Ross Poldark Blog Tour

Hey, Everyone!! I'm so excited to be part of the Ross Poldark Blog Tour!! My stop on the tour brings to you an excerpt from second book in the Poldark Saga, Demelza. 

“If Jane Austen met Charlotte Bronte and they drank too much port, the Poldark Saga would be their literary love child.” — Poldarkian.com  

Captain Ross Poldark rides again in the new Sourcebooks Landmark tie-in editions of Ross Poldark and Demelza, the first two novels in the acclaimed Poldark Saga by Winston Graham, adapted into the inaugural season of the new Masterpiece Classic PBS’s series Poldark, airing June 21 – August 2 on PBS.

In celebration, July 6th through August 3rd, The Ross Poldark Blog Tour will visit thirty popular book blogs specializing in historical, romance and Austenesque fiction. Featuring spotlights, previews, excerpts and book reviews of these two acclaimed historical fiction novels, the tour will also offer readers a chance at a fabulous giveaway contest including copies of the books and a stunning Anglophile-themed prize package.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

In the enchanting second novel in Winston Graham’s beloved Poldark series, Demelza Carne, an impoverished miner’s daughter Ross Poldark rescued from a fairground brawl, now happily finds herself his wife. But the events of these turbulent years test their marriage and their love. As Ross launches into a bitter struggle for the right of the mining communities, Demelza’s efforts to adapt to the ways of the gentry (and her husband) place her in increasingly odd and embarrassing situations. When tragedy strikes and sows the seeds of an enduring rivalry between Ross and the powerful George Warleggan, will Demelza manage to bridge their differences before they destroy her and her husband’s chance at happiness? Against the stunning backdrop of eighteenth century Cornwall, Demelza sweeps readers into one of the greatest love stories of all time. 

ISBN 9781936009442

Demelza ~ Excerpt From Chapter 4

Ross looked up, a not very welcoming expression in his eyes. It was a man named Blewett, manager and part shareholder in Wheal Maid, one of the copper mines of the Idless Valley.

“No. I have no time to spare except for business visits.”

“May I sit with you? The wool merchants in the parlor have no interest for me. Thank you. I see the price of copper has fallen again.”

“So I have just learned.”

“It must stop soon or we shall all be in bankruptcy.”

“No one deplores that more than I,” said Ross, reluctantly finding common cause with the man whom he disliked only for breaking into his private thoughts.

“One hopes for almost anything to stop the downward trend,” Blewett said, setting down his glass and moving restlessly. “We have lost eight hundred pounds in trading this year. It is a big sum for people like ourselves.”

Ross glanced up again. He saw that Blewett was really worried; there were dark pouches under his eyes, and his mouth sagged. Before him—and not far away—was the debtors’ prison and starvation for his family. It was that which had made him risk the rebuff of a man who had a reputation for being unapproachable. Perhaps he had just come from a meeting with his fellow venturers and felt he must talk or suffocate.

“I don’t think conditions can remain long as they are,” Ross said. “There is an increasing use of copper in engines of all kinds. As the towns use more the price will recover.”

“On a long view you may be right, but unhappily we are all committed to a short-term payment of loan interest. We have to sell the ore addle cheap to exist at all. If the copper and smelting companies were honestly run we might eke out this bad period. But what chance have we today?”

“I don’t think it can be to the interest of the smelters to keep the prices down,” Ross said.

“Not the market price, no, sir, but the price they pay us. It’s all a ring, Captain Poldark, and we know it,” Blewett said. “What chance have we of getting fair returns where the companies do not bid one against another!”

Ross nodded and stared at the people moving in and out of the inn. A blind man was feeling his way toward the bar.

“There are two ways to combat the evil.”

Blewett grasped at the implication of hope. “What do you suggest?”

“I’d suggest what is not possible. The copper companies never hurt themselves by competitive bidding. Well, if the mines were in similar unity they could withhold supplies until the copper companies were prepared to pay more. After all, they cannot live without us; we are the producers.”

“Yes, yes. I see what you mean. Go on.”

At that moment a man passed the low window of the inn and turned in at the door. Ross’s thoughts were on what he had been saying, and for some moments the familiar stocky figure and slightly wide-legged walk made no mark in his mind. Then he was jerked into attention. The last time he had seen the man was years before, riding up the valley out of Nampara after his fight with Francis, while Verity stood and watched him go.

Ross lowered his head and stared at the table.

Between his eyes and the tabletop—as if he had been staring at the sun—was the visual image of what he had just seen. Fine blue coat, neat black cravat, lace at sleeves, stocky and rather impressive. The face was different, though—the lines deeper about the mouth, the mouth itself was tighter as if forever held in, and the eyes full of self-assertion.

He did not look either way but went straight through into one of the parlors. A fortunate escape.

“What we need, Captain Poldark, is a leader,” said Blewett eagerly. “A man of position who is upright and confident and can act for us all. A man, if I may say so, such as yourself.”

“Eh?” said Ross.

“I trust you will pardon the suggestion. But in the mining world it is everyone for himself and Devil take your neighbor. We need a leader who can bind men together and help them to fight as a body. Competition is very well when the industry is booming, but we cannot afford it at times like these. The copper companies are rapacious—there is no other word. Look at the waste allowance they demand. If we could get a leader, Captain Poldark…”

Ross listened with fitful attention.

“What is your other suggestion?” Blewett asked.

“My suggestion?”

“You said there were two ways of combating the evil of our present conditions…”

“The other solution would be for the mines to form a copper company of their own—one that would purchase the ore, build a smelting works close at hand, and refine and sell their own products.”

Blewett tapped his fingers nervously on the table.

“You mean—to—to…”

“To create a company that would bid independently and keep its profits for the men who run the mines. At present what profits there are go to South Wales or into the hands of merchants like the Warleggans, who have a finger in every pie.”

Blewett shook his head. “It would take a large amount of capital. I wish it had been possible—”

“Not more capital than there was, than perhaps there is, but far more unity of purpose.”

“It would be a splendid thing to do,” said Blewett. “Captain Poldark, you have, if I may say so, the character to lead and to create unity. The companies would fight to squeeze the newcomer out, but it—it would be a hope and an encouragement for many who see nothing but ruin staring them in the face.”

Desperation had given Harry Blewett a touch of eloquence. Ross listened half in scepticism, half seriously. His own suggestions had become more clearly defined as he made them. But he certainly did not see himself in the role of leader of the Cornish mining interests. Knowing his men, their independence, their obstinate resistance to all new ideas, he could see what a tremendous effort would be needed to get anything started at all.

They sipped brandy over it for some time, Blewett seeming to find some comfort in the idle talk. His fears were the less for having been aired. Ross listened with an ear and an eye for Andrew Blamey.

It was nearly time to leave, Demelza, sorely stricken, having been persuaded overnight to go on with her second party. Blewett brought another man to the table. William Aukett, manager of a mine in the Ponsanooth valley. Eagerly Blewett explained the idea to him. Aukett, a canny man with a cast in one eye, said there was no question it might save the industry—but where was the capital coming from except through the banks, which were tied up with the copper companies?

Ross, driven a little to defend his own idea, said well, there were influential people outside the copper companies. But of course that was no seeking venture that could be floated for five or six hundred. Thirty thousand pounds might be nearer the figure before it was ended, with huge profits or a complete loss as the outcome. One had to see it on the right scale before one could begin to see it at all.

Those comments, far from depressing Blewett, seemed to increase his eagerness, but just as he had taken out a sheet of soiled paper and was going to call for pen and ink, a crash shook the pewter on the walls of the room and stilled the murmur of voices throughout the inn.

Out of the silence came the sound of someone scrambling on the floor in the next parlor. There was a scurry of feet and the flash of a red waistcoat as the innkeeper went quickly into the room.

“This is no place for brawling, sir. There’s always trouble when you come in. I’ll have no more of it. I’ll…I’ll…”

The voice gave out. Another’s took its place: Andrew Blamey’s, in anger.

He came out, plowing his way through those who had crowded to the door. He was not drunk. Ross wondered if drink ever had been his real trouble. Blamey knew a stronger master: his own temper.

AUTHOR BIO:

Winston Graham (1908-2003) is the author of forty novels. His books have been widely translated and the Poldark series has been developed into two television series, shown in 22 countries. Six of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Winston Graham is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and in 1983 was awarded the O.B.E.

THE ROSS POLDARK BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:

July 06 My Jane Austen Book Club (Preview)

July 07 Booktalk & More (Excerpt)

July 08 Reading, Writing, Working, Playing (Review)

July 09 vvb32 Reads (Preview)

July 10 The Paige Turner (Review)

July 10 My Kids Led Me Back To P & P (Excerpt)

July 11 Austenprose (Review)

July 12 Laura's Reviews (Preview)

July 13 Peeking Between the Pages (Review)

July 13 Reflections of a Book Addict (Preview)

July 14 Living Read Girl (Review)

July 15 Confessions of a Book Addict (Review)

July 16 vvb32 Reads (Review)

July 17 Paige Turner (Review)

July 18 Truth, Beauty, Freedom & Books (Preview)

July 19 Marie Antoinette’s Gossip Guide (Excerpt)

July 20 Laura's Reviews (Review)

July 20 The Calico Critic (Review)

July 21 So Little Time…So Much to Read (Excerpt)

July 21 Poof Books (Excerpt)

July 22 Babblings of a Bookworm (Review)

July 23 Austenprose (Review)

July 24 Peeking Between the Pages (Review)

July 25 My Love for Jane Austen (Excerpt) 

July 25 Living Read Girl (Review)

July 26 Delighted Reader (Review)

July 27 My Jane Austen Book Club (Review)

July 27 Austenesque Reviews (Review)

July 27 Laura's Reviews (Review)

July 28 She Is Too Fond Of Books (Review)

July 29 English Historical Fiction Authors (Preview)

July 30 vvb32 Reads (Review)

July 30 Babblings of a Bookworm (Review)

July 31 CozyNookBks (Excerpt)

Aug 01 The Calico Critic (Review)

Aug 01 More Agreeably Engaged (Review)

Aug 02 Scuffed Slippers Wormy Books (Review)

Aug 03 Romantic Historical Reviews (Review)

Aug 03 Psychotic State Book Reviews (Review)

Grand Giveaway Contest

Win One of Three Fabulous Prizes

In celebration of the re-release of Ross Poldark and Demelza, Sourcebooks Landmark is offering three chances to win copies of the books or a grand prize, an Anglophile-themed gift package. 

Two lucky winners will each receive one trade paperback copy of Ross Poldark and Demelza, and one grand prize winner will receive a prize package containing the following items: 

(2 ) Old Britain Castles Pink Pottery Mugs by Johnson Brothers

(1) Twelve-inch Old Britain Castles Pink Pottery Plater by Johnson Brothers

Updated picture of grand prize.

(1) London Telephone Box Tin of Ahmad English Breakfast Tea 

(1) Jar of Mrs. Bridges Marmalade

(1) Package of Duchy Originals Organic Oaten Biscuits

(2) Packets of Blue Boy Cornflower Seeds by Renee's Garden Heirloom (1) Trade Paperback Copy of Ross Poldark & Demelza, by Winston Graham

 Good news! PBS has contributed to the prize package by adding a Season 1 DVD of Poldark!!

To enter the giveaway contest simply leave a comment on any or all of the blog stops on the Ross Poldark Blog Tour starting July 06, 2015 through 11:59 pm PT, August 10, 2015. Winners will be drawn at random from all of the entrants and announced on the Buzz at Sourcebooks blog on August 13, 2015. Winners have until August 20, 2015 to claim their prize. The giveaway contest is open to US residents and the prizes will be shipped to US addresses. Good luck to all!

SOURCEBOOKS WEBSITES & SOCIAL MEDIA

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TWITTER HASHTAGS

#PoldarkBlogTour • #Sourcebooks • #PoldarkPBS • #HistoricalFicton • #PoldarkBooks • #Giveaway • #Reading.

Awesome, right?! So, to enter the giveaway leave a comment below, and for more chances to win make sure to leave a comment at the other stops on the tour! 

Many thanks to Laural Ann Nattress from Austenprose for organizing this blog tour!