Read an excerpt from The Art of Love (The Golden City, Book One) by A.B. Michaels #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @ABMichaelsBooks @maryanneyarde

 

The Art of Love

(The Golden City, Book One)

By A.B. Michaels

Your Journey to The Golden City begins here...

FORTUNE…SACRIFICE…PASSION...and SECRETS

A tale of mystery, social morality and second chances during America’s Gilded Age, The Art of Love will take you on an unforgettable journey from the last frontier of the Yukon Territory to the new Sodom and Gomorrah of its time - the boomtown of San Francisco.

After digging a fortune from the frozen fields of the Klondike, August Wolff heads south to the “Golden City,” hoping to put the unsolved disappearance of his wife and daughter behind him. The turn of the twentieth century brings him even more success, but the distractions of a hedonistic mecca can’t fill the gaping hole in his life.

Amelia Starling is a wildly talented artist caught in the straightjacket of Old New York society. Making a heart-breaking decision, she moves to San Francisco to further her career, all the while living with the pain of a sacrifice no woman should ever have to make. 

Brought together by the city’s flourishing art scene, Gus and Lia forge a rare connection. But the past, shrouded in mystery, prevents the two of them from moving forward as one. Unwilling to face society’s scorn, Lia leaves the city and vows to begin again in Europe.

The Golden City offers everything a man could wish for except the answers Gus is desperate to find. But find them he must, or he and Lia have no chance at all.

Publication Date: 4th May 2014

Publisher: Red Trumpet Press

Page Length: 360 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

EXCERPT

New York, 1899

Over the next several days, under the guise of carrying artwork to and from school, Lia moved her most important belongings to the apartment Sandy had rented. She packed clothing, art supplies, her jewelry, and most important, the items that would remind her of the one real treasure she was giving up. Every evening she sat and watched Little Georgie, sketching him at play and at rest, trying to memorize every part of the precious child she had brought into the world. His tiny, exquisitely formed little ears; his soft cheeks (which someday, she imagined, would grow angular like his father’s); his mouth shaped like a cupid’s bow, rooting quietly as he slept.

She gave Polly and the housekeeper time away to visit their families and spent her last day at home with her son, sitting with him on the floor of the nursery as he built tall castles out of blocks and laughed delightedly when they fell. She held up the carved wooden cow and asked him what a cow says and he said “Moo.” The sheep? “Baa.” The horse? “Eee eee eee.”

“That’s my smart little man,” she whispered, tears running unchecked down her face. 

“Mama,” he said, waddling over and patting the wetness of her cheeks.

“Yes, my darling boy,” she whispered. “Mama loves you. Mama will always love you.”

She put him to bed one more time and crooned his favorite lullaby. “Sleepyhead, close your eyes. Mother’s right here beside you. I’ll protect you from harm, you will wake in my … my … ” she couldn’t go on. He lay on his back looking up at her and smiled and reached for her. She leaned down and hugged him one last time and stayed with him until he fell asleep.

You can do this you can do this you can do this, she chanted to keep herself in one piece. She filled her small suitcase, donned her coat, and went downstairs to confront George. He was working in the library. The light in the room was dim except for the lamp on his desk. It lent an intimacy to the space. It was quiet; only the tic, tic, tic of the Ormolu clock marred the silence.

“George?” she called from the doorway.

“Yes, come in,” he replied, still engrossed in the report he was reading.

She checked the pendant watch he had given her on their first anniversary. Sandy would arrive to pick her up shortly; she had only to get through this last charade. She walked over to his desk.

“George, look at me.”

George looked up, a puzzled expression crossing his face as he saw that she was dressed to go out. He frowned. “Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving you for someone else.”

He leaned back in his chair, disbelieving. “What did you say?”

“I said I’m leaving you for someone else.”

“Lia, that’s not funny.”

“It’s not meant to be.” She leaned over his desk. “Do you understand? I’m leaving this marriage and I’m committing adultery to do it. Do. You. Understand?” She drew the words out as she held his eyes.

Comprehension cast a shadow over his features, and he slowly shook his head. “No, Lia. No. You don’t have to do this.”

She stood up straight and repeated the words she’d rehearsed many times. “I love someone else and I no longer love you. I’m moving in with my lover and I’m never coming back.”

“Wait. Who—”

“Sandy,” she said.

George rolled his eyes and snorted. “Ah, yes. The sodomite.”

Lia drilled him with her stare until he felt compelled to face her again. “Ask your mother and her friends about that … and thank you for the insult to one of the finest men I know. You are making this easier.”

George stood up as if to overpower her. “I’ll fight you on this.”

It was Lia’s turn to scoff. “Will you, George? Think long and hard about that. What will you gain? What will you lose?”

“What about your son?” he asked, frustration lacing his tone. “Our son. You’re just going to abandon him?”

You can do this you can do this you can do this. “My son will be loved,” she replied. “You talk to Emmaline about that.”

“Em? What does Em know about this?”

“Nothing. Only that she is a woman with so much to give who is ready to be loved … do you understand me, George?”

He stared at her, not speaking, and she could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he processed all that she was saying, all that she implied. His own eyes welled with tears as he realized what she was doing for him, for them. He reached for her. “Lia—”

She held out her arm to ward him off. “You must hate me until this is over, it is the only way,” she whispered. “Hate me to your parents, to your friends, to your lawyer, to everyone except Em and our son, and do not call Sandy a sodomite ever again. Do you understand me?” she repeated. She heard the near hysteria in her voice. 

His eyes clear with comprehension, he nodded. “What will you do?”

“Lay low until the storm passes, then San Francisco, I think.” She smiled sadly. “So, you won’t have to pay that invoice from the Institute after all.”

“Lia?” Sandy stood in the doorway to the library, hat in hand. “I’m sorry. No one answered, so I let myself in. Are … are you ready to go?”

Lia continued to look at George. After a moment she inclined her head and saw George echo her, ever so slightly. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again, smiling through her tears.

“I will send you the address where your attorney can reach me,” she said. “Polly and Mrs. Rudd will be back tomorrow. If Little … Little Georgie wakes up—”

“I know,” he assured her gently. “Sing him the lullaby.”

“That’s right,” she said, her voice breaking. “Good night, George, and … and bless you.” Lia turned and took Sandy by the arm. They stepped into the cool of the evening and began walking down the street.

Sandy patted her hand. “How did it go?”

She sighed and put her head on his shoulder. Her voice hitched. “I think I know what it feels like to stab oneself in the heart.”

“You are quite a woman, Amelia. If I were someone else, I think I’d do anything to make you mine.”

“You are just who I need you to be, dear friend. Let’s see how it all plays out.”

“Yes, let’s,” he said as they continued on their way. 

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 

Read my review of The Madness of Mrs. Whittaker (The Golden City, Book Six).

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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Read a guest post by C.J. Campbell, author of Tempest (The Veil Chronicles, #1) #Fantasy #Romance #YoungAdult #YA @XpressoTours

Tempest

(The Veil Chronicles, #1)

By C.J. Campbell

To unearth the truth, she must embrace the legend within.

For eighteen-year-old Lexi, freedom is a luxury. She’s spent her life evading capture for a genetic gift that feels more like a curse. Her bulletproof immunity and monstrous disfigurement is of great interest to a secret organization, but they aren’t the only ones. A cryptic tip alerts Lexi that something else hunts her–something darker.

Desperate to enjoy her life before it’s too late, Lexi leaves the protective cocoon her parents created for her and signs up for art classes at her local college. There she meets Conner, who is confined to a wheelchair, and they become friends who are willing to share each other’s secrets. But a chance encounter with Connor’s foster brother Killian changes everything.

Desperate to enjoy her life before it’s too late, Lexi leaves the protective cocoon her parents created for her and signs up for art classes at her local college. There she meets Conner, who is confined to a wheelchair, and they become friends who are willing to share each other’s secrets. But a chance encounter with Connor’s foster brother Killian changes everything.

Killian shares the same mysterious secret within his blood as Lexi. Their fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction of catastrophic events that exposes the terrifying truth–Lexi is a celestial queen of a bygone race. Connor is their last royal heir, and Killian is a half-breed abomination hated for his very existence. With Connor kidnapped by an ancient god determined to rid the world of the stain of humanity, Lexi and Killian find themselves under the protection of the secretive Order of Kings.

Lexi believes she’s been thrown into a world of myths and legends, but things are not as they seem. Lexi becomes convinced the Order is keeping dangerous secrets that threaten not just her but all of mankind.

Publication date: August 31st 2021
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

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GUEST POST

‘Because It Was Real’ – by C.J. Campbell

A little less than a decade ago my life was very, very different. The year was 2013, I believe, and it was the winter; a cold, dull, Irish winter. But, to me, everything in my life up until that point had been cold, dull, and lifeless. This year, oft, it had sucked. I’d been through a heck of a year with the worsening of a serious, physical illness, and lots of other not-so-nice things and I was wrecked—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Most days I barely had the strength to put one foot in front of the other. I was a hot mess.

My poor mother was probably distracted to no end trying to get me well and keep me hanging in there, but there was very little that interested me now. I was young, early twenties, and should’ve been filled with life but instead I was filled with pain. There were no good days and I knew my loved one were trying to find ways to bring me back to life, give me a moment of peace, or joy, anything really. My mother, she knew I loved anything Tolkien related, and so The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug had just released in the theatre—this would be something good to do together. But, when the day arrived, I remember not even wanting to go. It had been an awful day. Just the worst, probably the darkest up until that point. But, we went despite the heaviness. 

I was sitting in the darkened cinema, in pain, and probably scowling because that was my permanent expression back then, when the scene with the Elvenking played out. The one when Thorin presses all his buttons and his mask falls off and he reveals the ‘dragon fire’ scars that have torn him up on the inside. And watching that, oh boy, something cracked inside of me. Silent tears were streaming down my face because I understood that, more than I possibly wanted to acknowledge. So, I came home and cracked open my books, and my laptop, and started researching why Peter Jackson and the writers had chosen this storyline. Of course, it was symbolic of trauma and was inspired by the Fisher King in Arthurian legend. I felt my imagination flicker awake for the first time in years, and I started to type, and type, and type until I had a whole backstory about the Elvenking. How he was wounded and all the fallout from it. And from then I posted up on the fanfiction websites, not really caring at the time if anyone read it, I just needed to do something to save my sanity, something that might ease the trauma—a distraction. But, people did read it.

So many people read and responded to the stories I typed of battling inner demons, dealing with scars (both physical and emotional), and learning to heal. It shocked me. But, within a few months of posting my alternative fanfic I’d thousands of readers and millions of views and a wonderful new circle of author and writerly friends who were passionate about encouraging me to write an original novel. They saw something more to me more than flaws and broken pieces—they saw me through my words. But, I’d no idea if I could write a book—or even if I should. After all who was I to write a book? I wasn’t anyone special. Except, maybe it wasn’t about being special, maybe it was about being brave. Sure, I could talk about wanting to heal, pretend I was even trying through the characters in my stories, but that was fiction, they weren’t me. Becoming an author would mean learning to live, scars and all. It would mean putting myself out there in ways I’d forgotten. The thought terrified me, and in that terror I felt something real . . . alive . . . I felt alive.

So, I dug a little deeper. That insatiable curiosity I used to have about the world, it returned, slowly rising to the surface of my imagination. I followed in the research footsteps of my favourite author—Professor Tolkien—and began unearthing the mysterious surrounding mythology and fell in love with Tuatha Dé Danann—a mythical race in Irish history and folklore. I began reading spiritual texts, studied cultures, customs, and even other religions. The world that was once dim to me was now alive and vibrant, and I wanted to live it. Wanted to explore it all, and for once I’d find a way to do it, illness be damned. Nothing was going to stop me from following my dreams . . . not this time.

It was in the depths of my research binges that I came across the story of the Goddess Airmid, a lesser known but no less awe-inspiring goddess of healing and herbalism in Irish mythology, and she snared my attention. I loved her so much—learning about her strength and resilience, it gave me the courage to pursue my dreams. And so, with the incredible support of the fellow fans of the Tolkien fandom, I began to take the first tentative steps in crafting what is now my debut novel ‘Tempest: The Veil Chronicles.’

Though, this story became more than just a retelling of the ancient gods of Ireland, or a glorified fanfic of Airmid. Because of his research, Tolkien had inadvertently put me on a path that wasn’t only inspiring my imagination, but it was helping my soul as well. Studying the mythology of Ireland, the amazing characters of the Tuatha Dé Danann, it had me learning to cherish and love my body again for exactly how it was. I went from writing this story about the ancient gods of Ireland to exploring the healing journey between all the characters, because we all have hurts, traumas, and scars, and I wanted 'Tempest' to explore that journey we all find ourselves on at some point in our lives - a healing journey back to our true selves and the hidden power we all have within. A force for good, a force of life.

Nearly a decade has spanned and my life is amazing. I’m an author. I’ve written several books, all of them releasing with wonderful publishers. I’m healthy, whole, and yes, some days I still feel pain, some days can be a little dark, hard even, but there’s light inside me that cannot be put out and it’s the thing that shines a path through the dimness of this world and only I have the power to smother it. It’s that light that led me to wonderful people; souls who had either suffered similar traumas as myself and taught me it wasn’t the end of the world, or loving beings who taught me to smile again, to laugh, and enjoy the journey. 

So, when I’m asked what inspired me to write Tempest? All of it. The pain, the trauma, the tragedy, and the darkness. But, also the fantastical—Tolkien and his fascinating mind. The myths and legends of Ireland, of my home. Airmid and her quiet power. The wild; the trees, the rivers, the cliffs, and forests, all the places I began to visit again and the people I met. The moment I swam with dolphins, with friends in Florida—a place I’d never imagined I’d visit, let alone swim again—that’s when I knew I’d won. Not only had I survived, I’d thrived. I’d learned to dance with my fears and turn them into epic stories to help those around me learn the steps to overcome their own. It was no longer fiction. It was real. 

Clare is a successful and highly popular author of award winning Fanfiction, with thousands of online fans and over 2 million reads on her Lord of the Rings Fanfic epic. Clare has also won several writing awards within the Fantasy, Inspirational, and Short Story genres. Her story Refuge was a top prize winner and as a direct result published in Faith & Freedom anthology by EA books. She has recently been shortlisted for Writer of the Year 2019.

As well as writing, Clare is an experienced Occupational Therapist, with a passion for enabling people. She has contributed articles for online organizations aimed at highlighting disability as a positive influence in modern literature. Her love of storytelling, merged with her positive messages inspires her to create meaningful narratives that represent diversity, and promote unity.

You can learn more about Clare by visiting www.CJCampbellOfficial.com

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Read an interview with Nancy Blanton, author of When Starlings Fly As One #HistoricalFiction #Interview @nancy_blanton

I am delighted to be interviewing Nancy Blanton today, about her book When Starlings Fly As One. Isn't the cover beautiful? Scroll down to read the interview!

When Starlings Fly As One
Nancy Blanton

The Great Irish Rebellion of 1641 began with a failed attempt to seize Dublin Castle, but then rebel forces in Ulster captured several strategic fortresses. Infused with passion and optimism the Irish clans united, and the rebellion spread throughout the country. When Starlings Fly as One is based on the personal account of Sir Arthur Freke, the owner of Rathbarry Castle in County Cork. Rathbarry was besieged by Irish forces for nine months in 1642—the longest siege in centuries of Ireland’s history. That history has long been told by English voices, but the Irish perspectives continue to rise. This story is not a classic hero’s journey, but a story of war, struggle, spirit, and survival—a story of two sides.

The story is told primarily from the viewpoint of ecretive and often bold Merel de Vries, who seeks only escape from the English nobility she serves. When Rathbarry Castle is besieged by rising Irish clans, she faces an impossible choice: allegiance to owner Sir Arthur Freke, loyalty to new-found love Tynan O’Daly, or trust in her own inner yearnings.

On the wind-swept coast near the village of Ross, the English settlers hoping to build a new life now seek shelter within the castle. Rathbarry’s former owners, the MacCarthy clan and its followers, have brought their armies to take it all back.

To Merel, a Dutch orphan, both sides are heroic and both sides seem unspeakably cruel. Worse still, the people she loves are on different ends of the struggle.

With no access to food or supplies, the castle residents face starvation, disease, and the constant fear of death. Sir Arthur is desperate to find a solution for rescue. Merel insists she can help—but no one will listen. When opportunity comes, can she truly do what her spirit urges? Or, will a sudden betrayal change everything?

Grab a copy HERE!

INTERVIEW

Writing Interview questions

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

I made a deliberate choice to focus my work on the 17th century for a few reasons. First, I’m an avid historical fiction reader myself, and grew tired of the number of books focused on Tudor England. A quick Goodreads survey found 69 books just about Anne Boleyn—and more, depending upon how you spell her name. Second, the 17th century tends to be overlooked, but it is loaded with stories that haven’t been told. It’s a time of sweeping change for human understanding, from believing in witchcraft and a geocentric universe, to proving the laws of planetary movement, claiming freedom of religion, and dismantling the Divine Right of Kings. I love discovering historical gems I’ve never heard of before and turning them into fresh, fascinating story. 

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

I focused my research on Ireland because I’ve traveled there several times and love it, and because the value of my Irish heritage was drilled into me by my father. The difficulty is that Ireland was a conquered nation. The Irish fought and lost three wars for independence in the 17th century, and as we know, the victors write the history. However, in recent decades Irish historians have dug into records, letters, archaeological studies, and have found new information that sheds a brighter light on the Irish perspective. Their books and papers are like unearthed treasure to me.

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

Yes, it has been a joy to make use of those bits of Irish treasure. For example, I write about the battle at Clonakilty in Chapter 41 of When Starlings Fly as One. Several sources covering this battle claim that 800 Irish soldiers were drowned in the bay. This figure was repeatedly used, yet it seemed unlikely to me. The Irish had grown up in this area and certainly would have known how to navigate it. I knew English military leaders at that time were rewarded for victories not with money, but with confiscated land. With an eye to some fertile property, could that figure have been padded a bit to make someone look better to his superior officers? A librarian in County Cork led me to a source by an Irish historian who had carefully reviewed the battle site and documentation. He estimated the deaths by drowning to more likely total around 16. 

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

Merel is bold, secretive, and willful. She is not particularly intimidated by her superiors and speaks her mind about things she feels are important, especially if she has ideas. On the other hand, she’s aware of her station as a servant, and to do what she wants she must be secretive. She uses this trait to her advantage, and she’s small which makes hiding and getting away with things easier. Being small also has its disadvantages. She resents being treated like a child because of her size, and sometimes acts like one when she’s angry. She’ll do things she believes are right, and only worries about hazards and potential repercussions later. 

What was the most challenging part about writing your book?

Having come across Sir Arthur Freke’s personal account of the actual siege of Rathbarry Castle, I wanted to stay as true as possible to his timeline and sequence of events. At the same time, I was layering in the Irish accounts to give the reader both sides of the story. I worried at first that the structure did not strictly adhere to the classic hero’s journey, and I might lose readers at the midpoint. I tried shifting some events to different times but, after getting some feedback from readers my decision was to stick with the true timeline, month by month, to make it easiest for readers to follow. 

What are you currently working on?

My goal is to work my way through the 17th century until I have books from end to end. For my next novel I am looking backward, to beginning of the century marked by the end of the Nine Years War and its aftermath.

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

Welcome to the club. There may be some out there, but personally I do not know any writers who don’t suffer from doubt. Let it drive you to second-guess yourself and keep trying to improve. Be open to constructive feedback. If you have a story nagging you to write, trust that it came to you for a reason. Treat it like a dear and needy friend and do your best by it. 

Either or!

Tea or coffee:

In the mornings I love strong coffee with vanilla creamer. Addicted, actually. In the afternoons it is tea—specifically Barry’s tea from County Cork. It is smooth, energizing and relaxing at the same time. I love the Brit TV mysteries when the detective comes in, tells someone their beloved has just been murdered, and then puts on the kettle. Tea solves everything. 

Morning person or Night owl:

Definitely a morning person, the earlier the better to enjoy the quiet before others begin to stir, and to watch the sun rise through the trees. It is a dreamier, more creative time, whereas by the afternoon writing begins to feel much more like work.

Paperback or ebook:

Since so much of my reading is research, I’ll take it in whatever form I can get it and be glad for it. I do lean toward paperback or hardcover though, because I like to mark interesting pages with stickers. There are ways of doing that on ebooks, but it is much less satisfactory.

Nancy Blanton writes award-winning historical fiction set primarily in 17th century Ireland where she’s visited frequently since childhood. Her fourth novel, When Starlings Fly as One, tells the story of Ireland’s longest siege at Rathbarry Castle, County Cork, during the Great Rebellion of 1641. It is a hero’s journey amid war, struggle, enduring spirit, and survival—a story of two sides. Blanton’s first three novels won state and national literary awards in the US. She’s a member of the Historical Novel Society, Florida Writers Association, and is co-founder of Amelia Indie Authors, a co-op of writers helping writers. She’s been a journalist, magazine editor, and corporate communications leader. She lives in Florida.

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Check out my #BookReview of The Whirlpools of Time by Anna Belfrage #TimeTravel #HistoricalRomance @abelfrageauthor @maryanneyarde

 

The Whirlpools of Time

By 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?

Publication Date: 11th June 2021

Publisher: Timelight Press

Page Length: 388 Pages

Genre: Time Travel Romance, Scottish Historical Romance

MY THOUGHTS

Duncan Melville spent his whole life feeling shunned by his family, wanting the love that they shared but never extended to him. A journey that lands him alone at a crossroads in the middle of a lightning storm may not be pleasant, but it might be the thing to lead him to what he most desires – love.

Erin Barnes is after revenge. She is sure her father and grandmother were killed by the Wilkes family because both refused to hand over the locket they had found on their own land, which the Wilkes immediately claimed belonged to them. When Erin’s investigating lands her in danger, the last thing she needs is to hit a man with her car at a crossroads in the middle of a storm. Even more so a man dressed in strange clothing who talks like someone from a reenactment group.

After he saves her from Steve Wilkes and his friends, who were pursuing her, Duncan finds himself in a strange world, waking up in a hospital. With nowhere to go, and knowing no one but Erin, Erin feels obligated to take Duncan in and help him. After all, he did save her. A relationship between the two starts to unfold as Erin teaches Duncan about the 21st century, but the danger isn’t over, and in a bid to protect themselves and the locket, Duncan and Erin find themselves transported back in time, back to the world Duncan knows. They find Duncan’s aunt beside herself with worry about his uncle, David Graham, who they can only assume has travelled to Scotland, amidst the unrest among the general populous. 

And thus begins the journey of a lifetime. Duncan and Erin give each other what the other needs – Erin gives Duncan love, and a feeling of worth, and Duncan gives Erin the feeling of security. With Erin used to the luxuries of the 21st century, finding herself in 1715 is a shock that is difficult to swallow. As a woman, and a woman who had a black father at that, the freedom that Erin had in 2016 is gone, and the stares and assumptions of people cannot be stopped. Duncan protects Erin every step of the way, at least, as much as he can – she is of the opinion that she should be free to walk around by herself, and often does not quite comprehend the danger she is putting herself in until she is in it.

On their journey, Duncan, Erin and Ben, a manservant, rescue the widow Arabella Stirling from the assault by Hamish Cruikshank. With it being unsafe for Arabella to travel alone, she joins the group as they journey on, in the direction of Scotland. Unfortunately, humiliating Cruikshank was a mistake, despite how much more he deserved, and the group find themselves the object of pursuit. Taking on yet another riding companion, one Constable Nathaniel Williams, Duncan and Erin find themselves not only on a quest to find David and bring him home, but also to solve mysteries and rid the world of men worse than scum.

I absolutely adored both Erin and Duncan. Duncan is the perfect gentleman towards Erin, although their upbringings and beliefs get them into arguments more than once. Through Erin, you can almost learn the history better, as she does not know the ins and outs of living in the 16th century, and the reader learns alongside her. Certain things, such as the intricacies about the differences between the clothing Erin is used to and the clothing she must adapt to, are explained in a detail that may be skipped over in a book that does not contain a character from the 21st century, and her presence and opinions added a great deal of depth to the story.

I loved many of Duncan’s relatives, as well, although I was on the fence about some of them. They all have immediate reactions to Erin, although that is to be expected in the time period, but the way Duncan was treated growing up is what bothered me. He was an unwanted child born from unfortunate circumstances, and even though he was as much a victim as his mother, the blame was settled on him and he was outcast from the family. He did not even bear the same family name. The members of the family seem lovely, welcoming even, when we meet them, yet I couldn’t fully trust them because of the way they let Duncan grow up, feeling unloved and unwanted. 

This book is full of tension and adventure, with the romance between Erin and Duncan running along the side. Murder and action are counteracted by tender moments and the feeling of hate is crushed by the feeling of love. This book is what you could call ‘perfectly balanced’, and is the kind of book that draws you in, the words themselves saying ‘look deep and fall’ and utterly captivating you until the closing of the covers snaps you out of the world in the pages.

Amazon

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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 .

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Find out how Nancy Northcott's one idea became a trilogy!! #HistoricalFantasy #TimeTravel #BlogTour @NancyNorthcott @maryanneyarde

The Steel Rose 
(The Boar King’s Honor Trilogy, Book 2)
By Nancy Northcott

THE BOAR KING’S HONOR TRILOGY

A wizard’s misplaced trust

A king wrongly blamed for murder

A bloodline cursed until they clear the king’s name

BOOK 2: THE STEEL ROSE

Amelia Mainwaring, a magically Gifted seer, is desperate to rescue the souls of her dead father and brother, who are trapped in a shadowy, wraith-filled land between life and death as the latest victims of their family curse. Lifting the curse requires clearing the name of King Richard III, who was wrongly accused of his nephews’ murder because of a mistake made by Amelia’s ancestor.

In London to seek help from a wizard scholar, Julian Winfield, Amelia has disturbing visions that warn of Napoleon Bonaparte’s escape from Elba and renewed war in Europe. A magical artifact fuels growing French support for Bonaparte. Can Amelia and Julian recover the artifact and deprive him of its power in time to avert the coming battles?

Their quest takes them from the crowded ballrooms of the London Season to the bloody field of Waterloo, demanding all of their courage, guile, and magical skill.  Can they recover the artifact and stop Bonaparte? Or will all their hopes, along with Amanda’s father and brother, be doomed as a battle-weary Europe is once again engulfed in the flames of war?

The Steel Rose is the second book in the time-traveling, history-spanning fantasy series The Boar King’s Honor, from Nancy Northcott (Outcast Station, The Herald of Day).

Publication Date: April 29, 2021

Publisher: Falstaff Books

Page Length: 370 Pages

Genre: Historical Fantasy/Romantic Fantasy

Buy HERE!

This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

How One Idea Became a Trilogy

by Nancy Northcott

Hi, Beatrice, and thanks for having me!

You asked about the inspiration behind The Steel Rose. It’s the second book of three, so some aspects of the story were dictated by the first book, The Herald of Day. It sets up the problem that runs through the trilogy, the efforts of the magically Gifted Mainwaring family to lift the blood curse an ancestor placed on their line.

In 1483, early in the reign of Richard III, Edmund Mainwaring used his Gifts to help agents of his liege lord, the Duke of Buckingham, sneak into and out of the Tower of London unobserved. Edmund didn’t know those agents’ mission was to kill the sons of the last king, Edward IV, who’ve become known as the Princes in the Tower. After Edward died, evidence came to light proving his marriage to his queen, Elizabeth Woodville, was bigamous. Their sons were thus ineligible to inherit. They posed no danger to the next legitimate male heir, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who was recognized by Parliament as Richard III. 

Buckingham was also in the line of descent but with a lesser claim. If he wanted to seize the throne, eliminating anyone who might be considered to have a superior claim would be wise. The boys had been proclaimed bastards, but their father had been extremely popular. Why take the chance that his followers would prefer them, illegitimate or not, to Buckingham? He already planned a rebellion to remove Richard III and his superior claim.

I inserted the magic and my conjecture as to Buckingham’s possible motives. The rest is historical fact, though the proof of that earlier marriage to Lady Eleanor Butler has since disappeared. History also says the boys were last seen in the Tower in the autumn of 1483, shortly before Buckingham rebelled.

Whether or not Buckingham (or anyone else) murdered the boys is only conjecture. I find historian Matthew Lewis’s arguments in The Survival of the Princes in the Tower persuasive, and logic dictates that people would’ve noticed if the boys simply vanished one night. The Tower was a secure prison, yes, but it was also a royal residence with comfortable royal apartments. Edward’s sons had a household, people who could’ve attested to their sudden disappearance. Trotting those people out to point fingers at Richard III would’ve been in Henry VII’s best interests, especially when Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck made their own claims to the throne, saying they were the sons of Edward IV. 

Henry VII implicitly blamed Richard III for the boys’ disappearance (“shedding innocent blood,” I believe the phrase was) and painted a successful propaganda portrait of him as a heinous monster. Yet no such public display of witnesses condemning him as a murderer was ever made.

The absence of established fact leaves room for fiction. So I decided, years ago, to write a book blaming Buckingham for the murders. I set it in the reign of Charles II, not long after bones thought to be those of the missing boys were discovered under a staircase in the Tower. That claim is problematic, but that’s not what this post is about.

This is the Tower of London, where the Mainwarings’ problems started:

Playing the What If… game, I wondered how someone could be murdered in a royal fortress that’s locked up at night and busy during the day. Possibly with magic? And what would happen if the person wielding that magic had no idea what they were abetting? And then couldn’t tell the truth under the Tudors without being executed as a traitor? 

My fictional answer was that the wizard in question, Edmund Mainwaring, threw himself on the mercy of King Richard III, who told him the political situation made revealing the truth risky and ordered him to keep quiet until given leave to speak. A little less than two years later, the king died at Bosworth Field without ever telling Edmund he could reveal the truth. So Edmund wrote a confession and hid it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t trust his son to honor or pass on the duty to clear a dead king’s name. Desperate to atone for the wrong he’d unknowingly committed, Edmund cursed the male heirs of his line to not rest in life or death until the king’s name was cleared. After they die, their souls are trapped in a wraith-infested shadowland between the worlds of the living and the dead so long as the stain on the king’s honor remains. (Just by the way, the title The Boar King’s Honor is inspired by Richard III’s use of a white boar as his symbol.)

When I wrote The Herald of Day, I intended for it to be a one-off. The Mainwarings would solve their problem in that book. Until a friend said, “You know, you have room for a trilogy with this story.” I looked at it and realized she was right. So the hero and heroine of Herald do not save the day after all.

A trilogy, of course, meant plots for two more books. I knew where I wanted to focus the next part of the Mainwaring quest. The woman Edward IV first married secretly, Lady Eleanor Butler, was consigned to the dustbin of history. He never admitted to marrying her, but, as the late Dr. John Ashdown-Hill points out in his biography of her, Eleanor The Secret Queen, she behaved ever after as though she were married but separated from her husband. Eleanor had been deeply wronged, but what recourse did she have against a king? Instead of pursuing that, she got on with her life while honoring her marriage vow in the only ways open to her.

Unfortunately, Eleanor didn’t live to see the truth of her marriage revealed. She was vindicated but posthumously. And then the Tudors set to work destroying all proof of the prior marriage. Edward IV’s daughter Elizabeth was Henry VII’s queen. Henry needed her to be legitimate and Richard’s claim to be dishonored in order to prop up his shaky blood claim to the throne. Only as modern historians took another look at the situation and at Henry VII’s tendency to burn any document hostile to his claim (like the copies of Titulus Regius, the act of Parliament recognizing Edward’s marriage to Eleanor and Richard III’s claim as heir), has this been reconsidered.

So I wanted to pay tribute to Eleanor in the next book, The Steel Rose. That part of the plot was settled, but the rest of the book had to be a fitting follow-up to all aspects of The Herald of Day, not only to the Ricardian plot. In Herald, the villain has altered England’s history to set up a dictatorship of the magically Gifted. The hero and heroine are in a race to counter that and save the true timeline. So the next book needed equally big stakes.

The Regency, the period I ultimately chose for The Steel Rose, finally saw an end to twenty years of war and the threat of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Battle of Waterloo ended his dreams of empire forever. But no one knew who would win that huge battle. Afterward, Wellington described it as “the nearest run thing you ever saw” (per King’s College London website: rb.gy/x0sshp). The threat of Bonaparte plunging Europe back into war after a year of peace following his first abdication and exile to Elba seemed big enough. I love reading Regency novels but had never tried to write one. I didn’t feel I had anything unique to bring to the period. With a Ricardian quest, though maybe I did.

Bearing all that in mind, I set The Steel Rose mostly during the Hundred Days, the period between Bonaparte’s escape from Elba and the Battle of Waterloo. Then I read about that period to create the plot. Bonaparte’s wars had bankrupted the country. So why did Frenchmen flock to his banner? My hero and heroine believe a magical artifact inspires the nation’s loyalty. They set out to steal it in hopes of undercutting his support and helping the allied nations defeat him.

This artwork in the Hyde Park Corner subway (passage under the street, for my fellow Americans) at Apsley House, the Duke of Wellington’s London residence, commemorates the battle.

The heroine, Amelia Mainwaring, is a seer. She wants to save the souls of her late father and brother, who’re trapped in the shadowland between life and death. In London seeking information that can help her lift the curse, she begins having visions that presage Bonaparte’s escape. She seeks help with the family curse and with interpreting these disturbing visions from Julian Winfield, a close friend of her late brother. Julian, who is also Gifted, is the realm’s foremost authority on magic. He’s also the head of a secret organization called the Merlin Club. It masquerades as an ordinary gentlemen’s club in the exclusive St. James area of London.

The rules governing England’s Gifted, also known as wizards, forbid the use of their magic in conflicts against other nations. This rule is absolute. The Merlin Club was founded by wizards who deemed that rule not only unreasonable but foolish, especially when Gifted of other nations entered the fray to support their homelands. So the club members use their abilities in defense of Britain, most often—but not always—when Gifted are active on the other side. During the war, Julian worked overtly for the Home Office and covertly as a spy with the Merlin Club.

The book builds toward a confrontation with Bonaparte, but I wanted a more immediate problem for Julian and Amelia. I came up with Silas de Vere, the Earl of Wyndon. He is also Gifted, and like his ancestor who caused so many problems in The Herald of Day, he believes the Gifted should rule England. He has a plan to make that happen, and the Bonapartist cause has given him his opportunity.

I also wanted Julian and Amelia to be different from Richard and Miranda in The Herald of Day. Neither Miranda nor Richard had been married, and Miranda was untrained in the use of her seer Gift. Amelia, on the other hand, is accomplished as a seer. She and Julian have both lost spouses. Amelia mourns her husband, but Julian is grateful to be rid of his unfaithful, deceitful wife. For her, freeing her father’s and brother’s souls is paramount. She’ll worry about rebuilding the rest of her life after that job’s done. Julian wants time to rest from the ugliness he saw in the years before Bonaparte’s first abdication in 1814. He’ll help Amelia with her quest to save his friend’s soul, dive back into his books, and train his horses. Of course matters don’t go as either of them planned, and therein lies the story.

Thanks again for having me today, Beatrice!

Nancy Northcott’s childhood ambition was to grow up and become Wonder Woman. Around fourth grade, she realized it was too late to acquire Amazon genes, but she still loved comic books, science fiction, fantasy, history, and romance. She combines the emotion and high stakes, and sometimes the magic, she loves in the books she writes.

She has written freelance articles and taught at the college level.  Her most popular course was on science fiction, fantasy, and society.  She has also given presentations on the Wars of the Roses and Richard III to university classes studying Shakespeare’s play about Richard III. Reviewers have described her books as melding fantasy, romance, and suspense. Library Journal gave her debut novel, Renegade, a starred review, calling it “genre fiction at its best.”

In addition to the historical fantasy Boar King’s Honor trilogy, Nancy writes the Light Mage Wars paranormal romances, the Arachnid Files romantic suspense novellas, and the Lethal Webs romantic spy adventures. With Jeanne Adams, she cowrites the Outcast Station science fiction mysteries.

Married since 1987, Nancy and her husband have one son, a bossy dog, and a house full of books.

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Read an interview with Pam Lecky, and have a look at her new book, Her Secret War! #HistoricalFiction #Interview #WW2 @pamlecky

It's my absolute pleasure to welcome onto my blog, Pam Lecky, with an interview and to take a look at her book – it is not out yet, but it sounds so good, I strongly recommend you pre-order it right now!

Her Secret War

Pam Lecky

A moment that ruins her life

On 31st May 1941, Germany drops bombs on neutral Dublin and Sarah Gillespie loses her family and home that fateful night. Days later, the man she loves leaves Ireland to enlist in the RAF.

A decision that changes her life

With nothing to keep her in Ireland and a burning desire to help the war effort, Sarah seeks refuge with relatives in Hampshire, England. But before long, Sarah’s family history catches up with her.

A mission that could cost her life

Sarah is asked to prove her loyalty to Britain through uncovering a spy at Vickers Supermarine, the manufacturers of the legendary Spitfire fighter plane. But to progress with her mission, she must become involved with a fifth columnist. And so the most dangerous game she’s ever played ensues…

Pre-order HERE!

Out on 14th October 2021

INTERVIEW

Writing Interview questions.

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

Up to this, I have written predominantly in the late Victorian era and my Lucy Lawrence Mystery series is great fun to write and set in a period I absolutely love. However, I wanted to stretch myself with something new. I have always been fascinated by the wars of the 20th century, and in particular the murky world of espionage. However, I was keen that whatever I wrote would have a strong Irish flavour. Her Secret War, set during WW2, began to formulate in my head. 

I wanted to begin the story in wartime Dublin. Ireland, still reeling from the War of Independence and the Irish Civil War which quickly followed, declared itself neutral during WW2. And despite Churchill’s attempts to get Ireland to join the Allies, the government stood firm for the duration of the war. 

But then the Luftwaffe bombed Dublin on 31st May 1941. Tragically, twenty-eight men, woman and children died, and ninety were injured. The enclave of North Strand, where the largest bomb fell, was decimated with almost three hundred homes destroyed or damaged and nearly four hundred people were left homeless. Germany claimed they dropped the bombs on North Strand in error and eventually compensated the Irish Government. However, the incident occurred only a couple of miles from where I grew up. As I considered the plot of Her Secret War, I felt this event would be the perfect opening for the book. 

I decided to take my readers on a journey with a strong female lead overcoming the direst of circumstances. My main character, Sarah Gillespie, is the only one of her family to survive the North Strand bombing. Her plight resonates with the thousands who survived similar incidences throughout the war, all over the world. From the ruins of her life, Sarah must make some difficult decisions. Like many Irish, she has family in Britain and when they hold out the offer of a new life and a job, Sarah decides to leave Ireland. Unfortunately, her new life slowly falls apart as she is drawn into the dark world of WW2 espionage.

Both my family and local history inspired Her Secret War. My mother and her sisters left rural Ireland to work in Britain during WW2. One aunt was following her boyfriend who had joined the RAF, and she went to work in a factory making munitions. Another aunt wanted to study nursing, and my mother was a ‘clippie’ on the Birmingham buses. Her Secret War is not their story, but there are glimpses of their experiences hidden amongst the fiction. Her Secret War will be published by Avon Books UK/Harper Collins on 14th October 2021 and is now available for pre-order.

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

Luckily, I have always had an interest in the era, mainly, I suppose, because of my family history. There are a multitude of resources to tap into as well. From the outset, I wanted to write a spy story and I was extremely fortunate to come across a book by Tim Tate, Hitler’s British Traitors. The book was fascinating. I had not realised how large and difficult a problem the fifth columnists in Britain were. Officially, it was always denied, mostly because it was felt the knowledge would damage the morale of the people when they faced such a dangerous enemy. When I found connections with the IRA and Ireland, it tied in perfectly with the Irish angle I wanted for the story.

I was at a slight disadvantage in that I knew a lot about the bigger picture, but not a huge amount about life on the home front. So, I had to spend a lot of time researching the more day-to-day aspects of life in the 1940s. However, research is something I love, and often it throws up ideas for sub-plots or new characters. In this case, I came across a wonderful website all about Vickers Supermarine, the makers of the Spitfire [https://supermariners.wordpress.com]. The owner of the site, David Key, provided a vast amount of invaluable information about the workings of Supermarine at Hursley Park, where much of the story is set.

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

Loyal, headstrong, and brave. My protagonist, Sarah, has a pretty hard time of it in the book. She needed to be all these things to survive. Her loyalty is put to the test throughout.

What was the most challenging part about writing your book?

There was one piece of information that I could not find online or in books. It is only available in the National Archives at Kew in the UK. Until Covid restrictions are lifted, it will not be possible to travel and complete my investigation. Luckily, this information only affects the sequel, which will not be published until 2022, but it bothers me when I do not have an answer to something! As soon as I can, I will be off to London to hunt it down.

What are you currently working on?

Editing work will begin on the sequel to Her Secret War (title yet to be decided) in the next few months. In the meantime, I am finalising the edits on The Art of Deception, which is the third book in my Victorian mystery series (The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries). All going well, this book will be published before the end of the year. During the autumn, I will be working through some ideas for new projects, including a totally new genre I would like to explore.

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

If you have been bitten by the writing bug - just go for it. Tell your stories, your way. Be aware that your voice may not be commercial enough for a publisher, but you have options. Consider self-publishing but only if you are prepared for the financial cost of doing it properly, i.e., cost of editing and getting a professional cover. I was extremely lucky to sign with an agent several years ago, and I do not believe I would be where I am today without her help and guidance. I would also add that an experienced editor is invaluable; you will learn so much about the craft from them.

Personal Interview questions.

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

I am a qualified horticulturist and at one point, I had hoped to be a garden designer. In 2008, I designed and built a show garden in Bloom 2008 (the Irish equivalent of Chelsea). However, the 2008 crash put pay to that ambition. However, I am still a keen gardener and pottering about amongst the plants helps me relax. When I’m not in the garden, you will usually find me out walking along the local beach, or when the weather is inclement, with my nose in a book. 

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

Penang curry – it is such a simple dish to make (I prefer baking to making dinners – so I always go for the easy option!) I’d rather be somewhere in Italy enjoying some fabulous pasta dish or a yummy pizza!

What would be a perfect day?

Walk on the beach, followed by a pleasant lunch with hubby or a friend, and an afternoon sitting in the shade, reading a good book. Chocolate and my fav cocktail (French martini) might also feature!

Either or!

Tea or coffee: Tea

Hot or cold: Cold

Movie or book: Book

Morning person or Night owl: Morning person

City or country: Country

Social Media or book: Book

Paperback or ebook: Eek! Both – paperback for research books, ebook for reading for pleasure.

Pam Lecky is an Irish historical fiction author, writing crime, and mystery with a dash of romance. Pam is represented by the Hardman & Swainson Literary Agency in London. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Society of Authors and has a particular love of the late Victorian era/early 20th Century. 

In November 2020, Pam signed with Avon Books UK/Harper Collins in a two-book deal. The first book in the historical thriller series, Her Secret War, will be published in October 2021; the sequel in 2022.

Her debut novel, The Bowes Inheritance, was awarded the B.R.A.G Medallion; shortlisted for the Carousel Aware Prize 2016; and long-listed for the Historical Novel Society 2016 Indie Award. 

Her short stories are available in an anthology, entitled Past Imperfect, which was published in April 2018. 

June 2019, saw the release of the first book in the Lucy Lawrence Mystery series, No Stone Unturned, a fast-paced Victorian mystery/crime, set in London and Yorkshire which was recently awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion. The sequel, Footprints in the Sand, set in Egypt, was released in March 2020. She is currently working on the third book in the series, The Art of Deception, which will be published in late 2021.

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