Flamenco, Flan and Fatalities Book Tour!

Flamenco, Flan and Fatalities
by Mary McHugh

Flamenco, Flan and Fatalities serves up just what it says: good entertainment, good food and good mystery! I am looking forward to reading other books in this series.
~Back Porchervations

Talk about transporting the reader – I felt as if I were in Spain for the last few days.
~Socrates Book Reviews

I enjoyed this book a little better than I did the first Happy Hoofer mystery. There were a lot of twists and turns in this book that kept me guessing.
~Melina’s Book Blog

I adored this cozy mystery, everything is wonderful: the places, the plot, the characters, the food ………
~LibriAmoriMiei

The characters have depth with unique characteristics and conflicts.
~Christa Reads and Writes

Flamenco, Flan, and Fatalities
(A Happy Hoofers Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Kensington (February 24, 2015)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1617733611
E-Book ASIN: B00M4ASU8S

Synopsis

Murder is nothing to tap at. . .

The high-kicking Happy Hoofers–Tina, Janice, Pat, Mary Louise, and Gini–have been booked to flaunt their fabulous flamenco footwork on a luxury train ride through northern Spain. But when a blowhard talk show host is found deader than four-day-old flan–with Gini as suspect numero uno–the feisty friends waste no time stepping into their sleuthing shoes to protect one of their own.

The dynamite dancers will have to step up their game before a clever killer brings the curtain down on one of them . . . for good!

Includes Photo Tips And Tasty Recipes

About This Author

Mary McHugh graduated from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, with a B.A. in English Literature and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She is the author of nineteen nonfiction books and two novels. She was a contributing editor for Cosmopolitan, an articles editor at Woman’s World, Travel Holiday, and Bridal Guide, and has written articles for The New York Times, Good Housekeeping and Family Circle.

She loves to tap dance and to travel -two passions that inspired her to write the Happy Hoofers series.

She lives in the New York area. Visit her at http://marymchugh.org/index.html

Author Links

WebPage: http://marymchugh.org/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.mchugh.77

Purchase Links
Amazon     B&N    Book Depository    Kobo    Google Play

Tour Participants

February 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Spotlight

February 23 – Back Porchervations – Review

February 23 – Socrates Book Reviews – Review

February 24 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Spotlight

February 24 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review

February 24 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review

February 25 – dru’s book musings – Booked by author

February 25 – Christa Reads and Writes – Review

February 26 – Thoughts in Progress – Spotlight

February 26 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Spotlight

February 27 – A Chick Who Reads – Review

February 27 – Celticlady’s Reviews – Spotlight

February 27 – Lilac Reviews – Review

February 28 – Lisa Ks Book Review – Spotlight

February 28 – The Gal in the Blue Mask – Review

March 1 – Laura’s Interests – Review

March 2 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review

March 2 – Babs Book Bistro – Review

March 3 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – Spotlight

March 3 – Community Bookstop – Review

March 4 – Jane Reads – Spotlight

March 4 – Brooke Blogs – Spotlight

March 5 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Spotlight

March 5 – Birdhouse Books – Spotlight

March 6 – Marie’s Cozy Corner – Spotlight

March 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review

March 7 – deal sharing aunt – Spotlight

March 8 – off

March 9 – Queen of All She Reads – Review

March 10 – Michele Lynn Seigfried’s blog – Spotlight

March 11 – off

March 12- readalot – Review

March 13 – Beppe DM Books Blog – Spotlight

March 13 – Reeca’s pieces – Spotlight

March 14 – i blog 4 books - Spotlight

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Admit to Mayhem by D.J.Adamson Book Tour!

Title: Admit to Mayhem
Author: D.J. Adamson
Publisher: Horatio Press
Pages: 286
Genre: Mystery/Amateur Sleuth
Format:

Purchase at AMAZON

With a contrary attitude and an addiction for independence, Lillian Dove admits she has not been a success in life. In fact, she considers failing as one of her addictions. Yet, when she comes across a suspicious house fire with a history of arson and murder, she instinctively attempts to help someone trapped. Lillian becomes the only possible eyewitness to criminal arson, and her life begins to spiral out of control.

Lillian Dove is an endearing “everywoman” struggling with life issues, emotional complexities and a habit of doing just the opposite of what she’s told to do. These qualities in a heroine give the reader an ability to vicariously struggle along with the protagonist in this intriguing Midwest Noir mystery.

About the Author

D. J. Adamson is an award-winning author. Her family roots grow deep in the Midwest and it is here she sets much of her work. She juggles her time between her own desk and teaching writing to others at two Los Angeles area colleges. Along with her husband and two Welsh Terriers, she makes her home in Southern California.

Her latest book is the mystery, amateur sleuth, Admit to Mayhem.

For More Information

• Visit D.J.’s website.
• Connect with D.J. on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about D.J. at Goodreads.
• Visit D.J.’s blog.
• Contact D.J..

Book Excerpt:

My name is Lillian Dove. I am a recovering alcoholic, five years sober.

      Five long years, yet the clink of ice in a glass still sets me on edge.

      There is no graduation from alcoholism. Or life, for that matter. I am also addicted to Pepsi, chocolate, men, being afraid, being afraid of not being afraid, men—again--and my independence, co-dependence and unsettling ability to fail no matter my attempt. There are other compulsions and bad habits, but I can’t think of them right now. Memory loss, see? And I obsess on how much I forget, if I remember. Giving up alcohol turned out to be easier than changing some of my other behaviors.

      Especially my bad judgment when it comes to men. The type of man I’m most attracted to is like a tall, Tom Collins on a sweltering, summer day:  gin, a little lemon--but not too sour—with sweet syrup and bubbly soda.  It’s hard to resist, even if I know it’s not good for me.

       I’ve pledged a Tom-Collins-abstinence.

      Yet, Chief Charles Kaefring began offering me his attention. I thought my sobriety realigned my sexual magnetism. I was attracting a different type.

       He started coming to my desk to tell me he was leaving and instructed me to send all his calls to his assistant. At first I couldn’t figure out why he thought I needed this instruction. I already transferred his calls as a manner of routine. Then a week after making sure I was aware of his whereabouts, I bumped into him lakeside at Louise’s Italian Kitchen.

       Louise’s is my Friday night routine. I celebrate making it through another week.  One spaghetti dinner at a time.

      After that Friday night, I saw him at Louise’s every week. If he got there before me, I’d see him glancing toward the entry as if waiting for me to arrive. If I got there first, I’d pretend I never expected him to show up--which was the truth. Each and every time he arrived, I was flabbergasted.

      I wasn’t sure what was starting up between the two of us or who started it. I mean, how could a man like him seriously be interested in me?

       And even after weeks came and went, I still didn’t trust him. At each dinner he’d ask if I’d like wine with my meal. “Of course,” I’d say, letting my glass set without drinking it. If he worried the wine wasn’t good, I’d bring the glass to my lips, without sipping. I figured if he knew I had a drinking problem, he’d beat the hell out of there. Eventually though, he stopped asking if I wanted wine and only ordered one glass instead of two.

       Still, he kept showing up.

      I knew I was starting to slip into a situation that could toss my sobriety into the toilet, but meeting for dinner didn’t seem like backsliding into emotional drunkenness. Although, it never feels like slipping until you find yourself in a ragged heap of discontent.

      Our routine altered when on a Sunday afternoon he telephoned giving me a weather report. He said the day was hot and getting hotter. He said he was putting a steak on the barbecue, and he just happened to have two.  Are you hungry?

For More Information

• Admit to Mayhem is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Marsala Winter Wonderland!

How to Rock Pantone’s Color of the Year: Marsala

Guest Posted by Elly Bethune, Co-Founder of 9thelm.com

I’m more of a fan of sweet white wine. Actually, my husband jokes that if it tastes like Kool-Aid, I’m going to like it, but I have been branching out and drinking more “adult wine” recently. I have become a big fan of a red zinfandel, so I was pleased to hear that the Pantone color of the year was Marsala! Now I can be fashionable with every sip this year and kick my sweet white wine habit! Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, “This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.”

Not only is Marsala just really cool, but it is so versatile! It’s equally appealing to both men and women, but also encourages color creativity and experimentation if you’re new to the fashion world. I know it recently just brought that out in me, having not worn it a lot before. I went out and got a cool burgundy-colored nail shade and lipstick to match to compliment my high-wasted dark wide leg jeans and Marsala-colored ribbed crew-neck spandex crop-top by Sugarlips. Not to mention the deep-colored Lily and Laura Bracelets!  To add a pop of this awesome color to the ensemble, I also added a statement necklace that had many different shades of reds to make the outfit not so monotone. I also added an orange long tweed trench with a faux-fur collar trim. If you went the “no jacket” toute, I would for sure add the 20 Feet Tall statement necklace, in the color of the year – of course! The gold chain adds to the warmth of the color of the necklace nicely. All in all, this color also gives you a million possibilities no matter the season!

This color really is going to be great with so many skin tones. It is sultry and subtle and is going to be a great go-to color for beauty, providing enormous highlight for the cheek, and a captivating pop of color for nails, shadows lips and hair, as you can see in this blog shoot. It is dramatic and at the same time grounding. The rich and full-bodied red-brown Marsala brings warmth into home interiors as well as fashion. A matte finish highlights Marsala’s organic nature, while adding sheen, conveys a completely different message of glamour and luxury. Even if the item isn’t the priciest, it gives it the look of being really expensive automatically with the color alone. It’s time to go out and buy a few pieces in this color to stay in tune with the fashion-color-game. After all, you will be able to wear it all year long, so it’s totally justifiable. As always, have fun with it! Happy shopping! 

To shop, use the code to receive 10% off!!

• coupon is MARSALA10 for 10% off 9th & Elm products for your readers.  This code is good through March 24.

Giveaway begins: February 24, 2015 at 11:00 am CST
Giveaway ends: March 10, 2015 at 11:00 am CST
- Winner must reside in the United States or Canada

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Guest Posted by Elly Bethune, Co-Founder of 9thelm.com

48 HOUR TEA SALE -- 15% OFF TEAS THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY ONLY!

48 HOUR TEA SALE -- 15% OFF TEAS THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY ONLY!

Time for a midwinter warm up from American Tea Room! For 48 hours, we're offering 15% OFF ALL TEAS! Orders $50+ ship free, too. All the details are below, along with some fresh, new blog content to get your readers in the mood for tea. 


Friday, February 27th & Saturday, February 28th:

48 HOUR SALE: 15% OFF All Teas at AmericanTeaRoom.com. Use code MIDWINTER.

Click here to go to American Tea Room!


Need a Midwinter Warm-Up? Try Organic Ancient Snow Sprout!

American Tea Room's Ancient Snow Sprout Organic Green Tea is one of those teas that we would all be lucky to drink the rest of our lives. A favorite amongst tea purists, technically a green tea due to light baking done to prevent oxidizing, and certified USDA organic, it's the perfect tea for a winter warm-up. 

The tea is comprised entirely of large, velvety tea buds shimmery with a smooth coat of silver-sage down. Ancient Snow Sprout Organic Green Tea is hand-plucked in the Jingmai Mangjing, an ancient tea forest in Yunnan, China, considered the birthplace of tea. These trees are much larger than the average tea plant due to their complex varietal nature, and also because they are rarely pruned by the locals who pluck the tea. Indeed, they literally climb the trees to pluck the buds, as they’ve done for hundreds, even thousands of years. 

The biodiversity around the plants is also, one might say, wild. The complexity of the terroir is echoed in the tea itself. The dry aroma is woodsy and honeyed, with a savory note of dried hay. The aromatic brew is the color of unadulterated extra virgin olive oil. The flavor is incredibly pure and nuanced, like a full-bodied white tea. Flavors of wild flower nectar and dried sweet grasses sing out above delicate tones of new forest growth. The finish is moistening and woodsy, a perfectly satiating end to this consummately pristine elixir. 

One review posted at American Tea Room even calls Ancient Snow Sprout "the best tea, hands down." Order during their winter warmup sale on February 27th & 28th and save 15% on your tea order with code MIDWINTER. Orders over $50 ship free, too.

Easter Winning Giveaway!

 

Here I go again wanting more help promoting!

Hosted By: Michigan Saving and More

Sign Ups Close 3/4

Giveaway Dates: 3/6 12AM EST through 4/5 11:59pm EST

SPONSORS CAN SIGN UP UNTIL 3/6 HERE FOR THIS ONE OR ANY OF MY GIVEAWAYS

or can email me at las93063 at gmail dot com

Prizes so far:

Woodie Specs Choice

Kobert Waterproof Case (Deluxe Edition)

Kobert Exercise Armband

5 different digital downloads from Live Well Series and Jeff Gold

Most Popular Nut Milk Bag

Clever Yoga Strap

Jackpot Candles

Flawlessbotanics

MORE WILL BE ADDED!

Bloggers opp is HERE

All bloggers will receive 1 free link for posting and promoting giveaway

plus 1 free link for posting and promoting bloggers opp (above)

Choice for free links: Facebook visit, pinterest, twitter, or Instagram

Bloggers that refer other bloggers that sign up to promote will be in a drawing to win $10 paypal.

One entry for each person that signs up someone.

Co-hosts are $10 for the free links plus 5 more links of choice, Co host page on their site and at minimum 1 follow or secret word page. Co-Hosts do not have to post announcement but it is greatly appreciated plus they will be eigible for the $10 prize if someone signs up through them!

Of course no google+ and no required facebook like.

Other sign up options available on sign up form too!

If you have any prizes that would be a good fit please let me know and I will give you a co-host if you do the review. I will have an entry for people to make a comment on your review.

Please sign up below! Or at this link HERE

The Witch Hunter's Tale by Sam Thomas Spotlight!

Publication date: January 6, 2015
St. Martin’s Press
Formats: eBook, Hardcover
Pages: 320

Series: Book Three, The Midwife Mysteries Series
Genre: Historical Mystery

Sam Thomas takes readers back to Puritan England with midwife Bridget Hodgson, hailed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer as “one of the most fascinating detectives in contemporary mystery fiction.”

Winter has come to the city of York, and with it the threat of witchcraft. As women and children sicken and die, midwife Bridget Hodgson is pulled against her will into a full-scale witch-hunt that threatens to devour all in its path, guilty and innocent alike.

Bridget—accompanied once again by her deputy Martha Hawkins and her nephew Will Hodgson—finds herself playing a lethal game of cat and mouse against the most dangerous men in York, as well as her sworn enemy Rebecca Hooke. As the trials begin, and the noose begins to tighten around her neck, Bridget must answer the question: How far will she go to protect the people she loves?

Praise for the Midwife Mysteries Series

“Sam Thomas has created one of the most　fascinating detectives in contemporary mystery fiction—a crime-solving, wealthy, widowed midwife in embattled 17th-century York, England. . . . Bridget is as fascinating, fun and fierce as ever.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer on The Harlot’s Tale”Besides making his heroine a plausible sleuth, Thomas conveys the challenges of midwifery without clumsy exposition.” —Publishers Weekly (starred) on The Harlot’s Tale

“As pleasurable as his mystery is, the true thrill here is Thomas’s lively portrait of 1644 York and his unique heroine.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer on The Midwife’s Tale

“A briskly plotted historical mystery starring a pair of brave, tenacious, intelligent women who take no prisoners and make no apologies.” —Lyndsay Faye, author of Gods of Gotham

“Thomas is a historian by profession and it shows in the wealth of detail with which he recreates the city of York amid the turmoil of the English civil war.” —Rhys Bowen, author of the bestselling Royal Spyness series

“A heart-stopping page-turner coupled with a gritty and realistic portrayal of two strong and contrasting woman characters vividly depicted against the backdrop of the besieged city of York.” —Cora Harrison, author of I Was Jane Austen’s Best Friend

“The gripping story, fascinating characters, and intriguing era make Thomas’s debut mystery a reader’s delight.” —Priscilla Royal, author of The Killing Season

“Thomas’s fiction debut is packed with fascinating information about a midwife’s skills and life during the English civil war. The ingenious, fast-paced mystery is a bonus.” —Kirkus Reviews on The Midwife’s Tale

“Everything rings true in historian Thomas’s superb first mystery. . . Authentic details of life in 17th-century York complement the whodunit’s intelligently concealed clues.” —Publishers Weekly (starred) on The Midwife’s Tale

Buy the Book

Amazon (Hardcover)
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
IndieBound
Powell’s

About the Author

Sam Thomas is an assistant professor of history at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He has received research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Newberry Library, and the British Academy. He has published articles on topics ranging from early modern Britain to colonial Africa. Thomas lives in Alabama with his wife and two children.

For more information please visit Sam Thomas’s website. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Witch Hunter’s Tale Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 9
Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book
Spotlight at What Is that Book About

Tuesday, February 10
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Spotlight at The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, February 11
Review at Build a Bookshelf

Friday, February 13
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Monday, February 16
Review at Book Babe
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Tuesday, February 17
Review at The Emerald City Book Review

Wednesday, February 18
Review & Interview at Back Porchervations

Friday, February 20
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Monday, February 23
Interview at Mina’s Bookshelf
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Obsession

Tuesday, February 24
Review at A Book Geek

Wednesday, February 25
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, February 26
Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog
Spotlight at Brooke Blogs

Friday, February 27
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time

The Cortlandt Boys by Laura Vanderkam Spotlight!

Book Details File Size: 517 KB Print Length: 291 pages Publisher: Laura Vanderkam Books; 1 edition (December 18, 2014) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. Language: English ASIN: B00R8I2672

A small town high school basketball team wins the Pennsylvania state championship with an improbable last second three point shot. The Cortlandt Cavaliers celebrate their unlikely victory, but good fortune changes the boys’ worlds in unpredictable ways. This story revisits the characters 10 and 20 years later as the ramifications of their youthful success play out over the course of their lives, forever linking them and the people around them to this little town that has its ways of not quite letting you go. 

About Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam is a nationally recognized writer who questions the status quo and helps her readers rediscover their true passions and beliefs in pursuit of more
meaningful lives.

Laura Vanderkam is the author of the forthcoming book Their Own Sweet Time: How Successful Women Build Lives That Work (Portfolio, June 2015). Based on a time diary study of 1001 days in the lives of professional women and their families, this book takes a practical approach to the question of how people combine work and family while enjoying their own sweet time too. 

Laura is also the author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast (Portfolio, 2013), 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think (Portfolio, 2010), and All the Money in the World: What the Happiest
People Know About Wealth (Portfolio, 2012). She is also the author of a novel,
The Cortlandt Boys, available as an ebook. 

Laura is a frequent contributor to Fast Company’s website and a member of USA Today’s Board of Contributors.

Her work has appeared in numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, City Journal, Fortune, and Prevention.

She has appeared on numerous television programs, including The Today Show and Fox & Friends, hundreds of radio segments, and has spoken about time, money, and productivity to audiences of all sizes, including graduating seniors at her high school, the Indiana Academy, who brought her back as a commencement speaker in 2006. 

A 2001 graduate of Princeton, Laura enjoys running and singing and serves as the president of the board of trustees for the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and ever-expanding brood of children. She blogs daily at LauraVanderkam.com. 

- See more at: http://lauravanderkam.com/about/#sthash.WXDWhIIe.dpuf

Reader Reviews “The Cortlandt Boys takes the reader on a journey through the lives of five young men who already know that their best days are behind them. When their glory becomes a burden and begins to affect the next generation, characters and readers alike experience both the power of self-determination and the reality that none of us are as free to blaze our own trails as we would like.  Thought-provoking, realistic, and moving, The Cortlandt Boys combines the entertainment quotient of a beach read with the depth of a literary classic.” — Holly M., Huntington, Vermont “I enjoyed The Cortlandt Boys so much, I made it my Book Club’s choice and I read it a second time. Good pacing, great characters and an overall wonderful escape.” — Wendy R., Princeton, New Jersey “In 1994, the Cortlandt Cavaliers won the Pennsylvania state boys basketball championship on a last second three point shot. It was a thrilling moment for the small town in the northeastern part of the state. It not only was a watershed moment for the community, it had a profound effect on the lives of the players and others. How this affected the future of those young people is the story told in this terrific novel by Laura Vanderkam ….The writing style is crisp and easy to follow. The characters are well-developed and have a certain personality that the reader will easily recognize and have some type of emotional reaction. The story will leave the reader running through the entire gamut of feelings … A terrific read that anyone would enjoy.” — L. Smith “Nostalgia, romance and mystery are three genres that work well separately, and work well in couples, but jamming them together, you think it wouldn’t work. But wow does it. It was such a page turner. … All in all a very intriguing read and I would recommend it.” — The Book Goddess 

Purchase Links
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

Noise by Brett Garcia Rose Spotlight!

The world is an ugly place, and I can tell you now, I fit in just fine.

Lily is the only person Leon ever loved. When she left a suicide note and disappeared into a murky lake ten years ago, she left him alone, drifting through a silent landscape.
Or did she?

A postcard in her handwriting pulls Leon to the winter-cold concrete heart of New York City.

What he discovers unleashes a deadly rage that has no sound.

A grisly trail of clues leads to The Bear, the sadistic Russian crime lord who traffics in human flesh. The police–some corrupt, some merely compromised–are of little help. They don’t like Leon’s methods, or the mess he leaves in his wake.

Leon is deaf, but no sane person would ever call him disabled. He survived as a child on the merciless streets of Nigeria. He misses nothing. He feels no remorse. The only direction he’s ever known is forward.

He will not stop until he knows.

Where is Lily?

Reviews:

“This is a fast-paced, action filled novel that will leave you breathless. The main character draws you in to the story from the very beginning, and you’re right there with him through all the passion and the fury that follows… This is an explosive, and at times terrifying, look at what one man is willing to do for someone he loves…This story definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. ” – Amazon Review

“An action packed, dark novel. It stands out in the mystery/thriller genre because it is different. The characters are well developed and the plot makes some interesting and unexpected turns. It is definitely a page turner and once you start reading, it is hard to put down. Noise is a force to be reckoned with.” – NetGalley Review

“Noise is a revenge flick dressed up as art house mystery. Rose juxtaposes brutality with spirited, yet acerbic, prose. Meticulous attention to detail evokes noirish cinematic imagery.” – The New Podler Review Of Books

“A staggering, compelling work of fiction… mind-blowingly perfect. It has everything. Exquisite details, world-weary voice, and people worth knowing. It is truly amazing!” – MaryAnne Kolton, Author and Editor of This Literary Magazine

“Strong, compelling, raw and human in the best sense. Beautifully written.” – Susan Tepper, Author of Deer and Other Stories

To learn more, go to http://www.brettgarciarose.com/

Brett Garcia Rose is a software entrepreneur, former animal rights investigator/activist, and fiction writer. Brett’s work can be found in various literary and consumer publications including Newsday Magazine, The Barcelona Review, Opium, Lit Up, Rose and Thorn, The Battered Suitcase and many other publications. Losing Found Things, a collection of previously published short fiction, will be available in 2014, along with his first novel, Noise. He is currently living in Miami Beach, working hard on his second novel, Ren.

Confederado Do Norte by Linda Bennett Pennell Spotlight!

Please join Linda Bennett Pennell as she tours with HF Virtual Book Tours for Confederado Do Norte from February 23-March 4.

Publication Date: July 7, 2014
Soul Mate Publishing eBook; 
310p ASIN: B00LMN5OMI 
Genre: Historical Fiction

   

After surviving war, young Mary Catherine is torn from her home and thrust into a strange new life when her family decamps for Brazil rather than live with the terms of Reconstruction. Shortly after arrival in Brazil, she is orphaned, leaving only maternal uncle Nathan to care for her. He hates Mary Catherine, blaming her for his beloved sister’s death following a childish mistake. He is also a man with an incredible secret that he will go to great lengths to protect. When the opportunity for Nathan to be rid of her arises, Mary Catherine faces either forced marriage to an unsuitable man or flight into the wilderness containing jaguars and enclaves of people with much to hide. Mary Catherine chooses escape. Finding refuge among strangers who become her surrogate parents, she matures into a beauty who marries the scion of a wealthy Portuguese family. At last, Mary Catherine has happiness and security until civil unrest brings armed intruders with whom she has an inexplicable connection. When the thugs murder her husband for failing to meet their demands, she directs them to her uncle and his secret in order to save herself and her in-laws. With the danger passed, however, her husband’s family demands that she is arrested for complicity in her husband’s murder. Innocent and betrayed by family for a second time, Mary Catherine must now fight for survival. Mary Catherine is rescued from the gallows by friends, but cannot remain in Brazil. She boards a ship bound for New York with little money and without a home to return to, a family to welcome her, or a nation from which to claim citizenship. Her father never took the loyalty oath required of all former Confederates in order to have their citizenship restored. Once again, she must recreate herself in order to survive. In old age, Mary Catherine is still haunted by the long ago events for which she feels responsible. After a lifetime trying to forget, she seeks peace, understanding, and the ability to forgive through writing her story, Confederado do Norte.

Buy the eBook

Amazon

About the Author

I have been in love with the past for as long as I can remember. Anything with a history, whether shabby or majestic, recent or ancient, instantly draws me in. I suppose it comes from being part of a large extended family that spanned several generations. Long summer afternoons on my grandmother's porch or winter evenings gathered around her fireplace were filled with stories both entertaining and poignant. Of course being set in the American South, those stories were also peopled by some very interesting characters, some of whom have found their way into my work. As for my venture in writing, it has allowed me to reinvent myself. We humans are truly multifaceted creatures, but unfortunately we tend to sort and categorize each other into neat, easily understood packages that rarely reveal the whole person. Perhaps you, too, want to step out of the box in which you find yourself. I encourage you to look at the possibilities and imagine. Be filled with childlike wonder in your mental wanderings. Envision what might be, not simply what is. Let us never forget, all good fiction begins when someone says to her or himself, "Let's pretend." I reside in the Houston area with one sweet husband and one adorable German Shorthaired Pointer who is quite certain she’s a little girl. Favorite quote regarding my professional passion: "History is filled with the sound of silken slippers going downstairs and wooden shoes coming up." Voltaire For more information please visit Linda Bennett Pennell's website. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Confederado Do Norte Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 23
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, February 24
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, February 25
Review at Book Babe
Interview & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession
Thursday, February 26
Review & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews
Friday, February 27
Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book
Monday, March 2
Character Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, March 3
Review at Book Nerd
Wednesday, March 4
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past