Judith Arnopp's Blog, page 18
April 11, 2022
Coffee Pot Blog Tours present: The Brantford Wagers (The Brantford Series, Book 1) by Nadine Kampen
Book Title: The Brantford Wagers
Series: The Brantford Series, Book 1
Author: Nadine Kampen
Publication Date: 20th January 2022
Publisher: Birdsgate Publishing
Page Length: 358 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Regency Romance
Follow the Tour : https://maryanneyarde.blogspot.com/2022/01/blog-tour-brantford-wagers-brantford.html
The Brantford Wagers
(The Brantford Series, Book 1)
By Nadine Kampen
Is Clara Vincent ready to risk it all for love?
Clara Vincent is “the artful dodger” when it comes to marriage, especially when her father is bent on match-making. Will her attitude change when she meets two eligible suitors and is drawn into the lives of intensely competitive families? Clara falls unexpectedly in love, but when fortunes are reversed and relationships up-ended, she needs to decide whether to trust James Brantford, who is seeking retribution, or accept the love of the man everyone else believes is her ideal match.
As the Brantford wagers unfold and lay bare the history of past relationships, will Clara be able to learn the truth and finally follow her heart?
Read an Excerpt from Chapter 13 - A Day of Triumph
Mrs Stancroft’s cheerful state of mind stemmed from her resolution to let Mr Brantford decide which of her two daughters he wished to court. ‘I will play no part in it,’ she said to her brother-in-law that morning. ‘If he chooses Catherine—which would be sensible, she being the eldest—and if, in turn, Catherine shows a preference for him, so be it. I will not a meddler be.’ On she went: ‘And, if Mr Ashton selects Isabelle—who is pretty enough to a man bent on courtship—neither will I quibble with that choice, either.’
She said as much to Clara, and finished off her speech, thus: ‘It is possible that Mr Langtree will still be at Brantford Hall. My dear, do your best to keep him away from Catherine, will you? In any case, he is clearly interested in you—oh, I know it is true, I saw it in a moment.’
On arrival at Brantford Hall, the family was met personally by Mr Brantford. Clara was the last to step down from the carriage. He greeted her quietly as he assisted her, expressing his hope that she had travelled comfortably.
‘Come, we have set out some refreshments for you in the salon,’ he told the group. ‘Afterwards, I will take those who wish to see the grounds on a tour out of doors.’
As they reached the manor, he said to them, ‘While you are taking a short rest, I will escort Clara to the stables so that she may check on her horse. I know you will understand that she has been anxious to learn how the mare is doing. We will not take long and will rejoin you shortly. For the moment, please enjoy some refreshments to tide you over until dinner. My man will escort you in. Miss Vincent, let us quickly see this horse of yours,’ he said. He smiled to the others, offered his arm to Clara, and led her away towards the stables.
‘I am glad to have a few minutes for conversation,’ he said. ‘I was rather spoiled in this regard, when we first met,’ he said with warmth, looking appreciatively at the lovely woman at his side. ‘Tell me, when you examined your trunk, did you find your belongings in good order? It must feel strange to know that people were handling everything.’
‘Yes, to be sure, but your decisions on what to leave, and what to bring back, made good sense,’ said Clara. ‘I cannot thank you enough. The trunk itself belonged to my mother, and some of the items inside are quite special to me. Did you incur much expense? I should wish to reimburse you, and I will need the address of the family to thank them.’
‘I rewarded the family on your behalf. Please, let that be my contribution. I am glad I could assist in this small way.’
They soon reached the stable, a long, low building, meticulously maintained, and filled with fine horses. Brantford’s groom, who had seen them arrive, joined them and was introduced. On entering the stable, not wanting Clara to sully her footwear and clothing, Brantford gently lifted her over bit of sand and hay so she could step along a length of planks he had lain down for her to walk on. Reaching the nearby box stall, he helped her step onto a low crate placed there for her use. Conscious of his thoughtfulness, and feeling her heart beat more quickly from his nearness, Clara raised her eyes to his in a shy gesture of appreciation. Brantford met and held her glance, and the warmth in his eyes made Clara feel light-headed.
Clara’s horse, drawn to their voices, turned and approached them. Clara, shifting her attention to the horse while she composed herself, could see at once that her mare was placing weight on its leg and moving without hindrance. She clasped her hands in relief.
‘She looks so healthy! Does she still limp, sir? I am not seeing it.’
‘We are working on that,’ said Brantford. ‘I do think she will be fully healed, in time. Since you are staying on in this district, I think you should leave her here for another month. It is no trouble—we have grown quite attached to her. I think we can get her mended well enough to travel, if you wish to send her back to your own stable. I would like to see her protected from any further mishap.’
‘Yes, that would be wise. If it is not too much of a burden for you, I would be happy for her to remain here.’ Clara looked relieved. Brantford patted his groom on the back in appreciation.
Clara struggled to hold back some unexpected tears. ‘I never dreamt she would be ridden in such a way. It was quite a shock. I cannot tell you what it means to me, to have you intervene on her behalf. Thank you.’
‘I trust you will want to come again to see her. She misses you,’ he said, watching the horse nuzzling up to Clara.
They visited at the stall for several minutes more before returning to the house. Once they reunited with everyone, Brantford invited his guests on a tour of the grounds. Aware of his duties as host, he walked along with Mrs Stancroft as he led the group and only glanced back in a general way, now and again, to check on everyone’s progress.
Clara found herself paired with Uncle Stancroft, and thought he looked even happier than Mrs Stancroft. He was, after all, a man with no opinions to check, no mind to change, no wishes to curb. He came to be satisfied. He wanted only food and wine to be perfectly happy, and if he knew anything at all about great houses, it was that the cupboards and cellars were filled with ample supplies.
Universal Link (Amazon): https://books2read.com/u/mddA55
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brantford-Wagers-Nadine-Kampen-ebook/dp/B09G4PNK6Y
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Brantford-Wagers-Nadine-Kampen-ebook/dp/B09G4PNK6Y
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Brantford-Wagers-Nadine-Kampen-ebook/dp/B09G4PNK6Y
Amazon AU:https://www.amazon.com.au/Brantford-Wagers-Nadine-Kampen-ebook/dp/B09G4PNK6Y
Kobo:https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-brantford-wagers
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Nadine_Kampen_The_Brantford_Wagers?id=lfVMEAAAQBAJ&hl=en
Chapters-Indigo.ca:
In her début novel, The Brantford Wagers, Nadine Kampen draws on her passion for stories that bring a smile and warm the hearts of the reader. The author immerses the reader in the fictional world of traditional historical romance, set in the memorable Regency England period, sharing the hopes, schemes, and antics of her characters.
Prior to her career as an author, Nadine served as a regional marketing manager with an in-ternational consulting firm and as a communications and marketing director on university campuses. Earlier in her career, she worked in public relations and journalism, and was co-author and project lead for five non-fiction books comprising The Canadian Breast Cancer Series, published in 1989.
A resident of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, Nadine loves relaxing with family and friends, reading and walking, playing tunes on her 1905 Bell piano, and gardening.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.nadinekampen.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cookiebuxton
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nadine-kampen-b6828765
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Nadine-Kampen-and-The-Brantford-Wagers-107540071714536
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadinekampenauthor/?hl=en
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nadine-Kampen/e/B09GS6975W
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-brantford-wagers-the-brantford-series-by-nadine-kampen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/142891393-nadine-kampen
April 6, 2022
The Coffee Pot Blog Tours present: Secrets of Rosenli Manor by Heidi Eljarbo
Book Title: Secrets of Rosenli Manor
Series: (Mysteries of the Modern Ladies’ Society, Book 1)
Author: Heidi Eljarbo
Publication Date: 29th March 2022
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 160 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Mystery
Secrets of Rosenli Manor
(Mysteries of the Modern Ladies’ Society, Book 1)
By Heidi Eljarbo
Betrayal and trust go hand in hand in the first book of Heidi Eljarbo’s new turn-of-the-century series.
It’s 1898, and Lilly has spent most of her life motherless and living with a father who never looks for a silver lining. When her great-aunt Agatha passes, Lilly’s existence takes a dras-tic turn. She packs her few belongings and moves into the old lady’s magnificent estate, Rosenli Manor.
In the days that follow, Lilly tries to understand who Agatha really was, and hidden secrets slowly rise to the surface. Her great-aunt’s glamorous legacy is not quite what Lilly had im-agined. She must trust in newly forged friendships, and to her surprise, she discovers what it means to truly fall in love. But not everyone is happy about the new mistress of Rosenli.
Intrigue, mystery, and a touch of romance in the Norwegian countryside fill the pages of Secrets of Rosenli Manor.
Read an Excerpt:
The gardens were quiet. The whispers of winter were fading away. No icicles pointing toward the frozen ground. No sparkling crystals in kaleidoscope patterns on blankets of white. The snowfall earlier had turned into sleet, and it appeared as if the promise of spring was slowly approaching. There was still no rustling of leaves in the breeze, but the barren branches would soon wake up. In a few days, the parkland would be filled with the cheerful sound of busy birds building nests. But at this moment, even the fountain was peacefully sleeping.
Just silence.
A plump bullfinch sat on the pale branch of a birch. His black cap made him look rather strict, but the cheerful red chest and cheeks brightened up the otherwise colorless landscape. The bird bobbed his head as she walked by, as if acknowledging her presence.
Lilly brushed the wet snow off a white-painted wooden bench by the fountain and sat down. What a lovely view. As a young girl, she’d probably never noticed. The road below wound across a sloping field toward the village. Smoke rose from the chimneys of neighboring houses, swirling upward to the already gray sky.
Did she belong here? The manor had been in the Strand family for several generations. Aunt Agatha was her kin, but Lilly knew nothing about the old lady’s past. Who was her husband? Were they happy here in the enormous house with a vast garden overlooking the village? Why did they not have any children?
Thoughts of how it must have been filled Lilly’s head. Not that she wanted to pry into someone else’s life, but she was curious. And now Aunt Agatha had bequeathed everything to her—a young woman at the beginning of her career as an accountant. Why? It was as if she stood on hallowed ground, not knowing the whole story, but with a strong desire to understand.
The last time Lilly was here, Mother and Aunt Agatha had sat on the bench while Lilly had played with a kitten. While the women discussed the fragrances of flowers and herbs, Lilly had rubbed her fingertips against the lavender plants with their sweet, delicious scent.
Lilly must have enjoyed listening to the ladies’ chatter about the garden. As an adult, she spent her weekends outside in the small backyard of her father’s house, arranging amicable groups of her favorite peonies in similar color schemes, rows of lilies in front of bushes of hydrangea, and fragrant sweet pea in pink and purple hues.
Every summer, Father complained about the abundance of blossoms. “What a waste. I have little room left to sit and read my newspaper.”
He wasn’t all gruff, and she hadn’t given up hope that his heart contained a hidden corner that took delight in the lovely things in life. Although, she had yet to see that sentiment surface.
Lilly closed her eyes and lingered a while longer in the memories of childhood. One day, a parcel had arrived at the end of summer. She must have been five years old and had stood by the kitchen table, watching her mother untie the cotton string and fold the brown paper aside.
Inside had been a small wooden box.
“Open it, Mother. Hurry.”
Mother had lifted the lid and had pulled out two linen sachets bound with ivory lace and ribbons. She’d held one of the pouches close to Lilly’s face. “A gift from your Aunt Agatha. Smell it. Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Can I hold one?” Lilly had placed the pouch under her nose and had let the scent take her away to fields of lavender, where she imagined herself running between rows of blossoming purple, through meadows of color and fragrance.
Mother had put the sachets in her armoire where the perfume lingered and seeped into her clothes.
Father had rolled his eyes. “Ridiculous. What do we need smelly pouches for? Why couldn’t that old woman give us a bag of gold instead?”
Bittersweet memories from that day, long in hibernation, now surfaced. Lilly wiped her wet cheeks and bent down, pretending to pick one of each of the beautiful flowers, carefully bunching them together, arranging the colors as she thought Aunt Agatha would have. Warm, rosy shades, and flourishing textures of tender softness.
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Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with coura-geous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near.Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.
After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Nor-way home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.
Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter. Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical. Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.heidieljarbo.com/newsletter
If you would like to know more, please visit:
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April 5, 2022
Coffee Pot Blog Tours present: Son of Anger (Ormstunga Saga, Book 1) by Donovan Cook
Book Title: Son of Anger
Series: (Ormstunga Saga, Book 1)
Author: Donovan Cook
Publication Date: 12th November 2020
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 347 Pages
Genre: Viking Historical Fiction
Son of Anger
(Ormstunga Saga, Book 1)
By Donovan Cook
Ulf is like a storm, slowly building up its power, he grows more dangerous with each passing moment. And like all storms, he will eventually break. When he does, he will destroy everything in his path.
Ulf is one of a long line of famous Norse warriors. His ancestor Tyr was no ordinary man, but the Norse God of War. Ulf, however, knows nothing about being a warrior.
Everything changes when a stranger arrives on Ulf’s small farm in Vikenfjord. The only family he’s ever known are slaughtered and the one reminder of his father is stolen -- Ulf’s father’s sword, Ormstunga. Ulf’s destiny is decided.
Are the gods punishing him? All Ulf knows is that he has to avenge his family. He sets off on an adventure that will take him across oceans, into the eye of danger, on a quest to re-claim his family’s honour.
The gods are roused. One warrior can answer to them. The Son of Anger.
Available on #KindleUnlimited.
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Even as a young child, Donovan loved reading stories about Vikings and other medieval warriors fighting to defend their homeland or raiding in distant lands. He would often be found running around outside with nothing other than a wooden sword and his imagination. Now older, he spends his time writing about them. His novels come from his fascination with the Viking world and Norse Mythology and he hopes that you will enjoy exploring this world as much as he did writing about it.
Born in South Africa but raised in England, Donovan currently works as an English tutor and when he is not teaching or writing, he can be found reading, watching rugby, or working on DIY projects. Being born in South Africa, he is a massive Springboks fan and never misses a match.
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March 31, 2022
Thorne Moore joins us with news of a new release!
I am a big fan of Thorne Moore, and always wait in anticipation between publications so I am delighted to learn of her latest novel. Welcome to the page, Thorne, tell us all about your new one!
Adam Winters is killed by a drunk driver. His devastated widow, Nicki, realises she is being stalked.
Offered an escape to a cottage by the sea, she and her daughter Willow arrive on the Pembrokeshire coast.
They settle into the community. But are drawn into troubles they have driven two hundred and fifty miles to avoid: family deceptions, jealousies, lies, a disappearance and a suspected killing.
Struggling to find peace with the past and truth in the present, Nicki discovers there is more than one sort of fatal collision"
Fatal Collision is a story about a woman, Nicki Bryce, trying to come to terms with the loss of her husband, killed by a drunk driver. Her agony is exacerbated by the refusal of the driver to admit his own guilt, which means that Nicki has to wait for months for the case to come to trial. The drunk driver, Denis Anderson, is clearly guilty, and Nicki is left to wonder how she would want him to be punished. Hanged, drawn and quartered? Boiled in oil? Imprisoned for life? Whatever punishment is meted out, it won’t bring her husband back. He will still be dead, those dear to him will still be grieving, and the culprit’s family will have been derailed too. What Nicki really wants is for Anderson to acknowledge his responsibility and tell the truth.Is truth a more effective form of justice than the sort administered by the courts? Nicki comes to think so. Punishment does nothing except spread the pain further. It doesn’t heal people who are already hurting, but maybe truth and understanding will do better. Others have thought the same. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa put acknowledgement of the truth above punishment as a response to the ending of apartheid. It rather depends on whether we think of justice as providing revenge or restitution. At least the truth will serve some purpose when other forms of justice fail. Dr Mengele, whose crimes were unspeakable in Nazi Germany, escaped any form of justice, and probably never felt any remorse, but the detailed truth of what he did is out there, ensuring his name will be reviled forever.
In Fatal Collision, Nicki’s crusade for truth leads her to try and solve mysteries haunting other people. Will they be better off knowing the truth, or will it only hurt? Ignorance is supposed to be bliss, but sometimes the not knowing is a never-ending nightmare. She just wants to help, but she doesn’t always realise what she’s getting into. Dabbling in other people’s lives can be a dangerous business.
Fatal Collision is out now in Kindle and paperback, published by Diamond Crime, available HERE
Thorne was born in Luton and graduated from Aberystwyth University (history) and from the Open University (Law). She set up a restaurant with her sister and made miniature furniture for collectors. She lives in Pembrokeshire, which forms a background for much of her writing, as does Luton.She writes psychological mysteries, or "domestic noir," exploring the reason for crimes and their consequences, rather than the details of the crimes themselves. and her first novel, "A Time For Silence," was published by Honno in 2012, with its prequel, "The Covenant," published in 2020. "Motherlove" and "The Unravelling" were also published by Honno. "Shadows," published by Lume, is set in an old mansion in Pembrokeshire and is paired with "Long Shadows," also published by Lume, which explains the history and mysteries of the same old house. She's a member of Crime Cymru. Her latest crime novel, "Fatal Collision is published by Diamond Crime (2022)
She also writes Science Fiction, including "Inside Out" (2021) and "Making Waves" (2022)
Thorne's author page Blog FB Author page Twitter:March 30, 2022
The Scribe & The Land of God (The Two Daggers, Book 1 & 2) by Elizabeth R. Andersen
Book Title: The Scribe
Series: (The Two Daggers, Book 1)
Author: Elizabeth R. Andersen
Publication Date: 18th July 2021
Publisher: Haeddre Press
Page Length: 360 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Scribe
(The Two Daggers, Book 1)
By Elizabeth R. Andersen
All Henri of Maron wanted was to stay with his family on his country estate, surrounded by lemon groves and safety. But in 13th century Palestine, when noble-born boys are raised to fight for the Holy Land, young Henri will be sent to live and train among men who hate him for what he is: a French nobleman of an Arab mother. Robbed of his humanity and steeped in cruelty, his encounters with a slave soldier, a former pickpocket, and a kindly scribe will force Henri to confront his own beliefs and behaviors. Will Henri maintain the status quo in order to fit into a society that doesn’t want him, or will fate intervene first?
The first book in The Two Daggers series, The Scribe takes readers on a sweeping adven-ture through the years and months that lead up to the infamous Siege of Acre in 1291 CE and delves into the psyches of three young people caught up in the wave of history.
Book Title: The Land of God
Series: (The Two Daggers, Book 2)
Author: Elizabeth R. Andersen
Publication Date: 8th November 2021
Publisher: Haeddre Press
Page Length: 350 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Land of God
(The Two Daggers, Book 2)
By Elizabeth R. Andersen
(Blurb – The Land of God (Book 2))
Pain. His sister’s screams. And a beautiful face in the jeering crowd. When Henri of Maron woke, he had only a few memories of his brutal flogging, but he knew the world had changed. He had changed.
Now, as he grapples with the fallout from his disastrous decisions, war with the Mamluk army looms closer. To convince the city leaders to take the threat seriously, Henri and the grand master of the Templars must rely on unlikely allies and bold risks to avoid a siege.
Meanwhile, Sidika is trying to find a way to put her life back together. When she is forced to flee her home, her chance encounters with a handsome amir and a strangely familiar old woman will have consequences for her future.
The Land of God weaves the real historical figures with rich, complex characters and an edge-of-seat plot. Readers who enjoyed the Brethren series by Robyn Young and The Physi-cian by Noah Gordon will appreciate this immersive tale set in the Middle East in the Mid-dle Ages.
Trigger warnings: Torture, violence, sexual assault, sexual content.
(The Scribe, Book 1) Universal Link: Kobo:
(The Land of God, Book 2) Universal Link:
Elizabeth R. Andersen's debut novel, The Scribe, launched in July of 2021. Although she spent many years of her life as a journalist, independent fashion designer, and overworked tech employee, there have always been two consistent loves in her life: writing and history. She finally decided to do something about this and put them both together. Elizabeth lives in the Seattle area with her long-suffering husband and young son. On the weekends she usually hikes in the stunning Cascade mountains to hide from people and dream up new plotlines and characters. Elizabeth is a member of the Historical Novel So-ciety and the Alliance of Independent Authors.
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March 28, 2022
The Coffee Pot Blog Tours present: The Feathered Nest (The Thornton Mysteries, Book 4) by Ellen Read
Book Title: The Feathered Nest
Series: The Thornton Mysteries, Book 4
Author: Ellen Read
Publication Date: 14th March 2022
Publisher: Crimson Cloak Publishing
Page Length: 372 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / Cosy Murder Mystery
The Feathered Nest
(The Thornton Mysteries, Book 4)
By Ellen Read
Murder comes to Norfolk Island, but is the killer after Alexandra Archer’s Tahitian black pearl or a lost illustration of the rare Green Parrot?
The Thorntons, along with a small team of people, mount an expedition to Norfolk Island, a small island in the South Pacific, to study the Green Parrot and set up research programmes to help protect it and other endangered birds.
As a birthday surprise, Alexandra’s father tells her she is to be the official photographer for the expedition. Her father gives her a black pearl brooch that Alexandra’s great-grandfather had bought off a merchant in Hong Kong in the 1850s. The pearls are Tahitian black pearls.
Before they depart Melbourne, they learn that Norfolk Island has had its first murder. It sends ripples of unease through Alexandra. She hoped she could escape murder on this small island paradise.
Alexandra is astonished to learn that the main inhabitants of Norfolk Island are descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives. Once on the island, she wonders if this is why her Tahitian black pearl brooch causes such interest.
A chain of events is set in motion, commencing with a threat on the life of one of their expedition members, followed by intrigue surrounding bird smuggling and a lost illustration of the Green Parrot. Then two of their team are murdered.
Alexandra is determined to find the answers and nearly loses her life in the process.
Available on #KindleUnlimited
Universal Link:Amazon UK: Amazon US: Amazon CA: Amazon AU:
Ellen Read is the author of The Dragon Sleeps, The Inca’s Curse and The Amber Trap—historical murder mystery romance novels.Ellen was born in Queensland, Australia.
She loves to read fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. She particularly loves history and stories of ancient myths and legends. Authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, and Victoria Holt, the latter of whom wrote gothic mystery/romances, have influenced her own work.
Other interests include photography, painting, music and musical theatre, and dance. Ellen was a ballroom dancing teacher for many years and has also worked in Performing Arts administration.
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March 25, 2022
The Coffee Pot Blog Tours present: The Virgin of the Wind Rose: A Conspiracy Thriller by Glen Craney,
Book Title: The Virgin of the Wind Rose: A Conspiracy Thriller
Author: Glen Craney
Publication Date: January, 2014
Publisher: Brigid's Fire Press
Page Length: 407 Pages
Genre: Historical Mystery-Thriller
The Virgin of the Wind Rose: A Conspiracy Thriller
By Glen Craney
A Templar cryptogram has confounded scholars for centuries.
Is it a ticking cipher bomb just hours away from detonating a global war?
Rookie State Department lawyer Jaqueline Quartermane was never much good at puzzles. But now, assigned to investigate a ritual murder of an American in Ethiopia, she and a shady stolen-art hunter must solve the world's oldest palindrome—the infamous SATOR Square—to thwart a religious conspiracy that reaches back to the Age of Discovery and an arcane monastic order of Portuguese sea explorers.
Separated by half a millennium, two espionage plots dovetail in this breakneck thriller, driven by history's most elusive mystery....
... the shocking secret that Christopher Columbus took to the grave.
Praise:
"If you love Steve Berry, Dan Brown or Umberto Eco, you may have a new author favorite in Glen Craney." -- BESTTHRILLERS.COM
"An exciting journey across time, with more twists and turns than a strawberry Twizzler." -- QUARTERDECK MAGAZINE
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A graduate of Indiana University School of Law and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Glen Craney practiced trial law before joining the Washington, D.C. press corps to write about national politics and the Iran-contra trial for Congressional Quarterly magazine. In 1996, the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences awarded him the Nicholl Fellowship prize for best new screenwriting. His debut historical novel, The Fire and the Light, was named Best New Fiction by the National Indie Excellence Awards. He is a three-time Final-ist/Honorable Mention winner of Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year, a Chaucer Award winner, and a Military Writers Society of America Gold Medalist. His books have taken read-ers to Occitania during the Albigensian Crusade, the Scotland of Robert Bruce, Portugal during the Age of Discovery, the trenches of France during World War I, the battlefields of the Ameri-can Civil War, and the American Hoovervilles of the Great Depression. He has served as presi-dent of the Southern California Chapter of the Historical Novel Society.
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March 13, 2022
The Coffee Pot Blog Tours are pleased to host The Last King (The Ninth Century, Book 1) by M J Porter
Book Title: The Last King
Series: (The Ninth Century, Book 1)
Author: M J Porter
Publication Date: 23rd April 2020
Publisher: M J Publishing
Page Length: 338 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Historical Thrillers
The Last King
(The Ninth Century, Book 1)
By M J Porter
From author MJ Porter comes a thrilling new hero.
They sent three hundred warriors to kill one man. It wasn’t enough.
Mercia lies broken but not beaten, her alliance with Wessex in tatters.
Coelwulf, a fierce and bloody warrior, hears whispers that Mercia has been betrayed from his home in the west. He fears no man, especially not the Vikings sent to hunt him down.
To discover the truth of the rumours he hears, Coelwulf must travel to the heart of Mercia, and what he finds there will determine the fate of Mercia, as well as his own.
Trigger Warnings: Excessive foul language, gruesome injury and battle detail
This novel is available on #KindleUnlimited.
Amazon UK: Amazon US: Amazon CA: Amazon AU: Waterstones: Audio: Amazon Series Link:
M. J. Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. Raised in the shadow of a building that was believed to house the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia, meant that the author's writing destiny was set. MJ Porter has also written two twentieth-century mysteries.
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February 28, 2022
The Coffee Pot Blog Tours presents: Waking Up Lost – A Mystical Fantasy Adventure (The Adirondack Spirit Series) by David Fitz-Gerald,
Book Title: Waking Up Lost – A Mystical Fantasy Adventure
Series: The Adirondack Spirit Series
Author: David Fitz-Gerald
Publication Date: December, 2021
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Page Length: 263 Pages
Genre: Historical Fantasy/Historical Fiction
Waking Up Lost – A Mystical Fantasy Adventure
(The Adirondack Spirit Series)
By David Fitz-Gerald
Traveling without warning. Nights lost to supernatural journeys. Is one young man fat-ed to wander far from safety?
New York State, 1833. Noah Munch longs to fit in. Living with a mother who communes with ghosts and a brother with a knack for heroics, the seventeen-year-old wishes he were fearless enough to discover an extraordinary purpose of his own. But when he mysteriously awakens in the bedroom of the two beautiful daughters of the meanest man in town, he real-izes his odd sleepwalking ability could potentially be deadly.
Convinced that leaving civilization is the only way to keep himself and others safe, Noah pursues his dream of becoming a mountain man and slips away into the primeval woods. But after a strong summer storm devastates his camp, the troubled lad finds his mystical wanderings have only just begun.
Can Noah find his place before he’s destroyed by a ruthless world?
Waking Up Lost is the immersive fourth book in the Adirondack Spirit Series of historical fiction. If you like coming-of-age adventures, magical realism, and stories of life on the American frontier, then you’ll love David Fitz-Gerald’s compelling chronicle.
Buy Waking Up Lost to map out destiny today!
Trigger Warnings: Rape, torture, cruelty to animals, sex, violence.
Available on #KindleUnlimited.
Author Bio:
David Fitz-Gerald writes fiction that is grounded in history and soars with the spirits. Dave enjoys getting lost in the settings he imagines and spending time with the characters he cre-ates. Writing historical fiction is like making paintings of the past. He loves to weave fact and fiction together, stirring in action, adventure, romance, and a heavy dose of the super-natural with the hope of transporting the reader to another time and place. He is an Adiron-dack 46-er, which means he has hiked all of the highest peaks in New York State, so it should not be surprising when Dave attempts to glorify hikers as swashbuckling superheroes in his writing.
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February 19, 2022
Tudor Dance by Carol McGrath
As part of the blog tour for her forthcoming book Sex and Sexuality in Tudor England, Carol McGrath has joined us today talk about Tudor dancing which had a significant role in courtship.
Kathryn Howard, King Henry VIII’s fifth queen, loved to dance and was so adept that Anne of Cleves asked her for dance lessons during the short period when Kathryn was a maid of honour at Anne’s court. Henry VIII, when he was younger, was also a lover of music and dance, a desirable skill at court. Kathryn Howard first caught his eye, it is said, while dancing for him, an occasion set up by her Uncle Thomas, the Earl of Norfolk. She had, as was revealed later, permitted her dancing master privileges with her person when she was barely into her teens and living with her grandmother, the earl’s mother.
Dancing was one way for the sexes to meet each other; not surprising then that it has always been so popular throughout history. Young men wishing to socialise with prospective wives could easily do so through dancing. It allowed them to show off their grace and good health and to get physically close to someone of the opposite sex in a way unpermitted otherwise.
Whether poor or wealthy, most people enjoyed music and dance. Dancing steps varied between upper and lower classes. Tudor court dances were complicated and stately. They possessed intricate steps favoured by the nobility and wealthy whereas in towns and villages medieval English country dances were simpler and great traditional favourites, similar to country dances today.
Court dances were performed as couples. The dance named the Volt was the most suggestive of courtly dances and allowed couples to closely embrace. Other popular dances with the wealthy were the Pavan, Gilliard, the Gavotte, and the Almain, or variations of these. Tudor courtiers travelled abroad and returned with new dances from Spain, Italy and France, and since such dances all had to be learned, dancing masters were popular and easily gained employment. There’s a rather amusing and delightful YouTube video with Danny Dyer showing this (and, as an aside, selecting his codpiece for his venture into the ways of the Tudor Court). Dance manuals emphasised the social role of dance. One contemporary dance master wrote that dancing was practised to reveal whether lovers were in good health and limb, after which they were permitted to kiss their mistresses in order that they may touch one another to ascertain ‘if they are shapely or omit an unpleasant ordour of bad meat.’
Dancing was condemned in certain circles as encouraging immorality because of the link between dance and love. Most courtiers could point to how the Bible approved dancing (King David danced before the Ark). Others said it upheld the intellectual humanist theory that the harmonious movements of dance echoed the movements of the stars. Men and women dancing together represented perfect harmony since men’s fiercer natures were tempered and balanced by a woman’s gentler virtues. Arbeau, the above dance master, claimed women were not permitted the same freedom as men and therefore their opportunities for exercise were limited. It was acceptable for women to partner another woman. Anne of Cleves, for instance, danced with Queen Kathryn Howard at the Christmas festivities of 1540 when King Henry retired early. Dancing was connected to courtship and good dancing illuminated good breeding, so dancing masters taught deportment and etiquette as well as the moves to the dances listed below.
The Pavane was a stately processional dance. Tudor couples paraded around the hall lightly touching fingers. Pavane means ‘peacock’ so the dance title derives from the sight of women’s gowns trailing over the floor like a peacock’s tail. The aim of the Pavane was to demonstrate dancing skills, but in addition to show off fine clothes to the best advantage. The dance was made up of a pattern of five steps. Another name used for the Pavane was Cinque Pas. It was popular for court masques.
The Galliard was a lively dance that originated in the fifteenth century. It followed and complimented The Pavane. A similar dance that originated in France was the Satarella.
The Volt was another suggestive dance when women were lifted high by a male partner.
The Gavotte was basically an amusing kissing game associated with love. It originated as a French folk dance from the south east. The kissing was later replaced by the presentation of flowers. The Gavotte was stately with a lifting step. It was danced in a line or circle to music in double time with little springs and steps borrowed from the Galliard.
Love was a theme that permeated Tudor dance. Many court dances mixed a variety of steps based on the theme of love. The ups and downs of a courtly love affair were represented by movements with complicated floor patterns that were committed to memory. A good performance meant an impressive courtier. A poor performance suggested just the opposite.
In order to ask a lady to dance a man was expected to remove his hat with his left hand and offer his right hand to lead her out to dance. The right side during the sixteenth century was the side of honour. It was also bad manners to wear gloves while dancing. Ladies were allowed to ask men to dance in a quiet manner and to make it apparent whom they were asking. Moreover it was bad manners for a man to decline an invitation.
Dancing was something everyone could enjoy no matter their social status. Different dances were accompanied by appropriate forms of music. New musical instruments were invented during the sixteenth century. This opened up new sounds and in turn dance adaptations or new dances to go with the music. Upper-class dancers might dance to the lute, the guitar or the sound of louder instruments like shawns and sackbuts, which were hired to play at weddings. The poor, on the other hand, favoured less expensive, much-loved traditional instruments such as bagpipes and hurdy gurdies, along with pipes and tabours.
The Tudor age positively echoed with beautifully romantic music, ballads, song and dance.
Sex and Sexuality in the Tudor Era
Publisher : Pen & Sword History (28 Feb. 2022)
Language : English
Paperback : 232 pages
ISBN-10 : 1526769182
ISBN-13 : 978-1526769183
The Tudor period has long gripped our imaginations. Because we have consumed so many costume dramas on TV and film, read so many histories, factual or romanticised, we think we know how this society operated. We know they ‘did’ romance but how did they do sex? In this affectionate, informative and fascinating look at sex and sexuality in Tudor times, author Carol McGrath peeks beneath the bedsheets of late fifteenth and early sixteenth-century England to offer a genuine understanding of the romantic and sexual habits of our Tudor ancestors.
Find out the truth about ‘swiving’, ‘bawds’, ‘shaking the sheets’ and ‘the deed of darkness'. Discover the infamous indiscretions and scandals, feast day rituals, the Southwark Stews, and even city streets whose names indicated their use for sexual pleasure. Explore Tudor fashion: the codpiece, slashed hose and doublets, women’s layered dressing with partlets, overgowns and stomachers laced tightly in place. What was the Church view on morality, witchcraft and the female body? On which days could married couples indulge in sex and why? How were same sex relationships perceived? How common was adultery? How did they deal with contraception and how did Tudors attempt to cure venereal disease? And how did people bend and ignore all these rules?
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Carol McGrath is the author of the acclaimed She-Wolves Trilogy, which began with the hugely successful The Silken Rose and continues with the brand new The Damask Rose. Born in Northern Ireland, she fell in love with historical fiction at a young age, when exploring local castles, such as Carrickfergus, and nearby archeological digs- and discovering some ancient bones herself. While completing a degree in History, she became fascinated by the strong women who were silenced in record. Her first novel, The Handfasted Wife, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Awards, and Mistress Cromwell was widely praised as a timely feminist retelling of Tudor court life. Her novels are known for their intricacy, depth of research and powerful stories.
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