Review - - Somewhere to Dream

Somewhere to Dream
By Genevieve Graham
Publisher:  Berkley
Release Date: November 5, 2013

1740's South Carolina

They call her Shadow Girl.  Rescuing Adelaide from certain death, the Cherokee have accepted her as a cherished member of their tribe, accepting as a gift her ability to foretell the future in her dreams. But what the Cherokee consider a blessing, Adelaide views as a curse.  She's haunted by events of the past and fears her dreams, forcing herself to awaken before they reach their conclusion. When the warrior to whom she has been betrothed is killed, Adelaide grieves her friend along with the rest of the tribe.  But not long after, the warrior's brother returns to the village with a captive, a white man whom the Cherokee warrior believes carries the spirit of his dead brother...a man Adelaide has "seen" before.

It was difficult to look away.  I'd never met the man before, but I knew those eyes so well they might have been with me all my life.  After he'd been cleaned a bit, I knew his hair would be golden, his body sleek and strong as a mountain cat's.  I had spent my life running from my dreams.  This man lying bleeding on the ground, blinking through the eyes that had haunted those dreams...he was as real as could be.

Life for Jesse Black has been filled with pain and humiliation.  Verbally and physically abused by his father, Jesse's only friend is the eccentric physician living in his town; a man who protected the child, taught him to read and convinced him that he could be a better man than his father.  Some lessons go deep however and, in Jesse's case, his father's hatred of Indians also lives in the son. So when Jesse is captured by the Cherokee, he does not go easily.  Expecting a short life at the hands of savages, Jesse is stunned to be told the spirit of the dead brother of the warrior who captured him lives in Jesse and, therefore, Jesse is now his brother and will become a Cherokee warrior.  And if that isn't enough, he discovers that he is now the betrothed of the quiet white girl who willingly lives in the Cherokee village.

Jesse plans to escape the Cherokee at the first opportunity.  Adelaide considers them her family, feels safe in their village and fears ever living among white men again.  Jesse fears becoming the kind of man his father is, the kind of man who changed a young Adelaide's life forever.  The two young people are drawn to one another, forming a tentative friendship that gradually deepens into something more profound, more lasting. But Jesse and Adelaide both have demons to confront and fears to overcome for the love that's gradually growing between them to have any hope of surviving.  They must learn to accept the people they are and are meant to be.  And they must learn to open themselves to what they can learn from others, even from those whom they have been taught to view as the enemy.

At a point in history when white settlers were moving into Native American territory and claiming (many would say stealing) the land that had been held by the Cherokee for generations, peace between the two was tenuous at best.  Graham captures the emotions of that time with exquisite skill.  As she has in her previous books, Graham has the ability to create a realistic sense of time and place that puts the reader in the minds of the people and midst of events that took place more than 200 years ago. This story is set in the Keowee Valley, an area in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains that is situated in the northwest corner of what is now South Carolina.  I know this area, and its history, well.  I've lived there for the better part of the past twenty years.  Graham has never been there and yet her words evoke the unique beauty and spirit of that area and its people, in particular the Cherokee who still call it home.

If you've never read a book by Genevieve Graham, I recommend picking one up today.  If you're a fan of Last of the Mohicans, I strongly suggest you begin with Somewhere to Dream.

~PJ

Today's Special - - Genevieve Graham

Photography by Janice Bray

Genevieve Graham never intended to become an author but I'm so happy that she did. Her historical romances are filled with emotion, adventure and characters that are so well developed that I feel as if I can reach out and touch them.  Somewhere to Dream (Nov. 5, 2013) is her third published novel and one which once again immersed me completely in Graham's fictional world.  

Please give Genevieve Graham a warm welcome!

“Creating” Characters

Sometimes it's the craziest thing, seeing my name on book covers. I've seen it there so many times—especially now that the third novel is out—and yet it still seems surreal to me. I never imagined I'd turn out to be an author and an editor. I've always loved to read, but I wasn't consumed with a need to write until 2007, when I was deep into reading Diana Gabaldon's “Outlander” series for the zillionth time. Her stories wove themselves right into my spirit, and I guess that's how my sudden urge to create was born.

I've set her books (temporarily) aside, and now my characters constantly take over my thoughts. Creating characters is an interesting concept to me. I'd never even thought about doing that before I started. Once I'd started, I panicked, wondering how on earth I was going to produce an entirely new “person” and make them real. Then I learned something very important. I don't create the characters. I simply need to sit back, wait, and listen for them to introduce themselves to me. When a character approaches me, like Adelaide did with “Somewhere to Dream,” they come out of nowhere. They either lean gently against me, nudging me for attention, or they whisper words that I am compelled to write down before they're lost forever. It feels as if I'm meeting a real person. I understand their strengths, their weaknesses, I know what makes them laugh or cry. I know the pain they've experienced and understand how it affects who they are at that moment. I know their families and friends, their favourite colours and animals. And when I finish a book, I miss them like crazy. It's like they've moved far away. Sure, I can still visit, but it's not the same.

Plot is tougher. Maybe it's because I'm so submerged in my characters' heads that, like them, I can't see what's coming. I can't imagine what twists and turns are going to change their lives. Some authors plot ahead of time, make a kind of chart or outline that helps them see where they're going. I've tried that, and sometimes it helps me make better decisions, but usually I end up going back to change it all anyway. So I call myself a “pantser,” meaning I write by the seat of my pants. I guess that's not much of a surprise to anyone who knows me outside of writing—and to anyone who has ever seen the condition of my desk!

All of my books started out when I felt a kind of “presence” in my mind. That has given me insight into the experience my characters share whenever they are struck by a psychic moment. Andrew, Maggie, Dougal, and Adelaide can all envision the future, and all can read minds to a certain extent. Sometimes they dream of something without expecting to see anything at all, and sometimes the characters wake me from my sleep, yelling something about the plot. (That happens quite a bit—to the point that my husband bought me a pen that lights up in the dark so I wouldn't keep waking him up at 3am.) Does that make me psychic, too?

I have always believed in psychic abilities, and I've visited with quite a few psychics. My favourite was a friend of mine back in Calgary. She totally convinced me. The first time I ever met her was a month after my father had died. I hadn't told her about that, but I was barely in her door when her eyes widened with awareness. She told me the room had gone black when I'd entered, then she asked if my father had recently died. I swear I'm not making that up. She also taught some workshops, and my husband and I went on my birthday one year. One of the exercises we did was to sit across the table from each other and try to guess what was on the card the other one of us held. They were random little pictures like a dragonfly or a windmill or a record player. And you know what? He and I got every one of them right.

Ever since then, I've been a believer. I've been told I'm psychic, but that I need to practice. I have no idea what that practice would entail, and frankly, I don't have time to work on it, but I think writing has opened that world up for me in its own way.

The last time I saw my psychic friend (before I moved to Nova Scotia), she told me that all the cards said I would be a multi-published author. That was before I'd even finished my first book.

Here's a thought. Since my characters are such a part of me, I wonder if a gifted psychic could tell me about what's going to happen to them! That might help me with putting together a plot plan next time!

I've been asked if there are more stories coming in “The MacDonnell” series. I definitely think so. We met Janet MacLeod in “Under the Same Sky,” and although she has no psychic gifts, she has a thirst for adventure. Every time I see her I envision a pirate ship, but that's all so far. She's given me a few hints recently, but I think Janet's being characteristically practical. She's waiting for me to take a break from my editing business and my current WIP (work in progress) so I can open my mind to her. After that, yes. My beloved MacDonnells have also dropped a few story ideas into my head. I just need to wait and see when they'll tell me more.

It's not exactly up to me … and we've all heard how stubborn Scots can be, aye?

Everyone has psychic abilities. Do you believe that? Do you trust your intuition? Have you experienced psychic moments in your life? 


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The Cherokee call her Shadow Girl. A white woman adopted by Indians, Adelaide is haunted by the dark dreams she hides—of her murdered family, of the men she fears, and most of all, of the ones that foretell the future. After her visions cause her to make a terrible mistake, she renounces her power and buries her dreams deep in her soul.

Until Jesse Black is captured by the tribe. His life is spared because the Cherokee believe his warrior spirit belongs to their fallen brother. Though he hates all Indians, Adelaide illuminates their way of life for him, just as he shines light into her shadowed heart. But when her dreams return, Jesse must help her face them…or die trying…

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Review - - Sound of the Heart

Sound of the Heart
By Genevieve Graham
Publisher:  Berkley Sensation
Release Date:  May 1, 2012



  

The Highlands of Scotland and Colonial America are two of my favorite settings for historical romance.  Genevieve Graham combines the two in a sweeping saga that takes the reader on a breathtaking, and often heartbreaking, journey from the battlefield of Culloden to the wilds of Colonial America. 

For a man like Dougal MacDonnell, the Battle of Culloden is a nightmare.   Faced with the loss of his family and friends at the hands of English soldiers, Dougal experiences the added pain of being able to “hear” the thoughts of the dying men around him, including his own father.   Dougal has been able to hear other men’s thoughts his entire life but never in such a heartbreaking way. 

When the fighting ends, Dougal is the only member of his family left to endure the brutal torture of English imprisonment.  Hope appears in the form of a fellow prisoner, a young lad who helps Dougal escape and, together, they make their way back to Scotland.  For two years, they live in an abandoned cottage and work the land, slowly returning to a somewhat normal life but always watching over their shoulders.  It is during this time that Dougal discovers Glenna, a young woman with a most unusual background who captures his heart deeply and completely.  Their happy ending is within sight but, unfortunately, the English are not quite finished with them.  (This was a time in history when England was determined to erase the people and traditions of Scotland from existence or at least from the British Isles.)  Captured, Dougal is once again imprisoned while Glenna is destined for a life of indentured servitude in America.  Only by agreeing to serve the hated English in a military regiment comprised of Highland warriors does Dougal have any hope of ever finding his beloved Glenna.  But America is a huge country and he has only the strength of his love to guide him.  Will he ever again hold her close and hear the sound of her heart?

I enjoyed this book very much.  It’s filled with fascinating bits of history, without making me feel like I’m in a history lecture, and the kind of sweeping, epic love story that keeps me reading into the wee hours of the morning.  Her vibrant voice, richly emotional story and fast paced story kept my attention from the first page to the final word.  Graham has created a hero and heroine that I liked and admired from start to finish and their actions throughout their joint, and separate, journeys only reinforced those feelings.  

This book is true to the times in which it is set and those were not easy times.  Therefore, there are some scenes that are hard to read, especially some that involve Glenna’s life after arriving in America.  Sure, the author could have glossed over the more unappealing aspects of the life servants and prisoners were forced to endure back then but I, for one, am glad she remained true to her characters and the conditions in which they were forced to live.  It may break my heart and make me uneasy at times but, by giving us the entire picture, she gives us the entire person.  Not a surface shot but the richly layered, complex individual; forged by both the good and  bad events in their lives.  

I'll look forward to reading more by this talented author!

~PJ

Genevieve Graham was gracious enough to answer a few questions for me about SOUND OF THE HEART.

  

Thanks for answering a few questions for me, Genevieve!  

I've long been a fan of romances set in Colonial America but they're hard to come by these days.  You send your characters on a journey from the Highlands of Scotland to the American Southeast - two of my favorite places.  What led you to set SOUND OF THE HEART in this time and place?

I’m surprised at how difficult it is to find colonial romance. It was such a romantic (though violent) time to live! Imagine starting a whole new civilization? All the challenges and adventures?

And the Highlands? Well, there are a couple of reasons for that. One is because I’d been reading Highlander adventures and getting caught up in the vast Scottish world. The other is that I’m Scottish—well, third generation Scottish. I’m Canadian now, but all my roots are still firmly entrenched in Scotland.

Since my first book ended up in South Carolina, I loved the idea of someday the brothers maybe finding each other. Then I started researching and discovered some facts that aren’t so well known … did you know hundreds of thousands of Europeans were shipped to the colonies as slaves? I’m not talking about “indentured servants”, though there were thousands of those as well. These were actual slaves! I won’t go into all of that here, but the facts really surprised me and left me quite annoyed that it’s something very few people know about. To me that’s huge! Anyway, writing this story allowed me to shed a little light on the issue while incorporating the characters’ adventures and romance.

Your books are rich with history and you don't shy away from the gritty

details that were part of the reality of life in those times, especially Dougal's 

experiences during and following Culloden and the life awaiting Glenna when 

she lands in America.  What type of research did you do for this story?

When I started researching for my debut, “Under the Same Sky”, I was a newbie. I knew nothing about history and had no idea where to start on research. I brought home books by the pound then fell asleep because they were too dry for me. I combed the internet but came across so many conflicting sites it was boggling. So I tried something different. I went to the sites of re-enactors, people who spend their weekends reliving the past down to the smallest detail. They are passionate about being true to history, so when I asked what I thought was a simple question, like about the length of a sword, I’d receive a two page response. It was wonderful! Like looking for a square of chocolate and discovering an entire bar! For “Sound of the Heart” I was back at it with the Highlander re-enactors, and was even able to speak with some of my local 78th Highlanders (I live near Halifax). I also got to speak with Lawrence Clark from Bushcraft Ventures in Scotland! Lawrence is a survival expert, so he helped Dougal make it out alive after one traumatic event!

Reading SOUND OF THE HEART brought to mind many of the sweeping  

historical sagas I've read over the years.  What authors do you read?  Are 

there any in particular who inspired you to begin writing?  

I’m a huge fan of Diana Gabaldon’s writing, and it was she who unwittingly inspired me to write. I read her series four times, then listened to the unabridged three more times. I read Sara Donati’s “Into the Wilderness” series, dove into the work of Penelope Williamson and Jennifer Roberson and Marsha Canham … then finally decided it was time to try and create my own adventures.

The end of SOUND OF THE HEART leaves open the possibility of future  

stories.  Will we be revisiting these characters again?  I sure hope so!

I hope so too. I tend to write “companion” novels rather than sequels, though. We’ll see. I’ve written a third book, which Penguin is considering at the moment, called OUT OF THE SHADOWS. If you’ve read the first book, you’ll know who Maggie is. Well, this third book is about her quiet, scared sister, Adelaide, and it has my first non-Scottish hero. Jesse is kind of like an early cowboy, and I adore him. Then again, I love all my heroes!

Today's Special - - Genevieve Graham

It's my pleasure to introduce historical author Genevieve Graham to The Romance Dish today.  A graduate of the University of Toronto with a degree in music performance,  Genevieve now lives in Nova Scotia where she splits her time between 18th century characters and her 21st century husband and daughters.  She's here today to blog about her debut novel, Under the Same Sky.  Welcome, Genevieve!

Believe in Dreams

Once upon a time I sent my little princesses off to elementary school on the big yellow carriage, kissed my Prince Charming, and headed into the basement. Fortunately, all the cinders had already been emptied, the mending finished, and the little cartoon birdies had finished singing on my shoulders. So, enjoying a rare moment without chores, I sat at our one and only desktop computer and stared at the screen, waiting for magic.

When it came, spinning from my brain onto the screen in living, breathing, technicolour adventures, I was amazed. “Under the Same Sky” was the first thing I’d ever written, and I’d done it just for fun. In my mind I was introduced to Maggie, and she showed me her life, as miserable and strange as it was. The next day I was thrown into a bloody battle scene in Culloden Moor in 1746. I helped Maggie reach out and bring both hope and strength to the man she’d dreamed of all her life. No shining armour in this story, no castles, no pumpkins. But adventure? Love? Hope? Oh yes.

Since I had so much practice working hard at scrubbing floors and making little outfits for talking mice, I had no trouble working hard on the book, researching, editing, learning what “real” authors did. When I showed the completed book to my family and friends, they seemed to like it (though they’re kind of obliged to at least say that). Why stop there? I started querying agents. That’s when I almost gave up. Everyone else seemed to be going to the ball, getting published, seeing their books in stores. But rejection after rejection kept arriving in my email. Then, just when I feared all was lost, my fairy godfather appeared, in the form of my wonderful agent, Jacques de Spoelberch. With a wave of his magical pen he made the impossible possible: Penguin bought not only my first book, but my second as well.

So it’s only fitting that my book revolves around dreams as well. When I sign books, I add “Believe in dreams” to my name, because sometimes they actually come true.

SERIOUS note: I should probably warn you here: “Under the Same Sky” is not a romance like mine was. Despite the beautiful cover, my story is not what it seems. I can’t write light romances, nor can I write predictable ones. My stories are dark and often difficult, dealing with real life tragedies and experiences people had to survive. Especially back in the 18th century. When you wish upon a star, sometimes Fate will see you though. Sometimes, though, she’s busy with someone else’s miracles and you’ll have to make them happen yourself. “Under the Same Sky” is just a little bit different that way, though. Since the couple can communicate through dreams, they get a little more assistance from each other along the way.

Knowing you might someday pick up my book and read it is my dream. Seeing my own guest blog on this terrific sight is something I never dreamed of. So believe in your dreams. You never know what might come of them. I’m loving my Happily Ever After! 

You can find Genevieve online at the following locations:

Website:  www.genevievegraham.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/GenevieveGrahamAuthor
Goodreads:  www.goodreads.com/author/show/4505583.Genevieve_Graham
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/GenGrahamAuthor