C.W. Gortner's The Vatican Princess - Book Blast and {Giveaway}

The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia by C.W. Gortner

Publication Date: February 9, 2016
Ballantine Books
Hardcover, Ebook, Audiobook
400 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction



Infamy is no accident. It is a poison in our blood. It is the price of being a Borgia.

Glamorous and predatory, the Borgias fascinated and terrorized 15th-century Renaissance Italy. Lucrezia Borgia, beloved daughter of the pope, was at the center of the dynasty’s ambitions. Slandered as a heartless seductress who lured men to their doom, was she in fact the villainess of legend, or was she trapped in a familial web, forced to choose between loyalty and survival?

With the ascension of the Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, the new pope’s illegitimate children—his rival sons, Cesare and Juan, and beautiful young daughter Lucrezia—assume an exalted position in the papal court. Privileged and adored, Lucrezia yearns to escape her childhood and play a part in her family’s fortunes. But Rome is seductive and dangerous: Alliances shift at a moment’s notice as Italy’s ruling dynasties strive to keep rivals at bay. As Lucrezia’s father faces challenges from all sides, he’s obliged to marry her off to a powerful adversary. But when she discovers the brutal truth behind her alliance, Lucrezia is plunged into a perilous gambit that will require all her wits, cunning, and guile. Escaping her marriage offers the chance of happiness with a passionate prince of Naples, yet as scandalous accusations of murder and incest build against her, menacing those she loves, Lucrezia must risk everything to overcome the lethal fate imposed upon her by her Borgia blood.

Beautifully wrought, rich with fascinating historical detail, The Vatican Princess is the first novel to describe Lucrezia’s coming-of-age in her own voice—a dramatic, vivid tale set in an era of savagery and unparalleled splendor, where enemies and allies can be one and the same, and where loyalty to family can ultimately be a curse.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | INDIEBOUND

Praise
“Assiduously researched and expertly crafted . . . . This unholy plunge into Rome’s darkest dynasty is wholly engrossing.” – Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author

“A spider web of Renaissance intrigue with a legendary cast . . . Impressive research, a lush background, and deft characterization make for a fascinating read.” – Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author

“Elegantly written and deeply researched . . . Renaissance Italy is vividly brought to life. I’m captivated by this knowledgeable author’s take on the controversial Borgias.” – Alison Weir, NYT bestselling author

About the Author
C.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.

After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels.

In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences in the US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding.

Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats.

For more information visit C.W. Gortner’s website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twittter, Goodreads,Pinterest, and YouTube. Sign up for C.W. Gortner’s Newsletter for updates.

Book Blast Schedule

Tuesday, February 9
Unshelfish
Drey’s Library
The Maiden’s Court
CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, February 10
The Lit Bitch
The Never-Ending Book
A Dream within a Dream
What Is That Book About

Thursday, February 11
Laura’s Interests
The Reader’s Hollow
Flashlight Commentary

Friday, February 12
Let Them Read Books
To Read, Or Not to Read

Saturday, February 13
So Many Books, So Little Time
Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne

Sunday, February 14
100 Pages a Day
With Her Nose Stuck In A Book

Monday, February 15
A Book Geek
A Bookish Affair
Puddletown Reviews

Tuesday, February 16
Just One More Chapter
Historical Fiction Obsession
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Wednesday, February 17
Impressions In Ink
A Literary Vacation
The Country Bookworm

Thursday, February 18
The True Book Addict
Ageless Pages Reviews

Friday, February 19
Passages to the Past
Kristin Un-Ravelle’d
Book Lovers Paradise

Saturday, February 20
Beth’s Book Nook Blog
One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Sunday, February 21
Carpe Librum (Seize The Book)
Seize the Words: Books in Review

Monday, February 22
Broken Teepee
Book Drunkard
The Reading Queen

Tuesday, February 23
Teatime and Books
View from the Birdhouse
Historical Fiction Connection

Giveaway
To win a Borgia-Inspired Velvet Bag & Beaded Bracelet from C.W. Gortner please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below.

Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 23rd. 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 Vatican Princess Book Blast

Sara Turnquist's The Lady Bornekova - Guest Post and {Giveaway}

THE LADY BORNEKOVA: The truth behind the fiction

My debut novel “The Lady Bornekova” is set right on the cusp on the Czech lands' religious civil war, the Hussite Wars. This was a war that many of us here in the United States have never even heard of. I hadn't. Until I visited the Czech Republic. It's hard to visit Prague and get away without at least hearing the name “Jan Hus”. There's a statue of him in a prominent part of the city! And the Czech people consider him to be an important figure in their history.

Jan Hus...the way I like to describe him for people is to say that he was like Martin Luther before Martin Luther. He had some...we'll say “issues” with the Catholic Church as it was in that day (early 15th Century). One of the major differences between Martin Luther and Jan Hus, however, was that Jan Hus was eventually martyred for his oppositions to the Church. His death (he was burned at the stake) is what precipitated the beginning of the War between his followers (the “Hussites”) and those who supported the Church.

And so, Jan Hus is mentioned in my novel, but I don't actually “bring him to life” in the sense that he is not in any scenes, with any dialogue, or anything of that nature. I was just unsure about bringing such a great man into my story and doing him justice. I can't be the only Historical Fiction writer that has had this struggle. So I took a different tact. The novel's strong characters are contemporaries of Hus's and know him and are in touch with what's happening to him. This breathes life into his plight.

The story truly centers on Karin, a young woman who is coming to her own. Where does she stand in the midst of this conflict in her homeland? In this great divide between her people? What about her family? In the midst of her struggle to find herself, she finds love. But can that young love survive the trials she must face - including a mysterious individual with murderous intentions?

So, while the story is driven by a romance, it is really about Karin and her struggle. It is, however, a clean romance in the sense that I will not blush when I give a copy to my mother-in-law. This is one the things I strive for in my novels: Historical Fiction with meaningful romances that are not your run-of-the-mill, expected, tawdry stories. My main goal is to do justice to this piece of history through the lens of my characters as they interact and progress through the events of the story. So, I hope you find it every bit as intriguing to read as I did to write! Happy reading!!

About the book
Publication Date: July 14, 2015 (tentative)
Publisher: Clean Reads (formerly Astraea Press)
Format: eBook
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

The red-headed Karin is strong-willed and determined, something she inherited from her father. She tries to keep her true nature a secret to avoid being deemed a traitor by those loyal to the king. Karin and her father butt heads over her duty to her family and the Czech Crown. She is then sequestered to the Royal Viscount’s hunting lodge.

Not aware of everything that is happening, she becomes the target of an individual with murderous intent. Her heart soon becomes entangled though her father intends to wed her to another. The turmoil inside Karin deepens and reflects the turmoil of her homeland, on the brink of the Hussite Wars.

The Lady Bornekova Available at

Amazon

About the Author
Sara resides with her family in Middle TN. Though she has enjoyed her career as a Zoo Educator, Sara's great love of the written word has always drawn her to write. An avid reader, she has been, for many years, what she terms a “closet writer”. Her travels and love of history have served to inspire her to write Historical Fiction. Sara has made several trips overseas to the Czech Republic for short stints in the summer over several years. Her time among the Czech people and the landscapes of the country inspired her and greatly influenced her work on her debut novel, The Lady Bornekova, set in the Czech town of Hradec Kralove.

For more information please visit Sara Turnquist’s website. You can also follow her on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest.

Visit other blogs on the tour via the Tour Schedule

Hashtags: #TheLadyBornekovaBlogTour #Historical #Romance

Twitter Tags: @hfvbt @sarat1701

Giveaway

To enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card, please enter via the GLEAM form below.
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on July 31st. 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.

The Lady Bornekova

David Blixt's The Prince's Doom - Guest Post

Verona Revisited

In writing The Prince’s Doom, the highlight was my return to Verona last year. The trip was arranged for the release of the Italian edition of The Master Of Verona, the first book in the series, and marked my fourth time in the city in the last 20 years. The first and third times I was there for pure tourism, staying for less than a day. But the second time was a heavy research trip, as was this latest one.

I could go on and on about having access I’d never been granted before (I got to sit in Cangrande’s chair!). I could talk about the places I’d never heard of, that became huge pieces of the novel (Santa Maria in Stelle!). But there was one event that bookended the two research trips perfectly. So it starts, as all my good stories do, with my wife.

My wife and I eloped in 2002, taking all the money we would have spent on a big wedding and spending it on the honeymoon instead. Which meant we were in Europe for over three months, exploring, making friends, and doing research. Eight days of that time was spent in Verona, as guests of the city. I had made a friend in the Ministry of Culture, and among the many wonderful people she connected me with, one was the descendent of Dante, still living on the vineyard bought in 1353 by Dante’s son Pietro (who just happened to be the lead character of the novel I was writing).

That first visit was memorable, to say the least, and my wife wrote an account of it here. (Do read it, it’s hilarious) (http://themasterofverona.typepad.com/the_master_of_verona/2012/06/guest-post-jan-blixt-and-coffee-with-the-count.html). He showed us the marriage carriage that was used when the family linked itself to the Serego clan, another famous Veronese family. We saw the family crest inlaid in the floor and over the mantle, beside framed photos of the Count's daughters. 

This is one of the things I like best about Verona. Everything is still in use. From the Arena, where they hold operas and concerts, to Cangrande's palace, which is not only the city hall but also houses the apartment of the chief of police, to a lovely condo Jan and I toured, with famous 19th century paintings the size of half a basketball court on the walls. They maintain the old, but with the new. Nothing is kept out of use, but rather worked seamlessly into daily life. 

So that was then. This time, 12 years later, it was filmmaker Anna Lerario, a new friend, who put me back in contact with the Count. We called ahead, and then Anna drove us out to the Count's abode in the country. Valpolicella is much more built up than I remember, and indeed when we spoke, the Count lamented the overdevelopment that's been happening. He's very much a Lord Grantham type, but instead of clinging to tradition, his vineyard has partnered with MASI wines, gaining him a huge distribution for his products. He sees the building that's been happening as speculative, and ruining the land upon which they make their living. 

Ever an elegant man, we sat down with him in the dining area of La Foresteria. I presented him with copies of all the Verona books - I'd sent one when MoV was first published, but it felt wonderful to hand him a copy in Italian as well. Then he, Jan, Anna, and I sat and talked.

The very best part was just letting the conversation wander. Before, I had only been interested in the 14th century history of the land. This time I looked around at the large courtyard, at the looming shadow of Monte Baldo to the north, and said, "How on earth did the villa survive the Second World War?"

The Count looked at me in surprise. "Did I never tell you this story?" And he proceeded to relate how his father had saved the villa in 1945. 

During the war, the Nazis used the villa as an outpost, first for troops, then as a munitions depot. The whole area sits at the foot of the Brenner Pass, the route the retreating Nazis would have to take. On April 22nd 1945 the order came to all Nazis still in Italy - retreat, and leave nothing for the Allies to use. For the Nazis stationed at La Foresteria, this meant blowing up all of the munitions - and the villa and village along with them. 

That night, the Count's father invited the Nazi commander to a farewell dinner, and produced his best bottles of the wine grown on the land. He then proceeded to get the man drunk, talking all the time about this history of the villa, of the people in the village. He then offered the commander a way to obey his orders without blowing up anything. What if they transported all the munitions to the river and disposed of them there? The ordinance would be useless, and no one would be hurt. 

The Nazi commander agreed in theory, but could not spare the men to do the work, not when they would be pulling back the next day. So late in the night the Count's father roused the whole village. Under the watchful eyes of a few Nazi soldiers, the villagers carried the explosives to the river and threw them in. By dawn of April 23rd, the munitons were all ruined and gone. The villagers were just beginning to relax when they heard a massive explosion from across the valley. Another village had not been so fortunate - the Nazi commander there had obeyed his orders to the letter. 

The Nazis pulled out, and April 24th was V-I Day - Victory in Italy. 

It did not escape me, of course, that the action of the story took place in the small hours of April 23rd. My wedding anniversary. Also Shakespeare's birthday. Serendipity seems to follow Shakespeare, Verona, and me. 

After telling us that story, the Count arranged for Jan and I to have dinner in a nearby restaurant (we later discovered he’d had them open just for us). Before we parted for the evening, I asked a favor. I had a photo of the Count and me standing beside his villa from 2002. Could we repeat the photograph? He agreed, and promised to meet me there in another dozen years.

It is wonderful to think that the ancestor of this charming, graceful, and warm man is the same person I’ve been striving to bring to life in the pages of four novels. Of all the characters I’ve ever written, Pietro Alaghieri is the one I admire most. I can’t help but wonder how much of that is due to having spent time in the presence of his heir, on land Pietro himself owned. Even 750 years after his death, Pietro remains vibrant and alive to me. I hope to you as well.

Publication Date: December 23, 2014
Sordelet Ink
Paperback; 722p
ISBN: 0615894437
Series: Book Four, Star Cross'd Series
Genre: Historical Fiction



READ AN EXCERPT.

The long-awaited explosive fourth novel in the Star-Cross'd series! Verona has won its war with Padua, but lost its war with the stars. The young prodigy Cesco now turns his troubled brilliance to darker purposes, embracing a riotous life and challenging not only the lord of Verona and the Church, but the stars themselves. Trying desperately to salvage what's left of his spirit, for once Pietro Alaghieri welcomes the plots and intrigues of the Veronese court, hoping they will shake the young man out of his torpor. But when the first body falls, it becomes clear that this new game is deadly, one that will doom them all.

Praise for David Blixt

'For anyone who has yet to read David's novels, you are about to hit the literary lottery. Yes, he's that good.' --Sharon Kay Penman, The Sunne In Splendour

'David Blixt is a master of historical fiction. Dramatic, vivid, superbly researched, this series captures Renaissance Italy in all its heady glamour and lethal intrigue.' --C.W. Gortner, The Tudor Conspiracy

'This is one of the most exciting, and satisfying, reads that I have immersed myself in for a long time. David Blixt is a gem of a writer.' --Helen Hollick, The Pendragon Chronicles

The Star Cross'd Series

Based on the plays of William Shakespeare, the poetry of Dante, and the history of Italy, the Star-Cross'd Series is a tale of wars won, friendships lost, and conspiracies both mortal and stellar, an epic journey into the birth of the Renaissance that recalls the best of Bernard Cornwell and Dorothy Dunnett.

Titles in the Star Cross'd Series

Book One: Master of Verona
Book Two: Voice of the Falconer
Book Three: Fortune's Fool
Book Four: The Prince's Doom

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

Author and playwright David Blixt's work is consistently described as "intricate," "taut," and "breathtaking." A writer of Historical Fiction, his novels span the early Roman Empire (the COLOSSUS series, his play EVE OF IDES) to early Renaissance Italy (the STAR-CROSS'D series, including THE MASTER OF VERONA, VOICE OF THE FALCONER, FORTUNE'S FOOL, and THE PRINCE’S DOOM) up through the Elizabethan era (his delightful espionage comedy HER MAJESTY'S WILL, starring Will Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe as inept spies). His novels combine a love of the theatre with a deep respect for the quirks and passions of history. As the Historical Novel Society said, "Be prepared to burn the midnight oil. It's well worth it." Living in Chicago with his wife and two children, David describes himself as "actor, author, father, husband. In reverse order."

For more information please visit David Blixt's website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Prince's Doom Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, March 16
Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Wednesday, March 18
Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, March 19
Excerpt at Becky on Books

Friday, March 20
Excerpt at The Never-Ending Book

Saturday, March 21
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Monday, March 23
Review at Griperang's Bookmarks

Tuesday, March 24
Guest Post & Giveaway at Griperang's Bookmarks

Wednesday, March 25
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views
Spotlight & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Friday, March 27
Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary

Monday, March 30
Excerpt at Buried Under Books

Tuesday, March 31
Spotlight at A Book Geek

Wednesday, April 1
Excerpt & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Thursday, April 2
Review at Quirky Book Reviews
Guest Post at Books and Benches

Friday, April 3
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation
Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection

Kamil Gruca's Gentlemen of Pitchfork - Guest Post

Is there anything left to be said about the knights and Middle Ages?

The knight as the subject of European culture and certain archetype has been so present across centuries that it’s easy for us today to assume we know everything there is to know about them. However a lot of us, including myself, still cannot get enough. Even though the knight has been ridiculed so many times, all his flaws emphasised and attacked, there still seems to be some attraction in the notion of a brave, noble warrior filled with virtues. Those virtues were Christian at the source, but may as well be replaced by any others that suit us. We can clearly see the link between the jedi knights and their medieval ancestors for example. It’s this combination: fighting + virtue that makes a knight such a great carrier for storytelling.

Why is that? My answer is: because it’s rare. It is rare that strong protect the weak and play by the rules when they could just take advantage. How rare exactly? Maybe it’s so rare that it actually never happens? Maybe there are no knights?

I believe that it would have been a sad truth. I believe that the knights existed and still exist and that we continue to tell stories about them because we want it to be this way.

There are three main characters in my story and they are all knights. I hope that by the end of reading everyone will be able to see that it’s rightful to call each of these men a knight, even though they differ so much as human beings. By that I do not merely mean that they are formally knights by the trivial fact of being born as nobles. They all represent chivalric virtues, each in his own way and according to his abilities.

The background of my story is early XVth century France. Once more it may seem that so many has been said about Middle Ages. So, do I claim I have anything new to say? Let me share my idea of depicting the epoch. On one hand I attempt to grasp many aspects of life, like: society, communication, ideas, clothing, fighting, love and even bathing (which despite quite common misconception was popular up until around second quarter of XVth century). On the other I often go into details in each of the respective domains. I don’t perceive the time and place I’ve chosen for my novel’s action to be just a pretext to tell another adventure story. I want this historical scenography to be really convincing, no wooden swords (unless for training purposes), no dialogues governed by mentality of XXIst century people, no woolen chain mails. On the other hand it is still fiction, it is still an adventure story. Most of the characters and events are fictitious. But when a given event is something that really happened I care to tell it as it was. When it comes to historical characters, some of them were purposefully depicted differently than they probably were. The best example is count David Rambourg. So when it comes to characters not everything comes with historicity warrant.

I believe I did say something, if not entirely new, than at least refreshing both when it comes to knights and the Middle Ages. Oh, and I also believe story is not that bad too. But… you be the judge.

About the book

Publication Date: July 13, 2014
eBook; 258p
Translator: Pawel Brzosko
Genre: Historical Fiction

The year is 1415. France is weakened by the recently ended Civil War between the factions of Burgundians and Armagnacs. The young and belligerent King Henry V Lancaster decides to pay the French a neighbourly visit. With him – the flower of the English knighthood.

Among them – Sir Arthur, the Baron of Pitchfork, an ideal of all chivalric virtues – his uncle, Sir Ralph, a veteran soldier with a taste for women and bitter humour – and his cousin, Sir Robert, a young and romantic would-be scholar who will have his first taste of war, sieges, duels, betrayal and intrigue but also love and practical philosophy.

Together they ride as secret envoys of their King to meet Burgundian emissaries. But the Armagnacs’ spies keep their eyes open for any sign of treason on the part of their political opponents and three powerful French armies are gathering to cross King Henry’s way.

Interview with Kamil Gruca

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

Kamil Gruca is a Polish writer born in 1982 in Warsaw. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Philosophy at the Warsaw University.

Kamil is also an active knight who confirmed his battle prowess by winning the Polish National Knights League in 2006 under the alias of Sir Robert Neville. He has studied medieval swordsmanship for over 15 years hence his novels are full of dynamic and realistic swordplay.

Being an avid re-enactor and a passionate history geek Kamil moved to France for two years to study documents unavailable in other countries that would add to the feel and realism of the book on multiple levels.

His first novel “Panowie z Pitchfork” was published in 2009 by a major publishing house Rebis. Receiving a warm welcome from Polish critics, readers and fellow writers, the first part of the adventures of the young and keen Sir Robert was soon followed by a sequel “Baron i Łotr”, published by another publishing house Znak, bringing closure to the major plot.

Currently Kamil lives in Warsaw with his family and is working on another series of historical novels focused around one of Poland’s most famous knights – Zawisza Czarny – and his not so famous yet equally interesting brothers.

For more information about the book please visit http://gentlemenofpitchfork.blogspot.com or http://facebook.com/gentlemenofpitchfork. You can contact Kamil at Gruca.Kamil@gmail.com.

If you want to learn more about how Kamil trains medieval swordsmanship please visit HAM-Historyczna-Akademia-Miecza on Facebook (Site in Polish), as well as http://draby.pl (Site in Polish).

Visit other blogs on the tour--Tour Schedule

Twitter Hashtag: #GentlemenofPitchforkBlogTour #HistoricalFiction
Twitter Tags: @hfvbt

Spotlight on the works of Juliet Waldron and a {Giveaway}

Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Books We Love, Ltd.
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction

READ AN EXCERPT.



Loyalty Binds Her.

More like a gangland war for turf and loot than chivalry, the War of Roses disrupted the life of the English commoners for hundreds of years. Roan Rose is the story of one of them, a girl born on the Yorkshire dales. When the Countess of Warwick decides to take sturdy, gentle Rose to Middleham Castle to be companion and bed-time poppet for her youngest daughter, Anne, her fate is changed forever. Rose bears intimate witness to the passions, betrayals, battles and all the reversals of fortune which will shape her lady’s life—and her own. Anne Neville will briefly become a Queen, and Richard, Rose’s secret love, will become a King, one whose name has become synonymous with evil. When her King is betrayed and slain at Bosworth Field, Rose returns to a peasant’s hard life. She has one final service to perform.

Watch the Book Trailer



Praise for Roan Rose
"a beautiful story of love and loyalty set during the tumultuous reign of Richard III"

"I loved the strength of this woman"

"This author has a powerful sense of Time and Place"

"Waldron certainly knows her history…Yet despite its accuracy … Roan Rose is ultimately a book about character".

Buy the Book
Amazon (US) eBook
Amazon (US) Paperback
Amazon (AUS) eBook
Amazon (CAN) eBook
Amazon (UK) eBook
Amazon (UK) Paperback

Publication Date: October 26, 2013
Books We Love, Ltd.
eBook; ASIN: B00G8OYHFG
Genre: Historical Romance



To help her impoverished family, Sophie agrees to marry a wealthy older man in far off America. Less than twenty-four hours after she arrives in German's Mill, Pennsylvania, events have taken a far stranger turn than anything she could have imagined.

Set in Post-Civil War Pennsylvania, this tale of an arranged marriage gone wrong is as much family saga as it is a romance. Sophie is a sensitive young woman trying to make sense of her past and to understand the unfamiliar ways of her new homeland. Karl Joe is not only a veteran of the great war, but scarred by the secret violence of his privileged childhood. How they learn to trust each other and how they discover love is the beating heart of this old time story.

Buy the Book

Amazon (US) eBookAmazon (AUS) eBook
Amazon (CAN) eBook
Amazon (UK) eBook

Publication Date: September 9, 2012
Books We Love, Ltd.
eBook; ASIN: B0098CSH5Q
Genre: Historical Romance

READ AN EXCERPT.



Angelica is a Patriot heiress, stalked by a brutal, fortune-hunting British officer. Forced to trust Jack, the mystery man who pledges to take her on a dangerous war-time journey to her Albany home, she expects to encounter brigands, Tories and Indians. What she doesn’t expect is to lose her heart along the way.

Praise for Angel's Flight

"It's quite a journey. If you like detailed historical novels, road romances, and war stories, then Angel’s Flight is for you." -IRRS @ Amazon
"This story has heart… " -Linda @ Romance Studio

"I found Juliet Waldron's attention to detail and historical accuracy refreshing and entertaining...a unique voice … Readers will be transported to a time of peril, divided loyalties and intrigue as Angelica triumphs over threats and danger." -Southern Gal @ Amazon

Buy the Book

Amazon (US) eBookAmazon (AUS) eBook
Amazon (CAN) eBook
Amazon (UK) eBook

About the Author

"Not all who wander are lost." Juliet Waldron earned a B. A. in English, but has worked at jobs ranging from artist's model to brokerage. Thirty years ago, after the boys left home, she dropped out of 9-5 and began to write, hoping to create a genuine time travel experience for herself--and for her readers. She loves her grand-girls and her kitties, likes to take long hikes, and reads historical/archeological non-fiction as well as reviewing for the Historical Novel Society. For summer adventure, she rides behind her husband of 50 years on his "bucket list" (black, and ridiculously fast) Hyabusa motorcycle.
You can find more information at www.julietwaldron.com or connect with Juliet on Facebook.

Juliet Waldron Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 6
Spotlight at Caroline Wilson Writes

Monday, October 13
Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, October 29
Review at Book Nerd (Hand-Me-Down Bride)

Monday, November 3
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective (Roan Rose)

Thursday, November 6
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, November 10
Review at 100 Pages a Day - Stephanie's Book Reviews (Roan Rose)

Saturday, November 15
Guest Post at Romantic Historical Lovers

Tuesday, November 18
Review at TeacherWriter (Roan Rose)

Monday, November 24
Review at Book Nerd (Roan Rose)

Tuesday, November 25
Guest Post at TeacherWriter (Roan Rose)

Thursday, November 27
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

GiveawayTo win a $20 Amazon Gift Card please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open to US residents only.

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on November 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on December 1st and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Victoria Strauss' Color Song - Book Blast and {Giveaway}

 

Publication Date: September 16, 2014 | Skyscape (Amazon Children’s Publishing) | Formats: eBook, Paperback, Hardcover

Genre: YA Historical

READ AN EXCERPT.

By the author of the acclaimed Passion Blue, a Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2012 and “a rare, rewarding, sumptuous exploration of artistic passion,” comes a fascinating companion novel. Artistically brilliant, Giulia is blessed – or cursed – with a spirit’s gift: she can hear the mysterious singing of the colors she creates in the convent workshop of Maestra Humilità. It’s here that Giulia, forced into the convent against her will, has found unexpected happiness, and rekindled her passion to become a painter – an impossible dream for any woman in 15th century Italy. But when a dying Humilità bequeaths Giulia her most prized possession – the secret formula for the luminously beautiful paint called Passion blue – Giulia realizes she’s in danger from those who have long coveted the famous color for themselves. Faced with the prospect of lifelong imprisonment in the convent, forever barred from painting as a punishment for keeping Humilita’s secret, Giulia is struck by a desperate idea: What if she disguises herself as a boy? Could she make her way to Venice and find work as an artist’s apprentice? Along with the truth of who she is, Giulia carries more dangerous secrets: the exquisite voices of her paint colors and the formula for Humilità’s precious blue. And Venice, with its graceful gondolas and twisting canals, its gilded palazzi and masked balls, has secrets of its own. Trapped in her false identity in this dream-like place where reality and reflection are easily confused, where art and ambition, love and deception hover like dense fog, can Giulia find her way? This compelling novel explores timeless themes of love and illusion, gender and identity as it asks the question: what does it mean to risk everything to follow your true passion?

Praise for the Novels of Victoria Strauss

"Fantasy elements and a historical setting rich with sensuous detail are satisfying, but it’s Giulia’s achingly real search for her heart’s desire that resonates most today, when millions of girls still have limited choices. A rare, rewarding, sumptuous exploration of artistic passion." - Kirkus Reviews on PASSION BLUE (Starred Review, a Best Teen Book of 2012)

"Compelling…absorbing…An intriguing historical novel inspired by accounts of women artists in the Italian Renaissance." - Booklist on PASSION BLUE

"Mysterious dreams, suspense-filled legends, the terror that unfolds as the dig ensues, and the fine characterizations weave together beautifully to make this adventure fantasy a winner." - Booklist on GUARDIAN OF THE HILLS (Starred Review) 

"A rich story about human nature, this fantasy is a thought-provoking page-turner. The characters are deeply etched, and the plot turns are credible yet arresting…A thoroughly enjoyable read." - Kliatt on THE ARM OF THE STONE 

"The plot is complex yet convincing, and the abundant, well-chosen details of the settings–as well as the carefully developed characters–make this high fantasy a superior and original novel." - Publishers Weekly on THE GARDEN OF THE STONE (Starred Review)

Buy the Book
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound

About the Author

Victoria Strauss is the author of nine novels for adults and young adults, including the STONE duology (THE ARM OF THE STONE and THE GARDEN OF THE STONE), and a historical novel for teens, PASSION BLUE. She has written hundreds of book reviews for magazines and ezines, including SF Site, and her articles on writing have appeared in Writer's Digest and elsewhere. In 2006, she served as a judge for the World Fantasy Awards. An active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), she's co-founder, with Ann Crispin, of Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group that tracks and warns about literary fraud. She maintains the popular Writer Beware website, Facebook page, and blog, for which she was a 2012 winner of an Independent Book Blogger Award. She was honored with the SFWA Service Award in 2009. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

For more information please visit Victoria's Strauss's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads.

Color Song Blog Tour & Book Blast Schedule

Monday, September 16
Book Blast at Passages to the Past
Book Blast at The True Book Addict
Tuesday, September 17
Review at Oh the Books
Book Blast at The Maiden's Court
Wednesday, September 18
Review at Casual Readers
Review at Leeanna.com (Passion Blue)
Thursday, September 19
Review at Leeanna.com
Monday, September 22
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Feature at Oh the Books
Tuesday, September 23
Book Blast at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, September 24
Review at History from a Woman's Perspective
Interview at Bibliophilia, Please
Book Blast at Reading Lark
Thursday, September 25
Book Blast at A Book Geek
Friday, September 26
Review at Reading Room Book Reviews
Book Blast at Just One More Chapter
Monday, September 29
Review at Tribute Books Mama
Interview at Math, Science & Social Studies...Oh My!
Tuesday, September 30
Review at Book Babe
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Connection
Wednesday, October 1
Review & Interview at Bookish
Book Blast at Historical Tapestry
Thursday, October 2
Review at Brooke Blogs
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Friday, October 3
Review at A Bibliotaph's Reviews
Book Blast at The Lit Bitch
Saturday, October 4
Book Blast at Susan Heim on Writing
Monday, October 6
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Book Blast at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, October 7
Review at A Leisure Moment
Wednesday, October 8
Review at Peeking Between the Pages
Friday, October 10
Review at A Bookish Affair

Giveaways

To enter to win any of the following prizes please complete the form below:

2 Grand Prizes Winners: One Kindle Paperwhite with custom Color Song cover with Color Song and Passion Blue ebooks pre-loaded, plus swag (postcards, bookmarks), and signed paperback editions of Strauss's Stone duology (The Arm of the Stone and The Garden of the Stone) (US only) 2 winners: Signed hardcovers of Color Song and Passion Blue, plus swag (postcards, bookmarks) (US and Canada) 5 winners: Signed paperbacks of Color Song and Passion Blue, plus swag (postcards, bookmarks) (US and Canada)

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on October 10th. You must be 18 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on October 11th and notified via email. Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

J.R. Tomlin's A King Ensnared -- Guest Post and {Giveaway}

Someone once asked me what I would write if I wrote the book of my heart.

I said that I had already written it. At the time, I was talking about Freedom's Sword but all of my historical novels in one way or another been books of my heart. It had to do with growing up steeped in the history and fiction of Scotland.

As a wean, a child if you're not a Scot, I lived with my grandparents in Edinburgh for some years, and my amazing granny read me the early works of Scottish literature. John Barbour's 14th The Bruce, and Blind Harry's later Wallace made up my bedtime stories. She didn't approve of Robert Louis Stevenson whom I'm afraid she didn't approve of. Later I moved to other authors, but that early clarion call to a struggle against conquest never left me.

What I came away with was an admiration for the people of a small nation who stood up their own
freedom against the invasions and bullying of a large and powerful neighbor. It is a classic David and
Goliath story except that you can't count on David winning. He often didn't.

Which brings me to a question that I have been asked, how do you know it was freedom they fought for. Weren't they just fighting for power against others who wanted power? Did people in the middle ages
even care about freedom?

People often underestimate those of the middle ages who had the same desires as people in any age, so
I tend to let them speak for themselves. In about 1370, John Barbour penned this:

Freedom all solace to man gives:
He lives at ease that freely lives!
A noble heart may have none ease,
Nor ellys nought that may him please,
If freedom fail.

How could one not want to write about such people and such a struggle?

About the book
Publication Date: November 22, 2013
CreateSpace
Paperback; 244p
ISBN-10: 1493786598

On the dangerous stage of medieval Scotland, one man–in an English dungeon–stands between the Scots and anarchy.

Robert III, King of the Scots, is dead, and Scotland in 1406 is balanced on a knife’s edge. As he eyes the throne, King Robert’s ruthless half-brother, the Duke of Albany, has already murdered one prince and readies to kill young James Stewart, prince and heir to the crown.

James flees Scotland and his murderous uncle. Captured and imprisoned by the English, he grows to be a man of contradictions, a poet yet a knight, a dreamer yet fiercely driven. Hardened by his years in the Tower of London and haunted by his brother’s brutal murder, James is determined to find some way to recover his crown and end his uncle’s misrule. But the only way may be to betray Scotland and everything he believes in.

Purchase the Book
Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (Paperback)
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository

About the Author
J. R. Tomlin is the author of five historical novels: A King Ensnared, Freedom’s Sword, A Kingdom’s Cost, Countenance of War, and Not for Glory. She has also co-authored several fantasies with C. R. Daems: Blood Duty, Talon of the Unnamed Goddess, The Shadow Ryana, The Shadow Gypsy, and Women of Power.

She has close ties with Scotland since her father was a native Scot, and she spent substantial time in Edinburgh whilst growing up. Her historical novels are set in Scotland. You can trace her love of that nation to the stories of the Bruce and the Good Sir James her grandmother read her when she was small and to her hillwalking through the Cairngorms where the granite hills have a gorgeous red glow under the setting sun. Later, her writing was influenced by the work of authors such as Alexander Dumas, Victor Hugo and of G.R.R. Tolkien.

For more information visit J.R. Tomlin’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

Visit the other tours for more guest posts, reviews and giveaways - HFVBT TOUR SCHEDULE
Follow the tour on Twitter - #KingEnsnaredTour

Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form below to enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of A King Ensnared by J.R. Tomlin...open to US/Canada only!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: Helen Bryan's 'The Sisterhood' | Women in the Aftermath of the Reconquista

The Sisterhood; April 2013

Please welcome author Helen Bryan:

It was not until I began a biography of Martha Washington, intending to look at the American Revolution from her perspective and that of other women of the time, that I had something of a Damascene moment about how wide the gaps in history are. Among accounts of battles, military strategy and the views of the Founding Fathers, I had to search long and hard to find information about women’s experiences. “The ladies, God bless ‘em” were mostly invisible. As ever. Too often, we have no idea of history’s impact on women because the record is silent. In this scenario writers of historical fiction become archaeologists, piecing together clues from their research, to reconstruct in fiction something of the reality of women’s lives in the past.

My latest book “The Sisterhood” is a woman’s eye view of Spain in the sixteenth century in the aftermath of the reconquista in 1492. This was a watershed in history, marking the defeat of the Moors who had ruled Spain for nearly seven hundred years by the Reyes Catholicos, Isabella and Ferdinand, who united Spain vowing to establish God’s kingdom on earth. The rise of Spain as a world power and the expansion of the Spanish empire overseas in the Americas followed, while Spain itself became a religious police state, instituting a policy of ethnic cleansing. Muslims and Jews, who had previously co- existed with Christians under the Moors were persecuted, forcibly converted, exiled, and killed. No one was safe from suspicion and denunciation as a heretic or secret Jew or Muslim, and the Inquisition had sweeping powers to investigate individuals, with the help of a network of informers and torture. It must have been terrifying.

And where did women fit into the picture? For women in the higher echelons of society with the necessary dowry, it was often as nuns. A cloistered existence of religious discipline, confinement and celibacy may appear an unnatural choice today, but then it offered intelligent women the possibility of intellectual pursuits, a chance to exercise financial control over the convent’s assets and make a real contribution to the general welfare. Convents ran hospitals, orphanages, school, and nuns enjoyed status in society. In addition, given the high mortality rates of women in childbirth, a nun might well outlive her married sisters. Whether women entered convents willingly or unwillingly, life there offered undeniable benefits, especially as a woman was unlikely to marry where she liked but as her male relatives dictated. Convents proliferated. And it was a visit to a Spanish convent dating from the reconquista that inspired “The Sisterhood.” The unusual feature of this convent was its orphanage for illegitimate daughters of the Spanish aristocracy. After growing up in the convent, the girls progressed from the orphanage to novitiate to the veil. To prepare them for their religious lives, their playthings were a bizarre selection of toys on display: nun dolls, a miniature convent, doll size altars and tiny altar fittings. The presence of these children whose cloistered fate had been fixed at birth, lingered in the old, low-ceilinged rooms with their smell of beeswax, incense and age. The atmosphere was irresistible for a writer.

Beginning with the fictional “What if…”, I first imagined a romance featuring a plucky orphan girl who ran away from the convent, made her way to Spanish America and found love. Once I began to research the necessary background to the story- the lives and orders of sixteenth century nuns, religious diaries of the time, accounts of Inquisition excesses, the Spanish conquest in America, the Incas, the story changed. One orphan girl became five, each in danger of persecution by the authorities. And to explain why the nuns gave them refuge, I drew on one of many early Christian legends, the three Marys of the New Testament who are said to have made their way to the coast of France, where their supposed relics are venerated to this day. I gave the nuns of “The Sisterhood” an equally ancient spiritual tradition dating back to Roman Spain, which explained their courage and determination to uphold humanitarian values at the risk of their lives. Suddenly there was a much bigger story to tell, connecting the past with the present. Staring me in the face was the fact that religious oppression given a political dimension in sixteenth century Spain had a resonance in modern times with the political tensions that exist between Muslims, Jews and Christians across the world. The sixteenth century orphan girls in fear of their lives have their counterparts in young women who are victims of human trafficking and abuse now.


The romantic theme I once imagined was the focus became woven throughout into the individual stories of different characters, stories forgotten until they are recovered and told centuries later by a young woman who makes the unexpected discovery that she herself is a link in a long chain of Sisterhood.

Book summary of The Sisterhood:

With THE SISTERHOOD, Bryan weaves two stories separated by centuries about the resilience of the female spirit. Set in Spain during the sixteenth century and present-day, Bryan tells the story of Los Golondrinas Convent—a place of refuge for women and girls during the Spanish Inquisition regardless of faith or sin, many of whom had desperate reasons to hide from the church and state authorities.


Each girl and woman’s story was recorded in the Convent’s chronicle to bear witness of the cruelty and inhumanity they suffered. The Chronicle helped bind the sisterhood across generations.


Centuries later, Menina Walker, a 19-year-old adopted daughter of a small-town American couple, finds her life in shambles. A despicable incident causes her to call off her wedding, and she finds herself alone and depressed. Her best friend arranges a trip to Spain for her to get away, and Menina takes with her the only links to her birth family: an ancient book and a medal from the convent from which her parents adopted her.

In the process of unlocking the stories of the Chronicle, she learns that nothing less than destiny brought her to the birthplace of her ancestors, and the power to find peace and love had been burning in her blood all along.

Helen Bryan is an American-born writer living in London for many years. Previous books include War Brides and Martha Washington: First Lady of Liberty.