"A romance in the middle of a really good Western novel."
- Roundup Magazine

THE STAR IN THE MEADOW

Carla Kelly

Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 4
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Camel Press
Publication Date: February 14, 2017

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Will Marco choose love or duty?

Marco Mondragón and his wife Paloma are living hectic but happy lives at the Double Cross, on the edge of Comanchería. Five years after the death of Comanche leader Cuerno Verde, cautious diplomacy between the tribe and the colonists is underway to end Comanche raids into New Mexico. Paloma's time has been fully consumed by her two toddlers and newborn son and Marco's by spring planting.

The Seven Year Audit of 1784 arrives and with it comes auditor Fernando Ygnacio. After years of incarceration for a crime he did not commit, Señor Ygnacio is a broken man. Although his daughter Catalina is bitter about his mistreatment by his superiors, her storytelling abilities captivate the household, including a frequent visitor from the nearby presidio, El Teniente Joaquim Gasca, who has been undergoing his own reformation from rascal to leader.

Unknown to him, Marco has peculiar enemies plotting his downfall. When Paloma and Catalina set out on a visit to Marco's sister, meant to give Paloma relief from her busy life, the women are kidnapped. Devastated, Marco is torn between love and duty. He yearns to search for his wife, but feels bound by colonial duties to accompany his friend Toshua to Río Napestle, where Comanches have gathered to debate the region's fragile peace. In his absence from the Double Cross, will Joaquim Gasca and Toshua's wife Eckapeta be able to find the missing women?

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Why does accurate historical fiction even matter?

I am no fan of “wallpaper history,” perhaps best defined as history dabbed on here and there in a novel in the hopes of faking a reader into thinking she’s reading something I call “history-lite.” Vague references to events (Napoleon, Custer Battle, Hitler’s bunker), and half-hearted attempts at proper clothing are not helped by distinctly twenty-first century attitudes and even 21st century names – good grief, Tiffany? Lisa?

I have a BA in Latin-American History, and an MA in American History (emphasis – the Indian Wars). The obvious historian in me rebels at even thinking about writing something where history comes off the loser. I can’t do it.

Here’s the dilemma: How can what some people think of as a dry, boring subject be made compelling enough to attract and hold readers? Thankfully, there are avid readers who enjoy historical fiction. The popularity of the Regency genre began with Jane Austen and her classic works. It was nursed along and rejuvenated in the twentieth century by the great Georgette Heyer. It’s a niche sometimes referred to as “the thinking woman’s genre.” In the same manner, historical fiction readers and writers proudly carry the torch for “nerd history.”

How to keep it fresh and interesting? Why bother? The challenge comes in working enough fictional magic to hold readers – even those who think they don’t like history – and teach them something, however subtle, and it must be subtle.

It’s a challenge I relish. Since I long ago decided to keep my historical fiction as accurate as humanly possible, I knew I had to do impeccable research. I had to research about the era I was writing, and in the era itself. There is no substitute for good, current history texts. There is also no substitute for history or fiction written in the era by people who lived it. This kind of reading acquaints the writer with how people said things, what they thought, and how they felt.

Admittedly, sometimes my desire for accuracy is only appreciated by me. What spurs me on are the anonymous painters and sculptors of Medieval cathedrals, who put tiny, intricate details high in the arches, nooks and crannies. Their little treasures were seen only by them and by God, as they often said. I understand that.

I owe it to my readers to not lead them historically astray. History can teach us how to behave in crises. History can bolster our hope and courage. The best historical fiction allows us to see ourselves. I never talk down to my readers. I am convinced my readers are intelligent and I write to this strength. Do I make mistakes? I try hard not to. That’s all I can do.

Don't miss the other books in The Spanish Brand series by Carla Kelly.

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2 x print copy of The Star in the Meadow

Contest runs from May 16 - June 5, 2017.
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A well-known veteran of the romance writing field, Carla Kelly is the author of thirty-seven novels and three non-fiction works, as well as numerous short stories and articles for various publications. Carla’s interest in historical fiction is a byproduct of her lifelong study of history. She has a BA in Latin American History from Brigham Young University and an MA in Indian Wars History from University of Louisiana-Monroe.

Official website: http://www.carlakellyauthor.com

Social media links (Camel Press Books): Facebook | Twitter

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