Linnea Tanner's Blog, page 4
July 31, 2025
Julian de la Motte The Will of God #TheWillOfGod #HistoricalFiction #Crusades #WilliamTheConqueror #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn
It’s my delight to welcome Julian de la Motte as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between July 28th – August 1st, 2025. Julian de la Motte is the author of the Historical Fiction, The Will of God, published by Historium Press on May 13, 2025 (392 pages).
Below are highlights of The Will of God, Julian de la Motte’s author bio, and an excerpt from the book.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/07/blog-tour-the-will-of-god-by-julian-de-la-motte.html
HIGHLIGHTS: THE WILL OF GOD
The Will of God
By Julian de la Motte
Blurb:
“Deus Lo Vult!”
Gilles is the natural son of the Earl Waltheof, executed by William the Conqueror for supposed treachery. Raised in Normandy by Queen Matilda of England, Gilles is a young servant of Robert, Duke of Normandy, when the first call for a Holy War against the infidel and for the liberation of Jerusalem is raised in Christendom. Along with thousands of others, inspired by a variety of motives, intense piety mixed with a sense of adventure and the prospects of richness, Gilles becomes a key and respected follower of the Duke of Normandy and travels through France and into Italy to the point of embarkation for Constantinople and the land of the Greeks.
In this epic first phase of a long and gruelling journey, Gilles begins to discover a sense of his own strengths and weaknesses, encounters for the first time the full might and strength of the Norman war machine and achieves his much coveted aim of knighthood, as well as a sense of responsibility to the men that he must now lead into battle.
The Will of God is the literal translation of the Latin phrase “Deus Lo Vult”; a ubiquitous war cry and a commonly offered explanation of all the horrors and iniquities unleashed by the First Crusade of 1096 to 1099, when thousands of Europeans made the dangerous and terrifying journey to the Holy Land and the liberation of Jerusalem. It is the first of two books on the subject.
Praise for The Will of God:
“De la Motte has superpowers as a writer of historical fiction; he’s a warhorse of a writer bred to stun and trample the literary senses. You won’t stop turning the pages of The Will of God.” ~ Charles McNair, Pulitzer Prize nominee and author of Land O’Goshen
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://geni.us/uXe6u
AUTHOR BIO: JULIAN DE LA MOTTE
Julian de la Motte is a Londoner. He graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in Medieval History. He was further awarded a Master of Arts qualification in Medieval English Art from the University of York.
He studied and taught in Italy for nearly four years before returning to the U.K. and a career as a teacher, teacher trainer and materials designer before taking up a new role as a Director of Foreign Languages and of English as a Foreign Language.
Married and with two grown up children, he is now extensively involved in review writing and historical research, primarily on medieval history.
”The Will of God” [the first of two books on the subject of the First Crusade] is his third novel.
Author Links:
Website: www.historiumpress.com/julian-de-la-motte
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julian.delamotteharrison.3
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XWMRPYK
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/20873400.julian_de_la_Motte
EXCERPT: THE WILL OF GOD
When his father’s handsome and youthful head was separated from his shoulders, his son Gilles was a sturdy and robust child just over a year old and able to sit up and take note of things immediately around him. His father’s crime had been that of a complicity in a treason that he had failed to explain away with any degree of conviction or success. He may well, on this particular occasion, have been wholly innocent; but it had happened once too often in his brief political career to be overlooked. So, up the little hill just outside Winchester he went. The mother of Gilles, the beautiful Eloise of La Petite Flague, was, of course, devastated and it was said of that truly peerless beauty that her glance remained forever downcast and tragic to the end of her days.
Amongst the local people of the English, the former Earl soon achieved the status of an unacknowledged saint. Even days after the execution his head, or so it was said, when it was reattached to his body for the purposes of a fit and proper Christian burial, bore a sweet smile of utter serenity. Both the head and the body were fresh and bore the strong scent of rosemary and thyme, untouched by the corruption of death. It was not long before stories of miracles began to circulate. Nothing major or cosmic, there was no raising of the dead nor any parting of any waves, but, rather, a localised curing of warts and the removal of blinding headaches from an itinerant cleric in minor orders. As with many saints before him, Waltheof was obliged to start small in his saintly career.
Twitter: @cathiedunn
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July 27, 2025
Judith Arnopp Marguerite: Hell Hath No Fury! #HistoricalFiction #BiographicalFiction #WarsOfTheRoses #MargueriteOfAnjou #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @JudithArnopp @cathiedunn
It’s my pleasure to welcome Judith Arnopp again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between July 28th – August 1st, 2025. Judith Arnopp is the author of the Historical Fiction / Biographical Fiction: Marguerite: Hell Hath No Fury! The novel was independently published by the author on June 21st, 2025 (342 pages).
Below are highlights of Marguerite: Hell Hath No Fury!, Judith Arnopp’s author bio, and an excerpt from her book set during the War of the Roses.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/06/blog-tour-marguerite-by-judith-arnopp.html
HIGHLIGHTS: MARGUERITE: HELL HATH NO FURY!
Marguerite: Hell Hath No Fury!
By Judith Arnopp
Blurb:
Marguerite: Queen of England
From the moment Henry VI’s new queen, Marguerite of Anjou, sets foot on English soil she is despised by the English as a foreigner, and blamed for the failures of the hundred years war in France.
Her enemies impede her role as the king’s consort and when Henry sinks into apparent madness, her bid to become regent is rejected. Marguerite must fight, not only for her own position but to maintain Henry’s possession of the crown.
The ambitious Duke, Richard of York, seizes control of the country, thrusting Marguerite aside and inflating the mutual hatred between the houses of York and Lancaster. But the queen refuses to relinquish power and fights determinedly for the rights of her son, Edward of Lancaster.
The long and bitter civil conflict, that has come to be known as the War of the Roses, commences.
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/mhhnf
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
AUTHOR BIO: JUDITH ARNOPP
A lifelong history enthusiast and avid reader, Judith holds a BA in English / Creative Writing and a Masters in Medieval Studies. She lives on the coast of West Wales where she writes both fiction and non-fiction. She is best known for her novels set in the Medieval and Tudor period, focussing on the perspective of historical women but recently she has written a trilogy from the perspective of Henry VIII himself.
Judith is also a founder member of a re-enactment group called The Fyne Companye of Cambria which is when and why she began to experiment with sewing historical garments. She now makes clothes and accessories both for the group and others. She is not a professionally trained sewer but through trial, error and determination has learned how to make authentic looking, if not strictly historically accurate clothing. A non-fiction book about Tudor clothing, How to Dress like a Tudor, was published in 2023 by Pen and Sword.
She runs a small seaside holiday let in Aberporth and when she has time for fun, likes to garden and restore antique doll’s houses. You can find her on most social media platforms.
Her novels include:
A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York
The Beaufort Chronicle: the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort (three book series)
The Henrician Chronicle: comprising of:
A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, the Aragon Years (Book One of The Henrician Chronicle)
A Matter of Faith: Henry VIII, the Days of the Phoenix (Book Two of The Henrician Chronicle)
A Matter of Time: Henry VIII, the Dying of the Light (Book Three of The Henrician Chronicle)
The Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn
The Winchester Goose: at the court of Henry VIII
Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr
Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace
The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
Peaceweaver
The Forest Dwellers
The Song of Heledd
The Book of Thornhold
A Daughter of Warwick: the story of Anne Neville, Queen of Richard III
Marguerite: Hell Hath no Fury!
Author Links:
Website Blog Twitter / X Facebook Instagram Threads
Bluesky Pinterest Book Bub Amazon Author Page Goodreads
EXCERPT: MARGUERITE: HELL HATH NO FURY!
1443 – Having produced an heir for England, Marguerite returns to court, hoping for a warm welcome.
After an uneasy Christmas season, the new year sees the divisions at court widening and deepening. I am convinced the great fissure has grown so wide that it will never now be healed. The uneasy friendship that once existed has inflated into the blackest enmity. York is like a great chained beast that, once unleashed, will tear me to pieces. I am the Frenchwoman, the whore, and he has even begun a rumour that Prince Edward is not the king’s son. It is an easy lie to believe; one look at Henry is enough to convince any man the king is not capable of begetting a child, let alone a son.
As the day of the council meeting approaches, I prepare myself. I stand at my window and watch as the dawn slowly reveals a white sky; cold, yet showing no threat of rain or worse. I have them dress me in my finest, most regal robes, and enter the meeting to discover proceedings have already begun without me. A gentleman speaking halts mid-sentence when I enter, and all heads turn toward me. Heedless of my interruption, I take a seat hastily vacated by Warwick at the head of the table.
“Gentlemen. My apologies for my late arrival. I see my absence hasn’t delayed you.”
They bow and wait for my permission to be seated. I keep them standing for as long as I can before reluctantly indicating they may sit.
“Gentlemen,” I repeat, endowing them with a brittle smile. “My advisor and I have prepared a list of five articles for the immediate future. The king is still not completely well, his illness is lasting longer than we had hoped, but the royal physicians assure me he is showing great signs of improvement. Therefore, for a short time, the governing of the country can be safely undertaken by myself and the gentlemen listed in this document.”
York stands up, opens his mouth to interrupt, but I continue to speak, raising my voice a little, determined to make my point. In truth, several of my former supporters are uneasy; not at my ability to rule in Henry’s stead, but at the obvious effect such a move will have on the atmosphere at court, where enmities increase daily, forcing men to take sides. No man should be required to choose between the Queen and the Duke of York, whose lust for power knows no bounds. But it is York who should withdraw, not I.
In more civilised countries, the solution would be obvious. There is nobody better suited to protect the well-being of my husband and son than myself, the queen. York, however, does not agree. As soon as he can make himself heard, he snarls his dissention.
“That is ludicrous. No man in England will feel safe under the rule of a woman. As the king’s heir, it is clearly my duty…”
“But you are no longer his heir,” I interject coolly. “My son, the Prince Edward, is now heir, and I am perfectly equipped for the role of regent. My own mother ran my father’s affairs for many years …”
“The affairs of a duchy! This is England, we do things properly here. There is not a man present who will agree to such a thing.”
I swallow my fear that he might be right. He will know that my allies, given the opportunity, will completely oust him from power. I school my expression to one of supreme confidence.
“You have not even glanced at the document, my lord. Perhaps you should do so and then we can continue with the day’s business.”
He snatches the parchment from the table and scowls at it, smacks it with the back of his fingers.
“This is preposterous nonsense. She demands the rule of the country, the right to appoint all officers of the realm, including the bishoprics! As you can imagine, that would leave many of us kicking our heels in the country while she turns England into another territory of France.”
I lean forward with my brows lowered.
“I would do no such thing. I am the Queen of England; the realm, the king and his heir are of supreme importance to me. I have no loyalty to France.”
He tosses the carefully drawn paper onto the table.
“I don’t know why you took the time and trouble to have such nonsense set to parchment. There are few here who will vote in your favour. Your role as queen I will grant you, but that role requires nothing more than the production of heirs. I suggest you see if you can rouse the king enough to give you one, if indeed it was he who sired your son.”
A gasp runs around the gathering. Even I am taken aback. Buckingham stands up.
“You speak treason, York, and defame your king! I demand an apology.”
I turn my head slowly toward Buckingham; it has not escaped my notice that he speaks out in defence of the king’s virility, but fails to defend my virtue. But York, knowing he has overstepped the mark, backs down.
“Forgive me, Gentlemen, I was too hot. I beg pardon.”
Again, I do not miss that he has omitted me from his apology.
“I suppose we must take a vote on it though,” he says. He reads slowly through the list of articles, his bored voice making no secret of how he expects his adherents to vote. “Those who are for, raise your hands.”
A few hands wave in the air; those I expected to cast in my favour.
“Those against?”
A bristling of fingers, as aggressive as spears, puts an end to my aspirations as Protector. Sickness washes over me, hatred and frustration that lies in my belly as bitter as poison. Without speaking, I stand up and quit the company and, as I hurry away, the sound of their derision follows me, the cruel masculine ridicule for a woman who has attempted to step from her allotted place.
God damn them all.
Twitter: @cathiedunn
Instagram & Threads: @thecoffeepotbookclub
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July 24, 2025
Jann Alexander Unspoken #Unspoken #HistoricalFiction #DustBowl #WomensFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn
by Jann Alexander
A farm devastated. A dream destroyed. A family scattered.
And one Texas girl determined to salvage the wreckage.
Ruby Lee Becker can’t breathe. It’s 1935 in the heart of the Dust Bowl, and the Becker family has clung to its Texas Panhandle farm through six years of drought, dying crops, and dust storms. On Black Sunday, the biggest blackest storm of them all threatens ten-year-old Ruby with deadly dust pneumonia and requires a drastic choice —one her mother, Willa Mae, will forever regret.
To survive, Ruby is forced to leave the only place she’s ever known. Far from home in Waco, and worried her mother has abandoned her, she’s determined to get back.
Even after twelve years, Willa Mae still clings to memories of her daughter. Unable to reunite with Ruby, she’s broken by their separation.
Through rollicking adventures and harrowing setbacks, the tenacious Ruby Lee embarks on her perilous quest for home —and faces her one unspoken fear.
Heart-wrenching and inspiring, the tale of Ruby Lee’s dogged perseverance and Willa Mae’s endless love for her daughter shines a light on women driven apart by disaster who bravely lean on one another, find comfort in remade families, and redefine what home means.
Trailer for Unspoken:
Praise for Unspoken:
“Reminds me, in tone, of Texas classics like The Time it Never Rained and Giant. I loved it. Alexander is a great new talent in the genre of Texana.“~ W.F. Strong, author, Stories From Texas
Buy Links: Universal Buy Link Author’s Website Universal BookFunnel Buy Link
Author Bio: Jann Alexander
Jann Alexander writes characters who face down their fears. Her novels are as close-to-true as fiction can get.
Jann is the author of the historical novel, Unspoken, set in the Texas Panhandle during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression eras, and her first book in The Dust Series.
Jann writes on all things creative in her weekly blog, Pairings. She’s a 20-year resident of central Texas and creator of the Vanishing Austin photography series. As a former art director for ad agencies and magazines in the D.C. area, and a painter, photographer, and art gallery owner, creativity is her practice and passion.
Jann’s lifelong storytelling habit and her more recent zeal for Texas history merged to become the historical Dust Series. When she is not reading, writing, or creating, she bikes, hikes, skis, and kayaks. She lives in central Texas with her own personal Texan (and biggest fan), Karl, and their Texas mutt, Ruby.
Jann always brakes for historical markers.
Author Links:
Excerpt: Unspoken
Ruby Lee
“It’s bound to rain soon, Ruby,” Will said, the doubt apparent in his eyes before they skated sideways. “That’s what Pa says, you know, next year—”
I sent him the stink eye. I’d never seen any rain in my lifetime, and he knew it, being three years older than me. I’d grown outta diapers listening to Will question Pa’s stubborn belief that next year, the land would make good again.
“Lookit here, Ruby,” Will pleaded, crouching to tuck his finger under my chin. I gave him no quarter, wouldn’t look him in the eyes while he kept at his lies. “Pa will send for you, soon as the dusters are gone for good and the air’s clear. So’s you can breathe again.”
He had me there, didn’t he. How could I ever go home when the very air I breathed came at my lungs like an enemy invader?
As it was, though, I hadn’t a penny to my name except for the twenty dollars Will had left me, all in one-dollar bills, which he’d told me to save for a rainy day.
If I’d been speakin then, I’d have asked him, “Will, when do you ever expect to see a rainy day?” When Will stuffed those dollar bills in my pocket, I didn’t let him know how he tore my heart; I didn’t say thank you or nuthin.
I was righteous mad at him for leaving me with Cousin Bess, smiling as he backed away like his eyes had no tears coming. I had no words for him, neither.
But no sooner than he’d left Waco, it did rain, steady and all day long, and it was the first summer rain I’d ever seen in practically eleven years on earth. I ran outside to feel it all over me, I whirled and twirled around in it, I let rain run down my skin and chill me, I let it drench my clothes and hair and fill my shoes. Bess shouted from her covered porch to come in. I ignored her.
“You’ll catch your death, come in, Ruby,” she insisted. She splashed through the waterlogged grass with a big black umbrella and dragged me inside. Weary flowers in the beds lining the yard had raised up their heads, their petals thirsty for rain, opening into subdued versions of the brilliant colors they would become. She didn’t notice them for scolding me. Holding my arm, she fussed. “Why, you’re shivering!”
Inside, she dried me with a soft towel and left my clothing in a puddle of water near the deep-pile foyer rug. “Let’s get you upstairs into some dry things.”
All I could think when she led me to my bedroom was how the rain would change everything. The farm would be saved. The ’36 winter wheat would make a crop. Pa would get his mules and cattle back. Momma could raise her vegetables again. I could go home.
I became a fastidious student of the Old Farmer’s Almanac, and a regular consumer of the farm report and weather conditions published in the Waco Tribune-Herald. That was before I even learned to read, but I stared at those pages long enough every day, the numbers started making some sort of sense to me. Nonsense was more like it; reading them nowadays, I realize I made them say what I wanted them to say: Nine inches of rain fell in July, a record for Dallam and Hartley Counties. August saw ten more. Twelve inches is predicted the first weeks of fall. The dust storms of 1929-1936 are a thing of the past as the moist soil holds and crops take root.
On the day I read that forecast, I promised myself I’d take the next train back. I kept my cardboard suitcase packed and ready.
The thing that near startled me into speaking again was the colors. I took in all the colors everywhere, and I hardly had the names for ’em, accustomed as I was to the brown life I’d led back home. I wanted to exclaim at all of them, ask Bess how many kinds of blues were there, what were the reds of her rosebushes called? How many words for green did they have—for the ones more yellowish, and the greens with more blue in them? The aquamarines, the deep purples, violets, crimsons—all names I learned later on—what were they called? I couldn’t sleep past sunrise, I was so excited to look out my upstairs window at the colors each morning.
But I was so mad, I refused to speak. I didn’t appreciate my four-poster bed with satiny pink bedding and soft downy pillows. I didn’t want the fancy clothes Bess dressed me in, or the special outfits with hats for Sundays, nor the manners she tried to teach me. My heart hurt too bad. I made myself believe being mute was justification for what was done to me. I didn’t utter a word.
If I confounded Bess by staying silent, she’d get so exasperated she’d send me home.
I learned the colors instead by studying the smooth color plates in her flower books. She had a collection of them in her library, lined up on a set of golden oak shelves built into the wall opposite her black lacquer piano. Each volume I opened yielded a heady odor of ink and paper in one whiff. She didn’t mind me using her books, and sometimes she’d sit with me and read from them, trying to teach me, asking me to repeat the words back to her. But I refused to talk. I made her think I was too pained to speak. Which in a way, I was.
Bess got impatient with me sometimes, but more than that, she must have felt just plain inadequate. Cousin Bess was a widow who’d never had a child; she’d wanted one some kinda awful, you could tell. She was proud of her husband who kept his bank afloat after the crash, but the bank holiday took the wind out of him, she’d say. He musta left her more money than she could say grace over. But I wouldn’t let her spoil me.
I contrived to make her hate me, so she’d send me home.
And I didn’t understand what the consequences would be for what I was doing, by not doing what every child can do: talk.
Twitter: @cathiedunn
Instagram & Threads: @thecoffeepotbookclub
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July 23, 2025
Book Spotlight A Shape on the Air Julia Ibbotson #Medieval #HistoricalFiction #AngloSaxon #TimeTravel #TimeSlip #Mystery #Romance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @JuliaIbbotson @cathiedunn
It’s my pleasure to spotlight the book, A Shape on the Air (Dr DuLac series, Book #1) by Julia Ibbotson in the The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held today on July 24th, 2025. A Shape on the Air is a Medieval Timeslip Mystery Romance published by Archbury Books on January 8th, 2022 (220 pages).
Below are highlights of A Shape on the Air and author bio for Julia Ibbotson’s author bio.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/07/blog-tour-a-shape-on-the-air-by-julia-ibbotson.html
HIGHLIGHTS: A SHAPE ON THE AIR
A Shape on the Air
(Dr DuLac
series, Book #1)
by Julia Ibbotson
Blurb:
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.
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://myBook.to/ASOTA
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
AUTHOR BIO: JULIA IBBOTSON
Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time 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 published five 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 novel is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual-time mysteries, Daughter of Mercia, 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: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.
Author Links:
Website Twitter / X Facebook Instagram Bluesky
Pinterest Amazon Author Page Goodreads
Twitter: @cathiedunn
Instagram & Threads: @thecoffeepotbookclub
Bluesky: @cathiedunn.bsky.social
July 22, 2025
Lisa Lucas & Steve Landsberg PING #HistoricalFiction #PingPong #TableTennis #PingPongDiplomacy #WomeninSports #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub
It’s my pleasure to welcome Lisa Lucas and Steve Landsberg as the featured authors in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between July 21st – 25th, 2025. Lisa Lucas and Steve Landsberg are the co-authors of PING.
Below are highlights of PING, author bios for Lisa Lucas & Steve Landsberg, and an excerpt from their book.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/06/blog-tour-ping-by-lisa-lucas-and-steve-landsberg.html
HIGHLIGHTS: PING
PINGBy Lisa Lucas & Steve Landsberg
Publication Date: May 20th, 2025Publisher: Historium PressPages: 133Genre Historical FictionBlurb:
PING, which was originally conceived in 2016, precedes the current cultural popularity in Ping Pong, exemplified in the upcoming 2025 Christmas movie release of Marty Supreme starring Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow.Alternating between the pivotal 1971 Ping-Pong Diplomacy – where a simple game of table tennis thawed the icy relations between the U.S. and China during the Cold War – and the present-day struggles of a family weighed down by legacy, Ping is a compelling tale of history, politics, and personal conflict.Jenny, a modern-day teen, wrestles with her grandmother Miriam’s larger-than-life legacy, rooted in Cold War tensions and the surprising intersection of ping pong, antisemitism, and global diplomacy. As Jenny uncovers Miriam’s secret role in shaping history, she confronts her own place in a family bound by expectations and unspoken truths.Blending family drama with meticulously researched historical events, this gripping story explores the enduring impact of the past on the present. “Ping skillfully blends family drama with political and historical events, particularly through Jenny’s modern-day struggles and Miriam’s Cold War-era experiences. The use of Ping Pong as both a symbol and a plot device keeps the story engaging, exploring generational expectations and legacies . . .Ping effectively combines history, sports, and personal conflict, appealing to readers of both literary fiction and historical drama.Buy Link: Universal Buy Link
AUTHOR BIO: LISA LUCAS
Lisa Lucas started writing for magazines and newspapers. Later, she wrote extensively on issues related to literacy and health that were featured in publications by the Canadian Public Health Association, several literacy organizations, and hospitals across Canada.She is the recipient of the CIBC Children’s Miracle Maker Award for advancing literacy among people with special needs.Several years ago, Lisa partnered with Laurie Stein and began writing for children, covering subjects from climate change to refugees. Her belief that “storytellers often sugarcoat real issues and present subjects to kids that are too far from reality in order to protect them. Just tell it the way it is. Kids appreciate authentic stories that are honest and real.”More recently, Lisa has turned her attention to poetry and historical fiction. Ping is her first novel. Lisa’s work has been recognized by The New York Times, The Kirkus Reviews (starred), Publishers Weekly, Indigo and more. Her books have been translated into several languages and are widely recognized throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe.
Author Links:Website • Publisher’s Author PageInstagram
AUTHOR BIO: STEVE LANDSBERG
Steve Landsberg, an accomplished, award-winning advertising executive and entrepreneur, is currently Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Human Intelligence (H.I.), a New York City-based marketing firm. Prior to H.I., he co-founded Grok, an Inc. 500 “Fastest Growing Company.”Steve has held executive creative roles at many top global ad agencies leading the work on iconic global brands. A copy writer by trade, Steve has published numerous ad industry articles. Ping is his first published book.Author Links:Facebook • Publisher’s Author PageInstagram • LinkedInEXCERPT: PING
Miriam had just finished a round of exercise on the mini trampoline she had in the corner of her small living room. She liked to get her knees up and jump at least one hundred times a day. At eighty-four, she felt great. She still played Ping-Pong at the Hills Community Center twice a week and swam at the community pool. She credited her mental strength to Ping-Pong and swimming, to keeping her body strong and to the precious time she got to spend with her granddaughter.
Twitter: @cathiedunn
Instagram & Threads: @thecoffeepotbookclub
Bluesky: @cathiedunn.bsky.social
July 20, 2025
Helen Hollick A Mischief of Murder #HistoricalMystery #CozyMystery #JanChristopherMystery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub
I’m delighted to welcome Helen Hollick again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between July 21st – 23th, 2025. Helen Hollick is the author of A Mischief of Murder (A Jan Christopher Murder Mystery – Episode #6).
Below are highlights of A Mischief of Murder, Helen Hollick’s author bio, and a snippet from her book.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/06/blog-tour-a-mischief-of-murder-by-helen-hollick.html
HIGHLIGHTS: A MISCHIEF OF MURDER
The village Flower and Veg Show should be a fun annual event – but who added mischief and murder to the traditional schedule?
July 1973 Old friends and new enemies? Jan Christopher’s Aunt Madge is to be a judge at Chappletawton’s annual village flower and vegetable summer show – a chance for the family to have a holiday in the Devon countryside, especially as Jan’s fiancé, DS Laurie Walker, is still recovering from gunshot wounds and her uncle, DCI Toby Christopher, is enduring injury-related sick leave. The event should be a fun occasion where friendly rivalry between gardeners, cooks and crafters lead to the hopeful winning of the coveted Best In Show trophy – but who added mischief and murder to the traditional schedule?
Praise for the Jan Christopher Mysteries: “A delight—Miss Read meets The Darling Buds of May, with a dash of St. Mary Mead. Helen Hollick’s signature voice shines throughout, full of warmth and wit. The characters keep growing in such satisfying ways, making every visit feel like coming home.” ~ Elizabeth St.John, award-winning author of The Godmother’s Secret and The King’s Intelligencer “The Darling Buds of May …but in Devon instead of Kent.” ~ Alison Morton, award-winning author of the Roma Nova series “I sank into this gentle cosy mystery story with the same enthusiasm and relish as I approach a hot bubble bath, and really enjoyed getting to know the central character, a shy young librarian, and the young police officer who becomes her romantic interest. The nostalgic setting of the 1970s was balm, so clearly evoked, and although there is a murder at the heart of the story, it was an enjoyable comfort read.” ~ Debbie Young, author of the Sophie Sayers cosy mysteries “A delightful read about a murder told from the viewpoint of a young library assistant. The author draws on her own experience to weave an intriguing tale.”~ Richard Ashen – South Chingford Community Library Buy Link: Universal Buy Link
This title is available on Kindle Unlimited
AUTHOR BIO: HELEN HOLLICK
Known for her captivating storytelling and rich attention to historical detail, Helen’s historical fiction, nautical adventure series, cosy mysteries – and her short stories – skilfully invite readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between fact and fiction blend together.
Helen started writing as a teenager, but after discovering a passion for history, was initially published in 1993 in the UK with her Arthurian Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy and two Anglo-Saxon novels about the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings, one of which, The Forever Queen (USA title – A Hollow Crown in the UK) became a USA Today best-seller. Her Sea Witch Voyages are nautical-based adventures inspired by the Golden Age of Piracy. She also writes the Jan Christopher cosy mystery series set during the 1970s, and based around her, sometimes hilarious, years of working as a North London library assistant. Her 2025 release is Ghost Encounters, a book about the ghosts of North Devon – even if you don’t believe in ghosts you might enjoy the snippets of interesting history and the many location photographs.
Helen and her family moved from London to Devon after a Lottery win on the opening night of the London Olympics, 2012. She spends her time glowering at the overgrown garden, fending off the geese, chasing the peacocks away from her roses, helping with the horses and wishing the friendly, resident ghosts would occasionally help with the housework…
Other recent releases: FATE Tales of History, Mystery and Magic – an anthology of short stories by various award-winning authors GHOST ENCOUNTERS: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon
Author Links:
Website • Twitter • Facebook • Bluesky
Amazon Author Page• Blog• Newsletter Blog •
SNIPPET: A MISCHIEF OF MURDER
Helen and her family mo“The tomatoes look nice and fat,” I offered tentatively. “Shouldn’t they be red, though, not green?” Dad pulled a face. Oops. I’d blundered. I moved to a different patch, pointed at something I knew should be green. “The peas look good.”
Dad sniffed loudly and, picking a single pea pod from its stick-twining vine-like tendril, snapped it open to reveal a row of round, green peas within. He selected one, popped it into his mouth, pulling various faces as he munched, much as a wine-taster would sample a fine Burgundy. He selected another and handed it to me. I took it, ate it, making the same expressions. I had no idea what I was supposed to be tasting or what to say.
I opted for: “Hmm, crunchy. Nice and sweet.”
The right thing, as Dad smiled. “You can’t be too careful with peas. Regular watering during cropping deters mildew, but I take care not to wet the leaves. I water at the base of my plants, not over them. Can’t risk sunburnt leaves.
I immediately envisioned cartoon peas wearing sunglasses and stretched out on sun loungers beside a sparkling swimming pool, relaxing and catching a few rays.
Dad didn’t notice my inattention, for he was rambling on about good pea care.
Twitter: @cathiedunn
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July 18, 2025
Fred Raymond Goldman A Prodigy in Auschwitz #HistoricalFiction #WWII #Auschwitz #JewishSurvivorStory #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn
I’m delighted to welcome Fred Raymond Goldman as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between July 14th – 18th, 2025. Fred Raymond Goldman is the author of the Historical Fiction, A Prodigy in Auschwitz (A Holocaust Story, Book One: Simon), published by Historium Press on April 29th, 2025 (368 pages).
Below are highlights of A Prodigy in Auschwitz, Fred Raymond Goldman’s author bio , and an excerpt from his book.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/06/blog-tour-a-prodigy-in-auschwitz-simon-by-fred-raymond-goldman.html
HIGHLIGHTS: A PRODIGY IN AUSCHWITZ
A Prodigy in Auschwitz
(A Holocaust Story, Book One: Simon)
By Fred Raymond Goldman
Blurb:
When Nazi Germany troops enter Krakow, Poland on September 2, 1939, fourteen-year-old Simon Baron learns two truths that have been hidden from him.
One, the people who have raised him are not his biological parents. Two, his birth mother was Jewish. In the eyes of the Germans, although he has been raised Catholic, this makes Simon Jewish.
Simon’s dreams of becoming a concert violinist and composer are dashed when his school is forced to expel him, and he is no longer eligible to represent it at its annual Poland Independence Day Concert. There, he had hoped to draw the attention of representatives of a prestigious contest who might have helped him fulfill his dreams.
Simon vows to never forgive his birth father for abandoning him, an act resulting in unspeakable tragedies for his family and in his being forced to live the indignities of the ghetto and the horrors of Auschwitz and Sachsenhausen concentration camps.
Throughout his ordeals, Simon wavers between his intense anger toward his birth father and his dreams of being reunited with him. Through his relationships with Rabbi Rosenschtein and the rabbi’s daughter, Rachel, Simon comes to appreciate his Jewish heritage and find purpose in his life. Driven by devotion to family and friends and his passion for music, Simon holds on to hope. But can he survive the atrocities of the Nazi regime?
How do you reconcile a decision you made in the past when the world erupts in war, threatening the life of someone you love and believe you were protecting?
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://geni.us/EpuyQr
AUTHOR BIO: FRED RAYMOND GOLDMAN
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Fred Raymond Goldman graduated from Western Maryland College in Westminster, MD (now named McDaniel College) in June 1962 with a BA in psychology. Two years later, in 1964, he earned an MSW degree from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
Most of Fred’s career was spent in Jewish Communal Service. He served as the administrator of Northwest Drug Alert, a methadone maintenance program at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. In this role, he also acted as a community resource, guiding individuals struggling with addiction toward Jewish services that supported abstinence, counseling, and job placement.
Following that, Fred was hired as the Assistant to the Director of Jewish Family Services in Baltimore.
His final professional role was with Har Sinai Congregation, a Jewish Reform Synagogue in Baltimore, where he served as Executive Director for 23 years, retiring in October 2005.
In retirement, Fred pursued his love of hiking with The Maryland Hiking Club and spent time volunteering at The Irvine Nature Center. There, he led schoolchildren on nature hikes and assisted in the center’s nature store.
Writing had always been a passion for Fred, dating back to childhood, but it wasn’t until retirement that he began to take it seriously. He started writing children’s books and became a member of the Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Association. Among the titles he wrote are: Vera and the Blue Bear Go to the Zoo, Never Bite an Elephant (And Other Bits of Wisdom), The Day the School Bus Drivers Went on Strike, If You Count, and The Day the School Devices Went on Strike.
Though none of these books has been published, Fred remains hopeful that if the CONCERTO books gain recognition, opportunities for the earlier works may follow.
Fred’s journey of writing the CONCERTO companion books began when he saw a note on a local library bulletin board about a new writer’s group led by a local author. He joined and, along with nine other participants, learned the fundamentals of writing: staying in the protagonist’s point of view, building narrative tension, developing distinctive and flawed characters, and the process of writing and rewriting.
Over the course of more than four years, Fred dedicated time to writing, researching, rewriting, and submitting the manuscript. What began as a single book titled The Auschwitz Concerto was eventually split into two volumes and self-published. For a time, the manuscript was also titled The Box.
The encouragement from the group’s teacher and fellow members played a key role in shaping the novels, and Fred hopes his feedback was equally helpful to others in the group.
In the ‘Author’s Notes’ of the CONCERTO books, Fred outlines the goals behind sharing these stories. Prior to writing them, he had only a general understanding of the Holocaust—knowing that nine million lives were lost and that it was a horrific chapter in history. Through the writing process, he gained deeper insights into both historical events and human suffering, fostering a greater sensitivity to contemporary issues. He firmly believes that what affects one group can quickly impact everyone, and that such awareness is critical today.
Author Links:
Author Page on Publisher’s Website: https://www.historiumpress.com/fred-goldman
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Fred-Raymond-Goldman/author/B0C2QMBZ9X
EXCERPT: A PRODIGY IN AUSCHWITZ
Chapter 55:
The winter of 1943 to 1944 passed slowly for Simon. During the colder months the orchestra didn’t play on Sundays as frequently for the entertainment of the SS officers, but he continued to visit Rachel regularly. He brought her slices of bread and sausages he’d been able to sneak from the kitchen for her to share with some of her friends who didn’t have as much access to extra food.
Although the musicians received larger portions of food than other prisoners, they were affected by the rationing. As members of the orchestra succumbed to the diseases and malnutrition that ran rampant through the camp, the influx of new prisoners made up for the labor needs. The commander saw to it the orchestra remained complete.
Simon became aware of prisoners from a camp in Terezin, Czechoslovakia who had arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau in several transports. Large numbers of them, he learned, were exterminated upon arrival. The survivors lived in a separated area of Auschwitz-Birkenau called Terezin. They were unseen by other prisoners and received special privileges, he was led to believe, including not having their hair shaved and being allowed to wear their own clothes. Nevertheless, they were treated as prisoners.
Simon heard rumors that the International Red Cross had requested a visit with these prisoners at their former camp after hearing about their bad treatment there. Under pressure, the Germans conceded and allowed for such an appearance, but not before beautifying the camp by cleaning up the housing and grounds and providing nice clothing and healthy meals for the prisoners to make it look as though they were being treated well. As a result, the International Red Cross unintentionally but falsely projected to the public that the camp residents were receiving humane treatment
On a Sunday visit with Rachel, Simon told her about the rumor he’d heard. The following week, while they were walking hand in hand, Rachel said she had told Dr. Fridman about the rumor.
Simon stopped, let go of her hand, and faced Rachel. “What did he say?”
“He said he thought the only reason the Germans would have let the Red Cross come was to convince them there was no German plan to murder Jews.”
Simon frowned. “If that is true, the Germans’ strategy likely worked.”
Twitter: @cathiedunn
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July 10, 2025
Ron Allen Ames An Echo of Ashes #AnEchoOfAshes #RonAllenJames #WWI #SpanishInfluenza #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub
I’m delighted to welcome Ron Allen Ames as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between July 7th – 11th, 2025. Ron Allen Ames is the author of the Historical Fiction, An Echo of Ashes, based on a true story. The novel was published by Historium Press on March 25, 2025 (247 pages).
Below are highlights of An Echo of Ashes, the author bio of Ron Allen Ames, and an excerpt from his book.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/06/blog-tour-an-echo-of-ashes-by-ron-allen-ames.html
An Echo of Ashes
by Ron Allen Ames
Blurb:
An Echo of Ashes is a story lost to time, then found again in century-old letters that lay in a tattered box.
Based on actual events taken from the pages, this story tells of when the Great War and the Spanish Influenza forever altered the lives of millions, including a family of subsistence farmers who also worked the oil fields of Pennsylvania.
Ella and Almon make their home in the backcountry. Almon and his sons work in the oil fields, just as their forefathers before them. As war and influenza break out, the parents seek to shield their family from the impending perils. Earl, the eldest son, is a gifted trombone and piano player. He is captivated by Lucile Lake, a girl from a higher social status. All he has to win her heart are his music and his words as the military draft looms in the foreground. Jack, a friend as close as a brother, faces the horrors of war at the Western Front. Albert’s free spirit creates chaos as he searches for direction. Arthur’s patriotism leads him to the Mexican border. Young Russell must suppress his fear to save a life, while Little Clara remains protected from the distress.
World War One and the Spanish Influenza Pandemic are most often documented separately, yet they intersected in 1918. For those who endured sacrifice and loss during this time, looking forward seemed their only choice. The sharp echo of tragedy, carried through the ashes of what once was, likely dulled but never vanished from their minds. This is just one of countless family stories from such a perilous chapter in American history.
Buy Link:
Ron Allen Ames is a history enthusiast who attributes his forty-six years of life experience as a hands-on business co-owner, for giving him insight into human nature, a benefit when portraying the lives of others. The information he received, dating from 1914 to 1919, is what prompted Ames to bring this history to light in An Echo of Ashes.
Ames lives with his wife Cathy in Pennsylvania. They have two grown sons.
Author Links
• Facebook • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads Excerpt: An Echo of Ashes
Suddenly, the rattle of machine gun fire came from nowhere. Through the sheets of smoke, chaos broke out as soldiers darted in all directions. Gunfire was everywhere. The carefully orchestrated attack had come undone.
“They are shooting at anything!” Percy screamed. In his confused state, he rushed forward, straight toward the barrage. He will get too close! Jack lunged, chasing Persey. The foot race ended when Jack caught Persey and pulled him down into a shell hole. Both men lay on their bellies with their heads down as dirt splattered over them. The earth shook as the barrage stopped moving. It was now a wall of unceasing explosions, the sound of which had culminated into one continual, deafening, thunder. A semblance of hell was the only description for such a horrific tactic.
Suddenly, it ended. The incessant sound echoed down a nearby valley until it was gone. Smoke, and the metallic smell and taste of gunpowder was all that lingered.
After a time, Jack lifted his head. The dirt fell from his helmet as he peeked over the top of the hole.
Twitter: @cathiedunn
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July 9, 2025
Elizabeth St.John The Lydiard Chronicles #HistoricalFiction #EnglishCivilWar #FamilyHistory #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub
It’s my pleasure to welcome Elizabeth St.John again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between June 30th – July 11th, 2025. Elizabeth St.John is the author of the Historical Fiction series, The Lydiard Chronicles, in which the books in the trilogy were published by Falcon Historical between 2016-2020.
Below are highlights of The Lydiard Chronicles, Elizabeth St.John’s author bio, and an excerpt from the 2nd book, By Love Divided, in the trilogy.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/05/blog-tour-the-lydiard-chronicles-by-elizabeth-stjohn.html
HIGHLIGHTS: THE LYDIARD CHRONICLESBY ELIZABETH ST.JOHN
The Lady of the Tower (Book #1)
By Love Divided (Book #2)
Written in Their Stars (Book #3)
Blurb:
Duty, passion, and power collide in The Lydiard Chronicles, a gripping trilogy inspired by true events. Follow three courageous women—survivors, strategists, and storytellers—who defy the constraints of society to shape their family’s fate and England’s future. Their voices echo through time. Their legacy changed a nation.
The Lydiard Chronicles is an award-winning, best-selling historical family saga which brings to life the remarkable true stories of the St.John family. Spanning three compelling novels—The Lady of the Tower, By Love Divided, and Written in Their Stars—the series follows the legacy of resilient and intelligent women who lived as spies, courtiers, and diarists during England’s most turbulent century, navigating the quicksand of love and war, political upheaval, and personal sacrifice.
Bound by fierce family loyalty and unforgettable love, the women of The Lydiard Chronicles defy the limits of their time with passion, courage, and unshakable independence. They endure captivity in the Tower of London, exile in the Louvre Palace, and the heart-wrenching divisions of the English Civil War—fighting not just for survival, but for their beliefs, their families, and the right to choose their own fate. Meticulously researched and vividly told, this epic saga reveals how these women created history from the shadows, leaving a legacy of resilience, defiance, and enduring influence.
Rooted in original diaries, letters, and family papers, The Lydiard Chronicles offers an intimate, biographical portrait of women who moved behind the scenes of power. Serving as trusted secret agents, military wives, and confidantes of kings, they were deeply engaged in the political and religious conflicts of their time. Through tragedy and triumph, the women of The Lydiard Chronicles shape their destinies—and the fate of a nation—in this richly researched and vividly told historical epic.
Buy Links:
Universal Series Buy Link: https://geni.us/TheLydiardChronicles
These titles are available to read on #KindleUnlimited
Hot Summer Reads:
*Each novel is priced at just 99c / 99p July 1st – 15th, 2025*
AUTHOR BIO: ELIZABETH ST.JOHN
Elizabeth St.John’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England’s kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.
Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.
Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.
Elizabeth’s works include The Lydiard Chronicles, a family saga set in 17th-century England during the Civil War, and The Godmother’s Secret, which unravels the medieval mystery of the missing princes in the Tower of London. Her latest release, The King’s Intelligencer, follows Franny Apsley in the treacherous court of Charles II as she risks everything to uncover the dangerous truth behind the discovery of the princes’ bones.
Author Links:
Website Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Threads
Bluesky Book Bub Amazon Author Page Goodreads
EXCERPT: BY LOVE DIVIDED
A Family at War
Lucy held her granddaughter tightly in her arms as she walked the length of the solar. The infant was sickly, and Lucy feared she would not survive. All around her hung the news of death.
With the passing months since the child’s birth came news of the war, the real war, the war where men hacked and butchered and slaughtered each other, corpses angrily eviscerated like pigs at the Smithfield meat market. Lucy prayed night and morning for the safety of Allen, James, Edward, John, George, William, her brother’s children, Eleanor’s son—all the laughing boys she loved so well. Prayer was her constant companion, a litany that ceaselessly chanted in her heart and mind, wherever she was, whatever she was doing.
Dear God, let them be safe. Dear God, keep them from harm. Dear God, never let them face each other on a battlefield.
She stood by the tall windows and gazed over the summer countryside. Lucy loved this room, of all the chambers in Owthorpe House. The wall paintings, of hunting scenes and minstrels, beautiful ladies and mythical unicorns, comforted her. And the south-facing windows caught the July twilight long after the rest of the manor was in darkness. Out of the window, a shadow against the golden wheat fields caught her eye. Lucy froze, the baby giving a small wail at her sudden stop. A troop of horse approached, twenty men, at least. She could not tell whose colors they wore. But they were headed directly for the Manor.
At the hammering on the door, Luce caught up a fire iron and ran across the darkened hall. The windows were all shuttered, and the only light came from lanterns by the cold fireplace. Her heart thumping, she gestured to Babs to hurry to the kitchen, where the few servants they had with them were supping.
“We are closed for the night. We cannot open the doors,” she shouted through the thick oak. Dear God, let them not ram the door, or force the shutters. Babs crept back, with a sorry group of men. Old Tom the gardener, seventy if he was a day, his grandson, and the simpleton kept for the kitchen chores.
“Ride on to Nottingham, travellers,” she cried. “We have nothing to offer you here.”
“Luce! Open the door. Let us in!”
Dear God. John’s voice.
Tearing at the bolts, bruising her fingers, Luce flung open the door. John and George strode in, followed by a dozen or more Roundhead soldiers.
“My darling, my darling,” she sobbed. “And George, you are safe.”
Babs gave a cry and flung herself into her husband’s arms, while John gathered Luce into a fierce embrace. Her mother ran into the hall, the fear on her face turning to joy as she understood what had happened.
“We are safe,” John said. “And ravenous. We have ridden through from Leicester tonight—”
“And we still have further to go,” added George.
“Food, for Colonel Hutchinson,” commanded Luce to the gathered servants. “And these men. Quickly. Bring whatever meats we have, ale, cheese. And lay the food all on the table here.”
She turned to George.
“We thought you lost, Brother. We heard you were on your way to the Tower.”
George nodded, running his hand through his hair. He looked exhausted, and yet elated to be home. “’Twas close. If not for Lord Grandison, I would be there now.”
“My love, my darling,” cried Babs. “But you are safe, and unharmed?”
George nodded. “That I am. And released from custody.”
“But not from the war,” interrupted John. “We are not safe here at Owthorpe any longer. Prince Rupert has sent a troop of forty from Newark to look for us. William’s release of George was not to his liking.”
“But why?” asked Luce. “We have no side in the war. We are independent.”
George looked at John. “The battle at Edge Hill—”
“Allen and Edward?”
John replied. “Safe, both of them. And James has just been recalled from Ireland.”
Luce closed her eyes. “We heard there was a battle. And that there were casualties. But news has been unreliable here. Were many men were harmed?”
“Worse. Far worse.” John’s voice shook. “Thousands were killed. And for naught. There was no conclusion, no clear winner or loser. Those who said the war will be over by Christmas now say conflict just begins.”
“Englishman slaughtered Englishman. And all because this tyrannical king— this mere man—believes his way is the only true way.” George stood shoulder to shoulder with John, and Luce saw a new intent on their faces. “We will not let him continue this bloodshed. We join our brothers in the Parliamentarian cause and fight for the freedom of all Englishmen.”
“And that means you fight against Allen and James, and Edward,” Luce whispered. Her mother and Babs drew close. The hall was quiet, even the soldiers standing silent.
“We fight against the king,” replied John. “War has broken out over all of England. We pray that we will never meet on a battlefield.”
“But now, we must get you to safety,” continued George. “Rupert’s Cavaliers will not be so respectful this time. Tonight, under darkness, we ride on to Nottingham, all of us. The castle holds for Parliament. The fortress offers the protection that Owthorpe cannot.”
John kissed Luce’s forehead. “You must pack all you can, my darling, and be ready to leave as soon as these men have rested and eaten.”
Luce nodded. This was not the time to question or debate. A deep calm descended upon her, and she knew what she needed to do. She turned to the group of soldiers, standing at a respectful distance.
“Eat,” she gestured to the table, now full of food. “Eat, and rest. We will be ready to leave when you are done.”
Taking Babs and her mother by the hand, she led them away from the exhausted men. Let them have their peace, and eat undisturbed.
“Listen to me,” she said. “We do not know where our beloved men fight, nor their future. We do not know any of our destinies. But we have been in terrible situations before, and we have trusted in God’s plan for us.” Luce softly blotted a tear rolling down her mother’s cheek. “And along with God’s plan, we have our own courage, and will to survive. All of us. Allen, James, Edward—they must not have the distraction of fearing for our safety from their own forces. We move into the castle, and we wait out this war.”
Her mother nodded. “God holds our fate. But we can affect our destiny.” She turned to Babs. “Come, let’s pack the needs for the children and prepare them for the journey. It is but an hour to Nottingham Castle. We must leave immediately.”
Twitter: @cathiedunn
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July 6, 2025
Book Spotlight Shattered Peace Julie McDonald Zander #HistoricalFiction #WWI #Timeslip #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @MacZanderAuthor @cathiedunn
It’s my pleasure to spotlight the book, Shattered Peace: A Century of Silence, by Julie McDonald Zander in the The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held today on July 7th. Shattered Peace is a Historical Fiction / Time-slip / World War I novel published by St. Helens Press on March 27, 2025 (Official book launch was May 10, 2025) [290 pages].
Below are highlights of Shattered Peace and Julie McDonald Zander’s author bio.
Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2025/06/blog-tour-shattered-peace-by-julie-mcdonald-zander.html
BOOK SPOTLIGHT: SHATTERED PEACE
Shattered Peace: A Century of Silence
by Julie McDonald Zander
Blurb:
A forgotten diary. A century-old secret. A town still haunted by its past.
When former Navy Seabee Colleen Holmes inherits an old house in Centralia, Washington, she sees it as a chance to escape her own ghosts and start anew. But as she peels back layers of history within the home’s walls, she unearths long-buried secrets tied to a dark chapter in the town’s history.
Hidden behind crumbling plaster, a faded diary and a bundle of love letters unveil the struggles of a soldier trapped in the trenches of France and the heartbreak of those left waiting at home. Yet the diary’s brittle pages hold more than just longing—they bear witness to the explosive events of November 11, 1919, when a parade meant to celebrate peace erupted into violence and bloodshed.
As Colleen pieces together the tragic choices that shattered lives and fractured a town, she realizes history is never truly buried. The wounds of yesterday still shape today, and the past is not done with her yet.
Inspired by true events, Shattered Peace is a gripping time-slip novel of love, loss, and the echoes of history that refuse to fade. Perfect for fans of The Alice Network and The Girl You Left Behind, this haunting tale of resilience, redemption, and the pursuit of truth will linger long after the final page.
Triggers: It contains references to date rape, war violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, and faith and redemption
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AyWBp
BOOK TRAILER: SHATTERED PEACEAUTHOR BIO: JULIE MCDONALD ZANDER
Julie McDonald Zander, an award-winning journalist, earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science from the University of Washington before working two decades as a newspaper reporter and editor. Through her personal history company, Chapters of Life, she has published more than 75 individual, family, and community histories.
Her debut novel, The Reluctant Pioneer, won a Will Rogers Medallion and was a finalist for the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award for Best Historical Novel.
She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest, where they raised their two children.
Author Links:
Website Twitter / X Facebook Instagram Bluesky
Pinterest Book Bub TikTok Amazon Author Page Goodreads
Twitter: @cathiedunn
Instagram & Threads: @thecoffeepotbookclub
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