ABOUT THE BOOK
BLOOD AND SILVER
What is a twelve year old girl to do when she finds herself in the silver boomtown of Tombstone, Arizona, in 1880, and her only home is a brothel and her only parent is a drug-addicted mother? If she is Carissa Beaumont, she outsmarts the evil madam and figures a way out.
After tricking the madam, Miss Lucille, into summoning a doctor for her mother, Lisette, she discovers that Miss Lucille has been drugging her. She and the kind doctor make a plan to try to save Lisette by dosing her down on the drug.
Doctor Henderson tells Carissa that the only source for the drug is a Chinese immigrant named China Mary, who lives in Hoptown, at the other end of Tombstone. Carissa has no choice but to go to the powerful woman for help. Many say that China Mary is the one who really controls Tombstone.
China Mary admires Carissa’s brave spirit, and uses her influence to get her a job at the new Grand Hotel, which will free Carissa from her many duties at Miss Lucille’s. She will work along with Mary’s twelve year old niece, Mai-Lin. The two girls become fast friends.
Then, disaster strikes, and the two girls must work together to stay alive.
With a host of colorful characters and meticulous attention to period detail, Blood and Silver is a story of the best and worst of human nature, the passion for survival and the beauty of true friendship.
In June of 2021, Blood and Silver won first place in two categories at the San Francisco Book Festival. The following month, Blood and Silver was named a Winner at the 2021 New York Book Festival. In the months since, the book has amassed numerous accolades including top honors at the 2021 American Fiction Awards, the 2022 International Book Awards and the 2023 Hollywood Book Awards.
*Pleased to announce that Blood and Silver is now available in Tombstone at Boothill Graveyard & Gift Shop, the Bird Cage Theater, and the O.K. Corral.