Book Review and Author Interview: Stars Over Clear Lake By Loretta Ellsworth

STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE
A Novel

By: Loretta Ellsworth

Published: May 2, 2017

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Fiction/Historical Fiction



Most of the WWII stories I read are set in Europe with a few set in the US, but usually on the coast. What grabbed my attention about this particular WWII novel was that it was set in Iowa. Yes, my home state and far away from those fighting for our country.

In Ellsworth's first adult fiction novel, she uses the magical and popular setting of the Surf Ballroom, the last venue of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "The Big Bopper" before their plane crashed. Her setting is during the prime WWII years when many families in Iowa were sending their sons off to fight and many never seeing them again.

Lorraine is a teenager who watches her brother go off to war. Pete was her mom's favorite and life at home wasn't the same once he left. Instead, Lorraine spent her time on the farm with her father and the POWs that were from the camp in nearby Algona. They came to help on the farm since her brother was off to war. As you can imagine, her mom, as well as many others in the community, did not appreciate having "the enemy" on their land and in their communities.  As Lorraine grows up, she struggles with following her heart or following what people expect her to do. She has an amazing voice and spends many nights dancing and wishing about singing at the Surf.  One night, her dream comes true and she sings for Jimmy Dorsey at the Surf Ballroom. What happens later that evening will change everyone's lives forever.

Ellsworth jumps between 2007 and the 1940's in telling Lorraine's story both as a teenager and now as an elderly woman. She also has a strained relationship with her daughter, much like her relationship with her own mother. When the secret she has kept her whole life starts to eat away at her, she begins to relive that fateful night and wonders if her daughter will ever be able to understand.

As an Iowan, I am ashamed to admit that I have never been to the Surf Ballroom or heard about the POW camps before this book. Ellsworth shares much detail and history to inform the reader and bring the ballroom to life on the pages. The emotions and passions of the characters seeped off the pages with honesty. The experiences of life during the 1940's take you back to a simpler, but unsure time in our history and the present day story reminds us of our own regrets of the past.  

Fans of historical fiction will appreciate the attention to detail and little-known parts of Iowa's history. Besides the family featured in this story, the Surf Ballroom stands alone bringing its own bit of magic to the story. It makes you want to visit and see what stories come to life while you are there. Writing this story was a tribute to Ellsworth's own parents' love story and one she can certainly be proud of.

Loretta Ellsworth

My Interview with Loretta Ellsworth 

Loretta Ellsworth grew up in Mason City and attended many events at the famous Surf Ballroom while growing up. Since her parents met there, it always held a bit of magic and romance for her. As she began dreaming about being a writer, she knew she would always want to write a story that was set at the Surf Ballroom. When she remembered her father pointing out the POW Camp Museum in Algona, it gave her the idea to merge the two stories into a book. That dream has come true and her first adult novel, STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE, is available now.

Ellsworth has enjoyed writing since childhood but didn’t know anyone who was an actual writer so she didn’t believe it was something she could actually do for a career. She has always loved to read, stating, “We had a wonderful library in Mason City and I went there all the time. We even had a bookmobile in the summer, which was a bus full of books that would go from neighborhood to neighborhood. You climbed in and got books and two weeks later, it would come back.” After attending UNI, majoring in Spanish and Business and then getting her teaching degree later at ISU, she focused on teaching Spanish at the middle school and high school levels. It wasn’t until she was older that she decided writing could be a career option for her. While living in the Minneapolis area, she took some writing classes at the Loft Literary Center and had some magazine articles published. That gave her the motivation she needed to keep writing. She began writing books and taking more classes all while still teaching Spanish. After her first two Young Adult books were published she began writing full-time and even got her MSA in writing for children from Hamline University.

Ellsworth is the author of four young adult books each with a different theme. “My first book is set during the 1870’s in SE Minnesota about a shrouding woman. My second book is about a girl who loves the book TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and travels to meet Harper Lee. The third and fourth books are more contemporary fiction for teens and about a teen who has a heart transplant and a person who has a perfect memory.” Even though her young adult books are about diverse topics, historical fiction is her favorite.

While researching for her newest book, she realized that there were two Surf Ballrooms, the first having burned down, without the community ever finding out the cause. That gave her another idea to add that piece of history into her story. “I decided to create my own cause of the fire and bring some mystery to the story”, stated Ellsworth. Recently, Ellsworth went to the Surf Ballroom, she met a man that she had previously interviewed over the phone for her book. His father had been a POW and had immigrated to Mason City. “It was pretty neat to meet him in person,” she said.

Ellsworth remembers going to the Surf Ballroom in the 1970’s and thinking that it was pretty run down. They even talked about tearing it down at one point because it was old and dilapidated. After a family decided to buy the Surf Ballroom and renovate it to look the same as it did in the 1940’s, it really brought the business back. “After Don McLean’s song ‘American Pie’ came out it brought some notoriety back to the Surf Ballroom and then their annual Winter Dance Party also kept fans coming back.” Ellsworth stated, “There used to be 2,600 ballrooms in the United States and now there are less than 100 left. The Surf Ballroom still has concerts and events almost every week including a Big Band Series on Sundays in the summer.”

Ellsworth also believes that many people didn’t know that Iowa and every other state except Vermont and Nevada were homes for POW camps during WWII. “Not many people were aware of them. They put them in small communities near the railroad so they wouldn’t attract as much attention and there was nowhere for them to go if they escaped,” explains Ellsworth. Even though life was difficult in the camps, many Iowans were eager to show that Americans weren’t as bad as the Germans made them out to be. “Many of these families had their sons fighting and dying overseas and it affected how some of them felt towards the POWs in their communities,” stated Ellsworth.

Ellsworth hopes that readers enjoy her historical love story. It has a lot of themes relating to our current immigration issues. Its main character starts the story as a teenager and grows up throughout the story. She could see older teens as well as adults appreciating the struggles and regrets faced by the characters. She even includes a bit of magic into the story because, she states, “The Surf is a magical place and for me, it was easy to incorporate a bit of the ability to speak to someone from their past, and have it be believable at the Surf.”

Writing and reading are daily activities for Ellsworth as well as being active in her local writing community and Friends of the Library organization. Her children and grandchildren live on opposite sides of the country, but she looks forward to visits with them throughout the year. She loves reading historical fiction and is currently working on a new adult historical fiction novel set during the 1940’s in the Midwest. She is also in the revision stages of a new young adult novel.

To hear more about Loretta Ellsworth and her book, STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE, be sure to check out her website, HERE. 

To purchase a copy of STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE, click the photo below:

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of the book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Book Reviews and Author Interview of Coach Ryan Sloth

IOWA STATE CYCLONES FOOTBALL A TO Z

By: Coach Sloth

Illustrated by: Adam Schartup

Published: February 7, 2017

Publisher: Mascot Books

Non-Fiction

After seeing a book on Ohio State, Ryan Sloth contacted the publisher to see if they had any similar books about Iowa State. When they said no, he agreed to write one. Sloth’s IOWA STATE CYCLONES FOOTBALL A TO Z took him two and a half years to write, mostly because it took a while to get all the logos approved. It was quite the ordeal, but now that he has gone through it once, he is more knowledgeable on the process.

Sloth uses every letter of the alphabet to share part of the Iowa State Football excitement. As a former player and coach he used his own experiences to fill the pages with football knowledge. Whether he is telling readers about the mascot, Cy, for the letter “C” or telling Hawkeye jokes on the “R” for Rivalry page, children and adult fans will really enjoy looking through the pages. Each page offers realistic illustrations and kids can enjoy looking for Cy hiding on every page.  Side boxes on each page including history of Cyclone football, facts on the game, or stats on well-known players will keep adults interested and maybe even reminiscing on their favorite seasons.

This hardcover book would make a great gift for your favorite Cyclone Fan, young or old. 

SAMMY SLOTH AND THE IOWA STATE CYCLONES

By: Coach Sloth

Published: January 6, 2015

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Fiction

Sammy Sloth makes a wish for his birthday that the Iowa State Cyclones win their football game against their archrivals this week. Every week Sammy and his dad attend the Cyclones's game starting with tailgating outside of the stadium to watching the team warm-up on the field. This week is the big game against their biggest in-state rivalry and Sammy is super excited. Will the Cyclones win?

Coach Sloth's SAMMY SLOTH series shows kids how to be positive role models, have confidence in themselves, and to find a way to be active. But, this book shares Sammy's love of Iowa State Cyclone football by sharing a day at a Cyclone football game. Football fans and Cyclone fans will be thrilled with the play-by-play of the game and all the characters that will remind them of their favorite players.

Ryan Sloth

Former Iowa State Cyclone football player, Ryan Sloth, is living the dream as a children’s author. He grew up near Belmond, Iowa and has always been a Cyclone fan. Sloth started as a freshman walk-on at Iowa State in the late 1990’s. By his senior year, he was a starting defensive back and was part of the team that led Iowa State to win their first bowl game. He majored in sports management and also received a Master’s in high education. After college, he spent some time playing and coaching in arena football, including playing and coaching for the Iowa Barnstormers.

About ten years ago, while reading a football story to his son Tucker, he realized the author knew nothing about football and the story was so awful that he threw it away. It reminded him of a story he had written in high school as part of an English assignment with the character he created called, Sammy Sloth, a play on his last name. He called his mom and luckily, she still had the story he had written and illustrated. After making a few revisions and adding some new characters, including his family, he sent it out to a few publishers. About a month later, a publisher called and Sammy Sloth was a reality.

Sammy Sloth loves sports but because he is so slow, he has a hard time playing basketball and baseball. Sammy keeps searching and doesn’t give up finding the right sport for him. Eventually he finds golf and when he is told to take a “nice slow back swing” he knows it’s the sport for him. Sloth states, “Sammy makes the team and finds out golf is his sport.” Sloth creates each Sammy book to teach a lesson such as never giving up, believing in yourself, or having patience. He even co-authored one of his books with his son and one with his daughter.

Since Sloth’s time was flexible during the off-season, he began taking his books into the classrooms. Reading has always been important to him. Sloth states, “Growing up on a farm near in the 80’s, we had story time every night because there was nothing else to do. Mom would read a few chapters a night from The Little House on the Prairie books. As I got older, I wasn’t a huge reader, and then mom introduced me to the Matt Christopher series of sports themed books. I had no idea they made books about football and that got me interested in reading again.” It’s important for him to share the importance of literacy, showing kids that reading can be fun and there is a book out there for everyone.

Sloth has plenty of other exciting things on the horizon. Due to his connections with the arena football league, he has been able to appear in several movies with football related scenes including “We are Marshall” and “Leatherheads” as well as “The Dark Knight Rises”. After publishing eight books, his ninth is nearly published. Right now Sloth is spending his time reading chapter books with his son for research on writing his own chapter book for young readers. He is also writing a novel based on the real story of one of his fellow arena football teammates dying on the field. He wants to tell the story of his team and coaches and how they overcame the tragedy. Sloth states, “It’s a ‘We are Marshall’ type of story that I hope will eventually be made into a movie.”  

In the meantime, Sloth continues to tour elementary classrooms all over the state. He wants to share the message that literacy is important, finding books that you like make reading fun, and that reading can take you anywhere. For more on Coach Sloth or to schedule a visit at your school, you can check out his website, www.CoachSloth.com. If you purchase books from there, he will autograph them before sending them out. 

To purchase a copy of IOWA STATE CYCLONES FOOTBALL A TO Z, click the photo below:

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama's regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children's and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.

Thanks to Coach Sloth for taking the time to chat with me and for sending copies of his books. If you choose to purchase a book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Navigating Indieworld Spring Book Festival Begins Today

Are you looking for a way to be introduced to new or independent authors?

Are you wanting to try a new genre that you've never read before?

Would you like to find a new author that you can add to your favorites list?

All these things can happen if you check out the Navigating Indieworld's Spring Book Festival March 27-29. By visiting their website, HERE, you can click on specific genres where you are offered a wide variety of books.

This festival offers a great opportunity to be introduced to new-to-you authors and give them a little love by purchasing and/or reading their books. Every kind of book genre is available including children's books, historical fiction, Christian fiction and nonfiction, memoir, romance, mystery, and poetry just to name a few.

Navigating Indieworld is a non-profit site developed to help indies promote their books to the general public. Put together on a whim by a group of dedicated authors, the site was created for indies by indies motivated by the lack of options available for advertising on a limited budget.

To enter to win $150 worth of prizes as part of this Spring Book Festival, click HERE.

Book Review and Author Interview: Vengeance By Eric Prochaska

VENGEANCE

By: Eric Prochaska

Published: August 26, 2016

Publisher: Endeavour Press

Fiction/Thriller

Imagine finding out your brother died in an accident. You have to return to the place you swore you’d never go back to. Then, when you muster up the strength to face your family at the visitation you find out the accident the police say happened doesn't seem to match up with the facts. Instead, it appears your brother was murdered and now you feel that it is your job to get revenge. Ethan hasn't looked back since he left Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and went to grad school in Arizona. There were a few phone calls home to his brother, Aiden, but mostly he left the horrible memories of his life there in the past. Returning home brings up all kinds of flashbacks and pain from Ethan's childhood and new revelations about the life Aiden was living.

Ethan's deep grief, shock, and remorse over the loss of his brother oozes off the page. He tries to grasp first that he died so young in an accident and then at the visitation is told that maybe this wasn't an accident at all. Prochaska expertly writes for a first-time novelist, the pain of seeing someone you love lying still in a casket. These paragraphs give readers a brutal look into the emotions of those left behind. Ethan's feelings of disbelief and guilt fill the reader with sadness and yet encourage us to move through the pages as we hope that Ethan can find a peace with his past. 

Some may think the novel starts slow without much fanfare as the novel begins with Ethan returning home. Instead, I think it sets the reader up for a deeper understanding of Ethan's need to face some hard truths about his past, his decisions, and the influence those choices had on the family he left behind.

Prochaska takes readers through the hum of the city. Whether you are driving through neighborhoods or down 1st Avenue, you can imagine yourself riding along in the car with Ethan. He methodically gives readers the lay of the land so there is no doubt about the type of place Ethan may find himself whether it is his father's home, a local bar, or the shady motel he is staying in. Cedar Rapids is given a part in this novel that is just as important as any other side character that he introduced. 

VENGEANCE is less about finding out who killed Ethan's brother and more about Ethan finding himself. Prochaska draws you in with the emotions in the beginning and takes you for a thrill ride through the middle as revenge takes over. The novel ends with the reader reflecting on their own relationships and the choices that were made in our own lives. 

Eric Prochaska - source

Award-winning author Eric Prochaska has published short stories in dozens of magazines. His debut novel VENGEANCE combines literary and populist elements into a unique noir-esque tale. Raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he now lives in and explores the American West. Check out all of Prochaska's books, click HERE.

To purchase a copy of VENGEANCE, click the photo below:

My interview with author, Eric Prochaska:

Eric Prochaska was a homebody, but on the weekends he spent most of his free time as a kid at the comic shop. He dreamed of being a comic book artist until Mrs. Bach, a teacher at McKinley Middle School, assigned her class to write a short story instead of a report. Mrs. Bach and another teacher gave him feedback and encouraged him in his writing. Mrs. Bach moved over to Washington when the Cedar Rapids School District restructured the grade levels and she continued to encourage Prochaska in his writing. He continued to write short stories and that, as they say, is history. Prochaska has written several short stories that have been published and has finally had his first novel published, VENGEANCE.

VENGEANCE is loosely based on his life growing up in Cedar Rapids. In the novel, the main character, Ethan, loses his brother. Over twenty years ago, Prochaska’s brother, Eddie, died. Even though this event and some of the circumstances inspired the book, Prochaska states, “I filled in the blanks and created the world of the book by following the adage of writing what you know.” He says close friends may find similarities between him and Ethan, but he mostly had fun writing some of the side characters and exploring their specific dynamics. Prochaska does admit that surprisingly, writing the book was healing in unexpected ways. “To have a chance to say goodbye vicariously through Ethan in this novel released something I wasn’t even aware I was still carrying.” Said Prochaska.

  

Prochaska states, “The writing process for this book was different from writing short stories, mostly in the planning process and checking for continuity. I didn’t write from beginning to end, so when it came time to write the scenes in between what I had, it was often difficult to dovetail scenes together.” In all, the writing process took Prochaska 30 months, but that included some time where the story sat idle for a bit. Most of the story was in his mind, but he did make a few trips back to Cedar Rapids to walk and drive around the city to remind himself of the feel and smell of the place. He worried that readers who didn’t personally know Cedar Rapids wouldn’t get the context of it. He tried to portray it in a way that people familiar with the city would understand as well as those who could relate to it.

Prochaska’s goal in writing this book was to “tell a story that I had been carrying around”. “VENGEANCE is more about asking tough questions and facing hard truths…telling a story that is more real than just exciting.” Prochaska is currently plotting a sequel to VENGEANCE because he really wants to explore more of the characters. The early success of his novel has surprised Prochaska with VENGEANCE reaching “Top Five” in its category on Amazon already in the first month of it being published. He is thrilled stating, “I’ve poured so much time and passion into something to finally see people getting their hands on it and enjoying it.” 

A post from today, 6 years ago - Blessing #21 

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Thanks to the author for sending a copy of this novel for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase this novel through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Book Review and Author Interview: The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms

THE MATCHMAKERS OF MINNOW BAY: A Novel

By: Kelly Harms

Published: August 9, 2016

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Fiction/Contemporary Fiction

Kelly Harms' sophomore novel focuses on Lily, an artist, who has lived her life relying on others to clean up her life-messes. Her best friend, Renee, doesn't seem to have much time for her in her attorney/mom life. Her gallerist/boyfriend, Mitchell, is only concerned about the next piece she is creating and not the current mess Lily has found herself in. Lily is stuck and since she hasn't turned out a painting lately, she is being evicted from her apartment after missing rent. While cleaning out her apartment, Lily finds an envelope that takes her back to a night in Vegas and a man she has totally forgotten about, Ben Hutchinson. Once the shock of the contents of the envelope has sunk in, she jumps in her hatchback loaded with everything she has ever owned and travels to Minnow Bay, Wisconsin, to find Ben and make things right.

Lily is a character you love, yet are annoyed with. Lily has lived in her artist bubble for ten years and her naivety has let the people in her life walk all over her. During Lily's stay in Minnow Bay, some new characters emerge that have their own life issues and yet offer Lily kindness, generosity, and the reality check she needs. Minnow Bay is much like many other small towns in the Midwest where news travels faster that you can walk to the mailbox. It has all the quirky characters and small town struggles of staying afloat in the middle of the winter season. It also has people who genuinely care about each other and they are just the people that Lily needed to walk into her life.

Harms' book is a light read and one that could easily be read in a weekend. The romance is light and without graphic detail. The friendships are heartfelt and humorous. The story is a bit silly and predictable. But, the whole package works. Harms has the skill to put the reader into the scene of the story, with the location, the temperature, the scenery, and the emotions. It's all there and the reader can visualize the story playing out before them. It's not a skill all authors have and she has it. Her writing reminds me of Beth Kendrick or Jane Green, both authors I have written about before. Her characters will stay with you and when the book ends you'll be wanting to know more.

Favorite Quotes:
"I swear I hear the sound of my panties hitting the floor." page 29
"As long as you take a few moments for stars now and then, your soul will stay alive." page 40

Kelly Harms - submitted photo

Kelly Harms is the author of THE GOOD LUCK GIRLS OF SHIPWRECK LANE and THE MATCHMAKERS OF MINNOW BAY. She has also worked with New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, Edgar, RITA, and Agatha award winners, and Indie Next List Picks in her time as an editor at a division of HarperCollins and later as an agent at the Jane Rotrosen Agency. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her son Griffin and puppy Scout.

My interview with author, Kelly Harms -

I caught Harms for a few minutes to chat while painters had just arrived at her home. Her 5-year-old son was at school and her precious golden doodle puppy was at her feet. Her personality flowed through the phone and I can see how she writes such fun novels. Her first book, THE GOODLUCK GIRLS OF SHIPWRECK LANE centers on the dream of finding a forever home.  It was special to her because she was also getting ready to relocate to Madison, leaving New York City, the place where she had spent her roaring 20’s. Her newest book, THE MATCHMAKERS OF MINNOW BAY, is inspired by the lake areas of Northern Wisconsin and has a bit of the same feel with the main character, Lily, needing to revisit where she is in her life. She is stuck in the past and determined not to move forward in her life. Harms states, “I was also tired of treading water and needed to move forward in my life. I needed to write from the perspective of someone who had much to offer and was at a crossroads in life. There is magic in who steps into your life in that moment to help you move forward.”

After working in publishing for almost a decade (which she says was the best job in the world), she was able to rub elbows with some of her writerly heroes like Susan Wiggs. Harms states, “It was a formative time for me. Every day was a master class where I could learn from the best writers in the business.” Her early years in the business allowed her to create life-long friendships with some fabulous authors…many of whom offered wide praise on her second book.

Kelly Harms’ novels are for readers looking for fun and pleasure. “The fact that I write love stories is no surprise because my parents had a beautiful love story that lasted 47 years,” says Harms proudly.  Harms didn’t always want to be a writer but instead had plans to be a doctor. Fortunately for us readers, organic chemistry was extremely difficult for her and after taking it two times, she decided to look at other options, taking an internship at a magazine with a book section. “I knew right away that I needed to be near where books were being made.”  Harms said she was always an avid reader and her mom would say she was great at making up stories. I’d say she is too.  Having the opportunity to learn from the best commercial fiction writers out there encouraged her to take a leap of faith and write her first book. Harms states, “It was a 10-year-long overnight success.”

Kelly Harms takes inspiration from authors like Marisa de los Santos, Fannie Flagg, Jane Green, Jo Jo Moyes, and Susan Wiggs who “write from a place of bold, fearless optimism. There are no perfect characters, no bad guys, just people muddling along in life.” Harms typically reads outside her genre while writing to not be influenced by what she is reading at the time. But, when I asked what book she is most excited about this fall, she stated, “the new Maria Semple book (TODAY WILL BE DIFFERENT). I’ll be sitting by my mailbox waiting for it to arrive.”

Harms will read snippets from her novel, answer questions, but mostly talk off the cuff. “We are all there because we love books.” Fans will be thrilled to hear she is working on another Minnow Bay book focusing on the character, Colleen. “I’m also having an affair with a story of a woman who steps away from her busy life as a mom and wife and what happens when she does.” Kelly Harms definitely has the talent to write the stories readers want to read. 

To purchase a copy of THE MATCHMAKERS OF MINNOW BAY, click the photo below:





A post from today, 8 years ago - The Give Begins 
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Book Review and Interview: Prohibition in Eastern Iowa By Linda Betsinger McCann

PROHIBITION IN EASTERN IOWA

By: Linda Betsinger McCann

Published: June 2014

Publisher: The Iowan Books

Non-Fiction

When Linda McCann would visit cemeteries, she realized she had stories to share while telling her granddaughter about their ancestors. In her research, she realized her family was a descendant of the founder of Shellrock. No one in her family knew this information and she was curious to find out what other important pieces of family history her family didn’t know. This began her quest to share the stories of her family’s history as well as many others. She began by starting the historical society in Shellrock. People would give her items, like artifacts from towns like Coster that no longer exist. McCann realized it was important to preserve these items because those towns were important enough for people to name. When her granddaughters were 8 and 10, she took them to Irma, a lost town with only one house left. Her granddaughters didn’t understand why they were there and McCann told them their grandmother was born there. The girls replied by asking where the hospital was. McCann knew there was a history lesson that needed to be taught that wasn’t being shared in our schools. She set out writing her “Lost Counties of Iowa” series of books such as LOST CEDAR COUNTY and LOST LINN COUNTY.

It seems McCann may have opened a can of worms, because as she travels to communities and begins sharing her stories from the many books she has written, she is often exposed to new stories that lead her in a direction for a new book. This is how her book, PROHIBITION IN EASTERN IOWA began. After a discussion about the train that led from Waverly to Waterloo, the audience began sharing stories about how Bremer County was a wet county and Black Hawk was a dry county. They shared how men would fill suitcases in one county and ride the train back to another in order to get alcohol. It piqued her interest even more when in other locations, people didn’t know that Prohibition was a law in Iowa. This began her quest to share those stories.

Much of McCann’s research for her prohibition book was taken from newspaper articles noting arrests, gun battles, and even murders in our quiet rural communities. McCann is aware that time was running out to gather stories from living people who experienced prohibition and set out to talk to as many of them as she could find. Surprisingly, there were several who were not willing to share their stories or name names due to the shame. Many of the farm families in Iowa were used to their corn selling for $5/bushel in 1917. Times were good and families were able to get by. Then by 1923, corn was selling for just $.25/bushel and farmers couldn’t pay their bills or feed their families. Bootlegging and making and selling alcohol was a way for them to stay afloat. Most of the law enforcement chose to look the other way, knowing that farmers needed this to survive. As long as they didn’t call attention to themselves, the police usually ignored them. Then the mob moved to Iowa and started taking over which made things more dangerous for farmers and police.

A true bootlegger - photo supplied by author

McCann has found it interesting that in her research, nearly every community stated that Al Capone was in their town doing something. Every time she would hear this bit of history, she would laugh to herself, wondering how Capone could be in all these places yet still work in Chicago. She doesn’t doubt Capone was in Iowa but wonders if all the sightings are more rumor than fact. She was surprised by all the murders and gun battles that took place in once quiet, rural communities over the making and selling of alcohol.

The Iowa Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) organized at the same time the National organization formed in 1874 and stayed active until 1930. Iowa’s WCTU may be best known for its Vinton, Iowa president who was killed in 1925. Her murder is still unsolved today. Newspapers would run editorial ads to promote WCTU and other groups that supported prohibition. Once such ad is sure to give a chuckle, “Lips that touch liquor shall not touch ours”.

Many loopholes were created to escape the laws during Prohibition. Pharmacies and churches were able to continue to purchase alcohol for medicinal and religious reasons. When I read that ten gallons of wine per adult were allotted for each church per year, I had to stop and do the math. If each adult went to church once a week that meant each adult could have approximately 24 ounces of wine each church service. I’m not sure how much wine other churches serve at their communion, but I know we don’t get that much! These loopholes were interesting pieces to the numerous stories shared in McCann’s book.

If you are one of my local readers....

To hear more of her stories, especially those that pertain to Benton County and the surrounding areas, come to the Van Horne Public Library 106 Main St, on Thursday, September 8, 2016, at 7:00 PM. Just down the street, Cornerstone Apothecary will be offering a wine tasting from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Refreshments will be available at the library as well.

McCann will have copies of her books and will be eager to hear stories that she just might put into her next book. She is currently writing about the Civilian Conservation Corps, a camp that was just outside Waverly as well as locations in Belle Plaine and Marion. These camps were part of creating Backbone State Park as well as helping with soil erosion and drought relief. She is willing to talk to anyone who may have had family members that worked in these camps. She is also working on a Lost Towns of Benton County book and is looking for history from these communities.

Her books are available at www.Iowan.com.  

Linda Betsinger McCann 

Linda Betsinger McCann has always loved Iowa history. She became an RN and worked in the profession for many years. When she had the time to get involved in genealogy, her appetite for local history was wetted. Linda has since written five books in the LOST TOWNS series and has plans for more. While researching for her books, other topics come up. She has since written other books chronicling the history of Iowa. Linda enjoys speaking to schools and groups about her books. She can be reached through her publisher, www.Iowan.com or through her Facebook page Lost Towns of Iowa, HERE. 

A post from today, 8 years ago - Politics at Home
A post from today, 7 years ago - The Old Hymns
A post from today, 2 years ago - DIY Decoupage Letter "G"
A post from today, 1 year ago - Book Review: 30 Lessons for Loving By Karl Pillemer, PhD 

Book Spotlights: Clink Street Publishing #Blogival Book Tour

Today I am sharing more books from the Clink Street Publishing Blogival Event. These books cover a wide range of genres and readers. To see other stops on the tour, check out the calendar below.

Clicking on the photos of each of the books will take you to its Amazon page. If you purchase the book through the link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com.



THE LAST BLUE MOUNTAIN
Tales of a Traveling Englishman
By: James Chilton
Published: March 16, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

From Gabon to Guyana, Shangri La to Kamchatka, through rainbow markets and exuberant rainforests, across impressionist landscapes and a high altitude desert, author James Chilton's delightfully diverse collection of travel writing will whet the appetite and feed the imagination. The Last Blue Mountain takes readers far off the beaten tourist tracks and onto uncharted trails of natural beauty and cultural diversity. Chilton reveals his enthusiasm for travel - he's visited some seventy-eight countries to date - and his love of food, beauty, flora, fauna and, above all, the people he meets along the way. Witty, articulate and with sharp observations, his engaging and often humorous snapshots are illustrated throughout with evocative pen and ink sketches. 



ASCENSION
The Oasis Series
By:  Jeannie van Rompaey
Published: March 1, 2016
Formats: Paperback and eBook

Meet the MUTANT HUMANOIDS. They may look a little different from us, but inside they're much the same as you and me. Left on a diseased Earth, they live in windowless compounds, safe from the contaminated wilderness outside. Safe, yes, but their lives are restricted. 

When the mutant humanoids discover that some complete human beings, COMPLETES, have also survived and are living greatly improved lives on satellites, they determine to rectify this imbalance and claim their share of Earth's heritage. Three-headed RA rules the humanoids with ruthless precision, but others are involved in a power struggle to depose him. Who will succeed in being the next CEO of Planet Earth? 

Sixteen -year-old MERCURY plans to start a new life on Oasis. Will it prove the Utopia he expects it to be? 

ASCENSION, the first novel in Jeannie van Rompaey's Oasis Series, explores with humour and compassion the way humans respond to change. The future worlds of Earth and Oasis mirror our contemporary society. The division between the haves and have-nots widens and the lust for power leads to corruption. But there are idealists determined to build a fairer, more egalitarian society.



ATTACK AT DAWN
Reliving the Battle of Narvik in World War II
By: Ron Cope
Published: April 10, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

On March 1, 1940, Adolf Hitler ordered the invasion of Norway. Having swept across Europe at a terrifying pace, the Nazi assault on Scandinavia was designed to secure the valuable source of iron ore being delivered by rail from Sweden to the Norwegian port of Narvik. To complete the task, Hitler sent ten large, modern destroyers, with 220 Alpine Troops on each. Five smaller British H Class destroyers were sent up the fjord in retaliation by the Allied forces, with little knowledge of what to expect. On April 10, the first battle of Narvik began. Royal Naval Captain, Bernard Warburton-Lee, led his flotilla at midnight into the fjord. They had to navigate the four hour passage undetected, under darkness and in driving snow storms. The harbour — eerily silent on their arrival — quickly erupted into a torpedo attack. Back into the fjord, the destroyers Hardy, Hunter, Hotspur, Havock and Hostile were confronted by five German destroyers, coming from both the front and rear. This resulted in a ferocious sea battle with the loss of Hardy and Hunter and damage to the enemy ships. Those crew members who managed to abandon ship and swim ashore, under bombardment from the Germans, had to endure a ten mile march and pray for safe passage back to Britain in order to survive. Author Ron Cope delivers a comprehensive and gripping account of the Narvik battle, juxtaposing the myriad strategic difficulties encountered by the British Navy, with the vivid and insightful personal accounts of the brave survivors involved, most of whom were under the age of twenty-three. Including first-hand testimony from Cope's own father Cyril, a then twenty-one year old Torpedoman, and documents shared for the first time by the family of Captain Warburton-Lee, Cope presents an arresting account of this crucial British naval victory, as told by the sailors who were there. "Meticulously researched, Attack at Dawn relates the vivid real-life experiences of the British sailors who took part in the extraordinarily bold attack by five British destroyers against superior German forces at Narvik... and the desperate running battle that ensued as they tried to make their escape". John Warburton-Lee, grandson of Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee. V.C. 




MAGICK IT UP
By:Sheelagh McGrath
Published: September 18, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

MAGICK IT UP is a hubbly Bubbly metaphysical take with beautiful illustrations. It is on the cutting edge of new thought for the younger generation. It promotes empowerment, hope, and a sense of wonder, with a little history and folklore stirred ihnto the bubbling brew. The story is based in everyday reality and departs into other dimensions but always returns safely to the present day. The two main characters Alex, aged 11, and his adventurous Grandmother, Nonni, are whisked unexpectedly and unconventionally through diverse multiple realities; at one time travelling on the backs of bats from crystal caves; experiencing the thrill of closely observing wild animals in Africa: discovering fairies in the midst of an English Forest and participating in the wonders of Australia, natural and man made, altogether proving that wishes really can be manifested. It is alchemy in the mental rather than the metal sense, altering situations by thought and intent. 'Magick It Up' will take you on a journey to places that some might only dream of, inspiring both young and old. Alex and Nonni's loving bond shines through as they share these magickal adventures. This bond between generations and the handing down of wisdom are an important message for today's disenchanted youth living in a troubled World.



THE MAGICKAL BIRTHDAY TREAT 
By: Sheelagh McGrath
Published: September 18, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

Jessica enjoys a Magickal Birthday Treat with her Grandmother, Nonni, on her eleventh Birthday. Arriving at Jess's house in Massachusetts, USA, Nonni has some surprises in store for her Granddaughter. They zoom around the World, visiting many places in only a few hours, dimension-hopping, time-hopping and culture-hopping. Visiting Europe and its historical past, Africa and its wonders and Asia, past and present! They travel in a mysterious manner, which is both exciting and daunting, somewhat like Nonni and Alex, in the first book of the series. Along the way, Nonni teaches her Granddaughter a smattering of history, of people and places, the importance of family values and about metaphysics; energy, manifestation, empowerment and Universal Oneness. All of this experienced with fun, a little fear and oodles of excitement. 



WE NEVER LET YOU GO
By: Tracy Peppiatt
Published: March 16, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

It is said that a picture paints a thousand words but unless those words are revealed the viewer has to make their own interpretation. A family photograph like thousands of others may give a clue to the location and time through clothing and scenery, but what is not apparent are the thoughts, aspirations, and life of those portrayed. This is a story of a working class family, whose voyage through the rapidly changing society of the 60's and 70's, was probably like many others. But the difference with this story is that despite the often genuinely desperate situations that they found themselves, they persevered throughout with love and mutual dependence but primarily because there was little choice. The bond that holds us all together through all of life's twists and turns and ultimately determines how we turn out in later life is the underlying story that is revealed. However, as we are the product of our response to our experiences through life, we ultimately never let go.



REAL YOGA
A Pure and Simple Journey
By: Vimla Lalvani
Published: February 1, 2016
Formats: Paperback and eBook

The Queen of Yoga returns to de-mystify the spiritual practice and release it from ridiculous fads by exploring and explaining Yoga's ancient roots, promoting it’s application to modern living and how it can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age or ability.

After training as a personal student of Yogic master B.K.S. Iyengar in India and practicing the traditional techniques for the past forty years, Vimla Lalvani is the living epitome of Real Yoga’s philosophy and it’s benefits. Featuring: • Realistic and detailed photo-illustrated, step-by-step guides to every yoga routine. • Introduction into yoga philosophy and it’s application into every day life. • Yoga sequences and asanas to help heal a range of specific illnesses and conditions.

Real Yoga: A pure and simple journey provides an accessible foundation for anyone wishing to start the practice of yoga and hopes to encourage every individual to reap the benefits - from dealing with life’s stresses to feeling confident, positive and gaining a sense of empowerment - not to mention enjoying a happier and longer life.