Today, is publication day for Brook Allen’s latest release, West of Santillane. Congratulations Brook! And isn’t that cover just gorgeous?
I was lucky enough to read an ARC copy of this novel and can highly recommend it. I have to admit I knew next to nothing about early American history and I found this book fascinating. To celebrate the release I am posting a recent interview with Brook, below.
West of Santillane by Brook Allen
Desperate to escape a mundane future as a Virginia planter’s wife, Julia Hancock seizes her chance for adventure when she wins the heart of American hero William Clark. Though her husband is the famed explorer, Julia embarks on her own thrilling and perilous journey of self-discovery.
With her gaze ever westward, Julia possesses a hunger for knowledge and a passion for helping others. She falls in love with Will’s strength and generous manner, but, like her parents, he is a slave owner, and Julia harbors strong opinions against slavery. Still, her love for Will wins out, though he remains unaware of her beliefs.
Julia finds St. Louis to be a rough town with few of the luxuries to which she is accustomed, harboring scandalous politicians and miscreants of all types. As her husband and his best friend, Meriwether Lewis, work to establish an American government and plan to publish their highly anticipated memoirs, Julia struggles to assume the roles of both wife and mother. She is also drawn into the plight of an Indian family desperate to return to their own lands and becomes an advocate for Will’s enslaved.
When political rivals cause trouble, Julia’s clandestine aid to the Indians and enslaved of St. Louis draws unwanted attention, placing her at odds with her husband. Danger cloaks itself in far too many ways, leading her to embrace the courage to save herself and others through a challenge of forgiveness that will either restore the love she shares with Will or end it forever.
Amazon Link: https://amazon.com/dp/B0CVD66J2J
Author Interview
Brook, you are very welcome onto my blog. Please introduce yourself.
Hello, readers! I’m Brook Allen and I have a passion for history. My Antonius Trilogy is a detailed account of the life of Marcus Antonius—Marc Antony, which I worked on for fifteen years. I’m a member of the Historical Novel Society and I attend conferences as often as possible to study craft and meet fellow authors.
In 2019, my debut novel Son of Rome won the Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award. In 2020, it was awarded a silver medal in the international Reader’s Favorite Book Reviewers Book Awards and also won First Place in the prestigious Chaucer Division in the Chanticleer International Book Awards, 2020.
My newest project, West of Santillane spotlights U.S. history. It’s the story of Julia Hancock, who married famed explorer, William Clark. Each character was researched throughout southwest Virginia and into Kentucky, Missouri, North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho. It launches in March of 2024.
Though I graduated from Asbury University with a B.A. in Music Education, I’ve always loved writing. I teach full-time as a Music Educator in a rural public-school district near Roanoke, Virginia. My personal interests include travel, cycling, hiking in the woods, reading, and spending downtime with her husband and big, black dog, Jak. We three live in the heart of southwest Virginia in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.
Which genre do you write in and what draws you to it?
I’ve always loved historical fiction. There’s something about old things—antiques, historical sites, even cemeteries—that lure me into a curious passion to learn about the people who may have lived in particular places at particular times. I tell people whenever I’m doing an author talk that history is never boring. In fact, I tend to believe that if you take history as it is, there’s more drama and excitement there than Hollywood should bother adding!
Are you an avid reader? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?
I love to read! Yes, I’m mostly drawn to historical fiction, but occasionally, I crack open a good mystery or thriller.
Are you a self-published/traditional or hybrid author?
I’m self-published and have discovered that I may never be the best fit for traditional publishing. Traditional publishing often dictates what an author must write about—period, subject matter, etc. Since I’m independent, I’m able to write whatever I want in whatever period that interests me. That’s a huge draw, in my opinion.
What was the best piece of writing advice you received when starting out?
Probably the old “write what you know”. But since I published Son of Rome, I had the chance to hear famed American author Jeff Shaara speak at an HNS conference. His parting words were, “Write what you want.” I’m making that my goal.
Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/The-Antonius-Trilogy/dp/B08KWCSMDX
Do you have a favourite time of day to write?
Whew!I still have a day job, that really gets in the way of my writing! Because of that, I’m the beggar who can’t always be the chooser. Whatever time lands in my lap in which there’s no responsibility or time constraint—that’s the time I grab. That being said, I’m not a morning person, so when I have a preference, I do my best work in the afternoon or at night. Someday, once I retire, I can’t wait to stay up writing or reading until 2am! That will be pure Heaven!
If you weren’t an author, what would you be up to?
Haha! I’d be up to a lot more yard-work and housecleaning!
You have been chosen as a member of the crew on the first one-way flight to Mars – you are allowed to bring 5 books with you. What would they be?
A Bible, an unread Sharon Kay Penman novel, two research books on whatever I’m writing on at that time, and a how-to-operate- a-rocket manual. That last one might really come in handy.
Please tell us about your latest published work.
My new release is West of Santillane, and it’s the story of Julia Hancock, who became explorer William Clark’s wife. I live in Virginia, and Julia was a proud Virginian who loved her family and found herself pioneering to the wild and rowdy frontier of St. Louis in 1808. It was a town of fur-trappers, drunken sailors, and loose women. However, Julia made it home, alongside Clark, who had been sent there by Thomas Jefferson to begin an American government, with his friend Meriwether Lewis, Governor of the Territory. It’s a heartwarming tale, oft-times with excitement and tragedy. I hope you’ll consider giving it a read!
WEBSITE: https://www.brookallenauthor.com/
X (TWITTER): https://twitter.com/1BrookAllen
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Historical.FictionWriter
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/brookallen54/
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