Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 9

Welcome to Day #3 of the blog tour for Pied Piper by Keith Stuart #HistoricalFiction #WW2 #BlogTour @len_maynard

 

March 22nd – May 24th 2021

Publication Date: 1st March 2021
Publisher: LMP- Len Maynard Publishing
Page Length: 176 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / WWII

In September 1939 the British Government launched Operation Pied Piper. To protect them from the perils of German bombing raids, in three days millions of city children were evacuated - separated from their parents.

This story tells of two families: one whose children leave London and the other which takes them in. We share the ups and downs of their lives, their dramas and tragedies, their stoicism and their optimism. But. unlike many other stories and images about this time, this one unfolds mainly through the eyes of Tom, the father whose children set off, to who knew where, with just a small case and gas mask to see them on their way.

Head over to Samantha Wilcoxson’s Official Blog for fabulous guest post.

Click HERE.

Welcome to Day #9 of the blog tour for Len Maynard's fabulous book — A Dangerous Life (DCI Jack Callum Mysteries Book 2) #HistoricalFiction #Crime @len_maynard February 8th – April

 

February 8th – April 12th 2021

Publication Date: 28th July 2020
Publisher: Sharpe Books
Page Length: 287 Pages
Genre: Historical Crime Fiction

1959

A body of a man wearing theatrical make up is found hanging from a tree on Norton Common in Hertfordshire. He has been tortured and his throat has been cut.

DCI Jack Callum, a veteran policeman with his own rules for procedure, heads the investigation into this puzzling crime. The clues lead him close to the answer, but the solution remains elusive.

Why was the man killed?

What were the victim’s links to London’s gangland bosses?

When an unsolved murder is uncovered that appears to be connected to the case, Jack realises he must use his team to their full strength to separate the innocent from the guilty.

Jack also faces a challenge he never expected as he is accused of an improper relationship with a young Detective Constable on his team, Myra Banks.

In a breathless climax, Myra puts her own life on the line to deal with a figure from Jack’s past, who has now become a lethal threat in the present.

Head on over to Stuart Rudge’s Official Blog for a wonderful interview.

Click HERE. 

Welcome to Day #10 of the blog tour for The Bridled Tongue by Catherine Meyrick #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @cameyrick1

 

1st February – 5th April 2021

Publication Date: 1st February 2020
Publisher: Courante Publishing
Page Length: 358 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Women’s Fiction

England 1586.

 Alyce Bradley has few choices when her father decides it is time she marry as many refuse to see her as other than the girl she once was--unruly, outspoken and close to her grandmother, a woman suspected of witchcraft. 

Thomas Granville, an ambitious privateer, inspires fierce loyalty in those close to him and hatred in those he has crossed. Beyond a large dowry, he is seeking a virtuous and dutiful wife. Neither he nor Alyce expect more from marriage than mutual courtesy and respect.

As the King of Spain launches his great armada and England braces for invasion, Alyce must confront closer dangers from both her own and Thomas's past, threats that could not only destroy her hopes of love and happiness but her life. And Thomas is powerless to help.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

Our final stop of the tour is over on Oh look, another book! for a fabulous review.

Click HERE!

Welcome to Day #4 of the blog tour or The Importance of Pawns by Keira Morgan #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour @KJMMexico

 

March 25th – May 17th 2021

Publication Date: 10th March 2021
Publisher: French Historical Fiction/ Fiction de la renaissance Française
Page Length: 380 pages
Genre: 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 The Writing Desk for an exclusive interview. 

Click Here.

Welcome to Day #6 of the blog tour for Harvest Moon by Jenny Knipfer #ChristianHistoricalFiction #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 Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne to read a review.
Click HERE! 

Join me in conversation with USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author, Ellie Midwood #WorldWar2 #HistoricalFiction

 

Publication Date: March 9, 2021Publisher: BookouturePage Length: 359 PagesGenre: Historical Fiction
“We must die standing up for something.” “And what are we standing up for?”“The most important thing there is. Freedom.”
Millions of people walked through Auschwitz’s gates, but she was the first woman who escaped. This powerful novel tells the inspiring true story of Mala Zimetbaum, whose heroism will never be forgotten, and whose fate altered the course of history…
Nobody leaves Auschwitz alive.
Mala, inmate 19880, understood that the moment she stepped off the cattle train into the depths of hell. As an interpreter for the SS, she uses her position to save as many lives as she can, smuggling scraps of bread to those desperate with hunger.
Edward, inmate 531, is a camp veteran and a political prisoner. Though he looks like everyone else, with a shaved head and striped uniform, he’s a fighter in the underground Resistance. And he has an escape plan.
They are locked up for no other sin than simply existing. But when they meet, the dark shadow of Auschwitz is lit by a glimmer of hope. Edward makes Mala believe in the impossible. That despite being surrounded by electric wire, machine guns topping endless watchtowers and searchlights roaming the ground, they will leave this death camp.
A promise is made––they will escape together or they will die together. What follows is one of the greatest love stories in history…
Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Choice, and The Orphan Train will love this breathtakingly beautiful tale, of courage in the face of tragedy and bravery in the face of fear. Based on a true story, The Girl Who Escaped Auschwitz shows that, in darkness, love can be your light…

Mary Anne: A huge congratulations on your new release, The Girl Who Escaped from Auschwitz. Your novel is a true story based upon the life of Mala Zimetbuam. What was it about Mala’s story that compelled you to write your novel? 
Ellie Midwood: Thank you so much for having me! I first read about Mala in one of the Auschwitz survivors’ memoirs, then I saw her name mentioned in another one, then in a historical study, and the more I came across her name, the more intrigued I became. Who was Mala and why she has emblazoned herself in the memories of so many people? It was only when I began truly studying her story that I realized what a brave, selfless person she was and why she made herself stand out among the regular camp population. Unlike the inmates whose sole purpose was to survive (no one can blame them, of course, in all good conscience), Mala did everything in her power to help her fellow prisoners. Using her position as a camp runner (a person who delivered messages from different offices to work details etc), Mala smuggled food, clothes, medicine – generally anything that would help an inmate survive – risking her own life every time she did so. But it was her escape and defiance of the Nazis that truly made her a hero to the entire camp population. I don’t want to give away any spoilers not to ruin the experience for the people who haven’t read the book yet, so I’ll just say this: I was in utter and complete shock when I read about her act of courage. I actually couldn’t believe that such bravery was possible in such gruesome conditions. It was then that I knew that I just had to tell Mala’s story. I can only hope I did her and Edek justice.
Mary Anne: Having read almost all of your books, I think I am in a position to say that you are an extraordinary storyteller. What drew you to this era in history and why, instead of fictional creations, did you decide to tell the stories of people who lived through the horrors of places such as Auschwitz?
Ellie Midwood: Awww, thank you so much! Initially, my grandfather’s war stories drew me to this particular era. Fortunately for me, he didn’t mind re-telling me his wartime experiences countless times when I asked for them instead of regular bedtime stories. I think even as a child I liked hearing true life stories from a real life hero (he was and always will be my biggest hero) rather than indulging in fictional tales. As I grew older, my fascination with everything war-related only deepened and I guess that’s what resulted in my becoming a historical fiction writer who mostly writes stories based on true events. There’s certainly nothing wrong with fictional WW2 novels (I wrote several fictional novels myself), but with so many true stories of courage and resilience still being untold, I feel like it’s my duty to bring them to the readers’ attention and thus pay my homage to all of those brave men and women who gave their lives – or survived against all odds – in the name of freedom and peace. And particularly it’s the case with my Auschwitz novels. It was truly one of the worst genocides in human history and it is my profound conviction that we must study this ugly part of history and read these stories so that we don’t forget the horrors and make sure that they shall never happen again. 
Mary Anne: What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing Historical Fiction during this era?
Ellie Midwood: Historical accuracy, I would say. As a historical novelist it is my duty before my readers to ensure that I’m offering them as historically correct stories as possible and that’s the reason why I always research my stories to the minutest of details. Naturally, I use creative license to re-imagine a dialogue that was taking place or my hero/heroine’s mood or reaction to a certain event, but if there are witnesses’ accounts available, I’ll stick to them as closely as possible. Not just for accuracy’s sake, but to honor those brave men and women who lived through those events that are truly hellish enough to be embellished in any way. Also, one of the most challenging aspects is to connect history with present-day events and show readers that if we, the humanity, forget what happened in the past, we may easily fall into the same pattern and repeat the events that should never be repeated. And of course, respect for the real-life protagonists – that has to be the most challenging aspects of all. I personally feel that we, historical writers, must treat their true stories as gently and respectfully as possible and present them in the light that they would like to be presented. This is where one’s ego must step away. Novels based on true stories I always write to honor their memory, not for myself. I can only hope they would have liked my modest efforts. 
Mary Anne: What advice do you have for aspiring Historical Fiction authors?
Ellie Midwood: Research, research, and more research. If you write a historical novel just using history as a background, it will instantly show in your writing and will render the entire story superficial and unbelievable. Read memoirs of people who lived through the events you’re planning to write about – there’s nothing better than to hear about history from someone who lived through it. Read novels written in that time period and mark down colloquial expressions and general slang the population was using back then to create even more authenticity. Research your setting and architecture, the structure of the society, books people read and music they listened to – generally, immerse yourself into your characters’ world (era) and only then begin to guide them through the storyline. And don’t just write for entertainment’s sake. Inspire and move to action with your stories. Then your books shall become truly timeless. And good luck!

Żywiec Mountains, Poland. July 6, 1944

The road before them, framed by towering mountains and emerald valleys, stretched long and empty in the early-morning sunlight. Under the dome of a pale blue sky, the air was fresh with the promise of freedom in it. Her blue overalls dusty and wrinkled after yet another night spent in a forest, Mala chewed contentedly on the blade of sweet grass, unbothered in the slightest by the rumbling of her stomach. Next to her, Edek was whistling a joyful tune, his arm draped around her shoulders, his SS tunic unbuttoned and smelling faintly of moss and smoke. 

“Hungry, Mally?” His whistling stopped abruptly at the particularly loud noise her belly had produced. 
Brave and in love, she tossed her head, gazing at his unshaven, tanned face with infinite affection. 

“We can go off the road and try to find some more mushrooms,” he suggested, searching her face. 
Long before they had escaped Auschwitz, he’d promised to take care of her, to guard her life with his own, to do his utmost to make her forget the horrors of the death camp, but instead, he made her troop along the endless ribbons of half-trodden roads and survive on mushrooms and berries and sleep under the open sky, with only his embrace protecting against the elements. 

Little did he know, that was all Mala needed: his arms around her and the air that didn’t carry the stench of crematoriums with it. Hunger was the least of her concerns—Auschwitz had trained her well for surviving on a crust of bread. 

“No, I don’t want to stop just yet,” Mala said. “Let’s keep going. The sooner we reach the village, the better. We’ll buy some food, together with civilian clothes for you.” She gave her lover a mischievous once-over. “Else, the partisans will shoot you on sight if you appear before them in such an attire.”
Feeling the molten dental gold rolling under his fingers in his pocket—a ghastly present from the Sonderkommando, the inmates manning the furnaces, to aid their escape—Edek nodded and hastened his step, as though spurred forward by their inaudible, powerful voices: get yourselves to safety, tell the partisans your story, lead them, along with the victorious Red Army, toward this blasted place and avenge all the innocent souls we’ve been forced to burn by those SS beasts. 

The SS beasts, whose uniform he was presently wearing. 

Passing his hand over the stiff gray-green wool, Edek thought of the moment he’d finally tear the hateful thing off of himself and burn it until nothing was left of it but ash.

Mala stopped to re-tie her boot. Just a few steps ahead of her, Edek gazed at the mountains longingly.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t catch the deathly undertone to Mala’s voice when she called his name. 

“Edek.” 

It came from behind, a doomed half-a-gasp cracking with horror. 

He turned, smiling—What it is, my love?—and felt his smile faltering, slipping at the sight of her ashen face, her eyes staring ahead. It seemed that all the pain in the world was reflected in their golden irises that had suddenly lost all of their shine. 

Standing perfectly still, Edek slowly followed her gaze and felt himself sinking into a black abyss at the sight of two uniformed figures walking purposely and deliberately toward them. 

They must have appeared from behind the bend of the road, heavens only knew why. The Germans hardly ever patrolled this area; Edek and Mala had been assured of this much by the Soviet prisoner of war inmates who had conducted several successful escapes themselves and the sympathetic Polish civilians who worked in the camp and were only too glad to stick it to the Nazis by helping another couple of inmates escape. 

A dreadful, sickening shiver rising the heckles on his neck, Edek looked with infinite longing at the forest looming to their right, then shifted his gaze back to the approaching German border patrol. The muzzles of their submachine guns shone brightly in the golden rays of July sun. He stared at the weapons with bitter disappointment, angry tears already pricking his eyes. He’d seen far too many comrades mowed down by those guns to nurse a hope that the woods were within reach, that the border patrol men would somehow miss from such close distance, that at least Mala would escape the hail of the German bullets…

As though reading his mind, she picked up his hand and pressed it tightly, shaking her head with a small smile. 

He had always been a dreamer. She had always been the voice of reality and, now, that reality stared into his soul with those black muzzles and there was suddenly no escape from it. 

“Forgive me, please, Mala… I love you.”

They were the very last words he uttered before the Germans leveled with them, saluted crisply and politely demanded, “Your papers, please, Herr Unterscharführer.”
 

Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU • Apple Books • Kobo • Google Books

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, "The Girl from Berlin." Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents. 
In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.Connect with Ellie:Website • Amazon • Facebook • BookBub • Goodreads • Instagram

Have a sneak-peek between the covers of Margaret Rodenberg's fabulous novel — Finding Napoleon #Biographical #HistoricalFiction @margaretrodenberg

 

Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Publisher: She Writes Press
Page Length: 371 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
With its delightful adaptation of Napoleon Bonaparte’s real attempt to write a romantic novel, Finding Napoleon offers a fresh take on Europe’s most powerful man after he’s lost everything. His last lover―audacious Albine de Montholon―narrates their tale of intrigue, love, and betrayal.
After the defeated Emperor Napoleon goes into exile on St. Helena Island in the South Atlantic, he and Albine plot to escape and rescue his young son. Banding together African slaves, British sympathizers, a Jewish merchant, a Corsican rogue, and French followers (including Albine’s husband), they confront British opposition―and treachery within their own ranks. But when the two lovers break faith with one another, ambition and tangled loyalties threaten their reconciliation. To succeed, Napoleon must learn whom to trust. To survive, Albine must pick whom to betray. 

“Napoleon’s last years, awash in intrigue and poignant with loss . . . by Rodenberg, who deserves kudos as a rigorous researcher and gifted writer . . . this intricate tapestry . . . brings to life the twilight years of a captivating historical figure.” Kirkus Reviews
“Told creatively and with excellent research!”Stephanie Dray, Best-selling Author of Historical Fiction
“No one is more qualified to tell this sweeping tale than Margaret Rodenberg — her research is in a league of its own, and her writing is beautiful and poignant."Allison Pataki, NY Times Best-selling Author of Historical Fiction



Unless you too stitched a white gown for the guillotine, do not judge me. But if you’d faced the terrors I have—if you were Empress Josephine herself—I’d accept your judgment on my morals. If you were Napoleon’s second wife . . . No, let’s not talk of Marie Louise more than we must.
Since you’re not Josephine (and likely an ember to her bonfire), I beg you to listen. Within these pages, learn secrets about Emperor Napoleon, whom I loved. He and I were of a piece, our hungers rooted in a bog of family, ambition, treason. We both had children to lose. We both had trust to betray. We both had seen better days. I expose our frailties for your entertainment.
Oh, I don’t pretend to be his equal. The Emperor inhabited a grand stage. I was a creature of the boudoir. History will remember me as a tendril in the forest of his life. Yet when we intertwined, one could break the other.
I warn you: some of this is hearsay from people with tarnished reputations. Much came from the Great Man’s lips when his body lay naked at my side. Part is from a novel Napoleon wrote about himself. I add spice to the stew.
So know my Napoleon, know me, and I shall love you for it. For what but love matters? It is the holiest, costliest, easiest thing to give. I gave mine freely, as Napoleon gave his to me. I was the last woman he loved.
Vive l’Empereur!
Albine, Countess de Montholon


Amazon UK • Amazon US • Bookshop.org • Indiebound.org


Margaret Rodenberg's passion for French history began when she lived in France as a young teen with her US Navy family. An avid traveler who has visited over sixty countries, she has journeyed more than 30,000 miles to conduct Napoleonic research, including to St. Helena Island in the remote South Atlantic where Finding Napoleon takes place. She's a former businesswoman, an award-winning writer, and a director of the Napoleonic Historical Society, a non-profit that promotes knowledge of the Napoleonic era. She’s as happy in a kayak as she is in a museum.
Connect with Margaret: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

Welcome to Day 10 of the blog tour for Ropewalk; Rebellion. Love. Survival (The Ropewalk series) by H D Coulter #HistoricalFiction #Ropewalk #BlogTour @coulter_hd @ADarnGoodRead @inkjunkie1984

March 22nd – April 2nd 2021

Publication Date: 23rd November 2020
Publisher: Independently Published 
Page Length: 243 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

The North of England, 1831. 

The working class are gathering. Rebellion is stirring, and the people are divided. 

Beatrice Lightfoot, a young woman fighting her own personal rebellion, is looking for an opportunity to change her luck. When she gains the attention of the enigmatic Captain Hanley, he offers her a tantalising deal to attend the May Day dance. She accepts, unaware of the true price of her own free will. 

Her subsequent entanglement with Joshua Mason, the son of a local merchant, draws all three into a destructive and dangerous relationship, which threatens to drag Beatrice, and all she knows into darkness. 

Now, Beatrice must choose between rebellion, love and survival before all is lost, and the Northern uprising changes her world forever. 

We have had so much fun on tour with  Ropewalk; Rebellion. Love. Survival,  cannot believe we are on the last day of the tour!
Our first stop of the day is over on A Darn Good Read for a fabulous review.Click Here.
Our final stop of the tour is over on Historical Fiction with Spirit... where you can have a sneak-peek between the covers.Click Here.
Thank you so much to all of our hosts who have made the tour so very enjoyable.
Tour Schedule


 

Welcome to Day 5 of the blog tour for - The Colour of Evil by Toni Mount #HistoricalFiction #Excerpt #BlogTour @tonihistorian @authorrochelle @CelticLady1953 @cathiedunn @abelfrageauthor

  

March 29th – April 2nd 2021

Publication Date: 25 March 2021
Publisher: Madeglobal.com
Page Length: 334 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery

‘The Colour of Evil’

Every Londoner has money worries, and talented artist and some-time sleuth, Seb Foxley, is no exception.

When fellow craftsmen with debts to pay are found dead in the most horrid circumstances, fears escalate. Only Seb can solve the puzzles that baffle the authorities.

Seb’s wayward elder brother, Jude, returns unannounced from Italy with a child-bride upon his arm. Shock turns to dismay when life becomes more complicated and troubles multiply.

From counterfeit coins to deadly darkness in London's worst corners. From mysterious thefts to attacks of murderous intent, Seb finds himself embroiled at every turn. With a royal commission to fulfil and heartache to resolve, can our hero win through against the odds?

Share Seb Foxley’s latest adventures in the filthy streets of medieval London, join in the Midsummer festivities and meet his fellow citizens, both the respectable and the villainous.

We have had so much fun on tour with The Colour of Evil. We are ending the tour by stopping over on five fabulous blogs:

The Historical Fiction Blog

The Magic of Wor(l)ds

Ruins & Reading

CelticLady's Reviews

Anna Belfrage – Stolen Moment

Tour Schedule

Welcome to day 9 of the blog tour for Ropewalk; Rebellion. Love. Survival (The Ropewalk series) by H D Coulter #HistoricalFiction #Ropewalk #BlogTour @coulter_hd @CraftygasheadZo @linneatanner @JennyKnipfer

 

March 22nd – April 2nd 2021

Publication Date: 23rd November 2020
Publisher: Independently Published 
Page Length: 243 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

The North of England, 1831. 

The working class are gathering. Rebellion is stirring, and the people are divided. 

Beatrice Lightfoot, a young woman fighting her own personal rebellion, is looking for an opportunity to change her luck. When she gains the attention of the enigmatic Captain Hanley, he offers her a tantalising deal to attend the May Day dance. She accepts, unaware of the true price of her own free will. 

Her subsequent entanglement with Joshua Mason, the son of a local merchant, draws all three into a destructive and dangerous relationship, which threatens to drag Beatrice, and all she knows into darkness. 

Now, Beatrice must choose between rebellion, love and survival before all is lost, and the Northern uprising changes her world forever. 

We are stopping over on three fabulous blogs today. 

Our first stop is over on Zoe’s Art, Craft & Life for a sneak-peek between the covers.

Click Here.

Our second stop is over on Linnea Tanner’s Official Blog for a fabulous guest post.

Click Here.

Our third stop is over on Jenny Knifer Official Blog where you can take another sneak-peek between the covers.

Click Here.

Tour Schedule