Author VICTORIA BYLIN--from heartfelt historicals to fresh contemporary fiction--romance that inspires

  

UNTIL I FOUND YOU  by Victoria Bylin   


Contemporary Romance to Make You Laugh, Cry, and Fall in Love... 
 
When Kate Darby swerves off a mountain road to avoid hitting a California condor, she ends up trapped in her car, teetering on the edge of a cliff. Terrified, she breathes a prayer that changes her life: "God, if you're real, I want to know you."   

It's Nick Sheridan who comes to Kate's rescue. Nick is handsome, confident, and seems to develop a habit of rescuing her, but Kate is in town only until her grandmother recuperates from a stroke. She's not planning to fall in love with one of the locals.   

Nick Sheridan is a reformed veteran of life in the fast lane, a new Christian, and a travel writer. When he sees a car dangling on the edge of a cliff, the daredevil in him jumps into action. He doesn't expect to be swept off his feet by the car's occupant. He's made a vow: no dating for a year. And it's a vow he intends to keep in spite of his attraction to Kate Darby...   



MY REVIEW:  I am a longtime fan of author Victoria Bylin's historical western romances, so it comes as no surprise that I was captivated by "Until I Found You", her first contemporary release. Written with thoughtfulness and humor, this well-paced story is both touching and charming. Set in California "condor country", the setting adds great depth to the story, with the majestic birds themselves adding poignancy and spiritual relevance as the story line unfolds. On her way back to the small town of Meadows to help with the after-stroke care of her grandmother, Leona, Kate Darby's journey takes a dangerous side route. To avoid a collision with huge condor sitting in the middle of the road, Kate slams on the brakes, causing the car to slide and hang precariously from the side of the road. Terrified, and afraid to move, Kate is eventually rescued by Nick Sheridan, who pulls her to safety just before her car plummets and bursts into flames. Upon seeing, Nick already knows who Kate is--he is friends with her grandmother, and he also helps Leona with her small local newspaper, "The Clarion". Kate is appealing and beautiful, but Nick is working out a year-long pact he made with God to get his life in order. After living a life filled with often reckless indulgence, a personal tragedy had given Nick new perspective on life and faith. After much personal loss in her own life, Kate had very little faith of her own, and she was spiritually adrift. She loved her grandmother greatly, however, and leaving her job in Los Angeles and putting her own life on hold to care for Leona was something she did without question. Leona was all the family that Kate had left, and they had always been close. Finding much to enjoy in Meadows, including her unexpected friendship and attraction to Nick, Kate begins to reflect on her future and to tentatively seek out a real relationship with God. Much occurs to cloud her vision, and Nick is suffering through personal doubts of his own, but he knows one thing for sure--Kate is the love of his life. Does she feel the same for him? Could she share with him the kind of future for which he longs--a happy family life in Meadows with Kate by his side? Knowing that she is struggling with her concern for Leona and the responsibilities of her job back in L.A., can he be patient and give her the freedom she needs to find her true answers? "Until I Found You" is a wonderfully-written inspirational romance with appealing characters and an interesting, compelling story line that will keep the ready involved until the very end. A fabulous contemporary romance debut for the very talented storyteller Victoria Bylin. 

 
Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books
    



THE WOMEN OF SWAN'S NEST SERIES


   
  

THE MAVERICK PREACHER  by Victoria Bylin   


Once upon a time, he was one of Boston's most righteous ministers. Now Joshua Blue is a guilt-stricken man scouring the West to find the sister he drove away with his pride. When the trail leads him to Denver, a beautiful boardinghouse owner might be the key to unlocking past secrets....


By sheer determination, Adelaide Clark has raised her young son alone. When Joshua arrives at her door, Adie fears he'll tear her family apart. As she gets to know the charming preacher, however, she sees he's come to make amends for past wrongs. Soon his strong faith sparks Adie's long-buried hope for a future with a God-sent partner at her side....






WYOMING LAWMAN  by Victoria Bylin   


Matrimony? Never again for deputy sheriff Matt Wiley. The only good thing from his first marriage is his daughter. His little girl might want a mother, but Matt knows that no woman should have to deal with his guilty secret, or his anger at God. He'll do his duty, serve the town of Cheyenne and keep his distance. Yet when courageous single mother Pearl Oliver comes to town, watching from the sidelines isn't an option-- especially when Pearl lands herself in danger. His heart, Pearl's life and the safety of their town are all at risk. Only the love and faith he thought he'd left behind can help him win his way to happily ever after.




  

THE OUTLAW'S RETURN  by Victoria Bylin   


J. T. Quinn would know Mary Larue's beautiful voice anywhere. He just never expected to hear her singing in a Denver church. The gunslinger comes to town to reunite with the only woman he's ever loved...but the actress he left behind two years ago is gone. In her place is a deeply Christian woman with a successful restaurant, the town's respect and a pair of younger siblings in her care. J.T. doubts he'll ever be worthy of Mary again, but he can protect her and her siblings from the threats of a local ne'er-do-well. And with courage and faith, perhaps even an outlaw "can" earn redemption--and love.... 




  

MARRYING THE MAJOR  by Victoria Bylin   


He hired a governess, but what retired officer Tristan Willoughby-Smith needs is a wife. Not on his behalf, but to protect little Dora and Freddie. When Caroline Bradley arrives at his Wyoming ranch, she seems perfectly suited--capable, efficient, intelligent...if a trifle "too" appealing. Caroline knows what a real union of hearts should be, and the major's polite, no-nonsense offer hardly qualifies. Still, she accepts for the children's sake, little knowing the complications the marriage will bring to test her confidence and her faith. Yet in this unusual match, Caroline starts to see a glimmer of something strong and true--the makings of the family she never thought she'd find...


     
VICTORIA BYLIN 


   


Victoria Bylin is a romance writer known for her realistic and relatable characters. Her books have finaled in multiple contests, including the Carol Awards, the RITAs, and RT Magazine's Reviewers Choice Award. A native of California, she and her husband now make their home in Lexington, Kentucky, where their family and their crazy Jack Russell terrier keep them on the go. Learn more at victoriabylin.com.

Author DEEANNE GIST transports readers back to the magic and marvel of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with two charming and inspiring historical romances

  

IT HAPPENED AT THE FAIR  by Deeanne Gist    



A transporting historical novel about a promising young inventor, his struggle with loss, and the attractive teacher who changes his life, all set against the razzle-dazzle of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.    


Gambling everything, including the family farm, Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the Fair’s Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.


The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris Wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?




  

FAIR PLAY  by Deeanne Gist    


Saddled with a man’s name, the captivating Billy Jack Tate makes no apologies for pursuing a man’s profession. As a lady doctor at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, she is one step closer to having her very own medical practice--until she doctors an imposing man who threatens the fulfillment of her dream.


Hunter is one of the elite. A Texas Ranger and World’s Fair guard specifically chosen for his height, physique, character, and skill. Hailed as the toughest man west of any place east, he has no patience for big cities and women who aspire to walk in a man's shoes. 

 
But the abandoned baby Hunter discovers at the Fair finds him teaming up with the good doctor to give the foundling a better future than the slums of Chicago, where the children play on flea-infested, garbage-strewn streets. AS Billy and Hunter fight for the foundling's welfare, their hearts warm to the precious child--and to each other. Soon their concern grows to encompass the Nineteenth Ward's burgeoning population of street children. In the interest of fair play, Billy and Hunter let nothing stand in their way as they labor to build a park for them, birthing Chicago's first playground and a national movement that will sweep the nation.
 

But the Fair is coming to an end, posing impossible decisions for Billy and the man who has won her heart. Will they become a footnote in the Fair's history books, or will what they discovered in Chicago be longer lasting than the World's Exhibition



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"The glitter and excitement of the 1893 World's Fair—depicted in charming photographs interspersed with the text—is the colorful backdrop for Gist's novel, which pits a determined woman doctor and a Texas Ranger in a battle of wills that's brighter than any fairground fireworks. Gist delivers a lovely story brimming with touching emotions and carrying a message about love, commitment, and our duty to care for children that will resonate with readers." (Romantic Times (four stars))

 
"Gist seamlessly incorporates fascinating historical details about the 1893 World’s Fair and Chicago into Fair Play, which not only tugs at readers’ heartstrings but also shows how the seeds of the national playground movement were sown. Fans of both faith-based historical romance and historical fiction will be delighted with this entertaining addition to Christy Award–winning Gist’s World’s Fair trilogy." (Booklist)

 
"Fair Play charms the heart and warms the soul. Deeanne Gist is an absolute treasure!" (Teresa Medeiros, New York Times bestselling author)

 
“[I] laughed so hard at their first full scene together I cried my mascara off." (Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author of City of Jasmine)

 
"Gist's work is comical, sassy, and sweet." (Publishers Weekly)

 
"Gist's historical romances have increasingly gained popularity, combining witty dialog, well-balanced plots, and fully developed characters who seem almost real." (Library Journal)     



DEEANNE GIST

    
   


Deeanne Gist -- known to her family, friends, and fans as Dee -- has rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her very original, very fun historical & contemporary love stories. Add to this four RITA nominations, two consecutive Christy Awards, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you've got one recipe for success.


She has a very active online community on her website at www.IWantHerBook.com and at www.facebook.com/DeesFriends.

AUTHOR DIANN MILLS--a passion for communicating through the written word--inspiring romantic suspense

  

FIREWALL  by DiAnn Mills   


After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they're both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn't who he appears to be. Agent Grayson Hall's number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day's act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. But his instinct tells him her pleas of innocence are genuine. Is her naivete just for show, or could she truly be another victim of a master scheme, possibly linked to the software she recently developed for her company?With both their lives and reputations on the line, and the media outcry for justice increasing with each passing minute, Taryn and Grayson have no choice but to trust one another . . . and pray they can uncover the truth before they become two more casualties.   


MY REVIEW:  The beginning of young woman's new married life is the beginning of a nightmarish experience in "Firewall", from author DiAnn Mills. For so long, software developer Taryn Young's world had revolved around her work. With a genius IQ, a high-security clearance, and a knack for creating software highly valued by the government, Taryn was a certified workaholic--until she met Shep. Francis "Shep" Shepherd, a diamond importer, came into Taryn's life and swept her off her feet. Over the course of three months, his tender concern and sensual attention broke through her workbound barriers and won her heart. The morning after their wedding, they are waiting at the airplane terminal, ready to board the flight to their honeymoon destination when a massive explosion rocks the facility. Taryn had left Shep just long enough to make use of the restroom, and they were separated when disaster struck. Later, in the hospital, Taryn is questioned by two FBI Special Agents, Grayson Hall, and his older, more cynical partner, Vince Bradshaw. Taryn's husband, Shep, is missing, and security tapes show him leaving the airport just before the explosion and being driven away in the same limo they arrived in. The FBI informs Taryn that "Francis Shepherd" doesn't exist, and his business is bogus. Hurt, confused, and not knowing whom she can trust, Taryn is as much as suspect in the bombing as is Shep. Agent Bradshaw is convinced of Taryn's guilt, but Grayson senses that Taryn is a victim, not a conspirator. As the FBI investigation deepens and widens, Taryn seeks answers of her own. When the personal stakes become even more dear, Taryn and Grayson must work together to bring out the truth. Can they trust and protect one another? Will each of them discover a newfound Faith as they learn about themselves and get to know each other? Will they not only survive, but find a new, unexpected happiness in the future? Top-notch romantic suspense from gifted inspirational author DiAnn Mills.   

Review Copy Gratis Author


   
 

A WOMAN CALLED SAGE  by DiAnn Mills 


They took away everything she loved ... now, she's out for revenge.Sage Morrow had it all: life on a beautiful Colorado ranch, a husband who adored her, and a baby on the way. Until five ruthless gunmen rode up to their ranch and changed her life forever. Now Sage is a bounty hunter bent on retribution. Accompanied only by her majestic hawk, she travels throughout the Rocky Mountains in search of injustice, determined to stamp it out wherever it's found. The stakes are raised when two young boys are kidnapped and Sage is forced to work with Marshall Parker Timmons to rescue them. But Sage may ultimately get more than she bargained for. In this exciting historical romance set in the late 1800s, murder, intrigue, kidnapping, and questions of faith will keep you in suspense until the final pages. 



 

BREACH OF TRUST  by DiAnn Mills  


2010 Christy Award winner! 2010 Inspirational Readers Choice Award winner! Paige Rogers is a former CIA agent who lost all she treasured seven years ago when her entire team was killed in a covert mission. She blames their leader--Daniel Keary--whom Paige believes betrayed them. Disillusioned and afraid for her life, she disappeared and started a new life as a small-town librarian. But when Keary announces his candidacy for governor of her state, he comes after Paige to ensure that she won't ruin his bid for office. He threatens everything she holds dear, and Paige must choose between the life of hiding that has become her refuge . . . Or risking everything in one last, desperate attempt to right old wrongs.    



 

SWORN TO PROTECT  by Diann Mills  


2011 Christy Award winner! Border Patrol Agent Danika Morales has sworn to protect the southern borders of our nation, but that oath has cost her. Two years ago, her husband, Toby, was killed trying to help the very immigrants Danika was responsible for sending back to Mexico. His murder was never solved. But now, a recent string of attacks and arrests leads her to believe that someone in McAllen is profiting from sneaking undocumented immigrants into the country . . . and it may somehow be tied to Toby's death. 



 

PURSUIT OF JUSTICE  by DiAnn Mills  


Special Agent Bella Jordan is assigned to investigate a series of murders in West Texas that are linked to the Spider Rock Treasure. Since she spent the first fifteen years of her life in this area, FBI authorities believe she can get the job done. What they don't know is that one of their prime suspects--a man who's been on their wanted list for years--is deeply connected to Bella's past. The other prime suspect is Carr Sullivan, the man who owns the ranch where the murders occurred. Carr was once one of the wealthiest businessmen in Dallas and has a shady past a mile long. But it appears he's turned his life around. Can Bella trust him, or is he just trying to cover his tracks? As Bella probes deeper into the case, threats on her own life convince her the killer is someone she knows. But it soon becomes clear he's not working alone, and she'll need to face the past she's tried so desperately to forget in order to solve the case and prevent more murders.



  

THE CHASE  by DiAnn Mills  


To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.



 

THE SURVIVOR  by DiAnn Mills  


Kariss meets Dr. Amy Garrett, who survived a brutal childhood attack in which the assailant was never found. Now Dr. Garrett wants her story written in a novel. Kariss wishes she could seek the advice of Special Agent Tigo Harris, but she broke off the relationship a few months prior and seeing him again would be too painful. She interviews Amy and conducts her own research, stepping unaware into a viper’s pit of danger.


Tigo misses Kariss and wants her back, but he understands why she broke off their relationship. Instead, he concentrates on solving a car bombing and bringing the killer to justice. As Kariss’s new story attracts an onslaught of danger that she never expected, can Tigo save the woman he loves and find who wants her dead for writing about an unsolved cold-case? 





TEXAS LEGACY TRILOGY  by DiAnn Mills


Enjoy the acclaimed Texas Legacy series of three novels by award- winning author DiAnn Mills all under one value-priced cover. Kahlerville, Texas, is home to the Andrews family and three romantic adventures. Morgan Andrews is falling for a female outlaw. Grant finds himself protecting the woman who is determined to take his child. Bonnie sets aside her grief for a pastor with a secret past. Can faith hold family and love together?



DiAnn Mills


  


Award-winning author DiAnn Mills is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn’s first book was published in 1998. She currently has more than fifty books published. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won placements through the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Carol Awards and Inspirational Reader’s Choice awards. DiAnn won the Christy Award in 2010 and 2011. DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also the Craftsman mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.


www.diannmills.com  

"THE BOHEMIANS"--Author Ben Tarnoff's atmospheric historical reveals how four pioneering western writers reinvented American literature

  


THE BOHEMIANS  by Ben Tarnoff   


The unforgettable story of the birth of modern America and the western writers who gave voice to its emerging identity


"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."--Mark Twain
 

The Bohemians begins in 1860s San Francisco. The Gold Rush has ended; the Civil War threatens to tear apart the country. Far from the front lines, the city at the western edge roars. A global seaport, home to immigrants from five continents, San Francisco has become a complex urban society virtually overnight. The bards of the moment are the Bohemians: a young Mark Twain, fleeing the draft and seeking adventure; literary golden boy Bret Harte; struggling gay poet Charles Warren Stoddard; and beautiful, haunted Ina Coolbrith, poet and protectorate of the group. Ben Tarnoff’s elegant, atmospheric history reveals how these four pioneering western writers would together create a new American literature, unfettered by the heavy European influence that dominated the East.   


"To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence."--Mark Twain


Twain arrives by stagecoach in San Francisco in 1863 and is fast drunk on champagne, oysters, and the city’s intoxicating energy. He finds that the war has only made California richer: the economy booms, newspapers and magazines thrive, and the dream of transcontinental train travel promises to soon become a reality. Twain and the Bohemians find inspiration in their surroundings: the dark ironies of frontier humor, the extravagant tales told around the campfires, and the youthful irreverence of the new world being formed in the west. The star of the moment is Bret Harte, a rising figure on the national scene and mentor to both Stoddard and Coolbrith. Young and ambitious, Twain and Harte form the Bohemian core. But as Harte’s star ascends—drawing attention from eastern taste makers such as the Atlantic Monthly—Twain flounders, questioning whether he should be a writer at all.


"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."--Mark Twain  


The Bohemian moment would continue in Boston, New York, and London, and would achieve immortality in the writings of Mark Twain. San Francisco gave him his education as a writer and helped inspire the astonishing innovations that radically reimagined American literature. At once an intimate portrait of an eclectic, unforgettable group of writers and a history of a cultural revolution in America, The Bohemians reveals how a brief moment on the western frontier changed our country forever.


"A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read."--Mark Twain    



Praise for "The Bohemians": 

San Francisco Chronicle:
“Tarnoff breathes fresh life into his narrative with vivid details from the archives… giving us a rich portrait of a lost world overflowing with new wealth and new talent... [A] stylish and fast-paced literary history.” 

Chicago Tribune:
“Tarnoff powerfully evokes the western landscapes, local cultures and youthful friendships that helped shape Twain. He has a talent for selecting details that animate the past.”

The Wall Street Journal:
“In 1869, the Transcontinental Railroad joined the country together and tore San Francisco apart. That’s the conclusion afforded by two fine books: The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers Who Reinvented American Literature, Ben Tarnoff’s nonfiction chronicle of the literary Bay Area in the 1860s and Emma Donoghue’s historical novel of the 1870s, Frog Music. Rich hauls of historical research, deeply excavated but lightly borne, distinguishes both.”

Boston Globe:
“Adeptly wrapping a wonderful story around these young writers; Tarnoff glides smoothly along….[A] delightful book.”

The New Yorker Page-Turner Blog:
“Tarnoff provides a fascinating snapshot of the era, when the city’s prosperity and unique international character (he points out that in 1860 almost two-thirds of the city’s adult males were foreign-born) brought about a thrilling, if chaotic, admixture of idealism and fun."

Publishers Weekly:
“Tarnoff’s glimmering prose lends grandeur to this account of four writers (Mark Twain, Bret Harte, Charles Warren Stoddard, and Ina Coolbrith) who built ‘an extraordinary literary scene’ in the frontier boom town of 1860s San Francisco….The lively historical detail and loving tone of the interwoven biographies make a highly readable story of this formative time in American letters, starring San Francisco as the city that lifted ‘Twain to literary greatness.’

Booklist:
“Tarnoff energetically portrays this irresistible quartet within a vital historical setting, tracking the controversies they sparked and the struggles they endured, bringing forward an under-appreciated facet of American literature. We see Twain in a revealing new light, but most affecting are Tarnoff’s insights into Harte’s ‘downward spiral,’ Stoddard’s faltering, and persevering Coolbrith’s triumph as California’s first poet laureate.”    



Ben Tarnoff   


 


Ben Tarnoff has written for The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and Lapham's Quarterly, and is the author of The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers Who Reinvented American Literature and A Counterfeiter's Paradise: The Wicked Lives and Surprising Adventures of Three Early American Moneymakers. He was born in San Francisco. Visit bentarnoff.com to learn more.

"SAVAGE GIRL" by Jean Zimmerman--riveting tale from author of "The Orphanmaster" about a wild girl from Nevada who lands in Manhattan’s Gilded Age society

  

SAVAGE GIRL  by Jean Zimmerman  


Jean Zimmerman’s new novel tells of the dramatic events that transpire when an alluring, blazingly smart eighteen-year-old girl named Bronwyn, reputedly raised by wolves in the wilds of Nevada, is adopted in 1875 by the Delegates, an outlandishly wealthy Manhattan couple, and taken back East to be civilized and introduced into high society.

Bronwyn hits the highly mannered world of Edith Wharton era Manhattan like a bomb. A series of suitors, both young and old, find her irresistible, but the willful girl’s illicit lovers begin to turn up murdered.
 
Zimmerman’s tale is narrated by the Delegate’s son, a Harvard anatomy student. The tormented, self-dramatizing Hugo Delegate speaks from a prison cell where he is prepared to take the fall for his beloved Savage Girl. This narrative—a love story and a mystery with a powerful sense of fable—is his confession.   


Praise for Savage Girl:  

“Sooner or later, a historical crime novel is bound to drag you down some dark alley and into the nastiest, most lawless precincts of the period.  Jean Zimmerman followed this tradition in her first novel, The Orphanmaster, a descent into the hellish criminal haunts of 17th-century New Amsterdam.  In Savage Girl, this canny author puts all that aside and turns to the Gilded Age for a sweeping narrative, set within the cloistered ranks of high society in 19th-century Manhattan, that raises touchy questions about what it means to be civilized.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Zimmerman’s second novel takes us on an over-the-top romp through 1870s America . . . consider this the compulsively readable love child of Edith Wharton and Edgar Allen Poe.”—Oprah.com

“A richly detailed 19th-century murder mystery and a fresh gloss on the Pygmalion fable, all in one. The story, narrated by a man who may or may not be a serial killer, compels you to keep turning the pages all the way to its shocking – and satisfying – end.” —Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train

“A formal, measured tempo only heightens the tension in Zimmerman’s second historical fiction-cum-thriller. . .Zimmerman’s dark comedy of manners is an obvious homage to Edith Wharton, a rip-roaring murder mystery more Robert Louis Stevenson than Conan Doyle and a wonderfully detailed portrait of the political, economic and philosophical issues driving post-Civil War America.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Suffused with a gothic aura of dark suspense, this is a finely wrought psychological work, rich with historical detail.  Zimmerman’s settings spring off the page. . .Immensely readable, Savage Girl takes the reader by the throat and doesn’t let go.”—ALA Booklist

“The prologue of Zimmerman’s superior historical thriller will suck most readers in instantly. . .Zimmerman keeps the truth hidden until the end, combining suspense with an unsettling look into a tormented mind.”—Publishers Weekly 

“Zimmerman offers a fanciful and occasionally surreal take on a Gilded Age New York that is reminiscent of Caleb Carr’s The Alienist or even Edgar Allen Poe.”—Library Journal
 
"A provocative and modern take on the historical crime novel, Savage Girl reveals the dark and twisted side of the 'civilized' class of the Gilded Age. Filled with fascinating and unexpected details, this absorbing tale will draw you deep into the lives of its engrossing characters as it lures you to its startling end." —Koethi Zan, author of The Never List

“The best historical fiction brings the reader back to a bygone era and the depth of humanity then. Jean Zimmerman does all that and more in her elegantly written new novel. I simply could not put down this tale of sweet and painful love, of a savage girl and her encounter with modernity.”—Da Chen, author of My Last Empress

     
JEAN ZIMMERMAN

      
   

JEAN ZIMMERMAN SAYS: 

"I am a New York-based writer and I have made the history of Manhattan a central focus of both my fiction and nonfiction. My most recent novel is Savage Girl (Viking, 2014) a mystery with a twist of fable about a "feral child" who gets transformed Pygmalion style into a Gilded Age debutante. My previous books include the historical novel The Orphanmaster, which told the story of a spunky, beautiful heroine and her sensitive yet manly lover who together embark on a quest to solve a series of grisly crimes in 1663 New Amsterdam. My most recent nonfiction work was Love, Fiercely: A Gilded Age Romance, a portrait of an iconic couple of Gilded Age Manhattan. An honors graduate of Barnard College, I earned a graduate degree in writing from the Columbia University School of the Arts, published my poetry widely in literary magazines, and received a Writing Fellowship from New York Foundation for the Arts. I live with my family in Westchester County, New York."

http://jeanzimmerman.com/

THE SPIRIT KEEPER: A NOVEL by K.B. Laugheed--A fiery frontier woman falls deeply in love with her Native American captor on an epic journey

 

THE SPIRIT KEEPER: A NOVEL  by K.B. Laugheed 


This is the account of Katie O’Toole, late of Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, removed from her family by savages on March the 2nd in the year of our Lord 1747

The thirteenth child conceived of miserable Irish exiles, Katie O’Toole dreams of a different life. Little does she know that someone far away is dreaming of her.  

In 1747, savages raid her family home, and seventeen-year-old Katie is taken captive. Syawa and Hector have been searching for her, guided by Syawa’s dreams. A young Holyman, Syawa believes Katie is the subject of his Vision: the Creature of Fire and Ice, destined to bring a great gift to his people. Despite her flaming hair and ice-blue eyes, Katie is certain he is mistaken, but faced with returning to her family, she agrees to join them. She soon discovers that in order to fulfill Syawa’s Vision, she must first become his Spirit Keeper, embarking on an epic journey that will change her life—and heart—forever.   

The Spirit Keeper captures the soul of a young woman on a quest to discover herself during a remarkable adventure across the New World. Ideal for fans of The Son and Empire of the Summer Moon, this riveting novel will transport and enchant readers.

"Katie's extraordinary journey and her unconquerable spirit haunt me"--New York Times bestselling author Sandra Dallas

"A tale as bighearted as its trailblazer heroine, Katie O'Toole...by turns mysterious, raw, funny, and sensual. A moving story of adventure, self-discovery, trust and loss, and a testament to how cultures as separate as continents can be bridged by love."--Barbara Kyle, author of Blood Between Queens and The Queen's Lady  

"Remarkable...a powerful and compelling tale."--Mary Jo Putney, author of The Bargain   


K.B. LAUGHEED  



K.B. Laugheed grew up in the shadow of the site of the 1812 Battle of Tippecanoe. She received an MA in English from the University of Dayton, with a concentration in Native American literature. She is an organic gardener, a Master Naturalist, and an ardent spokesperson for the planet Earth. She belongs to far too many cats.

http://www.kblaugheed.com/    

AUTHOR KATE WALKER--Irresistible, Pulse-Pounding, Provocative, Passionate Romance!

  Kate Walker has been writing romance for over 25 years, and her contemporary love stories are classic tales of passion, filled with emotional twists and turns. Her characters allow us to live out our dreams through her words, and her story lines always offer something unexpected and intriguing. If you love intense romance reads which hold you enthralled from first page to last, then you will love the work of this amazing author. Kate's book list is quite extensive, and I have read and enjoyed many of her terrific titles through the years. For more information about Kate and her books, visit her website.  Here are several of my recent reviews for Kate Walker's wonderfully-written love stories:   




 


 

OLIVERO'S OUTRAGEOUS PROPOSAL  by Kate Walker

 

 

Two troubled hearts, beating to an emotional rhythm of revenge and retribution, find a resolution that offers much more than they expected in “Olivero’s Outrageous  Proposal”. Author Kate Walker excels at intense, dramatic storytelling, and this is a tale of a man and a woman with a mutual goal in mind, but each has very different, very personal reasons. Alyse Gregory must find a way to solve her family’s financial problems, thus ensuring help for her mother’s health issues. Dario Olivero has worked his way from the poverty of his youth and the sting of his illegitimacy to unimaginable wealth. He lacks for nothing that money can buy, but the one thing he wants is to triumph over the father and half-brother who rejected him all of his life. A marriage of convenience with Lady Alyse Gregory, whose family title still holds prestige, will be beneficial to them both. However, the attraction between them, which shot off sparks from the beginning, soon becomes a powerful need, and their relationship grows in ways neither of them ever imagined. As family truths emerge on both sides, will the deepening feelings between Alyse and Dario survive the harsh realities of their situation? Can it be love, and not just desire, that binds them together?

Review Copy Gratis Author

A QUESTION OF HONOR  by Kate Walker



"A Question of Honor", an undeniable attraction, and a conflict of pride and passion. Author Kate Walker brings her trademark intensity to this dramatic tale of duty and desire. Karim Al Khalifa, bears his unexpected royal responsibilities with great determination. After the death of his older brother, Karim became his father's heir to the throne. Now Crown Prince of Markhazad, Karim must retrieve and return royal bride-to-be Clementina Savanevski, whose pre-arranged marriage to the future ruler of Rhastaan is a diplomatic necessity for more than one connected country. Dispatched by his own father to ensure the safe delivery of this most precious person, Karim is unprepared for how deeply he would be affected by Clemmie's alluring combination of seductive beauty and innocent nature. Clemmie knew her time in England living a free life was coming to an end, but she never expected her future to come calling for her in such a darkly handsome and magnetic escort. Their journey briefly delayed by inclement weather, their mutual attraction grows as passions and emotions are stirred. Each of them carries a secret, and each of them knows their familial duty. Resisting the explosive chemistry between them, they proceed with the preordained royal dictate, but will they be able to forget each other? Can a powerfully passionate attraction lead to a lifetime affair of the heart? A compelling romantic read from captivating storyteller Kate Walker.

 
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A THRONE FOR THE TAKING  by Kate Walker


"A Throne for the Taking" is a royal treat for readers, served up with sizzling style by author Kate Walker. A story line full of passion, poignancy, and intrigue is given life by two compelling characters, both driven by their own sense of duty. Honoria Escalona, Grand Duchess of Mecjorica, daughter of the High Chancellor, now at risk of losing everything she has ever known due to the misdeeds of her father. Forced to contact the one man she thought never to see again, Alexei Sarova, Honoria must somehow put aside her trepidation and convince Alexei to return to the land of his birth. The son of a royal father and a commoner mother, Alexei has every right to deny her request. At a young age, Alexei learned just how cruel court manipulations can be when his parents' marriage was declared invalid, making him illegitimate and ineligible to inherit the throne. He and his mother settled in England, and while Alexei became a successful international entrepreneur, he remained haunted by the injustice his family had suffered. Ten years have passed since Ria and Alexei have spoken, and now she has suddenly appeared, bearing proof of the legitimacy of Alexei's heritage. Friends in their youth, their relationship was strained by scandal. Now, Ria desperately needs his help, not just to restore order to the kingdom, but to save her from an unbearable arranged marriage. Stunned to find Ria at his business headquarters in England, Alexei has no intention of granting her wish. However, the more she pleads with him, the more he realizes that he has a longing to return home, a longing that has much to do with his intense attraction to the beautifully grown-up Ria. He will agree to her proposition, with one contingency--she will become his royal bride--for as long as he wants and needs her by his side. He respects her intelligence and regal persona, and he desires her beauty and vulnerability. When the time comes, will he be able to let her go? Ria can't help falling for the handsome, commanding Alexei, who underneath his imposing exterior, still has a tender heart. Can she trust him? Once you start reading "A Throne for the Taking", you will be caught in the spell of the drama and romance of author Kate Walker's storytelling.


Review Copy Gratis Author



 


THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER  by Kate Walker



Author Kate Walker was inspired by a classic Gothic romance tale when she created "The Return of the Stranger", and she perfectly captured the darker, more brooding elements of the story in her own compelling style. As a young child, Heath Montanha had been rescued from street life by Mr. Nicholls and brought to live on the Nicholls farm in the shadow of the Charlton mansion. He had been close friends with young Catherine Nicholls, but he was always resented and rejected by her brother, Joe. Heath's dark, handsome looks and air of mystery earned him the label of "gypsy", and the local society kept him at a distance. After the death of Catherine's father, her brother Joe took over the farm, and his treatment of Heath became unbearable. Heath soon left everything behind and went to make his mark in the world. Ten years later, a wealthy and powerful man, he returns to the Yorkshire countryside with vengeance on his mind. Thinking that Catherine had betrayed him a decade ago, he wants to hurt her as she hurt him. In his absence, she had married Arthur Charlton, the son of the rich, entitled neighbors of the Nicholls farm. Now widowed, Catherine is facing financial disaster as well as the emotional repercussions of her late husband's debauched lifestyle. Heath and Catherine are both startled by the depth of their mutual attraction, which wars with bitter hurt. Despite Heath's long-simmering desire for Catherine, he remains determined to carry out his plan of revenge against Catherine and her brother, Joe. Heath has secrets which will change the lives of Catherine and her family forever, but will spending time with Catherine and her young nephew soften his hardened heart? Catherine never knew the real reason that Heath left so long ago, and her life has not been the pleasant picture painted for society. Her husband's cruelty and deceptions have left her with little self-esteem--can she trust the love she feels for Heath? "The Return of the Stranger" is a passionate, atmospheric reunion romance with a delicious touch of Gothic darkness. 




 



THE ITALIAN'S FORCED BRIDE  by Kate Walker



Passion and emotion are equally powerful in author Kate Walker's poignant romance, "The Italian's Forced Bride". Domenico Parrisi never gave his heart, and no woman ever walked out on him. What he started, he brought to a halt when the time came. He worked hard, building his own fortune in the computer industry, and when he had time, he played just as hard as he worked. When he met Alice Howard, he never expected that she would be the exception to the rule. On a working holiday in Florence, Italy, Alice met Domenico at the restaurant where she waitressed. The chemistry was instant and combustible, and an immediate, highly passionate affair ensued. Domenico made it clear from the start that he had no interest in marriage--he had no interest in commitment. Alice tried to listen, letting her body do the thinking, but her heart had a louder voice. She fell in love, and then fell prey to vicious gossip about the Domenico and his "other woman". She left him and returned to England. Two months later, she sends word that she must speak with him, and soon he is angrily ringing the bell to her small cottage. Their meeting is fiery, passionate, and then changes all together when he discovers she is pregnant. He insists that they marry, but before the ceremony can take place, their child is lost to a miscarriage. Will the emotion which so often was hidden by the passion between fully bloom into a lasting love? Domenico is much more than the hard-edged business mogul known to the world, but can he let go of painful childhood secrets and trust his heart to Alice? Does she have the courage to once again take a chance on loving him? The title, "The Italian's Forced Bride", doesn't really do justice to this compelling romance from talented author Kate Walker. If you love heart-felt romance blended with sizzling passion, then you will very much enjoy this book.








THE PROUD WIFE  by Kate Walker



"The Proud Wife" wants nothing from the husband from whom she has been separated for two years. She keeps telling herself this over and over, right up until the moment she is once again face to face with the man she married. In author Kate Walker's touching, tempestuous romance, Englishwoman Marina Emerson was swept off her feet by the captivating charm of Prince Pietro D'inzeo of Sicily. Their whirlwind of passion resulted in an unplanned pregnancy and a quick marriage. Tragically, the baby was lost due to miscarriage, and the initial happiness between them was lost as well. Miscommunication and emotional barriers grew to the point where Marina could bear no more, and she left Pietro and his family home and returned to England. Two years later, Marina receives a royal summons from her princely husband to come to Sicily and officially end their marriage. Once they are in each other's company again, banked embers burst into life, and powerful emotions come to the surface. Both confused and filled with unexpected longing, can Marina and Pietro bring back to life the love they had thought to be long-dead? Can they face the issues which drove them apart and grow together as each of them grows as an individual? "The Proud Wife" is an intense, satisfying romance full of passion and emotional conflict.    

"DAY ONE"--Author Nate Kenyon's top-notch techno-thriller--nightmarish, heart-pounding, thought-provoking suspense!!!

 

DAY ONE: A Novel  by Nate Kenyon

Cloverfield  meets The Terminator  in this story of one man's escape from New York City as technology becomes sentient   


THE FUTURE IS HERE AND IT DOESN’T NEED YOU....


Scandal-plagued hacker journalist John Hawke is hot on the trail of the explosive story that might save his career. James Weller, the former CEO of giant technology company Eclipse, has founded a new start-up, and he’s agreed to let Hawke do a profile on him. Hawke knows something very big is in the works at Eclipse---and he wants to use the profile as a foot in the door to find out more.


After he arrives in Weller’s office in New York City, a seemingly normal day quickly turns into a nightmare as anything with an Internet connection begins to malfunction. Hawke receives a call from his frantic wife just before the phones go dead. Soon he and a small band of survivors are struggling for their very lives as they find themselves thrust into the middle of a war zone---with no obvious enemy in sight. 

 
The bridges and tunnels have been destroyed. New York City is under attack from a deadly and brilliant enemy that can be anywhere and can occupy anything with a computer chip. Somehow Hawke must find a way back to his pregnant wife and young son. Their lives depend upon it . . . and so does the rest of the human race.   


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*Starred Review* John Hawke, who was a hotshot technology reporter until an ethical transgression got him booted from his regular job, now scrambles for freelance assignments. And he thinks he’s got a doozy: a profile of James Weller, who used to run a tech company, Eclipse, which—or so the rumors go—stole Weller’s idea for a revolutionary invention in computing and is now poised to reveal exactly what that invention is. But then several things happen in New York that make an interview with Weller seem less urgent. Things like any device with a networked computer chip suddenly behaving oddly, even murderously. Things like panic in the streets, explosions, mass destruction. Soon New York City is cut off from the rest of the world, and Hawke must somehow make his way to New Jersey and rescue his terrified family, not to mention figure out what, if any, connection Weller’s invention might have to everything that’s going on. This is a highly imaginative thriller with solidly built characters and a story that, if it weren’t told so well, might have seemed silly (coffee makers and photocopiers going berserk?). Exciting and inventive stuff. --David Pitt--BOOKLIST  


“Kenyon is known for his novels of horror (The Bone Factory), but this possible Armageddon scenario is his scariest to date…Kenyon takes our reliance on technology and shows in a horrific and realistic way how much our world would crumble if we had to fend for ourselves. The pace is tense and the violence a bit gruesome at times, but this thriller is a must for horror fans or readers looking to convince others to put down their smartphones.”
—Library Journal


"After reading this book you're never going to look, touch, or treat your computer (or anything with a smart chip in it) the same way again. You'll always wonder: is this Day One?" —Steve Berry, #1 international bestselling author of The Jefferson Key and The Columbus Affair

"Kenyon's breakout novel and one of the year's best thrillers. A riveting, high-speed techno-apocalypse built around characters you actually give a damn about. A wild ride."
—Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Myth Hunters, The Shadow Saga, and Baltimore


"In this taut thriller, Kenyon, the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Bloodstone and The Reach, amps up the tension and pushes the throttle as far as it will go. Full of twists and turns, Day One leaves the reader and the characters unsure of who or what they can trust. … Day One is a novel that will appeal to fans of horror, science fiction, and thrillers. Each twist leaves the reader reeling. It is one of those un-put-downable books, and I couldn’t recommend it more" —FEARnet

"Nate Kenyon comes out swinging with Day One, a powerhouse of a thriller. Scary, eerily plausible and lightning fast. Highly recommended!"
—Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Extinction Machine


"Day One will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. A terrifying one-stop read, written by one hell of a storyteller!"
—Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Last to Die    



NATE KENYON 


    
   


Nate Kenyon's latest thriller, Day One, was called "exciting and inventive" by Booklist in a starred review. Kenyon's first novel, Bloodstone, was published by Five Star to critical acclaim, named a Bram Stoker Award finalist in hardcover, winning the P&E Horror Novel of the Year, and becoming one of the publisher's all time bestselling speculative fiction titles. His second novel, The Reach, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and raves from Booklist, Pop Syndicate and many more, was also a Stoker Award Finalist and was optioned for film. His third novel, The Bone Factory, was called "masterful" by Booklist. His fourth novel Sparrow Rock, was released in May 2010 to critical acclaim, and also optioned for film.


Kenyon has written several novels based in the worlds of Blizzard Entertainment's bestselling video game franchises, including StarCraft Ghost: Spectres (Pocket Books), and Diablo III: The Order (Gallery/Pocket). His latest Diablo novel, Storm of Light, will be released in February 2014. His short science fiction novel, Prime, was published by Apex Books. He has had dozens of stories published in Shroud Magazine, Permuted Press's Monstrous anthology, Horror World, Dead Lines, The Harrow, and Legends of the Mountain State 2, The Monster's Corner, and the upcoming Dark Duets edited by Christopher Golden. Four of his stories were featured in the Dart Arts anthology When the Night Comes Down.


Kenyon is a member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers.

http://natekenyon.com

''THE SON"--Author Philipp Meyer's epic multigenerational western saga of power, blood, and the taming of the American Frontier

   

THE SON  by Philipp Meyer   



The acclaimed author of American Rust, returns with The Son: an epic, multigenerational saga of power, blood, and land that follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the border raids of the early 1900s to the oil booms of the 20th century.
  

Part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story, part unflinching portrait of the bloody price of power, The Son is an utterly transporting novel that maps the legacy of violence in the American West through the lives of the McCulloughs, an ambitious family as resilient and dangerous as the land they claim.
 

Spring, 1849. The first male child born in the newly established Republic of Texas, Eli McCullough is thirteen years old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his homestead and brutally murder his mother and sister, taking him captive. Brave and clever, Eli quickly adapts to Comanche life, learning their ways and language, answering to a new name, carving a place as the chief's adopted son, and waging war against their enemies, including white men-complicating his sense of loyalty and understanding of who he is. But when disease, starvation, and overwhelming numbers of armed Americans decimate the tribe, Eli finds himself alone. Neither white nor Indian, civilized or fully wild, he must carve a place for himself in a world in which he does not fully belong-a journey of adventure, tragedy, hardship, grit, and luck that reverberates in the lives of his progeny.
 

Intertwined with Eli's story are those of his son, Peter, a man who bears the emotional cost of his father's drive for power, and JA, Eli's great-granddaughter, a woman who must fight hardened rivals to succeed in a man's world. 


Phillipp Meyer deftly explores how Eli's ruthlessness and steely pragmatism transform subsequent generations of McCulloughs. Love, honor, children are sacrificed in the name of ambition, as the family becomes one of the richest powers in Texas, a ranching-and-oil dynasty of unsurpassed wealth and privilege. Yet, like all empires, the McCoulloughs must eventually face the consequences of their choices. 


Harrowing, panoramic, and vividly drawn, The Son is a masterful achievement from a sublime young talent. 



PHILIPP MEYER 


  
   



Philipp Meyer grew up in a working class neighborhood in Baltimore, where he dropped out of high school and got a GED. After five years working as a bike mechanic and an orderly in a trauma center, he decided to attend college, getting into Cornell University at the age of 22. He graduated with a degree in English and he got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader. After paying off his student loans, he left Wall Street hoping write full time, but after several years of failure moved back to Baltimore and took jobs as an EMT and construction worker. In 2005 he received a fellowship from the University of Texas's Michener Center for Writers. In 2009 he published his first novel American Rust, which won a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, was an Economist Book of the Year, a New York Times Notable Book, a Washington Post Book of the Year, and made numerous other "best-of" list. Meyer is a Guggenheim Fellow and one of the second generation of the New Yorker's 20 best writers under 40. His second novel, The Son, is being published in fifteen languages. He lives mostly in Austin, Texas.


http://philippmeyer.net/

"HILL OF BEANS"--author John Snyder's remarkable memories of "Coming of Age in the Last Days of the Old South"

    
  

HILL OF BEANS  by John Snyder 
   

This memoir of growing up in the Old South during the Depression evokes a time gone by.  And while it is a loving memoir, it is populated by real people dealing with hard times, sometimes with cruelty, sometimes with violence–including a mysterious case of arson that forever changed John Snyder’s life. 


Hill of Beans has been compared by publishing professionals to the seminal writers like William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor and even Laura Ingalls Wilder.


The early comments of John Snyder’s remarkable, poignant account of growing up in Depression era South Carolina are in and they are glowing:


“This is great stuff, extremely well remembered. There can’t be many memories left of this time and place, and these are richly told.”… Roy Blount, Jr. humorist and author of 22 books including Crackers, Be Sweet and Alphabet Juice.


“John Snyder has conjured up a vanished world. The hardscrabble South he depicts in this beautifully evocative memoir calls to mind Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor. It’s a work of inspired anthropology, rich in folklore, and a work of literature.”—James Atlas, author of Bellow: A Biography and a memoir My Life in the Middle Ages.


“An absorbing and moving exploration of the effect of environment on character.” Jonathan Galassi


“John Snyder writes beautifully and evocatively of a time, a moment in history, and of the people in a way that makes you feel as if you are right alongside him. I loved this book.”—Kathy Pories, Senior editor, Algonquin Books


“If you had the sort of adventurous, bittersweet childhood that many children only dream about after reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books in school, John  Snyder’s Hill of Beans will be irresistible. From the tremendous, larger-than-life father to the stiflingly cruel Aunt Bess, Snyder transmits the images and feelings of a unique childhood wonderfully.”—Lydia Crowe, University of Iowa


“As spellbinding, nuanced, intricate, evocative, and absorbing as his highly crafted metal-and-wood sculptures, John Snyder’s magical, magnificent Hill of Beans is a swirling, recursive American Journey through the rivers and woods and fields of a boy’s formative years, along highways of perception, memory, language, and expression, asking what it means to imagine, yearn, experience, and love.”–David M. Darst, investment analyst and author of six books, including The Art of Asset Allocation and The Little Book that Saves Your Assets


   
JOHN SNYDER
  

John Snyder grew up in North and South Carolina, attended the University of Chicago, and moved to New York City in 1959. Recently retired as an Executive Director of Morgan Stanley, he previously worked as a buyer at Bloomingdales, and head of research for a carpet manufacturer. Along the way, he was awarded 7 patents, made an industrial film that won first place in the New York Film Festival, and wrote 2 off-Broadway plays. Throughout his working career he maintained a machine shop for making prototypes of inventions and turning found objects into sculpture. He continues to make sculpture (www.johnsnyder.org), and has written this memoir. He and his wife divide their time between New York City and Cedar Mountain, North Carolina.