Thanks to Caitlin Valenziano of Penguin/Randomhouse, I am giving away one print copy of Mistress Firebrand by Donna Thorland.
Book Description:
British Occupied Manhattan, 1777. American actress Jenny Leighton has been packing the John Street Theater with her witty comedies, but she longs to escape the provincial circuit for the glamour of the London stage. When the playwright General John Burgoyne visits the city, fresh from a recent success in the capitol, she seizes the opportunity to court his patronage. But her plan is foiled by British intelligence officer Severin Devere.
Severin’s mission is to keep the pleasure-loving general focused on the war effort…and away from pretty young actresses. But the tables are turned when Severin himself can’t resist Jenny Leighton…
Months later, Jenny has abandoned her dreams of stage glory and begun writing seditious plays for the Rebels under the pen name “Cornelia,” ridiculing “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne and his army—and undermining the crown’s campaign to take Albany. With Jenny’s name now on the hanging list, Severin is ordered to find her—and deliver her to certain death. Soon, the two are launched on a desperate journey through the wilderness, toward an uncertain future shaped by the revolution—and their passion for each other…
About Donna Thorland:
A native of Bergenfield, New Jersey, Donna graduated from Yale with a degree in Classics and Art History. For many years she managed architecture and interpretation at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, and wrote and directed the Witch City’s most popular Halloween theater festival, Eerie Events. She later earned an MFA in film production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Donna has been a sorority house mother, a Disney/ABC Television Writing Fellow, a WGA Writer’s Access Project Honoree, and a writer on the ABC primetime drama, Cupid. Her screenwriting credits include episodes of the animated series,
Tron:Uprising. Her short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Albedo One. The director of several award-winning short films, her most recent project, The Night Caller, aired on WNET Channel 13 and was featured on Ain’t It Cool News. Currently she is a writer on the WGN drama SALEM. She is married with one cat and divides her time between the real Salem and Los Angeles.
This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on March 14, 2015. Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
Fascinating and intriguing novel. Thanks.
I was in the theatre business for years. This story’s right up my alley. Thanks
I like historical books so this looks great to me.
interesting time period
I cannot really abide fiction with romance as a central plot element, so the passion that may be discovered is too great a danger to lure me to discover how this otherwise intriguing plot unfolds unfortunately.
I have already commented once this week (Jerome Charyn is oddly beautiful and demonstrates an intellectual swagger I find most fitting in his author photo included in the I Am Abraham post). And I am not a very face-centric sort of person — I’ve always been one for content over form every day of the week and twice if it involves the practice of law or medicine.
And yet, surely someone must comment on this author photo; the gauntlet has been thrown! I admit, at first I couldn’t really take my fellow New Jerseyan’s bold swagger. I was like, “Is she for real?” I think the answer is “Heck Yes!” now that I’ve given it thought, but I still cannot tell if there is any message in re: absurdity intended in this pose, or in the selection of the photograph for this purpose. I’ve decided, however, that either way, it’s pretty friggin’ awesome.
In fact, I don’t know if it would be more bad arse if this author were to proceed about the world with such a visage regularly presented, without irony, or if there were indeed an element of humor about its posing/selection intended for our contemplation/amusement….either way, I bow down to Ms. Thorland. I like that Jersey swagger; keep coming on strong, you delightful woman! Seriously.
Cheers, Kara S
PS I am by no means insinuating it’s not a really good looking head shot; it’s the intensity of the gaze I find so interesting, to be clear.
I am interested in the time period, the war, and their journey through the wilderness. Thanks for having the giveaway.
I have read the first two of the series and can’t wait to read this one.