HT's most anticipated new release for 2014

Each year we all name the ONE book that we can't wait to read during 2014. Quite often that means us having to have a bit of a tussle over the same book but we get there in the end.

Here are our most anticipated new releases for 2014.

Kelly's Pick:

The Paying Guest by Sarah Waters

It is 1922, and London is tense. Ex-servicemen are disillusioned, the out-of-work and the hungry are demanding change. And in South London, in a genteel Camberwell villa, a large silent house now bereft of brothers, husband and even servants, life is about to be transformed, as impoverished widow Mrs Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers.

For with the arrival of Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the 'clerk class', the routines of the house will be shaken up in unexpected ways. And as passions mount and frustration gathers, no one can foresee just how far, and how devastatingly, the disturbances will reach…

Expected Publication: September 2, 2014

Yay!!! I love Sarah Waters and cannot wait for a new one by her.

Colleen's Pick:

The Sea Garden by Deborah Lawrenson

Romance, suspense, and World War II mystery are woven together in three artfully linked novellas—rich in drama and steeped in atmosphere—from the critically acclaimed author of The Lantern.

The Sea Garden: On the lush Mediterranean island of Porquerolles off the French coast, Ellie Brooke, an award-winning British landscape designer, has been hired to restore a memorial garden. Unsettled by its haunted air and the bitterness of the garden’s owner, an elderly woman who seems intent on undermining her, Ellie finds that her only ally on the island is an elusive war historian. . . .

The Lavender Field: Near the end of World War II, Marthe Lincel, a young blind woman newly apprenticed at a perfume factory in Nazi-occupied Provence, finds herself at the center of a Resistance cell. When tragedy strikes, she faces the most difficult choice of her life . . . and discovers a breathtaking courage she never expected.

A Shadow Life: Iris Nightingale, a junior British intelligence officer in wartime London, falls for a French agent. But after a secret landing in Provence results in terrible Nazi reprisals, he vanishes. When France is liberated, Iris is determined to uncover the truth. Was he the man he claimed to be?

Ingeniously interconnected, this spellbinding triptych weaves three parallel narratives into one unique tale of love, mystery, and murder. The Sea Garden is a vivid and absorbing chronicle of love and loss in the fog of war—and a penetrating and perceptive examination of the impulses and circumstances that shape our lives.

Expected Publication: June 24, 2014

I absolutely LOVED The Lantern and am itching to get my fingers on this new book by Deborah Lawrenson!

Julie's Pick:

As a real fan of the Elm Creek Quilters series by Jennifer Chiaverini, I was keen to read the new, historical fiction series by Jennifer.

Here is an excerpt from this third in the historical fiction series

Kate Chase Sprague was born in 1840 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the second daughter to the second wife of a devout but ambitious lawyer. Her father, Salmon P. Chase, rose to prominence in the antebellum years, appointed Secretary of the Treasury in Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet while aspiring to even greater heights.

Thrice widowed, Chase found himself at a disadvantage without a wife to host social gatherings crucial to influence-building. Beautiful, intelligent, regal, and entrancing, young Kate Chase stepped into this role, establishing a salon at the Chase home that launched a father-daughter partnership bent on achieving the Presidency. For her efforts, The Washington Star declared her “The most brilliant woman of her day. None outshone her.”

None, that is, but Mary Todd Lincoln. Though Mrs. Lincoln and her young rival held much in common—political acumen, love of country, and a resolute determination to help the men they loved achieve greatness—they could never be friends, for the success of one could come only at the expense of the other. When Kate Chase married William Sprague, the wealthy young governor of Rhode Island, it was widely regarded as the pinnacle of Washington society weddings. President Lincoln was in attendance. The First Lady was not.

The intertwining public lives of these two women never failed to inspire headlines, but the true and lasting influence each wrought in private makes, in New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini’s skilled telling, for an even more fascinating story. Mrs. Lincoln’s Rivalis an astute and lively novel of the politics of state—whether enacted in houses of government or the family homes of its leaders—set against the vibrant backdrop of Civil War era Washington.

Expected publication: - 14th January 2014

Not long to wait now!

Marg's pick

Winter Siege by Ariana Franklin and Samantha Norman

It's 12 Century England and the civil war between Queen Matilda and King Stephen is raging. But life in the fens carries on as usual. Until the mercenaries ride through. And a small red-haired girl named Em is snatched and carried off. After the soldiers have finished with her they leave her for dead. But fenland girls are not easy to kill. Although she has lost all memory of her past life including her name, Em survives and teams up with Gwyl a Breton archer who has almost completely lost faith in humanity. Together Gwyl and his new protege--now crop-headed and disguised as a boy--travel through the countryside giving archery exhibitions. But there is one man who hasn't forgotten the little red-haired girl. He has some unfinished business with her and he is determined to finish it. And one freezing winter in a castle completely besieged, he might well get his chance...

Winter Siege is a stand-alone historical novel started by the late Diana Norman under her pseudonym Ariana Franklin. It has been completed by her daughter Samantha Norman.

Expected publication date: October 9, 2014

I was quite upset when we heard the news that Diana Norman, who also wrote as Ariana Franklin, had passed away, especially seeing as her mystery series wasn't really finished. Then we heard that she had bene working on a last book which isn't part of the series, but I still can't wait to read it.

Recent Releases: The Voice of the Falconer and Fortune's Fool by David Blixt

Back in 2008 I read and loved Master of Verona by David Blixt. In fact, I loved it so much that I may have published the review of that book once here at Historical Tapestry and twice on my own blog. I knew that there was more to come in the series so I was really looking forward to reading the follow up book and was waiting impatiently for it. And then came the disappointing news that it wasn't going to be published. No more reading about Pietro Alighieri and his friends, no more of the story of the star crossed lovers storyline that was inspired by Romeo and Juliet and no more medieval adventure, intrigue, pomp and ceremony.

But hooray, Master of Verona has now been rereleased and we also have the next two books in the series as well! I am one very happy reader, or at least I will be once I can find the time to read the books!

In addition, David Blixt has been busy and there are short stories, essays and more available on his site that provide more details of the world that we get to read about in these books. There are also two more new books: Colussus, set in the Ancient Roman empire, and Her Majesty's Will which is set in Elizabethan England.

At the moment, the books are available on Kindle only but that is not going to hold me back. I have been waiting a long time for these books and I can't wait to get back into that world!

To find out more visit DavidBlixt.com

Upcoming Release - The Perfume Garden by Kate Lord Brown

Remember when  we posted our eagerly anticipated book of 2012 and I mentioned a title and promised to post the cover later? Well, here it is! The cover for Kate Lord Brown's The Perfume Garden

 High in the hills of Valencia, a forgotten house guards its secrets. Untouched since Franco's forces tore through Spain in 1936, the whitewashed walls have crumbled, the garden, laden with orange blossom, grown wild.

Emma Temple is the first to unlock its doors in seventy years. Guided by a series of letters and a key bequeathed in her mother's will, she has left her job as London's leading perfumier to restore this dilapidated villa to its former glory. It is the perfect retreat: a wilderness redolent with strange and exotic scents, heavy with the colours and sounds of a foreign time. But for her grandmother, Freya, a British nurse who stayed here during Spain's devastating civil war, Emma's new home evokes terrible memories.

As the house begins to give up its secrets, Emma is drawn deeper into Freya's story: one of crushed idealism, lost love, and families ripped apart by war. She soon realises it is one thing letting go of the past, but another when it won't let go of you.

The book will be released on 5th June 2012
You can find information and the book trailer here

Upcoming Releases: A new Anita Amirrezvani and Susan Carroll

From the author of the internationally bestselling The Blood of Flowers comes a compulsively readable and gorgeously crafted tale of power, loyalty, intrigue, and love in the royal court of sixteenth-century Iran.

Iran in 1576 is a place of peace, wealth, and dazzling beauty. But when the Shah dies without having named an heir, the court is thrown into tumult. Princess Pari, the Shah’s daughter and closest advisor, knows more about the inner workings of the state than almost anyone, but the princess’s maneuvers to instill order after her father’s sudden death incite resentment and dissent. Pari and her trusted servant, a eunuch able to navigate the harem as well as the world beyond the palace walls, are in possession of an incredible tapestry of secrets and information that reveals a power struggle of epic proportions.

Based loosely on the life of Princess Pari Khan Khanoom, Equal of the Sun is a riveting story of political intrigue and a moving portrait of an unlikely friendship between a princess and a eunuch. Anita Amirrezvani is a master storyteller and in her lustrous prose this rich and labyrinthine world comes to vivid life with a stunning cast of characters, passionate and brave men and women who defy or embrace their destiny in a Machiavellian game played by those who lust for power and will do anything to attain it.

Release Date: June 5, 2012

Thoughts: Marg and I loved The Blood of Flowers. It was way back in 2007 when the book was released. You can read our thoughts on it here. I had sort of stopped thinking about her, so when Sarah posted A Visual Preview of the Summer Season, Part 1 on her blog and revealed this as one of the releases I was excited. It will not be easy to top or even come close to her first book, so I will be interested to see what she accomplishes with this latest release. It has taken 5 years, so I have high hopes!

For fans of Philippa Gregory, comes this brilliant new installment in bestselling author Susan Carroll’s mesmerizing Dark Queen historical fiction series.

Meg Wolfe, The Lady of Faire Isle, is a gifted healer who can find a cure for almost any ailment. But she’s also the daughter of Cassandra Claire, a mad witch and heretic with a notorious history. Meg’s infamous lineage makes her a target from both those who want to use her extraordinary talents for good and those who want to use them for evil. One man in particular needs her special skills: to execute his revenge on a king. History and a kingdom hang in the balance as Meg tries to navigate the delicate line between right and wrong. And what she discovers is that she can no longer trust anyone or anything…not even her own heart.

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Thoughts: Anyone that remotely knows my reading style knows that I am horrible with keeping up in series. I am always behind and there are very few exceptions. This series is one of the exceptions. I started it back in 2006 and loved it! I never expected to at all. I was hesitant to even start the first one, but with the blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance the books work out to be a really great read. In 2009 I read, and never reviewed, Twilight of a Queen. I thought it was the end of the series, but here we are 3 years later with a new book to enjoy. The only one reviewed on here is The Huntress by me back in 2007.

Upcoming Release: Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

Whilst I have been a little disappointed with the last couple of Temeraire books, I am still invested enough in the series to be excited at the prospect of the seventh book, Crucible of Gold, which is released this week.

Here is the trailer for the book






If you would like to read more about our thoughts on this series, click on this link!

Are you still reading the Temeraire series? Excited at the prospect of this book?

The Titanic - Acknowledging the 100th Year Anniversary

On April 14 - 15, 1912 the Ocean Liner Titanic began its descent to the ocean's bottom. Now, 100 years later, the written world is acknowledging the centennial coming up in April. Some of the books I have found so far are:

The Captain's Daughter by Leah Feming - January 12, 2012 (Simon & Schuster)
According to the Historical Novel Society: 'a meeting on the Titanic changes changes two women's lives forever.'

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott - February, 2012 (Doubleday)
According to the Historical Novel Society: 'a spirited young seamstress survives the Titanic only to find herself deeply torn between two men.'

Unsinkable by Dan James - March, 2012 (Arrow)
According to the Historical Novel Society: 'conspiracy thriller set aboard the Titanic'.

The Company of the Dead by David Kowalski - March, 2012 (Titan)
According to the Historical Novel Society: 'alternate history surrounding the sinking of the Titanic.'

The Candle Man: A Victorian Thriller by Alex Scarrow - April, 2012 (Orion)
According to the Historical Novel Society: 'story linking the Titanic and Jack the Ripper.'

I have always read books with a Titanic connection, so I am excited about all the new books out in 2012. What Titanic-related books have you read that you recommend?

Why I Love Writing Big, Sweeping Historical Novels by Colin Falconer

I hated history at school. All I remember of my last year is that the teacher's name was Sheldrake, so his nickname was Bombduck. I had started going to pubs at sixteen and history was first thing on a Monday morning so the class was an excuse to sleep off the weekend. I still made pass grades. All you had to do was memorise the dates and some names and I could do that with a bit of cramming the night before the examination.


So if someone had told me back then that I was going to become an historical novelist I think I would jumped under a train. I couldn't have imagined anything worse. I wanted to play for Manchester United.


The one lesson I loved was English, which is surprising, because we were reading Shakespeare and most sixteen year olds find Shakespeare hard work. Not us. Our English teacher, with the more normal-sounding name of Mr. Briggs, didn't just make us read Hamlet; he described the stage for us (this was long before Sam Wannamaker rebuilt The Globe); he explained about the hawkers moving through the crowd selling pies and nuts while the play was still going on; he gossiped about Marlowe getting murdered; he told us that Shakespeare was bald, had an affair with a woman in Oxford, and built a fancy house in Stratford on the proceeds of his career. In other words, he made Shakespeare sound like a human being. I didn't realize that what Mister Briggs was doing was teaching us history as well as Hamlet.


Still, when I started my career as a novelist I was not moved to write history. I wrote thrillers and then did a couple of crime novels that did reasonably well. But it was when I wrote Harem that my London agent rang me out of the blue and said: you have to do this. I sold around 180,000 copies of that novel in Germany alone.


Harem was the book that taught me how to research; for instance, if you are going to write about eunuchs you better know about castration, and all the different ways it can be done, no matter how excruciating it is. I also had to learn about the Ottoman system of government, which was worse than one of Bombduck's history lessons. But as a novelist it is essential that you know these things and then slip them into the narrative when it's needed in a very unBombducklike manner.


But most of all I never forgot what Mr Briggs taught us; the play's the thing. History is the background; the story is the star. And more than any other genre I believe historical fiction has the canvas to paint big, beautiful story. It always has, from literature long past (War and Peace, The Red Badge of Courage, Ivanhoe) until more recent times (Shogun, Doctor Zhivago.) The movies I love are Last Samurai, Dances with Wolves, Gladiator. These are the kinds of stories that I want to write, and there are not enough of them out there for me as a reader


When I came to write SILK ROAD I started with three voices contending with each other in my head. (Yes, and I have made an appointment at the clinic; it's next Wednesday at two o'clock.) I imagined these three very different characters hating and loving each other on the greatest canvas I could find, the legendary Silk Road of the medieval period. This spiderweb of trade routes stretched from the Crusader castles of Palestine, through Persia, over the Hindu Kush , across the dreaded Taklimakan desert and right through Cathay to Khubilai Khan's capital of Shang-tu (the legendary Xanadu).


I loved writing this book; I loved travelling much of the Silk Road, even though at the time it was a complete nightmare. I loved writing a story that brought back to life a world now long past. I loved being able to say, through my characters, a little of what I feel about life and our place in it. Most of all I loved the thought that I might be able to take someone with me on such an epic journey and perhaps make them miss their train stop or get growled at by their husband for leaving the light on all night reading.


So in the end, Mister Sheldrake, I have to admit that I love history. That sixteen year old never knew what he was missing. But still - at least he remembered the dates.

Colin Falconer has been published widely in the UK, US and Europe and his books have been translated into seventeen languages. He is the author of SILK ROAD, published by Corvus Atlantic. For more information click here.


He invites you to join him at http://www.colinfalconer.net/ and his brand new blog http://colin-falconer.blogspot.com/

Upcoming release: By The King’s Design

Strong-willed Annabelle Stirling is more than capable of running the family draper shop after the untimely death of her parents. Under her father's tutelage, she became a talented cloth merchant, while her brother Wesley, the true heir, was busy philandering about Yorkshire. Knowing she must change with the times to survive, Belle installs new machinery that finishes twice the fabric in half the time it takes by hand. But not everyone is so enthusiastic.

Soon, riled up by Belle's competitors, the outmoded workers seek violent revenge. Her shop destroyed, Belle travels to London to seek redress from Parliament. While there, the Prince Regent, future King George IV, commissions her to provide fabrics for his Royal Pavilion. As Belle's renown spreads, she meets handsome cabinetmaker Putnam Boyce, but worries that marriage will mean sacrificing her now flourishing shop. And after Wesley plots to kidnap the newly-crowned King-whose indiscretions are surfacing-she finds herself entangled in a duplicitous world of shifting allegiances.

Painting a vivid portrait of life in the British Regency, Christine Trent spins a harrowing tale of ambition, vengeance, love, and complex loyalties against the dynamic backdrop of the early Industrial Revolution.

By The King's Design by Christine Trent is to be released January 31, 2012. Meanwhile, you can visit the author's website and read an excerpt of her exciting new book.

Upcoming Release: Queen without a Country by Fiona Buckley

Sarah from Reading the Past posted a preview of the upcoming UK releases a couple of days ago! I love it when these posts go up as there are always books that I hadn't previously heard of. Amongst the list this time were new Christie Dickason, Conn Iggulden, Colin Falconer and more, but if there was one book that really caught my eye it is a new release in the Ursula Blanchard historical mystery series by Fiona Buckley (a psuedonym of Valerie Anand).

I read the last book in the Ursula Blanchard series, which is set in the Court of Queen Elizabeth, more than five years ago. I hadn't heard anything about a new book and so was thinking that Buckley had given up on the series, but apparently not!

Here's the blurb (note that there is a spoiler of sorts in the description)

The ninth gripping murder mystery to feature Ursula Blanchard, special aide to Elizabeth I

November, 1569. Happily married to her third husband, Hugh Stannard, lady-in-waiting Ursula Blanchard is hoping to give up her undercover work for Queen Elizabeth l in order to enjoy domestic bliss. But when Hugh unwittingly endangers possession of his ancestral home, Ursula is forced to take on a seemingly hopeless (but handsomely paid) private assignment, which the Queen spots is the perfect cover for a covert investigation into a group of rebel barons plotting to put Mary, Queen of Scots on the English throne . . .

Haven't heard of this series? Check out the spotlight post that we did about a couple of years ago.

Upcoming Release: Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

At the moment over at my blog (Adventures of an Intrepid Reader) I am giving away two galley copies of the upcoming release from Geraldine Brooks, Caleb's Crossing. Following is a Q and A from the author talking about her book! 

Q&A with Geraldine Brooks, author of

CALEB’S CROSSING

Caleb Cheeshahteamauk is an extraordinary figure in Native American history. How did you first discover him? What was involved in learning more about his life?

The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head/Aquinnah are proud custodians of their history, and it was in materials prepared by the Tribe that I first learned of its illustrious young scholar.   To find out more about him I talked with tribal members, read translations of early documents in the Wopanaak language, then delved into the archives of Harvard and the Massachusetts Bay Colony, especially the correspondence between colonial leaders and benefactors in England who donated substantial funds for the education and conversion to Christianity of Indians in the 17th century.   There are also writings by members of the Mayhew family, who were prominent missionaries and magistrates on the island, and John Cotton, Jr., who came here as a missionary and kept a detailed journal.

There is little documentation on Caleb’s actual life. What parts of his life did you imagine? Do you feel you know him better after writing this book, or is he still a mystery?

The facts about Caleb are sadly scant.  We know he was the son of a minor sachem from the part of the Vineyard now known as West Chop, and that he left the island to attend prep school, successfully completed the rigorous course of study at Harvard and was living with Thomas Danforth, a noted jurist and colonial leader, when disease claimed his life.  Everything else about him in my novel is imagined.  The real young man—what he thought and felt—remains an enigma.

Bethia Mayfield is truly a woman ahead of her time. If she were alive today, what would she be doing? What would her life be like with no restrictions?

There were more than a few 17th century women like Bethia, who thirsted for education and for a voice in a society that demanded their silence.  You can find some of them being dragged to the meeting house to confess their “sins” or defending their unconventional views in court.   If Bethia was alive today she would probably be president of Harvard or Brown, Princeton or UPenn.

The novel is told through Bethia’s point of view. What is the advantage to telling this story through her eyes? How would the book be different if Caleb were the narrator?

I wanted the novel to be about crossings between cultures.  So as Caleb is drawn into the English world, I wanted to create an English character who would be equally drawn to and compelled by his world.   I prefer to write with a female narrator when I can, and I wanted to explore issues of marginalization in gender as well as race.

Much of the book is set on Martha’s Vineyard, which is also your home. Did you already know about the island’s early history, or did you do additional research?

I was always intrigued by what brought English settlers to the island so early in the colonial period...they settled here in the 1640s.   Living on an island is inconvenient enough even today; what prompted the Mayhews and their followers to put seven miles of treacherous ocean currents between them and the other English—to choose to live in a tiny settlement surrounded by some three thousand Wampanoags?  The answer was unexpected and led me into a deeper exploration of island history

You bring Harvard College to life in vivid, often unpleasant detail. What surprised you most about this prestigious university’s beginnings?

For one thing, I hadn't been aware Harvard was founded so early.  The English had barely landed before they started building a college. And the Indian College—a substantial building—went up not long after, signifying an attitude of mind that alas did not prevail for very long.  It was fun to learn how very different early Harvard was from the well endowed institution of today.  Life was hand to mouth, all conversation was in Latin, the boys (only boys) were often quite young when they matriculated.   But the course of study was surprisingly broad and rigorous—a true exploration of liberal arts, languages, and literature that went far beyond my stereotype of what Puritans might have considered fit subjects for scholarship.

As with your previous books, you’ve managed to capture the voice of the period. You get the idiom, dialect, and cadence of the language of the day on paper. How did you do your research?

I find the best way to get a feel for language and period is to read first person accounts—journals, letters, court transcripts.  Eventually you start to hear voices in your head: patterns of speech, a different manner of thinking.  My son once said, Mom talks to ghosts.  And in a way I do.

May 2011, Tiffany Smalley will follow in Caleb’s footsteps and become only the second Vineyard Wampanoag to graduate from Harvard. Do you know if this will be celebrated?

In May Tiffany Smalley will become the first Vineyard Wampanoag since Caleb to receive an undergrad degree from Harvard College.  (Others have received advanced degrees from the university’s Kennedy school etc.)  I’m not sure what Harvard has decided to do at this year's commencement, but I am hoping they will use the occasion to honor Caleb’s fellow Wampanoag classmate, Joel Iacoomis, who completed the work for his degree but was murdered before he could attended the 1665 commencement ceremony.

Cover Story: The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

You may have noticed that we are big fans of Susanna Kearsley here at Historical Tapestry. Her upcoming release, The Rose Garden, was selected as one of our most anticipated new releases of 2011, and so I couldn't go past the opportunity to do a cover story on the book as soon as I saw the US cover images.

So here is the UK cover

And here is the US cover

For all that it is a headless woman cover, I do really like the US cover, especially with the tag line "There's no safety among the thorns"

This book will be released in the UK on 11 May 2011, and in the US in fall by Sourcebooks.

If you are interested you can read the first two chapters of the book at Susanna Kearsley's website, however I am not sure that I would recommend this as it just made me more impatient for the day when I can actually read the whole book!

Upcoming Releases - December

This is a compilation of titles we have found in several places on the web, feel free to add your suggestions if we missed them.

Historical Tapestry is now a Book Depository Affiliate and all commissions earned from sales through our links will be used to fund future giveaways.

Disclaimer: the dates specified are from amazon.com or the author's website. Release dates may vary in different countries.

1 December

• Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell (31/12/10 in the UK)

2 December

• Leopard Unleashed by Elizabeth Chadwick (UK reissue)

7 December

• Death and the Running Patterer: A Curious Murder Mystery by Robin Adair
• The Princess of Nowhere by Lorenzo Borghese
• A Play of Piety by Margaret Frazer
• The Queen Hereafter by Susan Fraser King

14 December

• Secrets of the Tudor Court: By Royal Decree by Kate Emerson

21 December

• The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean

28 December

• A Royal Likeness by Christine Trent

Upcoming Releases - November 2010

This is a compilation of titles we have found in several places on the web, feel free to add your suggestions if we missed them.

Historical Tapestry is now a Book Depository Affiliate and all commissions earned from sales through our links will be used to fund future giveaways.

 

Disclaimer: the dates specified are from amazon.com or the author's website. Release dates may vary in different countries.

 

 

1 November

• The Last Days of Richard III by John Ashdown Hill (non-fiction)
• The Light in Between by Marella Caracciolo Chia
• The Legacy of Pemberley by Rebecca Collins (UK release date: 30 November)
• Jeremy Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1790-1791 by Winston Graham
• The Japanese Lover by Rani Manicka
• The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick
• A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury: A King, a Prince, and the Knight Who Betrayed Their Dynasty by Edith Pargeter

 

2 November

• The Three Crowns: The Story of William and Mary by Jean Plaidy
• The Virgin Widow by Anne O'Brien
• Heartbroke Bay by Lynn D'Urso
• Valley of Dry Bones by Priscilla Royal
• The Passages of H. M.: A Novel of Herman Melville by Jay Parini

 

8 November

• The Wolves of Andover by Kathleen Kent

 

9 November

• Distant Hours by Kate Morton
• Valley Forge by Newt Gingrich and William R Forstchen (UK release date: 1 December)
• A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch

 

23 November

• The Lady's Slipper by Dee Swift (paperback)
• Delilah by India Edghill (UK release date: 24 November)

 

25 November

• Falconer and the Death of Kings by Ian Morson
• Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen (Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie series)

Upcoming Release - October 2010

This is a compilation of titles we have found in several places on the web, feel free to add your suggestions if we missed them.

Historical Tapestry is now a Book Depository Affiliate and all commissions earned from sales through our links will be used to fund future giveaways.

Disclaimer: the dates specified are from amazon.com or the author's website. Release dates may vary in different countries.

1 October

• The Passionate Brood: The Legend of Richard the Lionheart and Robin Hood by Margaret Campbell Barnes
• Wicked Company by Ciji Ware
• Elizabeth, Captive Princess by Margaret Irwin
• Desiree: The Bestselling Story of Napoleon’s First Love by AnneMarie Selinko
• Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine
• The Princeling by Cynthia Harrod–Eagles
• Penhallow by Georgette Heyer
• In the Arms of Mr Darcy by Sharon Lathan
• Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn

5 October

• Penelope's Daughter by Laurel Corona
• The Rhetoric of Death by Judith Rock

 
12 October

• The Countess by Rebecca Johns
• The Dressmaker by Posie Graeme-Evans  
• The Demon's Parchment by Jeri Westerson

 
14 October

• Insurrection by Robyn Young

 
19 October

• All Clear by Connie Willis

 
26 October

• The True Adventures of Little K by Adrienne Sharp
• A Christmas Odyssey: A Novel by Anne Perry
• Dangerous to Know: A Novel of Suspense (Lady Emily Mysteries) by Tasha Alexander

28 October

• The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

Upcoming Release: The Dark Moon of Avalon by Anna Elliott

Anna Elliott's debut Arthurian novel Twilight of Avalon was well received when it was released last year. Anna has been hard at work and  it is nearly time for the release of her second novel, The Dark Moon of Avalon. The second book is released on September 14.

To celebrate, Anna Elliott has released a free short story set in the Twilight of Avalon universe, The Witch Queen's Secret. It's a perfect opportunity for those of you who have read the first book to reacquaint yourself with Anna's writing, and for those of us who haven't read it yet to get a taste!

Here are the details of the short story from Anna.

The Witch Queen's Secret: a free short story set in the Twilight of Avalon universe

The Witch Queen's Secret is available for free in various e-reader and printer compatible forms on my website here.  Or (because of Amazon policy) it's available for 99 cents on the Kindle store here.

The Witch Queen's Secret features a minor character from Twilight of Avalon, but it's self-contained; you don't at all have to have read any of the Twilight of Avalon trilogy to understand it.  A bit more about the story:

In the shadow of King Arthur's Britain, a young mother will need all her courage to save the Queen's castle from the hands of a traitor…

Dera owes Britain's former High Queen Isolde her life. But as an army harlot, the life she leads is one of degradation and often desperate danger, with small hope for the future either for Dera or for her small son.

Through a Britain torn by war with Saxon invaders, Dera makes her way to Dinas Emrys, last stronghold of Britain's army, to beg Queen Isolde's help once more. Isolde offers Dera a new life, both for herself and for her child. But when Dera and Isolde uncover a treasonous plot, Dera must leave her little boy and undertake a dangerous mission, the outcome of which comes to her as a stunning, but wonderful, surprise.

And as she risks her life, Dera also draws nearer to Queen Isolde's most closely-guarded secret: one that Britain's courageous witch-queen may be hiding even from herself.

You may like to check out the guest post that Anna Elliott did for us last year explaining why she loves Arthurian fiction and also there is a chance to win either Twilight of Avalon or The Dark Moon of Avalon over at Libri Touches

Upcoming Releases - September 2010

This is a compilation of titles we have found in several places on the web, feel free to add your suggestions if we missed them.

Historical Tapestry is now a Book Depository Affiliate and all commissions earned from sales through our links will be used to fund future giveaways.

September 1
Rag and Bone by James Benn
City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell
The Bells by Richard Harvell
The Gentleman Poet by Kathryn Johnson
Margaret Beaufort: Mother of the Tudor Dynasty by Elizabeth Norton
An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd
Come Again No More by Jack Todd

September 2
Winter's Knight by Richard Argent
Empire of Silver by Conn Iggulden
Emily Hudson by Melissa Lynn Jones
Daniel by Henning Mankel
A War of Her Own by Sylvia Dickey Smith
The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor

September 7
The Tale of Oat Cake Crag by Susan Wittig Albert
The Crocodile's Las Embrace by Suzanne Arruda
Dead Man's Chest by Kerry Greenwood
The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II by Susan Holloway Scott
C by Tom McCarthy
Mary Tudor: Princess, Bastard, Queen by Anna Whitelock

September 14
The Montmartre Investigation by Claude Izner
The Mistaken Wife by Rose Melikan
The Unbelievers by Alastair Sim

September 16
Dark Moon of Avalon by Anna Elliott
The Lost Kings by Bruno Hare
The Fool's Crusade by Pip Vaughan-Hughes
The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld

September 24
Elizabeth's Women: Friends, Rivals, and Foes Who Shaped the Virgin Queen by Tracy Borman

September 28
Jane and The Madness of Lord Byron by Stephanie Barron
The Exile: An Outlander Graphic Novel by Diana Gabaldon
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
Sphinx's Queen by Esther Friesner
The Wrong Blood by Manuel de Lope

September 30
Sick of Shadows by M.C. Beaton
Our Lady of Pain by M.C. Beaton
The Fort by Bernard Cornwell
Styx and Stones by Carola Dunn
Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn
Merlin: Demon's Gift by M K Hume
She Lover of Death by Boris Akunin

Upcoming Releases - August 2010

This is a compilation of titles we have found in several places on the web, feel free to add your suggestions if we missed them.

Historical Tapestry is now a Book Depository Affiliate and all commissions earned from sales through our links will be used to fund future giveaways.

August 1
Justinian: The Sleepless One - Ross Laidlaw
Georgette Heyer's Regency World - Jennifer Kloester

August 3
Poison - Sara Poole
The Red Queen - Philippa Gregory
The Secret Eleanor - Cecelia Holland
Dracula My Love - Syrie James
His Last Letter: Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester - Jeane Westin August

August 5
Boxer, Beetle - Ned Beaumann
The People's Queen - Vanora Bennett
His Last Duchess - Gabrielle Kimm
The Empress of Ice Cream - Anthony Capella
Killer of Men - Christian Cameron
Your Presence is Requested at Suvanto - Maile Chapman
Sacred Treason - James Forrester
Unholy Awakening - Michael Gregorio
The Butterfly Cabinet - Bernie McGill
The Elephant's Journey - Jose Saramago
The Player's Curse: A Bella Wallis Mystery - Brian Thompson
The Loveday Vendetta - Kate Tremayne

August 10
Dracula in Love - Karen Essex

August 12
The Road to Rome - Ben Kane
The Personal History of Rachel Dupree - Ann Weisberger
A Royal Passion - Katie Whitaker

August 14
The Girl in a Blue Dress: A Novel of the Life & Marriage of Charles Dickens - Gaynor Arnold

August 19
Juliet - Anne Fortier
My Last Duchess - Daisy Goodwin

August 20
The Armour of Achilles - Glyn Illiffe

August 26
Snobbery with Violence - M C Beaton
Hasty Death - M C Beaton
Music of the Distant Stars - Alys Clare
Snow Hall - Elizabeth Gill
Sugar and Spice - Ruth Hamilton

August 31
The Cavalier in the Yellow Doublet - Arturo Perez-Reverte
Empire - Steven Saylor

Upcoming Releases - July 2010

This is a compilation of titles we have found in several places on the web, feel free to add your suggestions if we missed them. Historical Tapestry is now a Book Depository Affiliate and all commissions earned from sales through our links will be used to fund future giveaways.

July 1
A Different Sky by Meira Chand
Bunker Hill by Howard Fast (reissue)
The Cast Iron Shore by Linda Grant
The Dark Rose by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Legacy by Susan Kay
Butterfly's Shadow by Lee Langley
The Doctor and The Diva by Adrienne McDonnel
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
Two For Sorrow by Nicola Upson
The Dream Thief by Catherine Webb
Captive Queen by Alison Weir (US Release)

July 2
The Villa Triste by Lucretia Grindle

July 3
Inheritance by Nicholas Shakespeare

July 5
Lady Jane Grey, Queen For Sale by Caroline Corby
Emily's Ghost, A Novel of The Bronte Sisters by Denise Giardina

July 6
The King's Mistress by Emma Campion
The Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis
Red Rain by Bruce Markoff

July 8
Bliss, Remembered by Frank Deford
For The King by Catherine Delors
The Time's Legacy by Barbara Erskine
The Price of Glory by Seth Hunter
Hero of Rome by Douglas Jackson. UK release
Rebellion by James McGee
The Sacred Stone by The Medieval Murderers
What is Left The Daughter by Howard Norman
Pirates of The Levant by Arturo Perez-Reverte
The Children of Witches by Sherry Smith
The Blind Comtessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace

July 13
The Murder in the Tower by Jean Plaidy. US release

July 16
The Unfixed Stars by Michael Byers
Lady of The Butterflies by Fiona Mountain

July 22
Holy Warrior by Angus Donald
Whispers of Love by Rosie Harris
The Lion of Cairo by Scott Oden UK Release.
Warrior of Rome III by Harry Sidebottom
The Legacy by Katherine Webb

July 27
The Sixth Surrender by Hana Samek Norton

July 29
The Bloodstained Throne by Simon Beaufort
Strangers and Pilgrims by Maggie Bennett
Blotto, Twinks and the Dead Dowager Duchess by Simon Brett
The Masuda Affair by I.J. Parker
Sweet Sorrow by David Roberts

Upcoming Releases - June 2010

This is a compilation of titles we have found in several places on the web, feel free to add your suggestions if we missed them.

June 1
The Hostage Queen by Freda Lightfoot
A Novel of Cornwall; Demelza by Winston Graham (book 2 of the Poldark series) (rerelease)
Dawn of a Legend by Christopher Nicole
Murder of Crows by P.F. Chisolm. US and UK
Everlasting by Angie Frazier
Captivity by Deborah Noyes
The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare by Arliss Ryan
Leaving Rock Harbour by Rebecca Chace
The Spy by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott´
The Rebellion of Jane Clarke by Sally Gunning
The Cigar Maker by Mark McGinty
Fate and Fortune by Shirley McKay

June 3
Theodora by Stella Duffy
The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall
Nemesis by Lindsay Davis
Falco, The Official Companion by Lindsey Davis
Ghost Light by Joseph O'Connor
A Type of Beauty by Patricia O'Reilly
The Eagle of The Ninth Chronicles by Rosemary Sutcliff (reissue)

June 4
The Lady's Slipper by Deborah Swift

June 7
The Pindar Diamond by Katie Hickman

June 8
The de Lacy Inheritance by Elizabeth Ashworth
The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry
Attila: The Gathering of the Storm by William Napier

June 10
The Blood of Alexandria by Richard Blake
The House of Dust and Dreams by Brenda Reid
Brothers at War by Alex Rutherford. UK

June 17
Spies of The Balkans by Alan Furst

June 22
The Rebel Princess by Judith Koll Healey
The Devil Amongst The Lawyers by Sharyn McCrumb
Shadow of The Swords by Kamran Pasha

June 29
The Quickening by Michelle Hoover
Tatiana and Alexander by Paullina Simons
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
The Condor's Feather by Margaret Muir
 Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson
Open Country by Kaki Warner