Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 119

#BookReview — Citizen Armies (The Jackson Family Saga, #2) by Beryl Kingston #HistoricalFiction #WW2 @berylkingston

Citizen Armies (The Jackson Family Saga, #2)By Beryl Kingston

A heartening tale of unity and courage.

The Jackson family’s peaceful south London life is shattered when World War Two breaks out.

Sixteen-year-old Mary is immediately evacuated, and the rest of the family sets about combining daily life with wartime duties in the nation’s capital.

The war is gruelling and heart-breaking for Londoners, and Rosie and Jim Jackson are no exception. But their close family bonds and the warmth of friends and neighbours see them through, as the ups and downs of family life – marriages, births and deaths – continue as they always have, despite the conflict that rampages around them.

Until one day, a tragedy that nobody had dared to consider, strikes a devastating blow. And as the war gradually comes to a close, the Jacksons find themselves facing the future with a family – and a country – that have been irrevocably changed.

Citizen Armies combines the qualities of an absorbing family saga with acutely observed and beautifully written social history, and is bound to please lovers of fiction and history alike.



"I must warn you that being an ambulance driver is not a glamorous job. It will be dangerous and dirty and exhausting."
Rosie Jackson was under no illusion how difficult her job might be if London was indeed bombed, but she felt compelled to help in any way she could. Her beloved husband, Jim, was a Chief Warden and if he were out there, risking his life for his fellow Londoners, then so would she.
But despite the training, despite the imagined expectation, nothing had prepared Rosie for this. War was cruel and brutal. She knew that. But why...? Why target innocent people? It was beyond comprehension.
As Rosie struggles with war fatigue, her family rally around her. With their love and encouragement, Rosie continues to do her bit to show Hitler and his Nazis that they cannot break the British Spirit. But, oh, what she would give for this war to be over...
From the Miracle of Dunkirk to the London Victory Celebrations of 1946, Citizen Armies (The Jackson Family Saga, #2) by Beryl Kingston is the heart-wrenching tale of one family as they navigated the horrors of the Blitz on London during World War II.

Citizen Armies is a compelling account of an ordinary family in an extraordinary and unprecedented time of war. I was captivated by the first sentence and by the end of the first chapter, I felt like I had known these characters forever. Kingston has such a wonderfully compelling narrative and realism to her writing that makes this book not only utterly irresistible but next to impossible to put down.
Citizen Armies maps the course of the war from the perspective of the Johnson family. Through them, we get a real sense of how those at home followed the events of the war. We are with them during the Dunkirk evacuation, and we experience the Blitz of London, which climaxes with the terrifying V-1 and V-2 flying bombs, or the buzz bombs and doodlebugs as Londoners called them. The book ends with victory and celebrations. Kingston has brought this era back to life and has captured the very essence of what it was like to live in London during this time.
There are moments in this story where everything seems very bleak as the worst of humanity has the advantage, but it also demonstrates the determination, the utter stubbornness of the British to withstand whatever the Nazis threw at them. The "we will pull through in the end," mentality is alive-and-kicking in this story.
As a history tutor who specialises in this period of history, I am always in awe of the British spirit of defiance. When I think about how many countries surrendered to the Germans because of Blitzkrieg (Lightning War) tactics, it always amazes me how Britain did not, even at the darkest of hours, contemplate surrender. Instead, they rallied together, made a cup of tea and got on with it. Maybe this was because of Churchill's ability to inspire patriotism and to be able to turn a disaster such as Dunkirk into a successful operative, or perhaps it was the government's careful use of propaganda which brought the British populous together. Or maybe, it was because the people of Britain realised the significance of defeat and what that would mean. Perhaps it was all of the reasons and then some. Nevertheless, this mood, this sense that no matter what the Germans threw at them, the British would be victorious was firmly embedded in the mindset of the population — blindly optimistic it may seem to modern eyes, but very pragmatic nonetheless. This is what Kingston has captured with so much elegance and authority in this story. Never once, do her characters dwell on the fact that they could lose. They would win. It might take a while. But they would win — one way or another.
Kingston's depiction of the horrors of the Blitz and the emotional consequences of those who risked their own lives every day in a bid to help save others has to be commended. I have read many historical fiction books that focus on the devastation of the Blitz, whether that be in London or other UK cities and ports, but I have never read one written by an author who experienced it first hand. This knowledge gave a very dramatic sense of realism. The relentlessness of the bombing and the devastation and loss of life is staggering, and in Citizen Armies, we witness this terrible destruction primarily through the eyes of Rosie Jackson. Rosie is a very loving and compassionate woman, who adores her husband and her children, and is quite content with her life. When war is declared, Rosie doesn't think twice about her own safety, she wants to help, and she does so by learning to drive an ambulance.  
Kingston demonstrates what life was like for an ambulance driver during World War II in great detail — from the long gruelling shifts to the horrors that they witnessed on a daily basis. As the war progresses, Rosie struggles with her mental health. The end of the war seems so far away, and Rosie feels trapped in a nightmare which won't end. However, with help Rosie continues to help others, and like Britain, Rosie would not surrender. It did strike me, though, through the course of this novel, how the bombing became almost a normal part of everyday life, much like the weather. There is almost a desensitising of what was going on — Kingston demonstrated this beautifully with Rosie, who after her shift would fall into an exhausted sleep in the shelter, regardless of the bombs dropping on her city.  
This is a really wonderful book. Not only is it rich in historical detail, but it is also like taking a step back through time with Kingston as the very competent tour guide. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of Citizen Armies (The Jackson Family Saga, #2). Not only is the story fabulous, the characters wonderfully human, and the setting brilliant depicted, but the writing is fabulous too. There is nothing in this book that is not to be liked — a real treat for lovers of quality historical fiction.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.The Coffee Pot Book Club.

Pick up your copy ofCitizen ArmiesAmazon UK • Amazon US

Beryl Kingston 
Bestselling  Beryl Kingston was born in 1931 in Tooting, where she spent the first four months of the Blitz. She was evacuated twice during WWII, the first time to Felpham and the second to Harpenden in Hertfordshire.


Connect with Beryl: Website • Blog • Twitter.

Are you looking for a safe and legitimate way to gain interest and reviews for your Book? Let's talk about #NetGalley

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I have secured a massive 25% discount with Books Go Social's, already very reasonable, NetGalley Promotional Package. This discount makes it very affordable for you to get your book onto NetGalley and in front of those 380,000 registered members. 
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Books Go Social (BGS) is a highly respected Author Promotion service — you may have already heard of them. The founder of BGS, Laurence O’ Bryan is dedicated to helping authors showcase their books. He knows what works and what does not. This is why I am so excited to be working with him on this fantastic deal.
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#HistoricalFiction author, Vivienne Brereton, is sharing an excerpt of her fabulous book — A Phoenix Rising (The House of the Red Duke, #1) #Giveaway @VivienneBreret1 @hfvbt

Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours Presents…
A Phoenix Rising(The House of the Red Duke, #1)By Vivienne Brereton


“If I have anything to do with it, we Howards will live forever.”Thomas Howard
Charismatic head of one of the most powerful Houses in Tudor England. An indomitable old man approaching eighty: soldier, courtier, politician, a ‘phoenix’ rising from the ashes. After a calamitous period of disgrace, the Howards, renowned for their good looks and charm, are once more riding high at the court of Henry VIII.
Set against the backdrop of the extraordinary 1520 ‘Field of Cloth of Gold’, it is a tale of ambition, love, and intrigue, with Thomas at the centre of this intricate tapestryWill Thomas’s bold vow be fulfilled? Danger stalks the corridors of the royal courts of Europe. Uneasy lies the head beneath a crown. Every other ruler – a fickle bedfellow…or sworn enemy.The action takes place in England, Scotland, and France. On either side of the Narrow Sea, four young lives are interwoven, partly unaware of each other, and certainly oblivious to what Dame Fortune has in store for them.“ Nicolas de La Barre  laid his lute to one side, hardly bothering to stifle a yawn of boredom. Nevertheless, he couldn’t escape the fact he’d agreed to take on a new wife….”Explosive family secrets are concealed behind the ancient walls of castles in three lands. But…  “There are no secrets that time does not reveal.”
The Coffee Pot Book Club★★★★★Highly RecommendedRead the full review HERE!


Excerpt
Thomas Howard, the Earl of Surrey, a veteran soldier and Treasurer of England, is talking to his best friend, Gilbert Talbot, in Calais harbour. The date is September 30th, 1511 and they’re discussing the headstrong young King Henry VIII’s determination to go to war with France.
“The wind suddenly dropped completely so we could hear each other again. Right on cue, the sun came out, bathing us in pleasing warmth. Immediately, I felt my mood lift and was even able to smile back at my friend. We’d both aged, of course, and I could see that (unlike me, who prided myself on still having the wiry frame of one of my prize whippets) a love of his wife, Bessie’s, cooking had added flesh to Gilbert’s bones. The approach of old age hadn’t completely passed me by either. My knees were beginning to ache and I had more silver threaded through my hair than before. But to me the streaks were a badge of honour.
<<Evidence of a long life, lived well and to the full>>
Gilbert still had the same ready smile he’d always had, and his slightly faded blue eyes reflected the same wisdom and humour I’d long set store by.
‘It’s true,’ I said. ‘That toad-spotted, bum-bailey of a royal almoner, Snake, couldn’t wait to write to Richard Fox reporting my disgrace. There was such a red mist in my mind, I could think of nothing else to do but come to you. I rode like the clappers to Dover and jumped on the first vessel crossing the Narrow Sea.’
‘And I’m very glad you did. I take it you tried again to dissuade the King from declaring war on France.’
‘I did. But the Tudor boy is as stubborn as a mule. He’s determined to risk his royal neck in the lists and has got his sights set on the spoils of war. The treaty Fox, Ruthal, and I negotiated last March is as good as dead. All Henry thinks and talks about is invading France.’
Gilbert laughed. ‘He certainly lives up to your description of him: “A Tudor rose with thorns”. I wish to God he and Katherine hadn’t lost the prince in January. Maybe it would have calmed him down.’
‘But they did lose little Henry. And nothing and no one can turn his head away from the idea of leading an army over the Narrow Sea.’
‘It doesn’t help that Henry’s father-in-law—’
‘That wily old fox, Ferdinand.’
‘Yes. It doesn’t help he’s joined forces with the Pope, declaring the French got more out of the Cambrai agreement than either of them—’
‘Or that Rome has invited Henry to join a Holy League against France. He’s acting like a moonstruck maid, meeting a swain in a meadow.’
‘Speaking of lovesick swains, Tom, doesn’t Henry realize the Pope is panting after Venice? And Ferdinand after Naples. Not France.’
‘That flap-mouthed Andrea Badoer—’
‘The Venetian ambassador?’
‘Yes. He’s stoking the fires of war, telling the King that old Louis of France wants to be “monarch of the whole world”.’
Gilbert rolled his eyes. ‘We can only pray the good ambassador falls into the Grand Canal on his next trip back to Venice.’
*                              *                    *
By this time, we’d almost reached the end of the quay. It felt good to be able to talk like this to an old friend who understood my predicament, even if he couldn’t help me out of it. Just offer me food, board and good counsel for a few days. I knew I was exaggerating a little out of frustration. Young Hal hadn’t actually dismissed me, merely suggested I might like to spend some time with Agnes who was expecting another child. A second boy, I was certain of it. There was nothing wrong with Howard seed: perhaps another thing about me that didn’t sit well with the royal pup. <<A man of nearly seventy able to produce what a youth of twenty cannot>>
‘What about your boys, Tom. Can’t they help out? Try to change the King’s mind.’
I let out a dismissive laugh. ‘The King doesn’t like Thomas. Not that I blame him for that. You know my eldest is a chilly devil at the best of times; even his dogs don’t care for him. And Henry has no time at all for Edmund. Nor do I blame him for that either. Sometimes I think ‘tis both a miracle and a tragedy that one survived the childbed. Animals seem to know much better than humans how to deal with those too puny to survive.’
‘He’s a fine jouster.’
‘A loggerhead, for sure. Instead of showing cunning like Charles Brandon - and all the others - did back in the lists in February, either tying with the King or letting him win, what does my idiot of a third son do? Knock the proud young Tudor pup to the ground so many times he must have been choking on the dust in his mouth.’
‘God’s teeth! Henry will never forgive him.’
‘He hasn’t. Edmund hasn’t been invited to a single joust since that day.’
‘You’ve got new boys to follow.’
‘Yes. William in the cradle and another in the belly.’
‘What about Edward. He’s still in favour.’
‘Yes, but for some boil-brained reason, he spends his time dripping poison about James of Scotland into the royal ear. When the Venetian ambassador has finished dripping poison about France into the other one.’
‘Ah, I see your problem. It must be hard for you. Especially as you struck up such a good rapport with the Scotsman when you went up for the wedding.’
‘I did. I can honestly say James deserved every word of any praise I heaped upon him back then. Truly a king amongst kings. Whereas I swear our own sometimes shows less sense than my Lizzie’s little George.’
Gilbert pointed straight ahead. ‘How about a visit to “The Sign of the Ship” to drown our sorrows? I know for a fact a cargo of the best Malmsey arrived from Madeira this morning, by way of La Coruna.’”



Giveaway
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback copy of A Phoenix Rising!Enter HERE! Giveaway Rules
• Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on October 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open to the US only.
• Only one entry per household.
• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
• The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

Pick up your copy ofA Phoenix RisingAMAZON • BARNES AND NOBLE • INDIEBOUND

Vivienne Brereton
Born near historic Winchester in the UK, Vivienne Brereton has been passionate about the Tudors for as long as she can remember. This led to a degree in medieval history at university where she met her future husband. Three sons later and six countries she called home, she finally felt ready to write a novel.Words have always played an important part in Vivienne’s life whether it’s been writing, editing, teaching English to foreigners, or just picking up a good book. In preparation for her novel, she read intensively on the skills needed to write well and did an enormous amount of research which she greatly enjoyed. Having three sons was helpful when she came to write about the characters, Tristan and Nicolas. All those squabbles she had to deal with came in very handy. She also used her husband and sons as guinea pigs for her Tudor cookery attempts with varying degrees of success (abuse).Seeing ‘A Phoenix Rising’ in print for the first time was a moment of great joy for her and she hopes you enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it.Connect with Vivienne:WEBSITE • TWITTER • GOODREADS.

Check out #HistoricalFiction author, Cynthia Haggard's, fabulous book — Farewell My Life #Giveaway @cynthiahaggard @hfvbt

Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours Presents…
Farewell My LifeBy Cynthia Haggard

Angelina led a life which required her to fib. When Angelina, the black sheep of the Pagano family, meets the mysterious Mr. Russell, she has no idea that she has seen him before…in another country. And so begins Farewell My Life, a novel in three parts, which spins an operatic tale of dangerous love and loss.The Lost Mother, the first part of this novel, slices back and forth between time and space, opening in the charming village of Georgetown, Washington D.C. while reflecting a family’s troubled past in the lovely village of Marostica in the Italian Veneto.
An Unsuitable Suitor, the second part of the novel, is a Cinderella-ish tale with not-so-charming princes who inhabit the edgy setting of 1920s Berlin.Farewell My Life, the last part of the novel, set again in Berlin, Germany, during the dark 1930s as the Nazis gain power, takes comfortable lives, assumptions and civilizations and crumbles them into ash.
Praise for Farewell My Life
“This is not your typical mystery; it’s for fans of thrilling action and historically­-inspired events…Contra to the status quo of the genre, the men are the romantics – though in a deranged manner – and the women showcased are the core strength of the novel.”BookLife Prize.“The author…adeptly summons the era in all its manners and details with her descriptive prose…Her omniscient, third-person narrator effectively flits through the heads of various characters, offering momentary glimpses of their inner lives.”Kirkus Reviews



Excerpt

Russell had no intention of acceding to von Kleist’s request. He couldn’t afford to alienate Wilson still further by engaging in risky, undercover activities whose outcome was unclear. But as Grace abandoned him yet again to that too-quiet mansion near Savignyplatz, Russell found himself reconsidering. Nearly a week had gone by, and Wilson still hadn’t said anything and likely never would. Count von Kleist must know Il Cazzo, so perhaps his little scheme would bring Russell closer to Grace. Not seeing his wife was the worst thing that could happen to Russell as it robbed him of the power of persuasion. If only he could talk to her, she would forgive him, as she had done so many times before. Also, he missed his children, more than he’d thought possible. Their constant chatter, the debris they left in their wake, were former annoyances he now longed for.
And so Russellfound himself four days later on a Sunday afternoon in late September, in a chauffeur-driven limousine, escorted by von Kleist to a villa on the outskirts of Berlin, the home of his dear friend code-named Taube, or Dove, who had Czech relatives. Taube must be the code-name for a woman. As they drove along, Russell tried to picture Frau or Fraülein Taube.
“How old is she?” he asked von Kleist.
“She?” Kleist smiled faintly. “She is a lady in her fifties.”
Russell resumed his ruminations. Frau Taube was probably a matronly lady, her figure thickened by child-bearing and too many marzipan confections, sweet breads, and Kaffee mit Sahne. He tried out one or two Czech phrases in his head:
Good afternoon. Dobré odpoledne.
I am pleased to meet you. Rád tě poznávám.
Lovely weather for the time of year. Jsme s krásné počasí na ročním období.
He glanced out the window. It was a glorious afternoon, the trees changing color, their leaves glowing in the sunlight. As they turned south near Pichelsdorf to edge around the western side of Lake Wannsee, through Gatow and Hohengatow, multi-colored leaves drifted lazily down as cooling breezes came off the lake. Finally they came to Kladow, a pretty village with a church. Nearby, up a winding drive stood a pale green stucco villa, pavilion-like, very much the summer house, a Sanssouci in miniature. They exited the car and entered the foyer, which was palatial and ornate.
A stocky man with iron-gray hair turned his head, and Russell found himself looking into a pair of icy blue eyes.
He recoiled. What was he doing in the home of his arch-rival?
Carl von Lietzow gave him a feral smile. “At last, the industrious Herr Russell has spared enough time from his busy schedule to come to my door.”
Of course he’d been expecting him. Russellglared at von Kleist who smiled back. He had fallen into a neat trap.
“Let me introduce my friends and comrades-in-arms: General von Witzleben, and Obersleutnant Oster.”
Merda. It never occurred to him Il Cazzo could be involved in the Oster conspiracy.
“I gather that you have gone to a great deal of trouble to meet them,” continued von Lietzow. “But I know them all personally. You had only to ask, my dear fellow.”
Russell glared into their smiles.
“What would you like?” von Lietzow snapped his fingers, and a flunky scurried forward.
“Nothing,” muttered Russell.
“Oh come now, my good fellow,” remarked von Lietzow, smiling. “You need a little something to relax the nerves. We are not the Borgias, you know.”
Russell stiffened. How dare Il Cazzo cast slurs upon his Italian heritage! How dare he suggest—Russell’s cheeks prickled as his face drained of color. What was he suggesting? Surely he didn’t know about Grace’s mother—
“You seem upset,” remarked von Lietzow. “I have just the remedy. How about a little Armagnac from Condom? I am told it is one of the best.”
Russell glared again. When the brandy arrived, he pursed his lips to take the smallest of sips. Il Cazzo was right, it was excellent. But how had he managed to acquire such a luxury?
“Why a cleaning lady?” asked Oster, an annoying grin plastered across his face.
Russellremained silent, his cheeks warming.
“You do realize there are laws in this country against men dressing as women?” Il Cazzo gave him a wolfish smirk.
Russell drew himself up. “I have diplomatic immunity. My war record is superlative. I received the Congressional Medal of Honor—”
“You are not at the American Embassy,” remarked Oster, smiling.“If we reported this to the Gestapo…” said Il Cazzo.
Russell froze.
Il Cazzo laughed in his face. “Come! Let us sit down so that we can chat more comfortably.” Between them, they herded Russell to a sofa that was penned in by a coffee table. Il Cazzo sat down next to him, putting his boots upon the white marble table-top.
“I know you do not believe me, Herr Russell, but I am a gentleman. As a proud Prussian aristocrat, I do not allow my guests to be—how do you put it? Ah yes, to be roughed up.”
The others chuckled.
“But we wish to warn you,” said von Witzleben. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“We cannot be responsible for the consequences,” said Oster.
“Believe me, you do not want to make the acquaintance of the Gestapo,” remarked Il Cazzo, smiling.
Russell’s hands shook as he contemplated the white marble table. It was a handsome piece veined with gray. The Geheime Staatspolizei or the German Secret State Police was known for its brutality. It had the authority to investigate treason, espionage, sabotage and attacks against the Nazi Party. Of course these conspirators were not going to report him to the Gestapo, they must live in fear of it every day themselves. They had just been playing with him, and he hadn’t understood because he was worn down with exhaustion. He should never have come here—but where was Grace? Peter?
Von Kleist sat on his other side. “I have a commission for you, if you are interested.”
Russell rose to his feet. “I am not interested in your games. I wish to speak to my wife and son.”
“All in good time.” Il Cazzo bared his teeth into a smile. “First, we would like your assistance.”
“It is a pleasant task, I assure you,” remarked Kleist. “It concerns a lady.”
Russell’s cheeks flamed. He was utterly in their power, and that lava-like fury he curbed with an iron bit so that it only emerged during those dark hours when his head touched the pillow and he could not sleep, that fury threatened to erupt as he realized they would not stop in their efforts to humiliate him.
“Her name is Mabel Phelps,” said Oster.
Russell winced. How did they know about her? Did they know about that indiscreet meeting in his office?
“We want to know if she is a double-agent,” said von Witzleben.
Russell picked up his goblet and took a long swallow of his brandy. “Why me?”
“Well,” drawled Il Cazzo, “your English is good—”
“And we have reason to believe that she…fancies you,” remarked Oster.Russell bit his lip. Dio Cane. Someone must have given them a thorough report.
“A little harmless flirtation, eh?” Il Cazzo zigzagged his eyebrows as he raised his brandy glass.
“But—”
“Why not invite her out for coffee, you know, that sort of thing?” remarked Oster, with a smile that would have been charming if the fellow were not so irritating.
“What happens if I refuse?”
“I think you know the answer to that,” replied General von Witzleben.

GiveawayDuring the Blog Tour, we are giving away two eBooks of FAREWELL MY LIFE!
Enter HERE!Giveaway Rules• Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on October 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open to the US only.• Only one entry per household.• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.• The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

Pick up your copy ofFarewell My LifeAMAZON • INDIEBOUND
Cynthia Haggard Cynthia graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University, Cambridge MA, in June 2015.Her first novel, Thwarted Queen, a frustrating tale (hence the title) of Lady Cecylee Neville (1415-1495) who was nearly crowned Queen of England, was shortlisted for many awards, including the 2012 Eric Hoffer New Horizon Award for debut authors. To date, sales have surpassed 38,000 copies.Her forthcoming novel, Farewell My Life, is a Cinderella-ish tale with not-so-charming princes who inhabit the edgy setting of 1920s Berlin.When she’s not annoying everyone by insisting her fictional characters are more real than they are, Cynthia likes to go for long walks, knit something glamorous, cook in her wonderful kitchen, and play the piano. You can visit her at www.spunstories.com. You can also find Cynthia on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Join #HistoricalRomance author, Kryssie Fortune, as she takes a look at A Real Regency Bad Boy — Lord Byron #History @KryssieFortune

A Real Regency Bad BoyBy Kryssie Fortune
Lord George Gordon Byron, the sixth Baron Byron.
Like your hero’s dark and brooding? Then look no further than Lord George Gordon Byron, the sixth Baron Byron.
His marriage lasted less than a year. He ran up a mountain of debts. In an era where bisexuality was illegal, he took both male and female lovers. His youngest housemaid bore his illegitimate child. He may have fathered his half-sister’s baby. No wonder his most famous lover—Lady Caroline Lamb—called him mad, bad, and dangerous to know.
Moving on from her, he courted her cousin, Annabella. After they wed, she coined the term Byronmania for the way people fawned over him. During their brief marriage, he fathered his only legitimate child, Ada Lovelace. She was a gifted mathematician. Her work on Babbage’s Difference Engine has brought her lasting fame. She’s recognized as one of the first computer programmers.
Byron’s poetry took the Regency world by storm. Despite his club foot, he kept himself in top condition. Georgette Heyer often featured Gentleman Jackson’s boxing salon in her books. He was one of the real-life patrons and called Jackson the Emperor of Pugilism.
For most of his life, he was a vegetarian. Vain, he wore curling papers in his hair in bed. He lived on a constant diet and subsisted on dry biscuits and wine. In a time where men over-indulged in food and drink, women fawned over his slender physique. In 1810 he hit the Regency headlines when he swam from Asia to Europe.Byron hated injustice. He spoke against the death penalty for Luddites in the House of Lords. To support the Greek struggle for independence, he sold his estate. Needing to do more, he traveled to Greece and fought alongside them. Other foreigners flocked to join his brigade. Eventually, he led thirty officers and 200 men.
In 1824 they planned to attack the fortress at Lepanto. Sadly, Bryon fell ill and died before the battle happened. He was only thirty-six. By then, he was a hero to the emerging Greek nation. Had he lived and defeated the Ottomans, some think he might have become King of Greece.
Another Regency bad boy features in my latest Regency Romance:

The Viscount’s PetBy Kryssie Fortune

When her brother tries to arrange a marriage with the detestable Baron Cosford, Julianna strikes out on her own, but her plan is disrupted by an unexpected encounter with Viscount Stonehurst.

Stonehurst is less than pleased to find a beautiful young woman travelling alone at night, but when he discovers her predicament will the handsome gentleman come to Juliana’s rescue?Publisher’s Note: The Viscount’s Pet is a stand-alone novel which shares the Regency-era setting of Wickedly Used and His Innocent Bride.
*The contents of this book includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.
Excerpt
“Damn it,” Stonehurst muttered under his breath, “don’t cry.”
Despite the balmy summer night, she couldn’t stop shivering. He tightened his arms, pulling her toward him. When he buried his face in her hair, she thought he inhaled in her favorite floral perfume. She hoped it pleased him. His citrus and herbal cologne certainly delighted her.
When he reached the rose garden, the musky scent of the flowers lingered, heady and intoxicating. Despite his wooden leg, he slid easily from the saddle and helped her dismount. His hands rested a few seconds too long on her waist. She relaxed and leaned toward him, but his severe expression condemned her. While her past actions deserved his scorn, it still crushed her.
As if he couldn’t stop himself, he tugged her against him. His mouth slammed against hers, claiming, dominating, and possessing. A soft moan flowed from her. When she nestled into his embrace, her heart told her she’d come home.
He tangled his hands in the loose strands of her hair and anchored her lips to his. As his tongue traced the seam between them, she opened for him. He tasted of fresh lemons and spearmint. His kiss was all-consuming and addictive, a sinful delight that flooded her soul with joy.

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Kryssie Fortune Kryssie Fortune writes the sort of hot sexy books she loves to read. If she can sneak a dragon into her paranormal books she will. Her paranormal heroes are muscular werewolves, arrogant Fae, or BDSM loving dragons.

Kryssie likes her contemporary heroes ex-military and dominant. Her heroines are kick ass females who can hold their own against whatever life - or Kryssie - throws at them.

Kryssie's pet hates are unhappy endings, and a series that end on a cliff hanger.
Her books are all stand alone even when part of series. Plot always comes before sex, but when her heroines and heroes get together, the sex is explosive and explicit. One review called it downright sensual.
Kryssie loves to hear from readers, you can find her: Website  Blog  Twitter  Facebook  Pinterest  Goodreads  Amazon Author Page

Join #HistoricalFiction author, Anna Belfrage as she takes a look at the life of Elizabeth de Ferrers #History @abelfrageauthor

Join Historical Fiction author, Autumn Bardot, as she explores what life was like in the time of her fabulous book — Dragon Lady #HistoricalFiction #Giveaway @hfvbt @AutumnBardot

Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours Presents…
Dragon LadyBy Autumn Bardot

Prostitution required the violation of my body. Piracy required my soul. The first enslaved me. The second set me free.
A young girl is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a floating brothel. Xianggu begins as a servant, but soon her virginity is bought by the highest bidder. Ambitious and determined, she learns the business in hopes of earning her freedom from the madam. Her dreams are washed away when a midnight pirate raid changes her life.
Kidnapped by the notorious Red Flag boss, Xianggu embarks on a journey that demands beauty, brains, and brawn. But Xianggu must do more than learn to wield a sword, sail a ship, and swim across the bay, she must become indispensable to the pirate boss if she hopes to survive. The winds, however, never blow in the same direction, and Xianggu must make a decision that requires her to battle jealous men, ancient prejudices, and her own heart.
The triumph of the notorious Zheng Yi Sao is a sexy, fierce, and unflinchingly realistic story of how a prostitute became the most powerful and successful pirate in the world.

In 18th century China, when men made and enforced the rules, the Dragon Lady lived by her own.





Thank you so much, Mary Anne, for allowing me to guest post today!
 I’m sure lovers of historical fiction won’t be surprised to learn I did a boat load ( LOL ) of research for Dragon Lady. In fact, it almost did not get written. I really wanted to write about Zheng Yi Sao, the prostitute turned pirate, but knew I needed primary sources to write a historically and culturally accurate novel. I purchased quite a few books (okay, I confess, a stack) and hunted down an out-of-print book that provided a wealth of information about Chinese pirates of the time. (The footnotes had an amazing amount of information.) And after three months of typing in various keywords, I was able to find the transcribed account of one of the actual English naval officers kidnapped by Zheng Yi Sao. What a treasure!


 I immersed myself in the life and times of Chinese pirates. Even bought a model junk. It sits on the mantel in family room.


So, let’s dive in and take a look at how a Chinese pirate lived. Life was difficult for the poor. Fathers sold their children. But we’ve read about that in other Asian historical novels. Chinese pirates had their own lifestyle, codes, and morals. They were ‘water people’ that lived and worked in the waterways and harbors of southern China. Land dwellers claimed they had webbed toes and were wicked. *eyeroll* They had their own dialect. Most were desperately poor. But not all.
Pirates were rich! Well, at least the officers. Many worked their way up the ladder in ways that were very violent. Kidnapped adolescents might be adopted by the boss. Also, by means that would be considered not only illegal but immoral today. Adopted sons became part of the ‘family’, and it was this extended family that made the pirate’s reach very long. Family connections were everything!  
It was a violent business. Anyone could get thrown overboard (far from land) for a variety of offenses, have their feet nailed to the deck, or be cut into a hundred pieces. A new recruit, officer, hostage, concubine, or wife had to be very careful to obey the unwritten rules.
Life on board was harsh for the deckhands. They slept on deck or shared a tiny space below. They drank bee-chew (a type of alcohol), chewed betel nut, gambled, smoked opium, and often took other men as their wives—until they could afford a proper female wife. The bosses and highest-ranking officers had their own room, dressed well, and made a lot of money from kidnapping, protection fees, stolen goods, and revenues from their land-based business, like gambling houses.

Piracy at the time was a huge business! Its own kind of bureaucracy or cooperation. Some of the jobs included, ship chandlers, cooks, certificate makers, book keepers, collection bureau overseers, lookouts, accountants, attorneys, fellows of ink & brush, keepers of the treasury, religious specialists, incense burners, emissaries, store clerks, and stewards in charge of food, supplies, and firewood. They also hired appraisers, sailmakers, blacksmiths, carpenters, and I’m sure I left out quite a few.
 A person made more money working in some capacity for the pirate fleets than they did for the government. In fact, many government officials secretly worked for the pirate fleets. Or took bribes. The pirates were in cahoots with the secret societies, the Triads. The pirate fleets’ power was extensive, their wealth vast, and their fire power greater than the Qing navy. The Spanish and British navy feared them as well and cut wide berth around them.


Wives were expected to throw stink pots (fire baskets), javelins, fight, and row sampans. Bosses had several wives; however, women were never meant to be officers or bosses! Which is why the life of Zheng Yi Sao (which translates to wife of Zheng Yi) is so extraordinary. She dared to do what no woman ever had. More than that, she made rules regarding the protection of female captives and the women on board. She expanded and grew her pirate empire to become the most feared, respected, and wealthiest pirate in the world.
Zheng Yi Sao’s rise to power—and it’s not sugar-coated—is a fierce, unflinching look at a woman’s personal, emotional, business, and cultural battles to succeed in man’s world.  

GiveawayDuring the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback copy of Dragon Lady! Enter HERE!Giveaway Rules
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Autumn BardotAutumn Bardot writes historical fiction and erotica about sassy women and daring passions!Her erotic fiction includes Legends of Lust, Erotic Myths from around the World, published by Cleis Press. Confessions of a Sheba Queen (erotica) will be available Jan 2020.The Impaler’s Wife is her debut historical fiction, released in April 2019.Autumn has a BA in English literature and a MaEd in curriculum and instruction. She’s been teaching literary analysis for fourteen yearsWhen Autumn’s not writing or working, you’ll find her hanging out with her ever-growing family, spoiled husband, and pampered rescue pooch. Her favorite things include salty French fries, coffee, swimming, and a great book.WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • PINTEREST

Join #HistoricalFiction author, Judith Arnopp, as she talks about the challenges of Writing Tudor Women #amwriting #Tudors @JudithArnopp

Writing Tudor Women
By Judith Arnopp

I am often asked why I chose to write about Tudor women and the honest answer is, I didn’t; Tudor women chose me. I’d been told so many times that the Tudor era has been done to death that when I first began to write professionally, I took that advice on board and set my books in the early medieval/Anglo Saxon period. It wasn’t long before I was asked if I’d written anything set in Henry VIII’s reign and the more readers asked that question, the more I wondered why I hadn’t. I have always loved the Tudors, since I was teenager (eons ago) and I was so glad to return to an era I genuinely loved.There are some big authors writing in this period and it is important that a writer find their own place in an already busy market. Unfortunately, I am not Hilary Mantel and neither am I Philippa Gregory. I am myself. So, instead of being intimidated by the competition, I just sat down and wrote the Tudor court as I imagined it. In my books I attempt to answer the questions I had always wanted to ask as a reader. You know those irritating toddlers that ask ‘Why? Why? Why?’ – I am a bit like that.History has often been unkind to the women my books feature, fiction has been unkinder still. We know the barest facts of their actions, and almost nothing of their inner thoughts and feelings. Contemporary opinion has to be treated warily; one must ask who wrote the record, why they wrote it … who they wrote it for. Every writer in every age has an agenda – even today history is a fluid, changing thing that ebbs and flows as society alters. As a writer, I try not to reach a foregone conclusion about my protagonist before I pick up my pen. I read widely before I begin, taking on board as many historical views as possible. The main question in my head as I begin the journey is, ‘how did it feel?’ I don’t have a ‘favourite’ Tudor woman and my representation of them alters from book to book, depending on who is telling the tale. It is all about perspective. In A Song of Sixpence, Elizabeth of York’s view of the events at Henry VII’s court is quite different from Margaret Beaufort’s in The Beaufort Chronicle because, although they were both there, they would have perceived things differently. Just as Anne Boleyn’s experience of the King’s Secret Matter is the opposite of Mary Tudor’s. Neither perspective is wrong, they are just on opposing sides.I am less interested in gowns and palaces and more concerned with the whys and wherefores, the psyche of my characters, if you like. When I began writing The Beaufort Chronicle I had no idea if the Margaret Beaufort I was creating was going to be good or bad – I rather hope she is something in between. As the story opened up, the experiences we went through together shaped Margaret’s character. I came to understand her much better. The world she lived in was very different to ours, the choices she made, far outside my experience, or the experiences of any of us. The resulting character is neither kind nor saintly but neither is she evil, or particularly ambitious. She grows from a frightened girl into a loving mother; a grieving mother who campaigns to bring her son out of exile. It is not until she finds herself faced with the possibility of claiming the throne for Henry that she moves against Richard III. Ultimately, Margaret becomes the most powerful woman in England and I think she deserved it. She fought, worried, and when the tide of war was against her, she tried to keep her chin above water. My Margaret is terse, critical and vitally intelligent, far more intelligent than most of the men around her. Her charity, her education, her piety are often disregarded or sneered at in the world of historical fiction. She is often portrayed as obsessed, a little mad but the course of my research revealed nothing to suggest she did more than survive. The Margaret I discovered was just better at life than her enemies.Anne Boleyn is another woman of the era who has been painted with a heavy hand. She appears variously in fiction; sometimes as a witch, an ambitious floosy who stole the king from his beloved wife, and sometimes as a saintly, reluctant girl who could not resist the overtures of the king or the machinations of her family. The Anne that emerged from my studies for The Kiss of the Concubine is something in between; she is clever, wise and reluctant at first to marry Henry until she is left with no choice and so chooses to make the best of it. Her end, of course, is well-known but the questions remained.How did it feel to be young and witty and energetic in the restrictive household of Catherine of Aragon? Anne was a lover of music and dance, she loved to perform, she loved to hunt; she loved life and lived it to the full. How did it feel to be condemned to death for crimes you did not commit? I can’t imagine I would face death as bravely as she did. I don’t think it is fair on Anne to remember her only for her end. She should be given credit for her intelligence, her wit, for her championing of church reform, and of course, for giving us Queen Elizabeth.The Kiss of the Concubine is written from Anne’s point of view, her first person voice explains each episode of her life with Henry, and the woman who emerges is confident and strong – strong enough to manipulate the king until she was overpowered by her enemies.I am currently writing The Heretic Wind, the story of Mary Tudor, the daughter of Henry and Catherine of Aragon, and her view of Anne is quite different, as you might expect. Mary is seldom viewed sympathetically but, of all the women I have written about so far, I think she is the most tragic, and since I’d always judged her quite harshly, I hadn’t expected that. If you leave aside the religious bigotry and cruel treatment of heretics that she dealt in her later life, and look at her life from the beginning, from her perspective, it is little wonder that she grew into the woman she became. The main aspect of her character that stands out for me is her isolation. Mary had no friends, no equal. She had faithful servants in Susan Clarencius and Jane Dormer but they were not her equal – they serve her, they love her but they can never quite understand. Throughout her entire life she experienced loss after loss; her father’s rejection, the separation from Catherine of Aragon, the loss of her title, status, the death of her mother,  the horrific deaths to a string of step-mothers, the fight for her crown, and finally her doomed marriage to Philip of Spain and the humiliation of  duplicate phantom pregnancies. She endured relentless misery and after over a year of imagining her pain, her hopelessness, disappointment and her fury, I am exhausted. Next time, I must choose a less traumatising Tudor head to inhabit.


Judith Arnopp
Judith Arnopp is the author of eleven historical fiction novels including:Sistersof Arden: on the Pilgrimage of GraceTheBeaufort Chronicle: the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort (three book series)ASong of Sixpence: The story of Elizabeth of YorkTheKiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne BoleynTheWinchester  Goose: at the court of HenryVIIIIntractableHeart: the life of Katheryn ParrTheForest Dwellers: and the killing of William RufusPeaceweaver:the story of EAdgyth AElfgarsdottirTheSong of HeleddThe Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England will be published soon.All books available as paperback, kindle and some are available as audiobooks on Audible.For more information please visit:www.judithmarnoppauthor.to/juditharnoppbookslook for Judith on facebook, twitter and Instagram.

#BookReview — Burn Marks: A strange time for letters By Robert D. Rice II #HistoricalFiction #America

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#BookReview — Whirligig by Richard Buxton #HistoricalFiction #civilwar @RichardBuxton65

WhirligigBy Richard Buxton

Shire leaves his home and his life in Victorian England for the sake of a childhood promise, a promise that pulls him into the bleeding heart of the American Civil War. Lost in the bloody battlefields of the West, he discovers a second home for his loyalty.

Clara believes she has escaped from a predictable future of obligation and privilege, but her new life in the Appalachian Hills of Tennessee is decaying around her. In the mansion of Comrie, long hidden secrets are being slowly exhumed by a war that creeps ever closer.

The first novel from multi-award winning short-story writer Richard Buxton, Whirligig is at once an outsider’s odyssey through the battle for Tennessee, a touching story of impossible love, and a portrait of America at war with itself. Self-interest and conflict, betrayal and passion, all fuse into a fateful climax.



"Bet you wish you'd stayed at home now, don't ya?"
This wasn't Owen "Shire" Stanton's war, but he had made a promise a long, long time ago, and if nothing else, he was a man of his word. 
Taylor Spenser-Ridgmont was handsome and charming. It was a good match. So Clara had packed her bags and followed her betrothed home to Comrie, Tennessee. But it was only after she married him that Taylor's true nature became apparent and Clara realised what a terrible, terrible mistake she had made. But alas, this was a mistake that could never be rectified. She was on her own, and no one could help her escape this dreadful marriage.
Shire knew what kind of man Taylor was before his childhood friend sailed across the sea to marry him. But who was he to question the choices of a Duke's daughter? Shire was only a school-teacher and a part-time farm labourer. He and Clara had no business being friends, let alone anything else.
However, a shocking discovery sees Shire set sail across the ocean to save Clara from the biggest mistake of her life. However, when he arrives in America, he finds a country on the brink of civil war. The only way Shire can navigate the South and reach his destination was to join the Union Army. Shire must reach Clara before it is too late, and if he has to fight every Confederacy soldier along the way, he will do so. But time is not his friend, and if the army does not get a move on, then it may be too late.
From the desolate graveyard that is holding so tightly to her secrets in Ridgmont, Bedfordshire, England to the horror of the Battle of Chickamauga, Whirligig by Richard Buxton is the mesmerising and wholly unforgettable story of one man's commitment to a promise that would take him on a journey through war-torn America.
Not since John Jakes fabulous North and South Trilogy has a story about the American Civil War captured my attention and left me breathless. Not only is Whirligig a wonderfully fresh take on the American Civil War, but it is also a story of courage, honour, friendship, and love.
From the opening sentence, I was enchanted. Buxton gives a masterful account of the lead up to the war and the war itself. Whirligig is a book that commands your attention, and it certainly deserves your admiration.
Buxton has lavishly evoked the land in which his story is set in. The canvas is a large one, from Victorian England to the war-torn South of the United States, and it is at all times luxuriantly detailed.
Buxton has captured the very essence of what life would have been like for a Unionist Soldier during the war. Within these pages, I found myself walking with soldiers, sharing their fear, their frustration, and in some cases, their utter boredom — for a soldier’s life is not just a single battle. The war and the Battle of Chickamauga, in particular, was wonderfully portrayed — a fitting monument one might say, to those who fought and died there. And through all of this is Shire's desire to reach Clara.
Buxton has a penned two highly appealing characters in Shire and Clara. Shire's devotion to his childhood friend is heartwarming and absorbing. Shire is a man who feels deeply and is compelled to act when he sees a grave injustice served to those he cares about. Shire risks everything, including his own life, to reach Clara. This devotion to a promise made Shire a truly unforgettable character.
Clara knows her place. She knows she cannot follow her heart and so Clara marries where she thinks she is most likely to find happiness. But when she reaches Tennessee and settles into life in Taylor's household, life is not quite what she dreamt it would be. This house hides some terrible secrets, and with time Clara learns these secrets and the role Taylor had in creating them, with dire consequences to herself.
Although Comrie is not a cotton-plantation there are still slaves, and slowly over a considerable time, Clara learns about these people who are forced to serve her, and she strikes a beautiful friendship with several of them. Through her actions, Clara also commands their loyalty, although not with a whip but with her heart. Clara is genuine in her respect for the slaves, and the feeling is eventually reciprocated. It was also fascinating to witness the effect the war had on the South and the fear of what the Unionist Army would do when they reached them. I thought this balance between the North and the South was very carefully drawn. 
Buxton shows his ability as a writer with the depiction of Taylor. Taylor is manipulative, cruel, and above everything else, a compulsive liar. He is the kind of antagonist that sends shivers down one's spine. As often is the case, Taylor is also a terrible coward who cares nothing about the lives he destroys as long as he gets what he wants, and in the case of this story, he wants to destroy all evidence of the truth. His single-minded determination to hunt Shire down and kill him reminded me very much of Elkanah Bent in North and South. He is a vile man, but he certainly drove this story forward.
The historical detailing in this book has to be commended. Not only does Buxton have an almost intimate knowledge of the history of this era in America, but he has also captured the mood of England as she watched the events unfold. Buxton is a true historian with a novelist’s heart. Kudos, Mr Buxton.
This book and this story was what Buxton was born to write. Whirligig is a fabulous addition to any bookshelf.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.The Coffee Pot Book Club.

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Richard Buxton
Richard Buxton grew up in Wales but has lived in Sussex for the last thirty years. He is a 2015 graduate of the Creative Writing Masters programme at Chichester University. He studied in America during his twenties and tries to return there as often as he can for research and inspiration. His writing successes include winning the Exeter Story Prize, the Bedford International Writing Competition and the Nivalis Short Story award. His US Civil War novel, Whirligig, released this spring, was shortlisted for the 2017 Rubery International Book Award.
Connect with Richard: Website  • Facebook• Twitter.