Wow! Two Books Nominated for the E-Festival of Words Award!

eFestival of Words List of Nominees 2017

I couldn't believe it when a fellow author emailed me with congratulations. I have been nominated for two awards.

Best Historical

Once Loved

This is Book Three of the Pestilence Trilogy, three books set amid the devastation of the Black Death, which spread throughout England in 1348. The disease is now known to be the Bubonic Plague and this was its first appearance in England.

Many scientists argue about whether it was actually the same disease that devastated London 300 years later in 1665, but it has always been accepted that it was the same. 

It came here, to England, on trade ships carrying black rats and their fleas, which spread the disease. This third book tells of how people's lives were changed by the devastation the plague left in its wake. It had the effect of changing the entire structure of society.

Pestilence Boxed Set

Best Romance

The Minstrel's Lady

The Minstrel's Lady tells of a minstrel and his lady, Rose, who sings with him. They go to London on the invitation of their friend, Mark Smeaton, who has told Queen Anne Boleyn all about them and she wants to hear them play and sing.

But things don't go to plan when they arrive to witness the downfall of Mark and subsequently the Queen. They decide they would be safer at home, but first they remain to play and sing in the park on May Day.

Because of the impending executions, the crowds pouring into London cause the coach on which they are travelling to divert to a weaker bridge over the river Thames. The storm causes the bridge to collapse and Rose awakes in a tavern with no memory of who she is, not even her name.

When a nobleman appears and claims her as his bride, she has no way of knowing if she is who he thinks she is. She goes with him, falls in love with him, but is haunted by dreams of a young minstrel and a village just outside London.

Will she ever learn the truth? And if she does, will she lose the love of her life?

The final selections will be made in July when I shall be calling for votes, so keep your fingers crossed for me, please.

New Book - The Gorston Widow

THE GORSTON WIDOW

 

Robert Hayward is the newly created Earl of Haverstock, given Abbey lands and a title by King Henry VIII as reward for his assistance in securing the King’s divorce. He is just getting used to the honour and the sudden rise in status, when the King presents him with a new countess to go with his other gifts.

 

Lady Miranda Gorston has lands adjacent to Haverstock Abbey and is well known for her public and devout mourning for her late husband. Each day she visits the small churchyard attached to Gorston Hall to pray over his grave and all who see her are impressed with her devotion to his memory. 

But nobody knows the real reason Miranda visits that graveyard and her new husband is no exception. He feels that once they marry she should give up her public grieving and concentrate on her new marriage, but she refuses and will not explain why. He knows she did not love Lord Gorston, so why does she continue to mourn him? Why does she put their future happiness at risk to do so? 

Robert does not feel he can stay and be made to look a fool, that people will be saying Lord Gorston is more important to his wife than he is. He returns to London and there remains, until five years later when Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, informs him that his wife has been entertaining another man and orders Robert to return to his marriage on threat of excommunication. 

But Miranda’s visitor is not what he seems and Robert finds the man’s presence only causes even more questions for which no answers are forthcoming.