Almost wordless: The perennial garden is off to a slow start this spring.
The Allium flowers finally opened this morning.
More Wordless Wednesday. © 2014 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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by Anna Godbersen
Weinstein Books | May 13, 2014 | Hardcover • EBook 400 pages
1st Paragraph:
ONE
New York, March 1959
The biggest spectacle in Manhattan, on the eve of Easter Sunday, was at the corner of Forth-fifth and Broadway, where Billy Wilder’s new picture was having its premiere and the press swarmed the sidewalk to document the famous faces emerging from the chandelier-dappled lobby of the Loews State Theater. There were so many onlookers and full-time fans jockeying for position in the street that the police several times had to push them back. The last of the film’s stars to appear was the blonde who’d played Sugar Kane. The temperature had just dropped in to the thirties, and she wore a sleeveless, low-cut gown that appeared to have been made out of a thousand silver filaments clinging by some magnetism to every rise and fall of her sure body.
What do you think? Would you keep reading?
I will be reading The Blonde in the next week or so. The description of the book is what initially drew my attention, and now I want to read more. Historical fiction with real people and events woven throughout are one of the genres I enjoy – and the 60s time frame is a favorite.
Description:
In Anna Godbersen’s imaginative novel, set at the height of the Cold War, a young, unknown Norma Jean meets a man in Los Angeles — a Soviet agent? A Russian spy? — who transforms her into Marilyn the star. And when she reaches the pinnacle of success, he comes back for his repayment.
Part biography, part spy thriller, and part love story, The Blonde is a whip-smart re-imagining of the relationship between Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy that draws on historical events to create a dark tale of American celebrity, sex, love, violence, power, and paranoia.
More Information
About the Book | Goodreads | Author’s Webpage
First Chapter Tuesday is hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea. Join us by visiting Diane and linking your own First Chapter post or to find out what others plan to read this week.
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Source: Review copy provided by FSB Associates.
© 2014 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Welcome to Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia of To Be Continued, a place where readers share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
After several years of being on tour with different blogs as the monthly host, the Mailbox Monday Blog is now the permanent home for the meme.
Here’s what arrived in my mailbox last week:
New Arrivals
The Beekeeper’s Ball by Susan Wiggs from Harlequin MIRA.
New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs returns to sun-drenched Bella Vista, where the land’s bounty yields a rich harvest … and family secrets that have long been buried.
Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta from Little, Brown.
When 13-year-old Jace Wilson witnesses a brutal murder, he’s plunged into a new life, issued a false identity and hidden in a wilderness skills program for troubled teens. The plan is to get Jace off the grid while police find the two killers. The result is the start of a nightmare.
The Care and Management of Lies by Jacqueline Winspear from Harper.
The New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs series turns her prodigious talents to this World War I standalone novel, a lyrical drama of love struggling to survive in a damaged, fractured world.
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen from Harper.
The Queen of the Tearling introduces readers to a world as fully imagined and terrifying as that of The Hunger Games, with characters as vivid and intriguing as those of The Game of Thrones, and a wholly original heroine. Combining thrilling action and twisting plot turns, it is a magnificent debut from the talented Erika Johansen.
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© 2014 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Thank you to everyone that stopped by to enter the giveaways last week. Winners have been selected for the following books:
Monday, Monday
Winner: Lisa
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Looking for Me
Winner: Shelly
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© 2014 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Spring bird migration was off to a late start this year, but with the recent change in the weather, migrants have been passing through in droves. Wednesday I was out with a bird club friend and we counted almost 60 species in three hours. However, our morning of bird watching was cut short when we noticed a male Wood Duck trying to walk across the gravel path. He appeared to be in trouble.
Unusual Behavior
Wood Ducks are shy birds that prefer to hide in wooded swamps and freshwater marshes. When they see people they quickly swim into the marsh or fly away. This bird was walking towards us and appeared to have a problem with his wing. When we approached him, he couldn’t fly away.
Rescue
The bird looked exhausted and let us pick him up with little resistance. Since he was suffering from some kind of injury, we knew we couldn’t leave him there and a rescue was in order. This is the closest I’ve ever been to a Wood Duck, so I couldn’t resist a quick photo of this beautiful bird.
We took him to Willowbrook Wildlife Center, a rehabilitation facility that provides care and medical treatment for injured and orphaned wildlife. When we arrived at the facility we found that it had been a busy morning with many birds being brought in for treatment, mostly from collisions with buildings along the Chicago lakefront.
International Migratory Bird Day
Today is International Migratory Bird Day, an annual event that highlights and celebrates the migration of nearly 350 species of migratory birds between nesting habitats in North America and non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Many events and programs are taking place today.
I will be out with a group of birders exploring a golf course and searching for migratory birds as part of the Illinois Spring Bird Count. Volunteers across the state will tally species and record the number of birds seen or heard. Early May is near the peak of migration, and the goal of the count is to obtain a snapshot of the migrating species as they move through the lower 48 states.
Saturday Snapshot was originated by Alyce at At Home With Books. It is now hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy. Visit her blog to see more great photos or add your own.
© 2014 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Today I have a special feature and the opportunity to receive a copy of Ann Weisgarber’s new book, The Promise. It’s a deeply moving story about the Galveston, Texas 1900 Storm, the worst natural disaster in the United States in the 20th century.
The Promise was first published by Pan Macmillan in the United Kingdom, where it was announced recently that the book has been shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. The other authors on the shortlist are Kate Atkinson, Eleanor Catton, Jim Crace, Andrew Greig, and Robert Harris. Congratulations Ann!
About the Book
The Promiseby Ann Weisgarber
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Publish Date: April 1, 2014
1900. Caught in a scandal, Catherine Wainwright, pianist, must leave her comfortable life in Ohio. She travels to Galveston, Texas, and marries the recently widowed Oscar Williams, a childhood admirer whom she has not seen in years.
Catherine is unprepared for the life that awaits her. The weather is sweltering, Oscar’s home is rustic and remote, and his little boy, Andre, resents her presence. But it’s Oscar who most unnerves her. He has expectations that Catherine is unable to fulfill.
Then there is Nan Ogden, Oscar’s housekeeper. Catherine’s arrival comes as a shock to Nan. Not only had she promised Oscar’s first wife that she would take care of Andre, but she has feelings for Oscar that she struggles to hide.
Meanwhile, a powerful hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico gathers strength and spins toward Galveston.
[Read an excerpt.]
About the Author
Ann was born and raised in Kettering, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton. She graduated from Wright State University in Dayton with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and earned a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Houston. She has been a social worker in psychiatric and nursing home facilities, and taught sociology at Wharton County Junior College in Texas.
In addition to Ohio and Texas, Ann has lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Des Moines, Iowa. She now splits her time between Sugar Land, Texas, (home to Imperial Sugar Company), and Galveston, Texas. She and her husband, Rob, are fans of America’s national parks and visit at least one park a year.
Ann serves on the selection committee for the Langum Prize in American Historical Fiction. She is currently working on her next novel that takes place in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, during the winter of 1888.
Connect with Ann
Twitter | Goodreads | Webpage | LinkedIn
Virtual Book Tour and Author Appearances
Giveaway Information
Thanks to the publicist, I have one copy of The Promise to give away to a reader with a US mailing address. To enter, fill out the form below on or before midnight, May 17, 2014. For an extra entry, tweet or blog about the giveaway. Winners will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond.
[Giveaway has ended]
Winner: Serena
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© 2014 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Source: Giveaway provided by Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity, LLC.
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In Velvet
by Burt Weissbourd
Genre: Mystery / Suspense
Publisher: Rare Bird Books
Publish Date: June 10, 2014
Format: Hardcover | 280 pages
Rating: 4 of 5
Synopsis:
The northwest corner of Yellowstone Park is closed for bear management, and Rachel, a bear biologist, is discovering some very startling animal behavior — grizzlies denning in June, swans at their wintering grounds in summer, what appear to be Irish Elk, an extinct species, with huge palmated antlers. There are also horrific mutations in the young — elk calves with no front legs, earless bear cubs, and eaglets without wings. What has gone wrong? Why is this area closed? Who’s covering up these animal abnormalities in the Park?
My Thoughts:
Bear biologist Rachel teams up with former private detective and ex-boyfriend Rainey along with Jen, a former Chicago cop and visitor to Yellowstone for complicated reasons of her own. The three are thrown into a complex plot involving secret government research, an out-of-control black ops manager, local politics, a corrupt sheriff and forest ranger, and a crazy poacher – plus a murder or two along the way. Meanwhile more and more strange behavior is occurring among the wildlife in Yellowstone.
There is a large cast of quirky characters, each with their own agenda. The story rapidly shifts between multiple points of view. While initially making it a little challenging to follow, this added a layer of complexity and provided insight into the minds and motivation each character.
I especially liked having strong, no-nonsense female characters with bold personalities. The fictional, secret scientific research in Yellowstone’s hot springs was, at times, believable and at others like the actions of a rogue scientist rather than a calculated, if not incredulous, government plot. Set in 1995, before cell phones and instant communication and rescue, there is a heightened sense of danger and suspense in the remote areas of the wilderness.
Set in the vivid northwest landscape within the beauty of Yellowstone Park, In Velvet combines nature and science into a suspenseful thriller with non-stop action, an engaging mystery, and a hint of romance.
About the Author
Burt Weissbourd is a novelist, screenwriter and producer of feature films. He graduated from Yale University with honors in psychology. During his student years he volunteered at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris and taught English to college students in Thailand. After he graduated, he wrote, directed, and produced educational films. He began a finance program at Northwestern University Graduate School of Business but left to start his own film production company in Los Angeles. He produced films including Ghost Story starring Fred Astaire and Raggedy Man starring Sissy Spacek, which the New York Times called “a movie of sweet, low-keyed charm.” He’s a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 1987, he founded an investment company that he still runs.
Inside Passage, his first novel, was published in 2013. In Velvet is his second novel. Teaser, the sequel to Inside Passage and the second book in the Corey Logan trilogy, will be published in winter, 2014. He lives in New York City.
Connect with Burt:
Facebook | Webpage| Goodreads | Amazon
Giveaway – US and Canada
Thanks to JKS Communications, I have three advance copies to give away to a readers with a mailing address in the US or Canada. To enter, fill out the form below on or before midnight, May 17, 2014. One entry per person. Winners will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond.
[Giveaway has ended]
Winners: Carol, Vicki, and Nancydl
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Source: Review and giveaway copies provided by JKS Communications.
© 2014 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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