Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 5

We are so excited to be taking Sigurd’s Swords (Olaf’s Saga, Book 2) by Eric Schumacher on tour! #HistoricalFiction #Vikings #BlogTour @DarkAgeScribe

 

Sigurd’s Swords

(Olaf’s Saga, Book 2)

By Eric Schumacher

April 26th – June 28th 2021

Publication Date: June 28, 2021Publisher: Bodn Books
Page Length: 300 Pages (print)
Genre: Historical Fiction

From best-selling historical fiction novelist, Eric Schumacher, comes the second volume in Olaf’s Saga: the adrenaline-charged story of Olaf Tryggvason and his adventures in the kingdom of the Rus.
AD 968. It has been ten summers since the noble sons of the North, Olaf and Torgil, were driven from their homeland by the treachery of the Norse king, Harald Eriksson. Having then escaped the horrors of slavery in Estland, they now fight among the Rus in the company of Olaf’s uncle, Sigurd. 
It will be some of the bloodiest years in Rus history. The Grand Prince, Sviatoslav, is hungry for land, riches, and power, but his unending campaigns are leaving the corpses of thousands in their wakes. From the siege of Konugard to the battlefields of ancient Bulgaria, Olaf and Torgil struggle to stay alive in Sigurd’s Swords, the riveting sequel to Forged by Iron. 
Pre-Order:Amazon

Eric Schumacher

Eric Schumacher (1968 - ) is an American historical novelist who currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and two children. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended college at the University of San Diego.
At a very early age, Schumacher discovered his love for writing and medieval European history, as well as authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Those discoveries continue to fuel his imagination and influence the stories he tells. His first novel, God's Hammer, was published in 2005.
Connect with Eric:Website • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn • BookBub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads 

Tour Schedule 


April 26thB for Book ReviewInterview
May 3rdLet Your Words Shine…Five Fun Things
May 10thCandlelight ReadingGuest Post 

May 17thThe Whispering BookwormInterview 
May 24thI got lost in a bookExcerpt 
May 31stThe Book Bandit’s LibraryExcerpt
June 7thMary’s TavernExcerptJudith Arnopp’s Official BlogExcerpt
June 14thCelticLady ReviewsSpotlight
June 21stM J Porter’s Official BlogGuest PostArchaeolibrarianExcerpt 
June 28thThe Magic of Wor(l)dsExcerpt

We are so excited to be taking Dawn Empress: A Novel of Imperial Rome by Faith L. Justice on tour, April 26th – May 7th 2021 #HistoricalFiciton #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @faithljustice @raggedymoonbooks

 

Dawn Empress: A Novel of Imperial Rome

(The Theodosian Women, Book Two)

By Faith L. Justice

Audiobook narrated by Kathleen Li

April 26th – May 7th 2021 
Print/ebook Publication Date: 24th May 2020Audiobook Publication Date: 19th February 2021Publisher: Raggedy Moon BooksPage Length: 354 pagesAudio Book Length: 12 hrs 41 minGenre: Biographical Historical Fiction
As Rome reels under barbarian assaults, a young girl must step up.
After the Emperor’s unexpected death, ambitious men eye the Eastern Roman throne occupied by seven-year-old Theodosius II. His older sister Pulcheria faces a stark choice: she must find allies and take control of the Eastern court or doom the imperial children to a life of obscurity—or worse. Beloved by the people and respected by the Church, Pulcheria forges her own path to power. Can her piety and steely will protect her brother from military assassins, heretic bishops, scheming eunuchs and—most insidious of all—a beautiful, intelligent bride? Or will she lose all in the trying?
Dawn Empress tells the little-known and remarkable story of Pulcheria Augusta, 5th century Empress of Eastern Rome. Her accomplishments rival those of Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great as she sets the stage for the dawn of the Byzantine Empire. Don’t miss this “gripping tale” (Kirkus Reviews); a “deftly written and impressively entertaining historical novel” (Midwest Book Reviews). Historical Novel Reviews calls Dawn Empress an “outstanding novel…highly recommended” and awarded it the coveted Editor’s Choice.
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU • Barnes and Noble • Waterstones • Kobo • Apple Books • Smashwords • Books A Million • Scribd
AudiobookAudible • iTunes • Nook Audiobook •Google Play •  Kobo Audio • BingeBooks • Chirp •  Scribd 

Faith L. Justice

Faith L. Justice writes award-winning historical novels, short stories, and articles in Brooklyn, New York where she lives with her family and the requisite gaggle of cats. Her work has appeared in Salon.com, Writer’s Digest, The Copperfield Review, and many more publications. She is Chair of the New York City chapter of the Historical Novel Society, and Associate Editor for Space and Time Magazine. She co-founded a writer’s workshop many more years ago than she likes to admit. For fun, she digs in the dirt—her garden and various archaeological sites.
Connect with Faith:Website • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn • Instagram • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads

Tour Schedule


April 26thB for Book ReviewInterviewThe Magic of Wor(l)dsExcerptBooks, Lattes & TiarasExcerpt
April 27thLet Your Words Shine…Five Fun Things
April 28thThe Writing DeskSpotlight
April 29thJudith Arnopp’s Official BlogExcerptStuart Rudge’s Official BlogInterview
April 30thBrook JournalGuest postCelticLady ReviewsSpotlight
May 3rdLoupDargent.infoExcerptHistory from a Woman's PerspectiveReview
May 4thViviana MacKade Official BlogGuest Post  
May 5thLinnea Tanner’s Official BlogExcerptHistorical Fiction With Spirit…Review 
May 6thEclectic Ramblings of Author Heather OsborneReviewI got lost in a bookReview
May 7thThe Historical Fiction BlogReview M J Porter’s Official BlogGuest PostThe Book Bandit’s LibraryReview

Welcome to Day #7 of the blog tour or The Importance of Pawns by Keira Morgan #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour @KJMMexico

 

March 25th – May 17th 2021
Publication Date: 10th March 2021Publisher: French Historical Fiction/ Fiction de la renaissance FrançaisePage Length: 380 pagesGenre: Historical Fiction
Based on historical events and characters in sixteenth-century France, this timeless tale pits envy, power and intrigue against loyalty and the strength of women’s friendships. 
The French court dazzles on the surface, but beneath its glitter, danger lurks for the three women trapped in its web. The story begins as Queen Anne lies dying and King Louis’s health is in declines. Their two daughters, Claude and young Renée, heiresses to the rich duchy of Brittany, become pawns in the games of power. 
Countess Louise d’Angoulême is named guardian to both girls. For years she has envied the dying Queen Anne, the girls’ mother. Because of her family’s dire financial problems, she schemes to marry wealthy Claude to her son. This unexpected guardianship presents a golden opportunity, but only if she can remove their protectress Baronne Michelle, who loves the princesses and safeguards their interests. 
As political tensions rise, the futures of Princess Renée and Baronne hang in the balance, threatened by Countess Louise’s hidden plots. Timid Claude, although fearful of her mother-in-law, must untangle the treacherous intrigues Countess Louise is weaving. Claude and her friends encounter one roadblock after another as they contrive to outflank the wily countess. Their goal is to protect young Princess Renée. 
In the end, faced with frightening consequences, will Claude find the courage to defend those she loves?

Head over to Let Your Words Shine… for a today’s stop! 
Click Here.

Welcome to Day #9 of the blog tour for Harvest Moon by Jenny Knipfer #CoffeePotBookClub #BlogTour #HistoricalFiction @JennyKnipfer

 

March 1st - May 3rd 2021
Publication Date: 23rd November, 2020 Publisher: Independently PublishedPage Length: 291 PagesGenre: Historical Fiction / Christian Historical Fiction
In the wilds of 19th century Ontario, Maang-ikwe, a young Ojibwe woman, falls into a forbidden love, breaks her father’s honor, and surrenders her trust to someone who betrays it. The abuse she suffers divides her from her tribe and causes her to give up what she holds most dear. 
Niin-mawin must come to grips with his culture being ripped away from him. Brought up in a “white man’s” school, he suffers through an enforced “civilized” education and separation from his family. When a man he respects reveals a secret about Niin-mawin’s past, he embarks on a search for the person he hopes can mend the part of his heart that’s always been missing. 
Both Maang-ikwe and Niin-mawin wonder how a harvest of pain and sorrow will impact their lives. Will they find the blessings amongst the hardships, or will they allow the results of division and abuse to taint their hearts forever?
Fans of historical fiction, Native American fiction, Christian historical fiction, clean romance, and literary fiction will be moved by this deep, heartfelt novel.
Head over to Archaeolibrarianfor a sneak-peek between the covers.
Click HERE. 

Join me in conversation with #HistoricalFiction author, Matthew Willis #AuthorInterview #WorldWar2 @SharpeBooks

Publication Date: 15th March 2021Publisher: Sharpe BooksPage Length: 128 PagesGenre: Historical Fiction

August 1942.

Malta stands on the brink, and Navy fighter pilot Edmund Clydesdale stands with it. One last convoy must brave the gauntlet of bombers, U-boats and warships to bring precious supplies to the island fortress. If it fails, Malta falls – and with it, the entire Mediterranean.

Edmund is a reluctant hero, a Royal Navy Sea Hurricane pilot who would rather be anywhere else. But now, it’s personal. The fate of Liena, the Maltese woman he has fallen in love with, is bound to that of the island.

Once again, a handful of outdated fighters must confront the might of the Italian and German air forces as they strive to blow the British convoy out of the water.

Edmund must face his own demons as well as his foes in the air. An old lie and a scorned ex-lover are catching up with him. If Edmund wants to fight for Liena, he must confront his past, as well as his opponents in the sky.

Operation Pedestal - the last ditch effort to keep Malta from falling.

Mary Anne: Congratulations on the release of your new book, Indomitable. What was it about this era of history that inspired you to write about it?

Matthew Willis: Thank you. I’ve been interested in the 1940s war in the air since I laid eyes on my Dad’s Airfix model Spitfire as a child, and having had the opportunity to study it in depth over the years has only increased that interest. When talking about the Mediterranean theatre in the middle of the Second World War, that interested me for a number of reasons. First, it was the real turning point where the Allies started to turn things around after a long string of defeats and setbacks. Then, it tended to be a lower priority for the newest equipment, so there’s a sense of the people out there making do with older and somewhat worn out aircraft and weapons – the underdog is always an interesting perspective.

Mary Anne: Edmund Clydesdale, the protagonist of your story, is a Navy fighter pilot. Why did you choose to write your story from a fighter pilot’s perspective?

Matthew Willis: If you always wanted to be a fighter pilot and couldn’t, the next best thing is to write about one, right? It’s a dynamic, energetic kind of combat that stimulates the senses, so it’s a fun thing to write about, not to mention that every moment can be a life-and-death struggle. In this case, writing about the Operation ‘Pedestal’ convoy in 1942, the fighter pilots were in the thick of the action, defending the ships down below from constant attack, so it made sense to take this as a point of view. On the other hand, having interviewed plenty of pilots and other aircrew from the Second World War over the years, it has always struck me that they were ordinary people who were called upon, very young, to do extraordinary things. There’s a tendency these days to regard those people as exceptional, almost superhuman, and while of course in some respects they were exceptional, they had the same doubts, fears, foibles and flaws as the rest of us, they just had to go through them in the midst of this life and death struggle. It’s something of that ordinariness-in-extremis that I wanted to portray.

Mary Anne: When researching this era, and in particularly this conflict, did you come upon any unexpected surprises? 

Matthew Willis: This is a tricky one to answer because my research into this particular operation goes back years, so there weren’t any really big surprises. And for obvious reasons, there hasn’t been much access to archives over the last year, so those little gems that you can get from a neglected file were a bit harder to come by. One thing that did feed into the book was a memo about attitudes to French airliners, which ‘buzzed’ the fleet a couple of times – the Allies were not at war with France but France was unquestionably hostile, so there was a tension over what to do when they might be sending information to countries that the Allies were at war with. Considering how high the stakes were, it was a real problem.

Mary Anne: What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing Historical Fiction?

Matthew Willis: Staying faithful to the history while pleasing the audience and creating compelling drama. Those three things can be complementary but they can be contradictory. The audience for historical fiction, particularly Second World War fiction, is extremely knowledgeable and they expect you to get the details right. At the same time they want a rattling good story – well, doesn’t everyone? So while your instincts as an author might be to do something in a particular way for the sake of the story and the characters, I find it really hard to go against what we know happened. But in part, that’s why I love historical fiction – reading and writing – as it allows you to get into the heads of people who experienced these epochal events in a way that recorded history, even personal accounts, can’t. In Indomitable, I had a few difficult choices to make, because there were some incidents that I really wanted to cover, but I couldn’t do that from the perspective of Edmund unless I changed things around a little bit. I’ve tried to do that in a way that’s respectful, and I’ve made sure I tell readers where I’ve diverted slightly from the known facts.

Mary Anne: What advice do you have for aspiring Historical Fiction authors?

Matthew Willis: Let the history guide you. Try not to come up with a story and then make the history fit it. I always start with research of something I’m interested in and come at it with an open mind. More often than not, the research itself will suggest characters, drama, conflict, tension and a narrative arc, all the things that make compelling fiction. Don’t be scared of research, that’s where you find the stories, and there’s so much primary source material online these days that you don’t have to spend half your life in archives (not that anyone can at the moment). Above all, have fun with it. The past is a different country, as LP Hartley wrote, and we can go there just for the price of the research. 

Only 0.99 on #Kindle for a Limited Time
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Read for FREE with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

Matthew Willis is a writer of historical fiction and non-fiction, and an editor of both fiction and non-fiction titles.

He is the author of the 'Fortress of Malta' series of WW2 air combat novellas, charting one fighter pilot's journey through the vital convoys in Summer 1942. He co-wrote the Oath and Crown series of historical novels with J.A. Ironside, centring on the rivalry between Harold Godwinson and William of Normandy in the years leading to the Norman invasion of England. His short story 'Energy', about the 1970s racing drivers Roger Williamson and David Purley, was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize in 2015.

Matthew's first non-fiction book, a history of a WW2 naval dive bomber, was published in 2007 by MMP Books. He followed this with titles on a number of lesser known aircraft, culminating in a major new history of the P-51 Mustang's early career, 'Mustang: the Untold Story' from Key books in 2021. He wrote the first biography of test pilot Duncan Menzies, 'Flying to the Edge', which was published by Amberley Books in 2017.

Matthew studied Literature and History of Science at the University of Kent, focussing on Joseph Conrad for his MA, and sailed for the University in national competitions. He subsequently worked as a journalist for Autosport and F1 Racing magazines, and has written for Aeroplane, Flypast and The Aviation Historian as well as maintaining the blog Naval Air History (http://navalairhistory.com)

He currently lives in Southampton with his University lecturer wife Rosalind, and their silken windhound Nikolai.

Matthew's fiction writing blog can be found at http://airandseastories.com/ and his extensive website about naval aviation, http://navalairhistory.com

Welcome to Day 6 of the blog tour for Embers by Josephine Greenland #Excerpt #YoungAdult #BlogTour @greenland_jm

 

 Embers By Josephine Greenland




March 18th - May 20th 2021
Publication Date: 4th March 2021
Publisher: Unbound
Page Length: 336 Pages
Genre: Young Adult / Crime / Mystery
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Waterstones • UK Bookshop
Two siblings, one crime. One long-buried secret.   17-year-old Ellen never wanted a holiday. What is there to do in a mining town in the northernmost corner of the country, with no one but her brother Simon – a boy with Asperger’s and obsessed with detective stories – for company?   Nothing, until they stumble upon a horrifying crime scene that brings them into a generations-long conflict between the townspeople and the native Sami. When the police dismiss Simon’s findings, he decides to track down the perpetrator himself. Ellen reluctantly helps, drawn in by a link between the crime and the siblings’ own past. What started off as a tedious holiday soon escalates into a dangerous journey through hatred, lies and self-discovery that makes Ellen question not only the relationship to her parents, but also her own identity.
Today we are heading over to I got lost in a book for a sneak-peek between the covers.
Click Here.
Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day 6 of the blog tour for A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, The Aragon Years by Judith Arnopp #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @JudithArnopp

 

17th March – 19th May 2021

Publication Date: February 2021

Publisher: Feed a Read

Page Length: 335 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

‘A king must have sons: strong, healthy sons to rule after him.’

On the unexpected death of Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, his brother, Henry, becomes heir to the throne of England. The intensive education that follows offers Henry a model for future excellence; a model that he is doomed to fail.

On his accession, he chooses his brother’s widow, Catalina of Aragon, to be his queen. Together they plan to reinstate the glory of days of old and fill the royal nursery with boys. 

But when their first-born son dies at just a few months old, and subsequent babies are born dead or perish in the womb, the king’s golden dreams are tarnished.

Christendom mocks the virile prince. Catalina’s fertile years are ending yet all he has is one useless living daughter, and a baseborn son.

He needs a solution but stubborn to the end, Catalina refuses to step aside.

As their relationship founders, his eye is caught by a woman newly arrived from the French court. Her name is Anne Boleyn.

A Matter of Conscience: the Aragon Years offers a unique first-person account of the ‘monster’ we love to hate and reveals a man on the edge; an amiable man made dangerous by his own impossible expectation.

We are stopping over on two fabulous blogs today.

Our first stop is over on Wendy J Dunn's Official Blog for a sneak-peek between the covers.

Click Here.

Our second stop of the tour is over on Elizabeth St.John’s Official for an exclusive interview.

Click Here.

Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day 9 of the #audio blog tour for State of Treason (Book 1, William Constable Spy Thrillers) By Paul Walker, Narrated by Edward Gist #HistoricalFiction @PWalkerauthor

 

February 24th - April 28th 2021
Publication Date: February 2021

Publisher: Audible Studios

Page Length: 317 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction
Amazon Audio

London, 1578
William Constable is a scholar of mathematics, astrology and practices as a physician. He receives an unexpected summons to the Queen’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham in the middle of the night. He fears for his life when he spies the tortured body of an old friend in the palace precincts.
His meeting with Walsingham takes an unexpected turn when he is charged to assist a renowned Puritan, John Foxe, in uncovering the secrets of a mysterious cabinet containing an astrological chart and coded message. Together, these claim Elizabeth has a hidden, illegitimate child (an “unknowing maid”) who will be declared to the masses and serve as the focus for an invasion.
Constable is swept up in the chase to uncover the identity of the plotters, unaware that he is also under suspicion. He schemes to gain the confidence of the adventurer John Hawkins and a rich merchant. Pressured into taking a role as court physician to pick up unguarded comments from nobles and others, he has become a reluctant intelligencer for Walsingham.Do the stars and cipher speak true, or is there some other malign intent in the complex web of scheming?
Constable must race to unravel the threads of political manoeuvring for power before a new-found love and perhaps his own life are forfeit.
We are stopping over on two fabulous blogs today.
Our first stop is over on The Magic of Wor(l)ds for an exclusive interview.
Click Here.
Our second stop of the tour is over on A Darn Good Read.
Click Here.
Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day 6 of the blog tour for Forsaking All Other by Catherine Meyrick #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #BlogTour @cameyrick1

 

16th March – 18th May 2021

Publication Date: 16th March 2018
Publisher: Courante Publishing
Page Length: 308 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Historical Romance
England, 1585.
Bess Stoughton, waiting woman to the well-connected Lady Allingbourne, has discovered that her father is arranging for her to marry an elderly neighbour. Normally obedient Bess rebels and wrests from her father a year's grace to find a husband more to her liking.
Edmund Wyard, a taciturn and scarred veteran of England’s campaign in Ireland, is attempting to ignore the pressure from his family to find a suitable wife as he prepares to join the Earl of Leicester’s army in the Netherlands.
Although Bess and Edmund are drawn to each other, they are aware that they can have nothing more than friendship. Bess knows that Edmund’s wealth and family connections place him beyond her reach. And Edmund, with his well-honed sense of duty, has never considered that he could follow his own wishes.
With England on the brink of war and fear of Catholic plots extending even into Lady Allingbourne’s household, time is running out for both of them.
Love is no game for women. The price is far too high.

Head over Adventures of a Tudor Nerd for a sneak-peek between the covers.
Click Here.

Welcome to Day 10 of the blog tour for The Dark Shadows of Kaysersberg By Michael Stolle #HistoricFiction #BlogTour @MichaelStolle16

 

February 16th- April 20th 2021
Publication Date: 27th December 2020

Publisher: Independently Published

Page Length: 223 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction / Romance / Adventure

It’s 1646 and infant King Louis XIV reigns over France; wily Cardinal Mazarin holds the reins of power - but he needs money, desperately.
Armand de Saint Paul, the younger son of a great and rich noble house, is leading a carefree life in Paris, dedicating his time to such pleasures as gambling, hunting and amorous pursuits.
Unexpectedly, Armand has to defend the honour of his house in a duel that transpires to be a deadly trap, set up by a mighty foe of the house of Saint Paul.
Will Armand be able to escape the deadly net of intrigue that soon threatens to destroy him?
How can a young man deal with love, when it’s no longer a game, but a dream beyond reach?
The leading question is: What is going on behind the façade that is Castle Kaysersberg,where nothing is as it seems to be … until the day when the dark shadows come alive?
I can't believe we are on the final day of the tour!Our last stop is over on All Things Tudor where you can have one last sneak-peek between the covers.Click Here.
Thank you so much to all our hosts who made the tour for  The Dark Shadows of Kaysersberg so very enjoyable.
Tour Schedule.