Friday Featured: M

Welcome to Friday Featured. I'm publishing, working from A-Z, a weekly list of authors whose works I think you should check out. Maybe I've read some of their works, maybe I've worked with them on various projects, perhaps their books are on my To-Be-Read pile, or perhaps they are friends of mine who have news that needs to be shared. The only rule here is that it is totally unsolicited. The authors don't know I'm going to feature them, and in that way you'll know that this is simply my honest opinion. If I haven't read their work yet I'll be candid and say so, but at least one book by each of these authors is either on my shelves, or on my Kindle; it might be that I just haven't got to them yet 😊

This week, M: (clicking on the names will take you to the author website; book titles will take you to the books on Amazon)
There's a lot this week, so I'll rattle through them ...

Marie MacPherson  The First Blast of the Trumpet is the first in a trilogy about the famous firebrand John Knox. This book is so much more than that, though, as it not only tells Knox's story but that of his kinswoman, Elisabeth Hepburn, who wants to marry her love, but ends up as a prioress at the time of the Scottish Reformation. I loved this book. It's proper, solid, historical fiction with a cast of rounded characters, great sense of time and place, all backed up with impeccable research which sits lightly on the page, and deftly describes the machinations of the Scottish court during this period. Marie throws just enough Scottish dialect into her dialogue to make the characters come alive. I have the second volume of this trilogy and I can't wait to get stuck into it. 

Sarah Maine  I've had The House Between Tides sitting on my old tablet for a while and had forgotten all about it. I must bump this up the list. "Following the death of her last living relative, Hetty Deveraux leaves London and her strained relationship behind for Muirlan, her ancestral home in Scotland - now in ruins. As Hetty dives headfirst into the repairs, she discovers a shocking secret protected by the house for a hundred years. With only whispered rumours circulating among the local villagers and a handful of leads to guide her, Hetty finds the power of the past is still affecting her present in startling ways." This book was declared Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year 2018 and with over two hundred reviews, it must be doing something right. I can't wait to read it!

Tess Makovesky  I know Tess in real life and have done for a while but I didn't tell her that I'd bought and read Gravy Train on Kindle. It's not my usual read, being a crime 'caper' novel set in modern-day Birmingham, but it's such a good read. Peppered with all sorts of 'low-life' characters, it follows a stash of money as it passes from one hapless wannabe criminal to the next. There is genuine pathos in some scenes, some genuinely nasty and horrifying characters and then there's Sandra, whose life is all about the ever-so-nearly moments but she needs the help of her creepy 'Uncle' to help her succeed. The author adds some really comedic moments into the story but there are some dark scenes too. I found myself rooting for Sandra and her dreams for a better life...

Amy Maroney  "Renaissance-era artist Mira grows up in a Pyrenees convent believing she is an orphan. When tragedy strikes, Mira learns the devastating truth about her own origins. But will she find the strength to face those who would destroy her? 500 years later, art scholar Zari unearths traces of a mysterious woman named Mira in two 16th-century portraits. Obsessed, Zari tracks Mira through the great cities of Europe to the pilgrim’s route of Camino de Santiago—and is stunned by what she finds. But will her discovery be enough to bring Mira’s story to light?" The Girl From Oto is simply a stunning and delightful read. An original idea, part historical fiction, but with a dual timeline, it's skilfully plotted and it was a joy to read. I gave it five stars in my review.

Milana Marsenich If I were pushed to compile a top ten of books I've read this year, I'm confident that Copper Sky would occupy the top slot (although, the year is only half over, so you never know). On the face of it, this is a bleak tale about the harsh life in an early 20th-Century copper mining town in Montana. Kaly remembers her sister's death, but she also half-remembers that something terrible happened to her that day, too. Kaly wants to make a life her unborn child, while her friend Malika wants to escape the life which has been mapped out for her. Danger lurks, and not just in the daily hazards at the mine. The writing is exquisite, the setting and period feel are spot on and, though the characters' lives are bleak, there is a glimmer of hope running through this tale.

Jennie Marsland  About three or four years ago, before I really got to grips with Social Media, I took up the offer of reading a copy of Flight, the final part of a series. I thoroughly enjoyed this story about Georgie, who meets an ex-aviator from WWI. I found the history of turn-of-the-century Halifax fascinating, and the hopes and dreams of the young folk who lived through the war and dreamed of a brighter future was engaging and well written. Because this was a 'freebie' I read it as a standalone, but I'd recommend starting at the beginning and getting to know the characters. (Each book focuses on a different character, but in terms of time they run chronologically.) Jennie writes with a lightness of touch that makes this easy, yet still at times thought-provoking, reading. 

Kathleen McGurl  I read The Emerald Comb on Kindle, and here's a portion of my 5* review of this dual timeline book which involves a modern-day woman trying to solve the mysteries of the past: The 21stc sections are written in a light, contemporary style, with cultural references that will, in years to come, put them firmly in their time setting. A different voice is used for the earlier time, and this different narration style works well as a device. There's no jarring as we go from old to modern times and the difference in tone eases the switch from one to the other. I was able to read this book quickly without skipping any of it, a testament to Ms McGurl's writing skills, which she makes seem so effortless. The plot is worked out so precisely that not a single detail is wasted - everything matters & all is tied up at the end.

Jean Mead  Every so often, authors set up discounts on the price of their books and I downloaded Hannah while it was on special offer. It's sitting on my Kindle, although I have sneaked a look at the opening pages, and it promises to be a great read: From what I've gathered from the blurb, the year is 1823 when the story begins in the grand mansion, Croxton Hall in Dorset. This is where fifteen-year old Hannah, defying her father, leaves home to become a kitchen maid, and the book goes on to tell a sweeping tale of love, loss and betrayal which sees Hannah finding herself staring at the shadow of the hangman's noose. The story takes the reader from the glorious Dorset Downs to the dripping walls of a filthy prison and beyond. I'm really looking forward to settling down with this one.

Sue Moorcroft  A Summer to Remember was a joy for me to read on Kindle, since it's set in an area of Norfolk with which I'm very familiar. It's the perfect holiday read, beginning with a jilted bridegroom, his brother who had a bit of a thing going with the bride's cousin and now, after being dumped by her boyfriend in the worst way possible, that cousin has come back to the sleepy Norfolk village to lick her wounds. Unfortunately, in so doing, she opens up a lot of old wounds, too. Some of the locals embrace her, some of them hate her for reminding them of the wedding that never was, oh and there's some unfinished business on the romance front... memorable characters, wonderful scenery, and a believable tale of every day life, albeit one laced with drama. Loved it.

Toni Mount I won a paperback copy of this book and what a delight it was to read Medieval Medicine by Toni Mount, a medievalist who really knows her stuff. I'm keeping it on my research shelves because it is packed full of really useful information about medical practice in the middle ages. However, it is also a really accessible read, and Toni has a lovely way with words; some of her asides are very droll indeed. As I said in my review, "everything is here: from the diagnosis, treatments and medical knowledge to the various occupations and titles of those who practised medicine. The notes are detailed and helpful, with sources listed and page numbers given for further reading." Toni has written a number of nonfiction books and also writes a fiction series, medieval thrillers featuring Seb Foxley. 

April Munday I 'met' April on Twitter and I love her blog posts where she explains, among other things, the anatomy of a castle. Beloved Besieged is a great book which is clearly a product of meticulous research. "Limoges 1364 - After Elaine is rescued from a rioting mob by Joscelin, a handsome English pilgrim, neither expects to see the other again. Out of sight proves not to be out of mind, however, nor out of heart. Their unspoken love for one another continues to grow over the years they’re apart. When their paths cross again, Joscelin is a knight in the army laying siege to Elaine’s home. He has to get to her before anyone can harm her… or worse." I liked the way the characters sat firmly within their time period and I felt that in particular, Joscelin's inner struggles made him very much a man of his time. Beautifully researched and written.



And that's it. Gosh, what is it about the letter M that produces such amazing authors? I hope you find your next good read from this list. Join me next time for N-P 😊

New Release: Passage, by Prue Batten

I know Prue Batten as an author of top class historical fiction, but she doesn't just write in this genre. She has a brand new book out, and it's called Passage. It has a stunning cover, and that's just for starters. This is a contemporary novel, one which explores loss, and it seems it's somewhat of a departure for Prue, as she explains...

Prue says:

Such a new pathway for me!

I never anticipated crossing genres again, but as the result of a challenge, I wrote Passage.

For better or worse. 

It’s easier in some ways to write contemporary fiction than historical fiction but then so much harder in others.

With contemporary fiction, the reduction in research alone is notable. Perhaps because with modern times, it is literally there at the very tips of our fingers, whereas with hist.fict, it is a long hard road filled with potholes and hard stones. 

But a problem arises if one chooses to write in a setting that is ‘home’, as I have, where every day one is walking in the thoroughly modern footsteps of one’s protagonists.

It becomes what I call the Separation Exercise. Because Annie, my protagonist, lives on the coast of Tasmania where I live, it’s been very easy to put my feelings about my surroundings into Annie’s experience, but the extension to that is to make sure that Annie remains fictional. (I can feel a blog-post coming on about just this fact!) Otherwise, readers are apt to draw many wrong conclusions.

Mind you, many contemporary fiction writers have stories to tell about readers who can’t separate the protagonist from the author. One writer tells of launching a book about the protagonist’s husband leaving her on Christmas morning. At the book launch, a reader put her arm round the author and said how sad she felt for the author at facing such intimate hurt. Never mind that the author’s husband was standing alongside her! 

And Cathy Kelly, the Number One Global Women's Fiction Bestseller who endorsed Passage, said, ‘Everyone assumes that if you write contemporary fiction, it is about yourself…’
I suspect it’s a cross one has to bear. (Though I’d rather not…)

But the thing that made Passage so enjoyable to write was the setting. I adore my home coast, and Maria Island (pronounced Mar-eye-a), my most favourite place in the world, is what I call my heart home. I hope that resonates within the novel. My mother always called the coast her healing place and given Annie’s terrible loss and her subsequent pain, I hope the ‘healing’ sings from the novel. 
To get an idea of Annie’s wonderful setting, there’s a mood board on Pinterest and of course, Annie’s watershed moment comes when she is hiking on Maria Island, a picture of which is on the cover of the book.

The Painted Cliffs in Maria Island National Park - the image
was a Wiki Picture of the Day. Attribution Link

The other most obvious challenge for me was making sure that those who pick up this book aren’t overcome by the scope of Annie’s tragedy and will give the book a go. It’s why she owns an outrageous little Jack Russell terrier, why she talks constantly to her late husband (and why he answers!) and why her French friend, Lisette, is so glaringly forthright. The narrative needed light to balance the shade.

There’s scope for Passage to have a partner in the future. But will I go there? 

I don’t know. 

I miss hist.fict much more than I thought I would. 

Thus, I’m writing a Convict Transportation collaboration with the great and prolific Simon Turney, I have two hist.ficts I want to write myself, I’ve begun a delicious fantasy which gives me a chance to world-build on a lush level, and I have a collaboration with www.bopressminiaturebooks.com  to write a short story to connect back to the fantasy. 

So, lots to do.

But never say never. Perhaps Annie Tremayne and her friends will demand it of me. And to be honest, I miss them already.
Besides, while I can, I will write and so anything’s the go…

Passage can be purchased at mybook.to/Passage and is also available in print.

To find out more about Prue, click on:
www.pruebatten.com

www.facebook.com/Prue.Batten.writer

www.pinterest.dk/pruebatten

www.instagram.com/pruebatten/

Friday Featured: L

Welcome to Friday Featured. I'm publishing, working from A-Z, a weekly list of authors whose works I think you should check out. Maybe I've read some of their works, maybe I've worked with them on various projects, perhaps their books are on my To-Be-Read pile, or perhaps they are friends of mine who have news that needs to be shared. The only rule here is that it is totally unsolicited. The authors don't know I'm going to feature them, and in that way you'll know that this is simply my honest opinion. If I haven't read their work yet I'll be candid and say so, but at least one book by each of these authors is either on my shelves, or on my Kindle; it might be that I just haven't got to them yet 😊


This week, L: (clicking on the names will take you to the author website; book titles will take you to Amazon)

Erica Lainé This is the first in Erica's trilogy, The Tangled Queen, telling the story of Isabella, which I read on Kindle, and focuses on her years as John's wife. Erica does a good job of portraying all the warring factions without it becoming confusing. Following John around his kingdom must have been exhausting for his wife, and the idea of never being settled comes across strongly. Isabella's sense of isolation is keenly felt - she seems to have no women around her and she is forever the outsider, given little say in matters, even concerning her own family. I feel, like all good trilogies, that this book was building up to something and I think she will become a force to be reckoned with in Book 2. She starts Book 1 as a child, but by the end she is a woman, a mother, a widow, and the game has changed. Can't wait to read on!

Gemma Lawrence Depictions of this period usually focus on her difficult relationship with her elder half-sister, Mary, but The Bastard Princess, which I read on Kindle, made me consider how the young Elizabeth would have been affected by the rapid appearance and disappearance of her step-mothers. Obviously, the treatment of her own mother at the hands of her father would have had a huge impact on her, (though she was scarcely old enough to remember it, she'd certainly have known about it) yet I'd given little thought to her relationship with her father's subsequent wives and how this constant fluctuation might have led her to form fixed opinions about what it meant to be a wife. I'd have enjoyed an alternative point of view, as this is all told by Elizabeth herself, but this is a thought-provoking examination of the early life of the queen.

NJ Layouni I 'met' NJ in a readers' group on FB, and when we discovered we lived fairly near to each other, we met in real life. When we first met, I'd read the first in the Time Traveler series, and now I've read all three. It's so lovely to know the person who dreamed up this fantasy, medieval-style world, into which our 'heroine', modern-day Martha, falls. This is time-travel, but sideways, as Martha slips not back in time, but into a different universe.Even if you think time-slip novels are not your thing, I urge you to read these books. NJ has a real skill which allows us to get right inside the characters' heads. There is also drama, tension and love in these stories. Ironheart: Anselm's Tale is perhaps my favourite, but start at the beginning - Book One is permafree - and work your way through.  I believe at least two more are in the pipeline.

Pam Lecky  I met Pam in real life, in a pub in Buttermere, where large portions of The Bowes Inheritance are set. In this Victorian-era story, Irish-born Louisa inherits a large estate in Cumbria, and she thinks that the change of lifestyle will help her invalid sister. So far, so idyllic. But not all the neighbours are friendly, there seem to be family secrets which could put their lives in danger, and Louisa is distinctly unsure about the local magistrate, Nicholas. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I read on Kindle. It has the perfect blend of history, mystery and romance, with stunningly locations, beautifully described. Pam has a new book out today, No Stone Unturned, the first in The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries. I think it's fair to say that Pam has settled herself comfortably into the 1880s and plans to entertain readers for a long while yet!

Loretta Livingstone I've been aware of Loretta for a while, as she's been on the HNS Indie Book of the Year shortlist, and I 'know' her through FB and Twitter. I love the cover of Blossom on the Thorn, but I'd held off buying it because it seemed to be the third in a series, and I felt I needed to read the first two first. Not so! Loretta assures me that this can be read as a standalone, so it is now on my Kindle, waiting for me. The year is 1195: "I should have had nothing to do with those accursed Angevins. I should have run like hell in the opposite direction." Giles de Soutenay is promised an heiress by Queen Eleanor, but, although young and attractive, his bride has all the warmth of a stone effigy. Newly widowed Isabella will give de Soutenay no reason to complain but he will not have her heart ... I can't wait to find out this one resolves itself!

Paula Lofting Paula and I are in many of the same FB groups. Not surprising, really, as she too writes novels set in Anglo-Saxon England. She's a re-enactor, too, and reading her story Sons of the Wolf, I knew immediately that I was comfortably 'at home' with the pre-Conquest world. Everything she describes felt real to me. Wulfhere has struggles on and off the battlefield and the family crises which beset him work well within the time-frame, but also speak universally for fathers throughout the ages, I think. Paula has also published The Wolf Banner, and I believe that Book Three is well underway. Wulfhere, incidentally, is based on a real person. Paula found a reference to him, and built his life story in her imagination. It's a few years now since I read this book, but I still vividly remember Wulfhere and his family. 

If you're looking for a new read, or even a new favourite author, I hope you find something here. Join me next time for authors with names beginning with M 😊

Friday Featured: J,K

Welcome to Friday Featured. I'm publishing, working from A-Z, a weekly list of authors whose works I think you should check out. Maybe I've read some of their works, maybe I've worked with them on various projects, perhaps their books are on my To-Be-Read pile, or perhaps they are friends of mine who have news that needs to be shared. The only rule here is that it is totally unsolicited. The authors don't know I'm going to feature them, and in that way you'll know that this is simply my honest opinion. If I haven't read their work yet I'll be candid and say so, but at least one book by each of these authors is either on my shelves, or on my Kindle; it might be that I just haven't got to them yet 😊


This week, J,K: (clicking on the names will take you to the author website; book titles will take you to Amazon)

Regina Jeffers is a prolific writer of Regency fiction. Our paths have crossed in various online author groups. I was gifted  His American Heartsong by the author via her website. It is a companion piece to a series of novels and I would say that it's preferable to read those novels first, so that you have a clearer idea about who the characters are. But, having said that, I really enjoyed it. The characters were very well drawn, and acted and spoke very much in line with the period setting. Furthermore, the author stays 'in character' too - writing as if she were a Regency author but with a lightness of touch which I, as a modern reader, appreciated. I thoroughly enjoyed this and it was really entertaining. It may not be the best one to start with, but there are plenty of Regina's books to choose from. Bliss for Regency fans!

Maria Johnson The Boy from the Snow is the debut novel from Maria Johnson and I've just only recently finished reading it, so I'm still gathering my thoughts before reviewing. Ms Johnson certainly knows how to weave a tale and this is well plotted and the pacing is excellent. The content could easily be marketed as a Young Adult book. In order to tell her story, the author introduces elements bordering on fantasy which would entice a slightly younger audience - there are castles, for example, which didn't exist in this time and place but add to the idea that this realm is not quite 'real'. An accomplished debut and the sequel has recently been published, which continues the story of the main protagonist, Daniel. Fantasy and adventure - a winning combination.

Philippa Jane Keyworth When an author announces on Twitter that one of her books is on special offer, it seems rude not to buy. So I picked up The Unexpected Earl on Kindle and so far have read the first chapter. We're back in the Regency era here, and as the blurb explains, Six years after being jilted without a word of explanation, Julia Rotherham finds Lucius Wolversley standing before her once again--unexpected, unannounced, unwelcome. With her heart still hurting and, more importantly, her pride, Julia must chaperone her younger sister, fend off fortune hunters, orchestrate a fake engagement, and halt an elopement--all whilst keeping the man who jilted her at arm's length. But what Julia doesn't know is that this time, the Earl has no intention of disappearing, and this time, he has more than an explanation to offer....

Jacqueline Kirk I 'know' Jacqueline from Twitter and I read this book on Kindle. Time after Time is now available again in Kindle format, as well as large print paperback. It's a time slip novel, and concerns Alice, who buys an old rectory which her frankly awful 'ex' is trying to get his hands on. The gateway in the garden is a portal to Victorian times, and Alice slips through. She seems to hold the key to solving a murder which had taken place in the rectory in times gone by and she also seems to have found love. I was really happy to suspend disbelief and enjoyed this tale, particularly the array of characters, both past and present. Some of the 'bedroom' scenes were a little racy for my taste, but not so salacious that it put me off the book. Although this is part murder-mystery, it's also a warm, feel-good book.

Judith Koll Healey Unfortunately I couldn't find a website for Judith. It also seems that The Lost Letters of Aquitaine might not be so readily available; I bought this in a secondhand bookshop when I was out with another writer friend who'll feature next week. It's 1200 and Alais Capet, once in line for the French throne, lives at the mercy of her stepbrother, King Philippe. Alais was once betrothed to Richard the Lionheart, but blames Eleanor of Aquitaine for the failed betrothal. Alais is sent on a mission to retrieve some secret letters but before she can do so, she is abducted and caught up in a conspiracy which involved King John, add the Knights' Templar... This looks like a great read, so it might be worth searching out, even if it's no longer available on the you-know-where site.

Perhaps you'll find your next favourite read here. If not, join me again next time when I'll be highlighting books I own written by authors whose names begin with L 😊

Friday Featured: H

Welcome to Friday Featured. I'm publishing, working from A-Z, a weekly list of authors whose works I think you should check out. Maybe I've read some of their works, maybe I've worked with them on various projects, perhaps their books are on my To-Be-Read pile, or perhaps they are friends of mine who have news that needs to be shared. The only rule here is that it is totally unsolicited. The authors don't know I'm going to feature them, and in that way you'll know that this is simply my honest opinion. If I haven't read their work yet I'll be candid and say so, but at least one book by each of these authors is either on my shelves, or on my Kindle; it might be that I just haven't got to them yet 😊

This week, H: (clicking on the names will take you to the author website; book titles will take you to Amazon)

Jane Harris I bought this in a secondhand book shop a few months ago and the back cover blurb just intrigued me. It says, "So there I was with two pens, my two titties, Charles Dickens, two slices of bread and a blank book at the end of my first day in the middle of nowhere. Except as it turned out it wasn't quite the end." The Observations has garnered mixed reviews,  but after reading the blurb I couldn't not buy it. The description on the well-known internet shopping site provides a bit more info: "Scotland, 1863. In an attempt to escape her past, Bessy Buckley takes a job working as a maid in a big country house. But when Arabella, her beautiful mistress, asks her to undertake a series of bizarre tasks, Bessy begins to realise that she hasn't quite landed on her feet." The blurb, and opening pages promise quite a  'romp'; I'll tell you more when I've read it!

Steve Harrison One of the first books I ever downloaded as an e-book, Time Storm was not my usual read, certainly not back then. I was quite new to 'time-slip' stories but I was aware of them and the idea that people can move from one time period to another. This one is different from most, in that people slip into the future, or rather, their future; right into modern-day Australia. And when I say people, it's a whole boat load of convicts from 1795. This is definitely time-slip with a twist, and what follows is part historical, part time-slip and part thriller. It's not always an easy read and there are some dark, violent moments, but it's easy to suspend disbelief and the author has a natural style which makes the narrative flow. Steve's blog is always worth a read too, where his posts are funny and insightful. 

Cathie Hartigan Cathie Hartigan is a busy lady, being the founder of CreativeWritingMatters, co-authoring books on how to write, running the Exeter Writing Prizes and winning awards herself. Secret of the Song is not time-slip, but has a dual timeline. In modern-day Exeter, a singing group decides to perform a song written by Carlo Gesualdo, a composer in Renaissance Naples. It seems that the song might in some way be cursed and we travel back to medieval Italy where there is a murder mystery. Strange goings-on in modern-day Exeter also need to be explained... I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The modern-day music group scenes were engaging, and the medieval Italian story was depicted beautifully, with setting and story-line deeply absorbing. A really satisfying read.

Suzy Henderson I met Suzy at a tiny pub in Buttermere when a few of us writers got together, and a few months later when she and I went off to a writers' conference in Newcastle. I didn't tell her at the time that I was reading her book, The Beauty Shop so I think my review came as a surprise to her. The Beauty Shop referred to in the title is where disfigured servicemen received 'plastic sugery' under the direction of pioneer Archibald McIndoe, but the story centres around Mac, a USAF pilot, and his girlfriend, Stella. The physical pain is only half the story for the men whom Archibald tried to help and there are poignant scenes where loved ones cannot cope and abandon the men. Mac and Stella's story is sweet, and felt real. The world-building is deftly done and the epilogue made me cry!

Georgia Hill I got to 'know' Georgia through a readers' club on Facebook and again, this was one of the first books I read as an e-book. While I Was Waiting  is a dual timeline story, concerning Rachel, who moves into a dilapidated Herefordshire cottage and finds letters and journals written by Hetty, who lived during the first world war. There is nothing beyond 1916, though, and Rachel tries to discover what happened. I found the modern-day scenes just as enjoyable as the historical ones, and the romance between Rachel and Gabe played out realistically without being too 'soppy'. Hetty's story was intriguing and I won't give away any spoilers but again, the period setting was very well-depicted and the heartbreak and horrors of the Edwardian period as it slipped into the time of WWI was well portrayed.

Helen Hollick I first came to know of Helen's books when The Kingmaking, the first in her Arthurian Trilogy, was a Book Club Editor's Choice. What a revelation. Not much myth and mystery here, but a realistic retelling of the Arthurian legend, with a wonderfully 'real' Guinevere. The picture here is the photo of my original hardback copy although the trilogy now boasts new covers. I've gone on to read not only volumes two and three, but Helen's Anglo-Saxon books, one about Queen Emma and one about Harold Godwineson, and the prequel to her Sea Witch Pirate series. But I think The Kingmaking is still my favourite. I should add that a dream came true in 2016 when I worked with Helen on an anthology of short stories and I now help her admin her Discovering Diamonds Review site. Pinch me!!

Perhaps you'll find your next great read from among this selection. Join me next time for authors whose names begin with J,K & L

Release News & Excerpt: A Rose By Any Other Name - Joanne Van Leerdam

I've read - and thoroughly enjoyed - two volumes of Joanne's poetry and I'm thrilled to help her announce the publication on June 14th of A Rose By Any Other Name

Sinister hands snatch a newborn child and carry her away to conceal her in a tower. 
Enmity between feuding families ends in tragedy. 

You think you know these stories... but do you really?
What if the stories you have always known were each only part of the truth?

‘A Rose By Any Other Name’ is a tangled-up tale that Shakespeare and the Brothers Grimm never told. 

‘A Rose By Any Other Name’ is available via Amazon or your other favourite digital store. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SHS8QBZ
www.books2read.com/arose

Paperback: ISBN 9780368929663

Excerpt from Chapter 1

Gnarled fingers gripped the doorframe tightly as she watched him riding slowly, as though searching for something. 

What does his lordship want now? By the stars, I have precious little left.  Is it not enough that he has built his mansion on my father's land? And his walls around the trees between which my poor mother is buried? I'll give him something... although it may not be what he wants. 

She grinned cynically, a glimpse of yellowed teeth between thin, hateful lips.

Wait. He's dismounting... Fool. There are no raspberries yet; it's still too warm. What kind of moron... picks raspberry leaves? Oh, now... that is interesting. Very interesting. 

Straightening her thin body to her full height, she stepped out into the field, heading straight for the thicket of barren raspberry bushes. 

"And what are you going to do with those?" she demanded. 

Nico jumped at the sudden intrusion. His thoughts scattered at the sight of Malevolenza.

Wizened and ghastly, she had become even thinner and more gaunt since he had last laid eyes on her over twenty years ago. She had watched in angry silence as the walls of the estate were built by his father's workmen. Her wailing curses had risen like a fortress of sound outside the completed estate walls continuing for what had seemed an eternity on the night they were finished and the gates locked - the night his father had died. Whether it was fear or black magic that had driven the soul from his body, Nicolas would never know. When his father was cold, his grey eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling as though he had been interrupted mid-thought, the old crone had fallen silent and disappeared. Or so he had thought. 

"Well? Cat got your tongue? Or are you... bewitched?" she cackled.

Nico opened his mouth, but he could not speak.

"Raspberry leaves... what on earth would a man want those for? Unless... there is a child on the way?"

The fear in Nicolas' eyes was like a drug to her. 

Malevolenza pointed her bony finger at him, her dirty, ragged nail giving emphasis to her intent. She muttered the words of her spell under her breath: "Doppio, doppio, lavoro e disordine, Ora sono io il tuo maestro!"

Nico remained mute, entirely under her control. 

"You will take these leaves to your wife. Grind them into a powder, and make a tea. She will drink it, and her pains will begin. And then, when the child is born, you shall give the baby to me. You will tell your wife the child is dead. Go now. It shall be done."

Nico's senses returned to him only when she had disappeared. Shaking his head, and unable to recall what had crossed his mind just now, he resumed picking the leaves and placing them carefully in the pouch he had brought for his special harvest. 

As he returned home late that afternoon, the sun dropped low in the sky and a distinct chill fell over the air. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Rose By Any Other Name is published Friday 14 June 2019. Preorder HERE

Review: Severed Knot by Cryssa Bazos

Ever since reading the first book in this series, Traitor's Knot, I've been eagerly awaiting the follow-up so I was thrilled to be offered an advance review copy of Severed Knot. Ms Bazos has a true talent for imagery, such as when she describes the enemy 'surging like maggots over a carcass' to portray how the odds are stacked against the protagonists. And boy, are these odds stacked high!

Early on we are introduced to Iain, a Scot who has been fighting for the exiled Charles II, and Mairead, an Irish catholic, (this being enough of a crime to see her imprisoned) and with a lightness of touch we are given reminders of how they speak without heavy use of dialect. Iain sometimes adds a 'right' to the end of his sentences, while Mairead thinks in terms of things being 'grand'. 

This book focuses on the aftermath of battle during the English Civil Wars, but shines a light on a less well-known consequence of this conflict: the sending overseas of prisoners where they would be 'Barbadoed' - set to work in appalling conditions on the sugar plantations in theory as indentured servants, but in reality as little more than slaves. We might think we know the pitiful plight of such slaves, but some indignities make the point in subtler ways. 

The shaving off of his beard is, to a seventeenth-century Scotsman, a humiliation, while Mairead is stripped of something equally personal and precious - her very name. The love story which develops between the two plays slowly, each wary of the other, and the way they are drawn together is beautifully written. We can thoroughly believe and understand why these two want to be with one another. Neither is blind to each other's human failings, either - Iain can be an 'ogre', a trait which can see him seeming boorish, but can also serve him well. 

Both have their demons, causing them to doubt their worth and wonder if there can be redemption. This leads to misunderstandings when neither is sure how the other feels. There is no doubt that the situation into which they are thrown deepens their feelings for one another, but this is played out in a realistic way that chimes perfectly with the setting. The images of the stifling heat, the sensation of cooling water, meager rations and substandard grog all add to the three-dimensional imagery. Characters' reactions to the violence and degradation which they suffer, and which they see meted out, ring true and don't fall prey to melodrama.

The overall arc is a perfect shape, and there are moments of real, breath-holding tension, where I found my reading speeding up to keep pace with the action. There are also moments of real terror and, as no doubt in real life, no easy, happy resolutions. Fugitives might think themselves safe, but there is always fresh danger. I can only applaud the clever, tight, plotting which ensures that these action scenes work so well. The workings and layouts of the ships and the plantations have clearly been thoroughly researched.

Having finished the book, I feel like I have in some way been living alongside these characters, watching them as if in a visual drama. The story is entertaining, but is also thought-provoking. I certainly did not equate the period of the English Civil wars with exportation and slavery. 

This is a beautifully-written book and I especially liked the way it linked to the first book at the beginning and at the end, though this is not to say it can't be read as a standalone. I very much look forward to reading the next in the series.

You can connect with Cryssa on Facebook, Twitter, and via her Newsletter and for more information, check out her Website

To read more about the life of indentured servants in Barbados, read Cryssa's article on EHFA HERE