Let us Talk of Many Things; of Books and Queens and Pirates, of Mystery and Kings...: July 2024

Tuesday, 30 July 2024

My Coffee Pot Book Club Guest: Fortune's Wheel by Carolyn Hughes

Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find good books
to enjoy along the way!

About the Book

Book Title: Fortune’s Wheel, The First Meonbridge Chronicle

Series: The Meonbridge Chronicles

Author: Carolyn Hughes

Publication Date: 22/4/24 (Audiobook)

Publisher: Carolyn Hughes

Listening Length: 11 hours and 54 minutes

Genre: Historical Fiction

Audiobook Narrator: Alex Lee @alexleeaudio

How do you recover from the havoc wrought by history's cruellest plague?

It's June 1349. In Meonbridge, a Hampshire manor, many have lost their lives to the Black Death, among them Alice atte Wode’s beloved husband and Eleanor Titherige’s widowed father. Even the family of the manor’s lord and his wife, Margaret de Bohun, has not entirely escaped.

But, now the plague has passed, the people of Meonbridge must work together to rebuild their lives. However, tensions mount between the de Bohuns and their tenants, as the workers realise their new scarceness means they can demand higher wages and dictate their own lives.

When the tensions deepen into violence and disorder, and the men – lord and villagers alike – seem unable to find any resolution, the women – Alice, Eleanor and Margaret – must step forward to find a way out of the conflict that is tearing Meonbridge apart.

Buy Links:

This title / series is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3LL1d1

Audible Links:

UK :

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fortunes-Wheel-Livre-Audio/B0D2FKPQN4

US :

https://www.audible.com/pd/Fortunes-Wheel-Audiobook/B0D2FMT3QG

Author Bio:

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.

Six 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…

Author Links:

Website: https://carolynhughesauthor.com

Twitter: www.x.com/writingcalliope

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarolynHughesAuthor

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/carolynhughes.bsky.social

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carolyn-hughes

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Carolyn-Hughes/author/B01MG5TWH1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16048212.Carolyn_Hughes

follow the tour

Twitter Handle: @writingcalliope @cathiedunn

Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #MedievalEngland #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page:

https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/06/blog-tour-fortunes-wheel-audiobook-by-carolyn-hughes.html

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You might also like

books written by Helen Hollick

Website: https://helenhollick.net/

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

The Jan Christopher Cosy Mysteries

set in the 1970s

The SEA WITCH VOYAGES

nautical adventures set during the Golden Age of Piracy

THE SAXON SERIES

The story of the events that led to
The Battle of Hastings in 1066
Harold the King (UK edition)
I Am The Chosen King (US edition)
1066 Turned Upside Down
an anthology of 'What If'' tales
*

The Forever Queen (US edition)
a USA TODAY BESTSELLER
A Hollow Crown (UK edition)

KING ARTHUR

The Pendragon's Banner Trilogy

The Boy Who became a Man:

Who became a King:

Who became a Legend...

THE PENDRAGON's BANNER TRILOGY

US editions

Historical Stories of Exile by 13 popular authors
https://mybook.to/StoriesOfExile
Cryssa Bazos, Anna Belfrage, Elizabeth Chadwick, Cathie Dunn,
J.G. Harlond, Helen Hollick, Loretta Livingstone, Amy Maroney
Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb, Elizabeth St.John,
Marian L Thorpe, Annie Whitehead.
With an introduction by Deborah Swift

Amazon: FREE ebook!

NON-FICTION

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

website: www.helenhollick.net

SUBSCRIBE to Helen's

Thoughts from a Devonshire Farmhouse newsletter

to receive an email reminder of each new post

(1st of every month)

subscribe@helenhollick.co.uk

Sunday, 28 July 2024

Love pirates? Love boardgaming?... Read on

box cover design artwork with the kind permission of
© Chris Collingwood

if you like lengthy, 'sandbox' type board games

- and pirates -

then this is for you!

The Pirate Republic: Africa Gambit is an immersive deck-building, sandbox adventure game for 1-5 players. Set in the early 18th century, players step into the boots of legendary pirate captains to weave their own epic tales by performing daring feats and plundering on the high seas.

Based on the original The Pirate Republic (2017), this second, standalone edition introduces a wealth of new features, including: West African adventures, a roster of new historical pirates, inclusion of Portuguese adversaries, streamlined combat, and an engaging campaign mode to enrich your experience. So gather yer crew, unfurl the sails, and let the wind carry ye to infamy!

watch this review

GREENFEET GAMES

in association with Helen Hollick

and her award winning

When the Mermaid Sings

read how I got involved
HERE

The Pirate Republic: Africa Gambit

A swashbuckling board-game adventure produced by

Greenfeet Games

for 1–5 people eager for pirates, pillage, & plunder

on the high seas of the Spanish Main & Africa

image © Chris Collingwood
Game Designed by Tom Butler

January 2022

Green Feet Gamers,

The Pirate Republic, Africa Gambit, has been in the hands of playtesters and is now ready to launch!

Click here to get your copy in the next 16 hours before prices increase up to 20%!

http://kck.st/3Rj9JSD

The Pirate Republic, Africa Gambit

This is a second edition to the original The Pirate Republic. It's a 4x, campaign-based game that also adds West Africa riches, new Pirates, and the Portuguese into the mix. It is a game of exploration and adventure, with deck building and a revised combat system. Set in the early 18th-century, each player is an infamous pirate captain weaving their own tale by performing daring feats and plundering on the high seas.

You start with a deck of 12 cards, 2 of which are unique to your Pirate while 10 are shared. As you acquire cards and build your deck, your decisions will shape your Pirates’ personality. Your actions determine if you are a cooperative member of the Flying Gang, or a solo Pirate gone rogue, seeking fame and fortune on your own.

Using your cards you will sail across the map, strike fear on enemies, recruit crew, attack, defend, form a pirate haven, sack forts, complete global missions, or build infamy (which lets you gain even stronger cards). Each turn you will draw a hand of cards and take actions with them. Once you are out of cards, play goes to the next Pirate, and this continues until everyone has exhausted their decks.

Individually you are amassing Swagger as quickly as you can while collectively completing the global missions. The game ends when three of four global missions (chosen by the players before the game begins) are completed. If the Flying Gang completes the majority of these missions, they win! Otherwise, whichever Rogue completed the most missions wins. Alternatively, whoever reaches 100 Swagger first is the winner.

image © Chris Collingwood

Pirates have left a mark on cultures around the world. Depicted as either brave, heroic, freedom-loving swashbucklers or as bloodthirsty criminals; we certainly remain infatuated with their exploits!

They’ve been the subject of stories for centuries. From pirate books like Helen's awesome Sea Witch Voyages series to TV shows like Black Sails to board games, like the Pirate Republic.

https://viewbook.at/WhenMermaidSings

Helen has teamed up with Green Feet Games and game designers, Dr Sam Hillier and Tom Butler who are revising and expanding their Pirate Republic board game to encompass the West African coast and further piratical missions - which will include an adventure with the young Jesamiah Acorne and the crew of Mermaid (from the book When The Mermaid Sings)

What better way to keep the spirit of the 'Golden Age' alive, through taking on and playing one of the historical pirates of legend - or even Helen’s character, Jesamiah Acorne?

Podcast interview with Tom Butler:

https://www.dicetower.com/game-podcast/board-game-design-lab/designing-historical-games-tom-butler

Talking About Games: Narrative & Exposition

There's a very good article about board games here:

https://spacebiff.com/2021/06/24/talking-about-games-15/

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Friday, 26 July 2024

My Goddess Fish Book Tour Guest: The Maker of Worlds by David Litwack

Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find good books
to enjoy along the way!

About the Book

THE MAKER OF WORLDS

David Litwack

GENRE: Fantasy

If you had the chance to remake the world, what kind of world would you choose?

When tragedy strikes Lucas Mack's young life, he desperately yearns to escape its sorrow, and takes an improbable leap through the mythical maelstrom. Rather than splashing down on the far side like his neighbors, he's transported to a magical realm where he has the power to redefine not only who he is, but the world in which he resides.

As he stumbles about trying to find his way, he meets Mia, an equally troubled fellow pilgrim. With the help of a mystical guide and an aging wizard, they navigate the enchanted land while learning to control their newfound powers. Yet this realm is more complex than they expected, with seasoned sorcerers who've been corrupted by the sinister side of magic.

Limited by natural law and seduced by magic's power, they are tested as never before. Will the gift of magic bring renewed hope or drive them to the edge of the void?

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

The urge to write first struck at age sixteen when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the wild night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter’s editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.

Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process — and without prior plan — becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned.

David currently lives in the Great Northwest and anywhere else that catches his fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.

Website:

https://davidlitwack.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/david.litwack.author

Twitter: @DavidLitwack

Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/davidlitwack

Buy links:

Amazon:

https://geni.us/themakerofworlds

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-maker-of-worlds-david-litwack/1145637702

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

David Litwack will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card

to a randomly drawn winner.

click here to Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC - a Rafflecopter giveaway

read an excerpt

Nowhere a dock or a mooring, not so much as a hint of early morning smoke rising from a chimney. Nowhere the cottages of Queen’s Hill. Nowhere houses at all. As I gaped, the edges of branches shimmered as if undecided whether to remain intangible or become real. In a panic, I realized the folly of this quest. Better to return to a safer, albeit gloomier life, to go back through the portal at once.

Behind me, the maelstrom still swirled, a fleeting comfort as it had started to recede. While I stared at the last link to my old world, the orb diminished, shrunk to a size I could cover with my hand, and then to that of the tip of my thumb. Before I sloshed more than two steps closer, it winked out.

Now, to the north and the south, nothing showed but water. I stumbled to shore, my movements causing the slightest wake in the surface, which lay so still I could make out my astonished features in the reflection.

I’d spent much of my young life with Addy, like a mate sailing across a forever lake. She’d been with me through calm and storm. I’d yearned to find renewed hope on this side of the gateway and return home to a new life, yet now the gateway, like Addy, had vanished.