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Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Piers Alexander on Blog Tour for Scatterwood, April 3-May 16

Posted By amy @ 9:58 am | No Comments

Scatterwood
by Piers Alexander

Publication Date: March 16, 2017
Tenderfoot
eBook & Paperback; 314 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Action & Adventure

 

 

READ THE PROLOGUE.

Seven years’ servitude. Seven days to save his family.

Jamaica, March 1692. Calumny Spinks is forced to spy for the Crown and help prevent an invasion of England. He’s sent to the Caribbean to pose as an indentured servant, but his best friend Ty brands him with the mark of a runaway and sells him to a brutal plantation overseer.

To win his family’s freedom, Cal must kill Lord Montalbion, the most powerful man in the Caribbean. He forges an alliance with the Maroons, escaped slaves whose plans for Cal could ruin everything – and meanwhile, a bloody civil war looms.

Scatterwood is the sequel to the award-winning The Bitter Trade, which the BBC’s Robert Elms called “A fantastic debut novel.”

Pre-Order at Amazon US & Amazon UK

Praise

“Alexander’s prose is the equivalent of a time machine, yanking the reader straight into a vibrant and breathtaking depiction of 17th century Jamaica.” – Anna Belfrage, HNS Indie Award-winning author of A Rip in the Veil

“Bold, ambitious, and deliciously dark, Scatterwood plumbs the depths of monstrous deceit and unending misery. Alexander delivers it all with such dextrous and inventive prose that the reader cannot help but be swept away.” – David Gaughran, author of Liberty Boy and Mercenary

About the Author

Piers Alexander’s debut novel, The Bitter Trade, won TLC’s Pen Factor, a Global Ebook Award and the Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choice (Indie Review). Both The Bitter Trade and Scatterwood were selected by WHSmith for their Fresh Talent list. Piers is also a serial media entrepreneur, and he lives in London with the singer-songwriter and author Rebecca Promitzer.

For more information, please visit Piers Alexander’s website. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Kevin Bannister on Blog Tour for The Long Way Home, April 3-30

Posted By amy @ 7:29 am | No Comments

The Long Way Home
by Kevin Bannister

Publication Date: September 15, 2016
Fireship Press
eBook | ASIN: B01LBKRO92
Paperback | ISBN-10: 1611793610 | 348 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Action & Adventure/African-American

 

 

The Promised Land for Two Slaves

Set in the turbulent times of the War of Independence, The Long Way Home follows the lives of Thomas Peters and Murphy Steele who are friends, former slaves, fellows-in-arms and leaders of the Black Brigade. Their real-life story is an epic adventure tale as they battle bounty hunters, racism, poverty and epidemic in their adopted country after the war.

The Long Way Home has resonated with readers around the world as an unforgettable account of courage, hope and determination triumphing over despair and injustice. Thomas Peters, thoughtful and charismatic, and Murphy Steele, strong and impulsive, lead their followers on an inspirational search for a place where they can be free.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Praise For The Long Way Home

The Long Way Home is an inspirational and harrowing historical drama. Though the men pass through many different settings on their quest for a free life, The Long Way Home is very much a character driven story at heart. I’d definitely recommend it to all historical fiction fans.” —K.C. Finn, author of the Caecilius Rex saga, The Secret Star and The Book of Shade and the bestselling and award-winning novel The Mind’s Eye

“An epic work. I was mesmerized by the intensity and power of this work that brings to light heroes I hadn’t know about. Bannister’s writing is lyrical and elegant, at times I would feel compelled to stop and re-read an especially memorable passage. I loved this book. The Long Way Home is most highly recommended.” —Jack Magnus, Readers Favorite

“It takes more than a good imagination to write a spellbinding historical novel but The Long Way Home is a success on many, many levels; a tale that will speak to the hearts of readers with eloquence. Bannister has successfully combined historical facts with glowing imagination to deliver a masterpiece that will be well received by lovers of historical fiction. The characters are extraordinarily compelling, strung with the kind of courage one would find only in persons fighting between death and freedom.” —Romvald Dzemo, author of Courage To Embrace Yourself and You Can’t Be A Failure

The Long Way Home by Kevin Bannister takes us back to the eighteenth century when blacks were fleeing colonial America as slaves or freemen and later settled in Nova Scotia. The main protagonists, Thomas Peters and Murphy Steele, are historical figures who lived during this time. Fast paced and poignant…this novel is a tribute to these two forgotten heroes.” —Maria Beltran, playwright, author, past chairwoman of Women In Literary Arts Inc.

“Kevin Bannister’s The Long Way Home is a novel that grabs your attention from the start and keeps you riveted to the last word.” —Dr. Daniel N. Paul, C.M., O.N.S., LLD, DLIT, Mi’kmaq eldering, author of We Were Not The Savages, Order of Canada recipient, journalist and lecturer, www.danielpaul.com

“I loved The Long Way Home. It’s told in an easy, conversational style, with vivid language that puts you right in the action. Thomas Peters was instrumental persuading over 1,000 freed blacks to return to Africa, where they founded Freetown, Sierra Leone. Mr. Bannister’s story ends with that hopeful beginning, and a note which says he’s working on a sequel. I can’t wait to read it.” –Historical Novel Society (click here for full review)

About the Author

Kevin Bannister is the father of five children and lives on a ranch along a river in the beautiful foothills of central Alberta. He has been a newspaper editor, sportswriter, reporter, investment house vice president, truck driver, farmer and steelworker amongst other jobs.

Currently he ranches and is working on a sequel to The Long Way Home.

For more information please visit The Long Way Home website.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Heather Domin on Blog Tour for The Heirs of Fortune, July 11-18

Posted By amy @ 12:53 pm | No Comments

02_The Heirs of FortuneThe Heirs of Fortune (Valerian’s Legion: Book II)
by Heather Domin

Publication Date – Dec 2015 (eBook), Jan 2016 (print)
eBook & Paperback; 282 Pages

Series: Valerian’s Legion
Genre: Historical Romance, M/M Fiction, Action/Adventure

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Six months after the events of Soldier of Raetia, the 24th Legion embarks on a campaign with Rome’s most famous general: Drusus Germanicus, the stepson of Augustus who will stop at nothing to subjugate the north. Dardanus and Valerian, after spending the winter isolated from the outside world, now face the realities of their relationship: while Valerian tries to reconcile public duty and personal feelings, Dardanus struggles with his multiple roles and his admiration for two very different leaders. Drusus’ ambitions will call everything Dardanus and Valerian have chosen into question, until both begin to wonder if love is worth the risk it brings – and what price they will have to pay.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Books-a-Million | Chapters | IndieBound | iTunes | Kobo | Lulu | Smashwords

About the Author03_Heather Domin

Heather Domin is the author of the Valerian’s Legion series, set in the early Roman Empire, and Allegiance: A Dublin Novella, set in 1922 Dublin. She has WIPs set in present-day Glasgow and 8th century France. She lives in Florida with her husband and two cats, where she puts her History degree to good use spamming Tumblr with garden pictures and writing about Roman soldiers in love.

For more information please visit Heather Domin’s website and blog. Follow Heather Domin on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Tumblr.

04_The Heirs of Fortune_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Thursday, March 24, 2016

HFVBT Presents Richard Masefield’s Blog Tour, July 15-August 15

Posted By amy @ 12:19 pm | No Comments

Please join Richard Masefield as he tours the blogosphere for his novels The White Cross, Chalkhill Blue, Painted Lady, and Brimstone, from July 15-August 15.

02_The White CrossThe White Cross

Publication Date: September 24, 2014
Red Door Publishing Ltd
eBook & Paperback; 496 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

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The White Cross is a whole new reading experience; a book that brings something entirely original to historical fiction. Set in the late twelfth century at the time of King Richard I’s crusade to win back Jerusalem from the Saracens, the story deals with timeless issues – with the moralities of warfare and fundamental religion, the abuse of power, the heights of martial fervour and the depths of disillusionment The writing blazes with colour (literally in the case of the printed edition, which makes groundbreaking use of colour throughout). It pulses with life, capturing the sights and sounds, the very smells of medieval life. At the novel’s heart is the relationship between Garon and Elise – the story of an arranged marriage which rapidly develops into something deeper, to challenge a young husband’s strongly held beliefs and set him on a long and painful journey to self-realisation, to break and finally restore a woman’s spirit as she battles for recognition and for justice in a brutal man’s world. And then there is the Berge dal becce; a character who is surely more than he appears? The only way to uncover all the secrets of The White Cross is to read it!

02_Chalkhill BlueChalkhill Blue

Publication Date: April 30, 2014
Red Door Publishing Ltd
eBook & Paperback; 352 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

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Chalkhill Blue is an award-winning novel of the First World War, and of so much else besides. A grand romance in the English narrative tradition, it spans more than two decades, from the Edwardian heyday through the cataclysm of the ‘war to end wars’ to the uncertain new world of the 1920s. As a study of deception and self-deception, it traces the lives of two women who have dared to flout the rules of their society, and those of the men who love them; the double strands of a remarkable love story which concludes with a heart-stopping double-twist that makes it literally unforgettable. But far more than a romance, this is also a descriptive novel of tremendous scope, transporting the reader from the parched drove-trails of Queensland to the horse-drawn congestion of Edwardian London; from the snow-capped cordilleras of the Andes to a truly astonishing underground city deep in the chalk of Artois. The timeless downland landscapes of Sussex and the little blue butterfly that haunts them are horrifyingly contrasted with the man-made desolation of their notorious counterparts across the Channel at Arras and on the Somme. Based on a true story, Chalkhill Blue is compulsory reading for anyone with a taste for the authentic and the unusual.

02_Painted LadyPainted Lady

Publication Date: April 30, 2014
Red Door Publishing Ltd
eBook & Paperback; 240 Pages

Genre: Historical Romance

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From her luxurious mansion in St James’s, London, Milady looks back through the years – to hear the church bells ringing in celebration of Wellington’s great victory at Waterloo, at the time when she left clacking tongues behind her in the Sussex village of Alfriston for adventure and employment in fashionable Brighton, the ‘second capital of England’. There as the seventeen-year-old Sary Snudden, with her reputation already ruined, she becomes a prostitute, the ‘Painted Lady’ of the title. Yet even Regency conventions are to prove too narrow for a girl of Sary’s flamboyant character. Caught up in a passionate affair with young David Stanville, heir to Lord Southbourne’s great estate of Hadderton, she and her lover cross the Alps on a perilous journey by coach and sled to the excitement of a popular revolution in Turin and an erotically charged idyll in the Italian lakes. But the question of how she’ll cross the greater gulf, which lies between her humble origins and the noble status David seeks for her, remains the central problem of Milady’s life. Moving from the great military encampments of Napoleonic Sussex to the pleasure grounds of nineteenth century Europe, from the practical routines of a well-run brothel, to the elegant manners of St James’s, Painted Lady spans a colourful half-century of European history. A delightful, romping adventure, the novel introduces an unforgettable new heroine to historical fiction.

02_BrimstoneBrimstone

Publication Date: May 1, 2014
Red Door Publishing Ltd
eBook & Paperback; 288 Pages

Genre: Historical/Romance/Adventure

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Brimstone is a story of temptation, ambition and their consequences. The year is 1793. The Terror is at its height in France, Britain is at war with her old enemy once more, and along the coast of Sussex the smugglers’ trade in spirits and tobacco is flourishing. The novel’s two heroes are brothers bound by love, but separated by opposing characters which come to represent two the two faces of eighteenth century England – its brutality and its enlightenment. For the reckless Aaron Corbyn, there are adventures to be had and profits to be made from contrabanding. While his elder brother Rafe, a sobrely steadfast physician, runs the family estate of Chalkdean, Aaron builds an illegal empire as master smuggler across the Channel, at Fecamp in Normandy. Ellin Rimmer, daughter of a ‘fire and brimstone’ preacher, marries one brother to escape the loneliness of life in a parsonage, only to find herself hopelessly attracted to the other – and to be compelled through him to an impetuous decision that will have drastic consequences for all three. Sweeping from the open downland and flintstone villages of Sussex to the coast of revolutionary France, from Newgate prison and the subhuman conditions of a convict transport ship to the penal colony of New South Wales, Brimstone weighs the destructive aspects of sexual obsession against the healing power of generosity to bring its heroine an unexpected redemption.

About the Author03_Richard Masefield

Richard Masefield comes from a family of writers – John Masefield was his cousin – and with a love of animals and the outdoors he decided at a young age that he would farm and write, if necessary both at once.

It took years of hard work before Richard could realise his dream, and in fact his first published novel was written while milking a herd of Friesian cows. He still lives on his farm in Sussex with his wife Lee and together they spend as much time as possible with their large family of children and grandchildren.

You can visit Richard’s website at www.richardmasefield.co.uk.

Blog Tour Schedule

Friday, July 15
Review at Back Porchervations (The White Cross)

Monday, July 18
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession (The Painted Lady)

Wednesday, July 20
Review at Back Porchervations (The Painted Lady)

Tuesday, July 26
Review at Back Porchervations (Chalk Hill Blue)

Monday, August 1
Review at Back Porchervations (Brimstone)

Wednesday, August 3
Review at Book Nerd (The White Cross)

Tuesday, August 9
Review at Book Nerd (The Painted Lady)

Wednesday, August 10
Review at Diana’s Book Reviews (Brimstone)

Thursday, August 11
Review at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium (The Painted Lady)

Saturday, August 13
Review at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium (The White Cross)

Monday, August 15
Review at Broken Teepee (The White Cross)

04_Richard Masefield_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

02_Zenobia Challenging a LegendZenobia – Challenging a Legend (Zenobia Book Series, Book Two)
by Russ Wallace

Publication Date: November 14, 2015
Geode Press LLC
Hardcover; 512 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Action & Adventure/Young Adult

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After winning the famous Alexandria horse race, Zenobia, a young Syrian warrior and an aspiring scholar, assumes her life will return to normal. Wrong! A tumultuous romance develops with her instructor, widely considered the most brilliant academic on earth.

Unknown to her, an enemy plans to kidnap Zenobia for his harem. The hired mercenaries never suspect their intended victim is a deadly warrior. The attack is thwarted, but the Syrians are alerted to a slave trade in young girls.

Meanwhile, a Nubian princess has been captured by the slavers. She struggles to survive in the dangerous situation while she seeks a way to escape. Can she succeed?

Zenobia’s impetuous nature continues to impel her to take unwise risks, both in class and on a hunting trip. When a second kidnap attempt on her fails, the last attacker escapes. She decides to run him down to save her family. Thus begins an epic chase on horseback across the desert in the dead of night. It culminates in a shocking revelation that threatens her very future.

Circumstances now force Zenobia into roles for which she is untrained. As she meets the challenges, she begins to unleash her strategic genius, which will one day raise her to the pinnacle of her world.

“Book two in the Zenobia book series has it all …the book is full of adventure with kidnappings, hunting, fighting, revenge, chases, escapes, and piracy. Zenobia learns a heart breaking truth about love and this will mold her into the women she is destine to become. This was an ARC…You’ll want to put this book on your TBR list.” – Julie Martin Wallace

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR03_Russ Wallace

Russ Wallace is an avid student of history and religion. Zenobia, one of the deadliest and most fascinating women of history, comes to life in his series about her. Russ is working on future releases in the Zenobia book series.

WEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOOGLE+ | GOODREADS

Blog Tour Schedule

Saturday, November 14
Tour Kick Off & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, November 17
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, November 18
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Thursday, November 19
Excerpt & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Friday, November 20
Excerpt at Let Them Read Books

Saturday, November 21
Spotlight at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Tuesday, November 24
Excerpt & Giveaway at Room With Books

Thursday, November 26
Excerpt at Just One More Chapter

Friday, November 27
Review at Book Nerd

Saturday, November 28
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Sunday, November 29
Interview at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Thomas Brooke on Blog Tour for Roman Mask,
August 24-September 25

Posted By amy @ 2:23 pm | No Comments

Large copy of CoverPublication Date: June 29, 2015
CreateSpace
Formats: Kindle & Paperback
Pages: 388

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure/Action

Rome AD 9

Augustus Caesar rules Imperial Rome at the height of its power, as the Roman Empire stretches across the known world. Cassius, son of one of her most powerful families, is the personification of Rome’s imperial strength: wealthy, popular, a war hero with a decorated military career – none of Rome’s fashionable parties are complete without him – except, he hides a secret.

After his nerve is broken in Germany, the thought of genuine armed combat is enough to send him into a cold sweat of fear and shame. But this doesn’t dissuade him from living off a false reputation so he can continue a life of casual affairs, wine, and parties, as he is seduced by the many vices of Rome.

However his scandalous life is soon upset by a summons from the Emperor’s wife. It ends his happy decadent life and returns him to Germany to assist the Roman legions in their greatest ever trial, and the events that will resound down in history, in the dark forests of the Teutoburg…

PRAISE

“The classical world is brought vividly to life in this novel by Brooke, a new voice in the crowded chorus of historical fiction. Set at the height of the Roman Empire’s power, Brooke’s writing brings us both the decadence that eventually undermined and destroyed the seemingly invincible Romans, and the merciless military action that won Rome its mandate to rule in the first place.” – Daily Mail, UK National newspaper

“I loved this book. There’s no other way to say it. Filled with action and adventure, Roman Mask will keep you on the edge of your seat. Focused on a time that doesn’t always get a huge amount of attention in the historical fiction genre, author Thomas M.D. Brooke does such a fantastic job in drawing a picture of ancient Rome that when you look up from the novel you’ll wonder where your tunic is.” 5 Stars – Readersfavorite.com

“The book is exceptionally researched and very well written. I was drawn in from the very first page. Ancient Rome comes to life in all of its glory and menace. It’s a weighty book but one that read quickly because it is one of those books where you just get lost in the story and time flies by. Despite the dark subject matter and the gore – war is gory, there is nothing to be done about that – I didn’t want the story to end. I just love books that bring a world to life like this.” 5 Stars – Brokenteepee.com

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | AMAZON DE

ABOUT THE AUTHORTom

Thomas Brooke lives in London where he works in the exciting, and sometimes crazy, fashion world. He is also a committed writer and he spends as much time as he can in his beloved Northumbrian hills, where up until recently could be seen walking with his black Labrador Fergus, who sadly passed in January 2015. Fergus was a constant companion to the writing of the novel and prevented many writers’ tantrums.

Roman Mask is Thomas Brooke’s second novel, although this will be the first available for sale.

As well as writing novels, he also writes a blog on both historical and fantasy genre novels.

For more information on Thomas M D Brooke, visit www.thomasmdbrooke.com and www.romanmask.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 24
Kick Off & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, August 25
Excerpt & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, August 26
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, September 1
Spotlight at Curling up by the Fire

Wednesday, September 2
Excerpt at Boom Baby Reviews

Thursday, September 3
Review at Just One More Chapter

Saturday, September 5
Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Monday, September 7
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Tuesday, September 8
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Thursday, September 10
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Sunday, September 13
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Friday, September 18
Review at Broken Teepee

Wednesday, September 23
Review at Genre Queen

04_Roman Mask_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Sunday, June 28, 2015

HFVBT Presents Thomas Brooke’s Roman Mask Release Day Blitz!

Posted By amy @ 10:39 am | No Comments

Large copy of CoverPublication Date: June 29, 2015
CreateSpace
Formats: Kindle & Paperback
Pages: 388

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure/Action

What is it we normally expect of the leading character in our books? Self-sacrifice? Bravery? Strength of character? Possibly with a hint of self-deprecation? Well, Cassius doesn’t have any of those. Cynicism – yes. Cowardice – possibly. Prepared to live a lie in order to further his own ends – absolutely!

It is Rome AD 9 and Augustus Caesar rules Imperial Rome at the height of its power, as the Roman Empire stretches across the known world. Cassius, son of one of her most powerful families, is the personification of Rome’s imperial strength: wealthy, popular, a war hero with a decorated military career. None of Rome’s fashionable parties are complete without him.

But he hides a secret.

After his nerve is broken in Germany, even the thought of genuine armed combat is enough to send him into a cold sweat. But this doesn’t dissuade him from living off a false reputation so he can continue a life of womanising, wine and wild parties, as he is seduced by the many vices of Rome. However, his scandalous life is interrupted by a summons from the emperor’s wife. It ends his happy decadent life and returns him to Germany to assist the Roman legions in their greatest ever trial. The events will resound through history, in the dark forests of the Teutoburg …

I have researched the calamitous history of the doomed legions that marched into the Teutoburg Forest in AD 9, using a wide range of historical sources including the classical works of Tacitus and the more recent archaeological findings of the early 1990s in Kalkriese. I have put my complicated hero, who clearly suffers from the post-traumatic stress of his last encounter with the German tribes, at the centre of the events that rocked Rome to its foundations. How can a man, so flawed in so many respects, possibly impact on these terrible events? By his humanity, by coming to terms with his flaws, and learning to stop hating himself for them. It is a tale of betrayal and hardship, but also personal redemption.

Roman Mask Available At

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon DE

About the AuthorTom

Thomas Brooke lives in London where he works in the exciting, and sometimes crazy, fashion world. He is also a committed writer and he spends as much time as he can in his beloved Northumbrian hills, where up until recently could be seen walking with his black Labrador Fergus, who sadly passed in January 2015. Fergus was a constant companion to the writing of the novel and prevented many writers’ tantrums.

Roman Mask is Thomas Brooke’s second novel, although this will be the first available for sale.

As well as writing novels, he also writes a blog on both historical and fantasy genre novels.

For more information on Thomas M D Brooke, visit www.thomasmdbrooke.com and www.romanmask.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

03_Roman Mask_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

02_Honot Among Thieves_CoverHonor Among Thieves (Hope & Steel: Book I)
by J.M. Aucoin

Publication Date: June 30, 2015
Publisher: Sword & Cape
eBook &  Paperback; Pages: 330

Series: Hope & Steel (Book One)
Genre: Historical Adventure/Swashbuckler

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France, March 1609. The French Wars of Religion are over, but forces still conspire against the crown…

Darion Delerue, former soldier turned highwayman, has only two things of value—the hope in his heart and the steel at his side. After a heist on a royal ambassador goes wrong, Darion is thrown into a political plot to undermine the crown, pitting his old life as an honorable soldier against his new life as a thief and bandit. His actions could send France back into civil war.

Honor Among Thieves is a gripping tale of daring sword-play and political intrigue, with superb historical detail of 17th Century France that will have readers wanting to draw their swords and fight for glory!

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR03_Justin Aucoin

Author. Fencer. Sometimes actor. Full-time nerd. J.M. AUCOIN is the product of when a five-year-old boy who fell in love with reruns of Guy William’s Zorro grows into a mostly functional adult. He now spends his time writing swashbucklers and historical adventure stories, and has an (un)healthy obsession with The Three Musketeers.

When not writing, he practices historical fencing, crafts historical outfits, and covers the Boston Bruins for the award-winning blog Days of Y’Orr. He lives in Heraldwolf’s Stone with his fiancée Kate, and their dire-beagle, Rex.

For more information visit J.M. Aucoin’s website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 24
Kick Off & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Guest Post at Carpe Librum

Tuesday, August 25
Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Wednesday, August 26
Spotlight at Book Babe
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, August 27
Review at Book Nerd
Excerpt at Boom Baby Reviews

Friday, August 28
Guest Post at Back Porchervations
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Saturday, August 29
Spotlight at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Sunday, August 30
Excerpt at The Never-Ending Book

Monday, August 31
Review at Genre Queen
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Review at Back Porchervations
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

04_Honor Among Thieves_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Sophie Schiller on Blog Tour for Race to Tibet, November 23-27

Posted By amy @ 11:30 am | No Comments

02_Race to Tibet_CoverRace to Tibet
by Sophie Schiller

Publication Date: January 26, 2015
Tradewinds Publishing
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 342

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure

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By 1889 Tibet is the last unexplored country in the world. Gabriel Bonvalot is determined to be the first Westerner to reach Lhasa but lacks a sponsor. When the Duke of Chartres promises to pay his expenses Bonvalot agrees, even after he learns he must bring along the Duke’s wayward son, Prince Henri d’Orléans. Along the way Bonvalot meets Camille Dancourt, the wife of a missing surveyor, who attaches herself to the expedition in order to find her missing husband. During the journey the intrepid explorers are besieged by freezing temperatures, volatile winds, mountain sickness, hostile Tibetans, and duplicitous Chinese Mandarins. Nearing collapse, Bonvalot realizes they will have to resort to force if they ever wish to escape Tibet alive.

RACE TO TIBET is an adventure thriller that will take you on a suspenseful journey to the Roof of the World.

“Fans of Jules Verne’s travel adventures will find Schiller has done a solid job of transforming an obscure real-life Victorian expedition into a thrilling yarn.” — Publishers Weekly

AMAZON (KINDLE) | AMAZON (PAPERBACK)| BARNES & NOBLE

Excerpt

The Tibetan spoke again, but this time his voice changed. He began to chant as if he had gone into a hypnotic trance. He closed his eyes and recited a mantra that sounded like a prayer from another world.

“Our Oracle predicted that during the year of the Iron-Tiger the Jade Emperor would capture the golden bird and send her into exile, but a small army with metal sticks would sweep down from the north and rescue her. Once free the golden bird would fly to the Potala Palace to perform the sacred duty of acting as tutor and maidservant to the Dalai Lama. The Oracle said that for this great service, good fortune would follow the foreigners all the days of their lives. But if the golden bird is captured by the mandarins, they will lose their heads. She is called Pema, or lotus flower. Her true identity may not be known by anyone outside this tent, not even by your closest servants. For this reason, we call her the golden bird.”

“I’ll bear that in mind,” said Bonvalot. “Don’t worry, your golden bird will be safe with me. You may go in peace now.”

Bonvalot led the visitors back to their horses while Pema stayed behind beside the tent, looking like a forgotten stupa on a windswept hill.

The Tibetans mounted their horses and galloped away. All that remained behind was the forlorn figure of Pema wrapped in her sheepskin coat, silent except for the humming of her prayer wheel. Her eyes followed their every movement.

“Now that we’ve got her, what do we do with her?” said Bonvalot, regarding the Tibetan girl with curiosity.

“I suppose our Christian duty is to feed her,” said Father Dedeken. “And give her a warm place to sleep.”

When Rachmed explained the situation to the caravan men, some of them objected to the intruder; others raised their eyebrows and cast suspicious glances in her direction, but otherwise they accepted Pema’s presence, albeit guardedly.

Later, Bonvalot sat Pema down by the fire and offered her a bowl of tsampa and tea. When she became more comfortable, he urged her remove her shawl.

Reluctantly, the girl pushed away the shawl and when they caught a glimpse of her face in the light of the campfire, the men gasped: Pema was the most exquisite creature they had ever seen. She was beautiful in a mystical sort of way, with skin like polished white jade, rose petal lips, and black, almond-shaped eyes. Her hair was braided into dozens of tiny plaits that were bounded by a single strand of coral beads suspended from a golden disk on her forehead; around her neck she wore multiple strands of coral and turquoise necklaces, and in her hands she held a prayer wheel that she clutched like a golden scepter. Pema had an almost regal presence about her, like a royal consort. Or a goddess.

About the Author03_Sophie Schiller_Author

Sophie Schiller was born in Paterson, NJ and grew up in the West Indies amid aging pirates and retired German spies. Among other oddities her family tree contains a Nobel prize-winning physicist and a French pop singer. She loves stories that carry the reader back in time to exotic and far-flung locations. She was educated at American University, Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently working on a new historical thriller set in the Caribbean.

For more information visit Sophie Schiller’s blog. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 23
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Interview at Let Them Read Books
Spotlight at 100 Pages a Day

Tuesday, November 24
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, November 25
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Thursday, November 26
Guest Post at Passages to the Past
Spotlight at Book Nerd

Friday, November 27
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Giveaway

We have a signed paperback of Race to Tibet up for grabs! To enter, see the GLEAM form below.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 27th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

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01_Sword of the Gladiatrix CoverPublication Date: May 2015
Publisher: Raggedy Moon Books
Formats: Trade paperback and eBook
ISBN: 978-0692386491
Pages: 260pp

Genre: Historical/Adventure/Romance/LGBT

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Two women. Two swords. One victor.

An action-packed tale that exposes the brutal underside of Imperial Rome, Sword of the Gladiatrix brings to life unforgettable characters and exotic settings. From the far edges of the Empire, two women come to battle on the hot sands of the arena in Nero’s Rome: Afra, scout and beast master to the Queen of Kush; and Cinnia, warrior-bard and companion to Queen Boudica of the British Iceni. Enslaved, forced to fight for their lives and the Romans’ pleasure; they seek to replace lost friendship, love, and family in each other’s arms. But the Roman arena offers only two futures: the Gate of Life for the victors or the Gate of Death for the losers.

Praise for Faith’s first book: Selene of Alexandria

“A promising new historical novelist [with] the gift for wonderfully researched, vividly evoked, good old-fashioned storytelling.”—Historical Novel Society

“I am blown away and enthralled with the work of this author.”—BookPleasures.com

“Does what historical fiction does best—weaves historical fact, real-life historical figures, and attention to detail with page-turning, plot-driven fiction.”—The Copperfield Review

Sword of the Gladiatrix Available At

Amazon (US, UK, Canada)
Barnes & Noble
CreateSpace (print only)
iBooks (ebook only)
Kobo (ebook only)
Smashwords (ebook only–all formats)

About the Author02_Faith L. Justice_Author

FAITH L. JUSTICE writes award-winning novels, short stories, and articles in Brooklyn, New York. Her work has appeared in Salon.com, Writer’s Digest, The Copperfield Review, the Circles in the Hair anthology, and many more. She is a frequent contributor to Strange Horizons, Associate Editor for Space and Time Magazine, and co-founded a writer’s workshop many more years ago than she likes to admit. For fun, she digs in the dirt—her garden and various archaeological sites.

For more information visit Faith L. Justice’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Sword of the Gladiatrix Blog Tour

Monday, June 29
Guest Post at The Writing Desk

Tuesday, June 30
Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Wednesday, July 1
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Thursday, July 2
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Friday, July 3
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Saturday, July 4
Guest Post at I Heart Reading

Monday, July 6
Review at Book Nerd

Tuesday, July 7
Interview & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, July 8
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Thursday, July 9
Review at Genre Queen
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Guest Post & Giveaway at Unshelfish

Friday, July 10
Review at Bookramblings
Review at Boom Baby Reviews

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