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Author Guest Post - Pat Bertram (& a Giveaway - closed)

CONGRATS TO LUCKY WINNER - KAREN!


Readers, please join me welcoming Pat Bertram, author of Daughter Am I who's guest blogging here today!

In Daughter Am I, when twenty-five-year-old Mary Stuart learns she inherited a farm from her recently murdered grandparents-grandparents her father claimed had died before she was born-she becomes obsessed with finding out who they were and why someone wanted them dead. Along the way she accumulates a crew of feisty octogenarians-former gangsters and friends of her grandfather. She meets and falls in love Tim Olson, whose grandfather shared a deadly secret with her great-grandfather. Now Mary and Tim need to stay one step ahead of the killer who is desperate to dig up that secret.
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Often writers will tell a story and then go searching for the facts, which can be a challenge, but I wrote Daughter Am I to fit what I knew about bootleggers, gangsters, and the mob. I had to research cars, because what I know about vehicles wouldn't fill a carburetor, but the rest was easy until it came time to figure out why my robbers buried the gold they stole.

The story depended on the stolen gold disappearing for decades, and I simply could not figure out a believable explanation. I thought perhaps I'd have to abandon the story, but that very evening I happened upon a book a friend was reading about the gold standard. I leafed through the book, and there it was - the robbers' motivation.

On Sunday, March 5, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced that saving gold was prohibited, and those who had gold coins, bars, ingots had to surrender their stash. On March 13, armed treasury agents went after everyone known to have gold that hadn't been turned in. This shocked me so much I knew I had to use it for my story.

Serendipitous findings such as this are so common that author Graham Hancock found a term for it, "gifts from the library gods." I am particularly grateful for this gift - without it, there would have been no Daughter Am I.

Pat Bertram
author of DAUGHTER AM I, MORE DEATHS THAN ONE, and A SPARK OF HEAVENLY FIRE -- available online from Amazon, Smashwords, and Second Wind Publishing, LLC
http://patbertram.com
http://ptbertram.wordpress.com
Lucky for us you found that interesting tidbit, Pat!

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GIVEAWAY

The Prize

A print copy of this book will go to one lucky reader.

To Enter
  • Just leave a comment telling me : why you want to win/read this book.
  • Please list your email address within your comment so that you can be notified should you be chosen as a winner.
For Extra Entries

Please leave a NEW comment for each extra entry you do.


Deadline   Midnight CST of December 11, 2009.

Eligibility  US only.

Please read the Disclaimer. Good luck!
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Comments

  1. According to my father, his father was the biggest bootlegger of the county in which they lived. I have not verified this, and I am not sure if I really want to know : )

    gcwhiskas at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am an email subscriber.

    gcwhiskas at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hearing about the author's experience in gaining material for her book adds to my interest in reading Daughter I Am.

    wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I follow with Google Friends Connect.

    wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh this sounds like a great mystery to solve! You see so few books that even mention the older generation so I would love to read it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. On my technorati faves list.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am a facebook fan

    ReplyDelete
  8. I follow your blog.

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  9. Twitter/tweet:
    http://twitter.com/Babasfarmlife/status/5622361314

    ReplyDelete
  10. Posted here:(2)
    http://babasfarmlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/cool-giveaways_11.html

    ReplyDelete
  11. Posted here:(5)
    http://babasfarmlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/cool-giveaways_11.html

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  12. Posted here:(6)
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  13. Posted here:(7)
    http://babasfarmlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/cool-giveaways_11.html

    djsloan1953@yahoo.com

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  14. Posted here:(8)
    http://babasfarmlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/cool-giveaways_11.html

    djsloan1953@yahoo.com

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  15. Posted here:(9)
    http://babasfarmlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/cool-giveaways_11.html

    djsloan1953@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Posted here:(10)
    http://babasfarmlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/cool-giveaways_11.html

    djsloan1953@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. This sounds like a fun family mystery. I would like to read it.
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Follower by email

    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love mysteries and secrets. This book sounds full of them.

    clenna at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I subscribe to A Book Blogger's Diary feed.

    clenna at aol dot com

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  21. I subscribe to email updates.

    clenna at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I'm a fan on FB (FB name: clenna lyons emery)

    clenna at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Looks like a good mystery and I love a good mystery.
    Thanks for the giveaway.

    s.mickelson at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  24. I like to think bloggers become friends of sorts through the Internet and I consider Pat in that category. I'd love to read her latest book!

    reading_frenzy at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  25. No need to enter me. I'm dropping in because Pat asked me to post about her appearance over at Win a Book. Which I'm always glad to do!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi Pat~followed you over from facebook again. I think it is interesting how Pat takes what she knows & puts it into a book. It is neat about the gold. I did not know that. It is shocking. Just reading the excerpt it sounds wonderful.
    Sue
    katsrus@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am following this blog.
    Sue
    katsrus@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. I became a fan on facebook.
    Sue
    katsrus@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am getting Book Blogger's Diary Email Updates.
    (Thanks for the contest.)
    Sue
    katsrus@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. This book sounds very intriguing!! I would love to read it:)
    Thanks!
    christinbanda at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'd love to read this book - I actually live on my grandfather's farm (but have no expectation of any gold hiding in the ground ... although I do know a dump truck bed is buried here).

    kolists a/t gmail d\t com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I subscribe.

    kolists a/t gmail d\t com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I would love to win this book. I've become a fan of Pat's writing but have yet to acquire any of her books.

    I like her point about coming up with plausible explanations for situations in fiction. I see that as a significant challenge in fiction writing at times.

    jjbeckmd@dcwis.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. Mystery-family-intrigue-all components of a good read.

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Email subscriber.

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Follower - Google Friend Connect.

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  37. I'm following Pat, and now I'm following you. The history, and how she found the history, is fascinating. I love all Pat's book tour articles - always something new to intrigue me.

    sdeeth at msn dot com

    ReplyDelete
  38. Pat Bertram is a new author to me so I would love to win and read this book. Please enter me in your draw. Thanks.
    wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  39. I am a follower of your blog.
    wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  40. I'd like to win this book for my mother, which I will gladly give her after I read it!
    faeriegodmother3@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  41. Would love to win, sounds like a good read and with winter coming so fast I'm looking for reading material
    copperllama at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  42. Subscribe to A Book Blogger's Diary feed
    copperllama at yahoo dot com

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  43. Subscribe to A Book Blogger's Diary Email Updates
    copperllama at yahoo dot com

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  44. I think the idea of incorporating the older generation of octos and bootlegging history makes this sound like a great read. Thanks for the chance to win.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  45. Google Reader subscriber/follower.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  46. This book looks fascinating

    janemaritz at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  47. I would like to read this book because I have never read any of Bertram's books, and this one sounds so interesting. Please enter me. Thanks!

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  48. I am an email subscriber.

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  49. Pat is a brand new author to me and that in itself is exciting. So I am very interested in reading this!


    mytyme2 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  50. justpeachy36@yahoo.com

    Interestingly enough I have a relative that was arrested for bootlegging. But, we aren't talking back in the old days... this was last year lol... I think this book sounds very interesting and look forward to reading it whether I win it or not.

    ReplyDelete
  51. justpeachy36@yahoo.com

    I am a subscriber.

    ReplyDelete
  52. I'd like to win this book because I love genealogy and this books sounds like an interesting case of family history research!

    Please enter me in this giveaway!

    saemmerson at yahoo dot com

    Sarah Emmerson

    ReplyDelete
  53. I subscribe to your feed.

    saemmerson at yahoo dot com

    Sarah Emmerson

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  54. I subscribe to your email updates.

    saemmerson at yahoo dot com

    Sarah Emmerson

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  55. I added this blog to my Technorati favorites.

    saemmerson at yahoo dot com

    Sarah Emmerson

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  56. I sent a Facebook friend request.

    saemmerson at yahoo dot com

    Sarah Emmerson

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  57. I follow this blog.

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    Sarah Emmerson

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  58. I follow you on Twitter and tweeted:

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  62. I follow you on Twitter and tweeted:

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  63. This looks like a very intriguing story!

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  64. subscribe via feed


    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  65. I faved you on Technorati

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  66. Facebook Fan

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  67. Follower

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  68. I follow you on Twitter and I Tweeted

    http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/6392380927

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  69. I follow you on Twitter and tweeted:

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    Sarah Emmerson

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  75. This sounds fascinating - gangsters, a mystery and set during FDR's time!

    Please count me in.

    gaby317nyc at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  76. I subscribe to your feed through googlereader & blogger

    gaby317nyc at gmail.com

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  77. I subscribe via email

    gaby317nyc at gmail dot com

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  78. I follow you on Twitter and tweeted:

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  88. I'd like to win this book because this is a new author for me & this book looks really interesting.
    Thanks ~ megalon22 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  89. I'm an e-mail subscriber
    megalon22 at yahoo dot com

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  90. I have a pending friend confirmation on Facebook
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  92. I follow you on Twitter and tweeted:

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  100. It sounds like a wonderful book! I'd love to give it a try.

    misusedinnocence@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  101. Thank you all for stopping by and leaving your comments. The Winner has been notified.

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