eBook Giveaway: Castles, Customs, and Kings: True Tales by English Historical Fiction Authors (Volume 2)

02_by Castles, Customs, & Kings (Vol II)

Castles, Customs, and Kings: True Tales by English Historical Fiction Authors (Volume 2)

Publication Date: September 30, 2015
Madison Street Publishing
Hardcover, Paperback, eBook; 598 Pages

Genre: History

Add to GR Button

An anthology of essays from the second year of the English Historical Fiction Authors blog, this book transports the reader across the centuries from prehistoric to twentieth century Britain. Nearly fifty different authors share the stories, incidents, and insights discovered while doing research for their own historical novels.

From medieval law and literature to Tudor queens and courtiers, from Stuart royals and rebels to Regency soldiers and social calls, experience the panorama of Britain’s yesteryear. Explore the history behind the fiction, and discover the true tales surrounding Britain's castles, customs, and kings.

Visit the English Historical Fiction Authors blog & Facebook page.

"Thoroughly enjoyable and diverse...leisure reading for any history fan." - Elizabeth Chadwick, on Castles, Customs, and Kings (Volume 1)


Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 16
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Spotlight at Unshelfish

Tuesday, November 17
Review at Kinx's Book Nook

Wednesday, November 18
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Thursday, November 19
Review at Unabridged Chick

Friday, November 20
Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book

Saturday, November 21
Spotlight at The Reading Queen

Monday, November 23
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Tuesday, November 24
Spotlight at So Many Books, So Little Time

Wednesday, November 25
Review at Broken Teepee

Thursday, November 26
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Friday, November 27
Review at Bookish
Spotlight at HF Connection
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Saturday, November 28
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Monday, November 30
Review at Impressions In Ink
Review at CelticLady's Reviews
Review at The True Book Addict

Giveaway

To enter to win an eBook of Castles, Customs, and Kings: True Tales by English Historical Fiction Authors (Volume 2), please leave a comment on this post and include your email address (or an alternate way to notify you if you win).

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 8th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– 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 has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

03_Castles, Customs, Kings_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

'The Victorian World's Fascination with Tibet', Guest Post & Giveaway: Race to Tibet by Sophie Schiller

Please welcome to the blog today author Sophie Schiller! Sophie is currently on blog tour for Race to Tibet and has written a fantastic guest post for you all. I also have a giveaway for one signed copy, so see how to enter below!

Enjoy the post!

The Victorian World's Fascination with Tibet
By Sophie Schiller

The Victorians were avid readers. Their appetite for tales of adventure and journeys to forbidden and exotic lands was insatiable, especially during those long, cold winter nights. Hence the success of novels like "King Solomon's Mines", "Dracula" and "20,000,000 Leagues Under the Sea." As far as the natural world was concerned, no country stirred the public's imagination more than Tibet. Locked away in the foreboding Himalayas, the Victorians longed to read about this mysterious Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas that was ruled over by a god-king, the Dalai Lama, but no explorer managed to reach this forbidden land. With Tibetan soldiers armed with matchlock rifles stationed at every mountain pass under orders to turn away or shoot any foreigner caught trampling their Buddhist kingdom, entering into this forbidden land seemed like an impossible feat. And that's how it was for centuries.

Lying at an average altitude of 15,000 feet and surrounded on all sides by the enormous peaks of the Himalayas, Victorian travelers dubbed Tibet 'The Roof of the World', and Lhasa, its mysterious capital so long closed to foreigners, was called The Forbidden City.

The Potala Palace in Lhasa: Seat of the Dalai Lama. Every explorer in the Victorian age dreamed of reaching this fascinating, mystical kingdom.

By the late Victorian period, the public's fascination with Tibet had reached a fever pitch. All the major newspapers and every geographical society on earth was waiting to hear which explorer was brave enough (or fool-hardy enough) to dare enter the Forbidden Kingdom. As Great Britain and Russia began vying for political and military control in Central Asia in what was known as "The Great Game", the race became heated match, the stakes higher, and the Tibetans more fearful that their isolated Buddhist kingdom would be trampled on by non-believers. Before long, an international race to Lhasa was underway.

The yak is the only pack animal suited to life at high altitudes.

Here are some of the hardy explorers who dared infiltrate the Forbidden Kingdom:

General Nikolai Prejevalsky- Notable Russian explorer of aristocratic Polish heritage, who inspired fear in all who met him. He was active in the 1870's up to 1888, making several attempts to reach the Forbidden City of Lhasa, but each time was forced to turn around due to the extreme altitude and sick animals. The closest he came to Lhasa was 160 miles, a record at that time. He eventually died just before his final expedition and was buried beside Lake Issyk-Kul in what is known today as Kyrgyzstan. Prejevalsky was a legend in Russia, a favorite of the Tsars, and a classic explorer in the Victorian mold.

General Nikolai Prejevalsky: Despite the resemblance, he was NOT the father of Joseph Stalin.

William Rockhill- Young American diplomat in Peking who studied the Tibetan language and thought he could sneak his way into Tibet by dressing as a Buddhist pilgrim. In the 1880's after his wife came into some money, he organized a caravan and set out on a grueling thousand mile march to Lanchou from where he planned to clandestinely cross into Tibet. He reached Tibetan Monastery of Kumbum where he gathered materials on the Tibetans and their religion and pressed onward, but was driven back 400 miles from Lhasa by the harsh climate. His second attempt brought him to within 110 miles of Lhasa, beating Prejevalsky's record. He was later awarded the gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society and went on to become the ambassador to St. Petersburg and Constantinople.

William Woodville Rockhill: the diplomat who dreamed of seeing Lhasa

Alexandra David-Néel- Perhaps the most flamboyant and celebrated of the Tibetan explorers was David-Néel, a true eccentric who was years ahead of her time. Born in Paris in 1868, she became an opera singer before turning toward more spiritual pursuits. A seeker and a mystic by nature, she became a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism and a practicing Buddhist. After disguising herself as a Tibetan beggar, she became the first European woman to enter Lhasa in 1923 and wrote about her strange encounters on the Roof of the World. Although she reached Lhasa long after the Victorian period had ended, her story is worth mentioning because she exemplifies the adventurous spirit of her Victorian peers. She had an audience with the Dalai Lama in Darjeeling and sold many copies of her memoir which are read even today. A French movie about her life was made in 2012.

Alexandra David-Néel- Probably the most spiritually inclined of all the Tibetan explorers.

Annie Taylor- Adventurous, 36-year old English Presbyterian hell-bent on carrying the gospel to the Dalai Lama. Due to a childhood heart-condition, she was spoiled and coddled by her parents and was not expected to survive into adulthood, but she outlived her doctors' prognoses and became a missionary in 1884, selling all her jewelry to raise the funds necessary to set sail for Shanghai. After organizing a caravan, she mounted an expedition to Tibet along the Tea Road from Szechuan to Lhasa. After experiencing ill health and passing the skeletons of earlier travelers, her sense of self-preservation forced her to turn back only a 3 day march from Lhasa. She died at the ripe old age of 67.

Annie Taylor in Tibetan dress.

Jules Dutreuil de Rhins- By far the unluckiest of all the Tibetan explorers, de Rhins was a former naval officer who organized a caravan to Lhasa in 1884. He traveled for 4 months and came within a six day march of Lhasa when he was ambushed by a party of Tibetan bandits armed with matchlocks. After a standoff, during which time he was deteriorating from the altitude sickness, frostbite, and gangrene on his legs, he was finally captured, bound by his hands and feet, and thrown alive into a river.

Sven Hedin- Swedish explorer born in 1865 who made 3 daring expeditions through the mountains and deserts of Central Asia between 1894 and 1908, mapping and researching parts of the Sinkiang Province and Tibet which had been unexplored until then. He is probably the most famous and lauded of all the Tibetan explorers, but his later associations with the Third Reich have clouded his otherwise stellar image.

A heroic depiction of Sven Hedin in Tibet was widely used to sell products during the Victorian era.

Gabriel Bonvalot and Prince Henri d'Orléans- This unlikely partnership between a burly, fast-shooting French explorer and a gambling, womanizing French prince is recounted in Race to Tibet, a novel about their daring exploits on the Roof of the World. A self-made man of French peasant stock, Gabriel Bonvalot traveled widely throughout most of Central Asia and scaled some of the most dangerous passes in the Pamir Mountains and the Himalayas. The story of his journey to Lhasa is a fantastic adventure filled with action, danger, and suspense and just a little romance. No spoilers here!

Gabriel Bonvalot: As fearless as he was gorgeous. He was so rugged, he was considered the explorer's explorer.

Ultimately, it wasn't until 1903 with the British invasion of Tibet under Colonel Francis Younghusband that Westerners reached the holy city of Lhasa. The Tibetans paid dearly for this invasion, which cost them thousands of lives, but the British were willing to do anything to keep the Russians out of Lhasa and as far away as possible from the jewel in their crown: India. This was the last major move in the Great Game, and the beginning of a sad and tragic era in Tibetan history, one that would climax with the Chinese invasion in 1950, an oppressive occupation that continues to this day.

I would like to ask the readers a question: After so many years, why do you think the world is still so enamored with Tibet? What does Tibet represent to you?

02_Race to Tibet_Cover

Race to Tibet by Sophie Schiller

Publication Date: January 26, 2015
Tradewinds Publishing
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 342

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure

Add to GR Button

By 1889 Tibet is the last unexplored country in the world. Gabriel Bonvalot is determined to be the first Westerner to reach Lhasa but lacks a sponsor. When the Duke of Chartres promises to pay his expenses Bonvalot agrees, even after he learns he must bring along the Duke's wayward son, Prince Henri d'Orléans. Along the way Bonvalot meets Camille Dancourt, the wife of a missing surveyor, who attaches herself to the expedition in order to find her missing husband. During the journey the intrepid explorers are besieged by freezing temperatures, volatile winds, mountain sickness, hostile Tibetans, and duplicitous Chinese Mandarins. Nearing collapse, Bonvalot realizes they will have to resort to force if they ever wish to escape Tibet alive.

RACE TO TIBET is an adventure thriller that will take you on a suspenseful journey to the Roof of the World.

"Fans of Jules Verne’s travel adventures will find Schiller has done a solid job of transforming an obscure real-life Victorian expedition into a thrilling yarn." — Publishers Weekly


Excerpt

The Tibetan spoke again, but this time his voice changed. He began to chant as if he had gone into a hypnotic trance. He closed his eyes and recited a mantra that sounded like a prayer from another world.

"Our Oracle predicted that during the year of the Iron-Tiger the Jade Emperor would capture the golden bird and send her into exile, but a small army with metal sticks would sweep down from the north and rescue her. Once free the golden bird would fly to the Potala Palace to perform the sacred duty of acting as tutor and maidservant to the Dalai Lama. The Oracle said that for this great service, good fortune would follow the foreigners all the days of their lives. But if the golden bird is captured by the mandarins, they will lose their heads. She is called Pema, or lotus flower. Her true identity may not be known by anyone outside this tent, not even by your closest servants. For this reason, we call her the golden bird."

"I'll bear that in mind," said Bonvalot. "Don't worry, your golden bird will be safe with me. You may go in peace now."

Bonvalot led the visitors back to their horses while Pema stayed behind beside the tent, looking like a forgotten stupa on a windswept hill.

The Tibetans mounted their horses and galloped away. All that remained behind was the forlorn figure of Pema wrapped in her sheepskin coat, silent except for the humming of her prayer wheel. Her eyes followed their every movement.

"Now that we've got her, what do we do with her?" said Bonvalot, regarding the Tibetan girl with curiosity.

"I suppose our Christian duty is to feed her," said Father Dedeken. "And give her a warm place to sleep."

When Rachmed explained the situation to the caravan men, some of them objected to the intruder; others raised their eyebrows and cast suspicious glances in her direction, but otherwise they accepted Pema's presence, albeit guardedly.

Later, Bonvalot sat Pema down by the fire and offered her a bowl of tsampa and tea. When she became more comfortable, he urged her remove her shawl.

Reluctantly, the girl pushed away the shawl and when they caught a glimpse of her face in the light of the campfire, the men gasped: Pema was the most exquisite creature they had ever seen. She was beautiful in a mystical sort of way, with skin like polished white jade, rose petal lips, and black, almond-shaped eyes. Her hair was braided into dozens of tiny plaits that were bounded by a single strand of coral beads suspended from a golden disk on her forehead; around her neck she wore multiple strands of coral and turquoise necklaces, and in her hands she held a prayer wheel that she clutched like a golden scepter. Pema had an almost regal presence about her, like a royal consort. Or a goddess.

About the Author

03_Sophie Schiller_AuthorSophie Schiller was born in Paterson, NJ and grew up in the West Indies amid aging pirates and retired German spies. Among other oddities her family tree contains a Nobel prize-winning physicist and a French pop singer. She loves stories that carry the reader back in time to exotic and far-flung locations. She was educated at American University, Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently working on a new historical thriller set in the Caribbean.

For more information visit Sophie Schiller's blog. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 23
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views
Interview at Let Them Read Books
Spotlight at 100 Pages a Day

Tuesday, November 24
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, November 25
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Thursday, November 26
Guest Post at Passages to the Past
Spotlight at Book Nerd

Friday, November 27
Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Giveaway

We have a signed paperback of Race to Tibet up for grabs! To enter, see the GLEAM form below.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 27th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– 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 has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

04_Race to Tibet_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Win a copy of The Conqueror's Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great by Stephanie Thornton

02_The Conqueror's Wife

The Conqueror's Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great by Stephanie Thornton

Publication Date: December 1, 2015
NAL/Penguin Group LLC.
eBook, Paperback; 496 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Add to GR Button

A novel from the acclaimed author of The Tiger Queens, for readers looking for “strong and determined female protagonists” (Historical Novel Society) and “a sprawling historical saga” (Renee Rosen)...

We are the women who loved Alexander the Great. We were lovers and murderers, innocents and soldiers.
And without us, Alexander would have been only a man.
Instead he was a god.

330s, B.C.E., Greece: Alexander, a handsome young warrior of Macedon, begins his quest to conquer the ancient world. But he cannot ascend to power, and keep it, without the women who help to shape his destiny.

His spirited younger half-sister, Thessalonike, yearns to join her brother and see the world. Instead, it is Alexander's boyhood companion who rides with him into war while Thessalonike remains behind. Far away, crafty princess Drypetis will not stand idly by as Alexander topples her father from Persia's throne. And after Alexander conquers her tiny kingdom, Roxana, the beautiful and cunning daughter of a minor noble, wins Alexander’s heart…and will commit any crime to secure her place at his side.

Within a few short years, Alexander controls an empire more vast than the civilized world has ever known. But his victories are tarnished by losses on the battlefield and treachery among his inner circle. And long after Alexander is gone, the women who are his champions, wives, and enemies will fight to claim his legacy…


About the Author

03_Stephanie ThorntonStephanie Thornton is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with infamous women from ancient history since she was twelve. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska, where she is at work on her next novel.

"The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora," "Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt," and "The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan" are available now. "The Conqueror's Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great" will hit the shelves in December 2015.

For more information please visit Stephanie Thornton’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 23
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, November 24
Review at Layered Pages
Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Spotlight & Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Wednesday, November 25
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Thursday, November 26
Review at Historical Readings & Reviews

Friday, November 27
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Monday, November 30
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day

Tuesday, December 1
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise

Wednesday, December 2
Review at leeanna.me
Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation

Thursday, December 3
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Just One More Chapter
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Excerpt at A Literary Vacation
Spotlight at The Reading Queen

Friday, December 4
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Monday, December 7
Review at The Maiden's Court

Tuesday, December 8
Review at Reading the Past
Review at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, December 9
Review at CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, December 10
Review at The Lit Bitch
Interview & Giveaway at Reading Lark
Guest Post at Historical Fiction Connection

Friday, December 11
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views

Saturday, December 12
Review & Giveaway at Genre Queen

Monday, December 14
Review at Book Babe
Reivew, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Tuesday, December 15
Review at Bookramblings

Wednesday, December 16
Review at Book Nerd

Thursday, December 17
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Friday, December 18
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Giveaway

To win a Paperback copy of The Conqueror's Wife please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below.

Rules

– Giveaway starts at 12:01am EST on December 4th and ends at 11:59pm EST on December 18th. You 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 has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Conqueror's Wife


04_The Conqueror's Wife_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Blog Tour Hosted By

Kaaren Christopherson's Decorum Book Blast & Giveaway

02_Decorum

Decorum: A Novel by Kaaren Christopherson

Publication Date: March 31, 2015
Kensington Publishing Corp.
Foramts: eBook, Paperback, Audio
Pages: 425

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Add to GR Button

Kaaren Christopherson's brilliantly observed novel captures the glamour and grit of one of the world's most dazzling cities during one of its most tumultuous eras--as seen through the eyes of a singularly captivating heroine...

In 1890s New York, beautiful, wealthy Francesca Lund is an intriguing prospect for worthy suitors and fortune hunters alike. Recently orphaned, she copes by working with the poor in the city's settlement movement. But a young woman of means can't shun society for long, and Francesca's long-standing acquaintance with dashing Edmund Tracey eventually leads to engagement. Yet her sheltered upbringing doesn't blind her to the indiscretions of the well-to-do...

Among the fashionable circle that gathers around her there are mistresses, scandals, and gentlemen of ruthless ambition. And there is Connor O'Casey--an entirely new kind of New Yorker. A self-made millionaire of Irish stock, Connor wants more than riches. He wants to create a legacy in the form of a luxury Madison Avenue hotel--and he wants Francesca by his side as he does it. In a quest that will take her from impeccable Manhattan salons to the wild Canadian Rockies, Francesca must choose not only between two vastly different men, but between convention and her own emerging self-reliance.

Rules Of Decorum

A gentleman should not be presented to a lady without her permission being previously asked and granted. This formality is not necessary between men alone; but, still, you should not present any one, even at his own request, to another, unless you are quite well assured that the acquaintance will be agreeable to the latter.

If you wish to avoid the company of any one that has been properly introduced, satisfy your own mind that your reasons are correct; and then let no inducement cause you to shrink from treating him with respect, at the same time shunning his company. No gentleman will thus be able either to blame or mistake you.

The mode in which the avowal of love should be made, must of course, depend upon circumstances. It would be impossible to indicate the style in which the matter should be told... Let it, however, be taken as a rule that an interview is best; but let it be remembered that all rules have exceptions...


Praise

“A story of discovery, entitlement and love.” – Northern Virginia Magazine

“Remarkable in its similarities to the work of Edith Wharton. The reader feels drawn into a world of glamour, glitz, and supreme hypocrisy. Everything is permissible as long as one does not get caught. It is a drama of manners and the stakes are high—one misstep could mean social oblivion…[Decorum] will appeal to a wide range of readers, particularly those who enjoy period novels such as Age of Innocence and The Portrait of a Lady.” – The Historical Novel Society

“Beautiful heiress Francesca Lund must figure out how to assert her ideas within the confines of 1890’s New York high society.” – Library Journal

“Reminiscent of Washington Square but with a more modern heroine, Decorum illuminates the dark world beneath New York society. Christopherson incorporates a clever mystery and populates the novel with a large cast of characters.” - RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

About the Author

03_Kaaren ChristophersonKaaren Christopherson is the author of Decorum—a novel about Gilded Age New York—that began taking form in 1999 during a course on writing historical fiction. From that moment, Connor O’Casey (who had been rattling around in her brain for months) finally appeared one night and said, “All right, woman. Here I am. What are you going to do about my story?” So she began to put his words on paper, and he hasn’t kept quiet since. Soon Francesca, Blanche, Tracey, Vinnie, and the rest of the characters began arguing, gossiping, loving, and forming themselves into Kaaren’s first novel.

Kaaren has had a professional career writing and editing for over 30 years and is a senior editor for an international development nonprofit organization in Washington, DC.

She has written fiction since her school days, story poems, children’s books, historical fiction, and time travel, and continues to be active in writer’s groups and writing workshops. In addition to her career as a writer, Kaaren was the owner of a decorative painting business. She loves to travel and prowl through historical sites, galleries, and museums. She is active in several churches in DC and in her local Northern Virginia community, where she shares her home with feline brothers, Archie and Sammy.

A Michigan native, Kaaren received her BA in history and art and her MA in educational administration from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

For more information visit Kaaren Christopherson's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Giveaway

To win a Paperback or AudioBook of Decorum please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below.

Rules

– Giveaway starts at 12:01am EST on November 15th and ends at 11:59pm EST on December 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– 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 has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Decorum Book Blast


04_Decorum_Book Blast Banner_FINAL

Blog Tour Kick Off & Giveaway: Zenobia - Challenging a Legend by Russ Wallace

Please join me in congratulating Russ Wallace on the publication of his latest novel, Zenobia - Challenging a Legend, which hits stores today! We're kicking off the festivities with a blog tour and I have a chance for one of you to win both books in the Zenobia series!

02_Zenobia Challenging a Legend

Zenobia - Challenging a Legend (Zenobia Book Series, Book Two) by Russ Wallace

Publication Date: November 14, 2015
Geode Press LLC
Hardcover; 512 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Action & Adventure/Young Adult

Add to GR Button

After winning the famous Alexandria horse race, Zenobia, a young Syrian warrior and an aspiring scholar, assumes her life will return to normal. Wrong! A tumultuous romance develops with her instructor, widely considered the most brilliant academic on earth.

Unknown to her, an enemy plans to kidnap Zenobia for his harem. The hired mercenaries never suspect their intended victim is a deadly warrior. The attack is thwarted, but the Syrians are alerted to a slave trade in young girls.

Meanwhile, a Nubian princess has been captured by the slavers. She struggles to survive in the dangerous situation while she seeks a way to escape. Can she succeed?

Zenobia’s impetuous nature continues to impel her to take unwise risks, both in class and on a hunting trip. When a second kidnap attempt on her fails, the last attacker escapes. She decides to run him down to save her family. Thus begins an epic chase on horseback across the desert in the dead of night. It culminates in a shocking revelation that threatens her very future.

Circumstances now force Zenobia into roles for which she is untrained. As she meets the challenges, she begins to unleash her strategic genius, which will one day raise her to the pinnacle of her world.

“Book two in the Zenobia book series has it all …the book is full of adventure with kidnappings, hunting, fighting, revenge, chases, escapes, and piracy. Zenobia learns a heart breaking truth about love and this will mold her into the women she is destine to become. This was an ARC…You'll want to put this book on your TBR list.” – Julie Martin Wallace


03_Russ WallaceAbout the Author

Russ Wallace is an avid student of history and religion. Zenobia, one of the deadliest and most fascinating women of history, comes to life in his series about her. Russ is working on future releases in the Zenobia book series.


Blog Tour Schedule

Saturday, November 14
Tour Kick Off & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Monday, November 16
Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Tuesday, November 17
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, November 18
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Thursday, November 19
Excerpt & Giveaway at Unshelfish

Friday, November 20
Excerpt at Let Them Read Books

Saturday, November 21
Spotlight at Svetlana's Reads and Views

Tuesday, November 24
Excerpt & Giveaway at Room With Books

Thursday, November 26
Excerpt at Just One More Chapter

Friday, November 27
Review at Book Nerd

Saturday, November 28
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Sunday, November 29
Interview at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Giveaway

To win copies of Zenobia - Birth of a Legend and Zenobia - Challenging a Legend by Russ Wallace please leave a comment below.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 24th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US & Canada 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 has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

04_Zenobia_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Other Side of Life by Andy Kutler


The Other Side of Life by Andy Kutler

Publication Date: August 11, 2015
Neverland Publishing Company LLC
Formats: Trade Paperback and Kindle
Pages: 360

Genre: Historical Fiction


December 1941, Pearl Harbor. A peaceful Sunday morning turns into a devastating attack on American soil. Naval officer Malcolm "Mac" Kelsey is severely wounded while defending his ship. A flawed man abandoned long ago by his alcoholic wife, Kelsey has been mired in despair and hopelessness following the accidental death of Lucy, the young daughter he considers the only redemptive aspect of his life. Near the point of death, Kelsey is brought to what he believes to be an afterlife where he is offered an opportunity to shed his past memories and embark upon an alternate path in another place and time. Eager to escape his torment and begin a more tranquil existence, Kelsey accepts, only to feel quickly betrayed as he soon finds himself back in the midst of battle, this time as a Union soldier at the dawn of the Civil War.

Through Antietam, Gettysburg and four years of relentless fighting, Kelsey attempts to cast aside his painful past while trying to survive the horrors of combat. He crosses paths with compelling figures on both sides of the conflict determined to persevere and return to those they left behind. Idealistic Ethan Royston, promoted from the enlisted ranks, believes in preserving the Union but is plagued by insecurity and self-doubt. His closest friend, West Point-trained Cal Garrity, remains loyal to his home state of Virginia despite his misgivings about the virtue of the Southern cause. The war will divide these friends, just as it will divide Garrity from his adoring wife, Emily, the charismatic and headstrong daughter of a prominent Norfolk shipbuilder, forced to face the onset of war alone.

Each will endure unimaginable hardship and brutality that will forever reshape their core beliefs and values. Each will find their strength and resolve tested as they search for self-purpose, humanity, and reconciliation. Most of all, Mac Kelsey will discover the very essence of life and death, and whether the new beginning he has long coveted will bring him the inner peace he has so desperately sought.

Praise

“Employing some new twists on the novelist's technique of time travel, Andy Kutler sends a naval officer bombed at Pearl Harbor back to the Civil War. Among his comrades in a Union cavalry regiment he absorbs the enduring values of trust, loyalty, love, and selflessness during the chaos and tragedy of a war that took place a half century before he was born. Readers will find themselves immersed in this story and captivated by its principal characters.” -- James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winner author of Battle Cry of Freedom and The War That Forged a Nation

“Profound, smart, and entertaining – the path through The Other Side of Life is an amazing journey through history.” -- Joe Weisberg, Creator and Executive Producer of FX’s The Americans and author of An Ordinary Spy

"Andy Kutler's war scenes are gripping, his characters vulnerable and honest, and his story ultimately triumphant --- an exciting journey back into two levels of the past." -- David Hardin, author of Emblems of Woe: How the South Reacted to Lincoln's Murder

“The Other Side of Life imaginatively mingles brutal scenes of Civil War battlefields with thought-provoking moral issues. It describes the conflicted loyalties and sufferings of that tragic era and the spiritual growth of the book’s hero—a naval officer wounded in the Pearl Harbor attack—and those he becomes close to when he is transported to the past. The swiftmoving, compelling narrative grips the reader from first page to last.” -- Bernard Weisberger, historian and author of America Afire: Adams, Jefferson, and the Revolutionary Election of 1800

“Andy Kutler has written a thoughtfully imaginative adventure across time, approaching the Civil War from a fresh perspective while creating memorable, compelling characters. The story flows beautifully and is consistently challenging.” -- Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, Now and Then Reader (nowandthenreader.com)

03_Andy KutlerAbout the Author

Andy Kutler is a writer living in Arlington, Virginia. A native of Madison, Wisconsin and a graduate of Michigan State University (B.A.) and Georgetown University (M.A.), he has previously worked on the senior legislative staff of two United States Senators before serving as a senior policy officer with the U.S. Secret Service. He is working today as a consultant to the national security community.

While Andy’s writings have appeared in The Huffington Post and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Other Side of Life is his first novel. Andy's interests include travel, military history, his Wisconsin sports teams, and most importantly, spending time with his wife and two children.

For more information and news please visit Andy Kutler's Facebook page.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 8
Spotlight & Giveaway at Unshelfish

Sunday, September 14
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Friday, September 19
Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Friday, September 26
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Monday, October 6
Review at A Book Geek

Monday, October 13
Review at Book Nerd

Monday, October 20
Review at Just One More Chapter

Saturday, November 1
Review at Genre Queen

Friday, November 6
Review at Dianne Ascroft's Blog

Monday, November 10
Review at Beth's Book Nook Blog

Wednesday, November 12
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, November 13
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

To win a paperback of The Other Side of Life by Andy Kutler please leave a comment below.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US & Canada 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 has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

04_The Other Side of Life_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Alison Morton's Aurelia Blog Tour & Giveaway

Today is the last day to enter to win a signed copy of Alison Morton's latest release in her Alternative Historical Fiction series, Aurelia! Good luck!

02_Aurelia_Cover 

Aurelia (Roma Nova, #4) by Alison Morton

Publication Date: May 5, 2015
SilverWood Books
Paperback & eBook; 270 Pages

Genre: Alternative Historical Fiction

Add to GR Button

B.R.A.G. Medallion Winner

Historical Novel Society Indie Editor's Choice

Late 1960s Roma Nova, the last Roman colony that has survived into the 21st century. Aurelia Mitela is alone – her partner gone, her child sickly and her mother dead. Forced in her mid-twenties to give up her beloved career as a Praetorian officer, she is struggling to manage an extended family tribe, businesses and senatorial political life.

But her country needs her unique skills. Somebody is smuggling silver – Roma Nova’s lifeblood – on an industrial scale. Sent to Berlin to investigate, she encounters the mysterious and attractive Miklós, a suspected smuggler, and Caius Tellus, a Roma Novan she has despised, and feared, since childhood.

Aurelia suspects that the silver smuggling hides a deeper conspiracy and follows a lead into the Berlin criminal underworld. Barely escaping a trap set by a gang boss intent on terminating her, she realises that her old enemy is at the heart of all her troubles and pursues him back home to Roma Nova...

Praise

"Morton raises the bar on her Roma Nova series with a thrilling and intriguing history of what might have been. Effortlessly weaving fact and speculative fiction, AURELIA explores a 1960s that is at once familiar and and utterly different - a brilliant page turner that will keep you gripped from first page to last. Highly recommended." - Russell Whitfield, author of the Gladiatrix series

"What if the Roman Empire hadn't fallen? Alison Morton handles this intriguing premise with her customary panache in AURELIA." - Ruth Downie, author of the Ruso Medicus series

"Yet again, Ms Morton delivers a fast-paced story set in a world slightly - but fundamentally - different from our own. Roma Nova as a country does not exist - not really - but Ms Morton paints this alternate world of hers with such colours, such details, that by the time the book has ended it comes as a surprise to return to a world without Roma Nova, without strong, impressive women like Aurelia Mitela. I am already looking forward to the next instalment - in fact, I crave a next instalment!" - Anna Belfrage, author of The Graham Saga

"Meticulously researched. Wonderfully imagined. Alison Morton's Roma Nova will stay with you long after you have closed the pages." - Liesel Schwarz, author of Chronicles of Light and Shadow;

"Brilliant! Alison Morton's alternative world of Roma Nova - a feisty soldier heroine plunged into the depths of criminal conspiracy, and mind-blowing action all the way to the tense finale. Aurelia is a fabulous read." - David Ebsworth, Historical Novel Society award-winning author



03_Alison Morton_AuthorAbout the Author

Even before she pulled on her first set of combats, Alison Morton was fascinated by the idea of women soldiers. Brought up by a feminist mother and an ex-military father, it never occurred to her that women couldn’t serve their country in the armed forces. Everybody in her family had done time in uniform and in theatre – regular and reserve Army, RAF, WRNS, WRAF – all over the globe.

So busy in her day job, Alison joined the Territorial Army in a special communications regiment and left as a captain, having done all sorts of interesting and exciting things no civilian would ever know or see. Or that she can talk about, even now…

But something else fuels her writing… Fascinated by the mosaics at Ampurias (Spain), at their creation by the complex, power and value-driven Roman civilisation started her wondering what a modern Roman society would be like if run by strong women…

Now, she lives in France and writes Roman-themed alternate history thrillers with tough heroines:

INCEPTIO, the first in the Roma Nova series

– shortlisted for the 2013 International Rubery Book Award
– B.R.A.G. Medallion
– finalist in 2014 Writing Magazine Self-Published Book of the Year

PERFIDITAS, second in series

– B.R.A.G. Medallion
– finalist in 2014 Writing Magazine Self-Published Book of the Year

SUCCESSIO, third in series

– Historical Novel Society’s indie Editor’s Choice for Autumn 2014
– B.R.A.G. Medallion
– Editor’s choice, The Bookseller’s inaugural Indie Preview, December 2014

Fact file

Education: BA French, German & Economics, MA History
Memberships: International Thriller Writers, Historical Novel Society, Alliance of Independent Authors, Society of Authors
Represented by Annette Crossland of A for Authors Literary Agency for subsidiary and foreign rights.


Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 19
Spotlight at Unshelfish

Tuesday, October 20
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, October 22
Interview at Back Porchervations

Friday, October 23
Spotlight at Teatime and Books

Sunday, October 25
Spotlight & Excerpt at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Tuesday, October 27
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective

Wednesday, October 28
Spotlight at Broken Teepee

Friday, October 30
Spotlight at The Writing Desk

Monday, November 2
Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Friday, November 6
Review at A Bibliotaph's Reviews

Saturday, November 7
Spotlight at She Is Too Fond of Books

Monday, November 9
Spotlight at Seize the Words: Books in Review

Friday, November 13
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

To win a signed paperback of Aurelia by Alison Morton please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 13th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– 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 has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Aurelia


04_Aurelia_Blog Tour #2 Banner_FINAL

A Year of Ravens Blog Tour Kick Off Day!

02_A Year of Ravens_Cover

A Year of Ravens: A Novel of Boudica's Rebellion

by Ruth Downie, Stephanie Dray, E. Knight, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, S.J.A. Turney, and Russell Whitfield

Publication Date: November 13, 2015
Knight Media LLC
eBook & Paperback; 440 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Add to GR Button

Britannia: land of mist and magic clinging to the western edge of the Roman Empire. A red-haired queen named Boudica led her people in a desperate rebellion against the might of Rome, an epic struggle destined to consume heroes and cowards, young and old, Roman and Celt . . . and these are their stories.

A calculating queen sees the sparks of revolt in a king’s death.

A neglected slave girl seizes her own courage as Boudica calls for war.

An idealistic tribune finds manhood in a brutal baptism of blood and slaughter.

A conflicted warrior hovers between loyalty to tribe and loyalty to Rome.

A death-haunted Druid challenges the gods themselves to ensure victory for his people.

An old champion struggles for everlasting glory in the final battle against the legions.

A fiery princess fights to salvage the pieces of her mother’s dream as the ravens circle.

A novel in seven parts, overlapping stories of warriors and peacemakers, queens and slaves, Romans and Celts who cross paths during Boudica’s epic rebellion. But who will survive to see the dawn of a new Britannia, and who will fall to feed the ravens?


A Year of Ravens Authors

Ruth Downie, Stephanie Dray, E. Knight, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, S.J.A. Turney, and Russell Whitfield Ruth Downie, Stephanie Dray, E. Knight, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, S.J.A. Turney, & Russell Whitfield

Blog Tour Schedule

Friday, November 13
Kick Off at Passages to the Past

Saturday, November 14
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Sunday, November 15
Review at Book Babe

Monday, November 16
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, November 17
Review at Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, November 18
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Interview at Unabridged Chick

Thursday, November 19
Review at Kinx's Book Nook
Review at A Bookish Affair

Friday, November 20
Review at Leeanna.me

Monday, November 23
Review at Bibliophilia, Please

Tuesday, November 24
Review at The Maiden's Court

Wednesday, November 25
Review at A Book Drunkard

Friday, November 27
Review & Excerpt at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, November 30
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Tuesday, December 1
Review at Griperang's Bookmarks

Wednesday, December 2
Interview at Griperang's Bookmarks

Thursday, December 3
Review at Book Nerd

Friday, December 4
Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Saturday, December 5
Review at Bookramblings

Monday, December 7
Review at Just One More Chapter

Tuesday, December 8
Review at Book Lovers Paradise

Wednesday, December 9
Review at I'm Shelfish

Thursday, December 10
Review at Boom Baby Reviews

Friday, December 11
Review at Historical Readings & Reviews

Monday, December 14
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective

Tuesday, December 15
Review at CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, December 16
Review at A Literary Vacation
Guest Post at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Thursday, December 17
Review at The True Book Addict
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Friday, December 18
Review at Broken Teepee
Review, Excerpt, & Interview at Unshelfish

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a Celtic inspired set of silver tone metal and red Swarovski crystal beads, including a necklace, bracelet, and earrings inspired by the setting of A Year of Ravens!

A Year of Ravens


03_A Year of Ravens_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

'Looking for the Real May Alcott Behind Her Sister’s Novel', guest post by Jeannine Atkins

Today on the blog please help me welcome Jeannine Atkins, author of Little Woman in Blue: A Novel of May Alcott! I am thrilled to be hosting Jeannine as I have a special place in my heart for the novel Little Women. It was my mother's favorite novel, which after reading she knew she would name her daughter Amy.

Looking for the Real May Alcott Behind Her Sister’s Novel

When Little Women was mentioned at a recent party (okay, I brought it up), a friend told me he found only one interesting character in that book. I also adored the writer, Jo March, but spoke up for how in real life the youngest sister was not the scatterbrained artist depicted in Louisa May Alcott’s bestseller, but went on to have work displayed in prominent London galleries and at the Paris Salon. My friend asked why that sort of drive and talent wasn’t shown in her sister’s book.

That was the question that drove me to research the parallels between the four Alcott sisters and the less-complicated fictional girls. In Little Women, the character whose name Louisa scrambled from May to Amy gives up art when she marries, while in life May deferred marriage. She was famous for flirting, but understood that in an era before reliable birth control, marriage would mean less time for art that mattered deeply to her. May Alcott wanted both a family of her own and acclaim as an artist, a wide dream that Louisa, smart and feminist in other ways, couldn’t envision for a woman. She tended to see in shades of black or white. In Little Women she portrayed two sisters as angels in the house and herself in the role of independent writer. The youngest sister was drawn as a spoiled amateur artist who spent Christmas money on perfume, wanted good food on the table, and a pretty dress or hat.

Was that so wrong, I wondered as a girl reading the book and again decades later. Louisa thought so, even while possibly giving her sister desires she couldn’t accept in herself. Her expressed contempt for frills and folderol may have hidden her uneasiness with beauty, especially her own. Louisa was a bit ashamed of desire and ambition, which she’d been taught to call greed. She let rivalry run rampant in the gothic novels she wrote under pseudonyms, but tried to cover it up in Little Women, though its dark undercurrents may attract readers as much as details about lemonade-stained gloves or cravings for pickled limes.

Louisa tried to hide jealousy along with too much temper (though she had plenty of reasons to be angry). Sisterly feuds reached a peak when Amy burned the only copy of a novel that Jo worked on for years. In retaliation, Jo turned her back as Amy skated toward thin ice. Disaster was narrowly averted, forgiveness meted out, and lessons learned. But readers glimpse other traces of fire and ice.

Sisterhood isn’t all smooth. Still, even today readers pick up Little Women, at least in updated versions, or seen on screens, because they’re drawn to girls who try to do good. Many admire much about these sisters, but just as Louisa seemed to think only one sister might make her name in literature or art, she only let one sister truly succeed at goodness. Louisa gave herself little credit for her generosity, and left out the ways May helped their family, too. When Louisa was recuperating from an illness she’d contracted as a nurse in the Civil War, May doled out medicine, changed her sister’s sheets, and carried bedpans, while tending to the hearths and woodstove, shoveling snow, and generally keeping up the house. Off and on she taught in a kindergarten, elementary school, and an asylum for troubled girls. Yet Louisa couldn’t quite let go of her childhood vision of May as rather lazy and selfish.

Why did Louisa feel compelled to measure and compare her sisters’ levels of talent and moral worth? No one can say for sure, but working on my historical novel about May, I read letters, diaries, tomes or offhand remarks from the entire family and imagined motives. It seemed the family’s poverty nudged everyone to strive to stand out in non-material realms. Louisa often gave a hand to worthy causes, but she also harbored revenge fantasies, wanting to show the world that an Alcott could make money and perhaps be famous, too. The publication of Little Women brought her this, and she used the windfall to help May go to Europe to study art.

Of course May was grateful. But she must have still wished for her sister to see more of her. In a family rich with saved letters and diaries, there are no documents of Louisa ever acknowledging the courage it took May to pursue painting in an era before the MFA had been built in Boston, a time when many in Massachusetts saw painting as something that should be left to Europeans with time on their hands. Louisa never mentioned their long bond as two unmarried women working outside the home. She was forward thinking in many ways, but throughout her life she seemed as strict with family roles as she was when delegating costumes for the plays the girls once performed in the parlor. It was May who pushed past old borderlines, choosing to go after pleasure, a family of her own, and the satisfactions of an artist, too.


Publication Date: September 15, 2015

Genre: Historical Fiction

May Alcott spends her days sewing blue shirts for Union soldiers, but she dreams of painting a masterpiece—which many say is impossible for a woman—and of finding love, too. When she reads her sister’s wildly popular novel, Little Women, she is stung by Louisa’s portrayal of her as “Amy,” the youngest of four sisters who trades her desire to succeed as an artist for the joys of hearth and home. Determined to prove her talent, May makes plans to move far from Massachusetts and make a life for herself with room for both watercolors and a wedding dress. Can she succeed? And if she does, what price will she have to pay?

Based on May Alcott’s letters and diaries, as well as memoirs written by her neighbors, Little Woman in Blue puts May at the center of the story she might have told about sisterhood and rivalry in an extraordinary family.


About the Author

Jeannine Atkins is the author of books for young readers featuring women in history, including Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie and their Daughters. She is an adjunct professor at Simmons College and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She welcomes readers to visit her online at www.jeannineatkins.com.

Guest Post & Giveaway: The Rogue Knight by Regan Walker

Hello, dear readers! Please welcome to the blog today author Regan Walker! Regan is here with a fascinating guest post in honor of her latest release, The Rogue Knight, the second book in her Rogue Warrior series. Be sure to enter to win a copy of the book that started the series at the bottom of this post.

When the King of Scots Married a Saint By Regan Walker


Margaret reads to Malcolm
In the 11th century, a fierce warrior king married a young woman who would become Scotland’s only royal saint. The love story of Margaret of Wessex, a Saxon princess, and Malcolm Canmore (Malcolm III), King of Scots, is truly the story of the beauty and the beast.

Both Margaret and Malcolm have cameo appearances in my new medieval romance, Rogue Knight, and will be characters in my next book, Rebel Warrior, set in Scotland in 1072, to be released in 2016.

When Margaret and her family sought refuge in Scotland in 1070 after the Norman Conquest, she was in her early twenties; Malcolm was nearly twice her age. If Margaret had been given her choice, she would have chosen the church, along with her sister Cristina, who became an abbess, for Margaret was devout and given to prayer, fasting and charitable works. But it was not to be.

Malcolm had murdered his way to the throne in 1058 and was, according to St. Berchan, a “vigilant crusher of enemies”. He was also ruthless in his plundering of Northumbria, which he considered to be his territory (the border between Scotland and England being not so fixed then as it is today). All this said, when the “beast” glimpsed the “beauty” Margaret, he was smitten and desired her for his queen. He leaned on her younger brother, Edgar the Atheling (heir to the English throne were it not for the Conqueror) asking for her hand. Edgar, needing an ally and safety for his mother and sisters, agreed to the match.

We know that Margaret was initially opposed to the marriage. She had been gently bred, first in Hungary where her father was a prince in exile, and then in England where Edward the Confessor summoned him when Margaret was ten, and made him heir to the throne. In England, Margaret led a devout life, praying and reading the Scriptures in Latin and busying herself with needlework and learning French.

Saint Margaret

When the Confessor died and Harold of Wessex was named King of England, only to be slain by the Norman Conqueror at Hastings, Margaret’s young brother Edgar was named king—but not crowned because of the Conquest.

Margaret’s family ultimately sought refuge in Scotland and that is what brought her to Malcolm’s attention. Perhaps Margaret believed that God—whose will she ever sought to obey—had a purpose for her life different from that she had first envisioned. That might have been what persuaded her. In any event, in 1070, she became wife to Malcolm, devoted to her warrior husband and to improving the lot of the poor Scots and Saxons who gathered in Dunfermline around the royal seat. That she left a lasting legacy cannot be denied. In 1250, she was made St. Margaret.

In the more than twenty years they were married (until they died within days of each other), Margaret gave her husband six sons and two daughters. Three would become King of the Scots and one daughter became a Queen of England. That Margaret’s rough, warrior husband deferred to her, at least in matters of their family, can be seen in the names given their sons—all Saxon: Edward, Edmund, Ethelred, Edgar, Alexander and David. Perhaps, in agreeing to such names, Malcolm saw the potential for his sons to one day claim the throne of England, for as long as Margaret’s younger brother, Edgar, remained unmarried and childless, his rights to rule England would be transmitted through Margaret to her children.

Margaret holding council

Margaret was an intelligent beauty, arguing with the Scottish clerics about what she saw as errors in their religious observances that differed from what Rome prescribed. While Malcolm was illiterate and Margaret read to him, she spoke Gaelic poorly and he spoke it well, often interpreting for her when she held councils to debate with the clerics or carry out the law. Because she treasured her copy of the Gospels, Malcolm had it encased in gold and decorated with jewels. Not a bad gift for a rough, warlike man.

Margaret cared for the orphans and poor, often pillaging her husband’s plunder and wealth to aid them. This amused but did not anger him. He even joined her in ministering to the less fortunate.

Margaret was a loving mother and a devoted wife all the days of her life with Malcolm. I like to think their unlikely match was one made in Heaven. Margaret, I have no doubt, would agree.

About The Rogue Knight



Publication Date: October 7, 2015
eBook & Paperback; 234 Pages

Series: Medieval Warriors #2
Genre: Historical Romance

York, England 1069… three years after the Norman Conquest

The North of England seethes with discontent under the heavy hand of William the Conqueror, who unleashes his fury on the rebels who would dare to defy him. Amid the ensuing devastation, love blooms in the heart of a gallant Norman knight for a Yorkshire widow.

A LOVE NEITHER CAN DENY, A PASSION NEITHER CAN RESIST

Angry at the cruelty she has witnessed at the Normans’ hands, Emma of York is torn between her loyalty to her noble Danish father, a leader of the rebels, and her growing passion for an honorable French knight.

Loyal to King William, Sir Geoffroi de Tournai has no idea Emma hides a secret that could mean death for him and his fellow knights.

WAR DREW THEM TOGETHER, WAR WOULD TEAR THEM APART

War erupts, tearing asunder the tentative love growing between them, leaving each the enemy of the other. Will Sir Geoffroi, convinced Emma has betrayed him, defy his king to save her?


About the Author

Regan Walker is an award winning, bestselling author of Regency, Georgian and Medieval romance novels. She has been a featured author on USA TODAY's HEA blog three times and twice nominated for the prestigious RONE award (her novel, The Red Wolf's Prize won the RONE for Best Historical Novel in the medieval category in 2015).

Regan writes historically authentic novels, weaving into her stories real history and real historic figures. She wants her readers to experience history, adventure and love.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK

Giveaway

To enter to win a copy of The Red Wolf's Prize, book 1 in the Medieval Warriors series, please leave a comment below with your email address.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– 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 has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Related Posts with Thumbnails
 

Passages to the Past
All rights reserved © 2013

Custom Blog Design by Blogger Boutique

Blogger Boutique