Fred Dickey's Island
of Human Drama
A novelist who believes every life is an adventure.
Welcome to Fred's Virtual Book Release Party!
Nov. 6, 2020 1-3 PM
** Note:
LIVE RESPONSES TO YOUR COMMENTS, CHATS, QUESTIONS, PRIZE GIVEAWAY RESULTS, WHATEVER.. WILL BE POSTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. BUT:
***In order for you to see yours or others comments and Fred's responses, you will need to refresh every few minutes, or just wait 5 minutes and log back in. Just have a sip or go get a drink/snack and come back here. We will work hard and fast to try to keep the comments/questions and answers updated!
Anyone who posts will be entered into our book giveaway contests!
And now..Let's PARTY!
From our host, author Fred Dickey: "Please pardon me as I exult: IT’S DONE!! After two years of turning musty, brittle pages of books mostly forgotten, and mumbling at a screen that bears me ill will as I try to spank life into new-born ideas, the book is finished. And I can now share it with you. (I’m not usually a two-exclamation guy.)"
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Book Information:
In paperback, hardcover, and e-books/Kindle
Available from Amazon (click here), Ingram, and retailers
Publisher: Lost River Books
As their wagon train leaves Missouri for California in the spring of 1845, pioneers have to survive terror, weather, and terrain; diseases they don’t understand, and dangers they do.
Hannah Blanc is a heart-sick physician beset by tribulations: the suicide of a beloved husband, unfair denial of her career, and a nightmarish new marriage of necessity to a vile man.
The guide, Nimrod Lee, is her on-again, off-again lover. He is an enigmatic mountain man who knows the trail, but is also looking for a daughter he lost, and a man he needs to kill.
Though they are lovers, Hannah and Nimrod each have enough baggage to fill one of the wagons. They are electrons and protons: they both attract and repel.
Indians can be friendly or dangerous, sometimes both in the same afternoon. Killer outlaws hover. But the gravest threat comes from the emigrants themselves adrift from their previous lives. Both bad and good manifest among them, but in the wilderness, bad can be deadly.
Excerpt from the book:
"Together, the mother and father would share guilt for taking this innocent child from her safe home into a valley of death: He for insisting on the journey; she for not fighting harder to resist it. Together, they would be haunted by visions of this barren plain, and the small body left beneath it."
Professional Reviews: Go to Book webpage to see all the reviews. Need more reviews!
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PRIZES FOR PARTY ATTENDEES!!
1. Enter below for a chance to win a signed print book from Fred. If you'd prefer an e-book, put that in your message. We'll be giving away 5 e-book versions too. At 2:45 PM we will announce the winners of the random drawing. You will need to refresh this page to see them below. You do not need to be present to win, as long as we have your email information below.
2. In a hurry to get the book? Special notice just for you: the e-book is going on sale on Amazon for $2.99 instead of $7.95, for the week of Nov. 10 to Nov. 17 only. Tell your friends. Buy it here then: Amazon Link.
3. Join Fred for 1 week of daily interviews on the Goodreads Group: American Historical Novels, OR, the Facebook Group: American Historical Novels
from Nov. 23-27, starting at 1 PM Pacific Time (not Thanksgiving Day). Ask questions or place comments/book reviews there for ANOTHER chance to win a signed print book!
4. If you are a Goodreads.com member, Fred will soon (in December) be hosting a Giveaway contest there for 50 free copies of his Kindle E-book version. (Sorry, print Giveaway finished Nov. 4.)
4. All we ask in return is that you write an honest review on Amazon &/or Goodreads when you finish the book. Thanks!
**Have questions or comments for Fred? Want to send congratulations? Want to enter our contests for print or e-book giveaways (tell us which you prefer)? Please enter below:
LIVE RESPONSES TO YOUR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, THE PRIZE GIVEAWAY RESULTS, WHATEVER.. WILL BE POSTED HERE.
***In order for you to see others comments/questions and Fred's responses, you will need to refresh every few minutes, or just wait 5 minutes, have a sip/snack, and log back in. We will work hard and fast to try to keep them updated!
ANNOUNCEMENT!!
WE DREW NAMES OUT OF A HAT...
WINNER OF THE PRINT BOOK IS...DRUM ROLL... TERILYN BURG!
WINNERS OF THE E-BOOKS: JUDY TODD, SAM ROSEN, STEVE ROSE, FRANK KELSO, PAT STOLTEY.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Thanks for coming to our book release party.
I heard there were some glitches in trying to enter your name, email, etc. So sorry about that! This was a big experiment, but we tried..we will leave this page up another day.
Fred and Kathy
Comment: From Pia, Hello Kathy and Fred, I just bought the paperback version of your new book. I am looking forward to getting it next week and starting to read - Yeah! Congratulations and Best Wishes.
Fred Response: Thanks, Pia. Hope you enjoy it. Please post a review to Amazon or Goodreads when you finish. We authors need lots of reviews...
Comment: From Penny,
Hi, I can’t wait to read your book. I’m wondering where you picked up ideas for your characters. When you were driving the Oregon Trail, doing your research, talking with great grandchildren or other ? Thank you .
Fred Response: Well, no one I know! Mostly from my reading and watching the human parade.
Comment: From Terilyn: Congratulations Fred on another wonderful book release. Wishing you continued success.
Fred Response: Thank you, nice to hear from you. Would you like ebook or print if you win the contest?
Comment: From Frank:
Best wishes for the success of your new book, Fred.
Fred Response: Hey Frank and everyone, if you want to be in the contest, please tell us if you'd like to win a print book or an e-book, thanks!
Comment: From Steve,
Congratulations on the book release! Please enter me in the book giveaway. Signed hard copy would be nice. E-book if it works on android would be fine also.
Fred Response: Thanks, Steve. Say hi to Sharon. Love you guys! (from Kathy)
Comment: From Pat: Congratulations, Fred. I'm looking forward to reading Days of Hope, Miles of Misery
Fred Response: Thanks, Pat! Let us know if want a print book or an ebook, in case you win the contest!
Comment: From Penny:
Have you talked with any of the family members of these adventurers that made the trip ?
Fred Response: No, the main characters in the book are all fictional. And I did not meet any relatives of Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, or anyone else (minor real characters in the book).
Comment: From Penny: As a fan of this period in history, I have been waiting restlessly for this book. When you personally drove the Oregon Trail, did you meet anyone that helped influence your character development?
Fred Response: I met many people through my reading, but they are all gone now. Saw some interesting characters at Sutter's Fort in Sacramento too.
Comment: From Rebecca, "Did you find anything in your research that was particularly fascinating or that helped shaped the novel?"
Fred Response: I was impressed anew with the toughness of the pioneers. The trail was a thoroughly miserable, dangerous five months. The women generally hated it, because they had to give up their settled middle-class lives to sell almost everything and leave family and friends behind—forever. I say “middle class,” because it was not cheap to pay for the trip. I’m sure that after the husband concocted that crazy idea, there were numerous spirited conversations late at night around the kitchen table.
Comment from Rebecca: Will you have more projects together in the future? I hope so.
Fred Response: As they used to say—Lord willing, and the creeks don’t rise. Working on the next book in the Days of Hope series. 1840s and 50s California - Sutter's Fort, Mexican American War, Gold Rush, Statehood, Indian problems and genocide..so much material! How will Nimrod and Hannah and the others handle it?
Comment: From Sam: Sooo..what are you drinking Fred?
Fred Response: I'm having a Beck's non-alcoholic today. Got to stay on top of my game.. Kathy is having a Coronado Brewery beer. We also have shrimp cocktail and some smoked almonds and coconut cookies.
Comment: From Judy: Where do you live, Fred?
Fred Response: We are in Cardiff, Calif. North of San Diego, north of Del Mar. And yes, we can see the ocean from our house..we are blessed.