From Julia's Kitchen:Owen Family Cookery" by Marsha WARD.

 In order to fully appreciate the pleasure this cookbook brings to both lovers of fiction and lovers of food, you'd need to understand the inspiration for this assembly of traditional recipes.

Marsha Ward is an award-winning author of dust-in-your britches, lasso-your-woman, God-family-country western fiction. The crown jewel of her work is the Owen family saga--a five-volume collection of stories of the post-Civil War push to the west, based around the fictional Owen family. The volumes are available individually, or in a collection. Read them. You'll be entranced.

This series inspired her rustic cookbook of delicious traditional recipes. We'll all want one of these too. Imagine your grandma teaching you to cook while telling you great family stories. Yes, this is how this feels. From Julia's Kitchen:Owen Family Cookery is available in all formats. You'll see the purchase links below.  Order it. You'll be glad you did.

***     ***     ***

Title: From Julia’s Kitchen: Owen Family Cookery

Author: Marsha Ward

Genre: Non-Fiction Cookbook with Fictional Elements

Publisher: WestWard Books

Published: March 10, 2017

Book Description:

When Julia Susannah Helm was just a little girl in Pennsylvania, she discovered a “receipt” for hash in a kitchen drawer, written out in the hand of her father’s former housekeeper. Her brother Jonathan made her a small wooden box to keep it in. That was the beginning of her recipe collection, which became one of her most cherished possessions.

It was never more important to her than when she took it to Shenandoah County, Virginia, to help her cousin prepare for her wedding. Almost out of the blue, Julia became Mrs. Roderick Owen, and the recipe collection proved invaluable to her as a young bride.

Enjoy the fictional aspects of this book in the world of the Owen Family, and then make the real recipes to enjoy.

Purchase Links: Kindle  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XDPKT8Y

Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1125896834?ean=2940154040683

Kobo  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/from-julia-s-kitchen-owen-family-cookery

iBooks  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/from-julias-kitchen-owen-family-cookery/id1211907230?mt=11

Smashwords  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/707998

Author Bio:

Amazon best-selling author Marsha Ward writes authentic historical fiction set in 19th Century America, and contemporary romance. She was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, in a simpler time. With plenty of room to roam among the chickens and citrus trees, Marsha enjoyed playing with neighborhood chums, but always had her imaginary friend, cowboy Johnny Rigger Prescott, at her side. Now she makes her home in a forest in the mountains of Arizona. She loves to hear from her readers.

Find Marsha Online:

http://marshaward.com
http://facebook.com/authormarshaward
https://marshaward.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/MarshaWard

email marshaw@marshaward.com

"SWEET WATER" IS LIVE!!!

I'm excited to announce the launch of "Sweet Water," my volume in the "Destination Billionaires" Romance Series. It went live March 6th and is available for sale on Amazon. 

 I'm hosting a Rafflecopter giveaway. Here's the link: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
, 

And stay tuned for info on the official blog tour in early April! 

SWEET WATER

Olivia joined friends Hudson Bauer and Jeff McAllister in developing a business. While she and Hudson dreamed of using their success to improve the world, Jeff set his sights and fortunes on Olivia. On the most important night of Hudson’s life, Olivia and Jeff eloped. Betrayed, Hudson ended the partnership, throwing Jeff and Olivia aside as he made his own fortune.

After a tragic accident leaves Olivia’s body and heart battered, and her dreams of a family destroyed, she is forced to accept Hudson’s offer to recuperate at his parents’ empty house on Oregon’s Cannon Beach. Her return to the place where the three friends once summered casts new light on her hasty marriage, and on the enemy she once called friend. 

Through a new position doing humanitarian work, Olivia reawakens, giving rise to long denied feelings for Hudson. But guilt over Jeff’s death leaves her stuck between grief and the hope of new love. All her life, other people have made decisions for Olivia, but now the future is up to her, if she can make peace with the past and embrace a future with a man she once hated.

Book Nook Review: "THE HIGHWAYMAN of CORDOVIA"

The Highwayman of Cordovia, 

by 

Linda Weaver Clarke, 

The Highwayman of Cordovia is the second volume in Linda Weaver Clarke's series, “The Rebels.”  While some of the characters from the first volume do appear in the second, each book is a standalone read, so readers can jump into the story with either book.

Christine Griffiths, a pastor’s daughter, is also a member of a rebel effort to prevent their recently liberated country from being taken over by a power-grabber who wants to be king. Interestingly enough, her journey home from a visit to the leader of the rebellion is disrupted by a highwayman seeking an artifact that will give the new king the legitimacy he needs to rule Cordovia. 

The rogue’s attack on Christine’s carriage angers her, as she sees his attack as one more indication of the country’s decline. But what she doesn’t realize is that she and the highwayman are seeking the same goal—to keep their country free—though they are using different tactics.

Christine doesn’t realize that the dreaded highwayman she loathes is actually Austin Knight, the young man on whom her affections have long been aimed. It sets up a nice conflict that ads depth and fun to the ongoing political drama that plays out.

The Highwayman of Cordovia is a sweet, clean romance with fresh takes on familiar themes. There are plenty of twists and turns to hold your interest, while the overall read is a simple pleasure that will provide a delightful escape into a world of dashing heroes and brave heroines.

The Highwayman of Cordovia is a sweet escape youi can feel good about passing on to a  youth or friend. It's available on Amazon.

45-AUTHOR HISTORICAL FICTION SWEEPSTAKES

HISTORICAL

 FICTION SWEEPSTAKES

I’ve teamed up with 45 fantastic Historical Fiction authors to give away a huge collection of novels, PLUS A Kindle Fire to one lucky winner! 

You can win my novel, "Dark Sky at Dawn", plus all these exciting books from authors like 

Rachelle J. Christenson 

and Joyce DiPastena.

Enter the giveaway by clicking here: https://www.booksweeps.com/enter-win-50-historical-fiction-books-feb-17/

Good luck, and enjoy!

Laurie L.C. Lewis

Awards, and The Spellmaking of Being an Author

 When I was in fourth grade, we had a Witches and Warlocks Club. Members met in the corner of the school yard where we'd jot down spells and run around as if we could fly. We never really believed we were actually witches or warlocks, but it was fun pretending that we were.

Being an author often feels that way as well. We use our books to cast spells on readers--to take them to a new place, to set them in someone else's shoes, to allow them to feel something deeply, and then they return to their day, hopefully changed a little for the experience of having suspended their reality for a short time, to come and imagine with us. But we're often not really sure if we're authors, or if we're playing at it.

Today, I feel like an author. And it's AWESOME!!!

I found this in my inbox this morning:

"Your book 'The Dragons of Alsace Farm' was chosen as the solo "Medalist Winner" in the Inspirational category of our 2016 New Apple Annual Book Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing!"

My general fiction book with the terrible title that no one understands or can pronounce, won an award!

And an hour later, I found this in my other email inbox:

The 2016 Finalists have been announced (click HERE to see the list) and "The Dragons of Alsace Farm" popped up!

Check out the list of finalists and categories. it's truly an amazing assembly of great talent. People I admire. People I'm humbled to know, or know about, or whose books I've read. Besides being gifted, award-winning authors, many of whom top the NYTimes and USA Today Bestseller lists, these authors are among the most generous mentors and loudest cheerleaders for others.

So the cliche is true. It is an honor to simply be nominated. Or to be a finalist. Winners will be announced in May at the 2017 LDStorymakers Writing Conference in Provo, Utah.

Many thanks to the the New Apple Books Awards Judges, and to The Whitney Academy for these wonderful honors. Many thanks to those of you who've read and reviewed "Dragons," or who have held my hand, figuratively or otherwise.

Today is a happy day. I hope I write a chapter today that casts a spell on a reader someday.

Thank you!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!

I'm busier than a one-armed paper hanger over here, but it's all fun, terrific news. I just completed the second round of edits on "Sweet Water," a romance for The Destination Billionaires Series" published by Gelato Books, which will launch in March. We're "interviewing" cover models now. I'll post a pic as soon as we have the final cover.

SO MANY GREAT PROMOS!!!

Love is in the air, and my friends and I are firing up the romance! 

Choose from 52 CLEAN ROMANCE titles for only $0.99 each February 10-16.

Interview with Author Linda Weaver Clarke

Author LInda Weaver Clarke and I have connected several times over the years. She's a prolific clean-read author and a generous peer who supports her fellow writers. It's a pleasure to host this author interview with Linda today.

Q: What is the name of your new release and what is it about?

The Highwayman of Cordovia is the second book of The Rebel Series. Here is the blurb:

Centuries ago, valiant men and courageous women engaged in daring adventures as they helped their fellow man. In the country of Cordovia, the people enjoy their new-found liberty, but all is not well. A group of powerful men plan to take over the small country and replace the leader with a king.

With the help of a bold highwayman and a pastor’s daughter, they try to save their country from being taken over by a power-hungry leader. As they strive to stop the Kingmen and thwart their plans, Christine finds herself falling in love with Austin Knight. The only problem with their relationship is that she thinks he is her knight in shining armor instead of a highwayman. If she finds out his trade, what will her reaction be? As a pastor’s daughter, will love override her values?

Q: Nice! Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.

All my books are family friendly and clean for all ages. I have written a historical romance series, mystery/suspense series, a romantic cozy mystery series, a children's storybook, 3 non-fiction, and am now trying a new genre that I haven't done before. I call it a period romance because the time period is set in the 19th century but in a made up country. I thought it would be fun to create my own little country with its own little problems that a hero and heroine has to solve. After I wrote the first book, I received many comments about how fun it was and a request to make it a sequel. So I set out to do just that and had a lot of fun.

Q: I love that your books are clean and cozy. Great for families. What are you working on now?

After I finished The Highwayman of Cordovia, I realized that no one ever has 2 books in a series. It's usually 3 or more. So I decided to begin the 3rd book in The Rebel Series. That's what I'm working on right now.

Q: Do you write with music playing? If so, what was playing as you worked on this project?

    The only time I write with music is when there is a scene with dancing or something like that. In this story, I needed to feel the rhythm of the music while my characters were dancing a country jig. That helped me to create the scene I was trying to portray along with what kind of instrument was played for a jig. In fact, it did wonders for my scene. Haha.

Q: We might need video of you during the writing of that scene! LOL. What inspired this story?

After reading a historical fiction series about how our country got its freedom, it was so inspiring and I couldn't stop thinking about the importance of freedom. We enjoy this liberty because of the patriots who fought for it. Soon, I decided to create a country that wanted that same freedom and the young people were willing to fight for it. It's set in the early 19th century. This was my inspiration.

Q: Freedom is one of my favorite themes too. I love that your book explores that. How do you do research for your books?  What’s the most interesting bit of research you’ve come across?

When I wrote this book, I had to find out what dances were popular among the aristocrats versus the country folk. I wondered if the waltz was popular back then. When I did some research about the “waltz,” I was surprised by what I found out. The peasants were the first to dance the waltz. It was such fun that bored noblemen would sneak out and go to the country-dances.The Oxford English Dictionary back then called the waltz “riotous and indecent.”

In a 1771 German novel, someone complains about the “newly-introduced waltz” among the aristocrats. He wrote: “When he put his arm around her, pressed her to his breast, cavorted with her in the shameless, indecent whirling-dance of the Germans and engaged in a familiarity that broke all the bounds of good breeding—then my silent misery turned into burning rage.”

    Soon, it became fashionable in Great Britain in the 1800s when the wife of a Russian ambassador endorsed it. By 1813, they were dancing the waltz at all the balls. I found this to be so interesting. Haha.

Here is the book trailer for this book. 

Purchase "The Highwayman of Cordovia."