Tuesday, 8 April 2025

The Hag Stone: A Novel of Love and Loss During the Bubonic Plague by W.J. Small



The Hag Stone:
A Novel of Love and Loss During the Bubonic Plague
By W.J. Small 


Publication Date: 7th April 2025
Publisher: Heaton Gray LLC 
Page Length: 301 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Love, loss, redemption, betrayal, and the innate quest to survive as the Bubonic Plague ravages England.

England,1347. As mistress of Rowan Manor, Cecily Heaton leads an enviable life. Yet when she learns of her husband’s death and is forced from her home by her brother-in-law, she finds herself grief-stricken, abandoned, and alone.

After relying on the kindness of a childhood friend, Cecily suffers a shocking betrayal, leading her to question long-held beliefs. As her grief multiplies, she heads to York to forge a new life as a healer. During this time, the Bubonic Plague begins its deathly path through England, and Cecily must confront the inevitable choices of who will live, who will die, and what she is willing to sacrifice to reclaim the life she has lost.

The Hag Stone examines the role of women in medieval Europe, especially when the woman is widowed and childless; the emergence of the woman as healer; and the moral choices one must make in order to survive.

Pick up your copy of
The Hag Stone

W. J. Small


W. J. Small is a struggling runner, dog lover, and avid historian, focusing on late medieval Britain. 

When not enmeshed in the past, she splits her time between New York and South Carolina, where she lives with her husband, son, and two Jack Russell terriers.

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Ascent: A story of danger, adversity, and love (House of Normandy Book 1) by Cathie Dunn



Ascent: A story of danger, adversity, and love 
(House of Normandy Book 1)
By Cathie Dunn


Publication Date: 28th April 2022
Publisher: Ocelot Press
Page Length: 291 Pages
Genre: Viking Historical Romance / Historical Fiction

A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty – the House of Normandy

Neustria, Kingdom of the West Franks
AD 890

Fourteen-year-old Poppa’s life changes when Northmen land near Bayeux. Count Bérengar, her father, submits to them, and she is handfasted to Hrólfr, the Northmen’s heathen leader, as part of their agreement.

To her relief, Hrólfr leaves immediately in search of further conquest, only returning to claim her years later. In the face of retaliating Franks, they flee to East Anglia, where she gives birth to their son and daughter.

When Hrólfr and Poppa return to reclaim Bayeux, his new campaign strikes at the heart of Frankish power, and King Charles of the West Franks offers him a pact he cannot refuse. In exchange for vast tracts of land in Neustria, Hrólfr must convert to Christianity and accept marriage to Gisela, the king’s illegitimate daughter.

Poppa’s world shatters. She remains in Bayeux, with her daughter, Adela. When Gisela arrives one day, demanding she hand over Adela, to be raised in Rouen, Poppa’s patience is at an end. But Gisela makes for a dangerous enemy, and only one woman will survive their confrontation high up on the cliffs.

Will Poppa live to witness the dawn of a new era?

ASCENT is the first in a new series about the early women of the House of Normandy – women whose stories have been forgotten through time.

Until now!

Readers of Viking and medieval fiction will enjoy ASCENT, a fictional account of the life of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo the Viking.


FREE on #Kindle for a LIMITED TIME
Pick up your copy of
Ascent

Cathie Dunn



Cathie is an Amazon-bestselling author of historical fiction, dual-timeline, mystery, and romance. She loves to infuse her stories with a strong sense of place and time, combined with a dark secret or mystery – and a touch of romance. Often, you can find her deep down the rabbit hole of historical research…
 
In addition, she is also a historical fiction book promoter with The Coffee Pot Book Club, a novel-writing tutor, and a keen reviewer on her blog, Ruins & Reading.
 
After having lived in Scotland for almost two decades, Cathie is now enjoying the sunshine in the south of France with her husband, and her rescued pets, Ellie Dog & Charlie Cat. 

She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Richard III Society, the Alliance of Independent Authors, and the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

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Monday, 7 April 2025

Blog Tour: Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon by Helen Hollick with Kathy Hollick






Ghost Encounters: 
The Lingering Spirits of North Devon
By Helen Hollick with Kathy Hollick


Publication Date: 27th February 2025
Publisher: Taw River Press
Pages: 201Pages
Genre: Non-Fiction (with a bonus of two short stories)

Everyone assumes that ghosts are hostile. Actually, most of them are not.

You either believe in ghosts or you don’t. It depends on whether you’ve encountered something supernatural or not. But when you share a home with several companionable spirits, or discover benign ghosts in public places who appear as real as any living person, scepticism is abandoned and the myth that ghosts are to be feared is realised as nonsense.

It is a matter for individual consideration whether you believe in ghosts or not, but for those who have the gift to see, hear or be aware of people from the past, meeting with them in today’s environment can generate a connection to years gone by. Kathy and Helen Hollick have come across several such departed souls in and around North Devon and at their 18th-century home, which they share with several ‘past residents’.

In GHOST ENCOUNTERS: The Lingering Spirits Of North Devon, mother and daughter share their personal experiences, dispelling the belief that spirits are to be feared.

Ghost Encounters will fascinate all who enjoy this beautiful region of rural South-West England, as well as interest those who wish to discover more about its history... and a few of its ghosts.

(Includes a bonus of two short stories and photographs connected to North Devon)

Cover design: Avalon Graphics
Cover artwork: Chris Collingwood

Excerpt

Here in North Devon, spirits from the past might be encountered where they would be expected – on battle sites, in old pubs and inns, walking the corridors of old houses or lingering on the dockside where tall ships once dropped anchor. But they can also be found beside busy roads, strolling along quiet country lanes, and even keeping an eye on a busy modern car park. And lingering spirits are not limited to people, for animals remain among us as well. It is, I think, comforting to know that our loved ones – human and pets – are, in some way, still with us.

Whether you believe in the supernatural or not is a matter for individual consideration, but for those who have the gift to see, hear or be aware of people from the past, meeting with them in today’s environment can generate a connection to years gone by. Those who came before us and who chose to remain among us, whether strangers or relatives and ancestors, are to be welcomed, not feared.

Many of the encounters related in this narrative are personal in origin, not second-hand anecdotes or over-dramatised (and mostly unbelievable) tales to deliberately scare and frighten. Some of the private locations mentioned are inaccessible to public scrutiny, but there are enough public places, such as old pubs, villages and beaches, for ghost enthusiasts to explore, and maybe experience a friendly encounter or two.

Accompanied by photographs of some of the locations and animals featured in the text, Ghost Encounters will fascinate all who enjoy this beautiful region of South-West England, as well as interest those who wish to discover more about its history. And a few of its ghosts.

Find out more – and meet a few ghosts – in Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon

Pick up your copy of
Ghost Encounters
This title will be available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Helen & Kathy Hollick


Helen Hollick


Known for her captivating storytelling and rich attention to historical detail, Helen might not see ghosts herself, but her nautical adventure series, and some of her short stories, skilfully blend the past with the supernatural, inviting readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between the living and the dead blur. 

In addition to her historical fiction, Helen has written several short stories, further exploring themes of historical adventure or the supernatural with her signature style. Whether dealing with the echoes of the past or the weight of lost souls, her stories are as compelling as they are convincing. Through her work, she invites readers into a world where the past never truly lets us go.

Helen started writing as a teenager, but after discovering a passion for history, was published in the UK with her Arthurian Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy and two Anglo-Saxon novels about the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings, one of which, The Forever Queen (USA title – A Hollow Crown in the UK) became a USA Today best-seller. Her Sea Witch Voyages are nautical-based adventures inspired by the Golden Age of Piracy. She also writes the Jan Christopher cosy mystery series set during the 1970s, and based around her, sometimes hilarious, years of working as a North London library assistant.

Helen, husband Ron and daughter Kathy moved from London to Devon in January 2013 after a Lottery win on the opening night of the London Olympics, 2012. She spends her time glowering at the overgrown garden and orchard, fending off the geese, helping with the horses and, when she gets a moment, writing the next book...

Kathy Hollick


Diagnosed as severely dyslexic when she was ten, Helen pulled Kathy out of school at fifteen to concentrate on everything equine.

When not encountering friendly ghosts, Kathy's passion is horses and mental well-being. She started riding at the age of three, had her own Welsh pony at thirteen, and discovered showjumping soon after. Kathy now runs her own Taw River Equine Events, and coaches riders of any age or experience, specialising in positive mindset and overcoming confidence issues via her Centre10 accreditation and Emotional Freedom Technique training. EFT, or ‘tapping’, uses the body’s pressure points to aid calm relaxation and to promote gentle healing around emotional, mental or physical issues.

Kathy lives with her farmer partner, Andrew, in their flat adjoining the main farmhouse. She regularly competes at affiliated British Showjumping, and rides side-saddle (‘aside’) when she has the opportunity. She produces her own horses, several from home-bred foals.

She also has a fun diploma in Dragons and Dragon Energy, which was something amusing to study during the Covid lockdown.

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The AnaRose Chronicles: Action and Adventure Novellas (AnaRose Action and Adventure Novellas Book 4) by Mary Ann Bernal



The AnaRose Chronicles: Action and Adventure Novellas 
(AnaRose Action and Adventure Novellas Book 4)
By Mary Ann Bernal


Publication Date: 7th April 2025
Publisher: Whispering Legends Press
Genre: Thriller / Action & Adventure

Featuring AnaRose and the Templar’s Quest, AnaRose and Pharaoh’s Gold, AnaRose and Medusa’s Curse

Embark with AnaRose Preston on a riveting odyssey through the veiled annals of history. In her relentless pursuit, she encounters enigmas that challenge the boundaries of the known world. Each discovery is a dance with destiny, a clash against shadowy adversaries vying for power. AnaRose’s journey is a beacon of defiance, illuminating the path for those who dare to follow. Her saga is not just about the relics she seeks but the timeless tales they tell and the indomitable spirit required to keep such legends safe from those who misuse them. From the Templar’s dagger to Pharaoh’s gold and Medusa’s pendant, AnaRose races against time to protect history from dark forces. Will she unravel the secrets in time?

Pick up your copy of 
The AnaRose Chronicles Box Set

Mary Ann Bernal 



Mary Ann Bernal is a distinguished alumna of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she earned her degree in Business Administration. Her journey into the literary world reached a milestone with the 2009 publication of her debut novel in The Briton and the Dane series. Mary Ann’s repertoire extends beyond historical fiction, encompassing diverse genres, including a collection of contemporary short stories, a science fiction/fantasy novel, and thrilling action and adventure novellas.

Her latest literary contributions include “Crusader’s Path,” a poignant redemption tale amidst the tumult of the First Crusade; “Forgiving Nero,” a compelling exploration of familial dynamics in Ancient Rome; and the “AnaRose” adventure series, chronicling the daring escapades of a museum curator turned relic hunter.

A fervent advocate for the United States military since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has actively participated in letter-writing campaigns and various support initiatives. Her dedication to the military community garnered attention on “The Morning Blend” show on KMTV, Omaha’s CBS affiliate, and an interview with the Omaha World-Herald. As a celebrated author, she has graced numerous reader blogs and promotional platforms with her presence. Mary Ann cherishes her life in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where she continues to inspire through her written works.

Connect with Mary Ann:


Friday, 4 April 2025

Victory Gardens by Bill Hand



Victory Gardens
By Bill Hand


Publication Date: 18th August 2023
Publisher:  Historium Press
Page Length: 494 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

It's 1941 and something is buried in Eunice's garden.... It's Eunice!

Meet Connecticut Talker Tscharner - "Cat" to his friends. It's 1941 and he wants to serve his country, but a high school football injury has left him too crippled to sign up. He has dreams of sleuthing-but how can you make a living doing that in a small, quiet Carolina town? Besides, he's saddled with running his sick father's grocery store. But fate is preparing a hurricane of troubles: military wives are turning up dead and buried in their gardens. A poisoner is fixing her deadly charms on Cat's own family, and a ruthless German spy is sending convoy locations to an offshore U-boat, killing anyone who gets in his way.

Every one - victims and perpetrators - are people he knows, and many of them are ones he loves. Cat soon finds himself in the tangle of all three webs and must battle to expose them all to save himself, to serve his country, and to rescue his town.

Pick up your copy of
Victory Gardens


Bill Hand


In addition to his creative writing, Bill Hand is a historian and journalist and photographer for an online newspaper called New Bern Live and president of the North Carolina History Theater, a company emphasizing the history of North Carolina in its productions. He is also the inhouse playwright. A native of Indiana, who was raised in Pennsylvania and has been in New Bern since 1995, Bill lives with his wife, dogs and a bit too many cats. His published works include plays, regional histories and a fantasy novel, "The One Prince".

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The Whirlpools of Time (The Time Locket Book 1) by Anna Belfrage




The Whirlpools of Time
(The Time Locket Book 1)
By Anna Belfrage


Publication Date: 11th June 2021
Publisher: Timelight Press
Page Length: 388 Pages
Genre: Time Travel Romance, Scottish Historical Romance

He hoped for a wife. He found a companion through time and beyond.

It is 1715 and for Duncan Melville something fundamental is missing from his life. Despite a flourishing legal practice and several close friends, he is lonely, even more so after the recent death of his father. He needs a wife—a companion through life, someone to hold and be held by. What he wasn’t expecting was to be torn away from everything he knew and find said woman in 2016…

Erin Barnes has a lot of stuff going on in her life. She doesn’t need the additional twist of a stranger in weird outdated clothes, but when he risks his life to save hers, she feels obligated to return the favour. Besides, whoever Duncan may be, she can’t exactly deny the immediate attraction.

The complications in Erin’s life explode. Events are set in motion and to Erin’s horror she and Duncan are thrown back to 1715. Not only does Erin have to cope with a different and intimidating world, soon enough she and Duncan are embroiled in a dangerous quest for Duncan’s uncle, a quest that may very well cost them their lives as they travel through a Scotland poised on the brink of rebellion. 

Will they find Duncan’s uncle in time? And is the door to the future permanently closed, or will Erin find a way back?

Pick up your copy of
The Whirlpools of Time

Anna Belfrage


Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history 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 also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.

More recently, Anna has been hard at work with her Castilian series. The first book, His Castilian Hawk, published in 2020, is set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales. His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. In the second instalment, The Castilian Pomegranate, we travel with the protagonists to the complex political world of medieval Spain, while the third, Her Castilian Heart, finds our protagonists back in England—not necessarily any safer than the wilds of Spain! The fourth book, Their Castilian Orphan, is scheduled for early 2024.

Anna has recently released Times of Turmoil, the sequel to her 2021 release, The Whirlpools of Time. Here she returns to the world of time travel. Where The Whirlpools of Time had Duncan and the somewhat reluctant time-traveller Erin navigating the complexities of the first Jacobite rebellion in Scotland, in Times of Turmoil our protagonists are in Colonial Pennsylvania, hoping for a peaceful existence. Not about to happen—not in one of Anna’s books!

All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Readers’ Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.

Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com.

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Thursday, 3 April 2025

A Necessary Killing (William Constable Spy Thriller series Book 2) by Paul Walker


A Necessary Killing
(William Constable Spy Thriller series Book 2)
By Paul Walker


Publication Date: 23rd October 2019
Publisher: Sharpe Books 
Page Length: 279 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

1579.

William Constable - physician and unwilling spy - is in Plymouth waiting to sail to the New World. The expedition, led by renowned explorers and traders, John Hawkins and Sir Humphrey Gilbert, has already suffered birth pangs.

William's friend, Captain Charles Wicken, is accused of killing the son of a wealthy merchant, but the testimonies appear suspect. When William learns that Wicken is one of Walsingham’s agents he uncovers evidence to suggest the murder and Wicken’s naming are designed to conceal a plot of invasion - backed by Rome and Spain.

The sailing of the expedition's fleet is delayed while this threat is examined. William is despatched to St Malo, the lawless haunt of corsairs, to investigate. His betrothed, Helen Morton, together with the fleet, wait for his return.

Malign forces conspire to prevent William from carrying vital intelligence back to Plymouth.

William must evade enemy agents and unravel a tangle of duplicity if he is to survive - and prevent the invasion.

Pick up your copy of
 A Necessary Killing

Paul Walker


Paul is married and lives in a village 30 miles north of London. Having worked in universities and run his own business, he is now a full-time writer of fiction and part-time director of an education trust. His writing in a garden shed is regularly disrupted by children and a growing number of grandchildren and dogs.

Paul writes historical fiction. He inherited his love of British history and historical fiction from his mother, who was an avid member of Richard III Society. The William Constable series of historical thrillers is based around real characters and events in the late sixteenth century. The first two books in the series - "State of Treason" and "A Necessary Killing" - were published in 2019. The third book, titled, "The Queen’s Devil", was published in the summer of 2020.

He took a diversion to the early 20th century and wrote a thriller based at the peace conference in Paris at the end of the First World War. "A Turbulent Peace" was published in 2022. Now, it's back to the sixteenth century and more Elizabethan intrigue for William Constable and his confederates.

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AnaRose and Medusa’s Curse by Mary Ann Bernal

  

AnaRose and Medusa’s Curse
By Mary Ann Bernal


Publication Date: 18th January 2025
Publisher: Whispering Legends Press
Page Length: 91 Pages
Genre: Thriller

A feared artifact. An ancient curse. A menacing enemy. 

Join AnaRose Preston, a savvy museum curator and antiquity expert, as she confronts the ticking clock of destiny. In a desperate bid to foil a malevolent organization’s hunt for the dreaded Medusa pendant, AnaRose plunges into a labyrinth of peril and treachery. Can she derail their nefarious plans with her sharp intellect and indomitable courage? Or will she witness the dawn of an era frozen in stone by terror?

Pick up your copy of
 AnaRose and Medusa’s Curse

Mary Ann Bernal is a distinguished alumna of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she earned her degree in Business Administration. Her journey into the literary world reached a milestone with the 2009 publication of her debut novel in The Briton and the Dane series. Mary Ann’s repertoire extends beyond historical fiction, encompassing diverse genres, including a collection of contemporary short stories, a science fiction/fantasy novel, and thrilling action and adventure novellas.

Her latest literary contributions include “Crusader’s Path,” a poignant redemption tale amidst the tumult of the First Crusade; “Forgiving Nero,” a compelling exploration of familial dynamics in Ancient Rome; and the “AnaRose” adventure series, chronicling the daring escapades of a museum curator turned relic hunter.

A fervent advocate for the United States military since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has actively participated in letter-writing campaigns and various support initiatives. Her dedication to the military community garnered attention on “The Morning Blend” show on KMTV, Omaha’s CBS affiliate, and an interview with the Omaha World-Herald. As a celebrated author, she has graced numerous reader blogs and promotional platforms with her presence. Mary Ann cherishes her life in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where she continues to inspire through her written works.

Connect with Mary Ann: