Alison Stuart's Blog, page 5

Writers do listen to readers... GATHER THE BONES redux.

In GATHER THE BONES (first published back in 2012), I took a huge risk and threw a lot of clay on the wheel, hoping that the outcome would be something that would interest readers... A World War One storyAn Australian heroineA wonded heroA dual time lineA murder mysteryAnd GHOSTS... a whole quiver of ghosts... History... mystery... romance ... and ghosts all in one 'Downton Abbey' esque setting. 

The gamble paid off and over the years since it was first published GATHER THE BONES remains one of my most popular stories.

BUT... when it was first published, my then editor persuaded me to leave out the Epilogue (I know the debate about Prologues and Epilogues rages on... and the story already had a Prologue!). However I felt the ending never quite closed the loop on Helen and Paul's relationship and this was confirmed by several reader reviews.

Yes, dear readers, we writers do read your reviews (even the 1 star reviews that make us want to jump off the nearest bridge). In this case I agreed with the sentiments and it is my huge pleasure to introduce a new, revised edition of GATHER THE BONES, complete with omitted Epilogue.

Best of all, GATHER THE BONES has a wonderful new cover from FIONA JAYDE MEDIA which really captures not only the dual time lines but also the historical and mystery elements in the book. 

If you already know and love GATHER THE BONES, I don't expect you to repurchase the entire book but if you do want to read the Epilogue, I am making it available to my Readers' List. You can click HERE to subscribe (or the link in the header to this page) and watch out for my Christmas newsletter coming out on 15 December.

And if you would like to BUY GATHER THE BONES and immerse yourself in the weird and wonderful world of Holdston Hall, just click HERE or the image below! 

#TimeTravel: The Graham Saga from Anna Belfrage

If you are a fan of #timetravel fiction and have not yet discovered the Graham saga from Anna Belfrage, you are in for a treat. 
Read on and go in the contest to win the complete set of the Graham books! Please follow Anna Belfrage as her beloved Graham Saga series is blasted around the blogosphere!About The Graham Saga SeriesThis is the story of Alex and Matthew, two people who should never have met - not when she was born three hundred years after him. It all began the day Alex Lind got caught in a thunderstorm. Not your ordinary storm, no this was the mother of all storms, causing a most unusual rift in the fabric of time. Alex was dragged three centuries backwards in time, landing more or less at the feet of a very surprised Matthew Graham. In a series of books we follow the life and adventures of the expanding Graham family, both in Scotland and in the New World - and let me tell you it is quite an exciting life, at times excessively so in Alex' opinion. Sometimes people ask me why Alex had to be born in the twentieth century, why not make her a woman born and bred in the seventeenth century where the story is set? The answer to that is I have no idea. Alex Lind is an insistent, vibrant character that sprung into my head one morning and simply wouldn't let go. Seductively she whispered about terrible thunderstorms, about a gorgeous man with magic, hazel eyes, about loss and sorrow, about love - always this love, for her man and her children, for the people she lives with. With a throaty chuckle she shared insights into a life very far removed from mine, now and then stopping to shake her head and tell me that it probably hadn't been easy for Matthew, to have such an outspoken, strange and independent woman at his side. At this point Matthew groaned into life. Nay, he sighed, this woman of his was at times far too obstinate, with no notion of how a wife should be, meek and dutiful. But, he added with a laugh, he wouldn't want her any different, for all that she was half heathen and a right hand-full. No, he said, stretching to his full length, if truth be told not a day went by without him offering fervent thanks for his marvelous wife, a gift from God no less, how else to explain the propitious circumstances that had her landing at his feet that long gone August day? Still, dear reader, it isn't always easy. At times Alex thinks he's an overbearing bastard, at others he's sorely tempted to belt her. But the moment their fingertips graze against each other, the moment their eyes meet, the electrical current that always buzzes between them peaks and surges, it rushes through their veins, it makes their breathing hitch and ... She is his woman, he is her man. That's how it is, that's how it always will be.Graham Saga TitlesBook One: A Rip in the Veil Book Two: Like Chaff in the Wind Book Three: The Prodigal Son Book Four: A Newfound Land Book Five: Serpents in the Garden Book Six: Revenge & Retribution Book Seven: Whither Thou Goest Book Eight: To Catch a Falling Star Book Nine: There is Always a Tomorrow (November 2017) About the Author Anna was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result she's multilingual and most of her reading is Anna Belfragehistorical- both non-fiction and fiction. Possessed of a lively imagination, she has drawers full of potential stories, all of them set in the past. She was always going to be a writer - or a historian, preferably both. Ideally, Anna aspired to becoming a pioneer time traveller, but science has as yet not advanced to the point of making that possible. Instead she ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for her most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career Anna raised her four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive… For years she combined a challenging career with four children and the odd snatched moment of writing. Nowadays Anna spends most of her spare time at her writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and she slips away into her imaginary world, with her imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in her life pops his head in to ensure she's still there. For additional information regarding Anna, her characters, extra scenes, and teasers for her next books, have a look at Anna's website at: www.annabelfrage.com. You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.Book Blast ScheduleMonday, November 6 Pursuing Stacie The Reading Queen Locks, Hooks and Books Tuesday, November 7 T's Stuff Susan Heim on Writing Wednesday, November 8 Bookish So Many Books, So Little Time Thursday, November 9 Let Them Read Books Friday, November 10 History From a Woman's Perspective Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots Saturday, November 11 A Holland Reads Sunday, November 12 A Chick Who Reads Monday, November 13 CelticLady's Reviews What Is That Book About Tuesday, November 14 A Literary Vacation Historical Fiction with Spirit Mello & June, It's a Book Thang! Wednesday, November 15 The Maiden's Court Adventures Thru Wonderland Thursday, November 16 Carole Rae's Random Ramblings Ms. Stuart Requests the Pleasure of Your Company Friday, November 17 Book Nerd Saturday, November 18 Passages to the Past The Book Junkie Reads Sunday, November 19 Books, Dreams, Life Monday, November 20 The Lit Bitch Jorie Loves a StoryGiveawayDuring the Blog Tour we will be giving away Books #1-8 in paperback to one lucky winner! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below. Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. Graham Saga Book Blast

Some Ghostly Fun

Join the authors of THE HAUNTINGS OF LIVINGSTONE HALL for some ghostly fun at their Facebook Party. Plenty of prizes to be won and a great opportunity to get in the mood for halloween!

Click this link to get to the event... https://www.facebook.com/events/72389...



Read all about it this collection of ghostly short stories here... http://www.alisonstuart.com/taking-te...

#Friday13th ... THE HAUNTINGS OF LIVINGSTONE HALL #newrelease

Is there a better date to launch a ghostly collection of short stories than Friday 13th?
​(Just in time for Halloween...) "...This was a fun collection that is clean and perfect for virtually any age, especially with Halloween just around the corner."  Goodreads reviewer BUY The Hauntings of Livingstone Hall is out now at all good ebook retailers (and in print!) Blame it on the wine... the atmosphere... the fact that one of our number is a 'ghost host' but some time over a convivial Christmas lunch, a group of writers decided it would be a really good idea to write an anthology of ghost stories...

Not just any group of writers but a bunch of writers with varying degrees of experience in the writing and outside world, all of which we brought to bear in the compilation of THE HAUNTINGS OF LIVINGSTONE HALL. First... we needed to have a degree of consistency to all our stories, so we chose an old house, agreed (roughly) on a floor plan and decided all our ghosts had to inhabit this house. 

Second... large pieces of butcher's paper and a ghant chart (yes, one of us is a project manager). Allocation of roles and responsibilities (one is a former army officer) and we were off.

And of course... WRITE THE STORY... 

The result is THE HAUNTINGS OF LIVINGSTONE HALL... reputedly the most haunted house in England.
(Blame Sarah J. Wolfe for the 471 ghosts - or 472 if you count the head of the headless ghost separately) 

JOIN THE AUTHORS for a fun FACEBOOK PARTY
7.30 -10.30pm Australian EDST

​(which is 4.30pm Perth time, 9.30pm NZ, 9.30am UKtime, 4.30am East coast US and 1.30am West Coast US - one for the night owls or early risers!)
With 7 authors there will be 7 wonderful prizes on offer.

I will be giving away an autographed print copy of my 'haunting romance' GATHER THE BONES and a pair of spooky earrings - perfect for Halloween.
​(Click the  button below to go the event page)
HAUNTINGS FB EVENT The Grey Lady by Alison Stuart The Grey Lady is only seen when the last male heir of the Compton-Barrs will die a violent death...But the Compton-Barrs have left Livingstone Hall. There are no male heirs... or are there?
Read an excerpt...  ​‘Oh dear, this can’t be good,’ Hector, Head of Ghosts, muttered.
 A bright red Italian sports car, followed by a dark blue van swept around the bend of Livingstone Hall’s weed infested driveway. The sports car skidded to a stop outside the old house and the van drew up beside it.
For months, the spectral inhabitants had endured a circus of real estate agents, and potential buyers, traipsing through the house. A few had been dissuaded with judicial and strategic shoves in the back and unexplained tripping but nothing could deter the odious Herbert Boxell Junior the Third, or HBJ3 as he called himself.
A succession of architects and builders had crawled into every conceivable nook and cranny, shaking their heads about the dry rot, the state of the trusses, the death watch beetle and other structural issues. Even worse, blue print plans had appeared on the library table waiting for perusal by HBJ3 and his minions.
Hector had reported to the other ghostly inhabitants about plans for roof top golf, an indoor swimming pool, a health spa, pedalos on the lake and even more alarmingly, a basement disco.
‘That sounds rather fun,’ Freddy and Paradise had agreed. The others just stared at them, and the White Lady moaned and dripped water.
While the attempts by the ghosts to deter HBJ3 had gone unregarded by the man, he seemed to take an unhealthy interest in them. Hector had overheard him asking the agents about the reputation of the hall as the ‘most haunted house in Gloucestershire’ and when assured that, yes indeed, there were numerous stories about the place being haunted, HBJ3 had responded by rubbing his hands together.
‘Excellent,’ he had said in a self-satisfied tone that had sent shivers down Hector’s spectral spine...

#HistFic #NewRelease: THE WOMAN IN THE SHADOWS - Carol McGrath

This is a huge thrill for me to welcome my friend, Carol McGrath today. 

Acclaimed historical fiction author, Carol has brought the shadowy figure of Elizabeth Cromwell to life in a wonderful new book. Yes, we all know about the Machiavellian figure of Thomas Cromwell, advisor to Henry VIII, but the life of his wife (who died too young) is less well known and largely left to conjecture.  Before her marriage to Cromwell, Elizabeth was a respected business woman in her own right. Let's bring this woman out of the shadows!

As I do with all my guests, I asked Carol to share a snippet of her research into the book...  Thomas Cromwell had his secrets...  The Woman in the Shadows is the story of Thomas Cromwell’s marriage and early career, recounted through the eyes of his wife, Elizabeth. Thomas Cromwell was, of course, Henry VIII’s infamous statesman who achieved finally the King’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon. The novel is not really about The King’s Great Matter but rather about a London housewife and cloth merchant. She was a young, attractive wealthy widow when she married Thomas Cromwell in 1514 and as her family were in the Cloth Trade I placed her in that sphere as well. Elizabeth was more interested in interesting courtiers in her finer goods than she was in drawing too close to court. The book is a portrait of a Tudor woman married to a fascinating ambitious man. Anne Boleyn, King Henry and Thomas Wolsey do not have a voice but remain in the background, gossiped about by London merchant wives.
​
The interesting fun fact that I discovered whilst researching was that Thomas Cromwell possibly was father to a love child, born whilst he was married happily to Elizabeth. Jane Cromwell, the child, is mentioned in his will and Historians, such as Tracy Borman, have worked out that she was probably born in 1520. Jane Cromwell was married in due course to a man who worked for Thomas Cromwell and she grew up on Merseyside, not London. Since Thomas Cromwell is regarded as a family man and never remarried after Elizabeth’s death in 1528, I found this fact curious. I used it in the story and, in the excerpt from The Woman in the Shadows below, he is about to be exposed through Elizabeth’s discovery of a little book in his cloak pocket. Read the novel to find out more and the consequences of this startling discovery. 

Austin Friars Garden Thomas Cromwell (Holbein) The Woman in the Shadows ​Elizabeth Cromwell is an attractive widow of two and twenty. As a female cloth merchant, she trades, despite the cloth guild’s opposition, in silk mixes loved by courtiers. She marries the steely ambitious cloth merchant and lawyer Thomas Cromwell. The couple set up home in a substantial house close to the Tower. As Thomas fills it with gorgeous Flanders tapestries, fabulously carved German chests, cupboards, closets and precious objects, she makes exquisite sample books for their cloth business. Together, they face and overcome the dangerous consequences of a shadowy secret, one which presents obstacles to their future until she discovers that Thomas carries his own secret. Early Tudor London is a ruthless city of merchants, heretics, cut purses, tricksters and fabulous pageantry. Can their marriage survive? BUY THE WOMAN IN THE SHADOWS Read an excerpt...  I removed my blue kirtle and bodice from my clothing pole, and searched for a suitable over-gown. At length I saw one, a green flowery over skirt which hung amongst Thomas’s tawny velvet coats, the ones he wore for the Cardinal’s work. As I lifted away the over dress, a small book poking out of a wide pocket that Thomas always had set into the fabric of his velvet coats tumbled out. I scooped it up and placed it on the chest below the window wondering if it contained poems. With teaching the children their letters every day, I had been too busy to read for my own pleasure. I would look at it later.
Bessie arrived, glanced at my choice of gown and appraised it.
 ‘Very fine, Mistress Elizabeth. You will look a treat in that gown.’
She helped me into it and found me a pair of contrasting sleeves.
‘Hurry, Bessie,’ I said with impatience. ‘We will miss the sword-fighting, and I promised Gregory.’
‘Here, you’re done, Mistress Elizabeth.’ She tied the last ribbon and stood back to inspect me.
In my haste to dress, I left my linen work cap lying on top of the book. I changed my slippers for stouter shoes and set the slippers on the chest beside it.
 

Meet Carol McGrath Based in England, Carol McGrath writes Historical Fiction. She studied History at Queens University Belfast, has an MA in Creative Writing from the Seamus Heaney Centre, Queens University Belfast and an English MPhil from Royal Holloway, University of London. The Handfasted Wife is her debut novel, first in a trilogy titled The Daughters of Hastings. The second and third novels The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister have followed and are now available on amazon and in bookshops. Carol is an historian specialised in The Medieval Era. Her first love, however, is writing. She is an avid reader and reviewer.

Visit her website www.carolcmcgrath.co.uk

#HistFic: Blind Tribute by Mari Anne Cristie

It is my great pleasure to welcome Mari Anne Christie to my tea table today.

I have to confess Mari is a 'new to me' author and having just returned from a 6 week jaunt to the USA, and steeping myself in history (as I do), I am particularly interested in the subject of her new book BLIND TRIBUTE, the moral dilemma of the impartial reporter, oddly resonant in today's political situation.

As I do with all my guests I asked Mari to share a particular piece of interesting research with us and if you scroll to the end of this post, Mari is giving away a quill pen (like Harry's) and powdered ink, a swag pack including Harry's Editorials Collection, and a e-copy of the book to one winner.Who was Harry Wentworth?​Palmer Harrold Wentworth III, “Harry,” fictional protagonist of Blind Tribute, is based on a real journalist who made real history, but whose name has not enjoyed the longevity of his conjoined contribution to journalism and the business world.
 
Percival Huntington Whaley (Percy to friends, P.H. to readers, and not incidentally the caricature on the cover of Blind Tribute), is the man from whom Harry inherited his profession, his Charleston ancestry, his barrier-island plantation, his beloved (but not enslaved) black nursemaid, and his writing career (to say nothing of his monogram). He is also the man whom I credit with indirectly giving me my love of letters.
 
Educated at Hobart and Kenyon, P. H. Whaley was a reporter and editor for the Charleston News and Courier beginning in 1909, the first Executive Editor of the Philadelphia Evening Ledger from 1914 to 1918, and Publisher of the Whaley-Eaton Service, an international newsgathering organization based in Washington, D.C., from 1918 to 1957. He died in 1964 at Prospect Hill Plantation on Edisto Island, South Carolina, on land owned by his family since the 1700s.
 
Analogous to Wentworth and Hoyt Business Service in Blind Tribute—although almost 60 years after Harry’s venture—Whaley-Eaton had offices, at various times, in Washington, London, Paris, and Tokyo. As well as private research on behalf of business clients and multiple periodicals through the years, Whaley-Eaton published bimonthly Whaley-Eaton Pamphlets on matters of interest to businessmen, and the Whaley-Eaton American Letter and Foreign Letter, the first widely circulated investment newsletters in the United States. These weekly publications were precursors to, and friendly competitors with, The Kiplinger Letter, still in circulation and often wrongly cited as the “first business newsletter” in America. About BLIND TRIBUTE​Every newspaper editor may owe tribute to the devil, but Harry Wentworth’s bill just came due.
 
As America marches toward the Civil War, Harry Wentworth, gentleman of distinction and journalist of renown, finds his calls for peaceful resolution have fallen on deaf—nay, hostile—ears, so he must finally resolve his own moral quandary. Comment on the war from his influential—and safe—position in Northern Society, or make a news story and a target of himself South of the Mason-Dixon Line, in a city haunted by a life he has long since left behind?
The day-to-day struggle against countervailing forces, his personal and professional tragedies on both sides of the conflict, and the elegant and emotive writings that define him, all serve to illuminate the trials of this newsman’s crusade, irreparably altering his mind, his body, his spirit, and his purpose as an honorable man. Blind Tribute exposes the shifting stones of the moral high ground, as Harry’s family and friendships, North and South, are shattered by his acts of conscience.BUY BLIND TRIBUTERead an excerpt... Anne’s face contorted, red with rage. Her entire being seemed to swell three sizes. As many weeks as Harry had been considering this evening’s discussion, so had she. She would spring at him any moment with two weeks’ worth—two months’ worth—of argument she’d been amassing. He should have known; she’d been much too accommodating of his opinions thus far.
“Far be it from me to keep you from suicide, Palmer, for I shall be a very merry widow, but you cannot expect me to uproot my children over a minor conflict about which you have a bad feeling. You would have me leave everything I know to assuage your fears for our safety, when you refuse to stay and ensure it yourself?! I have family here, and a home, and two girls to present and marry. There is no chance the fighting will reach Pennsylvania before the insurrection is put down, and I’ll not disrupt everything for you, or for this ridiculous war!”
Instead of backing away, he stepped forward. “I married you because you read the newspaper, Anne, and because you do not usually speak drivel. Can you be so short-sighted? You would refuse to take our children to safety, simply because it is I who suggest it?” He raised his voice for the first time since their argument began. “No, Anne! I will not hear it! I have chosen the safest course for you and the children, and the only course for myself. Stop screeching about something you should have expected. I’ve had enough argument from you for one evening. The decision has been made.”
Her tone lowered from a shriek to a loud yell as she took a step backward. “I never believed you could do such an awful thing to your wife and children! Tearing us away from everything—our whole lives—so you can stand on some ill-defined principle! It’s inhuman!” She stomped her foot again, retaking the ground she had lost, shaking the pictures on the blue silk walls and the curios interspersed among the bookshelves. An Argentinean mask toppled off a shelf, but didn’t break on the Persian carpet.
He saw the tears well up, and hoped sincerely he would ultimately be allowed to soothe her when he won the disagreement, rather than watch her walk away from the fight, lock the door to her rooms, and prepare herself for continued battle until she’d won her point. Unfortunately, Anne’s tears in such a situation could portend anything—except surrender.Meet Mari Anne Christie ​Mari was “raised up” in journalism (mostly raising her glass at the Denver Press Club bar) after the advent of the web press, but before the desktop computer. She has since plied her trade as a writer, editor, and designer across many different fields, and currently works as a technical writer and editor.
​
Under the name Mari Christie, she has released a book-length epic poem, Saqil pa Q'equ'mal: Light in Darkness: Poetry of the Mayan Underworld, and under pen name Mariana Gabrielle, she has written several Regency romances, including the Sailing Home Series and La Déesse Noire: The Black Goddess. Blind Tribute is her first mainstream historical novel. She expects to release the first book in a new family saga, The Lion’s Club, in 2018.
 
She holds a BA in Writing, summa cum laude and With Distinction, from the University of Colorado Denver, and is a member of the Speakeasy Scribes, the Historical Novel Society, and the Denver Press Club. She has a long family history in Charleston, South Carolina, and is the great-great niece of a man in the mold of Harry Wentworth.

Author Website & blog: www.MariAnneChristie.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariChristieAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mchristieauthor Enter Mari's contest... a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease: THE IRISH MILLINER by Cynthia G. Neale #Giveaway

A new and exciting installment in the life of Norah McCabem an Irish milliner working in New York city on the eve of the American Civil War.
This is the third book in the series by Cynthia G. Neale. 
To win an eBook of The Irish Milliner by Cynthia G. Neale, please enter via the Gleam form below. Two eBooks are up for grabs!
The Irish Milliner by Cynthia G. NealePublication Date: June 2, 2017Fireship PresseBook; 276 PagesGenre: Fiction/Historical/Romance It is New York City and the Civil War is brewing. Norah McCabe, an Irish immigrant who escaped the Famine as a child, is now a young widow with a daughter. She is a milliner, struggling to survive in tumultuous times. Norah meets Abraham Lincoln, befriends the extraordinary African-American woman Elizabeth Jennings, and assists the Underground Railroad. She falls headlong in love with Edward M. Knox, son of the famous hat-maker Charles Knox, but he is lace curtain Irish and she is shanty Irish. Edward joins the 69th regiment and leaves for battle. Can their love endure through class differences and war? This is a story of survival, intrigue, romance, as well as, exploring the conflict of Irish immigrants thrust into a war that threatened to destroy a nation. It is about an Irish-American woman who could be any immigrant today, any woman today, seeking to create beauty and make sense of her life.“Suddenly the Civil War seems very relevant and Cynthia Neale does a great job of focusing on the role of the Irish in the conflict. And it's great fun to be in touch with her wonderful character, Norah McCabe, again!” ~Mary Pat Kelly, author of Galway Bay and Of Irish Blood“This timely novel spans centuries to bring to our attention to a topic as old as yesterday, as expedient as tomorrow?emigration. Neale's work, written with love and insight, reminds us that our neighbor is all mankind.” ~Tim Pat Coogan, Irish broadcaster, journalist, writer and author of 1916 The Easter Rising, Michael Collins and The Famine PlotAmazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo About the AuthorCynthia G. Neale is a native of the Finger Lakes region of New York and now resides in New Hampshire. She has long possessed a deep interest in the tragedies and triumphs of the Irish during the Great Hunger. This is Ms. Neale’s fourth novel. She also writes plays, short stories, and essays, and holds a B.A. in Writing and Literature from Vermont College. For more information, please visit Cynthia G. Neale's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.Blog Tour ScheduleFriday, June 2 Review at 100 Pages a Day Interview at The Book Junkie Reads Saturday, June 3 Spotlight at What Is That Book About Sunday, June 4 Excerpt at Passages to the Past Monday, June 5 Interview at Books & Benches Tuesday, June 6 Review & Excerpt at Locks, Hooks and Books Excerpt at Let Them Read Books Wednesday, June 7 Review at Back Porchervations Spotlight at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots Thursday, June 8 Review at Rainy Day Reviews Review at Just One More Chapter Friday, June 9 Review at A Fold in the Spine Review at CelticLady's Reviews Interview at Ms. Stuart Requests the Pleasure of Your CompanyGiveawayTo win an eBook of The Irish Milliner by Cynthia G. Neale, please enter the Gleam form below. Two eBooks are up for grabs! Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on June 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open internationally. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. The Irish Milliner

#NewRelease: THE STATIONMASTER'S COTTAGE by Phillipa Nefri Clark

It's always a pleasure to introduce a new Australian author... and here with her debut novel THE STATIONMASTER'S COTTAGE is Phillipa Nefri Clark.

“Decades old family secrets, a rundown cottage with heartbreaking history and a spectacular coastal locale is at the heart of intriguing romance, The Stationmaster’s Cottage. Weaving the love stories of two women, separated by time but forever tied together by lineage, it will delight readers who enjoy unravelling secrets of the past.” 5 star review

About THE STATIONMASTER'S COTTAGE ​Betrayed, heartbroken, proud... she ran into a deadly storm.

Christie Ryan’s life is everything she hoped for. An exciting job, exotic travel, a waterfront home and a fiancé, Derek, are the pieces that make it almost perfect. Finally she has the stability and love she craved throughout her childhood.

But the death of her estranged grandmother threatens everything. Christie finds herself in an abandoned cottage in a small seaside town, uncovering a family mystery through old love letters. 

She seeks help from reclusive artist Martin Blake, but their aims clash. As the secrets of the past begin to unravel, however, so does Christie’s safe world. 

The Stationmaster’s Cottage is a rich and beautiful romance set in two eras. Its unforgettable characters weave a story of fiercely protected secrets, courage, redemption, and everlasting love.About Phillipa Nefri Clark​Phillipa Nefri Clark lives in regional Victoria, Australia with her husband, two sons, and a gorgeous black Labrador. Animals, art, gardens, music and family are amongst her greatest loves.

Her published work includes many non-fiction expert pieces about dogs, three international specialist dog yearbooks, newspaper articles, and science fiction fanzine stories.

The inspiration for The Stationmaster’s Cottage came from the real life cottage nearby, a childhood spent in coastal towns, and the poignant reunion with her sister after a lifetime apart. Phillipa is a member of Romance Writers of Australia.

To connect more with Phillipa and her writing, visit https://www.stationmasterscottage.com.

#New Release: Guardians of the Crown by Alison Stuart (and #Giveaway)

BUY GUARDIANS OF THE CROWNThis is a shout out for the release of the 'boxed set' (the digital box!) of the three Guardians of the Crown books:  BY THE SWORD, THE KING'S MAN and EXILE'S RETURN.

The three books span the 'Interregnum' (the years 1650-1660) and concern the fates of three young men, bound by a friendship born on the battlefield of Worcester (3 September 1651). They will pay a heavy price for their loyalty to the King, Jonathan Thornton (BY THE SWORD) will be a hunted man in his own country, Kit Lovell (THE KING’S MAN) will sacrifice his honour to save someone he loves and his brother Daniel (EXILE’S RETURN) will endure years of imprisonment, torture and slavery. Their only hope is the restoration of a monarchy. And of course… the women who love them… Kate (BY THE SWORD), torn by her loyalties to the parliamentary cause and the man she loves, Thamsine (THE KING’S MAN) abandoned, penniless and friendless on the streets of London and Agnes (EXILE’S RETURN) whose love for her sister’s children will drive her to risk everything to save them.

To read more about the 3 books... click HERE​​GIVEAWAYIf you would like to explore this fascinating period in history, I am offering a copy of my time travel romance SECRETS IN TIME to any readers who wish to sign up to my newsletter. The offer remains open until 30 June. Just click the button below!
Enter GiveawayFinally... I have posted this before... but it really goes to the heart of my stories and may go some of the way to explaining why I love these books so much... 
Walking Worcester with my imaginary friends... The 3rd September marked the 364th anniversary of the Battle of Worcester, the defining event of the Guardians of the Crown series which begins with the battle itself (BY THE SWORD). Worcester CathedralMy family has had a long, long association with Worcester, most notably boasting a High Sheriff of Worcester (my great grandfather) and a well respected MP and County Councillor (my grandfather) and my father served under the colours of the now defunct Worcestershire Regiment. In May this year I returned (or, in a sense, went home) - on a canal boat (a whole other story!). My last visit to Worcester had been some twenty plus years ago when I was researching a little story I was writing about the Battle of Worcester. That little story became BY THE SWORD... which flowed on to THE KING'S MAN and on to Book 3, EXILES' RETURN (which comes out next February). I wanted to write about a group of friends/comrades and what this seminal battle of the English Civil War meant to them and their families. Our canal boat traverses the Sidbury Lock - The Commandery on the leftWe moored our canal boat below the Sidbury Lock within spitting distance of The Commandery and the site of what was once the Sidbury Gate through the walls of the old city (now long since gone). Having an afternoon free, I abandoned my travelling companions and stepped down on to the tow path of the canal (which had not been there in 1651). They were waiting for me - Jonathan Thornton, Giles Longley, Kit Lovell and his brother Daniel, the Guardians of Crown, my companions from the past and they would be my guides for the afternoon. AS outside The Commandery We began with The Commandery (that was its name long before the events of 1651). In its past it had been a merchant's house, a hospital and in 1651 became the Headquarters for Charles II.(Jonathan) attended the meetings at the Commandery and concluded the house had been wrongly named. He saw precious little evidence of command taking place within its walls...In the endless councils that took place in the hall the young King found himself assailed from all sides by conflicting advice.  (BY THE SWORD) From The Commandery we set off up the hill to Fort Royal where a royalist battery had been established to defend the approach to Worcester along the Sidbury road. I won't go into the details of the battle itself (I've written about it elsewhere...click HERE). Suffice to say that while the royalists held Fort Royal, Cromwell had taken Red Hill and Perry Hill. The king himself led an attack on Red Hill but was driven back to the city. Fort Royal fell, the royalist defenders slaughtered to a man and the guns turned on the city itself. My American readers may be interested to know that it was on this hill that an oak tree was planted in commemoration of a visit by Thomas Jefferson who is quoted as reminding all Englishmen that it was at Worcester that the concept of Liberty was fought for... you can read his quote on the plaque below... My companions led me back down the hill toward Sidbury Gate... The Parliament guns had been brought to bear on the gate, turning the retreat into wholesale slaughter. Amidst the screaming of man and beast, the carnage of blood and guts and with shot pounding into the walls and the city, the King managed to get back through the gate. Jonathan followed through the confusion, scrambling over an overturned oxen cart to reach his King. (BY THE SWORD) No trace of the gate or walls remain today (destroyed for the building of the canal in the 1760s), just one small plaque on a wall marks its existence. We turned into the city and down one of the last remaining authentic city streets - Friar Street (curse those 70s redevelopments!). Still lined with half timbered houses, it is only here one can still get a feeling for 17th century Worcester.Wilmot pulled at Jonathan’s arm and they both ran up Friar Street, toward the King’s lodging. Jonathan took only one look back to see Giles, fighting like a virago, a small defence against the mass of red-coated soldiers who now flooded into the city from all gates except one: St Martin’s Gate stood close by the King’s lodging and remained as yet unbreached. (BY THE SWORD) Friar StreetIt was here in Friar Street that Jonathan, Giles, Kit and Daniel lodged in a house that may have looked a little like Greyfriars (now a National Trust property). Here they played cards on the night before the battle. Another evening at the Commandery had ended in bickering and Jonathan trudged wearily back up Friar Street to his billet ... In the downstairs parlour of the large, half-timbered house, Giles played cards with Kit Lovell, who had recently rejoined them. They were both fiendish card players, with a tendency to cheat, and Jonathan declined their invitation to join them.  (BY THE SWORD) The parlour of Greyfriars where the Guardians played cards on the night before the battle... maybe...Further up Friar Street we came to the building now known as The Charles II house (and rather ignomiously - a pie shop) which had been the King's Lodgings and from which he escaped.They found the King within his lodgings, watching uncomprehendingly as Buckingham burned papers on a hastily lit fire.‘We must go, Your Majesty,’ Wilmot said.The King looked up at his old friend and advisor. ‘Leslie will come,’ he insisted. ‘We will rally again.’‘No, Your Majesty,’ Buckingham spoke. ‘It’s too late. Leslie has failed us, Hamilton is fallen. We must away while we still have breath in our bodies.’The noise of the fighting, drawing closer up the street, brought the King to his feet. With the Parliament’s soldiers at the front door of the house, the King and his party left by the back. Taking the nearest horses they fled, at a hard gallop, through St Martin’s Gate, the gate that led the way to the north.  (BY THE SWORD)Here we parted company,  my imaginary friends returning to the past, and I trudged back through the streets of Worcester to meet my real friends at the Worcester Porcelain museum (in what had been a thriving factory on my last visit).

GUARDIANS OF THE CROWN is out today...

From award-winning author Alison Stuart comes a stirring historical trilogy about soldiers, spies, and the strong women that love them.

Three young men, bound by a friendship born on the battlefield of Worcester (3 September 1651) will pay a heavy price for their loyalty to the King.

Jonathan Thornton (BY THE SWORD) will be a hunted man in his own country, Kit Lovell (THE KING’S MAN) will sacrifice his honour to save someone he loves and his brother Daniel (EXILE’S RETURN) will endure years of imprisonment, torture and slavery. Their only hope is the restoration of a monarchy.

And of course… the women who love them… Kate (BY THE SWORD), torn by her loyalties to the parliamentary cause and the man she loves, Thamsine (THE KING’S MAN) abandoned, penniless and friendless on the streets of London and Agnes (EXILE’S RETURN) whose love for her sister’s children will drive her to risk everything to save them.