Crowvus Book Blog

The second novel I ever finished - and still is nowhere near publishing standard! - was about two dragoons in the Crimean War. It fits in with my Family Saga through a certain Colonel Josiah Tenterchilt, but the plot really focuses on the two younger officers. It became apparent as I wrote it, that the relationship between these cavalrymen and their horses were as significant as any they shared with other people. A little research soon revealed that it was Drummer Boy, an equine part of the fateful Charge of the Light Brigade (ridden by Lt Col de Salis of the 8th Hussars), who was the first animal in the British Army to receive a war medal. How strange that it took until 1854 for these service animals to be fully recognised. Of the 700 horses involved, less than 200 returned. But this provided me with all the inspiration I needed to explore the love and appreciation between cavalrymen and their steeds, and so I began to explore the fascinating bond between man and beast. “What is the t...

      Review My experience of short stories is more in writing them than in reading them, although some I have read and enjoyed have stayed with me for a long time. In almost every instance, I have read a book of short stories by a specific author (Neil Gaiman's excellent offerings on this spring to mind) and, in that case, it is more akin to reading a novel. By contrast, this is a book which brings together eight different authors, who provide their own unique perspectives and areas of expertise. The first thing I noticed about them as a list is that they are mostly female, with only one male author included. This is reflected in many of the stories, which take a very female perspective.  The concept of alternate history is one I can definitely buy into. As an author, I very nearly indulged in it myself when I was writing a historical novel and the actual history was just too sad. We all engage in alternate history on a nearly-daily basis too, thinking about the pat...

This week, I'm delving a long way back in history to introduce you to March's historical figure... A week ago I launched a collection of short stories called Have We Ever Been Alone?  (You can find it here ) Each one of these stories includes a meeting between mankind and another sentient form. The opening story is based on the bizarre death of Sigurd Eysteinsson, and he's the subject of today's blog post. There is some dispute over whether Sigurd was the first or second Earl of Orkney, but the impact he left upon the islands was certainly immense. He was the man accredited with bringing Christianity to Orkney, although this was almost certainly only Sigurd paying lip-service in order to protect his earldom. When Olaf Trygvesson confronted him, his choice was a clear one: convert or have your whole lands and people destroyed. Despite the fact Sigurd accepted these rather brutal terms, Olaf took his son hostage to ensure the earl's continued support. Sigurd's son...

  This week for #HistFicThursdays, I'm delighted to once again be teaming up with  The Coffee Pot Book Club  for author  Paul Duffy 's blog tour! Today, I'm sharing an excerpt from his book  Run with the Hare, Hunt with the Hound ... First of all, let's meet the book... On a remote Gaelic farmstead in medieval Ireland, word reaches Alberic of conquering Norman knights arriving from England. Oppressed by the social order that enslaved his Norman father, he yearns for the reckoning he believes the invaders will bring—but his world is about to burn. Captured by the Norman knight Hugo de Lacy and installed at Dublin Castle as a translator, Alberic’s confused loyalties are tested at every turn. When de Lacy marches inland, Alberic is set on a collision course with his former masters amidst rumours of a great Gaelic army rising in the west. Can Alberic navigate safely through revenge, lust and betrayal to find his place amidst the birth of a kingdom in a land of ...

 Happy #HistFicThursdays! This week, I'm delighted to be welcoming  Trish MacEnulty   as part of her  Coffee Pot Book Club  tour for The Whispering Women . Find out about how she researched for the writing of this book, and who she would have starring in a cameo role, in the guest post below! But first - let's meet the book... Blurb “Richly drawn characters, the vibrant historical setting, and a suspenseful mystery create a strong current that pulls readers into this delightful novel. But it's the women's issues—as relevant today as they were in the early 1900s—that will linger long after the last page." -- Donna S. Meredith, The Southern Literary Review Can two women get the lowdown on high society? “Two powerless young women must navigate a soul-crushing class system and find the levers of power they wield when they combine their strengths. These women may have been taught to whisper, but when their time comes, they will roar.” – 5 Star Amazon Review Louisa De...

 This week for #HistFicThursdays, I'm delighted to be teaming up with  The Coffee Pot Book Club  to introduce you to Helen Hollick 's fabulous book,  A Mistake of Murder ! So, let's meet the book... The third Jan Christopher Cosy Mystery Was murder deliberate - or a tragic mistake? January 1972. The Christmas and New Year holiday is over and it is time to go back to work. Newly engaged to Detective Sergeant Laurence Walker, library assistant Jan Christopher is eager to show everyone her diamond ring, and goes off on her scheduled round to deliver library books to the housebound – some of whom she likes; some, she doesn’t. She encounters a cat in a cupboard, drinks several cups of tea... and loses her ring. When two murders are committed, can Jan help her policeman uncle, DCI Toby Christopher and her fiancé, Laurie, discover whether murder was a deliberate deed – or a tragic mistake? You can buy  A Mistake of Murder  via this  Universal Link !   No...