The Chosen Queen by Joanna Courtney Blog Tour

I am delighted to be involved in the Blog Tour for the first book in an exciting new Historical Fiction Trilogy. 

The Queens of the Conquest trilogy1066. Three Queens. One Crown.
As a young woman in England's royal court, Edyth, granddaughter of Lady Godiva, dreams of marrying for love. But political matches are rife while King Edward is still without an heir and the future of England is uncertain.

When Edyth's family are exiled to the wild Welsh court, she falls in love with the charismatic King of Wales - but their romance comes at a price and she is catapulted onto the opposing side of a bitter feud with England. Edyth's only allies are Earl Harold Godwinson and his handfasted wife, Lady Svana.

As the years pass, Edyth finds herself elevated to a position beyond even her greatest expectations. She enjoys both power and wealth but as her star rises the lines of love and duty become more blurred than she could ever have imagined. As 1066 dawns, Edyth is asked to make an impossible choice.

Her decision is one that has the power to change the future of England forever . . .

The Chosen Queen is the perfect blend of history, fast-paced plot and sweeping romance with a cast of strong female characters - an unforgettable read.

Review

Joanna Courtney has blended history and powerful storytelling to create an outstanding opening to this new series set to rival historical fiction heavyweights like Philippa Gregory and Susanna Dunn. The series is set in the lead up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 and the first book is the tale of Edyth daughter of the Earl of Mercia who through her two marriages was firstly Queen of Wales and then Queen of England.

Edyth is a fantastic protagonist, from the merest hints that survive in historical record Joanna Courtney has fleshed out an outstandingly vivid and human character. Wrapping a story of love, friendship, politics, war and power around the bones of history is no mean feat but Joanna Courtney has really pulled it off. The book opens with Edyth as a young girl just beginning to understand the politics of life at court and between men and women when suddenly her life is transformed; her father is out of favour with the King and the family are banished. They seek refuge at The Welsh Court were everything from the language to the table manners seem wild and strange, nevertheless Edyth feels a freedom in Wales and before long the land and it's King have captured her heart. Marrying the King of Wales makes Edyth a powerful figure but an isolated one and when the Welsh make one raid too many against the English, Edyth finds herself on the opposite side to her own family as the two countries prepare for war. Edyth is an incredibly likeable character and her lifelong friendship with Svana the handfasted wife of Harold Earl of Wessex is wonderfully drawn. I cannot recommend this book highly enough if you are a fan of Anne O'Brien, Philippa Gregory or the late Ariana Franklin then meet your new favourite author. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and immersing myself in Joanna Courtney's wonderful storytelling once more.

Huge thanks to Natasha Harding at Macmillan for sending this book to me and asking me to be part of the blog tour.

Learn more about the author on her gorgeous website http://www.joannacourtney.com/ or connect with her on twitter at @joannacourtney1

Blog Tour For A Little in Love by Susan Fletcher

This little beauty of a book was published last Thursday and the author very kindly found time to answer a few questions. Thanks so much Susan. 

Re: The Broken Heart of

1. Have you always been a fan of Les Misérables? and wanted to write about the characters?

I knew the book (an abridged version) and the film – and loved both. But it had never occurred to me to write Eponine’s tale, or anyone one else’s. Then Chicken House approached me with the idea of giving Eponine a voice for the YA market – and I just thought it was a wonderful idea. She was the character that had intrigued me the most, in both the book and the play; to have the chance to tell her tale was a gift. I said yes straight away!

2. What draws you to writing about the past?

This is only the second historical novel that I’ve written but it’s a genre I’m certainly fascinated with. I think what I love most of all is the simple truth that humans do not change. Our circumstances might, and we might gain more knowledge and more skills are we progress – but ultimately, we remain the same. A Roman soldier, 2000 years ago, for example, might not have had a telephone or decent healthcare – but he would still have felt homesick or ashamed or heartbroken; he’d have still got chilblains or had nightmares, or been afraid of growing old. We are all the same. I love this truth: to write historical novels with this in mind feels very intimate – and a privilege, too.

3. You have written a number of novels for adults, why have you switched to writing for teens?

Put simply, because I was given the chance to! It hadn’t occurred to me to try to write for a different readership; it was Chicken House’s offer – and their faith in me, their sense that I was the right author to take on Eponine’s tale – that brought me to do it. And I’m so glad that I did! I have loved every second – and I’m very grateful that Chicken House asked me.

4. When you were a teenager what did you read? Do you still have the same favourite books now? Why or why not?
I tended towards the classics, I think. I loved Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. I also remember having a summer of devouring all Daphne du Maurier’s novels – and loving Jamaica Inn, in particular! I still love these books; that hasn’t changed. Perhaps what has changed is the fact that I can now read them with adult eyes, and find different nuances than I did at 17. They say that you never read the same book twice and that’s certainly true when returning to a novel after many years.

5. What are your top five tips for aspiring writers of historical fiction

I still feel a bit of a novice, in this genre! And therefore I am not sure how many tips I can give! But there’s one that immediately springs to mind: keep in mind, always, that this is indeed fiction you are writing. I think it’s easy to believe you have to adhere strictly to what actually happened, to only write about what was true. But that’s what non-fiction writers do; we don’t have those same restraints. One’s primary role is to write a good novel: if that means a slight altering of the truth, then it’s allowable. Precisely how far away you go from the historical truth is every writer’s choice; likewise, how much they inform the reader of these changes. But changes are fine! And it’s the novelist’s voice that should take precedence over the historian’s. Other tips … Research, of course! Only once you know the absolute truth of that time, and the people in it, can you make informed choices. As with all forms of writing, I would also suggest not using red pen at any point (subconsciously, we link it with reprimands and mistakes), getting outside every day – and keeping encouraging Post-It notes by the kettle!

A Little in Love is Published by Chicken House and available now.

Thanks so much to Laura for a copy and for Susan for taking part.

Blog Tour Review and Interview for Spirit by Daniela Sacerdoti

September 16th sees the release of the final book in Daniela Sacerdoti's YA Fantasty trilogy which tells the story of Sarah Midnight and which I have avidly followed in the previous two instalments Dreams and Tide. To recap Sarah is a grade A student and a talented young musician hoping to study at Scotland's top Music Academy but is plagued by frightening dreams, the dreams guide Sarah's parents who are demon hunters as all of her family have been through the generations. When her parents are murdered Sarah must take on their work and find their killer. Sarah has to use the powers she has inherited, along with the friends she makes along the way. Spirit is a spectacular climax to the series as Sarah and her friends have taken a leap of faith trusting in Nicholas and have begun their journey to the spirit world to confront The King of Shadows. Daniela has wonderfully rounded out her characters as they come of age in this final book and we get some further intriguing hints about the history of the secret families and an insight in to Nicholas also. This is a spectacular series which will appeal to teens (and adults) who have enjoyed Liz de Jager's Banished, Sally Green's Half Bad or Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments. 

The books are published by Black and White Publishing and are available in paperback and e-book.

I asked Dani a few questions about her inspiration and what she is working on right now.

1. How do you feel bringing Sarah's story to an end? Is it the end?


Oooh, I don't know if it's the end! It was very hard to say goodbye to my characters, especially Sarah and Sean. I would love to see them all again. Or maybe explore their past, like what Sean did in Japan before meeting Sarah. I'm writing a short story about that now, so watch this space :)


2. Where did the inspiration come from for the Sarah Midnight series?


It all started from a black-haired girl I saw at a bus stop years ago: she was wearing a school uniform and listening to music, and she had a very intense expression. I thought she would make an ideal character for a story, so she became Sarah!


3. Will you write more YA Fiction?


I hope so. If I find another strong story that really captures me, I hope I'll be able to send it out into the world like I did with Sarah. I was lucky to find a publisher who believed in her.


4. What else are you working on?


I'm working on an adult book, the third set in Glen Avich, called Set Me Free.


5. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?


To work extremely hard and get that novel finished! Also to read a lot, and never ever give up, because sometimes it takes a long time to find a publisher, and there may be many rejections along the way.


6. What are your favourite Fantasy books?


The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit. I'm a real Tolkien nerd. I also love The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, and The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. The Bone Season is the first of seven books and only the first have been published, so I'm looking forward to following the saga for the next few years.

Final Book in the Sarah Midnight Trilogy

Spirit; The Final Sarah Midnight book is published on 16th September and I am delighted to be part of the Blog Tour. The Sarah Midnight series are a top notch YA Fantasy series set in Scotland, featuring cracking characters and magnificent world building from the wonderful Daniela Sacerdoti. I'll have more info next week but for now here are the blog tour details.

Blog Tour for The Long Fall by Julia Crouch

Today I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Julia Crouch's latest novel which is published today in TPB and e-book. Get you hands on a copy now. Julia writes thrilling creepy stories about trust and relationships that are simply unputdownable. Follow her on twitter @thatjuliacrouch. Thanks so much to Elizabeth Masters at Headline and Bookbridgr for the chance to take part. I will be reviewing this book later today so stay tuned.

I asked Julia about her favourite "domestic noir" novels and she sent the most amazing reply (see below), so get ready to add oddles of books to your wish list.

My Top Five Domestic Noir Novels
Julia Crouch

This task has been both completely enjoyable and utterly impossible. Just five? Give me a break.

Looking back over my crammed bookshelves – like most writers, I have more books than available walls – I realised that almost every single book I have loved, whatever the publisher’s classification, could fit into my definition of Domestic Noir.

Domestic Noir is about the things people do to each other in the name of love. It’s about the levels at which we can deceive ourselves and others, and how we manage to live with our secrets. It can include police and murders, but that’s certainly not essential. The mystery lies in the why- rather than the whodunnit.

So, for example, I could include Wuthering Heights, one of my all time favourite novels. But I’m not going to, because a) there are another five that I’d put in front of that now and b) I may have read it about ten times, but that was in my teens and twenties, so it’s not so terribly fresh in my mind.

Also missing from this list are any Barbara Vine books, simply because to choose one favourite is like choosing your favourite child. It’s simply not on. However, flicking through my well-thumbed copies, I realise how formative her writing has been for me – subconsciously I have picked up some very similar themes in my own work.

Another more controversial contender was Ian McEwan. I love his work, particularly his early novels such as The Comfort of Strangers, A Child in Time and The Cement Garden – they are dark, about the outer limits of relationships and sexuality, and explore love and loss. I often wonder, if he were to start writing today, how a publisher would sell him – would he be on the New Blood panel at Harrogate, for example?

Anyway. Enough about what isn’t on the list. Here’s what is, in no particular order.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
I love the first person narration, the fact that we only see events through the eyes of the nameless second Mrs de Winter, so, although we learn early on not to completely trust her world view, we are still surprised at how events unfold. There are great set pieces too – the drama of the burning house, the mystery and the placing of the action set up by the first line: Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again... and the sea salted, foggy atmosphere that permeates the book.

The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford
I adapted this for the stage many years ago, so it is really quite intimately in my blood. Again, we’re dealing with an unreliable narrator, and again with a famous, scene setting first line: This is the saddest story I have ever heard. If you haven’t
read it, do. It’s like a quadrille: four people dancing around each other, changing partners, looking for happiness and love, and failing catastrophically.

Something might Happen by Julie Myerson
I love Julie Myerson’s work. It was reading this particular book that made me want to write. I particularly admire the sparseness of her writing, and the way in which she manages even so to capture so much domestic detail. This is the story of the brutal murder of a woman in a Suffolk seaside town, and the effect it has on her closest friends. As Alfred Hickling put it in The Guardian: ‘while we are offered the paraphernalia of detective inspectors, sniffer dogs and bereavement counsellors, the reassuring certainty of conventional crime fiction is disturbingly absent.’ It is cruel, unflinching, yet also compassionate.

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
Erin is such a fantastic writer and I love all of her books. I had to choose just one, and it was really hard, but The Poison Tree is so dark and mysterious, so witty and so lusciously written, that it had to be the one. Also, it came out about the same time as my own first novel, Cuckoo. I didn’t know Erin at the time, but we are now good friends and have often remarked how close the worlds of our books are. Erin’s Biba and my Polly could even be sisters under the skin. It’s often why we love particular books, isn’t it? Because we just get what the writer is doing.

We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Such a chilling story, so brilliantly told. Because of the structure, where Eva is trying to work out things for herself, the reader is constantly asking questions – What happened? What’s going to happen? Who did it? Why? Like all the books on my list, Kevin offers no easy answers. It’s up to the reader to do a bit of work as well.

So, that’s the five.

But hold on. What about Before I go to Sleep by SJ Watson? Or Room by Emma Donoghue? Or Tideline by Penny Hancock? Or Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn? or…

Oh no. Have I got to start all over again?

**************

So what you think of Julia's selection? Which have you read? Which are you hoping to get your hands on? I have only read two on this list The Poison Tree and Rebecca both of which are fantastic dark and thrilling reads. I will be looking out for the other three as soon as possible.

Thanks so much Julia for coming up with this great list.