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Wednesday, 4 December 2024

The Coffee Pot Book Club Tour: Marcia Clayton - A Woman Scorned


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Wander through worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find good books
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About the Book
Book Title: A Woman Scorned
Series: The Hartford Manor Series
Author: Marcia Clayton
Publication Date: 18th October 2024
Publisher: Sunhillow Publishing
Pages: 334
Genre: Historical Fiction / Family Saga / Historical Romance

1886 North Devon, England
Lady Lilliana Grantley has been seriously ill with typhoid, a disease that recently claimed her husband Edgar’s life and that of his long-time lover, Rosemary Gibbs. Now recovering at last, the lady wastes no tears on her husband but is determined to wreak revenge on his two illegitimate children.

Embarrassed for years by his affair with Rosemary, a childhood sweetheart living nearby, she has falsely accused Sir Edgar’s daughter, Millicent, of the theft of a precious brooch and wants to see her jailed or hung.

Fortunately for Millie and her little brother, Jonathan, their granny, Emily, insisted they leave home as soon as she heard of Sir Edgar’s death, for she knew his widow would seek revenge. The old lady was soon proved right, and Lady Lilliana, furious the two youngsters were nowhere to be found, evicted the old woman despite the fact she, too, was dangerously ill.

After a long and hazardous journey to North Devon, Millie and Jonathan were united with some long-lost family members who made them welcome and gave them a home. However, aware that Lady Lilliana has put a price on Millie’s head, they know they are not yet out of danger. Despite this, they are determined to find their granny, Emily, who seems to have disappeared.

Aided by her long-time lover, Sir Clive Robinson, Lady Lilliana is determined to find Millie and Jonnie and get them out of her life once and for all, but how far will the embittered woman go?


Buy Link:


All the books in The Hartford Manor Series can be ordered from any bookshop.



Author Bio:

Marcia Clayton writes historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance and mystery in a heart-warming family saga that stretches from the Regency period through to Victorian times.

A farmer’s daughter, Marcia was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school at sixteen, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David. 
As the children grew older, Marcia enrolled in a secretarial course, which led to an administrative post at the local college. Marcia progressed through various jobs at the college and, when working as a Transport Project Coordinator, was invited to 10 Downing Street to meet Tony Blair, the then Prime Minister. Marcia later worked for the local authority as the Education Transport Manager for Devon County Council and remained there until her retirement.

Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.

Marcia has written six books in the historical family saga, "The Hartford Manor Series". You can also read her free short story, "Amelia", a spin-off tale from the first book, "The Mazzard Tree", by downloading the story here: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/amelia-free-download/ 

In addition to writing books, Marcia produces blogs to share with her readers in a monthly newsletter. If you would like to join Marcia’s mailing list, you can subscribe here: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/

Author Links:

Website:
Twitter:
Facebook:
Instagram:
Bluesky:
Book Bub:
Amazon Author Page:
Goodreads:


Read A Snippet
Excerpt from Chapter 16

It was a starry moonlit night, and Robert was astounded by the number of people waiting around the estuary of the River Taw. Despite the late hour, men, women and children carried buckets, nets, and sieves, indeed anything to catch the slippery little eels and get a few free meals. Jim led Robert to where his men stood in the water, ready to pull the fyke nets out when full.

When the tide turned, Robert could not believe his eyes. Suddenly, the river and the ground around his feet seemed to be alive with millions of tiny, translucent eels about three to four inches long. As well as swimming upstream, they slithered over the long, wet grass, and the children squealed in delight as they captured them by the bucketful.

There seemed to be a never-ending flow of elvers, and Jim told Robert that most folk would be there all night, or at least until the tide turned or the supply of elvers reduced.

“Goodness, they’ll be so tired; don’t they have to work tomorrow?”

“Aye, of course; some might be lucky enough to grab an hour or two of sleep before they turn in for work in the morning, but I expect most had a nap after supper and will go straight to work at dawn. I doubt many children will be at school for the next week or two, but it’s more important to gather free food when it’s available. Anyway, have you seen enough? Shall we leave them to it and have a nightcap before we turn in?”

Robert nodded gratefully. “Yes, I like the sound of that; thank you.”

Jim smiled to himself, thinking it never did any harm for the gentry to see how the other half lived.

(note: Helen has not yet read this title)

Follow the tour:

Twitter Handle: @MarciaC89111861 @cathiedunn
Instagram Handle: @marciaclayton97 @thecoffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #FamilySaga #Victorian #HistoricalRomance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page :



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Thank you

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You might also like books written by Helen Hollick 

A range of Good Reads
~ King Arthur - set in post-Roman Britain
~The events that led to the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest
~ Nautical adventures with a touch of supernatural elements
~ Cosy Mystery Quick Reads, set in the 1970s
~ Non-fiction: Pirates
~ Non-fiction: smugglers
anthologies (with other award-winning authors)
EXILE
BETRAYAL (free-book)
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Tuesday, 3 December 2024

The Coffee Pot Book Club Tour of: Liza Perrat Lake of Widows


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: Lake of Widows
Series: Book 2 of The Women of the Lake trilogy (all standalones). 
Book 1: Lake of Echoes
Author: Liza Perrat
Publication Date: 19/10/2024
Publisher: Perrat Publishing
Pages: 345 
Genre: Historical Women’s Fiction

Three women. One shared struggle. Can they survive? 

1970. When Adrienne Chevalier’s perfect life in a chic quartier of Lyon unravels, she flees to rural Sainte-Marie-du-Lac to escape her controlling husband, Emile.

Taking refuge at the idyllic L’Auberge de Léa, Adrienne befriends Blanche Larue, who is herself trapped by her husband’s infidelity. Adrienne begins to understand the subtle strictures that keep women chained across generations.

But to what diabolical lengths will Emile go to reclaim his wife? And can Blanche find the courage to choose truth over appearances?

1914. Suzanne Rossignol bids farewell to her beloved husband as he marches off to war. Through Suzanne’s journal entries, Adrienne discovers that the damaged soldier who returns from the trenches is a stranger, leaving Suzanne to navigate a home-front battlefield.

Join Adrienne, Blanche and Suzanne on their emotional journeys amidst the tranquil French countryside as they fight to escape the shackles of tradition and abuse. Their stories, bridging half a century, are bound by a timeless struggle.

A heart-wrenching blend of historical and women’s fiction, Lake of Widows explores the complexities of marriage, family secrets and self-discovery in 20th-century France.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Kelly Rimmer.


Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bPnrKz 


Author Bio:
Liza grew up in Wollongong, Australia, where she worked as a general nurse and midwife.
After meeting her French husband on a bus in Bangkok in 1988 and, three children and many pets later, she has now been living in a rural village in France for thirty years.

She works part-time as a medical translator, and editor, and as a novelist.

For newsletter signups, Liza offers her award-winning short story collection for free: Friends and Other Strangers: 


Author Links:

Website: 
Facebook Author Page: 
Instagram: 
Book Bub: 
Amazon Author Page: 
Goodreads: 


Follow the tour:

Twitter handle: @cathiedunn
Instagram Handle: @liza_perrat_author @thecoffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #WomensFiction 
#DualTimeline #HistoricalFrenchFiction #BlogTour 
#TheCoffeePotBookClub 

Tour Schedule Page: 

(Helen has not yet read this title(


scroll down to bottom of post to leave a comment
Thank you

*
You might also like books written by Helen Hollick 

A range of Good Reads
~ King Arthur - set in post-Roman Britain
~The events that led to the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest
~ Nautical adventures with a touch of supernatural elements
~ Cosy Mystery Quick Reads, set in the 1970s
~ Non-fiction: Pirates
~ Non-fiction: smugglers
anthologies (with other award-winning authors)
EXILE
BETRAYAL (free-book)
*
for full information

Follow Helen On:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.hollick

Bluesky: @HelenHollick - http://helenhollick.bsky.social/

(also on Twitter @HelenHollick but for marketing only)

SUBSCRIBE to Helen's
Thoughts from a Devonshire Farmhouse newsletter
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(1st of every month)
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Monday, 2 December 2024

Avalon Graphics: Ideas for that special Christmas Gift!



Avalon Graphics Graphic designer and dreamer. 
"I design bespoke book covers and quirky things for all."
https://www.avalongraphics.org

Cathy Helms of Avalon Graphics is well known for her fabulous, award-winning book cover designs, but did you know she also creates fun and intriguing designs for tee shirts etc? Plus, she has a range of pre-made book cover designs at affordable prices.

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Sunday, 1 December 2024

Thoughts from a Devonshire farmhouse December 2024

www.helenhollick.net



Hello! Thank you to all who have joined the ‘please remind me about your newsletter’ email list (if you have stumbled upon this post and wish to have your name added, see below for details.)

This month's topic:
POWER...

Wind turbines - personally, I rather like them

I was going to talk about Christmas, it being December, but snuggled in bed last Sunday morning I got to thinking about a different subject. Power.

What started this train of thought, and why I was still snuggled (reading on my Kindle) was because of a lack of power. Storm Bert had been making itself a nuisance since the previous evening, by 5 a.m. it had woken me up rattling the windows and the noise sounding like an express train hurtling through the trees. A few alarming flashes outside and then... power cut. It’s amazing how dark it is when there is no light at all, not even the faint glow from the wi-fi booster, or the two little lights from the rooter extension thingy which powers the new telephone system. (Which, of course, with nothing to power it, will not function.)

The main phone, downstairs on my desk should work via batteries, but that meant going downstairs in the dark, nor was I certain whether, without mains power, my stairlift would operate. I could have tried it but what if the battery back-up only enabled one trip up/down? I can’t manage the stairs now, not until I get a new hip. (So I also function on debilitated power of sorts!)

Fortunately I had recharged my kindle, and I’m thoroughly enjoying re-reading my Sea Witch Voyages (because I need to refresh what has already happened in the series in order to get on with Voyage Seven, Jamaica Gold). I’m up to Bring It Close – and excuse the self-trumpet-tootling – blimey it’s good!

Husband got up about 8 a.m. and lit the woodburner, which generates enough heat on top to very adequately boil a kettle. So nestled in bed with a piping hot morning cuppa, I got to thinking about other sorts of power. People Power. The Good, The Bad and the, as far as personality goes, Ugly.

People Power when in the form of peaceful marches and protests can be effective-ish. Those of us who remember the Maggie Thatcher years here in the UK recall the protests against the unworkable Poll Tax (it got kicked out, along with Thatcher.) Will the latest Farmer Power against Inheritance Tax on working farms be of any benefit? Sadly, I doubt it as too many people (including our present government, think of farming as a rich man’s game – all the private land and big houses? Most farms are family businesses, passed from one generation to the next with the purpose of providing us with FOOD and doing what can be done to put right the mess of climate change. (Personally I think a solution would be no inheritance tax as long as the farm remains a working farm and is passed to a next generation to keep it a farm– pay full tax if it is sold for ANY other purpose.)

North Devon farmland

Then there is the disquiet about ‘The Donald’s’ intentions. How these pans out we’ll have to wait and see (although I have a feeling that a lot of people are going to be very disillusioned within a few months.) So, all Political Power is possibly one of the main concerns, when greed takes over. Greed for money, greed for status, greed for ‘I want it MY way’, and greed for superiority. Names to insert here, I guess, include most of the Emperors of Rome, a good few of the Catholic Popes, Henry VIII and his lot of Cronies, Charles I, Oliver Cromwell? Although I’m not sure how much of his bad reputation is subsequent scapegoating? Was  ultimate power because of his religion his motive? And when there’s no one to have the courage to say no, (or admitted, the necessity for self-preservation). 

Then there’s the other obviouses: Hitler, Stalin, Putin etc. Power Seekers who sent or send thousands into the depths of misery – or worse through their own arrogance for utmost control.

The Power need of the bully, whether at a personal, religious or political level; and I include the Fake News and Conspiracy Theory lot here. We all have our own opinions, but decent people either agree to disagree or keep opinions to themselves. How long, I wonder will the boot-lickers currently being included in the power of running the USA, remain in favour? I give Musk a maximum of six months before there’s a massive falling out. I won’t say Musk craves power in the sense of leadership (he’s not a political dictator (I don’t think?) ) but he is a self-opinionated bully in the sense that he has so much money he can get/do whatever he wants, whatever the consequences. Which might be interesting when both he and his current Best Mate vie for ‘my way’.

Crime is power. Punishment for crime is power. Control is power. Power, sadlu, more often than not, corrupts. Excessive misogynistic, racist, sexist, superior controlling want is the fuel that feeds the desire for Power. No matter who or what is in the way,m with over-the-top, chuck teddies out the cot temper tantrums in order to get it.

The Power of the Celebrity, or the rich Boss. Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris, Al-Fayad. (None of whom I liked.) All of whom no one said 'no' to because of various reasons. Maybe the one good thing to come out of all this is that we are realising we should – and can – say no. As long as these power people get stopped from continuing to use their disgusting perch of power, that is. (Not happening with certain people  alas... Get elected as President and get away with it. Frankly, ladies, it's time more of you stepped up to protest – use your power!

All this made me think on the good use of power, or maybe status, in this context, would be more accurate? I personally think Michele Obama was on the right course? Though Republicans will not agree. Obama’s presidential nomination acceptance back in that pre-election summer was an eye-opener for me. I was travelling from west to east of the US by train. The racist hatred in Middle America was awful. As also, was the unbelievable ignorance! (Encountering someone who had no idea that London was nowhere near Warsaw. Or thinking that the train went all the way under the Atlantic... *eye roll*.) And time and again being told that to bring free medical care to ordinary people was akin to communism/socialism. Ergo, we here in the UK, because of our free National Heath system are all socialists are we? (And no, I realise ‘free’ isn’t exactly free – it’s paid for via taxation and is currently very broken, but that isn’t my point.) Need a hip replacement... OK the waiting list is long, but you don’t have to be rich to get one. Watch this space, I’m expecting my free medical care new hip some time soon.

the power of our characters?

As authors (those of you reading this, or maybe even enthusiastic readers...) are we under the Power Spell of our characters? OK, supposedly they are fictitious people, they don’t actually exist... tell that to some of us! I know of several characters (mine included) who are very, very real to their creators – and by heck do they rule us with their demands, which vary from writing a scene completely different from how we intended, to constant need to be noticed. Children are easier, at least you can put children to bed and go off and watch TV in peace... Characters constantly nag. Even in your sleep.

What I was thinking, though... is there anyone who used ‘power’ for the benefit of good, not for personal gain? Ghandi maybe? Mother Theresa? I’ll not include other religious names, because the majority of famous names (Saints for instance), while probably decent people, all had the single aim of converting others to their way of thinking. By the time you get to the Fanatics (of any religion) you get to coercion, fear-mongering and outright bullying. The power of coercion, related by threats of fear. 

So, I’ve come up with just two people who are in a position of ‘power’ whom I admire. One, I’ve admired since the 1970s, the other I’ve only recently realised. The first is the Princess Royal, Princess Anne. She works hard at her job, regards her duties as her job and goes about doing her job without fuss or ‘look at me, look what I’m doing ... aren’t I wonderful?’ My admiration for her became complete when she competed in the Equestrian Olympics. OK, so she could afford good horses, good trainers, but no amount of money can give you GUTS!

Princess Anne competing in a 3-day event
(pic from Wikipedia)

And the second is our Queen Camilla. Don’t gasp. I find her to be dedicated, sincere and determined. She calls a spade a spade, is devoted to Charles (frankly he should have been allowed to have married her in the first place!) and like Anne, goes about her duties with full commitment. And what made me realise her genuine compassion and determination to ‘do something’? ... Her resolve to do what she could to bring to attention the plight of thousands of women caught up in the horror of domestic violence or abuse.

I know a few people – one very close to me – who has been the victim of domestic abuse. The initial charm of the guy, courteous, apparently caring and thoughtful, no hint of the true character. Then, once they’ve got their own controlling way (usually as soon as the marriage vows have been made) that’s it... it starts. Believe me, it takes an enormous amount of courage to go against that consuming, terrifying power that these men have. (Usually men, but not always.) Too many, far too many, women kid themselves with false excuses – it’s hard, very, very hard to endure violence whether verbal or physical, but even harder to find the courage to get out, especially if there’s nowhere safe to go. 

Queen Camilla has dedicated herself to doing what she can to help, giving unequivocal support to changing the law and supporting safe refuges. I was in tears watching her in a recent documentary on TV. Well done that wonderful woman for coming up with the idea to ensure that everyone who has to go through the embarrassing indignity of intrusive medical examination after rape, has a new, just for themselves, little bag of toiletries – soap, shampoo, toothpaste and such. It sounds such a little thing – but think about it, it isn’t!

To use a position of power to genuinely help those who need genuine help? Well, thank you Your Majesty, I think you’re magnificent.

lege feliciter (and Happy Christmas!) 
(read happily)
       





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