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+--- Thread: New Novel - The Open Doorway (/thread-2145.html)
New Novel - The Open Doorway - MaddieM - 01-25-2015 06:37 AM
This thread introduces my novel, The Open Doorway - a tale of time travel set against the background of the Civil War and the Lincoln Assassination. Two years in the research and writing, it's 440 pages long.
Writing is something I've done for many years, though mostly in the form of short stories and articles which I've had published in the UK. I'm also a graphic artist and have designed book covers for other writers. Therefore, it was easy for me to produce my own cover art work for my book.
I had an immense amount of help, advice and guidance from my dear friend, Betty Ownsbey, who's been kind enough to share all her vast knowledge of this era, and the life of Lewis Powell. Barry Cauchon and John Elliot were also kind enough to share information with me regarding the final days of the conspirators and the layout and details of the Old Arsenal Penitentiary.
Too, this forum gave me many insights into all matters Civil War, and I'm forever grateful to all those who share information and ideas on here.
It has to be said that The Open Doorway has a mystical theme, involving time travel and Shawnee mythology, and it also has adult themes. While it is basically an historical fantasy romance novel, it's also very gritty and hard hitting in parts, and, though I did my best to adhere to the historical facts, I did take some liberties for the sake of artistic licence.
Here is the synopsis.
Time travel hurts. You don't need machines or black holes or event horizons - just Shawnee magic, an electrical storm, and a dose of good old fashioned agony. It’s the summer of 2015, as British dancer, Leigh Boswell, flees her abusive husband, Daniel, on a vacation trip to Gettysburg, USA. If the creepy child she meets at the Devil’s Den isn’t enough to freak her out, the storm the girl summons blasts Leigh into the aftermath of one of America’s bloodiest battles on 3rd July 1863. Sick and disorientated, she’s helped by a young confederate soldier, Lewis Thornton Powell, whose simple act of compassion has repercussions across two centuries.
In the Federal field hospitals of Old Dorm and Camp Letterman, and the notorious West's Building Prison Hospital in Baltimore, Leigh is taken under the wing of confederate sympathiser, Maggie Branson, and endures the horrors of Civil War nursing as she struggles to adapt in an alien world. Fate and circumstance take her deep into the Virginian countryside where she’s adopted by Daniel's ancestors; the Chandlers, and meets once more with the enigmatic Powell, with whom she seems unable to escape a mutual destiny. Tormented by her knowledge of the future, Leigh is driven to the sprawling metropolis of Washington DC in a desperate bid to alter fate and change history; but as her nightmare unfolds, she finally uncovers the terrible truth about the man she loves. The Open Doorway is a novel of struggle in adversity, timeless love, and karmic absolution. It pits the past against the future where for everything given in life, a price must be paid; and for everything taken, something wonderful is offered in return.
In the blog, you'll see cover artwork, excerpts from the book, and how the book came about.
Read the book Blog here: http://earthkandi.blogspot.co.uk/
Purchase book here: http://www.amazon.com/Open-Doorway-Madeleine-Marina-Mitchell/dp/1494966670/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422183692&sr=8-1&keywords=madeleine+mitchell&pebp=1422183706907&peasin=1494966670
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - RJNorton - 01-25-2015 08:43 AM
Congratulations, Maddie! That's wonderful.
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - BettyO - 01-25-2015 09:13 AM
I'm ordering a copy, Maddie! Sounds like a really fun read. I collect ALL things assassination - thanks so much for posting!
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - Eva Elisabeth - 01-25-2015 09:43 AM
Congratulations and good success, Maddie! Again I'm amazed as for how many forum members are authors and what different, new and creative subject-related topics they (still, after several thousands of published books) come up with. Kudos!
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - BettyO - 01-25-2015 11:28 AM
I agree with Eva, Maddie - congratulations once again!
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - brtmchl - 01-25-2015 11:34 AM
Congratulations Maddie. Sounds like a wonderful book. Can't wait to read it.
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - L Verge - 01-25-2015 12:29 PM
Love the synopsis, and the subject matter sounds like a great read. Congratulations and best wishes for strong sales and good reviews.
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - Susan Higginbotham - 01-25-2015 12:52 PM
Congratulations! Looks like a great read.
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - BettyO - 01-25-2015 04:28 PM
Maddie -
Is the book only available in Kindle or is it also in paperback?
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - Gene C - 01-25-2015 04:43 PM
Congratulations. Your book blog indicates you have put in a lot of effort on your book, which looks very interesting.
I hope your heroine doesn't meet Andrew Basiago at Gettysburg.
(Mr. Basiago claims to have time traveled to Gettysburg when a young boy as part of a government experiment.)
RE: New Novel - The Open Doorway - MaddieM - 01-26-2015 09:24 AM
(01-25-2015 04:28 PM)BettyO Wrote: Maddie -
Is the book only available in Kindle or is it also in paperback?
Thank you all for your very kind and positive posts.
Yes, it is now available in paperback.
http://www.amazon.com/Open-Doorway-Madeleine-Marina-Mitchell/dp/1494966670/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422282254&sr=8-2&keywords=madeleine+mitchell&pebp=1422282267308&peasin=1494966670