Cathie Dunn writes...

I’m so excited to share this novel. Beathan the Brigante is the fifth in Nancy Jardine ’s gripping  Celtic Fervour Saga series set in Roman Britain. You have adventure, historical events, romance and drama, all in a cleverly-created historical setting.  Oh, and if you haven’t caught up with the early books in the series (which I can highly recommend), now’s your chance, as they’re only 99c / 99p until tomorrow! Promo Spotlight on Book 5 –  Beathan The Brigante        Thank you for inviting me today, Cathie, to share a little about  Beathan The Brigante,  the 5th book in my highly acclaimed  Celtic Fervour Saga Series.  I’m getting really excited now since it officially   launches tomorrow with  Ocelot Press ! It will be available in e-book and paperback from Amazon, and in paperback format via Ingram Spark for bookstore and library ordering.   Something different for your early readers – who might not yet...

Today, I’m delighted to welcome historical fiction writer, Tony Riches, to my blog. He shares a fascinating post about the Golden Hinde , the ship that carried Francis Drake across the seas.  Prepare to discover an intriguing new series of novels, a treat for keen readers of Tudor fiction! Francis Drake and the  Golden Hinde , by Tony Riches,  author of Drake – Tudor Corsair I’d been planning an Elizabethan series for some time, as my aim is to tell the stories of the Tudors from Owen Tudor’s first meeting with Queen Catherine of Valois through to the death of Queen Elizabeth.   I decided to show the fascinating world of the Elizabethan court through the eyes of the queen’s favourite courtiers, starting with Francis Drake. I’ve enjoyed tracking down primary sources to uncover the truth of Drake’s story – and discovering the complex man behind the myths.   The scale of his achievement was brought into focus for me when I visited the replica of the   Golden H...

I’m so excited.  Today is the day when Doorways to the Past is published. ~happy dance~ A collection of short stories and character interviews by five Ocelot Press authors – Sue Barnard , Vanessa Couchman , Nancy Jardine , Jennifer C. Wilson , and me – with a foreword by our newest Ocelot, Yvonne Marjot , Doorways to the Past takes you on a journey encompassing 2,000 years! My own contributions are an interview with Nanthild from Love Lost in Time, and a short story linked to Dark Deceit, with the Empress Matilda (literally) walking on thin ice. But I do love all the other stories and interviews. So many fascinating characters, and you can get a real sense of the times they (fictionally or really) inhabited. If you're around later on this afternoon, 5pm-7pm UK time, 6pm-8pm CET, and 1pm-3pm EST, then stop by at our virtual launch event on Facebook where you can win some great prizes! Just click on this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/372655283704981/...

Today, I’m delighted to share a promotion for Counterpoint: Henry, the King’s Cavalier , by historical fiction author, Elizabeth St.John , as part of her blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club .  If you’re into the history of 17th-century England, the Stuarts, and the English Civil War, Elizabeth’s fascinating and well-researched  The Lydiard Chronicles series is for you. Counterpoint: Henry, the King’s Cavalier is a linked short story.  COUNTERPOINT:  Henry, the King’s Cavalier  (The Lydiard Chronicles: 1603-1664) By Elizabeth St.John Blurb: A man may think his life is only measured by battles fought for the king. Until he meets a woman worth fighting for. Henry Wilmot. Cavalier. Seasoned soldier. Grieving widower. On the eve of battle he is sent by the king to requisition arms. What he did not expect was that the supplies were a gift from a feisty and attractive widow who was hiding her own Royalist beliefs in plain sight. E...

Today, it's my turn to conduct an interview. It's an event I've been waiting for patiently whilst other intriguing characters took their turn in the Historical Writers Forum "Interview My Character" Blog Hop . Make sure to discover their interviews – and some fabulous historical fiction! My very own Geoffrey de Mortagne from Dark Deceit will be featured on 21st July 2019. I'll share the link here. Bear that date in mind... So why am I slightly nervous when facing Aldaith, a gorgeous Viking warrior? Hmm. Self-explanatory, isn't it? But I must not raise the suspicion of his wife. I might be an OK archer, but I don't quite fancy my chances in a sword fight against a shield maiden! Aldaith is, as already said, a Viking warrior, a fascinating man, who is featured in Sarah Dahl's "enchanting" Tales of Freya, a collection of sensual historical short stories. I found his story gripping and his relationship to Nyssa intriguing. But wit...

Today, I'm returning to one of my favourite places, courtesy of historical fiction author, Samantha Wilcoxson: the Tower of London! I can't see it often enough, and I try to visit whenever I'm in London. Yet, I also find it interesting to read other writers’ experiences of their visits.  So, over to Samantha without much further ado... ~~~ My Place: The Tower of London By Samantha Wilcoxson for Cathie Dunn I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the Tower of London in November 2015. So much history has been witnessed by these stone walls that I wish I could hear them whisper their story. The Tower is a significant setting, for both good times and bad, in my Plantagenet Embers series due to its varied history as royal palace, fortress, and prison. If you have not visited the Tower or other castles, you may not realize that the setting is much more like an enclosed village than a single structure. Our romanticized vision of a castle more closely rese...