One Secondary Character in PATRIOT'S COURAGE

This is Miss Barbara Chance. Her father had hoped for a boy, but since Barbara came along instead he taught her the skills a boy needed to know back in the late 1700s. When it comes to hitting a target dead center, she's always the winner. She's a big woman, so men who long for dainty, small women are not attracted to her. She signed up to be a laundress at the fort thinking that some homesick young man would fall in love with her, but that didn't happen. Instead, she is assigned to teach Nellie Red Bird how to be a lady--a tall order for someone who isn't much of a lady herself. 

I have a great time writing about my secondary characters! Heroes and heroines need friends. Don't we all?

You can buy PATRIOT'S COURAGE just about everywhere. Check out the links below.

Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/Patriots-Courage-Patriot-Historical-Romance-ebook/dp/B08FBH9BKN

 

Pelican Book Group:

https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1502

 

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/patriots-courage-penelope-marzec/1137443133?ean=9781522398820

 

Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/patriot-s-courage

 

Google Play Books:

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?pcampaignid=books_read_action&id=9Jv1DwAAQBAJ

 

Apple Books:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/patriots-courage/id1526512077

 

 

 

The Official Release Day of PATRIOT'S COURAGE!

 

September 11, 2020, is the official release day of PATRIOT'S COURAGE, the third book in my Patriots Series. To mark the occasion, I will be celebrating with a Facebook LIVE event at my fan page https://www.facebook.com/penelopemarzecbooks. If you can, join me at 11 a.m. tomorrow. I'll be talking about the origin of the story as well as giving away a paper edition of PATRIOT'S HEART and another paper edition of PATRIOT'S PRIDE. I will also give away an ebook edition of PATRIOT'S COURAGE. 

This will be fun! 😃

WIN YA BOOKS at the Young Adult Bookish Event

Like young adult books? This week you've got a chance to win one of twenty-three must-read YA books. Check out all the authors at:

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/bookpromos/categories/young-adult-bookish-event 

MyYA historical/paranormal book, OUTSIDE BLESSINGS, is being featured, too. I will be giving away a copy of it.  You can sign up at a Rafflecopter giveaway. The event runs from September 7 through September 11, 2020. Winners will be drawn on September 18, 2020.

Outside Blessings is set in Blessings, N.J., a seaside town with dark and dangerous secrets. Neema wants to prove her sister was murdered, that she didn't commit suicide, but the murderer is still out there, still dangerous, and Neema could be the next victim if she asks too many questions. She has a secret, one she dare not divulge, even to Emmett, the young lifeguard she falls in love with.

But Emmett has a secret of his own.

One reviewer said of the book, "...Emmett and Neema’s stories begin to weave together. They both understand that feeling of not belonging anywhere. They are outsiders, even among their own families. Emmett is trying to come to terms with who he is and what he wants, just as Neema is working to do the same...I gave this book 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who likes Historical Paranormal Romance..." 

 

Excerpt: Meet Ryan and Lewis

PATRIOT'S COURAGE will be released on September 11, 20202, but you can pre-order it now. The book tells the tale of the twins, Ryan and Lewis, who were introduced in Patriot's Heart. They were only three years of age in that book and liable to get into trouble, though their mother kept a tight rein on them. The twins were first cousins to Agnes and Margaret. 

Here's a short excerpt from Patriot's Heart featuring young Ryan and Lewis. Enjoy!

“Where’s Jonas?” Ryan and Lewis had seen them coming and ran toward them. 

“He’s taking a nap with Edwin,” Margaret explained.

“Why is Edwin napping at this time of the day?” Aunt Sally demanded from the doorway of her house. 

“Hobart gave him strong spirits to ease the pain in his leg,” Agnes explained. 

“Your mother’s cousin is more trouble than he’s worth,” Aunt Sally pronounced.

“Edwin is nice,” Margaret stated. “Puddles likes him and so does Jonas.” 

“They are animals,” Aunt Sally sniffed. 

Agnes, Margaret, and the twins stepped into the kitchen. Margaret sliced the bread. Agnes lifted the kettle to pour the tea, but beside her mug on the table lay two pieces of a chain. The one Aunt Sally used to hang her pot over the coals. 

“The twins broke that,” Aunt Sally said as she ladled stew into the bowls. “I’ll be needing it fixed by this evening. The stew nearly burned.”

“How did they break it?” Agnes held up the chain and examined each link. 

“Ryan did it,” said Lewis.

“Lewis broke it,” said Ryan.

“There will be no trifle for either of you,” Aunt Sally scolded.

The twins lowered their heads and sobbed in perfect unison. 

Agnes did not believe they did it. They were so cute and sweet. Too tender to be so destructive. Besides, Aunt Sally seemed to watch over their every move. 

Setting the broken chain to the side of her bowl, she sat. Everyone said the blessing, and ate.

If you haven't read Patriot's Heart and Patriot's Pride, now is the time to download them! Both are available for FREE on Kindle Unlimited. 

Where Are We Going?

To me, a presidential election year resembles a long drive on a very, very bumpy highway with confusing road signs. 

For the next three months, facts will be obscured and outlandish memes will proliferate on social media. Before you share anything, please look it up first on any of the fact-checking sites such as http://www.politifact.com, http://www.factcheck.org, or http://www.snopes.com.

Thanks.

Then listen to some pleasant music and drive home as safely as you can.

Guest Post: MY HEART WEEPS by Pamela S. Thibodeau

My guest today is the award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux, Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.” Sign up to receive Pam’s newsletter and get a FREE short story! 

 

Pamela's newest  release is MY HEART WEEPS. The story tells of Melena Rhyker who is devastated by her husband's death. Relief comes in the form of an artist's retreat at the Crossed Penn ranch in Utopia, TX. She rediscovers a forgotten dream as her artistic talent flourishes into that of a gallery-worthy artist. Will she have the courage to follow the path she was destined to travel?

Garrett Saunders has been on the run most of his life. Abused and abandoned as a child, he escapes the clutches of a past filled with pain and shame, and hides from his calling as a Native American healer. His years as a CIA agent aid in overcoming his childhood and honing his talent and skill as a fine art photographer. 

 

Follow their journey as two people who come from totally different backgrounds, but share gifts of gigantic proportions, find meaning and purpose in the Texas Hill Country.

 

And now for an excerpt!

Within moments after Anne left, Melena came in.

“Anne shouldn’t have bothered you.”

“Anne didn’t send me.”

“So why are you here?”

Had she not seen the devastation in his eyes and on his face earlier, Melena would have taken offense at his demeanor. “I wanted to see if you’re all right.”

“I’m not sure how I am right now.”

Concerned at the defeat in his tone, Melena placed her hand on his shoulder. “I know this isn’t the time or place to discuss what happened, but I hate to think of you up here all alone. I need to get back down to the show. Why don’t you come with me?”

“I’m sure my career is over.”

“I wouldn’t say that. There are more people down there who appreciate your work and are much more supportive of the artist they’ve come to know and love—despite never seeing you—than some strange man hell bent on starting a scene.”

“What about your children?”

“My children are among them.”

He turned to her then and her stomach clenched at the depth of shame, anger and sorrow in his expressive eyes. He removed her hand from his shoulder, closed the distance between them with a single step, and cradled her face in his hands. Melena leaned into him and lifted her face, anticipating his kiss. His lips trembled against hers, a soft brush of mouth on mouth as his hands trailed down her neck and shoulders then around her back to embrace her more fully.

Melena’s hands glided up his arms and around his neck, fingers dipped into the dark depths of thick hair caressing his collar, then eased back as he ended the kiss in slow degrees. He buried his face in her hair. A shudder shook his entire frame.

“Thank you.”

The ache in his voice fisted around her heart. Melena took a step back, held his hand in hers and together they went downstairs.

My Heart Weeps is on sale for a limited time @ 99cents and FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Purchase Link: https://bit.ly/MyHeartWeeps

Links:

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/psthibnewsletter

 

Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux

https://www.facebook.com/pamelasthibodeauxauthor

 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-s-thibodeaux

Instagram: https://instagram.com/pamelasthibodeauxauthor

Pam is giving away 1 Ebook, 1 Autographed Print Book, 1 Audio Book, a $15 Amazon Gift Card, a 1-month Audible membership and a SURPRISE Giftpack to 6 lucky winners! Names will be collected throughout the tour which ends Sept. 30th. Winners will be notified, and prizes awarded by October 10th. (1 prize per person)

 

Blog Tour Dates/Stops: 

8/25 Jana Richards’ Romance Story Board Blog 

8/27 Beverly Bateman’s BLOG 

9/1 Valarie Goree’s Facebook Page 

9/5 D. V. Stone’s Campfire Blog  

9/9 Jacqueline Seewald’s BLOG 

9/11 Linda Rondeau’s Snark & Sensibility Blog 

9/14 Patricia Kioyno’s Four Foxes, One Hound Blog 

9/18 Diane Burton’s BLOG 

9/22 Alicia Dean’s BLOG 

9/25 Jeny Hickman’s BLOG 

9/30 Linda Nightingale’s Author…Musings Blog 

 

For more information : https://southernwritersmagazine.blogspot.com/

 

 

What About Music In a Novel?

Photo by stevepb on Pixabay

I learned the words to many songs when I was young. My mother sang all the time--mostly the songs of her generation, but some even older than that. I took piano lessons for a short time, paid for with my babysitting money. My middle sister took guitar lessons, so I learned a bit about the guitar as well. I sang in the madrigal choir in college. For many years, I sang and played an accompaniment with the guitar in the folk choir at church. Then I married a man whose main hobby was music. Our daughters took piano lessons for years--until they went to college.

While I am not an accomplished pianist or guitarist, I have memorized the lyrics to a gazillion songs from the past, though I don't know much about current popular music. However, sometimes when I'm strolling through a store, I might hear a nice tune playing through the speakers as I load my cart with groceries. Then I'll go and search for it. If it really touches me, I'll buy the sheet music.

Surrounded by an abundance of musical scores, I have sometimes included the mention of a number of songs in the books I write. In The Cowboy's Miracle, I used several ancient western ballads. In my newest release, Patriot's Courage, I referenced "Amazing Grace," one of my favorite hymns. It was first published in 1779 by John Newton. (There's an interesting conversion story on John Newton that you can find at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Grace)

I am well aware that a writer must be careful about using lyrics or songs in their stories and not only because it is difficult to secure the copyrights on the songs. Using song titles often dates the story and since songs go out of fashion quickly, future readers may never have heard of the song you are referencing in your book. See Jason Sanford's blog post: http://www.jasonsanford.com/blog/2015/8/why-writers-should-rarely-name-songs-in-their-fiction

Writer's Digest has a very succinct post about using song lyrics: https://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/questions-and-quandaries/legal-questions/can-i-use-song-lyrics-in-my-manuscript  Jane Friedman has a longer and more detailed guide: https://www.janefriedman.com/permissions-and-fair-use/

In Clear As Ice, I was tempted to use the titles from a playlist for EMTs and paramedics. Instead, I made vague references to the heavy beat of the songs and the way the protagonist reacts to the music. That's the safe way.