Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 191

Come and celebrate a historical Christmas... #history #Christmas

Have you ever wondered what Christmas was like in a bygone age?
This December there is a very magical Christmas theme on the blog. I have invited some of the finest authors in the historical fiction world to talk about


Christmas in the time of...





So let’s have a look at the schedule and the authors who are taking part...


5thDecember
      JB Richards Richards’multi-award-winning debut novel, "Miriamne the Magdala"—Grand Prize Winner of the 2017 Golden Quill Award—was published after more than 20 years of extensive research into the lives and times of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. Her reimagining of their lives together provides an intimate, yet provocative and controversial look into a relationship nourished by a rich culture, forged by ancient traditions, transformed by an insurmountable love, and threatened by a turbulent and oppressive political landscape. Her upcoming sequel, “Yeshua the Christ: The Silk Road”, is due for publication in 2018. 
6thDecember  Anne O’Brien
AnneO’Brien was born in West Yorkshire. After gaining a BA Honours degree in History at Manchester University and a Master’s in Education at Hull, she lived in East Yorkshire for many years as a teacher of history.

She now lives with her husband in an eighteenth-century timber-framed cottage in the depths of the Welsh Marches in Herefordshire, on the borders between England and Wales, where she writes historical novels. The perfect place in which to bring medieval women back to life.

Sunday Times Best Seller.
7thDecember
Paula Lofting PaulaLofting’s début novel, 'Sons of the Wolf' was first published with the assistance of SilverWood Books in 2012. More recently she has republished it with her new publishing company Longship Books, in kindle. A new paperback version will be published by June. It is a story set in the years leading up to the Norman Conquest of England and the first in the Sons of the Wolf series, about this amazing time in English history.

She has always admired the works of Sharon Penman and Bernard Cornwell, Edith Pargetter and Mary Stewart, amongst many others. History is a great love of hers and her interest in the subject goes beyond that of the keyboard. She also enjoys Anglo-Saxon re-enactment with Regia Anglorum.

8thDecember
M.T. Magee My name is M.T.Magee I write bestselling YA Historical Medieval Fantasy that is beautifully romantic with whispers of Gaelic legend. On Mar. 31st The Treasure of Gwenlais received the 2015 Silver Medal Winner of Ireland's Drunken Druid Award Finalist for IAN Book of the Year Award 2016 for First Novel on Aug. 31st. On Sept.1st 2016 I received the Finalist Award for Readers' Favorite Book Awards Voted #1 On Listopia's Best Fantasy Romance (not urban).
I live in New England on our small farm with my husband and son. We raise an assortment of silly goats, quiet rabbits, far too many ducks and chickens, and a high strung Border Collie cross named Gronk.
9thDecember
Suzy Henderson
SuzyHenderson was born in the North of England and initially pursued a career in healthcare, specialising as a midwife. Years later, having left her chosen profession, she embarked upon a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University. That was the beginning of a new life journey, rekindling her love of writing and passion for history. With an obsession for military and aviation history, she began to write.

It was an old black and white photograph of her grandmother in her WAAF service uniform that caught Suzy’s imagination many years ago. Her grandmother died relatively young in 1980, and her tales of war vanished with her forever, stories she never had the chance to share. When Suzy decided to research her grandmother’s war service, things spiralled from there. Stories came to light, little-known stories, and tragedies, and it is such discoveries that inform her writing today.

Having relocated to the wilds of North Cumbria, she has the Pennines in sight and finally feels at home. Suzy is a member of the Historical Novel Society and "The Beauty Shop" is her debut novel, released 28th November 2016. She is currently writing the next book.

10thDecember Beryl Kingston
I was born in 1931 in Tooting, and when I was four was enrolled at a local dancing school run by a lady called Madam Hadley, which I attended until I was eight when the war began. Because of the war my school career was – shall we say – varied. I was evacuated twice, the first time to Felpham which is near Bognor Regis and the second to Harpenden in Hertfordshire, and consequently went to ten different schools. I ended up at Streatham Secondary School, an LCC grammar run on the Dalton system, which offered a few lessons as sparking points and then required pupils to be responsible for their own learning, either in study rooms with their teachers on hand to help and advise, or on their own in the library or the school hall. It suited me to a T. Then to King’s College London, where I read English and enjoyed myself a lot, but wasn’t particularly distinguished, having other things on my mind by then...
 11thDecember

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.
12thDecember Nancy Blanton NancyBlanton is 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. 
13thDecember Brian Kitchen I first became interested in the history of Roman Britain as a child and loved reading the ‘Eagle of the Ninth’ trilogy of novels by Rosemary Sutcliff. When I was older I read and studied all that I could about the Roman period in Britain and especially the events of the 4th century CE. I’ve always had a passion for writing and when I retired I decided to write novels set in late 4th Century CE Roman Britain. ‘Divided Empire’ was my first published novel and was published in November 2015. 'Dark Betrayal' was the second novel in the 'Divided Empire' series and was published December 2016. The third novel in the series is under way.

I live in Burton upon Trent, England with my wife Lynne, son Mark and our two tortoise shell cats, Tansy & Zoe. I enjoy walking in our local countryside and also the Peak District, Derbyshire. I also enjoy photography, reading, writing, visiting museums and historic sites and building and supporting our local Football League team, Burton Albion.

 14thDecember
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!





15thDecember Dianne Ascroft DianneAscroft is a Canadian writer living in Britain. Since moving to Britain in 1990 she has lived in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Online she can be found at http://www.dianneascroft.com.

She writes historical and contemporary fiction often with an Irish connection. Her non-fiction articles and short stories have been printed in Canadian and Irish magazines and regional newspapers including the Toronto Star, Ireland's Own, Senior Times, Celtic Connection and Irish Connections Canada.
16thDecember David Pryce David Pryce was born and bred in North Wales; after graduating with a Mining Engineering degree he spent the next seven years living and working in Southern Africa. He currently resides in Colorado, but returns to North Wales on a regular basis to visit family and rediscover his intrinsic ‘Welshness’. This also affords him the opportunity to eat some decent fish and chips and sink a pint or three of real beer!




17thDecember Richard Buxton Richard Buxton grew up in Wales but has lived in Sussex for the last thirty years. He is a 2015 graduate of the Creative Writing Masters programme at Chichester University. He studied in America during his twenties and tries to return there as often as he can for research and inspiration. His writing successes include winning the Exeter Story Prize, the Bedford International Writing Competition and the Nivalis Short Story award. His US Civil War novel, Whirligig, released this spring, was shortlisted for the 2017 Rubery International Book Award
18th December
Cynthia Ripley Miller Cynthia Ripley Miller is a first generation Italian-American writer with a love for history, languages and books. She has lived, worked, and travelled in Europe, Africa, North America and the Caribbean. As a girl, she often wondered what it would be like to journey through time (she still does), yet knew, it could only be through the imagination and words of writers and their stories. Today, she writes to bring the past to life.

Cynthia holds two degrees and has taught history and teaches English. Her short fiction has appeared in the anthology Summer Tapestry, at Orchard Press Mysteries.com and The Scriptor. A Chanticleer International Chatelaine Award finalist for her novel, On the Edge of Sunrise, she has reviewed for UNRV Roman History, and blogs at Historical Happenings and Oddities: A Distant Focus
 19thDecember
Tony Riches Tony Riches is a full-time writer and lives with his wife in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. After several successful non-fiction books, Tony turned to novel writing and wrote 'Queen Sacrifice', set in 10th century Wales, followed by 'The Shell', a thriller set in present day Kenya. A specialist in the history of the early Tudors, he is best known for his Tudor Trilogy. Tony’s other international best sellers include 'Warwick ~ The Man Behind the Wars of the Roses' and 'The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham'. 

20thDecember Cryssa Bazos I am a historical fiction writer and 17th Century enthusiast, with a particular interest in the English Civil War (ECW) and romantic fiction. I blog about English history and storytelling at my site, the 17th Century Enthusiast, and I'm involved with the English Historical Fiction Authors blog site and a member of the Romantic Novelist Association (RNA) and the Historical Novel Society (HNS). 



21stDecember Sarah Dahl Sarah Dahl lives at the edge of the rural German Eifel and writes historical fiction (novels and short stories) primarily set in the Viking age. She also works as an editor, translates, and coaches new writers in German and English. She is interested in everyday life in bygone centuries and the human stories that may have occurred behind the hard, historical facts. 

 22ndDecember

Mary Morgan Award-winning Scottish paranormal romance author, Mary Morgan resides in Northern California, with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.

Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. She spent far too much time daydreaming and was told quite often to remove her head from the clouds. It wasn’t until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling—writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.

If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.

 23rdDecember
Jackie Williams I was born in Essex England during the mid sixties but I missed all the fun. Being only young I assumed that all Beatles were six legged creatures and Flower Power was something to do with the vigorous way my mother kneaded the bread dough.

My wonderful parents brought me up with a huge love of books. We read anything and everything. Bedtime stories were a treasured time of adventure and mystery. My sister and I sat wide eyed in wonder and to this day I worry about Dinah and Dorinda being pricked with pins because they grew so fat, and I never pull faces at the a waning moon (or was it a waxing one?) just in case my chops stay that way . (The Wind On The Moon)

I began reading romance while still at school. The fuel for many a teenage fantasy leapt from between the covers of wildly romantic books and my passion still lingers now for all those dark haired heroes.

 24thDecember
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.



From the birth of Christ to World War II ~ This Christmas on the blog there is something for everyone!!

Discovering a Few Diamonds! By Helen Hollick #bookreview #historicalfiction #Christmas @HelenHollick

Discovering a Few Diamonds!By Helen Hollick
 
Please give a warm welcome to Helen Hollick, who is an author and founder ofDiscovering Diamonds, a review blog for historical fiction 

For several years I was Managing Editor of a review section for an association for historical novels, my particular contribution being to review indie authors. Unfortunately things went unexpectedly pear-shaped so we parted company. I still wanted to be involved with the sort of review site that openly supported indie writers, however, so I decided to set up my own historical fiction review blog as the best way forward …While thinking to myself: ‘What on earth are you doing Helen? Where are you going to find the time?” (add in several question and exclamation marks here!) My aim was to show that indie writers could be just as good as (in some cases even better than!) traditional authors and to support good writers in getting the attention they deserve.
Now, I can hear a few indie writers grumbling here: yes I agree, indies should be treated the same as traditional authors, no there should not be any distinction on review sites… but my view is indie and self-published writers do still get a raw deal in many respects, plus, unfortunately, there are indies who really shouldn’t be producing what they produce. (And before you shout even louder, I totally agree, the same applies to traditional authors at times!) The advantage traditional mainstream authors have over indies, however, is the huge marketing machine they can have access to – especially for authors lucky enough to be with one of the big publishing houses. Indies have to do everything, from editing, to production to marketing – and believe me, Social Media Marketing is not as easy as it seems! It can be a hard slog to promote a book if you are an indie writer.
So, I wanted to open a blog where good books worth reading could be shouted about. I had a fabulous team of reviewers behind me (they came with me when I departed the other place) and plenty of books to review. I run several blogs, so creating the template was easy, my graphics designer for my website and UK books, Cathy Helms of www.avalongraphics.org provided the (very attractive) graphics – and, although I admit with some initial trepidation, off we went.
We opened officially on January 1st2017, so our first anniversary is approaching. In the time between we have reviewed a few hundred books, awarded our Discovering Diamonds logo to some brilliant novels and are going from strength to strength – thanks to those fabulous reviewers and admin people who are also on board. Together we have created a dedicated and energetic team, and I am delighted to be working with such wonderful people. Add to this, to date, we have had over 110,000 page views, so we are being noticed!
But there is one thing I was also determined to do when I set out on this venture. I had no intention of distinguishing indie novels from traditionally published ones. Our ‘criteria’ is that we review a book on the grounds of it being a good book worth reading, and value for money for the person buying it. A good book is a good book, regardless of how it is published. Therefore, we do not print the publisher’s name, just a link to Amazon .com, .co.uk and CA. I also ensure that a comment is left on Amazon and Goodreads once the review has gone ‘live’, plus we work in conjunction with Indie BRAG  and Chill With A Book
  
Yes, most novels submitted to us are indies, but now that Discovering Diamonds has established itself as a worthy site for readers, writers and publishers, my aim for 2018 is to expand and attract in the traditional publishing houses as well. (And hopefully some more keen reviewers!)
My other intention was to create a place of interest for readers and a site where authors could showcase their talents. After all, the reader is the most important person. If we do not have readers there is little point in writing the book in the first place. We therefore have a Guest Spot and Reader’s Voice page, published once a month and the occasional item of interest… but I wanted something different for December, so I came up with a series of fabulous short stories or excerpts from a host of fantastic and diverse authors which will be published on the blog every day from 3rd December until the 23rd.
Each contribution has a common theme: something connected to Diamonds, and I am delighted to say that every story is brilliant – a couple even made me cry they are so packed with emotion! So do tune in to Discovering Diamonds on 3rd December for our first story, and then every day until Christmas.
I promise you, you will not be disappointed!



Follow the Tales…and Discover some Diamonds
3rd December         Richard Tearle Diamonds4th December         Helen Hollick  When ex-lovers have their uses5th December         Antoine Vanner  Britannia’s Diamonds6th December         Nicky Galliers  Diamond Windows7th December         Denise Barnes  The Lost Diamond8th December         Elizabeth Jane Corbett A Soul Above Diamonds9th December         Lucienne Boyce Murder In Silks10th December       Julia Brannan The Curious Case of the Disappearing Diamond11th December       Pauline Barclay Sometimes It Happens12th December       Annie Whitehead Hearts, Home and a Precious Stone13th December       Inge H. Borg  Edward, Con Extraordinaire14th December       J.G. Harlond The Empress Emerald15th December       Charlene Newcomb Diamonds in the Desert16th December       Susan Grossey  A Suitable  Gift17th December       Alison  Morton Three Thousand Years to Saturnalia18th December       Nancy Jardine   Illicit Familial Diamonds19th December       Elizabeth St John The Stolen Diamonds20th December       Barbara Gaskell Denvil Discovering the Diamond21st December        Anna Belfrage   Diamonds in the Mud22nd December       Cryssa Bazos    The Diamonds of Sint-Nicholaas23rd December        Diamonds … In Sound & Song
If you would like to submit your historical novel to us for review read our guidelines here or contact me, Helen Hollick at author@helenhollick.net. Please note that we prefer e-files (mobi or e-pub) and we decide which books to review – so not every book submitted will get a review.
My thanks to Mary Anne for inviting me on to her blog!
Helen HollickAuthor and founder of Discovering Diamonds

You can find Helen's books on Amazon!

About Helen
Helen Hollick moved with her family from London in 2013 to North Devon and an eighteenth century farmhouse surrounded by fields and woodland. A variety of pets include horses, Exmoor ponies, a donkey, dogs, cats, 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 a more historical version of the Arthurian legend.
She has written three non-fiction books, Pirate - Truth and Tales; a book about smuggling (due to be published 2018) and co-wrote Discovering the Diamond with her editor, Jo Field, a short advice guide for new writers interested in self-publishing.
Helen is published in various languages including Turkish and Italian.
Helen loves to connect with readers, you can find her...
Website  Amazon  Main Blog  Facebook  Twitter Newsletter
Emailauthor@helenhollick.net

 A Note From Mary Anne
Helen is truly an inspiration.  I am sure Discovering Diamonds will go from strength to strength in the coming years. Thank you!! 

Blog Tour & #Giveaway ~ There is always tomorrow #HistFic #Historical #HistoricalFiction @hfvbt @abelfrageauthor

Blog Tour and Giveaway ~ Historical Virtual Book Tour Presents....

There is Always a Tomorrow by Anna Belfrage
 There is Always a Tomorrow is the ninth book in Anna Belfrage’s time slip series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham.
It is 1692 and the Colony of Maryland is still adapting to the consequences of Coode’s Rebellion some years previously. Religious tolerance in the colony is now a thing of the past, but safe in their home, Alex and Matthew Graham have no reason to suspect they will become embroiled in the ongoing religious conflicts—until one of their sons betrays their friend Carlos Muñoz to the authorities.Matthew Graham does not leave his friends to rot—not even if they’re papist priests—so soon enough most of the Graham family is involved in a rescue attempt, desperate to save Carlos from a sentence that may well kill him.
Meanwhile, in London little Rachel is going through hell. In a matter of months she loses everything, even her surname, as apparently her father is not Master Cooke but one Jacob Graham. Not that her paternity matters when her entire life implodes.Will Alex and Matthew be able to help their unknown grandchild? More importantly, will Rachel want their help?
Excerpt
There were certain aspects of seventeenth century life Alex could well do without, and top of that list was the dratted Richard Campbell. Men like him were fortunately rare on the ground—and if Alex were to be honest, creeps existed just as much in her original time as in the seventeenth century. The difference was that a pompous minister, however sleazy, was accorded substantial respect in this day and age. While most people could read and write, the supposition was that learned men such as ministers had read much, much more, thereby acquiring an unplumbed depth of wisdom. Huh: in Campbell’s case, Alex seriously doubted he’d ever progressed beyond learning by rote.
On this fine September morning, Alex was hurrying along with Matthew towards the town hall and the impending trials when she bumped into her least favourite minister ever. Well, "bump" was fortunately not in the literal sense, as Richard Campbell came to an abrupt stop at the sight of her and scowled. 
Beside her, Matthew muttered an expletive and attempted to guide them away from the minister. Not to be, as Campbell was accompanied by a band of cronies who rapidly blocked their way.
“And what may you be doing here?” Campbell demanded. He looked Alex up and down. “Ah, yes: the papist priest is a friend of yours, isn’t he?” He laughed, a high-pitched sound that grated on Alex’s ears.
“Maybe he serves as your familiar.”
Matthew stepped forward. “Hold your mouth.” 
“Hold my mouth?” Richard Campbell sneered. “Oh, no Graham, not this time. This time, I…” and here he broadened his stance, placed his hands on either side of his waist and puffed out his chest, “Richard Campbell, will root out evil wherever I find it and see it burn!”
“Like you helped them do in Salem?” Matthew snorted. “Superstitious nonsense, and God will surely throw you in the deepest pits of hell for your persecution of the innocent and feeble-minded.”
“Superstition?” Campbell looked about to choke. Alex hoped he would. The horror show offered by the Salem Trials had left narrow-minded bigots like Richard Campbell firmly on the top of the dung-heap. “Evil lives amongst us!” He shook his finger at them. “Evil, Graham, evil. Like yon papist priest.”
“Don’t be an idiot!” Alex said. “Oh, right, I forgot: you are an idiot.” She ignored Matthew’s aggravated look and ploughed on. “Carlos Muñoz is a good and educated man, not an evil bone in his body.”
“Well, you would say so, wouldn’t you? You harboured him—you and your apostate of a daughter. I am telling you,” Campbell continued, “it is people like the Grahams, who succour the papist heretics, nourish them at their breasts, who are the greatest danger to our colony. The enemy within, my friends, behold them!” With a flourish he pointed at Alex and Matthew, yelped loudly when Julian Allerton grabbed him by the arm.
“Back to your fire and brimstone preaching?” Julian said. “Planning on subjecting yet another woman to your untoward advances?”
“Untoward?” Campbell yanked himself free.
“We all saw it.” Julian pitched his voice so it carried. “A minister, crazed by lust, groping a good and decent woman. You, Mr Campbell, throwing Mrs Graham to the ground and baring her skin to your roving hands and drooling mouth.”
Eeuuw! Alex pulled her shawl tight. It hadn’t exactly been like that, seeing as Campbell had been armed with a very large, very sharp needle with which he had attempted to prick her, but Julian’s word had the men closest to Campbell distancing themselves from him. 
“It is a lie!” Campbell yelled. “A foul lie, a—”
“I saw what I saw.” Julian looked Campbell up and down. “Only the fact that you were a minister saved you from an extended stand at the pillory—that, and your promise never to return.”
“She has you bewitched,” Richard bleated. “All this nonsense you are spouting, it is because she has spelled you.”
“Spelled me?” Julian snorted. “In this the Colony of Maryland we do not believe in such nonsense as witches. Only uneducated boors hold with such primitive beliefs.” He took a step closer to Campbell. “If I see you even looking at Mrs Graham, I will have no alternative but to go directly to Governor Blakiston and give him a full account of what transpired when last you were here.”
“Try,” Campbell sneered. “I have the ear of the Protestant Associators—both Blakiston and Coode.”
“Ah, but so do many of us,” a voice from somewhere at the back said. William Hancock, Ian’s father-in-law, pushed forward. “And I saw it too, just as Minister Allerton described it.”
“It’s nice, isn’t it, when one’s friends do the fighting on your behalf,” Alex murmured to Matthew.
“Oh, aye.” His breath tickled her cheek. “It won’t help much, not with that toad of a man.”
“Why did he come back?” Alex asked. “Why leave Salem when he must have been as happy as a pig in muck up there?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he decided it was safe to come here now that Minister Walker has passed."
“Well, I hope he isn't staying."

"Amen to that." Matthew frowned.
GiveawayDuring the Blog Tour we will be giving away 2 eBooks and 2 paperback copies of There is Always a Tomorrow! You can enter the giveaway HERE!
Giveaway Rules
• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 21st. You must be 18 or older to enter.• Giveaway is 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.• Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Links for Purchase
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
About the author Anna was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result she’s multilingual and most of her reading is historical- both non-fiction and fiction. Possessed of a lively imagination, she has drawers full of potential stories, all of them set in the past. She was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Ideally, Anna aspired to becoming a pioneer time traveller, but science has as yet not advanced to the point of making that possible. Instead she ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for her most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career Anna raised her four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive…
For years she combined a challenging career with four children and the odd snatched moment of writing. Nowadays Anna spends most of her spare time at her writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and she slips away into her imaginary world, with her imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in her life pops his head in to ensure she’s still there.
Other than on her website, www.annabelfrage.com, Anna can mostly be found on her blog, http://annabelfrage.wordpress.com – unless, of course, she is submerged in writing her next novel. You can also connect with Anna on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.
There is Always a Tomorrow by Anna BelfragePublication Date: November 5, 2017Timelight PresseBook & Paperback; ISBN: 9781788039666Series: Graham Saga, Book #9Genre: Historical Fiction/Time-Slip

Author’s Inspiration ~ Diane Rapp #mystery @DianeRapp

Please give a warm welcome to multi-genre author Diane Rapp. Diane is going to share her inspirations behind her latest book…
DNA STALKER: Revenge or Justice?

It all began with the Jonestown Massacre of 1978.  The supposed suicide of Jim Jones prompted an intense manhunt by his enforcement team, the Red Brigade, which honed skills needed to capture or kill the illusive prey.The stalker has tracked a target for thirty-nine years and won't be easily stopped by a pair of ship’s detectives.  DNA profiling might lead the stalker to the target, endangering innocents along the way.  Does the stalker seek revenge, justice, or stolen jewels?Natalia and Jason work together on the cruise ship, Sea Mist, and they must stop the stalker from harming identical twins aboard the ship!  Hundreds of suspects are cruising to the western Caribbean, including six sets of identical twins.  They are participating in Genetics Ultra’s DNA study called the “Twins Project.”Who does the Stalker seek?  Which pair of twins are in danger?Natalia and Jason accompany the twins on shore excursions, and discover that preventing a crime is more difficult than solving one.  The partners work to unmask the culprit and protect the twins.  Will Natalia and Jason be able to stop a well-prepared assassin?
Author’s Inspiration
The inspiration for this novel came in several parts.  I was given an Ancestry DNA kit for Christmas and promptly “spat” into the vial before I sent it off.  While they processed the DNA, I waited impatiently.  In the meantime my husband scheduled a “free” cruise to the western Caribbean during January.  Before we sailed, I read an article about twins-separated-at-birth; some of the twins shared similar habits, occupations, spouse’s names, and children’s names—interesting. 
Let’s back up to the cruise.  I actually won a “free” cruise by playing Bingo during an Alaskan cruise five years ago.  On that cruise, I was doing research about Alaska for my novel Murder for Glacier Blue.  We postponed taking the cruise because we were so busy.  Finally my husband decided to go ahead and book the cruise for my birthday.  He’s so sweet!  We found out that airfare, port fees, excursion fees, hotel rooms (before and after the cruise), and tips added up.  Our “free” cruise got expensive, but it was my birthday present!
During the cruise to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, the Florida Keys, and a private island in the Bahamas, I took notes, photos, and video of places and tours to include in my new book.  Back home, I received my DNA profile and decided to incorporate DNA profiling into the novel.  I grew tired of solving a murder in each book, so my investigators would prevent one.  I have trouble making up titles, but this time the title, DNA STALKER got stuck in my mind.  What was the stalker’s motive?  I decided that the twins would be in their late thirties and the parents near sixty, therefore, I started thinking about the time period during the twins’ birth.   There was a horrific event in 1978 that made newspaper headlines worldwide: the Jonestown Massacre in Guyana.  While researching the event, I discovered that Jim Jones was the only person who died from a gunshot rather than cyanide poisoning.  Did someone else kill him?  The stalker’s motive might be revenge for the killing of Jim Jones. New main characters will star in this novel, although both were introduced as side characters in previous books.  Jason Briggs is an ex-Interpol agent who once wanted to be an actor, and his love interest, Natalia Baliskov, is a real psychic.  When she touches a person, she sees visions of their past or future.  She can also communicate with ghosts.  The couple joined the CCL security team during the novel Murder on a Ghost Ship. In the new novel, the pair must protect six different sets of twins and prevent the stalker from killing the prime target.Four inspirations inspired my thriller:  DNA profiling, twins-separated-at-birth, the Jonestown Massacre, and a romantic cruise to the western Caribbean.  I developed the back-stories of characters to fit these different elements, and sent them cruising to the islands I had just experienced.  I describe tourist attractions in my books, so everything was very fresh in my mind (and my pictures).  This is not a typical murder mystery.  I don’t like to read steamy scenes, blood, guts, or gore, so I don’t write them.  This book is clean enough to appeal to “cozy” readers, but delivers enough suspense and action to appeal to “thriller” enthusiasts.  I hope readers might be intrigued enough to purchase a copy.
Links for PurchaseAmazon US Amazon UK
About the author Diane Rapp began her writing career by publishing a Caribbean tour guide book with her daughter, who worked as a shore excursion officer on cruise ships. Diane incorporates the behind-the-scenes life of a ship’s crew along with real tourist destinations into the High Seas Mystery Series.  Her readers love to dream about future travel or refresh their memories.  Diane considers herself a “split” personality author.  She has published ten novels total in several different genres: science-fiction, mystery, fantasy, and a game book based on the High Seas Mystery Series.Useful LinksWebsiteTwitter Facebook
Amazon Author’s Page

#BlogTour and #Giveaway Isabella Unashamed #AlternativeHistFic @hfvbt @HelenDavis2013 @Carolin74952570

Book Tour and Giveaway ~ Historical Virtual Book Tour Presents....
 
Isabella Unashamed 
by Helen R. Davis and Carolina Casas

Isabella of Castile is known as Europe’s first great queen. Renowned for her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon and birthing of modern day Spain, Isabella is also known as the queen who launched the Inquisition, completed the Reconquista and expelled the Jews from her nation. Not long after her triumph in 1492, her dynasty came apart and unraveled, and it was whispered by many that the Trastamara line was cursed.
But, What if Isabella had been wiser and not expelled the Jews, some of the very people who ironically helped put her on the throne of Castile? What if Isabella had had more foresight and had her successor be Catalina, who, although the youngest, was the most like her and the wisest of her children? How would the power balance of 15th and 16th century Europe shifted if Catalina had been the powerful queen regnant of Spain and not one of the ‘merry wives’ of Windsor?
A joint effort, Isabella Unashamed is written by two authors from very different cultural backgrounds who have nonetheless joined together to create a haunting portrait of Spain’s most famous queen, as well as a glimpse of what might have been had Isabella been wiser.
GiveawayDuring the Blog Tour we will be giving away an eBook of Isabella Unashamed! You can enter Here
Giveaway Rules
• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 7th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
•Giveaway is 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.•Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Links for PurchaseAmazon
About the authors
Helen R. Davis is an American author. Her first novel, Evita: My Argentina was previously published as Evita: My Life and republished with Custom Book Publications in Hong Kong. Her second novel, CLEOPATRA UNCONQUERED, which is the first in a series, imagines a world in which Antony and Cleopatra, rather than Augustus Caesar, are the victors of the Battle of Actium. the sequel, CLEOPATRA VICTORIOUS, will be released soon, followed by the titles CLEOPATRA MAGNIFICA and CLEOPATRA TRIUMPHANT. Her third novel, or at least, her third historical novel/alternate history, THE MOST HAPPY, will be published with Callipe Editorial, based out of Madrid Spain, on July 25th, 2017.
For more information, please visit Helen Davis’ website. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Carolina Casas has a BA in History and a minor in women’s studies.Her debut novel “Isabella Unashamed” was co-written with the author of “Cleopatra Unconquered” & “The Most Happy”, Helen R. Davis and it is a powerful alternative historical novel that asks the important question that has been on everyone’s mind: what-if? What if Isabella had taken a different route than the one she did following the surrender of Granada at the beginning of 1492.
A young woman who enjoys life and giving to others, she is also a self-proclaimed nerd who currently resides in the lone star state of Texas where she spends her free time writing, drawing, reading about her favorite historical subjects and watching classical horror and rom-coms with her friends.Carolina’s journey into the realm of alternate history began when she was very little. After a frightful and sleepless night, she was introduced to the legend of King Arthur and his knights through Sir Thomas Mallory’s epic “Le Morte d’Arthur” which started her fascination with the medieval period and later with other eras. This, along with her curiosity, has led her to delve into the realm of alternate history.
Carolina has several pages on Facebook where she works alongside other history buffs and novelists (Tudor Nerds with Glasses and Tudor Facts vs. Fiction), as well as a history blog where she shares her thoughts on movies and TV shows as well.
You can also find her on Twitterand Goodreads.
Isabella Unashamed by Helen R. Davis and Carolina CasasPublication Date: September 7, 2017
Editorial CaliopeeBook & Paperback; 144 Pages Genre: Historical Fiction/Alt

Blog Tour ~ Fanny Newcomb and the Irish Channel Ripper #HistFic @hfvbt

Book Tour and Giveaway ~ Historical Virtual Book Tour Presents....


Fanny Newcomb and the Irish Channel Ripperby Ana Brazil
Gilded Age New Orleans is overrun with prostitutes, pornographers, and a malicious Jack the Ripper copycat. As threatening letters to newspaper editors proclaim, no woman is safe from his blade.
Desperate to know who murdered her favorite student, ambitious typewriting teacher Fanny Newcomb launches into a hunt for the self-proclaimed Irish Channel Ripper.
Fanny quickly enlists her well-connected employers—Principal Sylvia Giddings and her sister Dr. Olive—to help, and the women forge through saloons, cemeteries, slums, and houses of prostitution in their pursuit.Fanny’s good intentions quickly infuriate her longtime beau Lawrence Decatur, while her reckless persistence confounds the talented police detective Daniel Crenshaw. Reluctantly, Lawrence and Daniel also lend their investigative talents to Fanny’s investigation.
As the murderer sets a date for his next heinous crime, can Fanny Newcomb and her crew stop the Irish Channel Ripper before he kills again?
GiveawayDuring the Blog Tour we will be giving away a paperback copy of Fanny Newcomb and the Irish Channel Ripper! Enter here.
Giveaway Rules• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter. • Giveaway is 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.•Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Links to Purchase Amazon  Barnes and Noble
About the author
A native of California, Ana Brazil lived in the south for many years. She earned her MA in American history from Florida State University and traveled her way through Mississippi as an architectural historian. Ana loves fried mullet, Greek Revival colonnades, and Miss Welty’s garden. She has a weakness for almost all things New Orleans. (Although she’s not sure just how it happened…but she favors bluegrass over jazz.)
The Fanny Newcomb stories celebrate the tenacity, intelligence, and wisdom of the dozens of courageous and outrageous southern women that Ana is proud to call friends.
Although Ana, her husband, and their dog Traveller live in the beautiful Oakland foothills, she is forever drawn to the lush mystique of New Orleans, where Fanny Newcomb and her friends are ever prepared to seek a certain justice.
For more information, please visit Ana Brazil’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest and Goodreads.
Fanny Newcomb and the Irish Channel Ripper by Ana BrazilPublication Date: November 1, 2017
Sand Hill Review Press
Formats: Paperback & eBook
Genre: Fiction/Historical/Mystery

#bookreview ~ Conquest: Daughter of the Last King #HistFic #Norman #Wales @TraceyWarr1

Conquest: Daughter of the Last KingBy Tracey Warr
 
1093
The three sons of William the Conqueror – Robert Duke of Normandy, William II King of England and Count Henry – fight with each other for control of the Anglo-Norman kingdom created by their father’s conquest.

Meanwhile, Nest ferch Rhys, the daughter of the last independent Welsh king, is captured during the Norman assault of her lands. Raised with her captors, the powerful Montgommery family, Nest is educated to be the wife of Arnulf of Montgommery, in spite of her pre-existing betrothal to a Welsh prince.

Who will Nest marry and can the Welsh rebels oust the Normans?

Daughter of the Last King is the first in the Conquest Trilogy.

What did I think of the book?

The Norman invasion did not stop at Hastings. It was where it began...
Nest Ferch Rhys, daughter of the King of Deheubart, has a future to look forward to. She is betrothed to Prince Owain ap Cadwgan, and one day, when she is all grown up, her husband will be the King of Powys.
But then the soldiers came.
They slaughter her kin and take her to Cardiff Castle as their special guest. Now she has to pretend gratitude towards people that she hates and she has to find the courage to live and prosper under the watchful eyes of the enemy.
Conquest: Daughter of the Last King by Tracey Warr is a compelling tale and a realistic account of what life was like for a Welsh King's daughter, in a Norman court, in the 11th Century.  This book is rich with historical detail, it is very obvious that Ms. Warr has spent a great many hours in researching this fascinating era. The story itself was refreshing, and the writing was very elegant. This is certainly a sit-down-and-finish book.
I adored the characterisation of Nest. She is a brave and courageous heroine who I came to adore. My heart broke for her when she was so cruelly snatched away from her family, but despite it all, she manages to keep hold of her dignity and grace. She is treated very much as a pawn by the Normans — I am not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say that how some of these powerful men treated her was nothing short of appalling. But she kept her head held high and her dignity intact.
Conquest: Daughter of the Last King is a very well written book and one I certainly enjoyed.
I Highly Recommend.
* I received a copy of this book, from the publishers, for review consideration.*
Links for PurchaseAmazon US Amazon UK
About the author Tracey Warr's historical novels, Almodis the Peaceweaver, The Viking Hostage, Conquest: Daughter of the Last King, and Conquest: The Drowned Court are published by Impress Books, and based on incidents in the lives of real medieval people. Her writing awards include Author’s Foundation Award, Literature Wales Writer’s Bursary, Rome Film Festival Book Initiative, Santander Research Award, and the Impress Prize for Fiction shortlist.

Her future fiction novella, Meanda, is published as an ebook in English and French.

She also writes on contemporary art and is the editor of The Artist’s Body (Phaidon) and co-editor of Setting the Fell on Fire (Editions North) and Remote Performances in Nature and Architecture (Routledge). Her essays on contemporary artists have been published by Black Dog, Palgrave Macmillan, Merrell/Barbican, Tate, Manchester University Press and Intellect.

She writes articles and reviews for Times Higher Education, Historical Novels Review and The Displaced Nation.

Before becoming a full-time writer she was Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Art at Oxford Brookes University and Dartington College of Arts, and Guest Professor at Bauhaus University, Weimar and Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam. She is currently teaching art history for St Francis University’s Study Abroad programme in Ambialet, France.

She is a member of the Society of Authors and the Historical Novel Society. 
Connect with Tracey…Website Twitter

Author’s Inspiration ~ Carol McGrath #HistFic #Tudors @carolmcgrath

Please give a warm Coffee Pot welcome to historical fiction author, Carol McGrath. Carol is going to share with us today her inspiration behind her latest book.The Woman in the Shadows: Tudor England through the eyes of an influential woman

A powerful, evocative new novel by the critically acclaimed author of The Handfasted Wife, The Woman in the Shadows tells the rise of Thomas Cromwell, Tudor England's most powerful statesman, through the eyes of his wife Elizabeth.

When beautiful cloth merchant’s daughter Elizabeth Williams is widowed at the age of twenty-two, she is determined to make herself a success in the business she has learned from her father. But there are those who oppose a woman making her own way in the world, and soon Elizabeth realises she may have some powerful enemies – enemies who also know the truth about her late husband.

Security – and happiness – comes when Elizabeth is introduced to kindly, ambitious merchant turned lawyer, Thomas Cromwell. Their marriage is one based on mutual love and respect…but it isn’t always easy being the wife of an influential, headstrong man in Henry VIII’s London.

The city is filled with ruthless people and strange delights – and Elizabeth realises she must adjust to the life she has chosen…or risk losing everything.
‘A delicate and detailed portrayal, absolutely beautifully done. Captivating.’ Suzannah Dunn.
‘An intriguing and compelling portrayal of a woman who lived in the shadow of one of Tudor England's most powerful men. Elizabeth Cromwell's world and that of her enigmatic husband, is brought to life in this engaging narrative.' Tracy Borman, Historian.
‘Step into the intimate world of Thomas Cromwell as seen through the eyes of his wife, Elizabeth.’ Anne O’Brien
‘A delicious frisson of dangers slithers through every page of the book. Enthralling.’ Karen Maitland.
‘Rich, vivid and immersive, an enthralling story of the turbulent Tudor era.’ Nicola Cornick.

Author’s Inspiration
The Woman in the Shadows is set in early Tudor London. It tells the story of Elizabeth, wife to Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII’s notorious advisor during the 1530s. Elizabeth died in 1528 so the novel’s remit is 1513 to 1527. I provide a feasible story for Elizabeth Williams, a widow when she married Thomas in 1514. Its backdrop is the merchant class, daily life for a Tudor middle class woman, the King’s desire for a son to carry on his dynasty, Thomas Cromwell’s personal ambitions, their children, and wider family life. Plot ingredients include frightening echoes from her first marriage and Thomas’s possible betrayal. Can their marriage survive?

I have loved History from an early age. My inspirations include Jean Plaidy’s novels and those of Anya Seton which I read as a teenager along with classics, lots of those, from Dickens to Jane Austen. For years, as well as being an avid reader, I scribbled and wrote poetry. I taught History and English. Later, as my children grew up, I found time to attend creative writing courses provided by Oxford University’s Continuing Education programme. I have always been interested in Women’s History and looking at Historical events through a female protagonist’s perspective and my novels mostly reflect this interest.


On an MPhil programme at Royal Holloway, I wrote a 40k thesis on How Romance Tempers Realism in Historical Fiction. In the first chapter, I analysed Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. This wonderful book later inspired The Woman in the Shadows. I was curious about Thomas Cromwell’s marriage. I wanted to know more about Elizabeth and his domestic life. The book is meticulously researched but includes informed speculation as well. I read extensively about the Tudor Merchant Class and a middle-class City woman’s life during the period, particularly that of widows who could run businesses and did. Elizabeth was a cloth merchant’s daughter and a widow. I invented a cloth business for her and also the story I attached to her first husband which haunts the narrative.

I kept to historical fact, where this exists, particularly those facts concentrated on Thomas Cromwell whilst seeking a strong narrative drive for the novel. Importantly, a degree of the book’s interest lies in background detail concerning the everyday life of the era such as pageantry, the cycle of the year, guilds, upward mobility, and rituals associated with marriage, birth and death during this period. I explore the Humanist movement which influenced Thomas Cromwell and became convinced that Cromwell was interested in religious reform after a visit to Rome in 1517. Read the book and find out more, and Elizabeth’s view on the dangers that reform involved. Cromwell was a Renaissance man who loved all things Italian, had a phenomenal memory, was devoted to family and who trusted close friends and family. I posit that Elizabeth was educated, plausible since she hailed from the wealthy merchant class and her family had court connections. Thomas Cromwell never remarried after her death in 1528. His will of 1533 refers to a Jane Cromwell, possibly an illegitimate daughter who was born circa 1520.

The Woman in the Shadows took several years to research and write. I enjoyed inhabiting Elizabeth Cromwell’s possible life and I hope to return to the family in a future project. Currently, however, I have returned to the medieval period for the first in a Trilogy set during the Magnificent Thirteenth Century. I live near Oxford so History is all around me in buildings and fabulous museums. It seeps from the landscape and is part of whom I am. I love to incorporate a sense of place into the novels. This feeling for place and character inspires me more than anything.

Links for Purchase

Amazon USAmazon UK


And all good Bookstores.

About the author

Carol McGrath studied History at Queens University Belfast, has an MA in Creative Writing from The Seamus Heaney Centre, Queens University Belfast, followed by an MPhil in Creative Writing from University of London. The Handfasted Wife, first in a trilogy about the royal women of 1066 was shortlisted for the RoNAs in 2014. The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister complete this best-selling trilogy. The Woman in the Shadows, a novel that considers Henry VIII’s statesman, Thomas Cromwell, through the eyes of Elizabeth his wife, was published on August 4th, 2017. Carol is working on a new medieval Trilogy, The Rose Trilogy, set in the High Middle Ages. Carol was the co-ordinator of the 2016 Historical Novels Association Conference. Oxford in September 2016 and reviews for the HNS.Useful LinksWebsite Twitter

A Brief History of Coffee, from Berries to Beans. #Coffee #history @NomadCoffeeClub

I am so very excited to welcome Nomad Coffee Club onto the blog today!A Brief History of Coffee, from Berries to Beans.
Have you ever taken a sip of your favorite coffee and wondered where it all started?  Who was the first person to look at a coffee fruit and think that it would make a great drink? It turns out that the true origins are a little difficult to track down, and its history is filled with legend and lore. In fact, the debate over the origins is almost as heated as coffee bar arguments over which brew method produces the best cup.
Nonetheless, we set out to learn. This is what we found out. Kaldi and the Magical Fruit


The roots of the coffee plant can be traced back to the region of Kaffa, located in the Ethiopian Peninsula. While we know that the fertile grounds of the ancient forest of this region were the first to nourish the coffee plant, the rest of early coffee history is a little more elusive.
The most well-known legend of coffee originates somewhere around the 11th century and involves a man named Kaldi and his goats.
Kaldi, and his goats, spent much time wandering through the forest of the Ethiopian Peninsula. At some point in his travels, his hunger got the best of him, and he started to nibble on a few berries that he found along the way. The goats also took the opportunity to nibble on the shiny leaves and jeweled colored berries.
Kaldi realized that his goats seemed to frolic about more after eating the fruit. For that matter, he too had more energy and was happier after his nibbles.  Kaldi and his goats lived happily with their magical fruit.
Then one day a monk came along, noticed the Kaldi’s energy and immediate brought the fruit back to his monastery, where it was dried and the drink that we know as coffee was born.
Onward to the Arabian Peninsula
It wasn’t long before coffee gained popularity in the land and word of the plant began spreading east towards the Arabian Peninsula, where cultivation and trade set into works the worldwide love of the drink.
By the 16th century, plantations were popping up in the Arabian Peninsula and coffee had gained popularity in Turkey, Persia, Egypt and Syria. At this point, coffee was becoming more than a drink to energize and lift the spirits. It was becoming an element of modern culture.
The 16the century saw the birth of the first coffee houses, where patrons would go to converse and engage in the arts. This was the beginning of modern day coffee culture as we know it.
The European Influence

In the early 17thcentury, Europeans got their first taste of coffee in Venice, where it was brought in from merchants that had visited Istanbul.

As you can probably imagine, not everyone in Europe was immediately fond of the beverage. After all, it was dark, much darker than tea. Plus, it had a strong, bitter flavor that many in Europe were unaccustomed to.
But, you and I both know the magic and charm of coffee, and it quickly caught on. From street merchant beginnings to refined, social coffee houses, coffee was quickly becoming a commodity.
It was also in Europe that coffee became the quintessential breakfast drink, replacing beer and wine as the morning drink of choice. One can only imagine that this came with some perks to daily productivity as well.
New World and Modern Love

Coffee quickly became such a hot trade commodity that regions all over Europe made attempts at growing, and of course failed, leaving the world’s coffee production to the lush tropical climate of the coffee belt.
In 1720, France sent some coffee plants to its colonies in Central America, and by 1726 the region was harvesting its first crop and was on its way to coffee stardom. Today, Brazil remains the largest, and one of our favorite, growers of coffee in the world. Greatness really does come from humble beginnings.
For thousands of years, we have had a love affair with coffee. From Kaldi and his goats, to Arabian coffee houses and Venetian merchants, coffee has woven its way into our lives and our hearts.
Even though coffee’s roots are thousands of years old, we feel confident that there is much of coffee’s story that has yet to be told. And, we are excited to be a part of it.

 About Nomad Coffee Club

Nomad Coffee Club is a coffee subscription company founded in New York with offices in both Manhattan and Los Angeles. We source small-batch green coffee beans globally and roast them locally in Los Angeles. This allows our customers to become coffee “Nomads” while never leaving the comfort of their own home.
We also believe in giving back. A portion of all of our sales go back to improving the lives of the coffee farmers and the working conditions they endure on a daily basis.
We provide subscriptions for individuals and businesses in one month, 3-month, 6-month and yearly increments. For the coffee lovers in your life, we also provide gift subscriptions.

#BookReview ~ A Family At War #WW2 #History #memoirs @berylkingston

A Family At WarBy Beryl Kingston

This is a story for people who want to know what it was really like to be a child during the war and in the London Blitz. But it will also interest people who can't understand how anyone would want to deliberately hurt a child or an animal, since at its centre is a closely observed character study of an abuser, cruelty, selfishness, bravery under fire, fantasy world and all.

What did I think of the book?
It was hard growing up while bombs dropped from the sky. It was even harder to do so without a mother's love.
A Family at War by Beryl Kingston is one of those books, that after reading, I found myself pausing and giving myself time to digest what I had just read. A Family at War is a heartbreakingly true story about a child who is absolutely desperate for her mother's love. But instead of love and security and everything a mother should give, Beryl is subjected to terrible emotional and physical abuse from her very mentally unstable mother. But despite that, she tries so hard to please this unpleasable woman. No matter what Beryl does, it is never good enough, and many times she is physically reprimanded for doing absolutely nothing wrong.
This book is a very honest account of her very complicated family dynamics growing up. Everyone was scared of her mother, including her father and her gran. Beryl had no one to stand up for her, and that is what really broke my heart. All I can say is thank goodness for Roy. He was a beacon of light, and I can understand why Beryl fell in love with him.
I have to talk about the writing of this book. It was sublime. I have read a fair few autobiographies, but this one is something very special. It is certainly on par with Frank McCourt's, Angela's Ashes.  What I thought was amazing about the writing was how it reflected the age of the child. This is incredibly difficult to do well, but Ms Kingston nailed it. Kudos, Ms. Kingston.
Ms. Kingston grew up during the blitz, and anyone who is looking for a book that demonstrated the horror of the blitz, through the eyes of a child, will certainly take a lot away from this book.
I could go on and on about this book. It was truly wonderful.
I Highly Recommend.


Links to Purchase
Amazon US  Amazon UK


About the author
I was born in 1931 in Tooting, and when I was four was enrolled at a local dancing school run by a lady called Madam Hadley, which I attended until I was eight when the war began. Because of the war my school career was – shall we say – varied. I was evacuated twice, the first time to Felpham which is near Bognor Regis and the second to Harpenden in Hertfordshire, and consequently went to ten different schools. I ended up at Streatham Secondary School, an LCC grammar run on the Dalton system, which offered a few lessons as sparking points and then required pupils to be responsible for their own learning, either in study rooms with their teachers on hand to help and advise, or on their own in the library or the school hall. It suited me to a T. Then to King’s College London, where I read English and enjoyed myself a lot, but wasn’t particularly distinguished, having other things on my mind by then...