Cathie Dunn writes...

Today, on My Place, I'm going to tell you about the setting of my novel, Dark Deceit . A romantic medieval adventure, Dark Deceit is set initially in Gloucestershire, England, and later in Normandy, France in the year 1141. When Alleyne de Bellac inherits her murdered father's manor in the softly-rolling Gloucestershire countryside, one vulture descends in the guise of a friend to take it from her.  Having come across the murder scene on his return from a battle, undersheriff Geoffrey de Mortagne sets out to help her, but is unable to prevent the inevitable: the loss of her manor to his childhood friend and later enemy, Will d'Arques.  As England is torn by civil war, leaving Alleyne without a protector, Geoffrey takes her with him when he travels to visit his dying brother in Normandy. But not only does he have to face the demons that have haunted him since his childhood, but Alleyne proves to be a troublesome travel companion.  Their journey takes them to place...

Today, I extend a warm welcome to author Jane Bwye to My Place. Jane's first novel, Breath of Africa , a romantic drama set in Kenya, was nominated for the People's Book Prize and has garnered wonderful reviews. Her deep knowledge of the country added depth and colour to the story. But today, she's telling us about her novella, I Lift Up My Eyes , and how she came to writing such a compelling, realistic story – a completely different setting to the vibrant  Breath of Africa . More internal. Find out from Jane! LOVE, LOSS AND A LONGING FOR THE HILLS “Take four men and one loving but unloved woman. Light the blue touch paper and stand – as close as it suits you, depending on whether you prefer a dash of passion or the quiet life…” (~Ron Askew: Amazon review) I suppose my life has been anything but quiet. I have survived tragedy, widowhood, and the trauma of leaving my home country. And I’ve been blessed with a large family and two loving husbands. W...

I'm delighted to welcome back the lovely  Nancy Jardine , author of contemporary and historical romantic mysteries. Today, she's talking about her novel, Take Me Now . It's a gem of a romance. A definite must-read! So, here's more to whet your appetite... Hello Cathie, thank you for the opportunity to return to your lovely blog. Readers who already know me will have learned that I like to write across different genres. Variety is the name of my game and I don’t see that changing anytime soon, since it’s the type of writing which comes naturally to me. In my historical romantic adventures, I love to immerse myself in the distant past and write about daily life in Celtic /Roman Britain. For that, I have to don my imaginary cap and make educated guesses beyond the facts I can glean from historical sources and archaeological interpretive assessments. Yet, I also love the almost freedom of writing contemporary mysteries, of which I’ve now written three, o...

After a break of a couple of years, my Sunday series, My Place , is back. At My Place , authors chat about the locations of their novels, how they came to choose them and a bit about them. Intrigued, as you're new to it? Well, let's start! Today, I want to extend a warm welcome to Ailsa Abraham , author of fantasy romance novels, Alchemy and Shaman's Drum . A white witch and shaman herself, the characters in her books share her knowledge.  Welcome to My Place , Ailsa! ~~~ A Capital Idea! Many thanks to Cathie for inviting me over to talk about the settings and inspirations for my books Alchemy and Shaman's Drum .  Those of you who have already read them will notice that the main Temple and the Guild of  Black Shaman are situated in a city only known as “the capital”. This was quite deliberate. I wanted the world in which the characters are living to be as real to the reader as their nearest metropolis. I mention the underground but those exist in many ...

I'm delighted to welcome fellow historical fiction author, T.E. Taylor . Today, Tim chats about historical research, linked to his novels, Zeus of Ithome and Revolution Day . Each is set in an entirely different era, but both make equally gripping reads. Over to Tim... Hello Cathie,                               T hank you very much for inviting me to visit your blog.   As one historical novelist visiting another, I thought I’d talk today about the different ways in which I have drawn upon historical people and places in my two novels for Crooked Cat, Zeus of Ithome and Revolution Day .   Both novels are reduced to 99p/$0.99 until 15 August in the Crooked Cat Summer Sale.                       Zeus of Ithome is a historical nov...