Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 207

#bookreview ~ Fairy Keeper (World of Aluvia #1) #YA @AmyBearce

Fairy Keeper (World of Aluvia #1) ByAmy Bearce


Forget cute fairies in pretty dresses. In the world of Aluvia, most fairies are more like irritable, moody insects. Almost everyone in the world of Aluvia views the fairy keeper mark as a gift, but not fourteen-year-old Sierra. She hates being a fairy keeper, but the birthmark is right there on the back of her neck. It shows everyone she was born with the natural ability to communicate, attract, and even control the tiny fairies whose nectar is amazingly powerful. Fairy nectar can heal people, but it is also a key ingredient in synthesizing Flight, an illegal elixir that produces dreaminess, apathy and hallucinations. She’s forced to care for a whole hive of the bee-like beasties by her Flight-dealing, dark alchemist father.

Then one day, Sierra discovers the fairies of her hatch are mysteriously dead. The fairy queen is missing. Her father’s Flight operation is halted, and he plans to make up for the lost income by trading her little sister to be an elixir runner for another dark alchemist, a dangerous thug. Desperate to protect her sister, Sierra convinces her father she can retrieve the lost queen and get his operation up and running.

The problem? Sierra’s queen wasn’t the only queen to disappear. They’re all gone, every single one, and getting them back will be deadly dangerous.

Sierra journeys with her best friend and her worst enemy -- assigned by her father to dog her every step -- to find the missing queens. Along the way, they learn that more than just her sister’s life is at stake if they fail. There are secrets in the Skyclad Mountains where the last wild fairies were seen. The magic Sierra finds there has the power to transform their world, but only if she can first embrace her calling as a fairy keeper.
What did I think of the Book?


It is only when you lose someone that you realise just how much they meant to you in the first place.
No one asked Sierra if she wanted to be a Fairy Keeper, but nevertheless, that is what she is. She doesn't even like fairies all that much; they are vile things which bite and scratch and in worse cases sting. But they have their uses, for their nectar is powerful indeed, it is used for healing. However, that is not all that the nectar is used for, for there are those who harness the power of the nectar and change it into an illegal elixir that is as addictive as it is cruel. Only the lowest of criminals would profit from the nectar of fairies, unfortunately for Sierra, her father is such a man. But as long as her fairies keep producing the nectar then Sierra and her little sister are safe from her father's cruelty and always ready fist.
Then one-day disaster strikes, all the fairies are dead, apart from the Queen and she is missing. It is now a race against time to find out where Sierra's Queen is and bring her home, if she does not then her sister will be sold to Brentwood, a vile man, to settle her father's debt.
Page one caught my attention; by page two I was captivated. Fairy Keeper is a page-turning adventure of a read. I lost myself in this most amazing world that Bearce has created. It is like escaping to Narnia only so much better. The attention to detail brings Aluvia to life; it is so easy to visualise this fantastical, magical world. Bearce has created a truly stunning backdrop for the most amazing story.
I adored the characterisation of Sierra. She is an incredibly strong heroine who has an awful time of it. She has an abusive father, but she vows to keep her younger sister safe from his fierce temper. She struggles with her moments of failures, but she is willing to learn from them. When she starts this difficult journey to find her Fairy Queen, her thoughts are purely occupied with preventing her sister from being sold, by the end of the trip, she has learnt what being a Fairy Keeper means and atones for the things she has done wrong in the past. I could not help, but like Sierra, she is a real joy to read about.
The plot was so engaging and so fast-paced that time just flew by while I read this book. I am loving this series, and I can't wait to read book 2.
I Highly Recommend.


Links for PurchaseAmazon USAmazon UK  About the author
Amy Bearce writes fantasy stories for tweens and teens. Her debut, FAIRY KEEPER, is an upper-middle grade fantasy and is the first book in the World of Aluvia series. MER-CHARMER (World of Aluvia, Book Two) released May 9, 2016. Book Three, Dragon Redeemer, is scheduled for release May 23, 2017. She is a former reading teacher who now has her Masters in Library Science. As an Army kid, she moved eight times before she was eighteen, so she feels especially fortunate to be married to her high school sweetheart. Together they’re raising two daughters and are currently living in Germany, though they'll be heading home to Texas this summer.

Author's Inspiration – Stephanie Churchill #historicalfantasy @WriterChurchill

The Scribe’s Daughter

Kassia is a thief and a soon-to-be oath breaker. Armed with only a reckless wit and sheer bravado, seventeen-year-old Kassia barely scrapes out a life with her older sister in a back-alley of the market district of the Imperial city of Corium. When a stranger shows up at her market stall, offering her work for which she is utterly unqualified, Kassia cautiously takes him on. Very soon however, she finds herself embroiled in a mystery involving a usurped foreign throne and a vengeful nobleman. Most intriguing of all, she discovers clues to the disappearance of her father three years prior. When Kassia is forced to flee her home, suffering extreme hardship, danger and personal trauma along the way, she feels powerless to control what happens around her. Rewarding revelations concerning the mysteries of her family's past are tempered by the reality of a future she doesn't want. In the end, Kassia discovers an unyielding inner strength, and that contrary to her prior beliefs, she is not defined by external things -- she discovers that she is worthy to be loved.
Author’s Inspiration
Inspiration is a funny thing.  It’s often at its best when we aren’t looking for it, and when it comes calling, we’d better be prepared for the earth-shattering results when it’s taken seriously.
Like so many other authors, I never dreamed of being one; though in all honesty, the signs were always there if only I’d been paying attention.  As a child, I was a consummate daydreamer.  My happy place was most often found wandering my grandparents’ farm in rural Nebraska, dreaming up intricate stories in my head.  Writing in school came easily to me.  When I was in college, the professor of my required creative writing class continually called attention to my work as an example of what to do.  Despite all of this, it never occurred to me to actually write anything.  I thought knowing how to write well was no big deal.  Couldn’t everyone do it?  Didn’t everyone have movies running in their heads, with the only requirement for writing that you snatch those images and commit them to paper?
Fast forward into adulthood… While working as a paralegal in downtown Minneapolis, I rode the bus to and from work, an hour each way, every day, all week.  Needless to say, I inhaled books.  It was during these years that I discovered author Sharon Kay Penman.  After several years of loving her books, social media became a “thing”, and I began to actively engage in her Facebook fan club -- and through that, with Ms. Penman herself.
In 2011, Ms. Penman published her book, Lionheart.  As the result of a Facebook conversation in which she mentioned that authors rarely get detailed comments from readers about the specifics of why they love the books they read, I decided to do just that.  Consequently, I wrote her an embarrassingly long review (12 pages) of Lionheart.  After she recovered from her shock, we began to communicate regularly.  It was Ms. Penman herself who asked me the fated question, “Have you ever thought about writing?”
And thus The Scribe’s Daughter was born, but it was actually born out of an experiment.  When I set about writing my first book, I initially used a story that had been in my head for a decade (during the years it never occurred to me to be a writer)

 I wrote the first draft fairly quickly, but there was just something about the voice I didn’t love.  So I started thinking about what it would be like to write in first person.  As someone who loves to daydream, and who has an inner monologue continually running in her head at any given moment in time, it seemed a natural method of writing a story.

Right away I imagined that scene from the Disney movie Aladdin where Aladdin has just stolen an apple and is running away from the city guards, singing the song “One Jump”:
Gotta keepOne jump ahead of the breadlineOne swing ahead of the swordI steal only what I can't afford
I loved the idea of a feisty female heroine, so I re-imagined that scene from Aladdin, but this time with a character who would become Kassia.  She intrigued me so much that I kept writing, adding one more scene, and then another.  Her sarcasm and caustic wit grew on me, and I couldn’t stop writing.  I felt pretty confident engaging with this reckless teen-aged girl, and I enjoyed her immensely.  Until....

     ...happened.
And this is where sneaky inspiration (the kind you aren’t looking for) rears its earth-shattering head.
I nearly stopped writing at this point, because I was too shocked by what had just happened to Kassia.  Who was I to write about such a thing?  Severe self-doubt slipped into my already-fragile-new- author-façade, and I second- and third- ad nauseam guessed myself.  After consulting with my writing mentor, who encouraged me to keep going, I decided that this single event would actually serve as the most vital key to developing the theme of the entire book.  My thoughts turned more philosophical.  Rather than simply tell a good story, I needed to do more -- I asked myself why.  My focus changed, and I’d never seen it coming.
Anyone who is honest will admit that they know at least one person in their life who has experienced some form of trauma.  For many of these individuals, that trauma involves some sort of abuse – be it physical, emotional, or sexual.  While I certainly hoped my book would be enjoyed by a wide variety of people from all walks of life and a wide age range, victims of abuse were primarily the ones I tried to speak to in the narrative.
And because abuse touches young and old alike, I needed the book to be accessible to younger readers as well as adults.  So how was one to go about handling such a hard topic while writing it so that it would go over the heads of the innocent while making it meaningful to the rest?  I wanted it to be authentic, but I also knew that authenticity would be ugly and uncomfortable, and that there would be a certain percentage of readers who would be turned off by the descent into authenticity, seeing no need for what happened to poor Kassia.  Still, I tried to keep in mind the warring sensibilities of the various audiences while remaining true to my purpose.  This was a challenge I faced until the very last page of the book.  If the book communicated a message of hope to those who needed it while simply coming off as a very well written piece of literature for everyone else, all my work was worth it.
So the next time you think about inspiration, realize it is a funny thing.  It most often comes when you aren’t looking for it, and when it comes calling, you’d better be prepared for the earth-shattering results if you take it seriously.

Twitter: @WriterChurchillFacebook: facebook.com/StephanieChurchillAuthorWebsite: www.stephaniechurchillauthor.com
Links for PurchaseAmazon
About the author

 I used to live my life as an unsuspecting part of the reading public.  I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and then after attending college in Iowa, moved to Washington, D.C.  Spending my days in a Georgetown law firm, by all outward appearances I was a paralegal working in international trade and then antitrust law.  I liked books, and I read them often, but that’s all I was: a reader of books.
When my husband and I got married, I moved to the Minneapolis metro area and found work as a corporate paralegal, specializing in corporate formation, mergers & acquisitions, and corporate finance.  Again, by all outward appearances, I was a paralegal and a reader of books.
And then one day, while on my lunch break, I visited the neighboring Barnes & Noble and happened upon a book by author Sharon Kay Penman, and while I’d never heard of her before, I took a chance and bought the book.  That day I became a reader of historical fiction.
Fast forward a dozen years or so, and I had become a rabid fan of Sharon Kay Penman’s books as well as historical fiction in general.  Because of a casual comment she’d made on social media, I wrote Ms. Penman a ridiculously long review of her latest book, Lionheart.  As a result of that review, she asked me what would become the most life-changing question: “Have you ever thought about writing?”  And The Scribe’s Daughter was born.
When I’m not writing or taxiing my two children to school or other activities, I’m likely walking our dog Cozmo or reading another book.  The rest of my time is spent trying to survive the murderous intentions of Minnesota’s weather.
Useful LinksTwitter: @WriterChurchillFacebook: facebook.com/StephanieChurchillAuthorWebsite: www.stephaniechurchillauthor.com

Author’s Inspiration ~ Brian Kitchen #HisFic #Romans @Oldbrookender

It is with the greatest of pleasure that I welcome Historical Fiction author, Brian Kitchen,  back onto the blog today to talk about the inspirations behind his book…Dark Betrayal
‘Rich with historical detail’ – Richard Foreman Britain, February 392 AD. Flavius Vitulasius is at his father’s villa in Ad Trivonam when he receives a letter from his boss, Aulus, informing him of his latest mission. Flavius is a former soldier who is now a Magistriani. He works with his friend Siward. The Roman Empire is on the brink of civil war. The Western Roman Emperor Valentinian has died in mysterious circumstance following a long running dispute with the commanding general of his army, Arbogastes, a Frank. It is feared that Arbogastes has a candidate he will install on the Western throne as his puppet. The Eastern Emperor Theodosius, fears that the Empire will once more be plunged into civil war. The war chest is depleted, and Theodosius needs the money to finance an army. Previously Emperor Theodosius spared the lives of the usurper Magnus Maximus’ wife Elen and their two children when he was overthrown. Emperor Theodosius wants Flavius and Siward to find Elen. She might know what happened to the Silver Host, a treasure believed to have been hidden by Magnus and his men that can fund the looming civil war. Joined by their friend Lucius, their mission takes Flavius and Siward throughout Britain and Segontium and across the sea to Hibernia in search of the Silver Host. Yet an old enemy always seems one step ahead of them: the Saxon woman, Gunhilde, who is working for Arbogastes’ chief agent in Britain. In Hibernia Flavius and his friends must infiltrate a dangerous court to free a man with vital information. However, what affect will their actions have in the perilous court of the High King? Returning to Britain, Flavius, Lucius and Siward finally learn the truth about the Silver Host, but a more dangerous situation has now arisen. The political situation is now on a knife edge. Flavius, Siward and Lucius soon find out that those who they once thought of as friends will now betray them. A woman who was abandoned and abused as a child, and a group of women loyal to the Goddess, are now their biggest threat. Rich with historical detail and intrigue, Dark Betrayal is an action adventure and a must for anyone interested in the time when Rome’s rule was threatened by political intrigue and barbarian uprisings.
Author's Inspiration Remains of the Barrack blocks at SegontiumElen Luyddog (Elen of the Hosts)I’ve always been fascinated in the old Welsh legends and particularly those about Magnus Maximus, who was declared Emperor by the Roman troops in 383ad. When I came to write ‘Dark Betrayal’ the second novel in my ‘Divided Empire’ series I wanted to include Elen and the surviving members of her family in the story. The historical records of the time do not mention Magnus Maximus’ wife’s name, but she is known to have sought spiritual counsel from St. Martin of Tours during his time at Trier. Nor is her fate after Magnus’ downfall recorded, though the records do state that the Emperor Theodosius spared the lives of Magnus’ mother and his daughters. Magnus and Elen’s eldest son, Flavius Victor had been hunted down and killed by Theodosius’ general, Arbogastes, after Magnus’ defeat. Wanting to find more information on Elen it was to the ‘The Dream of Macsen Wledig’ that I turned.  ‘The Dream of Macsen Wledig’ in the ‘Mabinogion’ tells Maximus’ story, but also that of his wife Elen Luyddog, ‘Elen of the Hosts’. In the legends, Elen is said to have been the daughter of Eudaf Hen, also known as Octavius the old. Eudaf held the title of Dux Gewissei and is said to have held as part of his lands, Arfon, the area around Segontium, the modern-day Caernarvon in North Wales. Marriage to Elen was said to have given Magnus Maximus control of the Segontium based troops who became his personal bodyguard. Whilst doing my research I also managed to find possible names for his daughters. The name Sevira or Severa (as I have called her in my book) is carved on the Pillar of Eliseg, an early medieval carved stone in Wales and she is said to have married Vortigern, king of the Britons, who those of you who have read the Arthurian legends will have come across before. Another of Magnus and Elen’s daughters may possibly have married Ennodius, the Proconsul of Africa and her name might have been Aelia. The legends also record that Magnus and Elen had a younger son, Constantine, who was only an infant when his father was killed.Some accounts have Elen being Magnus Maximus’ second wife, his first being Ceindrech. Magnus and Ceindrech are said to have had two sons, Owain, who became the King of Glywysing which embraced Glamorgan in S.E. Wales. The other son was said to have been Antonius Donatus, the ancestor of the Kings of the Isle of Man. When Magnus set off with his army for Gaul, Antonius Donatus is said to have set himself up as the King of Strathclyde and Galloway. This could have been part of the enigmatic Roman British province of Valentia, which some scholars think was situated in the stretch of land between Hadrian’s Wall and the Antonine Wall. A general view of the Porthmadog area So, how did Elen gain the title of ‘Elen of the Hosts’?  One account has that as Elen accompanied Magnus on his conquest of Gaul and had marched with her husbands’ army, she earned the epithet of ‘Luyddog’ meaning ‘of the Hosts’. Another account in the Welsh Triads, says that Elen and her brother Cynan led one of the ‘Three Silver Hosts of the Island of Britain’. Each of the Silver Hosts numbered 21,000 men and were so called because the gold and silver of Britain went with them (to pay the troops no doubt).  Cynan’s forces were said to have consisted of a large contingent from Siluria (Gwent, Wales) and Gorwenydd (Glamorgan, Wales). As a reward for his participation in the campaign, Cynan was given land, dominion and authority in the area which included the old Roman coastal command called the Armorican Tract. The descendants of these British troops of Cynan’s who settled there, may have been the Armoricans who were part of Aegidius’ army in Gaul (455-464ad). In ‘Dark Betrayal’ Magnus’ son Owain is still living and I have the Roman villa at Llantwit Major as being his home. Ruins of a Roman bathhouse were discovered at Tremadog, a village near Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Wales and in my book this features as the bathhouse of a villa that Flavius and his friends stay at in Brannogenium whilst they are travelling with Elen and her daughters to see Owain. The whereabouts of Brannogenium isn’t exactly known, but I took a writer’s liberty and placed it at Tremadog, postulating that the Lleyn peninsula would have needed a market town and there didn’t appear to be any others in the area.
 The reconstructed Roman VillaWe’ll probably never know for sure whether Elen was Magnus Maximus’ wife, but I like to think so and do believe that the Welsh legends probably give a good account of her life.
Links to PurchaseAmazon USAmazon UK
About the author
I live in Burton upon Trent, England and am married to Lynne and have a son, Mark and two tortoise shell cats, Tansy & Zoe. I enjoy walking in the countryside, photography, reading, writing, visiting museums and historic sites & buildings and supporting Burton Albion. I first became interested in the history of Roman Britain as a child and loved the 'Eagle of the Ninth' trilogy of novels by Rosemary Sutcliff. When I was older I read & studied all that I could about the history of the period, visiting many museums and archaeological sites to further improve my knowledge. I am a member of The Association for Roman Archeology.I've always had a passion for writing and when I retired from Local Government Health & Social Services, I wrote a guest column in our local newspaper for two years and also decided to write novels set in late 4th Century CE Roman Britain. The first of the Flavius Vitulasius Novels, 'Divided Empire' is my first published novel, but there are many more to come and the second novel is nearing completion. I hope that you enjoying reading the novels as much as I've enjoyed writing them.Should you wish to know more about Flavius & his friends, you can find me at:Twitter: Brian John Kitchen @OldbrookenderWebsite: www.briankitchen.me.ukFacebook: facebook.com/FlaviusVitulasius

#bookreview ~ To Raise a King (The Broken Crown Book 1) #Arthurian #HistFic @jaortonwriter

 To Raise a King  (The Broken Crown Book 1)ByJustin Orton

When Matt escapes a Scottish boys' home to search for his parents, he instead finds himself fleeing for his life. Cast back in time to the brutality of 6th-century Scotland, he is sent on a dangerous quest - a race to recover the missing fragments of a broken crown and save two worlds from certain destruction.
Love, betrayal and murder follow Matt as he struggles against a backdrop of powerful magic and political tension that soon erupts into open war. Matt's faith in himself, and his trust in his newfound friends will be put to the ultimate test as he fights to Raise a King..
What did I think of the Book?
What happens when History and Legend collides…?
Matt longs for what he does not have. A family. A mother who loves him. A father to guide him. Instead, he lives in a home for boys. Abandoned. Forgotten. Alone. His only comfort is his dog, Mia.
Matt is so determined to find his parents that he takes matters into his own hands and runs away. What he didn't expect was to end up in 6th Century Scotland! What happens next will challenge everything he thought he knew about himself, the world, and as it turns out, the not so legendary King Arthur.
Rich in history, overflowing with Arthurian myths and legends, Justin Orton takes his readers on quite a journey. With an elegant wit and descriptive prose, Orton brings to life the beauty and the brutality of 6th Century Scotland. To Raise a King (The Broken Crown Book 1)  is so rich in detail that I could smell the rain in the air, see the vastness of the lochs, and the majestic heights of the mountains.
The protagonist, Matt, is an incredibly courageous young man who's life is turned completely upside down. Everything he thought he knew turns out to be a lie. Suddenly, King Arthur isn't a fairy story and Merlin is real.  Matt finds himself part of this very complicated world to which he had no prior knowledge of. Matt has courage beyond his years, and I could not help but like him. He is the hero of this story. Matt was very real in the telling, and his character drove the story forward and kept me turning those pages.
Orton has obviously spent a lot of time researching this fascinating era, and it comes across in the writing. I like what he did with the Arthurian Legend, and he gave this ancient story a slight Science-Fiction twist which worked remarkably well.
A great deal happens in this book, and there is this sense that no one is as they seem and at one point I was questioning, just like Matt, who were the bad guys! I like a book that makes me think!!
To Raise a King (The Broken Crown Book 1) is an action-packed adventure, that kept me turning those pages. I look forward to reading more books in this series. Justin Orton, you have got yourself a new fan!!
I Highly Recommend!!

Links for Purchase
Amazon US
Amazon UK
About the author


I spend most days delving into the world of computer code and unraveling programming mysteries for many major corporations, but my true passion is fictional writing.
My work is always supervised by Oliver (my cat), who’s four-legged contributions can often be found in both my coding and writing (all spelnig errors r stritcly his!).
I was born and raised in England, but now live with my beautiful wife Lisa in Florida (famous for its theme parks, beaches, the occasional hurricane, and a certain mouse).

My hobbies include: reading, movies, history, travel (I want to see mountains again Gandalf – mountains!), and exploring the latest gadgets and gizmos.

I’m rather fond of single malt scotch and it’s not uncommon to find me of an evening, sipping on a fine dram, while pondering how to get a character out of the very awkward situation I recently put them in!

#bookreview ~ Dragon Redeemer (World of Aluvia #3) #YA @AmyBearce

Dragon Redeemer(World of Aluvia #3)ByAmy Bearce

Four years have passed since a fairy swarm released the voice of prophecy in Nell Brennan. In that painful moment, a skilled warrior became a reluctant leader and defender of Aluvia’s magic. Now a new enemy threatens their still-fragile lands, one Nell feels powerless to stop even with help from the voice within her.

A mysterious dark alchemist from the Ice-Locked Lands is rising to power on the strength of his sword arm and an ice-breathing dragon obedient to his command. He promises unlimited magic to his followers and death to those who defy him. If he takes over the ports, his corrupt elixirs will disrupt the delicate balance of peace between Aluvia's people and all magical creatures.

The voice of prophecy sends Nell and her friends to their enemy’s treacherous domain to find a sword of legend. Only the sword’s magic can prevent a return to a world of dying fairies and caged merfolk. But Nell’s up against the toughest foe she’s ever faced. In order to defeat him, she must master the unimaginable power of the sword―and the unwanted magic inside herself.
What did I make of the book?

Magic in the wrong hands will bring misery to all.
Nell Brennan has started to hear voices, which on the face of it is nothing new, for often she is paralysed by a strange prognostic magic that she has no control over. However, this time the voice is talking directly to her, and no one else can hear it. It is a worrying new development.
Then news comes of a powerful alchemist who has mastered dragons and other magical creatures and can now bend them to his will. This mysterious man threatens to destroy everything Nell and her friends hold dear. But to defeat him, Nell must embrace the magic inside of her. If she does not, then certain doom awaits the land of Aluvia, for no one, whether that be human or magical creature, will ever be safe again.
The world that Ms Bearce has woven is the most magical of places. It is a place where mythical creatures live alongside humans in relative harmony. Through Bearce's most captivating prose it is easy to imagine fairies, griffins and snow spirts. And of course the dragons, who are a proud and noble race. The dragons are the rulers of the skies and bow down to no one — apart from the windsteeds, but no one has seen one of them in years.  I was completely captivated by the world Bearce has created.  I felt as if I could feel the cold of the snow on my hands and the hot breath of a dragon on my face.
Nell is a very strong character who hates the magic she has been 'gifted' with and would love to go back to doing what she does best — being a warrior. But fate has other plans for Nell. When the prophecy calls for her to save Aluvia, she does not shrink from her responsibilities but faces them head on and with a courage that is wondrous to behold. The task ahead seems impossible, and she has her moments of doubt, but her struggle to fight the corrupted magic and to see past the anger and the hate and find in her heart love and compassion makes for a compelling read. Nell is not alone in this journey, her friends are steadfast in their loyalty to her and are willing to, quite literally, travel with her to the dangerous unknown to help her save Aluvia.
Dragon Redeemer is book 3 of a series — I have not read the other books, but I didn't need to. This book stands tall and proud on its own merit, although I have to confess I will definitely be reading the other two books in the series as soon as possible, for I want to return to this fascinating and wonderful land.
This book was pure escapism for me. Time seemed to stand still while the pages flew by. This is a sit-down and finish book and one I would not hesitate in recommending.
I Highly Recommend.

I received an ARC of this book from Curiosity Quills Press for review consideration.

Links for Purchase
Expected publication: May 23rd 2017 by Curiosity Quills Press
Amazon author page
About the author


Amy Bearce writes fantasy stories for tweens and teens. Her debut, FAIRY KEEPER, is an upper-middle grade fantasy and is the first book in the World of Aluvia series. MER-CHARMER (World of Aluvia, Book Two) released May 9, 2016. Book Three, Dragon Redeemer, is scheduled for release May 23, 2017. She is a former reading teacher who now has her Masters in Library Science. As an Army kid, she moved eight times before she was eighteen, so she feels especially fortunate to be married to her high school sweetheart. Together they’re raising two daughters and are currently living in Germany, though they'll be heading home to Texas this summer.

Author’s Inspiration ~ Joan Fallon #HistFic @joan_fallon

It is with the greatest of pleasure that I welcome Historical Fiction author, Joan Fallon, on to the blog. Joan is going totell us about her inspirations behind her fabulous book…
The Shining City
 
This is the story of a city, a city that is now in ruins: Madinat al Zahra.  The year is 947 AD, a time when southern Spain is under the rule of the Moors. The ruler, Caliph al Rahman III is rich, powerful and cultured. His lands are, at long last, at peace and the capital, Córdoba, is considered to be not only the most beautiful city in the civilised world but also the seat of learning and culture.  Against this background we meet the artisan Qasim - he and his family have moved to Madinat al Zahra to make their fortune as potters. Qasim is a good husband and father.  He works hard, says his prayers and keeps out of trouble. But Qasim has a secret; his past is not what it seems. When a stranger arrives asking questions about him, he is worried that his secret will be discovered and everything he has worked for will be destroyed. He has to take action.
Author’s Inspiration
The first book in my historical fiction series, The al-Andalus trilogy, is called ‘The Shining City.’  It is a novel based on the story of a family of Moorish artisans—potters—who lived in the 10th century in southern Spain, only a short distance from where I am living now. Since moving to Spain I had become fascinated with the country’s Moorish heritage and long considered writing a book set at some point during the 700 years of their occupation.  The reason I was inspired to write this particular story was because, back in 2000, I picked up a leaflet about an exhibition of Umayyad art that was to be held in a place called Madinat al-Zahra, just outside the city of Córdoba.  The Umayyads were the rulers of the Muslim world until the 8th century and rulers of Spain after that for almost 250 years. The exhibition was excellent but I was more impressed by the site they had chosen for it: Madinat al-Zahra. This was the ruins of a palace/city built by Abd al-Rahman III just after he proclaimed himself Caliph of al-Andalus—the name that was given to present day Andalusia.  The city was reputed to have been the most wonderful in the western world and covered the entire hillside—25,000 men worked on constructing it.  Abd al-Rahman III himself had 400 rooms in the palace.  It was filled with marble and gold, exquisite engravings and silk hangings, a palace fit for a caliph.  It was said that 800 loaves of bread were used each day just to feed the fish in the fountains and lakes. And what was even more fascinating to me was the length of time that the city was in existence.  Work was started on it in the year 936 AD and only 70 years later it was already abandoned, and falling into decay.  For the next thousand years it was looted, its beautiful buildings broken down and used as building materials—you can find pillars and masonry from the city incorporated in the building of neighbouring cities, including Málaga—until it was as it is today, a ruin. This is the place that inspired my novel.    




I have always been interested in social history and so decided to write the story of a Moorish family of artisans who had gone to Madinat al-Zahra to work but before I could start I had to learn something of what life was like, not just in that city but in Moorish Spain in the 10th century.   It was a time known as The Golden Age, a period of peace and stability, with a culture and civilisation far beyond the rest of Europe.  The more I read, the more I became impressed with the achievements of those early Moorish conquerors and was surprised to learn that the women of the time had much more freedom, education and rights than one might imagine. 
The title of the novel comes from the Arab word, Zahra which means brilliant or shining.  Considering the amount of gold and precious metals used in the construction of the palace, it seemed appropriate to call my novel ‘The Shining City.’
But the inspiration didn’t stop there because I soon became aware that not only did the city itself fall into decay but the Umayyad dynasty was destined to end within two generations. Abd-Rahman III’s son and heir was homosexual and it was thought he would never produce an heir. The incredible story of how he was manipulated into producing two sons forms the basis of the second book in the trilogy. It is very true that truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction.
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About the author 

Born in Scotland, Joan Fallon has always wanted to be a writer. Books are her passion and she grew up reading everything she could get her hands on. Although writing was always a major part of her work, both as a teacher and later, as a management consultant and trainer, it wasn’t until ten years ago that she had the opportunity to devote herself to being a novelist. It was when she moved to Spain that she decided that the time had come to take her writing seriously. She enrolled in an Open University course in Creative Writing - the same university where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Open in the early eighties - and hasn’t stopped writing since. Because her working life, during the 1970s and through to the nineties, was that of a woman struggling for recognition in a man’s world, almost all her books have a strong female protagonist. She writes mainly about women and the challenges they have to face because she understands them best. She also likes to write about the past, but not kings and queens, rather the social fabric of society. To date she has written four historical novels, five contemporary novels and one book of non-fiction. Joan is a member of the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.Useful LinksWebsite Twitter    Facebook Linkedin

Researching The Du Lac Chronicles ~ #Cornwall #amwriting #Arthurian

“You don’t need another book on the Saxons and the Celts.”

"I could argue with you, but I won't. What I do need to do is head back to Cornwall!"

Writing isn’t just about locking yourself in a room, sitting down in front of a computer and typing a story — if only it were that easy. No, that is not how it works at all because at some point a writer, no matter what genre they write in, is going to have to do some research. I spend more time researching that I do writing and sometimes it is about really obscure things ~ the history of cobblestones is one thing that immediately comes to my mind. I am still waiting on that pub quiz! But, sometimes, I find, I have to get out of the house and actually visit the places that I am describing. I am lucky because I write about Britain in the Dark Ages and I live in Britain — England to be exact.
Book 3 of The Du Lac Chronicles, which I am currently writing, is, for the most part, set in Dark Age Cornwall. I love Cornwall, I mean who doesn't? I had come to a point in the story where I really wanted to go back to Cornwall so that I could soak up the atmosphere.

"It is for work purposes," I told my husband. 
I don't think he was fooled. I love Cornwall. Any excuse to visit. 
So I packed the kids, and the husband, in the car and off we went to Tintagel. Tintagel, it is said, was where King Arthur was conceived. Of course, with all things Arthur, it most likely isn’t, but Geoffrey of Monmouth said it was, so it must be right…?!




This sculpture of Arthur is a whopping 8 feet — maybe Briton really was once ruled by giants. Who knew?!
Anyway, I thought I would share some pictures. Tintagel is quite the tourist attraction, so we got there for opening, and although there were a few people around, it wasn’t too busy. It did mean we had Merlin’s Cave to ourselves for at least five minutes!!

Isn't it great?! At high-tide the cave fills with water.

Despite having an opening either end of the cave, it is still pretty dark and I must admit, I turned my phones torch on because yes, that is right, I don't like to be in a cave in the pitch dark!

The beach, where the cave can be found, is equally impressive!




Then we braved the steps up the castle itself. There are a many steps, be warned, they are not even, but the higher you climb the greater the views are!



I felt the need for a black horse so I could go galloping across the cliff face like Poldark does!!
I came back feeling refreshed and ready to crack on with my story. But I think I may need another trip down to Cornwall soon. Bodmin Moor is calling me!!!

Author’s Inspiration ~ Raelle Logan #HistFic #Romance @GallegKris

It is with the greatest of pleasure that I welcome Historical Romance author, Raelle Logan, on to the blog. Raelle is going to tell us about her inspirations behind her latest book…BLACKHEARTByRaelle Logan  
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.Useful Links Website Facebook TwitterGoodreads       

#bookreview ~ I Dared the Duke #Regency #Romance

I Dared the Duke:
A Wayward Wallflowers Novel(The Wayward Wallflowers)
By
Anna Bennett

Alexander Savage, the Duke of Blackshire, is known throughout the ton for three things: the burn scars on his neck, his ornery disposition, and the trail of broken hearts behind him. None of which would concern Miss Elizabeth Lacey in the least—if she weren’t living under his roof. As his grandmother’s companion, Beth is all too concerned with the moody and compelling duke. Incensed by his plans to banish the sweet dowager duchess to the country, Beth refuses to do his bidding. If Alex wants her help, he’s going to have to take her dare…and grant her three wishes.Alex adores his grandmother, which is precisely why she must leave. A string of unfortunate incidents has him worried for the safety of everyone around him—including the dowager’s loyal and lovely companion, Beth. But the notorious wallflower isn’t as meek as she appears, and as their battle of wills heats up, so does Alex’s desire. He’s dangerously close to falling in love with her…and revealing secrets he’d rather keep hidden. How can he convince her that his darkest days are behind him—and that, for the first time in forever, his heart is true? I Dared the Duke continues Anna Bennett's Regency-era romance series, The Wayward Wallflowers.
What did I think of the book?
What a breathtakingly beautiful, Regency Romance story.
If done right, there is no better Romance than a Regency one, in my humble opinion, and boy, did Anna Bennett get it right.
I Dared the Duke grabbed me from the first page and did not let go of me until the last. I was hooked, forget the housework, I wasn't going anywhere. The protagonists were so well drawn and realistic I could envisage them walking down the street!
I adore Alex, the notorious rake who is perhaps not as notoriously as the gossiping ton would have you believe. His back story was simply heartbreaking, but it made him all the more believable.
 The heroine, Beth, was such a strong female lead for Alex, and she was a genuinely lovely person. The whole relationship just worked, and it sucked me right in. Totally believable and a joy to watch unfold as I lost myself in the pages of this remarkable story.
The plot was super-engaging and had a real fast paced feel to it. There were lots of things that hindered the couple's relationship — his reputation and the fact that someone was trying to kill him, certainly didn't help! But this drama drove the story forward. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Hats of to you Anna Bennett, you just got yourself a new fan.
I Highly Recommend.
*I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley, for review consideration*

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About the author


Anna Bennett started swiping romances from her mom’s bookshelf as a teenager and decided that books with balls, dukes, and gowns were the best. So, when she had the chance to spend a semester in London she packed her bags—and promptly fell in love with the city, its history, and its pubs. She dreamed of writing romance, but somehow ended up a software analyst instead.

Fortunately, a few years and a few careers later, Anna found her way back to writing the stories she loves and won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart®. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children, who try valiantly not to roll their eyes whenever she quotes Jane Austen. Other weaknesses include reality TV, cute shoes, and coffee. Lots and lots

#NewRelease ~ Henry Book 3 of The Tudor Trilogy #HistFic #Tudors @tonyriches

Henry Book 3 of The Tudor Trilogy
By Tony Riches
  Bosworth 1485
After victory against King Richard III, Henry Tudor becomes King of England. Rebels and pretenders plot to seize his throne. The barons resent his plans to curb their power and he wonders who he can trust. He hopes to unite Lancaster and York through marriage to the beautiful Elizabeth of York.

With help from his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, he learns to keep a fragile peace. He chooses a Spanish Princess, Catherine of Aragon, as a wife for his son Prince Arthur. His daughters will marry the King of Scotland and the son of the Emperor of Rome. It seems his prayers are answered, then disaster strikes and Henry must ensure the future of the Tudors.
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About the author

Tony Riches is a full time author of best-selling fiction and non-fiction books. He lives by the sea in Pembrokeshire, West Wales with his wife and enjoys sea and river kayaking in his spare time.
For more information about Tony’s other books please visit his popular blog, The Writing Desk and his Wordpress website and find him on Facebook and Twitter @tonyriches.