Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 146

#HistoricalFiction author, M J Porter, is sharing her inspiration behind her fabulous book The First Queen of England #History @coloursofunison

Historical Fiction author, M J Porter, is sharing her inspiration behind her fabulous book —
The First Queen of England



Lady Elfrida could have been Anne Boleyn, marrying for love, only she outlived her husband. She could have been Eleanor of Aquitaine, only she only had one son who lived to adulthood. She could have been Isabella, the She-Wolf of France. No woman before her had ever held so must power in England, and lost it, at the hands of her son.
The delight in Lady Elfrida’s story is playing with the ‘what ifs’ and the ‘possibilities.’ This is why she is a perfect character to explore through fiction, because her life is long and varied, and there’s a great deal to untangle from the historical record.
Elfrida was, officially, the first crowned Queen of England. Of England. Before her, there had been queens of Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria, Kent, East Anglia, and even of the Anglo-Saxons, but never of the English.
‘Twice a Queen’ Emma would have walked in only recently relinquished footsteps when she married Elfrida’s son in 1002, the much maligned Æthelred II.
I confess, the idea of a married king falling passionately in love with Lady Elfrida, was almost more than enough to want to write about her, and I did include this in the first novel – much more a romantic historical novel than the subsequent books.
But Lady Elfrida was a woman of considerable power, not just a love interest for the king – take a look at the charters issued throughout her second husband’s and second son’s life, and she’s there, witnessing them. Not always at the top, but clearly in evidence, apart from when she and her son seem to have fallen out in about 985 until 993, when she reappears until her death. Lady Elfrida was a ‘mover and shaker’ at the English Court.
She was the ‘queen’ alongside her husband as king, she was mother to his third and fourth children – two sons.
As Queen she was involved in the Benedictine Reformation then sweeping England – alongside such political heavyweights as Archbishop Dunstan and Oswald and Bishop Æthelwold, and her husband gave her command over the nunneries of England (which meant their wealth and assets as well as their spiritual needs.)
Under her step-son, Edmund the Martyr, Lady Elfrida, was absent from Court, no doubt plotting her son’s return, or, just acknowledging that she had no part to play as her son had been excluded from the succession.
Lady Elfrida returned to Court with her son’s accession. A regency council was formed, and of course Elfrida was included, and this seems to be where Elfrida reached her peak of influence.
It’s worthwhile pausing to consider this outcome. Æthelred was no more than ten, possibly eleven, when he came to the throne. He was a minor. He was a child. And yet he became king of England, his coronation taking place in April 978 or 979, either with unseemly haste after his half-brother’s murder, or with a year of ‘arm twisting’ in between.
He was a minor. He was not a warrior.
A hundred years before Æthelred’s reign, the Alfred-Guthrum treaty had been signed, dividing England between the Danes and the ‘English’ (as they weren’t yet really known). ‘England’ (still not a distinct entity) had nearly been overrun by the Vikings. Fast-forward a hundred years, and ‘England’ has formed and there’s a minor on the throne. This, in any eyes, must be hailed as the greatest victory for Lady Elfrida.
Examining Lady Elfrida’s life with a rational approach and half an eye to the charter evidence for the period, and half an eye on what would happen after her death to smear her image, it‘s impossible to say that she was not the first truly influential and powerful woman to ever stand close to England’s throne – a queen, the king’s mother, and, in time, the grandmother to a future generation – she deserves much more than her Post-Conquest title of ‘whore’ and ‘murderer’.
Pick up your copy of The First Queen of England
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The King's Mother:Sequel to The First Queen of England Trilogy

The King’s Mother is the story of a woman who has been censured by history as both a whore and a murderer but was neither.

The widowed Lady Elfrida has achieved the impossible. She’s ensured her twelve-year-old son has become king, despite the gruesome murder of his predecessor and half-brother. While many blame the king’s mother, she looks to two rival noblemen as the real perpetrators.

Even with the reappearance of an unwelcome enemy on England’s shores, Viking warriors, who attack and threaten the safety and security of England, and specifically, the young king, the two noblemen are far from resigned to Lady Elfrida’s power.

As her son takes the final steps to become king in actions as well as name, she’s increasingly isolated by the deaths of allies and the scheming ways of others, including the king. Resentful of her continuing influence, Lady Elfrida faces banishment from Court with both fierce determination and acquiescence.

The King's Mother is the first part in a new trilogy.
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Suggested reading order:
The Mercian Brexit (short story and prequel)
The First Queen of England
The First Queen of England Part 2
The First Queen of England Part 3
The King's Mother
M J PorterI'm an author of fantasy (Viking age/dragon themed) and historical fiction (Anglo-Saxon, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a very young age that it housed the bones of long dead Kings of Mercia and that our garden was littered with old pieces of pottery from a long-ago battle, it's little wonder that my curiosity in the Anglo-Saxons ran riot. I can only blame my parents!
Connect with MJ: Website • Twitter

#BookReview — ILONA - Wolf Queen: The Civilis Saga Book #2 by Peter Baggott #HistoricalFiction #AncientRome @baggott_scot

ILONA - Wolf QueenThe Civilis Saga Book #2By Peter Baggott

Two warnings to return home, drive Artorius Civilis northward. Torn between duty and family he must resolve the Legate-less 2nd Augusta before he can return to Rome. Lost in a snowstorm it leads him to a chance meeting and an unknown prophecy he must fulfil. The purge of Sejanus’ supporters continues and with only the Civilis family left to identify him, Victus Claudian must eradicate them all. An informant, an ambush, a final meeting in a snowy forest, Artorius is the first step, but in Genua, Naomi hides a growing secret. Abandoned with only his spatha, Artorius faces a life or death scenario as wolves smell his blood. A two-legged wolf becomes his saviour, changing his life forever. Marcus and Tia’s love flourishes as they raise the family estate from slaves to a village. With the New Year, the annual plague crawls like a snake from the poisonous Tiberis exacting death on all it touches. Out of duty and honour, Artorius’ friends seek the truth of his final days. A last resort leads to a small hut where a seer and her daughter, the Wolf Queen, live, therein lay the answers and many new questions. Power and greed will lead one to betray Artorius’ family, but another will offer her life in that betrayal, to win what she seeks. Two sons, born of two families, from two worlds on a collision course, where survival is paramount. Lainth the Etruscan goddess of death picks her subjects.


“Prepare yourself, daughter — the weather brings your man to our door. His life is about to change forever, and painfully so. Only you can repair his tortured soul and give him hope…”

Ilona has always heeded her mother’s wise counsel, for Rosevetha is a seer, an extraordinarily powerful one. However, Rosevetha is not the only one with gifts. Ilona is the Wolf Queen — she can talk to wolves, hunt with them, without any fear of being hurt. Wherever she goes, her wolves are not far behind. But, even Ilona could not have possibly comprehended the lengths she would have to go to if she is to save the man she loves.
Centurion Artorius Primus Pila Civilis had sought shelter from the elements in the home of Rosevetha and her daughter. However, he got a little more than a comforting fire and hot food. Instead, he is issued with two warnings — beware of the man with a “V” in his name and return to Rome with all haste.
Artorius knows well the man with a “V” in his name, for they are old enemies, and he has every intention of returning to his family in Rome as soon as there is a break in the weather. However, fate plays a cruel hand, and his journey is delayed. The seer was right. The consequences are indeed, life-changing.
From humble beginnings to life as the partner of a Camp Prefect in the Glorious 2nd, ILONA - Wolf Queen: The Civilis Saga Book #2, by Peter Baggott, is a historical fiction triumph.
Well, Baggott has done it again. ILONA — Wolf Queen, was everything I expected and then some. Filled with non-stop action, and an incredibly impressive narrative, this is the kind of story that hooks you in from the opening sentence and does not let go until the very last full stop. I do not exaggerate when I say the pages practically turned themselves and time ceased to matter while I lost myself in the world that Baggott has created. Baggott has crafted a tale that is every reader’s dream — it is a book you can very willingly lose yourself in.
I was expecting big things from this book after reading Victus: The Civilis Saga Book #1, and I am pleased to say that I wasn’t disappointed. At times the tension was almost unbearable as one tragedy after another strikes the House of Civilis. I was left gasping in disbelief as Baggott struck down his characters with all the drama one usually finds in the books penned by George R. R. Martin. Was no one safe? This series certainly needs to come with a warning — do not get attached to any of the characters, there’s a good chance they won’t make it! This is no criticism. The story warranted the deaths — it is just that I did not want them to die! 
Within the pages of this remarkable book is a desperately heroic struggle between the House of Civilis and the evil, despicable and disgraced, Victus Claudian. Victus is an incredibly dangerous man who is determined to kill every last member of the Civilis family. Nothing can seemingly stop him. He is a character that made my skin crawl. Victus has absolutely no regard for life, he rapes and murders, without mercy. His actions could be mistaken as that of a madman, but Victus knows exactly what he is doing. Baggot deserves the highest praise in his portrayal of this truly terrible antagonist.
Baggott also deserves acclaim for not only his enthralling narrative but for his confident historical detailing. Here we have an author who knows the history of this period inside out. Baggott brings this era back to life in all its glorious, as well as its abhorrent, detail. Baggott certainly has a novelist gift for understanding what makes history worth reading.
There is a large cast of characters in this book — at least in the beginning — which Baggott has a masterful control of. He also has an intuitive understanding that no man is perfect, and even the most moral sometimes fall from grace. Such insight means that he has written a cast of not only highly appealing characters but more importantly, believable ones. 
I cannot praise this book enough. From the tender moments between a man and a woman to the horrors of the battlefield, there is something for everyone between the pages of ILONA - Wolf Queen: The Civilis Saga Book #2. I cannot wait to get my hands on Book #3 and find out what is to become of the House of Civilis.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.The Coffee Pot Book Club.

Pick up your copy ofILONA - Wolf Queen(The Civilis Saga Book #2)

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Peter Baggott
Peter Baggott is a debut author with a deep interest in Roman history. He has served in three uniformed employments and is very familiar with Roman tactics which are still used in everyday life: shield tactics and skills – testudo being much used in the Police and Prison Service.

Peter chose for his writing this historical genre because of his innate interest in the subject and having been born in the Roman city of Lindvm, modern day Lincoln.

In his teens, on a daily basis, while delivering newspapers, Peter traversed the exposed Roman remains from The Steep to the Newport Arch, the only full Roman archway in Great Britain.

While working in a local hotel close to the ruins he utilised this knowledge to become a self-appointed guide to visitors from far and wide and has continued to keep up to date with local finds. There are many stories surrounding the infamous Legio IX Hispana, who were based in Lindvm, their disappearance has inspired his continuing interest in all things Roman.
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Peter has also visited numerous Roman sites, both in the UK and in Europe and has used original Roman historical sources of Tacitus, Suetonius and Dio, Google Maps for distancing and location, Wikipedia and several archaeological online sources. Thus, he tries to keep abreast with new finds upgrading his work accordingly.
Connect with Peter: Website • Twitter

#HistoricalFiction author, G K Holloway, is explaining why 1066 is such an important date in English History #History #BattleOfHastings @GlynnHolloway

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In the Shadows of Castles



Bondi is a royal housecarl, legendary warrior and one of the few survivors of Hastings. He is eager to avenge his king who was killed at the hands of England’s new masters. Normans are roaming the kingdom now and they are greedy for power; hungry for land. No one is safe.After the slaughter of 1066, rival factions fight to overthrow the invader and put an Englishman back on the throne – but who? Which claim should Bondi support?As England descends into chaos and the ruthless King William falls on the people like a ravenous lion, the housecarl struggles to find a way to survive.Can the English rid their country of this Norman tyrant? And what should Bondi do about the beautiful Morwenna?
A gripping tale of love, rivalry and violence, firmly based in a true story.
Coming soon...

G K Holloway After leaving school, G K Holloway did several jobs before taking A Levels at his local college and later a degree in History and Politics at Coventry University.Once he had graduated, he spent the next twenty years working in Education in and around Bristol. After reading a biography about Harold Godwinson, he studied the late Anglo-Saxon era in detail and discovered a time of papal plots, court intrigues, family feuds, loyalties, betrayals, assassinations and a few battles. When he had enough material to weave together fact and fiction, he produced his award-winning novel, 1066 What Fates Impose; the first in a series about the Norman Conquest.G K Holloway lives in Bristol with his wife and two children.

Connect with G K Holloway: Website • Twitter • Amazon Author Page.

A Conversation with Historical Romance author, Jenny Hambly #amwriting #HistoricalRomance #RegencyRomance @hambly_jenny

A Conversation with HistoricalRomance author, Jenny Hambly.

Hello. I am Jenny Hambly, I have always loved reading and writing and finally released my first Regency Romance at the end of November 2018 and have enjoyed every moment of the experience! I still have most of my hair and my sanity after all! Any well-written book that would transport me to another world has always been my escape and I have tried to achieve this with my own novel.
Hi Jenny, it is so good to meet you. Let’s talk about your book — what inspired you to write Rosalind?
Georgette Heyer, the undoubted queen of Regency, has played a huge part in my life, becoming an old friend I could always turn to for comfort and entertainment, I was finding it more and more difficult to find an authentic Regency so decided to stop moaning and write my own!

I think Toni Morrison was right when she said “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” What were the challenges you faced in researching this period of history?
One of the biggest challenges in researching this era was the amount of information that is out there, some of it, incorrect! Often a search for a very specific thing could become frustrating as lots of information would come up, just not the particular thing I was looking for! This often led me to spend hours being distracted by other interesting items but sometimes this paid off as it would throw up ideas I had not thought of that would fit nicely into my plot. For example I had not previously considered the role of the canals at this time yet they made it into my book!
I can be very distracting when there are so much to read about, but at the same time very rewarding. There are many books about Regency England. Can you tell us three things that set your novel apart?
1: The market is flooded with sexy regencies that go into far more detail than Heyer, Austen or the Brontes. I have nothing against them, there is clearly a market for them, but I wanted to write a clean Regency that would still hold the attention.
2: I wanted to introduce an interesting, fun set of characters that would add both drama and comedy as well as throwing extra light onto the motivations, character, and development of my hero and heroine.
3: I have endeavoured to be historically accurate and I hope I have mainly achieved it!
Your book sounds amazing. One more quick question — Can you tell us what are you currently working on?
My next novel, Sophie, second in my Bachelor Bride series, will feature Sir Philip, (who appears in my first novel, Rosalind), travelling to Italy to find and retrieve his old friend, Harry Treleven, who has just re-emerged, after being missing for five years.Sophie, Lady Lewisham, has just completed her year of mourning. Her husband had been old enough to be her grandfather, but they had shared a love of ancient antiquity and she is determined to avoid the demands of both her family and the gossip-ridden ton, and escape to the continent to further her studies. She is, after all, an independent widow of means and sense. What could possibly go wrong?I hope to release this novel by April.
It has been so nice to talk with you, Jenny.Scroll down to find out more about Jenny’s fabulous book — Rosalind.


Rosalind

He is determined to avoid marriage, she to despise men…
London 1818: Destitute, disillusioned and desperate, Lady Rosalind Marlowe sets the tongues of Regency London wagging when she becomes the Mayfair Thief. Targeting only those she knows won large sums of money from her father, bleeding him dry and causing him to take his own life, she decides to teach them a lesson.  She takes something valuable from each, leaving her calling card with a bible quote behind her. On her last outing, she is caught red-handed. Her surprise that the old Earl had died and been succeeded by his handsome, much sought-after son, is only equalled by his amazement that the thief should be a young, beautiful lady of quality.Bored, restless and guilt-ridden over the death of his own father and with his accusations of him being a selfish whelp still ringing in his ears, Lord Atherton heads off a bow street runner who is pursuing Rosalind and in an altruistic act he engages her to be a companion to his mother, leading her to believe he is making amends for his father’s actions. Unaware that he has become the target of enmity from a desperate gambler from whom he has won a large sum of money, they are thrown into a series of increasingly dangerous situations.Even as they are drawn closer together a secret emerges which drives them apart. Will they manage to overcome both pride and prejudice to finally find happiness or will an unexpected letter from a solicitor drive a final wedge between them?
Amazon

Jenny Hambly
I grew up in Rutland, the smallest country in England. I always had my head in a book, mainly Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen or the Brontes.  I graduated as a primary teacher and then gained a first-class honours degree in literature whilst bringing up two children. I still teach part-time and now live in Plymouth with Dave. I love reading, travelling and sailing; not necessarily in that order!
Connect with Jenny: Website• Facebook • Twitter.

#BookReview — The Girl from Oto (The Miramonde Series Book 1) by Amy Maroney #HistoricalFiction @wilaroney

The Girl from Oto
(The Miramonde Series Book 1)
By Amy Maroney

A Renaissance-era woman artist and an American scholar. Linked by a 500-year-old mystery…
The secrets of the past are irresistible—and dangerous.
1500: Born during a time wracked by war and plague, Renaissance-era artist Mira grows up in a Pyrenees convent believing she is an orphan. When tragedy strikes, Mira learns the devastating truth about her own origins. But does she have the strength to face those who would destroy her?
2015: Centuries later, art scholar Zari unearths traces of a mysterious young woman named Mira in two 16th-century portraits. Obsessed, Zari tracks Mira through the great cities of Europe to the pilgrim’s route of Camino de Santiago—and is stunned by what she finds. Will her discovery be enough to bring Mira’s story to life?

A powerful story and an intriguing mystery, The Girl from Oto is an unforgettable novel of obsession, passion, and human resilience.


“Fortune favours the bold…”
The House of Oto bears only sons. However, there were whispers of daughters, left in the woods for the wolves to feast on. The night Pelegrín was born, Ramón de Oto, Baron of Oto in Aragón, celebrated his good fortune. However, unbeknownst to Ramón, another baby had been delivered of Marguerite de Oto, Baroness of Oto’s womb. Marguerite is determined that her husband would be forever ignorant of the daughter she had conceived. Locked away in a Pyrenees Abbey, Miramonde (Mira) must never know who she is or where she came from. 
Sister Beátrice, the Abbess of Belarac Abbey, has been charged with Mira’s keeping and education. She is determined that Mira will, when she is old enough, take her vows and spend her life in quiet contemplation. However, the life of a nun is not for the likes of Mira. Mira has a gift. She can draw, and with the guidance of a master, Mira could become a great artist. And yet, Sister Beátrice cannot help but fear for the child. If the Baron of Oto discovered that he had fathered a daughter, then Mira’s life would be forfeit.
It was the summer of 2015 when art historian, Zari Durrell, arrived in Oxford to attend The Renaissance Art Conference, in a bid to continue her research into the life and work of Cornelia van der Zee. However, underneath the paintwork of what was presumed to be painted by van der Zee is another name — Mira. In her search for Mira, Zari will travel to all the great cities in Europe. Unfortunately, the more Zari learns about Mira, the more questions she has. Who was this woman? And more importantly, what happened to her?
From 15th Century Aragón to the 21st Century, The Girl From Oto (The Miramonde Series Book 1) by Amy Maroney is the shamelessly compelling story of an accomplished artist and the woman who hopes to discover the truth.
From the opening sentence, I was utterly enchanted. Maroney has painted a dazzling portrait of two very different times in history — the 15th Century and modern day. I did wonder, to begin with, how the two very contrasting eras would rub along, especially when I was so intrigued by Mira’s story. However, I soon became thoroughly enamoured in Zari’s tale as well.
I adored the characterisation of Mira. When we first meet Mira, she is a defenceless baby, but through the course of the book she grows up into a very determined young woman. Running alongside Mira’s story is that of her family — the infamous Oto’s. Ramón de Oto is a cruel and often violent man. His treatment of his wife is absolutely deplorable. In comparison, Marguerite is a wonderful, courageous lady who is resolved to protect her daughter from her vile and dangerous father. Marguerite has a quiet strength which made her a very compelling secondary character.
Mira longs for the world outside of the Abbey’s walls. She is totally unaware of how unsafe such a life is for her. Growing up, her only solace is the time she spends with the Nomadic healer, Elena de Arazas, but even then, Mira does not understand why Elena is so determined to teach her how to defend herself. All Mira wants is the freedom to travel and see the sea, along with an all-consuming desire to make her living as a painter. Mira’s naivety and her longing for adventure really helps to drive the story forward and keeps the reader engaged.
The historical detail has to be commended. It was as if I was peering through a looking glass — a magical portal through time. I thought Maroney really captured the era that her book is set in. The Girl from Oto is not only luxuriantly detailed, but the story itself is addictive to the extreme. It has enough heroes and villains to keep the reader engaged throughout. The pages practically turned themselves.
I loved this book so much. It had such an authentic feel to it, and the characters were highly appealing. I can’t wait to read Book 2!
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.The Coffee Pot Book Club.

Pick up your copy of The Girl from Oto 
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Amy Maroney
Amy Maroney lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. She studied English literature at Boston University and public policy at Portland State University, and spent many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to historical fiction. She’s currently obsessed with pursuing forgotten women artists through the shadows of history. When she’s not diving down research rabbit holes, she enjoys hiking, drawing, dancing, traveling, and reading. She’s the author of The Girl from Oto and Mira’s Way, the first two books in the Miramonde Series. The third book in the series will be published later in 2019. To receive a free prequel novella to the series, join Amy’s readers’ group at www.amymaroney.com. You can find her on Twitter @wilaroney, on Instagram @amymaroneywrites, and on Facebook.

A conversation with Historical Fiction author Greg Kater #amwriting #HistoricalFiction #WWII @gregkaterauthor

A conversation with Historical Fiction author
Greg Kater

Hi Greg, welcome to Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots. Could you tell my readers a little about yourself!
My name is Greg Kater and I am a 79-year-old Australian. In fact, I am seventh generation Australian, my ancestors having sailed out from England in the early 1800’s. I spent my school years at a boarding school in Sydney, usually working in the holidays on the family sheep and cattle property, 500 kilometres west of Sydney. I am now living in Sanctuary Cove on the beautiful Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia.
After 4 years at the University of Sydney, I graduated in 1960 in Advanced Geology and Geophysics. After that, I spent the next nine years working in the mining industry, mainly in the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia as well as some work in Malaysia and Indonesia. From 1969 to 1980, I managed a significant mining company in the Philippines and subsequently, in 1981, set up a mining consultant office in Sydney. From there I travelled all over the world consulting to many mining companies until my retirement from the mineral industry three years ago.
I have been married for 58 years and have four children and six grandchildren. Amongst all the work, I was sometimes able to take my wife with me to interesting places, off the beaten track, varying from Australian desert and bush country, to parts of the USA, South East Asia, and China.
Wow! You have certainly kept very busy. Please feel free to tell us a little about you fabulous trilogy — Warramunga.
I retired three years ago and began to think of my experiences during my career and the many and varied people I had worked with over the years. From there, I thought it might be fun to write fictional novels with the characters based on these unique people, but where to start? Previously, my only writing comprised hundreds of technical reports and contributions to mining journals.
I had in my possession some of my father’s notes on his battles in the World War II Syrian campaign in the early part of the Middle East fighting. I thought, that would be a good start. I would set all my novels as historical fiction with the time setting based on that part of the war and the aftermath of war as it effected my characters (changing their names, of course). So the initial inspiration of my first book, The Warramunga;s War was based on my father’s service in Syria. I was also inspired by my early career working at Tennant Creek in the 1960s where I had first hand knowledge of the amazing skills of the Warramunga aborigines of that region.


My second novel, The Warramunga’s Aftermath of War, was largely inspired by my memories of the Philippines, where I lived from 1969 to 1980. I had heard a number of stories about evil predators looting and taking advantage of the terrible destruction wrought on Manila and other areas in the aftermath of war and decided to make a fictional predatory gang the subject of that novel. The descriptions of the ruins and damage are all genuine.



I had at various times visited and worked in Malaysia and have a number of good friends there. One of the major events in Malaya (as it was then) was the establishment of the Malayan Union in April 1946, so I decided to write a third book, Skills of the Warramunga, about a major fictional conspiracy around the actual events leading up to and after the Malayan Union celebrations. Again, the main theme deals with the consequences of war.


Your trilogy sounds amazing. What kind of challenges did you face researching the era your trilogy is set in?
Although part of the story line of first book, The Warramunga’s War, takes place during the desert campaign, there is little actual war action by the principal characters. The story line mainly deals with the subtle espionage aspects of the Second World War and the aftermath of war. The second and third books deal with the consequences of war in unusual and exotic places.
The principal characters in the novels are Australian including a half-aborigine, Jacko, with special skills and his half-sister, Sarah, a full blood Warramunga. I think these and other unique characters distinguish my books from others.
During the narratives, the main themes, apart from war and the effects of war, are friendship, crime investigation, adventure, romance, history and exotic scenic locations. The novels are suitable for all ages.

Could you tell us what you are currently working on?

I have just finished writing a new novel, Conflict on the Yangtze. No prizes for guessing where that novel is set. Many of my friends urged me to not let Jamie, Jacko and Sarah, just fade away, so I have extended the trilogy to this fourth novel. The process of publication began in early 2019 and the novel will probably be released in the first half of the year.
I am gathering research for a possible fifth novel about the aftermath of war set around the Burma-Thai border, but haven’t started writing anything yet. 
Scroll down from more information on Greg's fabulous trilogy!

The Warramunga’s War

The Warramunga’s Waris a sweeping narrative of the friendship that forms between a young Australian army officer, Jamie Munro, and an educated half Warramunga aboriginal NCO, Jack ‘Jacko’ O’Brien, during the Syrian campaign against the Vichy French in World War II. Jacko rescues a wounded Jamie after which they are conscripted in Cairo by MI6. Here, Jamie and Jacko learn about the seamy side of war in counterespionage as they track down German spies. The principal fictional characters interact with actual historical figures and events throughout the story.
As the desert war escalates to the west of Cairo, the MI6 team confuses the enemy with misleading radio messages using German codes and using local entertainers as undercover agents. On one of his day leaves, Jacko meets a beautiful young Syrian-French girl and a strong romantic bond forms between the two during his time in Cairo.
Following the end of the desert war, Jamie and Jacko are assigned to wartime intelligence work in Southeast Asia. After the end of the Pacific war, they initiate the Darwin operations of the CIS, the Commonwealth Investigation Service. On the trail of two suspected wartime German agents, they discover the agents have formed a dangerous criminal gang with an individual they had known during their time in Cairo. The tracking skills of the Warramunga are needed to finally catch up with the murderous gang in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
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The Warramunga’s Aftermath Of War

The Warramunga’s Aftermath of Warencapsulates the investigation into the post war activities of a major criminal organisation with tentacles to the USA, Australia and South East Asia. When a fishing boat is discovered in distress in rough seas northwest of Darwin in late 1945, former army officer, Jamie Munro, and educated half caste Warramunga aborigine, Jack “Jacko” O’Brien, who head the CIS in Darwin, are called on to investigate child smuggling operations financed by a shadowy ring of wealthy paedophiles.
This book is the second book of a trilogy. This follows The Warramunga’sWar detailing the meeting of Jamie and Jacko on the battlefield during the Second World War and their activities working together with MI6 in intelligence during the remainder of the war. Investigations by CIS after the war take Jamie and Jacko into the war-torn areas of the Philippines where children orphaned during the Japanese occupation are kidnapped by a well organised murderous gang led by influential dignitaries.
Jamie and Jacko have to face numerous dangers in running this criminal organisation to earth in both the Philippines and Australia. All the inherent bushcraft skills of the Warramunga are needed to combat the brutal criminal circle.
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Skills Of The Warramunga

The war is over but the peace has not begun ….
This is the third historical novel in the Warramunga series by Greg Kater. The events take place during the first half of 1946 when former army officer, Jamie Munro, and educated half caste aborigine, Jack “Jacko” O’Brien, who head the Commonwealth Investigation Service in Darwin, are called on to assist in the rescue of Colonel John Cook, a senior operative of MI6, who has been kidnapped by unknown bandits into the jungles of Malaya.
During the recent war, Jamie and Jacko had worked in intelligence operations with Colonel Cook during the desert campaign in North Africa in the Second World War, as the Afrika Corps threatened Egypt.
The pair with Jacko’s half- sister, Sarah, a full blood aborigine, originally from Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, arrive in Kuala Lumpur in the aftermath of war to find that they not only have to contend with the impenetrable jungle of the Malay peninsula, but also with a large murderous and subversive organisation of Fascist criminals whose aim is to disrupt the 1st of April 1946 creation of the Malayan Union by the British Military Authority, foment an uprising and take over control of the country. All the inherent bushcraft skills of the Warramunga are needed to prevent catastrophic mayhem on the Malayan Peninsula.
Amazon UK • Amazon AU • Amazon US


Greg Kater
Greg Kateris an Australian-based author. He lives in Sanctuary Cove, Gold Coast, Queensland and has recently retired from a 55-year international career in the resources industry. The Warramunga’s Waris his first work of fiction. He has since written and published two more books, The Warramunga’s Aftermath of Warand Skills of the Warramunga, altogether comprising a trilogy. The principal fictional characters interact with actual historical figures and events which have been rigorously researched. The subject of the novel is partly inspired by the experiences of the author’s father during the war in the Middle East, and partly by his own experiences in northern Australia where he worked extensively throughout the Northern Territory and the Kimberley.
Connect with Greg: Website • Amazon Author Page • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads.

Have you heard? #Historical #Mystery authorMark C. King has a fabulous new book out — The Moss Maiden of Kinderhook #NewRelease @MarkCKingAuthor

The Moss Maiden of KinderhookBy Mark C. King


Kinderhook, New York1826
If monsters are real, then anything is possible.
Like all his peers, seventeen-year-old William Sharp grew up hearing fairy tales about the Moss Maiden, a folklore creature that rewards the good and punishes the wicked. But those were just stories to scare children…weren’t they?
Then why are people dying? What is haunting the forests of Kinderhook Village?
Though frightened and overwhelmed, William will uncover secrets that will call on him to do more than he could imagine. He’ll have to contend with horrors beyond his most disturbing dreams.
For the sake of his family, the girl he loves, and his very life, William will have to face the nightmare that is the Moss Maiden of Kinderhook.


Excerpt
After changing into her nightgown, Marie put out the lantern. She crawled into the bed that her and her mother shared and moved in close to try and glean some warmth. She thought about waking her and telling about all that had happened, but Marie knew that it would be a wasted effort. Her mother would be completely useless until the morning, and even then, not all that much better.
Once again, the difficulty of her existence struck hard and she pulled the covers tight to her nose. Most nights, Marie accepted her situation and simply chose not to dwell on it. That night, however, terror mixed with bitter loneliness, and her situation kicked her as hard as a mule. To suffer so much because of other people’s mistakes was an unfairness that was hard to reconcile. She hated her father and did not feel much kinder about her mother. Both of them had abandoned her, albeit in different ways.
The only thing that made existence bearable, the only thing that kept her from falling into despair, was William’s friendship. She shuddered to think what she would do, what she would be, without him. She may have been very lonely, but she was not completely alone. That thought was about the only thing that seemed to keep her sane.

All the more so that night, since monsters were evidently real.


Giveaway

Mark C. King is giving away three ebook copies of
 "The Moss Maiden of Kinderhook."



 All you need to do is answer this question:
What folklore story or creature scared you the most as 
a child?

Giveaway Rules
• Leave your answer in the comments at the bottom of this post.
• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm BST on April 9th.
You must be 18 or older to enter.

• Giveaway is only open Internationally.

•Only one entry per household.

• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
•Winners will be announced in the comments.
• Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.



Mark C. King

Mark King is an easy-going writer with a talent for finding enjoyment in most any situation. He’s a lifelong reader whose literary interests include historical fiction, science fiction, adventure, thriller, and mysteries.  He grew up in California, but now lives in upstate New York with his wife.  When not working or writing, he can be found watching movies, having fun with friends, eating ice cream, and of course reading.
Connect with Mark: Facebook • Twitter

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