In fourteenth-century Central Asia, Karia
is a young woman living under the yoke of Mongol occupation. But she’s
different. She’s a fighter with supernatural powers. She could use them to keep
the Black Plague at bay and solve the mystery of the purple skies at dawn – if
only she could overcome her self-doubt.
Travelling in caravans on the Silk Road,
she faces dangers seen and unseen – from sandstorms and slave traders to the
desert djinn and folk who believe she’s a witch. She fears losing Abi, her
little cousin, who’s fascinated by roses and the dance of the Whirling Dervishes
of Bukhara.
When Karia falls in love with an English
sailor fleeing the Knights Hospitaller, they sail to England with Abi to
unravel the meaning of the purple skies, a dance, a posy tree, and a ring of
roses.
The Spirit of the Times is part history, part fiction and part speculation: on the origin
of disease; the power of innocence; the unfortunate aspects of custom and
dogma; and humanity’s ability to respond to the governing influence or spirit
of the times.
Justin Newland’s novels represent an
innovative blend of genres, from historical adventure to supernatural thriller
and magical realism.
Undeterred by the award of a doctorate in
mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The
Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian
skies. Next came The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), set in Ming
Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.
The Coronation (Matador, 2019) features the Great Enlightenment and speculates on
the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial
Revolution. The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in
which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means
to abdicate that faith.
At this point in his writing career, after
four self-published books, Justin was offered a part-funded contract with the
Book Guild.
The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book ‘The Island of
Angels’ series. It tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age during the
Elizabethan era. The second in the series, The Midnight of Eights (Book
Guild, 2024), charts the uncanny coincidences of time and tide that culminated
in the repulse of the Spanish Armada.
His latest novel, The Spirit of the
Times (Matador, 2026), is to be published in July. It tells the story of a
young Kyrgyz woman’s journey westwards along the Silk Road. With purple skies
at dawn, and a supporting cast of Genghis Khan, the Black Plague, a perplexing
rhyme, a ring of roses, it explores the greatest mystery of all – the spirit of
the times.
Justin’s enduring passion is to explore the
origins of our current time. This prompted a broad research into what we’ve
inherited from history – encompassing Egypt, China, Prussia and Tudor England.
He also writes entertaining talks which he gives to the WI, U3A, Probus, Rotary
and local historical associations. Please visit his website for a current list
of the talks.
Alongside the talks, Justin promotes his
work with regular book signings at TG Jones (ex. WH Smith) high street stores,
selling over 3,500 books since 2019. He has sponsored over 40 UK and US blog
tours, given frequent radio interviews and penned many guest posts.
His current book-signing motto is: "Enjoy, Imagine, Discover."
As a member of the Society of Authors, he
has Public and Products Liability Insurance.
Born in Essex, England, three days before
the end of 1953, he lives with his lady in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in
Somerset, England.
If you enjoy discovering new stories,
you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning
adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY
Jessie Mason lives with her
nose in the pages of history. But she is discovering that the past is a
dangerous place where she doesn't belong, and knowledge alone is not going to
save her.
Jessie’s life has become a
series of terrible challenges. Now she must lead her friends in the hopeless
task Grandfather set them: hunt down and destroy the Time Stones. But her
leadership has already failed. Tip has left them and Abe has simply
disappeared, while she and Kes are trapped in the heart of an ancient empire in
turmoil.
Thrust into a fractured,
threatened Mexica nobility, Jessie is immersed in a way of life, fascinating
and disturbing in equal measure, yet powerless before the approaching
Conquistadors and the impending clash of cultures.
Even as the fabulous city of
Tenochtitlan descends into savage violence, Jessie’s determination to succeed
is undiminished. But with world history taking a new, bloody direction before
her, she is finally forced to decide which is more important: continuing the
task or simply surviving.
Praise:
“Quetzalcoatl (Time Stones
Book II) by Ian Hunter is a tautly gripping novel that is written with a
sensitivity to the era it depicts, but it is also a story packed with adventure
and magic. Hunter’s vivacious storytelling made this novel impossible to put
down. It is a story that has been penned with an impressive sweep and
brilliance.”
Books have been an important
part of my life as long as I can remember, and at 54 years old, that’s a lot of
books. My earliest memories of reading are CS Lewis’, “The Horse and His Boy” –
by far the best of the Narnia books, the Adventures series by Willard Price,
and “Goalkeepers are Different” by sports journalist Brian Glanville. An
eclectic mix. My first English teacher was surprised to hear that I was
reading, Le Carré, Ken Follett, Nevil Shute and “All the Presidents’ Men” by
Woodward and Bernstein at the age of 12. I was simply picking up the books my
father had finished.
School syllabus threw up the
usual suspects – Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Hardy, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
– which I have reread often, and others I don’t immediately recall. By “A”
level study, my then English teachers were pulling their hair out at my “perverse
waste of talent” – I still have the report card! But I did manage a pass.
During a 35 year career,
briefly in Banking and then in IT, I managed to find time, with unfailing
family support, to study another lifelong passion, graduating with an Open
University Bachelors’ degree in History in 2002. This fascination with all
things historical inspired me to begin the Time Stones series. There is so much
to our human past, and so many differing views on what is the greatest, and
often the saddest, most tragic story. I decided I wanted to write about it; to
shine a small light on those, sometimes pivotal stories, which are less
frequently mentioned.
In 1995, my wife, Michelle,
and I moved from England to southern Germany, where we still live, with our two
children, one cat, and, when she pays us a visit, one chocolate labrador. I
have been fortunate that I could satisfy another wish, to travel as widely as
possible and see as much of our world as I can. Destinations usually include
places of historic and archaeological interest, mixed with a large helping of
sun, sea and sand for my wife’s peace of mind.
If you enjoy discovering new stories,
you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning
adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY
But she didn’t agree to be the damsel in distress.
When
her longtime boyfriend unexpectedly slides a ring on her finger, Hannah is
whisked from her everyday bedroom to a medieval ball. Hannah knew that Dylan
would do anything to prove to her parents that he’s husband material,
including going into the Fae world—but she never agreed to go through the Veil
herself.
Now
one of three princess sisters, Hannah is paired with now-Prince Dylan. But,
homesick and blindsided, she pretends the Veil has wiped him from her memory.
As
her prince scrambles in vain to be the right kind of hero, Hannah ignores her
instincts and follows her new sisters onto a mysterious boat—which promptly
sails them into a land of giants, magical traps, and enchanted pianos…and away
from Dylan.
Read now to journey back to medieval Ireland, complete with the Fae and
mythological monsters, in this fairy tale adventure and sweet "it was
always you" romance.
Characters you connect with. Adventure. Love. Family… And
endings that are more than a sugar rush.
When
Christy Matheson is not throwing ordinary characters into fairy tales, she is
busy raising five children. (Very busy.) She writes character-driven historical
fiction with and without fantasy elements, and her “fresh, smart, and totally
charming” stories have won multiple awards.
Christy
is also an embroidery artist, classically trained pianist, and sews all of her
own clothes. She lives in Oregon, on a country property that fondly reminds her
of a Regency estate (except with a swing set instead of faux Greek ruins), with
her husband, five children, three Shelties, one bunny, and an improbable
quantity of art supplies.
A Celtic warrior princess accused of
treason for aiding her enemy lover must win back her father’s love and trust
In the rich and vibrant tale, author Linnea
Tanner continues the story of Catrin and Marcellus that began with the
award-winning novel APOLLO’S RAVEN in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series.
Book 2: DAGGER’S DESTINY sweeps you into an epic tale of forbidden love,
mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia.
War looms over 24 AD Britannia where rival
tribal rulers fight each other for power and the Romans threaten to invade to
settle their political differences. King Amren accuses his daughter, Catrin, of
treason for aiding the Roman enemy and her lover, Marcellus. The ultimate
punishment is death unless she can redeem herself. She must prove loyalty to
her father by forsaking Marcellus and defending their kingdom—even to the
death. Forged into a warrior, she must overcome tribulations and make the right
decisions on her quest to break the curse that foretells her banished
half-brother and the Roman Empire will destroy their kingdom.
Yet, when Catrin again reunites with
Marcellus, she is torn between her love for him and duty to King Amren. She
must ultimately face her greatest challenger who could destroy her life,
freedom, and humanity.
Will Catrin finally break the ancient prophecy
that looms over her kingdom? Will she abandon her forbidden love for Marcellus
to win back her father’s trust and love? Can King Amren balance his brutality
to maintain power with the love he feels for Catrin?
Praise:
“Tanner is a masterful wordsmith and
storyteller. There were no plot holes, everything was believable, and her
characters grew as did the plot.” ~ The Audiobook Reviewer
" For those with an interest in
epic fantasy, the characters and their interactions, each with their personal
goals and motivations, and often in conflict with each other, Dagger’s Destiny
is a book sure to keep your interest.” ~ Geoff Habiger
for Readers' Favorite (GOLD MEDAL Fiction: Magic/Wizardry)
A winner will be chosen at random and
announced after the tour has finished.
Award-winning author, Linnea
Tanner weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue
in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about
ancient civilizations and mythology. She is particularly interested in the
enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.
Linnea has extensively researched
ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to
sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings
series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s
Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3), and Skull’s
Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short
story Two Faces of Janus.
A Colorado native, Linnea
attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two
children and six grandchildren.
If you had a
crystal ball to predict what lay ahead, would you be tempted to use
it? Or would you leave the future to the turn of Fate?
Tales of Variety. Tales of History, Mystery and
Magic – some comprising just one of these popular fiction genres, others, a
mild mixture of all three. Perhaps you prefer historical fiction rather
than a story about magic or fantasy? Maybe you enjoy exploring new themes or
prefer sticking to the familiar? Historical fiction can often inform, imparting
knowledge of the past, of its events and its people. Stories of mystery
exercise the ‘little grey cells’ as Poirot would say, while fantasy and magic
create new worlds and awed wonder.
Whatever
result, this is where anthologies come into their own, and where short stories
are often appreciated as enjoyable, entertaining, quick or easy reads shown
through the eyes of a variety of extraordinary characters and situations. In
this instance: an Anglo-Saxon woman facing the consequence of conquest, the
pursuit of alchemy, the concern of a mother for her daughter, the shifting of
time, the necessity of hidden identity, souls who will linger as ghosts, a
warning from the supernatural, the necessity for (justifiable?) revenge. All
mingled with the rekindling of romance through a mutual quest, and the
preparations for a Cotswold village celebration. (Along with a good tip if
illicitly snaffling cakes.)
This title is available to read on
#KindleUnlimited.
Author Bios:
BRAMBLE
CREEP BY ANNIE WHITEHEAD
When the
Normans arrive at a peaceful Anglo-Saxon village, do the women, children and
old men submit... or fight?
ABOUT ANNIE:
Annie Whitehead is a prize-winning writer,
historian, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and has written four
award-winning novels set in ‘Anglo-Saxon’ Mercia. She has contributed to
fiction and nonfiction anthologies and written for various magazines. She has
twice been a prize winner in the Mail on Sunday Novel Writing Competition, and
won First Prize in the 2012 New Writer Magazine's Prose and Poetry Competition.
She has been a finalist in the Tom Howard Prize for nonfiction and was
shortlisted for the Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award 2021. She was
the winner of the inaugural Historical Writers’ Association (HWA)/Dorothy
Dunnett Prize 2017 and was subsequently a judge for that same competition. She
has also been a judge for the HNS (Historical Novel Society) Short Story
Competition, and was a 2024 judge for the HWA Crown Nonfiction Award.
Her nonfiction books are Mercia: The Rise
and Fall of a Kingdom and Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England. In
2023 she contributed to a new history of English monarchs, published by Hodder
& Stoughton, and in February 2025 Murder in Anglo-Saxon England was
published by Amberley Books.
Jean Gill is an
award-winning Welsh writer and photographer living in the south of France with
a scruffy dog, a beehive named 'Endeavour', a Nikon D750 and a man. First
published in 1988, her twenty-six books are varied in genre, including novels,
memoir, military history, dog books, poetry, and a cookery book on goat cheese.
With Scottish parents, an English birthplace and French residence, she can
usually support the winning team on most sporting occasions. She taught English
for many years and was the first woman to be a comprehensive school headteacher
in Dyfed, Wales. Life has been hectic as she is also mother or stepmother to
five children.
A warning of Fate, or simply too much beer and a
tale well told?
ABOUT MARIAN:
A dual Canadian/British citizen who divides her
year between Ontario, Canada, and Norfolk, UK, Marian published the first of
her eight-book Empire’s Legacy series, historically-inspired speculative
fiction, in 2015. The series is set in a world ‘on the edge of history’:
reminiscent of Britain, Northern Europe, and Rome in the latter centuries of
the first millennium, but a world where society evolved differently after the
Eastern Empire left; a world where one young fisherwoman answers her leader’s
call to defend her country, beginning a journey into uncharted territory.
Does the
fate of those who survive linger forever?
ABOUT HELEN:
Known for her captivating storytelling and rich
attention to historical detail, Helen’s historical fiction, nautical adventure
series, cosy mysteries – and her short stories – skilfully invite readers to
step into worlds where the boundaries between fact and fiction blend together. Helen started writing as a teenager,
but after discovering a passion for history, was initially published in 1993 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. Her 2025 release is Ghost
Encounters, a book about the ghosts of North Devon.
Helen and her family moved from London to Devon after
a Lottery win on the opening night of the London Olympics, 2012. She spends her
time glowering at the overgrown garden, fending off the geese, helping with the
horses and wishing the friendly, resident ghosts would occasionally help with
the housework...
When time turns in the wrong direction, fate will
always step in…
ABOUT ALISON:
Alison Morton writes award-winning
thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her eleven-book Roma Nova
thriller series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the
ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women
who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but with a sharp line in dialogue.
Six years’ military service, a fascination
with ancient Rome and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction
have inspired her writing. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages
and an MA in history. She lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the
heroine of her latest three contemporary thrillers, Double Identity, Double
Pursuit, and Double Stakes.
A Lost Portrait, a Hidden Conspiracy,
and a Second Chance at Love
ABOUT ELIZABETH:
Elizabeth
St.John’s acclaimed historical fiction brings to life her ancestors –
remarkable women linked to England’s royalty – offering unique insights into
Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times. Inspired by family archives and historic
sites like Lydiard Park and the Tower of London, her novels include The
Lydiard Chronicles, The Godmother’s Secret, and The King's Intelligencer,
exploring the English Civil War and the mystery of the Princes in the Tower.
R. Marsden is an author and musician, passionate about the Middle
Ages. He plays the gittern, a beautiful medieval stringed instrument, ancestor
of the guitar; and a thirteenth century recorder, a replica of one which was
excavated from medieval ruins in modern-day Poland. He also plays the piano,
and there’s nothing medieval about that!
Tales of Castle Rory are Medieval
Fantasy Adventures, in which the demesne of Lord Rory of Hambrig is brought to
life. Set in the latter part of the thirteenth century, these stories have
adventure, mystery and magic at their heart. You’ll also find relationships,
romance, friendship and the forging and breaking of ties between people and
nations. Running through the Tales are themes of family, loyalty, trust and
resilience, together with the other sides of those coins: abandonment,
betrayal, loss and disempowerment.
Beware the consequences of hatred. Revenge can take many forms…
ABOUT ANNA:
Had Anna been
allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible,
she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history,
romance and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The
Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well
as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which
is set in 14th century England, and The Castilian Saga, which
is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has also published a time
travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and its sequel Times of
Turmoil, and is now considering just
how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s
Russia, as her characters are demanding. . .
All of Anna’s
books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical
Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in
2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favourite medals as
well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
Fate can be
in the hands of others – or held within your own...
ABOUT J.P. REEDMAN:
J.P. Reedman lives in Wiltshire near to
Stonehenge. Born in Canada, she has had a lifelong interest in ancient and
medieval history, and is often found lurking around prehistoric sites, ruined
castles and abbeys, and interesting churches with camera in hand. She became a
full-time writer in 2018. Series include I, Richard Plantagenet,five books chronicling Richard’s
life from childhood to Bosworth, and Medieval Babes, a set of standalone novels
about lesser-known medieval queens and noblewomen.
When children are not quite the saints we’d like them to be!
ABOUT DEBBIE
YOUNG:
Debbie Young is
the author of three series of cosy mystery novels set in the Cotswolds. The
Sophie Sayers series starts with Best Murder in Show; the Gemma Lamb series
begins with Dastardly Deeds at St Bride’s; and the Cotswold Curiosity Shop
series kicks off with Death at the Old Curiosity Shop. She sometimes sends
characters from one series to visit those in another. She also writes short
fiction, not all of it crime-related, set in the same world, eg Christmas with
Sophie Sayers. Her novels are published by Boldwood Books in English, by DP
Verlag in German, and by Antonio Vallardi in Italian. She has recently written
her first murder mystery play for performance by her village amateur dramatic
group. She is a frequent speaker at events for writers and readers, a course
tutor for Jericho Writers, and the founder and director of the Hawkesbury Upton
Literature Festival. She lives in a Victorian cottage with her Scottish
husband, her student daughter, and three cats, and she writes in a little hut
at the bottom of her garden.
Capitán Cristóbal de Varga’s drive for
glory and gold in 1538 Peru leads him and his army of conquistadors into a New
World that refuses to be conquered. He is a man torn by life-long obsessions
and knows this is his last campaign.
What he doesn’t know is that his Incan
allies led by the princess Sarpay have their own furtive plans to make sure he
never finds the golden city of Vilcabamba. He also doesn’t know that Héctor
Valiente, the freed African slave he appointed as his lieutenant, has found a
portal that will lead them all into a world that will challenge his deepest
beliefs. And what he can’t possibly know is that this world will trap him in a
war between two eternal enemies, leading him to question everything he has
devoted his life to - his command, his Incan princess, his honor, his God.
In the end, he faces the ultimate dilemma:
how is it possible to battle your own obsessions . . . to conquer yourself?
Dirk Strasser’s epic fantasy
trilogy The Books of Ascension—Zenith, Equinox and Eclipse—was
published in German and English, and his short stories have been translated
into several European languages. “The Doppelgänger Effect” appeared in the
World Fantasy Award-winning anthology Dreaming Down Under. He is the
co-editor of Australia’s premier science-fiction and fantasy magazine, Aurealis.
Dirk was born in Germany but
has lived most of his life in Australia. He has written a series of
best-selling school textbooks, trekked the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and
studied Renaissance history. “Conquist” was first published as a short story in
the anthology Dreaming Again (HarperCollins). The serialized version of Conquist
was a finalist in the Aurealis Awards Best Fantasy Novel category. Dirk’s
screenplay version of Conquist won the Wildsound Fantasy/Sci-Fi Festival
Best Scene Reading Award and was a featured finalist in the Cinequest Film
& Creativity Festival and the Creative World Awards.
A Celtic warrior
princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her
people.
AWARD-WINNING APOLLO’S
RAVEN sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological
adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD
British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power.
King Amren’s former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf
and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king’s daughter, Catrin, learns to
her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf.
Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is
torn between her forbidden love for her father’s enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty
to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the
dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom.
Will Catrin overcome
and eradicate the ancient curse? Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love
for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and
save her kingdom?
Buy Links:
*Apollo’s Raven will be free on
Kindle on September 26th – 30th, 2024!*
Award-winning author, Linnea
Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue
in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about
ancient civilizations and mythology. She is particularly interested in the
enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.
Linnea has extensively
researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled
to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and
Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven
(Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3),
and Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical
fiction short story Two Faces of Janus.
A Colorado native, Linnea
attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two
children and six grandchildren.
“If you mingled the history and romance of
Philippa Gregory with the magical fantasy of George R.R. Martin, the result
just might be the fascinating Apollo’s Raven (Curse of Clansmen and
Kings Book 1) by Linnea Tanner. Get ready for a journey filled with the
desires of star-crossed lovers, the horror of a son polishing his own mother’s
skull and the fantasy of humans becoming creatures as a tool to save their very
humanity.”
“Sorcery? Mythology? Forbidden love? An
ancient curse? Yes, please! I fully enjoyed this epic tale of intrigue,
deception, and love. The characters are developed well, while the plot leaves
the reader wanting more.”
“What a story! I am a huge fan of
"Game of Thrones," and this book grabbed me in much the same way. The
author took me inside the world of ancient Romans and Celts. The imagery was
compelling. I could see the characters, the weapons, the countryside, the
lairs, and the castle. She stayed true to the times.”
“A love story full of intrigue, power
struggles, choosing one’s fate and a doomed love, this story reminds me
somewhat of an old book called “The Silver Land” by Nancy Harding or even “The
Forest House” by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The undercurrents are the same as they
are set in similar times, but the finer details are different enough that it
only feels the same while still being uniquely its own.”
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