Meredith Allard

Painting the Past is a good resource for aspiring writers with general advice on craft in general and a few more specific recommendations on writing historical fiction specifically (which you don't really get to until chapter 7 - What Kind of Information Do I Need?). At the end of each of those first seven (7) chapters, the author provides a good writing exercise called "Quick Write" that seem useful for figuring out exactly what you want to write about; however, most of the book appears to be anecdotal vignettes to illustrate the concepts or motivate the writer until chapter 17 - Moving Past the Blank Page, where you will find several tips on doing just that. I found the next seven (7) chapters to be the best part of the book and marked it up for future reference. Over all it was a simple and accessible reference for a beginning writer that echoed a lot of the advice I have found in other such material with a few tips and tricks to make this slightly unique on is own and worth a look.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#PaintingThePast #NetGalley… (mehr)

When It Rained at Hembry Castle was a long time in the making for novelist Meredith Allard. Twenty years to be precise. But it wasn't until the last few years that she had an opportunity to work on it. She was also inspired by the television show she, and practically everyone else, loves--Downton Abbey.

When It Rained at Hembry Castle is set in the Victorian era. It begins with the funeral of the eighth Earl of Staton, who was much loved by not only his family but the entire town. The author also introduces the readers to the entire family and their personalities: Richard, the new earl, is reluctant to inherit his position. Fredrick and his daughter, Daphne, have come across from America, where they are eager to return. The grandmother, who is all decorum and responsibility. There are a few other that color the pages of this novel.

Here's what I liked about the novel: Allard's description of the countryside of England was beautiful. For the most part, I really liked the story line. I think the mystery angle could have played up a bit more. More red herrings, more intrigue. My favorite characters are Edward Ellis and Agatha, the Countess of Staton. These two characters were the most believable and they felt authentic to the time period.

Here's what I didn't like: At times it seemed the dialog between the characters was too modernized. It startled me out of the dream that was this novel. I didn't really care for Daphne's character because she was too good, without a flaw. She didn't seem to have any depth to her and was a bit flat for my liking. I saw a small spark of defiance in her toward the end of the novel. So maybe there is hope for her yet. The last, but not least, thing is Charles Dickens. I really like Dickens, and so does the author, but he is mentioned a lot, and it distracts from the novel.

I know I've given some criticisms as well as some praise, but overall it's not a bad read. I really encourage you to look at some of the other reviews on this tour or Goodreads and Amazon to get different opinions. I really appreciate the opportunity to read this book and share it with you.

Read more at http://www.toreadornottoread.net/2016/04/review-when-it-rained-at-hembry-castle....… (mehr)