The Writing Desk

Historical Fiction Spotlight: Daughter of Mercia, A haunting Anglo-Saxon dual time novel (Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries, book #1) by Julia Ibbotson

2026-06-05T05:16:39.014+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Echoes of the past resonate across the centuries as Dr Anna Petersen, a medievalist and runologist, is struggling with past trauma and allowing herself to trust again.

When archaeologist (and Anna's old adversary) Professor Matt Beacham unearths a 6th century seax with a mysterious runic inscription, and reluctantly approaches Anna for help, a chain of events brings the past firmly back into her present. And why does the burial site also contain two sets of bones, one 6th century and the other modern?

As the past and present intermingle alarmingly, Anna and Matt need to work together to solve the mystery of the seax runes and the seemingly impossible burial, and to discover the truth about the past.

Tensions rise and sparks fly between Anna and Matt. But how is 6th century Lady Mildryth of Mercia connected to Anna? Can they both be the Daughter of Mercia?

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About the Author

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries. Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language / literature / history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s. Find out more from Julia's website: https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com and follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Bluesky ‪@juliaibbotson

Book Launch Spotlight: The Queen's Sister: A vivid historical novel of a life among the wives of King Henry VIII. by Carol McGrath

2026-06-04T05:13:21.028+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

A mother, a wife, a woman of substance...

At nineteen, Elizabeth Seymour is already a mother, has been recently widowed, and seen her Queen, Anne Boleyn, lose her life. Against the wishes of her father, she heads North, away from Wulf Hall and the court in London to Yorkshire, determined to establish a new beginning as a landowner and business woman.

As her family in Wiltshire curry favour with King Henry, aided by Thomas Cromwell, Elizabeth makes Kexby Manor her home, finding loyalty among her people there.

Soon, news comes to Elizabeth of the King's desires for her sister, Jane and while her brother, Edward, encourages her own betrothal to Gregory Cromwell, son of Thomas.

It is a happy second marriage for Elizabeth, but it brings unwanted involvement in the dark plots and secrecy of the court, while in the wider country, changes in religious practice threaten to alter the traditions and values of all she has known...

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About the Author

Following a first degree in English and History, Carol McGrath completed an MA in Creative Writing from The Seamus Heaney Centre, Queens University Belfast, followed by an MPhil in English from University of London. The Handfasted Wife, first in a trilogy about the royal women of 1066 was shortlisted for the RoNAS in 2014. The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister complete this highly acclaimed trilogy. Mistress Cromwell, a best-selling historical novel about Elizabeth Cromwell, wife of Henry VIII’s statesman, Thomas Cromwell, was republished by Headline in 2020. The Silken Rose, first in a medieval She-Wolf Queens Trilogy, featuring Ailenor of Provence, saw publication in April 2020. This was followed by The Damask Rose. The Stone Rose was published April 2022. Carol lives in Oxfordshire, England and in Greece. Find our more from Carol's website: www.carolcmcgrath.co.uk and find her on Facebook, Twitter @CarolMcGrath and Bluesky @swanneck.bsky.social

Historical Fiction Spotlight: What the Ocean Brings, by Tonya Ulynn Brown

2026-06-03T05:38:24.749+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Quebec, Canada, 1847. While trying to escape the Potato Famine, shipwrecked Irish immigrant Breanna Clarey awakens injured and alone on an unfamiliar beach. To make matters worse, she has been separated from her family, and her friend, Crow, is lying dead at her feet.

But when Dawson Roberts, a reclusive fisherman with a guarded past and big dreams for his future, finds Breanna, he puts his plans on hold to offer her shelter and help find her family.

But life for an Irish immigrant isn't easy. Facing a deadly quarantine station, dangerous immigration officials, and grief over her missing family, Breanna struggles to exert her independence and navigate her new world.

While Breanna confronts an unknown future, Dawson is plagued by a painful past. They each must determine their own course, even if it means ignoring the pull they have on each other.

When the future takes an unexpected turn, only the ocean that has brought them so much devastation can help them find their way back to where they belong.

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About the Author

Tonya Ulynn Brown is an award-winning historical romance author who writes emotionally rich tales of ancient castles, treacherous plots, and forbidden love. With a deep passion for the turbulent histories of England and Scotland, she brings the past vividly to life through stories where danger and desire walk hand in hand. Tonya holds a master’s degree and teaches Reading and Writing at the elementary level. Fueled by iced coffees, beautiful books, and an enduring obsession with Mary, Queen of Scots, she fills her days writing, teaching, and researching the lives of long-dead monarchs and other historical figures. Most of all, she loves spending time with her husband, two sons, and one very spoiled French bulldog. Find out more at www.tonyaubrown.com and follow Tonya on Twitter / X @MrsBrownee2U, Facebook and Instagram

Guest Interview with Eric Fisher, Author of Buried Alive: Four Ways to Free Yourself from the Dirt

2026-06-02T06:33:29.357+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Through the immersive and daunting story of the near-fatal accident, the author shows how challenging circumstances can shed light on strategies for dealing with life's challenges. Through an intense story about survival and recovery, you'll gain practical suggestions that will help you find increased awareness, fortitude, and direction.

I'm pleased to welcome author Eric Fisher to The Writing Desk:

Tell us about your latest book

My latest book is called Buried Alive: Four Ways to Free Yourself From the Dirt. The book tells the true story of my father being accidentally buried alive during an expedition to find Native American artifacts, narrated from the perspectives of the three men present on that fateful day.

I transcribed the three interviews I conducted in 2005 nearly word-for-word, presenting their three perspectives. I interweave self-help concepts applicable to that situation and to real-life issues we face, such as grief, shame, regret, and depression. The book discusses how we can cultivate resilience even through the most difficult situations, showing that pulling ourselves out of the metaphorical dirt is possible with focus, determination, support, and tools.

The chapters alternate between excerpts from the interviews and the self-help sections, showing how these suggestions can be applied to real life. I was also able to follow-up with my dad 24 years later for an interview that is also included in the book. The four self-help sections cover finding balance in life, the CIA acronym (curiosity, introspection, and agency), the importance of connection and community, and a mysterious "W" concept for approaching life's challenges.

What is your preferred writing routine?

I generally prefer to write as consistently as possible, yet sometimes that can be easier said than done! I'm usually writing in the evening time and don't usually have music going simultaneously. If I do have music, the tracks don't have vocals; I listen to ambient, electronic, and atmospheric bands like Hammock. I don't set a specific amount of time for writing. I start when I start and stop when I stop without much structure for duration.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Don't be afraid to kill off your darlings. A Hollywood agent gave me this advice when I was pursuing screenwriting. This means not feeling married to any material. Believe that you can remove material if the story is better served by removing it.

Just as some friends come and go, so too can material be removed from a book. That's a harsh statement regarding friends, yet you may have experienced people leaving our lives after a short time, perhaps because one or both of us moved away, due to personality differences, a conflict, etc. The same happens with book content: sometimes the material doesn't resonate the same way it did in a previous draft.

I've seen the same with the screenplays I've written where I really wanted to keep a piece of dialogue. In the end, I realized the scene was better suited with the dialogue taken out completely or trimmed. The same can be seen with books.

I would also say don't be afraid to follow your gut with a plot point, characterization, character motivation, ending, etc. Sometimes the gut gives us information that our analytical brain would not. Also, congratulate yourself on finishing a first draft. Even though more work may be needed to achieve the final manuscript, most people don't even complete that first draft.

Celebrate the completion of that first draft! Go out with a partner and/or friends to a nice restaurant, go bowling, take a hike in the outdoors, or have coffee and a pastry with a friend at a new coffee shop. Life is too short to look only for the next draft to be done. Savor the accomplishments that come and build on those wins, whether you see them as small, large, or in-between the extremes.

What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?

I'd say podcasts help. General conversation and word of mouth are also beneficial. The person I speak with may then mention the book to someone else, and awareness grows along that line. Posting on social media also helps, which can involve collaborating with other local authors to help raise awareness for their book and vice-versa. I collaborated with one local author and it was a great experience.

Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research

One of the chapters in my recent book involves a discussion on the impacts of social media. In the second quarter of 2023, over three billion active users were documented as having Facebook accounts. Wow. I was astounded. That's approaching half the world's population!

What was the hardest scene you remember writing?

A heartfelt letter to a baby my wife and I experienced as a miscarriage, whom we named Eden. That was tough and brought back painful memories.

What are you planning to write next?

I have a book that's recently been edited and I'm going through the final changes right now. It's my last non-fiction book, at least for now. The book details my experiences as a seasoned mental health counsellor and what I've learned along the way.

As for my next book, it will be historical fiction with some sci-fi and action elements. To many Christians, parts of it will be considered non-fiction because of certain biblical scenes. As a Christian myself, writing a book outside the self-help subgenre that includes biblical themes has been an interesting process. I'm using the blueprint of a screenplay I wrote many years ago, so the story structure was already laid out and I'll be adding to and refining the story as I go on.

Eric Fisher

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About the Author

Eric Fisher is a certified counsellor based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He has over 13 years of experience working in outpatient and inpatient treatment settings in the US and Canada. Eric is a master practitioner of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), both of which are evidence-based treatments for trauma. Eric's private practice, Recovery Arts Counselling, serves individuals, couples, and families locally and remotely. He also works as an associate for local clinics in the surrounding area. In the past, Eric has supervised master's-level graduate students and counsellors early in their careers. Additionally, Eric has a black belt in two martial arts styles: American Kenpo and Wadō-ryū. Eric enjoys hiking and riding his bike outdoors, trying new foods, travelling near and far, and meeting people. You can find Eric on Instagram

Special Guest Interview with Filippo Iannarone, Author of The Toscanini Conspiracy

2026-05-29T09:13:53.698+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

A brutal murder in a quiet Tuscan village. A world‑famous maestro under a cloud of suspicion. A wounded war hero ordered to uncover the truth—before history writes the wrong man into infamy.

I'm pleased so welcome Filippo Iannarone to The Writing Desk:

Tell us about your latest book

The story told in this novel lay locked away for years in a drawer, alongside memories, images, and tales gradually accumulate over time. The idea had captivated me from the very first accounts I heard— everything from the descriptions of the protagonists' renown to the unfolding of their story.

The timeline of my novel deals with two different timeframes: the 1930s and the post-war years.

These were delicate periods in Italian history and extremely interesting: the 1930s for its portrayal of the absolute evil of dictatorial regimes, restriction of freedom, repression of principles, values, and ideas; and the postwar revival period for the bravery to start over again, to repair the evils suffered, to build a better world with courage and a commitment to liberty.

In post-war Rome, Colonel Luigi Mari—a wounded Resistance officer—is tasked by the President of the Republic with discreetly reopening a 1935 cold case: the brutal murder of Alberto Rinaldi, doctor, and friend of the legendary Arturo Toscanini, in a small village in Tuscany.

Further investigation delves into the mysteries of past criminal trials, explores unexplored hypotheses, and reveals how the regime's justice bent the truth, the law, and art itself.vThe character of Colonel Mari was inspired by the real life of Major General Michele Iannarone—my uncle, and my beloved storyteller throughout my childhood and later my youth. This applies equally to his wife, Iolanda: a woman of indomitable courage, endowed with grace and beauty no less than with the uncommon gifts of intuition and intellect.

Many minor figures appear throughout the story: Maurizio Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo, General Mark Wayne Clark, Italia Garibaldi, Prince Boncompagni Ludovisi, the pianist Vladimir Horowitz husband of Wanda Giorgina Toscanini, Artur and Alina Rodzinski, Lucilla Whitman, Ossip Gabrilowitsch and his wife Clara Clemens—daughter of Mark Twain—Umberto Nobile, the tenor Isidoro Fagoaga, and many others.

What is your preferred writing routine?

As I´m a historical novelist, my work unfolds in two main phases.

The first is an in-depth historical investigation based on bibliography and archives, period press, radio broadcasts and films, and on-site visits.

The archival research regarding “The Toscanini Conspiracy” was complicated: the archives of the Criminal Court of Brescia—where the trial took place—had been severely damaged, and it was impossible to locate the case file. Fortunately, I discovered a copy of a booklet written by a court reporter at the Archiginnasio Library in Bologna; thus, I was able to complete my research.

For this novel I also had the fortunate opportunity to speak with an eyewitness to the murder of Dr. Rinaldi in 1935: Argentina Rinaldi—his niece and the daughter of the doctor's brother.

The second phase is the creation of the historical narrative, designed to delight and engage readers. I am incredibly careful to use the language of that historical period, as well as the linguistic nuances of the characters.

As a rule, I prefer to write during the second half of the day—ideally in the evening hours, and late into the night.

What advice do you have for new writers?

I prefer to limit my advice to authors of historical fiction.

History can be told by what I like to call “memory stories” which are fundamental within the context of the contemporary socio-cultural structure and provide answers to fundamental human questions. Our past makes us what we are today and without it we cannot build our future. In an age of algorithm ethics, I recommend to hold as a guide the immortal words of Cicero, “historia vero testis temporum, lux veritatis, vita memoriae, magistra vitae, nuntia vetustatis”, which we can understand to mean “history is the witness of time, the light of truth, the lifeblood of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.” This universal principle is valid in any culture, expressed in any language, immortal to all humanity and the values of humanism.

That´s why an author must never sacrifice historical truth to narrative imagination—nor the daily practice of writing.

What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?

Do not miss any opportunity to communicate personally—just like right now. I wish to seize every opportunity to communicate with readers—offering them my interpretations of historical events and that real people—is also one of the great opportunities of our time, thanks to social media and the internet.

Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research.

How profound, intense, and important was the cultural exchange between the Anglo-Saxon and Italian worlds, despite the oppression of the Fascist regime. The relationships between artists and journalists in Europe and the Americas were fantastic, as was the expansion of artistic culture in music and theater thanks to the widespread use of radio.

What was the hardest scene you remember writing?

The action scenes during the Nazi-Fascist occupation of Rome—too many sad memories for my family: one of the Nazis' final acts of reprisal in Rome was to blow up a tank in front of the main entrance of the building where my grandfather—a high-ranking officer and anti-fascist—lived. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, only minor injuries among his family members.

What are you planning to write next?

After several years of research, I´m ready to publish soon another true story: the untold truths about Liberation Day in April 1945 and Mussolini's mysterious escape.

Filippo Iannarone

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About the Author

Filippo Iannarone was born in Rome. After taking a degree in Law, he continued his studies and historical research at the School of Paleography, Diplomatics and Codicology located at the Vatican Archives. He then went on to work as an expert in industrial relations for a national energy company, to establish a law firm, and to become an entrepreneur in the hospitality business. n the hospitality business. He attended “The Holden School” a creative writing school in Turin directed by Alessandro Baricco. He lives in Germany, in Bad Honnef on the Rhine.

Book Review: Anne Boleyn's First Love: The Life of Henry Percy, by Jan-Marie Knights

2026-05-26T06:09:21.223+00:00

Available from Amazon UK

and pre-order from Amazon US

In the Tudor court, love blossomed when Henry Percy met Anne Boleyn. However, their romance was abruptly torn apart by Cardinal Wolsey, who chastised Percy, an earl’s son, for choosing to marry the daughter of a mere knight. Despite a spirited defence, Percy was ordered

to no longer see her.

Much has been written about the story of Anne Boleyn, but history often relegates the men who loved her to the footnotes. In Anne Boleyn's First Love: The Life of Henry Percy, Jan-Marie Knights takes one of the most enigmatic figures of the Tudor era out of the shadows and places him in the spotlight. The result is a moving, meticulously researched, and compelling biography that breathes life into a well-trodden era.

To most Tudor enthusiasts, Henry Percy, the 6th Earl of Northumberland, is remembered as the young man who betrothed himself to a young Anne Boleyn - only to have his plans ruined when Cardinal Wolsey and King Henry VIII intervened.

Jan-Marie Knights proves Percy’s life was more complex, tragic, and influential than this single, thwarted romance. The book recreates the youthful affair between Anne and Henry, proposing a genuine affection that threatened Wolsey’s political scheming.

Henry Percy was banished into the dangerous world of border politics as Lord Warden of the Marches, defending England against Scottish raids while battling illness and financial ruin. In a cruel twist a broken Percy was later forced to sit on the jury that condemned Anne Boleyn to death.

This book achieves a balance between historical fact and narrative empathy as we explore the life of a man caught between duty, a tyrannical king, and an unforgettable love. Accessible yet rich with interesting detail, drawing heavily on contemporary letters, we glimpse a deeply human Henry Percy, a man flawed, physically ailing, yet loyal to his family’s legacy despite what might have been.

I recommend Anne Boleyn's First Love for anyone who appreciates an empathetic look at the human collateral of the Tudor court. Jan-Marie Knights has given the earl the dignified biography he has long deserved.

Tony Riches

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About the Author

Jan-Marie Knights is an ex- editor and journalist who has worked on many newspapers and magazines and is a keen researcher of local and Tudor history.

Book Review: Queen of Shadows, by Anna Belfrage

2026-05-25T06:19:13.315+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

She should have stayed in the shadows—but Leonor de Guzmán yearned for the sun. Castile in the 1330s is a place of constant turmoil. King Alfonso must contend with the incursions from the Muslim Marinids eager to reclaim Al-Andalus while struggling with repeated rebellions against his firm rule.

In Queen of Shadows, Anna Belfrage brings warmth and vulnerability to the perilous and centuries-old scandal of the relationship between Alfonso XI and Leonor de Guzmán.

King Alfonso is charismatic and astute. Beneath the armour of kingship is a man burdened by expectation and loneliness his relationship with Leonor is the emotional refuge that steadies him amid the brutality of court politics.

Leonor de Guzmán emerges as an intelligent and emotionally resilient figures who understands the dangers surrounding her position. Every privilege granted by Alfonso’s devotion carries with it the threat of ruin, yet her strength is in her refusal to surrender her dignity in a political storm.

What makes Queen of Shadows especially compelling is the tension between tenderness and danger. Every exchange between Alfonso and Leonor unfolds beneath the shadow of suspicion and looming betrayal. Anna Belfrage sustains this atmosphere, ensuring that the quietest moments shimmer with unease.

The supporting cast deepen the emotional complexity, particularly through the characters of Alma and Rodrigo. Alma brings a grounded emotional perspective, offering moments of compassion, insight, and wisdom that counterbalance the ruthlessness of the court.

Rodrigo embodies the tensions of loyalty and survival in a fractured kingdom. His presence adds another layer to this exploration of the personal sacrifices demanded by power. Together, these characters ensure the narrative extends far beyond the royal couple at its centre.

Queen of Shadows succeeds because the characters are shaped by desire and ambition, yet doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of the time. The result is a historical novel of epic scale which leaves the reader with a sense of the humanity behind the legends of history.

Tony Riches

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About the Author

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England. Anna has just released the final instalment, Their Castilian Orphan, in her other medieval series, The Castilian Saga ,which is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has recently released Times of Turmoil, a sequel to her time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and is now considering just how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding. . . Find out more from Anna's website www.annabelfrage.com and find her on Facebook, Bluesky and Twitter @abelfrageauthor

Historical Fiction Spotlight: The Toscanini Conspiracy, by Filippo Iannarone

2026-05-22T04:39:19.438+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

A brutal murder in a quiet Tuscan village. A world‑famous maestro under a cloud of suspicion. A wounded war hero ordered to uncover the truth—before history writes the wrong man into infamy.

In the autumn of 1935, celebrated country doctor Alberto Rinaldi is found savagely beaten outside his home in the village of Piazze. The investigation collapses into chaos: evidence muddled, witnesses coerced, and rumor elevated above reason. An aging miller is convicted, but whispered doubts linger for years.

Fourteen years later, as Italy struggles to define its fragile new Republic, former resistance officer Colonel Luigi Mari is summoned to Rome. His mission is as delicate as it is dangerous: quietly reinvestigate the Rinaldi murder to protect the reputation of a towering national figure—Maestro Arturo Toscanini, Rinaldi’s most illustrious patient and, according to one buried Carabinieri report, a possible presence at the crime scene that fatal night.

Mari and his young aide, Lieutenant Vinicio Barbetti, descend into a labyrinth of forgotten testimonies, political interference, fascist‑era secrecy, and lives shattered by war. Each revelation deepens the mystery: a doctor whose miraculous cures drew the world to his humble door, a village transformed by fame and undone by violence, and a conspiracy that reaches far beyond Tuscany.

As past and present collide, Mari must navigate truth, loyalty, and the shadows of a regime that never fully died—before the real story vanishes forever.

Filippo Iannarone’s The Toscanini Conspiracy is a sweeping blend of postwar intrigue, courtroom echoes, and musical legend that is a haunting pursuit of justice where genius, loyalty, and the long shadow of dictatorship collide.

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About the Author

Book Launch guest Post by Anna Belfrage, Author of Queen of Shadows

2026-05-21T06:02:17.245+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Back in 2016, I wrote a post about Alfonso XI and his lady love, Leonor de Guzmán. The consequences of this liaison were to be painful for the people of Castile, resulting in over a decade of civil war, but when Alfonso first met Leonor he was around seventeen, she a year or so older. Neither of them were probably thinking beyond a flare of attraction; after all, Alfonso was a king required to marry dynastically, and Leonor might be gorgeous, witty, high-born and rich, but he needed more in a wife. Which is why he married Maria of Portugal.

But Alfonso just couldn’t forget Leonor. He needed her, loved her. And so Leonor became the beloved mistress while Maria became the spurned wife.

The post I wrote stayed with me. Here was a very juicy story, and I wanted to tell it. So, since 2016, I have been working on the story of Alfonso, Leonor and Maria, but it has been a tortuous journey—especially because of my POV challenges.

POV – point of view – characters are the drivers of the story. They offer the subjective perspectives on the unfolding narrative, and a smart writer ensures the POV characters see things from different perspectives. In romance, there is often a he and she POV character, to ensure the reader experiences both sides of the love story.

In my case, I started writing with Alfonso and Leonor as POV characters. 12 000 words in, I realised this wouldn’t work. Not that they saw eye to eye on everything, but Alfonso and Leonor were essentially on the same side. Then I tried using Leonor and Maria as my POV characters, but it made me lose the overall historical context. Gah! I left Alfonso, Leonor and Maria to stew and wrote other stuff instead, but all the time, they were in the back of my head.

Some years ago, I sat down in front of my laptop and wrote :

The first time Alma saw Doña Leonor de Guzmán, the woman was half-naked and screaming invectives to the high heavens
“Normal,” Cesaria, Alma’s mother, said. “It hurts to give birth.”
Alma stared at the woman squirming on the bed and decided there and then to never, ever have any children.

And just like that, I had a new POV character that came with the added benefit of being invented and very observant. After eight years of wrestling with the story, the pieces began fitting together, with the equally invented Rodrigo becoming as close an observer to the king as Alma was of Leonor.

In Queen of Shadows, both Leonor and Maria get a voice—but it is Alma and Rodrigo that carry the story, all the way from that December day in 1332 to an August day in 1351.

“It’s not fair,” Don Alfonso grumbles. “Surely I should have had a voice in my own story?”

I pat his hand (figuratively: the man is dead since like seven hundred years!) “It still gets told,” I say. And what a messy story it is…

Anna Belfrage

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About the Author

365 Days in Elizabethan England with Natalie Grueninger , Tudor history specialist, author, speaker and podcaster

2026-05-20T06:30:37.188+00:00

This immersive learning experience is much more than just an online course. Over 12 months, participants will come together and contribute to a supportive and inspiring online community of individuals who’ll share in a unique learning experience – one that will ultimately deepen their understanding of life in Elizabethan England. Each month, a different theme will be explored, ranging from religion and politics to power struggles and exploration.

Acclaimed author and podcast host, Natalie Grueninger, will coordinate the learning program and guide participants every step of the way. She’ll also be joined by a stellar list of twenty-nine contributors.

Learn from leading experts in Tudor history from the comfort of your home. All that’s required is enthusiasm, a willingness to connect and learn, and the internet.

What’s included?

Weekly lectures beginning January 22, 2027. These will be a combination of pre-recorded lectures and live Zoom discussions, (see below for a list of sessions and presenters)
12-month membership (from Jan-Dec 2027) to the ‘Budding Historian’ tier of the Talking Tudors Patreon community, valued at $300! See all the benefits here: https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkingTudors/membership
(Existing members can redeem this gifted membership without cancelling their current pledges. The gift will apply as soon as it’s redeemed, granting access to the high-tier benefits immediately and pausing the paid period)

For more information visit https://www.nataliegrueninger.com/2026/05/17/365-days-in-elizabethan-england/

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About the Author

Natalie Grueninger is an independent researcher who specialises in the life, reign and times of Queen Anne Boleyn. She’s authored and co-authored seven books, including the ‘In the Footsteps’ series. Her latest book, ‘The Final Year of Anne Boleyn’, Natalie has written for a number of history magazines, including Inside History and Tudor Places, and runs the website www.onthetudortrail.com. She’s the creator and host of the popular ‘Talking Tudors’ podcast and the founder of Women’s History Circle, dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and promoting the work of women creatives with a passion for history. Natalie is deeply interested in the lives of medieval and Tudor women and in the networks which they built and used, especially those with other women. She’s an avid bibliophile and a lifelong learner. When not at her desk, she can often be found indulging in her insatiable passion for travel. Natalie lives in Sydney with her husband, two children and a cheeky cavoodle. Find out more at https://www.nataliegrueninger.com/ and find her on Twitter @OntheTudorTrail and Bluesky @onthetudortrail.bsky.social

Book Review: HEROICA by Alison Morton

2026-05-19T05:01:51.479+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Even the strongest state is vulnerable to its past: Three stories of the women of the Mitela family, descendants of the founders of Roma Nova, bound by blood and courage.

Alison Morton’s latest book HEROICA is a masterclass in alternative history and grounded world-building, a sweeping epic that serves as an entry point for new readers and a welcome return for long-time fans of her Roma Nova series.

In HEROICA, Alison explores three eras to highlight the enduring spirit of her fictional nation. Each of these stories and could have formed part of a trilogy, but the economy of storytelling is effective and compelling.

What makes HEROICA insightful is its exploration of continuity. For me, the the central idea is that while technology and fashions evolve, the core values of a society, such as loyalty and resilience are the threads that endure.

Whether you prefer Alison Morton's meticulously researched Roman culture or a well-paced mystery, HEROICA delivers an entertaining narrative. This is a world that feels like it should have existed.

Tony Riches

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About the Author

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her twelve-book Roma Nova series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but use a sharp line in dialogue. She blends her fascination for Ancient Rome with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history. Alison lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity, Double Pursuit and Double Stakes For the latest news, subscribe to her newsletter at https://www.alison-morton.com/newsletter/ and receive 'Welcome to Alison Morton’s Thriller Worlds’ as a thank you gift. Connect with Alison on her World of Thrillers site: https://alison-morton.com and Alison’s writing blog https://alisonmortonauthor.com/. You can find Alison on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky @alisonmorton.bsky.social and Twitter/X: @alison_morton

Blog Tour Spotlight: Some Starry Night, by Irene Latham

2026-05-18T06:26:50.041+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Under the pale glow of a Parisian spring in 1886, two restless souls move toward the same horizon-unaware that their meeting will ignite a love as luminous and fleeting as the stars themselves.

Vincent van Gogh arrives in Paris with little more than paint-stained hands and an aching determination to create something worthy of the world. Living in the cramped apartment of his brother Theo, he struggles against poverty, doubt, and the relentless pull of his own restless mind.

Across the ocean in Amherst, Emily Dickinson receives news that changes everything. Faced with the nearness of death, the reclusive poet does the unthinkable: she leaves the quiet safety of the Homestead and sails for Paris, determined to taste life before it slips beyond her reach.

When Emily agrees to sit for Vincent's portrait, their worlds collide in a blaze of color, poetry, and dangerous intimacy. Through letters, poems, and whispered confessions, the two artists discover in one another a fierce, unguarded understanding-one that will shape their art, their faith, and the fragile hours they have left.

But love between stars is never simple. As time grows short and darkness gathers, Vincent and Emily must decide whether beauty is meant to last...or simply to burn bright enough to change the night forever.

Some Starry Night is a sweeping, lyrical imagining of the hidden story behind Vincent van Gogh's most iconic painting-an unforgettable tale of love, creativity, and the courage to live fiercely, even in the shadow of the end.

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About the Author

Irene Latham writes poems and stories from the Purple Horse Poetry Studio & Music Room in Blount County, Alabama. She is the author or co-author of many books for young people, including African Town, winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Outstanding Historical Fiction. This is her first novel for adults. Learn more at irenelatham.com

Special Guest Interview with Susan Appleyard, Author of Escape of the Grand Duchess

2026-05-18T05:54:50.612+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna is the youngest sister of Tsar Nicholas II—a Romanov who defied a doomed destiny and survived. Unlike her ill-fated brother and his family, Olga’s story is one of resilience, sacrifice, and daring escape. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a reckless gambler—who harbours secrets of his own—she finds hope in the arms of a dashing army lieutenant. But before she can claim her own happiness, she must first endure the brutal realities of World War I, where she serves as a nurse on the frontlines.

I'm pleased to welcome author Susan Appleyard to The Writing Desk:

Tell us about your latest book

Escape of the Grand Duchess relates the struggles of Olga, the younger sister of Tsar Nicholas II, from an opulent lifestyle to her unhappy marriage, World War I, the Russian Revolution when the murderous Bolsheviks began rounding up Romanovs for slaughter. Some were able to escape to the continent. Olga was one of the lucky ones. She and her young family eventually made their escape to safety in Canada.

What is your preferred writing routine?

I used to devote my mornings to writing, but now I’m not so disciplined. Honestly, I write when I feel like it.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

J.M.W Turner, famous English painter, said something to the effect that he imagines mountains and paints molehills. Your book will never be perfect. You could tinker with it to the end of time. Know when enough is enough. Just make it as perfect as you can.

What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?

I have done Bookbub ads and promotions on Facebook. Otherwise, my readership is organic.

Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research

Ether was first used as an anaesthetic in 1842, but before that the Babylonians, Persians, Chinese, Egyptians and others attempted to create a general anaesthetic.

What was the hardest scene you remember writing?

The last scene. How to end it? Where to end it?

What are you planning to write next?

I am currently working on the second draft of a book about Olga’s grandparents.

Susan Appleyard

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About the Author

Susan Appleyard was born in England, which is where she learned to love English history, and now lives in Canada in the summer. In winter she and her husband flee the cold for their second home in Mexico. Susan divides her time between writing and her hobby, oil painting, although writing will always be her first love. She was fortunate in having had two books published traditionally. Since joining the ebook crowd, she has published nine books, some of which have won various awards. Find out more at Susan's website, follow her blog and find her on Facebook and Instagram

Royal Favourites of the Tudor and Stuart Age , By April Taylor

2026-05-17T06:29:36.913+00:00

Available from Amazon UK

and pre-order from Amazon US

Among the people you will meet in this book is John Morton, so accomplished at gathering taxes for Henry VII; some pubs are named after him. Physician William Butts, trusted by Henry VIII, and sent to Hever when Anne Boleyn caught the sweating sickness.

Barnaby Fitzpatrick, closest friend of Edward VI. Susan Clarencius, Mistress of the Robes to Mary I and her closest friend. Blanche Parry who rocked Elizabeth I’s cradle and stayed in her service until she died, causing Elizabeth ‘enormous sorrow’.

Christopher Hatton, so devoted to Elizabeth, he never married. George Villiers, loved by James I ‘more than any other man’.

Jane Whorwood, who did her utmost to help the imprisoned Charles I escape. Henry Jermyn, who became known as ‘the founder of the West End’. John Wilmot, an exceptionally clever man who ended life as a dissolute disgrace.

Robert Harley, who built an incomparable collection of Saxon and Medieval texts now in the British Library. And not forgetting an accurate account of the life of Abigail Masham, devoted servant to Queen Anne.

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About the Author

April Taylor was born in Lincolnshire in the UK. Having caught the history bug from a young age, April has always been fascinated by the physical manifestation of times past, particularly those of the Tudor period. This interest deepened when April discovered one of the most important events of Henry VIII’s reign, the Lincolnshire Rebellion that led to the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536, started eight miles from where she was born. Choosing a career in librarianship, April honed her research skills but always leant towards the history of the area in which she lived. This led to numerous talks to schools and local groups, especially in Worcester, yet another place of historic importance in the UK. April Taylor now lives near the rugged coast of north-east England in close proximity to one of the priories that fell victim to Henry VIII’s Reformation. She frequently walks her golden retriever in local forests using that time to work through complicated plotlines for her historical fiction. She sings in the medieval church and occupies her downtime dressmaking, cross-stitching and painting.

Book Launch Review: Roman Life on Hadrian’s Wall by Claire Millington

2026-05-15T05:26:48.057+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

With a fascinating selection of images and thoughtful insights, this book will inform and change how you think about everyday Roman life at this remote frontier, the most-visited Roman remains in Britain.

Claire Millington’s Roman Life on Hadrian's Wall is a refreshing look at one of the most iconic frontiers in history. While many texts focus heavily on the battles fought and the stones laid, Claire shifts the focus to the lived experience of the people who called Hadrian's Wall home.

The strength of this book is its inclusivity. Claire Millington talks about the entire community, and shows how Hadrian's Wall became like a string of connected ‘villages’. By synthesizing archaeological evidence with a narrative flair, she reveals a bustling world of families and camp followers, including the women and children who lived in the vici (civilian settlements) outside the forts, and merchant traders who kept the frontier supplied.

l particularly liked the stories of the "small finds", such as discarded shoes, personal letters and household pottery. These fragments of the past are transformed from museum exhibits into entry points for understanding Roman anxieties, celebrations - and mundane routines.

Whether you are a Roman historian or a casual reader interested in British heritage, this book is accessible, with an engaging narrative. An essential addition to any history lover's bookshelf. Claire Millington reminds us the grandeur of Rome wasn't only built on conquest, but on the quiet, resilient lives of individuals stationed at the edge of the known world.

Tony Riches

(A review copy was kindly provided by Amberley Publishing)

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About the Author

Dr Claire Millington is a Roman archaeologist, academic and writer. She has written fiction, non-fiction and poetry ever since winning the BBC Jackanory poetry competition aged 6 ½. Her love of Roman archaeology was sparked during a posting to Rome for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, after which she undertook a master’s degree through the Open University. Her PhD is from King’s College London where she is a Visiting Research Fellow. She is a huge public archaeology fan so she was thrilled to work on the Time Team excavations of Broughton Roman villa (2021 and 2022), as well as surveying and recording foreshore archaeology as a volunteer with the Museum of London Archaeology Thames Discovery Project, and excavating Roman forts at Vindolanda. Find out more at https://clairemillington.com/ and follow Claire on Bluesky @clairemillington.bsky.social

Historical Fiction Spotlight: The Jewel Keepers, by Sara Sheridan

2026-05-14T08:25:00.058+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Men would kill for this treasure.The McKenzie women will guard it

with their lives.

London, 1837: When 25-year-old Araminta McKenzie-Moore is summoned from Richmond to her great aunt's deathbed in Edinburgh, it's the first time she's met her extended family. The McKenzie women, however, have been keeping a close eye on her. For they have a long, secret and dangerous history as Jewel Keepers to the Scottish Crown and they need Araminta to play her part to solve a puzzle which stretches back generations.

But the McKenzies are not alone in this high-stakes treasure hunt though history. They're being pursued. The last of her line, if Araminta succeeds, she will uncover something more valuable than mere jewels - a secret that will change the lives of all women living on this, the cusp of the Queen Victoria's rule.

Featuring real historical events and places amid its fiction, The Jewel Keepers is an immersive, evocative story tinged with romance and brimming with intrigue.

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About the Author

Sara Sheridan works in a wide range of media and genres but mostly historical and especially the stories of women. She loves exploring where our culture comes from. In 2018 she remapped Scotland according to women's history. Tipped in Company and GQ magazines, she was nominated for a Young Achiever Award. She has received a Scottish Library Award and has been shortlisted for the Saltire Book Prize and the Wilbur Smith Prize. Her work was included in the David Hume Institute's Summer Reading list 2019. She has sat on the committee for the Society of Authors in Scotland (where she lives) and on the board of '26' the campaign for the importance of words. She took part in 3 '26 Treasures' exhibitions at the V&A, London, The National Museum of Scotland and the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. She occasionally blogs for the Guardian about her writing life, the Huffington Post about her activism as a writer and a feminist and puts her hand up to being a 'twitter evangelist'. From time to time she appears on radio, and has reported for BBC Radio 4's From Our Own Correspondent from both Tallin and Sharjah. Sara is a member of the Society of Authors and the Historical Writers Association. Find out more at Sara's website https://www.sarasheridan.com/

Book Launch Guest Post by Alison Morton, Author of HEROICA: Three women, three centuries, three reckonings (Roma Nova Thriller Series Book 12)

2026-05-14T05:27:05.123+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Even the strongest state is vulnerable to its past: Three stories of the women of the Mitela family, descendants of the founders of Roma Nova, bound by blood and courage.

“What inspires you?” is a question I’m frequently asked in many guest posts, in podcast interviews, or at conferences. Perhaps the people asking are writers themselves, or wish to make a connection on an artistic and creative level or want to know the answer to life, the universe and everything. That last one’s easy: 42. (Apologies to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.)

Let’s be serious. Well, for a moment. I dread this question, not because I don’t want to reveal the secret identity of my silken-gowned muse, nor divulge her equally secret pearls of wisdom. Am I frightened she might run away, never to be seen again? No, I don’t want to let readers down with my answer.

I confess – I don’t know.

An inspiring thought or emotion can be anything and come from anywhere. For me, it’s like being ambushed. I often don’t have a clue until it drops into my head. When it does, it’s something shallow and mundane like being held on the phone in a queue, spotting a bargain or scoffing at a mistranslation at a tourist site.

The long burn

The Roma Nova books originated from a decades’ long fascination with Ancient Rome and women’s roles in the modern world but given it took more than thirty years to get the first words onto the computer screen (bypassing the typewriter), it can hardly be called a *moment* of inspiration. It was a slow-growing, but persistent, climbing plant.

Fortuna, Capitoline Museum, Rome (Author photo)

Like all authors, whether they admit it or not, I drew on events, people and experiences from my life up to that moment to write that first book, INCEPTIO. We are all shaped by these experiences and by our background and values.

Alison in the military

There will always be a little bit of the author in her book however much any author claims to deny it. And if we don’t show that in our main character, we switch it into another prominent secondary character. We all live in our own little world at the centre of which is our own delightful/dreadful ego, so any self-expression like writing is bound to reflect it.

Readers and bets

After nine Roma Nova thrillers featuring tough and lively heroines, my readers demanded I write the foundation story of Roma Nova. Thus inspired, that spilled out into two books – JULIA PRIMA and EXSILIUM – set in the fourth century.

In between, I wrote three modern thrillers based on Mel/Mélisende, a dual national Franco-British special forces heroine working for a European security service. Writing them was triggered (inspired?) by a bet from fellow author Conn Iggulden who had given me a fabulous front of cover endorsement for the fifth Roma Nova thriller, INSURRECTIO.

So…HEROICA, out today(!)

This new book of three stories was a case of inspiration via curiosity. I wanted to write a story featuring my original heroine, Carina, in one of her investigations. Her professional life wasn’t spent entirely on saving her country, but like most law enforcers had its fair number of routine cases. Of course, being Carina, the case turned out to be anything but routine.

Why isn’t Revolution? a full-length novel? Because the story ended when it did. We can’t always insist on dragging a story out to 100,000 words when it doesn’t naturally end at 24,000. But what to do with it? It’s too long to be a short story and compared to my two novellas – CARINA (38,000 words) and NEXUS (39,000 words) – not enough for a novella. So I thought about adding a couple of historical long short stories from Roma Nova’s past, but staying within Carina’s family in order to have a connecting thread running through them.

Honoria’s Battle is set near Vienna when that city was being besieged for the second time by forces from the Ottoman Empire. It was hailed as an existential fight by Christian Europe against the tide of Moslem Turks. Historians continue to disagree about the battle’s significance but to people of the time it was one of survival. Of course, Roma Nova was going to be involved! Researching characters such as the ebullient John Sobieski, King of Poland and the best commander of his day, was fascinating.

The Idealist connects with Giuseppe Mazzini’s attempt to form a new Roman Republic and unite Italy in the nineteenth century – another time of crisis and transition. It’s also the story of unrealistic expectations, family secrets and pragmatism. The inspiration was curiosity about the past and wondering what a terrible threat of the past coming back to bite those in the present would do to them.

In brief

Inspiration for me is a formless cloud, wisps, really, wafting around in my mind with no fixed abode. It takes something to come along – a bad film, five words in an email from a Very Famous Author, idle attention to a television report of a coup – to get the cloud to clump and produce a bolt of lightning. Usually, it’s a little crackle at the back of the sky that grows into a steady blaze.

Alison Morton

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About the Author

Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell: Their Lives, Friendship and Writings, by Susan Dunne

2026-05-13T06:21:05.844+00:00

Available from Amazon UK

and pre-order Amazon US

Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell illuminate a powerful 19th century friendship whose influence reshaped literary legacy and critical perception.

Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell shared one of the most remarkable literary friendships of the 19th century, one that ultimately led to the creation of one of the most controversial literary biographies ever written.

The life of Charlotte Brontë continues to spark debate over 150 years after its publication, but the deeper story of the friendship that inspired it has never been fully explored until now. In this fascinating and well-researched narrative, the intertwined lives of these two literary greats come to life. What drew them together despite their contrasting personalities?

How did they influence each other’s work, navigate the challenges of publishing, and contend with the harsh judgment of critics? Did Elizabeth Gaskell’s well-meaning interventions, both personal and professional, shape the course of Charlotte’s life in ways never before considered?

Through letters, historical records, and fresh insights, this book reveals the warmth, respect, and complexities of their brief but profound connection. A tale of admiration, resilience, and literary legacy, it sheds new light on the enduring impact of a friendship that helped shape our understanding of one of literature’s most beloved figures.

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About the Author

Susan Dunne was born near Manchester and lives near Haworth. A lifelong Brontë and Gaskell enthusiast, she wrote her undergraduate thesis on the portrayal of the working class in Elizabeth Gaskell and studied Victorian literature at postgraduate level. She has worked- amongst other things - as a teacher and journalist, her work appearing in numerous regional and national publications.

Book Review: Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest, by Sharon Bennett Connolly

2026-05-12T06:29:00.001+00:00

Available from Amazon UK

and pre-order from Amazon US

Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters from the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it.

Here’s a good question for when it’s a bit quiet in the pub: Who was the first royal princess? One of the many interesting things I learned from Princesses of the Early Middle Ages was ‘Princess’ was the general title ‘Princess’ wasn’t used for daughters of the monarch until 1642, when King Charles I created the title "Princess Royal" for his eldest daughter, Mary.

Having read Sharon Bennett Connolly ‘s earlier book I was surprised by this slim volume, but then found this is ‘part one of two’, with the ‘sister’ book, Princesses of the Later Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets to follow.

Highly readable and entertaining, this is the sort of history book I wish I had as a boy. It can’t have been easy to navigate the often obscure details of the early Anglo-Saxon princesses, yet this is Sharon Bennett Connolly’s specialist area. The result is one of the most comprehensive accounts you will find.

I challenge anyone with an interest in medieval Britain to not find something they will learn from this book, and I look forward to the next instalment. Highly recommended.

Tony Riches

(I would like to thank the publishers, Pen & Sword History, for prividing an advance review copy/)

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About the Author

Sharon Bennett Connolly is the best-selling author of historical non-fiction. Her latest book, Scotland’s Medieval Queens, will be published on 30 January 2025. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, she also writes the popular history blog, www.historytheinterestingbits.com and co-hosts the podcast A Slice of Medieval with historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Sharon regularly gives talks on Women's History; she is a feature writer for All About History, Tudor Places and Living Medieval magazines and her TV work includes Australian Television's 'Who Do You Think You Are?' You can find out more about Sharon's books on Amazon and follow her on Facebook, Twitter/X and Bluesky

Book Launch Guest Post: Guardians of the Cosmic Clocks: Wings of the Gods, by Jabril Yousef Faraj

2026-05-12T06:23:00.001+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

Dive into an adventure of epic proportions, as the Guardians brave the Greek Underworld, commune with the Oracle of Delphi and face their fate on Mount Olympus. Encounter Plato, Heracles and the ghost of Pythagoras as our champions sail the Aegean and battle mythical beings in this sprawling Young Adult Fantasy.

Before I could read, my mother read to us. She worked a paper route in the dark hours of the morning, long before the rest of the world stirred, and by the time she sat down at night with my brothers and me curled up around her, exhaustion was already starting to set in. She'd open The Chronicles of Narnia and her voice would grow softer, words slurring as sleep tugged at her eyes. But she kept reading. Page after page, night after night.

And we were transfixed. Children no older than us stepped through a wardrobe into a world of talking lions and eternal winters. They crossed dimensions. Had grand adventures. And as my mother's tired voice carried us through Narnia, I learned something I've never forgotten: stories are how we survive the ordinary. Stories are how we imagine ourselves into something more.

Narnia taught me to dream and, even as a kid, I understood there were more important things than money and toys. We didn't grow up wealthy, or well-connected. We didn’t have nice things. What we did have was each other—generous angels in our community, a neighborhood library that felt like home and long summer nights spent playing outside till the streetlights came on.

We were raised on books and wonder, and stories shaped the way I see the world. Now, I'm publishing my second novel because I believe we need new timeless stories for a contemporary audience—stories that excite and inspire the next generation of readers the way Narnia inspired me.

Yes, Guardians of the Cosmic Clocks: Wings of the Gods is about time travel, teleportation and good versus evil. But it also speaks to something deeper about the human experience. It tackles feelings of longing, loyalty, insufficiency and self-esteem. Themes of humanity vs. authority and resolve in the face of failure permeate this epic journey across Classical Greece.

At its heart, this story is a journey within. A journey to the innermost places, where we ask ourselves whether we're truly up to the task. Where we rise to the challenge and spur ourselves on to new heights. It's about loyalty to those we couldn't do without, and the transformation that occurs when we accept the path before us, no matter the cost.

I hope dreamers everywhere can see themselves in Zya and Elijah, and feel inspired to live boldly. This is why I write. Because I believe in us. Because the pen is mightier than the sword, and no matter how hard you try, you can never kill the truth.

Jabril Yousef Faraj

Guardians of the Cosmic Clocks: Wings of the Gods is the sequel to 2024's award-winning Guardians of the Cosmic Clocks: The Emerald Tablets. A finalist for the Children's Book International Award in Fantasy and runner-up at the London Book Festival, Wings of the Gods is already receiving recognition. Can the Guardians rise above and emerge victorious? Grab your copy and find out how the story ends!

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About the Author

Jabril Yousef Faraj is an award-winning Young Adult Fantasy author. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the Midwest, the nonbinary, Arab-American artist is an Edward R. Murrow award recipient and alumnus of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism. His fiction debut, Guardians of the Cosmic Clocks: The Emerald Tablets, won the 2025 Literary Global Children's Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel, was a finalist for the Children's Book International Award in Fantasy, and runner-up at the New York Book Festival. The second book in the series, Guardians of the Cosmic Clocks: Wings of the Gods, has already earned international recognition. Follow Jabril on X, Instagram and YouTube

Special Guest Post by Louise Morrish, Author of The Library of War and Peace

2026-05-11T05:32:00.001+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

1915: As the war rages on outside, it is the battle within that must be won, through the quiet strength of words. Josie Everley works on board the ill-fated RMS Lusitania, as a library stewardess. When tragedy strikes, Josie washes up in London, finding work as a library assistant at a military hospital in Endell Street. Here, Dr Lucinda Garland and her all-female team of medics provide pioneering treatment for wounded soldiers. The hospital is home to a visionary library, run by a trailblazing librarian – Miss Godson. The library is a sanctuary for soldiers haunted by the horrors of war, where literature is prescribed as medicine, helping to cure the men’s anguish.

The Library of War and Peace is my love letter to libraries. I worked as a librarian for nearly three decades, and during those years I’ve experienced all sorts of libraries – public libraries, private collections, primary and secondary school libraries, and once an eighteenth-century haunted library. (I only lasted a year there!)

Books are in my blood, ink runs in my veins, and when I discovered the true story of the Endell Street Military Hospital library, I knew I had to write this novel. Endell Street Hospital was groundbreaking in so many ways. It was set up in 1915 by Dr Louisa Garrett Anderson and Dr Flora Murray, two pioneering doctors who defied an initially sceptical War Office to establish their own Women’s Hospital Corps.

Having created an all-female-run military hospital in France (which was the inspiration behind my previous novel ‘Women of War’), the doctors and their team saved thousands of soldiers’ lives, and the War Office then asked them to replicate their successful model back in Britain. This Dr Garrett Anderson and Dr Murray duly did, renovating and equipping a disused workhouse in Endell Street.

From the start, their new military hospital had its own library, which was run by two prominent members of the Women Writers’ Suffrage League. The WWSL had been founded in 1908 by Cicely Hamilton and Bessie Hatton, the aim to obtain the franchise on the same terms as men, and its members sought to do this through writing.

Elizabeth Robins, an American actress and writer, was one of the first members of the WWSL, and its first president. The British novelist Beatrice Harraden was another of the organisation’s members and she served as librarian at Endell Street from 1915 until the hospital closed, joined by Elizabeth Robins for the first year or so.

The philosophy of Endell Street library was a reader-led one. The librarians catered for the patients’ requests when it came to their reading matter, rather than to impose their idea of what might be termed ‘improving’ books upon them.

Many men feared having their lack of education or illiteracy exposed, so the librarians would take the time to sit at their bedsides, talking to the wounded soldiers to find out more about their interests and background. In this way, the librarians could make informed recommendations, as well as meet specific requests, and this became a unique opportunity to experience care based on books and reading.

The library was a huge success, and in many ways broke the ground for our modern bibliotherapy today. The art of healing through reading books continues to be a powerful form of therapy, and libraries play a fundamental role in this. What more fitting way to honour libraries than in a book?

The Library of War and Peace is a story of two strong, determined, courageous characters, both of whom are inspired by real women. The first, Edie Lawrence, is a young apprentice journalist and suffragette. Her character is based on the real Dorothy Lawrence, whose incredible exploits during World War One inspired me to write Women of War. The second character, Josie Everley, is drawn largely from my imagination, but also inspired by all the library stewardesses who worked ocean liners like RMS Lusitania.

Miss Gordon the chief librarian in my novel is very loosely based on Beatrice Harraden, who managed the Endell Street Library from 1915 until the end of the War. Dr Lucinda Garland and Dr Flora Murray are inspired by real doctors – Louisa Garrett Anderson and Flora Murray – whose brave achievements spurred me to write ‘Women of War’.

Harry Levinson is wholly from my imagination, although there were freelance war correspondents like him struggling to report the truth from the battlefields, their words censored.

Dorothy Larwrence

Endell Street Military Hospital in London is no more, replaced by flats and shops. But if you keep your eyes peeled, there are clues to its existence still around. As a librarian myself, I absolutely loved the research involved with this novel.

Discovering how the librarians at Endell Street sourced and supplied literature to the patients, and how they applied pioneering bibliotherapy to help heal the soldiers’ mental trauma, was fascinating to me. I use elements of bibliotherapy in my own work, and countless times I’ve experienced firsthand how the right book placed in the right hands at the right time can change someone’s life.

I devoured all the books I could find on the subject of the hospital, the library, and bibliotherapy. Particularly helpful was Wendy Moore’s No Man’s Land – The Trailblazing Women Who Ran Britain’s Most Extraordinary Military Hospital During World War One.

Also useful: Dorothy Lawrence’s memoir: Sapper Dorothy: the only British Woman Soldier in the Royal Engineers 51st Division 79th Tunnelling Co. during the First World War
And Flora Murray’s memoir – Women as Army Surgeons

Louise Morrish

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About the Author

Louise Morrish is an author, bookseller, and creative writing tutor from Hampshire. She writes stories inspired by the lives of women in the past, who achieved extraordinary things, but whom history has forgotten. Her debut novel Operation Moonlight was published by Penguin in 2022. Her next novels, Women of War and The Library of War and Peace, are available now. Join Louise’s monthly newsletter on www.louisemorrish.com for free book giveaways, publishing news and writing advice. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter @LouiseMorrish1 and Instagram @LouiseMorrish_Books.

Historical Fiction Spotlight: In Darkness Born: Book One of The Breaking Wheel, The Story of Katherine Parr, by G. Lawrence

2026-05-10T05:54:00.000+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

The world would make her a survivor... Destiny would make her a Queen.

England, 1525: Born into a time of religious upheaval and political turmoil, Katherine Parr grows up in a loving family. Sheltered yet never kept ignorant of the dangers which surround her, Katherine secretly dreams of a life at court and a love such as the King possesses for the magnetic Anne Boleyn.

Sent north to become a bride at the age of sixteen, Katherine enters a household alien to the one she grew up in, where the overbearing personality of her new father-in-law holds sway, terrifying others into submission.

Yet Katherine refuses to be intimidated and a curious friendship is born, exposing Katherine to new thought on religion which is entering England... new thought which could place her in grave danger.

Through trials of marriage, faith and death, Katherine Parr will journey, seeking to understand her heart and her soul as about her the world is transformed as the King breaks from Rome to take Anne Boleyn as his wife, dividing England and its people, opening the way for bloodshed and betrayal.

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About the Author

Gemma Lawrence is an independently published author living in Cornwall in the UK. She studied literature at university says, 'I write mainly Historical Fiction, with an emphasis on the Tudor and Medieval periods and have a particular passion for women of history who inspire me'. Her first book in the Elizabeth of England Chronicles series is The Bastard Princess (The Elizabeth of England Chronicles Book 1).Gemma can be found on Twitter @TudorTweep and Bluesky @glawrence.bsky.social‬

Historical Fiction Spotlight: The Fourth Queen: A story of courage, betrayal, and hidden histories at the heart of the Tudor court by Nicola Cornick

2026-05-09T05:49:00.007+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

1539: King Henry VIII is intent on destroying the Catholic church, and with the dissolution of the monasteries, beautiful young prioress Marris is about to lose everything. She knows she has to do whatever it takes to keep her sisters safe, even agreeing to marry the wealthy man who has been gifted the priory land.

But when she marries him, she also finds herself catapulted into the court of the king. And her mastery of the German language makes her an ideal companion for his new queen, Anna of Cleves. It’s destined to be a short marriage… But after the divorce, when Anna finds herself in trouble, it will be Marris she turns to.

Will Marris risk her life to help the fourth queen? Because defying the king is the highest treason, and keeping this secret will put everything Marris has fought to keep safe in the gravest danger…

At the heart of the Tudor court, love and loyalty are the most dangerous weapons of all.

'An engaging, beautifully-crafted romance' Alison Weir

'Wow! I have no other word for this story which has totally blown me away – it is a masterclass in timeslip writing and I loved it!' Christina Courtenay

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About the Author

Nicola Cornick grew up in Yorkshire and studied History at the University of London and at Ruskin College Oxford where she was awarded a Distinction for her Masters dissertation on heroes and hero myths. She worked in academia for a number of years before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of acclaimed dual-time mysteries as well as of award-winning historical romance. When she isn’t writing, Nicola volunteers as a guide and researcher for the National Trust at the 17th century hunting lodge Ashdown House. She has given talks and chaired panels for a number of festivals and conferences including the London Book Fair, the Historical Novel Society and the Sharjah Festival of Literature. Nicola also gives talks on history topics to WIs, history societies and other interested groups. In her spare time she is a bookseller at Wantage Bookshop and a puppy walker for the Guide Dogs charity. Find out more at Nicola's website www.nicolacornick.co.uk and follow her on TwitterX @NicolaCornick

Special Guest Post by Sharon Bennett Connolly, Author of Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest

2026-05-08T06:10:00.000+00:00

Available from Amazon UK

and pre-order from Amazon US

The Role of a Princess

Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is the first part of the book that was designed to be The Medieval Princess – except it turned out to be a much bigger project than I ever anticipated and was far too long for one book. So, out of one project, The Medieval Princess: Royal Daughters from the Conquest to the Wars of the Roses,

I have two books. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is the first instalment, looking at the daughters of Harold II, William the Conqueror and England’s kings from 1066 to the end of the reign of King John. I should have known, of course, that I could not fit all these amazing women into one volume, after all, my inspiration for the books was Mary Anne Everett Green’s comprehensive, six volume series The Lives of the Princesses of England from the Norman Conquest.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mary Anne for the work she did in bringing these women into the light.

The inspiration for this book, and its sister, is rather odd. It comes from a meme that appears on social media every once in a while, which is something along the lines of ‘My daughter wanted me to treat her more like a princess. So, I married her to a stranger to strengthen the alliance with Poland!’ This is, essentially, the vision we have of a medieval princess. She is a pawn, nothing more than a bargaining tool in the world of international politics as far as her parents were concerned. These royal women appear to have had two options: to marry a foreign prince or to become a nun. But was that really the case?

The two daughters of King Harold II, who was killed at the Battle of Hastings in October 1066, did not have the guidance of their father when their fates were decided, but they were influenced by the time in which they lived. Growing to adulthood in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest one of the sisters, Gytha, left England with her paternal grandmother and was eventually married to Vladimir II Monomakh of Kyivan Rus, a union most likely arranged by her Danish cousin, King Swein Estrithson. Gytha’s sister, Gunhild, remained in England in the convent at Wilton, which was patronised by her aunt Edith of Wessex, Edward the Confessor’s queen.

There is some doubt whether Gunhild was ever intended for convent life. Wilton was an abbey renowned for the education of young noblewomen who did not necessarily go on to take their vows. And Gunhild certainly did not. She appears to have led a rather unconventional life as the mistress of, first, Alan the Red and then his brother, Alan the Black. Whether she ever married either brother is still disputed.

Harold’s daughters may not have had the guidance of their father, but his shadow, as the defeated and dead king of England, must have been long. It would certainly have affected their marriage prospects. Marriage with Gunhild or Gytha did not bring an accompanying alliance with England. And Gytha’s status as a member of the Danish extended royal family was only significant enough to bring her a marriage with the son of a younger son of a dynasty at the far reaches of Europe, notwithstanding that circumstance and family deaths made Vladimir II Monomakh far more influential than could have been foreseen at the time of the wedding.

Of William the Conqueror’s four known, undisputed daughters, two married French lords – the counts of Blois and Brittany – one was dedicated to the Church as a child and the fourth joined a convent after several failed marriage proposals. A possible fifth daughter may have been named Matilda or Agatha and may have been betrothed to a Spanish prince – or not; which just about sums up the problems faced when writing about women who lived 950 years ago. The information is sketchy, to put it mildly.

King Stephen also dedicated his youngest daughter to the Church, sending her to a convent when she was just 6 or 7 years old. Although she took to convent life, Marie was violently dragged from it when she became the last surviving child of King Stephen and therefore Countess of Boulogne in her own right. As Stephen’s heir, she was rich and valuable, and way too dangerous to be allowed to remain unmarried, even if she was a nun. She had a claim to England’s throne and that claim needed to be controlled and contained. Interestingly, after she had provided her husband with two daughters to continue the family line, Marie was finally able to obtain a divorce and return to the cloisters, leaving her husband, Matthew of Alsace, to raise the children.

As the only legitimate daughter of Henry I, Stephen’s predecessor, Empress Matilda was never destined for a convent. Indeed, she achieved the heights few princesses would ever reach, as Holy Roman Empress. And she so nearly became England’s first crowned queen regnant. But despite being proclaimed Lady of the English in 1141,

Empress Matilda

Matilda was never able to consolidate her position as England’s ruler. And, although she did not have a daughter of her own, the empress’s three granddaughters, the daughters of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, fulfilled what has come to be seen as the traditional role of a princess, marrying into foreign lands to forge alliances that are strengthened by that familial bond.

King John’s daughters, in turn, were destined for the same roles, marrying into Germany, Wales and Scotland. All except the youngest. Eleanor, who was no more than a babe in arms when her father died. She was married at the age of 8 to William Marshal II, to bring that powerful magnate into the royal family. And her second husband, Simon de Montfort? Well, that was a love match which would causes its own problems, when family disharmony and political upheaval would result in the Second Barons’ War.

All those mentioned so far are the legitimate children of the kings of England, but the illegitimate daughters were no less significant. Although not, technically, princesses, they were the daughters of kings and had the added advantage, as far as their father was concerned, of creating a familial link with the royal family without passing on a claim to the throne.

Joan, Lady of Wales

Young women such as Sybilla of Normandy, daughter of Henry I, and Joan, Lady of Wales, daughter of King John, still played significant diplomatic roles,

bringing England’s neighbours – and frequent enemies – Scotland and Wales, into the fold. Of course, sometimes plans went awry. Henry I’s daughter, Juliane, went rogue, firing a crossbow bolt at her father in a failed attempt to kill him, after her husband rebelled.

In all these stories, there is little evidence the girls themselves were consulted about their futures. Marriage planes were made, then broken, then made again, throughout their childhoods, as alliances were made and broken. But they were so much more than pampered princesses. They were raised for a duty of service to the crown, and to their families. These girls can be seen as the original Diplomatic Corps.

They were raised to be ambassadors, to be the living link between their husbands and fathers, between their homeland and the lands they ruled as consorts. Their marriages were the demonstrable intent that both sides desired that an alliance or a peace treaty would be permanent. These girls were not sent off to foreign lands, never to be thought of or seen again; their whole purpose was to maintain that link with their father and their homeland, to be the diplomatic channel that brought peace or prevented war.

On the whole, they were rather successful at it.

Sharon Bennett Connolly

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About the Author

Sharon Bennett Connolly is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and best-selling author of 8 historical non-fiction books. As well as writing the popular history blog, www.historytheinterestingbits.com, Sharon co-hosts the podcast A Slice of Medieval, alongside historical novelist Derek Birks. Sharon regularly gives talks on women's history for historical groups, festivals and in schools; her book Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest is a recommended text for teaching the Norman Conquest in the National Curriculum. Sharon is a feature writer for All About History, Tudor Places and Living Medieval magazines and her radio and TV work includes the BBC and Australian Television's Who Do You Think You Are? Find out more at Sharon's Blog: https://historytheinterestingbits.com/ and find her on Facebook, Twitter: @Thehistorybits and BlueSky: @thehistorybits.bsky.social

Blog Tour Interview with Alison Huntingford, Author of Beyond the Dark Oceans

2026-05-07T05:32:00.003+00:00

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US

A family united, a family divided… In 1906, the Huntingford family leaves England behind, crossing dark oceans in search of hope and opportunity in a new land. Canada promises a fresh start but for the eldest son, Georgy, it also brings hardship, responsibility, and a future shaped by forces far beyond his control.

I'm pleased to welcome author Alison Huntingford to The Writing Desk:

Tell us about your latest book.

My latest book is called Beyond the Dark Oceans and is based on a true tale from my own family history. In 1906, the Huntingford family leaves England for a hopeful new life in Canada, but for eldest son Georgy, the promise of opportunity quickly becomes a test of endurance, responsibility, and fate. As he comes of age amid the hardships of immigrant life, the outbreak of the First World War pulls him back across the ocean and into a world forever changed by loss and sacrifice.

When Georgy’s brother disappears in the chaos of war, grief and uncertainty fracture the family he is fighting to hold together. Reunited with his cousin Nellie, Georgy finds solace in a love as powerful as it is forbidden—one that offers hope in the darkest of times while threatening to tear his family apart.

What is your preferred writing routine?

I am terrible! I don’t have a strict routine but have to wait until I am inspired. Sometimes I may go for weeks without writing a thing, and then write frantically every day at any time, even in the middle of the night. (I have learnt to write in the dark, though it is often hard to decipher it the next morning!) Sometimes I am inspired whilst I am driving and I have to pull over and scribble it down before I forget it. I always write the first draft by hand with pen and paper, then type it up and amend/edit it as I go.

What advice do you have for new writers?

My advice for new writers is to just try it and see what happens! A book I found very useful and inspiring whilst I was starting out was Steven King’s book ‘On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft’ where he says there is no right or wrong. Use everything at your disposal and experiment. Be bold, be brave and believe in yourself! I would say the same, just go for it. Why not start with a short story? If you have a supportive local writers’ group then this helps. I run the South Hams Authors Network where we come together to share ideas and opportunities to promote and publish our work. This has helped inspire many local writers to continue, even though it is not a creative writing group.

What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?

I find I raise most awareness by going out and doing talks at local venues, such as libraries, bookshops, WIs and literary festivals. I love talking to people about my work and find my enthusiasm raises awareness better than anything. I passionately believe in my stories because they are based on real people and real events, and I think this is something readers can relate to. The person-to-person approach is very important.

Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research.

The most unexpected thing I discovered whilst doing my research was the fact that when people emigrated they were often sent to quarantine facilities when they arrived in Canada. I was quite shocked by the harshness of the conditions that immigrants were placed in, the genders being separated, the disinfectant procedures and the frequent medical examinations, with very little privacy.

What was the hardest scene you remember writing?

The hardest scene in this novel to write was the one where Georgy tells his love Nellie, that she must forget about him, as he is going overseas to war and may not return. He is thinking of her happiness and wants her to be free to love again, even though he loves her. Both characters are crying as this happens and so was I as I wrote it! I wanted to make it delicate and sympathetic without being melo-dramatic, and it is hard to get the touch just right, but I feel pleased with this scene. I think I managed to do what I intended.

What are you planning to write next?

I’m not sure, but I am researching another area of my family history and will see if it throws up any interesting stories. I also write occasional short stories on an eco-fantasy theme! I only write when I am inspired by a story, never for purely commercial reasons.

Alison Huntingford

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About the Author

Alison Huntingford is a writer with a deep passion for family history and storytelling. With a background rooted in the rich traditions of the Huntingford family, Alison seeks to honour the stories passed down through generations. She is the author of a successful series of works that explore historical and personal narratives. She is an only child of two only children and so has always felt a distinct lack of family. This has inspired her work. After an upheaval in her personal life, Alison achieved a degree in humanities with literature through the Open University which helped to give her a new start. A teaching career followed which then led naturally to writing. She is now retired from full-time work, but busier than ever. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their pets, listening to music, going to the cinema, and gardening on her allotment. She also runs the South Hams Authors Network, a local writers collective based in South Devon. Find out more at https://alisonhuntingford.com anf find Alison on Twitter / X , Facebook and Bluesky @alisonhuntingford.bsky.social