Author Guest Post With Lloyd Lofthouse & GIVEAWAY!

Lloyd Lofthouse has kindly agreed to guest post here about his work, and share his inspiration for becoming a writer in honor of his Newest release, The Concubine Saga.

 About The Author:

Lloyd Lofthouse is the author of My Splendid Concubine and Our Hart [combined in this single volume], which earned honorable mentions in general fiction at the 2008 London Book Festival, 2009 San Francisco Book Festival, 2009 Hollywood Book Festival, 2009 Los Angeles Book Festival, 2009 Nashville Book Festival and was a finalist in historical fiction for the National Best Books 2010 Awards. Lloyd Lofthouse grew up in Southern California, served in the Vietnam War as a U.S. Marine and lives near San Francisco with his wife and family with a second home in Shanghai, China.

Find Lloyd Lofthouse on the Web:
Official Website | Goodreads

 Guest Post:

In 1968, after being discharged from the US Marines as a Vietnam veteran, I went to college in Southern California and wrote my first novel. For the next 39 years, I collected rejection slips and was fired by several agents.

Although I was represented by more than one reputable agent over the decades and came close several times to landing a contract with traditional publishers, a contract never materialized. One publisher went so far as to write in the rejection that their editorial staff loved the book but no one was buying that type of story—better luck elsewhere.

By the time I finished college, I had earned a BA in journalism and an MFA in writing.  In fact, in the 1980s, I attended writing workshops for several years out of the UCLA Extension Writers' Program driving more than 140 miles round trip each week.

Then in 2007, I decided to self-publish My Splendid Concubine, which I had been working on for seven years. Our Hart, Elegy for a Concubine, the sequel, followed in 2010.  The Concubine Saga combines both the prequel and sequel in one volume.

The Concubine Saga is about Sir Robert Hart's (1835 - 1911) passionate bitter-sweet romance with his concubine Ayaou.  Saga is historical fiction based on the real life of Hart, who arrived in China in 1854 to work as an interpreter for the British consulate. A few years later, he was offered a job to work for the emperor of China.

When Hart left China in 1908, he was the most powerful foreigner to have ever lived and worked in China and the only Westerner the emperor of China trusted.

Shortly before his death, Hart attempted to erase his decade long romance with Ayaou from his journals and letters but failed.  The Concubine Saga is the lusty love story that Sir Robert Hart did not want the world to discover.

The setting of the novel takes place during the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion, the bloodiest rebellion in human history—Hart played a crucial role to end this rebellion after more than a decade of war and at least 20 million killed.

After having written a dozen manuscripts over the decades and collecting hundreds of rejection slips, it was great to see My Splendid Concubine selected for iUniverse's Editor's Choice; then Publisher's Choice and Reader's Choice in 2008 in addition to earning an honorable mention in general fiction from the 2008 London Book Festival.

After launching my own imprint, Three Clover Press, and leaving iUniverse in 2009, Concubine went on to earn honorable mentions in general fiction from the San Francisco Book Festival and the Hollywood Book Festival.

The sequel, Our Hart, Elegy for a Concubine did even better.  In 2009, the sequel earned honorable mentions in general fiction from the Los Angeles Book Festival, Nashville Book Festival, London Book Festival and DIY Book Festival. Then in 2010, it was a finalist of the National Best Books 2010 Awards.

The Midwest Book Review said, "My Splendid Concubine is packed cover to cover with intriguing characters and plot, a must read for historical fiction fans and a find addition to any collection on the genre."

Cheryl Koch, one of Amazon's top Vine Reviewers with over 1,000 reviews wrote, "Lofthouse did an amazing job with My Splendid Concubine."

The Historical Novel Society said, "Those who are interested in unconventional romances with an out-of-the-ordinary setting will find plenty to enjoy."

A Writer's Digest Judge said, "A powerful novel whose beauty exceeds that of the book's cover."

For Our Hart, the Midwest Book Review said "a unique and entertaining read, recommended."

If I had given up during the 39 years I was collecting rejection slips from traditional publishers and being fired by agents, none of this would have happened.

 The Concubine Saga:

Title: The Concubine Saga

Author: Lloyd Lofthouse

Publisher: Three Clover Press
Category: Historical Fiction
Tour Dates: June, 2012
Available in Print and Kindle, 621 Pages

No Westerner has ever achieved Robert Hart’s status and level of power in China. Driven by a passion for his adopted country, Hart became the “godfather of China’s modernism”, inspector general of China’s Customs Service, and the builder of China’s railroads, postal and telegraph systems and schools.

However, his first real love is Ayaou, a young concubine. Sterling Seagrave, in Dragon Lady, calls her Hart’s sleep-in dictionary and says she was wise beyond her years.

Soon after arriving in China in 1854, Hart falls in love with Ayaou, but his feelings for her sister go against the teachings of his Christian upbringing and almost break him emotionally. To survive he must learn how to live and think like the Chinese. He also finds himself thrust into the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion, the bloodiest rebellion in human history, where he makes enemies of men such as the American soldier of fortune known as the Devil Soldier.

During his early years in China, Robert experiences a range of emotion from bliss to despair. Like Damascus steel, he learns to be both hard and flexible, which forges his character into the great man he becomes.

In time, an ancient empire will rely on him to survive, and he will become the only foreigner the Emperor of China trusts.

Full of humanity, passion, and moral honesty, The Concubine Saga is the deeply intimate story of Hart’s loyalty and love for his adopted land and the woman who captured his heart.

“My Splendid Concubine” was the love story Sir Robert Hart did not want the world to discover.

In the sequel, “Our Hart, Elegy for a Concubine”, he was the only foreigner the Emperor of China trusted.

Both novels have come together as one in “The Concubine Saga”.

Find The Concubine Saga Online:  

Goodreads | Official Website | Amazon

 GIVEAWAY: 

Thanks to the author, I have 1 copy of this novel to giveaway here on my blog!

***Open To Everyone!***

Giveaway policies:

• To Enter: Please leave a comment indicating why you want to read this novel and leave your e-mail address.

• This giveaway ends on July 15, 2012
• This giveaway is open to those 13 years of age or older. 
• All giveaway winners will be announced on the blog.
• I can disqualify any entry as I see fit. 
• I will use Random.org to select the winners.
• Once the winners have been notified, they will have 24 hours to confirm their interest otherwise new winners will be selected.

 More: 

Leave an approved comment on one or more Blog posts found at
Lloyd Lofthouse.org or iLook China.net
between May 30, 2012 and June 30, 2012
during "The Concubine Saga" Web Tour
and automatically be entered into a drawing
to win a limited edition, signed and numbered hard-cover copy of the novel.
(NOTE: only one limited-edition, hard-cover copy is available to give away)

Happy reading until next time!