Spotlight on The Red Road by Jenni Wiltz

Publication Date: January 26, 2015
Decanter Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 357

Genre: Literary Fiction/Women’s Fiction

Honor student Emma knows more about galvanic cell diagrams than guns. College is the only way out of her gang-ridden hometown, but her parents can’t afford it.

 

When her unemployed dad lands a job as a census taker, things start looking up. But he’s sent deep into East Malo Verde, where gang members rule the streets and fear anyone with a badge who knocks on doors. One night, a gang member mistakes him for a cop and beats him savagely, leaving him for dead.

 

Her best friends, her chem lab partner, her mom, and the detective assigned to the case all try to convince her to focus on school. But school won’t prepare her for a world that ignores a crime against a good man. Emma must decide what’s more important: doing what’s expected, or doing what she feels is right . . . even if it leads her down a dark and dangerous path of revenge.

 

The Red Road is about a girl in turmoil, coming of age as she discovers the depths – and the limits – of friendship, first love, and the bond between parents and their children.

 

 

Watch the Book Trailer

 

 

 

 

Buy the Book

 

 

Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (Paperback)
Kobo
Smashwords
Google Play

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Jenni Wiltz writes fiction and creative nonfiction. She’s won national writing awards for creative nonfiction and romantic suspense, including a 2011 Romance Writers of America Kiss of Death Chapter’s Daphne du Maurier Award for her novel, The Cherbourg Jewels. She also writes thrillers,

historical fiction, and paranormal romance, and you may have seen her short stories in The Portland Review, Gargoyle, and the Sacramento News & Review. After earning bachelor’s degrees in English and history and a Master’s degree in English, she worked as a web editor, a copywriter, and a USAID grant program coordinator, which gave her the opportunity to travel to Kenya. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, sewing, running, and genealogical research. She lives in Pilot Hill, California and has not yet struck gold in her backyard.

 

For more information on Jenni Wiltz or to subscribe to her newsletter, please visit her website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and Goodreads.

 

 

The Red Road Blog Tour Schedule

 

Monday, January 26

Review at Broken Teepee

 

Wednesday, January 28

Guest Post at Curling Up By the Fire

 

Thursday, January 29

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

 

Friday, January 30

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

 

Sunday, February 1

Review at Sit Back and Get Cozy
Excerpt at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

 

Wednesday, February 4

Guest Post at What Is That Book About

 

 



Review: Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner

She stood at a crossroads, half-aware that her choice would send her down a path from which there could be no turning back. But instead of two choices, she saw only one—because it was all she really wanted to see… 

Current day, Oxford, England. Young American scholar Kendra Van Zant, eager to pursue her vision of a perfect life, interviews Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets about the war that she has kept for decades...beginning with who she really is. What Kendra receives from Isabel is both a gift and a burden--one that will test her convictions and her heart.

1940s, England. As Hitler wages an unprecedented war against London’s civilian population, one million children are evacuated to foster homes in the rural countryside. But even as fifteen-year-old Emmy Downtree and her much younger sister Julia find refuge in a charming Cotswold cottage, Emmy’s burning ambition to return to the city and apprentice with a fashion designer pits her against Julia’s profound need for her sister’s presence. Acting at cross purposes just as the Luftwaffe rains down its terrible destruction, the sisters are cruelly separated, and their lives are transformed…

 

What Did I Think About The Story?

Susan Meissner has become an author I love to read for her ability to weave together storylines set in the past and the present, twisting and turning them around each other and finally showing how the past actions have impacted the present. She does not disappoint with Secrets of a Charmed Life, a stunner that plops the reader in the heart of the utter horrors that occurred during the Blitz on London and showcases how decisions made out of longing, fear and guilt can have dire and unexpected consequences.

The present storyline with Kendra Van Zant, a history major hoping the essay she plans to write about Isabel McFarland's experiences during World War II will be selected by her professor for publication in a newspaper, serves to push the narrative back into the past and to slowly but surely bring all the facts and mysteries together until the reader is able to piece together what really happened. These portions of the story were much shorter and farther apart than those dealing with the past but were quite compelling, especially seeing Isabel celebrating her 93rd birthday and finally being able to discuss her rather secretive past for the first time in order to give voice to those who no longer can (and some who never could). Ending the story in the present left me satisfied if saddened by all that had occurred, but also with that sense of release and relief that, in the end, all came out into the light. With all this being said, however, the true gem of Secrets of a Charmed Life are the portions dealing with Emmy and Julia Downtree and their unbelievable experiences during World War II.

I could not help but ache for Emmy, a 15 year old at the start of her story, caught between wanting to make her indifferent and slightly cold mother proud and wanting to break away from a home that is far from happy and go after her dreams of becoming a designer of bridal gowns. Sketching gowns has served as a sort of balm for her unsatisfactory life and given her a glimpse of a normal life that she has never had. Her tense relationship with her mother topped with  the pressure and responsibility placed on her shoulders to take care of her  younger sister, Julia, pushes her to make rash decisions that will have unbelievable consequences that follow her like a shadow the rest of her life.

Mixed in with Emily's story are journal entries from Julia, entries that perfectly show how trauma and war can so completely shape a life into something filled with guilt, fear and grief that paralyzes a person emotionally and makes it hard to move on from what they experienced as well as a need to control whatever parts of life they can after having so little control over life as it broke apart around them. I found Julia's inner turmoil and struggle to be simply heartbreaking but so vital to give the reader the true experience of someone who had gone through what Julia and Emmy went through.

London itself as well as its citizens play a huge part in this story as well. The depictions of London before and after the Blitz are absolutely consuming and the realistically gruesome descriptions of the carnage and destruction is heart stopping. The abject fear and eventual PTSD of the people is fascinating and horrifying at the same time and I felt completely drawn in to all they experienced until I felt like I was slightly in shock myself.

Dealing with topics I haven't read much about before - the evacuation of London's children during the war and the emotional toll this took on England's population, the social and moral stringencies of the time, the complete decimation of London during the Blitz - I was thoroughly engrossed in Secrets of a Charmed Life from the very beginning until the last page. It is a remarkable story of survival and learning to forgive not only others but yourself for mistakes made as well as learning to let the past go in order to have a future. A must read for anyone who reads historical fiction!

What Did I Think About the Cover?

Absolutely beautiful! While having the woman on the cover wear a wedding dress or having her holding a polka dot umbrella (something else that plays an important part in the story) would have maybe fit better into the story I love the green, gold and red pops of color.


My Rating: 5.0/5.0

I received a copy of Secrets of a Charmed Life from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you  Susan!!!

About the Author

Susan Meissner is the multi-published author of seventeen books, including A Fall of Marigolds, named to Booklist’s Top Ten Women’s Fiction titles for 2014, and The Shape of Mercy, named one of the 100 Best Novels in 2008 by Publishers Weekly. She is also a speaker and writing workshop leader with a background in community journalism. She and her husband make their home in Southern California.

 

SECRETS OF A CHARMED LIFE RELEASES IN ONE WEEK! BE SURE TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY OF A SIGNED COPY ON MY Q & A POST AND/OR PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY....YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE! WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON RELEASE DAY, FEBRUARY 3RD.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Death of a Dishonorab​le Gentleman Blog Tour: Review

Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Minotaur Books
Formats: eBook, Hardcover

Genre: Historical Mystery

Synopsis

Lady Montfort has been planning her annual summer costume ball for months, and with scrupulous care. Pulling together the food, flowers and a thousand other details for one of the most significant social occasions of the year is her happily accepted responsibility. But when her husband’s degenerate nephew is found murdered, it’s more than the ball that is ruined. In fact, Lady Montfort fears that the official police enquiry, driven by petty snobbery and class prejudice, is pointing towards her son as a potential suspect.

Taking matters into her own hands, the rather over-imaginative countess enlists the help of her pragmatic housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson, to investigate the case, track down the women that vanished the night of the murder, and clear her son’s name. As the two women search for a runaway housemaid and a headstrong young woman, they unearth the hidden lives of Lady Montfort’s close friends, servants and family and discover the identity of a murderer hiding in plain sight.

In this enchanting debut sure to appeal to fans of Downton Abbey, Tessa Arlen draws readers into a world exclusively enjoyed by the rich, privileged classes and suffered by the men and women who serve them. Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman is an elegant mystery filled with intriguing characters and fascinating descriptions of Edwardian life—a superb treat for those who love British novels.

A Party for Winston, the second book in the series to be released in January 2016.

What Did I Think About the Story?

Being a huge fan of Downton Abbey I was so excited to read this book, which sounded to me like a cross between that lovely show and the movie Clue (although I assumed, given the cast of characters, that Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman would be a little less campy and much more elegant then that particular movie). Who wouldn't love the opulence of a lavish costume ball tarnished by a vicious murder and two missing girls? Well, I'm happy to say that the author did a wonderful job of setting the stage and delivering a page-turning murder mystery with a cast of characters sure to delight.

Being the two main characters, Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson were wonderful complements to each other and really showcased their two different worlds and how each were able to add their own bits of skill and expertise to the task of locating not only the two missing girls - Lucinda, the daughter of one of the guests and Violet, the house's newest housemaid - but discovering who murdered the despicable Teddy. I wondered at first how these two would ever begin working together given the strict separation of the classes but once Lady Montfort discovered her beloved son might be accused of the murder and implored Mrs. Jackson to assist her in finding out who did commit the crime before it was too late, it was easy to see how they could work if not together than towards the same purpose. Mrs. Jackson's loyalty to the family she works for and her steadfast belief that her duty was to guard the family's reputation from outside forces combined with her quick mind and calm demeanor made it easy to see her assisting the imaginative and determined Lady Montfort.

The remaining cast of characters, from below stairs and above, are a fun hodgepodge of gossiping servants and the eccentric rich. Most all fit into the neat patterns we typically see in this sort of story - loud and gruff cook, stuffy butler, cold dowager, rich lady dripping with jewels and an ever-present lap dog, etc. - but some break free of this mold and deliver a nice bit of change. It's interesting to see  how quickly the secrets begin to slide out when everyone is  made to stay put together and their every move is scrutinized. I very much enjoyed watching the juggling act Lady Montfort  had to perform between keeping her guests happy and safe, the inspectors satisfied with their investigation and her own investigation from being discovered.

As a secondary storyline the novel highlighted the big changes coming to England during this time, from the uptick in "new money" to the changing politics to women's suffrage, and while I found these topics interesting they somewhat pulled me away from the central story of who murdered Teddy and what happened to those two girls. I also found the discovery of the two girls somewhat anti-climactic and by the last page wasn't overly sure why they were included other than to draw the eye away from the murder and give a reason for the killer to have committed the crime.

This being said I was completely surprised by who the killer ended up being. I was so sure I had it (going with the idea that it is usually the person you least expect) and kept reading to see if I was right. The author did a splendid job of giving the reader many plausible suspects and really surprising with the end result. By the end, learning what a horrid human Teddy had been, I was ready to forgive just about anyone for the murder and I have to say, without giving anything away, I left the story feeling like some justice had been done even if the actions were unlawful.

I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series. I agree that fans of Downton Abbey will enjoy Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman but would also extend that to those who enjoy whodunits and a generous cast of plucky characters.   

What Did I Think About the Cover?

Its gorgeous! Not only does the stately home fit perfectly into my image of Iyntwood, Lord and Lady Montfort's country estate, but the coloring and positioning of the grounds and the sky are stunning. With all the hidden secrets going on within Iyntwood this empty landscape makes me think of what is really going on behind the closed door.

My Rating: 3.5/5.0

Thank you to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to continue below for more information about the author, the book and the rest of the blog tour!

Praise for Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman

“Tessa Arlen has a worthy debut with Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman. With a deliciously gruesome murder and an unlikely pair of sleuths, this is a treat for fans of Downton Abbey who will want to devour it with a nice steaming pot of Earl Grey.” —New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn

“In her debut novel, Tessa Arlen weaves an evocative tale of the passions, loyalties and ambitions that divide and unite two classes, upstairs and downstairs, in a stately home. She instantly transports the reader to Edwardian England.”—Christine Trent, author of Stolen Remains

“A dash of noblesse oblige sparkles between the upstairs/downstairs world of Lady Montfort and her housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson, as they work together to unmask the identity of a killer at large on the Montfort’s country estate. As sharp as a Nancy Mitford novel, Tessa Arlen’s sophisticated Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman deserves its place among the Great and the Good of classic mystery.”—Lyndsy Spence, founder of The Mitford Society and author of The Mitford Girls’ Guide to Life.

“Thoroughly enchanting. Arlen’s debut will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey, with its vivid descriptions, firm grip on the intricacies of the time period, and skilled portrayal of the often complicated relationship between upstairs and downstairs.” —Anna Lee Huber, author of the Lady Darby mystery series

Buy the Book

Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (Paperback)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
Barnes & Noble (Paperback)
Book Depository
Books-a-Million
IndieBound
Kobo

About the Author

TESSA ARLEN, the daughter of a British diplomat, had lived in or visited her parents in Singapore, Cairo, Berlin, the Persian Gulf, Beijing, Delhi and Warsaw by the time she was sixteen. She came to DEATH OF A DISHONORABLE GENTLEMAN is Tessa’s first novel. She lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington.
the U.S. in 1980 and worked as an H.R. recruiter for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 Olympic Games, where she interviewed her future husband for a job.

For more information please visit Tessa Arlen’s website. Read Tessa Arlen’s blog at Redoubtable Edwardians. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Subscribe to Tessa Arlen’s Newsletter.

Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 5

Review at Reading the Past
Review at Back Porchervations
Review & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf

Tuesday, January 6

Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Spotlight & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court

Wednesday, January 7

Review & Giveaway at To Read, Or Not to Read
Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Friday, January 9

Review at Mel’s Shelves
Guest Post on The Writing Desk
Review at Back Porchervations

Saturday, January 10

Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Sunday, January 11

Review at Buried Under Books

Monday, January 12

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, January 13

Review at Girl Lost in a Book
Interview at Back Porchervations
Spotlight & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, January 14

Review & Giveaway at The Book Binder’s Daughter

Thursday, January 15

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Friday, January 16

Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Monday, January 19

Review at Beth’s Book Book

Tuesday, January 20

Review at The Lit Bitch
Spotlight & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Wednesday, January 21

Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Thursday, January 22

Review at Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Monday, January 26

Review at A Literary Vacation
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Tuesday, January 27

Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Wednesday, January 28

Review at A Book Geek

Thursday, January 29

Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Friday, January 30

Review at The Maiden’s Court

Saturday, January 31

Review & Giveaway at The Calico Critic

Monday, February 2

Review at Book Nerd

Tuesday, February 3

Spotlight at I Heart Reading

Thursday, February 5

Review at Layered Pages

Friday, February 6

Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection

 



Spotlight on The School of Night by Colin Falconer

Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Cool Gus Publishing
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 168

Series: The William Shakespeare Detective Agency
Genre: Historical Mystery


“My name is William Shakespeare. No, not that Shakespeare; and no jests please, I’ve heard them all. I’m the other one, the ne’er do well cousin, the loafer, known to family and friends as the dunce, the one who could not recite Cicero or Horace, who could never be as good as his clever cuz, the one who has just come to Bishopsgate from Stratford with silly dreams in his head and a longing to make something more of himself than just a glover’s handyman.”

What he finds in London is Lady Elizabeth Talbot, who is willing to pass a few shillings to this blundering brawler if he will help her find her husband. Poor William does not realize the trail will lead to the truth behind the death of Shakespeare’s great rival, Christopher Marlowe – or to a lifelong love affair with a woman far above his station.

Each book tells the story of William’s adventures as England’s first gumshoe, set against turbulent Elizabethan politics; of his romantic pursuit of the impossible Elizabeth Talbot; while charting the career of his up and coming dramatist cousin, the bard of Stratford, but just Will to his family.

Buy the Book

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository
IndieBound

About the Author

Born in London, Colin first trialed as a professional football player in England, and was eventually brought to Australia. He went to Sydney and worked in TV and radio and freelanced for many of Australia’s leading newspapers and magazines. He has published over twenty novels and his work
has so far been translated into 23 languages.

He travels regularly to research his novels and his quest for authenticity has led him to run with the bulls in Pamplona, pursue tornadoes across Oklahoma and black witches across Mexico, go cage shark diving in South Africa and get tear gassed in a riot in La Paz.

He currently lives in Barcelona.

For more information please visit Colin Falconer’s website. You can also find him on Facebook or follow on Twitter.

The School of Night Blog Tour Schedule

Saturday, January 10

Spotlight at Historical Readings and Views

Monday, January 12

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, January 13

Spotlight at Layered Pages

Thursday, January 15

Interview at Teddy Rose Book Reviews

Friday, January 16

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Monday, January 19

Spotlight at Susan Heim on Writing

Tuesday, January 20

Review at Book Nerd

Thursday, January 22

Review at Just One More Chapter

Friday, January 23

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Saturday, January 24

Spotlight at Historical Fiction Obsession

Sunday, January 25

Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog

Monday, January 26

Review at Boom Baby Reviews

Wednesday, January 28

Review at Carpe Librum

Thursday, January 29

Interview at Mina’s Bookshelf
Interview at Books and Benches
Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Friday, January 30

Review at Brooke Blogs

Friday, February 6

Spotlight at Passages to the Past

 

 

 

Q & A With Susan Meissner, Author of Secrets of a Charmed Life! Plus Giveaway!

I am so excited to be able to share a lovely Q & A with Susan Meissner on the blog today! I just love getting to peek inside the heads of writers and see what inspires them and how they come up with the worlds they write. Be sure to read through to the end and see how you can enter to win a signed paperback copy of Secrets of a Charmed Life, her newest novel coming out February 3rd, 2015!



Susan, tell us where the idea for Secrets of a Charmed Life came from.

 

The story began first as an image in my head of an impoverished girl on the brink of adulthood sketching wedding dresses in the tiny bedroom she shares with a younger half-sister. I could see her in my mind’s eye imagining a life far different from the one she is living. She wants a fairy tale life where love and comfort and happiness are in abundance, and for her, that charmed life begins with a wedding dress worn on that blissful day a girl’s childhood dreams come true. I decided to set her in London at the start of the war because I knew that even for a young woman not yet sixteen, war is a crucible. It is a tester of dreams and desires and determination. I knew the London Blitz was an opposition that would bring out the very best and the very worst in this girl, as war so often does.

 

How would you describe Secrets of a Charmed Life?

 

Like many of my other novels, Secrets of a Charmed Life is historical fiction framed by a contemporary layer that links to a story in the past. An American

college student named Kendra, who is studying abroad at Oxford, interviews Blitz survivor Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets she has kept all her life – beginning with who she really is. The story then takes the reader to England in 1940. An unprecedented war against London’s civilian population is about to take place and half a million children are evacuated to foster homes in the countryside. Fifteen-year-old Emmy Downtree and her much younger sister Julia find refuge in a charming Cotswold cottage, but Emmy’s burning ambition to return to the city and apprentice with a fashion designer pits her against Julia’s profound need for her sister’s presence. The sisters’ lives are forever changed when—acting at cross purposes—they secretly return to London on the first day of the Blitz.

 

What drew you to include in your story the evacuation of London’s children?

 

 

Prior to researching for this book, I was only minimally aware of what London’s parents did to keep their children safe during World War II. I’d long ago read C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia and I knew the four children in those stories had been sent out of London into the countryside at the start of the war. But I didn’t know that for tens of thousands of children just like them that stay in the countryside lasted for the duration of the war. We’re talking five years. How difficult it must have been for the parents and their kids to be separated from each other – with just occasional visits – for half a decade, and during a time of fear, danger, and deprivation. From a storyteller’s standpoint, the emotional pull of this situation is intense. I knew I wanted to explore what this scenario might have been like for two young sisters.

 

Is this a book about sisters, then?

 

It is that, but it is also a book about mothers and daughters, and other family bonds as they relate to children. The universe of children is rather small – home and family are pretty much their world. They don’t always see how their decisions are impacted by the decision of others, nor do they have much frame of reference for war, which is an especially cruel teacher to a child.

 

What were you most surprised by in your research for Secrets of a Charmed Life?

 

I think many of us who were born after World War II have a limited understanding of what England suffered because there were so many other more shocking situations, like the slaughter of millions of Jews, the occupations of nations like Poland and France, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the storming at the beach at Normandy, and the Bataan Death March, to name just a few. I didn’t realize the magnitude of what London suffered until I took a closer look. The city was never occupied by Hitler’s forces but it was bombed relentlessly.

Seven of Christopher Wren’s beautiful churches were destroyed, as were thousands upon thousands of homes. More than sixty thousand civilians were killed in the whole of the British Isles. Those are staggering losses. And yet the British people were and are resilient. Their rallying cry of Keep Calm and Carry On (I truly can’t stand trivializations of this motto!) is truly the hallmark of that resiliency. You can go to London’s East End now and see street after street of 1950’s-era buildings, framed by a quiet horizon of much older buildings that the war did not flatten. London, Coventry and the other bombed cities rebuilt what was destroyed and moved on. The memories of the war aren’t in the streets but in the museums, and in national cemeteries, and sometimes, if you look closely enough, in the faces of those who survived it.

 

What would you especially like readers to take away from Secrets of a Charmed Life?

 

The title of this book, which I love, is meant to cause the reader to wonder if there really are secrets to living a life that has happily-ever-after written all over it. The title seems to suggest there are hidden truths to being able to have everything you’ve always wanted. But in actuality, and what I hope readers will take away, is that a happy life is not made up of what you have chased and achieved, but rather who you have poured your life into, who has poured their life into yours, and the difference you’ve made in the lives of others. Most of the dreams we pursue don’t have intrinsic worth, but people always do.  It’s not a perfect world, and we can only play our own hand of cards – if you will – but if we play the hand as best we can with love for others as the motivation, I think we can rest content.  

 

What are you working on right now?

 

My next book is set primarily in Hollywood’s golden age, specifically in 1939 when a treasure trove of timeless movies was released, including the most iconic movie of all time, Gone With The Wind. Two studio secretaries who become friends on the set of this movie forge a tale of love, desire, and survival that hints at the dynamic between the characters Scarlett and Melanie. The contemporary thread features a woman whose vintage clothing shop specializes in updated designs of classic Hollywood fashions. When her version of the infamous Gone With the Wind curtain dress is photographed for a local newspaper, a surprising delivery comes her way that ushers the reader back to old Hollywood and the two studio secretaries who, like Scarlett O’Hara, must decide what they are willing to do to get what they want most. The novel will release in February 2016 and is tentatively titled Stars Over Sunset Boulevard. I’ve always loved the movie Gone With the Wind; the sound track alone can stop me in my tracks. It has been a wonderful experience researching the details of how this film came to be made. Like most unprecedented endeavors, there was plenty of drama!

 

Thank you so much for this wonderful Q & A Susan! Let me just say, as a person who as read and loved Secrets of a Charmed Life, you perfectly captured the horror of the Blitz and the angst and joys Emmy and Julia both felt before and after their fateful return to London after their evacuation to the country. And you have me drooling for Stars Over Sunset Boulevard...Gone with the Wind is my all time favorite movie and I just cannot wait to get my hands on it!

 

Okay, now to the giveaway of one signed paperback copy of Secrets of a Charmed Life. This giveaway is open to US and CAN and the winner will be selected by random on February 2nd (I will announce the winner on the book's release day, February 3rd, 2015).

 

To enter, please leave a question for Susan regarding the book or the above Q & A or let us know your favorite WWII book and why you love it...I am always looking for new books to read!

 

Important: Be sure to leave  your email address so I can reach you if you are selected as the winner (no email address, no entry!). If you are the winner you will have 48 hours to respond to my email with your full  mailing address before I have to pick another winner. 

 

That's it! Good luck everyone!  

 

 

 

 

 

 



Spotlight on A Soldier of Substance by D.W. Bradbridge

Publication Date: November 1, 2014
CreateSpace
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 470

Series: Daniel Cheswis Mystery
Genre: Historical Mystery

1644. The smoke of parliamentary musket, cannon, and mortar fire is in the air around the royalist stronghold of Lathom House. Though guards still stand atop its walls, it is besieged on all sides, and it is only a matter of time until the house, along with its embittered and unwavering countess, Lady Charlotte de Tremouille, falls to Parliament’s might. Yet somehow, a royalist spy still creeps, unseen, through its gates, and brings the countess Parliament’s secrets.

Barely recovered from the trials of the last few months, Daniel Cheswis is torn from his family and sent north, to uncover the identity of the traitor; though before he can even begin, Cheswis finds himself embroiled in a murder. A woman has been garrotted with cheese wire in her Chester home, suggesting there is more than just the usual hatreds of war at play.

As lives are lost and coats are turned on both sides, Cheswis is tasked with finding the murderer, uncovering the traitor, and surviving his soldierly duty long enough to see Lathom House fall.

Buy the Book

Amazon US
Amazon UK

About the Author

D.W. Bradbridge was born in 1960 and grew up in Bolton. He has lived in Crewe, Cheshire since 2000, where he and his wife run a small magazine publishing business for the automotive industry.

“The inspiration for The Winter Siege came from a long-standing interest in genealogy and local history. My research led me to the realisation that the experience endured by the people of Nantwich during December and January 1643-44 was a story worth telling. I also realised that the closed, tension-filled environment of the month-long siege provided the ideal setting for a crime novel.

“History is a fascinating tool for the novelist. It consists only of what is remembered and written down, and contemporary accounts are often written by those who have their own stories to tell. But what about those stories which were forgotten and became lost in the mists of time?

“In writing The Winter Siege, my aim was to take the framework of real history and fill in the gaps with a story of what could, or might have happened. Is it history or fiction? It’s for the reader to decide.”

For more information please visit D.W. Bradbridge’s website. You can also find him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

A Soldier of Substance Blog Tour Schedule

 

Wednesday, January 7

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Saturday, January 10

Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Wednesday, January 14

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, January 20

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, January 27

Review at Forever Ashley
Spotlight at Books and Benches

Tuesday, February 3

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, February 6

Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession

 



Introducing...Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner!

When Susan Meissner sent out the notice that she would be building a dream team of readers willing to spread the word about her upcoming release, Secrets of a Charmed Life, I knew I wanted to be a part of it! I have read two other books by Ms. Meissner, Lady in Waiting and A Sound Among the Trees, and after reading those I knew she was an author to follow. I've now had the opportunity to read Secrets of a Charmed Life and let me tell you...this was my favorite book of hers so far! Any fan of historical fiction, especially set in and around WWII London, will love this book.

As part of the initiative to bring this wonderful book to your attention I am introducing it today and will be posting a lovely, in depth Q & A (and giveaway!) with the author on January 21st and will post my review of Secrets of a Charmed life January 27th. So continue below for information on this exceptional book and be sure to come back over the next few weeks for more information and a chance to win a signed copy!

 

Paperback: 416 pages

Publisher: NAL Trade

Release Date:February 3, 2015

 

 

The author of A Fall of Marigolds journeys from the present day to World War II England, as two sisters are separated by the chaos of wartime ...

She stood at a crossroads, half-aware that her choice would send her down a path from which there could be no turning back. But instead of two choices, she saw only one—because it was all she really wanted to see…

 

Current day, Oxford, England. Young American scholar Kendra Van Zant, eager to pursue her vision of a perfect life, interviews Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets about the war that she has kept for decades...beginning with who she really is. What Kendra receives from Isabel is both a gift and a burden--one that will test her convictions and her heart.

1940s, England. As Hitler wages an unprecedented war against London’s civilian population, hundreds of thousands of children are evacuated to foster homes in the rural countryside. But even as fifteen-year-old Emmy Downtree and her much younger sister Julia find refuge in a charming Cotswold cottage, Emmy’s burning ambition to return to the city and apprentice with a fashion designer pits her against Julia’s profound need for her sister’s presence. Acting at cross purposes just as the Luftwaffe rains down its terrible destruction, the sisters are cruelly separated, and their lives are transformed…

 

 

So what do you think? Do you think this is a book you would enjoy? Have you read any books by Susan Meissner?

 





Spotlight on The Blood of the Fifth Knight by E.M. Powell

Please join E.M. Powell as she tours the blogosphere with HF Virtual Book Tours for The Blood of the Fifth Knight, from January 1-February 6!

Publication Date: January 1, 2015
Thomas & Mercer
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 368p

Genre: Historical Thriller

A triumphant sequel to Powell’s acclaimed historical thriller The Fifth Knight. A desperate king trusts a lone knight to unravel a web of murder.

England, 1176. King Henry II has imprisoned his rebellious Queen for her failed attempt to overthrow him. But with her conspirators still at large and a failed assassination attempt on his beautiful mistress, Rosamund Clifford, the King must take action to preserve his reign.

Desperate, Henry turns to the only man he trusts: a man whose skills have saved him once before. Sir Benedict Palmer answers the call, mistakenly believing that his family will remain safe while he attends to his King.

As Palmer races to secure his King’s throne, neither man senses the hand of a brilliant schemer, a mystery figure loyal to Henry’s traitorous Queen who will stop at nothing to see the King defeated.

The Blood of the Fifth Knight is an intricate medieval murder mystery and worthy sequel to E.M. Powell’s acclaimed historical thriller The Fifth Knight.

Review Praise for The Fifth Knight

“Powell does a masterful job. Highly recommended.” Historical Novels Review

About the Author

E.M. Powell is the author of medieval thriller THE FIFTH KNIGHT which was a #1 Amazon www.empowell.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Bestseller. Born and raised in the Republic of Ireland into the family of Michael Collins (the legendary revolutionary and founder of the Irish Free State) she now lives in the north west of England with her husband and daughter and a Facebook-friendly dog. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, International Thriller Writers and Romance Writers of America. She is a reviewer of fiction and non-fiction for the HNS. Find out more by visiting

The Blood of the Fifth Knight Blog Tour Schedule

Thursday, January 1

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Friday, January 2

Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, January 5

Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog

Thursday, January 8

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Monday, January 12

Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Tuesday, January 13

Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Wednesday, January 14

Interview at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Friday, January 16

Review at Historical Fiction Obsession

Saturday, January 17

Interview at Dianne Ascroft
Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession

Monday, January 19

Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Tuesday, January 20

Review at Books and Benches
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Wednesday, January 21

Review at Just One More Chapter

Monday, January 26

Spotlight at Susan Heim on Writing

Wednesday, January 28

Review at Kinx’s Book Nook

Friday, January 30

Review at Bookramblings

Saturday, January 31

Spotlight at Caroline Wilson Writes

Sunday, February 1

Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Monday, February 2

Guest Post at The Lit Bitch

Tuesday, February 3

Review at Layered Pages
Spotlight at Let them Read Books

Wednesday, February 4

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, February 6

Review at The Never-Ending Book