Today, I am helping Alison Morton celebrate her recent release, Heroica. There’s a review further down, but I am first going to turn you over to Alison’s capable hands – she’s written a post about language. Made me smile that, as I recall reading her first book and wondering just what on Earth “Stat!” meant. […]
Heroica – Ms Morton’s troika of courageous ladies Read More »
In 1328, fifteen-year-old Maria of Portugal married Alfonso XI of Castile. He was a couple of years older than her, still a teenager, had been king since he was a baby and had, at the age of fourteen assumed control over his realm. They were first cousins on both sides, which required papal dispensations. (As
Today, I am welcoming Bart A. Charlow and his book That Catskill Summer to my blog – this as part of his Coffee Pot Book Club tour. I had only the vaguest idea of where the Catskills were located (even if I have VERY clear memories of Dirty Dancing) but now, after some time spent
Today is the 1st of May. Here in Sweden, the cherry trees stand in flower, and the magnolia buds are just about to burst into short-lived flowering. I love magnolias. So does my little grandson, but only because magnolias have been around since the dinosaurs. He hasn’t quite grasped that “his” magnolia is not as
Lovely spring comes with a new book! – my May newsletter Read More »
The other day, I received a message telling me a former colleague of mine had died. It was not an entire surprise: my colleague had been struggling with a degenerative condition for quite some time. Still: knowing someone is seriously ill and may die is not the same as them dying. My former colleague was
Today, I am happy to welcome John Anthony Miller on my blog. This prolific author has penned various books, and this his latest is set in World War II, more specifically in Vienna. The author has kindly offered an excerpt (see below) but let us start with the cover and the blurb! Vienna, 1941 Monika
Another Soul Saved – welcoming John Anthony Miller and his new release Read More »
Writing novels set in the distant past has its disadvantages. Like when your heroine ends up in a situation where you just know she’s dying for a piece of chocolate – except that chocolate hasn’t been invented yet. Or when the scene you’ve just written calls for cold fingers clasped around the comforting warmth of
The devil lies in the details – a reflection on writing historical fiction Read More »
heToday, I am visited by Jan Matthews and her book The Last Fatal Hour, set in teh aftermath of the American Civil War. I imagine reinventing yourself after having been very close to the horrors of battle is hard, but Leona Gladney seems to be doing fine – until things go awfully wrong… I give
The Last Fatal hour – accompany Ms Matthews to Brooklyn Heights in the 19th century Read More »
Today, I am visited by A.B. Michaels who is on a Coffee Pot Book Club tour with her book, The Twisted Road. I am somewhat partial to stories set in early 20th century San Francisco, and as to that earthquake, well, I had a phase when I totally adored Clark Gable (he was very, very
In Sweden, we have a saying: “April snow is like sheep’s dung” – i.e. a valuable fertilizer. Me, I’m more of the “damn it, no snow NOW!!!” approach, but these last few days have been so cold there is a faint possibility we will see snow, when what I want for Easter is sun, budding
A month of showers and snow – my April newsletter Read More »