Blog Tour Guest Post: The Steel Beneath the Silk by Patricia Bracewell

Please join me in welcoming Patricia Bracewell to Let Them Read Books! Patricia is touring the blogosphere with her brand new release, the long-awaited conclusion to her Emma of Normandy trilogy, The Steel Beneath the Silk. I had the pleasure of helping Patricia design the cover, and I'm thrilled to have her here today with a guest post about the women who have been left out of the chronicles of history and how she is giving them a voice. Read on and enter to win a copy of The Steel Beneath the Silk!

A breathtaking conclusion to Bracewell’s Emma of Normandy Trilogy, brimming with treachery, heartache, tenderness and passion as the English queen confronts ambitious and traitorous councilors, invading armies and the Danish king’s power-hungry concubine.

In the year 1012 England’s Norman-born Queen Emma has been ten years wed to an aging, ruthless, haunted King Æthelred. The marriage is a bitterly unhappy one, between a queen who seeks to create her own sphere of influence within the court and a suspicious king who eyes her efforts with hostility and resentment. But royal discord shifts to grudging alliance when Cnut of Denmark, with the secret collusion of his English concubine Elgiva, invades England at the head of a massive viking army. Amid the chaos of war, Emma must outwit a fierce enemy whose goal is conquest and outmaneuver the cunning Elgiva, who threatens all those whom Emma loves.

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

My third novel about Emma of Normandy is set in the early 11th century during a period in England’s history when the kingdom was assaulted by wave after wave of viking armies that were determined on conquest. My working title was Perilous Tides, and for me that phrase had several meanings. It was a reference to the ocean tides that carried the vikings to England; to the tides of blood that were shed by English and vikings alike during that war; and to an actual tidal wave that devastated England in 1014. These events were all perilous for Emma and for the English. 

However, as I reached the end of one of many drafts of the novel it was clear to me that the working title didn’t do justice to the story that I’d written. As with my earlier books, I had attempted to do what the chroniclers of the 11th century did not. While the scribes reported battles, betrayals, murders, shifting alliances, the deaths of kings, even a tidal wave, they did not describe, except very, very obliquely, what was happening to the women. Reading the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle—the contemporary, recorded history of the time—one might come to the conclusion that there were no women in England at all during those years.  

Spotlight: An Argument of Blood by J.A. Ironside & Matthew Willis

An Argument of Blood by J.A. Ironside & Matthew Willis

Publication Date: June 19, 2017

Penmore Press

Paperback & eBook; 369 Pages

Series: Oath and Crown, Book 1

Genre: Fiction/Historical/War

William, the nineteen-year-old duke of Normandy, is enjoying the full fruits of his station. Life is a succession of hunts, feasts, and revels, with little attention paid to the welfare of his vassals. Tired of the young duke’s dissolute behaviour and ashamed of his illegitimate birth, a group of traitorous barons force their way into his castle. While William survives their assassination attempt, his days of leisure are over. He’ll need help from the king of France to secure his dukedom from the rebels.

On the other side of the English Channel lives ten-year-old Ælfgifa, the malformed and unwanted youngest sister to the Anglo-Saxon Jarl, Harold Godwinson. Ælfgifa discovers powerful rivalries in the heart of the state when her sister Ealdgyth is given in a political marriage to King Edward, and she finds herself caught up in intrigues and political manoeuvring as powerful men vie for influence. Her path will collide with William’s, and both must fight to shape the future.

An Argument of Blood is the first of two sweeping historical novels on the life and battles of William the Conqueror.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | Chapters

About the Authors:

J.A. Ironside (Jules) grew up in rural Dorset, surrounded by books - which pretty much set her up for life as a complete bibliophile. She loves speculative fiction of all stripes, especially fantasy and science fiction, although when it comes to the written word, she's not choosy and will read almost anything. Actually it would be fair to say she starts to go a bit peculiar if she doesn’t get through at least three books a week. She writes across various genres, both adult and YA fiction, and it’s a rare story if there isn’t a fantastical or speculative element in there somewhere.

Jules has had several short stories published in magazines and anthologies, as well as recorded for literature podcasts. Books 1 and 2 of her popular Unveiled series are currently available with the 3rd and 4th books due for release Autumn/ Winter 2017.

She also co-authored the sweeping epic historical Oath and Crown Duology with Matthew Willis, released June 2017 from Penmore Press.

Jules now lives on the edge of the Cotswold way with her boyfriend creature and a small black and white cat, both of whom share a god-complex.

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Blog Tour Guest Post: The Sons of Godwine by Mercedes Rochelle

Please join me in welcoming Mercedes Rochelle back to Let Them Read Books! (Check out her first guest post about Edmund Ironside.) Mercedes is touring the blogosphere with her new novel, The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls, and she's here today with a guest post about William the Conqueror's claim to the English throne. Read on and enter to win a copy of The Sons of Godwine!

Emerging from the long shadow cast by his formidable father, Harold Godwineson showed himself to be a worthy successor to the Earldom of Wessex. In the following twelve years, he became the King’s most trusted advisor, practically taking the reins of government into his own hands. And on Edward the Confessor’s death, Harold Godwineson mounted the throne—the first king of England not of royal blood. Yet Harold was only a man, and his rise in fortune was not blameless. Like any person aspiring to power, he made choices he wasn’t particularly proud of. Unfortunately, those closest to him sometimes paid the price of his fame.

This is a story of Godwine’s family as told from the viewpoint of Harold and his younger brothers. Queen Editha, known for her Vita Ædwardi Regis, originally commissioned a work to memorialize the deeds of her family, but after the Conquest historians tell us she abandoned this project and concentrated on her husband, the less dangerous subject. In THE SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY, I am telling the story as it might have survived had she collected and passed on the memoirs of her tragic brothers.

This book is part two of The Last Great Saxon Earls series. Book one, GODWINE KINGMAKER, depicted the rise and fall of the first Earl of Wessex who came to power under Canute and rose to preeminence at the beginning of Edward the Confessor’s reign. Unfortunately, Godwine’s misguided efforts to champion his eldest son Swegn recoiled on the whole family, contributing to their outlawry and Queen Editha’s disgrace. Their exile only lasted one year and they returned victorious to London, though it was obvious that Harold’s career was just beginning as his father’s journey was coming to an end.

Harold’s siblings were all overshadowed by their famous brother; in their memoirs we see remarks tinged sometimes with admiration, sometimes with skepticism, and in Tostig’s case, with jealousy. We see a Harold who is ambitious, self-assured, sometimes egocentric, imperfect, yet heroic. His own story is all about Harold, but his brothers see things a little differently. Throughout, their observations are purely subjective, and witnessing events through their eyes gives us an insider’s perspective.

Harold was his mother’s favorite, confident enough to rise above petty sibling rivalry but Tostig, next in line, was not so lucky. Harold would have been surprised by Tostig’s vindictiveness, if he had ever given his brother a second thought. And that was the problem. Tostig’s love/hate relationship with Harold would eventually destroy everything they worked for, leaving the country open to foreign conquest. This subplot comes to a crisis in book three of the series, FATAL RIVALRY.

WHO PROMISED DUKE WILLIAM THE CROWN?

by Mercedes Rochelle

That is one of the most debated questions in Pre-Conquest history, with no answer in sight. Was William's claim to the English throne the result of wishful thinking? Was he promised the crown directly by King Edward, or was the offer presented by a third party? Did Harold Godwineson even know about William's designs on the throne when he made his fateful visit to Normandy in 1064?

Spotlight: Castles, Customs, and Kings Volume Two

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

Publication Date: September 30, 2015

Madison Street Publishing

Hardcover, Paperback, eBook; 598 Pages

Genre: History

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

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

Visit the English Historical Fiction Authors blog & Facebook page.

“Thoroughly enjoyable and diverse…leisure reading for any history fan.” – Elizabeth Chadwick, on Castles, Customs, and Kings (Volume 1)

AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY | KOBO

Blog Tour Guest Post: The Outlander King by Hilary Rhodes

Please join me in welcoming Hilary Rhodes to Let Them Read Books! Hilary is touring the blogosphere with her historical fiction novel The Outlander King, gearing up for the release of the sequel, The Conqueror's Bane, and I'm pleased to have her here today talking about William the Conqueror and her journey to writing his story. Read on and enter for a chance to win an ebook copy of The Outlander King!

The story of The Lion and the Rose and the Norman Conquest continues in this spellbinding new historical fiction series from author Hilary Rhodes, pulling back the curtain on the lives of two remarkable women connected across centuries: Aislinn, a seventeen-year-old English girl caught up in the advancing army of the “outlander king,” the man who will become known to history as William the Conqueror. Thrust into the center of the new Norman court and a dizzying web of political intrigue and plotting princes, she must choose her alliances carefully in a game of thrones where the stakes are unimaginably high. Embroiled in rebellions and betrayals, Aislinn learns the price of loyalty, struggles to find her home, and save those she loves – and, perhaps, her own soul as well.

Almost nine hundred years later in 1987, Selma Murray, an American graduate student at Oxford University, is researching the mysterious “Aethelinga” manuscript, as Aislinn’s chronicle has come to be known. Trying to work out the riddles of someone else’s past is a way for Selma to dodge her own troubling ghosts – yet the two are becoming inextricably intertwined. She must face her own demons, answer Aislinn’s questions, and find forgiveness – for herself and others – in this epically scaled but intimately examined, extensively researched look at the creation of history, the universality of humanity, and the many faces it has worn no matter the century: loss, grief, guilt, redemption, and love.

I did not set out to write a book about William the Conqueror. (Much less several.)

I did not, in fact, intend to be studying medieval history, let alone at such a level that I am returning to the UK to start my doctorate in less than two weeks, or expect that my life for the last seven years would be so greatly defined by my involvement with the story that began with The Outlander King and its soon-to-be-released sequel, The Conqueror’s Bane (originally written as one book). And that, I suppose, was the best part.

But first, some background. Indeed, the origins of this exercise can be precisely dated: Friday, October 24, 2008, around five o’clock in the afternoon. What was happening on that day? For a start, I had recently achieved one of my life’s goals, which was to spend my junior year abroad at Oxford University, and I had joined my home college’s tutoring program for underprivileged London schoolchildren. Myself and two other students were putting on a workshop for them, and this workshop just so happened to cover the Normans. While this was something I had been interested in before, my knowledge of matters 1066 had gone lacking. So I scuffed up a few relevant facts and sallied forth.

Blog Tour Q&A with Eliza Redgold, Author of Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva

Please join me in welcoming Eliza Redgold to Let Them Read Books! Eliza is touring the blogosphere with her new book Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva, and I had the chance to ask her a few questions about writing about this legendary figure. Read on and take Eliza's challenge to guess the heroine of her next novel and you could win a copy of the book!

We know her name. We know of her naked ride. We don’t know her true story.

We all know the legend of Lady Godiva, who famously rode naked through the streets of Coventry, covered only by her long, flowing hair. So the story goes, she begged her husband Lord Leofric of Mercia to lift a high tax on her people, who would starve if forced to pay. Lord Leofric demanded a forfeit: that Godiva ride naked on horseback through the town. There are various endings to Godiva’s ride, that all the people of Coventry closed their doors and refused to look upon their liege lady (except for ‘peeping Tom’) and that her husband, in remorse, lifted the tax.

Naked is an original version of Godiva’s tale with a twist that may be closer to the truth: by the end of his life Leofric had fallen deeply in love with Lady Godiva. A tale of legendary courage and extraordinary passion, Naked brings an epic story new voice.

Hi Eliza! Welcome to Let Them Read Books!

What inspired you to write a novel about Lady Godiva?

I visited Coventry at Christmas time in 2011. The Christmas lights were up and it was beautiful. I made the visit to look for Lady Godiva as I'd started research for the book. In Coventry, I found her - Godiva's image was everywhere I turned.

I especially loved the Godiva trail where she took her ride. It's wonderful for fans to follow. The two cathedrals are also inspiring - the old and the new side by side - but I particularly experienced a strange feeling near the place where Godiva and Leofric are believed to be buried.  I hadn't known it existed. Their spirits are definitely still in the air.

Book Blast: The Lion and the Rose & The Outlander King by Hilary Rhodes

The Lion and the Rose (Book One: William Rising)

Publication Date: June 18, 2014
eBook; 338 Pages | ASIN: B00L4K5GKE Genre: Historical Fiction

 

The Lion and the Rose, Part One: William Rising is the first book in an epic historical saga from debut author Hilary Rhodes. Extensively researched and compellingly told, it introduces us to the passionate drama and violent upheaval of eleventh-century Europe. The world as we know it, and the English language, would have been vastly different were it not for the driving ambition of one man: William the Conqueror. But conquerors are made, not born, and William was made in fire and blood. How does a boy become a man, surviving a tumultuous and terrifying childhood? And how does that man become a legend? William Rising plunges us into this world of danger and betrayal, of choosing sides and dying for absolutes. It follows the creation of a conqueror, as he grows up abandoned, learns to fight at an early age for anything he hopes to keep, and is sculpted into a remorseless, far-sighted, ruthlessly efficient soldier and statesman. From his origins as an orphaned, penniless bastard boy, to his personal and political trials by fire, to the climactic battle with his rebellious barons where he finally comes of age, the young duke increasingly establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with. But as the shadowy intrigues of English politics, and the all-consuming question of an heir for a childless king, begin to draw him into their web, it may just be that William of Normandy has a destiny far greater than even he has ever dreamed.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ITUNES | KOBO

The Lion and the Rose (Book Two: The Gathering Storm)

Publication Date: September 29, 2014
eBook; 294 Pages | ASIN: B00O2E30GG
Genre: Historical Fiction

 

The Lion and the Rose: William Rising introduced us to the young William, Duke of Normandy, and his treacherous and terrible childhood, beset by battles, betrayals, and heartbreak, as he fought his own barons to survive and claim his birthright. The Gathering Storm plunges us even deeper into the violent upheaval and passionate drama of his unfolding story. Now twenty-two, William has won his most pivotal battle and taken control of his inheritance, but impossible struggles loom as he fights to put Normandy back together -- and very few of his enemies are actually defeated. Furthermore, across the Channel, the question of an heir for a childless king begins to loom large, and the ruthless and scheming Godwin, Earl of Wessex, will stop at nothing to claim it for his family. Written with the same meticulous historical research and flair by debut author Hilary Rhodes, The Gathering Storm raises the stakes to the utmost level, and a crown and a kingdom hang in the balance. In these pages, lords rise and fall, England and Normandy are drawn into a perilous collision course, bishops, barons, dukes, queens, and earls play a dangerous game of power and glory, and those who are not strong enough are trampled underfoot. The crows circle and the banners are raised, and the last Saxon king and the greatest Norman duke are destined to face each other in a battle that will change the course of history.

Book Blast! Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold

NAKED: A NOVEL OF LADY GODIVA

by ELIZA REDGOLD

Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Formats: Ebook, Paperback
Pages: 320
Genre: Historical Fiction



We know her name. We know of her naked ride. We don’t know her true story.

We all know the legend of Lady Godiva, who famously rode naked through the streets of Coventry, covered only by her long, flowing hair. So the story goes, she begged her husband Lord Leofric of Mercia to lift a high tax on her people, who would starve if forced to pay. Lord Leofric demanded a forfeit: that Godiva ride naked on horseback through the town. There are various endings to Godiva’s ride, that all the people of Coventry closed their doors and refused to look upon their liege lady (except for ‘peeping Tom’) and that her husband, in remorse, lifted the tax.

Naked is an original version of Godiva’s tale with a twist that may be closer to the truth: by the end of his life Leofric had fallen deeply in love with Lady Godiva. A tale of legendary courage and extraordinary passion, Naked brings an epic story new voice.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKS-A-MILLION | ITUNES | INDIEBOUND | KOBO

ADVANCE PRAISE

“Redgold’s variation on this enticing legend is often lyrical and offers a satisfying blend of history, lore, and romance.” (Booklist)

“Breathes new life into the story of the woman who would stop at nothing to protect her land and people.” (Romantic Times)

“NAKED delivers far more than the famous ride of Lady Godiva. It’s a beautifully woven story of love, loyalty, and the determination of a young woman trying to protect her people and their way of life, no matter the price. Godiva is a wonderfully strong woman in an age of dangerous men, and in NAKED, she certainly meets her match!” (Amalia Carosella, author of HELEN OF SPARTA)

“A wonderful, romantic retelling of the Lady Godiva legend. There is the colorful Anglo-Saxon backdrop, warriors, battles, peacemaking, desire, revenge and love – everything a fan of medieval romance could desire – plus a strong-willed heroin. Written with a lyrical lilt to her prose, Redgold adds realism to the myth and love to the lusty tale, allowing readers a glimpse into what might have been.” (RT Book Reviews)

Blog Tour Guest Post by Mercedes Rochelle, Author of Godwine Kingmaker

Please join me in welcoming Mercedes Rochelle back to Let Them Read Books! Mercedes was here last year with a Q&A about her novel, Heir to a Prophecy, and she's here today with a guest post about Edmund Ironside and her new novel, Godwine Kingmaker: Part One of The Last Great Saxon Earls. Read on and enter for a chance to win a paperback copy!

Publication Date: April 24, 2015 (US & UK)
Top Hat Books
Formats: Kindle eBook, Paperback
351 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction



READ AN EXCERPT.

Harold Godwineson, the Last Anglo-Saxon King, owed everything to his father. Who was this Godwine, first Earl of Wessex and known as the Kingmaker? Was he an unscrupulous schemer, using King and Witan to gain power? Or was he the greatest of all Saxon Earls, protector of the English against the hated Normans? The answer depends on who you ask. He was befriended by the Danes, raised up by Canute the Great, given an Earldom and a wife from the highest Danish ranks. He sired nine children, among them four Earls, a Queen and a future King. Along with his power came a struggle to keep his enemies at bay, and Godwine’s best efforts were brought down by the misdeeds of his eldest son Swegn. Although he became father-in-law to a reluctant Edward the Confessor, his fortunes dwindled as the Normans gained prominence at court. Driven into exile, Godwine regathered his forces and came back even stronger, only to discover that his second son Harold was destined to surpass him in renown and glory.

Edmund Ironside, Hero or Fool?

by Mercedes Rochelle

Edmund Ironside’s foray into written history was as dynamic as it was brief. 1016 was a pivotal year for England, as we see the death of two kings and an awful lot of Danish activity. By the time King Aethelred the Unready died in April of that year, Canute was entrenched in Wessex, with London as his aim. Edmund was declared Aethelred’s successor and immediately set about to bring Wessex back to fold, so to speak. He was generally successful in finding men willing to fight for him, and giving Canute a run for his money.

Blog Tour Q&A: The Splintered Kingdom

Please join me in welcoming author James Aitcheson to Let Them Read Books! James is touring the blogosphere to celebrate the US publication of the second novel in his Norman Conquest trilogy, and I got the chance to ask James a few questions about bringing this tumultuous time period to life. Read on and enter to win a copy of The Splintered Kingdom!

The brilliant second novel in James Aitcheson’s trilogy of the Norman Conquest of England.

Summer, 1070. Renowned for his valor in the battle for York, Tancred a Dinant is now a lord in his own right, with knights of his own to command and a manor to call home in the turbulent Welsh borderlands. But his hard-fought gains are soon threatened, as a coalition of enemies both old and new prepares to march against King William.

With English, Welsh and Viking forces gathering, and war looming, the Normans are forced to make common cause with some unlikely allies in defence of their newly conquered realm. For Tancred, meanwhile, there are also enemies closer to home: Norman barons envious of his fame, who regard him as a threat to their own power and who are only too eager to see him brought low.

Amidst the turmoil, Tancred is chosen to spearhead a perilous expedition into the heart of Wales. Success will bring him glory beyond his dreams. Failure will mean the ruin of the reputation that he has worked so hard to forge. As shield-walls clash and the kingdom burns, not only is his destiny at stake, but also that of England itself.

A gripping tale of battle, honor, and vengeance, The Splintered Kingdom is an epic saga of the struggle for England—and through it, the western world.

*****

Thanks for joining us, James! What were the challenges of researching this time period?

The idea for a series set during the Norman Conquest came to me while I was studying History at Cambridge. That’s where I first became fascinated with the Middle Ages as a whole, and with this subject in particular. So when I began working on Sworn Sword, the first book in the Conquest Series, I already had a very good grounding in the period.

Even so, I found that there were many small details I still needed to research. While writing the series, I’ve read up on everything from the design of Norman longships to the practice of medieval medicine, musical instruments, food and drink, the different stages involved in the production of parchment, and even fashions in clothing and hairstyles.

Probably the biggest challenge that the historical novelist faces, though, is getting inside the heads of his characters. To write convincingly about the Middle Ages, you need to get into a medieval mindset, and understand their thought-world: that is to say, their attitudes towards religion, family and society. All of those things will have an impact on how your characters reason, speak and behave.

In many ways this is the hardest aspect to research, but it’s very necessary, since without this knowledge your characters can only ever come across as twenty-first century people dressed in period costume. One of the ways in which I tackle this is to go back to the primary sources: the original chronicles, poetry and other writings that provide us with the voices of the past, and which offer useful glimpses into the preoccupations of people living at the time.

Book Blast! 1066: What Fates Impose by G.K. Holloway

I'm excited to participate in a book blast for debut author G.K. Holloway as he tours the blogosphere for his historical fiction novel, 1066: What Fates Impose, from April 14 - May 2 with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Read on for more info about the book, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win!

Publication Date: March 4, 2013
Matador Publishing




King William then utters the following words to the room: "I appoint no one as my heir to the Crown of England, but leave it to the disposal of the Eternal Creator, whose I am and who orders all things. For I did not attain that high honour by hereditary right, but wrested it from the perjured King Harold in a desperate bloody battle."

England is in crisis. King Edward has no heir and promises never to produce one. There are no obvious successors available to replace him, but quite a few claimants are eager to take the crown. While power struggles break out between the various factions at court, enemies abroad plot to make England their own. There are raids across the borders with Wales and Scotland.

Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, is seen by many as the one man who can bring stability to the kingdom. He has powerful friends and two women who love him, but he has enemies will stop at nothing to gain power. As 1066 begins, England heads for an uncertain future. It seems even the heavens are against Harold.

Intelligent and courageous, can Harold forge his own destiny – or does he have to bow to what fates impose?