Adriana Kraft

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The Coffee Pot Book Club

The Godmother’s Secret, by Elizabeth St. John @ElizStJohn #Audiobook #HistoricalFiction #PrincesInTheTower #Audiobook #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn

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BOOK INFORMATION

Ebook & Paperback:
Book Title: The Godmother’s Secret
Author:  Elizabeth St.John
Publication Date: 4th October, 2022 (print)
Publisher: Falcon Historical (print)
Page Length: 361 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Audiobook:
Narrator: Elizabeth St.John
Publication Date: 27th June, 2023 (audio)
Publisher: Tantor Media (audio)
Audio Length: 11 hours 59 minutes

Blog Tour Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/06/blog-tour-godmothers-secret-audiobook.html

Title and Author:

The Godmother’s Secret
By Elizabeth St.John
Audiobook narrated by Elizabeth St.John

Blurb:

“An extremely well-written book with depth and complexity to the main characters. The author says she wanted to write a book about family love and tolerance, and a woman’s loyalty and courage. She has done so. This is the best book I’ve read in ages!” The Ricardian Bulletin, Richard III Society

“The authenticity and historical research displayed within this story is immense and exquisite. Ms. St. John is sure to be a newfound favorite for fans of not only this fractious time in English history, but of all historical fans who adore rich, immersive prose.” Historical Fiction Company 2022 Book of the Year

“A very enjoyable read. The historical veracity is impeccable, and Elysabeth is a likeable, admirable character who faces interesting dilemmas with love and courage.” Historical Novel Society

If you knew the fate of the Princes in the Tower, would you tell? Or forever keep the secret?

May 1483: The Tower of London. When King Edward IV dies and Lady Elysabeth Scrope delivers her young godson, Edward V, into the Tower of London to prepare for his coronation, she is engulfed in political turmoil. Within months, the prince and his brother have disappeared, Richard III is declared king, and Elysabeth’s sister Margaret Beaufort conspires with her son Henry Tudor to invade England and claim the throne.

Desperate to protect her godson, Elysabeth battles the intrigue, betrayal, and power of the last medieval court, defying her Yorkist husband and her Lancastrian sister under her godmother’s sacred oath to keep Prince Edward safe. Bound by blood and rent by honour, Elysabeth is torn between King Richard and Margaret Beaufort, knowing that if her loyalty is questioned, she is in peril of losing everything—including her life.

Were the princes murdered by their uncle, Richard III? Did Margaret Beaufort mastermind their disappearance to usher in the Tudor dynasty? Or did the young boys vanish for their own safety? Of anyone at the royal court, Elysabeth has the most to lose–and the most to gain–by keeping secret the fate of the Princes in the Tower.

Inspired by England’s most enduring historical mystery, Elizabeth St.John blends her family history with known facts and centuries of speculation to create an intriguing story about what happened to the Princes in the Tower.

Buy Links:

Audiobook Buy Link: https://geni.us/TGSAudible

The ebook is available to read on Kindle Unlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://geni.us/GodmothersSecret

EXCERPT

Official Tantor Media Audio Link: https://tinyurl.com/2lrbp2tv

Spring 1483 | Bolton Castle

Today, the wide windswept skies arc over our peaceful lands. Sun-bright clouds chase shadows from the forested valleys to the purple hills, and sweet birdsong replaces the clashing of iron being forged in the castle armoury. The only movement in the apothecary garden below my window is the gardener pulling weeds from the lavender beds.

Spurs jangle on the spiral steps, and Isabel looks up from her embroidery; her head bobs like the narcissus in the grasses lapping Bolton’s keep. An envoy strides across the solar. His murrey-and-blue livery proclaims the household of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester.

Best to tell him his journey is wasted. “My husband is not here. Lord Scrope rides out to our farthest boundaries. He will not return for several weeks.”

“The message is to both you and Lord Scrope.” The rider thrusts a packet at me, crumpled and bulky, begging exploration. “The duke ordered I remain for further instruction.”

How peculiar Gloucester addresses us both. I ponder whether to read it now or wait for Jack’s return. The missive weighs heavy in my hands. While he is gone, he insists that although the steward governs in name, decisions about the castle are my responsibility.

But this is official business, from outside my domain, from Gloucester himself.

I run my fingernail under the edge of the seal, cracking the red wax slightly.

It is, after all, addressed to both of us.

The right to make my own decision. “Then I shall see what is so urgent from the king’s brother.”

Isabel joins me at the window, leans against my arm in her curiosity to see what I have received. “Should you not wait for Jack? Or ask Oliver his advice? He can ride from our home in just an hour.”

“My husband trusts me, and this is not addressed to my brother.”

I break open the seal with a click, and a pearl-and-ruby crucifix tumbles forth. I catch the cross just before it drops to the floor. No scribe has touched this note, for the writing is hasty, perhaps scrawled in Gloucester’s own hand. His words are abrupt, a series of directions, as if he is issuing instructions for a military campaign.

I command you both to Middleham on a matter of great urgency. Jack, you must attend us immediately and bring a troop of your most trustworthy men. Elysabeth, I send the king’s jewel as a reminder of your holy vow. Prince Edward is in danger. Do not delay, for each hour could cost us dearly. Prepare to travel with me to London.

The ill-fitting window shutter bangs open. A sudden cold eastern gust barges through the latch, whisking me back to the steps of the cathedral at Westminster. A November twelve years past and yet clear as day. The day I swore my sacred oath as godmother to the heir of England’s throne, to protect Ned against the wrong in the world.

A second note, just a scrap, flutters from the folds. Meg’s curved writing jumps from the parchment.

Come, Belle-maman, I am at Middleham with Will. You and Jack must come. Please. We are depending on you.

Blessed Virgin Mother. My vow is called.

Author Bio:

Elizabeth St.John’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England’s kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.

Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.

Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.

Elizabeth’s books include her trilogy, The Lydiard Chronicles, set in 17th Century England during the Civil War, and her newest release, The Godmother’s Secret, which explores the medieval mystery of the missing Princes in the Tower of London.

Social Media Links:

Website:  http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ElizStJohn
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethJStJohn
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethjstjohn/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethjstjohn/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-st-john
Amazon Author Page: https://geni.us/AmazonElizabethStJohn
Goodreads: https://geni.us/GoodreadsElizStJohn

On Tour: Turning the World to Stone, by Kelly Evans @ChaucerBabe #HistoricalFiction #Renaissance #histfic #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

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BOOK INFORMATION

Book Title: Turning the World to Stone
– The Life of Caterina Sforza Part One 1472 to 1488
Author: Kelly Evans
Publication Date: 2 May 2023
Publisher: Eska Publishing
Page Length: 385 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

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.”

EXCERPT

“Can you imagine a life with,” Luisa paused, “him?”

“Pope Sixtus IV’s nephew. Girolamo Riario. You may as well get used to saying it.” Caterina thought for a moment. As a Sforza, she had access to the famed Milanese library, only second to that of the Vatican, and had grown up on tales of knights and maidens and chivalry. None of them told the story of an overweight thirty-year-old with a permanent petulant look. She swallowed. “No, I can’t imagine my life from now on. But there’s nothing I can do, it’s my father’s decision.”

They were staring at each other helplessly when Caterina’s stepmother rushed in. Bona of Savoy, the duke’s second wife, had only been married for three years but was already admired and beloved by Milan for her kindness, humour, and love of music and food. A devout woman, she had treated Caterina, one of many of the duke’s illegitimate children, as her own, ensuring both the girl’s mind and soul were seen to.

“You’re here. Good. I must speak with you.” She sat on an elaborately carved wooden chair next to the fireplace and waited for Caterina to join her. Luisa bobbed her petite body before Bona and, with a sympathetic glance at her friend, hurried from the room.

Bona wasted no time getting to the point. As soon as Caterina was settled, she spoke. “You’re to be married.”

“I know.”

Keeping her surprise to herself, Bona merely replied, “How?”

“I was under the table in the study when father spoke about it.”

“Your spying will get you into trouble someday.” Seeing the girl’s face begin to crumble, she smiled gently. “I’ll forgive you this time.”

BUY LINKS

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Link: https://mybook.to/Caterina
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turning-World-Stone-Caterina-Sforza/dp/1778022421
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Turning-World-Stone-Caterina-Sforza-ebook/dp/B0C1HZHT93
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Turning-World-Stone-Caterina-Sforza-ebook/dp/B0C1HZHT93
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Turning-World-Stone-Caterina-Sforza-ebook/dp/B0C1HZHT93

AUTHOR BIO

Born in Canada of Scottish extraction, Kelly Evans graduated in History and English then moved to England where she worked in the financial sector. While in London Kelly continued her studies in history, concentrating on Medieval History, and travelled extensively through Eastern and Western Europe.

Kelly is now back in Canada with her husband Max and a rescue cat. She writes full-time, focussing on illuminating little-known women in history with fascinating stories. When not working on her novels, Kelly writes Described Video scripts for visually impaired individuals, plays oboe, and enjoys old sci-fi movies.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website: https://www.kellyaevans.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChaucerBabe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyevansauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyevansauthor/
interest: https://www.pinterest.ca/kellyewrites/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kelly-evans
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kelly-Evans/author/B0187JGTOQ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14335541.Kelly_Evans

More excerpts available on other tour stops:

https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/05/blog-tour-turning-world-to-stone.html

 

 

 

Out Now! The King’s Champion by Nancy Northcott @NancyNorthcott #HistoricalFantasy #WWII #Dunkirk #RomanticFantasy #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

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Historical Fiction author Nancy Northcott is my blog guest today, here with an excerpt from the final volume in her trilogy, The Boar King’s Honor.

BOOK INFORMATION

Book Title: The King’s Champion
Series: The Boar King’s Honor Trilogy
Author: Nancy Northcott
Publication Date: May 1, 2023
Publisher: Falstaff Books
Page Length: 378
Genre: Historical fantasy with romantic elements

EXCERPT

This scene is from Chapter 1. Sebastian Mainwaring, who is working with the evacuation, Operation Dynamo, goes outside for a breath of air and gets a surprise. It has been edited slightly to adjust its length.

The spiral stairs to the surface level made Sebastian’s knee protest, but he ignored it. Fractured during a little foray into Czechoslovakia after the Nazi invasion, it hadn’t healed properly. Still, he’d managed to talk his way into a desk job instead of being mustered out of the army with a war obviously on the way. Detached duty with the War Office was better than a seat on the sidelines.

He pushed open the heavy outer door and walked into the cool evening air. After so many hours underground, the breeze on his face lifted his spirits. He strolled to the edge of the cliff so he could see the harbor far below. A steady stream of ships cruised through the opening in the breakwater to enter the English Channel, as usual. With them tonight, however, went a flotilla of small boats, everything from yachts and Thames excursion boats to tugboats to freight scows to fishing boats.

A vision flashed over his sight. A beach crowded with men in combat gear. Thousands of them sat in masses or snaking lines on the sand. Waves lapped the shore, the water unusually calm. Overhead, Messerschmitts made strafing runs. Men jerked or spasmed and fell to the sand. Some of his fellow soldiers fired back at the attackers with their rifles. The planes were too high, out of range, but he couldn’t fault the men for trying. Helplessness and anger must be the order of the day.

The familiar bitterness welled in his throat. He should’ve been in France. Had trained for years to do just that sort of thing. For nothing, now.

“Sebastian.”

The familiar voice yanked him out of the vision.

At his side stood the ghost of his many-times-great grandfather, Richard Mainwaring, his predecessor as Earl of Hawkstowe from early in the reign of Charles II until late in that of Queen Anne. Though he’d lived into his seventies, he appeared as a man in his early thirties. His dark hair fell to his shoulders, and he wore the knee breeches, doublet, and hose popular in his youth, with lace at his collar and cuffs. His black hair, chiseled features, and blue eyes, all traits of Mainwaring men, might’ve come from Sebastian’s mirror.

No one else would be able to see Richard, but conversation would be awkward if anyone was near. A quick glance reassured Sebastian. Richard looked tired, though, which was unusual. A trick of the light, perhaps? What could weary a ghost?

Sebastian smiled. “Hello, Richard. Why so solemn?”

“There’s a wizard headed for the beach at Dunkirk. When she returns to England, you must speak with her.”

“I assume there are a few in a force the size of the BEF, so—hang on. ‘Her’? Is she a nurse?”

“She’s a journalist, approved by whoever manages such things. She’s been with several units over the last weeks.”

Someone should’ve sent her back to England straight away when the Germans rolled into France, but it was too late to fix that. “Why are you telling me this?”

“She’s a very distant cousin of yours, Kate Shaw. Powerful in her Gifts but untrained.”

Sebastian gestured toward the harbor. “I’ve a bit much on my slate for training a novice, distant cousin or not. I can see if someone at the Merlin Club might help.” The covert group of Gifted operated in Britain’s defense without being bound by edicts of the British wizards’ governing body, the Conclave.

“That won’t do. She doesn’t even know she’s Gifted. Her parents died in an automobile crash when she was a baby. In America. The family who adopted her gave her a good life, but they are practical people and taught her not to believe in magic.”

An image flashed into his mind, a woman standing on a beach amid legions of Tommies. The hair tucked under her tin hat might be brown or dark blond when it was clean. Dirt splotches on her face didn’t conceal the strong, attractive features or her full mouth. She appeared to be a few years younger than his thirty-three. The determined set to her chin and the grim resolve in her eyes drew him.

He banished the image with a shake of his head.

“Again,” Sebastian said, struggling for patience, “I haven’t the time for this.”

Richard regarded him steadily. “She’s a seer.”

“You must be mistaken.” There had never been more than one in a generation and not always even one. In this generation, Sebastian was it.

“I know how rare that Gift is,” Richard told him. “Over the centuries, however, our line has spread far and wide. Each of you carries Miranda’s blood and the potential for her Gift.”

A potential that rarely manifested. Richard’s wife, Miranda, had brought the seer Gift into the family line, but it often skipped generations. To have two at the same time, with war coming, the strategic advantage—

“We’ve often discussed how ill-prepared Britain is for this war,” Richard reminded him. “Kate would be a great help to you, especially if you cannot break the German codes.”

“If she cooperates. If she knows what she’s about. If she even accepts that she has such a Gift.” Yet he didn’t need to be a seer to sense the possibilities her coming offered.

If she made it back.

Blurb:

The Boar King’s Honor Trilogy

A wizard’s misplaced trust
A king wrongly blamed
A bloodline cursed until they clear the king’s name.

Book 3: The King’s Champion

Caught up in the desperate evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from France in the summer of 1940, photojournalist Kate Shaw witnesses death and destruction that trigger disturbing visions. She doesn’t believe in magic and tries to pass them off as survivor guilt or an overactive imagination, but the increasingly intense visions force her to accept that she is not only magically Gifted but a seer.

In Dover, she meets her distant cousin Sebastian Mainwaring, Earl of Hawkstowe and an officer in the British Army. He’s also a seer and is desperate to recruit her rare Gift for the war effort. The fall of France leaves Britain standing alone as the full weight of Nazi military might threatens. Kate’s untrained Gift flares out of control, forcing her to accept Sebastian’s help in conquering it as her ethics compel her to use her ability for the cause that is right.

As this fledgling wizard comes into her own, her visions warn of an impending German invasion, Operation Sealion, which British intelligence confirms. At the same time, desire to help Sebastian, who’s doomed by a family curse arising from a centuries-old murder, leads Kate to a shadowy afterworld between life and death and the trapped, fading souls who are the roots of her family’s story. From the bloody battlefields of France to the salons of London, Kate and Sebastian race against time to free his family’s cursed souls and to stop an invasion that could doom the Allied cause.

The King’s Champion concludes Nancy’s Northcott’s exciting Boar King’s Honor Trilogy.

Buy Links:

This series is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Links:   

The Herald of Day   Universal Buy Link
The Steel Rose   Universal Buy Link
The King’s Champion   Universal Buy Link

The Boar King’s Honor Trilogy Links:

Amazon US    Amazon UK   Amazon AU   Amazon CA 

BLOG TOUR PAGE

Catch interviews and more excerpts at the blog tour page:

https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/05/blog-tour-kings-champion-by-nancy-northcott.html

Author Bio:

Nancy Northcott’s childhood ambition was to grow up and become Wonder Woman.  Around fourth grade, she realized it was too late to acquire Amazon genes, but she still loved comic books, science fiction, fantasy, history, and romance.

Nancy earned her undergraduate degree in history and particularly enjoyed a summer spent studying Tudor and Stuart England at the University of Oxford. She has given presentations on the Wars of the Roses and Richard III to university classes studying Shakespeare’s play about that king. In addition, she has taught college courses on science fiction, fantasy, and society.

The Boar King’s Honor historical fantasy trilogy combines Nancy’s love of history and magic with her interest in Richard III. She also writes traditional romantic suspense, romantic spy adventures, and two other speculative fiction series, the Light Mage Wars paranormal romances and, with Jeanne Adams, the Outcast Station space mystery series.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.NancyNorthcott.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NancyNorthcott
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nancynorthcottstreetteam
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancynorthcottauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancynorthcott/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nancy-northcott
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nancy-Northcott/author/B00ITY5KLS
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3468806.Nancy_Northcott