History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

     Today's guest writer is Cheryl Honigford. She is the debut author o f The Darkness Knows . It is the first in a mystery series set in Chicago and features Vivian Witchell and Charlie Haverman.  In this guest post she discusses writing about a woman sleuth. I have a lifelong passion for female sleuths, and I will also review The Darkness Know s soon! I hope this guest post will give you some insight into her writing and her novel. Thank you, Mrs. Honigford! Writing a Woman Sleuth      I didn’t set out to write a woman sleuth. It’s just that my main character, radio actress Vivian Witchell, discovers the body of a murdered co-star in the station’s lounge and becomes a sleuth by happenstance. My debut novel, THE DARKNESS KNOWS , is a historical mystery set in a radio station in 1938 Chicago. Women sleuths in historical mysteries are generally of the amateur and accidental variety - meaning they are not detectives by profession, but they stumble into murder and mayhem

Hanging Mary Author: Susan Higginbotham Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark Release Date: March 15, 2016 Pages: 402 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: The untold story of Lincoln's Assassination      1864, Washington City. One has to be careful with talk of secession, of Confederate whispers falling on Northern ears. Better to speak only when in the company of the trustworthy. Like Mrs. Surratt.      A widow who runs a small boardinghouse on H Street, Mary Surratt isn't half as committed to the cause as her son, Johnny. If he's not delivering messages or escorting veiled spies, he's invited home men like John Wilkes Booth, the actor who is even more charming in person than he is on the stage.      But when President Lincoln is killed, the question of what Mary knew becomes more important than anything else. Was she a cold-blooded accomplice? Just how far would she go to help her son?      Based on

Dreamwielder (Book One of The Dreamwielder Chronicles) Author: Garrett Calcaterra Genre: YA, Fantasy Publisher: Diversion Books Release Date: 2013 Pages: 288 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review Synopsis: In a world shrouded by soot and smoke, young Makarria has literally been forbidden to dream…       Legend has foretold the demise of Emperor Thedric Guderian at the hands of a sorceress with royal blood, and the Emperor has made it his legacy to stamp out all magic from the Sargothian Empire in favor of primitive coal fired smelters and steam powered machines. When Guderian’s minions discover a Dreamwielder on a seaside farmstead, a chain of events forces Guderian’s new threat—the young Makarria—to flee from her home and embark upon an epic journey where her path intertwines with that of Princess Taera, her headstrong brother, Prince Caile, and the northman Siegbjorn, who captains a night-flying airship.       Dogging their every step is the part-wol

M. J. Rose on Tour July 19-28 with The Secret Language of Stones (historical fiction) Release date: July 19, 2016 by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster ISBN: 978-1-4767-7809-9 320 pages Author's page | Goodreads   Source: This book was given to me by France Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. SYNOPSIS AS WORLD WAR I RAGES AND THE ROMANOV DYNASTY REACHES ITS SUDDEN, BRUTAL END, A YOUNG JEWELRY MAKER DISCOVERS LOVE, PASSION, AND HER OWN HEALING POWERS IN THIS RICH AND ROMANTIC NOVEL BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR M.J. ROSE.      Nestled deep within Paris’s historic Palais Royal, safe inside La Fantasie Russie’s once-bustling workshop, young, ambitious Opaline Duplessi spends her days making trench watches for soldiers at the front and mourning jewelry for the mothers, wives, and lovers of those who have fallen. Opaline has a rare gift, a form of lithomancy that allows her to translate the energy emanating from stones. Certain

Allerleirauh Author: Chantal Gadoury Genre: YA, Fantasy Publisher: Chantal Gadoury Release Date: 2015 Pages: 236 Source:  This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Once Upon a Time…       In the Kingdom of Tranen, a King makes a promise to his dying wife to only remarry someone who has her golden hair. With time, the King finds his eyes are turned by his maturing daughter. Realizing her Father’s intentions, Princess Aurelia tries to trick her Father by requesting impossible gifts: dresses created by the Sun, Moon and Stars and a Coat made of a Thousand furs.       When Aurelia discovers his success, she decides to sacrifice her privileged life and escapes the Kingdom disguised by the cloak and under a new name, “Allerleirauh.”       Aurelia enters the safe haven of the Kingdom of Saarland der Licht, where she is taken under the care of the handsome and gentle Prince Klaus. Hoping to not be discovered by her Father’s courtiers, Aure

The Juliet Author: Laura Ellen Scott Genre: Historical, Mystery & Suspense Publisher: Pandamoon Publishing Release Date: March 22nd, 2016 Pages: 301 Source:  This book was given to me by the publicist in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: "Ah, the wild west, where the men are tough, the women are trouble, and the emeralds are cursed."       THE JULIET is a novel that braids the history of a cursed emerald called The Juliet with the story of an ailing, retired cowboy actor who comes to Death Valley to search for her. Rigg Dexon, best known for his role as Holt Breck in the classic but controversial seventies Western, Gallows River, holes up for months in a shack known as the Mystery House, until he is driven out of seclusion by the record breaking wildflower bloom of March 2005 that draws swarms of tourists to the desert. After an intense encounter with an ardent fan named Willie Judy at a local bar, Rigg impulsively signs over the deed for the Mystery House

The Dragon and Princess Madeline Author: Kirstin Pulioff Genre: Children's, Fantasy Publisher: Kirstin Pulioff Release Date: 2015 Pages: 129 Source:  This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Princess Madeline is ready to celebrate. With the foundation of her future in place, it seems nothing can hurt her. Then the return of a mysterious green dragon threatens her kingdom and king. Will this challenge prove to be too much for Princess Madeline and Prince Braden, or will they find the answers they seek hidden in cryptic messages from the past?       Can Madeline save her kingdom from the dragon, or is the real danger something else?        My Review: The Dragon and Princess Madeline is the final book to The Princess Madeline trilogy. The story picks up where The Battle for Princess Madeline has ended. Princess Madeline is ready to be queen of a new kingdom and marry her knight, Daniel. However, the green dragon has appeared that t

       Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Gwendolyn Womack, author of The Memory Painter . Ever since I read and enjoyed the novel, I have been wanting to interview her for a long time. Now, a year later, I am pleased that I finally had the chance to interview her. I hope this interview gives you some insight into her writing and her novel. Thank you, Mrs. Womack! This is your first novel. How long did it take you to write it? The Memory Painter took me about two years to write and one year to polish. Did you ever encounter writer's block? If so, how did you overcome it? I really don't encounter writer's block. I just push through the inertia of not knowing what's next by trying to dig a little deeper. What inspire you to write The Memory Painter ? The original spark of the idea was what if neuroscientists created a wonder drug that enabled us to remember our past lives. With those memories we would be able to speak all the languages of those

     Today's guest writer is Roland Colton. He is the author of Forever Gentleman , a historical romance . In this guest post, he discusses creating female characters from a male perspective. I hope this guest post will give you some insight into his novel and his writing. Thank you, Mr. Colton! CREATING FEMALE CHARACTERS FROM A MALE PERSPECTIVE By Roland Colton      When the plot for my historical novel, Forever Gentleman , began to form in my mind, I imagined two very different female leads with extraordinary beauty---one whose physical beauty was astonishing, and the other who had great inner beauty. Jocelyn Charlesworth arrives on the scene after spending four years at an elite finishing school in Paris. Not only is she beautiful, but she comes from great wealth. However, it soon appears that her beauty is only skin deep. In the opening chapter, she is introduced to the male lead, Nathan Sinclair, and she publicly humiliates him when she learns he lacks wealth or

The Battle for Princess Madeline Author: Kirstin Pulioff Genre: Children's, Fantasy Publisher: Kirstin Pulioff Release Date: 2013 Pages: 142 Source:  This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Princess Madeline rejected Prince Paulsen’s advances, but he’s not about to take it lying down. In the middle of Soron’s festival preparations, his obsession jeopardizes the kingdom. When mysterious figures from the kingdom’s past arrive offering assistance, Madeline will have to decide if she can accept it, or will their information about a family secret be too much for her to handle?       Can Madeline trust anyone or will saving the kingdom come down to her own bravery?        My Review: The Battle for Princess Madeline is the sequel to The Princess Madeline trilogy. Madeline is happily engaged to her Daniel. Her father gives her a new place where the engaged couple can build a new home. However, her happiness soon changes when Prince Pau

The Escape of Princess Madeline Author: Kirstin Pulioff Genre: Children, Fantasy Publisher: Kirstin Pulioff Release Date: 2015 Pages: 144 Source:  Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Madeline, princess of Soron, awakens on her sixteenth birthday to find that her father has already made preparations for her betrothal. When she disappears unexpectedly, her suitors and knight champion rush to the rescue. But all is not as it seems, and the errant princess’s flight has put the kingdom at stake… Can Madeline find freedom or does it come with too high a price?       My Review: Princess Madeline has come of age, and while the kingdom celebrates, Princess Madeline is unhappy. She knows that she is expected to do her duty as the heir apparent in Soren and that she must marry well for the kingdom. On the day of her sixteenth birthday, when suitors are competing for her hand, she decides that she wants to take her own future into her hands. She leaves the pal