Pam Lecky's Blog, page 26
October 7, 2018
Historical Fiction Cover Winner October 2018 with @nicolasladeuk @nansjar @vanessainfrance
What draws you to a historical fiction book cover?
Each month I will be choosing my ‘Pam’s Pick’. Hopefully, you will be intrigued enough to look beyond the covers I feature and find your next favourite author. If a cover interests you just click on the link to learn more about the book.
My October winner is:
The House at Ladywell by Nicola Slade
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This cover has such impact. The simplicity and elegance of it jumped out immediately. Strong contrasting colours can be very effective and in this case work perfectly. If I saw this in a bookshop or scrolling online, I would definitely pause and investigate to learn more. Congrats to Nicola!
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A hare carved in stone, and the scent of flowers in a house full of echoes – can Freya’s inheritance help her to leave the past behind?
‘Had I gone completely crazy that first day? To open the door, take one astonished look round, and decide on the spot that I would live there? To fall in love with a house?’
When Freya Gibson inherits an old, run-down property she has no idea she is the last in a long line of redoubtable women, including the Tudor nun who built the house. Unknown to Freya, these women, over centuries, fought with whatever weapons came to hand – deception, endurance, even murder – to preserve their home and family.
Freya falls in love with the house, but her inheritance includes an enigmatic letter telling her to ‘restore the balance’ of the Lady’s Well. Besides this, the house seems to be haunted by the scent of flowers.
In the past, the Lady’s Well was a place of healing, and Freya soon feels safe and at home, but she has demons of her own to conquer before she can accept the happiness that beckons.
To find out more, please click here
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As always, it was difficult to choose. Here are some other wonderful covers to tempt you!
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AD 71 Northern Roman Britain
Lorcan of the Brigantes knows that unity of the northern tribes is essential when the Ancient Roman legions advance northwards to Brigantia. Yet, everything comes at a price. Using his captive, Nara, as a political bargain with the Selgovae comes with impossible stipulations. Battle at Whorl – Iron Age tribes against the Romans – is inevitable.
Will Nara have her Beltane choice?
The adventures of the Garrigill Clan begin…
To find out more, please click here
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For fans of all things French, a collection of short stories from the author of The House at Zaronza.
France is a land steeped in history, whose landscapes and light have enthused writers and artists for centuries. Beneath the dust of ages lie buried countless personal histories, which have inspired this collection of twelve fictional short stories.
Can Arlette resolve her predicament while her sweetheart fights in the trenches on the Western Front? By escaping to the countryside, will a woman be allowed to leave behind her troubled past? The celebrated painter Edgar Degas wants to paint an exotic circus performer, but will the portrait match her expectations? Can the unsightly Pierre get the girl he is afraid will never want him? These are just four of the dilemmas that must be resolved by the stories’ end.
Most of the tales are set in the past and a few contain a hint of the supernatural. All are infused with the essence of France.
Editor’s Note: I have read this collection and really enjoyed it.
To find out more, please click here
And the not so small print: the judge’s decision is final (that would be me!) and is highly subjective.
Please note this is a cover competition only and does not constitute a review of any of the books featured. It’s up to you to explore. Happy Reading!
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Watch out every month for the next featured selection of great covers, and don’t forget, if you read a book and love it, post a review and make an author happy.
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October 5, 2018
#Review : The Bowes Inheritance by Pam Lecky (@pamlecky)
Reviews such as this make for a very happy author! Thanks Frankie
Historical Romantic Suspense and Mystery with a Dash of Rebellion …
Dublin 1882: When determined but impoverished Louisa Campbell inherits a large estate in the north of England, it appears to be the answer to her prayers. Her younger sister, Eleanor, is gravely ill, and believing the country air will benefit her, they take up residence at Bowes Farm.
However, they soon realise all they have inherited is trouble. Their mysterious benefactor’s reputation leaves the young women battling to gain acceptance in polite society, especially with Nicholas Maxwell, their handsome neighbour and local magistrate.
Louisa unearths secrets from their family’s past that threaten their future and she must dig deep to find the courage to solve them before their lives are destroyed. But most importantly of all, can she trust and love the man who is surely her sworn enemy?
B.R.A.G. Medallion Award: A ‘Discovered Diamond’ Novel: Shortlisted for The…
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October 3, 2018
Hallowe’en Horror Tales – Welcoming back Author William Todd
A great interview with William Todd who writes some really scary short stories.
Welcome to Unusual Fiction. We’re gearing up for Hallowe’en with the focus, very much on horror fiction with a selection of ghost stories, ghoulish interviews and tasty titbits of terror. It’s with great pleasure that I introduce the first of our writers of dark fiction, I’m delighted to welcome back author of sublime Gothic Fiction – William Todd.
Question 1
What draws you to horror as a genre?
I like being scared.That feeling of dread that makes your heart race.
Question 2
In your opinion, what are the essential components of a great ghost story?
For me, the setting is almost as important as the monster. If you have read any of my works, you know that I put much thought into where the story takes place and how it interacts with the characters. If done correctly, the setting can come alive on its own and add to the fear…
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Spooktacular Ghost Story Month: Pam Lecky
For the month of October I will be bringing you Spooktacular Ghost Story authors to get you in the Halloween spirit. Give books instead of candy!
September 30, 2018
Are you #ScaredYet? Frightful Reads for #Halloween #BeAfraid
If you are a fan of ghost stories you have come to the right place. In honour of Halloween, we are pleased to introduce you to some tales from the dark side to make you shiver! A mix of short stories and novels – 10 fabulously scary reads.
The Lighthouse Keeper by Pam Lecky
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It’s Sally and Alex’s first weekend away together and romance is definitely on Sally’s mind. But why is Alex acting so out of character? When strange things begin to happen, Sally wonders if they are alone in their coastal getaway …
Buy Link: http://MyBook.to/Lighthouse
Mayday! by Pam Lecky
[image error]World War I is raging and German U-Boats are prowling the south coast of Ireland looking for prey. Steaming towards them is HMS Lusitania …
Valentine Lambert is facing another tedious day as an office clerk. But a premonition of disaster is the precursor to the most extraordinary day of his life.
Buy Link: Mayday!
The Flapper Affair by Tam Francis
[image error]The Flapper Affair is a paranormal romance – the story of two young lovers crossed by time, space, and an unsolved murder. Eduard Hall is an odd young man. Unlike his eighteen-year-old peers, he likes black and white movies, 1920s hot jazz, and museum docents who dress in reproduction flapper dresses. So it would figure that the one girl he’d fall in love with, Mia Waverly, would be a beautiful ghost from the famous Waverly family, brutally murdered seventy years ago. Though her body was never found.
The only home she’s ever known is the museum where Eduard works, but not for long. The city’s sold the land, and the building is scheduled for demolition. Why can’t she remember her death? Why is she the only ghost from her family? Why is she bound to the property? What will happen to her when her home is destroyed? With time running out and through extraordinary forces, they travel back in time to the night of the murders, setting off a chain of events that will change everything. If they can solve the mystery, they may save her and her family, but lose each other forever.
Buy Link: The Flapper Affair
Ghostoria by Tam Francis
[image error]Do you like scary stories with a little romance and a vintage twist? Welcome to Ghostoria. What happens when a WWII secretary is trapped in the office with a ghost and the only way out is to make an unwelcome choice? Drive-in movies, hot rods, and jitterbugs populate Long Way Home; can one young man survive a bloody night in a historic cemetery with his girlfriend? Young residents of a cursed Texas town grapple with what they’re willing to sacrifice in order to save their crops, animals and loved ones? Can a kindergarten teacher silence the talking doll that has frightened her students by solving a fifty year old mystery? Find out what happens when a college coed gets more than she bargained for with her vintage swing dress. A lone lady hitchhiker hops a ride in a 1959 El Dorado Cadillac by a roadside grave. Who will be alive at the end of the drive? A turn of the century jail that housed murderers, liars, and thieves for over a hundred years is taken over by six teenagers on Halloween. What happens when a childhood chant turns deadly? Those are just a few haunts and haints that populate this world of unrequited love, woe and mystery. Ghostoria will gnaw the corners of your mind and challenge your ideas about life, love and death long after you leave.
Buy Link: Ghostoria
Death Comes Calling by FB Hogan
[image error]Death comes calling and decides to stay. A selection of dark fiction for lovers of Gothic horror. Pull the shutters and bolt the door. Keep the fire burning and the candles lit. Something is coming. Listen for the knock at the door but whatever you do, don’t let it in.
Buy Link: Death Comes Calling
The Nightmare by FB Hogan
[image error]Seven cleverly crafted tales of Gothic and contemporary horror to keep you awake at night. An ancient creature haunts a Victorian spiritualist, an over imaginative child conjures up horrors in the dark, a boy plays a dangerous game of chance and there’s something rather nasty in the playhouse. Ghosts and devils fight for a corner in this creepy collection of dark fiction, from the imagination of the author who brought you Death Comes Calling. Do you dare?
Buy Link: The Nightmare
Beyond the Gossamer Veil by William Todd
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The curtain that separates the living from the dead is never as impenetrable as we think it is. What would we see if the two worlds intermingled? Angels? Demons? Wonder? Fear? In this compilation, some stories are inspirational. Some are macabre; but all will give you a glimpse into what is Beyond the Gossamer Veil.
Buy Link: Beyond the Gossamer Veil
The Celtic Curse: Newgrange by DJ Doyle
[image error]Haunted for years by dreams of death and mysterious rituals, Jess Young travels to Ireland in search of answers. Her search becomes a race against time when her friend is abducted by Celtic Druids bent on resurrecting the Morrigan; the Celtic goddess of war and death.
Jess must seek help from an ancient Order of Christians and some unorthodox Catholic priests before time runs out for her friend . . . and the world. Whom can Jess trust while being hunted by the Celtic Druids of our time? If Jess follows her destiny, is the fate of mankind safe in her hands?
Buy Link: The Celtic Curse: Newgrange
Christ on a Bike! by DJ Doyle
[image error]A short spin-off story from The Celtic Curse: Newgrange, just for a little giggle. I hope this will be the start of something bigger for Father Jack and his posse. Father Jack and his pontification of priests are on their travels to conduct an exorcism. Demons can lurk in every corner. Can Father Jack overcome the demons within?
Buy Link: Christ on a Bike!
The Zombi of Caisteal Dun by Catherine Kullmann
[image error]Scotland, 1798. Amabel had not wanted to come to the remote highland keep of Caisteal Dun but her mother felt it was in her destiny to go there. Mamma was second-sighted but not even she could foresee the doom that threatened her daughter.
Amabel’s dead lover, Rob, calls to her in her dreams. Can she save him?
Buy Link: The Zombi of Caisteal Dun
September 15, 2018
First Draft Blues
It all starts with a great story idea; that light bulb moment. You can’t wait to sit down and start writing. This is far too easy, you think … until it all goes pear-shaped.
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Now, there are plotters and pantsers and I happen to fall somewhere inbetween. As it happens, I have to approach my writing a little differently these days as I have an agent. As it turns out this is a good thing. Initially, there were a few moments of panic. I dreaded having to pitch an entire book I hadn’t even written, but as it has turned out it actually makes life easier. I will never be someone who spends months pre-planning, but I am coming around to the idea of doing enough to get me started.
With your main plot points laid out in your synopsis-like pitch, it takes some of the pain out of it and gives you a timeline, and for a murder/mystery, your victim and perpetrator. All good. But is it too restrictive? That was my fear. Happily, it hasn’t been the case and the most important thing is, it still leaves room for the spontaneity that research often ignites. And I love research. Probably too much!
In my first novel, I sauntered along and the research threw up a lot of my sub-plot and some joyous characters I might never have discovered. The plot evolved slowly. This time, however, my main characters were there from the start and I find I am concentrating more on developing them than having to worry about ‘what happens next’.
So, you may think draft numero uno is a doddle. Unfortunately, writing historical fiction has many pitfalls. I am a demon for detail and can spend hours on one relatively [image error]insignificant point, to the detriment of actually writing. Detail that may not even see the final draft in the end. (Sob!) But I cannot move past until I have worked it out. Then you want to be as authentic as possible without swamping the book with detail. But how much do you assume your reader knows? It’s a balancing act.
This is even more of an issue as this book is set in 1887 Egypt. The field of Egyptology is vast. How accurate do I need to be? Do I use actual characters and locations from Ancient Egypt? Do I include real Victorian Egyptologists? I’ve never been to Egypt – how do I evoke a sense of time and place? Luckily I have two contemporary sources for my detail: Amelia Edwards (A Thousand Miles Up the Nile) and Baedeker’s Travel Guide to Egypt (1885). Both godsends and, by the way, fascinating reading.
To add to my ‘difficulties’, I am currently writing a sequel to book one of a series of three. My main character is fairly pinned down and yet she needs to evolve too. How do I keep her interesting while she figures out what is going on around her? Most important of all, she has to be an authentic Victorian displaying attitudes and mores of her time but still appealing to a 21st century audience. Yep – it’s no easy task.
But it should never be easy. You never stop honing your craft and every new tale you weave makes you a better storyteller. Some of it is fun; some of it gives you nightmares, particularly those days when you stare at an empty screen with an empty brain. But there is no greater pleasure than typing ‘the end’ on your first draft. Ahead lies months of editing but that doesn’t matter. You have nailed it.
For me, the first draft is all about getting the plot down, fleshing out your characters and doing your research. It may not resemble the final version in all respects, but no matter how painful a process it is, it is valuable and necessary.
First draft blues are common. But when the final version is published, they are soon forgotten.
A Conversation with Author Caroline E Farrell @carolineauthor
Today in the Library we have the multi-talented Caroline E Farrell, who has dropped in to say hello and to share some insights into her life as an author and film maker.
You are very welcome, Caroline, please introduce yourself:
[image error]I’m a writer and filmmaker from Dublin, Ireland. My current novel, Lady Beth, won the Carousel Aware Prize for Best Novel, 2017. I have also written a vampire story, Arkyne, Story of A Vampire, and have recently written and directed a short film, Framed, which is currently on the film festival circuit. Several of my feature scripts have won awards, and I have written and co-produced two other short films, Adam (2013) and the multi-award winning In Ribbons (2015).
Did you read much as a child? Are you an avid reader now? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?
My earliest experience of reading as a child is being rather frustrated because I couldn’t understand some of the words in the comic books, mostly Beano and Dandy, that my brothers had at home. I must have been only 3 or 4 years old though. My first memory of reading proper books is when I joined the library at aged 8. I am an avid reader – I worked as a librarian for 20 years, so books were always accessible. Now, I have my own library at home! I will read most genres as long as the book captures my interest in the first chapter.
Are you self-published or traditionally published?
I am an independent author, so yes, self-published. I am also an independent filmmaker. Indie spirited all the way!
Which genre do you write in and why?
I write a good bit of horror. My first novel, Arkyne, Story of a Vampire was actually an experiment to see if I could write a novel. It was a feature script initially, and I began to blog the novel chapters on my website. It co[image error]uld have died a death, but to my surprise, people began to respond to it, and to offer me encouragement and feedback, so I kept going and it’s there now, a fully formed novel. My second novel, Lady Beth is a gritty thriller, and to my absolute joy, it has been described as gothic writing. My current work in progress is supernatural and ghostly.
Who has been the biggest influence on your writing?
I have been inspired by many people, from authors and filmmakers, friends, family and most of all, my better half – my biggest supporter in terms of encouragement. Rather than a ‘who’ though, I think my life experiences to date have been my biggest influence – personally, writing gives meaning to life and to all the joy and sadness in between the everyday stuff.
Has your country of origin/culture influenced your writing?
I would say yes, from the Celtic myth and magic of my writings in the supernatural genre, to the gritty reality of city living that inspired Lady Beth, I absorb my cultural world as I know and experience it, the light and shade of it.
What part of the writing process do you find most difficult? How do you overcome it?
I tend to let ideas percolate for quite a while before I put pen to paper, and often, getting down to the first pass of a draft can be daunting. I quite like the day-dreaming stage of creating story, but once the actual writing begins, things get serious! It is difficult work and so it should be.
Do you have a favourite time of day to write?
I don’t have a favourite time. As long as I am alone, I can disappear inside my head and write for hours. Sometimes, I am so engrossed, I forget to eat!
What is the best thing about being an author? And the flipside – what is the worst?
[image error]The best thing about being a writer for me is, having written, when someone takes time to tell me that they’ve enjoyed reading my work. There is no better reward than that. The worst thing has got to be the struggle for exposure to reach a potential readership. It is difficult for any author to break through, no matter how talented – but it is even more difficult if you don’t have a publishing house behind you. I’m not complaining though, it is a choice, and I support the ideal of celebrating good writing and great stories, regardless of who publishes it, or how it is published.
Is social media an essential chore or something you enjoy? Which forum do you prefer?
I love the connection element of social media. It is such an important forum for authors, trad and Indie, so for the most part, I enjoy it. I use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They can complement each other.
If you weren’t an author, what would you be up to?
I do a little facilitation and teaching now and again, so I would probably do more of that if I weren’t an author.
It’s the last day and the earth is facing oblivion – what book would you read?
I’d go back to a classic favourite, The Picture of Dorian Gray. So much going on in that book, pure escapism, but also dealing with subject matter that is just as relevant today. Wilde was way ahead of his time!
Please tell us what you are working on at the moment.
I am currently on what I hope to be the final draft of a supernatural ghost story. It’s challenging but it wouldn’t be worthwhile if it wasn’t! I hope to have it ready for publication later this year.
If you would like to know more about Caroline and her work, please check out her social media links below:
Website: http://carolinefarrellwriter.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolineAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolineFarrellAuthor/
Caroline’s Books:
Lady Beth: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lady-Beth-Caroline-Farrell/dp/1533698597
Arkyne, Story of a Vampire: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arkyne-Story-Vampire-Celtic-horror/dp/1975622464
September 7, 2018
Historical Fiction Cover Winner September 2018 with @byzyeileen @jldean_writer & Tamar Anolic
What draws you to a historical fiction book cover?
Each month I will be choosing my ‘Pam’s Pick’. Hopefully, you will be intrigued enough to look beyond the covers I feature and find your next favourite author. If a cover interests you just click on the link to learn more about the book.
My September winner is:
Imperial Passions by Eileen Stephenson
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Eileen’s cover really pops with the strong yellow/gold theme. The use of the building instantly brings you to Constantinople and had me intrigued straightaway. Congratulations Eileen!
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At the center of Byzantine society, fifteen-year-old orphaned Anna Dalassena lives with her grandparents among the most powerful men and women in Constantinople until the cutthroat imperial politics of the Great Palace sends the family into exile in a distant corner of the empire. Her bleak situation finally turns promising after meeting the handsome young soldier, John Comnenus, and his brother Isaac, before they are finally permitted to return to Constantinople.
The vicious power struggles, uprisings, and betrayals at the highest levels of the empire push Anna and John unwillingly into its center as they struggle to deal with their own tragedies. When rebellion puts her life and those of everyone she loves at risk, is the reward – a throne for her family – too big a gamble?
To find out more, please click here
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As always, it was difficult to choose. Here are some other wonderful covers to tempt you!
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Triumph of a Tsar is a work of alternate historical fiction in which the Russian Revolution is averted, and the hemophiliac Alexei, son of Tsar Nicholas II, comes to the throne. In August, 1920, sixteen-year-old Alexei is enjoying his birthday celebrations when Nicholas dies suddenly. Overnight, Alexei becomes tsar of an empire that covers one-sixth of the world’s landmass. The Great War is over, but Russia is still suffering from the devastation and poverty that it brought. Communists such as Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky view the political situation as ripe for revolution, but they realize that the popular Alexei stands in their way.
To make matters worse, Alexei’s hemophilia, the disease that has threatened him his whole life, returns to haunt him. With his life in constant danger from internal threats, Alexei must also navigate the external threats of fascism and Adolph Hitler. Slowly, Hitler’s menace increases throughout Europe until he tries to kill Alexei himself. Only then does Alexei realize that another World War is the only way to stop his German enemy.
To find out more, please click here
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“They are ordinary men, Mr Ellis, ordinary men with ordinary vices. They don’t become more than men because they may be required to sacrifice their lives for us.”
And I Shall Be Healed follows the experiences of a young army chaplain 1916-17, both at home in West Sussex and with the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. Haunted by an unhappy upbringing and a mistake for which he cannot forgive himself, he struggles to put the past behind him and support the men he has been called to serve.
To find out more, please click here
And the not so small print: the judge’s decision is final (that would be me!) and is highly subjective.
Please note this is a cover competition only and does not constitute a review of any of the books featured. It’s up to you to explore. Happy Reading!
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Watch out every month for the next featured selection of great covers, and don’t forget, if you read a book and love it, post a review and make an author happy.
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August 27, 2018
Historical Fiction Cover Winner August 2018 with @CKullmannAuthor @susiewrites @charland74
What draws you to a historical fiction book cover?
Each month I will be choosing my ‘Pam’s Pick’. Hopefully, you will be intrigued enough to look beyond the covers I feature and find your next favourite author. If a cover interests you just click on the link to learn more about the book.
My August winner is:
A Suggestion of Scandal by Catherine Kullmann
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Catherine’s covers are always wonderful as she uses images from the time to evoke the period. This book is in my TBR pile and I’m looking forward to it. Congratulations to Catherine!
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If only he could find a lady who was tall enough to meet his eyes, intelligent enough not to bore him and who had that certain something that meant he could imagine spending the rest of his life with her.
As Sir Julian Loring returns to his father’s home, he never dreams that that lady could be Rosa Fancourt, his half-sister Chloe’s governess. Rosa is no longer the gawky girl fresh from a Bath academy whom he first met ten years ago. Today, she intrigues him. But just as they begin to draw closer, she disappears—in very dubious circumstances. Julian cannot bring himself to believe the worst of Rosa, but if she is blameless the truth could be even more shocking, with far-reaching repercussions for his own family, especially Chloe.
Later, driven by her concern for Chloe, Rosa accepts an invitation to spend some weeks at Castle Swanmere, home of Julian’s maternal grandfather. The widowed Meg Overton has also been invited and she is determined not to let the extremely eligible Julian slip through her fingers again.
When a ghost from Rosa’s past returns to haunt her, and Meg discredits Rosa publicly, Julian must decide where his loyalties lie.
To find out more, please click here
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Well we have a strong Irish theme going this month! Here are some other wonderful covers to tempt you!
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It’s 1828, and Ireland is in turmoil as Irish tenants protest against their upper-class English landlords.
Nineteen-year-old Bridget Muldowney is thrilled to return to the estate in Carlow she’ll inherit when she comes of age. But since she left for Dublin seven years earlier, the tomboy has become a refined young lady, engaged to be married to a dashing English gentleman.
Cormac McGovern, now a stable hand on the estate, has missed his childhood friend. He and Bridget had once been thick as thieves, running wild around the countryside together.
When Bridget and Cormac meet again their friendship begins to rekindle, but it’s different now that they are adults. Bridget’s overbearing mother, determined to enforce the employer-servant boundaries, conspires with Bridget’s fiancé to keep the pair apart.
With the odds stacked against them, can Bridget and Cormac’s childhood attachment blossom into something more?
To find out more, please click here
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On assignment at a G8 conference near Berlin, Detective Chief Inspector Detlef Schmitt inadvertently uncovers a number of intriguing documents dating back to the Second World War. Unaware of their true significance he removes them, even though his heavy-handed approach places his career in jeopardy.
After a seemingly unrelated case leads Schmitt to a bank in München, he suspects that there is an inextricable link between the bank and the documents. A high-ranking politician takes a sudden interest in the enquiry and this, coupled with an attempt on Schmitt’s life, convinces him that there are dark forces at play who want the past to remain buried…..literally.
To find out more, please click here
And the not so small print: the judge’s decision is final (that would be me!) and is highly subjective.
Please note this is a cover competition only and does not constitute a review of any of the books featured. It’s up to you to explore. Happy Reading!
***
Watch out every month for the next featured selection of great covers, and don’t forget, if you read a book and love it, post a review and make an author happy.
Advertisements
July 29, 2018
Historical Fiction Cover Winner July 2018
What draws you to a historical fiction book cover?
Each month I will be choosing my ‘Pam’s Pick’. Hopefully, you will be intrigued enough to look beyond the covers I feature and find your next favourite author. If a cover interests you just click on the link to learn more about the book.
My July winner is:
Thoreau’s Wound by Danny Kuhn
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This is such a beautiful image – moody and very Celtic. Congratulations to Danny!
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Young Finbar Laverty, displaced by Ireland’s Tithe Wars and family treachery, attempts a new start by moving with his volatile wife Maggie, a follower of the Old Religion, from the Cork countryside to bustling Dublin. He is recruited by his friend Dr. James Wilde to help disinter the body of Dean Jonathan Swift during the renovation of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, but commits an act of vengeance and is forced to flee Ireland.
Seeking fortune in London, Finbar’s inadvertent participation in a Royal conspiracy involving a young court reporter puts him on the run again, this time to America.
The Lavertys begin to think they have found peace in New Hampshire, but suspicion surrounding a female body revealed by the melting ice on Bodge’s Pond and the anti-Irish Catholic frenzy ignited by the Know-Nothings sends Finbar to Concord, Massachusetts. His new bosses’ son, Henry David Thoreau, introduces him to new ideas, Abolitionist activism, and the most influential circle of literary figures in America’s history.
While Finbar’s adopted country is about to be torn apart by civil war, his family is also threatened when the consequences of old sins return to haunt him.
To find out more, please click here
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Here are some other wonderful covers to tempt you!
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London, 1786. Lord Henri-Antoine has returned from the Grand Tour to a life of privilege and excess. A vast inheritance allows him every indulgence, free from responsibility. Yet, Henri-Antoine maintains a well-ordered existence, going to great lengths to conceal an affliction few understand and many fear.
Miss Lisa Crisp is a penniless orphan who relies on the charity of relatives to keep her from the poorhouse. Intelligent and unflappable, Lisa will not allow poverty to define her. She leads a useful life working among the sick poor.
Under startling circumstances, Henri-Antoine and Lisa meet. There is instant attraction. When they find themselves attending the same wedding in the country, Henri-Antoine offers Lisa a scandalous proposition, one she should refuse but yearns to accept. Following her heart could ruin them both.
A standalone romantic adventure set against the backdrop of Treat, ancestral home of the dukes of Roxton. SATYR’S SON will delight fans of the series with cameos by many beloved characters, while new readers will discover the myriad pleasures and glittering aristocratic world of the Roxton family through the fresh eyes of newcomer Lisa Crisp. SATYR’S SON is a Cinderella story with a heartwarming Happily Ever After.
To find out more, please click here
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Bill, a farm boy brought up in a village on the Duke of Buccleuch’s Northamptonshire estate, is plucking up his courage to ask his sweetheart, Florrie, to marry him. Florrie has given up her dream of being a dancer to bring up her siblings and protect them from their violent, sexually abusive widowed father. For her, marriage to Bill is love, escape, and protection: a dream to be clung to.
When war breaks out in August 1914, Bill and Florrie’s dreams are dashed – Bill is sent with the Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars, a yeomanry cavalry regiment, to fight in Gallipoli, Egypt, and Palestine taking with him a horse, Copper, volunteered for service by the 7th duke’s young daughter, Lady Alice. Bill makes promises before he leaves: to marry Florrie if he survives and to bring his beloved warhorse, Copper, home safe to Lady Alice.
While Bill fights Turks and Germans in appalling conditions, Florrie fights her own war with rationing, poverty, the loss of her menfolk, and her father’s drunken temper. As the war proceeds, fearful and with her resilience faltering, her feelings of self-worth plummet, and she turns to her dandelion clocks for reassurance. ‘He lives? He lives not? He loves me? He loves me not?’
When Bill returns to England six months after the armistice in 1918, both he and Florrie have been changed by their personal journeys. Has their love survived five years apart and the tragedies they’ve endured? Can Bill keep his promises to Florrie and Lady Alice?
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And the not so small print: the judge’s decision is final (that would be me!) and is highly subjective.
Please note this is a cover competition only and does not constitute a review of any of the books featured. It’s up to you to explore. Happy Reading!
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