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hollymbryan · 3 years ago

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Blog Tour + #Review: BRIARHEART by Mercedes Lackey (w/ #giveaway)!

Welcome to Book-Keeping! I’m thrilled today to be part of the Rockstar Book Tours blog tour for Briarheart by Mercedes Lackey. I’ve got all the details for you below, plus my review and a great giveaway, so let’s get started!

About the Book

title: Briarheart author: Mercedes Lackey publisher: Little Brown BFYR release date: 5 October 2021

From a beloved fantasy author comes this fresh feminist retelling of Sleeping Beauty about one girl destined for greatness—and the powerful sister ready to protect her by any means necessary.

Miriam may be the daughter of Queen Alethia of Tirendell, but she's not a princess. She's the child of Alethia and her previous husband, the King's Champion, who died fighting for the king, and she has no ambitions to rule. When her new baby sister Aurora, heir to the throne, is born, she's ecstatic. She adores the baby, who seems perfect in every way. But on the day of Aurora's christening, an uninvited Dark Fae arrives, prepared to curse her, and Miriam discovers she possesses impossible power. Soon, Miriam is charged with being trained in both magic and combat to act as chief protector to her sister. But shadowy threats are moving closer and closer to their kingdom, and Miriam's dark power may not be enough to save everyone she loves, let alone herself.

About the Author

MERCEDES LACKEY is the acclaimed author of over fifty novels and many works of short fiction. In her "spare" time she is also a professional lyricist and a licensed wild bird rehabilitator. Mercedes lives in Oklahoma with her husband and frequent collaborator, artist Larry Dixon, and their flock of parrots.

My 3.5-Star Review

I have never read a book by Mercedes Lackey before - which honestly is kind of shocking given my age and my love of fantasy - so I was excited to sign up for the tour of Briarheart, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty that focuses not on Aurora herself but on her older half-sister, Miriam. In fact, Aurora is just a baby in this book, and when a Dark Fae shows up to her christening to curse her, fifteen year old Miriam vows to become her protector. The story is thus about Miriam’s love for her little sister, training with her newfound friends to become Aurora’s Companions, and discovering that she has both fae and human magic.

While Miriam is supposed to be fifteen, I did feel she read a little younger than that, and I think upper middle grade readers would really enjoy this story. It definitely feels like a book on the cusp of middle grade and young adult, and in this way actually reminds me of Holly Black’s Sleeping Beauty retelling that released in 2019, Heart of the Moors. I think younger readers will love the descriptions of the Light and Dark Fae, the magical talking animals, and the friendship that blossoms between Miri and the rest of the Companions. It’s also a quick read and not too difficult for middle grade readers. There was just a little something missing for me, something more that I wanted from the story.

I have a feeling this will end up being a series, as there’s so much left open and, obviously, Aurora hasn’t grown up to become Sleeping Beauty yet. Put this one in the hands of middle grade readers who want to venture into YA and young readers who love fairy tale retellings!

Rating: 3.5 stars

**Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the publisher for purpose of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

About the Giveaway

Three (3) lucky winners will each receive a finished copy of Briarheart by Mercedes Lackey! This one is US only and ends 18 October 2021. Enter via the Rafflecopter below, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Tour

Tomorrow is the final day of the tour, but here is the full tour schedule so you can go back and check out any content you have missed.

Week One:

10/4/2021 - Kait Plus Books - Excerpt 10/5/2021 - BookHounds YA - Excerpt 10/6/2021 - Rajiv's Reviews - Review 10/7/2021 - Devouring Books - Review 10/8/2021 - BookBriefs - Review

Week Two:

10/11/2021 - Thepagesinbetween - Review 10/12/2021 - The Momma Spot - Review 10/13/2021 - History from a Woman’s Perspective - Review 10/14/2021 - Book-Keeping - Review 10/15/2021 - @momfluenster - Review

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comicteaparty · 4 years ago

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July 29th-August 4th, 2020 Reader Favorites Archive

The archive for the Reader Favorites chat that occurred from July 29th, 2020 to August 4th, 2020. The chat focused on the following question:

Recommendation free-for-all! Name every webcomic you think people should be checking out!

boogeymadam

Joe is Dead - https://tapas.io/series/JoeIsDead

When a pirate is found dead with a mysterious will, crewmember Cricket is sent away to do as his will asks

Heirs of the Veil - http://heirsoftheveil.fervorcraft.de/

An Urban Fantasy about a witch who is aided by the Magical Guardian (known as The Strayer) of the area in search of her missing mother

Xii: of Magic & Muses - https://xiicomic.com/

When Willow wakes from a mysterious dream with a magical amulet that can infect other girls with Magical Girl abilities, she begins to question their bizarre all girl's school

The Guide to a Healthy Relationship - http://tgtahr.spiderforest.com/

Upon discovering his now ex-childhood friend isn't dead, an emotionally immature alcoholic tries to make amends for ruining their friendship.

Wychwood - http://wychwood.sevensmith.net/

Tiara's alien ability to conjure fire is tested in a world set twenty years after the world was invaded and then rescued from a terrifying alien force.

O' Sarilho - https://sarilho.net/en/

A Scifi comic about future roman soldiers who travel into enemy territory to find a satellite... that isn't a satellite :')

Ghost Junk Sickness - https://www.ghostjunksickness.com/

An Action-Scifi about two space-facing bounty hunters with an unstable dynamic chasing a dangerous bounty known as "The Ghost"

Cunning Fire - https://www.cunningfire.com/

Young Witch Akiva Stein is recruited by a coven of Chicago witches to travel into the afterworld and create the Elixir of Life

Keyspace: A Winged Tale - https://tapas.io/series/KEYSPACE-A-Winged-Tale

A wingless girl and her feathered friends journey into an underground laboratory to look for her scientist mother.

The Sea In You - https://tapas.io/series/theseainyou `While trying to clean up the beach, Corinth meets a mermaid. In fact, she's nearly drowned by one.

Erin Ptah (BICP | Leif & Thorn)

Every webcomic I recommend would be over 100 of them, so I'm not posting all those separate links! But here's my recs page with completed comics, with some genre info and a little blurb for each: https://www.bicatperson.com/links/references/finished-comics/

And here's my ComicRocket reading list - a few of them are to-read bookmarks, but for the rest I'm deep into the archives and always ready for more: https://www.comic-rocket.com/users/SailorPtah/

Follow Erin Ptah and others on Comic Rocket to see what comics they're sharing with you!

Miranda (Into the Swell)

Ok. I didn't know Comic Rocket was a thing but that is hella handy!!

Erin Ptah (BICP | Leif & Thorn)

It is SO handy! If you want to follow lots of comics it is absolutely lifesaving.

Miranda (Into the Swell)

Ya. I'm now setting up a reading list for me haha

RebelVampire

Centralia 2050 - https://centralia2050.com/ About: The story follows Midori, who has no memories, Grey, the unwitting dude who winds up babysitting, and some scary conspiracies they find along the way. Why: It's a fantastically drawn sci-fi with some interesting themes about discrimination and plenty of mystery. Radio Silence - http://www.radiosilencecomic.com/ About: The story follows a band as they basically live life and deal with success, family, and the band life. Why: Lots of great and relatable characters and has a great mix of both comedy and drama in a very pleasing slice of life way. Voidchild - https://tapas.io/series/Voidchild/info About: Voidchild is the story of Mary who possesses supernatural powers and consequently becomes involved in supernatural happenings going. Why: The action is really nice, the supernatural aspects interesting, and if you like seeing people develop their skills over the course of the comic, this is a great example. Alethia - https://alethia.kstipetic.com/index.html About: Alethia is a sci-fi comic about robots where each city is plagued by its own dilemma that's up for one robot to try and solve. Why: I consider this very literally to be the best sci-fi webcomic available. It is exactly what the genre is supposed to be, beautifully drawn, and I could write you a 10 page essay about every reason you should read Alethia. Super Galaxy Deluxe Knights R - http://sgkdr.webcomic.ws/ About: This is a story about Mizuki who doesn't believe in the rules and fixes problems with good strategy and crazy magic. Why: One of the best comedy webcomics in my opinion. Great timing, great payoff, and creative fights. Also Sword Warrior. The Pale - https://tapas.io/series/The-Pale About: This is a story about a small town and what happens when murders start happening. Why: Another beautifully drawn comic, and really one of the few that fills the small town murder mystery niche few comics go for.

RebelVampire

Apricot Cookie(s)! - https://apricotcookies.net/ About: The comic is a comedy about Apricot who lives in a world where basically all school kids are magical girls and she is the only one who can't transform. Why: One of the best parody comics out there. Very smart writing, and lots to laugh and enjoy. The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiiniyya - https://reimenayee.com/the-carpet-merchant-of-konstantiniyya/ About: The story follows a humble carpet merchant who has an unfortunate encounter with a vampire. Why: This offers a double whammy with beautiful, detailed art and fantastic story-telling that pulls at the heart strings. Maiden of the Machine - https://maidenmachine.com/ About: A romance story set in a steampunk world where class divides and societal expectations are a problem. Why: Very nicely paced romance with interesting characters and an interesting world. Sombulus - http://www.sombulus.com/ About: An adventure fantasy comic about a trio of misfits who go to different places, cause havoc, but also somehow kind of fix things. Why: One of those comics where it's really about the journey and having a fun time experiencing that journey. Plus, the world and set up is interesting with just enough bait for theorists. Chirault - http://chirault.sevensmith.net/ About: A fantasy comic about Kiran, a demon hunter, and Teeko, the victim of a spell gone wrong, and how they whoops into a magical adventure that risks the entire world. Why: Chirault is beautiful with great and memorable characters, well-designed world, and just everything you could want from fantasy. Rainy Day Dreams - http://rainydaydreams.mariahcurrey.com/ About: A comic about a world of monsters where Tristin the oopsed into the world human, Mara the magic mature one, and Michael the regular ol' vampire becomes friends and navigate life. Why: A lot to offer in both fantasy and comedy, so overall just a really enjoyable, light-hearted read.

Ring Spell - https://ring-spell.com/ About: A fantasy, slice of life about witches, wizards, and something about rings. Why: Super crisp and beautiful art combined with plenty of mysteries to keep the brain thinking.

Many more I could add, but I will stop there with my walls.

mathtans

It occurs to me that I mentioned a bunch in the CTP talk but never tossed them in here. Some of them already are mentioned above, so for the others...

https://tapas.io/series/champs (Lesbians, wrestling, an interesting mix)

https://tapas.io/series/The-Cat-The-Vine-and-The-Victory/info (Real interesting world built here, engaging plot and characters, long runner.)

https://nattosoup.com/ (7" Kara, for anyone fond of watercolours and the idea that tiny people exist. Currently has a kickstarter going)

Enjoy, all the best, thanks for the memories. ^^

Comic Tea Party

And this wraps up our last #reader_favorites chat. We appreciate everyone for joining these chats and helping us explore tons of different kinds of comics. It’s been a blast not only learning about your personal tastes, but also finding out about new comics in general. Thanks for spreading the love! For this conversation, and all past #reader_favorites chats, you’ll be able to find them archived here: https://comicteaparty.com/readerfavorites

#ctparchive #comics #webcomics #indie comics #comic chat #comic discussion #comic tea party #ctp #reader favorites

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neriad13 · 6 years ago

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Best of the Best - Media Consumed 2018

Books - Fiction

The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch

I devoured the entire series in a series of months this year and what I’m about to say holds true for all of them (probably more than for the latter two than the first)...but I have a particular soft spot for the plot twists and humor of the beginning. So, it’s my choice for the year, though it is representing the series as a whole.

This is the series that showed me what inclusive fantasy can be like. It’s a story predominantly about straight white dudes written by a straight white dude (a comfort zone I am struggling to break out of) and yet, it is one that purposefully skirts the tropes of the genre and plays with them in such a way that it makes the world feel welcoming to a reader who is neither straight nor male. There’s lesbian pirates, multiple queer characters, copious well-written women and non-white characters as major players in the narrative. This was a book that gave me hope and help as I struggled to bust out of my old patterns of thinking and writing. And yet, it was familiar enough that it was enough of a comfort zone to retreat to in times when I needed to seek comfort in fiction.

And it’s so much good fun. Half a year later and I’m still cracking up at “Nice bird, asshole.”

Books - Nonfiction

Dictator Style - Peter York

This book was weirdly heart-wrenching. There’s something so melancholy and strange about surveying the living spaces of these paragons of human misery and trying to figure out what they were thinking through medium of their wallpaper choices. That, and the knowledge that even the seemingly all powerful are far more tacky and slipshod than commonly believed, stuck with me.

Fic

Batya - Valya

I didn’t read a whole heck of a lot of fic this year and only counted those that were above a 30k word count. There were plenty of short fics that I loved, but alas, I did not write them down. Goals for next year!

So, Batya, BioShock fic - AU in which Ryan discovers Jack far earlier than intended and decides to adopt him as his son. Once this fic gets going, it’s intense. And sad. And beautiful, all of which apply heavily to the relationship between Jack and Kyle. The final scene between them is pure poetry and had me thinking of them dancing as Rapture fell apart around them for days afterward.

Film

I saw so many hecking good movies this year. I’m just barely able to pare it down to a top three.

Black Panther - Ryan Coogler

This movie was exhilarating. The design, the energy, the acting, the humor, the primal drama of two types of activism duking it out in the bowels of the earth...I walked out of the theater in a daze, hardly believing that I’d seen what I had.

When Marnie Was There - Hiromasa Yonebayashi

This movie contains the most accurate portrayal of social anxiety I have ever seen in fiction, period. It hit especially close to home for me, as this year was the one in which I faced and struggled with my own lifelong anxiety. I watched it wondering how on earth filmmakers half a world away got the details of my own childhood down so precisely on film. When the credits hit and “Fine On the Outside” played, I bawled at my computer screen.

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse - Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

This movie was a staggering technological accomplishment. It pushed the boundaries of animation and filmmaking in ways I have flat-out never seen before. It was joyful, it was dramatic, it was tragic, it was gorgeous. It was a celebration of everything animation is capable of. And the fact that a brown kid is at the center of it?

Stunning.

Comics - Webcomics

Alethia - Kristina Stipetic

This is beautiful world in which the characters are forced to make terrible choices, as the main character struggles to find the meaning in such things.

Also, it’s all lesbian robots. The artist drew the comic specifically because she wanted more women in fiction that she could relate to. It’s a fascinating, meditative piece of work.

Comics - Fiction

Akira - Katsuhiro Otomo

This manga is a masterpiece of destruction and resurgence. The art is stunning, the characters are charming and the action is absolutely unbeatable.

But my favorite section was the one which focuses on Chiyoko - an unapologetically masculine woman with an arsenal of heavy weapons - while she’s on desperate rescue mission in hostile territory. My eyes were glued to the page as she blew away her foes and struggled against them in turn, her plight given the gravity and intensity that is so rarely bestowed on female action heroes.

For that alone - best fiction comic of the year.

Comics - Nonfiction

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me - Ellen Forney

I read so many fantastic comic memoirs this year. It was difficult to choose from among them - almost all of them were highlighted as among my favorites of the year. But there’s something about a seasoned artist drawing and talking about her own battles with mental illness after a long (and ongoing) war that stood out to me.

It’s a tale of seemingly endless medication adjustment, therapy and the breaking down of personal stigmas surrounding mental illness and the drugs used to treat it. Though I don’t share the artist’s diagnosis, it was a book that gave me confidence in choices about the treatment of my own mental illness.

Shows

A Series of Unfortunate Events S2 - Barry Sonnenfeld, Bo Welch, Mark Palansky, Allan Arkush, Loni Peristere, Liza Johnson, Jonathan Teplitzky

What can I say about something that is perfect? Every joke hits. Every bit of wordplay makes me burst out laughing. The absurdity and surreality of the situations are a sight to behold. The acting is phenomenal. The writing improves upon the books in every possible way. And in all of this, not an inch of the story’s darkness is ever given up.

Games

This was the year I played the first Fallout (the ending destroyed me), That Dragon, Cancer (very much hit home), 1979 Revolution: Black Friday (can you make a historical game that both teaches, entertains and reveals the human cost of a complex conflict? Yes. Yes, you can.) Pillars of Eternity (A well-written Atheist in my video game? It’s more likely than you think.) and Tales From the Borderlands (the humor! The art! The voice cast! The rock-solid writing!). All of them were top contenders and yet...there was really only one choice for me.

Papo and Yo - Vander Caballero

This is a game about the relationship between a boy and his alcoholic father. It is heavily based on the lead developer’s own experiences. It’s a fraught relationship - torn between the sober moments when the hero’s father loves him, protects him, takes care of him, plays with him - and the moments when drinking turns him into a monster of rage.

The hero sets out to find a cure for his father’s addiction and after great trial discovers…

*spoilers, though the answer is probably pretty obvious, though no less painful for its obviousness*

...that no such cure exists and that the only thing he can do is let him go.

I sobbed uncontrollably at the ending of this game and sniffled long after. The message stuck with me months after I’d played it.

All of the hurt, confusion, anger and grief of letting go of my own toxic person - there it had been, on the screen right in front of me. This game helped me come to peace with that decision in my own life and for that, I am astounded and humbled by the simple artistry of this game. If you have your own toxic person in your life - be the problem alcohol, religious fundamentalism, intolerance or any other form of abuse - play this game and know that it’s okay to leave them behind.

#gentlemen bastards #studio ghibli #black panther #spiderverse #akira #asoue #papo and yo #my writing

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the-three-idiots · 5 years ago

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A Doctors Choice epilogue

It'd been a while since the destruction of Lion's Arch and the medical camps.

I decided to go freelance after the relief effort cleared the camp up. I wanted to see Tyria, monsters and all.

I was travelling to the Grove to see if I could find Tomomi and Caseal when I was summoned back to Lion's Arch. I don't know who sent for me, but I had my suspicions.

I was sitting at a bench in Lion's Arch, watching the construction cranes and workers rebuilding the city, piece by piece. The air was much cooler than when the camp was up; you could actually taste the salt in the air compared to the musty scent of the camps.

The city seemed well on its way to being restored to its former glory.

“Hello Doctor Meoli.”

A woman?

I stood up and turned to see Tomomi and a female Sylvari, who looked cute. She was shorter in stature, bluish pink skin, weird hair and a much better fashion sense than Tomomi. She was wearing a light turquoise jacket with a commander patch on the left arm and a guild patch on the right.

She was a guild leader.

“My name is Ashal, guild leader for the Tales of Thedas.” she said, offering her hand to me.

I shook her hand, it felt weird. It was like shaking a warm tree branch covered in leaves. Sylvari are weird but in a good way.

“Doctor Delia Meoli, though I suppose you know that already.” I said, giving a glance over to Tomomi. He gave me a smile and Ashal seemed to notice.

“Yes, Tomomi told me about Caseal.” Ashal crossed her arms. “I’m afraid Caseal escaped from Tomomi shortly after they left Lion's Arch and we haven’t been able to find him since.”

“Escaped? Caseal was barely able to make coherent thoughts let alone run away from someone.” I stated. Tomomi became quite nervous by what I had just said but Ashal just shrugged her shoulders. She wasn’t bothered by it

“Well he’s long gone now, there’s nothing we can do about it.” Ashal said as she sat down on the bench. She patted the space next to her. As I sat down, Ashal crossed her legs and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket.

“When I founded the Tales of Thedas, I had quite a lot of paperwork around me, when I saw this,” Ashal waved the piece of paper. “A recommendation letter from a man so hard to impress, I think it would take a hundred years before he ever got married.”

Ashal put the paper back in her pocket.

“Not many people have performed successful surgery on a sylvari and you left Tomomi with a pitiful excuse of a scar. If it can impress the grumpy old man over there, who am I to ignore a recommendation letter?”

Ashal pulled out a cream coloured piece of paper and a small bag.

“Two options, a one off payment for saving my brother…”

She turned to me and smiled.

“...or a guaranteed place as my chief medical officer.”

I was shocked to say the least. This woman who has never met me before wanted me as her chief medical officer. If I was in her shoes, I wouldn’t let any random stranger become my chief medical officer.

“Lady, you just met me. Do you think it would be wise to make me head of medicine in your guild?” I asked quite reasonably.

Ashal stared at me and placed one of her hands on mine, smiling.

“Trust is something earned. The wrong person can gain your trust and make you look like a fool for trusting them. The wisdom of a leader is to know when you find that special someone, that person who you can trust unendingly. True wisdom doesn't come by making all the right decisions but by making all the wrong choices…”

Ashal moved her hand onto my shoulder.

“...This may not be a wise choice but I feel it's the right choice.”

Oh good...she’s a speech giver.

Ashals offer was tempting - a Doctor in a guild filled with people from different races. By the sounds of it, they need a doctor urgently.

“If you can convince Tomomi to get rid of that awful jacket, then count me in.” I joked. Tomomi shook his head, aware that I was joking. Ashal took her hand off my shoulder and leaned towards me.

“Thank the tree you said something, I've been wanting to burn that jacket for years.” said Ashal as she stood up. She put both the paper and the bag of the gold next to me.

“The form is just a formality, you're totally getting in.” she said with a light hearted tone. Out of all the guild leaders I’d ever met, Ashal was certainly…

Unique.

Ashal stood up and walked towards Tomomi, patting him on the shoulder as she walked past him. Tomomi then sat next to me, looking serious.

“There's no way Caseal could have escaped from you.” I said quite bluntly.

Tomomi nodded.

“I let him go, he warned me of something which involved Ashal. I couldn't risk keeping him under my custody, so I had to let him go.” said Tomomi, looking very uncomfortable.

“Caseal had another episode?” I asked. “What did he say?”

Tomomi shook his head.

“I wouldn't worry about it for now, I don’t want to spoil your induction into the guild,” said Tomomi, fidgeting with his hands. “I'd appreciate it if you didn’t tell Ashal about this.”

“It’s going to cost you a beer.” I said, having noticed that Tomomi seemed deeply uncomfortable by whatever Caseal said. It wasn't a good idea to push him. Tomomi nodded as he looked at the construction nearby.

“I don't think there's a working tavern in Lion's Arch.” Tomomi said while standing up.

“There's a small shack down by the waterfront, with strong cocktails and ales. It’s run by a charr called Alethia Faithslayer. It's actually kinda nice.” I suggested, Tomomi let out a small laugh.

“Strong drinks by the beach? Is that really a healthy choice?” Tomomi said while he raised an eyebrow.

I let loose a small laugh. Tomomi was worrying about his health despite wearing a glorified cloth for a jacket.

“Tomomi, it's the Doctor’s choice.”

#gw2 fanfiction #gw2 #gw2 human #gw2 oc #guild wars 2 #Guild Wars #tales of thedas #tyriaslibrary #stories

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randomconnections · 7 years ago

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Family Scoundrels and Overcomers

When you start digging into family history you’re bound to uncover some scoundrels. In my own family I’ve got Samuel Campbell Clegg, who was hanged as a British spy at Star Fort during the Revolutionary War. Then there are the two uncles that spent time in prison, one of whom I visited when he was incarcerated. Of one branch of our family a fellow genealogy researcher said, “They weren’t nuthin’ but horse thieves and ne’er-do-wells.”

Here in Washington we’ve uncovered at least one potential scoundrel in Laura’s family. While his story is interesting, I think the real story is that of his daughter, Vinnie Alethia Reed Burdick, Laura’s great-grandmother, and her ability to overcome what could have been a disastrous family situation.

Our story begins when we were here a couple of years ago. We found some interesting contents in a safe deposit box.

These were two small gold nuggets in a box from Nome, Alaska, and there’s definitely a story here. According to Laura, these gold nuggets were found by her great-great-grandfather and were sent from Alaska to his family in Iowa.

As the family tale goes, Laura’s great-great-grandfather left his wife and children to seek his fortune in the Yukon. In Alaska he took on a “side-wife” and had several children with her. This is where the story gets weird. He reused the same names from his previous family for the new family. So, if there was a Bob, Joe, and Sue in his first family, there was also a Bob, Joe, and Sue in the new family.

Supposedly the Iowa family never heard from their father again. Yet, we have these gold nuggets from Alaska and somehow the story about the second family got back to the lower 48. As intriguing as this story might be, I knew there had to be more to it.

After our visit with Aunt Ellen I was reminded of the abandoned family story and started doing some digging. The ancestor in question is one James Leland Reed, born in Iowa in 1855. In 1882 he married Everetta (Etta) Mae Oberton (born 1864) from Illinois. In 1884 Laura’s great-grandmother, Vinnie Alethia Reed, was born. That was all of the concrete information I had about the family when I got started. Laura knew her great-grandmother and we have lots of photos and news clippings about her, but more on Vinnie’s life later.

Starting with this information I looked up the names on Find-a-Grave and was surprised to find information on James Leland Reed, buried in Marshall County, Iowa. Apparently he wasn’t lost in the Yukon, as the family story goes.

Even more surprising was the information on the Find-a-Grave listing…

James lost his first family in an epidemic and decided he was going to circumnavigate the globe. Sent letters back to his parents in 1895 with a photo showing him as a scout for the army in the Dakota Territory. Also letters in the next few years as he worked his way to the Pacific Coast and finally caught a tramp steamer going up the coast of Alaska. His idea was then to go to Japan and work his way west. He stopped in Kotzebue, Alaska Territory and met my grandmother. They had 6 children by 1920, five who lived. They then moved back to the family farm in Illinois Grove/Zearing Iowa area and had two more children. Annie got tuberculosis and died in 1926. James lived nine more years and spent his last year’s in the Old Soldier’s Home in Marshalltown, Ia.

Whoa! Lost his family in an epidemic?? This is obviously from the point of view of the other family, and it’s clear that they only have a part of the story, too. Even the stated reasons for his leaving differ.

The second wife, Anna Kenworthy Reed, was 30 years younger than James. Together they had eight children. We know that his first entire family wasn’t lost because Laura’s great-grandmother survived. Not only survived, but thrived, marrying a newspaper publisher and printer, and taking part in the social activities of her new home in Montana. I wonder if this second family even knew about Reed’s first family, or if Vinnie knew about her half-siblings.

I had questions.

How many children did James and Etta have?

Why did James Reed leave his family?

What happened to his wife Etta and young Vinnie after he left?

Was there any truth to the story about James Reed reusing the children’s names?

Did Etta Mae or Vinnie ever learn about James’s return?

Are the gold nuggets in our possession actually from James Reed?

Was James Reed a scoundrel?

Challenges

As I dug deeper I hit lots of snags. Every source I found told the story from one point of view or the other, but none presented an entire picture. Every one. James’s references barely mention Etta Mae and his first family, if at all. Etta Mae’s references do include James because Vinnie was a product of that union. However, these never mention James’s second family.

There was also the issue of names. Sometimes James was listed as “James S.” instead of “James L.” I’m not sure where the “S” comes from, but it was obviously the same individual. It wasn’t until well into the research that I found that Everetta went by the shortened version “Etta.” One resource lists her as “Etta Mable” instead of “Etta Mae.” Vinnie’s name was listed as “Vina” or “Vienne” in some resources.

As for the other children, duplicate name listings with the same father were often concatenated, making it hard to track down individuals. Was this one person, or two people with the same name? I finally found some census records that cleared up part of the mystery.

Based on what I found, I’ll try to answer my questions above, then piece together a timeline and narrative to combine the points of view from both families.

How many children did James and Etta have?

From what I could piece together, James and Etta had three children. The oldest was Vinnie, born in 1884. Goldie Aurora was born five years later in 1889. One resource I found said that they had three children. The gap in ages between Vinnie and Goldie makes me think that the third child might have been between them. I’ve not found any reference to a name or even the sex of this third child. I suspect that it died in infancy.

James, Etta, Vinnie, and Goldie are listed in an 1895 Iowa census. Vinnie and Goldie were 10 and 6 years old.

Only Vinnie’s story moves forward. Most references say that she was the only surviving child from that marriage.

Why did James Reed leave his family?

Our version of the story says that James left to find his fortune in gold. The other version says that he left to travel the world. The latter might indicate that he was distraught because he “lost his family.” I suspect the real reason lies somewhere in between.

An article printed in the Quad City Times in Iowa from December 3, 1920 says the following:

James Reed was working in Butte, Mont., in 1882-1898 when he heard of the gold rush. He went to Alaska, and with two other men prospected for gold.

After two years of prospecting the partners sold their claim, as they did not have the money to work it. They received $1,000 each. Later this mine sold for $50,000, and more recently sold for $1,000,000.

This information is in conflict with the Iowa Census which places the entire Reed Family in Dows, Iowa in 1895. However, it does reinforce that gold was the main motivation for heading north. In other news articles James Reed is described as a “carpenter, miner, and trapper.” More about these articles in a bit.

What happened to Etta and young Vinnie after James Reed left?

From 1895 until 1902 there is no news of Etta Mae and Vinnie Reed. On March 30, 1902, Vinnie married Charles Alex Burdick. She was 17 years old. There is no record of her schooling, and the announcement only lists her as “…strictly a Dows girl. She was born and reared here, and is well known and respected.”

The article states that Charles Burdick is a printer and has recently purchased a newspaper in Amboy, Minnesota, and that the family, including Etta, will move there.

I don’t know what paper published the wedding announcement. This clipping was found in a box with other memorabilia from Charles and Vinnie’s 60th wedding anniversary in Missoula, Montana. In that box was a photo which I think might be Charles and Vinnie at their wedding in 1902.

There are other articles from that box for both their 50th and 60th anniversaries, including one announcement indicating that Laura and Amy attended the 60th anniversary celebration.

The Burdicks moved to South Dakota sometime in late 1908, and it was there that Etta Mae met and married Gabriel Delancey Mabee. Both the Find-A-Grave listing for Delancey and his entry on the Mabee Family history website list Etta as “a divorcee.”

Gabriel and Etta moved back to Iowa, and Gabriel died three years later. Etta married her third husband, an Englishman named Arthur Albert Lowcock in 1919. In 1934 Etta Mae Oberton Reed Delancey Lowcock died and was buried in the Lowcock family plot.

A transcription of her obituary from the Spirit Lake Beacon was included with the Find-a-Grave listing.

MRS A.A. LOWCOCK DIED FOLLOWING PROLONGED ILLNESS

The community was grieved on Saturday morning when the sad news became known of the death of Mrs. A.A. Lowcock, 70, which occurred at 2:30 that morning at her home following a prolonged illness.

Etta Oberton was born August 11, 1864, near Chicago, ILL., and passed away at her home at Spirit Lake, Ia., at the age of 70 years and 1 week. She came to Spirit Lake on July 18, 1913, and was married to Mr A.A. Lowcock at that time.

She leaves to mourn her passing her husband, one daughter, Mrs. Charles Burdick, Missoula, Mont.; one granddaughter, Mrs. Mervin Childs of Bucyruns, N.D.; two great grandchildren; two sisters and four brothers. Two of the children died in infancy.

Funeral services were held at the Donovan Funeral Home Monday afternoon, Rev. Herbert Marsh officiating. Interment was at Arnolds Park cemetery.

*The Spirit Lake Beacon 8-23-1934

Was there any truth to the story about James Reed reusing the children’s names

Yes…sort of. It looks like the only name to be reused was Goldie or Golda Aurora. The first Goldie died as a young child. The second Goldie was born 21 years after the first. Since we don’t have the name of James and Etta’s third child, it’s impossible to know if that name was reused. It looks like he did reuse names, but only for children that had died. There is not another “Vinnie” in the Alaska family (although there is a Viola Veka. Close, but not the same.)

Did Etta Mae or Vinnie ever learn about Jame’s return?

Possibly. We know that Etta Mae and Vinnie had at least heard from him because there are the family stories and nuggets of gold. Sources list Etta Mae as a “divorcee” and not a widow. If she had given him up as lost in the Yukon those listings might be quite different. What is still unclear is whether they divorced and then James left, or if she found out about his other family and divorced him.

By the time James and Anna returned from Alaska, Etta Mae and Vinnie had gotten on with their lives. Etta had married her third husband and Vinnie was married to Charles Burdick and already had a daughter, Arline. James’s daughter Vinnie was actually two years older than his new wife, Anna.

When James and Anna returned to Iowa they were treated as celebrities. There were several news articles about James’s “Eskimo” wife and how she and the children were fitting into life in Iowa. The wife and children were novelties, and described as wearing reindeer coats and furs. In all of these articles there is no mention of his previous marriage to Etta, but given the widespread nature of the articles, it’s possible that Etta and Vinnie saw them. Some of the articles, such as this one from the Evening Times Republican, went into depth describing Reed’s life in Alaska.

Are the gold nuggets in our possession actually from James Reed?

Family provenance would suggest that they are. Laura’s mother was cleaning the Burdick house after Vinnie’s death in 1964. The family was known to keep important papers and items in the freezer for some reason, and there she found the gold nuggets.

I checked on the name on the box, R. B. Zehner. In addition to his jewelry store in Nome he held mining interests along the Kougarok River on the Seward Peninsula, relatively close to James Reed’s home in Kotzebue. That also lends credence to these being actual nuggets from Reed’s claim.

…and finally…

Was James Reed a scoundrel?

From the story passed down to the Wright family he certainly appears to be that way. However, we have no way of knowing the circumstances of his departure. Was he leaving to try to provide for his family and got…sidetracked? Were there other problems of which we were unaware?

I found one news article from the right time period and from a place nearby in Iowa where one James Reed threatened to kill his wife and young child and did kill a deputy sent to apprehend him. I found another article in the right place/time where a James Reed had gotten into trouble for gambling debts. Given the bias for our side of the family tale, it would be easy to lump these into the story. However, I think the name is just a coincidence, and that these had nothing to do with our James Reed.

In his post-Alaska celebrity the news articles never mention Reed’s previous family. That seems a bit harsh, but is probably understandable. I think we can call him a scoundrel, but it’s probably much more complicated than that. At least his obituary did mention his previous marriage, but gave no further information.

From Ames Milepost November 1935

JAMES REED

James Reed, 79, son of one of the pioneer families of the Illinois Grove neighborhood, died at Marshalltown Friday evening.

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 2:00, after which the body was taken to the Illinois Grove cemetery for interment by the side of his second wife, who passed away a few years ago.

Mr. Reed, who was born at Marietta was raised in the Illinois Grove community and had lived in Iowa the most of the time with the exception of some years spent in Alaska.

The first wife died years ago he leaves one daughter, Mrs. Vinnie Burdick of Montana by that marriage.

Later, while in Alaska, he was married again to a mission school teacher and to them five sons and two daughters were born and survive the parents.

They returned to Iowa a few years ago and here the wife died and was buried at Illinois Grove.

Besides these children, he leaves one sister and five brothers. The sister is Mrs. Viola Oakes of Zearing, while the brothers are Ed D. Reed of Zearing, J. Fred Reed of St. Paul, Frank Reed of Marshalltown, Claude Reed of Eldora and Clay Reed of Illinois Grove.

Maybe that question of whether or not James Reed is a scoundrel is best answered by my interpretation of the whole saga, pulling together the data from both sides and throwing in a hefty bit of speculation.

Summary and Timeline

So here’s what I think happened…

James Leland Reed marries Etta Mae Oberton in 1882. James works as a carpenter to support his new family. In 1884 they have their first child, Vinnie Alethia. Sometime between 1884 and 1889 a second child is born and dies in infancy. In 1889 Goldie Aurora is born. She reaches the age of 6 in 1895, but dies shortly thereafter, possibly due to illness.

James can’t handle the grief and needs to get away. He leaves Etta and Vinnie, working for a bit in South Dakota and Montana, then catching a steamer for Alaska. Eventually he makes it to Kotzebue, up above the Arctic Circle. He meets and marries Anna Kenworthy and they have several children. The first child dies in infancy. Daniel Boone Reed comes next. The third child is a daughter and he names her Goldie Aurora, for the child he lost. Five other children are born to the couple.

In 1902 Vinnie marries Charles Alex Burdick and they move with Etta Mae to Amboy, Michigan. This is four years before the birth of James and Anna’s first child, so it looks like Vinnie and Etta got on with their lives even before James and Anna met. Etta first marries Gabriel Delancey Mabee, and after he dies she marries Arthur Albert Lowcock. Etta dies in 1934 at the age of 70.

James returns from Alaska with his new family in 1920 and they resettle in his hometown of Zearing in Marshall County, Iowa. His family is treated as exotic novelties. Anna falls sick in 1926 and dies. James dies in 1935 in Iowa.

Charles and Vinnie own and operate several newspapers across South Dakota and Montana including Hettinger, SD, Lemmon, SD, and Moccasin MT. Eventually they settle in Missoula where Charles opens a printing business. The sign from Charles’s print shop now hangs on the wall at the Samish Island house.

Both Charles and Vinnie feature prominently in the social sections of the local news. Vinnie is active as an officer in the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War…

…and as a serious competitor in county and state fairs.

Vinnie also raises canaries, which she sells to help support the family.

It’s a fascinating story, and much more intricate than the one that got passed down. There are still seven years missing from the time James Reed left to the time that Vinnie married Charles. That would have covered most of Vinnie’s schooling, including her high school years. I’d love to know how Etta and Vinnie got by during that rough time. Regardless, somehow Vinnie overcame the abandonment of her father and was able to thrive with her husband in Montana.

As for the family that posted the information on Find-a-Grave that led me down this rabbit hole of research, I doubt that they know anything about Etta and Vinnie. I’m tempted to send them an e-mail. Should be an interesting exchange.

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