The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Beautiful Ghost by Milana Marsenich

 

Book Title: Beautiful Ghost 

Series: Sequel to Copper Sky

Author: Milana Marsenich

Publication Date: November 8, 2022

Publisher: Open Books

Page Length: 217

Genre: Historical Fiction

Tour Schedule Page: 

Beautiful Ghost 

by 

Milana Marsenich

During the fall of 1918, the influenza pandemic crosses the nation and reaches the mining town of Butte, Montana. 

Marika Jovich, who wants to go to school to become a physician, works menial tasks for Dr. Fletcher. She feels useless as she tries to save friends and neighbors from the ravages of the flu. In the midst of the pandemic, she watches the town shut down, young and old perish, and her medical dreams all but evaporate.

Kaly Monroe used to be a half-good woman of the night. She left that life to raise her daughter, Annie, and live and work with her long-lost mother, Tara McClane. Kaly waits for her husband, Tommy, to return from the war. Word from the east is that soldiers are dying of influenza and she prays that Tommy is not one of them.

When an out-of-town woman named Amelia suddenly dies in Dr. Fletcher's office, both women try to learn more about the mysterious woman and the circumstances regarding her death. Is she another casualty of the pandemic, or the victim of manmade foul play? Who is this stranger, and is her demise a portent of the fate that awaits the residents of Butte?

Praise for Beautiful Ghost:

“Marsenich doesn't just describe the place and times, she conjures it up like time travel.” ~ Amazon Review by Ellen Leahy Howell

Read a Snippet 

And then there she was, sitting across from her in the upstairs room at Miss Anderson’s Big House. Rain had poured and the heater clanked through the night, as if nothing had changed. But something had changed. Something in Kaly shifted, bitterness watering the seed she’d kept buried all those years. It sprouted like an angry, tangled bush. 

Tara hadn’t even come for her. And that made it worse. She had come to ask her to talk Danny, her son and Kaly’s half-brother, out of joining the army. The rain had splintered the sky, relentlessly pelting the empty streets, and Kaly felt the chill in her bones. She felt that cold darkness crawl into her chest, a bad rhythm pounding in her head that she’d never quit. 

Later that night, George had slipped into her room and offered to take care of her if her mother wouldn’t. Even a young boy like George knew how wrong her own mother had been. He offered her comfort, a young boy like George had offered comfort where her mother had failed. 

Now, her mother was trying to right the losses of the past. 

Kaly still felt the primal sting of rejection, a cold moss growing on the wrong side of her heart. Tara had told her she’d been poor, with no help, and unable to feed her and her sister. She had feared they’d die in her care. 

Kaly wanted to understand. And she did. After all, she herself had tried to find someone else to raise Annie, knowing that no good life could come from the child living in the tenderloin while her mother tried to eke out a living. The thing was, Tara had raised Danny. That was the part that Kaly couldn’t put right. She had tried to forgive but failed. 

Then everything had changed again.

Universal Buy Link:

Award winning author, Milana Marsenich lives in Northwest Montana near Flathead Lake at the base of the beautiful Mission Mountains. She enjoys quick access to the mountains and has spent many hours hiking the wilderness trails with friends and dogs. For the past 20 years she has worked as a mental health therapist in a variety of settings. As a natural listener and a therapist, she has witnessed amazing generosity and courage in others. She first witnessed this in her hometown of Butte, Montana, a mining town with a rich history and the setting for Copper Sky, her first novel. 

Copper Sky was chosen as a Spur Award finalist for Best Western Historical Novel in 2018. Her second novel, The Swan Keeper, was a Willa Award finalist in 2019. Her short story, Wild Dogs, won the Laura Award for short fiction in 2020. 

She has an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. She has previously published in Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, The Polishing Stone, The Moronic Ox, BookGlow, and Feminist Studies. 

She has three published novels, Copper Sky, The Swan Keeper, and Beautiful Ghost, and one popular history book, Idaho Madams. Her upcoming novel, Shed Girl: A Juliet French Novel, will be released January 2024. Her popular history book, Mary MacLane: Butte’s Wild Woman and her Wooden Heart, will be out sometime in 2025. 

You can find her books and blog posts at https://milanamarsenich.com/. 

Website: https://milanamarsenich.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/milanamarsenich 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilanaMarsenichAuthor 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milanammarsenich/ 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/milanamarsenich/ 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/milana-marsenich 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Milana-Marsenich/author/B07DTJRR2K/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/16544640.Milana_Marsenich 

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tours welcome Twelfth Cake House by Heidi Eljarbo

Book Title: Twelfth Cake House

Series: Heartwarming Christmas 

Author: Heidi Eljarbo

Publication Date: December 15th, 2023

Publisher: independently published

Page Length: approx. 90 pages

Genre: Clean Historical Christmas Romance

Twitter Handles: @HeidiEljarbo @cathiedunn

Instagram Handles: @authorheidieljarbo @thecoffeepotbookclub

Bluesky Handle: @cathiedunn.bsky.social 

Tour Schedule Link:

Twelfth Cake House

Heidi Eljarbo

Blurb:

Even a clever matchmaker may need a push in the right direction if she’s to find true love. When she’s asked to find a match for herself, it proves to be the most difficult task she’s ever undertaken.

Mid-December 1796.

Sixty-year-old spinster Miss Jemima Thurgood has three weeks to finish the preparations for her annual Twelfth Night party. In her position as a matchmaker, for over forty years she has assumed a grave responsibility. Luckily, she’s a shrewd observer of people, and many happy reunions have come about due to her exceptional talent for nudging kindred hearts in the right direction.

Every year, Jemima invites twelve carefully selected men and women to her festivity, and each guest is assigned a dinner partner. The days before the merrymaking are constantly disrupted by one unforeseen event after another. Jemima must work hard to be ready in time, and more importantly, to provide the kind of celebration her chosen guests deserve.

But this year, what Jemima doesn’t know is that her life is about to take a sudden change of course—one she could not have predicted or planned for. As the days pass, several gentlemen indicate they are interested in becoming better acquainted with her, but only a very special man can charm a matchmaker.

A sweet romance novella set during a witty and enchanting Georgian-Era Christmas, Twelfth Cake House is a story about traditions, goodwill, and finding hope and the courage to change and take a chance on finding true love. 

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: 

Heidi Eljarbo is the award-winning author of dual-timeline historical fiction with heartwarming clean romance, wit, and adventurous mystery.

Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and never imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, danced on the BYU Ballroom Dance Team, and still sings in choirs.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, and fifteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.

Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

Sign up for Heidi’s newsletter at https://www.heidieljarbo.com/newsletter

Website: https://www.heidieljarbo.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiEljarbo 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorheidieljarbo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorheidieljarbo/

Pinterest: https://no.pinterest.com/heidieljarbo/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heidi-eljarbo

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Heidi-Eljarbo/e/B073D852VG/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16984270.Heidi_Eljarbo

The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu by Ann Bennett

Book Title: The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu

Series: Echoes of Empire

Author: Ann Bennett

Publication Date: 31st October 2023

Publisher: Andaman Press

Page Length: 356

Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Romance / Women’s adventure and romance

Tour Schedule Page:  

The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu

Ann Bennett

A sweeping wartime tale of secrets and love, mystery and redemption, moving from the snow-capped Himalayas to the steamy heat of battle in the Burmese jungle.

Perfect for fans of Dinah Jeffries, Victoria Hislop and Rosie Thomas.

Hampshire, UK, 2015. When Chloe Harper’s beloved grandmother, Lena dies, a stranger hands her Lena’s wartime diary. Chloe sets out to uncover deep family secrets that Lena guarded to her grave.

Darjeeling, India, 1943, Lena Chatterjee leaves the confines of a strict boarding school to work as assistant to Lieutenant George Harper, an officer in the British Indian Army. She accompanies him to Nepal and deep into the Himalayas to recruit Gurkhas for the failing Burma Campaign. There, she discovers that Lieutenant Harper has a secret, which she vows never to reveal.

In Kathmandu, the prophesy of a mysterious fortune teller sets Lena on a dangerous course. She joins the Women’s Auxiliary Service Burma (the Wasbies), risking her life to follow the man she loves to the front line. What happens there changes the course of her life.

On her quest to uncover her grandmother’s hidden past, Chloe herself encounters mystery and romance. Helped by young Nepalese tour guide, Kiran Rai, she finds history repeating itself when she is swept up in events that spiral out of control...

"A great read" Advance Reader.

" Thank you so much for allowing me to read the advance copy. I could barely put it down!" Advance Reader,

"What a wonderful book... I loved it. The dual time lines were delineated to perfection... the settings were perfectly rendered.." Advance Reader.

Read an Excerpt

They passed through more tiny villages and farms, all old stone-built houses thatched with reeds and straw and often painted white and terracotta. The road went on for a long way along another steep-sided river valley and at one point they had to cross the river on a narrow bridge. It looked very flimsy to Lena, strung high above the rocky torrent, made of string and bamboo. She started to dismount from the pony, thinking that it would lighten the load.

‘There’s no need to do that,’ Lieutenant Harper said, kicking his own pony past Lena and onto the bridge. She watched him cross the swaying structure and step off safely on the other side. 

With her heart in her mouth, she kicked Snowy on, and he stepped onto the bridge and began walking across it slowly and deliberately, as if he knew it was important to keep the pace steady. Halfway across, though, he stopped, lifted his head and whinnied, and for a few tense moments, Lena thought he was going to take some persuading to carry on. But with a gentle nudge of the heels, he continued on to join Lieutenant Harper on the other side.

‘Well done!’ the Lieutenant said to Lena, and they carried on along the stone path, the short distance to the next village, her heartbeat gradually slowing down. 

There, they repeated the ritual established at the first village, this time enrolling eight young men for the tests. Then they were shown by the headman to the house where they were to stay that night. The family greeted them warmly with smiles and a small boy led the ponies off to a nearby stable for the night. 

They ate supper on the front porch, watching the sun go down over the mountaintops.

‘Have you been up here many times?’ Lena asked the lieutenant. He appeared very comfortable in the surroundings and seemed well known and well-liked by the locals. 

‘I’ve been so many times that I’ve lost count, Miss Chatterjee,’ he said.

‘Do you think the villages might run out of young men at some point?’ she asked.

‘The village elders are very careful who they allow to join up. Young men are reaching the recruitment age all the time, but the elders don’t allow all of them to join the army. They need some to stay and farm the land, take care of the villages.’

‘You seem to have a real rapport with the villagers, Lieutenant Harper,’ Lena remarked. 

‘I hope so. You won’t find more loyal, generous people anywhere in the world.’ 

But then Lena noticed his face take on an awkward look, as if he wanted to tell her something but was holding himself back, or didn’t think it was the right moment.

‘Was there something you were going to say?’ she asked, but he shook his head and got up to ask for another helping of dahl baht. 

When they had finished eating, the lady of the house, a stout, middle-aged woman dressed in long black robes with a colourful, embroidered waistcoat, showed Lena and Lieutenant Harper upstairs via a ladder to the sleeping quarters. So, there was no chance to ask the lieutenant what had caused him to reflect while they had been speaking about his rapport with the villagers. 

Lena lay down on the lumpy bed, listening to the bleating of goats and the lowing of cattle in the stable beneath her. There were gaps between the floorboards, so if she looked down, she could see goats, cattle and chickens beneath. The family was staying at one end of the house, Lieutenant Harper somewhere in the middle and Lena at the other end, behind a thick curtain and with only a candle for light.

I am tired now and must get some sleep, although I’m not sure how easy that will be with the animals shifting about underneath me and the ever-present smell of woodsmoke curling up through the floorboards from the cottage fire. I am intrigued by Lieutenant Harper’s reaction when we were talking about the villagers and hope that tomorrow I will be able to get him to speak about it.

This title is available to read with #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/tftok 

Ann Bennett is a British author of historical fiction. She was born in Pury End, a small village in Northamptonshire, UK and now lives in Surrey. Her first book, Bamboo Heart: A Daughter's Quest, was inspired by researching her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway. Bamboo Island: The Planter's Wife, A Daughter's Promise and Bamboo Road:The Homecoming, The Tea Panter's Club and The Amulet are also about the war in South East Asia, which together with The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu make up the Echoes of Empire Collection.

Ann is also author of The Runaway Sisters, bestselling The Orphan House, The Forgotten Children and The Child Without a Home, published by Bookouture.

The Lake Pavilion, The Lake Palace, both set in British India in the 1930s and WW2, and The Lake Pagoda and The Lake Villa, set in French Indochina during WW2, make up The Oriental Lake Collection.

Ann is married with three grown up sons and a granddaughter and works as a lawyer. For more details please visit www.annbennettauthor.com. 

Website: https://www.annbennettauthor.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annbennett71 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annbennettauthor 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annbennettauthor/ 

Amazon Author Page UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00D21SJ7A 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1951323.Ann_Bennett 

Millie's Escape by Marcia Clayton on a Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour

Book Title: Millie’s Escape

Series: The Hartford Manor Series

Author:         Marcia Clayton

Publication Date: 2 November 2023

Publisher: Sunhillow Publishing

Page Length: 348

Genre: Historical Fiction/Family Saga/Women’s Literary Fiction

Twitter Handle: @MarciaC89111861 @cathiedunn

Instagram Handle: @marciaclayton97 @thecoffeepotbookclub

Bluesky Handle: @marciaclayton.bsky.social @cathiedunn.bsky.social

Tour Schedule Page: 

Millie’s Escape

By Marcia Clayton

1885 North Devon, England

 It is winter in the small Devon village of Brampford Speke, and a typhoid epidemic has claimed many victims. Millie, aged fifteen, is doing her best to nurse her mother and grandmother as well as look after Jonathan, her five-year-old brother. One morning, Millie is horrified to find that her mother, Rosemary, has passed away during the night and is terrified the same fate may befall her granny, Emily.

 When Emily’s neighbours inform her that Sir Edgar Grantley has also perished from the deadly disease, the old woman is distraught, for the kindly gentleman has been their benefactor for many years, much to the disgust of his wife, Lilliana. Emily is well aware that Sir Edgar’s generosity has long been a bone of contention between him and his spouse, and she is certain Lady Grantley will evict them from their cottage at the first opportunity.

 As she racks her brain for a solution, Emily remembers her father came from Hartford, a seaside village in North Devon and had relatives there. Desperate and too weak to travel, she insists Millie and Jonathan leave home and make their way to Hartford before the embittered woman can cause trouble for them. There, she tells them, they must throw themselves on the mercy of their family and hope they will offer them a home.

 With Emily promising to follow as soon as possible, the two youngsters reluctantly set off on their fifty-mile journey on foot and in the harshest of weather conditions. Emily warns them to be cautious, for she suspects Lady Grantley may well pursue them to seek revenge for a situation that has existed between the two families for many years.

Read a Snippet:

One morning, Millie sent the children out to play, intending to clean the kitchen thoroughly. Jonnie had a bad cold, so she let him stay inside with her, and the pair were enjoying a few rare moments alone. Millie was scrubbing the floor when the front door opened, and Liz staggered in, very drunk despite the early hour. Behind her was a plump man with a ruddy complexion, and his eyes gleamed when he surveyed Millie’s shapely bottom as she worked hard on her hands and knees.

“Why, Liz, you didn’t tell me you had a new maid here, and, no disrespect, love, but I think I might like to explore pastures new, if you know what I mean. What’s your name, my lovely?”

“No, Ted; yer wasting yer time, there, mate. ‘er’s no prossie, ‘er’s just our cleaner and far too ‘igh and mighty for the likes of ye. Ye’ll ‘ave to make do wi’ me, though I’m not sure I’m willin’ now if yer so picky. I’ve always been good enough for ‘ee before.”

Millie was embarrassed as the man’s eyes explored every inch of her body, and he held out his hand to help her up.

“No need to be frightened of me, my love, and if ‘tis your first time, why that’s even better, and I’ll be kind. I know my manners, and I can be a gentleman when I want to be. Whatever this lot is paying you to clean, I’ll pay you far more to spend an hour or two with me. What do you say?”

“No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I’m happy doing the cleaning. My brother and I aren’t staying here long, just a few days, so that I can earn some money.”

This title is available to read with #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link:

All the books in The Hartford Manor Series can be ordered from any bookshop.

Marcia Clayton is the author of five books in The Hartford Manor Series, a heart-warming family saga stretching from the Regency period to Victorian times. A sixth book is to be released in 2024.

Marcia was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David. As the children grew older, Marcia worked as a Marie Curie nurse caring for the terminally ill and later for the local authority managing school transport.

Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.

Author Links:

Website: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarciaC89111861

Facebook: Marcia Clayton - Author | Facebook

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marciaclayton97/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/marciaclayton.bsky.social

Amazon Author Page: Amazon: Marcia Clayton

Allauthor: https://allauthor.com/author/marciaclayton/

The Coffee Pot Blog Tour presents: The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland

Book Title: The Mark of the Salamander

Series: The Island of Angels

Author: Justin Newland

Publication Date: 28th September 2023

Publisher: The Book Guild 

Page Length: 256

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Twitter Handles: @JustinNewland53 @cathiedunn 

Instagram Handles: @drjustinnewland @cathiedunn

Bluesky Handle: @cathiedunn.bsky.social 

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #TudorFiction #GoldenHind #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page: 

The Mark of the Salamander

Justin Newland

1575.

Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder. 

Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.

Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire. 

THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era. 

“The constables are here with a warrant to arrest Master Nelan for murder.”

“Let them in,” Laurens said. “No, don’t!” Nelan cried.

“Let. Them. In,” Laurens snapped. The footman left the study.

“Then I must go,” Nelan said.

“No,” his father replied. “We are visitors here. Refugees. England is renowned for its adherence to the law. You must surrender to the constables.”

“Quickly, Dr Dee, what do I do?” Nelan asked.

“There are other significant elements in your horoscope that suggest you have a part to play in the future of this country. That’s why I’m here to help you escape: because you can’t do that while confined within a prison. So, you must run away and avoid capture for as long as possible. Then you can absolve yourself of this unjust accusation. Now, you must go,” Dee said, pointing to the window.

Nelan opened it.

“Do not go,” his father said. “You must defend yourself, and my honour.”

“Father, I must. The constables—”

Laurens squeezed himself between Nelan and the window. There he stood, legs astride, arms folded, glaring at him. At times, he had a fearsome presence. This was one of them. “You are staying here,” he said through gritted teeth.

“But, Dr Dee, even if I run, they’ll catch me,” Nelan said. “It’s broad daylight outside.”

“Not anymore,” Dee murmured, nodding his head. “Look out the window.”

Outside, a mist as thick as pea soup hung over the river. Where’s that come from? Did it arise naturally, or did Dr Dee conjure it out of the ether?

“Where is he?” an unfamiliar voice boomed from the corridor. “Nelan, be a man,” his father said, “and account for your actions. If you flee, you will dishonour the Michaels’ family name.”

Nelan clenched his fists. “Father, I have to find another way to clear my name. I’ll not end my days in Newgate or Marshalsea for a crime I didn’t commit. Besides, if anyone’s guilty, it’s Guillermo. Now, move, please!”

“I will not!”

“This time, I’ll not bow to your wishes. I’m innocent and disappointed that you don’t believe me. I beg you, get out of my way.”

“No.”

The study door burst open, and Laurens glanced towards the intruder. In one swift, agile movement Nelan darted between his father’s legs and came out the other side. He scrambled onto the windowsill and jumped down to the ground outside before his father had time to stop him. Finally, he’d found an advantage to being small. The ground was moist and soft from the mist. A light breeze swirled vapour around him, adding a ghostly effect to the scene. From the study he heard muffled voices: those of the constables, his father, and Dr Dee.

He knew the paths leading to and from the house like he knew the course of the river. He felt invisible to the world, and in a way, he was. Leaving one life behind and taking the first frightened, tentative steps into a new one, he concentrated on every footstep. He could barely see the path, but he knew that the river flowed by some fifty paces in front of his house.

There he met an extraordinary sight. He stepped out of the swirling mist and into broad daylight. Apart from his house, everywhere was clear: the north bank of the river in Chiswick, the monastery of Syon Abbey to the west, and to the east the city of London, where filaments of woodsmoke snaked into the dawn skies on the horizon. The mist had settled around his house, but nowhere else. He’d never witnessed such a strange phenomenon in all the years he’d lived there.

Universal Link: Barnes and Noble:  Waterstones:  Kobo:  WH Smith: Saxo DK: UK Bookshop:  Wordery:  Blackwells:  Foyles: 

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe.

Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies. 

The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall. 

The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution. 

The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age. 

His work in progress is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, the charting of the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada. 

Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. 

Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

Website: https://www.justinnewland.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustinNewland53 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-newland-b393aa28/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/  

Book Bub: https://partners.bookbub.com/authors/4862998/edit 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Justin-Newland/author/B06WRQVLT8 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jnewland

Welcoming author Nancy Bilyeau to the blog

 

 

Nancy Bilyeau, a magazine editor, is the author of seven published historical novels and one novella. Her debut was “The Crown,” set in 1530s England. The main character is Joanna Stafford, a half-Spanish, half-English Dominican novice from an aristocratic family in disgrace. In ‘The Crown’ and its follow-up novels, ‘The Chalice’ and ‘The Tapestry,’ Joanna is up against some of the most ruthless men in England. After writing the Tudor novels, published in the US, the UK and 11 foreign countries, between 2012 and 2015, Nancy wrote two 18th century-set novels with a French Huguenot character.  ‘The Blue’ and ‘The Fugitive Colours,’ set in the porcelain workshops and portrait studios of England and France, drew on her own Huguenot descent. Most recently, she wrote ‘Dreamland’ and ‘The Orchid Hour,’ set in New York City in the early 20th century. She moved to the Hudson Valley, just north of NYC, several years ago, and is busy working on her first garden.

Why are you talking about the Tudors again?

Last year, my UK publisher, Orion, told me that they were re-publishing ‘The Crown’ and ‘The Chalice’ with brand-new covers and jacket material. I was very pleased! It’s been so interesting to see these books with new covers but even more so, to delve back into the period of time that I began my fiction career writing about. I’ve been reading fiction and non-fiction set in the 16th century before, during, and after writing my trilogy. It’s a great interest of mine, I would never want to stop. But it’s different to be a writer of Tudor fiction and to be purely a reader. 

Why did you move from the Tudors to the 18th century in your work?

It was a combination of things. By the time ‘The Tapestry’ came out, my U.S. publisher, Touchstone, was not as invested in putting out historical fiction. (Now that imprint of Simon & Schuster is closed.) Some people said that the Tudors were “over.” It didn’t seem that way to me, and obviously authors are continuing to create wonderful Tudor fiction. I looked at it as an opportunity to explore other world. I am a magazine writer and editor and for a while I was a screenwriter—in other words, I am used to jumping around among different periods and styles. I came up with the idea that became ‘The Blue’ while I was touring Hillwood, the Marjorie Merriweather Post estate in Washington, DC. Post owned an amazing collection of Sevres porcelain. The tour guide said, “In the 18th century, the rivalries between the porcelain workshops was like the space race of its time.” I thought that was fantastic! I’d always wanted to write a spy story, and I decided to make it an 18th century spy story set in the porcelain world.

And then you wrote books set in early 20th century New York. Why that change?

Again, it was because I had an idea for a novel. When I found out that on Coney Island, in the 1910s, there were beautiful resort hotels for the rich and powerful a mile down the beach from “America’s Playground,” the amusement park that was drawing thousands every day, including from the tenements of New York City, I thought it would make for an amazing culture clash story. I created an heiress who falls in love with an immigrant artist—and of course there is a string of murders going on at the same time! After that I wrote a novella, ‘The Ghost of Madison Avenue,’ because I woke up one day feeling, “I MUST write a Christmas ghost story.” So I did, and set it in the Morgan Museum in 1912. And then most recently I wrote “The Orchid Hour,” set in Little Italy and Greenwich Village in 1923, a place and time I am obsessed with. I’d lived in New York City for years, and read a great deal about its history. I am always on the lookout for a historical flourish in a building’s architecture or a stretch of cobblestone where you least expect it. 

How do your publishers and your readers feel about your jumping through time and across continents?

The publishers seem fine with it! They want a compelling story, a strong main character, well paced, and lots of conflict. There is a common thread running through each of my novels: a woman solving a crime,  launching an investigation, or becoming a spy, in a rich, fascinating time and place. Often there is a romance bubbling away in the background, but it’s rarely the whole point. Neither are these traditional murder mysteries. But there is that similarity among all my books. Everyone knows how much I love to write atmosphere. I try to build a world in each historical novel. So it’s not like I’m showing up with a  science fiction story one day or a modern noir plot. I haven’t plunged too far off course.

Now, my readers. I have to say there is a hard core of committed Joanna Stafford readers who would love to see another Tudor book. They usually like ‘The Blue’ and ‘The Fugitive Colours’ as well, but to be honest, they sometimes find the New York City-set books too far from their comfort zone in fiction. While people who enjoy ‘Dreamland’ or ‘The Orchid Hour’ are usually happiest in the 20th century as far as their novels go and not reading a lot of Tudor. So I have two groups, it sometimes seems. I think that’s delightful, actually. 

If you have readers who want you to return to the Tudor world, why don’t you do that?

That goes back to publishers and who has which series and their editorial mindset. It’s something I am open to. I’ve found myself in an interesting headspace lately. I wrote a short story for an anthology in the last month and it was an opportunity to explore my earlier enthusiasms. I can’t give anything away in this stage, but I’ll share this with you. The name of the short story is “The Reliquary.” That should say a lot.

To find out more about Nancy’s work, go to www.nancybilyeau.com

The Crown and The Chalice will be republished by Orion books in the UK on November 23rd. Go here 

 

The Coffee Pot Blog Tour presents: The Matchstick Boy by Rowena Kinread

Book Title: The Matchstick Boy

Author: Rowena Kinread

Publication Date: October 10th, 2023

Publisher: Goldcrest Books

Page Length: 329 pages

Genre: Historical Crime / Mystery / Historical Thriller

Tour Schedule Page: 

The Matchstick Boy

Rowena Kinread

Blurb:

When his young brother, Josef, is killed by a rock avalanche, Jakob believes it is murder. He had seen someone on the mountain ridge, above the scree, before it began to roll. But who would want to kill a child, and why? Jakob suspects Ramun, the privileged son of the owner of a matchstick factory, but nobody takes him seriously and he is powerless to obtain justice.

Thirty years later, Jakob’s profoundly deaf daughter is raped by Ramun and becomes with child. Determined to gain justice for his daughter, Jakob unearths a myriad of well-kept secrets in the tight-lipped community, but is anyone willing to tell the truth?

Just as he thinks he has uncovered all the facts, he realises he has made a vital mistake all along. Nothing is really as it seems.

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: 

Author Bio:

Rowena Kinread grew up in Ripon, Yorkshire with her large family and a horde of pets. Keen on travelling, her first job was with Lufthansa in Germany.

She began writing in the nineties. Her special area of interest is history. After researching her ancestry and finding family roots in Ireland with the Dalriada clan, particularly this era. Her debut fiction novel titled “The Missionary” is a historical novel about the dramatic life of St. Patrick. It was published by Pegasus Publishers on April 29th, 2021 and has been highly appraised by The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and the Irish Times.

Her second novel “The Scots of Dalriada” centres around Fergus Mór, the founder father of Scotland and takes place in 5th century Ireland and Scotland. It is due to be published by Pegasus Publishers on January 26th, 2023.

The author lives with her husband in Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Lake Constance, Germany. They have three children and six grandchildren.

Website: www.rowena-kinread.com  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RowenaKinread 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rowena.strittmatter 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowena-kinread-6b054b228/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rowenakinread/ 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rowena-kinread 

Amazon Author Page: https://author.amazon.de/home/rowenakinread 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21379391.Rowena_Kinread 

Join the New Release Party for Historical Stories of Exile - an historical fiction anthology

Book Title: Historical Stories of Exile

Authors: Cryssa Bazos, Anna Belfrage, Elizabeth Chadwick, Cathie Dunn, J G Harlond,

Helen Hollick, Loretta Livingstone, Amy Maroney, Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb, Elizabeth St.John, Marian L. Thorpe, Annie Whitehead.

With an introduction by Deborah Swift

OFFICIAL LAUNCH  PARTY Date: 16th November 2023

Publisher: Taw River Press

Page Length: 323

Genre: Historical Fiction / Short Story Anthology

Twitter Handle: @HelenHollick @cathiedunn

Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub

Bluesky Handle: @cathiedunn

Tour Schedule Page: 

Historical Stories of Exile

Contributing Authors:

Cryssa Bazos, Anna Belfrage, Elizabeth Chadwick, Cathie Dunn, J G Harlond,

Helen Hollick, Loretta Livingstone, Amy Maroney Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb, Elizabeth St.John, Marian L. Thorpe, Annie Whitehead.

With an introduction by Deborah Swift.

 

Exile: a risky defiance, a perilous journey, a family’s tragic choice – or an individual’s final gamble to live. Exile: voluntary or enforced, a falling-out between friends, a lost first love, a prejudiced betrayal – or the only way to survive persecution?

In this historical fiction anthology thirteen authors (they are not superstitious!) have written exclusive short stories on the theme of exile. Some are based on true history, others are speculative fiction. All mine the depths of human emotions: fear, hope, love, and the fortitude to survive.

Join an inspiring Anglo-Saxon queen of Wales, a courageous Norwegian falconer, and a family fleeing back in time to escape the prospect of a ruthless future. Oppose the law with the legendary Doones of Exmoor, or defy the odds with two brave WWII exiles. Meet a Roman apprehensively planning exile to preserve the 'old ways', and a real Swedish prince forcibly expelled in heart-wrenching circumstances. Thrill to a story based on the legend of Robin Hood, sail with a queen of Cyprus determined to regain her rightful throne; escape religious persecution, discover the heart-rending truth behind the settlement of Massachusetts and experience the early years that would, eventually, lead to the founding of Normandy. Experience the stirring of first love, and as an exclusive treat special guest author, Elizabeth Chadwick, reveals a tale about the 12th-century’s heiress, Isabelle de Clare, and the Greatest Knight of all time – William Marshal.

With an introduction by multi-award-winning author Deborah Swift, enjoy these tales of exile across the ages. Some are hopeful, some sad, some romantic, some tragic, but all explore the indomitable spirit of resolute, unforgettable characters.

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Universal Link:

ALISON MORTON writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her ten-book Roma Nova series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but use a sharp line in dialogue. Several of her novels have hit  #1 in Amazon US, UK, Canada and Australia. The latest, Julia Prima, plunges us back to AD 370 when the founders of Roma Nova met.

She blends her fascination for Ancient Rome with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.

Alison now lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity and Double Pursuit. Oh, and she’s writing the next Roma Nova story.

Website: https://www.alison-morton.com

AMY MARONEY studied English Literature at Boston University and worked for many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction. She lives in Oregon, U.S.A. with her family. When she’s not diving down research rabbit holes, she enjoys hiking, dancing, traveling, and reading. Amy is the author of The Miramonde Series, a bestselling historical mystery trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail. Amy’s award-winning historical adventure/romance series, Sea and Stone Chronicles, is set in medieval Rhodes and Cyprus.

An enthusiastic advocate for independent publishing, Amy is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors and the Historical Novel Society.

 Website: https://www.amymaroney.com/

ANNA BELFRAGE Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna always writes about love and has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England. Anna is presently hard at work with her other medieval series, The Castilian Saga ,which is set against the conquest of Wales. The third instalment, Her Castilian Heart, was published in 2022, and the fourth and final one will be out in 2024. She has recently released Times of Turmoil, a sequel to her time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time.

Website, www.annabelfrage.com 

ANNIE WHITEHEAD is an author, historian, and elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and has written four award-winning novels set in Anglo-Saxon England. She has contributed to fiction and nonfiction anthologies and written for various magazines, has twice been a prize winner in the Mail on Sunday Novel Writing Competition, and won First Prize in the 2012 New Writer Magazine's Prose and Poetry Competition. She was a finalist in the 2015 Tom Howard Prize for Nonfiction and was shortlisted for the Exeter Story Prize/Trisha Ashley Award 2021. 

She was the winner of the inaugural Historical Writers’ Association/Dorothy Dunnett Prize 2017 and is now a judge for that same competition. She has also been a judge for the HNS (Historical Novel Society) Short Story Competition.

Her nonfiction books are Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom (Amberley Books) and Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England (Pen & Sword). She has contributed to a new history of English Monarchs, Kings and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs (Hodder & Stoughton) and has signed a contract to write her third nonfiction book, to be published by Amberley books in 2024.

Website: https://anniewhiteheadauthor.co.uk/

CATHIE DUNN writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance. The focus of her novels is on strong women through time. She has garnered awards and praise from reviewers and readers for her authentic description of the past. A keen Medievalist, she enjoys visiting castles and ruins, and reading about battles and political shenanigans of the times.

Cathie is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and the Alliance of Independent Authors. She also now runs The Coffee Pot Book Club, promoting historical fiction authors and their books.

Website: https://www.cathiedunn.com 

CHARLENE NEWCOMB writes historical fiction and science fiction. Her award-winning Battle Scars trilogy is set in the 12th century during the reign of Richard the Lionheart. Her writing roots are in the Star Wars Expanded Universe (aka Legends) where she published 10 short stories in the Star Wars Adventure Journal. Scifi/space opera fans should check out Echoes of the Storm, her original novel published in 2020. She returned to medieval times with her novel Rogue in 2023. 

Website: https://charlenenewcomb.com

CRYSSA BAZOS is an award-winning historical fiction author and a 17th-century enthusiast. Her debut novel, Traitor's Knot is the Medalist winner of the 2017 New Apple Award for Historical Fiction and a finalist for the 2018 EPIC eBook Awards for Historical Romance. Her second novel,  Severed Knot is a B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree and a finalist for the 2019 Chaucer Award. Rebel's Knot, the third instalment of the standalone series, Quest for the Three Kingdoms, is a B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree and 2021 Discovering Diamonds Book of the Year..

Website:  https://cryssabazos.com

DEBORAH SWIFT is a delver into archives, drinks too much tea, and loves antiques and old buildings. Her sturdy, stone-built house used to be the village primary school, and from her window she has a view of a few 17th century cottages, and behind those, green fields dotted with grazing sheep.

Historical fiction was a natural choice for Deborah as a writer because she always enjoyed the research aspect of design – poking about in archives and museums, not to mention the attraction of boned bodices and the excuse to visit old and interesting buildings.

She used to work as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV, so enjoy the research aspect of creating historical fiction. She likes to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events. In her books Deborah likes to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events. Her first novel was The Lady's Slipper which was shortlisted for the Impress Prize, and her book  The Poison Keeper, about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, won the BookViral Millennium Award. She has written eighteen novels to date including two series set in WWII – her latest, The Shadow Network is due for release in early 2024.

Deborah lives in North Lancashire on the edge of the Lake District,  and divide her time between teaching and writing.

Website: https://deborahswift.com/

ELIZABETH CHADWICK New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Chadwick lives in a cottage in the Vale of Belvoir in Nottinghamshire with her husband and their four terriers, Pip, Jack, Billy and Little Ted. Her first novel, The Wild Hunt, won a Betty Trask Award and To Defy a King won the RNA’s 2011 Historical Novel Prize. She was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Award in 1998 for The Champion, in 2001 for Lords of the White Castle, in 2002 for The Winter Mantle and in 2003 for The Falcons of Montabard. Her sixteenth novel, The Scarlet Lion, was nominated by Richard Lee, founder of the Historical Novel Society, as one of the top ten historical novels of the last decade. She often lectures at conferences and historical venues, has been consulted for television documentaries and is a member of the Royal Historical Society.

Website: https://elizabethchadwick.com/

ELIZABETH ST.JOHN’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England's kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.

Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.

Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.

Elizabeth's books include her trilogy, The Lydiard Chronicles, set in 17th Century England during the Civil War, and her medieval novel, The Godmother's Secret, which explores the mystery of the missing Princes in the Tower of London.

Website: http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/

HELEN HOLLICK and her husband and adult daughter moved from north-east London in January 2013 after finding an eighteenth-century North Devon farmhouse through being a ‘victim’ on BBC TV’s popular Escape to The Country show. The thirteen-acre property was the first one she was shown – and it was love at first sight. She enjoys her new rural life, and has a variety of animals on the farm, including Exmoor ponies, dogs, cats, hens, ducks and geese and her daughter’s string of show jumpers.

First accepted for publication by William Heinemann in 1993 – a week after her fortieth birthday – Helen then became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am the Chosen King), novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she also writes a pirate-based nautical adventure/fantasy series, The Sea Witch Voyages, where you can read more about Jesamiah Acorne, son of Charles St Croix – and the Doones.

Despite being impaired by the visual disorder of Glaucoma, she is also branching out into the quick read novella, ‘Cosy Mystery’ genre with the Jan Christopher Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working for thirteen years as a library assistant.

Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of a Smuggler. She also runs a news and events blog and a Facebook page for her village, and supports her daughter’s passion for horses and showjumping – and occasionally gets time to write... 

Website: https://helenhollick.net

J.G. HARLOND Secret agents, skulduggery, and crime that crosses continents.

British author of historical crime fiction, J.G. (Jane) Harlond writes award-winning, page-turning novels set in the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Each story weaves fictional characters into real events. She describes her WWII Bob Robbins Home Front Mysteries as ‘cosy crime with a sinister twist’. Prior to becoming a full-time author, Jane taught English and World Literature in international colleges. She also wrote school text books for many years using her married name. 

Jane is married to a retired Spanish naval officer and they have a large, grown-up family living in various parts of Europe and the USA. After travelling widely (she has lived in or visited most of the places that feature in her novels) they are now settled near Málaga in Spain.

J.G. Harlond is a member of the British Crime Writers Association and the Dorothy Dunnett Society.

Website: http://author.to/JGHarlond

LORETTA LIVINGSTONE had no intention of writing anything but short stories or poetry, and especially not historical fiction. She stated it quite clearly on social media, only to suddenly find herself writing ... historical fiction. Her debut novel, Out Of Time, set in the mythical Sparnstow Abbey, was shortlisted for the Historical Novel Society Indie Award in 2016, which stunned and elated her in equal measures.

It was supposed to be a one-off. It wasn't. She went on to write two more stand-alone novels in the series; A Promise to Keep and Blossom on the Thorn. She had plans for more but has had ME for many years, and ill health has temporarily reined in her gallop. However, she intends to write again soon... 

Her other books include short story collections and poetry, and can be found on Amazon.

Loretta is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/217686418294125

MARIAN L. THORPE Taught to read at the age of three, words have been central to Marian’s life for as long as she can remember. A novelist, poet, and essayist, Marian has several degrees, none of which are related to writing. After two careers as a research scientist and an educator, she retired from salaried work and returned to writing things that weren’t research papers or reports.

Marian’s first published work was poetry, in small journals; her first novel was released in 2015. Her award-winning Empire’s Legacy series is historical fiction of another world, based to some extent on northern Europe after the decline of Rome.

In addition to her novels, Marian has read poetry, short stories, and nonfiction work at writers’ festivals and other juried venues.

Her other two passions in life are birding and landscape history, both of which are reflected in her books. Birding has taken her and her husband to all seven continents, but these days she's mostly content to move between Canada and the UK.

Website: https://marianlthorpe.com/

The Coffee Pot Blog Tour Presents: Twelve Nights by Penny Ingham

Book Title:           Twelve Nights

Series:                  The Heavenly Charmers

Author:                 Penny Ingham

Publication Date: April 2022

Publisher:             Nerthus

Page Length:        360

Genre:                  historical fiction/historical mystery

Tour Schedule Page:  

Twelve Nights 

by Penny Ingham

1592. The Theatre, London.

When a player is murdered, suspicion falls on the wardrobe mistress, Magdalen Bisset, because everyone knows poison is a woman’s weapon. The coroner is convinced of her guilt. The scandal-pamphlets demonize her.

Magdalen is innocent, although few are willing to help her prove it. Only handsome Matthew Hilliard offers his assistance, but dare she trust him when nothing about him rings true?

With just two weeks until the inquest, Magdalen ignores anonymous threats to ‘leave it be’, and delves into the dangerous underworld of a city seething with religious and racial tension. As time runs out, she must risk everything in her search for the true killer - for all other roads lead to the gallows.

Excerpt from Twelve Nights by Penny Ingham

Magdalen was beginning to wish she had crept back to Silver Street. Her world had turned upside down and she had no idea how to set it right again. She put her head in her hands, and her obvious distress cast an even greater pall over the gathering. At length, William Kempe’s bulbous eyes slid to the landlord.

‘Perhaps Francis murdered John? He’s best placed to slip something in his beer.’ 

They all turned to look at Francis Johnson. He was dunking dirty cups into a bucket of equally dirty water before slamming them back onto the board. 

‘It’s possible,’ Burbage replied. ‘But I’ve never taken Johnson for a murderer. And what motive could he have?’

‘None that I can think of,’ Kempe admitted.

Magdalen remembered Richard Cowley’s rapier piercing John’s doublet. Could it have nicked John’s skin? If the tip was poisoned, could it have been enough to kill him? She looked up, into Richard’s eyes. 

‘Poison is a woman’s weapon,’ he repeated, seeming to have read her mind. ‘A coward’s game. There’s no honour in it.’

‘When is there ever honour in murder?’ she shot back but Richard had already turned away, gesturing to a serving girl for more Mad Dog.

The shadows lengthened. The landlord lit the fire, the serving girls laid out soggy saffron cakes, and the players’ spirits began to lift, warmed by the crackling fire, and by wine and cakes and ale. And with every cup of Rhenish she drank, Magdalen’s spirits lifted a little too. The tavern was starting to fill up. Word spread fast through Shoreditch, and now all the poets and playwrights who had ever felt envious of Burbage’s lauded band of brothers were crawling out of the woodwork to gloat over their misfortune. 

Christopher Marlowe arrived, and the tavern lit up as if the stars had fallen through the thatch. He greeted them all in turn, embracing some, kissing others on the lips. But he offered no kiss to Will. Instead, they simply shook hands like two fencers before a bout. It seemed fitting, for they were presently engaged in an increasingly spectacular play-writing dual, lobbing masterpieces at each other across the Thames. When Marlowe attacked with the gore-fest Tamburlaine, Will struck back with blood-soaked Titus Andronicus. Marlowe lunged with his study of a weak king, Edward the Second, so Will parried with Richard the Second. All of London was waiting to see how Will would respond to Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta.

‘William.’ Marlowe released Will’s hand, and moved on.

‘Christopher,’ Will replied and turned back to his beer.

Magdalen found their relationship hard to fathom, but hidden beneath the jealousy and rivalry, she often suspected a lurking mutual respect. 

Stepping over Robert Greene, who had fallen asleep on the floor, Marlowe sat down beside her. ‘How now, Magdalen?’

She nodded absently. She had drunk a great deal of Rhenish, but she would never admit her inebriation, not even to Marlowe because it was not seemly. But he must have noticed her glazed expression because that familiar, half-smile was playing on his lips, as if he was enjoying his own private joke at the world’s expense. Although he was fast approaching thirty years of age, there was still a boyish charm to his features; the soft doe-eyes, the beard-less cheeks, the wisps of a moustache above full, generous lips.

‘I think you’ve had enough of this.’ He picked up her cup of Rhenish, and proceeded to drain it.

‘Hey!’ she exclaimed but it was a half-hearted protest, for her head was pounding like cannon fire.

‘You will have heard about the constable?’ she said quietly. 

‘Edmund Stow is highly fed and lowly taught. Pay no heed to him,’ Marlowe replied airily.

‘But what if the Puritans bribe the coroner to convict me? We all know they are looking for an excuse to close us down.’ 

He shook his head. ‘I won’t let that happen.’ 

She wished she could believe him, but Marlowe was the most unreliable man on earth. He had recently fought in a brawl which had resulted in an inn-keeper’s death. Although it was his friend, Thomas Watson, who had struck the fatal blow, they were both hauled off to Newgate prison to await trial. Marlowe had been released a month later, miraculously without charge. Perhaps he really did believe he was invincible now. In the history books in Will’s room the ancient Greeks had called it hubris, and no good had ever come of it.

‘You look like Christmas, Magdalen.’ 

‘Christmas?’ she repeated, bemused. 

‘Yes, your green kirtle, your red jacket.’ Marlowe broke into song, ‘the holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown.’ He had a beautiful baritone voice.

‘And you look -’ she eyed his tawny-orange doublet slashed to reveal yellow satin beneath; the wafer-soft, wide collar falling across his shoulders; the row of shiny buttons marching down his chest and belly. He had come into money recently, of that there was no doubt. ‘You look like a pageant, as always, Marlowe.’

‘Tawny is the colour of mourning, is it not?’ he asked with feigned innocence. 

Magdalen laughed, but it made her head hurt.

‘You remind me of my sister,’ he said, suddenly serious.

‘I didn’t know you had a sister,’ she said, taken aback.

‘Her laugh sounded just like yours. There was something so joyous about it.’ 

Magdalen noticed he was using the past tense. ‘Is she -’ she began cautiously, but Marlowe spoke over her.

‘She was married at twelve years old, and she died in childbirth at the age of thirteen.’ 

Magdalen’s heart lurched with pity. ‘Oh! I am so sorry…’ 

He was staring into the distance now, his eyes full of bitterness and remembered grief. Marlowe was a man of bluster and bravado; his every word designed to shock or offend. She had known him for ten years and in all that time, she had never seen his defences down. But now, the window to his soul was open wide and the view was so unexpected and so intimate, she felt obliged to hastily avert her eyes.

When Marlowe spoke again, he no longer sounded sad but angry. ‘Answer me this. How can you have faith in God when he allowed my sister to die in agony?’

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Link:  

Penny has a degree in Classics, and a passion for archaeology – during the summer months, you will often find her on her a ‘dig’ with a trowel in her hand. She has had a variety of jobs over the years, including ice-cream seller, theatre PR, BBC local radio, and TV critic for a British Forces newspaper. 

She has written four novels – ‘The King’s Daughter’ is the story of Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians. ‘The Saxon Wolves’ and ‘The Saxon Plague’ are set in the turbulent aftermath of Roman Britain. Her inspiration for Twelve Nights grew from her love of the theatre in general, and Shakespeare in particular. 

Penny has two grown up children and lives with her husband in Hampshire.

Website:        Penny Ingham (wordpress.com)

Twitter:         Penny Ingham (@pennyingham) / Twitter

Facebook:    Penny Ingham Author Page | Facebook

  

Instagram:    Penny Ingham (@penny.ingham) • Instagram photos and videos

Amazon Author Page:    Amazon.co.uk: Penny Ingham: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle

Goodreads:    Penny Ingham (Author of The Saxon Wolves) | Goodreads