Thursday, April 22, 2021

Bent Tree Bride Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

 

Bent Tree Bride JustRead Blog Tour 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Bent Tree Bride by Denise Weimer, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!


Bent Tree Bride

Title: Bent Tree Bride
Author: Denise Weimer
Publisher: Smitten Historical Romance
Release Date: April 13, 2021
Genre: Christian historical romance

"Romance. Intrigue. Honor. All that and more. I heartily recommend it." —Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author 

Susanna Moore can’t get him out of her mind—the learned lieutenant who delivered the commission from Andrew Jackson making her father colonel of the Cherokee Regiment. But the next time she sees Lieutenant Sam Hicks, he’s leading a string of prisoners into a frontier fort, and he’s wearing the garb of a Cherokee scout rather than the suit of a white gentleman. 

As both Susanna’s father and Sam’s commanding officer, Colonel Moore couldn’t have made his directive to stay away from his daughter clearer to Sam. He wants a better match for Susanna—like the stuffy doctor who escorted her to Creek Territory. Then a suspected spy forces Moore to rely on Sam for military intelligence and Susanna’s protection, making it impossible for either to guard their heart.

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Denise Weimer 

Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance and romantic suspense mostly set in her home state of Georgia. She’s authored a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas. As a managing editor at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, she also helps others reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

CONNECT WITH DENISE: Website | Facebook | Twitter


Bringing History to Life (On Creating Historical Fiction)
by Denise Weimer, Bent Tree Bride

From my earliest years, the idea of bringing history to life intrigued me. As the only child of history-loving parents, I traveled all over the Southeast to cute little towns, gracious historical mansions, and museums. I found the living history village of Conner Prairie, Indiana, especially fascinating. My active imagination wondered what type of people once lived in those places and what their lives were like. My parents couldn’t believe how much I loved the smell of boxwoods and asked tour guides questions about columns and molding. Soon, I started scribbling stories in spiral-bound notebooks. I’d read them to my mom, and she encouraged me to keep writing.

As a teenager, I believed attending living history events would inspire my writing. Donning corsets and petticoats, smelling the wood smoke, and singing along to fiddle tunes provided a first-person, sensory experience that allowed me to include special detail in my descriptions of 1800s life. As a young adult, I led a living history group that demonstrated civilian skills and advanced vintage dance.

I like to term this type of writing inspiration immersion. It can include visiting historical sites or events, listening to the music of the period, or even watching accurate documentaries and movies. Of all the types of research for my historical novels, even though I no longer dress out at events, it’s the most fun. I still love an excuse for a historical research trip!

My other research is pretty standard. I come to my computer with the seed of an idea and let Google bear out whether it’s feasible or not. From there, I order books, watch YouTube videos, and interview experts. I compile my information into a timeline with special sections on pertinent topics at the end. I add portraits, graphics, and maps. Maps provide a mental 3D picture of the setting, whether it be a town, a fort, or a region of a state. They let you know which roads your characters might take, which mountains and rivers they might cross, and how long it would take for them to travel somewhere. They also allow you to be directionally consistent.

Once my historical timeline feels substantial enough, I weave my fictional story among the facts. Often, the historical events offer the major plot shapers and initiate character growth. My goal in my novels is the same as it was when I participated in living history events—make the reader (the spectator) feel as though they’ve traveled back in time.


(1) winner will receive a print copy of Bent Tree Bride and related story, The Witness Tree (2019), a pair of silver feather earrings, and a $20 Amazon gift card! (retail value $60)

Bent Tree Bride JustRead giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 20, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 27, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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