E.L. Daniel's Blog

There's a new article shared on Shepherd.com that is 100% worth reading! ,The best historical fiction books where the damsel is NOT always the one in distress…

Do you love strong women getting out of sticky situations? Do you love Historical Fiction? Do you love romantic sub-plots mixed with adventure and intrigue?

Check out ,the article for all the reasons why these 5 books need to make it onto your TBR!

AND... find out how these most excellent novels have similarities to my own novel, All the Gold in Abbotsford.

While you're at it, the website has some other great book lists to scroll, especially as you stock up on good reads for the upcoming holidays:

,The Best Books on the House of Plantagenet The Best Books on the Middle Ages

One month ago today (June 11th) was the feast day of St. Barnabas, a man known for selling his property (which was extensive) and gifting all the proceeds to the Christian community.

In my novel, All the Gold in Abbotsford, St. Barnabas is at the center of the corruption and intrigue taking over the town. The evil bishop and his cronies forge a statue of fake gold and use it to con the townspeople into making donations...donations which ultimately end up in the bishop's own pockets!

Here's an excerpt from the novel (pages 154 - 156):"Barnabas autem adprehensum illum duxit ad apostolos, narravit illis quomodo in via vidisset Dominum, et quia loctutus est ei, et quomodo in Damasco fiducialiter egerit in nomine Iesu." The bishop cast a sweeping glance around the church, then translated the statement from Latin to English. "And some days after, Paul said unto Barnabas, "Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do." Silence reigned. "Let us visit every city and see how they do!" His voice thundered across the hall. "Now tell me, good people of Abbotsford. How think you this city fares in the eyes of God?" Again, silence. "The man Barnabas was born to wealth and sent to Jerusalem by happenstance, but this happenstance brought him into the presence of the Son of God, who took him into His fold. The word of God transformed Barnabas. He abdicated his wealth, his status, his estates--sold them off one by one. But did he profit from these deeds? Nay! It was to the Church that he commended his wealth, and God smiled on him for this act of faith." The bishop gestured towards the golden statue, which glinted in the candlelight. "God also smiles upon Abbotsford. Through the gifting of this exalted statue, you must open your eyes and see that this bounty is not a reward for your faith! It is a beacon, a calling upon you all, to sustain--nay, double!--your offerings. As Barnabas did for Christ the Son, you must prove to the Lord that your faith is true." Godfrey vibrated with barely concealed energy as he listened beside Stephen, and when Anselm unveiled yet another display, pulling the tarp from a new crucifix--also of gold--Stephen heard him exhale. But there was little time to focus on Godfrey, for the crucifix had taken Stephen equally by surprise. Who could've guessed that his rusted armor could purchase a massive golden statue of a saint and a golden crucifix? Godfrey and the magistrate had been busy, it seemed. As had Gilbert Smithson. "On this day of all days, we honor St. Barnabas, who sacrificed his wealth at the feet of Christ. God now calls upon you to do the same. It is in honor of this revered saint and in recognition of your piety that you offer your own contributions to God, so that you might sleep in peace this night knowing He has secured for you a place in His everlasting kingdom." The crowds erupted, their faces lit with wonder, and in twos and threes they pushed their way to the front to lay what little coin they possessed in the woven basket at the statue's feet. Throughout this procession, the bishop watched from his pulpit, taking in every last peasant and merchant who paid their dues. His eyes eventually settled on Stephen. There was little choice in the matter. Stephen forced his way forward to drop his own silver into the coffer, proving he was every bit as faithful as the rest of them. Godfrey, he noted, did not. Thus ended the feast day mass for St. Barnabas, and thus began the unfurling of the next step in Stephen's grand design.So, let's get the facts!Original Name: Joseph the LeviteSaint Name: St. BarnabasFeast Day: June 11th Time Period: 1st CenturyDescription: Christian missionary mentioned in the New Testament. He was one of the Cypriots who founded the church in Antioch, where he preached, and undertook a joint missionary journey with St. Paul from Tarsus.

So, now we know a little more about the inspiration behind the golden status in All the Gold in Abbotsford by E.L. Daniel!

Did you like the excerpt you read?

You can purchase All the Gold in Abbotsford in print or eBook at most major book retailers.

My compilation of quotes, poems, lyrics, and excerpts continues! Here's the lineup from March - May 2022.

Each season, I post the list of Wednesday Wisdom shout-outs into an article for my non-Instagram friends to enjoy. ,Here we go! Which one is your favorite?

March 2, 2022

There’s still snow here in Minnesota but the sun is back and there have been days when enough has melted that I’ve spotted some grass poking up in the backyard. So. Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is looking onward into spring ✨

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.”

~ Maya Angelou

“Blessed are those who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” ~ Camille Pissarro

Is there still snow where you live or is spring finally on the horizon?

March 9, 2022

Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is a reminder to branch out from the authors you know to discover new ones in the same genre who are less know but no less lovely!

When I think about 19th century naturalists or literary geniuses focused on nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson has always been the obvious choice. But today I’m here to tell you there’s another! John Burroughs (yes, ignore the spelling in the journal—not sure what that mess was about…)

“I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.”

~John Burroughs

This quote isn’t about nature per se, but I liked it enough to do more research into Burroughs and found myself sucked into a brand new rabbit hole of captivating writing.

March 23, 2022

Wednesday Wisdom:

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.”

~Henry Miller, American Writer

March 30, 2022

Some Shakespeare for today:

1. Where the term “lovesick” comes from:

My love is a fever, longing still

For that which longer nurseth the disease,

Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill,

The uncertain sickly appetite to please.

My Reason, the physician to my love,

Angry that his prescriptions are not kept,

Hath left me, and I desperate now approve

Desire is death, which physic did except.

Past cure I am, now reason is past care,

And frantic-mad with evermore unrest;

My thoughts and my discourse as madmen’s are,

At random from the truth vainly express’d;

For I have sworn thee fair and thought thee bright,

Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.

(Sonnet CXLVII)

2. Short, sweet, and so powerful!

Doubt thou the stars are fire,

Doubt that the sun doth move;

Doubt truth to be a liar;

But never doubt I love.

(Hamlet)

Which one do you like better?

April 13, 2022

Another good one:

“Sometimes he caught himself listening to the sound of his own voice. He thought that in her eyes he would ascent to an angelical stature; and, as he attached the fervent nature of his companion more and more closely to him, he heard the strange impersonal voice which he recognized as his own, insisting on the soul’s incurable loneliness. “We cannot give ourselves,” it said. “We are our own.”

~ James Joyce (Dubliners)

April 20, 2022

I just love this quote from Winnie the Pooh. So simple, and yet so wise!

“Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.”

~ Winnie the Pooh

April 27, 2022

Song lyrics are poems too:

The moon fell from the sky tonight,

But we broke its fall with our heads held high.

It’s the breaths we take that make the hearts we break so clear,

That nothing is what we are and yet we are content here.

The streetlights speak mysteries to us and our eyes,

And we feel safe in the pain we hide behind.

It’s the words we breathe that point out to me we’re broken,

And the sad thing is we’re nothing and we’re hopeless.

~Too Sorry For Apologies

(Let the dreams die)

Sad song… beautiful lyrics!

May 4, 2022

Another Wednesday Wisdom, pulled from the depths of my college education…

“So we die before our own eyes; so we see some chapters of our lives come to their natural life end.”

~Sarah Orne Jewett

(The Country of the Pointed Firs)

May 11, 2022

Annnndddd summer is upon us!

“It’s so hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”

~ Chuck Palahniuk (Diary)

May 18, 2022

This one sponsored by my little floof because he wouldn’t leave me alone while I was trying to take the picture:) And also I apparently loved this quote because I used it twice within the same three months (oof).

“I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.”

~ John Burroughs

……….And ain’t that just the truth?!?And that's a wrap for Spring 2022! Look for the Summer compilation towards the end of August.

Have any good quotes you want to share? Share them below or send them to me via social media! If I like them, I'll add them to my journal, share in an upcoming #WW post, and give you a shoutout.

My compilation of quotes, poems, lyrics, and excerpts continues! Here's the lineup from December 2021, January 2022, and February 2022.

As a reminder: each season, I'll post the list of Wednesday Wisdom shout-outs into an article for my non-instagram friends to enjoy. ,Here we go! Which one is your favorite?

December 8, 2021

We have SNOW today…along with one of my favorite J.R.R. Tolkien quotes from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

“All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken:

The crownless again shall be King.”

I feel like so many of these lines can be applied to so many different feelings and situations in life. My favorite is the first line, and actually, this was in some small part inspiration for my historical fiction novel: All the Gold in Abbotsford .

December 15, 2021

Another day of Wednesday Wisdom and I’m feeling the energy and joy that comes with the holidays, so piling on the inspo today with some Lord Byron and Frederico Fellini:

“There are four questions of value in life. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for? And what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same—only love.” ~Lord Byron (horrid womanizer, mind-blowing poet)

“There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the [infinite] passion for life.” ~ Frederico Fellini (film director of the late 1900s)

December 22, 2021

Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is short and sweet.

“I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” ~ Mother Teresa

May you call remember to love hard this Christmas and feel all the feels in return.

December 29, 2021

The last Wednesday Wisdom of the year!!! This one goes out to all the book lovers who are putting together their reading goals for 2022.

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but how many can get through to you.” ~ Mortimer Adler (philosopher, educator, and author)

I think there's something to be said about cranking out 150 reads in a year. Such a flex of accomplishment. BUT...my reading goals for 2022 will focus on quality over quantity, and being present in my current reads to make sure I'm truly enjoying them and not worrying over how long it takes me to finish or what I'm going to pick up next.

January 5, 2022

Celebrating J.R.R. Tolkien’s birthday this week (Jan 3rd). Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are some of the greatest works of literature of all time. Tolkien’s way of writing is so magical and poetic that it’s impossible to choose just one quote. Here are four of my favs:

1. “It’s a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” (Fellowship of the Ring)

2. “In western lands beneath the sun the flowers may rise in spring, the trees may bud, the waters run, the merry finches sing. Or there maybe ‘tis cloudless night and swaying beeches bear the Elven-stars as jewels white amid their branching hair. Though here at journey’s end I lie in darkness buried deep, beyond all towers strong and high, beyond all mountains steep, above all shadows rides the sun and stars forever dwell; I will not say the day is done, nor bid the stars farewell.” (Return of the King)

3. “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then be not eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. For even the wisest cannot see all ends.” (Fellowship of the Ring)

4. “The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet such oft is the case and course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.” (Fellowship of the Ring)

I think I like 4 the best! Which one is your favorite?

I think I like #4 the best! Which one is your favorite?

January 12, 2022

Since I finished reading Dune last week, today’s Wednesday Wisdom is one of the most key [in my opinion] passages in the whole book. It’s written not even halfway in, and as a reader I did not understand its significance at that point.

But after I reread the quote once I finished the book...OH--MY--GOSH!

“Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn to see fear’s path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” -Frank Herbert (Dune)

January 19, 2022

Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is inspired by Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights because in Minnesota in the winter I feel surrounded by desolate moors LOL. Four quotes for you:

1. “He shall never know I love him: and that not because he’s handsome, but because he’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

2. “If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.”

3. “If he loved you with all the powers of his puny being, he couldn’t love as much in eighty years as I could in a day.”

4. “I am now quite cured of seeking pleasure in society, be it country or town. A sensible man ought to find sufficient company on himself.”

January 26, 2022

Another Wednesday Wisdom. To be honest, I'm struggling to find inspiration today. Blame it on the snow and the -10 degree weather. Whatever it is, I’m going with these three random quotes that I categorized together for some reason still unknown to me.

1. “Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality.” ~ Emily Dickinson

2. “I will not say ‘do not weep’ for not all tears are evil.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

3. “When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you.” ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Which one is speaking to you today?

February 22, 2022

It’s the LOVE MONTH so my Wednesday Wisdom quotes will be romance themed…ish.

Today’s excerpt comes from a Tennyson poem:

As fast she fled thro’ sun and shade,

The happy winds upon her played,

Blowing the ringlet from the braid:

She looked so lovely as she swayed.

The rein with dainty finger-tips,

A man had given all other bliss,

And all his worldly worth for this,

To waste his whole heart in one kiss

Upon her perfect lips.

~Alfred, Lord Tennyson

(Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere)

February 9, 2022

Slightly longer poem today but sticking with the romance theme. John Donne is one of my favorite poets. I just find his metaphors so unique yet still so lovely:

I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I

Did, till we loved? Were we not weaned till then?

But sucked on country pleasures, childishly?

Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers’ den?

‘Twas so; but this, all pleasures fancies be.

If ever any beauty I did see,

Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee.

And now good-morrow to our waking souls,

Which watch not one another out of fear;

For love, all love of other sights controls,

And makes one little room an everywhere.

Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,

Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown,

Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.

My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,

And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;

Where can we find two better hemispheres,

Without sharp north, without declining west?

Whatever dies, was not mixed equally;

If our two loves be one, or, thou and I

Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.

~The Good-Morrow by John Donne

February 16, 2022

Wednesday Wisdom is back and more romantic than ever! This ballad comes from a book I recently finished called The First Princess of Wales, which is filled with love and longing and beautiful heartbreak. These song lyrics embody the theme perfectly so I had to include it in February’s WW.

Sweet passion’s pain doth pierce mine heart,

For I have loved thee from the start.

But foolishly behind high walls

I hid such proof, nor saw this truth.

Sweet passion’s pain doth urge me plead

That I might be thy love indeed.

But blindingly and armored bright

I hid such proof, nor saw this truth.

And now sweet passion’s pain doth teach

That my last chance must be great reach.

For wildly doth Dame Fortune’s wheel

Spin by such proof, nor halt for truth.

Welcome, sweet passion’s pain, until

My heart shall recognize its will.

Whatever prophecies proclaim,

I know such proof, accept this truth.

February 23, 2022

Final romance-themed post. Hope you’ve been feeling all the love this month. This one is a romantic classic… none other than The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks:

“I couldn’t sleep last night because I know that it’s over between us. I’m not bitter anymore because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I’ll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent a summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best kind of love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that’s what you’ve given me. That’s what I’d hoped to give to you forever. I love you. I’ll be seeing you. - Noah

I'm not crying. You're crying!And that's a wrap for Winter 2021/2022! Look for the Spring compilation toward the end of May.

Have any good quotes you want to share? Share them below or send them to me via social media! If I like them, I'll add them to my journal, share in an upcoming #WW post, and give you a shoutout.

Sometimes...in winter...in Minnesota...you run out of ways to entertain yourself. The snowfall has died down by now but it was pretty brutal this year in the earlier winter months, which is how I ended up with a new Bookish Challenge to keep myself occupied. When you put peanut butter and jelly together, you get a PB&J sandwich. When you smash two hobbies together (reading and fitness) you get...this:BOOKISH CHALLENGE: MATCH YOUR COVERS TO YOUR WORKOUT OUTFITS[image error][image error]Ireland by Frank Delaney,3 STARS

A young boy named Ronan lives in the Irish countryside. One night, an old man knocks on their door asking for lodging. In exchange, he offers to entertain Ronan's family and neighbors with stories and legends of Ireland. The next day, the storyteller disappears, but by then the damage is done; Ronan is obsessed. For the next decade, Ronan searches everywhere for the storyteller, trying to understand why his mother was so against the old man from the start and why the storyteller intentionally kept his distance from Ronan after that one magical night.

A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett,3 STARS

In 1866, two students, Mickey and Edward, play a dangerous trick on another boy, resulting in his death. Time passes, but they grow up to become every bit as corrupt as they were ruthless as boys, only now they hold positions of power in England's banking scene. But Edward's cousin, Hugh, is a decent sort--albeit poor--and he works to right the wrongs committed by his cousin and his cousin's evil friend, all while pining after the woman he once loved and lost.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling,4 STARS

It's Harry's 5th year at Hogwarts. The Ministry of Magic is infiltrating the school by installing an evil secretary with more power than anyone wants to accept. The Minister himself is more worried about the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, than about fighting the Dark Lord, who Harry and the headmaster both claim has returned. As new threats emerge and a great prophecy is discovered, Harry learns that the bond he has with his friends is more important than ever before.

Angels & Demonsby Dan Brown,4 STARS

Professor Langdon is summoned to investigate murders in Europe when he realizes that the murders are connected to the illuminati, whose sole purpose is to bring down the catholic church. With each new murder, Langdon follows the clues one step further, finding that the danger is more embedded in Vatican City than anyone thought possible...

[image error][image error]The English Wife by Lauren Willig,TBR (To Be Read)

From Goodreads: Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life: he’s the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor manor in England, they had a whirlwind romance in London, they have three year old twins on whom they dote, and he’s recreated her family home on the banks of the Hudson and renamed it Illyria. Yes, there are rumors that she’s having an affair with the architect, but rumors are rumors and people will gossip. But then Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest on the night of their Twelfth Night Ball, Annabelle goes missing, presumed drowned, and the papers go mad. Bay’s sister, Janie, forms an unlikely alliance with a reporter to uncover the truth, convinced that Bay would never have killed his wife, that it must be a third party, but the more she learns about her brother and his wife, the more everything she thought she knew about them starts to unravel. Who were her brother and his wife, really? And why did her brother die with the name George on his lips?

What the Wind Knowsby Amy Harmon,5 STARS

Anne Gallagher journeys to Ireland to spread her grandfather's ashes, but when she rows out into one of the lochs, she comes out of the mist and finds herself in a whole other time period... almost 100 years in the past! The odd thing is, the locals mistake her for a woman who had disappeared only 1 year previously. She takes up the missing woman's place and finds herself falling for the best friend of the missing woman's deceased husband. But the Irish Revolt causes turbulence not just in their relationship but in her ability to remain in that time period...

Fleishman is in Troubleby Taffy Brodesser-Akner,DNF (Did Not Finish)

Toby Fleishman, who recently underwent a divorce, is suddenly reintroduced to the concept that women everywhere actually want him. Hook-up apps become the crux of his life and he welcomes the change after thirteen years of marriage. But then his ex-wife suddenly disappears, forcing him to re-evaluate his situation and the reasons why his marriage really failed...

[image error][image error]The Prize by Brenda Joyce,5 STARS

Devlin O'Neil is determined to reap revenge on the man who murdered his father before his own eyes, and Virginia is just the one he can use to get it. Stealing her off a ship and keeping her captive, Devlin launches a master plan to cripple his enemy, not just financially but by taking an axe to his reputation as well, and by ruining Virginia in the process. Only...Virginia's suffering ends up being more difficult to bear than he thought...

Eat, Pray, Loveby Elizabeth Gilbert,4 STARS

When Elizabeth goes through an unexpected divorce and suffers a mid-life crisis, she drops everything to travel around the world. While going through the various stages--grief, confusion, hope--she applies stages of her own, based on the country she's visiting. In Italy, she learns to Eat again. In India, she learns to Pray again. And in Indonesia, she learns to Love again. It turns out her sabbatical is exactly what she needed all along...

Speaking in Tungs by Karla M. Jay,5 STARS

A speech pathologist winds up in rural Pennsylvania where she starts practicing her career in the homes of the locals, only to learn that a serial killer is on the loose in the area. She befriends (AKA suffers through steamy tension with) a local fireman, who's caught up in hunting down the serial killer, but then they learn the true motive behind the murderer's plans and it's much worse than they first thought...

And that's a wrap on this Bookish Challenge! Onto the next one!

What other fun book-themed challenges have you seen or participated in?

Since the 900s, there have been 16 monarchs in British history who have been deposed--give or take (this number can be argued). Deposed in this instance means being removed from office suddenly and forcefully. While most of these stories are dramatic and entertaining in their own right, one of the most notable instances is that of King Edward II, who was deposed by his own wife and her supposed lover. Today, January 20th, marks the 694th anniversary of King Edward II's removal from the throne.From the beginning of his reign, Edward II made terribly rash choices, allowed his passions to drive him towards selecting extreme favorites within his court, and isolated himself from the rest of the country...even making an enemy of his own wife. These impulses came back to haunt him later, but not until he'd already put in 20 years as a poor ruler.Let's check out the stats: Unfortunately for Edward, he didn't know that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Separated from her children; banned from her own households; removed of all her wealth, possessions, and servants; cuckolded openly for the dozenth time; and then sent to France to negotiate on her JAILOR'S behalf (LOL like come on, what did you expect Edward?), Queen Isabella instead gathered an army with the other lords Edward II had banished over the years and launched an invasion that led to the deposition of her own husband. Thus, handing off the crown to her firstborn son, Edward III, who she managed as Queen Regent until he came of age.They say Isabella was a "she-wolf" and not the greatest of people, even after she set her son up on the throne in her husband's place, but you can't not give her credit for this maneuver. This particular time in history is so fascinating to me, which is why I wrote my historical fiction novel, ALL THE GOLD IN ABBOTSFORD, during this time period and with these events as the backdrop. A tyrannical and impulsive king has caused unrest across the country. His foolish mistakes have deprived Stephen Warde, captain of the garrison, of the only family he had left—his father. Now, a dozen years later, Stephen returns from war to the little town of Abbotsford to find that corruption has seeped far beyond the crown and into the very heart of his home. The local abbey is in ruins, town officials are stealing from the citizens, someone is circulating false gold around the town, and the country is on the brink of civil war. Refusing to stand for any more injustice, Stephen partners with the local abbot to form a plan that will end the corruption and offer aid to the rebel forces who plan to invade the country and overthrow the king. But Stephen also fosters a third objective that transcends all the rest: winning the love and loyalty of his wife, Elena, who despises him. But God has a way of playing cruel tricks on the hearts of men, and it just so happens that Elena's brother is the very worst of those corrupt officials whom Stephen has sworn to bring down. As theft and murder come to a head, so, too, does an imperfect love story of this guarded man with a complicated past and his headstrong wife who's already sacrificed too much. Will Stephen bring peace back to Abbotsford and earn Elena's love? Or will fate intervene, forcing them both to make a choice?The novel's prologue takes us back to the Battle of Bannockburn--one of King Edward II's most humiliating defeats--where our main character, Stephen Warde, lost his father. Twelve years later, Stephen has returned to his hometown of Abbotsford. By then, the king's governance has grown so out of control that the entire country waits with bated breath to see what will become of him. But Stephen knows the queen's invasion is coming and thinks he can use it to his advantage to obtain some of his other goals having to do directly with his town...and his marriage.In Chapter 1, we learn about the goals Stephen has in mind as he partners with the local abbot, Anselm, to form a plan:Interested in reading more?Note the pub date! ALL THE GOLD IN ABBOTSFORD drops May 10th, 2022.*Pre-Order Link Coming Soon*In the meantime, add it to your shelves on Goodreads!

With all our 2022 Reading Resolutions, I want to give three (3) lucky winners a free book! Choose from one of these four amazing historical fiction novels (that I highly recommend). How to enter:1. Subscribe to my newsletter here: https://www.eldanielbooks.com/subscribe-1 (or by clicking the button below) 2. Comment below with the book you want to win out of the following four.Open internationally!Giveaway will close at midnight on Friday 1/21. Winners will be notified via email (which is why you'll only be selected if you subscribe). Must be willing to share personal address so that I can ship you your winnings. Ready.............. GO!Options: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon The Locksmith's Daughter by Karen Brooks The Highland Witch by Susan Fletcher Tidelands by Philippa Gregory

We're all doing it... the end-of-year reflection before we start to look forward. So, here's mine.Out of the 50 books I read in 2021, 12 of them were 5-star reads. That's 24%... which may seem low to some of you. But considering how sparingly I give out the illusive fiver, I think this is actually pretty crazy! So, I'm dying to share these fantastic books with you all. Here they are... now, go out and buy them!Archer's Voice by Mia SheridanGenre: Contemporary RomanceHigh-Level Summary: Female heroine flees to a remote town as she copes with the PTSD of her father's death. There, she meets a mute who's chosen to live his life as an outcast. They form an attachment and change each other in amazing and heart-wrenching ways. But there's more to their past tragedies than either of them realize.Read this if... you love swoony love stories with hot, shirtless men and romantic confessions spoken in sign language.The Goldfinch by Donna TarttGenre: Literary FictionHigh-Level Summary: A boy loses his mother in a tragic accident at a young age, but a strange twist of fate lands him with a very valuable and infamous painting. As he struggles to avoid the foster-care system, he stumbles from one unstable household into another, all the while keeping this amazing artifact a secret until its existence becomes the center of a massive heist. Read this if... you love lyrically-written novels, don't cringe away from trigger-warning type content, and don't mind a verrrrry lonnnng reading journey that has a rewarding payout at the end. The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly RimmerGenre: World War II Historical Fiction High-Level Summary: In present-day America, a woman struggles to balance the care of her autistic son with her high-maintenance family and dying grandmother. In WWII Poland, a couple in the throes of young love struggle to survive the German occupation and are ultimately forced to make a choice over whether to stay and suffer in their homeland or flee to America and to safety.Read this if... you're prepared to cry literal, visceral tears.The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidGenre: Near-Historical Fiction (1900s)High-Level Summary: Evelyn Hugo propels herself from poverty into stardom, but with her fame comes a series fortunate and not-so-fortunate marriages. In present-day, a reporter is hired to finally listen to Evelyn's full life story from the movie star's own lips, in hopes of determining which of the seven husbands Evelyn truly loved.Read this if... you love old-school Hollywood, are looking for more LGBTQ+ content... and also geek out over an unforeseen plot twist. The Giver of Stars by Jojo MoyesGenre: Near-Historical Fiction (1900s)High-Level Summary: A young Englishwoman marries an American during the Great Depression and is forced to learn the routines of a new life in Kentucky. When she struggles to find purpose and happiness in her marriage, she joins a local movement to distribute library books in the mountains...but her actions don't sit well with her new husband and his family.Read this if... you have a passion for all things books and enjoy a nice, clean romantic sub-plot.The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen WhiteGenre: Near-Historical Fiction (1900s) / Contemporary Fiction (Alternating POVs)High-Level Summary: During World War I, a ship full of wealthy Americans crosses the Atlantic Ocean. There are definitely spies aboard, but are they giving their intelligence to America or to Germany? Meanwhile, in present-day England, two young people team up to piece together the truth behind a politician's shady family history.Read this if... you're a sucker for characters that have very unique voices and tones, and if espionage makes you turn the page to figure out who's good and who's bad.What the Wind Knows by Amy HarmonGenre: Near-Historical Fiction (1900s Ireland)High-Level Summary: A woman in present-day Ireland rows out onto a loch and somehow finds herself transported back in time to the Irish revolution, only to find that she's recognized as a local woman who disappeared a year or so earlier. But how can she exist in two time periods at once, and will her strange arrival impact history?Read this if... you loved Outlander, you're okay with paranormal/time-travel romance, you love Irish history.The Locksmith's Daughter by Karen BrooksGenre: Historical FictionHigh-Level Summary: The daughter of a locksmith returns home after scandal and ruin, only to find herself employed under Queen Elizabeth's spymaster. Using her unique knowledge of locks and other special training, she becomes a vessel of classified knowledge... until the knowledge grows so dangerous that she herself becomes endangered, along with her family.Read this if... complicated political intrigue doesn't intimidate you, and you love a male love interest who's willing to defy the Queen and her court for the sake of his heart.The Evening and the Morning by Ken FollettGenre: Historical FictionHigh-Level Summary: A region in England struggles to find peace under the harsh rule of three local brothers during the Dark Ages. When an abbot takes charge of a church in a nearby town, he finds himself going head-to-head with these corrupt lords. Fortunately, he finds help from a young builder who is trying to start over after a fleet of Vikings took everything away from him.Read this if... you loved Pillars of the Earth, you can handle trigger-warning type content, you enjoy history!No Choice But Seduction by Johanna LindseyGenre: Regency RomanceHigh-Level Summary: Katey Tyler finds herself alone in the world with a massive inheritance. All she wants is to travel the world. But then she stumbles upon a kidnapping, saves a young girl from her abductors, and finds herself thrown into the chaos of the wealthy and powerful Malory family. When Boyd Anderson, brother-in-law to one of the Malorys, accuses Katey of being behind the kidnapping all along, she demands he sail her around the world on his ship as recompense for his humiliating mistake.Read this if... you like love-at-first-sight tropes and enjoy a little pirate/high-seas action.A Loving Scoundrel by Johanna LindseyGenre: Regency RomanceHigh-Level Overview: Jeremy Malory needs to hire a thief to help his friend out of a spot of trouble, but he didn't expect to find her. Danny was taken in by a local gang at a young age, and although she has the beauty and grace of a noble-born lady, she's a damned good thief. But after she's kicked out of the gang for helping Jeremy, she demands that he employ her as a maid in his household instead, so that she can try to turn herself into a respectable woman. The problem is, Jeremy can't keep his hands off her...Read this if... Cinderella stories are your jam, or if you want a unique spin on an "upstairs/downstairs romance" trope.Gentle Rogue by Johanna LindseyGenre: Regency RomanceHigh-Level Overview: James Malory created a fake identity long ago so that he could sail the high seas as a pirate without endangering his family. Now he's ready to retire, but as he makes one last voyage, he's shocked to find that the new cabin boy assigned to him is actually a woman... and a very attractive woman at that. Georgina Anderson is desperate to get home to America. The last thing she expected was to get seduced by her employer. Little does James know, she has FIVE brothers awaiting her at home...Read this if... you love when a manly man gets brought to his knees by a woman. And, if you love the "woman in disguise as a man" trope.

And that's a wrap! I can't wait to see what 5-star reads 2022 brings.

Or in other words: the different ways we manage our TBR lists.

For those who are new to the bibliophile jargon, TBR stands for To Be Read. It's the list of books you plan to read in the future. The problem is that adding books to a TBR is a lot faster than actually reading a book and moving it from TBR to Completed.

My current TBR is 1,284 books. That's modest compared to the lists of many of my bookish friends. So, the question comes up a lot--How should we manage our TBRs?

If you're into apps, there are tons out there to choose from:Or...here are some alternative options:

My personal preference is Goodreads, because I like their filtering and tagging functionality. Not only do I have a TBR list on their app, but I also made myself a "bookshelf" called My Home Library, which lists out every single book I actually own. Using that, I can filter by the ones I haven't read yet and use that as a starting point when I'm ready to start a new book. (It also keeps me from accidentally buying the same book twice, when I already own a copy!! OOPS)

But when I have 50 unread books on the My Home Library list, that still doesn't help me solve the problem of which book I actually pick up next.

Cue my next personal problem--getting sucked into a genre black hole. I swear, and maybe it's doubly for Romance, but if I read a good book in one genre, I want the next 50 books I read to also be in that genre until I am just soo sick of it and they all blur together...at which point I force myself to stop. Healthy habit? Absolutely not. Does it happen anyway? YUP!

So this is where I've landed.

Here it is: the ultimate secret to choosing what to pick up next from your TBR.

My methodology is...

I look at the last word on the last page of the last book I read. The first letter of that word dictates the book I'll read next. EXAMPLE: If the last word in a book is "challenge", the next book I pick up must either have a title beginning with the letter C or an author whose last name begins with C.

There it is. That's the secret.

I know, I know... it's crazy.

So the question is--Do YOU have any weird methods for how you choose your next book?