The Myrtle Wand
by Margaret Porter

Publication Date: October 11, 2022
Gallica Press

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

The Myrtle Wand, a retelling and a continuation of the classic ballet Giselle, restores original story elements to transform a tale of blighted romances and betrayals into a quest for redemption and restorative love.

Princess Bathilde de Sevreau, her school friend Myrte, and the peasant girl Giselle have heard the legend of the vilis, ghostly maidens who rise from their graves by night to roam the forest, seeking revenge on faithless lovers. Each will fear being ensnared by that spectral sisterhood…

Bathilde, destined for a marriage of convenience with Albin, Duc de Rozel, leaves her ancestral château for the Sun King’s sophisticated and scandalous court. As participants in royal ceremonies and entertainments, the princess and the soldier gradually recognize their deep feelings for each other, as well as mutual hopes for a happy and satisfying union. But the tragic consequences of Albin’s brief masquerade as a commoner and the amorous Louis XIV’s quest for a mistress divide the betrothed couple. Together and separately, they must overcome conflicting duties and unexpected dangers to determine their fate.

Praise

“An absorbing and touching tale . . . a fully realized, moving portrait of the storied court of Louis XIV.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

“Lushly atmospheric . . .rich with historical detail. Porter imagines the story behind the iconic Giselle, transporting us to France during the early reign of the Sun King.” ~ Leslie Carroll, author of Royal Romances

About the Author

MARGARET PORTER is award-winning, bestselling author of The Myrtle Wand (October 2022), The Limits of Limelight (September 2021), Beautiful Invention: A Novel of Hedy Lamarr, and twelve other historical novels. After studying British history in the U.K., she worked professionally in theatre, film, and television. A historian and avid traveler, Margaret returns to Great Britain and Europe for research. She lives in New England with husband and dog, dividing her time between an architecturally unique book-filled house in a small city and a waterfront cottage on one of the region’s largest lakes.

More information is available on her website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, October 11
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Wednesday, October 12
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Thursday, October 13
Review at A Potpourri of Opinions

Friday, October 14
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Saturday, October 15
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Sunday, October 16
Excerpt at Reading Is My Remedy

Monday, October 17
Review at Jorie Loves A Story
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Tuesday, October 18
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Giveaway

Grand prize:

Autographed book, Giselle ballet t-shirt, The Myrtle Wand 15 oz. ceramic coffee mug, myrtle plant grown by the author

2 Runners up:

Autographed book

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on October 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Myrtle Wand

The Limits of Limelight
by Margaret Porter

Publication Date: September 14, 2021
Gallica Press
Paperback & eBook; 412 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

Pretty Oklahoma teenager Helen Nichols accepts an invitation from her cousin, rising movie actress Ginger Rogers, and her Aunt Lela, to try her luck in motion pictures. Her relatives, convinced that her looks and personality will ensure success, provide her with a new name and help her land a contract with RKO. As Phyllis Fraser, she swiftly discovers that Depression-era Hollywood’s surface glamour and glitter obscure the ceaseless struggle of the hopeful starlet.

Lela Rogers, intensely devoted to her daughter and her niece, outwardly accepting of her stage mother label, is nonetheless determined to establish her reputation as screenwriter, stage director, and studio talent scout. For Phyllis, she’s an inspiring model of grit and persistence in an industry run by men.

While Ginger soars to the heights of stardom in musicals with Fred Astaire, Phyllis is tempted by a career more fulfilling than the one she was thrust into. Should she continue working in films, or devote herself to the profession she’s dreamed about since childhood? And which choice might lead her to the lasting love that seems so elusive?

Amazon | Apple iBooks | Audible | Barnes and Noble | Blackwell’s | Book Depository | Bookshop.Org | Books-a-Million | Chapters | Hudson Booksellers | IndieBound | Kindle | Kobo

Praise

“An engrossing glimpse into a bygone era and the forces affecting a young woman’s evolution into her own abilities and adulthood . . . vigorous and involving to the end.” ~ Midwest Book Review

“A witty and meticulously researched treat.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

“A biographical novel as bright as the Golden Era . . . A lovely tribute to the larger-than-life celebrities of early Hollywood . . . a glitz and glamour novel that shines brighter the deeper you go.” ~ Independent Book Review

“A time capsule of Hollywood’s Golden Era . . . a captivating novel of Tinsel Town’s perils and pitfalls, trade-offs and triumphs!” ~ Leslie Carroll, author of American Princess

“Porter’s elegant, warm and well-researched novel is a joy to read! Perfect for lovers of historical fiction and tales of remarkable women. 5 of 5 Stars.” ~ Literary Redhead, Goodreads

About the Author

MARGARET PORTER is the author of more than a dozen works of historical fiction, including The Limits of Limelight (September 2021) and the award-winning Beautiful Invention: A Novel of Hedy Lamarr. Her critically acclaimed novels have been translated into several foreign languages. Other writing credits include nonfiction, newspaper and magazine articles, and poetry. She studied British history in the U.K. and afterwards worked professionally in theatre, film and television. Margaret and her husband live in New England with their dog, dividing their time between a book-filled house in a small city and a waterfront cottage located on one of the region’s largest lakes. When not writing, she keeps busy reading, tending her extensive rose gardens, or playing the mandolin.

More information is available on her website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 20
Guest Post at Novels Alive
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Tuesday, September 21
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Wednesday, September 22
Review at Rachelle Loves Books
Excerpt at Books, Ramblings, and Tea

Thursday, September 23
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Friday, September 24
Review at View from the Birdhouse
Review at Niki Loves to Read

Saturday, September 25
Review at A Darn Good Read

Monday, September 27
Review at Rajiv’s Reviews
Review at Booking With Janelle

Tuesday, September 28
Review at With A Book In Our Hands

Wednesday, September 29
Guest Post at Jorie Loves A Story

Thursday, September 30
Interview + Excerpt at Passages to the Past

Friday, October 1
Feature at Bibliostatic

Monday, October 4
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Jorie Loves A Story

Tuesday, October 5
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Wednesday, October 6
Review at Passages to the Past
Review at The Enchanted Shelf

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away some fabulous prizes!

Grand Prize Winner:

Choice of an autographed paperback or an ebook or an audiobook, plus an acrylic 16-oz sippy “go” cup with straw.

2nd and 3rd Prize Winners:

Choice of an autographed paperback or an ebook or an audiobook.

Runners-up (5):

Reproduction vintage Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire postcard, plus author-autographed bookplate.

The giveaway is open internationally and ends on October 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The Limits of Limelight

Beautiful Invention: A Novel of Hedy Lamarr
by Margaret Porter

Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Gallica Press
Paperback & eBook

Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction

“But I don’t regret anything. I learned a lot.” —Hedy Lamarr

An ambitious teenaged Austrian actress of Jewish heritage, Hedwig Kiesler is tainted by her nudity in the art film Ecstasy. A hasty marriage to a munitions mogul is her refuge from scandal, but it cannot survive his jealousy and possessiveness—or her discovery he supplies arms to Hitler’s regime. Hedy flees husband and homeland for Hollywood, where Louis B. Mayer transforms her into an icon of exotic glamour. Professional success clashes with her personal life as marriage and motherhood compete with the demands of studio and stardom.

Roused to action by the atrocities of World War II, Hedy secretly invents a new wireless technology intended for her adopted country’s defense—and unexpectedly changes the world.

About the Author

MARGARET PORTER is the author of the forthcoming Beautiful Invention: A Novel of Hedy Lamarr as well as the highly acclaimed A Pledge of Better Times and eleven other historical novels for various publishers, including several bestsellers and award-winners, and many foreign language editions. She studied British history in the U.K. and afterwards worked in theatre, film and television. Margaret and her husband live in New England with their two dogs, dividing their time between a book-filled house in a small city and a waterfront cottage located on one of the region’s largest lakes.

More information is available at her website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Cover Reveal Schedule

Tuesday, July 10
Passages to the Past

Wednesday, July 11
Naomi Finley’s Blog
Clarissa Reads it All

Thursday, July 12
100 Pages a Day
A Darn Good Read

Friday, July 13
The Lit Bitch
History From a Woman’s Perspective

Saturday, July 14
Creating Herstory

Sunday, July 15
Maiden of the Pages

Monday, July 16
Laura’s Interests
The Book Junkie Reads

Tuesday, July 17
Donna’s Book Blog

Wednesday, July 18
Carole’s Ramblings

HF Virtual Book Tours invites you to Margaret Porter’s Facebook Launch Party for A Pledge of Better Times, on April 15th from 5:30-7:30pm EST! We’ll have giveaways, contests, author Q&A, and more!

Link to Event & RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/951207724910107/

Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Gallica Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-9907420-4-3
Pages: 400

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

A sweeping tale of ambition, treachery, and passion…

For generations Lady Diana de Vere’s family loyally served England’s crown. But after King Charles II’s untimely death, her father firmly opposes James II’s tyranny. Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St. Albans—the late king’s bastard son by actress Nell Gwyn—also rebels against his newly crowned uncle’s manipulation. Secretly pledging to wed Diana, he departs for the Continent to become a soldier.

Political and religious turmoil bring about revolution and yet another coronation before Charles returns to claim his promised bride. As companion to Queen Mary II, Diana has followed her de Vere forbears into royal service. She expects Charles to abandon his military career after marriage, but he proves unwilling to join the ranks of the courtiers he despises and mistrusts.

In palace corridors and within their own household the young duke and duchess confront betrayals, scandals, and tragedies that threaten to divide them. And neither the privileges of birth nor proximity to the throne can ensure their security, their advancement—or their happiness.

Praise for A Pledge of Better Times

“Meticulously researched and offering an impressive cast of real life characters brought to vibrant life, A Pledge of Better Times expertly captures the drama, passions, politics and religious turmoil of England at the turn of the 18th century. Margaret Porter crafts her story with exquisite detail, transporting the reader into a world full of intrigue, scandal, and breathtaking danger . . . a masterful writer.” – Award-winning author M. Reed McCall

“With elegant prose and vivid detail, A Pledge of Better Times sweeps you into late Stuart England, transforming the lesser known adversities and triumphs of Lady Diana de Vere and Charles Beauclerk into a beautiful love story you won’t forget.” – Marci Jefferson, author of Enchantress of Paris and Girl on the Golden Coin

“A portrait of Diana de Vere as rich as the portraits that grace British museums and palaces.” – Christy K Robinson, author of Mary Dyer Illuminated

“The sparkling, dangerous, enticing post-Restoration period comes to vivid life! Porter gives us a wonderful, complicated heroine in Diana, drawing us deep into her world . . . . I couldn’t stop reading!” – Amanda Carmack, author of Murder in the Queen’s Garden: An Elizabethan Mystery

Official Book Trailer

About the Author

Margaret Porter is an award-winning, bestselling novelist whose lifelong study of British history inspires her fiction and her travels. A former stage actress, she has also worked in film, television, and radio.

For more information please visit Margaret Porter’s website. You can also find her on Facebook here and here, and on Twitter.

A Pledge of Better Times Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, May 4
Review at Just One More Chapter
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Spotlight & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf

Tuesday, May 5
Review at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, May 6
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, May 7
Review at Book Drunkard

Friday, May 8
Review at Books and Benches

Sunday, May 10
Review & Guest Post at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, May 11
Review at Reading the Past

Tuesday, May 12
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, May 13
Guest Post at Book Babe

Thursday, May 14
Review at Impressions in Ink
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes

Friday, May 15
Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation
Review & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession

Please join Margaret Porter as she tours the blogosphere with HF Virtual Book Tours for A Pledge of Better Times, from May 4-15.

Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Gallica Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-9907420-4-3
Pages: 400

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

A sweeping tale of ambition, treachery, and passion…

For generations Lady Diana de Vere’s family loyally served England’s crown. But after King Charles II’s untimely death, her father firmly opposes James II’s tyranny. Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St. Albans—the late king’s bastard son by actress Nell Gwyn—also rebels against his newly crowned uncle’s manipulation. Secretly pledging to wed Diana, he departs for the Continent to become a soldier.

Political and religious turmoil bring about revolution and yet another coronation before Charles returns to claim his promised bride. As companion to Queen Mary II, Diana has followed her de Vere forbears into royal service. She expects Charles to abandon his military career after marriage, but he proves unwilling to join the ranks of the courtiers he despises and mistrusts.

In palace corridors and within their own household the young duke and duchess confront betrayals, scandals, and tragedies that threaten to divide them. And neither the privileges of birth nor proximity to the throne can ensure their security, their advancement—or their happiness.

Praise for A Pledge of Better Times

“Meticulously researched and offering an impressive cast of real life characters brought to vibrant life, A Pledge of Better Times expertly captures the drama, passions, politics and religious turmoil of England at the turn of the 18th century. Margaret Porter crafts her story with exquisite detail, transporting the reader into a world full of intrigue, scandal, and breathtaking danger . . . a masterful writer.” – Award-winning author M. Reed McCall

“With elegant prose and vivid detail, A Pledge of Better Times sweeps you into late Stuart England, transforming the lesser known adversities and triumphs of Lady Diana de Vere and Charles Beauclerk into a beautiful love story you won’t forget.” – Marci Jefferson, author of Enchantress of Paris and Girl on the Golden Coin

“A portrait of Diana de Vere as rich as the portraits that grace British museums and palaces.” – Christy K Robinson, author of Mary Dyer Illuminated

“The sparkling, dangerous, enticing post-Restoration period comes to vivid life! Porter gives us a wonderful, complicated heroine in Diana, drawing us deep into her world . . . . I couldn’t stop reading!” – Amanda Carmack, author of Murder in the Queen’s Garden: An Elizabethan Mystery

Official Book Trailer

About the Author

Margaret Porter is an award-winning, bestselling novelist whose lifelong study of British history inspires her fiction and her travels. A former stage actress, she has also worked in film, television, and radio.

For more information please visit Margaret Porter’s website. You can also find her on Facebook here and here, and on Twitter.

A Pledge of Better Times Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, May 4
Review at Just One More Chapter
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Spotlight & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf

Tuesday, May 5
Review at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, May 6
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, May 7
Review at Book Drunkard

Friday, May 8
Review at Books and Benches

Sunday, May 10
Review & Guest Post at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Monday, May 11
Review at Reading the Past

Tuesday, May 12
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Thursday, May 14
Review at Unshelfish
Review at Impressions in Ink
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes

Friday, May 15
Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation
Review & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Obsession

Monday, May 18
Guest Post at Book Babe