Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 188

January 4, 2018

Author’s Inspiration ~ Raelle Logan #Historical #Romance @RaelleLogan1

Please give a warm welcome to historical romance author, Raelle Logan. Raelle is going to share with us her inspirations behind her fabulous book…
Blackheart

No memory of his assassin past, sentenced to death for a duel gone wicked, Lochlanaire Blackheart is granted freedom, commanded by King William to hunt Siren Rain, the illegitimate daughter of ousted King James II. Her existence threatens the British monarchy. In capturing his prey, Lochlanaire must plunder the signet Siren dons. That jewel is the talisman of King James II, which proves Siren’s ancestry. Lochlanaire, however, is unaware that, at the moment he casts sail, Siren’s already been kidnapped by his pirate brother, Zore. Lochlanaire must stalk Zore and battles this cutthroat, in a fateful twist, for the captive princess, spinning Siren into his web of treachery and lies. Afterward, they’re shipwrecked in a gale, entwined in a union of inconvenience when Lochlanaire weds Siren under the witchery of gypsies and at pistol point. After Lochlanaire enlightens Siren of her true father’s identity, to spare her own life, she seduces her captor, desperate to conceive his child. She believes he cannot surrender her to die at King William’s hangman’s noose if their blood unites. Lochlanaire, alas, is trailed at every footfall by a ghoul slaughtering the pirates aboard his ship. That ghoul bears a dastardly secret. Siren must unravel all the Blackheart brothers’ secluded evils, while conspiring to save Lochlanaire, for he threads together a travesty by which to sacrifice himself to the king who enslaves him, all while opposing the two seething brothers who seek his demise for the tragedies reaped in Lochlanaire’s shattered past. If Lochlanaire fails to evade the death-curses shadowing his every step, Siren will lose the breath-wrenching privateer who is her assassin hunter, the possessor of her lusty soul, and her only love.
Author’s Inspiration

In truth, I’ve never thought of what inspires me. I have always wanted to be a writer; it’s apparently the only thing I really enjoy doing. When I first began to write my romances, it never occurred to me that I would publish my work. I mainly just wanted to put my characters and their stories on paper just for myself and maybe family. Then I began to think, hey, maybe other people might be interested in reading my stories. BLACKHEART took about a month to write, as the character was screaming in my head to get onto paper. I hope people enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed threading together the tale.

Links for PurchaseAmazon B&N

About the author

I’ve been writing stories since I was a very young child. Back then, my writing interests were mainly in a Western genre, owing to my Dad being a HUGE Western movie fan. My mother worked at a local library and one day she brought home several books she hoped would keep me occupied throughout the summer months while I was out of school. Several of those books were written by author Victoria Holt. Needless to say, I was hooked on romance. After I threw out the Western manuscript I had written, I delved into the romance genre with hearty gusto, reading every book I could find. In later years, after marrying a racecar driver, a neighbor tossed an old laptop over the fence in our backyard into my husband’s arms, as he wanted to help with my husband’s racing career. I got curious about the computer, sat down one day and starting writing on the notepad, only to discover, to my absolute horror, that I couldn’t save my work. I bought a new computer and have been writing since. After writing my first manuscript, I realized I wanted to write a book about pirates that was more true to the reality of their real lives than is usually portrayed in books and film. Having only the limited knowledge of what I had seen in paper and moves, I took a year off in order to do historical research, learning about pirates and their ships, weapons, clothing and, language. I even read the WEBSTER’S dictionary so I could use words for the time period I write about. BLACKHEART is my first published manuscript. Currently I live in Littleton Colorado with my husband and our cat Ransom.Raelle loves to connect with readers. You can find her… Goodreads Facebook Twitter

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Published on January 04, 2018 23:00

January 3, 2018

#FolkloreThursday ~ The Legend of Dragon Hill #Arthurian #Legend @timwalker1666

The Legend of Dragon Hill
Told by Tim Walker

In the year 485, high king Uther Pendragon of the Britons made a disorderly retreat from the ruins of former Roman garrison town, Verulamium, with the remnants of his guard. Half of the men, including Uther himself, were unwell after drinking poisoned water from the fountain in that town. The wagon ride was most uncomfortable for the miserable king who had nothing left in his stomach to void.
They made slow progress to the ford at Goringum where an ancient footpath crossed the mighty Tamesis river at its shallowest point. This path led upwards over the high hills, but Uther’s wagon train took a lower road that led into the Vale of the White Horse.
“The Saxons are getting closer, my lord,” Gawain reported from beside Uther’s wagon.
“How far?” Uther groaned from beneath his bearskin.
“Barely one mile distance.”
“Then ride ahead to the village and tell the Keeper of the Horse to arm his men and prepare our defence at that place. We shall not get much further before the enemy reach us.” He slumped back on his straw mattress and Gawain barked his orders before riding off.
The way was clear and they made good progress on a well-kept dust road that led along a flat-bottomed dry valley half a mile wide, bordered by steeply-rising hills. It was clearly a fertile place as many farms and small settlement were scattered across the valley floor. Farmers rallied to the king’s dragon banner, carrying pitchforks, knives and axes, giving encouragement to the men. They arrived at a larger settlement – a cluster of mud-walled thatched round huts, in a wicker fence enclosure.
“My king, I hoped to welcome you in better circumstances,” Intoned a tall druid with a long plaited grey beard and crowned with a holly wreath. “I am Melchior, the Keeper of the White Horse.”
Uther was pushed into a sitting position in the wagon by two attendants and he surveyed the scene around him. “My thanks for your welcome, Melchior,” he whispered.
“Unfortunately, we have brought the enemy upon you, and must now make our stand here. What is that place beneath the white horse?” He pointed to a flat plateau that stood alone in a bowl-shaped space below steep hills.
“That is, erm…” Melchior stuttered.
Uther cut him short with more orders. “Tell your women and children to flee and your men to join our guard. Lead us to that place.”

The horses pulling Uther’s wagon were led up a narrow track that snaked around a low, flat hill, standing below a large prancing white horse, carved into the steep chalk hillside above. For those who had not seen it before it was a magical sight in a sacred location, surely made by gods. Uther called his few commanders to him. “Gawain, you must lead our riders in the open, and harry the enemy where you can. Those men able to bear arms must form a defensive ring around this hill under the command of Vortimer. Yonder dust cloud tells us they are not far... May the gods bless us on this day.”

Uther sat in the back of the wagon, clutching the hilt of his sword, Saxon Sting whilst his legs dangling off the back. He looked about him and saw his red dragon banner fluttered on the hill, surrounded by those men too sick to form the line. Melchior was hovering nearby and he called him to his side.
“As we wait for battle, Keeper of the Horse, tell me about this strange flat hill where nothing grows and the legend of the horse.”
The druid preened his beard and replied. “King Uther of the Dragon, it is foretold that this is the place where a warrior did slay a dragon. It is called ‘Dragon Hill’.”
Uther stared at him. “I have heard of such a place. My grandmother told me that dragons are real creatures that live in the far mountains of Dyfed and fly in the night, but hide in the bowels of the earth by day. Continue.”
“This is the place where a brave warrior named Gaarge, in the time of the ancients, did save a maiden by slaying a dragon and spilling its blood that soaked the ground on which no grass grows. In that time, far before the Romans came to this land, there were large worm-like creatures that roamed the land, called ‘dragons’ by the fearful people.
This worm, named Draca, was big, wise and had a liking for gold. It could place its thoughts into the minds of men, and instructed them to bring gold or sacrifice a pure maiden instead. Before long, it had amassed all the gold in the area, and the terrified villagers along this valley did resort to choosing a maiden who was tied to a stake and left for the vile worm to devour.”
Despite the approach of the Saxon army, Uther’s interest was piqued and he told Melchior to continue his tale as he surveyed the valley below.
“After many full moons had passed and many maidens sacrificed, it fell to the chief’s daughter, a fair maid named Wynflaeth, to be the next. In his despair, the chief sent out his men to scour the corners of the land for a dragon slayer of repute to come and kill the creature. In time, as the moon was waxing, a warrior arrived, styling himself Gaarge the Dragon Slayer.”
Uther chuckled and bid him continue.
“This Gaarge was promised what wealth they had remaining and the hand of the fair maid in marriage if he killed the giant worm…”
“Hurry with your story,” Uther growled. “The Saxons approach.”
Melchior cleared his throat and replied, “The brave warrior did join in battle with the dragon and slew it on this very spot, spilling its foul blood into the ground, on which no grass has grown since. Over in yonder corner, they discovered a cave in which the worm had hidden their gold. George married the fair maid and became a lord over this land.”
“I see,” Uther said, “and what of the prophecy of my death?”
Melchior recoiled, eyes wide with fear. “I… cannot recall, my lord,” he stammered.
“Oh come, come, dear keeper. I have heard tell of a prophecy of my own death, here on this spot. I did not know there was a dragon hill beneath the carving of the white horse until I came here, but now…” he gazed up at the prancing horse above them.
A perturbed Melchior spoke quickly: “As Keeper of the White Horse, the legends linked to this place were told to me by my forbearer. He did say that you would lead your army to this hill and make your last stand here, and your blood would soak into the earth beneath our feet, mingling with that of your ancestor, the dragon…”

Uther glared at him, and pushed himself to his feet. “Thank you for the story, dear druid. And now, unless you can fight, take your leave.”
Uther found himself surrounded by men whose names he did not know, all with worried looks. The Saxons had now reached the hill and had forming a shield wall.
“Count them, and count our own men,” Uther moaned through dry lips to his commander, Vortimer, who now stood beside him. In a few seconds he had the answer. Nine hundred Saxon warriors facing his three hundred men-at-arms, and another one hundred anxious villagers. Behind the Saxon lines his remaining riders buzzed like hornets at their rear, making little impression.
“Ensure all our standing men have a shield and a weapon,” he drawled as shapes swirled before his tired eyes. He staggered, prompting his attendants to rush to his side. A Saxon horn sounded the start of their advance…

This tale is based on a legend told in an excellent book I have on my shelf, Berkshire Folk Tales by D. England and T. Bilbe. I have slightly customised it to fit in with my own story of how King Uther meets his end. This scene (or something similar) will feature in my forthcoming novel, Uther’s Destiny, due for release in March 2018.

Uther’s Destiny

Uther’s Destiny is book three in a series – A Light in the Dark Ages – and is preceded by:-Part one: Abandoned! – a novella – Amazon Part two: Ambrosius: Last of the Romans – a novel – Amazon

In 2015 I visited the Uffington White Horse on the Berkshire Downs, located below the Ridgeway Footpath and above Dragon Hill. They are real places. I was intrigued and researched the origins and folklore. I then wrote a short story, The White Horse, that appears in my first book of short stories, Thames Valley Tales.

Amazon

Tim Walker

Tim Walker is an independent author based in the UK.
His latest book is Postcards from London - a book of short stories that explores London's past, present and imagined future. This follows an historical fiction novel, Ambrosius: Last of the Romans, set in Britain in the fifth century, launched in early 2017. Book two in the series - A Light in the Dark Ages - it follows on from, Abandoned! Both titles have found a wide readership since their re-launches in April 2017 with new content and covers.

He lives in Datchet Village, near Windsor, beside the River Thames, the inspiration for his book of short stories, Thames Valley Tales.
Tim is currently writing Uther’s Destiny, book three in his series, A Light in the Dark Ages. This novel is due out in March 2018.Connect with Tim ~ Website

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Published on January 03, 2018 23:00

January 2, 2018

Author’s Inspiration ~ John Broughton #HistFic #Saxons @broughton_john

It is with the greatest of pleasure that I welcome historical fiction author, John Broughton, onto the blog today. John is going to tell us about his inspirations behind his fabulous book…

Wyrd of the Wolf

In seventh century England, political and religious upheaval mean that nobody is safe. As the old gods are eroded by the new church, and tribes and ambitious men vie for power, property and precedence, blood is shed throughout the land.
In the south, ealdorman Aelfhere believes that for his only child, sixteen-year-old daughter Cynethryth, marriage to a Saxon king is the way to security. And so, somewhat against her own wishes, Cynethryth is betrothed.
Yet as battle rages around her, and with her betrothed away to fight, Cynethryth too becomes a victim of war.
Taken prisoner by the warrior invaders, she is forced into the presence of another Saxon king, who would also have her for his wife. Yet this is a man she actually loves.
In marrying Caedwalla, King of the Suth Seaxe, Cynethryth allies herself against her father and her own people in a deadly, grisly and complex war — and becomes a key element of events that continue to influence England today.
For the events of the seventh century were crucial in determining the religions, cultures and identities of nations. And Caedwalla, as a fearsome warrior but also in time a religious convert, personifies the turbulent mix of bloodshed, brutality, philosophy and faith that came to define the period.
With its acutely accurate descriptions of the people and events of the Anglo-Saxon age, and meticulous attention to detail, Wyrd of the Wolf is both a superb historical depiction and a thrilling story. As Aelfhere watches the old world slip away, battles his enemies and his torturous feelings for his only child, so Caedwalla balances his lust for blood and power with growing spiritual awareness. In Wyrd of the Wolf, the complications and the conflicts of the dark ages are brought to light, as a compelling tale unfolds.

Author’s Inspiration

My inspiration for writing historical novels lies in a lifelong love of history. When I was four my granddad gave me two picture books. One was an illustrated history of England and the other about the natural world. The former book must have fallen apart from overuse. At school I survived the boredom of GCE O-level history and by a hair’s breadth opted for A-level history. Thank goodness I did. We had an inspirational teacher, Mr Williams who wrote factual books on Japanese history. As a result I won a prize for the highest A-level history marks in the county and went on to study the subject at Nottingham University. There I also studied Archaeology, where an interest in all things Anglo-Saxon began.
As stated elsewhere, I had no time to write with teaching and translating at the University of Calabria. When I retired, I decided to return to writing and casting around for a subject, my brother-in-law, the best kind of chauvinist, suggested medieval Calabria. I began to read up on it and found there was a Calabrian pope, Zachary. This led me to a collection of eighth-century letters and among them I found one, nothing to do with the region where I live, but addressed to the Abbess of Wimborne. How a single letter can change a life! What got me started was wondering why two freed men were coerced by the Church to go to Thuringia. Who were Begiloc and his friend Man (Meryn in my novel) and why were they ex-slaves? I was hooked and I hope my readers will be with The Purple Thread and I hope they will be as fascinated by the incredible Leoba as I am. That a woman could achieve so much in that day and age stands her out as a medieval wonder! She even became adviser to Charlemagne. The more I researched this period, the more it intrigued me. Here we have Europe in the melting pot of religious upheaval. Within the action, I try to make powerful themes emerge, on which the reader can reflect for contemporary relevance: religion versus barbarianism and the relative merits of two sets of culture; the place of military violence used by professed peaceful Christianity to spread its word; dictatorial Church evangelism versus freedom; and the construction of personal meaning in my hero warrior’s development when he begins to examine arrogant Christian superstitions and measure them against his own values and natural pantheism, comparing it with ruthless, one-eyed Christian monotheism when he contemplates the beauty of Nature, where he feels most at home. The theme of vengeance is also dealt with, but enough of these spoilers!

My latest novel Wyrd of the Wolf was also written because my curiosity was piqued. How can a serial killer become a saint? That’s what happened with Caedwalla who massacred the inhabitants of the Isle of Wight! Once again, the theme of paganism and Christianity is evident, less so, but there is also a story of intense love of a father for his daughter and betrayal by the same who falls in love with her father’s most hated enemy. I was also intrigued by the wound that Caedwalla sustained on the island that refused to heal and laid him low after a series of cyclical illnesses causing his death a week after his baptism in Rome. I think I’ve found the answer but if you want to find out, you have to read the book!
Links for PurchaseAmazon US Amazon UK
About the author

I was born in Cleethorpes Lincolnshire in 1948: just one of the post-war baby boom. After attending grammar school and studying to the sound of Bob Dylan I went to Nottingham University and studied Medieval and Modern History (Archaeology subsidiary). The subsidiary course led to one of my greatest academic achievements: tipping the soil content of a wheelbarrow from the summit of a spoil heap on an old lady hobbling past our dig. Well, I have actually done many different jobs while living in Radcliffe-on-Trent, Leamington, Glossop, the Scilly Isles, Puglia and Calabria. They include teaching English and History, managing a Day Care Centre, being a Director of a Trade Institute and teaching university students English. I even tried being a fisherman and a flower picker when I was on St. Agnes, Scilly. I have lived in Calabria since 1992 where I settled into a long-term job, for once, at the University of Calabria teaching English. No doubt my lovely Calabrian wife Maria stopped me being restless. My two kids are grown up now, but I wrote books for them when they were little. Hamish Hamilton and then Thomas Nelson published 6 of these in England in the 1980s. They are now out of print. I’m a granddad now and happily his parents wisely named my grandson Dylan. I decided to take up writing again late in my career. You know when you are teaching and working as a translator you don’t really have time for writing. As soon as I stopped the translation work I resumed writing in 2014. The fruit of that decision is my first two historical novels, The Purple Thread and Wyrd of the Wolf, published by Endeavour Press, London. Both are set in my favourite Anglo-Saxon period and are available on Amazon as eBooks and paperbacks. Currently I’m halfway through my third novel, as yet without a title. It’s set in on the cusp of the eighth century in Mercia and Lindsey. I hope it will be a trilogy.Useful LinksBlog Twitter Facebook

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Published on January 02, 2018 23:00

December 31, 2017

What is happening on Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots this January? #History #Legends #mustread #Blogging

Happy New Year!

We are starting the year off running on the blog!
I have the most fabulous line up of authors for you this January and I for one cannot wait to introduce them all to you.
Let's take a look at January's amazing line-up…..

January 3rd
John Broughton

January 4th
Tim Walker

January 5th
Raelle Logan

I write historical romance, mostly about hot pirates, fiery damsels and evil villains. Asa child, I wrote about Westerns. My Mom worked at library and one day she brought home a bunch of books she thought I might be interested in reading. I read one by Victoria Holt. I was hooked on romance. After getting married, my husband was offered an old laptop for his racing career. I started writing on the notepad, only to discover that the old beast wouldn't save my work...I bought my first computer. Since then, I've been writing about pirates. My goal is to paint a more realistic portrait of their lives while weaving together a scorching romance.

January 6th
A.E. Wasserman

The daughter of a newspaperman, A.E. Wasserman grew up in a household filled with books and stories. At age 14, she wrote her first novella and never stopped writing.

She is the author of a new mystery/thrillers series, the first of which takes place in London: 1884 No Boundaries, A Story of Espionage and International Intrigue. The second in the Langsford Series, 1886 Ties That Bind, A Story of Politics, Graft and Greed, has just been released.

Her work, critically acclaimed as “richly atmospheric,” is being noticed by readers and critics alike, and has garnered international attention, not only in the U.S., but Europe and the U.K. as well. She recently received top honors from Writer’s Digest for her work.

After graduating from The Ohio State University, she lived in London, then San Francisco. Currently she resides in Southern California with her family and her muse, a Border Collie named Topper.

January 8th
Collins Hemingway

Whether his subject is literature, history, or science, Collins Hemingway has a passion for the art of creative investigation. For him, the most compelling fiction deeply explores the heart and soul of its characters, while also engaging them in the complex and often dangerous world in which they have a stake. He wants to explore all that goes into people’s lives and everything that makes tThe hem complete though fallible human beings. His fiction is shaped by the language of the heart and an abiding regard for courage in the face of adversity.
As a nonfiction book author, Hemingway has worked alongside some of the world’s thought leaders on topics as diverse as corporate culture and ethics; the Internet and mobile technology; the ins and outs of the retail trade; and the cognitive potential of the brain. Best known for the #1 best-selling book on business and technology, Business @ the Speed of Thought, which he coauthored with Bill Gates, he has earned a reputation for tackling challenging subjects with clarity and insight, writing for the nontechnical but intelligent reader.
Hemingway has published shorter nonfiction on topics including computer technology, medicine, and aviation, and he has written award-winning journalism.Published books include The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen trilogy, Business @ the Speed of Thought, with Bill Gates, Built for Growth, with Arthur Rubinfeld, What Happy Companies Know, with Dan Baker and Cathy Greenberg, Maximum Brainpower, with Shlomo Breznitz, and The Fifth Wave, with Robert Marcus.Hemingway lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Wendy. Together they have three adult sons and three granddaughters. He supports the Oregon Community Foundation and other civic organizations engaged in conservation and social services in Central Oregon.

January 9th
Samantha Wilcoxson

Samantha Wilcoxson is an American writer with British roots. When she is not reading or travelling, she enjoys spending time at the lake with her husband and three teenagers.

The Plantagenet Embers series debuted with 'Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen: The Story of Elizabeth of York'. It has been selected as an Editors' Choice by the Historical Novel Society and long-listed for the 2016 HNS Indie Award.

'Faithful Traitor: The Story of Margaret Pole' is the second novel in the trilogy, continuing the story of the Plantagenet remnant in Tudor times. This novel has received 5-stars from Readers' Favorite and a Discovering Diamond award.

The recently released final installment in Plantagenet Embers, Queen of Martyrs, features Queen Mary I and her story of the counter-reformation in England.

January 10th
Sharon Bennett Connolly

Sharon Bennett Connolly has been fascinated by history for over 30 years now. She has studied history academically and just for fun – and even worked as a tour guide at historical sites, including Conisbrough Castle.

Born in Yorkshire, she studied at University in Northampton before working in Customer Service roles at Disneyland in Paris and Eurostar in London.

She is now having great fun, passing on her love of the past to her son, hunting dragons through Medieval castles or exploring the hidden alcoves of Tudor Manor Houses.
On launching her own blog – History ... the Interesting Bits, Sharon started researching and writing about the lesser-known stories and people from European history, the stories that have always fascinated. Quite by accident, she started focusing on medieval women. And in 2016 she was given the opportunity to write her first non-fiction book, Heroines of the Medieval World, which has recently been published by Amberley. She is now working on her second book, Silk and the Sword: the Women of the Norman Coqnquest, which will be released in late 2018.

January 11th
Amy Rose Bennett

Amy Rose Bennett has always wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. An avid reader with a particular love for historical romance, it seemed only natural to write stories in her favourite genre. She has a passion for creating emotion-packed, racy stories set in the Georgian and Regency periods. Of course, her strong-willed heroines and rakish heroes always find their happily ever after.

Amy is happily married to her own Alpha male hero, has two beautiful daughters, and a rather loopy Rhodesian Ridgeback. She has been a speech pathologist for many years but is currently devoting her time to her one other true calling - writing romance.

January 12th

Mary Anne Yarde

Mary Anne Yarde is the multi award-winning author of the International Bestselling series — The Du Lac Chronicles.

Yarde grew up in the southwest of England, surrounded and influenced by centuries of history and mythology. Glastonbury — the fabled Isle of Avalon — was a mere fifteen-minute drive from her home, and tales of King Arthur and his knights were part of her childhood.

January 15th
Carol M. Cram

Carol M. Cram is the author of A Woman of Note (Lake Union Publishing, 2015) and The Towers of Tuscany (Lake Union Publishing 2014). In addition to writing fiction, Carol has enjoyed a great career as an educator, teaching at Capilano University in North Vancouver for over twenty years and authoring forty-plus bestselling textbooks on business communications and software applications for Cengage Learning. She holds an MA in Drama from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Carol is currently focusing as much of her attention as she can spare between walks in the woods on writing historical novels with an arts twist and sharing her Nia practice as a Nia teacher. She and her husband, painter Gregg Simpson, share a life on beautiful Bowen Island near Vancouver, Canada.

January 16th
Eric Schumacher

Eric Schumacher (1968 - ) is an American historical novelist who currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and two children. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended college at the University of San Diego.

At a very early age, Schumacher discovered his love for writing and medieval European history, as well as authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Those discoveries continue to fuel his imagination and influence the stories he tells. His first novel, God's Hammer, was published in 2005.

January 17th
Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar is a South Asian American who has lived in Qatar since 2005. Moving to the Arabian Desert was fortuitous in many ways since this is where she met her husband, had two sons, and became a writer. Her coming of age novel, An Unlikely Goddess, won the SheWrites New Novelist competition in 2011.
Her recent books have focused on various aspects of life in Qatar. From Dunes to Dior, named as a Best Indie book in 2013, is a collection of essays related to her experiences as a female South Asian American living in the Arabian Gulf. Love Comes Later was the winner of the Best Indie Book Award for Romance in 2013 and is a literary romance set in Qatar and London. The Dohmestics is an inside look into compound life, the day-to-day dynamics between housemaids and their employers.

January 18th
Helen Hollick

Helen Hollick moved from London in 2013 and now lives with her family in North Devon, in an eighteenth century farmhouse surrounded by fields and woodland. A variety of pets include horses, Exmoor ponies, dogs, cats, a donkey, chickens, ducks and geese.First published in 1994, her passion now is her pirate character, Captain Jesamiah Acorne of the nautical adventure series, The Sea Witch Voyages.
Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) – the story of Saxon Queen, Emma of Normandy. Her novel Harold the King (titled I Am The Chosen King in the US) explores the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings. While her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy, set in the fifth century, is widely acclaimed as a more historical version of the Arthurian legend.She has written three non-fiction books, Pirates - Truth and Tales; a book about smuggling (due to be published 2018) and as a supporter of indie writers, co-wrote Discovering the Diamond with her editor, Jo Field, a short advice guide for new writers interested in self-publishing. She also runs the Discovering Diamonds review blog for historical fiction assisted by a team of wonderfully enthusiastic reviewers.
Helen is published in various languages including Turkish and Italian.

January 19th
Mary Ann Bernal

Historical fiction author, Mary Ann Bernal, fell in love with medieval England after reading Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe. Then came the great Hollywood epics such as Knights of the Round Table, Prince Valiant, The Black Shield of Falworth and The Vikings, to name a few. Add to the mix Camelot, and an incurable romantic Anglophile was born!

January 22nd
Beverly Magid

Beverly Magid, before writing her novel, was a journalist and an entertainment and celebrity PR executive, who interviewed many luminaries, including John Lennon, Jim Croce and the Monty Python gang, and as a publicist represented clients in music, tv and film, ranging from Whoopi Goldberg, John Denver and Dolly Parton to Tom Skerritt, Martin Landau, Kathy Ireland and Jacqueline Bisset.
Beverly is a longtime west coast resident who still considers herself a New Yorker. Among the social issues she’s passionate about is literacy and she worked with KorehLA to mentor elementary children in reading. Also she has been an advocate for Jewish World Watch, an organization dedicated to working against genocide and to aid the victims of war atrocities. On a lighter side, she is also a volunteer at the Los Angeles Zoo, monitoring animal behavior for their Research Department.
She is a news and political junkie who supports environmental, animal and human rights issues. She believes most passionately that “We must remain vigilant to the those who would erode the rights of people around the world and work to defeat them.”

January 23rd
Tracy Ann Miller

Although Tracy Ann Miller is primarily a graphic designer, (see her work at tracymillerdesigns.com) she has been writing novels for over 20 years.

She was an active member of the National Romance Writers of America with her local chapter, The Virginia Romance Writers. It was there she honed her craft by attending workshops, conferences, and by coordinating The VRW's Fool for Love Contest.

Before being published, she entered and won numerous writing contests, including The Fool for Love Contest for Loveweaver, and the Between the Sheets best love scene contest for The Maiden Seer.

She writes to keep the hero and heroine interacting in story as much as possible (no long separations) and of course they get a spectacular happily ever after.

Tracy invites you to read Loveweaver, and her second book, The Maiden Seer.

January 24th
John Anthony Miller

John Anthony Miller was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a father of English ancestry and a second-generation Italian mother. Motivated by a life-long love of travel and history, he normally sets his novels in exotic locations during eras of global conflict. Characters must cope and combat, overcoming their own weaknesses as well as the external influences spawned by tumultuous times. He’s the author of the historical thrillers, To Parts Unknown, In Satan’s Shadow, When Darkness Comes, and All the King's Soldiers. He lives in southern New Jersey with his
family.

January 25th
Nancy Blanton

Nancy Blantonis the author of award-winning novels based primarily in Irish history. The Prince of Glencurragh (July 2016), her second novel, is set in 1634 prior to the great rebellion of 1641.The book has won Florida's Royal Palm Literary Award for historical fiction and was named first runner up for Book of the Year. It has also medaled in the Feathered Quill Book Awards and is a top finalist in Amelia Island Book Festival's Book Island Literary Awards and M.M. Bennetts Prize for Historical Fiction.

Her first novel, Sharavogue, also set in 17th century Ireland, is the 2014 winner of Florida’s Royal Palm Literary Award.

January 26th
Carol McGrath

Based in England, Carol McGrath writes Historical Fiction. She studied History at Queens University Belfast, has an MA in Creative Writing from the Seamus Heaney Centre, Queens University Belfast and an English MPhil from Royal Holloway, University of London. The Handfasted Wife is her debut novel, first in a trilogy titled The Daughters of Hastings. The second and third novels The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister have followed and are now available on amazon and in bookshops. Carol is an historian specialised in The Medieval Era. Her first love, however, is writing. She is an avid reader and reviewer.

January 29th
K.A.Servain

As a life-long creative, Kathy gained qualifications in fashion design, applied design to fabric and jewellery making and enjoyed a twenty-year-plus career in the fashion and applied arts industries as a pattern maker, designer and owner of her own clothing and jewellery labels.
She then discovered a love of teaching and began passing on the skills accumulated over the years—design, pattern-making, sewing, Art Clay Silver, screen-printing and machine embroidery to name a few.

Creative writing started as a self-dare to see if she had the chops to write a manuscript. Writing quickly became an obsession and Kathy’s first novel, Peak Hill, which was developed from the original manuscript, was a finalist in the Romance Writers of New Zealand Pacific Hearts Full Manuscript contest in 2016.

Kathy now squeezes full-time study for an advanced diploma in creative writing in around working on her novels, knocking out the occasional short story, teaching part-time and being a wife and mother.

January 30th
Anna Belfrage

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she'd have become a professional time-traveller. As such a profession does not exist, she settled for second best and became a financial professional with two absorbing interests, namely history and writing. These days, Anna combines an exciting day-job with a large family and her writing endeavours.

Her first series, The Graham Saga, is set in 17th century Scotland and Virginia/Maryland. It tells the story of Matthew and Alex, two people who should never have met - not when she was born three hundred years after him. With this heady blend of time-travel, romance, adventure, high drama and historical accuracy, Anna hopes to entertain and captivate, and is more than thrilled when readers tell her just how much they love her books and her characters. There are eight books in the series so far, but Anna is considering adding one or two more...

Presently, Anna is hard at work with her next project, a series set in the 1320s featuring Adam de Guirande, his wife Kit, and their adventures and misfortunes in connection with Roger Mortimer's rise to power. The King's Greatest Enemy is a series where passion and drama play out against a complex political situation, where today's traitor may be tomorrow's hero, and the Wheel of Fortune never stops rolling.

January 31st
Kieran Higgins

Kieran is a Belfast-born author. He wrote his first novel at age 5 - he also received his first rejection letter at this age. He has been writing ever since and has produced his debut novel The Forgotten Sister, an Arthurian retelling, in 2016. This was quickly followed by Mists Over Newbroke, a chilling gothic horror novella.
Inspired by JK Rowling, Garth Nix and Mary Stewart, Kieran writes the type of stories he wants to read - exciting tales full of compelling characters with believable motivations, captivating locations, strong females and, most importantly, magic.

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Published on December 31, 2017 23:00

December 29, 2017

Writing, Knights, and Chasing Dreams ~ Mary Anne Yarde’s 2017 #amwriting #HistFic

Writing, Knights, and Chasing Dreams2017

Here we are again. Another year is coming to an end, and once again I am looking back.

2017 has been the most extraordinary year.
For me, it has been a year of awards.

I thought, when I had finished writing The Du Lac Devil (Book 2 of The Du Lac Chronicles), that it could be something special, but I wasn't expecting this...
Readers' Favorite Finalist 2017IAN Book Of The Year Award Finalist 2017Golden Quill Award Winner 2017Chill with a Book Readers' Award 2017BooksGoSocial Readers Choice Award Shortlisted 2017

I have just found out that The Du Lac Devil has also been awarded a Discovered Diamond Award. Very exciting!

Not to be left out. The Du Lac Chronicles has also been awarded a Discovered Diamond Award this year as well.

Research. Research. Research.
I have spent many hours researching the fabulous Dark Ages this year. I decided that I really need to go to Cornwall, for research purposes of course — that is what I told my husband anyway. I had an absolute fabulous time. I love Cornwall.

Tintagel

The Hurlers ~ Bodmin Moor

I published The Du Lac Princess (Book 3 of The Du Lac Chronicles) back in October, and it went straight into number one in its genre and got that coveted orange bestselling badge from Amazon, and it kept it for two days! I was very emotional when I saw that.

I can't express how thankful I am to all my lovely readers who are on this incredible journey with me. Your support has meant so much over the last few years. You are the best! Thank you!
In other news, this blog has continued to grow, and I am astounded by how many pages read I have each day. Thank you to everyone who supports this blog, and I hope in the coming year, you will continue to enjoy it. I have some wonderful and very talented authors lined up for next year. It is going to be fabulous. Make sure you come back often and check it out.
Back at home, we had the excitement of a new puppy. I am a little bit biased, but I do think he is the best dog in the world.

We named him Aramis, after the Musketeer. We have our very own Muskehound!
Like the Musketeer Aramis, our Aramis is overflowing with love. He loves everybody, apart from the vet. He doesn't like her. He did, but then he got an ear infection, and now he is not so keen. Putting that aside, Aramis is such a happy little fellow who follows me around everywhere. I call him my little shadow. He is actually lying on my feet as I type.
My daughter asked me if we can have an Athos, Porthos, and D'Artagnan as well, but I think one Springer Spaniel is enough... For now!
So what are my plans for next year?
I am currently writing Book 4 of The Du Lac Chronicles, and I am loving where it is going at the moment. Merton du Lac is fighting me for creative control, as he always does! Some things never change. There may be one or two surprises — my lips are sealed and I am not telling. I have yet to give this book a name, but I am sure I will come up with something sooner or later. I am hoping to publish it sometime in the latter half of 2018, it really depends if Merton behaves himself!
All that is left for me to say is I hope you have a wonderful new year and a prosperous and peaceful 2018.
All my love,
Mary Anne

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Published on December 29, 2017 23:00

December 28, 2017

New Release ~ Love’s Glory #historical #Western #Romance @WileyDorothy

Love’s Glory(Wilderness Hearts #3)By Dorothy Wiley

Mesmerizing, LOVE’S GLORY delivers the same richly descriptive settings, breathtaking action, and emotional sincerity that Wiley’s readers have come to expect from her other American Wilderness and Wilderness Hearts novels.
In the fall of 1810, Allison Forbes has just inherited her father’s prosperous Virginia plantation. Her father’s last wish was that she visit her Aunt Catherine Wyllie in Kentucky before she decides if she should keep the plantation. She intends to keep it but honors her promise to her father. Her journey to Kentucky is eventful and not what she expected. The only other passenger on her stage is a middle-aged, gun-toting, gambling, salty preacher with a questionable past named Jason ‘Baldy’ Grant. Despite his unusual demeanor and behavior, Baldy becomes her protector and friend and eases her grief as he escorts her to Kentucky.
After serving in Kentucky’s militia, Little John Wyllie returns to his family’s thriving horse farm and finds himself trying to decide what to do with his future. But his future is put on hold when his family’s lives and land are threatened. Swindler Brandt Stoker and the men of Crab Orchard plan to wage a fierce turf war against the Wyllies. Little John, along with his father and uncles, must defend those he loves and his home from this greedy land grabber and the mob Stoker skillfully incites.
From the moment she arrives, Little John is strongly drawn to Allison. But as he fights to save the family’s land, he faces other problems, one an unsolvable obstacle that seriously complicates their courtship. His feet and heart are firmly planted in Kentucky and Allison, understandably, will not give up her heritage, the plantation her father worked so hard to build. Allison fights her attraction to Little John, knowing nothing can come of it. But Little John, in true Wyllie fashion, refuses to give up on their love.
Wiley’s most inspirational book to date, LOVE’S GLORY delivers a moving and hopeful message about the power of love and redemption.

Links for PurchaseAmazon
FREE with Kindle Unlimited.

Dorothy Wiley

Amazon bestselling novelist Dorothy Wiley is an award-winning, multi-published author of Historical Romance and Western Romance. Wiley’s two series, the highly-acclaimed American Wilderness Series and Wilderness Hearts Series, blend thrilling action-packed adventures with the romance of a moving love story to create exceedingly engaging page-turners enjoyed worldwide by her readers.
Like Wiley’s compelling heroes, who from the onset make it clear they will not fail despite the adversities they face, this author is likewise destined for success. In the last three years, her novels have won numerous awards, notably a RONE Award Nominee, a 2016 Laramie Award Finalist, a Chatelaine Finalist for Romantic Fiction, an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-finalist, a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal, a USA Best Book Awards Finalist, and a Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice. Her books continue to earn five-star ratings from readers and high praise from reviewers, including a Crowned Heart from InD’Tale Magazine.
Wiley’s extraordinary historical romances, inspired by history, teem with action and cliff-edge tension. Her books’ timeless messages of family and loyalty are both raw and honest. In all her novels, the author’s complex characters come alive and are joined by a memorable ensemble of friends and family. As she skillfully unravels a compelling tale, Wiley includes rich historical elements to create a vivid colonial world that celebrates the historical heritage of the frontier.
Wiley attended college at The University of Texas in Austin, Texas. She graduated with honors, receiving a bachelor of journalism, and grew to dearly love both Texas and a 7th-generation Texan, her husband Larry. Her husband’s courageous ancestors, early pioneers of Kentucky and Texas, provided the inspiration for her novels. After a distinguished career in corporate marketing and public relations, Wiley is living her dream—writing novels that touch the hearts of readers. All of Wiley’s books are available in print and eBooks and most in audiobooks at www.amazon.com/author/dorothywiley. For further information, please visit her

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Published on December 28, 2017 23:00

New Release ~ The Survival of the Princes in the Tower: Murder, Mystery and Myth #BestSeller #history @MattLewisAuthor

The Survival of the Princes in the Tower:Murder, Mystery and Myth
By Matthew Lewis

The murder of the Princes in the Tower is the most famous cold case in British history. Traditionally considered victims of a ruthless uncle, there are other suspects too often and too easily discounted. There may be no definitive answer, but by delving into the context of their disappearance and the characters of the suspectsMatthew Lewis examines the motives and opportunities afresh as well as asking a crucial but often overlooked question: what if there was no murder? What if Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York survived their uncle’s reign and even that of their brother-in-law Henry VII? There are glimpses of their possible survival and compelling evidence to give weight to those glimpses, which is considered alongside the possibility of their deaths to provide a rounded and complete assessment of the most fascinating mystery in history.
Excerpt
The lack of direct action from Margaret’s pretender does not mean that concern in England was not reaching a thinly veiled peak. On 20 July 1493, Henry VII wrote a letter recorded in Ellis’s Original Letters Vol I to Sir Gilbert Talbot and expressly blamed Margaret for instigating the problems he now faced and tried to dismiss her prince as a ‘boy’, but it also ordered Talbot to be ‘ready to come upon a day’s warning for to do us service of war’ against the threatened invasion of ‘certain aliens, captains of strange nations’. It was all very well for Henry to call this pretender a mere ‘boy’, but Richard, Duke of York would have been nineteen years old by this point, an age at which his father was leading armies and devouring enemies, not only at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross but at the cataclysmic Battle of Towton, the largest battle fought on English soil, which Edward IV won to cement his own position on the throne. Henry would have been all too aware of this so his flippant disregard can only have been a blustering front.
Ellis’s Original Letters Vol IIoffers further illumination of the concern Henry felt, but needed desperately to hide. This document is a set of instructions given to Clarenceux King of Arms for an embassy to Charles VIII in France. The current holder of the office of Clarenceux King of Arms on 10 August 1494, when these papers were signed by Henry VII at Sheen Palace, was Roger Machado, who had been appointed to the role on 24 January that year. Roger Machado was of Portuguese extraction, which may be important to the tale, and had served Edward IV as Leicester Herald and appears, during the early part of 1485, to have undertaken several journeys on behalf of Thomas Grey, Marquis of Dorset, which may have been in relation to Henry Tudor, then in exile and planning his attack, or might equally have related to one or more of Thomas’s half-brothers, the Princes in the Tower, in hiding abroad.
In this instance, Henry VII’s instructions remain in full. The first part of the instructions order Machado to let Charles VIII know that his emissary, Messire George le Grec, had been afflicted by gout on his way to England but that Charles’ messages had been received from an esquire, Thomyn le Fevre, who had travelled in le Grec’s stead. Henry wished Charles to know that he had received the news that an embassy from Charles to Maximilian had returned to Paris with confirmation that the Holy Roman Emperor meant to do all in his power to assist Margaret’s pretender and that Maximilian had travelled to Flanders to help champion that cause. Charles appears to have sent Henry an offer of assistance, despite his own efforts to raise an army to assault Naples. France would lay the fleets of Brittany and Normandy at Henry’s disposal on the sole condition that he met the costs of running them whilst they served him and Charles, in line with his agreement at the Peace of Étaples, had ordered that none of his subjects should join or aid the pretender’s efforts. Henry thanked Charles for this offer, but said that he would not need to avail himself of it because the ‘garçon’ was of so little importance that Henry was not at all concerned by him. This, of course, was not true, as the king’s letter to Gilbert Talbot attests. Henry, though, needed to maintain a calm appearance above the surface as his legs beat furiously below the water, against a strengthening tide.

Links for PurchaseAmazon Book Depository

Matthew Lewis

Matthew Lewis was born and grew up in the West Midlands. Having obtained a law degree, he currently lives in the beautiful Shropshire countryside with his wife and children. History and writing have always been a passion of Matthew's, with particular interest in the Wars of the Roses period. His first novel, Loyalty, was born of the joining of those passions.

Matthew loves to hear from readers, you can find him…
Matt’s History Blog ~ Hopefully interesting snippets and thoughts Facebook Twitter

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Published on December 28, 2017 23:00

December 27, 2017

The Coffee Pot Award for the Historical Fantasy Book of the Year 2017 #historical #fantasy #mustread @Mtmagee1013M

The Coffee Pot Award for the Historical Fantasy Book of the Year 2017

The award goes to...
Child of the Kindred: The Rinefield Chronicles Book #2 By M.T.Magee

Enter the realm of Rinefield, where love, danger, adventure and romance awaits you. Their world is changing and a new era has begun. Princess Laurel finds her kingdom of Gwenlais, torn and shattered from a bloody siege. Her people now looking to her, to help them rise above the ruin and misery inflicted upon their once peaceful and sheltered realm. Laurel and her beloved Prince Caleb, must find a way to unite their kingdoms, as never before. The enemy from a distant land makes a bold and savage attempt, to thwart the unity of the two kingdoms of Gwenlais and Heathwin. The odds have never been greater against the realms or the two lovers that hold the kingdoms together. Will their people and their love survive all they have lost? Will new life rise from above the ruins?Amazon US Amazon UK

Congratulations to the winner.

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Published on December 27, 2017 23:00

December 26, 2017

The Coffee Pot Award for the Historical Fiction Book of the Year goes to… #HistoricalFiction #mustread @JohannaCraven @CryssaBazos

The Coffee Pot Award for the Historical Fiction Book of the Year 2017

We have joint winners of the award this year.

The award goes to...
Traitor's Knot by Cryssa Bazos

England 1650: Civil War has given way to an uneasy peace in the year since Parliament executed King Charles I.

Royalist officer James Hart refuses to accept the tyranny of the new government, and to raise funds for the restoration of the king’s son, he takes to the road as a highwayman.

Elizabeth Seton has long been shunned for being a traitor’s daughter. In the midst of the new order, she risks her life by sheltering fugitives from Parliament in a garrison town. But her attempts to rebuild her life are threatened, first by her own sense of injustice, then by falling in love with the dashing Hart.

The lovers’ loyalty is tested through war, defeat and separation. James must fight his way back to the woman he loves, while Elizabeth will do anything to save him, even if it means sacrificing herself.

Traitor's Knot is a sweeping tale of love and conflicted loyalties set against the turmoil of the English Civil War.
Amazon US Amazon UK

The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea by Johanna Craven

1692. The Atlantis, captained by veteran seaman Benjamin Archer, flies the colours of an English merchantman on the high seas between the English Channel and the Caribbean.

But she also runs up the ‘jolie rouge’ – the Jolly Roger – whenever the prospect of plundering a Spanish treasure ship presents itself.

Nipping at Spain’s empire is common practice for state-sponsored privateers like the Atlantis at a time when lesser European powers dare not directly make war on Spain.

But when those governments abandon the practice of issuing letters of marque to privateers against the Spanish galleons, many of the crews turn pirate.

Such is the fate of Archer’s men.

The crew is forced to sign the ship’s articles consenting to their new piratical ways, thereby placing their heads in a noose.

Unless, that is, they can stage a mutiny and turn Archer over to the authorities in the Caribbean city of Port Royal, a popular homeport for privateers – and notorious for its gaudy displays of wealth and loose morals, the ‘wickedest city on earth’.

But superstition is rife among seamen and the presence on board the Atlantis of two women – one a high-born French stowaway Catherine and the other a Jamaican slave-born ‘cabin boy’ Serafine – will only be a bad omen if they are discovered.

Worse, the runaway is thought by her family to possess the powers of a witch while the ‘boy’ worships voodoo gods who rule life from beneath the waves.

Will the mutiny succeed?

What is the secret bond between Archer and Serafine?

And can Catherine escape the captain’s determination to make her his after she has fallen for another young officer?

Is some unstoppable divine force slowly gathering to punish the profane?

Johanna Craven’s impressive latest novel combines the island paradise world of Mutiny on the Bounty with the visual and visceral immediacy of Master and Commander, whilst also delving into the legacies of colonialism explored in Joseph Conrad’s sinister Heart of Darkness.

Beyond the power and control of man lies what …?
Amazon US Amazon UK

Congratulations to the winners.

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Published on December 26, 2017 23:00

December 24, 2017

Happy Christmas!!

I would like to wish all my readers a very Happy Christmas!!

I would love to share this fabulous rendition of Little Drummer Boy, from one of my favourite bands...

For King & Country

Enjoy!

Best Wishes, Mary Anne xxx

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Published on December 24, 2017 23:00

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The Coffee Pot Book Club

The Coffee Pot Book Club (formally Myths, Legends, Books, and Coffee Pots) was founded in 2015. Our goal was to create a platform that would help Historical Fiction, Historical Romance and Historical ...more

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