Listen to a brief sample from the Prologue of Castle Gate – the Audiobook narrated by Eleanor Morton
🎧 Step back in time and across the veil.
While the audiobook is available on major platforms, only this exclusive bundle delivers the full sensory experience — downloadable audio, easy streaming, and the eBook for immersive reading.
🎁 What’s Included:
✅ Full Audiobook — professionally narrated by Scottish actress/comedian Eleanor Morton (MP3 download)
✅ Streaming Access — private, password-protected page for easy listening
✅ PDF eBook — read on your device of choice
✅ Bonus Companion Guide — listening tips, behind-the-scenes extras, and links to historical resources
💡 Why This Version?
This direct bundle gives you more than Audible or iTunes and supports indie creators directly.
💵 Price: $19.99 USD Includes all formats for the same price as the audiobook alone on retail platforms.
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Authors and book reviews … we try to tell ourselves to take bad reviews with a grain of salt because not everyone is going to resonate with our work … but if bad reviews are taken that way, then it’s only fair that good ones are as well. Right?
Wrong. It’s easy to be a hater. It doesn’t take much creativity or effort to spew mean things. But for a stranger to be moved enough to take time out of their life to craft glowing paragraphs about your work, they must mean it.
I just read a review of my latest book, Castle Gate, that took my breath away. This review—written by someone I don’t know and didn’t pay to say nice things—was beyond anything I ever expected but was everything I ever hoped for.
Castle Gate by Lisa Bonnice masterfully weaves together historical events across continents in a rich tapestry that illustrates the profound impact of the past on succeeding generations and the marks that historical occurrences leave on our collective consciousness. The author’s ability to evoke emotion resonates. The deeply human and relatable characters explore themes of trauma, healing, transformation, and the search for purpose and meaning while deftly navigating human complexities. The town of Castle Gate in Utah no longer exists but the story does magical justice to this historical happening in 1924. Bonnice’s storytelling is engaging and thought-provoking. Her vivid imagery and metaphor bring the story to life and prompt reflection on deeper themes and implications.
The narrative arc is expertly crafted. The conflicts and challenges faced by the characters illuminate broader truths about human experiences and our place in the world. Overall, the author’s writing is nothing short of brilliant. Lisa Bonnice has crafted a masterpiece that not only entertains and engages but also provokes profound introspection. While scholarly rigor is evident in the meticulous attention to detail, Bonnice’s tale invites the reader into a realm where history and mystery intertwine in a brilliant blend of fact and fiction. Her writing is evocative and immersive, transporting readers to the harsh realities of early 20th-century coal mining in Utah. Bonnice’s research shines through in vivid detail, bringing her ancestors’ stories to life with unflinching honesty. The plot is expertly developed, filled with compelling conflicts and unexpected twists that keep readers riveted from beginning to end. Castle Gate is a testament to Bonnice’s deep love for her family’s history. This book will leave you captivated and wanting more.
Overall, the author’s writing is nothing short of brilliant. Lisa Bonnice has crafted a masterpiece that not only entertains and engages but also provokes profound introspection.
There are no words for how this makes me feel (a rarity for a writer) so please allow me to express myself with this stock photo of a shiny little girl joyfully covered with colorful evidence of her artistic effort.
On March 8, 1924, over 170 men were killed in Castle Gate, Utah in one of the most devastating coalmine disasters in American history. Three of those men killed were my ancestors from one branch of my family tree. Another branch included the men who ran the mine.
The story was so big that it was covered by international news outlets. The antique newspaper on display this March was purchased by me in 2021 during the writing of Castle Gate, as part of my genealogy research. I soon donated it to the museum due to the fragile state of the relic. I didn’t have the expertise to preserve something like this … it would have ended up in a drawer or box instead of receiving the care it deserved.
Castle Gate is now a ghost town—the only things remaining are the cemetery where many of the miners are buried and the barred entrance to Mine #2, where the explosion occurred. (See images in The Gallery)
The Helper Museum will be displaying the newspaper during their centenary commemoration of the Castle Gate Mine Disaster on March 8, 2024. That same day, next door at the Rio Theater (owned by Historic Helper City), a short documentary called Remembering Castle Gate will premiere.
I was interviewed at my home here in Phoenix last January to be featured in the documentary and be will present at the premiere, signing copies of Castle Gate. Additionally, and more importantly, I’ll be visiting and honoring the site where this horrific event occurred 100 years ago, changing the lives of so many people … including my family.
Based on years of exhaustive genealogical research, Castle Gatetells the story of a coal mining town shattered on that fateful day in 1924, and the Littlejohn and Garroch families who ran the mine and worked underground. Lisa Bonnice is a descendant of both families.
Castle Gateis filled with stories of those who lived and died that day, some of whom stayed home due to premonitions, and many more who ignored those warnings. It explores life in a rugged mining town during Prohibition, which was largely ignored … especially in nearby towns which were filled with saloons and brothels.
Lisa Bonnice is the author of Fear of Our Father, a best-selling true-crime novel which has been featured in television and radio programs in the US and the UK. She also authored a metaphysical comedy novel entitled The Poppet Master. A former associate producer for MSNBC.com, she is a popular program host with The Shift Network, hosting their annual Ancestral Healing Summit and Beyond the Veil Summit.
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