Author of Historical Fiction and Mysteries
Guest Post by Tony Riches Charles Brandon, Tudor knight and best friend of King Henry VIII, is best known for secretly marrying Mary Tudor, the king’s sister – without Henry’s permission! Less well known is his last marriage, to Lady Katherine Willoughby. I’ve just completed two years of work researching and writing my latest book,... Continue Reading →
I have been reading back issues of Writer's Digest and found an astonishing article in the March/April 2019 issue. "Page Master" by Laura Zats talks about reasons manuscripts are rejected by agents. This potentially interesting article was unfortunately greatly disappointing. Let me explain. I was hoping for a fresh and insightful look into the confusing... Continue Reading →
An elegant retelling of the legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Spellbook of Katrina van Tassel is an enjoyable read, especially as the autumn draws near and we enter the Halloween season. The novel recreates the whirlwind courtship of wealthy heiress of Dutch descent Katrina van Tassel and Ichabod Crane, a newly arrived schoolteacher in reduced circumstances. Fearing... Continue Reading →
From Filles Vertes Publishing, the sequel to Apricots and Wolfsbane: Regret is a bitter poison. In a desperate grasp for prestige, Aselin Gavrell betrayed her master to the execution block for the advantage of the onyx pendant now around her neck. Shelter from her master’s crimes comes with an unwanted allegiance and a list of innocents... Continue Reading →
"Set in the depths of winter, during the Polish Golden Age at the time of the Jagiellonian dynasty, Silent Water is a deeply satisfying and engrossing historical mystery [...] richly executed, with penetrating human insights and unforgettable sets." - review by Laura Rahme, author of Julien's Terror "In addition to the “whodunnit” aspect, this book stands out for... Continue Reading →
Among the slew of Tudor-era historical fiction novels The Locksmith's Daughter stands out with an interesting premise: its protagonist is a female whose primary identity is not that of someone's wife or mistress. On the contrary, Mallory Bright has a trade - of sorts. She can pick any lock. This being the 16th century, Mallory... Continue Reading →
The massacre of mill workers that occurred on 16 August 1819 in Manchester, England - and resulted in 18 deaths and hundreds of injuries - is not one of those immediately recognizable, watershed moments in history. To be honest I had never heard of it until I read The Song of Peterloo, and I have been... Continue Reading →
If you are like me, you may be rolling your eyes at the fact that so much historical fiction focuses on Western Europe, especially England and France. There is not a month that another Tudor novel does not come out, and Marie Antoinette has been done to death (forgive the pun). I love my seven... Continue Reading →
My second historical fiction conference, HNS North America, came and went, and it was quite a ride. It was held at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, just across the Potomac from Washington, DC from June 20-22, 2019. With over 70 sessions, the panels ranged from discussions of craft to the... Continue Reading →
