Hello readers,
Welcome again to this week’s installment of First Sentence Friday and Free Book Friday! The free book is a signed Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of When the Jessamine Grows and an item or two of the story-related swag as pictured here! ????????
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NOTE, for website blog commenters only: When you answer the question in the comments area, (how you get the chance to win a book) be sure to add your name at the bottom because some of you are showing up as Anonymous.
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Recently a writer friend (thank you, Rebecca!) shared an article with me from the The Washington Post about men from Alabama who fought with the Union, and helped General Sherman burn and destroy Atlanta. There is a book written about these soldiers, titled “Silent Calvary: How Union Soldiers from Alabama Helped Sherman burn Atlanta – and Then Got Written Out of History,” by Howell Raines, who was once an executive editor at The New York Times. What was interesting to me was the fact the history was hidden, or buried, as if there was shame this happened.
It’s well-known there were Southerners who supported the Union. They were called Southern Unionists, or Lincoln Loyalists. While there was common knowledge of this rift in the South, the attempt to keep it hidden seems strange, and it made me wonder if this happened for those who were neutral – was this part of history suppressed, too? Here’s a screen shot captured a while back with one sentence . . . that says so much. While I would’ve like to have known more, I’d already found enough examples to confirm these individuals existed, as shown in last week’s post. (click to enlarge and read the partial sentence in the circle – it’s pretty clear they weren’t viewed favorably)
I believe these folks lived on the fringe, and the point of all this goes back to what people on the home front did to survive. Well. They hid. They left for safer locations. They even faked their deaths, sometimes. I’ve removed an important part of this week’s sentence to keep it spoiler free, etc., but this is to show the lengths individuals, or families went to in order to live, or not be put into prison – which was likely a death sentence, too.
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Chapter 28
News traveled fast XXXXX had perished in the fire.
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To win a signed copy of an ARC, and some story related swag, we’re going to keep it simple again – it’s the holidays and we have to celebrate in some way! Share what’s the most important part of this season to you!
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GIVEAWAY on GOODREADS!
My publisher is having another giveaway on Goodreads – 100 copies available!
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Sneak Peek!
Now you can read an excerpt of When the Jessamine Grows in this special Sneak Peek Kindle version! Hopefully, it will encourage your fingers (or legs!) to pre-order a copy. ????????
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Unsure if you want to pre-order? Read the first 50 (or so) pages for free and find out! Go to one of these sites to download (in e-book formats only):
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PRE-ORDERS
Pre-orders gauge the interest and signal to the publisher readers are eager for an author’s work! Please consider pre-ordering because it really does help! If you’re holding out because you might win an ARC or a finished copy, remember you can always give away the extra as a gift to one of your reader friends. ????
Pre-order links for your convenience:
Kensington Publishing Corporation
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Social Media
Last, but not least, don’t forget to:
- Add WHEN THE JESSAMINE GROWS to your Goodreads “To Read” shelf
- Share this post with your reader friends
- Follow me on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Bookbub, or my blog!
I just love spending quality time with my family!
Lighting the menorah with my husband on Chanukah.
Lighting the menorah with my husband on Chanukah. This is a repeat. I forgot to leave my name.
I’m grateful I don’t have to “fake” my death for the holidays. I try to imagine what Lincoln loyalists might have experienced and it pulls at my heart strings. This treat I attended the NC Symphony Holiday pops and it is now my favorite thing to do, besides watching The Polar Express with my mother because it’s her favorite thing to do on Christmas Eve. Also, the darkest night, the solstice, is tops for me. I make beeswax candles and light them going into the darkest night. It’s quiet and restful and meditative this time of year. I love the practice of “wintering.” Best wishes to you all!
family time
I enjoy buying gifts for the little ones. I do not consider it a Christian holiday because well I’m not that person. I do believe it’s a good time for kids and family. Most family.