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| About the Book |
Book Title: The Redemption of Mattie Silks
Author: Kimberly Burns
Publication Date: October 25, 2023
Publisher: Thomas Bard Publishing
Page Length: 315
Genre: Historical Fiction
SEEKING REDEMPTION, SHE FINDS RETRIBUTION
In 1892, running one of the West’s fanciest brothels is a rough game. In a town filled with brazen criminals, corrupt police, zealous politicians, and morality committees, Madam Mattie Silks makes her fortune catering to Colorado’s gold and silver millionaires.
Notorious crime boss “Soapy” Smith is at the top of the Denver underworld. There are no rules for Smith’s gang. They solve problems with bribes and bullets. When Mattie’s husband stumbles into Soapy’s dealings, she struggles to protect him.
Gold is discovered in the Yukon and Mattie seizes the opportunity for adventure and profit. But Skagway, Alaska, is even more lawless than Denver. Mattie must use all her business sense and street smarts to safeguard those she cares about. Will it be enough? Or will Lady Justice again turn a blind eye?
Based on a true story, The Redemption of Mattie Silks is an
action-packed tale of a woman succeeding in a man’s world even when the cards
are stacked against her.
“The research on the era
shines through, as do the grit and spirit of the characters. …A colorful and
enthralling journey.”
~ K.T. Blakemore, award-winning
author of The Good Time Girls series
“A nice, nuanced portrait of the complex underworld with fine and witty
turns of phrase. A great Western romp!”
~ Randi Samuelson-Brown, award-winning author of The Bad Old Days series
About the Author
Kimberly Burns grew up in Colorado hearing stories about the colourful characters of the Old West. She has degrees from the University of Colorado and the University of Hartford. Kimberly is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Western Writers of America, and Women Writing the West. She lives with her husband and black Lab in Leesburg, Virginia.
Her debut novel The Mrs. Tabor won numerous awards including the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best New Novel, a gold medal for Best Regional Fiction from the Independent Publisher Book Awards, a National Indie Excellence Award, and a silver medal from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association EVVY Awards.
Kimberly and her unruly heroines make for an entertaining book talk. She is available to discuss her novels with book groups in person or online. Email her at info@kimberlyburnsauthor.com.
Author Links:
Website:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072454670660
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyburnsauthor/
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kimberly-Burns/author/B09G4S8N2L
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21851914.Kimberly_Burns
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| Read An Excerpt |
“Jane,
tell Polly to come downstairs. I need to speak with her,” Mattie called to the
maid.
All
of the females in the house knew something was afoot and they stopped their
evening preparations to trail Polly into the front parlor.
She wore a pale green silk dressing gown over
her corset and stockings. Pins held the auburn hair around her face in small
curls. At twenty-three, the sand in Polly’s hourglass was slipping away. She’d worked on her back for nearly
five years. It was a long time, even in Mattie’s refined and gentle house.
“I
guess you know your beau, Rudel, was here. He wants to marry you.” Mattie felt
like a proud parent.
The
other girls squealed with delight. Suzanne threw her arms around her friend’s
neck while Dora and Ruby hooted approval and Violet clapped. Even Effie and
Allie smiled from the doorway.
“You
didn’t chase him off, did you?” asked Liz looking around the room.
“No,”
chuckled Mattie. “He’ll be back in an hour. I wanted to talk to Polly privately.” She gave the other girls a
pointed look, however, none of them moved.
“We’ve
all seen Polly naked as a jaybird more times than we can count. What could you
say to her that we don’t already know?” asked Dora.
Rolling
her eyes in mock frustration,
Mattie turned to Polly. “I want to make sure that what he is offering is what
you want. He’s promising you a life of hard work and loneliness miles from
civilization.”
Unmentioned was the dubious future of a
fallen woman. Working at a fine parlor house was one thing, but as they aged
girls would tumble down The Row to ever grimier brothels, to rougher and
rougher saloons, to dingy cribs, landing at last in a back alley.
“No ranch wife is a pampered lady,” Mattie
said.
Polly
pulled the pins from the hair at her temples. Tendrils cascaded down her
cheekbones, framing her lovely green eyes. “Rude is a good man and I was never
gonna be a lady anyway.”
“All
right then,” Mattie said, clapping her hands together. “This calls for a
celebration. Jane, bring up champagne from the cellar and glasses for everyone.
Bring a glass for yourself.”
A
cheer went up and bubbly poured.
“Have
you kissed him?” Ruby wanted to know.
“Yes,” Polly said with a blush.
“Oooh!” her friends exclaimed.
There were no rules preventing kissing
customers, but it was a rarity. The girls couldn’t waste the time, and the
customers usually weren’t there to purchase that kind of affection.
“I
wouldn’t make a good country wife,” opined Violet after a deep drink of
champagne. “I’d miss the excitement of city living and being around people.”
Mattie
agreed and was sure Cortez disliked the solitary monotony of life in Wray. But
the false gaiety and imitation intimacy of Market Street created its own
particular kind of loneliness.
“I
read there are more cattle than people in southern Colorado,” said Suzanne.
“He
did ask if I can ride a horse astride like a man,” Polly said, between slips.
“I
can ride a man astride like a horse. Do you think he could find me a husband
too?” Dora cracked.
Liz’s
laughter and her champagne met in her throat making her cough. Fanny pounded on
her back.
“Here’s
to Mrs. Rudel Strudel,” Dora proclaimed, raising her glass overhead.
Everyone
offered their best wishes for a long and happy life. Glasses were drained and a
fresh bottle was opened.
“You
know, I had a husband before,” Polly admitted. “We lived near Laramie. He was a
drunkard. He stumbled out one night and never came back. I thought I could get
by, but… A local saloonkeeper had an idea how I could make a little money.” She
took another drink. “I just couldn’t do it in Laramie where people knew me.”
The
girls all had a similar story of an event that changed the course of their
life. Mattie recognized the pain at the heart of those tales as the bit of grit
at the center their souls that made them into pearls. Not many women made it
out of the sporting life. But she thought calm and pragmatic Polly would
succeed.
For
Polly’s sake, in the future Mattie would never claim to know her. “Do you have
a story to tell your new neighbors? About how you met Rudel?” Mattie asked.
“Something simple might be best.”
“I’m
a widow. Rude came into the restaurant where I worked in Denver. He had one
bite of my peach pie and fell in love.”
“Here’s
to Polly’s peach pie,” offered Ruby, raising her champagne flute. The girls
slugged down another glass and another bottle popped opened.
“So, Polly…” Ruby asked, “do you love him?”
“Even
though people call what we do ‘making love,’ I’m dang sure that love is not a
tent pole in his pants,” Polly answered wryly.
Rueful
laughter escaped from the painted lips of the ladies of the lamplight.
“We
are all the same to those men.” Polly looked at the design in the pressed tin
ceiling. “But Rudel is different. He likes me. He said my hair was as pretty as
his best chestnut sorrel.”
Everyone murmured agreement that this was
probably flowery prose of love from the young
rancher.
“Rude
is kind and he’s loyal. That’s probably what love is made of in Rudel.” Polly
wrapped both hands around her champagne glass and held it to her chest like a
bridal bouquet. “And I trust him. That’s probably as close to love as I’ll ever
know.”
***
The
next morning, Polly and Alvin carried her things down the stairs. In the front
sitting room, they sat the trunk down and she pulled out three of the fancy
evening gowns Rudel had paid for. They were gorgeous creations of autumn
colors, a rich burgundy brocade, and an aspen leaf yellow in a light chiffon,
and the a copper velvet and satin dress she wore the night she met Rudel. They
were decorated with rows of jet beads, lace, fringe, and feathers.
“I
can’t see myself showing up to a church social in these. Would anyone—?” Before
Polly could finish offering the dresses, Violet dashed across the room and
snatched up the wine-colored brocade. Fanny grabbed the copper satin. No one
wanted the yellow dress.
“What
about your green dress? I want that one,” Ruby said, trying to peer into the
trunk.
Polly
shut the trunk and sat on the lid. “I’m keeping it.” The luscious deep forest
color perfectly complimented Polly’s emerald eyes and chestnut hair. “That one
and the black dress. I can take off the beads and rework the bodices. I can
turn them into something more suited for a ranch wife.”
She
played with a line of fringe that edged the dress Violet held. “I suppose that
is what I am doing with my life. Taking off the fancy work and remaking myself
into something different.”
A
lump caught in Mattie’s throat. Practical Polly. “You’ll always be our
beautiful girl, no matter what you wear or where you live.”
Rudel
and Alvin packed Polly’s things in the wagon waiting in the back alley. Tears
flowed as the girls crowded around for last hugs.
Pulling
the tall girl in close, Mattie pressed two hundred dollars into her hand, and
whispered, “It’s important that you always have money of your own. Keep this
back, just in case.” She held Polly’s face in her hands. “If you don’t like it
out there, you can always come back.” Polly would always be part of Mattie’s
family.
This title is available to read with #KindleUnlimited
Universal Link:
https://books2read.com/u/mlpKRv
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Thanks so much for featuring Kimberly Burns today, Helen.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club
my pleasure
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