A Pledge of Better Times: Review and Giveaway!

Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Gallica Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-9907420-4-3
Pages: 400

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

A sweeping tale of ambition, treachery, and passion…

For generations Lady Diana de Vere’s family loyally served England’s crown. But after King Charles II’s untimely death, her father firmly opposes James II’s tyranny. Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St. Albans—the late king’s bastard son by actress Nell Gwyn—also rebels against his newly crowned uncle’s manipulation. Secretly pledging to wed Diana, he departs for the Continent to become a soldier.

Political and religious turmoil bring about revolution and yet another coronation before Charles returns to claim his promised bride. As companion to Queen Mary II, Diana has followed her de Vere forbears into royal service. She expects Charles to abandon his military career after marriage, but he proves unwilling to join the ranks of the courtiers he despises and mistrusts.

In palace corridors and within their own household the young duke and duchess confront betrayals, scandals, and tragedies that threaten to divide them. And neither the privileges of birth nor proximity to the throne can ensure their security, their advancement—or their happiness.

What Did I Think About the Story?

When I began A Pledge of Better Times I was anticipating the standard, yet still very enjoyable, historical novel that centered around a person from history that, while not as well known as some, had a strategic place within the greater machinations of the time. Well, this novel is that and so much more. While the relationship between Diana de Vere and Charles Beauclerk does play a big part in the story, for me the novel was more about the political and religious rollercoaster England went through during this time (1684-1705) and how the royalty and noblemen adjusted (or not) to the changing environment.

I have to say that I wasn't overly familiar with the history of this time period before starting, beyond some basic knowledge of the key players, but Margaret Porter did an incredible job of fleshing out this world for me in such a way that I now feel quite comfortable with the goings on and the people that shaped its history. There are just so many delicious details to absorb - from fashion to ceremony to the architecture and decoration of palaces - that the reader can easily imagine seeing it all right in front of them. While I can see how this eye for detail and the vast amount of time spent on military strategies and the ever shifting political, social and religious practices could feel somewhat dry to a reader at times, without it I just don't think this would be the same novel. It is very clear that Margaret Porter knows her history and, for someone like me who isn't as familiar with it but really wants to know that sort of information to feel fully absorbed in what is going on, I very much appreciated it.

The biggest surprise to me was just how much bed hopping seemed to go on for the  royalty and nobility during this time! While I knew Charles II was a well known womanizer and had bastards I had no idea how many others did the same. Beyond that, the fact that many of the mistresses and their children were openly accepted into the court and given titles, wealth and property was new to me. This sort of lascivious way of life made a wonderful counter to the more staid propriety that William III and Mary II brought to the court shortly after.

Speaking of Queen Mary, this novel felt to me as much her story as Diana's and was the most touching to me. She comes across as such a kind woman who comes to love and respect her husband beyond all else and who doesn't really get that reciprocated love back until the very end. So many people seemed to disappoint or let her down and I wanted to hope against  history that she would have a happier ending.

A Pledge of Better Times is a wonderful book for those that adore deeply researched and meticulously presented English Stuart history or someone that wants to learn more about this time period.  Diana is only one of many people given a voice within it and I very much enjoyed spending time with them all.    

What Did I Think About the Cover?

It's beautiful! Being that it is actually a picture of Diana de Vere, one discussed in the novel and one that has some significance given the orange she is holding, it makes it that much more poignant. I love knowing what the players actually looked like when reading a historical novel.


My Rating: 4.0/5.0

 

Thank you to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of A Pledge of Better Times in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to continue below for more information about the author, the book, the rest of the blog tour and your chance to win a copy!

 

 

 

Praise for A Pledge of Better Times

 

 

“Meticulously researched and offering an impressive cast of real life characters brought to vibrant life, A Pledge of Better Times expertly captures the drama, passions, politics and religious turmoil of England at the turn of the 18th century. Margaret Porter crafts her story with exquisite detail, transporting the reader into a world full of intrigue, scandal, and breathtaking danger . . . a masterful writer.” – Award-winning author M. Reed McCall

“With elegant prose and vivid detail, A Pledge of Better Times sweeps you into late Stuart England, transforming the lesser known adversities and triumphs of Lady Diana de Vere and Charles Beauclerk into a beautiful love story you won’t forget.” – Marci Jefferson, author of Enchantress of Paris and Girl on the Golden Coin

“A portrait of Diana de Vere as rich as the portraits that grace British museums and palaces.” – Christy K Robinson, author of Mary Dyer Illuminated

“The sparkling, dangerous, enticing post-Restoration period comes to vivid life! Porter gives us a wonderful, complicated heroine in Diana, drawing us deep into her world . . . . I couldn’t stop reading!” – Amanda Carmack, author of Murder in the Queen’s Garden: An Elizabethan Mystery

 

Official Book Trailer

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

Margaret Porter is an award-winning, bestselling novelist whose lifelong study of British history

inspires her fiction and her travels. A former stage actress, she has also worked in film, television, and radio.

For more information please visit Margaret Porter’s website. You can also find her on Facebook here and here, and on Twitter.

Giveaway!!

 

 

For your chance to win a copy of A Pledge of Better Times (paperback or eBook, winner's choice) please enter your name and email address on the giveaway form HERE. Please be sure to leave both your name and your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner (no email address, no entry!). For extra entries follow me via email or on social media (links on the right hand side) and enter the name (or email address) you follow with on the form. That's it!

 

Giveaway Rules: 

 

 

Open to US residents only

 

Must be 18 or older to enter.

 Giveaway is open to US residents only.

 Only one entry per household.

All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

 

Winner selected May 22nd, 2015.

 

 

Good luck everyone!

 

 

A Pledge of Better Times Blog Tour Schedule

 

 

Monday, May 4

Review at Just One More Chapter
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Spotlight & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf

Tuesday, May 5

Review at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, May 6

Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, May 7

Review at Book Drunkard

Friday, May 8

Review at Books and Benches

Sunday, May 10

Review & Guest Post at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, May 11

Review at Reading the Past

Tuesday, May 12

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Thursday, May 14

Review at Unshelfish
Review at Impressions in Ink
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes

Friday, May 15

Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation
Review & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession

Monday, May 18

Guest Post at Book Babe

 

 

 

 





 



Spotlight on Behind the Forgotten Front by Barbara Hawkins

Please join Barbara Hawkins as she tours the blogosphere with HF Virtual Book Tours for Behind the Forgotten Front, from May 11th - 19th!


Publication Date: August 22, 2014
e-book: ISBN 978-0-9915984-2-7 (309 pages)
Paperback: ISBN 978-0-9915984-1-0 (318 pages)

Genre: Historical Fiction/World War II


It’s 1942 and Harry Flynn enlists to fight in the war expecting to find the thrill of danger and honor of military service. He leaves behind the love of his life to journey into a world of tigers, elephants and Himalayan Mountains. Instead of a fighting position, Harry is sent to the Forgotten Front in the Indian subcontinent as an ordinary supply officer. There, General Joseph ‘Vinegar Joe’ Stilwell is constructing a ‘road to nowhere’ through Japanese-occupied Burma. The general will do anything to get the road built.

In this exotic world with Naga headhunters, opium-smoking Kachin tribesmen, and marauders who scorn both life and death, Harry forges unlikely friendships. He’s forced to obey orders that challenge his principles and is torn between being true to himself or ‘no man at all.’ Eventually, not willing to let Uncle Sam needlessly condemn the road crew to death, he rebels.

He tries to sabotage the road’s progress where an Afro-American construction regiment is losing a man a mile due to disease and crumbling mountain slopes. Then a commanding officer spots his unconventional skills. Immediately he’s transferred to America’s first guerrilla-supported unit: Merrill’s Marauders and later the Mars Task Force. Here, he must entrust his life to others. During a time when boys were forced to come of age on the battlefield, Harry must find what makes his life worth living or die.

The lessons learned in World War II apply to all wars, where men walk away carrying unspeakable memories and lives that ‘could have been’ haunt those that lived. Behind the Forgotten Front brings them all back to life and shows that history is about facts driven by passions and sometimes the mistakes of real people.

Praise for Behind the Forgotten Front

“Barbara’s debut novel is a compelling examination of man and war and the interaction between them. The miracle of this novel is how Barbara brings this `forgotten front’ to life. Barbara accomplishes her goals in this her debut – bringing to our attention the impact war has on all soldiers, no matter their assignment. She also sets a very high standard for her next book. Brava!” – Grady Harp, Amazon Reviewer

Buy the Book

Amazon (eBook)
Amazon (Paperback)

About the Author

 

 

Barbara Hawkins started writing a pseudo-memoir about her time spent in Guatemala during the 1970’s-1980’s civil war. It was too close to her heart, so she had to switch to something she wanted to tell a story about but also had a worthwhile message. Her father had always wanted to write a book about the time he’d spent in World War II but died before he could reach that goal. So she thought she’d give it a try.

She knew he was stationed in Sri Lanka, but she didn’t find much to write about there. So she

gravitated to what she knew best, engineering and jungles. The story of the Afro-American construction regiment building Stilwell’s Road grabbed her attention and who could not be mesmerized by American’s first guerrilla supported units: Merrill’s Marauders and the Mars Task Force? Half-way through the book her sister found her dad’s diary from the War. He was actually in the Mars Task Force. The scene with Lt. Jack Knight was taken from his diary and the ending was from a conversation she had with her dad just before he died. Having given a promise to keep his WWII missions a secret for fifty years, it was the only time her father spoke of the War.

Ms. Hawkins holds BS degrees from the University of Minnesota where she studied Botany and Mathematics. She taught mathematics and science in High School until she realized she hated being a disciplinarian. From there she traveled to jungles in Latin America collecting plant specimens for several universities. She also has a MS in Civil Engineering. For the last twenty-five-years she has worked as a professional engineer. Her hobbies vary from cooking and yoga to bicycling and adventure travel.

For more information visit Barbara Hawkins’ website.

Behind the Forgotten Front Blog Tour Schedule

 

Monday, May 11

Review at Flashlight Commentary
Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Tuesday, May 12

Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Wednesday, May 13

Review & Giveaway at Forever Ashley
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Thursday, May 14

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, May 15

Review & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Saturday, May 16

Review at Impressions in Ink
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Monday, May 18

Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish

Tuesday, May 19

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past



 



Review: The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne

The Ice Twins: A Novel
S.K. Tremayne

Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: May 19th, 2015

ISBN: 1455586056 / 9781455586059

 

Psychological Mystery/Thriller

 

 

Synopsis

 

 

 In the tradition of The Girl on the Train comes the UK bestseller THE ICE TWINS, a terrifying psychological thriller with a twisting plot worthy of Gillian Flynn.


One of Sarah's daughters died. But can she be sure which one?


A year after one of their identical twin daughters, Lydia, dies in an accident, Angus and Sarah Moorcroft move to the tiny Scottish island Angus inherited from his grandmother, hoping to put together the pieces of their shattered lives.

But when their surviving daughter, Kirstie, claims they have mistaken her identity--that she, in fact, is Lydia--their world comes crashing down once again.


As winter encroaches, Angus is forced to travel away from the island for work, Sarah is feeling isolated, and Kirstie (or is it Lydia?) is growing more disturbed. When a violent storm leaves Sarah and her daughter stranded, they are forced to confront what really happened on that fateful day.

What Did I Think About the Story?

Maybe it's just me, but I've always found identical twins to be somewhat creepy (truly, no offence to any identical twins out there, I'm purely going by their depiction in movies such as The Shining and the fact that I've read they seem to have an intense connection to each other's inner worlds, finishing each other's sentences, laughing together without saying a word, etc. I haven't, in fact, ever met true identical twins). So, when I read the synopsis of this novel and saw that it involved a surviving identical twin that might not be who they thought she was, I knew I wanted to read this book! Having now finished I'm very glad I did, because it not only has the central mystery of who is the surviving twin but adds a heavy dose of marital strife, secrets that should never have been hidden and even a nice dash of the paranormal.


The novel begins with Angus and Sarah Moorecroft trying desperately to move their family away from London to his ancestral home on a tiny, isolated island in the inner Hebrides near Skye.  Not only are they trying to move on from the horrible death of one of their young twin daughters a little over a year ago but they are also trying to find a fresh start for their crumbling marriage and a way out of the serious financial debt they have found themselves in. Solution: move the family to the rundown cottage on the beautiful yet treacherous "Thunder Island" right before the horrific winter weather blows in. Maybe not the best idea but off they go!


Right from the get-go it is quite clear there are a lot of issues within this family, above and beyond the death of their daughter. Both Angus and Sarah are keeping secrets and resentments from each other, both of which will come into play as the story progresses. On top of all this is the fact that, when Sarah tells her surviving twin daughter, Kirstie, that they are moving she tells her mother that she is not Kirstie but actually Lydia, the dead daughter! Well, needless to say, Sarah is quite disturbed by this news but decides not to say anything to her husband (a pattern for these two) and tries to get to the bottom of which daughter actually died and then get her surviving daughter the help she needs to move on from this tragedy. Sarah has no idea that Angus knows something regarding his daughter's identity confusion as well and is on his own mission to put to rights his family.


Once they move to the island the story really picks up. I was amazed at how well the author transported the reader to this often gloomy yet gorgeous environment and how she kind of makes the island and the dilapidated cottage its own character (and an intensely creepy one at that). You are always waiting for something to creep up behind the characters or materialize out of nowhere...the entire environment just feels haunted! Then we add an intensely confused and disturbed young girl and her broken parents to the mix and you can't help but feel chilled as the author slowly reveals the truth behind what the characters have been hiding from us through to an ending I never saw coming!


Now finished with the novel I'm still not completely sure I know all the facts of what happened and, to be honest, that is part of the charm of this novel. You've got these very flawed people, including a confused and disturbed young girl (from the descriptions and actions I kept picturing one of the twins from the movie Village of the Damned, if one of the twins died and left the other alone and bereft) and more secrets and lies than can be counted and at the end of the day, who really knows all of what happened. Anyone looking for an interesting family drama that takes place at a beautiful yet dangerous location and that has an overlaying feeling of dread and fright will find much to enjoy in The Ice Twins.

What Did I Think About the Cover? 

I'm not a fan. It reminds me of the beginning of all the Marvel comic book movies and doesn't really fit the somewhat sinister feeling of the novel. It does, however, represent the fractured state of the characters so I give it points for that.


My Rating: 4.0/5.0

 

Thank you to Tiffany Sanchez at Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free copy of The Ice Twins in exchange for an honest review!

 

 

 

Praise for The Ice Twins

 

 

“Richly evocative and profoundly eerie, The Ice Twins is a mesmerizing story of grief, loss, and betrayal set against a backdrop that’s as beautiful as it is haunted, just like the tragic family at the story’s center.”—Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia

 

 

 

“Unbearably gripping and suspenseful.”—Sophie Hannah, international bestselling author of The Wrong Mother and The Dead Lie Down

 

 

“Chilling and utterly compulsive . . . As the action plays out in the claustrophobic confines of the cold, creepy island, it builds to an incredibly tense and shiver inducing conclusion.”—The Sunday Mirror (UK)

 

“The next Gone Girl . . . [An] eerie literary spine-chiller.”—Sunday Times Travel Magazine (U.K.)

 

“Very eerie”—Marie Claire (UK) (A “Must Read” selection)

 

 

About the Author

 

S. K. Tremayne is a bestselling novelist, award-winning travel writer, and a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines around the world. Born in Devon, the author now lives in London.

 

 



Spotlight on The Holy Lance by Andrew Latham

Please join Andrew Latham as he tours for The Holy Lance with HF Virtual Book Tours, from May 4th - May 15th!

Publication Date: March 24, 2015
Knox Robinson Publishing
Formats: eBook, Hardcover
Pages: 360

Series: The English Templars (Book One)
Genre: Historical Fiction/Middle Ages


READ AN EXCERPT


The year is 1191. A daring counterattack against the Saracens’ last-ditch effort to relieve the besieged city of Acre has not only saved the Christian host from a fatal defeat; it has also brought the leader of that counterattack, English Templar Michael Fitz Alan, to the attention of King Richard the Lionheart.

In the days that follow, the king charges Fitz Alan with a life-or-death mission – to recover the Holy Lance, a long-lost religious relic widely believed to be responsible for the near-miraculous success of the First Crusade.

The ensuing quest leads Fitz Alan and a hand-picked band of Templars on a journey deep into enemy territory, where they battle Saracens, Assassins, hostile Christians and even a traitor within their own ranks as they seek to return the Holy Lance to Christian hands and thereby ensure the success of the crusade.

Early Praise for The Holy Lance

“A timely and compelling novel. The Crusades inform and often infect our understanding of the contemporary Middle East, and while this book is fiction it reveals much of the truth about that misunderstood era. Outstanding reading.” – Michael Coren, award-winning television host, radio personality, syndicated columnist, and best-selling author of fourteen books, including most recently The Future of Catholicism

“A fascinating and thrilling story played out under the boiling heat of Palestine at a time when two cultures clashed violently over the ultimate prize of Jerusalem. Andrew Latham has created a believable and sympathetic lead character in the Templar Fitz Alan as well as providing us with a thrilling insight into the mysteries of the Templar order. A most enjoyable tale, like that of an experienced jongleur, set against the personal conflict between Richard of England and Saladin. It vividly resurrects the life and death struggle between Saracen and Crusader.” – Dr. Paul Doherty, OBE, historian and critically acclaimed author of dozens of works of historical fiction, including The Templar, The Templar Magician and most recently The Last of Days

“Grizzled warriors, an epic conflict, a fabled quest: Latham’s engrossing tale of violence and faith careens savagely through the Third Crusade and its legendary clash of wills – ‘Coeur de Lion’ versus ‘Saladin’, ‘Frank’ versus ‘Saracen’. The splendid English Templar, Michael Fitz Alan – flawed, fearless, lethal – here joins the front rank of historical fiction’s greatest warriors.”- Dr. Dean F. Oliver, award-winning author, director of research at the Canadian Museum of History, and Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau

“Violent and visceral…. meticulously researched… superbly plotted…. The Holy Lance is historical fiction at its best!” – Steven A. McKay, bestselling author of Wolf’s Head and The Wolf and the Raven

“If you’re looking for an historical adventure soaked in blood… The Holy Lance delivers…. Latham shows a welcome attention to the complexities of the Crusader world and to the details of Templar life. A satisfying amount of blood is shed as Michael Fitz Alan and his Templar troops battle their way towards their goal. And the book offers a rousing conclusion, with the promise of more to come. Bring it on!” – Jack Hight, author of The Saladin Trilogy

Buy the Book

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository
IndieBound

About the Author

Knox Robinson author Andrew A. Latham is an award-winning professor of International Relations who regularly teaches courses in medieval political thought, international relations, and war. Trained as a Political Scientist, Latham has spent the last decade-and-a-half researching political violence in the Middle Ages. He has written scholarly articles on medieval war, the crusades, jihad, and the political thought of Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas. His most recent book is a work of non-fiction entitled Theorizing Medieval Geopolitics: War and World Order in the Age of the Crusades.

Latham was born in England, raised in Canada and currently lives in the United States. He graduated
from York University in Toronto with a BA (Honours) in Political Science, later earned an MA from Queen’s University in Kingston and, later yet, a PhD from his alma mater, York.

Latham is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Historical Writers’ Association and De Re Militari: The Society For Medieval Military History.

Since 1997 Latham has been a member of the Political Science Department at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he where he lives with his wife Wendy, daughter Bernadette and son Michael.

For more information and updates, please visit Andrew Latham’s website. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Holy Lance Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, May 4

Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, May 7

Guest Post & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Friday, May 8

Guest Post at The Writing Desk

Sunday, May 10

Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, May 11

Review at A Book Geek
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, May 12

Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, May 13

Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, May 14

Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise

Friday, May 15

Review at Bookramblings
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Review & Giveaway at Words and Peace

 

 

 

 

 



Spotlight on THE PROMISE by Ann Weisgarber

In THE PROMISE, critically acclaimed and award-winning novelist Ann Weisgarber returns with a deeply moving story about the Galveston, Texas 1900 Storm, the worst natural disaster in the United States in the twentieth century. While there are accounts of what happened to the city of Galveston and its residents, little has been written about what happened to the families on the rural, isolated end of the island, something Weisgarber sought to remedy.

The story begins a few weeks before the storm and is told by two narrators. The first narrator, Catherine Wainwright, is a concert pianist fleeing scandal and Ohio society by marrying Oscar Williams, a recently widowed dairy farmer who lives on the island. The second narrator is Nan Ogden, the local young woman Oscar hired to care for his home and small, grieving son, Andre.        

Nan has grown attached to Oscar and Andre, and she struggles to accept Catherine in the household. As for Catherine, she is overwhelmed by her secrets, by motherhood, and by the rougher surroundings. But when the hurricane strikes, Catherine and Nan are tested as never before.

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Author Photo by Christine Meeker

Ann Weisgarber's latest novel is The Promise. The Promise was shortlisted for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, making Ms. Weisgarber the first American to be a finalist for this UK prize. In the United States, The Promise was a finalist for the Spur Award in Best Western Historical Fiction and The Ohioana Book Award for Fiction. The novel was a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Read, a Pulpwood Queen Pick for October 2014, and the Pulpwood Queen The Personal History of Rachel DuPree, which actress Viola Davis’s JuVee Productions has optioned the film rights. For her first novel, Weisgarber was nominated for England’s 2009 Orange Prize and for the 2009 Orange Award for New Writers. In the United States, she won the Stephen Turner Award for New Fiction and the Langum Prize for American Historical Fiction. She was shortlisted for the Ohioana Book Award and was a Barnes and Noble Discover New Writer. Weisgarber serves on the selection committee for the Langum Prize in American Historical Fiction and is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters. Originally from Ohio, she now divides her time between Sugar Land, Texas, and Galveston, Texas.

Bonus Book of the Year. Weisgarber’s first novel was

 

To learn more, please visit her website at http://annweisgarber.com/. You can also connect with Ms. Weisgarber on Twitter.

 

 

 

 

 

Spotlight on Mistress Firebrand by Donna Thorland

Please join author Donna Thorland on her blog tour with HF Virtual Book Tours for Mistress Firebrand, from April 6th - May 8th!


Publication Date: March 3, 2015
NAL Trade
Formats: eBook, Paperback
416 Pages

Series: Renegades of the American Revolution (Book 3)
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance


British Occupied Manhattan, 1777. American actress Jenny Leighton has been packing the John Street Theater with her witty comedies, but she longs to escape the provincial circuit for the glamour of the London stage. When the playwright General John Burgoyne visits the city, fresh from a recent success in the capitol, she seizes the opportunity to court his patronage. But her plan is foiled by British intelligence officer Severin Devere.

Severin’s mission is to keep the pleasure-loving general focused on the war effort…and away from pretty young actresses. But the tables are turned when Severin himself can’t resist Jenny Leighton…

Months later, Jenny has abandoned her dreams of stage glory and begun writing seditious plays for the Rebels under the pen name “Cornelia,” ridiculing “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne and his army—and undermining the crown’s campaign to take Albany. With Jenny’s name now on the hanging list, Severin is ordered to find her—and deliver her to certain death. Soon, the two are launched on a desperate journey through the wilderness, toward an uncertain future shaped by the revolution—and their passion for each other…

Buy the Book

Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (Paperback)
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
iTunes
IndieBound
Powell’s

About the Author

A native of Bergenfield, New Jersey, Donna graduated from Yale with a degree in Classics and Art History. For many years she managed architecture and interpretation at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, and wrote and directed the Witch City’s most popular Halloween theater festival, Eerie Events. She later earned an MFA in film production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Donna Tron: Uprising. Her short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Albedo The Night Caller, aired on WNET Channel 13 and was featured on Ain’t It Cool News. Currently she is a writer on the WGN drama SALEM. She is married with one cat and divides her time between the real Salem and Los Angeles.

One. The director of several award-winning short films, her most recent project,
has been a sorority house mother, a Disney/ABC Television Writing Fellow, a WGA Writer’s Access Project Honoree, and a writer on the ABC primetime drama, Cupid. Her screenwriting credits include episodes of the animated series,

For more information visit Donna Thorland’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Mistress Firebrand Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 6

Excerpt at What Is That Book About
Excerpt & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, April 7

Review & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, April 8

Interview at The Maiden’s Court

Thursday, April 9

Guest Post & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing

Friday, April 10

Spotlight at Broken Teepee

Sunday, April 12

Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, April 13

Spotlight, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, April 16

Review at Caroline Wilson Writes

Friday, April 17

Spotlight at I’d So Rather Be Reading

Saturday, April 18

Excerpt & Giveaway at A Dream Within a Dream

Monday, April 20

Review at Book Nerd

Tuesday, April 21

Guest Post & Giveaway at Book Babe

Wednesday, April 22

Guest Post & Excerpt at The Lit Bitch

Thursday, April 23

Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Friday, April 24

Review at Back Porchervations

Monday, April 27

Review at Just One More Chapter

Tuesday, April 28

Review at Historical Readings & Views

Wednesday, April 29

Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Guest Post at Boom Baby Reviews

Thursday, April 30

Review at Bookramblings

Friday, May 1

Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Drey’s Library
Spotlight at Genre Queen

Sunday, May 3

Review at Forever Ashley

Monday, May 4

Review at A Chick Who Reads
Guest Post & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read

Tuesday, May 5

Excerpt at CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, May 6

Review at Unabridged Chick

Thursday, May 7

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Friday, May 8

Interview at Scandalous Woman

 

 

 



Interview with Rebecca Hazell, Author of The Tiger and the Dove Trilogy + Giveaway!

Today I have a wonderful interview with Rebecca Hazell, author of the Tiger and the Dove trilogy that takes place in 13th century Europe and the Middle East. I hope you enjoy it and be sure to continue after for more information on the series, the author and a chance to win a copy of the first book in the trilogy, The Grip of God!

 

Historical Fiction is such a fascinating genre for many readers, transporting them back in time to an infinite number of locations, times and situations. Can you tell us a little more about your trilogy, The Tiger and The Dove, and what drew you to that part of history?

 

 

 

I too feel the fascination of entering another time and place, and that was just what drew me to writing my trilogy. Actually, I never felt I had a choice about writing it. The story came to me—or perhaps seized me—when I was in my early twenties, after I had graduated from university as a Russian History major. It haunted me for decades, and my husband tells me I outlined the plot on our second date!

 

Finally I realized that I was getting older and hadn’t truly begun it. So I set aside a flourishing career as a nonfiction writer for children and concentrated on writing what turned from one book into a trilogy. It took almost twenty years to complete and is set in the 13^th century. In it the heroine tells her story of being caught in major historical events that thwart her quest for romantic love, but which also teach her about life and what genuine love might actually be. She is displaced again and again as wars and threats of war push her from Kyiv (Kiev in Russian) during the Mongol invasions, to Iran, the Crusader states, and eventually all the way to southern France. Her journeys through distant lands are challenging to say the least, but she meets her life with courage and heart, and she does find true love.

 

In real life, I was able to visit many of those places—France, Ukraine, Turkey, and Iran, for instance—and to gather material that I used in my descriptions. The travel was sometimes quite magical, like the time in a Paris museum when I saw a blue perfume vial that exactly matched an imaginary one I had described in one scene! Or going to Disney World and discovering an entire traveling museum of Mongol artifacts!

 

  

 

What does a typical day in your life look like?  When do you fit in time to write?

 

 

 

I’m retirement age and have complete freedom to do whatever I want with my day, which has its drawbacks—I can avoid writing too easily! But generally that doesn’t happen because I’m passionate about the stories I want to tell. I devote two or three hours a day doing something connected with whatever I’m writing: research, mulling over how to frame the story, or revising. Since I’m also an artist, I have times when I’m committed to finishing a piece of art. It’s a nice balance doing both as each gives me a break from the other and allows time for intuition to dawn in my writing and artwork.

  

   

A lot of authors have become huge on social media, not only promoting their work but interacting with their readers and offering up giveaways, book recommendations, etc. Are you a big proponent of using social media in this way? How do you prefer to interact with your fans?

 

 

I think social media are great, though I’m pretty nonlinear and therefore not as disciplined about using them as I could be. And my blogs all got lost recently and my site got messed up when it was hacked, so that’s the downside. I love getting emails from fans, though, and I always reply. I made friends with a fellow historical writer that way, too. She lives in England.

 

  

 

I’ve noticed that a lot of authors are also big readers. When you have time for leisure reading what sorts of books do you gravitate towards? Have you read anything good lately?

 

 

 

I love reading. I even read in the car when my husband is driving us along a familiar route—he wants to pay attention to the road, so it’s perfect. I also read before bed, after vacuuming the house (self-reward), and whenever I have time.

 

My husband and I went through a period of reading British crime fiction by Reginald Hill. We also enjoyed talking with each other about those books. Then I stopped entirely and went back to one of my favorite authors, another British novelist, Georgette Heyer. She was the mother of the Regency romance genre, and often very funny. It had been years, and I had forgotten all the plots. I zip right through them. By the way, her novels, though light, have been used in sociology courses because they’re so historically accurate.

 

But I also read lots of current fiction and nonfiction. If an author’s life interests me, I’ll read her or his biography. I also enjoy any histories, and of course I do extensive research for all my novels.

 

  

Are you working on any future books at this time? If so, can you tell us a little about it?

 

 

Right now I’m working on a novel set in 6^th century Europe, a fascinating period usually dismissed as the Dark Ages. But there was a lot going on that I never learned in my high school European history course! The plot centers around some very interesting real-life women. Their lives and rivalries affected not only international politics but also became enshrined in fairy tales and medieval legends.

 

I’m also finishing a semi-memoir about my misadventures in constructing my family tree. That project actually led me to the story I’m working on now. What a rich field history is! There are so many great stories waiting to be told that I could spend the rest of my life writing (and painting)!

 
 

Thank you so much for stopping by Rebecca!! The novels sound fascinating, as well as both of your current works of progress (my paternal family had our family tree done and let me just tell you some of the connections were surprising!).

 

 

About The Tiger and the Dove Trilogy

The Grip of God (Book One)
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 23, 2013)

380 pages

The Grip of God is the first novel in an epic historical trilogy, The Tiger and the Dove. Set in the thirteenth century, its heroine, Sofia, is a young princess of Kievan Rus. She begins her story by recounting her capture in battle and life of slavery to a young army captain in the Mongol armies that are flooding Europe. Not only is her life shattered, it is threatened by the bitter rivalries in her new master's powerful family, and shadowed by the leader of the Mongol invasion, Batu Khan, Genghis Khan's grandson. How will she learn to survive in a world of total war, much less rediscover the love she once took for granted? Always seeking to escape and menaced by outer enemies and inner turmoil, where can she find safe haven even if she can break free? Clear eyed and intelligent, Sofia could be a character from The Game of Thrones, but she refuses to believe that life is solely about the strong dominating the weak or about taking endless revenge. Her story is based on actual historical events, which haunt her destiny. Like an intelligent Forrest Gump, she reflects her times. But as she matures, she learns to reflect on them as well, and to transcend their fetters. In doing so, she recreates a lost era for us, her readers.

You can purchase The Grip of God at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble and The Book Depository.





Solomon's Bride (Book Two)
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (April 7, 2014)

384 pages


Solomon's Bride is the dramatic sequel to The Grip of God. Sofia, the heroine, a former princess from Kievan Rus' was enslaved by a Mongol nobleman and then taken as a concubine by the leader of the Mongol invasions, Batu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. Now, having fled the Mongols with a price on her head, Sofia escapes into Persia and what she believes will be safety, only to fall into the clutches of the Assassins, who seek to disrupt the Mongol empire. In a world at war, both outer and inner, the second phase of her adventures unfolds. Can she ever find safe haven, much less the lost love and family that was almost destroyed by the Mongols?

You can purchase Solomon's Bride at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble and at The Book Depository.

 

Consolamentum (Book Three)

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 8, 2014)

 

366 pages

 

 

In the finale of Sofia’s memoir, Consolamentum, both dramatic and poignant, her dreams of home are shattered when her own family betrays her. Raising her child on her own, mourning the loss of her beloved knight, and building a trading empire, she seeks safe haven for her child and herself. Her quest takes her from Antioch to Constantinople to Venice. A surprise reunion in Venice leads her to France where she runs afoul of the newly established Holy Inquisition, possibly the greatest challenge she has yet faced. Can a woman so marked by oppression, betrayal, and danger ever find her safe haven, much less genuine happiness?

 

You can purchase Consolamentum at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble and at The Book Depository.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Rebecca Hazell is an award winning artist, author and educator. She has written, illustrated and published four non-fiction children's books, created best selling educational filmstrips, designed educational craft kits for children and even created award winning needlepoint canvases. She is a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, and she holds an honours BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz in Russian and Chinese History.

 

Rebecca lived for many years in the San Francisco Bay area. In 1988 she and her family moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and in 2006 she and her husband moved to Vancouver Island. They live near their two adult children in the beautiful Cowichan Valley.

 

You can connect with Rebecca on her website, Facebook and Goodreads.

 

 

Giveaway Time!!

 

 

For a chance to win a Kindle edition of the first book in the series, The Grip of God, fill out the giveaway form HERE. Be sure to enter your name and your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner.

 

You can get extra entries for following me on Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads (links found on the right), just be sure to actually do so (I've had people state they are following me but when I check they are not and are therefore disqualified from the extra entries!) and be sure to enter the name you follow under.

 

I'll pick a winner on May 13th, 2015 and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before I have to pick another winner.

 

Good luck!!!