Joe Byrd
on Tour
May 3-28
with
Monet & Oscar:
Essence Of Light
(historical fiction)
Official release date: May 1st, 2021
300 pages
📚📚📚
SYNOPSIS
At the end of WWI, Oscar, an American soldier in a French Army hospital, learned of his mother’s death while recovering from his war wounds. He remained in France to search for his father, an Impressionist painter, whose identity his mother never revealed. Through curious circumstances, he’s hired to be a gardener for Claude Monet. Oscar jumped at the opportunity to further his landscaping career by working in Monet’s world-famous garden at Giverny. He hoped the most renowned Impressionist could help him find his father.
Monet, tired and disheartened by his ailing health and deteriorating eyesight, took Oscar along on visits to his previous painting venues and allowed him to meet some of his art-world friends. These meetings provided insights into Monet’s life and art and clues to Oscar’s father’s identity.
On a train returning from Paris to Giverny, Oscar met and fell in love with Isabelle, a beautiful young American artist, who introduced him to the emerging 1920’s fashions and mores. She is the daughter of one of Monet’s major American clients, which interests him. Over Monet’s daughters’ objections, Isabelle and Oscar become regular guests at family gatherings as their infatuation blossoms into a unique love affair. Oscar’s past, present, and future collide in a way that he could not have anticipated.
Joe Byrd‘s BS in Journalism
and MA in Communications degrees
inspired him to become a pioneer in electronic publishing.
As a McGraw-Hill editor,
he developed one of the first computer publishing systems.
In the rapidly developing PC software industry,
he co-authored one of his two books
using PC desktop publishing software,
the first for a major publishing house.
He developed the first technical support website in the software industry.
In his fifty-year career, he published magazines, wrote research reports,
and developed conferences in the US and Europe for the digital photography industry.
He launched one of the first digital photography dot coms. This is his first novel.
To find our more,
please visit
his website, and follow him on
Facebook,
Twitter, and
Instagram
You can enter the global giveaway here
or on any other book blog participating in this tour.
Visit/Follow the participating blogs on Facebook/Twitter,
as listed in the entry form below, and win more entry points!
Tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour
will give you 5 extra entries each time!
[just follow the directions on the entry-form]
Global giveaway open to all
4 winners will receive a kindle copy of this book
***
CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ REVIEWS AND AN EXCERPT
My Review
The talents of Joe Byrd shines through in his debut, Monet and Oscar. I thought this read was pretty good. As an artist, I enjoyed the historical details and learning more about Claude Monet. It was entertaining to get a glimpse of the author’s vision of how he lived. I was instantly drawn to the character of Oscar. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen with him next. It was an interesting and unique story to read. I really liked it.
Monet and Oscar is getting four and a half stars from me. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading historical fiction based on real people. I am looking forward to more by Joe Byrd in the future. I am curious to see where his imagination will take his readers to next.
I received a digital copy of Monet and Oscar from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
Thanks for your lovely review. Rejoice, Joe Byrd mentioned working on possibly two more books on Monet!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I didn't know you were an artist as well. What media do you use? Do you have pictures of your art somewhere.
Hi Emma! I do not have any pictures posted anywhere. They are hanging on my walls, though. Some were award winning in shows. I have used acrylic, watercolor, and oil. :)
DeleteAs I commented on your post on BookBub, I loved your interest in reading and reviewing Monet & Oscar. Comments like yours inspire writers to continue to write. I'll endeavor to live up to your opinion of my work with my next novel. Please let me know if I can be of an assistance or answer any questions.
ReplyDeleteWarmest regards,
Joe Byrd