Thursday 7 March 2024

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour present: Covered in Flour by Charles Presti


Book Title: Covered in Flour

Author: Charles Presti

Publication Date: October 10th, 2023

Publisher: Charles Presti

Page Length: 220

Genre: Historical Fiction


Tour Schedule Page:  


Covered in Flour

Charles Presti

Blurb:

It's 1968 in Whisper Haven, and 8-year-old Carl Pozzi’s world is about to change. 

For eight-year-old Carl Pozzi, 1968 begins like any other year—playing kickball with friends and enjoying the comforting aroma of Mom's pasta dinners in their predominantly white suburban Whisper Haven home. But when Carl's teacher introduces lessons about racial prejudice and injustice, his worldview cracks wide open.

How far can innocence stretch before it snaps?

As Carl flips through the pages of his 3-ring binder, each lesson serves as a gateway to a journey of self-discovery and understanding. It's an expedition that not only changes him but reshapes his whole concept of family and justice—especially as he watches his father put on a police uniform during one of the most fraught periods in American history.

"Covered in Flour" is not just a heartfelt stroll down memory lane. It's a captivating coming-of-age saga that digs deep beneath the surface of suburban tranquility. It beckons you to reconsider long-held family values and confront the societal norms you've taken for granted. 

Written with genuine love, humor, and a tinge of sorrow, this story blends the nostalgia of tradition with the inevitability of change, offering a stirring mix that leaves you pondering long after the last page is turned. This book isn't just a delightful read; it's a catalyst for introspection, freshly baked and served for your soul.

Read an Excerpt

THE FEAST – PART I

AUGUST 1968

Arriving at Aunt Nina's home, anticipation filled me as we descended into the basement kitchen, a sanctuary of culinary heritage. Aunt Nina, with grocery bags in tow, was about to share not just the art of making cannoli but a cherished family tradition. The kitchen, brimming with the aroma of home, was laid out with flour, sugar, ricotta, butter, eggs, and other essentials, setting the stage for a lesson steeped in history and love.

"First, the dough," Aunt Nina began, guiding me through each step with a blend of instruction and storytelling... She demonstrated how to blend the ingredients meticulously, instilling in me the importance of texture and tradition. As we rolled, cut, and shaped the dough around cannoli tubes, her instructions were punctuated with anecdotes of past generations, embedding the process with meaning.

When the shells golden and crisp emerged from the fryer, Aunt Nina shifted to the ricotta filling, the heart of the cannoli... She allowed me to add the candied fruit, teaching me that every bite should tell a story. As we filled the cooled shells, Aunt Nina's kitchen transformed into a place of alchemy, where simple ingredients melded into a testament of family, love, and heritage.

The basement, lit by a serene light, seemed to cast Aunt Nina in a glow of almost celestial brilliance... It was a moment of profound realization for me: miracles manifest in the simple acts of creation. The act of making cannoli transcended mere cooking; it was a ritual of connection, a labor of love that wove our family's past with its present.

Tasting the finished cannoli, the crunch of the shell giving way to the rich, sweet filling, I understood the true essence of our endeavor. It wasn't just about the ingredients or the technique; it was about the love and legacy that each cannoli represented, a bond between Aunt Nina and me that would endure, one cannoli at a time.



Universal Buy Link:  



Charles Presti, emerging from the sun-drenched shores of Pensacola, Florida, crafts narratives that echo with the richness of his varied life. His journey from a USF College of Medicine graduate to a storyteller is as unconventional as it is inspiring. Drawing from his days as a physician and informatics specialist, Charles infuses his writing with a rare blend of scientific precision and heartfelt emotion. His debut novel, "Covered in Flour," is a vivid tapestry of his Italian-American heritage, his experiences in the whirlwind era of the 1960s, and his personal journey as a gay man. These elements converge to create stories that not only entertain but resonate deeply with themes of family, discovery, and the delicate dance of life's everyday moments.

Charles's passion for storytelling is paralleled only by his commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. Alongside his husband, Mike Bruce, and their beloved Wheaton Terrier, Zoey, he is a vibrant force and founder of "Sunday's Child," a local charity dedicated to nurturing inclusion and empowering LGBTQ+ and  other marginalized communities through grants to local charities. A pillar in the Emerald Coast Writers group, he continually explores the nuances of identity, heritage, and a sense of belonging. Discover more about Charles's captivating world and "Covered in Flour" at www.coveredinflour.com, where each story is a window into a life lived fully and authentically.


Website: www.coveredinflour.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552112886658 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckpresti/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/covered_inflour

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/covered-in-flour-1968-a-young-boy-s-perspective-on-school-family-and-changing-times-by-charles-presti 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/charlespresti 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45201473.Charles_Presti 



Thursday 29 February 2024

The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: Lighten The Load (Ghosts along the Oregon Trail, Book 2) by David Fitz-Gerald


Book Title: Lighten the Load

Series: Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail (Book 2)

Author: David Fitz-Gerald

Publication Date: January 31, 2024

Publisher: David Fitz-Gerald

Page Length: 203

Genre: Western, Historical Fiction


Series Trailer: https://youtu.be/sWvp6dtbXvA 

Tour Schedule Page: 



Lighten the Load: A Pioneer Western Adventure

David Fitz-Gerald


Blurb:

After a devastating tragedy, Dorcas Moon faces brutal choices in the unforgiving wilderness.

An unsolved hometown murder casts a foreboding shadow over the journey. Mounting responsibilities weigh heavy on Dorcas' shoulders while navigating the trail along the Platte River. Family, friends, and neighbors can't seem to get along without her help.

The gruesome trail exacts a heavy toll. A sweeping grass fire blazes across the prairie. A doomed wagon careens down a treacherous hill. A fellow traveler is gored to death while hunting buffalo. Each disaster pushes the pioneers to the brink. Amidst the chaos, Dorcas grapples with the realization that she must dump her precious cook stove and her husband's massive safe. The oxen can no longer haul the heavy weight of unnecessary cargo.

When her daughter mysteriously disappears while the wagons are at Fort Laramie, Dorcas Despairs. She is desperate to help her daughter when the troubled youth is found in the arms of a Brulé man in Spotted Tail's village.

Secure your copy of Lighten the Load and delve into an unforgettable saga of empowerment, sacrifice, and the haunting echoes of the American frontier. Rejoin Dorcas Moon on the adventure of a lifetime as she confronts the challenges that shape her destiny.



This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.


Universal Buy Link:  


David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

Website: https://www.itsoag.com/GATOT 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorDAVIDFG 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDaveFITZGERALD/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordavefitzgerald

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AuthorDaveFITZGERALD/ 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/david-fitz-gerald 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/dfitzgerald 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17341792.David_Fitz_Gerald 

Linktree https://linktr.ee/authordavidfitzgerald 



Tuesday 27 February 2024

The Coffee Pot Blog Tour presents: Anywhere But Schuylkill by Michael Dunn


Book Title: Anywhere But Schuylkill

Series: The Great Upheaval Trilogy

Author: Michael Dunn

Publication Date: September 25, 2023

Publisher: Historium Press

Page Length: 301

Genre: Historical Fiction


Tour Schedule Page:  



Anywhere But Schuylkill

by Michael Dunn

In 1877, twenty Irish coal miners hanged for a terrorist conspiracy that never occurred. Anywhere But Schuylkill is the story of one who escaped, Mike Doyle, a teenager trying to keep his family alive during the worst depression the nation has ever faced. Banks and railroads are going under. Children are dying of hunger. The Reading Railroad has slashed wages and hired Pinkerton spies to infiltrate the miners’ union. And there is a sectarian war between rival gangs. But none of this compares with the threat at home.


Universal Buy Link: Historium Press: 



Michael Dunn writes Working-Class Fiction from the Not So Gilded Age. Anywhere But Schuylkill is the first in his Great Upheaval trilogy. A lifelong union activist, he has always been drawn to stories of the past, particularly those of regular working people, struggling to make a better life for themselves and their families. 

Stories most people do not know, or have forgotten, because history is written by the victors, the robber barons and plutocrats, not the workers and immigrants. Yet their stories are among the most compelling in America. They resonate today because they are the stories of our own ancestors, because their passions and desires, struggles and tragedies, were so similar to our own. 

When Michael Dunn is not writing historical fiction, he teaches high school, and writes about labor history and culture.


WebsiteTwitter:  Facebook: Instagram:/ Amazon Author Page:  Goodreads: 



Monday 26 February 2024

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog tours present: The Shadow Network by Deborah Swift


Book Title: The Shadow Network

Series: Secret Agent Series (but can be read as a stand-alone)

Author: Deborah Swift

Publication Date: 13th February 2024

Publisher: HQ Digital

Page Length: 376

Genre: Historical Fiction / WW2


Twitter Handle: @swiftstory @cathiedunn 

Bluesky Handle: @deborahswift.bsky.social @cathiedunn.bsky.social

Tour Schedule Page: 





The Shadow Network 

by Deborah Swift


One woman must sacrifice everything to uncover the truth in this enthralling historical novel, inspired by the true World War Two campaign Radio Aspidistra…

England, 1942: Having fled Germany after her father was captured by the Nazis, Lilli Bergen is desperate to do something pro-active for the Allies. So when she’s approached by the Political Warfare Executive, Lilli jumps at the chance. She’s recruited as a singer for a radio station broadcasting propaganda to German soldiers – a shadow network.

But Lilli’s world is flipped upside down when her ex-boyfriend, Bren Murphy, appears at her workplace; the very man she thinks betrayed her father to the Nazis. Lilli always thought Bren was a Nazi sympathiser – so what is he doing in England supposedly working against the Germans?

Lilli knows Bren is up to something, and must put aside a blossoming new relationship in order to discover the truth. Can Lilli expose him, before it’s too late?

Set in the fascinating world of wartime radio, don’t miss The Shadow Network, a heart-stopping novel of betrayal, treachery, and courage against the odds.

The Shadow Network by Deborah Swift




Extract from Chapter 5

Brandenburg, Germany, 1941

Bren Murphy was one of seven men in the hut making explosive devices using sugar, potash, and flour stuffed into a pipe. 

He poured the mix of powder down the funnel, enjoying the sound like sand running into an hourglass. His hands were already reaching for another pipe. Always restless, he relished this training with the Brandenburg commandos, a stiff regime designed to equip them for undercover missions in enemy territory. 

Bren glanced at his fellow commandos, all hard at work for the National Socialist Party. He wished the doubters could see them in training – many Germans looked down on the Brandenburg units with derision because they were mostly ex-pats brought back from Europe. He of course was not an expat, not even German, but an Irishman with a PhD in German. Most Wehrmacht men were too soft – they wouldn’t last five minutes on the tough assault courses the commandos had to tackle. 

Bren flexed his muscles, still stiff from night-time runs through the forest with a forty-pound pack, and continued with his task. He leant into the table, mixing the ingredients with his red India-rubber gloves and using the funnel to get the stuff inside another tube. He tried not to breathe in the dry gunpowder dust that hung in the air. He stood back, ripped off his gloves, and admired his handiwork. A five pounder – it would knock the smile off someone’s face, and half the neighbourhood too. 

Practical tasks had always suited him, and anything with an edge of danger. But now, after three weeks in the camp, he wanted action. He couldn’t wait to get posted.

‘You done already?’ His friend Alix Hoffnung asked in perfectly accented English. Alix was another English speaker, who’d been educated in Oxford.

‘Yup. Done it before. I’ve shoved in a little extra. Guess it’ll blow a few people out of their boots.’

‘God in heaven! Don’t let the Kommandant catch you. Don’t suppose we’ll be allowed to try it out on the testing range,’ Alix said. ‘There won’t be time.’

‘Yeah, the training’s gone quick.’ 

‘D’you use bombs in Ireland?’ 

Bren nodded. ‘Same sort of thing. Mostly nitro though if we could get it.’ He’d been part of the IRA as long as he could remember, from being a nipper. Brought up on it, like everyone else in his street. The Nazis wanted to crush the Brits, just like the IRA. Difference was, the Germans were better organised and better equipped for it too.

‘What did you target?’ Alix asked.

‘Same as the S-plan here. Anything to cause disruption to the English. Electricity sub-stations, trains, government buildings. But one of them went wrong and I had to get out smartish. After that, they upped the surveillance.’ He paused, remembering. ‘Bicycle bomb. Last August, in Coventry – killed five civilians – one hell of a mess. Supposed to make them take us seriously.’

‘And did it?’

‘I’ll say. Worked too well. Papers had a feeding frenzy and turned everyone against the IRA. Of course it was all backed by the Abwehr, so that’s how the Gestapo got wind of me. Von Hippel tracked me down in Dublin and asked if I wanted to serve with him.’

Alix stoppered his metal pipe with the bunch of rag provided, and stripped off his gloves. ‘We should be out of here in a few days,’ he said. ‘Wish I knew where I’d be going.’

‘I don’t care,’ Bren said, ‘so long as it’s not Ireland. Or the Eastern Front. Hoping for England; get even with the bastards.’

‘I’ll miss all this.’

‘What? Five o’clock wake-up calls and sawing through underwater bridges in minus two?’

‘God yes. That was awful.’ Alix paused. ‘No. I mean having company; like-minded comrades. Out there, we’ll be on our own.’

‘Just the way I like it,’ Bren said. 

‘What, no women?’

‘Only if there are no ties.’ His mind went back to Lilli, to her face when she bumped into him with Hilde when he was supposed to be at football practice. That look of shock and incomprehension. But he couldn’t hang out with her any more, not once he knew her mother was Jewish. It would have tainted him with the Party for good. 

No, she was a pariah. In the end he’d told his PhD supervisor the Bergens were Jewish sympathisers, and it had earned him a bunch of Brownie points with the Gestapo, and consolidated their special interest in him as a trusted member of the IRA.

‘First thing I’ll do if I ever get to England,’ Alix said, a dreamy expression on his face. ‘Find a screw.’

‘Make sure it’s a clean one then. I’ve heard dodgy whores are the Brits’ secret weapon.’

Alix grinned and stuffed more explosive into the pipe.


Universal Buy Link:  Link to bookshop: 



Deborah Swift is the English author of eighteen historical novels, including Millennium Award winner Past Encounters, and The Lady’s Slipper, shortlisted for the Impress Prize. 

Her most recent books are the Renaissance trilogy based around the life of the poisoner Giulia Tofana, The Poison Keeper and its sequels, one of which won the Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal. Recently she has completed a secret agent series set in WW2, the first in the series being The Silk Code.

Deborah used to work as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV and enjoys the research aspect of creating historical fiction, something she loved doing as a scenographer. She likes to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events. Deborah lives in North Lancashire on the edge of the Lake District, an area made famous by the Romantic Poets such as Wordsworth and Coleridge.


Twitter https://twitter.com/swiftstory

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordeborahswift/

Website: www.deborahswift.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/deborahswift1/

Amazon  http://author.to/DeborahSwift

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/deborah-swift



Wednesday 21 February 2024

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog tour presents: Steel Valley: Coming of Age in the Ohio Valley in the 1960s by Jerry Madden


Book Title: Steel Valley: Coming of Age in the Ohio Valley in the 1960s

Author: Jerry Madden

Publication Date: January 20, 2023

Publisher: Potomac Publishing Company

Page Length: 350 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction




Tour Schedule Page: 




Steel Valley: Coming of Age in the Ohio Valley in the 1960s 

Jerry Madden


Blurb:

For readers of The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni and Last Summer Boys by Bill Rivers

Love is never easy...even in easier times, like the 1950s and 1960s in the Ohio Valley with the steel industry booming.

Second-generation immigrant families were reaching for the American middle class. And Catholic schools-made feasible by selfless Catholic nuns-promised bigger lives for everyone, including Jack Clark and Laurie Carmine. As they spent years searching for their separate futures, though, they were also stumbling toward love just as their world came crashing down.

Steel Valley depicts a story of love longed for, lost, and perhaps still within reach, just as our nation's mythic yesterday became our troubled today, our last summer of innocence.

Universal Buy Link: 



Jerry Madden grew up in the Upper Ohio Valley in the 1960s. He holds a B.A. from the College of Steubenville and law degrees from the University of Dayton School of Law and the Georgetown University Law Center. After law school, Jerry served as the sole law clerk to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, C. William O'Neill. He served in the United States Marine Corps (R) between 1970 and 1976. 

Jerry has practiced law in Washington, D.C., since 1979, including fourteen years at the Department of Justice as a trial and appellate attorney. He is the principal of The Madden Law Group PLLC in Washington, D.C. 

He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, Cyndi, a retired educator. They have two children, Kelsey and Jack, both of whom hold M.Ed. degrees. They have one grandchild, Jamie Maclennan. 


Website:  Twitter:  Amazon Author Page:  Goodreads: 



Tuesday 13 February 2024

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: A Grave Every Mile by David Fitz-Gerald


Book Title: A Grave Every Mile

Series: Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail

Author: David Fitz-Gerald

Publication Date: December 24th, 2023

Publisher: David Fitz-Gerald

Page Length: 204

Genre: Western, Historical Fiction


Series Trailer: https://youtu.be/sWvp6dtbXvA 

Tour Schedule Page:  


A Grave Every Mile: A Pioneer Western Adventure

David Fitz-Gerald

Blurb:

Embark on a harrowing trek across the rugged American frontier in 1850. Your wagon awaits, and the untamed wilderness calls. This epic western adventure will test the mettle of even the bravest souls.

Dorcas Moon and her family set forth in search of opportunity and a brighter future. Yet, what awaits them is a relentless gauntlet of life-threatening challenges: miserable weather, ravenous insects, scorching sunburns, and unforgiving terrain. It's not merely a battle for survival but a test of their unity and sanity.

Amidst the chaos, Dorcas faces ceaseless trials: her husband's unending bickering, her daughter's descent into madness, and the ever-present danger of lethal rattlesnakes, intensifying the peril with each step. The specter of death looms large, with diseases spreading and the eerie howls of rabid wolves piercing the night. Will the haunting image of wolves desecrating a grave push Dorcas over the edge?

With each mile, the migration poses a haunting question: Who will endure the relentless quest to cross the continent, and who will leave their bones to rest beside the trail? The pathway is bordered by graves, a chilling reminder of the steep cost of dreams.

A Grave Every Mile marks the commencement of an unforgettable saga. Start reading Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail now to immerse yourself in an expedition where every decision carries the weight of life, death, and the pursuit of a brighter future along the Oregon Trail.


 


This title is available on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link:



David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

Read an Excerpt 


First day on the trail, April 15, 1850


Our three teams of oxen, led by Hardtack and Scrapple, stand ready to do their job. It takes a while before it’s our turn to begin pulling, with fifteen wagons ahead of us. When the wheels of the wagon before us begin to turn, Larkin cracks the bullwhip and shouts, “Hi-yah!” He snaps the whip again, and the poor beasts lumber forward.

The broody hen squawks in her box. Straps hold the cage in place on a shelf on the wagon’s exterior. Ridge, the devil-eyed goat, blats in protest as the rope that ties her to the back left corner of the wagon drags her along. I can’t see Blizzard, tied to the other corner of the wagon. The children and I begin on foot, following closely behind Larkin.

I hate it when people are cruel to animals. I should hold my tongue, but I cannot. “Must you snap that whip so sharply? It’s barbaric. We should thank the oxen, not whip them.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Dorcas. I’m not whipping them. I’m whipping the air above them. You know that. We can’t get to Oregon if the oxen don’t move. Don’t carry on like a child.”

Of course, he's right. Somehow, dressing a deer doesn't phase me. I can snap a chicken's neck and pluck its feathers, but the idea of hurting beasts of burden saddens me. “Couldn’t you just tap them lightly on the rump rather than scare the poor creatures?”

“Look, see, we’re already falling behind. We need to drive the oxen faster if we want to get to Oregon before winter.”

“But…”

“That’s enough, Dorcas. Don’t pester me anymore.”

My molars tighten against each other. I know a woman shouldn’t bicker, argue, or nag. Usually, Larkin doesn’t complain about having a garrulous wife. Still, it rankles when he tells me not to pester him.

After walking alongside for half an hour, Dahlia Jane says she is tired. One mile down, one thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-nine miles to go. I lift the child into the wagon. Fortunately, she is content to play quietly by herself.

I walk for a while beside Blizzard. He always seems to listen and understand me when I share my troubles, worries, and complaints. His coat is sleek beneath the palm of my hand. I can never resist stroking his neck. "We’ll take a ride together soon. I promise."

Dahlia Jane hasn’t moved from her nest in the back of the wagon, so I return to walk with the other children. I’m surprised to find Christopher where Larkin was. Larkin is missing. I glance about and don’t see him anywhere. Andrew smiles and says, “Nature calls.” Rose slaps her forehead and looks at her hand to see if she squashed a bug. Christopher seems to have mastered snapping the bullwhip above the oxen, and it makes me cringe even more than when Larkin does it.

After half an hour, Larkin tells Rose it’s her turn. She had been complaining about boredom and appears to have come alive as Larkin calls out her name. “Alright, Rose. Here is the whip. Hold it high and flick it hard with your wrist so that it snaps in the air above the kine.”

Rose asks, “What if I accidentally hit them with it?”

Larkin answers, “Don’t worry. It will not hurt them. They have thick skin and dull nerves.”

I can’t help but say, “Larkin, how do you know how they feel? Please don’t beat our animals.”

Larkin replies, “We’ll try, but the children must learn how to drive them. If you can’t bear to watch, may I suggest you visit our neighbors?”

“Very well, then.” It doesn’t make it any better knowing they whip the beasts while I’m gone, but I pluck Dahlia Jane from her burrow and wander back to the next wagon.


Author Links:


Linktree https://linktr.ee/authordavidfitzgerald 

Website: https://www.itsoag.com/GATOT 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorDAVIDFG 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDaveFITZGERALD/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordavefitzgerald/ 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AuthorDaveFITZGERALD

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/david-fitz-gerald 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/dfitzgerald 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17341792.David_Fitz_Gerald 



Sunday 11 February 2024

The Coffee Pot Book club presents: Dude or Die by Lynn Downey


Book Title: Dude or Die

Series: H Double Bar Dude Ranch series

Author: Lynn Downey

Publication Date: October 15, 2023

Publisher: Pronghorn Press

Page Length: 328

Genre: Historical Fiction


Tour Schedule Page



Dude or Die

by 

Lynn Downey


Blurb:

It’s 1954, and San Francisco writer Phoebe Kelley is enjoying the success of her first novel, Lady in the Desert. When Phoebe’s sister-in-law asks her to return to Tribulation, Arizona to help run the H Double Bar Dude Ranch, she doesn’t hesitate. There’s competition from a new dude ranch this year, so the H Double Bar puts on a rodeo featuring a trick rider with a mysterious past. When accidents begin to happen around the ranch, Phoebe jumps in to figure out why, and confronts an unexpected foe. And a man from her own past forces her to confront feelings long buried. Dude or Die is the second book in the award-winning H Double Bar Dude Ranch series. 


Read an Excerpt of Dude or Die by Lynn Downey

 Synopsis: It’s 1954, and San Francisco writer Phoebe Kelley returns to the H Double Bar dude ranch in Tribulation, Arizona to help her late husband’s sister Mary, her husband Sam, and their young son Joe run the ranch for the fall season. Phoebe and the ranch were introduced in the first book in this series, Dudes Rush In. There’s stiff competition from a new guest ranch in town, called the Desert Grande, run by a powerful woman named Thelma Powell who seems determined to put other ranches out of business. Phoebe and Mary decide to put on a “dudeo,” a rodeo for both the ranch’s wranglers and the visiting dudes, to thwart Thelma’s efforts. They bring in a trick rider from California with a mysterious past named Eden Williams, and a man from Phoebe’s past also reappears. When accidents happen around the ranch, Phoebe must confront an unexpected foe.

  

Excerpt from Chapter 12: The “dudeo” events are over, and people are waiting for the trick rider’s performance.

 The morning had kept its warm promise, and by noon many of the spectators took off their jackets and sweaters before they headed toward the food tables, returning with sandwiches and cups of soda or coffee. The dude and wrangler events were over, and everyone had been encouraged to get something to eat before Eden’s performance.

 As they mingled, people chatted and laughed about how hilarious it was to watch the dudes, especially in the egg and spoon race. Mary had deputized Joe to clean up all the spilled eggs, and he had run into the corral and scooped up the splattered yolks with a short shovel and a bucket like a ball boy at a tennis match. When Sam questioned Mary about why she wanted the eggs removed, she retorted, “I don’t care if it is just a dirt corral, I’m not leaving a mess behind.”

 Jason McIntyre’s brother Matthew surprised everyone with his riding during the pole bending, coming in a close second to a girl from the Triple S Dude Ranch. Jacob Randolph’s little sister Ava Grace jumped and squealed when he won the belt buckle for the best performance in steer head roping. Chris, the other McIntyre brother, came in third. A boy from Jim and Laura Stevenson’s Bar K Ranch astounded the crowd with his egg balancing and easily took first prize for the event.

 None of the dudes from the Desert Grande joined the competition, but two wranglers entered the bucking bronc event. One of them was a very young man whose time on the horse was just a tick shorter than Gene Bowman’s. Phoebe caught sight of Mary when that happened and saw her scowl, but it didn’t last long. Lorraine was bested in the barrel race by Maggie, one of the wranglers at the Bar K Ranch. The two women were good friends, and Lorraine applauded when Sam announced Maggie’s winning time.

 Phoebe assumed that Mary or Sam would give out the prizes when the events were over, so she was surprised when a rodeo clown strutted into the corral dragging a large black drawstring bag. It took her a few moments to realize that it was Carl. He wore oversized jeans held up with ragged suspenders, a red-and-white polka dot shirt, and straw hat. He’d also painted his face and blacked out one of his teeth. He made funny faces at the kids when he dug into the bag to pull out their ribbons, stuffed burros, and pins, and did an exaggerated vaudeville bow to each of the winning wranglers. The crowd’s laughter just spurred him on to more antics, which included doing a few trick spins with a lariat that he also had in the bag. Phoebe thought he’d missed his calling, and planned to tell him so.

 Mary watched to make sure everyone was back in their seats after the lunch break, and once folks looked settled, she and Sam walked back into the corral, now cleared of poles, steer head, eggshells, and a few dropped bandannas. Sam turned on the bullhorn again, and passed it to his wife.

 “Ladies and gentlemen! We hope you enjoyed the first part of our dudeo, and we congratulate all of the winners.”

 The crowd applauded enthusiastically and a few people stamped their feet, making Mary chuckle and smile before she continued.

 “The H Double Bar is now proud to introduce trick rider Eden Williams and her famous horse, Berry-Wise, making their first ever appearance in Arizona.”

 More and even louder applause followed this announcement. It was obvious that the audience had been anticipating the climax of the day’s events.

 “I won’t make you wait a moment longer. I give you Miss Williams and Berry-Wise!”

 All eyes were aimed toward the barn, but a moment later everyone turned as a horse and rider burst through the corral’s far gate, which Phoebe had opened while people were getting their food.

 Eden and Berry stopped in the center of the corral, and the horse reared on its hind legs as Eden took off her cowboy hat and waved to the crowd, a brilliant smile illuminating her face as the audience clapped and hooted. Her tight black riding pants were tucked into short boots, and they were paired with a deep pink satin shirt with red piping. Embroidered on the back of the shirt, in shiny black thread, were the words Western Pride Berry Farms, Sebastopol, Cal. She also wore a pink bandanna around her neck, tied to the side with a jaunty bow. Phoebe thought she looked like a summer rosebush. Berry-Wise had dark pink ribbons braided into his mane and tail.

 The horse lowered his front legs and suddenly he and Eden began spinning in place. After a few revolutions, Eden brought him to a halt and with a swift movement she stood upright in the saddle, her feet tucked into what looked like extra pockets. Grabbing the reins, she made a slight movement and Berry-Wise began to gallop toward the open gate. But instead of going through it, the horse turned and began to run parallel to the corral. As he sped up, Eden bent over into a full backbend, keeping the position as the horse made one full circuit back to his starting point.

 Plopping back down into the saddle, Eden acknowledged the cheering crowd, and with barely a beat, goaded Berry into a gallop again. The crowd gasped when she seemed to fall off the horse, but she held on to the saddle, bounced on her feet in the dirt, and then jumped back on. She did the same movement five more times as the audience continued to cheer. 

 Eden then rode Berry again toward the corral’s center. Around her arm was a lariat and as she stood straight up in the saddle Berry-Wise began to trot around in a circle as before, while Eden twirled the rope around her head. She then made the loop wider and jumped into the air as she spun the lariat up and around her body. She finished with another flourish above her head and looped the rope over her arm.

 She then slid to the ground and after whispering something to her horse, Eden and Berry-Wise bowed in tandem to the audience.

 Before the applause died down, she leaped into the saddle, stood up in the stirrups, and took off her hat again in tribute to the audience. Berry turned and galloped toward the open gate, Eden did a final backbend, and they passed through the opening, a berry-colored blur.

 


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Lynn Downey is an award-winning novelist, short story writer, historian of the West, and native Californian.

She was the Historian for Levi Strauss & Co. in San Francisco for 25 years. Her adventures as ambassador for company history took her around the world, where she spoke to television audiences, magazine editors, and university students, appeared in numerous documentaries, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She wrote many books and articles about the history of the company and the jeans, and her biography, Levi Strauss: The Man Who Gave Blue Jeans to the World, won the Foreword Reviews silver INDIE award.

Lynn got interested in dude ranches during her time at Levi’s. Her debut historical novel, Dudes Rush In, is set on an Arizona dude ranch in the 1950s; Arizona because she’s a desert rat at heart, and the 1950s because the clothes were fabulous.

Dudes Rush In won a Will Rogers Medallion Award, and placed first in Arizona Historical Fiction at the New Mexico-Arizona book awards. The next book in this series, Dude or Die, was released in 2023. And just for fun, Lynn wrote a screenplay based on Dudes Rush In, which is currently making the rounds of reviewers and competitions.

She pens short stories, as well. “The Wind and the Widow” took Honorable Mention in the History Through Fiction story contest, and “Incident at the Circle H” was a Finalist for the Longhorn Prize from Saddlebag Dispatches. The story “Goldie Hawn at the Good Karma CafĂ©,” won second place in The LAURA Short Fiction contest from Women Writing the West, and is based on her experiences in a San Francisco religious cult in the 1970s. (That will be another book one of these days.)  

Lynn’s latest nonfiction book is American Dude Ranch: A Touch of the Cowboy and the Thrill of the West, a cultural history of the dude ranch. It was reviewed in The Wall Street Journal, True West, Cowgirl, and The Denver Post, and was a Finalist for the Next Generation INDIE Award in Nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews said the book is “…deeply engaging and balances accessible writing style with solid research.”

When she’s not writing, Lynn works as a consulting archivist and historian for museums, libraries, cultural institutions, and businesses. She is the past president of Women Writing the West, a member of the Western Writers of America, and is on numerous boards devoted to archives and historic preservation. 

Lynn lives in Sonoma, California, where she sometimes makes wine from the Pinot Noir grapes in her back yard vineyard.


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