Getting to know Jerry Aylward #author #historical #fiction #truecrime #American #histfic #ghostmystery #thriller #suspense #books

Posted on by Tessa Russ

My guest today writes during my favorite time period, the American Revolution. Please help me welcome Jerry Aylward to the interview hot seat! A quick peek at his bio and then we’ll find out more about him and his writing process.

Jerry Aylward is a retired police detective with thirty-two years of service with the Nassau County NY Police Department. He served another ten years in federal law enforcement with the United States Department of Homeland Security as a criminal investigator with OCSO (Office of the Chief Security Officer) at a high-level government research facility. Jerry has a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science from NYIT and is a New York State–licensed private investigator.

Jerry authored: Francis “Two Gun” Crowley’s Killings in New York City & Long Island, and a pictorial history of the Nassau County Police Department. Jerry’s first novel The Scarlet Oak was released on July 4th, 2022. Jerry’s genre has been mainly local history and true crime. With his novel The Scarlet Oak, he throws a twist of murder, spies, and spirits into an American Revolution mystery that takes place in Oyster Bay, on the north shore of Nassau County.

Author’s Social Links: Website | Instagram | Twitter

Betty: What inspired you to write the story you’re sharing with us today?

Jerry: A mixture of forgotten American history and real-life events.

Betty: What, if any, new writing skill did you develop while working on this story?

Jerry: I learned quite few as a matter of fact, though mostly, I think it would be developing a character’s voice as the story moved through the POV [point of view].

Betty: Did you struggle with any part of this story? What and how?

Jerry: I didn’t really struggle with any part of the story, as much as I needed to polish the storyline, which is always a bit of a struggle.

Betty: Which character(s) were the easiest to get to know? Why do you think?

Jerry: Finn was the easiest, we share a professional occupation.

Betty: What kind of research did you need to do to write this story?

Jerry: Reading a lot of local Long Island, New York American Revolution (Spy) history and visiting historical sites.

Betty: How many drafts of the story did you write before you felt the story was complete?

Jerry: I only made one draft…but tons of revisions.

Betty: How long did it take for you to write the story you’re sharing with us? Is that a typical length of time for you? Why or why not?

Jerry: The idea for this story came from a series of real-life (suspicious) human events that occurred from the same household, expanding many years. I took those events and developed it into an historical storyline occurring at an historical 18th-century American Revolution home (museum) located on the north shore of Long Island in Oyster Bay. Overall, it took about three years, which is much longer than other projects I’ve published. Mainly because of the research, all but one or two of the characters in The Scarlet Oak are a fictional account based on real historical people.

Betty: What rituals or habits do you have while writing?

Jerry: One of my required rituals besides lots of coffee, lol, is music. I have a constant thirst for (classical) music to stream my backdrop for all my writings.

Betty: Every author has a tendency to overuse certain words or phrases in drafts, such as just, once, smile, nod, etc. What are yours?

Jerry: At times I must catch myself using words and phrases I find myself overusing, such as the word that, and, and phrases like he said, or she said in dialogue, rather than using an emotional or facial expression to accent a voice.

Betty: Do you have any role models? If so, why do you look up to them?

Jerry: I don’t have any one role model when it comes to writing if that’s what you’re asking. Though I do like the voices of a few mystery writers like William Kent Krueger, Robert Parker, Agatha Christie, and C.J. Box to name a few.

Betty: Do you have a special place to write? Revise? Read?

Jerry: I have a small, quiet office space tucked away in a corner of the basement of my house, it’s finished, carpeted, and surrounded by items that encourage my thoughts and ideas.

Betty: Many authors have a day job. Do you? If so, what is it and do you enjoy it?

Jerry: I’m retired. Though I do have a couple of dogs that require a lot of attention.

Betty: As an author, what do you feel is your greatest achievement?

Jerry: My greatest achievement in writing has been to be published and recognized with a couple small awards.

Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?

Jerry: I enjoy reading many different genres, mostly for a change of pace. Though my absolute favorite would have to be mysteries, and whodunits.

Betty: Success looks different to different people. It could be wealth, or fame, or an inner joy at reaching a certain level. How do you define success in terms of your writing career?

Jerry: I would define success in my writings by someone who truly enjoys one of my stories, a win-win for both of us.         

In September of 2018 the bodies of two high school sweethearts are discovered beneath a venerable scarlet oak tree in a vacant horse pasture on the posh north shore estate of J. Barrington Cook, a wealthy, but secretive, Oyster Bay, Long Island landowner.

     With no forensic evidence to support his suspicions of a double murder, other than a hardened cop’s intuition, Finn embarks on an unsanctioned homicide investigation that soon exposes a long but skeptic thread of unexplained deaths dating back two-hundred and thirty-eight years, mixing with an enigmatic and beguiling apparition of a young woman residing in the same Revolutionary home of all his victims.

     Finn is mysteriously transported back to colonial Oyster Bay at the height of the American Revolution to the home of one of General George Washington’s covert Culper spies. It is here he must discover the motive for all the unexplained deaths along with the mystifying reason they have remained undetected.

     Finn’s life takes an unexpected turn when he meets the beautiful but cryptic Sally Townsend, forcing him to abandon a self-imposed protective shell of indifference to solve the mystery emanating from her Revolutionary home, while at the same time saving the life of his alluring confidant, and stopping a killer.

Book buy link: Amazon

It seems very appropriate for a former police detective to write murder mysteries, either contemporary or historical. Thanks for sharing with us, Jerry!

Happy reading!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

Subscribe to My Newsletter to learn the inside scoop about releases and more!

Impressions of The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on by Betty Bolte

The latest book I’ve read for my Historical Fiction Around the World series is The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho, an author from Malaysia and England. This book is on the shorter side, under 160 pages. It’s set in a pre-industrial mythical China but otherwise the time period is undefined. In fact, the story seems largely portable as related to time and place. No explanatory information is included, such as a glossary or maps.

The author has a light touch with storytelling in a good way. The tale is easy to grasp and the characters interesting if somewhat vaguely portrayed. I don’t feel like I know very much about any of them, including the main character. That said, Cho deftly painted the layers of the characterization so that I feel like I gradually knew everything I needed to know without weighing down the pace with unnecessary details and history. That’s an art unto itself!

The author wove together the historical aspects with mystical and religious themes as well as contemporary topics we all can recognize playing out around us today. I’m a fan of the mystical and the inexplicable nature of life and belief systems. Cho embodied them in her characters.

I enjoyed this quick read even though sometimes I personally was a bit confused as to what was happening. Chalk that up to my inexperience with the place and time and belief system described. But the characters and the plot are thought providing as well as entertaining.

Next up is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, a Korean author. However, I’m going to take a week off for a vacation with my husband, and be back with my thoughts on that story first thing in February.

Until then, Happy Reading!

Betty

P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

Announcing the 3rd Edition of this inspiring collection of historical fiction about 19 real-life girls who made a difference in their hometowns. Winner of the 2014 Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction awarded by Children’s Literary Classics, among other awards.

What would you do if you heard a train crash through the trestle during a violent thunderstorm? How would you suggest to a presidential candidate that he change his appearance in order to be elected? If your family was under attack and surrounded, what would you do to save them? Could you refuse to help someone hoping to better themselves or would you help them?

These are just a few of the situations these girls found themselves in and rose to the occasion, saving the day in more ways than one. Through their bravery, their daring, and their sense of adventure, each used their skills, talents, and insights to meet the need before them.

If you’re a fan of the American Girl series or merely enjoy reading about heroic girls, you’ll love reading about these historic figures in American history.

Books2Read      Barnes & Noble     Amazon     Apple     Kobo

Now available on NetGalley! Thank you for reading and reviewing Hometown Heroines!

Introducing Dr. Kate Downey, the protagonist in Misfire by Tammy Euliano #author #mystery #medicalthriller #fiction #Physician #educator #amreading

Posted on by Tessa Russ

I always enjoy meeting a star character from an interesting novel, don’t you? Today we have with us Dr. Kate Downey from the medical thriller Misfire. Let’s find out about the author Tammy Euliano’s background and then we’ll get to know Dr. Downey. Ready?

Tammy Euliano’s writing is inspired by her day job as a physician, researcher and educator at University of Florida. She’s received numerous teaching awards, ~100,000 views of her YouTube teaching videos, and was featured in a calendar of women inventors (available wherever you buy your out-of-date planners). Her short fiction has been recognized by Glimmer Train, Bards & Sages, Flame Tree Press, and others. Her debut medical thriller, Fatal Intent, was published by Oceanview in 2021. Kathy Reichs of Bones fame called it, “Medical suspense as sharp as it gets.” The sequel, Misfire, comes out in January 2023. Michael Connelly, best-selling author of the Bosch series, called it “a first rate medical thriller.”

Author Social Links: Facebook | Instagram

Betty: So, Dr. Downey, how would you describe your parents?

Kate: My parents were the best, loving and encouraging and demanding of the very best from my brother, Dave, and me. They adored each other, which was cute, except when they kissed in front of us. Dad was an engineer but a farmer wanna-be. We weren’t so sure when he moved us out to the farm, but it was fun growing up there. Mom could do anything from crafts to treating skinned knees to cooking, and was always there for us…until she wasn’t. I was a teenager when they died. They left on vacation, which they did often, and just never came home. I still miss them every day.

Betty: Who taught you to tie your shoes?

Kate: I don’t really remember, but I suppose it was both of them. The story they told was that I pretty much taught myself and refused help, which is kinda me in a nutshell.

Betty: Do you know how to swim? How did you learn, if so?

Kate: Absolutely I know how to swim. We had a lake on the property Dave and I would swim in, but even before that, when we lived in town, we’d swim at the community pool. I don’t remember learning.

Betty: What do you think is your greatest failure? Why?

Kate: Wow. You get right to the heart of the matter, don’t you? My biggest failure was my inability to keep it together when my husband, Greg, was wounded in the Middle East. My failure to pay attention to my body cost our unborn daughter’s life. If I’d been more careful, looked for the warning signs of preterm labor, maybe they could have bought her a few more weeks. Instead, I eventually lost them both.

Betty: What is the most wonderful thing that has happened to you?

Kate: Currently, the most wonderful thing is having my great-Aunt Irm as my roommate. She’s the kindest, most competent and insightful person I know. No stranger to life-stressors herself, she came down when Greg was injured and just never left. She takes care of me and keeps me sane and helps me navigate the world in ways I didn’t know I needed. Oh, and she makes me laugh and gives the greatest hugs imaginable. Who could need any more than that?

Betty: If you could change the past, what would you change?

Kate: Of course I would change Greg and Emily’s deaths, and those of Christian’s wife and young daughter. It’s such an interesting question, though. I’ve finally come to enjoy my life again and choosing to change anything would eliminate what I have now. It’s good we don’t actually have to make that decision.

Betty: What’s your greatest fear? Who else knows about it?

Kate: My greatest fear is losing everything again. If it hadn’t been for Aunt Irm, I wouldn’t have survived these last two years. If I were to lose her…it has made me slow to get close to people. I’ve had trouble with the whole, “better to have loved and lost” thing, but I’m trying. With Aunt Irm’s help and Christian’s patience, I’m trying.

Betty: What’s your favorite game to play?

Kate: Flag football, definitely, but ultimate frisbee comes a close second. For indoor games, Aunt Irm and I love Rummikub and Bananagrams, though I swear she cheats with her German words I can’t prove she’s making up since she claims they’re all “regional.”

Betty: Do you have a favorite sibling? Who?

Kate: Well that’s easy, my brother, Dave. He’s my only sibling. An Air Force pilot, I couldn’t be prouder of him.

Betty: If you could live anywhere, where would you live?

Kate: Probably the mountains. I love to hike in nature. Unfortunately, though, I hate the cold, so mountains in summer and Florida in winter?

Betty: How do you like to relax?

Kate: What is this word relax? Just kidding. Reading with Aunt Irm, walking my dog, Shadow, that’s about it. I don’t like watching TV and I fall asleep when I read silently to myself for longer than about a page.

Betty: What genre of books do you most enjoy reading?

Kate: Mysteries! Aunt Irm and I love trying to puzzle them out ahead of the protagonist. She has her German krimis, but I’m apparently incapable of learning a foreign language and her attempts to translate on the fly are just hilarious.

Betty: How do you like to start your day?

Kate: Exercise! I get up early and go to the gym or take a run with Shadow most mornings. I just feel out of sorts if I don’t get that exercise in and I’m not good about doing it later in the day.

Betty: What kinds of friends do you have?

Kate: Well that’s a sore point. I’m apparently not good at reading people and therefore not great at picking friends. My best friend, Randi Sinclair, has been a friend since before I married Greg. She’s a middle-school math teacher and just an incredible human being. Christian is a friend, maybe more, but I won’t get into that now, and I’ve adopted some of his family as friends, so that’s good, and far more reliable than trusting my own instincts apparently.

Betty: Who would you like to meet? Why?

Kate: I’d love to meet the author of my books – just kidding. Hmmm, I’d love to meet CS Lewis. I’ve had such an on-again/off-again relationship with God, his books are helpful and I can only imagine that a conversation would help clarify things for me.

Kadence, a new type of implanted defibrillator, misfires in a patient after a routine medical procedure—causing the heart rhythm problem it’s meant to correct. Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, resuscitates the patient, but she grows concerned for a loved one who recently received the same device—her beloved Great-Aunt Irm.

When a second device misfires, Kate turns to Nikki Yarborough, her friend and Aunt Irm’s cardiologist. Though Nikki helps protect Kate’s aunt, she is prevented from alerting other patients by the corporate greed of her chairman. As the inventor of the device and part owner of MDI, the company he formed to commercialize it, he claims the misfires are due to a soon-to-be-corrected software bug. Kate learns his claim is false.

The misfires continue as Christian O’Donnell, a friend and lawyer, comes to town to facilitate the sale of MDI. Kate and Nikki are drawn into a race to find the source of the malfunctions, but threats to Nikki and a mysterious murder complicate their progress. Are the seemingly random shocks misfires, or are they attacks?

A jaw-dropping twist causes her to rethink everything she once thought she knew, but Kate will stop at nothing to protect her aunt and the other patients whose life-saving devices could turn on them at any moment.

Buy Links: Amazon

Thank you so much for stopping by and letting us spend some time with you, Dr. Downey. Please send my regards along to Tammy when you return to work as I’m sure you have patients who need you.

Happy reading!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

Subscribe to My Newsletter to learn the inside scoop about releases and more!

Impressions of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe #historical #fiction #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on by Betty Bolte

I’ve finished reading Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. This story is fairly short, only 209 pages. A short Glossary of Ibo Words and Phrases is included at the end of the book. The paperback I read has “50th Anniversary Edition” on the cover, too. That tells me this story has been around for a long time and enjoyed/read by many people. The author has written at least 20 other works of fiction and poetry. Achebe is quite a good storyteller and appears to be quite beloved by many readers. If he’s a new author for you, you might give him a try with either this story or any of his others.

As far as Things Fall Apart goes, I found it interesting to experience the culture of the society of the story. The story seems to be about how a strong, ambitious clansman could not adapt to the societal changes wrought by newly arrived white men. Thus the title.

One thing about the story that bothers me is the essential endorsement of the brutality of the clansmen toward their dependents (women and children, in particular). The traditions included, to my 21st-century eye, appear harsh and caveman-ish. I don’t mean to be negative about the story. Moreso that I wonder what other men interpret about the culture of the story and society depicted for present-day men. What is Achebe saying with his story? What do readers glean from it?

Since the story written from a man’s perspective about a man’s experience, women and children are decoration and a backdrop for men’s needs and actions within the tale. This is not unexpected nor unwarranted by any means! I found it interesting to see the world through a man’s experiential lens. I tried to “become” the main character to some extent in order to understand his motivations and reactions to the people and events around him.

Achebe’s writing style in this story left me rather startled and confused at times as he glossed over events with a sentence or passing comment by the characters. Actions happened “off stage” of the story in places where I would have expected to be a witness to them. That’s just me, probably. Or maybe a difference in storytelling technique and expectations? Or both, of course! One of the reasons I embarked on this Historical Fiction Around the World quest is to learn about the similarities and differences in storytelling techniques used by writers from around the world.

Up next is The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho, an author from Malaysia and England.

Happy Reading!

Betty

P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

Announcing the 3rd Edition of this inspiring collection of historical fiction about 19 real-life girls who made a difference in their hometowns. Winner of the 2014 Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction awarded by Children’s Literary Classics, among other awards.

What would you do if you heard a train crash through the trestle during a violent thunderstorm? How would you suggest to a presidential candidate that he change his appearance in order to be elected? If your family was under attack and surrounded, what would you do to save them? Could you refuse to help someone hoping to better themselves or would you help them?

These are just a few of the situations these girls found themselves in and rose to the occasion, saving the day in more ways than one. Through their bravery, their daring, and their sense of adventure, each used their skills, talents, and insights to meet the need before them.

If you’re a fan of the American Girl series or merely enjoy reading about heroic girls, you’ll love reading about these historic figures in American history.

Books2Read      Barnes & Noble     Amazon     Apple     Kobo

Now available on NetGalley! Thank you for reading and reviewing Hometown Heroines!

Getting to know Adele Holmes #author #Physician #Pediatrics #traveller #SouthernGothic #amwriting #amreading #historical #fiction

Posted on by Tessa Russ

Please help me welcome author Adele Holmes! She’s going to share her “little” secrets and more with us. Are you ready? Let’s peruse her bio and then find out more about her writing process.

Adele Holmes graduated from UAMS medical school in 1993, and from residency at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in 1996. She practiced general pediatrics in central Arkansas for over twenty years. While she loved every moment of it, a serious travel bug, a need to put the voice of her soul onto paper, and a call to give back to the community led her to an early retirement in 2017. Her debut novel, Winter’s Reckoning, was published on August 9, 2022. She continues to write, travel, and serve in her community.

Author Social Links: Facebook * Instagram

Betty: What inspired you to write the story you’re sharing with us today?

Adele: Winter’s Reckoning is actually the backstory of a novel I began years ago. That first novel is wrapped in brown paper awaiting my attention. I fell in love with the (back) story of an herbalist healer who moves south from Boston, and falls in love with the Southern Appalachian way of life.  It’s technically a Southern Gothic because of the race issues it deals with during the time between the Civil War and WWI—the beginning of the Jim Crow era.                                                       

Betty: What, if any, new writing skill did you develop while working on this story?

Adele: Many! In fact, I had to learn that putting fancy words onto paper in a grammatically correct manner does not a novel make. I took courses, went to conferences, and finally sequestered myself with writing books before I got it into my head how to structure the thing.

Betty: Did you struggle with any part of this story? What and how?

Adele: Yes, the meat of the story was placed on paper after our country fell into such a deeply divided—oft cruelly so—place. The anger and despair I felt found an outlet by writing social justice themes into the story. This was never meant to be a story about racial discrimination, women’s rights, or even education. But it turned out to have some major underlying themes of just those things. By quietly telling a tale of that ugliness from the past, I hope to help keep us from repeating the same mistakes again and again.

Betty: Which character(s) were the easiest to get to know? Why do you think?

Adele: The protagonist, Maddie Fairbanks, was loosely patterned after my maternal grandmother. Her essence was so easy for me to get onto the page. Though she wasn’t a medical person—nor did she struggle with moonshine—she would have said and done all the things that Maddie did, given the situation. The protagonist’s warmth, hope, and integrity are all my grandmother’s.

Betty: What kind of research did you need to do to write this story?

Adele: I first researched what I would need for the bones of the story: clothing, transportation, housing/utilities, jobs, etc. of the time for both Boston and the rural South. As the story unfolded, new things constantly arose that I needed to know: What did the books I referred to look like in 1917? How did newspapers operate? How active was the KKK during this time? And on and on. An especially big topic of research was herbs—I knew the medical practice of my time, but what herbs were used to treat those same conditions then, and how were they concocted?

Betty: How many drafts of the story did you write before you felt the story was complete?

Adele: Can you believe I’m not sure? Many. The biggest revision came after I felt the novel was finished. When pitching it to agents and publishers, I ran across a particularly helpful editor who told me the reason it was being rejected was because one of my three POV characters (third person, limited) was a Black woman. I am white. Now, this was before American Dirt came out, and just at the beginning of the #ownvoices movement. Two of my beta-readers were Black women, and they were both against me removing the Black woman as a POV character. So, I stood my ground and refused to revise. However, as #ownvoices became more widely heard, I understood the meaning. I realized that I had no basis upon which to write the thoughts of the Black character. I completely revised. The character remained as a major player, but I took her out as a POV character and replaced her POV with that of the antagonist. The story is richer and better told because of it. And, as importantly, I feel good about how it’s handled.

Betty: What rituals or habits do you have while writing?

Adele: I need instrumental music and time. Though I would love to impart words of wisdom here, the truth is that I write in wide swaths. For hours on end, days on end. And then not at all for days or weeks.

Betty: Every author has a tendency to overuse certain words or phrases in drafts, such as just, once, smile, nod, etc. What are yours?

Adele: Little. How many hundreds of times did I have to replace that word? Incredible that I had no idea I was overusing it.

Betty: Do you have any role models? If so, why do you look up to them?

Adele: Janis F. Kearney is my biggest role model in this part of my life. She’s an author, publisher, social and community activist, and so much more. Her family has an incredible history: she’s one of nineteen children born to Mississippi Delta sharecropper parents. Eighteen of them went to college, most to graduate school. It’s worth a wiki search on her just for inspiration.

Betty: Do you have a special place to write? Revise? Read?

Adele: My best writing and revision is done anywhere with a window, preferably onto water or trees, or maybe very high in a building so sky is outside. Reading, I can do that anywhere!

Betty: Many authors have a day job. Do you? If so, what is it and do you enjoy it?

Adele: I retired from a career in pediatrics before I began to write in earnest. I never take for granted the fact that I am fortunate enough to work on my writing unfettered by a day job. Many people can do such a thing quite well; I admire those people. While I wrote before, it was only when I had retired that I could fully devote myself to such a task as a novel.

Betty: As an author, what do you feel is your greatest achievement?

Adele: Writing a novel that my children, grandchildren, and even their descendants can look back on as a beacon of light in a dark time in our country.

Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?

Adele: Historical

Betty: Success looks different to different people. It could be wealth, or fame, or an inner joy at reaching a certain level. How do you define success in terms of your writing career?

Adele: When I retired early, it was with the decision that in the last part of my time on this earth I would move my goal from success to significance. I got this idea directly from Bob Buford’s book, Halftime. So, I hope that my writing will send some hope into the world, nudge people toward integrity, and inspire my descendants to strive toward better good for all.

Forty-six-year-old Madeline Fairbanks has no use for ideas like “separation of the races” or “men as the superior sex.” There are many in her dying Southern Appalachian town who are upset by her socially progressive views, but for years—partly due to her late husband’s still-powerful influence, and partly due to her skill as a healer in a remote town with no doctor of its own—folks have been willing to turn a blind eye to her “transgressions.” Even Maddie’s decision to take on a Black apprentice, Ren Morgan, goes largely unchallenged by her white neighbors, though it’s certainly grumbled about. But when a charismatic and power-hungry new reverend blows into town in 1917 and begins to preach about the importance of racial segregation, the long-idle local KKK chapter fires back into action—and places Maddie and her friends in Jamesville’s Black community squarely in their sights. Maddie had better stop intermingling with Black folks, discontinue her herbalistic “witchcraft,” and leave town immediately, they threaten, or they’ll lynch Ren’s father, Daniel. Faced with this decision, Maddie is terrified . . . and torn. Will she bow to their demands and walk away—or will she fight to keep the home she’s built in Jamesville and protect the future of the people she loves, both Black and white?

Buy Links: Amazon * BookShop

Those pesky “crutch” words writers tend to us can seriously impede an otherwise good story. Thanks for sharing, Adele!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

Subscribe to My Newsletter to learn the inside scoop about releases and more!

Impressions of The Wreath by Sigrid Undset #historical #fiction #romance #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on by Betty Bolte

Last week I shared my first thoughts about The Wreath by Sigrid Undset, translated into English by Tiina Nunnally. The story is about a young Norwegian girl named Kristin and how she grows into a strong-minded, assertive young woman in a time when such an attitude was not readily accepted by her family. Indeed, she was expected to do what her father dictated. The path she chooses is fraught with obstacles and challenges, too.

Now mind, the story takes place in the 14th century so there is a lot different about the society in which she is raised and which she resists from our present-day worldview here in the USA. Indeed, in many ways this story, first published in 1920, foreshadows our current existence in some ways. Kristin takes the reins of her life to steer her way through all obstacles and barriers, much like many women do today. She faced the same kinds of threats that women today do, as well: dismissal, subjugation, lewdness, overbearing men, even rape. (Why is it that men keep that weapon in their arsenal?)

One thing that reading this story brought forcibly home to me is that people do not change at their core despite new places, technologies, situations. Still, we tend to view each other as either an opportunity/known entity or a threat, and act accordingly. The characters within the covers of The Wreath seemed to reflect mostly the unsavory aspects of humanity. There were, to be fair, some religious people and kind people too, but most of the prominent figures had an ulterior motive of one kind or another at work. Even Kristin dealt underhandedly with her family all while rationalizing her choices up until the bitter end. Most likely the subterfuge people employ is still true today, as well.

I did enjoy the story overall after I’d adjusted to the different narration style and the unfamiliar names of people and places. But isn’t that part of the wonder of reading historical fiction from around the world and from different time periods? The opportunity to experience something different from my day-to-day life and activities. The concerns expressed by the people in The Wreath, while familiar and relatable, are also unique and otherworldly. This is the first story of a trilogy but I don’t think I’m interested enough to continue reading. Others probably will find it worthwhile, though!

Next up on my Historical Fiction Around the World series is Nigerian Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Off to the library I go!

Happy Reading!

Betty

P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

Announcing the 3rd Edition of this inspiring collection of historical fiction about 19 real-life girls who made a difference in their hometowns. Winner of the 2014 Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction awarded by Children’s Literary Classics, among other awards.

What would you do if you heard a train crash through the trestle during a violent thunderstorm? How would you suggest to a presidential candidate that he change his appearance in order to be elected? If your family was under attack and surrounded, what would you do to save them? Could you refuse to help someone hoping to better themselves or would you help them?

These are just a few of the situations these girls found themselves in and rose to the occasion, saving the day in more ways than one. Through their bravery, their daring, and their sense of adventure, each used their skills, talents, and insights to meet the need before them.

If you’re a fan of the American Girl series or merely enjoy reading about heroic girls, you’ll love reading about these historic figures in American history.

Books2Read      Barnes & Noble     Amazon     Apple     Kobo

Now available on NetGalley! Thank you for reading and reviewing Hometown Heroines!

Getting to know Catherine McCullagh #author #WWII #historical #fiction #hisfic #novels #ghostwriter #editor

Posted on by Tessa Russ

Let’s kick off the new year by meeting a fellow historical fiction author, Catherine McCullagh! I think you’ll find her background and inspiration for her stories very interesting, too. First a peek at her bio and then we’ll jump right in…

Catherine McCullagh grew up in Tasmania, Australia, with a love of bushwalking, reading and history. She initially trained as a history and languages teacher before embarking on a twenty-year career in the Australian Regular Army as a teacher, linguist and editor of military doctrine and military history. She then left the Army and established herself as a freelance editor, specialising in military history. Fifteen years later, inspired by the extraordinary stories that surrounded her, she embarked on a new career, this time as a writer. She has published three non-fiction works: Willingly into the Fray, a narrative history of Australian Army nursing; War Child, a poignant wartime memoir which she ghost-wrote; and Unconquered, the remarkable stories of athletes who competed in the Invictus Games in Sydney in 2018.

Catherine’s first historical novel, Dancing with Deception, was set in occupied Paris in World War II and published in 2017. Her second historical novel, Secrets and Showgirls, also set in occupied Paris, followed in 2021 and her latest novel, Love and Retribution, which unfolds in wartime Britain and Europe, was released in January 2022. Catherine’s next book, Resistance and Revenge, also set in wartime Britain, is due for release in early 2023.

Author Social Links: Instagram * Facebook

Betty: What inspired you to write the story you’re sharing with us today?

Catherine: I found a tiny snippet in a history book about a German sailor washed up on the English coast during World War II. Then my imagination simply took off!

Betty: What, if any, new writing skill did you develop while working on this story?

Catherine: I think I honed my skills rather than developing any new ones. For example, I found it easier to work the setting into the story without it becoming too intrusive – and the setting is really important to this story. I also found it easier to deliver information to the reader via character exchanges, particularly conversations, rather than the classic information dumps.

Betty: Did you struggle with any part of this story? What and how?

Catherine: I changed the ending after my beta readers complained that I was being utterly unfair on two of the characters. The original ending saw Emmy’s dead husband return, but there were so many complaints that I opted to leave him heroically dead instead. That’s not to say I won’t resurrect him in a later story, but he’s gone for the moment.

Betty: Which character(s) were the easiest to get to know? Why do you think?

Catherine: My main character, Emmy, and the two chief male protagonists simply walked onto the page, probably because I had been mulling the story over in my mind for a little while before committing it to paper. The other characters, Emmy’s mother and brother and Max’s brother, also followed fairly easily, possibly because I already knew their place in the story quite well by the time I came to write them.

Betty: What kind of research did you need to do to write this story?

Catherine: This was a very research-heavy book. I spent a great deal of time reading up on wartime England, rationing, shortages, the ‘make do and mend’ policy, the Women’s Institute and the impact of Lord Woolton, the Minister for Food, on daily life. Then I had to tackle the war in the Atlantic and U-boats. I had to study both the U-boats themselves and the base at Saint Nazaire where Max was headquartered and then, of course, he moved to Bergen in Sweden and finished up at Wilhelmshaven. Fascinating but complex. I also studied the Hamburg War Crimes Trials, the German military intelligence organisation the Abwehr, and the bombing of Hamburg. Then, of course, the characters travelled, so that opened the entire category of air and road transport during and immediately after the war. How amazing that you can find airline schedules for 1944 and railway timetables for 1945 on the net!

Betty: How many drafts of the story did you write before you felt the story was complete?

Catherine: I generally write one draft and then edit it several hundred times. Sometimes I write little excerpts when I’m trying out an idea and then, if I think it will work, I add it to the story and edit the flow from then on. It took me almost two years to reach the stage at which I thought it was ready to show my beta readers.

Betty: How long did it take for you to write the story you’re sharing with us? Is that a typical length of time for you? Why or why not?

Catherine: Two years is pretty average for me, although I spent far more time researching this book than its predecessor or the one I have just finished writing. Love and Retribution was ambitious because of the scope of research required, but I loved every minute. I learnt so much (who knew that U-boats had anchors?!) and discovered more little snippets of history that might just inspire further stories (watch this space).

Betty: What rituals or habits do you have while writing?

Catherine: I don’t have any rituals as such – I would love to just write all day long, but I also run a busy household, so I fit my writing in where I can. I do become obsessive when my story starts to take form and that can mean that I scribble on bits of paper, old notebooks and pads wherever I am as I try hard to chase my evolving plot. As I was starting to actually write this book, we took a trip to visit our daughter who dances on cruise ships. I found myself scribbling madly all through a long-haul flight and filling copious notebooks as we cruised the Arabian Sea. I will forever associate this book with airline flights and cruise ships!

Betty: Every author has a tendency to overuse certain words or phrases in drafts, such as just, once, smile, nod, etc. What are yours?

Catherine: Certainly, clearly, slightly and softly are my main offenders, to the extent that I search for each of these during my proofreading phase and check how many times they appear. Large numbers often apply! I have to keep my thesaurus handy as these words are often difficult to replace. Sometimes I have to rewrite the entire sentence. Conversely, I never use the word ‘said’ as I don’t think it says anything!

Betty: Do you have any role models? If so, why do you look up to them?

Catherine: I absolutely love good writing and tend to muse over passages from Rebecca West, John Wyndham, J.G. Farrell, Vita Sackville-West, John Steinbeck, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and others. These are all classic authors and the only modern authors I have discovered who come close are Amor Towles in his A Gentleman in Moscow and Philip Kerr in his Bernie Gunther detective series. These are authors who know how to construct a clever sentence and also to use descriptive prose at its brilliant best.

Betty: Do you have a special place to write? Revise? Read?

Catherine: I have a study with walls of bookcases, two lovely, light windows and a tree outside where the birds love to play. It’s my sacred place.

Betty: Many authors have a day job. Do you? If so, what is it and do you enjoy it?

Catherine: I edited for the last twenty-five years and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I gave that up to devote myself to writing and I have never regretted it. Mind you, I would give up housework any day!!

Betty: As an author, what do you feel is your greatest achievement?

Catherine: Just finding a publisher is an achievement these days, but finding one who will publish all my books has been a triumph of monumental proportions!

Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?

Catherine: Historical fiction followed by military and social history non-fiction. I suppose I’m always looking to research the next book. I should read more fiction, but I’m really fussy, probably abnormally so. I hate that feeling of being disappointed in a book and I never finish anything that I’m not enjoying. Life is too short!

Betty: Success looks different to different people. It could be wealth, or fame, or an inner joy at reaching a certain level. How do you define success in terms of your writing career?

Catherine: People actually reading my books and occasionally leaving good reviews. I don’t care about the money – it’s best not to as you never make money out of writing unless you’re Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. I also don’t care about fame – also a bonus as having someone follow you on Instagram is about as famous as most of us are likely to become. But I love seeing my books in bookshops, I would be thrilled to have a book club read and discuss one of my books and I long to stumble across a stranger in a park somewhere deeply ensconced in a book that I wrote. We all dream, don’t we?!

It’s July 1943 and the world has been at war for almost four years. One morning young war widow Emmy Penry-Jones discovers two men washed up on the beach below her house in western Cornwall. But these men are not like any of the shipwrecked sailors she has rescued before and Emmy is soon drawn into a web of intrigue that will test her ingenuity and her patriotism. Rocked by accusations of war crimes against a man she knows to be innocent, she launches a desperate bid to defend him. The trial marks a turning point and Emmy is drawn further into the deadly cycle of post-war retribution from which only one man can save her.

Love and Retribution is a story of wartime love and loss, of deceit and betrayal, of courage and heroism. From the fishing villages of Cornwall, the story transports the reader to a U-boat base at Saint Nazaire, the British War Crimes Trials in Hamburg and the chaos of life in a post-war London still gripped by rationing. The novel is dominated by the fight to survive, not just the conflict that has devastated Europe, but the destructive pursuit of revenge that poisons its aftermath.

Author note: this book is written for a British readership and all spellings are British, not American. They are not spelling mistakes or typos, they are British spellings.

Buy Links: AmazonAU * AmazonUS * Simon&Schuster * Booktopia

I love that you’re from Australia, Catherine! I’ve always wanted to visit that country and finally will get to this year. The breadth and depth of research you’ve done for your stories is inspiring as well. I wish you all the best!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

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Initial Thoughts on The Wreath by Sigrid Undset #historical #fiction #romance #books #novels #fiction #amreading

Posted on by Betty Bolte

Happy New Year, everyone! Every new year brings a bit of hope to my heart that things will get better both personally and professionally. I’ll do what I can to see improvements where possible!

Let’s kick off 2023 and my continuing series of Historical Fiction Around the World with my first thoughts about The Wreath by Sigrid Undset, translated into English by Tiina Nunnally. The Wreath is the first of the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy. This story, first published in 1920 and translated into 80 languages, is set in the 14th century in Norway and is written by a Denmark-born but Norwegian-raised author. Ms. Undset received a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928.

I’m about a third of the way through the story, and am enjoying it now that I’m acclimated to the language and the narrative style. Undset weaves a compelling tale and paints a beautiful and vivid landscape for her story. My brain had to make an adjustment to both the proper names used throughout and to the rather inverted syntax the author employs. What do I mean by that?

The proper names, such as that used in the trilogy title, are of course reflective of the country’s language. “Lavransdatter” translates to daughter of Lavrans, for instance. Other Norwegian terms are explained in context if not defined outright in the dialogue. While it took a moment to adjust, I soon fell into the pattern of the naming conventions.

The “inverted syntax” I referenced also comes from the differences in language used. I enjoy “hearing” the cadence of the language from a Norwegian influence. Much like when I visit other countries with a strong lilt to their speech, it’s nice to experience the different emphasis and musicality of the language even if merely on the page. I think the way we phrase our thoughts reflects our culture in subtle ways, which can be revealing in and of itself. But I digress!

Altogether, I am fully invested in finding out what Kristin will do next, what social mores and expectations she will confront and perhaps defeat for her own best interests, and where the author is going with this tale. I imagine I shall finish reading it this week and will report my complete impressions next time.

So once again, Happy New Year! And Happy Reading!

Betty

P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!

Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.

Announcing the 3rd Edition of this inspiring collection of historical fiction about 19 real-life girls who made a difference in their hometowns. Winner of the 2014 Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction awarded by Children’s Literary Classics, among other awards.

What would you do if you heard a train crash through the trestle during a violent thunderstorm? How would you suggest to a presidential candidate that he change his appearance in order to be elected? If your family was under attack and surrounded, what would you do to save them? Could you refuse to help someone hoping to better themselves or would you help them?

These are just a few of the situations these girls found themselves in and rose to the occasion, saving the day in more ways than one. Through their bravery, their daring, and their sense of adventure, each used their skills, talents, and insights to meet the need before them.

If you’re a fan of the American Girl series or merely enjoy reading about heroic girls, you’ll love reading about these historic figures in American history.

Books2Read      Barnes & Noble     Amazon     Apple     Kobo

Now available on NetGalley! Thank you for reading and reviewing Hometown Heroines!