Nothing Left But Dust
by Melissa Geissinger

Publication Date: April 18, 2023

Genre: Young Adult/Historical Fiction

Nothing Left But Dust is a powerful tale of love, loss, and hope set against the backdrop of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Follow Jo, a young woman struggling to heal after her Papa’s death, as she tries to break free of her uncle’s indentured servitude and secure an apprenticeship at a mapmaking shop.

And Otto, a privileged young man with dreams of running away to become an artist, as he battles to escape the clutches of a ruthless crimp who means to have him shanghaied.

When the city is struck by the devastating earthquake on the morning of April 18th, their lives are forever changed. While it sets Otto free, it takes everything Jo holds dear and unearths a dark family secret.

As they traverse the burning ruins of the city in search of answers, Jo and Otto must find the strength to survive and the courage to confront their families, all while navigating the unfamiliar landscape of falling in love.

Nothing Left But Dust is a must read for fans of Young Adult Historical Fiction. It’s an edge-of-your-seat, coming-of-age survival story that will leave you inspired by the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

About the Author

Melissa Geissinger is descended from survivors of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and is herself a wildfire survivor. A neurodivergent optimist, Melissa is predisposed to following her dreams as well as every shiny side quest along the way. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her partner, her five-year-old heart warrior son, and a menagerie of fur kids. She enjoys the outdoors, soaking up knowledge, and connecting with other passionate creators. Nothing Left But Dust is her first novel.

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The Good Time Girls
by K.T. Blakemore

Publication Date: April 4, 2023
Sycamore Creek Press

Genre: Historical Fiction/Western
Series: Wild-Willed Women of the West

 

 

A novel of wild women, the bonds of friendship, a harrowing road trip, and help found in the least likely places.

In 1905 Kansas, ex-dancehall girl and outlaw Ruby Calhoun has settled into a (mostly) quiet and (mostly) lawful life. But out of the blue her past comes hustling into town when her ex-friend and ex-dancehall partner, Pip, shows up with a grim message and dangerous mission: Cullen Wilder, an old enemy with a long memory, wants them dead and the only way to survive is to kill him first.

With Cullen’s henchman hot on their heels, Ruby and Pip hightail into the hinterlands of Kansas to save another friend from Cullen’s vengeance. Unprepared for the journey, their trip is filled with mishaps and mayhem, blunders and bounders, con artists and the circling noose of the law.

Through it all, Ruby is tormented by the memories of her life years ago in Arizona Territory, when the upstairs girls at the Paradise Saloon and Dancehall kept her safe, and the dreadful day when it all went wrong.

Will Ruby have the guts to face her turbulent past, or will she cut and run like a coward one more time?

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Praise

“Magnificently written, Good Time Girls is a tough, gritty and often humorous wild ride of danger, death, narrow escapes and yes, love. K.T. Blakemore owns the time period as if she had lived through it, and the characters as if she knew them personally. Open up the book, but hang onto your hat.” – James Robert Daniels, bestselling author of The Comanche Kid

“The Good Time Girls is an expertly crafted tale of two women whose endearing friendship aids them in conquering their fears and the men who made them. Told in humorous, and sometimes touching, McMurtry-esque prose, this book will keep you entertained and glued to your chair far into the night. If you like bold women and stories of the West, you will love this literary adventure!” – Kari Bovee, award-winning author of the Annie Oakley Mystery Series and the Grace Michelle Mysteries

About the Author

K.T. Blakemore grew up in the west and never left. Her novel THE GOOD TIME GIRLS is the first in the Wild-Willed Women of the West Series, featuring women who take no prisoners and succeed through sheer grit, determination, and a parcel of luck.

She also writes award-winning historical suspense and young adult historical fiction under the pen name Kim Taylor Blakemore. Awards have included a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award, Tucson Festival of Book Literary Award, and a WILLA Award for Best YA Fiction.

Memberships include Historical Novel Society, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Women Writing the West.

She has hung her hat in California, Colorado, and currently the Pacific Northwest. The rain does not deter her research whether it be train timetables from 1905 or the best way to catch a loose horse.

K.T. also runs the Novelitics ranch, providing developmental editing, workshops, and a writing community for novelists.

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