# Native American - "Beneath The Shining Mountains" - *99c* sale!



## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Hi everyone

I've finally got my second rights-reverted Historical Romance uploaded to Kindle: *Beneath The Shining Mountains*

*Blurb:*
It is the good times between the coming of the horse and the encroachment of land-hungry settlers. On the northern plains, among the Apsaroke people, Moonhawk yearns for Winter Man to notice her, but why would a man with so many lovers want to take a wife? Her wry challenge to his virility captures Winter Man's attention but starts an escalating game of one-upmanship that threatens to lead Moonhawk and her family to ridicule and shame. A story of honour among rival warrior societies, and one woman's determination to wed the man of her dreams.

BENEATH THE SHINING MOUNTAINS
Genre: Historical Romance (Romantic Suspense); heat level: sensual
86,000 words.

Review:
"In 'Beneath The Shining Mountains' Linda Acaster has delivered the perfect balance of a gripping, heart-warming romance with a solid knowledge of North American Indian tribes, their customs and way of life." - Avril Field-Taylor, author of 'Murder at Oakwood Grange - A Sherlock Holmes Mystery'.

BENEATH THE SHINING MOUNTAINS also includes additional material:

7,000 word excerpt from HOSTAGE OF THE HEART by Linda Acaster
Genre: Mediaeval Romance (Romantic Suspense); heat level: sweet
When Rhodri ap Hywel sweeps from his Welsh fastness to reclaim stolen lands, he also takes the English Lady Dena as a battle hostage. Betrayed as worthless by her kin, dare she place her trust, and her life, in the hands of a warrior-knight shielding dark secrets of his own?

About the Author:
Linda Acaster is an award-winning author of four novels and 70+ short stories. She lives in the United Kingdom where she was a Northern Plains re-enactor, giving talks to adult and school groups.


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## Karen Fenech (Jul 1, 2010)

Hi Linda,

Rights reversion can take some doing. : )  Congratulations on this new edition.  It sounds like a good read.  I'm off to take a look at the book. 

Karen


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Hi Karen - I was lucky. I grabbed 'em as soon as they became available. If I'd waited until I could use them I'd never have got them back! (Indie authoring on Amazon has only been possible for non USA residents since the beginning of the year)

Hope you enjoy the sample, and thanks for dropping by - Linda


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## Karen Fenech (Jul 1, 2010)

Hi Linda,

Grabbing your e- rights as soon as they became available was good thinking.  It's been my experience that it is a s-l-o-w process.  : )  So glad it worked out for you.

All the best with indie authoring!

Karen


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## Sandra Edwards (May 10, 2010)

Congrats on getting your rights back, Linda. Sometimes, that process can be a bear. BENEATH THE SHINNING MOUNTAINS sounds like a great read. I've downloaded a sample  

Sandy


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Getting the rights back was the best business decision I ever made. Pity I haven't made a few more good ones - LOL. Yes, the process was slow, but once it's started the publisher can't renege without good reason as there's a time sequence involved, at least there was with my contract with Harlequin UK.


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## Karen Fenech (Jul 1, 2010)

Re pity about good business decisions - LOL.  There a few business decisions I also wouldn't mind undoing. : )  

All the best to you, Linda!

Karen


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## Dana Taylor (Jan 8, 2010)

Hi Linda--

Your book intrigues me.  Love the title and the cover.  It's so great to see a book that may have some elements we haven't read a million times over.

Dana Taylor


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Dana: glad you are intrigued. I _like_ reading novels with what the industry considers odd attributes. Alpha males that are built as if they've been weaned on steroids and are all fantasy sex I find laughable. I want my characters to be human, able to reveal their inner strengths, and weaknesses, not just to the reader but to themselves when put under pressure. I want a 3D world as every bit interlocking as I'd get if I read an epic Fantasy. I want layers in the storyline; whether all readers mark each one is immaterial. I don't want my male main character to labour under a short "nickname" which demotes him to the level of a cartoon. 'Steals Horses in a Painted Whirlwind' was my preferred choice based on research of the Apsaroke and what his life had delivered by the start of the novel, 'Dart' was suggested by my editor (!!) and under pressure I had to go with her second choice 'Winter Man' which I've stayed with for this re-issue as the poor bloke is now chained to it - LOL.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the sample, and thanks for dropping by.

Linda


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## Victorine (Apr 23, 2010)

Hi Linda!

Oooh, I love a good romantic suspense novel.  And I'm a "sweet" romance reader, so I might have to grab a copy of Hostage of the Heart.  It looks good!

Good luck with your books!

Vicki


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Linda--

welcome to KindleBoards and congratulations on your book rights and republishing!

We invite you to use your book cover as your avatar and have links to your book and website in your signature, as you've done. Although self-promotion is limited to the Book Bazaar, most of our authors have found the best way to promote their books is to be as active throughout KindleBoards as time allows. This is your target audience--book lovers with Kindles!

Be sure to bookmark your thread so that you can find it again, as we request that authors have only one thread per book and update it, rather than start a new one each time. Be sure to read the fine print below for other info on being a part of KindleBoards.

Thanks for being part of KindleBoards! Feel free to PM us if you have any questions.

Betsy & Ann
Book Bazaar Moderators


The fine print: 
_Please add to your existing book thread when you have news about your book rather than start a new one, it helps the members who are trying to follow you. You may have a separate thread for each of your books. We recommend you bookmark your post so that you can find it in the future.  You may respond to all posts, but if there have been no member posts, we ask that you wait a week before "bumping" the thread by posting back-to-back posts of your own. And we ask that Amazon reviews not be repeated here as they are easy to find at your book link. Also, full reviews from other sites should not be posted here, but you may post a short blurb and a link to the full review instead. All this, and more, is included in our Forum Decorum. From time to time our site rules may change; be sure to check Forum Decorum for the current guidelines and rules. _


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## Daphne (May 27, 2010)

Hi, Linda - I enjoyed Hostage of the Heart, so this book will definitely be going on my list of "must haves".


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Hi Daphne. As you liked Hostage of the Heart, you'll _*love*_ Beneath The Shining Mountains. Deeper, more convoluted story.

Thanks for dropping by.

Linda


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Linda Acaster said:


> 'Steals Horses in a Painted Whirlwind' was my preferred choice


What a great name. Long, but great.  Maybe you should write another book in this area and use that name for the new 'hero'. It deserves being used.

I've picked up both your books and look forward to getting around to them (the ol' TBR stack is murder!).


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Hi Steph - Steals Horses in a Painted Whirlwind - long yes, but it would have been cut to Steals Horses in the novel, eh? Editor's response?? 'We don't want anything that smacks of the hero being 'painted'." I nearly swallowed my tongue in my surprise. What do you say to stuff like that? Well, nothing if you want to be published - LOL.

Thanks for buying the books. Read them in order, tho, Hostage of the Heart first. 

I know what you mean about the TBR pile. Could build a house with mine. I need to go on a desert island for a month. Tho if I did I'd end up using the peace to write!

Regards - Linda


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

In case anyone is interested, I'm blogging this week at http://www.icysnowblackstone.com/ on the Thread of History that links my two Historical Romances with my pb Timeslip Thriller. And today I'm interviewed on Must Mutter http://stuartaken.blogspot.com, mostly regarding *Beneath the Shining Mountains*.

Stuart Aken has just started doing interviews, but has put out a call for interested parties. If you fall into that category, take a look at his site to see if it could be a fit. He's a link to possible questions in the r/h column.

Scott N: I'm not ignoring you. Your interview questions are on my desk and I'll be in touch shortly.

Regards - Linda


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Reviews are starting to come in for *Beneath the Shining Mountains* and I'm overjoyed that they are brilliant - and surprisingly long.

Classic Romance Revival http://tinyurl.com/2wodfco *5 wings* _...I loved learning about their customs and rich culture, and seeing the land through their eyes. It is an epic, heroic world... I was enthralled throughout_

http://www.tonivsweeney.com/ *4 stars* _For a fresh look at an old subject, seen through the eyes of Native Americans and not those of the invaders, this novel, previously published in the UK as A Wife for Winter Man is a little gem._

If anyone would like a copy for review, get in touch.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Today's featured author at the Indie Spotlight is

Tuesday: Linda Acaster - Beneath The Shining Mountains

http://www.theindiespotlight.com

Come up and read and leave a comment.

Edward C. Patterson
& Gregory B. Banks


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Hey, Edward, thanks for bumping me. I've just got in (6pm in the UK), checked it was up http://www.theindiespotlight.com/?p=2981 and came straight across to announce it.

We've already got a comment, too, and I've responded. I'll check in again later. Regards!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Thought it about time to revisit my thread, and to share something of its background, especially as I am about to update my signature pic to herald a new novel.

Beneath The Shining Mountains came from a lifelong fascination for the daily lives of the nomadic peoples of the northern plains. Now, please bear in mind that I am (a) British and (b) of the... er, _life experience_... to recall b&w single channel TV across here. My mother still regales anyone who will listen that she was recuperating after having my brother and to keep me occupied had to cut from newspaper a war bonnet. This would make me about four years old. _*Why?*_ How did it ever come about?

The entire family has rationalised this, but the fact remains that at the time, like most British families, we had no television, only radio (cue mournful violin music and a hat being passed round), so I couldn't have picked up the fascination from that, and at four years old I was a bit young to be taken to the cinema. As I grew into my early school years the neighbours would bring picture books on Native American cultures they'd picked up for pennies at church bazaars. I learned about salmon fishing with huge nets on Northwest coast rivers, about cooking in hot-pools in Yellowstone, of wickiups and adobe in the Southwest, of longhouses and potlaches, of making and using flint tools and the utility importance of rawhide and separating sinew, but I never lost my focus on the northern plains. By the age of nine I could bore for England, and probably did.

Neighbourhood group games included 'block', and hide & seek, and... cowboys & indians. No prizes for guessing which side I stood on, and despite no one wanting to be 'on my side' there was no way I was going to catch a bullet from extended fingers and fall down dead. With my trusty length of stick and knotted elastic bands I could hold my own by slithering from bush to bush in the grass. Aunts arrived with cousins in frilly pink dresses. I came in from the garden... My mother despaired.

But all this distilled into my writing, and the need for research, the need to empathise, never left me. _Beneath The Shining Mountains_ has been the only novel I wanted to write set in the period, set in the region. And even though the tipi has long since disintegrated, I still have the moccasins and dresses, and the knife that my mother, all those years ago, would never let me have.

If you'd like to sample the fruit of that fascination, check out Kindleboards' brilliant addition to readers' enjoyment: http://www.kboards.com/book/?asin=B003VTZZNO

Thanks for reading.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_ is being spotlit on Bargain eBooks today, so I thought it a golden opportunity to wish all my Kindle readers a wonderful festive season, no matter what is being celebrated in your household. Or on your beach, for those living in warmer climes.
http://bargainebooks.blogspot.com

Happy Christmas!

Linda


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Good grief! Not been keeping my eye on the ball and _Beneath The Shining Mountains"_ has dodged under the #100k rating mark - #73,000 to be precise - AND #65 in Native American!

Now, I know this is, er... small potatoes... for most of the contributors on this forum, but for me this is a fist in the air. Yeah!! I'd like to thank all my buyers, over Christmas and since.

Regards to you all!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

It's Valentine's weekend, so indulge yourself with a good wine, a box of choccies, and a Native American Historical Romance full of incident and adventure - _Beneath The Shining Mountains_

Moon Hawk yearns to be noticed by the most charismatic man in the Apsaroke village. Fearing her father will marry her to another, she plans a campaign to ensnare Winter Man's interest. But what does she have to intrigue him, a man with lovers for every night? Her chastity.

...`Ha!' Winter Man spat after her. `Your lover seems to have deserted you. No *boy* waits for you that I can see.'
Moon Hawk's heart sang. He'd drawn on the bait as she knew he would. Swallowing her smile of excitement, she turned back to him with a look of disdain.
`Lover? I have no lover! I am chaste. There's not a man alive who can entice me.'

And so begins a courtship of tease and spar that escalates to threaten her family's honour, and the life of the man she loves.

Classic Romance Revival: 5 wings; ToniVSweeney.com 4 Stars.
"...should be listed with the Classics. The story mesmerized me, with its rich detail and strong emotions..."
"...the perfect balance of a gripping, heart-warming romance with a solid knowledge of North American Indian tribes, their customs and way of life..."
Currently ranked #32 in Native American

Read an excerpt on-screen: http://www.kboards.com/book/?asin=B003VTZZNO


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

My no-Europeans Native American HistRom continues to be spotlit in #samplesunday. Join me at http://lindaacaster.blogspot.com for part 3.

The hunters drew their horses to a standstill and looked on at the antics of their more youthful cousins with a mixture of amusement and disdain. Men who had counted coup did not begrime their prestige by entering into such games, but they all remembered when they had.
Moon Hawk had eyes only for Winter Man. He flanked the group, a mercy she gave thanks to First Maker for. She'd no idea what she would have done if he'd been surrounded by his friends. Despite being away from the village for more than four days, his raven-black hair was as immaculately dressed as ever she had seen it, its length almost touching his horse's rump, the quiff above his brow erect and as whitened as a swan's tail. His leggings were stained with mud and water to the knee, speaking much of his industry on the hunt. No shirt stopped the sun from shining on this bronzed skin, and only a looped necklace of tiny bone discs adorned his well-developed chest. Moon Hawk's eyes traced the slight shadow of each rib beneath his muscled arm, and followed the expanse of firm flesh down past his breechclout belt to his powerful thigh. Just looking at him brought a thrill of expectation.
Putting such thoughts from her mind, she drew a determined breath. If she didn't act now&#8230;


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

As well as continuing with #Samplesunday across on http://lindaacaster.blogspot.com I am offering all my novels for discount during "Read An Ebook Week" (6-12 March).

For 50% discount, add the coupon code RAE50 at the checkout https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18144

Someone likes it; it's #14 in Kindle > Native American. Happy Reading!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

I'm continuing with excerpts of _Beneath The Shining Mountains_ for #SampleSunday at http://lindaacaster.blogspot.com. 
To restore his bruised pride, Winter Man is joining a horse raid, but not content with stealing horses from the milling herd, he has vowed to take a prized buffalo horse staked outside its owner's lodge, therefore putting himself in mortal danger.... in more ways than he realises.

I'd also like to share some reviews that have come in recently:

!! Reader's Favorite/Goodreads: _...characters are very captivating...Greatly recommended_ 5 stars
!! Sarah V: _by far one of the most well written novels I have ever come across in the genre_ 
!!Leetid's Reading:..._really made you feel for the characters.._ 4 stars

Enjoy your reading!


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## Pearson Moore (Mar 14, 2011)

Linda,

This sounds fascinating! I'm going to purchase a copy this evening.
I'm going to go buy your book.

All the best,

Pearson

_[edited. Please don't promote your work in someone else's thread, thanks.--Betsy]_


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Recently got another 5* review, this time from ReadersFavorite.com:
"...story that is very easy to get caught up in. The characters are very captivating, especially Moon Hawk and Winter Man as they both spar and antagonize each other in their courtship. I enjoyed learning of the culture of Apsaroke Tribe better known as the Crow Indians. The author obviously spent much time in researching the culture and background before writing the book..."

Here's an excerpt: 
After a successful horse raid, Moon Hawk is overjoyed to be asked to the celebrations believing that Winter Man is finished with their verbal sparring and is finally acknowledging her. But when he does not claim her as his guest she realises that is not his plan...

The rattle of deer-hooves announced another visitor to the lodge.
'Who wishes to enter?' Running Fisher called.
'Swallow,' came the reply.
Moon Hawk's heart thudded. _Swallow?_ Had Winter Man asked her, too?
She sat back, as far from him as she could manage, humiliated by her own sense of appeasement, by the extent of his duplicity. What had been his scheme? Had he hoped that she and Swallow would fight over him?
Swallow was called inside, and the lodge fell into a deathly hush on her entry. She stood in the doorway, her dark, almond-shaped eyes enhanced by the vermilion she had painted in a fish's tail around them. Moon Hawk glanced at her and looked away. No matter how she had her mother paint her face, she never seemed to look as beautiful as that.
Swallow's bright smile was fading, a look of perplexity crossing her high cheekbones. No lodge filled with so many could stand so silent without a reason.
 'Who is it you are to sit behind?' Running Fisher asked her.
She flashed him a smile. 'Winter Man.'
The assembly erupted into life with knowing looks and stifled giggles. Swallow made her way around the circle. 'Have I missed a joke?' she asked.
'Ignore them,' Winter Man told her. 'They are women. Sit behind me. Let me feel your soothing touch.'
Moon Hawk watched him raise a hand to greet her and felt a flame of jealousy ignite within. When Swallow slipped her fingers through his to caress the back of his hand, Moon Hawk gritted her teeth and looked away.
Swallow seated herself and spoke warmly to the woman on her right. She turned to her left to greet the woman there, too late realising who it was.
Moon Hawk steeled herself and met her eye to eye as she watched Swallow's features darken. She had no wish to make an enemy of the woman. Winter Man was using them both, one against the other. Moon Hawk wanted to say something friendly to her, but the words refused to form.
Winter Man's bronzed arms were reaching back for Swallow. She paid him no attention, unable to take her gaze from Moon Hawk.
'A kiss,' he murmured, his voice no more than a mewing coax. 'A kiss from those moist lips of yours.'
Swallow struck him across the face with the long fringes of her sleeve. 'You try to make a clown of me, Winter Man, and I will send my brothers to visit you!'
Her threat, spoken savagely through clenched teeth, brought gales of laughter from the onlookers, startling her. Moon Hawk didn't know where to look or what to say. It was Jay who reached across to lay a comforting hand on Swallow's arm.
'Believe me, Swallow, this laughter is not for you. Moon Hawk sits behind my husband to honour him.'
Swallow shot Moon Hawk a withering look, making it obvious that she didn't believe a word.

For a longer read from the start: http://www.kboards.com/book/?asin=B003VTZZNO

Enjoy your reading!


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## Pearson Moore (Mar 14, 2011)

Linda,

I am on Chapter Four so far.  It has been excellent reading all the way along.  If the remainder of the book is as good I will feel compelled to leave a review at Amazon.  There is a dearth of good fiction out there on Aboriginal culture, but your excellent research and outstanding prose have elevated this story to something that really ought to be read by anyone interested in First Nations' culture.  Very nicely done.  I hope to get to Ch. 6 tonight!

I have to say, too, for any who read my bump of your thread, I am generally not a romance fan.  Well, in fact, you could probably say with a good deal of honesty that I just don't like romance at all.  But your book doesn't seem to be bound by the same worn-out conventions that rule almost all the other romance I've read.  Your story has vitality.  It's quite compelling, and in fact, you maybe ought to market outside romance--it's not something that needs to be thrown into a sub-genre category, IMO.  It's just a good story, well executed.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Hi Pearson, thanks for stopping by - twice. Being in the UK I'm five hours ahead of the US, eight hours ahead of the West Coast, so I am often catching up. I didn't see your full post before it was edited by Betsy (keeping a good & steady hand on the reins), so it was good of you to call back to pass on your thoughts of the book.

I know what you mean about romance conventions, but more often than not they are the publisher's imperative, not the author's. The original publisher of this novel muttered about wanting less historical lifestyle and more romantic passion, but that would have wrecked both the balance and the subtext. It ended up a compromise, but that's the norm when dealing with publishers. And it's why I prefer being an Indie Author. As it happens, this week I've had fan mail (!) more or less emphasising your comments. I stand by the principle that an author should push the boundaries of their genre, or at least nudge them, otherwise their writing skills don't deepen. 

Anyway, I'm glad you are enjoying it - and I'll keep you to that review!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

_*Beneath The Shining Mountains*_ is currently being discounted to £1.79 UK and... I'm not entirely sure what to on Amazon USA as the pricing is blocked to Brit viewers. Perhaps some kind soul will let me know.

I'd like to preen and say this is because the novel is being spotlit by Amazon for being an all-round good egg and enjoyed by those readers who have already bought it (many thanks, I appreciate you).

Alas not. The novel is being price-matched because I have discovered that Kobo is discounting by a hefty 21% - when it should have stopped all that in November. I shall now go hunt Kindleboards to see if this is happening to anyone else.

So in the meantime, and hopefully for a short period, the novel is on offer. Go get it!!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_ remains discounted to £1.79 on Amazon UK - get it while you can! It seems that Kobo is only signed to no-discounts in the US & Canada, so on Amazon.de the novel sits at Euros 2.01. I think I need to learn a bit of German!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

The perfect Mother's Day gift for readers who enjoy historical fact with their romance, and a romance without lurid sex. 

Five 5* reviews on Amazon.com and currently #33 in Native American. 
Latest review: "I absolutely loved this story. It was beautifully written and had bits of drama and humor. I enjoyed the plot and I enjoyed the history as well. It was amazing and well worth the buy!" - RWhitestar.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_ is currently #19 in the Native American chart, quietly climbing upwards.

For an action-packed story with a thread of romance, come smell the woodsmoke and hear the deer-hoof rattles as the story of reluctant lovers unfolds to a background of misplaced honour and rivalry between warrior societies.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Bringing _Beneath The Shining Mountains_ to the fore: "...this novel is a jewel, and I give it five stars. Loved it."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Giving my favourite Historical an airing... Here's part of a 5* review - from a man

"This tale of love amongst a tribe that once freely roamed the plains and mountain passes of the great American west is vibrant, funny, poignant, occasionally erotic, moving, illuminating and romantic.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to all who love a good story, regardless of gender. A damn good read."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Currently #12 in the Native American chart, this multi 5-star reviewed historical drama set among the Apsaroke/Crow in the 1830s hits all the right notes.

Review from Amazon US verified Purchase:
"I absolutely loved this story. It was beautifully written and had bits of drama and humor. I enjoyed the plot and I enjoyed the history as well. It was amazing and well worth the buy!"

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VTZZNO


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

I'll let the reviews speak...

"...'Beneath The Shining Mountains' takes the reader into the world of the Apsaroke. I loved learning about their customs and rich culture, and seeing the land through their eyes. It is an epic, heroic world, where wealth is measured in horses and warriors win pride and honour by the dangerous sport of stealing horses from rival peoples..."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

One of the reasons I particularly liked writing this novel is that within the central thread of a romance I could build a close-knit community where friends are important to the main characters and the culture is reflected in what the characters say and do right through the age range, from young children to the old.

As an instance, after her younger sister is captured during a raid on the travelling village, the heroine Moon Hawk, newly married, is angrily remonstrated with by one of her brothers because she's riding with their worried mother instead of with the other brides. "If Winter Man returns and finds you not in your proper place he'll think you've been taken, too." It takes an older man to state the obvious, that her brother feels he's let down the family by not being there to protect his sister and is taking it out on Moon Hawk.

I think that having characters respond all too humanly to events gives the novel depth and aids its believability. I hope you do, too.

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_ currently stands at #46,600 in the Kindle Store.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Ah, I remember it well... waking on a sunny morning to see the pattern of lodgepoles silhouetted against the creamy tipi cover, a trace of scented herbs drifting on woodsmoke...

Let me carry you to an alternate life in *Beneath The Shining Mountains*


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

One of the comments made about _Beneath The Shining Mountains_ is the way it shows the working lives of both the sexes. In this excerpt a buffalo hunt is underway, with the men riding highly prized horses trained to manoeuvre by pressure from the knee alone, and to turn aside on the noise of the bowstring. But the land proves to be dangerously undercut, and there are scores to settle.

Winter Man let his held breath whistle between his teeth, and gave his horse an enthusiastic slap on the neck. It was the second sheer-walled depression they'd come across without warning: the area seemed to be riddled with them. It was not a good place for a surround. He calmed the blood-flow through his veins by taking a deep, dust-laden breath, and cast about for another suitable kill. There was an angry bellow to his left, and instinctively he drew the bow and twisted his body in its direction ready to despatch the charging bull before it gored his horse. He found the bull to be a cow, which tripped and fell before he had a chance to let loose the arrow. Beyond its humped back another hunter rode - Bear On The Flat.
Their eyes met. The older man's unnerving gaze penetrated Winter Man to the bone. Without blinking against the clinging dust, Bear On The Flat brought out a fresh arrow and notched it in his bowstring. Winter Man's eyes widened as he felt a bubble burst in his chest. Bear On The Flat was going to fire at him!
His muscles tensed to pull back on his own bow even as the thought flashed through his mind, but he found he couldn't raise the weapon, not even in the defence of his own life, not against Bear On The Flat. The memory of the shaming reverberated along every sinew of his body. In his stupid arrogance he'd humiliated a fellow Fox, humiliated him beyond any honourable man's endurance. He saw the glint of the metal arrowhead and knew it for what it was, a judgement from First Maker. The thundering of stampeding buffalo roared in his ear to show him the manner of his death, and his courage failed him. He let slip his bow and drove both his hands into the black's thick mane, praying for oblivion before he slid from its saddle and fell beneath the crushing hooves.
The horse shied. In his surprise, Winter Man clung tighter. And then there was no ground under the black, it was pawing uselessly at air as man and mount and bellowing buffalo fell down and down and . . .
Winter Man was coughing so hard that his chest hurt. Each breath he took seemed more dust than air. It was choking him. He felt dizzy and sick, and then he realised it was not the coarse hair of his horse's mane that was slipping through his fingers, but dry, gravelly earth. His eyes flickered open to a glaring, swirling brightness which seared into his eyeballs and forced his lids to close. He fought with his reeling senses, forcing his mind to clear. Something was dragging him. To its lair? For food? The fear of such a grisly end focused his will and his strength, and he lashed out wildly with his arms. One moved. The other felt as if it had been sliced open and was being filled with red-hot coals. He cried out, but the voice he heard was not his own.
'Winter Man! Help me, Winter Man! Push with your feet. Push with your feet!'


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

*Beneath The Shining Mountains* - five 5 star reviews and currently #12 in the Native American chart. Someone out there loves me! 
(If it's you, thanks very much)


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## BRONZEAGE (Jun 25, 2011)

Linda Acaster said:


> *Beneath The Shining Mountains* - five 5 star reviews and currently #12 in the Native American chart. Someone out there loves me!
> (If it's you, thanks very much)


Congrats, Linda !

How did you happen to become interested in native Americans?

After living in Ireland for a time, I've also written about the Natives but those in the Isles, the natives on Eire and in Wales*, so I guess that makes sense!

Best,
jsd -- Bending The Boyne

* Per Barry Cunliffe at Oxford and other scholars, please let's not call the natives Celts... A misnomer rather like the term Indian.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Hi JSD

Always been interested, from being very small, and then joined a re-enactment group. Oddly enough, I found that learning so much about the culture (I specialised in northern plains 1750-1850) helped inform me about the day to day practical lives of our earlier forebears in the UK, some of whom I refer to as Celts - sorr-eee, but it's rather like referring to bison as buffalo. It might be wrong, but readers understand what you mean.

Is your novel based around Newgrange? Visited there a couple of years ago and was privileged to go inside one of the mounds. Fantastic place. I'm in northern England and we have some fine stone circles within driving distance, and a monolith quite close by. It was the pre-Roman water deity worship that is so prevalent up here that got me writing _Torc of Moonlight_.


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## BRONZEAGE (Jun 25, 2011)

Linda Acaster said:


> Hi JSD
> 
> Is your novel based around Newgrange? Visited there a couple of years ago and was privileged to go inside one of the mounds. Fantastic place. I'm in northern England and we have some fine stone circles within driving distance, and a monolith quite close by. It was the pre-Roman water deity worship that is so prevalent up here that got me writing _Torc of Moonlight_.


Yes, Newgrange but also the entire north Atlantic coasts. You might want to take a look at Cunliffe's Celtic From The West (2010) re: "Celts" term. Big paradigm shift which has yet to reach public jargon.

Re: a deity concept would be Roman or Western/Mediterranean... Well prior to the Iron Age and the later Roman intruders in the Isles, the natives made votive offerings to the water itself, especially at liminal places like plank trackways through the bogs and coastal sites where boats were launched onto water. The anthropomorphic deity would have come later in time and with Romanized names that supplanted the native concept.

I research and write about an earlier period than the Iron Age so would have a different viewpoint on many topics.


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## Aubrie Dionne author (Feb 10, 2011)

Congrats on your book! I play the Native American flute. It's a beautiful instrument. Did you incorporate any of their musical traditions in this novel?


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

BRONZEAGE said:


> Yes, Newgrange but also the entire north Atlantic coasts. You might want to take a look at Cunliffe's Celtic From The West (2010) re: "Celts" term. Big paradigm shift which has yet to reach public jargon.... etc


Thanks for your input, Bronzeage. I'll check that research material.



Aubrie Dionne said:


> Congrats on your book! I play the Native American flute. It's a beautiful instrument. Did you incorporate any of their musical traditions in this novel?


Hi Aubrie, thanks for stopping by. I walked into a commercial SWest trading post in... Cameron, I think, to hear this wonderfully haunting flute music that I thought was on an excellent in-store music system. I just stood listening to it for a while, until a fella (who would have made excellent book cover material) wandered in still playing and stopped to ask me if I wanted to see anything special. I can really understand how the strains of the music could cover such distances.

But in answer to your question, I have made mention of rattles and drums in the novel, and at one place there is use of a courting flute (well there would be, wouldn't there), but music certainly doesn't play as big part in the story as it would have in life of the period - it's mentioned as going on in the background, if you know what I mean. I have quite a few tapes from Canyon Records made in the 70s (it's amazing what can be picked up in the UK if you try) and some of those are copies of songs originally recorded to cylinder, so are crackly but brilliant.

What made you choose the NA flute? It's bulky in comparison to the European.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

A perfect way to finish the Labor Day holiday - relax with a historical romance.

I hope all in the US have been enjoying a good break.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_

"...the perfect balance of a gripping, heart-warming romance with a solid knowledge of North American Indian tribes, their customs and way of life."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Review from Mr SK Allison: 

"...This tale of love amongst a tribe that once freely roamed the plains and mountain passes of the great American west is vibrant, funny, poignant, occasionally erotic, moving, illuminating and romantic.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to all who love a good story, regardless of gender. A damn good read..."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Five 5* reviews for _Beneath The Shining Mountains_

"...Winter Man and Moon Hawk are well matched, both proud and brave, and both spar and tease each other in their courtship. Theirs is a testing path to love and an exciting one, full of adventure and incident. The feelings of both young people are sympathetically revealed and realistically shown and I was enthralled throughout..."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

At the weekend I came across photographs showing the family as re-enactors: tipi, fleshing tools, the lot. Oh, the memories. Pity it was a time before I got a digital camera. Perhaps I should get a few reproduction artefacts out of their boxes and photograph them again.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

During the week I was thinking about the repro artefacts we have packed away in boxes, and it brought to mind our trip to London during July. We were in the British Museum - I could spend all day there and only see two galleries - but I managed to pop down to the North American gallery. I was disappointed - too wide a spread of cultures, Mexican to Inuit, in a space that couldn't possibly do any justice.

However, I was shocked to hear a young American woman voicing wonder at the exhibits... "...we have nothing like this..." 

Years ago, when I was seriously researching the life and times, I made an appointment to visit the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh. I knew from bibliographies that they had all sorts in store, but I didn't know what. At first a bit dubious, the welcoming staff asked what I wanted to see. I shrugged. How about some dresses, some shirts, and I gave them quite a wide period and region. Did they have a few? 

I was led along corridors and down stairways into the bowels of the building and, at the foot of a narrow corridor with lighting straight from a Horror novel, the guide gestured to a series of white double doors fading into the gloom. "Where do you want to start?" she asked. I shrugged. "Anywhere you like." So she started at our end and continued up, opening both sides and bringing out a single exhibit, each wrapped in tissue paper. 

There were skin dresses from the early 1700s decorated in dyed moosehair, dyed porcupine quills, early pony beads. On and on it went, region by region, time span by time span. I could have cried. They were spectacular, their colours as fresh and glowing as if they'd just been fashioned. "Why isn't all this on display?" The guide shrugged. "Costs too much."

We spent three days in the vaults. I could have spent three weeks, I wouldn't have seen it all.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Recent review from the Sonyshop (we won't hiss)

"5 star - Great Read!
This book is a little different from Cassie Edwards and Madeline Baker.... It was a great book...If you love Indian novels this is the book to read."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Be carried on the haunting call, a salute to the first rays of the new sun. Let the whisper of the flute fill your senses, the songs accompanying the laughter of the stick game. Breathe in the scents, of smoldering sweet grass, crushed mint, pine boughs warming in the morning air...

Northern Plains, 1830s - _Beneath The Shining Mountains_


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Bringing readers both escapism and a darn good story wrapped in a well researched novel of life on the northern plains.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

"Full of adventure and incident." 5 stars

... don't forget the romance...


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

An ideal choice to relax with for the Holiday. And only $2.99 it won't break the bank.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

If you are buying a Kindle for a Christmas gift and are looking to load it with a read or two, _Beneath The Shining Mountains_ can be read by young or old, male or female, because it has *story*. It also sits in the Native American top 20 list.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Currently rasping at an antler-handled horse quirt! I have a print Western - long out of print - for which I'm trying to get the rights reverted, but the publisher seems to think that some time next century will be soon enough. Why does it take three months to answer a letter? Perhaps I'm just getting tetchy because of the speed of e-publishing.

And it would go so well mirrored alongside _Beneath The Shining Mountains_. Patience, patience...


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Ah... a week is another world. The rights have been reverted. Just shows what sitting on the phone can achieve.

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_, not a "Western" but a "Historical" with a thread of romance!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Curl up with a decent read this festive season, and follow the buffalo across the Plains to the lilting sound of of the flute and the high cry of the eagle.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

The main method of attaining prestige and enhancing one's status among the people was by gaining coups. Most men tried to gain at least one; those with ambition to be leaders needed at least four. One was to enter an enemy encampment and steal a prized horse picketed to a tipi pin. After his altercation with Moon Hawk, Winter Man had sworn to acquire such an animal, but first the raiders had to reach their destination. Omens encountered during the journey counted for much, and everything hinged on the leader's interpretation of them.

The stars were growing bright in the eastern sky when one of the wolves was seen running back towards them. The jocular atmosphere of the little group changed at once. Something was amiss. They were another night's journey from the area of the Shoshone village sites.
Hunts The Enemy eased his pace and the others crowded round him. His chest was heaving, but his words were not strained.
'Bannock,' he announced. 'A party of five. They've killed themselves a buffalo-cow and are roasting her flesh over a small fire.' His eyes rested on each man in turn. 'They are young.'
Young meant inexperienced. Five. It was a number the eight Apsaroke would willingly take on. The thought passed through every mind.
'They may not be alone,' Running Fisher said. 
'Frost and I have watched them since noon. They played in a creek like women, splashing each other and singing songs. They smoked for a while, and chased buffalo just for the fun of seeing them run before cutting one out and killing it. It needed three arrows to bring it down,' the wolf snorted contemptuously. 'None of their number left to tell others of their kill. Frost circled round them, but found no sign of anyone else. They are alone.'
'And asking to die,' Spider added.
Hunts The Enemy nodded. 'They have even let their horses wander.'
Winter Man didn't know whether this development was a good thing or not. If they did attack the Bannock, the raid would end. There would be no Shoshone horses, no picketed horse to parade before Moon Hawk. There would, of course, be the chance of a grand coup, the touching of an armed enemy who was trying to kill the coup-taker. The prestige gained through that act was more than through the taking of a picketed horse, but he'd need both to be a Good Man. And what if he wasn't quick enough? There were eight Apsaroke. Eight men attempting to take the same coup. Even if all of them succeeded, only the first to call the strike would be allowed to drag a wolf's tail behind his moccasin. If Winter Man wasn't the first, he'd have nothing.
He thought of Moon Hawk, of her dark, beguiling eyes gazing at him over the top of the buffalo robe that night she'd come out of the lodge. He thought of the contemptuous look she'd given him when they'd spoken at the root-digging. He, a Good Young Man, and she'd treated him shamefully in front of all those old women. If he didn't return with a picketed horse as he'd promised, he would forever hear her laughter ringing in his ears.

Thanks for reading this excerpt of _Beneath The Shining Mountains_, currently riding #16 in the Native American chart.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

I'm from the UK, therefore so my land research for this novel came very much from books ordered, from the University of Oklahoma Press, the University of Nebraska Press and Dover. So it was quite a thrill when a couple of years ago we flew into Denver.

The Comanche National Grasslands was a sight to see: waist-high, green grass surging and eddying in the breeze. Groups of antelope slid lazy eyes in our direction as we passed at a crawl, but stop the car and they were off before we'd even got the doors open. The reconstructed Bent's Fort was a delight, giving a 3D rendition of everything I'd read. And then we headed north.

It was mid September and, alas, the weather was against us. Horizontal rain I'm used to; snowflakes the size of saucers was a bit beyond my scope and, without either winter tyres or the right clothing, quite terrifying. Thankfully it abated. We made it into Cheyenne and then Laramie. It's odd to see places that hold so much imagery from movies and TV series of my youth. Finally we drove into Nebraska, its short dried grasslands rolling wind-whipped to the horizon, its sky a maelstrom of scudding clouds.
"There's a place called Pine Bluffs," hubby said as he pored over the road map. "What do you reckon?" 
I reckoned I could see it, at least I could see a solitary hill with a few pines sprouting from it. But what would I have thought if I'd been on horseback, wrapped in a slicker or a buffalo robe?

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Isn't it great when a spectacular review comes in? I love the enthusiasm. Whoever you are AF, thanks a bundle!

"I never write reviews...ever. But I thought I had to on this one. It is such a nice breath of fresh air to read a book that isn't your typical "Native-war-chief-falls-in-love-with-beautiful-white-woman" cliche. Finally, a beautiful love story with a Native man and a Native woman. It's realistic and sensual, without the tacky and over-dramatized unrealistic love scenarios like so many others. Once I got reading I couldn't put the book down. A definate good read and well done. You won't be disappointed."
[AF - Amazon.com]


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

"A gem of a story." 

"Full of adventure and incident." 

"Definitely worth your time."


An Apsaroke village, 1830s. Moon Hawk wishes for her heart's desire, and determines to catch his eye.
She's not the only one.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

This weekend _Beneath The Shining Mountains_ has been jumping around the #20k mark in the paid Kindle chart, which has been quite gratifying. Pity I haven't a sequel or series in the immediate offing. Alas, I'm one of those authors who can only concentrate on one project at a time.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

What does a young man do when your friend from childhood leaves you behind, when everything comes easy to him and not to you, when people sing songs in his honour and you are ignored? When the woman you crave looks not at you, but at him... and he doesn't even want her?


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Striking the village, families transporting their possessions on travois, the men singing society songs, the new brides riding together showing off their bright elk-tooth dresses...

Romance with a capital R
Danger with a capital D


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Part of an Amazon review:

"...This story is a bit of a novelty for two reasons: It was written by a Brit, and it doesn't feature a single White Man in it. There's a mention of the 'hairy-faced men from the North', traders, no doubt, but that is all, and that's refreshing..."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Got another 5* review this week, from another AmazonUS reader...

"I loved this book. Although this was a romance, this book gave the reader insight into the daily lives of Native Americans particularly that of women."

I like the wording of the _Although this was a romance_...

Mmm. So a romance isn't supposed to be serious and insightful? Perhaps it's a cultural thing.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Pick up your pad saddle and travois and head out into the tall prairie grasslands of Apsaroke country where the weather is fair and the streams run clear.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

A Native American historical romance with "endearing characters and a strong storyline" - and seven straight 5* reviews on Amazon.com alone.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Currently #15 in the Native American charts.

Perhaps try the opening, c/o Kindleboards http://www.kboards.com/book/?asin=B003VTZZNO or a pdf from http://www.lindaacaster.com


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## glennlangohr (Nov 15, 2011)

Glad to see you get the rights to your books. I love the blurb, thanks for showing us.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Reverted rights are better than gold... well, maybe not *quite* but they are _mine_, all _*mine*_ [cue manic laughter]

Thanks for dropping by Glenn.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

This is no April 1st joke - _Beneath The Shining Mountains_ is a darned good read!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

What is a Good Young Man to do when he has accidently shamed a Fox Society brother?


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

I've got a spotlight on _Beneath The Shining Mountains_ across on Guerrilla Wordfare. Go give Lizzy Ford a plug...

http://www.guerrillawordfare.com/2012/04/book-feature-beneath-the-shining-mountains-by-linda-acaster/


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Tall and well-toned, at the peak of his warrior arts, Moon Hawk believes Winter Man walks in a golden light. She yearns for him to notice her, but why would a man with so many lovers want to take a wife?

Plotting a wry challenge to his virility succeeds in capturing his attention, but it starts an escalating game of tease and spar that threatens to lead Moon Hawk to ridicule and her family to shame. What started as a distracting game for Winter Man is turning into a nightmare of betrayal.

When Moon Hawk’s young sister is captured by raiding Pawnee, Winter Man knows he must rescue her to settle the bad blood between the families. But in a village of skin lodges where everyone can evesdrop, danger is closer than either Moon Hawk or Winter Man imagine.

Set among the Apsaroke on the northern plains in the early 19th century, this is a story of honour among rival warrior societies, and one woman’s determination to wed the man of her dreams.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

The book has received a review in the UK:

"...What an eye-opener! Linda's excellent research has culminated in a story with believable characters cleverly brought to life by her descriptions and the exciting development of the storyline. It opens up a new world revealing the culture of the Native Americans, their spiritual beliefs and their customs, the likes of which, in my experience, has rarely been portrayed in previous books or films..."

I love a satisfied customer.


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## Cody Young (Apr 6, 2011)

Love Native American fiction, I'm putting Beneath the Shining Mountains on the top of my TBR pile. 
Cody


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Hey, thanks, Cody! Lot of readers have enjoyed it.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Be carried on the haunting call, a salute to the first rays of the sun. Let the whisper of the flute fill your senses, the songs accompanying the laughter of the stick game. Breathe in the scents - of smoldering sweet grass, crushed mint, pine boughs warming in the morning air...


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Currently standing #14 in Native American chart with seven 5* reviews, even from "_...I never write reviews...ever. But I thought I had to on this one.._."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

_"...ought to be read by anyone interested in First Nations' culture. Very nicely done."_

What started as a game to get Moon Hawk noticed by the man she admires from afar, soon brings ridicule to her family and dishonour upon her head.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

I recently updated the Product Description for this novel. Not certain I have the tone right, but we'll see if sales are affected:


‘Lover? I have no lover! I am chaste. There’s not a man alive who can entice me.’

Moon Hawk is playing a dangerous game. Her heart is set on Winter Man, but why would a man with so many lovers want to take a wife?

Challenging his virility captures Winter Man’s attention, but in a village of skin tipis where every word is overheard their escalating game of tease and spar soon spirals beyond control, threatening Moon Hawk and her family with ridicule and shame. Is this Winter Man’s intention? Or are they both dancing to another's tune?

From buffalo hunting to horse raiding, this is a story of honour among rival warrior societies, and one woman's determination to wed the man of her dreams.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

When a woman wants the dream rather than the reality...
When a man wants enjoyment above responsibility...

...lives collide. And often other get hurt.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Another 5 star review! "I cannot express how amazingly absorbing this tale of honour, love and struggle was..."

They can't all be wrong.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

A review snipped:

"...I found the story pacey and fascinating and the hooks kept me driving on until the novel was complete. If you're looking for a refreshing change from the traditional romance or the vampire/paranormal genres, Beneath the Shining Mountains is something different. Give it a whirl. You won't be disappointed..."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Here's an excerpt. Moon Hawk's younger sister had been one of several children captured in a raid. Men from the village, including Moon Hawk's new husband, Winter Man, had ridden in pursuit. Although the children have been freed, the action has not gone according to plan:

Slower mounts neared the column: horses pulling wounded men on travois. The exuberance, the chatter, was cut at a stroke as anxious faces gathered to look for missing relatives. Moon Hawk lifted herself in her stirrups, a sickening uncertainty biting deep into her fears. Where was Winter Man? Where was his roan?
  She felt a tap on her shoulder.
  ‘Winter M—!’ Her voice failed her as her eyes swept over his muscular frame. He looked as if a hundred crows had raked him with their claws. His left arm was dangling heavily by his side; his right forearm was bound in a strip of his legging. His lower lip was split in two places, and one eye was partly closed through the weight of bruising to his temple. He sat there and grinned at her.
  ‘Winter Man!’ She leaned out from her saddle, reaching for him, wanting to hug him to her, but she dared not touch him.
  He laughed. ‘It’s nothing! I fell down a bank and had a fight with a thorn bush.’
  ‘Huh! Do not believe him,’ Runs His Horse countered. ‘He killed four Piegan with his bare hands. You should have seen him before he washed himself in the river. Anyone would have thought he had painted himself in blood!’
  Moon Hawk’s stomach knotted. Her hand rose to her lips in her anguish as she looked at her husband. How close to death had he been? How could men make so little of it?
  Winter Man smiled softly at her. ‘Your brother exaggerates.’
  ‘Exaggerate, do I? He saw his reflection in the water and fell off his horse with the shock!’
  ‘Your brother exaggerates,’ Winter Man repeated in a louder voice, his gaze flicking across to him.
  Moon Hawk looked from the one to the other and brought her fist down hard on her thigh. ‘You men! You would make believe an arrow through a lung was no more than a scratch!’
  t was as if she had struck them both down. She knew she’d said something distressing. Winter Man’s shoulders slumped. His head fell forwards. All at once he looked exhausted.
  ‘Storm has an arrow through a lung,’ he said.
  ‘How is he?’ Bear On The Flat enquired.
  ‘Unconscious most of the time.’
  He drew his roan about and began to walk it up the line. Moon Hawk pulled her pony from its position and followed him.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

If you are interested in the "romance" of an early 19th century Native American lifestyle, this novel might suit your taste.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_ is today featured on Blurbs in Bloom. Check it out!

http://www.blurbsinbloom.com/2012/07/beneath-shining-mountains.html


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

The new cover from our very own (da-daaaa!) Karri Klawiter has just gone live.

​
I'm waiting for the paperback proof to arrive and then it will be available for print, too.

In the meantime check the Kindleboards listing for full info: http://www.kboards.com/book/?asin=B003VTZZNO


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Just giving this a bump before I go on holiday. A week with it's new cover and sales have had a bit of a boost, despite it being the August slump.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

_Beneath The Shining Mountains_ is now out in paperback via Createspace https://www.createspace.com/3895456 
and Amazon.

I'm very pleased with the production quality, and to be able to offer an alternative format to readers.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

A recent 5 star review from AG on Amazon.com starts:

"I was a bit skeptical about this book, as it is self-published. I figured if it were "good" it would be published by a big publishing house. This is a bias I am now beyond, because this book impressed me immensely. I am an avid student of Native American lifeways, and this novel has an authenticity that rings true in every detail, large and small. Very well researched, and inhabiting a consciousness of an indigenous people... the characters are multi-faceted, believable, and sympathetic, even when they're not perfect. The storytelling is paced perfectly, and I got absorbed completely into it..."

Yo! The rest is on http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VTZZNO


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

A cracking relationship novel where the reality of life faces down the dreams of youth and... [not telling]. But if you'd like to join a horse raid, a buffalo hunt, be a party to a camp move and seasonal festivals, this could be the novel for you.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

I feel honoured that this novel has been included in at least two "Listmania" lists on Amazon.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

This novel - out in ebook and paperback - is carrying nine 5 star reviews...

"...I was enthralled throughout..."
"...a jewel..."
"...amazing and well worth the buy..."

If you enjoy a damned good read: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VTZZNO


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Giving this novel a bump. Hey - I *like* it!


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

"Lover? I have no lover! I am chaste. There’s not a man alive who can entice me."

With those words, that challenge, Moon Hawk sets in motion her dangerous game. She wagers ridicule and shame, not just for herself but for her family, but her prize...

Fill your Kindle with the scent of sweet grass, let it vibrate with the galloping of buffalo ponies.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Interesting... just sold a copy to Brazil! Now who in Brazil would want a Native American historical c1830s? Takes all sorts.

Of course, let me be the first to say they have a discerning taste.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

My hunch was correct - readers also wanted it as a paperback. Thanks, Createspace.

http://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Shining-Mountains-Linda-Acaster/dp/1479125830/ref=ntt_at_ep_edition_1_2


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

From a reader review:

"...What an eye-opener! Linda's excellent research has culminated in a story with believable characters cleverly brought to life by her descriptions and the exciting development of the storyline. It opens up a new world revealing the culture of the Native Americans, their spiritual beliefs and their customs, the likes of which, in my experience, has rarely been portrayed in previous books or films..."


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

When a young woman catches the roving eye of Winter Man, he expects his endearments to gain him another lover - except Moon Hawk anticipates marriage gifts and effronts his virility before his friends. He'll not be humiliated by anyone, even the daughter of a man who spoke for him in the Fox warrior society, and humiliation can cut both ways. But when their tease and spar is joined by the ridicule of others, Winter Man has to choose between honour for himself and that of his people. 

From horse stealing to buffalo hunting to rescuing children after a Pawnee raid, 'Beneath The Shining Mountains' is a novel to light the senses and stir the blood.


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## Linda Acaster (May 31, 2010)

Calling in to give this novel a long overdue bump, and to say that it is on offer at 99c / £0.77 until 3rd March, as a pre-launch promo for "The Bull At The Gate", 2nd in the _Torc of Moonlight_ trilogy.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VTZZNO


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