Civil War Swag

Authors often try to find unique swag items that relate to our books. I sometimes give away Asian-themed items to promote The Samurai’s Garden or quilted items to plug the two books in The Stitching Post series. Last month Mysti Parker released her Civil War historical A Time for Everything and I offered to help supply some of the gifts for her release party.

In Mysti’s book, the heroine has a cameo locket she got from her husband, who was killed in the war. The locket hangs on a piece of lavender ribbon around her neck. It plays an important part in the story, and Mysti thought it would be nice to have a replica to give away. I have LOTS of ribbon, so I told her I’d look for some inexpensive cameo pendants. I found some online, but she’d have to buy several to get a decent price. Fortunately, my local grocery/department store had several packs of these vintage-looking buttons in their craft department, and included in the package were two cameos! I brought them home and had the necklaces made in no time.

I also thought it would be cute to make some drawstring purses with lace on them, reminiscent of the little purses women carried back then. I happened to find a bag of silky fabric remnants from my daughter’s wedding eight years ago. I added some lace and ribbon and put together a red one and a yellow one in time for her release party. Mysti liked them so well she asked for eight more! If I have time I might make several in off-white to celebrate the re-release of The Partridge and the Peartree, my regency Christmas novella!

You can find A Time for Everything at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and other ebook outlets.

Blog Tour and Review: A Time for Everything by Mysti Parker

Mysti Parker is a wife, mom, author, and shameless chocoholic. She is the author of the Tallenmere standalone fantasy romance series and The Roche Hotel romantic comedy series. Her short writings have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. Her award-winning historical romance, A Time for Everything, was published this summer by EsKape Press.

Other writing pursuits include serving as a class mentor in Writers Village University's seven week online course, F2K. She has published two children's books (Quentin's Problem & Fuzzy Buzzy's Treasure) as Misty Baker.

When she's not writing fiction,Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

After losing her husband and only child to the ravages of the Civil War, twenty-five-year-old Portia McAllister is drowning in grief. When she sees an ad for a live-in tutor in another town, she leaves everything behind in hopes of making a fresh start. But as a Confederate widow in a Union household, she is met with resentment from her new charge and her employer, war veteran Beau Stanford.

Despite their differences, she and Beau find common ground and the stirrings of a second chance at love—until his late wife’s cousin, Lydia, arrives with her sights set on him. Burdened with a farm on the brink of bankruptcy, Beau is tempted by Lydia’s hefty dowry, though Portia has captured his heart.

In another time and another place, his choice would be easy. But love seems impossible amid the simmering chaos of Reconstruction that could boil over at any moment into an all-out battle for survival. Will Beau and Portia find their way into each other’s arms, or will they be swept away by raging forces beyond their control?

My thoughts:

Set in the turbulent years of the American Reconstruction, Portia McAllister wants only to escape painful memories and takes on a position as a live-in tutor. She finds her new job has challenges she hadn't expected, including a student who doesn't speak and an unexpected attraction to her employer. I received an ARC of this book and couldn't stop reading! The storyline is engaging and well paced. Portia and Beau seem to face one obstacle after another, and I started to wonder how they could find the strength to continue. Special strengths in the book are strong, believable characters and clear but not overbearing descriptions. Definitely an enjoyable read!

You can find A Time for Everything at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and other ebook outlets.

You can find Mysti on Facebook as well as her website, and on Twitter and Pinterest.

a Rafflecopter giveaway