Wrapping up the WordCrafter “Tales From the Hanging Tree” Book Blog Tour
Posted: September 13, 2024 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Dark fiction, Fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Horror, Paranormal, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Anthology, Blog Tour, Books, Fantasy, Science Fiction 10 Comments
Tour Schedule
Monday Sept. 9 – Writing to be Read – Reading Excerpt by Joseph Carrabis & Guest Sylva Fae
Tuesday Sept. 10 – Roberta Writes – Guest Kaye Lynne Booth
Wednesday Sept. 11 – Carla Reads – Guest C.R. Johansson
Thursday Sept. 12 – Undawnted – Guest Paul Kane
Friday Sept. 13 – Writing to be Read – Reading Excerpt by Dl Mullan & Guest Matt Usher
The Giveaway
Follow the tour and leave a comment at each stop you visit to let us know you were there and earn an entry in the giveaway for a free digital copy of Tales From the Hanging Tree.
About Tales From the Hanging Tree
Tales from the Hanging Tree is a wonderfully dark, themed anthology which revolves around an ephemeral and timeless hanging tree that absorbs the memories of all hanging victims. This WordCrafter Press anthology was created by invitation only and includes stories from authors Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Kane, DL Mullan, C.R. Johansson, Joseph Carrabis, Sylva Fae, and Matt Usher.
Book Trailer
Inspiration for Death for Sale, by Matt Usher
Hanging is harder than it looks. In media, you’re more likely to find your average strangulation hanging. This belies a long history of hanging development. Strangulation is more of an amateur, homespun kind of hanging. Many works in this collection consider this to great effect. Others prefer the cleaner solutions. They both have their appeal.
The history of hanging, dating back to at least Homer, converges in different nations to a common point of development. An odd form of mercy: you see, there’s the short drop, the medium drop, and the long drop of the famed “long drop, short stop”. This is because the merciful version of the art of hanging causes death by cervical fracture long before the patient can enjoy asphyxia. Cleaner that way. No risk of having to watch the hanged make a drama out of the proceedings.
The body’s weight does all the work, leaving the executioner to the simple task of pulling a lever. The English, masters of execution that they were, with a long, long history of hanging innocents, had it down to an exact science. The solution is to make a table that compares the soon to be departed’s height and weight to an array of possible drop distances. This was, of course, to avoid the chances of decapitation with a too-long drop, or a drawn-out death by a too-short one. Jolly humanism at its finest. Wouldn’t want to cause a mess. Unless you happen to fall athwart the long history of botched hangings. But hey, you can’t get it right all the time.
You’ll find plenty to learn about the history and morbid dynamics of hanging in this collection. In my own contribution that takes place in the near future, despite everything I’ve said, I’ve opted for a traditional death by strangulation. It just has that particular frisson. Makes your skin crawl. Others have plumped for the quick and painless style. Why be shy about it when you’re spoiled for choice? So much for the how of hanging; this anthology explores why. Even the Hanging Tree has its reasons.
About Matt Usher
Matt Usher is an agender creature in the big city. Before this, they had no other fiction publications. They write as a critic at Compulsive Reader. They cherish a love of the music of language and a polycule who are the dearest people in their life.
They are the strange sort of being that makes spreadsheets for fun. This is often in service of automatic calculations and data storage for traditional roleplaying games, their most important hobby. Collaborative creativity is one of their most valued things.
They play bass and trumpet, like pro wrestling, and write extremely nerdy poetry. They are immensely neurodivergent and rather queer.
Excerpt from “12 Angry Dead”, by DL Mullan
About DL Mullan
DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. Her lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lecture invitations. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. Currently, Ms. Mullan’s artistic renditions are seen on book covers, blog sites, and various merchandise. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate the way she perceives the creative arts.
As a writer, DL Mullan loves to stretch her imagination and the elasticity of genres. She writes complex multigenre stories in digestible and entertaining forms, be it poetry, short fiction, or novels. Her science, history, mythology, and paranormal research background is woven into her writings, especially in Undawnted’s Legacy Universe. Ms. Mullan’s creative endeavors are available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is also an award-winning poet.
Be sure to subscribe to her newsletters and follow her on social media. For further information, visit her at http://www.undawnted.com.
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That wraps up this stop and the WordCrafter Tales From the Hanging Tree Book Blog Tour. Thank you all for hanging around with us, and thanks to the contributors of the anthology for all their promotional efforts for this tour. Be sure to use the schedule above to go back and visit any stops that you missed, and don’t forget to comment so I know you were there and can enter you in the drawing for the giveaway. I’ll leave this open through the weekend and announce the winners in this month’s “WordCrafter News” on Monday, the 30th, so be watching for that. After all, you might be a winner!
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Day 4 of the WordCrafter “Tales From the Hanging Tree” Book Blog Tour
Posted: September 12, 2024 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Dark fiction, Fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Short Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | Tags: "The Hanging Men", Anthology, Dark fiction, Paul Kane, Tales from the Hanging Tree, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 2 CommentsToday we’re all ‘hanging around’ over at Undawnted for Day 4 of the WordCrafter Tales of the Hanging Tree Book Blog Tour with a guest post by contributing author Paul Kane about his story, “The Hanging Men”. Join us. (Please leave any comments here on Writing to be Read, as Undawnted is not comment enabled.)
http://www.undawnted.com/2024/09/paul-kanes-hanging-men-from.html
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Day 3 of the WordCrafter “Tales From the Hanging Tree” Book Blog Tour
Posted: September 11, 2024 Filed under: Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Dark fiction, Fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Short Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours Leave a commentToday we’re hanging around over at Carla Loves to Read for Day 3 of the WordCrafter Tales From the Hanging Tree Book Blog Tour with a guest post from C.R. Johansson about her story, “Therion’s Heart”. Won’t you join us?
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WordCrafter News: Winners of Surprise Giveaway & Projects for August
Posted: July 29, 2024 Filed under: Books, Children's Books, Dark fiction, Giveaways, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: 2024 Dark Fiction Anthology, Charlie Chickadee Finds a NEw Home, Heather Hummingbird Makes a NEw Friend, Kaye Lynne Booth, My Backyard Friends series, Tales from the Hanging Tree, Timothy Turtle Discovers JEllybeans, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press, Writing to be Read 2 Comments
Update for the WordCrafter My Backyard Friends Book Blog Tour
The WordCrafter My Backyard Friends Book Blog Tour was a lot of fun, but unfortunately, no one replied to the question posed at the last tour stop, on Writing to be Read, so there are no winners of the surprise giveaway to announce. And because we didn’t raise any money at the My Backyard Friends store for the print editions of the series, featuring Robbie Cheadle’s lovely illustrations, it looks like the books will only be available in ebook format for quite awhile, as I will not be printing them in black & white.
The My Backyard Friends store is gone, but you can still get digital copies of all three books from your favorite distributors at the following Books2Read purchase links.
Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird
Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle
Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee
*Note: Actively seeking reviewers for this series. If interested, please contact me at kayebooth@yahoo.com.
August Projects
August will be a lull for me with no new releases to peddle. But, I’ll be hard at work preparing the last two anthologies planned for release this year. Submissions have been read, edited and the last revisions are coming due. I will be compiling them for release in September and October.
Tales from the Hanging Tree – Release Date: September 10th, 2024
Tales from the Hanging Tree is an by invitation only, themed anthology which is based on the following premise:
You would think being a paranormal tree with a life spanning over eons since the beginning of time would be pretty boring, but I’m here to tell you, I am far from bored. I suppose if I was a normal tree, I would be, but you see, I am the hanging tree and I’ve absorbed the lives and memories of every hanging that has ever taken place throughout time. I see their lives, I share their joys, I feel their pain. It would be too much for a normal tree to absorb even one life, so I exist to absorb them all. And I have seen many.
I’ve seen those accused of being outlaws and witches, some guilty, some not. I’ve seen those hanged from pure hatred, due to the color of their skin or the lifestyle they chose. When lives are cut short by the hands of others, or by their own doing, there must be somewhere for their life memories to go. For hangings, that’s me.
A boring existence, no. An often painful one, yes. But here I stand in the plane between life and death, with no recourse but to experience the lives of all hanging victims over and over again. I can’t get away from them, so I thought perhaps they would be easier to bear if I shared them with you here.
Between these pages, you will find their tales, for better or for worse. Many different lives, many different stories, with one thing in common. None have a happy ending.
Featuring stories by Joseph Carrabis, Paul Kane, C.R. Johansson, Sylva Fae, DL Mullan, Robbie Cheadle, Matt Usher, and Kaye Lynne Booth.
2024 WordCrafter Dark Fiction Anthology – To Be Released in October
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Wrapping Up the WordCrafter My Backyard Friends Book Blog Tour
Posted: July 22, 2024 Filed under: Book Promotion, Book Release, Book Sales, Books, Children's Books, Fiction, Giveaways, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Charlie Chickadee Finds a NEw Home, Childrens Books, Heather Hummingbird Makes a NEw Friend, Kaye Lynne Booth, Kids Books, My Backyard Friends series, Robbie Cheadle, Timothy Turtle Discovers JEllybeans, WordCrafter Press 11 Comments
This is the final stop on the WordCrafter My Backyard Friends Book Blog Tour. So today, we’re just going to recap a few things about this series and meet the three characters who haven’t been introduced yet: Ethan Eagle from Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend, and Nancy Nuthatch and Katy Cat from Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans. At the other stops, you should have met all the main characters, plus Becky Beaver from Timothy Turtle and Nicholas Nuthatch from Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home. If you missed a stop or two, don’t worry. I’m including a tour schedule with links at the end of this post, in the wrap-up section. Also, before we go, I’ll reveal the surprise which I promised at the first stop. So with that in mind, let’s get on with the introductions.
But first, a reminder that you can buy direct at the My Backyard Friends Store while the tour is running and through July 24th. Discounted eBooks, pre-orders for signed print copies, (if we can raise enough to have them done in color. Monies for this item will be refunded, if not.), and the My Backyard Friends poster with all of your favorite characters.
About Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend
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.Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend is a picture book with a message of friendship and cooperation.
Heather Hummingbird and Ethan Eagle are two unlikely friends who discover that it is good to accept help from others and that is what friends are for.
If you miss the My Backyard Friends Store, which will disappear on Wednesday July 24th, you can get a digital copy of Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend through this retailer purchase link: https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird
Meet Ethan Eagle
Interview with Ethan Eagle
What type of eagle are you?
Isn’t it obvious? I am an American Bald Eagle; a national symbol, I am told.
You have lots of feathers covering your head. Why do they call you a bald eagle?
There are approximately two thousand feathers on my head, and they are all white. No other eagle has a white head. The label comes from the old English “balde” which means white.
Are American Bald Eagles and endangered species?
I am told that we are no longer endangered, although I still do not believe there are many of us. For a while there we were because humans were using some kinds of poisons that made their way up the food chain to us. It thinned the shells on our eggs so that they often were crushed under the weight of the mother sitting on them, causing our numbers to dwindle. My mother used to talk about how precious life was and how past generations struggled to keep their young alive and bring them to maturity, so us kids would not behave in a reckless manner once we learned to use our wings.
Eagles can fly very fast. Did your tiny hitchhiker slow you down much?
Not at all. Heather is only about three inches in size and I bet she only weighs about two and a half grams. I was woried at first that she might not be able to keep her hold at high wind speeds, since I have a six-foot plus wingspan and my cruizing speed is about thirty miles per hour, but she grasped some feathers with her tiny claws and tucked her body down into my underdown, leting the outer feathers block her from the wind. Heather is pretty smart for a hummingbird.
Why do you think yours and Heather’s is an unlikely friendship?
Normally, we larger birds of prey don’t bother ourselves much with birds as small as hummingbirds. When I first met Heather I found her kind of annoying. She never slowed down, and she spoke in quick, brief little snippits. She’d ask me a question and then zip away before I could answer. But the day she helped me, even when I did not believe there was anything she could do, changed the way I thought about hummingbirds, and Heather in particular.
Do you consider Heather to be your friend?
By all means. Eagles don’t have many friends. I believe we are intimidating to the smaller birds, even the hawks. We tend to be loners and we are territorial with our own kind, so we cannot ‘hang out’ together or the like. Heather is the only true friend I’ve ever had.
Fun Facts About Eagles
- American Bald Eagles can live up to 20-25 years.
- Bald Eagles have incredible eyesight, and can see in front of them and at a forty-five degree angle at the same time.
- Bald Eagles eat mostly fish, but they are also carrion eaters.
- “If a Bald Eagle catches a fish that is too heavy to lift, it may grasp the fish with its talons and use its wings like oars to swim to shore.” (“Fascinating Eagle FAQ”. National Eagle Center. https://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/learn/faq/)
- Bald Eagles have special circulation in their legs and talons which allows them to withstand very cold temperatures and stand on the ice for short periods of time.
You can meet Heather Hummingbird and learn more about hummingbirds here.
Meet Katy Cat
Interview with Katy Cat
It’s interesting that a cat is friends with a turtle. How did that come about?
I’ve known Timothy Turtle since he was not much bigger than a tadpole. Even when he was small, I couldn’t very well eat him, because of his hard shell. I’d swat him around with my paws, but I never did him any damage. As he got bigger, he’d come by my yard on his way to the raspberry patch, or the strawberry patch, or even sometimes he would visit the melon patch. No doubt about it. That boy has a terrible sweet tooth.
Why would you suggest Timothy to turn around in his shell?
Oh for heaven’s sake, I was kidding. He had a tummy ache, and I just said that he might feel better if his tummy were in the round part of his shell. I didn’t think he could actually do it. My girl, Kimmy, called me and I had to run. Kimmy gets upset when I make her wait. When I came back, I found Timothy in a terrible bind, but I have to admit, it was kind of funny, too.
You know, I agreed to come answer your questions, but I don’t think I like what you’re implying. I might have been teasing him a little, like I always do, but I waasn’t being spiteful or mean. I don’t think I want to answer anymore of your questions.
And with a flip of her tail Katy Cat has left the building.
Fun Facts About Cats
- Cats can run up to 30 mph for short distances.
- Cats use their whiskers to sense changes in the air through vibrations.
- Adult cats can leap up to 5 or 6 feet in the air, distances up to six times their body length, especially with a running start.
- “Cats have three eyelids. The third eyelid is known as the palpebra tertia or the nictitating membrane, or more simply the haw. It’s common in animals and helps to keep the lens surface clean and moist.” (“39 Amazing Facts About Cats That You May Not Know”. I Heart Cats. https://iheartcats.com/amazing-facts-about-cats/)
- The bumps and ridges on a cat’s nosepad is unique, like a human’s fingerprints.
- Cats sweat through their paw pads.
- Cats have 32 different ear muscles and can rotate their ears 180 degrees.
- One study claims that male cats are left-pawed, while females are right-pawed.
- Cats sleep 12 – 16 hours per day, about 70% of their lives, and they dream. Science believes the dream about cat stuff like hunting a mouse or running for a food bowl, when their paws twtch in their sleep.
- Cats make over 100 vocal sounds and each one has meaning.
- The oldest known evidence of a pet cat was discovered by archeologists near Cyprus in 2004, and it predates Egyptian cat art by 4000 years.
- Cats walk like camels and giraffes with a pacing gate, meaning they move both feet on one side, then the other.
- Ancient Egyptians shaved off their eyebrows in mourning when their cats died.
About Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans
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.Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans is a picture book with a moral message from a young turtle’s perspective.
Meet Timothy Turtle, who has a sweet tooth. He eats too many jelly beans and finds himself in a pickle. His friends Katy Cat and Betsy Beaver try to help, and Timothy learns that you can get too much of a good thing.
If you miss the My Backyard Friends Store, which will disappear on Wednesday July 24th, you can get a digital copy of Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans through this retailer purchase link: https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle
Meet Nancy Nuthatch
Interview with Nancy Nuthatch
Why did you agree to take time out of your busy day to help Timothy Turtle?
What else was I going to do? Let him starve? I had to forage and find insects for my hatchlings anyway. It didn’t take that much time to drop him an insect or two each day. They were enough to keep him alive, but not enough to let him gain weight until his tummy shrunk down to size.
Do you know Nicolas Nuthatch?
I should hope so. He’s my little brother. He’s more of a softie than I am. That’s how he met his friend Charlie Chickadee. The little guy needed a hand and Nick was there to offer one. They’ve been best friends ever since, even though they have a big age difference. I think Charlie looks up to Nick. I can’t complain. Charlie has always been a good kid.
As for me, I see Timothy around here and there. I’m sure he’s grateful for my help with his dilemma, but it’s not like he’s my best friend for life or anything. If I had to do it again, I would. It might not be such a bad thing to be a softie.
Fun Facts About Female Nuthatches
- Nuthatches lay 5 – 9 eggs each breeding season. The female sits on the nest and incubates the eggs for 12-14 days, while the male brings food to the nest for her. They have one brood per year.
- Both parents feed the youngsters until they are ready to leave the nest between 14-26 days. Young are fed a diet made up entirely of insects and spiders.
- Pairs mate for life and remain together year round. Mating behaviors begin in late winter, as early as January in some areas. Male raises his head and spreads his tail feathers, droops his wings, sways back and forth, and bows deeply to his mate in courtship. He may also feed her when courting. (“The White-Breasted Nuthatch”. Audobon. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/white-breasted-nuthatch#)
- Nuthatches nest in large natural cavities or vacated woodpecker holes. The females line the nest with bark fibers, grasses, twigs and hair. And they sweep the nest inside and out with insects crushed in their beaks. It is believed that the chemical secretions fend off predators.
Meet Timothy Turtle and learn more about turtles here.
Meet Becky Beaver and learn more about beavers here.
About Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home
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. Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home is a story of survival from a young bird’s perspective.
Charlie Chickadee is happy with his family in their cozy nest. But whem the violet-green swallows thake the nest for their own, Charlie finds himself alone, seperated from his parents and on his own to face the dangers of the forest. His new friend Nicholas Nuthatch shows him the ropes and teaches him about the other birds and the woman who puts out food each day, and by a stroke of liuck, Charlie discovers the perfect spot and builds a new nest that he can be proud of.
If you miss the My Backyard Friends Store, which will disappear on Wednesday July 24th, you can get a digital copy of Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home through this retailer purchase link: https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee
Meet Charlie Chickadee and learn more about chickadees here.
Meet Nicholas Nuthatch and learn more about nuthatches here.
Wrap-Up
That about wraps things up for the tour. If you’ve followed the tour, you’ve met all the characters introduced in the first three books in the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series. While we had them all together for the tour, we also put together a cool poster, kind of like a group photo, in honor of the tour. Every kid would love to have this poster, featuring Robbie Cheadles wonderful illustrations, on their wall. But you can only get this fabulous poster at the My Backyard Friends Store until July 24th, so get one for each of the kids in your life now.
But wait! There’s one more surprise to reveal.
Surprise Giveaway!
Tell me in the comments which character is your favorite and the most interesting thing you learned about them during the tour for a chance to win one of two digital sets of all three books in a random drawing. After the tour ends, I’ll leave the comments open until Wednesday, so that everyone will have time to go back and visit stops they missed and get their comments in. The winners will be announced in my August segment of “WordCrafter News” on Monday July 29th, along with who the most popular character turns out to be.
Tour Schedule
Monday – July 15 – Writing to be Read – Release Party & My Backyard Friends Store
Tuesday – July 16 – Roberta Writes – Mini-interview with Nicholas & Heather guest post by Kaye Lynne Booth
Wednesday – July 17 – Undawnted – Mini-interview with Heather Hummingbird & Review
Thursday – July 18 – Robbie’s Inspiration – Mini-interview with Becky Beaver & Timothy guest post by Kaye Lynne Booth
Friday – July 19 – Undawnted – Mini-interview with Timothy Turtle & review
Saturday – July 20 – Carla Loves to Read – Charlie guest post by Kaye Lynne Booth & reviews x3
Sunday – July 21 – Undawnted – Mini-interview with Charlie Chickadee & review
Monday – July 22 – Writing to be Read – Mini-interviews w/ Ethan Eagle, Nancy Nuthatch, and Katy Cat & Wrap up
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Winners of the Wordcrafter “Sarah” Book Blog Tour Giveaway & a Reminder
Posted: May 12, 2024 Filed under: Blog Tour, Books, Fiction, Giveaways, Historical Fiction, Historical Inspiration, Western, Women in History, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Giveaway, Historical Fiction, Historical Inspiration, Kaye Lynne Booth, Sarah, Western, Women in the West, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 9 Comments
We had a great tour for Sarah: Book 2 of the Women in the West Adventure Series, although I would have liked to see a bigger turnout. I enjoyed sharing about myself and about the research and inspiration behind the book with all of you, and I may have made new friends along the way. Thanks to everyone who participated for helping me launch this wonderful book.
The Winners Are…
Each comment on the tour earned an entry in the tour giveaway and a chance to receive a free digital copy of Sarah. So without futher ado…
Drumroll Please.
The winners of the WordCrafter Sarah Book Blog Tour are…
- Author Jan Sikes
- Priscilla Bettis
- Thomastigwikman
Congratulations to the winners!
Please contact me at kayebooth@yahoo.com to receive your free digital copy of Sarah.
Reminder
Today is the last day for tour participants to get a signed print copy of Sarah: Book 2 of the Women in the West Adventure Series. This is an exclusive offer for the tour – my way of saying thanks for your support. Tomorrow it will no longer be available, so get ’em while you can!
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Day 4 of the WordCrafter “Sarah” Book Blog Tour
Posted: May 9, 2024 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Fiction, Giveaways, Historical Fiction, Western, Women in History, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 16 CommentsIt’s Day 4 of the WordCrafter Sarah Book Blog Tour and I’m pleased to welcome you all back to Writing to be Read for my post on ‘Modern Medicine’ & Women’s Suffrage in the American West, and how they played a part in the book. But first, I have something special to offer today. A special thank you for dropping in and following the tour, not available anywhere else. The offer is only available through Sunday and then the PayPal button will be gone, so get your copy now.
‘Modern Medicine’ & Women’s Suffrage in the American West
As Hair of Fire, Sarah had been the acolyte of the Ute Medicine Woman. She earns her keep in Glenwood Springs by using these healing skills, which are gladly accepted by the women of the community, who are tired of being but not so well received by most of the men. They rejected her primitive heathen ways in favor of methods of ‘modern medicine’ practiced by the overpriced and overrated doctor. When I looked at what these “modern” practices consisted of, I had to wonder if the primitive methods were much more inferior.
Female Hysteria
Many of the values in the west had been handed down from the Victorian era, and women were expected to don any number of binding and uncomfortable undergarments to appear prim and proper. Respectable women and soiled doves of the higher classes were forced to wear tight-laced corsets, layers of petticoats and bustles – the former, by their husbands, and the later by their employers. It was house rules at the Old Homestead House brothel in Cripple Creek, Colorado, that ladies weren’t allowed into the parlor and entertainment areas of the house without proper corseted attire.
Corsets were binding, especially when crossed-laced and pulled tight to give the women the hourglass figure that was the trend at the time, cutting off breath, and sometimes even fracturing ribs. Most homes and brothels were furnished with at least one fainting couch, as light-headedness and fainting were common experiences for women of the day.
Men of the day attributed fainting spells and any other female behaviors they didn’t deem appropriate to female hysteria, one of the most common diagnosed illnesses for women through the 18th and 19th centuries. Fainting, headaches, backaches, anxiety, depression, infertility, and even a fondness of writing might be attributed to the ‘disorder’ of female hysteria.
There were a variety of treatments which might be prescribed for this malady, which didn’t seem to affect persons of the male gender, but was specific to the fairer sex, including rest and isolation, dietary changes, ‘hysteric hypnosis’, hydrotherapy, pelvic massage, and ‘vibratory massage’.
- The ‘rest cures’ often involved lying immobilized for extended periods of time, isolating the afflicted away from societal view indefinitely.
- The use of ‘hysteric hypnosis’ involved women being placed under hypnosis in search of past traumas as the root of the affliction.
- Cold showers, warm baths, and localized water sprays were utilized in hydrotherapy to reduce nervousness and anxiety, and restore equilibrium.
- ‘Vibratory Massage’ and Pelvic massage were the most common treatments prescribed for the treatment of hysteria. They involved manual or mechanical manipulation of the female pelvic regions, the goal being to relax the subject and release tension. Treatments were performed by male doctors on female patients, so it is not surprising that these were the most commonly prescribed. Perhaps the women probably weren’t complaining about these treatments. They may have been quite pleasant to undergo. But, when their symptoms didn’t seem to decrease with repeated treatments, you would think the men might have had second thoughts.
The Women’s Suffrage Movement
In 1887, the women’s suffrage movement was a ripple which would eventually become a huge wave across the nation, earning women the right to vote and giving them voices that demanded to be heard over time. Most women in the American West at this time were wives and mothers, or lived in their parents’ or relatives’ homes, although there were some, like my characters Lillian and her girls, or Big Nose Kate, who found themselves alone in the world after husbands or parents passed on, or chose to strike out on their own, independent of a man. With few options to make a living, many of these women were prostitutes or madams.
In the story of Sarah, it doesn’t take long for a young girl used to living among the Utes, where the women wore comfortable clothing to necessitate free movement to carry out the day-to-day tasks of tribal living to put ideas in the heads of the women of Glenwood Springs and stir them into action. To find out what happens though, you’ve got to read the book. 😉
References
“Treating Hysteria in the 19th Century: Methods and Controversies”. 19th Century Events and Developments. https://19thcentury.us/hysteria-treatment-19th-century/
“The Classification of Hysteria and Related Disorders: Historical and Phenomenal Considerations”. The National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4695775/
Baloh, Robert W. 1 December 2020. “The Golden Age of Histeria”. Spring Link. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-59181-6_3
“Overview: Medicine 1800-1899”. Encyclopedia.com. https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/overview-medicine-1800-1899 Cohut, Maria PhD. 13 October 2020. “The Controversy of ‘Female Hysteria’”. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/the-controversy-of-female-hysteria
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About the Book
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.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/Sarah-Women-in-the-West
About the Author
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. 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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That wraps up today’s stop on the WordCrafter Sarah Book Blog Tour. I hope that you enjoyed learning about American frontier life in the 1880s. Join us tomorrow over on Patty’s Worlds, where Patty interviews me and reviews the book.
Don’t forget to leave a comment for an entry in the giveaway and a chance to win a free digital copy of Sarah. You can comment and enter at each stop. If you missed a stop, you can access them all from the links in the Schedule below.
Schedule
Mon. May 6 – “The Soiled Doves of the American West” – Writing to be Read
Tues. May 7 – “Utes in Glenwood Springs & the Legend of Chapita” – Roberta Writes
Wed. May 8 – Interview & Reading – Book Places
Thurs. May 9 – “‘Modern Medicine’ in the American West” – Writing to be Read
Fri. May 10 – Interview & Review – Patty’s Worlds
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Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!
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Day 3 of the WordCrafter “Sarah” Book Blog Tour
Posted: May 8, 2024 Filed under: Audio Excerpt, Author Interview, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Fiction, Giveaways, Historical Fiction, Historical Inspiration, Interview, Western, Women in History, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Audio Reading, Author Interview, Excerpt, Historical Fiction, Kaye Lynne Booth, Sarah, Western, Women in the West, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours Leave a commentPlease join us over at Book Places for Day 3 of the WordCrafter Sarah Book Blog Tour, where host Kay Castenada interviews me, the author, Kaye Lynne Booth, and my reading of an excerpt from the book. Remember to comment for entry in the giveaway and you could get a free digital copy of the book. I hope to see you there.
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Welcome to the WordCrafter “Sarah” Book Blog Tour
Posted: May 6, 2024 Filed under: Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Fiction, Giveaways, Historical Fiction, Western, Women in History, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Historical Fiction, Kaye Lynne Booth, Sarah, western adventure, Women in History, Women in the West, Women in the West adventure series, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 18 CommentsWelcome to the WordCrafter Sarah Book Blog Tour, where we’re celebrating the release of Book 2 in my Women in the West adventure series. We’ve got a five day tour planned and at every stop you can learn more about me, the author, and learn interesting historical facts which inspired my settings and characters through an interview, guest posts, and a review or two, and I’ll be giving away three digital copies of Sarah in the giveaway. You can follow the tour through the schedule below, but the links won’t work until each post goes live.
Tour Schedule
Mon. May 6 – “The Soiled Doves of the American West” – Writing to be Read
Tues. May 7 – “Utes in Glenwood Springs & the Legend of Chapita” – Roberta Writes
Wed. May 8 – Interview & Reading – Book Places
Thurs. May 9 – “‘Modern Medicine’ in the American West” – Writing to be Read
Fri. May 10 – Interview & Review – Patty’s Worlds
Giveaway
Leave a comment at each tour stop for five chances to win a free digital copy of Sarah.
The Soiled Doves of the American West
Prostitution in the Old West
In Colorado, the mining town of Cripple Creek had over 300 prostitutes in 1894, and it was home to one of the most high-end brothels in the mining towns of Colorado. The clients were taken by appointment only and were put through a thorough screening process where their finances were scrutinized, as well as their references. Appointments started at $200 an hour and the gentlemen had to have at least a million dollars in the bank to get one. The Old Homestead House brothel was run by the infamous Pearl DeVere and housed five women who squeezed into their corsets, petticoats and fancy dresses every evening to offer their ‘services’ for sale. The girls entertained in luxury on the ground floor, with music provided by the girls, gambling and alcohol available for their enjoyment, but the real entertainment occured on the second floor, in the girl’s rooms.
Although their profession was illegal, authorities and town founders chose to look the other way and add fees, fines and taxes and taxes collected to the town coiffers. Permits were required ply their trade for both madams and doves, and each girl had to undergo a weekly or monthly exam by the town doctor to be cleared for the permit, all of course, at a cost. There was a designated shopping day when the ‘respectable’ ladies stayed indoors so as not to be offended by their presence, and a ‘dove’ caught on the streets on a different day would bring a fine not only upon herself, but upon her madam, as well. And donations made to local causes such as church and school by the madam kept the ‘respectable’ ladies from complaining too much about the very existence of the houses of ill repute.
Less fortunate women in the profession, who did not work in such a high-end establishment were found up and down the street They received less for their services, with small make-shift shacks in which to entertain their customers. Independent doves who had no madam to offer a place to offer their services and provide protection from unsavory types, might provide services in the shadows of an alley for as little as a dollar gold piece.
Meet Big Nose Kate
Big Nose Kate Horony is one of the historical characters which the Women in the West adventure series is known for. In real life, she was an independent prostitute and one-time Madam, who made her own way in the west and was companion to the infamous John Henry “Doc” Holliday, and her portrayal in Sarah, as ‘the woman behind the man’ is a true and accurate story. Kate was there, and she really did go into the hills of the surrounding canyon and gather firewood to sell in order to keep a roof over Doc’s head as he lay dying of tuberculosis, too weak to practice his trade as a gambler.
One of the fascinating things about the Women in the West adventure series is the fact that there is a true-life historical female character in a supporting role, along with the strong female protagonist in each book. In Sarah, the supporting historical character is Mary Katherine Horony, (Big Nose Kate), who was the consort of the infamous dentist, gambler, and gunfighter, John Henry (Doc) Holliday. In this case, our character was the woman behind the man, and is little known for her own merit.
Born Mary Katherine Horoney on November 7, 1850, who lived in Mexico as a child, she was the daughter of a the personal surgeon to the Emporer Maximillian until her family immigrated to Iowa when she was 10. As the daughter of a prominant surgeon, Kate was educated and it is said that she spoke several languages.
At the age of 15, she and her younger siblings were orphaned when both of their parents died within a few months of each other, and the children were split up and placed into foster care. But Kate ran away within a year, and she and her sister traveled to St. Louis and by 1869, in a time when there were few opportunities for females to earn a living. A self-sufficient woman in the rough and tumble of the American west, Kate worked as a dance hall girl, a prostitute, or just about any way she could to make a buck.
In Texas, she crossed paths with John Henry “Doc” Holliday, a dentist turned gambler, who became a notorious gunfighter, and they were traveling companions, on and off, until his dying days. A strong woman with a hot Hungarian temper, she and Doc had their ups and downs as they frequented saloons and gambling houses in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, living a life of vice and liquor. Even so, Kate was always there to back up Doc’s play, even setting a she on fire to distract his guards and breaking him out of house arrest to avaoid a lynch mob, after he stabbed a man who accused him of cheating at cards. It is said that for a time, Kate even had her own bordello in Tombstone, before she reunited with Doc after one of their many seperations.
When Doc was dying in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, a friend contacted her and she traveled to Glenwood Springs to care for her destitute lifelong companion, gathering firewood in the nearby hills to cover his room and board when he could no longer support himself. And that is where my fictional character of Sarah, or Hair of Fire, meets Kate in my story, after a harrowing ordeal of survival through the mountains of Colorado.
You can learn more about Kate and Doc in my guest post from the tour for Delilah: Book 1 on Kay Castenada’s Book Places blog site.
References
Brinks, Mellissa. 23 September, 2021. “What Life Was Really Like as an Old West Saloon Girl”. Ranker. https://www.ranker.com/list/life-of-a-wild-west-saloon-girl/melissa-brinks
Whitley, Carla Jean. 10 March 2017. “To Doc From Kate – But Who Was Kate?” Post Independent. https://www.postindependent.com/news/local/to-doc-from-kate/
Hughs, Jessica. 11 September 2022. “10 Authentic Old West Towns”. Uncover Colorado. https://www.uncovercolorado.com/wild-west-towns-in-colorado/
Old Homestead House Museum, Cripple Creek, Colorado,
Bowmaster, Patrick A. “A Fresh Look at ‘Big Nose Kate'”. Tombstone History Archives. http://www.tombstonehistoryarchives.com/a-fresh-look-at-big-nose-kate.html
Van Ostrand, Maggie. 2017. “Katie Elder a.k.a. Big Nose Kate, Her True Story”. Goose Flats Graphics & Publishing. Southern Arizona Guide: https://southernarizonaguide.com/katie-elder-her-true-story-by-maggie-van-ostrand/
Williams, Joseph A. “The Real Story of Doc Holliday and Big Nose Kate”. Old West. https://www.oldwest.org/doc-holliday-big-nose-kate/
“Big Nose Kate – Doc Holliday’s Sidekick”. Legends of America. https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bignosekate/
28 February 2022. “Couples with History: Glewood Springs Loves Stories”. Glenwood Springs Blog. https://visitglenwood.com/blog/2022/02/couples-with-history-glenwood-springs-love-stories/
“The True Story of Katie Elder”. Notes from the Frontier. https://www.notesfromthefrontier.com/post/the-true-story-of-katie-elder
Book Trailer
About the Book
Sarah is a young girl trying to make a place for herself in the world.
Sarah is not the young girl who was 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 with the Utes, 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.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/Sarah-Women-in-the-West
About the Series
The Women in the West adventure series features strong female protagonists in a setting filled with hardship, which many believed did not fit well with the female constitution. Women on the frontier were few, and most of those were included in a family unit. Single and widowed women did exist on the frontier, as did those whose husbands just never came home for whatever reason, went back to the family unit in most cases. Women who chose to go it alone, defying societal expectations were rare. Those who did, chose a hard life and had to have backbone to survive.
While my protagonists are fictional, they are representative of strong women who did make a way for themselves, out of choice or necessity, and each book introduces a fictionalized version of one such historical female character who plays a supporting role in the story. In Delilah, it was Baby Doe Tabor. In Sarah, it is Big Nose Kate. And Marta will feature Clara Brown.
About the Author
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; Book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. 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.
That wraps up the first stop on the tour. Thank you all for joining us. Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance at a free digital copy of the book. Join us tomorrow over at [ ], where I’ll be guest posting on how the history of the Ute Indians helped me choose my settings.
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Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!
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WordCrafter News: May Release & a Kickstarter Campaign
Posted: April 29, 2024 Filed under: Book Release, Books, Giveaways, Historical Fiction, Kickstarter, Nonfiction, Western, Women in History, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press, Writing Leave a commentMay Release
The release of Sarah is finally approaching. The Kickstarter for Sarah didn’t fund, so if you’ve been waiting for a copy of Book 2 in this western historical women’s fiction series, Women in the West, you’ll be as pleased as I will be when May 7th roles around and Sarah becomes available through all the major distributors. Of course, we’ll be holding a book blog tour to send it off right May 6th – 10th, so be sure to drop by and join in on the fun for interviews, reviews, blog posts and a great giveaway.
Pre-Order Now: https://books2read.com/u/3RXlRx
Sarah is a young girl trying to make a place for herself in the world.
Sarah is not the young girl who was 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 with the Utes, 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.
Kickstarter Campaign
I’ll be running a Kickstarter campaign for The D.I.Y. Author May 19th – June 8. When you back a Kickstarter project, not only do you show your support for the author, but you also get cool stuff not available anywhere else. The exclusive Kickstarter rewards for Sarah’s campaign include early digital copies, signed print copies, author services at huge discounts, and more.
If you’re an author who hasn’t hit six figures yet, looking for ways to build your author business and make it grow, this writer’s reference is for you. In it I share my journey from published poet and blogger to published author and independent publisher along with tips and suggestions from my own research and experience. When you can’t afford to outsource, you must learn to do it yourself. In The D.I.Y. Author, I share with you ways to learn the needed skills to build an author business, and you too, can be a D.I.Y. author.
About the D.I.Y. Author
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 learning the business of being an author.
Topics Include:
Becoming Prolific
Writing Tools
Outlining
Making Quality a Priority
Publishing Models & Trends
Marketing Your Book
Book Covers & Blurbs
Book Events—In Person & Virtual
And more…
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If you’d like to show your support for this author, you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee. All support is appreciated.
