V. Z. Byram’s novel Song of Latvia won SILVER for contemporary historical literature fiction from 2020 Global Ebook Awards and her cover won GOLD for best ebook cover.
V. Z. Byram receives a glowing review from Kim Lyons at Kirkus Reviews:
A Tale of a Land Ravaged by War
V.Z. Byram’s debut novel, Song of Latvia, gives a bird’s-eye view into what the war was like for the small Baltic country and the people who lived there. Kirkus Reviews calls the book “an authentic and tense portrait of everyday people dealing with war,” as shown in this early description of the central character’s perception of what’s going on around her:
“The sky over Mija’s world had not yet been pierced with warplanes. The streets in their town had not yet felt the rumble of tanks. But the news on the radio and in the newspaper left no room for optimism. She kept her small handgun and a box of rounds hidden on the top shelf of her bedroom closet, covered with her oldest sweater.”
A novel that evokes the feel of Doctor Zhivago in its scope and the way it treats the big-picture conflict at its core, Song of Latvia shows how the country struggled under both Russian and German occupation. Much of the material is drawn from Byram’s own family’s World War II experiences. It’s a fast-paced and compelling read, and as readers, we quickly become invested in the characters, especially Aleks and Mija, who are ordinary people reacting to extraordinary situations.
Barbara Flores Guest Speaker
Date: Saturday, October 12, 2019 (Indie Author Day)
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Place: Livermore Library
Admission: Free
Barbara Flores will be speaking at the Livermore Library on “How Not to Write a Memoir.” The event will include a reading and a Q&A period. To read more about Barbara Flores click here.
Antoinette Foxworthy Guest Speaker
Date: Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Place: Livermore Valley Tennis Club
Admission: $3.00 for members and $10.00 for non-members
Jacqueline Prada, a high school student, published her first novel Fortune Cookie Surprise. On February 2019 she attended the San Francisco Writers Conference and interviewed several organizers and presenters. To read P.C. Chinick, author of the Red Asscher series, and others’ interviews click here.
Antoinette Foxworthy Book Launch: No More
Date: Thursday, December 7, 2017
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Place: Craigdarroch Castle, 1050 Joan Crescent Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Antoinette Foxworthy lived in Victoria, Canada years ago. The house she lived in was next door to the Craigdarroch Castle. This beautiful 1913 house was originally part of the land owned by the castle. It holds many dear memories of her life in Victoria, including the many people she met who stayed at her B&B, Antoinette’s. The house was purchased by a Barron and eventually sold to the castle, which they renovated. The living room and dining room are to be a gift shop. The garage a tearoom and her bedroom/library will be where Antoinette will read from her new novel, No More.
There is an Open House scheduled at Antoinette’s old house for members of the Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society on Wednesday, December 6, 2017. Her reading will be the next day, December 7. If you are in Victoria please join her. There is limited seating so the castle is requesting advance reservations. For more information please visit: https://thecastle.ca/
CELEBRATE WITH E. RUTH HARDER
Book Launch Party—October 18, 2 p.m. at Holy Cross Lutheran Fellowship Hall, Livermore CA.
Ruth Harder will be signing her new book, Hannah ~ Weaver of Life. Refreshments will be served. Come celebrate the publication of my first novel with me. It is a work of historical fiction. Books will be available for sale or you can order it on Amazon.
More than 2000 years ago, the world was a very different place. Into that world was born a very unique girl—Hannah. An orphan, she is, never the less, intelligent, ambitious and fiercely independent. Hannah’s bond with her first true friend, Mary, leads her into a life where she becomes a singular woman who is true to her soul, and strong in her faith in God.
Against all rules for women of her day, she braves a dangerous trail alone when a Voice calls her to go to Mary. Hannah’s story, entwined with that of the baby Jesus, is a story of compassion and faith; a momentous tale that will enhance your life, just as her skillful, healing hands helped to make our world what it is today.
August 2015—Congratulations to Sharon Burgess who received a SILVER medal from Global Ebook Awards for Simply Irresistible: A Spruce Creek Romance.
August 2
015—Congratulation to Mary E. Heaton who received a GOLD medal from Global Ebook Awards for Rambling Though the Emerald Isle.