Spotlight on Mindy Dougherty: A Journey of Resilience and Advocacy

 

Mindy Dougherty is an Army veteran, author, and advocate for CRPS (Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome). With expertise in emergency situations and proficiency in pre- and post-operative patient care, Mindy has a remarkable background. During her deployment as a Combat Medic in Bosnia, Croatia, and Hungary, she faced a simultaneous attack of appendicitis and pancreatitis. After nearly two decades of substandard treatment, Mindy became a medical statistic under the care of the VA. Now, she passionately advocates for veterans who have had similar experiences.

Specializing in self-care techniques for her own healing, Mindy shares these methods with others.

Mindy’s autobiographical novel, A Resilient Warrior, will be featured in Clown Motel 3: 3 Ways to Hell, the highly anticipated sequel to the Clown Motel horror film franchise. She will be filming and meeting her fans in Las Vegas from August 19-23, 2024.

Buy Links

 Amazon   Barnes and Noble

Follow Mindy

Facebook

Instagram

X

 

Spotlight on David Lawrence author of Blue Billy’s Rogue Lexicon

 

Follow the tour HERE

William Dempsey was a wonder among wonders.

By 18, he had risen from a gang of London street rogues to be the personal plaything of the Marquess of Argyll. Maintained in splendour, celebrated at masquerades – with everything he could wish for.

Now all has come crashing down. He is put out in the rain without patronage, his West End apartment, or a place among the ton.

So on a stormy night, he arrives at a house in Southwark. Marathon Moll’s in the Mint – the bawdyhouse he worked in during his ascent and where he earned the name Blue Billy.

But is Marathon Moll’s a place from which to rise again? For there is one in the crowd, who catches his eye. Who takes his hand and promises something better.

Or does Moll’s signify a return to his roots? For one day, a second and very different young man raps on the door. Takes his hand and asks him to return to his past.

To the cat language of vagabonds. The canting dialect of thieves.

To the schemes, and the dreams, of his youth.

Buy Links:

 This title is available on #KindleUnlimited

Universal Link

.•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨) ✮ ( ¸.•´✶

Fun Facts about Blue Billy’s Rogue Lexicon

by David Lawrence

 

Many of the characters who visit Moll’s bawdyhouse (the centrepiece of the antics in my book) are inspired by actual people mentioned in 18th-century criminal records. Thank goodness for those records! Without them, we would know little or nothing about them today, and so very much would be lost to history. I used a bit of imagination to fill in the blanks when describing such as Dip-Candle Mary (a tallow chandler) and Hardware Nan (presumably a seller of hardware goods), but these were the actual ‘house names’ of men living in London in the 18th century.

 

The lexicon of the title refers to the chapter names in the book. The terms are taken from the street, or cant language spoken by the thieves and vagrants of London in the 17th and 18th centuries. The primary use of the language was to disguise various nefarious and illegal doings. However, some terms, such as ‘hand-me-downs’ have made it into popular usage. Fuller lexicons of the cant language can be found in two fabulously colourful books of the period (you can tell by their titles just how fabulous). These are:

 

The Surprising Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, King of the Beggars - Containing his Life, a Dictionary of the Cant Language, and many Entertaining Particulars of that Extraordinary Man by Robert Goadby (published 1749)

 

The English Rogue: Described in the Life of Meriton Latroon, A Witty Extravagant

by Richard Head (published 1665)

 

Bampfylde Moore Carew

 Source: Wikimedia Commons

The English Rogue

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1771, the year in which this book is set, was the year Captain Cook, commander of the HMS Endeavour, returned from his first voyage around the world. This was by no means the first time Great Britain ventured around the globe. Because of this, I wanted to draw attention to a lesser-known expedition by having one of Billy’s romantic interests participate in one of these previous voyages – in particular: the 1764 expedition around the world of the HMS Dolphin. No discoveries comparable to those of Captain Cook were made during this expedition, but the account of Commodore Byron in the HMS Dolphin is right there in the historical record, and it is an exciting one.

 

Yes, Commodore Byron was a relation of that Byron. Vice-Admiral (and Commodore) John Byron was poet Lord Byron’s grandfather. I don’t see a family resemblance, though. Perhaps without the wig…?

 

John Byron

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Lord Byron

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Brit author Alexis Hall, fabulous writer of queer romcoms and historical romances, is largely responsible for my taking on this project. He was kind enough to give my first book, Hugh, a favourable review, after which he wrote that he’d like to know more about the street boy/thief/prostitute William Dempsey, who was a supporting character in that book. After some research, I realized William was in fact, Blue Billy, and the book developed from there. I’m indebted to Alexis for caring enough about this character to ask to know more.

 

David Lawrence

David Lawrence is the author of two queer historical novels – ‘Hugh: A Hero without a Novel’ and ‘Blue Billy’s Rogue Lexicon.’ As a writer, he loves taking a deep dive into the politics, social norms, and events of 18th-century England while presenting humorous and unique coming-of-age tales.

A native of the American Southwest, David has spent much of his life in Great Britain, France, and Finland.  He now lives in the American Northwest – Helena, Montana – with his Finnish partner. 

By day he loves hiking under the Big Sky of his beautiful adopted state.

By night, however, he prefers wandering the byways of 18th-century London…

Social Media Links:

 Website    Facebook   Book Bub    Amazon Author Page   Goodreads

 

Spotlight on Trish MacEnulty, author of The Whispering Women (Delafield & Malloy Investigations Series)

 

Follow the tour HERE

“Richly drawn characters, the vibrant historical setting, and a suspenseful mystery create a strong current that pulls readers into this delightful novel. But it's the women's issues—as relevant today as they were in the early 1900s—that will linger long after the last page."

-- Donna S. Meredith, The Southern Literary Review

Can two women get the lowdown on high society?

“Two powerless young women must navigate a soul-crushing class system and find the levers of power they wield when they combine their strengths. These women may have been taught to whisper, but when their time comes, they will roar.”

– 5 Star Amazon Review

Louisa Delafield and Ellen Malloy didn’t ask to be thrown together to bring the truth to light. But after Ellen witnesses the death of a fellow servant during an illegal abortion, Louisa, a society columnist, vows to help her find the truth and turn her journalistic talent to a greater purpose.

Together, these unlikely allies battle to get the truth out, and to avenge the wrongful death of a friend.

What will our heroes do when their closest allies and those they trust turn out to be the very forces working to keep their story in the dark? They’ll face an abortionist, a sex trafficking ring, and a corrupt system determined to keep the truth at bay.

“If you like historical fiction and if you like mysteries, this one is for you!”

– 5 Star Amazon Review

Was change possible in 1913?

To find out, read THE WHISPERING WOMEN today!

 Buy Links:

 The books in this series are available to read on Kindle Unlimited.

 Universal Link

.•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨) ✮ ( ¸.•´✶

 FUN FACTS

 One inspiration for my series about a society writer turned investigative reporter is my great-grandmother on my mother’s side. I keep a picture of her on the bookshelf by my desk. In it, she wears a black hat topped with some sort of elaborate lace and flower adornment and sits in front of a typewriter. Her husband ran off and literally joined the circus. To support her only son, she worked as a society writer. According to family documents, “After her divorce in 1900, Mary Page Field worked as a local newspaper reporter and was Probation Officer for the Town of West Haven.”

 

My grandparents on my father’s side also inspired me to write about New York’s stratified society. They had a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce (my grandfather never did learn how to drive), an apartment in Central Park, and a mansion on Long Island, where the gardener and his wife had their own house. My grandmother’s idea of gardening was to point out which roses the gardener should clip for her. I asked my mother once if they would have been part of Edith Wharton’s set (whose books I re-read religiously), and she shook her head emphatically. My grandparents would have been considered “new money,” and since my grandfather was an Irish immigrant who started out as an office boy and whose father was a street sweeper(!), they would have been eschewed by New York society. I don’t suppose it mattered to them. According to my mother, they “lived at the top of their income,” but when my grandmother was diagnosed with a debilitating illness, whatever money they had left after the depression went to keep her alive. Their fortune was gone by the time they died. I never got to meet them. The characters, Katherine and John Murphy, are based on these grandparents.

 Upper class slumming! One of the things that young members of society did in the late 1800s and early 1900s was go “slumming.” A lot of my research came from Herbert Asbury’s brilliant book “Gangs of New York.” Most of the stories we hear about gang activity take place in the late 1800s, but gangs continued to be active in the city into the early 20th Century. Some of the top men in these gangs owned fashionable gambling houses where the wealthy would gamble and rub elbows with murderers and their minions. One of my characters in The Whispering Women goes “slumming” and ultimately has an affair with Owney Madden (a real figure who became especially powerful during Prohibition). Slumming was a way for the upper classes, who were increasingly isolated from “real” people, to see how the other half lived. A large part of their motivation was simply entertainment at the expense of poor, disadvantaged people. However, the practice did have at least some social benefit, according to author and professor Chad Heap as described in a 2009 article in The New York Times: “As odd as this voyeuristic practice may appear now, Professor Heap argues that slumming actually promoted social mixing and reshaped the sexual and racial landscape in what had become an increasingly stratified society.”

The Alligator Farm! I loved going to the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine when I was a kid. In the second book in my series, The Burning Bride, Louisa Delafield goes to St. Augustine to cover a wedding. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Alligator Farm had been operating since 1893! So it was the perfect place for Louisa and friends to visit in 1914 and see the same sorts of shows I saw as a kid. Here’s an excerpt: “Once they reached the Alligator Farm, they walked around low-walled pens, filled with fat, gray monsters that lay unmoving or lumbered about on their small legs. There were ponds in each of the pens. The foursome stopped at a large concrete pen with almost a dozen of the prehistoric amphibians. Louisa shuddered looking at creatures. One of them was an albino alligator with horrid white, leathery skin.”

 

 The third book in my series, Secrets and Spies, takes place in 1915. Some terrible tragedies happened that year, including the sinking of The Lusitania by a German U-boat. But there was a particularly happy event as well — a filly won The Kentucky Derby! When the filly was born in 1912, her owner Harry Payne Whitney (husband of Gertrude Vanderbilt) was disappointed. Her parentage was prestigious — sired by Broomstick out of the mare, Jersey Lightning. But Whitney didn’t hold high hopes for her since she wasn’t male, so he named her “Regret.” Then came the Saratoga Special in 1914, and she defeated her number one rival, Pebbles — a colt — and barely broke a sweat. In 1915 the new owner of Churchill Downs wanted to put his little regional race on America’s map. He believed the filly would bring the kind of fame needed to make the Kentucky Derby a household name. That year at Churchill Downs, the once-unwanted filly turned Whitney’s regret into a cause for celebration as she became the first filly ever to win the Kentucky Derby. Beating out her fifteen male competitors, Regret made women and girls around the country proud. A record crowd came to watch the horse — a sleek beauty with a white blaze down her face — take the title of turf queen. The crowd leaped to their feet when Regret snatched the bit and won the race by two lengths.

 

Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain 

 

Trish MacEnulty

Trish MacEnulty is a bestselling novelist. In addition to her historical fiction, she has published novels, a short story collection, and a memoir. A former Professor of English, she currently lives in Florida with her husband, two dogs, and one cat. She writes book reviews and feature articles for the Historical Novel Review. She loves reading, writing, walking with her dogs, streaming historical series, cooking, and dancing.

 Social Media Links:

 Website   Twitter   Facebook   Instagram   BookBub   Amazon Author Page   Goodreads

      

Spotlight on author Bronwyn Elsmore

 

Me (pink top and shades) between rickshaw driver and sister, in Malacca, Malaysia

 Hello, or as we commonly greet people in New Zealand – kia ora, meaning be well or healthy.

My writing career began with my first job when I left school and was employed at Radio New Zealand as a copywriter/production writer. It was splendid training for my writing life to come because the deadline work taught me I couldn’t wait around for inspiration – the day’s work had to be done on time. Since then, I’ve been a freelance writer, contract writer, editor, education writer, academic writer, and playwright. My dozen books cover fiction and non-fiction – children’s books, serious histories, and, more latterly, novels.

My latest book, Rushton Roulette is a light novel about 4 women who resist the thought of sliding into old age and decide to meet the challenge head-on.

It came about in an interesting way.

Years ago, being aware of actresses’ complaints that there were few good opportunities for them, especially after ‘a certain age’, I decided to write a stage play with not one but four roles for aging actors. If you know anything about theatre, you’ll know the chances of getting a play onstage is minimal. I’ve been lucky with several of mine, but this one never got a production.

A year or two ago I decided to rewrite the idea as a novel. So, Rushton Roulette the play, became Rushton Roulette the book.

When you read it, you may wonder how some of the scenes can be shown onstage. Yes, it’s possible. I gave my suggestions in directions but left the final decisions to the director. I never underestimate the imagination and expertise of a good director – they add so much!

Excerpt from chapter 12, Rushton Roulette, by Bronwyn Elsmore

 “Five. Merryn did a quick calculation. So there was a twenty percent chance she’d draw her choice. The probability was not favourable enough for her liking.

“There are four of us. If we put them all in the hat we’ll have one to spare. Good.” Joan was delighted with the way the plan was moving along.

Heather laughed. “It’s a bit like the gun with the six chambers.”

“Russian Roulette,” Joan confirmed.

“In Russian Roulette, if I understand it correctly,” Cecily pointed out, “there are six chambers but only one of them holds a bullet.”

Merryn was still far from convinced about the whole plan, and the mention of the word bullet caused her stomach to knot. She attempted to sound as calm and logical as Cecily was as she responded.

“It means the odds in Russian Roulette are a lot better. There it’s only one chance in six that you get the bullet.”

“But possibly more lethal.”

“I wish I were so sure,” Merryn’s thought returned to her earlier fears of all that could go wrong. She countered Joan’s comment, but her doubt was dismissed immediately with an observation it was hard to argue against.”

“If we do it with five blanks, none of us may have to do anything. Only one of us, at the most, which would rather defeat our purpose. So the five options stay.”

“We could put in a blank one and make it up to six.” Cecily’s suggestion was welcomed by Merryn. It gave her two chances of coming out of this alive, or relatively unscathed. Now the odds had risen to 33 per cent she’d get either abseiling or the blank. Lady Luck better be with her today.

“A sporting chance? Good idea.” Joan was all for it. “Now, how shall we do this?”

 Disclaimer: no guns are used and no animals harmed in Rushton Roulette.

 You can find out more about author Bronwyn Elsmore here:

Amazon

Twitter

LinkedIn

Goodreads

Authors.org

Book Council

You can purchase Bronwyn Elsmore's novels here:

https://amzn.to/32kddsw

 Other fiction books by Bronwyn Elsmore

Backwards Into the Future

Everyone knows you can’t go back. Everyone except Mary.  A plum tree has gone. A lemon tree thrives.  A mystery surrounding a boat with painted eyes remains. A novel with the feel of a memoir – I find the combination very appealing.”    

Every Five Minutes

Gina, if that is her real name, sets out for work. Deliberately, she misses the bus and walks into the city, then turns and walks back again. This is not a day for work. Today she will spend with a white dog and a remarkable man. “I hated the story to end. Read it and you'll see. It's a lovely, lovely book.”

Seventeen Seas

Stowaways in lifeboats? Germans claiming deckchairs? When passengers from many places cruise together, there must be fun. Fiction, non-fiction, humor – Seventeen Seas is all of these. For all who have taken a cruise, think they'd like to, or are certain they never would!

These Islands Here — Short Stories of the South Pacific

Literary fiction, stories of life in the South Pacific – pleasure, pain, calamity, comedy, fun, misfortune, loss, triumph. Most have been published previously, several have won short story competitions.

.•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨) ✮ ( ¸.•´✶

And here’s the way we say goodbye in New Zealand – haere ra. Or we say ka kite ano, I’ll see you again. I hope we will meet again via one of my books.