Abe & Ann by Gary Moore - Review

Book details

Publication Date: May 15, 2019

Komatik Press

eBook & Paperback; 220 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Book description

ABE & ANN brings to life the little-known story of Abraham Lincoln’s passionate romance with Ann Rutledge when he was young and timid and hopelessly in love. Years later he would be enthroned in Washington after saving democracy, his wisdom and greatness legendary. Was it all because of a woman?

Auburn-haired Ann Rutledge, feisty and fed-up with propriety, is frontier royalty, the 18-year-old daughter of the founder of the village where the 22-year-old Lincoln comes looking for work. She is lively and literate and funny, and Abe is homely and poor, but full of high ambition. Lincoln courts the dazzling red-haired woman who comes into his life like a revelation. In the spell of their feelings, the lovers question the limits in their lives and boldly dream of a better future. But she is engaged to another man.

Readers who enjoyed Doris Kearns Goodwin’s bestselling Lincoln book Team of Rivals, Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster film Lincoln, and George Saunders’ Lincoln in the Bardo will marvel again at this very different and compelling tale of Lincoln as a young man.

Not a grand historical treatment but a lyrical telling of a deeply personal tale, ABE & ANN dares to give readers an earnest but untutored Lincoln whose humanity every reader can share, who was weak before he was strong, frightened before he was bold, and deeply in love with a woman whose admiration confirmed the greatness growing within him.

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

Meet the author - Gary Moore

Author Gary Moore is a playwright and poet who has been making creative use of Abraham Lincoln in drama, poetry, and performance art for more than thirty years. Gary’s bilingual musical in Shanghai, The Great Emancipator Meets The Monkey King, introduced rap-music to the People’s Republic of China six months before Tiananmen. His play based on that experience, Burning in China, sold out at the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival after being featured in the New York Times and recommended by the New Yorker. ABE & ANN, to be published by Komatik Press in May, 2019, is his first novel.

WEBSITE | GOODREADS

My thoughts

I thought this was an interesting book and it gave a different view of Lincoln than what most people are used to seeing. For me it gave a little bit of a more personal side to him. You got to see him as a young man and how he felt about Ann.  The writing was done well and I thought the author did a good job with his research and getting the details of the time period correct. 

False Step by Victoria Helen Stone - Spotlight

Book details

Paperback: 280 pages

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (July 1, 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1542041287

ISBN-13: 978-1542041287

Book description

In FALSE STEP (Lake Union; on-sale July 1st, 2019), the latest novel from bestselling author Victoria Helen Stone, Veronica Bradley has the perfect life: a good job as an occupational therapist; a gorgeous and doting personal-trainer husband, Johnny; and a bubbly 10-year old daughter, Sydney. Together with their dog, Old Man, the family enjoys hikes in the nearby mountains outside Denver. Sure, there are strains in their domestic life—they don’t always have a lot of money, and Veronica worries that Johnny may have a wandering eye. Still, by all appearances, they are a happy and thriving family.

But the tensions simmering under the surface of Veronica’s marriage become harder to contain when Johnny becomes a local hero overnight. Hiking Flat Rock Trail with Old Man one day, he finds a young boy, scared and alone but miraculously unharmed. It turns out to be Tanner Holcomb, the missing three-year-old who, four days earlier, wandered off his prominent and well-to-do family’s massive compound, putting all of Denver on high alert. Now, all is well: Tanner can go home, and Johnny is immediately praised as a hero—which won’t hurt prospects for his struggling personal-training business, either.

Johnny, always eager for attention, seems entirely comfortable in the spotlight. But as news cameras camp out on the Bradleys’ lawn and Johnny’s rowdy friends celebrate his heroic act, Veronica can’t shake the feeling that her husband’s notoriety might do the family more harm than good. For starters, the fame might well be going to Johnny’s head—since the rescue, he’s been spending more time with friends like the no-good Trey Swallow, and whispering about risky plans with Neesa Martin, his beautiful, toned business partner. And Veronica, meanwhile, has secrets of her own. Will the stress of all the scrutiny drive Veronica and Johnny apart, or force them to confront their mutual deceptions once and for all? As Johnny becomes more and more distant, Veronica imagines the worst, and their already faltering marriage begins to show signs of irreversible damage.

When the shocking news breaks that Tanner did not wander off, but was in fact kidnapped for ransom, Veronica panics. Johnny couldn’t have been involved—or could he? When the police show up at her door, it’s clear that Veronica’s perfect life is about to unravel. What is Johnny hiding, and might it implicate her? Does it involve Trey? Or Neesa? And what would it take for Veronica to admit defeat and leave behind the trappings of her storybook marriage once and for all?

In FALSE STEP, Victoria Helen Stone once again crafts a compelling, suspenseful tale full of unexpected twists. Even as Veronica’s secrets threaten to consume her, other dangers emerge from places she never would have imagined. An empowering story of a woman’s grit under extraordinary circumstances, this riveting novel will make readers question their assumptions from start to finish.

Meet the author - Victoria Helen Stone

Victoria Helen Stone, formerly writing as USA Today bestselling novelist Victoria Dahl, was born and raised in the flattest parts of the Midwest. Now that she’s escaped the plains of her youth, she writes dark suspense from an upstairs office high in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. She enjoys summer trail hikes with her family almost as much as she enjoys staying inside during the winter. Since leaving the lighter side of fiction, she has written the critically acclaimed, bestselling novels Evelyn, After; Half Past; and Jane Doe. For more on the author and her work, visit www.VictoriaHelenStone.com and www.VictoriaDahl.com.

Gold Digger by Rebecca Rosenberg - Review and Giveaway

 

Book details

Gold Digger by Rebecca Rosenberg

Publication Date: May 28, 2019 

Lion Heart Publishing 

eBook & Paperback; 312 Pages 

Genre: Fiction/Romance/Historical/American

   

Book description

 One look at Baby Doe and you know she was meant to be a legend! She was just twenty years old when she came to Colorado to work a gold mine with her new husband. Little did she expect that she'd be abandoned and pregnant and left to manage the gold mine alone. But that didn't stop her! She moved to Leadville and fell in love with a married prospector, twice her age. Horace Tabor struck the biggest silver vein in history, divorced his wife and married Baby Doe. Though his new wife was known for her beauty, her fashion, and even her philanthropy, she was never welcomed in polite society. Discover how the Tabors navigated the worlds of wealth, power, politics, and scandal in the wild days of western mining.
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Praise for Gold Digger

“Rosenberg’s rollicking Western adventure strikes gold with a gutsy, good-hearted spitfire of a heroine and action aplenty.” —THELMA ADAMS, bestselling author of Bittersweet Brooklyn and The Last Woman Standing "Gold Digger tells the true story of Lizzie 'Baby Doe' Tabor, a beautiful young woman who in 1878 marries the son of a wealthy miner in order to save her family from penury. Shrewd and stubborn, Lizzie fights back-biting Victorian society, wins and loses vast fortunes, and bests conniving politicians in her larger-than-life story. A twisting tale worthy of Mark Twain, with a big-hearted heroine at the center." —MARTHA CONWAY, author of The Underground River

Meet the Author - Rebecca Rosenberg

A California native, Rebecca Rosenberg lives on a lavender farm with her family in Sonoma, the Valley of the Moon, where Jack London wrote from his Beauty Ranch. Rebecca is a long-time student of Jack London’s works and an avid fan of his daring wife, Charmian London. The Secret Life of Mrs. London is her debut novel. Rebecca and her husband, Gary, own the largest lavender product company in America, selling to 4000 resorts, spas and gift stores. The Rosenbergs believe in giving back to the Sonoma Community, supporting many causes through financial donations and board positions, including Worth Our Weight, an educational culinary program for at-risk children, YWCA shelter for abused women, Luther Burbank Performing Arts Center to provide performances for children, Sonoma Food Bank, Sonoma Boys and Girls Club, and the Valley of the Moon Children’s Home. For more information, please visit Rebecca’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook and Goodreads. Visit the Facebook page for The Secret Life of Mrs. London.

My thoughts

I thought this was an interesting book about someone in history that I knew nothing about.  Baby Doe had to endure a lot on her own.  I am not sure I could have survived on my own in that time like she did. But I liked how she kind of rebelled against what people thought women should do in that time and did what she had to do the way she wanted to do it to survive. The author did a good job with her research. I liked how she packed a lot of information into this book without making it feel heavy.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we will be giving away a copy of Gold Digger, a gold facial mask & soap set, and recipe brochure to five winners. Three winners will receive an ebook of Gold Digger. To enter, please use the Gleam form below. Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on June 28th. 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. Gold Digger

Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, May 15 Review at Pursuing Stacie 

Thursday, May 16 Review at Passages to the Past 

Friday, May 17 Review at View from the Birdhouse 

Monday, May 20 Interview at Passages to the Past 

Tuesday, May 21 Excerpt at Donna's Book Blog 

Friday, May 24 Feature at Just One More Chapter 

Monday, May 27 Review at Orange County Readers 

Tuesday, May 28 Excerpt at Kimber Li Review at Diana_bibliophile 

Wednesday, May 29 Review at 100 Pages a Day Review at Oh, the Books She Will Read 

Thursday, May 30 Review at A Bookish Affair Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads 

Friday, May 31 Interview at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots 

Monday, June 3 Review at A Chick Who Reads 

Tuesday, June 4 Excerpt at Maiden of the Pages 

Wednesday, June 5 Review at A Book Geek 

Thursday, June 6 Review at Comet Readings 

Friday, June 7 Review at History From a Woman's Perspective 

Saturday, June 8 Interview at Comet Readings 

Monday, June 10 Review & Guest Post at Clarissa Reads it All 

Tuesday, June 11 Excerpt at Old Timey Books 

Wednesday, June 12 Interview at T's Stuff Review at Proverbial Reads 

Thursday, June 13 Review at Cheryl's Book Nook 

Saturday, June 15 Review at Suzy Approved Book Reviews 

Monday, June 17 Author Spotlight at RW Bookclub 

Tuesday, June 18 Review at Books In Their Natural Habitat 

Thursday, June 20 Review at A Holland Reads 

Monday, June 24 Review at RW Bookclub 

Review at CelticLady's Reviews 

Thursday, June 27 Review at Mama's Reading Corner 

Friday, June 28 Review at Coffee and Ink Review at Cover To Cover Cafe 

Summer on Mirror Lake by JoAnn Ross - Review

I received this book free from the publisher. All opinions are my own

Book details

Series: Honeymoon Harbor #3

Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages

Publisher: HQN; Original edition (June 11, 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1335014136

ISBN-13: 978-1335014139

Book description

Summertime is the best time to lose yourself in the romance of Honeymoon Harbor…

When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.

As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.

Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk.

Meet the author - JoAnn Ross

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author JoAnn Ross has been published in twenty-seven countries. A member of Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of bestselling authors, JoAnn lives with her husband and three rescued dogs — who pretty much rule the house — in the Pacific Northwest. Visit her on the web at www.joannross.com.

My thoughts

I was happy to get to return to Honeymoon Harbor to see all of my friends again. This time we got to learn more about Gabe and watch him find happiness. I enjoy this author's writing style as she has a way of making you feel as if you are a part of the story. Her words just flow off the pages. Once you start reading you are unable to stop, at least that is how I feel. I think she does a good job of developing the characters and you can't help but fall in love with them. I am looking forward to more books in this series. 

The Romanov Sister by Helen Rappaport - Review

Book details

Hardcover: 512 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First edition (June 3, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 9781250020208

ISBN-13: 978-1250020208

Book description

They were the Princess Dianas of their day—perhaps the most photographed and talked about young royals of the early twentieth century. The four captivating Russian Grand Duchesses—Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia Romanov—were much admired for their happy dispositions, their looks, the clothes they wore and their privileged lifestyle.

Over the years, the story of the four Romanov sisters and their tragic end in a basement at Ekaterinburg in 1918 has clouded our view of them, leading to a mass of sentimental and idealized hagiography. With this treasure trove of diaries and letters from the grand duchesses to their friends and family, we learn that they were intelligent, sensitive and perceptive witnesses to the dark turmoil within their immediate family and the ominous approach of the Russian Revolution, the nightmare that would sweep their world away, and them along with it.

The Romanov Sisters sets out to capture the joy as well as the insecurities and poignancy of those young lives against the backdrop of the dying days of late Imperial Russia, World War I and the Russian Revolution. Rappaort aims to present a new and challenging take on the story, drawing extensively on previously unseen or unpublished letters, diaries and archival sources, as well as private collections. It is a book that will surprise people, even aficionados.

Meet the author - Helen Rappaport

Helen F. Rappaport (née Ware; born 1947), is a British historian, author, and former actress. As a historian, she specialises in the Victorian era and revolutionary Russia.
Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

My thoughts

I loved this book. I actually listened to the audio version and am so happy I did as I am not sure I could have pronounced the names in this book. I had not read anything about this family nor did I really know anything about them. They talked a lot about hemophilia which is of particular interest to me as my nephew has this horrible disease.  It was interesting to hear about their lives and how the girls helped with the War and enjoyed being able to help.  Their mother had a lot of health issues which kept her from being able to do as much as she wanted with the children but did not hinder their love for each other.  I also liked how it show how much their father loved them even though they were not boys.  He did not care that when the were born he did not have a male heir to the throne, he was just happy to have a healthy child. The closeness that this family shared is not something you always see in Royal families so that was refreshing to see. I highly recommend this book. 

Decision at Fletcher's Mill by David Caringer - Review

Book details

Paperback: 300 pages

Publisher: Elm Hill (March 12, 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 159555789X

ISBN-13: 978-1595557896

Book description

The American revolution has no end in sight. Slavery has plagued the southern colonies as long as anyone can remember. The British have opened a second front in the south. Southern society is fragmented as rebels strive to throw off British tyranny, while loyalists fight to remain under English rule. Neighbor turns against neighbor. Families are torn apart.

Young Billy Morgan enters this chaotic world as a militiaman during the decisive battle of Cowpens. He becomes the butt of many jokes before the battle by trying to gain acceptance from his comrades through a foolish boastful lie. At Cowpens, the other men learn that there is much more to Billy Morgan than any of them thought possible when he leads them into the fiercest part of the fight. He is rewarded with a promotion and given a task that is much larger than his limited experience and apparently questionable character would seem to support.

Ira Fletcher is one of the richest men in South Carolina. He has powerful political connections. Fletcher is a complex man with a fiery past, and a passion for the Gospel. He owns Fletcher’s Mill and almost everything around it for miles. Rumors abound regarding vast treasure hidden in or under the mill. Ira abhors slavery. He elevates former slave, Ezekiel, to a position of authority at the mill. Elizabeth, Ira’s orphaned granddaughter, is raised by the widowed Ira, Ezekiel, and family friend Mona Partridge. The jealousy of His planter neighbors explodes into cruel violence that threatens everything Ira holds dear. He is forced to choose what is truly valuable.

Love and loyalty, greed and violence, courage and grace all abound as these people and many others are drawn together. Choices must be made. Change is coming. It is a time of weighty decision at Fletcher’s Mill.

Meet the author - David Caringer

David Caringer was born in Chicago in 1957. He grew up with two older brothers and a younger sister. Their father was a Nazarene minister and their mother was a sweet and saintly lady of the church. The family moved from Illinois to southern California and then to Missouri where he finished High School and joined the US Army to become an infantry paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Far from home and family, Caringer turned quickly away from his strong moral upbringing and became involved in the hedonistic lifestyle of sex drugs and rock & roll that was so prevalent in the post Vietnam army of the 1970's. His life became a dark and dank search for love joy and peace through people, events, and places that were incapable of providing or even comprehending the true meaning of those virtues. This time was punctuated with many moments of true humor and stark terror.

Living a desperate double life, Caringer was involved in many grand adventures and senseless tragedies over a period of nearly thirty years. He was educated in college, in numerous military and civilian training schools, and on the street. His professional resume includes occupations like paratrooper, police officer, army officer, private investigator, and many others. His tragic lifestyle of rebellion against all that he had been taught as a child provides a dark description of a man full of rage, loneliness, passion, and stubborn selfish pride.

Thankfully, his story doesn't end there. In January of 2003, during a time of desperate trouble, Caringer finally came to the end of himself and found redemption in and through Jesus Christ. The explosion of change in him since this event has been so profound that he is now hardly recognizable as the same person. He has lived this new life now for over twelve years, having found the true source of love, joy, and peace. He now works in the low voltage security industry. He is also a volunteer chaplain and an ordained non-denominational minister of the Gospel. He and his wife Patti live in southwest Missouri where they are heavily involved in the discipleship and Life Group (house church) ministries of James River Church.

You can purchase the book at Amazon: Decision at Fletcher's Mill

My thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. The writing was nice and easy to read. It was like the story flowed off the pages. I liked the subject and time frame.  The characters were well developed.  In fact the more I read about Ira the more I loved him.  I would like to know more about Ezekiel. He seemed liked he would be an interesting person.  I also had a soft spot for Billy.  Now I can't say the same for Crispin or Throckmorton.  They were the characters you love to hate. I am looking forward to the next book and hope to hear more about Billy and Elizabeth's story and what lies in their future. 

Sconed to Death by Lynn Cahoon - Spotlight and Giveaway

Book details

Sconed to Death (A Cat Latimer Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 5th in Series 

Kensington (May 28, 2019) 

Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages 

ISBN-10: 1496716833 

ISBN-13: 978-1496716835 

Kindle ASIN: B07H1ZCS2Z

  

Book details

Cat Latimer pursues a scone-cold killer who iced a top chef in a local bakery . . .

Cat has a full plate at her Aspen Hills Warm Springs Resort, as a group of aspiring cozy mystery authors arrives for a writers retreat. So when baker Dee Dee Meyer stirs up trouble by filing a false complaint with the health inspector against the B&B—all because she insists Cat's best friend Shauna stole her recipes—Cat marches into the shop to confront her.

But Dee Dee's about to have her own batch of trouble. Greyson Finn—a celebrity chef and, until today, one of Denver's most eligible bachelors—has been found dead in her bakery. Cat's uncle Pete, who happens to be the chief of police, warns her not to engage in any half-baked sleuthing. But as her curiosity rises, Cat's determined to discover who served the chef his just desserts—before the killer takes a powder . . .

Meet the Author - Lynn Cahoon

Lynn Cahoon is the award-winning author of several New York Times and USA Today bestselling cozy mystery series. The Tourist Trap series is set in central coastal California with six holiday novellas releasing in 2018–2019. She also pens the Cat Latimer series available in mass market paperback. Her newest series, the Farm to Fork mystery series, debuted in 2018. She lives in a small town like the ones she loves to write about with her husband and two fur babies.

Author Links
Goodreads –http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5857424.Lynn_Cahoon
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LynnCahoon
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LynnCahoonAuthor
Amazon author page – http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Cahoon/e/B0082PWOAO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Website – http://lynncahoon.com/

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Google Play 

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS 

June 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW 

June 6 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

June 6 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT 

June 7 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE 

June 7 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT 

June 7 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews - SPOTLIGHT 

June 8 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW, EXCERPT 

June 8 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT 

June 8 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

June 9 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW 

June 9 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW 

June 9 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews - REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

June 10 – Literary Gold – REVIEW 

June 10 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT 

June 10 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW 

June 11 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW 

June 11 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW 

June 11 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST 

June 12 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW 

June 12 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

June 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

June 13 – I'm All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST 

June 13 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

June 13 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT 

June 14 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW 

June 14 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 14 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

Murder at Royale Court by G.P. Gardner - Spotlight

Book details

Murder at Royale Court (A Cleo Mack Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

2nd in Series

Lyrical Underground (June 4, 2019)

Paperback: 228 pages

ISBN-10: 1516109023

ISBN-13: 978-1516109029

Digital ASIN: B07H72BF6W

Book description

Harbor Village is a vivacious retirement paradise known for its beachy locale and active senior scene. But ever since murder moved in, the idyllic coastal community is becoming a little less lively . . .

With the first annual antique car show cruising into the tranquil bayside oasis of Fairhope, Alabama, there are bumpy roads ahead for Harbor Village director Cleo Mack. As an automobile-themed lecture series gets off to a rough start, she finds herself balancing one too many responsibilities—and dodging advances from a shady event sponsor. It’s enough to make Cleo feel twice her age. But the festivities reach a real dead end when she discovers a body at the Royale Court shopping center . . .

When an innocent man lands in the hot seat for murder, Harbor Village residents look to Cleo to crack the case. Aided by an eclectic group of energetic seniors, Cleo races to identify the true culprit from a growing list of harmless Sunday drivers—before a killer revs up for another hit and run!

This ebook includes an exclusive knitting pattern!

Meet the Author

Born and raised in Alabama, G. P. Gardner earned BS and MA degrees in Psychology from the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL) and an MBA from Jacksonville State University (Jacksonville, AL). She also attended the University of Georgia (Athens, GA), where she studied biopsychology and primatology. But her heart belongs to Talladega College—an HBCU and the first educational institution in Alabama to admit students without regard to race—where she taught business. Her writing life began with short stories, some of which were published in regional literary journals and some of which won prizes. She enjoys the classic mystery writers as well as contemporary whodunits but reads widely. She is a knitter and once owned a knit shop in Fairhope, AL. She studied mystery writing with Terry Cline, another Fairhope resident. Murder in Harbor Village is the first in her series about social worker Cleo Mack. You can visit her at gpgardner.com.

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 4 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 4 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – I’m All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 5 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

June 5 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT

June 6 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 6 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

June 7 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

June 7 – That’s What She’s Reading – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 7 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

June 8 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 9 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT

June 9 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

June 10 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW, GUEST POST

June 10 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

June 11 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

Decision at Fletcher's Mill by David Caringer - Spotlight and Interview

Book details

Paperback: 300 pages

Publisher: Elm Hill (March 12, 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 159555789X

ISBN-13: 978-1595557896

Book description

The American revolution has no end in sight. Slavery has plagued the southern colonies as long as anyone can remember. The British have opened a second front in the south. Southern society is fragmented as rebels strive to throw off British tyranny, while loyalists fight to remain under English rule. Neighbor turns against neighbor. Families are torn apart.

Young Billy Morgan enters this chaotic world as a militiaman during the decisive battle of Cowpens. He becomes the butt of many jokes before the battle by trying to gain acceptance from his comrades through a foolish boastful lie. At Cowpens, the other men learn that there is much more to Billy Morgan than any of them thought possible when he leads them into the fiercest part of the fight. He is rewarded with a promotion and given a task that is much larger than his limited experience and apparently questionable character would seem to support.

Ira Fletcher is one of the richest men in South Carolina. He has powerful political connections. Fletcher is a complex man with a fiery past, and a passion for the Gospel. He owns Fletcher’s Mill and almost everything around it for miles. Rumors abound regarding vast treasure hidden in or under the mill. Ira abhors slavery. He elevates former slave, Ezekiel, to a position of authority at the mill. Elizabeth, Ira’s orphaned granddaughter, is raised by the widowed Ira, Ezekiel, and family friend Mona Partridge. The jealousy of His planter neighbors explodes into cruel violence that threatens everything Ira holds dear. He is forced to choose what is truly valuable.

Love and loyalty, greed and violence, courage and grace all abound as these people and many others are drawn together. Choices must be made. Change is coming. It is a time of weighty decision at Fletcher’s Mill.

Meet the author - David Caringer

David Caringer was born in Chicago in 1957. He grew up with two older brothers and a younger sister. Their father was a Nazarene minister and their mother was a sweet and saintly lady of the church. The family moved from Illinois to southern California and then to Missouri where he finished High School and joined the US Army to become an infantry paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Far from home and family, Caringer turned quickly away from his strong moral upbringing and became involved in the hedonistic lifestyle of sex drugs and rock & roll that was so prevalent in the post Vietnam army of the 1970's. His life became a dark and dank search for love joy and peace through people, events, and places that were incapable of providing or even comprehending the true meaning of those virtues. This time was punctuated with many moments of true humor and stark terror.

Living a desperate double life, Caringer was involved in many grand adventures and senseless tragedies over a period of nearly thirty years. He was educated in college, in numerous military and civilian training schools, and on the street. His professional resume includes occupations like paratrooper, police officer, army officer, private investigator, and many others. His tragic lifestyle of rebellion against all that he had been taught as a child provides a dark description of a man full of rage, loneliness, passion, and stubborn selfish pride.

Thankfully, his story doesn't end there. In January of 2003, during a time of desperate trouble, Caringer finally came to the end of himself and found redemption in and through Jesus Christ. The explosion of change in him since this event has been so profound that he is now hardly recognizable as the same person. He has lived this new life now for over twelve years, having found the true source of love, joy, and peace. He now works in the low voltage security industry. He is also a volunteer chaplain and an ordained non-denominational minister of the Gospel. He and his wife Patti live in southwest Missouri where they are heavily involved in the discipleship and Life Group (house church) ministries of James River Church.

You can purchase the book at Amazon: Decision at Fletcher's Mill

Interview

What made you decide to want to write a historical fiction book?

I've had a passion for history since childhood, and I love to tell stories.

Where did you come up with the characters?

During long walks with my wife on late afternoons in our neighborhood.

Who is your favorite author or your favorite book?

My favorite book is the Bible. My favorite fiction author is CS Forester, and my favorite non-fiction author is David McCullough.

Do you have any rituals or things that you do to prepare you before you start to write?

I don't have any rituals that I do before I write. However, I do often pray and ask God to help me know what to say.

Who inspires you to write or who is your biggest supporter?

My wife, Patti, is my best friend (next to Jesus). She inspires and encourages me throughout each project and in every part of my life.

What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?

Research carefully, and just start writing. You can fix the problems with a manuscript after you get it on paper.

What are your future book plans?

I have two sequels planned for my new novel, Decision At Fletcher's Mill. Many of the characters from this book will travel through all three as the romances develop and the adventure intensifies.

What are five random things about you?

Five random things about myself... That's a tough one, but here goes: (1) I've lived in ten different states, and worked in professions ranging from paratrooper, to policeman, private investigator, surveillance system technician, and several others. (2) I enjoy reading, jigsaw puzzles, and watching old black and white movies. (3) My father was a Minister of the Gospel, and I'm a Corporate Chaplain. (4) My mother has an identical twin. (5) I've been totally sold out to Jesus Christ for the past sixteen years after spending the previous several decades in a dark and desperate search for life and meaning.

Is there anything else you would like to say to your readers?

I hope you will enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.

Be sure to watch for my review of this book. I had the pleasure of hearing David speak at a local library and it made me want to read the book even more. I started the book last night and I have to say that I am already hooked. 

The Secret Token by Andrew Lawler - Review

Book details

Hardcover: 448 pages

Publisher: Doubleday; 1st Edition edition (June 5, 2018)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0385542011

ISBN-13: 978-0385542012

Book description

A sweeping account of America's oldest unsolved mystery, the people racing to unearth its answer, and the sobering truths--about race, gender, and immigration--exposed by the Lost Colony of Roanoke

In 1587, 115 men, women, and children arrived at Roanoke Island on the coast of North Carolina. Chartered by Queen Elizabeth I, their colony was to establish England's first foothold in the New World. But when the colony's leader, John White, returned to Roanoke from a resupply mission, his settlers were nowhere to be found. They left behind only a single clue--a "secret token" carved into a tree. Neither White nor any other European laid eyes on the colonists again.

What happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke? For four hundred years, that question has consumed historians and amateur sleuths, leading only to dead ends and hoaxes. But after a chance encounter with a British archaeologist, journalist Andrew Lawler discovered that solid answers to the mystery were within reach. He set out to unravel the enigma of the lost settlers, accompanying competing researchers, each hoping to be the first to solve its riddle. In the course of his journey, Lawler encounters a host of characters obsessed with the colonists and their fate, and he determines why the Lost Colony continues to haunt our national consciousness.

Thrilling and absorbing, The Secret Token offers a new understanding not just of the first English settlement in the New World but of how its disappearance continues to define--and divide--America.

Meet the author - Andrew Lawler

Andrew Lawler is author of two books, The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke, a national bestseller, and the widely acclaimed Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?: The Epic Saga of the Bird that Powers Civilization. As a long-time journalist, he has written more than a thousand newspaper and magazine articles, and his byline has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and many others. He is a contributing writer for Science and a contributing editor for Archaeology. Andrew’s work has appeared several times in The Best of Science and Nature Writing. For more, see www.andrewlawler.com

My thoughts

I thought this book was interesting and I learned a few things reading it. Like the author mentions when you start thinking about the mystery behind Roanoke Island it just sucks you in and does not let you go. I have watched many shows on this and keep hoping that by some miracle we will find out what happened to this lost colonists.  I like how the author explored all the options and did his research in trying to find the truth. I am not sure we will ever find out what happened but it is nice to think we have.  I was also shocked about how some groups use Virginia Dare as a model for their own agenda. I don't want to say what I mean by this as I want you to read the book for your own thoughts. For me I hope that the Native Americans did take them in and they became a part of their family rather that to think they all just perished. A very informative book.