Read an interview with N.L. Holmes, author of The Moon That Fell from Heaven #Hittites #WomenProtagonists #PoliticalIntrigue #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @nlholmesbooks @cathiedunn

The Moon That Fell from Heaven 

By N.L. Holmes

Ehli-nikkalu, eldest daughter of the Hittite emperor, is married to a mere vassal of her father's. But despite her status, her foreignness and inability to produce an heir drive a wedge between her and the court that surrounds her. When her secretary is mysteriously murdered while carrying the emperor a message that would indict the loyalty of his vassal, Ehli-nikkalu adopts the dead man’s orphaned children out of a guilty sense of responsibility.


A young cousin she has never met becomes a pretender to the throne and mobilizes roving armies of the poor and dispossessed, which causes the priority of her loyalties to become even more suspect. However, Ehli-nikkalu discovers a terrible secret that could destabilize the present regime if the pretender ever learns of it.


With the help of a kindly scribe, her brave young ward, and an embittered former soldier trapped in debt and self-doubt, Ehli-nikkalu sets out to save the kingdom and prove herself to her father. And along the way, she learns something about love.

Publication Date: September 26th, 2023

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Page Length: 307

Genre: Historical fiction

Grab a copy HERE!

INTERVIEW

Writing Interview questions.


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

I taught a course in which I had assigned research on the divorce trial of a queen of Ugarit (part of the backstory of this book) as an exercise. That got me interested in the interrelationship between Hatti and its vassal, the fabulous little kingdom of Ugarit in the waning generations of the Bronze Age. The very first book I wrote (The Queen’s Dog) was a fictionalized look at that divorce, and this one picked up seventeen years later when its effects have had time to fester.


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



Not a lot is known about this society in some ways. We only have tantalizing snippets left in the recovered archives that survived the collapse of the kingdom in the early 12th century. We have a good idea of the palace’s ground-floor plan, but not of the arrangement of upstairs rooms, so I had to exercise some plausible reconstruction there. The historical framework of Moon is a mashup of little bits of historical incidents that are hinted at in the archives, improbable as they sometimes seem. For example, the kidnapping of the queen may really have happened, although some scholars believe that’s a mistaken translation. One of the most interesting archaeological facts I discovered wasn’t used in this book but in Queen’s Dog—the amazing sewer system that drained the site.


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



One of the most interesting aspects of Ugarit was the degree of visibility/power exercised by women, despite a basically patriarchal social framework. For example, the influence of the king’s mother, which parallels that of the tawananna in the Hittite Empire – almost a second king. That encouraged me tell a story as lived out by women of several different ages and classes. I think they all show themselves to be strong characters, willing to stand up to men’s expectations.


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


Well, there are three protagonists, and so I’ll give them each a word! Ehli-nikkalu, the emperor’s daughter—genuine. She has defended her psyche by standing on her rank, but we quickly see how deeply human she is and ready to empathize. She can take humiliation and grow from it. She can take the risks of love. Amaya, the aristocratic orphan—courageous. She has stepped into the breach to care for her dying mother, to protect her siblings, and ultimately to save a life at the risk of her own. If she ever seems submissive, it’s because she has the courage to sacrifice herself. Ili-milku, the chief scribe, a poet—kindness. He can’t help getting involved in the lives of his subordinates because he genuinely cares about them. And he helps the queen not for any political consideration but because she’s a human being in distress.


What was the most challenging part about writing your book? 

Moon first appeared as an experiment in the Kindle Vella format—as an online serial, composed of brief episodes. I didn’t have the luxury of writing the book in the usual way and then cutting it up afterwards, as I did with a subsequent one. Instead, I had to keep one jump ahead of the weekly episode’s appearance, forking them over as I finished them! And since I’m a person who follows the characters to discover the plot then goes back and smoothes out the bumps, this was very difficult.


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



I actually based this book on a previous version that had sat in my drawer for a while, discarded because the characters had never gelled for me, hence I couldn’t find the plot. It had always seemed too episodic to me. But I don’t think I dumped any particular event, just integrated the old ones better. There was a scene with the king’s sister, but it really didn’t have any bearing on the plot.


What are you currently working on?


I’m working on a third book in one of my Egyptian series, the Hani’s Daughter Mysteries. The book is Wheel of Evil. Book two is ready to launch in January or February of ’24.


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


Get a good content editor and line editor. After they’ve polished things up, you can be confident that what you’re offering readers is a professional piece of work. And more important, understand what they’re telling you and make it your own. The next book will be so much better! It’s like a course in creative writing.




Personal Interview questions.


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



I hike, garden, weave, dance, play the violin, and used to drive a jog cart, but fear of injury has curbed my equestrian adventures. I cook and can a lot. And, of course, read. I don’t think I’ve ever been bored in my life.


What did you want to be when you grew up?


There was a moment when I wanted to be an ornithologist, but pretty early on, I turned to archaeology and stuck with that goal.


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



Nettle pie, Greek style. The only thing I would want to add is a little feta—I didn’t have any.


What would be a perfect day?



No place to go and nothing particular to do—just hang out on the farm, read, write, enjoy my barnyard fowl. I’ve become a real admirer of geese.


What is the best part of your day?



The evening, after the cats and birds are in, the shutters are closed, there’s a fire in the fireplace, and some great music playing. My workday is finished. My husband and I are a really boring couple!




Either or!

Tea or coffee: coffee

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: paperback

N.L. Holmes is the pen name of a professional archaeologist who received her doctorate from Bryn Mawr College. She has excavated in Greece and in Israel and taught ancient history and humanities at the university level for many years. She has always had a passion for books, and in childhood, she and her cousin used to write stories for fun.

These days she lives in France with her husband, two cats, geese, and chickens, where she gardens, weaves, dances, and plays the violin.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Pinterest • Amazon Author Page • Tumblr • BookBub • LinkedIn • Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE!

Have a look at The Winds of Change by Joan Fallon #historicalfiction #adventure #Andalusia #SpanishCivilWar #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn

The Winds of Change 
By Joan Fallon

The Winds of Change is a story of love, loyalty and betrayal on the eve of the Spanish Civil War, when the country is political turmoil with strikes and demonstrations, unemployment is high and the people are starving. 

In this complicated love triangle we meet Ramon, a member of the Republican Left, who has accidentally killed a policeman and is on the run from the Guardia Civil and Hugo, the son of the wealthy owner of a local sherry bodega. Both men are in love with Clementina, the beautiful daughter of a well-known gypsy horse trader but there are obstacles in both their paths.

Hugo finds that when he tries to see Clementina again, both his parents and hers do everything they can to stop him.

Meanwhile Ramon's brother, Pedro, is arrested and imprisoned because he will not reveal his brother's whereabouts to the Guardia Civil. Now Ramon has to choose between his brother and the woman he loves.

This fast moving historical novel is a story of love, politics, class prejudice, intrigue and betrayal in the year leading up to the Spanish Civil War.

Publication Date: 30th September 2023
Publisher: independently published
Page Length: 322
Genre: historical fiction / 20th century

Grab a copy HERE!

This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

Teacher, management trainer and business woman, the Scottish-born novelist, Joan Fallon moved from the UK to Spain in 1998 and dedicated herself to full-time writing. She is now the self-published author of eighteen books, many of which are historical novels set in southern Spain, and  focus on two distinct periods in the country’s history, the Spanish Civil War and Moorish Spain. More recently she had turned her attention to writing contemporary crime fiction, with a series of novels entitled The Jacaranda Dunne Mysteries but her love of historical fiction has lured her back to writing about Spain in the 20th century in her latest novel The Winds of Change.

 

Website • Facebook • Instagram • Amazon Author Page • LinkedIn • Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE!

Read an excerpt from If It’s the Last Thing I Do by David Fitz-Gerald #HistoricalThriller #HistoricalFiction #1970s #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @AuthorDAVIDFG @cathiedunn

If It’s the Last Thing I Do

By David Fitz-Gerald

It's 1975, and Misty Menard unexpectedly inherits her father's business in Lake Placid, New York. It never occurred to her that she could wind up as the CEO of a good old-fashioned manufacturing company.

After years of working for lawyers, Misty knows a few things about the law. Her favorite young attorney is making a name for himself, helping traditionally owned companies become employee owned, using a little-known, newly-passed law. When he offers to help Misty convert Adirondack Dowel into an ESOP, pro bono, Misty jumps at the chance. 

The employees are stunned, the management team becomes hostile, and the Board of Directors is concerned. Misfortune quickly follows the business transformation. A big customer files for bankruptcy. A catastrophic ice jam floods the business. Stagflation freezes the economy. A mysterious shrouded foe plots revenge. Misty's family faces a crisis. The Trustee is convinced something fishy is going on, the appraiser keeps lowering the company's value, and the banker demands additional capital infusions. Misty thought she had left her smoking addiction and alcoholism in the past, but when a worker's finger is severed in an industrial accident, Misty relapses.

Disasters threaten to doom the troubled company. After surviving two world wars and the Great Depression, it breaks Misty's heart to think that she has destroyed her father's company. All she wants is to cement her father's legacy and take care of the people who built the iconic local business. Can a quirky CEO and her loyal band of dedicated employee owners save an heirloom company from foreclosure, repossession, and bankruptcy?

Get your copy of the thrilling If It's the Last Thing I Do now... if it's the last thing you do!

Publication Date: August 15, 2023

Publisher: Historium Press

Page Length: 329

Genre: Historical Thriller

Grab a copy HERE!

EXCERPT

During my first week at Adirondack Dowel and Spindle Company, I learned a lot about Father's employees by greeting them in the morning and seeing them off each day, to the chagrin of the general manager. I was determined not to let The Three Stooges make me lose my cool. But Moe, Larry, and Curly must not be permitted to have their way. Whether they liked it or not, I was the owner and president of the Adirondack Dowel and Spindle Company, and that meant that I had the right to do with the company as I deemed best. The sooner they came to accept it, the better, as far as I was concerned. Despite my determination, I dreaded the confrontation and it rattled me all weekend, knowing that it was coming. Comparing them to famous comedians amused me, but there was nothing funny about my predicament.

After everyone arrived, I asked Joanne to inform Stuart, Art, and Doyle that I wanted to meet with them in my office at 10. Judging by the looks on their faces, they didn't appreciate being sent for. Maybe they didn't like the idea of being called to a meeting, or perhaps they took issue with the short notice. I had set five chairs so that we could face one another.

Doyle crossed his arms over his chest, sat back in his chair, and spread his legs widely. His red cheeks and scowling face made him look angry and there was no mistaking his dark mood.

The business manager's small frame squirmed on his seat, and he cast his gaze about the room as if he were looking for a safe corner in which to hide. His fingers tapped on his leg, one after the other in a repetitive loop. He never made eye contact with me, and I couldn't help wondering why he had brought his briefcase with him. I began to wonder what he carried that was so important to him that he couldn't be apart from it.

Stuart had a smirk on his face and I couldn't tell whether he was amused by the novelty of meeting with his colleagues, entertained by the predicament I had found myself in, or eager to watch the sparks fly. Some people revel in drama at work, to help pass the time or lessen the dullness of their daily routines.

Joanne looked surprised when I called her in and asked her to bring her stenographer's notebook. "Would you take notes for our meeting? I'd like to keep a record of the things we discuss and the decisions we make." Joanne crossed her legs, set the notebook on her lap, and prepared to record the first meeting I had ever conducted at work. At the law firm, I'd attended quite a few, but running meetings was new territory for me.

I took a deep breath and looked at Doyle. "We are the leaders of this company, and I think it is important that we work together to make it better. Every Monday morning, I'd like us to sit down together like we're doing now."

Doyle blew air through his lips like a toddler in his highchair rejecting unwanted baby food. "Why on earth would we want to do that? Meetings are just a waste of time. Every minute someone is talking is a minute they're not working. I've got real work to do. There are two lathes out there that need fixing, and dozens of employees that need watching over. Employees slow down to half speed when nobody's watching. You know that, don't you?"

I was prepared for Doyle's arguments. "Communicating is crucial. When we know what's important to one another, we can help each other out. And I'd like to think you could place more faith and confidence in our workers, Doyle."

"Shows what you know. If I don't ride herd on them, they'll take advantage and before you know it, nobody will get anything done. I went to business school, missy, and I spent a couple of years in the army. So I know a few things about subordinates, and if I've learned one thing, it is that people need to be told what to do."

I can't help wondering whether Doyle recognizes that the general manager of a company reports to its president. How could he not know that? Coolly, I said, "My name is Misty, not Missy. You should be very proud of our workers, but I don't want them to feel like soldiers."

I hoped to move on to another subject, but Doyle wasn't willing to drop the matter yet. He practically spat his words at me. "What's wrong with feeling like a soldier? And since when do we care how they feel? They are paid to do a job. I expect them to do it. I'm not going to burp and diaper them or wipe their noses."

Doyle was pushing my patience to the limit, but I reminded myself that I wasn't going to lose my temper. I placed my hands on my knees, leaned forward, and said, "We're not at war, Doyle. People deserve to be treated with respect and decency. Yes, they should do a fair day's work for their pay, but they should also know why they're doing the things they're doing. I believe any task can be performed with dignity as long as one knows why that task is important and how it contributes to the reason we're all here."

The retort came hot and fast. "If I want them to do something, I'll tell them what to do, and they'll do it without a fuss, by God, or they'll find themselves in the unemployment line so fast their heads will spin. As long as I'm the general manager here, I run the factory, and we'll do it my way."

That's when I lost it. I could feel my face twist with rage. I was so angry, I didn't know exactly what I was saying, but Joanne wrote it all down. Spittle flew from my lips as I screamed at the man. "This is my company. You work for me. If I want you to sit in a meeting all day, that's what you're going to do. I'll treat you with respect, but if you can't do the same for me, it will be your head spinning in the unemployment line." I could feel the daggers shooting from my eyes into his perpetually worried-looking forehead. My hands balled into fists, and I pounded my knees with each word as I finished, "Is that clear, Mr. Polk?"

He answered firmly with one word, "Yes." But I heard, "Yes, sir." It was clear to me that he understood and was deferring to me because I was his superior officer and for no other reason. That would have to do.

I looked at the clock and was surprised to see how little time had passed. I wished that I could have a few minutes by myself to collect my wits before continuing. In my imagination, a smoke break provided a brief interlude. Instead, I swallowed hard and looked from person to person. "The next thing I want to talk about is our profits. Friday afternoon, I met with our accountant, Vernon Crawford. He has finished the company's taxes for last year. We just barely squeaked out a surplus. The good news is that we will not have to pay a lot of taxes, but Mr. Crawford said that a successful business needs to generate income in order to grow and prosper. If it loses money, it cannot survive, and we came close to losing money last year. I know everyone is working hard but we're not making money. If you have any thoughts about that, I'd like to hear them. If you want to think about it, we'll talk about it again next week. Perhaps we should discuss it every week."

Doyle found his voice again. "Hey, my job is to get the product made and delivered on time. The rest is up to Art and Stuart. Maybe you should get up in their business instead of mine."

Trying to regain my composure, I said, "I don't want to get up in anybody's business. I want to work together so that the company can make a profit."

I looked from Doyle to Art, but Stuart spoke instead. He said, "I thought you cared how the people felt, not about how much money you make."

"If we all work hard, we should all expect to make more money, shouldn't we Stuart?"

The sales manager grinned, shrugged, and nodded.

"That's why I'd like to put in a profit-sharing program. When we make a profit, we should distribute a portion of it as a bonus, and everyone in the company will share it. Most of the profits have to go back into the company, but I think if we're successful, we should be able to give ten percent of it back to the employees."

Art's eyebrows twitched frightfully. "Oh, no, no. That will never do. What if the customers find out? They'll demand we drop our prices. There won't be any money in the checkbook by the time we're through."

"I think it will be alright, Art. As long as we charge a fair price, it is up to our company to decide how to split the profits. Anyway, think about the bonus idea, and also think about how we can make a fair profit. We'll talk again about it next week."

We'd covered a lot of ground, but we still hadn't filled an hour yet. I asked Stuart what he could tell us about his visits with our customers. He sat up and talked about his plans to visit hardware stores downstate, but it was clear that Doyle and Art weren't listening. Warning bells went off in my head, but I stopped Stuart anyway. I said, "I'm sorry, why isn't anybody paying attention to Stuart?"

Doyle said, "That's just sales talk. I don't want to hear about all the time Stuart spends skiing, golfing with customers, and plying customers with martinis during two-hour-long lunches at the country club. I'll pay attention to the orders when they come in. Getting the orders is Stuart's problem. Figuring out how much to charge is Art's job. What's it to me?"

I held my head in my hands, frustrated, and said, "Don't you numbskulls get it? We're all in this together. If we succeed, we succeed together. If we flounder, we all suffer. If the ship goes down, we're all sunk. That's what I'm trying to tell you."

Art said, "It's eleven o'clock. Time's up. I have to get to the post office and pick up the mail, and then the bank." His bony fingers grabbed the briefcase handle as he stood and backed away from the group as if fearful of turning his back to us.

I shook my head and looked up at the ceiling just as a spider dropped from a long strand of web and landed on my face. I jumped to my feet, slapped my face, and knocked over my chair. My management team was gone, but Joanne hurried to my side. Thank heavens for Joanne.

David Fitz-Gerald writes historical fiction in his spare time, with the hope of transporting readers to another time and place.

If It's the Last Thing I Do is his 7th novel.

Dave has worked for more than 30 years as an accountant, employee owner, and member of the management team at a "silver" ESOP (employee-owned) company. He has championed the cause in national, non-profit association leadership roles.

Dave’s family roots run deep in the Adirondacks, going back generations. He attended college and worked at a deli in Saranac Lake during the 1980s. He spent two summers as an elf at Santa’s Workshop on Whiteface Mountain in the 1970s and is an Adirondack 46-er, which means he has hiked all of New York’s highest peaks.

LinkTree • Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Amazon Author Page • Pinterest • Goodreads  • LinkedIn 

Follow the tour HERE!

Read about who Anna Belfrage wrote her series, and check out Times of Turmoil by Anna Belfrage #AmericanColonialHistory #timetravel #historicalfiction #historicalromance @abelfrageauthor @cathiedunn

Times of Turmoil
By Anna Belfrage

It is 1718 and Duncan Melville and his time traveller wife, Erin, are concentrating on building a peaceful existence for themselves and their twin daughters. Difficult to do, when they are beleaguered by enemies.

Erin Melville is not about to stand to the side and watch as a child is abused—which is how she makes deadly enemies of Hyland Nelson and his family.

Then there’s that ghost from their past, Armand Joseph Chardon, a person they were certain was dead. Apparently not. Monsieur Chardon wants revenge and his sons are tasked with making Duncan—and his wife—pay. 

Things aren’t helped by the arrival of Duncan’s cousin, fleeing her abusive husband. Or the reappearance of Nicholas Farrell in their lives, as much of a warped bully now as he was when he almost beat Duncan to death years ago. Plus, their safety is constantly threatened as Erin is a woman of colour in a time and place where that could mean ostracism, enslavement or even death.

Will Duncan and Erin ever achieve their simple wish – to live and love free from fear of those who wish to destroy them?

Publication Date: September 29th, 2023

Publisher: Timelight Press

Page Length: 382 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction / Time Travel Romance

Grab a copy HERE!

This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

GUEST POST

One book, I’m telling you. ONE! – of writing series

Whenever I start writing a new book, I aim for a stand-alone. When Duncan Melville—whom I’d left behind as a sad ten-year-old in 1696 began making his presence known again, now as an adult man, I thought “okay, I’ll give him one book. He deserves some closure, poor guy.” 

Ha! I should have learned from my previous mistakes. After all, Duncan saw the light of day in the seventh book of my ten-book series The Graham Saga, the unfortunate consequence of rape. 

When The Whirlpools of Time started to take shape in my head, it mainly pivoted round Duncan. I had this feeling that something extraordinary was going to happen to this 18th century lawyer, happily returned to the colonies after years studying in Europe. Then Erin Barnes danced into my head, and she was sort of golden all over and had these gorgeous green eyes, and Duncan rose to his feet, gaping at this apparition. Okay, okay, Duncan was just as much of an apparition, as all of this was taking place inside my head. What can I say? My brain is very fertile ground . . .

“Her,” he said, looking at me (and let’s not get into how he can look at me while being INSIDE my head). I looked her over, noting that she was wearing jeans and a plain T-shirt. Oh, dear. Erin, it seemed, was from another time.

“Fix it,” Duncan said, thereby echoing his grandfather. Matthew Graham said the same thing when he, somewhat dour 17th century Scottish Presbyterian, caught sight of Alex Lind in a bright red jacket and worn Converse. 

“Hmm, “ I said, because this was when I started suspecting that my one book project could potentially become a—wait for it—a NEW series. “No, no, no,” I muttered, banging my head against my desk. You see, I become totally enthralled by the characters in my series. I suddenly develop this huge need to know everything about them, how their children fare once grown up, where they live, where they die, how they survive all those vile enemies I throw their way. The peeps in my series become family. I love them, I cry with them, they take my emotions hostage and, at some point, comes the moment when I have to wave goodbye to them, and it HURTS. Much, much more than I imagine it hurts if you’ve only written one book about them. 

But there I was. In one corner, Duncan Melville who was looking at Erin as if she were his very own personal miracle. In the other, Erin, who was somewhat uncomfortable under Duncan’s intent gaze. “What’s with him?” she whispered, sneaking him a quick look. She liked what she saw, how else to explain all the other quick looks in his direction, or how the tip of her tongue appeared, wetting her lips. 
“He wants to meet you,” I told her.
Erin’s brows rose. “Seriously? But he’s like what? Three hundred years older than me?”
Give or take. But at the same time, he is only twenty-nine to her twenty-six. Eri
n faded away with a mild snort. Duncan looked as if he was about to die. Well, I couldn’t have that, could I?

Which is why I decided that Duncan had inherited more than DNA from his grandmother Alex. He had also inherited her propensity to fall through time. One massive thunderstorm later, and there was Duncan, confused and injured in Erin’s time. 

At the time, I was still insisting on a one book story. I was also quite convinced the story would play out in contemporary time, with Duncan being the shell-shocked time traveller. Thing is, I love writing about the past. And then there was that unfortunate artifact that Erin’s father had found, and wham!, Erin and Duncan were now in 1715. 

Halfway through writing The Whirlpools of Time I knew there’d be at least one more book. Why? Because I’d realised just what an infected issue it was that Erin was a woman of colour. In The Whirlpools of Time, Erin and Duncan are mostly in Scotland and England, and while there were many preconceived notions about people of colour there—and a lot of gawking, because many had never seen someone as exotically beautiful as Erin—the true pain point would not arise until they were back on American soil. 

I hesitated, though. I’d never set out to explore the issues of racial discrimination in Colonial America—it is a sensitive subject. But Erin was indubitably a woman of colour, and in The Whirlpools of Time I had them settling in Pennsylvania, hoping for some much required peace and quiet after what I’d just put them through.

As anyone who reads Times of Turmoil will realise, there is no peace and quiet to be found in Pennsylvania. Especially not for a woman of colour who is married to a white man.  Not when the colony is already preparing to implement anti-miscegenation laws, thereby prohibiting any interracial relationships. 

Halfway through Times of Turmoil, I capitulated again: Duncan and Erin need at least one more book, because I can’t leave them to sort out their lives without me. Not when the looming legislation effectively robs them of their home. What I hadn’t counted on was that the next book, apparently, will take us to Russia. Yet another instance of exclaiming “no, no, no!” while banging my head on my desk. I know nothing of Russia in the 1720s!

“Pfffff! You’ll manage,” Erin says, looking nice and warm in a heavy fur coat and a huge fur hat. “Look, that must be Kronstadt over there!”
“Amazing,” Duncan says, coming to stand beside her. He too is in furs, his exhalations little clouds in the freezing cold. 
Me, I’m in my PJs, so excuse me if for now I duck the issue of Kronstadt and St Petersburg in the winter of 1720/21. But I know—Erin and Duncan know—that I won’t be able to resist the lure for long.

I am still hoping that one day I will actually write a one-book story. One day. But then I hear Erin laughing at something Duncan is saying, and I can’t help but smile at them, just as I smile at Alex and Matthew, Kit and Adam, Robert and Noor, Jason and Helle. My lovely, imaginary extended family. How much poorer my life would be without them—even if they keep me burning the midnight oil to find out just what happens next! 

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.

More recently, Anna has been hard at work with her Castilian series. The first book, His Castilian Hawk, published in 2020, is set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales. His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. In the second instalment, The Castilian Pomegranate, we travel with the protagonists to the complex political world of medieval Spain, while the third, Her Castilian Heart, finds our protagonists back in England—not necessarily any safer than the wilds of Spain! The fourth book, Their Castilian Orphan, is scheduled for early 2024.

Anna has recently released Times of Turmoil, the sequel to her 2021 release, The Whirlpools of Time. Here she returns to the world of time travel. Where The Whirlpools of Time had Duncan and the somewhat reluctant time-traveller Erin navigating the complexities of the first Jacobite rebellion in Scotland, in Times of Turmoil our protagonists are in Colonial Pennsylvania, hoping for a peaceful existence. Not about to happen—not in one of Anna’s books!

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 Readers’ 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 enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Amazon Author Page • BookBub • Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE!