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And whatever connections I can make between these chapters of my life.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Strands of Bronze and Gold

Here's a book that may have escaped your reading radar. 
A "thrilling retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale," 
according to the publisher (and me).





Although the publisher bills it as "Ages 12 and up," it's one of those Crossover Young Adult novels that will appeal to more than teens. A romance set in 1855 that's also a chilling mystery, a ghost story, and a page-turning adventure.

Guess what? The author lived in Aberdeen, MS, while raising her children and beginning her writing career. 

Here's a little about Jane Nickerson, from her own website

Living in small town Mississippi was like Coming Home. The Nickersons all loved the south. They bought a hundred-year-old, derelict house with twenty-three rooms, which they named “Tamarind,” because Jane liked the sound of that word. 

Read about the book, also on her website, HERE. 
And there's a second book, another based on a fairy tale, coming in April, 2014! 

(I've been revisiting lots of Historical Fiction in anticipation of the upcoming HIGHLIGHTS FOUNDERS WORKSHOP. Check out the website. http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshops/whole-novel-workshop-historical-fiction/
Filling up fast!)

One thing Jane Nickerson did so well? Realistic details. 
 I totally agree with the author: 

 I don’t like anachronism, and the copyeditors helped me a lot to prevent this. They told me things like: “The word ‘footwear’ did not come into usage until 1881.”

Ah, what the world needs is more copyeditors like this in the book world.









 

4 comments:

Joyce Moyer Hostetter said...

Have fun at Highlights! Have you found some anachronisms here and there to point out?

Hmmm, that could get awkward, I guess.

Augusta Scattergood said...

I'm working on it, Joyce! Wish you were going to be there to help me out.

Ellen Ruffin said...

Gusty,

I just realized I knew Jane in Aberdeen! We have children the same ages. I knew she looked familiar, and then it all came to me.

Augusta Scattergood said...

I really enjoyed this book. More to come, from what I gather. Too funny that you know her, Ellen. But then that doesn't surprise me. Don't you know everybody?