Stella Riley's Blog, page 4

REVIEW: A SPLENDID DEFIANCE BY STELLA RILEY

Genre: Romantic Historical Fiction (English Civil War, 1644-1646) Cover Blurb: Justin Ambrose, dashing cavalier and close companion to Prince Rupert, was bored with life in the Royalist garrison in…

Source: REVIEW: A SPLENDID DEFIANCE BY STELLA RILEY

Mortuary Swords

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Basic cut-and-thrust broadswords favoured by cavalry officers and used throughout the Civil Wars were made in England between 1625 and 1670.  They had a wooden or corded grip,  a metal basket-hilt to protect the hand and usually a two-edged blade between thirty-three and thirty-four inches long.  In 1645, two hundred of them were made for the New Model Army at a cost of five shillings each – hard to believe these days.

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The main point of interest in these swords lies in the basket-hilt.  These were frequently decorated in some form or other; a coat-of-arms, a man in armour, intricate patterns of leaves – presumably whatever the purchaser wanted and was willing to pay extra for.  (It is reasonable to assume that the five-shilling ones, being mass-produced, were plain.)

But following the execution of Charles l in January 1649, a new trend was born.  Basket-hilts started to be engraved with small portraits of long-haired men with pointed beards; faces bearing a striking resemblance to the late King.  And these blades – which were only made in England – soon became known as mortuary swords.

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It’s impossible to know how many were made but authentic 17th century examples are now very rare. However, a few days ago I was lucky enough to acquire one – to be honest, something I’ve wanted for years but never expected to own – so hence my excitement and this post.

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When you hold a significant piece of history in your hand, it’s hard not to speculate about its own particular story.  I know that my sword would have been made around 1650 and that it almost certainly belonged to a cavalry officer.  I can guess that its first owner was probably a Cavalier because it seems unlikely that the Roundheads wanted Charles l memorabilia.  And because my sword has seen some action – though not a great deal – I can wonder if it was at Dunbar in 1650 or Worcester in 1651.

Its edge is still extremely sharp, its point thoroughly wicked … and it is still capable of doing a great deal of damage.  And the weight of it gives me a healthy respect for the strength and stamina of the men who wielded weapons like this whilst on horseback.

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CAROL AND WENDY’S FAVOURITE BOOKS FOR 2016

Rakes And Rascals

Wendy and I have discussed how we should go about producing our ‘best of’ list for 2016 and settled on ten but we have each bent the rules a little by including some series. Not all the books selected were actually published during 2016.

CAROL’S SELECTION (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

Rockliffe series by Stella Riley

I was introduced to Stella Riley’s books by my friend and guest reviewer, Wendy Loveridge, and Stella has fast become one of my top favourite authors. I read the first three books in the Georgian set Rockliffe series (a fourth is a work in progress) during 2016 but it was impossible to choose just one book in the series for my list because I loved them all.

The Parfit Knight (Rockliffe, #1)
This is a captivating romance between an honourable, kind-hearted rake, the Marquis of Amberley and a lovely, courageous, blind young woman, Rosalind

The…

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Farewell 2016 … Welcome 2017

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2016 may have been a lousy year on the world-wide stage but it’s been an exceptionally good one for me.

In May, I published the long-awaited fourth book in the Roundheads & Cavaliers series – Lords of Misrule – which I’m delighted to say made it on to Caz’s Best of 2016 List at All About Romance as well as Wendy Loveridge’s list at Romantic Historical Reviews.

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But the biggest adventure of my year was the transformation of four of my titles into audiobooks – something which, back in 2015, I’d never have dreamed was possible.  And along the way, I had the privilege and absolute pleasure of working with Alex Wyndham who, as anyone who has ever listened to him knows, is incredibly talented.  He’s also a thoroughly nice guy.

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The Rockliffe books … The Parfit Knight, The Mesalliance and The Player … were recorded back-to-back in the spring and released by April.

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Once again, I’m delighted to announce that – thanks to brilliant Alex – all three Rockliffe audios made it on to the Best of 2016 at AudioGals and also at Ladeetdareads.  I’d like to say a huge THANK  YOU!  to those reviewers whose ratings and kind remarks put them there.

And last but by no means least, A Splendid Defiance also made it into audio (by the skin of its teeth!) before the end of the year and therefore managed to join the Rockliffe series on the AudioGals Best of  2016 and find a place on Caz’s list at Romantic Historical Reviews.

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So … an eventful year for me and a very successful one. I’m currently working on Rockliffe Four – The Wicked Cousin – which I hope to complete by the spring.

Meanwhile, I’d like to wish all my readers, reviewers and friends – and particularly those who are all three – a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2017 filled with everything you wish for yourselves.

A SPLENDID DEFIANCE NOW IN AUDIO

A dramatic and enchanting story of forbidden love,

set against the turmoil and anguish of the English Civil War.

I am delighted – and very excited! – to announce that A Splendid Defiance, performed by superbly talented Alex Wyndham, is now available to purchase from Audible, Amazon and i-Tunes

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A Splendid Defiance available from Audible.co.uk

The Cavaliers hold the Castle, the Roundheads want it back and Banbury is full of zealous Puritans … all of which ought to make the gulf between Captain Justin Ambrose and shopkeeper’s sister, Abigail Radford, unbridgeable.  The key to both the fate of the Castle and that of Justin and Abigail lies in defiance – but will it be enough?

“If you’re looking for a gripping story, richly-described historical detail and an against-all-the-odds romance that features a flawed, brooding, devastatingly attractive and unforgettable hero, then this is the book for you.”

Amazon 5 Star Customer Review

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW – THE MÉSALLIANCE BY STELLA RILEY AND NARRATED BY ALEX WYNDHAM

Rakes And Rascals

(Rockliffe Series, #2)

Genre: Historical Romance (Georgian, 1767 and 1775)

Cover Blurb:

The Duke of Rockliffe is 36 years old, head of his house, and responsible for his young sister, Nell. He is, therefore, under some pressure to choose a suitable bride. Whilst accompanying Nell to what he speedily comes to regard as the house-party from hell, he meets Adeline Kendrick – acid-tongued, no more than passably good-looking yet somehow alluring. Worse still, her relatives are quite deplorable – from a spoiled, ill-natured cousin to a sadistic, manipulative uncle. As a prospective bride, therefore, Adeline is out of the question. Until, that is, a bizarre turn of events causes the Duke to throw caution to the wind and make what his world will call a mésalliance.

♥♥♥♥♥♥

This is the second book in Stella Riley ‘s Georgian  Rockcliffe series and the hero, the Duke of Rockcliffe (Rock), played a…

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AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON …

MAN  OF  BLOOD  OR  MARTYR  OF  THE  PEOPLE?

The Trial of Charles 1

A Play in One Act

This is the play I wrote especially for performance in the courtroom of Sandwich Guildhall during August and September.

Quayside Players performed the play five times before extremely appreciative audiences – who, at the end, were asked to give their own verdict. Interestingly enough, all five voted overwhelmingly to let the King keep his head!

The play lasts an hour and is suitable for performance by schools and amateur groups. Every character on the cast-list is a real person – I, for example, played the role of Anne Fairfax – and the size of the overall cast can be increased or decreased, as required.

Anyone wishing to stage the play should contact me for information regarding performing rights.

AND THE WINNERS ARE …

Thanks to all who entered into the spirit of the give-away …

and congratulations to the 5 lucky winners!

Jane Whewell

Eileen Dandashi

Tracy Harris

Puce (paolat-wolit)

Gillian Rowles-Williams

What to do to claim your prize …

Simply e-mail me at  stellarileyecw@gmail.com  and tell me whether you’ll be downloading from Audible.com or Audible.co.uk.

(USA codes don’t work in the UK and vice versa!)

As soon as I hear from you, I’ll send your Audible download code for The Mesalliance.  It’s that easy.

TIME FOR A GIVE-AWAY!

Leave a comment either on my FB page or at WordPress for a chance to win one of FIVE  AUDIOS of  The Mesalliance – Rockliffe Book 2, performed by wonderful Alex Wyndham.

The give-away closes on Friday, September 23rd.  Winners names will be listed on both FB and WordPress.

LORDS OF MISRULE – R&C book 4

Still tied to his desk in the Intelligence Office, Colonel Eden Maxwell has become disenchanted with both Cromwell and his own existence; and with the advent of new Royalist conspiracies, he despairs of ever getting away.

Then a brick hurled through the window of a small workshop sets in motion a new and unexpected chain of events. After all, who would want to hurt Lydia Neville – a young widow, giving work and self-respect to maimed war veterans? But when the assaults in Duck Lane threaten the life and remaining limbs of some of Eden’s former troopers, finding the culprit becomes personal.

With reckless Cavaliers lurking around every corner and a government still struggling to find its way, Lords of Misrule is set against the early years of Oliver Cromwell’s Protectorate.

What the readers say of Lords of Misrule

“If there were more than five stars, this series would certainly rate them!”

“The books excel in so many ways – the superbly handled historical framework, the engaging characters,the witty dialogue, the fluent writing, the page-turner plots and of course the romance.”

“This is one for history buffs, but as always with this author the writing is polished and the characters vivid. Great story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”