Showing posts with label historical romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label historical romance. Show all posts

Monday, June 2, 2014

Healed by a Heart by Cynthia Woolf Book Tour & Giveaway



Healed by a Heart 
by Cynthia Woolf

This is the second book in the Destiny in Deadwood series but you can also read it as a stand alone.




Quick Facts                                        
Release Date:                  
Genre: Historical Romance. Western                                              
Formats to buy: Papaerbacks and all ebook formats








Book Synopsis
 
All Liam Anderson wanted after the War Between the States, was a little peace. After seventeen years in the army, he’s tired of fighting and killing. Having lost his beloved wife to influenza, he’s tired of hurting. And seeing his baby brother framed for murder, he’s tired of injustice.
He left everything behind to help his brothers escape, packed up his children and possessions, and took them all to a gold claim in Deadwood. Miss Eleanor Smith is a thirty-two year-old spinster. She gave up her dream of a home and family a long time ago. Instead, she has spent her life traveling the world, ministering to the weak, the injured, the poor, and the forgotten, following her preacher father from one hell hole to another.
From what she’s seen of men and the world, she’s better off taking care of herself. And she gets along just fine, until she literally falls into Liam’s arms, gets in the middle of a fight that isn’t hers, and becomes a pawn for an enemy’s revenge.
Deadwood was supposed to be a fresh start for Liam Anderson and his younger brothers, but trouble followed him and his children. And when Eleanor disappears, only Liam can rescue her. The headstrong, independent woman awoke his dead passion, but refused to surrender to his touch. Can he convince her that merely surviving isn’t enough? Despite his sins, he's the only man who can save her, and she's the only woman strong enough to heal his broken heart.








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Excerpt:

PROLOGUE
 April 1876 - St. Louis, Missouri 

Liam Anderson sat in front of a blazing fire, in his pajamas and robe, puffing on his pipe, reading, for the last time in this house. The place he’d called home for so many years. The kids were asleep upstairs. Sleep had eluded him and he’d risen to read until he got tired.BAM! BAM! BAM!He looked up from the book he read and glanced at the mantel clock. One of the few things he hadn’t packed away. “What in the world? Who would be out in this weather at this hour?”What the hell?” said Liam, when he opened the door to his two younger brothers. “Jake? Zach? What are you two doing here? It’s the middle of the night.”Zach growled from behind Jake. “Are you going to let us in or make us stand in this rain all night?”“Come in. Zach put that gun away,” said Liam.“Can’t until the kid here,” he poked Jake in the back with his gun, “is inside and we’ve talked to you.”Jake, the youngest of his brothers, walked into the foyer of the house, followed closely by Zach. He stared down the hallway, packed with luggage and boxes down to the parlor, but didn’t question it. Didn’t even seem to notice that the house was packed up ready to move.Both of them were haggard, completely worn out. Their coats were soaked through and they couldn’t have been comfortable. He’d never seen them looking so exhausted or…desperate.“Sorry to do this to you, Liam. I know you’re leaving tomorrow,” said Zach as he holstered his gun and dripped water onto the foyer floor. He threw his had onto one of the steamer trunks. Jake followed suit.It was times like these that the difference between his brothers was so striking. Zach with his nearly black hair and dark blue eyes. There was one in every generation with the coloring of their Gypsy great grandmother, Zach was theirs and their father had been the one in his generation. It was rare to have two gypsies in the same family, usual it was an uncle or aunt rather than a parent of the latest child with the coloring.Jake with dark blond, overly long hair and light blue eyes most resembled their dear mother.Liam was somewhere between the two, with light brown hair and gray eyes. His children were different as night and day, too. Ten year old David resembled Liam not only physically but mentally too. David always seemed to weigh his words before he spoke them. Whereas Hannah, the gypsy of her generation, said whatever came into her little head. She was only five, but even at her age, David had been as contemplative as he was now.He smiled thinking of his children. They were his joy. His reason for living. He closed his eyes and grounded himself in the present and answered Jake.“Yes. At first light. Now, tell me what’s going on and why you brought Jake here at gun point.”“Only way I could get him to come,” growled Zach.“And?” Liam said, exasperated. “Don’t make me beat the story out of you word by word, little brother. Just tell me the problem.”Liam pointed at the two chairs in front of the fire and then went to the fireplace and stoked the banked coals back to a roaring blaze. He really didn’t need this now, not when he was leaving in the morning. Not when he was so close to putting the old, hurtful memories behind him.

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Other books in the series:

Redeemed by a Rebel








The Author

Cynthia Woolf is the author of six historical western romance books and one short story with more
books on the way.
She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends.Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.
Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.
Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner. Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she's made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.

 WEBSITE – www.cynthiawoolf.com




GIVEAWAY:

- International
- Win a $25 Visa GC thanks to author Cynthia Woolf


Saturday, October 19, 2013

A Very Scandalous Holiday Anthology Tour & Giveaway - Interview with Nancy Fraser

Scandalous-Holiday-Banner  
I'm pleased to introduce my guest today, one of four authors in the A Very Scandalous Holiday Anthology, Nancy Fraser! Welcome to BK Walker Books Etc. I'm so happy you could join me today. 

BK: Looking out the nearest window, describe the scene you see. – The Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada and the main reason I moved into this condo. The view is very peaceful in the summer … not so much in the winter when it’s all frozen over.




BK: Tell us about your office. Is it a mess like mine, or is everything in its place? – I’m fortunate enough to have two spaces. In front of the picture window in the summer and very organized and then my enclosed office which is filled with great research stuff and not quite as neat!

BK: What is a must-have, such as coffee or a favorite pen, that you need to write? – Definitely coffee and, depending on what I’m working on, my research database (I create one for every book or series).

BK: Do you like to write in silence, or do you need music or background noise? – Music, preferably classical. However, I’m currently working on a western historical and find myself listening to country music to get me in the mood. For “Erin’s Gift”, I listened to a lot of older jazz.

BK: Tell us a bit about your hero/heroine, and their development. – My heroine, Erin O’Mara, has been on her own for a few years, yet still retains a good bit of her innocence. While her best friend has fully embraced the wilder, Roaring 20s lifestyle, Erin has had to remain responsible. Occasionally, her desire to be as free-spirited as her friend seeps through Erin’s reserve. However, it isn’t until she comes in close contact with our hero that she realizes the awakening of the woman hidden beneath the careful exterior.

BK: As a writer myself, I'm always curious how other writers get through stumble blocks. When you find a story not flowing, or a character trying to fight you, how do you correct it? – I recently read a piece of advice on one of the social media sites from a writer who was suffering from a block. She suggested renaming one of the main characters to start the juices flowing again. I didn’t pay much attention to what’s she’d said until about a month later when I found myself “stuck”. I wasn’t that attached to my hero’s name, so I changed it to something I liked better and … sure enough … the words starting flowing again. It was like “magic”!

BK: Using the letters of your first name as an acronym, describe your book...
N = Naughty – blame it on the wild 20’s and the sexy hero
A = Affectionate – everyone wants to be loved, especially my heroine
N = Nice – an innocent heroine, a small child, and the Christmas holidays (you can’t get much nicer than that)
C = Cheerful – our heroine brings joy and happiness back into the hero’s life, something that had been missing for awhile
Y = Youthful – whether it’s the heroine’s best friend embracing the sassy phrases, or the hero’s son finding excitement with his young, energetic new nanny, there is definitely a sense of youthful vitality to the story

BK: How did your writing journey begin? – On a dare. Many, many years ago, a co-worker offered me a romance to read during our lunch break. I foolishly commented that “anyone could write one” and she dared me to try. I went home that weekend and, for a laugh, wrote three chapters and took them to work on the following Monday. My co-worker accused me of copying them out of a book. I re-read them a few days later, decided to finish the book and, from there, I was hooked!

BK: Using the letters from the word, Summer, how would friends and family describe you?
S = Silly … I have an offbeat sense of humor and will often do the silliest things (like dressing up as a box of French fries for my granddaughter’s birthday party at a local fast food place)
U = Unpredictable … like being silly, you can never tell what I’ll do when the mood strikes me. (I prefer to think I’m creative!)
M = Mothering … my greatest accomplishment is my children, and consequently, my grandchildren
M = Modest … I really hate talking about myself which is why I’ve not mastered the social media frenzy as yet
E = Earnest … if I have something to say, I say it and I mean it
R = Responsible … if I commit to something, or someone, you can count on me seeing it through

BK: What is the craziest thing you've ever written about, whether it got published or not? – After my ex began seeing someone, I found out that she’s entered a writing contest sponsored by the local newspaper’s weekend magazine. I couldn’t let her win the darned thing so I wrote a short story about a scorned woman who murders her ex’s new girlfriend and gets away with it. I came in second place and the new lady in his life didn’t even get an honorable mention … I felt vindicated.

BK: Tell us one thing you've done in life, that readers would be most surprised to know. – Despite the fact that I’m a grandmother of five, in my youth I did a number of crazy things. At 19 I won a stock car racing championship and at 20 played on an NCAA women’s championship basketball team.

BK: What can we expect from you in the future? – Mostly exhaustion! In addition to being part of this wonderful anthology, I’ve also got a new co-authored historical romance, The Lawman’s Agreement, coming out in November, a contemporary novella, Having Santa’s Baby, releasing in December and the next story in my ten-novella Rock and Roll romance series, April Love, coming out in February. Not to mention, two books in the works.


This or That...

Coke or Pepsi? Coke

Night Owl or Early Bird? Early Bird (unless on deadline, then both)

Fantasy or Mystery? Fantasy (as long as it contains a superhero)

Pen/Paper or Computer? Computer - definitely

Pizza or Burger? Pizza with extra cheese

Rock or Country? Vintage Rock (50s-70s)

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

Beach or Mountains? Beach


Thank you so much for having us as one of your stops today. It has been great getting to know more about you and your book, and wish you the best of success!



BK Walker




About The Authors


Nancy Fraser Author (Holiday)  Nancy Fraser Like most authors, Nancy began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher's pet which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it. In her time away from writing, Nancy dotes on her five grandchildren. She's currently happily single (let's face it, it's difficult to find a man who can live up to her sexy, fictitious heroes) and enjoying life as is for the time being.  


Nancy's Author Links

Website: http://www.nancyfraser.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser  




Sophia Garrett (Holiday)  Sophia Garrett

Sophia Garrett always knew she wanted to be a writer, and more specifically, a historical romance writer. Her teenage years were spent rabidly gobbling up the newest books from romance icons such as Johanna Lindsey, Sabrina Jefferies, Julie Garwood, and Kathleen E. Woodiweiss. She composed her first romance novel about the American Revolution, in high school. When Sophia is not researching...well, she's always researching! But in her non-working hours she enjoys studying historical events (yes, she's one of those girls), watching documentaries, taking in action-packed dramas at the theatre, and spending as much time as possible with her two young sons collecting bugs, racing Hot Wheels, and smashing things in video games. Her second passion is animals, so much so that at one time she considered a career in veterinary medicine. Chemistry, however, waged war on her sanity, and she decided training horses was far less harmful than trying to manipulate miniscule objects that can't be seen. Setting her sweatshirt on fire in lab might have had something to do with that. She still has her horses but has added a chicken...or two. And a duck. And a (house) pig. And several dogs. And cats. And... who knows what might turn up next! Sophia frequently attends conferences and signing events that take her throughout the United States. In addition, she often presents for her local Romance Writers of America chapters and is available to present to additional authors' groups. She loves to connect with readers and writers alike, so be sure to say hello!   Professional Affiliations:   Romance Writers of America Heartland Romance Authors Midwest Romance Writers    

Sophia Author Links:

Website: http://www.authorsophiagarrett.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7267526.Sophia_Garrett
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClaireAshgrove
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSophiaGarrett



Amber Lin (Holiday)     AMBER LIN

Amber Lin writes erotic romance with damaged souls and deep emotion. Her debut novel Giving It Up (Loose Id, 9781611188431) received The Romance Review’s Top Pick, Night Owl Top Pick, and 5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies. RT Book Reviews gave it 4.5 stars, calling it “truly extraordinary.” The sequel is slated for release in early 2013. Her small town romance will be published by Carina Press in Fall 2013. Amber married her high school sweetheart, birthed a kid who’s smarter than she is, and spends her nights writing down her dirty thoughts. In other words, life is good  





Amber's Author Links:

  Website: http://www.authoramberlin.com
  Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5827158.Amber_Lin
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/authoramberlin
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoramberlin    





Crista McHugh (Holiday)  CRISTA McHUGH

Crista McHugh is a multiple award-winning author of fantasy romance and paranormal romance with heroines who are smart, sexy, and anything but ordinary. Growing up in small town Alabama, Crista relied on story-telling as a natural way for her to pass the time and keep her two younger sisters entertained. She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends. Just for laughs, here are some of the jobs she's had in the past to pay the bills: barista, bartender, sommelier, stagehand, actress, morgue attendant, and autopsy assistant. And she's also a recovering LARPer. (She blames it on her crazy college days) To be the first to know about her latest releases or to be entered into exclusive contests, please sign up for her newsletter using the contact form on her webpage, www.cristamchugh.com.    

Crista Author Links:

Website: www.cristamchugh.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/crista_mchugh

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CristaMcHugh
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3035791.Crista_McHugh   




About The Book

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC ( Scandalous ) Imprint
Release Date: 10-14-13
Buy - Amazon



A Very Scandulous Holiday CoverDescription

Entangled Publishing presents…A Very Scandalous Holiday Anthology. Four very spirited vignettes of holidays past. Erin’s Gift by Nancy Fraser Chicago 1920 Widower, Seth Harrison, has no intention of falling in love again but will he be able to resist the sweetness of his son’s nanny, Erin O’Mara—his sister’s best friend? An Eternity of You by Sophia Garrett England 1833 The Duke of Sharrington left Rebecca with more than a broken heart six years ago—he left her with a son. His return rekindles their passion, but only a Christmas miracle will convince the town surgeon to believe in his promises of eternity again. Letters at Christmas by Amber Lin England, late Regency After three years at sea, Captain Hale Prescott has the means to marry the love of his life and his best friend’s sister, Sidony Harbeck. However, she might never speak to him again. Despite their whispered adolescent promises, he never wrote her a single letter…at least, none he ever sent. Eight Tiny Flames by Crista McHugh 1944 Ardennes, WWII Lt. Ruth Mencher has always secretly admired Capt. Joseph Klein, but it takes the lighting of a Hanukkah candle to uncover the spark of mutual attraction. Each night awakens a new facet of their relationship, but as the Battle of the Bulge begins, the approaching Nazi forces threaten to tear them apart.  

Excerpt 2:

“What about you?” she inquired. “Was seafaring everything you had dreamed?”
“Everything and more.”
She allowed the wry note, the intriguing hint of regret in his voice to float away on the cool night air. Whatever had made him jaded—a swordfight with pirates, an exotic love affair, changeling prices for tea exports—he had clearly come out of it stronger, richer, better. He had no need of her, which was why she would never accept his proposal. Back then, he had worshipped her. Which was as it should have been, considering how much she’d exalted him. Now she was but an afterthought, a backhanded proposal.
And if she said yes? He would stash her in some over-architectured, under-gardened townhouse in London. Only take her out when he wanted to play, as if she was some pet, like one of his cats only without claws.
No.
They lay in silence, neither willing to share the shadows of their time apart. Once, nothing had been secret between them, nothing sacred. Now they were strangers.
But she hadn’t let go of his hand. His fingers slid through hers with startling familiarity. Her mind made all sorts of claims about this intruder in her bedroom, but her fingertips—they knew him by touch. Bunched skin on his knuckles, and smooth, short-cropped nails. Coarse hair on the back of his hand that had appeared one day in their youth, as if by magic. That was the back of his hand, the known, well-mapped terrain. His palm was a different story, one of adventure and hardship, of darkness and secrets. Calluses had formed over calluses, her explorations told her. Mountains of thick skin, formed to protect him. Valleys in a man too young to wrinkle—it was experience that had aged him more than the years.
While she explored him, he explored her right back. Hands only. His thumb fanned the delta between her forefinger and thumb. Back and forth; she knew he’d found the scar.
His fingers tightened on her briefly before relaxing. “What did this?”
“A cat,” she admitted. “The dislike seems to be mutual.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Well, it was a boating party. Only I hadn’t read it right in the invitation. I thought it was a picnic. So I arrived with a large basket filled with cold salads and Poppet.”
He tensed beside her, but she couldn’t credit that he was really worried. Like him, whatever social trials she had faced in the interim, she had clearly come out just fine. Aside from tree climbing mishaps.
“I couldn’t very well leave him on the shore, so I brought him on board with me. I thought it would be fine. He had his basket to stay in, and then his leash—”
“You have a leash. For your cat.”
“It’s more of a ribbon. A thick ribbon that ties around his neck and has a handle. So, yes, a leash. He doesn’t mind, usually. He likes to explore, on land. But we hit choppy waters, and he climbed up my neck. There was a bit of struggle. His nail jammed through the skin.” She shrugged. “I had to feed him bits of chicken until he relaxed enough to sheath his claws.”
He made a choking sound. Laughing, she supposed. Ah, well. A smile played at her lips. It had been funny, in a most painful and humiliating way. At some point, she had given up pretending to be a graceful, poised young lady, and accepted her growing reputation as a rather clumsy adventuress. She had even seemed to attract suitors that way. They wanted to protect her.
They wanted to imprison her.
All she’d wanted was someone to have adventures with.
“I got invited to all the boating parties after that,” she added. “But I never took Poppet again.”
“See? I always said you’d be the center of the party.”
“Yes, and I thought you meant that in a nice way.”
He laughed. “I did. I do.”
He tugged her closer between the linens. His face hovered next to hers. She could feel his breath mingling with hers, but the dark kept him hidden. She didn’t know where he was exactly, where his mouth was, until he kissed her.
His lips found hers unerringly, as if his vision was stronger than hers. He slanted his head to meet her more firmly, his warmth, his knowledge, impossibly intimate. For a moment, she panicked, the same way she had done for every terrace liberty and courtyard peck she’d ever allowed since him. But then the taste of him flooded her senses, memory Hale and this living, breathing stranger merging into one. Who are you? she thought, and then immediately, I know you, I feel you.
I love you.
How could the years fall away so quickly? But she found time had never really stood between them. It had been distance. And now that the miles were crossed, the air evaporated from the room, leaving her stunned with fatalistic joy.
He cupped the back of her neck and kissed down her jaw. She bared her throat to him, knowing, inviting. His lips were tender against the sensitive skin, caressing the hollow at the base of her throat. He reached for the hem of her nightgown, and she jerked in surprise, feeling shock at how fast they were moving…and wonder at how good it still felt.



  Scandalous-Holiday-Long    

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Friday, January 25, 2013

the thing with feathers by Anne Sweazy-Kujul - Interview & Book Nook with Glowlight Giveaway



Welcome to BK Walker Books Etc. I'm so happy you could join me today at Pacific City, Oregon.



BK: Please tell us a little about yourself...

Okay, but just a little…I’m not nearly as interesting as my writing. I live on the Oregon coast with my husband and my Pit Bulls. We have a grown daughter who’s a vet tech and part-time model, living in Bend, Oregon. When we first came to Oregon, we rehabilitated a 1906 Victorian farmhouse and carriage house, and turned it into a Bed & Breakfast Inn. Within a year we had won the award for Best B&B in the state, and we were manufacturing our granola cereals (Wholly Cow) for the specialty food industry. Fun times! We did that for five years, but then were involved in a car accident that required us to sell the mansion and the businesses. I wrote my first novel while recovering from my first (of many) surgeries.

BK: We have pit bulls too :). Sorry to hear about your accident though. Please tell us a little about your book....

The hero of the story, Blair Bowman, is a young girl just sixteen years old, in 1927. She’s growing up without a mother on the wild and sparsely-populated coast of Oregon…and she’s pregnant. Imagine you’re Blair, and your father is the town’s fire-and-brimstone Baptist preacher. And then imagine he is the rapist. Oh, and he’s crazier than a submarine with screen doors, too.

Blair survives her desperate circumstances with the unexpected help from a wealthy dairy farmer’s youngest son, and some strangely comforting words from a favorite teacher. Ironically, the preacher just isn’t the forgiving sort. He’s not happy when Sean Marshall interferes in his and his child-wife’s affairs. Bowman sets his sights on the Marshall family, and everyone else who might oppose him. Fortunately, evil doesn’t always win. It has a sweet (maybe bittersweet) ending.

BK: What inspired you to pen this particular novel?

While we were restoring our Victorian farmhouse, we found an early photo (1920’s) of a girl standing on a rock. She was smiling, but I had the unshakeable impression the girl was horribly sad. I thought about that girl’s sad eyes for weeks before I finally told my husband I was going to write a story about her.

BK: It sounds like it was meant to be. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

That would have been when I received my first acceptance letter for a short story I’d written. But I did not consider myself an “author” until I had sold my first novel.

BK: It's a great feeling, isn't it?  How do you keep your story flowing?

I’ve never run into a problem with that, because I don’t actually start writing until my outline is well fleshed-out and my characters are all “born” (i.e., structured writing). I always know where I’m going from the start.

BK: Do you ever run into writer's block, and if so, what do you do to get past it?

I don’t believe I ever have. I mean, there have been times when I’ve finished a chapter and I’m not sure how I want to start the next one, but I don’t panic and refer to it as a block. I think about some of the other scenes that will need to be a part a of the story, even if it is quite a bit further into the book. If any of those “scenes” gets my juices stirring when I think about it, I’ll work on one of those, instead. There’s no rule that you have to write each chapter in its consecutive order. In fact, sometimes I’ll even put the novel away for a while and goof around with poetry or flash fiction. I love the story I’m writing and I love the characters I’ve created--I know I’m coming back to it, so I don’t worry.

BK: That's not the first time I've heard about writing out of order, then putting that piece of the story in when it comes time. What is your writing process like? Do you have any quirks, or must-haves to write?

I have quirks--maybe one or two “must haves.” I need noise--I don’t really care what it is. It can be loud music, my Pit Bulls horsing around, the TV blaring or appliances whirring--or all of them at once. I just can’t concentrate if it’s quiet. As for the must-haves (you would ask me this, B.K.!), I have severe and chronic pain, 24/7, but I do not like to take pain pills. So, I need my champagne Mimosa and my cigarettes…and, no, I don’t smoke tobacco. Nuff said.

BK: LOL, well I happen to LOVE Mimosas :). Where do you hope your books/writing will be in the future?

I’m really hoping I get the chance to write every story idea I have in my notebook pocket before I kick the bucket! I also have begun writing the screenplay for “Bodie.” I’m at a stop right now because my books are taking front burner, but I’m looking forward to writing the screenplay with the collaboration of a talented writer friend, who happens to be an award-winning screenwriter. Beyond that, I would love to help others someday, perhaps by starting a writer’s workshop summer program, but I don’t have the educational requirements to teach. Maybe after I’ve authored ten books or so, they’ll let that slide…?

BK: I'm sure, or if I decide to come to Oregon we can plan on a workshop together :). What do you hope readers will take away from your books?

I included Christian themes and principles throughout my books, which I think are pretty easily absorbed. They all lead back to a common theme of hope (thus the title, from the Emily Dickinson poem, “Hope”), or a faith in God‘s love for us. Life can be pretty sad and meaningless without it. My heroine, Blair, is demure and tiny, and horribly victimized. But armored with Hope, she’s a survivor who manages to accomplish the difficult-side of impossible. I would love it if the story helps my readers, women especially, feel emboldened.

BK: Well, you already know I can't wait to read it. It sounds amazing. Sadly, I found I had a deadline with another book due this week, so the thing with feathers is next in line. What is one piece of advice you received that you carry with you in your writing?

I’ll give you three! One: don’t become a journalist--I tend to bury the lead; Two: always proof-read my manuscript aloud. It’s the only way to hear syntax, rhythm and pace; and, Three: grow thicker skin. If I can’t take criticism, I will never make it in this business.

BK: Excellent advice! What is one piece of advice you would give to new and aspiring writers?

If you have not yet written your masterpiece, I recommend you first read as much as you can of literature (traditionally-published) in your own genre--try to absorb the quality of styles that got those authors published. If you’ve already written your debut manuscript, then my one piece of advice would be, figure out your platform and get a firm grip on it, before your book hit’s the market. Marketing is tough! And every publisher expects the author’s help. This will put you ahead of the game.

BK: This was brilliantly said and awesome advice for a newbie. Thank  you Anne. Are you currently working on any new projects? What can we expect from you in the future?

My next manuscript, “Bodie,” is in the final read-through at Tate Publishing, before we arrange typesetting and cover art. The release date is TBD, but it’s running ahead of schedule and should be in early spring. I am currently writing my third, “Grog Wars,” about the first beer brewers to come to Portland, Oregon--Shanghai capital of the world (and a pretty dangerous place to be a drinker!)

BK: Where can readers find you?

I can always be reached through my website: www.Historical-Horse-Feathers.com or www.AnneSweazyKulju.com, via my Facebook Fan Page, on RedRoom.com, GoodReads, LibraryThing, Tate Publishing’s website, and Twitter. I’m also on Pinterest, StudioVox, Google+, and I am a member of several writers’ groups on LinkedIn, where published authors and industry professionals try to help aspiring writers, and each other. Please feel free to contact me!

Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. It's been a pleasure having you and I wish you much success in the future.

Thanks, B.K. This is my first virtual tour, and it has been a great experience!



the thing with feathers
By Anne Sweazy Kulju

About Anne:

ANNE SWEAZY KULJU has won awards for editorials and honors for short stories, but now she writes historical fiction adventures, exclusively. Her debut novel, “the thing with feathers,” was released by Tate Publishing in September 2012. Her book, “Bodie,” a total thrill ride, is expected to release in early 2013, and she is currently busy on her next book, “Grog Wars,” set in 1850’s Portland, Oregon, the Shanghai capital of the world. Anne lives near Pacific City, Oregon, and divides her free time between the beach and Mount Bachelor. Readers may learn more about Anne and correspond with her on her website at www.AnneSweazyKulju.com .



the thing with feathers by Anne Sweazy-Kulju

Genre - Historical Fiction/Saga
Publisher - Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC
Release Date - 9-11-2012
Buy: Amazon

Blurb:

It was the ugliest photo he had ever seen.
And nothing would be the same again.

As the inhabitants of Cloverdale, Oregon, welcomed in the twentieth century, they were not unaccustomed to hard times and thorny situations. Small communities banded together for protection and hope. Heroes and villains were often difficult to decipher.

When an itinerate Baptist preacher arrived with his baby daughter and a wife lost on the trail, there was no one prepared to suspect what lurid secrets and heartbreak he might be concealing. As the preacher sets his sights against those who might oppose him, the names and the lives of the good people of Cloverdale may not be spared.

Yet in the midst of the machinations of a mad man, virtue and valor can persist. The Thing with Feathers is known to fly through wars, depressions, and natural disasters. Will the Marshall clan and the good people of Cloverdale find it in time?

Excerpt:

“Seems she don’t much care for song leaders neither.” The musician reached for another piece of the pie.

“On the contrary.” Preacher Bowman gave the man a knowing look.

“Serious? Naw. Pull my other leg, it has bells on!” he’d told him.

“I never knew a young girl who didn’t attempt to lure a man she’s interested in away from the prying eyes of her father.” The preacher pushed his platter away from himself and smiled. “You’ll probably be wanting your payment now. I believe I promised you better pay than you’ve ever had before. Well, my man, it waits for you in the canning shed out back.” Bowman nodded his head toward the kitchen window. He encouraged the music man to get up and take a look.
The musician followed Bowman’s gaze out the window that hung over the kitchen sink. He spotted the side of the small shed and his eyes caught barely a glimpse of Blair’s floral skirt moving within. He tossed a confused look to the preacher, who gave the man a surreptitious wink and then resumed his seat at the table.

A lecherous look registered in the music man’s deep-set eyes about the same instant the preacher’s intentions reached his cramped mind. The musician reached for the back door handle and opened it, looking back at the preacher once more to be sure that that was what the preacher intended. He was rewarded with a silent nod.

Preacher Bowman reached for another slice of pie.

Giveaway:

Nook Book Glowlight
Character Name chosen by one lucky winner

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