tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23666701358471238942024-02-20T07:40:17.612+01:00Cathie Dunn writes...Historical Fiction, Mystery, and RomanceCathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.comBlogger435125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-92057972677446555522022-06-08T08:00:00.094+02:002022-06-08T20:57:10.879+02:00Ascent: free on Kindle June 8th & 9th<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fancy a free Kindle read?</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtCKPIfcbWQZtLPBEphNKM3gU0WCePuboGzN-Iyfka0bjSoR8Fu86KwP84f1Xwl8wIFhAnBxzPan0avQwr1mhz8PFZktOY0yTfZW2A7CzXlbriWnW8xBgriGJNMQtx1ausQA-8I4uv4l4KkaswDwOrYQMjZkvfjzxMDJUfbikFukE19Ol-UbxPJGJ/s970/Ascent%20free%20banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="970" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtCKPIfcbWQZtLPBEphNKM3gU0WCePuboGzN-Iyfka0bjSoR8Fu86KwP84f1Xwl8wIFhAnBxzPan0avQwr1mhz8PFZktOY0yTfZW2A7CzXlbriWnW8xBgriGJNMQtx1ausQA-8I4uv4l4KkaswDwOrYQMjZkvfjzxMDJUfbikFukE19Ol-UbxPJGJ/w640-h397/Ascent%20free%20banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Ascent</b>, the first in my new <i>House of Normandy</i> series, </span></h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">is *free* to download </span></h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">on June 8th & 9th!</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>"A wonderful heroine"</b> ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Discover the emergence of a new, powerful dynasty, the House of Normandy, in <b>Ascent</b>, a fictionalised story of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo (Hrólfr) the Viking!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcN6XHHh6OpWFrEpPN3TES4WwiWag16ZIN56_2RXcgRrR7o6xRLQCLO0Fk6APICLS0v37RSLSPlxXDuNggcRondTSdKgzkNZfmFUh3ZruCF_AdvfduWL3ICsRXsFV7OTJd5aDwW4WULJx6G2n2V0JujSwqtmj7_dx26TWIHQCAgRHZhUnFQ_px0to0/s2706/Ascent%20cover%20final%20smaller.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2706" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcN6XHHh6OpWFrEpPN3TES4WwiWag16ZIN56_2RXcgRrR7o6xRLQCLO0Fk6APICLS0v37RSLSPlxXDuNggcRondTSdKgzkNZfmFUh3ZruCF_AdvfduWL3ICsRXsFV7OTJd5aDwW4WULJx6G2n2V0JujSwqtmj7_dx26TWIHQCAgRHZhUnFQ_px0to0/s320/Ascent%20cover%20final%20smaller.jpeg" width="213" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty – the House of Normandy</b></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Neustria, Kingdom of the West Franks<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">AD 890</span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fourteen-year-old Poppa’s life changes when Northmen land near Bayeux. Count Bérengar, her father, submits to them, and she is handfasted to Hrólfr, the Northmen’s heathen leader, as part of their agreement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">To her relief, Hrólfr leaves immediately in search of further conquest, only returning to claim her years later. In the face of retaliating Franks, they flee to East Anglia, where she gives birth to their son and daughter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">When Hrólfr and Poppa return to reclaim Bayeux, his new campaign strikes at the heart of Frankish power, and King Charles of the West Franks offers him a pact he cannot refuse. In exchange for vast tracts of land in Neustria, Hrólfr must convert to Christianity and accept marriage to Gisela, the king’s illegitimate daughter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Poppa’s world shatters. She remains in Bayeux, with her daughter, Adela. When Gisela arrives one day, demanding she hand over Adela, to be raised in Rouen, Poppa’s patience is at an end. But Gisela makes for a dangerous enemy, and only one woman will survive their confrontation high up on the cliffs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will Poppa live to witness the dawn of a new era?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">ASCENT is the first in a new series about the early women of the House of Normandy – women whose stories have been forgotten. Almost!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Readers of Viking and medieval fiction will enjoy ASCENT, a fictional account of the life of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo the Viking.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Kindle links:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">International: <a href="http://mybook.to/NormandyAscent">mybook.to/NormandyAscent</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon UK: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09RNB6N5L">https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09RNB6N5L</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon US: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RNB6N5L">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RNB6N5L</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Grab your <b>*free*</b> Kindle copy now! I hope you'll enjoy your journey back to ancient Neustria. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cBNlMH98CQEHH7V8pEF1B-VeG0uFzV1JozC3EgkP7oRmb5bNtbZgj7zcGaKcEqLSk9ewDuGHWqWKngfaTSVzJYtPaMBPi__1pr69U4vA8nVBRoOs7wHLhGAfjk7lH_k-eKpTkwouIEWw1wU_P0trMMlkbPwaTOTNZ8JJPcMgp1oj4ASojj9IwveQ/s6912/Ascent%20banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cBNlMH98CQEHH7V8pEF1B-VeG0uFzV1JozC3EgkP7oRmb5bNtbZgj7zcGaKcEqLSk9ewDuGHWqWKngfaTSVzJYtPaMBPi__1pr69U4vA8nVBRoOs7wHLhGAfjk7lH_k-eKpTkwouIEWw1wU_P0trMMlkbPwaTOTNZ8JJPcMgp1oj4ASojj9IwveQ/w640-h320/Ascent%20banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-31403629186793769502022-06-01T14:46:00.003+02:002022-06-01T14:46:48.915+02:00New Release: Ascent – the story of Poppa of Bayeux<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm so thrilled to share my latest release with my followers: <b><i>Ascent</i></b>, the story of Poppa of Bayeux. Set in the early days of the new county of Normandy, it's a tale of danger, adversity, and love.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqcEef_A2jiMM0uB3HaVgjy4J5AfC_D2lULKYNVe1xzFvmNsgPIRp6AXutYdzhNIvM01hmdq2UvYzG16JbCcLm5qKDxKIfSI1Vcz-0kcECUcAkZzX1VX0fbxqDc5QPwuvYtXliI5Xn1HsePhOReLEZNEcYTWct5TpwP1PA1rPBjSLI9dbAxcq4UWN/s6912/Ascent%20banner%20green.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqcEef_A2jiMM0uB3HaVgjy4J5AfC_D2lULKYNVe1xzFvmNsgPIRp6AXutYdzhNIvM01hmdq2UvYzG16JbCcLm5qKDxKIfSI1Vcz-0kcECUcAkZzX1VX0fbxqDc5QPwuvYtXliI5Xn1HsePhOReLEZNEcYTWct5TpwP1PA1rPBjSLI9dbAxcq4UWN/w640-h320/Ascent%20banner%20green.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><i>Ascent</i></b> is the first in a new series, <i>House of Normandy</i>, detailing the lives of the women behind the famous men who forged Normandy. Little is known about them, so I made it my task to bring them back to life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Whilst the series is fictional, I include real events, which they likely witnessed or heard of. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Poppa of Bayeux is a fascinating woman. Following a Viking raid on Bayeux by the (in)famous Rollo, she is wed to him in the Danish custom – by handfasting outside Church grounds. She must have been very young – too young to bear children, as their son and daughter were both born years later.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRYSOX84tBfW-vGF_3dVb0Szj24aFXaCeyJiPPCOpRPqtjNhB_A59wtZMH-b7vX223nROkmc1O9uZiIKdiKvpTsrSayMGKL0TIWe4zqvYmz_lGt17veja701490pKadBF9FScB1UfI38sG8VO6LdMw-5a_aU0qJw2GeszgRqTWSUhSmz0uK_Pf_d9/s1024/Statue%20of%20Poppa,%20Bayeux,%20Public%20Domain,%20Wikimedia%20Commons.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1024" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRYSOX84tBfW-vGF_3dVb0Szj24aFXaCeyJiPPCOpRPqtjNhB_A59wtZMH-b7vX223nROkmc1O9uZiIKdiKvpTsrSayMGKL0TIWe4zqvYmz_lGt17veja701490pKadBF9FScB1UfI38sG8VO6LdMw-5a_aU0qJw2GeszgRqTWSUhSmz0uK_Pf_d9/s320/Statue%20of%20Poppa,%20Bayeux,%20Public%20Domain,%20Wikimedia%20Commons.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Poppa of Bayeux, <br />Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Catholic Church had little to do with it, and although priests were not happy, they still accepted it in the early days. That didn't stop them from allowing the men to marry ’properly’, with a Church blessing. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It may be that Rollo was a bigamist, in a modern sense, as records hint at a marriage to an illegitimate daughter of King Charles, which whom he reached an important accord in 911, marking his ascendancy in Neustrian politics, and the beginning of Normannia. But there are no records of Gisela, so was it all invented, perhaps to give him a hint of legitimacy? Hm...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Poppa, meanwhile, must have been cast aside during that time, yet their son, William, remained Rollo's heir. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVJYgenfNS1cytwnBICXtktewLrJNXIqJnYgw-Ae-MD6wb1K014kGhAtuWXbSHNJRQQExsSL5RqEQSC2qefklvjr1gKFC1wMbgSgFguRerNuOIYDmSNS3FOgqcbVjp0qQY4Lk8LGsqYfh7V6vdzEx8ZVzAZE2zKrJUEwlA6ad7D1Hb6PL7-VP4hr9/s970/The%20story%20of%20Poppa%20of%20Bayeux,%20first%20wife%20of%20Rollo%20the%20Viking!.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="970" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVJYgenfNS1cytwnBICXtktewLrJNXIqJnYgw-Ae-MD6wb1K014kGhAtuWXbSHNJRQQExsSL5RqEQSC2qefklvjr1gKFC1wMbgSgFguRerNuOIYDmSNS3FOgqcbVjp0qQY4Lk8LGsqYfh7V6vdzEx8ZVzAZE2zKrJUEwlA6ad7D1Hb6PL7-VP4hr9/w200-h124/The%20story%20of%20Poppa%20of%20Bayeux,%20first%20wife%20of%20Rollo%20the%20Viking!.png" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">With all these incredible events unfolding, it was great fun to create Poppa's life. There are moments of danger, of happiness, and of sadness and loss. I tried to remain true to the times as much as possible, which involved the likely loss of a child or two. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Reviewers call Poppa "strong", "dignified", and "a wonderful heroine", and I agree. I believe she wielded some power, as daughter of a count, but she also encountered heartache and danger. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As for Rollo (Hrólfr in <i><b>Ascent</b></i>), he had to be ruthless and ambitious, but I also see him as a man of conscience, especially later in life. It is recorded that, in his latter years, his son, William Longsword, took over many duties. This would imply some form of ill health, either physical or mental, although nothing is recorded. So I chose... well, find out in <i><b>Ascent</b></i>!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty – the House of Normandy</b></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rUj95mLOOl7aKfD9rWviE5RqXG3D-2PbvDAR1g8NrgKM3PtgWe4nFVu8rMbig3Kf1-TMGMlO_nTGPSU53bf3wGzzau14flzJEkHuiqTLdn4Ci0FDNEfPNHp5IlgwyhAO85mJJtlt6A4FNQIqb8_n-zlyR3jKx6kQafVlH4Yb2qR67Dsbv3FL6_LL/s2706/Ascent%20cover%20final%20smaller.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2706" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rUj95mLOOl7aKfD9rWviE5RqXG3D-2PbvDAR1g8NrgKM3PtgWe4nFVu8rMbig3Kf1-TMGMlO_nTGPSU53bf3wGzzau14flzJEkHuiqTLdn4Ci0FDNEfPNHp5IlgwyhAO85mJJtlt6A4FNQIqb8_n-zlyR3jKx6kQafVlH4Yb2qR67Dsbv3FL6_LL/s320/Ascent%20cover%20final%20smaller.jpeg" width="213" /></a></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Neustria, Kingdom of the West Franks<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">AD 890</span></i><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fourteen-year-old Poppa’s life changes when Northmen land near Bayeux. Count Bérengar, her father, submits to them, and she is handfasted to Hrólfr, the Northmen’s heathen leader, as part of their agreement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">To her relief, Hrólfr leaves immediately in search of further conquest, only returning to claim her years later. In the face of retaliating Franks, they flee to East Anglia, where she gives birth to their son and daughter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">When Hrólfr and Poppa return to reclaim Bayeux, his new campaign strikes at the heart of Frankish power, and King Charles of the West Franks offers him a pact he cannot refuse. In exchange for vast tracts of land in Neustria, Hrólfr must convert to Christianity and accept marriage to Gisela, the king’s illegitimate daughter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Poppa’s world shatters. She remains in Bayeux, with her daughter, Adela. When Gisela arrives one day, demanding she hand over Adela, to be raised in Rouen, Poppa’s patience is at an end. But Gisela makes for a dangerous enemy, and only one woman will survive their confrontation high up on the cliffs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will Poppa live to witness the dawn of a new era?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">ASCENT is the first in a new series about the early women of the House of Normandy – women whose stories have been forgotten. Almost!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Readers of Viking and medieval fiction will enjoy ASCENT, a fictional account of the life of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo the Viking.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>International Amazon buy link:</b> <a href="http://mybook.to/NormandyAscent">mybook.to/NormandyAscent</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><i>Ascent</i></b> is available in Kindle ebook and paperback formats, and soon in hardback too.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQWQzE7GA2F1uqeUoBPq3Jx93bngVgQsCQrXsgqypi3gpHVGnHkc2hN74Ue6QFNbh3lFCdL82iFA23pkwk78veNTP6ECExruSX54DXgr9Z0gYK8kb3XMW0HjOHfHSRmHZKjwqCkd0o7bRatBG9Ytgwu0dDzAFItgMiY-7UcmUCEZtfLDoesqBQ6iN/s2000/Ascent%20quote%20blue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQWQzE7GA2F1uqeUoBPq3Jx93bngVgQsCQrXsgqypi3gpHVGnHkc2hN74Ue6QFNbh3lFCdL82iFA23pkwk78veNTP6ECExruSX54DXgr9Z0gYK8kb3XMW0HjOHfHSRmHZKjwqCkd0o7bRatBG9Ytgwu0dDzAFItgMiY-7UcmUCEZtfLDoesqBQ6iN/w640-h320/Ascent%20quote%20blue.png" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-75035459621754439582021-06-21T07:00:00.002+02:002021-06-21T07:00:00.239+02:00Promo: The Corsican Widow by Vanessa Couchman<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm delighted to host historical fiction author and good friend, <b>Vanessa Couchman</b>, on my blog today. Not only is Vanessa an exceptional writer – her stories are full of intriguing plots and dramatic settings –, she is also a fellow author with <i><b>Ocelot Press</b></i>, our successful author cooperative. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In her Tales of Corsica series, Vanessa brings historic the island of Corsica to life in her immersive novels, <i>The Corsican Widow</i> and <i>The House at Zaronza</i>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This June, <i>The Corsican Widow</i> is Book of the Month in our <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/690762661537239" target="_blank">Ocelot Press Readers Group</a></b> on Facebook. Feel free to join us there for our latest news and chats, and some great giveaways!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But now, discover her inspiration for the novels, and prepare to follow Vanessa to Corsica!</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaJDxo4sVHPrwoMP__p2D_KziQ4vY4o0Lf2YsV8Gfe2lGdEioJA74GGvBqFW836N7nm0mcYy81KTDwY4Clor9DQidgronadVb7MQjRIysW0oerz9ObBpSdAh6L448MSuyTyNKEsZE0K4/s2048/The+Corsican+Widow+Cover+LARGE+EBOOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaJDxo4sVHPrwoMP__p2D_KziQ4vY4o0Lf2YsV8Gfe2lGdEioJA74GGvBqFW836N7nm0mcYy81KTDwY4Clor9DQidgronadVb7MQjRIysW0oerz9ObBpSdAh6L448MSuyTyNKEsZE0K4/s320/The+Corsican+Widow+Cover+LARGE+EBOOK.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Corsican Widow</span></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><i>Vanessa Couchman</i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Historical Fiction</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">An inspiring Corsican village</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The island of the island </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Corsica is a place apart, but the peninsula of Cap Corse has an even more distinctive feel. Corsicans call it “the island of the island”. The village of Nonza is situated on its rugged West coast, reached by a switchback road that runs around the cape. The place has a special meaning for me.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuvu8tFpWoCl-NocxkSglCw-K63AdBNfKYqi6Z3PFLLirTmMX0AZcx1E61VIKtijV8QIDXaC6N-ANEf6VdgBCBbUTlFQczZShuorpaErbM_PPu06iSMI_Jb0O5KPXQQ5x0jIUsLpg0ek/s1024/Nonza+on+Cap+Corse+-+setting+for+my+two+Corsica+novels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuvu8tFpWoCl-NocxkSglCw-K63AdBNfKYqi6Z3PFLLirTmMX0AZcx1E61VIKtijV8QIDXaC6N-ANEf6VdgBCBbUTlFQczZShuorpaErbM_PPu06iSMI_Jb0O5KPXQQ5x0jIUsLpg0ek/w320-h240/Nonza+on+Cap+Corse+-+setting+for+my+two+Corsica+novels.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nonza, on Cap Corse, the setting of Vanessa's novels</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nonza clings to a rocky pinnacle between the mountains and the cobalt-blue sea far below. We stayed at Casa Maria, a guest house off the village square. The exterior of this typical Corsican house is foursquare and unadorned, but it has superb views of the sea and the mountains beyond.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>A historic watchtower</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nonza is steeped in history. Outside Casa Maria’s gate, a path fringed with fig trees and cacti leads up to the ruined château and an 18th-century watchtower of greenish stone. The Paoline Tower shares the highest point of the village with a ruined castle, now an atmospheric summer restaurant. The tower was built in the mid-18th century and takes its name from Pasquale Paoli, the leader of Corsica’s republic.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tVMp7g8f12H_Y9tNV0FFLlQFwFkQi6cC65drftaOkeFRTmmaHuh8hMwwlZmNyYPso1AYTZanPKBJPaBA1Q_TdJQiyYXfY1GhXEhOfaI2ykfTLTb4x1gAtRDUNOxmjN-_NFnQgVS4AMM/s1024/Nonza+-+la+tour+Paoline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tVMp7g8f12H_Y9tNV0FFLlQFwFkQi6cC65drftaOkeFRTmmaHuh8hMwwlZmNyYPso1AYTZanPKBJPaBA1Q_TdJQiyYXfY1GhXEhOfaI2ykfTLTb4x1gAtRDUNOxmjN-_NFnQgVS4AMM/s320/Nonza+-+la+tour+Paoline.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Paoline Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">During Corsica’s struggles for independence from Genoa, the Genoese hung onto the main coastal towns and operated a naval blockade. Other parts of the coast remained under the republic’s control. Paoli built a watchtower at Nonza, which commanded a view over the strait up to the port of Saint-Florent. Unlike the round Genoese watchtowers along the coast, the Paoline Tower is square and built of grey-green stone.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In my second Corsica novel, <i>The Corsican Widow</i>, Paoli comes to Zaronza (fictional name) to inspect places he can fortify. He meets my main character, Valeria, and her husband Santucci and asks the latter to supervise the building of the tower. There’s no evidence that Paoli actually came to Nonza, although he did send his architect to draw up the plans.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Paoline Tower played a role in the French siege of Nonza in 1768. A Corsican captain, Casella, held the tower single handed, even though he was wounded. He devised a way of firing several muskets at once and was so successful that the French offered a truce. They were convinced that he commanded a unit in the tower, although his men had already abandoned him. The French were so impressed that they gave him a safe passage back to Paoli’s headquarters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>A grisly legend</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The intimate church in Nonza has a glowing apricot-coloured façade and a fine marble altar. It is dedicated to a 5th-century saint, Santa Ghiulia, who is also the patron saint of Corsica.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">According to the legend, Ghiulia was crucified for refusing to take part in a pagan festival. Her killers cut off her breasts and flung them against a stone. Two springs gushed from the spot, whose waters are said to have miraculous powers. A whitewashed shrine to Ghiulia is reached via a long rocky staircase down to the beach.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the evening we ate in the restaurant near the Paoline Tower. We ate locally fished seafood and strong Corsican cheeses and sipped the flowery local Patriomonio wine to the sound of cicadas. Coloured lights played over the crumbling walls, and the scent of the maquis, the aromatic scrub that covers the hillsides, was quite distinct. </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKubUFZkQClCJGSRlJXE8KLnMD1vLp3kZzuyw946qZGCF9rCuST-O6JbUd9tyG59zailNL2f2hH7rM9_VOEdU0XuJmCt6Wu84VJxuWOg7ZqpwMQI7OSMlm12ao3Z64dag3O72nwGkG0w/s1024/Cap+Corse+inspiration+for+my+novels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKubUFZkQClCJGSRlJXE8KLnMD1vLp3kZzuyw946qZGCF9rCuST-O6JbUd9tyG59zailNL2f2hH7rM9_VOEdU0XuJmCt6Wu84VJxuWOg7ZqpwMQI7OSMlm12ao3Z64dag3O72nwGkG0w/s320/Cap+Corse+inspiration+for+my+novels.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cap Corse, which inspired the Tales of Corsica novels</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>A gift for a writer</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The best was yet to come. The walls of our guest house were decorated with framed letters in faded ink on yellowed pages. At breakfast beneath an arbour supporting an ancient vine, our host, Monsieur Burini, brought us copies of the letters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“We found them walled up in the attic when we restored the house,” he said. “The village schoolmaster wrote them to the daughter of the house in the 1890s. They carried on a secret love affair, since her parents would have disapproved, and left notes in a hidden letter-drop. But she was destined for an arranged marriage, and the schoolmaster left the village.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Chance brought us to Nonza and handed me the idea for a novel on a plate, which became <i>The House at Zaronza</i>, set during the early 20th century. <i>The Corsican Widow</i> also draws inspiration from this magical place.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Corsican Widow </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Corsican Widow is Book 2 in the Tales of Corsica series and is set mainly on Corsica and also partly in the French port of Marseille. The story takes place during the mid-late 18th century, a time of great upheaval for the Corsican people.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Vanessa Couchman</i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOy-PrePfdT2QYtIpz80UX2GDSCQHoeMxGw10BXzdsN4CXIFqqaOvqgIAgwLaACruiX1dWRdc8aQVvj74KKAjo5eTcSOeePg_gmjzV_qwDgYOL0q-aBIp6bO-Lwgy5Fr-UaM4yqGfLU8/s1024/Vanessa+Couchman+official.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOy-PrePfdT2QYtIpz80UX2GDSCQHoeMxGw10BXzdsN4CXIFqqaOvqgIAgwLaACruiX1dWRdc8aQVvj74KKAjo5eTcSOeePg_gmjzV_qwDgYOL0q-aBIp6bO-Lwgy5Fr-UaM4yqGfLU8/w150-h200/Vanessa+Couchman+official.jpg" width="150" /></a></i></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Vanessa has lived in Southwest France since 1997 and is a self-confessed history nut. Quirky true stories often find their way into her fiction, and she likes nothing more than pottering around ruined châteaux or exploring the lesser-known byways of France. She is very attached to the Mediterranean island of Corsica, which has provided the inspiration for some of her novels and short stories. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Tales of Corsica series are standalone novels set in the same house on the island: <i>The Corsican Widow</i> (18th century) and <i>The House at Zaronza</i> (early 20th century) are published so far. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Vanessa is also writing a trilogy set in France between 1880 and 1945. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sign up to Vanessa’s monthly newsletter for book news, special offers, background info about France and Corsica and book recommendations and get two free Corsica stories!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon author page: <a href="http://author.to/VanessaCouchman">http://author.to/VanessaCouchman</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Website: <a href="https://vanessacouchmanwriter.com">https://vanessacouchmanwriter.com</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/vanessacouchman.author/">https://www.facebook.com/vanessacouchman.author/</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Vanessainfrance">https://twitter.com/Vanessainfrance</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJcMJfRu6lyBSY9smjdfk6YHJgRbbHjii-6wIpHzvdvPAo8MCT292-cq63pTRsDBBK-MnIJ_lD1UFUxjMVeynKXeN2YOEmKbm_6bk4ePNIkj700MlUW0RzVZHlo2QSrJj57UF8RSVozw/s1600/Book+of+the+Month+-+TCW.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJcMJfRu6lyBSY9smjdfk6YHJgRbbHjii-6wIpHzvdvPAo8MCT292-cq63pTRsDBBK-MnIJ_lD1UFUxjMVeynKXeN2YOEmKbm_6bk4ePNIkj700MlUW0RzVZHlo2QSrJj57UF8RSVozw/w640-h360/Book+of+the+Month+-+TCW.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-12668114526869629262021-05-06T10:07:00.000+02:002021-05-06T10:07:38.773+02:00New Release Spotlight: Shh... It's our Secret by Lizzie Chantree<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Many congratulations to my author friend, <i><b>Lizzie Chantree</b></i>! Her latest fabulous novel, <b>Shh... It's Our Secret</b>, is released today. May it soar up the charts!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's Lizzie telling us a bit more about her new book baby. Make sure to check it out! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHYSAnHjiaO2VwQmcmCSzFueORXo_adHeaXBCxMiXmewE3no3g3FFfwu7ZvMKS49cxc4VUSX3SMzN47l_HPcjqKy8Tmh66dr_3XxxraOIH9kpYBvxV2AcrugT6JuJTHcWUGb-q-fFnHg/s640/BookBrushImage270.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="640" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHYSAnHjiaO2VwQmcmCSzFueORXo_adHeaXBCxMiXmewE3no3g3FFfwu7ZvMKS49cxc4VUSX3SMzN47l_HPcjqKy8Tmh66dr_3XxxraOIH9kpYBvxV2AcrugT6JuJTHcWUGb-q-fFnHg/w640-h334/BookBrushImage270.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Shh… It’s Our Secret</span></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Lizzie Chantree</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Women's Fiction</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank you for inviting me onto your blog today. I’m thrilled to be sharing details about my latest book, which is called <b>Shh… It’s Our Secret</b>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Conception behind the Story: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This story is about what someone would do to help people they love, even if it means huge changes to their own life. The main character, Violet has lost her parents and has a boyfriend who tells her she’s useless. She has an amazing talent, but hides it because she doesn’t have self-belief. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A chance encounter with Kai gives her the opportunity to help her local community, who have become her family, but that means having faith in herself. She doesn’t search for limelight, but it finds her anyway.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The story follows her journey through sharing her gift with the world, even though it terrifies her, just to give a better quality of life to those she loves. She has to find a way to balance her fear of people finding out about her secret with the way it can improve everyone’s lives. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcLcoW-PAGDF90CQOU7Bl56x1uRAB7GxSw0w9VctcuLAKjFh5xkyJ9_xiV8TFkoZF1z50eDQThK3x8n4HHxYbP9bfO8Mwb51VFOo7zsBj43t7G96-VAXvrjh7OvLoRKte0m_NnuyvlpQ/s480/BookBrushImage515.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcLcoW-PAGDF90CQOU7Bl56x1uRAB7GxSw0w9VctcuLAKjFh5xkyJ9_xiV8TFkoZF1z50eDQThK3x8n4HHxYbP9bfO8Mwb51VFOo7zsBj43t7G96-VAXvrjh7OvLoRKte0m_NnuyvlpQ/s320/BookBrushImage515.png" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This story is diverse and has people from different backgrounds and of a range of ages. I really enjoy writing about friendships and interactions between the young and old, as well as about people who we wouldn’t expect to see together, but who actually have more in common than they realise.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKELCLuMVFbViNyoyKziJuJJmgux-zKSHbm3dbpXLMUi9AbPCYk3Bi4XiCOI1q78vpgkHvwGiodvLbm_vgSnGbMmlCwSBPBW2wq3FPYLvEn3t4RxbcK3EEb7_ULOreoqeAIkMJEfc9dnc/s640/Shh...Its+our+secret+by+Lizzie+Chantree.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKELCLuMVFbViNyoyKziJuJJmgux-zKSHbm3dbpXLMUi9AbPCYk3Bi4XiCOI1q78vpgkHvwGiodvLbm_vgSnGbMmlCwSBPBW2wq3FPYLvEn3t4RxbcK3EEb7_ULOreoqeAIkMJEfc9dnc/s320/Shh...Its+our+secret+by+Lizzie+Chantree.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Violet has a secret that could change the lives of everyone she knows and loves, especially the regulars at the run-down café bar where she works. After losing her parents at a young age, they are the closest thing she has to a family and she feels responsible for them.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Kai is a jaded music producer who has just moved outside of town. Seeking solitude from the stress of his job, he’s looking for seclusion. The only problem is he can’t seem to escape the band members and songwriters who keep showing up at his house.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">When Kai wanders into the bar and Violet’s life, he accidently discovers her closely guarded secret. Can Kai help her rediscover her self-confidence or should some secrets remain undiscovered?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Buy Links to Lizzie's books:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Universal link: Shh… It’s Our Secret: <a href="http://mybook.to/ItsOurSecret">mybook.to/ItsOurSecret</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Universal book buy link: The little ice cream shop: <a href="http://viewbook.at/IceCreamShopByTheSea">viewbook.at/IceCreamShopByTheSea</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Universal book buy link: Networking for writers: <a href="http://viewbook.at/NetworkingForWriters">viewbook.at/NetworkingForWriters</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Universal book buy link: If you love me, I’m yours: <a href="http://viewbook.at/IfYouLoveMe-ImYours">viewbook.at/IfYouLoveMe-ImYours</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Universal book buy link: Ninja School Mum: <a href="http://viewBook.at/NinjaSchoolMum">viewBook.at/NinjaSchoolMum</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Universal book buy link: Babe Driven: <a href="http://viewbook.at/BabeDriven">viewbook.at/BabeDriven</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Universal book buy link: Love’s Child: <a href="http://viewBook.at/Amazon-LovesChild">viewBook.at/Amazon-LovesChild</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Universal book buy link: Finding Gina: <a href="http://viewbook.at/FindingGina">viewbook.at/FindingGina</a></span></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMCddDIeJLcN6LNWGJBoJlTzlhCITKCkOklluvM0B4W2tWiZOskr7GHuderaLjbH8hEGO8LDDPQwOl6HsHxxpBO9Sk9GMLQOCmbtl1ydyIbg0i4Ir3htz1xLe8ygBNqdCaTiVHWqnlZI/s520/Email+signature+Flat+covers.+Lizzie+Chantree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="520" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMCddDIeJLcN6LNWGJBoJlTzlhCITKCkOklluvM0B4W2tWiZOskr7GHuderaLjbH8hEGO8LDDPQwOl6HsHxxpBO9Sk9GMLQOCmbtl1ydyIbg0i4Ir3htz1xLe8ygBNqdCaTiVHWqnlZI/w400-h76/Email+signature+Flat+covers.+Lizzie+Chantree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the Author:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUAmYbG3fdpBYcW02qGniEknh_ZbxLCVQamo5poElnKatREi3csZUz-vXjMohwI3UUHkRTlyT-y2MdbDbyjO_rQYxIFm-1IHHkuKWdVkWLEA3xhUT44LM-OLXu2TGYWWPGFu6mF0Iglk/s550/Lizzie+Chantree.+Author+photo+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="550" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUAmYbG3fdpBYcW02qGniEknh_ZbxLCVQamo5poElnKatREi3csZUz-vXjMohwI3UUHkRTlyT-y2MdbDbyjO_rQYxIFm-1IHHkuKWdVkWLEA3xhUT44LM-OLXu2TGYWWPGFu6mF0Iglk/w200-h162/Lizzie+Chantree.+Author+photo+small.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">International bestselling author and award-winning inventor, Lizzie Chantree, started her own business at the age of 18 and became one of Fair Play London and The Patent Office’s British Female Inventors of the Year in 2000. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">She discovered her love of writing fiction when her children were little and now works as a business mentor and runs a popular networking hour on social media, where creatives can support to each other. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">She writes books full of friendship and laughter, that are about women with unusual and adventurous businesses, who are far stronger than they realise. She lives with her family on the coast in Essex. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with Lizzie: </span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Website: <a href="http://www.lizziechantree.com">www.lizziechantree.com</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author page: <a href="https://www.viewAuthor.at/LizzieChantree">https://www.viewAuthor.at/LizzieChantree</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Chantree">https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Chantree</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LizzieChantree/">https://www.facebook.com/LizzieChantree/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7391757.Lizzie_Chantree">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7391757.Lizzie_Chantree</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_chantree/">https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_chantree/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/LizzieChantree/pins/">https://www.pinterest.co.uk/LizzieChantree/pins/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">FB Groups: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/647115202160536/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/647115202160536/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">BookBub: <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lizzie-chantree">https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lizzie-chantree</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">LinkedIn: <a href="http://linkedin.com/in/lizziechantreeauthor">linkedin.com/in/lizziechantreeauthor</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnCop-RlAcGqggZG3JfE-Mw">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnCop-RlAcGqggZG3JfE-Mw</a></span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoGHR9SnYm835_CU9LqaAqgY_Ajp_uVVslJzvtRFisQ9-PtKncC8yQYYQ3g4HXjrMSNgfRald-suzqHxaL9dTeNVCqVPIBMxNmcbxiuL36-oM92Yc0A2T6P013n_z1XbPxrzMJq1IJ08/s640/BookBrushImage19.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="640" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoGHR9SnYm835_CU9LqaAqgY_Ajp_uVVslJzvtRFisQ9-PtKncC8yQYYQ3g4HXjrMSNgfRald-suzqHxaL9dTeNVCqVPIBMxNmcbxiuL36-oM92Yc0A2T6P013n_z1XbPxrzMJq1IJ08/w400-h209/BookBrushImage19.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-48210396078996532372021-05-04T23:13:00.006+02:002021-05-04T23:17:51.507+02:00Historical Writers Blog Hop: A Touch of Poison<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today it’s my turn on the fabulous <b>Historical Writers Forum Blog Hop</b>, and I have a truly scandalous treat in store for you!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7E_XTwwkQTq6WZj17srAyU7pKKHRJ-1L3BSlHsJyy1vKKvOA94W38hJfreRCQdh_V4w5ATap3eCYUsiGBffDqn-lk4-fO2qc47hOBtfr4opXJhktEWeWsppB6qC1BuiHpZgn3NbUDWQ/s1280/HWF+Blog+Hop+May+2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7E_XTwwkQTq6WZj17srAyU7pKKHRJ-1L3BSlHsJyy1vKKvOA94W38hJfreRCQdh_V4w5ATap3eCYUsiGBffDqn-lk4-fO2qc47hOBtfr4opXJhktEWeWsppB6qC1BuiHpZgn3NbUDWQ/w640-h360/HWF+Blog+Hop+May+2021.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So grab yourself a cup of tea or coffee, or a nice glass of </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Pays de la Loire –</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> have a sniff or taste first to see if it's safe to consume – then follow me to Paris in the late 17th century! </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">King Louis XIV reigns supreme from his ever-expanding and brilliantly glittering palace of Versailles, leaving his capital city of Paris and his old palace, the Louvre, behind. In fact, the king detests Paris! It's dirty, there are too many poor people knocking on the gates, and it's crime-ridden!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As newly installed streetlights banish the shadows in some of the more affluent areas, there is still an underworld of well-organised criminals operating across the city. Poverty is high, and the many midwives, fortune-tellers and alchemists in town are looking for a more lucrative way of making ends meet. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So they found a handy way for despised husbands or wives, or hated fathers and brothers to meet their grisly end. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Yes, you’ve guessed it. Poison!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But it didn’t start with poisonous substances. No. Over preceding decades, the trade in fortune-telling flourished. Palm-reading was hugely popular, and if you needed to teach someone a lesson, or convince that crush of yours of your undying love, you could buy a nice but fairly harmless potion to sprinkle into their meal or drink. Or id you need a competitor kicked out of the race to a deal? No problem. They might fall ill for a few days, whilst you’re taking advantage of their incapacitated state, but then they’d get better again once you’ve achieved what you wanted. Everyone's happy. The fortune-tellers. The alchemists procuring the potions. And you, their valued customer!</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4DaooGEd-EvWJrObiLsNEoqyCDnHw0QM2ZDuMrlziT3Bxy0yY8F0owBpB2w01hIOCkNBoVRjoDA5kb35iv8YKqW1eo_iVExl8g6tU4UMWL5X0zxTtksBPg1hQUqp19UZE-b_mj5WLOw/s960/David+Teniers+the+Younger%252C+Public+domain%252C+via+Wikimedia+Commons+.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4DaooGEd-EvWJrObiLsNEoqyCDnHw0QM2ZDuMrlziT3Bxy0yY8F0owBpB2w01hIOCkNBoVRjoDA5kb35iv8YKqW1eo_iVExl8g6tU4UMWL5X0zxTtksBPg1hQUqp19UZE-b_mj5WLOw/s320/David+Teniers+the+Younger%252C+Public+domain%252C+via+Wikimedia+Commons+.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Alchemist, David Teniers the Younger, Wikimedia Commons, public domain</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This successful trade has been under observation by the Paris police for years, but there was no real reason to stop it. It was fairly harmless. Until potions became no longer sufficient. Something else had to be found to get what you wanted. Something far more sinister...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Soon business is thriving. Competitors are easily dispatched. Every life has a price. As the search for turning metal into gold continues, other substances change hands, for the right coin, outside the golden reach of the new streetlights. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the 1660s, when some relatively important people began to die and autopsies revealed inconsistencies, no one dared speak of the unspeakable. It was deemed to be a coincidence. They must have consumed something rotten.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGarD_6D29UXda78l_PsagZijdkELjLkam9uGbem9OXlT4yP229MIDmacfpPMUAgmk1bOcpEf8dUGJDnp8GtE13OF2-y6m8dVy99pl5OFRezp6HuG9h98lQZvBEqIHXkbzhwa_yzNYEo4/s601/Marquise+de+Brinvilliers.+Jacob+Ferdinand+Voet%252C+Public+domain%252C+via+Wikimedia+Commons.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGarD_6D29UXda78l_PsagZijdkELjLkam9uGbem9OXlT4yP229MIDmacfpPMUAgmk1bOcpEf8dUGJDnp8GtE13OF2-y6m8dVy99pl5OFRezp6HuG9h98lQZvBEqIHXkbzhwa_yzNYEo4/s320/Marquise+de+Brinvilliers.+Jacob+Ferdinand+Voet%252C+Public+domain%252C+via+Wikimedia+Commons.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Marquise de Brinvilliers, Jacob Ferdinand Voet, Wikimedia Commons, public domain</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So we fast forward to 1672, to the death – by natural causes, ironically – of a man named Sainte-Croix. In his possession, a casket, locked. A mystery.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Only when a certain Marquise de Brinvillers tries (a little too hard) to get her hands on the box, the police becomes suspicious and checks out the contents. To their surprise, they find money, several pouches and phials with unknown substances, and a stack of letters written by the good marquise. Not only confirming her as his lover, her letters hint at a payment for services rendered back in 1666 and 1670. What could it possibly be?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The connection is quickly established of how she has been coming into money.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her henchman, who administered poison to her brothers’ meals, is swiftly arrested, and soon it transpires that the marquise had her father – a former chief of the Paris police, no less – and later her two brothers poisoned, to inherit their wealth.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But the crafty woman herself, meanwhile, has fled the country. Only in 1676 is she arrested, hiding in a convent. Only following the water torture does she admit to the murders. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">On 17th July 1676, the Marie-Madeleine, Marquise de Brinvilliers is executed. Due to her station, she is beheaded by sword, then her remains are thrown onto a pyre. Lastly, her ashes are scattered, so she could not be turned into a martyr. The event is a big spectacle, and much of Paris gathers on Place de Grève to witness it.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDgJmf62MSHutvH96NA0lmfH3HX0wlbxaRvXQI3EZBA68S3Y_sc70CeiTMAoBOH3kHjlIhjs4eNg6RliA878ME1bh_Kv0Gqn2AVvfHW6AIcl1EpV9LRMptScMMKiEPaM9YO_FJtxT7CA/s1170/Marie+Madeleine+d%2527Aubray+Marquise+de+Brinvilliers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="927" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDgJmf62MSHutvH96NA0lmfH3HX0wlbxaRvXQI3EZBA68S3Y_sc70CeiTMAoBOH3kHjlIhjs4eNg6RliA878ME1bh_Kv0Gqn2AVvfHW6AIcl1EpV9LRMptScMMKiEPaM9YO_FJtxT7CA/s320/Marie+Madeleine+d%2527Aubray+Marquise+de+Brinvilliers.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Marie-Madeleine, Marquise de Brinvilliers, Wikimedia Commons, public domain</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The trial and execution of the Marquise the Brinvilliers is seen by many as the beginning of the <i>Affair of the Poisons</i>, an event that would shock the court of King Louise XIV. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The lady had come from good stock, married into nobility, and was thus very different from the normally rather 'ordinary' clientele in Paris. Suddenly, the poisoners are amongst the nobles, the courtiers. Who else could be involved? Look over your shoulder!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Over the coming years, hundreds of men and women are arrested and interrogated, usually under torture. Fortune-tellers, alchemists, midwives, lawyers, apothecaries, flower sellers, hands for hire (shepherds!). But when a certain Magdelaine de la Grange is questioned, she insists on speaking to the Marquis de Louvois, the Minister of State for War, hinting at a plot to murder the king. This takes suspicions a whole step further, and he questions her personally over several months.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Would anyone close to King Louis XIV wish him dead? Who? And why?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As public curiosity grows, a special court is instructed to find out more. The <i>Chambre Ardente</i> (the ‘burning chamber’) sits for three years, from 1679 to 1682, during which time hundreds of men and women are sentenced to a range of punishments: death by burning alive (mostly women) or by hanging, banishment and exile, being sent to the galleys, or imprisoned in solitude for life by a so-called <i>lettre de cachet</i>, a ‘sealed letter’ by direct order from the king. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the end, de la Grange reveals a variety of vague suspicions that never leads anywhere, so she is eventually executed, after several years of incarceration and torture. </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Jfm29EBhwPqGhpVyLdBbCHw-A1-ELZw3ttbLKLVpBNZleuxIU5crSqQO7UxbBeGjrkjF3KK8NlfkahbFCKEMHPpYWFs0SMGxg5WZxKsmJs9T1Qiu3D5fuQVkRCCltY1p3kik4A1oNnE/s1440/Catherine+Monvoisin%252C+La+Voisin%252C+Antoine+Coypel%252C+Public+domain%252C+via+Wikimedia+Commons.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Jfm29EBhwPqGhpVyLdBbCHw-A1-ELZw3ttbLKLVpBNZleuxIU5crSqQO7UxbBeGjrkjF3KK8NlfkahbFCKEMHPpYWFs0SMGxg5WZxKsmJs9T1Qiu3D5fuQVkRCCltY1p3kik4A1oNnE/s320/Catherine+Monvoisin%252C+La+Voisin%252C+Antoine+Coypel%252C+Public+domain%252C+via+Wikimedia+Commons.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Catherine Monvoisin, La Voisin, Wikimedia Commons, public domain</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">But the arrest of well-to-do midwife and fortune-teller, Catherine Monvoisin – La Voisin to those who know her – hots things up (no pun intended). La Voisin is a skilled poisoner who is also involved in black masses! Several others have mentioned her, and she doesn’t deny it. But she does not reveal her clients, despite being put to torture, although rumour has it that someone close to the king attended her events several times in the 1660s. </span></div><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But who?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Implicated are several courtiers: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Duke de Luxembourg, an important general and Marshal of France is briefly incarcerated, before he is released again, to continue as before. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Duchess de Bouillon – accused of wishing to poison her husband to marry her lover – appears before court with her husband on one arm and her lover (her nephew, the Duke de Vendôme!) on the other. The claim is thrown out, but she is no longer highly regarded at court. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And then there is her sister, the Countess de Soissons, against who a series of charges are levied. She flees the country before being caught. Soon after, in England, she has then apparently a hand in the unexpected death of Queen Henrietta, and she flees back to the continent where she is embroiled in further scandals involving poisons. Her son, Prince Eugene, would later join the Habsburg army where he becomes a highly respected general, in the war against France!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And there are other, minor nobles; some are banished from court for perpetuity, some allowed to return later. The king had the last word.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It was only after La Voisin’s execution (she was burnt alive) that her arrested daughter, Marguerite Monvoisin, gives up names of her mother's alleged clients. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And the biggest fish amongst those: the Marquise de Montespan!</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjll5YzHFgt4GSmpdmnLKsxi6I8wdtqp3ijHk1rfrwHraYXA67ZNmHoqoNm-aFetvvUK9ExGUSxBymdyvnivMNiocSWru0I5y2mhywTY_hosae9pEguvbe0Pcl9ljY7H-VpwTNR9Xqdyw/s707/Franc%25CC%25A7oise+de+Rochechouart%252C+Marquise+de+Montespan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="595" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjll5YzHFgt4GSmpdmnLKsxi6I8wdtqp3ijHk1rfrwHraYXA67ZNmHoqoNm-aFetvvUK9ExGUSxBymdyvnivMNiocSWru0I5y2mhywTY_hosae9pEguvbe0Pcl9ljY7H-VpwTNR9Xqdyw/s320/Franc%25CC%25A7oise+de+Rochechouart%252C+Marquise+de+Montespan.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Marquise de Montespan, Wikimedia Commons, public domain</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Françoise-Athénaïs, Marquise ('Madame') de Montespan is the woman who really rules at Versailles in the 1670s, having eclipsed poor Queen Maria Theresa for a number of years. The king’s favourite mistress for over a decade, she has born him several, later legitimised, children. Adept at organising entertainments and surprises, her parties were renowned. But this would all come to a sudden end.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The accusations against her date back to the late 1660s, when Louis XIV was still enamoured with a young lady called Louise de La Vallière. Madame de Montespan – always ambitious – was jealous. She was keen to become the king’s mistress and wanted her competition dead. Marriage didn't stop her. In fact, no one should dare to stop her. To that effect, she attended black masses at La Voisin’s. These sinister séances included not only animal sacrifices, but it was said that newborn babies, given up by their mothers or stolen, were used too. Paris was abuzz with rumours. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Madame de Montespan's ruse worked. Louise de la Vallière retired to a convent as soon as the king tired of her, unhappy to play her role alongside the rising star of the Marquise de Montespan for long. She likely had no idea of how far her rival’s plotting would go. Her escape to the convent may have actually saved her life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So for years, La Montespan rules over the court as if she were a queen. But all good things must come to an end. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">By the late 1670s, the king falls in love with young Marie-Angélique de Scorailles, and this upset the hitherto favourite. But when young Marie-Angélique dies after short illness (having voiced her suspicion of being poisoned!), the timing of Marguerite Monvoisin's revelation could not have come at a worse time. Was the scheming marquise involved again?</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHx5qEpu4y7HK3j3q_ca81F1aFK5sQFAvWKeqtT-N8nHqM93A5-BC2GO9Y_cS9naPkeCNgSx5_O1KvPhBaQtzltNYkZwgnKKdPM8UxvYW2b-RNQKzUEZ722bqA2K-30FkcSEsre_m9T0/s2048/Statue.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHx5qEpu4y7HK3j3q_ca81F1aFK5sQFAvWKeqtT-N8nHqM93A5-BC2GO9Y_cS9naPkeCNgSx5_O1KvPhBaQtzltNYkZwgnKKdPM8UxvYW2b-RNQKzUEZ722bqA2K-30FkcSEsre_m9T0/s320/Statue.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Statue in the gardens at Versailles, image (c) Cathie Dunn</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As expected, all this is too much, even for the king. The </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Chambre Ardente </i><span style="font-family: georgia;">is shut down, and suspects are locked up in solitary confinement in remote fortresses by </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">lettre de cachet</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">, including Marguerite Monvoisin.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Louis distances himself from his longterm favourite, briefly seeking out new mistresses, but none last long. Courtiers treat Françoise-Athénaïs with respect, as befits the mother to the king's children, but she is never again seen in the same light. Her star is extinguished; shot down by her own ambition.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Soon after, Louis begins his probably final affair with Madame de Maintenon, the governess of Madame de Montespan’s children by the king, and clearly much closer to them in affection than their scheming mother. Following Queen Maria Theresa’s death, Madame de Maintenon never leaves his side, and it is still not known whether he clandestinely married her or not. Madame de Maintenon is close to the Church, and in his advancing years, Louis is finally ready for a calmer private life. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And the Marquise de Montespan? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, Françoise-Athénaïs was requested to retire to her estate. On the rare occasions she returned to court, other courtiers blanked her. Her decade-long reign had come to an end. The Sun King had moved on. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12Xex_0XmYlZZAYex9SwCfxxdLMJeV9FSBI2wIieWZKK5W0BB6pspb7vQJxgeoaH75d1hj-SKYESrb3-nBI_NnydI5RAVTuUOTGb8TlFqcFn7Ox0UXDkNjCDKwAda4kciXeCacYxT7eY/s2048/The+King%2527s+Bedchamber.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12Xex_0XmYlZZAYex9SwCfxxdLMJeV9FSBI2wIieWZKK5W0BB6pspb7vQJxgeoaH75d1hj-SKYESrb3-nBI_NnydI5RAVTuUOTGb8TlFqcFn7Ox0UXDkNjCDKwAda4kciXeCacYxT7eY/s320/The+King%2527s+Bedchamber.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The King's Bedchamber, image (c) Cathie Dunn</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">If this has whetted your appetite to read more about the <i>Affair of the Poisons</i> and the intriguing marquises and midwives, I can highly recommend Anne Somerset’s excellent book on the subject, and Kate Braithwaite’s gripping novel, <i>Charlatan</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have been intrigued by the <i>Affair of the Poisons</i> for many years, but it was only last year that I decided to turn it into a series of loosely-interlinked novels. It’s great fun bringing those characters I described above back to life – the glamorous courtiers as well as the double-dealing fortune-tellers and poisoners. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The <i>Affair of the Poisons</i> is full of intrigues, from the murkiest backstreets of Paris to the glittering new palace of Versailles. It illuminates perfectly the dark side of the Sun King’s court. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now, off you go to read up more about this fascinating event!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">PS: That drink that you just had...well... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBW5scUjT1kJlNh3JpOT_YH44VAa2Uc8_6SZBB5IddcQ6XNSflAbgfpjsRb2qQPYGJRmWSiVlnnmp5nqeKtBnsgnQ5n3w7agvyPmJc_aGc7eX9G-B13S_jIcBsBQrRZQ_1_BVlwcijTFQ/s2050/The+Shadows+of+Versailles-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="2050" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBW5scUjT1kJlNh3JpOT_YH44VAa2Uc8_6SZBB5IddcQ6XNSflAbgfpjsRb2qQPYGJRmWSiVlnnmp5nqeKtBnsgnQ5n3w7agvyPmJc_aGc7eX9G-B13S_jIcBsBQrRZQ_1_BVlwcijTFQ/w640-h244/The+Shadows+of+Versailles-3.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p></div>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-61755641211323705572021-03-10T10:24:00.001+01:002021-03-10T10:24:19.910+01:00Ocelot Press Book of the Month: The Unkindest Cut of All<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Welcome to the brand-new </span><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia;"><b><i>Ocelot Press Book of the Month</i></b></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Each month, we will focus on one particular <i>Ocelot Press</i> publication. This month it is <b><i>Sue Barnard</i></b>’s romantic intrigue <b><a href="https://mybook.to/the-unkindest-cut" target="_blank">The Unkindest Cut of All</a></b>, the action of which takes place over one week in March, during an amateur dramatic society’s production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-VZsaqe9Oaipzuzs6sJNr-dTEKs7URwTaAQ-q_P3x24A_sO8rEL7LFXJ3xkXZkUYLOxdFsFl0Jn9nLlGx1txv3BnvQdQbJAKqiK_bNF4FOdScYxZ3NMVD9TjSWOa0epVA1d5MdZyfnc/s1600/OP+Book+of+the+Month+Banner+March+2021.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-VZsaqe9Oaipzuzs6sJNr-dTEKs7URwTaAQ-q_P3x24A_sO8rEL7LFXJ3xkXZkUYLOxdFsFl0Jn9nLlGx1txv3BnvQdQbJAKqiK_bNF4FOdScYxZ3NMVD9TjSWOa0epVA1d5MdZyfnc/w640-h360/OP+Book+of+the+Month+Banner+March+2021.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here’s the blurb:</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH…</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9gLr3_-5fJ6aegPtoxlKAerOi-WWm_-aXvvvP_Q16GlR3bKceWrLrkVPTxT1Hgjuclr2I370sF8VGIZ3Y7j3iJ0fw8y9Bxu5gZ3nxE6JyTZXAMN4vSZC_Ga1pnw0eyj2Ju0-ri-A3mE/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="197" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9gLr3_-5fJ6aegPtoxlKAerOi-WWm_-aXvvvP_Q16GlR3bKceWrLrkVPTxT1Hgjuclr2I370sF8VGIZ3Y7j3iJ0fw8y9Bxu5gZ3nxE6JyTZXAMN4vSZC_Ga1pnw0eyj2Ju0-ri-A3mE/" width="148" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Brian Wilmer is God’s gift to amateur dramatics – and he knows it. So when the Castlemarsh Players take the ambitious decision to stage Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, there is only one man who can play the title role – even though Brian’s posturing “prima donna” attitude has, over the years, won him few friends and many foes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Rehearsals progress apace, and the production draws ever closer. But when another member of the cast has to drop out due to illness, local journalist Sarah Carmichael (a stalwart of the Players’ backstage crew) suddenly finds herself called upon to step into the breach at the eleventh hour.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Not surprisingly, Sarah finds that Brian is in his egotistical element playing the mighty Caesar. The fact that the final performance of the play takes place on the infamous Ides of March – the day when, according to tradition, Caesar was fatally stabbed – only adds to the excitement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But tragedy is waiting in the wings. And when it strikes, it falls to Sarah – with the help of Brian’s personable and fascinating nephew Martin Burns – to uncover the incredible truth of what really happened…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Unkindest Cut of All</b> is available from Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats. To celebrate it being the <i>Ocelot Press Book of the Month</i>, the Kindle edition is currently available at the special offer price of just <span style="color: red;"><b>77p</b></span> (or the equivalent in your local currency). To find out more, click <a href="http://mybook.to/the-unkindest-cut" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This extract from <b>The Unkindest Cut of All </b>describes the scene on the final night of the run, which takes place on the infamous Ides of March…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Hence, home, you idle creatures! Get you home! Is this a holiday?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As Richard delivered his opening line, Sarah felt a twinge of sadness. This was the last time that he – or indeed any of the Players – would say these words on these boards. As she came off the stage at the end of the scene, she could see Alan carefully ticking off the stage directions in his copy of the script. It was his ritual for the night of the final performance. It gave him, he’d once told her, a great sense of achievement – a sign that he’d reached the end of the run with the satisfaction of a job well done. He could tick off all the tasks knowing that he wouldn’t have to worry about them again. But then, that was so true of the theatre; it was full of superstition and ritual.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Even Sarah herself wasn’t immune to this. Even when she was only wearing her all-black Assistant Stage Manager attire, she always had to put on the clothes in precisely the same order each time: trousers first, then t-shirt, then socks and shoes (right before left in each case), and finally a long-sleeved top if the weather was chilly. And her lucky mascot – a reproduction Egyptian scarab which had accompanied her throughout her first appearance in Death on the Nile – always spent the entire run in her handbag.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Martin was still sitting where she’d last seen him, watching the performance unfold on the CCTV monitor. He appeared, for the moment at least, to have abandoned his attempt at the crossword.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“How’s it going?” he whispered, as she went past.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“OK so far,” she whispered back. “See you later!” She hastily put on her cloak over her tunic and hurried back on to the stage for her first appearance as the Soothsayer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Brian strode imperiously forward and delivered Caesar’s instructions to Mark Antony, before giving Sarah her cue: “Set on, and leave no ceremony out.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sarah took a deep breath and stepped forward from her place in the crowd. She had only one word at this point, but for some reason it seemed to stick in her throat. She found herself needing to improvise with wild gestures before her voice finally co-operated.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Caesar!”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Brian turned round, but made a great show of peering snootily at the crowd and pretending not to see her. “Ha! Who calls?” he sneered.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The crowd continued to mutter as the conspirator Casca turned towards them, shouting, “Bid every noise be still. Peace yet again!”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Brian spoke again. “Who is it in the press that calls on me? I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music, cry ‘Caesar!’ Speak. Caesar is turned to hear.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sarah stepped forward and delivered her most famous line: “Beware the Ides of March.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">She found she could not suppress a shudder as she spoke. Maybe Cassie’s foreboding was infectious. Get a grip, she told herself. Thankfully, though, the shudder was hidden by her cloak. The other performers appeared not to have noticed it as they carried on with the dialogue, which John had adjusted slightly to take account of the fact that in this performance, the Soothsayer was female.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“What woman’s that?” Brian sneered again, peering haughtily round and again pretending not to see her.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“A soothsayer bids you beware the Ides of March,” answered Peter, as Marcus Brutus.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Set her before me; let me see her face,” Brian ordered, to which Ted, as Cassius, replied:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Lady, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sarah stepped forward, head bowed as she approached Brian.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He declared: “What say’s thou to me now? Speak once again.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sarah slowly lifted her face until her eyes met Brian’s. She caught a glimpse of a strange light in them – something she had never seen before. What was it? Pride? Determination? Or fear?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">She addressed him again, with the same words: “Beware the Ides of March.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This is scary, she found herself thinking. I’m glad it will all soon be over.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;"><b>***Giveaway!***</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And here’s a <b><span style="color: red;">special treat</span></b> for anyone who orders the e-book during this month. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Post a screenshot of your Amazon order in the <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/ocelotpressreaders/" target="_blank"><b>Ocelot Press Readers Group</b></a></i> on Facebook, and you will be entered into a draw to <b><span style="color: red;">win a signed copy of the paperback</span></b> edition. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The draw will stay open until the end of March 2021.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBb4VvLbI_BfBLM2Krz8lCjWO0MDtGatF-TsVESUHPw3exi-_4xQ5EdVdFOAyzC9H70NHPvnGaPqe8VjQRVQd4B14k-4RNeCahpcmqBzcdSLgjWQYZHBs0LMLKd1VBLYfCZd1QNw2wOdQ/s1600/Doorways+to+the+Past+giveaway+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBb4VvLbI_BfBLM2Krz8lCjWO0MDtGatF-TsVESUHPw3exi-_4xQ5EdVdFOAyzC9H70NHPvnGaPqe8VjQRVQd4B14k-4RNeCahpcmqBzcdSLgjWQYZHBs0LMLKd1VBLYfCZd1QNw2wOdQ/w400-h225/Doorways+to+the+Past+giveaway+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-40775574570910861532021-02-23T12:40:00.001+01:002021-02-23T12:40:53.337+01:00Dark Deceit is a #1 bestseller<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm over the moon! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">After nearly ten years in the field, <b>Dark Deceit </b>has become a paid<b><span style="color: #800180;"> #1 bestseller</span></b> in the <i>Literary Medieval Criticism</i> Amazon UK charts. I'm so thrilled about it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BCYeNLlO4arUkIOIqYrdA9h7mSAAOhgVNtPGXeXDpxcaTLAB48YdAjGIhI4PtntNybsP8fM9F-qNXZCQxM0eCfoFbzoqXolqZ0z5GtwfU3yzkF74Oi80oPYvXBkrtMiaoA1zBmNCb-c/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BCYeNLlO4arUkIOIqYrdA9h7mSAAOhgVNtPGXeXDpxcaTLAB48YdAjGIhI4PtntNybsP8fM9F-qNXZCQxM0eCfoFbzoqXolqZ0z5GtwfU3yzkF74Oi80oPYvXBkrtMiaoA1zBmNCb-c/w282-h400/Screenshot+2021-02-22+at+13.17.13.png" width="282" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The idea of <b>Dark Deceit </b>was conceived at a small train station in south Wales, on my way to work at a local university. As I did medieval reenactment in those days, I thought to add my experiences to a novel, and Dark Deceit – a medieval romantic adventure – was born! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's set in one of my favourite historical period, called The Anarchy by chroniclers. The name describes the period following the death of King Henry I of England in 1135 and the ascension of Henry II to the throne in 1154. The king's designated heir to the throne, his daughter, Matilda, young widow of the Holy Roman Emperor, did not leave her home in Normandy in a hurry to claim her inheritance. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This left her cousin Stephen of Blois to claim the title, as the nearest legitimate male in the royal line, and the support of many nobles who really did not fancy a woman on the throne, least of all one as haughty as Matilda is said to have been (though in how far we can believe biased chroniclers is another matter). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But Stephen's popularity waned soon, and Matilda, with the help of her elder, illegitimate half-brother Robert, earl of Gloucester, challenged him. Civil war ensued on both sides of the Channel. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It is an utterly fascinating period, with lawlessness being the norm in many parts of the country as nobles fought for favours, often playing both sides off against each other. With that background in mind, Dark Deceit shows the dangers of this lack of law and order. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">One day, there will be a sequel to <b>Dark Deceit</b>, but until then, I hope you'll enjoy delving into The Anarchy with Geoffrey and Alleyne...</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm45IAANRkHa3BQKkyd2oFjbW6ZdpzyVPvAyLJDjc_F9kdIEQA1EwdTqzrATd0Q2omaF7qzkPYMLAnghMBnDhsasmE_NNkGUISMcTqxdq0SGxhg9csjdp1g4Bo3QELUZR2owvXpZSjFhQ/s1400/Screenshot+2021-02-22+at+13.16.37.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="1400" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm45IAANRkHa3BQKkyd2oFjbW6ZdpzyVPvAyLJDjc_F9kdIEQA1EwdTqzrATd0Q2omaF7qzkPYMLAnghMBnDhsasmE_NNkGUISMcTqxdq0SGxhg9csjdp1g4Bo3QELUZR2owvXpZSjFhQ/w400-h119/Screenshot+2021-02-22+at+13.16.37.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Readers of historical fiction will love every page of this exciting story.” </span></b></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~ Readers’ Favorite<b> </b><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">A cowardly murder. A knight with a cause. A lady in danger. </span></b></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">England, 1141</span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Returning from battle at Lincoln, Geoffrey de Mortagne, undersheriff of Gloucester and spy for the Empress Matilda, comes to the aid of a knight who had been ambushed, but he arrives too late. As he has given his word to the dying man to look after his only daughter, Alleyne, Geoffrey stays at her manor whilst he investigates the attack. To his dismay, there is more to it than a mere attack outlaw attack. Soon, Geoffrey is torn between the oath and his duty to the Empress. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Left to fend for herself following her father’s brutal murder, Alleyne de Bellac reluctantly accepts Geoffrey’s support. But she doesn’t trust the taciturn stranger who, she feels, keeps secrets from her, so she writes to Will d’Arques, an old friend of her father, for help. Yet with loyalties changing with the wind, she is no longer able to tell truth from lie. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">With her life in danger and her inheritance at stake, which man can Alleyne trust?</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Discover England and Normandy divided by the ‘Anarchy’ – a brutal civil war for the English crown between the Empress Matilda and King Stephen the Usurper – where vows are broken and allegiances are rescinded by the stroke of a sword!</span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Dark Deceit is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats. It's also available to read for free on Kindle Unlimited.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Amazon buy link:</b> <a href="http://mybook.to/Dark_Deceit">mybook.to/Dark_Deceit</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonI3n-AzByW3fqHdCXDhPiFLCTNXeybnHUlFbrJ2QBtSAWUoQnzZD0G2HrWW_io-uzNcp64VhptdDEuzWmba3EovhWG5R8qGTYbnH65GYdwMecANIAtXJdmyR-cTO8foPtFOcLcu64pU/s2050/DD+banner1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="2050" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonI3n-AzByW3fqHdCXDhPiFLCTNXeybnHUlFbrJ2QBtSAWUoQnzZD0G2HrWW_io-uzNcp64VhptdDEuzWmba3EovhWG5R8qGTYbnH65GYdwMecANIAtXJdmyR-cTO8foPtFOcLcu64pU/w640-h244/DD+banner1.png" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-15035646846889146222020-12-15T11:09:00.001+01:002020-12-15T11:10:47.039+01:00Spotlight: Never on Saturday by Sue Barnard<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today, I'm delighted to welcome my friend <i><b>Sue Barnard</b></i> – terrific author, award-winning poet, and editor <i>extraordinaire</i> – to my blog. Her wonderful novella, <b>Never on Saturday</b>, is released through <i>Ocelot Press</i> today. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Over to Sue to tell us more about <b>Never on Saturday</b>! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlC4yz0kY7HPO2mDZzd2TNn5_lPBgH8BA3H5uf-HhYA4NnF2ojgNFlJHtZ51jclNjmimGTpulVt8saM4w23gUZCsLkxWXeieV2_RZkPRvRnfp4EXGzeTI5RtR_OE88dvBuIdBszhM_TDA/s2048/Never+on+Saturday.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlC4yz0kY7HPO2mDZzd2TNn5_lPBgH8BA3H5uf-HhYA4NnF2ojgNFlJHtZ51jclNjmimGTpulVt8saM4w23gUZCsLkxWXeieV2_RZkPRvRnfp4EXGzeTI5RtR_OE88dvBuIdBszhM_TDA/w400-h225/Never+on+Saturday.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Today (15th December 2020), a new title joins the Ocelot Press catalogue. </span><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Never on Saturday</b><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"> is a timeslip romance novella with a hint of mystery and a touch of the paranormal. It is set partly in medieval France and partly in present-day North Wales, and is based on an old French legend.</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Unfortunately I can’t be more specific at this stage about the legend itself, as that would give away too much about the story. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Two stories, two heartbreaks: one past, one present…</i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwWzJL16dwyUb2pBI0LhLajJtG5wFjZ4hBA67T9P0DSUeUS7OM8bMPUg9xbDCmfNENMDCoNjcCYQ_L_FFTYyFY0xtNqRSDw1DcopenYqHshZhtscAh3dez5rMBG5ubptANHIxTMujW2Q/s2048/Never+on+Saturday.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwWzJL16dwyUb2pBI0LhLajJtG5wFjZ4hBA67T9P0DSUeUS7OM8bMPUg9xbDCmfNENMDCoNjcCYQ_L_FFTYyFY0xtNqRSDw1DcopenYqHshZhtscAh3dez5rMBG5ubptANHIxTMujW2Q/s320/Never+on+Saturday.jpg" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Leaving her native France and arriving in North Wales as a postgraduate student of History and Folklore, Mel is cautiously optimistic that she can escape from her troubled past and begin a new and happier life. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>She settles into her student accommodation and begins work on her thesis, concentrating particularly on one fascinating manuscript: a compelling and tragic tale of a cursed medieval princess. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Then she meets Ray – charming, down-to-earth and devastatingly handsome. Within days, Mel’s entire world has transformed from lonely and frustrated to loving and fulfilled. Despite her failure with previous relationships, she allows herself to hope that this time, at last, she can make it work.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>But Mel’s dreams of happiness are under constant threat. She is hiding a dark and terrible secret, which Ray – or indeed anybody else – must never ever discover… </i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Excerpt:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And here, to whet your appetite, is a short snippet:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Bangor, North Wales</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Friday</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Wow, it’s impressive, isn’t it?” Mel gazed at the long, ornate Victorian structure [Bangor Pier], stretching out across the Menai Straits. From one angle, it appeared to reach almost as far as the Isle of Anglesey on the other side of the water.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ray nodded. “I quite often come for a walk along here. It’s particularly good when the tide’s out; you see all sorts of seabirds on the mudflats.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Are you a birdwatcher, then?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Not a serious one, but if I see one I like to know what it is. I learned a bit about them when I was at uni.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Oh, yes? Why was that?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I studied marine biology.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Oh!” Mel gasped.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“What’s the matter?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Nothing,” Mel lied. She prayed that he hadn’t noticed her alarm. “It’s just that…” She thought quickly. “Well…I didn’t expect to find a marine biologist working in a coffee shop!”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I must be honest,” Ray sighed, “working in a coffee shop wasn’t exactly my first choice! But jobs in marine biology are pretty few and far between. And even unemployed marine biologists have to keep body and soul together somehow. But hey, that’s more than enough about me. What about you?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“What about me?” Mel asked nervously.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“What are you doing in Bangor? You’re at the university, you said?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mel stared out across the Straits, as if admiring the view of the island, as she tried to compose an answer. She didn’t want to tell an outright lie, but how much – or how little – could she get away with telling him? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I’m studying history and folklore,” she began cautiously, without taking her eyes off the view. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Oh yes? That sounds fascinating. Are you familiar with the Mabinogion?” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“No – what’s that?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“It’s a collection of traditional Welsh tales. I studied it at school. I’ve got an English edition I can lend you if you’re interested.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Thank you.” Mel turned to him and smiled with genuine enthusiasm. “That would be lovely.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“So, you come from France? Which part?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“From the Vendée. It’s on the west coast, just south of Brittany. There’s a castle called Lusignan near the town of Vouvant. Or at least, there used to be – I think it’s just a ruin now. I’ve always understood that it was built by one of my ancestors. I think that’s where my surname comes from.” She smiled wistfully. “I don’t know how true that is, but it’s a nice story.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ray grinned. “I’ve heard people say there are some parts of Wales where you feel you could be anywhere in Brittany. Is that what’s brought you here?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mel shook her head. “Not entirely,” she answered quietly. “My parents died, and I felt as though I needed a new start somewhere else.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ray whistled under his breath. “I’m sorry to hear that. I…” His voice trailed off. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mel got the impression that he was even less comfortable talking about this than she was. There was an awkward pause.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“But I’ve sort of got used to it now,” she said eventually. “I try not to think about it too much. And I love it here. I’m very much an outdoor girl. I walk, I swim, and, yes, I like birdwatching too.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ray’s face brightened visibly. He waved an arm across the Menai Straits towards the Isle of Anglesey. Its bright colours – the greens, reds and yellows of the landscape contrasting with the sharp blue of the sky above and the mellow green of the water below – sparkled in the late afternoon sun.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Have you been across to the island?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mel shook her head. “As I said, I’ve only recently arrived here.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Well, how do you fancy going for a birdwatching walk over there? There’s a super beach down on the south coast where you can see all sorts of things.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mel beamed. “Thank you, that would be lovely. When did you have in mind?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“How about tomorrow?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Merde, Mel thought. Here we go again…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Sorry,” she muttered, staring at the ground. “I can’t manage tomorrow.” Please don’t ask me why not…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Well, how about Sunday, then?” Fortunately, Ray appeared to accept her answer without seeming to be too inquisitive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">She forced her face back into a smile before looking up at him. “Sunday would be lovely. Thank you.”</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">*</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But why can’t Mel meet Ray on Saturday? You can find out by reading the rest of the story!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And for a limited time, the Kindle edition is available at the special early bird price of just 99p. Click <a href="https://mybook.to/NeverOnSaturday" target="_blank"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>here</b></span></a> to be taken to your local Amazon store.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4GU9JazioClVH_RKHmCGihk8jw8pBgeA2fpcthz-NPhIC_yMha1fbo9mngevtPIaN2Ebxa6xxH8F8n7jnvVbIztsWImaZoZlw6gqmPmAhjNkPHIj1E3QNttGfy-aZ9lsGiw8Hk31De4/s285/Sue+Barnard+May+2020.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4GU9JazioClVH_RKHmCGihk8jw8pBgeA2fpcthz-NPhIC_yMha1fbo9mngevtPIaN2Ebxa6xxH8F8n7jnvVbIztsWImaZoZlw6gqmPmAhjNkPHIj1E3QNttGfy-aZ9lsGiw8Hk31De4/s0/Sue+Barnard+May+2020.png" /></a></div>Sue Barnard is a British novelist, editor and award-winning poet who believes that an immaculate house is a sign of a wasted life. Thus, her house is chaotic but her life is anything but dull.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her mind is so warped that she has appeared on BBC TV’s Only Connect quiz show, and she has also compiled questions for BBC Radio 4's fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz. This once caused one of her sons to describe her as "professionally weird." The label has stuck.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">She speaks French like a Belgian, German like a schoolgirl, and Italian and Portuguese like an Englishwoman abroad. She is also very interested in family history. Her own family background is far stranger than any work of fiction. She would write a book about it if she thought anybody would believe her. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sue lives in Cheshire, UK, with her extremely patient husband and a large collection of unfinished scribblings. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><b>Follow Sue here: </b><br />Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/suebarnardauthor">https://www.facebook.com/suebarnardauthor</a>) <br />Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorSusanB" target="_blank">@AuthorSusanB</a>)<br />Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/suebarnardauthor">https://www.instagram.com/suebarnardauthor</a>)<br />Blog (<a href="http://broad-thoughts-from-a-home.blogspot.co.uk">http://broad-thoughts-from-a-home.blogspot.co.uk</a>).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Also by Sue Barnard:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Ghostly Father</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nice Girls Don’t</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Unkindest Cut of All</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heathcliff: The Missing Years</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Finding Nina</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div><div><br /></div>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-47474771690601911172020-12-05T06:00:00.239+01:002020-12-05T06:00:13.526+01:00Fill your boots in the Jolabokaflod Christmas Giveaway<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm taking part in a wonderful Christmas Blog Hop: we're celebrating the Icelandic tradition of <b>Jolabokaflod</b>! Yes, it's all about books for Yule. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Throughout December, our group of historical fiction writers will give away <b>free copies</b> of our books, or offer them at <b>reduced rates</b>, for you to enjoy over the festive season!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Make sure later to check the link at the end of this post to find all the other exciting, fascinating posts from my writer friends!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6YGfSQNMIS5Va8fe5F_bLknXS0GzsvvQCeL418BL-rbRL1DgoW1KzESYT1fyMS42dj6P400HK-FB2ftQJvXGbj3cTSb_GDL6LKa33rhepcBF8Bo-KvLOqDFMgwm5T6Hr0HmKJepu_cY/s820/Jolabokaflod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="820" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6YGfSQNMIS5Va8fe5F_bLknXS0GzsvvQCeL418BL-rbRL1DgoW1KzESYT1fyMS42dj6P400HK-FB2ftQJvXGbj3cTSb_GDL6LKa33rhepcBF8Bo-KvLOqDFMgwm5T6Hr0HmKJepu_cY/w640-h280/Jolabokaflod.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: georgia;">The joy of gifts!</b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But first, let me tell you a bit about what the 5th December meant to me when I was a child...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQUD0qqkSfhChe5OWkCuNeY3AdUT_VCcEUrhSx9GYZHPicOmkJEd7LecpC2lvTLCaCoo4u1gJkBPNA4dX60vPkRa4EGXW1l-IRJDmz-dQa8szra_yRZxyDYaPpaNHat6zoFeYkcx24UY/s434/Nicholas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="128" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQUD0qqkSfhChe5OWkCuNeY3AdUT_VCcEUrhSx9GYZHPicOmkJEd7LecpC2lvTLCaCoo4u1gJkBPNA4dX60vPkRa4EGXW1l-IRJDmz-dQa8szra_yRZxyDYaPpaNHat6zoFeYkcx24UY/s320/Nicholas.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Benvenuto di Giovanni</span></td></tr></tbody></table>December 6th is the feast day of St Nicholas (in the West; Eastern churches, where he is more popular, celebrate him on December 19th). The early Christian bishop is said to have died on 6th December AD 343. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It was said that, on his parents’ death, he gave away their wealth to the poor. He was also recorded as helping an impoverished man with the dowry for his three daughters, in that Nicholas threw bags of coins into the man's house at night, as not to be discovered. Later, he was said to have saved three innocent men from execution by revealing a bribed juror, and revived three children killed by a greedy butcher with the mere sign of the cross. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He became Bishop of Myra, and apparently attended the important Council of Nicaea, but records disagree on this. And although reports of his good deeds exist, they were written down hundreds of years later. But his reputation as a giver and saviour of children remained strong through the ages, with many fables added later that went down into common folklore, even though no early records exist.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So when I was small, growing up in south-west Germany, before I went to bed on the evening of December 5th, I put my boots outside the front door of our flat. Then, on the morning of December 6th, I would find my boots stuffed with clementines, walnuts and chocolates. And perhaps a small extra gift. It was very exciting!</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gSDYJGFUqKhW3JE_58Gh7eihbCCrOkFgkO021uEb9EQXXN7bQ4wETQ0WjFNkc4TPNte4LrD4bTjAg8ZEPQ_sVdh7Nfbco1KOjo4nA2KP1AXz8uwBjtqUQvt0bJmBIT2GK74w8Q9bqMY/s1049/Tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gSDYJGFUqKhW3JE_58Gh7eihbCCrOkFgkO021uEb9EQXXN7bQ4wETQ0WjFNkc4TPNte4LrD4bTjAg8ZEPQ_sVdh7Nfbco1KOjo4nA2KP1AXz8uwBjtqUQvt0bJmBIT2GK74w8Q9bqMY/w312-h320/Tomb.jpg" title="Gentile da Fabriano, Florence" width="312" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The tomb of Saint Nicholas; Gentile da Fabriano, orig. San Niccoló sopr'Arno, Florence</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This tradition dates back centuries, to Luther and the reformation, when the veneration of saints was separated from Christmas as the focus then should be on the Holy Family on the days of Christmas. So, despite us having been a Catholic family, we – like many other families we knew – took part in a Protestant tradition! I wonder if my devout grandmother ever knew that... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So who brought our gifts at Christmas, you ask? No Santa? Well, no. It was the Christ Child of course, the ’Christkind’. It placed gifts under the Christmas Tree whilst we were in church on December 24th. And it certainly didn't wear a red coat or come through a chimney. We didn't have one, for starters! Plus, German children were ahead of millions of other kids in that we opened our parcels on Christmas Eve (usually after dinner in our home). It's a win-win situation, if you ask me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But are small children in Germany still thinking their presents come from the Christ Child? Or has Santa taken over since I moved abroad in the 90s? In which case, Saint Nicolas, the original ’Santa Claus’, might have the last laugh, and Luther would be turning in his grave...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">These days, my family has shrunk to hubby, my mother, and me. None of us are religious, and we only give each other token gifts, one year on Christmas Day morning, the next on Christmas Eve. It's only fair in a German-British household!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia;"><i><b>Now for my important questions:</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So if you celebrate Christmas, who brings the gifts in your house? Is it Santa? The Christ Child? Or perhaps simply parents and grandparents? Or don't you bother with all that ’commercial stuff’ and enjoy a simple Christmas or Yule with your loved ones? </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia;">I'm going to give away three ebook copies of Love Lost in Time, <br /></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia;">my award-winning dual-timeline mystery.</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm going to draw the winners from all those who give me their answers to the questions above in response to my <b>Twitter</b> or <b>Facebook</b> post sharing the blog hop page, or right here on my <b>blog</b>! </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Excerpt from Love Lost in Time:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">The feast day of St Adela of Pfalzel (24th December), AD 777<br /></span></i></p><p><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Carcassonne</span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hilda’s stomach curled into knots, and she briefly closed her eyes.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheooZZyb-BG4zPcdG-IYEmvgHQBGgglTLQN2qrDnJ_efH7zO73UE0c-CmlLxxi-UxgcG7Tmrm97aANZAlZjulrDh7ybJySAITNfFFDPG51ylWtfNrhJzltT-K61nT4WRFhKkXamwqECcY/s1381/LOVE+LOST+IN+TIME+website.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="923" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheooZZyb-BG4zPcdG-IYEmvgHQBGgglTLQN2qrDnJ_efH7zO73UE0c-CmlLxxi-UxgcG7Tmrm97aANZAlZjulrDh7ybJySAITNfFFDPG51ylWtfNrhJzltT-K61nT4WRFhKkXamwqECcY/s320/LOVE+LOST+IN+TIME+website.jpeg" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“You will not faint, Hilda, will you?” Amalberga touched her shoulder. “All will be well.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Hmm…” Hilda whispered, opening her eyes. “I will be fine.” She swallowed hard, then dipped her feet into the fur-lined boots. Usually, a servant would tie the strings that bound them around her ankle, but before she could suggest such a course of action, Amalberga kneeled in front of her and took hold of them, winding them tightly around ankle and lower calf. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Satisfied with the result, she stood. “Good.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amalberga straightened her own tunic and briefly touched her own head to find her veil securely in place, then went to open the door to the corridor. “I’m so proud of you. Now it is time.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hilda stood, carefully dropping the tunic to fall loosely into place. The stones glinted in the beam of the sunlight streaming through the window. She allowed Amalberga to wrap her fur-lined mantle over her shoulders and secured it at the front with a brooch. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Taking a deep breath, Hilda tried to calm herself, and stepped into the outside world as Amalberga, now wrapped in her own woollen cloak, opened it, and an icy blast hit them. The chill made her skin tingle. Or was that the anticipation? She knew not the answer, but still she stepped forward, treading carefully on the hard ground. The morning’s frost had lifted, and in the strong sun, the ground had become dry. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A gust of wind tagged at her veil, and she reached out to hold it in place. At the entrance to the chapel built of stones left by remnants of Roman villae her father looked resplendent in a tunic of dark silk she could glimpse through the gap at the front of his mantle. She found his smile encouraging. He would always want to see her content. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amalberga stepped aside. “I shall be inside.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hilda nodded, then joined her father. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">His eyes shone with pride, and he grinned at her. “Dearest daughter, you are beautiful! The very image of your mother, God rest her soul.” He engulfed her in a warm embrace. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">His familiar scent soothed her raw nerves, and her breathing slowed. He held her at arm’s length and with a thumb gently wiped away a tear lurking in her eye. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“You make me very proud today, Nanthild.” He stepped to her right and cradled her arm in the crook of his. “Bellon awaits you inside, together with most of Carcassonne’s residents. Are you prepared?” A shadow crossed his brow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hilda nodded. She must be brave for him. “Yes, Father, I am.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">(c) Cathie Dunn. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;">~~~</p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I hope you enjoyed my little post about gifts. More treats are to come all through December!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Follow all our posts to discover some brilliant reads that keep you busy over the holidays:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://paulaloftinghistoricalnovelist.wordpress.com/historical-writers-blog-hops/">https://paulaloftinghistoricalnovelist.wordpress.com/historical-writers-blog-hops/</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: georgia;"><b>Have a wonderful festive season, and Happy Reading! </b></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTobSYJU_aj7calRh2YXSuUhGTNti8ri4IabHc_souHy3h-MS_QM958FSTFNRKUfHAmOrKlq5rcI-nWGPd0dmJB9eal3n3zk17n21fW9yWzFw653RnUzSqzXMpmzmrMBFGB6zKskHhOYk/s1600/Cathie+Dunn+banner.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTobSYJU_aj7calRh2YXSuUhGTNti8ri4IabHc_souHy3h-MS_QM958FSTFNRKUfHAmOrKlq5rcI-nWGPd0dmJB9eal3n3zk17n21fW9yWzFw653RnUzSqzXMpmzmrMBFGB6zKskHhOYk/w640-h237/Cathie+Dunn+banner.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-4869495080282126162020-11-27T13:36:00.001+01:002020-11-28T22:33:51.835+01:00Promo: Silver Season by Jen Black<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today, I'm delighted to share a new release by my historical fiction and romance author friend, <b><i>Jen Black</i></b>. Her new novel, <b>Silver Season</b>, is out today. Many congratulations, Jen! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Discover an intriguing story that you won't forget that easily! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2X1BuLXtnQdCOaJINVsRiRtqThv5r3WXt-Uk5D4a-pmaxfyEyf9AcHhd60NmDf2R_cyH1O-plxYf2x6eQsPjw-UH9Zer0_dO112aGgb1UHugi82cOwo2_5Y5uNVKHvJ4DitKtzpM6kk/s2048/SS+final+ecover+v5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1339" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2X1BuLXtnQdCOaJINVsRiRtqThv5r3WXt-Uk5D4a-pmaxfyEyf9AcHhd60NmDf2R_cyH1O-plxYf2x6eQsPjw-UH9Zer0_dO112aGgb1UHugi82cOwo2_5Y5uNVKHvJ4DitKtzpM6kk/w261-h400/SS+final+ecover+v5.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Silver Season by Jen Black</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication: 27th November 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb: <br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Set in the heady heatwave summer of 1911, <b>Silver Season</b> shows how one risky act can ruin a family or be the thing that holds everything together. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Can betrayal ever save a marriage?”</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ellen Montgomery, born in Boston, USA, has married the heir to the 5th Marquess of Durrington in Yorkshire. Three years after the wedding, the family is questioning the absence of a child to continue the line. Increasingly worried, Ellen fears her husband may divorce her and seek someone who can give him the child he needs. In the aristocratic world of house parties and coronation dinners, she discovers there are opportunities to be had, if she dares to take them. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will her choice fall on a handsome stranger, a loyal servant or one of her husband’s set? Will he be loyal, and keep her secret? To choose the wrong man would bring terrible consequences.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her choice made and intending nothing more than one encounter, Ellen finds herself drawn against her will into a heady affair. Soon afterwards the hidden family secret that threatens her world is brought to light. Once one secret is out, others soon follow.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Juliet Nicolson described 1911 as one of the “high, sunlit meadows of English history” when rich, self-indulgent upper classes were more than a little decadent in their behaviour. Many had no idea that war clouds were looming and their lovely lives would be smashed to pieces.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Excerpt:</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When it was over, she lay still, staring at the ceiling, waiting for her breath to settle and the heat to leave her. His bare shoulder touched her, and one of his hands rose, hovered uncertainly and then fell gently back to her abdomen. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ellen stiffened in shock. Watch what you say, she told herself. Tread carefully. How did he know? It never occurred to her to challenge his assumption, or to deny it but before she could frame a cautious sentence, he raised himself on one elbow and gazed down at her.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Don’t lie to me, I’m a farmer and I’m used to dealing with animals.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I am not one of your sheep,” she snapped. “If sheep are what you keep.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I don’t keep anything, as yet. But I work with beasts, day in and out. I know the signs.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Are the signs the same in both sheep and women?”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">His expressive eyes with those luxurious dark lashes regarded her without flinching. “I wish you would stop trying to make a joke of it. What is it that worries you? Do you think I will rush out and shout to the rooftops that I’ve got you with child?”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I am far from making a joke of it, as you should know. We don’t know that it is yours, do we? It could equally be sired by Charles.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He seized on the one thing that mattered. “Then it is true? I thought so.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This time she did not respond.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He sat up, his back to her, and dipped his head into his clasped hands. Not wanting to speak, she watched the play of muscle in his shoulders and when the silence went on, stretched out her hand. His flesh had cooled, and the bloom of perspiration had dried. The slight indentations between his ribs shuddered a little under the force of his breathing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“What is it?” she asked. “Does it upset you that I sleep with my husband?” </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He straightened and faced her. “I’m thinking that one day my son will be the 7th Marquess of Durrington.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Intrigued? Then check the links below!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Buy links:</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>UK:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/SILVER-SEASON-JEN-BLACK-ebook/dp/B08LTJQL1G" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/SILVER-SEASON-JEN-BLACK-ebook/dp/B08LTJQL1G</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>US:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/SILVER-SEASON-JEN-BLACK-ebook/dp/B08LTJQL1G" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/SILVER-SEASON-JEN-BLACK-ebook/dp/B08LTJQL1G</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>AU:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/SILVER-SEASON-JEN-BLACK-ebook/dp/B08LTJQL1G" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com.au/SILVER-SEASON-JEN-BLACK-ebook/dp/B08LTJQL1G</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">And contact points: </span></b></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://jenblackauthor.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia;">https://jenblackauthor.blogspot.com/</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JenBlackauthor" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia;">https://www.facebook.com/JenBlackauthor</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cykpzcumhqsiEhMjPEiGTpe6r25onz25j99oltnLeClewH_-j2GYABY1Ua5adyC4yqZDFZMbjwx_6KC_w55_THvtfh7OtwgQc4Wq_Li0AGdgQZWCyffWQPAm72yTorv2xv7IXLwIw6M/s239/Picture+1.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cykpzcumhqsiEhMjPEiGTpe6r25onz25j99oltnLeClewH_-j2GYABY1Ua5adyC4yqZDFZMbjwx_6KC_w55_THvtfh7OtwgQc4Wq_Li0AGdgQZWCyffWQPAm72yTorv2xv7IXLwIw6M/s0/Picture+1.png" /></a></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-3560925603309965282020-11-23T11:33:00.001+01:002020-11-23T11:33:51.063+01:00Discover The Shadows of Versailles!<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Release Day went so well for <b>The Shadows of Versailles.</b> A big </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank You to everyone who downloaded a copy. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It was #1 in various UK, US and Germany genre charts, and it still holds a #1 New Release spot, three days later.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXFAM2ofyti4byvuy8ZtnVuDEWe89kxO_UZ4nFyHyUlgImr5QbGsjRfA73A_s-yxa7u9yIlnZsiem3rRLfQu8OpaRgG2qL53GAzMMTBBTSiUKYsEfdd35cdIT5aeWrJ2PHHNlv-q5FwM/s1814/Screenshot+2020-11-23+at+09.52.14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1814" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXFAM2ofyti4byvuy8ZtnVuDEWe89kxO_UZ4nFyHyUlgImr5QbGsjRfA73A_s-yxa7u9yIlnZsiem3rRLfQu8OpaRgG2qL53GAzMMTBBTSiUKYsEfdd35cdIT5aeWrJ2PHHNlv-q5FwM/w400-h173/Screenshot+2020-11-23+at+09.52.14.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I’m so thrilled to bring the infamous <i>Affair of the Poisons</i> to readers’ attention. It’s such a fascinating event that stretched well over a decade, although the actual trials can be condensed into a few years. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It was in the late 1660s, that the Marquise de Brinvilliers had begun to poison her father and brothers, with the help of a valet, yet it only came to light after her associate and lover, Sainte-Croix, died in 1672 – ironically of natural causes. He’d locked letters from her into a casket, together with vials of poisonous substances. And her desperate attempts to get hold of the box raised suspicions. When an arrest warrant was issued, she fled to the Netherlands, then in Spanish hands, but was eventually caught in Belgium in spring 1676 and executed in July of that year, after having been put to the water torture to make her confess.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVtCGnt-sQfruHyh11Sk0-B5J4ZF3nYCCpqJENWCsWJoHDX5JCqx0HHsBCoh_2HLKZJFT36HMrSaSJhX3CDadwkRQyAqyj6wje4cLBntmKUoogHBsquE8NHcQ1NjpnTVqukXEn56TADw/s1170/Marie+Madeleine+d%2527Aubray+Marquise+de+Brinvilliers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="La Brinvilliers after torture. Wikimedia Common." border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="927" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVtCGnt-sQfruHyh11Sk0-B5J4ZF3nYCCpqJENWCsWJoHDX5JCqx0HHsBCoh_2HLKZJFT36HMrSaSJhX3CDadwkRQyAqyj6wje4cLBntmKUoogHBsquE8NHcQ1NjpnTVqukXEn56TADw/w198-h250/Marie+Madeleine+d%2527Aubray+Marquise+de+Brinvilliers.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">La Brinvilliers after torture. Wikimedia Common</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlYWeQokazDjhinHuTbczwslrldF9HC9nCIw2JkKKTL4fSYV-UtQsmSPvbFlhw4b-nnLfVf3nPyvK1G7FvYrrnBIsBNVi5bioebO-T37O4V9bipYAYA6iLMI7VHhx3uJOVocayQFJcY8/s1072/Screenshot+2020-11-20+at+20.25.24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="1072" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlYWeQokazDjhinHuTbczwslrldF9HC9nCIw2JkKKTL4fSYV-UtQsmSPvbFlhw4b-nnLfVf3nPyvK1G7FvYrrnBIsBNVi5bioebO-T37O4V9bipYAYA6iLMI7VHhx3uJOVocayQFJcY8/w260-h159/Screenshot+2020-11-20+at+20.25.24.png" width="260" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Do you think I'm channelling the marquise? The still photo of me is from a live FB post. Spooky, or?)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This event triggered interest from the new police force that the Lieutenant General, Gabriel Nicolas de La Reynie, had set up. But getting proof took years, and may big players were only caught in the late 1670s, including La Voisin, the most famous poisoner of them all. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ApnJk6o9xqWs5cuCF8DScdcjgLiXBoVycz0RwPSqY1c5FvC-yuFOGI67mBP4DbrLZ8p24HQfvZS4nrQWYhnvaKJqqF8vuQb9yX3evEck60kVXnXWGpWDgzjfxONVkrdXK3F5PMwqZzM/s748/Screenshot+2020-11-20+at+23.24.31.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="654" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ApnJk6o9xqWs5cuCF8DScdcjgLiXBoVycz0RwPSqY1c5FvC-yuFOGI67mBP4DbrLZ8p24HQfvZS4nrQWYhnvaKJqqF8vuQb9yX3evEck60kVXnXWGpWDgzjfxONVkrdXK3F5PMwqZzM/s320/Screenshot+2020-11-20+at+23.24.31.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But the first to hint that high-profile persons of the court and the king’s circle were involved in dubious actions was Magdelaine de la Grange, arrested first in March 1677. Up to her execution nearly two years later, she kept in contact with the Marquis de Louvois, the king’s Secretary of State for War. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In The Shadows of Versailles, I have mentioned several people who were involved at the time the novel is set (and before), but who would not be arrested until later: Abbé Guibourg, La Voisin, Magdelaine de La Grange. And readers will meet them again. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqrILqxG0SHewvCV1qeD2gdi0iF5jucWCZlP_C07iJoYon_Rbei2uIcSndsHv5eCFakuH-gPTMnQy7btHxvM1aQAL6pWO2Frv9oy6j0HrWrOJrMDt2uJ3Z_t9dM3NJEHquIEVDLDqkSY/s1198/Screenshot+2020-11-20+at+19.51.12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="1198" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqrILqxG0SHewvCV1qeD2gdi0iF5jucWCZlP_C07iJoYon_Rbei2uIcSndsHv5eCFakuH-gPTMnQy7btHxvM1aQAL6pWO2Frv9oy6j0HrWrOJrMDt2uJ3Z_t9dM3NJEHquIEVDLDqkSY/w400-h70/Screenshot+2020-11-20+at+19.51.12.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As I work my way through my Affair of the Poisons series, other participants will also be revealed, both those working from their workshops and salons in Paris, and those at court.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In <b>The Alchemist's Daughter</b>, #2 in the series, we return to the streets of Paris where midwives and fortune-tellers are busy dishing out potions and poisons like they were sweets. Set in an apothecary's shop – the fictional owner, Jean Moreau, is both an apothecary and an alchemist – we will witness many comings and goings of those involved. And Anne, Jean's daughter, is about to unravel part of their network...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">So stay with me for more details from the Affair of the Poisons! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy delving into <b>The Shadows of Versailles</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ud2Mb0rrVOZX_p8i7sU52l0XAMNjC2g6_Iwdkez5l4_EorL47kpBxtAUX8gnd1h4O9g4WPWauVVGb-J8wTd_9nWyYFwSO1NqWV1lyZEM1I5AWgo4XqK8zOWDmyr0q-6cT2p6UJgyZLY/s1915/Shadows+of+Versailles+smallest.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ud2Mb0rrVOZX_p8i7sU52l0XAMNjC2g6_Iwdkez5l4_EorL47kpBxtAUX8gnd1h4O9g4WPWauVVGb-J8wTd_9nWyYFwSO1NqWV1lyZEM1I5AWgo4XqK8zOWDmyr0q-6cT2p6UJgyZLY/s320/Shadows+of+Versailles+smallest.jpeg" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Seduced at Versailles. Broken by tragedy. Consumed by revenge.<br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fleur de La Fontaine attends the court of King Louis XIV at Versailles for the first time. Dazzled by the opulence, she is soon besotted with handsome courtier, Philippe de Mortain. When she believes his words of love, she gives in to his seduction – with devastating consequences.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nine months later, when the boy she has given birth to is whisked from her grasp, she flees the convent and finds shelter at the brothel of Madame Claudette.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacques de Montagnac, a spy working for the Lieutenant General, investigates a spate of abducted children from the poorer quartiers of Paris when his path crosses Fleur’s. He searches for her son, but the trail leads to a dead end – and a dreadful realisation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her son’s suspected fate too much to bear, Fleur decides to avenge him. With the help of her new acquaintance, the Duchess de Bouillon, Fleur visits the famous midwife, La Voisin, but it’s not the woman’s skills in childbirth that Fleur seeks.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">La Voisin dabbles in poisons.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will Fleur see her plan through? Or can she save herself from a tragic fate?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Delve into <b><i>The Shadows of Versailles</i></b> and enter the sinister world of potions and black masses during the Affairs of the Poisons, a real event that stunned the court of the Sun King!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Shadows of Versailles</b> is available in Kindle format on <a href="mybook.to/ShadowsVersailles" target="_blank"><b>Amazon</b></a>, it’s free to read for subscribers to Kindle Unlimited. A paperback version will be released soon. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10FduppjzhTHxLbeLkh3fcKPk2A4XKoJIjHctUgZfQ-62a_4ZjGUH39WYWkjFyTkzYOZU9rc-1OgMzHNBi33FgKbWdrXACz2kC6Mu2Td4pIbsi01515P869p4XaXO9XwZSbjnLdqTYB0/s2048/Shadows+of+Versailles+banner+2+small.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10FduppjzhTHxLbeLkh3fcKPk2A4XKoJIjHctUgZfQ-62a_4ZjGUH39WYWkjFyTkzYOZU9rc-1OgMzHNBi33FgKbWdrXACz2kC6Mu2Td4pIbsi01515P869p4XaXO9XwZSbjnLdqTYB0/w640-h426/Shadows+of+Versailles+banner+2+small.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-30684188533568373442020-11-20T14:01:00.002+01:002020-11-20T14:01:31.365+01:00New Release: The Shadows of Versailles <p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Join me as I celebrate the release of <b>The Shadows of Versailles</b>, the first novel in a new series of loosely-linked stories set during the Affair of the Poisons, is now available in Kindle format! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Seduced at Versailles. Broken by tragedy. Consumed by revenge.</span></b></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQD_iDukVIpGTTEinxgEE7VK9eOlRnmyRIzfqPI9CE1CHyF0fd3INc6C4P9fXcnLu5JDojV0RpyKUidVKp9KlGF9Bcr9SFokBzQpw7vMINkIKhKTfkZ2_rx5Fn8iD9-cyn6_1huM8Qtw/s2681/Shadows+of+Versailles+banner.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="2681" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQD_iDukVIpGTTEinxgEE7VK9eOlRnmyRIzfqPI9CE1CHyF0fd3INc6C4P9fXcnLu5JDojV0RpyKUidVKp9KlGF9Bcr9SFokBzQpw7vMINkIKhKTfkZ2_rx5Fn8iD9-cyn6_1huM8Qtw/w640-h280/Shadows+of+Versailles+banner.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Follow me to the glamorous court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. But beneath all the glitter of his impressive new palace lurks a danger, and not only to his own life. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Affair of the Poisons is a fascinating time when dark dealings came to light, involving not only ’lowly’ midwives, alchemists and fortune-tellers, but also high-ranking officials, courtiers and even the king's longterm mistress, Madame de Montespan.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">We only meet La Montespan briefly in <b>The Shadows of Versailles</b>, as the focus is on Fleur, my fictional heroine, who discovers that Versailles reveals more hidden dangers than she'd expected. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUObmS0aZpV8evdwgQrPv6zbvn5eQgWS8r6cFqzn7_eV0QuZKvpU4F9D-jVT3tOEyuf1YbUS77DBrhkCFeERgFX5kwQOgu5lwENofn9otbau38lN_iDQDYbIW8pNu1NarRobH7n_iETYE/s707/Franc%25CC%25A7oise+de+Rochechouart%252C+Marquise+de+Montespan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="595" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUObmS0aZpV8evdwgQrPv6zbvn5eQgWS8r6cFqzn7_eV0QuZKvpU4F9D-jVT3tOEyuf1YbUS77DBrhkCFeERgFX5kwQOgu5lwENofn9otbau38lN_iDQDYbIW8pNu1NarRobH7n_iETYE/w168-h200/Franc%25CC%25A7oise+de+Rochechouart%252C+Marquise+de+Montespan.jpg" width="168" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fleur falls victim to a serial seducer in the picturesque gardens – an act that leads her into trouble as her overbearing mother places her into a convent to have the child, only to see him taken away after birth. The nuns tell her that her son is dead, yet she hears him scream.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">What happened to the boy? Will Fleur ever find out? And will her obsession with vengeance lead to her downfall?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb:</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Seduced at Versailles. Broken by tragedy. Consumed by revenge.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fleur de La Fontaine attends the court of King Louis XIV at Versailles for the first time. Dazzled by the opulence, she is soon besotted with handsome courtier, Philippe de Mortain. When she believes his words of love, she gives in to his seduction – with devastating consequences.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nine months later, when the boy she has given birth to is whisked from her grasp, she flees the convent and finds shelter at the brothel of Madame Claudette.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacques de Montagnac, a spy working for the Lieutenant General, investigates a spate of abducted children from the poorer quartiers of Paris when his path crosses Fleur’s. He searches for her son, but the trail leads to a dead end – and a dreadful realisation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her son’s suspected fate too much to bear, Fleur decides to avenge him. With the help of her new acquaintance, the Duchess de Bouillon, Fleur visits the famous midwife, La Voisin, but it’s not the woman’s skills in childbirth that Fleur seeks.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">La Voisin dabbles in poisons.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will Fleur see her plan through? Or can she save herself from a tragic fate?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Delve into <b>The Shadows of Versailles </b>and enter the sinister world of potions and black masses during the Affairs of the Poisons, a real event that stunned the court of the Sun King!</span></p><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Curious? Then head over to <b><a href="mybook.to/ShadowsVersailles" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b> to grab your Kindle copy! The paperback will be available soon too. I hope you'll enjoy the read.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfZF0TevPpJwFQnlYq1sWHMxhUgKb5noNkZMu_lgj6o3pIaiPdQ4eyajse-zdFL0DuURo1UDFhFVuDKvHBbXJmMmnXxL9fVP6b-E03_qctJDoHFSkuOBfP2FwmbViqHXMIBV-kqgT4po/s2048/Shadows+of+Versailles+banner+2+small.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfZF0TevPpJwFQnlYq1sWHMxhUgKb5noNkZMu_lgj6o3pIaiPdQ4eyajse-zdFL0DuURo1UDFhFVuDKvHBbXJmMmnXxL9fVP6b-E03_qctJDoHFSkuOBfP2FwmbViqHXMIBV-kqgT4po/w640-h426/Shadows+of+Versailles+banner+2+small.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-67150352547442972532020-11-19T11:02:00.007+01:002020-11-19T11:04:04.908+01:00Cover Reveal: The Mystery of Montague House by Emma Davies<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today, I'm excited to take part in a fabulous cover reveal for <b>The Mystery of Montague House</b>, the first in a brand-new mystery series by <b><i>Emma Davies</i></b>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank you to <i>Rachel's Random Resources</i>!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's the gorgeous cover! What do you think? I'll be looking into this, as I love a good mystery. And what’s even better? It features a Basset hound called Hamish! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfL-iyhbM_hECm96l9y2VD0sFq1BFzFZ5WhHCUHtjXX-odpjNhssJeeJa2TDbZJLVK-JhHmJQHk8-lEyCT_ZHUAzr3W7E5sIDZ5DTydogERU26o9NamwrkAfGhnRKRtstXAq1XzPzlHqQ/s640/1058AA51-03B9-4408-AB9D-D634D84DEB7F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfL-iyhbM_hECm96l9y2VD0sFq1BFzFZ5WhHCUHtjXX-odpjNhssJeeJa2TDbZJLVK-JhHmJQHk8-lEyCT_ZHUAzr3W7E5sIDZ5DTydogERU26o9NamwrkAfGhnRKRtstXAq1XzPzlHqQ/w268-h400/1058AA51-03B9-4408-AB9D-D634D84DEB7F.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Mystery of Montague House</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">When Summer meets Wynter...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">With enough rooms to fill a Cluedo board several times over, Montague House has often been the subject of rumour and gossip. Tales of strange goings on, an owner who disappeared one day and was never seen again, not to mention the treasure that rumour has it lies at its heart... But now the present owner has died and the house is to be sold. It looks as if the opportunity has come to finally settle the stories once and for all.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Clodagh Wynter doesn’t believe in ghostly goings on and tall tales of secrets. She has her feet very firmly on the ground and, tasked with the job of valuing and cataloguing the house and all its contents, she’s simply looking forward to working in such a glorious setting. And if she happens across a priceless painting, well, that’s just icing on the cake.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Andie Summer is a Finder of Things and desperately needs this job; she’s down to her last few tins of baked beans. So looking for hidden treasure sounds right up her street, even if there was something very fishy about the mysterious Mr Mayfair who hired her. Because it’s just like she said to her faithful Basset Hound, Hamish; I saw something out of the corner of my eye as I was leaving, and you know what that means. It’s never good news when I see something out of the corner of my eye...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As the unlikely pair are thrown together, it soon becomes very clear however that they are not the only ones searching for the treasure. And they’re going to need all their ingenuity, resourcefulness, not to mention chocolate biscuits, if they’re ever going to untangle the web of secrets that surrounds Montague House. One that reaches even further than they ever thought possible...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Buy Link:</b> <a href="https://smarturl.it/MontagueHouse">https://smarturl.it/MontagueHouse</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Z3FUDcRqqT6_KfJ1Xmgo2pFBKSH1TuwOxw6midAZnT1_WieIPXf2bEbElwYw8-KrEjwL4o0PznDdc8Lq6-NiaghZnTqGy_r8QXDllwOOR3gKQOAp1glSP5iVfBfo2s5uvTglFNZS60g/s568/EDC96292-2D2D-4B37-85C8-A204E948FEF1_1_105_c.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="568" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Z3FUDcRqqT6_KfJ1Xmgo2pFBKSH1TuwOxw6midAZnT1_WieIPXf2bEbElwYw8-KrEjwL4o0PznDdc8Lq6-NiaghZnTqGy_r8QXDllwOOR3gKQOAp1glSP5iVfBfo2s5uvTglFNZS60g/w200-h169/EDC96292-2D2D-4B37-85C8-A204E948FEF1_1_105_c.jpeg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">After a varied career, Emma Davies once worked for a design studio where she was asked to provide a fun and humorous (and not necessarily true) anecdote for their website. She wrote the following: 'I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty-something mother of three.' </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, the job in the design studio didn't work out but she's now a fifty-something mother of three and is happy to report the rest of her dream came true.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">After many years as a finance manager she now writes full time, and is far happier playing with words than numbers. She lives with her husband and three children in rural Shropshire where she writes in all the gaps in between real life. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Social Media Links:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Twitter:</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/EmDaviesAuthor">https://twitter.com/EmDaviesAuthor</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Facebook:</b> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/emmadaviesauthor">www.facebook.com/emmadaviesauthor</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Instagram:</b> <a href="http://www.instagram.com/authoremmadavies">www.instagram.com/authoremmadavies</a></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNQB8W793ki2m3Sftu0sbcqXGkMGuQ2qBYRruOIVSMZPKfrL1xKbAyytA_ylE83baQLotQQY7l29UfmJ5ThP1YeJVKynrRQrvKRRfjWb3pCup-K3sXPzVF_ck1AuAw0vfq2UhOjJXoGw/s700/The+Mystery+of+Montague+House.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNQB8W793ki2m3Sftu0sbcqXGkMGuQ2qBYRruOIVSMZPKfrL1xKbAyytA_ylE83baQLotQQY7l29UfmJ5ThP1YeJVKynrRQrvKRRfjWb3pCup-K3sXPzVF_ck1AuAw0vfq2UhOjJXoGw/w640-h252/The+Mystery+of+Montague+House.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-42085537325145565032020-11-18T09:46:00.000+01:002020-11-18T09:46:08.349+01:00Book Spotlight: The Brittle Sea by Tom Kane<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Discover <b>The Brittle Sea</b>, a 5* "incredible" historical novel by <i>Tom Kane</i>, currently on a blog tour with <i>The Coffee Pot Book Club</i>!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJzedfC-0cHaxxSG9HashkFHpxL_507mhjr4W43YzloaDETxzY3WTWmlbZTDGl2tEYcTJKCH53QJcnhEiaDi6TnP03WPeT1LNSrZLo4RxSpPSpwNcE8Z8z4sXt4E-kJmxOKhJHUMLkNs/s640/Tour+Banner_+The+Brittle+Sea+copy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJzedfC-0cHaxxSG9HashkFHpxL_507mhjr4W43YzloaDETxzY3WTWmlbZTDGl2tEYcTJKCH53QJcnhEiaDi6TnP03WPeT1LNSrZLo4RxSpPSpwNcE8Z8z4sXt4E-kJmxOKhJHUMLkNs/w640-h320/Tour+Banner_+The+Brittle+Sea+copy.png" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Brittle Sea</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>(The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1)</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">By Tom Kane</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWhYmFnFXdQ3XnnDllHT7FHdr4bWWS05J_tywWaKV4BWYTsZ3l1xY0TxVtc4xILEDpB2Z98ssvZc3fzhMHL0kslk4iCnfuSo_fA5NuTe68zy7YvhoiSMnRCDEoDj28fa2L5q7QP_8Q7o/s2048/The+Brittle+Sea+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1342" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWhYmFnFXdQ3XnnDllHT7FHdr4bWWS05J_tywWaKV4BWYTsZ3l1xY0TxVtc4xILEDpB2Z98ssvZc3fzhMHL0kslk4iCnfuSo_fA5NuTe68zy7YvhoiSMnRCDEoDj28fa2L5q7QP_8Q7o/s320/The+Brittle+Sea+copy.jpg" /></a></b></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Titanic disaster is the catalyst that sparks a bloody feud between two families in early 20th century America.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Magda Asparov is travelling from her home in the Ukraine to be the chosen bride of American businessman Matthew Turner III. But the ill-fated voyage of the unsinkable ship has far reaching consequences for her and her savior.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Magda has lost her memory and a new personality, Maggie, has taken hold. The Captain of her rescue ship, Richard Blackmore, has fallen for Maggie.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A mental illness, betrayal, murder, and corruption destroy Blackmore's life until all that remains is for him to seek revenge.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Buy Links:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Amazon (Kindle):</b> <a href="http://mybook.to/BrittleSea-eBook">http://mybook.to/BrittleSea-eBook</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Amazon (Paperback)</b>: <a href="http://mybook.to/BrittleSeaPaperback">http://mybook.to/BrittleSeaPaperback</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Tom Kane</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMNWGamOB4_VKM5Jgo8o5_BZYqucF8wpOmftaS_9xqGNEWBB9Z-fUw89dBAcVd1ggqq71Pj-cBEUizXfi6RGOUsqDp_1zuKjZ7cf1mPcAyn72R32r6yvjfxo7OPSu2TBN_NtTkWwl-NA/s1473/Tom+Kane+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="1140" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMNWGamOB4_VKM5Jgo8o5_BZYqucF8wpOmftaS_9xqGNEWBB9Z-fUw89dBAcVd1ggqq71Pj-cBEUizXfi6RGOUsqDp_1zuKjZ7cf1mPcAyn72R32r6yvjfxo7OPSu2TBN_NtTkWwl-NA/w155-h200/Tom+Kane+copy.jpg" width="155" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As a child, Tom Kane's family always insisted he was born in the corner of the living room, behind the TV. That strange assertion, true or false, seems to have set the tone for the rest of his life. </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Kane's mother inspired him to write. Doctor Who and Isaac Asimov inspired his love of science fiction. Monty Python inspired him to be silly, and he continues to blame Billy Connolly for his infrequent bursts of bad language. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the corner or behind the TV, what is officially known about Tom Kane's birth is that it took place in England many moons ago.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Connect with Tom:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Website:</b> <a href="https://www.tom-kane-author.website/">https://www.tom-kane-author.website/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Twitter:</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/TigerBites">https://twitter.com/TigerBites</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Facebook:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBrittleSea">https://www.facebook.com/TheBrittleSea</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Instagram: </b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tom_kane_author/">https://www.instagram.com/tom_kane_author/</a></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelxsAVLvhEE6IdwDf_U8ZivMgxkOAHZZFO6fsh2dFKtPem7gQLF4WcLyvLm1uUvukbhrdFxNJe0_aNf8xk8lXm0hHemdVkvoj9B94Xe_yYMDJd-dGUbXsntdbcP-U6VtAQ7fevSn-awY/s1024/Tour+Banner_++ScheduleThe+Brittle+Sea+copy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelxsAVLvhEE6IdwDf_U8ZivMgxkOAHZZFO6fsh2dFKtPem7gQLF4WcLyvLm1uUvukbhrdFxNJe0_aNf8xk8lXm0hHemdVkvoj9B94Xe_yYMDJd-dGUbXsntdbcP-U6VtAQ7fevSn-awY/w640-h320/Tour+Banner_++ScheduleThe+Brittle+Sea+copy.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-4464472310175765272020-11-03T11:12:00.002+01:002020-11-03T11:13:18.072+01:00Promo: The Sign of the Blood by Laurence O'Bryan<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm delighted to showcase a gripping read today: <b>The Sign of the Blood </b>by <b><i>Laurence O'Bryan</i></b>, as part of a blog promo through <i>The Coffee Pot Book Club</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Travel back in time, to the days of the Roman Empire...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokdU6ztnLuKjsQk19g3NjsxxqF5HuQShiiMwUwm9LaSKH05Rb2XgisCZK7iGI1JqiW8GVHRdvC13n8axXiunhHIhmayRXKfZxgIsx8aerzRtkK5xgTGTnJRdpFDm5ZLETO5GL9zID6XE/s1024/The+Sign+of+the+Blood+Tour+Banner+copy+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokdU6ztnLuKjsQk19g3NjsxxqF5HuQShiiMwUwm9LaSKH05Rb2XgisCZK7iGI1JqiW8GVHRdvC13n8axXiunhHIhmayRXKfZxgIsx8aerzRtkK5xgTGTnJRdpFDm5ZLETO5GL9zID6XE/w640-h320/The+Sign+of+the+Blood+Tour+Banner+copy+3.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Sign of the Blood</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">(A Dangerous Emperor, Book #1)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">By Laurence O'Bryan</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Excerpt:</span></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Gesoriacum, northern Gaul, 306 A.D</span></i></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the stone palace of the governor of Gesoriacum news of the arrival of Constantine, son of the Emperor of the west, spread as quickly as if a war horn had sounded from the town gatehouse. Excited whispering spread from the flag stoned palace kitchen to the wooden lookout towers. Even the rats, who outnumbered every other living thing, by far, knew something was happening. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Emperor, Constantius Chlorus, Constantine’s father, was busy with matters of state, meeting his Legates and other senior officers. The meeting, in the basilica, the largest hall in the palace complex by the port, had begun to bore him. The arrival of his son at the south facing town gate, notified to him by an excited messenger, gave him the opportunity he’d been waiting for to end the meeting. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“We will finish,” he said. He waved dismissively at the officers around him. “We will come back to planning how to eradicate the Picts tomorrow.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Crocus, you wait behind.” Crocus was the commander of his Alemanni cavalry, auxiliaries who followed their own customs, but were sworn to fight for Rome. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The chandelier with fifty candles, hanging by a chain from the central wooden beam, swayed a little as the double height doors swung open and the salty wind from the sea swept in.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Emperor, Chlorus, was in his mid fifties. His hair was gray, but still thick. His beard well-cropped. His iron-gray eyes were shadowed by heavy brows. For military briefings, such as the one he’d just been conducting, he still wore his old soot-black chain-mail shirt with the two large medallions from his most illustrious campaigns secured in position above his heart. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">From Chlorus’ leather legionaries’ belt hung an ordinary legionaries’ dagger, the only weapon he ever wore these days. It signified his roots as an ordinary legionary. A purple cloak hung in drapes down his back. He was sturdy, fit for his years, and tall like his son, and he wore his prestige like a second invisible cloak. Almost everyone in the town knew that he had, against great odds, reunited the western Empire since his elevation to the rank of Caesar fourteen years before. And the officers he commanded, who were filing out of the room, knew exactly how he had achieved his success.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Crocus waited. Braziers around the oak map table they’d been standing around kept the chill from the cloak-penetrating sea breezes at bay. The gray spume flecked channel that separated Gaul from Britannia, from which the breezes came, could be seen from two small grilled windows at the end of the room. Crocus went to warm himself by one of the braziers. The Emperor joined him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"You hadn't much to say."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"You know my opinion about those officers, Emperor. They make my blood run to ice. Did you not hear them? They think logic wins wars." He rubbed at his beard. The matted hairs would not be cut until their Summer campaign had ended.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“And they all know what you think of them.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Crocus made a noise like an animal growling.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"But you’re right, they are an innocent bunch, though even you must have been young once. Us two, we make the real decisions, you know that." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Silence flooded the hall. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"It's your son, isn't it?" Crocus seemed very sure of himself. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Emperor looked around, as if examining the legionary banners that hung from the walls for the first time. "Perhaps I will find him a post as a senior Tribune.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He paused, turned to Crocus. “I hear his experience is with cavalry. Do you have room for another officer?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Crocus’s expression didn’t change. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He knows the art of hiding his real feelings. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Whatever you wish, my Lord. I am sure he’s won many laurels. You must be proud of him. The stories in the taverns about him get more incredible every night.” Crocus passed a hand over the warm coals as if testing how hot they were. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“If half what they say is true, he's the type who’ll be looking for a good post.” Crocus sniffed. “But I'm not sure if our cavalry unit is big enough for his aspirations. He's the right age to lead a whole Legion, isn't he? The younger the better, I always say." He looked at the Emperor, a slightly quizzical expression on his face. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He knows how I resent getting old. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"He’s the right age, all right,” Chlorus answered. He put a hand over the coals to test their warmth as well. “But he’s been away a long time. I once thought we might never see him again. And do you know, I have no idea why Galerius released him. That toad never acts unless there’s something in it for him." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I have no idea what he wants, Emperor.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Neither do I. That’s the problem.”. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He looked around, checking to ensure no one else had remained in the hall without them noticing. There was no one to be seen. The heavy studded doors had been closed from the outside by his Imperial guards, and the long hall was quiet except for a faint crackling from the braziers. Thin lines of smoke curled up from them to disappear high among the blackened rafters. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"May I speak openly, Emperor?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Yes, speak your mind." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Both Crocus’s hands were testing the heat of the brazier now.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Five years we've fought together, my Lord. We’ve cut off Frankish raiding parties and we threw back two hungry tribes who wished to take the best Roman estates at the edge of our territories. I won my place at your right hand through my skill in battle, and in leading my men to victory, but I hold my place now through my wit in understanding the men around me. Is that not so?" He waited for the Emperor to reply.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"It is."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Well, I must tell you this. Every spring my daughter asks why I must go away and fight for you Romans again, and every year I tell her we are accumulating booty and fighting to secure the peace of a great Empire and our place in it.” He stood up even straighter and pushed his chest out. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“But every year the booty gets smaller, and as for peace, it’s as far away as ever. These Picts," he spat the word out, "What gold will they have? A few torcs and bracelets that when melted down won't even pay my men for a month's fighting. We need rich cities to plunder, Emperor. How else can we get ready for when our axe hands grow weak and our daughters look for dowries?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Emperor’s eyebrow rose slightly. "Tell your daughter we have plans for another ten years of campaigns. After Caledonia we will take Hibernia and then . . .” He waited, weighing the effect his words were having. “The forests of the Franks. There’ll be little gold I know in all of this, but there’ll be land we can farm, and tribespeople for our slave trade. We will allocate these new lands to all who fight with us when the task is done, and I promise you, your tribe will be granted enough to easily pay the dowries of a hundred daughters." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Crocus shrugged indifferently.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"There are many risks to every plan, Emperor. You know this. The greatest threats arise around our own camp fires, even from our own hearths." His hands went out, palm up, in a gesture of finality.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"You cannot think Constantine is a threat already!" The Emperor laughed. He’d thought about it, but he wouldn't give Crocus the satisfaction of knowing any of his fears.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Not a threat, Emperor.” Crocus replied. “But you must know if we give him a senior position in the cavalry he’ll quickly earn the loyalty of his men. You know that. Even if he’s half as good as they say, he'll get respect for who he is, for being your son. And then he’ll want more. And he'll have some of our best as his blood brothers then. Who knows what he’ll aspire to. Do you?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"So how do you suggest I deal with him Crocus, and remember he's not Hannibal arriving at our gates with his elephants." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">How far did Crocus think he should go?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"When a son comes of age for position in our tribe, Emperor, he either fights his father, submits to his father's every wish, or he is banished.” His tone dropped. “And do you know which what is the most difficult way for a father? Winning.” He pointed a finger at the Emperor. “Being the victor if the fighting path is chosen. Sacrificing a son is not easy but the price of power was always high.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Emperor didn’t reply. His silence hung in the room. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“All I say is that you must consider what even the dogs know, the cubs of the strongest want themselves to be the strongest. It is only natural. Your son will pick his path, if you do not pick it for him.” Crocus braced himself on the flag stoned floor, his feet shifting wider. “If you need services from me, Emperor, any service at all, I am your loyal servant." He bowed his head slightly. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Emperor knew at once what he was referring to. Crocus had arranged for two disaffected officers to disappear in the past twelve months and he dealt with local disaffection quickly. All that made him useful. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"I know what the dogs know, but I am no Agamemnon. No sacrifice has been demanded of me. If there’s no room for him in your cavalry, I’ll not force him on you. Go now, fetch him here. Fetch Constantine, I will greet him publicly." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Crocus saluted, turned and strode away.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Emperor stared into the glowing embers of the brazier. Was Crocus right? Would Constantine be a danger, not a support? No, he had to give his son a chance. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bloody Alemanni succession rituals. They are not the Roman way. Constantine had survived the east. He deserved a place with his father. He remembered the tall adoring youth he'd sent away, against every familial feeling, to Diocletian's palace many years before. Now he should make amends. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">No. That would only make his son soft. He remembered his long ago promises. You have nothing to fear. That was all lies. So, did he still feel guilty? Was that why he was so wound up by his son’s arrival? Does he bring back too many memories of his mother. The dismal Helena. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He’d have to make provision for her now.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">She could move back to Treveris, now that he'd vacated the city. He would notify her. But would she want to come and visit Constantine? That would be interesting, especially if Theodora got to hear about it all.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Old wives and new rarely get on well in Imperial circles. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As he walked down the flag-stoned corridor lined with small busts of the great Emperors the aching pain in his stomach returned. Cursing the sickness that had reduced his nights to sleeplessness and dull pain, he held the palm of his hand firm against the pit of his stomach. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Prepare for everything. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">That was what Diocletian always used to say, whenever he’d been asked for advice. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And he’d almost decided what to do about Constantine. He just needed answers to a few questions. Why had Galerius released Constantine at this time? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The ache in his stomach felt worse as he considered it all. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">For years, he'd imagined helping his son when he returned, and now that time had arrived, the idea suddenly seemed unwise. Why was that? He’d striven hard not to spoil the boy? Had he gone too far?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He stopped, leaned a hand against the red brick wall, sniffed. He could smell salt. Salt and damp. Decay taints every crevice in this place. It’s even in the plaster. It never survives too long on this coast. He rubbed the wall. A small crimson coated piece crumbled into his hand. He examined it, looked at its perfect shiny skin and then its fragile powdery underside. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Why was everything so flimsy, so fleeting, every shiny victory so soon forgotten, every pleasure gone so soon after the moment it was felt, while all around the wolves stalked, waiting for their opportunity? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He'd fought his way up only to find his greatest task now was to thwart others who tried to follow his example. Powdery ash trickled through his fingers, drifting to the foot polished floor. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Everything would be different now that his son had arrived. He’d known that, felt it instinctively, since he’d first heard Constantine was coming. But did that mean Constantine would be the wolf? How would he know? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The last piece of the plaster crumbled though his fingers and fell to the floor. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb:</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIzqFlrBJOPGr6DonQY5pBtfxuyy0ow7HrwEnDK0wgTCk9JHxzhUHHK7xO3r5-R55ruZY3U4aFl6rpNtIHTGDcPMpkkwzWj5ySoBC4w4X-NvtUtDS-RiDloWVCkk-ZTaR8xSF5vvZ9Wg/s500/The+Sign+Of+The+Blood+copy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIzqFlrBJOPGr6DonQY5pBtfxuyy0ow7HrwEnDK0wgTCk9JHxzhUHHK7xO3r5-R55ruZY3U4aFl6rpNtIHTGDcPMpkkwzWj5ySoBC4w4X-NvtUtDS-RiDloWVCkk-ZTaR8xSF5vvZ9Wg/s320/The+Sign+Of+The+Blood+copy+2.jpg" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">The first Christian emperor faces ruthless enemies on his journey to power.<br /></span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cool mist settles over the legion advancing toward the Persian army. Constantine, the son of an emperor, the Roman officer leading the attack, tells his men to halt - something is wrong.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Before long, the battle rages. He frees a slave named Juliana. She is half Persian and half Roman. As they are pursued to Britannia over land and sea, he learns that she can see the future - his future.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">It is 306A.D., long before Constantine the Great converted to Christianity and became the first Christian emperor.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">To ensure he survives, he must eliminate his enemies. But who must die first? The priestess, Sybellina, who joined them in Rome and practices dark and seductive magic? Or the brutal legion commanders who surround his father? Or, as Juliana suspects, are those who want him dead even closer?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A gripping historical novel about Constantine’s bloody rise to power, the woman who helped him, and the real reason he supported a persecuted Christian minority, a decision which changed the world into the one we know. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Praise for The Sign of the Blood:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">"<i>Exciting and original.</i>" - SJA Turney, author of Praetorian.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">“<i>It is an enthralling story from start to finish…</i>” The Coffee Pot Book Club</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Buy Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon: <a href="https://smarturl.it/thesignoftheblood">https://smarturl.it/thesignoftheblood</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the Author:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Laurence O'Bryan</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjztIYIy9CL2toCTk1A68sTEGwLIQtzd4147dtZ9CP9WT6MA4HNBy9OY61YCEX3luGrHuiRE0SifszZ3jyJkcY5kZKx5hcp3O9w57Y7Kn4gqdjNf0B49E6bty8J-G9zxakUzlB9ixfG4/s218/Laurence+O%2527Bryan+copy+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjztIYIy9CL2toCTk1A68sTEGwLIQtzd4147dtZ9CP9WT6MA4HNBy9OY61YCEX3luGrHuiRE0SifszZ3jyJkcY5kZKx5hcp3O9w57Y7Kn4gqdjNf0B49E6bty8J-G9zxakUzlB9ixfG4/s0/Laurence+O%2527Bryan+copy+2.JPG" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I spent twenty years studying Roman history and reading every book about Constantine the Great I could find. I also visited numerous sites where my Roman series is set, including in London, where I lived for ten years, Jerusalem, Rome, Trier, York, Nicomedia and Istanbul.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The first novel in the series, The Sign of The Blood, is about the rise to power of Constantine the Great, the women who helped him, and the others who wanted him dead.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Road to The Bridge, the second novel in the series, is about the lead up to the battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D. and how Constantine the Great lured Maxentius, his rival emperor, out of Rome.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The third novel in the series, The Cursed City, is about the dedication of New Rome, later to be called Constantinople, and how Constantine fell out with his wife, Fausta, and his son Crispus, and what he had to do to survive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">To join the mailing list and receive news of these books use this link: <a href="http://bit.ly/TSOTBseries">http://bit.ly/TSOTBseries</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">There are five novels in the puzzle series, The Istanbul Puzzle, The Jerusalem Puzzle, The Manhattan Puzzle, The Nuremberg Puzzle and The Cairo Puzzle.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">There is a story link from The Istanbul Puzzle to The Cursed City.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">My books have:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">* Achieved #1 ranking on Amazon,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">* Been translated into 10 languages.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">My roots go back to a small estate deep in the Mountains of Mourne near the Silent Valley, in County Down, Northern Ireland.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I went to school in Dublin, drank way too much, studied English and history, then business, then IT at Oxford University.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">My research has taken me all over the world, from San Francisco to deep in the Muslim world. There are secrets everywhere. I enjoy writing about them. I hope you enjoy reading about them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Social Media Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Twitter:</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/LPOBryan">https://twitter.com/LPOBryan</a></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgdHRVCkKfRtScG0cIWnAYadlQPSLeWi0_l2AIM_nluTTqz1cBUruTaf65V_Mzoc2lTYk-Uq_cydN1MXlGPK-kKHkCNUutsKLxoz5SxIUn-dg5cbVCl2aKpBGwM5WZ06opKx7wZI9vRI/s1024/Tour+schedule+The+Sign+of+the+Blood+Tour+Banner+copy+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgdHRVCkKfRtScG0cIWnAYadlQPSLeWi0_l2AIM_nluTTqz1cBUruTaf65V_Mzoc2lTYk-Uq_cydN1MXlGPK-kKHkCNUutsKLxoz5SxIUn-dg5cbVCl2aKpBGwM5WZ06opKx7wZI9vRI/w640-h320/Tour+schedule+The+Sign+of+the+Blood+Tour+Banner+copy+2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-63521090066074233762020-10-31T15:46:00.001+01:002020-10-31T15:46:14.402+01:00Promo: The Flame Within by Liz Harris<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today, I'm delighted to present you a heart-warming novel that you shouldn't miss on your winter reading list: <b>The Flame Within</b> by <i><b>Liz Harris</b></i>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Discover more about <b>The Flame Within</b> on a range of blogs seen below during its blog tour organised by <i>Rachel's Random Resources</i>! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUceuuA25hyRgxFEXjue-gC0UeGgnlPyPgxDmE5svZxCKRZQNdusQ70v-Dm-oeluWxOmZnRjf5xK7jv9Z0570cJxdWy60AafQpvRB_cwDE5Bk8Pkf5g2RdqXPVPsq1nLYYD-XkXT_KlLQ/s700/The+Flame+Within.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUceuuA25hyRgxFEXjue-gC0UeGgnlPyPgxDmE5svZxCKRZQNdusQ70v-Dm-oeluWxOmZnRjf5xK7jv9Z0570cJxdWy60AafQpvRB_cwDE5Bk8Pkf5g2RdqXPVPsq1nLYYD-XkXT_KlLQ/w640-h253/The+Flame+Within.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Flame Within</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">From award-winning author of The Dark Horizon, Liz Harris, comes the second in a sweeping saga set between the wars, which tells the story of the Linfords, a family simmering with secrets, lies and betrayal.</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">London, 1923<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUslrt1XbjEliGdb99seSFOYriw4DF1BxK4eNNMgZBNNpl63os2_KBGqPAA-dbVAY4jcSUQZC8owjFy0JL-6OhPIYwbfVuEdKVlhiiDJGFe07Xd3M5DaOVC94hA96BkSA8MwhQN56N54/s2048/The+Flame+Within+Cover+LARGE+EBOOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUslrt1XbjEliGdb99seSFOYriw4DF1BxK4eNNMgZBNNpl63os2_KBGqPAA-dbVAY4jcSUQZC8owjFy0JL-6OhPIYwbfVuEdKVlhiiDJGFe07Xd3M5DaOVC94hA96BkSA8MwhQN56N54/s320/The+Flame+Within+Cover+LARGE+EBOOK.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Alice Linford stands on the pavement and stares up at the large Victorian house set back from the road—the house that is to be her new home.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But it isn’t her house. It belongs to someone else—to a Mrs Violet Osborne. A woman who was no more than a name at the end of an advertisement for a companion that had caught her eye three weeks earlier.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">More precisely, it wasn’t Mrs Osborne’s name that had caught her eye—it was seeing that Mrs Osborne lived in Belsize Park, a short distance only from Kentish Town. Kentish Town, the place where Alice had lived when she’d been Mrs Thomas Linford.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thomas Linford—the man she still loves, but through her own stupidity, has lost. The man for whom she’s left the small Lancashire town in which she was born to come down to London again. The man she’s determined to fight for.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Flame Within is perfect for readers of The Thorn Birds and the Cazalet Chronicles, and the novels of Fiona Valpy and Santa Montefiore.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Purchase Links:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">UK – <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flame-Within-gripping-between-Linford-ebook/dp/B08GQB97NF">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flame-Within-gripping-between-Linford-ebook/dp/B08GQB97NF</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">US - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Flame-Within-gripping-between-Linford-ebook/dp/B08GQB97NF">https://www.amazon.com/Flame-Within-gripping-between-Linford-ebook/dp/B08GQB97NF</a> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Author Bio:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXKj289DPL2zjitz_At_jTIrubS5mFvumb-gMRfqZkOpzpmn1Xd8xqdyY3v-DqFRu2HTZ1RL9_WVoywchNz-XmjQ8AY8WKKC4cOnlw4p7-YFnao5UAJDFNarojCU8_AgFNo2sElHMdoFc/s650/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="433" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXKj289DPL2zjitz_At_jTIrubS5mFvumb-gMRfqZkOpzpmn1Xd8xqdyY3v-DqFRu2HTZ1RL9_WVoywchNz-XmjQ8AY8WKKC4cOnlw4p7-YFnao5UAJDFNarojCU8_AgFNo2sElHMdoFc/w133-h200/044.JPG" width="133" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Liz’s first six novels were published by Choc Lit. The Road Back was the US Coffee Time and Romance Book of the Year, A Bargain Struck was RoNA-shortlisted for Best Historical Novel, and they and The Lost Girl, Evie Undercover, The Art of Deception and A Western Heart were shortlisted by the Festival of Romantic Fiction in their respective categories. Liz’s latest historical novel, The Dark Horizon, Book 1 of The Linford Series, which is set between the wars, was released in May 2020. She has also had short stories published in several anthologies and in magazines.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Liz is an active member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and also of the Historical Novel Society. She regularly gives talks and workshops at conferences, and is an approved speaker for organisations such as the WI and U3A. Her hobbies are theatre, reading, travel, cryptic crosswords. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">You can visit her website at www.lizharrisauthor.com</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Social Media Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Website:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.lizharrisauthor.com">www.lizharrisauthor.com</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/lizharrisauthor" target="_blank">@lizharrisauthor</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook Author Page:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lizharrisauthor">https://www.facebook.com/lizharrisauthor</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Instagram:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/liz.harris.52206/" target="_blank">liz.harris.52206</a></span></p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRV5q4_toaJ26bjtpwC6UJBDfybxbSCUjpK1STan-zCTNf5pZC2l1d4Qd7C6Rl8CfaTcQaDjX1jABdOESL6mun-pAcjAyXEtTS45xOyzZsjGQymuP9FSSokcJUSdf1H30fdOukZdVNPw4/s2048/The+Flame+Within+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="2048" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRV5q4_toaJ26bjtpwC6UJBDfybxbSCUjpK1STan-zCTNf5pZC2l1d4Qd7C6Rl8CfaTcQaDjX1jABdOESL6mun-pAcjAyXEtTS45xOyzZsjGQymuP9FSSokcJUSdf1H30fdOukZdVNPw4/w400-h330/The+Flame+Within+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-5618605507584940502020-10-30T05:00:00.001+01:002020-10-30T05:00:01.462+01:00Review: The Potential for Love by Catherine Kullmann<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm delighted to share my review of a beautiful novel with you today: <b>The Potential for Love </b>by <i>Catherine Kullmann</i>. If you enjoy regency romance novels with added adventures and gripping twists, this one's for you!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">My thanks goes to The Coffee Pot Book Club for an ebook copy of the novel. It won't be the last I'll be reading from Mrs Kullmann. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIk42LRew9IHVfqOo42nSOhss-XEHCQIVyUIadjhf2zNhRqL0eTDVH3Vlaot7wG2QHUjp0M5gIrkYeizoS-EFZj_HKjar1oK4O5pmb65wRbt4vaW4o3XxI3LdodhZAVaRhBr4e14VZnI/s1024/Tour+Banner+The+Potential+for+Love+copy+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIk42LRew9IHVfqOo42nSOhss-XEHCQIVyUIadjhf2zNhRqL0eTDVH3Vlaot7wG2QHUjp0M5gIrkYeizoS-EFZj_HKjar1oK4O5pmb65wRbt4vaW4o3XxI3LdodhZAVaRhBr4e14VZnI/w640-h320/Tour+Banner+The+Potential+for+Love+copy+2.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Review:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Arabella Malvern is still searching for the ’right’ husband – this is her fourth season, and it's about time she found a husband! She has several suitors, including one very determined lord who stops at nothing in his pursuit of her, but none fill her with thoughts of family, mutually-respectful companionship – and acceptance. In an era when women's roles are clearly defined, their lives revolving around marriage, children, running households and adhering to their husband's wishes – whatever these may be – Arabella seeks that little bit of reassurance. But where can she find it? Then she meets Thomas... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Napoleonic Wars as good as over, Major Thomas Ferraunt returns home from France, injured, feeling he has lost his sense of purpose. After a life spent with the army, what is he to do? A rector's son, his marriage prospects are respectable, but not in the same league as Bella's family. And what would he do for a living, to provide for a wife and children? Be a soldier in peacetime, on beck and call yet without a sense of doing something? Strangely, Bella seems to be the only one who understands him. But she is way above him in station.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But as Thomas holds back in his endeavour to woo Bella due to his low chances of gaining acceptance from Bella's father (and his own insecurities about his financial future), Lord Henry Danlow's dogged pursuit of Bella, and an unexpected inheritance, both make him realise that social norms are important – but not everything. But has he left it too late?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Potential For Love</b> paints a vivid picture of society of the day, and Mrs Kullmann goes to great lengths to portray her characters, and their societal setting, as accurately as possible. And she clearly knows what she writes about. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As a reader, you get a true sense of watching events unfold in front of your eyes, as you can easily imagine characters, locations and events. Full of clever and unexpected twists – not least in part due to Lord Henry Danlow's increasing obsession with Bella and a stroke of good fortune for the Ferraunt family – <b>The Potential for Love</b> sweeps you off your feet, and you'll be happy to spend many hours turning the pages.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Potential for Love </b>is a must-read for lovers of Regency romance with a twist. Engaging, witty and thoroughly enjoyable, it keeps your attention throughout. Highly recommended.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Potential for Love: A Regency Novel</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">By Catherine Kullmann</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1816</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsgq5qHsDAPcLgH8qQfS7QurAxMWuqjVJhyphenhyphenHAm1qilIJjMII2mDysHo8UHKYcS4gBhtIe2K-oyRtACJ_evfKOmarmiB-wPwX_tSkxvqj4Tls1ygzVWH88Q1kF56avZxGzaOVMsP2rNhQ/s640/The+Potential+for+Love2+Final+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="426" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsgq5qHsDAPcLgH8qQfS7QurAxMWuqjVJhyphenhyphenHAm1qilIJjMII2mDysHo8UHKYcS4gBhtIe2K-oyRtACJ_evfKOmarmiB-wPwX_tSkxvqj4Tls1ygzVWH88Q1kF56avZxGzaOVMsP2rNhQ/s320/The+Potential+for+Love2+Final+copy.jpg" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">For over six years, Thomas Ferraunt’s thoughts have been of war. Newly returned to England from occupied Paris, he must ask himself what his place is in this new world and what he wants from it. More and more, his thoughts turn to Arabella Malvin, but would Lord Malvin agree to such a mismatch for his daughter, especially when she is being courted by Lord Henry Danlow?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">About to embark on her fourth Season, Arabella is tired of the life of a debutante, waiting in the wings for her real life to begin. She is ready to marry. But which of her suitors has the potential for love and who will agree to the type of marriage she wants?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As she struggles to make her choice, she is faced with danger from an unexpected quarter while Thomas is stunned by a new challenge. Will these events bring them together or drive them apart?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">We are celebrating the release of the special hardback edition of The Potential for Love during this tour. With a beautiful dust jacket over an elegant laminated cover, it will enhance any library and is the perfect gift for lovers of historical women’s fiction and historical romance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Buy Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Potential for Love</b> is available in Paperback and as eBook and is free to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon: <a href="http://mybook.to/PfLhardcover">mybook.to/PfLhardcover</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon Kindle: <a href="http://mybook.to/ThePotentialForLove">mybook.to/ThePotentialForLove</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Potential for Love HB Waterstones:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://bit.ly/2XdXjzx">https://bit.ly/2XdXjzx</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Potential for Love PB Waterstones:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://bit.ly/2WWqtmt">https://bit.ly/2WWqtmt</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Potential for Love HB Barnes and Noble:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span> <a href="https://bit.ly/2OXTE45">https://bit.ly/2OXTE45</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Potential for Love PB Barnes and Noble<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://bit.ly/3f9kxNn">https://bit.ly/3f9kxNn</a> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author Bio:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuxWUfuM72BGnNjb_n4JFfu2SFYFsELey9094-ZW_b8w4WivchIqimxVNuSt_TqZVycYD0AcJ2woHIlnE-he9myoMtvs2lNd2JblO-MVGrz4326d7809Yo1vYDeW8AJv_wv_gvy0X1Gs/s266/Catherine+Kullmann+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuxWUfuM72BGnNjb_n4JFfu2SFYFsELey9094-ZW_b8w4WivchIqimxVNuSt_TqZVycYD0AcJ2woHIlnE-he9myoMtvs2lNd2JblO-MVGrz4326d7809Yo1vYDeW8AJv_wv_gvy0X1Gs/s0/Catherine+Kullmann+copy.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I was born and brought up in Dublin and moved to Germany on my marriage in 1973. Before my </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">marriage, I was an administrative officer at the Department of Finance in Dublin. I worked as attaché at the Irish Embassy in Bonn until my eldest son was born. Following a twelve-year stint as a full-time mother, I joined the New Zealand Embassy in Bonn, where I was administration officer. My husband and I returned to Ireland in 1999 and in 2009, following a year’s treatment for breast cancer, I took early retirement from my position as Director of Administration and Human Resources at a large Dublin law firm.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have always enjoyed writing, I love the fall of words, the shaping of an expressive phrase, the satisfaction when a sentence conveys my meaning exactly. I enjoy plotting and revel in the challenge of evoking a historic era for characters who behave authentically in their period while making their actions and decisions plausible and sympathetic to a modern reader. In addition, I am fanatical about language, especially using the right language as it would have been used during the period about which I am writing. But rewarding as all this craft is, there is nothing to match the moment when a book takes flight, when your characters suddenly determine the route of their journey.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The first quarter of the nineteenth century was one of the most significant periods of European and American history, a period whose events still resonate two hundred years later The Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland of 1800, the Anglo-American war of 1812 and the final defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 all still shape our modern world. The aristocracy-led society that drove these events was already under attack from those who saw the need for social and political reform, while the industrial revolution saw the beginning of the transfer of wealth and ultimately power to those who knew how to exploit the new technologies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I write historical fiction set against this background of off-stage wars, of women frequently left to fend for themselves in a patriarchal world where they have few or no rights but must make the best lives they can for themselves and their families. While real people sometimes have walk-on parts, the protagonists and their stories are pure fiction. As well as meeting their personal challenges, they must also cope with external events and the constraints imposed by society. The main story arc is romantic. I am particularly interested in what happens after the first happy end—how life goes on around the protagonists and sometimes catches up with them. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Social Media Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Website: <a href="https://www.catherinekullmann.com/">https://www.catherinekullmann.com/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/CKullmannAuthor">https://twitter.com/CKullmannAuthor</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15549457.Catherine_Kullmann">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15549457.Catherine_Kullmann</a></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2JhctzHy5pQO4UOBf2KDtaiYTcOwb1U1UvHHQuiiLgj5_iZuD0JPP4hXLEauSrpDFbTQ7ScRF2bItp5abdj8Ebo6aVAyKZbrKhKSpKfybt6aJJZZUyTls5c5XhRgsUSiKTG2BOI9ujU/s768/banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="768" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2JhctzHy5pQO4UOBf2KDtaiYTcOwb1U1UvHHQuiiLgj5_iZuD0JPP4hXLEauSrpDFbTQ7ScRF2bItp5abdj8Ebo6aVAyKZbrKhKSpKfybt6aJJZZUyTls5c5XhRgsUSiKTG2BOI9ujU/w400-h200/banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-33475433927894095592020-10-21T10:52:00.001+02:002020-10-21T10:52:45.160+02:00Review: His Castilian Hawk by Anna Belfrage<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today, I'm delighted to share my review of <b>His Castilian Hawk</b> by <i><b>Anna Belfrage</b></i> as part of a blog tour through <i>The Coffee Pot Book Club</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">For this gem of a novel, I didn't need a review copy, as I'd already pre-ordered it. And I was not disappointed. Follow me to the Welsh borders...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsez4Cit-INKwabgdKZ7GVemSWLqtBqPYFzTFNz8_fBMSoIw_eg-s0gX4HfDST-3t49uWBwdeVn6OEoIHm1alCNUJSWbCu23EWeN0RmJFtH67RETXOgW14U5n0Nzvidzxmv4ZzpVsuTtE/s1024/Tour+BannerHIS+CASTILIAN+HAWK+copy+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsez4Cit-INKwabgdKZ7GVemSWLqtBqPYFzTFNz8_fBMSoIw_eg-s0gX4HfDST-3t49uWBwdeVn6OEoIHm1alCNUJSWbCu23EWeN0RmJFtH67RETXOgW14U5n0Nzvidzxmv4ZzpVsuTtE/w640-h320/Tour+BannerHIS+CASTILIAN+HAWK+copy+2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I was intrigued straight away when I first read the blurb for His Castilian Hawk. The beautiful cover helps, of course, too. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">We head to the border region between Wales and England in 1282 when King Edward I of England campaigned to subdue the Welsh following Dafydd ap Gruffudd's recent uprising which led to the capture of his brother, Llewelyn. Robert FitzStephan is a man-at-arms, at the king's side when one of the king's men and his son appear to attack him. Honed by years of campaigning and warfare, Robert kills the two until Edward halts him. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">When Edward makes Robert wed the dead man's daughter, Eleanor – called Noor – Robert regards this as his chance to gain further respect, now that he has become a landowner. Noor has Welsh and Castilian blood, a mix that plays a vital role later in the novel.<br /><br />For many years, Edith, a healer and camp follower, has been at Robert's side and in his bed, and he has no intention to change anything, even though he knows that she graces the beds of other men at times. His young bride is short and frumpy, still a child, and not at all like the alluring Edith, so he quickly forgets her when he heads back into the Welsh mountains in search of Daffydd, with his men and Edith in tow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As the months drag by, Noor grows from dumpy teen to a curvy lady used to running her manor in the way she was used to, in her husband's absence. Her self-confidence grows with the responsibility. Jealous of Robert's attention for Edith, she refused to bed him on their wedding day, and having found him naked on Edith's pallet, has made Noor determined not to let the woman rule her life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">On Robert's return, he finds a wife full of spirit, of determination. And as he slowly falls in love with her, he's going through periods of regret for his old life, and his ancient friendship with Edith. But when Edith tells him she's carrying his child – a suggestion he denies vehemently – things begin to turn sinister...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Set against the backdrop of Edward's warfare, <b>His Castilian Hawk</b> is a gripping ride through the past. Ms Belfrage shows the harsh realities of the times, both in terms of fate of Welsh ’rebels’ as well as in the men's treatment of their wives. She pays great attention to detail. Her characters, real and imagined, are people from the era, not with a modern mindset. And the setting against the backdrop of busy castle-building, dense Welsh forests, and the lush lands of Noor's manor are well researched.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I must say it took me a long time to warm to Robert, but I think that's intentional. His is a steep learning curve that has him question everything in the end: his loyalty to Edward, his affection for Edith, and his wife's own loyalty. His initial treatment of Noor annoyed me, and I wanted to slap him. I guess that's a good thing, as it shows how much this story has captivated me. You could get a sense of how his character changes through time, as Noor challenges his long-held beliefs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Noor is a wonderful character, feisty, determined, but also naïve. She is still in her teens, so that's not surprising. She makes mistakes that lead both of them into danger, and into further adventures...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Although the romance features strongly in this novel, with several detailed love scenes, it also shows the dark side of Edward's brutal campaigns, and Ms Belfrage does not shy from describing wounds, childbirth and executions in harrowing detail. It's a strong combination that paints a vivid picture of the times. Just how I like the novels I read...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>His Castilian Hawk</b> was a delight to read! It's visual, historically as accurate as possible, and has twists and turns that challenge the characters. One of my favourite reads of the year.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>His Castilian Hawk</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>(The Castilian Saga, Book 1)</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>By Anna Belfrage</b></span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">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. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkb2gzbXqStodQY-j5NpsAgy3zPB897ObF0RDneUHt-KWgNIBDCCewDAElNg8uY8ZToGdf0f735_gu8RNss0SndnCsOb0GEQ7rS3RB_bLTUmuzzh_QpRe6BboiNH5xGh2iPJZ_pprNIYk/s2048/Castilian+Hawk+final+copy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkb2gzbXqStodQY-j5NpsAgy3zPB897ObF0RDneUHt-KWgNIBDCCewDAElNg8uY8ZToGdf0f735_gu8RNss0SndnCsOb0GEQ7rS3RB_bLTUmuzzh_QpRe6BboiNH5xGh2iPJZ_pprNIYk/s320/Castilian+Hawk+final+copy.jpg" /></a></div></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Robert FitzStephan has served Edward Longshanks loyally since the age of twelve. Now he is riding with his king to once and for all bring Wales under English control. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">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. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Two strangers in a marriage bed is not easy. 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. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Robert’s new wife may be young and innocent, but he is soon to discover that not only is she spirited and proud, she is 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.</span></p><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">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?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Buy Link:</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="color: #800180;">Amazon: </span></b><a href="http://myBook.to/HISHAWK">http://myBook.to/HISHAWK</a></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Author Bio:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Anna Belfrage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahbKLpbrM4fjadsM0ZuSd5KugFfyYhDW-oKOh-mTKtNPW1J8VAmhCRTZ9YhqtcBGKcErLZHXQeaXDQFgSAbRGRwFKioLZCwZkfxeAaLQtmMgPLqEme89ZZ5VwW6mEc73Bgejh4tGfOqc/s2048/Anna+Belfrage++copy.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahbKLpbrM4fjadsM0ZuSd5KugFfyYhDW-oKOh-mTKtNPW1J8VAmhCRTZ9YhqtcBGKcErLZHXQeaXDQFgSAbRGRwFKioLZCwZkfxeAaLQtmMgPLqEme89ZZ5VwW6mEc73Bgejh4tGfOqc/w213-h320/Anna+Belfrage++copy.JPG" width="213" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history 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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">More recently, Anna has published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients. While she loved stepping out of her comfort zone (and will likely do so again ) she is delighted to be back in medieval times in 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. </span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with Anna:</span></b></div></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Website: <a href="http://www.annabelfrage.com">www.annabelfrage.com</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor">https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor/">https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon Author Page: <a href="http://Author.to/ABG">http://Author.to/ABG</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgm0AVst6tiq0I0NEaB9J8YnKzTrsUvoRa6A1DUXXPClfuPGzQwZrz5e1WUXgMZmG72cAx3RpHMlusMDru9Cy_kdZnn8caeH3m4tZG3hZePwHp5wHbm0VMfdCAEFDHJfsLPFTnFlw651E/s1024/Tour+Schedule+HIS+CASTILIAN+HAWK+copy+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgm0AVst6tiq0I0NEaB9J8YnKzTrsUvoRa6A1DUXXPClfuPGzQwZrz5e1WUXgMZmG72cAx3RpHMlusMDru9Cy_kdZnn8caeH3m4tZG3hZePwHp5wHbm0VMfdCAEFDHJfsLPFTnFlw651E/w640-h320/Tour+Schedule+HIS+CASTILIAN+HAWK+copy+2.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-53921831140801653382020-10-20T18:28:00.000+02:002020-10-20T18:28:48.417+02:00New Cover Reveal: The Shadows of Versailles<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Finally! I’m so thrilled to show you the cover art of my upcoming novel, <b>The Shadows of Versailles</b>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ta da... </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0R0Bo-x5LMHU79P1w-ZQaxnQ6E_fPg0cr-hXbu5g3W8yb8OIKVr4rFxMvU4lFD87afQuXMWiT9h8-drInJCEdhCemFphJo1j2C-KTpXR0YDAdVNn8QV6qAkaE3dPLe8l0-K1lxsWx0c/s2048/FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0R0Bo-x5LMHU79P1w-ZQaxnQ6E_fPg0cr-hXbu5g3W8yb8OIKVr4rFxMvU4lFD87afQuXMWiT9h8-drInJCEdhCemFphJo1j2C-KTpXR0YDAdVNn8QV6qAkaE3dPLe8l0-K1lxsWx0c/w400-h640/FINAL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Set in the 1670s, in the early days of the infamous <i>Affair of the Poisons</i>, <b>The Shadows of Versailles</b> tells a tale of seduction, loss, and revenge. It is the first in a new series of loosely-interlinked stories all set during the <i>Affair of the Poisons</i>, an event that brought to light the dark underworld of Paris, with its fortune-tellers, alchemists – and poisoners!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Kindle ebook is now available for pre-order on <b><span style="color: #800180;"><a href="http://mybook.to/ShadowsVersailles" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></b>!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb:</span></b></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Seduced at Versailles. Broken by tragedy. Consumed by revenge.</span></b></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fleur de La Fontaine attends the court of King Louis XIV at Versailles for the first time. Dazzled by the opulence, she is soon besotted with handsome courtier, Philippe de Mortain. When she believes his words of love, she gives in to his seduction in the shadows of the palace – with devastating consequences.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nine months later, when the boy she has given birth to is whisked from her grasp, she flees the convent and finds shelter at the brothel of Madame Claudette.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacques de Montagnac, a spy working for the Lieutenant General, investigates a spate of abducted infants from the poorer <i>quartiers</i> of Paris when his path crosses Fleur’s. He searches for her son, but the trail leads to a dead end – and a dreadful realisation.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her son’s suspected fate too much to bear, Fleur decides to avenge him. With the help of her new acquaintance, the Duchess de Bouillon, Fleur visits the famous midwife, La Voisin, but it’s not the woman’s skills in childbirth that Fleur seeks.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">La Voisin dabbles in poisons.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will Fleur see her plan through? Or can she save herself from a tragic fate?</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Delve into <i>The Shadows of Versailles</i> and enter the sinister world of potions and black masses during the Affairs of the Poisons, a real event that stunned the court of the Sun King!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Excerpt:</span></b></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>July 17</i><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>th</sup></i></span><i>, 1676</i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Place de Grève, Paris</span></i></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">They had gathered to watch her die.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 21.3px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The baying crowd fell silent the moment the cart entered Place de Grève. The sudden calm sent shivers down her spine. In their eyes, she saw admiration, suspicion, disgust, horror, even lust. The worst, for her, was pity. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her thin shift exposed her bloated body to their eyes. She could cope with the stares, but the compassion shown by several women – along the way from the Bastille and here – was too much to bear. With gritted teeth, she swallowed back the tears. No one would see the Marquise de Brinvilliers cry.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">She raised her head high, no longer glancing at those around her, but gazing over their heads. Her hands tied with rope that cut through the skin of her wrists, she clung to the wooden frame as the cart jostled across the uneven ground. A path, barely wider than the cart, opened in front of them. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Then she saw him – her executioner. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PSFAFsB6EBGccSGtSB1BUjr91wQs2bmzL5CjkZWIikEJuPsp-773_lon6XUwpao_ESezzKtKG-579eT1MGUNqa3tT4GU0-FpL7A3H3IU63uGtCjbXa4kdY-lBamPmKWu5T8Mg6d-T88/s2048/mockup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PSFAFsB6EBGccSGtSB1BUjr91wQs2bmzL5CjkZWIikEJuPsp-773_lon6XUwpao_ESezzKtKG-579eT1MGUNqa3tT4GU0-FpL7A3H3IU63uGtCjbXa4kdY-lBamPmKWu5T8Mg6d-T88/w640-h426/mockup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-59024641148167310112020-10-07T10:38:00.002+02:002020-10-07T10:38:39.717+02:00Review: A Bachelor's Pledge by Penny Hampson<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today, I'm delighted to share my review for <b>A Bachelor's Pledge</b>, a fast-paced romantic Regency adventure by <i>Penny Hampson</i>, as part of a publication day push with <i>Rachel's Random Resources</i>.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6oUCF1sTfpp_hsYC8IYD9iYhJGcORVCXKesNir3zsqHarS16zKq9anFB0wXfaPhqnm2AWcD8xrIy10pWTFzvmWL58SQ7OO_ztuhk19hyXNpI1S5de0c9q7Z9JoZMcI5v80WZS3xeiy0/s700/A+Bachelors+Pledge.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6oUCF1sTfpp_hsYC8IYD9iYhJGcORVCXKesNir3zsqHarS16zKq9anFB0wXfaPhqnm2AWcD8xrIy10pWTFzvmWL58SQ7OO_ztuhk19hyXNpI1S5de0c9q7Z9JoZMcI5v80WZS3xeiy0/w640-h253/A+Bachelors+Pledge.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>A Bachelor's Pledge</b> is a romance with a strong dose of adventure.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Right from the beginning, you're thrown into the story when Phil, on an assignment with an informer – in a brothel! – helps a young lady who looks very much out of place, and in clear distress. Avoiding the heavies, they manage to flee, and he takes her to his town house where his housekeeper looks after her.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But on hearing that he would sort out a place to stay for her, Sophia is on the run again, this time to her longtime friend who secures her a place as a companion to the wife of a retired Admiral. Little does she know that, months later, her path would cross Phil's again in the bustling port town of Falmouth. But it's not only Phil who's there – the woman running the brothel has also turned up. And she wants Sophia back. But that's not the only thing that woman does...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A Bachelor's Pledge is a riveting ride through England at war with France, where spies and traitors walk the same roads. The fast pace is maintained throughout, and you just have to keep on reading as one thing after another crops up, spoiling not only Sophia's best plans, but also Phil's. His position is soon compromised.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">With an array of quirky characters, A Bachelor's Pledge takes you back to those times, where even smaller ports were flourishing with ships from all over the world. You can sense the danger emanating from across the Channel, and there's a sense of urgency to it all. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sophia's background lies shrouded in mystery. Raised by an aunt, it's only later in the story that she uncovers her family line. And it's not what she'd expected. She's a feisty character, and I find her direct attitude refreshing. She's a survivor.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Phil's secret missions take him away from his estate, but at times I had the feeling he may just be in the wrong job, as he appears to rush into a couple of traps or trusts the wrong people when all the warning signs are there. But his heart is in the right place, and he soon makes sure Sophia's safe.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The backdrop – beginning in London, then leading to the bustling naval town of Falmouth in Cornwall – is meticulously researched, and the author brings it to life. Penny Hampson's knowledge of the area shines through, providing the reader with a useful sense of place. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sadly, the ending seemed a bit too rushed, as if the author was trying to cut the word count. I'd have liked to see the bit about her father's family expanded. But otherwise, it's a satisfying end that ties up the main plot and the various sub-plots neatly. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>A Bachelor's Pledge</b> is a gripping, fast-paced romance adventure with stronger focus on the adventure side than the romance. Just as I like them... </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb:</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">The woman who haunts his dreams </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ssFT3oGC7wO3B1vx-uvy7CQp_6KXwiiM26OtfvCQkd5Grpbojwk0yqp2pS4LrB__mfZVnLf7HSuothW9nG7TWU5xjMRlG7AAtFyFa5iWN7xy5odny0ViG_CZ-6E-TZEnMYQZBTRWtXY/s640/A+Bachelors+Pledge+dfw-ph-abp-cover-large.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="414" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ssFT3oGC7wO3B1vx-uvy7CQp_6KXwiiM26OtfvCQkd5Grpbojwk0yqp2pS4LrB__mfZVnLf7HSuothW9nG7TWU5xjMRlG7AAtFyFa5iWN7xy5odny0ViG_CZ-6E-TZEnMYQZBTRWtXY/w259-h400/A+Bachelors+Pledge+dfw-ph-abp-cover-large.jpeg" width="259" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Secret agent Phil Cullen is upset when he discovers that the young woman he rescued from Mrs Newbody’s establishment has absconded from his housekeeper’s care without a word. Thinking he has been deceived, he resolves to forget about her… something easier said than done. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">The man she wants to forget</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sophia Turner is horrified when she is duped into entering a notorious house of ill-repute. Then a handsome stranger comes to her aid. Desperate that no one learns of this scandalous episode, Sophia flees to the one friend she knows she can trust. With luck, she will never see her mysterious rescuer again.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">But fate has other plans…</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Months later, Phil is on the trail of an elusive French agent, and Sophia is a respectable lady’s companion, when fate again intervenes, taking their lives on a collision course.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Traitors, spies, and shameful family secrets - will these bring Sophia and Phil together… or drive them apart?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Buy Link:</b> <a href="http://mybook.to/ABachelorsPledge">mybook.to/ABachelorsPledge</a> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Author Bio:</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0U8-a2spgxzTNZD97MdWooqlzwqbihGSJIK8nzeoYv4aoexR6ieS__zFde-xp8S-hwB12NxggA6Bye3vKmru5B8tHDcNr8VT3RON9UHEsiW_phOqFblamy3afoAKDL9XaTYVlTeCD4Ho/s640/Author+photo+April+2020+2+2+IMG_3862.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0U8-a2spgxzTNZD97MdWooqlzwqbihGSJIK8nzeoYv4aoexR6ieS__zFde-xp8S-hwB12NxggA6Bye3vKmru5B8tHDcNr8VT3RON9UHEsiW_phOqFblamy3afoAKDL9XaTYVlTeCD4Ho/s320/Author+photo+April+2020+2+2+IMG_3862.jpeg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some time ago, Penny Hampson decided to follow her passion for history by studying with the Open University. She graduated with honours and went on to complete a post-graduate degree.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Penny then landed her dream role, working in an environment where she was surrounded by rare books and historical manuscripts. Flash forward nineteen years, and the opportunity came along to indulge her other main passion – writing. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Penny joined the New Writers’ Scheme of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and three years later published her debut novel, <i>A Gentleman’s Promise</i>, a historical mystery/romance and the first in The Gentlemen Series. <i>An Officer’s</i> <i>Vow</i> soon followed and the latest in the series is <i>A Bachelor’s Pledge</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">But never happy in a rut, Penny also writes contemporary suspense with paranormal and romantic elements. Her first book in this genre is <i>The Unquiet Spirit</i>, published by Darkstroke.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">For more on Penny’s writing, visit her blog: <a href="https://pennyhampson.co.uk/blog/">https://pennyhampson.co.uk/blog/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter: @penny_hampson </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook: <a href="www.facebook.com/pennyhampsonauthor " target="_blank">www.facebook.com/pennyhampsonauthor </a></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-13634815832823119722020-10-04T12:12:00.002+02:002020-10-04T13:00:18.989+02:00Review: Tudor Christmas Tidings – three historical Tudor tales<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm delighted to get you into the spirit of Christmas. It may be a little early, but it's never too early to read fabulous Christmas-themed novels, especially when the temperatures plummet outside.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">My thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for an advance copy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Tudor Christmas Tidings</b>, a collection of three historical stories by bestselling romance authors, <i>Blythe Gifford</i>, <i>Jenni Fletcher</i> and <i>Amanda McCabe</i>, is a wonderful tapestry of life at different stages of the Tudor years. It portrayed very well the intrigues and dangers of the times.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU57hjKly8_MNajslmKuclaXxmdAb2kQdPFSjHmP4-1k2sh_GuMpQsONGoCnue0PcvXb6WwM89nTTqS7Qia0SrcUXc1FTZ00HFAjS9lG2pmKaZN5eOK21LSKY72XOOvu0WpIzRIxKU_sQ/s700/Tudor+Christmas+Tidings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU57hjKly8_MNajslmKuclaXxmdAb2kQdPFSjHmP4-1k2sh_GuMpQsONGoCnue0PcvXb6WwM89nTTqS7Qia0SrcUXc1FTZ00HFAjS9lG2pmKaZN5eOK21LSKY72XOOvu0WpIzRIxKU_sQ/w640-h252/Tudor+Christmas+Tidings.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><i style="font-family: georgia;">Blythe Gifford</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">'s tale, </span><b style="font-family: georgia;">Christmas at Court</b><span style="font-family: georgia;">, begins on Christmas Eve in the year 1483 – the first under the new king, Richard III. Elizabeth Woodville, King Edward IV's widow, tells Alice that she is to be betrothed on Christmas Day – to John Talbot, the son of the Earl of Stanson. A family from the north. King Richard's country. Disappointed but acquiescing, Alice is unsure if she can trust the man she's supposed to wed. What side was his family on? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">When they part after the Christmas celebrations, Alice remains in John's mind. As a secret supporter of Henry Tudor, he knows he's treading on thin ice. And he doesn't want Alice dragged down with him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Christmas at Court</b> is a cat and mouse game set on each Christmas season over three years, against the backdrop of King Richard's reign. And whilst I, as a Ricardian, personally disagree with the characters’ views and plots, I found their portrayal realistic, and the danger they and their families faced, gripping. Alice and John's growing attachment at a time when no one knew who to trust is very well-portrayed. The fear that your life could be forfeit at any moment is apparent throughout, yet the story maintains the warmth of the Christmas season, and a budding romance. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In <i>Jenni Fletcher</i>'s <b>Secrets of the Queen's Lady</b>, Philippa, lady to Anne of Cleves after her divorce from King Henry VIII, is thrilled to see Sir Christopher – Kit – again. It has been years since they last saw each other. Now widowed, she has embraced life alone, vowed never to let another man treat her like her late husband had done. To the court, they had been the perfect couple, but life behind closed doors was very different.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now that Kit has returned from abroad, Philippa's feelings are in turmoil. Not that he'd be considered as a serious contender in any event – he is much younger than her! But as they attend court during the Christmas season, Kit's insistence at courting her makes her feel valued, but also scared. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Secrets of the Queen's Lady gives you a glimpse into Anne of Cleve's life following her divorce. She is the kindly woman who advises Philippa to do the right thing. Philippa herself is a strong character shaped by her past. She comes across as a woman who knows what she wants, and who fiercely protects her independence. Kit is determined, though, and he is shown as a man with integrity, who risks his reputation and standing for the love of his life. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Secrets of the Queen's Lady</b> is heart-warming story that will have readers gripped.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>His Mistletoe Lady</b> by <i>Amanda McCabe</i> takes you to 1554, to Queen Mary's reign. Her Christmas court is full of Spanish courtiers. One of them is Diego, a widowed Spanish nobleman, and father to a small girl. He is not keen to leave his sun-drenched home for the cold wind and rain of England in December. And despite being a favourite with the English ladies, he is only intrigued by Catherine, half-Spanish, half-English who has just arrived with her Spanish mother. Her father is held in the Tower, and Catherine doesn't know why. But Diego knows, yet he can't allay her fears this time. Theirs is a sizzling romance, which grows despite the dangers they face. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Set against the treacherous backdrop of a Catholic queen ruling a country that has embraced protestantism, with spies everywhere, <b>His Mistletoe Lady</b> is an intriguing tale of secret plots which provide the main characters with many challenges along the way. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Tudor Christmas Tidings</b> contains three very different stories. Yet throughout, you can sense the danger people found themselves in, especially if they belonged to the <i>wrong</i> side. Three engaging and entertaining stories, but with realistic hints of treason and conspiracies. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Tudor Christmas Tidings</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Make Merry at Court</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7D0rHT2u6Oa0b-DFxdiXM5WtUHFXDXFX_xErtHQTFvMkOF1lsYgFXuJfhahApiSevqhUawj_Vo6_3bKaJWNMVACwvPYIXYWinOkZSp_vlI-Mq5axD2F4xUZ_QqRl85IT9lFZ9Yafn_Q/s500/Tudor+Christmas+Tidings+Cover+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7D0rHT2u6Oa0b-DFxdiXM5WtUHFXDXFX_xErtHQTFvMkOF1lsYgFXuJfhahApiSevqhUawj_Vo6_3bKaJWNMVACwvPYIXYWinOkZSp_vlI-Mq5axD2F4xUZ_QqRl85IT9lFZ9Yafn_Q/s320/Tudor+Christmas+Tidings+Cover+2.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">…with three Tudor Christmas stories!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In Christmas at Court Sir John Talbot and Lady Alice’s secret betrothal must wait until Henry Tudor claims the throne. Next in Secrets of the Queen's Lady the lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves is unexpectedly reunited with a handsome—younger—diplomat at the palace’s festivities! And in His Mistletoe Lady Catherine seeks help from a mysterious Spaniard to free her father in time for Christmas!</span></p><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Buy Links:</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">https://amzn.to/2Xmh8Vi - Amazon UK</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">https://amzn.to/39SvNwq Amazon. com</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">https://bit.ly/2Ds2sg8 B&N</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">https://bit.ly/3fjemWU Kobo</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3yPq4hlNlI9NdDUjaGPlVd1UknrYb3Zlknc5slbEmrbGzoMUBY8GN4LnFSAn9R_KnPEsD2lNaugqXY3DL3RSDPUbfLgpP4dGVN_CJoPbCQCFsRtSZ1R9YMlQW7rVEUulFBy6hkwE7fM/s313/Tudor+-+Jenni+Fletcher+-+IMG_4730.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3yPq4hlNlI9NdDUjaGPlVd1UknrYb3Zlknc5slbEmrbGzoMUBY8GN4LnFSAn9R_KnPEsD2lNaugqXY3DL3RSDPUbfLgpP4dGVN_CJoPbCQCFsRtSZ1R9YMlQW7rVEUulFBy6hkwE7fM/w153-h200/Tudor+-+Jenni+Fletcher+-+IMG_4730.jpeg" width="153" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>About Jenni F</b></span><b style="font-family: georgia;">letcher:</b><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jenni Fletcher is from the north coast of Scotland and now lives in Yorkshire where she writes historical romance novels. She studied English at Cambridge University before doing a PhD on Edwardian literature & psychology at Hull. She has been nominated for 4 RoNA awards and won for Short Romantic Fiction in 2020. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In her spare time she loves baking and, of course, reading.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter: @JenniAuthor</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JenniFletcherAuthor/">https://www.facebook.com/JenniFletcherAuthor/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>About Blythe Gifford:</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJBQvmzQEm4EzSrEp_ulySpuYrX9SdM22Pphv_C9Wgycf4_uocTzOL9BVwnqIbAlTq8O4YXiF_jE4pG58pJSA1GNlWt1_uzlymevJPH29Rb2gLau1yWWrwaAeu7OpIXM3hNEDknaaQYk/s448/Tudor+-+Blythe+Gifford+Photo+Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJBQvmzQEm4EzSrEp_ulySpuYrX9SdM22Pphv_C9Wgycf4_uocTzOL9BVwnqIbAlTq8O4YXiF_jE4pG58pJSA1GNlWt1_uzlymevJPH29Rb2gLau1yWWrwaAeu7OpIXM3hNEDknaaQYk/w150-h200/Tudor+-+Blythe+Gifford+Photo+Web.jpg" width="150" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">After many years in public relations, advertising, and marketing, Blythe Gifford started writing seriously after a corporate layoff. Ten years and one layoff later, she became an overnight success when she sold to the Harlequin Historical line. Her books, set in the 14th to 17th centuries, typically incorporate real historical events and characters. The Chicago Tribune has called her work “the perfect balance between history and romance.” Blythe lives and works along Chicago’s lakefront. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Website: <a href="http://www.blythegifford.com">www.blythegifford.com</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BlytheGifford">www.facebook.com/BlytheGifford</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/BlytheGifford">www.twitter.com/BlytheGifford</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pinterest: <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/BlytheGifford">www.pinterest.com/BlytheGifford</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/BlytheGifford/">https://www.instagram.com/BlytheGifford/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>About Amanda McCabe:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Santa Fe with a Poodle, a cat, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amanda also writes as Laurel McKee for Grand Central Publishing, the Elizabethan Mystery Series as Amanda Carmack, and the Manor Cat Mystery Series as Eliza Casey.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/amandamccabeauthor/">https://www.instagram.com/amandamccabeauthor/</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/amandamccabebooks/">https://www.facebook.com/amandamccabebooks/</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/amandamccabe/boards/">https://www.pinterest.co.uk/amandamccabe/boards/</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETrOYNwp2_n9p5LnFvb1fb43VGOP490KyJCY4wDTruJrOL0kaO-UQrjFpjbwHLKvcI6a4Cf2FyIJ_IZZZwvyGsShJ61KGDqpVB-3m2XQYyfZuU49cJnNF41iMFyAQtxxnsVeUPCIs8EA/s2048/Tudor+Christmas+Tidings+Cover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1294" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETrOYNwp2_n9p5LnFvb1fb43VGOP490KyJCY4wDTruJrOL0kaO-UQrjFpjbwHLKvcI6a4Cf2FyIJ_IZZZwvyGsShJ61KGDqpVB-3m2XQYyfZuU49cJnNF41iMFyAQtxxnsVeUPCIs8EA/w253-h400/Tudor+Christmas+Tidings+Cover.jpeg" width="253" /></a></div><p></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-66209286804880308822020-09-15T13:10:00.001+02:002020-09-15T13:13:05.466+02:00Promo: The Unquiet Spirit by Penny Hampson<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I’m thrilled to share an excerpt today from a novel I had a sneak peek at, and thoroughly enjoyed: <b>The Unquiet Spirit</b> by <i>Penny Hampson</i>. If you love paranormal romantic mysteries with a dark side, this one's for you!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gX3UzKJTIgctOtjPAb-39URfsjUlsHIBqfG-D8CmP8S8pGRhyphenhyphenbpRdef0MIpUf_iOaURGNCaAnOIABAZcX4bBTtaEW925018ohv2_8NTngIj8UjNOFCkE9HDe-FH_5kAByR-EGYK7BLA/s700/The+Unquiet+Spirit.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gX3UzKJTIgctOtjPAb-39URfsjUlsHIBqfG-D8CmP8S8pGRhyphenhyphenbpRdef0MIpUf_iOaURGNCaAnOIABAZcX4bBTtaEW925018ohv2_8NTngIj8UjNOFCkE9HDe-FH_5kAByR-EGYK7BLA/w640-h252/The+Unquiet+Spirit.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Excerpt:</span></b></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Dr Kate Wilson has moved down to Cornwall to live in the old house she’s recently inherited from her godmother. We meet her after a long day, she’s about to close the curtains and go to bed when something catches her notice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US">Kate held her breath as a figure stepped out of the trees. Whoever it was moved in a furtive way, stopping and starting, as if afraid of being discovered. But what set Kate</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US">s pulse racing was the fact that the figure appeared to be wearing a cloak – it was as if a drawing from a history book had stepped off the pages and come alive. The cloaked figure moved into a shaft of moonlight and that</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US">s when Kate gasped. She could see straight through the apparition to the trees and shrubs beyond. As if aware that it was being observed, the figure turned and an arm beckoned, gesturing Kate to follow. Kate swallowed. Not bloody likely. She blinked hard and looked again. The figure had vanished, and the driveway was deserted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US">Kate stepped back from the window and drew the curtain across, still not quite believing what she</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US">d seen. It had to be someone playing a trick. She considered calling the police and reporting a prowler, then decided she</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US">d be better off waiting until morning. Whoever it was wouldn</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US">t be able to get into the house, not with the new locks, and besides, if they tried again she would be ready for them. She checked one more time that everywhere was secure and headed up to bed. Once upstairs, she placed the chair against the door again, and after preparing for bed, switched off all the lights. Going over to the window, she peered through the curtains, but couldn</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US">t see very much, the moon now being obscured by clouds. Her hearing told her that nothing was stirring outside, only the odd hoot of an owl in the distance a reminder that some creatures were awake. She shivered and returned to her bed. It was some time before she fell asleep. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb:</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"> </span><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Unquiet Spirit</span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEgSu2aXyndUHD0LVHbhzhRka4-Wl2mrRtGV8tsr3N-HEmAimmAGlRA5JJhBcvtmvGOwOLlJ1un4L7qt66IyPlutW3-314rnEIj-QeXd3HTrKbdmvbEL-c_OxaWbVwZip9sAedAr63Ww/s640/The+Unquiet+Spirit+Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="401" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEgSu2aXyndUHD0LVHbhzhRka4-Wl2mrRtGV8tsr3N-HEmAimmAGlRA5JJhBcvtmvGOwOLlJ1un4L7qt66IyPlutW3-314rnEIj-QeXd3HTrKbdmvbEL-c_OxaWbVwZip9sAedAr63Ww/s320/The+Unquiet+Spirit+Cover.jpg" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></b><p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>A new beginning. A house with a past. A man with secrets.</b></span></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: georgia;">It was a dream come true</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: georgia;">…</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: georgia;">that turned into a nightmare.</span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: georgia;">Kate Wilson thinks moving back to Cornwall might be the answer to her prayers. But it isn</span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: georgia;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: georgia;">t long before she begins to have doubts. Is the house she inherited from her godmother haunted? Or is she going out of her mind? With a stalker, threats, and attempted break-ins, Kate</span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: georgia;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: georgia;">s troubles multiply.</span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: georgia;">Then there</span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: georgia;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: georgia;">s her enigmatic neighbour, the brooding Tom Carbis; a man with secrets he doesn</span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: georgia;"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: georgia;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: georgia;">t wish to share. Can she trust him when he says he wants to help?</span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In her quest to unravel the mysteries surrounding her, will Kate uncover more than she bargains for?</span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Set in beautiful Cornwall, The Unquiet Spirit is a gripping suspense with paranormal and romantic elements. Fans of Barbara Erskine will enjoy this tale.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Amazon Purchase Link: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Hyperlink0" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://getbook.at/theunquietspirit" style="color: #954f72;">getbook.at/theunquietspirit</a></span></span><span class="Hyperlink0" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB">~~~</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Author Bio:</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US">Some time ago Penny Hampson decided to follow her passion for history by studying with the </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Open University. She graduated with honours and went on to complete a post-graduate degree.</span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US">Penny then landed her dream role, working in an environment where she was surrounded by rare books and historical manuscripts. Flash forward nineteen years, and the opportunity came along to indulge her other main passion – writing. </span></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk73PG5FRSFbPcjmRmhyphenhyphen1_hEcBk8M3Dl_LOZpxOpGkuIivpKMFiO2C8v8RFrgr8074otMGkAKzPiz1G5aTxvWokkcj_o5ALV_MEAL06t_kHEziROU6Vc3MZsaE5GCPMJtdRc8DEGcQdkQ/s320/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk73PG5FRSFbPcjmRmhyphenhyphen1_hEcBk8M3Dl_LOZpxOpGkuIivpKMFiO2C8v8RFrgr8074otMGkAKzPiz1G5aTxvWokkcj_o5ALV_MEAL06t_kHEziROU6Vc3MZsaE5GCPMJtdRc8DEGcQdkQ/s0/image.png" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US"><p class="Default" style="border: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p>P</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">enny joined the New Writers’ Scheme of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">three years later published her debut novel,</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><b style="font-family: georgia;"><i>A Gentleman’s Promise</i>,</b><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">a</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">historical mystery/romance. Other books in the same genre soon followed.</span><p></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US">But never happy in a rut, Penny also writes contemporary suspense with paranormal and romantic elements. Her first book in this genre is <b><i>The Unquiet Spirit,</i></b> published by Darkstroke.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US">Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US">For more on Penny’s writing, visit her </span><span lang="DE"><b>blog</b>:</span><span lang="DE"> </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Hyperlink1" style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="https://pennyhampson.co.uk/blog/" style="color: #954f72;">https://pennyhampson.co.uk/blog/</a></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span class="None"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><b>Twitter</b>: </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://twitter.com/penny_hampson" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US">@penny_hampson</span></a></span><span class="None"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span class="None"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><b>Facebook</b>: </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Hyperlink2" style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pennyhampsonauthor" style="color: #954f72;">www.facebook.com/pennyhampsonauthor</a></span></span></span><span class="None"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"></span></span><span class="None"><b><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Hyperlink2" style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="Default" style="border: none; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9mLv5EabllR8eGPt3cCAhH51GmaXOR4_8xbJ-r3I7pLUl2whT71ITbUyyvK073tjJ5DYZXdEQBmNnLO6A-gMZ9h-o3pauPZjc7tF2y8U8Vj-6Ad5OOYK1u030delNeznZwUEMS7q-Ow/s700/The+Unquiet+Spirit.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9mLv5EabllR8eGPt3cCAhH51GmaXOR4_8xbJ-r3I7pLUl2whT71ITbUyyvK073tjJ5DYZXdEQBmNnLO6A-gMZ9h-o3pauPZjc7tF2y8U8Vj-6Ad5OOYK1u030delNeznZwUEMS7q-Ow/w400-h158/The+Unquiet+Spirit.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span class="Hyperlink2" style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-67988340133822629182020-09-09T10:59:00.001+02:002020-09-09T10:59:21.126+02:00Promo: Someday in Paris by Olivia Lara<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm delighted to take part in <b>Olivia Lara</b>’s blog tour for her novel, <b><i>Someday in Paris</i></b>, organised by <i>Rachel’s Random Resources</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Olivia is sharing an enticing excerpt. If you love epic love stories, this one’s for you...</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAeUufazoLGuL4XOqpjn9G6UxKNeDdTsFcAGBYodVdjwjEUIHCcSI__G3p3niX2mciOnj9UJkUEw07CVMRPc2byE3eRwoSZ5JT-0g1y3soOpBveMyLo5UU4XnfoDh0QSEtb4cE9DOmV4/s700/Someday+In+Paris.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAeUufazoLGuL4XOqpjn9G6UxKNeDdTsFcAGBYodVdjwjEUIHCcSI__G3p3niX2mciOnj9UJkUEw07CVMRPc2byE3eRwoSZ5JT-0g1y3soOpBveMyLo5UU4XnfoDh0QSEtb4cE9DOmV4/w625-h248/Someday+In+Paris.png" width="625" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Someday in Paris</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">By Olivia Lara<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Excerpt:</b></span> </span></p><p class="full-out" style="color: #d0504d; line-height: 24px; margin: 24pt 0cm 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What makes people fall in love? Truly in love? What makes them believe they’ve found the one, their soulmate? And why that person and not someone else?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="indentCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What draws us in and never lets us go? Is it their eyes, their smile, their voice? The way they fit into our world? Is it because our parents like them and our friends think we’d make a great couple? Or maybe they make us laugh, have a good job, and want two kids like we do?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="indentCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What if it has nothing to do with that? What if it is something else entirely?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="indentCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I was fifteen the first time I asked myself this question. It was then that I had my first dream that didn’t feel quite like a dream. My mother said women in our family are special. She said I should listen to my dreams, but I was young, and I didn’t believe her. Or maybe I didn’t understand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="indentCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I am eighty years old now. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But I’ve lived through enough to know people don’t believe you until you show them. And they shouldn’t. They should make up their own minds, listen to their own hearts, and follow their own dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="indentCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My story, the one I’ve been waiting to tell for so long, the one I never thought I would get to share until Valerie was born – my youngest son’s daughter – will not answer questions. Not even the question. But it will ask them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="indentCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ever since Valerie turned fifteen, I have been waiting for the day she would say, ‘Mamie, I had a dream.’ And then I would have to tell her. To show her. When she turned sixteen, seventeen, eighteen and nothing happened, I started to worry. What if I’m not around when it happens, or I am around but too senile to remember everything? That’s when I wrote it all down. That way, no matter what, she will know what happened and how it all came to be. And when the story’s done, she can make up her own mind about the dreams, the connection and what her soul is trying to tell her. She might believe me, she might not, but I have to try.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="indentCxSpLast" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A few days ago, she celebrated her twenty-first birthday. Still no word of the dreams. But there is a young man in her life, although she’s reluctant to talk about him. I don’t know if today of all days I should ask, but something tells me it might be time. There’s a spark in her eyes. A familiar spark. I might be wrong; it might be nothing, but it might be everything.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Blurb:</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Someday in Paris<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">'An epic, sweeping romance about soulmates and second chances' <b>Holly Miller</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">'An absolutely unforgettable love story' <b>Mandy Baggot</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">'A deeply moving, richly evocative story of love, loss and the power of hope' <b>Miranda Dickinson</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Finding the one is only the beginning... </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCrnpymJZ2O_qWC1facHRiY3hfpogk2UiakFJ5RTAKJi-A5AYcCPqAjNsBBAyqc4xt6jBvD_Mm1R_CeVsQGjwIlGXd2LuERZ7SPoddN4F3vVfwNInPn9ba0wi3wLJu467fIVMRR7D8II/s2048/Someday+in+Paris+by+Olivia+Lara-+book+cover-+2020+love+story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1334" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCrnpymJZ2O_qWC1facHRiY3hfpogk2UiakFJ5RTAKJi-A5AYcCPqAjNsBBAyqc4xt6jBvD_Mm1R_CeVsQGjwIlGXd2LuERZ7SPoddN4F3vVfwNInPn9ba0wi3wLJu467fIVMRR7D8II/s320/Someday+in+Paris+by+Olivia+Lara-+book+cover-+2020+love+story.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">1954. </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">Zara is fifteen the first time she meets Leon. During a power cut in a small French museum, the two spend one short hour in the dark talking about their love for art, Monet and Paris. Neither knows what the other looks like. Both know their lives will never be the same. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">1963. </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">In Paris, Leon no longer believes he will ever find the girl he lost that night. After dreaming about him for years, Zara thinks she has already found him. When they meet at an exhibition, they don't recognise each other – yet the way they feel is so familiar... <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Over the course of twenty years, Zara and Leon are destined to fall in love again and again. But will they ever find a way to be together? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">'It's about dreams and taking chances. Missed opportunities and mistakes. Loss and sacrifice. But above all, it is about love. The kind of love that survives time, distance... even death. The kind of love I wish for you.' </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A magical new love story about star-crossed lovers, perfect for hopeless romantics and fans of <i>One Day</i> and <i>The Notebook</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What readers are saying about <i>Someday in Paris</i>: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">'I absolutely adored this book and stayed up late at night to finish it!! I couldn't put it down. This was a truly epic love story' Goodreads reviewer </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">'Magical, all-encompassing and timeless; an unforgettable romance' NetGalley reviewer </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">'Without question 5.0 Exquisite Stars!! There are not enough magical adjectives to describe the beauty of this story!! <i>Someday in Paris</i> moved me beyond words and to quite a few tears' Goodreads reviewer </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">'Some books leave you a print in your heart which make them difficult to forget ... Emotive, sweet and unforgettable ... The most beautiful book I've read in a while!' NetGalley reviewer </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">'This is a book for hopeless romantics, for those who dare to dream, and for those who believe in true love everlasting ... I could not put it down' Goodreads reviewer </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">'This book left me speechless. I haven't read such an amazing story in a long time' Goodreads reviewer </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">'I absolutely loved this book ... The story kept me hanging on and reading late into the night' Goodreads reviewer </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Purchase Links <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Amazon US: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Someday-Paris-magical-hopeless-romantics-ebook/dp/B07ZWFLBB7/" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.amazon.com/Someday-Paris-magical-hopeless-romantics-ebook/dp/B07ZWFLBB7/</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Kobo US</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">: </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/someday-in-paris" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/someday-in-paris</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Apple US</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">: </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/someday-in-paris/id1485748992" style="color: #954f72;">https://books.apple.com/us/book/someday-in-paris/id1485748992</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Barnes & Noble</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">: </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/someday-in-paris-olivia-lara/1136248226?ean=9781838933142" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/someday-in-paris-olivia-lara/1136248226?ean=9781838933142</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Google:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Oay6DwAAQBAJ" style="color: #954f72;">https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Oay6DwAAQBAJ</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Amazon UK: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Someday-Paris-magical-hopeless-romantics-ebook/dp/B07ZWFLBB7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FDJVM6CUEVFC&dchild=1&keywords=someday+in+paris&qid=1592237950&sprefix=someday+in+paris%2Caps%2C305&sr=8-1" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Someday-Paris-magical-hopeless-romantics-ebook/dp/B07ZWFLBB7/</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Kobo UK:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/someday-in-paris" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/someday-in-paris</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">Apple UK</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">: </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://books.apple.com/gb/book/someday-in-paris/id1485748992" style="color: #954f72;">https://books.apple.com/gb/book/someday-in-paris/id1485748992</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author Bio: </span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTUVH0Ud7vCF94_iMrsZOGKBqiNgjkAAZyi9ZdBUyEawRsrf5rNNJY8-4Om0tw-xaVLGVTwzjoiXHklh9Rn0-NhxAWH0KnSxEepJJmDCwXPiJELR7jZs_M8ynyK7IkURr2s_4LPK1Emg/s2000/Someday+in+Paris+-+olivia+lara-author+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1401" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTUVH0Ud7vCF94_iMrsZOGKBqiNgjkAAZyi9ZdBUyEawRsrf5rNNJY8-4Om0tw-xaVLGVTwzjoiXHklh9Rn0-NhxAWH0KnSxEepJJmDCwXPiJELR7jZs_M8ynyK7IkURr2s_4LPK1Emg/w143-h205/Someday+in+Paris+-+olivia+lara-author+photo.jpg" width="143" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">OLIVIA LARA </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">was born and raised in Bucharest in a family of booklovers and storytellers. Since university she has worked as a journalist and marketer in Romania, France and the United States. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;">She is currently a marketing executive in San Francisco and lives in the Bay Area with her husband, young daughter and four cats. Someday in Paris is her first novel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Social Media Links:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB">Twitter @</span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://twitter.com/olilara_writes" style="color: #954f72;">olilara_writes,</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB">Facebook </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://facebook.com/olivialaraauthor" style="color: #954f72;">http://facebook.com/olivialaraauthor</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB">Instagram @</span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/olivialara.writes/?hl=en" style="color: #954f72;">olivialara.writes</a> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN-GB">Author website: </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.olivialara-author.com/" style="color: #954f72;">olivia-lara.co</a></span><a href="https://www.olivialara-author.com/" style="color: #954f72;">m</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TovMOA1o8FRbIZhJIhyphenhyphenXKsTyQdTU1Bs9LdugZeD2SYIEJwlxQVjy-j-worwZZWD85BRKn2Vz4vlbqKRX4FzsDZyZuAYtbmgA88QZyUSrmjCJ8TBORi5tLqOmhwtQ7mw54yNuZK4s4Lk/s2048/Someday+in+Paris+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="2048" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TovMOA1o8FRbIZhJIhyphenhyphenXKsTyQdTU1Bs9LdugZeD2SYIEJwlxQVjy-j-worwZZWD85BRKn2Vz4vlbqKRX4FzsDZyZuAYtbmgA88QZyUSrmjCJ8TBORi5tLqOmhwtQ7mw54yNuZK4s4Lk/w500-h268/Someday+in+Paris+Full+Tour+Banner.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-12168912544398799592020-08-31T09:55:00.003+02:002020-08-31T09:57:49.884+02:00Promo: The Promise by Kathleen Harryman & Lucy Marshall<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today, I'm sharing an enticing excerpt from <b>The Promise</b>, a WWII historical romance by <i>Kathleen Harryman </i>and<i> Lucy Marshall</i>. Have a read!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank you to Mary Anne Yarde of <i>The Coffee Pot Book Club</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpOu_25vhT4kUZSLIs6Z_s2SRrZIl93SLQQrX1DMO8sjOj7137wyklASjtDGdeG0gkCVd1Skk38OQcPzqNCnHW-_YKWNRFg7Q8dx72JgcCaNE2UwmlLVYTI0zBBEXFF6-J7UPsAdgAZA/s1024/Tour+Banner+-+The+Promise+copy+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpOu_25vhT4kUZSLIs6Z_s2SRrZIl93SLQQrX1DMO8sjOj7137wyklASjtDGdeG0gkCVd1Skk38OQcPzqNCnHW-_YKWNRFg7Q8dx72JgcCaNE2UwmlLVYTI0zBBEXFF6-J7UPsAdgAZA/s640/Tour+Banner+-+The+Promise+copy+2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Promise - A World War II Historical Romance<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>by Kathleen Harryman and Lucy Marshall </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span><b><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Chapter 3<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><i><span lang="">Rose Elliot </span></i></b><b><span lang=""><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><b><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">1940<br />Whitby, England <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Where are you taking me in such an all fired hurry?” I gasped. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“You’ll see.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I followed Will down some steps, not that I had much of a choice in the matter. We made our way down into the cellar. The lights had been left on, and there were several beer barrels littering the room. I looked around the dusty, dirty place and wrinkled my nose in distaste. I didn’t want to get my dress filthy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I could just make out the beat of the music as it vibrated through the floorboards, to the ceiling of the cellar. I wanted to be back up there dancing. My green dress swishing around my ankles. My feet moving to the beat of the music. I hadn’t had a chance to dance with Jimmy yet. I wanted to make sure I had at least one dance with him before the night came to an end. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Why on earth have you brought me down here?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will pulled me into his arms and kissed me, lifting me off my feet and cutting off my words. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I leaned into the kiss, opening my mouth to him, and wrapping my arms around his neck. I pulled him closer to me until I felt as though our bodies were melt- ing into each other. Passion flared between us. I didn’t want it to end. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I’ve been dying to do that ever since you walked in with Betty.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">We were both breathing heavily. My arms were still entwined round his neck. I looked up into his blue eyes, as I tried to recover from our kiss. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Without warning, I pulled out of Will’s embrace. His arms automatically let go of my waist. With the flat of my hand against his chest, I pushed him hard. He stepped back, losing some of his footing. He hadn’t expected me to push him away. I stepped forward, tap- ping a hand on his rising chest. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I should slap you, William Aarons, for taking advantage of me like that.” I walked over and sat on one of the barrels, briefly pausing to brush away some of the dust so that my dress wouldn’t get too dirty. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will folded his arms across his chest. “Then I suggest you stop looking so gorgeous, and then I wouldn’t feel the need to kiss you like I do.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I rolled my eyes at him to let him know what I thought of his comment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Come on, Rosie. I leave tomorrow for Glasgow.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I couldn’t stop the tears that came to my eyes. I tried to quickly blink them away before they tumbled down my cheeks and spoiled my makeup. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“What do you want me to say, Will? I’ll miss you? I will... you know I will. But, if you want me to wait for you, I can’t do that. I won’t do it. You know how I feel, Will.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Yeah, I know, but we’ve still got tonight. Who knows? Maybe we’ll have forever, too.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I shrugged my shoulders, unable to speak. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will stepped forward, placing a finger under my chin. “Come on, Rosie. Let’s not pretend. Not tonight. I love you, and I know that you love me.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Well, William Aarons, I’m beginning to think that this love thing is daft. I can’t say that loving you has got me very far. Look at me. All dressed up so that I can give my man something to remember me by, and hope- fully stop him making silly decisions that could get him killed, so that he’ll come back to me. Aren’t I the stupid one, huh?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“You’re so contrary. You know that, don’t you? One minute you’re not waiting for me, and the next, you’re wanting me to come home to you.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Well, I never said that this love thing made any sense, did I?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will shook his head, smiling at me. “No, you didn’t, but I think it’s just the best thing ever.” He reached for me. Gently this time, our lips met, and we tenderly kissed each other. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will broke the kiss and drew me back, resting his hands on my shoulders. I watched him as he fumbled at the inside of his jacket pocket. Each movement made my heart beat faster, curious as to what he was going to pull out of his pocket. I was also damn right scared. Half of me wanted Will to give me a ring, but the other part felt mad at the thought.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I want you to have this.” Will opened his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I felt my nerves jump under my skin. <i>Please don’t let it be a ring</i>, I silently prayed. Will’s fingers seemed to take an eternity to uncurl. Oh, but when they did! There in the palm of his hand was a silver chain, on which sat an oval, elaborate silver locket. In the centre of the locket was a hand-carved rose made out of Whitby jet. With shaking fingers, he opened the locket. On the left, there was a photo of me, and on the right was Will’s. My breath caught in my throat. I loved it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I know how you feel, Rosie. I do. I get it. Really, I do. I’m not about to ask something I know you won’t be able to give me right now. That’s why I bought you the locket instead of a ring. I hope that you’ll wear this while I’m gone. That you’ll think about me, and how much I love you. I can’t make you any promises, Rosie Girl, my Rosie Girl. But, if God is willing, I will come back to you. Maybe then we can be together always, and the next time I reach into my pocket, it’ll be to give you a ring.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tears fell down my cheeks. “Look what you’ve gone and made me do to my make-up, Will.” I stared at the locket. The more I looked at it, the more my heart squeezed tight in my chest. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I think you look gorgeous.” He ran a thumb under my eyes, wiping away the tears. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Taking the locket, he fastened it around my neck. I felt the weight of it as it sat against my collar bone. My fingers traced round the Whitby jet, over each petal that made up the rose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I love it. Thank you, Will.” My voice was barely above a whisper.<br />I wiped at the tears that ran down my cheeks, so that I wouldn’t end up with panda eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will placed his hands on top of mine. “I’ll tell you </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">what you are, Rosie... you’re the most beautiful girl in the world.”</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. Above us, the music played, people talked and danced and laughed, and drank together. All the while, down here in the cellar, Will and I fell deeper in love. Both of us too scared to think about how uncertain our world was becoming, and the future we had once taken for granted. Instead, we took this moment to love each other as only two people could. Our clothes slipped away, our bodies becoming one. I cared only for now, for the man I loved. The man that would never come home to me the same as he was now. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">The war was changing us, even now. I could feel its reach as Will’s hands ran along my naked body. We wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the war. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">A lot of folks here in Whitby were traditional Catholics. Will and I were no exception. It didn’t stop us, de- spite our upbringing, our religion. Our actions were a sin that we gladly committed. Nothing could have stopped us. Our need to show each other that we be- longed together. Even as our world changed, uncontrollable, no matter our wishes. We had this one moment to carry with us through it all. I felt no shame, just the love that Will wrapped around me with each gentle touch of his hand. I relished his lips that kissed and tasted my skin. I returned each caress, each kiss, glad for this moment, to love him, and to be loved by him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Old Widow Gilbert’s words came floating back into my head. <i>“You’ll get yourself into trouble one of these days, Rose Elliot.” </i>Maybe she was going to be right sooner rather than later. I didn’t care. I’d meant what I’d said. I’d rather be happy and have someone pointing a finger at me saying incredibly nasty things behind my back, than to turn my back on Will now. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">I wanted to love Will in every way. If that was wrong of me, so be it. Should I end up pregnant, it didn’t matter. Not to me. For once, the only thing that mattered was right now. Not the future, but only this moment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sometimes, you have to place your faith in some- thing more than you can see or touch. Sometimes, you have to trust in your feelings. Trust that love will survive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">If I became pregnant and something happened to Will, then I would always have some part of Will with me. It probably wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t find my- self pregnant next month and neither would Will die. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">There was nothing to do now but to trust that the love we shared today would be there when this war ended. That we would survive this. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Come home to me, Will.” I whispered. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: avoid; line-height: 12pt; margin: 12pt 0cm; text-align: center;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"> ~~~</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: avoid; line-height: 12pt; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="break-after: avoid; line-height: 12pt; margin: 12pt 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span lang="">September 1939 </span></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDs3VQD-iKAORAOy9AOuac8uKGoEvlAvGv6EgeS5QhRnLTqK_rw7LL8b7N1Eg6Es0krl0FqFkQRZd0PnavYkjSfEm3qN5sH-UALMkBNc6De_xE0JLywGVKfqAs4wZ_V3X5fgC4U6kxfI/s320/The+Promise+v2+copy.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDs3VQD-iKAORAOy9AOuac8uKGoEvlAvGv6EgeS5QhRnLTqK_rw7LL8b7N1Eg6Es0krl0FqFkQRZd0PnavYkjSfEm3qN5sH-UALMkBNc6De_xE0JLywGVKfqAs4wZ_V3X5fgC4U6kxfI/s0/The+Promise+v2+copy.jpeg" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b><span lang=""><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">As Britain is gripped by the fear and uncertainty of war, Tom Armitage stands to gain the one thing that he never thought possible - his freedom.<br /><br />Rosie Elliot sees her future crumbling to dust as Will Aarons leaves Whitby with Jimmy Chappell to fight in the war. As she begins work at The Turnstone Convalescent Home, Rosie finds something she thought she had lost. Friendship. But friendship soon turns to love. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Can this new love replace Will?<br /><br /><b>This is not an ordinary love story.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />It's a story of love, loss, courage, and honour.<br />Of promises that must be kept or risk losing everything you've ever held dear.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang=""><b>YouTube Book Trailer Link</b>: </span><span lang=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLO2AcnQvWU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLO2AcnQvWU</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Buy Link: </b></span></span><a href="http://getbook.at/thepromise" style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Author Bio:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Kathleen Harryman is a storyteller and poet in the historically rich city of York, North Yorkshire, England, with her husband, children and pet dog and cat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Kathleen was first published in 2015, a romantic suspense entitled <i>The Other Side of the Looking Glass</i>. Since then, Kathleen has developed a unique writing style which readers have enjoyed, and she became a multi-genre author of suspense, psychological thrillers, poetry and historical romance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="">Connect with Kathleen: </span><span lang=""><a href="https://www.kathleenharryman.com/">Website</a> • <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WriterKH">Facebook</a> • <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kathleen_author/">Instagram</a> • <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuBLk8lhDdiavwG3UObJwtQ/videos">YouTube</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/KathleenHarrym1">Twitter</a> • <a href="https://www.independentauthornetwork.com/kathleen-harryman.html">IAN</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_0fhKtewGvREF919KTd4jpIIlxxCSWnzFmWohjlPnGS2ulWLBEHAvUHX2VxARO5ekAV7iATZ8e-9zyNEOR1f0rpHvBiMLfU-h4nZoHM5UtknXBWVuS9aD_l5_4vjGZxRrQ8zl9yY7Xs/s321/Kathleen+Harryman+copy+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_0fhKtewGvREF919KTd4jpIIlxxCSWnzFmWohjlPnGS2ulWLBEHAvUHX2VxARO5ekAV7iATZ8e-9zyNEOR1f0rpHvBiMLfU-h4nZoHM5UtknXBWVuS9aD_l5_4vjGZxRrQ8zl9yY7Xs/s0/Kathleen+Harryman+copy+2.png" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2366670135847123894.post-64793028747028837062020-08-30T11:44:00.009+02:002020-08-30T14:58:12.524+02:00Review: The Return of the Disappearing Duke by Lara Temple<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I’m delighted to share my review of another of <i>Lara Temple</i>’s intriguing historical romance novels. Today, it’s of <b>The Return of the Disappearing Duke</b>. My thanks goes to Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: georgia;"><b>Happy Publication Day to Lara Temple!</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3M6hbXz8HEnG2CXiv7Ill4XF2uxhffLeoSAt5JB8Cfx6M31pknNp59KukFwtTAfGHaN85GRrtCjtRFN6XMcc5mUiKizFCQZdQp_5T4FiYXLoMbLLWBCmm-lPyU9Bn55rqEzjibqjgQI/s700/The+Return+of+the+Disappearing+Duke.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3M6hbXz8HEnG2CXiv7Ill4XF2uxhffLeoSAt5JB8Cfx6M31pknNp59KukFwtTAfGHaN85GRrtCjtRFN6XMcc5mUiKizFCQZdQp_5T4FiYXLoMbLLWBCmm-lPyU9Bn55rqEzjibqjgQI/s640/The+Return+of+the+Disappearing+Duke.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As in <b>The Lord's Inconvenient Vow</b>, we’re straight into the action beneath the hot African sun.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">When Cleopatra Osbourne, dressed as a boy, runs into the lodgings of Rafe Grey to escape men chasing after her, she doesn’t immediately expect to find a man who agrees to take her to Cairo in search of her brother. What she expects even less is the attraction she feels towards this scarred, cynical man!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">To escape the rogues following her, she remains in disguise. As they travel through the desert, neither can deny that they are drawn to each other. Two misfits on the fringes of society.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">What Cleopatra doesn’t know is that Rafe is not just the mercenary he makes out to be. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">He has a dukedom waiting for him in England following his father’s death, but he's reluctant to claim it. He ran away after his father beat him, joined the army, and never returned. Now young Cleopatra is yet another opportunity to delay the inevitable. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">This latest story involving a member of the Edgerton family is a fast-paced romantic romp. Ancient Egyptian temples, a camel ride across the Sahara, a hot steamy bath (!), and a stormy crossing in the Mediterranean with a rogue captain all feature in the perfect adventure.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The characters are endearing in their flaws – Rafe’s reluctance to return home and Cleo’s unusual background with a father dealing in dubious antiques. They’re not ordinary people, which gives them an edge. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The descriptions of the locations are, as always, vibrant and realistic. You could easily imagine their journey as they face their internal and external conflicts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Highly recommended!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Return of the Disappearing Duke<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">A scarred mercenary…Or the Disappearing Duke of Greybourne?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Rafe has spent years running from his true identity. He’s a lone wolf, living far from aristocratic England and his violent father. Then unconventional Cleopatra Osbourne requests his protection as she crosses the Egyptian desert. In Cleo he discovers a fellow outcast—and a fierce desire! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cleo must return to London, and here lies Rafe’s dilemma—because following his heart means claiming the title he’s avoided for so long!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxW4Je8vWecPip0id6GKLay_3r3D7GGyjIEHzkcRp0HjaHdmLoPhHJOiBm5EqH5v3NIYP-FxEwZF5qfg7nMSPxglagGmy88d6bo1t9-HDoX7wOeG6ApzLlNRt_dKPf4V7ZdXOwPucDgs/s2048/The+Return+Cover+Disappearing+Duke.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1277" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxW4Je8vWecPip0id6GKLay_3r3D7GGyjIEHzkcRp0HjaHdmLoPhHJOiBm5EqH5v3NIYP-FxEwZF5qfg7nMSPxglagGmy88d6bo1t9-HDoX7wOeG6ApzLlNRt_dKPf4V7ZdXOwPucDgs/w255-h410/The+Return+Cover+Disappearing+Duke.JPG" width="255" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Buy Links: </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon: <a href="http://mybook.to/RafeDuke" style="color: #954f72;">http://mybook.to/RafeDuke</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon <b>US </b>paperback: <a href="https://bit.ly/RafeDuke1" style="color: #954f72;">https://bit.ly/RafeDuke1</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon <b>UK</b>: <a href="https://bit.ly/RafeDukeUK" style="color: #954f72;">https://bit.ly/RafeDukeUK</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bookbub: <a href="https://bit.ly/RafeBookbub" style="color: #954f72;">https://bit.ly/RafeBookbub</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt;">Author Bio:</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTR0Pr6ix84enhSHqlulcHq_vqUuke1wV8sgwWZmZbLh4Q91ehg3aNrIs53dfuuWciGrjyzjQhTIu7os4bHy8n29KIwehEzx6MNpH221BRqyrjq6BSe340m-eUABSDF7qZnwXVWPwWp4/s756/The+Return+Author.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="756" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTR0Pr6ix84enhSHqlulcHq_vqUuke1wV8sgwWZmZbLh4Q91ehg3aNrIs53dfuuWciGrjyzjQhTIu7os4bHy8n29KIwehEzx6MNpH221BRqyrjq6BSe340m-eUABSDF7qZnwXVWPwWp4/w262-h262/The+Return+Author.jpg" width="262" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Lara Temple writes strong and sensual Regency romances about complex individuals who give no quarter but do so with plenty of passion. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">She lives with her husband, two children, and one very fluffy dog and they are all very understanding about her taking over the kitchen table so she can look out over the garden as she writes and dreams up her Happy Ever Afters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Social Media links:</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon author page US: <a href="http://bit.ly/LaraTemple" style="color: #954f72;">http://bit.ly/LaraTemple</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Amazon author page UK: <a href="http://bit.ly/LaraTempleUK" style="color: #954f72;">http://bit.ly/LaraTempleUK</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/LaraTemple" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.goodreads.com/LaraTemple</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook Author Page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LaraTempleAuthor" style="color: #954f72;">www.facebook.com/LaraTempleAuthor</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LaraTemple1" style="color: #954f72;">www.facebook.com/LaraTemple1</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/laratemple1" style="color: #954f72;">www.twitter.com/laratemple1</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">Website: <a href="http://www.laratemple.com/" style="color: #954f72;">www.laratemple.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="color: #800180;">Giveaway to Win 3 x E-copies of The Return of the Disappearing Duke (Open INT)</span></b><o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">*</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span lang=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><b>To take part, click here:</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;"><span lang=""><b style="color: #954f72;"><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494388/" style="color: #954f72;">http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494388/</a></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1n0rEvATEjbW8wFTTf0CCyT__rSf0nEcW7pjGlcpcJVfaFnpxE7wMaFEYwEOpFJlJjL0Qq-uJ6mg9Ey4nT2kiS-OtCK-LGr_EAOJXnDlI0eI_Ka77nhR4qlDcitquyWFe3XYicaDe5os/s1100/The+Return+Promo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="1100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1n0rEvATEjbW8wFTTf0CCyT__rSf0nEcW7pjGlcpcJVfaFnpxE7wMaFEYwEOpFJlJjL0Qq-uJ6mg9Ey4nT2kiS-OtCK-LGr_EAOJXnDlI0eI_Ka77nhR4qlDcitquyWFe3XYicaDe5os/s640/The+Return+Promo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span lang=""><br /></span><p></p>Cathie Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08537946350336674340noreply@blogger.com0