Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Dream Collector: Sabrine & Vincent van Gogh by R.W. Meek

 

Sabrine, hospitalized for five years at the infamous Salpêtrière Asylum for Women, gains her release due to intervention of her sister Julie Forette and a young Sigmund Freud. The reunited sisters are introduced to the dazzling art milieu of 1886 Paris, and soon become close friends to the leading Impressionists. Sabrine attracts a cult following as a poetess, the enigmatic "Haiku Princess." Seemingly cured by Freud of her Grand Hysteria, Sabrine soon enters into a tumultuous relationship with Vincent van Gogh.

 

Julie and Sigmund Freud, alarmed by the eerie parallels between the emotionally volatile couple and their self-destructive impulses, begin an urgent search to discover the root causes for Sabrine and Vincent's growing psychoses. Julie, 'The Dream Collector' seeks their most unforgettable dream for Freud's interpretation and revelations occur.

 

The Dream Collector is an exploration of the psychological consequences of betrayal, abandonment--and the redemptive power of art.

 Buy Links:

 Universal Buy Link:  https://books2read.com/u/baLazP

Hardback Link US:  https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Collector-Sabrine-Vincent-Gogh/dp/1962465349

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Excerpt

“Gifts for Christmas”

 NO PROMISED correspondence from Vincent, until two weeks into the new year a letter arrived from the asylum.

 

January 12, 1890

Dear Mademoiselle Forette,

Duty requires me to inform you that Monsieur van Gogh had another mental disturbance.  Happening on Christmas morning, while painting. I was assigned to accompany him, and to be truthful, feeling glum as I wished to be with my mother and sisters on such a holy day. He set up his canvas on a ridge at our nearby ravine. Him   painting the cliffs, caves and river below for near an hour until he turned to me with a worrisome look.

“I do not know where I am,” he said.

Forgetting his whereabouts greatly upset him. He dropped the paintbrush, his palette slipped from his hand, and he grew agitated as to what he should do? I grabbed him, I believe in the nick of time, as he stepped closer to the edge, surely ready to fall headlong into the ravine. It would have been a treacherous tumble, I can tell you, and certain death.

Maybe the Saint of Strength came to my aid on such a holy morning, for Monsieur van Gogh fought and struggled but I held firm, not letting him get an inch closer to the edge. Thank all the saints I know, as Monsieur Vincent finally gave up his battle with me, his wish to jump, he going weak in the knees, so I  could bring him, half-drag him back to Saint Paul’s.

Monsieur Trabuc, a charitable man, did all he could to help me get the patient put in his room. But Mademoiselle, as soon as we relax our grip, he runs, we follow, he scrambling like a Marseilles crab fleeing the pot and bolts into his painting room, pushing everything heavy he can find to block the door. Me and Monsieur Trabuc heave together at the door until there's just enough space to squeeze my way inside.

There's our Monsieur, a sight! Paint smeared all over his mug, as guilty looking as if we caught him eating a rhubarb pie. And will you believe, Mademoiselle, he’s got a bunch of paint tubes he’s starting to squeeze into his mouth. I'm thinking fast, that stuff is sure poison, but I can’t be hurting his painting hand so I boxer punch him one hard across the chin. He's out for the count. I set to getting the mess from out of his mouth with my own hand, then Monsieur Trabuc and me take him down to the tubs, plopping him in the water. Ice cold it is, but those who know better say it takes the fire out of their heads.

He calmed down, but for the next five days he did a lot of talking to himself, or to somebody, maybe the Good Lord. Dr. Peyron calls it “de-men-sha.”

Yours in faith,

Jean Francois Poulet               

P.S.  He does sob, on occasion, something terrible. Whether sense and peace of mind will return to Monsieur Vincent, I do not know and cannot say, but I pray to my mother's special saints that he will recover.

R.w. Meek has a Master’s degree in Art History from the American University in Washington, D.C., his areas of expertise are Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, with a particular interest in Vincent van Gogh.

His first novel The Dream Collector “Sabrine & Sigmund Freud” was voted runner-up by the Historical Fiction Company for best novel of 2022.

Born in Baltimore, he currently resides with his wife Pamela in Santa Clarita, California. He’s passionate about art, cinema, literature and jazz. His two dogs, Reve and Banjo, were awarded angelic status in heaven.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.ronmeekauthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rw-Meek/100010220437381/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/R.-w.-Meek/author/B0CZJ8JDP5

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLf52C_8VYyMbHMSL_jfv-g

 

Book Spotlight and Excerpt:The Curse of Maiden Scars by Nicolette Croft.

 

Coming in August 2024: Audiobook narrated by Liz May Brice

Sixteen-year-old Renna Covert toils away in the shadows of a Yorkshire workhouse, her days filled with the mundane task of shelling cotton and the dangerous duty of scouting for punters. One fateful night, she crosses paths with two sailors and finds herself thrust into the heart of a chilling encounter at the local asylum.

These harrowing experiences catalyze Renna’s journey, promising newfound opportunities and revealing long-buried family secrets. Yet, at every turn, powerful forces conspire to thwart her quest for truth, forcing her to abandon her scullery work and embark on a daring escape to Venice alongside her steadfast companions.

In the labyrinthine alleys of Venice, Renna’s fate takes yet another twist. She is ensnared by a cunning Madam who trains her as a Venetian courtesan. But beneath the veneer of luxury lies a world fraught with danger, where Renna must rely on her withs and resilience to navigate the treacherous waters of deceit and betrayal.

Set against the backdrop of Venice’s tumultuous Napoleonic invasion of 1797, this is a tale of a girl's struggle for survival. It is a story of resilience, defiance in the face of adversity, and, ultimately, one young woman’s determination to reclaim her identity.

 Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mgDEOq  

 ***

 EXCERPT

I dragged Asha and Max after me, creating a human snake through the crowd. Glancing over my shoulder, I was warmed by Asha’s beams of excitement. Although anxiousness prevented me from indulging in their fun, I appreciated the laugh of my playfellows. Catching the surprise seemed precisely the kind of thing a girl like me should do—if I were still a girl.

 

We reached a barred section of the square. Thick rope suspended from timber stands encircled a sizeable wooden box ten feet wide, high, and long. It was brightly painted with an array of Carnival images—masks, flowers, boats, ladies’ decorated faces, men’s wigged heads, all with pleading grins. Lanterns positioned at the corners cast dramatic shadows. Light reflected off the gilding. Ann seized me tight on one side while Asha held my other hand. Max pressed behind us.

 

The crowd responded to a hidden clue and quieted. A dozen men dressed in blue pantaloons and tunics, hoods, and black masks, rushed toward the box—three at each side, crouched at the bottom, heads bent low—and waited. A line of violinists, instruments balanced between chin and shoulder, sauntered around the display. Each took a stance beside the box, turned to the crowd, and waited. Without announcement, the men in blue went to work on latches at the bottom, finding a secret flap and lifting it high so one could disappear inside. In that instant, the musicians struck a harmonious note. Their song penetrated the air and echoed against the surrounding marble facades. Volume and momentum increased, drawing on the still hushed anticipation of the crowd. The sides of the box crashed onto the piazza floor. A length of red cloth undulated in an unfelt breeze, inflating into the sky, taking on an inner glow.

 

The billowing fabric solidified into a firm balloon tied to a basket, fit for two persons. The crowd took a collective breath and murmured. We watched the balloon rise, ready to lift off the ground. A centerfire lamp with a slightly odd smell made it ascend magically.

 

Ann turned to me, “I’ve seen this before. The air beneath is heated and will lift into the sky.” Her face was as bright as Asha’s had been earlier. “In France, people who ride in balloons like this are called aeronauts. I’ll be my own kind of aeronaut.” She elbowed me. “I am rising up in the world. I am hoping you will accompany me.”

Nicolette Croft can’t remember a time when she was not creating imaginary worlds inspired by her Hungarian and American ancestors. As a neuro-divergent learner, however, putting those stories to paper proved more challenging than imagining them. Because her determination would not allow her to settle, she pursued an English B.A. to improve her writing.

Young motherhood also brought unexpected challenges, which motivated her to pursue graduate work in twice-exceptional learners and education. She would later add an M.A. degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, specializing in neurodivergent people, trauma, and grief. Nicolette uses her natural gift of storytelling as an exploratory method for her clients.

The Curse of Maiden Scars is also an outgrowth of her personal journey and marks her first publication as a novelist, having previously published short fiction. When not at her counseling practice or researching historical facts for her latest story, Nicolette shares treasured time with family, friends, and her husband. Whether writing, cooking, traveling, or learning, the act of creation is always at the center of her colorful life.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.nicolettecroft.com

Twitter: https://x.com/croft_nicolette

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoletteCroftAuthor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolette-croft-a6744929a/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolettecroft22/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@nicolettecroft22

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nicole-Croft/author/B0052UF75G

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/178035999-nicolette-croft

Book Spotlight: The Agincourt King by Mercedes Rochelle

 

From the day he was crowned, Henry V was determined to prove the legitimacy of his house. His father's usurpation weighed heavily on his mind. Only a grand gesture would capture the respect of his own countrymen and the rest of Europe. He would follow in his great-grandfather Edward III's footsteps, and recover lost territory in France.

Better yet, why not go for the crown? Poor, deranged Charles VI couldn't manage his own barons. The civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs was more of a threat to his country than the English, even after Henry laid siege to Harfleur. But once Harfleur had fallen, the French came to their senses and determined to block his path to Calais and destroy him.

By the time the English reached Agincourt, they were starving, exhausted, and easy pickings. Or so the French thought. Little did they reckon on Henry's leadership and the stout-hearted English archers who proved, once again, that numbers didn't matter when God was on their side.

 

Buy Links:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mq70Ze

 

Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called “The Plantagenet Legacy” and begins with the reign of Richard II.

She also writes a blog: www.HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story. Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the Univ. of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to "see the world". The search hasn't ended!

Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

 Author Links:

 Website: https://mercedesrochelle.com/

Blog:  https://historicalbritainblog.com/

Twitter / X: https://x.com/authorrochelle

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mercedesrochelle.net

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mercedes-rochelle

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mercedes-Rochelle/author/B001KMG5P6

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1696491.Mercedes_Rochelle