Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Spinster, The Rebel, And The Governor organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author Charlene Bell Deitz will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!
And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The Spinster, The Rebel, And The Governor
by Charlene Bell Deitz
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
Move over Susan B. Anthony. There’s an unsung woman asking for the vote 224 years before you, and murderous rebels and bigoted gentlemen can’t prevent spinster Lady Margaret Brent from wielding her power to defend Maryland settlers from plunder and obliteration.
Lady Margaret Brent, compelled to right wrongs, risks her life by illegally educating English women, placing her family at risk. She fights to have a voice, yet her father and brothers exclude her from discussions. Worried the kings’ men may know of her illegal activities, she flees to the New World where she can enjoy religious tolerance and own land, believing she will be allowed a voice. Once in Maryland, she presents cases in provincial court where she’s hired as the first American woman attorney, but there she uncovers perilous actions, prompting her to build a fort to shield those within from being murdered. Can Margaret Brent’s integrity and ingenuity protect Maryland from being destroyed?
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Enjoy this peek inside:
Their cousin Cecil, the second Lord Baltimore, addressed the men. “I’ve spoken of colonization before. You’ve listened politely, but your loyalties remain with your king and England. I understand, as do mine.”
“Then you’ve no need to speak more of this.” Edward said.
“But I do.” Cecil narrowed his eyes.
Richard said, “You forgot something rather important, my friend.”
Cecil hesitated.
“You must consider the king’s act that restrains the popishly bred from going beyond the seas and the punishments for those who assist.”
Giles looked up from the map. “Popish—the hell. King Charles can’t even bring himself to say Catholic.”
“Silly. Everyone but those of us who are says ‘popish.’” Margaret now waited for her father to reprimand her, but he said nothing.
“A serious point, my friend. Dangerous times, indeed,” said Cecil. “King Charles’s wrath increases and will come down on those who refuse to conform to the Church of England.”
Fulke shut his eyes a moment before saying, “You’re a kind gentleman, sir. But if you pursue this, you will certainly lose everything you and your father have acquired. Even your mentioning this to us puts you in jeopardy.”
“Every second of every day puts us all in jeopardy. Today and the weeks forward, your family may suffer destruction beyond your imagination.” He took several paces then stopped and studied each of the men. “Please, friends, decide to take my offer. It takes time and special negotiations to arrange a safe passage for you. Remember, a most disagreeable mood has overtaken England concerning passengers who refuse to take the oath of allegiance and acknowledge the king’s supremacy. We need to be clever so as not to be entrapped.”
A tap on the door stopped the conversation. Mary glanced at her father, then rose, and opened it.
Pursell stood waiting to be acknowledged.
“Yes?” said Richard.
“Sir, supper will be served within the hour, and also there’s a man at the back door. He’s asked to speak with you.”
“Cecil, good friend, will you join us in a late supper?”
“It’s past time for me to be on my way to Ilmington. Please consider what we’ve discussed. I’ll send word where we may engage in a private meeting.”
“Pursell,” Richard said, “have Dary see Lord Calvert’s carriage and horse are brought forth.”
Lord Calvert strode to the table. He placed with great care what must have been his cherished map on top and slid the stack into a burgundy, embossed leather folio. Gathering his cape and hat and in good cheer, bowed his farewell.
Her father squinted at his servant. “Tell me, what brings this fellow to our door at this hour?”
“He says his name is John Coates, sir. It seems a young girl saw Lady Margaret talking with his son earlier this afternoon. His son has gone missing, and the sheriff has found a dead man.”
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About Author Charlene Bell Deitz:
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Charlene Bell Dietz lives in the central mountains of New Mexico. She taught kindergarten through high school, served as a school administrator, and an adjunct instructor for the College of Santa Fe. After retirement she traveled the United States providing instruction for school staff and administrators. Her writing includes published articles, children’s stories, short stories, and mystery and historical novels
Author Links: Email / Website / Twitter
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
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To see all of my giveaways go HERE.
A great title & a genre I love to read.
Why, thank you, Mary. I hope you’ll have an opportunity to read my story. The historical events are the skeleton for the tale, and the details of different individuals who have to navigate the trying time between 1638-1648 in England and pre colonial Maryland became my book’s muscles and spirit.
Thank you for featuring this book today.
Thanks for sharing. This sounds really good.
Thank you for following my blog tour. Happy reading!
This book looks very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Lily, thanks for asking to be my friend on LinkIn . I appreciate your sweet comments about my book.
A captivating and fascinating historical which is a real treasure.
Anne, I really am thrilled you would post these great comments. Thank you sooooooo much. Happy reading!!!
Sounds like a good book.
Rita, I love, love, love the fact that you follow my blog tours. Thank you! Hope your day is going well enough you can carve out some special reading time for yourself.
It sounds like this book has an interesting cast of characters!
Nancy, creating the few non-historical characters, and then bringing the historical people to life brought me unbelievable joy. While doing so, I developed a sense of each of their deep-emotional conflicts that motivated them to do some of the strange things history says they did. Thank you for your sweet comments.
Wishing you the very best with your tour.
Aw, thank you. And I appreciate your commenting on this blog. Have a great book reading day.
Thank you, Laura, for spotlighting my Spinster, Lady Brent story. I really appreciate what you do to help authors get their books out in front of readers.
Thank you, Laura, for spotlighting my Spinster, Lady Brent story. I really appreciate what you do to help authors get their books out in front of readers. I’m running all over the place today, but will respond to each of your readers, personally, when I get home later this afternoon. What a nice following, you have.
What is your philosophy on success and failure?
Oh Tracie, I suspect my view is different than anyone else’s.
I don’t believe we ever obtain success because, well, think back to when (if you were) you were in school. Remember how you yearned to be a senior when you were a freshman, or something of the same ilk? Once you get there, it seems like no big deal because there’s always something else you desire to be way out on that horizon.
Failure is the same. You don’t fail, you just learn how to navigate and improve those unintended consequences we all experience.
I believe positive thoughts bring positive actions!
Best to you.
I like your philosophy: I believe positive thoughts bring positive actions!
This one sounds super good and I love the cover too.
Aw, Sherry, I think it’s good and so have my many readers, according to the reviews. I’m grateful for your nice words. Thanks.
Happy Friday
Sounds like a book I would really enjoy reading.
Well, Dianne, I hope someday you do find it an entertaining, as well as, informative story. I learned so many exciting things about early America, how some of our founding precepts evolved, and more than I ever expected about England’s turmoils over religion.
And a most happy day to you, too. Our weather here in New Mexico is in the mid fifties, and we’ve abundant sunshine. My kind of happiness.
I am impressed that Charlene taught kindergarten through high school!
You’re making me giggle, Nancy. Yes, I did. I I even taught graduate students at the Albuquerque Branch of the College of Santa Fe. They were getting their Masters degree in Secondary Education–high school teachers and mid-school teachers. Kindergarten was one of my first work experiences. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a full-time teacher, so I signed up for substituting. They called and sent me to an elementary school to cover the kinder class whose teacher was out ill. It turned out she had Chicken Pox and was out for two weeks. Teaching a room full of 18 little wiggle-squirmy babes was a hoot. Lots of cute stories from those two weeks. What I learned: Kindergarten (and third grade) teachers all wear halos. Give me any grade but those. Giggle again!
I enjoyed the peak inside, Thank you
Paige, there are so many great excerpts to chose from, it was difficult to pick just one. If you follow my blog, you’ll get to read different ones. Thank you for your kind words. Happy reading.
sounds like an interesting read
Wendy, thank you. Everyone who has read it has said they really found it a page-turner and fascinating. I’m really excited about the power of this story and this strong, independent, self-scaraficing women.
I enjoyed the excerpt. This looks like a good story.
Thank you, Lisa. I hope you can read it and let me know what you think. Happy reading!
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
Why thank you! I live 60 miles from Albuquerque in the middle of a forest and on the foothills of the Manzano Mountains. I started a bee hive a couple of years ago, so early this morning, I took my dog for our usual walk, then checked on my buzzy girls to be sure they are surviving this winter (and they are), then drove into Albuquerque to attend an author friend’s book talk and grocery shop. Just got home a little while ago. This was a beautiful day, feeling sort of like spring. Hope your weekend is wonderful, too.
This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover
Ann, every author stresses over their cover–it’s one of the biggest worries an author has, because it’s usually out of their control, unless they self-publish. My publisher picked a wonderful and creative cover designer, and I’m thrilled with this one. I’m so pleased you like the cover, too.
Sounds like a great read.
Thank you, David.
The synopsis and excerpt are interesting. Thanks for sharing them.
I’m so happy you liked them.
I’m impressed – Charlene Bell Dietz has written in many different genres!
Nancy, I read all genres. I judge lots of books for contests. I think it makes me a better author. Thank you.
Great title and fascinating premise! “Illegally educating women,” is such a foreign idea living in the times we do, but something each generation after her benefitted from! Excited to read more!!
Meg, I love learning about strong independent women, and the Spinster was one of the best ever! We take so much for granted now, not realizing how many people gave their lives so we could live better. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment.
thanks for the giveaway, this book sounds interesting
Wendy, I really do hope you get a chance to read it. Thank you.
How many books have you’ve written so far?
David, this is my fourth book, I’m working on a fifth set in 1967 in New Mexico. I started writing short stories (some published in anthologies) and articles. Thank you.
The cover is gorgeous!!
Marisela, (what a musical sounding name!) Thank you, I love the cover my publisher had designed for this story.
i like the colorful cover of your book!
I like books about feisty women. Thanks for the giveaway!
I think it turned out well. I’m one fortunate author.
Thanks!
I, too, love women who do not allow nonsense to dominate decisions. From the research, this woman was the feistiest of all! Thanks for participating. The other response to you was really for Nancy. Oops.
This response was supposed to be for Nancy says: Sorry Nancy.
I love all weather, except for wind. Ugh. Wind drives my sinuses wild. How about you?
do you enjoy the winter months
What do you like to do in your downtime?
Kim, with my writing, I really don’t have much downtime, but I have started keeping bees, and I’m attempting to make time to draw, paint, and sculpture. Oh, long walks in the forest helps my creativity.
What is your favorite book?
David, I read so many it’s difficult to select one, but one favorite of the past five years is A Gentleman in Moscow. I don’t care for any other of Amor Towels books, but this one is well written, informative, and engaging.
is there an author who inspires you
When you were a child, who were some of your favorite authors?
How well did the illustrator of your book capture your mental image of Lady Margaret Brent?
how did you decide what type of obok you wanted to write
Growing up, I always thought that naturally red hair was such a pretty color.
any plans for this Leap day
Do you enjoy being a writer?
any new books started
Have you ever gotten any bad advice on writing?
when did you know you wanted to be a writer
What’s your favorite season?
This sounds like a book that I would really enjoy.
do you have a favorite author
Would you want any of your books to be turned into movies?
do you like Mondays
do you have any hobbies
Just saying hi.
do you have a special place you go to write?
I enjoy reading Historical Fiction. Great cover!
What an interesting story and a fascinating time in our nation’s history.
Pretty cover
How did you come up with the cover?
sounds like a great read
are you an early riser?
looks like a fun one
Good luck on your new release.
thanks again for the giveaway, have a great weekend