Eliza Knight's Blog, page 32

Let the Games Begin!

My new series, HIGHLAND WARS, has begun!

The first book, HIGHLAND HUNGER, is being released in "Games" each week. Game One and Game Two are both out now! Or, if you prefer to wait, you can pre-order the entire series, which will release September 22nd.

After her brother’s death Ceana is named laird. The only way for her clan to survive the ravages of the Highlands is to join in the war games. Bastard son of a powerful earl, Macrath is placed in the games by his vengeful stepmother. He must survive for the ultimate retribution.
Ceana can’t afford to like the formidable, captivating Highlander who seems to be following her, and yet she can’t seem to walk away. Macrath wants nothing more than protect the warrior lass, but doing so may get in the way of his need for revenge. What starts out as a race to survive turns into passion to endure together.

May the gods be forever in their favor…

The Legend...
A land lays unclaimed on the windswept north shore of the western isles.Once, on these isles, Sìtheil Castle flourished under the rule of Olaf the Black. King Olaf was powerful, his army strong and his determination to keep what was his, fervent. Under his rule the clan was revered as one of the most powerful within all the realm. Unsurpassed in its wild and enchanting beauty, surrounding clans wanted desperately to enjoy the fruits of Olaf’s land, the comforts and protection of the castle stronghold. But the thick stone walls could not defend against the vicious plague that killed nearly everyone who resided there. Those who survived were at the mercy of their neighbors. Men who’d once watched from afar with envious eyes took up arms against the weakened holding—killing King Olaf. The ruling Scottish council could not help the few survivors, and soon neighboring clans—and even those as far as the northern isles—began laying siege to Sìtheil.Olaf’s widow fought fiercely to keep her son Gillemorre’s inheritance, but was eventually defeated.With constant bloodshed, the land fell into disarray. Crops dried up and disappeared. Animals died. Children starved. Some survivors fled into the woods, only to be devoured by the beasts within the dark and vast recesses. Many succumbed to the swords brought down upon them by their enemies, but one survivor escaped—Gillemorre. Facing danger and death, he stole a small boat in the night and braved the rough waters to the mainland, where he made the journey to Scone. He pleaded with the king on behalf of his holding. The king tasked his council with making a decision on the fate of Sìtheil.The council members decreed that only the fiercest of rulers would be able to keep the people of Sìtheil safe. Better yet—two fierce warriors. Only those who hungered for victory, would be able to restore order. And so there would be war games.Every five years a series of games would commence between the warring clans—and each clan would sacrifice two warriors—a male and female. There could be only two winners. One male. One female.To be married and named Chief and Lady of the land. To live in the grand castle, rule the vast holding, and protect the people by divine right.May the gods be forever in their favor…
Game on.
An Excerpt Blood stained the leaf strewn cave in swirling patterns.Slashes of crimson lined Dougal’s white shirt. His mouth hung slack, eyes stared lifeless at the dimly lit sky. Hair, still damp with sweat, lay in unruly clumps against his forehead.This was the worst and most terrifying morning of Ceana MacRae’s life to date. She dropped to her knees, her hand falling to her brother’s motionless arm. How had this happened? And so quickly. They’d only left the castle a few hours past in search of game to feed their starving clan. And now he was… She pressed her fingers against his neck, feeling for the steady bump against her fingertips that would prove life still remained.Nothing.She searched again on the other side of his neck. Pressed her ear close to his nose and mouth hoping for even just a tiny tickle of breath.Again, nothing.Ceana shook her head, mouth going dry, her vision blurring. Her brother could not be dead. He could not!She checked him once more, a hard, cold lump settling in her stomach.Dougal was no more.Her father had been ripped apart by wolves, now her brother was killed by marauders. It seemed to be the fate of the men in her family to die badly. Fear circled her heart. An icy chill snaked along her arms and legs. She hissed a breath and bit her lip. Their laird was dead. The chief of their clan—gone.But who would have dared to harm him?She gripped the dagger strapped to her hip and wished she’d thought to bring her long, thin sword, not that she would have been able to ward off an attacker for long. Thank goodness she had her bow. She slipped off the bow and nocked an arrow, turning in a circle. Whoever killed my brother, I will annihilate you.
Danger wasn’t something new. Death was an old pastime. The MacRae’s were constantly being picked upon by neighboring clans—like vultures they were, just waiting for them to die.A hundred years had passed since the king decreed the warring clans should fight against one another in the war games. The declaration made to cease the constant bloodshed. And while the clans near the isles were safer, those smaller clans with fewer men to guard them were still in constant danger. Clans like hers.Legends abounded regarding those first games. Heroes were made. The opening game, a century ago, was a vicious, unrelenting fight. The first to reign victorious was Gillemorre, son of the great King Olaf who’d been murdered for his lands. Those descended from him now claimed the name Morrison—but only if they won the game. The games had brought a semblance of order to the land, though not to all. Not to the MacRae’s. But the ruling council would not waver from its decision.Even with the war games being designed to keep the peace, small neighboring clans fought against each other. A drought had wiped out many of the crops and killed many of the goats and pigs. Even the streams and lochs seemed to carry less fish.Aye, danger she was accustomed to. Starvation even, wasn’t that why they’d left today to get food for their clan members?But this—the vicious murder of her older brother, the chief of their clan…Tears burned her eyes and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.The death of her brother.The death of their laird.What sounded like a branch being stepped on called her attention to outside the cave. Without making a noise, Ceana moved to the back of the cave, where she was steeped in dark shadows. She crouched down, shifting the soft plaid of her gown to keep herself balanced. She pointed her arrow toward the mouth of the cave and waited.And waited.All the while she continued to hear the crunch of leaves and sticks. Distinctly a man’s steps falling—heavy and hard. And he was alone. Ceana listened intently; her hearing had always been superior. The footsteps paused outside of the cave opening. And then she heard the soft sound of his booted feet stepping lightly onto the solid cave floor. The stranger was dressed in a plaid she’d seen before—MacLeod she thought, but couldn’t be sure. Weekly, if not daily, their lands were trespassed by those looking for spoils.She stared at him, a smile curling her lip at knowing he couldn’t see her, but it was wiped off as soon as he nudged the tip of his boot into her brother’s ribs. Dougal’s prone body barely moved. Anger burned a path to her heart. She’d forever remember the look of pleasure on this stranger’s face as he kicked Dougal harder, and then laughed loudly as he kicked him as hard as he could. Without reservation, she let her arrow fly when the man took out a knife and made a move to cut her deceased brother’s throat. Her arrow found its mark in his chest, and the man looked toward the back of the cave, eyes squinting in both surprise and pain.“Who’s there?” he cried out, then stumbled to his knees as crimson colored his dirty tunic.Ceana stood and stepped away from the shadows, shoulders squared, jaw tight, and she assessed the man.“Who are you?” he asked again, brogue thick and filled with pain. The stranger roved his gaze over her, surprised at what he saw, if she could judge by the widening of his eyes and incredulous press of his lips.No one expected much from little Ceana. She was slight in frame and shorter than most women, but she was fierce, and that was all that mattered. Her thick red hair was swept into a messy plait down her back and dirt no doubt smudged her cheeks. The fabric of her plaid gown was worn and torn in spots, mended in others. Dougal himself had teased her for looking like an orphan. But she was no child. She was already nineteen summers.“Who are you?” she asked him without answering the question herself.The man gripped the arrow, double fisted, and broke off the end. His brow dripped sweat down the sides of his cheeks. “I’m a MacLeod.”Just as she’d suspected. “What are you doing here?”He managed a lecherous smile through his agony. Ceana drew another arrow, nocked it and aimed it at his chest once more. The feathers tickled her cheek, and she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.“I asked you a question,” she said. One false move and she’d shoot him again. “What are you doing here?”“Killing your laird.” He gave a viscous laugh, and then a cough, as he clutched at the stump of arrow shaft left in his chest.“Then ’tis a good thing my laird taught me to protect myself.” She let her second arrow fly, watching it once again hit its mark in his chest. The sickening thud of it turned her stomach, but his agony still gave her a thrill of vicious triumph.The invading warrior clutched at the second arrow buried deep in his chest, his face draining of all color. Perhaps before he’d thought he may have a chance of escaping death, but now he had to know he would die.Ceana had been hunting since she could figure out how to clutch a knife, and shooting with her bow since before her first word. There was no doubt that she was a skilled hunter. But to kill a man, and feel a thrill? There were no words. I will burn forever in the fires of hell for this.But this man had killed her brother. Would have killed her. If the stranger was willing to carve up a dead man, there was no telling what he would have done with her.I did it to survive.As far as she knew, this was the first man she’d actually killed. There had been moments when she was close, when enemy clans had invaded their lands and threatened their livelihoods that she had in fact shot her bow and had her arrow lodge in someone’s chest only to watch them gallop away on a horse or be rescued by their men. Most of the time when their holding was being laid siege to, she was in charge of taking the women and children to a safer place. Protecting them should the enemy break the lines.Dougal always told her that since he’d yet to have an heir and she was his only sibling, that the family’s modest holding would soon be hers. While it may have been rare for a female to inherit, it wasn’t unheard of. But she knew not the first thing of taking care of their meager space of land, or politics. How could she ever take his place? Dougal had been a good leader. Emotion welled inside her, forming a lump in her throat.I have to.Blood trickled from her enemy’s lips, making a red line from the corner of his mouth to his earlobe. He was dead, and she’d been the cause of it.But he’d wanted to slit Dougal’s throat. Her brother was already dead; there was no need to mutilate his body further.The man’s head lolled to the side, eyes glazing over, mouth opening and closing in silent speech. She suppressed her surprise. She’d thought him dead already but apparently he still had something to say. Ceana walked briskly forward, ears keen for any noise outside. She bent down beside him.“You shall be buried,” she said. “Even if you don’t deserve it. I shall see to it.”“Who are you?” he asked, the same question he’d asked her before and the same one she’d avoided answering.She supposed she might as well practice, for as long as she lived, she’d be repeating these words. “I am Laird MacRae.”Ceana stood, the enormity of her new position bringing with it a potent fear. She’d return to her castle and relay to her clan that there was still no food, but even worse that Dougal was dead. They’d all be dead soon unless she could figure out a way to save them.An idea struck her as she slung her bow over her shoulder and adjusted her knife so it wouldn’t get caught on the stave.The war games. The very games that ensured her clan would never amount to anything. But the coin she could earn if she won—the castle and lands she’d receive—all of these would help her protect her people. The winning clans agreed to live in peace and as allies—anyone who went against the law risked execution. It would mean she’d have to marry, but at the end of their five year rule, the chieftain and lady had the choice of re-entering the games to keep their position within Sìtheil, or they could relinquish their position, retain their prize coin and return to their own clans.She swallowed hard. There is no other way. If she did nothing her people would starve before the next clan even had a chance to invade their paltry holding.Stepping out of the cave, she stared up at the graying sky. Joining the games meant she had to cross the stormy Minch to the western isles, that she might die in battle. Meant she’d have to kill many more people in order to win. But such a sacrifice was worth it in the end if she could save her people.The first thing she’d do as Laird MacRae was join the fight for a throne—and she’d win.

READ IT!!!
GAME ONEGAME TWOPRE-ORDER ALL FIVE GAMES (9/22/14)
Look for...
Game Three: 8/25/14Game Four: 9/1/14Game Over: 9/8/14


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The Graham Saga Book Blast!

Join Anna Belfrage as her beloved time-slip series, The Graham Saga, is featured around the blogosphere from July 28-August 15 with HF Virtual Book Tours and enter to win your own set of Books 1-6!
About The Graham Saga

This is the story of Alex and Matthew, two people who should never have met - not when she was born three hundred years after him.

It all began the day Alex Lind got caught in a thunderstorm. Not your ordinary storm, no this was the mother of all storms, causing a most unusual rift in the fabric of time. Alex was dragged three centuries backwards in time, landing more or less at the feet of a very surprised Matthew Graham.

In a series of books we follow the life and adventures of the expanding Graham family, both in Scotland and in the New World - and let me tell you it is quite an exciting life, at times excessively so in Alex' opinion.

Sometimes people ask me why Alex had to be born in the twentieth century, why not make her a woman born and bred in the seventeenth century where the story is set? The answer to that is I have no idea. Alex Lind is an insistent, vibrant character that sprung into my head one morning and simply wouldn't let go. 

Seductively she whispered about terrible thunderstorms, about a gorgeous man with magic, hazel eyes, about loss and sorrow, about love - always this love, for her man and her children, for the people she lives with. With a throaty chuckle she shared insights into a life very far removed from mine, now and then stopping to shake her head and tell me that it probably hadn't been easy for Matthew, to have such an outspoken, strange and independent woman at his side.

At this point Matthew groaned into life. Nay, he sighed, this woman of his was at times far too obstinate, with no notion of how a wife should be, meek and dutiful. But, he added with a laugh, he wouldn't want her any different, for all that she was half heathen and a right hand-full. No, he said, stretching to his full length, if truth be told not a day went by without him offering fervent thanks for his marvelous wife, a gift from God no less, how else to explain the propitious circumstances that had her landing at his feet that long gone August day?

Still, dear reader, it isn't always easy. At times Alex thinks he's an overbearing bastard, at others he's sorely tempted to belt her. But the moment their fingertips graze against each other, the moment their eyes meet, the electrical current that always buzzes between them peaks and surges, it rushes through their veins, it makes their breathing hitch and ... She is his woman, he is her man. That's how it is, that's how it always will be.
Graham Saga TitlesBook One: A Rip in the Veil
Book Two: Like Chaff in the Wind
Book Three: The Prodigal Son
Book Four: A Newfound Land
Book Five: Serpents in the Garden
Book Six: Revenge & Retribution
Book Seven: Whither Thou Goest (November 2014)
Book Eight: To Catch a Falling Star (March 2015)
About the Author Anna was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result she's multilingual and most of her reading is historical- both non-fiction and fiction. Possessed of a lively imagination, she has drawers full of potential stories, all of them set in the past. She was always going to be a writer - or a historian, preferably both. Ideally, Anna aspired to becoming a pioneer time traveller, but science has as yet not advanced to the point of making that possible. Instead she ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for her most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career Anna raised her four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive… For years she combined a challenging career with four children and the odd snatched moment of writing. Nowadays Anna spends most of her spare time at her writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and she slips away into her imaginary world, with her imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in her life pops his head in to ensure she's still there. For additional information regarding Anna, her characters, extra scenes, and teasers for her next books, have a look at Anna's website at: www.annabelfrage.com. You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
Book Blast ScheduleMonday, July 28
Broken Teepee
Kincavel Korner
bookworm2bookworm's Blog

Tuesday, July 29
So Many Books, So Little Time

Wednesday, July 30
A Bibliotaph's Reviews

Thursday, July 31
Book Drunkard

Friday, August 1
The Lit Bitch

Saturday, August 2
Book Nerd

Sunday, August 3
Literary Chanteuse
Just One More Chapter

Monday, August 4
A Bookish Girl
Historical Tapestry
To Read, Or Not to Read

Tuesday, August 5
CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, August 6
The True Book Addict

Thursday, August 7
Impressions in Ink

Friday, August 8
A Bookish Affair
The Mad Reviewer

Saturday, August 9
Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, August 11
Gobs and Gobs of Books

Tuesday, August 12
Pages of Comfort

Wednesday, August 13
History Undressed

Thursday, August 14
Passages to the Past

Friday, August 15
Mina's Bookshelf
GiveawayTo win a set of Anna Belfrage's Graham Saga (Books 1-6) please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Two winners will be chosen. Giveaway is open internationally!


Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on August 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter. Winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter on August 16th and notified via email. Winners have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
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New Release: PRISONER OF THE QUEEN

The second book in my Tales From the Tudor Court series, PRISONER OF THE QUEEN has released!


I have served three queens in my life. 
One was my sister. One was my savior. And one my bitterest enemy. 
Knowing she was seen as a threat to the Queen she served, Lady Katherine Grey, legitimate heir to the throne, longs only for the comfort of a loving marriage and a quiet life far from the intrigue of the Tudor court. After seeing her sister become the pawn of their parents and others seeking royal power and then lose their lives for it, she is determined to avoid the vicious struggles over power and religion that dominate Queen Elizabeth’s court. Until she finds love—then Kat is willing to risk it all, even life in prison. 

Praise for Prisoner of the Queen... 
"An emotional story, full of jealous rivalry, scandal and heartache. These are women with the blood of Henry VIII running through their veins, how could it be anything but." ~ Margaret Cook, Just One More Chapter 

"Vibrant characters, mind-bending plot twists, and a fluid yet breakneck pace, are all trademarks of authoress Knight, that fans of her books have come to know as her signature hallmarks of excellence.” ~ Frishawn, WTF Are You Reading 

"Prisoner of the Queen is a refreshing look at the life of Katherine Grey. For the first time, she is portrayed as a strong, intelligent woman instead of as a foolish and naive girl." ~Denise Farmer, So Many Books So Little Time

"E. Knight is back with another tale from the Tudor Court. Think you've read everything about the Tudors? Ms. Knight shows that there is much more to love. Filled with court intrigue and passion, this book will have you wanting to read more about her heroine, Katherine Grey, sister of Queen Jane Grey!" ~Meg Wessell, A Bookish Affiar


READ IT!
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you read MY LADY VIPER? Available now in print, ebook and audio.

May, 1536. The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen.

When Anne Boleyn falls to the executioner's ax on a cold spring morning, yet another Anne vows she will survive in the snake-pit court of Henry VIII. But at what cost?

Lady Anne Seymour knows her family hangs by a thread. If her sister-in-law Jane Seymour cannot give the King a son, she will be executed or set aside, and her family with her. Anne throws herself into the deadly and intoxicating intrigue of the Tudor court, determined at any price to see the new queen's marriage a success and the Seymour family elevated to supreme power. But Anne's machinations will earn her a reputation as a viper, and she must decide if her family's rise is worth the loss of her own soul . . .


Praise for MY LADY VIPER…

From Publisher's Weekly... "Knight delivers a suspenseful historical romance replete with political conspiracies and erotic encounters set in 16th-century England. Struggling to survive during the reign of King Henry VIII, Lady Anne Seymour manipulates political alliances in an effort to safeguard her family's lives when her sister-in-law, Jane Seymour, marries the King. Struggling between ambition and conscience, Anne must maintain the King's favor and preserve his marriage to Jane. But when her heart beats for dashing Sir Anthony Browne, she is torn between duty and lust. In this ably plotted first book in a new series, Knight skillfully captures the atmosphere of the Tudor Court. In Anne, the author creates a paradoxical but well drawn heroine full of self-destructive desire. Characters are drawn in broad, colorful strokes, merging grand historical pageantry with psychological depth. Fans of historical fiction will find themselves eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series from Knight."

“Author E. Knight proves that though there are a plethora of Tudor novels out there a writer can still create a fresh and unique view of one of history's most treacherous courts, that of England's King Henry VIII. Schemes and scandalous trysts abound in 'My Lady Viper', making for a very captivating read. Racy and deliciously sensual, once started I was hard pressed to put the book down. I eagerly await the next installment in E. Knight's stand-out Tales of the Tudor Courts series!” ~ Amy Bruno, Passages to the Past

“E. Knight breathes new life and new scandal into the Tudors. This is an engrossing historical fiction tale that readers will love!” ~ Meg Wessel, A Bookish Affair

“A brilliant illustration of a capricious monarch and the nest of serpents that surrounded him, My Lady Viper is an absolute must. Intricately detailed, cleverly constructed and utterly irresistible.” ~ Erin, Flashlight Commentary


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Fourth of July Read: For Love & Liberty by Alyssa Cole

Please welcome to History Undressed, guest author Alyssa Cole! She's here to celebrate July 4th with us! Enjoy!
I’ve spent the majority of my life living on what was the major staging ground for perhaps the most important war in America’s history: the American Revolution. The names in our Social Studies books were familiar from local maps and road signage: Paulus Hook, Trenton, Brooklyn, Saratoga. In junior high, our class trip was a visit to Philadelphia, where we took pictures of the cracked Liberty Bell on 35-mm film (Zack Morris was the only student with a cellular phone back then, much less a digital camera) and learned about Benjamin Franklin. My class was made up of a truly diverse group of students, but all of the historical figures we learned about had one thing in common: they were white. The only people who looked like us were the slaves and Native Americans used as decoration in the backgrounds of portraits.
Not seeing any reflection of myself in this aspect of history led to a kind of disconnect—while I still enjoyed learning about the war, Independence Day was more about hamburgers and hot dogs than historical reflection. I mean, people like me weren’t a part of thatAmerica…or were we? As an adult, freed from a curriculum that tries to squeeze hundreds of years into digestible tidbits and isn’t overly concerned with diversity, I discovered a newfound love of history and realized how wrong I was. Because I’m a romance writer, I was fascinated by what else could have been happening for the many different types of people who lived during the Revolutionary War, but whose stories were never told. The men and women who chose to partake in the war must have been fighting for something; they must have had hope for something better, just as our Founding Fathers did.
A few other writers felt the same way, and we joined together to write For Love & Liberty: Untold Love stories of the American Revolution. The stories are set in New York during the Revolution and follow the paths of four very different couple who all seek love, as well as freedom, during the uncertain time before America finally gained its independence.
This July 4thwill certainly be more than fireworks and fun for me. It will be a remembrance of the people, all of the people, who worked to make sure that America was indeed the land of the free.About For Love & Liberty
FOR LOVE & LIBERTY: Untold Love Stories of the American Revolution is an anthology that looks at historical romance through a more colorful lens. Four romance authors have come together to present tales of passion and patriotism that reveal the truly diverse threads that run through the tapestry of American history.

In BE NOT AFRAID by Alyssa Cole, a black Patriot captured by the British falls in love with a headstrong runaway determined to leave the colonies...while a wounded British soldier discovers the healing power of love in the arms of a gentle native woman in A SWEET SURRENDER by Lena Hart...in REBELS AT HEART by Kate McMurray, two men must make hard choices if they are to stay together when war arrives on the shores of their home in New York City...at last, in HOME by Stacey Agdern, a young Jewish couple must decide what can hold them together before war and geography tear them apart.
Amazon | Nook | ARe

About Alyssa Cole
Alyssa Cole is a Brooklyn-based science editor, pop culture nerd, and romance junkie. She is the author of the romantic suspense novel, Eagle's Heart, and the erotic short Sweet to the Taste. She has recently begun to dabble in historical romance; her first short, a Revolutionary War romance, can be found in the anthology For Love & Liberty. In addition to writing, she hosts a romance book club and teaches romance writing at the Jefferson Market Library in NYC. When she's not busy traveling and learning French, she can be found watching cat videos on the Internet with her real life romance hero.

Happy 4th of July!!!

How about a little crash course in US History???

The Cook's Temptation by Joyce Wayne

About The Cook's Temptation
Publication Date: February 1, 2014
Mosaic Press
Formats: Ebook, PaperbackGenre: Historical Fiction
Joyce Wayne brings to life the complexities of Victorian life, first in County Devon and then in London’s East End. The ‘big picture’ is about one woman’s life, class conflict, religious intolerance, suspicion and betrayal. The central figure is Cordelia, a strong-minded Jewish woman who is caught between her desire to be true to herself and her need to be accepted by English society.Cordelia Tilley is the daughter of a Jewish mother and an Anglican father. Her mother has groomed her for a life in English society while her father, a tough publican, has shown no tolerance for his wife’s social climbing or the conceits of their perspicacious daughter. Cordelia’s mother dies from typhoid fever, she tries to run the family ‘s establishment, she falls prey to a local industrialist, she gives birth to a son, she is tormented by her husband and his family. Finally, she is rescued by suffragette friends and sets off to start a new life in London.The Cook’s Temptation is about a woman who is unpredictable, both strong and weak willed, both kind and heinous, victim and criminal. It is a genuine Victorian saga, full of detail, twists and turns, memorable scenes, full of drama and pathos.
Praise for The Cook’s Temptation
“Joyce Wayne’s debut novel, The Cook’s Temptation, has the stately bearing of a nineteenth century novel – the mercilessness of Thomas Hardy, the black allegory of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the tense marriages of George Eliot. It is a story of how people become what you blame them for being.” – Ian Williams, poet and fiction writer, short listed for the 2012 Griffin Poetry Prize
About the Author
Joyce Wayne has an MA in English literature, has taught journalism at Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario, for twenty-five years, and lives in Toronto, Ontario. She was a winner of the Diaspora Dialogues contest for fiction and the Fiona Mee Award for literary journalism. She is the co writer of the documentary film So Far From Home (2010), a film about refugee journalists persecuted for their political views, and various of her other works have been published in Parchment, Golden Horseshoe Anthology, Canadian Voices, and TOK6.
For more information please visit Joyce Wayne’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. She is happy to participate in Books Clubs by phone and Skype.

The Lost Duchess!!!

Please join author Jenny Barden as she tours the blogopsphere for The Lost Duchess from May 26-June 20. Paperback Publication Date: June 5, 2014



Ebury Press Paperback; 448p    


An epic Elizabethan adventure with a thriller pace and a high tension love story that moves from the palaces of England to the savage wilderness of the New World. Emme Fifield has fallen about as far as a gentlewoman can. Once a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth, her only hope of surviving the scandal that threatens to engulf her is to escape England for a fresh start in the new America where nobody has ever heard of the Duchess of Somerset. Emme joins Kit Doonan's rag-tag band of idealists, desperados and misfits bound for Virginia. But such a voyage will be far from easy and Emme finds her attraction to the mysterious Doonan inconvenient to say the least. As for Kit, the handsome mariner has spent years imprisoned by the Spanish, and living as an outlaw with a band of escaped slaves; he has his own inner demons to confront, and his own dark secrets to keep... Ever since Sir Walter Raleigh's settlement in Virginia was abandoned in 1587 its fate has remained a mystery; 'The Lost Duchess' explores what might have happened to the ill-starred 'Lost Colony' of Roanoke.
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About the AuthorI've had a love of history and adventure ever since an encounter in infancy with a suit of armour at Tamworth Castle. Training as an artist, followed by a career as a city Jenny (Portrait 2)solicitor, did little to help displace my early dream of becoming a knight. A fascination with the Age of Discovery led to travels in South and Central America, and much of the inspiration for my debut came from retracing the footsteps of Francis Drake in Panama. The sequel centres on the first Elizabethan 'lost colony' of early Virginia. I am currently working on an epic adventure during the threat of invasion by the Spanish Armada. My work has appeared in short story collections and anthologies and I've written for non-fiction publications including the Historical Novels Review. I am active in many organisations, having run the 'Get Writing' conferences for several years, and undertaken the co-ordination of the Historical Novel Society’s London Conference 2012. I am a member of that organisation as well as the Historical Writers' Association, the Romantic Nevelists' Association and the Society of Authors. I'll be co-ordinating the RNA's annual conference in 2014. I have four children and now live on a farm in Dorset with my long suffering husband and an ever increasing assortment of animals. I love travelling, art, reading and scrambling up hills and mountains (though I'm not so keen on coming down!).
Author LinksWebsiteFacebookTwitterJenny Barden's BlogEnglish Historical Fiction Authors Blog
Also by Jenny Barden Publication Date: June 20, 2013 Ebury Press Formats: Paperback, Ebook     Mistress Cooksley may be a wealthy merchant's daughter, but she blushes at my words and meets my eyes look for look. Yet I cannot hope to court her without fortune, and a dalliance with a pretty maid will not hinder me from my path. Captain Drake's endeavour might bring me gold, but I, Will Doonan, will have my revenge. The Spaniards captured my brother and have likely tortured and killed him. For God and St George, we'll strike at the dogs and see justice done. I thought I'd left Mistress Cooksley behind to gamble everything and follow Drake, and here she is playing the boy at the ends of the world. She's a fool with a heart as brave as any man's. Yet her presence here could be the ruin of us all...


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Behind the Book: IN YOUR ARMS by Merry Farmer

Welcome to History Undressed, guest author, Merry Farmer. She's here today to talk a little about her new book, IN YOUR ARMS.

Of all the novels I’ve written so far and all of the research I’ve done for these novels (and believe me, I’ve done a lot!), by far the most fascinating discoveries I made were when I began researching the lives of Native Americans after the “Cowboys and Indians” era for In Your Arms.  The entire Montana Romance series takes place in a fictitious town in western Montana near the mountains—an area that is rich in Native American history and culture.  I wanted to show as much of that culture as I could within the context of a romance.
What surprised me the most was not how shamefully the Native American population was treated.  I knew that as Americans of European descent moved west they displaced the native peoples, forcing them to live on reservations or to give up their lifestyles completely.  I knew the long, sad story behind the near decimation of that culture.  All of these things are what inspired me to tell Lily’s story in the first place.
What I didn’t realize was how bittersweet the efforts of missionaries and well-meaning but misguided people were.  I knew that I wanted my heroine, Lily, to have been taken from her tribe as a small child and raised in one of the many Indian schools that popped up back east.  I knew a little bit about the Indian schools, but the reasons why they were built, the goals that they had, and the results of their efforts was even more heartening and heartbreaking than I had imagined.
The white Americans who founded, funded, and ran the Indian schools were coming from a place of genuine charity, thoughtfulness, and good intentions.  They were moved by the plight of the Native Americans and wanted to help them.  The problem was that what they saw as helping them—educating Native American children in European ways, removing all signs of the culture they were born into and making them look like white people, and training them for ‘useful employment in society’—was, in fact, destroying their cultural identity.  It truly was a case of the path to hell being paved with good intentions.
It was bittersweet to learn about what happened to the thousands of children who went through these schools.  Many of them did go on to successful careers in the white man’s world.  Many became teachers, like Lily.  But also like Lily as I have portrayed her, they lost all ties with who they were.  They were turned out into the world in a cultural limbo, no longer fitting in with their past but never completely accepted by the ‘civilized’ world they were trained for.  The result was a generation of people left with huge psychological scars.  Those scars also extended to the older generation, whose children, whose future was taken from them.
It’s heavy stuff for a romance novel!  But at the same time, I was driven to tell this story.  Ultimately, In Your Arms is a story about finding love and finding where you belong when everything has been taken from you.  It is a story about hope and the ability of love to overcome even the most tragic barriers.  It is my deepest hope that I have remembered the young men and women on both sides who endured this painful chapter of our history and that I have done them justice.
In Your Arms is the third full-length novel in Merry Farmer's sweeping, engaging, and extremely historically accurate Montana Romance series. Never one to shy away from difficult or controversial topics while still imbuing her tales with more than a dash of romance and steam, Merry depicts a tale of love, trust, and stubborness against the backdrop of the turn-of-the-century American frontier. "[In Your Arms is] a book that intelligently tackles racial tensions of post-Civil War era...a highly engaging romance between two fiery-spirited individuals...I highly recommend this book to all fans of historical romance." --Mary Chen, Amazon reviewer Get In Your Arms on Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.Add In Your Arms to your Goodreads to-read shelf!
About In Your Arms Lily Singer has never belonged. Taken from her tribe as a child and raised in a white man’s school, she no longer has a place in either world. Teaching has become her life. When that life is threatened by rumors and prejudice after a string of robberies, she must turn for help to the one man who spells disaster for her carefully ordered existence. Will he save her or steal her heart? Christian Avery, Justice of the Peace, is used to having things his way. Cold Springs is his responsibility, and when its citizens blame the local Indian population for the mysterious robberies, it’s up to him to restore order and maintain calm. The one person who refuses to follow his lead is the beautiful, native-born Lily. Her defiance turns his life upside down. But when town gossip shifts from robberies to romance after a foolish indiscretion, Lily’s job and reputation are on the line. She must choose between the only life she has ever known and the only place she has ever felt at home, in Christian’s arms.
About Merry Farmer Merry Farmer lives in suburban Philadelphia with her two cats, Butterfly and Torpedo. She has been writing since she was ten years old and realized one day that she didn't have to wait for the teacher to assign a creative writing project to write something. It was the best day of her life. She then went on to earn not one but two degrees in History so that she would always having something to write about. Today she walks along the cutting edge of Indie Publishing, writing Historical Romance and Women's Sci-Fi. She is also passionate about blogging, knitting, and cricket and is working towards becoming an internationally certified cricket scorer. Find Merry Farmer on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon Author Page.
Get the book!In Your Arms is available on Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks. Don't forget to add In Your Arms to your to-read shelf on Goodreads. Connect with Merry Farmer on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon Author Page.

Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Shecter

OUT TODAY!!!
CURSES AND SMOKE: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Shecter!
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Arthur A. Levine Books
Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Genre: YA Historical

When your world blows apart, what will you hold onto?

TAG is a medical slave, doomed to spend his life healing his master's injured gladiators. But his warrior's heart yearns to fight in the gladiator ring himself and earn enough money to win his freedom.

LUCIA is the daughter of Tag's owner, doomed by her father's greed to marry a much older Roman man. But she loves studying the natural world around her home in Pompeii, and lately she's been noticing some odd occurrences in the landscape: small lakes disappearing; a sulfurous smell in the air. . . .

When the two childhood friends reconnect, each with their own longings, they fall passionately in love. But as they plot their escape from the city, a patrician fighter reveals his own plans for them -- to Lucia's father, who imprisons Tag as punishment. Then an earthquake shakes Pompeii, in the first sign of the chaos to come. Will they be able to find each other again before the volcano destroys their whole world?

About the Author

Vicky Alvear Shecter is the author of the young adult novel, CLEOPATRA'S MOON (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2011), based on the life of Cleopatra's only daughter. She is also the author of two award-winning biographies for kids on Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. She is a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University in Atlanta.

http://www.vickyalvearshecter.com

Happy Memorial Day!

Many thanks to all who serve and those who served before you. We are free because of the brave.