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Two Prophesies. Two Noble Households. One Throne.




Amazon  US


Amazon CA

 Posted by Paula Lofting at 02:00 



The King's Greatest Enemy #4 :

The Cold Light of Dawn

Anna Belfrage 

Will be drawn on Friday 23rd Feb 2018 Anna's Website
Anna's Blog
Anna's Books

Posted by Paula Lofting at 11:35 

The Orkneyinga Saga says this of him: 

Posted by Paula Lofting at 12:38 Please note that the author is giving away an ebook copy of To Be A Queen
Just leave a message below or leave a comment on my Facebook Author Page

This is a fictionalised tale of a historical woman, Æthelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, based on true facts of what is known of her and the times in which she lived. Teasel, as the author has nick-named her, is the daughter of the great king, Alfred of Wessex. Her father wants her to marry a Lord of Mercia to form an alliance between the two English kingdoms so that they might be ever stronger to defeat the scourge of the Danes. For years, these 'Vikings' have been invading and settling, raping, pillaging and sending terror into the hearts of the English people. Teasel has grown up as a child living with the threat of the Danes always hanging over her, but it is not until she is old enough to understand the fear that her mother constantly displayed when she was a child, that she understands what it is she fears the most. Then the day comes when her heart, who she had given to another, is broken and she is set on a course of unhappiness and despair as she struggles to come to terms with her plight. Married to a man she does not love, who is indifferent to her, she must first gain the respect and understanding of the suspicious Mercians, before she can give herself wholly to him, mind body and soul. This is no easy task through the years, but eventually she wins out, through her indomitable, endless spirit, and then she must act to save her beloved adopted country from the Vikings.

This is one of the rare books that have managed to captivate my heart. I’m a fussy reader, that’s not to say that I can’t enjoy many books, but only on some occasions does a book take my breath away, completely. For a book to do this, there must be a plot that grabs me, make me either smile to myself, or sigh wistfully, wishing that it was I who had just written that passage. Strangely enough, the plot in To be a Queen, has no arc, there are 4 parts to this book; first being, Girl; the second, Woman; third, Wife and finally, Queen, which, in reality she never was. The narrative moves through each stage of her life and it is only towards the last half of the book that we see the characters of Teasel and Ethelred come into their own, both as a couple and as individuals as their story develops more deeply. To begin with, whenever there was a hint of conflict, it would always come to naught. (It would not be appropriate to give an example as it may be considered to be a spoiler.) I found this a little frustrating, because I was expecting something to ‘happen’ but it never does. There are no storming build-ups to tension, nothing really bad ever happens, (not that we see, anyway) and in most cases, this would annoy the hell out of me, but strangely enough, the slower pace and the lack of action are exactly right for this book, and although I might not have written it that way myself, Whitehead manages to captivate me with her beautiful prose and in-depth knowledge of the period and the language which shines throughout the whole of the book.

This is not a book that follows Æthelflaed into war, although we do see some of that later in the book. It is essentially a story of how things might have been, using the known facts and events that happened during her time to design a plausible story of her life. It is a love story, but not in the bodice ripper style (not usually my cup of tea), but written in beautiful, deep emotional scenes, that give us a vision of a woman’s love for a man she had never wanted to wed. What I loved most about this book is the way Whitehead uses a wide knowledge of vocabulary of the time and a skilful writing talent to describe characters thoughts, feelings and actions. The dialogue is well crafted, and made me imagine that I was hearing the language in the manner it would have been spoken, not of course in Old English, but using the modern equivalent of. All this, and what we are given, is a subtle story that filters its way into the reader’s mind in the same way a patient might be drip-fed blood. It flows, like a boat carried on a river's current, passing through time, stopping for a while before it continues on again to reach the end of Æthelflaed’s life.

It is a shame that we know so little about this amazing woman who, it was said, was so beloved of the Mercians, she was trusted to lead an army against the Vikings and other enemies.  We know she did this, but we don’t know whether or not she actually wielded a sword and fought in the battle itself, or just commanded. We don’t know to what extent her knowledge of warfare was, though there is evidence to say that Ethelred was advising her. In Whitehead’s version, she has ‘Teasel’ learn to fight and wield a sword so she can ride out with her army and at the very least attempt to protect herself. Personally, I think she was too important to actually fight in the shieldwall, for she would no doubt be injured at some point, not having the strength, as a woman, to fight hand to hand with experienced male opponents. But that’s just my opinion, perhaps she was skilful and strong, but given that even the dangerous, most doughty warriors could not always protect themselves from being mortally wounded in a melee, then I think it unlikely. She was needed as a figurehead more than a warrior, and although Whitehead puts her in the midst of a shieldwall in one scene, she doesn’t have her doing anything foolhardy or practically impossible. Æthelflaed is not a shieldmaiden, nor is she a walcyrie. and I was glad of that, as I do not like historical fiction where women are made to do the impossible. Shieldmaidens would not have lasted long in a battle, and although I can see no reason not to have women fight if the story asks for it, it must be plausible. If they are going to fight, then they should not be slaughtering multitudes of men in one strike, and anyone who wants to write a book called ‘Shieldmaiden’ needs to do so with caution.

We probably know more about Æthelflaed than Ethelred, her husband, but we know nothing of their relationship, whether it was a good one, or if it was troublesome. There is later evidence that cannot be fully believed, that she had only one child because of the pain she had endured in childbirth. I’m not entirely convinced that this is true, but if it is true, then perhaps we can imagine that her relationship with her husband might have been strained.

I cannot praise Annie Whitehead’s style of prose enough. She has a very fluid approach to her writing, which is deep, and thoughtful, and encompasses what is going on in the background around her characters. Each passage is generally shown in the point of view of either Æthelflaed, her brother Edward, or her husband Ethelred. There is no head hopping, which if overdone, usually drives me insane. The narrative is solid, and the story flows along.

If you cannot tell by now how enamoured I was with this book, I must impress upon you that this book is one of those that I have enjoyed reading most in my life. It is definitely going on my must read again shelf, though I rarely read books more than once. If you enjoy historical fiction, this should be on everyone’s must read shelf, especially if you like stories told through the eyes of women, and don’t mind that the battle scenes are scarce. The story of Lady Æthelflaed as told by Annie Whitehead will haunt you and stay with you for a long time, as I know it will with me.
A well done to Ms Whitehead.

Posted by Paula Lofting at 12:26 Today I am pleased to be part of a blog tour for Alison Morton's latest release in her Roma Nova series, RETALIO. Alison has stopped by to answer some questions about her latest novel and talk about her love of all things Roman and her writing career.


Early 1980s Vienna. Recovering from a near fatal shooting, Aurelia Mitela, ex-Praetorian and former foreign minister of Roma Nova, chafes at her enforced exile. She barely escaped from her nemesis, the charming and amoral Caius Tellus who grabbed power in Roma Nova, the only part of the Roman Empire to survive into the twentieth century.
Aurelia’s duty and passion fire her determination to take back her homeland and liberate its people. But Caius’s manipulations have isolated her from her fellow exiles, leaving her ostracised, powerless and vulnerable. But without their trust and support Aurelia knows she will never see Roma Nova again.
A story of political and personal rivalry in an imaginary surviving state of the once mighty Roman Empire. But with a difference. Struggling to defend the tiny state and keep the families alive at the dissolution of the Roman Empire, Roma Novan women fought alongside their men. And they never forgot it as they rose to prominence through the ages. Now in the late 20th century the egalitarian state has been crushed into misery by a brutal dictator imposing male-only rule. Aurelia is their last best hope, but Caius who has longed to dominate and defeat her since childhood will do anything to stop her. Anything.

Paula - So, firstly, I'd like to welcome you to Paula's People, Alison. It’s been a while since I had you as a guest here, and it’s so nice to have you back, this time to ask some new questions because so much has moved on for you since then. I'm sure you'll have lots more to tell us!

Alison - Thank you for such a warm welcome, Paula. Yes, it seems like ages.

Paula - Tell us how the idea for your Roma Nova series came about and what inspired your vision of a new Roman state, and the whole idea of having women matriarchs as rulers instead of men.

Alison - I was fascinated at age eleven with a beautiful mosaic in Ampurias, north-east Spain. As my father explained about soldiers and sailors, slaves and senators, traders and farmers, I asked him what the mothers did. He said they stayed indoors and ran the house and looked after children. I thought that was a bit odd – my own mother worked as the head of a department at a local school. So I asked him what a Roman society would be like if women ran it. Clever man, he replied, “Well what do you think it would have been like?” So the Roma Nova legend grew in my mind. Founded sixteen hundred years ago, when the Roman Empire was crumbling, it’s survived thanks to silver in the mountains, Roman engineering genius and a robust attitude. Given the unstable, dangerous times in Roma Nova’s early years, daughters as well as sons had to put on armour and carry weapons to defend their homeland and way of life.
Fighting danger side-by-side with brothers and fathers reinforced women’s status and roles. And they never allowed the incursion of monotheistic paternalistic religions; the traditional Roman gods were their inspiration. Women developed leadership roles in all parts of Roma Novan life over the next sixteen centuries. Paula -You write alternative history, but your books are set in the alternative present, so to speak. I’d like to ask, what exactly does alternative history mean, and how does it correlate to the historical fiction genre?

Alison - In alternative history stories, the timeline has diverged at some point in the past from our timeline. It can be caused by a big event like the Norman invasion  (see 1066 Turned Upside Down) or a smaller event as in the Roma Nova stories (Emperor Theodosius banning all pagan worship on pain of death in AD 395) but there has to be a definite trigger. Events then travel a different path from that ‘point of divergence’ and it’s a permanent change with no going back, no time travel, magic or fantastical creatures. Some stories are fanciful, but others are serious counter factuals. As a historian, I’m up at the historical end of that scale. And whether it’s historical fiction? Well, all history is a patchy record of past events and a lot of it is made up, haphazard or from dodgy sources. I argue my case here!

Paula -When did you first start writing?

Alison - I’ve written all my life; translator, copywriter, editor and produced government position papers, corporate documentation and pitches, and a couple of academic papers – one thesis and one dissertation, but the first novel INCEPTIO, began its life in 2009. It was the usual terrible first draft, but polished up to appear as a published book in 2013.
Paula - I recall you and I chatting about it when you came to my book launch signing at John Pye's Bookshop in East Grinstead. I remember being in awe at the idea of a recreation of Rome, with women as the matriarchs.

Paula - I see you have studied history at university and obtained a Masters! Can you tell us what eras you read, and what eras you like best? I think I may know the answer to that already, hee-hee!:)

Alison - I’m going to surprise you, Paula!  Over the course, I studied medieval women, British Cinema and women in Third Reich Germany. The Romans made a brief appearance in one module. Why? I wanted to do something I didn’t really know much about. So my dissertation was about young German women who served in uniform with the German military equivalents of the ATS, WRNS and WRAF. They weren’t all fanatical Nazis; some were patriotic, some were just ‘doing their bit’, others weren’t that keen but got on with it, some hated it. I turned my dissertation (for which I gained a distinction!) into a little ebook – my first foray into self-publishing – called Military or Civilians?
Paula - Wow that was a surprise! I'd really be interested to read that. What a fantastic subject and to gain a distinction. I am in awe of you!

Paula - Can you give potential readers an overview of the Roma Nova series to give them an idea of what excitement awaits them? Alison - I’d like to take you to Central Europe to an imaginary city state in the mountains. Its people are tough, its history long and its heroines valiant. Well, nearly always valiant; they do have their off days.
INCEPTIO focuses on New Yorker Karen Brown who is thrown into a new life in mysterious Roma Nova as Carina Mitela, and fights to stay alive with a killer hunting her. Helping her is a special forces officer; smiling, attractive, a tad condescending and hiding vulnerabilities of his own. In PERFIDITAS six years later, betrayal and rebellion are in the air, threatening to topple Roma Nova and ruin Carina’s life. When we get to SUCCESSIO nine years after that, she is well-established as a senior Praetorian officer with teenage children and young cousins. But a mistake from the past threatens to destroy that next generation including the young heir to Roma Nova itself.

With AURELIA we begin a second trilogy and go back to 1960s Roma Nova and a Europe very different from our own. Aurelia Mitela, Carina’s grandmother in the first trilogy, but here a 28-year-old Praetorian major, battles silver smuggling and illegal trading. In her pursuit of the amoral Caius Tellus, she must make the heart-breaking choice between her love, her child and her country. In INSURRECTIO, thirteen years later, we see Aurelia struggling against a manipulative tyrant grabbing power. This is the Great Rebellion that threatened to destroy Roma Nova in the 1980s. RETALIO (just out!) tells of resistance and retribution and the endgame between Aurelia and her nemesis, Caius.

Paula - So far, I have read books 1&2 and am currently listening to the audio of SUCCESSIO which is the third in the order of books. Book 1 INCEPTIO was enjoyable, and PERFIDITAS, the second was wicked! Which book would you choose as your favourite of the series and why?

Alison - I really, really don’t have a favourite! INCEPTIO was my first book and I suspect all authors love the first baby, but honestly, they’ve all given me something different and I hope I’ve given readers a different aspect of the Roma Novans and their country in each one. Paula - So, RETALIO is now available as an ebook and paperback. Tell us about this sixth instalment of your Roma Nova books and just where it all fits within the series.

Paula - Carina, the main character of the first trilogy, is a sassy woman with guts and the courage of a she-lion protecting her cubs. She can also be compassionate and tender, as both mother and wife to the gorgeous Conrad. Knowing that you come from an army background, is there anything of you in Carina that you recognise, or have deliberately put in there, or is she based on someone/s you know?

Alison - If that isn’t a leading question, I don’t know what is! Inevitably, I’ve used some of my military experience in the stories. Nobody is a direct reflection of anybody I knew or know, but I’ve pinched a few characteristics here and there…

Paula - Tell us about briefly about some of your favourite characters in the series, not Carina or Conrad, but some supporting actors so to speak.

Alison - Well, I was so fascinated by Aurelia and wanted to know her secrets that I ended up writing a whole second trilogy!
I do like Lurio in the first series; he was fun to write as a roughie-toughie cop with a soft heart. Carina’s comrade-in-arms, Flavius, is an interesting character as he’s always on Carina’s side, but gives her quite a hard time sometimes.
Paula - I quite liked Daniel, too.

Alison - In the second trilogy, apart from the vile Caius who was fun to write as a villain with an obsession, the stand out secondary characters are the tough soldier, Volusenia, and the young Silvia, the heir to Roma Nova.

Paula - Who are your current favourite authors and has there been a big influence on your writing, whether it be style, structure, or genre from them?

Alison - Currently, William Boyd who wrote Restless, a spy thriller with women protagonists, and Douglas Jackson whose Verrens series about a young Roman soldier who survived the Boudiccan rebellion and is going on to further things is very vividly and accurately written. Robert Harris remains the godfather of alternative history written cleverly and succinctly in Fatherland.
Paula - Some new authors there for me to get to know.

Paula - And now for the penultimate question, what are you reading now, or just recently?
I’ve just finished Anna Belfrage’s, Under the Approaching Dark (excellent!) and am currently enjoying Helen Hollick’s, Pirates: Truth and Tale, a non-fiction book about, er, pirates and our perception of them. Next up is Douglas Jackson’s Defender of Rome, the second Verrens  novel.

Paula - To wrap up the session, I’d like to say it’s been fabulous having you on the blog, and I wish you the best of luck with all your future endeavours but just to ask one more question, what next for Alison Morton?

Alison - Several things! I’m hoping to finish a novella about Carina this summer, then I might look at a book of short stories and there’s always the foundation story of Roma Nova waiting in the wings…

Thank you SO much for inviting me onto your blog, Paula and letting me run on about Roma Nova and its people.

Paula - It's been an absolute pleasure Alison. My very best wishes!

And you can read my recent review of Alison's second in the first Roma Nova series

About Alison

Alison Morton, writes the acclaimed Roma Nova thriller series featuring modern Praetorian heroines. She blends her deep love of Roman history with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, adventure and thriller fiction.
The first five books have been awarded the BRAG Medallion. SUCCESSIO, AURELIA and INSURRECTIO were selected as Historical Novel Society’s Indie Editor’s Choices.  AURELIA was a finalist in the 2016 HNS Indie Award. The sixth, RETALIO, is out on 27 April 2017.

Connect with Alison on her Roma Nova Website

Buying link for RETALIO (multiple retailers/formats):

Posted by Paula Lofting at 07:00 

Well, if the above blurb doesn't hook you in, then nothing will. This is a thriller that at least matches, excels even, all expectations you might have of similar books. More realistic than the James Bond movies, PERFIDITAS goes way beyond anything that has been done before. Set in an alternative, but similar to the world of today, Roma Nova is a fascinating concept, created by the incredibly intelligent mind of the author, and drawn from her love of all things Roman.

Before I began reading, I was under the impression that you didn't need to read the first in the series, (INCEPTIO), before you read PERFIDITAS, and although there is an intro describing the alternate historical background of the whole world, plus a list of characters placed in their contexts, I felt that due to the fast pace of the book, and the amount of characters Ms Morton juggles, a new reader would find it hard going to know what, who, when and why. So, I felt that I was at an advantage, having read INCEPTIO, and was glad that I had, for it enabled me to understand the wonderful intriguing world I was immersing myself in

I loved the idea of Rome continuing after its fall in the 5thc and beginning again in a new state, with the name of Roma Nova: New Rome. And the fact that it was ruled by women, because hey, the guys did a terrible job, didn't they; adds a whole new dynamic to the concept. Ms Morton has formulated this new Rome using the most prominent elements from their past, such as the language, Latin of course, the Praetorian Guard, which still exists, Domus, the name used for home, and amusingly, the old Roman gods as a way of swearing. "Juno!", is one example. All this serves to create a believable, fascinating world, that is not only modern, it is leading the world with its advanced technology and systems; one such example is the el-pad; got an idea what that is? What is even more extraordinary, is that Morton devises new customs for the Roma Novans, some of which have been part of this new world's traditions going back over 1500 years. I particularly liked the Twelve Family code which, under this, a noble family has the right to question a delinquent member of their family whom they believe has committed some criminal offence. You see, when Rome collapsed 1500 years (or there abouts) earlier, amongst those who made the exodus to what was to become Roma Nova, were 12 of the noblest families. These families were the most powerful ruling clans, and in the 21stc, their status as such is still preserved, with women always at the head of the clan. To balance this power, members of the twelve families have a greater responsibility of service to the state and are expected to behave better than the average citizen.

This book is definitely plot driven, and told through the eyes  of Countess Carina, therefore this, and the  fast pace, has to be taken into consideration when examining the characterisation of all the players. There were many characters of which I would have liked to know more about their emotions and their inner machinations. This is probably more difficult to do when writing in the first person, as Ms Morton does. That is one of my pet annoyances of books written in the first person, because I like to get right into the minds of the characters and feel that I am within them. All that aside, I can still read, and enjoy books written in this method, though they are few and far between, and this second book in the Roma Nova series I have selected as being one of them. as it is so unique in its presentation. I enjoyed Carina's character, she is not the shy, retiring type, she gets things done, and often her maverick -style way of doing things, gets her in all sorts of trouble. Her husband, the hunky Conrad, who has taken her family name as his own in the new Roman tradition, finds this aspect of her, less endearing than perhaps he should, but he is not only her husband but her work superior, and this can be conflicting for the couple. With such strong personalities, there are bound to be the usual disagreements and as well as the trouble on the home front, the couple are faced with difficulties aplenty as the plot unfolds. And it does so, very quickly, I might add, for soon it is obvious that someone is out to get both Carina and her husband. And when I say 'get' I mean, totally destroy in the most horrible, nasty way achievable.

Roma Nova, as you may have probably guessed by now, had only survived because of their social structure. Women no longer were assigned to the confines of their homes, playing  good little wives, they had become the heads of their families, whilst the men were constantly at war in those early days of their colonies' survival. The women's take over of their governing systems, meant that both  men, and women, now, would have to perform 'service' to their country and that ethos seems to have continued right into the 21st century. A tiny country hidden away between New Austria and Italy, Roma Nova had become one of the most powerful, rich states in the world, surrounded by bigger boys who possibly want to take over. They had to be tough in order to survive, following a male dominated brutal consulship and civil war.  And there are strains of modern day Israel's kick ass attitude, in the way they run their regime:

...with characteristic resilience, the families' structures fought back and reconstructed their society, re-learning the basic principles of Republican virtue, while subtly changing it to a more representational model for modern times.

But what has this book got to offer? For one, Ms Morton has a snappy, concise style of writing that flows beautifully. The pace and atmosphere are just at the right speed and mood. The characters, are many, and sometimes when a new name popped up, I had trouble remembering who they were, despite having read the first book. Thank goodness there is a cast list in the form of a Dramatis Personae of all the characters and from which section of society they belong. Please readers remember to look in the back of the book for this. However, that aside, my enjoyment of reading this book was not hampered by this little niggle.

It is quite clear that Ms Morton is an excellent writer and story-teller. She has her own unique voice when conjuring up her plot lines. The world she has built is done so with integrity. It is formulated and constructed with faithful authenticity and is representational of a true society with its origins in Rome. I am sure that most readers will enjoy jumping into the arena of 21st century Rome, and will wholly accept the offer of a ride into the dark, almost invisible world of intelligence and criminality in this exciting, cleverly manufactured tale.

This is a book I would highly recommend to those who enjoy alternative fiction, where events from the past have different endings, pushing the future into different pathways to produce a new, fresh world with which to play in. Also, if you enjoy thrillers, with espionage and intelligence as its background, you will love this book. Highly recommended. 

Watch a trailer

Links for Alison
Connect with Alison on her Roma Nova site: http://alison-morton.com
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AlisonMortonAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alison_morton @alison-morton
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5783095.Alison_Morton
Amazon author page: http://Author.to/AlisonMortonAmazon

Buying link for PERFIDITAS (multiple retailers/formats):

Posted by Paula Lofting at 03:00 Me the author with John Pye, Independent book shop owner My book Sons of the Wolf in a shop window! Me and my daughter on her prom night My friends and family Me in Dorset