Portrait of the Past

khalleron · 08-08-2010, 09:39 PM

My historical novel is now finished and available on Smashwords.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21043

"Marguerite has always run from trouble, since the day she and her young husband, Benjamin, escaped from slavery. Her dreams of a life of wedded bliss in the safety of Canada dashed when Benjamin is killed, she runs to France where she becomes an accomplished portrait painter.

And yet, her restless soul drives her back to post-Civil War America where she bounces from one town to another, painting miniature portraits for easy cash. When she is hired to paint a wedding portrait for a wealthy family, she finds herself emotionally ambushed, for the family’s business partner and close friend is Jacob, Benjamin’s father.

Overcome with guilt for her part in Benjamin’s death, facing Jacob’s anger and hatred, all Marguerite wishes is to run away again, yet her long dormant conscience will not allow her this escape. Uncertain how to make amends, or if such a thing is possible, she does the only thing she knows – paint a portrait, a portrait of her lost past, her lost family. Herself. Benjamin. Jacob. Her father, Lucian, who was also her owner, and her sister Pamela, whom she had served as a lady’s maid.

As she paints and explores the past of her mixed family, she begins to understand the forces that have shaped them all and the difficult choices they were driven to make."

Mobileread users may use coupon ZR48C for a free copy until September 8, 2010.

I want to thank you all for all the support and encouragement I've received here.

If you like the book, please leave a review.

Thanks!

dreams · 08-08-2010, 10:02 PM

Hi Kate! I have already put your book in my cart at smashwords. I saw it and came back here to check if you were going to announce it.

Congratulations!

Thank you for the coupon, but since it is only 99 cents, I'll just purchase it. I wish you many sales.

lene1949 · 08-09-2010, 04:42 AM

I have been waiting for this book for a long time... and now I can't get into Smashwords...

Maybe heaps of people are getting your book, Kate... I hope so... I - for one - can't wait to read it.

khalleron · 08-09-2010, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lene1949

I have been waiting for this book for a long time... and now I can't get into Smashwords...

Maybe heaps of people are getting your book, Kate... I hope so... I - for one - can't wait to read it.

I can't get into Smashwords this morning either.

Darn! That's really frustrating!

Please use the coupon, dreams! I'm not doing this for the money. The only reason I put a price on it at all was psychology - people seem to put more value on something they have to pay for, even if it's only a token amount. But I've received such help and support from MR that I don't want anyone here having to shell out.

redhead231 · 08-09-2010, 12:15 PM

Thank you Kate, have downloaded & will read soon. I will make sure I review it when read.

Juliette · 08-10-2010, 03:41 PM

Thank you- I'll read it with pleasure

Moejoe · 08-10-2010, 03:44 PM

Just popped in to say Congrats! on the release of the book. Wishing you the greatest of success!

PJ

Trebro · 08-10-2010, 07:47 PM

Good luck! I downloaded, but to be honest, it'll be a little bit before I get to it. However, the premise looks really interesting. Good luck!

lene1949 · 08-11-2010, 03:18 AM

Got it! Thanks Kate...

jaxx6166 · 08-18-2010, 10:27 PM

YAY! Kate I'm so glad you finished!!!! It's in my cart.

Now get off of MR and go write another book.

dreams · 09-25-2010, 12:51 AM

Kate,

I just finished your book and found it a very well-written story. It was especially interesting since I know the areas in the book.

I loved how the full story of Marguerite's life unfolds through the back stories and thought the present and past wove together very well.

Once I started, I became very caught up in a story of history and lives that compelled me to continue reading to find out what happened. The character's became real people with real lives the more that I read and the more that was revealed as I read.

Thank you for a very enjoyable read.

khalleron · 09-25-2010, 07:01 AM

Thank you, dreams! I'm happy you enjoyed it!

khalleron · 12-08-2010, 08:57 AM

Well, not literally. I had raised the price of 'Portrait of the Past' to $2.99 in order to meet Amazon's 70% royalty requirements, but after a couple of months and taking part in Smashwords' 'agency' controversy, I've decided to drop the price back down to $.99 and offer a coupon for a free copy to all MR, in thanks for all the support and advice I received here.

The coupon code is YU85Q.

Enjoy!

jbcohen · 12-08-2010, 09:24 AM

What do you mean by royalty requirements? Is this the percentage of the profits that amazon absconds with?

neilmarr · 12-08-2010, 10:12 AM

NEVER confuse royalties with sales commission. Neil

08-08-2010, 09:39 PM	#1
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	Portrait of the Past My historical novel is now finished and available on Smashwords. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21043 "Marguerite has always run from trouble, since the day she and her young husband, Benjamin, escaped from slavery. Her dreams of a life of wedded bliss in the safety of Canada dashed when Benjamin is killed, she runs to France where she becomes an accomplished portrait painter. And yet, her restless soul drives her back to post-Civil War America where she bounces from one town to another, painting miniature portraits for easy cash. When she is hired to paint a wedding portrait for a wealthy family, she finds herself emotionally ambushed, for the family’s business partner and close friend is Jacob, Benjamin’s father. Overcome with guilt for her part in Benjamin’s death, facing Jacob’s anger and hatred, all Marguerite wishes is to run away again, yet her long dormant conscience will not allow her this escape. Uncertain how to make amends, or if such a thing is possible, she does the only thing she knows – paint a portrait, a portrait of her lost past, her lost family. Herself. Benjamin. Jacob. Her father, Lucian, who was also her owner, and her sister Pamela, whom she had served as a lady’s maid. As she paints and explores the past of her mixed family, she begins to understand the forces that have shaped them all and the difficult choices they were driven to make." Mobileread users may use coupon ZR48C for a free copy until September 8, 2010. I want to thank you all for all the support and encouragement I've received here. If you like the book, please leave a review. Thanks!

12-08-2010, 08:57 AM	#13
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	Author tells Amazon to screw it Well, not literally. I had raised the price of 'Portrait of the Past' to $2.99 in order to meet Amazon's 70% royalty requirements, but after a couple of months and taking part in Smashwords' 'agency' controversy, I've decided to drop the price back down to $.99 and offer a coupon for a free copy to all MR, in thanks for all the support and advice I received here. The coupon code is YU85Q. Enjoy!

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08-08-2010, 10:02 PM	#2
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,110 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	Hi Kate! I have already put your book in my cart at smashwords. I saw it and came back here to check if you were going to announce it. Congratulations! Thank you for the coupon, but since it is only 99 cents, I'll just purchase it. I wish you many sales.

08-09-2010, 04:42 AM	#3
lene1949 Wizard Posts: 1,952 Karma: 213930 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middelfart, Denmark Device: Kindle paper white	I have been waiting for this book for a long time... and now I can't get into Smashwords... Maybe heaps of people are getting your book, Kate... I hope so... I - for one - can't wait to read it.

08-09-2010, 12:15 PM	#5
redhead231 Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 102 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Cambridgeshire UK Device: PRS 505	Thank you Kate, have downloaded & will read soon. I will make sure I review it when read.

08-10-2010, 03:41 PM	#6
Juliette I eat books Posts: 601 Karma: 5124 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Milan, Italy Device: Gen3 PRS-505 PRS-600 PB360 PB302 K2 Opus BebookMini OnyxBoox K3 KDXG	Thank you- I'll read it with pleasure

08-10-2010, 03:44 PM	#7
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	Just popped in to say Congrats! on the release of the book. Wishing you the greatest of success! PJ

08-10-2010, 07:47 PM	#8
Trebro Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 14 Join Date: May 2010 Device: nook	Good luck! I downloaded, but to be honest, it'll be a little bit before I get to it. However, the premise looks really interesting. Good luck!

08-11-2010, 03:18 AM	#9
lene1949 Wizard Posts: 1,952 Karma: 213930 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middelfart, Denmark Device: Kindle paper white	Got it! Thanks Kate...

08-18-2010, 10:27 PM	#10
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	YAY! Kate I'm so glad you finished!!!! It's in my cart. Now get off of MR and go write another book.

09-25-2010, 12:51 AM	#11
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,110 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	Kate, I just finished your book and found it a very well-written story. It was especially interesting since I know the areas in the book. I loved how the full story of Marguerite's life unfolds through the back stories and thought the present and past wove together very well. Once I started, I became very caught up in a story of history and lives that compelled me to continue reading to find out what happened. The character's became real people with real lives the more that I read and the more that was revealed as I read. Thank you for a very enjoyable read.

09-25-2010, 07:01 AM	#12
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	Thank you, dreams! I'm happy you enjoyed it!

12-08-2010, 09:24 AM	#14
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	What do you mean by royalty requirements? Is this the percentage of the profits that amazon absconds with?

12-08-2010, 10:12 AM	#15
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	NEVER confuse royalties with sales commission. Neil