Giveaway: Stand The Storm by Breena Clarke

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)

Special thank you to Valerie at Hachette Book Group for offering me a review copy of this book and 5 beautiful copies to you the readers!

This giveaway is closed – winners have been announced 🙂

Even though former slaves Annie Coats and her son Gabriel have managed to buy their freedom, their lives are still marked by constant struggle and sacrifice–to the extent that Annie secretly recalls her days on the plantation with fondness. Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood, where the Coatses are seeking to build their new lives–with Gabriel, a tailor, producing uniforms for soldiers and fine suits for pompous politicians, and Annie, a seamstress and laundress, catering to the nearby brothels and stately homes–is supposed to be a safe haven, a “promised land” for former slaves, but is effectively a frontier town, gritty and dangerous, with no laws protecting black people.

In fact, the city’s own emancipation efforts in 1862 serve only to compromise the Coats family’s status, putting Gabriel’s three young daughters (each of them born free of free parents) at risk of becoming the property of the Coatses’ former master. The remarkable emotional energy with which the Coatses rise their daily battles–as they negotiate with their former owner, as they assist other former slaves en route to freedom, as they prepare for the encroaching war, and as they struggle to love each other enough–is what fuels this novel and makes its tragic denoument so devastating.

Author Breena Clarke’s website

This giveaway will run from today until August 10.  To sign up to win one of these (5)  books:

1)  Leave a comment here and answer the question – when you personally think of the word freedom, what does it mean to you?

2) for 2 extra chances blog or twitter about this givaway

3) one more entry if you follow me (twitter or google)

**  Please use a separate comment for each entry.  USA only please and no po boxes.  Be sure your entries have a way for me to contact you if you win.


Thanks everyone!  Have fun!  Winners will be announced here and emailed for their shipping info.

91 thoughts on “Giveaway: Stand The Storm by Breena Clarke”

  3. When I think of the word freedom, I automatically think of the many who fought, and even died, for freedom. Freedom allows me to pursue ambitions.

    Reply

  5. I follow.

    Among other things, freedom means being able to worship as I please, speak my mind and opinion, and vote. It also means that others have the same right and the people who ultimately get voted into office may not be people I like or agree with. But that is what happens when the people have the freedowm to vote their consciences. When I think about freedom, I think about those men and women who serve my country now and who have died so that we remain free. I am forever grateful.

    Reply

  6. Freedom of worship, to homeschool and use whatever curriculum I want with my kids, freedom to write whatever I want on my blog (speech), etc… 🙂

    gahome2mom at gmail dot com

    Reply

  7. Wow, Sheila! This looks like a fabulous book.

    To me, freedom means the opportunity to explore our own path, make our own choices, and “tell it like it is.” Something that we can never take for granted!

    Reply

  11. What does freedom mean to me? I guess all that the others here have said, freedom to worship as I want, to speak my mind, and the ability to make my life what i want, not having to follow what others say.

    Reply

  14. I posted on twitter! dcf_beth but I don’t know how to link it back to you. I think you follow me also – so hopefully you will see it! IF not that’s ok, too!

    Thanks!

    Reply

  15. Hey, Sheila…I also posted this on my new blog (yeah, I’ve gone NUTS with blogs, lately), which is LAUREL-RAIN SNOW’S COLLECTIONS, at http://chezraine.wordpress.com.

    BTW, I realized after the fact that I should have gotten your permission to link to your blogs from mine! I’m still not thinking straight, being so caught up in this “designing blogs” thing. It’s your fault! You inspired me.

    Reply

  16. Freedom = road trips with great music
    I’m new to this blog but I didn’t see a follow box…
    I’m following you on twitter.
    Thanks so much for this chance of winning a book 🙂

    Reply

  19. When I think of freedom it reminds me that I am always free to think and believe what I wish…. what is inside my mind and heart is always free, NOTHING can change that!

    Reply

  21. Freedom brings to my mind that I have the ability to be totally loosed from the chains of sin when I allow Christ to set me free. Great giveaway.

    I’m not sure if you got my e-mail last night, but you won my giveaway and I need an address to send the prize out – Precious Moments giveaway. Thanks!

    Reply
  24. Pingback: Sunday in Review… « One Persons Journey through a world of Books

  29. When I think of Freedom! I always think of the movie Braveheart…where they’re going to kill him by execution and they’re telling him to beg for mercy, instead he screams FREEDOM! Awesome movie.
    Subscribe by googlereader

    Reply

  30. I think freedom is having the ability to speak your mind, calmly and rationally (most of the time!) and know that other than a spirited disagreement, nothing negative will happen to you. So many people in the world don’t have that option.

    I’m following!

    Reply

  32. When I think of freedom, I think of forgiveness, because forgiveness enables me to be free of the pain of the past and the control pain can have on me.

    kalea_kane(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply

  38. Freedom = control of my mind and body. The freedom to think for myself and speak my mind, and control of my body.

    nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

    Reply

  40. I would love to win Stand The Storm by Breena Clarke. When I think of freedom, I think of the freedom to read. Many slaves were not allowed to learn how to read. The ones who did learn were taught by the kindness of some white person: for example, Phillis Wheatley and Frederick Douglass were taught the art of reading while in slavery. The ability to read is a freedom denied to most of my ancestors. I am grateful to Quakers, abolitionists and other good people who wanted to give the gift of reading to a person in bondage.

    Reply

  44. Freedom means being able to make choices… where I am going to work, where I am going to live, what I am going to spend my money on, how I am going to raise my daughter, what I am going to believe in and much much more – thank god for freedom!

    Reply

  45. When I think of the word freedom I think about being able to speak freely, vote, religious freedoms and being able to persue my dreams.

    Reply

  56. Freedom to me means the ability to make my own decisions without having to consult others before I do. There are times when I choose to consult others, but freedom means no serious consequences for doing things on my own.

    That said, I’d LOVE to read this book. I absolutely adore American history, and this sounds like a unique take on the common theme of slavery.

    Reply

  59. Freedom – that no matter how depressed I am or negative, I have a million options open to me.

    Reply

  60. When I think of FREEDOM – I think tof he right to speak freely without fear of reprisal, the option to love and thrive and seek opportunity. Basically, to live and let live 🙂

    Reply

  62. Freedom is not being afraid to speak your mind, practice your religion, walk the streets, go about your daily life without retribution or punishment. Freedom is not free though and has come at the price of many lives before us.

    Reply

  64. When I think of freedom, I think of having the ability to pursue my own life, interests, beliefs, etc. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply

  68. I think of freedom as the ability to make your own decisions about what you want to do with your life.
    rsgrandinetti@yahoo(Dot)com

    Reply

  73. Freedom is over-used these days and has lost its meaning somewhat. Freedom means that I have a choice..and if I choose to do wrong, then that is an abuse of that freedom.

    madamerkf at aol dot com

    Reply

  75. Freedom to me is a privilege for which many men and women have fought and died for. It is the right to live, work, and worship the way I choose.

    Reply

  76. The word freedom makes me think of the men and women that have died for our country in the many different wars that we have been apart of. If they would not have stepped up to the plate to serve their time in the service we would not have freedom. I thank them for doing this and I am very proud of all of them.

    Reply

  80. Freedom means to me the right to do as you please within the law and as long as it is morally OK.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    Reply

  81. The ability to whatever I want as long as it’s legal and hurts no one.

    Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<

    Reply

  82. Freedom to me means being able to have a choice in things that we do . Freedom means being able to worship freely. I think of the men and women that protect us and are fighting for us to maintain our freedom in the USA

    Reply

  86. Shawna Lewis
    weloveourdogs@juno.com

    I thing Freedom means: Self, to make up your own mind, to love who you want, to go where you what , to read what you want , to say what you want I think Freedom is America, I think Freedom is something you feel deep down inside and it makes us who we are!!!

    Reply
  89. Pingback: Winners: Stand the Storm and The Moon Looked Down « One Persons Journey through a world of Books

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