Honored and pumped to announce the release of Book #3 in the "Faith Box" series. Its name is WHEN THE ROSES BLOOMED. Join me in 1485 England, when life wasn't too merry. You see, as we start our tale, Richard III is on the throne. Despite recent efforts to rehabilitate his memory, my read on him is of a suspicious-to-the-point-of-paranoia, weak-minded schlub. To say nothing of his less admirable qualities...
Imagine what life might be like in a land where if you backed the wrong party in a dispute, you could be named a traitor, lose your lands, your heritage and your head. Imagine the US in such a state -- if the Republicans won the White House, every Democrat in the country could be considered a criminal.
This is what supporters of the Lancastrian party faced in Richard III's reign. Richard was a Yorkist, and the two parties hated each other's guts. For four generations the throne had bounced back and forth between York and Lancaster like a soccer ball between house players.
Into the tail end of the conflict comes Henry Tudor, exile and last known heir of the Lancastrian line. He has a claim to Richard's throne, and is so keen to accede, the struggles end with the Battle of Bosworth. And into the tumult between the party that was in power and the party that now is, stumble young Margery Dashlyn and her noble fiancé, Robert Alleine, heir to the earl of Weston.
Robert and his family backed the wrong horse.
In fear of his life, the affianced lovers flee. Facing life on the run, pretending to be middle-class tradesmen, all the while making for London and anonymity, their path runs across those who can help them and those who only want their meager possessions.
These star-crossed lovers have to make their way carefully. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, they do find a way to muddle through. But what will it cost them?
WHEN THE ROSES BLOOMED, now available from Desert Breeze Publishing, in all known Terran e-formats.
3 comments:
I gotta say, as a Late Medieval historian, I don't hold Richard III in very high regard. Sure, he may have passed some good laws and did some good things- but some of the people wishing to 'rehabilitate' him are- shall we say bordering on fanaticism in thier admiration and love for the man.
There are one particular camp who virtually revere him as a Saint and will not hear a word against him. They would likely swear he was the best King England ever had. Not so much goin' easy there.
Fortunately for you, me, and other Richard III haters, this book doesn't concern this king. It deals with Henry Tudor or Twdr (in Welsh), the winner of the 1485 Battle of Bosworth. You'll recall that Richard III left this battle mostly, if not all, dead. So he doesn't have any part in the story.
Like you, I hate revisionist historians, pro or amateur.
Yup. I know about Bosworth and the Tudors. To what extent Henry Tudor himself can actually be considered 'Welsh' is debatable- I don't think he was raised in Wales and of course his father died before he was born. His mother was pretty thoroughly Plantagenet.
The name though as you say is Welsh, and its a very old Welsh name at that with royal connections, so he probably had some pretty distinguished ancestors on the Welsh as well as the English side.
I have a biography of his Uncle, Jasper Tudor, written by a Welsh historian to read, so that might shed some light on it.
Of course, there is a story that a Welshman actually killed Richard III. Not to be underestimated, methinks.
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