Hard Red Spring {+ Giveaway}

There are so many wonderful books published daily it’s hard to keep up. I’m always delighted when I can tell you about an upcoming release like the one I have today.

HARD RED SPRING (Viking; On sale: March 29) by Kelly Kerney is an ambitious and unforgettable novel that takes readers through a hundred years of Guatemala’s turbulent and violent history—as experienced by four American women caught in the cultural and political currents of their adopted land, and linked by the mysterious disappearance of a little girl. This impressive historical novel is perfect for readers of Barbara Kingsolver, Isabel Allende, and Julia Alvarez.

Thanks to Emma and the wonderful folks at Viking/Penguin Books, I have a copy of HARD RED SPRING to giveaway to one lucky visitors. Please see the end of the post for more details. 

HARD RED SPRING brilliantly reveals how the harsh realities of history play out in the lives of individuals. Kelly’s gorgeous prose paints a vivid picture of Guatemala—a place of untamed beauty and resilient people that bears the scars of brutal dictatorships and disastrous American intervention. 

Here’s a synopsis of HARD RED SPRING:
 

1902: Eight-year-old Evie Crowder watches as her parents work in vain to keep their fledgling wheat farm going. Far from their New York home, the Crowder’s struggle against corrupt government officials and inscrutable natives, both of whom have little time for Americans who think that buying cheap Guatemalan land entitles them to any rights. When her parents mysteriously disappear, Evie’s fate hangs in the balance and her legacy will haunt the Land of Eternal Spring for decades to come.

1954: Dorie, wife of the American Ambassador, is entangled in an affair that puts her in the center of the multi-national fight for control of Guatemala. With her husband actively involved in the CIA’s covert operation to topple President Jacobo Arbenz, Dorie desperately wants to flee with her lover, Tomás. Tomás’s loyalties, however, are split between Dorie and his employer, United Fruit—the real source of money and power in Guatemala.

1983: Lenore Beasley was called by God to be a missionary in Guatemala. Or, more accurately, she was called by Pat Robertson to join President Ríos Montt’s drive to bring his country to Christ. Lenore and her husband Dan move into a model village with instructions to baptize the droves of resettled Mayans. As Lenore becomes involved with an enigmatic blue-eyed Indian woman, her faith in God and the mission begin to flag, putting her dangerously at odds with the armed militia controlling the village. 

1999: Single mom Jean takes her adopted daughter Maya on a Roots Tour of Guatemala, hoping the trip will heal their fractured relationship. Jean wants to ground her teenager in history, but she also wants validation that taking Maya from her homeland was the right thing to do. The trauma Jean thought was in their past, however, confronts them with full force. In the middle of a nation trying to heal after decades of war, Jean also finds her own fraught path to healing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Kelly Kerney

Kelly Kerney’s first novel, Born Again, was listed among the best debuts of the year by Kirkus Reviews, was a Book Sense Pick, and was recognized by the New York Public Library as one of the best books of 2006. 

A Virginia Commission for the Arts fellowship recipient, she lives in Richmond, Virginia. 

You can connect with Kelly on Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Thanks to Emma and the wonderful folks at Viking/Penguin Books, I have a print copy of HARD RED SPRING by Kelly Kerney to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday, March 16.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends to make sure the notification email doesn’t end up there. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decided for whatever reason you don’t want to win (which is fine), once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. How do you keep up with all the books published?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Afraid of Everything

I’m delighted to share my thoughts today on a new release by friend, fellow blogger and author Karen Jones Gowen.

Karen recently moved to Panajachel, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. She is the managing editor at WiDo Publishing, a cookie baker, and a novelist. Now, here’s my thoughts.

AFRAID OF EVERYTHING by Karen Jones Gowen

Within the first few paragraphs author Karen Jones Gowen draws you into her latest release, AFRAID OF EVERYTHING.

Within those first few minutes you begin to feel the emotions of Helena Carr and can’t let go. Her anxiety surrounds you and you understand her dilemmas.

Helena is afraid of everything. She quit her job and contemplates the changes she could make to her life in order to overcome her fears. However, life has other plans for her. She is left in a coma following a terrible traffic wreck.

While in the coma Helena encounters strange new worlds and people who know her better than she knows herself. Slowly overcoming her fears, Helena is faced with her most difficult challenge – waking from the coma.

The author has crafted an inspiring story as she takes readers on Helena’s journey of self-discovery. Wanting a quick fix to her life, Helena finds the path to solving her anxiety problems has some amazing twists.

AFRAID OF EVERYTHING is spellbinding, a story that will capture your imagination and surprise you in many ways.

Afraid of Everything by Karen Jones Gowen, WiDo Publishing, @2014, ISBN: 978-1937178598, Paperback, 285 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope everything is well in your corner of the world. For those approaching the Thanksgiving holiday I wish for you and your family a safe and happy time of fellowship and fun. Have you ever wondered what a person in a coma experiences?

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