OUT OF THE EMBERS by Amanda Cabot: Book Blog Tour – Author Interview

OUT OF THE EMBERS

MESQUITE SPRINGS, BOOK ONE

by

Amanda Cabot

Genre: Historical Fiction / Christian Romance
Publisher: Revell
Date of Publication: March 3, 2020
Number of Pages: 336

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Ten years after her parents were killed, Evelyn Radcliffe is once more homeless. The orphanage that was her refuge and later her workplace has burned to the ground, and only she and a young orphan girl have escaped. Convinced this must be related to her parents’ murders, Evelyn flees with the girl to Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country and finds refuge in the home of Wyatt Clark, a talented horse rancher whose plans don’t include a family of his own.

At first, Evelyn is a distraction. But when it becomes clear that trouble has followed her to Mesquite Springs, she becomes a full-blown disruption. Can Wyatt keep her safe from the man who wants her dead? And will his own plans become collateral damage?

Suspenseful and sweetly romantic, Out of the Embers is the first in a new series that invites you to the Texas Hill Country in the 1850s, when the West was wild, the men were noble, and the women were strong.

**PRAISE FOR OUT OF THE EMBERS:**

“Out of the Embers is part prairie romance, part romantic suspense. I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a book more. Amanda Cabot has written an intriguing, chilling mystery and she winds it through the pages of a sweet romance in a way that made me keep turning the pages fast to see what was going to happen next. An absolutely excellent read. And now I’m hungry for oatmeal pecan pie!”

~ Mary Connealy, author of Aiming for Love, book #1 in the Brides of Hope Mountain series

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Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of the Cimarron Creek trilogy, as well as the Texas Crossroads series, the Texas Dreams series, the Westward Winds series, and Christmas Roses. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming.

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INTERVIEW WITH AMANDA CABOT

What inspired the idea for your new book, Out of the Embers?

I’ve always been fascinated by the way that events of the past shape us, so I started brainstorming worst case scenarios. What if a young girl’s parents were murdered and she never knew why? What if she still felt as if someone was watching her and planning to kill her too, even though it’s been ten years? What if she narrowly missed being inside her new home when it was destroyed and everyone died? These were the seeds of Out of the Embers.

Out of the Embers is set in a fictional small town in the Texas Hill Country. What inspired you to create a place like Mesquite Springs?

By now, readers have probably figured out that I enjoy bringing small towns to life, particularly in the Texas Hill Country. The challenge for me is making each of my fictional towns different. After all, I wouldn’t want anyone to say “same old, same old” when reading one of my stories. What distinguishes Mesquite Springs from Ladreville and Cimarron Creek is that it’s experiencing a period of growth with new businesses and new people coming to town. Those people change the town’s dynamics—some in good ways, some in not-so-good ways—but they all make their mark on Mesquite Springs.

Two of the main characters in Out of the Embers, Evelyn and Polly, are joined together through a fire that destroys their home. But, that’s not the only thing the two have in common. Can you tell us a little more about their relationship?

Besides both being orphans, Evelyn and Polly share enough of a resemblance that when she flees after the orphanage is destroyed, Evelyn finds it easy to pretend that Polly is her younger sister. In truth, their relationship is more like mother and daughter than sisters, with Polly depending on Evelyn to make her fondest dream come true: finding her a new daddy.

Did anything surprise you as you were writing the novel?

Yes, as a matter of fact. Although I plot my books before I begin the actual writing process and rarely make major deviations from those plots, this time when I was about half through the first draft, I realized that what I had envisioned for Wyatt’s life after the book ended wasn’t the right one for him. He needed to stay in Mesquite Springs, and he needed a compelling reason to stay. The mayoral race was the result of those realizations.

Did you face any challenges in creating this story? What was the hardest scene to write?

The biggest challenge was not revealing too much about the two men who are secondary characters too soon but still giving readers enough reason to care about what was going to happen to them.

I wouldn’t say that any one scene was particularly difficult to write, but perhaps that’s because I tend to agonize over every scene, trying to make it as close to perfect as possible.

Do you see parts of yourself in any of your characters?

I’d like to claim that my characters are totally fictional, but the truth is that I, like all authors, bring parts of myself to each story. The fact that I’m the oldest of four children made Evelyn’s almost parental relationship with Polly an easy one for me to write.

What do you hope readers will gain from Out of the Embers?

As always, I hope they’ll finish the book with a smile on their faces, a renewed belief in the healing power of love, and the knowledge that God can—and does—answer prayers.

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THREE WINNERS
One Grand Prize Winner:
Copy of Out of the Embers + Special Hill Country Sweets Cookbook
+$25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card
Next Two Winners:
Copy of Out of the Embers + Special Hill Country Sweets Cookbook
+ $10 Starbucks Card
March 10-March 20, 2020
(US ONLY)

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VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

3/10/20	Notable Quotable	Forgotten Winds
3/10/20	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
3/11/20	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
3/11/20	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
3/12/20	Excerpt, Part 1	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
3/12/20	Author Interview	All the Ups and Downs
3/13/20	Character Spotlight	The Clueless Gent
3/13/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
3/14/20	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
3/15/20	Author Interview	Carpe Diem Chronicles
3/16/20	Excerpt, Part 2	That’s What She’s Reading
3/16/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
3/17/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
3/18/20	Excerpt, Part 3	Max Knight
3/19/20	Review	Momma on the Rocks
3/19/20	Review	Book Fidelity

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BEYOND THE HORIZON by Ella Carey – Book Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

BEYOND THE HORIZON

by

ELLA CAREY

Historical Fiction / Friendship
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Date of Publication: October 15, 2019
Number of Pages: 326

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From the author of The House by the Lake comes a powerful novel of friendship during World War II, fighting for the truth, and making peace with the past.

At the height of World War II, Eva Scott’s dream comes true. Accepted into the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), she leaves balmy California and the man she loves for grueling training in Texas, ultimately landing at formidable Camp Davis in North Carolina.

Vastly outnumbered by men and amid contempt, discrimination, and sabotage, Eva and her closest friends, the unconventional Nina and straight-laced Helena, remain loyal to their mission and to each other. They stay focused on the horizon, determined to prove themselves capable women pilots. Until a fatal mission sends Eva’s dream crashing to earth . . .

Now, decades later, is it possible to discover the truth about the night that changed her life? Is there any hope she’ll recover all that she’s lost? When Eva finds herself embroiled in the fight to get military recognition for the WASP, she’s forced to confront the past and to make a decision that could forever change her future.

Thrilling and inspiring, Beyond the Horizon is a portrait of love, friendship, and valor in a time of war—and a tribute to the brave women who risked their lives for their country.

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PRAISE FOR BEYOND THE HORIZON:

“With snappy dialogue, impressive historical details, a sense of adventure and courage on every page, and even a love story, Ella Carey has hit all the markers that make fine historical fiction.”
—Ann Howard Creel, bestselling author of The Whiskey Sea

“Fans of inspirational World War II fiction will cheer on Eva and her fellow pilots as they chase their dreams, endure heartbreak, and discover their true strength. Carey’s evocative descriptions bring home the exhilaration of flight—and the everyday indignities endured by young women who challenged the expectations of their time. The story’s final twist makes for a surprising and moving conclusion.” —Elizabeth Blackwell, author of On a Cold Dark Sea and In the Shadow of Lakecrest

“A moving, beautifully written novel about the amazing WASP during WWII. True to life and packed full of emotion. I thoroughly enjoyed feeling like I was one of these extraordinary women pilots as I read the story.” —Soraya M. Lane, Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Girls of Pearl Harbor

Beyond the Horizon is so impressively well-researched that, at times, it read more like a biography than a historical fiction novel. Ms. Carey impressed with her attention to detail and breadth of knowledge about women pilots and the highly technical subject of aviation. The real-life dramas of gender discrimination in the military, of friendship and sisterhood, of complicated family dynamics, and of love and loss, greatly enhanced that initial impression.

It surprised and delighted me how strongly I personally related to Eva Scott in the early pages of the book. Reading those flying scenes evoked memories of my own unforgettable experience of taking over the controls of a Philippine Air Force plane when I was fifteen and flying it for a quarter of an hour over a dormant volcano. Such is Ms. Carey’s storytelling talent that her work triggers an emotional response from the reader. It certainly did with me.

While I enjoyed the majority of this novel, I still found a couple of things that could have been improved. The pacing is a tad inconsistent. It was slow during the training parts and rushed towards the end. Jack’s character frustrated me in that he came out like a Hollywood villain. Finally, as a romance author, I wish there was more development before Eva’s happily-ever-after.

This is the first book by Ella Carey that I’ve read and I can say this is a wonderful introduction. I was already predisposed to like this novel due to my connection with the US Air Force and my burgeoning interest in World War II historical fiction, but her writing skill convinced me to check out more of her backlist and watch out for her future work.

Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen countries, in twelve languages. Her sixth novel is Beyond The Horizon, set around the Women Air Force Service Pilots during World War Two.

Ella is incredibly excited to share this book with her readers, as her mother was a W.A.A.A.F during World War Two, and her father was in the R.A.F, flying airplanes over occupied France. Ella traveled to Sweetwater, Texas, to research the novel, and is grateful to Ann Hobing, the then-Executive Director of the WASP museum for sharing her wonderful knowledge of the WASP. Ella also worked with two pilots to craft the flight scenes.

Ella loves to connect with her readers For more information on the background to her novels and updates about her next release and to contact her about appearances at your local book club, please visit her website.

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THREE PAPERBACK COPIES OF BEYOND THE HORIZON
OCTOBER 17-27, 2019
(U.S. Only)

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VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

10/17/19 	Promo 			Texas Book Lover 
10/17/19 	Promo 			Hall Ways Blog 
10/18/19 	Review 			Sydney Young, Stories 
10/19/19 	Excerpt 		Forgotten Winds 
10/20/19 	Review 			Bibliotica 
10/21/19 	Character Interview 	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews 
10/21/19 	Excerpt 		Chapter Break Book Blog 
10/22/19 	Guest Post 		Nerd Narration 
10/23/19 	Review 			StoreyBook Reviews 
10/23/19 	Review 			Book Fidelity 
10/24/19 	Excerpt 		That's What She's Reading 
10/24/19 	Scrapbook 		All the Ups and Downs 
10/25/19 	Review 			Reading by Moonlight 
10/26/19 	Review 			Carpe Diem Chronicles 
10/26/19 	Review 			The Clueless Gent

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Happy Book Birthday, Bonnie & Clyde #2: DAM NATION

DAM NATION

BOOK RELEASE BLITZ

Bonnie and Clyde #2

by

CLARK HAYS AND KATHLEEN McFALL

Genre: Historical / Alternative History / Romance

Publisher: Pumpjack Press

Date of Publication: March 24, 2018

Number of Pages: 266

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Bonnie and Clyde: Defending the working class from a river of greed.

The year is 1935 and the Great Depression has America in a death grip of poverty, unemployment and starvation. But the New Deal is rekindling hope, with federally funded infrastructure projects, like Hoover Dam, putting folks back to work. So, why is someone trying to blow it up? That’s what Bonnie and Clyde set out to uncover in the novel Dam Nation by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall, the second book in a provocative speculative fiction series that re-imagines the outlaws’ lives.

“A rollicking good read!” –Midwest Book Review

EXCERPT

WHAT IF?

The Texas Ranger looked up at Sal, a mixture of fear, respect and revulsion in his eyes. “Let’s pretend for a minute it wasn’t Bonnie and Clyde in that ambush,” he said. “Why? Why would it be different people in that car?”“How would I know?” Sal asked. “I work for the government. I trust that the government has my best interests at heart. I follow orders. You didn’t.”“I won’t be quiet about this unless you can tell me why anyone would try to save them outlaws.”“If they were still alive, I would tell you that everyone has a purpose in life, and perhaps they are fulfilling theirs. And if they were still alive, I would tell you that you don’t use good dogs to guard the junkyard, you use the meanest goddamn dogs you can get a collar around.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Clark and Kathleen wrote their first book together in 1999 as a test for marriage. They passed. Dam Nation is their sixth co-authored book.