-13: 978-0525953609 Jacket Design by Monica Benalcazar Jacket Quilt by Janet Miller/The City Stitcher
The week after Thanksgiving is a very special time at Elm Creek Manor. It is Quiltsgiving! A week were quilters come and make quilts to give to Project Linus.
Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson Cooper starts the week by asking the quilter’s “Why do you give?” Each quilter has their own reasons for coming to Elm Creek Manor at this time and most have trouble answering Sylvia’s question. As the week goes by they bond together making the quilts, sewing love and comfort right into each wonderful quilt. The friendships also bloom and burdens are lifted. The Giving Quiltwill remind us all: Giving from the heart blesses the giver as much as the recipient, and while giving may not always be easy, it is always worthwhile.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Visiting Elm Creek Manor is like wrapping yourself in a warm cozy quilt. This story was a pure joy to read.
Chiaverini brings back all the characters we love and introduces to a wonderful new group of quilters too. She sews together their stories in a way that seems effortless and yet is so inspiring. These stories always leave me wanting to gather fabric and lose myself stitching a quilt, something I haven’t been able to do since my accident, but this story invoked another thought process all about giving. Why do I personally give and how? Can I give more?
It was Michaela’s story that really touched my heart. I immediately went in to mother mode and wanted to protect her like I would do for my own daughters. So young and so strong and then stronger through the support she found making new friends at Elm Creek. If I would have been her age, a leg in a cast, I would have never pushed ahead to attend this week long quilting event. But she does and she has given me a push I probably needed to search out ways to do sew and quilt again someday. That asking for help to do something you love is important and maybe I may never be able to do it myself again but I plan to teach my daughters and try to revive my passion and pass it on to them.
Each character is different with various problems they are facing at home. Everyone that reads this book with find one or more characters they can identify with and understand.
A heartwarming and powerful story. A perfect read for this time of year that reminds us that giving and helping others can be more than a holiday event, it should be a year round happening.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Annie Bellamy loves horses. She grew up showing horses and the buying, selling, and showing of horses led to the bankruptcy and break-up of her family, and perhaps, her mother’s death. She now is trying to come to grips with her past as her own daughter, Teddy, falls in love with horses the same way she did. She vows that history will not repeat itself. Teddy’s talent cannot be denied. She connects with these horses like Annie never did.
Her daughter’s passion does come with a hefty price tag and she wonders how that will impact her family. She also never imagined the ruthless barn owners, the crooked trainers or the viciously competitive show moms they would meet on this journey in the horse world or “saddle soap opera”. Annie realizes that making her daughter’s dreams come true is going to take courage to stand up to all those around them wanting them to fail.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
A captivating and inspiring story of a mother’s love and the special bonds of mother and daughter. Based on a true story, Lesley takes us into world of showing horses. What happens behind those barn doors and in the practice rings. The greed, the jealousy, the corruption, she tells all.
Mare’s Nest is a term defined as “an extraordinarily complicated situation”. That’s what the horse world is, a series of extraordinarily complicated situations. I love the way Kagen writes with heart and humor and the strength she gives her characters. Annie and Teddy had quite an uphill battle and a few missteps but it made each of them stronger and their relationship stronger as well.
As a mother with two daughters myself this book touched my heart. It also made me thankful they played volleyball, basketball and softball. The competitive parents are still there, the coaches did have their favorites, but the equipment can be put in a closet or the garage in the off season. A horse needs care year round and my heart would break every time one got hurt or would have to be sold.
You do not need any knowledge of horses or the competitions involved in showing a horse to love this book. I sure didn’t and I absolutely loved this story. It is a powerful story that every mother or daughter would enjoy. It is a truly awesome book! Definitely worth 10 stars!!!
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About This Author
Lesley Kagen is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author, a mother of two, an actress, voice-over talent,former restaurateur, and accomplished equestrian. Her previous books include Whistling in the Dark, Land of a Hundred Wonders, Tomorrow River, and Good Graces. She lives in Wisconsin. Visit with her on Facebook, and at her web site www.lesleykagen.com
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Meet the Shady Ladies. Wherever they go murder follows.
Six mystery writers who exchange emails, instant messages and texts discussing plot lines, sex and murder for their books, get a dose of non-fiction when one of their own is suspected of doing in a wife-beating killer.
Aristair is tough and strong, won’t date men but having sex with them is just fine. Hope is the caring mother of the group. She looks out for all of them and always tries to do the right thing. Megan is the fiery one, you don’t want to get on her bad side. Veronica is busy with her kids but does her best to keep up with all the happenings and drama. Kate is the most published of the bunch and that brings its own problems. Shelby is from the South recently transplanted to the Midwest. She won a contest to become a member of the Shady Ladies.
The heat cranks up when another member’s crooked literary agent is killed, and their newest member’s husband is looking more and more like a serial killer.
It did take a bit to get used to the different format of texts and emails but soon the pages were flying by making this a very quick read. I was afraid that we would lose the background or the depth needed to follow the mystery but this was not the case at all. We get to know the characters and the plot was very easy to follow. Each character is very unique. I cannot pick a favorite.
Social media is taking over the world. I read Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park back in August of 2011 and loved it. It was filled with Facebook statuses. People today Facebook, E-mail, and text so why not a mystery written the way we now communicate. I wouldn’t be a fan of many books in this format but it was a nice change of pace.
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About Karin Tabke
National bestselling, award-winning author Karin Tabke isn’t just another author with steamy stories to tell, but a cop’s wife who has “seen it all and heard it all.” Some of the hottest stories come from behind the blue wall of law enforcement rather than from in front. Married to a street cop, now retired, Karin is intimate with both and proves it with her sizzling tales of hot cops. Not only are her cops hot, but so are her sexy knights and bad boy werewolves. Karin’s Blood Sword Legacy series is a must read for anyone who loves tales of yore when men were men and women were women, and love did conqueror all. Her dark, erotic Blood Moon paranormal trilogy is best described as “Sons of Anarchy meets Rise of Lycans.” Her L.O.S.T. series (w/a Karin Harlow) is paranormal romantic suspense at its “chilling and sizzling”* best. You don’t want to miss any of Karin’s deliciously edgy tales of danger and passion!
Check out her website http://karintabke.com/ About Edie Ramer
Edie is funnier on the page than in real life. A multiple award-winning writer, she writes stories with heart, attitude and magic. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two dogs, and one important cat.
You can visit Edie at edieramer.com, and she blogs every other Monday at Magical Musings (magicalmusings.com), which has frequent giveaways.
Betting on Hope Contemporary Romance Self Published E-book Print Length: 299 pages – 506 KB ASIN: B005ISCTW6
Hope McNaughton hasn’t seen her father in years but he can still create havoc in her life. He has lost the family ranch in a poker game.
Hope thinks that just can’t be true but she finds out her father got the house in the divorce and they have been renting from him all these years. Hope learns he lost it to New Jersey Mafia boss Big Julie Saladino. He happens to be in Vegas hosting some private poker games so while she hasn’t played cards in quite a while she thinks with the right help she can win the ranch back.
Hope calls on her honorary uncles–who are totally legit, honestly–to sharpen her game. Poker champion Tanner Wingate doesn’t know what’s at stake but tries to convince Hope gambling when you can’t afford to lose is the wrong thing to do. Hope doesn’t want to get mixed up with a card shark like Tanner, who’s too much like her father–an irresponsible gambler who cheats and takes too many risks. But she’ll do what she has to do to get the ranch back.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This was a fast and fun read that I didn’t want to end.
Hope is a complex character dealing with abandonment issues because her father left their family and never looked back. She has a hard time dating and trusting men which was written beautifully. The romance is true to real life making her character so easy to identify with.
The Russians are hilarious and the shopping trips Hope took with Baby are hysterical. Her honorary uncles are loving and so funny. They are really there for Hope and her mom and her sister. Her niece Amber even lines up a couple honorary uncles for herself.
This story has it all romance, suspense, and humor. Gambling, mobsters, dysfunctional family, organic farming, Vegas, I loved it!!! I am so glad that what happened in Vegas this time didn’t stay in Vegas. I am “all in” on this one. JACKPOT!!
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
About This Author
Kay Keppler was born and raised in Wisconsin. It’s a beautiful state, and she’s always liked it, but it’s awfully cold in the winter and way too hot and humid in the summer, plus the mosquitoes could carry you away.
After a few side experiments going here and there, she settled in northern California, where she’s lived comfortably ever since in that old house with the wonky plumbing.
She enjoys reading and writing, but not arithmetic, housework, or spiders. She has a messy garden she shares with neighbors, and she likes to watch movies and TV. Her favorite thing to do is lie on the sofa in the afternoon with a good novel, a cup of tea, and music to fit the mood.
Not only did the main character in the Main Street Mysteries go to the University of Wisconsin – Madison but the author’s other mystery series featuring Maggie Thorsen is set right outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the author herself is a Wisconsin native and a Green Bay Packer fan!!! She may not call Wisconsin home right now but at least she is rooting for the right football team.
I am thrilled that she is here today. Her new book Dead Ends (Main Street Murders Mystery) was released on September 1 and I was so excited when an advanced copy arrived at my door. Now she is here to tell you all about it and some of the stress that comes with the second book in a series.
Hi Sandy!!
Thanks, Lori, for inviting me to escape with everyone on this Cozy Wednesday!
As Lori has mentioned, Dead Ends, book two in my new Main Street Murders series, was just released. I think authors generally hold their breaths when the second in a series comes out, fearing some sort of “sophomore slump.” I’ve always assumed it’s because most of us slave over that first book, writing and rewriting ad infinitum, as we’re trying to find a publisher. The second–often part of that same publishing contract–usually has a tighter deadline.
Friend and fellow author Terrence Faherty has another explanation, though. Terry is not only a writer, but an English Lit major and looks the part. Tweed jackets, patches on the elbows–I was too intimidated to talk to him early in my career. Turns out, he’s not only a great guy, but a very wise man.
Terry says the initial installment of a series is the starting point. Book One provides the venue–in my case, Sutherton, North Carolina, a tiny resort town in the High Country that swells to nearly bursting during its tourist seasons–and the characters who live there. My protagonist in the Main Street series is Wisconsin reporter AnnaLise Griggs. In the first book, Running on Empty, Annalise is called home to the High Country when her volunteer phlebotomist mother, Daisy, nearly bleeds-out a donor during the local blood drive.
Straight forward enough, right? Okay, maybe not. But straight forward or not, we’d still have questions at the close of that book–about AnnaLise, about Daisy and, most importantly, about the bodies that continue to wash up on the lakeshore across from Mama Philomena’s Ristorante.
If you think of Book One as your high school geometry teacher’s “point in space,” a line drawn through it can dart in any direction. A full 360 degrees of possibility. It’s only when the writer plots, quite literally, another point–the second book–that we all know which trajectory the series is going to take.
So where is Dead Ends heading, you might ask? Definitely further than the title implies. As the open, AnnaLise is still in Sutherton awaiting results of Daisy’s tests, when the door of Mama Philomena’s swings open and in walks trouble: AnnaLise’s former lover, with his wife and daughter in tow.
Then someone dies, and you just KNOW that can’t be good. If you want to find out where we go from there, though, you’ll just have to come along for the ride.
All my best,
Sandy
Thank you so much Sandy for dropping by today. The door is always open. I hope you can escape with us again soon!!!
About Sandra Balzo
Sandra Balzo is an award-winning author of crime fiction, including nine books in two different mystery series–Main Street Murders, set in the High Country of North Carolina, and the Wisconsin-based Maggy Thorsen Coffeehouse Mysteries. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist and Library Journal, while being compared to those of Janet Evanovich, G.A. McKevett, Joan Hess and Margaret Maron. A Wisconsin native, Sandy now splits her time between South Florida and North Carolina, but remains a loyal Packer Backer. Find Sandy online at www.SandraBalzo.com
Dead Ends
(Main Street Murders Mystery) 2nd Book In Series Cozy Mystery Published by Severn House (September 1, 2012) Hardcover: 208 pages ISBN-13: 978-0727881748
What should have been a simple trip home for journalist AnnaLise Griggs has turned into a nightmare. It is time for college to start and who shows up in Sutherton, North Carolina to start class, Suzanne Rosewood with her parents in tow. Her mother, Tanja and her father, Benjamin, the district attorney of Urban County, Wisconsin. AnnaLise and Ben have a bit of a past. A past she would love to forget. Now it has followed her home.
AnnaLise has errands to run and the Rosewoods all have plans so the visit is none to sweet but very short. That is until AnnaLise learns that Tanja has had an accident on the treacherous mountain road outside of Sutherton. The tragic accident turns out to be deadly. Then there is another death and AnnaLise just can’t shake the feeling that these deaths are related. Her journalist instincts take over causing her to learn just how far people with go to get and keep what they believe is theirs.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
When you think of Sandra Balzo you think of Small Towns – Big Crimes and that is the story she delivers.
The story is full of southern charm. The Woolly Worm Festival is right around the corner. Mama Philomena’s restaurant serves up recipes like Corn Flakes Crunchy Baked Chicken, Grape Nuts Pudding and complimentary Chex Mix, the comfort food Mama (Phyllis) grew up on. And like any small town everyone knows everybody’s business. Or do they?
The mystery is a delight, full of red herrings that keep the reader guessing as the clues all come together in unimaginable ways. Funny by the end everything makes perfect sense.
The twists and turns are not all in the story. The roads around Sutherton are crazy. I was gripping the book and holding on for dear life in several places. I would be a driver just like AnnaLise, timid, slow, mindful of the drop offs, but her mother and others that drive those roads daily tear up and now the mountain with ease.
Sandra Balzo is a gifted storyteller, her stories just flow with a perfect balance of what makes up a great cozy mystery. Quirky characters we love, a well-plotted story with just the right amount of humor, taking place in a picturesque setting with “cool mountains” and beautiful lakes and trout filled streams. Her stories are the perfect kind to escape into and I look forward to every trip.
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
Would you like to win a copy of this wonderful book?
One Winner Will Be Chosen To Receive A Copy Directly From Sandra!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Before I welcome Rochelle today I just have to share a funny thing that happened last week. I was sitting on my bed relaxing, my normal indoor reading spot, when my husband came in to the room to check on our sick kitty, Sherlock, who was snuggled up by my side. I was reading Rochelle’s book, Bruja Brouhaha. He said ”What The Hell Are You Reading?” Is that even in English?”
I replied “It’s a really good book and you’d better behave or I’ll have the Bruja hex you but good!” he laughed and said “Sorrrrryyyyyy, I just didn’t get the title, I take it a bruja is a witch.” It was so funny, he left the room shaking his head, “I thought you were reading a mystery and you are reading about crazy witches.” He finished with, “I’ll be watching the Brewers or the Brujaewers, if you want to join me.”
I shared this with Rochelle and she said I had to share it with you.
I am so thrilled to welcome this wonderful author who used to call Wisconsin home back to Escape With Dollycas!
Hi Rochelle!
Hi everyone!
I’m excited to be back at Dollycas again. Thank you so much for inviting me!
My latest novel, Bruja Brouhaha, opens after psychologist/sleuth Liz Cooper prepares homemade tamales under the tutelage of elderly Lucia Rojas. Liz’s tamales are a smashing success at the anniversary gathering in the Rojas apartment with a group of friends that includes her new love, professor Nick Garfield. Bravo to Lucia for coaxing nondomestic Liz into the kitchen.
Liz’s resistance to cooking is suspiciously close to mine. It’s not that I don’t know how to cook. I do. Give me a recipe and I’ll follow instructions to the letter. When I’m looking for creative distraction I head to the kitchen to whip up a killer batch of brownies.
As a writer I find food an excellent tool for metaphor, tickling the readers’ senses of taste, sight, and smell. A heady meal literally adds flavor, provides comfort, or brings sustenance to a scene. Regional foods help establish setting. Haute cuisine or junk food preferences define character. And then there’s food humor. One of my favorite quips in Bruja Brouhaha involves banquet chicken. I love banquet chicken.
However, food isn’t at the core of the mystery genre I write. I don’t attempt to compete with the amazing culinary mystery authors of today like Jenn McKinlay, Avery Aames, Julie Hyzy, Krista Davis, Sheila Connelly, Cleo Coyle and the legions of other wonderful writers in the subgenre. Me? I get my kicks by cooking up fictional rituals, spells, curses, and hexes to flavor my occult-themed mysteries.
The rituals I develop for the Mind for Murder Mystery series are pure fiction seasoned with common (or not so common) interpretations, and blended by my imagination. Like cooking a meal, pulling all the ingredients together is part of the fun. For example, to create a spell I seek the perfect candle color like white for purity, pink for romance, red for passion, or green for money. Adding the right oil to stir the subconscious, like amber for protection, lemongrass for good luck, eucalyptus for healing, vanilla for lust. And then filling the room with the scent of burning incense—perhaps lavender for divination, patchouli for magic, sage for cleansing, or jasmine for prophetic dreams—to seduce spirits. I’m cautious with my mystical recipes, lest anyone be supernaturally burned. But you can be certain when the spells/hexes/rituals are simmering, Liz and Nick stumble into a pot of trouble.
Am I the only reluctant food chef around? Is your kitchen a creative workshop or do you get-the-meal-done-and-run?
Thanks for dropping by Rochelle! Jeff says to tell you Brujawers won that night I hope you will visit again soon!
About This Author
Rochelle Staab is the national bestselling, Anthony and Agatha Award-nominated author of the Mind For Murder Mystery series on Berkley Prime Crime. Bruja Brouhaha, her second novel featuring Los Angeles psychologist Liz Cooper and occult specialist Nick Garfield, was released on August 7. Rochelle, a Wisconsin native, is a former Top 40 radio programmer and music industry marketing/advertising executive living in Studio City, CA.
Bruja Brouhaha
(A Mind for Murder Mystery) A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (August 7, 2012) Published by The Penguin Group Cozy Mystery Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages Cover Illustration by Blake Morrow Cover Design by Diane Kolsky ISBN-13: 978-0425251492
Paco and Lucia Rojas own the historic Botanica Rojos near MacArthur Park and are devout Santeria practitioners who mix up potions for many rituals like love, success and safety. They have gathered with their friends to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. Lucia is also teaching Liz how to make tamales.
The party comes to an end quickly when tragedy strikes. a devastated Lucia lashes out at the community by casting a vengeful hex on the entire neighborhood. They quickly give her the label of “Bruja” – Spanish for witch. Soon this elderly woman is alone with the exception of her friends Nick and Liz. They need to protect her and get to the bottom of a lot of strange happenings in the community including a murder and a missing person before more lives are lost.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This author has a way of writing that just draws you in and holds on tight.The setting for this story really drove the mystery.
A close knit community dealing with a few unscrupulous residents and some rival gangs members looking for trouble. The residents rally together to help Lucia showing the such strong friendship, putting themselves in danger to save her and her Botanica.
I also was drawn by the education we receive about a religion I knew nothing about. The beliefs and practices of a Santeria priestess were very interesting.
While Nick is an expert in the occult I do not classify these stories as paranormal. Like most readers Liz is not savvy to all these different beliefs so we can feel as if we are learning right along with her. She definitely learned more from Lucia than how to make a great tamale.
The romance between Liz and Nick hit a few bumps this time out. I would call them growing pains as there relationship grows the trust in one another has to grow as well. The way this is written makes the characters so real and easily identifiable. Character development is perfectly paced.
I have to say I really enjoyed the character of Lucia. A strong woman suffering a devastating lost. It takes her time to come to grips with the many changes in her life. She did have a little help holding her back from accepting the truth but as a reader seeing her come out even stronger after her ordeal was inspiring.
Just like the first installment the clever plot spiced with a little humor made this a perfect cozy. I can’t wait to see where the author takes us next! According to Amazon Hex on the Ex (A Mind for Murder Mystery) hits stores May 7, 2013.
Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to giveaway!!
U.S. and CANADIAN RESIDENTS You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower.
Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow. Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.
Answer Rochelle’s Questions for 5 Bonus Entries ! Am I the only reluctant food chef around?
Is your kitchen a creative workshop or do you get-the-meal-done-and-run?
If you publicize the giveaway anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End August 29, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST Winners Will Be Chosen By Random.org Winners Will Be Notified By Email and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
In An American Childhood
However long I live in California—or elsewhere (I’ve flitted back and forth across the country several times)—I will forever identify myself first as a Midwesterner. Perhaps distinctions of geography are less powerful than they once were, but to me there’s still a detectable difference. The Easterner has a degree of sophistication and the Westerner conveys an uncomplicated self-confidence that I will forever lack. Instead, I possess the down-to-earth quality of the Midwesterner, a trait I’m convinced is not unrelated to a matter-of-factness that comes from thinking that it’s perfectly normal to move through air chilled to 40 below and then superheated to 97 humid degrees within a six month period.
hits stores tomorrow and I highly recommend it. It is a powerful story that hit me on a personal level but I feel everyone will be touched by this story and it would be an excellent book club selection for the discussions it will start.
by Jessica Park back in August of 2011 and loved it. It was filled with Facebook statuses. People today Facebook, E-mail, and text so why not a mystery written the way we now communicate. I wouldn’t be a fan of many books in this format but it was a nice change of pace.
was released on September 1 and I was so excited when an advanced copy arrived at my door. Now she is here to tell you all about it and some of the stress that comes with the second book in a series.
Annalise is called home to the High Country when her volunteer phlebotomist mother, Daisy, nearly bleeds-out a donor during the local blood drive.
He said ”What The Hell Are You Reading?” Is that even in English?” 
hits stores May 7, 2013.