Linnea Tanner's Blog, page 25
November 10, 2022
Squire’s Hazard Carolyn Hughes #TheCoffeePotBookClub #BlogTour Medieval #HistoricalFiction @writingcalliope @cathiedunn
It is my pleasure to introduce Carolyn Hughes as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between October 31st — November 11th, 2022. Carolyn Hughes is the author of the Historical Fiction, Squire’s Hazard, (The Fifth Meonbridge Chronicle), which was released by Riverdown Books on 6th October 2022 (417 pages)
Below are highlights of Squire’s Hazard, author bio of Carolyn Hughes, and an excerpt from her book.
To follow the blog tour for SQUIRE’S HAZARD, CLICK Blog Tour Schedule
HIGHLIGHTS: SQUIRE’S HAZARD
Squire’s Hazard
(The Fifth Meonbridge Chronicle
by Carolyn Hughes
(Blurb)
How do you overcome the loathing, lust and bitterness threatening you and your family’s honour?
It’s 1363, and in Steyning Castle, Sussex, Dickon de Bohun is enjoying life as a squire in the household of Earl Raoul de Fougère. Or he would be, if it weren’t for Edwin de Courtenay, who’s making his life a misery with his bullying, threatening to expose the truth about Dickon’s birth.
At home in Meonbridge for Christmas, Dickon notices how grown-up his childhood playmate, Libby Fletcher, has become since he last saw her and feels the stirrings of desire. Libby, seeing how different he is too, falls instantly in love. But as a servant to Dickon’s grandmother, Lady Margaret de Bohun, she could never be his wife.
Margery Tyler, Libby’s aunt, meeting her niece by chance, learns of her passion for young Dickon. Their conversation rekindles Margery’s long-held rancour against the de Bohuns, whom she blames for all the ills that befell her family, including her own servitude. For years she’s hidden her hunger for retribution, but she can no longer keep her hostility in check.
As the future Lord of Meonbridge, Dickon knows he must rise above de Courtenay’s loathing and intimidation, and get the better of him. And, surely, he must master his lust for Libby, so his own mother’s shocking history is not repeated? Of Margery’s bitterness, however, he has yet to learn…
Beset by the hazards these powerful and dangerous emotions bring, can young Dickon summon up the courage and resolve to overcome them?
Secrets, hatred and betrayal, but also love and courage – Squire’s Hazard, the fifth MEONBRIDGE CHRONICLE.
Buy Links:
This book is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Link 
Amazon UK Amazon US Amazon CA Amazon AU
The paperback is available to buy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Waterstones.
AUTHOR BIO: CAROLYN HUGHES
CAROLYN HUGHES has lived much of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working life as a computer programmer, then a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, as she wrote and edited material, some fascinating, some dull, for an array of different clients, including banks, an international hotel group and medical instruments manufacturers.
Having written creatively for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest several years ago that writing historical fiction took centre stage, alongside gaining a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Portsmouth University and a PhD from the University of Southampton.
Squire’s Hazard is the fifth MEONBRIDGE CHRONICLE, and more stories about the folk of Meonbridge will follow.
You can connect with Carolyn through her website www.carolynhughesauthor.com and on social media.
Social Media Links:
Website Twitter Facebook Book Bub Amazon Author Page UK Goodreads
Chapter 1
Someone must have sent word up to the house, for his grandmother was awaiting him.
‘My darling boy,’ she cried, as Piers shoved open the heavy bailey door and ushered Dickon into the great hall. A welcome mantle of muggy warmth at once enfolded him. He threw off his damp and chilly cloak and eased off his soggy gloves, letting them all fall onto the floor, as his grandmother came forward, her arms outstretched. ‘How glad I am to see you.’
He was glad to let himself be embraced. ‘And I you, Grandmama,’ he said, and meant it, more so this time than he’d ever done before.
She took his arm and drew him over to the fire, blazing in the wide stone hearth and sending its smoky billows skywards up the towering chimney. He slumped down onto a nearby bench, all of a sudden exhausted and looking forward to his bed.
But Grandmama was eager for conversation. ‘How was your journey? Not too onerous? Or cold?’
‘Bayard made it easier. But the cold…’ He grimaced and, despite the fire’s heat, his whole body gave a shudder. Yet he managed a rueful grin. ‘It’s a pity Christmas is in December. Riding from Steyning to Meonbridge in midsummer would be almost a pleasure. Perhaps I’ll ask his lordship if he can change our annual holiday to June?’
His grandmother threw back her head and laughed. ‘What a wonderful idea. But even as powerful a man as Raoul de Fougère cannot alter the Church’s calendar.’
He shivered again, then couldn’t stop, and Grandmama called to a servant to bring a fur-lined wrap. Moments later, a snug fox fur was enveloping his shoulders, and he held out his icy hands towards the fire and kneaded at his fingers.
Piers came over, bearing a cup of steaming spiced ale. ‘Here, my lord, this’ll warm you up.’
‘I’m not sure I can hold it,’ said Dickon, grimacing again. ‘Best put it on the table.’ Leaning forward, he wrapped his hands around the cup and waited for his tingling fingers to thaw out.
‘Do tell me your news,’ said his grandmother, after they’d shared a little supper in the privacy of her chamber. They were sitting before the fire until it was time to retire to bed. ‘Last Christmas, you were so full of excitement about your new life at Steyning. Has this year been even better?’
Dickon bent down, pretending to fiddle with the buckle on his shoe. He was sure his face must betray the anxiety that had built up during the long ride home. He’d tried to work out what he was going to tell his grandmother about his squiring life. As he rode, he practised what to say, about the training and about his move to the earl’s personal retinue, though not why it had happened. But now he was confronted with the need to say it, he feared he might without intention betray the truth.
‘Actually, Grandmama, I’m very tired,’ he said at last, glad, as he sat up again, that the light in the room was dim enough to conceal his face. ‘Do you mind if I tell you all about it in the morning?’
It wasn’t that he’d never lied to her before: he’d become quite practised at it as a boy. But those lies had been trifling matters, not a bald concealment of something so humiliating as being dismissed from Sir Eustace’s service.
‘Oh, my dear boy,’ she cried, ‘of course. How unthinking of me to keep you from your bed, when you must be so weary from your journey.’ She leaned across and patted him on the arm, her smile tender. ‘In the morning, then.’
In his own chamber, Dickon was alone a while, though Piers would soon come to share it with him, as he’d done for many years when he was younger. He rolled out the truckle from beneath his fine oak bed in readiness for Piers, then threw himself down upon his own mattress. He felt bad about putting off his grandmother, when she was so eager to hear his news. Maybe, by the morning, he’d feel both stronger and more certain about how to paint his life at Steyning in the most favourable light.
November 8, 2022
Book Spotlight A Shape on the Air Julia Ibbotson #historical #timeslip #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @JuliaIbbotson @cathiedunn
I am delighted to spotlight the Historical Romance / Timeslip Mystery, A Shape on the Air (Dr DuLac series, Book 1) by Julia Ibbotson in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between November 7th — November 11th, 2022. A Shape on the Air was released by the author on October 9, 2021 (220 pages). Other books in her series include The Dragon Tree (Book 2) and The Rune Stone (Book 3)
Below are highlights of A Shape on the Air and Julia Ibbotson’s author bio.
To follow the blog tour for A Shape on the Air, CLICK Tour Schedule page
HIGHLIGHTS: A SHAPE ON THE AIR
A Shape on the Air
(Dr DuLac series, Book 1)
by Julia Ibbotson
(Blurb)
A haunting Anglo-Saxon time-slip of mystery and romance
Can echoes of the past threaten the present? They are 1500 years apart, but can they reach out to each other across the centuries? One woman faces a traumatic truth in the present day. The other is forced to marry the man she hates as the ‘dark ages’ unfold.
How can Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, unlock the secrets of the past? Traumatised by betrayal, she slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, who is also battling treachery. Viv must uncover the mystery of the key that she unwittingly brings back with her to the present day, as echoes of the past resonate through time. But little does Viv realise just how much both their lives across the centuries will become so intertwined. And in the end, how can they help each other across the ages without changing the course of history?
For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.
PRAISE FOR A SHAPE ON THE AIR
“In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” – Historical Novel Society
“Amazing …a really great book …I just couldn’t put it down” – Hazel Morgan
“Well-rounded characters and a wealth of historical research make this a real page-turner” – Amazon review
“Enthralling” – Amazon review
“Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – Amazon review
“Viv/Lady Vivianne … lovely identifiable heroine in both time periods … I love her strength and vulnerability. And Rory/Roland is simply gorgeous!” – Melissa Morgan
“gripping … a very real sense of threat and danger, an enthralling mystery … a wholly convincing romance, across both timelines” – Anne Williams
Buy Links:
This novel is available on #KindleUnlimited
Universal Link Amazon UK Amazon US Amazon CA Amazon AU
Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of resonances across time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that are character-driven, well-paced, evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval dual-time/time-slip mysteries.
Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language/ literature/ history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher.
Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s. She has also indie-published three other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her latest, Daughter of Mercia, is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual time mystery/romances where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.
Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘compelling character-driven novels’, ‘a skilled story-teller’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘incredible writing style’, ‘intricately written’, ‘absorbing and captivating’, and ‘an absolute gem of a trilogy’.
Social Media Links:
Website Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Pinterest Amazon Author Page Goodreads
November 6, 2022
Skull’s Vengeance Linnea Tanner Midway Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalFantasy #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #AncientRome #Britannia @maryanneyarde
I’m pleased to announce that we’re midway through The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour for Skull’s Vengeance (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 4), scheduled from October 31st – November 11th, 2022. Be sure to check out guest posts, author interviews, excerpts, and spotlights of Skull’s Vengeance at the various websites listed below. Links will be updated daily as posts are published.
To follow the SKULL’S VENGEANCE blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page
HIGHLIGHTS: SKULL’S VENGEANCE(Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book 4)
By Linnea Tanner
October 31st – November 11th 2022Publication Date: October 18, 2022Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher, LLCPage Length: 402 pagesGenre: Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction
A Celtic warrior queen must do the impossible—defeat her sorcerer half-brother 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, in order 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?
Acclaim for other books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series:
“[An] epic tale of love, betrayal and political intrigue.” —InD’tale Magazine
“The requisite fantasy elements of magic and mystery abound…Tanner also does an admirable job weaving in the politics and mythology of a bygone people.” —Kirkus
“Part fantasy, part historical fiction, Linnea Tanner has woven together a wonderful tale of romance, intrigue, mystery, and legend to create an entertaining and complex story.” —The International Review of Books
“[A] captivating tale of triangles; love, lust and espionage; friend, foe, and spies; barbarians, civilized Rome and spiritual-supernatural beings.” —2019 Pencraft Book of the Year Award
Purchase Links:
Universal • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU
Barnes and Noble • iTunes • Kobo • GooglePlay • Booktopia
Grab the series:
Apollo’s Raven • Dagger’s Destiny • Amulet’s Rapture • Skull’s Vengeance
PARTICIPANTS IN BLOG TOUR
October 31st
Zoe’s Art, Craft and Life
Excerpt
Viviana MacKade’s Official Blog
Guest Post
The Historical Fiction Company
Excerpt
Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog
Excerpt
November 1st
B for Bookreview
Spotlight
Let Us Talk Of Many Things
Guest Post
November 2nd
MJ Porter’s Official Blog
Interview
Shadows of the Past
Spotlight
November 3rd
CelticLady’s Reviews
Spotlight
Let Your Words Shine…
Excerpt
Crowvus Book Blog
Guest Post
November 4th
Archaeolibrarian
Spotlight
November 7th
The Magic of Wor(l)ds
Excerpt
November 8th
Mary’s Tavern
Excerpt
Ruins & Reading
Excerpt
November 9th
The Historical Fiction Blog
Guest Post
The Book Bandit’s Library
Excerpt
November 10th
The Writing Desk
Guest Post
Paul Walker’s Official Blog
Excerpt
November 11th
Pam Lecky’s Official Blog
Excerpt
The Whispering Bookworm
Interview
November 2, 2022
Yves Fey Floats the Dark Shadow The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalMystery #MontmartreParis #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @YvesFey @cathiedunn
Please welcome Yves Fey as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between October 31st — November 4th, 2022. Yves Fey is the author of the Historical Mystery, Floats the Dark Shadow (The Paris Trilogy). The second edition of the novel was released by Tygerbright Press in September 2022 (340 pages). The audiobook is narrated by Hollie Jackson
Below are highlights of Floats the Dark Shadow, Yves Fey’s author bio, and an excerpt from her book.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule page
HIGHLIGHTS: FLOATS THE DARK SHADOW
Floats the Dark Shadow
(The Paris Trilogy)
by Yves Fey
(Blurb)
Young American painter Theodora Faraday struggles to become an artist in Belle Époque Paris. She’s tasted the champagne of success, illustrating poems for the Revenants, a group of poets led by her adored cousin, Averill.
When children she knows vanish mysteriously, Theo confronts Inspecteur Michel Devaux who suspects the Revenants are involved. Theo refuses to believe the killer could be a friend—could be the man she loves. Classic detection and occult revelation lead Michel and Theo through the dark underbelly of Paris, from catacombs to asylums, to the obscene ritual of a Black Mass.
Following the maze of clues they discover the murderer believes he is the reincarnation of the most evil serial killer in the history of France—Gilles de Rais. Once Joan of Arc’s lieutenant, after her death he plunged into an orgy of evil. The Church burned him at the stake for heresy, sorcery, and the depraved murder of hundreds of peasant children.
Whether deranged mind or demonic passion incite him, the killer must be found before he strikes again.
Buy Links:
Universal Link • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU • Barnes and Noble • Kobo • Audio • AppleBooks
AUTHOR BIO: YVES FEY
Yves Fey has MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Oregon, and a BA in Pictorial Arts from UCLA. Yves began drawing as soon as she could hold a crayon and writing at twelve.
She’s been a tie dye artist, go-go dancer, creator of ceramic beasties, writing teacher, illustrator, and has won prizes for her chocolate desserts. Her current obsession is creating perfumes inspired by her Parisian characters.
Yves lives in Albany with her mystery writer husband and their cats, Charlotte and Emily, the Flying Bronte Sisters.
Social Media Links:
Website • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn • Instagram • Pinterest • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads
EXCERPT: FLOATS THE DARK SHADOW
Theo and Her Friends Meet at the Charity Bazaar – Floats the Dark Shadow
“I love your new painting, Theo!” Carmine exclaimed.
“What is it? I must see it,” Mélanie said eagerly.
“Le Moulin de la Galette,” Theo told her, “transformed by storm clouds.”
Carmine spun her fingers like pinwheels. “Bold.”
“Not too bold, I hope?” Mélanie teased.
Carmine rolled her eyes. Theo laughed. “So bold no one will buy it!’”
“Don’t you care?” Mélanie asked plaintively.
“I don’t need to,” Theo said. “I just finished a portrait for which I’ve been paid a fortune—in croissants.”
“Better than gold.” Carmine grinned at her.
“Now remember, this is a charity event.” Mélanie became all earnestness again. “We must each be sure to give something.”
“There are a hundred and fifty charities to choose between. I’m sure I’ll find at least one worth a franc.” Carmine grinned. “Though the boutiques will beckon to my purse.”
“Any purchase goes to charity. There is a school for the blind with many orphaned students. I have ten francs for that. They teach those with musical talent to play the organ,” Mélanie said primly. Then her face brightened. “Monsieur Braille taught there. Do you know he adapted his system from a secret spy code that soldiers used to read in the dark of night?”
“What a marvelous bit of history.” Theo smiled. “They shall have a donation from me. When we have finished, let’s have a cozy tea at Ladurée.” She loved the salon’s gilded interior.
“Or supper if the line doesn’t move faster,” Mélanie said plaintively.
“This is the most modern exhibit. Everyone here must see it.” Carmine gave her wicked smile. “All two thousand of them.”
The line crept forward as another set of people went through the turnstile. As they drew closer the deep blue of the curtains made the hidden interior all the more alluring.
“Theo, did you read the Petit Journal yesterday—the editorial on suffrage?” Carmine lifted her brows in provocative challenge.
“Did I read about the superior wisdom of France compared to the United States?” Theo retorted. “Did I discover that French women live under a rule of benign order, unlike the profound disorder in the state of Colorado where women serve on juries and are free to vote?”
“What of your state?” Carmine asked. “Are they so enlightened?”
Anger tightened Theo’s back and sharpened her voice. “The amendment failed in California last year.”
“Did you march in the street to protest?” Carmine asked her.
“It failed after I left, but yes, I marched to promote it.”
“Then you are truly French!” Carmine laughed then became vehement. “The women of France fought in the Revolution—we led the march on Versailles! Again, in the Commune, we joined the struggle for liberty. Aren’t we worthy of equal rights and privileges?”
“You cannot want the vote.” Mélanie looked truly appalled. “Politics is the man’s world, as home is the woman’s. If she enters into masculine troubles, how can she create a haven for sheltering those she loves?”
“If she has no choice, then she’s just a servant in her supposed domain,” Theo protested. “Controlling your money, owning property, having a vote, it’s all necessary to being a person, not just some decorative attachment, a pretty bauble.”
Mélanie shook her head. “I wouldn’t want the vote. Let men deal with sordid politics.”
“I want a say in just which stupid, sordid idiot runs my world,” Carmine declared.
“If you feel that women belong in the home, why did you apply to the École des Beaux-Arts?” Theo challenged. Mélanie’s impeccable technique had just earned her a place within those sacred walls. She and two other women were the first ever admitted. It was the fulfillment of a dream for Mélanie, who lived a quiet and all too proper life with her widowed mother.
“Artistic skill befits a woman as well as a man. Women cannot expect to outdo men at the pinnacle of their skill, but they can still strive for excellence,” Mélanie said stiffly.
“They promised to admit women almost a year ago,” Carmine said, “then danced around in circles—with us still on the outside. They have opened their doors at last, but do not fool yourself. You will not be given classes equal to the men’s, no matter what they say.”
“We share the oral lecture classes,” Mélanie said defensively. “Of course anatomy is segregated. But we will have the same models—we will simply study them independently. They have promised.”
“Have they kept their promise?” Carmine asked pointedly.
“…Not yet. No male nudes have been permitted. But classes have barely begun.”
Carmine huffed, but Theo forestalled further arguing. “It’s a beginning, at least.”
Finally, they passed through the turnstile into the dimly lit room behind the curtains. Their host briefly explained the system while his assistants readied the machine. “Monsieur Joly has improved upon the kinetograph of Edison and the innovations of the brothers Lumière, giving our machine greater smoothness. No longer is just one person at a time able to view the magic world of cinema. This entire audience will experience the wonder of our films,” he proclaimed proudly. “The Cinématographe Joly is a most marvelous creation—a camera, a printer, and a projector all in one!”
The mechanism operated something like a sewing machine, shuttling the slotted film through the teeth of the projector. “Up and down, in and out, move and pause,” their host chanted, his hands moving as if pushing fabric under a needle. Theo almost laughed, but the man was so serious she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. When she tried for a closer look at the intriguing machine, the projectionist and his assistant blocked her. Their host pointed at the screen. “Attention! Three magical films for your viewing—each almost a minute!”
The lamps were dimmed. Now they were in darkness. The air filled with quivering light and the screen with flickering images that cast a spell over the audience. Theo gasped and sighed with them, tingling with excitement at the visions unfolding before her. First there was a wonderfully sweet and silly moment of a woman feeding her baby daughter porridge. The baby was chubby cheeked and got the gooey stuff all over herself and her mother, who threw up her hands in dismay. Murmurs of awe wove with bursts of laughter. “It’s a miracle, a modern miracle!” was whispered all around. After the baby came a glorious scene of boys having a snowball fight, running, falling, and rising to send their missiles flying through the air. Theo wanted to be with them, to gather the white snow in her hands and hurl it with the same laughing abandon. Weaving through her enchantment were elusive distractions. The machine made a soft clattering as it ran the film, and a swish as the spools unwound and fell into a box beneath the projector. The booth had a curious smell, a dizzying hint of the ether used to lubricate the mechanism.
The last film was the most startling. Iron struts of a bridge framed train tracks that curved away out of sight. Suddenly, a train turned the bend. Like a black beast, it rushed toward them, spewing a cloud of white smoke. Theo was transfixed. There was no sound, but her mind filled with the grinding sound of steel wheels and piercing whistles. Her heart raced as the engine with its jutting grill charged forward. The next instant there was nothing but smoke and black iron as the train seemed to hurtle off the screen into the room. Frozen in place, Theo gasped in delighted terror. She gasped again when Mélanie clutched her arm as blackness swallowed them.
Almost instantly the lights came on. Everyone laughed with relief to find themselves still alive and filled with wonder at this joyful present the modern world had given them.
November 1, 2022
Linnea Tanner Skull’s Vengeance Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalFantasy #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #AncientRome #AncientBritannia #SkullsVengeance @maryanneyarde
I am pleased to announce that the newly released Historical Fantasy, Skull’s Vengeance (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 4), is being featured on The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour between October 31st – November 11th, 2022. The blog tour will include guest posts, author interviews, excerpts, and spotlights of Skull’s Vengeance. See below for the various sites that will be participating in the blog tour. After the post is published at each site, updated links to posts will be provided every day.
To follow the SKULL’S VENGEANCE blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page
(Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book 4)
By Linnea Tanner
October 31st – November 11th 2022Publication Date: October 18, 2022Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher, LLCPage Length: 402 pagesGenre: Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction
A Celtic warrior queen must do the impossible—defeat her sorcerer half-brother 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, in order 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?
Acclaim for other books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series:
“[An] epic tale of love, betrayal and political intrigue.” —InD’tale Magazine
“The requisite fantasy elements of magic and mystery abound…Tanner also does an admirable job weaving in the politics and mythology of a bygone people.” —Kirkus
“Part fantasy, part historical fiction, Linnea Tanner has woven together a wonderful tale of romance, intrigue, mystery, and legend to create an entertaining and complex story.” —The International Review of Books
“[A] captivating tale of triangles; love, lust and espionage; friend, foe, and spies; barbarians, civilized Rome and spiritual-supernatural beings.” —2019 Pencraft Book of the Year Award
Are there any trigger warnings for your book?
Sex, Slave Trafficking and Abuse, Violence, Childbirth
Purchase Links:
Universal • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU • Barnes and Noble • iTunes • Kobo • GooglePlay • Booktopia
Grab the series:
Apollo’s Raven• Dagger’s Destiny • Amulet’s Rapture• Skull’s Vengeance
AUTHOR BIO: LINNEA TANNER
Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.
Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), and Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3). Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4) is anticipated to be released in late 2021 or early 2021.
A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.
Social Media Links:
Website• Twitter •Facebook• LinkedIn• Instagram• Pinterest• BookBub• Amazon Author Page •Goodreads
PARTICIPANTS BLOG TOUR
October 31st
Zoe’s Art, Craft and Life
Excerpt
Viviana MacKade’s Official Blog
Guest Post
The Historical Fiction Company
Excerpt
Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog
Excerpt
November 1st
B for Bookreview
Spotlight
Let Us Talk Of Many Things
Guest Post
November 2nd
MJ Porter’s Official Blog
Interview
Shadows of the Past
Spotlight
November 3rd
CelticLady’s Reviews
Spotlight
Let Your Words Shine…
Excerpt
Crowvus Book Blog
Guest Post
November 4th
Archaeolibrarian
Spotlight
November 7th
The Magic of Wor(l)ds
Excerpt
November 8th
Mary’s Tavern
Excerpt
Ruins & Reading
Excerpt
November 9th
The Historical Fiction Blog
Guest Post
The Book Bandit’s Library
Excerpt
November 10th
The Writing Desk
Guest Post
Paul Walker’s Official Blog
Excerpt
November 11th
Pam Lecky’s Official Blog
Excerpt
The Whispering Bookworm
Interview
Linnea Tanner Skull’s Vengeance Coffee Pot Book Cluib Blog Tour#HistoricalFantasy #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #AncientRome #AncientBritannia #SkullsVengeance @maryanneyarde
I am pleased to announce that the newly released Historical Fantasy, Skull’s Vengeance (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 4), is being featured on The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour between October 31st – November 11th, 2022. The blog tour will include guest posts, author interviews, excerpts, and spotlights of Skull’s Vengeance. See below for the various sites that will be participating in the blog tour. After the post is published at each site, updated links to posts will be provided every day.
To follow the SKULL’S VENGEANCE blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page
(Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book 1)
By Linnea Tanner
October 31st – November 11th 2022Publication Date: October 18, 2022Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher, LLCPage Length: 402 pagesGenre: Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction
A Celtic warrior queen must do the impossible—defeat her sorcerer half-brother 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, in order 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?
Acclaim for other books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series:
“[An] epic tale of love, betrayal and political intrigue.” —InD’tale Magazine
“The requisite fantasy elements of magic and mystery abound…Tanner also does an admirable job weaving in the politics and mythology of a bygone people.” —Kirkus
“Part fantasy, part historical fiction, Linnea Tanner has woven together a wonderful tale of romance, intrigue, mystery, and legend to create an entertaining and complex story.” —The International Review of Books
“[A] captivating tale of triangles; love, lust and espionage; friend, foe, and spies; barbarians, civilized Rome and spiritual-supernatural beings.” —2019 Pencraft Book of the Year Award
Are there any trigger warnings for your book?
Sex, Slave Trafficking and Abuse, Violence, Childbirth
Purchase Links:
Universal • Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU • Barnes and Noble • iTunes • Kobo • GooglePlay • Booktopia
Grab the series:
Apollo’s Raven• Dagger’s Destiny • Amulet’s Rapture• Skull’s Vengeance
AUTHOR BIO: LINNEA TANNER
Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.
Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), and Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3). Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4) is anticipated to be released in late 2021 or early 2021.
A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.
Social Media Links:
Website• Twitter •Facebook• LinkedIn• Instagram• Pinterest• BookBub• Amazon Author Page •Goodreads
PARTICIPANTS BLOG TOUR
October 31st
Zoe’s Art, Craft and Life
Excerpt
Viviana MacKade’s Official Blog
Guest Post
The Historical Fiction Company
Excerpt
Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog
Excerpt
November 1st
B for Bookreview
Spotlight
Let Us Talk Of Many Things
Guest Post
November 2nd
MJ Porter’s Official Blog
Interview
Shadows of the Past
Spotlight
November 3rd
CelticLady’s Reviews
Spotlight
Let Your Words Shine…
Excerpt
Crowvus Book Blog
Guest Post
November 4th
Archaeolibrarian
Spotlight
November 7th
The Magic of Wor(l)ds
Excerpt
November 8th
Mary’s Tavern
Excerpt
Ruins & Reading
Excerpt
November 9th
The Historical Fiction Blog
Guest Post
The Book Bandit’s Library
Excerpt
November 10th
The Writing Desk
Guest Post
Paul Walker’s Official Blog
Excerpt
November 11th
Pam Lecky’s Official Blog
Excerpt
The Whispering Bookworm
Interview
October 26, 2022
Elizabeth St.John The Godmother’s Secret #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @ElizStJohn @cathiedunn
Please welcome Elizabeth St. John as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between October 17th — October 28th, 2022. Elizabeth St. John is the author of the Biographical Historical Fiction / Historical Mystery, The Godmother’s Secret, which was released by Falcon Historical on 4th October 2022 (350 pages).
Below are highlights of The Godmother’s Secret, Elizabeth St. John’s author bio, and a fascinating post about the history behind her book.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page
HIGHLIGHTS: THE GODMOTHER’S SECRET
The Godmother’s Secret
by Elizabeth St. John
(Blurb)
What if you knew what happened to the Princes in the Tower. Would you tell? Or would you forever keep the secret?
November, 1470: Westminster Abbey. Lady Elysabeth Scrope faces a perilous royal duty when ordered into sanctuary with Elizabeth Woodville–witness the birth of Edward IV’s Yorkist son. Margaret Beaufort, Elysabeth’s sister, is desperately seeking a pardon for her exiled son Henry Tudor. Strategically, she coerces Lancastrian Elysabeth to be appointed godmother to Prince Edward, embedding her in the heart of the Plantagenets and uniting them in a destiny of impossible choices and heartbreaking conflict.
Bound by blood and torn by honour, when the king dies and Elysabeth delivers her young godson into the Tower of London to prepare for his coronation, she is engulfed in political turmoil. Within months, the prince and his brother have disappeared, Richard III is declared king, and Margaret conspires with Henry Tudor to invade England and claim the throne. Desperate to protect her godson, Elysabeth battles the intrigue, betrayal and power of the last medieval court, defying her husband and her sister under her godmother’s sacred oath to keep Prince Edward safe.
Were the princes murdered by their uncle, Richard III? Was the rebel Duke of Buckingham to blame? Or did Margaret Beaufort mastermind their disappearance to usher in the Tudor dynasty? Of anyone at the royal court, Elysabeth has the most to lose–and the most to gain–by keeping secret the fate of the Princes in the Tower.
Inspired by England’s most enduring historical mystery, Elizabeth St.John, best-selling author of The Lydiard Chronicles, blends her own family history with known facts and centuries of speculation to create an intriguing alternative story illuminating the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower.
Buy Links:
This title is on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal Link 
Amazon UK Amazon US Amazon CA Amazon AU
Elizabeth St. John spends her time between California, England, and the past. An acclaimed author, historian, and genealogist, she has tracked down family papers and residences from Lydiard Park and Nottingham Castle to Richmond Palace and the Tower of London to inspire her novels. Although the family sold a few country homes along the way (it’s hard to keep a good castle going these days), Elizabeth’s family still occupy them— in the form of portraits, memoirs, and gardens that carry their legacy. And the occasional ghost. But that’s a different story.
Having spent a significant part of her life with her seventeenth-century family while writing The Lydiard Chronicles trilogy and Counterpoint series, Elizabeth St. John is now discovering new family stories with her fifteenth-century namesake Elysabeth St.John Scrope, and her half-sister, Margaret Beaufort.
Social Media Links:
Website Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Book Bub Amazon Author Page Goodreads
by Elizabeth St. John
When I was looking for inspiration for my new book, The Godmother’s Secret, I literally entered my own name into our digitised family tree to see who else was recorded. About half a dozen Elizabeths appeared—Victorian, Georgian, and Tudor women; some who had lived at court, others who led simple lives in the English countryside. But I was intrigued to find Elysabeth St.John who lived in the 15th century – and over the moon when I discovered she was the godmother to Edward V – the eldest brother of the missing Princes in the Tower. I had a new family story to investigate! And surely Elysabeth, above anyone else, would know what happened to those poor boys?
My novel opens in 1470 when Elysabeth is sent into the protection of Westminster Abbey’s Sanctuary to witness the birth of Edward IV’s child by his queen consort, Elizabeth Woodville, and, in the event that the child live, to serve as its godmother. Elysabeth’s infant charge was born at a time when there were two kings fighting for England’s throne – Henry VI and Edward IV. When Edward IV reclaimed the crown, Elysabeth’s godson became Prince Edward, the heir to the throne.
In medieval times, a godmother was considered a blood relative, and was responsible for the spiritual wellbeing and security of their godchild. Where it gets interesting is that Elysabeth was also the half-sister to Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor – at the time of Prince Edward’s birth, the exiled Earl of Richmond. Elysabeth’s husband, John Scrope, 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton, was a close ally of Richard III. So not only was Elysabeth (a Lancastrian) godmother to the York heir, she was also aunt to the Tudor claimant (and future Henry VII). Talk about family feuds! Margaret was also married to Lord Thomas Stanley, a powerful follower of Richard III, until the Battle of Bosworth. And we all know how that ended.
The Godmother’s Secret revolves around Elysabeth’s vow as godmother and her desperate efforts to protect her 12-year-old godson, Edward V, from the intrigue and betrayal that surrounds him after she delivers him to the Tower of London for his coronation. He was automatically king upon the death of his father Edward IV (“the king never dies”). However, he had yet to be anointed when the Duke of Buckingham moved Edward into the Tower for his own safekeeping and to prepare for his coronation. In my novel, Elysabeth is navigating her own conflict, upholding her loyalty to both her husband and her sister as competing factions battle for the throne. More than anything, Elysabeth defies the bounds of blood and loyalty to make her own decisions for her godson’s survival in a hostile medieval world where women had little authority.
What was fascinating as I started digging deep into the research were the layers upon layers of rumours, gossip and myths that surrounded Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York. Our common perception today is very often “Richard III killed his nephews, the Princes in the Tower” (a name for them that only came into being in the Victorian times). Most of what we think about Richard is derived from Shakespeare’s eponymous play, which in turn drew from Thomas More’s account, written during the reign of Henry VIII. As I read further, firsthand accounts from foreign diplomats and letters between English merchants revealed only that the boys were not seen after the summer of 1483; later rumours were reported that Richard III had murdered them.
The princes vanished. Their bodies were never discovered, and no one was ever found guilty of murdering them. Even the bones that are claimed to be theirs in Westminster Abbey are not authenticated. Their disappearance is the biggest mystery in English history. And that is where I landed as a historical fiction novelist. I could weave in genuine family facts and create my version of their story. About halfway through the first draft I came across a piece of family history (basically a dynastic marriage) that made my story plausible, which was really exciting.
As far as if my version is true? It’s historical fiction. We create narratives from the known facts, sift through rumours and gossip until we find the source – or can dismiss them. Until the next fact comes along.
October 23, 2022
Harry Duffin Island of Dreams The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @duffin26 @cathiedunn
Please welcome Harry Duffin as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between October 24th — October 28th, 2022. Harry Duffin is the author of the Historical Family Saga, Island of Dreams, which will be released by Cumulus Publishing in December 2022 (420 pages).
Below are highlights of Island of Dreams, Harry Duffin’s author bio, and an excerpt from his novel.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule
HIGHLIGHTS: ISLAND OF DREAMS
Island of Dreams
By Harry Duffin
(Blurb)
In May 1939, when Professor Carl Mueller, his wife, Esther, and their three children flee Nazi Germany, and find refuge on the paradise island of Cuba, they are all full of hopes and dreams for a safe and happy future.
But those dreams are shattered when Carl and Esther are confronted by a ghost from their past, and old betrayals return to haunt them.
The turbulent years of political corruption leading to Batista’s dictatorship, forces the older children to take very different paths to pursue their own dangerous dreams.
And – among the chaos and the conflict that finally leads to Castro’s revolution and victory in 1959, an unlikely love begins to grow – a love that threatens the whole family.
Having escaped a war-torn Europe, their Island of Dreams is to tear them apart forever.
Buy Links:
This title will be available on Amazon and on #KindleUnlimited. Pre-order links not yet available
AUTHOR BIO: HARRY DUFFIN
Harry Duffin is an award-winning British screenwriter, who was on the first writing team of the BBC’s ‘Eastenders’ and won the Writers’ Guild Award for Best TV serial for ‘Coronation Street’.
He was Head of Development at Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment Group, producing seven major television series, including ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ starring Richard ‘John Boy’ Thomas, and ‘Twist in the Tale’, featuring William Shatner.
He was the co-creator of the UK Channel Five teen-cult drama series ‘The Tribe’, which ran for five series.
He has written three novels, Chicago May, Birth of the Mall Rats [an intro to the TV series ‘The Tribe’], and Island of Dreams, which will be published in December 2022.
Chicago May is the first book of a two-part series: www.chicagomay.com
Social Media Links:
Website Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Book Bub Amazon Author Page Goodreads
If her last client didn’t leave too late Conchita often came to sleep beside Freddie. Not for the sex, though that occasional act with him seemed to cleanse the bad thoughts she sometimes had about her work. He had saved her life years ago and, always, sleeping beside him she felt safe. But an American frigate had docked the day before and Conchita and another girl had gone with its officers to an all-night party at the Hotel Sevilla. So, Freddie had slept alone that night.
The S.S. St Louis remained besieged in the harbour. That was frustrating for two reasons. With no passengers allowed to leave, Freddie’s dreams of easy money had faded, while at the same time its presence brought unwelcome memories to the surface.
It was ten years almost to the day since he had last seen the Mueller’s. He thought with irony that it was their anniversary. A celebration of the horrendous parting that had left him at first in tears for weeks, and then inside a bottle ever since. He knew it was self-indulgent and weak to blame others for one’s own downfall, but when drunk Freddie cultivated that side of his nature, and fuelled it with bitterness over his ruined career. He preferred that state to his guilt and regret when sober.
Strangely for him, he had woken very early and was brewing a pot of rich black coffee when he saw the young policeman arrive and enter the building down below. There were footsteps on the stair and moments later a knock on the door. Freddie crossed the tiny room to open it. Though they had a deserved reputation for casual brutality, the police didn’t alarm him.
The man was holding a brown paper packet which he held out to Freddie.
‘Senor Sanchez.’
‘Yes? What’s this?’
‘From the ship, senor. A man sent it.’
Freddie gazed at the package transfixed.
‘A man? From the ship? What man?’
‘A doctor, like you, senor. Professor Carl Mueller.’
Freddie felt as if he had been electrocuted. For a moment he thought he must be still dreaming. He’d been having nightmares all weekend.
‘Don’t you want it?’
After a moment Freddie reached out and took the package. It felt real. But dreams always did.
‘I er…don’t have…any…’
‘The other doctor paid me.’
After the policeman had left, Freddie closed the door and locked it, an unusual precaution for him. He gazed at the package for a long time, until the coffee burnt in the saucepan.
As he held the scalded pan beneath the cold water, he continued to stare at the package which, though small, seemed to fill the entire room.
It was too incredible that the Mueller’s were actually on the marooned ship. At first, he thought he had misheard. But the policeman had described Carl exactly. Tall, thin, distinguished, but now with thick greying hair, not the jet black he had known. Was the rest of the family with him? Being half-Jewish perhaps they’d not been one of the lucky ones allowed to leave? But Carl would never desert his family, not even if it meant his own life. No. They were on the boat. Only a couple of hundred metres across the water, Esther Mueller was there.
Freddie lit another cigarette, sucked the poisonous smoke deep into his lungs and exhaled long and slowly. At last, he picked up the package and turned it over in his hands. Something soft, and something long, thin and hard. With fingers he couldn’t stop trembling, Freddie tore open the packet.
The note inside was brief, but unmistakably from his old tutor. Slowly he unwrapped the thin roll of tissue paper and revealed its contents. Freddie felt a terrible weight descend on him and crush his chest like a vice. His heart pounded insanely. The man who ten years ago had banished him from his life and ruined his prospects of a fine career, was now begging him to save his family. Just as Carl Mueller once held Freddie’s future in his hands, now the Mueller’s fate was in his, in the form of a sparkling diamond necklace.
October 21, 2022
Silver Dagger Blog Tour and Giveaway Curse of Clansmen and Kings #historicalfantasy #booktour #giveaway #silverdagger @SDSXXTours
I am pleased to announce that the Curse of Clansmen and Kings historical fantasy series is being featured on the ongoing Silver Dagger Book Tour and Giveaway from November 18th – November 1st. The blog tour will include highlights of each book, guest posts, author interviews, and excerpts from Skull’s Vengeance.
To follow the Curse of Clansmen and Kings blog tour and to enter the giveaway, CLICK Tour Schedule Page
PARTICIPATING SITES
Below is a list of participating sites in this book tour. As each post is published for the Curse of Kings and Clansmen series at each website, the web links will be updated.
Oct 18
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
Oct 19
Lady Hawkeye – GUEST POST
Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids and Creed
Oct 20
#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog
Oct 21
Oct 22
Oct 23
Oct 24
Oct 25
Books all things paranormal and romance
Oct 26
Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree
Tina Donahue – Heat with Heart
Oct 27
Oct 28
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
Oct 29
Oct 30
Oct 31
Maggie Blackbird – GUEST POST
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin’
Nov 1
October 15, 2022
DWPC Special Event Historical Fantasy and Book Launch Linnea Tanner #DWPC #SpecialEvent #HistoricalFantasy
Join Linnea Tanner at her presentation about the sub-genre of historical fantasy and book launch of Skull’s Vengeance at the Denver Women’s Press Club (DWPC) clubhouse on Sunday, October 23rd at 2:00 pm. Linnea will discuss how she weaves mythical elements of Celtic mythology into the historical backdrop of ancient Rome and Britannia in her series, Curse of Clansmen and Kings. For details on books in the series, click Books.
Signed books in her series will be available at discount. Net sales of books from the event will go to the DWPC Scholarship Fund for young writers. DWPC is an organization comprised of writing professionals (authors, editors, journalists, electronic communications, advertising, and marketing).
THE EVENT IS FREE to both members and non-members of DWPC. For more information on how to RSVP for the event, click DWPC Special Event.
