Saturday 18 February 2012

My Review of The Blighted Troth by Mirella Patzer


Mirella Sichirollo Patzer
Author

THE BLIGHTED TROTH

A Review by Wendy Laharnar





















 
From the dramatic opening scene in The Blighted Troth, Ms Patzer draws us into the early 18th century with the skill of a classic artist and keeps us there, hooked on history.

In 1702, beautiful Emilie Basseaux and Robert Lanzille, the miller, are in love and about to marry, but their selfish, egotistical overload, Seigneur Richard Tonnacour, decides otherwise. Fearing the lord will kill Robert and seize Emilie for himself, the lovers are forced to leave their cosy community of Pointe-du-Lac, New France, to take refuge in monasteries in Quebec. Here, they are meant to wait for help to arrive from a trusted bishop.

However, powerful people in the landed gentry and the Church ensure this sanctuary and help are denied them. The lovers are separated, both to face their own dangerous future while seeking the means to be reunited.  In this age of power and intrigue, it is not surprising that, by their trust and innocence, Emilie and Robert exacerbate their plight.

Historically, we experience the early 1700s; its agricultural life dominated by the nobility and influenced by the Church. We are swept up in the riots brought on by famine, and suffer the horrors of the plague with its victims in homes, in the streets and in the hospitals.

Ms Patzer’s knowledge of the setting and her well-researched era enrich the story. She takes us into taverns, monasteries, manor houses and ordinary homes and compels us to explore the themes of Cowardice and Honour; Trust and Betrayal; Faith, Love and Loss, at all levels of society. 

Characters the innocent lovers encounter are, like themselves, tainted by circumstance: some tragic, some sinful, some wicked but all in need of love and forgiveness. Issues they face still have relevance today.

The quote in the front of the book, by Charlotte Bronte, begins “Forgiveness is the mightiest sword…” The Blighted Troth made me question this. Should there be degrees of forgiveness, or is Forgiveness the essence of itself?  When you read this beautifully written literary novel, you can be the judge.

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Winners at the Book Launch Party.

Announcing the Winners of the MuseItUp
Author's Book Launch Party on Feb 3rd.



Edith Parzefall won Shellie Neumeier's tween fantasy novella The Wishing Ring


Cover Designer Kaytalin Platt



Carole Sutton won Debi Wilder's short story  Gabby's  Second Chance, Book 2



Cover Designer Suzannah Safi



Pat McDermott won Kristin Battestella's short story Resurrection!  Book Seven



Cover Designer Suzannah Safi


Gail Branan won Wendy Laharnar's short story for Middle Graders Billy the Bonsai Bull
  

Cover Designer Kaytalin Platt



Wendy Laharnar won Elle Druskins novel Gone to the Dogs


Cover Designer Delilah Stephans
Thank you to everyone who participated in the party. You made our day so special.
Thank you Elle, Shellie, Debi and Kristin for your generous gifts.

I must add here, I thought it was understood  I was not eligible for a prize, being one of the hosts at our  party. However, since I lectured someone else a few months ago about how it  hurts a genuine giver when one 'humbly declines' their lovely gesture, I'm standing by my own advice. Like the other winners I'm very touched and delighted. My prize looks like a great read, so, 'Thank You' Elle.

Friday 3 February 2012

BOOK LAUNCH PARTY

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MUSEITUP AUTHORS WHO HAVE BOOKS RELEASED TODAY, FEBRUARY 3rd 2012

 CONGRATULATIONS ELLE DRUSKIN


  
Cover Designer: Delilah Stephans

GOING TO THE DOGS 


A Contemporary Romance Novel



Sam Kendall is a cop with a mission; find the killer who murdered his partner and track down the diamond thieves behind the killing. Chief suspect Jodie McBride is a brilliant dog trainer but a loser with men. Dog-hating Sam is stuck with a junk food addicted poodle as his new partner and stuck on a cute redheaded dog lover that he desperately wants to be innocent. Mix in an assortment of eccentric pooches, their offbeat owners, baseball fans and two very smart canines who know humans can’t be trusted to know a good thing when they see it. Before Sam and Jodie know what's happened, everybody is going to the dogs.


Now available from  Amazon Kindle  and  MuseItUp Bookstore 

Visit Elle at  Elle Druskin's Website 

***

CONGRATULATIONS SHELLIE NEUMEIER




Cover Designer Kaytalin Platt


 
THE WISHING RING


The Adventures of Cory and Ali


A Tween Fantasy  Novella









BLURB:
The King’s castle stands alone atop Grand Ur Mountain, but even that does not match the solitude surrounding Princess Ally. With a carrot-shaped nose, she trudges through her princess duties with the most unfortunate face. With her pet greybar (a creature with the head of a greyhound, body of a polar bear, and wings of an eagle) as her only friend, Ali dreams of becoming a beautiful princess.

When Cory, a ninja-in-training, drops through the royal chimney, he does not intend to enlist the help of anyone, much less a girl, but she holds the key to the Creator’s map. The ancient map marks the secret hiding place of the magic Wishing Ring, a ring grants the wearer one wish.

Cory’s mysterious need for the ring and Ali’s dream of a beauty send the pair to a forgotten land. Only the war ravaged clan of Odana can translate the map’s key. But even if they manage to find a translator, the question remains—can they beat the Ogre who guards the ring?



Available from Amazon and Muse Bookstore

Visit Shellie at  Shellie Neumeier's Website

***

CONGRATULATIONS      DEBI WILDER

GABBY’S SECOND CHANCE, BOOK 2  LACEY’S LAMP



Cover Designer Suzannah Safi


A Short Story

Erotic Fantasy
fantasy, paranormal, love lost, love found, betrayal

BLURB
Gabby Adams did the unthinkable – she put her unborn child in harms way and lost. While Ryan Peterson was fleeing the thugs he owed money to for horse betting, Gabby placed herself physically between the man she loved and the men who wanted to harm him. Gabby feels she’s undeserving to give her love to anyone, physically or emotionally. With ghosts laid to rest and Lacey’s help, will Gabby find love in the arms of another man?


Available from  Amazon Kindle and  MuseItUp Bookstore

 Debi Wilder's Website but you must be 18yrs+ to enter this site.

***


CONGRATULATIONS  KRISTIN BATTESTELLA





RESURRECTION: STEPHANIE AFTER THE LILITHAN
Cover Designer Suzannah Safi

Book Seven in Fate and Fangs
The Vampire Family Series
Dark Fiction Paranormal

A Short Story









BLURB

In Professor James’ final tale, former Lilithan vampire and newly divorced scientist Stephanie just can’t get over how much she misses being a vampire. After a harrowing car accident during a frightful storm, Stephanie meets Mestiphles, the giver and taker of vampire power on both sides of the coven wars.  His charm and seductive powers sweeten the demonic offer he extends, but will Stephanie accept Mestiphles’ dark opportunities?


 Available from   Amazon Kindle and MuseItUp Bookstore

Visit Kristin at Kristin Battestella's blog


***


CONGRATULATIONS TO ME!


          

Cover Designer Kaytalin Platt





BILLY THE BONSAI BULL 


 is a short chapter book for Middle Graders, about an orphan calf's struggle to survive through grief, rejection and bullying.



BLURB

This is an Australian true story told from the little bull's point of view.

Billy is a stubborn, orphaned calf who is losing the battle to survive. Hope revives in an unexpected way, through the milk bottle he detests, and brings him a sense of belonging. However, it takes more than a place in the pecking order for this little white bull to thrive. It takes a miracle.


In frustration, the farmer's wife declares, "The trouble is, he knows he's a cow."
 
Thank you Lea Schizas and MuseItUp Publishing.
Thank you to my editors Annie Duguid and Nancy Bell, and to my cover designer Kaytalin Pratt.

Available from  Amazon Kindle  and  MuseItUp Bookstore



Come and join the boistrous party via the comments- if you are game. Meet the authors and you might win a copy of one of these new books.
The garden gate stands ajar-- WELCOME IN said the spier to the fly hehehehe. Bring your characters to mingle with ours.



Thursday 2 February 2012

Calamity's Corner February issue.

In this month's issue of CC, Welsh born Hywela Lyn is our featured Author of the Month.

Sydney law student Gabriela shares her visit to Cuenca, Ecuadar.

Jacquie Rogers gives us something to 'tut' about, LJ Roberts reviews The Chalk Girl,
and I tease you with a quick quiz about one of History's most famous flirts.

There is much more of course, including Rebecca Ryals Russell's movie review.

An inspirational pair send you their Valentine's Day  greeting.

Happy Valentine's Day for the 14th.

If you have something I can use for the 'Something Unusual' section, I'd love you to
send it, please, and  I'm always happy to receive movie reviews

Please Email me if you'd like to receive CC a small pdf on the 1st of each month
Calam
http://wendylaharnar.weebly.com/