Thursday, July 20, 2017

Summer Readers Circle: Katharine Pym's Pillars of Avalon (Canadian Historical Brides, Book 5), Giveaway

Join us every Friday for the Readers Circle.
Meet authors, discover books, win prizes!
Hello and Welcome to the Summer Readers Circle. Best-selling BWL author Katherine Pym joins us today to talk about Summers in the Northwest. She and author Jude Pittman have co-authored a historical romance that takes place in the seventeenth century! Now that's a lot of research for the book, Pillars of Avalon, one of the books in the Canadian Historical Brides series. 

JQ's Review: Pillars of Avalon is filled with rich people in the 17th century and rich in the telling of the story of David and Sara Kirke. Facing the storms and angry seas to travel from England to Newfoundland, Kirke falls in love with the New World's Newfoundland. The history making challenges in England affect the founding and occupation of this territory. Ms. Pym is masterful in tyingtogether the histories of the turbulence in England with the Kirkes making a life in Newfoundland. The culture of the times, the description of the filth and odors of London's streets and the magnificent wealth displayed in homes and clothing are so well-written, a reader will feel she has been transported to the 17th century. Definitely a must-read book for the history lover. 

A lucky commenter will win the PDF copy of the book. Deadline for entering the drawing is Tuesday, 10 pm EDST.

Pillars of Avalon by Katherine Pym and Jude Pittman

Summers in the Northwest by Katherine Pym

Living in the Seattle area has its challenges. There is a lot of water, with lakes, the Puget
Sound, and mountains clogging the landscape. This allows for fewer roads which make the
traffic in constant gridlock.

Rain comes in various forms that a person gives little heed to or stops him/her in their tracks.

“How’s the weather?” one will ask. “It’s spitting outside,” someone will answer. Or it’s a
heavy mist where you pop your hoodie onto your head, or a fine mist where you don’t think
of your hoodie. It doesn’t thunderstorm much, here.This last winter was rough and cold with almost 50 inches of rain from October to April. Furry moss covers everything. Mold streaks our car doors.

When the sun is out, people emerge pale and wilted from their houses. We take deep breaths
and turn our faces toward the sun. When it’s in the 60’s, we yank out shorts from the bottom
of our drawers. We wear socks and sandals. We dig out our short sleeved shirts and despite
the cool breezes, plunge into the bright but decidedly chilly air.

When the sun comes out, and the trees/bushes flower, it’s time for me to fling open the doors
and windows, sit outside in the sun and enjoy the Northwest beauty. I sit on a chair on the
patio with a cup of tea and breathe in the fresh pine and lilac smells, watch ants roam over the
peonies. I listen to gentle robin song or wonder what the raucous crows are arguing about.

Yes, after a hard winter as we’re still experiencing, this is what I enjoy the most about
summers in the Northwest.


Back of the Book:
Pillars of Avalon (Canadian Historical Brides, Book 5), 
story of Newfoundland, Canada in the 1700’s.

David and Sara Kirke live in a time of upheaval under the reign of King Charles I who gives, then takes. He gives David the nod of approval to range up and down the French Canadian shores, burning colonies and pillaging ships that are loaded with goods meant for the French. When Louis XIII of France shouts his outrage, King Charles reneges. He takes David’s prizes and returns them to the French, putting David and his family in dire straits.

Undeterred, David and Sara will not be denied. After years, the king relents. He knights David and gives him a grant for the whole of Newfoundland and Labrador. There David and Sara build a prosperous plantation. They trade fish and fish oil with colonies down the American coast, Barbados and ports of call in the Mediterranean. They thrive while England is torn in two by the civil wars.

Soon, these troubles engulf his family. David is carried in chains back to England to stand trial for being a malignant, a follower of Lauds high church. He entreats Sara to manage the Ferryland plantation, a daunting task. But with a strength that defies a stalwart man, she digs in and prospers, becoming the first entrepreneur of Newfoundland.
Author Katherine Pym

Connect online with Katherine at
BWL Author Page
Amazon Author Page
Kathryn's Blog

About Katherine:

Katherine shares her warm and cozy life with her husband and puppy dog. They reside in a Burb near Seattle, WA.




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You're invited to join the circle again next Friday, July 28 when mystery author Marsha R. West takes her seat in the Readers Circle!!

13 comments:

Susu said...

I think Pillars of Avalon sounds like a great story, I'm looking forward to reading it. I LOVED Katherine's discription of Summers in the Northwest. ❤️

L.M. Elm said...

I was fortunate to read this in it's early stages. Historical fiction at it's finest. Can't wait to read the published version!

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Susu, Pillars of Avalon IS a great story. Just finished it last night. You feel like you're right there in the scene. You'l love this too!

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi L.M--You're lucky to get in on the early stages. You'll appreciate the finished product!! Thank you for stopping by.

Marsha said...

Hey, JQ. Nice to meet you, Katherine. Sounds like you've got a really strong heroine and and wonderful setting. I've shared. Hope you pick up some fresh readers. :)

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Marsha--very strong heroine!! Thanks for stopping in.

Susan Calder said...

I enjoyed a fascinating trip to Newfoundland some forty years ago and look forward to learning more of the history of Canada's newest province.

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Susan, We were in Nova Scotia and PEI 2 summers ago. I wish we could have visited Newfoundland too. We truly enjoyed Canada and the people. Katharine certainly brings the history alive for readers.

SEA_HNL_SEA said...

Sounds like a page turner!

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi SEA HNL SEA Thanks for stopping in.

Katherine Pym said...

Thanks everyone. I appreciate that you came by and left a comment. Writing Pillars of Avalon was quite the adventure, with privateers, a king who reneged on his promises, treachery and yet Sir David and Lady Sara continue to forge their way in Colonial Newfoundland. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did writing it.

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Katherine, so happy you were my guest. I did enjoy the story very much.

J.Q. Rose said...

Congratulations to Susan Calder! Katherine has sent her the file for her book. PILLARS OF AVALON. Thank you Katherine and thank you Susan for leaving a comment.

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