Every author has books that sell better than others. As I've said before, I can't believe Tarleton's Wife is still selling after nearly a quarter-century on the market. And my traditional Regency, Lady Silence, always makes the "buy list." (Most likely, because of the irony of the title. Sigh.) Month after month, my Regency Gothics and Regency Historicals top the list.
And then, there are the books that wait in vain, only occasionally popping up under "Sales." Below, four of my off-beat books that could use a bit more love. I hope you'll take a peek and consider adopting one of these neglected strays into your reading device.
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In the early days of the Florida Writer Association, The Captive Heiress won First Place in the Young Adult category. It is, however, a story that should appeal to any lover of genuine historical novels (as opposed to page after page of hot sex dusted with a bit of history). It also has one of my all-time favorite covers.
Alecyn de Beauclaire, an orphaned heiress, is taken captive at age nine by the Earl of Rocheford who wants to enjoy the income from her estates. Her first friend in the strange new world at Castle Rocheford is Ranulf Mort à Mer, a descendant of Vikings and a penniless squire with no hope of ever being able to afford a horse and armor so he can become a knight. As the years go by, their friendship is unwavering, even when tested by the preaching of monks who declare that all women are evil and should be shunned.
When Alecyn is almost fourteen (a marriageable age in Medieval times) King Henry II makes Alecyn his ward. She is thrilled because she knows the king will want to keep her money for himself and, therefore, will not marry her off for several more years. Perhaps there is still time for Ranulf to become a knight and distinguish himself in battle.
In her position as companion to the royal children and songstress to the royal court, Alecyn learns not only the epic romance of chivalry, but the dark side of romance as she witnesses the love/hate relationship between the king and queen. Ranulf, meanwhile, learns to fight side by side with a new friend, William Marshall. But even Ranulf's eventual elevation to knighthood is not enough to qualify for the hand of an heiress to four fine estates.
Until, one day, Queen Eleanor goes for a hunt on her lands in the Aquitaine, and Ranulf and his friend, William Marshall, are among her escorts. Perhaps, just perhaps, if the three young people survive captivity by Eleanor's rebellious knights, they may have a future after all. But which young knight will King Henry choose for Alecyn?
Airborne - the Hanover Restoration is my one adventure into Steampunk and Alternative History, and I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, even though a few strict Regency buffs didn't get the concept of Alternative History and complained about my playing with the British succession.
Miss Araminta Galsworthy encounters a number of surprises at the
home of her new guardian, an inventor like her father. In addition to a
host of strange machines and attacks by people who think her guardian's
invention, the airship Aurora, is the work of the devil, she is expected
to play hostess to a bevy of guests, all of whom seem to be engaged in
treason. And, oh yes, she is expected to marry her guardian.
Immediately.
Minta struggles to adjust to a new husband, new
enemies, and new friends—one a princess who must rise above her rivals
for the throne of England. When the day of revolution arrives, Minta
plays a vital role, but comes perilously close to losing her chance to
live a life where she, not the airship Aurora, is the center of her
husband's life.
Due to a rather weird mix-up, the cover and blurb below appeared on my Amazon indie dashboard, while the original cover, blurb, and book from a long-ago epublisher remained on the Amazon order page, a mistake that went unnoticed by me for literally years. When I finally discovered it and tried to fix it, I got nowhere with Amazon, finally having to track down the revived publisher, who promptly fixed the problem. So, basically, the version below has only recently become available. It's a story right out of my years in New England and my many visits to Cape Cod.
Following a tough trial, all defense attorney Vicki Kent wants is a
few days of peace and quiet at her parents' cottage on Cape Cod.
Instead, she finds a man challenging her with a 9mm in his hand. John
Paollilo is an angry, burned-out homicide detective from New Haven,
exiled by his boss to an enforced vacation on the Cape. Needless to say,
conflicts abound—from a clash of professional viewpoints to the
odoriferous retaliations of a family of skunks—as Vicki and John
reluctantly share the cottage, exploring the Cape and each other, and in
the end discovering that opposites really do attract.
Florida Knight plops Medieval times straight into the heart of modern-day Florida. And although the story is fiction, the setting is not. The Society for Creative Anachronism is very active in Florida's year-round good weather. As a member and costumer for a number of years, I can guarantee the background is authentic. I was also "roving information"—carrying a flower-bedecked wicker basket with maps & general information—for the Medieval Fair that was once held yearly on the grounds of the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Arts in Sarasota.
Kate Knight fights memories of a former abusive relationship by
armed combat with male members of a Medieval re-enactment group. To
Kate, men are anathema, yet somehow she finds herself sharing a
postage-stamp-size tent with a Florida Highway Patrol officer who is
attempting to discover who almost killed his brother in a tournament at a
Medieval Fair. For Kate, trust comes hard as they deal with obsessive
enthusiasts, quirky personalities, and a ruthless killer.
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Coming soon
The Crucible Kingdom, a spin-off from the Blue Moon Rising series
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For a link to Blair's website, click here.
For a link to Blair's Facebook Author Page click here.
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