Update on my edits to the sequel to ‘Sisters At War’ called ‘Sisters of the Resistance’ by Jina Bacarr
June 11, 2024 by Jina Bacarr in category historical, Jina’s Book Chat, Paris, sexual assault, sexual violence, World War 2, Writing tagged as #sexual assault, historcal, Paris, sequel, sexual violence, sisters, women, World War 2Ah, yes, the notes to Sisters of the Resistance I wrote about last month — I swear I didn’t sleep for a week getting everything in place — fleshing out some scenes, etc, but I did it. And I slept for a week… well, not really, but it felt like it.
And what’s really wild is that I’ve been dreaming the ending over and over again! I was so pleased (and so is my editor) with how the story of the Beaufort Sisters wraps up, I can’t let it go. Much like that trip I remember to Disneyland for Grad Nite (remember those?) where you can’t get off the Teacup Ride. You just keep spinning round and round…
So, what is the next step?
Copy edits.
This is where your copy editor goes through your story and finds all the little things you missed and asks you questions to make sure you’ve got it right. This is especially important in writing historicals. It’s got to be accurate. (e.g. when were Jewish people forced to wear the Yellow Star in Paris? Why were people sent to Drancy Prison? Did the Nazis ever send deportees to Poland by regular train and not cattle car?)
The trick is, to add just enough ‘spice’ to the story without taking away the flavor (remember the running thread in “Meet Me in St. Louis’ where the Smith Family keeps tasting the homemade ketchup aka tomato sauce?). You want to satisfy the reader without adding too much.
Writing the sequel to ‘Sisters At War’ (Paris WW2 — the story of two sisters and how sexual assault on a sister by the SS affects both their lives),
It’s also the story of the women of the French Resistance.
Brave women who never looked back when it came to defending their homes, their children, their men. They suffered, they died… and they survived, too. Eve and Justine Beaufort are two such women.
On a personal note, I am so proud to bring you the story of the Beaufort Sisters — I’m more like Eve, the student, the scientist, adventurous. I always wanted to be like Justine — the glam sophisticate! And what I love most is the strong bond between the two sisters that makes them stronger even when they seem to be on different sides…
LINK to more info on Sisters At War and Sisters of the Resistance
Who are the Beaufort Sisters?
They’re beautiful
They’re smart
They’re dangerous
They’re at war with the Nazis… and each other.
BONUS The Orphans of Berlin in French coming June 19th!
Food and Fiction
June 10, 2024 by Tari Jewett in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn Jewett, Writing tagged as Beach reads, fiction, food, romcoms, SummerI’m working on a new romcom, and as the story unfolds, I realize that food plays an important role in all of my stories.
Not surprising as a former food columnist, and photo shoot ‘chef’. I raised three boys, four if you count Hunky Hubby, all who loved food. A lot of my life has been centered on cooking and planning menus. I think that in most cultures food is the center of family and friends. My childhood family sat at the dinner table together every night, and we did the same when we raised our boys. Holidays revolve around tables laden with foods, whether homemade, catered, or from a favorite shop or restaurant. And friends get together for Brunch, lunch, dinner…coffee.
So, as I write, I see and smell the food that my characters put on their tables. In the #HermosaForTheHolidays series, the main characters often meet at The Beach Break, a little coffee shop on the Hermosa Beach Promenade. The Beach Break is fun for me, because the owners are two brothers, who experiment with new recipes from time to time, which has me looking through my recipes, through my approximately 200 cookbooks (it used to be more, but I’ve culled each time I move), scouring the internet, and looking at restaurant menus for new ideas. This often sends me to the kitchen to try something new.
In Love and Mud Puddles cooking is the focus of the plot, and Hannah, the main character’s quest for the perfect Christmas Cookie. Hannah doesn’t bake, she doesn’t cook, her oven is another place to store things. But, Christmas cookies are so important, that she’s determined to learn…and maybe find love along the way.
You don’t’ have to be a chef, or even a home cook to love food, or to love romance!
If you’re looking for a summer beach read, I hope you’ll check out #FireworksInTheFog, part of the #HermosaForTheHolidays series to get you set for 4th of July, and summer romance.
And I thought I’d share one of my favorite summer potato salad recipes. I love it as part of a meal, but I’ll eat a bowl as a snack as well!
I’d love to hear your favorite summer foods, and feel free to share a recipe! And if you try this one, let me know how you like it.
Horseradish Potato Salad
1 ½ pounds red potatoes
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat)
1/3 cup sour cream (again, I use low fat)
2-3 tsp. prepared horseradish (not sauce)
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper (or pepper to taste)
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ small onion, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook 15- 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and cool.
Add mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
Dice the potatoes, leaving the peel on and place them in a large bowl. Add onions, celery and dressing. Stir gently, until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 2- 24 hours to allow flavors to blend.
Serve.
Makes 6 servings.
Red Kingdom Book Tour
June 9, 2024 by marianne h donley in category Rabt Book Tours tagged as Fairy Tale retelling, historical romance, Little Red Riding Hood, Rachel L. Demeter, Red Kingdom
Fairy Tale Retellings, Book Two (standalone)
Historical Romance (Medieval)
Date Published: 04-10-2024
Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.
Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.
Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.
United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.
Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?
Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.
*Red Kingdom is a standalone installment in a series of reimagined classic fairy tales. Due to adult content and themes, it is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
What you can expect from Red Kingdom…
Dark, Medieval Setting
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Broken Alpha Hero
Strong Heroine
Wolf Companion
He Falls First
Redemption
Warring Kingdoms
About the Author
I live in Sunny California with my dashing husband, who inspires my romance
novels every day!
Writing has always been an integral part of my identity. Before I physically learned how to write, I’d narrate stories to my mom, and she’d record them for me.
I graduated from Chapman’s film school, where I often received the feedback on my scripts, “Your stories and characters are great, but this reads like a novel!” That’s when I realized my true calling.
In my free time, I frequent reptile expos, lift double my body’s weight, and indulge in dinosaur trivia.
I’m passionate about writing stories that explore what it means to be human and to be loved. My books focus on hope, courage, and redemption in the face of adversity.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
Read FREE on Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt from Red Kingdom
by
Rachel L. Demeter
Blanchette spots the Black Wolf during the siege
Death at her feet. Death in her home. Death in the air.
Death screamed in every corner of her mind.
Then she saw him.
Rowan Dietrich, the fabled Black Wolf of Norland, strode through her castle like a waking nightmare. His armor was crudely made, black as the surrounding night, the helm’s dark metal twisted into the shape of a wolf’s snarling head. But the most striking thing about him was his height. He towered above the other fighters and battled with a chilling methodicalness. How he moved and fought frightened Blanchette the greatest.
He looked collected. Even mildly amused. As if this were nothing more than a game. Blood soaked his sword as the blade whirled, whipped, slashed, and claimed lives in a macabre dance of death. And that wolf clung to his heels, its muzzle wet with blood, snarling and leaping at any man who dared come close to its master.
Monster. Demons.
The Black Wolf of Norland had always had a mist of legend around him. She remembered the stories her mother and governess had often whispered after the feasts and in the dark of the night.
“To me,” the Black Wolf called to a soldier a few yards away, his deep voice effortlessly carrying above the tumult. He didn’t need to yell, not even over the mayhem. The force of his tone was enough.
One of her father’s guards raised his blade, but too slowly. Rowan Dietrich’s longsword cut his head off, then came flashing back in a terrible two-handed slash that took another soldier in the leg.
With quivering anger, she realized that this man—this wolf, this beast—was the reason the sky was falling on her family. She clutched the dagger, wishing she could stand a chance against him. How good and right it would feel to plunge the blade deep into his heart and avenge what would likely be the end of her family’s dynasty.
Of course, she’d never survive him or his demon wolf. And if she was ever to avenge her family, if she was to keep her promise, survival meant everything.
Featured Author: Denise M. Colby
June 7, 2024 by Denise M. Colby in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as Author of the Month, Christian Historical Fiction, Denise M Colby, Marketing, Social Media, writing
Denise M. Colby loves to write words that encourage, enrich, and engage whether it’s in her blog, social media, magazine articles, or devotions. With over 20+ years’ experience in marketing, she enjoys using her skills to help other authors.
She treasures the written word and the messages that can be conveyed when certain words are strung together. She, being an avid journal writer, is often seen with a pen and notepad whenever she reads God’s word. Denise is writing her first Christian Historical Romance Series, and you can find her at www.denisemcolby.com
Denise is a member of OCRW, Faith, Hope & Love Christian Writers, ACFW (where she was a semi-finalist in the Genesis contest Historical Romance Category), OC Chapter of ACFW, and Novel Academy.
You can read Denise’s column The Writing Journey on A Slice of Orange, or follow her on Facebook or Instagram. You can also sign-up for her newsletter.
Big news for Denise!
Denise’s debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, won the Grand Prize in the Scrivenings Press #GetPubbed Contest for 2023, placing 1st place in the Historical category. It is the first of four books in this series being published by Scrivenings Press.
When Plans Go Awry
Denise M. Colby
ISBN: 978-1-64917-391-1
June 4, 2024
Olivia Carmichael escapes her past to become the next schoolmarm in the small ranching community of Washton, California. Her plan? Live a quiet spinster life alone, never to depend on anyone again.
Luke Taylor selected a mail-order bride to help raise his two younger sisters and protect his broken heart. His plans don’t include being responsible for the beautiful new schoolmarm, who threatens his resolve between his need to stay away and his need to ensure her safety.
Along the way, Olivia’s carefully laid-out plans are challenged at every turn, and Luke’s mail-order bride is not what he expected.
With the help of the entire town and its wily rooster, can Luke and Olivia learn to trust again?
Denise M. Colby’s Books
Wrinkled Rebels Cover Reveal
June 6, 2024 by marianne h donley in category Cover Reveal, Rabt Book Tours tagged as historical fiction, Laura Katz Olson, RABT Book Tours, Wrinkled Rebels
Literary Novel / Historical Fiction
Date Published: 07-23-2024
Publisher: Vine Leaves Press
Now 80 years old, retirement and advanced age have dissipated the spirit of six college radicals of the 1960s, who jointly had participated in civil rights campaigns and anti-war protests. Having engaged in only periodic communication over the decades, they suddenly receive an invitation to reunite for an extended weekend. Struggling with whether to go, each of them has divergent qualms and expectations for the proposed gathering.
During their three days together, they confront their inner demons, each other, and their future. Does Rebecca, the prime mover of the event, find solace after losing her wife and career? Can Malaika regain her sense of self after stepping down from her successful law practice? Mourning the loss of her youthful athletic prowess and attractiveness, what happens when Deanna faces her old friends?
Struggling with two divorces and a failing marriage, can Russell attain peace of mind? How will Max, an expat living in Canada, manage with his incipient dementia? Will the demoralized Keith recover his idealism?
Wrinkled Rebels is a story of how six people achieve meaningful lives through the struggle for social justice. It is also a tale of love, the bonds of friendship, and growing old positively.
About the Author
Laura Katz Olson, AGF Distinguished Professor of Political Science, has taught at Lehigh University since 1974. To date, she has published nine nonfiction books, focusing on aging and healthcare. Her latest, Ethically Challenged: Private Equity Storms U.S. Health Care has been awarded several gold medals, including from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and the Benjamin Franklin Awards. Elder Care Journey: A View from the Front Lines, which relates her personal experiences as a caregiver for her mother, won a Gold Medal in the Ninth Annual Living Now Book Awards.
Wrinkled Rebels is her second novel.
Contact Links
Twitter @lauralee111
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