Blog Tour Tuesday: DREAMS OF A RICH LIFE

Today’s Blog Tour Tuesday features Iris Kelly and her Dreams of a Rich Life, Book One in the Brides of Cheyenne series.

     About the Book:

Virginia Bellamy is an ambitious, well-to-do socialite who aspires to marry into Boston’s most elite social circles. But when she fails to attract a proposal that meets her high standards, she agrees to become the mail order bride to a wealthy Cheyenne businessman. He promises her a life of luxury and status. It appeals to her to be one of the most important families in the city - even if that city is Cheyenne.

Lewis Carlyle has worked tirelessly for fifteen years to amass a fortune. It was really all a means to an end - a foundation for the remarkable wife and happy family he hoped to have. But in the weeks before Virginia’s arrival, Lewis is besieged with the worst onslaught of bad fortune; Virginia arrives to find herself betrothed to a pauper.

It is a catastrophe of unimaginable magnitude on both sides. What can Lewis do to make amends for the unforgivable situation he has put Virginia in? Is the social hierarchy in Cheyenne as rigid and unforgiving as that of Boston? And most importantly, will it ever be possible for this determined social climber to love a man who has nothing to offer but his heart?

Excerpt:

“I had hoped to put you up at one of Cheyenne’s most elegant hotels. But the cost is now beyond me. The most reasonable accommodation I could find was a room in a boardinghouse. The proprietor is a Miss Mabel Harper, but everyone simply calls her Miss Mabel. You will find her manners a bit rough, but she’s quite fair and trustworthy. And her meals are good, particularly the beef stew and the pies. She’s rather proud of them. The rooms are clean but plain. Very plain. I don’t think that you would ever have seen anything like it, but it is best viewed as a very temporary circumstance. I am sure you can make the best of it.”

It sounded unimaginably bleak to Virginia. Miss Mabel. What a coarse, common name. And a boardinghouse? Isn’t that where laborers stayed? How could this be happening to her? What had she been thinking? The West was every bit as wild and as savage as the tales she had heard in childhood. Bank robbers. Thieving, cheating grifters who had just stolen her future, her security, and yes, her money. Money that was meant to be spent on her house, her dresses, her wine cellar, her parties, her furniture . . .

And who was this man, whom she had thought to marry? Mr. Carlyle walked briskly beside her, clearly dejected and consumed with remorse. She was furious with him, of course, for putting her in this monstrous position. And yet his own life had been shattered as well, with the rewards of a lifetime of work cruelly snatched from him. She had to pity him.

And he did seem to be a man of real conscience. She could actually believe that her loss of security weighed more heavily on him than his own. He had promised to help her out of these frightening circumstances. Well, she would hold him to it, but she could not see a way out of this nightmare. Was that because there wasn’t one?

The Cheyenne Mail Order Bride Dreams of a Rich Life is available on Amazon.  You may purchase it by clicking HERE.

     About the Author:

Iris Kelly is a former community college instructor and has had a lifelong affinity for Westerns, dating back to reading every book in the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House series, and watching every episode of Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman.

She is fascinated by autobiographical accounts of women’s lives in the Old West; particularly the divide between popular myth and surprising realities.

Author Links:  Iris Kelly's Facebook Page  ~  Goodreads

Tweet this blog post:  She could not see a way out of this nightmare. Iris Kelly & DREAMS OF A RICH LIFE http://bit.ly/1nu0ajg #SweetAmerSweethearts

Finding Visual Cues

by Shanna Hatfield

As a person who relies on visual cues to spark my creativity, I often look for resources that help me as I write descriptions in my historical sweet romances.

Dresses, shoes, household items, even the labels on tin cans from bygone eras inspire me to capture the most accurate details possible for my readers.

Despite the wealth of information available at my fingertips through online searches, sometimes I can't find the exact item for which I'm eagerly searching.

One happy day several years ago, I happened upon a catalog from Victorian Trading Co. If you asked my husband, Captain Cavedweller would tell you I was as giddy as a six-year-old on Christmas morning.

Filled to the brim with reproductions of antiques, I flipped through page after page of clothing, jewelry, decor, books, kitchen ware, lace curtains, furniture, lamps... be still my heart, there were even greeting cards and stationery.

Not only could I see photos of things that once graced the home of our Victorian and Edwardian ancestors, I could even order exciting things like a wax seal set. (Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to dip a quill pen into a jar of ink then seal that letter with wax and a your initial?)


Let's say you're curious about serving a proper English tea.

I would definitely start with Mrs. Crumpet's Tea Cart. Oh, the times I have drooled over this particular item... I dearly love it and hope to someday have my own tea cart.

You'll find teapots and teacups (or silver tea service if you rather), sugar spooners, tea cozies, silver dinner bells, hostess tongs, compotes, serving trays, and even those adorable little sugar cubes with the pink frosting roses on top. And if you really have no clue about serving tea, check out the vintage tea party book.

From tiaras and corsets to chandeliers and rose-scented soap , you'll find a grand selection of items that speak of romantic yesteryears.

There are also many modern-day romantic items, too!

If you're a fan of the splendor of Victorian days or a Downton Abbey fan, you might want to take a peek at what they have to offer.

*Note - Victorian Trading Co. do not know me and this is not a paid endorsement. I just enjoy perusing their products (okay, and buying them, too!).
 

~*~ 

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield is convinced everyone deserves a happy ending and is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real.

When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

The author is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Romance Writers of America, Sweet Romance Reads, Sweet Americana Sweethearts, and Pioneer Hearts.

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online:

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Make sure you sign up for her newsletter to get the latest on new releases and exclusive giveaways!

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Books in Miniature!

 *Make sure to read to the bottom of this post to find out how to enter the giveaway that celebrates my newest release!*

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Isn't it something how people are intrigued and amused by things in miniature? Anything in miniature makes us pause for a moment ~ often in awe and delight. Think about it...miniature dogs, ponies, and pigs. Just the thought of them brings a smile.

A while back I was lucky enough to visit the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, and had my first introduction to miniature books. I looked through a magnifying glass at the tiniest King James Bible I'd ever seen. How amazing it was to learn that miniature books had been around for centuries!

Officially, a miniature book is a book that ranges from one-half inch square to 3 inches (according to the Miniature Book Society.) The Huntington Library and countries outside the United States carry the size up to four inches.

From the dawn of written language there have miniature "books." As far back as 2000 B.C. evidence of writings in miniature form have been found. Back then it was on scrolls of papyrus, parchment or vellum. But...this blog is all about life here in the United States in the 1800s (primarily) so let's fast-forward to that time.

Miniature books became popular here in the last half of the 1800s. They were easy to carry and easy to conceal in a pocket or satchel. Dictionaries, almanacs, and travel books along with religious books (devotionals, Bibles, and tracts) were the most commonly produced type-set miniature books. Popular works were also miniaturized. For example Sherlock Holmes and Don Quixote.


These books sported beautiful etchings and illustrations and were bound in leather. Some even had gilt edges. Today these older books are sought-after collectibles and range in price from a few hundred dollars into the thousands. Here is The Constitution of the United States of America, published in 1787!

I think just knowing this, that I will have to include one of these miniature books in my next novel!

For some fun examples of miniature books that include pop-up pages and fold-out maps check these websites...

http://mentalfloss.com/article/52186/10-miniature-books-we-covet

http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/miniatures/pages/hazelt.html


And for the worlds's smallest published book ~

Yes--it's that tiny speck under the magnifying glass! Unbelievably, this book is right in my hometown of San Diego where so many of my stories are set! Next time I am there doing research I will have to make a point to stop in to see this at the Central San Diego Library.

In this age of eReaders and eBooks, where an entire encyclopedia of information is at our fingertips in such a slim object, something like a miniature book is hard to imagine. I hope you have enjoyed this very brief introduction and history of them.

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 My newest release ~ Familiar Stranger in Clear Springs ~ is available now!

I am running a Giveaway to celebrate!

Visit my website at www.kathrynalbright.com/events for details and sign up for my newsletter for a chance to win a Swarovski crystal bracelet, Amazon gift card, and a signed copy of Familiar Stranger in Clear Springs.

          

Visit Kathryn:

   Author website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page |  

Collaborating on a Multi-Author Series

Being part of the group of 45 authors involved in the recently completed American Mail-Order brides series was a great experience. I can’t compliment the group enough for rallying around Kirsten Osbourne’s idea of a mail-order bride story for every state emanating from a single inciting incident. Originally, the idea was to use only the states that were ratified as part of the U.S. in 1890, but eventually the list was expanded to all 50 states (mostly because of author interest.)

The project was a great success, and cross promotion and support among the authors was phenomenal. Some authors used a shared train trip or correspondence to link titles together. Others tied the stories to their existing and ongoing historical series.

In particular, I enjoyed receiving ten reviews within the first week of release. Readers of sweet historical romance are supportive lovers of the genre.

BLURB for LIBBIE: Bride of Arizona, #48 in American Mail-Order Brides series

Alone for the first time, tomboyish Libbie Van Eycken accepts a mail-order proposal and travels across country to find a place to call her own. Arizona rancher Dell Stirling needs a wife but didn’t count on the eccentric creature that brings chaos in her wake.

Exclusive to Amazon

Free in Kindle Unlimited

$2.99 to purchase

California's Santa Clara Valley-Then and Now

While recently working on a story, I had occasion to research the history of the Santa Clara Valley. Today that area which is just south of the San Francisco Bay is known as South Bay. Part of it also makes up a section of Silicon Valley, a prominent electronics research and manufacturing region. However, the landscape today is far different from what it was 150 to 200 years ago. 

San Jose looking from the north toward center of the city.

Although most of Santa Clara Valley is highly urbanized now, at one time it was largely agricultural. The first Spanish name given to the area was "Llano de los Robles" ("Plain of the Oaks") in 1769 by José Francisco Ortega. The name by which we know it today was after the Spanish Franciscan mission built by Father Junipero Serra, Mission Santa Clara de Asis founded in 1777. It served, and relied upon the labor of, the first documented inhabitants of the land, the native Ohlone.

Mission Santa Clara de Asis

However, the missions were formed while Alta California was still under Spanish rule. When Mexico broke from the Spanish crown in 1821, eventually the region was forced to recognize the new government. The Mexican government soon began selling off church lands in a process known as "secularization." The original intent was to return church lands to the native population. The practice involved selling church lands to the highest bidders. By 1839 only 300 Indians remained at the Mission Santa Clara. The rest of the land was sold into large ranchos owned by the wealthy Californios, the rural land owning gentlemen of Alta California. That era lasted until the end of the Mexican-American War, the discovery of gold and the influx of Amercans from the eastern United States.

Like most of California, the earliest agricultural activity by Europeans in the Santa Clara Valley was cattle. Next saw wheat cultivation. But, due to its mild climate, good soil and water supplied by an artesian aquifer, the Santa Clara Valley came into its own as a land of orchards and farms producing a large variety of fruits and vegetables. Because of the railroad having been extended to the region, the produce could be shipped all over the nation.

With its scenic beauty resulting from thousands of acres of blooming fruit trees this valley was known as “the Valley of Heart’s Delight” because of its high concentration of orchards, flowering trees and plants.

Valley of Heart's Delight, about mid- 20th century

When the water table dropped wells were pumped. Many orchards were small with housing and fruit growing in a dispersed pattern. Santa Clara County was soon producing almonds, apricots, carrots, cherries, pears, plums, prunes, tomatoes and walnuts. 

Santa Clara Valley

The last half of the 1870s saw the establishment of seed farms. In 1874, R. W. Wilson began a seed-producing company based in Santa Clara. Due to poor health he sold the operation in 1877 to Charles Copeland Morse and A. L. Kellogg. Morse built the company up, and in 1884 bought out Kellogg and incorporated as C.C. Morse & Co.

As fields were cultivated, a shortage labor developed. In the nineteenth century those needs were met by Chinese and Japanese immigrants, then later in the century by Italians and other immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, especially ad canneries were built. During the twentieth century there were an influx of Filipino immigrants and increasing numbers of immigrants from Mexico who during World War II became the dominant agricultural workforce.

Although the urban areas of the Santa Clara Valley have little resemblance to the region as it existed 150 to 200 years ago, there are occasional hints that speak of the Valley’s past. While burgeoning business interests and strong political views dominated north in San Francisco and surrounding cities, and the sentiments of resentful Californios and immigrants for the South turned the Los Angeles, San Bernardino and El Monte regions into hotbeds of sedition, particular prior to and during the Civil War, the Santa Clara Valley fed the nation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her historical novels. Her novel, Family Secrets, was published by Fire Star Press. Her novelette, A Christmas Promise, along with the first two novellas in the Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series, Big Meadows Valentine and A Resurrected Heart, was published by Prairie Rose Publications. Too Old for Christmas, was self-published in 2015.

Please visit and follow the Zina Abbott’s Amazon Author Page by clicking HERE.

Zina Abbott Author Links:

Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Pinterest  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter

Writing Fiction Based on Factual Events

I’ve written over a dozen historical fiction series about my ancestors who homesteaded Kansas during the 1800s. While I often base my stories on facts or photos I’ve found on my main characters, I still need to expand the story to bring the people and places to life.

Quite often a piece of information will only lead to more questions —which I think is the fun part of researching.

John and Sarah Pieratt, 1866, Lawrence, Kansas

For example, the picture featured here is my great-great grandfather John Pieratt and a young woman.

Researching my family tree, John (1817-1868) and his first wife, Deborah (1821-1859) left Kentucky in 1854 to move to the new Territory of Kansas. Their journey was the basis of my book Trail of Thread. They were both listed in the 1850 census of Bath County, Kentucky, but John and his second wife, Nancy (1830-1863) were listed in the 1860 census of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas.

Looking at these two people in the photo you see a big age difference between them. That leads me to believe the woman with John was his third wife, Sarah (1846-1914) whom he married in 1865. Notice she is holding a Bible in her lap? That gesture was seen in photos of that era when the woman was pregnant.

So, I already know that John lost two wives and was 29 years older than his third wife when this picture was taken, probably in 1866 when Sarah had her first child. Imagine the stories you could write—and the emotions of not only Sarah and John—but his children of his first marriage who were older than Sarah?

Add stories from newspaper clippings of Lawrence’s problems during the Bleeding Kansas era and the Civil War (which are featured in my books Thimble of Soil and Stitch of Courage), and it’s easy for me to write fictional accounts of what was going on around their area, and the emotions that had to be felt by my family during that time period.

One more look at birth and death dates and I realize Sarah gives birth to her second child two days after John dies from blood poisoning.  Oh my! Can you imagine what she went through?!

I just put myself in Sarah’s place and pour her emotions into my words. Is it fact or fiction? It doesn’t matter to the reader at this point because the reader has become a young mother and widow in 1868…

Sign up for Linda’s newsletter at www.LindaHubalek.com to hear about the release of future books, contests and more. Linda loves to connect with her readers, so please contact her through one of these social media sites.

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