Category: guest post

Guest Post: “Excerpt from ‘The Royal Women Who Made England’ by MJ Porter

On By hmalagisiIn guest post1 Comment

I am pleased to welcome MJ Porter to my blog to share an excerpt from her nonfiction book, “The Royal Women Who Made England.” I would like to thank MJ Porter and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.

Ælfthryth, the daughter of King Alfred and Lady Ealhswith – The Continental Connection

The union between Ælfthryth and Count Baldwin II is believed to have taken place sometime between Asser’s writing [of Alfred’s life] and the death of Alfred in 899. As Æthelweard’s Chronicon informs, Ælfthryth was married to Count Baldwin II of Flanders (879–918). Count Baldwin II was the son of Alfred’s stepmother, Judith, through her third marriage to Baldwin, Count of Flanders, with whom she eloped in 860, against her father’s wishes. Perhaps this was a love match that had been denied her before. Judith had previously been married to Æthelwulf, King of Wessex, Alfred’s father, and also to Æthelbald, King of Wessex, Alfred’s brother. There is no record of children born to these unions.

Judith was a daughter of Charles the Bald (823–877), who in turn was the son of Louis the Pious (773–840), a son of Charlemagne (c.742–814). Charles the Bald was king of the Franks from 840–877 and emperor from 875–877.

Blurb:

Throughout the tenth century, England, as it would be recognized today, formed. No longer many Saxon kingdoms, but rather, just England. Yet, this development masks much in the century in which the Viking raiders were seemingly driven from England’s shores by Alfred, his children, and grandchildren, only to return during the reign of his great, great-grandson, the much-maligned Æthelred II.

 Not one but two kings would be murdered, others would die at a young age, and a child would be named king on four occasions. Two kings would never marry, and a third would be forcefully divorced from his wife. Yet, the development of ‘England’ did not stop. At no point did it truly fracture back into its constituent parts. Who then ensured this stability? To whom did the witan turn when kings died, and children were raised to the kingship?

 The royal woman of the House of Wessex came into prominence during the century, perhaps the most well-known being Æthelflæd, daughter of King Alfred. Perhaps the most maligned being Ælfthryth (Elfrida), accused of murdering her stepson to clear the path to the kingdom for her son, Æthelred II, but there were many more women, rich and powerful in their own right, where their names and landholdings can be traced in the scant historical record.

 Using contemporary source material, The Royal Women Who Made England can be plucked from the obscurity that has seen their names and deeds lost, even within a generation of their own lives.

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/TheRoyalWomenWhoMadeEngland

Publisher Link: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Royal-Women-Who-Made-England-Hardback/p/24395

Author Bio:

MJ Porter is the author of over fifty fiction titles set in Saxon England and the era before the tumultuous events 1066. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a young age that it housed the long-dead bones of Saxon kings, it’s little wonder that the study of the era was undertaken at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

The Royal Women of the Tenth Century is the first non-fiction title. It explores this period’s ‘lost’ women through the surviving contemporary source material. It stemmed from a frustration with how difficult it was to find a single volume dedicated to these ‘lost’ women and hopes to make it much easier for others to understand the prestige, wealth, and influence of the women of the royal House of Wessex.

Author Links:

Website: www.mjporterauthor.com/ or www.mjporterauthor.blog

Twitter: www.twitter.com/coloursofunison

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MJPorterauthor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mj-porterauthor/

Instagram: instagram.com/m_j_porter/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@m_j_porter

Bluesky: mjporterauthor.bsky.social

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/coloursofunison/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mj-porter

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/MJ-Porter/e/B006N8K6X4

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7163404.M_J_Porter

TikTok: tiktok.com/@mjporterauthor

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor

Guest Post: “Excerpt and Recipe from the ‘Chateau de Verzat Series’ by Debra Borchert”

On By hmalagisiIn guest post1 Comment

Chateau de Verzat Series BannerToday, I am pleased to welcome Debra Borchert to share an excerpt and a recipe from her series, “The Chateau de Verzat Series.” I want to thank Debra Borchert and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this tour. 

Her Own Legacy, Versailles, December 13, 1788

Joliette Meets Guillaume

Maman guided me toward a man so old, he could be my grandpapa. My arms tensed. She could not possibly think that old man appropriate. 

Papa strode toward us. “May I have your first dance, ma princesse?” 

Relief washed through me.

Maman frowned. “Bring her right back. She has many introductions.”

He took my hand and led me toward a group of dancers. 

“Merci, Papa,” I whispered.

He winked, led me to the lead position, and danced me about the Galerie. As the lead couple, we whirled with and between the dancers. Papa’s warm smile and strong leading steps relaxed me, and I enjoyed myself. He led me to greet the last couple. I turned to offer my hand to the next gentleman and his green eyes—bright as grapevines during bud break—startled me. 

I forgot the movement and faltered. I searched to locate Maman. Had she seen? She would have me dancing twelve hours a day after this. 

Without missing a beat, he rescued my wayward hand and adroitly led it to its next position. My hands grew moist inside my gloves. His steps and arms were strong, like Papa’s, but dancing with Papa had not made me breathless. The mirrors spun shards of light as he led me through the twisting rosettes. I dizzied as he returned me to Papa. Perspiration coated my face, and I fluttered my fan to dry it. 

The man wore a frock coat and breeches of pale lavender silk with tiny bouquets of violets—so delicate and fine I expected them to have a scent—embroidered along his cuffs and hem. His ensemble resembled that of our King, yet the silk puckered beneath the embroidery—the fabric was inferior. He was working hard to fit in at Court, yet every courtier would notice his black shoes—without red heels. He had not been presented. 

The allemande at an end, he turned to my father and bowed deeply. He unfurled from his bow and straightened to Papa’s height. “Comte de Verzat, I believe you are acquainted with my father, the Baron Pricaud?” 

Papa’s eyebrow rose. “Ah…oh, yes, you are…?”

“Guillaume Pricaud.” He bowed, again. “It is an honor to meet the man who produces the finest wines in France, if not the world, Monsieur le Comte.”

Finest in the world? I leaned closer. The sounds of conversations, laughter, music all faded. His eau de Cologne smelled woodsy with a hint of lime. 

Papa gave a tight smile. “May I present my daughter, Mademoiselle Joliette de Verzat?”

He bowed. My hand, of its own accord, sought his. As he held my fingers, his lips brushed my hand ever so gently. Damned protocol requiring gloves.

“Your mother’s beauty shines from within you, Mademoiselle.”

Words sat in my mouth like melting chocolate. I was supposed to thank him, but I could not summon a word. I held the fingers his lips had caressed.

“You remember my father, Comte?”

“We knew each other many years ago, when we were your age.”

Pricaud reached into his frock coat and withdrew a thick blue leather purse. “He asked me to deliver this.” With both his hands, he held it out to Papa. “My father wishes me to express his humble gratitude for your patience.”

Papa put up his hands. “Eh…that was so long ago. All is forgotten.”

“Not by my father.” He continued to present the purse.

Why did Papa refuse him? Pricaud’s demeanor, his manners, his tenacity, all impeccable. Neither of my parents could find fault with Pricaud. Nor could I. He never glanced at the emeralds at my neck. He knew of the Verzat legacy. Why had I not seen him at Court before?

“There is no need.” Papa shook his head.

Maman’s skirts brushed against mine. “Pardon, Monsieur.” 

Pricaud withdrew the purse and dropped into a deep bow.

Maman inserted herself between me and Monsieur Pricaud, but she did not extend her hand. “My daughter and I have been summoned by the Queen.” She held my elbow and drew me away. “Forgive us, please.”

Joliette’s Chilled Fresh Pea Soup

While living in France, Joliette never cooked—she was far too busy fermenting wine. But when she and Henri arrived in America, she longed for dishes made by her beloved Cook. Joliette remembered afternoons, sitting at Cook’s battered wooden table, shelling peas for Cook’s sweet and velvety Chilled Fresh Pea Soup. This recipe is based on Joliette’s memories and my experimentations. 

Serves 6–8 

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen peas sea salt (optional)

1 cup water fruity white balsamic vinegar (optional)*

a few sprigs of fresh mint

Process 

  1. Simmer peas in water until peas are tender. 
  2. Keeping the broth, drain peas and allow to cool. 
  3. Using an immersion blender, blitz the peas with enough of the cooking liquid for a consistency and thickness you like.
  4. Add salt to taste. Chill. 
  5. Serve with a mint spear and a drizzle of a fruity white balsamic vinegar. 

Notes

  1. *My favorite fruity white balsamic vinegar is OMG!’s D’Anjou Pear White Balsamic Vinegar. See the Resources page.
  2. This soup freezes well.

Blurb:

HER_OWN_LEGACY_COVERHer Own Legacy:

A Woman Fights for Her Legacy as the French Revolution Erupts

Determined to inherit her family’s vineyard, Countess Joliette de Verzat defies society’s rules, only to learn of her illegitimate half-brother, the rightful heir. 

Her Own Revolution:HER_OWN_Revolution__FINAL_COVER

A Woman Forges a Treacherous Path to Save Hundreds from the Guillotine

If Geneviève Fouquier-Tinville had the same rights as a man, she wouldn’t have to dress like one. A suspenseful page-turner led by a renegade heroine whose compassion for innocent people leads to both loss and love.

Buy Links:

*Her Own Legacy will be only 0.99 in the UK, CA, and AU stores from March 5th – 15th, 2024!*

Universal Buy Links:  

Her Own Legacy: https://books2read.com/u/bWYod1 

Her Own Revolution: https://books2read.com/u/m0aJVl 

Series Buy Links:

US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B9KN1536 

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B9KN1536 

Debra Borchert 1Author Bio:

Debra is the author of the Château de Verzat series that follows headstrong and independent women and the four hundred loyal families who protect a Loire Valley château and vineyard, and its legacy of producing the finest wines in France during the French Revolution. Her Own Legacy published in 2022, Her Own Revolution published in 2023, and Her Own War will be published in 2024. A passionate cook, she also wrote a companion cookbook to the series: Soups of Château de Verzat, A Culinary Tribute to the French Revolution, 2023.

A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she weaves her knowledge of textiles and clothing design throughout her historical fiction. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and standard poodle, named after a fine French Champagne. 

Author Links:

Website: https://debraborchert.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/debraborchert 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebraBorchertAuthor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-borchert-10b8305/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debraborchertauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/debraborchert/ 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/debra-borchert

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Debra-Borchert/author/B00CSW9MH0 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7787729.Debra_Borchert

Guest Post: “Snippet from ‘A Matter of Time’ by Judith Arnopp”

On By hmalagisiIn guest post2 Comments

A Matter of Time Tour BannerI am pleased to welcome Judith Arnopp back to my blog to share a snippet from her latest novel. “A Matter of Time.” I would like to thank Judith Arnopp and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.

June 1541 Henry and Katherine Howard on royal progress

Brandon is not with us this night, having ridden ahead to make preparation for our stay with him at Grimsthorpe, but I am content with Katherine beside me, a few musicians, and her favourite ladies and my closest gentlemen. We grow merry, the youngest members of the party dancing into the early hours. The music rises and falls, the fire crackles, while I sit and eat and watch, with my foot resting on a stool. 

When they form up for the next dance, Katherine is partnered by Culpepper, and they make an elegant pairing. I look on enviously as the steps of the dance take them close together. Their elbows hook, and then they part again, Katherine’s hand reluctantly extended toward him as the dance dictates. Surrounded by the gaiety of the company, yet not part of it, I grow bored, longing for my bed. I’ve admitted to nobody how the journey is taking its toll, on both my health and my spirits. I close my eyes, rest my head on the back of my chair and thank God for the good company. The words of a song I wrote long ago jangle in my mind.

Pastime with good company

I love and shall until I die;

A Matter of Time CoverBlurb:

With youth now far behind him, King Henry VIII has only produced one infant son and two bastard daughters. More sons are essential to secure the Tudor line and with his third wife, Jane Seymour dead, Henry hunts for a suitable replacement.

After the break from Rome, trouble is brewing with France and Scotland. Thomas Cromwell arranges a diplomatic marriage with the sister of the Duke of Cleves but when it comes to women, Henry is fastidious, and the new bride does not please him. The increasingly unpredictable king sets his sights instead upon Katherine Howard and instructs Cromwell to free him from the match with Cleves.

Failure to rid the king of his unloved wife could cost Cromwell his head.

Henry, now ailing and aging, is invigorated by his flighty new bride but despite the favours he heaps upon her, he cannot win Katherine’s heart. A little over a year later, broken by her infidelity, she becomes the second of his wives to die on the scaffold, leaving Henry friendless and alone.

But his stout heart will not surrender and leaving his sixth wife, Katheryn Parr, installed as regent over England, Henry embarks on a final war to win back territories lost to the French more than a century before. Hungry for glory, the king is determined that the name Henry VIII will shine brighter and longer than that of his hero, Henry V.

Told from the king’s perspective, A Matter of Time: Henry VIII: the Dying of the Light shines a torch into the heart and mind of England’s most tyrannical king.

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Links to the three titles in the series:

 A Matter of Conscience: https://mybook.to/amoc

A Matter of Faith: https://mybook.to/amofaith 

A Matter of Time: https://mybook.to/amot

Judith Arnopp PembrokeAuthor Bio:

A lifelong history enthusiast and avid reader, Judith holds a BA in English/Creative writing and an MA in Medieval Studies. She lives on the coast of West Wales where she writes both fiction and non-fiction. She is best known for her novels set in the Medieval and Tudor period, focusing on the perspective of historical women but recently she has been writing from the perspective of Henry VIII himself.

Judith is also a founder member of a re-enactment group called The Fyne Companye of Cambria which is when she began to experiment with sewing historical garments. She now makes clothes and accessories both for the group and others. She is not a professionally trained sewer but through trial, error and determination has learned how to make authentic-looking, if not strictly historically accurate clothing. Her non-fiction book, How to Dress like a Tudor was published by Pen and Sword in 2023.

Her novels include:

A Song of Sixpence: The Story of Elizabeth of York

The Beaufort Chronicle: The Life of Lady Margaret Beaufort (three-book series)

A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, the Aragon Years (Book One of The Henrician Chronicle)

A Matter of Faith: Henry VIII, the Days of the Phoenix (Book Two of The Henrician Chronicle)

A Matter of Time: Henry VIII, the Dying of the Light (Book Three, Coming soon)

The Kiss of the Concubine: A Story of Anne Boleyn

The Winchester Goose: at the court of Henry VIII

Intractable Heart: The Story of Katheryn Parr

Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace

The Heretic Wind: The Life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England

Peaceweaver

The Forest Dwellers

The Song of Heledd

Previously published under the pen name – J M Ruddock.

The Book of Thornhold

A Daughter of Warwick: The Story of Anne Neville, Queen of Richard III

Author Links:

Website: www.judithmarnopp.com

Blog: http://www.juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudithArnopp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetudorworldofjuditharnopp

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/judith-arnopp-ba999025

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tudor_juditharnopp/

Threads: tudor_juditharnopp@threads.net

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jarnopp.bsky.social

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jarnopp/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/judith-arnopp

Amazon Author Page: https://author.to/juditharnoppbooks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4088659.Judith_Arnopp

Guest Post: “Snippet from ‘Imperatrix’ by S.P. Somtow”

On By hmalagisiIn guest post1 Comment

Imperatrix Tour BannerI am pleased to welcome S.P. Somtow to my blog today to share a snippet from his latest novel, “Imperatix.” I would like to thank S.P. Somtow and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. 

Have another brain,” said the Emperor, feeding me Himself.

“Divinitas,” I said, “how many peacocks does it take to make such a platter?”

“Wonderful!” said Himself.  “Poppaea never takes an interest in how the world runs.  For her, the brains just appear by magic.  The answer to question is — why — we have our own, private little — to coin a word — pavonarium.  Would you like to see peacocks — a veritable ocean of peacocks — more bird-brains than even in the Senate?”  He clapped his hands, dropping a brain onto the grass, though Hercules quickly disposed of it.  “Come!”

He took me by the hand and started to pull me in toward the far side of the garden, where there was a fountain cunningly designed like a pair of dolphins.  I turned to look at the Lady Poppaea, terrified that I would soon be alone with the God.

“This could be your fortune,” she said to me.  “You’ve insulted, you’ve appeased.  Now, Sporus, you must seduce.”

Imperatrix CoverBlurb:

Captured by pirates and sold to a Roman aristocrat as a sex slave, Sporus attracted the attention of no less a personage than the Emperor Nero, ruler of the known world. Would-be poet, patron of the arts, aesthete, and brutal autocrat, the Divine Nero saw in the boy a startling resemblance to the Empress Poppaea – and made him an empress as well.

Suetonius, Tacitus, and other Roman historians have given tantalizing glimpses into the incredible life story of the boy who became twice an empress to two emperors and was condemned to die in the arena by a third.

In this meticulously researched trilogy, World Fantasy Award-winning author S.P. Somtow lays bare the darkest secrets of Imperial Rome – its triumphs and its nadirs, its beauty and its cruelty. Through this chaos, a contorted mirror of our contemporary world, this figure of Sporus moves, all too knowing yet all too innocent, providing a worm’s eye view of one of the wildest periods in ancient history.

Imperatrix, the second volume of the tale, takes us into the heart of the Imperial palace with all its intrigue, depravity, and splendor.

Buy Links:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mV2EaJ

S.P. Somtow authorAuthor Bio:

Once referred to by the International Herald Tribune as ‘the most well-known expatriate Thai in the world,’ Somtow Sucharitkul is no longer an expatriate since he has returned to Thailand after five decades of wandering the world. He is best known as an award-winning novelist and a composer of operas.

Born in Bangkok, Somtow grew up in Europe and was educated at Eton and Cambridge. His first career was in music and in the 1970s, his first return to Asia, he acquired a reputation as a revolutionary composer, the first to combine Thai and Western instruments in radical new sonorities. Conditions in the arts in the region at the time proved so traumatic for the young composer that he suffered a major burnout, emigrated to the United States, and reinvented himself as a novelist.

His earliest novels were in the science fiction field and he soon won the John W. Campbell for Best New Writer as well as being nominated for and winning numerous other awards in the field. But science fiction was not able to contain him and he began to cross into other genres. In his 1984 novel Vampire Junction, he injected a new literary inventiveness into the horror genre, in the words of Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, ‘skillfully combining the styles of Stephen King, William Burroughs, and the author of the Revelation to John.’ Vampire Junction was voted one of the forty all-time greatest horror books by the Horror Writers’ Association.

In the 1990s Somtow became increasingly identified as a uniquely Asian writer with novels such as the semi-autobiographical Jasmine Nights and a series of stories noted for a peculiarly Asian brand of magic realism, such as Dragon’s Fin Soup, which is currently being made into a film directed by Takashi Miike. He recently won the World Fantasy Award, the highest accolade given in the world of fantastic literature, for his novella The Bird Catcher.

Returning to Thailand in 2001, he became artistic director of Opera Siam and has had more than a dozen operas produced around the world including The Snow Dragon and The Silent Prince, which premiered in the United States, Helena Citronova, an opera set during the Holocaust, and the ten-part DasJati: Ten Lives of the Buddha.

In the last few years, he has made a return to writing novels with the Nero and Sporus trilogy and the young adult series, Club X.

In 2021 the film he produced and wrote, The Maestro: Symphony of Terror received over forty awards at international festivals, and in 2023 the Thai government officially elevated him to the status of National Artist.

Read S.P. Somtow’s interview on Literary Titan about Imperatrix at https://literarytitan.com/2024/01/21/the-core-of-innocence/.

Author Links:

Website: www.somtow.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/somtow

Facebook: www.facebook.com/somtow

Instagram: www.instagram.com/somtow

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/s-p-somtow

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APBJXC

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/81037.S_P_Somtow

Guest Post: “Snippet from ‘Signatures in Stone’ by Linda Lappin

On By hmalagisiIn guest post1 Comment

Signatures in Stone Tour BannerToday, I am pleased to welcome Linda Lappin to my blog to share a snippet from her novel, “Signatures in Stone.”I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Linda Lappin for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.

Without inspiration, I could not write. What I needed was a new batch of
signatures, those curious messages our waking life sends us from our own unconscious, which I have come to see as promptings from the muse, and even as a spiritual guide for my own existence.

We are constantly immersed in a network of signs and symbols, whose meaning eludes us, but which, if only we could read them, would reveal every detail of our past and even predict our future.

The mind talks to itself not with words, but with scrambled symbols, pictures, fragments, often severed from any literal meaning. If we wish to learn to read them, we must abandon the rational links of words to thoughts. Signatures are always there waiting for us, like unopened letters slid beneath the front door, accumulating after a long absence, written in a hieroglyphic alphabet we have forgotten.

Signatures in Stone coverBlurb:

Captivating critics and readers, SIGNATURES IN STONE, was the OVERALL WINNER in the DAPHNE DU MAURIER AWARDS for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense Writing -Best Mystery of 2013

Rome, Italy – November 2023 – Pleasure Boat Studio is thrilled to announce the release of the second edition of Linda Lappin’s celebrated novel, SIGNATURES IN STONE: A BOMARZO MYSTERY. This captivating suspense tale takes readers on a thrilling journey through the enigmatic Monster Park of Bomarzo, also known as the Sacred Wood, an extraordinary Baroque sculpture garden in Italy. With the 500th anniversary of the park’s creation, this edition is accompanied by a magnificent new cover and a series of Tarot card illustrations by Santa Fe artist Carolyn Florek.

In SIGNATURES IN STONE, readers are transported to the atmospheric setting of the Monster Park of Bomarzo, a sixteenth-century garden adorned with mythical creatures believed to represent a terrifying journey into the realm of nightmares. Against this backdrop, four travelers find themselves intertwined in a fate-driven Italian holiday. Daphne, a British writer of occult mysteries, her down-on-his-luck aristocratic publisher Nigel, the aspiring artist and American gigolo Clive, and the art historian Professor Finestone, all converge in a dilapidated villa near the park. They are attended by rustic servants who harbor secrets of their own.

Professor Finestone has made a groundbreaking discovery, revealing that the garden was designed by one of Italy’s greatest artists as a transformative experience that delves into the shadow side of life. Over the centuries, the park’s meanders continue to influence the minds and destinies of those who venture within. As the group explores their heart’s desires amidst the haunting sculptures, they become entangled in a web of intrigue and danger. When Daphne, renowned for writing cozy murder tales, becomes the prime suspect in a shocking homicide, she must confront her own darkness and rely on her sleuthing skills to uncover the terrifying truth.

Linda Lappin’s gripping tale presents an intriguing exploration of gardens in Renaissance Italy, where they were regarded as tools for altering consciousness and changing destiny. The Monster Park of Bomarzo becomes the backdrop for a “Gothic-in-Wonderland” phantasmagoria, immersing readers in a suspenseful and thrilling journey.

New Edition of Linda Lappin’s Award-Winning SIGNATURES IN STONE: A BOMARZO MYSTERY Commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the Monster Park.

Praise:

“Layers of mystery are woven into Linda Lappin’s beautifully written and atmospheric historical novel set in Bomarzo, Italy’s enigmatic park of stone monsters.”
~ Gigi Pandian, author of The Accidental Alchemist.

“Deftly mixing fascinating art history and murder with an exotic atmospheric setting (the Bomarzo garden actually exists), dramatic historical period (1928 fascist Italy), and fully fleshed characters, Lappin (The Etruscan) has written a hallucinatory gothic mystery in which no one is as they appear. Daphne is a most memorable, if a bit unreliable narrator. Readers looking for an intelligent summer mystery will find much to savor here.”
~ Wilda Williams, Library Journal

Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mYDWvd

Linda LappinAuthor Bio:

Linda Lappin, poet, translator, novelist, and travel writer is the prize-winning author of four novels: The Etruscan (Wynkin deWorde, 2004); Katherine’s Wish (Wordcraft, 2008), dealing with the last five years of Katherine Mansfield’s life; Signatures in Stone: A Bomarzo Mystery (Pleasureboat Studio, 2013,2023), overall winner of the Daphne Du Maurier award for best mystery novel of 2013; and Loving Modigliani: The Afterlife of Jeanne Hébuterne (Serving House Books, 2020), 2021 Daphne Du Maurier award finalist and shortlisted for the 2021 Montaigne Medal for Books of Distinction.

She is also the author of The Soul of Place: Ideas and Exercises for Conjuring the Genius Loci, (Travelers Tales, 2015), winner of a Nautilus Award in the category of creativity in 2015.

A former Fulbright scholar to Italy, she has lived mainly in Rome for over thirty years. She is at work on a second Daphne Dublanc mystery novel, Melusine, set in Bolsena. The second edition of Signatures in Stone (2023) has been issued to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Monster Park.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.lindalappin.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaLappin1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaLappinAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linda_lappin_author/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@linda_lappin_author
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lindalappin.bsky.social
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/linda-lappin
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lindalappin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1157178.Linda_Lappin

Guest Post: “What is an Angel?” by Justin Newland

On By hmalagisiIn guest post2 Comments

The Mark of the Salamander Tour Banner 1I am pleased to welcome Justin Newland to my blog today to discuss his latest book, “The Mark of the Salamander.” I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Justin Newland for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. 

My latest historical fiction novel, The Mark of the Salamander, has just been published. It’s the first title in a two-book series, The Island of Angels, which tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

While The Island of Angels is an intriguing title, this blog explores the question: ‘What is an angel?’ This is the definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary: 

‘A spiritual being serving as a divine messenger and intermediary and often as a special protector of an individual or nation.’

This suggests that any nation has a spiritual protector or guardian. If so, where would these angels live? In the ground, or in places like the lakes, forests, and mountain ranges? Many monasteries, temples, and holy places are located on mountaintops and in remote places like deserts in the expectation that the angelic beings would rise out of the ground and grace their occupants with their presence. 

The definition also mentions the spiritual beings – the angels – as divine messengers. The angels of a nation are then custodial of the divine intention for that land and its people. The angels’ function then becomes to guide the people towards the fulfillment of that intention. 

Then how would the people of a nation know if what they were doing was aligned or natural to that divine intention? 

Well, if they were, the angels would supercharge what they were doing. For example, they would prompt them to greater exploits, exceptional discoveries, and the creation of finer art. They would urge the people to do things and perceive things, that were above and beyond what the people previously thought possible. Angels add charisma and most importantly, they yield a vision of the future. They add grace and offer healing to old wounds and new possibilities. Their presence would feel like a person had a hose pipe of water gushing into their back.  

Francis-Drake-oil-panel-engraving-Jodocus-HondiusIn 1578, Francis Drake set out from Plymouth with five ships to sail around the world. Until that point in history, England was a small, misty isle on the edge of continental Europe. Through Drake’s efforts, in that single voyage, he hauled England out of the dark ages and into a future in which England would become the hub of a new world of trade & communication. He single-handedly changed England’s self-view. 

How was this momentous event achieved? Was it with the added assistance of the Angels of the Island? Where would you look for evidence of angels in the history of a nation? Well, perhaps you’d start with the symbols of the land that have persisted through the ages, their myths and legends, and their constitutional elements, like the color and formation of its flag. In Elizabethan England, the flag was still a red cross on a white background (Scotland had yet to contribute the blue saltire to the Union Jack). 

Then there’s the heraldry of the nation. England’s royal coat of arms features its MedievalTudor Coat of Arms Semper Eadem Always the Same chivalric Order of the Garter. Established by King Edward III in 1348, the motto of the Most Noble Order is, ‘Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense,’ which means, ‘Evil be to he who thinks evil (of me).’

This is a huge clue to the nature and character of the land of England and its angels. It’s a powerful statement of defiance. The motto says that anything that comes into the land, that is not fitting, or of a lower order than the angels of the land, will get sent back to where it came from. In other words, repulse. In modern terms – return to sender. 

The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland - Front CoverBlurb:

1575.

Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder. 

Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes, and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire. 

THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era. 

Buy Links:

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/38Yxzr 

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mark-of-the-salamander-justin-newland/1144122989?ean=2940186006305 

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-mark-of-the-salamander/justin-newland/9781915853271 

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-mark-of-the-salamander 

WH Smith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-mark-of-the-salamander-the-island-of-angels/justin-newland/paperback/9781915853271.html 

Saxo DK: https://www.saxo.com/dk/the-mark-of-the-salamander_bog_9781915853271 

UK Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-mark-of-the-salamander-justin-newland/7448127?ean=9781915853271 

Wordery: https://wordery.com/mark-of-the-salamander-justin-newland-9781915853271?cTrk=MjAxNjg3MzE1fDY1NDE4MzM0N2QzYzA6MTo1OjY1NDE4MzE0ZGFjNTA4LjEwMTkzMjgzOjYxZWVjMzJj

Blackwells: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-Mark-of-the-Salamander-by-Justin-Newland/9781915853271 

Foyles: https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/the-mark-of-the-salamander/justin-newland/9781915853271 

Justin Newland 1Author Bio:

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thrillers and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe.

Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies. 

The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall. 

The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution. 

The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age. 

His work in progress is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, charting the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada. 

Author, speaker, and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, talks to historical associations and libraries, and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. 

Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.justinnewland.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustinNewland53 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-newland-b393aa28/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/  

Book Bub: https://partners.bookbub.com/authors/4862998/edit 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Justin-Newland/author/B06WRQVLT8 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jnewland

Guest Post: “Spotlight for ‘How to Dress Like a Tudor’ by Judith Arnopp

On By hmalagisiIn guest postLeave a comment

How To Dress Like A Tudor Tour BannerI am pleased to welcome Judith Arnopp to my blog today to share a blurb for her latest book, “How to Dress Like a Tudor.” I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books, The Coffee Pot Book Club, and Judith Arnopp for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. 

How To Dress Like A Tudor coverBlurb:

Have you ever hankered to dress like a Tudor lord or lady, or perhaps you prefer the status of goodwife, or costermonger, or even a bawd? 

For beginner historical reenactors, the path to authenticity can be bewildering and sometimes intimidating. Judith Arnopp uses her own experience, both as a historian and a medieval/Tudor lady, to make your own journey a little easier.

The author traces the transition of fashion from the relatively subtle styles popular at the court of Henry VII, through the carefully constructed royal grandeur of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I to the pinnacle of majesty and splendid iconography of Elizabeth I. 

In contrast to the magnificence of court come the ordinary folk who, subject to sumptuary laws and regulations, wore garments of a simpler cut and cloth – a strata of society that formed the back bone of Tudor England.

This brief history of 16th-century fashion examines clothing for both rich and poor, adult and child, and offers tips and tricks on how to begin to sew your first historically inspired garment, this book is aimed at helping the beginner learn How to Dress like a Tudor.

Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: mybook.to/howtodress

Judith Arnopp at Pembroke CastleAuthor Bio:

Judith writes historical fiction set during the late medieval and Tudor periods. Her usual focus is on the women who lived close to the monarch, women like Margaret Beaufort, Elizabeth of York, and Mary Tudor but more recently has been writing from the perspective of Henry VIII himself. Her books are on Kindle, Audible, and Paperback.

You can find her fiction books here: http://author.to/juditharnoppbooks

She also writes non-fiction and her work is featured in many anthologies and online magazines. Her latest non-fiction, How to Dress like a Tudor published by Pen & Sword Books is available now. 

Judith is a founder member of a reenactment group The Fyne Company of Cambria, and began making Tudor costumes for herself, her husband, John, and other members of the group. It was this that inspired How to Dress Like a Tudor and she hopes to write more non-fiction Tudor history in the future.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.judithmarnopp.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudithArnopp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetudorworldofjuditharnopp

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-arnopp-ba999025

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tudor_juditharnopp/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jarnopp.bsky.social 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/judith-arnopp

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Judith-Arnopp/e/B003CGLWLA/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4088659.Judith_Arnopp

Guest Post: “The Dos and Don’ts of Tudor Men’s Dress – What to Wear in Sixteenth-Century England” by Toni Mount

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I am pleased to welcome Toni Mount to share her advice about Tudor men’s fashion to promote her latest book, How to Survive in Tudor England. I would like to thank Toni Mount and Pen and Sword Books for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. 

In writing my new book How to Survive in Tudor England I realised how tricky it was to be fashionable during the sixteenth century: hard work and expensive for men and women. So here’s a taster of what was required for a man to get noticed at court.

Henry VII favors long robes of fine cloth to show his wealth but his son, young Henry VIII, famed for his athletic, shapely legs, wears fitted hose and short robes so he can show off his best features. Now that the robe is so short, the flap that covers the join between the two separate legs of the hose [stockings] for modesty’s sake is now visible and Henry turns this into an asset by attaching a great codpiece to show off his virility. Since the courtiers take their fashion cues from the king, codpieces become a vital accessory. Henry is a well-muscled sporty young man but even so, his natural physique is accentuated by padding the shoulders of his doublet to extreme proportions. 

Henry VIIIHenry VIII wearing a padded doublet 

In this image, you can see the slashes in the sleeves of his doublet so that little puffs of his fine shirt can be pulled through. The doublet has a skirt or peplum, of varying length according to fashion, underneath which are hidden ties (‘points’) or hooks, to attach the breeches. 

The basics of men’s clothing is wearing layers. Next to your skin, you have a white linen shirt. This may be embroidered around the collar band. Katherine of Aragon introducebris ‘black-work’ embroidery from Spain and this becomes very fashionable, looking good on white linen. Later, the collar band is simply what your ruff is pinned onto, unless it has become a separate item by the time of your visit.

Breeches and hose come in a bewildering variety, going in and out of fashion almost weekly – another reason why a courtier’s wardrobe can empty his purse in no time, just trying to keep up. Here is a selection: round or French hose are short, full breeches ending anywhere between the upper thigh to just above the knee and excessively padded at the hips to accentuate your buttocks. These can make dancing or even walking elegantly quite difficult. Canions are tight-fitting tubes attached to the short version of the round hose to extend them to the knee. Below the knee, you wear stockings or ‘netherstocks’ held up with garters.

Whatever the style, the hose must be ‘paned’ – that is cut into narrow panels, joined at the waist and hem, with a colored lining showing between the panes. With so much padding and paning, you can understand why the codpiece is in decline, giving way to a modest buttoned or lace-up opening that doesn’t spoil the symmetry of your panes. Both your doublet and hose may also be decorated by ‘pinking’: slits cut in the fabric, in a pattern, with the coloured lining pulled through, as in Henry VIII’s time. One contemporary commentator of Elizabethan men’s fashion thought things had become quite ridiculous:  ‘Except it were a dog in a doublet you shall not see any so disguised as are my countrymen of England’, he wrote and Elizabethan clothes indeed disguise the wearer’s true physique more than the fashions of any other period. 

Sir Walter RaleighThe fashionable Sir Walter Raleigh

As you’ll see in the portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh [above], men also need to wear a bit of bling. Sir Walter has a single pearl earring, the sign of a truly fashionable man-about-town. Finger rings are a must.

Facial hair is also in vogue ever since Henry VIII grew a beard but at the Elizabethan court, the natural look isn’t enough. Once again, Sir Walter is a fine example to copy with his beard neatly trimmed to a point and his moustache curled. Set your ensemble with a short cape, fur-lined, and edged with a braid. This isn’t a practical cloak to keep you warm and dry but rather an accessory to be draped nonchalantly over one shoulder for that devil-may-care look that’s the height of fashion.

Footwear

No one of any significance goes without shoes. The pointy-toed, medieval styles go out of fashion almost as the first Tudor king sits on the throne. Rounded toes are the thing. But Henry VIII, maybe because he has broad feet, went further, creating a fashion for square toes. With more leather used to make the uppers, it’s also possible to have slashes to show off a contrasting inner lining, as with sleeves. However, these early Tudor styles are thin-soled and flat like their medieval predecessors but around 1500, somebody invents the ‘welt’ – a narrow strip of leather that goes around the shoe, in between the upper and the sole, making the shoe far more sturdy and able to withstand fancier shaping and decoration. 

King Henry is tall and impressive anyway but others who want to emulate him could do with a few extra inches in height and by the time of Elizabeth heeled shoes have been invented. At first, the heel is just a wedge of cork or wood fixed between the leather sole and the upper but soon these become proper heels and part of the sole. With so much innovation in the world of shoemaking, in 1579 the queen grants their coat-of-arms to the Guild of Cordwainers in London.

Women’s dainty dress shoes, called ‘pinsons’, now with heels and a more dainty tapered toe, can be of silk, velvet, or brocade often with bejeweled rosettes. Mid-century, most are slip-ons but lacing and buckles become increasingly fashionable. A pair of Tudor or Elizabethan shoes are made the same for both feet so there is no correct right or left shoe so they can be swapped over for more even wear. 

For outdoor wear, you can either put overshoes on to protect your indoor footwear, or you can have leather boots for walking and riding. Loose or tight-fitting, ‘gamaches’ are thigh-length high boots, and ‘buskins’ come to the calf.  

colour chartActs of Apparel 

In Henry VIII’s reign, realizing some of the up-and-coming wealthier gentry and merchants were wearing more sumptuous clothes than noblemen and courtiers, new laws are passed, termed Acts of Apparel, in 1509-10, 1514, 1515, and 1533. Europe has similar ideas but whereas their regulations tend to be drawn up by and apply only to individual towns, England’s laws come from Parliament and apply throughout the country, in theory, anyway.  

According to the 1509-10 Act against Wearing of Costly Apparel, only the king, the queen, the king’s mother (the act must have been first drawn up before Margaret Beaufort died in June 1509), along with the king’s brothers and sisters can wear cloth of purple silk or gold, while dukes and marquises can only use cloth of gold as linings of their coats and doublets. An earl and those of higher rank may wear sable fur, but those below may not. Certain imported furs can be worn by royal grooms and pages, university graduates, yeomen, and landowners whose estates bring in an income of at least £11 per annum. Barons and knights of the Order of the Garter (the highest-ranking knights) are permitted to wear woolen textiles manufactured abroad but, for those of lesser status, it’s a crime to wear imported cloth. The same applies to wearing clothes dyed with the most expensive crimson and blue dyes. 

CrimsonToo much crimson dye?

Anyone who isn’t a lord’s son, a government servant, or a gentleman with an income from the land of at least £100 per annum is forbidden to wear velvet, satin, or damask, although, if their land is worth £20 or more, satin, damask or camlet may be used to line or trim their clothing but not for the main, visible body of the garment. 

The problem is, as it has been for centuries, more and more successful merchants are becoming richer than the aristocracy. Intermarriage makes matters even more complex. The nobility want to share in mercantile wealth and merchants yearn for titles and high status. The solution is for a lord’s penniless second and untitled son to wed the daughter of a rich merchant but where do their offspring stand on the social ladder? The children aren’t the sons and daughters of a lord and yet they can now afford to live in greater opulence than their paternal relatives who still have titles. No wonder the laws are flouted. 

An additional oddity concerns the way wealth is judged. Annual income from land is always regarded as having greater status than the same monetary income gained from trade. The sumptuary laws passed in the reign of King Edward III, in 1363, equated a landowner worth £200 a year to a merchant worth £1,000. These relative values are still maintained throughout the Tudor period. And there is another problem that becomes more acute in Henry VIII’s reign: that of people – and courtiers were some of the worst offenders – vying with their peers to be the most fashionable and expensively dressed and running up huge debts in the process. This situation leads to An Acte for Reformacyon of Excesse in Apparayle being passed in 1533:

…for the necessaire repressing avoiding and expelling of the inordinate excesse dailye more and more used in the sumptuous and costly araye and apparel accustomablye worne in this Realme, whereof hath ensued and dailie do chaunce suche sundrie high and notable inconveniences as to be the greate manifest an notorious detriment of the common Weale, the subvercion of good and politike order in knowledge and distinction of people according to their estates p[re]emyences dignities and degrees, and to the utter impoverysshement and undoyng of many inexpert and light persones inclined to pride moder of all vices…

Despite the declaration that these laws are intended to avoid the ‘notorious detriment of the common weal’, i.e. everyone, the legislation is aimed, as usual, at morally ‘light persons inclined to pride (mother of all vices)’. The laws also reiterate earlier attempts to mark out prostitutes from respectable women but in 1533 the earlier, medieval customs of what was considered respectable attire are enshrined in law for the first time, in particular, that a married woman must cover her hair – a ‘loose’ woman, i.e. one wearing her hair loose and uncovered is of easy virtue and up to no good. 

An excess of wool production led to an Act of Parliament in 1571, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, to boost the sales of English woolen cloth. It becomes law that on Sundays and every official holiday all males over six years of age, except for the nobility and persons of degree, are to wear woolen caps on pain of a fine of three farthings (¾ of a penny) per day. Whether it works or not in practice, the act is repealed in 1597. In June 1574, Elizabeth issues the following statute from Greenwich Palace: 

The excess of apparel and the superfluity of unnecessary foreign wares thereto belonging… is grown to such an extremity that the decay of the whole realm is like to follow (by bringing into the realm such superfluities of silks, cloth of gold, silver, and other vain devices of so great cost as of necessity the moneys of the realm is yearly conveyed out of the same to answer the said excess) but also the undoing of a great number of young gentlemen seeking by show of apparel to be esteemed as gentlemen not only consume themselves, their goods, and lands which their parents left unto them, but also run into such debts as they cannot live out of danger of laws without attempting unlawful acts… [edited]

Despite the fact that the queen and everyone else understand the cost of trying to keep up with the latest fashions, no amount of law-making can prevent the young gallants from spending far beyond their means.

Another 1597 proclamation on the subject goes into minute detail. Only earls can wear cloth of gold or purple silk. No one under the degree of knight is allowed silk ‘netherstocks’ (long stockings) or velvet outer garments. A knight’s eldest son may wear velvet doublets and hose but his younger brothers can’t. A baron’s eldest son’s wife may wear gold or silver lace which is forbidden to women below her in the pecking order. Who is allowed to wear what is supposed to be strictly controlled as the queen’s subjects must know their place and dress accordingly so that no one can be misled. At least, that’s the theory but you can see that the laws are confusing and is it any wonder that people ignore them? Will you obey the law or wear fashionable clothes, no matter the cost?  

The frequency of acts and the huge number of laws passed proves that the authorities are losing the fight to keep the social distinctions, maintain morals and ethics, preserve the English economy against foreign imports, and restrain the excesses of fashion. However, a good many of the various sumptuary laws, dating back to as early as the fourteenth century, were still on the English statute books as recently as the 1800s, and, who knows, some may as yet remain, hidden in the dusty archives in the twenty-first century.

So this is an introduction of what to wear – or not – for the stylish courtier in the sixteenth century. If you wish to read about many interesting characters, places, food, and pastimes of the sixteenth century, my new book How to Survive in Tudor England will be published on 30th October 2023.  

Pen & Sword Book Cover / Jacket artwork

Blurb

Imagine you were transported back in time to Tudor England and had to start a new life there, without smartphones, internet, or social media. When transport means walking or, if you’re lucky, horseback, how will you know where you are or where to go? Where will you live and where will you work? What will you eat and what shall you wear? And who can you turn to if you fall ill or are mugged in the street, or God forbid if you upset the king? In a period when execution by beheading was the fate of thousands how can you keep your head in Tudor England? 

All these questions and many more are answered in this new guidebook for time-travelers: How to Survive in Tudor England. A handy self-help guide with tips and suggestions to make your visit to the 16th century much more fun, this lively and engaging book will help the reader deal with the new experiences they may encounter and the problems that might occur. 

Enjoy interviews with the celebrities of the day, and learn some new words to set the mood for your time-traveling adventure. Have an exciting visit but be sure to keep this book to hand.

Toni Mount cropToni Mount Biography

Toni Mount researches, teaches, and writes about history. She is the author of several popular historical non-fiction books and writes regularly for various history magazines. As well as her weekly classes, Toni has created online courses for http://www.MedievalCourses.com and is the author of the popular Sebastian Foxley series of medieval murder mysteries. She’s a member of the Richard III Society’s Research Committee, a costumed interpreter, and speaks often to groups and societies on a range of historical subjects. Toni has a Master’s Degree in Medieval Medicine, Diplomas in Literature, Creative Writing, European Humanities, and a PGCE. She lives in Kent, England with her husband.

Guest Post: Spotlight for “Historical Stories of Exile”

On By hmalagisiIn guest post3 Comments

IG banner Exile partyI am pleased to welcome the authors of the latest anthology, “Historical Stories of Exile” to my blog today on a spotlight tour. I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and the authors of this anthology for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. 

EXILE-Cover-flatBlurb:

Exile: a risky defiance, a perilous journey, a family’s tragic choice – or an individual’s final gamble to live. Exile: voluntary or enforced, a falling-out between friends, a lost first love, a prejudiced betrayal – or the only way to survive persecution?

In this historical fiction anthology, thirteen authors (they are not superstitious!) have written exclusive short stories on the theme of exile. Some are based on true history, others are speculative fiction. All mine the depths of human emotions: fear, hope, love, and the fortitude to survive.

Join an inspiring Anglo-Saxon queen of Wales, a courageous Norwegian falconer, and a family fleeing back in time to escape the prospect of a ruthless future. Oppose the law with the legendary Doones of Exmoor, or defy the odds with two brave WWII exiles. Meet a Roman apprehensively planning exile to preserve the ‘old ways’, and a real Swedish prince forcibly expelled in heart-wrenching circumstances. Thrill to a story based on the legend of Robin Hood, sail with a queen of Cyprus determined to regain her rightful throne; escape religious persecution, discover the heart-rending truth behind the settlement of Massachusetts, and experience the early years that would, eventually, lead to the founding of Normandy. Experience the stirring of first love, and as an exclusive treat special guest author, Elizabeth Chadwick reveals a tale about the 12th-century heiress, Isabelle de Clare, and the Greatest Knight of all time – William Marshal.

With an introduction by multi-award-winning author Deborah Swift, enjoy these tales of exile across the ages. Some are hopeful, some sad, some romantic, some tragic, but all explore the indomitable spirit of resolute, unforgettable characters.

Buy Links: 

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Universal Link: https://mybook.to/StoriesOfExile 

ALISON MORTON writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her ten-book Roma Nova series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution, and heartache but use a sharp lines in dialogue. Several of her novels have hit  #1 in Amazon US, UK, Canada and Australia. The latest, Julia Prima, plunges us back to AD 370 when the founders of Roma Nova met.

She blends her fascination for Ancient Rome with six years of military service and a life of reading crime, historical, and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.

Alison now lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity and Double Pursuit. Oh, and she’s writing the next Roma Nova story.

Website: https://www.alison-morton.com

AMY MARONEY studied English Literature at Boston University and worked for many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction. She lives in Oregon, U.S.A. with her family. When she’s not diving down research rabbit holes, she enjoys hiking, dancing, traveling, and reading. Amy is the author of The Miramonde Series, a bestselling historical mystery trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail. Amy’s award-winning historical adventure/romance series, Sea and Stone Chronicles, is set in medieval Rhodes and Cyprus.

An enthusiastic advocate for independent publishing, Amy is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors and the Historical Novel Society.

Website: https://www.amymaroney.com/

ANNA BELFRAGE Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time traveler. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance, and writing. Anna always writes about love and has authored the acclaimed time-traveling 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 is presently hard at work with her other medieval series, The Castilian Saga, which is set against the conquest of Wales. The third installment, Her Castilian Heart, was published in 2022, and the fourth and final one will be out in 2024. She has recently released Times of Turmoil, a sequel to her time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time.

Website, http://www.annabelfrage.com 

ANNIE WHITEHEAD is an author, historian, and elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and has written four award-winning novels set in Anglo-Saxon England. She has contributed to fiction and nonfiction anthologies and written for various magazines, has twice been a prize winner in the Mail on Sunday Novel Writing Competition, and won First Prize in the 2012 New Writer Magazine’s Prose and Poetry Competition. She was a finalist in the 2015 Tom Howard Prize for Nonfiction and was shortlisted for the Exeter Story Prize/Trisha Ashley Award 2021. 

She was the winner of the inaugural Historical Writers’ Association/Dorothy Dunnett Prize 2017 and is now a judge for that same competition. She has also been a judge for the HNS (Historical Novel Society) Short Story Competition.

Her nonfiction books are Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom (Amberley Books) and Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England (Pen & Sword). She has contributed to a new history of English Monarchs, Kings, and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs (Hodder & Stoughton) and has signed a contract to write her third nonfiction book, to be published by Amberley Books in 2024.

Website: https://anniewhiteheadauthor.co.uk/

CATHIE DUNN writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance. The focus of her novels is on strong women through time. She has garnered awards and praise from reviewers and readers for her authentic description of the past. A keen Medievalist, she enjoys visiting castles and ruins, and reading about battles and political shenanigans of the times.

Cathie is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and the Alliance of Independent Authors. She also now runs The Coffee Pot Book Club, promoting historical fiction authors and their books.

Website: https://www.cathiedunn.com 

CHARLENE NEWCOMB writes historical fiction and science fiction. Her award-winning Battle Scars trilogy is set in the 12th century during the reign of Richard the Lionheart. Her writing roots are in the Star Wars Expanded Universe (aka Legends) where she published 10 short stories in the Star Wars Adventure Journal. Sci-fi space opera fans should check out Echoes of the Storm, her original novel published in 2020. She returned to medieval times with her novel Rogue in 2023. 

Website: https://charlenenewcomb.com

CRYSSA BAZOS is an award-winning historical fiction author and a 17th-century enthusiast. Her debut novel, Traitor’s Knot is the Medalist winner of the 2017 New Apple Award for Historical Fiction and a finalist for the 2018 EPIC eBook Awards for Historical Romance. Her second novel,  Severed Knot is a B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree and a finalist for the 2019 Chaucer Award. Rebel’s Knot, the third installment of the standalone series, Quest for the Three Kingdoms, is a B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree and 2021 Discovering Diamonds Book of the Year.

Website:  https://cryssabazos.com

DEBORAH SWIFT is a delver into archives, drinks too much tea, and loves antiques and old buildings. Her sturdy, stone-built house used to be the village primary school, and from her window, she has a view of a few 17th-century cottages, and behind those, green fields dotted with grazing sheep.

Historical fiction was a natural choice for Deborah as a writer because she always enjoyed the research aspect of design – poking about in archives and museums, not to mention the attraction of boned bodices and the excuse to visit old and interesting buildings.

She used to work as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV, so enjoys the research aspect of creating historical fiction. She likes to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events. In her books, Deborah likes to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events. Her first novel was The Lady’s Slipper which was shortlisted for the Impress Prize, and her book  The Poison Keeper, about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, won the BookViral Millennium Award. She has written eighteen novels to date including two series set in WWII – her latest, The Shadow Network is due for release in early 2024.

Deborah lives in North Lancashire on the edge of the Lake District and divides her time between teaching and writing.

Website: https://deborahswift.com/

ELIZABETH CHADWICK New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Chadwick lives in a cottage in the Vale of Belvoir in Nottinghamshire with her husband and their four terriers, Pip, Jack, Billy, and Little Ted. Her first novel, The Wild Hunt, won a Betty Trask Award and To Defy a King won the RNA’s 2011 Historical Novel Prize. She was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Award in 1998 for The Champion, in 2001 for Lords of the White Castle, in 2002 for The Winter Mantle, and in 2003 for The Falcons of Montabard. Her sixteenth novel, The Scarlet Lion, was nominated by Richard Lee, founder of the Historical Novel Society, as one of the top ten historical novels of the last decade. She often lectures at conferences and historical venues, has been consulted for television documentaries, and is a member of the Royal Historical Society.

Website: https://elizabethchadwick.com/

ELIZABETH ST.JOHN’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England’s kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.

Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.

Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.

Elizabeth’s books include her trilogy, The Lydiard Chronicles, set in 17th Century England during the Civil War, and her medieval novel, The Godmother’s Secret, which explores the mystery of the missing Princes in the Tower of London.

Website: http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/

HELEN HOLLICK and her husband and adult daughter moved from north-east London in January 2013 after finding an eighteenth-century North Devon farmhouse through being a ‘victim’ on BBC TV’s popular Escape to The Country show. The thirteen-acre property was the first one she was shown – and it was love at first sight. She enjoys her new rural life, and has a variety of animals on the farm, including Exmoor ponies, dogs, cats, hens, ducks, and geese, and her daughter’s string of show jumpers.

First accepted for publication by William Heinemann in 1993 – a week after her fortieth birthday – Helen then became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am the Chosen King), novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she also writes a pirate-based nautical adventure/fantasy series, The Sea Witch Voyages, where you can read more about Jesamiah Acorne, son of Charles St Croix – and the Doones.

Despite being impaired by the visual disorder of Glaucoma, she is also branching out into the quick read novella, ‘Cosy Mystery’ genre with the Jan Christopher Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working for thirteen years as a library assistant.

Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of a Smuggler. She also runs a news and events blog and a Facebook page for her village supports her daughter’s passion for horses and showjumping – and occasionally gets time to write… 

Website: https://helenhollick.net

J.G. HARLOND Secret agents, skulduggery, and crime that crosses continents.

British author of historical crime fiction, J.G. (Jane) Harlond writes award-winning, page-turning novels set in the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Each story weaves fictional characters into real events. She describes her WWII Bob Robbins Home Front Mysteries as a ‘cozy crime with a sinister twist’. Prior to becoming a full-time author, Jane taught English and World Literature in international colleges. She also wrote school textbooks for many years using her married name. 

Jane is married to a retired Spanish naval officer and they have a large, grown-up family living in various parts of Europe and the USA. After traveling widely (she has lived in or visited most of the places that feature in her novels) they are now settled near Málaga in Spain.

J.G. Harlond is a member of the British Crime Writers Association and the Dorothy Dunnett Society.

Website: http://author.to/JGHarlond

LORETTA LIVINGSTONE had no intention of writing anything but short stories or poetry, and especially not historical fiction. She stated it quite clearly on social media, only to suddenly find herself writing … historical fiction. Her debut novel, Out Of Time, set in the mythical Sparnstow Abbey, was shortlisted for the Historical Novel Society Indie Award in 2016, which stunned and elated her in equal measures.

It was supposed to be a one-off. It wasn’t. She went on to write two more stand-alone novels in the series; A Promise to Keep and Blossom on the Thorn. She had plans for more but has had ME for many years, and ill health has temporarily reined in her gallop. However, she intends to write again soon… 

Her other books include short story collections and poetry and can be found on Amazon.

Loretta is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/217686418294125

MARIAN L. THORPE Taught to read at the age of three, words have been central to Marian’s life for as long as she can remember. A novelist, poet, and essayist, Marian has several degrees, none of which are related to writing. After two careers as a research scientist and an educator, she retired from salaried work and returned to writing things that weren’t research papers or reports.

Marian’s first published work was poetry, in small journals; her first novel was released in 2015. Her award-winning Empire’s Legacy series is historical fiction of another world, based to some extent on northern Europe after the decline of Rome.

In addition to her novels, Marian has read poetry, short stories, and nonfiction work at writers’ festivals and other juried venues.

Her other two passions in life are birding and landscape history, both of which are reflected in her books. Birding has taken her and her husband to all seven continents, but these days she’s mostly content to move between Canada and the UK.

Website: https://marianlthorpe.com/

Guest Post: “Excerpt from ‘Twelve Nights’ by Penny Ingham”

On By hmalagisiIn guest post1 Comment

Twelve Nights Tour BannerToday, I am pleased to welcome Penny Ingham to my blog to share an excerpt from her novel, “Twelve Nights.” I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Penny Ingham for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.

Excerpt

‘Poison,’ Stow mused. ‘A woman’s weapon, is it not?’ He turned, fixing his piggy eyes upon Magdalen. “Tell me, why did you poison John Wood?’

Magdalen felt suddenly ice-cold as if she had plunged into the Thames in January as if every last gasp of air had been driven from her lungs. All around her, the players erupted in cries of outraged indignation.

‘I – I did not poison John!’ Magdalen stammered. ‘He is – he was, like a brother to me.’

‘You knew him well?’

‘Well enough, sir.’

‘You were intimately acquainted?’

‘No! I swear on my life!’

But the constable had a bit between his teeth. ‘Was it a lover’s quarrel? Did he spurn you for another? What do they say? Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.’

Magdalen was sinking deeper into the icy water, the glimmers of daylight above her head becoming fainter as she drifted down into the darkness. The players’ protests were growing louder and angrier by the minute but they sounded very far away. The constable banged the tip of his staff upon the boards, once, twice, three times, dragging her back to the surface of her unfolding nightmare.

‘I will have silence!’ Edmund Stow bellowed. ‘Tell me, Mistress Bisset, as his sister then, who were his enemies? Who bore him a grudge?’

Magdalen thought of Richard Cowley’s brawl with John earlier that day, the hatred in his eyes. Did he hate John enough to kill him? But she had no proof, and she knew she would never forgive herself if she falsely accused him. ‘Everyone liked John, sir. He didn’t have any enemies.’

‘Everyone has enemies,’ Stow replied. ‘You came to London from Hampshire, did you not?’ he added, eyeing her appraisingly. ‘You were raised on a farm. You understand plants, which will heal, and which will harm?’

Magdalen dug her fingernails into her palms, focussing on the pain rather than the panic threatening to overwhelm her. ‘I left Hampshire when I was eight years old. I have no knowledge of such things, sir.’

‘Don’t lie to me.’

‘I swear I am innocent, sir.’

‘Believe me, girl, the truth will be out.’ Edmund Stow glared at her for a long moment, perhaps hoping he might see into her very soul. She found herself staring back at him, held fast by his malevolent spell. When at last he released her from his gaze, her legs felt as wobbly as marrow jelly.

Stow’s eyes were sweeping across the stage, seeking a new target. They settled on Burbage and narrowed, taking aim. ‘It seems most likely John Wood was poisoned here at the Theatre.’

‘That is an outrageous accusation!’ Burbage shot back indignantly. ‘You cannot seriously believe one of us killed John?’

‘I believe whatever the evidence suggests, Master Burbage,’ Stow replied haughtily. ‘Tell me, what refreshments do you provide for the players?’

‘We have a pitcher of Malmsey in the ‘tiring house, and one cup.’ Burbage was visibly fighting to remain calm. ‘Before every performance, we share the cup and raise a toast. If someone had poisoned the wine, we would all be dead.’

‘Bring me the pitcher and the cup.’

Burbage glanced at Magdalen, but Stow shook his head. ‘No. She stays here. Send the boy.’

Peter soon returned with the pitcher and cup. Stow sniffed them both cautiously. ‘You have all drunk from this cup?’

The players nodded.

‘But you gave John a second drink, after the play had begun, didn’t you, Magdalen,’ Peter said brightly.

Stow’s beady eyes fixed upon Magdalen again. ‘Is this true?’

Magdalen opened her mouth but no words formed. Peter was right. She had offered John another drink, but only because he had looked so unwell. Will Kempe glared at Peter and rolled his eyes in disgust. Several other players shook their heads despairingly. Peter, suddenly comprehending the gravity of his careless words, fought back tears.

‘So, you do not deny giving the player another drink, Mistress Bisset?’ There was a gleam of triumph in the constable’s eye.

Twelve Nights coverBlurb:

1592. The Theatre, London.

When a player is murdered, suspicion falls on the wardrobe mistress, Magdalen Bisset, because everyone knows poison is a woman’s weapon. The coroner is convinced of her guilt. The scandal-pamphlets demonize her.

Magdalen is innocent, although few are willing to help her prove it. Only handsome Matthew Hilliard offers his assistance, but dare she trust him when nothing about him rings true?

With just two weeks until the inquest, Magdalen ignores anonymous threats to ‘leave it be’, and delves into the dangerous underworld of a city seething with religious and racial tension. As time runs out, she must risk everything in her search for the true killer – for all other roads lead to the gallows.

Buy Links:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/bpYRlk

Penny Ingham 2Author Bio:

Penny has a degree in Classics, and a passion for archaeology – during the summer months, you will often find her on her ‘dig’ with a trowel in her hand. She has had a variety of jobs over the years, including ice cream seller, theatre PR, BBC local radio, and TV critic for a British Forces newspaper.

She has written four novels – ‘The King’s Daughter’ is the story of Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians. ‘The Saxon Wolves’ and ‘The Saxon Plague’ are set in the turbulent aftermath of Roman Britain. Her inspiration for Twelve Nights grew from her love of the theatre in general, and Shakespeare in particular.

Penny has two grown-up children and lives with her husband in Hampshire.

Author Links:

Website: Penny Ingham (wordpress.com)

Twitter: Penny Ingham (@pennyingham) / Twitter

Facebook: Penny Ingham Author Page | Facebook

Instagram: Penny Ingham (@penny.ingham) • Instagram photos and videos

Amazon Author Page: Amazon.co.uk: Penny Ingham: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle

Goodreads: Penny Ingham (Author of The Saxon Wolves) | Goodreads