You've heard the term multi-published and many of HerStory's authors can place that before their name, but how about multi-talented?

Author Morgan Summerfield can not only write as she shows us in Adella, but she can paint too! She is kindly donating a painting 27" wide by 11" high, titled Morning Poppies. The frame is handmade with real wood and she stretches all her own canvases. It is hand-painted-by her!-in multi media.

A chance to win Morning Poppies will be available March 8th.

Morgan would appreciate you stopping by her website in the meantime.

Morgan Summerfield grew up an avid reader and by her teens was a hobby writer. As an adult she has been a teacher, a technical writer, an instructional designer, a consultant, and a freelance writer. Her recently published first novel, Blood and Magnolias, was a dream fulfilled. In a recent contest, the characters in Blood and Magnolias were given a 5 out of 5 rating. When she is passionate about something, it shows. Beyond her writing, Morgan is a painter and works with a domestic violence shelter and education council.

Donated from Rakestraw Book Design, we have prize number 7 for the HerStory Release Day Giveaway Bash coming on March 8th.

She tried to use her “power” for good. She gave to charity, worked in orphanages, did everything she could to help those in poverty, and the list went on. She gave back all the time in hopes it would bring the happiness she so desired. And yet, her life couldn’t feel more like a prison. A very upscale prison, she had to admit. It wasn’t like she was behind metal bars in a concrete room. She had the best of everything, but was alone, all the time. She often wondered if anyone here actually cared.

Sometimes Gabriella thought she could walk away. But then she remembered her son—the heir. She could never leave this castle with him. They’d take him and she’d never see him again. Leaving was no longer an option.

But happiness? Could she bring herself to let this handsome man she was attracted to touch her? Oh, she wanted him. Each time she was in a room with him, her palms would sweat, her heart beat rapidly, and the butterflies multiplied in her stomach. Her husband never had that effect on her—at least not in years. He’d done what he had to at the time to get her to fall in love. He wanted a memorable wife, a wife the country would love. As well, he wanted a wife who would stand by his side and never argue. An obedient wife.

He’d gotten that.

But tonight, just this one time, she didn’t want to be a princess, wife, idol, or mother. She wanted to be a sexy and desirable woman. And the handsome man behind her could give her what she wanted—in more than one way. Lacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. From the time she was a child, she would slip away to write short stories about people she knew and fantasies she wished would happen. It has always been her dream to be a published author and with her two children now of school age, she finally has the time to work on making her dream come true.

“State your business here, miss.”

Before her parents’ capture, every new day was a chance to travel close to her beloved family, camp by beautiful streams, make new friends, and explore exotic new locations.In her family of origin, Z’irah had danced an eastern dance wildly every night. Her bare feet would beat a cloud from the dust on the ground and the firelight would be a strobe on her hair, her golden-olive skin, and her flashing white teeth. The dances she was taught were said to come from faraway lands, where her people performed in temples before powerful gods. Movements had been passed down through generations of women dancing together, sharing their secrets and friendship. Her body would writhe sinuously in the light and rock hauntingly in the shadows. When drums were present, they would play until dawn. When they didn’t have drums, they would beat sticks together, playing rhythms that would seem alien to the westerners.

Author and editor Tara Chevrestt has a secret addiction and hobby. It makes her feel like an old lady, so she keeps it under wraps, but now the truth is out...
Tara Chevrestt is a deaf woman, former aviation mechanic, writer, and an editor. She is most passionate about planes, motorcycles, dogs, and above all, reading. That led to her love of writing. Between her writing and her editing, which allows her to be home with her little canine kids, she believes she has the greatest job in the world. She is very happily married. 

Her theme is Strong is Sexy. She shares a website with her naughty pen name: http://tarachevrestt.weebly.com/index.html and they have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Chevrestt-Sonia-Hightower/218383211513877.

Imagine what Maud is thinking as she goes deeper into the mine...

Lord, it looks dark. She peered into the gaping hole in the earth. As though he read her thoughts, one of the men stepped forward and gently flicked on the light on top of her helmet. She smiled a little sheepishly at him and muttered her thanks. The small bulb gave a pale watery glow, only seeming to deepen the shadows. You volunteered for this. No backing out now. She shook herself and stepped into the blackness.

It was like stepping into another world. The darkness was so thick she could barely see a few steps in front of her. The lights from their helmets and the lantern one of the men carried reflected off the gray walls. As they moved away from the entrance, the passages became narrower, the roof lower. Maud could almost feel the dirt and stone pressing in on her. The light of the day didn’t penetrate here and she could feel the cold and damp seeping through the heavy overalls. She tried to take deep breaths, but that just seemed to fill her lungs with dust.

***

Shelli Rosewarne has always wanted to be a writer, but like with so many things, life and paying the bills got in the way. She eventually realized life is too short not to try and follow your dreams and has recently had her first novella published—with another contracted for next year and various works-in-progress in the pipeline. She currently lives in Edinburgh with her long-suffering fiancé and slightly psycho cat. When not writing, she loves reading, music, and photography.

First content to dwell near the boisterous group, I eventually drew nearer, irrevocably, into the heart of the conversation at hand. At some point, I decided it was impossible to keep still my tongue, and in fact, began contributing to the rabble—to the obvious chagrin of some, but a few of these boys were actually welcoming to me, a refreshing change from my usual experiences. I soon found that the man whose presence had drawn me to this lively gathering was now regarding me with an intensity other women might have found unbearable. I had yet to discern whether he regarded me in any manner of esteem, or whether my presence had proved offensive, interrupting as I had his rather lengthy argument. Eventually, the crowd dispersed a bit, giving me an opportunity to observe this man a bit more closely.

Lisa Cerezo is a self-professed "entertainment enabler", who works with a variety of performing artists creating eclectic events in and around her area. Having honed her writing skills through marketing of these events, she decided to break out of her shell and try her hand at fiction after being inspired by a visit to the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, Illinois.

Lisa lives in Champaign, Illinois with her husband Jason, three boys, and a dog named Mulder.

The real party.

 Tessie was a real woman and this is part of her story.

“I can’t believe you’re having another baby,” her sister-in-law Sarah commented with a crinkle of her nose. “Aren’t you worried that might happen again?” She pointed at the happy little toddler gleefully shoving a handful of cake in her mouth.

“A child is a gift from God, Sarah.” Tessie tried to keep her voice civil. “Whether that child has Down Syndrome or not. What kind of person, what kind of motherwould I be, if I didn’t accept that gift with grace and love?”

“I know you don’t care to take my advice, Theresa.” Her mother-in-law refused to call her by anything but her given name. “But I think you’re far too old to be having another child. Forty-five and pregnant? It’s practically a scandal.”
“I’m afraid it’s a little too late to change things now, Anna.”

“Humph.” Mrs. Pinto folded her napkin on her lap and adjusted her petticoats. She still wore several layers, even though they had gone out of style decades before. “If you insist on having more children, don’t you think it’s time to consider sending Philomena to one of those nice institutions? You can’t possibly care for her and an infant. Not at your age.”

Finally, Tessie lost her patience. She tossed the last serving of cake on the table in front of her mother-in-law with so much force the plate cracked in half. “I’m not putting my daughter in a mental institution. She belongs with me!”

Anna patted her hand and gave her a sympathetic look. “It’s not like she’d even realize you were gone, dear. She has no idea what’s going on.”

“Then why not drown her in the river like a stray cat?” Most of the woman at the table gasped, but Tessie didn’t care. She was fuming. “My daughter isn’t an animal to be caged. The only animals around here are people like you, who refuse to see what a beautiful little girl my Mena is.” She eyed every last one of the women at the table. “You should all be ashamed of yourselves.”

***

Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She is the author of six young adult novels and several short stories.

“Take me to Bishop Poore at once!” Ela commanded as she strode toward the palace entrance. Stone masons, carpenters, and all manner of laborers were pounding and swearing as they constructed the fine buildings on the cathedral grounds. She paid them no mind. A herald scurried ahead to announce her arrival. The Countess of Salisbury rarely made unexpected calls.

A moment in Gwenllian's life...

He bowed before her. “Then, until my return, fair Gwenllian.”

“I’ll await you, my lord.” She bobbed her head.

His hands did not seek out hers again. He did not admonish her to guide or watch over the children. She knew his expectations, as he must have perceived her concern for Rhys. She kept the fear roiling in her gut at bay, while he stayed silent about his personal hopes for a pledge from her father. Neither of them repeated the ardent promises of love whispered in their bower the previous night. Words alone would not convey their angst and sorrow at this separation. She clutched the heather close to her bosom. With a grunt, Gruffydd left her and mounted his horse. Cantering his roan mare out of the clearing, he did not look back.

Lisa J. Yarde writes fiction inspired by the Middle Ages in Europe. She is the author of four historical novels set in medieval England and France, and thirteenth-century Spain. Born in Barbados, Lisa currently lives in New York City. She is also an avid blogger and moderates at Unusual Historicals. She is also a regular contributor at Historical Novel Reviews and History and Women. Her personal blog is The Brooklyn Scribbler. Learn more about Lisa and her writing at the website www.lisajyarde.com. Follow her on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.

Cathay couldn’t sit still in a hospital with little to do but create comfort. More than anything, she felt drawn to the battlefield, to the immediacy of need.

“Miss Wright,” Dr. Douglass snapped in her ear, “wake up. There are men that need attending to.”

Cathay let one eye pop open. A wagon stood ready and Dr. Douglass held his bag in his still blood-stained hand. She straightened. “You’re heading to the field?”

“Of course I am. Now get on inside.”

Propriety warred against her building need and she spoke out of turn, “If you please, I could help you, sir.”

An all too familiar twist of his lips darkened the doctor’s features. With one statement, she’d managed to revive his dislike of the presence of all the female nurses so close to battle. “It isn’t your concern. You’ve already seen too much.”

What goes on in the dark recesses of Lolita's mind?

When my husband tried to control me, berated me with cruel words, dared to declare dominance over me and my life, I grabbed his chin in my hand, looked him in the eye, and said, “No más.”

A moment in the life of Aelwyn.

“I was an indentured servant in the household up until one year past. I stayed on to care for the family’s matriarch, but she died and they wouldn’t release me. When he fell, I saw my chance to leave and I took it. Could you please put some clothes on?”

Charlotte McGowen is sympathetic to the South. Why wouldn't she be? When West Virginia split to form its own state, no one asked her what she thought. Now, she's ready to fight back, but how can a woman do anything?

Madeline doesn't want to be a proper lady. While she knows that common courtesy and proper behavior have their place, she has always wanted to be seen an equal. On her father's land she is allowed to train as a knight; learning sword play and jousting among his men.

When the kingdom's annual competition draws near, she attempts to have her father let her joust in his name. He is adamantly opposed and orders her to remain at his side in the King's box like a proper lady, as he's trying to win her the prince's hand.

But does she listen?

Helen Carson is an officer with her local police department. She has stood arm-to-arm with the men of her precinct, taking down the toughest criminals in their city. Her work on a child abduction case even impressed one of the FBI special agents from their local field office. Upon applying for a position in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, she was promptly denied.

Helen has received a mysterious letter from the FBI, but doesn’t want to relive the heartbreak that the first refusal garnered. Will her friend Sandra be able to help her face a possible second rejection or will she leave her opportunity to make a bigger difference unopened?

A Letter from the Feds is based on true accounts from the first women to join the agency as special agents in 1972. These brave women laid the path for the 2,700 female special agents currently employed by the FBI.

About the Author:
Angelique “Angie” Mroczka wasn’t one of those children who dreamed of becoming a writer, but discovered she had a knack for it in her mid-twenties. She is the owner of Pagan Writers Press and was thrilled to share some of her work in the Pagan Writers Presents Samhain anthology that kicked off the company. She lives in Houston, Texas with her husband Scott, son (known widely as Dash), and their adorable Chihuahua mix named Evy.

Angie originally wanted to be an astronaut when she grew up, but has settled on writing about them instead.

I don't think I need to explain how this ties into HerStory. LOOK at it! Women. EmpowerMint!

To make a long post short, four of these tins of mints are being donated by the Unemployed Philosophers Guild. That means four lucky winners are going to win a tin of mints to carry around in their pockets and every time they look at the tin, they'll be empowered!

The tin is also the perfect size to serve as a pillbox once the mints are gone. This is something you can keep for a LONG time.

Want to win the tins? First step, like their FB page. You'll have more opportunities come March.

Stay with us!

Tucked away in a small corner of the Far East, a young Khmer girl is forced to make some difficult choices. Her struggle is silent, and her strength comes from an unbridled determination that grows in the pit of her belly. In an area of the world where child sex trafficking and prostitution is rampant, will this rose bloom?

We have another giveaway donation and one lucky winner will have a chance to make their voice heard on the radio!

HerStory goes behind the scenes to locate the stories of women who lived, laughed, and touched the lives of generations...

Now, here is your chance to have your story told to the world....or your mother's...it's your chance to talk about the most inspiring woman or women in YOUR life. Shout it out! Tell listeners everywhere about this amazing person. Honor her!

Ela Countess of Salisbury married William Longspee when she was 9. In 1196 that was not shocking. Her father was dead. She was responsible for the governance of Wiltshire. Who else could step in to help but a husband selected by King Richard? He selected his bastard half-brother, an honorable man who needed a title and income of his own. Happily for William and Ela, they fell in love. Eight children and twenty-nine years later, William was dead, murdered by the new king's regent, the man who stood for justice in England. How could Ela protect her children from a man like that? When a woman is chattel, sold to the highest bidder, what are her choices? And yet a woman of power and intelligence can find another way. She can make alliances of her own. She can outwit her enemies if she is bold, if she moves very quickly.

About the Author
Dorothy Abrams lives and writes in upstate New York. She met Ela when she visited Salisbury Cathedral with her partner Eric Reynolds in 2010. Ever a feminist activist, Dorothy worked for the New York State Division of Human Rights as an investigator and the Cayuga Seneca Action Program (CSAP) as an advocate for women and low income rural families. She is co-founder of three organizations: the Sexual Assault Advocacy Resource (SAVAR) in Auburn NY, the battered women shelter, a component of CSAP in the same city, and the Web PATH Center, a Goddess church and teaching center in Lyons NY.
Dorothy's recent nonfiction title, Identity and the Quartered Circle: Studiess in Applied Wicca will be released by Moon Books in 2013. Her essay "Moveren the Sea Queen" appears in Sorita d'Este's anthology Faerie Queens to be released by Avalonia in 2013. She has been published in Sage Woman and PagaNetwork News. Her current project is The Witches of Fawsetwood, a historical fantasy novel about medieval England.

Dr. Janet Fuller-Orbinski, MD, FACP, was born December 18, 2020 in Ft. Collins, Colorado, and graduated from the CU School of Medicine in 2047. Shortly afterwards, she married Dr. Brian Orbinski, PsyD, and became a member of Médecins Sans Frontières. Recently widowed, Janet has become a passionate advocate for human rights around the world. Doctor Orbinski is currently being considered for the Nobel Peace Prize for her selfless dedication to the victims of Hurricane Brandon as well as for her part in the Bennington Spacecraft incident.

Audrey Whitman is a young woman with her whole life planned out for her. The daughter of a wealthy merchant, she is engaged to one of Birmingham, Alabama's most eligible bachelors. She's expected to have babies and run a household and be the perfect wife and mother. However, she soon finds herself questioning everything around her. Not only does she want to work outside the home, but she wants to make her own decisions regarding her own life. The turmoil inside her is matched only by the social and racial unrest going on right outside her front door. You can read her story in Not Her Place.

About the Author:
Lori Beth Johnson is a romance author who loves writing about women who find their strength during ordinary circumstances. Family, friendships, and social issues are central to her character-driven stories. After many years working in education, she now keeps busy pursing her writing career. Lori Beth and her husband reside in southern Indiana and are the parents of two college-age sons and a seventeen-year-old daughter.

Quick Recap:

The first grand prize when HerStory releases is a paperback book, a Strong is Beautiful T-shirt from Keira's Kollection, and pair of HerStory earrings from Yesware.

The second prize is an ebook and an incense diffuser to go along with some handmade soap from Greenchild Creations. Contributor Author Laura DeLuca has donated the diffuser. She has also donated prize three, which I'm about to reveal...



It's an ebook, a Japanese tea set, and an Oriental incense diffuser. How does this tie into HerStory?

In Please Stay, Asuka, a Japanese wife of the 1600s, is preparing the evening meal while awkwardly trying to discuss a matter--somewhat delicate--but of great importance with her husband.

As you get lost in your ebook, in Asuka's story (penned by Becca Diane), you can pretend you are there. Perhaps you feel your husband's penetrating stare. But you serve him his tea, straighten your spine, and say what needs to be said...then wait, breath held, for his reply, incense lightening the tension in the air...

We have more great prizes being donated. Follow HerStory to stay updated about how and when you can win these. Much thanks to Laura DeLuca once again. Take a moment to like her Facebook page and thank her.

Read the innermost thoughts of a woman alone, separated from her family and friends after an unimaginable ordeal. Her spiritual journey led her to a place she knew to be rightfully hers, yet with an ending she couldn't escape. Her story--and her surprising role in history--will make you rethink a tale you thought you already knew. Experience the mind of a woman In the Company of Spirits.

About the Author
Lisa Cerezo is a self-professed "entertainment enabler" and educator, who collaborates with a variety of performing artists to create eclectic events in and around her area. She has honed her skills in nonfiction writing, but recently decided to break out of her shell and try her hand at fiction after finding inspiration in a summertime road trip with her family. This is her first published work.When not writing, Lisa is making music, exploring photography, or spending hours absorbed in movies. She lives with her husband Jason, three boys, and a dog named Mulder.

Last week, we announced the first grand prize when HerStory releases is a paperback book, a Strong is Beautiful T-shirt from Keira's Kollection, and pair of HerStory earrings from Yesware.

The second prize is donated by two lovely young women, one of them a HerStory contributor, the author of Tessie.

Author Laura DeLuca has donated an incense diffuser to go along with some handmade soap from Greenchild Creations.

And we're throwing an e-book into this mix. Why soap and diffusers? What does that have to do with women's history?

In HerStory, Mathilda of Ringelheim runs a bath house. It seems appropriate to honor herstory this way.

AND as Mathilda seems to know, every woman needs soap and every woman needs time to relax. So one lucky winner will take a nice long shower with her fantastic handmade soap, set her diffuser on a table, and curl up with HerStory on her kindle. Who says you can't be relaxed and empowered at the same time? (and smell good)

Special thanks to both these lovely ladies for their donations. Take a moment to like their pages. More giveaway news coming. Be sure to watch  the HerStory blog for more updates.

Matilda of Ringelheim (A.D. 895-A.D. 968) was the daughter of a Saxon count, who was given in marriage to Heinrich the Fowler, king of Germany. As queen, Matilda devoted herself to her many acts of charity by founding religious houses, comforting the sick, training and educating women, pleading for prisoners, and converting sinners.

Mary Fields a.k.a. Stage Coach Mary was the first African-American woman employed as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service, and the second American woman to be employed by the United States Postal Service.

Born a slave in Tennessee in 1832, Mary went on to become a well-loved icon for many who met her. She always made an impression, whether it was due to her unflinching loyalty to protect and care for the Ursuline Nuns who became her family, or for her reportedly bad temper that resulted in at least one documented duel.

We've already announced that we shall be giving away some fantastic empowering women prizes with the release of HerStory. We've received a donation of a Strong is Beautiful T-shirt from Keira's Kollection and now we have a terrific companion for that shirt...

A pair of incredible earrings donated by Cathy from Etsy.

So one very lucky winner will read her HerStory book, feel empowered, then don her Strong is Beautiful T-shirt, topped off with these fantastic HerStory earrings that sparkle one side and have a message on the other side: the greatest story never told.

Only, we're telling it, the authors of HerStory. We are telling it.

Cathy has a variety of items available in her Etsy shop Yesware. She also has a FB page.

She says she offers "Individually hand-pressed high-quality pinback buttons and my original Altered Art Jewelry is finished with brass, gold-plated, or silver-plated findings and top-quality multi-faceted acrylic rhinestones. Available in a wide array of styles, funky themes, and designs."

Let's thank Cathy by giving her some page likes and sharing the excitement.

Adella was born into the disparity of 1915 when women had few rights and many were considered property. She grew up in a hostile environment of abuse and prejudice. In those days, being any part Indian made one a social pariah. Add to that being female and life could be quite harsh. Abuse was an accepted way of life for many women and they either lived or died with it. Adella and women like her have made it possible for the women of today to have options and choices. They are unsung heroines.

About the Author:
Morgan Summerfield grew up an avid reader and by her teens was a hobby writer. As an adult she has been a teacher, a technical writer, an instructional designer, a consultant, and a freelance writer. Her recently published first novel, Blood and Magnolias, was a dream fulfilled. In a recent contest, the characters in Blood and Magnolias were given a 5 out of 5 rating. When she is passionate about something, it shows. Beyond her writing, Morgan is a painter and works with a domestic violence shelter and education council.