Mark Noce: Author Spotlight

I’ve taken another detour from the 17th century and transported back to Medieval Wales to welcome author, Mark Noce today. For anyone who has ever been caught up in the Arthur legends, it’s hard not to feel a connection with Wales and the Welsh tribes. Mark’s debut book, Between Two Fires, is the story of Branwen, daughter of King Vortigern of Wales and one queen’s struggle to save her people from the Saxons. Without further ado, please welcome Mark as he answers some questions about his new book which comes out in three days. ◊ Between Two Fires is told from the first person perspective…

Spotlight: 1066 Turned Upside Down (Part 2)- Continuing the conversation

August 16, 2016August 19, 2019 Categories: Author SpotlightsTags: 1066 Turned Upside Down · Alison Morton · Anna Belfrage · Annie Whitehead · Battle of Hastings · Carol McGrath · Helen Hollick · Joanna Courtney · Richard Dee · Speculative historical fiction3 Comments

On my last blog post, I featured an exciting new speculative historical fiction anthology, 1066 Turned Upside Down. I had the opportunity to chat with many of the authors about what inspired them to create this anthology. If you missed Part 1, click here to read. Today for Part 2, we continue the conversation about their writing and the anthology. Without further ado, I present Annie Whitehead, Alison Morton, Richard Dee, Carol McGrath, Anna Belfrage, and Joanna Courtney. Helen Hollick, in Part I of this blog, Annie Whitehead speculated about post-Hastings Britain if Harold had been victorious. What are your thoughts about how England…

Spotlight: 1066 Turned Upside Down (Part 1)

August 15, 2016August 19, 2019 Categories: Author SpotlightsTags: 1066 Turned Upside Down · Alison Morton · Alternative history · Anna Belfrage · Annie Whitehead · Battle of Hastings · Carol McGrath · Helen Hollick · Joanna Courtney · Richard Dee14 Comments

Have you ever wondered ‘what if’ history turned out a little differently? What if John F. Kennedy wasn’t shot; what if Charles II had a legitimate heir? Historical fiction authors have a great deal of respect for what actually happened in history and will undertake years of research to ensure they get it right. But once in a while, it’s fun to let the imagination loose and contemplate an alternate reality. This is what an illustrious group of historical fiction authors did. In honour of the upcoming 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, when King Harold of England was defeated by William the…

The Winter King, The Queen of Hearts, and the Thirty Years War

May 23, 2016August 19, 2019 Categories: Author SpotlightsTags: 17th century · 17th century enthusiast · Count Peter Ernst von Mansfeld-Vorderort · Elizabeth Stuart · Friedrich V · Laura Libricz · Protestant Union · Queen of Hearts · Thirty Years' war · Winter King · Winter Queen4 Comments

I have the pleasure of welcoming historical fiction author, Laura Libricz, whose novels take place in 17th century Germany. On June 10th, she is re-releasing The Master and the Maid, the first novel of her Heaven’s Pond trilogy. Today, Laura introduces us to the Thirty Years War, that took place in the beginning of the 17th century in Central Europe. The events of the Thirty Years War had a profound effect on European and English History; many of the later English Civil War leaders received their training during this time. But in the beginning, there was the Winter King and the Queen…

Classicism vs Naturalism: French and Dutch art in the 17th century

April 18, 2016August 19, 2019 Categories: 17th century · Author SpotlightsTags: 17th century · 17th century art · Annie Whitehead · art · Claude · Dutch Naturalism · French Classicism · Poussin · Rembrandt · VermeerLeave a comment

As a special treat, I turn my blog over to Annie Whitehead, indieBRAG honouree and author of Alvar the Kingmaker and To Be A Queen. Annie’s novels are set during the Early Medieval period, but her knowledge of history extends centuries beyond her chosen era to include the 17th century. In this article, she illuminates the differences between two opposing artistic traditions of the 17th century, Classicism and Naturalism. Enjoy! Artistically, the period of Richelieu and Mazarin saw the rise of French Classicism. Patronage of the arts was strong; Fouquet (the Superintendent of Finances in France), in particular used his money with exceptional taste. He gathered round…