Read an excerpt from Pride of Lyon’s by Jenna Jaxon #HistoricalRomance #RegencyRomance @Jenna_Jaxon @GoddessFish

Pride of Lyon’s

By Jenna Jaxon

Enter the world of the most notorious gambling den in London, where matches are made... unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves.

What’s a young lady to do when a powerful lord tries to abscond with her and make her his mistress?

When you’re Miss Honoria Quinn, you leap from his carriage and run like the wind to find some place to hide. Trouble is, Honoria mistakenly chooses The Lyon’s Den, a disreputable gambling house as her sanctuary, a move that ends up with her having to make another choice at the hands of the Den’s match-making proprietor Mrs. Dove-Lyons: wed a complete stranger or become the lord’s mistress.

No good deed goes unpunished…

Thomas, Lord Braeton agrees to attend a wager at The Lyon’s Den only to keep his brother-in-law out of trouble. What he doesn’t count on is becoming embroiled in one of Mrs. Dove-Lyons’s schemes to marry him off. But when he tries to come to the aid of another peer, Thomas finds the only honorable thing he can do to save Miss Quinn’s reputation is put aside his hopes for a love match for himself and instead offer to marry her.

As Thomas and Honoria set out on a wary journey to matrimony, can they learn to live together and hope love will grow between them? Or are they doomed to a loveless marriage of convenience from which one or both will want to escape?

Genre: Historical Romance

Page Length: 167

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EXCERPT

His light amber eyes had turned dark again. Was it a trick of the light in this corridor that did that? It made him look so…hungry.

A shiver raced down her back.

“As today is our wedding day, Honoria…”

Every muscle in her body tensed. Would he go back on his word not to press her so soon? Her heart raced and her body heated. Did she want him to press her?

“Yes?” The single word was barely a breath.

“I wondered if you would allow me…”

She held her breath. Allow him…what?

“A kiss?”

Gasping, Honoria didn’t know whether to laugh or scowl at him. Thomas could be a rascal it seemed. “I believe that would be in order.” They had not even kissed after the ceremony. Papa had always frowned upon such public displays. “It is, as you say, our wedding day.”

“Yes, it is.” Suddenly he loomed so close to her all the air seemed to have been sucked out of the corridor. Gently, he raised her chin and lowered his head until her mouth was mere inches from his. 

Unable to stare into those darkening eyes any longer, Honoria closed hers and waited breathlessly.

Suddenly his lips pressed against her, soft and warm. Everything about the man made her feel warm. He held her head in both hands and turned it ever so slightly, until their mouths seemed to merge into one. With that small change came an overawing feeling of rightness, as though this was the way a kiss was meant to be.

She shifted just a little toward him, drawn ever closer to his masculine presence.

In response, he pressed his lips against her harder, more insistent. 

A thrill of longing shot through her. As though she wanted more of that.

Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets--including two vocal cats, one almost silent cat, two curious bunnies, and a Shar-pei mix named Frenchie.

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Read my review of All-Star Love (A Six Lakes Tennis Academy Novel) by Stephanie J. Scott #ContemporaryRomance #YARomance #NewRelease @StephScottYA

All-Star Love

(A Six Lakes Tennis Academy Novel)

By Stephanie J. Scott

An enemies-to-more fake dating romance set in the world of competitive tennis

Maisie Maxwell planned for a senior year of dazzling college scouts by playing her best tennis. Instead, her beloved tennis training academy is thrown into scandal when the academy founder and head coach, who happens to be her uncle, takes off to Tahiti with the school’s tuition money. Her classmates label her a traitor, but she commits to graduate from the school she loves.

Only her aim to lay low is thwarted by the school’s last-ditch hope to stay open, a new partnership with reality show The Academy.

Also not helping her stay-under-the-radar plan? A wayward forehand shot that nails transfer student Shane Wagner in the face on day one. Shane, obnoxiously gorgeous for starters, is the current number one nationally seeded player in junior boys’ tennis. Oops.

Everyone at school sees Shane as an outsider and fame-seeker. He’s just as much an outcast as Maisie. While reality show producers push for chaos, Shane and Maisie band together with their own idea: pretend to be together and control the narrative.

But the savvy head producer has her own agenda, and it’s not collegiate tennis scholarships. Shane and Maisie need to play hard to save the school before they’re outmatched.

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Sports Romance

Page Length: 301

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MY THOUGHTS

Maisie planned on a relatively normal senior year, with working hard to gain a collage scholarship through her tennis. What she didn’t plan on was Six Lakes, her tennis academy, to fall to its knees when the founder stole the school’s tuition money. When Maisie returns to school for her senior year, most of the pupils have been pulled out of the school, and there are few people still there. The worst thing, though, is that she is outcast as a traitor. The founder, who stole all the money? He was Maisie’s uncle.

In an attempt to keep the school running, a partnership is set up with a reality show, The Academy. Maisie does not care to have her school, and her uncle’s scandal, the subject of a television show, but she doesn’t exactly have a choice. Everyone else seems thrilled at the idea of becoming stars, and getting their names and faces out into the world, where potential sports agents might find them. And with the knowledge that Six Lakes will host The Academy, two new students transfer, although only one really catches Maisie’s attention. And that may or may not be because he is gorgeous, and she accidentally sent a tennis ball flying at his face.

As much as Maisie has been cast aside because of her uncle, Shane Wagner, the transfer student, is thoroughly deemed an outsider and is excluded by most of the school. Somehow, though, Maisie keeps finding herself in his company, and she can’t deny that he isn’t exactly bad company. But with show producers creating drama where there isn’t any, how long can fake relationships remain fake?

Maisie is incredibly committed to her school. Even after her uncle ruined almost everything, she is not about to hide away, or go to a different school. Six Lakes is a place she is proud of, and she wants to make it a place others can be proud of once again. The only problem is the producers of The Academy don’t want to film tennis matches, or drills, or listen to the pupils ramble on about what tennis means to them. They want fights, relationships built and crumbling. They want televised high school drama, which doesn’t exist at Six Lakes. So, they manufacture it. After an unfortunate moment when the producer catches Maisie and Shane alone together, it becomes set that their ‘relationship’ will be important in the show. Maisie and Shane must pretend to be a couple.

The problem that occurs with the show, and camera being everywhere, all the time, is that you can never be entirely sure who is being genuine and who is putting on a front for the show. The students band together to try and control the direction of the show, by manufacturing their own drama, on their own terms, but things quickly turn sour, and gossip, even fake gossip, spreads quicker than wildfire. From the very beginning, with Maisie being unsure about the show, I didn’t think it was a good idea. And when the producers actually arrived? It was clear they had no interest at all in the school, or the welfare of the students. It was sickening the way they categories certain people based on whether or not viewers of the show might care about them, or whether or not they needed more diversity in the show. But even still, everyone had agreed to have the crew there, whether or not they realised it was a bad idea once they arrived. 

Although Maisie and Shane’s relationship itself was mostly fake, it was still wonderful to read about them. They are both outsiders, but neither can see much fault in the other. Maisie wasn’t involved in her uncle’s scandal, and Shane might be at Six Lakes for the show, but he doesn’t have much of an ulterior motive, other than to get him name out there. Both would prefer to focus on tennis then the cameras, and in their similarities, they find themselves starting the like spending time with each other. And although the cameras are often on them, not all of their interactions are fake…

Although Six Lakes is a tennis academy, it almost seems like tennis takes a back burner to the show in this book. Tennis becomes a backdrop to the drama around The Academy, which perfectly sums up what the show is doing to the students. All anyone can talk about is The Academy, rather than tennis, and the fact that the show seems like more of an important topic for the book to focus on further proves what Maisie is feeling when the camera infiltrate her life. I thought this was a very clever way to show the reader exactly how she felt – I would have loved some more focus on tennis, but to the producers, there were more important things to focus on.

There is so much I want to say about this book, although this review would be very long if I mentioned it all. The Academy brings chaos and changes up relationships, whether creating or destroying them. This is an excellent book, which I read in a day, because I simply couldn’t put it down. If you want a drama filled book, this is most certainly the one for you.

Stephanie J. Scott writes young adult and romance about characters who put their passions first. Her debut ALTERATIONS about a fashion-obsessed loner who reinvents herself was a Romance Writers of America RITA® award finalist. She enjoys dance fitness, everything cats, and has a slight obsession with Instagram. A Midwest girl at heart, she resides outside of Chicago with her tech-of-all-trades husband and fuzzy furbabies.

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Read my review of Princess? …I Think Not! (A Princess Series Novel) by Ashley Brooke Robbins #Contemporary #YoungAdult @XpressoTours

Princess? …I Think Not!

(A Princess Series Novel)

By Ashley Brooke Robbins

The Royal Family Just Got a Little Bigger….

My name’s Baily King and I’ve always considered myself different—liking dead roses, cemeteries, reading fully clothed in the bathtub, and howling at the moon whilst dancing naked under it. But, when my grandma, a woman I scarcely remember, comes for a visit, she opens her mouth and my weird world crashes down all over my combat-booted feet.

See, dear Gram is dying and wishes for me to accept my royal name. Turns out she finally left a small village south of Ireland—a village that her and her husband rule. Pfft. No pressure.

Bam, you’re a Princess. Wear your tiara and shut up.

Published by: Inkspell Publishing
Publication date: March 14th 2017

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult 

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MY THOUGHTS

Baily King, a semi-normal teenager. Normal because she has to go to school, and is not yet at the age of being referred to as an adult. ‘Semi’ because, other than that, she is not at all normal. She is an outcast who loves being one, with her group of friends, there is nothing else she wants. 

Baily thinks things are changing dramatically when she decides to start trying to be a nicer person, and manages to get through several school days without talking back, or being told off. In the grand scale of things, though, things barely changed at all. When her grandma turns up, telling Baily that she is a princess, and needs to accept her position, being a nicer person at school seems insignificant. 

Baily struggles to believe it, let alone accept it. She is technically the princess of a small village. Why didn’t her Dad tell her anything about it? Baily has lives with her step-mother, Tina, since losing her father years ago, but still. There was plenty of time for him to have told her they were royalty. 

Something I absolutely loved about this book is that Baily is not your typical YA main character. She is absolutely a perfect depiction of a real, angsty, teenage girl. She is sarcastic, grumpy, hyper… she loves coffee, has sugar highs, and is definitely not a morning person. Baily’s depiction made me fall in love with her character. For her to be the leading voice in this book, for it’s written in first person, so you get to see inside Baily’s head as you read, really made this book incredibly entertaining.

There is definitely a bit of everything in this book. When Spring break rolls around, and Baily finds herself moving into her grandmother’s mansion, she meets new people, in particular, Dimitri. Dimitri is supposed to be her bodyguard, but, along with Ian, her grandmother’s godson, she finds new best friends in Dimitri and Ian. In Dimitri, maybe more. Their relationship was an absolute joy to read about. I think everyone needs a Dimitri in their lives. I would very much like one!

It is difficult to remember, sometimes, the real reason Baily’s grandmother showed up after so long, to finally tell Baily about her royal title – Baily’s grandmother is dying, and needs Baily to accept the title so there is someone to step up to take the crown. As much as Baily is opposed to the idea to begin with, she ends up spending a lot of time with her Gram, and although she has never been the kind of person to talk about her feelings, she finds a family with her Gram that she has been missing. Even with her friends, Baily has felt lonely, and going to stay at her Grams has filled that empty void. So much fun happens that it is easy to forget Baily’s Gram won’t be around forever, and the end is coming sooner than anyone wants. 

This book almost has two different stories within it. The first, Baily at school, with her friends, trying to figure out the whole ‘being nice’ thing, and helping her newest friend, Cat, deal with bullies. The second, Spring break, when all her friends travel away for the holiday, and Tina has to go away on a business trip, and Baily’s grandmother doesn’t want her to be home alone, so she moves into a mansion with her grandmother and various other people instead. This is a very long book, and the ‘first’ part of this book in particular dragged a little. It almost seemed like there were too many subplots, especially with Keith liking Baily, and Cat’s trouble at school, for the book. I completely understand that they were there to add an extra dose of reality, and to show Baily’s life before royalty arrived, but I couldn’t really get into the book properly until the ‘second’ part started. 

I was a little confused at some aspects of this book, such as how Dimitri, who is supposed to be working as a bodyguard, is allowed the freedom to hang out with Ian and Baily, and how there is a royal family for an Irish village, but I did enjoy reading the story, so I let those things slide as I read.

While looking up this book online, I have seen several people compare it to The Princess Diaries. Now, I have never read or watched The Princess Diaries, so I can’t make a comparison, but if you want an honest, sassy, teenaged narrator, and plenty of fun and drama, this is the book for you.

Ashley’s favorite things in life are mythology, history, things that go bump in the night, and everything mystical. One day when she was a teenager, she couldn’t find a book she wanted to read, so she decided to write it herself. And, so it began because she’s twenty-six now.

You’ll most likely find her with her two dogs, bringing something to life, a world through a story, a creature through art, or …something else. Like strong coffee.

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Read an interview with Craig R. Hipkins, author of Clement: The Templar’s Treasure (Clement, Book 3) #HistoricalFiction #YoungAdult #Medieval #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @CraigHipkins @maryanneyarde

Clement: The Templar’s Treasure

(Clement, Book 3)

By Craig R. Hipkins

Clement & Dagena return for another action packed adventure. From the cold and dreary shores of Greenland to the fabled land of Vinland. The legendary treasure of the Knights Templar awaits.

Publication Date: 4th May 2022

Publisher: Hipkins Twins

Page Length: 233 Pages

Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction

Grab a copy HERE!

This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

INTERVIEW

Writing Interview questions.

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

I have been fascinated by medieval times since I was a child, so it was natural for me to write about life in the 12th century. I try to bring the era to life by the characters in my stories. We know quite a lot about this time period in Europe but not a whole lot about what was going on in North America. A good portion of my book, Clement: The Templar’s Treasure takes place in New England, five centuries before the Mayflower. I attempted to compensate for this lack of knowledge by studying the about the indigenous cultures of this region in the 17th century. I then surmised what it might have been like for those same cultures in the 12th century. I found this challenging but fun at the same time.

What is the most surprising thing you discovered while you were researching this era?

Probably one of the most surprising things that I learned while researching this book was the number of Algonquin words that have made their way into the lexicon of the English language. Squash, hickory, and toboggan are just three words that I can think of off the top of my head.

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

One of the things that the blurb does not cover is what the Templar’s Treasure is. I am not going to give the answer, as it would be a spoiler, but I will give the reader of this blog a hint. It is a relic from biblical times and something that the Knights Templar would have treasured.

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

Loyal, Intelligent, and brave.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on another YA novel called Bandy. It takes place in the months preceding the US Civil War and the attack on Fort Sumter. It is about a lonely young boy named Isaac Barker whose only friend is a passenger pigeon named Bandy. He is orphaned after his family dies in a tragic house fire and he goes to live with his elderly uncle in Boston. His uncle is an ardent abolitionist. He sends young Isaac to Virginia to bring back a young slave girl named Joy, who is dying of a brain tumor. However, when he arrives in Virginia, Isaac realizes that his uncle has been duped. Isaac and Joy escape from the plantation and the rest of the novel is filled with excitement and adventure as the two unlikely friends attempt to avoid their evil pursuers. I am currently attempting to find an agent and publisher for this book. 

Personal Interview questions.

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

When I am not writing I would like to be reading and drinking coffee.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A botanist.

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

Dinner tonight is a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup and this is what I would also rather be eating!

Either or!

Tea or coffee: Coffee

Hot or cold: Hot

Movie or book: Book

Morning Person or Night owl: Morning person

City or country: Country

Social Media or book: Book

Paperback or ebook: Paperback

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

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Have a look at Gwenna The Welsh Confectioner (The New Zealand Immigrant Collection) by Vicky Adin #HistoricalFiction #NZBooks #WomensFiction #FamilySaga #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @VickyAdin @maryanneyarde

Gwenna The Welsh Confectioner

(The New Zealand Immigrant Collection)

By Vicky Adin

Against overwhelming odds, can she save her legacy?

Gwenna's life is about to change. Her father is dead and the family business on the brink of collapse. Thwarted by society, the plucky sweet maker refuses to accept defeat.

Amid the bustling vibrancy of Auckland’s Karangahape Road, she promised her father she would fulfil his dreams and save her legacy. But thanks to her overbearing stepbrother that legacy is at risk. Gwenna must find hidden strengths and fight for her rights if she is to keep her promise. 

She falls in love with the cheeky and charming Johnno, but just when things are beginning to look up, disaster strikes. Throughout the twists and turns of love and tragedy, Gwenna is irrepressible. She refuses to relinquish her goal and lets nothing and no one stand in her way. Blind to anything that could distract her, Gwenna overlooks the most important person in her life, putting her dreams, her family, and her chance at happiness in jeopardy.

Publication Date: 24th July 2017

Publisher: Vicky Adin Author

Page Length: 396 Pages

Genre: Historical Women’s Fiction

Gwenna The Welsh Confectioner • Brigid The Girl from County Clare • The Costumier's Gift

Vicky Adin is a family historian in love with the past. Like the characters in her stories, she too, is an immigrant to New Zealand, arriving a century after her first protagonists and ready to start a new life. 

Born in Wales, she grew up in Cornwall until aged 12. Her family emigrated to New Zealand, a country she would call home. Vicky draws on her affinity for these places in her writing. Fast forward a few years, and she marries a fourth-generation Kiwi bloke with Irish, Scottish and English ancestors and her passion for genealogy flourishes.

The further she dug into the past the more she wanted to record the lives of the people who were the foundations of her new country. Not just her ancestors but all those who braved the oceans and became pioneers in a raw new land. Her research into life as it was for those immigrants in the mid-late 1800s and early 1900s gave her enough material to write about the land left behind and the birth of a new nation for many years. 

Vicky holds a MA(Hons) in English, is a lover of art, antiques, gardens, good food and red wine. She and her husband travel throughout New Zealand in their caravan and travel the world when they can. She hopes that younger generations also enjoy learning about the past through her stories as much as she had in writing them. 

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Read an excerpt from The Right Kind of Unexpected By Rayna York #YoungAdult #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance @XpressoTours

The Right Kind of Unexpected

By Rayna York

Tess hasn’t experienced many kindnesses in her eighteen years. When her boyfriend abandons her at a small-town gas station, it’s just one more crappy event to add to the pile. Without a car, money, or cell phone, her options are limited, and calling her parents isn’t one of them. So when the family that owns the business throws her a lifeline, she grabs hold. Because even the worst situations can have a silver lining, and this one is a town called Jasper Creek, a diner everyone calls Earl’s, and a young mechanic named Colten Reed.

Rayna York’s standalone novel gives readers the small-town romance they crave with enough feels to make the heart sing. It’s the perfect feel-good, summer romance.

Publication date: June 18th 2022

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

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EXCERPT

I rush to the bathroom at the side of the building and lock the door behind me. I can’t deal with this anymore. I grip the sides of the pedestal sink and drop my head, breathing deep. In, out, in, out, fighting for calm.

Why? Why did I think this was a good idea?

Three days ago, Dax and I were on our way to a gallery opening when I mentioned I’d never been to Disney World. He said he hadn’t either. I commented on how it would be fun to jump in the car and go. High school graduation was over, my parents were in Europe, I didn’t have any plans for the summer, so the next afternoon we were on the road.

Bad idea.

Horrible.

The worst.

I lift my sunglasses to the top of my head and startle at the red-rimmed, brown-eyed zombie staring back at me. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since we left, and I forgot to take my makeup off last night, then Dax was in such a hurry this morning.

Maybe our relationship was always a mess. I don’t know. We’ve only been together for six months. In New York, Dax and I got along great. There were parties, restaurants, people, and places to fill our time. Now, without the distractions and being stuck together in mostly confined spaces, I realize we don’t have as much in common as I thought. But it’s more than that. He needs to be right about everything and nags me until I concede to his views. I never noticed him doing that before. There are a lot of things I didn’t notice before.

I use a little soap and water on a paper towel and clean the black smears from around my eyes. It cleans the makeup off perfectly, but the dark circles and puffiness remain. I slide a hair elastic from around my wrist and pull my brown mop of humid-induced frizz into a messy bun.

With a deep sigh, I slide my glasses back over my eyes and push the door open into the bright sunlight. I take in the beautiful field dotted with wildflowers behind the gas station, then close my eyes and lift my face to the sun, disregarding the intensity on my pale skin. I breathe in the fragrant smell of green that only a sweltering heat can produce.

It’s time to put an end to this impromptu adventure. It ceased being fun after the first five hours. And it’s my car, my time, my money. With renewed strength, I turn on my heels, ready to confront Dax and get my car keys back. I’m heading home with or without my soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend. I can drop him off at a bus station if he wants to continue the trip.

I round the corner of the building. Wait, what? Where is it?

I walk to the two ancient gas pumps and turn in a circle, taking in the white building with peeling paint, and everything else in the three-hundred-and-sixty-degree radius, but the car is nowhere in sight. I walk to the other side of the building, thinking he might have parked in a different location while getting something from inside, but the car isn’t there either.

Rayna York grew up with hippie parents that liked to adventure. Where change was the norm, books were her constant—a way to escape. As an adult, many careers came and went, but writing has always been her passion. Everything I knew to be true is her first published novel.

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Find out the top ten places Julie Catherine, author of Paranormal Bonds (The High Council Witch Chronicles), likes to write #YoungAdult #Fantasy #YAFantasy @XpressoTours

Paranormal Bonds

(The High Council Witch Chronicles)

By Julie Catherine

When Mae Kingsley is forced to move into her family’s rundown lake house, she discovers small town living is not as simple as it seems. Bursts of violence, silent treatments, archaic rituals and two very cute guys with seriously mysterious motives all appear with the rising of the new moon.

But that’s nothing compared to the family secrets soon to be revealed. A box sealed in a vault, hidden rooms, naked swimming. There’s a trove of family revelations just beneath the floorboards, waiting to be exposed.

As the paranormal bonding season for the High Council Witches begins, Mae must quickly decide who to trust and who to fear before a deadly family tradition repeats itself and her chance to live a normal life completely disappears.

Publication date: April 12th 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult 

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Julie Catherine's top ten favourite places to write...

 

I should preface this list, I write the first draft of my books by hand. On paper. It gives me a lot of freedom to roam. Here’s my top ten favourite places to write:  

 

1. In my office arm chair.  

2. On the 2nd floor screened in porch 

3. In a busy coffee shop 

4. Lying on my stomach on my bed 

5. Feet up on an ottoman on the patio outside 

6.  At a desk with a thunderstorm youtube video playing really loud 

7. Sitting in nature  

8. Sometimes I ‘write’ by recording my voice on long walks, then when I get home, I transcribe the audio 

9. Sitting on the couch while a baseball game is on tv (especially if there’s no score) 

10. Gently floating in a boat 

Julie Catherine is an author, screenwriter and playwright.

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Read an interview with Tony Riches, author of Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer (The Elizabethan Series, Book 3) #Elizabethan #Tudors #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @tonyriches @maryanneyarde

Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer

(The Elizabethan Series, Book 3)

By Tony Riches

Tudor adventurer, courtier, explorer and poet, Sir Walter Raleigh has been called the last true Elizabethan.

He didn’t dance or joust, didn’t come from a noble family, or marry into one. So how did an impoverished law student become a favourite of the queen, and Captain of the Guard?

The story which began with the best-selling Tudor trilogy follows Walter Raleigh from his first days at the Elizabethan Court to the end of the Tudor dynasty.

Publication Date: 1st May 2022

Page Length: 332 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Preseli Press

Grab a copy HERE!

This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

INTERVIEW

Writing Interview questions.

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

I was born in Pembroke, birthplace of Henry Tudor, and decided to tell the story of the Tudor Dynasty, from Welshman Owen Tudor’s first meeting with Queen Catherine of Valois to the last days of Queen Elizabeth I.  This is my ninth book about the Tudors, so I’ve become quite an expert on their lives and times.

Pembroke Castle, Wales

What is the most surprising thing you discovered while you were researching this era?

Most of the things I thought I knew about Sir Walter Raleigh proved to be wrong. Raleigh is credited with introducing the potato and tobacco to Britain, but I’ve seen no evidence for either, or for the popular tale of a servant throwing water over him when he mistook Raleigh’s pipe for a fire.

Even the story of Raleigh laying down his cloak down for the queen to walk in a ‘plashy place’ at Greenwich is also questionable. First recorded by Thomas Fuller, (born twenty years after the event), the story, in ‘Worthies of England’, was not published until 1662.

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

Raleigh became obsessed with exploring the New World and creating a settlement at Roanoke, but Queen Elizabeth refused permission for him to go, even when he named the land ‘Virginia’ in her honour.

Elizabethan Gardens, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo, Roanoke Island, North Carolina (Wikimedia Commons)

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

Ambitious, innovative and adventurous.

What are you currently working on?

I’m researching three books on ladies of the Elizabethan Court, which makes a change after writing about three men. As well as having a privileged ‘insider’ view of the queen and her world, they are less well known, so make intriguing subjects.

Personal Interview questions.

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

I’m a keen motorcyclist, and have a collection of motorcycles, including a vintage Norton Commando. I also enjoy sailing and kayaking around the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast and River Cleddau.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to become a journalist, and regularly wrote for a range of magazines and journals, although I served with the Royal Air Force before becoming a director of the National Health Service. I then had a senior career in Local Government, leaving to become a full time author ten years ago – and I have never looked back.  

Either or!

Tea or coffee: Tea

Hot or cold: Hot

Movie or book: Book

Morning person or Night owl: Lark

City or country: Country

Social Media or book: Book

Paperback or ebook: Paperback

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the lives of the Tudors. He also runs the popular ‘Stories of the Tudors’ podcast, and posts book reviews, author interviews and guest posts at his blog, The Writing Desk. For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and find him on Facebook and Twitter @tonyriches

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Find out about Kristen L. Jackson's book, And Time Stopped: Dimension 9 (Keeper of the Watch, #3) #YoungAdult #Fantasy #YAFantasy @KLJacksonAuthor @XpressoTours

And Time Stopped: Dimension 9

(Keeper of the Watch, #3)

By Kristen L. Jackson

After a smooth jump to Dimension 9, Chase, Alyx, and chimera pup, Bo, discover that this world’s peaceful existence only extends as far as the local high school. A different kind of battle wages there, and the identity of the school bully is a surprise they never anticipated. When Chase decides they have no choice but to enroll at Dune Harbor High and repeat their senior year, Alyx is less than thrilled. But the two soon discover the influence just one person can have over the decisions, lives, and even deaths, of those around them. While they try to prevent one tragedy, another one unfolds even as Chase unravels one more piece of his family history. What he discovers will leave him reeling, and his life will never be the same.

Publication date: June 9th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, Young Adult 

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And now I will pass you over to Kristen L. Jackson, to talk about writing this book!

When I set out to write AND TIME STOPPED, the third book in the Keeper of the Watch Series, I knew it was going to be my hardest novel to write to date. 

You see, I had decided that there were some truly important topics that needed to be addressed, and honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to it. The topics—teen bullying and teen suicide—saddened me in a way that I wasn’t sure where to begin. 

I wish we lived in a world where these things were not real issues that teens in America face every day. I wish I could make it all go away. But I realized my wishing was wasting time. These kinds of wishes are fantasies, much like a novel. So, I decided to address these dark topics head-on. 

I began writing. The writing was slow, because it was painful for me to bring these issues to life in my novel. It was mentally painful for me to have my characters, my friends, go through this kind of tragedy. 

These topics, though hard to write and certainly hard to read, are real. Bullying happens in every school, in every state, in every country. Sometimes, bullying does so much damage that it can lead to suicide. Teens face stress and feelings of inadequacy every day as it is. Add bullying to that, and it can be fatal. 

I’m hopeful that in writing this book, it will help open up the topic of teen bullying and teen suicide for discussion with my readers. Opening up a dialogue is the key to preventing tragedy from happening.

I tried so hard to weave through the book a feeling of hope. Hope that things can change. Hope that things will get better if you hang on and seek help. Hope that teens will see there is another way. 

If you know someone who is bullied, or if you know someone who is a bully, don’t be afraid to tell someone. It just might save a life. 

Kristen L. Jackson lives in Reading, PA, with her husband, two grown sons, and four large-breed dogs. She has been a teacher for over 20 years, and writing for children of all ages is close to her heart. Her debut novels KEEPER OF THE WATCH and MAGIC HARBOR (Books 1 & 2) are available now, as well as a novella, DIMENSION KEEPER, which is the prequel to the series. A children’s picture book, JOCELYN’S BOX OF SOCKS, (2019 1st Place Pencraft Award Winner) is also available now. Kristen enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with her family at their cabin in the Pocono Mountains of PA. Follow Kristen on Social Media:

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