Happy International Authors Day!
Today is International Authors Day! In honor of this special day, a blog hop is being sponsored by http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in. I am giving away one copy of each of my novels, A Beautiful Glittering Lie and A Beckoning Hellfire. Both books are part of the Renegade Series about a family from north Alabama during the Civil War.
I was inspired to write about this time period after reading a book written by my favorite author, Margaret Mitchell. Not only did she write one of the great American novels, Gone with the Wind, but she was only thirty-six years old when the book was first published. It took her about three years to write the novel, which won two awards, including the Pulitzer Prize. A film adaptation starring Clark Gable, Vivian Leigh, and Olivia de Havilland was released in 1939, which won several Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, the first black person to ever win an Oscar), Screenplay, Art Direction, Film Editing and Cinematography. The book was banned at one point, but has now become a cherished addition to American fiction.
Ms. Mitchell was the descendant of Scottish and Irish immigrants. She lived to be only 48 years old when she was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 1948. Although Ms. Mitchell’s life was cut short, she was and is an inspiration to those of us who wish to write the great American novel. Ms. Mitchell is the perfect example of how authors use their own personal experiences when writing. Much of her character references and their situations were based on her own family members. It’s strange to think that, if she hadn’t injured her ankle and had been forced to stay home recuperating, perhaps the novel never would have been written. Although Gone with the Wind is somewhat controversial today, what with all the negative references in the present political climate to the Confederacy and the Confederate battle flag, the novel will always portray a fascinating, significant part of American history.
To enter the contest, please shoot me an email at jdrhawkins@gmail.com. Thank you so much and good luck!
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