Fragments of the Past – an exclusive character interview with Dr. Gwyneth Franger

 In this special feature, we meet Dr. Gwyneth Franger, a professor of archaeology at the University of London. Known for her meticulous research and summers spent on excavations, Gwyneth’s life takes an unexpected turn when a medieval portrait captures her attention. Believed to depict the last descendant of a noble house from the reign of Alfred the Great, the image draws her into a mystery that transcends centuries. What begins as academic curiosity soon becomes something far more personal and perilous.

Interviewer: Dr. Franger, thank you for joining us. Could you begin by sharing a little about your academic background and what first drew you to archaeology?

Dr. Gwyneth Franger: Thank you for inviting me. My fascination with the past began when I was very young. While other children were content with fairy tales, I was captivated by museum exhibits and the stories behind ancient artifacts. That curiosity eventually led me to pursue archaeology at university, and later a doctorate. Teaching at the University of London allows me to pass on that passion, but it’s the fieldwork that truly fuels me. There’s something profoundly moving about uncovering an object that hasn’t been touched for centuries.

Interviewer: You spend your summers on digs. What is it about fieldwork that excites you most?

Gwyneth: Fieldwork is unpredictable. You can spend weeks carefully excavating layers of soil, finding nothing but fragments, and then suddenly uncover something that changes your understanding of an entire period. It’s humbling. Each discovery is a reminder that history is not abstract, it’s tangible, layered beneath our feet, waiting to be revealed.

Interviewer: Your research often brings you to Wareham, a town with deep historical resonance. What drew you there in particular?

Gwyneth: Wareham is extraordinary. Its fortifications and its role in shifting dynasties make it a place where the past feels unusually close. I was especially intrigued by a portrait I encountered there. It was said to depict the last descendant of a noble house dating back to Alfred the Great. The image was haunting, almost defiant, and I found myself compelled to learn more. That portrait became the spark for questions I couldn’t set aside.

Interviewer: Without revealing too much, your story involves a storm and an extraordinary journey. How do you reconcile your scientific training with experiences that seem beyond explanation?

Gwyneth: As an academic, I’m trained to seek evidence, to test and verify. But there are moments when reason falters, when events unfold that resist tidy categorization. Some might call it fate, others divine intervention. I’ve learned that not everything can be measured or catalogued. Sometimes the past reaches out in ways we cannot fully explain.

Interviewer: You’ve been described as someone caught between two worlds. How does that tension shape your choices?

Gwyneth: It’s a constant balancing act. Knowledge can be both a gift and a burden. When you see the threads of history, should you tug at them, or let them be? Every decision carries weight, not just for oneself, but for those whose lives are entwined with yours. That tension never truly leaves you.

Interviewer: Many readers are fascinated by the idea of time travel. What do you think is its greatest allure?

Gwyneth: Time travel is the ultimate act of empathy. To step into another era is to see the world through different eyes, to feel the hopes and fears of people long gone. It reminds us that history is not just a sequence of dates, it’s lived experience, full of uncertainty, passion, and consequence.

Interviewer: Your work often places you in situations of intrigue and danger. How do you find the courage to face them?

Gwyneth: Courage is rarely about fearlessness. It’s about moving forward despite fear. I remind myself that the past and the future depend on choices made in the present moment. That thought steadies me when the path ahead is uncertain.

Interviewer: Finally, what do you hope readers take away from your journey?

Gwyneth: That the past is never truly gone. It lingers in our traditions, our landscapes, even in the stones beneath our feet. And while destiny may seem fixed, there is always room for choice, for love, and for the possibility of change.

Purchase Links

Amazon Global Link

http://mybook.to/tbatdtimeline

Universal Link

https://books2read.com/u/b5o8p6

Mary Ann Bernal is a distinguished alumna of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she earned her degree in Business Administration. Her literary journey began with the 2009 publication of her debut novel in The Briton and the Dane series, marking the start of a richly diverse body of work that spans historical fiction, contemporary short stories, science fiction/fantasy, and fast-paced adventure novellas.

Her recent publications include Crusader’s Path, a poignant redemption tale set during the First Crusade; Forgiving Nero, a compelling exploration of familial bonds in Ancient Rome; and the award-winning AnaRose adventure series, chronicling the daring escapades of a museum curator-turned-relic hunter. Mary Ann’s work has been honored by the Independent Press Award, the NYC Big Book Award, Chanticleer International Book Awards, the B.R.A.G. Medallion, and the Reader Views Reviewer’s Choice Awards. Her short fiction anthologies have likewise earned distinction, most notably from the American Legacy Book Awards. She was also recognized with the Editor’s Choice Award for Literary Excellence by Reader’s House magazine.

A dedicated supporter of the United States military since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has actively engaged in letter-writing campaigns and related initiatives. Her advocacy has been featured on KMTV’s The Morning Blend and in the Omaha World-Herald. As a celebrated author, she has appeared on numerous reader blogs and book promotion platforms. Mary Ann currently resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska, where she continues to craft stories that inspire and endure.

Connect with Mary Ann:

Website: http://www.maryannbernal.com/

Whispering Legends Press: https://www.whisperinglegendspress.com/

Blog: https://maryannbernal.blogspot.com/

Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Ann-Bernal/e/B003D2DPZ4

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maryannbernal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryannbernal

Linked-In:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-bernal-a9a05b33/

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/maryannbernal

BookBub  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-ann-bernal

X: https://x.com/BritonandDane

Threads:  https://www.threads.com/@maryannbernal

BlueSky:  https://bsky.app/profile/maryannbernal.bsky.social

 

 

Book Spotlight: A Shape on the Air by Julia Ibbotson

 

Can echoes of the past threaten the present? They are 1500 years apart, but can they reach out to each other across the centuries? One woman faces a traumatic truth in the present day. The other is forced to marry the man she hates as the 'dark ages' unfold.

How can Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, unlock the secrets of the past?

Traumatised by betrayal, she slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, who is also battling treachery. Viv must uncover the mystery of the key that she unwittingly brings back with her to the present day, as echoes of the past resonate through time. But little does Viv realise just how much both their lives across the centuries will become so intertwined. And in the end, how can they help each other across the ages without changing the course of history?

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

 Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://myBook.to/ASOTA

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 

 

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries.

Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language / literature / history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.

She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her latest novel is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual-time mysteries, Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.

Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

Author Links:

Website: https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com

Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/@juliaibbotson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.ibbotson

Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/juliaibbotson.bsky.social

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/juliai1

Amazon Author Page: https://Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/juliaibbotson

 

Book Spotlight: The Rune Stone by Julia Ibbotson

 

A haunting time-slip mystery of runes and romance

When Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, finds a mysterious runic inscription on a Rune Stone in the graveyard of her husband’s village church, she unwittingly sets off a chain of circumstances that disturb their quiet lives in ways she never expected.

She, once again, feels the echoes of the past resonate through time and into the present. Can she unlock the secrets of the runes in the life of the 6^th century Lady Vivianne and in Viv’s own life?

Again, lives of the past and present intertwine alarmingly as Viv desperately tries to save them both, without changing the course of history.

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

Praise for Julia Ibbotson:

(for A Shape on the Air) “In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” -Historical Novel Society

(for the series) “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – book tour reviewer

(for The Rune Stone) “beautifully written”, “absorbing and captivating”, “fully immersive”, “wonderfully written characters”, “a skilled story teller” – Amazon reviewers

“Dr Ibbotson has created living, breathing characters that will remain in the reader’s mind long after the book is read … The characters are brought to life beautifully with perfect economy of description … fabulous!” – Melissa Morgan

“A rich and evocative time-slip novel that beautifully and satisfyingly concludes this superb trilogy. The story is woven seamlessly and skillfully between the past and the present, and the reader is drawn deeply into both worlds.  Her portrayal of the 6^th century and its way of life are authoritative, vivid and memorable.” – Kate Sullivan

 

 Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link:  https://myBook.to/TRS

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 

 

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries.

Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language/ literature/ history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics.

After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.

She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her work in progress is a new series of Anglo-Saxon mystery romances, beginning with Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.

Julia’s novels will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

Author Links:

Amazon Author page:  Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Author website & blog: www.juliaibbotsonauthor.com

Facebook (author):  https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/JuliaIbbotson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.ibbotson

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/juliai1/

Goodreads author page:  https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/juliaibbotson.bsky.social

 

 

 

Book Spotlight: The Dragon Tree by Julia Ibbotson

 

A haunting medieval time-slip (#2 in the Dr DuLac series, sequel to A Shape on the Air, but can be read as a stand-alone)

Echoes of the past resonate through time and disturb medievalist Dr Viv DuLac as she struggles with misfortune in the present. She and Rev Rory have escaped to the island of Madeira on a secondment from their posts, yet they are not to find peace – until they can solve the mystery of the shard of azulejo and the ancient ammonite. Viv’s search brings her into contact with two troubled women: a noblewoman shipwrecked on the island in the 14^th century and a rebellious nun at the island convent in the 16^th century. As Viv reaches out across the centuries, their lives become intertwined, and she must uncover the secrets of the ominous Dragon Tree in order to locate lost artefacts that can shape the future.

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

“The idea of being able to ‘feel’ what happened in the past is enticing … The sense of the island is really wonderful … Julia brings it to life evocatively.”

~ Joanna Barnden

 “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense.”

~ book tour reviewer

“… an engaging and original time-slip novel that keeps the reader turning the pages…the characters are authentic and the mystery is neatly woven between the centuries … seamless time transitions …”

~ Melissa Morgan

 Buy Links:

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 Universal Buy Link:  https://mybook.to/TDT

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries. Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language / literature / history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics.

After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s. She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone.

Her work in progress is a new series of Anglo-Saxon mystery romances, beginning with Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries. Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful storytelling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

Author Links:

Website: https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com

Twitter:   https://x.com/JuliaIbbotson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-julia-ibbotson-62a5401a/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julia.ibbotson

Pinterest:   http://www.pinterest.co.uk/juliai1

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julia-ibbotson

Amazon Author Page:  https://Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson

The Briton and the Dane: Timeline - character interview with Dr. Gwyneth Franger

 An Interview with 

Dr. Gwyneth Franger

Commentator (C): Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Dr. Franger.

Gwyneth (G): Please call me Gwyneth, and I appreciate this opportunity for my fans to know the “real me.”

C: Let’s start with where do you live?

G: London, but the year is 2066. It is an exciting city, rich in history but also progressive, blending the old with the new. One challenge, however, is recruiting talented men and women to study the past, not only in the classroom but on archeological sites. There is nothing more exciting than discovering ancient artifacts buried in rubble after spending hours, days, or even years, removing centuries of dirt and debris.

C: You appear passionate about history. Did you always feel that way?

G: Since I was old enough to hold a shovel. I would spend hours in the park, “excavating” possible sites. It didn’t bother me that I never discovered a relic. I was learning my craft. One day I struck an object; you can imagine my excitement when I unearthed pieces of Roman pottery. Of course, I didn’t learn until much later that my parents were behind my first find.

 C: What is your favorite archeological site?

 G: The ruins of the Wareham citadel. Thankfully, the fortress had been reinforced with stone since the wooden structures suffered the effects of time and natural disasters, such as fire. The Keep, which is the tower, still stands as it once did during the reign of Alfred the Great. The view is breathtaking, and I never tire of summer evenings watching the waves crashing gently upon the rocks below.

C: Has your belief in God helped or hindered your investigations?

G: I believe in Divine Intervention. There is no other way to explain how I was transported, unscathed, back in time to the eleventh century. My life definitely changed from the experience, and without this Divine Intervention, I would not have returned to my timeline, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

C: What was it like living in the eleventh century?

G: It was quite a challenge, and I was very concerned about doing something that would change the course of history. I had seen the old Star Trek television shows and was very aware of the dangers of interfering. I found having to take a submissive female role disconcerting, but I threw myself into the role of my character. What helped was having studied drama one summer at Stratford-upon-Avon with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

C: Who provided for you during that time?

G: Lord Erik of Wareham, my husband. Again, this is where Divine Intervention comes into play. The night I arrived in Wareham, Erik was waiting for me in the chapel; yes, we were married that evening. He had been expecting me, which I found unnerving. However, he didn’t know at that point that I was from the future. I need to interject that I have been obsessed with him since I stumbled upon a rare painting at a Renaissance Fair. The portrait is still on the wall in my office.

C: Fascinating. When did you take Erik into your confidence? And were other people privy to your true identity?

G: It was disturbing, initially. However, Erik’s belief and trust in God were strong; everything he could not understand was attributed to Divine Intervention. Remember, religion played an essential role in everyday life. While Erik accepted I was from the future, he never pressed me for information about how events turned out. A select few were taken into our confidence, but as far as everyone else was concerned, I was Lord Erik’s wife, who was not from these parts.

C: Would you change anything if you could revisit the eleventh century?

G: The thought is tempting; how different would the world be if William the Conqueror had been defeated at the Battle of Hastings? Oh, my gosh, we could discuss what-ifs for hours on end and still be unhappy with the results. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to live during a time that people can only read about in history books, and I count my blessings every day that I have been so blessed.

C: Thank you, Gwyneth, for your candor. We look forward to reading about your adventures in The Briton and the Dane: Timeline.

 BUY LINKS

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Award-winning author, Mary Ann Bernal, attended Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she received a degree in Business Administration. Her literary aspirations were ultimately realized when the first book of The Briton and the Dane novels was published in 2009. In addition to writing historical fiction, Mary Ann has also authored a collection of contemporary short stories in the Scribbler Tales series and a science fiction/fantasy novel entitled Planetary Wars Rise of an Empire. Her recent work includes Crusader’s Path, a redemption story set against the backdrop of the First Crusade, and Forgiving Nero, a novel of Ancient Rome.

Since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has been a passionate supporter of the United States military, having been involved with letter-writing campaigns and other support programs. She appeared on The Morning Blend television show hosted by KMTV, the CBS television affiliate in Omaha, and was interviewed by the Omaha World-Herald for her volunteer work. She has been a featured author on various reader blogs and promotional sites.

Mary Ann currently resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska.

Connect with Mary Ann:

 Website   Publisher    Amazon Author Page   Facebook   Twitter   Blog

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Audiobook Spotlight: The Briton and the Dane: Timeline by Mary Ann Bernal, narrated by Michele Lukovich

 

Design by A+ Content Services

Dr. Gwyneth Franger, a renowned expert in early medieval England, is set upon learning the truth about the death of Lord Erik, the last descendant of the powerful House of Wareham. Her quest becomes an obsession, a condition that began with the discovery of a portrait of the tall and valiant warrior. Digesting troves of mildewed scrolls and source documentation only enhances her belief that Lord Erik was brutally assassinated by a cabal of traitors in the pay of William the Bastard, shortly before the onslaught of the Norman Invasion.

On an archeological dig in Southern England, Dr. Franger finds herself transported back to the Dark Ages and at the side of the noble Lord Erik who commands an army of elite Saxon warriors. Witnessing the unrest firsthand, Gwyneth senses that her instincts had been right all along, and she is determined to learn the identities of the treacherous blackguards hiding in the shadows, villains who may well be posing as Lord Erik’s friends and counselors.

Gwyneth knows it is wrong to stop the assassins but isn’t sure she can find the strength to walk away and watch her beloved Erik die. Will she intervene, change the course of history and wipe out an entire timeline to save the man she loves?

Listen to Chapter One HERE

BUY LINKS

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Book Trailer

Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Book Boyfriend By Jeanna Louise Skinner

 

Let us find solace in the quiet…"

 

Emmeline always dreamed of being an author, finding comfort in words and between the pages of her beloved romance novels, but a mental health diagnosis leaves her blocked and unable to write. Then she inherits a crumbling, second-hand bookshop from a mysterious old friend and Emmy discovers that magic is real and maybe her fantasies about the heroes in her favourite historical romances aren't so far-fetched after all.

 

A handsome stranger–wielding a sword as dangerous as his Tudor past–appears in Emmy's bookshop asking for help. Together they must race against time itself to lift the curse imprisoning him in an ancient book. But when growing threats to her safety are proved real and not another symptom of her illness, Emmy must learn to trust her own voice again. Can she find the words to save Jonathan and her shop before tragedy strikes on the fateful final page? 

 

Romance-addict Emmy may be, but this damsel is about to kick distress into the Ever After.

 

Trigger warnings:

Mental health issues, panic attacks, grief, references to abuse, references to cheating, character taking medication, references to therapy, references to suicide, references to section, references to body image references, misogyny.

 

 Buy Links:

  Amazon UK   Amazon US   Amazon CA   Amazon AU

 ¸.•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨) ✮ ( ¸.•´✶

 EXCERPT

The stranger turned, and the book Emmy had just picked up almost slipped from her grasp again. It was yesterday’s knight-in-less-than-shining-armour, this time sporting a frilled collar, a kind of ruby coloured velvet blouson, and what appeared to be matching tights. This guy is weird, she thought without charity, hissing at the tiny, treacherous part of her that was delighted to see him again.

“Allow me, my lady.” He knelt to help, and in the scramble to pick up the books, their fingers brushed. Emmy jumped as a crackle of static bounced between them; dust motes sizzling and swirling in tiny eddies. Emmy shook her head sure she was imagining things. She allowed herself a rueful smile. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Thank you. Now you’ve left the sword at home, is there something I can help you with?” The whispers in her head were growing and her big toe throbbed. She wasn’t in the mood for chivalry.

“I would take great pleasure in accepting your kindness, my lady. Your tone, however, suggests I hath offended again. I should leave you in peace. I will not risk your ire further by rolling the dice today.”

He rose and headed for the door.

“What? Wait! You can’t keep barging into my shop like this, looking like you do, talking in riddles, and then flouncing off! How do you know my name? What do you want?” Emmy was on her feet too, anxiety now piqued with anger. She balled her fists at her sides and stood up as tall and straight as her six feet two inches allowed, but it was more a self-defense mechanism than the action of an aggressor.

The stranger faced her again, blue eyes blazing with an emotion that cut through Emmy’s temper, weakening her resolve. I just want to understand him, that’s all. Nothing more than that.

“What do I want? My freedom. Good day, my lady.”

Then he was gone. Again. Stymied, Emmy watched as he strode past the window and out of sight. She uncurled her hands, wincing at the nail marks she’d dug into her palms, which were now red and sweaty. What on earth? Why does he need my help, no, my assistance? ‘I would take great pleasure in accepting your kindness’, yeah and I would take great pleasure in…in -

Her eyes widened at the preposterous turn her thoughts were taking. “It couldn’t be,” she breathed. “‘I would take great pleasure in licking the sweat from your bosom, as I lay your delectable body across my table.”’ Then she remembered his comment about not rolling the dice and, with her heart hammering a piano concerto, quickly locked the shop door before tearing up the stairs. Her hands trembled and the skin on the nape of her neck prickled. She tried to tell herself to stop, that she was over-imagining things, she needed to start her relaxation techniques: You’re stressed. You’re taking too much on. You’re grieving about Maggie. And you stupidly didn’t take your meds again last night!

Thinking about Maggie was a sobering slap to the face, and she paused, resting her riotous head on a low beam and panting as if winded. But Maggie reminded her of the letter, and the letter reminded her of Jonathan and The Book, and round and round her thoughts went until, with a deep breath, she looked down at the old volume and opened it. The familiar smell of lignin drifted up to meet her nostrils and she inhaled it like smelling salts, allowing its comforting scent to strengthen her spine and bind her resolve. The Book was heavy, but her hands were now steady, and she remembered childhood swimming lessons, diving to the bottom of the pool to lift the dead weight. She shivered, sweat beading on her top lip and trickling down her back. ‘A clean and natural sweat’. With fevered eyes, she read the random page she’d opened the book at:

 I remove my doublet and shirt, affording me small, sweet relief from the stifling heat.

With creeping foolishness spreading through her veins and heating her cheeks, Emmy closed her eyes and waited. When nothing happened, one eyelid crept up like a roller blind. Nothing. She threw The Book back on the bed, as if its surface scalded, dashing away the treacherous sting of tears on the back of her hand. Jesus, Emmeline! What did you think was going to happen? Your mystery man was going to pop up out of a book as if by magic? Keep taking the tablets, Em.

Laughing through her tears, she made her way down to the shop, glancing over her shoulder as a familiar voice called her name. Maggie?! She was halfway up the stairs again, heart almost exploding with relief before reality kicked her hard in the shins. Another hallucination. She sank on to the cold metal steps, one hand gripping the railing, the other at her chest. After several minutes, she stood, straightening her clothes, her face set. She kept her eyes on each step as she headed back down the spiral staircase, daring herself not to cry. Then the wind was knocked clean out of her and she almost went sprawling as she collided with something as hard as oak.

Her head snapped up and Emmy found herself face to face with the very real - and very near-naked - handsome stranger!

What the???

Ignoring voices and visions was difficult, but rationally she knew they weren’t real, even if sometimes they got the better of her. She could cope with them most of the time. This was different. Reasoning with herself that it wasn’t possible, that things like this couldn’t happen, Emmy couldn’t deny the very solidity of him in the air; the way his ribcage rose and fell; the sound of his shallow breathing; his spicy scent spiked with old vanilla and musk. Swallowing her fear along with the key to an imaginary chastity belt, Emmy didn’t step away. Instead, she lifted her chin and spoke clear and strong.

“Okay, Mister. I’ve had enough!  You’re going to tell me what the hell’s going on. Right now!” She punctuated with precise jabs of one pointed finger in the centre of the dense, dark hair on the man’s torso. Her breathing quickened, indignation sending tiny thrills pulsing between her chest and belly. This would be so much easier if he didn’t have a marble chest, alabaster abs, and eyes like lost galaxies. Emmy scrambled to pull herself together, imaging how Lizzie would scoff at how easily Emmy’s mind had run to typical romance hero descriptors. Scrambling for neutral territory, she cast her eyes downwards and started when she saw he was still wearing the ruby tights. Or were they called hose? Either way, they were very tight tights. 

Jeanna Louise Skinner

Jeanna Louise Skinner writes romance with a sprinkling of magic. The Book Boyfriend is her debut novel and she is currently working on a prequel. She has ADHD and CRPS, a rare neuro-inflammatory disorder, and she is passionate about writing about people underrepresented in Romance, especially those with disabilities and chronic health conditions. She’s also the co-creator of UKRomChat, a much-lauded, Romance-centric live Twitter chat. She lives in Devon with her husband, their two children, and a cat who sounds like a goat.

 Social Media Links:

 Website   Twitter   Twitter Chat   Facebook   Instagram

Spotlight on D. K. Marley, author of Kingfisher (The Kingfisher Series, Book One)

 

The past, future, and Excalibur lie in her hands.

Wales, 1914. Vala Penrys and her four sisters find solace in their spinster life by story-telling, escaping the chaos of war by dreaming of the romantic days of Camelot. When the war hits close to home, Vala finds love with Taliesin Wren, a mysterious young Welsh Lieutenant, who shows her another world within the tangled roots of a Rowan tree, known to the Druids as ‘the portal’.

One night she falls through, and suddenly she is Vivyane, Lady of the Lake – the Kingfisher – in a divided Britain clamoring for a High King. What begins as an innocent pastime becomes the ultimate quest for peace in two worlds full of secrets, and Vala finds herself torn between the love of her life and the salvation of not only her family but of Britain, itself.

"It is, at the heart of it, a love story – the love between a man and a woman, between a woman and her country, and between the characters and their fates – but its appeal goes far beyond romance. It is a tale of fate, of power, and, ultimately, of sacrifice for a greater good." - Riana Everly, author of Teaching Eliza and Death of a Clergyman.

 

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D. K. Marley

Fun Facts

(Stuff you may or may not already know!)

 I adore Scottish Terriers and West Highland Terriers. For 25 years I’ve owned four Scottish Terriers (Lulu, Wally, Maggie, and Molly) and currently own one West Highland Terrier named Daisy. To me, they are fireballs in a small package with the most adoring eyes.

In addition to my writing, I’ve been a graphic designer for 37+ years with my own company, White Rabbit Arts, and I now design book covers for historical fiction authors with The Historical Fiction Company at www.thehistoricalfictionpress.com/book-cover-packages . I am also the founder and CEO of The Historical Fiction Company, a website dedicated to all things historical fiction.

From 2012 to 2015, I was a wedding photographer and conceptual photographer with The White Rabbit Photography. Some of my photos were featured in galleries in Houston Texas, Orlando Florida, and at an international event in Estonia.

My ancestry is Scottish and English. I travelled to the area of my ancestry, which is in North Cumbria near Appleby and Kirby Stephen, a little town called Warcop, and discovered a connection between my family and well-known writer, Edith Wharton. Needless to say, I was thrilled. I traced my family history back to Lammerside Castle (the ruins are still there) and Sir Robert de Wauchope, of Norman descent. I also discovered that my distant great-grandmother down the line, is also the tenth-great-grandmother of Prince William – her name is Anne Wauchope (d. 1653). My great-grandfather came over to the United States in the late 1800s from Dorchester, arriving in Massachusetts. He married my great-grandmother, they had five children, then he disappeared without a trace. To this day, no one in the family knows what happened to him. I think there is a novel there to be written!!

One of my passions is travelling and something my husband and I love to do. Places I have travelled: every state in the United States except for Colorado, Alaska, and Hawaii; every province in Canada except for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; every island in the Caribbean except for St Johns and Tortola; in Mexico – Cancun and Cozumel; in South American – Ecuador; in Europe – Paris, Versailles, and Switzerland; in the United Kingdom – London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Salisbury, Warwick, Windsor, Hampton Court, Edinburgh Scotland, Carlisle, and Cumbria.

 

D. K. Marley

D. K. Marley is a Historical Fiction author specializing in Shakespearean adaptations, Tudor era historicals, Colonial American historicals, alternate historicals, and historical time-travel. At a very early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer. Inspired by her grandmother, an English Literature teacher, she dove into writing during her teenage years, winning short story awards for two years in local competitions. After setting aside her writing to raise a family and run her graphic design business, White Rabbit Arts, returning to writing became therapy to her after suffering immense tragedy, and she published her first novel “Blood and Ink” in 2018, which went on to win the Bronze Medal for Best Historical Fiction from The Coffee Pot Book Club, and the Silver Medal from the Golden Squirrel Book Awards. Within three years, she has published four more novels (two Shakespearean adaptations, one Colonial American historical, and a historical time travel).

When she is not writing, she is the founder and administrator of The Historical Fiction Club on Facebook, and the CEO of The Historical Fiction Company, a website dedicated to supporting the best in historical fiction for authors and readers. And for fun, she is an avid reader of the genre, loves to draw, is a conceptual photography hobbyist, and is passionate about spending time with her granddaughter. She lives in Middle Georgia U.S.A. with her husband of 35 years, an English Lab named Max, and an adorable Westie named Daisy.

 Social Media Links

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The Briton and the Dane: Timeline by Mary Ann Bernal - Hardcover edition now available

 

Dr. Gwyneth Franger is a renowned expert in early medieval England who is set upon learning the truth about the death of Lord Erik, the last descendant of the powerful House of Wareham.  Her quest becomes an obsession, a condition that began with the discovery of a portrait of the tall and valiant warrior with which she forms an extraordinary and inexplicable bond.

Digesting troves of mildewed scrolls and source documentation only enhances her belief that Lord Erik was brutally assassinated by a cabal of traitors in the pay of William the Bastard, shortly before the onslaught of the Norman Invasion.

On an archeological dig in Southern England, her team unearths an Anglo-Saxon fortress, a vast citadel built during the reign of Alfred the Great, which she believes was Lord Erik’s stronghold.  In the midst of her excitement, she is awakened one night from her slumbers by a disconcerting anomaly emerging from the site.

Dr. Franger finds herself transported back to the Dark Ages and at the side of the noble Lord Erik who commands an army of elite Saxon warriors, a swift and mobile force able to deploy quickly throughout the kingdom to ward off invaders.

Witnessing the unrest firsthand, Gwyneth senses that her instincts had been right all along, and she is determined to learn the identities of the treacherous blackguards hiding in the shadows, villains who may well be posing as Lord Erik’s friends and counselors.

Will Gwyneth stop the assassins?  Is she strong enough to walk away and watch her beloved Erik die?  Or will she intervene, change the course of history and wipe out an entire timeline to save the man she loves with all her heart?

 

Gwyneth is a fabulous protagonist. She is a single-minded and strong woman, who I could not help but admire. Bernal has obviously spent a lot of time imagining how a very modern woman would react to a medieval way of life. Gwyneth reacts, as one would expect. I thought Gwyneth was wonderfully portrayed and I enjoyed reading about her.

This story is set firmly in historical fantasy, but Bernal has decided to follow the timeline of this era to give her readers a magnificent backdrop in which to place her characters. This worked incredibly well, especially when tied in with the time-travel theme. Gwyneth was not hampered by a lack of understanding with the Anglo-Saxon tongue, and the narrative was perfect for a modern reader who may find many of the historical details and customs of this era somewhat foreign.

Bernal is very good at crafting tension, and this book is full of it. Like Gwyneth, I wanted to know who was behind the plot to murder Lord Erik. The enemy always seemed to be one step ahead of them, which I think made this story compelling and it certainly kept me turning those pages. Running alongside this is the beautiful romance between Gwyneth and Erik.

This is book five in the series. I have not read the other four books, but this did not hinder my enjoyment one bit. The Briton and the Dane: Timeline stands firmly on its own feet.

The ending was fabulous and as wildly romantic as the rest of the story.

If you are looking for a romantic historical fantasy, where anything is possible, then this is the book for you.

I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.

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