Tuesday, December 29, 2015

INDIAN MASSACRE @ WOUNDED KNEE DECEMBER 29, 1890

As time passes we seem to understand events better.... Historical perspectives ...
 
 


FROM THIS DAY IN HISTORY  DECEMBER 29 1890
  

U.S. Army massacres Indians at Wounded Knee


On this day in 1890, in the final chapter of America’s long Indian wars, the U.S. Cavalry kills 146 Sioux at Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota.
Throughout 1890, the U.S. government worried about the increasing influence at Pine Ridge of the Ghost Dance spiritual movement, which taught that Indians had been defeated and confined to reservations because they had angered the gods by abandoning their traditional customs. Many Sioux believed that if they practiced the Ghost Dance and rejected the ways of the white man, the gods would create the world anew and destroy all non-believers, including non-Indians. On December 15, 1890, reservation police tried to arrest Sitting Bull, the famous Sioux chief, who they mistakenly believed was a Ghost Dancer, and killed him in the process, increasing the tensions at Pine Ridge.

READ MORE @ THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Friday, December 25, 2015

REVIEW: A TIME FOR TRAITORS by DAVID LAWLOR


Intrigue, history and action,

David Lawlor’s A TIMEFOR TRAITORS has it all. Liam Mannion and his fiancĂ©e Kate are part of the IRA at a time during a truce that is not welcome by all. I absolutely loved this book. It reads like a fabulous Jack Higgins novel; with its own voice and a bit more history which I personally find makes this book that much better than a Higgins.

I learned few things Prime Minister Lloyd George and Irish leader Michael Collins that I did not know.  I love that, when a book entertains me and also piques my curiosity about historical figures to the point that I even lookup thing or two and find that it was historically accurate.

I learned a few words as the book is in British English from the vernacular of the era, which pulled me right in as a reader. The book begins in 1921 and takes the reader between London and Ireland for a full year. The narrative flows with ease and surprises abound. Once the traitors are revealed it makes perfect sense; but some of them I was truly surprised and did not see it coming.

It has romance, action and adventure. The characters are deep, as a reader you feel their emotions and root for the good guys; which is of course always a matter of perspective.  

The setting, the characters, the era the turmoil are a perfect backdrop to weave in traitors and this book does it beautifully. I wish I had more than five stars; this book is a most worthwhile read.

I believe that the story conveyed so much without having to use explicit violence and no explicit sex, while still making it all very real and believable. This book keeps you entertained and on your toes to the very last line.
 

It's 1921, and LIAM MANNION is embroiled in the murky world of informers and spies; the IRA has announced a truce, and the British and Irish leaderships are taking their first tentative steps toward signing a treaty.

Liam and his fiancee, KATE, are tasked with finding republican rotten apples, some of whom are intent on foiling the fledgling peace talks. For Kate, the Brigade Intelligence Officer, that means asking awkward questions of trusted allies – questions that reveal a traitor. For Liam, it means travelling to London and collaborating with the British police to find a killer.

As the search unfolds, a devastating revelation from Liam's past will make the hunt more personal--and deadly--than even he could imagine.

 


DAVID LAWLOR is an Associate Editor of The Herald newspaper in Ireland, David has written three historical fiction novels, Tan, The Golden Grave an A Time of Traitors, set in the 1920s during the Irish War of Independence and following the character Liam Mannion.

David is also a book editor - copy an content editing. Check out
http://historywithatwist.wordpress.co... for further information.

Lives in Wicklow, Ireland, with his wife and four children.

 
 
 
 

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Guest post by UVI POZNANSKY ~

 

 

Author of 

(Included in the boxed set A Touch of Passion)


The way I view my writing projects is this: I see myself, standing on the shoulders of me (the way I was at the end of last project), standing on the shoulders of me (the way I was at the end of the project before that.) With every new book, I bring all the experience I have gained and take my new project to a higher place. So the newest release--The Music of Us--is based on a lot of research, the way I always do for my historical fiction books, but this time it is the first book that can be classified as romance.

What happened, you ask? What made me change course into a new genre? Well, too things: First, I always enjoy stretching the envelope of what I do, just like in my art, where I do bronze sculptures, oil paintings, watercolors, mixed media, paper engineering and anything beyond that... And second, I was compelled by my characters: coming out of a previous book in my Sill Life with Memories series, they demanded that I take them back to WWII, when their love story began. 

The story starts and ends with reflection, looking back into the past. Let me share an excerpt with you. 

So much has happened since the time we met, the time of our happiness. So many twists and turns during years of war and years of peace. We made promises to each other, promises that were bigger than what we could keep, which made us rise to our better selves, striving to fulfill them. 
It also made for a lifelong struggle. She started out as a rising star, and I—a soldier. Her aspirations were different from mine, so we had to learn how to bridge our differences. 
Some of our memories are full of joy. I bring them gently into mind. Others swoop out of nowhere to startle me.
And of all these moments, the ones that are dearest, most precious to me come from the very beginning. The first time I saw her. The first letter she wrote to me. Our first date. First kiss. The first time I made love to her.
And through it all, a great yearning.


My novel is one of 12 full-length novels written by bestselling, multiple award winning, USA Today and NY Times authors. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by so much talent, and to enjoy the creative collaboration to produce this boxed set.

Love Romance? Get A Touch of Passion
A boxed set of 12 romance novels
Kindle ★ Nook ★ Apple ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords


Author Links:



Friday, December 4, 2015

Tales From The Garden - Behind the scenes - by Sally Cronin

My thanks to the ever generous Catalina for inviting me to share some of the behind the scenes action to my latest book Tales from the Garden.

Catalina often sends me links on Facebook to cat videos as she knows that I am suffering currently from a lack of four legged companions. So, I thought that I would reveal a little more about one of the characters who does not usually live in the garden, but by the side of my fireplace.


 



 

 

‘Felis silvestris catus was descended from the royal cats of ancient Egypt and had wandered into this garden in Spain many years ago.  He said little but when he did speak it was always profound and the words valuable.’

 

In fact Felis had a very different beginning. He was a gift one Christmas from our dog Sam to my mother. I had seen the cat in a shop window and was at the time aiming to buy an extra present for Mollie so that she had plenty to open on the day. At ninety at the time she was very keen on Christmas and loved the whole concept of cards and gifts.

 

She loved her black cat and it sat in pride of place by the side of her gas fire until she died five years later and she always referred to it as Sam's cat. I brought him back to Spain with me and he sits by my own fireplace very happily.

 

Felis only has a fleeting role in the tales in this collection but I will be taking him with us when we move back to Ireland and hope to give him a more pivotal role in the next book.

 

 



 

This collection of fairy stories was my surprise book of the year and I am so delighted with the response to its release.

 

Tales from the Garden is a collection of fairy stories and 80 illustrations, for children of all ages, from five to ninety-five that will change the way you look at your garden forever.

The tales reveal the secrets that are hidden beneath hedges and trees and you will discover what really happens at night as you sleep unaware in your bed. Stone statues and those hidden worlds within the earth are about to share their stories.

There are wicked witches, mischievous dwarves who also spend too much in the sneezeweed patch. Dragons, handsome fairy princes and wayward ladies of the court. The garden is a magic sanctuary and those in danger find their way through the gates to find protection.

The guardians who have kept this sanctuary safe for over fifty years will allow you to peek behind the scenes of this magical place. They will take you on a journey through time and expand your horizons as they transport you to the land of fairies, butterflies and lost souls who have found a home here.

 

The book is available at a substantial discount via my own website:  http://moyhill.com/tales



 

About Sally Cronin.

Sally Cronin spent a number of years in each of the following industries – Retail, Advertising and Telecommunications, Radio & Television; and has taken a great deal of inspiration from each.

She has written short stories and poetry since a very young age and contributed to media in the UK and Spain. In 1996 Sally began studying nutrition to inspire her to lose 150 lbs and her first book, Size Matters published in 2001, told the story of that journey back to health. This was followed by another seven books across a number of genres including health, humour and romance. These include Just Food For Health, Size Matters, Just an Odd Job Girl, Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story, Flights of Fancy anthology, Turning Back the Clock and Media Training.

All these can be found on Amazon or Smashwords.



 

For the last two years Sally has written a daily blog covering the subjects close to her heart including writing, health and music: Smorgasbord Invitation – Variety is the Spice of Life. You can link to it from here: smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com.

 

Connect to Sally on social media.



 

My thanks again to Catalina for letting me talk about myself and my new book today.
 

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

HISTORY and Folklore make this a transformative read A DECENT WOMAN

A Decent WomanA Decent Woman by Eleanor Parker Sapia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A Decent Woman is historical, folkloric, transformative book. The storyline is clever and smart, simply put a fabulous story. Where there is suffering, poverty and hardship with beautiful writing the book sheds light and hope. The writing is indeed so beautiful that I found myself re-reading some sentences because they impacted me so. In the face of suffering friends support each other in a most loving way.
The book addresses hard subjects and I fact checked, this is an impressively researched piece, weaving in the historical data makes the story real and palpable. I found particularly interesting how clever the wide variety of characters who ranged in such a wide spectrum of the socio-economic strata developed; Complex characters full of depth that allowed for the story to surprise me as a reader.
The folklore both from the Caribbean and Africa was fascinating. I felt it gave added depth to the characters, especially Ana. The secrets of her past unravel in a clever way; this book is well written, clever and as with fantastic fiction very believable.
I have only visited Puerto Rico once years ago, this book made me long to make the next visit soon targeting history and folklore.

View all my reviews

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

A History of Romance Novels & #itlikethefullmoon

 



I’ve been a tomboy all my life and the idea that I’d be swept up in the world of romance still sounds a bit odd to me even though here I am. My name is Toi Thomas and I’m an author of speculative fiction. Somewhere along the way, my inner “girly girl” broke out and decided to start writing romance; I decided to name her Glorie Townson. Now, as I look forward to the months of promotion ahead of me, in this strange and new-to-me genre, I’d like to reflect on what I’ve learned about romance and share a bit with you.
First off, romance and chick lit aren’t necessarily one in the same. The very base, modern definition of Romance is a novel … that’s right. Novel’s were once considered romance by default much in the way Shakespeare’s plays are comedies. But of course, I’m simplifying things here. The Romance Genre can be summed up in three words, “love” and “happy ending” … I believe this idea is where the term chick lit comes into play, but again that sounds a bit biased. Chick lit could be about best friends while putting romance on the back burner. Also, some men enjoy romances too, but they don’t buy the books as much as women do.
So let’s take a look at history and the “facts” (I hope they are
true.) Love Stories (not novels) have been around since the beginning of time, but it wasn’t until the 14th century that they began to creep their way into the central theme of the story. In this article about Renaissance Romance, the author discusses how stories about chivalry began to be written with women in mind (though penned by men) because of the growing literacy of the female population. If society was going to have literate women, they needed to provide them with the “right kinds” of things to read.
But that doesn’t really tell us about the first published romantic novels themselves. The term Romance Novel was made popular by the book Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, by Samuel Richardson, published in 1740, though it was Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that stakes claim as the greatest romance ever written. Needless to say, times have changed, and while Austen will always be one of the greatest, that doesn’t mean no one else has written a good romance in the last 200 years.
What the acclaim of Pride and Prejudice does do, however, is legitimize the genre. Romance is the bestselling genre to date, but many don’t give the genre much respect. Even I was once a naysayer of the genre, but I’ve since seen the light. The “problem” that I believe holds the genre out of critical acclaim is that it has so many sub-genres, and some aren’t as empowering and uplifting as others.
While the story of Harlequin Enterprises is one worth looking into, it sadly has played a part in devaluing romance as a genre, but not because it wanted to. This company found a way to supply a demand and took book marketing to levels others in the industry wouldn’t dare. In doing so, romance paperbacks made lots of money while the genre’s reputation continued to decline. At least they didn’t start it all; Avon publishing has that honor. With the mass market, paperback only, release of Kathleen Woodiwiss's The Flame and the Flower, romance novels in the U.S. had arrived. This book made history in many ways including, going into the bedroom for the first time. The rest, as they say, is history.
Take a look at this list of the Best Top Romance Novels of All Time and you’ll see a pattern of diversity. This isn’t a list of only erotic love stories, despite what some would have you believe. The romance genre and all its sub-genres have stories worth telling and there is something for everyone. I can only hope that one day, perhaps, there will be a Glorie Townson novel on this list.
Thank you for taking the time to read my spiel. I do so hope you enjoyed it. I also hope you wouldn’t mind to help me out by voting for which book cover featured above you think would be best for my story It’s Like the Full Moon. Please feel free to enter my giveaway, which leads you to the voting poll. 
Resources: Dictionary.com, Wikipedia.com, Romance Writers of America- rwa.org, A Romance Review.com, Goodread.com
Title: It's Like the Full Moon
Series: Sayings Series 1 Author: Glorie Townson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reading Level: Adult
Content Rating: PG-13
Formats: paperback and ebook
Pages: 235
Words:57,000
Synopsis
Rebecca has just turned thirty. She’s happy living a perfectly comfortable and predictable life. She’s even ready to marry her long-time boyfriend whenever he finally gets around to asking her. But all that changes when her best friend whisks her away to Italy for a much-needed vacation.
In the midst of site seeing and finally letting loose, Rebecca manages to catch the eye of a young English tourist; but doesn’t let it go to her head. By the time she’s back in the States and back in the arms of her long-time beau, Rebecca has already forgotten about Peter, Paten, Paul…whatever his name was, that is until he shows up at her brother’s cabin in the woods.
A life of normalcy, routine, and stability gets turned upside down as Rebecca decides whether or not she’s truly ready to get married. And if so, who is the one she’s really meant to be with?
Book Listings
This book is currently available for Pre-order as an ebook through Amazon.com and as a paperback direct from the author. Be sure to pre-order your copy at its reduced introductory rate and save your receipt number to earn extra entries into Glorie's cool giveaway. 
Pre-order Kindle | Pre-order Paperback | add to Goodreads
Author
Glorie Townson is more than just a pen name for the author, Toi Thomas; she's an entirely different personality. Glorie is the softer side of Toi, who puts down her comic books and picks up a volume of Robert Frost poems. Like Toi, Glorie is happily married to her wonderfully supportive husband, and together they share a home with their pet turtle, Betty. This is Glorie's first publication, but she's already feeling the inspiration to pen another tale, to which she'll gladly share with the world. 
Author Listings

Giveaway
I hope you've enjoyed this detour on the 
It's Like the Full Moon Tour and will consider
supporting the Thunderclap to announce the 
official release of this book. 
~
The giveaways for this stop will include:
a $5 gift card, a signed and personalized 
digital sneak peek+, and something for everyone.
Words I’ve been a tomboy all my life and the idea that I’d be swept up in the world of romance still sounds a bit odd to me even though here I am. My name is Toi Thomas and I’m an author of speculative fiction. Somewhere along the way, my inner “girly girl” broke out and decided to start writing romance; I decided to name her Glorie Townson. Now, as I look forward to the months of promotion ahead of me, in this strange and new-to-me genre, I’d like to reflect on what I’ve learned about romance and share a bit with you. First off, romance and chick lit aren’t necessarily one in the same. The very base, modern definition of Romance is a novel … that’s right. Novel’s were once considered romance by default much in the way Shakespeare’s plays are comedies. But of course, I’m simplifying things here. The Romance Genre can be summed up in three words, “love” and “happy ending” … I believe this idea is where the term chick lit comes into play, but again that sounds a bit biased. Chick lit could be about best friends while putting romance on the back burner. Also, some men enjoy romances too, but they don’t buy the books as much as women do. So let’s take a look at history and the “facts” (I hope they are true.) Love Stories (not novels) have been around since the beginning of time, but it wasn’t until the 14th century that they began to creep their way into the central theme of the story. In this article about Renaissance Romance, the author discusses how stories about chivalry began to be written with women in mind (though penned by men) because of the growing literacy of the female population. If society was going to have literate women, they needed to provide them with the “right kinds” of things to read. But that doesn’t really tell us about the first published romantic novels themselves. The term Romance Novel was made popular by the book Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, by Samuel Richardson, published in 1740, though it was Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that stakes claim as the greatest romance ever written. Needless to say, times have changed, and while Austen will always be one of the greatest, that doesn’t mean no one else has written a good romance in the last 200 years. What the acclaim of Pride and Prejudice does do, however, is legitimize the genre. Romance is the bestselling genre to date, but many don’t give the genre much respect. Even I was once a naysayer of the genre, but I’ve since seen the light. The “problem” that I believe holds the genre out of critical acclaim is that it has so many sub-genres, and some aren’t as empowering and uplifting as others. While the story of Harlequin Enterprises is one worth looking into, it sadly has played a part in devaluing romance as a genre, but not because it wanted to. This company found a way to supply a demand and took book marketing to levels others in the industry wouldn’t dare. In doing so, romance paperbacks made lots of money while the genre’s reputation continued to decline. At least they didn’t start it all; Avon publishing has that honor. With the mass market, paperback only, release of Kathleen Woodiwiss's The Flame and the Flower, romance novels in the U.S. had arrived. This book made history in many ways including, going into the bedroom for the first time. The rest, as they say, is history. Take a look at this list of the Best Top Romance Novels of All Time and you’ll see a pattern of diversity. This isn’t a list of only erotic love stories, despite what some would have you believe. The romance genre and all its sub-genres have stories worth telling and there is something for everyone. I can only hope that one day, perhaps, there will be a Glorie Townson novel on this list. Thank you for taking the time to read my spiel. I do so hope you enjoyed it. I also hope you wouldn’t mind to help me out by voting for which book cover featured above you think would be best for my story It’s Like the Full Moon. Please feel free to enter my giveaway, which leads you to the voting poll. Resources: Dictionary.com, Wikipedia.com, Romance Writers of America- rwa.org, A Romance Review.com, Goodread.com

Saturday, September 19, 2015

WAR, PEACE and POETRY ~ Cindy J. Smith #INTERNATIONALDAYOFPEACE SEPTEMBER 21st 2015


 
FREEDOM FIGHTERS
                                                        © Cindy J. Smith
 
They come with their slogans
To entice our youth
"You must sign up and fight
For freedom and truth"
Once papers are signed
Send them off to boot camp
Where they'll be trained
And their morals revamped
Going to free the world
Of all the evil around
"Gooks", "Japs", "Krauts" and "Rag-heads"
Their numbers abound
With pride and honed skills
They board planes and ships
Sure their purpose is right
No doubt passes their lips
In silence they debark
On beaches, meadows, deserts
Their hearts racing fast
Their minds at full alert
Face now their first battle
Bullets whiz, bombs explode
Keep fighting and fighting
Bodies working in "auto-mode"
Crossfire diminishes
Silence and smoke fill the air
Then cries of the wounded
Shrieks from everywhere
Dawn's light show the truth
Of what they have all done
Village now a wasteland
Hell that can't be undone
See homes in shatters, fires galore
Bodies torn asunder, rivers of blood
Of both friends and enemies
Strewn across the thick mud
Eyes that once sparkled
With the glimmer of pride
Now filled with the horror
Caused ignorance and pride
Witnesses now to war
See how they were misled
"Gooks", "Japs", "Krauts" and "Rag-heads"
Are like them and bleed red
All the wounded and dead
Were once filled with hope
Deceived by politicians
Missed the carrot on the rope
War is destruction
Only causing death and pain
To think it will bring peace
Is truly insane
 
 
 
 
 
PEACE

Their future just starting

They are called off to war
Told that freedom and peace
Are worth dying for

In their dress uniforms
Buttons shiny and bright
Family, friends they are proud
So it must be all right

But major destruction
Is all that's in store
When Pride and greed unite
Countries declare war

Bullets start flying
Maim all in their path
There is no escape
From their vengeful wrath

The whining of bombs
Raining down from the sky
Mix with the terror and fear
Of the survivors' cries

Gathering up the wounded
In a town now rubble
Eye witness to carnage
Need help on the double

So many lay dead
Friends and enemies alike
No good thing can come
From this unexpected strike

Their camouflage clothes
Covered now in blood
And their nice shiny boots
Scraped and covered in mud

Horrors of war witnessed
Are burnt deep in their souls
They know that their hearts
Will never be whole

How much blood must be spilled
Precious innocence lost
Before we finally admit
Peace shouldn't have this high cost
© Cindy J. Smith
 
 
 
 
About the poet in her own words....
I grew up in the country of Upstate New York and now reside in the boonies of Midwestern Indiana. I am a coffee-addicted truck driver (as if there was any other kind). I have written poetry all my life. The topics and poems just come into my head. I try to write in the first person for most of them. I do this as people are more apt to relate to something when they are not feeling like they are the target. Some of my poems are true, either for me or for someone I know. I believe in magic and that life is worth living. I hope that my words will touch every reader in some way. I want everyone to open their eyes and really see what is before them.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

PAULETTE MAHURIN on Emile Zola and The Dreyfus Affair


Welcome to Is History The Agreed Upon lie Paulette. I enjoyed your book To Live Out Loud very much and wanted to ask you a few questions. Growing up in Mexico and the USA my first exposure to Emile Zola was Irving Stone’s Lust For Life when Emile Zola interacts with Van Gogh and discusses Germinal .
A few months after I read the book, I moved to Lyons, France to study. Unlike today in the late ‘70s we learned in drips and drops. Today Google would bring up The Dreyfus Affair.
Walking in Lyons with a French friend in 1977 I first heard of the shame of France and the famous J’accuse open letter. Your fascinating take on the incident, for the very first time really brought it to life for me.
 


In 1895, France was torn asunder by a scandal that rocked the nation and divided the country. An innocent Jewish military officer, Alfred Dreyfus, was unjustly sentenced to life imprisonment on a desolate island. The news that could exonerate him was leaked to the press, but was suppressed by the military. Anyone who sought to reopen the Dreyfus court-martial became victimized and persecuted and was considered an enemy of the state. Émile Zola, a popular journalist, determined to bring the truth to light, undertook the challenge to publicly expose the facts surrounding the military cover-up. This is the story of Zola’s battle to help Alfred Dreyfus reclaim his freedom and clear his name. Up against anti-Semitism, military resistance, and opposition from the Church of France, Zola committed his life to fighting for justice. But was it worth all it cost him, to those around him, and to France? This is a narrative of friendship, courage, and love in the face of the adversity and hatred. It is a story of how one man’s courageous actions impacted a nation. From the award winning author of The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap comes a book that will leave you examining your notions about heroism, courage, and your role in social change long after you read the last sentence. 

Instead of the customary essay guests here provide as The Dreyfus Affaire is based on lies and Bigotry I am thrilled you agreed to an interview. 

First let me say a huge thank you for having me over to your great site and all the support you give to authors. Coming from such a talented writer as yourself, it’s an honor to have you feature my book.
   When did the Dreyfus Affair first pique your interest?

 When I was writing and researching my first book, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, I looked up events that happened that year, 1895, the year Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for the criminal act of indecency. The topic of my storyline was intolerance and persecution. I found out that 1895 was a great year for prejudice and intolerance worldwide. Not only was homophobia raging out of control in England with Oscar Wilde’s being thrown in prison for two years but anti-Semitism was alive and well in France with Alfred Dreyfus being falsely accused of being a traitor and thrown in Devil’s Island for life. And over here in the U.S. racism was going wild as Booker T. Washington fought for Blacks to be allowed in schools with his famous Atlanta Address. I became fascinated with the Dreyfus Affair at that time.
 

The research is clearly vast. Which were the best resources?
Multiple books, especially one written by the son of one of Zola’s publishers, Ernest Alfred Vizetelly, Émile Zola Novelist and Reformer: An Accountof his Life Work. I used multiple websites to gain an understanding of Jewish history in France during that time which is where I found the one sentence I quoted from Dreyfus, “when will I kiss you again” (paraphrase) in his letter to his wife, Lucie. I found the transcript of the Zola Libel trial and used that. Too many to reference here but suffice it to say my eyes were sore from all the reading 

Government Corruption and prejudice can probably be found in any era and in every country; Do you see yourself tackling the topic again?
If there’s a historical situation, a person, an event, that moves me, then yes Perhaps. I’ve started a brief outline and first chapter on a book called, The Seven Year Dress, about a woman I rented a room from while in college. When I first met her I noticed the numbers on her arm. After spending time living with her, I heard her story. There are so many incredible historical events to draw from, like Florence Nightingale being lesbian and serving men at war. Right now, I’m just not sure.

Do you have a favorite Historical era?
I’m fascinated by ancient Greece, when hubris was a crime and Socrates was put to death for it. I’m also fascinated by the early 18th century when Thomas Payne wrote The Age of Reason, which challenged institutionalized religion and the legitimacy of The Bible. Not that I’m against any religion, it is just a fascinating time when freedom of speech and liberties is highlighted. Of course there are the paradoxes and dichotomies of every generation who opposes forward thinking but those times when the wave moved high for tolerance, those are the times that interest me, like the Dreyfus Affair, which changed a nation.

Injustice and Bigotry were also the subject of your novel The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap. How did the topic become a passion?
I think it’s just my nature, to want to help the little guy, the underdog, the downtrodden, especially when there’s unjust intolerance. If an action isn’t hurting anyone then let it be. How are gays hurting? Who are Jews hurting? Who are blacks hurting? Other than ideologies and beliefs when there is no criminal actions involved?

 Monsieur Charles Mandonette; the fictional narrator in To Live Out Loud feels very authentic for the era, I liked how you made him a childless bachelor, afterallthe serous research how did you some up with the character? Was he always the planed original voice for the book?
Initially I wanted to write from the prospective of Lucie Dreyfus or a friend of hers but it was too hard to unleash any information about her. The love letters between her and her husband have been circulating Jewish museums and I couldn’t get a view at any of them on line. There was a paucity of available information on her and what little I did find I included in the book. Because of this scarcity, I went for a friend and confidant of Zola’s, which was modeled after a real confidant and friend, Henry Vizetelly, who kept a long running journal of his time with Zola, including being present at the libel trial. The idea of a confidant of Zola’s was then more plausible as a protagonist and narrator. Once I got into his voice the rest flowed organically.
http://www.amazon.com/Paulette-Mahurin/e/B008MMDUGO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1440614541&sr=8-1Paulette Mahurin lives with her husband Terry and two dogs, Max and Bella, in Ventura County, California. She grew up in West Los Angeles and attended UCLA, where she received a Master’s Degree in Science.
While in college, she won awards and was published for her short-story writing. One of these stories, Something Wonderful, was based on the couple presented in His Name Was Ben, which she expanded into this fictionalized novel in 2014. Her first novel, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, made it to Amazon bestseller lists and won awards, including best historical fiction of the year 2012 in Turning the Pages Magazine.
Semi-retired, she continues to work part-time as a Nurse Practitioner in Ventura County. When she’s not writing, she does pro-bono consultation work with women with cancer, works in the Westminster Free Clinic as a volunteer provider, volunteers as a mediator in the Ventura County Courthouse for small claims cases, and involves herself, along with her husband, in dog rescue.
Profits from her books go to help rescue dogs.