Judith Arnopp's Blog
May 2, 2025
Tony Riches on the subject of his new book, BESS
Tony Riches on the subject of his new book, BESS
Bess Throckmorton, the queen’s gentlewoman, catches the eye of the captain of the queen’s guard, adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh, and has to choose between loyalty and love, duty and desire. Can she risk her queen’s anger by marrying without permission?
Like most Elizabethan women, her education was limited to what she might need to run a household. Her children’s tutors helped her to improve her writing, but I was impressed at how her phonetic spelling didn’t stop Bess writing to the most powerful men at court, such as Secretary of State of England and Lord High Treasurer, Sir Robert Cecil.
I always like to have a sense of the ‘voice� of a character when writing historical fiction, and to imagine what might be on her mind as Bess struggles to protect her family in a dangerous world. I was able to track down several of her actual letters, and used the original text in italics, as in this short excerpt:
Taking a fresh sheet of parchment, Bess dips her pen in the black ink and begins to write. Ignoring what Walter told her, she thanks Robert Cecil for his help and support.
Sur Walter’s remembranse of me to you at his last deeparting shall add and increese if it wer possibl more love and dew respect to him.
Bess stops to read back her words, regretting her poor spelling, and undecided whether she should travel to see Robert Cecil, to appeal to him in person. She has spent long enough away from her son and from Sherborne. She will have Alexander Brett deliver her letter.
A Devon man, and distant cousin, Alexander Brett is bright and capable, taking over the work started by Adrian Gilbert to improve the supply of fresh water to Sherborne. Keen to better himself, he will relish the challenge of meeting such an important man as Sir Robert Cecil.
He is one of the few unmarried men at Sherborne, and Bess is flattered by how Brett flirts with her. The twinkle in his eye when he makes her laugh reminds her of Walter before they married. She suspects Alexander Brett admires her, and tries not to think of what could happen if Walter never returns. She frowns as she dips her pen back in the ink and continues.
Sur I am in hope ere it be long to hear of Sur Walter, thow not of long time to see him, being for a time thus disevered from him as I am.
She waits for the ink to dry in the spring sunshine streaming through her window, satisfied this is enough of a preamble. Bess doubts Robert Cecil will be familiar with the debt owed by Henry Huntingdon, but hopes he will realise the seriousness if she threatens to go to law.
I must entreet your favourable word to my Lord Keeper. I desire no favour, only suferance. The bearer of this leter can tell you the matter. I choose this time to follow it in Sur Walter’s absents, that myself shall beare the unkindness, and not he, the money being long time past due to me.
Once the ink is dry, she folds the letter. One way or another, Henry Huntingdon will become aware that she will not forget the money he owes her. With luck, Robert Cecil will find some quiet way to avoid the matter going to law. Bess smiles as she presses her signet ring into the hot red wax. She has rolled the dice, and has little to lose.
BESS � Tudor Gentlewoman is available from Amazon in eBook and Paperback:
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Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling Tudor historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the history of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the Tudors.
For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and his blog, The Writing Desk and find him on Facebook, Twitter and Bluesky (see links below).
You can find out more about his research on his popular podcast series, ‘Stories of the Tudors’�
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April 28, 2025
Check out The Finding by Jane Hunt #BookBlast at The Coffee Pot Book Club
Book Title: The Finding
Series: n/a
Author: Jane Hunt
Publication Date: January 7th, 2025
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 85
Genre: Historical Fiction
Any Triggers: No
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The Finding
by Jane Hunt
This poignant novella is a tale of forbidden love, resilience, and the human cost of war.
In the quiet fields of Wiltshire during World War II, Eveline, a sheltered young woman, stumbles upon a life-altering discovery: a German Luftwaffe pilot, Fritz, has crash-landed near her home. Against the backdrop of war and suspicion, her family takes the injured man in, nursing him back to health. Beneath his reserved demeanor and burned body, Eveline senses a mystery—and something stirs an unfamiliar longing within her.
As Eveline’s infatuation deepens, she faces a storm of challenges: her overbearing mother’s rigid rules, a zealous preacher’s warnings, and the scrutiny of the town’s gossips. Despite Fritz’s attempts to keep her at arm’s length Eveline’s heart defies reason, falling for the man branded as her enemy.
But Fritz harbors secrets that could shatter Eveline’s fragile world. When the truths of war and the weight of loyalty collide, Eveline must confront the reality of loving someone forbidden.
Will their bond endure the hostility of a nation at war? Or will the scars of betrayal and loss prove impossible to heal?
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Born in Reading UK, Jane grew up with a love of reading. She remembers taking Enid Blyton books to bed and reading them under the covers when she should have been asleep! Her love of the written word extended into the classroom where the teachers commented on her vivid imagination and length of stories—probably accompanied with a few sights when they realized the amount of time the reading would take!
On leaving school Jane spent a brief spell at college before finding employment as a Dental Nurse where she spent many happy years meeting lots of wonderful people and mixing lots of fillings. After meeting her husband, she later went on to have three children and found work as a Teaching Assistant.
Alongside a busy life, she completed a comprehensive writing course, which saw her having non-fiction work published in newspapers and magazines. But the desire to do something ‘creative� burned ever brightly. Having recently undertaken a lot of research into her family tree, a desire to find out what life was really like for her ancestors took hold, and she developed a fascination with World War II. Heeding the advice of her late parents to ‘put pen to paper�, she decided to get a story that had been buzzing in her head for quit some time written.
The result of her endeavour was a very ‘raw� manuscript: The Finding. With some professional help—thank you, Dee, the story evolved into a book—something she still can’t quite believe!
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April 23, 2025
The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Sister Rosa's Rebellion by Carolyn Hughes
Book Title: Sister Rosa’s Rebellion, The Sixth Meonbridge Chronicle
Series: The Meonbridge Chronicles
Author: Carolyn Hughes
Publication Date: 4th April 2025
Publisher: Riverdown Books
Pages: 446
Genre: Historical Fiction
Any Triggers: n/a
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Sister Rosa's Rebellion
The Sixth Meonbridge Chronicle
Carolyn Hughes
How can you rescue what you hold most dear, when to do so you must break your vows?
1363. When Mother Angelica, the old prioress at Northwick Priory, dies, many of the nuns presume Sister Rosa � formerly Johanna de Bohun, of Meonbridge � will take her place. But Sister Evangelina, Angelica’s niece, believes the position is hers by right, and one way or another she will ensure it is.
Rosa stands aside to avoid unseemly conflict, but is devastated when she sees how the new prioress is changing Northwick: from a place of humility and peace to one of indulgence and amusement, if only for the prioress and her favoured few. Rosa is terrified her beloved priory will be brought to ruin under Evangelina’s profligate and rapacious rule, but her vows of obedience make it impossible to rebel.
Meanwhile, in Meonbridge, John atte Wode, the bailiff, is also distraught by the happenings at Northwick. After years of advising the former prioress and Rosa on the management of their estates, Evangelina dismissed him, banning him from visiting Northwick again.
Yet, only months ago, he met Anabella, a young widow who fled to Northwick to escape her in-laws� demands and threats, but is a reluctant novice nun. The attraction between John and Anabella was immediate and he hoped to encourage her to give up the priory and become his wife. But how can he possibly do that now?
Can John rescue his beloved Anabella from a future he is certain she no longer wants? And can Rosa overcome her scruples, rebel against Evangelina’s hateful regime, and return Northwick to the haven it once was?
Read and Excerpt from the Prologue
‘Yet, as I understand it,� he said, ‘elections have always gone in favour of the Godeffroy, regardless of the other candidate…�
Eva tilted her head. ‘Some sort of bribery, you mean?�
‘I have always presumed so. And I have also presumed it was the bishop’s man � our cousin
Nicholas’s predecessors � who arranged it, though I don’t know. But I’m sure Nicholas would help you in that way, if you asked him.�
‘Even if he did, I’m not convinced it would work this time. Rosa’s so very much admired, I’m sure most of the sisters would refuse any inducement to vote against her.�
‘So, what are you going to do about her? Arrange a fatal accident?� He snorted.
Eva clicked her tongue again. ‘Don’t be such a fool, Edgar. But I do want to stop her standing, or make her seem less suitable than she is.�
‘And you have a plan for doing that?�
‘I do.�
She told him about the Rosa who first came to Northwick, evidently quite a different girl from the woman she was now. She recalled how the young Rosa � then only seventeen � spent hours of her time upon her knees in the chapel, and at her bedside, pleading constantly for forgiveness.
‘You pried upon her private and piteous entreaties?� said Edgar, raising his eyebrows.
Eva shrugged, but ignored the question. ‘Did you know she wanted to call herself “Dolorosa�? What a ridiculous, self-indulgent name! “I want to spend my life atoning for my sins!”’––she affected a supposedly girlish voice––‘That’s what she said to the prioress.�
‘You heard her say that?�
‘Well, no. One of the older nuns overheard their conversation in the cloister…�
Edgar guffawed. ‘You holy women! So quick to pry and tittle-tattle…�
Eva scowled but did not respond. ‘Anyway, our aunt persuaded her to choose “Rosa� instead.�
‘So what had made little Rosa so very sorrowful?�
‘From what I heard, she imagined she’d committed some appalling sin, one so heinous she was consumed by remorse and shame. Though what exactly the sin was, I never learned.’�
He gave a small shrug. ‘Very occasionally in her confession, Rosa has referred to some transgression she committed as a girl, but she has never elaborated––�
‘Ha! I knew it. A guilty secret� Anyway, I’m thinking, if I hint to her that I know of her secret and will expose it if she doesn’t do as I demand, she’ll decide not to stand in the election…�
‘I suppose she might withdraw, but the Sister Rosa I think I know is surely made of sterner stuff.�
He stroked his chin, the stubble of the day rough and rasping against his fingertips. Evangelina might imagine Rosa would succumb readily to her threats, but he was not so sure. Moreover, Rosa would make an excellent prioress, very much in the mould of Aunt Angelica.
Whilst his sister, well, the same could not be said of her. In fact, he suspected Eva would make a terrible prioress. He was certain she never had a vocation for the religious life, any more than he did, and she was loved by no one in the priory. It did not bode well for her success. However, she was his sister � well his half-sister, but family nonetheless � and it was his duty to support her, even if it was against his better judgement�
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This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
CAROLYN HUGHES has lived much of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working life as a computer programmer, then a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, word-smithing for many different clients, including banks, an international hotel group and medical instruments manufacturers.
Although she wrote creatively on and off for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest that writing historical fiction took centre stage. But why historical fiction? Serendipity!
Seeking inspiration for what to write for her Creative Writing Masters, she discovered the handwritten draft, begun in her twenties, of a novel, set in 14th century rural England� Intrigued by the period and setting, she realised that, by writing a novel set in the period, she could learn more about the medieval past and interpret it, which seemed like a thrilling thing to do. A few days later, the first Meonbridge Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, was under way.
Seven published books later (with more to come), Carolyn does now think of herself as an Historical Novelist. And she wouldn’t have it any other way�
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April 10, 2025
The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: White Feathers by Susan Lanigan
Book Title: White Feathers
Series: White Feathers, Book #1
Author: Susan Lanigan
Publication Date: 21/3/2025
Publisher: Idée Fixe Press
Pages: 398
Genre: Historical Fiction
Any Triggers: Abortion (non-graphic), Death
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White Feathers
by Susan Lanigan
"Anti-war and anti-patriarchy without ever saying so - a bravura performance of effortless elegance" - Irish Echo in Australia
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD 2015
In 1913, Irish emigrée Eva Downey receives a bequest from an elderly suffragette to attend a finishing school. There she finds friendship and, eventually, love. But when war looms and he refuses to enlist, Eva is under family and social pressure to give the man she loves a white feather of cowardice. The decision she eventually makes will have lasting consequences for her and everyone around her.
Journey with Eva as she battles through a hostile social order and endeavours to resist it at every turn.
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Susan Lanigan’s first novel White Feathers, a tale of passion, betrayal and war, was selected as one of the final ten in the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2013, and published in 2014 by Brandon Books. The book won critical acclaim and was shortlisted for the UK Romantic Novel of the Year Award in 2015. This edition is a reissue with a new cover and foreword.
Her second novel, Lucia’s War, also concerning WWI as well as race, music and motherhood, was published in June 2020 and has been named as the Coffee Pot Book Club Honourable Mention in the Modern Historical Book of the Year Award.
Susan lives by the sea near Cork, Ireland, with her family.
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April 6, 2025
Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon by Helen Hollick, with Kathy Hollick
Book Title: Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon
Author: Helen Hollick with Kathy Hollick
Publication Date: 27th February 2025
Publisher: Taw River Press
Pages: 201
Genre: Non-Fiction (with a bonus of two short stories)
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Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon
Helen Hollick with Kathy Hollick
Everyone assumes that ghosts are hostile. Actually, most of them are not.
You either believe in ghosts or you don’t. It depends on whether you’ve encountered something supernatural or not. But when you share a home with several companionable spirits, or discover benign ghosts in public places who appear as real as any living person, scepticism is abandoned and the myth that ghosts are to be feared is realised as nonsense.
It is a matter for individual consideration whether you believe in ghosts or not, but for those who have the gift to see, hear or be aware of people from the past, meeting with them in today’s environment can generate a connection to years gone by. Kathy and Helen Hollick have come across several such departed souls in and around North Devon and at their 18th-century home, which they share with several ‘past residents�.
In GHOST ENCOUNTERS: The Lingering Spirits Of North Devon, mother and daughter share their personal experiences, dispelling the belief that spirits are to be feared.
Ghost Encounters will fascinate all who enjoy this beautiful region of rural South-West England, as well as interest those who wish to discover more about its history... and a few of its ghosts.
(Includes a bonus of two short stories and photographs connected to North Devon)
cover design: Avalon Graphics
cover artwork: Chris Collingwood
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This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Read an Excerpt :
North Devon is predominantly rural, with a few towns dotted amongst scattered villages and farms, which mostly concentrate on dairy or sheep. The Exmoor coast has high, rugged cliffs, the highest, being Great Hangman, a 1,043ft hog's-back, with a 820ft cliff-face.
From Celtic to Roman, through the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans, via the Tudors, Stuarts, Georgians and Victorians North Devon has been rich in its history. And its ghosts.
Ghost, spirit, shade, soul � whatever term you prefer, unless you are a sceptic the general thinking about ghosts is that these unexplained phenomena are troubled or tormented apparitions which haunt the places where they died. They are misty shapes curling beneath trees, lurking in dark shadows or eerie cellars while oozing an atmosphere of supernatural horror. Spirits allegedly remain through spite or remorse; their only intention is to frighten living people in any and every way they can. Most of this thinking is generated by religious beliefs and enhanced by the fascination for horror novels and Hollywood movies of the paranormal. Exposing an angry poltergeist or a vengeful demon is common on the TV or cinema screen. Readers and viewers (for some unfathomable reason!) like to be scared. There are hostile spirits creating hostile environments, but outside of high drama and the movies, these are in a minority.
It is natural to have a reaction of fear if something supernatural is encountered, but there is usually no reason to stay frightened. Some, particularly the spirits of children, can be mischievous, but aggressive or malevolent hostility, despite what is depicted on TV, is rarely an intentional threat. Some lingering spirits may be confused and bewildered, or even unaware that they are dead, and may need a sympathetic nudge to move on. Quite a few drift among us because they want to stay.
Find out more � and meet a few ghosts � in Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon
ABOUT HELEN HOLLICK
Known for her captivating storytelling and rich attention to historical detail, Helen might not see ghosts herself, but her nautical adventure series, and some of her short stories, skilfully blend the past with the supernatural, inviting readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between the living and the dead blur.
In addition to her historical fiction, Helen has written several short stories, further exploring themes of historical adventure or the supernatural with her signature style. Whether dealing with the echoes of the past or the weight of lost souls, her stories are as compelling as they are convincing. Through her work, she invites readers into a world where the past never truly lets us go.
Helen started writing as a teenager, but after discovering a passion for history, was published in the UK with her Arthurian Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy and two Anglo-Saxon novels about the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings, one of which, The Forever Queen (USA title � A Hollow Crown in the UK) became a USA Today best-seller. Her Sea Witch Voyages are nautical-based adventures inspired by the Golden Age of Piracy. She also writes the Jan Christopher cosy mystery series set during the 1970s, and based around her, sometimes hilarious, years of working as a North London library assistant.
Helen, husband Ron and daughter Kathy moved from London to Devon in January 2013 after a Lottery win on the opening night of the London Olympics, 2012. She spends her time glowering at the overgrown garden and orchard, fending off the geese, helping with the horses and, when she gets a moment, writing the next book...
ABOUT KATHY HOLLICK
Diagnosed as severely dyslexic when she was ten, Helen pulled Kathy out of school at fifteen to concentrate on everything equine.
When not encountering friendly ghosts, Kathy's passion is horses and mental well-being. She started riding at the age of three, had her own Welsh pony at thirteen, and discovered showjumping soon after. Kathy now runs her own Taw River Equine Events, and coaches riders of any age or experience, specialising in positive mindset and overcoming confidence issues via her Centre10 accreditation and Emotional Freedom Technique training. EFT, or ‘tapping�, uses the body’s pressure points to aid calm relaxation and to promote gentle healing around emotional, mental or physical issues.
Kathy lives with her farmer partner, Andrew, in their flat adjoining the main farmhouse. She regularly competes at affiliated British Showjumping, and rides side-saddle (‘aside�) when she has the opportunity. She produces her own horses, several from home-bred foals.
She also has a fun diploma in Dragons and Dragon Energy, which was something amusing to study during the Covid lockdown.
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April 2, 2025
New Release Coming Soon!
I don't think I have read a book, fiction or otherwise, in which Marguerite is shown in a good light. That is because she is one of history's losers. When her husband, King Henry VI, became mentally ill and unable to rule, she saw it as her duty to step into his shoes. The English lords had other ideas, they disliked her not just because she was a woman but because she was French. England had been at war with France for hundred years but the glory years under Henry V were long over, the country was impoverished yet still men were dying for a war already lost. The union between Henry and Marguerite was part of a peace treaty - a lull in the fighting while the opposing parties worked out their differences but the English blamed Marguerite for the loss of French territories and viewed her as a spy.Marguerite came from a family of strong women, her mother and grandmother both ruled in their husband's stead while their men were otherwise engaged. She had a nose for politics, spoke out when other women kept silent and influenced the king on matters of state. None of these things won Marguerite friends in England.The Duke of York in particular did his utmost to undermine her, even before the king fell ill.
As Henry's heir the last thing he wanted was for Marguerite to prove an adept leader, he was even less enthusiastic for her to produce an heir. So when Marguerite announced her pregnancy shortly after the king was struck with his strange malaise, a rumour began that the child she was carrying was fathered by Edmund Beaufort. You don't have to look far to discern the perpetrator of this rumour.Without giving away too much of the plot, the dissent between the queen and the Duke of York escalated into a prolonged civil war; a war that lasted for four decades, costing an estimated 30 -38,000 deaths in some of English history's bloodiest battles.
Marguerite's hopes were finally extinguished at Tewkesbury where seventeen year old son, Edward of Lancaster, perished in battle. During the course of the war, Marguerite's power was usurped, her king imprisoned, her son disinherited; she was exiled, slandered and finally beaten but she never gave up until her son was killed and she had nothing left to fight for.Had circumstances been different of course, she would be lauded as a hero but instead has been remembered in history as a she-wolf and an adulteress. Modern authors have taken their cue from Shakespeare who pulled no punches when he described as a“Foreigner, white devil, shrew, virago, vengeful fury� and demonised her as “a foul wrinkled witch� and a ‘hateful withered hag.”�
As always when I write, I try to stand back and let the protagonist tell their own story. Recorded events remain the same but the perspective alters. Just as Henry VIII in The Henrician Chronicles made his actions plausible, and Margaret Beaufort made it quite clear that she had nothing to o with the deaths of Edward IV's sons, Marguerite turns her own reputation on its head.She makes bad decision, she takes drastic action but she reminds us that she was slandered, her crown was stolen, her son disinherited and the ruling king, Henry VI murdered.
She is not without guilt but her crimes were no less than those of York but they were not greater either. In Marguerite: Hell Hath no Fury, the queen emerges as a woman who would do all in her power to protect her son - just as any mother would.
Blurb
Marguerite: Queen of England
From the moment Henry VI's new queen, Marguerite of Anjou, sets foot on English soil she is despised by the English as a foreigner, and blamed for the failures of the hundred years war in France.
Her enemies impede her role as the king’s consort and when Henry sinks into apparent madness her bid to become regent is rejected. Marguerite must fight, not only for her own position but to maintain Henry’s possession of the crown.
The ambitious Duke, Richard of York seizes control of the country, thrusting Marguerite aside and inflating the mutual hatred between the houses of York and Lancaster. But the queen refuses to relinquish power and fights determinedly for the rights of her son, Edward of Lancaster.
The long and bitter civil conflict, that has come to be known as the war of the roses, commences.
March 31, 2025
The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: Sword Brethren by Jon Byrne
Book Title: Sword Brethren
Series: The Northern Crusader Chronicles
Author: Jon Byrne
Publication Date: 28th November 2024
Publisher: The Book Guild
Pages: 416
Genre: Historical Fiction (Action/Adventure)
Any Triggers: There are several mild profanities, a non-graphic rape scene and several descriptions of battle and death.
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Sword Brethren
by Jon Byrne
1242. After being wounded in the Battle on the Ice, Richard Fitz Simon becomes a prisoner of Prince Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod. Alexander, intrigued by his captive’s story, instructs his scholar to assist Richard in writing about his life.
Richard’s chronicle begins in 1203, when his training to be a knight is disrupted by treachery. He is forced to flee England for Lübeck, where he begins work for a greedy salt merchant. After an illicit love affair, his new life is thrown into turmoil, and he joins the Livonian Brothers of the Sword as they embark on imposing the will of God on the pagans of the eastern Baltic. Here, he must reconcile with his new life of prayer, danger and duty � despite his own religious doubts, with as many enemies within the fortified commandery as the wilderness outside. However, when their small outpost in Riga is threatened by a large pagan army, Richard is compelled to make a crucial decision and fight like never before.
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Jon Byrne, originally from London, now lives with his German family by a lake in Bavaria with stunning views of the Alps. As well as writing, he works as a translator for a local IT company and occasionally as a lumberjack.
He has always been fascinated by history and has studied the Medieval world for over twenty years, building up a comprehensive library of books. In his research, he has travelled to all of the locations mentioned in the book (East Anglia, Bremen, Lübeck, Latvia, etc).
Sword Brethren (formerly Brothers of the Sword) made it to the shortlist of the Yeovil Literary Prize 2022 and the longlist of the prestigious Grindstone International Novel Prize 2022. It is the first book in The Northern Crusader Chronicles.
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March 17, 2025
The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: The Rune Stone by Julia Ibbotson
Book Title: The Rune Stone
Series: Dr DuLac series, book #3
Author: Julia Ibbotson
Publication Date: December 8th, 2021
Publisher: Archbury Books
Pages: 294 (ebook) / 376 (paperback)
Genre: historical romance (timeslip mystery)
Any Triggers: n/a
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The Rune Stone
by Julia Ibbotson
A haunting time-slip mystery of runes and romance
When Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, finds a mysterious runic inscription on a Rune Stone in the graveyard of her husband’s village church, she unwittingly sets off a chain of circumstances that disturb their quiet lives in ways she never expected.
She, once again, feels the echoes of the past resonate through time and into the present. Can she unlock the secrets of the runes in the life of the 6th century Lady Vivianne and in Viv’s own life?
Again, lives of the past and present intertwine alarmingly as Viv desperately tries to save them both, without changing the course of history.
For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.
Praise for Julia Ibbotson:
(for A Shape on the Air) “In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel� -Historical Novel Society
(for the series) “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense� � book tour reviewer
(for The Rune Stone) “beautifully written�, “absorbing and captivating�, “fully immersive�, “wonderfully written characters�, “a skilled story teller� � Amazon reviewers
“Dr Ibbotson has created living, breathing characters that will remain in the reader’s mind long after the book is read � The characters are brought to life beautifully with perfect economy of description � fabulous!� � Melissa Morgan
“A rich and evocative time-slip novel that beautifully and satisfyingly concludes this superb trilogy. The story is woven seamlessly and skilfully between the past and the present and the reader is drawn deeply into both worlds. Her portrayal of the 6th century and its way of life are authoritative, vivid and memorable.� � Kate Sullivan
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This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries.
Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language/ literature/ history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics.
After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers� Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.
She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her work in progress is a new series of Anglo-Saxon mystery romances, beginning with Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.
Julia’s novels will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination�, ‘beautiful story-telling�, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines�, ‘brilliant and fascinating� and ‘I just couldn’t put it down�.
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March 6, 2025
The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: The Welsh Warrior's Inheritance by Arianwen Nunn
Book Title: The Welsh Warrior’s Inheritance
Series: The Welsh Warrior Series
Author: Arianwen Nunn
Publication Date: November 21st, 2023
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 554
Genre: Historical Fiction
Any Triggers: Some fighting but not overly graphic
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The Welsh Warrior’s Inheritance
by Arianwen Nunn
It is 1109 and the Welsh warrior and firebrand, Owain ap Cadwgan abducts Princess Nest from the castle she shares with her children and her husband, Gerald of Windsor. King Henry of England, furious that Nest, who is also his lover and mother of his son, begins a manhunt to find Owain and return Nest to her husband. In Gwynydd King Gruffydd ap Cynan and his wife risk everything to hide them and get them to safety in Ireland despite the efforts of Gronwy ap Owain, Angharad's vicious brother who would like to see Gruffydd and Owain dead.
King Henry uses Bishop Richard to start kinship warfare in Wales then declares war against the Welsh determining to exterminate them all. Can Gruffydd and his family survive the greatest army ever led against Wales?
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Arianwen Nunn was born in Wales but now lives in Australia and writes historical fiction based on the Welsh kingdoms in the Middle Ages.
Arianwen has written a series of three books, 'The Welsh Traitor's Daughter', 'The Welsh Warrior's Inheritance' and 'Bards Sing of Love and War' which follow the lives of King Gruffydd ap Cynan and his wife Angharad and their family.
She has also written two children's books, 'The Welsh Warrior's Wonder' and 'Where Dragons Still Roar'.
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February 15, 2025
Helen Hollick and her daughter join me on the blog today
Promoting Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon
By Helen Hollick (With daughter Kathy Hollick)
Everyone assumes that ghosts are hostile. Actually, most of them are not.
You either believe in ghosts or you don’t. It depends on whether you’ve encountered something supernatural or not. But when you share a home with several companionable spirits, or discover benign ghosts in public places who appear as real as any living person, scepticism is abandoned. In GHOST ENCOUNTERS: The Lingering Spirits Of North Devon, mother and daughter share their personal experiences, dispelling the belief that spirits are to be feared.
Ghost Encounters will fascinate all who enjoy the beautiful region of rural South-West England, as well as interest those who wish to discover more about its history... and a few of its ghosts.
(Includes a bonus of two short stories and photographs connected to North Devon)
Pre-order the e-book on Amazon
Paperback published February 28th � e-book will also be available on Kindle Unlimited
Encountering a couple of Tudor Ghosts!
Not everyone believes in ghosts, fair enough, but go into any old British pub and you’re bound to learn that there’s a ghost or two present among the paying present-day customers. What isn’t so well known, ghosts can be seen (by those with the gift or ability to see them � genuine Mediums, for instance), anywhere, not just in damp cellars, spooky castles or abandon old houses � and at any time, not just during the scary hours of night. And the least likeliest place to see a ghost is in a cemetery!
Ghosts can (and do) linger anywhere, not just where some tragedy happened or where they died. A presence can linger where that person had some emotional tie, maybe a tragic incident, yes, but more often something of great importance, or where they were particularly happy. And finally, to shatter all the things you thought you knew... the majority of supernatural presences, ghosts, spirits, shades, spooks (take your pick of what description you prefer), are not hostile or evil. Most are perfectly friendly, some, in fact, are as unaware of us as most of us are of them.
My daughter, Kathy, can see and hear ‘dead people�. To her these presences from the past look as real as real, living, people, although some she sees only from the waist up, or fleetingly. (It’s a giveaway when the ‘person� she’s looking at suddenly vanishes!)
Our village pub here in Chittlehamholt, North Devon, hosts several such residents. Built in the 1500s, The Exeter Inn became a coaching inn during the late 1600s � early 1700s, being the first ‘comfort break� en-route from the Colonial trade ports of Barnstaple and Bideford to Exeter, thirty or so miles away, and to other connections to London. There seems to have been a collection of ‘Exeter Inn� public houses in our area, varying from thirteen to nine miles apart � usual distances for a coach and horses, depending on the difficulty of the terrain. I presume these same-named inns were conveniently placed along the regular route.
Pre-mid-1600s travel would have been by foot, horseback or carrier cart, with only the wealthy or tradespeople having their own transport. Thus, a Tudor couple must have arrived at our village inn with their own coach, some time during, we think, the age of Queen Elizabeth I.
Kathy has fleetingly seen the couple several times, identifying the era they belong to by their costume � typical Elizabethan, wealthy garments of velvets, brocades and silk. He is a tall, handsome, well-groomed man, proudly showing off the attractive lady with him. They appear to be newly married. She seems quite shy and is dripping with pearls and sparkling jewels (again common for that period). Kathy has been unable to judge their ages: the woman is possibly nineteen or so, he, mid-twenties?
Outside, it is daylight. We think they have stopped to rest the horses. Barnstaple is about thirteen miles away, with some steep hills in between.
Where they are heading...? Who knows. Sadly there is no way of discovering more about them, their name, their future fate. All that must be conjecture, and maybe a story for a fiction writer to decide?
Discover more about the ghosts of our village pub � or North Devon in general in Ghost Encounters: the Lingering Spirits of North Devon.
Known for her captivating storytelling and rich attention to historical detail, Helen might not see ghosts herself, but her nautical adventure series, and some of her short stories, skilfully blend the past with the supernatural, inviting readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between the living and the dead blur.
Her historical fiction spans a variety of periods and her gift lies in her ability to bring historical figures and settings to life, creating an immersive experience that transports readers into the past. Her stories are as compelling as they are convincing.
Helen started writing as a teenager, but after discovering a passion for history, was published in the UK with her Arthurian Trilogy and two Anglo-Saxon novels about the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings, one of which became a USA Today best-seller. She also writes the Jan Christopher cosy mystery series set during the 1970s, and based around her, sometimes hilarious, years of working as a North London library assistant.
Helen, husband Ron and daughter Kathy moved from London to Devon in January 2013 after a Lottery win on the opening night of the London Olympics, 2012. She spends her time glowering at the overgrown garden and orchard, fending off the geese, helping with the horses and, when she gets a moment, writing the next book...
When not encountering friendly ghosts, Kathy's passion is horses and mental well-being. She started riding at the age of three, had a pony at thirteen, and discovered showjumping soon after. Kathy now runs her own Taw River Equine Events, and coaches riders of any age or experience, specialising in positive mindset and overcoming confidence issues via her Centre10 accreditation and Emotional Freedom Technique training to aid calm relaxation and promote gentle healing.
Kathy lives with her farmer partner, Andrew, in their flat adjoining the main farmhouse. She regularly competes at affiliated British Showjumping, and rides side-saddle (‘aside�) when she has the opportunity. She produces her own horses, several from home-bred foals.
She also has a fun diploma in Dragons and Dragon Energy, which was something amusing to study during the Covid lockdown.
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For additional (and any new ghost encounters!) visit
Cover design: Avalon Graphics
Cover image: Chris Collingwood Historical Artist
