Sir Read-A-Lot

Review: How Angels Die by David-Michael Harding

2014-02-16T16:16:00.000+00:00

It is 1944 and France is resisting the Nazi invasion as best as it can, hoping that the rumours of an Allied invasion come to fruition. Two sisters, Monique & Claire McCleash are part of the Resistance but they operate in totally different spheres. Claire goes on operations, ambushing and killing German soldiers whereas Monique goes to a well known club and seduces German officers in order to garner intelligence that could prove useful to their movement.

Monique's role is a constant source of hurt and betrayal to Claire and the sisters are battling each other as much as the Nazis. When their Resistance cell is in danger of being discovered, a series of tragic events reveal family secrets that will have the power to rip the McCleash family apart or make it stronger than ever.

REVIEW:

This is an extremely well-written and disturbing independent novel. It is rare that an author will examine the role of women in wartime, especially ones who take such a dangerous and proactive role in resisting their oppressors.

The plot is simple, but fraught with suspense, intrigue and danger. You immediately strike up an affinity with both of the McCleash sisters and David-Michael Harding has a talent for creating flawed characters who find themselves at war, not only with an enemy force, but with people they love.

This book is not easy reading, it will challenge your perceptions and morals but saying that it has been produced to a high standard and the quality of the prose, the construction of the plot and the creation of the characters are perfectly executed. This is a very good novel and I look forward to reading more of Mr Harding's work.

I give "How Angel's Die" 4 Crosses!!

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Review: Sebastian's Way - The Pathfinder (Book 1) by George Steger

2014-02-09T15:26:00.000+00:00

In 8th Century Europe, the Frankish-Saxon War rages and the legendary warlord Charlemagne is ruling over conquered lands. His brutal method of war is effective and he begins to feel the long campaign is nearing its end and looks to build a prosperous and stable society where peace and prosperity are in abundance.

A local, seemingly unassuming boy named Sebastian has taught himself to read alongside honing his battlefield skills and his years to diligence stand him in good stead because Charlemagne notices him and he becomes a close confidante of the King. And then the politics and intrigue of Court begin to hinder Sebastian's rise as the jealousy and ambition of his peers begin to surface. His rivals are quick to judge his open opposition to the brutal methods used by Charlemagne as Sebastian tries to show him a different method, one that wins hearts and minds rather than shatter spirit and obliterate opposition.

Sebastian's cousin, Konrad, does his utmost to destroy Sebastian and he finds himself increasingly isolated. Can a man hold his principles and morals whilst those around him disregard their own in order to discredit him?

Review:

This is a boys own adventure that will keep you interested from beginning to end. I know little about the life and times of Charlemagne but found myself looking him up and finding out more about this most fascinating character. I cannot comment on the historical accuracy of the novel but it has been written by a Professor of History who knows the period and is very familiar with Charlemagne, so one would assume the accuracy is pretty much spot on.

There is a lot of brutal violence in this book, so if you prefer your history a little watered down, this story may not be for you. But saying that, the character of Sebastian as a moral conscience is a good foil to the bloodthirsty Charlemagne. Some would argue the character is a little too 21st Century in his outlook, but overall it works extremely well.

This independent novel is a solid debut for Colonel George Steger and I look forward to the next volume in the series. I give Sebastian's Way: The Pathfinder 4 Crosses.

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Review: The Tenth Saint by D.J. Niko

2014-01-31T10:40:00.000+00:00

Dr Sarah Weston is an archaeologist working at a site in Ethiopia when she bumps into a stranger who tells her of a cave in the hills above her camp. The man shows her shards of pottery that seem unusual and so, her interest outweighing her personal safety, she agrees to meet the man the following day and trek to the cave. When she gets there, she finds strange markings and inscriptions that imply this is an undiscovered marvel.

She reports her findings to her mentor back in England and he is less than impressed with Sarah's lack of commitment to her current project. He informs her that an American anthroplogist, Daniel Madigan, is joining her "dig" and will be keeping an eye on her as there are concerns she is not the person her sponsors want for their project. Sarah shows Madigan her findings and it becomes apparent this could be the tomb of a lost Coptic Saint and the writings are a portent describing how and when the world will end. What follows is a fast-paced, girls own adventure steeped in history and myth as Sarah and Madigan try to solve the mystery and stop the prophecy from coming true.

REVIEW

Okay, this is not strictly a historical fiction novel and for the purist readers of the genre who kindly follow my blog, I apologise for that. But this is a very good story that will satisfy the historical element, excite those who like adventure, enthral those who love conspiracies (me!) and have you devour every twist and turn of the plot.

D.J. Niko has followed a well trodden path by writing in this genre, but the sign of a great writer is how they make the story unique, or give it an edge. The use of a female protagonist who is beautiful but tough, single-minded but unbiased, is unusual but works extremely well. Niko has found the perfect balance in her character to turn the stereotypical female heroine on its head, if I have a criticism it is that more should have been done to Daniel Madigan to make him unique as he is a bit too "Indiana Jones" and this I feel detracts slightly from Sarah Weston.

Overall though, this is a good read. It is full of suspense, the historical theme has been well researched and the plot flamboyant. This is a perfect book to read if you want a bit of comfort on a cold, wet day when you want some excitement.

I give "The Tenth Saint" 4 Crosses!

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Review: The Tudor Conspiracy by Christopher Gortner

2014-01-17T12:58:00.000+00:00

It is 1553 and Mary Tudor is still firmly at odds with her half-sister, Princess Elizabeth. There are rumours abound that Elizabeth, after being invited to Court, is now a prisoner.

Brendan Prescott is contacted by Elizabeth's spymaster Sir William Cecil and asked to resume his undercover personae of Daniel Beecham, to infiltrate the murky corridors of power and determine the exact nature of peril aimed at Elizabeth and to rescue her from a fate worse than death. There is danger around every corner and the discovery of a cache of the Princess's private letters pulls Brendan, and the heir to the throne, into mortal danger once again. In a palace where no one can be trusted and everyone seems to be a double agent, Prescott must once again use all his wits and intelligence to keep England's future monarch safe.

Review

Once again Christopher Gortner has delivered what I would most definitely describe as an almost perfect historical novel. Fictitious, yet utterly convincing, characters are interwoven seamlessly with real life people and the inventiveness of his plot is truly enthralling.

For those of you who enjoy fast paced, cleverly constructed novels of any genre, this one should be on your "to be read pile" and put as close to the top as possible. Gortner is a master story-teller, his passion for history is obvious in his work and his research is flawless. You realise you are being given an education in the Tudor period and the way people lived their lives in a time when being born into the "wrong" religion could be a death sentence. He brings the past to life in a way only a few writers can.

The principal character, Brendan Prescott, is one you side with right from the very off & you root for him and his success. There are times I did feel the danger was a bit too much, turning him into a Tudor James Bond, but it is a small criticism because this is a magnificent story.

I give "The Tudor Conspiracy" 5 Crosses!!

I am also awarding Christopher the prestigious "Golden Hammer and Anvil Shield Award" for this superbly entertaining and well written book.

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Review: The Assassin's Mark by David Ebsworth

2014-01-13T08:00:00.001+00:00

In 1938, Europe is on the brink of a second Great War in less than thirty years and the dark spectre of National Socialism is looming over several European countries. The Spanish Civil War has been going on for two years and, in an arrogant show of confidence, General Franco has begun to operate "Battlefield Tours" - package holidays of the recent and famous war zones for tourists.

Jack Telford, a journalist with a left wing newspaper, is sent to report on the tours and tries to uncover the underlying reasons for the war. However his eccentric holiday making companions along with a power hungry tour guide make his task difficult. Then one of the tourists is murdered and Telford is captured by Republican guerillas, putting his life in danger as he tries to solve the murder and save his own sanity.

Review

I know little of the Spanish Civil War and so I began reading this novel with a sense of anxiety, being out of one's comfort zone can be challenging can't it? However, within a few pages I was hooked by David Ebsworth's wonderful story and eloquent, yet light, prose. He quickly establishes characters and their personalities, providing you with the boundaries of "goodie & baddie" before flipping the whole premise on its head and bringing a whole new perspective to the story.

If you enjoy passionate characters, with a well-researched and deep historical plotline then you really need to read this book. It has been crafted with exceptional care and whether you buy it on Kindle or in paperback, I can quite honestly say that this book is a keeper!

I give "The Assassin's Mark" 4 Crosses!

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Ebsworth's Mark - interview with David Ebsworth

2014-01-13T08:00:00.000+00:00

First of all, Stuart, it’s a real thrill for me to do the interview. Thanks very much for arranging this home stop on the Book Tour.

You’re welcome. And maybe you could start by telling us how you developed the story for Assassins? I’d never heard about the background before.

OK, so it’s 1938, and Spain is in the grip of the civil war that had started two years earlier after an attempted military coup by General Francisco Franco. The story of the Spanish Civil War has been covered from lots of angles but I came across the previously untold fact that, in the middle of ’38, with the outcome still in the balance, Franco had not only set up an alternative government but had established a Tourist Department – and then circulated brochures around all of Europe’s travel agents, inviting tourists to visit his recently won battlefields. Extraordinary! An incredible propaganda exercise. But it worked. Something like 20,000 travellers took part in the tours over the following seven years and, of course, carried away Franco’s side of the complex conflict. So I thought: What if one or more of the people on the tour bus didn’t believe the propaganda? What if one or more of them had hidden agendas? What if a batch of unforeseen disasters befell these eccentric travellers? I hope readers will think it’s an original way to find out about this still relevant piece of European history.

I did some digging of my own on this, and found that a lot of the characters who feature in this story are real people. Far more than I’d imagined. Did that create problems?

Actually, I don’t think anybody else has spotted that. The characters who make up the bus-load of travellers are all fictional – though even some of them are based on real people. But the rest are mostly factual. As Franco’s armies slowly occupied each area of Spain, they replaced all the democratically-elected representatives with their own stooges, either from the military, or from the extreme Right-wing and fascist Falange Party. It still exists, by the way. And these were the people largely responsible for rounding up tens of thousands of socialists, communists, trade union leaders, poets and artists, and murdering them in what historian Paul Preston has quite rightly called “the Spanish holocaust”. So the tours would have met a lot of these people and I wanted – within reason – to get inside them a little. And, actually, there’s an astonishing amount of information available. So no, it didn’t create a problem. Though I’m always conscious that it might become so. The book’s selling reasonably well in Spain, even in English, so naturally there’s always a chance that the family of one of those people may pick up Assassins and not be happy about the portrayal.

I also realised that both Assassins and your previous novel, The Jacobites’ Apprentice, feature lots of stuff about spies. Is this a subject that intrigues you?

D’you know, I hadn’t thought about that before. Jacobites is set in 1745, mainly based in Lancashire and deals with the Manchester merchants who supported Bonnie Prince Charlie in his rebellion. But, yes, its anti-hero is based on the real-life spy, Dudley Bradstreet, who was almost single-handedly responsible for preventing the rebellion’s success. The Jacobite army managed to travel all the way south to beyond Derby, with not much more than 100 miles before they reached London. And there was nobody to stop them. But Bradstreet, posing as a scout for Bonnie Prince Charlie, told him a load of nonsense about English armies waiting to intercept them. The Jacobites lost their bottle, went back to Scotland, and the rest is, of course, history. In Assassins, I became fascinated by the dozens of attempts on Franco’s life – sometimes by professional spies and hit-men, sometimes by rank amateurs. And there was a whole espionage story about the British covert operations that may have helped Franco launch his fascist coup in the first place. But there’s no spying in the third novel. Honest!

Ah, the third book? What’s that about?

It’s set during the second half of the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. In a nutshell, it picks up the story where Michael Caine and the film, Zulu, left off. It’s told largely from a Zulu perspective and the title is The Kraals of Ulundi, due to be published in April-May.

And you write under a pen name. Can you tell us why?

When I started writing, I soon began to run into problems. There are some quite evil moments in Jacobites and I found it quite hard, personally, to delve inside those darker sides of human nature as myself. So I needed to develop an alter ego. And then I realised that this wasn’t hugely different from my earlier “day job.” I think most of us are different people in work than we are at home with our families. Then, of course, I began to realise exactly how many of my own favourite authors have written under pen names, and I imagine that some of them must have similar reasons for doing so - C.S. Forester, Daniel Defoe, Ellis Peters, George Orwell, J.K. Rowling, John Le Carré, Lewis Carroll, Patrick O’Brian, Stendhal and dozens of others. Apart from all that, when I finally started thinking about marketing, I realised that “Dave McCall” simply doesn’t sound like the name of a historical fiction writer. Well, not to me it doesn’t! So the “David Ebsworth” brand was born. Ebsworth is a grandfather’s name so it feels right. Then, when I shut my workroom door each morning, I get straight into this alter ego and start to write.

You have a writing routine, then? How do you fit that into your day job?

I officially retired in 2008 so haven’t really got a “day job” any more. I do some voluntary work still but, mainly, I write. I start around 7.00am by word processing the most recent hand-written stuff that I’d worked on during the previous day. That’s important for me since it gets me straight back into the story without risking writers’ block. By the time I’ve finished this word processing, I’m “in the groove” and carry on with new word count until maybe 9.30am. Then I print out the morning’s work and take myself off to the swimming pool, do my lengths and mull over what I’ve done. An hour later usually sees me in Caffè Nero, making corrections and then hand-writing the next block of text. That’s the text that I put away until the following morning. During the afternoon and evening, I catch up with my marketing and any research that I need for the next section of the book.

When you say “marketing”, can you say a bit more about that?

Sure. It had never occurred to me that there’d be so much marketing if you want your books to sell. That sounds daft, but I genuinely hadn’t thought about it. When I was writing Jacobites, I never thought about anything except getting to The End. I just assumed that “somebody” would do the marketing for me if it even got published. But that “somebody” doesn’t exist and, by the way, it’s really no different for authors who are “traditionally” published. Though I caught on quickly, I think. I developed a marketing calendar with all the things I needed to do before publication (developing and regularly updating a website, arranging launch events, building a social media profile on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest, etc); at publication (press releases and interviews, arranging book reviews); and post-publication (getting myself invited to author events, month by month, sometimes in bookstores but, more productively, doing lively presentations about the story backgrounds). Then it’s a matter of juggling all these plates and many more besides. But my main bit of marketing is the production of a monthly e-newsletter that goes out to family, friends, supporters and readers – whose e-mail addresses I’ve been painstakingly accumulating over the past three years, since Jacobites was published. I’ve never really found time for regular blogging – and the newsletter is a great substitute.

That’s a good tip. Can you give any aspiring writers just one more?

Yes. To keep writing. I think we have to be hugely talented or extremely lucky to sell huge quantities of books at our first attempt. But if you build up some readership with your first book, do some basic marketing, then go on and write a second, then a third, and so on, that readership will grow incrementally and irrevocably. I’m certain that there must be a mathematical formula for this. I just don’t know what it is! The main thing is to keep writing books – doing it well, naturally – and getting them published, even if you can only manage eBook editions. Write them and they will come! In today’s market, I think it’s both quality and quantity of our output that spells success.

You said right at the beginning that today’s interview is part of a Virtual Book Tour. So how long does that last and where do you go next?

It’s another marketing tool, of course – helping to raise the book’s profile. But I hope it’s also good entertainment for bloggers’ readers too. I decided to run this one over two weeks and I was really lucky that so many of you were interested in Assassins. Here’s the link to my web page with all the details...

http://www.davidebsworth.com/page12.html

...but, basically, I’ve got stops with UK bloggers in London, Bristol, Devon and Essex, US bloggers in Ohio, Colorado, Texas and Wisconsin, and a Canadian blogger in Manitoba.

Tomorrow I’ve got a stop with Tori Turner (Lily Loves Indie) here...

http://lilylovesindie.co.uk/

...as well as Elaine (Novel Pastimes) in Ohio...

http://www.novelpastimes.com/

If anybody’s interested in receiving Dave’s e-newsletter, you can contact him through the comments below, or though his website (here’s the page with his most recent newsletter: http://www.davidebsworth.com/page4.html), or by e-mail at: davemccall@talktalk.net.

The Darkness of Depression - "From Darkness into Light" Blog Hop 2013

2013-12-21T08:00:00.000+00:00

The Darkness of Depression

To many people, having something in common with Ernest Hemingway, Sir William Blake, Oscar Wilde, Stephen Fry or Agatha Christie would be something to celebrate. I am in esteemed company, or so it appears. Whilst I would love to have a small amount of the talent for writing that those mentioned possessed, the trait that we share is something darker and certainly nothing to shout about. I suffer with depression.

Oh, depression? You mean you sometimes feel a bit sad? We all get like that sometimes, get a good night's sleep, get a grip, things will look better in the morning. Isn't that what you mean by depression? Well, no actually. Depression is something people seem reluctant to talk about - myself included - because you are automatically assumed to "have something wrong with you" and are judged by people who know little about either yourself or the condition itself.

It is difficult to comprehend how depression can cripple someone who is outward looking, funny, intelligent, esteemed, admired or loved. It isn't a character flaw, nor is it something that can be ignored. For myself, it comes in waves normally as I am experiencing personal issues, flare ups of pain in my health condition or when bad news is received. Simple things such as answering emails, dealing with correspondence, keeping myself and my home clean & tidy or doing things that normally give me pleasure like reading, painting or writing seem so daunting that I revert into myself even more. It makes you feel hopeless, useless and you question your role in the world and whether or not your family and friends deserve you. You sink into a deep black hole, so dark and black it makes you feel that you can never climb out. Sometimes it lasts a short while, other times it can last weeks or even longer. But it is at those darkest, bleakest times that a support network along with a prepared plan of recovery - which could be medication, cognitive behaviour therapy, natural or alternative therapies - help provide the tiny ray of light that brings you back into the real world.

My depression is not that severe, when compared to others. But it floors me in ways that make me withdraw into myself and it must seem to friends and acquaintances that I am ignoring them and my responsibilities. I am not, but at times like that I need you to shine a torch and light a candle for me so that I can bring myself out of the darkness and into the light once more.

#21decbloghop

Why not visit the other blogs on this fantastic one day blog hop and find out more about the winter solstice throughout the ages!

1. Helen Hollick : A little light relief concerning those dark reviews! Plus a Giveaway Prize

2. Prue Batten : Casting Light....

3. Alison Morton ‎ Shedding light on the Roman dusk

4. Anna Belfrage Let there be light!

5. Beth Elliott : Steering by the Stars. Stratford Canning in Constantinople, 1810/12

6. Melanie Spiller : Lux Aeterna, the chant of eternal light

7. Janet Reedman The Winter Solstice Monuments

8. Petrea Burchard : Darkness - how did people of the past cope with the dark?

9. Richard Denning : The Darkest Years of the Dark Ages: what do we really know? Plus a Giveaway Prize!

10. Pauline Barclay : Shedding Light on a Traditional Pie

11. David Ebsworth : Propaganda in the Spanish Civil War

12. David Pilling : Greek Fire plus giveaway

13. Debbie Young : Fear of the Dark

14. Derek Birks : Lies, Damned Lies and … Chronicles

15. Mark Patton : Casting Light on Saturnalia

16. Tim Hodkinson : Soltice@Newgrange

17. Wendy Percival : Ancestors in the Spotlight

18. Judy Ridgley : Santa and his elves Plus a Giveaway Prize

19. Suzanne McLeod : The Dark of the Moon

20. Katherine Bone : Admiral Nelson, A Light in Dark Times

21. Christina Courtenay : The Darkest Night of the Year

22. Edward James : The secret life of Christopher Columbus; Which Way to Paradise?

23. Janis Pegrum Smith : Into The Light - A Short Story

24. Julian Stockwin : Ghost Ships - Plus a Giveaway Present

25. Manda Scott : Dark into Light - Mithras, and the older gods

26. Pat Bracewell Anglo-Saxon Art: Splendor in the Dark

27. Lucienne Boyce : We will have a fire - 18th Century protests against enclosure

28. Nicole Evelina What Lurks Beneath Glastonbury Abbey?

29. Sky Purington : How the Celts Cast Light on Current American Christmas Traditions

The Bard of the Windy City - an interview with David Blixt

2013-10-26T20:19:00.000+01:00

David Blixt is relatively unknown in the UK but recent reviews of his books, one by myself and another by the Historical Novel Society have thrust him into the limelight. His unique, unpretentious humour is a refreshing change to the genre of historical fiction and I have to say I cannot understand why he has not got a mainstream publishing deal! He was awarded "Editor's Choice" in the last quarterly edition of the HNS Review Magazine for "Fortune's Fool" and I awarded him my highest accolade, The Golden Hammer & Anvil Shield, for "Her Majesty's Will".

David kindly took sometime out to answer some questions on his writing and has kindly given a copy of "Her Majesty's Will" as a giveaway prize! Please comment on this interview, share the link on Facebook and Twitter to enter. Full details can be found on my Giveaway Page!

1 - Can you tell us about your writing life? How did you start?

When I was 11, I had a teacher who made us write fiction every Friday. Mr. Melby was his name. 200 word stories on a chosen theme. Then he started letting us choose the topics ourselves. I did a Tolkien/Starlin knock-off that spilled from page to page. I still remember it – terribly derivative, but lots of fun. After that, I never stopped writing. For my senior project in high school I wrote a comedic sci-fi novel (that will never see the light of day).

I didn’t discover Historical Fiction until I was 17, on a car trip with my father. He was listening to an audiobook of Colleen McCullough’s The First Man In Rome. I rolled my eyes and stared out the window, expecting to doze off. Instead I was entranced. In the following years, I was introduced to Bernard Cornwell, Raphael Sabatini, Sharon Kay Penman, Mary Renault, and Patrick O’Brian. At 19, I was working on a novel when a woman I fancied said my writing reminded her of Jonathan Carroll. Seeing what he does in his books, his dark freedom and brutal honesty, I tried to capture that. But I’m not him. So I stopped writing for a bit, and focused on theatre instead. Which led me deeper into Shakespeare, already a passion.

Then the woman I would one day marry handed me Dorothy Dunnett’s The Game Of Kings and I found my home. I had never considered writing Historical Fiction before that moment. But seeing what she’s able to do with her world, her characters, her stories – she is the monarch of the genre, absolutely unparalleled – I suddenly had a framework for so many stories that lived inside my head. That was in the year 2000. I’ve been writing ever since.

2 - Do you have a favourite author and genre?

Apart from Historical Fiction and the authors named above, I’m a huge Dashiell Hammett fan (and by extension, the novels of Robert B. Parker, who modelled himself after Hammett and Chandler). I also feel the need this week to give a shout-out to the late Tom Clancy. He taught me how to write action sequences across a vast canvas.

In terms of Her Majesty’s Will, the biggest debt I owe is to a hometown friend, Robert Asprin. His Myth Adventures series is one of my favourites, and growing up in Ann Arbor, I got to meet and know him. His sense of the absurd and how to turn a story on its head served me very well in this ridiculous flight of fancy.

3 - Shakespeare is a huge passion of yours and your novel, Her Majesty's Will is a very light-hearted romp with the famous playwright as a central character. How did you come to imagine him in such a role?

I’m drawn to gaps, holes in stories we all know. What caused the Capulet-Montague feud? What did Caesar and Brutus discuss at dinner the night before the Ides? So naturally I was intrigued by Shakespeare’s ‘lost years’, the time between his departure from Stratford until his first recorded mention in London. Where was he? What was he doing? It was tempting to write a serious tome. But there have been too many of them, all too self-important. That was a trap I wanted to avoid. I didn’t want to give a ‘fictional biography’, as they’re called. I wanted to tell a story. I looked at the events of those years and noticed the Babington Plot. The mental conversation that followed went like this:

‘Shakespeare as a spy? That’s absurd!’

‘But wait – wasn’t Marlowe a spy at this time?’

‘So they say.’

‘What if Shakespeare and Marlowe team up to foil the Babington Plot? A buddy comedy, like the Hope/Crosby Road movies.’

‘That’s totally ridiculous!’

‘Right-o. Get to work.’

‘Okay. I’ll need some tequila.’

I wrote the first several chapters, and had a ball. Then I took a break for a year, doing shows and working on another series. Then I came back and in the space of about a month finished the whole thing. In the process, I utterly debased Stephen Greenblatt’s wonderful Will In The World. But I made a deal with myself. Accepting my utterly ridiculous premise, I had to stick to historical facts.

I’m also rather fatigued by Tudor novels, because they’re always about the court. I wanted Will and Kit to rub elbows with the scum of society – thieves, pimps, whores, and actors. A view of Tudor society from the bottom up. But I made sure to use real people. And I have to say, I was smiling as I wrote that whole book. I’m smiling now, thinking about it.

4 - You are a prolific writer, what else have you written?

One series is set in 14^th century Verona, exploring all the characters of Shakespeare’s Italian plays, combined with the actual people of Dante’s time. I started with an odd inspiration from the end of Romeo & Juliet about the origin of the feud, but the research took me to fantastic heights. Three novels are out now – The Master Of Verona, Voice Of The Falconer, and Fortune’s Fool (Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice last August!). The fourth novel, The Prince’s Doom, is coming in January.

I’ve also got a series set in first century Rome and Judea, about the destruction of Jerusalem, the building of the Colosseum, and the birth of the Roman Church. Those are the Colossus books. The third will be out next summer.

There’s also a play called Eve Of Ides, which will be published in November. Plutarch tells us that the night before his assassination, Caesar went to a dinner party at Lepidus’ house. Brutus, Antony, Cassius, and Trebonius were all there. My biggest problem with Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is that Caesar and Brutus never have a conversation. We never see how Brutus gets to the point of saying, ‘It must be by his death.’ So my play does that.

I have some short stories as well, some historical, some not. My Pinocchio-inspired story Remember Me will be published by Grey Matter Press in November. At this moment, I’m about 5 years behind my brain. There are at least three stand-alone novels I desperately want to write, as well as continuing the series. I have a sequel in mind for Will & Kit, with the worst title in the history of the world: Will’s Will Will. It’s a riff on Love’s Labour’s Lost, and pits Will and Kit against the Spanish Armada.

5 - How do you research your books? Are there any specific resources that you return to time and time again?

Each series has its touchstones. I already mentioned Greenblatt. There’s also Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare and Asimov’s Guide to the Bible. Shakespeare’s Songbook I use constantly. I read a lot of Ian Mortimer. Will and Ariel Durant are priceless. And I learn a lot from my fellow writers, constantly. But the best is to walk in the places I’m writing about. London, Verona, Rome – these are cities I know well, and love. I try to include in-jokes for locals, whenever possible.

But clearly my biggest influence is Shakespeare himself. I’ve been fortunate, as an actor, to do perform in two-thirds of the canon so far, and many of them repeatedly (over 30 R&Js at this point – yikes!) Familiarity has not bred contempt – far from it. I didn’t want to be too tongue-in-cheek about the plays, but I did want to plant the seeds for some scenes and characters. His love of the common man is so clear, even as he fears mobs and hypocrisy. I wanted to root that in some reality.

6 - What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

Write.

Kill your darlings.

Write.

If you’re bored by what you’re writing, make something unexpected happen. If you’re not interested, your reader won’t be either.

Write.

Characters dictate the action, and their motives matter.

Write.

Always flout the reader’s expectations.

And write.

7 - Which three historical figures, either real or imaginary, would you invite to a dinner party?

Caesar, Shakespeare, and FDR.

8 - At which event in history would you have liked to been a fly on the wall?

Oh, the assassination of Caesar. But even more, I would have loved to be present at the moment the first Brutus threw out the Tarquin and refused the crown, setting up the Roman Republic. So much of Western history stems from that moment. I would love to see that first hand.

Thanks for having me! Let’s get together when I’m in London next fall. I’ll buy.

Now go to my Giveaway Page to enter my latest competition to win one of David's books!

Review - Her Majesty's Will by David Blixt

2013-10-07T21:25:00.001+01:00

Before he found fame as a playwright and poet, Will Shakespeare was a schoolmaster.....and not a very successful one. He barely got through each day until one night he saw a woman being assaulted. Except the woman looked rather tall and powerful for a tavern wench. He blunders into the fracas, saving the woman from her attacker only to discover that the woman is, in fact, a man. The disguised fellow is on a secret mission and the fate of the Queen, and England itself, in jeopardy.

The spy is Kit Marlowe and he cajoles his new friend into helping him secure the realm. What follows is a jaunt of one haphazard calamity to another, good humour and derring-do of "Shakespearian" proportions!

Review

As a keen reader of historical fiction, I sometimes wonder if the genre takes itself too seriously. The books are always serious, deathly plots and treachery abound yet David Blixt's "Her Majesty's Will" is most definitely a shot in the arm.

I found myself smiling on every page as Shakespeare and Marlowe became a parody of themselves, akin to a Tudoresque Morecombe and Wise as they inadvertently muddle their way through various escapades and scrapes with death. Blixt has a talent for light hearted prose that is rich in detail, with inventive plotting and vibrant, colourful characters.

Blixt is a very talented author who deservedly won the "Editor's Choice" award in the Historical Novel Society's Independent Review for his book "Fortune's Fool" and whilst I haven't read that particular tome, if it is as exciting and well written as "Her Majesty's Will", then I will be buying it shortly.

Take a chance and read something that is well researched, historical and - yes - funny. You will not be disappointed.

I give "Her Majesty's Will" 5 Crosses and award David Blixt "The Golden Hammer & Anvil Shield" for writing an original novel which will have you laughing out loud.

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Review - The Arrow of Sherwood by Lauren Johnson

2013-10-01T11:56:00.001+01:00

The year is 1193 and Lord Robin of Locksley returns home after years of fighting in the Holy Land. He has changed from the headstrong, hedonistic boy that committed a crime and was sent away as punishment. Where there was once a boy, a man now stands.

However, in the time he has been away his father has died and his lands have been usurped. The county is in turmoil as the Vipont family and their supporters squeeze the local villeins and serfs for every penny in tax and fine them heavily for any transgression - however small. Innocent people are condemned to hang just for standing up for their rights and Robin begins to realise that as a lord, he has a responsibility to defend the people whom he once ruled.

He tries to regain his lands legally, but when he uncovers a plot between the Viponts and the John, Count of Mortain to wrestle the crown from King Richard his life becomes threatened and he is banished from the Locksley Estate. A cold blooded murder finally pushes Robin into a corner, when the only thing he can do is what he does best......fight.

REVIEW

The tale of Robin Hood is one that everyone can recite. Will Scarlette, Friar Tuck, The Sheriff of Nottingham and Maid Marian are all well known characters whose part in the tale are well known.
However, Lauren Johnson, cleverly twists the characters in this imaginative reworking of the legend and not all the usual suspects play their pantomime roles.

The author is a historian and it shows as her accuracy to the period is exceptionally accurate. Combined with a natural flair for story-telling, The Arrow of Sherwood is a very impressive debut by the Bristol born author. Being very interested in this period of history, I am always drawn to stories like this but even though the legend of Robin Hood is well known, this is a refreshing and unique perspective and one that deserves to be read.

I am proud to give the Arrow of Sherwood 5 Crosses and bestow Lauren Johnson with the Golden Hammer and Anvil Shield for writing a very impressive debut novel which surprises and thoroughly entertains.
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Review - Gracianna by Trini Amador

2013-08-19T19:52:00.003+01:00

Discovering a Luger pistol in his grandmother's house as a four year old boy, Trini Amador had no idea about the truly remarkable life his grandmother, Gracianna, had lived.

Gracianna Lasaga was a heroine of the French Resistance during World War II. Her early life was difficult but a chance meeting with some American tourists, would change her life forever. They promised her a job in America and so she left her rural Pyrenees village and went to Paris, then hoping to earn enough money to sail to America. She finds a job in a cafe and then war is declared, which changes everything.

Gracianna finds herself dragged into a horrific world of violence and death, of occupation and oppression. The challenges and choices she makes have a profound effect on those around her and, ultimately, the fate of her country. There is love, family conflicts and devastating cruelty - but Gracianna does her best to overcome all obstacles and survive.

REVIEW

GRACIANNA is a cleverly constructed book that could deceive you. The author writes in a very easy to read manner, which means you devour the pages. But if you are not careful, you miss the beautifully crafted world of his grandmother and fail to appreciate the amazing life she had.

I don't think any of us could imagine living in our own country once a foreign power had invaded, let alone be able to work in the shadows as a member of the resistance, risking life and limb in order to try an topple an evil regime. Some of the choices Gracianna has to make, some of the ethical decisions that shape her life, are so unbelievable today, that you can scarcely believe this was the way of the world, in Europe a mere sixty years ago.

Trini Amador has written a book that will inspire, move, scare and shock you. But it is written with care, with love and with obvious respect to a woman who, along with thousands of others, made the brave decision to put their lives on the line and fight an enemy they were forced to co-habit with. I loved this story and found it to be though-provoking and inspirational.

I give "Gracianna" 4 Crosses!

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Review: The Riddle of Solomon by D.J. Niko

2013-06-28T13:06:00.000+01:00

Dr Sarah Weston is a rich girl rebelling against her heritage. An archaeologist, she is a constant disappointment to her father who wants his daughter to be more obedient and take up a position slightly more fitting to her lineage and gender. Rachel is happiest in the field and her partnership with Dr Daniel Madigan is one full of excitement, pent up passion and together they make one hell of a dig team.

A chance discovery of an ancient scroll, buried for centuries in the middle of a desert in Saudi Arabia give Sarah and Daniel cause to believe the lost treasure of Solomon is not a biblical myth, but a reality and they begin to ask questions that result ina deadly attack on their camp. A British millionaire, Trent Sacks, has spent his life trying to uncover the secret location of Solomon's treasure. He is the last living descendant of the Davidian line and as soon as he discovers the scroll exists, he sends his own agents to secure it.

Is Solomon's myth real? Is there a treasure to be found and will Sarah and Daniel live long enough to discover it before Trent Sacks who wants to use it to announce himself as The Messiah, in accordance with Scripture?

Review

One of the good things about running your own blog, is that you can break your own rules every know and then. My wonderful followers know I concentrate on historical fiction, but I do read other genres and I was very surprised to find how much I enjoyed "The Riddle of Solomon", a modern day novel with a heavy emphasis on the Biblical past.

Biblical conspiracy novels are ten a penny and most travel the same well-worn path, rehashing the same plotlines and not breaking any new ground. However, D.J Niko has written a novel steeped in rich detail and written with care and passion. I am not an expert in archaeology, or the Bible for that matter, but it is a refreshing change to read a novel where the author has done extensive research and has obvious knowledge of the subject in hand, rather than make things up for the sake of it and hope no one thinks too much about the historical element of the story.

With summer coming, I am putting a list of reads together for my audience and I am happy to suggest "The Riddle of Solomon" for anyone taking their Kindle or a paperback to the beach. It is rich in detail, has a fast-paced plot and I give it 4 CROSSES !!

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Pre-Release Review! War God by Graham Hancock

2013-05-28T19:40:00.000+01:00

ISBN: 978-1444734379
RELEASE DATE: 30 May 2013
PUBLISHER: Coronet

It is the year of our Lord 1519 and Hernando Cortes is preparing to sail from Cuba to the New Lands in what will become known as Mexico, to conquer the people and claim the land in the name of God and the King of Spain.

Meanwhile, in the city of Tenochtitlan, the Great Speaker (Priest) Moctezuma is sacrificing hundreds of slaves in the hope of pleasing the War God, Hummingbird. Two women - from very different backgrounds - are being prepared for sacrifice and rival tribes are preparing for an assault on the city in an attempt to stop Moctezuma from winning the favour of Hummingbird.

In a twist of fate, the girls are released and hear of the invasion. They believe the men from across the sea are heralding a new age of peace and they begin the dangerous task of destroying Moctezuma and his hold over the people of Mexica.

Review

One thing I love about historical fiction and those who write novels set in the past, is discovering how another person interprets those times and weaves a fictional story into and around a skeleton of fact.

Writing about events that have been well documented is a difficult undertaking. Because of the wealth of information available, it is sometimes impossible to find a "way in", to find a place where you can start and develop a story. However Graham Hancock has, once again, produced a book that entertains as well as educates. Many of us will have a basic understanding of the Spanish Conquest of the South American continent but the true scale and brutality of the invasion, as described in War God is likely to shock. Not only the violent methods inflicted by the Spaniards on the natives, but the way the indigenous population waged war on each other and corralled their prisoners before sacrificing them on the steps of their Pyramids and feasting on their remains.

War God is a rich and deeply involving novel that grips you from the very first page. If you can handle the gruesome detail, then you will devour every page and the end will come too soon, leaving you desperate for book two, The Return of the Plumed Serpent.

I give "War God: Nights of the Witch" 4 Crosses!

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Review - Three Kings, One Throne by Michael Wills

2013-05-15T09:52:00.000+01:00

In 11th century Europe, the most coveted throne of all was that of England. Contested on three fronts, Viking, French and Anglo-Saxon it was a time of war and political turmoil.

Torkil, an Anglo-Saxon thayne is a vassall of Harold Godwinsson, Earl of Wessex and the most powerful man in England. Harold is positioning himself to take over the crown once King Edward has died and is gaining favour throughout the realm as the most suitable heir. With Harold he has to negotiate the release of Godwinsson family hostages held by William, Duke of Normandy - another claimant to England's crown.

Ivar, is a slave to Harald, a Danish prince. He rises from nothing to a position of trust and becomes a feared warrior who becomes one of the Emperor of Turkey's elite bodyguards. When the time is right, he will join with his Master to make their own bid for the throne of England.

Told from these two perspectives "Three Kings, One Throne" ventures across early medieval Europe telling how one of the most bloodthirsty eras came to shape our world today tells the story of two warriors and how their destinies entwine.

Review

There are many tales set in the backdrop of the short reign of Harold Godwinsson and nearly all are written for an purely adult audience. Michael Wills has written a beautifully simplistic story for young adults which entertains and educates at the same time.

It is not as puerile as my own school history lessons were, which basically consisted the telling of a battle where a king had an arrow stuck in his eye before the Normans took over and a long tablecloth was stitched telling the story! Michael Wills has done some breathtaking research and constructed a novel which gives enough of the brutality of the age without causing nightmares to the reader. It is colourful and rich, the descriptions of the various cities in which the action takes place is vivid and helpful annotations explain to the reader where places are or describe items that may be unfamiliar.

If you want to inspire a teenager to read about 11th Century England and develop an interest in history, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It does have elements that are probably a little too mature for any young person under the age of 13, but nonetheless it is pitched perfectly to educate and entertain a teenage audience.

I give "Three Kings, One Throne" 5 Crosses!

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BUY "THREE KINGS, ONE THRONE" FROM MY

AMAZON STORE!

Review - Siege by Nick Brown

2013-05-10T14:52:00.000+01:00

AD 270 and a newly promoted member of the Roman Internal Security Service Cassisus Corbula is given his first assignment - a probable suicide mission.

The fort of Aluauran is an outpost of strategic importance; standing in the middle of the Arabian desert it holds a well of fresh water and acts as a vital staging post. The fort is undermanned and a force of Palmyran marches on it under the orders of Queen Zenobia, they are to wrestle the fort from Roman hands and make it their own.

A supporting cohort is making its way to the fort, but it is doubtful they would make it in time to stop the Palmyrans. Corbula has to take command of the men, falsely telling them he is a Centurion, and hold the fort until reinforcements arrive. One hundred men against the force of a nation is long odds, but Corbula must prevail or else the Roman Empire will lose its eastern frontier.

Review

Nick Brown has done a marvellous job in writing a book that is well researched and hugely entertaining. The premise of an unprepared, yet well theorised young man being sent into a hell-hole to rally a body of men who have little respect for unseasoned campaigners is interesting, especially when he has to conceal his true role as a "Grain Man" - a term used for the Secret Service - who are despised.

I've read quite a few books set in Ancient Rome and can tell that Nick Brown has done an excellent job researching his novel. His characters are expertly crafted, they jump off the page and the internal dilemmas the inexperienced officer has when trying to rally the troops are superbly written. In particular, Corbula's manservant Simo is the pick of the bunch. Deeply loyal, despite only being given to Corbula at the start of his mission, he is a cross between The Admirable Crichton and a St Bernard; he is perceptive, witty and quickly proves his worth in all manner of ways.

Brown's military knowledge shines through in his battle scenes which are hard hitting and described in brutal terms. The ragtag bunch of disheartened and drunken soldiers know they have little time to prepare for war and realise they may not survive to see the relief column.

All in all, Nick Brown has written a superb debut novel and I look forward to reading more of Corbula's adventures.

I give "Siege" 5 Crosses!

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Review - Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell

2013-05-06T19:05:00.000+01:00

London 1854 - the nightly fog that obscures most of London is the perfect hiding place for a killer. A family is found dead in their home; father, mother, two young children and their housemaid. All beaten to death and their throats cut.

Detective Inspector Sean Ryan is the policeman in charge of the investigation and it quickly becomes apparent that these shocking deaths are similar to a murder that happened 43 years previous and which were written about in an essay by the infamous writer Thomas de Quincey. Famous for his book detailing his lifetime addiction to opium "Confessions of an Opium Eater", de Quincey had written a piece called "Murder as a Fine Art" all about the brutal Ratcliffe Highway murders. It seems this new slaying is a homage to the original and de Quicey, being in London to promote his writing, is the prime suspect.

Ryan is pushed into a premature arrest by the Home Secretary, the powerful an popular Lord Palmerston. But when an attempt on de Quincey's life fails it becomes clear that there are forces at work which have great influence and unlimited resources. Ryan, his assistant Constable Becker, Thomas de Quincey and his daughter Emily, end up fighting the establishment and a group of hidden assassins not only to discover the killer's identity but to uncover a conspiracy that could have drastic consequences to the British Empire.

Review

David Morrell transports you back 150 years to a time of social deprivation and when London was one of the most unhealthy places to live in the known world. The odour of sewage, the smog, the gaslit streets and the atmosphere of fear caused by the horrific murders are portrayed evocatively.

The story is well researched and certainly inventive, however I did feel at times that the writing became a homage to the level of research undertaken by the author, rather than a novel which told a story. I also felt the pace was slightly off, parts of the plot were revealed to quickly in my opinion and a few of the characters needed a bit more "meat on their bones". I am not a fan of Americans who write novels set in Britain but who feel it acceptable to use American slang rather than the correct words. For example, an English street urchin would not ask for a "cookie" and neither would they stand on "sidewalks". I found this to be off-putting, especially as the author has done such a sterling job by thoroughly researching the era in question.

However, there is no doubt that this is a very original piece of work and the author is passionate about Victorian London. The prose is easy to read and you can clearly imagine being in London as night falls and the fog comes down around you. Overall, it is an entertaining novel and would be a great holiday read.

I give "Murder as a Fine Art" 4 Crosses !

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Fifth Knight Giveaway Winner

2013-05-05T15:23:00.000+01:00

The winner of the Fifth Knight Giveaway is:

AMY CAMPBELL!!

Congratulations Amy, I hope you enjoy the book. thank you to Elaine Powell for being so thoughtful and providing a copy of her book as a prize.

There will be another giveaway soon, so keep in touch!

The Fifth Knight - an interview with E.M. Powell

2013-04-19T13:33:00.004+01:00

As part of the Historical Fiction Blog Tour, author E.M. Powell discusses writing her historical thriller, "The Fifth Knight" and is offering a copy of the book to followers of Sir Read-A-Lot! Follow the link HERE to enter the giveaway.

So, please bow and curtsey to E.M. Powell as she takes centre stage at Sir Read-A-Lot's Court of Historical Fiction!

1 - What gave you the inspiration to write "The Fifth Knight"?

I have a long-standing interest in medieval literature and history. At University I studied Old and Middle English, reading such wonderful stories such as Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in their original forms. My second completed novel was a medieval suspense called Lollard’s Daughter. It was based on the heretical group, the Lollards, who were active from the mid-14^th Century to the Reformation. That novel came very close to getting me representation. While it was disappointing at the time, I knew medieval was definitely what I wanted to write. So I started to look around at famous medieval historical events. I of course came across the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. So I thought to myself, ‘Could I really?’ Turns out, I could- and did.

2 - Is the Angevin period your favourite era and why? If not which is your favourite and why?

The Angevins and the Plantagenets are neck and neck. For the Angevins, you have Henry II, his extraordinary Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their raft of sons- all of whom are a book in themselves. But within the Plantagenet reign, you have The Black Death. I would love to take on a saga about those 1,000 days of death from 1347 – 1351. I suppose that means a photo finish, so I guess I’ll just have to write them all!

3 - You initially released the book as an eBook serial, what made you repackage the book into one tome?

When The Fifth Knight was out on submission (by my agent, the tireless and wonderful Josh Getzler at HSG), there was some interest. Then an offer came from Thomas & Mercer, who are the crime and mystery imprint at Amazon Publishing. Amazon launched Kindle serials in September 2012. Kindle Serials are novel-length stories, published in a number of episodes. A customer pays a one-off price, and then each episode is delivered automatically to their Kindle. Thomas & Mercer really liked The Fifth Knight and suggested that it would work well divided up into six episodes. They would then release it as a complete novel. And that’s exactly what happened. On the day it was launched, The Fifth Knight was alongside Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers on the Serials promotion page. Surreal? Yes. Thrilling? Double yes!

4 - Do you have a writing regime? How do you fit it into your day job (if you have one)?

My regime is that I don’t really have one. I try and write where and when I can. I have a part-time day job so the days not in there are where I have the most potential hours. But as every writer knows, life is no respecter of time set aside. It’s also quite difficult to convince your Nearest & Dearest that staring into space while you’re sat over an idle computer is actually writing. It’s just in my head, and any minute now will come out. I also think that writing sort of percolates. You think you’re finished for the day. Then out of nowhere, in the most unlikely of circumstances (like mopping the floor/having a meal/cleaning gunk out of the shower trap) an idea just strikes and you have to rush to capture it on paper. My N &D don’t even look up now when they hear the cry of ‘Oh!’ and I leg it to go and grab a paper and pen.

5 - What advice would you give to any aspiring writers?

Never, ever give up! It took me eleven years and three fully completed manuscripts to get to where I am now. I have a pile of rejections that weighs (almost) as much as I do. But if you give up, you’ll never do it.

6 - Do you have any other projects in the pipeline?

I’m currently working on the sequel, which is called The Blood of The Fifth Knight. That title may change. I also have a side project, which is a Steampunk series set in the Coroner’s Office of Victorian Manchester. Think Ripper Street as alternate history. Many people think the idea is crazed. I like it a lot.

7 - Which three historical persons would you invite for dinner?

Emmeline Pankhurst. I think I would spend most of the evening just gaping at her in awe. Then I’d probably drink too much and cry into her face for what she’s done for women everywhere. She would then probably slap me. Pliny the Elder. What did he do when he saw Vesuvius blowing up in 79 AD? He recorded everything he saw because he thought it fascinating and exciting, then tried to rescue a female friend. He was an old man in poor health but was unstoppable till the end. I like that. A lot. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Because I would ask him what it was like that dark December evening in 1170, when murderers came for him in his own cathedral. I’d ask him how he had the courage to stand and face them, when most of us would plead/run/hide/fight.

8 - At which event in history would you have liked to have been present at?

I have been. The birth of our daughter in 1998. Take the sun, moon and stars, roll them up in a slice of Heaven and put them in my arms. That was the moment she came into the world. I’m afraid nothing in history could ever match that.

Review - The Fifth Knight by E.M. Powell

2013-04-17T08:47:00.007+01:00

England 1170 - King Henry II has uttered a sentence that will reverberate for centuries. Five knights are charged with the arrest and detainment of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. One of the five, a young mercenary called Sir Benedict Palmer, sees this opportunity as a way to escape his poverty stricken existence and gain favour with the king. However when the clandestine arrest turns into cold blooded murder, his life is turned upside down.

The main reason for the attack on the most revered holy man in England is to secure a young nun, Theodosia who unknowingly holds the key to a secret. The ring leader of the group, Sir Reginald Fitzurse, has plans for the young nun which involves rape, torture and murder. Palmer's conscience gets the better of him and he escapes from Fitzurse with Theodosia. As they make their escape, they venture across England and try to discover the real motive behind Becket's assassination, a truth that could destroy England and bring about the King's downfall.

Review

Re-telling history is a dangerous and often thankless task. Rather than accepting the author's fictional account of what might of happened, you tend to get "helpful readers" as Bernard Cornwell calls them, who are keen to point out the minutiae of errors in facts or are plainly affronted that you have been brave enough to write a different version of events. However, I believe good historical fiction is based on two words..."What If?"

E.M. Powell has asked that question and written a tale that gives an alternative version of one of history's most infamous killings. There were, of course, four knights involved in Thomas a'Becket's however what if there were five? This is the wonderful premise of an engaging and well-written novel that was originally released as a Kindle serial.

A flawed, chivalrous hero paired with a naive yet beautiful heroine is always a mix that works, regardless of genre. Their pursuers are sociopathic and sadistic, there is a conspiracy and the fate of a nation hangs in the balance as good battles evil. What more could you ask for?

"The Fifth Knight" is thoroughly enjoyable, well researched and easy to read. E.M. Powell has created a novel that will appeal to all and I award it 4 crosses!

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Read an exclusive interview with E.M. Powell here

Enter my latest giveaway and win a copy of "The Fifth Knight" here

Buy "The Fifth Knight" from the Sir Read-A-Lot Amazon Store!

March Giveaway winner!

2013-04-09T14:24:00.001+01:00

The winner of "Oleanna", the prize in my March Giveaway is:

CARL SCOTT!

Congratulations Carl, please could you email me or send me a message on Twitter (@SirReadalotUK) with your contact details so that I can arrnage to have the book sent you.

There is another exciting giveaway coming soon & a fabulous review later in the week.

Review - Like Chaff in the Wind by Anna Belfrage

2013-04-04T20:32:00.003+01:00

Set in present day Sweden and 17th Century Virginia and Scotland, the saga of the Graham family continues. Matthew Graham is kidnapped and sent to Virginia to work as slave labour on a tobacco plantation. His brother, Luke, wants revenge on Matthew who cut off his nose in retaliation for the abuse he inflicted on his wife, Alex which resulted in the death of their unborn baby.

Matthew's wife, Alex, makes the decision to travel across the Atlantic to free him - a journey that should take two months ends up taking a year and Alex is plagued by nightmares which show her the degradation and suffering Matthew is having to endure.

Can she make it to Virginia and pay the indenture fee to release her husband before he is worked to death?

REVIEW

Timeslip novels are tricky things to get right. Many historical novel purists are reticent to read them as they push the genre to its limits, others enjoy them as they try to bring freshness and new direction. I am normally one of the purists; I like timeslip and science fiction but to reconcile them into a historical fiction setting is normally off-putting, but "Like Chaff in the Wind" is so well-written, I concede defeat!

Anna Belfrage creates characters that jump off the page and the multi-era storyline is superbly crafted. She portrays the desolation and fear of the protagonists as they fight to survive a situation not of their making and as Alex's modern day life threatens to intervene and stop her from saving Matthew, you find yourself not actually being aware of reading a timeslip novel - but just a very good novel.

This is a saga with a previous chapter and it would benefit the reader to have read the first novel in the series, but if like me you haven't the story is still enjoyable. Anna Belfrage is definitely a novelist to watch. Once again, an independent author demonstrates that the industry is one filled with talent and that they ares not afraid to challenge the sensibilities of genre fiction.

I award "Like Chaff in the Wind" 4 Crosses!

Read my exclusive interview with Anna Belfrage here

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Buy "Like Chaff in the Wind" from my dedicated Amazon Store!

Swedish Wheatballs - an interview with Anna Belfrage

2013-04-04T20:31:00.000+01:00

First of all, greetings my favourite literary knight, and thank you for taking the time to interview me! As I never learnt how, I’ll not even attempt to curtsey in gratitude, but ask you to visualise me doing so.

And with that out of the way, let’s dig into your interesting questions:

Tell us about "Like Chaff in the Wind"?

“Like Chaff in the Wind” is the story of two people who are separated by fate – wait, wait; they’re separated due to the dastardly actions of Matthew’s brother, Luke Graham – and the quest Alex sets out on to bring her husband home. The underlying theme is the love between Alex and Matthew, a love so strong it carries Matthew through his unbearable existence in Virginia, a love so powerful Alex never hesitates to set off in search of her husband, no matter how hazardous this might be. As the novel progresses it offers insights into the life of indentured servants in Virginia, it highlights the constant enmity between Catholics and Protestants, and it gives the reader a glimpse of Sir William Berkeley, Governor of Virginia (a real person, however fictitious his acquaintance with Alex).

"Like Chaff in the Wind" is a boy’s own adventure and a romance all rolled into one. There is a lot of emotion in your writing and it draws the reader in. Was it as gruelling writing those scenes as it was to read them?

I believe all writers aspire to drawing their readers into the story, so thank you for that! “Like Chaff in the Wind” has a number of scenes that were difficult to write, mainly because I have to “see” them in much more detail than what I actually convey to the reader. One such example is the scene between Alex and Fairfax, where I have a far more graphic description of events in my head than what ended up on the page.

Another example would be the scene where Matthew is reunited with his wife. My head was bursting with emotions for that scene; his feelings, her feelings, so much relief, an undertone of anger, of despair, but most of all love – and hope, and vindicated faith, and… Phew! That scene has been rewritten a number of times, let me tell you. Generally when faced with complex scenes I write the scene from two different POVs, let it lie and marinate for a while and then go back to read my two versions of it. This, I believe, helps me pick out the details that must be present, while allowing me to sift out the chaff. In this particular instance I chose to do the scene from Matthew’s POV, because he’s the one experiencing the more conflicting emotions.

Given the subject matter and setting of my book, it contains a number of rather violent scenes – a flogging is per definition an act of violence as is an attempt to murder someone. I find these scenes daunting, but to not include them would be to give a false and sanitised picture of what life was like back then, especially for a man who’d been abducted and sold into slavery. I spend a lot of times re-enacting my more physical scenes, with sons and husband roped in to do slow-motion versions of the scene I see in my head.

Your novels are historical in nature and researched well, but they have a supernatural element. How did you develop the concept?

I’m not really sure I developed the concept. I had a vision of a woman being thrown three centuries backwards in time, and sort of took it from there. The painted portals through time are actually a slight bow in the direction of my father, a gifted amateur painter who would spend hours depicting trees and skies, every single dot of blue and green added with meticulous care to his WIP. It might be wise to add that my father had very little in common with Mercedes, the witch painter who paints the portals in my books.

How did you begin writing? Do you have a writing regime that you follow?

I’ve always written. More or less, of course, but there have always been notebooks by my bed, on my desk, with ideas and scenes jotted down in haste. There are a number of completed works I will never, ever show a soul (but there’s stuff in those early efforts that I recycle), I have a fantasy trilogy that I might at some point in time edit into publishable standards, and then there are I don’t know how many potential storylines rattling round in my drawers, some of them stretching back to when I was a teen, some conceived within the last decade.

As to regime, in my case it’s been more a matter of making the best of whatever time I had at my disposal. Combining a full time job, a large house and four children was in itself something of a challenge. Add to that three to four hours of writing per day, and the equation became somewhat strained. Things have become easier with time; three kids have left home, the house has become a flat and I now have the luxury of spending almost all my free time at my writing desk.

My actual writing starts with an intense burst of creativity – we’re talking hours and hours of just getting it all down on my computer – and then follows a long period of rewrites. I love rewrites, how the scenes develop and shift, eventually acquiring their permanent shape. While I mostly stay true to the original scene in factual terms, the descriptions, the POV and the setting may change during the rewrites.

This is the second book about the Graham family - the first being "A Rip in the Veil"; are you planning to continue the series or do you have other projects in the pipeline?

The Graham Saga has a number of books to go, most of which are finished or in the final editing phase. I am somewhat in love with Matthew and Alex – mostly with Matthew (“Tell me about it,” Alex grumbles) and they lead such an exciting life, those two. Religious persecution comes next, and then there’s the terrible family feud with the Burley brothers, the rescue expedition they set out on after the Monmouth rebellion, the hardships they experience in… No, stop. You’ll just have to wait for the next books.

The third book in the Graham Saga, “The Prodigal Son”, is due in June/July of this year, and it deals with the difficult times after the restoration of Charles II, when a number of laws were enacted to restrict religious freedom in his realms. Throughout his life, Matthew Graham has fought too hard for the right to hold to his beliefs, and so he is embroiled in this conflict from the start, risking his life on behalf of the outlawed ministers of his kirk. Not something that endears him – or the fugitive ministers – to Alex, and especially not when his actions threaten not only him, but his whole family as well.

Further to this I am working on a book set in seventeenth century Sweden and England. My main character, Sofia Carolina, grows up with Queen Christina, is accused of stealing a fortune in jewels (she does, but there are mitigating circumstances) and has to flee the country, aided by Jonathan Darrow, a down on his luck royalist who is kicking in heels in exile now that Charles I has been executed.

Fun question - at which event in history would you like to be a fly on the wall?

Fun but difficult, as there are so many such moments. One top-ten moment would have been to be present when Gustavus Adolphus was presented with his son – oops, sorry, daughter. Apparently the king took the news that the child was a girl like a man, he didn’t even have the mistaken midwife punished. One other moment – a rather sad one – would have been to be present when Charles I was executed. I’m no fan of Charles I, but as I hear it he met his end with dignity and courage.

Fun question - which three characters from history would you invite to dinner and why?

Having spent so much of my time in the virtual company of Alexander Peden – this ousted minister and inspired preacher plays a major role in “The Prodigal Son” – I think I would invite him, if nothing else as his presence would guarantee quite the lively debate. To further the discussions, I’d add Martin Luther, two religious, opinionated men at the same table could turn into quite the interesting cock fight. To even out the numbers, I’d invite Katherine of Aragon – a devout, well-educated Catholic, and woman to boot. (“What?” both men exclaim. “A woman!” gasps Peden. “ A papist!” groans Luther. “Tough; my table my rules,” I inform them, “and there’s apple pie for dessert if you behave.”)

Thank you Anna, for a thoroughly entertaining interview!

Pre-Release Review! Rome:The Art of War by M.C. Scott

2013-03-26T19:49:00.002+00:00

AD 69 - a pivotal year in the Roman Empire and forever known as "The Year of the Four Emperors". The Empire is in danger of collapse and Vespasian, the legendary General, is in the province of Judea but fully aware of the fragile situation at home. After receiving word from the infamous spy Pantera, that the encumbent Emperor, Vitellus, is weak and despised, he grudgingly accepts the will of his closest advisors and declares himself "Imperator" - Emperor.

Pantera is sent back to Rome immediately and, in conjunction with those closest to Vespasian, a clandestine operation is set in motion that will undermine Vitellus feeble grip on the throne and elevate their chosen man to power and glory.

Spies, double agents, beautiful women with deadly talents and battle hardened soldiers, senators, slaves and freedmen all have their part to play. Pantera uses every ounce of his knowledge and skills to secure an army and an empire for the man he serves, but there are others with less guile who are hunting him relentlessly. He must survive on his wits and ensure the safety of Vespasian's family is never compromised. This is his biggest challenge, will he win the day?

REVIEW

Manda Scott has written a superlative account of how Vespasian might have come to power and her knowledge of the period is clearly of the highest academic standard. I enjoy fiction set in the Roman period, yet I have to say this book is one of the best I have read in the genre. It is filled with colour, emotion and prose of the highest standard - it may be a weighty tome, but not a phrase or sentence is wasted. The tense story line unfolds with a gentle, teasing pace that immerses you completely into Pantera's scheme, almost making you a part of it.

The unusual premise of having multiple persons telling the story provides a narrative that is filled with passion and fear. Each character has an important part to play in Pantera's grand scheme and stands to lose everything they hold dear - including their life - should they fail. You are privy to every emotion they have as they follow his instructions and carry out tasks that brings Vespasian closer to the Senate.

This epic novel is not released until 28th March, but it has been a privilege to read it and review it prior to launch. I award "Rome: The Art of War" 5 Crosses and bestow Manda Scott with The Golden Hammer & Anvil Shield for writing a book that is breathtaking in its content and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

To celebrate the release of Rome: the Art of War, read my exclusive interview with Manda Scott!

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Buy "Rome: The Art of War" from my Amazon Store!

Roman Empress - An interview with Manda Scott

2013-03-26T19:48:00.000+00:00

Manda Scott is the best selling author set in the Ancient Roman Empire. Her latest novel "Rome: The Art of War" is released in the UK on 28th March. I have had the pleasure of previewing the novel (my review can be read here) but Manda has also given me an exclusive interview in which she gives an insight into how the world of Pantera, the spymaster, was created.

Manda, welcome to Sir Read-A-Lot......

Q: The Art of War is billed as a Roman-era spy thriller. What can you tell us about spies and spying in the ancient world?

A: How long have you got? (!). The first written reference we have comes from China, in the Art of War treatise by Sun Tzu from which I took the title, and the part titles. Sun Tzu wrote his treatise on the Art of War in the late ‘Spring and Autumn period’ of Chinese imperial history (around 500BC), and he devoted part of the thirteenth book (of 13) to spies.

Central to his argument (essentially he thought good intelligence made armies more effective and save lives) he created five categories of spies:

1) Local Spies – basic informants

2) Internal Spies or Moles

3) Double Agents – agents of the enemy

4) Doomed Spies (also, sacrificed spies)

5) Surviving Spies – the heroic agents who risk their lives for information: most of our books revolve around these.

Nobody has ever said it better. To put it in context, Rose Mary Sheldon, Professor of History at the Virginia Military Institute says, ‘Espionage is practiced occasionally by spies, and all the time by neighbours, relatives and colleagues.’ We all want information, it’s what we do with it that counts.

In the ancient world, the limiting factor was distance and the time it took to travel. Walking was slow, riding was a bit faster. Xerxes had set up a ‘Pony Express’ messenger service where a series of men waited at waystations and took messages on one from the other in a relay. The Romans went one better and posted way stations with horses, but the same man rode from beginning to end, which meant that he could carry additional information on top of what was written down. The very best of these could go 200 miles in one day – Tiberius is supposed to have done that when he went to the side of the dying Germanicus – but it wasn’t common. The only fast method of sending information was carrier pigeon but even using codes, these could only transmit very basic information or orders.

The second question is how to protect your information. Modern codes and ciphers are fantastically complex; they have to be so because computers can break any but the most complicated codes and have done so ever since the pioneering work of the Colossus and Enigma machines at Bletchley Park.

In the ancient world, codes and ciphers could be simpler. Julius Caesar wrote an entire book on the subject which sadly doesn’t remain, but we know he used simple letter substitution ciphers (A-> B, B-> C etc. etc.) and he may well have used more complicated variants on that theme. Other men used belts that could be wound around dowels of particular diameter and only then read linearly. One ruler went so far as to shave the head of a slave and have his message tattooed on his scalp, then let the slave’s hair grow back! I hope it wasn't urgent!

So we know that they used different ways to distribute information, and that they had codes and ciphers to keep that information secret. We know also that they used divination and oracles, although I suspect that, like a lot of the disinformation around the Colossus ciphers and their breaking after WWII, the ‘entrails’ simply revealed to a commander what his agents had already told him.

The whole history of the Year of the Four Emperors, in which the Art of War is set, is redolent of secret deals done behind the scenes, and these must have been aided and abetted by agents of one side or the other – individuals who could gather secret information from the other side, and use it, spies who could disseminate false information, the double cross, the triple cross, and were fleet enough of mind and foot to take advantage on good luck when it came their way.

Q: The first two novels of the ROME series saw Pantera, the spy who ‘came in from the cold’ to server Rome again as their central character. Then in The Eagle of the Twelfth, we had a new man, Demalion of Macedon, as the main character, and it was told from his first person perspective. Where do we go with Art of War?

A: We go back to Pantera being the central character – this is very much a spy novel again, where Eagle of the Twelfth was more my answer to Rosemary Sutcliff’s ‘Eagle of the Ninth’ and needed to have a different angle. Art of War is all about Pantera, setting him at the centre of the action in the second half of the Year of the Four Emperors, between July, when Vespasian’s troops hail him Imperator , to Saturnalia (17^th – 21^st December) , when they march into Rome. That said, this is a departure because none of it is told from Pantera’s viewpoint; it’s all first person reports from other people, told to Hypatia, to discover the ‘truth’ about what went on. So each of them is describing his or her interactions with Pantera, which keeps him central, but we can only infer what he’s thinking and feeling from the views of others –and obviously everyone has his or her own agenda, so they might not be entirely reliable. The idea that history is a collection of differing people’s ideas of what might and might not have happened is fascinating to me – it seems to me that fiction explores what we might call the ‘shadow gaps’ between each person’s different account.

Q: How did you go about the research for this and was there anything that stood out?

A: I was lucky in that this Year is one of the few that everyone in Rome thought was important. Other events may have happened on the margins – the Boudican Revolt, the Parthian war – but in AD69, the legions marched on Rome itself, so the men who wrote the histories – and they were all men – took it seriously. So along with Tacitus and Suetonius, we have Plutarch, Josephus and Cassius Dio, plus coins minted by all four men who made themselves emperor, plus the occasional marble monument, or bronze plaque. So we have some idea of what people were really thinking, particularly since some of our sources say they were taking their data from eye witness accounts by men who actually fought in the field.

So I read all of those, and then the various interpretations of them – because of course, they don’t all say the same thing, so there’s plenty of room for deciding one or other is being economical with the truth. Then on top of that, I found some fascinating texts on life in first century Rome. One was a reprinting of a contemporary – that is, Roman contemporary – book on the interpretation of dreams which was just utterly inspiring and another was ‘Invisible Romans’ by Robert Knapp which I would recommend to anyone who wants to know what the ordinary people, the slaves and freedwomen, the bakers, weavers, hairdressers, ironmongers, smiths… did and thought and said in this era.

What was really interesting, and what always, for me, brings a time alive, is trying to imagine exactly how things were done. So for instance, there’s a line in Tacitus which says that when Vitellius got back to the palace in Rome after having defeated Otho (Otho killed himself to prevent further bloodshed and so rose almost to sainthood in Rome), he found a document signed by 120 men of the Praetorian Guard saying they’d helped in the murders of Galba and Piso in January of that year (Galba was the first of the four men on the throne in AD 69, having taken it after Nero’s death the previous June. Piso was the unfortunate youth he named his heir). Vitellius promptly sacked the entirety of the Praetorian Guard and installed new men – and then he ordered the new men to kill the 120 whose names were on that list. But these were Praetorian Guards. They weren’t a pushover. And they knew what was coming. Working out how it must have been for the men on either side of that was fascinating – and it gave me three of the key characters in the book: Geminus and Juvens, the friends who draw a name each from the lottery, and Trabo, one of the two men they are sent to kill (the other is Pantera, but they have to take him alive).

The women were another fascinating angle. We know that Vitellius’ mother was particularly sharp, and that she killed herself when his downfall seemed obvious. We know also, of Caenis, whose story is worth a book in its own right. She was the former slave girl, now freed, who had been secretary to Antonia the Younger, daughter of Mark Antony, and in her own right, a powerful woman. Vespasian had fallen in love with her (Caenis) when he was newly a senator and, although he had been forced to marry elsewhere because it was illegal for senators to marry freedwomen, he came back to her when his wife died, and they lived as man and wife until her death in AD 74. What little we know of her suggests she was an intelligent and highly competent woman and it was a pleasure to make her acquaintance in the book.

And then there was Jocasta, who had an off-stage role in The Coming of the King and who became central to The Art of War. Giving her space to be the SpyMaster she has become was immensely rewarding. These people always surprise me; which is 90% of the fun of writing (the other 10% is knowing I’m not still in veterinary medicine. I loved it, but I’d had enough and I have far more freedom as a writer. If I am working a 70 hour week, it’s because I choose to, not because someone else has told me to.)

Q: Where next? Do we have more of Pantera? Or something different?

A: Something different, at least for now. I’m heading to the 15^th Century and Jeanne d’Arc. As Sherlock Holmes said, “Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” So – there is no way on earth that a peasant’s daughter (or even a burgher’s daughter) from a village was able to pick up a lance, don full armour, get on a warhorse and ride it into battle. None. Add to that, the fact that a contemporary orthopaedic surgeon has found a set of bones contemporary to Louis XI (the son of the man that ‘Jeanne’ put on the throne) belonging to a woman who, in his estimation, ‘was trained to ride a warhorse in full armour from an early age’ and you have the beginnings of a far more plausible story – particularly if you look at it from the point of view of the present day, and the impact such a truth might have on contemporary French politics. So this is a dual thread novel, with part set in the France of the woman who called herself Jeanne and part is in France of 2014, at the next set of elections. After a decade of writing in the first century, it’s magical and wonderful and glorious (and rather scary) to be writing in the fifteenth, but every single paper, or article, or book I read makes me more certain that the theory is right (it’s not my theory, so I can say that, it was put forward by the surgeon who examined the bones – just before he was thrown out of France!). So that will be next. I’m mid-way through it now.

Q: What else do you do when you’re not writing?

A: I spend half my life on Twitter and Facebook – these days being a writer is as much about building brand as it is about writing – but in between, I train myself and my working cocker for agility competition – not that there’s much of that around when we have this much snow – and I climb rocks, again, when the weather is good. I’m thinking of trying out Cani-X, which is cross-country with a dog – that looks a lot of fun. And I might get back into battle re-enactment; it’s a while since I picked up a sword!

Thank you Manda for a wonderful insight into your world of writing. You can find Manda on Twitter @hare_wood & click here for her Facebook page (Manda Scott Author)

By Any Other Name - An Interview with Julie K. Rose

2013-03-22T09:54:00.003+00:00

Julie K.Rose is the author of the semi-biographical novel "Oleanna", a book I recently reviewed and awarded it 4 Crosses (you can find my review here).

Taking time out from her amazingly busy life, she has been interrogated by my castle Inquisitor and been kind enough to provide an insight into how "Oleanna" was conceived and the sheer amount of commitment she has to employ in order to write. I have to say, I was very impressed! Anyone who thinks being is a writer should try and keep up with Julie's schedule for a few weeks and then re-consider!

Also, Julie has been kind enough to provide a copy of "Oleanna" as a giveaway prize! All you need to do is to go to my "Giveaway Page" and leave a comment to enter. Ladies & Gentlemen......may I present Julie K. Rose.......

1 – How were you inspired to write about an ancestor?

I had been struggling with another book that just wasn't going anywhere, when an image came to me of a woman standing on a mountaintop, her long blond hair being whipped by the wind into her face: it was my great-grandfather's sister Oleanna.

Oleanna was inspired by the lives of John and his sisters Elisabeth and Oleanna. It's not a retelling of their lives, but an imagining of what their lives were like, left behind on the farm in rural, rugged western Norway. Three of my four grandparents were Norwegian, so stories about the country and its traditions were part of my life growing up, but I wanted to know more.

2 – What research materials were you left with? Did you have family members to ask questions of or was it a case of piecing together anecdotal evidence?

Because the story is inspired by my ancestors, and not a re-creation, I really only needed the basics—when they were born, where they lived, when they immigrated. As you might imagine, I'm a bit of a genealogy geek, so I had a lot of that information to hand anyway. My mom and grandmother had told me some stories about the family, but by the time I started writing the book, they had both died, so I couldn't ask them questions, which in fact freed me to write the story the way it needed to be told, I think. In terms of Norwegian history, I'm lucky enough to have a number of art pieces inherited from Norway, including weavings made by Elisabeth and Oleanna, to which I was able to refer. I also visited Norway in 2004 so I got a good sense of the landscape, and of course I did a great deal of research (both old school in the library and online).

3 – Can you tell me about your life as a writer? How long have you been writing?

I've been writing for about 11 years now; I started in my early 30s. Because I have a pretty demanding full-time job, I have to consciously carve out time to write (and promote) my books. I generally get up at 4:30 a.m. and drink my coffee, do email and some promotional activities while I'm waking up, and by 5:30 I'm writing. By 7:00 I'm off to work out and start my work day, so I have to be really focused during my writing time; I'm not always successful! I'll spend time on the weekend as well, when I have more time and brain space to dedicate to it. The early mornings are worth it, however; writing fiction feels like coming home. Now if I could only find someone to pay me to read and write full time…

4 – Do you have any favourite authors? What are your favourite books?

I like and admire so many authors, we could be here all day listing them. I'd say, though, that my favorites are Patrick O'Brian and JRR Tolkien—the Aubrey/Maturin series and the Lord of the Rings trilogy are my favorite books. For sentimental reasons, I'd say M.M. Kaye's Trade Winds is a favorite, because it was one of the books that got me really hooked on historical fiction, especially fiction set in unusual locations (in this case, Zanzibar)—and because she was so kind when she replied to my fan letter when I was a teenager.

5 – What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

I know it's an old saw, but you have to write what interests you, and write from your heart. Publishing is truly such a crap shoot that your book may never see the light of day, or if it does, it may not find any readers. The process of writing has to mean something to you, and the content must be compelling—especially because you have to live with it for so long (from idea to drafting to editing to publishing to promotion, it can be many, many years).

6 – Do you have any other projects in the pipeline?

I do! I'm working on a manuscript called DIDO'S CROWN, set in Tunisia, France, and England, primarily in 1935. It's a kind of literary historic thriller, and a bit of a love letter to Indiana Jones (some of my favorite movies growing up). I'm also working on a novel set in California at the turn of the century, but that one's quite embryonic, so I don't think I'll say more than that! I'm also still working on the next draft of the screenplay adaptation of my first novel, The Pilgrim Glass.

7 – Fun Question......which event in history would you most like to be a fly on the wall?

Wow, this is really, really tough. I wish I could get in the TARDIS and travel with the Doctor to any point in time, any time I'd like. If I had to choose, though…I guess it might be the moment someone decided writing something down would be a great way to remember and communicate. Or perhaps the moment that the first printing press actually worked, and the piece of paper, still ink-wet, was lifted and admired in hushed awe (or maybe with raucous whoops?).

8 - Fun Question – Which three historical people would you invite for dinner?

I love this question; my answer changes every few months, so right now I would say John Muir, Thomas Jefferson, and Hildegard von Bingen. I admire them all so much in different ways, and they're all complicated in their own ways. Having lived in California for almost 30 years, Muir is one of my heroes, the patron saint of nature and wild places. I went to grad school at the university Jefferson established in 1819 (University of Virginia), so it's kind of a requirement to choose him. J Seriously though, I've always admired the scope of his interests and curiosity. And Hildegard has always been fascinating to me, both her spirituality and her strength. I would love to sit back and watch them interact with each other.

Thank you so much for such great questions!

Don't forget to visit my Giveaway Page and enter my competition to win your very own copy of "Oleanna"!