MJ Porter, author

Pagan Warrior is on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club #blogtour – check out the posts for day 9

I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.

Pagan Warrior is the story of the battle of Hædfeld, fought in the seventh century between the Northumbrians, and you got it, the Mercians – or rather, Cadwallon of Gwynedd but with Penda of Mercia as his firm ally. You can find more details here.

I might have written this book many years ago, but it’s had a refresh, and is now available in audio, narrated by the fabulous, Matt Coles, as is the second book, Pagan King. Warrior King will be coming later this year in audio.

Now that all three books have been ‘refreshed’ you can read in ebook or paperback, and the books are available from all good ebook/paperback sellers. Check out my latest tiktok video to see Warrior King in paperback:)

You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising. Next Tuesday is the final day, and I’m going to be running a competition so pop back and see what’s happening.

For May 9th, check out

The Book Delight

An excerpt on

The Celtic Lady Reviews

For May 2nd, check out the review on

Stuart Rudge’s Official Blog

And a guest post on who King Edwin of Northumbria was over on

When Angels Fly

For April 25th, check out a post about Penda of Mercia.

The Magic of Word(l)ds

Read an excerpt featuring Eowa, Penda’s brother on

Judith Arnopp’s Official Blog

And, read an excerpt featuring Penda on

Carolyn Hughes Official Blog

For April 18th, I answered Paul Walker’s questions on his blog

Paul Walker’s Official Blog

There’s an except over on Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog featuring King Edwin

Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog

And a fabulous review on Ruins and Readings

Ruins and Readings

For April 11th, read a guest post about how we know, what we know, about the seventh century.

Deborah Swift’s Official Blog

And a fabulous author interview over on

The Writing Desk

For April 4th, read an excerpt on

Elizabeth St John’s Official Blog

And read about warfare in the Saxon period on

Brook Allan’s Official Blog

For March 28th, check out a fabulous review on

https://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/pagan-warrior/

A guest post about Mercia in the later eighth century on the Historical Fiction Blog.

https://historicalfictionblog.com/pagan-warrior-guest-post/

And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.

maryannbernal.blogspot.com

For March 21st check out a post about two of the royal residences of Bernicia at the time, Bamburgh and Ad Gefrin (Yeavering). (There are lots of photos, thank you to Helen Hollick for uploading them all).

Let Us Talk of Many Things

And a review from

Candlelight Reading

From March 14th, check out my author interview over on Archaeolibrarian.

Archaeolibrarian

I’m sharing an excerpt over on The Historical Fiction Company.

The Historical Fiction Company

I’ve written a piece about the historical background on Pam Lecky’s official blog.

Pam Lecky’s Official Blog

King of Kings, and the coronation of England’s first king

Athelstan, widely regarded as the first king of the ‘English’ or the first king of England, is one of the main characters in King of Kings. And indeed, the book opens with Athelstan undergoing his coronation. Before his reign, the ruling House of Wessex hadn’t been proclaimed as England’s kings. King Alfred (879-899), Athelstan’s grandfather, was termed the king of the Angles and Saxons (in a charter from 889 known as S346^[I]). His son, Edward the Elder, was the king of the Anglo-Saxons, and whether this meant Wessex and Mercia combined has been much debated. But Athelstan was king of the English, (and this certainly included Wessex and Mercia, and parts of the Danelaw that had been reclaimed) and in a departure from earlier custom, was consecrated not with a warrior-helm, but instead with a crown.

Debate still rages as to whether the coronation ordo that has survived was written for Athelstan, his father, or even his nephew (Edgar (959-975), and indeed, whether it included provision for the king’s wife to be consecrated beside him, but for King of Kings, I made use of what is known about the service and reimagined the ceremony for my readers. I hope you enjoy it. Read on for a short extract.

‘This means that only a year after my father’s untimely death, the kingdoms of Mercia, those parts of the East Anglian kingdom that my father lately reclaimed, Wessex and Kent, are reunited again under one ruler. The Saxons, or rather, the English, have just one king. And this is my moment of divine glory, when, before the men and women of the Mercian and Wessex witan, I’ll be proclaimed as king over all.

A prayer is intoned by the archbishop of Canterbury, Athelm, appealing to God to endow me with the qualities of the Old Testament kings: Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David and Solomon. As such, I must be faithful, meek, and full of fortitude and humility while also possessing wisdom. I hope I’ll live up to these lofty expectations.

I’m anointed with the holy oil and then given a thick gold ring with a flashing ruby to prove that I accept my role as protector of the one true faith. A finely balanced sword is placed in my hands, the work of a master blacksmith, with which I’m to defend widows and orphans and through which I can restore things left desolated by my foes, and my foes are the Norse.’

^[i] http://www.esawyer.org.uk/,

books2read.com/King-of-Kings

King of Kings is currently available with Prime Reading.

The River Thames in the Saxon period

In Eagle of Mercia, young Icel and his allies are busily guarding the River Thames against a potential Viking raider attack. The Viking raiders certainly made use of the many rivers running through England at the time (and throughout the British Isles), but the river was also significant as a very definitive and solid boundary between the Saxon kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia, which to the west, where the River Thames doesn’t flow, was continued by the earthworks known as the Wansdyke.

London, now the capital of the United Kingdom, wasn’t always as important as we might assume, and indeed, it wasn’t ever the capital of Wessex or Mercia. These two kingdoms fought most fiercely over the settlement. It wasn’t even overly important to the Romans, either. And this is why I’ve perhaps been remiss in not truly considering its significance. As rivers have changed their course over the years, so has the River Thames. And what’s most fascinating about the River Thames is that, seemingly for long periods during the Saxon era, it wasn’t navigable, as we might expect it to have been.

Map of Early England by Flintlock Covers

‘During this period, as perhaps as other times, there may well have been a division between use of the Thames in its today reach and use of it above the tidal head. Paleoenvironmental evidence suggests that a relative drop in river levels during the Roman period meant that the tidal head was perhaps as low as Londinium itself, but that it (and thereby the range of easy navigability) generally moved upstream during the Anglo-Saxon period. This trend was not, however, uniform, and there were also brief periods (such as the late tenth to eleventh centuries) when the tidal reach shifted back downstream again.’ p. 271

It seems then, that when considering London, or Londinium/Lundenwic/Londonia, we also need to be mindful of the era in the Saxon period that we’re writing about. For the first Viking age,

‘A combination of the seasonal (and presumably climatic) unreliability of riverine travel and the need on many occasions to travel upstream cannot have made it easy for the Vikings to use the Thames for shock offensives… and there is no clear example of a Viking force travelling by water up the Thames further than Fulham.’ p.278

Clues to how passable the River Thames might have been can be traced.

‘Without the construction of bridges, the river would have been impassable except by ferry, from its estuary as far as the lowest fording point, perhaps as low as Halliford near Shepperton, and between the various fording points. Even where the middle and upper stretches could be forded, such crossings were not guaranteed to be easy. Lechlade and Cricklade, two potentially treacherous upper Thames crossings, severely affected by flooding in winter were named Old English (ge)lad ‘difficult river crossing.’ p.279

As with all things, we should be wary of assuming that current conditions would have been prevalent in the past. The River Thames certainly falls into that category. So while, yes, it was certainly a decisive boundary between the Saxon kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia, on occasion, it wouldn’t have been as decisive as at others. This, I find fascinating, and just another of those ‘facts’ travellers to the Saxon era should be wary about. While we know (hopefully not a spoiler) that London was attacked in the 840s and 850s, prior to this, it might well have been impossible for the Viking raiders to attack in the way they were used to. This, perhaps, accounts for why they chose more coastal locations, such as the Isle of Sh.

Map by Flintlock Covers for Wolf of Mercia

(Quotes taken from Beyond the Burghal Hidage by Baker and Brookes)

Read Eagle of Mercia now.

https://books2read.com/EagleofMercia

Happy Release Day to Eagle of Mercia

Today is the day, book 4 in The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles is released into the wild. I’m really excited about this one:) And I can’t believe we’re already onto book 4.

Here’s the blurb:

A mercy mission in the heart of Wessex is beset with deadly, bloody dangers.

Tamworth AD831

Icel’s profile continues to rise. Lord of Budworth and warrior of Mercia, he’s acknowledged by King Wiglaf and his comrades to keep Mercia safe from the ravages of Wessex, the king-slayer of the East Angles, and the Viking raiders.
But, danger looms. Alongside Spring’s arrival comes the almost certain threat of the Viking raiders return.

When Lord Coenwulf of Kingsholm is apprehended by a Viking and held captive on the Isle of Sheppey in Wessex held Kent, Icel is implored by Lady Cynehild to rescue her husband.

To rescue Lord Coenwulf, Icel and his fellow warriors must risk themselves twice over, for not only must they overpower the Viking raiders, they must also counter the threat of Mercia’s ancient enemy, the kingdom of Wessex as they travel through their lands.

Far from home and threatened on all sides, have Icel and his fellow warriors sworn to carry out an impossible duty?

books2read.com/EagleofMercia

Available now in ebook, paperback and audio, the hardback should be with us shortly.

Read my release day post about the River Thames.

Read all about the Isle of Sheppey

Read my release day post on the Boldwood website about the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles.

I can let you know that book 5 is mostly written, and I know the title and I’ve seen the cover – I know, I’m such a tease. I will update when I can share more.

Check out the blog tour for Eagle of Mercia. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising and all the hosts for taking part. I will add the links each day. The initial reviews for Eagle are very positive, so I hope you’ll enjoy it too.

Reviewsfeed

David’s Book Blurg

Sharon Beyond the Books

Leanne Bookstagram

Bookish Jottings

Getting Stuck in the Past

Ruins and Reading

Amy McElroy

The Strawberry Post

Pagan Warrior is on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club #blogtour – check out the posts for day 8

I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.

You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.

For May 2nd, check out the review on

Stuart Rudge’s Official Blog

And a guest post on who King Edwin of Northumbria was over on

When Angels Fly

For April 25th, check out a post about Penda of Mercia.

The Magic of Word(l)ds

Read an excerpt featuring Eowa, Penda’s brother on

Judith Arnopp’s Official Blog

And, read an excerpt featuring Penda on

Carolyn Hughes Official Blog

For April 18th, I answered Paul Walker’s questions on his blog

Paul Walker’s Official Blog

There’s an except over on Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog featuring King Edwin

Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog

And a fabulous review on Ruins and Readings

Ruins and Readings

For April 11th, read a guest post about how we know, what we know, about the seventh century.

Deborah Swift’s Official Blog

And a fabulous author interview over on

The Writing Desk

For April 4th, read an excerpt on

Elizabeth St John’s Official Blog

And read about warfare in the Saxon period on

Brook Allan’s Official Blog

For March 28th, check out a fabulous review on

https://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/pagan-warrior/

A guest post about Mercia in the later eighth century on the Historical Fiction Blog.

https://historicalfictionblog.com/pagan-warrior-guest-post/

And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.

maryannbernal.blogspot.com

Let Us Talk of Many Things

And a review from

Candlelight Reading

From March 14th, check out my author interview over on Archaeolibrarian.

Archaeolibrarian

I’m sharing an excerpt over on The Historical Fiction Company.

The Historical Fiction Company

I’ve written a piece about the historical background on Pam Lecky’s official blog.

Pam Lecky’s Official Blog

Happy publication day to Kelly Evans and Turning the World to Stone: The Life of Caterina Sforza #newrelease #lostwomenofhistory

I’m delighted to wish my fellow Medieval Maverick happy release day with her new book, Turning the World to Stone. It’s a goodie:)

Here’s the blurb

Vilified by history, Caterina Sforza learned early that her life was not her own. Married at age ten, she was a pawn in the ever-changing political environment of Renaissance Italy.

Resigned to her life as a fifteenth-century wife, Caterina adapted to the role she was expected to play: raising and educating her children, helping the poor in her new home, and turning a blind eye to her husband’s increasingly shameful behaviour. But Fate had other plans for her, and soon Caterina’s path would be plagued by murder, betrayal, and heartbreak.

“Could I write all, the world would turn to stone.”

Buy on Amazon

UK US

Meet the author

I started writing in high school and have always been fascinated by history, eventually earning a degree in the subject. The merging of the two came naturally when I started writing full time a few years ago.

In my alternate identity as Lady Matilda, I post satirical articles on managing your medieval manor during the Black Death.

I’ve just released my new historical fiction novel, Unfinished: The Inspired Life of Elisabetta Sirani, the tragic story of Maestra Sirani, a Seventeenth-Century artist who died young of a mysterious illness. I’m currently researching the life of Caterina Sforza for my next book.

https://kellyaevans.com

Read an excerpt on Kelly’s website

https://linktr.ee/kellyevansauthor

Today I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for a new historical mystery, Covert in Cairo by Kelly Oliver #blogtour #BoldwoodBooks

Here’s the blurb:

Cairo. December 1917.

Following a tip-off from notorious spy Fredrick Fredricks, Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane of British Intelligence find themselves in the hustle and bustle of Egypt. But ancient mummies aren’t the only bodies buried in the tombs of Cairo.

When a young French archeologist is found dead in a tomb in the desert with his head bashed in, and an undercover British agent goes missing, the threat moves closer to home.

As they dig deeper, soon Fiona and Kitty uncover a treasure trove of suspects, including competing excavators, jealous husbands, secret lovers, and belligerent spies! Fiona wonders if the notorious Fredrick Fredricks could be behind the murders? Or is the plot even more sinister?

One thing is clear – If Fiona and Kitty can’t catch the killer, they might end up sharing a sarcophagus with Nefertiti.

With humor as dry as the Arabian desert, and pacing as fast as a spitting camel, Fiona and Kitty are back in another sparkling adventure, this time in WW1 Egypt.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3iB6WGd

My Review

Covert in Cairo is an enjoyable trip to Cairo in December 1917. Fiona Figg is on a mission to prevent the Suez Canal from being attacked, as she finds a Cairo overrun with British troops, very much a Britain away from home, complete with good tea and marmalade.

As in the previous book, Fiona Figg longs to make a name for herself and finally win free from the confines of being a file clerk at the War Office, but not everything goes her way. Kitty Lane is on hand to add her skills to the investigation, and Clifford, their chaperone, but really, a man with an eye for the ladies and very much embodying all that was wrong in the thinking of an early twentieth-century man, including thinking women were fragile, can add his skills as well, most notably being able to talk to anyone.

What ensues is a tale of murder, antiquities, camels and donkeys, night-time shenanigans, and an all-round good mystery.

An enjoyable jaunt to the Cairo of the past, including several well-known historical personalities, and ensuring that Fiona must continue her pursuit of an errant spy and, as such, win-free from returning to dreary London for the time being.

Check out my review for book 1 in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery books Chaos at Carnegie Hall

Meet the Author

Kelly Oliver is the award-winning, bestselling author of three mysteries series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, and the historical cozies The Fiona Figg Mysteries, set in WW1. She is also the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She is bringing new titles in the Fiona Figg series to Boldwood, the first of which, Chaos in Carnegie Hall, will be published in November 2022.

Connect with Kelly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyoliverauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kellyoliverbook

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kelly-oliver

Follow the Covert in Cairo blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources

Pagan Warrior is on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club #blogtour – check out the posts for day 7

I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.

You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.

For April 25th, check out a post about Penda of Mercia.

The Magic of Word(l)ds

Read an excerpt featuring Eowa, Penda’s brother on

Judith Arnopp’s Official Blog

And, read an excerpt featuring Penda on

Carolyn Hughes Official Blog

For April 18th, I answered Paul Walker’s questions on his blog

Paul Walker’s Official Blog

There’s an except over on Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog featuring King Edwin

Wendy J Dunn’s Official Blog

And a fabulous review on Ruins and Readings

Ruins and Readings

For April 11th, read a guest post about how we know, what we know, about the seventh century.

Deborah Swift’s Official Blog

And a fabulous author interview over on

The Writing Desk

For April 4th, read an excerpt on

Elizabeth St John’s Official Blog

And read about warfare in the Saxon period on

Brook Allan’s Official Blog

For March 28th, check out a fabulous review on

https://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/pagan-warrior/

A guest post about Mercia in the later eighth century on the Historical Fiction Blog.

https://historicalfictionblog.com/pagan-warrior-guest-post/

And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.

maryannbernal.blogspot.com

Let Us Talk of Many Things

And a review from

Candlelight Reading

From March 14th, check out my author interview over on Archaeolibrarian.

Archaeolibrarian

I’m sharing an excerpt over on The Historical Fiction Company.

The Historical Fiction Company

I’ve written a piece about the historical background on Pam Lecky’s official blog.

Pam Lecky’s Official Blog

#TheLastKing is 3 years old today. Join me in celebrating some of my more memorable creations

If you’ve been with Coelwulf, Rudolf, Icel, Edmund and Pybba since the beginning, then you’re probably with me in trying to work out how 3 years have gone by since the release of the first book. There are now seven books in all, the most recent, somewhat jokingly called The Last Seven, a name that stuck, as well as a short story collection, Coelwulf’s Company. Book 8, will hopefully, wind its way to you by the end of 2023 – unfortunately, young Icel has somewhat claimed my attention for much of the last 18 months with his own series, The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles.

If you’ve not yet discovered The Mercian Kingdom: The Ninth Century series, then you’ve in for a treat, as long as you’re not easily offended by foul language and violence.

Don’t forget to check out the short story collection, Coelwulf’s Company.

If you follow the link, here (to Bookfunnel) you can also download a copy of The New Recruit, a short story I wrote while working on The Last Seven.

The Last King books are available in ebook, paperback and hardback, and The Last King (book 1 ) is also available in audio.

The Last King is currently 99p/99c on Amazon UK/US for a limited time only.

Check out all the details for The Mercian Kingdom: The Ninth Century.

Today, I’m delighted to be reviewing The Wonderland Murders by Millie Ravensworth #BlogTour #CozyCrime

Here’s the blurb

A quirky and funny series for fans of a good mystery and compelling characters. Can you solve the crime before our dressmaking duo?

After losing her job at an exclusive London hotel, Penny Slipper is only too happy to help when her grandma asks her to take charge at the Cozy Craft sewing shop in charming rural Suffolk.

With cousin Izzy on hand as the expert dressmaker and Penny’s head for business, what can possibly go wrong?

But Penny’s in town for less than a day when the local librarian is poisoned and Penny fears she might even be accidentally responsible. Penny and Izzy are forced to turn detectives to uncover the true cause of death, while finishing a costume commission for their first customer.

Matters take a further deadly turn when a second body is discovered.

Can Penny and Izzy unpick the mysteries of the past and sew the pieces of this puzzle together before it’s too late?

If you enjoy fast-paced mysteries, charming country towns and characters who you want to spend hours with then you’re going to love the Cozy Craft Mystery series.

Start your next murder mystery adventure today!

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

Review

The Wonderland Murders is a delightful and very well-plotted contemporary cozy mystery set in Framingham, the UK.

Penny and Izzy are cousins thrown together by the illness of their mutual grandmother, who normally runs a crafting shop. Izzy is somewhat scatty and filled with new ideas. Penny is more down to earth and determined to make a profit from the shop. But no sooner has Penny arrived than a murder takes place in the local library. While they’re not obsessive about who is responsible, they do begin to consider who might have been to blame as they work on an Alice in Wonderland costume for the upcoming World books day for one of the librarians.

What ensues is so well-plotted and delightful that I genuinely didn’t guess the ending. These stories have a lovely lightness of touch, genuine warmth and humour throughout, and Izzy and Penny really complement each other as main characters.

I loved this first book so much that I’m busy devouring the rest of the series, and the series is consistently as enjoyable and delightful. I’m so glad I took a chance on The Wonderland Murders, and if you love a cozy crime, you won’t be disappointed, either.

Giveaway Prize – The Wonderland Murders, a cross stitch book, a floral notepad, a note writing set and a grass bunny.

https://kingsumo.com/g/h1kxu9/prize-for-cozy-mysteries-blog-tour

Meet the Author

Millie Ravensworth writes the Cozy Craft Mystery series of books. Her love of murder mysteries and passion for dressmaking made her want to write books full of quirky characters and unbelievable murders. Millie lives in central England where children and pets are something of a distraction from the serious business of writing, although dog walking is always a good time to plot the next book.

Connect with Millie

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