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Lamar’s Folly: Author Interview

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LAMAR’S FOLLY

Jeffrey Stuart Kerr

Genre: Texas Historical Fiction

Publisher: Texas Tech University Press
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Date of Publication: November 15, 2017

Number of Pages: 320

Mirabeau Lamar seeks nothing less than a Texas empire that will dominate the North American continent. Brave exploits at the Battle of San Jacinto bring him rank, power, and prestige, which by 1838 propel him to the presidency of the young Republic of Texas and put him in position to achieve his dream. Edward Fontaine, who works for and idolizes Lamar, vows to help his hero overcome all obstacles, including the substantial power of Sam Houston. Houston and Lamar are not only political, but personal enemies, and each man regards the other with contempt.

Edward’s slave Jacob likes and admires his master, but cannot share his hatred of Sam Houston. The loyalties of both Jacob and Edward are tested by President Lamar’s belief that a righteous cause justifies any means necessary to sustain it. Lamar becomes infatuated with a married woman who resembles his deceased wife. He sends the woman’s husband on the ill-fated Santa Fe Expedition, the failure of which humiliates Lamar and provokes a crisis in his relationship with Edward, who in turn jeopardizes the trust that Jacob has placed in him. Edward laments the waste of Lamar’s genius, while Jacob marvels at the hypocrisy of both men.

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What did you find most useful in learning to write for publication? What was least useful or most destructive? Most useful: ultimately, it is up to you to decide what goes into the manuscript. I can’t think of any destructive lessons along the way.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book? Imagining a world that has disappeared but that preceded us by only a few generations.

Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured if your book? I wish I had been able to think of a way to include a more developed, strong female character.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that affect your writing? Part-time with the goal of becoming full-time. The hard part about being a part-time writer is coming back to a project after being away from it for a week or more.

What are some day jobs that you have held? Have any of them impacted your writing? I have been a physician for thirty years. In my work, I have met a wide variety of people and heard all manner of speech. This has helped tremendously in creating authentic characters and dialog.

How has your formal education influenced or impacted your writing? In my freshman history class at Rice, the professor, Frank Vandiver, hammered home the idea of avoiding passive voice. That remains foremost in my mind when I write.

What does your perfect writing spot look like? Is that what your ACTUAL writing spot looks like? I need a desk with enough space on it for my laptop and beverage of choice in a quiet room free of distraction. My actual spot is a little more cluttered than I would like but meets the other criteria nicely.

What do you like to read in your free time? Mysteries, spy novels, thrillers, historical fiction, and lively history books.

Who are some of the authors you feel were influential in your work? Some of my favorites include John LeCarre, Elmore Leonard, and Craig Johnson, each of whom tells great stories but leaves much for the reader to figure out. On the flip side, I enjoy Michael Connelly’s books for their straightforward style and well-developed, complex characters. Two favorite writers of historical fiction are Robert Harris and Bernard Cornwell.

What book do you wish you could have written? Imperium, Robert Harris’s outstanding historical novel based on the life of the Roman statesman Cicero.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it? The Holocaust. It’s too painful and there are already a slew of excellent books about it.

What question do you wish someone would ask about your book, but nobody yet has? Why write a novel about Mirabeau Lamar?

What do your plans for future projects include? I would like to write more historical fiction set in the Texas frontier. I also plan on writing “Lamar’s Folly” as a screenplay.

Who would you cast to play your characters in a movie version of your book? Mirabeau Lamar – Josh Brolin. Sam Houston – George Clooney. Edward Fontaine – Chris Pine. Jacob – Daniel Kaluuya

If you had a superpower, what would it be? Flying

Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before? Antarctica

What’s something interesting, fun, or funny that most people don’t know about you? I’m sixty, but I still fantasize playing center field for the Houston Astros.

What is something you want to accomplish before you die? Have a novel published by a major publishing house; see one of my screenplays turned into a movie.

Jeffrey Stuart Kerr is the author of several titles, including Seat of Empire: The Embattled Birth of Austin, Texas, winner of the Summerfield G. Roberts Award and a True West Best Western Book.

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Too Far Down: Showcase

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TOO FAR DOWN

Cimarron Legacy Book 3

By MARY CONNEALY

Genre: Western Historical Christian Romance
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Date of Publication: October 3, 2017
Number of Pages: 322

With Danger Drawing Ever Closer, The Boden Clan Risk Losing Their Ranch Forever

Having returned home to the ranch, Cole Boden finds himself caught between missing his time back east and appreciating all that New Mexico Territory offers. Sure, he fights with his siblings now and then, but he does care for them. He enjoys his new job running the mine and, when he’s honest, he admits that Melanie Blake captures his interest in a way no other woman ever has.

Melanie has been a friend to the Bodens forever. A cowgirl who is more comfortable with horses and lassoes than people, she never expected to find herself falling for someone, particularly for refined Cole Boden, a Harvard graduate who can’t seem to make up his mind about staying in New Mexico.

When a deadly explosion damages the CR Mining Company, the Bodens realize their troubles are not behind them as they thought. Shadowy forces are still working against them. Melanie is determined to help Cole and the family finally put an end to the danger that’s threatened all of them. But will
putting herself in harm’s way be more dangerous than anyone expected?

PRAISE FOR TOO FAR DOWN:

“Connealy crafts relatable characters who will inspire readers with their love, loyalty, and fortitude, and the mystery remains intriguing until the end.” Publishers Weekly

“Recommended for those who enjoy a fast, smart historical-set suspense.” RT Book Reviews

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Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has more than half a million books in print.

She is the author of the popular series Wild at Heart, Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

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To Marry a Texas Outlaw: Character Interview

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TO MARRY A TEXAS OUTLAW

Men of Legend, Book 3

By LINDA BRODAY

Genre: Western / Historical / Romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Date of Publication: November 7, 2017

Number of Pages: 384

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Hunted by lawmen, those seeking the bounty, and other outlaws hoping to become famous for killing him, Luke Weston survives by little more than his wits. He expects the bullet that will end his life to come any day. He’s cheated death too often.

Over the last two years, Luke has been working to right his wrongs and claim his birthright. Only one thing stands in the way of atonement—the murder of a federal judge. Only he didn’t do that. Armed with nothing more than the alias Ned Sweeney, Luke searches for the man who framed him. He’s only an hour away from catching him when he spies a woman bound and gagged in the middle of the prairie.

She looks dead but her eyes fly open at the sound of his footsteps. Worse, he discovers she has amnesia. He can’t just leave her so he tamps down his frustration over missing Sweeney again and loads her into a nearby wagon that bears all the markings of his family’s ranch.

In the weeks of trying to help the woman he calls Rose learn her identity, Luke finds himself falling in love with her. She’s sweet and funny and makes him dream of impossible things. Then they meet a boy and learn her name is Josie.

As her lost memories tumble back, Luke faces his greatest fear. Can he make Josie his wife before he loses everything?

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Praise for To Marry a Texas Outlaw:

“A gunslinger who’s better than he thinks he is; a lovely amnesiac; a young, wannabe gunslinger; an abused boy; a scruffy dog; and a sadistic killer make the third book in Broday’s outstanding family saga an unforgettable journey through the Old West.” — Booklist Starred Review

“This is one author that knows how to tie you in knots keeping you on the edge and making your smile through it all. She gives you death and heartbreak as the west is known for with plot that pulls you in. I couldn’t put this down and had to know what was going to happen next.” — Cyn’s Reviews

“This densely plotted historical continues Broday’s tradition of well-realized, emotionally rich novels.” — Publisher’s Weekly

“Broday’s gritty depiction of the Texas frontier will strike a chord in the hearts of fans who long for proud, rugged cowboys and strong-willed women.” — Romantic Times 4 Stars

“Whew! What a story! Good thing Linda Broday didn’t struggle to find words for her story the same way I’m attempting to find words to express just how much I love not only this book, but this entire series as a whole. To Marry a Texas Outlaw is a thrilling conclusion to a delightful and much-loved story of the Legend family that delivered so many emotions.” – Michelle, Goodreads Reviewer

“There is one guarantee, with a Linda Broday book, you’re going to experience a true heartwarming-Broday story with so much action that it’s impossible to put down. With her books you are always in for the ride of your life.” — Tonya Lucas, Goodreads Reviewer

Character Interview with Luke Weston of

To Marry a Texas Outlaw

By Linda Broday

I’m so excited to release Book #3 of my Men of Legend series – To Marry a Texas Outlaw. This will conclude the series, and I hope the ending is as powerful as my editor thinks.

Luke has agreed to talk with me but insisted I meet him at the spot he designated. And come alone. Good Lord, I’m not crazy! I’m not sharing him with anyone. Nope.

My horse rounds a stand of mesquite and I see him standing by a creek. He whirls with gun drawn and I swallow hard.

“Don’t shoot. It’s just me.” I rein my horse to a stop and just stare as he returns the gun to the holster. The silver conchos running down each leg of his black trousers glint in the sunlight. The trousers fit snug and outline his long legs. I’m struck by his height and how lean he is with not an ounce of fat. Excited tingles race through me and I can barely form a thought.

I dismount. “Morning, Luke. Thank you for agreeing to a talk to me.” Up close, I can see his dark coloring for the first time that reminds me he’s half Spanish and half white.

“Sorry you had to come all the way out here, amiga. Too dangerous in town.”

The fact he doesn’t smile hits me. So does the muscle quivering in his jaw. He’s like a dangerous mountain lion, ready to spring. But no wonder with everyone in Texas gunning for him.

“Luke, what exactly does it mean to you to be able to claim the Legend name and accept the land Stoker wants to give you?”

“I might as well be dead if I can’t be a Legend one day. It’s all I think about. It’s what I’ve worked hard for the last two years.” Luke glances toward the water and I can see the emotion welling up inside. His voice lowers. “I’ve never belonged anywhere. Never had much of anything. I want to take my rightful place in this family more than I want the air that I breathe.”

I’m tempted to lay my hand on his arm to comfort, but decide against it. “Well, you know, Stoker and your brothers have said many times you can claim it all whenever you want.”

“No! I will only accept the name and my birthright when I can do it with honor. I’m nothing but an outlaw and I’ve done bad things—robbed, threatened, killed. I won’t bring them shame. After two years, I was this close to catching Ned Sweeney when I saw the woman tied up on the prairie, unable to tell me her name or where she came from. Of course, I couldn’t leave her.”

“I admire your compassion. I really do. Folks say you’re heartless and cold but I’ve never seen a man more committed to doing the right thing. Folks say the woman’s name is Josie.”

At mention of Josie, the lines of Luke’s face soften and he smiles for the first time, showing his white teeth. “She’s a real wildcat. Not afraid of the devil himself. Josie is funny and smart, and bold as all get out. I’d be lost without this crazy, maddening woman. And temper…Dios mío! She can sure get mad.” He chuckles, evidently remembering something she said or did.

“I also heard she can get next to you and turn you inside out like no other,” I say softly.

“Sí.” He scrubs the back of his neck. “She’s not one bit afraid of me. Can you imagine? I put the fear of God in everyone. But not her. Josie sees inside me, all the little things I try to hide.”

“Really? She’s affected you that deeply?” I gaze up into his green eyes. My heart dips and my knees weaken. The man is just too mesmerizing.

“Josie sneaked past my defenses and wound herself around my heart. Josie and me…we fit together. She makes me laugh, something I don’t do enough of. Or so she tells me. She’s not a bit shy about speaking her mind.”

I hear a rider and turn to see Josie. I’m struck by her cloud of blond curls. She gallops up and Luke helps her down. Their kiss is long and deep. Then she murmurs something in his ear and he throws back his head in laughter.

They’ve completely forgotten me. I climb on my horse. Giving the striking couple a look of envy, I ride away. I think all my questions are answered. He’s completely and utterly taken. Shoot!

Linda Broday

Historical Western Romance Author

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 8 full length historical western romance novels, with another set to release 2017, and 10 short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. I reside in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed.

At times, I can feel their ghosts lurking around every corner. Texas’ rich history is one reason I set all my stories here. I love research and looking for little known tidbits to add realism to my stories. When I’m not writing, I collect old coins and I confess to being a rock hound. I’ve been accused (and quite unfairly I might add) of making a nuisance of myself at museums, libraries, and historical places.

I’m also a movie buff and love sitting in a dark theater, watching the magic on the screen. As long as I’m confessing…chocolate is my best friend. It just soothes my soul.

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Chicano Soul: Excerpt

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CHICANO SOUL
Recordings and History of an American Culture
(Anniversary Edition)

Ruben Molina

Genre: Music / Chicano History

Publisher: Texas Tech University Press
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Date of Publication: September 15, 2017

Number of Pages: 160

In 2007, Ruben Molina published the first-ever history of Mexican-American soul and R&B music in his book, Chicano Soul: Recordings and History of an American Culture. Ten years later, Chicano Soul remains an important and oft-referenced study of this vital but often overlooked chapter of the greater American musical experience. Chicano soul music of the 1950s and 1960s still reverberates today, both within Chicano communities and throughout many musical genres. Molina tells the story of the roots of Chicano soul, its evolution, and its enduring cultural influence.

“Brown-eyed soul” music draws on 1950s era jazz, blues, jump blues, rock `n’ roll, Latin jazz, and traditional Mexican music such as ranchera, norteño, and conjunto music. With its rare and gorgeous photos, record scans, concert bills, and impressive discography (to say nothing of its rich oral histories/interviews), it is one of those rare works that speaks to both general and academic audiences.

As a teen in the 1960s, Ruben Molina used to take a bus to Hollywood to shop for records, and his passion for vinyl never waned. As a dedicated community historian, Molina interviewed dozens of the artists whose music he loves. Much of Chicano soul music’s recent recognition and renaissance can be traced directly to Molina. He has deejayed with the Southern Soul Spinners crew since 2010.

PRAISE FOR CHICANO SOUL:

“[Chicano Soul} is nada if not revelatory… Molina seeks acknowledgement of this under-the-radar genre. With this book, he’ll get it. By linking the trail of Chicano soul bands to the route of the Mexican-American migrant workers across the United States as well as the migration of south-of-the-border families into Texas after the Mexican Revolution, the author presents a compelling account of rock and roll heroes literally unsung. Molina makes a case for teenagers who took their parents’ musical traditions, the trappings of black R&B bands with pop sensibilities, and channeled them into a vibrant sound that helped define the culture it sprang from.” —Austin Chronicle

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EXCERPT from the Foreword by Alex La Rotta, in Chicano Soul

Oldies are forever. It’s a mantra. A credo. A maxim for diehard sweet soul enthusiasts from Los Angeles to London, Toronto to Tokyo, and beyond. Ruben Molina’s The Old Barrio Guide to Low Rider Music (2002) and Chicano Soul: Recordings & History of an American Culture (2007) — its sacred texts. Not since Paul Oliver’s The Story of the Blues (1969) has a Book and author so distinctively revived a vintage and marginal American music culture from obscurity to widespread and cult-like revelry. What was once a niche collector’s category in the aughts and prior is a recognized subgenre in the twenty-tens: Chicano Soul. In the decade since its publication, Chicano Soul — like the long-lost recordings it so lovingly documents and historicizes — has itself become a collector’s item. Original copies highly-prized and sought after by record collectors, music aficionados, DJs, musicians, fans, and others. And, too, like much of the music in question: finally receiving its due reissuance. (Only this: a legitimate, not bootleg, reissuance.)

Its long-awaited return is timely. A brief review of the past ten years in popular music culture must surely include the massive reemergence of the vinyl music format (and its swift cooptation by the music industry); roots and vintage pop music revival (film/television soundtracks, documentaries, compilations, cultural histories, etc.); and the (ongoing) digital music revolution. Most notably, as it concerns the latter, one might also note the ascension of streaming media and video-sharing websites in democratizing and disseminating “rare groove” music of the analog past for broader audiences of the digital present. Further still, YouTube- and social media based soulero (sweet soul) DJs and record collector cliques build notoriety as prized possessors of rare Chicano Soul records to wide acclaim — much of which builds on Molina’s foundation. While the diffusion of music and cultural history in the past decade has broadened, the appreciation of this specific brand of soul music has expanded in tandem. You know it as the West Side Sound, the East Side Sound, Brown-Eyed Soul, Latin Soul, Lowrider Oldies, even rock en español — all components of the vast domain of mid-century Chicano Soul music culture principally documented in Molina’s work. And a book that remains today the only single monograph devoted to the subject.

More importantly, Chicano Soul challenges the assumptions and stereotypes of what “Latin music” could or should be in both popular culture and preceding musical-historical analyses: tropical, exotic, and almost always, distinctly foreign. Unequivocally, this music is none. It is, as the subtitle denotes, an American culture. Molina’s meticulous documentation of over 400 Mexican-American musicians/rock-and-roll combos spanning the American Southwest (née Aztlán) — and their collective thousands of independent recordings — deserves recognition if just for its impressive magnitude. But it’s the paradigm shift that Chicano Soul, and other recent works from such scholars as Deborah Vargas, Roberto Avant-Mier, Anthony Macias, Josh Kun, and Deborah Pacini Hernández, among others, provides for the current discourse on racial identity, hybridity, and the origins of American popular music that warrant as much praise. In part, a response to the tired narrative surrounding America’s supposed black/white racial binary and the forging of a national culture. Yes: Chicanos made soul music. Lots of it. And it’s damn good, too.

As a teen in the 1960s, Ruben Molina used to take a bus to Hollywood to shop for records, and his passion for vinyl never waned. As a dedicated community historian, Molina interviewed dozens of the artists whose music he loved. Much of Chicano soul music’s recent recognition and renaissance can be traced directly to Molina. He has deejayed with the Southern Soul Spinners crew since 2010.

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Lady Jayne Disappears: Deleted Scene

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LADY JAYNE DISAPPEARS

By JOANNA DAVIDSON POLITANO

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: October 3, 2017

Number of Pages: 416

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When Aurelie Harcourt’s father dies in debtor’s prison, he leaves her just two things: his wealthy family, whom she has never met, and his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll. Her new family greets her with apathy and even resentment. Only the quiet house guest, Silas Rotherham, welcomes her company.

When Aurelie decides to complete her father’s unfinished serial novel, writing the family into the story as unflattering characters, she must keep her identity as Nathaniel Droll hidden while searching for the truth about her mother’s disappearance—and perhaps even her father’s death.

Author Joanna Davidson Politano’s stunning debut set in Victorian England will delight readers with its highly original plot, lush setting, vibrant characters, and reluctant romance.

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Praise for Lady Jayne Disappears:

“Emotional. Intriguing. Both haunting and romantic. . . In her historical fiction debut, Joanna Davidson Politano delivers a smart plot that navigates twists and turns with a mixture of wit, intelligent characters, and a refreshingly original voice. Reminiscent of Dickens’ classic storytelling, Lady Jayne Disappears is a debut to remember!”

—Kristy Cambron, author of The Illusionist’s Apprentice

“Wonderfully unique, this compelling debut grabs you from the first intriguing line. The evocative English setting, textured characters, literary theme, and unusual romance make Lady Jayne Disappears a standout, the lovely cover offering a hint of the gem within. A must read!”

—Laura Frantz, author of A Moonbow Night

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DELETED SCENE

From Lady Jayne Disappears

By Joanna Davidson Politano

“Mr. Rotherham, would you like some highly agreeable female company?” Juliette descended the final two steps, arm extended.

I flushed warm. Was Juliette going to pawn me off on Silas again? Walking about with Silas sounded far better than being chained to Juliette, which would make it even harder to say no. And I must say no.

“I would be delighted with it.”

“Come, dear cousin. We’ll join him for some fresh air.” Juliette swept graciously toward Silas and tucked her hand at his elbow, her trim shoulder bumping his arm.

Had she not said “cousin,” I would never have known to follow. Trudging miserably after the couple, I dearly hoped this walk would not last long.

“Who do you think would make the perfect match for our dear Aurelie, Mr. Rotherham?” Juliette leaned near him, brushing her cheek against his tensed shoulder. “We’ve been discussing who she should be introduced to at the next Lynhurst event.”

As the silence deepened in the wake of her question, footsteps swishing grass blades, I wished with irrational fury that I could yank Juliette’s hair. And then yank back the question. Why wasn’t he answering? It was worse than a novel cliffhanger. Turn the page!

Shoulder blades flexing together, Silas cleared his throat. “He would need to have ten men’s share of wit. And be ever on his toes.”

“Have I told you I’ve found the perfect one?” Juliette’s airy voice somehow managed to railroad right over Silas’s answer and I released my breath. “They’ll meet at the next Lynhurst party. They’ve missed their chance at all the others, but this time I’ll make it my personal mission.”

“Perhaps she wishes to make her own selection.”

“Aurelie.” Juliette spun toward me with her face unnaturally alight. “Why don’t you entertain us with one of your enchanting stories? All this talk of romance makes me long for a love story. Something clever and romantic.”

“Might I make a request?” Silas perched on the furthest chair but leaned forward, elbows on knees. “I’d like to hear the love story you might envision for yourself, if you could have everything just the way you wanted it.”

Metal poked my arm as I thunked awkwardly onto the chair and tried not to look at him. He knew. He must know.

“All right, then. A love story.”

I wove a lighthearted story of two very bookish people who were misunderstood by the rest of the world. Ignoring the look of feigned fascination on Juliette’s face, I spilled out a measure of my heart for the man I loved. Sias’s gray eyes drank in every word as if he were reading the last chapter of his favorite book.

Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence.

She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan and shares stories that move her on her website.

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Understanding Cemetery Symbols: Excerpt and Giveaway

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UNDERSTANDING CEMETERY SYMBOLS
A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards
(Messages from the Dead)
by
TUI SNIDER

Genre: History / Landmarks & Monuments / Iconography
Publisher: Castle Azle Press

Date of Publication: August 19, 2017

Number of Pages: 250

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Understanding Cemetery Symbols by Tui Snider helps history buffs, genealogists, ghost hunters, and other curiosity seekers decode the forgotten meanings of the symbols our ancestors placed on their headstones. By understanding the meaning behind the architecture, acronyms, & symbols found in America’s burial grounds, readers will gain a deeper appreciation for these “messages from the dead.”

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Praise for Understanding Cemetery Symbols:

“When I ordered this book I thought it would be good for information concerning cemetery symbolism. I was wrong. It is GREAT!!!! This has already become my go to guide for all types of cemetery information. By far the best book I have come across!” – Amazon verified purchase, wearylibrarian

“Wow! What a great book! I got bit by the bug doing genealogy research. I always wondered what the symbols meant and could not find a reliable resource for the info. With Ms. Snider’s book along with the symbiology and great pictures, also a creative process of Tui’s, are plenty of interesting tidbits! Useful and entertaining! The book is small enough to keep in the glove box or your handbag or backpack!!” – Amazon verified purchase, Rev. Joy Daley

“I always enjoyed walking through a cemetery and looking at the stones. Now it will give it a much deeper meaning. I really enjoyed reading this book!” – Amazon verified purchase, Deborah D.

“Perfect book to get an idea for symbols and meaning. Only glanced through it and already picked up a few facts! Welcome addition to our growing library…” – Amazon verified purchase, Toripotterfan

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Check out the book trailer! Music by Tui Snider!

What are scraped graves?

Excerpt from Understanding Cemetery Symbols

by Tui Snider

SCRAPED GRAVES IN THE RURAL SOUTH

Lush green lawns have become such a common feature of today’s burial grounds that if you could travel back in time to the 1800’s for a graveyard tour through the rural South, you might be in for a shock. It’s easy to forget that the first lawn mower wasn’t invented until 1830. Even then, lawn grasses weren’t developed by the US Department of Agriculture until the 1930’s, a good 100 years later.

To early settlers, grass had different connotations than it does today. Not only could it harbor bugs and snakes, but in the days before lawn sprinklers, a large expanse of dried grass could be a fire hazard. Just as a homesteader’s cabin often had dirt floors, their yards, as well, were often kept free of vegetation.

By the same token, early cemeteries throughout the South were often scraped clean of plant life. This practice spread throughout 19th century cemeteries in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

Historians now think this practice came to America through the influence of African Americans, since a similar custom of scraped burial grounds with mounded graves is seen along the slave coast of Africa. It’s assumed that the custom then gained popularity throughout the South due to its practical aspects.

Over time, however, people forgot the original how and why behind this tradition began and simply assumed it was a way of showing respect for the dead.

Although dozens of scraped burial grounds still existed throughout the South as late as the 1990’s, few, if any, remain today. You may still, however, find a few graves here and there that are covered in gravel or mounded up and decorated with shells. When you find graves like this, you are likely standing in one of these formerly scraped grave cemeteries that has since been covered with grass.

FAMILY TENDED PLOTS

Scraped earth or not, it was the responsibility of the deceased person’s family to maintain their grave. For this reason, family plots were clearly marked so people knew exactly which area they were in charge of maintaining.

Throughout the 19th century annual cemetery cleanup days, often called “Decoration Day” or “Homecoming,” were the norm, especially in rural communities. In the 1800’s these cleanup days were major social events for the community. These were festive gatherings, with picnics, prayers, and even games and frivolity for children and adults. In this way, the maintenance and upkeep of the community cemetery allowed people to maintain social ties with the living, while also paying respect to the dead.

As families have scattered, annual cemetery cleanup parties are not as common or as big of a community event as they once were. Sometimes you will see information about these events posted by the cemetery gates or outbuildings. Even today, in smaller rural communities, many historic cemeteries rely on volunteers for maintenance.

Tui Snider is an award-winning writer, speaker, photographer, and musician specializing in quirky travel, overlooked history, cemetery symbolism, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction, but then I moved to Texas!”

Tui lectures frequently at universities, libraries, conferences and bookstores. Her best-selling books include Paranormal Texas, The Lynching of the Santa Claus Bank Robber, Unexpected Texas, and Understanding Cemetery Symbols. She recently taught classes based on her books at Texas Christian University.

When not writing books, you can find Tui exploring the historic graveyards and backroads of Texas with her husband, Larry.

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19-Oct	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
20-Oct	Guest Post 1	Books in the Garden
21-Oct	Review	The Librarian Talks
22-Oct	Author Interview	Books and Broomsticks
23-Oct	Excerpt 2	The Page Unbound
24-Oct	Review	Forgotten Winds
25-Oct	Top 5 List	Syd Savvy
26-Oct	Guest Post 2	A Novel Reality
27-Oct	Review	Bibliotica

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Hidden Sea: Playlist and Giveaway

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HIDDEN SEA

MILES ARCENEAUX

Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Suspense

Date of Publication: November 2017

Number of Pages: 384

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Charlie Sweetwater saw Mexico—especially the Mexican Gulf Coast—as a spiritual second home. He’d worked, played and lived there for much of his life, and thought the country suited him better than anywhere this side of his home on the Texas Coast.

But now a worrisome and potentially dangerous development has shown up on Charlie’s radar. Young Augustus Sweetwater, affectionately known as Augie, hasn’t reported in after completing a south-of-the-border sales trip for Sweetwater Marine. Raul, Augie’s father and Charlie’s nephew, is worried sick. Drug cartel violence in Mexico has reached epidemic proportions and Augie’s path took him through the heart of the narcotraficantes’ territory.

Charlie figures Augie just went off the grid to do some well-deserved fishing, surfing and beer-drinking at the end of his trip. He’d done the same in his time. But as Augie’s unexplained absence grows, Charlie and Raul become increasingly alarmed and set off for Mexico to bring their boy home.

What they unearth is far more than the sum of their fears. The familiar and friendly Gulf of Mexico has turned into a hidden sea plagued by smugglers, human traffickers, crooked politicians and even pirates. And Augie is lost somewhere in the middle of it all.

Charlie and Raul must summon an unlikely cast of characters to aid them, including a hilariously dissolute ex-pat musician, a priest whose faith struggles against the rising tide of refugee migration, a Mexican tycoon who may have secrets of his own and a beautiful maritime “repo man”. At the end of their quest, as the deepest secret of all is revealed, Charlie Sweetwater learns that neither Raul and Augie, nor the Gulf of Mexico, nor even himself, will ever be the same again.

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Praise for Hidden Sea:

“A riveting story from Texas that wanders down the cartel-invested Gulf Coast of Mexico and drifts across to lawless Cuba. The characters are as salty as the sea and the plot pulls you along as powerfully as the loop current.

W.F. Strong, Stories from Texas, Texas Standard Radio Network

“Hidden Sea is a total blast: smart, funny, and riveting, with unforgettably colorful characters and a world so alive that you’ll swear you’re really there.”

Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone

“In Hidden Sea, Miles Arceneaux tosses us in the drink of a timely contemporary adventure tale with the Sweetwater clan, complete with pirates, slave ships, family secrets, and the mother of all plot twists, in his patented Gulf Coast noir style.”

Michelle Newby Lancaster, Contributing Editor, Lone Star Literary Life, NBCC Literary Critic

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Check out Miles Arceneaux’s playlist for Hidden Sea

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“Miles Arceneaux” is the pen name of three long-time Texas friends. James R. Dennis is a former attorney turned Dominican friar who lives in San Antonio. Brent Douglass is an international businessman from Austin. John T. Davis, also of Austin, is a journalist and author. Together, as “Miles,” they have been featured authors at the Texas Book Festival, the San Antonio Book Festival, and the Lubbock Book Festival.

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October 11-October 20, 2017
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10/11	promo	Texas Book Lover
10/12	Review	Forgotten Winds
10/12	ICYWW #1	Bibliotica
10/13	Review	Missus Gonzo
10/14	Excerpt 1	Syd Savvy
10/14	Author Interview	A Page Before Bedtime
10/15	Review	Texan Girl Reads
10/16	Guest Post	StoreyBook Reviews
10/16	ICYWW #2	Chapter Break Book Blog
10/17	Review	Hall Ways Blog
10/18	Excerpt 2	Books and Broomsticks
10/18	Playlist	The Page Unbound
10/19	Review	Reading By Moonlight
10/20	Review	Tangled in Text
10/20	ICYWW #3	The Librarian Talks

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The Unremembered Girl: Review and Giveaway

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THE UNREMEMBERED GIRL

ELIZA MAXWELL

Genre: Psychological Suspense / Mystery
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Date of Publication: November 1, 2017

Number of Pages: 332

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In the deep woods of East Texas, Henry supports his family by selling bootleg liquor. It’s all he can do to keep his compassionate but ailing mother and his stepfather—a fanatical grassroots minister with a bruising rhetoric—from ruin. But they have no idea they’ve become the obsession of the girl in the woods.

Abandoned and nearly feral, Eve has been watching them, seduced by the notion of family—something she’s known only in the most brutal sense. Soon she can’t resist the temptation to get close. Where Henry’s mother sees a poor girl in need, his father sees only wickedness. When Henry forges an
unexpected bond with Eve, he believes he might be able to save her. He doesn’t know how wrong he is.

Eve is about to take charge of her own destiny—and that of Henry’s family. As both their worlds spin violently out of control, Henry must make an impossible choice: protect the broken young woman who’s claimed a piece of his soul, or put everyone he loves at risk in order to do the right thing.

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Praise for The Grave Tender, Maxwell’s previous book:

“An emotional powerhouse of a story that will leave readers reeling from the beginning to the end.” —Christena Stephens, Forgotten Winds

“Beautiful and intoxicating.” —Chelsea Humphrey, The Suspense is Thrilling Me

“Haunting. Lyrical. Beautiful. Dark. At times, sickening.” —Julia Byers, Books in the Garden

“This is dark psychological suspense that skillfully inspires a slow-dawning dread. . .It will shred you.” — Michelle Newby, Lone Star Literary Life

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The Unremembered Girl is a riveting and captivating story. For fans of Shutter Island, this story will surely unravel your heart just as deeply. It’s a psychological suspense with a heart wrenching twist that you won’t see coming. It’s dark, its gripping, and it’s the kind of read that will keep you up late at night just so you can tear through the pages. A novel worth devouring!

The Unremembered Girl is told by multiple points of view. There’s Henry, Caroline, Eve, Jonah, Del, Alice, and Livingston. Henry has longed to serve his country but remains at his sick mothers side to help take care of her. In the mean time, his mother Caroline takes in a damaged and quiet girl Eve that has been living in the woods. This girl has been emotionally broken and hurt in absolutely horrible ways. Caroline gives her a home, gives her love, and does her best to take care of the girl. Henry too begins to feel like he’s Eve’s protector and does everything he can to help the girl with her haunting past. A past that has twisted and tormented the poor girl into something dark that Henry isn’t sure he can save her from.

I loved everything about this book, from the characters, to the driven and fast pace plot, and to the suspense and thrill of the mystery behind Eve. This book is gripping and truly an unstoppable force. You won’t be able to put this book down. Get ready though for some heartache!

Eliza Maxwell, whom gave us a gripping read with The Grave Tender, has truly done it again! You don’t want to miss this truly spectacular read!

Eliza Maxwell lives in Texas with her ever patient husband and two kids. She’s an artist and writer, an introvert and a British cop drama addict. She loves nothing more than to hear from readers. You can find her at theelizamaxwell@gmail.com

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10/6	Review	Forgotten Winds
10/7	Top Ten List	The Librarian Talks
10/7	Top Ten List	Blogging for the Love of Authors & Their Books
10/8	Review	Texan Girl Reads
10/9	Review	A Page Before Bedtime
10/10	Excerpt	Chapter Break Book Blog
10/10	Author Interview	Books in the Garden
10/11	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
10/11	Guest Post	Missus Gonzo
10/12	Review	Tangled in Text
10/13	Notable Quotable 2	Books and Broomsticks
10/13	Notable Quotable 2	Margie’s Must Reads
10/14	Review	The Page Unbound

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Loving Luther: Promo

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LOVING LUTHER

By ALLISON PITTMAN

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Publisher: Tyndale House

Date of Publication: September 1, 2017

Number of Pages: 432

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Germany, 1505
In the dark of night, Katharina von Bora says the bravest good-bye a six-year-old can muster and walks away as the heavy convent gate closes behind her.

Though the cold walls offer no comfort, Katharina soon finds herself calling the convent her home. God, her father. This, her life. She takes her vows–a choice more practical than pious–but in time, a seed of discontent is planted by the smuggled writings of a rebellious excommunicated priest named Martin Luther. Their message? That Katharina is subject to God, and no one else. Could the Lord truly desire more for her than this life of servitude?

In her first true step of faith, Katharina leaves the only life she has ever known. But the freedom she has craved comes with a price, and she finds she has traded one life of isolation for another. Without the security of the convent walls or a family of her own, Katharina must trust in both the God who saved her and the man who paved a way for rescue. Luther’s friends are quick to offer shelter, but Katharina longs for all Luther has promised: a home, a husband, perhaps even the chance to fall in love.

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Praise for Loving Luther:

[Pittman] pens an exquisite tale, capturing the emotions of a nun grappling with the faith she’s always known vs. a new and unfamiliar freedom in faith. Simmering with tension of Katharina’s discontent and longings, the novel unveils a slow morphing that follows Katharina’s own personal transformation, from reverence to spirited determination in choosing her own way in the world. — Booklist

Loving Luther is a moving and rich historical romance based on Luther’s relationship with his wife Katharina. In addition, it shows how their marriage was actually significant to the Lutheran faith. Instead of dwelling on the couple’s courtship, the story goes deep into the roots of the Reformation. Luther and Katharina interrogate their faith, living out their convictions in a way that is both inspiring and profoundly human. Loving Luther has depth, and it is unexpectedly touching. Katharina and Luther, in search of a happy ending, find one another. Their love, Pittman shows, really did change the world. — Foreword Magazine

A historical novel with characters who are brave, strong and willing to take chances in times of persecution. The plot is partially based on the teachings of Martin Luther and the many lives he changed, some for the better, some for the worse. Pittman is a talented author who touches on topics that have been debated over the decades and are still being talked about today. — Romantic Times Reviews

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Eight Things I Learned about Martin Luther

Guest Post by Allison Pittman

Luther was fond of singing and pioneered the inclusion of congregational singing as part of the worship service. His hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” has maintained a prominence in worship, and even has its place in pop culture on the popular show Gilmore Girls. (“Dude, what’s a bulwark?”)

Gilmore Girls link

Luther was centuries ahead of his time in his views of gender equality. An excerpt from “The Estate of Marriage,” published in 1522:

Now you tell me, when a father goes ahead and washes diapers or performs some other mean task for his child, and someone ridicules him as an effeminate fool, though that father is acting in the spirit just described and in Christian faith, my dear fellow you tell me, which of the two is most keenly ridiculing the other? God, with all his angels and creatures, is smiling, not because that father is washing diapers, but because he is doing so in Christian faith. Those who sneer at him and see only the task but not the faith are ridiculing God with all his creatures, as the biggest fool on earth. Indeed, they are only ridiculing themselves; with all their cleverness they are nothing but devil’s fools.

He loved his wife, his home…and his beer. (pretty much in that order) From a letter to his “Dear Kathie” dated July 29, 1534:

Yesterday I had to take a nasty drink, and I do not like what is not good. I keep thinking what good wine and beer I have at home, as well as a beautiful wife, or shall I say lord? And you would do well to send me over my whole cellar of wine and a bottle of thy beer, or else I shall not be back before the new beer is ready.

Luther married his wife after a couple of unsuccessful attempts at matchmaking. From a letter to Heironymus Baumgartner, a young student in Nurnberg, October, 1524:

Moreover, if you intend marrying Katherine von Bora, make haste before she is given to someone else, for C. Glatz, pastor in Orlamunde, is ready waiting. She has not yet got over her love for you. I wish that you two were married.

He wasn’t afraid to present the gospel to anyone—including the King of England. An excerpt from a letter to Henry VIII, September 1, 1525

Is it not almost a miracle when a king or prince loves the gospel? Oh, how I long to be able to rejoice over such a miracle in your Majesty! Would that God, before whom I write this, would endue my words with power, so that the King of England may, ere long, become a devoted disciple of the Lord Christ and a confessor of the gospel, and also Luther’s most gracious lord.

Luther is the reason you battle with strings of lights every Christmas. While Christians used boughs of evergreen to decorate their homes for Christmas, Martin Luther is credited with attaching small candles to the branches. Legend says he was inspired by the stars twinkling through the trees on a crisp winter night.

Source: History.com

Luther was an early spokesperson for Staying in School. In 1530 he wrote a sermon on the subject, saying:

For in this [education] they have shown generous Christian consideration of their subjects, contributing faithfully to their eternal salvation as well as to their temporal well-being and honor. God will assuredly strengthen such a work with ever increasing blessings and grace, though the devil must strive against it for a while since he cannot be happy when so excellent a tabernacle is built to the Lord in this sun. He must assemble clouds and mist and dust, trying in every way to keep such glory from shining too far, or at least to dim its splendor.

Martin Luther had a sense of humor, quoted as saying, “If God has no sense of humor, I don’t want to go to heaven.” His sharp wit brought focus to matters of complex theology to basic human nature.

Source: Uncommon Travel Germany (translated)

Allison Pittman is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed novels and a three-time Christy finalist—twice for her Sister Wife series and once for All for a Story from her take on the Roaring Twenties.

She lives near San Antonio, Texas, blissfully sharing an empty nest with her husband, Mike.

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10/2	Author Video #1	Texan Girl Reads
10/2	Excerpt, Part 1	Chapter Break Book Blog
10/3	Review	Hall Ways Blog
10/3	Author Interview	StoreyBook Reviews
10/4	Author Video #2	A Page Before Bedtime
10/5	Review	Syd Savvy
10/6	Guest Post	The Page Unbound
10/6	Scrapbook Page	Books in the Garden
10/7	Review	Books and Broomsticks
10/8	Author Video #3	Missus Gonzo
10/8	Excerpt, Part 2	Forgotten Winds
10/9	Review	Reading by Moonlight
10/9	Review	Margie’s Must Reads
10/10	Author Video #4	Tangled in Text
10/11	Review	The Librarian Talks

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Racing Storms: Playlist and Giveaway

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RACING STORMS
Chasing Desire Trilogy #1

SARA RUSSELL

Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance
Publisher: North Loop Books

Date of Publication: April 25, 2017

Number of Pages: 198

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Decoursey dreads the upcoming weekend. A big NASCAR race is taking place at the speedway near her home–and her abusive, murder-threatening ex-husband just so happens to be a member of a NASCAR pit crew. Determined not to let her ex-husband have a decent opportunity to make good on his threat, Decoursey puts an ad online, hoping to find some security in the form of a guy needing a place to crash.

Enter Kennan, a storm chaser looking to get away for a few days. Fresh off a failed storm chase, Kennan doesn’t make the best first impression. But that quickly changes as Decoursey gives Kennan a chance and finds the recently broken heart of a gentleman hidden beneath the surface. As sparks fly, so do hopes that they can dream of romance once again. But when their newfound trust is broken, will Decoursey and Kennan weather the storm to find a love that lasts?

Racing Storms, the exciting debut in Sara Russell’s Chasing Desire trilogy, will get your heart pumping all the way to the finish line.

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Praise for Racing Storms:

“In Racing Storms, fresh new voice Sara Russell begins her three-book series with a courageous and adorable hero, a sassy but vulnerable heroine, spicy love scenes and an insider’s view of daredevil storm chasers! What more could you want from a romance?”

— Vicki Lewis Thompson, New York Times bestselling author

“Russell’s debut successfully tackles the idea of finding love when you least expect it.”

–RT Reviews

“Austin-area writer Sara Russell’s self-described ‘first foray into fiction’ is a smoothly written, nicely plotted romance novel that will entertain many readers who like books with contemporary Texas settings.”

–Lone Star Literary Life

CLICK TO PURCHASE:

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Author Sara Russell’s Playlist

I listened to these songs while writing Racing Storms, and while they may not represent specific aspects of the book, I’ll always connect them to Kennan and Decoursey.

Sara Russell is a near-native Texan who sees nothing wrong with using “y’all” in formal conversation. She maintains that one can do practically anything in a cute dress and flats, including storm chasing, attending motorsports events, and exploring the endless delights of the Austin area, where she’s lived since childhood. When not writing or hunting & gathering at Whole Foods, Sara spends time with friends & family and enjoys live music and dancing.

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September 19-28, 2017

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9/19	Author Interview 1	Books in the Garden
9/20	Review	Reading By Moonlight
9/21	Notable Quotable	A Novel Reality
9/22	Review	Margie’s Must Reads
9/23	Author Interview 2	Chapter Break Book Blog
9/24	Playlist	The Page Unbound
9/25	Review	Missus Gonzo
9/26	Guest Post	Texas Book Lover
9/27	Excerpt	A Page Before Bedtime
9/28	Review	Texan Girl Reads