Read an interview with Anna Campbell about her #NewRelease One Wicked Wish: A Scandal in Mayfair Book 1! #RegencyRomance #Interview @AnnaCampbellOz

Today I am interviewing Anna Campbell about her new release, One Wicked Wish: A Scandal in Mayfair Book 1! Check it out while you're here: if you scroll down, you can find an excerpt! It's out today!

One Wicked Wish
A Scandal in Mayfair Book 1
Anna Campbell

Her secret lover…

Stella Faulkner has been a despised poor relation in her odious uncle’s house since she was forced to flee Italy ahead of Napoleon’s invasion. In return for a roof over her head, she acts as her cousin’s unpaid governess and companion. Stella knows that if she shows the slightest trace of her disgraced mother’s wildness, she’ll be cast out to face destitution. But after ten years of thankless servitude, Stella encounters a dashing libertine who turns her world to flame. Handsome Lord Halston is irresistible, but every kiss, every caress carries the risk of discovery, and with discovery, disaster.

The rake beguiled…

Grayson Maddox, Earl of Halston, glories in his reputation for charm, seduction, and ruthlessness. His mistresses know that the profligate lord offers them pleasure and luxury, but when he says goodbye, the affair is over. To Halston, love is a sentimental myth and fidelity a trap. One night at a glittering ball, he sees a beautiful woman trying to fade into the crowd of dowdy chaperones and every instinct clamors to make this mysterious lady his. But all bets are off when Stella Faulkner promises to become the lover he’ll never forget.

Forbidden passion.

Halston and Stella start a sizzling affair under the cover of a respectable house party at his country estate. But once this interval of heady delight comes to an end, what will become of the humble governess and the wicked earl? Must they return to being strangers as they originally arranged, or will five days of intoxicating sin turn into forever?

It's out today! Grab a copy HERE!

INTERVIEW

Writing Interview questions.

Why did you choose to write your book in this era?

I’ve loved books set in the Regency period ever since I was in primary school and my mother gave me my first Georgette Heyer. Luckily, readers love the Regency too. I’ve recently just finished a series set in Scotland (the Likely Lairds) which included books set in the Regency and also the 17th century, but all of the books in the A Scandal in Mayfair series are going to be set in London in the first quarter of the 19th century.

Can you share something about the book that isn’t covered in the blurb?

The story opens at a glamorous ball in Lorimer Square (fictional!) which plays a major part in all three stories in my A Scandal in Mayfair series. 

If you had to describe your protagonist(s), in three words, what would those three words be and why?

Oh, that’s a fun question.

Stella Faulkner: Strong, clever, passionate.

Stella hasn’t had an easy time of it, but she’s faced her troubles with courage and humour. She has a sensual nature but has had to suppress that side of herself now that she lives under her horrid uncle’s roof. When she meets handsome libertine Lord Halston, ten years of self-control go up in smoke! 

Grayson Maddox, Earl of Halston: Jaded, dissolute, sexy.

Halston is a notorious rake who creates scandal wherever he goes. The last thing he wants is an emotional involvement but he’s about to find himself up to his neck in one when he enters into a clandestine affair with virtuous governess Stella Faulkner.

What was the most challenging part about writing your book?

Actually this one wrote really easily. Sometimes you can be lucky! I loved the characters and it was such fun being back in Regency London. I think because this is book 1 of the series, the greatest challenge was providing enough tantalising hints about what was coming up, without allowing those future stories to impinge too much on the passionate tale of Halston and Stella falling in love. 

What are you currently working on?

I’m well into the second story in the A Scandal in Mayfair series, Two Secret Sins. It features Stella’s cousin Eliot who’s a man of stellar reputation with political ambitions. What happens when he falls in love with the most notorious widow in London, the free-spirited Lady Verena Gerard? This one should be out at the end of August. 

What would you tell an aspiring author who had some doubts about their writing abilities?

Writing’s one of those things where if you put the work in, you can’t fail to get better. So keep going! You’ll get there in the end. 

Personal Interview questions.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I think, like most writers, my favourite pastime is reading. I’ve been a bookworm all my life and still love nothing better than curling up with a good story, especially on a rainy day. I love to travel and I’ve found inspiration for my stories from my many visits to the UK. I love to swim and because I live in a very pretty part of Australia, most days I like to take a walk beside the sea. 

What did you want to be when you grew up? 

A ballet dancer, which wasn’t ever going to happen, but I always knew I’d end up writing somewhere along the line. 

What’s for dinner tonight? What would you rather be eating?

A barbecue. Rib fillet and grilled tomato and zucchini. Actually that sounds pretty good to me!

What would be a perfect day?

I’ve been lucky enough to do three long writing retreats to the beautiful Isle of Eigg in the Inner Hebrides. Sadly because of Covid, I’ve been stuck at home for the last two years instead of getting my springtime dose of Scotland. So right now, my perfect day would be a sunny day in the Small Isles (they do get them!) and a chance to walk on Laig Beach and look across at the rugged outline of Rum on the horizon. 

Isle of Eigg

What is the best part of your day?

Productivity-wise, the best part of my day is very early in the morning. When I’m working on a new story, I sit up in bed with a big mug of tea and let the words flow as the world wakes up around me. In terms of enjoyment, it’s the glass of red wine that is my reward for all my hard work!

Either or!

Tea or coffee: Tea

Hot or cold: Cold

Movie or book: Book (of course!)

Morning person or Night owl: Morning person

City or country: City

Social Media or book: Book

Paperback or ebook: Paperback

EXCERPT

Stella was in such a stew over the forthcoming house party that it took far too long to realize that an unmarked carriage had rolled forward to block her exit from the alley. Only when the door opened from inside the vehicle did she recognize her danger.

“Come along, Miss Faulkner. Don’t hang about. Get into the carriage. If I’ve got out of bed at this ungodly hour, the least you can do is fall for my wicked stratagems.”

The speaker’s identity was no surprise. Of course it was Halston.

She stopped as uncontrollable physical awareness flooded her. She was unsure if she wanted to scuttle back to safety or stay and give the reprobate a good scolding – and also a warning to take care of her cousin’s reputation, if his intentions were honorable. 

Honorable? How on earth could they be honorable if he’d taken to lying in wait for Imogen’s companion?

“It’s not my responsibility if you decide to keep Christian hours,” she said, despite herself venturing closer so that her voice wouldn’t carry.

The plainly dressed coachman maintained his stolid stare over the horses’ ears. The carriage was older and shabbier than she’d expect for someone as high in the instep as Halston. 

“See? Already you’re proving good for my character. With only a morsel more of your attention, redemption is a distinct possibility.”

“I’m not sure you’re worth the effort,” she said flatly.

“Oh, cruel angel,” he said, and she couldn’t stifle the warmth that stole into her heart at his absurdity. Before she could question the wisdom of what she did, she stepped right up to the carriage.

Lord Halston sat in the shadows. She supposed he was doing his best to be discreet, but she couldn’t suppress a shiver. The thought was inescapable – if she joined him, she moved from bright morning light to darkness.

“I’m no angel.” That was truer than he could imagine.

His smile conveyed acres of sin. Goodness, it was only nine o’clock in the morning. Too early for seduction, surely. “That’s what I’m relying on.”

Australian Anna Campbell has written 11 multi award-winning historical romances for Avon HarperCollins and Grand Central Publishing. As an independently published author, she’s released 30 bestselling stories. Right now, she is working on a new series called A Scandal in Mayfair, set amidst the glamour and sensuality of Regency London. Anna has won numerous awards for her stories, including RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice, the Booksellers Best, the Golden Quill (three times), the Heart of Excellence (twice), the Write Touch, the Aspen Gold (twice), and the Australian Romance Readers' favorite historical romance (five times).

Website • Facebook • Twitter • BookBub

Find out about why Anna Belfrage chose to write her new book, The Whirlpools of Time, as a time travel! #HistoricalFiction #TimeTravel #GuestPost #Excerpt @abelfrageauthor

Do you want to find out about Anna Belfrage's latest book? Come on over, sit down with a nice cup of tea, and read on! Not only can you grab yourself a copy, you can also read an excerpt and read about Anna answering the question: why time travel?!

The Whirlpools of Time
Anna Belfrage

He hoped for a wife. He found a companion through time and beyond.

It is 1715 and for Duncan Melville something fundamental is missing from his life. Despite a flourishing legal practice and several close friends, he is lonely, even more so after the recent death of his father. He needs a wife—a companion through life, someone to hold and be held by. What he wasn’t expecting was to be torn away from everything he knew and find said woman in 2016…

Erin Barnes has a lot of stuff going on in her life. She doesn’t need the additional twist of a stranger in weird outdated clothes, but when he risks his life to save hers, she feels obligated to return the favour. Besides, whoever Duncan may be, she can’t exactly deny the immediate attraction.

The complications in Erin’s life explode. Events are set in motion and to Erin’s horror she and Duncan are thrown back to 1715. Not only does Erin have to cope with a different and intimidating world, soon enough she and Duncan are embroiled in a dangerous quest for Duncan’s uncle, a quest that may very well cost them their lives as they travel through a Scotland poised on the brink of rebellion.  

Will they find Duncan’s uncle in time? And is the door to the future permanently closed, or will Erin find a way back?

Grab a copy HERE!

Why Time Travel?

First of all, thank you Beatrice for inviting me to visit your blog to talk about my latest release, The Whirlpools of Time. This my latest book baby is a time travel romance featuring Duncan Melville who somehow ends up in 2016 (a major feat, given he’s born in 1686) where he saves a certain Erin Barnes from being abducted and then, due to sequence of events, ends up back in 1715—with Erin. Let’s just say she has moments when she’s less than thrilled…

Many years ago, I was pitching one of my first books to an agent. He complimented my writing, expressed that he found the historical setting vividly depicted but couldn’t at all understand why I’d added a time travel ingredient. 

“What’s the point?” he asked, looking genuinely confused. 

The world is full of people who just don’t get the allure of a time travel ingredient in a novel. They wrinkle their nose and express they much prefer a “real” historical novel, one set firmly in the past. Fortunately, there are just as many who love a good time travel novel. For them, the time traveller is something akin to a guide into the past, a person from our time who reacts like we would do had we been thrown into a world without running water, electricity or chocolate. (Because seriously: a life without chocolate? Pass me the hara-kiri sword!) 

I love reading good time travel. I shiver all over when a writer manages to suspend disbelief and entice me into taking the plunge backwards with their characters. Just as much as I enjoy reading it, I like writing it: to write time travel allows me to get very up and close with the past, be it the lice in the bedding, the total lack of tomatoes and toilets. More importantly, I am submerged in a world where people had substantially different values than ours. This is where having a time traveller as your MC becomes very useful: if you’re born and bred in a period, you don’t react to values and behaviours as they’re the norm. But for the modern person who ends up in the 18th century, there are numerous challenges when it comes to values, be it the inferior status of women or the self-evident truth that God exists (and is Anglican). In The Whirlpools of Time, our modern-day protagonist has to navigate a society fundamentally different from the one she is familiar with. To further complicate things, Erin is of mixed heritage. How that works out for her? Well, you’ll have to read the book! 

EXCERPT

In which Duncan Melville has his first encounter with modern-day law enforcement.

He had thought he dreamt her, but when he woke she was still there, smiling at him. He managed to smile back, no matter that it hurt to do so. She fiddled with her hair, a mass of curls the colour of rich maple syrup. Lovely skin, he thought fuzzily, a shade or so lighter than her hair. And her eyes…Green, he decided, yes, a golden green. Lovely eyes. He licked his lips. Lovely eyes, lovely skin, lovely hair, lovely lady. Erin, he reminded himself, her name was Erin. 

“Good morning,” she said.

“Miss Barnes.” He gave her a nod.

“Erin. Miss Barnes makes me sound like some old schoolteacher.” It made him smile: the notion of a female teacher was utterly ludicrous. 

“And you are not a schoolteacher?” There was a small scar just to the left of her cupid’s bow and he wondered what had caused it.

“Me?” She laughed. “No way.” She leaned forward and her round bosoms brushed his arm. “The police want to talk to you.”

“Police?” he croaked, staring at how her pulse jumped in the hollow of her throat. What might that be?

“You need to make a statement.”

Statement? A strand of her hair tickled his skin and he suppressed the desire to wind it round his finger. This close, her hair was a mass of colours, from that deep syrupy colour to a golden honey. 

“They want your version of events,” she continued, lowering her voice. She glanced towards the door and leaned that much closer. “Don’t mention the sword, okay? I think it might complicate things.”

He almost laughed. Best not complicate matters more than they already were.

“Why?”

“Why what?” Her breath caressed his cheek, and this up close he could see a smattering of dark freckles on her nose. 

“Why do they need a…a…statement?” She smelled of something sweet, a discreet fragrance that had him thinking of warm evenings under blossoming apple trees.

“Because they can’t take my word for it.”

“No?” He struggled to sit. “Why not?”

She sighed. “They need someone else to corroborate what happened.”

“Ah.” He mulled this over, concluding that the police must be the equivalent of the constables in his time. “And—”

“Awake?” someone said. A large man entered the room. “What are you doing here?” he asked Erin.

“Visiting.” She stood. 

“Don’t go!” Duncan tried to take her hand.

“Dylan here wants to talk to you alone.” Erin smiled at him. “I’ll be back as soon as he’s gone.”

Duncan followed her out of the room with his gaze before turning his attention to the man now seated beside him. 

“I’m Dylan Clarkson.” He held up something. Duncan peered at the displayed document. A depiction of this Dylan, stating he was a Maryland Police Officer. 

“Duncan,” Duncan said. “Duncan Melville.”

“And you’re from where?”

Duncan gave him a helpless look. “No notion. I cannot recall much more than my name and that terrible lightning storm.” He shivered. 

“Hmm,” Clarkson said, scribbling something in his notebook. No quill, Duncan noted, instead an implement that looked like a pencil of sorts.  “And this so-called attack? Do you remember anything of that?”

“I do.” Duncan straightened up, ignoring the twinge in his ribs. “Nothing so-called about it. Out of nowhere, three men appeared and attempted to abduct a young woman.”

“The young woman being Erin Barnes?”

“Aye.” She didn’t look like a Barnes. She looked like someone who should have a far more exotic name, something like Figueroa or Hernandez. He’d seen women as beautiful as her before, usually on one or other of the plantations belonging to the Jones family. Women of mixed heritage, their mother slaves, their fathers their masters or the white overseers and he knew for a fact that many of those women ended up in brothels, their beauty fading as the years and an endless line of eager men took their toll. 

“Known her long?” the officer asked.

“Who?”

“Erin.”

“No. As I recall, she was helping me regain my feet at that crossroads when those rogues showed up.”

“Rogues?” The officer snickered. “So, what happened?”

It did not take long. Duncan described what had happened, omitting any mention of his sword, was somewhat taken aback when the officer scowled at him and told him to stop playing Superman. “Next time you see three men attacking a woman call 911.”

“Eh?”

“You shouldn’t interfere. Could get you killed.”

“If I hadn’t interfered, Miss Barnes—Erin—might not have been here.”

“Hmm.” Clarkson his lip. “Can you identify these men?”

“I can.” Duncan sank back against the pillows. 

“Here.” Something landed in Duncan’s lap. Some sort of large book, bound in stiff covers. He opened it and almost threw it to the floor. What sort of magic was this? Page after page of grim human faces stared up at him, remarkably lifelike. He’d never seen likenesses such as these before, amazed at the detail, the colours. 

“What, you’ve never seen photos before?” Clarkson asked, studying him intently.

“Of course I have,” Duncan lied, making an effort to stop staring at the glossy likenesses. “But I have never seen such a collection of unsavoury characters.”

“Yeah, because where you come from you’re all good law-abiding citizens, right?” Clarkson sneered. 

“I don’t remember where I come from,” Duncan snapped, congratulating himself on not having walked into that trap.

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England.  

Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients. Her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk, has her returning to medieval times. Set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales, His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. Her most recent release, The Whirlpools of Time, is a time travel romance set against the backdrop of brewing rebellion in the Scottish highlands.

All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.

Find out more about Anna, her books and her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com or check out her Amazon page. 

Follow Anna on twitter or on FB. 

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Read an interview with Tim Walker, author of Guardians at the Wall #HistoricalFiction #HadriansWall #AuthorInterview @timwalker1666

 

I have another interview today! This time, it's with Tim Walker. While writing this interview, Tim had a bit of a cooking disaster! Read on to find out about this, and check out his book while you're here!

Guardians at the Wall

Tim Walker

Archaeology student Noah scrapes the soil near Hadrian’s Wall, once a barrier that divided Roman Britannia from wild Caledonian tribes, in the hope of uncovering an ancient artefact around which he can build a project-defining story.

He makes an intriguing find, but hasn't anticipated the distraction of becoming the object of desire in a developing love triangle in the isolated academic community at Vindolanda. He’s living his best life, but must learn to prioritise in a race against time to solve an astounding 2,000-year-old riddle, and an artefact theft, as he comes to realise his future career prospects depend on it.

In the same place, almost 2,000 years earlier, Centurion Gaius Atticianus, hungover and unaware of the bloody conflicts that will soon challenge him, is rattled by the hoot of an owl, a bad omen. 

These are the protagonists whose lives will brush together in the alternating strands of this dual timeline historical novel, one commencing his journey and trying to get noticed, the other trying to stay intact as he approaches retirement.

How will the breathless battles fought by a Roman officer influence the fortunes of a twenty-first century archaeology mud rat? Can naive Noah, distracted by the attentions of two very different women, navigate his way to a winning presentation?

Find out in Tim Walker's thrilling historical dual timeline novel, Guardians at the Wall.

Kindle • Paperback

INTERVIEW

Writing Interview Questions

Why did you choose to write your book in this era?

I have had a fascination for Roman Britain since I was a teen and read Rosemary Sutcliffe’s ‘The Eagle of the Ninth’. In 2014, whilst recovering from cancer treatment, I visited the nearest Roman site to where I live – Silchester (the former town of Calleva Atrebatum) in Hampshire, and pondered these questions: how would the locals have reacted to the withdrawal of their Roman rulers in the years leading up to 410 CE? Would it have been liberation or a sense of abandonment after more than three hundred years of protection? This led to my first historical novel, Abandoned.

Did you find researching this era particularly difficult? What was the hardest thing to find out, and did you come across anything particularly surprising?

It’s a joy to research this period in British history that lasted for roughly 360 years from 43 – 410 CE. I bought and avidly read the latest history books on the era, as archaeological findings continue to feed into historians’ understanding of the details of life in Roman Britain. New theories and revelations are still forthcoming on the politics and military campaigns of this period. On my visit to Corbridge Roman town, I discovered that the town had been burnt down in the year 180 or 181 during an attack from what must have been a large warband from north of Hadrian’s Wall. 180 is also the year of the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a popular emperor with the legions. So, from this, I chose 180 CE as my anchor point - the year to begin my story of centurion Gaius Atticianus. A second discovery gave me my character. An altar stone was excavated at the fort of Epiacum (now Whitley Castle in Cumbria) dedicated to the god Hercules by Centurion Gaius Vitellius Atticianus of the Sixth Legion. Nothing more is known of Gaius, so I have imagined a part of his life.

Can you share something about the book that isn’t covered in the blurb?

I had few problems writing an action and adventure story for the historical thread, but struggled with the contemporary story of intrigue amongst archaeologists at Hadrian’s Wall. Firstly, I knew nothing about archaeological practice and procedures, so had to dive into desk research. I’m indebted to three or four beta readers with experience and knowledge of archaeology who put me right. Secondly, I needed some conflict in the contemporary story to counterpoint the battles and political moves of Gaius in Roman Britain. I decided to avoid making my contemporary story a murder mystery, and instead opted for an artefact theft caper and an affair between student Noah and his professor, Maggie. Well, the beta readers chewed my ear about my clumsy handling of this story and were affronted at the slight to Maggie’s professional status and her potentially career-wrecking poor judgement. I was soon plunged into major soul-searching and extensive re-writes. The controversial affair remains, but it has been massaged and panel-beaten into something I hope is more credible and acceptable to the readers. I’m already quaking at the possible review comments!

If you had to describe your protagonist(s), in three words, what would those three words be?

Noah (a 20-year-old student): cute, naïve, determined.

Gaius (41-year-old Roman centurion): tough, reliable, caring.

What was the most challenging part about writing your book?

It’s my first attempt at dual timeline. I sought advice on the best way to approach this in a Facebook group – Historical and Timeslip Novels – and got some helpful feedback. I went with two stories of equal weight (about 45,000 words each) in alternate chapters. The skill and challenge, I came to appreciate, was in linking the two stories through common objects and themes. At times this was like trying to solve a riddle. I’m indebted to my critique partner and proof-reader, Linda Oliver, for discussing the links and plot details as we batted the chapters back and forth.

 

What would you tell an aspiring author who had some doubts about their writing abilities?

Creative writing should be an enjoyable activity and something you feel compelled to do. You cannot force it - your writing must come from the heart or the reader will work you out and soon lose interest. A tutor once told me the author is making a contract with the reader – in return for the readers’ commitment, the author must deliver a well-written and engaging story that is worth the investment of their time.

Personal Interview questions

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I’m managing a chronic health condition that keeps me at home most of the time, so creative writing has been a lifeline to me, and I have preserved my sanity through tough times by throwing myself into research and invention.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I loved reading and writing and English Literature was my favourite subject at school, so some form of writing was a desired career. When I left school, I got a position as trainee reporter on a Liverpool newspaper and learned the ropes of news reporting and feature writing. I researched (in libraries in the pre-internet 80s!) the history of a local Grade I listed building in our circulation area, and my findings of the lives of the wealthy men who had owned it was serialised over four issues and made into a booklet. I also reviewed the new movies that came to Liverpool and enjoyed rubbing shoulders with serious journalists and columnists at press showing at the Odeon Cinema in Liverpool. Having been born in Hong Kong and had a magical childhood, I’d always felt my life was an adventure, and so it continued when I went to Zambia in the mid-90s to run an educational book publishing project and then launch my own magazine and newspaper. For five years I lived the dream.

What’s for dinner tonight? What would you rather be eating?

Whilst writing this, the foul smell of something burning wafted into my lounge. I quietly cursed my neighbours and carried on hitting the keyboard. When thirst drove me to go to the kitchen, I was greeted with a cloud of smoke accompanied by an acrid stench. It was me! I’d put my hard plums (why do supermarkets sell us unripe fruit?) in a pan of boiling water an hour previously, forgotten about it, and now it had boiled dry. Silly me. There’ll be no cooking tonight, just a sandwich later.

What would be a perfect day?

I live alone and miss the company of family and friends. I haven’t seen my daughter, who lives in France, or my parents, who live in Spain, for almost two years. A perfect day for me would be meeting up this summer – we’ll see if covid restrictions permit.

What is the best part of your day?

When I have a book on the go, I love waking up with ideas in my head and feeling motivated to jump out of bed and fire up the laptop. Most of my writing is done in mornings.

Either or!

Tea or coffee: Tea

Hot or cold: hot 

Movie or book: the book before the movie

Morning person or Night owl: Morning

City or country: City dweller who dreams of living in the country… maybe one day.

Social Media or book: happier with a good book

Paperback or ebook: paperback

Tim Walker is an independent author living near Windsor in the UK. He grew up in Liverpool where he began his working life as a trainee reporter on a local newspaper. After studying for a degree in Communication studies he moved to London where he worked in the newspaper publishing industry for ten years before relocating to Zambia where, following a period of voluntary work with VSO, he set up his own marketing and publishing business. He returned to the UK in 2009.

His creative writing journey began in earnest in 2013, as a therapeutic activity whilst recovering from cancer treatment. He began writing an historical fiction series, A Light in the Dark Ages, in 2014, inspired by a visit to the part-excavated site of a former Roman town. The series connects the end of Roman Britain to elements of the Arthurian legend and is inspired by historical source material, presenting an imagined history of Britain in the fifth and early sixth centuries.

The last book in the series, Arthur, Rex Brittonum, was published in June 2020. This is a re-imagining of the story of King Arthur and follows on from 2019’s Arthur Dux Bellorum. Both titles are Coffee Pot Book Club recommended reads. The series starts with Abandoned (second edition, 2018); followed by Ambrosius: Last of the Romans (2017); and book three, Uther’s Destiny (2018). Series book covers are designed by Canadian graphic artist, Cathy Walker.

Tim has also written three books of short stories, Thames Valley Tales (2015), Postcards from London (2017) and Perverse (2020); a dystopian thriller, Devil Gate Dawn (2016); and three children’s books, co-authored with his daughter, Cathy – The Adventures of Charly Holmes (2017), Charly & the Superheroes (2018) and Charly in Space (2020).

Website • Goodreads • Amazon Author Page • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Newsletter sign-up and free short story

Read an excerpt from Neptune’s Window, Deep Stare (Neptune’s Window, #2) by L.L. Lewin and enter a GIVEAWAY! @XpressoTours

 

Neptune’s Window, Deep Stare

Neptune’s Window, #2

By L.L. Lewin

Caught up in the lies, illusions, and mystery of Newport Beach, teenage medium Aries Dade delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death. Still unable to communicate with her mother, she relies on the aid of several spirits, discovering the identities of two of them, and how they relate to her.

As the second novel in the Neptune’s Window trilogy, Deep Stare thrusts Aries further into the scandal of Newport Beach High School, where everyone has their own secret, including the death of the school’s most popular and beloved friend. But Aries has a secret of her own. She can communicate with their dead friend.

Are you ready to take a deep stare into Neptune’s Window?

Publication date: June 21st 2021

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult 

Goodreads • Amazon

EXCERPT

Aries sat on a bar stool while the group talked about the upcoming football game. 

“You’re going, right?” Paige asked.

Aries nodded, but after taking the shot she didn’t feel like participating in anymore school events.

“Don’t beat yourself up,” Joel said. “It was one shot. You’re fifteen, you’re bound to screw up once in a while. Happens to all of us.”

Did it happen to you?

“All the time. That’s probably how I ended up here.”

Aries pressed her lips together, not ready for the answer to her next question. But she asked anyway. With this group? 

“Yep. Not really with Paige, though.” He began to whisper. “Just between you and me, her voice bugged me too.”

Aries laughed. Why are you whispering? 

“What’s so funny,” Michael asked. 

Aries straightened her shoulders. “Nothing.”

Michael shook his head. “God, you’re a strange chick, Dade.”

Piper walked over, draping herself around Aries. “Join the fun. We’re talking about your boyfriend.” 

Aries stood as Joel said, “Do me a favor, and relay these lyrics to Piper. It’s not in the way you look or act. It’s in that deep stare we once shared.” 

Aries smirked. Sorry Joel, but I’d feel way lame saying that to her.

“Please.”

Seriously?

“If you help me, I’ll help you.”

How?

“What do you want more than anything?”

You know what I want; I want to talk to my mom.

“Exactly.”

Aries took a deep breath, her face flushing from embarrassment. Joel, I’m sorry, but I can’t do it. 

“Yes you can.”

Piper scrutinized her. “What’s wrong?”

Aries hesitated, and then whispered the lyrics to Piper. 

All the color drained from Piper’s face as she let go of Aries and clutched her forehead. Her eyes could have popped out of their sockets. “What? How?” She fell forward and clung to the table.

Aries tried to help her stabilize. “Are you okay?”

Piper took long deep breaths, gripping the chair until her knuckles turned white. Throwing the chair toward the pool, she screamed, “Get out. Everybody get out of here. Now.” She ran into the house.

“What the hell did you say to her?” Michael asked.

Aries shrugged. “I don’t know.”

LL Lewin is the author of the Neptune's Window Trilogy. A native of Southern California, she was born in Los Angeles County and grew up in Orange County. She graduated from the University California, Irvine with a degree in psychology and social behavior. After teaching for several years and interacting with the youth almost daily, she was inspired to write a young adult mystery novel, which morphed into a little bit more. Since things happen in threes for her (her initials, triple Sagittarius, the third born) the novel turned into a trilogy and reaffirmed her belief that three's a charm.

She loves all things astrological, metaphysical, and spiritual. With her sun, moon, and rising all in the sign of Sagittarius, She's as Sagittarius as they come, optimistic, freedom-loving, and ever so tactless.

Her three passions in life are writing, traveling, and soccer. You'll either find her writing at the beach, on an island somewhere, or on a soccer field. And her three vices are chocolate, pizza, and champagne, and not necessarily in that order.

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Join me in welcoming Brook Allen, author of Antonius: Son of Rome, to my blog, for an interview! #HistoricalFiction #AncientRome @1BrookAllen

Join me in welcoming Brook Allen to my blog, for an interview! While you are here, take a look at her book, Antonius: Son of Rome – it looks so good!

Antonius: Son of Rome
By Brook Allen

For over two-thousand years, Marcus Antonius—Marc Antony—has been one of history’s most controversial men. His story was buried with him and written by his enemies. Now his entire saga is revealed in a compelling trilogy by Brook Allen.

ANTONIUS: SON OF ROME

After young Marcus Antonius’s father dies in disgrace, he yearns to restore his family’s honor during the final days of Rome’s dying Republic. Marcus is rugged, handsome, and owns abundant military talent, but upon entering manhood, he falls prey to the excesses of a violent society. His whoring, gambling, and drinking eventually reap dire consequences. Through a series of personal tragedies, Marcus must come into his own through blood, blades, and death. Once he finally earns a military commission, he faces an uphill battle to earn the respect and admiration of soldiers, proconsuls, and kings. Desperate to redeem his name and carve a legacy for himself, he refuses to let warring rebels, scheming politicians, or even an alluring young Egyptian princess stand in his way.

Grab the series!

Antonius: Son of Rome

Antonius: Second in Command

Antonius: Soldier of Fate

INTERVIEW

Writing Interview questions.

Why did you choose to write your book in this era? 

Ever since high school, I swore I’d write a novel about the Roman Republic. However, to do that “right”, I needed to live a lot more of life and learn more about Roman culture. So, at age fifty-seven, my first book in the Antonius Trilogy was published: Antonius-Son of Rome.

Did you find researching this era particularly difficult? 

Early on, most of my research was just reading. And I figured there wasn’t anything wrong with watching the occasion Sword/Sandals flick! What was the hardest thing to find out, and did you come across anything particularly surprising? For the purpose of world-building, I really became serious about visiting Antony’s world as much as I could, since we lived 2000 years apart. I traveled to Egypt, Rome (six times!), and Greece twice to get a feel for the culture, the sights, smells, and to mesh all of those details into my 1st century BC descriptions. The thing that really blew me away was how expansive theaters of war were that long ago. I’m talking 50 square miles at the Battle of Actium. An immense space.

Can you share something about the book that isn’t covered in the blurb? 

Antonius: Son of Rome is the book to read that EXPLAINS why Marc Antony turned into the man he became. He had a lot of drama in his life and this book proves it. This trilogy is really an epic saga.

If you had to describe your protagonist(s), in three words, what would those three words be? 

Gutsy, impulsive, loyal.

What was the most challenging part about writing your book? 

I think debut-authors all have “second guess-itis”, when you tend to doubt yourself about EVERYTHING. In fact, the disease has already assaulted me for my next project! Are my characters flat? Did I stray too far from the truth here? Is my plot too weak? And a zillion MORE questions. Being an author has taught me a lot, but it’s also increased my self-confidence. To be in the publishing industry, one has to jump in with both feet and start swimming immediately. If you don’t, you and your book will drown.

Was there anything that you edited out of this book that would have drastically affected the story, should it be left in? 

Not so much in content, but my approach changed. I had first written the entire thing as a multiple POV story. My editor urged me to rewrite it in just Antony’s POV, and once I started doing that, I discovered that my focus on his character improved and the entire work became much stronger. It was wise advice and I’m thankful I took the time to do it.

What are you currently working on? I’ve time traveled forward eighteen centuries!

My next book will take place in Virginia (where I live!) in the early 19th century. It will involve Lewis & Clark, but that’s the only spoiler I’ll give right now. However, I’m really jazzed about it. Nobody has ever written this story—at least I don’t think so.

What would you tell an aspiring author who had some doubts about their writing abilities? 

Don’t give up. Anything you write can be changed, improved, and turn into something wondrous. If you have the God-given ability to write, GO FOR IT and don’t wait. Keep trying and when you have a manuscript you care enough about to lose sleep over, start acquiring beta readers and a good editor in your genre.

Personal Interview questions.

What do you like to do when you are not writing? 

I cycle, read, spend time with my husband and dogs. And I do have the travel bug. I just love going new places and learning new things.

What did you want to be when you grew up? 

An AUTHOR! It just took me a while to get there.

What’s for dinner tonight? I have no idea! What would you rather be eating? Seafood. I absolutely love good, fresh fish, shrimp, and crab.

What would be a perfect day? 

A rainy spring day in Rome, when there’s nothing to do but visit museums.

What is the best part of your day? 

Getting off work and knowing I’ll get to research and write that evening.

Either or!

Tea or coffee: Tea

Hot or cold: Brrrrr!

Movie or book: Always a book. Imagination is a gift.

Morning person or Night owl: A TOTAL Night Owl!

City or country: Country. I don’t like crowds.

Social Media or book: As an author, I have no choice but do involve myself in social media, but I’d rather be reading. BOOK!

Paperback or ebook: BOTH! Kindles rock for travel!

EXCERPT

All was dark. It was well after the sixth hour that night, when nobody stirred except whores, thieves, and men with scores to settle. 

Marcus waited, leaning against the walls of a sandal-maker’s shop. He’d been waiting for hours. More blood would flow tonight. But this time it would be the blood of someone who deserved to die.

He straightened, hearing voices. His heart began to race. 

Four men exited the domus Callias on the Esquiline, one of the finest in the district. Marcus observed their path down the hill, then silently stole out of the shadows, keeping a careful distance. He paused, letting them pass under torchlight near an upper-class tavern. 

Damn. Callias wasn’t with them. He was hoping he would be. But Callias seldom went out at night. He had too many enemies. 

Still, one man stood out. Forever etched on Marcus’s memory, he was the largest of the four and wore a curiously patterned black-and-white cloak. 

Fingering the hilt of his gladius, Marcus moved in closer, drawing his hood lower over his face. He stumbled on a raised stone in the pavement. It caught his sandal, making an unexpected slapping sound. 

Quickly, he flattened himself into a tight space between buildings, holding his breath.

One of the men looked back. Fortunately, he must have seen nothing, for he turned back to his friends, sharing a joke, accompanied by raucous laughter. 

Near the bottom of the Esquiline, they veered off toward the Subura. Marcus breathed some relief as they led him past Clodius and Curio’s old brothel. At least he knew the area. 

He glanced at the wavy glass rondel on the door, but there were no signs of lamplight. All was dark.

Just beyond, the street widened amid shops surrounding a well. 

Marcus chewed his lip. This added space allowed more room to maneuver with four assailants. Plus it made sense to fight in familiar surroundings.

Long ago, old “Bastard” Lupus had given him instruction on how to take on more than two men at a time, but only in theory. Several years later, under Vindelicus’s tutelage, the Gaul had challenged Castor, Gaius, and Lucius to “attack” Marcus all at once, staging a mock brawl. It was hardly realistic. Castor had no clue how to handle a blade, and his brothers thought the whole business a laughter-filled game. 

Tonight he was taking on four men at once, and he didn’t care what happened as long as he killed the one with the black-and-white cloak. 

Silently as possible, Marcus drew his virgin gladius. With his back against a shop wall, he cried out, “Salvete!” All four men turned at once. Marcus pointed his gladius at the man with the distinctive cloak. “You’re dead.”

Cloaked Man smiled like a cur with bared teeth, stepping forward readily. His lip curled into a sneer. “Is this your suicide, Antonius? Taking us on will get you killed.”

It wasn’t worth responding. Marcus simply positioned his gladius in hand and held his ground. There was no sense in conversation. He was here for one thing only.

Author Brook Allen Author Brook Allen has a passion for ancient history—especially 1st century BC Rome. Her Antonius Trilogy is a detailed account of the life of Marcus Antonius—Marc Antony, which she has worked on for the past fifteen years. The first installment, Antonius: Son of Rome was published in March 2019. It follows Antony as a young man, from the age of eleven, when his father died in disgrace, until he’s twenty-seven and meets Cleopatra for the first time. Brook’s second book is Antonius: Second in Command, dealing with Antony’s tumultuous rise to power at Caesar’s side and culminating with the civil war against Brutus and Cassius. Antonius: Soldier of Fate is the last book in the trilogy, spotlighting the romance between Antonius and Cleopatra and the historic war with Octavian Caesar. 

In researching the Antonius Trilogy, Brook’s travels have led her to Italy, Egypt, Greece, and even Turkey to explore places where Antony once lived, fought, and eventually died. While researching abroad, she consulted with scholars and archaeologists well-versed in Hellenistic and Roman history, specifically pinpointing the late Republican Period in Rome. Brook belongs to the Historical Novel Society and attends conferences as often as possible to study craft and meet fellow authors. In 2019, Son of Rome won the Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award. In 2020, it was honored with a silver medal in the international Reader’s Favorite Book Reviewers Book Awards and is currently listed as a Finalist in the CIBA Chaucer Division Awards for 2020. 

Though she graduated from Asbury University with a B.A. in Music Education, Brook has always loved writing. She completed a Masters program at Hollins University with an emphasis in Ancient Roman studies, which helped prepare her for authoring her present works. Brook teaches full-time as a Music Educator and works in a rural public-school district near Roanoke, Virginia. Her personal interests include travel, cycling, hiking in the woods, reading, and spending downtime with her husband and two amazing Labrador Retrievers. She lives in the heart of southwest Virginia in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. 

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My review of The Madness of Mrs. Whittaker (The Golden City, Book Six) by A.B. Michaels #HistoricalFiction #BookReview #CoffeePotBookClub @ABMichaelsBooks @maryanneyarde

 

The Madness of Mrs. Whittaker

(The Golden City, Book Six)

By A.B. Michaels

While exploring the remote possibility of contacting her dead husband through a spirit medium, a young widow is pronounced insane and committed to an asylum against her will. As she struggles to escape the nightmare she’s been thrust into, she is stripped of everything she holds dear, including her identity and her reason to live. The fight to reclaim what is rightfully hers will test every aspect of her being, up to and including her sanity. Is she up to the task, or has her grip on reality already slipped away?

Book Six of The Golden City series, The Madness of Mrs. Whittaker explores two major forces of early twentieth century America: the religious movement called Spiritualism and treatment of the mentally ill. Like all of A.B. Michaels’ novels, it is a stand-alone read.

Publication Date: 9th June 2021

Publisher: Red Trumpet Press

Page Length: 450 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

MY THOUGHTS

Mae Whittaker’s life has been anything but a dream thus far. With her family life in tatters, she escaped the dark hole her father was dragging her into by marrying Sinjun Whittaker – yet, she did not love him. Sinjun was merely a means to an end, a path for her to take. When Sinjun passes away, a mere bug bite causing the illness that takes him from his family and his mission, he makes Mae promise that she will open her mind to the possibility that he can visit her from the other side, that immortality exists and that when you die, you simply move onto the next world. How could Mae say no to a man lying on his deathbed?

With nowhere else to go, Mae and her young son, Liam, travel to live with Sinjun’s mother and sister. His sister, Clare, takes Mae along to the ‘mourning circle’ that she attends, a Spiritualism group, set up to help those suffering with the grief of their loved ones by reaching to the other side to commune with them. Mae only goes to fulfil her promise to Sinjun, but when, not her husband, but her late father starts sending messages across the void, Mae is shaken and her life starts to turn upside down.

Mae is such a wonderfully loving soul, and she deserves absolutely nothing that she gets in life. She is the kind of person to take the blame for things that she had no control over. She blames herself for her father’s death, and she blames herself for Sinjun’s death – she could not even keep him alive long enough for him to say goodbye to his family. Yet, how could she have? It was not her that caused the bug to bite him, not her that took the last breath from his body. The pain that Mae takes upon herself is heartbreaking to read about, and as you read, you almost want to take her into your arms and tell her that none of it is her fault, that she is an innocent in a world of villains.

I absolutely despised Mae’s mother-in-law, and for good reason. Ida Whittaker is a cold, calculative and manipulative woman, who is only out for her own gain and cares not who she destroys to get what she wants. The way she treats, and what she does to, Mae, and even to her own daughter, is utterly appalling and I can honestly say I hated her.

Mae is not alone in her trials, though she is not always aware of that. She has friends, friends who, despite being cut off from her and living far away, will always have her back and would do anything to help her. Cordie and Dove have been friends with Mae since childhood, so their bond with her is tight. Yet, there is a third person who would hate any harm to come to Mae, and that is Andre Durnat. Andre has his own ghosts, and yet, despite not knowing Mae for long, he cares for her as deep, if not more so, than Cordie and Dove do. I loved Andre’s character, for he is not only a proper gentleman, but he is a wonderful father and an incredibly loving man. He fights for what he believes in, and stands up for those that cannot stand up for themselves.

There are some ethical issues explored in this book, such as the lack of control and authority women had in the early 20th century. Mae finds herself wrongfully committed into an asylum and, because she can easily be deemed a hysterical woman, she can do nothing to convince anyone that she does not belong there. The horrors that the poor women in the asylum faced, rather than getting the help they should have been receiving, was horrifying. This was made even more so, as their families had no idea what they were going through, believing the asylum to be more of a resort for their womenfolk to relax in until they were better. On a less extreme scale, there was also the problems that women faced at work. Cordie works as a lawyer, yet she is seen as a lesser worker due to her gender. Clare, as well, is almost ridiculed about her job, told that she cannot possibly be good at numbers, and has no idea how to run the business that she has been helping to run for years.

This book is on the slightly longer side, and yet I read it in a day. I simply could not put it down. I fell in love with the characters, I shed tears with them and laughed with them. There is a mystery afoot, with Mae’s friends trying to find her, and to figure out why she is where she is, as well as Mae’s struggles with trying to escape and not knowing who she can and cannot trust. This book has been written with such finesse that it pulls you in and places you in the world that has been created. This is the kind of book that I would happily sit down and read again, for its brilliance is not something you want to experience just once.

The Golden City Series

(in order)

The Art of Love
The Depth of Beauty 
The Promise
The Price of Compassion 
Josephine’s Daughter 
The Madness of Mrs Whittaker 

A.B. Michaels

A native of California, A.B. Michaels holds masters’ degrees in history (UCLA) and broadcasting (San Francisco State University). After working for many years as a promotional writer and editor, she turned to writing fiction, which is the hardest thing she's ever done besides raise two boys. She lives with her husband and two spoiled dogs in Boise, Idaho, where she is often distracted by playing darts and bocce and trying to hit a golf ball more than fifty yards. Reading, quilt-making and travel figure into the mix as well, leading her to hope that sometime soon, someone invents a 25+ hour day.

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