Scoping out Warwick Castle for a Heist #Anthology #HistoricalFiction @HistFictioneers

In “Honour of Thieves”, one of the stories in the historical anthology Betrayed, highwayman James Hart plans a heist and has to break into Warwick Castle. During the English Civil War, the castle served as a Parliamentarian garrison, so it’s imperative that James doesn’t get caught. He’s a staunch Royalist with a price on his head. I love heist movies like The Italian Job and Ocean’s Eleven. They’re like a clever puzzle where you don’t see the full picture until the last piece is snapped into place. A proper heist involves meticulous planning and requires the ability to find vulnerabilities…

Introducing BETRAYAL – Historical Fiction Anthology #histfic @HistFictioneers

I’m very excited to announce the launch of Betrayal, a historical fiction anthology that I have the honour of being a part of with my story “Honour of Thieves”. Spanning eras from post-Roman Britain to the present day, the stories in Betrayal bring to life both legendary moments of deceit as well as imagined episodes of treachery. You’ll encounter highwaymen, knights, pirates, soldiers and even ordinary people, caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Collectively, these stories illustrate multiple facets of betrayal. Under the banner of Historical Fictioneers, the authors of Betrayal include myself, Judith Arnopp, Anna Belfrage, Derek Birks, Helen Hollick, Amy Maroney,…

A 17th century sugar plantation in the Caribbean #Barbados

I’ve been quiet on the blogging front as I’ve been writing a new novel that continues on the next leg of the journey on the road to the Restoration. The Severed Knot picks up on the fate of the Scottish prisoners (at least one in particular) following the Battle of Worcester and how they were transported to Barbados as indentured servants.   I find that starting a new novel can be both exhilarating and nerve wracking as I wrestle with my Muse to get the story down. One of the most enjoyable aspects of starting a new historical fiction novel is…

Seventeenth Century Lady: Charles II Scottish Coronation

I’m pleased to be a guest of the Seventeenth Century Lady with an article I wrote about Charles II’s Scottish coronation. This occurred on January 1, 1651 in the Kirk of Scone. It occurred against the backdrop of Cromwell’s invasion of Scotland and has the distinction of being the last coronation to be held in Scotland. To read the article, click on the link: Charles II’s Scottish Coronation. Featured pictures: Charles II Coronation at Westminster: [By John Michael Wright – http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page92.asp, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons Kirk of Scone (Moot Hill): I, Calgacus [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Palace of…

Review – Traitors Knot by Cryssa Bazos

I’m extremely grateful for all reviews and especially when the reviewer takes the time to blog about it. I wanted to share this exceptional review by Chicks Rogues and Scandals. It’s not every day that your characters’ love for each other is compared to Cathy and Heathcliffe! Thank you Frankie for this very thoughtful review!