Judith Arnopp's Blog, page 5

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Conquist by Dirk Strasser

Book Title: Conquist

Series: n/a

Author: Dirk Strasser

Publication Date: September 1st, 2024

Publisher: Roundfire Books

Pages: 360

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Twitter Handle: @DirkStrasser @cathiedunn

Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub 

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/09/blog-tour-conquist-by-dirk-strasser.html 

Conquist

Dirk Strasser

Blurb:

Capitán Cristóbal de Varga’s drive for glory and gold in 1538 Peru leads him and his army of conquistadors into a New World that refuses to be conquered. He is a man torn by life-long obsessions and knows this is his last campaign.

What he doesn’t know is that his Incan allies led by the princess Sarpay have their own furtive plans to make sure he never finds the golden city of Vilcabamba. He also doesn’t know that Héctor Valiente, the freed African slave he appointed as his lieutenant, has found a portal that will lead them all into a world that will challenge his deepest beliefs. And what he can’t possibly know is that this world will trap him in a war between two eternal enemies, leading him to question everything he has devoted his life to - his command, his Incan princess, his honor, his God. 

In the end, he faces the ultimate dilemma: how is it possible to battle your own obsessions . . . to conquer yourself?

Universal Amazon Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AM52K 

 

Publisher’s Conquist page: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/roundfire-books/our-books/conquist-novel

Dirk Strasser’s epic fantasy trilogy The Books of Ascension—Zenith, Equinox and Eclipse—was published in German and English, and his short stories have been translated into several European languages. “The Doppelgänger Effect” appeared in the World Fantasy Award-winning anthology Dreaming Down Under. He is the co-editor of Australia’s premier science-fiction and fantasy magazine, Aurealis.

Dirk was born in Germany but has lived most of his life in Australia. He has written a series of best-selling school textbooks, trekked the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and studied Renaissance history. “Conquist” was first published as a short story in the anthology Dreaming Again (HarperCollins). The serialized version of Conquist was a finalist in the Aurealis Awards Best Fantasy Novel category. Dirk’s screenplay version of Conquist won the Wildsound Fantasy/Sci-Fi Festival Best Scene Reading Award and was a featured finalist in the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival and the Creative World Awards.

Website: https://www.dirkstrasser.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DirkStrasser

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054955883297

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirk-strasser-1249a949/ 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B00CWMHGHO 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203225407-conquist

Dirk’s blog: https://www.dirkstrasser.com/dirks-blog

The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: The Pirate's Physician by Amy Maroney

Book Title: The Pirate’s Physician

Series: A Thrilling Companion novella to the Sea and Stone Chronicles

Author: Amy Maroney

Publication Date: September 5th, 2024

Publisher: Artelan Press

Pages: 204

Genre: Historical Romance

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/08/blog-tour-the-pirates-physician-by-amy-maroney.html 

The Pirate’s Physician: A Thrilling Companion Novella to the Sea and Stone Chronicles

by Amy Maroney

When her world shatters, she dares to trust a pirate. Will she survive what comes next?

The Pirate's Physician is the story of Giuliana Rinaldi, a student at Salerno's famed medieval medical school, whose lifelong dream of becoming a physician crumbles when her uncle and mentor dies suddenly. 

Faced with an unwanted marriage to a ruthless merchant, Giuliana enlists the help of a Basque pirate and flees home for the dangers of the open sea. 

Will she make it to Genoa, where her only remaining relative awaits? Or will this impulsive decision seal her own doom?

A delightful seafaring adventure packed with romance and intrigue, The Pirate's Physician is a companion novella to the award-winning Sea and Stone Chronicles series of historical novels by Amy Maroney: Island of Gold, Sea of Shadows, and The Queen's Scribe.

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/PiratesPhysician 

Amy Maroney lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, and spent many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to historical fiction.

Amy is the author of the Miramonde Series, a trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail. Amy’s new series, Sea and Stone Chronicles, features strong, talented women seeking their fortunes in the medieval Mediterranean. 

To receive a free prequel novella to the Miramonde Series, join Amy Maroney’s readers’ group at www.amymaroney.com. 

Website: https://www.amymaroney.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/wilaroney

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amymaroneyauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amymaroneywrites/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amyloveshistory/

Book Bub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amy-maroney

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amy-Maroney/author/B01LYHPXEO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15831603.Amy_Maroney

The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: The Dragon Tree by Julia Ibbotson

Book Title:  The Dragon Tree

Series:  Dr DuLac series #2 (but can also be read as a stand-alone)

Author:   Julia Ibbotson

Publication Date:  Nov 2021 

Publisher:  Archbury Books

Pages:   240

Genre:  historical romance / mystery time-slip

 

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/08/blog-tour-the-dragon-tree-by-julia-ibbotson.html 

The Dragon Tree 

by Julia Ibbotson

A haunting medieval time-slip (#2 in the Dr DuLac series, sequel to A Shape on the Air, but can be read as a stand-alone)

Echoes of the past resonate through time and disturb medievalist Dr Viv DuLac as she struggles with misfortune in the present. She and Rev Rory have escaped to the island of Madeira on a secondment from their posts, yet they are not to find peace – until they can solve the mystery of the shard of azulejo and the ancient ammonite. Viv’s search brings her into contact with two troubled women: a noblewoman shipwrecked on the island in the 14th century and a rebellious nun at the island convent in the 16th century. As Viv reaches out across the centuries, their lives become intertwined, and she must uncover the secrets of the ominous Dragon Tree in order to locate lost artefacts that can shape the future.

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

“The idea of being able to ‘feel’ what happened in the past is enticing … The sense of the island is really wonderful … Julia brings it to life evocatively.”

~ Joanna Barnden

 “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense.”

~ book tour reviewer

“… an engaging and original time-slip novel that keeps the reader turning the pages…the characters are authentic and the mystery is neatly woven between the centuries … seamless time transitions …”

~ Melissa Morgan 

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link:  https://mybook.to/TDT

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries. Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language / literature / history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics.

After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s. She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone.

Her work in progress is a new series of Anglo-Saxon mystery romances, beginning with Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries. Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful storytelling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

Website: https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com 

Twitter:   https://x.com/JuliaIbbotson 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor 

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-julia-ibbotson-62a5401a/ 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julia.ibbotson 

Pinterest:   http://www.pinterest.co.uk/juliai1 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julia-ibbotson 

Amazon Author Page:  https://Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor 

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson 

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner

Book Title: Apollo’s Raven

Series: Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book #1 (4 books in the series)

Author: Linnea Tanner

Publication Date: January 20, 2020 (3nd Edition)

Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher, LLC

Pages: 394 pages

Genre: Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Myth & Legend

Any Triggers: Sex, Violence, Sacrificial Rituals

Twitter Handle: @linneatanner @cathiedunn

Instagram Handle: @linneatanner @thecoffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #HistoricalFantasy #HistoricalFiction #AncientRome #Britannia #CelticMyth #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/08/blog-tour-apollos-raven-by-linnea-tanner.html 

Book Title and Author Name:

Book Title: Apollo’s Raven

Series: (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book #1)

Author Name: Linnea Tanner

Audiobook Narrator: Kristin James

Blurb:

A Celtic warrior princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her people.

AWARD-WINNING APOLLO’S RAVEN sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power. King Amren’s former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king’s daughter, Catrin, learns to her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf. Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is torn between her forbidden love for her father’s enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom.

 Will Catrin overcome and eradicate the ancient curse? Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and save her kingdom?

Book Trailer of Apollo’s Raven on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqSdT5wK4aI

*Apollo’s Raven will be free on Kindle on September 26th – 30th, 2024!*

 https://books2read.com/Apollos-Raven

All four books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series are available on Kindle Unlimited.

Universal Buy Links for all Individual Books in Curse of Clansmen and Kings series:

Apollo’s Raven (Book 1): https://books2read.com/Apollos-Raven

Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2): https://books2read.com/Daggers-Destiny-Book2

Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3): https://books2read.com/Amulets-Rapture-Book3

Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4): https://books2read.com/Skulls-Vengeance-Book4

Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. She is particularly interested in the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.

Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3), and Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short story Two Faces of Janus. 

A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.

Website: https://www.linneatanner.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/linneatanner

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linnea.tanner

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linnea-tanner-a021932b/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linneatanner/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@linneatanner

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/linneatanner/_created/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linnea-tanner

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Linnea-Tanner/e/B01N6YEM04

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16474282.Linnea_Tanner

What AMAZON reviewers say about Apollo’s Raven

“If you mingled the history and romance of Philippa Gregory with the magical fantasy of George R.R. Martin, the result just might be the fascinating Apollo’s Raven (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 1) by Linnea Tanner. Get ready for a journey filled with the desires of star-crossed lovers, the horror of a son polishing his own mother’s skull and the fantasy of humans becoming creatures as a tool to save their very humanity.”

“Sorcery? Mythology? Forbidden love? An ancient curse? Yes, please! I fully enjoyed this epic tale of intrigue, deception, and love. The characters are developed well, while the plot leaves the reader wanting more.”

“What a story! I am a huge fan of "Game of Thrones," and this book grabbed me in much the same way. The author took me inside the world of ancient Romans and Celts. The imagery was compelling. I could see the characters, the weapons, the countryside, the lairs, and the castle. She stayed true to the times.”

“A love story full of intrigue, power struggles, choosing one’s fate and a doomed love, this story reminds me somewhat of an old book called “The Silver Land” by Nancy Harding or even “The Forest House” by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The undercurrents are the same as they are set in similar times, but the finer details are different enough that it only feels the same while still being uniquely its own.”

'The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: 'Tho I Be Mute by Heather Miller

Book Title: ‘Tho I Be Mute (2nd edition)

Series: Prequel to Yellow Bird’s Song

Author: Heather Miller

Publication Date: 09/10/2024

Publisher: Historium Press, Historical Fiction Company

Pages: 345

Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Romance

Twitter Handle: @HMHFR @cathiedunn

Instagram Handle: @hmillerauthor @thecoffeepotbookclub 

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #CherokeeHistory #AmericanHistory #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub 

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/08/blog-tour-tho-i-be-mute-by-heather-miller.html 

‘Tho I Be Mute

Heather Miller

Blurb:

Clarinda faces a moment of profound reality—a rattlesnake bite, a harbinger of her imminent mortality—and undertakes an introspective journey. In her final days, she immortalizes not only her own story but that of her parents—a narrative steeped in her family’s insights into Cherokee heritage during the tumultuous years preceding the forced removal of Native communities.

In 1818, Clarinda’s father, Cherokee John Ridge, embarks on a quest for a young man’s education at the Foreign Mission School in Cornwall, Connecticut. Amidst sickness, he finds solace and love with Sarah, the steward’s quiet daughter. Despite enduring two years of separation, defamatory editorials, and societal upheaval due to their interracial love affair, the resilient couple weds in 1824. This marks the inception of a journey for Sarah as she delves into a world both cherished and feared—Cherokee Territory. As John Ridge advocates for the preservation of his people’s land and that of his Muskogee Creek neighbors against encroaching Georgia settlers and unscrupulous governmental officials, the stakes are high. His success or failure hinges on his ability to balance his proud Cherokee convictions with an intricate understanding of American law. Justice remains uncertain.

Grounded in a true story, ‘Tho I Be Mute resonates with a compelling historical narrative, giving an intimate voice to those heard, those ignored, those speechless, urging readers to not only hear but to truly listen.

Excerpt ‘Tho I Be Mute

Heather Miller

 

 

Read an excerpt from Chapter 5: Laundry, Sarah BirdNorthrup

 

Asthe morning progressed, we continued in quiet through laundry day. Motherjoined us when the sun crept over the hill. Absent her customary grace andstature, she stepped in front of the rinse tub and filled it with water frombuckets. She gripped the large paddle, smooth from weekly use, and stirred awaythe clothes’ soapy remnants.

 

Withone basket ready to hang on the line, Cornwall woke with people beginning theroutine of their daily lives. Some mimicked our ritual. Some hoed in gardenbeds. Some opened stores of flour and cloth. Some hunched over Bibles andEnglish textbooks. Cornwall was both ordinary and blessed at the same time.

 

Thewind continued until late afternoon after Jane and Mother returned inside. Thefinal basket overflowed with wrung and twisted heaps. I bent over, grabbed atangled sheet, and flipped it into the wind. I tossed it two more times tounfurl its length and crossed the hem over the line. Mother insisted I use thepegs on the sheets, so the crease would be at the seam rather than down themiddle.

 

Underthe amber afternoon, a walking silhouette approached from behind already dry,sheeted walls, fluttering, stretching in the breeze. The shadow’s gait was slowbut steady, rising on its left side, aided by a single crutch. It wore bootsthat clung to thin, tall legs. The fitted frock coat tails lifted and cast anunusual shape, as if it had tail feathers. The silhouette’s head rode atop itsneck, grand, chin pronounced, and short, wavy hair brushed away fromhis forehead. John’s eyes found me, separated by the hanging sheets.

 

Ispoke to his shadow. “You’re early. Are you unwell?” I stretched from thewaist, grabbed more pegs, and stepped down the line. I avoided his gaze, buthis gravity made my arms heavier.

 

“DoctorGold is coming by this afternoon, so I must be well,” he replied, with a hintof tiredness. He often spoke of his family’s expansive farm, so I imagine hewas bored, sitting in class studying crop rotations when he wanted to readphilosophy.

 

“Good.”It was all I managed to say, mispronouncing the word with clothes pegs betweenmy lips. I unfurled another sheet. If Doctor Gold was coming, that explainedwhy Jane and Mother made their premature departure from the washboard and tub.

 

Iparalleled the line, and John pantomimed my movements with a moment’s delay.Pulling the peg from my mouth, I sighed and trapped the right end of the sheet,frustrated with the endless work.

 

Johnlooked at me inquisitively. “What’s troubling you, Miss Sarah?”

 

“Nothingmore than washing day.” My impatience hid the truth. “Mother and Jane stillthink I am younger than I am.”

 

“So,you’re ready to fly the nest?” he asked with a measured pace and chuckled.

 

“Notnecessarily, I just do not wish their constant reminders of things I do by habit.”He did not deserve my short temper.

 

Hehummed a single note and replied, “Since I have been from home, I have takencare of myself a great deal. But when I return, it’s the same for me. My motherreminds me to cork the ink and to take off my boots before falling asleep. Ican hear her say it now as if she stood here among the drying.” 

 

Wesaw one another again in the absent space on the line. I said, “You must misshome. Your mother and father wish for your return. Your father said so when he washere.”

 

“Imiss them, but Elias eases my loneliness. He is my father’s brother’s son.”

 

“Yes,I remember. He’s your cousin?” Surely John knew the word.

 

“Yes,”he said. “But we are as close as brothers, and my father is his in many ways,as his father is mine. Therefore, that is a better description. Elias plans toleave soon to attend Andover Theology School. Here, he has more friends than Ido, but I am a better student. He is witty and personable, a wonderfulstoryteller, a skill I do not have.”

 

Johnsmile straightened, saddened by Elias’ pending departure. His expressionbrought lonely thoughts to my mind. Affirming what I already knew to be true, Isaid, “. . . and you want to make people think. Your talents are a gift fromGod. It is a noble weight you look to carry.”

 

“Itis why I was sent here: to study, to learn the ways of your lives. It is whatour elders insist must happen. Thomas Jefferson warned the Cherokee to learnwhat it meant to be American. My people must seek the education provided to us.Now, Cherokee land carries my people, but in the future, we may have to learnto carry it with us.”

 

“Madeany discoveries?” I asked.

 

Heanswered, “How hurried everyone seems. Except you.” Then, hepaused mid-thought, speaking with a younger expression on his face, one morereminiscent of his age. He seemed to catch the memory of his home in the wind,squinting against the fading sun. “Light. I miss the light. I miss running myhorse along the edge of the Oostanaula River in the morning’s glow. I miss thegreen haze above acres of grass bordered by trees as far as one can see. I misscouncil meetings with enormous fires under starry skies in autumn. Mountainsand coves pebbled with spectrums of color. . . I miss . . .”

 

Iinterrupted his musings, sensing his sadness, and changed the subject. “Haveyou slept with your boots on?” My mind imagined him doing so, and I covered mymouth with my hand to hide my grin.

 

“Onlywhen my mother cannot see.” 

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bPGpPz 

***

History is better than fiction.

We all leave a legacy.

As an English educator, Heather Miller has spent twenty-four years teaching her students the author’s craft. Now, she’s writing it herself, hearing voices from the past. Heather earned her MFA in creative writing in 2022 and is teaching high school as well as college composition courses. 

Miller’s foundation began in the theatre, through performance storytelling. She can tap dance, stage-slap someone, and sing every note from Les Miserables. But by far, her favorite role has been as a fireman’s wife and mom to three: a trumpet player, a future civil engineer, and a RN. Alas, there’s only one English major in her house.

Heather continues writing the Ridge Family Saga. Her current work-in-progress, Stands, concludes the Ridge Family Saga. 

Author Links:

Website: https://www.heathermillerauthor.com 

Twitter: https://x.com/HMHFR 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HMillerAuthor 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/heathermillerauthor 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21805281.Heather_Miller

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heathermillerauthor 

New Ricardian Anthology - Coming soon!

Proceeds in aid of Scoliosis Support and Research

So many falsehoods have been proclaimed about King Richard III for 500 years – by William Shakespeare, Thomas More, Polydore Vergil and others. But not here!

A Spirited and Most Courageous Prince is a collection of short stories with a single aim: to restore the reputation good King Richard enjoyed during his lifetime.

Strip away the Tudor propaganda and what will you discover?

The valiant knight? The generous master? The even-handed lawgiver? The anxious boy? The gentle uncle? The fond lover?

All these faces can be found here: ‘Not the face of a saint, no, but neither that of a monster or a murderer. The face of a good man, a just man – and the face of a troubled man who had seen too much …’

This follow-up anthology to Grant Me the Carving of My Name and Right Trusty and Well Beloved… showcases stories by international authors inspired by all aspects of King Richard III.

Sold in support of Scoliosis Support and Research with a Foreword by Robert Lindsay and edited by Alex Marchant.

With contributions from Judith Arnopp, Bridget Beauchamp, Darren Harris, Narrelle M. Harris, Wendy Johnson, Susan Lamb, Joanne R. Larner, Matthew Lewis, Kit Mareska, Alice Mitchell, Nancy Northcott, J. P. Reedman, Brian Wainwright and Jennifer C. Wilson.

 The book will be launched on 2nd October 2024 – the 572nd birthday of Richard III – Paperback copies will be available and you can pre-order kindle version NOW!

Amazon.com 

Amazon.uk

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Bandy by Craig Hipkins

Book Title: Bandy

Author: Craig R. Hipkins

Publication Date: February 15, 2024

Publisher: Hipkins Twins

Pages: 337

Genre: Historical Fiction / Young Adult

Triggers: Mild violence, race issues.

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/08/blog-tour-bandy-by-craig-r-hipkins.html 

Bandy

 Craig R. Hipkins

Isaac’s only friend is a passenger pigeon named Bandy. He deludes himself in believing the bird talks to him. Bullied, he is resigned to a life of being the misunderstood bookworm by neighboring boys until a disastrous fire kills his parents and little sisters, sparing only his younger brother, Thomas. He and Thomas are taken in by their Uncle Raymond, an abolitionist, who plans to send Isaac to Virginia to buy Joy, a young slave with debilitating health, from her slave owner, Wil Jericho. Shortly after arriving in Virginia, Isaac learns the ugly truth. The butler who accompanied him on the journey killed his uncle before leaving and plans to do the same to Isaac to steal Raymond’s estate.

Isaac, with Joy, escape into the backwoods of Virginia. Discovering passages of the Underground Railroad, stowing away in carriages, hiding in churches, and outwitting the mercenaries hired by Jericho, the two teens fight tooth and nail to make it to Boston before they’re caught. Will Joy be taken from this life by sickness before she’s found freedom? On their journey, they learn a lot about each other. Isaac promises to bring Joy to Bandy's pond, a heavenly place where peace and serenity reign.

This novel is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Excerpt from Bandy

Isaac was poking at the fire with a stick, causing a shower of sparks to fly up into the sky. “I hope you are right, Joy. Moses has lived there his whole life. Perhaps he can talk his way out of it, even if Lucias does rat him out.”

For a short time, they sat in silence watching the flames lick up the wet smoky wood, each one caught in their own reveries. Finally, Joy broke the silence.

“Isaac?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s it like? I mean, how is it where you live? I have never left Virginia. This life is all I have ever known.”

He gazed at her, sitting, bent over, with her head resting on her knees. “Well, it’s a lot colder up there, but you wouldn’t know it from what we are feeling today. I am an orphan like you. Never really had any friends. Well, I…I do have one friend.”

She looked interested. “You do? A boy or a girl?”

He shrugged and the hint of a smile crossed his face. “Well, you won’t believe me if I told you.”

She sat up and shuffled closer to him. “Tell me. I want to know.”

He tilted his head back. “All right, but don’t laugh at me. You promise?”

She nodded, leaning forward with her chin resting on her hands.

Isaac cleared his throat. “Well, I have this place… I go there often. Been going there since I was little. It’s a pond. The water is always cold and clear. Sometimes it almost shines like God has polished it or something.”

He made a motion with his hand as if he had a cloth and was shining the air. He continued, “There is wildlife in abundance, Joy. I see deer, wild turkey, fox, turtles, and birds everywhere. I know all the trees, lots of maples and oaks, hemlocks, and white pine and even an old chestnut. Sometimes I climb up into its branches, almost to the top!”

She interrupted him. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

He shook his head. “Oh no. You see, it might sound strange, but I never worry about falling because the tree seems to protect me. If I slip, a branch is there to grab me. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it has always been like that. This…this pond is sort of my own little sanctuary. Everything is peaceful. We are all friends. It is like…like my own little heaven.”

Joy became animated. “But your friend? Tell me about your friend?”

He smiled, a carefree look, his mind traveling back to the place. He then turned to her. “Bandy is his name. He is gray, with a pink belly and black spots with a band around his neck… He…he is a passenger pigeon,” he blurted out. “I know you won’t believe me. I never tell anyone. In fact, you are the first person I have ever told, though a few people have seen me talking to Bandy, but they just made fun of me. They think I am crazy.”

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/m27zQr 

Craig R. Hipkins grew up in Hubbardston Massachusetts. He is the author of medieval and gothic fiction. His novel Adalbert is the sequel to Astrolabe written by his late twin brother Jay S. Hipkins (1968-2018) He is an avid long distance runner and enjoys astronomy in his spare time.

Author Links:

Website: https://hipkinstwins.com 

Twitter: https://x.com/CraigHipkins 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HipkinsTwins 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-hipkins-7a042357 

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The Coffee Pot Book Club Bog Tour presents: Operation Tulip by Deborah Swift

 

Book Title: Operation Tulip

Series: Secret Agent Series

Author: Deborah Swift

Publication Date: 12th September 2024

Publisher: HQ Digital

Pages: 410

Genre: Historical Fiction

Any Triggers: mild violence associated with the era.

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-tour-operation-tulip-by-deborah-swift.html

Operation Tulip

By Deborah Swift

Holland, 1944: Undercover British agent Nancy Callaghan has been given her toughest case yet. A key member of the Dutch resistance has been captured, and Nancy must play the role of a wealthy Nazi to win over a notorious SS officer, Detlef Keller, and gain crucial information.

England: Coding expert Tom Lockwood is devastated that the Allies have failed to push back the Nazis, leaving Northern Holland completely cut off from the rest of Europe, and him from his beloved Nancy. Desperate to rescue the love of his life, Tom devises Operation Tulip, a plan to bring Nancy home.

But as Nancy infiltrates the Dutch SS, she finds herself catching the eye of an even more senior member of the Party. Is Nancy in too deep, or can Tom reach her before she gets caught?

Inspired by the true events of occupied Holland during WW2, don't miss this utterly gripping story of love, bravery and sacrifice.

Excerpt from Operation Tulip by Deborah Swift

Baker Street, London

Tom Lockwood put the newspaper down on his desk, took off his glasses to rub his eyes, then put his head in his hands. So the rumours were true. Operation Market Garden had failed. Monty’s tanks had got stuck in mud and instead of a liberated Holland, they were now faced with half a country cut off completely from foreign aid. What would Gerbrandy, the Dutch Prime Minister do now?

Tom chewed his pencil. No-one could possibly understand just how desperately he’d been looking forward to Nancy coming home, and to the end of this whole damn war. A few weeks ago he could almost touch it.

And what would liberating only half of Holland mean for his job here at Baker Street? Would N Section be training any more men? He enjoyed his work – there was something satisfying in bashing the mysteries of codes and ciphers into the brains of new agents.

Just then his telephone rang.

Neil’s familiar voice down the crackly line. ‘Have you heard anything?’ He meant about Nancy of course, though he couldn’t say it. Neil was Nancy’s brother and they were both supposed to think Nancy was working as a nurse with the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, or FANYs. They weren’t supposed to know she was an agent in occupied Holland.

‘No, nothing,’ Tom replied. ‘Just what I read in the paper.’

‘Lilli and I listened to Radio Oranje last night like I always do. It’s horrendous. The port of Rotterdam is in ruins and the Germans are destroying anything the Dutch have built, out of sheer spite. Generations of trade reduced to rubble! Not just that, but can you believe they’re bombing and destroying pumping stations? At this rate coastal areas will soon be back under water. They’re evacuating the coastal towns but there’s no way people can get out of the occupied zone, they’ve just nowhere to go.’ His voice cracked. ‘Most of them are too scared to do anything but hide.’

Tom flipped the paper over, one ear glued to the phone. ‘I’ve got the Standard in front of me and it says here they’ve no electricity or fuel. No trams, no telephones. We have to do something. I can’t bear to think of how bad it must be.’

‘What? We can’t do anything.’

‘I don’t know.’ He lowered his voice, ‘Get Nancy out somehow.’

‘But how can we do that? I’m still here at the radio unit at Wavendon, and you can’t do anything with Beauclerk. You know how he has to okay every last little thing.’

Tom pictured his boss, worn ragged by the war. Beauclerk was a nervous wreck, but he’d some sympathy for the man. Though still heading the offices at Baker Street, he was obviously unwell, grey in the face and showing signs of Parkinson’s disease. ‘I don’t know. Can you and Lilli get up to London?’ Lilli was Neil’s wife.

‘Maybe, next weekend, if we can get a train.’

‘Come to my flat then, and in the meantime, I’ll see what I can find out.’

*

Tom loped up the long flight of stairs to the offices and knocked on Beauclerk’s door. A grunt of ‘Enter’ from his boss. Beauclerk was leaning on the desk, poring over the same latest edition of the Evening Standard, a cold cup of coffee at his elbow. The picture of the King on the wall behind him had been replaced with one of Churchill, complete with brooding, intent expression, and cigar in hand.

In contrast, the war hadn’t treated Beauclerk well, his face was drooping, worn and greyish, like old lined concrete.

A sigh. ‘What is it now?’ Beauclerk’s voice had a resigned tone. He clutched one arm to his waistcoat to stop it shaking. His Parkinson’s disease must be getting worse.

‘I saw the papers. What are ‘N’ Section doing about the agents in the north?’ Tom asked. ‘Are they being evacuated?’

A sigh. ‘You know perfectly well I can’t tell you that.’

‘Which means they aren’t.’

‘Their intelligence is still useful. And the place will fall eventually. Has to.’

‘Eventually. When they’re all dead of starvation. You’ve read it?’ Tom pointed to the Standard.

‘Look, I can’t do anything. I know it’s bloody, but I can’t. I should throw you out of my office with a flea in your ear for even asking.’

‘You won’t though. Because you know I’m one of the few people you can trust. That you can tell the truth to. And that counts for a lot in this mad old game we’re in.’

Beauclerk made a face and stirred his cold coffee. Tom watched the milky skin congeal around the spoon. 

‘It’s plain enough we can’t get troops over the Maas river,’ Beauclerk said. ‘The Germans have bedded in. The coastal ports are sealed. No-one can get in or out. We’ve stopped all agent drops. Anti-aircraft guns line the banks of every estuary and canal, so there’s no way we can fly anyone in or out.’

‘So our agents’ll just be left to rot with no supplies, no ammunition, and no possible way out.’

‘I’m sorry Tom, but I can’t do anything. And I suppose now’s as good a time as any to tell you – I’m retiring.’ He shrugged. ‘I’m an old horse and they’re putting me out to grass. Ill-health.’

‘When?’ Tom reeled. Baker Street ‘N’ Section without Beauclerk was unthinkable.

‘End of next week. Last of the month. It’ll be Paterson’s problem then, not mine.’

‘Paterson? Rodney Paterson?’ Tom couldn’t believe it. ‘But he’s hopeless. He’s just a jumped-up yes man!’

‘Whatever you think of him, he’s my replacement. He’s tasked with winding down my section of the Political Warfare Executive. And you know him, he always likes to do things by the book.’

Tom groaned. ‘Everything he does is glacial. It’s a catastrophe over there! Someone will have to do something – not just for our agents, but the whole of Holland.’

Praise for Deborah Swift:

'A well crafted tale… this book did not disappoint' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'There is action, mystery and romantic entanglements stirred into the story for a fantastically entertaining read' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Deborah Swift never disappoints' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A joy to read' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: http://mybook.to/Tulip 

Buy Link for bookstores: 

https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/operation-tulip-ww2-secret-agent-series-deborah-swift

Deborah Swift is a USA TODAY bestselling author of twenty books who is passionate about the past. Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. After taking a Masters Degree in Creative Writing, she enjoys mentoring aspiring novelists and has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com.

Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today. 

Recent books include The Poison Keeper, about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, which was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Book of the Decade Award, and a Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal. Her most recent books are The Silk Code and The Shadow Network both set in the Second World War.

Author Links:

Twitter https://twitter.com/swiftstory

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordeborahswift/

Website www.deborahswift.com 

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.co.uk/deborahswift1/

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/deborah-swift

Amazon http://author.to/DeborahSwift

 

The CoffeePot Book club Blog Tour presents: The Witch of the Breton Woods by Jennifer Ivy Walker

Book Title: The Witch of the Breton Woods

Author: Jennifer Ivy Walker

Publication Date:  July 10, 2024

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Pages: 163

Genre: historical romance/ romantic suspense

Any Triggers: sexually explicit scenes; graphic violence and language

Trailer link: https://youtu.be/6A-VLgO7Aww?si=z6Mx_Mvncgfz2voP 

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-tour-the-witch-of-the-breton-woods-by-jennifer-ivy-walker.html 

The Witch of the Breton Woods

by Jennifer Ivy Walker

Traumatized by horrors witnessed during the Nazi invasion of France, a young woman retreats to the dense Breton woods where she becomes a member of the clandestine French Resistance. When she finds a critically injured American paratrooper whose plane was shot down, she shelters the wounded soldier in her secluded cottage, determined to heal him despite the enormous risk.

Ostracized by villagers who have labeled her a witch, she is betrayed by an informant who reports to the Butcher—the monstrous leader of the local paramilitary organization that collaborates with the Germans. As the enemy closes in, she must elude the Gestapo while helping the Resistance reunite the American with his regiment and join the Allied Forces in the Battle of Brittany.

Can true love triumph against all odds under the oppressive Third Reich?

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdAzww 

Jennifer Ivy Walker has an MA in French literature and is a former high school teacher and professor of French at a state college in Florida.  Her novels encompass a love for French language, literature, history, and culture, incorporating her lifelong study, summers abroad, and many trips to France.

The Witch of the Breton Woods is heart-pounding suspense set during WWII in Nazi-occupied France, where a young woman in the French Resistance shelters and heals a wounded American soldier, hiding him from the Gestapo and the monstrous Butcher who are relentlessly hunting him.

Read an Excerpt:  Carpe Diem

 Beau wouldleave her in a few short weeks. To rejoin his regiment and return to battle. Neitherof them knew if they’d even survive this damned war. Tomorrow might never come.But they did have today. And Yvette vowed that she wouldn’t make the samemistake twice.

 He’d leaveher, yes.

 But withfond memories instead of bitter regret.

 Life wasephemeral. Fragile. Fleeting. Love was a rare, precious gift.  This time, she would grab the chance forhappiness and seize the day.

 Carpediem.

 

Website: https://jenniferivywalker.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-ivy-walker-685b58248/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bohemienneivy/ 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-witch-of-the-breton-woods-by-jennifer-ivy-walker

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jennifer-Ivy-Walker/author/B0B91R2MJZ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22671046.Jennifer_Ivy_Walker 

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Fortune's Wheel by Carolyn Hughes

Book Title: Fortune’s Wheel, The First Meonbridge Chronicle

Series: The Meonbridge Chronicles

Author: Carolyn Hughes

Publication Date: 22/4/24 (Audiobook)

Publisher: Carolyn Hughes

Listening Length: 11 hours and 54 minutes

Genre: Historical Fiction

Tour Schedule Page: 

Fortune’s Wheel, The First Meonbridge Chronicle

By Carolyn Hughes

Audiobook Narrator: Alex Lee @alexleeaudio

How do you recover from the havoc wrought by history's cruellest plague?

It's June 1349. In Meonbridge, a Hampshire manor, many have lost their lives to the Black Death, among them Alice atte Wode’s beloved husband and Eleanor Titherige’s widowed father. Even the family of the manor’s lord and his wife, Margaret de Bohun, has not entirely escaped.

But, now the plague has passed, the people of Meonbridge must work together to rebuild their lives. However, tensions mount between the de Bohuns and their tenants, as the workers realise their new scarceness means they can demand higher wages and dictate their own lives.

When the tensions deepen into violence and disorder, and the men – lord and villagers alike – seem unable to find any resolution, the women – Alice, Eleanor and Margaret – must step forward to find a way out of the conflict that is tearing Meonbridge apart.

Listen to a sample here

This title / series is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: 

UK : https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fortunes-Wheel-Livre-Audio/B0D2FKPQN4  

US : https://www.audible.com/pd/Fortunes-Wheel-Audiobook/B0D2FMT3QG 

Carolyn Hughes has lived much of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working life as a computer programmer, then a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, word-smithing for many different clients, including banks, an international hotel group and medical instruments manufacturers.

Although she wrote creatively on and off for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest that writing historical fiction took centre stage. But why historical fiction? Serendipity!

Seeking inspiration for what to write for her Creative Writing Masters, she discovered the handwritten draft, begun in her twenties, of a novel, set in 14th century rural England… Intrigued by the period and setting, she realised that, by writing a novel set in the period, she could learn more about the medieval past and interpret it, which seemed like a thrilling thing to do. A few days later, the first Meonbridge Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, was under way.

Six published books later (with more to come), Carolyn does now think of herself as an Historical Novelist. And she wouldn’t have it any other way…

Author Links:

Website: https://carolynhughesauthor.com 

Twitter: www.x.com/writingcalliope 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarolynHughesAuthor 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/carolynhughes.bsky.social 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carolyn-hughes 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Carolyn-Hughes/author/B01MG5TWH1 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16048212.Carolyn_Hughes