"Ward paints a vivid portrait of Kansas City
in the Roaring ’20s"
"Well done"
- Kirkus Reviews
One woman's transformative journey
of love, betrayal, and redemption...
set in the Roaring '20s
when the rules were clear & made to be broken
From the day Jean Ball lands a job at the elegant Empire hotel, she quickly learns the secrets of the entitled class. Dazzled by a Roaring Twenties society on the cusp of radical change, this naive and innocent young woman finds herself dancing, bobbing her hair, and falling for Elden Whitcomb, the handsome son of the wealthy hotel owner. The stakes rise when the Whitcombs’ powerful secrets are revealed and loving Elden comes at a price – one that may be too high for Jean to pay.
Shattered and alone, Jean's in the battle of her life in a city alive with romance, smoky speakeasies, jazz music and scandal, but divided by race and class. With the help and encouragement of influential women, Jean may find what she has always needed, though her choices could echo through generations. But will the man she trusted and so fiercely loves redeem himself?
Somewhere Still, is poignant and compelling, a vividly drawn portrait of a young woman making her way in an era of opulence and abundance, at a time of great division and separation. Somewhere Still teems with memorable and resilient characters and takes you back to the Roaring Twenties to a city known as Paris on the Plains, alive with jazz clubs, speakeasies, and a burgeoning Prohibition bootleg trade. This time and place also deliver a rich tale of women's social groups changing their corner of the world, the birth of baseball's Negro League, and fast changes that bring traditional social mores into question.
In this coming-of-age story, we see the thin reed upon which many lived in the Roaring Twenties and we witness the power of love and its ability to heal and mend divides. Somewhere Still is written with tenderness as it demonstrates the transformative power of the human spirit to build bridges and extend a helping hand.
Prohibition Cocktails
reveals the history, secrets, and recipes of 21 of the most popular drinks of the Roaring Twenties. For 14 years, from 1920-1933, until the 21st Amendment passed, the production, sale, and transport of liquor were banned -- the rules were clear and made to be broken.
The speakeasy cocktail culture flourished. From the sweet Mary Pickford to the startling Monkey Gland cocktail, come learn the secrets and history of Prohibition Cocktails.
Come travel back to the time and place where speakeasy cocktails were born.
About Denitta
Denitta Ward writes historical and contemporary fiction from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
After decades of writing legal briefs and contracts, Denitta picked up her pen and decided she'd write the stories she really wanted to tell - about young women discovering their own resilience in times of transition.
Denitta is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association, the Historical Novel Society, and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.
Somewhere Still, written as a Mother's Day gift, captures a society in transition - the world of jazz, baseball’s Negro League and a burgeoning Prohibition bootleg trade -- all a backdrop for this story of the price of love, the hurts that are slowest to heal and a certain kind of infinite redemption found when women band together across race and class.
The Somewhere books, can all be read stand-alone and if you follow the series you will see some recurring characters.
Somewhere Still
Inspiration
Images from the Past
Q. Did the Kansas City women's consumer league really exist?
A. Yes. The city's Consumer League was very active in the 1920s and, yes, the women actually inspected dairies.
Q. Was there really a Negro League baseball team in Kansas City in 1921?
A. Yes, the Monarchs had a 73-43 record in 1921. The League was first formed in Kansas City and Kansas City, today, is home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Kansas City's Baltimore Hotel inspired the creation of the Empire. To see the hotel, including the Pompeii Room itself, visit http://www.vintagekansascity.com/hotelbaltimore/
The "Sweet Nothings" of the April 1921 Ladies Home Journal inspired Jean and Francie
The Emery Bird Thayer -- Kansas City's first, & premier, department store; the elegant elevator actually still exists and was used as decor in the EBT Restaurant until 2015
The Savoy Grill's stained glass is still captivating, almost 100 years later. The restaurant and hotel are under renovation now.
Somewhere Else
Follow Denitta
Contact Denitta denitta(a)denitta.com
Literary Agent
Elaine Spencer of the Knight Agency
Publisher
