Romantic Reads: Until June

The Story Behind Until June by Barbara M. Britton

Over the years, I have heard authors say that they were writing the book of their heart. I didn’t understand that terminology until I wrote Until June. I’m known for writing Biblical Fiction, so why should I release a WWI Historical? Throughout my life, God was preparing me to write Geoff and Josephine’s story.

Veterans hold a special place in my heart. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the Vietnam War. I remember the conflict from television and the conflict from growing up in the home of the Hippies. I thought it was sad that men who had fought in battle had to come home and not debrief from their memories. Many soldiers had to hide their service in Vietnam. We understand now that many servicemen and women experience post-traumatic stress disorder and need to talk about what happened during their time of service.

Fast forward a few decades. My family and I were on an Alaskan cruise excursion outside of Juneau, Alaska. We visited the Taku Glacier Lodge and heard how a WWI veteran and his caregiver had lived at the lodge. In winter, the Taku River would freeze, and the man and his caregiver would be shut off from society. A man and a woman alone in a lodge? Seems isolating, but perhaps the veteran liked the solitude. Characters and a storyline began to develop in my mind.

I wrote Until June about a severely injured veteran and an inexperienced caregiver residing in a remote lodge due to the severity of the veteran’s wounds and the pandemic of 1918. Unfortunately, no one wanted to publish my story. I continued writing other stories—stories from the Bible—and forgot about my Historical.

One day, my son texted me that someone had “stolen my story.” No writer wants to get a text like this one. My son had seen a movie trailer for “Me Before You.” The movie was about a quadriplegic man and his caregiver who happen to fall in love. Yes, this was the same trope as my Historical. When I read the blurb to “Me Before You,” I discovered the ending was nothing like my book. My character, Geoff Chambers, overcomes his hardships and disabilities from war and grabs hold of life again. The character in “Me Before You” (Spoiler Alert) chooses to end his life even though he has fallen in love with his caregiver.

Was it time to see if my caregiver-trope story would be accepted by a publisher and show readers that no matter how hard life gets, it is always worth living? Would I be able to show readers the honesty of a veteran’s struggles? Or that caregiving is a rewarding, yet a draining task? Could two people who needed healing find it in God and help each other along the way?

Eleven years after I began writing about Geoff Chambers and Josephine Nimetz, their story saw the light of day. Pelican Book Group published Until June in June of 2020—during a pandemic.

Each new day is a blessing from God. Geoff and Josephine grab hold of that realization after a little conflict and tension, and a lot of love from an author.

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Author Bio:

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. 

She is published in Biblical Fiction and loves bringing little-known Bible characters to light in her Tribes of Israel series. Her WWI Historical Until June released in 2020.

Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate.

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Book blurb for Until June:

When seventeen-year-old seamstress, Josephine Nimetz, agrees to take care of a WWI amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge to escape the influenza of 1918, there’s enough friction to melt the Mendenhall Glacier. Her position is only until June, and it pays well enough to overlook the hardship of managing a rustic home and a shell-shocked veteran, Geoff Chambers.

Geoff makes it clear that he isn’t too fond of the “runt” sent to take care of his needs, nor of her painful mistakes. Dealing with a depressed and addicted amputee, pushes Josephine to the brink of leaving, if not for the money her salary brings.

But Josephine is a perfectionist, determined to get Geoff back on his feet—figuratively. Though, sending a rich, handsome veteran back into society may cost Josephine the man she has grown to love.

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Buy Barbara’s book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Connect with Barbara:
Website: www.barbarambritton.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14983213.Barbara_M_Britton
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/barbara-m-britton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Barbara-M-Britton-173432342754243/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbaraMBritton

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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Falling for Books: Misty's book

Ever Been Struck by Lightning?
A personal essay by Misty M. Beller

One of the fun things about being a writer is the crazy topics I get to research. Without giving away too much of the story, part of my research for This Courageous Journey included uncovering what happens when lightning strikes a person. It turns out anything can happen!

Surprisingly, about nine out of ten people struck by lightning live to tell their story. Each person’s experience seems to be different—some are knocked unconscious, while others are horribly aware of everything happening. One person who was struck said it seemed as if time slowed to a crawl and a white haze surrounded him like a bubble, as excruciating pain shot through him.

People usually try to determine the path the lightning traveled through them, based on where burn marks appear on both skin and clothing, but sometimes that can be difficult if jewelry or coins were touching the body. Survivors might suffer a variety of short- and long-term effects, including—but not limited to—cardiac arrest, confusion, seizures, dizziness, muscle aches, deafness, headaches, memory deficits, distractibility, personality changes, and chronic pain, among others. That may sound like an awful list, but it does beat the alternative!

As I considered the possible effects of a lightning strike when I was writing This Courageous Journey, I was reminded once again how magnificent God’s creation is. Both the incredible power contained in one streak of lightning, and the beautiful inner workings of the bodies He created for us. As the Psalmist said, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made!”

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Book blurb for This Courageous Journey:

As the fifth daughter in a family of nine, Noelle Grant spent her life striving to be unique. Her love of telling stories helps define her goal—to be known around the country as one of the top news correspondents of her time. And what better way to uncover sensational tales than to travel through the mountain wilderness to visit her brother? 

The trip comes together perfectly as she journeys with family friends who will be settling in the same area. Her first inkling that things may not be as perfect as she’d imagined shows up in the form of the mountain man hired as their guide for the final leg of the journey.

When Daniel Abrams agrees to guide the small group of easterners along his usual route northward to the Canadian mountains, his gut tells him he’s making a terrible decision. But if he doesn’t take them, who will? The crew’s leader refuses to consider turning back. As they start out, Daniel can’t help but notice the woman traveling under the care of her friends. Though she appears too genteel to last long in these mountains, she soon reveals a strength that draws him more than he should allow.

When the dangers of this wilderness become more than the group bargained for, Noelle must choose to delay her trip northward or proceed alone with the man she’s come to trust against all reason. She never dreams her decision will place her—and the man she loves—in a situation more hazardous than any story her imagination could conjure.

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Author Bio:

Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. 

She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and daughters now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

God has placed a desire in Misty's heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God's abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters. 

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Buy Misty's book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Kobo, or Google Play

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Connect with Misty:
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/MistyMBeller
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MistyMBellerAuthor
Book Bub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/misty-m-beller
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/MistyMBeller
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/MistyMBeller
Amazon - https://amazon.com/author/mistymbeller

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Interview with Kristy Cambron, author of The Ringmaster’s Wife

Welcome my new writer friend Kristy Cambron to the blog today! She's here to talk about her new novel, The Ringmaster's Wife. 

Kristy agreed to host a book giveaway contest where YOU have the chance to WIN a copy of her novel! Exciting, isn't it?

Enjoy my interview with Kristy! 

*Words from Alexis are in bold, words from Kristy are not in bold.

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Alexis: Welcome to my blog, Kristy! Thanks for agreeing to an interview about your new novel!

Kristy: Thanks for having me as a guest today, Alexis. I’m glad to be here!

What were the unique challenges of writing this historical novel?

The Ringmaster’s Wife was my first opportunity to explore writing a work of semi-biographical fiction and that certainly posed a challenge or two. I had to consider the depth of research that would be required to ensure we got the story right. Up to this point, I’ve only ever given a voice to fictional characters. I may have had true historical figures referenced in a novel, but they did not have a unique voice, motivation or character profile. So it was new for me to weave fictionalized scenes into Mable Ringling’s life– a real-life character whose story has already been written by our human history. The research was fascinating, though, and the chance to stretch as a writer was simply too much to pass up.

Who are your main characters and what makes them want to, as you say in your book’s summary, “chase a new life”?

The two pivotal characters in this book come from completely different worlds, but they meet in the middle of their prospective journeys and help one another along the way. Our semi-biographical characters is Mable (Burton) Ringling– who rose from humble beginnings to become the real-life circus queen and wife of John Ringling, of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. And our fictional main character is Lady Rosamund Easling– the privileged daughter of an English earl, whose wealth and prestige couldn’t make her happy. Though they started out in very different places in life, both women were the same in that they showed incredible bravery to step out, to risk everything and choose to live a life they’d dreamed of. There’s always risk with trailblazing; these women made me see that it’s possible to live a life that may seem unscripted to us, but has been wholly planned by God.

You’ve set Rosamund’s story in the Roaring Twenties. Why did you choose to write about that time era?

The Roaring Twenties really was a remarkable time in history. On the hinges of the Great War and the Spanish Flu epidemic that swept the world in its aftermath, those living in this time had to endure unspeakable loss, but also had to navigate the optimism that flooded the culture with vast societal change, advancements in science and technology, and the upheaval of many from a rural life to living more consumer-centric, urban ones. When you add the vibrancy of the circus, the fashion and art– even the music– into the mix, you get a story setting that is incredibly rich. I loved every moment of the research and the opportunity to see characters triumph over difficult circumstances permeating a post-war world.

What is about the Ringlings that makes Rosamund choose to join their nomadic lifestyle?

That’s a great question, because I don’t know that Rosamund actually chose the circus life; I think it chose her. She was already a bareback rider at heart– that’s true. But the connection Rosamund shared with her late brother, and the last gift he ever gave her (her beloved horse, Ingénue), is really the catalyst for her journey. It was love that propelled her forward, and the lack of love in an arranged marriage that nudged her onto the steamship that eventually carried her to America, and a home on a circus train. But once there in the midst of the performance world that was already a part of her heart, I think it would have been very difficult for Rosamund to turn back and live the life she’d fled. Adventure is part of who she is, and I happen to love that she embraced it fully.

What was the most rewarding part of writing this book?

There’s no question – it was the research.

I came to greatly respect Mable Ringling as a person, and then fell in love with the character she became. And it was the onsite research at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, FL that really helped me understand the legacy the Ringling and Burton families left for future generations. Spending a research days at the Ca’d’ Zan mansion (“House of John” in Venetian dialect) really made the story come to life. Everywhere the characters go in this book– from the Gatsby-inspired parties at the outdoor ballroom, to the piano-playing in The Court, and the quiet moments Rosamund and Colin share in the 5th story Belvedere Tower – every step they took was also offered to me. I’ll never forget the generosity of the Ringling staff, and the Ringling-North family descendants who shared so much information with me. It was a researcher’s dream.

What do you want readers to remember most about The Ringmaster’s Wife?

I think I’d want every reader to walk away from this book feeling really entertained. (I mean, it is a story of the circus set in the Jazz Age!) But I’d also like for readers to get to know Mable Ringling as a real person– not just a figure in the history books. I’d love for every person to be inspired to look beyond the scripted in their own lives, and to follow the calling God’s placed on their hearts with a relentless chase – especially when risk is involved. Because the truth of it is, we’ll never have regrets with our own life story if we’re following Jesus with everything we have.

Thanks for the interview, Kristy! Would you like to share any closing thoughts?

I’m very grateful for my publishing family, who truly made this book a reality. But I’m also grateful to all of YOU – reader friends who have had such a pivotal role in making my own author dreams come true. Thanks for helping me to be brave (and dream a little), even when the path isn’t clearly cut. This book is proof that good things come when we step out and follow God’s lead!

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Author Bio:

Kristy Cambron has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut novel, THE BUTTERFLY AND THE VIOLIN, was named to Library Journal Reviews' Best Books of 2014 and RT Reviewers' Choice Awards Best of 2014 lists, and received a 2015 INSPY Awards nomination for best debut novel.

Her second novel, A SPARROW IN TEREZIN, was named to Library Journal Reviews Best of 2015 list, and received a nomination for RT Reviewers' Choice Awards Best Inspirational Book of 2015. 

Kristy's third historical novel, THE RINGMASTER'S WIFE, was named to Publishers Weekly Spring 2016 Religion & Spirituality TOP 10 and will release from HarperCollins in June, 2016.

Kristy is a Speaker and Design Manager at TheGROVEstory.com, and holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

Connect with Kristy:

Facebook: Kristy Cambron | Twitter: @KCambronAuthor | Instagram: kristycambron

Pinterest: KCambronAuthor | Web: KristyCambron.com | TheGROVEstory.com 

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Win a copy of Kristy's book by entering the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Interview with Sarah Monzon, author of Finders Keepers

Let's welcome Sarah Monzon! She first visited the blog almost two years ago when her debut novel, The Isaac Project was released. It was an instant success! Now, Sarah's back and her writing skills are better than ever with her latest book, Finders Keepers (A Carrington Family Novel, Book 1). Here's the cover to Sarah's latest book:

Lovely, isn't it? It releases today (Monday, May 23)! If you can, leave a comment for Sarah toward the end of this blog post, congratulating her on the "birth" of her newest novel. 

Today, Sarah's taken the time to answer my questions about her new novel.

Enjoy her author interview! :)

*Words by Alexis are in bold, words by Sarah are not in bold.

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Alexis: Congratulations on the May 23 release of your new novel! How does it feel to have another book on the market?

Sarah: Surreal. Exciting. Frightening.

Why did you write Finders Keepers?

It was the story God placed on my heart to write. I know that may sound like a simple, cliché answer, but it’s the truth. He’s the one who planted within me the love of words and story, and He is the one pushing me to share those stories with the world.

Explain what the term “dual timeline” means for those who may not know. Then explain why you took this approach to writing Finders Keepers.

Dual timeline is a book that has two different timelines, and in essence two different stories, woven together to make one “big picture” story. When I started Finders Keepers, I hadn’t planned on making it dual timeline. The thought didn’t enter my head until after I’d written the first two contemporary chapters. Then I went back and started the story from Isabella’s point-of-view. And I’m so glad I did!

Summer Arnet is the modern heroine. Tell us about her role in this story. What is she like? What makes her mad? What or who makes her happy? Why is her passion photography?

Summer has always wanted to be a photographer with the nature magazine Our World, but the publication’s editors don’t think her work is edgy enough. When treasure hunter, Trent Carrington, offers to split the loot in a sunken ship, she’s initially outraged at his plans at pirating, but eventually agrees in an effort to attain her dreams…and regrets it with each wink and smirk Trent throws her way.

What is it about Summer that makes Trent want to become a one-woman man?

She challenges him. She’s spunky and sassy and sees things in him he’s been trying to deny. She makes him face his past and is there to help him through the pain he’s been living with every day.

What is it about Trent that screams “caution” to Summer all the while making her heart beat out of her chest with desire?

Trent is a Harley-riding, leather-jacket-wearing, tattooed, hopeless flirt. He never takes “no” for an answer, and she suspects not many women even say the word to him. It drives her crazy that his crooked grin gives her heart palpitations, but she’s determined not to fall for that kind of man.

Isabella Castellano is the historical heroine on the side of your dual timelines that deals with the past. Tell us about Isabella. Where is she from? What is she running from and why?

Isabella lives in 17th Century Spain. Her stepfather isn’t the most noble of men, in fact she blames him for her mother’s death. So, when he turned his attentions on her, she flees—in a rather dramatic way. She steals some of her stepfather’s clothing and masquerades as a cabin boy on one of his majesty’s treasure fleet.

What makes Isabella special? Describe her role in the story.

Isabella is a mixture of vulnerability and stubbornness. She hides her fears behind a mask of false bravado, but in so doing, accomplishes more than she ever thought she was capable of—saving lives, uncovering mutinous plots, and surviving life-snatching storms.

If you could spend one day with one of your Finders Keepers characters, who would you choose and what would you do? Why?

Oh, that’s a hard one. Hmmm… maybe Captain Montoya could teach me how to sword fight. Because, seriously, wouldn’t that just be so fun?

What do you want your readers to treasure most about this novel?

I hope everyone is reminded that they are children of God. Not just in name, but really and truly God’s sons and daughters.

Thanks for the interview, Sarah!

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Author bio:

Sarah Monzon is a pastor's wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world. 

Playing pretend all day with them isn't enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters. 

When she isn't in the world of make believe, she can be found in a small desert town in central Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings.
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Buy Sarah's book:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1XpGvzf

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Connect with Sarah:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorsarahmonzon/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/monzons/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/monzonwrites