UPDATE: The winner of the Amazon gift card is…Tara Leavitt!
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We survived a week of Spring Break with the family sequestered during storms. We had a movie night (is it bad I can’t remember what we watched?). Mom had “sleepovers” with the youngest kids in the living room on the pullout sofa bed. They were thrilled! We had some lovely meals together (not that I got to eat them!). It’ll be back to school for all of them on Monday (I can’t wait!).
I hope you’re all doing well—healthy and happy. It’s small things, folks. Like today’s puzzle… 🙂
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle then tell me what your favorite beverage is!
Say the name Sojourner Truth and immediately I think of her iconic 1851 speech, “Ain’t I a Woman,” at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio (see below—it’s just 3 minutes long). But what never came to mind was the fact that she was the first Black woman to win a lawsuit against a white man. I didn’t know because her birth name is not as famous as her chosen name. When Sojourner Truth was born enslaved in Ulster County NY her name was Isabella Baumfree. By 1864 she was well-known for her abolitionist, suffrage, civil and women’s rights work. But it was in 1828 that she went to court to win the freedom of her five-year-old son, Peter, who had been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama.
In 1827 Baumfree ran away with her baby daughter, unfortunately having to leave her other three children behind. She found refuge with a nearby abolitionist family, the Van Wageners. They were able to buy her freedom from her enslaver by buying her services for $20. In 1828 New York State outlawed slavery but that didn’t mean the practice stopped. Her former master, John Dumont, had sold Peter to Southern slaveholder, Eleazar Gedney who then sold Peter to his brother Solomon.
As the children of slaves were born slaves, they were their owners’ property just as their parents were. However, in 1818 a state law had been passed that freed anyone born after July 4, 1799. Some sources cite Peter’s birth year as 1818, others as 1821. So having been born well after 1799, Peter was covered by this statute. Sources I found stated that he would have had to work as an indentured servant until he reached his twenties. Thus, Dumont had the right to sell his services but not sell him into slavery. That happened when Eleazar Gedney sold Peter to Solomon who made him his slave. With the help of the Van Wageners, Baumfree’s case went to the Albany Supreme Court. She won, and her son was set free. She was also awarded $500 in damages.
What I appreciate about commemoration months like Women’s History Month is the awareness and inspiration I receive from learning how people prevailed despite the odds and the circumstances of their times being against them.
For a chance at winning a $10 gift card, share in the comments about someone or some event that you can cite where the odds and the circumstances were against them, but justice was done in the end.
One Breath Away
Michal Scott
Sentenced to hand for a crime she didn’t commit, former slave Mary Hamilton was exonerated at literally the last gasp. She returns to Safe Haven, broken and resigned to live alone. Never having been courted, cuddled or spooned, Mary now fears any kind of physical intimacy when arousal forces her to relive the asphyxiation of her hanging. But then the handsome stranger who saved her shows up, stealing her breath from across the room and promising so much more.
Wealthy freeborn-Black Eban Thurman followed Mary to Safe Haven, believing a relationship with Mary was foretold by the stars. He must marry her to reclaim his family farm. But first he must help her heal, and to do that means revealing his own predilection for edgier sex.
Then just as Eban begins to win Mary’s trust, an enemy from the past threatens to keep them one breath away from love…
Excerpt from One Breath Away…
Home at last, she’d see if meeting Eban meant this night would be good.
Since her ordeal, her sex rivaled the Chihuahuan Desert in dryness. Yet Eban’s gaze had summoned the fragrant flow that even now moistened her core. Could it be her body had finally healed? She swayed, dizzy with expectation.
The squeak of the indoor pump provided no distraction from the lingering tingle where Eban’s fingers had rested against her spine, where his lips had kissed her hand. She focused on her task to temper her excitement.
Fill the bucket. Lift the bucket. Carry the bucket. Empty the bucket. Fill the bucket. Lift the bucket. Carry the bucket. Empty the bucket.
The pans she filled slowly simmered then steamed on her small, pot-bellied stove.
Her heart seized as she fingered the simple gingham curtains covering Harvest Home’s windows. Harvest Home’s humble kitchen contrasted sharply with the trappings that had graced Mary’s Manor, her Weston restaurant expansion.
She’d looked up the word manor and decided her place would imitate that kind of luxury as much as possible. Brocaded drapes and white, linen tablecloths had dressed up the Manor’s supper room. Slipcovers made from the same linen covered the cushioned chairs. White, bone china and delicate silverware completed the picture of elegant dining she hoped to draw.
A Franklin stove, indoor pump, double sink, polished counter tops and spacious storage cupboards made the Manor’s kitchen a dream made true. Nothing lacked for the grand opening. Picturing couples enjoying themselves in her simple but elegant setting had become her favorite pastime.
Then Judah Little and his lies thwarted her plans. Thwarted. A good word. A true word.
“But not for long,” she whispered. “That dream will come true just as this dream might come true tonight.”
I’m one of the volunteer staff and an attending author for LLS. This is an annual event that takes place on the waterfront of downtown Savannah, GA. The reader & author convention usually happens in either July or August. This year, it is happening from July 20th-24th.
Something to know about reader conventions versus a book signing: A convention is a multi-day event with activities, panels, outings, and more.
A signing is a one-day event with one or many authors for a designated time to sell and sign books.
Every event is different, so please do not make assumptions about this one based on other events, or about others based on this one.
Here, I am giving some answers to the FAQs for LLS and I hope to see you there!
What do I get with the $200 registration? Actually, the registration only covers the cost of the three meals provided at the event. Authors, Industry, and vendors sponsor the welcome bags, the badges, the snacks, the games, any SWAG at panels, and everything else.
Why do I have to stay at the hotel? Hotel space is very expensive. To have enough space to provide a variety of activities, we have to hit a certain number of rooms per night. Staying at the hotel ensures we get the convention space to do all the things. Without the rooms, we would have to charge enough to cover the cost of that space for the 3 days of the event. Bring a roommate to cover half the cost and enjoy the waterfront!
On a side note, the event is action packed with things to do. Many authors and attendees who live in the area say they are glad they are at the hotel because they would be exhausted trying to get home and back.
Where does all the money go? All of the money for registration goes to the hotel for the meals. The staff, even the coordinator, are all volunteers. We only earn money on what we sell at the book signing on Saturday.
The staff for this event pay the same registration as the authors (if authors) and readers (if industry or vendor) because it covers the cost of the meals. Author registration also covers the cost of the signing table. All authors and staff also have to stay at the hotel.
What about the charity baskets? Yes, we do have baskets that are donated by authors and readers and the money from that event goes straight to the Jasper County Rescue Mission, an animal charity the event coordinator volunteers at.
What can I expect as a reader? The welcome event has a welcome bag where authors from all over send books and promotional goodies just for you!
Every meal table is dressed by an attending author so you will get the items they provide as promotion and fun at that meal.
You will meet a lot of indie authors ready to connect with you beyond the books. I love this event and attend every year because the readers and other authors are not just people at an event, they are my convention family.
What if no one wants to come to the event with me? Totally fine to come alone. The quiet and shy will find kindreds here.
What genres are sold?
The authors write in a variety of genres but the primary one is romance. All subgenres of romance are at this event and even some subgenres of subgenres!
Who is attending?
The list of authors for this year is posted on the Facebook page.
How do I register?
Here is the link to the Eventbrite Tickets. They are non-refundable, so be sure you check it out and ask any questions before making your purchase. You will buy the reader ticket. You will see other tickets on there. Remember, I said all the money goes straight to the hotel? So authors pay their sponsorships. You do not have to buy a ticket to those events (like the hot cocoa bar). It is included in the cost of your reader ticket.
I’m an author, I want to go, what do I do? Author registration is closed for 2022. As you can imagine it takes a lot of planning to pull this off on volunteer hours and author-driven efforts. I encourage you to come as a reader, especially in your first year. Why? 1. You get a feel for the event from that perspective. 2. You can plan what you will do for your tables next year, decide what things you might sponsor (karaoke, snacks, etc.), and network with readers so they know who you are when you come back toting books in 2023. 3. Because you will also have a blast and if you come as an author the next year, it will be fun, but not like the readers. Not relaxing where everyone is trying to make it a great time for you. You will be on a team making it a great time for readers. It is a LOT of work. In addition, you can still put stuff in the welcome bags. You just can’t have a seat at the book signing on Saturday.
I’m an author, can I send promotion stuff? Yes! We love to fill those welcome bags with goodies from attending and non-attending authors. Readers love SWAG. We only ask that you not send just paper unless it is for a freebie with a qr code. Readers will trash paper and we don’t want you wasting that money. Pens, pencils, clips, buttons, and all the rest are welcome. Contact the event page on Facebook for mailing address. You can also send print books that will be placed on the welcome tables. We ask a minimum qty of 10, but if you just re-covered a collection and have books with the old covers on them to use as promotion items, send them.
This is a little bit about Literary Love Savannah. There are so many great events out there for readers to attend. Check in with your favorite authors and see where they are going to be. Remember that a convention is not the same as a book signing. A signing takes place on a set date for a set time. A convention is a multi-day event with a book signing attached to it.
Tagged: poll Posted in Contests!|29 People Said|Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Joy Boutwell - Nicola O Sullivan - Tara Leavitt - Beverly - Delilah -
I have a new release! It’s sexy, features an ex-Army vampire, and it’s set in post-apocalyptical Texas! What more could you want? Oh right, did I tell you it’s sexy? And not terribly long if you’re looking for a quick afternoon read. Did I mention it’s FREE in KU Unlimited?
I hope you’ll give the story a read, and if you have time, review it. Readers trust other readers…
I’m late posting! I had a morning blood draw at the VA, which hosed my day’s schedule. It’s the second time I’ve had a vein tapped in the last couple of months. If I haven’t mentioned it before, I have Graves disease, and my thyroid was destroyed by a radioactive pill in the early 2000s. No big deal. Meds keep me going just fine. Until something weird crept up in my bloodwork in January. The doctor suspects that my parathyroid glands might be diseased now. I didn’t know I had parathyroid glands, but apparently, they are tucked behind the thyroid and when they act up, they cause calcium to be leeched away from bones and show up as a high calcium count in the blood. Sooooo, I’ve been steering clear of calcium-rich foods (eggs, yogurt, cheese, salmon, sardines, spinach, etc.—basically everything I’ve been eating tons of in Weight Watchers!) and I stopped taking my calcium supplement. Now, if calcium is still high, I’ll be seeing an endocrinologist for a little surgery.
Ain’t life grand?
So, a really long explanation for why I’m late and way TMI, but I have to tell someone. 🙂
I did just want to pop in and remind you that I have a short, sexy vampire book releasing tonight after midnight! Have you ordered your copy?
And yes, International Happiness Day is a real thing! The UN made it so. 🙂
And for both IHD and the Spring Equinox to happen on the same day THIS YEAR, I hope, portends happy things.
For now, to celebrate IHD, step outside and breathe the fresh air or smile in front of a mirror for as long as it takes for you to feel it.
For the Equinox, know that Spring is here. If it’s warm enough where you live, take off your shoes and stand on the ground barefoot. Imagine all of winter’s blues draining down from your body, through your feet and into the ground. Then take deep breaths and imagine the renewing earth sending its vibes upward. Then go inside and put on a pair of thick socks and drink some cocoa!
The point is, find some joy today and figure out how to manifest it every day. I’m a busy girl, but I do find little things, all day long, to keep me happy—a scented candle, pressing noses together with my cat, drinking a hot cup of coffee with my hands wrapped around it…
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