In one of my books about Adam de Guirande (Ah! Almost my favourite hero, this knight so torn between his allegiances to the lord who saved him and raised him, Roger Mortimer, and the young boy-king, Edward III . . . Your favourite? Matthew Graham growls. Aye, what about the rest of us? asks Robert […]
Dangerous ambitions – of a failed coup and its consequences Read More »
Ms Eljarbo as a new release, Whispers in the Snow, and I am happy to host her as part of her Coffee Pot Book Club blog tour. I must admit to being rather partial to Ms Eljarbo on account of her Norwegian surname, but also because I have enjoyed some of her previous books and
Whispers in the snow – showcasing Heidi Eljarbo’s latest! Read More »
Today, I am hosting Brodie Curtis and his latest release Showboat Soubrette as part of his blogtour organised by the Coffee Pot Book Club. Swt in the antebellum South, Showboat Soubrette promises to be a fast-paced read, set as the tensions between North and South are about to explode into the Civil War. Blurb: FROM
Showboats and pirates – welcoming Brodie Curtis and his new release Read More »
If I hear the word mantua, I think of a garment that originally was some sort of female version of a male banyan – i.e. relax robe – successively became more and more complex, developing into the imposing 18th century robe à la française before further developing into dresses like the one below, worn by
A posy of Eleonoras – or how a portrait led to a LOT of reading! Read More »
As I write this, 2025 is history, and 2026 lies before us. In Chinese astrology, we will soon be entering the Year of the Horse. According to Chinese tradition, the Horse symbolises energy, moving forward, independence and freedom. The start, however, has not been all that auspicious. No, 2026 kicks off as a year where
In five days, it is Christmas Eve. And yes, I know most of the world is focussed on Christmas Day, but up here in Sweden, it’s Christmas Eve that is the BIG day. The 25th is a day spent mooching about in pyjamas while eating leftovers… When I was a child, my Christmases were spent
It is quite rare that solving a crossword inspires me to write a post, but today it happened! Hubby and I were struggling with a clue varjagsfurste (Swedish, sorry for that) and it took me some time to work out that varjag in Swedish is Varangian in English. Once I got that far, the hitherto
Meet Olga (or is it Helga?), bloody avenger – and saint Read More »
Those of you who follow my blog, know I have written several posts about the Spanish Hapsburgs (I have provided selection at the bottom of this post) Obviously, I am rather fascinated by this family and its penchant for incestous marriages–but I have been stuck on the Spanish branch of the family. Well, beyond casual
Yesterday was the First Sunday of Advent. Suddenly, the dreary, grey November exploded into light, as us Swedes hung up glowing stars, adorned our windows with our “adventsljusstakar” and generally began the countdown to Christmas. Now, had this been five hundred years ago, the first Sunday in Adent would also usher in the Advent fast.
My December newsletter – of Devil’s cats, dried fish and books Read More »
Today, I am happy to host Deborah Swift and her latest release, The Cameo Keeper as part of her Coffee Pot Book Club tour. Think Rome, think 17th century, and no, you do not get a pristine, tourist-friendly place. Instead, it is dark and dirty, poverty cheek to jowl with riches, power-hungry families striving for
The Cameo Keeper – diving into 17th century Rome with Deborah Swift Read More »