Blog Tour – Page 12

I’m delighted to welcome Katherine Mezzacappa and her book, The Ballad of Mary Kearney, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #IrishHistory #WomensFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Katherine Mezzacappa and her book, The Ballad of Mary Kearney, to the blog with an excerpt.

Excerpt

The Revd. Samuels Regrets Much but Tells Only his Diary

20th June 1766

I have this day done myself much harm, more than at other times, and the good Lord knows that I do not use His gifts as I should, but in truth I am much tried.

If I survive what I have done today, I must take this as a lesson and mend my ways.

The little bog-trotter called today with a message from Viscount Kilkeel, which he delivered to Meg as I had said I did not wish to be disturbed. She knows well enough that my company is the decanter and not the preparation of next Sunday’s sermon but as a good wife and obedient to me in all things she says nothing. But this time she taps the study door, and waits so that I may go through the pretence of putting by the claret, opening my books and dipping my quill in the inkstand.

The note, which I hope has not been read by those of the servants who can (which means the Chittleboroughs and that Swiss valet), bids me to receive one of his housemaids and please to instruct her in what is necessary that she should read, write and know her numbers as a good Christian child. Would that I were not the third son I am, and my father a plain English squire in ever reducing circumstances, for he did sire many without the wherewithal to provide elegantly for them. Thus my scholarship was hard-won, long years a servitor waiting at the Tufts’ table. The only living being on this island to know the extent of my humiliations is my poor Meg. Often has she asked me in trembling accents to give her leave to run a little school. Other parsons’ wives do this profitably and wisely, she says. But I have never wished my wife to serve anyone for that to me is too near what I was obliged to do to pay my way. And then comes this missive dashed off by his Lordship that I should letter some hoyden that he drops his breeches for now that there is no Lady Mitchelstown to tail!

So after our meal comes this child, scrubbed to the point of decency, I must say, dropping eyes and curtseys and ‘if it please you, sir’ and all coy manners. “No!” I hurl at her, “it pleases me not, but I must do as I am bid.” Meg comes at the noise but I shoo her away, though I know she stood trembling behind the door throughout. But I did wrong. I visited on that child all my rage and frustration. She merely stood in my path though she did not choose to be there. Does he tup her? I know not. It is none of my business to know. If he does, I should pity her, for no man of her class will want her after, and she shall be consigned to the Magdalen or given up for worse. I do not know how much native wit she might have that would permit her to learn from me, for in truth I gave her no opportunity, railing at her as I did. Nor can she have missed the reek of the claret. If he have ruined her she is sure to tell him all of this. His Lordship may be laughing at my expense even now. And yet, perhaps I have no justification for thinking ill of her. There was none of that tawdry pride of the fallen, none of the base cunning of those who think they have the upper hand for a brief time and so must make much of it. Nay, she cowered before me and took the blows I gave with tears but no protestations. Could she know that as she felt the sting of that crop that it was myself I really wished to punish? If she dissembled she did it so well—no, I believe she did not.

Bless my Meg for coming in as she did. I took myself to the yard and put my head under the pump. The fresh air and sunlight worked on my rage and self loathing, and with the shock of that cold water I found I could no longer contain myself but spewed all I held within over the cobbles. I took the pail and washed it away, and by my exertion, the expulsion of what was poisoning me, and copious draughts of that spring water, I came more or less to myself again, and so am face to face with my foolishness. The realisation that I cannot even hold my drink is itself merely another confirmation of the fact that I am not a gentleman and should not pass for such. And my actions in drink today were those of a lunatic. To think that I was so proud to have obtained this living.

My hope lies now only in poor Meg and her good offices with this child. Later, I went into the parlour and asked her as gently as I was able how she had found her pupil. She needed some encouragement, but I got out of her that the girl was biddable, quick in her wits once her tears were dried, and most desirous of coming here again. And the poor lady’s eyes I saw fill with tears of happiness when I heard myself say to her: “If it pleases you to instruct this girl, then let us consider also your little school.” She deserves some joy after so many years of disappointment that no child of our own ever came to stand at her knee. It seems it may take so little, if today I have really learned to be less proud.

*Image: Maghera Church*
*Maghera Church of Ireland church from the old cemetery*
*Image: Eric Jones. Wikimedia Commons*

Here’s the Blurb

‘I am dead, my Mary; the man who loved you body and soul lies in some dishonorable grave.’ In County Down, Ireland, in 1767, a nobleman secretly marries his servant, in defiance of law, class, and religion. Can their love survive tumultuous times?

‘Honest and intriguing, this gripping saga will transport and inspire you, and it just might break your heart. Highly recommended.’ Historical Novel Society

‘Mezzacappa brings nuance and a great depth of historical knowledge to the cross-class romance between a servant and a nobleman.’ Publishers Weekly.

The Ballad of Mary Kearney is a compelling must-read for anyone interested in Irish history, told through the means of an enduring but ultimately tragic love.

Buy Link

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Meet the Author

Katherine Mezzacappa is Irish but currently lives in Carrara, between the Apuan Alps and the Tyrrhenian Sea. She wrote The Ballad of Mary Kearney (Histria) and The Maiden of Florence (Fairlight) under her own name, as well as four historical novels (2020-2023) with Zaffre, writing as Katie Hutton. She also has three contemporary novels with Romaunce Books, under the pen name Kate Zarrelli.

Katherine’s short fiction has been published in journals worldwide. She has in addition published academically in the field of 19th century ephemeral illustrated fiction, and in management theory. She has been awarded competitive residencies by the Irish Writers Centre, the Danish Centre for Writers and Translators and (to come) the Latvian Writers House.

Katherine also works as a manuscript assessor and as a reader and judge for an international short story competition. She has in the past been a management consultant, translator, museum curator, library assistant, lecturer in History of Art, sewing machinist and geriatric care assistant. In her spare time she volunteers with a second-hand book charity of which she is a founder member. She is a member of the Society of Authors, the Historical Novel Society, the Irish Writers Centre, the Irish Writers Union, Irish PEN / PEN na hÉireann and the Romantic Novelists Association, and reviews for the Historical Novel Review. She has a first degree in History of Art from UEA, an M.Litt. in Eng. Lit. from Durham and a Masters in Creative Writing from Canterbury Christ Church. She is represented by Annette Green Authors’ Agency.

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Follow The Ballad of Mary Kearney blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

Check out my review for The Maiden of Florence

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I’m delighted to welcome Andrea Matthews and her book, The Cross of Ciarán, to the blog #TimeslipRomance #HistoricalRomance #CelticRomance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Andrea Matthews and her book, The Cross of Ciarán, to the blog.

Here’s the Blurb

When a fifth century pagan priest is unearthed in Ireland fifteen hundred years after being entombed, archaeologist Caitlin O’Connell is convinced it’s the find of the century. The body is in perfect condition, right down to the intricate tattoos adorning the Celt’s skin. In fact, if scientific data hadn’t proved otherwise, she would swear he hadn’t been interred more than a few hours.

Eager to discover more about the mysterious Celt, Caitlin accompanies the body back to the New York museum where she’s employed, but before she has time to study him, the priest disappears without a trace.

Rumors surrounding the event begin to circulate and result in the excavation’s benefactor pulling the plug on the entire expedition. The rumors are not far off the mark though.

After being buried alive for betraying his goddess and his priesthood in the dawning age of Christianity, Ciarán wakes to a strange new world. Alone and frightened in an unforgiving city, he stumbles upon the only thing familiar to him and seeks sanctuary within the church walls. With the help of the parish’s pastor, Father Mike, Ciarán slowly grows accustomed to his surroundings, though he’s plagued by dark dreams and the disturbing sensation that an evil from his past has followed him into the future.

But a more immediate danger lurks on his doorstep. Caitlin is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery concerning her missing Celt, and when she meets her Uncle Mike’s new handyman, Ciarán Donnelly, she’s convinced the handsome Irishman knows more about the theft than he’s letting on.

Yet, even she can’t deny the attraction between them, simmering below the surface and blurring the lines between her personal and professional life.

But will Ciarán’s secrets draw them together or shatter their future forever.

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This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

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Meet the Author

Andrea Matthews is the pseudonym for Inez Foster, a historian and librarian who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogical speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science, and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history.

She is the author of the Thunder on the Moor series set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Border, and the Cross of Ciaran series, where a fifteen hundred year old Celt finds himself in the twentieth century.

Andrea also writes historical mysteries under the pen name I. M. Foster. Her series A South Shore Mystery is set in the early 1900s on Long Island. She is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society.

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Follow The Cross of Ciaran blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

I’m delighted to welcome Susan Lanigan and her new book, White Feathers, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #IrishHistoricalFiction #saga #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Susan Lanigan and her new book, White Feathers, to the blog with guest post.

Guest Post

My Research Process

By Susan Lanigan

When I was constructing the narrative of White Feathers, I needed an outline, but I was not sure in advance of everything that would occur. The advantage of writing historical fiction is that you can use real events as the vines on the trees which my Tarzan plot could grasp onto and swing to the next tree. So, I looked up various battles of World War I – Loos, the Somme, Neuve-la-Chapelle – and threaded a narrative from them. Like many, I had been captivated by Vera Brittain’s memoir Testament of Youth, and while I think Brittain would probably have been a lot personally, my heart broke for what she endured, how her hope was destroyed and how she carried on regardless after hope was gone.

I owe Brittain a lot for the construction of Eva’s narrative, particularly when she was in Étaples working as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse. Brittain’s narrative of that time is captivating and contains so many details. I first learned of the stark tale of the sinking of HMHS Britannic in that book, and then did my own research on the subject. I also read the account of Mary Borden, who writes in a very modernist style. The section in White Feathers where the dying Canadian lieutenant begs for a drink is based on an account in her book The Forbidden Zone.

While my research on the battles was comprehensive, my true experience of researching was coming across random fascinating minutiae and feeling compelled to shoehorn them into the story. The pigeon van was one of these phenomena, discovered while wandering around the Musée de la Grande Guerre, built near Mons, with a monument to mark the battle there. It was the closest the Germans got to Paris. The white feather propaganda was fascinatingly horrifying, and I can only imagine what it was like to see those notices on every corner, how hard it must have been to maintain an ethical stance in the face of overwhelming institutional opposition to it. The priest who oversees the trial and confession of a particular character was a real person, as was the order to which he belonged.

The inevitable problem with research is that you must omit more than you include if you are to have a novel that approaches a publishable wordcount. I could have spent all day talking about the “Little Mother” letter quoted by Robert Graves in Goodbye to All That, or the internecine rivalry of the Pankhurst sisters. But in the end, it’s story that matters; it is the flowing dress with the pleasing detail and the research is the firm undergarment that keeps everything in shape beneath!

Here’s the Blurb

“Anti-war and anti-patriarchy without ever saying so – a bravura performance of effortless elegance” – Irish Echo in Australia

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD 2015

In 1913, Irish emigrée Eva Downey receives a bequest from an elderly suffragette to attend a finishing school. There she finds friendship and, eventually, love. But when war looms and he refuses to enlist, Eva is under family and social pressure to give the man she loves a white feather of cowardice. The decision she eventually makes will have lasting consequences for her and everyone around her.

Journey with Eva as she battles through a hostile social order and endeavours to resist it at every turn.

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Meet the Author

Susan Lanigan’s first novel White Feathers, a tale of passion, betrayal and war, was selected as one of the final ten in the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2013, and published in 2014 by Brandon Books. The book won critical acclaim and was shortlisted for the UK Romantic Novel of the Year Award in 2015. This edition is a reissue with a new cover and foreword.

Her second novel, Lucia’s War, also concerning WWI as well as race, music and motherhood, was published in June 2020 and has been named as the Coffee Pot Book Club Honourable Mention in the Modern Historical Book of the Year Award.

Susan lives by the sea near Cork, Ireland, with her family.

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Follow the White Feathers blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

It’s happy release day to Men of Iron, the first book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy #newrelease #MenOfIron #histfic

Listen to me waffle about it.

Listen to me read the intro to Men of Iron

(If you’re in my Facebook group, you can ‘see me’ but on the wider web my face is hidden:)) It is slightly filled with waffle.

Curious? Check out my blog for more details below

Blog links

The Dark Age Chronicles

https://mjporterauthor.blog/2015/03/28/a-discussion-of-early-anglo-saxon-sources/

Image shows a map of Early England showing the places mentioned in the text of the book — The Dark Age Chronicles Map

Purchase Link

books2read.com/Men-of-Iron

Image shows the book cover for Men of Iron by historical fiction author MJ Porter

Image shows the book cover for Warriors of Iron by hstorical fiction author MJ Porter

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It’s happy release day to Men of Iron, the first book in the Dark Age Chronicles Trilogy #newrelease #MenOfIron #histfic

The Dark Ages?

As a bit of a history nerd, I’m not always comfortable with the term ‘Dark Ages’ for my books, mostly because the ‘real’ Dark Ages took place between about 410 and 600 in England, and so, until NOW, my books haven’t strictly fallen into that category. (Also, as a very literal child, I entirely mistook what was meant by the Dark Ages, and I was always perplexed as to why it was so damn dark.)

Admittedly, many apply the term to almost all of the period of Saxon England, which is somewhat incorrect (and indeed it was once applied to the entire Middle Ages). The idea of the Dark Ages stems from a belief there was no scientific or cultural advancement during this period (according to Wiki), but particularly in regards to England it references the lack of surviving written records from the period.

Archaeology is massively changing this interpretation, and there is now an accepted view that much can be understood about the era, just not in the way ‘historians’ might think – the merging of archaeology and history (and other sciences) is rewriting the period. We’re no longer entirely reliant on two written sources, Gildas, and his De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae – On The Ruin of Britain (who may or may not have a cameo in Men of Iron), or Bede, (amongst historians often called ‘Bloody’ Bede) and his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum – History of the English People (as well as a few ‘odd’ earlier sources. Check out my blog post for more details.) It might be impossible to apply dates to developments, but it is possible to postulate what was actually happening during these ‘lost’ two hundred years, even if much of our knowledge must rely on finds from graves. It is also increasingly understood that this period was complex and that rarely does ‘one narrative’ adequately explain what was happening throughout England. This is a time before the major Saxon kingdoms, when much was in flux with cultures merging and endeavouring to survive with the loss of the Roman economy.

A new trilogy

And this is where my new trilogy enters stage left. This period fascinates me. I’ve been reading extensively about it for some time, and eventually managed to convince my editor (thank you) to let me tell ‘a‘ story of what ‘might‘ have been happening in this period. It can’t be based on any ‘named’ historical individuals (well, apart from one or two I’ve snuck in there as fictional creations) but it can attempt to populate this complex and little-understood period with people who lived and breathed, and I’m so excited to share it, with my readers. And guess what, it’s about what was ‘Mercia’ before it was ‘Mercia.’ (If you think you’re going to get me away from Mercia, you’re very mistaken.)

So how then to tell this story with so many cultures? I’ve taken the decision to offer a dual narrative, one from Meddi, my seeress in the west of England (close to Gloucester), and the other, Wærmund, my would-be-warrior from the east of England (the Fens). These two main characters allow me to explore the continuity and change taking place in what would become England. Their experiences as a seeress, as a warrior, and with the added complications of family discord driving their actions, ensure the characters from Men of Iron feel like ‘real people’ even in this distant, hazy landscape so similar and yet so different to everything we experience today. I really hope you’ll enjoy it. (I’m also very excited as I have dual narrators for this trilogy.)

Blog links

The Dark Age Chronicles

To what extent can we – or should we – select one date or event as ‘the end of Roman Britain’? #nonfiction

Purchase Link

books2read.com/Men-of-Iron

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I’m welcoming Chris Bishop and his new book, Oscar’s Tale, to the blog HistoricalFiction #AngloSaxon #Vikings #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Here’s the blurb

Oscar’s Tale is that of a Saxon boy who sets out to find and rescue his father who has been taken by Viking slavers.

The story begins in 877, just prior to the Viking attack on Chippenham in which King Alfred was routed. Against this backdrop, Oscar is obliged to set out on his all but impossible quest and quickly becomes embroiled in all that’s going on in Wessex at this turbulent time, culminating in him playing a small but important part in the battle at Edington.

But this is not just a story about blood thirsty battles and fearsome warriors, it’s about a boy struggling to live up to his father’s reputation as a warrior and trying to find his place in a dangerous and uncertain world. For that, he is forced to confront many dangers and earn the respect of others who are far above his station. Along the way he also finds love – albeit at a cost far higher than most would have been willing to pay.

‘For is it not the wish of every man that his son will achieve more in life than he did?’

Buy Link

https://books2read.com/u/bwQQ99

Meet the author

Chris was born in London in 1951. After a successful career as a Chartered Surveyor, he retired to concentrate on writing, combining this with his lifelong interest in Anglo Saxon history.

His first novel, Blood and Destiny, was published in 2017 and his second, The Warrior with the Pierced Heart, in 2018 followed by The Final Reckoning in 2019 and Bloodlines in 2020. Together they form a series entitled The Shadow of the Raven, the fifth and final part of which – The Prodigal Son – was published in 2023.

Chris has published numerous blogs about various aspects of Anglo Saxon history and is a member of the Historical Writers’ Association.

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I’m sharing my review for The Hero Virus by Russell Dumper #blogtour #bookreview #thriller

Here’s the blurb

The Hero Virus tells the thrilling story of Chris Taylor, who is hanging on to life by a thread. Recently widowed, his only reason to carry on is his faithful Labrador, but even that doesn’t stop his willingness to gamble with death every day. When his companion suffers a violent demise, Taylor thinks he has nothing left to live for, until he discovers he has chanced upon a precious gift… when he gets very ill.

The sickness gives him powers and, fairly soon, the authorities are swooping on to the ever-increasing list of cases. The Hero Virus might be different to other illnesses, but it’s no less dangerous. The effect it has on the world, though, is wildly different to any other virus that has come before. The unique reaction of the human body to infection means that everyone wants it. And some will do anything to get it.

How do you stop a pandemic when there are people who will kill for the virus? How do you stop people getting infected when they’re willing to die for it? How do you stop the infected when they have abilities nobody has ever seen before?

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hero-Virus-Russell-Dumper-ebook/dp/B0DYKN68M1/

https://www.amazon.com/Hero-Virus-Russell-Dumper-ebook/dp/B0DYKN68M1/

My Review

The Hero Virus by Russell Dumper is an intriguing novel. Our main character is miserable and alone, aside from his faithful Labrador, but alas, our poor grief-stricken main character is soon to be bereaved again (and slight trigger warning, because the scene is not an easy read), but days later, he wakes very changed.

What follows is an action-packed tale sure to appeal to fans of the genre and with a very interesting premise. The pacing is great and I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.

Meet the author

The Hero Virus is the second novel from Russell Dumper, after releasing Britannia Rises to widespread acclaim last year, winning him three categories in the 2024 Bookstagram Awards, for Debut Author, Thriller and Historical Fiction. He lives in the east of England with his family and still has many more books in the pipeline. Next, he will be concentrating on The Britannia Series, more of which will be released in the near future.

Author photo for Russell Dumper, author of The Hero Virus and Britannia Rises.

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I’m welcoming The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl by Susanne Dunlap to the blog #blogtour #RegencyRomance #BookReview

Here’s the blurb

A marriage of convenience to a scoundrel? Not if Augusta can help it.

The impoverished daughter of a baronet, Augusta has no intention of being bartered away like a prize horse. Instead, she flees to London, determined to forge her own path as a modiste.

But fate has other plans. On her very first day in the city, she crosses paths with a brooding earl—one burdened with a clubfoot and a reputation nearly as scandalous as the proposal she ran from. His captivating sister, Mariana, is not only Augusta’s employer’s best client but harbors a secret ambition of her own: to marry the one man society deems wholly unsuitable.

Drawn into Mariana’s reckless schemes of masquerades, cross-dressing, and Whig intrigue, Augusta soon finds herself entangled in more than just scandal—she’s losing her heart to a man who embodies everything she swore to escape.

But the earl has secrets of his own. Is he truly the rogue society believes him to be?

And when Augusta’s past comes calling, will her newfound independence—and her heart—survive?

A charming, fast-paced Regency romance perfect for fans of Bridgerton and the sweetly adventurous love stories of Maggie Dallen and Jenny Hambly.

Book Trailer

https://youtu.be/7l9IhkRwPEI

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dressmakers-Secret-Earl-Double-Dilemma-Romance-ebook/dp/B0DWMGDP6L

https://www.amazon.com/Dressmakers-Secret-Earl-Double-Dilemma-Romance-ebook/dp/B0DWMGDP6L

My Review

The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl is a Regency romance with a difference. Our main female character, Augusta, is strong-willed and determined to live a life free from the marriage union her aunt has arranged for her with an awful man who only wants her for her money. Our male main character, George, is doing his best to live by his rules, which aren’t necessarily what society expects from him, and he does his utmost to avert suspicion that he’s not the rake they believe him to be.

Add to this Mari, the earl’s sister, and someone who fast becomes Augusta’s only friend in London, and we’re set for an exciting journey through London society and some of its less salubrious locations, as all three endeavour to forge the lives for themselves that they desire.

The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl is a fast-paced tale of Regency London with main characters the reader quickly feels invested in. Fans of the genre will certainly enjoy it, as will those who are looking for something a little different, perhaps with more historical detail and a more varied stage for our main characters to occupy than might be expected.

Meet the author

Susanne Dunlap is the award-winning author of over a dozen historical novels, as well as an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir. Her love of history began in academia with a PhD in music history from Yale. Her novel THE PORTRAITIST won first prize in its category in the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, and was a finalist in the CIBA Goethe Awards and the Foreword Indies Awards. THE ADORED ONE: A NOVEL OF LILLIAN LORRAINE AND FLORENZ ZIEGFELD, won first place in its category in the 2023 CIBA Goethe Awards for Late Historical Fiction. Today, she lives, coaches, and writes in beautiful Biddeford, Maine.

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I’m delighted to welcome back Helen Hollick with Kathy Hollick and their book, Ghost Encounters, to the blog #GhostEncounters #Ghosts #NorthDevon #FriendlyGhosts #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome back Helen Hollick with Kathy Hollick and their book, Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon, to the blog with an excerpt.

Excerpt

Almost everyone assumes that ghosts are hostile and frightening. An assumption perpetuated by intentionally scary stories, religious taboo, movies and TV docu-drama ‘haunted house’ shows. Non-believers – in many cases, correctly – maintain that supernatural experiences are caused by hallucinations of various kinds, the brain visualising something odd into something explainable. But there does not seem to be any explanation for the same ‘ghosts’ being seen in the same place at different times by different people. And actually, the majority of souls that are encountered by genuine Mediums and Spiritualists are not nasty spooks out to scare us. It’s about time that the Hallowe’en image of fear and superstition was firmly set aside. Most ghosts are non-threatening, friendly and indifferent to our presence – or even as unaware of us as most of us are of them.

Kathy was nine when she first mentioned ‘something odd’. We were at a re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings at the English Heritage site of Battle Abbey in Sussex where I was researching the history of 1066 for my novel. (Harold the King UK title / I Am The Chosen King US title.) She asked why one of the men was not getting up like the other re-enactors, and when would they remove the dead horse? I made some non-committal answer, but began to wonder when she made the same comments, pointing to the same spots at events in successive years, one of which had no horses in the organised display. As an adult Kathy saw the same ‘bodies’ on our last visit in 2012. She knows exactly where King Harold II fell. (English Heritage have got it wrong.)

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

Here’s the Blurb

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

Buy Link

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This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the Authors

ABOUT 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…

ABOUT 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.

Connect with Helen

Connect with Kathy

Follow the Ghost Encounters blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

Posts

I’m delighted to welcome a returning Helen Golden to the blog with her new book, I Kill Always Love You. #bookreview #cosymystery #blogtour

Here’s the blurb

A perfect sunny getaway with no drama. Or so they’d hoped…

BREAKING NEWS Woman Taken in for Questioning in Death of Actress’ Husband

Police in Portugal this morning told reporters that a woman is being questioned in connection with the murder of the film producer Jason ‘JT’ Kenda, who was married to award-winning actress Ariella St Gerome.

Mr Kenda, who was found dead in the swimming pool of the couple’s villa, was initially thought to have died following an accident, but now police believe the American was killed intentionally. The villa is next door to where Lady Beatrice, the Countess of Rossex, is currently holidaying with family and friends at the villa of TV’s Sir Hewitt and his wife, Lady Grace.

Who can say no to Lady Grace? When the daughter of Lady Grace’s housekeeper is suspected of murder, her ladyship requests that Bea and her friends prove the maid’s innocence. But with time running out, can they navigate the tangled web of lies, betrayal, and hidden motives before an innocent woman is imprisoned for a crime she didn’t commit? Because even on holiday, the sleuthing never stops!

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Always-Right-Royal-Investigation-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D768B2VL

https://www.amazon.com/Always-Right-Royal-Investigation-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D768B2VL

My Review

I Kill Always Love You is a fun addition to Helen Golden’s Right Royal Investigation mystery series. I’ve read all the books in the series so far, including all the short stories. I adore spending time with Lady Bea and Perry, and this time, we also have help from Simon and Richard, not to mention Isla.

I’ve come to expect well-plotted stories from this series, and I Kill Always Love You doesn’t disappoint. Did I work out what had happened? Not quite all of it because there were many red herrings and interesting side stories alongside the mystery of what really happened. I certainly appreciated the careful plotting and piecemeal revelations, even if I do wish Perry would buy himself a decent pair of running shoes.

A firm addition to this charming series. New readers will not be disappointed.

Check out my reviews for the other books in this fabulous series.

Spruced Up For Murder

For Richer, For Deader

Not Mushroom For Death

A Dead Herring

A Cocktail to Die For

A Death of Fresh Air

Meet the author

Hello. I’m Helen Golden. I write British contemporary cozy whodunnits with a hint of humour. I live in small village in Lincolnshire in the UK with my husband, my step-daughter, her two cats, our two dogs, sometimes my step-son, and our tortoise.

I used to work in senior management, but after my recent job came to a natural end I had the opportunity to follow my dreams and start writing. It’s very early in my life as an author, but so far I’m loving it.

It’s crazy busy at our house, so when I’m writing I retreat to our caravan (an impulsive lockdown purchase) which is mostly parked on our drive. When I really need total peace and quiet, I take it to a lovely site about 15 minutes away and hide there until my family runs out of food or clean clothes