MaryAnn Bernal's Blog

Spotlight on H D Coulter, author of Saving Grace: Deception. Obsession. Redemption. (The Ropewalk series, Book 2)

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Beacon Hill, Boston. 1832.

“You are innocent. You are loved. You are mine.”

After surviving the brutal attack and barely escaping death at Lancaster Castle, Beatrice Mason attempts to build a new life with her husband Joshua across the Atlantic in Beacon Hill. But, as Beatrice struggles to cope with the pregnancy and vivid nightmares, she questions whether she is worthy of redemption.

Determined to put the past behind her after the birth of her daughter Grace, Bea embraces her newfound roles of motherhood and being a wife. Nevertheless, when she meets Sarah Bateman, their friendship draws Bea towards the underground railroad and the hidden abolitionist movement, despite the dangerous secrets it poses. Whilst concealed in the shadows, Captain Victor Hanley returns, obsessed with revenge and the desire to lay claim to what is his, exposes deceptions and doubts as he threatens their newly established happiness.

Now, Beatrice must find the strength to fight once more and save Grace, even if it costs her life.

 

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 Ropewalk; Rebellion. Love. Survival (The Ropewalk Series, Book 1)
 is only 0.99 on ebook during the tour. Here are the buy links:

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Fun Facts

(Stuff you may or may not already know!)

 No one really knows this, but I named the principal character Beatrice Lightfoot after my female ginger tabby cat Beatrice; Bea for short. Whilst the name Lightfoot came from the last name of my family doctor growing up, Dr Lightfoot.

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I have a degree in theatre production and design. I have designed sets and costumes for a variety of shows, including one for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. My vivid imagination and background in theatre design allows me to create the world of Ropewalk inside my head as a performance.

In my spare time, I enjoy knitting and crocheting, whilst watching TV dramas on the TV, especially in the winter, and it's raining and cold outside.

I love the research aspect of writing historical fiction and falling down the rabbit hole, and seeing where I end up discovering additional facts, becoming obsessed with reading about it through other books and novels, YouTube videos and documentaries. Until I have consumed everything there is about an outlet. For example, when researching saving grace, I discovered the Underground Railroad. And the myths and legends attached to it. PSP documentaries. Colson Whitehead novel of an alternative history of the “Underground Railroad”. Or they claim TV show, “Underground”.

One of my first experiments, writing was whilst I was at university, and I wrote a fanfiction of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows hit the bookshelves. It is interesting writing characters you've you've read and watched, but I found it confused my writing style as I wrote like JK Rowling, instead of HD Coulter, and those fanfiction chapters will never see the light of day.

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H D Coulter

Hayley was born and raised in the lake district and across Cumbria. From a young age, Hayley loved learning about history, visiting castles, and discovering local stories from the past. Hayley and her partner lived in Ulverston for three years and spent her weekends walking along the Ropewalk and down by the old harbour. She became inspired by the spirit of the area and stories that had taken place along the historic streets.

As a teacher, Hayley had loved the art of storytelling by studying drama and theatre. The power of the written word, how it can transport the reader to another world or even another time in history. But it wasn't until living in Ulverston did she discover a story worth telling. From that point, the characters became alive and she fell in love with the story.

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Sign up to Hayley’s newsletter between now and May 30th to be placed into a giveaway raffle for a personalised BookBox, including a signed copy of Ropewalk and Saving Grace.

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Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Custard Corpses By M J Porter

A delicious 1940s mystery.

Birmingham, England, 1943.

While the whine of the air raid sirens might no longer be rousing him from bed every night, a two-decade-old unsolved murder case will ensure that Chief Inspector Mason of Erdington Police Station is about to suffer more sleepless nights.

Young Robert McFarlane’s body was found outside the local church hall on 30th September 1923. But, his cause of death was drowning, and he’d been missing for three days before his body was found. No one was ever arrested for the crime. No answers could ever be given to the grieving family. The unsolved case has haunted Mason ever since.

But, the chance discovery of another victim, with worrying parallels, sets Mason, and his constable, O’Rourke, on a journey that will take them back over twenty-five years, the chance to finally solve the case, while all around them the uncertainty of war continues, impossible to ignore.

EXCERPT

Sam walked through the revolving door; his eyes focused on the building he was entering. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but it wasn’t this. Not at all. The rumble of a passing train, almost overhead, made him flinch, the sound far too much like that of the aircraft of the enemy. He tried not to wince as the more comforting smell of the burning coal followed behind.

“Good day,” the man behind the high desk spoke immediately on seeing them, startling upright at the sight of two police officers, even if they wore less intimidating hats than the usual curved ones. His accent was smooth, although Sam detected the hint of a London drawl beneath it.

The man was no more than twenty-five, blond hair covering his forehead, although Sam detected a scar running deep beneath the hairline. Evidently another injured soldier, sailor or airman.

“Good day. My name’s Chief Inspector Mason. I was hoping to speak to someone about old copies of your magazine, the very first editions, from 1938.”

“Ah, you’ll need to speak to Harry Underhill about that. If you wait here, I’ll go and see if he’s available. Where are you from?” And his scared face wrinkled with consternation.

“Erdington, close to Birmingham,” Sam clarified when the man didn’t recognise the name.

“Right. Just hold on a moment.” And he walked from behind his desk and towards a staircase, to the far side of the room.

He and O’Rourke stood in silence. They’d exhausted their conversation during the train journey, choosing a carriage where they were alone and could talk about the case, even as they’d slipped by the ruin of Coventry. Sam hadn’t been able to stop himself from staring at the devastated city.

Of course, he’d read about the destructive attacks on the fine city, the fire that had destroyed the ancient cathedral, but it had been quite another thing to see it. Everywhere he’d looked, there’d been broken buildings, and that had just been riding through Coventry on the train. He’d spared a thought to all those who’d died, especially the nine constables from the local police.

Sam had thought the attacks on Erdington had been terrifying enough, but there was little of Coventry that remained standing, even now, over a year since the worse attack.

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M J Porter writes historical fiction set before 1066. Usually.

This is M J's first foray into the historical mystery genre and the, relatively recent, twentieth century.

M J writes A LOT, you've been warned.

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Interview with Emma Lombard, author of Discerning Grace (Book One of The White Sails Series)

 

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As the first full-length novel in The White Sails Series, DISCERNING GRACE captures the spirit of an independent woman whose feminine lens blows the ordered patriarchal decks of a 19th-century tall ship to smithereens.

Wilful Grace Baxter, will not marry old Lord Silverton with his salivary incontinence and dead-mouse stink. Discovering she is a pawn in an arrangement between slobbery Silverton and her calculating father, Grace is devastated when Silverton reveals his true callous nature.

Refusing this fate, Grace resolves to stow away. Heading to the docks, disguised as a lad to ease her escape, she encounters smooth-talking naval recruiter, Gilly, who lures her aboard HMS Discerning with promises of freedom and exploration in South America.

When Grace's big mouth lands her bare-bottomed over a cannon for insubordination, her identity is exposed. The captain wants her back in London but his orders, to chart the icy archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, forbid it. Lieutenant Seamus Fitzwilliam gallantly offers to take Grace off the fretting captain's hands by placing her under his protection.

Grace must now win over the crew she betrayed with her secret, while managing her feelings towards her taciturn protector, whose obstinate chivalry stifles her new-found independence. But when Grace disregards Lieutenant Fitzwilliam's warnings about the dangers of the unexplored archipelago, it costs a friend his life and she realises she is not as free as she believes.

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Having a Chat with Historical Women’s Fiction Author—Emma Lombard

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When did you start writing?

I wrote my first novel between the ages of 11 and 14. Through family friends, I had a wonderful opportunity to present my manuscript to the editor of a large publishing house. She responded with some thoughtful feedback but 14-year-old me didn’t cope very well with the critique. Seriously—what would a publisher know!?! *teen snark* Lol! So, that manuscript got tossed in a drawer (I still have it! It’s sooo bad, I cringe at the thought of a professional publisher reading it. But it was a great life experience.)

Then life and four kids got in the way, though I always knew that one day I would resume my writing career. It took me until 2016 to steal some time and headspace to indulge my little dream and start putting words on paper.

Now that little dream has become my new career. Who would have thought!

 

Tell us about Discerning Grace.

It’s a purely fictional, romantic adventure featuring an independent young lass whose feminine lens blows the ordered patriarchal decks of a 19th century tall ship to smithereens. It will suit fans of feisty historical female leads who are not the docile and obedient type, and who always ruffle the feathers of the men in their lives, as well as the society of their times—and inevitably end up in hot water.

Readers who enjoy a rollicking tale with high stakes, which incorporates the thread of a slow-burn but ultimately passionate romance, will find Discerning Grace appealing.

My biggest delight is having readers tell me how much fun they are having reading my book because it matches with my experience of writing it. If I have entertained a reader for the duration of my book, then I have achieved my goal as an author.

 

What was your inspiration?

The idea for my story is born from a nugget of truth. My 3x great grandmother apparently left her well-to-do family in England to elope with an English sea captain and live aboard his ship. That notion has always utterly fascinated me. It got me thinking about what her life must have been like—and that she was obviously blessed with loads of bravery to attempt such a drastic life change. The romantic in me hopes it was because of love.

However, this is where any connection to my ancestor ends. I decided not to delve into her personal life but to rather use the idea of her story as the inspiration for my work of fiction. I still had a ball imagining what life must have been like aboard a tall ship back then. Not easy!

What are you currently working on?

I feel like a bit of an octopus with so many fingers in so many pies. My juggling schedules looks like this:

Auditioning narrators for Discerning Grace’s audiobookCommissioning a musician to compose the music and lyrics for the audiobook intro (having written a seafaring adventure, I’m capitalizing on the hugely fun and popular trend of traditional sea shanties!)Absorbing the developmental edits for Grace on the Horizon (Book 2 of The White Sails Series)Revising Grace on the Horizon with said editing suggestionsThinking ahead and plotting more of Grace Arising (Book 3 of The White Sails series)Keeping in touch with my readers through my monthly newsletter, By the Book

 

And having a blast while keeping all these balls in the air.

What are you reading at the moment?

 

Two books I’ve just finished are A FEIGNED MADNESS by Tonya Mitchell, and THE LONDON MONSTER by Donna Scott. I’m about to start KEEPERS by Cheryl Burman.

As you can see, I’m a one-book-at-a-time kinda gal. I love to read one book from start to finish before I begin another. I don’t know how other readers who have multiple books on the go do it. Kudos to them!

What do you like to do in your free time when you're not reading or writing?

Thankfully Australia has kept a tight lid on Covid-19, so we’ve been blessed with the ability to still go out and about. I enjoy nothing more than a fun night out with my girlfriends at a decent restaurant. An excellent meal always tastes a million times better when shared with friends’ laughter. After experiencing a short lockdown in the very early stages of 2020, I have been hugely appreciative of now having the freedom to go out and enjoy this small pleasure in life (which isn’t so small when you can’t do it anymore).

And finally, can you tell us some fun facts about yourself.

I’m terrified of heights. So, what does someone with a height phobia do? Climb the Eiffel Tower of course. Twice! I wanted to demonstrate to my sons not to let our fears get in the way of our goals—and their goal was to climb the Eiffel Tower with me. Gulp! Not sure if the jelly legs were a result of the fear or the 674 stairs! I tell you what, it does not help that the stairs are numbered either! Lol!

I’ve also visited Santa at the North Pole. True story! Another wonderful experience shared with my four sons when they were younger. I drove my own dog-sled team through a snowy coniferous forest, but considering that the sled was over-loaded with four gleeful squirming boys I had to hop off and help the pups by pushing the sled up the hills. Hard work! Next time, I want to be the one sitting inside the sled!

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Emma Lombard 
Emma Lombard was born in Pontefract in the UK. She grew up in Africa—calling Zimbabwe and South Africa home for a few years—before finally settling in Brisbane Australia, and raising four boys. Before she started writing historical fiction, she was a freelance editor in the corporate world, which was definitely not half as exciting as writing rollicking romantic adventures. Her characters are fearless seafarers, even though in real life Emma gets disastrously seasick. Discerning Grace is the first book in The White Sails Series.

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Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Shadows of Versailles Series: An Affair of the Poisons by Cathie Dunn

 

Dazzled by Versailles. Broken by tragedy. Consumed by revenge.

When Fleur de La Fontaine attends the court of King Louis XIV for the first time, she is soon besotted with handsome courtier, Philippe de Mortain. She dreams of married life away from her uncaring mother, but Philippe keeps a secret from her.

Nine months later, after the boy she has given birth to in a convent is whisked away, she flees to Paris where she mends gowns in the brothel of Madame Claudette, a woman who helps ‘fallen’ girls back on their feet.

Jacques de Montagnac investigates a spate of abducted children when his path crosses Fleur’s. He searches for her son, but the trail leads to a dead end – and a dreadful realisation.

Her boy’s suspected fate too much to bear, Fleur decides to avenge him. She visits the famous midwife, La Voisin, but it’s not the woman’s skills in childbirth that Fleur seeks.

La Voisin dabbles in poisons.

Will Fleur see her plan through? Or can she save herself from a tragic fate?

Delve into The Shadows of Versailles and enter the sinister world of potions, poisoners and black masses during the Affairs of the Poisons, a real event that stunned the court of the Sun King!

 

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EXCERPT

From Chapter One:

Mid-August, 1675

Château de Versailles

The air was still as Blanchefleur de La Fontaine climbed from the coach with the help of a footman. His brow was glistening with sweat from standing in the full sunshine, likely for hours. After only a few moments in the sun’s glare, the powder on Fleur’s face, neck, and décolleté made her skin itch, and her hands grew damp.

Mother was already waiting in the shade provided by a makeshift pavilion erected to keep those waiting in line cool. Tapping her closed fan into her left hand, she was looking Fleur up and down. Fleur groaned inwardly. Sophie de La Fontaine’s expectations always exceeded the harsh reality that their family hailed from only minor nobility. This meant they were never granted rooms at the Palace of Versailles where King Louis, the fourteenth of that name, held yet another of his famous events.

They had travelled from Paris and booked themselves into a nearby inn. At the palace, space was limited to the highest courtiers, not available to minor landowners like the La Fontaines.

Fleur knew the slight irked her mother greatly, but she was relieved. The thought of spending days and nights in the company of the nobles of the court seemed daunting. She’d heard the rumours!

Fleur thanked the footman with a nod and adjusted her skirts, relishing the soft whoosh of the water silks against her calves, sticky with sweat. Fighting the urge to scratch the skin beneath the lace of her sleeves, Fleur walked towards her mother. Nervously, under the icy stare, she eyed her décolleté, then her corset and her ruffed skirts. All was as it should be. So what did the woman object to now?

“Come here, closer.” Sophie, marquise de La Fontaine, waved her towards her, and Fleur obliged. Her mother ruffled the sleeves and pulled down her gown at the front, revealing more than a mere hint of Fleur’s breasts. “There’s not much to see here anyway, so we must show off whatever there is.”

Fleur shivered at the glint in her mother’s eyes. Quickly, she averted her gaze and fanned herself to dispel the heat in her rouge-painted cheeks. Everyone around them had seen what her mother had done. Some were grinning rudely, but others looked away. Fleur was certain it happened all the time. Mothers keen to parade their daughters like the chattels they were – a sure way to advertise a daughter to the large market of eligible young and not-so-young – men that flocked to court.

“Perfect. Now try not to spoil it, Blanchefleur.” Sophie turned and walked up the carpeted path lined on both sides with large flower pots arranged in the most spectacular way. The scent of roses was almost overpowering.

No doubt to make sure people don’t smell each other in this heat.

She almost snorted behind her fan and meekly followed her mother. To the far side, she saw how the renovations of the former hunting lodge progressed. Soon, Versailles would be like no other palace in France, or anywhere else, for that matter. Her mother talked of little else these days, mostly in the vain hope that an invitation to stay would come fluttering into their home. Fleur knew it was in vain.

Sophie waited for her to catch up, then she turned her head slightly. “Tonight’s programme is very exciting: musical recitals, a performance of Racine’s tragic Iphigénie, and spectacular fireworks! The gardens will delight you. His Majesty has created the most stunning setting, and it’s not completed yet. But first we head inside. We should make ourselves known to some of our acquaintances. It can’t do any harm.” Fleur didn’t like the look Sophie sent her. The combination of ambition and calculation sent shivers down her spine. “Come!”

As she trailed Mother through the richly decorated rooms, she was under no illusion. Sophie had brought her here to find her a husband. The richer the better, and ideally above a marquis. Fleur rolled her eyes, giggling when a handsome young man she was passing laughed out loud. Had he seen her gesture? She smiled.

“Blanchefleur!” Sophie’s polite façade couldn’t hide her cold eyes.

Fleur sent him an apologetic glance, then rushed after her mother, who was crossing yet another vast room where groups of lords and ladies were chatting.

Cathie Dunn

Cathie Dunn writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance.

Cathie has been writing for over twenty years. She studied Creative Writing, with a focus on novel writing, which she now teaches in the south of France. She loves researching for her novels, delving into history books, and visiting castles and historic sites.

Her stories have garnered awards and praise from reviewers and readers for their authentic description of the past.

Cathie is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

After nearly two decades in Scotland, she now lives in the historic city of Carcassonne in the south of France with her husband, two cats, and a rescue dog.

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Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Queen's Rival by Anne O'Brien

 

England, 1459.

One family united by blood. Torn apart by war…

The Wars of the Roses storm through the country, and Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, plots to topple the weak-minded King Henry VI from the throne.

But when the Yorkists are defeated at the Battle of Ludford Bridge, Cecily’s family flee and abandon her to face a marauding Lancastrian army on her own.

Stripped of her lands and imprisoned in Tonbridge Castle, the Duchess begins to spin a web of deceit. One that will eventually lead to treason, to the fall of King Henry VI, and to her eldest son being crowned King Edward IV.

EXCERPT

Duchess Cecily confronts the Earl of Warwick in the lodgings of the Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury, June 1469

Did I not know exactly what it was that my powerful nephew was devising? I saw his stark aspirations; I saw the clever plotting. I determined that I might allow my nephew of Warwick to take the lead, but I would not be persuaded against my will to sign my name to his strategy.

Canterbury was ostentatiously welcoming, the journey made comfortable in every aspect by the people of Warwick’s household, dispatched to escort me. After Edward’s contentious treatment over the loss of Fotheringhay it was a sop to my dignity. Luxury and comfort were the order of the day, from a welter of damask cushions to restorative cups of ale, my small travelling household settled into the accommodations of the Prior of Christ Church. Warwick had a gift for charm and putting a much-desired visitor at ease. It would have been enough to rouse my suspicions, if they needed any rousing.

‘Welcome, my most highly valued aunt. Enter and take your ease. I am gratified that you came at my request. I trust you journeyed well.’

He offered me a full Court obeisance, hand on heart, elegant and controlled. Yet his smile and the salutation on my cheek were quite genuine of his affection.

‘I could not refuse,’ I said. ‘Such a subtle appeal to my curiosity. How could I not be here?’

‘We were not sure that you would come.’

While wine was dispensed, we sat at ease in one of the spacious chambers, discussing innocuous family affairs. The Countess and their daughters were in Calais, awaiting Warwick’s arrival. Since there were still a good few hours of daylight remaining, I suggested a visit to the shrine of the Blessed St Thomas where we knelt and offered up prayers for the King, for the realm, for ourselves. For the repose of York and Rutland. While, within the grandeur of gold and jewels of the shrine, I prayed silently for some resolution to what, in the coming hours, could be a difficult exchange of views.

In the conflict of light and shadow as we walked from the shrine, when Clarence strode ahead of me, in brief conversation with one of the priests, his figure became blurred, the edges touched by an iridescence from the deeply hued glass. The years passing, how tall and strong he had become. And his resemblance to his brother Edward struck me. If he had worn a coronet on his fair hair the priests would be falling to their knees around him.

My thoughts slid into an uneasy channel, like the turbulence of oily water after a storm. Would Clarence make a King? A good King?

Blessed Virgin vouchsafe me the words to bring my son back into the royal fold.

I decided that Clarence was on Warwick’s tight leash, like a young hunting dog, preventing him from speaking out the moment I had stepped over the Prior’s highly polished threshold.

Returned to our lodging, I was the perfect guest, making no comment on the reason for my presence. Let Warwick broach this dangerous subject, waiting until we had eaten, I sparingly, the dishes removed, the servants dispatched. Then, as Warwick filled the cups once more, I braced myself for a disturbing exchange.

‘Now, we talk.’

I allowed myself a benign smile. ‘Why am I here? Is this the point when you tell me?’

Warwick raised his cup in acknowledgement of my previous silence.

‘I would like your support.’

‘For what purpose?’

I knew. Oh I knew. Every gossipmonger in the country knew.

‘The marriage of your son Clarence to my daughter Isabel.’

There it was, spoken aloud between us.

‘Do you seek the crown for yourself?’ I asked Warwick.

‘No.’ Honesty crackled in the air between us. ‘Edward is King. I am his cousin. When I am restored to his counsels, when I have his ear, I will be the most loyal of subjects.’

‘But still you will pursue this marriage.’

‘Edward has left me with no choice. His Woodville policy has been devastating.’

‘Do you seek the crown for yourself?’ I asked.

‘No.’ Honesty crackled in the air between us. ‘Edward is King. I am his cousin. When I am restored to his counsels, when I have his ear, I will be the most loyal of subjects.’

‘But still you will pursue this marriage.’

‘Edward has left me with no choice. His Woodville policy has been devastating.’

‘I know how bitter you are.’

It was as if a flame had been applied to a smouldering log.

‘How long must I tolerate this? I made Edward King, but I can no longer control him.’

‘You are still powerful and handsomely rewarded. Edward still relies on you.’

‘I see no reward. I see no reliance. My service to your son is no longer of any account. Nor will it ever be as long as the Woodvilles surround him.’

A judgement delivered in flat, emotionless accents at odds with the fire in his eyes. The room was full to the brim with his bitterness. It positively dripped from the tapestried walls, like blood from a huntsman’s knife. I stretched my hand across the white cloth that still graced the table to touch his where it lay flat, fingers widespread. I was not without compassion.

‘There is no moving you, is there?’

‘No.’

‘I am sorry for it. I see only bloodshed.’

‘I think I am more sanguine. Edward and I can still come to terms, if he is willing to close his ears to the Woodville bellowing.’

I could not see it happening.

‘Why do you need my support?’ I asked, as I had at the beginning.

‘Because you are the only one Edward will listen to, short of facing him on a battlefield and forcing him at the point of a sword.’

‘Once that might have been true.’ A little sadness trickled through my veins, as I admitted the truth. ‘But now he has a wife whose pretty fingers have tightened on the royal reins, at the same time as they have dislodged mine.’

Which awoke a smile in my nephew. ‘We might try together to dislodge her.’

And, then, because there was a softening between us and because I thought that he might be open with me, ‘What was it that you stopped Clarence from telling me before you sent him away? What were the rumours that he was urged to tell me of ?’

The vestige of humour promptly vanished.

‘There are none. Just something Clarence has heard and mis­understood. Nothing that need disturb you.’

I angled my chin, my eyes cool on his.

‘Will you object if I say that I do not believe you?’

He shrugged, smiled briefly.

‘Will you be honest with me?’ I asked.

‘If I can.’

‘Will this non-existent rumour that Clarence has misunder­stood hurt Ned?’

‘Yes.’

‘Will it hurt me?’

‘I think it will.’

Honesty indeed. It hurt, but it was best to know the worst.

‘Will you make use of this non-existent rumour?’ I asked.

‘If I have to,’ the Earl of Warwick replied without hesitation. ‘It is too good a weapon not to bring into my armoury.’

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Anne O’Brien

Sunday Times Bestselling author Anne O’Brien was born in West Yorkshire. After gaining a BA Honours degree in History at Manchester University and a Master’s in Education at Hull, she lived in East Yorkshire for many years as a teacher of history.

Today she has sold over 700,000 copies of her books, medieval history novels in the UK and internationally. She lives with her husband in an eighteenth-century timber-framed cottage in the depths of the Welsh Marches in Herefordshire. The area provides endless inspiration for her novels which breathe life into the forgotten women of medieval history.

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The Briton and the Dane: Concordia by Mary Ann Bernal - Hardcover edition now available

Travel back in time to late Ninth Century Anglo-Saxon Britain where Alfred the Great rules with a benevolent hand while the Danish King rules peacefully within the boundaries of the Danelaw. Trade flourishes, and scholars from throughout the civilized world flock to Britannia’s shores to study at the King’s Court School at Winchester.

Enter Concordia, a beautiful noblewoman whose family is favored by the king. Vain, willful, and admired, but ambitious and cunning, Concordia is not willing to accept her fate. She is betrothed to the valiant warrior, Brantson, but sees herself as far too young to lay in the bedchamber of an older suitor. She wants to see the wonders of the world, embracing everything in it; preferably, but dangerously, at the side of Thayer, the exotic Saracen who charms King Alfred’s court and ignites her yearning passions.

Concordia manipulates her besotted husband into taking her to Rome, but her ship is captured by bloodthirsty pirates, and the seafarers protecting her are ruthlessly slain to a man. As she awaits her fate in the Moorish captain’s bed, by sheer chance, she discovers that salvation is at hand in the gilded court of a Saracen nobleman.

While awaiting rescue, Concordia finds herself at the center of intrigue, plots, blackmail, betrayal and the vain desires of two egotistical brothers, each willing to die for her favor. Using only feminine cunning, Concordia must defend her honor while plotting her escape as she awaits deliverance, somewhere inside steamy, unconquered Muslim Hispania.

Bernal paints a dazzling portrait of what life was like in 9th Century Hispania. There is an elegant sweep of historical brilliance, giving this book an almost sensual grounding of time and place. Bernal has certainly woven the history into this incredibly enthralling tale. I was particularly interested in Bernal’s depiction of the Emirate of Cordova (Emirate of Córdoba). This was a time of power struggles and dynasties, but it was also the beginning of a political decline of the emirate. I think Bernal has captured the essence of this era very well through her fictional portrayal. The tension between the Muslim community and the Christian one is evident throughout this story, and indeed history tells us that there was much unrest, particularly at the Christian border. 

Although this is book #4 in the series, Concordia stands very firmly on her own two feet. So, if you are looking for your next fix of historical fiction, then why not check out The Briton and the Dane: Concordia (The Briton and the Dane #4) by Mary Anne Bernal.

I Highly Recommend.
Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club

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Interview with Mindy Dougherty, author of A Resilient Warrior and Mindy's Fight

 Mindy Dougherty

Please tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Mindy Dougherty, and I am the author of Mindy’s Fight, and A Resilient Warrior. Which is an autobiography about my life and overcoming abuse to become resilient. I have created a program called Feed My City, which helps people learn how to garden to decrease anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder by learning how to plant the seeds and grow plants for both myself and to give to others such as food banks and child advocacy groups around the world. This program also teaches children nonattachment to material things by growing plants for themselves and giving to others so they also learn to give without expectation of return.

When did you start writing?

I have been writing since I was in kindergarten, but not seriously until 2014 when I had some unfortunate events happen to me while at the San Antonio, Texas VA Hospital that altered and changed my life as I knew it. This is what I write about in both Mindy’s Fight and A Resilient Warrior.

What projects have been published?

I have published Mindy’s Fight e-reader and A Resilient Warrior both an e-reader and my first paperback available on amazon.com and www.feedmycity.net for those who want autographed copies of A Resilient Warrior. I was also published in a medical journal for the C-Peptide studies I did with The Barbara Davis Center for research of Diabetes and Endocrine disorders.

I can be found at www.feedmycity.net which has a small video and my social media outlets available with podcasts of some of my poetry read out loud.

How did you select the title of your novel?

Throughout my life, I have encountered sexual abuse, incest, and being tortured by the individuals that were supposed to be treating me at the San Antonio, Texas VA Medical Hospital and Center. Since then I have had to relearn how to walk, speak, and swallow making my life completely different as I knew it before the events that occurred in 2014. I am recovering and with therapy getting better with time. I feel through perseverance and resiliency I have been able to inspire those who have wanted or needed some kind of hope to prevent more suicides from happening. I also was speaking to high school students before Covid hit and hope to resume this when changes are made and we are allowed to do public speaking events again.

 

What was your inspiration?

My inspiration for writing my book came from my grandma who asked me to write a book twenty-one years ago. I am very glad I waited to write these as I have been in three comas, have had three transplants, and four organs taken out to include my appendix, gallbladder, duodenum, and pancreas making me a diabetic in 2004 once my pancreas was taken out. I have been doing research and was published in several magazines for diabetes prevention and awareness as well as studies to help others find a cure for it. I have also been published in Women’s Magazine and most recently Integrity Magazine in the UK, to help inspire and give hope to those who are in need. 

 W

hat are you currently working on?

Currently, I am getting ready for the seasons to change to get back to gardening and helping expand Feed My City, as I hope to be able to spread awareness to local schools and possibly get into the jail system to decrease recidivism and teach inmates that by gardening they can help their communities flourish once they get out and hopefully become a better citizen within their community.

I have had A Resilient Warrior bought internationally and hope to keep spreading my knowledge and inspiration to as many as will listen.

What are you reading at the moment?

I am reading scripts for future films that I have been asked to consider producing and doing social media events for.

What do you like to do in your free time when you're not reading or writing?

I like to produce and act in movies as well as TV series. I am also the social media marketer for a few projects and will be walking in the canyon and gardening as well as meditating to keep me grounded.

Do you have any advice for other authors?

Writing will not make you rich so you may do this for the love of writing but make sure you keep a day job as well because it sincerely doesn’t pay much and a lot of time goes into it for not much return. For me, I have found an inner justice and peace that I would not have been able to find if I hadn’t written A Resilient Warrior. I also believe I am continuing to inspire people to make their dreams come true and really hope to decrease suicidal ideation amongst those who struggle on a daily basis.

And finally, can you tell us some fun facts about yourself, such as crossed skydiving off my bucket list.

I am a United States Army Veteran and served from 1995 to 1999 as a field combat medic. I became a trauma nurse after relearning how to read in my 20’s as I struggle with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and executive functioning disorder. I have had two stem cell transplants called mesenchymal and exosomal stem cell transplants which have taken the burning down to at least 50% and the swelling in my foot is never as bad as it was, so I remain humbled, grateful, ad thankful to have legs that work.

I am in a film called Bridge of the Doomed which comes out in October 2021 and will be working in the future to continue to build Feed My City in areas that want to help their communities.

 Connect with Mindy

Webpage   Linked-in   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram

 

Link for National Stem Cell Institute video after personal success with Mesenchymal Stem Cells

National Stem Cell Institute Video

Buy Links

 

US Army Veteran Mindy Dougherty has a warrior spirit that will capture your attention. The resiliency and strength she embodies while overcoming childhood abuse, PTSD, and more medical adversities than one can imagine will inspire you. Navigating a lifetime of trauma could leave a person bitter and hateful, but Mindy takes a completely different approach. She uses comedy, gratitude, and gardening to influence healing for herself and others. Mindy’s garden, known as Feed My City, promotes healing, growth, and health for those who may be fighting their own battle for survival. Mindy Dougherty is the epitome of a resilient warrior, a fact that is showcased throughout this narrative of her life.

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Mindy's Fight is the story about one Army female combat medic's PTSD journey from childhood sexual violence to medical neglect at the hands of the VA to finding herself.

 Global Link

 

 

Spotlight on Jennifer Anton, author of Under the Light of the Italian Moon

A promise keeps them apart until WW2 threatens to destroy their love forever

Fonzaso Italy, between two wars

Nina Argenta doesn’t want the traditional life of a rural Italian woman. The daughter of a strong-willed midwife, she is determined to define her own destiny. But when her brother emigrates to America, she promises her mother to never leave.

When childhood friend Pietro Pante briefly returns to their mountain town, passion between them ignites while Mussolini forces political tensions to rise. Just as their romance deepens, Pietro must leave again for work in the coal mines of America. Nina is torn between joining him and her commitment to Italy and her mother.

As Mussolini’s fascists throw the country into chaos and Hitler’s Nazis terrorise their town, each day becomes a struggle to survive greater atrocities. A future with Pietro seems impossible when they lose contact and Nina’s dreams of a life together are threatened by Nazi occupation and an enemy she must face alone…

A gripping historical fiction novel, based on a true story and heartbreaking real events.

Spanning over two decades, Under the Light of the Italian Moon is an epic, emotional and triumphant tale of one woman’s incredible resilience during the rise of fascism and Italy’s collapse into WWII.

 

 Buy Links

Amazon   Barnes and Noble   Waterstones   Bookshop.org (US only)   I am Books Boston

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Jennifer AntonSome Fun Facts(You may or may not already know!)

 When I was born, the local paper did a story highlighting modern hospital technology in 1977 vs. childbirth in the early 1900s when my great-great grandmother was midwifing in Italy. Little did I know, years later, I would write a novel about her and the topic of strong women in Italy with the publication of Under the Light of the Italian Moon. 

 

I grew up in Joliet, where my family emigrated to from Italy. Downtown, there is a beautiful theatre called the Rialto Square. I danced for years growing up and the Rialto was where we had our recitals. The theatre has been there since the downtown was a vibrant mini-metropolis. It appears in my novel in its heyday.

 Rialto Square

 My husband, daughter and I moved to Italy in 2012 after I obtained my Italian citizenship. We moved to Milan and House Hunter's International followed our apartment search. 

 House Hunters International

My mission is to help other women rise and to drive for equality. While Mussolini's fascist Italy forced women back into the home and controlled reproductive rights, we still have not advanced enough in these 100 years since fascism began. I deeply hope that those who read my novel and listen to the various podcasts I've done understand how learning from the past can help the future. 

Outside of writing, my career is in international business in the beauty and fashion industry. Being a novelist while continuing to lead businesses is something of a life dream. I believe women can achieve everything they dream of if we can remove the barriers society places in front of us. 

Jennifer Anton

Jennifer Anton is an American/Italian dual citizen born in Joliet, Illinois, and now lives between London and Lake Como, Italy. A proud advocate for women's rights and equality, she hopes to rescue women's stories from history, starting with her Italian family.

 Connect with Jennifer

Website    Twitter   Facebook   Instagram   Pinterest    BookBub   Amazon Author Page

Goodreads    YouTube

 

Book Spotlight and Audio Excerpt: : The Assassins (Johnny Swift Thrillers) by Alan Bardos

 

1914.

Tensions are reaching a boiling point in Europe and the threat of war is imminent.

 

Johnny Swift, a young and brash diplomatic clerk employed by the British embassy is sent to infiltrate the ‘Young Bosnians’, a group of idealistic conspirators planning to murder Franz Ferdinand. The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in a bid to liberate their country from the monarchy’s grip.

 

Swift has been having an affair with his employer’s wife, Lady Elizabeth Smyth. Sir George Smyth dispatches the agent on the dangerous mission, believing that it will be the last he will see of his young rival.

The agent manages to infiltrate the Young Bosnian conspirators’ cell, helped by Lazlo Breitner, a Hungarian Civil Servant.

However, Swift soon realises that he may be in over his head. His gambling debts and taste for beautiful women prove the least of his problems as he struggles to survive on his wits in the increasingly complex - and perilous - world of politics and espionage.

Desperate to advance himself and with the lives of a royal couple unexpectedly in his hands, Swift tries to avert catastrophe.

AUDIO EXCERPT

Audiobook narrated by Jack Bennett

Praise for Assassins

‘A cracking read, highly recommended’ - Roger A Price 

 ‘Written with polished panache, it kept me gripped from the first to last. Five stars from me!’ - A.A. Chaudhuri

 ‘Part historical fiction, part thriller, and part love story, this is a compelling and entertaining read’ - Gary Haynes

 Buy Links:

This book is available to read for free with a #KindleUnlimited subscription.

Amazon UK     Amazon US

AUDIO LINKS

US Audible   UK Audible   US Amazon   UK Amazon

Alan Bardos 

Alan Bardos is a graduate of the MA in TV Script Writing at De Montfort University, he also has a degree in Politics and History from Brunel University. Writing historical fiction combines the first great love of his life, making up stories, with the second, researching historical events and characters. Alan currently lives in Oxfordshire with his wife… the other great love of his life.

Despite the amount of material that has been written about the twentieth century there is still a great deal of mystery and debate surrounding many of its events, which Alan explores in his historical fiction series using a certain amount of artistic license to fill in the gaps, while remaining historically accurate. The series will chronicle the first half of the twentieth century from the perspective of Johnny Swift, a disgraced and degenerate diplomat and soldier; starting with the pivotal event of the twentieth century, the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in ‘The Assassins’.

 

Connect with Alan

Instagram   Facebook   Twitter   Goodreads   BookBub 

  Amazon Author Page

 

Spotlight on David Loux, author of Chateau Laux

 

A young entrepreneur from a youthful Philadelphia, chances upon a French aristocrat and his family living on the edge of the frontier. Born to an unwed mother and raised by a disapproving and judgmental grandfather, he is drawn to the close-knit family. As part of his courtship of one of the patriarch’s daughters, he builds a château for her, setting in motion a sequence of events he could not have anticipated.

 David Loux

Some Interesting Facts

(Stuff you may or may not know!)

I actually worked for food.  I was headed up the west coast of the US on my way to Alaska when I ran out of money in a town called Arcata.  There I met a bookstore lady who needed help unpacking a large publisher shipment.  She couldn’t afford to pay for the help she needed and I had no money for food.  The solution was that I hefted the boxes and shelved the books and she shared her sandwich with me.

I was struck by lightning when I was about eight and never told a living soul until recently.  Perhaps you see issues with openness and transparency . . .  When I told my wife about the incident, she just shook her head in that knowing way of hers and said, “That explains everything!”

While I enjoy wildlife, I recently got a little too close to a black bear.  I was on the patio of our Sierra home after dark, using my stargazer, when I heard a sound and glanced over to find a 300-pounder five feet away.  After a bit of explosive vocalizations from both parties, we came to a mutual agreement on a tactical retreat.

I have a BA in History, a BA in Political Science, an MFA in English, and ended up as a winery consultant.  I’m not saying my education drove me to drink . . .

I once broke my son out of his elementary school classroom because the redtail surfperch were running.  He later confided the occasion was a defining moment of his childhood.

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 Purchase Links

Amazon UK   Amazon US   Amazon CA   Amazon AU   Barnes & Noble   Kobo

David Loux

David Loux is a short story writer who has published under a pseudonym and served as a past board member of California Poets in the Schools. Chateau Laux is his first novel. He lives in the Eastern Sierra with his wife, Lynn.

Connect with David

 

Website   Twitter    Goodreads   Amazon Author Page