Peaceweaver - coming soon

I thought I'd talk about my novel, Peaceweaver, today as it should, fingers crossed be available to order soon.

It is the story of Eadgyth Aelfgarsdottir, the daughter of Aelfgar, the Earl of Mercia and grandaughter of Lady Godiva (Godgifu) of legend. Her status as the daughter of an earldorman was more of a curse than a blessing. Married at thirteen to her father's former enemy, the king of the Welsh, Gruffydd ap Llewelyn, she finds herself queen in a strange land. Although unhappy at the choices made for her, Eadgyth sticks out her chin and makes the best of a bad hand. Surrounded by war, she finds friendship and love and delights in the birth of each of her children. The harshness of 11th century life and the expectations placed upon her, injure but do not swamp her. The misery she endures at the hands of her husband are made bearable by her friends and children. However, when the castle is attacked and Eadgyth is separated from the household, a new epoch in her life is opened.

She is taken to the court of the Saxon king, Edward the Confessor, and there she uses all her feminine whiles to infiltrate the Godwinson family and be reunited with her children. Widowed and penniless, her status negligible, she catches the eye of the most powerful Godwin of all, Harold, Earl of Wessex. An unorthodox and stormy courtship follows until, at last, she agrees to become his wife.

The years leading up to 1066 are not minutely documented. This provides great scope for the novelist and I have enjoyed pushing my characters around, discovering how they may have behaved. A woman in a man's world, I have tried to illustrate the joys and horrors of the days that Eadgyth's life encompassed. During the last years of the Anglo Saxon regime and the early days of the Norman occupation she moved among kings and princes, the dissillusioned and the desperate; her status fluctuating with the changing forutnes of Britian. I hope that my readers will share Eadgyth's small joys and, when she ultimately overcomes her greatest sorrow to clutch at personal happiness, will be glad.

Peaceweaver will be available for order soon. Further information will be posted when the time comes.