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Thursday, May 25, 2017

Book Tour with Guest Post and $15 Giveaway: The Star in the Meadow by Carla Kelly

"A romance in the middle of a really good Western novel."
- Roundup Magazine
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THE STAR IN THE MEADOW
Carla Kelly
Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 4
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Camel Press
Publication Date: February 14, 2017
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?
Carla Kelly’s writing is masterful, and I can wholeheartedly recommend this whole series, and I believe you would enjoy each book more if you read them all. STAR IN THE MEADOW is a stellar conclusion which will reside on my keeper shelf.
- Roses Are Blue Blog
I love this series... Carla Kelly is my favorite modern author... She writes from accurate historical research and facts…plus the lady knows how to weave romance into her stories for my girly-side!"
- Patti, Goodreads Reviewer

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Special Feature: Guest Post from Carla Kelly

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.

Other Books by the Author

Don't miss the other books in The Spanish Brand series by Carla Kelly.
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THE DOUBLE CROSS
Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 1
In the royal colony of New Mexico, 1780, Marco Mondragón is a brand inspector living next to the fierce Comanche. On a trip to Santa Fe, he meets Paloma Vega and rescues her from cruel relatives. He vows to find out if they stole the brand belonging to her parents.
"Carla Kelly's vivid storytelling plunges the reader into a tense, hypnotic tale of love and courage in The Double Cross."
- Diane Farr, bestselling author, Regency Romance and Young Adult fiction
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MARCO AND THE DEVIL'S BARGAIN
Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 2
Marco and his wife Paloma fight the scourge of smallpox by bravely venturing onto the Staked Plains, stronghold of the Comanche. As part of a devil’s bargain, they must put themselves at the mercy of these dangerous enemies and try to inoculate them.
"Though I didn’t read The Double Cross first, I still managed to fall head over heels for Marco and Paloma. That is a good testament to Ms. Kelly’s amazing writing."
- Alexandra Anderson, All About Romance
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PALOMA AND THE HORSE TRADERS
Series: The Spanish Brand, Book 3
At the end of the 18th century in the Spanish Colony of New Mexico, Marco and Paloma face a new threat to their ranch. To defeat Great Owl, a renegade Comanche, they form a ragtag army that includes a ghost from Paloma’s past.
"This book will take one’s breath away with the deep, emotional romance and highly likable characters."
- RT Reviews

Giveaway

WIN
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Be one of three lucky winners:
$15 Gift Card (Amazon or Barnes & Noble)
2 x print copy of The Star in the Meadow

About Carla Kelly

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

Join The Tour

Follow the book tour from May 16 - June 5, 2017.
Get sneak peaks, excerpts, fun facts and other never-before-published info on The Star in the Meadow.
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