I am pleased to welcome Anna Belfrage back to my blog to share an excerpt from her latest novel, “Queen of Shadows.” I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Anna Belfrage for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.
Alma felt safer the moment she entered her city. One of the guards at the city gate recognised her and asked her to give his regards to her mother. She slowed her pace along the familiar streets, passed by the huge cathedral just as the bells in the Giralda rang out the noon hour, and came to an abrupt stop at the sight of her childhood home. The gates stood wide open, people spilling out from the courtyard within to stand in the street. She pushed her way through, her initial fear that something bad had happened assuaged by the laughter, the loud voices.
The small patio was crowded with people, and sitting on a chair in the centre was Ramona, her cheeks flushed.
“Alma!” Abuela greeted her with a hug. “How propitious that you should come today. We are celebrating.”
One of the women present broke out in song. Several others fell in, some clapping out the rhythm. A song of love, of marriage and future babes, and Alma turned to blink at Ramona, who gave her a smug look.
“You’re getting married?” Alma asked.
“I am. The contracts were signed earlier today. I come with an adequate dowry, so Mamá has arranged a good marriage for me.” Ramona smirked. “Not much left for you. Or Nuria.”
For the first time ever, Alma felt a twinge of jealousy. Not because Ramona was to wed, but because she, Alma, would never have anything to offer someone like Rodrigo.
“Is he handsome?” she asked.
Ramona shrugged. “I have not met him. Mamá says he is.” She lowered her voice. “He’s a widower, father of three.”
“Ah.” Whatever jealousy she’d felt dissipated. “Is he from Sevilla?”
“No.” Ramona frowned. “He is from Cádiz.”
So far away!
“Have you been there?” Ramona asked.
She had, some years back when Doña Leonor had instead on accompanying the king when he set out to visit both Cádiz and Tarifa, central locations for his plans to one day retake Gibraltar from the Marinids.
“Mamá says it is a good place to live.” Ramona snorted. “How would she know? She’s never been further away than the Sierra Morena.”
“It benefits from the sea,” Alma said. “It is never as hot as Sevilla because there is always a breeze.” And it was also very small compared to Sevilla, the protective walls resulting in cramped conditions, but she did not think Ramona needed to hear this. “Is your future husband a caballero?”
“Sí. He now serves the king as a tax collector,” Ramona replied. “Before that, he served the local adelantado for years. He commanded men at the siege of 1333 but was grievously wounded and can no longer ride to war.” She cocked her head. “Mamá says the king should have persisted until he won.”
“Mamá knows nothing of what it is to be king.” Alma knew, from listening to Doña Leonor, that the king had every intention of retaking Gibraltar, but then, back in 1333, he’d had to break the siege to handle Juan Manuel and his cohorts, who had been happily raiding their way through Castile. Outlaws and renegades, the lot of them! Since then, Juan Manuel had been reined in—until last year, when he’d allied himself with Portugal.
“No, I suppose she doesn’t. Just as she doesn’t know anything about living in Cádiz.” Ramona sighed. “I won’t know anyone.”
“You will make friends soon,” Alma told her. “Your husband will be so proud of you and will likely parade you round every plaza, every church.”
Ramona gnawed her lip. “You truly think so?”
“You are very pretty.” And also very young, only a year older than Alma. Her husband-to-be had to be at least twice her age if he’d held command in 1333. She dug into her basket and found the pair of ivory hair combs she’d intended to give Mamá. Of Moorish origin, they were old but beautiful. “Here. For the bride-to-be.”
Ramona gaped. And then she threw her arms around Alma.
“I bought them for you,” Alma said much later to her mother. “But Ramona—”
“You did the right thing,” Mamá said. “You made her very happy.”
Blurb:
She should have stayed in the shadows—but Leonor de Guzmán yearned for the sun.
Castile in the 1330s is a place of constant turmoil. King Alfonso must contend with the incursions from the Muslim Marinids, eager to reclaim Al-Andalus while struggling with repeated rebellions against his firm rule.
When Alfonso needs respite, he finds it in the arms of his Leonor—the most beautiful woman in the realm. But while he may love Leonor over all others, his lawful wife, Maria of Portugal, is tired of being constantly displaced by the fair Leonor.
Leonor loves her man. She gives him healthy sons, a place to be himself. But she is only a mistress, even if Alfonso treats her like a queen. Leonor’s enemies watch and hate.
Flying too close to the sun comes at a high price. How much will Leonor’s love cost her?
Based on the true story of Alfonso XI and his complicated relationships to wife and lifelong mistress
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Author Bio:
Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance, and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time-travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th-century Scotland and Maryland, as well as two equally acclaimed medieval series: The King’s Greatest Enemy, which is set in 14th century England, and The Castilian Saga, which is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has also published a time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and its sequel Times of Turmoil, and is now considering just how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding. . .
All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals, as well as having won various Gold, Silver, and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
“A master storyteller. “This is what all historical fiction should be like. Superb.”
Find out more about Anna, her books, and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com, where you will also find her post about Alfonso and Leonor:
I am pleased to welcome Helen Hollick & Friends to my blog today to share a spotlight for their latest book, “Courage Anthology: Tales of History, Mystery and Hope.” I would like to thank Helen Hollick & Friends and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.
Blurb:
Fifteen historical short stories, covering eras from Roman to present-day by Judith Arnopp, Anna Belfrage, Derek Birks, Cathie Dunn, Patricia Furstenberg, Jean Gill, Kathy Hollick-Bater, Helen Hollick, Carolyn Hughes, Amy Maroney, Alison Morton, Elizabeth St.John, Marian L Thorpe, Antoine Vanner, Annie Whitehead. With an introduction by Lorna Fergusson.
The lion has long been a symbol of courage, loyalty, and hope. A creature of power and, in some traditions, of the divine. We imagine it unflinching, unafraid. Yet the truest bravery is not found in the open, but within, where the lion lies hidden, waiting to be called upon. In moments of uncertainty or grief. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to face it. It is the moment when we would rather flee, but instead, find a strength we did not know we possessed.
These powerful and often emotional stories follow men, women, and children as they face profound adversity, the resilience to endure, cling to hope for the future, and the courage to change their lives forever.
Join these ordinary people as they uncover extraordinary strength and emerge, in their own way, lion-hearted.
The Stories – in appearance order: (collated by Helen Hollick)
THE SENTRY by Alison Morton
Roman province of Noricum, AD 395
When danger strikes, and you are on your own with only fear as a companion
THE SAXON by Derek Birks
Southern Britain, the frontier between the Belgae and the Atrebates. AD 471
When escape means more than just running for your life
THE PHOENIX by Marian L Thorpe
Ésparias, a fictional country bordering the western sea circa AD 900
A mother’s dilemma? To keep them safe – or let them go?
SIFLEDE by Judith Arnopp
London, October 1066
When the Normans come, Southwark’s residents need to fight, flee, hide, or die.
DAISY CHAIN by Annie Whitehead
England, 1141
A mother’s love. A mother’s grief
STEPPING BETWEEN by Anna Belfrage
Ludlow Castle, England, 1308
When all you can do is to endure
CONFRONTING PLAGUE by Carolyn Hughes
England, 1361
When courage must survive in the face of history’s cruellest plague
KATE’S LETTER by Patricia Furstenberg
Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary, 1478
One letter, sealed in dragon’s wax
THE PORTRAIT’S SECRET by Amy Maroney
Paris, 1536
When a woman holds a secret, does she keep it or share it?
LEGACY by Jean Gill
Tudor England, 1558
When a man loses everything, what is his legacy?
A TALETELLER’S TALE by Helen Hollick
Somewhere in the Caribbean, 1709
When the only sound is the song of the sea, do you listen? Or do you drown in the embrace of a mermaid?
THE GATE by Elizabeth St.John
London, 1900
When courage costs everything
DARKNESS RISING by Cathie Dunn
Venezia, June 1923
Can the mystery of a secluded island and a murder be solved before
time runs out?
A SACK OF POTATOES by Antoine Vanner
Groenhorst, outskirts of Amersvoort, The Netherlands
November 11th, 1954
Courage meant survival for many – but others relied on greed
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Author Bios:
Helen Hollick: About Helen – (anthology compiler)
Originally first published in 1993, and now known for her captivating storytelling and attention to historical detail, Helen’s historical fiction, nautical adventures, cosy mysteries, and short stories invite readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between fiction and history blend together. Her historical novels span a variety of periods, with a particular focus on the Early Medieval. Her Pendragon’s Banner series offers a vivid portrayal of the King Arthur story set against a plausible reality setting, while the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings shows her ability to bring historical figures and settings to life. Her novel about Queen Emma (The Forever Queen – USA title) became a USA Today best-seller.
In the Sea Witch Voyages, she subtly weaves in elements of supernatural fantasy against the Golden Age of Piracy, creating an immersive and addictive nautical adventure experience.
Her Jan Christopher cosy mystery series is set during the 1970s, based around her sometimes hilarious years of working as a North London library assistant. Her 2025 release of Ghost Encounters, co-produced with her adult daughter, Kathy, reveals some benign ghosts of North Devon, where the family moved to in 2013. Helen has written several short stories, further exploring the echoes of the past, all with her compelling and convincing signature style.
Judith Arnopp: About Judith – Multi-award-winning author Judith Arnopp’s novels are set in the late medieval and Tudor period. Her main focus is on the women of the era, her meticulous research offering deep psychological analysis of well-known figures such as Margaret Beaufort, Marguerite of Anjou, Anne Boleyn, and Henry VIII himself. She has also written a non-fiction How to Dress like a Tudor.
Anna Belfrage: About Anna – Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance, and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time-travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th-century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy, which is set in 14th-century England, and The Castilian Saga, which is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has also published a time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and its sequel, The Times of Turmoil, and is now considering how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding.
Derek Birks: About Derek – Derek writes character-driven, action-packed fiction. His debut historical novel, Feud, is the first of a series of eight books and one novella, entitled The Wars of the Roses. which follows the fortunes of the fictional Elder family. He has also written the Amazon bestselling series, The Last of The Romans, which focuses on the real fifth-century Romano-British character of Ambrosius Aurelianus. His first non-fiction book is: A Guide to the Wars of the Roses. Under the pen name Tom Hadley, he has also written the Liv Fisher modern thriller series, which begins with Eyes Like Blades.
Derek has written and produced over 40 podcasts on the Wars of the Roses, and now co-hosts the podcast series, A Slice of Medieval, with historian Sharon Bennett Connolly.
Cathie Dunn: About Cathie – Cathie is an award-winning, Amazon-bestselling author of historical fiction, mystery, dual-timeline, and romance set in Scotland, England, and France. Her latest release, Ascent – the story of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo the Viking – is her sixth novel, and she is currently working on the sequel, Treachery. In her House of Normandy series, Cathie seeks to showcase the forgotten women behind the famous warriors who forged early medieval Normandy.
Cathie lives in the south of France with her husband and two rescue pets, enjoying the Mediterranean sunshine and visiting the many historic sites whenever she can.
Patricia Furstenberg: About Patricia – Patricia is a Romanian-born, South Africa-based author of character-driven historical fiction set in medieval Eastern Europe. Her latest novel, When Secrets Bloom, part of the Blood of Kings, Heart of Shadows saga, explores the turbulent world of Vlad the Impaler, weaving meticulous research with moral complexity, faith, and the quiet resilience of women navigating power and peril. Her short stories, poetry, and travel features have appeared in anthologies and online publications. Patricia blogs about overlooked corners of history and cultural heritage on her
Jean Gill: About Jean – Award-winning Welsh author and photographer Jean Gill lives in Provence with the best scent-hound in the world, a Nikon D750, and a man. Best known for writing epic medieval adventures in The Troubadours and The Midwinter Dragon series, Jean has published twenty-seven multi-genre books since 1988, including the dog bestseller Someone To Look Up To.
For many years, she taught English and was the first woman to be a secondary headteacher in the Welsh county of Dyfed. She is a mother or stepmother to five children, so life is hectic. With Scottish parents, Welsh and French residence,e and an English birthplace, she can usually shout for the winning team in sporting events.
Kathy Hollick-Bater: About Kathy – Kathy is severely dyslexic and struggles with her reading and writing. Her passion is horses and mental well-being. She started riding at the age of three, had her own pony at thirteen, and discovered showjumping soon after. Kathy is now a Devon farmer’s wife, runs Taw River Equine Events, and coaches riders of any age or experience, specialising in positive mindset and overcoming confidence issues via her Centre10 accreditation and Emotional Freedom Technique training. EFT, or ‘tapping’, uses the body’s pressure points to aid calm relaxation and to promote gentle healing around emotional, mental, or physical issues. She hopes to extend her training in order to help ex-servicemen overcome PTSD.
Kathy regularly competes at British Showjumping, and rides side-saddle (‘aside’) when she has the opportunity. She produces her own horses, several from home-bred foals. She also has the ability to see, hear, and talk to friendly ghosts, several of whom share our 1769 farmhouse.
Carolyn Hughes: About Carolyn – Carolyn is the author of The Meonbridge Chronicles series, historical fiction set in fourteenth century England. The first Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, is set in the immediate aftermath of what we call The Black Death. Times of social change are always fascinating, and trying to depict the great upheaval in society brought about by the plague was the inspiration for the book. In the subsequent novels, Carolyn has sought to reveal the lives of mostly ordinary medieval folk through stories that tell of experiences especially pertinent to the time but which also resonate today. The stories focus particularly on the lives of women, if only because women in history often have not had much opportunity to “speak”.
There are now eight books in the series. More will follow.
Amy Maroney: About Amy – Amy lives in Oregon, U.S.A., and spent many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to historical fiction. Amy is the author of the Miramonde Series, a trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail; and the Sea and Stone Chronicles, which features strong, talented women seeking their fortunes in the medieval Mediterranean. To receive a free prequel novella to the Miramonde Series, join Amy Maroney’s community of readers on her website: https://www.amymaroney.com/
Alison Morton: About Alison – Alison writes the thrillers she always wanted to read – ones featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her eleven-book Roma Nova thriller 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 with a sharp line in dialogue.
All six full-length Roma Nova novels have won the BRAG Medallion, the prestigious award for indie fiction. SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, INSURRECTIO, and JULIA PRIMA have been selected as Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choices. AURELIA was a finalist in the 2016 HNS Indie Award. The Bookseller selected SUCCESSIO as Editor’s Choice in its inaugural indie review.
Six years’ military service, a fascination with ancient Rome, and a life of reading crime, historical, and thriller fiction have inspired her writing. She lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her contemporary thrillers, Double Identity, Double Pursuit, and Double Stakes.
Elizabeth St.John: About Elizabeth – Elizabeth’s critically acclaimed historical fiction brings to life the stories of her ancestors—extraordinary women whose close connections to England’s kings and queens offer an intimate perspective on Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times. Inspired by family archives and historic residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, she explores ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens—and occasionally encounters a ghost. Discovering a whole different family history in The Gate, Elizabeth expands her storytelling into the early 20th century, adding a new era to her repertoire.
Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park and curator of The Lydiard Archives, where she is always searching for inspiration for her next novel. Her works include The Lydiard Chronicles, set during the English Civil War, and The Godmother’s Secret, exploring the mystery of the princes in the Tower. In The King’s Intelligencer, set in the court of Charles II, a young woman must decide what she is willing to risk to reveal the whereabouts of the missing princes.
Marian L Thorpe: About Marian – Marian’s novels are historical fiction of an imagined world, one that is close to Britain, Northern Europe, and Rome, but isn’t any of them. Her short stories, either in multiple-author anthologies or her own collections, range from urban fantasy to historical fiction, slice-of-life to climate fiction.
After two careers as a research scientist and an educator, she decided it was time to do what she’d always wanted, and be a writer. Her first book was published when she was in her mid-50s. Her lifelong interest in Roman and post-Roman European history provided the inspiration for her first series, while her other interests in landscape archaeology and birding provide background.
Antoine Vanner: About Antoine – Antoine spent four decades in international business, latterly at a senior executive level, and lectured in academia afterwards. He lived through military coups, a guerrilla war, negotiations with governments, storms at sea and life in mangrove swamps, tropical forest, offshore oil-platforms, and the boardroom. He has lived and worked long-term in eight countries, has travelled widely in all continents except Antarctica, and is fluent in three languages.
He has a passion for nineteenth-century political and military history and has a deep understanding of what was the cutting-edge technology of the time. His knowledge of human nature and his first-hand experience of the locales – often surprising – of the most important conflicts of the period provide the impetus for his chronicling of the lives of Royal Navy officer Nicholas Dawlish and his magnificent wife, Florence. There are thirteen volumes so far in the Dawlish Chronicles series, the actions set in the period 1858 to 1915.
Vanner now lives in Britain with his wife, Eva Lagassé (a journalist by background), their dog, and five horses.
Annie Whitehead: About Annie – is a prize-winning writer, historian, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and has written four award-winning novels set in ‘Anglo-Saxon’ Mercia. She has contributed to fiction and nonfiction anthologies and written for various magazines. She 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, a finalist in the Tom Howard Prize for nonfiction and shortlisted for the Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award 2021. She was the winner of the inaugural Historical Writers’ Association HWA/Dorothy Dunnett Prize 2017 and subsequently a judge for that same competition. She has also been a judge for the HNS (Historical Novel Society) Short Story Competition, and was a 2024 judge for the HWA Crown Nonfiction Award and chaired the same panel in 2025.
Her nonfiction books are Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom (a #1 Amazon Best-seller, published by Amberley Books) and Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England (Pen & Sword Books). In 2023, she contributed to a new history of English monarchs, published by Hodder & Stoughton, and in 2025, Murder in Anglo-Saxon England was published by Amberley Books.
In February 202,6 she signed a contract for a new nonfiction book about the Anglo-Saxons, to be published by The History Press in 2027.
With an introduction by Lorna Fergusson: About Lorna – Lorna Fergusson is an award-winning short story writer and novelist. Founder of Fictionfire Literary Consultancy, she is an experienced editor, writing coach, and speaker. She has taught on various Oxford University writing programmes since 2002. Her stories have won an Ian St James Award, the Historical Novel Society’s Short Story Award, and been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, Pan Macmillan’s Write Now prize, and the Historical Novel Society’s First Chapters prize. She was twice runner-up for the Mogford Prize. Author of The Chase and An Oxford Vengeance, her latest book is a collection of stories set in France, One Morning in Provence. She is currently developing one of the Mogford stories as a novel, as well as working on poetry and a book on mindset for writers. Born in Scotland, she is married with two sons and lives in Oxford, England.
I am pleased to welcome Anna Belfrage to my blog today to share a guest post to promote her novel, “Their Castilian Orphan.” I would like to thank Anna Belfrage and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.
I write Historical Fiction. While my protagonists are entirely fictional, they now and then have to interact with “real” people who’ve existed, lived, and died for real. This can be a bummer – especially when your perfectly crafted timeline suddenly crashes headlong into the wall of historical facts. That conversation your protagonist was to have with the wife of the 14th-century Earl of Lancaster can no longer happen, seeing as the lady died some months before the planned meeting. The touching scene in which Philippe Augustus of France reconciles with his Danish wife, Ingeborg, must be scrapped – the king would no more reconcile with his wife than he would have a crocodile in his bed (which would not only be very weird but also anachronistic, as there were no crocodiles in medieval France. As an aside, no one knows just why Philippe Augustus stormed out of the chamber in which he’d just spent his wedding night said Ingeborg, determined to never, ever have her near him again). See? These real-life characters are hard to deal with. In actual fact, so are the invented characters, as all of a sudden they start developing opinions of their own and generally refuse to cooperate when they don’t agree with the overall plotline, but that is neither here nor there – not in this post.
Including real characters in the story adds a certain nerve. People can read the book, become intrigued, and spend some time googling the real characters. Hopefully, they come away with the impression that the author has done a good job adhering to the overall facts. If not, there may be a problem, as readers of historical fiction tend to be sensitive to incorrect information.
The further back in history you write, the more leeway you have when utilizing real-life characters. Also, I think it important to underline that Historical Fiction is precisely that: fiction. Even when writing about real historical people, we must keep in mind that we don’t know these shadowy ghosts from the past. What we have are fragments of their lives (at best), mentions in this roll or the other, acidic comments in one chronicler’s version of events, and praise in another’s. So what any good historical fiction author does is that he/she constructs a picture – fleshes out the spare bones we have left to create a living, breathing character (in as much as characters can breathe, of course). Every such representation is incorrect in that it does not – cannot – be a fair representation of the person who lived and died all those years ago.
This is why we get such varied depictions of historical people. Authors may start with the same bare facts, but then they’ll add biases and personal values, which is why Henry Tudor comes across as the villain in one book, as an earnest man with a mission in another. The thing is, we have no idea what he was really like. Was he passionate in bed? Did he have the enervating habit of sucking his teeth as he thought? Did he take reading matter with him to the garderobe? Did he eat the veggies first? Did he now and then curse that meddlesome mother of his to hell and back? We simply don’t know. What we do know is that he won at Bosworth – and that, according to some, is down to pure luck, while others will argue for divine intervention.
I guess the long and short of all this is that a historical fiction author must know his/her period, and must be familiar with customs and foods, clothes, and values. Of course, when writing about real people, the author needs to have read up on the facts that exist. But these are just the building blocks. A historical fiction author wants to tell a story, and sometimes those real-life characters have to be tweaked – a bit – to create the required tension. And so Henry Tudor is at times represented as diabolical, at others as an ambitious man who truly believes he deserves the English crown. A skilled author will have the reader accepting either or – for the sake of the story as such.
In my recent release, Their Castilian Orphan, I am writing about a very, very bad year for Edward I. 1294 is probably one of his least favourite years, even if nowhere close to that most awful year, 1290 (when his wife died. And see what I am doing here? I am imbuing Edward with romantic traits by indicating he never, ever got over the loss of Eleanor. While there seems to be plenty of evidence this was the case, we do not know. Not really. . .) In 1294, Philippe IV of France more or less tricked Edward into turning over parts of Gascony to him, and, as icing on the cake, the Welsh seized the opportunity offered by Edward’s conflict with France to rebel.
Obviously, Edward plays an important role in my novel. While he is not one of my protagonists, most of my invented peeps live in his shadow, some in closer proximity to him than others, but none untouched. As Edward was king, we know more about him than about other players in the period. We can, for example, track his itinerary through his rolls—and boy did the man move about a lot! But the documents offer little insight into his mind and innermost thoughts.
My Edward is a man determined to come across as powerful. Being humiliated by the much younger Philippe must hurt, as does, in all likelihood, his gouty toe. But Edward would refuse to show weakness in public—it suffices that some of his more vociferous nobles are insinuating he was tricked by Philippe because Philippe promised him his young sister, Marguerite as a new bride. Ugh, his nobles exclaim, a king ruled by his lusts! My Edward doesn’t want to wed again—but he knows he has no choice, not really, seeing as he only has one surviving son, and everyone knows a king needs at least one spare. My Edward is temperamental and at times he unfairly subjects those who serve him to his anger. I have no idea if the real Edward would ever throw a heavy candlestick at a boy, but my Edward does—and is incapable of bending his pride sufficiently to apologise for it afterwards.
Many would probably portray Edward as more demonic—especially those writing about his campaigns against the Scots. And yes, to them he probably was the devil in disguise, but like every other person in the world, Edward was a multifaceted person, even if he does seem to have had a propensity for ruthless violence when riled. On the other hand, he was a medieval king, and such kings ruled through the force of their swords.
In conclusion, as I said right at the beginning, I write fiction. I have the joy of constructing a plot that weaves its way through the tapestry of known history, my invented leads interacting freely with the people who populate the history books – as I see them. Lucky me, hey?
Blurb:
It is 1294 and Eustace de Lamont is back in England after five years in exile. He will stop at nothing to ruin Robert FitzStephan and his wife, Noor d’Outremer.
Robert’s half-brother, Eustace de Lamont, has not mellowed during his absence. He is more ruthless than ever, and this time he targets Robert’s and Noor’s foster son, Lionel.
Lionel is serving King Edward as a page when Eustace appears at court. Not only does Lionel become the horrified witness to Eustace’s violent streak, Eustace also starts voicing his suspicions about Lionel’s parentage. The truth about Lionel’s heritage is explosive—should King Edward find out, all would be lost for Robert and Noor.
In October of 1294, Wales rises in rebellion. Robert must leave his family unprotected to fight the Welsh rebels on the king’s behalf, comforted only by the fact that Eustace too is called to fight.
Except that Eustace has no intention of allowing his duty to his king—or a mere rebellion—come between him and his desire to destroy Robert FitzStephan . . .
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Universal buy link: https://mybook.to/TCO
Author Bio:
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 has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th-century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th-century England. Anna has just released the final installment, Their Castilian Orphan, in her other medieval series, The Castilian Saga, which is set against the conquest of Wales. She has recently released Times of Turmoil, a sequel to her time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and is now considering just how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding. . .
All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver, and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
“A master storyteller”
“This is what all historical fiction should be like. Superb.”
Find out more about Anna, and her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, http://www.annabelfrage.com
Sign up for Anna’s newsletter to keep up with new releases, giveaways, and other fun stuff: http://eepurl.com/cjgatT
I 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.
Blurb:
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
Today, I am pleased to welcome Anna Belfrage to my blog to discuss her book, “A Rip in the Veil,” and her character Matthew Graham. I want to thank Anna Belfrage and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.
Date of Birth: March 31 in the year of our Lord 1630.
Astrological sign: Aries (but he scoffs at such nonsense)
Education: None from a formal perspective; he knows his letters, has a knack for complex ciphering and has most of the Catechism down by heart. (He grins and mimes an aching backside as he explains his Da was most insistent on this.) An intuitive horseman (said with pride), an excellent swordsman – no choice, had he not learned to wield the sword, he’d have died well before his twentieth birthday given the unrest of the times. Quite the marksman with a musket. Pistols, he says, are unreliable things. He has gone unbeaten in chess since his Da died, enjoys singing, and has a secret passion for John Donne’s poetry – not something he talks all that much about.
Favorite dish: Food, he says with something of a frown. As long as there’s something to eat daily, what does it matter what it is? He admits to a fondness for pork cracklings – and Alex’s spice cake when I push.
Favoritepastime: Long winter mornings spent in bed. (He winks)
He is most reluctant. Matthew ducks his head as he enters the room but remains by the door, hat in hand. Outlined against the square of light that is the open door, he stands tall – inordinately tall given the times – and with a pleasing width to chest and shoulders. A strong man is accustomed to physical work, as seen from his forearms and hands, at present rather dirty after a full day out in the fields.
“I don’t see the point,” he mutters, slapping his hat against his thigh.
“It’s called PR,” I say. After all, he’s the protagonist of A Rip in the Veil, my book presently on tour. To be correct, he stars in the entire The Graham Saga.
Matthew squirms at the “stars in” part and rolls his eyes at PR. I’ve tried to explain this concept to him over and over again, but as far as he’s concerned, this is all a waste of time.
“I just want to introduce you to my readers,” I say.
“Hmm.” Someone laughs in the yard, and he turns towards the sound, exposing a strong jaw and straight nose. As he turns back towards me, sunlight strikes him full in the face, and his hazel eyes lighten into golden green.
“Some background, no more,” I wheedle.
With a sigh, he comes over to join me by the table, sitting down on one of the stools. He leans back against the wall, extends his long legs, and crosses them at the ankle. His thighs bunch and relax under the coarse homespun of his breeches. Too tight, these breeches, too worn – not that I mind, not at all. I pour him some beer, leaning close enough to catch his scent, a fragrance of morning dew on a mossy moor, overlaid by the riper tones of wood smoke and male sweat. He needs a shave, his cheeks covered by dark stubble that is highlighted by the odd streak of deep chestnut. Matthew clears his throat, and I retake my eyes. It makes him smile.
“Background, aye?” And with that, he begins to talk.
Okay, so I’m not going to bore you with his detailed description of his childhood. At times I think he forgets I’m sitting there, so sunk is he in his memories of his Mam. He describes a very religious home, a place where having regular conversations with God about just about everything was the norm. But his mother laughs and sings; she berates God loudly when he’s inconsiderate enough to let it rain on her drying laundry and blows kisses to the heavens when the harvest is bountiful. His father is another matter; Malcolm Graham practices a stern faith, and as a consequence, so do his children – and, in particular, his eldest son.
“As it should be.” Matthew shrugs. He shifts on his stool, drumming his fingers against the tabletop.
His speech slows when he tells me of his years in the Commonwealth Army. A boy growing to a man amongst so much violence—it makes me shudder, but he speaks of his comrades and officers with warmth and respect. I have realized just how much these men have shaped him into what he is today, a man with a deep-seated belief in every man’s right to have a say in how he’s governed.
He breezes over the details of the battles he took part in, which is equally brief as he recounts his courtship of Margaret, his first wife. He says her name carefully as if his mouth fills with thorns when he pronounces it. And as to Luke . . . Matthew refuses to say a word about his brother – well, beyond cursing him for being the misbegotten treacherous pup that he is.
“Three years,” he says. “That’s what yon miscreant has cost me. Three years of non-life, of one endless day after the other, so alike there was no way of knowing if it was Sunday or Thursday, March or October. Well, mayhap the Sunday part is not correct; there’d be a minister come to visit us every now and then, long sermons about our duty to the Realm and its Lord Protector, very little about Our Lord’s mercy.” Matthew smiles crookedly and fiddles with his belt. “It wasn’t as if I had betrayed the Commonwealth, but no matter what I said, no one believed me. So I stopped talking – beyond the necessities.” He has twisted his hands together and spends some minutes studying the way his fingers braid around each other.
I wait. Talking about the years spent in prison due to the false testimony of his younger brother becomes difficult for Matthew.
“Sometimes . . .”
“What?” I prompt.
“I . . . they had me flogged, aye? For being obstructive. But I wasn’t – no more than all of us were.” He spits to the side. “It was Luke, I reckon.”
“You think?”
“Gold buys you favors everywhere,” Matthew says. “And he paid them well enough that they found reason to flog me on a regular basis, aye? Hoped I’d die of it, I reckon.” His shoulders tense under the linen of his shirt. His back is decorated with scars courtesy of those floggings, and he’s terribly self-conscious about his broken skin.
“But you didn’t die,” I say.
“I would have –had I not escaped.” A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Took them some time to realize I’d run – if not, they’d have caught me before I made it over the Trent. As it was, I was well away by dark. But the next day—”
“What?” I lean forward. I’ve not heard these details before.
“Persistent man, yon commander. He’d had his men out looking for me all night, and at dawn, they had me neatly cornered.” Matthew laughs, and his eyes crinkle together for an instant or two. “It makes you right weak livered to sit on a roof and watch your pursuers come closer and closer. I had no choice; it was either leap off the roof and run for it or . . .”
“Or what?”
“The chimney.” He shakes his head. “Near on falling down it was, and with so many rooks’ nests crammed down inside it, it’s a marvel it hadn’t caught fire before. Part of the upper ledge crumbled when I clambered inside and no sooner was I out of sight, but the entire thing toppled.”
Not only the chimney, but the roof as well, and he’d fallen to land in a bed atop a woman – an old crone of a woman with no teeth and a grimy, oversized nightcap crammed down on her head. Fortunately, she’d been alone in the bed that took up most of the little garret room.
“I’m not sure who was the most frightened, me or her, but she kept her wits about her, and when the guards came storming up the stairs, she shoved me under the quilts while screaming like a banshee. About the roof, her imminent death, and the terror of having unknown men invade her bedroom.” He chuckled. “She didn’t mention the unknown man squished against her bosom.”
“Ah.” I can imagine that hadn’t been too much of a sacrifice. A man like Matthew Graham in your bed . . .
“She was old! Like Methuselah! And she stank, aye? The whole bed stank, and it sagged so badly in the middle her arse must have been resting on the floor, with me on top.” He makes a face. “She wiggled her hips, the dirty old trollop, and all the while the men were in the room, she had me pressed so close to her chest I near on swooned with lack of air.”
“Ah,” I repeat.
He looks at me from under his lashes – long, dark lashes – and smiles, his generous mouth curving in a way that makes me feel a ridiculous urge to giggle. I don’t.
“So why did she hide you?” I ask.
“A royalist helping another royalist, I reckon. And I saw no reason to correct her perception of me. Not even when she gave me her late son’s shirt, saying he’d died at Naseby. She saved my life,” he says, sounding serious. “Had that old lady handed me over, I’d have been dead and buried long since, and Alex—”
“Would never have met you – or you her.”
“Nay.” He looks away at absolutely nothing. “That would have been a great loss.”
“For her or you?” I ask, somewhat touched by his tone.
“For us both.” He grins and stands up. “But mostly for her. How would that daft lass have survived had I not found her?”
By the door, he turns to look at me. “She’s made it all worthwhile again.”
“Made what worthwhile?”
“Life,” he says, covering his dark, wavy hair with his hat. “Alex?” he shouts as he steps into the yard.
“Over here,” I hear her call back.
I rise to peek at them through the little window. Two people walk off towards the moor, so synchronized they walk like one. By the time they’ve crossed the yard, she is fused to his side, her arm around his waist, his arm around her shoulders.
“Lucky girl,” I say out loud. Or is she? After all, I haven’t quite made up my mind as to how this story will end. I chew on my pencil and watch them out of sight.
Blurb:
On a muggy August day in 2002, Alex Lind disappears. On an equally stifling August day in 1658, Matthew Graham finds her on a Scottish moor. Life will never be the same for Alex – or Matthew.
Alexandra Lind is thrown three centuries backward to land at the feet of escaped convict Matthew Graham.
Matthew doesn’t know what to make of this strange woman who has seemingly fallen from the skies—what is she, a witch?
Alex is convinced the tall, gaunt man is some sort of hermit, an oddball, but she quickly realizes the odd one out is she, not he.
Catapulted from a life of modern comfort, Alex grapples with her new existence, further complicated by the dawning realization that someone from her time has followed her here—and not exactly to extend a helping hand.
Potential compensation for this brutal shift in fate comes in the shape of Matthew, a man she should never have met, not when she was born three centuries after him. But Matthew comes with his baggage, and on occasion, his past threatens them both. At times Alex finds it all excessively exciting, longing for the structured life she used to have.
How will she ever get back? And more importantly, does she want to?
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time traveler. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time-traveling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th-century Scotland and Maryland, and the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy, set in 14th-century England.
Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.
Her Castilian Heart is the third in her “Castilian” series, a stand-alone sequel to her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk. Set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales; His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. In the second installment, The Castilian Pomegranate, we travel with the protagonists to the complex political world of medieval Spain. This latest release finds our protagonists back in England—not necessarily any safer than the wilds of Spain!
Anna has also authored The Whirlpools of Time, in which she returns to the world of time travel. Join Duncan and the somewhat reluctant time-traveler Erin on their adventures through the Scottish Highlands just as the first Jacobite rebellion is about to explode!
Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals and has won various Gold, Silver, and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
Find out more about Anna and her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website,www.annabelfrage.com.
Today, I am pleased to welcome to my blog Anna Belfrage to promote the audiobook for her novel, “His Castilian Hawk.” Thank you, Anna Belfrage and The Coffee Pot Book Club, for allowing me to participate in this tour.
Blurb:
For bastard-born Robert FitzStephan, being given Eleanor d’Outremer in marriage is an honour. For Eleanor, this forced wedding is anything but a fairy tale.
Robert FitzStephan has served Edward Longshanks loyally since the age of twelve. Now he is riding with his king to bring Wales under English control once and for all.
Eleanor d’Outremer—Noor to family—lost her Castilian mother as a child and is left entirely alone when her father and brother are killed. When ordered to wed the unknown Robert FitzStephan, she has no choice but to comply.
Two strangers in a marriage bed are not accessible. Things are further complicated by Noor’s blood ties to the Welsh princes and by covetous Edith, who has warmed Robert’s bed for years.
Robert’s new wife may be young and innocent, but he is soon to discover that she is not only spirited and proud but also brave. Because when Wales lies gasping and Edward I exacts terrible justice on the last prince and his children, Noor is determined to save at least one member of the House of Aberffraw from the English king.
Will years of ingrained service have Robert standing with his king, or will he follow his heart and protect his wife, his beautiful and fierce Castilian hawk?
Buy Links:
The Kindle ebook of this title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time traveler. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time-traveling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th-century Scotland and Maryland, and the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy, set in 14th-century England.
Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.
Her Castilian Heart is the third in her “Castilian” series, a stand-alone sequel to her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk. Set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales; His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. In the second installment, The Castilian Pomegranate, we travel with the protagonists to the complex political world of medieval Spain. This latest release finds our protagonists back in England—not necessarily any safer than the wilds of Spain!
Anna has also authored The Whirlpools of Time, in which she returns to the world of time travel. Join Duncan and the somewhat reluctant time-traveler Erin on their adventures through the Scottish Highlands just as the first Jacobite rebellion is about to explode!
Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals and has won different Gold, Silver, and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
In life, one of the hardest decisions that we must decide is who to trust. Who can we truly depend on to be by our side when times get rough or when they are going our way. Most of the time, we can rely on those who we put our trust in, but there are extraordinary times when our trust in someone is utterly shattered. Betrayal of one’s trust is like a knife in the back, it can be devastating no matter who is being betrayed. It is not a new concept in human nature to betray others. Whether for money, for power, or lust, betrayal can destroy the lives of everyone involved. Can there be redemption after betrayal? In this anthology of historical fiction tales, twelve authors explore every aspect of betrayal throughout history. This is “Betrayal” by the Historical Fictioneers.
I would like to thank the Historical Fictioneers for sending me a copy of this anthology to read and review. The Historical Fictioneers is a group of twelve historical fiction authors whose works span from early Roman ruled Brittania to the modern-day. The members of this illustrious group are Judith Arnopp, Cryssa Bazos, Anna Belfrage, Derek Birks, Helen Hollick, Amy Maroney, Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb, Tony Riches, Mercedes Rochelle, Elizabeth St. John, and Annie Whitehead. When I heard about this project, I knew that I wanted to read this book, since this would be my first historical fiction anthology. I had read some of the authors who have written about the Tudors and the Wars of the Roses, but many of the authors in this group I had not had the pleasure of reading their works yet, so I was very excited to go on brand new historical adventures.
This anthology was a time-traveling delight, exploring numerous centuries from every possible angle. From early British history under Roman rule to 21st-century Italian history and everything in between, these twelve authors bring their respective periods and characters to life. What is particularly lovely is that these tales cover different positions in life. From knights and peasants to kings and noblewomen, and a few pirates for good measure. Each of these entries is a short sample of novels that each author has written. They are right in the middle of intense moments, which are tantalizing to read. For the authors that I have read before, it was like visiting old friends and for the authors that I had never read before, it was discovering new favorite stories that I might want to read soon.
I did not know what to expect with this book, since it was an anthology and a few of the stories were out of my comfort zone when it came to their eras. I found myself falling in love with these new characters and the new perspectives that these authors took. Each author showed betrayal and why someone betrayed someone else in a different light. From lust for power to greed, broken alliances, and romance, to downright treacherous acts.
Every snippet of a story was a smash hit, but collectively as a whole, this anthology was a triumph. To take twelve different tales that don’t have much in common and to join them in a common theme, such as betrayal, is extraordinary. I want more anthologies like this one by the Historical Fictioneers. This was a historical delight that will appeal to all history nerds. If you want a fabulous escape into different eras of the past, I highly recommend you read, “Betrayal” by Judith Arnopp, Cryssa Bazos, Anna Belfrage, Derek Birks, Helen Hollick, Amy Maroney, Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb, Tony Riches, Mercedes Rochelle, Elizabeth St. John, and Annie Whitehead
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I am pleased to welcome Anna Belfrage to my blog today to share a guest post to promote her novel, “Their Castilian Orphan.” I would like to thank Anna Belfrage and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.
Blurb:
Author Bio:
I 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. 
Blurb:
Today, I am pleased to welcome Anna Belfrage to my blog to discuss her book, “A Rip in the Veil,” and her character Matthew Graham. I want to thank Anna Belfrage and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this blog tour.
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Author Bio:
Today, I am pleased to welcome to my blog Anna Belfrage to promote the audiobook for her novel, “His Castilian Hawk.” Thank you, Anna Belfrage and The Coffee Pot Book Club, for allowing me to participate in this tour. 
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Author Bio:
In life, one of the hardest decisions that we must decide is who to trust. Who can we truly depend on to be by our side when times get rough or when they are going our way. Most of the time, we can rely on those who we put our trust in, but there are extraordinary times when our trust in someone is utterly shattered. Betrayal of one’s trust is like a knife in the back, it can be devastating no matter who is being betrayed. It is not a new concept in human nature to betray others. Whether for money, for power, or lust, betrayal can destroy the lives of everyone involved. Can there be redemption after betrayal? In this anthology of historical fiction tales, twelve authors explore every aspect of betrayal throughout history. This is “Betrayal” by the Historical Fictioneers.