historical fiction

Caledon awakens – a blog tour post

Today I welcome Virginia Crow and her book, Caledon to my blog as part of her ongoing tour, arranged by The Coffee Pot Book Club. Caledon makes me think of an airline I travelled a lot with when I was a child, British Caledonian, but airplanes do not figure in Ms Crow’s book. Nope. Not …

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Bitten by the time travel bug – a reflection on why I write what I write

I must begin by apologising for the very loooooong radio silence. I do have a valid excuse in that I had surgery in December and then things didn’t at all go as planned. Where I had assumed I’d be up and about after a couple of weeks, turns out I had seriously understimated how long …

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Welcoming a Viking and rugby aficionado! Meet Donovan Cook, author of Son of Anger

Today, I am pleased to welcome Donovan Cook to my blog as part of hos Coffee Pot Book Club tour. Donovan is a South African with a passion for rugby and Vikings. A rather good combo, IMO, as I believe my Viking forebears woud have thrived on the rugby field. Still, one can’t help but …

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Pssst! Listen up – a post about audio books

I have recently released one of my books as an audio book under my own imprint. I already have sixteen audio books under my belt – but they’re distributed by Blackstone publishing. In retrospect, I should maybe have held on to my audio rights to maximise my royalties, but I find it so HARD (and …

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The Fortune Keeper – intrigue in Renaissance Italy!

Today, I am hosting a stop on Deborah Swift’s Coffee Pot Book Club tour, featuring her book The Fortune Keeper.  This isn’t the first time Deborah visits. No wonder, as she and I share a passion for the 17th century, plus she is an intriguing lady, who has various other interests. Me, I am mostly …

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“Oh, a pirate’s life is a wonderful life” – maybe not, but Helen’s pirate Jesamiah is deffo wonderful!

I have waited. And waited. I have come with heavy-handed hints to Helen Hollick, telling her we (read me) need more Jesamiah. ASAP. And now, FINALLY, Helen has published the sixth book about Jesamiah, pirate extraordinaire and his white witch wife, Tiola. Did I like Gallows Wake? Read my review further down. Now, Helen isn’t …

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Escaping to the Island of Dreams – of an upcoming release

Today, I am happy to welcome Harry Duffin and his upcoming release Island of Dreams to my blog as part of his Coffee Pot Book Club tour. Mr Duffin’s book is set in Cuba, and for many many peeps it was, in fact an island of dreams and future hopes, welcoming people desiring to start …

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Training to be a knight – a young squire is the protagonist in this new release!

Today, I have Carolyn Hughes visiting me. We met recently at the Historical Novel Society’s conference in Durham – an ideal setting for two peeps who share a love of everything medieval. In her recent release, Carolyn’s protagonist is in training to become a knight and is now a squire. I found that interesting as …

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A new book and a birthday – a celebratory combo?

Today is publication day for Her Castilian Heart and I am especially proud to release a book that has already been awarded a Gold Medal in the 2022 Coffee Pot Book Club Awards. That was an unexpected and delightful honour, and I am quite sure both Noor and Robert—my somewhat battered protagonists—are happy as well. …

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The hidden past – in which Christina Courtenay follows in the steps of the Vikings

Lately, my reading has included several books set in the 9th to 11th century, a period of time that comes to us as vague echoes through the mists of time. One of my recent reads is Hidden in the Mists, Christina Courtenay’s excellent dual time line book (more of that below) Her book made me …

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