SKY TINTED WATER BY KETA DIABLO

Please welcome a special guest, Keta Diable, eclectic and award-winning author of multiple romance genres and generally all-around lovely person.

Author Keta Diablo

WHY I WROTE SKY TINTED WATER AND SKY DANCE

by Keta Diablo 

First of all, I'd like to thank Caroline for hosting me today, and I'd also like to thank you for stopping by. Much appreciated.

Some readers have asked how I choose certain time settings for my books, or maybe a better question would be why? You've probably noticed there aren't many romance novels set during the Civil War, but it happens to be a period in our history that fascinates me. I think about the thousands of lives lost and the boundaries crossed when family members chose sides. It wasn’t uncommon to find cousin fighting against cousin or neighbor against neighbor. The Civil War was a deeply personal war for many, and yet in the end, many soldiers forgot why they were fighting.

It's hard to imagine a country so divided, harder still to think families were torn apart by principles, beliefs and ideals. Imagine drawing a line across the United States – the top half fights for one side and the bottom for the other. And suppose you had beloved family living in Texas and you live in Wisconsin? You can see where I'm going with this, right?

SKY TINTED WATER and SKY DANCE take place during the Civil War and a Native American uprising that struck terror in the hearts of settlers. This is a story about two people who lived during this turbulent time and persevered through separation, loss, triumph and of course, love.

If you read SKY TINTED WATER and SKY DANCE, my humble thanks. I hope for a short period you're transported to another time and place and I sincerely hope you enjoy the journey.  

My best,
Keta
Keta's Keep Romance Blog: http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com

Blurb for the sweet romance SKY TINTED WATER

Familial bonds, malevolent schemes and passion collide in this sweet historical novel. Set in Minnesota during the Civil War and the Sioux uprising, this is the story of Rory Hudson, the exquisite Irish lass with an unbreakable spirit and the enigmatic Dawson Finch, a man bound by honor, duty and loyalty.

When Dawson enlists in the army to bring peace to nation divided, Rory’s world plummets into a tailspin. War, distance and time separate them, but nothing can dispel the haunting memories of their love. Not even death can destroy their fierce passion or a love so strong it beats the odds of the impossible.

To see all of Keta’s books visit:  http://amzn.to/11NsXSf
Also available on Nook and Kobo

Watch for the release of SKY DANCE, Book 2. Coming to a Kindle and Nook near you in March 2013

Thanks for stopping by!

LINDA WEAVER CLARKE'S SWEET ROMANCES

Please welcome Linda Weaver Clarke to the blog today. Linda is a multi-genre author who today is celebrating the rerelease of her sweet romances in the Bear Lake Family Saga. Linda will give away one of her books to two lucky commenters today. Please remember to leave your email address if you wish to be considered for the giveaway.

Caroline: Tell us something about growing up.

Linda: I grew up in southern Idaho with two brothers and one sister. I was not considered a bookworm but a tomboy. My mother was so worried that I would not grow up to be a young lady. After finding the perfect man for me, we had six daughters, but no sons.

Caroline: Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Linda: Yes, I do. In MELINDA AND THE WILD WEST, I included one of my own experiences as a substitute teacher. An eight-year-old student had been labeled as a troublemaker by her teacher. The students had listened to the teacher and steered away from her, not wanting to be her friend. This not only made her feel degraded, but she wanted to fight back and she did. She stopped doing schoolwork, refused to be part of the class, and got into a few fights. She seemed angry at the world but after working with her for a while, I soon learned what a sweet and wonderful child she was. She had characteristics that I was impressed with. When she realized that I really cared, she was willing to do her work, just to please me. In fact, her mother was impressed that her daughter wanted to please me so much. I’ll never know how this young girl’s life turned out, but in my novel I chose a happily-ever-after ending, just because Melinda cared and made a difference in the girl’s life. This subject was important to me because something similar happened to one of my own daughters when she was little and it was difficult to see my child treated this way.

I also added one of my father’s experiences as a boy. When he was thirteen, he was asked to bury the skunks that his father had shot. But before he buried them, he drained the scent glands of each skunk until he had a jar full of “skunk oil.” Then he took it to school with him to show his classmates. He was so excited as he explained how he had done it. But in all the excitement, the bottle slipped from his hands and landed on the schoolroom floor and splattered everywhere. The stench was so terrible that everyone held their noses and ran outside as fast as their legs could go. The teacher excused school for the rest of the day and my dad was considered a “hero” by his classmates because he had closed down the school.

  

Caroline: That is so funny, Linda. Your dad’s anecdote reminds me of some of the things my father told about him and his six brothers. Are these books a linked series?

Linda: This is a series of five books called A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho. EDTH AND THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER, the 2nd book in this series, was inspired by my parents’ courtship. They didn’t meet the traditional way. They met through letters. Their story was so romantic that I patterned this book after their courtship and used my father’s sweet, romantic letters. Can people really fall in love through letters? Absolutely! With mysterious letters, cattle rustlers, a spunky woman, Halloween, and young love, there is always something happening.

JENNY’S DREAM, the 3rd book in this series, was inspired because of some unpleasant childhood experiences that I experienced as a young girl and now Jenny must learn forgiveness before she can choose which dream to follow. Meanwhile, a legendary ten-foot grizzly is seen in the area and its boldness has frightened the community.

SARAH’S SPECIAL GIFTt, the 4th book in this series, was inspired because of my great grandmother who was deaf. I wanted to learn more about her life and how she coped with her disability. I learned so much about her and how courageous she was, so I decided to give her experiences to my character, Sarah. This story has deep-rooted legends, a few mysterious events, the mystery of the Bear Lake Monster, and a tender love story!

ELENA, WOMAN OF COURAGE, the 5th book in this series, is my last book in this series. My inspiration was the “Roaring Twenties.” This was a new decade of independent women, when they raised their hemlines and bobbed their hair. I found that if a woman bobbed her hair, she was fired from her job. A new language grew from this time period. They used words like: Cat’s pajamas! Horsefeathers! Baloney! When referring to a woman, they used doll or tomato. What was the difference? A tomato was a woman. A doll was a good-looking woman. A woman’s legs were called “gams” and her lovely shape was referred to as a “chassis.” If you were in love, you had a “crush,” were “goofy,” or “moonstruck.” And when a woman was not in the mood for kissing, she would say, “The bank’s closed.” Thus, my new novel was born! As Elena Yeates fights to prove herself as the newest doctor in town, the town’s most eligible bachelor finds it a challenge to see if he can win her heart.

  

Caroline: These sound so intriguing. Can you give readers a blurb about your first book in this series?

Linda: MELINDA AND THE WILD WEST was a Semi-finalist for “Reviewers Choice Award.” Melinda Gamble wants to make a difference in the world. Without hesitation, she accepts a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Paris, Idaho. She has many challenges such as trying to help a rebellious student, coming face-to-face with a notorious bank robber, a vicious grizzly bear, and finding herself in a terrible blizzard that leaves her clinging to her life. But it’s a rugged rancher who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared—love.

Caroline: Tell us something about you that would surprise or shock readers.

Linda: I gave birth to six daughters. I can assure you that daughters aren’t as easy to raise as sons… with all their mood swings and little temperamental disagreements with one another, borrowing clothes without permission, etc. But Thanksgiving is a blast with everyone around the table.

Caroline: I wanted six kids, but only have two, so I’m envious. Where can readers find your books?

Linda: Go to my website at www.lindaweaverclarke.com and you may read excerpts from each of my books or click on purchase a book. You may also find them at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Thanks to Linda for sharing with us today. Don't forget to leave your email in your comment if you want to be included in Linda's giveaway. 

Thanks for stopping by!

INTERVIEW WITH B. J. SCOTT, AUTHOR

Readers, our guest today is B. J. Scott, writer of Celtic novels. B.J. is talking about her new release, HIGHLAND QUEST, her life, her other books, and her virtual blog tour with Goddess Fish Tours.

Caroline: Please tell us something about growing up?

BJ: The oldest of three children, I was born in Welland, Ontario, Canada, a small town about half hour from Niagara Falls.  As was common in the day, I was married after high school and have a son and a daughter, both grown with families of their own. Sadly things did not go as planned and we divorced after fifteen years. However, I met my current husband a few years later and we are very happy living in our century old home in a small town on Lake Erie with our four dogs and one cat. While I loved to read and dabbled in writing, I would have been considered a jock since sports were a big part of my life. I was on pretty well every school team, volleyball, gymnastics, soccer, field hockey, badminton, track and field, cheerleading. The only one I did not do was basketball. Too short lol.

Caroline: Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

BJ: There are so many authors I admire.  I always enjoy a good Nora Roberts trilogy.  I love Julie Garwood and Dianna Gabaldon’s work. While I do enjoy a good contemporary, romantic suspense or paranormal ghost story, historical romance is my all time favorite.

Caroline: You named three of my favorite authors. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

BJ: I enjoy reading, a variety of handcrafts, antiquing and camping.

Caroline: Reading and antiquing are hobbies for me, I used to do handcrafts, but count me out on camping. It's La Quinta Inn for me. ☺ How long have you been writing?

BJ: I have always been one to jot down stories and to keep a diary, but started to write in earnest about twelve years ago. I took some creative writing classes at College and the teacher suggested I try writing a story for Harlequin. I worked on a variety of stories, but put it aside for a while when real life became too demanding. About three years ago the bug hit and I started writing again.

Caroline: Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

BJ: Because I work full time as a child care provider for special needs children, and have a small business on the side, I find I need to write when and where I can. If I have my choice it would be in the easy chair, beside the fireplace with the TV on in the background. I don’t like to work in total silence. I have a net-book and take it with me where ever I go. Not one to sit at the PC for hours at a time but do use it occasionally for my writing.

Caroline: I can’t imagine when you find time to write. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

BJ: I am a little of both. I usually have a storyline planned and know how I want the story to unfold but don’t always write a book in order and it changes often. Nothing is set in stone and sometimes the finished product does not even resemble the outline.

Caroline: Perhaps you’re a plotzer. ☺Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

BJ: I write historicals and often they are centered on historic events so have some characters from history in my books. My main characters are always fictitious.

Caroline: I imagine you don’t, but I always ask if my guests set daily writing goals?

BJ: Setting a goal with my busy life would be impossible. I am also one who must have the muse talking to me in order to write. That means there are days I do not write a single word and other when I write from the minute I get up to the time I go to bed.

Caroline: What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

BJ: If my story provides a few minutes of enjoyment or escape from stress or problems then my goal is met.

Caroline: What long-term plans do you have for your career?

BJ: I would love to be able to write full time, but right now that is not in the cards. A lottery win or a great contract would make a huge difference ;)

Caroline: I do write full time, but I still wouldn’t mind a lottery win. Since I never buy a ticket, that’s not likely to happen. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now.

BJ: HIGHLAND LEGACY is the first of the series. I am currently working on the third book in the series. HIGHLAND HOMECOMING takes up where HIGHLAND QUEST leaves off. The focus is on Alasdair, the oldest brother and least likely to fall in love or take a bride. But when he finds an unconscious woman on the beach, he has no choice but to care for her, causing him to question his chosen path.

First of the HIGHLAND trilogy,
still available

Caroline: What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

BJ: Write what you love and know. Write often and don’t give up your dream. Use rejection or critiques to your advantage in order to hone your craft.

Caroline: What interesting facts did you find when researching HIGHLAND QUEST?

BJ: I am a history buff so anything I learn about Scottish history is of interest. But one area I found fascinating was about the Highlanders’ strong belief in magic, spirits and superstitions. Their entire culture revolved around it and one aspect I found very intriguing was the gift of second sight. In my book, Fallon, the heroin has the gift, but considers the ability to see the death of friends and family in advance a curse.

Caroline: My Scot-Irish grandmother had “the sight,” which she called a curse for that reason. What made you want to write about the Highlands?

BJ: Scottish historicals are my all time favorite books to read. I am fascinated by anything Celtic or Scottish and having a Scottish, Irish, and English ancestry, it seems a logical choice. While I have never been to Scotland, it is on the top of my bucket list.

Caroline: So this is a series, but how many books will there be?

BJ: As mentioned in an earlier question, HIGHLAND QUEST is the second book in a series of three. It focuses on three brothers, Connor, Bryce and Alasdair Fraser, all very different in their personalities and their outlook on life, but they share a fierce family bond and dedication to king and country.  While it is a series, each book is written in a way that they can stand alone. I give just enough details in each that a reader can read them in any order and not be confused or lost. Right now there are three books in the series. Two already published and the third a work in progress. There is the possibility that the saga can continue later with the children of the characters in the first three books.

Caroline: Sounds inviting. How about a blurb?

BJ: Here it is:

HIGHLAND QUEST BLURB

No longer content in the shadows of his older brothers and on a quest to find his destiny, Bryce Fraser's chosen path is fraught with danger, passion, and decisions. Can his unspoken love for spirited, beguiling Fallon be triumphant in a time of war and uncertainty, or will they both fall prey to the devious plans of a traitorous laird from a rival clan?

Caroline: And how about an excerpt for readers?

BJ: Here you go:

HIGHLAND QUEST EXCERPT

Loch Ryan, Scotland, 1307

“Wa . . . water,” Bryce mumbled, but there was no one there to listen.

 His throat was parched and he ran his tongue over dry, cracked lips, but his action offered no relief. An entire loch lay only a few feet away, but he couldn’t muster the strength to drag himself to the bank and quench his thirst.

“Cold . . . so cold.”

 Despite the sun beating down on him, he’d swear he was encased in ice. His life’s blood seeped from his wounds, soaking the ground beneath him. He tried to raise his head, but the excruciating pain radiating across his chest stole his breath away.

Was this what it felt like to die? If so, he prayed the Almighty would be merciful and take him now.

Bryce moaned, a shift in his position bringing on another nauseating wave of agony. He sucked in a short, sharp, gulp of air and stretched his arm out as far as he could, his fingers grappling in the dirt.

If only I could reach my sword. 

Beads of perspiration dampened his brow. As the strength slowly drained from his body, drawing a simple breath became more difficult. The end grew near. No time to make amends for sins of the past, and he had committed his share.

Regrets? He had those, too. “Fallon.” He whispered her name then heaved a ragged sigh.

HIGHLAND QUEST BUY LINKS  

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQKYPU0  
Soul Mate Publishing http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/highland-quest/  
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/highland-quest-bj-scott/1114002946?ean=2940016110769&isbn=2940016110769
Kobo  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Highland-Quest/book-3h45k9pPxkaA9JX__x0mRw/page1.html?s=W28tjCmTwESL-eKO_pW68A&r=1 

Caroline: HIGHLAND QUEST sounds not only like a great book, but the trilogy sounds fascinating. Best wishes to you, B.J., for your writing and for lots of sales.

AUTHOR B. J. SCOTT BIO

B. J. Scott, Author

With a passion for historical romance, history in general, and anything Celtic, B.J. always has an exciting work in progress. Each story offers a blend of romance, adventure, suspense, and, where appropriate, a dab of comic relief. Carefully researched historical facts are woven into each manuscript, providing a backdrop from which steamy romance, gripping plots, and vivid characters—dashing alpha heroes and resourceful, beguiling heroines you can’t help but admire—spring to life. A member of RWA, World Romance Writers, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and Savvy Authors, B.J. also writes contemporary, paranormal, time travel, and romantic suspense.

C.S. Lewis first captivated B. J.’s imagination in the fourth grade, and her desire to write sprang from there. Following a career in nursing and child and youth work, B.J. married her knight-in-shining-armor, and he whisked her away to his castle by the sea. In reality, they share their century-old home in a small Canadian town on the shore of Lake Erie with three dogs and a cat. When she is not working at her childcare job, on her small business, or writing, you will find her reading, camping, or antique hunting.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorbjscott
Website:   http://www.authorbjscott.com/
Blog:   http://authorbjscott.wordpress.com/


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KIANA DAVENPORT AND THE SPY LOVER

THE SPY LOVER by Kiana Davenport

Thrust into the savagery of the Civil War, a Chinese immigrant serving in the Union Army, a nurse doubling as a spy for the North, and a one-armed Confederate cavalryman find their lives inextricably entwined.

Fleeing drought and famine in China, Johnny Tom arrives in America with dreams of becoming a citizen. Having survived vigilantes hunting “yellow dogs” and slave auction- blocks, Johnny is kidnapped from his Mississippi village by Confederate soldiers, taken from his wife and daughter, and forced to fight for the South. Eventually defecting to the Union side, he is promised American citizenship in exchange for his loyal services. But first Johnny must survive the butchery of battles and the cruelties inflicted on non-white soldiers.

Desperate to find Johnny, his daughter, Era, is enlisted as a spy. She agrees to work as a nurse at Confederate camps while scouting for the North. Amidst the unspeakable carnage of wounded soldiers, she finds solace in Warren Petticomb, a cavalryman who lost an arm at Shiloh. As devastation mounts in both armies, Era must choose where her loyalties lie—with her beloved father in the North, or with the man who passionately sustains her in the South.

A novel of extraordinary scope that will stand as a defining work on the Chinese immigrant experience, The Spy Lover is a paean to the transcendence of love and the resilience of the human spirit.

Review from The Huffington Post

"...A great story told with such beautiful prose I am hoping The Spy Lover will be picked up by Ang Lee or Steven Spielberg. Kiana Davenport is a brilliant writer. [Based] on her ancestors from the American South and global East, The Spy Lover takes the incredibly difficult...topics of race, gender, slavery and war and artfully weaves them into a specific story. Davenport is genius at capturing complex times, and complications of the heart. It's been a long time since I cried while reading a novel, and that happened several times while reading The Spy Lover...I couldn't wait to finish the story, but grieved when it ended. That's exactly how I felt when I finished reading Gone With The Wind so many years go. If you need a holiday escape...or want to spend time in a different world read... The Spy Lover!" - Ellen Snortland for The Huffington Post

Purchase

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Kiana Davenport

KIANA DAVENPORT is descended from a full-blooded Native Hawaiian mother, and a Caucasian father from Talladega, Alabama. Her father, Braxton Bragg Davenport, was a sailor in the U.S. Navy, stationed at Pearl Harbor, when he fell in love with her mother, Emma Kealoha Awaawa Kanoho Houghtailing. On her mother's side, Kiana traces her ancestry back to the first Polynesian settlers to the Hawaiian Islands who arrived almost two thousand years ago from Tahiti and the Tuamotu's. On her father's side, she traces her ancestry to John Davenport, the puritan clergyman who co-founded the American colony of New Haven, Connecticut in 1638.

Kiana is the author of the internationally best-selling novels, SHARK DIALOGUES, SONG OF THE EXILE, HOUSE OF MANY GODS, and a new novel, THE SPY LOVER, now available in paperback and on Kindle. She is also the author of the collections, HOUSE OF SKIN PRIZE-WINNING STORIES, CANNIBAL NIGHTS, PACIFIC STORIES Volume II, and OPIUM DREAMS, PACIFIC STORIES, VOLUME III. All three collections have been Kindle bestsellers. She has also been a guest blogger on Huffington Post.

A graduate of the University of Hawaii, Kiana has been a Bunting Fellow at Harvard University, a Visiting Writer at Wesleyan University, and a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Her short stories have won numerous O. Henry Awards, Pushcart Prizes, and the Best American Short Story Award, 2000. Her novels and short stories have been translated into twenty-one languages. She lives in Hawaii and New York City.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook

Praise for Kiana Davenport

“An epic feminine saga!  Davenport’s prose is sharp and shining as a sword.”

-Isabel Allende on SHARK DIALOGUES

“Deeply Moving.  You can’t read Kiana Davenport without being transformed.”

-Alice Walker on SONG OF THE EXILE

“A powerful and moving experience.”

-The Washington Post on HOUSE OF MANY GODS

THE SPY LOVER

By Kiana Davenport

Kiana Davenport’s latest novel is a powerful epic about the American Civil War, which extends this beloved writer’s vision to an entirely new level. Based on her family history, it is at once an historical novel, a haunting love story, and a brilliant expose on the treatment of minorities during the Civil War.  Meticulously researched, it is finally a story of human sacrifice and personal redemption.  A magnificent novel that crosses all genres, THE SPY LOVER is a work of astonishing beauty that promises to become a classic.    

Johnny Tom, a Chinese immigrant, and his beautiful Creek Indian wife, and daughter, Era, live in Shisan, a Chinese settlement along the Mississippi River. Their life is simple and idyllic, until Confederate soldiers invade the town, kidnap the men and force them into service, fighting for the South and slavery. At the first opportunity, many Chinese soldiers defect to the Union Army. In revenge, the Confederates return to Shisan to rape and torture their wives and daughters. Defiled and half-mad, Era sets out to find her father and is plunged into the full savagery and horror of the War.  Lured by Union officials to pose as a nurse while spying on the Confederate army, she falls in love with a wounded Confederate cavalryman, and her loyalties become divided between her beloved father in the North, and the gallant soldier who sustains her in the South.

THE SPY LOVER is ostensibly a novel about the abiding love between a man and a woman, between a father and daughter, and the love of a man for his country. Ultimately, it is a meditation on the ethical choice, on honoring one’s moral obligation.

“I never planned to write an historical novel, or a love story, or a spy thriller, or a story about how brave Chinese soldiers were used as throw-aways in the Civil War. I simply set out to tell the story of my ancestors, who fought on opposing sides of that War.” - Kiana Davenport

Points of Interest

• U.S. Civil War Research – Kiana’s research for THE SPY LOVER was exhaustive.  For five years she studied correspondences and documents and traveled to the battlefields of the Civil War, discovering facts that she hoped would fascinate her readers.  She learned about Southern women collecting urine from which to distill niter for making gunpowder. And she learned how women planted and harvested poppies, then scored and gathered from poppy-pods the sap known as opium.  She read books on spy-codes used in the War, what spies were paid, and how they were executed when caught by the enemy.  She lived and breathed the Civil War, letting it engulf her as she wrote her novel.

• Kiana’s Heritage – Kiana’s ancestor, Warren Rowan Davenport, was a cavalryman who rode for the Confederacy in the Civil War with a famous unit known as the Prattville Dragoons, of Prattville, Alabama. Her research on Warren Davenport entailed reading over forty books on the War, then basing her fictional character, Warren Petticomb, on her Southern ancestor. Johnny Tom is based on another of Kiana’s ancestors, John Tommy Kam, who emigrated from Canton, China, to Hawaii and finally to the East coast of the U.S. While Kiana had access to tattered correspondences and documents from Warren Davenport, she had little but word-of-mouth stories from her Chinese uncle about his ancestor, John Tommy Kam. Eventually, she uncovered articles about Chinese soldiers who had fought valiantly in the Civil War, including two articles about John Tommy Kam.  Finally, she discovered his war records, and the grounds at Gettysburg where he is buried with his comrades, the Excelsior Brigade of New York State.

• Multicultural Themes - THE SPY LOVER is the story of Chinese soldiers who fought valiantly for a country that, afterwards, refused them American citizenship. It also unveils the gross mistreatment of Native Americans, African Americans, “mix-bloods” and other minorities who served honorably in the American Civil War. Importantly, it is also the tragic story of Native American women - mothers and daughters - kidnapped and raped by slave-owners who used them as breeders of a more “superior” kind of slave.

MORE PRAISE FOR KIANA DAVENPORT

“Torrid, yet intelligent…her writing compares with Toni Morrison.”
—Glamour on SHARK DIALOGUES

"The strengths of this novel are many.  Davenport is a superb storyteller!”
—The Seattle Times on SONG OF THE EXILE

“Davenport mines the depths of emotion…Readers who enjoy a Doctor Shivago-like saga will appreciate the broad scope of this novel”
-Library Journal on HOUSE OF MANY GODS

“Complex, resonant … handles the sweep of history and the nuance of the personal equally well.”
— San Francisco Chronicle on SHARK DIALOGUES

BookBlast $50 Giveaway

Ends 3/14/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


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LIFE IN A SODDY BY CHARLENE RADDON

By Charlene Raddon

I’ve blogged quite a bit lately about dugouts, in promoting my new e-release, To Have And To Hold, because the heroine in my book lived in a dugout. But today I’m going to talk about the other typical first home for a frontier settler—the sod house.

Timber was scarce on the Great Plains. Early settlers built their first shelters from what was available, and for many that meant thick prairie sod. A typical “soddy” was about fourteen feet by sixteen feet in size with a seven-and-one-half-foot high wall, a low-pitched roof, a central side door, and one or two windows. Interior walls were often finished with plaster or covered with newspapers. Canvas, suspended from the ceiling, made the room lighter and helped keep down the dust. Furnishings were sparse and simple, although prized lace curtains or an heirloom piece of furniture were not uncommon.

Not all soddies were small

To build a soddy the homesteader first chose a construction site, squared the interior dimensions of the house, and dampened and packed the floor area. Then an acre or so of unbroken ground was selected and a breaking plow used to cut the sod into long strips about twelve to eighteen inches wide and three to four inches thick. These were then cut with a sharp spade into two- to three-foot-long blocks and hauled to the house site on a wagon or sled. Only enough sod was broken and cut for use that day because the sod blocks were easier to handle when the moisture content was high.

Prairie soddie

Walls were constructed two to three staggered blocks deep (providing a wall depth of two or three feet), with the sod blocks grassy side down. Once the third or fourth layer of blocks were in place, a crosswise layer was installed to add strength to the wall. Wood-plank frames were propped in place at the desired locations for the door and windows, and the wall construction continued until it reached about half its final height. Completed walls were scraped on the inside for a smoother, more attractive surface. This also helped to insure a finished wall that was as vertical as possible. 

After the walls were finished, support poles were placed at each end of the soddy, and the ridgepole place across them. Then either planks or poles were attached to form rafters, and poles or brush, sometimes tar paper or canvas, was applied. On top of all this, layers (the number of layers varied) of sod blocks were positioned either with the grassy side down and coated with a thin plaster. Sometimes the grassy side was left up, and vegetation was allowed to grow. Finally, the gabble ends were filled with sod blocks, and a plank door was hung.

Unusually shaped sod house

Windows were the most expensive part of a sod house and were difficult to install. After setting the frame into the wall, the builder continued to lay rows of sod around it. When the bricks reached the top of the window frame settlers left off two layers of brick and laid cedar poles over the gap. The resulting space, stuffed with grass or rags, protected the windows from breaking.

Window and interior
Note beam over window at roof

Dirt floors were found in the majority of the early sod homes. More prosperous families might fasten carpets to the dirt floor. In some cases, rough or planed split logs were used for flooring. But only a few could afford the luxury of wide, rough-cut planks from the sawmill. Many women detested the continual war with dirt, bugs, snakes, leaky roofs and poor lighting. Nothing ever seemed to be clean. Others took the conditions in stride.

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD BLURB

A woman without a prayer…

A widow with two children, Tempest Whitney had to mortgage everything to repay the money her husband had stolen. But even as she struggles to hold onto her Utah homestead, a scheming rancher buys up her debts, demanding she either get off his land or marry him. Then a dark-haired stranger shows up, claiming to be her dead husband…

A man without a past….

Buck Maddux spent two years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Now a death bed promise has brought him to Tempest’s dugout. A man without roots, he doesn’t plan to stay—or to feel so fiercely protective of this feisty beauty he saves from a forced marriage. Suddenly, Buck yearns for a home, a family, a lasting love. But what can he offer Tempest? The surprising answer lies in the forbidden canyons of an ancient Anasazi tribe, where fortune and danger await—along with a passion more precious than gold…

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/To-Have-Hold-ebook/dp/B00B5GWFCY/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1359145410&sr=1-5&keywords=charlene+raddon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charlene Raddon began her writing life at an early age, often penning stories where she cast herself as the heroine. It was after college when she dug out her old college typewriter and started her first novel, which came from a spirited dream she'd had the previous night.

While that book never sold, her second novel did. Tender Touch became a Golden Heart finalist and earned her an agent who signed the book, and two others, in a three book contract with Kensington Publishing. Kensington went onto publish five of Charlene's western historical romances: TAMING JENNA (1994); TENDER TOUCH (1994 Golden Heart Finalist); FOREVER MINE (1996 Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer's Choice Award Nominee and Affaire de Coeur Reader/Writer Poll finalist); TO HAVE AND T HOLD (1997); and as Rachel Summers, THE SCENT OF ROSES (1999).

Charlene took a break from publishing, but not from writing. A KISS AND A DARE is Charlene's first paranormal romance.

DIVINE GAMBLE is Charlene's latest work and won first place in the western historical category of the 2010 Romance Through The Ages contest.

When Charlene isn't writing, she loves to travel, do genealogy, digital scrapbooking and dyes eggs in the Ukrainian style. And she enjoys camping and fishing with her husband in the Utah wilderness. 

Find her at 
http://www.charleneraddon.blogspot.com
http://www.charleneraddon.com
Tirgearr Publishing

Photos supplied by the author

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ALAINA CLAIBORNE BY M K McCLINTOCK

MY REVIEW OF ALAINA CLAIBORNE

The story begins in 1880 in County Wicklow, Ireland just after a ball the English Earl and wife and daughter have attended with their young neighbor.When robbers chase the coach, an accident ensues and only ten year old Alaina escapes. She is raised by her Aunt Charlote and Uncle Sebastian Winston at her English Caliborne Manor in England. Much of the night her parents died has disappeared from her memory. Alaina lives for three things: horses, her gardens, and the future promise of revenge for her parents' deaths.

Ten years later she meets Tristan Sheffield, an agent of the English crown who buys the property next to Alaina. He is also a duke, but he never identifies himself as such. Alaina recognizes his name because young ladies swoon about him. Meeting Tristan causes her nightmare to reappear, this time with more detail. Only Tristan can help her recapture the truth; only he can help her solve the mystery surrounding her parents' murder. But life is not so easy as that, for the murderer is not finished with Alaina. Can she and Tristan discover the truth before the murderer strikes again?

Let me also share with you the sage words of advice Lord Christopher Claiborne gave to young Alaina hours before his death. "...Life is a circle and in the circle exist hate, love, happiness, sorrow, and death, and in order to appreciate one, we must experience the others. Without those experiences we are not whole and live only a part of the life we were given, and it is up to us to make our lives full, for only within ourselves can we find peace."

This is a captivating book, although the head hopping drove me crazy. Those who read a lot of English novels may discover errors in titles and propriety for the time. All in all, I loved the characters and depth of emotion and that's what makes a book enjoyable, and I look forward to the next in the series. I recommend ALAINA CLAIBORNE to anyone who loves historical novels.  

A BLURB ABOUT ALAINA CLAIBORNE

How far would you go to avenge your family and save the one you love?

In nineteenth-century England, Alaina Claiborne had a loving family, a cherished friend, and devoted servants. She spent her days riding across the grassy hills of the English countryside, joyful and at peace.

Then tragedy strikes and her world is forever changed. Searching for those responsible is her only focus . . . until she meets Tristan.

Tristan Sheffield, a man of many talents, searches out those who don’t want to be found. His past is filled with secrets and deeds he would rather leave deeply buried. However, when his life unexpectedly entwines with Alaina's, he soon discovers they share more than a
mutual desire to catch a murderer.

On their hunt for a man driven by greed, Tristan and Alaina find that love is the greatest weapon against evil, and they'll stop at nothing to survive.

Available now at Amazon  

Alaina Claiborne (British Agent Novels)

 

Enjoy Excerpts from Alaina Claiborne

(Excerpts
may or may not be in the order in which they appear, and may differ slightly from the final book.)

Excerpt One: 

The moon shone brightly through the clouds of the dark night, and fatigue soon encouraged she lay her head down on his shoulder, falling into a deep slumber. She felt safe in his embrace and nothing seemed to disturb her. Her senses became aware of his strong arms wrapping a little tighter around her. She felt the carriage bounce as they hit a rut in the road, but she enjoyed his comforting warmth too much to let it disturb her. Then she became cold and her eyes opened, watching as her body rolled down a hill, but no sound escaped her though she frantically sought a way to breathe. She felt those strong arms push her toward the broken door as the carriage continued to roll. Somehow she landed on earth, coldness seeping through her clothes. Her head ached, but the source of the other pain remained elusive.

A bush. She had landed in a bush and the branches hurt, but not as much as the pain inside of her. What’s happening?


She fought her way to the ground and then stopped moving. Silence shrouded the
night. 

Excerpt Two: 

Across the acres, darkness enveloped another, her surroundings illuminated by the flickering flame of a lamp. Alaina moved around in the attic, searching through trunks of the items that had come from her mother’s cottage in Ireland. It was difficult to see so many memories

that reminded her of her parents, but she also found it calmed her. She had avoided these things since they had been delivered years ago, but now her fears became secondary. She hoped that something from her parents’ past would shed light on what was happening in the present.
          

      Alaina rummaged through a trunk of some of her mother’s clothes, pulling them out and

smelling them, hoping for a faint whiff of the soft rose scent her mother used to wear. There was something lingering around the old clothes, and it took Alaina back to a time when she was a little girl. Nevertheless, the memory ended there. She paused for a moment, as if the scent reminded her of something else besides her mother. She subsequently released the memory when she saw the bottom of the trunk was not as deep as it should have been. She pulled out the remaining dress and ran her fingers along the bottom and edges. She next looked on the outside of the trunk. Nearly six inches of extra space remained near the
bottom on the inside.

Alaina felt along the inside edges and became excited when she found a gap. Slowly reaching her fingers into the hole, she simultaneously pushed down on the other edge for leverage and surprised herself when the bottom tilted to reveal the extra space beneath. Removing the thin board, she set it aside and gasped when she turned back to the trunk.

“Oh, Mother. What did you do?”

Book Information

Release
Date: January 7^th,
2013

Genre: Historical Romance

Formats: Paperback and Kindle

Publisher: Trappers Peak Publishing

The Author

MK McClintock is an over-worked entrepreneur, baker of decadent desserts and all things chocolate, photographer of beautiful places, and most importantly, a writer.

She dreams of a time when life was simpler, the land rougher, and the journey more rewarding. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure,
McClintock calls Montana home.
McClintock is a member of Romance Writers of America, Montana Romance Writers,
Hearts Through History Romance Writers, and Women Writing the West.

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