Linnea Tanner's Blog, page 12
May 9, 2024
Book Spotlight A Rose in the Blitz Ann Bennett #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #WorldWarII #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @annbennett71 @cathiedunn
It’s my pleasure to welcome Ann Bennett and to spotlight her book, A Rose In The Blitz (Sisters of War series), in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour held on May 10th, 2024. The Historical Fiction / Historical Romance novel, A Rose In The Blitz, was released by Andaman Press on 29th March 2024 (270 pages).
Below are highlights of A Rose In The Blitz and Ann Bennett’s author bio.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/04/blog-tour-a-rose-in-the-blitz-by-ann-bennett.html
HIGHLIGHTS: A ROSE IN THE BLITZ
A Rose In The Blitz
(Sisters of War series)
By Ann Bennett
Blurb:
Escape into the dramatic world of London during the Blitz in this sweeping family saga of love, war and betrayal.
Northamptonshire: 1980: Wealthy landowner, Hadan Rose, is dying. His daughter, May, rushes to his country estate, Rose Park, with her daughter, Rachel, to nurse him through his final days.
In the afternoons, while Hadan sleeps, May tells Rachel about her wartime experiences.
In 1940, Three of the four Rose sisters leave Rose Park to serve the war effort. May, the youngest is left behind. But she soon runs away from home to join an ambulance crew in London. She experiences the horrors of the Blitz first-hand but what happens to her there has remained secret her whole life.
In 1980, at Rose Park, Rachel wanders through the old house, looking at old photographs and papers, uncovering explosive family secrets from ninety years before. Secrets that her grandfather wanted to take to his grave.
At the local pub, Rachel meets Daniel Walters, a local journalist and musician who takes an interest in her. But can she trust him, or does he have an ulterior motive for seeking her company?
As the secrets of the past gradually reveal themselves, both Rachel and May realise that their worlds are forever changed.
Fans of Lucinda Riley, Dinah Jeffries and Victoria Hislop will love this escapist wartime saga, Book 1 in the Rose Park Chronicles.
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/KFAR
AUTHOR BIO: ANN BENNETT
Ann Bennett is a British author of historical fiction. Her first book, Bamboo Heart: A Daughter’s Quest, was inspired by researching her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway and by her own travels in South-East Asia. Since then, that initial inspiration has led her to write more books about the second world war in SE Asia. Bamboo Island: The Planter’s Wife, A Daughter’s Promise, Bamboo Road: The Homecoming, The Tea Planter’s Club, The Amulet and her latest release The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu are also about WWII in South East Asia. All seven make up the Echoes of Empire Collection.
Ann is also the author of The Lake Pavilion, The Lake Palace, both set in British India during the 1930s and WWII, and The Lake Pagoda and The Lake Villa, both set in French Indochina. The Runaway Sisters, bestselling The Orphan House, The Child Without a Home and The Forgotten Children are set in Europe during the same era and are published by Bookouture.
Ann is married with three grown up sons and a granddaughter and lives in Surrey, UK. For more details please visit www.annbennettauthor.com.
Author Links:
Website: www.annbennettauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annbennett71
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annbennettauthor/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ann-bennett
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B00D21SJ7A
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14975489.Ann_Bennett
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
May 4, 2024
Love Mom Audiobook Giveaway @KathleenHarrym1 @KerrySchafer @linneatanner @sbuchbinder @aplazar @libraryoferana @CasiMcLean @petercbradbury @susankeene @UviPoznansky
MAY 9-10, 2024
A select group of authors has joined forces
To bring you amazing stories, beautifully narrated.
Looking for your new favorite story?
Join us as a GOING guest
In this Mother’s Day Facebook celebration
Invite your friends for a chance to win our audiobooks
HIGHLIGHTS OF AUTHORS / AUDIOBOOKS
Sharon Buchbinder
Award-winning novels with haunting tales of love, family secrets, forgiveness,
extraordinary abilities, truth, justice, and redemption
Linnea Tanner
“Epic Celtic Tales Weaving Forbidden Love, Sorcery, and Political Intrigue
in Ancient Rome and Britannia.”
Peter C. Bradbury
An English born author, whose novels are topical, edgy,
engrossing, and very entertaining.
Susan Keene
“I write so people can travel without leaving their homes.”
Kathleen Harryman
“Unlocking vivid images through the comprehension of words.”
Kerry Schafer
Using quirky characters in unusual settings and situations, Kerry weaves into her stories
elements of magical realism, fantasy, and paranormal.
Casi McLean
Escape into imagination … discover the magic of Casi McLean
Romantic suspense, time travel, mystery, thrillers.
Aaron Paul Lazar
“Addictive, award-winning fiction. You’ll fall in love with the characters
and love to hate the villains.”
Addison Michael
If you like complex heroines, paranormal twists and turns, and gripping suspense,
then you’ll love this mystery thriller series.”
A.L. Butcher
An award-winning author of alchemical dark fantasy, historical fantasy,
short stories and twisted verses.
Uvi Poznansky
“I paint with my pen and write with my paintbrush.”
April 26, 2024
Coming Soon Skull’s Vengeance Audiobook to be Released May 9 #historicalfantasy #historicaladventure #celticmythology #romanticfantasy
I’m excited to announce that the audiobook of Book 4, Skull’s Vengeance, in the historical fantasy series, Curse of Clansmen and Kings, will be released on May 9th, 2024. The following two narrators were selected to capture the scope of the epic Celtic tale: Scott Ellis and Heidi Housh. Since more than half of the audiobook is told from the perspectives of various male characters from Britannia and Rome, I selected Scott Ellis to capture these voices. Heidi Housh narrates chapters from the point of view of the primary protagonist, Queen Catrin.
Below are highlights of Skull’s Vengeance, a summary of primary characters, and snippets from the audiobook to give you a flavor of the narration.
HIGHLIGHTS: SKULL’S VENGEANCE
Skull’s Vengeance
(Book 4 Curse of Clansmen and Kings)
by Linnea Tanner
Narrated by Scott Ellis and Heidi Housh
Blurb:
A Celtic warrior queen must do the impossible—defeat her half-brother, a sorcerer, and claim the throne. But to do so, she must learn how to strike vengeance from her father’s skull.
AS FORETOLD BY HER FATHER in a vision, Catrin has become a battle-hardened warrior after her trials in the Roman legion and gladiatorial games. She must return to Britannia and pull the cursed dagger out of the serpent’s stone to fulfill her destiny. Only then can she unleash the vengeance from the ancient druids to destroy her evil half-brother, the powerful sorcerer, King Marrock. Always two steps ahead and seemingly unstoppable, Marrock can summon destructive natural forces to crush any rival trying to stop him and has charged his deadliest assassin to bring back Catrin’s head.
To have the slightest chance of beating Marrock, Catrin must forge alliances with former enemies, but she needs someone she can trust. Her only option is to seek military aid from Marcellus—her secret Roman husband. They rekindle their burning passion, but he is playing a deadly game in the political firestorm of the Julio-Claudian dynasty to support Catrin’s cause.
Ultimately, to defeat Marrock, Catrin must align herself with a dark druidess and learn how to summon forces from skulls to exact vengeance. But can she and Marcellus outmaneuver political enemies from Rome and Britannia in their quest to vanquish Marrock?
“Written with a lot of verve, Skull’s Vengeance should appeal to fans of historical fantasy, as well as to those who enjoy old-fashioned ripping yarns.” India Edghill for Historical Novel Society.
Pre-order / Buy Links:
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Skulls-Ven...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Skulls-Vengean...
Skull’s Vengeance Prologue (Marrock’s Point of View)
Skull’s Vengeance Chapter 1 (Catrin’s Point of View)
MAIN CHARACTERS: SKULL’S VENGEANCE
Catrin—Cantiaci queen, druidess, warrior, and gladiator; daughter of King Amren and Queen Rhiannon; Celtic wife of Marcellus Antonius (marriage not recognized by Rome)
Marcellus Antonius—Roman military commander (ranks include tribune and praetor) and nobleman; Roman husband of Catrin; great-grandson of Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony); grandson of Iullus Antonius; youngest son of Lucius Antonius and Drusilla
Marrock—King of the Cantiaci, known as Blood Wolf; druid, wolf and dragon shape-shifter; half-brother of Catrin; son of Queen Rhan and King Amren; son-in-law of King Cunobelin through his marriage to Ariene
Brutius Antonius—Half- brother of Marcellus Antonius; oldest son of Lucius Antonius
Ferrex—Cantiaci warrior and gladiator known as the Red Lion; former mentor and loyal friend of Catrin; auxiliary cavalryman serving under Marcellus Antonius
https://www.linneatanner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SeizeYourDestinySkullsVengeance-1.mp4
April 19, 2024
Colorado Blvd Barnes & Noble Book Fair 20 April 2024 @BNColoradoBlvd @COGreatAuthors @JudithBriles #Colorado #books #gifts #weekend #bookreaders
Celebrate Reading with Colorado Authors at
Barnes & Noble Book Fair
at Colorado Blvd. in Glendale, CO
Perfect for Spring Shopping!
I will be joining other award-winning authors at the Barnes & Noble Book Fair on Saturday, April 20th at the Colorado Blvd. location in Glendale to sign books from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Books and other store merchandise purchased by visitors in the store on Saturday will generate a donation to the Aspiring Authors Scholarships that will be awarded by the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame in September, 2024.
The book signing event will feature local authors of all genres including children’s books, inspiration, mystery, techno-thrillers, historical fiction/fantasy, and more.
For more information, click Colorado Authors Hall of Fame and learn more about the Aspiring Authors Scholarships.
April 17, 2024
Book Spotlight The Viola Factor Sheridan Brown #ViolaKnappRuffner #HistoricalFiction #BiographicalHistoricalFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn
It’s a pleasure to welcome Sheridan Brown and to spotlight her book, The Viola Factor, in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour held on April 16th – 18th, 2024. The Historical Fiction novel, The Viola Factor, was released by BookBaby on February 14th, 2024 (231 pages).
Below are highlights and the book trailer of The Viola Factor, and Sheridan Brown’s author bio.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/03/blog-tour-the-viola-factor-by-sheridan-brown.html
HIGHLIGHTS: THE VIOLA FACTOR
The Viola Factor
by Sheridan Brown
Blurb:
The Viola Factor takes place at a time when the country faced division and growth after the American Civil War. Viola Knapp Ruffner (1812-1903) struggled with what was just and fair, becoming a little-known confidant for a young black scholar from Virginia. But Viola was much more than a teacher; she was a mother, wife, game-changer, and friend. With her mother’s dying wish, a young woman alone, she left her New England roots. This is a story of trauma and love in the South while battling for justice and the rightful education of the enslaved and once enslaved. African American leader Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) called her his friend and model for life.
The Viola Factor is in many ways a journey of life done in baby steps, tentatively stumbling, until a galloping stride is achieved. Viola Knapp wears different shoes on different days. Heavy, mud-trekking boots to allow for aggressive steps, and daintier shoes for more rhythmic and assertive ones. She was a diligent daughter, an outspoken protector, and a progressive teacher.
Like many women in her situation, alone at seventeen, Viola must realize her own principles to fulfill her future goals. With every stride, Viola Knapp Ruffner marches around surprises, over potholes, and dodges folly after folly on her journey to be fulfilled. After ambling in one direction, plodding along in another, and wandering to find herself, a sudden halt pushes her forward until a factor of fate places her in the path of a newly freed slave with a desire to read and penchant to lead. After years of post-traumatic stress and mental uncoupling, she finds herself a woman who followed her mother’s dying wish to fight for what is fair and just.
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5YERw
BOOK TRAILER: THE VIOLA FACTOR
AUTHOR BIO: SHERIDAN BROWN
Sheridan Brown holds advanced degrees in school leadership and is a certified teacher, principal, and educational leader. The arts have always been a central force in her life, since performing in piano recitals, school band, plays, and singing in choirs her whole life.
Ms. Brown was born in Tennessee and raised in small towns of southwest Virginia. She practiced her profession in Virginia, Massachusetts, and Florida. Upon retirement, she began volunteering, painting, writing, researching, and traveling with her husband, attorney John Crawford. She has one son, Tony Hume. She is GiGi to Aiden and Lucy. She has returned to the Blue Ridge to live and explore.
Author Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ViolaFactor/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/yrtEyjFaC5A
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sheridan-l-brown-17422a5
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theviolafactor/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0B3HMSRBM
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20766921.Sheridan_Brown
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sheridanreels22
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@sbrown1919
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
April 15, 2024
Heather Miller Yellow Bird’s Song #AmericanHistory #NativeAmericanHistory #TrailOfTears #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @HMHFR @cathiedunn
I‘m delighted to host Heather Miller as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between April 15th – 19th, 2024. Heather Miller is the author of the Historical Fiction / Native American Studies / Western / Biography, Yellow Bird’s Song, released by Historium Press on March 19th, 2024 (370 pages)
Below are highlights of Yellow Bird’s Song, Heather Miller’s author bio, and an excerpt from her novel.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/03/blog-tour-yellow-birds-song-by-heather-miller.html
HIGHLIGHTS: YELLOW BIRD’S SONG
Yellow Bird’s Song
by Heather Miller
Blurb:
Rollin Ridge, a mercurial figure in this tribal tale, makes a fateful decision in 1850, leaving his family behind to escape the gallows after avenging his father and grandfather’s brutal assassinations. With sin and grief packed in his saddlebags, he and his brothers head west in pursuit of California gold, embarking on a journey marked by hardship and revelation. Through letters sent home, Rollin uncovers the unrelenting legacy of his father’s sins, an emotional odyssey that delves deep into his Cherokee history.
The narrative’s frame transports readers to the years 1827-1835, where Rollin’s parents, Cherokee John Ridge and his white wife, Sarah, stumble upon a web of illicit slave running, horse theft, and whiskey dealings across Cherokee territory. Driven by a desire to end these inhumane crimes and defy the powerful pressures of Georgia and President Andrew Jackson, John Ridge takes a bold step by running for the position of Principal Chief, challenging the incumbent, Chief John Ross. The Ridges face a heart-wrenching decision: to stand against discrimination, resist the forces of land greed, and remain on their people’s ancestral land, or to sign a treaty that would uproot an entire nation, along with their family.
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/49a2w8
AUTHOR BIO: HEATHER MILLER
As a veteran English teacher and college professor, Heather has spent nearly thirty years teaching her students the author’s craft. Now, with empty nest time on her hands, she’s writing herself, transcribing lost voices in American’s history.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.heathermillerauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HMHFR
Facebook: https://facebook.com/HMillerAuthor
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heathermillerauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jhjewmiller/yellow-bird/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B094DLCL8K
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21805281.Heather_Miller
EXCERPT: YELLOW BIRD’S SONG
Heather Miller, Author
Yellow Bird’s Song, Excerpt 5
John Ridge, Washington City, Indian Queen Hotel, 1831
After a brief repose, we dressed for dinner and walked toward the renovated dining room. Husbands, wearing white waistcoats, held chairs for their adorned, elegant wives. Across the hall, bachelors hovered in parlors in small groups, standing in front of papered, epic scenes of Greek battles extending from chinked ceiling to hardwood floor. Others smoked cigars behind the anonymity of winged, jewel-toned chairs with faceless hands tapping cigar ash into trays resting atop shining mahogany tables.
I was joined by Coodey, Ross’ observant nephew, and two others: Taylor, with his pessimistic and pensive face, and Tahunski, an elder. Tahunski’s mind was quick, well-informed, responding to his counterparts with a quick tongue. Some might say the same about me—my father, for one. But I had learned to offer silence as the less offensive answer. When Tahunski spoke, I feared what he might say. The man shuffled his chair close to the table, while Coodey sat last, taking the dominant chair at the end.
I sat next to a fellow southerner, or so I assumed, overhearing his banter to the gentleman seated on his left. The southerner’s long hair parted down the middle, although his fashionable sideburns framed a clean-shaven chin. His eyelids folded over his lashes, with a sharp nose above a gracious smile.
He noticed me when I lifted the napkin onto my lap. He leaned to my side and gestured toward the end of the table. “Here comes Brown in that white apron of his. Seems we are to have ham for dinner.”
The weight of the smoked ham required two servants to carry the large platter. After the meat’s grand entrance, Brown held a large fork in one hand and a slicing knife in the other. The entire table applauded when he cut into the meat and served the first guest. Then he continued to plate while servers arranged cutting boards of fresh bread and bowls of seasoned and roasted vegetables to fill and color the white tablecloth.
Tahunski mumbled, “There’s enough food here to feed New Echota. White man’s excesses.” After his remark, he snapped his napkin open and placed it on his lap, begrudgingly following the rules of European etiquette.
“When in Washington—” I replied.
The talkative white man to my left passed me a serving bowl and said, “Take these. I’ve lost all taste for sweet potatoes.”
I spooned a helping onto my plate, asking, “Why is that, sir? Do you not care for their sweetness? Perhaps it is the texture that turns you from the root.”
“Neither. Ate too many of them once, starved after eating corn mush for months.”
He spooned a serving of stewed greens onto his plate from another serving dish and passed it to me.
With the exchange, I asked, “Did you serve in the militia? My father refuses to eat corn mush for the same reason. Although he has no aversion to sweet potatoes.”
“Yes, in a volunteer regiment from Tennessee.” He cleared his throat. “During the Creek Wars, under Jackson’s command.” He took up his fork and continued his tale, “We took a Red Stick village of mostly women and children. It was the day I decided I’d rather meet my maker with a clean conscience than fight any longer under Jackson’s command. Some other volunteers and I tried to leave after the slaughter, but Jackson threatened me with a lead bullet at close range. So, we unstrapped our blanket rolls and stayed.2 Under one of the burned Creek huts, we found a hole filled with sweet potatoes, enough to feed the men for a month. We were too hungry to ration them. So, we roasted and ate them all in one sitting. After that, I lost my will for slaughter and any taste for sweet potatoes.”3
I said, “My father fought under General Jackson, leading a Cherokee brigade against the Red Sticks at Horseshoe Bend. Your stories remind me of his.”
“You couldn’t be.” The man scoffed and replied, “Then again, I can see the man in your face. Would you be Major Ridge’s son?”
“I am. John Ridge.”
He put down his utensils and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, John. Feel like I know you already if you’re anything like your father. How is the Ridge?”
I rested my fork handle on the edge of my dinner plate and shook his hand. “If you were to ask him, he’d say he’s as young as ever. But, of course, my mother might offer you a different answer altogether.”
“We’d still be fighting barricaded Red Sticks if it weren’t for your father. Name’s Crockett, congressman from Tennessee.”
“Your reputation precedes you, sir,” I replied.
He resumed his dinner with a bite of the steamed greens. “Has to. Reputation is necessary for politicians, regardless of its truth. Just last week, I had a portrait made. Instead of representing myself as a dignified congressman, I donned my buckskins and threw my musket over my shoulder. An hour before, I’d gathered some stray dogs off Pennsylvania Avenue and had them painted sitting at my heels. My constituents expect the frontier Crockett, and I intend to give him to them.”4
Crockett continued, “I received a letter of appreciation from your Chief Ross. He thanked me for standing up to Jackson. Your chief could have just written thank you, but he carried on for four pages. Unfortunately, a once direct man seeking public office loses his aptitude for simplicity after they count the votes.”
I took my knife and sliced two pieces from the bread loaf. Handing one to Crockett, I said, “Then I’ll just offer my thanks. It is no common thing, especially for a southerner, to oppose President Jackson’s Indian removal and stand against the democratic majority.”
“Well, I’d rather be politically buried than hypocritically immortalized.”5
I handed him the butter dish and gestured toward our delegation. “We seek audience with Secretary Eaton and President Jackson.”
“You all might need one of these.” Crockett held his knife into the light and studied its edge. “We call Jackson ‘Sharp Knife’ for a reason. The man is uncompromising. Speaking against him for your people has likely ruined my political career. But our Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse, not the executive. So, I couldn’t see the point in violating such an honorable document to provide this President control over the sum it would take to buy out the Cherokee.” Crockett shook his head and buttered the bread held in his hand.
Tahunski overheard our conversation and offered his thoughts. “Shame we didn’t just kill Jackson at Horseshoe Bend. I didn’t know you then, but I would have shot back if Jackson had threatened my service in a volunteer militia. Taken the man down then if I knew he’d cause my people so much trouble.”6
I said, “If General Jackson gives us an audience, we plan to make it clear how the entire holdings of the Second United States Bank would not be enough to persuade us to move. Nor do I believe America’s tax-paying citizens would agree to such an offer.”
“Agreed. I learned that same lesson from a man behind a plow. Said he wouldn’t vote for me. Course I asked him why. He said I’d voted for an unconstitutional bill, twenty thousand dollars to aid women and children left destitute after a fire in Georgetown. Some of the hardest work I’ve ever done, putting out that blaze. When I saw the poor state of the victims with my own eyes, I voted to relieve their suffering with federal dollars.7
“But that farmer, Horace Bunce, wouldn’t budge. Finally, after offering me a convincing argument, I agreed with him and acknowledged my error. I promised him I’d never vote for such again. Many suffer across this nation, homes ruined by fires or floods I know nothing about. As Bunce said, it was the principle of the thing. Bunce taught me it wasn’t the federal government’s task to offer charity to some and not all.”8
Crockett sliced into cold ham with the knife in his hand. He continued, “The Constitution outlines the responsibilities of government: protection of personal rights and the rights of each state, establishing and maintaining laws, defending against foreign invasion, and regulating trade and tariff.” He speared and took a bite. After swallowing, he said, “Like Bunce said, the rest is just usurpation.”9
During the meal, our conversation attracted the attention of the man seated to Congressman Crockett’s left, who introduced himself as Bluff, a correspondent for the New York Observer. He said, “I attended a dinner here at the Indian Queen last April, honoring deceased President Jefferson. Jackson’s dander was up when he and Vice President Calhoun debated whether states had the right to override federal laws after South Carolina threatened to nullify the administration’s tariff demands. Jackson dominated the first toast, saying, ‘Our Union—it must be preserved!’ Calhoun, not to be outdone, stood and raised his glass after Jackson’s toast. ‘Our Union—next to our liberty, most dear!’”10
I responded softly, and my two new acquaintances leaned in to hear. “Had I been in attendance, I would have raised my glass only after Calhoun drank from his.”
The three of us poured glasses of wine and set about toasting, “To Liberty—most dear.”11
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
April 8, 2024
Jules Larimore Find Me in the Stars #HistoricalFiction #Huguenots #RenaissanceFiction #WomensFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @jules_larimore @cathiedunn
I‘m delighted to host Jules Larimore again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between March 26th – April 16th, 2024. Jules Larimore is the author of the Renaissance Historical Fiction / Women’s Fiction, Find Me in the Stars (Cévenoles Sagas novel – Book Two in the Huguenot Trilogy), released by Mystic Lore Books on March 20th, 2024 (328 pages)
Below are highlights of Find Me in the Stars Jules Larimore’s author bio, and her fascinating guest post about the 17th-century religious movements that influenced the characters in Find Me in the Stars.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-find-me-in-the-stars-by-jules-larimore.html
HIGHLIGHTS: FIND ME IN THE STARS
Find Me in the Stars
(Cévenoles Sagas novel – Book Two of the Huguenot Trilogy)
By Jules Larimore
Blurb:
“Larimore’s ability to engulf a reader into a tale… is brilliantly done .”
5-star Highly Recommended Award of Excellence ~ Historical Fiction Company
Separated by miles, connected by the stars, two healers forge their destinies in a quest for a brighter tomorrow.
Inspired by a true story, this refugee’s tale of sacrifice, separation, and abiding love unfolds in the Cévennes Mountains of Languedoc, France, 1697. A sweeping adventure during the time of Louis XIV’s oppressive rule and persecutions, this compelling narrative follows the intertwined destinies of two remarkable protagonists, Amelia Auvrey, a mystic holy-woman healer, and Jehan BonDurant, an apothecary from a noble Huguenot family, in a riveting tale of enduring love, faith, and the search for light in the darkest of times.
Amelia and Jehan are fierce champions of tolerance and compassion in their cherished Cévenole homeland, a region plagued by renewed persecution of Huguenots. The escalated danger forces their paths to diverge, each embarking on their own dangerous journey toward survival and freedom. The Knights Hospitaller provide protection and refuge for Amelia and her ailing sage-femme grandmother, even as they come under suspicion of practicing witchcraft. And, to avoid entanglement in a brewing rebellion, Jehan joins a troupe of refugees who flee to the Swiss Cantons seeking sanctuary—a journey that challenges his faith and perseverance. Jehan arrives to find things are not as he expected; the Swiss have their own form of intolerance, and soon immigrants are no longer welcome. The utopian Eden he seeks remains elusive until he learns of a resettlement project in the New World.
During their time apart, Amelia and Jehan rely on a network of booksellers to smuggle secret letters to each other—until the letters mysteriously cease, casting doubt on their future together. Jehan is unclear if Amelia will commit to joining him, or if she will hold fast to her vow of celibacy and remain in the Cévennes. Seemingly ill-fated from the start, their love is tested to its limits as they are forced to navigate a world where uncertainty and fear threaten to eclipse their unwavering bond.
As a stand-alone sequel to the award-winning The Muse of Freedom, a bestseller in Renaissance Fiction, Find Me in the Stars is based on true events in the life of Jean Pierre Bondurant dit Cougoussac–an unforgettable adventure where love and light endure against all odds.
Buy Links:
This title will be available on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/31B6PM
FEATURED AUTHOR: JULES LARIMORE
Jules Larimore is the author of emotive, literary-leaning historical fiction with a dose of magic, myth, and romance to bring to life hopeful human stories and inspire positive change. She is a member of France’s Splendid Centuries authors’ collaborative, a board member of the Historical Novel Society of Southern California, and lives primarily in Ojai with time spent around the U.S. and Europe gathering a rich repository of historical research in a continued search for authenticity.
Author Links:
Website Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Threads
Pinterest Book Bub Amazon Author Page Goodreads
GUEST POST: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FOR FIND ME IN THE STARS BY JULES LARIMORE
Novels with a bit of romance and “magic” seem to attract more readers. So I decided early on to develop a fictional love interest for the Huguenot trilogy’s male protagonist, Jehan BonDurant, a character based on the real person, Jean Pierre Bondurant dit Cougoussac. I wanted someone Jehan would have something in common with, and since we know from the records that Jean Pierre was trained as an apothecary, making the female protagonist, Amelia Auvrey, a healer seemed like a good place to start. But I didn’t know, until I began to deep dive into some historical research, that she would be a free-spirited, mystic holy-woman healer.
Amelia began to take shape after reading about the Beguines, Christian laywomen who lived either in semi-monastic communities or alone beginning in the mid-12th century and were part of a larger movement that came to be identified as the Free Spirits. They devoted themselves to piety and prayer, good works, and the subsistence of their communities without taking formal religious vows or submitting to male authority. These women willingly embraced lives of simplicity, contemplation, and apostolic poverty. Celibacy was always understood as fundamental to religious life as long as they lived as Beguines, but they were free to leave their religious vocation at any time, unlike nuns.
“…theirs was a movement with no vows, rules, constitutions, or commitments… (they were women) who believed in freedom of worship and the possibility of a personal relationship with God… this ember of mysticism was not extinguished by the persecution (of a Beguine named Marguerite Porete who was burned at the stake for heresy), but continued to smolder in Germany, France, and Belgium until it finally burst into flame as the Protestant Reformation…” ~ Gael Stirler, “A Mystic Christian Sisterhood Without Vows” (August 2008)
As a “free spirit”, Amelia does not avow to any one religion but embraces them all. This inspires Jehan to seek his own spiritual path rather than letting it be dictated to him by Louis XIV in his royal edict for “one king, one law, one faith”.
At the beginning of Find Me in the Stars, Jehan flees France as a refugee in search of an “Eden” while Amelia remains under the protection of the Knights Hospitaller on Mont Lozère (in the Cévennes mountains of southern France) to tend to her aging sage-femme grandmother. Sage-femme, from French, translates into wise woman and was the title given to healers paid by local communities to work primarily as midwives. It is from her grandmother that Amelia learns ancient healing techniques that may be considered magic by many but were, in fact, commonly practiced in the Cévennes during that time.
“There is almost no village, even today, where we do not find one or more secret healers, (that’s the name we give them) sorcerers or diviners, with the reputation to cure all kinds of illnesses, even from a distance, by means of signs, dead ends or ridiculous formulas.” ~ Jules Barbot, “The Lozérien Peasant: Local Studies” (Ed. 1899)
“The Druidic cult must have laid deep roots in the hearts of the peoples of Mont Lozère because, in these solitary, deserted places, covered, here and there, with vast forests, everything seemed to favor this mysterious, symbolic religion…” ~ Bulletin de Lozère, 1864.
I also added a different sort of “magic” by incorporating theories from Lionel Laborie’s scholarly works on the fanaticism of the Reformed Huguenots of the Cévennes mountains during the late 17th century. His publications indicate that during their secret assemblies in the forests and caves, they would partake in spiced possets, bread contaminated with seigle ergoté (a fungus that grows on rye), and a secret white powder (probably a weak form of opium from the local poppies), that could have caused their “inspirés” to suffer what were, in reality, convulsions and hallucinations rather than divine inspiration.
I recently had a reviewer of Find Me in the Stars state that there are “magical elements” in this book that could have been completely omitted since it was not a main theme. Yet, as an author of historical fiction, I look to history to shape my stories, and these ancient healing practices, whether to cure an ague or to heal the soul, were very much a part of the history of the Cévenol people of southern France. Call it what you will… magic or medicine.
Instagram Handles: @juleslarimore @thecoffeepotbookclub
April 2, 2024
Rosemary Griggs The Dartington Bride #HistoricalFiction #Devon #Elizabethan #FrenchWarsOfReligion #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @RAGriggsauthor @cathiedunn
I‘m delighted to host Rosemary Griggs as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between April 1st – 12th, 2024. Rosemary Griggs is the author of the Historical Fiction, The Dartington Bride (Daughters of Devon) by Troubador Publishing on 28th March 2024 (368 pages)
Below are highlights of The Dartington Bride, Rosemary Griggs’ author bio, and her fascinating guest post about what inspired her to write The Dartington Bride.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-the-dartington-bride-by-rosemary-griggs.html
HIGHLIGHTS: THE DARTINGTON BRIDE
The Dartington Bride
(Daughters of Devon)
By Rosemary Griggs
Audiobook narrated by Rosemary Griggs
Blurb:
1571, and the beautiful, headstrong daughter of a French Count marries the son of the Vice Admiral of the Fleet of the West in Queen Elizabeth’s chapel at Greenwich. It sounds like a marriage made in heaven…
Roberda’s father, the Count of Montgomery, is a prominent Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion. When her formidable mother follows him into battle, she takes all her children with her.
After a traumatic childhood in war-torn France, Roberda arrives in England full of hope for her wedding. But her ambitious bridegroom, Gawen, has little interest in taking a wife.
Received with suspicion by the servants at her new home, Dartington Hall in Devon, Roberda works hard to prove herself as mistress of the household and to be a good wife. But there are some who will never accept her as a true daughter of Devon.
After the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, Gawen’s father welcomes Roberda’s family to Dartington as refugees. Compassionate Roberda is determined to help other French women left destitute by the wars. But her husband does not approve. Their differences will set them on an extraordinary path…
Buy Links:
Universal Buy Link: https://rosemarygriggs.co.uk/books/2/The%20Dartington%20Bride/
AUTHOR BIO: ROSEMARY GRIGGS
Author and speaker Rosemary Griggs has been researching Devon’s sixteenth-century history for years. She has discovered a cast of fascinating characters and an intriguing network of families whose influence stretched far beyond the West Country and loves telling the stories of the forgotten women of history – the women beyond the royal court; wives, sisters, daughters and mothers who played their part during those tumultuous Tudor years: the Daughters of Devon.
Her novel A Woman of Noble Wit tells the story of Katherine Champernowne, Sir Walter Raleigh’s mother, and features many of the county’s well-loved places.
Rosemary creates and wears sixteenth-century clothing, a passion which complements her love for bringing the past to life through a unique blend of theatre, history and re-enactment. Her appearances and talks for museums and community groups all over the West Country draw on her extensive research into sixteenth-century Devon, Tudor life and Tudor dress, particularly Elizabethan.
Out of costume, Rosemary leads heritage tours of the gardens at Dartington Hall, a fourteenth-century manor house and now a visitor destination and charity supporting learning in arts, ecology and social justice.
Author Links:
Website:https://rosemarygriggs.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAGriggsauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladykatherinesfarthingale
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griggs6176/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@griggs6176
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ragriggsauthor.bsky.social
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rosemary-Griggs/author/B09GY6ZSYF
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21850977.Rosemary_Griggs
GUEST POST: THE INSPIRATION FOR MY NOVEL THE DARLINGTON BRIDEBY ROSEMARY GRIGGS (23 MARCH 2024)
I love Tudor history and I’m as a fascinated by the lives of King Henry’s queens and Elizabeth the First as anyone. But the sixteenth century saw an immense upheaval in the social, religious, and political structure of England. Everyone was affected, not just those at the royal court. Exploring how the well-known events and all the changes they ushered in impacted the lives of others is the underlying inspiration for my writing. Setting out to discover what it felt like to live through those times, I’ve made it my mission to uncover the lives of less well-known aristocratic women.
My novels follow the lives of real people from Devon’s most powerful families. For years, I’ve been researching those families and uncovering a network of fascinating individuals. A lot of the men are famous, larger-than-life personalities. Devon produced a regiment of famous Elizabethan seafarers, adventurers and soldiers like Drake, Hawkins, Raleigh and Grenville. Their stories are often told. In my ‘Daughters of Devon’ series I tell the women’s stories.
The historical record is always my starting point. I’m on the lookout for a character and a set of circumstances or events that prompt me to ask questions like ‘What motivated that action?’ ‘How did it feel to be there on that day?’ ‘How did she cope?’ I’m interested in women who faced and overcame challenges during those turbulent Tudor years. Lady Gabrielle Roberta Montgomery ticked lots of boxes.
I first came across her when I was researching for my first novel, A Woman of Noble Wit, which was inspired by Katherine Champernowne, Sir Walter Raleigh’s mother. Lady Gabrielle, known as Roberda, married Gawen, who was Katherine’s nephew. The young Huguenot woman who left her home and family in 1571 to come to England caught my attention. The more I discovered, the more I wanted to know.
When she was very young, Roberda must have enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, living primarily in Paris close to the royal court. Her father, Gabriel de Lorges, later Count of Montgomery, was captain of the king’s Scots guards, an elite bodyguard.
In 1559, Gabriel became famous after accidentally killing King Henry II of France during a jousting match. After the accident, everything was different. Gabriel left France to travel to the Channel Islands and Venice before arriving in England in the spring of 1561. Roberda and her brothers and sisters lived a quiet life at Ducey in Normandy with their mother, the formidable Isabeau. When Gabriel returned, he adopted the Protestant religion and became a Huguenot military leader, causing yet another transformation in the family’s life.
Gabriel de Lorges, Comte de Montgomery, Copy from an original kept at the Château de Beauregard;
commissioned by Louis-Philippe in 1834 — In the public domain, sourced via Wikimedia Commons
If Isabeau, Roberda’s mother, was a woman from Devon, I would definitely be writing about her. She was among the determined Normandy women who embraced Calvinism and gave active support to their menfolk amidst the destructive religious wars that tore the country apart. Isabeau wrote letters to Normandy noblemen and even to the queen of England, seeking to raise money and support for the cause. It was when I found records that told me that Isabeau took all of her children with her into the heart of the Siege of Rouen in 1562 that I knew I had to tell Roberda’s story. What she witnessed in the very heart of battle must have had a profound effect on the little girl. In my version of the story Roberda’s own experience of war translates into deep compassion for others affected by conflict or poverty.
As a woman of the French nobility, Roberda would have expected to marry to bring an advantage to her family. Understanding how these women embraced their lack of agency in marriage can be challenging when viewed from the perspective of the twenty-first century. However, they were raised to believe in it from birth and probably perceived a successful marriage as a ‘career’. Roberda undoubtedly anticipated leaving her home and family when she got married. As things turned out, she also had to leave the country of her birth and venture to another, where she faced an uncertain reception.
Gabriel hoped to secure financial and military aid for the Huguenot cause from Queen Elizabeth. He had met Sir Arthur Champernowne, a staunch protestant, when he first came to England. In 1568, Sir Arthur’s nephew, Henry Champernowne, persuaded Queen Elizabeth to let him lead a troop of English soldiers to aid the Protestants in France. A young Sir Walter Raleigh was almost certainly among them, Henry and his men fought bravely at the battle of Jarnac where the Huguenots were defeated. He saved many lives at the retreat from Montcontour. Henry succumbed to disease in La Rochelle in 1570. At that time, Sir Arthur and his son Gawen were providing information on French affairs to Queen Elizabeth’s top advisors, William Cecil (Lord Burghley) and Sir Francis Walsingham.
Sir Arthur had strong links to Queen Elizabeth’s court. Katherine Astley, his sister, served as Queen Elizabeth’s childhood governess and Chief Lady of the Privy Chamber. It’s no wonder that Gabriel de Lorges recognised the advantage of arranging a marriage between his daughter, Roberda, and Sir Arthur’s son. After long negotiations, they reached an agreement on a substantial dowry and Roberda arrived in England. After the unprecedented violence of the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre in Paris in 1572, Sir Arthur welcomed the whole family at Dartington Hall as refugees.
A significant wave of French refugees arrived in England as a result of the tragic events in Paris. I was curious to discover how these early Protestant refugees were welcomed by the English. It was surprising to discover the striking similarities in the challenges faced by asylum seekers today. Initial sympathy for their plight often turned to distrust and hostility, and a perception that they took jobs from English workers. The reception Roberda may have faced and opposition to her attempts to help others inspired my version of her story.
I also found some shocking papers about Roberda’s life in England. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but things take an unexpected turn.
To find these intriguing events played out in one of my favourite historic sites in the whole of Devon, added another dimension. I’ve known Dartington for years, but it was a revelation to be allowed a peep ‘behind the scenes’ to discover echoes of the house in Sir Arthur’s time. A ghost story handed down through generations of the Champernowne family added another slant to my telling of Roberda’s story.
Dartington Hall, Devon
Queen Elizabeth I had a complicated relationship with France. She gave spasmodic, and often surreptitious, support to the Protestants there, while also courting good relations with the French royal family. I do not delve into high politics in my story. They are merely part of the backdrop. I keep the focus on the strong, compassionate and determined young woman who inspired me to write The Dartington Bride.
Roberda has been a constant part of my life as I’ve developed her story. Recently, I read a collection of inspiring works by the late Dame Hilary Mantel. In one article, she describes how, when working on Wolf Hall, Tudor Lawyers followed her as she walked in a garden. In a similar way, Roberda has been at my side. At times, her mother Isabeau joins her and insists on getting my attention. Exploring the relationship between these two strong women was fascinating. Sometimes I’ve also found a character from my first book tugging at my elbow. Katherine Raleigh wants to make sure I don’t forget that she was there during the events at Dartington Hall. I allow her to creep into the narrative now and then.
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
March 29, 2024
New Release Riddle of the Gods Eric Schumacher #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalAdventure #Norse #NewRelease #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @DarkAgeScribe @cathiedunn
It’s my pleasure to welcome Eric Schumacher again and to announce the new release of his Norse Historical Fiction / Historical Adventure novel, Riddle of the Gods, in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour, being held March 25th – 29th, 2024. The fourth book in the Olaf’s Saga series, Riddle of the Gods was released by Bodn Books on March 25th, 2024 (280 pages).
Below are highlights of the Riddle of the Books and Eric Schumacher’s author bio.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-riddle-of-the-gods-by-eric-schumacher.html
HIGHLIGHTS: RIDDLE OF THE GODS
Riddle of the Gods
(Olaf’s Saga)
By Eric Schumacher
Blurb:
Riddle of the Gods is the riveting fourth novel in the best-selling series chronicling the life and adventures of one of Norway ’ s most controversial kings, Olaf Tryggvason.
It is AD 976. Olaf Tryggvason, the renegade prince of Norway, has lost his beloved wife to a tragedy that turns the lords of the land he rules against him. With his family gone and his future uncertain, Olaf leaves his realm and embarks on a decades-long quest to discover his course in life. Though his journey brings him power and wealth, it is not until he encounters the strange man in the streets of Dublin that his path to fame unfolds. And in that moment, he is forced to make a choice as the gods look on – a choice that could, at worst, destroy him and at best, ensure his name lives on forever.
Buy Links:
This book is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/Riddleofthegods
Eric Schumacher (1968 – ) is a historical fiction author of multiple best-selling novels set in the Viking Age. From a young age, Schumacher was drawn to books about medieval kings and warlords and was fascinated by their stories and the turbulent times in which they lived. It is a fascination that led to the publication of his first novel, God’s Hammer, in 2005, and many subsequent novels thereafter.
Schumacher now resides in Santa Barbara with his wife and two children and is busy working on his next novel.
Author Links:
Website: www.ericschumacher.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarkAgeScribe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricSchumacherAuthor
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/eric-schumacher
Amazon Author Page: https://author.to/EricSchumacher
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub
March 26, 2024
Book Review EXSILIUM Alison Morton #RomaNovaSeries #EXSILIUM #AlternativeHistoricalFiction #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @alison_morton @cathiedunn
I am delighted to host Alison Morton as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between March 18th – 29th, 2024. Alison Morton is the author of the Historical Fiction, EXSILIUM (Roma Nova Series), which was released by Pulcheria Presson on 27 February 2024 (364 pages).
Below are highlights of EXSILIUM, Alison Morton’s author bio, and my 5-star review of her book.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-exsilium-by-alison-morton.html
HIGHLIGHTS: EXSILIUM
EXSILIUM
(Roma Nova Series)
by Alison Morton
Blurb:
Exile – Living death to a Roman
AD 395. In a Christian Roman Empire, the penalty for holding true to the traditional gods is execution.
Maelia Mitela, her dead husband condemned as a pagan traitor, leaving her on the brink of ruin, grieves for her son lost to the Christians and is fearful of committing to another man.
Lucius Apulius, ex-military tribune, faithful to the old gods and fixed on his memories of his wife Julia’s homeland of Noricum, will risk everything to protect his children’s future.
Galla Apulia, loyal to her father and only too aware of not being the desired son, is desperate to escape Rome after the humiliation of betrayal by her feckless husband.
For all of them, the only way to survive is exile.
Buy Links:
Universal Amazon Link: https://mybook.to/EXSILIUM
All retailers (including Amazon) Universal Link: https://books2read.com/EXSILIUM
AUTHOR BIO: ALISON MORTON
Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her ten-book Roma Nova series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but use a sharp line in dialogue. The latest, EXSILIUM, plunges us back to the late 4th century, to the very foundation of Roma Nova.
She blends her fascination for Ancient Rome with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.
Alison now lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity and Double Pursuit.
Author Links:
Connect with Alison on her World of Thrillers site Facebook author page X/Twitter Alison’s writing blog
Instagram Goodreads Threads Alison’s Amazon page BlueSky Newsletter sign-up
BOOK REVIEW: EXSILIUM
The Roman family saga of EXSILIUM by Alison Morton is the sequel to JULIA PRIMA, set in 370 AD. The Roman empire has begun to decay and Christian zealots are imposing their beliefs on others. The daughter of a powerful pagan ruler, Julia Bacausa gambles everything and travels from her homeland of Noricum to reunite and marry Lucius Apulius, a Roman commander stripped of his military rank because of his pagan beliefs.
At the start of EXSILIUM, Julia dies shortly after giving birth to her fourth daughter in 383 AD Rome. The epic tale follows the fates of the households of Lucius Apulius and his Roman comrade, Gaius Mitelus. To capture the breadth of how the rapidly changing political climate impacts the families’ lives, the story is told through the perspective of three narrators: Maelia Mitela (Gaius’s sister), Lucius Apulius, and Galla Apulia (Lucius’s oldest daughter). Maelia takes in Lucius’s daughters and helps care for them as Lucius grieves the death of his wife. Five years later, Maelia faces the possibility of losing her estate when her husband dies and is branded a traitor for fighting with the rebel emperor of Britannia, Magnus Maximus, against the Christian general Theodosius. At the risk of losing her estate, Maelia calls on the aid of Lucius and a prestigious lawyer to fend off the confiscation of her property.
The revolving door of dignitaries who rise in power threatens to trample on the pagan beliefs of Apulius’s and Mitelus’s families. So that the two families can survive and freely worship their traditional pagan gods, Lucius makes the difficult decision to start a new settlement in Julia’s homeland. Others join him on the dangerous journey to Noricum through harsh landscapes and inclement weather. They face threats of Roman commanders forcing young men to fight in their depleted armies, barbarians plundering homesteads, and bandits attacking and stealing goods from travelers. Julia’s daughters are reflections of their mother’s strength and courage as they overcome formidable obstacles to start a new life.
Author Alison Morton has masterfully crafted the chaos in the later stages of the western Roman empire as various factions took power and zealot Christians imposed their religion on others. It is an epic story spanning two decades of how two Roman families bond and make the difficult decision to resurrect their society, culture, and religion in a distant land. The attention to detail reflects the author’s impeccable research and passion for the subject. A list of characters, maps, glossaries of ancient places and terms, and a historical note are extra bonuses that help a reader navigate through the story.
Symbols from Roman mythology, woven into the story, highlight the theme that individuals have the power to overcome their struggles. The prologue depicts a scene in which one of the Fates cut Julia’s lifespan short because “each mortal can only have so much of the Universe’s goodness.” As the two families escape Rome, they hide the statue of Victory in a wagon until they reach their final destination. There, they bring it back to its original golden beauty so that it can take its rightful place in Roma Nova. Mortals can’t control what tragic events befall them, but they have the will to overcome these challenges.
I highly recommend EXSILIUM as an epic, multi-generational family saga that chronicles the lives of two Roman families fighting to preserve their ancient traditions as Christian zealots gain political influence throughout the empire.
Instagram Handle: @cathiedunn
