tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32649655268537356832024-03-13T02:17:03.633+00:00The Review A place where great books and authors are celebrated, readers are valued and creative people get creative!Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.comBlogger600125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-34751277831369144602019-04-24T05:34:00.001+01:002019-04-24T06:30:33.812+01:00Lisl Reviews: The Retreat to Avalon: The Arthurian Age, Book I by Sean Poage<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">Today Lisl reviews Sean Poage's </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Retreat to Avalon: The Arthurian Age, Book I</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">.<i> Very generously, the author has donated a copy for one lucky reader, who will get to choose ebook or hardcopy. Simply comment at bottom or on the thread for our Facebook page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/398549953570025/2192350204189982/?comment_id=2192372824187720&notif_id=1556082391780049&notif_t=group_comment" target="_blank">here</a>. </i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Having grown up with a large portion of my attention almost continuously tuned to the era within which</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Retreat to Avalon </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">is set, the title naturally piqued my interest. I adored all the same figures millions of others did, and could never get enough. It also happens that I am a great lover of “regular people,” often craving glimpses into the lives of those who lived in an amazing time but who were, perhaps, not unlike many of us. Author Sean Poage opens his projected trilogy,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Arthurian Age</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">, with a chronicle giving us the best of both, bestowing upon us, especially those of us with a thirst for the ordinary, a glimpse of the Gawain we’d always longed for but never quite attained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This author guides us away from lofty tales of virtue and beheadings, steering readers toward the more gritty world of crumbling Roman holdings and those willing to fight for its survival. Rome sees Poage’s Arthur as their last, best hope, and as the High King makes his way to war in Gaul, so too does Gawain, who until then had been living in the shadow of warriors, seeking a path for himself in a time of peace. A fairly sizable chunk of the novel’s first portion sketches out Gawain and his existence at home, depicting his struggles, small victories, relationships and dreams as we learn the who’s who of Gawain’s world and how it operates. Readers really get to know the ways of this era, not because Poage tells us, but through a narrative that truly sets us within, amongst the characters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Retreat to Avalon</i>’s prologue sets up the story—and brilliantly so. Rather than a small bit of informative detail, the author allows characters to draw the curtain, but not merely with expository dialogue, though this is not a bad technique when done well, which Poage does. We recognize decades of history in the exchange between a pair of officials, who <i>do </i>sneak some backstory into their conversation, though they also reveal fears, dreams, and that which devastates one but is a symbol of future prosperity to the other. I did wonder about the extensive knowledge and economic projections Sidonius passes to Anthemius, specifically why the latter lacks such understanding. As a poet and diplomat, the Gallic Sidonius may have been better placed to draw such conclusions, than the at-times mistrusted Greek, whose military career tended toward the administrative. This speaks well of Poage’s research and which historical figures he chooses to fill certain roles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This dexterity is brought to bear on the novel as a whole, and as the story progresses, we see a Gawain influenced both by the pre-Galfridian and Vulgate cycle of Arthurian legends. While there could be said to flow an element of the spiritual through the novel, Poage does not use it to paint Gawain as unworthy of any given “quest” he undertakes. He is human; he experiences errors in judgement and could have done differently at times. Still, he is brave, courteous, loyal to his oaths—just as we remember him—and devoted to his wife, Rhian. His parentage gives a nod to the Welsh tradition, as does the name of his brother, though his sibling is reminiscent of the character from either telling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So too do we find elements that match our memories of these characters as the author moves us away from the realm of the magical to tell a story as it might have historically occurred. Even Merlin—who appears rarely—hints at the ordinary nature of his gifts. Jokes play the role one might expect them to in wartime, and when coming across them, I found myself actually chuckling aloud in the appreciation of a break from the hostilities. Some comedy is more sophisticated than at other points, but they all fit right into their passages, contextually as well as materially. Plus, they do their job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <i>“A letter!” Gareth, looking obnoxiously awestruck, took back the jug and had a long pull. “You need to stop spending so much time with your letters, and your books and your lords and your…” He trailed off for a moment, struggling to continue the thought. “And whatever, and spend time with the lads. The goodwill you earned for the wine back at Cadubrega won’t last forever. In fact,” Gareth’s voice lowered conspiratorially, “I’ve been hearing many people call you the southern end of a northbound horse.” He nodded seriously, wobbling slightly. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> “Who said that?” Gawain was more puzzled than angry.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> “Well, just me,” Gareth shrugged. “But I say it a lot, so it seems like many people.”</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is in moments such as this that one feels closer to the characters, and in the laughter comes a feeling of pleasure that we got to know them. Gawain’s story has been laid out and now we follow its trail, with rich passages of detail unburdened by excessive description. It is more as if we are within the scene, taking it all in ourselves; it is not merely a case of the narrator feeding us individual or stilted descriptions of what surrounds us—and there is a lot. This may account for the rather lengthy chapters, which ordinarily can wear me down a bit, though in this case I felt almost buoyed as I experienced each chapter, the scenes of which transition from one to the next so smoothly it can be difficult to stop reading. This includes the battle scenes, which, like the others, are written in a reader-friendly style that treats its audience as intelligent participants without overburdening them with less-than-commonly-known period or linguistic detail. The battle scenes, it should be stated, are some of the best in the book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The only quibble I have with this author’s writing style is his wont to use action beats and speech tags interchangeably (e.g. “No, stay mounted,” Gawain waved), which can be slightly jarring for the expectation of words that aren’t there. However, he just about makes up for that with his pleasantly even use of “said” and other tags, such as “quipped,” “interrupted” or “groaned.” I’ve seen a lot of advice in recent years about sticking to mostly “he said/she said,” therefore many authors do. Poage, however, takes the matter into his own hands and succeeds by sprinkling all types around. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I would definitely be remiss if I left out one of the best parts of reading anticipation, something many people frown upon, but almost all people do: judge the cover. At a little over 400 pages, the heft is just the right amount to cheer one at the thought of sitting down with it, and its attractive images, inside and out, lend themselves to a perusal, a flipping through and contemplation of what we are soon to encounter as we take up the book. Each chapter head is illustrated with a simple, though not simplistic, drawing, the style of which reaches out to the ends of the page in actual scale but also breadth of imagination. I found myself, with each, wanting to continue scanning with my eyes, for the image to continue along far after it actually does. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is not so different to how I feel about the book as a whole—it ends when it should, but I’m very pleased to know <i>The Retreat to Avalon </i>is just the first in a trilogy, and there is more to come. Anyone who knows even the basic layout of the Arthurian legends will find this version gripping for a number of reasons, amongst them the ordinary and extraordinary people whose lives contributed to this age as they filled and fought within it on their terms. Sean Poage brings to life for us the stories of people we so often want to read about, but whose voices, for various reasons, are in the margins, like the rest of the pictures we so long to see. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><u>About the Author</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Historical fiction author Sean Poage has had an exciting and varied life as a laborer, soldier, police officer, investigator, computer geek and author. Travelling the world to see history up close is his passion. These days he works in the tech world, writes when he can and spends the rest of the time with his family, which usually means chores and home improvement projects, with occasional time for a motorcycle ride, scuba dive, or a hike in the beautiful Maine outdoors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">About the illustrations, the author adds: "</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The chapter illustrations were done by Luka Cakic, a very talented artist in Montenegro. When most people imagine King Arthur, they picture the later medieval romance versions, with plate armor and stone castles. It can be difficult to visualize an era we know little about, so I wanted to provide some pictures that might help anchor the reader in the time, and give a mental image to moments from the chapters. Luka worked with me through the process and did a fantastic job merging his style with my goals." Check out our author's interview with his illustrator <a href="https://seanpoage.com/2018/05/26/meet-luka-cakic/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have a gander through the rest of Sean Poage's website, <a href="http://seanpoage.com/" target="_blank">seanpoage.com</a>. This June will be the one-year anniversary of <i>The Retreat to Avalon</i>'s release, so there will be a giveaway contest! Visitors who comment on any of his blog posts will be in on the chance to win a signed copy of the book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40);"><b>While you're waiting for June, don't forget to comment here as well, for your chance to win a free copy of <i>The Retreat to Avalon</i> - winner's choice of ebook or hardcopy! Alternatively, readers could comment on our FB page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/398549953570025/2192350204189982/?comment_id=2192372824187720&notif_id=1556082391780049&notif_t=group_comment" target="_blank">here</a>. </b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40);">Look for <i>The Strife of Camlann</i>, Book II in <i>The Arthurian Age</i> series - coming soon! <i>The Retreat to Avalon</i> is available at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Retreat-Avalon-Arthurian-Age-Book-ebook/dp/B07D2BKV6D" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Retreat-Avalon-Arthurian-Age-Book-ebook/dp/B07D2BKV6D/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=the+retreat+to+avalon&qid=1556079587&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>. You can also find the author at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sean.Poage.Author/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanPoage" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18035159.Sean_Poage" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> and <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sean-poage" target="_blank">BookBub</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40);"><i><u>About the Reviewer</u></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d2228;">Lisl has loved Mary Stewart's <i style="caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40);">Merlin Trilogy</i> since childhood and has lost count of how many times she's read the books. She also adores poetry and, once she overcomes the fear of baring her soul, will be ready to publish her own first collection. She is a contributor to <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXDAWCS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#customerReviews" target="_blank">Naming the Goddess</a></i> and her poetry has appeared in <i><a href="http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue634/winter_islands.html" target="_blank">Bewildering Stories</a></i> and <i><a href="http://alaskawomenspeak.org/" target="_blank">Alaska Women Speak</a></i>. She is currently working on a book of short stories, a tale set in 1066 and several essays, and it is her dream to write a ghost </span></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">story on par with the best of the spooky Victorian writers. She can be also be found at her blog, <a href="https://beforethesecondsleep.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Before the Second Sleep</a>. </span></span></div>
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Lislhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05044329953119988030noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-86291038195362144432019-03-13T10:20:00.000+00:002019-03-13T10:20:06.019+00:00For the Crown by Susan Appleyard<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
Today Jen Black reviews <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #444950; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the Crown: Pride and Honour in the Wars of the Roses by Susan Appleyard</span>.</span> <span style="text-align: center;">The author has very kindly offered an e-book as a giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thereviewgroup/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">For those who like their romance medieval and with humour. Robbie, Bastard of Ovedale, is a warden of the East March of Scotland. Chasing Scottish raiders across the border is his life’s work and his love. On one such jaunt, he goes after a youth who has wounded his friend, only to discover that the youth is a girl, Mary Margaret Douglas. His mortification is complete when she renders him immobile by the application of pressure to a sensitive spot. Once he has regained control of the situation, he realises that his best option is to keep the red-haired virago with him until he can ransom her back to her family. The problem is her brothers don’t want her. That’s just one of the problems. Another is that Robbie is beginning to like her, but worst of all is the question of what to do with her now. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Robbie is summoned to war. He has to take the Scottish lass with him, but she is disruptive because she inspires the men to lust, including the despicable Lord Clifton who wants her for himself – at least for a week or two – and will stop at nothing, including murder, to get what he wants. Robbie’s father and his overlord, the Earl of Northumberland, want him to get rid of her, but it’s too late for that. Although he doesn’t know it, Robbie is falling in love.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444950; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">For the Crown: Pride and Honour in the Wars of the Roses by Susan Appleyard is a novel set amidst the turmoil of the Wars of the Roses and the landscape of the Marches between Northumberland and Scotland. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #444950; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">The narrative is rich in detail and atmosphere.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444950;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Robbie shot a glance at broad, homely Jonas. "They think they're safe."</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Easy pickings," Joans said. "Let's get on with it."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They snaked backwards on elbows and knees until they could no longer see, or be seen by, the Scots, and returned to where the rest of the men were waiting, far enough back that their horses' whickering wouldn't expose their presence.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It had been an unusually wet summer and autumn, resulting in roads being washed oout, bridges and mills destroyed by swollen rivers, and streams bursting their banks. Wagons became bogged down; horses nad men slogged through the gluey mud. A prudent traveller tested the depth of a pool that lay across the road before wading into it. In low lying land, teh upper half of farmsteads could be seen in the midst of what appeared to be a lake. Pastures and fields were under sheets of water, so the crops rotted, ad vegetable patches were ruined. Even the harvest of fruit and berries had been poor. It was a disaster England had not experienced in a hundred years and compounded her miseries.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To make matters worse, it promised to be a bitter winter. The journey so far had been accompanied by howling winds and frigid temperatures. The night before, there had been a little snow, just enough to leave a thin layer on the ground, but Robbie could see more snow in the clouds billowing in from the east.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They set off to find a path down the glen that wouldn't risk the legs of their mounts and emerged beside the river sometime later. Making no further move to keep quiet, they spurred their horses over the uneven ground and bore down on the Scots, screaming like demons and waving their weapons in the air."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #444950; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The story opens in 1460 on the Scottish side of the border with England as the English under the leadership of Robbie Ovedale ambush a party of Scots. He suffers at the hands of a young man who turns out to be a young Scots woman named Mary Douglas. Thinking to ransom her back to her family he takes her captive, but once home, discovers the rather inconvenient truth that her brothers do not wish to have her returned.</span></span></span><br />
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Propinquity ensures a romance between these two young people but it is a very slow and steady thing, developing gradually through the novel. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #444950; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The author, I feel, has enriched the story with the detailed history and politics of the time, over which she has a sure grasp, and more than one battle is described in generous detail.</span></span></span><br />
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I confess I chose this novel because of the Northumberland setting, but regretfully found little of the county beyond a few place names. T</span></span></span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #444950; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">here are some typographical errors, none of which spoil the story.</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #444950; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #444950; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">The writing is very good, and many will enjoy the leisurely tale. I give it 4 stars!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #444950; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>About the author: Susan Appleyard</b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> was born in England, which is where she learned to love English history, and now lives in Canada in the summer with my three children and six grandchildren. In winter she and her husband flee the cold for Mexico. Writing will always be her first love followed by, in no particular order, painting, swimming, dancing, and tequila sunrises on the beach.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span></span><br />
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Links: </div>
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Smashwords: <a class="m_4395407592579741723OWAAutoLink" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query%3DSusan%2BAppleyard&source=gmail&ust=1552468711658000&usg=AFQjCNHlaQdhfIbYAZR_9db-u3Qc7D09fg" href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Susan+Appleyard" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.smashwords.com/<wbr></wbr>books/search?query=Susan+<wbr></wbr>Appleyard</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Author page at Amazon: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Appleyard/e/B00UTVMT5Y&source=gmail&ust=1552468711659000&usg=AFQjCNHroIxEXItvQ4CR6U4osIWgdSk8rA" href="http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Appleyard/e/B00UTVMT5Y" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Susan-<wbr></wbr>Appleyard/e/B00UTVMT5Y</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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Blog: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.susanappleyardwriter.wordpress.com&source=gmail&ust=1552468711659000&usg=AFQjCNEbjHp2hcZ1x5FRGA2evDS8Slke5w" href="http://www.susanappleyardwriter.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.susanappleyardwriter.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com</a><br />
Facebook page: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/susan.appleyard.9&source=gmail&ust=1552468711659000&usg=AFQjCNGyf-92-ewPjxFwAts__ej4lXuFdA" href="https://www.facebook.com/susan.appleyard.9" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>susan.appleyard.9</a><br />
Twitter account: <a class="m_4395407592579741723OWAAutoLink" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/Mexisue1&source=gmail&ust=1552468711659000&usg=AFQjCNE55bxw7VDhLG2iffztwiS5P32diQ" href="https://twitter.com/Mexisue1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/Mexisue1</a> </div>
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<b>About the Reviewer: </b><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: small;">Jen Black an ex-academic library manager who lives in the Tyne valley, north east England, with my husband and 6 year-old Dalmatian. She came to writing late, and stay fit (sort of) roaming about Northumberland with her dog. It is a wonderful county for history lovers (and dog walkers!). Everyone knows about the Roman Wall, Vindolanda and all their wonderful Roman finds, but it is equally amazing for castles, bastles, fortified farms and the occasional peel tower. Jen has walked and ridden over a good deal of it. The wall is barely five miles away from her home and she has met people of all nationalities walking there. Jen take lots of pics when out and pops them on her blog. When she write she's not out to enlighten, but to entertain and she's always going to have a happy ending. She may have a few tragedies and deaths along the way, but the ending will always be upbeat.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: black; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">Jen doesn’t play music as she never notices when it stops, so can’t be listening, can she?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">Her blog is at </span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://jenblackauthor.blogspot.com&source=gmail&ust=1547113561720000&usg=AFQjCNEnH4GvEBxV95rgobqnKOHfGfYG9Q" href="http://jenblackauthor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #46116c;">http://jenblackauthor.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">Facebook: </span></b><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/ads/growth/aymt/homepage/panel/redirect/?data%3D%257B%2522ad_account_ids%2522%253A%255B370328681%255D%252C%2522object_ids%2522%253A%255B243023976108109%255D%252C%2522campaign_ids%2522%253A%255B%255D%252C%2522selected_ad_account_id%2522%253A370328681%252C%2522selected_object_id%2522%253A243023976108109%252C%2522selected_time_range%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522is_panel_collapsed%2522%253A0%252C%2522is_advertiser_valid%2522%253A0%252C%2522section%2522%253A%2522Object%2BSection%2522%252C%2522clicked_target%2522%253A%2522Selected%2BObject%2522%257D%26redirect_url%3D%252Fgroups%252F243023976108109%252F%253Fref%253Daymt_homepage_panelhttp://&source=gmail&ust=1547113561720000&usg=AFQjCNFqpT6_xfE0GneXoikcNo3xee8v5g" href="https://www.facebook.com/ads/growth/aymt/homepage/panel/redirect/?data=%7B%22ad_account_ids%22%3A%5B370328681%5D%2C%22object_ids%22%3A%5B243023976108109%5D%2C%22campaign_ids%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22selected_ad_account_id%22%3A370328681%2C%22selected_object_id%22%3A243023976108109%2C%22selected_time_range%22%3A%22%22%2C%22is_panel_collapsed%22%3A0%2C%22is_advertiser_valid%22%3A0%2C%22section%22%3A%22Object+Section%22%2C%22clicked_target%22%3A%22Selected+Object%22%7D&redirect_url=%2Fgroups%2F243023976108109%2F%3Fref%3Daymt_homepage_panelhttp://" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #771100;">Friends of Jen Black </span></b></a><span style="color: #333333;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">and on Twitter: </span></b></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/JenBlackNCL&source=gmail&ust=1547113561721000&usg=AFQjCNGWkJJkAnt6MwBf97bvFr7JnV5jRg" href="https://twitter.com/JenBlackNCL" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "bookman old style", serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank"><span class="m_-3528065783480337086username"><span style="color: #ff9966; text-transform: uppercase;">@</span></span><span class="m_-3528065783480337086u-linkcomplex-target"><span style="color: #ff9966; text-transform: uppercase;">JENBLACKNCL</span></span></a></div>
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05550536682038989629noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-66775583911780526702019-01-09T09:55:00.000+00:002019-01-09T09:55:35.957+00:00Claire Lyons reviews The Gybford Affair by Jen Black<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
Today Claire Lyons reviews <b><i>The Gybford Affair </i></b>by Jen Black. <span style="text-align: center;">The author has very kindly offered an e-book as a giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thereviewgroup/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</span></div>
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Good luck!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SB1u2b4vgA/XDXDvPxfHkI/AAAAAAAAB4M/stcK72xsfacLSdqEH4WpDXxl7X3F_iFoQCLcBGAs/s1600/5147r8kg97L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SB1u2b4vgA/XDXDvPxfHkI/AAAAAAAAB4M/stcK72xsfacLSdqEH4WpDXxl7X3F_iFoQCLcBGAs/s320/5147r8kg97L.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The quiet life of Frances, Lady Rathmere, is disrupted forever the day Jack, 4th Marquess of Streatham, arrives from London and almost rides her down. At the same time a stranger arrives in the locality, makes a play for her young cousin and scandalous letters accusing Frances of an illicit liaison appear in the national press. Is Jack their author? Frances is convinced he is, and has no idea the trouble those letters are going to bring in their wake.</span></blockquote>
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How liberating for a young woman to become a widow in the
Regency era – no more need to marry, a certain financial independence and still
welcome in Society. That is unless you have the sort of fortune that would make
you a target for a despicable forced and violent marriage… <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Gybford Affair has a number of storylines, but the
situation of a young widow is at its core. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced
and exciting historical romance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
was a good balance of drama and everyday life to give a real flavour of the
period. There are plenty of characters to add moments of humour and see variety
of opinions on issues of the day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although I felt quite confident who the main romance would
be between, there is great tension as to ‘how’ these two will ever get
together, and in an unusual twist marriage in itself is not the end or even the
start of their story. I felt a great sense of transformation, especially of the
male lead, during the book, there is a darkness that slowly lifts and it’s a
very positive and happy tale despite moments of great sadness and grief. It was
interesting to see the different ways the difficult topic of maternal care were
discussed and experienced. It is still fascinating to me how the situation of
women has changed over time, and I’m always intrigued to read about women in
history and the lives they led. Although this story is focused on the wealthy
in Society, their money does not prevent great some of the toughest of life’s
hurdles and these are dealt with sensitively. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course there is a rogue who brings deceit, fear and drama
to the story, and he has been created with care and subtlety. His character
creates some of the more tense situations in the book and you can’t always be
sure how they will end. I enjoyed the changes in pace and tension as the
different threads of the story weaved together. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This book would suit those who enjoy historical romance,
it’s a great romp and would be fun to read while travelling as it’s very engaging.
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<b>About the Author:<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"> </span></b><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">I’m an ex-academic library manager who lives in the Tyne valley, north east England, with my husband and 6 year-old Dalmatian. I came to writing late, and stay fit (sort of) roaming about Northumberland with my dog. It is a wonderful county for history lovers (and dog walkers!). Everyone knows about the Roman Wall, Vindolanda and all their wonderful Roman finds, but it is equally amazing for castles, bastles, fortified farms and the occasional peel tower. I’ve walked and ridden over a good deal of it. The wall is barely five miles away from my home and we have met people of all nationalities walking there. I take lots of pics when I’m out and pop them on my blog. When I write I’m not out to enlighten, but to entertain and I think I’m always going to have a happy ending. I may have a few tragedies and deaths along the way, but the ending will always be upbeat.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: black; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">I don’t play music as I never notice when it stops, so I can’t be listening, can I?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">My blog is at </span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://jenblackauthor.blogspot.com&source=gmail&ust=1547113561720000&usg=AFQjCNEnH4GvEBxV95rgobqnKOHfGfYG9Q" href="http://jenblackauthor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #46116c;">http://jenblackauthor.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;">Facebook: </span></b><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/ads/growth/aymt/homepage/panel/redirect/?data%3D%257B%2522ad_account_ids%2522%253A%255B370328681%255D%252C%2522object_ids%2522%253A%255B243023976108109%255D%252C%2522campaign_ids%2522%253A%255B%255D%252C%2522selected_ad_account_id%2522%253A370328681%252C%2522selected_object_id%2522%253A243023976108109%252C%2522selected_time_range%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522is_panel_collapsed%2522%253A0%252C%2522is_advertiser_valid%2522%253A0%252C%2522section%2522%253A%2522Object%2BSection%2522%252C%2522clicked_target%2522%253A%2522Selected%2BObject%2522%257D%26redirect_url%3D%252Fgroups%252F243023976108109%252F%253Fref%253Daymt_homepage_panelhttp://&source=gmail&ust=1547113561720000&usg=AFQjCNFqpT6_xfE0GneXoikcNo3xee8v5g" href="https://www.facebook.com/ads/growth/aymt/homepage/panel/redirect/?data=%7B%22ad_account_ids%22%3A%5B370328681%5D%2C%22object_ids%22%3A%5B243023976108109%5D%2C%22campaign_ids%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22selected_ad_account_id%22%3A370328681%2C%22selected_object_id%22%3A243023976108109%2C%22selected_time_range%22%3A%22%22%2C%22is_panel_collapsed%22%3A0%2C%22is_advertiser_valid%22%3A0%2C%22section%22%3A%22Object+Section%22%2C%22clicked_target%22%3A%22Selected+Object%22%7D&redirect_url=%2Fgroups%2F243023976108109%2F%3Fref%3Daymt_homepage_panelhttp://" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #771100;">Friends of Jen Black </span></b></a><span style="color: #333333;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: 48px;">Claire has run Mrs Average Evaluates for five years now, and still writes a regular book review in a local magazine. Her passion is to share great writing and encourage wide reading for learning, pleasure and escapism. She also runs her own business, has four young children and a dog to keep her busy. You are most welcome to join her friendly FB Group, and she’s always on the lookout for Guest Posts on the website.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05550536682038989629noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-91117482625513488092019-01-01T09:33:00.000+00:002019-01-01T09:33:01.898+00:00The Beaufort Bride by Judith Arnopp<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>THE REVIEW NEW YEAR GIVEAWAY!</b></div>
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Today, in our first review of the year, Paula Lofting reviews <b><i>The Beaufort Bride </i></b>by Judith Arnopp. And as our <b><i>New Year Giveaway, t</i></b><span style="text-align: center;">he author has very kindly offered a paperback copy as a giveaway - but if the winner already has <b><i>The Beaufort Bride</i></b> book, they can choose another of Judith's books as their prize. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thereviewgroup/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">As King Henry VI slips into insanity and the realm of England teeters on the brink of civil war, a child is married to the mad king’s brother. Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, takes his child bride into Wales where she discovers a land of strife and strangers. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">At Caldicot Castle and Lamphey Palace Margaret must put aside childhood, acquire the dignity of a Countess and, despite her tender years, produce Richmond with a son and heir.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">While Edmund battles to restore the king’s peace, Margaret quietly supports his quest; but it is a quest fraught with danger.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">As the friction between York and Lancaster intensifies 14-year-old Margaret, now widowed, turns for protection to her brother-in-law, Jasper Tudor. At his stronghold in Pembroke, two months after her husband’s death, Margaret gives birth to a son whom she names Henry, after her cousin the king. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">Margaret is small of stature but her tiny frame conceals a fierce and loyal heart and a determination that will not falter until her son’s destiny as the king of England is secured.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">The Beaufort Bride traces Margaret’s early years from her nursery days at Bletsoe Castle to the birth of her only son in 1457 at Pembroke Castle. Her story continues in Book Two: The Beaufort Woman.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="text-align: center;">This is the story of a young girl who must become a child
bride, who after losing her husband gives birth to England’s future king.</span></div>
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Margaret Beaufort becomes one of England’s most maligned
noble women in history. Blamed by some as the instigator of the disappearance
of the missing princes, Richard and Edward; branded as a scheming harridan
whose desire for power provokes the war that caused death of Richard III,
Margaret leads a remarkable life that will eventually free her from obscurity
to become one of England’s leading ladies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is hardly possible to imagine at the start of this
engaging story, that this little child bride, who nearly dies in childbirth,
will become one of the most notorious women in history. Her part in the tale of
the Wars of the Roses has often been portrayed negatively, as if the entire
Yorkist downfall was indeed her fault, with some interested 21<sup>st</sup>
century parties even proclaiming that she should have been strangled at birth.
Yes, I have indeed heard this said. Ms Arnopp’s interpretation sets the story
straight and provides us with a more appropriate and likely presentation of
Margaret’s life in three books, with this review solely concentrating on the
first of them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Told in the first person, and in the present tense to add
immediacy to the narrative, we meet a normal girl in a world that was normal to
her. Born into a noble family, with royal blood, Margaret’s bloodline came from
the loins of John of Gaunt and his paramour whom he eventually married, Kathryn
Swynford. Her line was considered illegitimate but eventually they were
legitimised by royal decree allowing them to stand in the queue for the throne.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As this is a story that the author has chosen to write
solely from Margaret’s point of view, we see events of the years unfold as the
child bride would have experienced it. Arnopp does a good job of getting into
the character’s psyche and we feel, breathe and think with her throughout the
story. She does not make Margaret a perfect human, nor is she an evil witch, as
some have referred to her. But the reader is sympathetic to her cause, who
would not be when such things happen to one so young. Her other characters of course
are moulded by how the young Margaret perceives them. Edmund, her first
husband, the man who takes her childhood away, is not portrayed as a brutish
paedophile, but pragmatically tells her that he must forgo the usual custom of
not bedding her until she was considered old enough, because he needs an heir.
He also needed her lands an wealth, which is why one cannot say, “Why didn’t he
just go and marry someone older?”. Margaret was only 12 when given to him in
marriage and this was perfectly acceptable in this era, however custom was
usually more sympathetic to the child bride by dictating that she should not be
brought to the marital bed until considered old enough. Apparently, that Edmund
Tudor did bed her and swiftly got her with child, was even considered unseemly
by his contemporaries.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Arnopp’s Tudor was kind to her, giving her all the comforts
she might require and it is not long before the girl comes to love him, and
then the most devastating thing that could ever happen to a woman takes place.
Edmund is killed and the young girl, barely into her teens now, is devastated
that she has to give birth without her child’s father being able to see him.
These tender scenes are written with such emotion that as the reader, we cannot
imagine what that must be like to have to live with, as today women
experiencing such heart-breaking tragedies but mostly supported both
professionally and by friends and family. Poor Margaret, in her day there was
no perinatal mental health teams or university trained midwifery to ease her
transition from married lady to widow and mother. She was expected to carry on
and would even need to be thinking about a new marriage soon (she was after all
a very wealthy girl). Soon she would also have the one thing that she could
cling to help her through all this wrenched away from her, also. It is a testament to Arnopp’s skills as an
author that she is able to transfer such feeling and emotion to her readers
through Margaret’s words.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Judith’s prose is very well constructed and flows beautifully
and with feeling. Alas as with all books written in the first person, it is
difficult to get glimpses of how Margaret herself may have been perceived by
those around her. Neither are we able to see what was going on in the political
backdrop of Margaret’s world, however we are tantalised by odd snippets that
are filled by characters such as the adorable man at arms, Ned, whom Margaret
becomes very fond of and who is able to drop in and let Margaret know what is
happening is at court and on the fields of battle. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The 15<sup>th</sup> Century world that we step into is very
well drawn, and we learn through Margaret’s skills with herbs and potions and
lotions, how injuries, ills and diseases were dealt with in this world. The
author dripfeeds us with descriptions of what it was like to be a lady looking
after a household in these harsh times which does not halt or obstruct the flow
of the story which makes for a superb read. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The book finishes with Margaret still very young, and it is
heartening to know that her story is not yet over, and we can read the Beaufort
Woman and The King’s Mother which follows on from The Beaufort Bride to learn
more about the life of this amazing lady. I heartily recommend this book.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>About the author: </b></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Batang",serif;">When Judith Arnopp began to write
professionally there was no question as to which genre to choose. A lifelong
history enthusiast and avid reader, Judith holds an honours degree in English
and Creative writing, and a Masters in Medieval Studies, both from the
University of Wales, Lampeter. Judith writes both fiction and non-fiction,
working full-time from her home overlooking Cardigan Bay in Wales where she
crafts novels based in the Medieval and Tudor period. Her main focus is on the
perspective of historical women from all roles of life, prostitutes to queens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang",serif;">Her
novels include: <b><i>The Beaufort Chronicles: the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort</i></b>
(three book series);<b><i> A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York; Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr</i></b>;
<b><i>The
Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn; The Winchester Goose: at the
court of Henry VIII</i></b>; and based in the medieval/Anglo Saxon era, <b><i>The
Song of Heledd</i></b>; <b><i>The Forest Dwellers</i></b>, and <b><i>Peaceweaver</i>.</b>
Her latest book, <b><i>Sisters of Arden</i>,</b> is told from the perspective of a novitiate
nun during the dissolution of the monasteries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang",serif;">Her non-fiction
articles feature in various historical anthologies and magazines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang",serif;">For more
information:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang",serif;">Webpage:
<a href="http://www.judithmarnopp.com/">www.judithmarnopp.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang",serif;">Author page:
<a href="http://author.to/juditharnoppbooks">author.to/juditharnoppbooks</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Batang",serif;">Blog:
http://<a href="http://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.co.uk/">juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.co.uk/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: Batang, serif;"><b>About the Reviewer: </b></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Paula Lofting has always wanted to write since she was a little girl coming home from school to sit at the table with her notebook. A prolific reader, she loved nothing better than to spend weekends with a book in her hand. Earliest influences such as Rosemary Sutcliffe, Leon Garfield, Charles Dickens, C.S.Lewis, inspired an interest in history. It became her lifelong wish to one day write and publish a book, but not being able to type, and having no funds for a typewriter to learn on, this ambition was reluctantly put on hold. With the advent of PC's and a need to retrain and use a computer, this old ambition was stirred and she decided to rekindle her love of writing at the grand old age of 42. At this point, she had reached a turning point in her life and studied nursing, and also decided to write the book she had been promising herself she would one day write. Her début novel, 'Sons of the Wolf' was first published with the assistance of Silverwood Books in 2012. More recently she has republished it with her new publishing company Longship Publsihing. in kindle. It is a story set in the years leading up to the Norman Conquest of England and the first in the Sons of the Wolf series. She has always admired the works of Sharon Penman and Bernard Cornwell, and Mary Stewart, amongst many others. History is a great love of hers and her interest in the subject goes beyond that of the keyboard. She also enjoys Anglo-Saxon re-enactment with Regia Anglorum, also a great source of research for her writing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Links: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paula-Lofting/e/B007IWFIIM" target="_blank">Amazon</a>; <a href="https://paulaloftinghistoricalnovelist.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05550536682038989629noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-13611786304504089622018-12-12T09:17:00.000+00:002018-12-12T09:17:08.300+00:00Carina by Alison Morton - A Review by Linda Fetterly Root<h2 style="text-align: center;">
The Review Christmas Giveaway!</h2>
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Today Linda Fetterly Root reviews <b><i>Carina </i></b>by Alison Morton. For our <b><i>Christmas Giveaway</i></b>, <span style="text-align: center;">The author has very kindly offered a winner's choice - an ebook or paperback copy will be sent to a winner. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thereviewgroup/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</span></div>
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<b>Good luck!</b><br />
<h3>
<b>Carina</b></h3>
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During the hectic holiday season, even the most avid reader rarely finds the time to cuddle up in a comfortable spot with the work of a favorite author without being interrupted by a postal carrier at
the door or the smell of cookies being toasted in the oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there is a solution, and it is called a
novella. The problem, however, is how few of our favorite authors write them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never appreciated why that was so universally true until I read Alison Morton’s seventh book in her <i>Nova Roma</i> series, <i>Carina,</i> and realized the crafting of the novella requires a special skill set which even the best of authors often lack.<br />
<br />
A
good novella taps the ancient talents of a storyteller, without the need of a cumbersome backstory or a cast of thousands. It flows easiest when it draws from the
reader’s world as well as the alternative one created by the author and works
well when its creator has a series with a following. Alison Morton’s offering Carina satisfies on
all counts. Her genius provides the
action and the setting, but the underlying tensions come right out of network
news. Murder, treason and corruption know no boundaries in time or
geography. Thus, the product of Morton’s
ingenuity is a robust action story guaranteed to satisfy committed Roma Nova fans,
yet capable of standing alone. It is
also a stylish teaser for the reader who is not yet addicted to Morton’s
alternative to contemporary Western Europe and North American society, but
willing to take the tour. Visit Ms. Morton’s website for a broader view,
complete with maps and photographs of what Nova Roma might look like,
should<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we choose to visit ( <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://alison-morton.com/books-2/inceptio">https://alison-morton.com/books-2/inceptio</a></span>).</div>
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For the uninitiated, the premises of the Roma Nova series follows:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A remnant of Ancient Roman Civilization has survived and established an enclave in the area of modern Europe we associated with the small principalities whose names are only known to coin collectors and people whose parents came from Luxembourg or Liechtenstein. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its society is structured loosely on Roman principles. While it is a titular matriarchy, it form is similar to a classic oligarchy, governed by aristocratic families who often compete with one another for control. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for those tempted to put Morton’s works aside as another collection of militant feminist chic books, think again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men of Novo Roma are just as formidable and provocative as its women. Alison Morton has avoided retelling Roma Nova’s complex history in her novels, but admits it inhabits her head in great detail. She has created a society as multi-dimensional as Frank Herbert's Dune, complete with its architecture and belief structure. Although Morton's modern protagonist Carina Mitela’s adventure enfolds in a deceptively contemporary New World setting, the hint of the Roma Nova counterculture seduces us from the shadows, We are not the least disappointed to discover Carina must return to Roma Nova to resolve the puzzling aspects of her mission.<br />
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The novella Carina is a compliment to the three books of the
Carina trilogy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The character Carina is
the perfect protagonist for the stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Until shortly before the events in the novella, she was living in the
Eastern United States in autonomous New York City as Karen Brown, but her ties
to her dead mother’s family makes her a target of intrigue. Her grandmother
Aurelia is the most powerful woman in the Roma Nova ruling class, and her American granddaughter is her natural heir. But how Karen Brown becomes Carina Mitela, a
member of the Praetorium Guard and the wife of the powerful special forces commander
Conrad Tellus is the topic of Morton's novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inceptio</i>, but one need not have read it to enjoy the novella.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cM-7nu4c8LE/XA48lFt991I/AAAAAAAAB3E/PNSQL95G2t4T5hZD-jleBaTE2-SPeJ1igCLcBGAs/s1600/New%2BWorld%2Bcityscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1225" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cM-7nu4c8LE/XA48lFt991I/AAAAAAAAB3E/PNSQL95G2t4T5hZD-jleBaTE2-SPeJ1igCLcBGAs/s320/New%2BWorld%2Bcityscape.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cityscape of Toronto - the 'New World" in general.</td></tr>
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The fast-paced novella traces its namesake on her first covert mission as a member of the Praetoriam Guard, an adventure to which she is assigned with the knowledge by her husband. While Conrad Tellus is an indulgent and loving spouse, he is a strict and unyielding disciplinarian when dealing with his troops, and Carina is not spared his wrath when she circumvents his
orders. She had just been released from solitary confinement for disobedience when she is dispatched on what was presented as a routine mission to detain and return a traitor.</div>
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From the mission's onset, Carina has her doubts. There is one possible source of danger known to both Conrad and Carina. The former Karen Brown’s departure from the New World was not without repercussions. There is still a warrant for her arrest on the books of the Eastern United States. But as long as she follows Conrad’s instructions and stays away from the EUS, her superiors assure her that she and her partner Flavius should be home in a snap, with quarry in tow. Although only twenty-four-years-old and newest of the Guard, Carina is no one’s fool. This is not her first brush with the dangers inherent in being a Mitelus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the beginning, the circumstances of the mission to capture and return a woman who has fled Roma Nova for Quebec, is too secretive for her taste. Not even Conrad will tell her what the fugitive has done. ‘Need to know,’ he scolds. She wonders if the so-called routine assignment might be a means of sidelining her, as further punishment for her past insubordination, but her familiarity with the area in the Republic of Quebec which she had visited as a child makes her the ideal person for the mission. She knows how to blend in, what food to order and where to shop. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She remembers crossing into Canada at Niagara Falls, because her father thought it offered the better view, which is exactly what my father told me when we visited the Falls when I was ten years old.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The house in Montreal where Carina was based</td></tr>
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However, the forces at work against Carina both in the New World and at home have other plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Carina's own nature and the machinations of her enemies on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean make the clandestine mission a high risk operation for Carina and her allies. And, in addition to the factions determined to defeat her, in </span>her Karen Brown persona, she has left behind an embittered female law enforcement agent obsessed with bringing her down. Alison Morton has a special way of creating especially hateful bad guys, a talent which makes the reader more of a participant than a bystander.<br />
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Morton’s characters are artfully drawn, many of them driven
by the same motives we see in the daily headlines of the Guardian and the
Washington Post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> I love the way Carina can utter an authentic ancient Roman oath, and follow it with an exuberant,' F--- off.' Treachery abounds, and
not always coming from the predicted camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even the mission itself is not what it seems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
When Carina finally returns to Roma Nova, a
whole new set of intrigues surface. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this stage of the story, we are treated to a new glimpse of Aurelia, the head of the Mitelus Family, and we realize why she is so formidable. For the new visitor Roma Nova, the few scenes hosted by Aurelia should send them searching for Ms. Morton's second box set. While Carina is a very modern story, set in
modern times, after she returns to Roma Nova at the conclusion of her mission, old family rivalries,long-held grudges, political maneuverings and betrayals surface, and we
find ourselves checking our calendars for the Ides of March. </div>
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The plot of the novella is a gem, the action is believable, the
dialog is crisp, and the conclusion of the story does not leave the reader dangling
on the edge of a cliff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does,
however, promise more adventures to come. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Morton includes a sample of the novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Incepti</i>o to make certain new members of
her audience can visit Carina in her role of Karen Brown. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have read Carina twice now and enjoyed it on
both excursions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>am ordering paperback copies for stocking-stuffers and one for my special book shelf. Reviewing Carina has been a pleasure.<br />
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Linda Fetterly Root<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><b>About the reviewer: </b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Linda Root is the author of <b>The First Marie and the Queen of Scots</b>, <b>The Last Knight and the Queen of Scots</b>, and four books in <b>The Legacy of the Queen of Scots</b> series. The fifth, Deliverance of the Lamb, is coming in early 2016. She lives in the Southern California high desert community of Yucca Valley with her husband Chris and two giant <span style="font-family: inherit;">woolly</span> Alaskan Malamutes, Maxx and Maya. She is a retired major crimes prosecutor, a member of the Marie Stuart Society, and of the California State Bar and the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Linda Root's</span> books can be found <span style="font-family: inherit;">on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Legacy+of+the+Queen+of+Scots+by+Linda+Root&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3AThe+Legacy+of+the+Queen+of+Scots+by+Linda+Root." target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<b>About the author:</b> Alison Morton writes the acclaimed Roma Nova thriller series featuring
modern Praetorian heroines. She blends her deep love of Roman history with six
years’ military service and a life of reading crime, adventure and thriller fiction.<br />
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All
six Roma Nova full-length novels have been awarded the BRAG Medallion.
SUCCESSIO, AURELIA and INSURRECTIO were selected as Historical Novel Society’s
Indie Editor’s Choices. AURELIA was a
finalist in the 2016 HNS Indie Award. SUCCESSIO was selected as an Editor’s
Choice in <i>The Bookseller</i>. CARINA is a
novella set between INCEPTIO and PERFIDITAS.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A ‘Roman
nut’ since age 11, Alison has misspent decades clambering over Roman sites
throughout Europe. She holds an MA History, blogs about Romans and writing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now she
continues to write, cultivates a Roman herb garden and drinks wine in France
with her husband.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Social media links</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Connect with
Alison on her Roma Nova site: <a href="http://alison-morton.com/">http://alison-morton.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Facebook author
page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AlisonMortonAuthor">https://www.facebook.com/AlisonMortonAuthor</a>
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Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/alison_morton">https://twitter.com/alison_morton</a>
@alison_morton<o:p></o:p></div>
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Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5783095.Alison_Morton">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5783095.Alison_Morton</a><br />
Alison’s Amazon page: <span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://author.to/AlisonMortonAmazon">http://Author.to/AlisonMortonAmazon</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>Buying links</b> <b>for CARINA</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Amazon: <a href="http://mybook.to/CARINA">http://myBook.to/CARINA</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Kobo: <a href="https://www.kobo.com/fr/en/ebook/carina-7">https://www.kobo.com/fr/en/ebook/carina-7</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/book/carina/id1308402176">https://itunes.apple.com/book/carina/id1308402176</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Barnes & Noble NOOK: </span><span style="font-family: "Cambria Math",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/carina-alison-morton/1127527969?ean=2940158978593">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/carina-alison-morton/1127527969?ean=2940158978593</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>What’s CARINA about?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Carina Mitela is still a young inexperienced
officer in the Praetorian Guard Special Forces. Disgraced and smarting from a
period in the cells for a disciplinary offence, she is sent out of everybody's
way on a seemingly straightforward mission overseas. <o:p></o:p></div>
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All she and her comrade-in-arms, Flavius, have to
do is bring back a traitor from the Republic of Quebec. Under no circumstances
will she risk entering the Eastern United States where she is still wanted
under her old name Karen Brown. But when she and Flavius discover a
conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of Roma Nova, what price is
personal danger against fulfilling the mission?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Set in the time after INCEPTIO but before
PERFIDITAS in the Roma Nova series, this thriller novella reveals hidden parts
of Carina's early life in Roma Nova. And North America isn't quite the
continent we know in our timeline...<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Linda Fetterly Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05679025414115279660noreply@blogger.com5E6024 Belgium Ridge Rd, Viroqua, WI 54665, USA43.53610919620732 -90.96580368141553717.16962269620732 -132.27440018141553 69.902595696207328 -49.657207181415536tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-60857898396655295402018-11-14T09:06:00.000+00:002018-12-10T10:11:19.255+00:00<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
Today Jacqueline Reiter reviews <b><i>The Path to Somerset </i></b>by Janet Wertman. <span style="text-align: center;">The author has very kindly offered a giveaway - US residents may choose between a paperback or an ebook while an ebook will be sent to a winner from anywhere else in the world. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thereviewgroup/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</span></div>
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Good luck!<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After the tragic romance of Jane the Quene,
the second book in The Seymour Saga trilogy, The Path to Somerset, takes a dark
turn through an era in which King Henry VIII descends into cynicism, suspicion
and fits of madness – and in which mistakes mean death.<br /> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
Edward Seymour’s future is uncertain. Although his sister Jane bore Henry the
son he’d sought for twenty years, when she died in childbirth, Henry’s good
nature died with her. Now the fiercely ambitious Edward must carve a difficult
path through Henry’s shifting principles and wives. Challenged at every turn by
his nemesis, Bishop Stephen Gardiner, Edward must embrace ruthlessness in order
to safeguard not only his own future but England’s as well.<br /> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
This is the account of Henry’s tumultuous reign, as seen through the eyes of
two opponents whose fierce disagreements over religion and common decency fuel
epic struggles for the soul of the nation. And for power.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Death,
and the fear of death, runs through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Path to Somerset</i> like a black vein. The main character Edward Seymour, Earl
of Hertford, is painfully conscious that he owes his prominence at Henry VIII’s
court to his sister, Jane, who died giving the King an heir. The novel opens
with Edward attending an execution at the Tower of London; he reflects how
easily he could be next, for all he is currently in favour: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Edward felt a shattering rush of life as the
axe rose, glinting in the light, then a sudden void when the weapon struck with
a dull thud. He hid his flinch by scratching at an itch in his beard, trimmed
to match the King’s.</i>” Right from the start, Edward’s desire to hold onto
the King’s goodwill governs every moment of his existence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Edward
knows his life depends on keeping in the King’s good books – and the spate of
executions that follows the opening scene only drives in the point. There are four
high-profile deaths in the first half of the book alone. In one particularly
grim scene, a victim lays their head on a block still dripping with blood from
an execution that took place only moments previously. Edward’s ambition,
therefore – which grows steadily as the book follows him on his “path” to
becoming the Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector under Edward VI – is strongly
conditioned by his desire to keep his head firmly on his shoulders. His
enemies, particularly the Duke of Norfolk and Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of
Winchester, have the same aim. The novel depicts their deadly battle of wits to
remain in favour, to gain power and (above all) to survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Every
character is skilfully depicted, and a tremendous amount of research on the political
and religious background of the last years of Henry VIII’s life must have gone
into this book. Above it all stands the character of the King himself, the
charm of his youth long gone and replaced by the terror and awe he inspires in
all who surround him, which Henry seems to have grown to confuse with love and
respect. Wertman ably depicts him as an aging tyrant who plays mind-games with
his courtiers, and who is quite literally rotting on his throne (the stench
from the ulcers on his leg is a running theme). In a more figurative sense,
this rot has travelled to the core of Henry’s court, and qualities such as
loyalty and trust are in very short supply: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It was an effective strategy at court, to place people in your debt.
Proclaim your own friendship before asking for evidence of theirs.</i>” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
will happen when Henry dies, therefore, dominates the decisions Edward and his
enemies make. Unsurprisingly, very few of the characters are in any way
sympathetic, and Edward himself (particularly in his emotional reliance on his
wife, Anne, who spurs him on in his ambition) reminded me a little bit of
Shakespeare’s Macbeth. If you’re looking for an easy read with likeable
characters and maybe even a love story, this is certainly not the book for you.
But if you are after a tense, grisly and highly realistic depiction of the
manoeuvrings heralding the power void after the death of Henry VIII, then this
book is a must read. It certainly kept me turning the pages and I highly
recommend it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>About the Author</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By day, Janet Ambrosi Wertman is a freelance grantwriter for impactful nonprofits. By night she blogs and writes historical fiction, indulging a passion for the Tudor era she has harbored since she was eight years old and her parents let her stay up late to watch The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R. Janet lives in Los Angeles with her husband and dog, and is happy to be within driving distance of her three grown children. Find out more about Janet – and the Tudors – at her website, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://janetwertman.com&source=gmail&ust=1542099632946000&usg=AFQjCNFPOOi-jwD_VmItU1zYJmWZY7JPFQ" href="https://janetwertman.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://janetwertman.com</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Social shares:<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Blog – <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://janetwertman.com&source=gmail&ust=1542099632946000&usg=AFQjCNFPOOi-jwD_VmItU1zYJmWZY7JPFQ" href="https://janetwertman.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://janetwertman.com</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Facebook - <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/janetwertmanauthor/&source=gmail&ust=1542099632946000&usg=AFQjCNHFgW80Xx_HiEjJ8vNMYg8iDAJHwQ" href="https://www.facebook.com/janetwertmanauthor/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>janetwertmanauthor/</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Twitter - @JaneTheQuene (that’s where all the Tudor stuff goes - she also tweets herself under @JanetWertman)<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Goodreads - <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2028387.Janet_Ambrosi_Wertman&source=gmail&ust=1542099632946000&usg=AFQjCNGkbCGbZTqwEGb21_d-s0godVoY5A" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2028387.Janet_Ambrosi_Wertman" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/<wbr></wbr>author/show/2028387.Janet_<wbr></wbr>Ambrosi_Wertman</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Buy links!!<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Amazon US: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DB2X813/&source=gmail&ust=1542099632946000&usg=AFQjCNHYlhYEZCYMk8FvmNGpfwU64gXFYQ" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DB2X813/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/<wbr></wbr>product/B07DB2X813/</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Amazon UK: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Path-Somerset-Seymour-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B07DB2X813/&source=gmail&ust=1542099632946000&usg=AFQjCNFIZCE1eMMYwFY7dbE8-w6fvAI-Ww" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Path-Somerset-Seymour-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B07DB2X813/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Path-<wbr></wbr>Somerset-Seymour-Saga-Book-<wbr></wbr>ebook/dp/B07DB2X813/</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Amazon AU: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com.au/Path-Somerset-Janet-Wertman/dp/0997133848/&source=gmail&ust=1542099632946000&usg=AFQjCNEmF-AZgrMR7MATYQYoqy48VDPl8w" href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Path-Somerset-Janet-Wertman/dp/0997133848/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com.au/<wbr></wbr>Path-Somerset-Janet-Wertman/<wbr></wbr>dp/0997133848/</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Amazon CA: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.ca/Path-Somerset-Seymour-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B07DB2X813/&source=gmail&ust=1542099632946000&usg=AFQjCNHN9iWNs7uzIy8X2cPKuFcTIMkf_g" href="https://www.amazon.ca/Path-Somerset-Seymour-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B07DB2X813/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.ca/Path-<wbr></wbr>Somerset-Seymour-Saga-Book-<wbr></wbr>ebook/dp/B07DB2X813/</a></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">About
the reviewer<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jacqueline
Reiter has a PhD in late 18th century history from the University of Cambridge.
She is the author of <span class="MsoHyperlink"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://mybook.to/thelatelord">The Late Lord: the life of John
Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham</a></i></span> (Pen and Sword, 2017) and a novel, <span class="MsoHyperlink"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://mybook.to/earlofshadows">Earl of Shadows</a></i></span> (Endeavour
Press, 2017). She has written for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">History
Today </i>and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Journal of the Society
for Army Historical Research</i>, and is co-writing a chapter for the forthcoming
Cambridge History of the Napoleonic Wars. She lives in Cambridge with her
husband and two children. You can find out more about her research and writing
through <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://thelatelord.com/">her blog</a></span>,
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/latelordchatham/">Facebook</a></span>
or <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://twitter.com/latelordchatham">Twitter</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-58644618181058764742018-10-31T08:56:00.000+00:002018-10-31T08:56:09.521+00:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Today Mercedes Rochelle reviews <b><i>Queen of Martyrs: The Story of Mary I </i></b>by Samantha Wilcoxson. <span style="text-align: center;">The author has very kindly offered a signed paperback copy as a giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.</span></div>
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Good luck!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XvGj1YoQIyo/W9GKSyj90pI/AAAAAAAAAUU/mXEmJK6ESJwvMB02YLTK5-IqLMgCE7f3QCLcBGAs/s1600/514%252BMf4HaWL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XvGj1YoQIyo/W9GKSyj90pI/AAAAAAAAAUU/mXEmJK6ESJwvMB02YLTK5-IqLMgCE7f3QCLcBGAs/s320/514%252BMf4HaWL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">'God save the Queen! God save our good Queen Mary!'</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When these words rang out over England, Mary Tudor thought her troubles were over. She could put her painful past - the loss of her mother and mistreatment at the hands of her father - behind her.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">With her accession to the throne, Mary set out to restore Catholicism in England and find the love of a husband that she had long desired. But the tragedies in Mary's life were far from over. How did a gentle, pious woman become known as 'Bloody Mary'?</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US">Forever condemned by her appellation
“Bloody Mary”, Henry VIII’s eldest daughter always seems to get short shrift
when talking about the Tudor world. Samantha Wilcoxson has tried to make up for
this in her novel with the curious title “<b><i>Queen of Martyrs</i></b>”. Is she a martyr
herself, or is she lording it over other martyrs, so to speak? It’s hard to
say. Mary certainly seemed to feel like she was never quite loved enough, never
quite strong enough or healthy enough or wise enough. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">She was constantly on the
verge of a migrane which would condemn her to bed for a number of days. After
her glorious entry into London, Mary was stunned that her popularity diminished
so quickly—though even she seemed to understand that her unfortunate choice of
husbands had something to do with it. But, true to her Tudor heritage, she was
determined to have her way regardless of the consequences. That went for
religion as well, though it was difficult for me to determine just what
percentage of the population welcomed a return to the old faith. Never mind; it
didn't matter. She knew best. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was expecting more details about Mary's
antipathy for her sister. In this novel, although the subject was broached,
Elizabeth's dire situation didn't get all that much attention. Her release from
the Tower was almost an afterthought. How much danger was Elizabeth in? Did she
meet Philip while she was incarcerated? Since this book wasn't about Elizabeth,
we'll have to go elsewhere to get an answer. The main concern here was Mary's
unhappy marriage, her poor health, and her dependence on her cousin Reginald
Pole—a bad influence, as far as I can see! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I almost felt sorry for Mary’s
misfortunes until she decided to overcompensate by burning more and more
heretics when her policy fell short. It’s hard to justify those actions to a
modern reader, and I would assume it wasn’t any easier to justify it to her
contemporaries. No matter how hard she tried, she just didn't seem able to
redeem herself. It was a sad story about a sad princess who didn't seem to learn
from her mistakes. Maybe she was a martyr after all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>About the Author: </b></span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Samantha Wilcoxson is an American writer with British roots. When she is not reading or travelling, she enjoys spending time at the lake with her husband and three teenagers. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Plantagenet Embers series debuted with 'Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen: The Story of Elizabeth of York'. It has been selected as an Editors' Choice by the Historical Novel Society and long-listed for the 2016 HNS Indie Award. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">'Faithful Traitor: The Story of Margaret Pole' is the second novel in the trilogy, continuing the story of the Plantagenet remnant in Tudor times. This novel has received 5-stars from Readers' Favorite and a Discovering Diamond award. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The final installment in Plantagenet Embers, 'Queen of Martyrs', features Queen Mary I and her story of the counter-reformation in England. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Some of the secondary characters of the Plantagenet Embers series are explored in novellas, including 'The Last Lancastrian' featuring Margaret Beaufort and 'Once a Queen' which focuses on the final decade of Elizabeth Woodville's life.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Links: <a href="http://mybook.to/queenofmartyrs" target="_blank">Amazon</a>; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PlantagenetEmbers/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>; <a href="https://twitter.com/carpe_librum" target="_blank">Twitter</a>; <a href="https://samanthawilcoxson.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>About the Reviewer: </b></span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Born and raised in St. Louis MO, Mercedes Rochelle graduated with a BA in Literature from University of Missouri. She learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored with historical fiction ever since. A move to New York to do research and two careers ensued, but writing fiction remains her primary vocation. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.She is the author of <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Last Great Saxon Earls</i> trilogy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Links: <a href="http://www.mercedesrochelle.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>; <a href="http://www.historicalbritainblog.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a>; <a href="http://www.mercedesrochelle.net/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mercedes-Rochelle/e/B001KMG5P6/" target="_blank">Amazon page</a>.</span></div>
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Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-66404700968744120712018-10-24T08:30:00.000+01:002018-10-25T10:22:54.992+01:00A Suggestion of Scandal by Catherine Kullmann <br />
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Today Claire Lyons reviews <i style="font-weight: bold;">A Suggestion of Scandal </i>by Catherine Kullman. <span style="text-align: center;">The author has very kindly offered a paperback copy as a giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.</span></div>
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Good luck!<span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ip2LJFGPJlc/W7YESYNw3FI/AAAAAAAAAUE/JvhZjcHQMtkTxsuZFhpUYA8gvykSXq_YACLcBGAs/s1600/51izdfXGrdL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ip2LJFGPJlc/W7YESYNw3FI/AAAAAAAAAUE/JvhZjcHQMtkTxsuZFhpUYA8gvykSXq_YACLcBGAs/s320/51izdfXGrdL.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">If only he could find a lady who was tall enough to meet his eyes, intelligent enough not to bore him and who had that certain something that meant he could imagine spending the rest of his life with her.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As Sir Julian Loring returns to his father’s home, he never dreams that that lady could be Rosa Fancourt, his half-sister Chloe’s governess. Rosa is no longer the gawky girl fresh from a Bath academy whom he first met ten years ago. Today, she intrigues him. But just as they begin to draw closer, she disappears—in very dubious circumstances. Julian cannot bring himself to believe the worst of Rosa, but if she is blameless the truth could be even more shocking, with far-reaching repercussions for his own family, especially Chloe.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Later, driven by her concern for Chloe, Rosa accepts an invitation to spend some weeks at Castle Swanmere, home of Julian’s maternal grandfather. The widowed Meg Overton has also been invited and she is determined not to let the extremely eligible Julian slip through her fingers again.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When a ghost from Rosa’s past returns to haunt her, and Meg discredits Rosa publicly, Julian must decide where his loyalties lie.</span></blockquote>
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A respectable governess finds herself in the centre of an
outrageous scandal – what is a woman to do when her involvement could lead to
the ruin of herself and those she cares for? This Regency fiction is a
beautifully written romance with so much more going on than you expect… <o:p></o:p></div>
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I truly enjoyed this wonderfully crafted and deliciously
devious book – so many characters all with a past and with a plan for their
futures. The Regency period is explored with great care, through the confines
of the story, but still giving lots of food for thought to the reader about the
situation of women both in terms of financial security and social position. I
loved the large number of strong and interesting female characters, spanning
different generations and social standing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Descriptions of the clothing, buildings, interiors and
furniture as well as travel and even hair styles give a very evocative and
visual experience for the reader. The book is largely set in two wealthy family
estates, but there are many glimpses of other aspects of the period that you
really can imagine and therefore feel the atmosphere. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is a gentle humour and the subtle romance emerging all
the way through the trials and tribulations of the scandal itself, with a few
unexpected twists and turns to keep your attention. I liked being challenged
during the unfolding story – not all the characters are as simple as it first
appears and the ease with which I dubbed their behaviour as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ was
turned on its head as more of their personal story is revealed. Some characters
are very complex and as their personal situations and choices are revealed the
reader gains a wider understanding of how the rigidity of society in the
Regency period was in fact a surface image, and the way many people actually
lived their lives was in stark contrast to these public expectations. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There are a lot of side characters in the book, and they
give the story and the period setting a deeper richness, allowing us to see how
people entertained themselves, the living conditions, social expectations and
politics. The writing has a certain formality which works well with the subject
matter and feels very like an authentic work from the period – until the sex
scene of course! I can imagine that there more stories to come from this motley
crew… I have questions about several of the women and how they will fare in the
Regency period and would like to find out what happens to them – will they find
financial security or even real love? <o:p></o:p></div>
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A Suggestion of Scandal would suit people who enjoy
historical fiction and romance, also those with an interest in the changing
role of women. It is a well-researched and intelligent book, inspired by a real
event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we read it in the Virtual
Book Club, two members had never read a Regency Romance before and both are now
happy converts! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>About the Author</b>:<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Catherine Kullmann was born and educated in Dublin.
Following a three-year courtship conducted mostly by letter, she moved to
Germany where she lived for twenty-six years before returning to Ireland. She
and her husband of over forty years have three adult sons and two
grandchildren. Catherine has worked in the Irish and New Zealand public services
and in the private sector.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After taking early retirement
Catherine was finally able to fulfil her life-long ambition to write fiction. Her
debut novel, <i>The Murmur of Masks</i>,
published in 2016, is a warm and engaging story of a young woman’s struggle to
survive and find love in an era of violence and uncertainty. It takes us from
the ballrooms of the Regency to the battlefield of Waterloo.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In<i>
Perception & Illusion, </i>published in March 2017, Lallie Grey, cast out
by her father for refusing the suitor of his choice, accepts Hugo Tamrisk’s
proposal, confident that he loves her as she loves him. But Hugo’s past throws
long shadows as does his recent liaison with Sabina Albright. All too soon,
Lallie must question Hugo’s reasons for marriage and wonder what he really
wants of his bride. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In her new
book, <i>A Suggestion of Scandal</i>,</span><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
governess Rosa Fancourt finds her life and future suddenly at risk when she
surprises two lovers <i>in flagrante delicto</i>,.
Even if she escapes captivity, the mere suggestion of scandal is enough to ruin
a lady in her situation. In Sir Julian Loring she finds an unexpected champion
but will he stand by her to the end?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You can find out more about Catherine
at her website <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.catherinekullmann.com/" target="_blank">www.catherinekullmann.com/</a></span>
where, in her <i>Scrap Album</i>, she blogs
about historical facts and trivia relating to the Regency or on her Facebook
page <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://fb.me/catherinekullmannauthor" target="_blank">fb.me/catherinekullmannauthor</a> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Catherine’s books are available worldwide from Amazon
as e-books and paperback. Amazon links include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Amazon.com: <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://goo.gl/J3hRIf">https://goo.gl/J3hRIf</a></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Amazon UK: <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://amzn.to/2n9Ljxi" target="_blank">http://amzn.to/2n9Ljxi</a></span>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: 48px;">Claire has run Mrs Average Evaluates for five years now, and still writes a regular book review in a local magazine. Her passion is to share great writing and encourage wide reading for learning, pleasure and escapism. She also runs her own business, has four young children and a dog to keep her busy. You are most welcome to join her friendly FB Group, and she’s always on the lookout for Guest Posts on the website.</span></div>
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<br />Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-36191704624609542372018-10-17T08:30:00.000+01:002018-10-17T08:30:01.087+01:00By the Gate by Jeanette Taylor Ford<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
Today Kate Braithwaite reviews the second book in the <b><i>River View</i></b> series,<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"> <span style="color: #212121; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><i>By the Gate</i></b></span> </span>by Jeanette Taylor Ford. The author has very kindly offered a paperback as a giveaway to a winner in the UK or an ebook to a winner elsewhere in the world To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.<br />
Good luck!</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jc3EaS9Q8OQ/W7IhIIj_PDI/AAAAAAAAATk/GKUrLc_rjVktKiZqUeWGsueoHvxBQ9RGACLcBGAs/s1600/51lnWHgHyZL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jc3EaS9Q8OQ/W7IhIIj_PDI/AAAAAAAAATk/GKUrLc_rjVktKiZqUeWGsueoHvxBQ9RGACLcBGAs/s320/51lnWHgHyZL.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When farmer Elwyn Price discovers a long-buried skeleton in the field he hires from Lucy Baxter, it sends DI Cooke and DS Grant on a seventy year old murder investigation. The two detectives follow leads in various parts of the country, gradually unravelling a dark mystery. But how will their discoveries affect Lucy Baxter’s family and other residents of the village of Sutton-on-Wye?</span></span></span><br />
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<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "times new roman";">In By the Gate by Jeanette Taylor Ford, the idyllic English village of Sutton-on-Wye are shocked at the discovery of a skeleton in a local farmer’s field. When crime scene investigators confirm that it is the body of a young woman, strangled seventy years ago, a search for missing persons from the time period turns up a series of unsolved murders.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "times new roman";">Thanks to some elderly people with remarkable memories, DI Cooke and DS Grant are gradually able to find the truth about a wartime serial killer and secrets that have been kept by two friends for seventy decades.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "times new roman";">By the Gate is the second in the River View series of mystery novels based in and around Sutton-on-Wye. Characters from the first book, Aunt Bea’s Legacy, make a welcome return, and although By the Gate works perfectly well as a stand alone read, the appealing characters will have readers who missed the first book keen to pick it up and find out more about Lucy Baxter’s arrival in Sutton-on-Wye.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #212121; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "times new roman";">The characters and locations are great strengths here. The book certainly has a cosy mystery feel, particularly as the likeable detective duo Cooke and Grant travel around the country, interviewing witnesses and enjoying a great deal of tea, cake and hearty pub food. A hint of romance for Grant is a welcome addition to the story. Ford also does an impressive job of bringing older characters to life in her fiction. Sam Williams, for example, has just lost his wife of fifty years, but was also, long ago, the boyfriend of the girl whose body is found in the field. He’s a very strong and sympathetic character. Anyone looking for a murder mystery with a good plot and an escapist read in a gentle, bucolic English setting, would be well-served to pick up a copy of By the Gate.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">About the Author:</b></span><b style="color: black; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0px;"> </b><span style="color: black; font-size: small; text-indent: 36pt;">Jeanette Taylor Ford is a retired Teaching Assistant. She grew up in Cromer, Norfolk and moved to Hereford with her parents when she was seventeen. An undiagnosed Coeliac, Jeanette was a delicate child and missed a great deal of schooling, but she had a natural ability to write good stories, even at the tender age of nine or ten. When young her ambition was to be a journalist but life took her in another direction and her life’s work has been with children – firstly as a nursery assistant in a children’s home, and later in education. In between she raised her own six children and she now has seven grandchildren (soon to be eight!), a beautiful great-granddaughter and a mischievous great grandson.</span><br />
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Jeanette took up writing again in 2010; egged on by a Facebook friend. To date, she has published eight novels for adults, a fantasy for children and a little book of short stories and poems. Aunt Bea’s Legacy is the seventh book and the first of a series.</div>
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<o:p></o:p><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">Music has always played a big part in Jeanette’s life; she plays the piano and has conducted church choirs over many years and taught choir at her local school for a couple of years. Currently, she is a member of a local ladies’ choir. She also embroiders, teaches people how to do Family History and does card crafting.</span></div>
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She lives with her husband Tony, a retired headmaster, and two cats, in Derbyshire with a Nottinghamshire postcode, England. (I never know whether to tell folks I live in Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can find Jeanette on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Jeanette-Taylor-Ford-My-Words-My-Way-699235100160365/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, her books are available from <a href="http://amzn.to/2so4h7y" target="_blank">Amazon</a> in the UK and US.</div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>About the Reviewer: </b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">Kate Braithwaite was born and grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her first novel, Charlatan, was longlisted for the Mslexia New Novel Award and the Historical Novel Society Award. The Road to Newgate was released by Crooked Cat in 2018. Kate lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children. </span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">To <a href="http://mybook.to/theroadtonewgate" target="_blank">buy the book</a>.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">Social Media Links: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KateBraithwaiteAuthor/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>; <a href="https://twitter.com/KMBraithwaite" target="_blank">Twitter</a>; <a href="http://www.kate-braithwaite.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>.</span></span>Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-66018870803549656202018-10-10T08:30:00.000+01:002018-10-10T08:30:00.775+01:00The Dangerous Friends Trilogy by Jennifer Young<div style="margin: 0px;">
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Today Claire Lyons reviews <b><i>The Dangerous Friends Series</i></b> by Jennifer Young. The author has very kindly offered ebooks of all 3 books of the trilogy as a giveaway to one very lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.</div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">When Bronte O'Hara finds an injured man in her kitchen in the run-up to an international political summit in Edinburgh, a world she thought she'd left behind catches up with her. But once the man has made his escape, the police seem less interested in finding out where he went and how he came to be there than they are in Bronte's past - more specifically, her ex-boyfriend, Eden Mayhew. Eden's an anarchist, up to his neck in any trouble around - and he's missing. The police are keen to find him, certain that he'll come back. Who can she trust - and what has Eden's disappearance got to do with the handsome stranger?</span></blockquote>
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There are currently three books set in modern day Edinburgh,
following the lives of Bronte O’Hara and Marcus Fleming… and it’s complicated!</div>
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Bronte is a wonderful character, and I immediately liked her
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I suspect she’s a bit like my younger
self</i>. Working in a large bank doesn’t sit very well with her values or her
private life – to add to her woes she comes home to find a man unconscious on
her kitchen floor… and so begins a rip roaring tale of deceit, passion, environmental
activism, spies and even romance! It’s a very compelling and fast paced story
with twists and turns at every corner. I was a little daunted at reading all
three, but once I started I just had to know what happened next and read them
all back to back. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Each book would stand alone, but I recommend reading them
together if possible as the love story needs the slow build of understanding
and affection, of two people learning to accept their differences and making
sense of their inexplicable need to save each other. To get the deeper emotions
and to see more clearly why they behave the way they do in the later books, it
would help to have started at the beginning. It also makes finally meeting some
of the family members a real treat as you will have heard about them in
snippets in the earlier books. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The supporting cast of characters are just as well defined
and polished as Bronte and Marcus – they each play an important role in the
first and subsequent books (even the dead have an influence). I enjoyed the
intensity of the story and the modern topics that Jennifer tackles with
sensitivity and care. Despite being challenging subject matter the books aren’t
overly graphic or gratuitous and I liked being allowed to imagine my own scenes
in addition to what we are told, rather than being spoon fed every word. Jennifer
manages to contain issues within the stories without making sweeping judgements
or giving ‘lectures’ to the reader, there is a healthy dialogue throughout all
the books highlighting different ideas and opinions which allows the reader to
come to their own conclusions. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One aspect I particularly enjoyed was having an independent
and flawed female lead, there is a good mix of both men and women being ‘saved’
in various ways and there are several strong female characters which made a
refreshing change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although not a coming
of age book, I did recognise the changes that Bronte goes through as an
undercurrent to the stories, as she battles with a complicated series of events
in her life and has to decide what she wants, and then fight for that. Getting
to know her is a pleasant thread throughout the stories and I really hope there
are more to come!<o:p></o:p></div>
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This series would suit people who like a crime novel, and
edgy romance rather than sex scenes. The writing is crisp and fresh, and the
Scottish setting is very evocative. They tackle modern policing methods,
activism, international politics, the slave trade, environmental issues and the
aftermath of violence. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>About the Author: </b><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Jennifer Young is an Edinburgh-based author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Her books are rich in a sense of place -- visit Majorca for a romantic adventure, Italy for some new adult romance, or Edinburgh for dark deeds and romance in Scotland's capital. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Her Dangerous Friends series focuses on the adventures of former political activist Bronte and her policeman boyfriend, their romance at odds with their very different outlooks on life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">You can follow Jennifer on <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/jenniferyoungauthor&source=gmail&ust=1538565746986000&usg=AFQjCNH5syhhwip7oqCTrFiY-rCz_WmxHQ" href="https://www.facebook.com/jenniferyoungauthor" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/JYnovelist&source=gmail&ust=1538565746986000&usg=AFQjCNGl7L9Rl8HohNDxt8GM9CjScAxZ3g" href="https://twitter.com/JYnovelist" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, or via her <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://jenniferyoungauthor.co.uk/&source=gmail&ust=1538565746986000&usg=AFQjCNH1McZ9EqxX5FZsYCXm9YOePUAwvA" href="http://jenniferyoungauthor.co.uk/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">website</a> and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://jenniferyoungauthor.blogspot.com/&source=gmail&ust=1538565746986000&usg=AFQjCNFA5K1reVuDCmrl-LmsYTsUKu4WbA" href="http://jenniferyoungauthor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">blog</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blank-Space-Dangerous-Friends-Book-ebook/dp/B01MFBLIY3&source=gmail&ust=1538565746986000&usg=AFQjCNFQpQYsCkTv1QMDyTUR6GOZ_HIfGQ" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blank-Space-Dangerous-Friends-Book-ebook/dp/B01MFBLIY3" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Blank Space</a>, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06Y3HWBGW&source=gmail&ust=1538565746986000&usg=AFQjCNGjyuvCRvmL6lTAHq-I_X7cCrl6Tw" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06Y3HWBGW" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">After Eden</a> and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0784RRQK8&source=gmail&ust=1538565746986000&usg=AFQjCNEQPYoXN7xMW2z2RXEIW7bGVOvrSA" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0784RRQK8" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Storm Child</a> are all available from Amazon and on Kindle Unlimited.</span></div>
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<b>About the Reviewer:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Claire has run Mrs Average Evaluates for five years now, and still writes a regular book review in a local magazine. Her passion is to share great writing and encourage wide reading for learning, pleasure and escapism. She also runs her own business, has four young children and a dog to keep her busy. You are most welcome to join her friendly FB Group, and she’s always on the lookout for Guest Posts on the website.</span></div>
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<br />Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-30283507864671054572018-10-03T08:30:00.000+01:002018-10-04T13:14:11.202+01:00Aunt Bea's Legacy by Jeanette Taylor Ford<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
Today Claire Lyons reviews <b><i>Aunt Bea's Legacy</i></b> by Jeanette Taylor Ford. The author has very kindly offered a paperback giveaway to a winner in the UK or an ebook to winner elsewhere in the world. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.</div>
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Good luck!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Lucy’s Aunt Bea leaves her lovely old house to her niece under the condition she lives in it for a year. A suggestion that her aunt died in suspicious circumstances leads Lucy to move in to try to find out what happened, despite her fiancé Jim, who doesn’t want to live in the country. Lucy soon falls in love with the house and the village and enjoys taking over her aunt’s business, ‘Aunt Bea’s Pantry’. Into the mix comes Kenny Baxter, Lucy’s neighbour, who she is increasingly drawn to. But is the house haunted, or is someone trying to frighten her? Lucy becomes unsettled and unsure and begins to doubt even the man she is falling in love with – could Kenny be behind the mysterious happenings, and why?</span><br />
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So Aunt Bea has died unexpectedly and left her niece an old
house and business, but they are not where Lucy currently lives – and there are
some unusual terms to her Will… Set in modern day Britain, Aunt Bea’s Legacy is
a wonderful, rich story about family, relationships and following your hunches.
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I so enjoyed this book, it really has a bit of everything,
there is more than one romance a lot of drama and it gets pretty spooky too. I
enjoyed the slow and deliberate building of tension, as on the surface it feels
like an ordinary romance… and then the spooky bits start and the characters
develop and it becomes something much more unexpected. Did Aunt Bea die of
natural causes? Or are Lucy and the local police right to be suspicious… It all
seems so out of character, and then Lucy starts to read some disturbing notes
left by Aunt Bea, was she being followed or spied on? <o:p></o:p></div>
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At the same time as grieving and reminiscing over a loved
relative, Lucy has to manage a long distance relationship and the crystallising
idea that he may not be the man for her, but who can she trust to talk to in
this new village where someone may have hurt a lovely old lady?<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are quite a few characters in the book, and this is
the first in a series (Jeanette is on Book 3 already!) so I’m hoping to meet
some of those on the ‘edges’ as I suspect they all have stories to tell. The
main characters are carefully created and more of their past and idiosyncrasies
are revealed throughout the book. As each one is introduced they all bring
something to the story, and are well described and believable, you could draw a
map of the village from the clear imagery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course the house is the central character of the book, and although I
still don’t understand why they slept in separate bedrooms, it has a real
presence and influence on Lucy and how she feels about her life and her future.
As someone who has strong reactions to buildings, I could understand that
feeling – that you’re where you should be. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is a good mix of humour and a few more eccentric
people that add colour, preventing the book becoming scary or too serious. Even
the periphery characters are well described enough that you can easily imagine
them, I particularly liked the policeman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Throughout the whole book you are rooting for Lucy, she is easily
likeable and empathetic. The story has many threads that are well woven
together and it reaches a satisfying conclusion. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This book would suit people who like romance with a bit more
going on and fans of a cosy mystery, and there is no gore or too much sex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s also good if you like to get to know a
fictional area and its people - I do now feel connected to the village, and
there is something going on with that field I want to know more about… <o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>About the Author: </b><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">Jeanette Taylor Ford is a
retired Teaching Assistant. She grew up in Cromer, Norfolk and moved to
Hereford with her parents when she was seventeen. An undiagnosed Coeliac,
Jeanette was a delicate child and missed a great deal of schooling, but she had
a natural ability to write good stories, even at the tender age of nine or ten.
When young her ambition was to be a journalist but life took her in another
direction and her life’s work has been with children – firstly as a nursery
assistant in a children’s home, and later in education. In between she raised
her own six children and she now has seven grandchildren (soon to be eight!), a
beautiful great-granddaughter and a mischievous great grandson.</span><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jeanette took up writing again
in 2010; egged on by a Facebook friend. To date, she has published eight novels
for adults, a fantasy for children and a little book of short stories and
poems. Aunt Bea’s Legacy is the seventh book and the first of a series.</div>
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<o:p></o:p><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">Music has always played a big
part in Jeanette’s life; she plays the piano and has conducted church choirs
over many years and taught choir at her local school for a couple of years.
Currently, she is a member of a local ladies’ choir. She also embroiders,
teaches people how to do Family History and does card crafting.</span></div>
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She lives with her husband
Tony, a retired headmaster, and two cats, in Derbyshire with a Nottinghamshire
postcode, England. (I never know whether to tell folks I live in Derbyshire or
Nottinghamshire!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can find Jeanette on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Jeanette-Taylor-Ford-My-Words-My-Way-699235100160365/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, her books are available from <a href="http://amzn.to/2so4h7y" target="_blank">Amazon</a> in the UK and US.<br />
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<b style="text-indent: 36pt;">About the Reviewer</b><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Claire has run Mrs Average Evaluates for five years now, and still writes a regular book review in a local magazine. Her passion is to share great writing and encourage wide reading for learning, pleasure and escapism. She also runs her own business, has four young children and a dog to keep her busy. You are most welcome to join her friendly FB Group, and she’s always on the lookout for Guest Posts on the website.</span><br />
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Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-49925363697272038142018-09-26T08:30:00.000+01:002018-09-26T08:30:04.517+01:00The Lady of the Tower by Elizabeth St John<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
Today Paul Bennett reviews<span> </span><b><i>The Lady of the Tower</i></b><span> </span>by Elizabeth St John. The author has very kindly offered a paperback copy of the book PLUS 2 e-book special novellas as a giveaway to one very lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.</div>
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Good luck!</div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Orphaned Lucy St.John, described as "the most beautiful of all," defies English society by carving her own path through the decadent Stuart court. In 1609, the early days of the rule of James I are a time of glittering pageantry and cutthroat ambition, when the most dangerous thing one can do is fall in love . . . or make an enemy of Frances Howard, the reigning court beauty.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Lucy catches the eye of the Earl of Suffolk, but her envious sister Barbara is determined to ruin her happiness. Exiling herself from the court, Lucy has to find her own path through life, becoming mistress of the Tower of London. Riding the coattails of the king’s favorite, the Duke of Buckingham, the fortunes of the St.Johns rise to dizzying heights. But with great wealth comes betrayal, leaving Lucy to fight for her survival—and her honor—in a world of deceit and debauchery.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Elizabeth St.John tells this dramatic story of love, betrayal, family bonds and loyalty through the eyes of her ancestor Lucy and her family’s surviving diaries, letters and court papers.</span></span></blockquote>
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. A fascinating
tale of the period when England said goodbye to the Tudors and hello to the
Stuarts. The protagonist, Lucy, grows up in a household where she is treated
with contempt by her guardian and by her scheming sister Barbara. In a time
when women had very little say in their futures and where the intricate,
backstabbing antics of the Royal Court, Lucy struggles to survive.
Married to an important member of the King's retinue of courtiers, she finds
herself living in the infamous Tower of London, the wife of the Tower
Gaoler.<br />
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<span lang="EN-US">The author paints a vivid picture of life in the early 17th
century. I was drawn in by the descriptive, and indeed the educative nature
that arises from the pages. Lucy, a woman, dares to formulate and even more
daring, lets her opinions known. It was indeed a world dominated by men of
noble birth, not very unlike the world we live in now (substitute rich for
noble). In Lucy's words, "I so tire of these court behaviors, where the men
who rule think only of their own affairs and not of those of the citizens of
this land." Words that I utter every day. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">I chose to read this book not knowing much of the period,
at least not from the perspective of the court of King James and his son
Charles. I now know a lot more, and if there is one thing I love to do is to
learn history. If I can do that and be entertained along the way, then so much
the better. The author has done those things while at the same time preparing
the way for a sequel. After all of the pain, anguish, fear, and even the joys
of her life, Lucy emerges as one of the more interesting characters I have come
across in my historical-fiction reading. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">5 stars<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>About the author:</b></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #111111;">Elizabeth St.John spends her time between California, England, and the past. A best-selling author, historican and genealogist, she has tracked down family papers and residences from Nottingham Castle, Lydiard Park, and Castle Fonmon to the Tower of London. Although the family sold a few fortresses and stately homes along the way (it's hard to keep a good castle going these days), Elizabeth's family still occupy them - in the form of portraits, memoirs, and gardens that carry their imprint. And the occasional ghost. But that's a different story...</span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><br />
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<div style="color: #222222;">
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: inherit;">Follow her on Twitter @ElizStJohn</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: inherit;">Facebook: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethJStJohn/?ref%3Dsettings&source=gmail&ust=1537956041176000&usg=AFQjCNFHAoHGlbVTDBGSXVHFxbQGhrGsXg" href="https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethJStJohn/?ref=settings" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Elizabeth J StJohn</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/&source=gmail&ust=1537956041176000&usg=AFQjCNEoBjHja4QXW1mJsuhSy9Bx7iSn6A" href="http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">elizabethjstjohn.com</a></span></div>
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<b>About the reviewer: Paul Bennett</b><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Let me begin this intro-bio by revealing that I love to be up in the wee hours of the morning. Coffee is best at that time of day which also coincides nicely with the inspiring actions of my Muse.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">My interest in things ancient had been kindled earlier by movies such as Ben Hur and Spartacus (flawed and incorrect as it is). My buddy Harry and I would use rolled up newspapers as swords as we fought against the evil Roman legions. A slightly more educated spark came from my reading of Heinrich Schliemann’s excavation of Troy. This curiosity was ratcheted up a few notches when I started classes at Wayne State University. Professor Milton Covensky was instrumental in making me a history nut with his teaching style and through his book Ancient Near East Traditions. Of course being less than proficient in math and the sciences also helped me decide what to major in. Thusly I became a Classical Civilization major and even learned (but long since forgot) ancient Greek. My favorite assignment/memory was from a class on life in ancient Greece and Rome. For the final exam I had to write an essay on the Watergate scandal from three perspectives and style; Herodotus, Thucydides and my own. It was certainly the most fun I ever experienced in a final exam. J However; I did not complete my degree as I was overtaken by the need to live a little. So, I quit school and my job and took a year and a half sabbatical from anything practical. The next 18 months were spent in frivolous activities such as traveling to California a couple times and smoking a lot of weed. Sometimes the two coincided, for example, when driving past Whittier, CA my buddies and I thought it would be cool to find Richard Nixon’s house and smoke a doobie in front of it and it would have been except for the fact that he lived practically next door to the Marine base at Camp Pendleton. We were rather surprised to see a marine guard station on the road ahead of us; fortunately we had time to do a U-turn before meeting up with the Semper Fi guys with guns.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Once I re-entered the practical world I found that historical fiction filled the vacuum left after quitting school. Authors like Mary Renault (The King Must Die; etc.) and Mary Stewart (her Merlin/Arthur trilogy) fanned the flames of curiosity but it wasn’t until after I married and raised a family that this love affair really took off. Nowadays I am inundated with books and authors that feed my need for things ancient. Colleen McCullough’s series on the fall of The Roman Republic for example sent me on a search for more works of this sort and boy have I ever found them. So many authors, so many books, call to me these days that I have had to create a spreadsheet to keep track.</span></div>
<br />Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-7267039711789714822018-09-19T08:30:00.000+01:002018-09-19T09:00:39.061+01:00Triumph of a Tsar by Tamar Anolic<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Today Renny de Groot reviews the alternative history novel, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Triumph of a Tsar</i> by Tamar Anolic.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We have a wonderful giveaway of paperback copy of the book as prize. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To enter, simply leave a comment below or on our facebook page. Good luck!</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Triumph of a Tsar is a work of
alternate historical fiction in which the Russian Revolution of 1917 is
averted, and the hemophiliac Alexei, son of Tsar Nicholas II, comes to the
throne. In August, 1920, sixteen-year-old Alexei is enjoying his birthday celebrations
when Nicholas dies suddenly. Overnight, Alexei becomes tsar of an empire that
covers one-sixth of the world’s landmass.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thank you to the
author Tamar Anolic for a complimentary copy of this novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s been a while
since I read a story of Russia, although those I have read stay with me in a
way so many books don’t. The detailed psychological and philosophical
explorations one can expect tend to set Russian novels in a category of their
own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With this novel, <u>Triumph
of a Tsar</u>, the author takes us on a journey in the traditional style of the
great Russian novelists. The sweeping portrayal of Russian aristocracy woven
with true historic events evokes a strong sense of place and time to the point
where we forget that this is alternative historical fiction. Anolic has created
a world peopled by characters that are believable in their behaviours and
actions. The protagonist, Alexei is thrust into a role before he is ready, and
yet he steps up to assume the mantle of responsibility in a way that we can see
and feel. Despite those who would see him fail, he learns and grows. We, the
reader, find ourselves concerned about his concerns; his health, his enemies,
his family and most of all the survival of his country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As in any good
book, we need to feel connected to the story and characters, and Tamar Anolic
has successfully given us that connection as we consider Alexei taking great
risks while he attempts to do what he feels is right amid contradictory
priorities and advice. Who amongst us has not gone against the guidance of
others to forge our own path? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The author uses
dialogue to great effect in moving the story forward. We hear from the
characters themselves how they are coping with the unfolding dramatic events.
As WWII threatens Russia, Alexei calls his family together: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: large;">“During a
pause in the food service, after the borscht and pickled fish had been cleared,
Alexei called the table to order. “Thank you for coming,” he said. “I know
you’re all busy with the war effort, and I want to thank you all for everything
you’ve done. Having the imperial family visibly involved has made a large
difference, both in morale, and in our fighting strength.”</span><br /> </span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He took a
deep breath. “I’ve asked you all here on something of a more personal note. The
Germans have already invaded Russia’s frontiers, and they’ve set their eyes
upon both of our capitals- first Moscow, and now St. Petersburg. I fear that as
members of the Imperial family, we will become the Germans’ targets- not only
our persons but our palaces as well.”<br /> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You think
the Germans would bomb our palaces?” Ioann asked. “They’re our homes!”</span><br /> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">“That’s precisely the point,” Alexei
said. “Besides, our palaces are huge buildings that make for easy targets for
the Luftwaffe.”</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is a well
researched piece of writing. The story flows and while it offers an alternative
to what really happened, it still provides enough history to leave the reader
satisfied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Congratulations
to Tamar Anolic on creating a fascinating book. I give it four stars and
recommend it to anyone who is interested in something a little bit different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Triumph of a Tsar by Tamar Anolic is available from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Triumph-Tsar-Tamar-Anolic-ebook/dp/B078XRLPJ7/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> in the UK</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">About the Author<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Triumph
of a Tsar” is Tamar’s second novel. She has a history of writing about the
Romanovs. Her first book, the nonfiction biography entitled “The Russian
Riddle,” was the first biography of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. In
addition, one of her short stories focuses on Grand Duke Konstantin
Konstantinovich and his sons: “Rumors of War,” published in The Copperfield
Review in May, 2017. Tamar’s first novel, “The Last Battle,” was published in
2017.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Links: <a href="http://www.tamaranolic.com/" target="_blank">website</a>; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Tsar-Tamar-Anolic/dp/1981325514/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536925375&sr=1-1&keywords=triumph+of+a+tsar" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">About the reviewer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://rennydegroot.com/" target="_blank">Renny deGroot</a> is
a first generation Canadian of Dutch parents. Her debut novel, <i><a href="https://thereview2014.blogspot.com/2018/03/elizabeth-st-john-reviews-family.html" target="_blank">Family Business</a></i>, was shortlisted for the
Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. Her second
novel, <i>After Paris,</i> has also been
well received, with the current interest in all things WW1. Renny has a BA in English Literature from
Trent University. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Renny lives in
rural Ontario with her elderly Chocolate lab, Great Pyrenees and young Golden
Retriever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You can find Renny's books on Amazon in <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_5?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=renny+degroot&sprefix=undefined%2Caps%2C182" target="_blank">Canada</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Renny-deGroot/e/B00J6WD2IA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1468159824&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank">the US</a>.</span></div>
<br />Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-9752737627203768022018-08-22T09:30:00.000+01:002018-08-22T09:30:08.368+01:00The Road to Newgate by Kate Braithwaite<div style="text-align: center;">
Today Elizabeth St John <span style="text-align: center;"> reviews <b><i>The Road to Newgate</i></b></span><span style="text-align: center;"> by Kate Braithwaite. And there's a giveaway! The author has kindly offered a paperback copy of this wonderful book as a prize. To be in with a chance of winning, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page. </span></div>
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Good luck!</div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Titus Oates, an unknown preacher, creates panic with wild stories of a Catholic uprising against Charles II. The murder of a prominent Protestant magistrate appears to confirm that the Popish Plot is real.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Only Nathaniel Thompson, writer and Licenser of the Presses, instinctively doubts Oates’s revelations. Even his young wife, Anne, is not so sure. And neither know that their friend William Smith has personal history with Titus Oates.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When Nathaniel takes a public stand, questioning the plot and Oates’s integrity, the consequences threaten them all.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US">The Road to Newgate is overflowing with raucous
Londoners and a cacophony of sounds, sights and smells that steals away our
breath and drops us into the cesspool of 17<sup>th</sup> century city life. And
in the extraordinarily talented hands of Kate Braithwaite, we travel eagerly
along the road, joining the jostling crowd and immersing ourselves in the story
unfolding before us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Meticulously researched and beautifully
written, the cadence and rhythm of The Road to Newgate introduces us to
extracts from historical accounts woven with language and scenes from Ms.
Braithwaite’s vivid imagination. And, when these mingle to form an
unforgettable backdrop to the engaging plot, the effect is memorable. The
shouts of the crowd in a bear-baiting pit (such detail—down to the gates for
the dogs to enter) give way to the most sinister sound of all: that of chains
on a stone floor in Newgate prison. In her end note, Ms. Braithwaite takes
great care to explain which is fiction and which are true characters and
accounts. Such is her skill, that as readers we put complete trust in her
decisions as to which blend of each makes great historical fiction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Told alternately by Nat and Anne, a young
married couple and the protagonists of the novel, we see London through the
eyes of a Licenser of printed materials and his independent-minded printer
wife. Early in the story their own relationship is challenged, and when Titus
Oates, the villain of the piece arrives on the scene, the tension is mirrored
in encounters with him, and is ratcheted to almost unbearable levels. When the
true extent of the Popish Plot is revealed, we stand hopeless to help Nat and
Anne. And through triumph and tragedy, gain and loss, we walk side-by-side with
them as if they were friends just a letter’s reach away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">With fascinating accounts of Westminster
trials and Old Bailey hearings, Newgate visitations and Bartholomew Fair
outings, The Road to Newgate is an unforgettable journey through late 17<sup>th</sup>
Century London culture. The bitter lessons of crowd-thinking, charismatic
perjurers and a climate of fear echo through the centuries, and make us realize
that little has changed in human nature between them and us. And that’s the
heart of Ms. Braithwaite’s beautifully crafted novel—a study in all the
complexities of humanity, against a dazzling backdrop of a fearful age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">An excellent historical fiction novel that
will stay with me for a long time. Five stars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>About the author:</b></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">Kate Braithwaite was born and grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her first novel, Charlatan, was longlisted for the Mslexia New Novel Award and the Historical Novel Society Award. The Road to Newgate was released by Crooked Cat in 2018. Kate lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children. </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">To <a href="http://mybook.to/theroadtonewgate" target="_blank">buy the book</a>.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">Social Media Links: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KateBraithwaiteAuthor/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>; <a href="https://twitter.com/KMBraithwaite" target="_blank">Twitter</a>; <a href="http://www.kate-braithwaite.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>About the reviewer: </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><b style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Elizabeth St.John</b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">was brought up in England and lives in California. To inform her writing, she has tracked down family papers and residences from Nottingham Castle, Lydiard Park, and Castle Fonmon to the Tower of London. Although the family sold a few castles and country homes along the way (it's hard to keep a good castle going these days), Elizabeth's family still occupy them - in the form of portraits, memoirs, and gardens that carry their imprint. And the occasional ghost. But that's a different story...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" />
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Elizabeth's Historical Fiction series "The Lydiard Chronicles" follows the fortunes of the 17th Century St.John family through royal favor and civil war. Her latest novel, <span style="color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">By Love Divided, continues the story of Lucy St.John, The Lady of the Tower. This powerfully emotional novel tells of England's great divide, and the heart-wrenching choices one family faces.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Links: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/AmazonElizStJohn" target="_blank">Amazon</a>; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethJStJohn/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>; <a href="https://twitter.com/ElizStJohn" target="_blank">Twitter</a>; <a href="http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<br />Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-63212159251887325832018-06-20T08:07:00.000+01:002018-06-20T10:09:37.519+01:00The Lesson<div style="text-align: center;">
Today Elizabeth St John reviews <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Lesson</i>, a book of poetry by Bobbie Coelho. And there's a giveaway! The author has kindly offered 2 copies as a prize. To be in with a chance of winning, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page. </div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">I have always been interested in poetry, so when I was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2002 I turned to poetry to make sense of what was happening.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Following on from <em>Finding the Light</em> and <em>Reflecting the Light</em>, I feel I still have something to say. In this collection I've touched on a mixture of themes, some shocking, others light-hearted, and all personal to me. For example, one poem is based on the tragic events of Aberfan in 1966, while another was inspired by my sister’s wedding anniversary.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">I hope you find something within <em>The Lesson</em> that resonates with you too.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bobby Coehlo’s Anthology, The Lesson, is an
exquisite collection of prose and poetry that speaks of the passage of time and
all the ways we measure and capture memories and moments. Within each
beautifully wrought piece of writing runs a common theme; time is insubstantial,
life is fleeting, and that to be conscious of the precious moments – a wedding
day, a granddaughter’s daisy chain – is to capture the essence of life itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Although no one likes to be reminded of
inevitability of death, Ms Coehlo does so in a simple, direct and sometimes
funny way, and her captivating choice of subjects evokes memories of love and
loss shared by all. At the same, she is not afraid to confront death full on,
and some of her more wrenching poems – a tribute to the Aberfan disaster, a musing
on the battlefields of Ypres, cut to the quick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Poetry is an opportunity to share memories,
feelings and philosophies across multiple points of view, and in my opinion, Ms
Coehlo’s work is an important reminder that all of us are on the same road to a
common ending. She just expresses it better than most. Aptly named “The
Lesson”, this anthology is one to be kept close at hand to read over and over.
A memorable collection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">About the author: </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: center;">Bobbie Coelho </span><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; text-align: center;">was born near Norwich
and now lives in Hampshire with her husband
She has two stepsons and two granddaughters. She has always enjoyed
poetry, but after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2002, she was
particularly compelled to write as a way of putting things into perspective.
Bobbie ahs written two other anthologies: Finding the Light and Reflecting the
Light: she is a is a great fan of Forces Poetry (flowforall.org), and has had
work published in two of their anthologies, </span><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "ajensonpro-ltit" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Voices
of the Poppies </span></i><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; text-align: center;">and </span><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "ajensonpro-ltit" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Poems
of the Poppies.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "ajensonpro-lt" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">“My wish is that when people read this book, it will make them
think a little more and reflect on their journey and realise how luck we are to
have the sun on our backs.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Links: <a href="https://bobbiecoelhopoet.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>;</span><span style="font-size: 16.6667px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: , serif;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lesson-Bobbie-Coelho/dp/1781327262/" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">About the reviewer: </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><b style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Elizabeth St.John</b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">was brought up in England and lives in California. To inform her writing, she has tracked down family papers and residences from Nottingham Castle, Lydiard Park, and Castle Fonmon to the Tower of London. Although the family sold a few castles and country homes along the way (it's hard to keep a good castle going these days), Elizabeth's family still occupy them - in the form of portraits, memoirs, and gardens that carry their imprint. And the occasional ghost. But that's a different story...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-size: 14px;">Elizabeth's Historical Fiction series "The Lydiard Chronicles" follows the fortunes of the 17th Century St.John family through royal favor and civil war. Her latest novel, <span style="color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">By Love Divided, continues the story of Lucy St.John, The Lady of the Tower. This powerfully emotional novel tells of England's great divide, and the heart-wrenching choices one family faces.</span></span></span></div>
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Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-52291207478638372722018-06-13T08:30:00.000+01:002018-06-17T19:55:01.439+01:00King Billy and the Royal Road<div style="text-align: center;">
Today James Holdstock reviews the children's book <i style="font-weight: bold;">King Billy and the Royal Road</i> by RC Ajuonuma. And there's a giveaway! The author has kindly offered paperback copy as a prize. To be in with a chance of winning, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page. </div>
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Good luck!</div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Billy lives like a prince with his mum, eating all the feasts and treats a boy could want. He doesn’t know much about people and places because she never lets him out. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">One day, he wakes up peckish and sneaks off for a snack. But what begins as a trip to town becomes a search for a new friend and the start of a magical journey…</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">King Billy and the Royal Road is a children's book written entirely in rhyme by RC Ajuonuma and illustrated by Beverley Young.<br /><br />The whole book is one long poem and appeared to be a very dream like journey for Billy.<br /><br />A Trumpet blew loud,<br />Like a call from a cloud,<br />And Billy awoke with a start.<br /><br />The book describes everything in rhyme and starts with Billy waking up, although reading on, it is surreal and imaginative enough to be a dream.<br /><br />The themes of the book seemed very deep. To me (an adult) it read as a moral tale that explored emotions such as fear, loss, and childhood.<br /><br />There is a constant theme of Billy's hunger and his quest to satisfy it. Along the way he is encouraged but also tricked! I felt at first that Billy was a little arrogant but quickly that turned to naive and I almost then felt sorry for Billy as one does watching a child learn life lessons. They are hard but must be learnt. The book juxtaposes light frolicking language and playful characters with a deep sombre overtone.<br /><br />I felt some of the book was about making choices and that they can be tough and also affect outcomes, for good and bad.<br /><br />There were a couple of times I had to re-read some of the sections to keep up with the wonderful language. A child reader would possibly have to be relatively advanced but could really get a lot out of this book and it's approach. I thinks it's a great example of poetry with the subject matter appealing to adolescents.<br /><br />You are guided through the whole book with lovely pictures by Beverley Young that almost act as way markers and do give some light relief from what might be a rewarding but intense reading experience for kids.<br /><br />In a world where rhymes are often reserved for nursery, it's nice to see an older children's book that plays so much with expressive language. </span></div>
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<b>About the author: </b><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">RC Ajuonuma enjoys dreaming up stories and writing them down. He also likes theatre and</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">football, but not necessarily in that order. He lives in London with his family.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Links: <a href="http://mybook.to/KingBillyRoyalRoad" target="_blank">Amazon</a>; <a href="http://king%20billy%20and%20the%20royal%20road/" target="_blank">Publisher</a>; <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/King%20Billy%20and%20the%20Royal%20Road%20:%20R.%20C.%20Ajuonuma%20:%209781781327043" target="_blank">Book Depository</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Social Media: <a href="http://www.rcajuonuma.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>; <a href="http://ajuonuma_rc/" target="_blank">Twitter</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/KingBillyBook/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>; Instagram - rcajuonuma; <a href="http://king%20billy%20and%20the%20royal%20road/" target="_blank">Good Reads</a>.</span></div>
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<b>About the reviewer</b>: <span style="background-color: #bde3aa; color: #1d3711; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">James Holdstock is a People Performance Analyst in London. However, he loves nothing more than pretending to be a medieval knight whether it be visiting castles, playing roleplay games or dressing up! He has always had a passion for history especially medieval England. His aim in writing 'To Murder a King', apart from being very enjoyable, was to inspire younger readers to learn about history and get them reading historical fiction since it's a great way to absorb facts and immerse yourself in our glorious past.</span><br />
<span class="null" style="background-color: #bde3aa; color: #1d3711; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1532852088" style="color: #386622; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span><br />
<span class="null" style="background-color: #bde3aa; color: #1d3711; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JPHoldstock/" style="color: #386622; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span>Sharon Bennett Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041403536250826439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-59325498566630011202018-06-06T11:29:00.000+01:002018-06-06T11:29:42.373+01:00IN A GILDED CAGE by SUSAN APPLEYARD : a REVIEW BY LINDA ROOT<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coronation photo by Emil Raberding., Creative Commons</td></tr>
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I first met Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, in the pages of Susan Appleyard's biographical novel, In a Gilded Cage, when the novel was among the semi-final entries in the M.m. Bennetts Award competition in 2016. The three board members on the panel of readers had committed to read each of the more than forty entries, an ambitious project which did not allow time for a critical analysis of each and every book. There were few biographical historical novels in the running The three that come to mind in addition to Gilded Cage are Janet Wertman's <i>Jane the Quene,</i> Grace Tiffany's <i>Gunpowder Percy, </i>and Mark Beauregard's, <i>The Whale ~A Love Story</i>. I am a historical novelist writing in Tudor and Stuart Britain, so I was well within my comfort zone reading the novels featuring Jane Seymour and Thomas Percy. Nor was I a stranger to Melville and his association with Nathaniel Hawthorne. whose masterworks I read in high school. Of the protagonists involved, I was the least familiar with Elisabeth of Austria, best known to late nineteenth century history buffs as Sisi, whom I vaguely recollected as the subject of a series of German language films starring a very youthful Romy Schneider, which were re-released about ten years ago with subtitles I found tedious and put aside. Until I encountered Susan Appleyard's fine book, while I remembered Sisi as a legendary beauty, I was totally unaware of the role she played in shaping late Nineteenth Century European history. Thanks to Ms. Appleyard's gift for breathing life into her characters, I feel as if I know Sisi well.<br />
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The complete story of Empress Elisabeth is much longer than the portion featured in Susan Appleyard's novel, and in retrospect, I suspect I know the reason: I experienced a single event in my own professional life when I said to myself 'if my life were to end here and now, I would die knowing I had achieved the goal I sought.' Likewise, if there was a single moment in Sisi's life when she might have shared the sentiment, it was when she stood beside her sometimes autocratic but loving husband Emperor Franz Josef, with her intimate friend and confidante Count Gyula Andrassy nearby, and was proclaimed Queen of Hungary, the country she so deeply loved. The ceremony culminated in a diplomatic bloodless coup joining Austria and Hungary in a union increasing Hungary's status in the Empire, and it had been engineered by the Empress and Andrassy. In a brave display of artistic sensitivity, Ms. Appleyard chooses to end her novel there. The rest of it, the sadness, the tragedy of Mayerling, the scandals, deaths and the assassination, can be found in Wikipedia and in the videos and movies. No honest telling of Elisabeth of Austria's life story would be a happy one, but Gilded Cage ends on a triumphant note, and in that sense, it is unique.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hungarian Coronation with Andrassiy doffing his cap, from news clipping</td></tr>
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SOME THOUGHTS ON THE CHALLENGES OF HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHICAL NOVELS:<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MTHJ4gnt18Y/Ww7l7xTs92I/AAAAAAAANrs/k1rRYee-HwMAPG2boEdmS7eCFKn_9FFRQCLcBGAs/s1600/Empress_Elisabeth_of_Austria_Sept._2006_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1026" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MTHJ4gnt18Y/Ww7l7xTs92I/AAAAAAAANrs/k1rRYee-HwMAPG2boEdmS7eCFKn_9FFRQCLcBGAs/s320/Empress_Elisabeth_of_Austria_Sept._2006_001.jpg" width="205" /></a>There are limitations in dealing with biographical novels that makes them difficult to review. Spoilers are unavoidable. We all know Anne Boleyn died on Tower Green, likely hoping for a reprieve that did not come. Whoever may have fired the fatal shot, JFK did not survive the bullet. It is easier to deal with relatively obscure historical characters who lived long ago, because little in the way of a written record survives. Such is not the case in dealing with a character like Elizabeth Tudor, who was sovereign of an especially literate society for the day, and a mistress of the written word. For her, obscurity was not an option. The same is true when it comes to Elisabeth, Empress of Bavaria and Queen of Hungary. She was thought to be the most beautiful woman in the world at a time when photography was in vogue. She considered chronological age an enemy and did not sit for any portrait after she reached thirty, but she could not evade the cameras. She leaves galleries of visual imagery but she also leaves a catalog of faults. What I find outstanding in Gilded Cage is the means whereby the author achieves a balance between what is speculative and what is known. It is, for example, one thing to describe a woman famous for her 18-inch waist and quite another to recreate what it felt like to be laced into the double corsets required to achieve it. Likewise, there is much to be told in the widely circulated public family portrait of the Habsburgs, shown below, but much more poignantly in Appleyard's accounts of Sisi rushing to her children's nursery to be turned away because she had not acquired her mother-in-law's permission to visit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Franz Josef at the left, Sisi seated with her children, Sophia center foreground,<br />
the Emperor' father Archduke Franz Karl in the stove-pipe hat. </td></tr>
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DESPITE A HANDSOME PRINCE, AN UNLIKELY BRIDE, AND AN ELEGANT BALL, GILDED CAGE IS NOT A CINDERELLA STORY:<br />
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In the firsts pages of Susan Appleyard's novel, the reader is presented with a familiar theme, one worthy of a Disney classic: the most powerful and handsome sovereign in Christendom is about to stage a ball to which the eligible royal beauties of Europe and their families will be invited. The Habsburg Emperor of Austria is shopping for a bride, and the Bavarian princesses of the house of Wittelsbach are in the running: And thus, the story begins.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helene (Nene) and Elisabeth (Sisi)</td></tr>
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Their mother Princess Ludovica, is one of nine daughters of the King of Bavaria, and although she had made a less than stellar marriage than her other sisters, she is very interested in the welfare of her daughters. Much of the family finances will be diverted to dressing them for their trip to the Austrian summer palace to attend the ball. To add to the tension, her older sister Sophie, mother of the Emperor, is coming to their relatively modest home for a visit, no doubt to make certain her less exalted relatives are suitably attired and disciplined, so as not to be an embarrassment. She is delighted with the older sister, known in to the family as Nene, and in her mind's eye, she has placed the mythical glass slipper on Nene's foot, but she finds the younger sister Sisi's lack of refinement appalling. Sisi is a hoyden.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young Franz Josef, Wikimedia Commons</td></tr>
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While Aunt Sophie is making her presence felt at her sister's home, her son the Emperor Franz Josef and his younger brother make a surprise visit to his Bavarian cousins. At this point, a reader does not need to know Austro-Hungarian history to guess what happens next.<br />
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All of the ingredients of a Cinderella story are in Appleyard's novel. While there is no evil step-mother, there is indeed a mean-spirited mother-in-law, and the prince is sufficiently regal and utterly handsome, but a divine right monarch out of touch with the times. He is also under his mother's thumb.<br />
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The major conflict in the novelization of Sisi's life is the well-documented tension between Sisi and her mother-in-law, her maternal aunt Archduchess Sophie, which the author conveys to her readers in well-constructed scenes. The narrative is never overwhelming. For example, Franz Josef makes his feelings for Sisi obvious by giving her a nosegay of white flowers symbolic of a declaration of betrothal. However, his courtly gesture is unknown to his fifteen year old Bavarian cousin, who has to be told by her companions what the gesture means. The novel is filled with similar scenes.<br />
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Since Sisi was not the Archduchess's choice of wife for her doted-upon son, the Archduchess was delighted when Sisi herself asked to delay a formal betrothal until she was sixteen. Thereafter, Sophie's fault finding of her niece became relentless, but not in Franz Josef's presence. There is little his mother can do to change his mind without overplaying her hand. Nevertheless, the battle lines are drawn. And because Archduchess Sophie was no fool, her enemy was never Franz Josef, but the not-yet-sixteen year old prospective bride with neither the training nor the desire to become a Habsburg Empress, nor the expertise to deal with a venomous prospective mother-in-law. The Archduchess took advantage of her son's fiancee's youth and naivete, and criticized her mercilessly, but when Franz Josef's infatuation did not fade, the wedding proceeded as planned. As appropriate to the groom's station, it was held in Vienna, on April 24th , 1854, in the presence of the Viennese court and a thousand assorted guests. As soon as the vows were spoken, Elisabeth's Bavarian waiting-ladies were sent home. The ensuing struggle is the major theme of the first half of the novel, and leaves no clear winner.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wikimedia Commons</td></tr>
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While Franz Joseph was deeply in love with his wife, he was also cowed by his formidable mother. He had been under this mother's tutelage and control since birth. One thinks of Catherine d' Medici's gift for exerting power over her sons.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaiserin of Austria 1862, a young Sisi</td></tr>
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The theme of the first half of the book focuses on the disaster that ensues when Sisi moves to Vienna and finds she truly is a pretty bird in a gilded cage. A telling scene in the novel occurs at a meeting in which she and Archduchess Sophie were present with the men, but at which Sisi was expected to remain silent while Sophie presided on behalf of her son. When Sisi cleared her throat and suggested a less bellicose approach to relations with their Hungarian satellite nation, the others gasped and, Sophie stomped out of the room. On such occasions, Franz was indulgent of his pretty wife but almost always sided with his mother. One topic upon which he and his mother always agreed was the need to take a firm hand with the Hungarians. Thus, the Hungarian dilemma becomes central to the plot and moves the novel into its second phase, when Sisi, although miserable, learns to assert herself in subtle ways in which her beauty is her weapon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sisi, 1855</td></tr>
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From research accompanying my initial reading during the MmBA Competition more than a year ago, the story related in the pages of A Gilded Cage is substantially accurate and artfully told. The dialog presented is believeable and appropriate to the era. Sisi had not been groomed to the life of an Austrian empress. Even as she matured, she was never acclimated to the adulation of the crowds she drew. She ceased having marital relations with her husband, who was still in love with her, and she often fled to the satellite nation of Hungary, where she enjoyed a better climate, both weather-wise and in terms of her personal popularity. She was always in better health when she was away from her mother-in-law and Austria. She loved Hungary and its people reciprocated. There are shallow aspects to her character, especially centering on her obsession with the circumference of her waist (never more than 18 inches except when pregnant), control of her weight at less than 1000 lbs, and the length and grooming of her hair. In spite of the commotion her appearances created, she was afraid of crowds. From Ms. Appleyard's accounts, one might surmise she preferred the company of horses.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gyula Andrassy, Public Domain art</td></tr>
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A notable feature of the novel is the depth of the author's treatment of lesser characters, for example in a vignette in which Sisi's attendant Ida, who was a supporter of the Hungarian cause and was about to be dismissed, could not be made a lady in waiting to the Empress because she lacked the pedigree. But Sisi, who by that time was beginning to wield some degree of power over her circumstances, made her an adviser instead, which made her immune to arbitrary dismissal. Appleyard also cleverly introduces Sisi to the character of Gyula Andrassy through Ida's recounting of his heroism and his charm. Thus, the stage is set for their meeting, which does not occur until the last portion of the novel.<br />
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While they play a small part in the story, Sisi's parents are well drawn characters, as are her siblings. Much of the history of the times is told in thumnail sketches featuring Sisi's siblings and her Habsburg inlaws. The novel has a large cast of minor characters, but features Sophie as the antagonist, and the Count as Sisi's elusive romantic interest.<br />
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THE BACKSTORY:<br />
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<a href="https://d188rgcu4zozwl.cloudfront.net/content/B01GW89Z8G/resources/130301518" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d188rgcu4zozwl.cloudfront.net/content/B01GW89Z8G/resources/130301518" width="133" /></a>The second half of Appleyard's arresting novel focuses on the manner in which a woman of no special intellectual gifts or training drew a kingdom of forward looking rebellious but pragmatic Hungarians into accepting a limited monarchy rather than resorting to another failed rebellion, and at the same time, seduced her quasi-estranged autocratic husband into going along with the plan. Her weapon was her beauty and the fact Franz Josef never stopped loving her. But beauty also was her curse. A young woman heralded as one of the most beautiful woman in the world is bound to have enemies, and she was not a good fit at the formal Viennese court.<br />
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In documenting how she deals with conflict, Appleyard is sympathetic to Sisi, but she does not paint her free of flaws. Nor does she make the Empress of Austria into a super hero, a model wife and mother, or a warrior queen, although she has some characteristics of each. To the author's credit, she does not attempt to resolve the issues that make Sisi enigmatic. The extent to which her physical ailments are psychologically based, and more important, the nature of her relationship with the Hungarian patriot and statesman Gyula Andrassy remain unresolved. In the final scene between them just before her coronation, he asks permission to kiss her hand, and the manner in which he strips away her glove is an sensual as any scene I have read. The ensuing kiss lingers too long to be proprietous and is as close as the author brings them to open acknowledgment of a love affair, as they go their separate ways, never together and never apart, bound by their affection for one another and their hope for Hungary.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrassy, as Austrian foreign minister, with von Bismark the Berlin Conference of 1878</td></tr>
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In Susan Appleyard's novel, the political changes affecting late Nineteenth Century Europe are always in the background and dominate the last third of the book. The political climate of the final pages elevates the novel from the crowded shelf of many fine books about tragic queens, and places it among novels of political historical value. For all of his charm and Hungarian panache, Andrassy, as the author presents him, is the personification of change. He became a major statesman in the last years of the 19th Century, and made policies that endured until the end of WWI.<br />
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Thus, <u><i>In a Gilded Cage</i></u> is not just Sisi's story, but an account of the early stages of the fall of the Hapsburg empire, reflected not only in the life of the Empress, but in the lives of her siblings and her cousins --minor characters in the novel, but major players on the world stage. Through a series of artfully presented family vignettes, the reader becomes acutely aware that Sisi and Franz Josef's world is crumbling. From Mexico to the Baltic, the Habsburg sun is setting. In persuading her husband to adopt a dualist Austro-Hungarian government that avoided bloodshed, Sisi bought the Habsburgs a little more time in the sun. I doubt I would feel the impact of the last days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire as strongly if I were reading a traditional history.<br />
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CONCLUSION:<br />
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As I read In a Gilded Cage the first time, and even more so as I review it now, I cannot help equating Sisi with Diana, two young women of good looks and impressive pedigree who nevertheless were thrust onto the world stage in roles they were never meant to play, and who, all things considered, managed to capture the hearts of the common folk in a way no one could have predicted. And while a happy life may have eluded both Elisabeth of Austria and Diana, Princess of Wales, neither faded into obscurity, and each brought a bit of luster and legitimacy back into the faltering concept of monarchy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history framed as art.<br />
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Linda Fetterly Roothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05679025414115279660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-81593642316152719432018-05-30T06:00:00.000+01:002018-05-30T07:38:21.841+01:00Britannia's Gamble by Antoine Vanner - A Review by Lisl <h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Britannia’s Gamble</em><br /><em>The Dawlish Chronicles: March 1884—February 1885</em><br />by Antoine Vanner</span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A <a href="https://discoveringdiamonds.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/britannias-gamble-by-antoine-vanner.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Discovered Diamond Review</span></a> and Book of the Month</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><i style="color: red;">The author has so kindly donated a copy of </i><span style="color: red;">Britannia's Gamble</span><i><span style="color: red;"> for one lucky winner of our contest! Simply comment below or </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/398549953570025/permalink/1730113173747023/?comment_id=1730113900413617&notif_id=1527661478830352&notif_t=group_comment"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a><span style="color: red;"> and your name will be part of our drawing! Drawing will be June 8, 2018 with winner announced the same evening. </span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Following my previous read of </span><em><a href="https://beforethesecondsleep.wordpress.com/2018/01/06/book-review-britannias-spartan/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Britannia’s Spartan</span></a></em><span style="font-size: large;">, Nicholas Darwish returns in Antoine Vanner’s </span><em><span style="font-size: large;">Britannia’s Gamble</span></em><span style="font-size: large;">, sixth in his series chronicling the life and adventures of the Victorian era Royal Navy officer. This time we see him recruited for a mission placing him within grasp of a savage Islamist revolt across the Sudan, his key objective being to reach and rescue General Charles Gordon, who maintains a weakening defensive position within the lone holdout, the city of Khartoum. Plagued by one catastrophe after another, time runs short as Dawlish contemplates and questions his own motives and role in the operation, and their position becomes ever more desperate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My “discovery” of Antoine Vanner’s novels came quite by chance in that I’d won a copy of <em>Britannia’s Spartan</em> in a contest, and it set me happily back onto the course of nautical adventures. I found Dawlish to be a likeable character who poses authentic questions of ethics and morality to himself, and while he has high expectations of others, is no less demanding of his own conduct. In the pages of <em>Gamble</em>, too, he is courageous, though not without fear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>The </em>felucca<em> edged across, the oars still, now only the current carrying it forward in absolute silence. Dawlish crouched like Shand and the Sussexes in cramped discomfort. He tugged at the lanyard of his holstered pistol—an action that was by now an unconscious habit—and pushed the safety catch forward on his Winchester. The same fear was on him now as he had first experienced as a mud-plastered boy in a ditch in China and he prayed that, as then, it would not master him. Each man around him would be feeling no less. Courage was conquest of fear, not its absence. </em></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the best elements of Vanner’s tales is that they take readers to locales many of us don’t know much about, or only recognize in a broader view or modern context. As we progress through the story, the author utilizes documented historical figures or actions—such as Gordon or the Siege of Khartoum—within his plot, its population increasing with fictional characters whose roles are so smoothly matched with history we sometimes think we might look them up to discern who is real and not. All the while their experiences tell us even more of the place at this time: its geography, conditions, influence, challenges, allies and workable military strategy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also thoroughly enjoy the manner in which Vanner truly takes readers on board his vessels, immersing us in the naval and shipboard terminology without drowning our senses—a perfect combination of trusting readers without making unreasonable demands on their previous knowledge. Feeling a part of the crew, readers rejoice in their victories and feel their hearts sink when things go wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In <em>Britannia’s Gamble</em>, there are plenty of things that can go south, and they do. Vanner’s expertise in storytelling is such that we follow his narrative and sometimes recognize an oncoming crisis, pulling in our breath along with his characters in whose journey and mission we have invested. Maps are sprinkled through the novel, so we get a sense and better idea of where the group is as they travel overland or upriver, with even more suspense at such moments as when we know we are close to Khartoum, or dangerous passages, when that internal <em>uh ohhh</em> occurs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another great characteristic of the author’s presentation is that he makes plenty of room for readers to bond with characters apart from Dawlish. He most definitely maintains the spotlight, but true to his character, he gladly gives due recognition. A talented and accomplished naval officer, Dawlish also cares about the dignity of humanity, and this stirs childhood and professional memories as well as gnaws at his ideas of the future, particularly following one incident that will undoubtedly alter the course of his life, and even the nature of his concern for others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dawlish contemplates his own perspectives by way of his journal, an activity that sets up the possibility that the chronicles are drawn from the diaries as the captain looks back upon his life. We see his immediate musings, which of course reflect upon the kind of person he is. “Night fell, not darkness absolute, but the same vast unfeeling dome of stars that had mocked the pettiness of their aspirations ever since Kurgel.” He often thinks of his wife, Florence, back home, perhaps dreading her response to something he’s done, or feels delight in her presence in his life. The variety and breadth of his meditations even develop the character of the absent Florence, additionally bringing to the novel a female influence other than that of the standard lovable prostitute or sought-after heiress.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">These and other angles are what tend to make Dawlish himself more fully developed than many other nautical or historical fiction protagonists, and Vanner placing him in the various locales, following plotlines drawn from history with plenty of his own life events depicted within, are surely what bring us back time and again. Of course, so far I’ve only read two of <em>The Dawlish Chronicles</em>, but the officer hasn’t seen the last of me, nor I of him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A smooth and addicting read, <em>Britannia’s Gamble</em> is fully capable as a standalone or installment in a series one simply cannot get enough of. Realistic action scenes—in which victory is not always assured—and a well-developed plot combine with the strength of the author’s imagination and impressive research to bring a story of great quality and years of re-visitation, and the seeking of Dawlish in other volumes in which we will follow him time and again around the world.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy Antoine Vanner</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>About the Author</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Antoine Vanner has been writing on and off for many years but as his business career took off he had to cut back. The impulse to get going again - seriously so - came just before retirement from full-time work when he attended a lecture and book-signing session by the late naval-novelist Douglas Reeman at a local bookshop. In a calm, dignified and erudite way Reeman conveyed not only vast knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject but the importance of a methodical approach to writing. He provided the inspiration for taking the task really seriously and since then Antoine has adopted the Latin motto "<i>Nulla dies sine lines - not a day without a line</i>." So thank you, Douglas Reeman!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Antoine's adventurous career in international business gave him the opportunity to live and work in eight countries as well as shorter assignments in a dozen more. He is bilingual in English and Dutch, adequate in Spanish, abysmal in German and has smatterings in two other languages so rusty as to be not worth mentioning. He currently lives in Britain with his wife, dog and two horses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Learn more about and follow Antoine Vanner and his work at his fascinating website, <a href="https://dawlishchronicles.com/vanner/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">The Dawlish Chronicles</span></a><i>,</i> including more about <i>Britannia's Amazon</i>, also a <a href="https://discoveringdiamonds.blogspot.com/2017/01/nautical-week-britannias-amazon-by.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Discovered Diamond</span></a>, with Florence Dawlish as protagonist and narrated from a female point of view. Additionally, subscribers to Vanner's mailing list at intervals receive free short stories that fill in some gaps in Darwish's life not covered in the novels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The author provided Lisl with a copy of </i>Britannia's Gamble<i> in order to facilitate an honest review. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>About the reviewer</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">At age six, Lisl announced she would become a spy; shortly thereafter she added poetry to her list of goals. She wrote poetry through high school and beyond; by this time spying had lost a bit of its appeal, though she utilized stealthy methods to observe people and activity around her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nowadays, she is an editor and writer and can be found at her blog, <a href="https://beforethesecondsleep.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Before the Second Sleep</span></a>, as well as her website, <a href="https://greatlandserv.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Great Land Services</span></a>. S</span><span style="font-size: large;">he writes on a variety of topics and is currently working on a collection of short stories, work of historical fiction and a series of essays, as well as </span><span style="font-size: large;">illustrations for a volume of poetry</span><span style="font-size: large;">. Her poetry has appeared at</span><span style="font-size: large;"> <i><a href="http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue634/winter_islands.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Bewildering Stories</span></a></i> and <i><a href="http://alaskawomenspeak.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Alaska Women Speak</span></a></i>, and she is a contributor to <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Naming-Goddess-Trevor-Greenfield/dp/178279476X" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Naming the Goddess</span></a></i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">She adores Indian food, vanilla candles and hot tea (no milk). </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05550536682038989629noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-65856011471597823642018-05-23T00:30:00.000+01:002018-05-23T00:30:00.382+01:00The Little Mouse by CW Lovatt - a review by Diana Milne<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />"<i>From the creator of the best selling Charlie Smithers Collection comes an endearing tale of enchantment and forest creatures with a powerful message. This charming story, with appeal to both young and old, shows that even the smallest of us is able to change the world and that nothing is impossible with trust, friendship and love</i>."<br /><br />In a beguiling departure from his usual genre, C W Lovatt introduces us to Kit, the smallest and youngest mouse in the Enchanted Forest, and takes us on a journey of delight and discovery following the mouse and his companions as they travel to find food after The Great Fire.<br /><br />From the very first pages The Little Mouse has a magic and charm that is rarely found and can only be likened to such well known classics as The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, delighting readers for almost a hundred years, and one of my favourite books, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis. I can well see this book being read a hundred years from now. It deserves to be.<br /><br />Although most of the characters are forest creatures, they have individual and very well developed personalities that the reader can relate to and get to know and love. Gort the badger is typical of his species, by appearing grumpy and bad tempered. Kit the mouse persuades him that being happy is a better option:<br /><br /><i>The badger’s brow wrinkled doubtfully.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br />“Happy? Me?” and then, “All the time?”<br /><br />“Yes, all the time.”<br /><br />“Oh.”<br /><br />Gort pondered this imponderable for a moment, and then stretched his lips up from his snout in a dreadful smile.<br /><br />“Howsh thish?” he asked through his fangs. Tod took a nervous step backwards, but the little mouse said, “That will do nicely, thank you..." </i><br /><br />The scope and range in the book showcases the author's prestigious talent and versatility and this tale, which will appeal to all ages, carries not just one, but several important and poignant messages. Without being 'preachy,' the book lets the reader carry away a positive and life affirming precept.<br /><br />With his clever use of words, words that often can express several meanings, Lovatt ensures that we have a tale that can be read on many different levels, making it suitable for the very young to the very old, all of whom will be bewitched by the charm and enchantment of being allowed to be into a magical land for a little while. The author also introduces a character, Smithers - the valet and Major Domo of the King - who can only be a relative of his famous Charlie Smithers, with a similar life outlook, work ethic and attention to detail to the well known man. <br /><br />Each idea, each stage of the journey of the forest friends, is perfectly thought out and every detail meticulously but not tediously noted, the author having thought through the situation from the perspective of the creature, or human, in question, which adds greatly to the depth and richness of the narrative. We meet Kit here, his friend, Orso the bear, is in mortal danger, having been wounded deeply by a spear:<br /><br /><i>"It was he who had brought Orso to this place, and he thought that the bear’s death would be a burden too heavy to endure. The spear had gone deep – he had seen the blow struck – had watched, horrified, as the shaft had sunk into his friend’s body, and had seen the blood…<br /><br />Then, caught in mid-sentence, the transformation began.<br /><br />The blood…<br /><br />The blood as it coursed through his body, gifting life – coursing… surging…weaker now…dwindling….but, still Life. As though his mind had become separated from his body, he rose and followed the passage of the deep wound into the bear’s body. At length, he came to the great heart, and a sound like a leaking bellows. There was a cut, a very little cut, in the wall of the artery.<br /><br />It was then that the voice of the wizened old mouse appeared in his mind.<br /><br />'Healing….healing….yessss….yessss…' "</i><br /><br /> Other than Kit and Orso, we meet Amos the porcupine, Lulu the skunk, Gort the badger, Rowena and her son Chaser, the deer and fawn, Bumper the hare and Tod the fox, plus the King, Queen and Princess, Smithers, various princes and guards and Farmer Brown and family and their unfortunate dog Brutus, all of whom help to create a glorious tapestry of a story.<br /><br /> The book is enhanced (if that is possible) with beautiful illustrations created by the talented Angel-Rose, who brings to life the pictures that Lovatt's words form in one's brain. The pictures are meticulously detailed and show unforgettable moments of the story in beautiful colour that will live in the reader's minds.<br /><br />There are so many beautiful moments and little phrases or sentences to make the reader delight in the written word. This brought little tears to my eyes, it seems so very beautiful and so very, very profound: <i>'Why, Lord?' the little mouse asked through little tears, 'Why has this happened?'</i><br /><br />The timing the author employs throughout the story is exceptional. Whether it is used for a dramatic moment, or for humour or to startle the reading audience, Lovatt never misses a beat and the reader reacts as if on cue, with the smile or the cry, yet the book is never predictable. I could not have foretold the incredible way the story unfolds near to the end of the tale. The a scene is described from a different point of view to the expected one and it had a major impact on not only the characters of the story, but on me! an impact that will not lessen with time but will remain clear in my mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /> It is a beautiful enchanted fantasy, with so much meaning and so much depth. I really enjoyed it and it made me smile and cry and believe in magic and totally took me out of myself for a while.<br /><br />Another triumph for CW Lovatt. He has a totally unique and absolutely massive talent.<br /><br /><br /><i> The book is available to pre-order, and will arrive on your Kindle on May 25th</i>. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Mouse-C-W-Lovatt-ebook/dp/B07CNSB78V/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1524838363&sr=1-1"><span style="color: blue;">Click here to preorder</span></a> <br /><br />About CW Lovatt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><i>CW Lovatt is the award winning author of the best selling <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BOW7CDA?ref=series_rw_dp_labf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Charlie Smithers Collection</span></a>, the short story anthology, “<span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Then-Rained-C-W-Lovatt-ebook/dp/B01DCNN4ZE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525004403&sr=1-1&keywords=and+then+it+rained" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">And Then It Rained</span></a>,</span>” and the critically acclaimed “<span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Josiah-Stubb-Louisbourg-C-W-Lovatt-ebook/dp/B00IZKEIYQ" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Josiah Stubb: The Siege of Louisbourg</span></a>.” </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>“<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Josiah-Stubb-Interim-C-Lovatt/dp/1907954635/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Interim</span></a>,” is the second book of the Josiah Stubb trilogy and the third part is getting close to completion.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />You may read CW Lovatt's blog here at <a href="http://chuck-storyriver.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: blue;">Story River</span></a><br /><br />I was privileged to interview C W Lovatt in 'Diana Talks To...' </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To read the interview please click <a href="http://thereview2014.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/diana-talks-to-c-w-lovatt.html"><span style="color: blue;">Diana talks to CW Lovatt</span></a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The author hard at work with the help of his research assistant, Sindy, who told him everything she knew about little mice! <br />The picture is shared with the permission of absolutely no one. I blatantly stole it from the author's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chuck.lovatt" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Facebook page </span></a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">About Angel-Rose, who created the inspirational illustrations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>I am Angel-Rose Smith, 25 from the UK. I spend the majority of my time drawing, painting or crafting. I enjoy baking and reading - or being a classic dork and playing video games!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Fun fact, I failed art at school</i></span><span style="background-color: #f1f0f0; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><img alt="😂" class="_1ift _2560 img" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/zd0/1/16/1f602.png" style="border: 0px; color: #4b4f56; display: inline-block; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; pointer-events: none; vertical-align: middle; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: #f1f0f0; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ⓒ Diana Milne February 2018 revised May 2018</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-12489215629120952232018-05-20T00:00:00.000+01:002018-05-20T00:00:04.299+01:00Today I welcome C. W. Lovatt to *Diana Talks... *<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today I welcome C. W. Lovatt to *Diana Talks... *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On 25th May, C W Lovatt is releasing a new book, <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Mouse-C-W-Lovatt-ebook/dp/B07CNSB78V/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526388800&sr=8-1&keywords=the+little+mouse+c+w+lovatt" target="_blank">The Little Mouse</a>,</b></span> a complete change from his usual genre, with illustrations by Angel Rose. Two days before, on Wednesday 23rd May, the Review is hosting my in depth review of this charming and life affirming book. I won't give any spoilers now, but watch the Review Blog for the post on Wednesday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Hi Chuck. It is a real pleasure to talk to you here. Not only do I consider you a friend, I consider you an exceptionally talented writer. I am delighted to have the opportunity to see a little of what goes on inside that formidably intelligent brain of yours ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Are you sitting comfortably.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">No??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Well, never mind... (sigh) ... wriggle around a bit then and let's just get on with the talk ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First things first I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: black;">My own question, eh? Hmm, that is different! Let’s see, I’m going to go with ‘what’s it like being a writer?’<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: black;">Well, it’s not as glamorous as I thought it would be, but remember I’ve dreamed of becoming a writer almost as soon as I learned how to read. As a consequence, there’s been plenty of time for that dream to grow to surpass all reason. For instance, I was going to own a tropical island and live in a house that opened up like a clam shell – you know, glamorous stuff like that. It’s laughable now, even risible, but that dream stood me in good stead over the years, through some really bleak times. When others (ie sane people) had nothing at all, I would always have that dream to sustain me. So when that long awaited first royalty cheque arrived and that dream vanished with an almost audible ‘pop,’ I couldn’t really begrudge its leaving, because it had already served me so well.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If your latest book, “<a href="http://mybook.to/josiahstubb2" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: blue;">Interim</span></strong></a>,” the second book of the Josiah Stubb trilogy, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?<span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: black;">I had to get some help with this one as I’m not as up on film actors as I used to be. A friend suggested Tom Hardy, so let’s go with him to play Josiah Stubb.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What made you choose this genre?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: black;">Historical Fiction appeals to me, so I figured that, if I’m going to sit down and write something as lengthy as a novel – to dedicate so much of myself, pouring my heart and guts out onto the page - it had better be about something that I’m interested in.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How do you get ideas for plots and characters?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Plots and characters are what make writing such a joy. Plots are usually the product of a ‘eureka’ moment I often have when something triggers the kernel of an idea. As far as characters go, I’ve never written any with a preconceived idea in mind, just as I’ve never had a preconceived idea about meeting a person. We introduce ourselves as would anyone else, and get to know one another over the course of time.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>I began my career writing short stories, with some success, winning awards and so on. During that time there can’t have been too many genres that I didn’t explore. In that light, I’m not afraid of other genres, in fact we’re old friends, and many examples can be found in in an eclectic anthology I’m very proud of entitled “And Then It Rained.” </em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em> </em>(Note from Diana: If "And Then It Rained" is not my favourite book of all time, it certainly is there in the top three. Heck! What am I saying?? Thinking of the title story again and others that I love with a passion bordering on insanity for a story, yep, it has just been promoted to definitely my favourite book of all time!)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>I would have to say that it was compelling. Why, I’ve no idea, it’s just something that I’ve come to accept over time. I wrote my first novel, longhand, back in my mid to late twenties, and you have to be serious to tackle a project like that.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marmite? Love it or hate it?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Erm...it's an acquired taste...</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>I suppose my greatest ritual is to try to clear my desk before starting a new project. I need to keep distractions to a minimum, so that finding that ‘centre’ is more achievable. After that, it’s pretty much whatever works. I’ve written with the music on and with it off, in my office, in front of the television, out on my deck at night, or in the morning (summer and winter,) and out under the giant cottonwoods in my yard. Each novel has had its own routine, and I’m rather curious what it will be for my next one. Really, I’m a bit like a cat before taking a nap, turning and turning, before finally finding the place where I’m most comfortable.</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">(Note from Diana: Hmm. Clear? Desk? Clear desk? Nope. I don't understand those words put together in that format!)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>That’s a very good question and I’m glad you asked it! Next question, please…</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial";">((Laughing. Loudly!!))</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>I always wanted to be the next Neil Young.</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">(Note from Diana: Well, you can't. End of.)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Coffee or tea? Red or white?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Ooo, herbal tea, please (don’t judge,) and red.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>I don’t have a plan, and that includes not having a plan to not having a plan. Sometimes I’ll write at least a partial outline, and sometimes I won’t write one at all. It depends on the project and (I’m coming to suspect) the phase of the moon. </em>😂</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?<span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Trust YOU to ask this one! Okay then, let’s see: so far Times New Roman is working for me, but you never know what the future holds. What I can tell you is that I’m not a fan of Helvetica.</em></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">(Everyone hates Helvetica! Printers hated Helvetica. It was the 'new big thing and everyone wanted it', but it was expensive and hard to get hold of.)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>The note that Lord Raglan scribbled to Lord Lucan, that caused the The Charge of the Light Brigade.</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Oh those characters! When haven’t they shocked me? But the thing to remember about writing is that it’s not about you, it’s about the story – always the story – and the thing to remember about the story is that it’s the characters who are telling it, the writer is merely the chronicler. So in answer to your question I pretty much give them their head, and try to keep up.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Writing Historical Fiction requires extensive research…that is if you don’t want to look like an absolute fool. Nothing drives me around the bend more than to read such a work and find that it is riddled with inaccuracies. Further, I feel strongly that a work of Historical Fiction should be seen as an alternate reference book – something that takes those dry old textbooks, that we’ve all had to endure in school, and makes them interesting by weaving a tale through the facts.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>As for research trips, I often travel to where the story is taking place, but not always. For the first book of the Josiah Stubb trilogy I went to see the fortress of Louisbourg for myself, and then on to St. John’s Newfoundland. For the second and third books, I travelled to Quebec City, and then drove the length of the Gaspé Peninsula. In 2015 I flew down to Australia and drove across the Nullarbor Plain while researching for “Adventures Downunder” – the latest in the Charlie Smithers Collection.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Good lord no! If they spoil the plot, then it’s the plot that’s at fault. Create another one, by all means, but if you value your credibility, don’t alter the facts by one iota</span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>See above. Blasphemy!<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>I certainly hope so; it’s my business to do just that.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Loiyan, my first leading lady, I loved her desperately.</em></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">(Note from Diana: We, the readers, could tell the depth of feeling with which this wonderful woman was written. It shone throughout the pages of not just the first book, but the second and third. I will never forget her plaintive cry of Charleeeee.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Anything, as long as it’s well written.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>A good stiff tot of something distilled. The action gets a bit intense at times.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last but not least... favourite author?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>My idol, George MacDonald Fraser, the author of the Flashman books.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Thank you, Chuck. That was a wonderful talk. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p>You can read C W Lovatt's blog and find out more about him at <span style="color: blue;"><strong><a href="http://chuck-storyriver.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Story River</a></strong></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></o:p></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18.4px;">He lives in Canada, where it is cold, and is the self-appointed Writer-In-Residence of Carroll, Manitoba, (population +/- 20).</span><br />
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<table align="center" 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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-797zsWg4llI/WOz7p8UOnOI/AAAAAAAAAig/OOzcxTv2gys2Ttb9-gDM5PBD5aQ8HEdcQCLcB/s1600/CWlovettbio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-797zsWg4llI/WOz7p8UOnOI/AAAAAAAAAig/OOzcxTv2gys2Ttb9-gDM5PBD5aQ8HEdcQCLcB/s1600/CWlovettbio.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">This tree was upright before being leaned on by our author! Vandal!!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18.4px;"><o:p></o:p></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C. W. (Chuck) Lovatt, is the author of the</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Charlie-Smithers-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B00A4A407U" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Charlie Smithers Collection</strong></span></a><strong>;</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Then-Rained-C-W-Lovatt-ebook/dp/B01DCNN4ZE" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: blue;">And then it Rained</span></strong></a> and currently the first two parts in the on going <span style="color: black;">Josiah Stubb series, the </span>second one of which, the excellent</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XX3CJWF/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1491923305&sr=1-2&keywords=josiah+stubb" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Josiah Stubb: Interim</strong></span></a>,</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-60BGMXyvLZM/WOz4oN9kKfI/AAAAAAAAAic/rXRfIwHynCESlbjFZKDqmlVgkCQMyKmpgCLcB/s1600/61aqOSJn0zL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-60BGMXyvLZM/WOz4oN9kKfI/AAAAAAAAAic/rXRfIwHynCESlbjFZKDqmlVgkCQMyKmpgCLcB/s320/61aqOSJn0zL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">was released to great excitement on 14th April last year by </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwi1paD315zTAhUJCMAKHUu7DHUQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwildwolfpublishing.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNG_CptySXpSerTR-vUmEXx7j-XBSg&sig2=pXu8mXUHFL4rpv_w_iDfzw&bvm=bv.152180690,d.d2s" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Wild Wolf Publishing</strong></span></a><span style="color: blue;"><strong>.</strong></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">© Diana Milne January 2017 © C W Lovatt April 2017</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-92056987108410475332018-05-19T00:00:00.000+01:002018-05-19T00:00:10.401+01:00Diana talks to MA student, Elizabeth Stafford-Smith<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">My name is Elizabeth Stafford-Smith and I am a MA Creating Writing and Publishing student at West Dean School of Arts and Conservancy. I am writing my first novel, Illusion or Delusion.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
is your favourite picture?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At the moment I would say it is <i>Portrait de Dame </i>by Tom Roberts, because the moment I saw it I knew I had found an image of the heroine, Anna, in my novel, Illusion or Delusion. She is a well born young Englishwoman who travels to America to track down the man who have her inheritance and this portrait is just right for her - the clothes and the hair.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Was
becoming a writer a conscious decision? How old were you when you first started
to write seriously?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It depends on what you call seriously. I have been
writing, scribbling in notebooks really, since my teens and have lots of them
locked away but I have not been brave enough to try and get anything published.
Now I’m coming to the end of an MA in Creative Writing at West Dean which has
involved writing and editing the first draft of a novel. I still have a lot of
rewriting and editing to do but I think I will try and get this out in the
world. I think part of it is getting older – I’m in my 60s – and I don’t worry
so much about how people see me anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Marmite
– love it or hate it?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I love Marmite so much I’ve been known to eat it
from a spoon! I had marmite soldiers as a child and tried them with my three
children but none of them would have anything to do with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do
you have any ritual and routines when writing?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I can write just about anywhere (good advice
received years ago to not be dependent on a particular time or place) but I do
like a coffee when I start and later, lots of water (and perhaps some
chocolate, depending on how it’s going).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Other
than writing full-time, what would be your dream job?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A designer and maker of art quilts – I love playing
with fabric and threads and often dye my own. I always have at least a couple
of projects on the go, I use hand stitching as a form of relaxation – I can
think about anything while my hands are occupied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Coffee
or tea?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Always coffee. I used to drink tea until I realised
I didn’t actually like it! Now I’ll drink herbal teas if I’ve had too much
coffee and I’m bored with just water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How
much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let
it find its way?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t know what’s going to happen in scene until I
write it. I know what it will be about and what the outcome needs to be but how
the characters will get there I don’t know. It involves a lot of sitting
staring out of the window, wondering what might make someone do or say what I
want them to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Imagine
that you could get hold of any original source document, what would it be?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The missing pages of the books Dr John Dee hid a
chest. The books were found in the 1640s but were unintelligible to those who
found them and were used to light fires until someone realised what they were.
They were a distillation of his knowledge of alchemy and magic and I think they
would be fascinating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How
much research do you do, and do you ever go on research trips?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I probably like research too much – I can always
think of another book or website I could be reading rather than settling into
writing. I enjoy visiting museums and like to get a feel for a place. I have
used a rock formation in Kansas as the setting for the end of my novel and plan
to go there as soon as I can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have
you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I think I’m always a little bit in love with my
heroes – I have to find them appealing even if not perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
do you enjoy reading for pleasure?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As long as a book is well written, I’ll enjoy it.
I’m reading the second book in Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle at the moment
and have a Phil Rickman lined up next. I’ll always be happy with a Terry
Pratchett even though I’ve read them all many times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XWl81FcKz_E/WvV4zNJAZlI/AAAAAAAABRk/jfR66p8v3Dsb3S-Z1reD72f_jmWF0dxVwCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XWl81FcKz_E/WvV4zNJAZlI/AAAAAAAABRk/jfR66p8v3Dsb3S-Z1reD72f_jmWF0dxVwCLcBGAs/s320/DSC_0117.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The author, Elizabeth Stafford Smith.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">© Diana Milne January 2018 © Elizabeth Stafford-Smith
April 2018<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-89953238769679842092018-05-16T08:00:00.000+01:002018-05-16T08:00:02.479+01:00Renny reviews His Last Witch Hunt by Deborah C Foulkes<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Today on the blog Renny de Groot reviews </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">His Last Witchhunt by Deborah C Foulkes, set in the midst of the English Civil War. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">And there's a giveaway!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The author has kindly offered a signed paperback copy as a prize. To be in with the chance of winning, simply leave a comment below or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thereviewgroup/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>. Good luck!</span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is 1646 and England is in the middle of a civil war, but
Matthew Hopkins is fighting another war. One against witches, but where he once
was seen as a saviour, now the tide is turning against him. Dying, Matthew has
no other choice to place his reputation into the hands of one girl, whose witch
trial could make or break him forever. </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jared Wilson has been sent across East Anglia to find Matthew Hopkins and
destroy his reputation. Too many have died at Hopkins’ hands and now it’s time
for it to stop. Tracking him to a small village, a young woman has already been
arrested for witchcraft and Jared makes a deal with her to help destroy Hopkins
in exchange for saving her soul. </span></i></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sinead Crowley is an outsider in Hopton Village. Hated and feared, by many, but
when her only friend dies unexpectedly, she finds herself accused of witchcraft
and face to face with the Witchfinder General. But Jared wants to destroy
Hopkins and with the promise of a clean soul, she now must decide on whose side
she will stand on for her freedom.</span></i></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With this synopsis Deborah
Foulkes introduces us to the key characters in the historic drama of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His Last Witch Hunt</i>. I found the
characters intriguing and my heart went out to the young girl, Sinead in her
struggles to find love and acceptance in her small village. Ultimately those
common human desires are dwarfed by the even greater fight for her very life.
Accused of witchcraft, she finds herself a pawn between two powerful men and
must draw on all her resources to navigate her way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I found the complex story
line interesting as Foulkes keeps the reader guessing until the very end about
the possible outcome. The male characters have been imagined well, embroiled in
the politics and power struggles of the times. As her end notes explain,
Matthew Hopkins was a true character that Foulkes has woven into a story that
will keep you turning the pages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">At times Foulkes created real magic, with images that
gave life to the characters and setting, such as this one:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“The cold river
chilled her bare legs as she waited for breakfast to make an appearance.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With this introduction to Sinead, I immediately could
see the young girl, fishing for her breakfast. My sense of her unique‘one-ness’
with nature came across cleanly and set the stage for the trials to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I feel that the book would be enhanced
by a further editorial polish. There were times where I was pulled out of the
story by certain weaknesses that would be resolved by a strong editor; however,
I still enjoyed the read and learned something about a period in history with
which I am less familiar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks to the author for
providing me with a complimentary ebook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">About the Author</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: </span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #4e4e4e; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Deborah C
Foulkes</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; padding: 0cm;">Books have been a part of my life as far back as I
can remember and I count Stephen King, James Herbert and the Brothers Grimms
as my literary heroes. I have a fondness for the macabre and a weakness
for the antagonist of any story. By day, I work in a public library and by
night or days off, I am hitting the keys of my lovely blue laptop.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #4e4e4e; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; padding: 0cm;">Amongst all that I am a mother of a very mature
teenager, who acts older than I am and has an uncanny ability to talk to
animals. We all live together in a Victorian terrace with one depressive cat,
another dumber cat and two ghosts who make themselves known by smoking
woodbines every now and then.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #4e4e4e; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; padding: 0cm;">Links: <a href="https://deborahcfoulkes.wordpress.com/novels/his-last-witch-hunt/" target="_blank">website</a>; <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Witch-Hunt-Deborah-Foulkes-ebook/dp/B01MT70DVN/" target="_blank">Amazon</a>; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=154127575&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile" target="_blank">Linked In</a>; <a href="http://deborahcfoulkes.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a>.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">About
the reviewer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Renny deGroot is a first generation
Canadian of Dutch parents. Her debut novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family
Business</i>, was shortlisted for the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her second novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">After Paris,</i> has also been well received, with the current interest
in all things WW1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is working on a
new Historical Fiction called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asunder</i>
which is expected out for Christmas 2018. Renny has a BA in English Literature
from Trent University, Canada. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Renny lives in rural Ontario with her
elderly Chocolate lab, Great Pyrenees and young Golden Retriever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://rennydegroot.com/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://rennydegroot.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_5?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=renny+degroot&sprefix=undefined%2Caps%2C182"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_5?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=renny+degroot&sprefix=undefined%2Caps%2C182</span></a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Renny-deGroot/e/B00J6WD2IA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1468159824&sr=1-2-ent"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.amazon.com/Renny-deGroot/e/B00J6WD2IA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1468159824&sr=1-2-ent</span></a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05550536682038989629noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-70516055069410022672018-05-12T00:30:00.000+01:002018-05-12T00:30:14.048+01:00Diana talks to Hillary Taylor-McCaffery, MA Creative Writing and Publishing student at West Dean School of Arts and Conservancy<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5jeyUNBskA/Wpfu9V8JhsI/AAAAAAAABJs/7V_8npIJBToiIv-TLjEiFajTBqYBKohgACLcBGAs/s1600/Hillary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5jeyUNBskA/Wpfu9V8JhsI/AAAAAAAABJs/7V_8npIJBToiIv-TLjEiFajTBqYBKohgACLcBGAs/s320/Hillary.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA">My name is
Hillary Taylor-McCaffery, I’m a second-year MA Creative Writing and Publishing
student at West Dean School of Arts and Conservancy, in Chichester, and I am
writing my first novel, <i>Box of Sparks</i>.
My novel is set on Vancouver Island, Canada, and follows a young girl, her best
friend, and a darkly-eccentric taxidermist, trapped in a bunker together
following a devastating earthquake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">What made
you choose this genre?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I didn’t set out to write a YA
novel, but as Box of Sparks grew, and my plot and character development
progressed, I kept hearing feedback from my MA tutors and fellow classmates
that the novel had a distinctly-YA feel. I wouldn’t say this influenced my
narrative style or voice, but it helped me focus on market placement and
pitching of Box of Sparks. I like the idea that I can explore a bit with YA; I
feel younger readers tend to be more accepting of magical elements, and it gave
me an outlet for some long-buried teenage angst!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">How do you
get ideas for plots and characters?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> Before I gained some confidence as a
writer, my plots and characters were developed very much in line with academic
expectations, and I found they ended up feeling flat and forced. It took me
some time to ‘relax’ into my environment, to make some space in my head for
characters to appear. I also had to overcome the awkwardness of sitting down
and listening to the voices in my head, convincing myself they were characters
and not a symptom of mental illness…although that conclusion is still
debatable… I also remember something one of my tutors recommended in the first
year of my MA: if you want to write beautiful things, you need to surround
yourself with beauty. I try to get out and experience new things whenever I
can; you never know where inspiration or influence are going to spring up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">If, as a
one-off, (and you could guarantee publication!), you could write anything you
wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already
have a budding plot in mind?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"> I have always been interested in
magical realism, ie: Gabriel Garćia Márquez’s <i>One Hundred Years of Solitude. </i>I think it takes great talent to
balance believable narrative with the mystery of the unknown, and to achieve
this balance whilst holding the interest of the reader. I think most people
construct fantasy within their everyday life; these fantasies can be hidden and
never acted upon or can evolve into delusions with serious consequences. The
abilities of the human imagination fascinate me, and I would like to be able to
reflect that need for escape within a cleverly-balanced narrative. I think
these interests will always influence my work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Was
becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or
even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you
when you first started to write seriously?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> Writing is something I have always
kept on the backburner. I was praised for my writing talents in school, and won
a few prizes in youth competitions. After reading Anne Frank’s <i>Diary of a Young Girl, </i>I was inspired to
keep a diary, and have an entire drawer full of them now, going back to the
mid-90s. Despite a large amount of material, and a dedication to the craft, I
didn’t take writing as a serious career option until, in my early thirties, I
decided to undertake an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing, telling myself
it was ‘now or never’. It was humbling to realise how little I knew, not only
about the craft of writing itself, but about myself as a writer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I was given a book, <i>Becoming a Writer</i> by Dorothea Brande, as
a pre-teen, and it has stuck with me through many years, many situations, and
many moves, even my emigration from Canada to the UK. I dip into it now and
then, reminding myself that although I write, I am still on the journey to
becoming a writer. I’m not sure at what point the journey ends!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Marmite:
love it or hate it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> Marmite was one of those ubiquitous
‘English’ things that Canadian children spoke of in mock giggles, usually
paired with terrible posh accents and the miming of lifting a teacup to one’s
lips. I didn’t taste it until I moved to the UK and made the rookie move of
sticking a dipped finger of it into my mouth, instead of spreading it
delicately on toast. A few years after this initial moment of disgust, I was
reintroduced to it by a monk who lived at the monastery where I was staying on
a retreat. We tasked me with making soup, and when it was finished we both
sipped from the same spoon and declared that something was missing. “Marmite!”
was the monk’s answer, and he proceeded to stir an enormous spoon of the stuff
into the pot. Despite my reservations, it was delicious, and I now keep a
little yellow-topped pot of it in my spice drawer for when my soups lack that
certain “something”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Other than
writing full-time, what would be your dream job?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I used to be very ashamed of my
haphazard CV, boasting (?) myriad roles from barista to fluid technician to
care worker to housekeeper to pharmacy supervisor, and so on, but now I realise
that all of those experiences have influenced the kind of writer I am, and have
given me some excellent character studies! One common thread through all of my
past jobs has been the act of helping people. I am particularly interested in
the role of creativity in the treatment of mental health, and if I had to
create my own dream job it would be empowering disadvantaged people to realise
their own creative potential, mastering it, and using to help others. Healing
the world is up to us, the people, and we need to heal ourselves before we can
help the planet. I think there is a correlation between the lack of or complete
obliteration of arts funding, and the rise in mental illness and stress, and I
think we need to re-realise the importance of creativity, art, and expressing
ourselves in a constructive manner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Coffee or
tea? Red or white?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I’m going to admit to being really
boring, now. I don’t drink enough tea to earn my honorary British citizenship,
and when I do drink it, it’s usually herbal (rooibos with a bit of milk and
honey, to be exact!). I also don’t drink alcohol anymore. I made a choice in my
early thirties to stop drinking, as it had been an unhealthy coping mechanism
for my struggles with mental illness. I now have a better grasp on my
wellbeing, and a lot more time to write!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Fiction
authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there
any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore
because you just don’t like or they spoil the plot?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"> I definitely try to ignore
characters that are demanding of my time, but it never works! I find that if a
character is begging to be seen or heard, they usually have a really good
story, or something integral to add to the plot, so I’m learning to set aside
time to listen. Easier said than done, because I have many ‘real life’ people
that are also demanding of my time, and much more likely to be offended if I
ignore them! Characters are patient, luckily, and usually they will find a nice
little corner of my brain in which to curl up and wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Do you find
that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I think this happens in real life as
much as it does in novels. One of the buzzwords of the moment is ‘post-truth’;
it’s getting increasingly difficult for people to determine what is real and
what is influenced or distorted by the media, and this can be frustrating,
isolating, and confusing. I think novels are a safe space to explore themes of
truth and honesty; a way to make people think about the real world. Novels have
huge potential to influence ways of thinking and being, and they are presented
in a medium where the reader still has a large degree of control, which is
becoming a rare thing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> Instead of clearly-defined lines
between fiction and non-fiction, bestsellers lists are now often topped by
books that blend information into a beautiful narrative. I think this is a
great strategy by which to make information more accessible and
easily-consumable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Have you
ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I have definitely used elements from
real people when building certain characters, usually traits or habits that
ignite a spark of emotion in me, whether that be the cadence of one person’s
speech, or the way another person exhales smoke, or even the absence of a
person, the way they keep you wanting more long after they’ve left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I’ve found it interesting to hear
other people’s reactions to my characters. In the development phase of Box of
Sparks, one of my tutors routinely expressed her blossoming love for one of my
protagonists, which I found interesting as the character as I knew him was very
dark and somewhat threatening. I found that I wasn’t writing what I knew of
him, instead I was writing what the character wanted to reveal, which told me a
lot about his personality and psychology. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I think writing is a brilliant
medium through which to present problematic or ‘unlikeable’ characters. When
you meet someone in real life, you are basing your perception of them on
physical factors, your emotional response to what they choose to reveal. In a
novel, you usually see a more complex picture of a character; you see them as
multifaceted, and often you can empathise or relate to one of those facets,
which makes you at least care about them and their narrative arc, even if you
don’t particularly like them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">What do you
enjoy reading for pleasure?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> I lean towards non-fiction most of
the time, and tend to read fiction when I want to give my overly-analytical
brain a rest. I am interested in human behaviour, psychology, mental health,
and various natural sciences. I’m not much of a ‘name-dropper’, I don’t tend to
read what is popular or what is recommended on reading lists, (sorry, West Dean
tutors!!). I choose books more instinctively: initially, by the visual
impression given by the cover, the title font, and the design layout. I always,
always read the blurb on the back, and have been known to put
very-well-regarded books down because I can’t identify with the description.
This is a tricky thing for writers, as well. How do you condense the entire
world and mood of your novel into a few sentences on the back? That takes
skill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">What are
you favourite authors?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> Because I’m so fickle and flaky with
my reading choices, I cling more strongly to individual books than to the
authors themselves, and their bodies of work. Saying that, I have enjoyed
almost everything by Zadie Smith, Haruki Murakami, and Ben Goldacre. Books that
I’ve carried with me, that have worked their way into my subconscious in some
creative way, have been: <i>One Hundred
Years of Solitude </i>by Gabriel Garćia Márquez, <i>The Bone People </i>by Keri Hulme, <i>The
Time-Traveller’s Wife </i>by Audrey Niffenegger, and <i>Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil </i>by John Berendt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-69019141018572482792018-05-09T09:00:00.000+01:002018-05-09T09:00:01.669+01:00<div style="text-align: center;">
Today Sharon reviews <b style="font-style: italic;">Swords of the King</b> by Charlene Newcomb, Book 3 of her wonderful <i style="font-weight: bold;">Battle Scars</i> series, which follows 2 knights in the service of King Richard the Lionheart. And there is a wonderful giveaway too!</div>
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Charlene has kindly offered the ebook boxset of the all 3 books in the series to one lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning this magnificent prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page. Good luck!</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><em style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Normandy, March 1196 </em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">King Richard has their loyalty.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The French would have their lives.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">And John, the king’s brother, will never forget how they betrayed him.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The kidnapping of the king’s former sister-in-law sets off a chain of events that entangle the knights Henry de Grey and Stephan l’Aigle in politics and intrigue, treason . . . and murder.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What begins as escort duty for the knights becomes a chase through the Norman countryside on the trail of her son, the young duke Arthur. Assassins want him—and the knights—dead.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">If assassins’ blades don’t kill them, King Richard’s war to recover his continental domains from France just might. Former enemies, like the king’s brother, are now allies. Can they be trusted?</span><br />
<b style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Warriors. Heroes. Traitors. Spies . . . Lovers.</b><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Henry and Stephan will risk their honor and the trust of the king to protect Duke Arthur. They will fight treachery and brave bloody battles, see war in all its horror, and fight their fears of losing each other, all the while keeping their forbidden love secret.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">With </span><em style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Swords of the King</em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, Charlene Newcomb follows up her award-winning novel </span><em style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">For King and Country (Battle Scars II)</em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> amidst the turbulent final years of the reign of Richard I of England, the Lionheart. This epic adventure furthers an original Robin Hood origins story and will captivate fans of historical fiction and anyone who likes romance—forbidden romance—with their history.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><i style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Swords of the King </i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> is the third instalment of Charlene Newcomb's magnificent </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Battle Scars</i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> series which has followed Sir Henry de Grey and Sir Stephan de l'Aigle from the third Crusade to northern France in the service of King Richard the Lionheart of England. In <b><i>Men of the Cross</i></b>, we saw Henry and Stephan meet and get to know each other whilst experiencing the horrors of the Third Crusade. In <b><i>For King and Country</i></b> they were back in England, trying to thwart the evil machinations of Prince John whilst King Richard was stuck in a German prison. In <i style="font-weight: bold;">Swords of the King</i>, the two heroes are back together again, this time fighting in France alongside King Richard, with enemies within and without.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The story revolves around Plantagenet family crises and the machinations of Philip II of France and his attempts to disrupt Richard I's policies and tactics. While many of characters have their own agenda, they must also work to implement King Richard's; not an easy task when the French and enemies closer to home are ready to thwart you at every turn.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></span>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Aimery rose and disappeared up the stairs with the serving girl. Robin yawned and sat back in his chair, long legs stretched out towards the fire. Hay-colored hair brushed his broad shoulders and framed his face. Eyes closed, his chin fell to his chest, but a smile curled his lip as Henry drew next to him.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"A good thing we both serve the king." Robin snorted. He cracked his eyes, scrutinizing Henry's muddy boots and ruddy cheeks.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"A good thing," Henry said with a quick smile. "Does John have anyone watching you whilst you meet with his man?"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Not on this day. Tomorrow, who knows? Join me for an ale. Aimery will be occupied the rest of the night." Robin swallowed his drink. "You've been sitting across the room for a while and not on my account, so what brings you here? Is Stephan with you?" </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Henry's cheeks colored. He could recommoiter enemy territory to track French troops, but put him in a tavern? He had let his guard down, and chose not to make excuses. "I've been on the road near a fortnight. Headed back to Rouen." he straddled the bench across from Robin and lowered his voice. "Stephan better be there when I arrive."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Chuckling, Robin's gaze flicked to the stairs. "Aimery has just come from Rouen. If Stephan is with the king, he'll be there."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"What did Aimery steal to share with John?" Henry asked.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Robin tapped his sleeve where the parchment was hidden. "Aimery claims this is one of a dozen messages to be delivered to King Richard's barons throughout the kingdom, but not one meant for John. I was hoping you might tell me what it contains. Spring campaigns against the French? The king's plan to defy the archbishop and build that castle on the Rock? I'd prefer no surprises when I hand this to John." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">This entire series has been a new and refreshing take on warfare in the reign of King Richard the Lionheart. Charlene Newcomb has retold the art of warfare with brutal honesty. The battle scenes are vivid, fierce and frighteningly vicious. However, she has also considered the effect such constant warfare has on her leading characters and although PTSD was an unnamed condition in twelfth century Europe, that does not mean that it did not exist and did not affect the lives of the sufferers and those around them. The scenes where Henry has to face the horrors of war, replaying over and over in his dreams, are some of the most touching and thoughtful you may ever see in historical fiction.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Where Charlene Newcomb also breaks new ground is in the love affair between Henry and Stephan. A love that, in those days, could not be spoken or acknowledged, but which gives each character his major strengths and weaknesses. It also acknowledges another fact that gets brushed over or avoided in history, that homosexuality is not a twenty first century phenomenon, but it was something people have had to live with throughout history, in much less enlightened times than our own. The author deals with the subject thoughtfully and sensitively, but head on, which makes for an interesting and enlightening read.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The characters in <i><b>Swords of the King</b></i> are a mixture of real, imaginary and legendary and they are the ral strength of the story and of the entire <i style="font-weight: bold;">Battle Scars</i> series. The fictional Henry and Stephan are dropped into the lives of King Richard and his family. Charlene Newcomb weaves them into the fabric of the story so well, that it is hard to tell the invented from the historical fact. And the magnificent Robin Hood appears again, with his band of men scattered throughout the book. My favourite character in the book, however, is one I have written about several times and a woman whose strength and tenacity saved England from the French in 1217: Nicholaa de la Haye. Charlene does an excellent job of including Nicholaa in the story, and depicts the amazing castellan of Lincoln Castle much as I would have imagined her; strong, practical and not easily fazed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">In short, this has been a fabulous series to read. Full of action and adventure, it gives the reader a real sense of the times in which it is set, and the complexity of the people involved, whether combatants or those who wait at home for news. Charlene Newcomb has given a voice and a face to heroes who are otherwise long-dead and forgotten. The <i style="font-weight: bold;">Battle Scars </i>books have been an exciting series to read from beginning to end, leaving the reader on the edge of their seats. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Will there be a fourth? I hope so, it would be interesting to see where Henry, Stephan and Robin Hood go next!</span></span></div>
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<b>About the author: </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Charlene Newcomb is the author of</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Men of the Cross </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">and</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">For King and Country</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, two historical adventures set during the reign of King Richard I, the Lionheart, though her writing roots are in a galaxy far, far away. She has published 10 short stories in the</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Star Wars </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">universe and written one contemporary novel.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and a contributor and blog editor for </span><a href="http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">English Historical Fiction Authors</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Charlene</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">lives, works, and writes in Kansas. She is an academic librarian by trade, a former U.S. Navy veteran, and has three grown children. When not working at the library, she is still surrounded by books and trying to fill her head with all things medieval. She loves to travel, and enjoys quiet places in the mountains or on rocky coasts. But even in Kansas she can let her </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">imagination soar. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://charlenenewcomb.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://viewbook.at/KingCountry" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span><br />
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<b>About the Reviewer:</b><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l24rJ8vSP0U/Wu146AGWGNI/AAAAAAAAB1c/mkKB7YdH2Q4vcAQq6df0I3WKGbyM0xUaQCLcBGAs/s1600/51PUe8rZWgL._SX332_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="334" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l24rJ8vSP0U/Wu146AGWGNI/AAAAAAAAB1c/mkKB7YdH2Q4vcAQq6df0I3WKGbyM0xUaQCLcBGAs/s200/51PUe8rZWgL._SX332_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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Sharon has been fascinated by history for over 30 years. She has studied history at university and worked as a tour guide at several historic sites. She has lived in Paris and London before settling down back in a little village in her native Yorkshire, with husband James and their soon-to-be-teenage son.<br />
Sharon has been writing a blog entitled <a href="https://historytheinterestingbits.com/" target="_blank">'History...the Interesting Bits' </a>for over 3 years and has just finished her first non-fiction work, '<i><b>Heroines of the Medieval World</b></i>'. The book looks at the lives of the women – some well known and some almost forgotten to history – who broke the mould; those who defied social norms and made their own future, consequently changing lives, society and even the course of history. It is vailable in hardback in the UK from both <a href="https://www.amberley-books.com/heroines-of-the-medieval-world.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amberley Publishing </a>and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heroines-Medieval-Sharon-Bennett-Connolly/dp/1445662647/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a> and from from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1445662647/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> in the USA, and worldwide from <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Heroines-Medieval-World-Sharon-Bennett-Connolly/9781445662640" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><br />
Her second book, Silk and the Sword: the Women of the Norman Conquest is due for release in the UK on 15 November 2018, and can b<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">e <span style="color: #333a42; font-family: "noto serif" , "georgia" , "times" , serif; text-align: center;">pre-ordered in the UK from </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silk-Sword-Women-Norman-Conquest/dp/1445678756/" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #426f86; font-family: "noto serif", georgia, times, serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a><span style="color: #333a42; font-family: "noto serif" , "georgia" , "times" , serif; text-align: center;"> and </span><a href="https://www.amberley-books.com/silk-and-the-sword.html" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #426f86; font-family: "noto serif", georgia, times, serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Amberley Publishing</a><span style="color: #333a42; font-family: "noto serif" , "georgia" , "times" , serif; text-align: center;"> and worldwide from </span><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Silk-Sword-Sharon-Bennett-Connolly/9781445678757?ref=grid-view&qid=1525164104643&sr=1-1" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #426f86; font-family: "noto serif", georgia, times, serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><span style="color: #333a42; font-family: "noto serif" , "georgia" , "times" , serif; text-align: center;">.</span></span><br />
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Sharon can also be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Thehistorybits/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Thehistorybits" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05550536682038989629noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264965526853735683.post-64642958503064532072018-05-05T00:30:00.000+01:002018-05-05T00:30:10.485+01:00Diana talks to Susan Abernethy, author on The Freelance History Writer blog<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span lang="EN-US">Thank you Diana for giving me the
opportunity to answer your delightful questions.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">What
is the genre you are best known for?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My blog, <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://thefreelancehistorywriter.com/author/thefreelancehistorywriter/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">The Freelance History Writer</span></a> </span>is
dedicated to medieval, Tudor and women’s history. These are my favorite subjects to write
about. But I have left the parameters
open to cover Ancient history to early modern so I can write about whatever
takes my fancy.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">What
made you choose this genre?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">History explains everything for me. When I was a teenager, the series “The Six
Wives of Henry VIII” aired on TV and I was fascinated. That is when my interest in history started
and I’ve never looked back. It fostered
my love of Tudor and medieval history and influenced me to get my degree in
history in college. When I first began blogging, I started writing about
women. They have been neglected and
maligned throughout history and I want to change that. </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Favorite
picture or work of art?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I have many favorite portraits such as
those of Tudor personalities, especially as they were painted by Hans Holbein
the Younger. But a few years ago I discovered
the life of Isabel of Portugal, the princess who became the Duchess of Burgundy
when she married Philip the Good in 1430.
There is a magnificent portrait of her painted c. 1450 from the workshop
of Rogier van der Weyden, a Netherlandish painter who was born in Tournai. A few months ago, I was in Los Angeles for an
event and went to the Getty Museum where this portrait resides and got to see
it close up. There is so much detail
that you can’t see when looking at the picture on the internet.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rogier_van_der_Weyden_(workshop_of)_-_Portrait_of_Isabella_of_Portugal.jpg">Portrait
of Isabel of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy</a> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Was
becoming a writer a conscious decision or something you drifted into (or even
something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to
write seriously?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Actually, I drifted into it completely by
accident when I was 55 years old. A
friend was looking for a partner to write with on her blog about women’s
history. I wrote my first article on
Emma of Normandy, twice Queen of England and people seemed to love it. After that, I was totally compelled to write
and I still am! I try to write an
article a week. It’s something that
allows me to read, study and research about my favorite subject which is half
the fun.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Other
than writing full time, what would be your dream job?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Professor of Medieval and Early Modern
European history at a university. It is
my belief that people should know more about history. It would be my mission to make it fun and
compelling so people would want to study it.
I like to think this is a little of what I’m doing with the blog. </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Coffee
or tea?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Coffee.
This is a guilty pleasure. I’ve
been drinking Maxwell House International Coffees since I was a teenager. My favorite flavor is Café Français. I also indulge in a Starbucks Café Mocha
occasionally. My parents are big coffee
drinkers so I followed in their footsteps! </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">How
much of your work is planned before you start?
Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In most cases, 80% of my work is planned. I do a great deal of reading and research
before I begin an article. I then make
copious notes. Sometimes the notes turn
into the article with little effort.
Other times, it takes some work to put all the notes together in the
structure I want. I enjoy this part of
the process as well as the editing.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Imagine
you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Recently I wrote an article on Catherine de
Valois, Queen of England. There is a
small controversy regarding a statute that may or may not have been passed in
Parliament putting restrictions on the subsequent marriages of a Dowager Queen
of England. We don’t know if such a
statute was really passed or not as there are no existing records. If it was, I’d like to get my hands on it.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Also, anything that would solve the mystery
of what happened to the Princes in the Tower would be amazing to have.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">What
do you enjoy reading for pleasure?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Anything about history really. I’ve always loved biography. Right now I’m reading a series of biographies
on Mary Tudor, Queen Mary I of England.
The author of each book tackles the subject differently so it’s fun to
evaluate and compare. The enjoyable part
for me is I can take pleasure in reading the books and use them for research at
the same time. Occasionally I will read
a book just for fun but it’s always a history book.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">How
do you get ideas for articles on the blog?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I have several lines of research that I
have followed since I started the blog six years ago. Tudor and medieval history are the top of the
list of course. One of my favorite
sections is a group of articles on the Queens of Scotland, England and
France. The Queens of Scotland section
is for all intents and purposes finished.
I’m about 75% done with the Queens of England and have a long way to go
on the Queens of France. For the Tudors,
I want to have a survey article for each monarch and I have three more to
go. I’m always adding to the Tudor
section as there are many fascinating characters from this era. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">For medieval history there are so many
topics to choose from and I find a lot of ideas just from reading for
research. I want to have an article on
all the Valois Duchesses of Burgundy so that is my next project. I have a long list of other potential topics
I’m working my way through.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Have
you ever thought of writing a book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Yes.
Yes I have! The idea is a
daunting one for me. There are some
women I’ve come across that would make great topics for new biographies. However, I can come up with a hundred excuses
for not doing it. Right now my focus is
on the blog. I really enjoy it so much
it doesn’t seem like work for me. So for
now I’ll just stick with blogging. However,
you never know what the future holds.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">© Diana Milne January 2017 (Susan
Abernethy, February 1, 2018)</span></div>
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