Picture caption: The cover of A Town like Alice. It’s very uninspiring and shows a dirt track.
This was my favourite classic book read of 2024. A delightful romance initially set in Malaysia during World War II and then moving between post-war London and Australia, Jean Paget’s story of strength, endurance, and leadership made for an amazingly uplifting read.
The novel commences with the main character, Jean Paget, a secretary in a leather goods factory, receiving notification from a solicitor, Noel Strachan, that she has inherited a large sum of money from an uncle she never knew. Noel is the trustee of the funds until Jean can inherit at the age of 35 years old (this age was set by the uncle who believed that women were incompetent fools who couldn’t be trusted with money until they had a family and life experience). Strachan acts as Jean’s financial advisor and, over time, a good friend. His part of the story is all the more interesting because of the secret love he develops for Jean. Noel is the narrator of the story.
Jean announces to Noel that her first priority is to build a well in a village in Malaysia and this introduces her poignant backstory as a prisoner of war in Malaysia during WW2. This part of the story is based on a real survival story which makes it all the more fascinating. Jean was working in Malaysia when the Japanese invaded and she was taken prisoner along with a large group of other European women and children. The Japanese authorities doesn’t know what to do with the group so they end up walking from one village to another for months. The lack of good food, exposure of the elements and hardship results in the deaths of a large number of the group. Jean meets an Australian soldier, Joe Harman, who is also a prisoner of war and is driving a lorry for the Japanese invaders. He tries to help the women and ultimately steals five chickens from a local Japanese commander. He is eventually caught and beaten, crucified and left to die by the Japanese soldiers. Jean believes that Jo Harman is dead. Soon after, the women’s Japanese guard dies and they take shelter in a Malaysian village for the rest of the war. Jean wishes to build a well in this village as a gesture of gratitude to the villagers who saved the lives of the remaining women and children by taking them in. During the construction of the well, Jean discovers by accident that Joe survived and returned to Australia. She decides to go in search of him in Australia and this sets the stage for the rest of the story and the romance. Joe had mentioned the town of Alice Springs during their short time as friends, and this is where Jean heads.
The writing is completely engaging and the characters of both Jean and Joe are well developed and admirable. As a reader, I become completely involved in both their stories and was rooting for their romance and success as individuals and a couple. Jean is portrayed as a strong willed survivor with a strong sense of compassion and responsibility. She is a remarkable leader and an excellent role model for young women.
Joe is portrayed as being recklessly brave and this results in his undoing. He is a very determined and strong willed person, however, an these characteristics result in his miraculous survival.
I read this book because I am interested in learning more about the war in the Pacific and the Japanese involvement in World War II. I have read several books on this topic and A Town Like Alice is the one that stands out the most in my memory. I highly recommend this book to lovers of romance and war literature.
8 chicken thighs and 8 chicken drumsticks, on the bone with skin
160 ml olive oil
1 Tbspn garlic flakes
1 heaped Tbspn dried oregano
5 ml dried thyme
1 tin peaches and the juice
24 caperberries
24 green olives, pits removed and cut in half
2 bay leaves
1 Tbspn chicken stock (powder)
Ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) white wine
Method
Heat the over to 180 C. Line the bottom and sides of a oven baking dish with silver foil. Lay the chicken skin up on the bottom on the dish. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, wine, herbs and caperberries. Pour the tinned peaches over the chicken. Add the wine mixture. Lastly, place the olives over the chicken. Cover the dish with tin foil.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Turn the oven to grill. Remove the tin foil and grill the chicken until nicely browned. Do not let the peaches burn. About 15 – 20 minutes.
Enjoy with rice.
Picture caption: My peach chicken served with rice.
About Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
In December, I finished writing the first draft of The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles. This book will be the second book in my Time Travel Adventure Series, and I have to say I have been having so much fun writing it. Time travel is cool to write about, because it is pure fiction, so you have a lot of lee-way in your story, although there are still some scientific parameters that should be kept in mind.
In The Rock Star & The Outlaw, my protagonists created some time-loops, which crossed. In The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Double, they create a few more , intersecting with the time-loops created in the first book. What that means, is there is multiple versions of some characters, and the story is dealing with multiple time lines. While the first book dealt with two alternating P.O.V.s, those of the two protagonists, the second book also deals with multiple P.O.V.s from several different characters.
Multiple character P.O.V.s
This will be the first book I’ve written and published with so many different P.O.V.s. Because I have multiple versions of some characters, I had to differentiate which version’s eyes we were seeing things through. Thus, I ended up with ten different P.O.V.s and I must admit, it was challenging keeping track of which P.O.V. I was in, as well as which time line. My hope is that I did a good enough job with all this to not confuse my readers.
I chose to follow the method used by George R.R. Martin in his epic fantasy series, Game of Thrones. Each chapter has the name of the character whose P.O.V. readers will see the story unfold through. I don’t believe Mr. Martin used anything but the name of the character, but my chapters will also have chapter titles that are, in line with the first book, song titles. And, each chapter has to have a time designated so that readers won’t get confused about what time they are in, as well.
Multiple Time Lines
Writing about time travel, and thinking about time travel, and trying to reason out how things would work if time travel were real, can be enough to give an author a migraine. I admit there were times when I had to set the writing aside because it almost hurt to try and wrap my brain around the implications. But, mostly, it was just fun trying to figure out what would be possible and what wouldn’t.
When I first started writing this second book, I thought the first book was written and done. But by crossing time-lines and changing things in previous time lines, I realized my characters changed what happened in the first book. Each thing they change in the time line from the first book, changes things that happened in that story, and I found that it changed the way the first story comes out. So, I ended up rewriting the first story with an alternate ending.
Multiple Versions of Characters
This was where writing the second book got really confusing. With two Amaryllis and three LeRoys, all running around in different timelines, things get crazy. As mentioned above, each version of the character is designated with a different moniker. The characters from this second story are Amaryllis and LeRoy, while the characters from the first story timeline are “Rock Star” and “Cowboy”, and the very first LeRoy even makes an appearance as “Original LeRoy”. And there are two Moniques, (one designated “Shaman Woman”), although they never cross paths. I even have a duplicate horse, Blaze, who gets aggitated when her other self is in the vicinity.
Each of these characters were the same but different than their duplicates. In the first book, Amaryllis is a rock star, living in the fast lane, an adreneline junkie who gets off on facing danger. That Amaryllis is “Rock Star” in this story and the Amaryllis character is one who was changed by her time travel experiences and the lessons they taught her. But one thing is certain, they are both in love with their own version of LeRoy.
It did get confusing at times, but it was a lot of fun to write. The first chapters had to be rewritten halfway through because I realized that the time jumps I had initially planned wouldn’t work, but the new beginning works much better. I’m bad about editing as I write, but it is a part of my writing process. Writing about time travel, I found it to be necessary, especially when things were changed in the story, so earlier chapters had to be edited or revised to keep the storylines consistant.
Even though I edited as I wrote, I consider the completed manuscript a first draft. Now, it must go through a first and second edit by me and be passed through at least one very thorough beta-reader. The beta-reader for this story has done research and written in the time-travel genre, so I’m expecting her to be tough in her commentary. As you can see, I’ve still got a ways to go before doing the final revisions and publishing, but every step brings me closer.
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About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
We’re approaching a new year once again, and folks are busy making New Year’s resolutions and planning for the year to come. Things are no different for WordCrafter Press and Writing to be Read. I’ve been planning and preparing for projects I want to accomplish in 2025, including two dark fiction anthologies – Curses and Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares, the annual poetry anthology – Treasuring Poetry 5: Small Pleasures, and I’m hoping to curate a couple of Story Bundles, if I can pull it all together. (Watch for the “Call for Submissions” for the annual WordCrafter Press Short Fiction Contest in my post on January 4th.The winning story will be featured in the Midnight Oil Anthology.) And I plan to have Marta, Book 3 in the Women in the West Adventure Series, out by the end of the year.
In addition, I’ve been working hard to finish the second book in my Time Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Double, which will also be coming out in 2025.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles
In 1887, after clearing his name, LeRoy McAllister is once again a reluctant outlaw, trying to save the people he cares about and win the heart of the woman he loves.
In 2030, the once thrill-seeking rock star, running on the fast track, Amaryllis Sanchez has lost her Cowboy during a time jump, which changed things in her present. Now she must go back to find her man and try to fix her future, crossing time lines to do it.
In 1887, things turn crazy fast, when Amaryllis tries to change events in a previous timeline. And, the outlaws try to bring LeRoy back into the fold by placing Sissy in peril.
To make matters worse, Nick, the time travel tester who started it all, is back, along with two temporal regulator agents, and they are all after the time module which Amaryllis has in her possession.
Amaryllis and LeRoy are both seeing doubles, and sometimes triples, by the time this story unravels. It seems there’s dopplegangers everywhere when you go to the past to try to change the future.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year (1876) by Currier & Ives. Original public domain image from the Library of Congress. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel.
This year my resolution is the same as it is every year. I’m not big on resolutions, mainly because they are usuall broken, and I like to finish what I start. However, I always make one resolution, every single year. I resolve to do better and be more successful in my writing endeavors than I was the year before, with the ultimate goal being the ability to write full time and give up the day job. That hasn’t happened yet, so I guess I just keep working on the baby steps. With several releases planned for 2025, (mentioned above), hopefully I’ll be able to see it through again this coming year.
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This post is sponsored by WordCrafter Press, with a reminder that there’s still time to get all WordCrafter Press books at a 50% discounts during the Smashwords 2024 End of Year Sale. But time is running out. The sale ends January 1st. So get them while you can: https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/
I am pleased to introduce my guest this month on “Chatting with New Blood”, C.R. Johansson. She has had stories featured in three different WordCrafter Press anthologies, but today we’ll talk mostly about her novel, A.O.G.: Act of God. She is a talented author, who writes unusual stories that make readers think, and it is my pleasure to have her as my guest.
About C.R. Johansson
C.R. Johansson writes gripping thrillers, science fiction, and fantasy stories with a genetic twist. Her characters explore universes where the unknown prevails and the impossible is possible akin to her life with congenital heart disease. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and comical pugs. When not writing, she enjoys listening to the river nearby, working in her garden, paper-mache’, knitting and sitting on the couch drinking tea.
Interview
Kaye: Would you begin by telling us about your author journey? How long have you been writing? What inspires you to write?
Cindy: I was a daydreamer as a child, I still am, always making up stories to entertain myself. My very first poem was in elementary school. The assignment was to write a story using that week’s spelling words. I wrote “The Circus Bear” and amused my family with the ending where the bear stood on his head and then he was dead. To this day, they won’t let me forget it.
From there my journey continued with more poetry in junior high and high school until one day, I thought to myself, “I’m going to write a novel.” So, I went to the library to check out a book on how to write a novel. After I read the book, I sat down and wrote my first novel. What inspires me to write? I don’t really feel as though I’m inspired to write, I feel I’m compelled to write. The stories and poems in my head need to come out, even if they’re never read by anyone.
Kaye: I’m curious. Why did you choose to use a pen name? And how did you choose the name to use?
Cindy: The idea of using a pen name came from my husband. He thought my married name was common, so he suggested using my birth name. I thought it was a wonderful idea and just like that C.R. Johansson became my pen name.
Kaye: Let’s talk about your book, A.O.G.: Act of God. Can you tell readers a little bit about it?
Cindy: A.O.G. Act of God tells the story of a religious woman of science who is caught in her own moral struggles regarding the scientific discovery of a lifetime, the potential identification of a human soul, which ended in her boyfriend’s murder. Her drive as a scientist compels her to continue experimenting even as the murderer now turns his focus on her and her family.
Kaye: What led you to write a political crime thriller?
Cindy: To be honest, I thought it was going to be a science fiction story, but the characters had other ideas. I had just read an article about Orchestrated Objective Reduction, a controversial theory about human consciousness on a quantum level, which described the consciousness as energy. After I read the article, I had so many questions. Does the energy really exist? Is it a human soul? What happens to that energy upon death? Does it disperse into the universe? I thought to myself, if that energy is the human soul and someone discovered a technique to trap it, that person would have unmeasurable power. Immediately, I saw the scene where Amelie’s boyfriend is murdered, and the story started.
There’s so much scientific discovery going on. If you want to look for good plot ideas, look to science and medical discoveries and mysteries.
Kaye: What was the best part of writing A.O.G.: Act of God? Why?
Oh my gosh, the best part of writing A.O.G. Act of God was the roller coaster ride of deception the characters took me on. The twists and turns. They kept me on my toes.
Kaye: What was the most difficult part of the book to write? Why?
Cindy: It’s always very mentally and emotionally exhausting for me to get into my antagonist’s mind. To discover what drives them to do the horrible things they do and then write about it. I spend a lot of time walking around the house when writing those scenes.
Kaye: You also write short fiction, and have had work featured in three WordCrafter Press anthologies: Visions, with your story, “Her Beholder”; Midnight Roost, with your story, “She Shed Galeria”, and Tales From the Hanging Tree, with your story “Therion’s Heart”. All of these stories are rather dark, the last being an excellent take on the theme for the anthology, ‘lives of the hanged as lived through the ephemeral hanging tree’, and very well written, I might add. Where did inspiration for these unusual stories come from?
Cindy: Thank you so much! I’m a visual person and my stories always start with a mental image. That image can be the result of just about anything, a thought, a song, a word, a smell, anything. For “She Shed Galleria”, I saw a seductive woman standing next to a painting of a man. The man’s frightened eyes were moving as if the painting were alive, very similar to the old movies where the portraits in the mansions had eye peepholes. Meanwhile, the woman, stared forward with cold, blank eyes, but the smug smile on her lips made me shiver. I knew she’d done something horrible.
For “Therion’s Heart”, I saw a naïve’ woman standing in the torrential rain surrounded by an angry and very frightened mob. It reminded me of scenes from horror stories where a fear driven mob turns on someone, an outsider or one of their own, and commits horrific actions because of that fear. Fear of anything unknown is a powerful motivator.
Kaye: What differences do you see in writing short fiction and novel length works? Which do you prefer?
Cindy: There are so many differences between writing short fiction and writing novels, but I would say the most challenging is creating an interesting short story without holes in plot or character that’s entertaining. Which do I prefer? I’m a novelist at heart. I love taking my time to explore all the details of the worlds and characters I create. Sharing their triumphs and failures, and peeling away the onion of what makes them tick.
Kaye: Where do you hope to see yourself as a writer in ten years?
Cindy: I’ll still be writing and publishing novels, but I really hope to share my writing with more people.
Kaye: You work in the thriller, science fiction and fantasy genres. What advice would you give to an author wanting to break into any of these genres?
Cindy: I’ll start with the cliché, just keep writing and reading, but more importantly, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there to editors, publishers, and the public. Wear every rejection letter you receive like a medal. You’ve earned it and it means you’re one step closer to being published because you learned something.
Kaye: Who are your favorite authors? Do you try to emulate them?
Cindy: I love the oldies, Alfred Hitchcock, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, and George Orwell. Character driven stories that expose human behavior. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Life is messy, unexpected, and full of unknowns. Things we think will happen, don’t always happen. I believe my life is an example of that. Doctors told my parents when I was a baby that I wasn’t going to survive infancy and here I am.
I definitely emulate my favorites, in my own unique style. If I can write a story that blurs the line between right and wrong, villain and hero, and takes the reader on their own self-discovery journey and leaves them wondering what they would do in the same situation then I’ve succeeded.
Kaye: What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
When I went to my first writers conference, I felt so insignificant compared to everyone else because I wasn’t published. Another author befriended me and told me, “I was an author, whether published or not.” From that day onward I moved forward with confidence, and I share that word of wisdom with others out there. You are an author whether you’re published or not.
Kaye: What’s next for C.R. Johansson? Is there another book in the works?
Cindy: Yes, I’m always working on something. I plan on re-releasing “Bless The Beasts”, my first novel, in tandem with its sequel “Suffer The Children” in 2026. Plus, I may release a collection of flash fiction in the autumn of 2025.
Kaye: Please tell my readers how they can find you online, if they’d like to learn more about you and your books. (Include links here.)
Cindy: I’m most active on Facebook, but I’m on Goodreads, Linkedin, and Pinterest as well. My books can be found on Amazon. This was loads of fun! Thanks for having me!
Kaye: You’ve been a wonderful guest, and you provided some really good answers to my questions. I look forward to future submissions to WordCrafter Press anthologies, and wish you the best with your books.
About A.O.G. Act of God
What is a soul?
After Kent is murdered for uncovering the answer, Amelie, a woman of science raised in a world of religion, finds the looming threat of death at the hands of the same sordid murderer now hangs over her and her family should she pursue the technology further. With her new friend and lover, Hatch, by her side, her own moral compass betrays her, and she realizes too late that her own naïveté is her downfall against the depraved dark corners of man’s heart.
My Review of A.O.G. Act of God
I acquired a digital copy of A.O.G.: Act of God from the author, and my guest today, C.R. Johansson. All opinions stated here are my own.
This political crime thriller is based on a premise which I found quite unique; the idea that a soul might be captured after death in some way. It’s an interesting premise, and Johansson explores the both the morality of it and the possibilities it would present. In what way might this ability be used? And should it be used, or left to the realm of the devine? The implications are downright scary.
Amelie is a research scientist, exploring the realms beyond death. When her partner and significant other, Kent, is murdered for uncovering the code for capturing souls, and places his findings for her to continue where he left off, it places she and her family in danger from the killer. Someone doesn’t want the secret let out, and they’ll go to any lengths to prevent it. She doesn’t know who to trust. Her boss, Bill, who seems so sympathetic? The elders of the religious community she lives in? Her co-worker, Clint, who has the knowledge and ability to help her find the answers she seeks? Her new friend, Hatch, who she has unexpected feelings for?
This political thriller has a story line that keeps the reader guessing until they reach the final pages. But, I also felt some of the major players could have been developed more. I give A.O.G.: Act of God four quills.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Chatting with New Blood” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press with a reminder that all WordCrafter Press Books are still on sale, at 50% off at the Smashwords store, during the Smashwords 2024 End of Year Sale.
Now is your best chance to find the entire WordCrafter Press ebook collection for a promotional price of 50% off at @Smashwords as part of their 2024 End of Year Sale! Find WordCrafter Press books and many more at https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/ through January 1! #SmashwordsEoYSale #Smashwords
I’m a big fan of the Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, so when I got a review request for the two latest books in the collection, you know I couldn’t turn it down. All opinions stated here are my own. ( You can catch my review of Stiffs & Stones on Friday, January 10th, 2025.)
Other titles I’ve reviewed in the Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. Series
Dan Shamble’s most pointed case, with murdered unicorns,frog princes, corporate fairy godmothers, and lagoon creatures, all looking for a fairy-tale ending in the gritty streets of the Unnatural Quarter.
My Review of Horn Dogs
I requested a digital review copy of Horn Dogs, from author Kevin J. Anderson’s Reader’s Group. All opinions stated here are my own.
Everyone wants a happily ever after, and Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. is determined to make it happen.
The unnatural characters and their crazy antics in the Unnatural Quarter after the Big Uneasy, are what keep me coming back to the Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, and Horn Dogs is no exception. In addition to all my favorite characters, such as Dan Shamble and his ghost girlfriend Shyenne, his human partner Robin, his vampire half-daughter, Alvina, and his best human friend Officer McGoo, this volume brings us frog demons, evil wizards, fairy godmothers, and unicorns and their pet horn dogs spreading magic and warm fuzzies throughout the Unnatural Quarter.
When Prince Dirk is changed into a frog by the evil wizard, Oorgak, he falls in love with a frog demon, RRita, heiress to the successful local pool service in the Unnatural Quarter. But Oorgak had an epiphany after seeing a unicorn, and reversed all of his previous evil deeds, and now the happy couple isn’t happy, especially when their illegitamate tadpoles are held hostage by the swamp monsters who own the new swamp water park.
And when someone dognaps all the unidogs, and unicorns are being murdered, the Secret Society of Horn Brothers and Horn Sisters must come out of hiding to employ Dan Shamble’s services, too. Can this zaney zombie P.I. save the unidogs and tadpoles, and reunite the unhappy couple, giving everyone the happily ever after that they’re looking for? You’ll have to read Horn Dogs to find out.
A fun and silly read, I give Horn Dogs five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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This post is sponsored by WordCrafter Press with a reminder that all WordCrafter Press books are currently 50% off in the SmashWords End of Year Ebook Sale, only in the SmashWords store: https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/
We’ve had a great year here at WordCrafter Press & Writing to be Read, and it’s all because of you, our fabulous readers!
2024 Publications from WordCrafter Press
The D.I.Y. Author: Writer’s Resource
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two but being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Sarah: Book 2 of the Women in the West Adventure Series
Sarah is a young girl trying to make a place for herself in the world.
Sarah is not the young girl stolen away from Delilah anymore. Now she is Hair of Fire, mate of Three Hawks, even as she blossoms into a young woman and tries to make a place for herself among the Ute tribe.
When she is stolen away from the life she’s made, she struggles to survive in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. A streak of stubbornness and determination take this tough, feisty heroine up against wild beasts of the forest and the rugged mountain landscape to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where she receives a less than welcoming reception by some.
Will this young woman find her way back to the Ute tribe, which she’s come to think of as family, or will she discover a place among the colorful inhabitants of the Colorado hot springs and mining town?
Follow along on her journey to learn who she truly is and where she belongs in this rough, and often hostile frontier.
If you like strong and capable female protagonists, you’ll love Sarah.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
Tales From the Hanging Tree: Imprints of Tragedy Anthology
There exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree.
Stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Kane, DL Mullan, C.R. Johannson, Joseph Carrabis, Sylva Fae, and Matt Usher.
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow Anthology – Book 2 in the Midnight Anthology Series
17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare.
Contributing authors include Paul Kane, Ell Rodman, DL Mullan, Joseph Carrabis, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Denise Aparo, Jon Shannon, Zack Ellafy, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Robb T. White, Abe Margel, Julie Jones, Molly Ertel, Peter McKay, Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Martz, and M.J. Mallon.
Reminder: ALL WordCrafter Press Books 50% off through January 1 on Smashwords
That’s right. You can get those WordCrafter Press books that have been sitting on your wishlist at 50% of during the Smashwords 2024 End of Year Sale. But you must act before January 1st, when the sale ends and these great discounts go away. And don’t forget that WordCrafter Press books make great holiday gifts, too. Get your copies today.
On Writing to be Read, we’ve had several new monthly blog series debut. I introduced a new Monday blog series, “Everyone is a Critic”, where you can find out what I think about movies or television series I’ve watched. I brought back “Chatting with the Pros” on the second Saturday of each month, along with the debut of its sister series on the fourth Saturday, “Chatting with New Blood”, where I interview professional authors who are making it work, and rising authors about their books and lessons learned, respectively, and post my reviews of their books.
And Robbie Cheadle said goodbye to “Growing Bookworms” and introduced her new monthly series, “Read and Cook”, where each month, she reviews a book and provides a complimentary recipe with delectable photos. I believe this series will be quite popular, or at least, it has been so far. Robbie’s series appear on Wednesdays, and “Read and Cook” appears the second Wednesday of the month. The third and forth Wednesdays see her “Treasuring Poetry” series, featuring interviews with poets and reviews of their books, and “In Touch with Nature” featuring facts about African wildlife and Robbie’s brillant wildlife photography, videos and artwork.
2024 also saw a new addition to the Writing to be Read blog team, DL Mullan, with her new series “Undawntech”, where she explores the pros and cons of AI and other technology in our rapidly changing world.
In addition, Arthur Rosch’s monthly contribution, “Mind Fields”, brings poetry and essays with Art’s unique outlook on life, appears randomly, where there is space for it, often a fifth Wednesday or Friday, if there is one, or sometimes on the first Wednesday, as that’s an open spot, as well.
If you want to be sure to not to miss any of this great content, you can subscribe to Writing to be Read and receive notification of all new content right in your inbox. We’ve got a great new year ahead of us, so don’t miss a post.
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Note From the Author
That’s a recap of this past year for WordCrafter Press and Writing to be Read. I’m thankful for all that’s been accomplished and excited about the year to come. To find out what is in store, watch for this month’s “WordCrafter News” on the 30th.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from WordCrafter Press and the Writing to be Read blog team
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About author Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her drug dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
This is the final day of the WordCrafter The French Winemaker’s Daughter Book Blog Tour. Today, we have my review of The French Winemaker’s Daughter to wrap things up.
If you’d like to learn more about this moving historical fiction novel and you missed a stop on the tour, you can still visit each stop through the links in the schedule below.
Tuesday:Carla Reads– Guest post from author Loretta Ellsworth
Wednesday:Kyrosmagica– Guest post from author Loretta Ellsworth
Thursday:Book Places – Guest post from author Loretta Ellsworth
Friday: Writing to be Read– Review of The French Winemaker’s Daughter
About The French Winemaker’s Daughter
Set during World War II, an unforgettable historical novel about love, war, family, and loyalty told in in the voices of two women, generations apart, who find themselves connected by a mysterious and valuable bottle of wine stolen by the Nazis.
1942. Seven-year-old Martine hides in an armoire when the Nazis come to take her father away. Pinned to her dress is a note with her aunt’s address in Paris, and in her arms, a bottle of wine she has been instructed to look after if something happened to her papa. When they are finally gone, the terrified young girl drops the bottle and runs to a neighbor, who puts her on a train to Paris.
But when Martine arrives in the city, her aunt is nowhere to be found. Without a place to go, the girl wanders the streets and eventually falls asleep on the doorstep of Hotel Drouot, where Sister Ada finds her and takes her to the abbey, and watches over her.
1990. Charlotte, a commercial airline pilot, attends an auction with her boyfriend Henri at Hotel Drouot, now the oldest auction house in Paris. Successfully bidding on a box of wine saved from the German occupation during the Second World War, Henri gives Charlotte a seemingly inferior bottle he finds inside the box. Cleaning the label, Charlotte makes a shocking discovery that sends her on a quest to find the origins of this unusual—and very valuable—bottle of wine, a quest that will take her back fifty years into the past. . . .
A powerful tale of love, war, and family, The French Winemaker’s Daughter is an emotionally resonant tale of two women whose fates are intertwined across time. Loretta Ellsworth’s evocative and poignant page-turner will linger in the heart, and make you think about luck, connection, and the meaning of loyalty.
I received a PDF copy of The French Winemaker’s Daughter from author Loretta Ellsworth to review for this tour. All opinions stated here are my own.
Any book with two strong female protagonists is my kind of book. I’m a fan of historical fiction, and this story peaked my interest, with it’s compelling synopsis in the back matter. It was definitely worth the read.
In this story, we follow little Martine, a Jewish child, as she survives the war with the help of the kind people she meets along the way, after the German’s take her Papa and her friend away. We follow the story through the eyes of a child, displaced from her family and the vineyard that’s been her only home, filled with guilt for losing a bottle of wine that her father entrusted her with, and the hope of once again being reuinted with her Papa.
In the present day, we follow Charlotte, and airline pilot, who acquires a bottle of wine that was confiscated by the Germans, which turns out to be quite valuable and carries a mystery in a note written on the back of a false label. We follow her as she searches the vineyards around Paris, trying to locate the vineyard the wine came from and learn the identity of its rightful owner. She ends the search after learning that in all probability, father and child did not survive the war, but fate steps in and takes a hand in sealing the connection between these two women.
A lovely duel story line which is well written to bring both stories together and give readers a very satisfying ending. I cheered for both women as they triumphed over the adversities that life threw their way. And I give The French Winemaker’s Daughter five quills.
We’re over at Book Places today for Day 4 of the WordCrafter The French Winemaker’s Daughter Book Blog Tour with a guest post from author Loretta Ellsworth. Join us in exploring the origins of this wonderful historical fiction novel.
For Day 3 of the WordCrafter The French Winemaker’s Daughter Book Blog Tour, we’re over at “Kyrosmagica”, with a guest post from author Loretta Ellsworth. Please join us and learn more about the inspiration for this wonderful historical fiction novel.
Welcome to the WordCrafter The French Winemaker’s Daughter Book Blog Tour! This historical fiction novel could be classified as women’s fiction, as well, with two strong women in different times connected by a bottle of wine lost during the Nazi invasion, and recovered in current times. I don’t want to give away too much, because I want you to follow the tour to learn more about The French Winemaker’s Daughter.
We have a great tour lined up, with guest posts from the author, so you can get to know a little bit more at each stop. You can follow the tour through the links in the schedule below, but each link will not work until the post for that tour stop goes live, so please wait for the scheduled dates to click on them.
Tour Schedule
Monday: Writing to be Read– Interview with the author
Set during World War II, an unforgettable historical novel about love, war, family, and loyalty told in in the voices of two women, generations apart, who find themselves connected by a mysterious and valuable bottle of wine stolen by the Nazis.
1942. Seven-year-old Martine hides in an armoire when the Nazis come to take her father away. Pinned to her dress is a note with her aunt’s address in Paris, and in her arms, a bottle of wine she has been instructed to look after if something happened to her papa. When they are finally gone, the terrified young girl drops the bottle and runs to a neighbor, who puts her on a train to Paris.
But when Martine arrives in the city, her aunt is nowhere to be found. Without a place to go, the girl wanders the streets and eventually falls asleep on the doorstep of Hotel Drouot, where Sister Ada finds her and takes her to the abbey, and watches over her.
1990. Charlotte, a commercial airline pilot, attends an auction with her boyfriend Henri at Hotel Drouot, now the oldest auction house in Paris. Successfully bidding on a box of wine saved from the German occupation during the Second World War, Henri gives Charlotte a seemingly inferior bottle he finds inside the box. Cleaning the label, Charlotte makes a shocking discovery that sends her on a quest to find the origins of this unusual—and very valuable—bottle of wine, a quest that will take her back fifty years into the past. . . .
A powerful tale of love, war, and family, The French Winemaker’s Daughter is an emotionally resonant tale of two women whose fates are intertwined across time. Loretta Ellsworth’s evocative and poignant page-turner will linger in the heart, and make you think about luck, connection, and the meaning of loyalty.
Today, we have an interview with author, Loretta Ellsworth, and I’m so excited because The French Winemaker’s Daughter is such a powerful and thought provoking story. So let me tell you about the author, and then we’ll jump right into the interview.
About Loretta Ellsworth
Loretta earned a master’s degree in Writing for Children from Hamline University. She’s the author of four young adult novels: THE SHROUDING WOMAN, a Rebecca Caudill nominee; IN SEARCH OF MOCKINGBIRD, which won the Midwest Bookseller’s Choice Honor Award, was a Teen’s Top Ten finalist, an IRA Notable, and was named to the New York Library’s List of Books for the Teen Age; IN A HEARTBEAT, which was named a spring Midwest Connection’s Pick and an ALA Notable; and UNFORGETTABLE, which was a Kirkus Pick of the Month. Her debut adult novel STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE, was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2017. Her debut picture book, Tangle-Knot, will be published by Page Street Kids in 2023.
A former Spanish teacher, she lives with her family in Minnesota. Visit her website at: http://www.lorettaellsworth.com and follow her on twitter @lellsworth.
Interview with Loretta Ellsworth
Kaye: Let’s start by having you tell us a little about your author journey. How did you get to where you’re at today as an author?
Loretta: I started out writing articles for magazines, and was lucky to have a few published. This encouraged me to try writing longer pieces, and I wrote my first book The Shrouding Woman, a middle-grade novel. I spent many years revising it as I learned more about the craft of writing, and it was published in 2002. From there, I wrote three YA novels that were published, one picture book, and an adult historical novel. Along the way I also earned my Master’s Degree in Writing, and I read extensively.
Kaye: You developed the habit of writing every day from keeping a diary as a young girl. I agree that this is a great habit for an author to have. The words add up if you just keep putting them down. What other skills do you possess that are helpful to you as an author?
Loretta: I’m an avid reader, which helps all writers. I’m not afraid of revision, and have been known to revise a book ten or more times. And I’m one who doesn’t give up easily. When I was searching for an agent for my adult novel, I sent over 250 queries before I found representation.
Kaye: You write for children and teens as well, as adults, and you place a lot of emphasis on your experience as a educator. Do your books for children and teens carry educational messages?
Loretta: I don’t purposely write with a message in mind. I usually write about relationships, but themes do tend to rise to the surface, ones of hope, grief, guilt, connection, and self-discovery. Although my main goal is to entertain, I do write from my own heart and passion, and that comes across on the page.
Kaye: Tell us about your new adult fiction book, The French Winemaker’s Daughter.
Loretta: The French Winemaker’s Daughter is the story of two women who are connected by a rare, and valuable, bottle of wine. Seven-year-old Martine hides in an armoire when her Jewish father is taken away by the Nazis. In her arms in a bottle of wine she has been instructed to keep safe. But she drops it when she hears Germans in her father’s vineyard, and runs away. In 1990, Charlotte, an American pilot, attends an auction with her boyfriend in Paris, where he bids on a box of wine saved from the German occupation during WW II. He gives Charlotte a seemingly inferior bottle he finds inside the box. Cleaning the label, Charlotte makes a shocking discovery that sends her on a quest to find the origins of this unusal bottle of wine, a quest that will take her fifty years into the past.
Kaye: What inspired you to write The French Winemaker’s Daughter?
Loretta: My novel Stars Over Clear Lake is set in Iowa during WWII. The main character’s brother is in France fighting the Nazis while she is at home with her parents and German prisoners of war who are working their farm. In researching what part of France her brother would be in, I did a lot of reading and ended up going down a rabbit hole that led me to a book called Wine & War. It details how France undertook daring measures to save their most precious natural resource – wine. And while reading it I had an image of a Jewish girl hiding with a bottle of wine that is her inheritance, one that she loses. Of course, I had to finish the other novel before embarking on this idea, but it was one that I kept thinking about for several years.
Kaye: What was the most interesting fact you turned up in your research for The French Winemaker’s Daughter?
Loretta: One interesting fact that I used in my book is how a Moroccan leather portfolio sold at the auction house Hotel Drouot ended up containing the bill of sale for the Louisiana Purchase. You never know what valuables you will find there. Another interesting fact is the Club Les Bains, a nightclub that originally began as a bathhouse in the 1870s where Proust visited, and became a mecca of personalities in the 1980s during its heyday. Still open today, the pool is one of its most fascinating features.
Kaye: This book has not one, but two, strong female protagonists. Was it your intention to market it as women’s historical fiction?
Loretta: Yes, I’d always intended it to be historical fiction, which is what I enjoy reading as well. But it’s also part mystery and part romance, which brings other elements into the story.
Kaye: Is there a message that you hope for readers to walk away with from reading this book?
Loretta: As Mr. Rogers says, “Always look for the helpers.” No matter the situation, there have always been good people who help those in need. It’s just a matter of finding them.
Kaye: What was the biggest challenge for you when writing The French Winemaker’s Daughter?
Loretta: I had never been to France, so researching it was difficult. I read as much as I could, but Covid made if hard to visit. Finally, in 2022, I was able to go to France and visit every location where a scene in my book takes place. Being able to soak up the atmosphere was priceless.
Kaye: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Loretta: I enjoyed writing from two different character’s point of view and two different time periods, although it was challenging. But I found that it stretched my writing self, and I feel more accomplished in doing so. Also, doing research in France is the best!
Kaye: Where can readers who want to know more about you or about The French Winemaker’s Daughter find you online? (Please include links here.)
