Wednesday, February 24, 2016

SPOTLIGHT: Searching for Vivian by Babette Hughes


Publisher: Lamplight Press (February 25, 2016)
137 Pages




Blurb


In 1966, seventeen year old Vivian Russell disappeared like smoke. The seemingly senseless murder of her parents in their home in Cleveland, Ohio was as unexplainable as her vanishing act in its aftermath. Her younger sister, Emma-traumatized by the horrific event- grows into a capable and relentless investigator who decides to do whatever it takes to find her. Her search takes her through the turbulent sixties- Viet Nam, The Black Panthers, dead ends, and bank jobs. Along the way, she finds herself and, whether she is prepared for it or not, the truth.   




About the Author



Born in Cleveland Ohio, Babette Hughes grew up in the time of Prohibition and bootleggers. Her father was one of the first bootleggers in the country, and was murdered by the Mafia in a turf war at the age of 29. Babette was just two at the time. 

Writing has allowed her to draw from her unusual life experiences to create her characters and tell their stories (and sometimes cautionary tales) in vivid detail. 

Now 93, she writes every day with fluidity and grace.  “The truth is liberating, but sometimes elusive.” She explains. “I’m always looking for it and how to best write about it, and I probably always will.”



Links:





SEARCHING FOR VIVIAN
By

Babette Hughes

Chapter 1

1966
 The Cleveland Press called the murders senseless because the Russells had no known enemies
  and lord knows there wasn’t much to steal; all they had was a pickup, an old black and white TV with one snowy channel and little else. A detective was quoted in the article speculating that perhaps the killers had gone to the wrong house in some kind of a tragic mistake. But the baffling part was that the murdered couples oldest daughter, Vivian, 17, home from school with a cold that day, had vanished like smoke.
            But events like that, tragic and bizarre as they are, are soon forgotten, except perhaps when someone passes the house and wonders whatever happened to Vivian Russell. Sometimes someone hints knowingly that the Russells were drug dealers, or fences, or Russian spies. (The more years that transpired the more exotic the theories.) But for the most part people went on about their lives and, of course, as the years passed there were those too young or too new in town to have even heard of the murders or of Vivians disappearance.
             Even her sister, ten-year-old Emma, seemed to leave it behind. Even from the beginning. Even from the first day when she came home from school on a sunny Tuesday afternoon and found neighbors staring behind yellow police tape. Her parents bloody bodies were being carried on gurneys into an ambulance. Her big sister was gone. Struggling with her own grief, her Aunt Eleanor couldn’t understand the childs stoicism and as the weeks and months passed she worried about her more and more. It isn’t natural, she complained to her husband--it isn’t normal for a ten year old not to cry and carry on, not to grieve. The child acted as if she were just visiting her aunt and uncle as she sometimes did when her parents were alive; as if she hadn’t just lost her mother and father; as if her own sister hadn’t vanished into thin air. Although Thad Fisher was as shocked as anyone else over his in-laws murders, the truth is that he never really liked them and was secretly rather pleased to have them out of his life. They were damn hippies as far as he was concerned and it infuriated him the way Ellie ran over there all the time when they were alive. He had no objection to taking Emma in where could the kid go? She was a quiet, well-behaved ten-year-old, a bit dull for his taste, but a small eater and so quiet you forgot she was aroundactually an easy kid for a childless couple past middle age to raise. And she was someone Ellie could chatter to and leave him in peace.
            Still, it annoyed him the way the child refused to let Ellie out of her sight, following her from room to room, even coming into their bedroom at night in her white nightgown like an undersized ghost. After he locked their bedroom door she wailed and beat on it until she fell asleep on the floor and Thad carried her into her own bed.
            Ellie had eagerly welcomed Emmas arrival. Like many childless women she envied her friends who had children; she even envied the problems and commotion and mess they complained about. She thought of her sisters murder and Emmas sudden arrival as a kind of terrible deal from God; she lost her sister but received the child she had prayed for. Quiet and small, transparent almost, Emma seemed to take up less room than the beautiful big doll Ellie had bought her the day after she arrived, which Emma ignored. So she offered her a puppy and then a kitten, but the child merely shook her head.
            She tried to get her to talk about what happened. She tried to get her to ask questions about that terrible day. She wished the girl would grieve so she could comfort her. Or just cry. Something. Anything. But it was as if her family had been mysteriously wiped from Emmas mind like an eraser on chalkboard leaving the same cloudy, formless residue.
            Ellie took Emma to a psychiatrist who specialized in treating traumatized children; a Doctor Isabelle Dryer. She drove her to her office on Fairmount Boulevard twice a week until Dr. Dryer told her that although Emma came dutifully, she simply would not talk about the loss of her family and that after almost six months any further sessions would be a waste of Mrs. Fishers money and her time.
             Her aunt went to PTA meetings and teacher conferences and Home Room Nights like a mom and bragged to Thad about Emmas As. (Who didn’t seem very impressed at this information; his disapproval of Emmas parents hung in the air like fog.) Emma always hurried home after school to be with her Aunt Ellie. She liked her quick hugs and jokes; she liked seeing her in the shining, good-smelling kitchen in her high heals and sheer hose that she wore even around the house, even to the super market. (Ellie had beautiful legs the way some heavy-set women do.) She liked the way she sat down with her at the round yellow kitchen table while they talked and ate her freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Evenings, as Ellie prepared dinner, Emma followed her around the kitchen, putting lids back on jars, returning milk to the refrigerator, wiping the counter, sweeping the floor as the Mixmaster whirled, driving Ellie crazy.
             She put up with Emmas constant presence wondering if the child associated disorder with the blood and violence of her parents’ deaths. The child lived in a state of discipline and order, doing her homework, volunteering to clean blackboards and empty trash at school, cleaning her room, pressing her blouses. Where there were no rules, she made them up as if she had to be this perfect child or she would get lost in the world like Vivian.
            Her room was always in perfect order, clothes hung according to type, (school, gym class, dressy for dinners out with her aunt and uncle) color and season; the hangers all uniformly plastic, her shoes lined up by season and color (and later heal height although they didn’t exceeded an inch and a half). She catalogued her aunts recipes by soups, appetizers, entrees and desserts, and then alphabetized them within each category. She began to arrange them again by calorie and cholesterol count until her aunt stopped her. She organized and indexed the Fishers record collection according to type (classical, jazz, show tunes, operas, soloists.) She arranged books on their shelves not only by fiction, non-fiction and authors, but also by genres: mystery, horror, biography, (separated from autobiography) science fiction, politics, literary classics. She even created a section of books made into films. Her aunt and uncle shook their heads at each other and refused to let her into their closets or Thads den.
Emma did her best to act like a normal kid so everyone would leave her alone; still she refused to sign up for extra-curricular activities at school, her fantasy life more interesting than any chess club or work on the school paper. In a favorite daydream Uncle Thad died of a mysterious illness leaving her Aunt Ellie all to herself. When the telephone rang she imagined it was Vivian calling to say she was back from a trip to San Francisco or New York. Sometimes it was England. She pretended that her parents were divorced and that one of them would come back for her, or that they sailed to England on the Queen Mary like Patricia in her Social Studies class who stood up and bragged about her parents trip. Sometimes she pretended that her parents were both killed in a respectable car crash that wasn’t their fault. Half aware that her daydreams were an excessive and neurotic substitute for reality, they were so sweet and satisfying that if they also 

REVIEW: Blog Tour - The Vatican Princess by C.W. Gortner

The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia by C.W. Gortner


02_The Vatican Princess

Publication Date: February 9, 2016 
Ballantine Books 
Hardcover, Ebook, Audiobook 
400 Pages 
 Genre: Historical Fiction


  Add to GR Button    


Blurb



Infamy is no accident. It is a poison in our blood. It is the price of being a Borgia.

Glamorous and predatory, the Borgias fascinated and terrorized 15th-century Renaissance Italy. Lucrezia Borgia, beloved daughter of the pope, was at the center of the dynasty’s ambitions. Slandered as a heartless seductress who lured men to their doom, was she in fact the villainess of legend, or was she trapped in a familial web, forced to choose between loyalty and survival? With the ascension of the Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, the new pope’s illegitimate children—his rival sons, Cesare and Juan, and beautiful young daughter Lucrezia—assume an exalted position in the papal court. Privileged and adored, Lucrezia yearns to escape her childhood and play a part in her family’s fortunes. But Rome is seductive and dangerous: Alliances shift at a moment’s notice as Italy’s ruling dynasties strive to keep rivals at bay. As Lucrezia’s father faces challenges from all sides, he’s obliged to marry her off to a powerful adversary. But when she discovers the brutal truth behind her alliance, Lucrezia is plunged into a perilous gambit that will require all her wits, cunning, and guile. Escaping her marriage offers the chance of happiness with a passionate prince of Naples, yet as scandalous accusations of murder and incest build against her, menacing those she loves, Lucrezia must risk everything to overcome the lethal fate imposed upon her by her Borgia blood. Beautifully wrought, rich with fascinating historical detail, The Vatican Princess is the first novel to describe Lucrezia’s coming-of-age in her own voice—a dramatic, vivid tale set in an era of savagery and unparalleled splendor, where enemies and allies can be one and the same, and where loyalty to family can ultimately be a curse.


AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | INDIEBOUND



My Review



The Vatican Princess by C.W. Gortner was a five star read right from the beginning. I was completely pulled into the time of the Borgias, and I loved every minute of it! I have read several historical fiction novels about the Borgias, and this is by far my favorite. I love that it’s told from Lucrezia’s point of view, rather than a secondary (or made up) historical figure. With the amount of research that the author obviously put into writing this novel, you can really allow yourself to believe that Lucrezia is truly telling the story, and that it is HER voice. Rather than portray Lucrezia as a ‘man-eater’, evil, or disdainful and conceited, as some other novels about the Borgias do, this novel shows her almost as a victim (though she's not weak) of a family who has controlled and mapped out her entire life. Her father has the power to give her happiness or to take it away, and her brothers are men used to getting what they want, even if it is forbidden. The power these men have over her life could have destroyed her, but she refused to let it. To me, this version of Lucrezia makes the most sense. The idea that she was a shrewd and vindictive woman who poisoned her enemies never felt right to me. I always envisioned her as a strong and intelligent female who was held back due to the era in which she lived. Through this novel I felt like I really was able to really get to ‘know’ the different members of her family as well Lucrezia. I must be honest though, in my mind as I was reading, I was picturing the actors from the Showtime series The Borgias!

Any fan of historical fiction will love this novel. I have read elsewhere that books about the Borgias are overdone recently, but I cannot agree. C.W. Gortner shows the Borgias through a fresh lens, and has created a novel that brings this fascinating family back to life. Five out of Five stars without a doubt!


Praise


"Assiduously researched and expertly crafted . . . . This unholy plunge into Rome's darkest dynasty is wholly engrossing." - Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author 


"A spider web of Renaissance intrigue with a legendary cast . . . Impressive research, a lush background, and deft characterization make for a fascinating read." - Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author 


"Elegantly written and deeply researched . . . Renaissance Italy is vividly brought to life. I’m captivated by this knowledgeable author’s take on the controversial Borgias." - Alison Weir, NYT bestselling author



About the Author



03_CW GortnerC.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco. After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels. In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences in the US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding. Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats. For more information visit C.W. Gortner’s website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twittter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and YouTube. Sign up for C.W. Gortner’s Newsletter for updates.



Blog Tour Schedule



Monday, February 15
Blog Tour Kick-Off at The Maiden's Court
Tuesday, February 16
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Interview at Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, February 17
Review at Unshelfish
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Thursday, February 18
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Monday, February 22
Review at Luxury Reading
Tuesday, February 23
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Wednesday, February 24
Review at The Lit Bitch
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Thursday, February 25
Review at A Bookish Affair
Friday, February 26
Review at Broken Teepee
Review at To Read, Or Not to Read
Interview at A Bookish Affair



04_The Vatican Princess_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Monday, February 22, 2016

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Blog Tour - Seven Will Out by JoAnn Spears

Seven Will Out: A Renaissance Revel by JoAnn Spears



02_Seven Will Out

Publication Date: October 31, 2015 
eBook & Paperback; 
528 Pages 
Genre: Historical Fiction/Humor/Satire


  Add to GR Button  



Blurb



If you thought "Six of One: A Tudor Riff" was the most fun you could have with your nightdress on, wait until you see what "Seven Will Out: A Renaissance Revel" has in store. Get ready for one 'ruff' night! Tudorphile Dolly thought that the night she spent on an astral plane with Henry VIII's six wives, learning their heretofore unknown secrets, was a one-time thing. Not so! In "Seven Will Out", Dolly finds herself back in the ether with the women of later Tudor times: Elizabeth I, ‘Bloody’ Mary, Bess of Hardwick, Mary, Queen of Scots, and Anne Hathaway Shakespeare, to name a few. They too have secrets that will turn history on its head, and comic sass that will keep you laughing. You've read all of the traditional, serious and romantic takes on the legendary Tudors. Why not try your Tudors with a new and different twist?



Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Paperback) | Barnes & Noble




My Review



Seven Will Out by JoAnn Spears definitely had my interest with its refreshing and witty humor about historical figures from the Tudor Period! I love that the author took a time period that is known for being a time of beheading of Queens and The Black Plague, and turned it into something fun and light. I have read countless books about the Tudors, as well as smaller historical figures from the same time period who were connected to them, so it really was entertaining to read some of the story lines the author created for these characters! Some of the ideas and twists that the author came up with had me cracking up! Never are characters from the medieval period portrayed as this much fun in other novels of this time period! They tend to be ambitious, ruthless men and women, or sweet heroines and knights in shining armor, but they are not funny!

Then, add Ms. Spears writing style that flows smoothly and easily from page to page into the mix, and you can definitely count this book as a winner. However, if you are a hard core lover of Tudor History, and have no sense of humor, and nitpick every historical fiction book there is out there, than this is probably not the book for you! If you are looking for a fun read, that will allow you to escape into a past that is not morbid and dark, than definitely grab this book! I give it a FIVE out of FIVE stars!



About the Author



03_JoAnn SpearsJoAnn Spears couldn't decide whether to major in English or History in college. Life stepped in, and she wound up with a Master’s Degree in Nursing instead. A twenty-five year nursing career didn’t extinguish that early interest in books and history. It did however stoke a decidedly gallows sense of humor. The story of the six wives of Henry VIII was JoAnn’s favorite piece of history. Over the years, she read just about every spin on the story that there was. It occurred to her that the one spin that hadn’t been brought to a full length novel about the Tudors was a gallows sense of humor. The Tudors certainly qualified for it, and JoAnn had plenty to spare. The first ‘real’ book JoAnn ever read was “The Wizard of Oz”. She returned to the Yellow Brick Road for inspiration for a new kind of Tudor novel, and “Six of One” was born. “Six of One” was begun in JoAnn’s native New Jersey. It was wrapped up in her new Smoky Mountain home in northeast Tennessee, where she is pursuing a second career as a writer. She has, however, obtained a Tennessee nursing license because a) you never stop being a nurse and b) her son Bill thinks she should be sensible and not quit her day job. While “Six of One” is a different kind of historical novel, JoAnn is a downright stereotypical lady author. She admits to the usual cats, flower beds, needlework, and frightfully complete collections of Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott.

Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Page



Blog Tour Schedule



Monday, February 15
Spotlight & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Tuesday, February 16
Review at Turning The Pages
Wednesday, February 17
Review at Book Nerd
Thursday, February 18
Spotlight & Giveaway at CelticLady's Reviews
Friday, February 19
Interview at Historical Fiction Addicts
Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Monday, February 22
Review at A Holland Reads
Guest Post at Boom Baby Reviews
Tuesday, February 23
Review & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession
Wednesday, February 24
Review at Rambling Reviews
Thursday, February 25
Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book
Friday, February 26
Guest Post at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More
Sunday, February 28
Review at The Tudor Enthusiast
Monday, February 29
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views




Giving away ONE Paperback Copy of Seven Will Out by JoAnn Spears!



RULES:


*Must be 18 or older
*US or Canada Only
*All entrants must be honest, No cheating



04_Seven Will Out_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Monday, February 15, 2016

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY: The Vatican Princess by C.W. Gortner

The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia 

by C.W. Gortner


02_The Vatican Princess

Publication Date: February 9, 2016 
Ballantine Books
Hardcover, Ebook, Audiobook 400 Pages 
Genre: Historical Fiction


  Add to GR Button


Infamy is no accident. It is a poison in our blood. It is the price of being a Borgia. Glamorous and predatory, the Borgias fascinated and terrorized 15th-century Renaissance Italy. Lucrezia Borgia, beloved daughter of the pope, was at the center of the dynasty’s ambitions. Slandered as a heartless seductress who lured men to their doom, was she in fact the villainess of legend, or was she trapped in a familial web, forced to choose between loyalty and survival? With the ascension of the Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, the new pope’s illegitimate children—his rival sons, Cesare and Juan, and beautiful young daughter Lucrezia—assume an exalted position in the papal court. Privileged and adored, Lucrezia yearns to escape her childhood and play a part in her family’s fortunes. But Rome is seductive and dangerous: Alliances shift at a moment’s notice as Italy’s ruling dynasties strive to keep rivals at bay. As Lucrezia’s father faces challenges from all sides, he’s obliged to marry her off to a powerful adversary. But when she discovers the brutal truth behind her alliance, Lucrezia is plunged into a perilous gambit that will require all her wits, cunning, and guile. Escaping her marriage offers the chance of happiness with a passionate prince of Naples, yet as scandalous accusations of murder and incest build against her, menacing those she loves, Lucrezia must risk everything to overcome the lethal fate imposed upon her by her Borgia blood. Beautifully wrought, rich with fascinating historical detail, The Vatican Princess is the first novel to describe Lucrezia’s coming-of-age in her own voice—a dramatic, vivid tale set in an era of savagery and unparalleled splendor, where enemies and allies can be one and the same, and where loyalty to family can ultimately be a curse.


AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | INDIEBOUND



Praise


"Assiduously researched and expertly crafted . . . . This unholy plunge into Rome's darkest dynasty is wholly engrossing." - Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author

"A spider web of Renaissance intrigue with a legendary cast . . . Impressive research, a lush background, and deft characterization make for a fascinating read." - Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author

"Elegantly written and deeply researched . . . Renaissance Italy is vividly brought to life. I’m captivated by this knowledgeable author’s take on the controversial Borgias." - Alison Weir, NYT bestselling author




About the Author


03_CW GortnerC.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco. After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels. In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences in the US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding. Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats.

For more information visit C.W. Gortner’s website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twittter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and YouTube. Sign up for C.W. Gortner’s Newsletter for updates.



Book Blast Schedule


Tuesday, February 9
Unshelfish Drey's Library
The Maiden's Court
CelticLady's Reviews
Wednesday, February 10
The Lit Bitch
The Never-Ending Book
A Dream within a Dream
What Is That Book About
Thursday, February 11
Laura's Interests
The Reader's Hollow
Flashlight Commentary
Friday, February 12
Let Them Read Books
To Read, Or Not to Read
Saturday, February 13
So Many Books, So Little Time
Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne
Sunday, February 14
100 Pages a Day
With Her Nose Stuck In A Book
Monday, February 15
A Book Geek A Bookish Affair
Puddletown Reviews
Tuesday, February 16
Just One More Chapter
Historical Fiction Obsession
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More
Wednesday, February 17
Impressions In Ink
A Literary Vacation
The Country Bookworm
Thursday, February 18
The True Book Addict
Ageless Pages Reviews
Friday, February 19
Passages to the Past
Kristin Un-Ravelle'd
Book Lovers Paradise
Saturday, February 20
Beth's Book Nook Blog
One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
Sunday, February 21
Carpe Librum (Seize The Book)
Seize the Words: Books in Review
Monday, February 22
Broken Teepee
Book Drunkard
The Reading Queen
Tuesday, February 23
Teatime and Books
View from the Birdhouse
Historical Fiction Connection



Giveaway

To win a Borgia-Inspired Velvet Bag & Beaded Bracelet from C.W. Gortner please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below.


Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter. 
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
 – Only one entry per household.
 – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion 
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. 




04_The Vatican Princess_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL