Woman of Conflict 17th century romance

Woman of Conflict another ebook in the Women of Chivalry series is now available on Amazon kindle.  Again I cannot upload the cover to show.




England 1685: Forced into marriage with Jake Masters, disowned by her grandfather Oliver Ashleigh, and the country on the verge of rebellion as the Duke of Monmouth plots to take the throne from his uncle King James II – Rebecca fears what else life could throw at her.
Aware that Oliver Ashleigh supported the rebellion and it appears that Jake, once befriended by the Duke, acted as Monmouth's agent with his followers. But a feud between the Ashleighs and Masters prevented Oliver trusting Jake and he expected Rebecca to be his spy.
Though attracted to her enigmatic husband, he is a stranger to her. Who can she trust?
Soon Rebecca’s loyalty is tested. John Churchill was known to be King James’s man, yet her husband who had once served under Churchill as a captain in the King’s army had meetings with him. What hope did she have of salvaging a marriage out of disaster when Jake refused to discuss the future and was hiding a dark secret from his past?

new historical romance with mystery and suspense

The latest ebook in the Women of Chivalry PENRUTHIN's wife is now available on Amazon kindle. 


Unfortunately I cannot get the picture of the cover to load but here is the book information


The battle-scarred pilgrim returning after seven years fighting in France and being captured by the Moors was hailed as Alaric, Lord of Penruthin Castle. His child-bride, Eloise, had been left a virgin in her marriage bed, and was now a beautiful woman, But in her husband’s absence the estate had been controlled by his brother Stephen, who weak and corruptible had bled it dry.
Only Alaric as the eldest legitimate son, had the power to put things right. But Eloise was not convinced that it was her husband who had returned and Stephen was quick to declare him an imposter. Yet if the pilgrim was not her husband, would Eloise be forced to sacrifice her virtue and honour to save her own life and Penruthin from ruin…

Silk and Sword published today

Conflict and passion in the last year of the Wars of the Roses.

Lady Eleanor Twyneham’s first meeting with the outlaw Conrad D’Arton had been traumatic, but he had eventually acted with honour. Conrad made no secret of his hatred for the Twyneham name, nor of his all-consuming determination to reclaim the birthright, Highford Castle, lost to him when his father fought for the Lancastrian cause against the Yorkist King. And Highford Castle is now the Eleanor Twyneham’s prized dowry.
Even so, Eleanor knew that a Lancastrian exile stood little hope of success while Richard III ruled England. Then, in the fateful year of 1485, Henry Tudor defeated Richard in battle, and Conrad returned in triumph…
Eleanor refuses to submit either her lands or her honour to her father’s sworn enemy, but despite all her courage fate continues to mock her when a sinister family secret threatens everything in her future.

Inspiration to write Cavalier's Masque

I am often asked where does the inspiration for a novel come from.  With Cavalier's Masque it combined my passion for history of the English Civil War and one of my favourite stories during that period which was the young King Charles II attempt to regain his father's throne.  This centred upon the battle of Worcester where the Royalist army faced Cromwell's troops.  They lost the battle and the King was forced to flee for his life.  He spent six weeks in hiding in England and finally escaped in a ship sailing from Sussex.

I live in Sussex just a couple of miles from the creek where he took ship.  On his journey to the coast the King's party encountered a troop of Cromwell's soldiers drinking at an inn by Houghton Bridge which is on the edge of the South Downs on the River Adur (again only a few miles from my home).  Fortunately the disguised King and the royalists avoided detection.  And in my novel CAVALIER'S MASQUE they avoided discovery by a diversion created by my heroine.

The novel is set on a fictious estate, Saxfield Manor, near Bramber on the South Downs and during the period of Cromwell's Protectorate many royalist spies working for the exiled King in France returned to England to raise an army.  They were hunted by Cromwell's officers and so in my novel Saxfield Manor was a safe house for Royalist spies which placed by heroine in danger and presented plenty of scope for action and adventure. 

There is also a scene set in the grounds of the ruins of Bramber castle near to Shoreham, and Broadwater Church is mentioned which was where my son was christened.


With so much local history involved this was a novel I was born to write.  Also readers of my Angel Players Series will know that many scenes in Chichester and Arundel have been included, especially in the third book Traitors and Players which included the civil war sieges of Chichester and Arundel Castle.

Inspiration grows from what you love and know and where better than writing about where you live.

Women of Chivalry 2 new titles

Two new titles of historical romance for you to enjoy in the Women of Chivalry series available on kindle and ebook format. 

Cavalier's Masque is England 1651. Charles II fights for his throne at Worcester and then flees for his life across England.  Who is Cromwell's spy?

The Song of Wychaven. England in the last year of the reign of Henry II and his Queen Eleanour is his prisoner and plans rebellion amongst his sons. 

Hope you like the revamped covers.

Medieval life-Pilgrimage

This is a picture of the site where Thomas A Becket's shrine was in Canterbury Cathedral.  Pilgrimage was an important part of life in medieval times and Becket's shrine was the most important in England. Thomas A Becket once a great friend of King Henry II was made Archbishop of Canterbury by the King and their relationship changed with the archbishop soon at odds with the the King on many matters of state and religion.  In a fit of rage Henry declared he wanted rid of Becket.  Four over zealous knights rode to Canterbury and murdered Becket in his cathedral.  Soon the tomb was said to produce miracles and it became a religious shrine.  Henry regretting his outburst  did penance at his old friend's tomb.
Geoffrey Chaucer brought medieval pilgrimage alive in his Canterbury Tales which are still famous today.  Becket's tomb was destroyed in Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.

My fascination with Chaucers Canterbury Tales and many visits to Canterbury Cathedral to visit the tombs of many of our monarchs inspired me to write my historical romance LURE OF TREVOWAN.

New ebook LURE OF TREVOWAN

Available from this weekend new kindle ebook in the Women of Chivalry historical romance series. LURE OF TREVOWAN.

A HAUNTING MEDIEVAL ROMANCE IN THE TIME OF HENRY V. INTRIGUE, PASSION, SUSPENSE AND RICH IN ATMOSPHERIC TENSION DURING A PILGRIMAGE TO BECKET''S SHRINE AT CANTERBURY.
Following the death of her father, Lady Alynna is cast out of her family home. Stripped of rank, fortune and identity she resolves to discover the truth of the mystery surrounding her birth.
Championed by Richard Dreux, a handsome enigmatic pilgrim she journeys to Becket's shrine in Canterbury. A jester and a scarred cripple are her companions - the pilgrim her self appointed protector. But what dark secrets haunt him?
Alynna also has her secrets and her past cannot be escaped and shadows her future happiness. Only the Earl of Trevowan can save her, but having lost her heart to the humble pilgrim can she surrender to the powerful Lord Trevowan's will?

New book - New series in ebook

This is the first book available in THE WOMEN OF CHIVALRY SERIES an exciting action packed historical romantic suspense series of novels set within a major conflict, rebellion or event of social history.

SHADOW OF PENGARRON is set in an England ruled by Richard II, an unpopular, weak and despotic monarch and his cousin Henry Bolingbroke wages war to usurp his throne. This conflict of 1399 resulted in the start of the Wars of the Roses which raged between two rival Plantagnet royal houses of York and Lancaster until 1487 when Henry Tudor defeated the last Plantagnet king Richard III.

Ralph Warrender, Earl of Pengarron, returns from exile with Bolingbroke's army to reclaim his own birthright that was taken by King Richard and he vows vengeance upon his enemies.

Lady Morganna Bartlett, once Pengarron's betrothed, he regards as part of that birthright but to Morganna he is now her family's sworn enemy.  Abducted by Pengarron, how could she trust him - especially when she suspects that the Earl was involved with the Druids who still performed their sinister rites on his land.

'Beware Pengarron' an old woman phrophesied - would her life be ruined by Pengarron's shadow?

An intense passionate and emotional novel rich in atmospheric detail and an unusual background true to the period of the time.

London Life series on all ebook formats

POWERFUL EMOTIONAL ROMANTIC THRILLER OF SECRETS, PASSION AND SACRIFICE,


"We can't all be saints, Casey. Besides, sinners have more fun."

Casey Strong laughed at her cousin's outrageous words. It was so like Eva to say what was most provocative.



Casey adores her older, beautiful cousin and offers her a home in their pub, The Britannia, when Eva's father and stepmother are killed by a gas explosion. Everyone falls for Eva's vivacious charm even Casey's surly, widowed father Joe, who had resented providing a home for her. But Joe 'Strongarm' Strong is a man with a dark secret and Eva is not the innocent victim she at first appears.



When Joe dies in mysterious circumstances, the shadows of the past cast a sinister veil over the future of the two cousins, and Casey gradually realises that Eva's possessiveness threatens the lives of those she holds most dear...



Fateful Shadows is a compelling novel of dark secrets, passion and loyalty overcoming persecution and social prejudice - and an obsessive love which leads to tragedy.

Coming soon

This is the cover of my new historical romance SHADOW OF PENGARRON published as an ebook next week

 

BAREFOOT ANGEL is the first of my ebooks to be launched with Smashwords which makes it available to Kobo, Sony, Barnes & Noble etc.

 

My other titles will follow on Smashwords shortly and within a couple of weeks the first of my historical romance ebooks in The Women of Chivalry series, SHADOW OF PENGARROW will be published on kindle.

Bestselling Saga

I'm thrilled to write today that my London Life saga ebook BAREFOOT ANGEL is in the kindle bestselling list for sagas.

For those of you who have read LOYALTY AND LIES the theme of loyalty is a recurring one in many of my novels.  It is something I believe very firmly in and as a theme throws up many dilemmas for characters to face with integrity and makes for compelling drama.

The loyalty of my readers always deeply affects me and I love hearing from you and thank you for your continued interest in my novels and for your loyalty and support that has made the London Life and Angel Players series so popular. 

For those who have come to my novels through the wonderful media of ebooks I hope you will also enjoy my LOVEDAY series of novels also available.

Very shortly a new series of my backlist historical romance novels will be available on ebook.  These will be the WOMEN OF CHIVALRY series and the first three available will excite all of you who are already experiencing withdrawal pains from the ending of The White Queen on tv.  They focus on the medieval lives of women caught up during the Plantagenet wars and conflicts of our history.

A POWERFUL ROMANTIC THRILLER OF COURAGE, LOYALTY AND DEVOTION OVERCOMING THE DARK MENACE OF REVENGE.

1906 Tanya Summerfield is desperate to break away from the strict regime of her Aunt Stella and her autocratic father, a retired Brigadier. Despite the respectable façade of the family it is not without its sinister secrets…

Their house is decaying and the Summerfield wealth has gone but the Brigadier refuses to allow Tanya to continue teaching in the East End. He also disapproves of Archie Tilbury who Aunt Stella is determined that Tanya marry. Torn between family loyalty and the need to rebel, Tanya starts her own business venture. But soon she suspects that her enigmatic suitor is not all that he seems. When dark undercurrents of passion and revenge emerge to trap Tanya, she is forced to fight – not only for the man she loves, but also for her life…

Recreating the past

The London Life series carried many echoes from my own life and family.  My grandparents and parents were born in London and during my childhood London was only an hours journey by train and was a regular place for trips to explore the sights.

In Fateful Shadows Casey was the daughter of a publican.  In the Loveday books readers will remember that Meriel was also an innkeepers daughter and the Dolphin inn features in all the novels.

We tend to write what we know and several members of my family have been publicans.  For a time My great-grandmother ran an inn in St Albans.  My father was the sports and social secretary on the workers estate of the Bata Shoe Factory in East Tilbury and he ran the social club and bar.  A cousin of my father's ran a bar and hotel on the Isle of Sheppey, another cousin and my stepsister had bars in Kent and more recently a niece ran a popular tourist bar in Devon.  Some of the pub names you may recognise from my novels. The Dolphin and The Britannia.  Also the current novel I am writing has that is set on Dartmoor has an innkeeper's daughter as the heroine. 

Writing Fateful Shadows brought back many happy childhood memory's of the camaraderie surrounding pub life.  I was however very young as my father died when I was a child so I suppose I keep a link with him alive through the lives of my heroines.

Fateful Shadows

Fateful Shadows

‘We can’t all be saints, Casey. Besides, sinners have more fun.’

Casey Strong laughed at her cousin’s outrageous words. It was so like Eva to say what was most provocative. Casey adores her older, beautiful cousin and offers her a home in their pub, The Britannia, when Eva’s father and stepmother are killed by a gas explosion. Everyone falls for Eva’s vivacious charm even Casey’s surly, widowed father Joe, who had resented providing a home for her. But Joe ‘Strongarm’ Strong is a man with a dark secret and Eva is not the innocent victim she at first appears.

When Joe dies in mysterious circumstances, the shadows of the past cast a sinister veil over the future of the two cousins, and Casey gradually realises that Eva’s possessiveness is stifling her…

Fateful Shadows is a compelling novel of dark secrets, passion and loyalty overcoming persecution and social prejudice – and an obsessive love which leads to tragedy.

A Victorian novel of romance and suspense

My passion for writing history has always been about diverse characterisation and memorable, atmospheric settings.  When beginning my London Life series during the Victorian era there was no greater master of that period than Dickens.  The images of those lives and times are carved in his readers' minds.  As a writer we cannot be true to characters unless with each of them the writer makes themself walk a mile in their shoes. 

In this series I notonly had to get the research of each setting right but to build the conflict and suspense I had to get the pyschology and motivation right. 

I loved writing this series and have always been intrigued by how secrets from the past can never be forever locked in their closets.  When they escape the potential for the dramas they unleash is unlimited.

INNOCENCE BETRAYED is the story of two sisters separated as children and raised in very different lifestyles - one of privilege, the other of squalor.  Can they learn to trust and overcome past grievances and be reunited as a family, or will jealousy and resentment destroy them both?  For innocense once betrayed can never be regained.

Kara Wyse, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is shocked when her father is arrested for debt and commits suicide.  Her life changes drastically. Gacing poverty she also learns that the mother she had believed dead is still alive and that she was cast out of the family home by her father. Kara also learns that she has a younger sister, Beatrice, whose childhood has been very different from her own.

Kara is determined that her family will be reunited and that she will survive the scandal of her father's suicide and succeed as a businesswoman.

Beatrice has been brought up in poverty and squalor and to survive has become a pickpocket and the mistress of Fancy Gilbert a dangerous gangleader of the London Underworld. When Kara unwittingly marries the man that Beatrice loves, the younger woman vows that her sister will pay for all the wrongs that she has suffered by her poverty.

A captivating story of survival over adverstity, the righting of past wrongs and the redemptive power of love.  INNOCENCE BETRAYED is a fast moving and compulsive suspense novel of the diverse lifestyles existing in Edwardian London.  It tells of the darker side of kinship, revenge and retribution - and the redemptive power of love.

Innocence Betrayed - 'a very good read. Exciting and full of emotion.'  Harry Bowling

Places that inspired my writing 3

When writing THE LOVEDAY SERIES obviously most of my inspiration came from places in Cornwall but the place outside of that wonderful county that gave me the most information and inspiration for the Loveday shipyard Trevowan Hard was based on my many visits to the New Forest and the fabulous museum at Bucklers Hard near Beaulieu.  If you amalgamate the picture of the model of ships being built and the picture below of the shipwrights cottages spreading down to the river iy would be very much the image I used for the Loveday shipyard on the inlet of the River Fowey. 

When creating the village of Penruan it became a mixture of the fishing villages of Polperro, Mevagissy and Port Isaac. The picture below is of Polperro and I love the museum of smuggling here that also gave me so much information about life in 18th century Cornwall.

As the estate of Trevowan and the Loveday shipyard were near to Fowey many of the scenes in the novels were set in Fowey (picture above) and it is another beautiful place that conveys the atmosphere and history of Cornwall. It is on the estuary of the River Fowey.

Truro is the County Town of Cornwall and again was a place that the Lovedays would have often visited and features in the novels.
 

          And doesn't this picture make you feel that you have stepped back in time. It is of Charlestown and on every visit I was lucky enough to see one of the tall ships moored at its quay.  Again it is a place full of historical interest and atmosphere and a great favourite of mine.  As its location near to St Austell - and also close to where my fictional setting of Penruan - it features in at least two of the Loveday books.            

    For me this picture of Bodmin moor is th emost evocative of  all the untamed wildness and mystery of Cornwall.  And I used Bodmin Moor to dramatic effect in several of scenes in the Loveday series.     I hope these last three blogs on the inspiration behind some of my novels have helped to bring them alive to my readers - especially to those living abroad.  They are all worthy of a great day out if you are looking for your own inspiration or  just seeking a day out full of atmosphere and nostalgia.

Places that inspired my writing 2

These are some of the places that inspired me when I was researching TRAITORS AND PLAYERS and PRINCES AND PLAYERS which are books 3 and 4 of the Angel Players series and set during the years of the English Civil war through to the restoration of Charles II, the plague and great fire of London.

This is a picture of the oldest part of Arundel Castle and a regular haunt of mine as it is only a few miles from my home home.  The castle is the home of Duke of Norfolk and is rich centuries of history.  Living so close to it I had to include Arundel in the Angel series as the main home of Maressa Angel and I had to write about the seige of Arundel in Traitors and Players during the English civil war and how it would have affected the lives of the Angel family.

A few miles away from Arundel is Chichester.  Chichester featured as the main home of Thomas Angel and is in many of the scenes.  This is a picture of the unusual market cross and the seige of Chichester is related in Traitors and Players involving more members of the Angel family. 

York and Oxford were important garrison towns for the Royalists and both are two of my favourites places to visit and absorb the historical atmosphere.

The third picture is of The Commandery at Worcester - a must see museum for those interested in the civil war.  And Worcester is another wonderful historic city and often the Sealed Knot stage events and battles about the English Civil War in Worcester.

Again London features strongly in Princes and Players and with so many museums to chose from one of my favourites and not quite so well known as the British Museum is the museum of London on London Wall.

These places mentioned really bring history alive for me and make my research entertaining and fun and also importantly give the family a great day out with lots for them to find of interest.

Places that inspired my writing 1

Writing historical novels obviously involves a great deal of research but I have not done all of it shut away in record offices or reference libraries.  I love getting out to experience the places where real people lived or explore museums where I can combine filling my notebooks with historical data and have a great day out. 

With the summer and holidays spreading ahead here is a list of my favourite places that inspired me when writing ROGUES AND PLAYERS and KNAVES AND PLAYERS the two Elizabethan novels in the ANGEL PLAYERS SERIES.

1. The Weald and Downland Museum Chichester Sussex.  Living in Sussex I regularly visit here as the houses on display cover 600 years of British history and their rural life exhibitions are great fun.  Above is a picture of Bayleaf  a type of house that would have been lived in during the 15th/16th century.  You can walk all round the houses and really experience how everyday life would have been lived by the Elizabethans on a rural level.  Below is another setting to be explored and enjoyed.  These are all original huse than have been rescued and rebuilt by the Museum. The city of Chichester itself was a setting for Rogues and Players.

 2. Straford on Avon the birthplace of Shakespeare is a great place and full of atmosphere with many Tudor attractions.

3.  The Globe theatre London.  A fantastic reconstruction of an Elizabethan playhouse and a fascinating museum.  Not far for them their in Southwark is the Clink Museum about prison life in olden times.

4. Mary Rose at Portsmouth.  I have not yet been to the new exhibition here but it is next on my list to visit. I visited the original exhibition several times. The Mary Rose was Henry VIII's flagship that sank near   Portsmouth and to see the preserved timbers and artefacts from the wreck is a real insight into naval life in Tudor times.  Nelson's flagship The Victory is also closeby so it is a great day out with lots to see.

5. Hever Castle Kent.  The birthplace of Anne Boleyn and combine it with a medieval jousting day and you have another atmospheric and fun day.

6. Hampton Court outskirts of London.  The great Tudor Palace filled with history. An inspiration to all historical writers and lovers of history.

7. Knole in Kent and Hardwick Hall in the Midlands. Two more Elizabethan houses that made a great day out.

8.  A less well know manor is Parham House, Nr Storrington, Sussex.  This is one of my favourites as it not  a grand stately home and gives you a feel of how the lesser nobility would have lived.  Again this is close to where I live and is a great favourite of mine. Picture below.  Beautiful setting on the South Downs and it has been the inspiration as the manor house for several of my novels.

9. Victoria and Albert Museum.  Whenever I am in London I try to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum.  It has a Tudor and Stuart gallery, rooms recreating varying periods in history and a must see costume gallery for historical fashion.  And of course The British Museum is another must visit.

10.  To round up a Top 10 I would add The National Portrait Gallery also in London at Trafalgar Square.  This has portraits of the Kings and Queens of England eight back to the earliest portraits of Richard II and of course London intself has so many inspiring places to visit. The Tower, The Cutty Sark, just walking through the parks or a trip along the river can take you back in time in your imagination.

There are many more historical sites and I will include some of these in later articles that inspired some of my other novels. 

Introducing the London Life series

I have never lived further than an hour and a quarter train journey to London and as a child it has always been a place to raise my heartbeat.  At 16 my first job was in London and for 8 years before I left work to raise a family I worked in the city both near the Tower of London and St Pauls and loved visiting the ancient monuments.  Working in the City fired my love of history and when I married our first flat and house was in the East End.  This was where where my parents had been raised and also my husband's family.  So my childhood was filled with stories of London through the war and even back to Victoria's reign.  It's history from medieval times to the present day fascinated me.

The historian in me was drawn to the diversity of characters that London created.  I had loved writing the historical background of London when working on The Angel Players series set in Tudor and Stuart times and when it was time to start a new project I wanted to base it in London and bring the lives of Londoners forward to less distant days.

INNOCENCE BETRAYED and FATEFUL SHADOWS were set in the Victorian era. LOYALTY AND LIES is Edwardian, SIN NO MORE. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS and BAREFOOT ANGEL cover the 1920's through to the 50's.  Each is a story of a family split by secrets and past skeletons from the past that threaten the loved ones, happiness and lives of the main characters.  Lovers of thrillers will enjoy the complexity of the physical and psychology of the dramas to be overcome, and  throughout the page-turning conflict of good against evil, the more romantic will be uplifted by the courage and triumph of loyalty and love. 

These six novels were written after the historical drama of The Angel Players Series, and the psychological twist of the romantic suspense in The London Life novels made it a natural progression on their completion for me to write the Loveday novels. 

Writing is about mastering a genre and evolving to bring your readers something fresh and exciting with each project.  I am a passionate reader and my goal as a writer was to be an entertainer and bring alive a world of drama and adventure in an exciting setting with memorable and empathic characters. I write from my heart about stories I would love to read myself.