Blog Tour & Review: The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

Join Melanie Benjamin, author of the historical novel, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb (Delacorte Press, July 26, 2011), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in August on her second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book.

About the Book…

In her national bestseller Alice I Have Been, Melanie Benjamin imagined the life of the woman who inspired Alice in Wonderland. Now, in this jubilant new novel, Benjamin shines a dazzling spotlight on another fascinating female figure whose story has never fully been told: a woman who became a nineteenth century icon and inspiration—and whose most daunting limitation became her greatest strength.

“Never would I allow my size to define me. Instead, I would define it.”

She was only two-foot eight-inches tall, but her legend reaches out to us more than a century later. As a child, Mercy Lavinia “Vinnie” Bump was encouraged to live a life hidden away from the public. Instead, she reached out to the immortal impresario P. T. Barnum, married the tiny superstar General Tom Thumb in the wedding of the century, and transformed into the world’s most unexpected celebrity.

Here, in Vinnie’s singular and spirited voice, is her amazing adventure—from a showboat “freak” revue where she endured jeering mobs to her fateful meeting with the two men who would change her life: P. T. Barnum and Charles Stratton, AKA Tom Thumb. Their wedding would captivate the nation, preempt coverage of the Civil War, and usher them into the White House and the company of presidents and queens. But Vinnie’s fame would also endanger the person she prized most: her similarly-sized sister, Minnie, a gentle soul unable to escape the glare of Vinnie’s spotlight.

A barnstorming novel of the Gilded Age, and of a woman’s public triumphs and personal tragedies, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb is the irresistible epic of a heroine who conquered the country with a heart as big as her dreams—and whose story will surely win over yours.

About the Author…

Melanie Benjamin is a pseudonym for Melanie Hauser, the author of two contemporary novels. Her first work of historical fiction as Melanie Benjamin was Alice I Have Been. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb is her second release. She lives in Chicago, where she is at work on her next historical novel.You can visit her online at www.melaniebenjamin.com.

Donna’s Review…

Melanie Benjamin’s new historical novel, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb, features the inspiring story of a heroic nineteenth century woman, Mercy Lavinia (Vinnie) Warren Bump. Standing only two feet eight inches tall, Vinnie and show man P. T. Barnum, founder of the Ringling Bros.and Barnum & Bailey Circus fabricate an fashionable life.  Vinnie marries another little person, General Tom Thumb, and the couple travels with Barnum around the globe keeping the company of kings, queens and the powerful tycoons of that time.

Benjamin develops the story with careful attention to historic detail and the apparent difficulties of the life of a little, but determined, woman. I was so taken with Vinnie’s story that I conducted online research about Vinnie, Tom Thumb, and P.T. Barnum to verify historical details.  While this book is fictional, it is an accurate account of Vinnie’s inspirational life. Benjamin brought a little known woman to the world’s attention in The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. I heartily recommend this book.–Reviewed by Donna Landis, special to Backseat Writer.

Remember to visit Pump Up Your Book! to read the first chapter of The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb.

*With thanks to Pump Up Your Book!, Melanie Benjamin, and Delacorte Press for the review copy of this book.*

Book Review:: The Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart

The Blessed by Ann M. Gabhart is a fascinating look into the Shakers, a religious sect particularly active  between the 1830’s-1860’s.  Since the Shakers believed that Christ’s earthly return was going to happen in their lifetimes, the Shakers forbid their community to marry and have children.  With such a practice in place, it is no wonder that Shaker movement, for the most part, died out in a generation and a half.   In the fourth of her Shaker-inspired books, Gabhart not only offers a great deal of fascinating history, but a pressing question—what happens when you fall in love with the Shaker guy or gal of your dreams?  That, my friends, is called “plot tension.”

However, this plot, though well-written, doesn’t have a lot of tension.  The steamy looks and wonton desire between Lacey Bishop, a pastor’s wife (in name only) and widower Isaac Kingston don’t really classify this as a “romance,” which might tick off some readers.  However, I was just fine with Lacey and Isaac’s relationship and found the history and cultish practices of the Shakers to be even more interesting.  Fans of pre-Civil War historical fiction will undoubtedly enjoy this book as much as I did.  (The Blessed is set in the mid-1840’s).

Gabhart is a fantastic writer, and I am eager to read more of her work, particularly Angel Sister.  If you want to learn more about the Shakers and don’t feel like picking up a dusty old history book, The Blessed is well-researched, fascinating, and a good read—just don’t expect a lot of romance.

*With thanks to Revell for my review copy. Available July 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.*

Take 5 with author Liz Curtis Higgs

Liz Curtis Higgs is my favorite former bad girl.  Author of the Bad Girls of the Bible series as well as a slew of other award-winning books, Liz just released her latest historical novel, Mine Is the Night (read review), which completes the tale that began with Here Burns My Candle.  Both novels take the book of Ruth and transplant it in 18^th century Scotland.  The result is a series that is both breathtaking in its historical detail and swoon-worthy in its classic romance.   I adore Liz—her personality, her writing, her zeal for God’s Word—and am beyond excited to interview her for the first time on Backseat Writer.

You have a special gift for retelling stories of the Bible, yet leaving the message intact.  When did you first discover you were a storyteller?

Almost as soon as I started reading, I started writing little stories on paper for my family and friends. My first go at a novel came at age ten. Yes, I still have it, and yes, it’s laughable! But when I hold it in my hands I remember that young girl who dreamed of writing real novels someday. I kept that dream under wraps for many years, through high school and college, through my radio career and the early years of my speaking career. In the mid-90s I finally confessed to a writing friend, “I believe God is calling me to write fiction,” then waited for her to laugh. Instead she said, “Why not? You’re a natural storyteller.” Her kind words gave me the courage I needed for the next step: showing an editor my work. Thank the Lord she didn’t laugh either! I wrote two contemporary novels and a novella before turning to historical fiction in 2003 with Thorn in My Heart.

I read that the story of Ruth, the basis for Mine Is the Night, has been a longtime favorite of yours.  What do you love about this story?

It’s a romance for the ages, one that goes far beyond girl-meets-boy. A young woman leaves behind her pagan gods to follow the God of Israel, then leaves behind her family to follow her bitter, broken mother-in-law, and finally leaves behind her widow’s weeds to marry a man who is older than she, yet wise in the things of God. It’s the ultimate rags-to-riches, loss-to-redemption, sorrow-to-celebration story. Glorious! By moving Ruth and Naomi’s journey to eighteenth-century Scotland, I hoped I might help readers look at their story afresh and discover what God might be saying to us about his loving-kindness and mercy.

What captivates you about Scotland, where so many of your tales find their setting?

The land itself is beautifully green and rolling in the Lowlands, then strikingly barren and majestic in the Highlands. History is everywhere you turn in Scotland, with castles and cottages dotting the landscape. Traditions are woven into their lives like a thick tapestry. And faith runs through the backbone of Scotland like the Great Glen itself. It’s simply a magical place. I’ve been there a dozen times and cannot wait to return.

Your Bad Girls of the Bible books have greatly impacted my life and the way I look at the Bible.  How has sharing parts of your own story through your writing and speaking helped others? (And maybe even helped to heal you!)

It took ten years of sharing my Former Bad Girl story from the platform before I had the courage to share it on the pages of my first book, One Size Fits All and Other Fables, released in 1993 and now long out of print. So my healing was already well underway when I wrote Bad Girls of the Bible in 1999, praying I might help other women break free from the mistakes of their past and embrace the grace that God offers. Jesus loved hanging around with Bad Girls, with prostitutes, with those who were unclean, unwelcome, unseen. What a Savior! It’s been thrilling—and humbling—to watch God work in the lives of our sisters through the Bad Girls of the Bible series.

When was the last time you laughed out loud in a very unladylike fashion?

I do that on a daily basis! Though I have to say, this little story that arrived in my morning email made me LOL: A woman was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter. After the woman applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little girl said, “But Grandma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!” Love it.

For more information on Liz Curtis Higgs, please visit her online at LizCurtisHiggs.com.  She’s also on Facebook and Twitter.  Everyone needs a little Lizzie in her life!

Don’t forget to read Backseat Writer’s review of Mine Is the Night.

Book Review:: Mine Is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs

By Donna Landis Liz Curtis Higgs‘ new book Mine Is the Night is the sequel to Here Burns My Candle. I did not read the first book, but it really is not necessary as Ms. Higgs recounts the journey of her characters up to the point of meeting them in Mine Is the Night. If you love historical romance rich in the details of life in 18th century Scotland, you will find Higgs’ new book fascinating. If you are interested in a modern retelling of the biblical story of the book of Ruth, this is the one you are waiting for.

I loved all three books in Ms. Higgs’ Bad Girls of the Bible series (we studied – actually discussed, argued, laughed – these books our women’s Bible study) because her insights into a woman’s psyche are compellingly honest. In the Bad Girls series, she had real doozies of characters and situations to deal with. In Mine Is the Night she parallels the sweet redemptive story of Ruth and Boaz. Those of us who are complete romantics begin to swoon when we just hear the story of Ruth mentioned. If you are that kind of romantic, run to the bookstore to purchase this book.

However, the very romantic story of Ruth and Boaz as led by God’s redemptive plan is well known. There is just not enough tension between the characters of Ms. Higgs’ Elizabeth and Jack as well as in the story line to make this plot sufficiently pleasing. Can we find fault with Ruth and Boaz? No. In the same way, Elizabeth and Jack are too sweet and too predictable.

Despite the dearth of an interesting and compelling plot, the story is rich and beautifully told. Historical romance fans, Mine Is the Night is your book!

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR AMY’S INTERVIEW WITH LIZ CURTIS HIGGS!

Donna Landis is a retired teacher (over 30 years of teaching kindergarteners was enough).  She has one daughter, Amy, who is the head honcho of Backseat Writer.  She lives in Pennsylvania and owns a cute dog named Katie.

*With thanks to Waterbrook Press for my review copy of this book.  To see Backseat Writer’s full review policy along with the FTC disclosure, please click on the “About Backseat Writer” tab above.*

Book Review:: Wicked Company by Ciji Ware

By Donna Landis  Wicked Company by Ciji Ware is a historical romance which is 600 pages long. The young Scottish heroine, Sophie McGann, endures (and I do mean endures) every possible vengeful action against her. Death of loved ones, marriage to a drunkard and abuser, evil worshipers, lustful suitors, an insane asylum, theft, and deception, to name a few, are some of the wicked company of events that hound her.

Now Wicked Company is also a romance, as evidenced by Sophie’s rugged would-be actor friend/lover the ever so handsome Hunter Robertson. However, the 18th Century is a difficult place in the theatre world of London. So Sophie is forced to make her own way using her wits since the men folk she befriends (including the elusive hunk, Hunter) are traitors, evil or absent.

The novel is rich in fascinating historical detail. Historical characters are woven into the novel and mingle easily with Ware’s fictional characters. But, 600 pages of melodrama were difficult to endure when I knew (this being a historical romance) that Sophie and Hunter would find true happiness in each others’ arms. Wicked Company is a detailed historical endurance for the dedicated romance reader.

My rating: C

Donna Landis is a retired teacher (over 30 years of teaching kindergarteners was enough).  She has one daughter, Amy, who is the head honcho of Backseat Writer.  She lives in Pennsylvania and owns a cute dog named Katie.

*Thanks to SourceBooks for this review copy!*

Book Review:: A Memory Between Us by Sarah Sundin

As the veterans of World War II begin to pass on, it is comforting to know that writers like Sarah Sundin will immortalize tales of the time period with works like her latest book, A Memory Between Us.  The second book in her Wings of Glory series, A Memory Between Us is about a romance between a fighter pilot and an army nurse.  The story, though slow-moving, is riveting, especially with all the intricate details Sundin incorporated into the story.

It feels like the reader is in the cockpit with Major Jack Novak as he fights with the Allies against Hitler.  But when it gets wounded on his posterior end, he winds up in the hospital where he meets the gorgeous, but guarded Lieutenant Ruth Doherty.  Jack falls head over heels for Ruth, who refuses to date or kiss because of her sordid past, which she keeps carefully hidden from everyone.  Pride seeps through Jack’s veins and he flirts his way into Ruth’s life, which causes detrimental consequences for both parties.  Just when it seems that Ruth or Jack cannot possibly cause more damage to their friendship, disaster strikes again.

This story is action-packed, full of twists-and-turns, and a few great surprises.  Not shying away from heady topics like rape and sexual harassment, Sundin presents an accurate depiction in how women, particularly female nurses, were treated by the service men.  Fighting off advances from the wounded proves just as difficult as caring for their actual injuries.  Also, Sundin has an amazing knowledge of the inner workings of a plane, combat, and terminology.  While some of the flight dialogue passed right over my head, I could not help but marvel at Sundin’s mastery of the somewhat coded army talk.  Sundin certainly did her homework in writing this book.

At times, I felt that Ruth overreacted about her past, but then again, Ruth’s moral violation (selling kisses for cash) may have seemed more serious to upstanding citizens in the past.  I also feel that Jack, who was just gushing with prideful behavior, really mistreated Ruth.  In fact, I found it difficult to “forgive” Jack’s actions.  Maybe God is using this book to iron out areas of unforgiveness in my own faith.  It takes a good work of fiction to get a reader to examine her own heart, and that’s what A Memory Between Us provides—a good hard look at the human heart, its intentions, and what it does when surrendered to God.

Amy’s Grade: B

Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*Thanks to Revell for a review copy of this book!*

Book Review:: Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs + Giveaway!

Having led Bad Girls of the Bible studies for years, it was fun to actually dig into one of original “former bad girl’s” historical fiction novels, Here Burns My Candle, part of Higgs popular Scotland series.  Having already retold the stories of the matriarchs of Genesis (Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel/Leah), Higgs now turns her eyes to the beloved story of Ruth and Naomi.

Dowager Lady Marjory Kerr is quite concerned about appearances as a socialite in 18^th Century Scotland, especially when her son, Donald, dares to marry not only a commoner, but a Highlander as well.  The setting of the story takes place during the 1745-1746 assault on Edinburgh’s Lowlands by Highlander Prince Charlie.  Born in the Highlands of Scotland, Lady Elisabeth Kerr believes Prince Charlie, not an English monarch, to be Scotland’s true king—sentiments which not only risk the Kerr family’s title and wealth, but also offend Dowager Kerr.  Through loss, heartache, and redemption, Marjory and Elisabeth come to rely on one another.

Admittedly, I was a huge fan of Higgs before I read Here Burns My Candle.  Still, I was greatly impressed by how Higgs commands the turbulent history of Scotland’s past, throws in authentic Scottish dialect (glossary in back of book is helpful), and captures the thoughts of characters stuck in various calamities that life presents—an unfaithful husband, a wife who can never please her mother-in-law, a sickly son, a meddling mother—all these characters are rich and realistic.  At times the plot slows down a little too much, but that is a only a minor irritation in a work embroidered with historical detail.

Here Burns My Candle is a fine addition to Liz Curtis Higgs’ Scottish Lowland series, and would make a thrilling addition to any historical fiction lover’s reading list!

Because WaterBrook Multnomah is awesome, they have given Backseat Writer ONE copy of HERE BURNS MY CANDLE as a giveaway to readers.  Giveway runs through April 1 at 11:59 PM.  Winner will be announced on April 2. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

To enter, simply leave a comment below.  If you want extra entries, go for it.  Just be sure to leave a separate comment for each and every thing you do (fan Backseat Writer on Facebook, Tweet, regular follower, and so on.  If you think of it, I’ll probably accept it.)  Good luck.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

**Don’t forget to enter my Big 3-0  Bash Stash giveaway for your chance to win over 30 books, CDs & more!  Enter now.**