HARMON GENERAL

Misfits and Millionaires #2

by

KIMBERLY FISH

Genre: Historical Fiction / WWII / Spies

Publisher: Fish Tales, LLC

Date of Publication: June 16, 2018

Number of Pages: 330

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In 1943, Lane Mercer and Emmie Tesco had nothing in common. Well, nothing stronger than a town neither of them chose and careers they couldn’t advertise as agents within the Office of Strategic Services. During the days of Longview, Texas’s Friendly Trek Homecoming Parade, Lane was gearing up for the grand opening of a bookshop that also disguised an espionage safe house, and Emmie was chasing a criminal with evil intent through the US Army’s new medical facility, Harmon General Hospital, treating diseased and amputated soldiers. Emmie ropes Lane into international threats at Harmon General, making it increasingly hard for the two spies to navigate the Junior Service League, church life, or anything else that might be considered normal for a town sizzling with oil boom wealth. A friend from Lane’s past arrives and pushes against the fiction she’s created to distance her spy history from the wedding bells ringing her future. Emmie flirts with the idea of finding a life outside of the OSS but justifies the danger as a way to make amends for those she’s betrayed. Connecting the two women, to their surprise, is a rogue agent who targets them for crimes he believes they created. For better, or worse, they have to put aside their differences to share responsibility for stopping “The Grasshopper” before he blows apart the Big Inch Pipeline project and Harmon General Hospital. The hope of malaria treatments for US soldiers depends on it, and justice of the heart demands it.

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Praise

“The war that changed the world brought the world to East Texas through Harmon General, a significant US Army hospital that treated thousands of wounded soldiers in Longview.  In Harmon General, we meet again Lane Mercer, a World War II heroine, and we enjoy again how the drama of her secret service to the nation and her complicated personal relationships pull us into the vast impact of the world war.” — Dale Lunsford, Ph.D., President, LeTourneau University

“Harmon General is a brilliant story for historical fiction readers! Set in World War II, the female spies, Army hospital setting, and drama amongst the Longview townsfolk kept me riveted and engaged until the very end.” – Jody T. Morse

Playlist to Harmon General

by Kimberly Fish

The theme song to Harmon General would be, “I’ll be Seeing You,” the scratchy recording version by Bing Crosby.  Check out the video:

This song is precious to main character Lane because it speaks to her newly stirred-up memories of her husband, which are triggered by seeing old friend, Stuart Lemming. It’s also a bit ironic because as a spy, she’s not supposed to be memorable or inclined to be remembered at particular locations. Still, the heart is not bound by should—it wants what it wants.

Whether you listen to XM, Pandora and Spotify, if you want to get the Harmon General vibe, go with the Big Band channels, or Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, or Louis Armstrong. But because I highlight female jazz singers in the novel, I recommend listening to Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and one cutting edge impresario—Betty Carter.

A Word from Kimberly Fish

Kimberly Fish started writing professionally with the birth of her second child and the purchase of a home computer. Having found this dubious outlet, she then entered and won The Writer’s League of Texas manuscript contest which fed her on-going fascination with story crafting.

She has since published in magazines, newspapers, and online formats and in January 2017, released the first novel in the Misfits and Millionaires series set during the World War II years in Longview, Texas—The Big Inch. Her second book, Comfort Plans, was published later that same year.

She lives with her family in East Texas.

Website * Instagram * Facebook

Twitter * Goodreads * Amazon Author Page

 

Visit Kimberly Fish’s YouTube channel to see book reviews and behind the scene peeks

at places that have inspired the novels!

From kissing couples to fabulous fedoras, Kimberly Fish’s Pinterest Board shows her

inspiration behind Harmon General!

————————————-

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TWO SIGNED COPIES OF HARMON GENERAL

JUNE 22-JULY 1, 2018

(U.S. Only)

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

6/22/18	Top Ten List	That’s What She’s Reading
6/23/18	Review	Books in the Garden
6/23/18	Excerpt	Book Fidelity
6/24/18	Guest Post	Chapter Break Book Blog
6/25/18	Review	Syd Savvy
6/25/18	Character Interview	The Librarian Talks
6/26/18	BONUS Review	Hall Ways Blog
6/27/18	Review	The Clueless Gent
6/27/18	Top Ten List	Kelly Well Read
6/28/18	Playlist	StoreyBook Reviews
6/29/18	Review	The Love of a Bibliophile
6/29/18	Excerpt	Books and Broomsticks
6/30/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
6/30/18	Guest Post	Dressed to Read
7/1/18	Review	Missus Gonzo

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Title: A COWBOY’S SWEETHEART (Rodeo Academy #1)

Author: Crista McHugh

Pub. Date: June 25, 2018

Publisher: Crista McHugh

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 164

Synopsis

Pampered New York Socialite and dressage rider, Kensington Pope, has been exiled by her jet-setting parents to her aunt’s Rodeo Academy in Wyoming. She wants nothing to do with the rough and tumble students there, especially one particularly handsome cowboy, Javier. But she won’t be there for long. She has a plan in place to break out after her next international competition.

Javier Cruz takes one look at the spoiled city girl and instantly dismisses her. The school of tough knocks has already educated him on what the important things in life are, and he has bigger things on his plate. He’s counting down the days until his eighteenth birthday when he can pull his younger siblings from the foster care program and reunite his family. But as he gets to know Kensi, he sees a kindred spirit and discovers there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Kensi begins to question her desire to flee the ranch as her relationship to Javier deepens and she learns the importance of family. But when he discovers her escape plan, will he be able to trust her again? And when tragedy comes to the ranch, will Kensi be able to step up and take her place in the family?

 Amazon * B&N * iBooks * TBD

 

About the Author

Crista McHugh is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING author of fantasy and romance with heroines who are smart, sexy, and anything but ordinary. She also writes fantasy with a little less kissing and bit more action (outside the bedroom) as C. A. McHugh.

Growing up in small town Alabama, Crista relied on story-telling as a natural way for her to pass the time and keep her two younger sisters entertained.

She currently lives in the Tesla-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician on the occassional weekend.

Just for laughs, here are some of the jobs she’s had in the past to pay the bills: barista, bartender, sommelier, stagehand, actress, morgue attendant, and autopsy assistant.

And she’s also a recovering LARPer. (She blames it on her crazy college days)

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

 

Giveaway

1 winner will win a Kindle Fire 7, US Only.

1 winner will win a $20 Amazon GC, US Only.

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

6/25/2018- Bubbly Books– Review

6/25/2018- Sophie Reads YA– Review

6/26/2018- Never Too Many To Read– Guest Post

6/26/2018- Cindy’s Love of Books– Review

6/27/2018- Here’s to Happy Endings– Excerpt

6/27/2018- StoreyBook Reviews– Spotlight

6/28/2018- A Gingerly Review– Excerpt

6/28/2018- BookHounds YA– Interview

6/29/2018- Demi Reads– Review

6/29/2018- The Cozy Reading Corner– Excerpt

7/2/2018- Books & Other Pursuits– Review

7/2/2018- The Phantom Paragrapher– Review

7/3/2018- Books a Plenty Book Reviews– Spotlight

7/3/2018- Parajunkee– Excerpt

7/4/2018- books are love– Review

7/4/2018- underneath the covers– Excerpt

7/5/2018- Two Chicks on Books– Interview

7/6/2018- The Reading Life– Spotlight

7/6/2018- Jaime’s World– Spotlight

 

Publisher: J. T. Bishop; 1 edition

Series: Red-Line, Book 5

Paperback: 383 pages

September 21, 2017, $14.95

Genre: Paranormal Suspense

Synopsis

Gifted with unique abilities, Royce Fletcher struggled to find his place in the world. Living a solitary life in the woods, he finds his quiet existence disrupted by unexpected visitors. Visitors he would prefer to avoid.

Despite his attempts to protect himself, Royce finds himself caught up in an unexpected romance, a local murder investigation, and a destiny he has little interest in pursuing.

The more he tries to pull away, the more drawn in he becomes until he must face the demons that refuse to go away. Demons that risk more than just his life, but all that he holds dear.

Excerpt

“So when should we introduce ourselves?” asked Sarna. She sat in the passenger seat of the car.

Jasper stared out the window of the driver’s side door toward the driveway of the house. They could see little. It was night and the house sat farther back into the woods. The only reason they could see anything was because the moon and the front porch light partially illuminated the home. They’d been there an hour, parked across the road, but had seen no movement.

“Soon,” said Jasper.

“How soon?”

Jasper sighed. “We can’t just barge in there.”

“Why not?” she asked. “Why are we waiting so long?”

Jasper threw a hand up. “You know why. This may take a while. We needed to acclimate anyway. Get comfortable here. Plus, it helps to watch. Study the area and him. It will help once we make contact.”

Sarna shook her head. “We’ve acclimated enough.” She rested her elbow on the car door. The window was open and the breeze blew her hair. “You’re stalling.”

His head whipped toward her. “I’m not stalling.”

“Yes. You are. You’re nervous about meeting him, aren’t you?”

He started to speak, but hesitated.

“He’s no different than you. He’s not better than you either.”

“I didn’t say he was.”

“You didn’t have to.” When Jasper didn’t reply, she asked, “What’s holding you back?”

Jasper shrugged. “I’m not sure what we’re going to say to him…what to tell him.”

A squirrel ran across the dark driveway. Sarna tapped her fingers on the window frame. “I’d say let’s start with the truth.”

Jasper started the car and took a deep breath. “I doubt he’ll believe us.”

Sarna rested her head back. “Why wouldn’t he? He’s half-human. His father is from another planet. He has unusual abilities that no one else has. I’d say he’ll be more open to us than you think. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he expected us.”

“Maybe…” Jasper ran his hand through his hair. “But he won’t know whether to trust us.”

“He can sense us just as we can sense him. He’ll know.”

Jasper raised a hand. “So we tell him everything? Right up front?”

“Wasn’t that the plan?”

Jasper stared through the windshield. “I’m having second thoughts.”

“Then let’s play it by ear,” she said. “We’ll see how it goes.”

Jasper pointed a finger at her. “You let me take the lead, okay?”

Sarna widened her eyes. “What do you mean? You think I can’t handle myself?”

Jasper raised an eyebrow. “I know you can’t handle yourself. Especially after that scene at the store.”

“That guy threatened us. He deserved it.”

“He was no threat to us and you know it. You just didn’t like him.”

“No. I didn’t. Or that crazy woman that was with him. This planet has some unstable people.”

Jasper huffed. “Like ours doesn’t? Why do you think we’re here?”

Sarna didn’t answer but looked out across the dark road. “You ready to go?” she asked. “Seen enough?”

Jasper put his hand on the wheel. “Yes. I’ve seen enough.”

“Tomorrow then,” she said. “We’ll talk to him.” She shifted in her seat. “And then we get the hell out of here and go home.”

Jasper gripped the steering wheel. “Okay. Tomorrow.” He put the car in drive. “And hopefully when we leave, he’ll be with us.”

About the Author

Born and raised in Dallas, TX, J. T. Bishop began writing in 2012. Inspired by a video that theorized the meaning of the end of the Mayan calendar, J. T. began the Red-Line trilogy. The video surmised that the earth was the central hub of activity for extraterrestrials thousands of years ago. J.T. didn’t know whether that was true or not, but it did spawn an idea. What if those extraterrestrials were still here? Two years and a lot of work later, the first three Red-Line books were complete, but she’s not done. The Red-Line saga develops as she continues to write new books.

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Book Title: The Blue Moon Narthex by N.J. Donner
Category: Middle-grade Fiction (Ages 8 to 12) 360 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Steele Page Press
Release date: February 7, 2017
Content Rating: PG (Some violence between forces of good and evil, but it’s not bloody or gory)

Synopsis

It’s 1919 and thirteen-year-old Cole McCarthy just wants more time with his father, who is a busy railroad executive. But a horrific train accident leaves Cole’s stepmother as his only family. Alone and lost, Cole wanders his family’s estate and runs into an old family friend who gives him a special object that belonged to his father.

Cole just wants to be a kid, not the owner of the most powerful object in the world. The Blue Moon Narthex is made from tangible bits of Karma and gives Cole the power to transport himself and control Karma.

Now, Alsin Gideon, traitor of the Legion of Karma, is on rampage to take Cole’s narthex and add to his body count. For their safety, Cole and two of his prep school friends are pulled into the enormous secret headquarters of the Legion, which operates like an underground 1920s spy organization. While living at the secret location, Cole learns about the secret double life of his father.

With the pressure to find his role within the legion, maintain a strained relationship with his stepmother, and live up to a daunting legacy left by his father Cole, withdraws and makes secret plans to take on his father’s enemies.

Alsin Gideon cleverly taunts Cole, to meet him at a prearranged battle meant for his father. Cole’s anger and determination boil over and he is willing to risk his powerful tool and Karma’s stability for the hope of getting his parents back.

Will Cole, along with his friends, be able to work together to bring back his parents, keep Karma’s in balance, and stay alive?

Trailer

About the Author

N.J. Donner is a dad who loves to tell stories and create worlds. He has created 3D models of parts of the Legion’s secret headquarters and drawn extensive maps of the underground world where the Legion operates. He loves to explore and to figure out why and how things work, including Karma.

When he’s not writing, N.J. runs a successful steel fabrication business in the Midwest. He loves to travel with his wife, Amanda, and their three children.

Six books are planned for the series taking the three main characters and the Legion of Karma to new continents and new adventures across the world.

Website ~ Book Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Giveaway

Prizes: Win 1 of 10 prize packages that contain a signed copy of The Blue Moon Narthex, a mug, bookmark, lapel pin, and stickers and tattoos (open to USA & CAN – 10 winners)

(ends July 7, 2018)

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I have been an avid reader since I was a young child and have my parents to thank for encouraging me to read.  Many do not have family or friends that encourage writing.  Today, Michelle Staubach Grimes is here to tell us what we can do to help create a new generation of readers.

 

 Ways to Encourage Childhood Literacy

As a mother and an author, I’m passionate about childhood literacy. Literacy is the foundation for education. If one never learns to read and write, he or she will struggle their entire life.  It’s important that we communicate with one another so we can make the world a better place. Literacy allows the student to understand another point of view, have empathy for others, and encourages he or she to follow their dreams.

I couldn’t write this article without giving tribute to one of my heroes – Mrs. Barbara Bush. I learned so much about the literacy crisis in our country each year as I attended an annual event in Dallas called The Celebration of Reading, hosted by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Everyone knows that Mrs. Bush’s passion was literacy. She worked tirelessly to create awareness about literacy. When Mrs. Bush gave the commencement address at Wellesley College for the Class of 1990, she spoke of her commitment to literacy:

“If more people could read, write, and comprehend, we would be that much closer to solving so many problems that plague our nation and our society.”

The only way to ensure more people can read and write is to place books in the hands of children. Additionally, Mrs. Bush emphasized that the home is a child’s first school. In this, the importance of parents reading to their children is paramount, as a parent is a child’s first teacher.

Her work has inspired me to follow in that tradition. Below are some frameworks to think about this issue, and ways that can help us work toward improving literacy across the world.

Literacy Starts at Home

As the parent or caregiver, it’s never too early to read to a child. It’s crucial to start when they are newborns, as they can hear the parent’s reading. As he or she gets older, one can then introduce the pictures and words together.  Let your children tell their own stories as you explore the book together. It’s fine to encourage children to make up their own stories from the pictures before they can read. Have fun with the book – let your child touch and flip the pages. Don’t worry about a page being torn. Your goal as a parent is to make reading an exciting experience for your child so they come back for more.

Homes without Books

As adults, we have a bigger responsibility to help those living in homes without books. Not all homes are capable of providing children with books, and in many cases, the parents are illiterate so they can’t read to their children. This is where we, as a community, must come together and ensure that all children have access to books and learn to read. However, providing newborns and toddlers with books is more difficult because we can’t physically go into the home. Consequently, when these children start school, they are behind in their literacy skills.

How to Ensure those Less Fortunate Receive Books

It’s crucial to support underprivileged schools financially and through volunteering, to help these children catch up to their peers. I’ve been able to donate books alongside with a generous foundation in the Dallas area. I visit schools, read my books, and then every child goes home with a new book. The smile on their faces is priceless when they find out they get to take home a brand new book.

In addition to visiting schools, there are many programs in communities with the goal of helping children learn to read. Both adults and teenage children can volunteer their time to mentor young children struggling to read.

When Community Programs Aren’t Enough

Community programs are limited due to funding. The city government must intervene and ensure children are being educated. Foundations like the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy are an excellent example of creating awareness on a national level about the literacy crisis. We must be advocates for these children who don’t have a voice.

What You Can Do to Encourage Childhood Literacy

• Read to your child at home every day. Make reading a fun experience so he or she wants to read more books.
• Ensure you are reading books often so you teach your kids by example.
• Visit your local bookstore. You don’t always have to buy something, but you can browse the books with your children.
• Visit your local library often.
• Volunteer your time to read to kids. There are many community organizations that foster a love of reading.
• Donate books to your libraries, schools, and community centers.
• Financially support literacy organizations.

About Michelle Staubach Grimes

Michelle Staubach Grimes began journaling years ago and enrolled in the SMU Creative Writing Continuing Ed Program in 2012 to hone her writing skills. She fell in love with creative writing and studied “story” through that program. Where is Pidge? debuted in March of 2015. Michelle is thrilled to now be releasing her second book, Pidge Takes the Stage. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, three children, and two dogs.

Website

 

Lost Mata Hari Ring: Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas

Publisher:  Broadback (May 1, 2018)
Category: Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Romance
Available in Print and ebook, 370 pages

Synopsis

Up-and-coming actress, Trace Rutland, has had nightmares about a tragic past ever since she was a little girl.  She struggles with her everyday life, finally seeking help from a hypnotherapist.

While under hypnosis, she inadvertently experiences a past life in Paris, in 1916, during the First World War.

Later, while visiting a wealthy man’s private Mata Hari collection, Trace is drawn to a glittering ring, once worn by the convicted spy.

Trace is enthralled.  When she’s alone, she slips the ring on and is swiftly hurled into the past.  There, she must face herself as she was in the past, while struggling to change the course of her destiny.

When she meets the handsome Edward Kenyon Bishop, a World War I British flying ace, she falls in love.  She is soon swept away into a journey of suspicion and treachery, and must fight for her life.

Can she survive the past?  Can she return to the present?  Can true love endure for all time?

Review

This is the second time travel book I have read by this author. Much like the first book, I am amazed by the research done into her characters, especially since with this book it is a known woman from the past – Mata Hari. From the moment Trace falls back in time, the descriptions of people and towns created a vision in my mind and I could imagine myself there observing the situations.

I was fascinated by Trace’s connection to the past and how that affected her near the end of the book. She had to be quick on her feet in the early 1900’s and thankfully she was very familiar with Mata Hari’s life and what was happening in that part of the world since this was during WWI.  She also had to make sure she didn’t change history, or at least not too much.

This book captivated me to the end!

If you like books that delve into past lives along with time travel, this is a book you should pick up and read!

We give it 5 paws up!

Trailer

About the Author

Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the husband and wife writing team of Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington. Elyse began writing poems and short stories at an early age and graduated with a degree in English Literature. Douglas began writing novels in college while studying music at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.  He traveled the world as a professional pianist for many years.  He has also worked as a copywriter and corporate manager.

Some of Elyse Douglas’ novels include The Christmas Eve Letter (A Time Travel Novel), Christmas for Juliet, The Summer Letters, The Christmas Diary, and The Summer Diary. They live in New York City.

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Tail of the Dragon (A Zodiac Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Midnight Ink (August 8, 2018)
Paperback: 336 pages

Synopsis

San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti never thought murder would be part of her practice, but when her former boss and current client asks for help she agrees to go undercover at his law firm. Three people have received death threats and the only common denominator between them is a case long settled–the infamous Bank of San Francisco fire. Julia’s astrological expertise provides clues but no one wants to listen. Before she can solve the mystery, two people are dead and her own life is in danger. Julia must unmask the killer before he, or she, takes another life.

Review

If you want a surprise ending, this the book to read! I was blown away by the twist at the end. Never even on my radar as I was trying to figure out who was killing the lawyers.

This series intrigues me because of the astrology aspect and houses that the sun and moon and all that are in at different times and how that might affect your life. Granted I didn’t understand a word of what was written, but I know there is a lot of truth to the charts, sun signs, etc.

It was nice to see that Julia perhaps received a little closure to how her fiance died. The case is still unsolved, but there is a small movement forward from a neighbor. Perhaps this will let her find love again with someone new and there is some chemistry with Adam.

The mystery is well written because while the “evil” character was a small blip on my radar, there was not a lot of revealing clues to let me figure out the mystery. There are a lot of hypotheses thrown out there as to why the lawyers were being murdered but which one is the right one?

Great series and I can’t wait to read the next book.  We give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink.  She was fascinated by astrology at an early age and this was the inspiration that gave birth to Julia Bonatti, San Francisco astrologer, and her newspaper column Ask Zodia.  Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.  Connie lives in Los Angeles with her family and a constantly talking cat.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads * Amazon

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Shadow Dancing (The Country Club Murders)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Henery Press (June 19, 2018)
Print Length: 210 pages

Synopsis

Visiting a psychic is outside the norm for Ellison Russell. Finding bodies is not. Unfortunately, the psychic’s crystal ball says she’ll soon be surrounded by death. Again.

Drat.

Now there’s a corpse in the front drive, a witchy neighbor ready to turn Ellison and her (not so) little dog into toadstools, and a stripper named Starry Knight occupying the guest room.

How did 1975 go so wrong so quickly?

Ellison must handle Mother (who’s found a body of her own), make up with a certain handsome detective, and catch a killer, or the death surrounding her might be her own.

Excerpt

“Bye, Mom.” Grace deposited her dirty cereal bowl in the sink, dropped a kiss on my cheek, and headed for the back door.

“Dishwasher?”

With a dramatic sigh, she returned to the counter and moved the bowl from sink to dishwasher.

“Are you home for dinner?” I asked.

“Yeah.” She buttoned her coat and disappeared into the cold.

“Love you,” I called after her.

Max stood, stretched, yawned, and returned to his bed.

I sipped coffee and stared at the wall, deep in thought.

Aggie bustled into the kitchen and I shifted my attention from the wall to my housekeeper. She wore a cobalt blue kaftan edged with crimson pom-poms. Her red hair crackled with energy.

“Do you have a minute?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“Mother has a problem.” Those two words. Mother and problem. They were enough to send the bravest woman running.

But not Aggie. Aggie pulled out a stool and sat. “I figured something was wrong. No one calls that often without a big problem.”

About the Author

Julie Mulhern is the USA Today bestselling author of The Country Club Murders. She is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean–and she’s got an active imagination. Truth is–she’s an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions.

 

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Title: A MERCIFUL SILENCE

Author: Kendra Elliot

Release Date: June 19, 2018

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Synopsis

For FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick, returning to rural Oregon has meant coming to terms with her roots. Raised as a prepper, Mercy is now relying on her survivalist instincts to defend her town from the people the law can’t reach. But this time, an investigation calling up a dark past for her and police chief Truman Daly may be hitting too close to home.

A rainstorm has uncovered the remains of five people—a reprise of the distinctive slaughter of two families twenty years ago. Except the convicted killer is in prison. Is this the case of a sick copycat, or is the wrong man behind bars? One person might have the answer. The lone survivor of the decades-old crimes has returned to town still claiming that she can’t remember a thing about the night she was left for dead. As the search for the truth becomes more dangerous, Mercy fears that the traumatized woman may not have buried her memories at all. She might be keeping them a secret. And there’s a price to be paid for revealing them.

Message from Kendra Elliot: Mercy’s road to the FBI

Mercy Kilpatrick, the heroine from my newest release A Merciful Silence, was raised by anti-government preppers in Central Oregon. She grew up learning to live off the land, avoid law enforcement, and never trust the government. When she was eighteen, she and her father had a falling out that forced Mercy from the home.

She entered the regular world but could never leave her prepping roots behind. She eventually joined the FBI—thereby becoming the two things that her father hated most. Estranged from her family, Mercy keeps one foot in the regular world and another in her hidden past. She can’t help but prepare for the end of the world. No one at the FBI knows she escapes to her mountain hideaway every weekend where she stocks firewood, food, fuel, and medical supplies.

An FBI domestic terrorism case pulls her to back to her hometown where she must face her family for the first time in fifteen years. The case takes place in a survivalist world with which she is all too familiar, and suspects some of her family may be involved.

Excerpt

Her GPS took her on a wet, winding trip thirty miles out of Bend. Mercy revered privacy, and it appeared Britta Vale did the same. The terrain was flat, with clumps of huge trees and fields of scattered volcanic rock. She took the final turn off the two-lane road and was pleasantly surprised to find a well-maintained gravel driveway. A wood fence lined one side of the drive, and Mercy idly wondered if Britta kept cows or sheep in the field. A wide creek rapidly flowed through the pasture, full of the recent rains. A few minutes later she stopped in front of an old white farmhouse. Fields flanked the house on two sides, and a small ancient grove of fruit trees was to the east.

The paint flaked from the two-story building, and large pieces of railing were missing from the wraparound deck. Lace curtains appeared at most of the windows, and a newer Ford pickup was parked next to the home. As Mercy stepped out of her Tahoe, faint barking greeted her, and she spotted a black lab inside, watching through a tall window next to the front door, alerting the residents that company had arrived. Its wagging tail defied the belligerent barks.

Overall, Mercy liked the home. It felt shy but friendly. Sequestered but welcoming.

The door opened and a woman appeared. In one hand she gripped the lab’s collar. With the other she balanced a rifle against her shoulder.

Not threatening, but making her stance clear.

Mercy approved. And stopped moving forward. Mercy stood with her right shoulder and hip slightly farther back and casually held her hands out in front of her stomach, the palms up. A nonaggressive pose, but she was ready to move to the gun in her shoulder holster if needed. “Britta Vale?”

“Who wants to know?” The woman’s tone was polite but direct. Her long hair was black. The flat-black, obviously dyed tone. Blunt-cut bangs just above Britta’s eyebrows gave her a no-nonsense look.

“I’m Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick from the Bend FBI office. You’re welcome to call them to verify me.”

“Take three steps closer.”

Mercy took three measured steps, her hands still exposed. She felt the weight of her weapon at her side and watched Britta for any warning movements. The woman stood perfectly still, the dog’s wagging tail a contrast. At this distance Mercy could meet Britta’s gaze. The woman had light-blue eyes and skin that looked as if it’d never seen the sun. She also had a huge tattoo that wrapped around the front of her neck. Mercy couldn’t read it but wondered how painful the process had been. She swallowed, imagining tiny sharp needles jabbing at the tender skin on her throat.

The woman released the dog, who instantly sat, its dark eyes still locked on Mercy.

“Are you here about Grady Baldwin?”

“Yes,” Mercy answered.

“Is he out? I’m supposed to be notified if he gets out. No one has said anything to me.” Britta’s voice shot up an octave as the words spilled out of her mouth, terror and anger flashing in her eyes. Her fingers tightened on the butt of the rifle, and Mercy tensed.

“He’s not out and he’s not getting out.”

The woman lowered her chin a notch, and her shoulders moved as she exhaled. “I have nightmares about police vehicles abruptly showing up at my home, trying to get me to safety. They’re always too late.” She nodded at Mercy’s Tahoe. “You’re clearly armed, and you have government plates, so you understand my reaction.”

“I do. You are Britta, right?” The woman acted like a survivor, but Mercy wanted to be certain.

“I am. Why are you here?”

“Yesterday we uncovered five bodies. Possibly a family—we aren’t certain about that. But each one of them had been struck in the mouth. Their teeth and jaws shattered.”

The pale woman went a shade whiter as she slapped a hand across her mouth, and the dog whined, leaning hard against her thigh.

About the Author

Kendra Elliot has landed on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list multiple times and is the award-winning author of the Bone Secrets and Callahan & McLane series, as well as the Mercy Kilpatrick novels: A Merciful Death, A Merciful Truth, and A Merciful Secret. Kendra is a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, an International Thriller Writers finalist, and an RT Award finalist. She has always been a voracious reader, cutting her teeth on classic female heroines such as Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Laura Ingalls. She was born, raised, and still lives in the rainy Pacific Northwest with her husband and three daughters, but she looks forward to the day she can live in flip-flops.

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THE CAPTIVE BOY

by

JULIA ROBB

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Date of Publication: December 20, 2015

Number of Pages: 170

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Colonel Mac McKenna’s Fourth Cavalry recaptures white captive August Shiltz from the Comanche, only to find August is determined to return to the Indians. McKenna attempts to civilize August to nineteenth century American standards and becomes the boy’s foster father. But when August kills another boy in a fight, McKenna rejects him, and August escapes from Fort Richards (Texas). When war with the Comanche breaks out, McKenna discovers August is a war leader – and his greatest enemy.

Praise For The Captive Boy

“THE CAPTIVE BOY by Julia Robb is a story told in a unique way – through journal entries by several different characters, and a novel within the novel. Robb is masterful in her depiction of each character, bringing to life an intriguing tale of the Old West.” — Writer’s Digest competition judge

“It will capture you and keep you engaged from the beginning all the way through the end and also give you insights into the difficulties faced by those who fought on both sides of the Indian Wars in Texas after the Civil War. Buy this book. You will not be disappointed​.” — Steve Mathisen

“Ms. Robb’s research is evident on every page. Without becoming bogged down in detail, she employs just enough of it to paint an accurate picture of a dangerous and unforgiving time.” — Samuel L. Robinson

“The Captive Boy and Me”

Guest Post by Julia Robb

Readers usually ask me why I wrote the novel, and that’s an easy question to answer because two things happened at the same time. I became interested in the greatest (unknown) general of the Indian Wars: Ronald Mackenzie; and I was enthralled by The Captured: A True Story of Abduction by Indians on the Texas Frontier, a nonfiction history by Scott Zesch.

Mackenzie (who his men nicknamed “Three Finger Jack” and who the Indians nicknamed “Bad Hand”) was a Union veteran who ended up whipping the Comanche and Kiowa.  Soldiers and Indians tagged Gen. Mackenzie with nicknames because he had only three fingers on his right hand.  During the Civil War, Confederate artillery shot off two fingers — minor wounds compared to his other six.

Then, I read Scott’s book, which was compelling. Although captive children have been romanticized, they were not happy or healthy people.  After they were either traded back to their families, or recaptured, they couldn’t stay married, they couldn’t keep a job, some of them never learned to read and write, they couldn’t stay in one place, and they had a hard time communicating.  (Interestingly enough, bipolar disorder also causes some of these same symptoms).  One returned captive, Adolf Zorn, ending up living in a cave until a short time before his death.

In an interview, published on my website, I asked Scott what caused the children’s unhappiness and disfunction.  Scott said:

In my opinion, immersing yourself in a very different culture is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have, but it comes at a cost, and that cost is usually a sense of rootlessness, of never completely belonging to one place or one people.

Reading Scott’s answer, I was upset on the children’s behalf.  Believe what you want about the Indian Wars, the kids were innocent victims. Their parents (many of them German immigrants) settled where it was not safe to settle, the kids were captured, and their lives were subsequently ruined.

I wanted to explore that tragedy through fictional story, and August Shiltz jumped into my mind.

And he wouldn’t leave.

At the same time, Mackenzie, a real life historical figure, was earning my admiration; and I knew he was a lonely man.  It wasn’t a big jump to wonder what would happen if August was recaptured and a fictional Mackenzie (who I renamed Mac McKenna) became his guardian and foster father.

In context, the Comanches were mostly kind to white captive children, but they were the adults’ mortal enemies.  (There was a big exception to this. In 1840, after a fight between Comanches and Texans, Comanches murdered dozens of white captive children. They burned them to death.)

Here’s a question and answer with Scott Zesch that readers will find enlightening.

ME: It’s difficult … to understand how a people can rape women (and they almost always did before killing them, as well as keeping them as sex slaves in camp), and practice lengthy torture, both on the trail and in camp, but at the same time love their own children, as well as adopted children. Do you have any thoughts on this?

SCOTT: Julia, the closest analogy I can draw is wartime atrocities. And, of course, what was happening in Texas at that time was war. There seems to be something in the human character that provokes people to brutalize and dehumanize ‘the enemy’ in that situation (including civilians), but I’m afraid I can’t explain it.”

Side Note: Cynthia Ann Parker was captured in 1836 in Texas, when she was nine or ten years old, and recaptured by Texas Rangers in 1860. At the time she was recaptured, Cynthia Ann was married to a Comanche warrior and had three children, one of whom was the famous Quanah Parker.

Julia grew up on the lower Great Plains of Texas, eventually became a reporter, and lived in every corner of the Lone Star State, from the Rio Grande to the East Texas swamps. She couldn’t shake images and experiences and began writing them down.

A priest once disappeared on the Mexican border and that inspired parts of Saint of the Burning Heart. She discovered a hypnotic seducer, who she turned into Ray Cortez, the bad guy in Del Norte. Reading about child Comanche captives and their fates made her want to write about a cavalry colonel who attempts to heal a rescued boy, and that turned into The Captive Boy. Finally, what happens to a man who is in love with another man, in a time and place where the only answer is death? That became Scalp Mountain.

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Visit the other blogs on this tour

6/19/18	Book Trailer	The Clueless Gent
6/19/18	BONUS POST	Hall Ways Blog
6/20/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
6/21/18	Author Interview	Syd Savvy
6/22/18	Guest Post	StoreyBook Reviews
6/23/18	Review	Max Knight
6/24/18	Excerpt 1	Kelly Well Read
6/25/18	Excerpt 2	Books and Broomsticks
6/26/18	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
6/27/18	Top 8 List	The Love of a Bibliophile
6/28/18	Review	Forgotten Winds

 

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