NATE AND KELLY is a love story from a century ago, about today.
The novel has a strong, interesting narrative structure (essential for all media and what audiences now want). It is an interesting combination of fiction and non-fiction that works well with both the broad subjects of historical significance and its very specific, illuminating love story.
- By NaomiA: “…a well-written book”
- By CurtisB: “…captured my interest from the very beginning!”
- By Mouse: “A story of hope, betrayal, survival, and love…shocking truth about evil and prejudice.”
- By Phyllis L. Hinkle: “So well penned…makes you ponder the problems of society we live in today.”
NATE AND KELLY is a striking story of the type that has waned from our memories, the type of story destined for a massive resurgence –- a new take on old stories.
1915.
A businessman and a prostitute find love.
And hate.
The
United States of America
faced incomprehensible horror one day shortly after
the turn of the century.There was shock, destruction, and death. War loomed. Americans veered toward either hopelessness, fear, and hate or toward vision, faith, and rebuilding.
They asked, “Could life in America ever be great again?” Some said, “No, let’s retreat to the past.” Others said, “Yes, let’s move forward.” Demagogues exploited fear, painting easy-to-identify groups as enemies to blame. There was amazing technological progress in communication, commerce, industry, and travel that disturbed some people and thrilled others. There were drastic shifts in the way people earned their living.
In the midst of these distressing times, Nate started his career. He left his home in Baltimore, Maryland to become a manager of the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California. It was there that criminals framed him for their theft of gold coins from the Expo.
Nate fled the criminals and the corrupt police.
Kelly fled the people who murdered her mother.
When Nate and Kelly run into each other in a small town in Central California at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, their lives become entangled with each other and with the horrible realities of hatred and evil.
They discover, as everyone does eventually, that the meaning of life is all about starting over.
Author Michael R. Barnard grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, then moved to Hollywood to write scripts for film and TV. He now lives in New York City. “NATE and KELLY” is his first novel. It is a love story intricately woven into historical facts.
NATE AND KELLY
Available in paperback and as an eBook at
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Ask your local bookseller for NATE AND KELLY.
NATE and KELLY – Title ID: 3701051 – ISBN-13: 978-1466402225
Booksellers, Libraries and Schools: Available through wholesalers Baker & Taylor, Ingram Book Company, NACSCORP and CreateSpace Direct
(Click here for a preview of NATE AND KELLY)
NATE AND KELLY
• Social Science > Violence in Society
• Social Science > Discrimination & Race Relations
• Drama > American
• Fiction > Historical
• Political Science > Civics & Citizenship
Michael R. Barnard's Thoughts & Discussions. 
REVIEW FROM CURTIS B.:
Nate and Kelly captured my interest from the very beginning! It is not too often that I come across a historical novel that I feel the need to share with a friend, but I have already passed on my copy of Nate and Kelly. As an educator, I am always searching for period pieces that I can use to elaborate on life in America, and I have found that Nate and Kelly will be useful in my lesson planning. Buy yourself a copy of Nate and Kelly, and you will be glad you did.
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REVIEW BY MOUSE:
I’m not surprised that Michael R. Barnard was able to capture the essence of the era, and incorporate actual history into such a dramatic story. A story of hope, betrayal, survival, and love. A message with shocking truth about evil and prejudice. It deeply touched my heart, in so many ways. I truly enjoyed the book and feel like it has a timeless message.
Thank you Michael for creating such a complex and intriguing book.
Mouse
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REVIEW BY PAMELA:
I just finished reading Michael Kinberg’s screenplay. And Michael Barnard’s “Nate and Kelly” What is extremely interesting is the completely different styles of writing. With “Nate and Kelly”, one gets pulled in so you are actually living it. Surely a sign of good writing. With “WhiteHouse” you are watching as an observer; but the symbolism and creativity is quite stimulating. If I could get these two artists together, we’d have Stephen King all over again. Maybe collaboration of artists is something to look in to. Barnard has the intellectual gift of educating us while entertaining us. Kinberg has the ability to get you sitting on the edge of your seat with his action filled scenes. I feel privleged to have read both works. Not to imply either fall short. Both have good reason to believe they will find much success in this career!
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REVIEW BY PHYLLIS:
When I started reading “Nate and Kelly” I wasn’t sure what to expect as I usually can’t get interested in historical fiction. This book was different though pulling me into the action until I had trouble putting it down. I wanted to just keep reading.
Set in the early 20th century “Nate and Kelly” examines the fear and hatred consuming the lives of society and how demagogues used these prejudices in order to gain power. Nate, a businessman trying to make a start at the Panama Pacific International Exposition, finds himself pulled into a world of crime as he is framed for the disappearance of gold coins. Running for his life he meets Kelly, a prostitute who also ran from the same evil men, and falls in love. They soon find that the hatred they were running from is alive in this small town as well as violence erupts around them engulfing them in its evil arms. Nate tries to explain it with “It’s easier to blame entire groups than to deal with human beings as individuals.”
This novel, so well penned by Michael R. Barnard, makes you ponder the problems of society we live in today. When told he is a “good man” for trying to help in one horrible situation, Chester, a minor character, replies “I ain’t no ‘good man.’ Good men do nothing. That’s why there’s so much evil.” We’re now in the early 21st century, a hundred years later, and I have to wonder how much progress we as a society have made in those hundred years. Technology continues to soar ahead but our problems continue to be there. Maybe too many of us are trying to be “good men”.
I highly recommend this powerful historical fiction, “Nate and Kelly”, by Michael R. Barnard.
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