Blog Book Tour | “The Tudor Vendetta” by C.W. Gortner, the concluding installment of the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles Trilogy!

Posted Friday, 28 November, 2014 by jorielov , , , , , , 0 Comments

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The Tudor Vendetta by C.W. Gortner

Published By: St. Martin’s Griffin via St. Martin’s Press
imprints of St. Martin’s Publishing Group,
which is now a part of MacMillian Publishers

Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse via: #TudorVendetta, #HistoricalMystery & #TudorVendettaBlogTour

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “The Tudor Vendetta” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher St. Martin’s Griffin, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Interested in Reading:

As I had previously disclosed on my interview with Mr. Gortner, I had made a bit of a mistake in having confused one of his stand-alone novels for being inclusive to the Spymaster Chronicles series; when I realised the error, I had run out of time to ILL the second novel The Tudor Conspiracy and this past week, I plumb ran out of time to read The Tudor Secret, as I had originally planned to read the first novel if I only had the chance to read one of the two. I am always making an attempt to remember to allow time to read a series properly, however, there are moments in each of our lives where our best intended plans go a bit differently than we planned them too.

Nevertheless, the main reason this series and the writings of Gortner had attracted me in the first place, were the uncanny technical eye for history and historical accuracy the writer fuses into his stories overall. I started to read the author’s blog last Autumn 2013, and noted his dedication combined with a spirit for history. History has either inspired people or befuddled them, because even as I was a young girl, I was quite the history buff myself — my curious  mind was inclined to ponder where my classmates tended not to mind knowing one way or the other. The blessing to me were the writers of historical fiction and biographical fiction (one of my favourite sub-genres) who bridged the gap between what a history (technically written) textbook and a novel could give the reader.

I was quite charmed to the prospect of reading a C.W. Gortner novel my 2nd Year as a Book Blogger, and I am hopeful this will only be the beginning of my readings of his stories. As you see, there are quite a few I am keen on reading next: the forementioned Spymaster Chronicles, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici and Mademoiselle Chanel in 2015.

Blog Book Tour | “The Tudor Vendetta” by C.W. Gortner, the concluding installment of the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles Trilogy!The Tudor Vendetta
by C.W. Gortner
Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Winter, 1558: Elizabeth I has ascended the throne but the first days of her reign are already fraught with turmoil, the kingdom weakened by strife and her ability to rule uncertain.

Summoned from exile abroad at the new queen’s behest, Brendan Prescott arrives in London to face his shattered past. He soon finds himself pitted in deadly rivalry with his life-long foe, Robert Dudley, but when a poison attempt overshadows the queen’s coronation, Elizabeth privately dispatches Brendan on a far more dangerous assignation: to find her favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, who has vanished in Yorkshire.

Upon his arrival at the crumbling sea-side manor that may hold the key to Lady Parry’s disappearance, he encounters a strange, impoverished family beset by grief, as well as mounting evidence that they hide a secret from him. The mystery surrounding Lady Parry deepens as Brendan begins to realize there is far more going on at the manor than meets the eye, but the closer he gets to the heart of the mystery, the more he becomes the quarry of an elusive stranger with a vendetta— one that could expose both his own buried identity and a long-hidden revelation that will bring about Elizabeth’s doom.

From the intrigue-laden passages of Whitehall to a foreboding Catholic manor and the prisons of the Tower, Brendan must risk everything to unravel a vendetta that strikes at the very core of his world, including his loyalty to his queen.

The Tudor Vendetta is the third book in Gortner’s Elizabeth I Spymaster Trilogy.

Genres: Historical Fiction



Places to find the book:

Also by this author: , Mademoiselle Chanel

Series: The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles,


Also in this series:


Published by St. Martin's Griffin

on 21st October, 2014

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

The Tudor Secret (Book 1: the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles) Book Trailer via C.W. Gortner 

About C.W. Gortner

CW Gortner

C.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.

After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels.

In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences in the US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding.

C.W. recently completed his fourth novel for Ballantine Books, about Lucrezia Borgia; the third novel in his Tudor Spymaster series for St Martin’s Press; and a new novel about the dramatic, glamorous life of Coco Chanel, scheduled for lead title publication by William Morrow, Harper Collins, in the spring of 2015.

Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats.

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Posted Friday, 28 November, 2014 by jorielov in 16th Century, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Elizabeth I, England, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Tudor Era

Blog Book Tour | “A Home for Christmas” (a #shortstory collection) by MK McClintock

Posted Thursday, 27 November, 2014 by jorielov , , 1 Comment

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A Home for Christmas by MK McClintock

Published By: Trappers Peak Publishing
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse via: #MKMcClintock, #AHomeForChristmasBlogTour, #ShortStory, #SweetRomance

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “A Home for Christmas” virtual book tour through Book Junkie Promotions. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the author MK McClintock, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Blog Book Tour | “A Home for Christmas” (a #shortstory collection) by MK McClintockA Home for Christmas | 3 Historical Short Stories
by MK McClintock
Source: Author via Book Junkie Promotions

Includes three historical fiction short stories to delight and entertain this holiday season.

CHRISTMAS MOUNTAIN
In search of family she barely knows and adventure she’s always wanted, Katherine Donahue is saved from freezing on a winter night in the mountains of Montana by August Hollister. Neither of them expected that what one woman had in mind was a new beginning for them both.

TETON CHRISTMAS
Heartache and a thirst for adventure lead McKensie Stewart and her sister to Wyoming after the death of their parents. With the help of a widowed aunt and a charming horse breeder, McKensie discovers that hope is a cherished promise, and there is no greater gift than love.

LILY’S CHRISTMAS WISH
Lily Malone has never had a real family or a real Christmas. This holiday season, she might get both. From an orphanage in New York City to the rugged mountains of Colorado, Lily sends out only one wish. But when the time comes, can she give it up so someone else’s wish can come true?

Genres: Anthology Collection of Short Stories and/or Essays, Christmas Story &/or Christmas Romance, Historical Fiction, Short Story or Novella, Western Fiction



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780996507653

Also by this author: Alaina Claiborne & the British Agent series (Author Interview)

Published by Trappers Peak Publishing

on 5th November, 2014

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 120

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About MK McClintock

MK McClintock

MK McClintock is the author bestselling historical western romance and award-nominated historical romantic mystery. She spins tales of romance and adventure inspired by the heather-covered hills of Scotland and the majestic mountains of home. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure, she lives and writes in Montana.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

I truly have come to love finding short story collections, except to say, my previous wanderings have been within the Speculative Fiction realms (A Chimerical World & Moments in Millennia as a for instance), as not only do they give me a lovely introduction to new authors, but they allow me to soak inside a world whose length of story might be short, but of which has a spirit & heart stitched inside breathing a vibrant life over the characters, the setting, and the timescape therein. I love seeing where different writers take their shorts, as each writer has their own unique style to convey a story within the space granted to them.

I have mentioned previously about my affection for Westerns, and how residing in the world of a Western Historical fiction story is not only a true delight to my senses but it truly feels cosy inside! I have always curled inside a Western novel with such anticipated haste that I could barely see the words across the page — I was always happy to find adventure, love, and a deep resounding passion for the wilds of the West illuminated throughout the stories. There is a connective thread of joy between a historical story and a story set in the Old West; something magical lives within the hours and days of the frontier! I do not think I could ever read my full of these stories, as there are too many exciting writers emerging on the scene to give us something new to chew on and appreciate!

You can gather a ready sense that when this collection of shorts arrived, I was elated beyond the moon!

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Posted Thursday, 27 November, 2014 by jorielov in 19th Century, American Old West, Anthology Collection of Stories, Blog Tour Host, Book Junkie Promotions, Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Father-Daughter Relationships, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Orphans & Guardians, Short Stories or Essays

Blog Book Tour | “The Tiger Queens” by Stephanie Thornton a more humanistic side of Genghis Khan which will take a #histfic reader by surprise

Posted Wednesday, 26 November, 2014 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

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The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton

Published By: New American Library (NAL)
( ) an imprint of Penguin Group (USA
)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse via: #TheTigerQueens, #TheTigerQueensBlogTour,
#GenghisKhan, #StephanieThornton

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “The Tiger Queens” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the author Stephanie Thornton, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Blog Book Tour | “The Tiger Queens” by Stephanie Thornton a more humanistic side of Genghis Khan which will take a #histfic reader by surpriseThe Tiger Queens

In the late twelfth century on the sweeping Mongolian grasslands, following a violent feud between blood brothers, the victor Temujin ascends to power, declaring himself Genghis Khan. But behind one powerful man stand many strong women…

After her mother foretells an ominous future for her, darkness looms over Borte’s life. She becomes an outcast among her clan and after seeking comfort in the arms of an aristocratic traveler, she discovers he is the blood brother of Temujin, the man she was betrothed to years ago but who abandoned her long before they could marry. And he will only leave her behind again.

Temujin will make Borte his khatun, his queen, yet it will take many women to safeguard his fragile new empire. Their daughter, a fierce girl named Alaqai, will ride and shoot an arrow as well as any man. Fatima, an elegant Persian captive, seeks revenge against the Mongol barbarians who destroyed her city and murdered her family, but in the end will sacrifice everything to protect the Golden Family. Demure widow to Genghis’ son, Sorkhokhtani positions her sons to inherit the Empire when it begins to fracture from within.

As Genghis Khan sets out to expand his conquests and the steppes run red with blood, Borte and the women of the clan will fight, love, scheme, and sacrifice, all for the good of their family and the greatness of the People of the Felt Walls…


Places to find the book:

on 4th November, 2014

Pages: 496

About Stephanie Thornton

Stepanie Thornton

Stephanie Thornton is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with infamous women from ancient history since she was twelve. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska, where she is at work on her next novel.

“The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora” and “Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt” are available from NAL/Penguin. “The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan” will hit the shelves November 4, 2014, followed by “The Conqueror’s Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great” in November 2015.

Khan | a reverend yet feared name:

Perhaps it was reader optimism or naiveté, as my enthused eagerness to continue to read the stories penned by the author of Daughter of the Gods emerged onto the calendar this November, I had not truly given a measured thought to how violent an account of Genghis Khan might truly have become inside The Tiger Queens. Therefore, instead of mentioning too much about the accounts on behalf of the battles and surges of where sword and bone meet each other with such a blast of blood hunger, I am choosing instead to focus on what inspired me most directly to read this particular novel! As at the central core and heart of The Tiger Queens lie the women behind Khan, the women I never knew existed if point were to be frank, as Khan has had a way of announcing his presence in such an alarmingly convincing way as to not question his place of mention on Asian History.

He was always a bit of a curious figure for me to uncover in my lessons at school, as very little was spoken on his behalf than the most obvious attributes of his character (more banked on his thirst for battle than for his compassion for family or hearth), which had led to a nettling of curiosity within my own daydreams on who Khan was behind the shadows of where history drew their own accorded record?

My Review of The Tiger Queens:

Finding a Prologue to a novel about Genghis Khan writ of the hand by Stephanie Thornton, gives a reader an appreciation for finding not only a wordsmith whose historical narrative has already proven to secure your appeal for re-entering into a world she pens, but to tether directly into the soul of spirit the characters your about to greet forthwith inside this new novel; is a direct merit of Thornton’s dedicated research for aligning her heart into the full essence of whom she is writing on behalf of. A powerful statement of declaration is bleeding into this Prologue, by the ancient insightfulness of a woman who not only lived a hard row to hoe in life but knew of how her life might be viewed in generations long past the acknowledgement of her own people. A life which might become carted and swept into the annuals of history, forgotten perhaps but not without an urgency of being brought back into the light; to the forefront of history and a mindfulness of where the past and the future will forever overlay into each other’s hands. This is the kind of Prologue Thornton gives her readers, a keen intuitive voice whispering you from afar and encouraging you forward into a land you shall not soon want to fade out of your memory,… a people who will carve themselves as if an etched impression was laid into your internal circuits as having lived a breath of their life whilst you read a novel set around where time &  history eclipse through the printed page.

Borte’s first impression of Temujin (as Genghis Khan was known originally as a child) was not one of beloved passion, but of contempt; contempt for the proof of her life would shift away from the folds of her mother and father’s home. She was an unexpected child, bourne to parents who never felt they could be blessed with a child so late in life, and yet she were the joy of their souls. Borte knew of the role every woman played in her part of the world – to protect not only the heirs for future generations to be breathed onto earth but to stand sturdy behind the men they were chosen to wed. Even if the selection were not of their favour nor of a personality of their choosing. Temujin and Borte grew up worlds apart, even for those who were raised on the steppes where you would nearly believe more commonalities amongst them would be rampant than singularly absent. For Borte, I gathered the impression she would have preferred to live a life outside her customs and traditions; whereas with Temujin he felt to me the product of his father’s guidance without a voice of his own in the tender years of his youth.

The way in which Borte and her family lived is a testament against the elements and of living with less than what would ordinarily be found as a fair balance of food, shelter, and warmth. Making do with the provisions one is blessed to secure and with a mind on finding the fortitude to stabilise a family’s needs with what can be found is the mark of strength for Borte’s village. They have a way of life similar to other tribal communities who not only live on the land directly inside humble abodes but they live off the land as well. On a larkspur moment of indulging her adventurous naure, Borte has a confessional conversation with Temujin anchoring her to seeing her lifepath in a way she had not yet considered; mostly out of fear of her mother’s premonition (her mother’s line is strongly gifted with second sight) and partially out of the fears most young girls have of a destiny given to them rather than chosen. Temujin surprises her by his brave words chosen out of an attempt to convince her his lineage is not the mark of who a man is but rather merely the bones of who his flesh shall become turnt into in the future.

Borte’s husband grew into a warrior who never allowed the odds against him to diminish his optimism, nor allow any defeat of death befallen his men to undermine his authority or his chances to overcome his enemies. Genghis was a man who dared to see opportunity and carve out a path towards justice and upturn adversity by any means he could, especially if it was a mark of honour to help his people. Not every enemy held honour in battle, and the searing anguish of the dead, whose wives were widowed from the battlefields did not have the chance for a burial of rest for their loved ones if their husband came back half rather than whole. It was a time of distinctive absolutes – where what you gave to your cause could take back more than your mere life but affect your afterlife as well. It was surely not a time in history for the weak of heart nor for anyone whose bravery could buckle in the sight of blood, war, and the fear of being overturnt by a ruler other than the one you drew allegiance.

What surprised me the most, was how Thornton’s research into Genghis Khan could shed so much light onto who he was as a man outside of battle and bloodshed. He comes across as a man who not only had a sensitive heart and spirit, but he truly was in love soul to moon to his wife Borte! She was the woman who could stand up to him as much as she could challenge him as a wife – she was not passive nor was she overly pensive; they shared an equality of marriage by respect for their bond and their differences alike. It was quite unusual to witness how much Genghis respected Borte, as he never took another wife and always claimed Borte was the one true love of his life.

I found myself connected to Borte even moreso than I originally felt I might have become, as I appreciated seeing Genghis through her eyes; she was never sparred upheaval nor anguish of loss, as if anything she was given such a heavy burden out of her path with her husband as to nearly break her spirit for the next days which lay ahead. She found ways to carry onwards which I found strength of heart and faith; as much as I credit how vivid she was present in the story to Thornton who truly knows how to gather insight into the characters she brings out of history.

To me that is the greatest joy I had whilst reading The Tiger Queens, seeing the impressions and observations of the women who surround Genghis Khan and Borte; each of them had so much more to give than their place in their world would always allow or condone, but Thornton found a way to honour each of them all the same. She painted a living portrait of life during Khan’s reign as much as extending it past his death, to keep a continuity of his legacy perpetuated into the future. I will attest the hard-hitting battle scenes tested my will of stomach and mind, but as I had foresaid in the beginning of this review, I truly ought to have realised a novel about Genghis Khan would not borrow a lighter faire of story in exchange for lessoning what the reality drew out of his life.

On the dedicative writing style which endears me to Stephanie Thornton:

As settled into The Tiger Queens, I was thankful for two things: I had previously had the pleasure of reading Liz Harris’s The Road Back and I had watched the documentary Babies (2010) where I had found myself attached the most to two of the babies overall:  Ponijao of the small village Opuwo in Namibia and Bayar(jargal) of Bayanchandmani a remote area of Mongolia. The reason I appreciated their portions of the documentary over the American and Japanese children is simply because of how uniquely tied their culture and being a mother become entwined into each other. I loved having the chance to see how life is strikingly different yet altogether parallel to the lives we live inside our own lives. I recommend everyone to take a moment to read the novel and watch this documentary, even before you pick up The Tiger Queens, as they serve as a primer for getting into the full scope of where this novel takes the reader next! I have to credit my local library for stocking our shelves not only with theatrical releases everyone will recognise but for bringing foreign film, documentaries and the serials of the BBC to our community as well.

I loved the idea of seeing how Khan saw Borte — to give his first wife the mindfulness of her countenance being set apart from those of her clan, as a merit of goodwill towards winning her heart. Thornton has truly uncovered a part of Khan’s life that roots out more of his depth as a man and as a husband, rather than merely focusing on who he was as a warrior. I could understand better his inclination to fight through bloodshed as his rearing was based on what could be conquered rather than what a man could raise through hard work and sweat in the soils of the earth. They (Khan & Borte) were raised within two separate clans, yet the bounty of their upbringings would unite their lineage in time.

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The Virtual Road Map for “The Tiger Queens” can be found here:

The Tiger Queens Blog Tour via HFVBTs

Be sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:

Previously I had the pleasure of reading “Daughter of the Gods” which sparked an appreciation for Thornton’s style of Historical Fiction! So much so, that I asked for a copy of her first novel “The Secret History” for one of my birthday picks this past Summer 2014! I cannot wait to discover what awaits me inside her debut novel when I can set aside time to read it in early 2015! I am thankful to HFVBTs for  inspiring me to find new historical fiction authors such as Stephanie Thornton!

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours - HFVBT

 on my Bookish Events page!

{SOURCES: Cover art of “The Tiger Queens”, book synopsis, author photograph of Stephanie Thornton, author biography, the tour host badge & HFVBT banner were all provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and used with permission. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Tweets were able to be embedded by the codes provided by Twitter. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination.}

 

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

The live reading tweets in regards to “The Tiger Queens”:

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Posted Wednesday, 26 November, 2014 by jorielov in 12th Century, Alaqai, Ancient Civilisation, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Borte, Fatima, Genghis Khan, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Important Figures of Ancient Times, Sorkhokhtani

Blog Book Tour | “Softly Falling” by Carla Kelly

Posted Saturday, 22 November, 2014 by jorielov , , , 3 Comments

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Softly Falling by Carla Kelly

Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)

Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse via: #SoftlyFalling, #histfic, #diverselit

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Acquired Book By: 

I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “Softly Falling” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read:

I simply adore historical romances, and I have a soft spot for Westerns! I love the intensity of the moment where the two main characters find themselves in a place where they have to fight alongside each other for survival! A great place to curate drama and romance!

Blog Book Tour | “Softly Falling” by Carla KellySoftly Falling
by Carla Kelly
Source: Direct from Publisher

Lily looked at the vastness of the plains, full of cattle, and then up at the sky without a cloud in sight.

"What's going to happen, Mr. Sinclair?" she asked.

"What do you know?"

Fresh off the train from New York City,  Lily Carteret arrives in picturesque Wynoming only to discover that her wayward father has lost his cattle ranch to a lowly cowboy in a card game!

Determined not to let her father's folly ruin her life, Lily becomes a teacher on the ranch. There she learns that the handsome cowboy, Jack Sinclair, has made some wild predictions about the upcoming winter - that it will be unlike anything Wyoming has ever seen. Lily must either cast off her skepticism to work with Jack or risk losing everything she holds dear.

This latest novel by bestselling romance author Carla Kelly is sure to please new and old fans alike. Stirring, tense, and filled with swoon-worthy moments, it's a delectable read that will leave you begging for more!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Western Fiction



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781462113958

Also by this author: Summer Campaign, Courting Carrie in Wonderland, A Season of Love

Published by Sweetwater Books

on 11th of November, 2014

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 288

About Carla Kelly

Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America. She is also a recipient of a Whitney Award for Borrowed Light, My Loving Vigil Keeping and Softly Falling.

Photo Credit: Marie Bryner-Bowles, Bryner Photography

Rugged yet full of Heart: the American West was for spirited survivors:

One of the reasons I love snuggling into a historical fiction drama set within the Rocky Mountain range of majestic jeweled peaks, is because I love the ruggedness of the land with the warm fire of spirit of the people who call the territories home. This was a portion of America where only the rugged at heart could carve out a living and find the joy in the seasons, as hard as they were to survive on little to no means of surplus provisions. This is where the men and women who dared to thrive found themselves in pickles when the heaviest of the storms plundered down around them in the Spring and Winter.

I have always been encouraged by their fiery spirit and their camaraderie to find sparkles of happiness out of a rough-hewn life forged out of necessity and honour. They could teach the art of simplicity and the wealth of faith rooted out of everyday joy and celebrations. Reading stories underlit by raw courage and a sense of instincts labouring to endure whatever nature could see to challenge them with is one reason I find myself drawn into the Western genre; soaking inside one story after another, and gaining a bit of insight into the way the West was settled.

My Review of Softly Falling:

Miss Lily Carteret has not had an easy upbringing; she is the daughter of her father’s heart, but her family in England was quite proper and never fully accepted her uniqueness as a quality they could appreciate. Her grace of statue and her calm fire in spite of such uneasy attitudes gave her a bit of a headway into understanding how to survive in a world of injustices. The colour of her skin held within it’s own beauty of her spirit and the compassion of her mother of whom she rarely speaks of but intuitively knows she had gained a grounding of character. Lily is a formidable woman in an age and time during our historical past where women were not given many opportunities nor a chance to define their lives on the merits of their own capabilities. Yet, due to a change of circumstance in both her station and in her location, Lily not only accepts her plight but shines a light on what is possible inside her mind’s eye.

The story begins on a premise of words whispering out of Thomas Edison about how never to compromise a defeat if you haven’t first uncovered every stone cast against your path. The strength of the quotation is explored through Lily as much as it is in Jack; two unlikely souls finding themselves in the same bit of Wyoming territory where a harsh clime and an undying level of optimism can take you further than a stubborn attitude against change. They each are residing near a rambling ranch where a lone schoolhouse looms silent within a stone’s throw of a towne with less than a dozen children residing inside it. The potential for what the schoolhouse could give Lily is enough of a will for Jack to encourage the lass to consider all options outside the box in an attempt to inspire her forward when life has left her feeling as though she is slowly falling into a vacuum. Neither moving forward or backwards, but rather sliding into a part of her life where uncertainty rules the roost of the early dawn.

The schoolhouse not only offered shelter for a small group of knowledge thirsty children to gain insight into how to read, write and do arithmetic but it sheltered them from a blizzard which arrived without warning and without a whispering sound! Snow funneled down to the earth in such earnest strides towards whitening out the entire ranch, giving Lily only time enough to assess her supplies and attempt to bring a bit of normalcy to the growing tension rising between her and the children. Her mind was filled with concern for her father (recently enroute to the city) and for Jack (elsewhere at the moment) whilst the world turnt dark, cold and frightening otherworldly. The snow’s wrath and extended conditions reminded me of the snowstorm greeting the Northern Tier of the states and provinces of Canada this November of 2014!

In the very beginning of the novel, Jack proffered Lily a premonition of what might come as soon as Winter set in on this small portion of the Wyoming Territory; knowing his intuition was set to rights was one thing, watching it arrive before her eyes was nearly too much weight for Lily to bear. She had grown not in years but in depths of what she was individually capable of achieving since she first arrived off the train; she had taken the bleak situation presented to her and turnt lemons into lemonade. She found her true calling in life (teaching) and she found self-worth was never too far away if you had a bit of ingenuity up your sleeve. Her presence warmed the hearts of the ranch hands and the help of the ramshackle ranch; where even the children learnt prejudice of others had no place in their world. She was not the only multicultural resident, but she was the one who breathed acceptance and tolerance into a slice of the territory which had long since needed to evolve past ignorance.

What I loved the most about Softly Falling is how the pieces of Lily’s life started to fall as soft as early Winter snowflakes, gentle and soft; warming to the spirit and endearing to the heart. She found she was never quite as alone as she felt she were in the world and that suddenly you can find yourself in a well sprung of kindness you never knew you had aligned on your path. The charming bits of the story remind me of a true epic saga, where you tuck yourself into the lives of the characters in such a way as to firmly and rather stubbornly do not move an inch off your seat until your fingers move the very last of the pages forward to gleam what is awaiting you in the ending paragraphs!

Softly Falling reminded me a bit of Love Comes Softly on the level where true love is not always a shower of sparks or lightning bolts, but a reassurance of commitment, trust, and compassion developing into something more solid as hours slide into days and days into months. Love isn’t always a firecracker explosion but true love can fall as softly as a snowflake and endure a soul to another as surely as a thousand year old oak can withstand a blizzard. A testament of strength irregardless of the ills and adversities of life; love can gather itself in thin soil and thrive in a pasture of a fertile harvest.

A soulful grace of story-telling where the characters alight naturally into view out of the pen of Carla Kelly:

Carla Kelly shines her soulful grace of the craft of story-telling within this novel, which accomplishes much more at it’s core than merely telling us a story wrought out of the Western genre within the folds of a Historical Fiction. No, this novel seeks a gentle truth towards telling a story rooted in the realism between the continental divides of race, identity, and personal worth as related to station, lifestyle, and locale. She interweaves a gentle hand of guidance within the minds of her characters, but it is how each of her characters bespeak of their innermost beliefs I found endeared me the most to the novel itself. A prime example of this is how Jack took awhile to realise his fond affection for Lily was far deeper than he was allowing himself to believe and yet, every chance he had to convey his thoughts to the reader, his love shone as bright as the Northern Lights:

My favourite passage from Jack relaying his thoughts on behalf of Lily & her mother:

He had no family, and the two women – one of color and the other of a creamy blend – filled his heart more than he knew at the time. They were ladies of quality but suspended in an unkind world, because they fit no mold.

– Jack from page 50, Chapter 7 of “Softly Falling” by Carla Kelly; see sources below

Kelly has captured my heart for the American West and given me a novel fully supported of cultural integrity and diversity of spirit, soul, heart, and the pursuit of finding your own path when life gives you an intercession of pause to choose how you want to live rather than having a life dictated to you.

An additional note on | character descriptions (per a convo I had on #K8Chat):

If I hadn’t ducked in on the lively and open-minded chat via #K8chat whilst I was working on this book review, I might not have thought to broach this subject, as part of the discussion was focused on how characters of race are presented within descriptive narratives. Specifically how writers tend to lean on descriptive choices pairing food with personal appearances as a method to convey differences in culture, race, and ethnicity. During the chat, I had expressed my thoughts on the topic by mentioning that oft-times when I find descriptive choices that lean on this writing technique to be of a ‘falling short of grace’ for me. Of course, within 140 characters I had to get a bit creative in how I expressed this but suffice to say, most choices come across as contrite, predictable, cliche or used in a way which does not befit the character nor the representation of the diversity the character is illuminating.

However, I said it does depend on context and content, as much as the story itself and not every writer writes the same way per each situation this would arise. Or at least, it was my intention to point this out, but chats on Twitter are such a rapid fire explosion of tweeting, you’d have better luck playing Quidditch! What I mostly have found though is that if you are limiting a person’s outside appearance to being described solely upon shapes, food, or discernible attributes which barter on a consensus of commonality within the trade of books — I feel as though the industry is simply missing out on the opportunity to use a palette of words which befit characters as defined as we would describe someone we met in real life.

I  personally do not see colour nor culture – I see people and their stories; stories yet to be shared or known, but everyone who walks earth has a story to tell. We are as diverse as the four winds, we are as colourful as a kaleidescope and we are as wonderfully unique as we were bourne to be. I always champion writers who find a way to allow their characters to be naturally wrought out of the text of their stories, emerging into the scenes as if they were not only living their truth but they were owning it at the same time.

In the opening chapters of Softly Falling, we are greeted by Lily’s disheveled and disillusioned father, who has never quite turnt an honest wage into an honest living irregardless of which country he’s living inside. A man whose soul was hinged to the bottle and a heart without the will to see past his daily tasks. His greatest gifts of love and joy were his wife and daughter, yet both were ethnically different from himself. Sadly, he was never quite the man either one of them deserved. Rather than establish a line of clarity on what his daughter would appear like disembarking from the train to the man he entrusted to collect her, he relates her origins in direct comparison to a specific type of tea.

What I appreciated seeing how Kelly treated the scene from two different points of view – that of Lily’s father (Clarence) and from Jack, is that Jack felt her appearance and her essence were not being properly voiced. He was embarrassed by the frankness of her father and of the method of his ability to describe her. Jack had more sense in his head than a father could bestow on his own flesh and blood. The dichotomy of their choices proved a telling point — no matter which era we call our own, there are always ripples of indifference in regards to who we are on the outside without seeing our beauty from the inside. I felt Kelly approached this quite well and I sided with Jack instantly on his compassion and his acceptance of Lily.

During the #K8Chat, I was surprised on how lively the discussion had become but one that was full of respect, innocent encouragement of exchanging ideas and an open forum for acceptance on both sides of the topic itself. Some voiced concerns over how descriptive narratives are used or how they are interpreted by readers whereas some who might have felt everything was acceptable were given fodder to chew at the end of the hour. To me the best way forward in a diverse world of literature is where every person (and their character counterpart) has the breathing space to become a part of the world stage of stories — we each have to remain open and honest about our thoughts, our impressions, and the believably of how stories are told. If truism and realism are important, even as book bloggers it would benefit us to remember to voice any concerns we might have as we read diversity in novels as much as celebrating the writers like Carla Kelly who get it right.

Don’t forget to give a nod of gratitude to her publisher, Sweetwater Books/Cedar Fort as well!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

(read more of the convo) (read the chat transcript)

(the chatter who sparked the topic : Melissa Robles (@MeliRobles) | The Reader & the Chef)

(read my essay from #atozchallenge: Letter E The World is a Melting Pot)

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

This Blog Tour Stop is courtesy of Cedar Fort, Inc:

Cedar Fort Publishing & Media

 Be sure to follow the rest of the blog tour:

Softly Falling Blog Tour via Cedar Fort Publishing & Media

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Return May, 2015 to see my second book review on behalf of a Carla Kelly novel:

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{SOURCES: Book Cover Art for “Softly Falling”, author biography, book synopsis, blog tour badges and the badge for Cedar Fort Publishing & Media were provided by Cedar Fort Publishing & Media and used with permission. Permission granted in notice of copyright for ‘brief passages embodied in critical reviews’ which is why I selected a small quotation to share on my review with the permission of the publisher. Post dividers badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. #IndieWriterMonth badge created by Jorie in Canva. Cross-Posted badge for Riffle created by Jorie in Canva.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

The live reading tweets in regards to “Softly Falling”:

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

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Posted Saturday, 22 November, 2014 by jorielov in #K8chat, 19th Century, American Old West, Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Cats and Kittens, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Clever Turns of Phrase, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Equality In Literature, Family Drama, Family Life, Farm and Ranching on the Frontier, Father-Daughter Relationships, Geographically Specific, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Homestead Life, Indie Author, Inheritance & Identity, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Lyrical Quotations, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Native American Fiction, Old West Americana, Passionate Researcher, Philosophical Intuitiveness, Romance Fiction, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA, Spontaneous Convos Inspired by Book, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event, Western Fiction, Western Romance, Wordsmiths & Palettes of Sage, Wyoming