L. Salt's Blog, page 2
May 13, 2025
[Guest Post]: A Brief Introduction to the Spanish Armada by Justin Newland, Author of “The Island of Angels” series
Last year, I had a pleasure to host Justin Newland on my blog with his first book in The Island of Angels series – The Mark of the Salamander . Today, Justin returns with the sequel, The Midnight of Eights and a new guest post.
Guest Post
The Spanish word Armada means fleet of warships. It certainly was.
In 1588, King Philip of Spain assembled 130 vessels in Cadiz to invade England and depose Elizabeth. Philip’s strategy was to transport an 18,000 strong invasion force from Cadiz to the Netherlands, where they would pick up the Duke of Alba’s battle-hardened troops, and ferry them across the English Channel and overthrow Elizabeth.
When the Armada set sail in July 1588, Spain was at the zenith of her power and closely allied to the might of the Catholic Church. The massive galleons were virtual floating fortresses, but these square-rigged vessels could only sail with the wind at their back. The English had recently developed smaller ships that could sail closer to the wind (i.e. they didn’t need the wind at their back to proceed forward).
At dawn on 29th July, 1588, Captain Fleming of The Golden Hind spotted the massed ranks of the Armada off the Scilly Isles. He sailed back to Plymouth to inform Howard, Hawkins and Drake, and famously interrupted their game of bowls on the Hoe.
Unbeknown to the English, the Spanish had no intention of attacking any of the English south coast ports, and sailed along past the Isle of Wight, followed all the way on the cliff tops by crowds of fearful and excited peasants.
The Armada was arranged with the larger and slower ships in the middle, the faster ships on the horns. This crescent formation made it difficult for the English to engage the Spanish and so the latter were obliged to attack at speed and use their long-range guns, but this proved ineffective against the thick-hulled Spanish vessels.
By the time the Armada anchored off Calais on 7th August, their ships mostly remained intact, with only a few stragglers picked off by the increasingly-desperate English. The two fleets were moored so close to each other they could hear the shouts of their opponents.
That night was a full moon, a heavy doleful Harvest moon no less. The English prepared fire ships of pitch, wood and tar. The cannon were stuffed with flammable material to create huge explosions. The marine tactic was well-known to the Spanish as well, so their commander prepared ships to intercept the Hellburners aka the fire ships.
At midnight on the night of the 7th/8th August, 1588, the English despatched 8 fireships downwind into the massed ranks of the Armada. Instead of retreating in an orderly fashion, the Spanish panicked, cut their anchor chains and fled into the night.
The next day saw the two fleets unleash repeated salvos of cannon fire, as they met head on for the first time at the Battle of Gravelines, a small town just north of Calais. Despite having the upper hand, Howard and Drake were forced to prematurely call off the attack due to shortage of shot and powder.
The Spanish fled north, the English fleet in full sail following behind them.
Then, four days later, on 12th August, the barrel man spotted heads bobbing in the flow behind the Spanish vessels. What were they? Had they thrown men overboard? Was it a mutiny? No, the heads turned out to be horses. Scores of them. When Drake and Howard saw this, they called off the chase, turned and set sail for Deptford and for home. The Spanish had given up any hope of invading England’s shores. That was why they had jettisoned their horses. Also, it meant that the Spanish no longer had the supplies to feed them.
Photo #1: The Armada Route, courtesy of Wikipedia
The Armada was defeated. The ragged ships sailed north around the coast of Scotland.
On 19th August, Elizabeth rode into the camp set up on the Thames at Tilbury adorned in a silver breast plate over a white velvet dress and a truncheon in her hand. In a famous address, she spoke to the troops, “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm: to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms.”
On the same day, the Spanish fleet, desperate for food, bought fish from a fisherman somewhere between Shetland and Orkney in north Scotland.
A couple of days later, four days of storms ship-wrecked more Spanish vessels on the Irish coast. Their decision to cut their anchor chains meant that they could not safely anchor anywhere, forever bound to motion with the flow.
The greatest fleet in the world was humbled by winds and storms, and eventually limped home during the Autumn, having lost 60 ships and suffered 15,000 casualties.
On 22nd September Elizabeth struck an Armada medal with the inscription Flavit Jehovah et Dissipati Sunt which means Jehovah blew with His winds, and they were scattered.
Photo #2: The Armada Medal, courtesy of Wikipedia To this day, the wind that scattered the Armada is known as the Protestant Wind.
About the Book
In the Island of Angels Series, Book 2
(Can be read as a standalone)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Date Published: 28th October 2024
Publisher: The Book Guild
1580.
Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish, Protestant immigrant who seeks to right the wrongs committed against his family by Catholic Spain, the most powerful nation of the time.
On the way to delivering a message to Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster, Nelan finds a plough head buried in the ground. It sparks a premonition that shapes his future.
Nelan sets out to find Eleanor, his long lost love. During his search, he meets a Gypsy shaman who prophesies that he’s to become a Fyremaster and play a leading role in the unfolding destiny of the Island of Angels.
In 1588, Nelan meets his destiny on the night of the Harvest Moon off Calais in France. It was midnight when it happened. His mysterious intervention changed the course of the sea battle between the English fleet and the Spanish Armada, and changed England’s destiny.
It was a midnight of eights.
The Midnight of Eights is the final book in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.
In Book 1, The Mark of the Salamander, Nelan is pressed onto the Golden Hind. During the circumnavigation, he embarks on a voyage of discovery of himself, and learns the arcane arts of the salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.
About the Author
JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. Undeterred by the award of a Maths Doctorate, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.
His second book, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), and is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall. Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation (Matador, 2019) speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution. The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith. The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023), is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age.
The latest is The Midnight of Eights (Book Guild, 2024), the second in The Island of Angels series, which charts the uncanny coincidences of time and tide that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada.
His work in progress is The Spirit of the Times which explores the traumatic events of the 14th Century on the Silk Road and featuring an unlikely cast of Genghis Khan, the Black Plague, all shrouded in the mystery of a nursery rhyme that begins ‘Ring a-ring a-roses’.
Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin gives talks to historical associations and libraries, appears on LitFest panels, and enjoys giving radio interviews. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
Contact Links
Website: https://www.justinnewland.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/
Twitter: @JustinNewland53
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jnewland
Pinterest: @jnewland0711
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/
Book Bub: https://partners.bookbub.com/authors/4862998/
Purchase Links
Barnes and Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-midnight-of-eights-justin-newland/1146325263?ean=2940185990643
Kobo
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-midnight-of-eights
My Book
https://mybook.to/TheMidnightofEights
Giveaway
May 4, 2025
[Book Tour. Excerpt]: The Third Estate by D.R. Berlin
A couple of months ago, I had a pleasure to post about this book on my blog. Today, you can read the first chapter for free. Enjoy!
About the Book
Secrets of the Manor
Genre: Suspense, Thriller
Date Published: 26th December 2024
In a busy outdoor market, in broad daylight, an apparently ordinary woman is gunned down by a professional assassin. Twelve years later, the killer is back with a new target – and a mysteriously sinister employer…
What secrets could a father leave behind?
A gripping, high-stakes thriller that seamlessly blends espionage, mystery, and intense suspense, The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Sophie Allard, a promising jet pilot cadet at a prestigious military academy, finds her world shattered when she’s summoned to the Commander’s office with devastating news—her estranged father has died in a mysterious lab explosion at their family estate.
What begins as a routine investigation soon spirals into something far more dangerous.
As Sophie delves deeper into the secrets surrounding her father’s death, she uncovers hidden truths that threaten not only her career but her life. Unraveling a web of deception and betrayal, Sophie discovers that her father’s involvement with a powerful and shadowy organization—the Third Estate—could hold the key to both her survival and her downfall.
With an assassin hunting her every step and the enigmatic Grey Lady pulling the strings behind the scenes, Sophie must navigate a perilous landscape of secrets, lies, and danger.
This fast-paced thriller is perfect for fans of complex conspiracies, strong female protagonists, and unpredictable twists. If you love novels that combine action, suspense, and mystery, The Third Estate is your next must-read.
Will Sophie uncover the truth—before it’s too late?
About the Author
D.R. Berlin is an award-winning author, U.S. Army veteran, and General Surgeon with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Writing minor from MIT. A graduate of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, her career in high-pressure environments fuels the pulse-pounding suspense and authentic detail in The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor. Berlin combines her scientific expertise and love of storytelling to deliver a gripping, intricate thriller that keeps readers on edge. Drafted as the unofficial photographer of her children’s sports teams, she has been affectionally dubbed the “Mamarazzi.”
Contact Links
Website: https://drberlinauthor.com
Twitter: https://x.com/DRBerlinAuthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/DRBerlinAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d.r.berlinauthor/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-r-berlin-author-ba611b346/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572459732260
BookBuzz: https://bookbuzz.net/suspense-thriller-the-third-estate-secrets-of-the-manor-by-d-r-berlin/
Excerpt
Chapter 1
Thunderstorms prevented Kai Lovac’s flight from arriving on time at the Denver airport. He stared out the window at the fast-approaching tarmac, a welcome break from refreshing the in-flight Wi-Fi on his cell phone. Eternally unresponsive. The airplane taxied to the terminal at 9:00 a.m., ten minutes behind schedule. With the cramped legroom, constant jostling for elbow space with his fellow passenger, and being last on the standby list to board, Lovac cursed the mechanic who couldn’t repair his private plane in time.
He switched his phone off airplane mode. A litany of notifications assaulted his screen. One grabbed his attention: Local accident on Airport Road. Car won’t arrive in time. Sedan reserved at Savvy Rental counter. Usual details.
I’m never late, he thought. Never.
He deplaned via a portable stairway, nodding to the flight attendant who wished him a pleasant day. He checked the reservation on his phone and reviewed his itinerary.
A change. Why the new locker number?
Lovac merged onto the concourse train with his fellow travelers and exited at the central terminal. He proceeded up the escalator. After clearing a security checkpoint, he weaved in between the arriving and departing passengers. He blended into the background, always acutely aware of the people, objects, and circumstances of his surroundings.
The crowd thinned as Lovac traveled through baggage claim and approached the car rental area. He slowed his stride to study his environment. Six wall-mounted cameras and corner mirrors covered every angle.
Continuous surveillance. Security office must be nearby.
He passed two guards chatting near the exit. Their backs to the rental counter, they focused their attention on the TV monitor on the far wall. ESPN commentators, involved in a spirited discussion of the upcoming football season, drowned the murmur from customers waiting in line.
Not a threat.
He continued his evaluation as he joined the line.
Ten feet from the counter to the exit. Four seconds to escape at full sprint. Five if anyone is in my way.
Eleven people waited ahead of him, from elderly couples to young families with small children. Although no imminent issues had emerged, Lovac couldn’t shake his apprehension and hypervigilance. He studied the itinerary, calculated his movements, and weighed various options to shave time off his schedule. Without exception, he always kept to his schedule.
As a relaxing mental exercise, Lovac analyzed the two middle-aged employees at the counter, both more interested in their cell phones than the customers. He studied their mannerisms, posture, and reactions. The first, taller than her colleague, was five feet four, thirty-eight pounds overweight, dark complexion, with peroxide-blond shoulder-length hair pulled back. Her false eyelashes made her blue contacts pop.
She spoke with a thick New York accent. Bronx, Westchester Avenue area.
Strands of the second employee’s black hair had escaped her knotted braid and extended in every direction. She skewered her chewing gum with a six-inch-long acrylic nail and wrapped the gum in a tissue.
Nails: red. Right hand third fingernail chipped, fourth fingernail missing.
Her statements sounded like questions. California—Los Angeles.
The progress of the line slowed, and Lovac’s patience thinned. Someone tapped his shoulder from behind. Lovac tensed and turned to face a stout elderly woman peering up at him. “Could you help me with my bag?” she asked. “I can’t get it closed.”
With the skill and precision of a surgeon, Lovac manipulated the zipper and closed the suitcase.
“Thank you for your help. Business or pleasure?” She tightened the double knot of her fluffy bow used to differentiate her suitcase from the others.
“Excuse me?”
“Are you traveling for business or pleasure? I’m heading to the Springs to visit my grandchildren.”
He pressed his lips together for a moment. “Business,” he said quietly.
The woman removed a bag from her purse and popped a few peanuts in her mouth. “Do you travel a lot for your job?”
Lovac turned slightly, trying to avoid eye contact. “Some.”
She raised her voice and stepped closer, invading Lovac’s personal space. “How interesting. What do you do? A pilot? Traveling salesman?”
Lovac recoiled. “Risk management.”
She smiled. “Well, that sounds exciting.”
He turned to face the woman but stared past her. “Not at all. It’s just business.”
“My husband, Freddie, he’s a car salesman. My four grandchildren…” She riffled through her purse. “Now, where is that picture?”
Lovac, relieved to reach the counter, wished the grandmother a safe trip. He completed his paperwork, taking care to avoid the claws of the bubble-gum-chewing employee. Her fingernails tapped the computer keys in slow motion. The clock on the back wall emitted a deafening tone as the second hand clicked forward. Did the security camera, now focused on Lovac’s face, move?
Taking forever. Why hasn’t she returned my driver’s license?
“Sorry for the delay. Our copy machine is on the fritz.” She handed Lovac his identification.
He walked toward the exit, quickening his pace. The sound of his footsteps striking the floor rang in his ears as the crowd’s noise changed from ambient background voices to silence. Lovac’s senses sharpened. The travelers scattered. He glanced at a mirror to view the commotion and noticed two guards racing toward him. His heart rate slowed and his eyes widened. He turned his head, studied the guards, and assessed the situation. He clenched his jaw. Twelve minutes behind schedule; time was not his ally. He weighed his options.
Lovac put down his bag and turned to face the onslaught.
They know, but how? Not possible.
A guard lunged at him and missed. Lovac didn’t flinch.
“That’s him,” screamed an older woman, pointing behind Lovac to the young thief who stole her purse.
Lovac stepped aside as the second security guard tackled a teenager, knocking him to the ground. The woman’s pocketbook dislodged from the thief’s grip and bounced off the floor, spewing its innards in all directions. One guard placed the boy in handcuffs and directed him toward the security office, while the other retrieved the purse and its contents. Lovac grabbed his bag and hurried toward the exit, blending into the crowd once more.
No more delays. Still behind schedule. Not acceptable.
Lovac located his car and drove out of the rental area, ready to start his assignment. Light traffic facilitated an uneventful drive. Before long, he arrived at his destination: a majestic stone edifice. With its three towering arched windows flanked by smaller ones, Union Station sat in the heart of Denver. The immense neon Travel by Train sign and an ever-precise clock, now reading 10:32 a.m., welcomed travelers. With trains leaving and arriving every few minutes, the station pulsed with activity.
He skirted the security post, passed a disorganized group of teachers and schoolchildren on a field trip, and arrived at the lockers. He found number 213, tucked in the corner of the bottom row. Lovac keyed 4308 on the touch pad, and the door sprung open. He removed a midsize black duffel bag and exited the station.
Eleven minutes behind, he explored the bag in the privacy of his car. He pushed aside the bag’s contents and opened a legal-size envelope containing Dossier 1627. He memorized the precise timeline with addresses, maps, and a description of his contact. Lovac studied the photo: a thirty-five-year-old white female; athletic build; five feet five; brown eyes; thick collar-length auburn hair curling at the ends. She resembled someone. A person from his past, but who? He searched the picture for a clue, a spark of recognition, a reason for his hesitation, but returned to the same thought.
Boring. Plain. Soccer mom. Why her?
The map guided him to a secure parking lot one mile west of his destination. Lovac squinted in the glaring summer sun. He put on sunglasses and walked to his location: a busy farmers’ market sprawled across a community park.
The blocked streets on the periphery fanned out in all directions, allowing for safe shopping. Small booths peddling food, flowers, clothing, and crafts filled his view. A local band played country music on a stage in the center of the festivities.
From the edge of the park, Lovac surveyed the nearby buildings to determine the best angle for his perch. He located the perfect spot—the right height, the right distance, the right level of privacy.
An excellent choice.
Once decided, his motivation to make his return flight kicked into high gear. He quickened his step. The shortest route to his destination passed by the Polaroid photo booth in front of the stage. His desire to stay masked in the shadows clashed with his need to make up time.
Still behind. No one will recognize me in this crowd. No one knows I’m here.
As Lovac approached the photo booth, the attendant raised his camera and smiled. “Would you like a complimentary picture?”
“No, thank you.” Lovac turned and lowered his head. He pulled the rim of his baseball hat to the level of his sunglasses.
I’m off my game.
He moved to his right and attempted to slip by a teenage volunteer blocking his path.
Purchase Links
Barnes and Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-third-estate-d-r-berlin/1146754478?ean=9781977279026
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-third-estate
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-third-estate/id6740050142
Walmart:
Giveaway
$10 Amazon Card
April 21, 2025
[Book Review]: Twelve Words written by Carmen Jones, Catherine Proctor, Anthea (Tia) Cribbin, sculpted by Linda Brogan
About the Book
Genre: Memoirs, Non-fiction
Publisher: Bluemoose Books
Release Date: 6th June 2023
Twelve Words were the secret ingredients that unlocked truths, secrets, confessions and released trauma. Without any formal expressive writing experience, three women born in Moss Side and inner-city Manchester, embarked on an excavation of their lives, sculpted by Linda Brogan, that together fused into a book of self – discovery and pride.
It is rippled with pain, anger, violence and compensated with fun, laughter and Manc humour but as Anthea says, ‘…its true intent is to reach girls and young women that feel like they are facing the impossible. This one’s for you.’
About the Authors
Catherine Proctor
Catherine Proctor (CP) is a storyteller, dreamer, and the co-author of Twelve Words, a powerful memoir that explores her journey through trauma, resilience, and healing. Writing has been her lifelong passion, rooted in childhood dreams of becoming a journalist and poet. CP’s work aims to connect with others, reveal the strength within, and inspire the courage needed to break cycles of trauma.Having lived in various countries, CP brings a unique perspective to her storytelling, enriched by a deep appreciation for diverse cultures. Her experiences have shaped a strong belief in the transformative power of sharing personal stories—narratives that foster understanding, drive change, and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit.
CP treasures her hard-won freedom and embraces life’s adventures with gratitude and excitement. Through her writing, she seeks to empower others to pursue their dreams, embrace their true selves, and find healing in their own journeys.
Her memoir, Twelve Words, invites readers to join her on a path of resilience, self-discovery, and boundless possibility.
Linda Brogan
Linda Brogan is a multi-award winning playwright. She has been resident in the National Theatre, Contact Theatre, Peterborough Maximum Security Prison, Askham Grange Open Prison, and the Whitworth Art Gallery.Anthea Cribbin
Anthea Cribbin regards herself as a working class artist born of an Irish White Mother and a Caribbean Black father. She grew up in the heart of Manchester and is proud of her heritage. She gained a B.A honors in Criminology, a merit in a PGCE for Urban Education at Manchester Metropolitan and more recently a distinction in UAL foundation in Art. Apart from Twelve Words, she wrote a play which premiered at The Lowry called He Loves Me He Loves Me Not which sold out in July 2023
My review
4* Stars
Twelve Words, a thought-provoking collection of powerful memoirs, written by four women from one of Manchester’s deprived areas, is a deeply touching read.
Although from different cultural backgrounds, the heroines share the same working-class upbringing, fighting the same fights with inequality, racism, sexism, trauma, and even poverty. They take a reader on an emotional journey through the decades – from the ‘70s up to the 2020s. From a catholic convent to Manchester’s crime-fuelled underbelly, from jail to the Black Live Matters protests – the narrators lead us through time and space, living their lives again, bleeding their experience, their pain and anger from the pages.
Twelve Words is not an easy read but rather an eye-opening revelation. It made me laugh and cry (I hold back my tears most of times), and shake my head in disbelief, and raise my eyebrows in shock and surprise. Some sensitive readers may feel uncomfortable as the book deals with sexual abuse and abuse of minors. There’s plenty of violence and swearing there, too.
This book is raw and painful like an open wound. Although I don’t have much in common with the authors, the stories make me reflect on my past and stir some deeply buried and long-forgotten emotions. Neglected or unloved by parents, raised by single mothers, abused and bullied by their partners, betrayed by friends and loved ones, discriminated against by employers, judged by society – these women’s experience is universal for every country and every era.
I give it 4* stars because of its structure. The chapters are placed in no particular order and have non-linear timelines. I need to go back and forth to understand the sequence of events.
Written by women, this collection is for women to empower and inspire, but also for men to educate themselves. This book is a true manifesto for everyone who feels broken and lost.
Purchase Links:
Bluemoose Books:
April 6, 2025
[Book Review]: Timeline by Michael Crichton
About the Book
Genre: Science Fiction, Time Travel, Techno-Thriller
Publisher: Arrow Books
Release Date: First published 16th November 1999
In an Arizona desert, a man wanders in a daze, speaking words that make no sense. Within twenty-four hours he is dead, his body swiftly cremated by his only known associates.
Halfway around the world, archaeologists make a shocking discovery at a medieval site. Suddenly they are swept off to the headquarters of a secretive multinational corporation that has developed an astounding technology.
Now, this group is about to get a chance not to study the past but to enter it. And with history opened up to the present, the dead awakened to the living, these men and women will soon find themselves fighting for their very survival — six hundred years ago.
About the Author
Michael Crichton (1942-2008) was one of the most successful novelists of his generation, admired for his meticulous scientific research and fast-paced narrative. He graduated summa cum laude and earned his MD from Harvard Medical School in 1969. His first novel, Odds On (1966), was written under the pseudonym John Lange and was followed by seven more Lange novels. He also wrote as Michael Douglas and Jeffery Hudson. His novel A Case of Need won the Edgar Award in 1969. Popular throughout the world, he has sold more than 200 million books. His novels have been translated into thirty-eight languages, and thirteen have been made into films.Michael Crichton died of lymphoma in 2008. He was 66 years old.
My review
4* Stars
Timeline, a fast-paced, heart-racing time travel/techno-thriller, is the second book by Crichton I’ve read. The first one, The State of Fear, didn’t impress me much, but I love the genre and I love Jurassic Park. So I decided to give the author another chance and didn’t regret it. This race-against-time or, better to say, the race-through-time sci-fi novel kept me on the edge of the seat until the last page.
The story of a high-tech corporation, creating a quantum computer, able to transport objects and people to parallel dimensions which, according to the author, look exactlylike ours but in different time periods, immediately drew my attention.
In the centre of the story is a group of history students who excavate a 14th-century monastery in Dordogne Valley, France. Fully funded by ITC, an American tech company, run by a stubborn and controlling billionaire Robert Doniger, the excavation faces many challenges both from the French authorities and their benefactor. When the Head of the Project, Professor Johnston, goes to ITC’s HQ to clarify things and disappears without a trace, his four postgraduates start to suspect foul play. Discovering in the monastery’s ruins a medieval manuscript with the Professor’s handwriting on it, the whole hell breaks loose. Doniger reveals that the Professor travelled back in time of the Hundred Years’ War France to see with his own eyes the site they excavated. He didn’t return. Now, his students need to use their skills and knowledge to save him. Accompanied by two ex-marines, the trio (one of the students decided to stay) travels into the heart of the Hundred Years’ War.
The book is heavy on quantum physics and the history of medieval France. Crichton’s fictional theories of time-space travel sound plausible. At least, for a reader like me who doesn’t understand anything about physics. His description of medieval France is thoroughly researched and detailed, creating a vivid fabric of everyday life in the time of war.
Apart from the Professor, each of the four protagonists has unique motivations, weaknesses, and flaws. Trying to save their leader and survive at the same time, they push their physical and mental abilities to the limit that forges their characters and changes each of them at the end of the story.
The story is full of twists and turns, and the characters hardly have time to breathe between the fights, sieges, and chases. The antagonists, apart from Doniger, are more circumstantial: just knights, monks, peasants, and warlords, living through the tough time of constant war.
Doniger’s motifs for time travel are revealed at the very end of the book which adds yet another twist to the plot.
Through the antagonists of the past and the present, the author discusses such complex topics like capitalism with its corporate greed and the cost of human’s life. It didn’t cost much in the 14th century. Does it cost more in the 20th? Definitely not for such people like Doniger.
Although not completely plot-holes-free, Timeline is an entertaining, enjoyable read. I recommend it to all fans of sci-fi and time travel.
P.S.: This book attracted my attention because the idea of time travel (teleportation through quantum foam) sounds similar to the ideas of time-space travel in my book (Dive Beyond Eternity).
Purchase Link
April 1, 2025
[Book Blitz]: The Victorian Locket by Elefair King
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Date Published: 30th March 2025
A Galveston Historical Mystery
Sarah Anne Law, affectionately known to family and friends as Sam, was playing the stalking game with her cat when she inadvertently discovered a secret compartment in her haunted Victorian home. Not only did Sam find a hidden treasure, but she also realized that their playful game aroused a long-dormant spirit. Perhaps the newly awakened spirit and one of the more disturbing hauntings in her beautiful home were connected.
Did a murder occur? As Sam followed clues to unravel the 125-year-old mysteries, she unveiled the true horrors of Galveston’s deadly and gruesome past.
About the Author
Elefair King, a native Texan, grew up in Houston. Retired, she now lives in The Woodlands, Texas. Married for 40 years, she has one son who lives nearby. Driven by her compassion to serve others, she founded several non-profit organizations as well as served on committees and boards of many local and regional charities. Elefair loves history, especially about her beloved Texas. She frequently stops along its country roads to read historical markers when seeking new adventures.
Contact Link
Website: http://www.galvestonhistoricalmysteries.com
Purchase Link
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-victorian-locket-elefair-king/1147211960
March 17, 2025
[Book Blitz]: The Third Estate by D.R. Berlin
Secrets of the Manor
Genre: Suspense, Thriller
Date Published: 26th December 2024
In a busy outdoor market, in broad daylight, an apparently ordinary woman is gunned down by a professional assassin. Twelve years later, the killer is back with a new target – and a mysteriously sinister employer…
What secrets could a father leave behind?
Sophie Allard, a promising jet pilot cadet at a prestigious military academy, finds her world shattered when she’s summoned to the Commander’s office with devastating news—her estranged father has died in a mysterious lab explosion at their family estate.
What begins as a routine investigation soon spirals into something far more dangerous.
As Sophie delves deeper into the secrets surrounding her father’s death, she uncovers hidden truths that threaten not only her career but her life. Unraveling a web of deception and betrayal, Sophie discovers that her father’s involvement with a powerful and shadowy organization—the Third Estate—could hold the key to both her survival and her downfall.
With an assassin hunting her every step and the enigmatic Grey Lady pulling the strings behind the scenes, Sophie must navigate a perilous landscape of secrets, lies, and danger.
This fast-paced thriller is perfect for fans of complex conspiracies, strong female protagonists, and unpredictable twists. If you love novels that combine action, suspense, and mystery, The Third Estate is your next must-read.
A gripping, high-stakes thriller that seamlessly blends espionage, mystery, and intense suspense, The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Will Sophie uncover the truth—before it’s too late?
About the Author
D.R. Berlin is an award-winning author, U.S. Army veteran, and General Surgeon with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Writing minor from MIT. A graduate of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, her career in high-pressure environments fuels the pulse-pounding suspense and authentic detail in The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor. Berlin combines her scientific expertise and love of storytelling to deliver a gripping, intricate thriller that keeps readers on edge. Drafted as the unofficial photographer of her children’s sports teams, she has been affectionally dubbed the “Mamarazzi.”
Contact Links
Website: https://drberlinauthor.com
Twitter: https://x.com/DRBerlinAuthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/DRBerlinAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d.r.berlinauthor/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-r-berlin-author-ba611b346/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572459732260
BookBuzz: https://bookbuzz.net/suspense-thriller-the-third-estate-secrets-of-the-manor-by-d-r-berlin/
Purchase Links
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-third-estate-d-r-berlin/1146754478?ean=9781977279026
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-third-estate
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-third-estate/id6740050142
Walmart:
Giveaway
March 15, 2025
[Book Blitz]: Double Crossed by Eliot Parker
Genre: Thriller
Date Published: 10th September 2024
Recovering from the emotional and physical damage of his last case, Ronan McCullough is trying to put his life back together. But when a federal agent’s charred remains surface, linked to a professor’s encrypted money laundering scheme, Ronan becomes embroiled in a high-stakes game of life and death with someone who is willing to kill everyone that knows anything about the encryption codes.
Ronan soon uncovers several dark secrets and learns that nobody is being honest with him, including the people he trusts the most. When the encryption codes are stolen and Ronan learns their real purpose, he finds himself in a race to stop a plan that will make it nearly impossible to stop the funding of dangerous crimes.
As the body count rises and secrets are unearthed, Ronan must navigate a web of deceit to uncover the truth. How will Ronan succeed when the main suspect is a set of numbers?
About the Author
Eliot Parker is the author of five thriller novels and two collections of short stories. His latest thriller, DOUBLE CROSSED, won the American Writing Awards award for best mystery/thriller in 2024. His thriller A FINAL CALL was named a “Best Book to Discover of 2022” by Kirkus Magazine and a finalist for the Hawthorne Prize in Fiction. Eliot has won the West Virginia Literary Merit Award as well as the PenCraft and Feathered Quill Book Awards for his works and been a finalist for the SIBA Book Prize in 2016.
He hosts the podcast program “Now, Appalachia,” on the Authors on the Air Global radio network that profiles authors and publishers from the Appalachian region. He teaches writing at the University of Mississippi.
Contact Links
Website: https://www.eliotparker.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eliot.parker.98
Twitter/X: https://x.com/E4419
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliot.parker
BookBuzz: https://bookbuzz.net/thriller-double-crossed-by-eliot-parker/
Purchase Links
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-crossed-eliot-parker/1145945563?ean=9781685494193
January 19, 2025
[Guest Post]: What’s in a (Fantasy Writer’s) Name? by Dirk Strasser
My guest author today is Dirk Strasser, an author of historical fantasy Conquist, set in Peru in 1538 in the times of conquistadors. In his post, Dirk is musing about using real authors’ names in fantasy and how they “reflect” the genre.
What’s in a (Fantasy Writer’s) Name?
Many people have said to me that my name sounds like a fantasy writer’s name, asking me if it’s my actual name. Another Australian fantasy writer Garth Nix also often gets asked the same question. In both mine and Garth’s case, they are our real names, but it makes me wonder what it is that makes a name sound like it belongs to a fantasy writer?
Names are funny things. I was surprise to find out that Eddie Perfect is the real name of the Australian performer, writer and composer of the musical Beetlejuice. I was absolutely convinced it was a stage name. As he says, though: “If I was willing to change it, I’d have gone all the way to F…ing-Brilliant. Hyphenated.”
So, what is it that makes a name sound like a fantasy writer’s? My guess is that the letters “J” and “R” have something to do with it: J R R Tolkien, J K Rowling, George R R Martin, Brandon Sanderson. There aren’t any initials in “Dirk Strasser”, but there are three Rs.
I once had the venerable science fiction author and editor, Algis Budrys, comment in a rejection letter to me “Mmm, with a name like ‘Dirk Strasser’, I would have thought you’d be South African.” And I would have thought maybe someone with the name “Algis Budrys” shouldn’t really be commenting on other writer’s names.
Do people with fantasy writer-type names naturally drift towards fantasy writing? That would be a bit spooky. Maybe there’s a prophecy thing happening.
What if a John Smith wants to turn his hand at fantasy? One solution is to add some initials: John R R Smith works. But I think there’s a better solution for turning an ordinary name into a fantasy writers’ name—add an exotic sounding middle name.
John Tiberius Smith does the trick, as does Jane Aphrodite Smith. It’s just a matter of trawling through enough history and mythology to get the right combination.
Not everyone has been fortunate to have been given fantasy writer names by their parents. For those of you that haven’t, well, you’re just a google search away from your destiny.
About the Book
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Date Published: 1st September 2024
Publisher: Roundfire Books
Capitán Cristóbal de Varga’s drive for glory and gold in 1538 Peru leads him and his army of conquistadors into a New World that refuses to be conquered. He is a man torn by life-long obsessions and knows this is his last campaign. What he doesn’t know is that his Incan allies led by the princess Sarpay have their own furtive plans to make sure he never finds the golden city of Vilcabamba.
He also doesn’t know that Héctor Valiente, the freed African slave he appointed as his lieutenant, has found a portal that will lead them all into a world that will challenge his deepest beliefs. And what he can’t possibly know is that this world will trap him in a war between two eternal enemies, leading him to question everything he has devoted his life to – his command, his Incan princess, his honor, his God.
In the end, he faces the ultimate dilemma: how is it possible to battle your own obsessions . . . to conquer yourself?
About the Author
Dirk Strasser’s epic fantasy trilogy The Books of Ascension—Zenith, Equinox and Eclipse—was published in German and English, and his short stories have been translated into several languages. “The Doppelgänger Effect” appeared in the World Fantasy Award-winning anthology Dreaming Down Under.His historical fantasy novel Conquist was published in 2024. The serialized version of Conquist was a finalist in the Aurealis Awards Best Fantasy Novel category.
Dirk’s screenplay version of Conquist won the Wildsound Fantasy/Sci-Fi Festival Best Scene Reading Award and was a featured finalist in the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival and the Creative World Awards. He is the co-editor of Australia’s premier science fiction and fantasy magazine, Aurealis, and was a judge on the 2024 Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival Screenplay Awards.
Dirk has been a high school teacher, a writer of best-selling textbooks, an educational software developer, a publishing manager, and a soccer club president.
Contact Links
Website: https://www.dirkstrasser.com/conquist-mdash-the-novel.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054955883297
Purchase Links
Universal purchase link:
https://books2read.com/Conquist
Roundfire Books:
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/roundfire-books/our-books/conquist-novel
Giveaway
January 12, 2025
[Book Blitz]: Broken Faces by Jennifer Conner & Chris Karlsen
Genre: Historical Fiction
Date Published: 10th October 2024
Publisher: Books to Go Now
Amidst the devastation of World War I, a young American woman named Abigale Belorman discovers a profound calling: to restore hope to the wounded soldiers. In France they were called ‘Gueules Cassees’ or ‘Broken Faces’. Using her sculpting skills, she begins crafting intricate masks that conceal the scars of war, offering a semblance of normalcy to those who have endured unimaginable suffering.
Colm Harp, a skilled metalsmith, is driven by his own wounds and a personal tragedy to join Abigale’s mission. His younger brother, Danny, has returned from the war with devastating facial injuries, and Colm is determined to give him a chance at a life worth living. Together, Colm and Abigale embark on a journey of compassion and resilience, their work becoming a beacon of hope for countless wounded soldiers.
As they navigate the challenges of war-torn Europe and the limitations of early 20th-century medicine, Abigale and Colm discover the transformative power of human will. Their story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring power of love, and the extraordinary lengths people will go to make a difference in the world.
War changes all their lives, but if you can improve one person’s life, is yours not for the better? What if you could help hundreds? What would you give up?
About the Authors
Broken Faces is a collaborative new fiction from Chris Karlsen, the winner of the NYC Big Book Award and Chanticeer’s Global First Prize for historical suspense.
Jennifer Conner has over 80 books and has landed in the Amazon top twenty authors.
Contact Links
Website: http://chriskarlsen.com/
Jennifer Conner Author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.karlsen.90/booksto.gonow
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferconner1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3362270.Jennifer_Conner
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jennilynnjac
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriskarlsenwriter/
Purchase Links
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/broken-faces-2
iBooks:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJSCTT6R
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1630857
Giveaway
$5 Amazon Gift Card + eBook Copy
January 9, 2025
[Book Tour. Excerpt]: Operation Nightfall by Karl Wegener
About the Book
The Web of Spies
Genre: Espionage / Thriller
Date Published: 17th September 2024
Publisher: FJK-KW Press
Former SOE operative Luba Haas and MI6 agent Natalie Jenkins secretly enter Poland in 1948 to meet with a sleeper agent and anti-communist insurgents, not realizing their mission has been compromised by a mole deep inside British intelligence. Hunted by both Soviet and Polish security services, they attempt a harrowing escape, not knowing whom they can trust as they try to outrun their pursuers.
Inspired by the true events of Poland’s anti-communist insurgency, the Cambridge Five spy scandal, and a covert British operation to roll back communism to the borders of the USSR, Operation Nightfall: The Web of Spies sheds light on a lesser known story of the Cold War and immerses readers into the shadowy world of spy-versus-spy operations.
About the Author
Karl Wegener is a former Russian linguist, intelligence analyst, and combat interrogator who served in the U.S. Army and within the Intelligence Community during the Cold War.Contact Links
Website: https://karlwegener.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084086001346
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23148627.Karl_Wegener
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kfwegener/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@kfwegener
Excerpt
As Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Sokolov’s green Russian staff car moved slowly along the narrow forest road, it came upon a sharp bend, a spot where the road turned back onto itself at a nearly 270-degree angle. He knew immediately this was the spot where the incident occurred. His source described the location to him perfectly and said he should see it for himself. There had been increasing cases of vandalism. Windows on government buildings had been smashed, and party officials had been harassed and threatened. But this was the first direct attack resulting in loss of life in the Gdansk Pomerania region of Northwest Poland. There had been attacks near Warsaw but that was over four-hundred kilometers to the southeast and Sokolov was troubled that violence was now in the region. But that was the reason why he was here.
His source described an act of violence so brutal it would stoke fear amongst the Polish militia and the security services. Their fear would lead to distrust and anger towards the local population. They would never know whom they could trust, and they’d turn their distrust and anger into retaliation and retribution. It was predictable. In Sokolov’s mind it was a natural human reaction. He had seen it time and time again and had used distrust and anger to his advantage throughout his career.
Sokolov leaned forward from his seat in the rear of the vehicle, motioned to his driver, and said, “Pull over there. Over there on the right, next to that large tree,” pointing to a fir that stood at the edge of the road.
There were two vehicles up ahead blocking the road, and he counted a group of six Polish
militiamen moving through the trees on either side. A young officer, who looked not more than a teenager stood in the middle of the road and barked out orders to the men.
“Search among the trees,” the officer yelled. “They can’t have gone far.”
Sokolov’s driver slowly moved the vehicle to the side of the road next to the tree and waited for further instructions. The Russian looked around satisfied, and said to his driver, “I’m going to take a look around. Please turn the car around and wait for me. I won’t be long.”
“Yes, Comrade Colonel,” the driver replied.
Sokolov opened the rear door on the driver’s side and slid out of the vehicle and onto the road. He stood up, adjusted his belt, and pulled down on his uniform tunic, running his hands over it to smooth out any wrinkles. He slid his sidearm holster to a comfortable position on his right hip, and then reached up to adjust the wireframed spectacles that had slipped down his nose. He pulled out his soft field cap tucked into his belt and carefully put it on, cocking it to one side. He glanced down at his watch which bore the slogan, “Death to Spies” on its face. It was seven past nine in the morning. Then he took a deep breath, smelled the scent of pine and fir, and then slowly exhaled as he prepared himself for what he knew he would find.
Shutting the door behind him, he began his walk up the road.
The gravel surface crunched under his heavy boots. The road was deeply rutted from the farm and forestry vehicles that used the road daily, and he had to raise his arms to his side, much like a highwire artist in a circus, in order to balance himself and keep from falling.
He walked past the two militia vehicles and stopped to survey the scene directly ahead of him. Not more than ten meters in front of the vehicles lay the bodies of two militiamen. They were not moving and appeared to be dead.
Purchase Links
Barnes and Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/operation-nightfall-karl-wegener/1146105322?ean=9798894438214
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/operation-nightfall-1
Caprichos Books:
https://www.caprichosbooks.com/karl-wegener
Giveaway
EBook Copy & $5 Amazon Gift Card
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