Read an excerpt from The Ghost of Greyson Hall (British Agents Series, Book #4) by MK McClintock #HistoricalRomanceMystery #HistoricalMystery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub #CPBC @cathiedunn

The Ghost of Greyson Hall

(British Agents Series, Book #4)

By MK McClintock

Once a year, an ancient secret walks the corridors of Greyson Hall, a place shrouded in mystery and whispered legend.

When Devon Clayton inherited the stately mansion in England’s wild north from his uncle, he never imagined what secrets lurked within its walls, hidden for centuries. When his friends and brothers join him for the holiday, the British Agents and their families discover that their most unusual case will bring new meaning to Christmas spirit.

They must now unravel a century-old mystery if they are to break the curse and save a love that transcends time.

A long novella set in Northumberland in December 1782 and 1892.

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Also Available:

Alaina Claiborne

Blackwood Crossing

Clayton's Honor

Note: The British Agent series books are written to be read as stand-alone novels. However, they each have cross-over characters, meaning characters from each book will appear in the others. The only reading order is chronological, but each title can still be read as stand-alone.

"This book was perfectly-paced with mystery, romance, adventure, and so much more. I am definitely recommending that everyone who loves historical fiction in general read this book. I cannot wait to start reading the next book in this series."

—Dreams Come True Through Reading on Blackwood Crossing

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Praise for the British Agent Series:

"Ms. McClintock succeeds in masterfully weaving both genres meticulously together until mystery lovers are sold on romance and romance lovers love the mystery!" 

—InD'Tale Magazine on Alaina Claiborne

"MK McClintock has spun an enchanting tale deeply entrenched in the lands of Scotland and England that will leave you riveted to your chair until you turn the last page." —My Life, One Story at a Time on Blackwood Crossing

"Clayton's Honor by MK McClintock is a clean historical romance that will keep your heart beating and your palms sweating. This is definitely a novel that is going on my 'read again' shelf! A really good and smooth read!" —Readers' Favorite 

Publication Date: October 3rd, 2023

Publisher: independently published

Page Length: 169

Genre: Historical Romance Mystery

Grab a copy HERE!

EXCERPT

Candlelight danced near the shadows within while a tempest wailed beyond the stone walls. Flames fluttered, and the subtle scent of beeswax mingled with the rosewater Grace favored after a bath. The white muslin shift clung to her skin across the shoulders where drops of water remained.

She twined the string of pearls she wore at their evening meal, momentarily focused on the gentle clack they made against the vanity’s wooden surface. Dinners were always a formal affair at the insistence of the earl, her husband of two years. Night after night, she dressed in the finest silks, sipped Madeira wine, and listened to her husband turn the plight of the Revolutionary War onto himself, where he suffered for the colonials’ impudence.

“Alexander is returning home. Perhaps as early as Christmas. This letter is dated three months past.”

Grace peered into the dressing-table mirror and watched her husband pace as he read the misplaced letter, delivered into his hands only this evening. “You have missed him.”

“You will like him, my dear. Upon his return, we will host a grand reception here at Greyson Hall.”

Grace turned to face her husband. “Spencer, dear, Christmas is but a fortnight hence, and it is a dangerous journey to this part of England in such weather. Perhaps in the spring.”

“You would deny Alexander the celebration he is due? He fought for England, our interests, and our son’s future.” Her husband approached from behind, watching her through the mirror rather than looking directly at her. His hands slid over her bare shoulders and brushed aside the heavy locks of fair hair, tickling the base of her neck. “It is what I desire, dear one.”

Grace faced the mirror and met Spencer’s dark eyes. How did they not burn a hole through the glass and into her skin? His smooth fingertips caressed the sides of her throat and gently turned her face to his. She accepted the press of his warm lips against hers and caught the exhale of his breath before he eased his head, then his body away.

“See it is done.” Spencer turned on his heel and walked to his adjoining dressing room.

He expected her to be ready for him, waiting as she always did. “A marriage of happy possibilities,” her father once promised before he succumbed to a weak heart one month after her wedding. Too despondent to live as a widow, her mother followed soon after. Whispers among society wondered if Grace’s mother realized the ice had not fully formed over the pond that took her life or if she chose that warm winter day to surrender her demons.

Excerpt from The Ghost of Greyson Hall copyright © MK McClintock

MK McClintock is an award-winning author who writes historical romantic fiction about chivalrous men and strong women who appreciate chivalry. Her stories of romance, mystery, and adventure sweep across the American West to the Victorian British Isles with places and times between and beyond. 

Her works include the following series: Montana Gallaghers, Crooked Creek, British Agents, Whitcomb Springs, and the stand-alone collection, A Home for Christmas. She is also the co-author of the McKenzie Sisters Mysteries.

MK enjoys a quiet life in the northern Rocky Mountains. Visit her online home at www.mkmcclintock.com, where you can learn more about her books, explore extras, and subscribe to receive news. 

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Read a snippet of The Sight of Heather by Ally Stirling #HistoricalFiction #WomensFiction #ScottishFolklore #BlogTour #CPBC #TheCoffeePotBookClub @authorAllyS @cathiedunn

The Sight of Heather

By Ally Stirling

For centuries, the fae folk and spae women of Scotland were feared – and persecuted.

Life in the 1800s countryside, with its unforgiving climate, was both magnificent and harsh – testing cultures, beliefs and the loyalties of crofters.

The first in this series, The Sight of Heather, begins a journey of allegiance, sacrifice, and fortitude in a land of bold, resilient women.

Jessie’s ideal life spirals when she learns she is a first daughter in a biological line of ‘spaes’ endowed with unique gifts of spiritual sight and healing, aided by powerful ancestral stones.

Backed by a vindictive priest intent on charging Jessie with murder and witchcraft, the new owner of the Cruachan Manor plots to rout the spaes and destroy their beloved forest.

Despite grave warnings and family conflict, Jessie determinedly pursues her skills and powers, plunging her family and village into danger.

Resolute in uplifting her fellow women, Jessie consults her stones.

Faced with those who deem her evil, she must choose to relinquish her craft, or sacrifice herself to protect her culture and kin – and Lily, the next first daughter – the future of the spaes.

Publication Date: September 15th, 2023
Publisher: Author Ally Stirling
Page Length: 338
Genre: Historical Women’s Fiction / Scottish Folklore

Grab a copy HERE!

SNIPPET

“We have warned you. Your sister has gone too far and she will pay the price. If you have any sense, you’ll save yourself.”

His mother’s words rang in his ears: 

“Be careful when you reach for grander things. You may lose your soul along the way. Even the moon has its dark side.”

Ally Stirling is a Fiction writer of Scottish origin, currently living in Cape Town with her Braveheart husband, awesome children, the happiest dog in the world, and her menacing cat (aka 'Devil Cat').

An unexpected gift resulting in a prophetic message prompted Ally to give her passion for writing the time it demanded, and in 2018 she joined Cathy Eden's Working with Words writers group. She credits the love, support, and inspiration of this group of talented women, her 'writing tribe' for encouraging her to put words on paper. She also joined ROSA, and while Romance is not her genre, this association has been an invaluable source of knowledge and insight into the indie publishing world.

Allowing her imagination freedom to roam resulted in various short stories, before one in particular rooted itself, evolving into her first full-length novel. This book has now become first in a series, with the second and third ready to follow, four and five in the planning stage. Who knew her characters would be so demanding.

Her love of writing fiction stems from her belief that it transports us to magical places when life gets too real.

Addicted to her friends, coffee, every colour of wine, and any type of chocolate, she describes her clan as the family and friends who have built her castle and keep her sane, without whom she'd be short on humour and drinking games. 

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Read a snippet from Dancing in the Ring by Susan E. Sage #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalBiographicalFiction #Historical Romance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @SusanSage @cathiedunn

Dancing in the Ring

By Susan E. Sage

Detroit in the 1920s proved to be the Paris of the West for many – including Catherine McIntosh and Robert Sage. These two law school students become as passionate about each other as they are their dreams.

From a poor family in the Detroit neighborhood of Corktown, Catherine learned early on, the necessity of being resilient. She becomes one of the first women in Detroit to obtain a law degree. Bob, the ‘battling barrister,’ boxes in order to pay for law school. Despite his gruff and tough-boy personality, my great uncle Bob was a friend to all:  judges, cops, and even a couple members of the notorious Purple Gang. The couple becomes legendary in legal circles for their commitment to social justice causes – as well as notorious in the local speakeasies and dancehalls.

At first, their optimism seems boundless, as it had for so many following an era of trauma and challenges that include the 1918 flu pandemic. It isn’t long before their passionate courtship turns into a tempestuous marriage. Then the Great Depression hits and their lives are forever changed. 

Publication Date: June 22, 2023
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Page Length: 350 
Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Romance

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This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

EXCERPT

Anyone noticing the smartly dressed couple on the dance floor of the popular Graystone Ballroom would have said they looked perfectly matched, though the woman was a couple of inches taller. She wore an emerald green dress that followed her curves with a tight-fitting cloche hat. He was clad in a pinstriped suit and a bow tie. It was obvious they were in love, as they seemed oblivious to everyone but each other. She’d bend down a little to whisper something in his ear, and then he would murmur his response. No one would hear but her, and she would throw back her long neck and laugh. If you were dancing next to them, you might see their eyes in a half-closed swoon, and then how their eyelids lowered completely, as if to dispel some of the intense feelings between them—a passion that was close to overwhelming.

Catherine and Bob danced to song after song without taking a break. They couldn’t get enough of the popular tunes from Al Jolson, George Gershwin, and Bessie Smith...Certain she was on fire, she asked him if he could put her in a tub of ice. He laughed, twirled her, then dipped her with such grace, that the other dancers stood back to admire their moves.

Susan Sage has published three novels: Insominy (2015), A Mentor and Her Muse (2017), and Dancing in the Ring (2023). Her writing has appeared in various literary magazines and journals. She received her English degree from Wayne State University where she was a recipient of the Tompkins Award in creative writing.

Although a Detroit native, she has resided most of her adult life in Flushing, Michigan with her husband and two cats.

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Read an interview with Rosemary Hayes, author of The King’s Command: For God or Country #HistoricalFiction #Huguenots #LouisXIV #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @HayesRosemary @cathiedunn

The King’s Command: For God or Country

By Rosemary Hayes

16 year old Lidie Brunier has everything; looks, wealth, health and a charming suitor but there are dark clouds on the horizon. Lidie  and her family are committed Huguenots and Louis XIV has sworn to stamp out this ‘false religion’ and make France a wholly Catholic country. Gradually Lidie’s comfortable life starts to disintegrate as Huguenots are stripped of all rights and the King sends his brutal soldiers into their homes to force them to become Catholics. Others around her break under pressure but Lidie and her family refuse to convert. With spies everywhere and the ever present threat of violence, they struggle on. Then a shocking betrayal forces Lidie’s hand and her only option is to try and flee the country. A decision that brings unimaginable hardship, terror and tragedy and changes her life for ever.

‘One of the very best historical novels I have ever read’
Sandra Robinson, Huguenot Ancestry Expert

Publication Date: July 3rd, 2023

Publisher: Sharpe Books

Page Length: 415

Genre: 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 had always known that I had Huguenot ancestors but I didn’t know why they came to England in the late 17th century. Then a chance remark by a cousin sparked my interest. ‘They fled persecution,’ she said. I decided to find out more.

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

Many of those who try to trace their Huguenot roots find the process laborious and frustrating, coming across contradictions and going down blind alleys, but I was lucky. A lot is known about my Huguenot forebears so it wasn’t particularly hard to find out about them. They feature in the Annals of the Huguenot Society and some meticulous research was done on them by an Edwardian ancestor of mine, so I had a head start. 

I knew where they lived in France; in a small town in Gascony, not far from Bordeaux. I knew what they did (they were predominately lawyers, physicians and minor nobles) and that they were friends with other prominent Protestant families in the region with whom they inter married and socialised. The Edwardian ancestor states that they lived just outside the town centre in ‘the pleasant faubourg’ and, although I found no evidence of this, it seems likely to be true. And I knew that they fled to London in 1692.

The King’s Command is only very loosely based on the experience of these ancestors of mine and I’ve given them strong and individualistic characters, probably making them more interesting than they were in reality. I’ve invented a lot of other characters, too, and included a great deal of tension and jeopardy in the plot.

The most surprising thing, to me, was to discover the level of hatred between Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots) in France during the 16th and 17th centuries and the determination of Louis XIV to stamp out Protestanism – the ‘false religion’ as he called it – by any means.

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

There are two slow-burning love stories in the book and some near misses when the main protagonists are nearly caught when they are trying to escape. Also, there’s a strong willed young maid who plays a crucial part in the story. I became very fond of her. I know what happens to her, but no one else does!

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

Lidie is the main protagonist. Devout, determined, passionate. She has to be devout, otherwise she could have taken the easy way out and denied her faith, and determined, for the same reason. But she’s full of joie de vivre, too, adores beautiful clothes and is a passionate lover.

What was the most challenging part about writing your book?

Probably describing the death of a child.

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

No. I did a lot of editing, but this was removing ploddy prose, repetition and preachiness.

What are you currently working on?

A trilogy of novellas that have been commissioned by my publisher. They will be set at the time of the Napoleonic wars and feature a flawed, ex military spy. 

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

Keep writing. The more you write, the better you will be. Do a little every day and crack on, even if you aren’t feeling inspired. You can always come back to your writing later and redraft. And read lots; see how writers you admire bring places and people to life.

Personal Interview questions.

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

So many things! Seeing friends, travelling, reading, listening to music, going to concerts and the theatre, singing, walking, eating good food.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to write stories. I first sent a story to a publisher when I was ten! I’m sure it was terrible and I wish I had kept it. Needless to say, the publisher rejected it, but they did send me a lovely encouraging letter, too.

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

As I write, it’s a very hot day, so it will probably be a salad of some sort, almost certainly involving an avocado pear.  But I quite fancy lobster.

What would be a perfect day?

A day spent with my whole family, eating, drinking, chatting, walking dogs in glorious countryside and then watching the sun go down.

What is the best part of your day?

I work best in the morning; the middle of the day is often a bit soggy. And the evening is the time for relaxing.

Either or!

Tea or coffee: definitely coffee

Hot or cold: hot mostly

Movie or book: book

Morning person or Night owl: morning

City or country: I love living in the country but always enjoy my jaunts to the city

Social Media or book: book

Paperback or ebook: both. If I’ve enjoyed an ebook then I’ll buy the pb.

Rosemary Hayes has written over fifty books for children and young adults. She writes  in different genres, from edgy teenage fiction (The Mark), historical fiction (The Blue Eyed Aborigine and Forgotten Footprints), middle grade fantasy (Loose Connections, The Stonekeeper’s Child and Break Out) to chapter books for early readers and texts for picture books. Many of her books have won or been shortlisted for awards and several have been translated into different languages.

Rosemary has travelled widely but now lives in South Cambridgeshire. She has a background in publishing, having worked for Cambridge University Press before setting up her own company Anglia Young Books which she ran for some years. She has been a reader for a well-known authors’ advisory service and runs creative writing workshops for both children and adults.

Rosemary has recently turned her hand to adult fiction and her historical novel ‘The King’s Command’ is about the terror and tragedy suffered by the French Huguenots during the reign of Louis XIV.

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