The Origins by J.A. Boulet 💕 Behind the Scenes, Book Tour and $15 Gift Card Giveaway 💕 (Historical Romance)

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A young mother, Mt Askja and an unbreakable love

A young mother, Mt Askja and an unbreakable love

In the harsh landscapes of Iceland in 1850, a young girl loses her mother and struggles to grow into a woman alone with only her father’s help. Throughout the breathtaking 20-hour daylight summers and the bleak darkness of winters, Margret falls in love and dreams of a large family but the path to her future is rougher than she expected. The Origins will take you back in time delighting you with endearing Icelandic heritage, visual feasts for the mind and gripping you with the struggle to stay alive on a volatile island.

THE ORIGINS

Experience the rich journey of a 19th century woman who proves that even the weakest people can become stronger than anything you can imagine.

In the making of every historical fiction book is a mountain of research. Based in Iceland between 1850-1875, the book follows Margret, a young woman who begins the entire family saga by becoming a young mother. Although, living amongst the harsh landscapes in Iceland, nothing is easy.

And neither was the research, LOL.

I watched videos and researched the culture repeatedly. My book took me virtually to 1850s Iceland. One interesting tidbit that I came across was the food culture.

Sheep’s head is currently a delicacy, but was developed from necessity back in the beginnings of Icelandic survival. During the long harsh winters, the Icelanders needed to utilize every morsel of all the available food. So, they boiled the sheep head, with the eye still in. The eye was normally eaten by the head of the household and was considered sort of a privilege.

I included two scenes with sheep head dinners. Many different aspects of survival are in the book, right down to the way they stored food, which was in a below ground cool room. Skyr yogurt is in the book as well and was eaten almost daily.

The beginning of geothermal heat is also an interesting fact that was seamlessly woven into the story, almost on its own! In the depths of the Icelandic ground were many different hot pools, so the Icelanders never had to worry about hot water. It naturally existed below their feet! Although, it took years to figure out how to convert the natural hot water into geothermal energy. But Icelanders are resourceful and they discovered a way in 1908.

And of course, the research for the final explosion of Mount Askja in March 1875 led to mountains of research. Luckily, the explosion was well researched by scientists. I even edited the Wikipedia page for minor errors! I was proud of that!

Of course, every historical fiction book needs a good dose of romance and I didn’t need to do any research for that, LOL. I hope you enjoy the Icelandic journey! Thanks for following my book tour!

The sun slowly lost its shine when nobody was looking. Margret and her father tried everything to help Momma, but she wasn’t getting any better. It was frustrating and heartbreaking. Margret cooked all the food and cleaned the house, trying to become the woman of the homestead while her mother was sick. Margret thought if she worked harder, then God might smile upon them, and good things would happen. Her father took care of Momma in bed, cleaning her delicate pale skin with a wet cloth. Margret fed her and made sure Momma always had water. But Momma wasn’t getting any better.

The clouds had turned grey today, and the skies were bleak. Spring was not bringing the new beginning she had hoped for.

Margret tried to stop the shaking in her hands, but it was futile. She was too upset. Her father stood beside her smoothing her hair slowly, almost absentmindedly. The old blankets were laid straight over the bed, covering her Momma’s body and face.

“She’s gone, my dear,” Father said, his voice shaking and cracking with emotion.

“No!” Margret shouted, looking at her Pappa like he somehow had lied, and this was all a dream.

“Your Momma has died, sweetheart,” Father replied sadly. “The doctor tried what he could, we all tried what we could, but it didn’t work. She was too sick.”

Margret opened her mouth to speak and closed it. She tried again and lost her words. There were no words she could speak that would make anything better. The worst had happened. The very thing she had prayed for never to happen had just destroyed her life. She suddenly felt faint, like the floor was light beneath her feet.

Her mother had died.

She fell towards the floor as her father caught her falling body from hitting the hardwood.

Pappa picked up her petite body, cradling Margret in his arms and wept for himself and their future.

An epic 1875 immigration saga, a love story and an epidemic. Would you survive?

Forced to leave his home of Iceland, Nathan Olason and his family embark on an arduous journey to Canada to claim his stake in an area called New Iceland. On that fateful day in October 1875, Nath steps onto the soil of this foreign country, determined to call it his own. With natural sand beaches and breathtaking sunsets, it has been nicknamed paradise. Except it proves to be anything but.

With storm surges, frigid temperatures, emerging governments, racism and dwindling food supplies, Nathan and his family struggle to stay alive in this foreign land. With the help of a beautiful Cree woman named Anwa, they learn to fish and hunt, surviving against all the odds.

Then just when they think they have prevailed, tragedy strikes an ominous blow, a smallpox epidemic that decimates villages, quarantines the town of Gimli, but most of all threatens to claim what he holds dear the most.

Would you survive?

Be one of the last men standing. Follow Nath on this heroic journey of immigration, manhood, immense love, resilience and perseverance beyond anything we know.

A struggle. A war. The past. Would you recover?

Awarded the Distinguished Favorite Award in Military Fiction Fall 2021 NYC Big Book Awards

Nathan Olason picks up the pieces of his life in 1893 and becomes a devoted father and grandfather. Except something from his past is holding him back.

When his grandson, Mike, announces that he is joining the Great War, Nath fears the worst. Armed and deadly, his grandson hones his marksmanship skills to a perfection not seen in any other soldier. But once Mike arrives at Vimy Ridge, France, with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, the biggest fight of his life has only begun.

Feeling helpless to stop this dangerous chain of events, Nath flees to a place that he thought was his salvation but turns into something else; an old weathered cottage that holds the key to his future.

Follow in the footsteps of heroes.

Be vulnerable.

Would you recover?

Meet Zachary Olason, a bad boy struggling on the brink of alcoholism.

During the Great Depression, Zack loses himself and spirals into nights of debauchery, riots and drunkenness. His brother, Adam, thinks lowly of him as his entire family struggles to help him.

But Zack is determined to make a mess of his life.

Until he meets a beautiful petite woman, half Cree and part British, who helps him to grow into a better version of himself.

Then just as he thinks life is getting better, he sinks to the bottom of hell. Will he survive from his own self-destruction?

The only way he sees out is to join the Canadian Navy.

The Battle of the Atlantic will either teach him or break him.

THE WARS BETWEEN US

With action packed adrenaline and steamy love scenes, The Wars Between Us will keep you gripped to your seat on a ride of addiction, unwavering love and the fight to stay alive during WWII.

Add The Olason Chronicles to your bookshelf, you will be wondering why it took you so long.

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J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of The Olason Chronicles, a historical saga of war, courage, love and strength. Her newest novel The Origins Book 4, the final book in the series, is being released on June 8, 2022. J. A. Boulet was born and raised in Western Canada as a first generation Canadian from European descent. Her father enlisted with the Hungarian military and fought bravely during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, changing sides to stand up for what he believed in. He was granted asylum in Canada and built his family here.

J. A. Boulet was born many years later, raised with strong morals and values, which she stands behind to this day. She started writing poetry at the age of five and progressed to short stories and novels. She has a keen interest in ancestry, healing, family bonds and military history. J. A. Boulet writes with a spine-tingling realism like none other, grabbing your emotions and refusing to let go. The Olason Chronicles is the series you’ve been waiting for. Watch for the next book 1956: Love and Revolution (Dec 2022), a standalone historical romance novel that takes place during the courageous Hungarian Revolution.