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“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” — Maya Angelou
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I do like a good time-travel historical fiction book to read and Kirsten McKenzie’s Fifteen Postcards did not disappoint. It took me a while to see the connections but once I did, I loved this storyline. The plot felt incomplete and left me anticipating a follow up. If there is one I would definitely read it.Set across different time periods and locations, there is something for everyone here. The strong points for me were the characterisations and beautiful descriptions. It is obvious that this work has been well researched. The characters are well developed, providing an interesting mix. I would recommend Fifteen Postcards to all Historical Fiction lovers.
#historical fiction #time-travel #fiction #GoodReads
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I’ve been sitting at my desk since early morning. The sun came up but stays hidden behind the clouds. My back hurts and I’m getting hungry, after too many cups of coffee. I need to stand up and stretch.
But Noah, the protagonist in my story, won’t let me take a break. He is trying to find some closure and I don’t know if he will. His stubbornness is making me crazy. Why are you such a blind fool? I yell at him in my mind. My phone buzzes. Again. Finally, with a great wrenching, I pull myself back into the “real” world. I hate to leave Noah and his problems alone. I’ll be back, I whisper.
The life of a writer favorably compares to that of a hermit. Someone who enjoys spending hours cut off from reality—and other humans—is predisposed to being a writer, in my opinion…
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. Sherry Logsdon’s book, Asylum, is a compelling and haunting work of historical fiction set at the turn of the century. Although events take place in the US, they could easily have happened…
Source: Book review – Asylum
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When Kelsey and I signed with our publisher, Limitless Publishing, a small house, we found out a lot about the publishing world that we had no idea about. Since then, we’ve talked to writers from small, and large publishing houses about the process. So, for you new writers, let’s go over this information so you can go in with your eyes open.
- This is a LONG process. In this day and age, we expect everything to be quick but publishing is still not a speedy process. There is a lot that goes into writing a book but almost even more that goes into publishing it. Once you sign your concert, it could be several months until your book comes out.
2. One of the aspects of putting a book together is the book cover. You’re the author right, you must have some say in how your book cover looks…
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.Sherry Logsdon’s book, Asylum, is a compelling and haunting work of historical fiction set at the turn of the century. Although events take place in the US, they could easily have happened in almost any country at this time.
The title and cover drew me to read. Having worked in mental health for many years, and having heard stories of women with no actual symptoms of mental illness being placed into the old asylums, I was pleased to find a novel highlighting the plight of these women.
Sherry Logsdon does a wonderful job of spotlighting just one of the many injustices done to women and the way that they were often treated at this time. Having said this, this is not a work of doom and gloom. Rather, it is an uplifting tale of the courage and fortitude shown by the main female character, and others, during harrowing circumstances.
Though a work of fiction, Asylum is based around actual events, and spans a quarter of a century.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from author Sherry Logsdon.
Asylum will appeal to anyone who loves historical fiction, is interested in women’s issues or who just enjoys a well told story.
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A must read for anyone thinking of publishing
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Chapter one of Reign of the Marionettes opens in 1674 with the arrival of James of York’s second wife; the fifteen-year–old Mary Beatrice of Modena, to London. As can be seen in this portrait by Simon Pietersz Verelst, painted in 1680, she was a beautiful young woman. I enjoyed developing Mary Beatrice’s character in the novel. There is something very likeable and appealing about her.
This marriage was not well received by the Protestant Lords in Parliament; they had not been consulted. The marriage of the heir to the throne to a Catholic also confirmed their suspicion that James of York had converted to Rome and sparked fears that any children born to this marriage would be raised as Catholics. Not since Queen Mary I, had England had a Catholic monarch and people feared this happening again. Mary’s legacy for burning Protestants at the stake was legendary.
Rumour also abounded that the Great Fire of London, which by all accounts was nothing more than an unfortunate accident, had deliberately been started by Catholics, to burn out Protestants. Indeed, any disaster at this time was blamed on Catholics.
Mary Beatrice arrived in London, bewildered by the people’s response to her and tearful at having to leave home and marry York. The husband this fifteen-year-old Italian Princess had not met until her wedding day was forty-years old, scarred from smallpox and already had two daughters from his first marriage; they were only a few years younger than her. James of York also had a stutter, making it difficult for her to understand what he said. When Mary Beatrice had been informed she was to be married, she had railed against this; she had already decided she wanted to become a nun. The Pope intercepted, and she married York.
Despite their differences, Mary Beatrice soon grew to love her husband dearly, but tragically, her married life was marred by frequent stillbirths or birthing children who died in early childhood: Between 1674 and 1684, Mary Beatrice had two miscarriages, delivered three stillborn babies, and birthed five live ones – none of whom survived. Mary Beatrice reacted badly to the loss of her children and soon despaired of ever bringing a child to adulthood.
When she finally gave birth to a healthy boy in 1688, James Francis Edward Stuart, word spread that he had been brought into the birthing chamber in a warming pan. The rest is history.
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I wrote a blog recently about the plight of homeless veterans. Another writer sent out a link to a Facebook page for Bombas socks. They have an awesome video describing their business p…
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I wrote a blog recently about the plight of homeless veterans. Another writer sent out a link to a Facebook page for Bombas socks. They have an awesome video describing their business p…
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