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Splendid Concubine by Lloyd LofthouseAround the World with Historical Fiction
Travel around the world and through time this month with historical fiction novels that immerse you in foreign cultures. A Victorian gentleman adjusts to life in 19th century China, and a young woman in 18th century Austria falls in love with a composer destined to make history. Meet a poetess from ancient Greece and a fiery female pirate from Ireland. No need for a passport -- these authors will transport you to Scotland, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, and more!
My
Splendid Concubine by Lloyd Lofthouse
No Westerner has ever achieved Robert Hart’s status and level of power in China. Driven by a passion for his adopted country, Hart became the “godfather of China’s modernism,” inspector general of China’s Customs Service, and the builder of China’s railroads, postal and telegraph systems, and schools. But his first real love is Ayaou, a young concubine. Soon after arriving in China in 1854, Hart falls in love with Ayaou, but his feelings for her sister go against the teachings of his Christian upbringing and almost break him emotionally. To survive he must learn how to live and think like the Chinese. He also finds himself thrust into the second bloodiest conflict in history, the Taiping Rebellion, where he ends up making enemies of men such as the American soldier of fortune known as the Devil Soldier. During his first years in China, Robert experiences a range of emotion from bliss to despair. Like Damascus steel, he learns to be both hard and flexible, which forges his character into the great man he is yet to become.
Lloyd Lofthouse earned a BA in journalism after fighting in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine. While working days as an English teacher at a high school in California, he enjoyed a second job as a maitre d’ in a multimillion-dollar nightclub. He now lives near San Francisco with his wife, with a second home in Shanghai, China.
Reviews:
"Author Lloyd Lofthouse spent months in a secret, underground archive in Shanghai that held old books, manuscripts, and other documents researching the details about Sir Robert Hart, his rise to power within China, and his love for Ayaou. Considered one of the most landmark periods in Chinese (and world) history, author Lofthouse eloquently weaves together historical facts into the lives and emotions of his characters in My Splendid Concubine." ~ New Great Books
"[P]acked cover to cover with intriguing characters and plot, a must read for historical fiction fans and a fine addition to any collection on the genre." ~ Midwest Book Review
"[T]hose who are interested in unconventional romances with an out-of-the-ordinary setting will find plenty to enjoy." ~ Historical Novels Review
To read more about My Splendid Concubine, visit the author's website.
Mozart's Wife by Juliet Waldron
Giddy sugarplum or calculating bitch? Mozart's biographers show disdain for his Konstanze. Mozart's wife aroused strong feelings among her contemporaries: for example, her inlaws despised her. Her husband's Viennese friends eagerly gossiped about her as well. Nonetheless, Mozart's letters attest both to his affection for Konstanze and to their powerful sexual bond. She bore six children while presiding over the unstable household of the world's first superstar. As a widow, Konstanze paid off his debts, provided for their children, and relentlessly mythologized the life of her brilliant husband. Why, then, did she never bother to mark her illustrious husband's grave?
By the time Juliet Waldron was twenty-one, she had lived in twenty-one places, including Cornwall, England and Barbados in the West Indies, where she attended school. A lifelong passion for history led to twelve novels. "Mozart's Wife" was a 2000 Frankfurt nominee. At the 2001 Virginia Festival of the Book, "Mozart's Wife" won the First Independent eBook Award.
Reviews:
"Based on original sources, including family letters and scholarly biographies, Mozart's Wife is a fascinating work of historical fiction, an entertaining and sometimes erotic look at a remarkable woman who earned the lifelong love of one of history's most remarkable men.” ~ Book Page
"Juliet Waldron brings Constanze and her wayward genius of a spouse to vivid life. She avoids the pitfall of the biographical novelist by refusing to make one or the other of them a villain, and her insights into character are extraordinary." ~ Blue Iris Journal
"Mozart's Wife is a consuming piece that reminds us that all humans, regardless of talent or skill, are within the boundaries of fault and outside the lines of perfection." ~ Library Reviews
Awards:
Fiction Winner of the First Independent eBook Awards, 2001
Visit the author's website for more information on this and other historical fiction novels by Juliet Waldron.
Dunnottar by Janet Elaine Smith
Dunnottar Castle, Scotland, is the domain of the Clan Keith, close consorts of the royal family for many generations. The whole country is at war with itself: Scotland against England. William Keith, the patriarch, is the wealthiest man in Scotland, but he desires only to be known as the kindest; John, his younger brother, is eager to fight for his country, even if his motives are a little questionable; and Robert, Williams oldest son, is off to battle, but his mother's only hope is that he finds a wife in the process. Even the most seemingly righteous families have some deep, dark hidden secrets. The Keith clan is no exception; some of them so deep and dark even the other Keith's don't know they exist. But they are privy to secrets of King Charles II himself.
During her lifetime Janet Elaine Smith has been a missionary (who now writes romances), a wife (of one husband only), a mother (of three now-adult people, who refuse to be called "children"), a musician (of piano, organ and accordian), a Tupperware saleswoman (until the squirrels ate her sample kit), a teacher (of genealogy and creative writing), a translator (of Spanish, although she knows enough of a few other languages to get her in trouble), a social worker (in the strict sense of the word, not just being a "social creature"), a magazine writer (with over 2,000 published articles to her credit), a survivor (of the Great Flood of the Millennium in Grand Forks, ND in 1997), and that is just for starters.
Book Reviews:
"Romance and intrigue, friendship and betrayal, against an accurately researched historical backdrop. No wonder "Dunnottar" has been an Amazon bestseller." ~ Amazon Customer Review
"The beheading of a king, four love stories, the hiding of the precious crown jewels, a bouncy and charming little red-headed girl--all these should be enough of a mix for a historical novel ..." ~ Amazon Customer Review
To learn more about The Keith Trilogy and other works by Janet Elaine Smith, visit the author's website.
Sappho
Sings by Peggy Ullman Bell
Here SAPPHO SINGS in her own words. Ancient phrases become the warp and weave of an intricate tapestry so delicately woven it becomes impossible to distinguish the imported threads from the weaver's own. Readers familiar with the myriad translations of the few fragmented lines of Sappho's work left available to us may recognize a word here or a conjunct there but, as one renowned expert in antiquities discovered, the author has herself become the voice of The Poetess to the extent that invented passages read like newly discovered wonders from the past.
Originally from Gettysburg, Peggy Ullman Bell currently resides near the Jefferson Davis Memorial Library on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with her husband of 47 years, but she lives in cyberspace.
Book Reviews:
"Bell plucks Sappho out of a male-dominated political era long ago that tried to bury her glory, and brings her back to life for us in the twenty first century." ~ Marvin D. Wilson
"Page after page of glittering description gives the reader a true taste of what Psappha's world was like in her lifetime. We watch her grow from a headstrong opinionated girl into a graceful, reflective woman, and to become one of the few great Greek poets of the ancient world." ~ Barbara Holmes
Learn more about Peggy Bell, this novel, and the rest of her writing at the author's website.
City
of Lights by Melika Dannese Lux
Ilyse Charpentier, a beautiful young chanteuse, is a diva of the 1894 Parisian cabaret scene by night and otherwise unwilling obsession of her patron, Count Sergei Rakmanovich. Though it has always been her secret desire, Ilyse’s life as “La Petite Coquette” of the Paris stage has turned out to be anything but the glamorous existence she had dreamt of as a girl. But as a young woman, Ilyse’s parents are killed in a tragic ship accident, she becomes estranged from her beloved brother, Maurice, who blames her for allowing the Count to drive them apart, and she must abandon all attempts at finding love in order to save herself from incurring her patron’s jealous wrath. Unhappy and alone, Ilyse forces herself to banish all thoughts of independence until the fateful night when Ian McCarthy waltzes into her life. Immediately taken with the bold, young, British expatriate, Ilyse experiences her first descent into love and contemplates risking everything to follow her heart.
Melika Dannese Lux resides in Florida where she is writing the first book of her fantasy trilogy and a collection of stories set in Eastern Europe in the 1800s. City of Lights is her first novel.
Book Reviews:
"The characters are so engaging that it's easy to forget how much hard work goes into writing a book--and doesn't every author strive for that effortless look?" ~ Amazon Customer Review
"This book was supposed to be a quick read, but I found myself slowing down to enjoy the descriptions and the feeling of walking in France myself." ~ Amazon Customer Review
Learn more about this book at the author's website.
The Twelve Dreams of Laima by Lee Cross
Arthur discovers Laima, a mysterious woman living alone in the oldest forest in Europe. After she explains to him the ultimate mystery of rebirth, he passionately desires to remember previous lives. She grants this. But he will experience twelve lives much more vividly that he expected, with serious consequences to his current incarnation. Arthur's dramatic experience, final release, and Laima's real purpose will surprise and enlightened you in this colorful, historical adventure fantasy. She changes his life forever and maybe yours also.
Lee Cross was born in Los Angeles and raised in the Colorado Desert of Southern California. He first experienced the wonder of snow at the age of eighteen. And this came as a shock when Uncle Sam made him sleep in it for thirty days while stationed in Germany. He's come a long way since then and walked down many roads in life. He has an abundance of stories to share, some based on true events, others merely expressions of a vivid imagination.
Book Reviews:
"The Twelve Dreams of Laima is a dreamy, mystical odyssey through history, told though the lives of twelve different people. All but one are incarnations, previous lives of the same man, Art Zemaitis – a professor of history with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge." ~ Blogger News Network
"[R]eaders sample life as an ancient priestess, a Vietnam vet, an Indian boy, a Revolutionary War patriot and a blockade runner, among other identities, scenarios that suggest the author’s interest in and enthusiasm for history." ~ Kirkus Discoveries
Pirate Spirit by Jeffery S. Williams
Set in Ireland, the Carolinas, and the pirate-infested Caribbean waters of the 1700s, and inspired by actual historical accounts, this is the tale of Anne Bonney, the unlikely pirate who disguised herself as a man and fought side-by-side with a notorious band of rogues plundering ships around the Spanish Main. Rife with intrigue, poignancy, and humor, Pirate Spirit is a vivid portrayal of a young woman’s odyssey from youth to adulthood as she seeks purpose and grace.
Jeffery S. Williams worked as a journalist and freelance writer and is currently a high school English teacher. He lives in Fresno, California, with his wife and son. Pirate Spirit is his first novel.
Book Reviews:
"Jeffery Williams aptly displays his journalistic experience, as well as his years as a high school English teacher, in the fluid compositional style and tight editing of his first novel." ~ POD Book Reviews and More
"Inspired by historical accounts, Williams fleshes out Bonney's tale with great gusto and flair." ~ CatholicMom.com
Hitler and Mars Bars by Dianne Ascroft
The tale of a remarkable child and era - based loosely on historic events, it is the moving story, simply told, of a German boy's journey through loss, loneliness, fear, uncertainty, love and hope in war-torn Germany and post-war rural Ireland. Erich's first home is Goldschmidthaus, a Children's Home near Essen. He lives for visits with his beloved mother and longs for the day he will live with her. He is distraught when, after a heavy bombing raid, her visits abruptly cease. After the war he finds himself, with hundreds of other German children, transported across Europe to escape the appalling conditions in their homeland. Operation Shamrock brings Erich and his brother, Hans, to a new life in Ireland but with different families.
Dianne Ascroft is a Canadian writer, based in Britain, who began freelance writing at the turn of this new century. She has written mostly history, arts/music and human interest articles for Canadian and Irish newspapers and magazines including the Toronto Star, Mississauga News, Derry Journal, Banbridge Leader and Ireland's Own magazine.
Book Reviews:
"Ascroft, through her sensitive research, has produced an insightful novel which acknowledges the past, but also the strain of change that was present at the time." ~ East Cork Journal
“Beautifully written with a strong human story running through it..." ~ Brian D'Arcy, BBC broadcaster
Learn more about this book and read more reviews at the author's website.
Pickle to Pie by Glenice Whitting
Rejected by his mother at birth and raised by his Grossmutter and Grossvater, Frederick Fritschenburg, a second generation Australian of German descent, is dying in hospital. At eighty years of age Frederick recalls a life torn by two world wars and the Great Depression-a life of uncertainty and anguish, of disappointment, human frailties and estranged relationships, where nothing seems as real as the special childhood bond that existed between him and his Grossmutter.
Glenice Whitting was born in Melbourne in 1941. Aged fifty she obtained her VCE, which led to a BA at Monash University, acceptance into the Golden Key International Honour Society and a MA in creative writing at the University of Melbourne. Glenice spent three years as an on-line editor and columnist, showcasing inspiring Australian women, at Suite101.com. She has won international competitions and her published works include, biographies, interviews, reviews, plays and numerous short stories. Her play, Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow’ was produced during the 2002 Fertile Ground New Play Festival.
Book Reviews:
"Pickle to Pie has that secret element. I just wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next. The story captivated me throughout." ~ Ian Harmstorf, President of the South Australian German Association
Awards:
Winner of the 2006 Ilura Press International Fiction Quest
Shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Award
To learn more about this author and this book, please visit the author's website.
The Slave by Pauline Montagna
Aurelia Rubbini, the only child of a rich merchant in fourteenth century Italy, has been raised to be a dutiful daughter, wife and mother, but she longs for something more than the restricted life intended for her. Then one day, her father brings home from a buying trip an Asian slave boy, Batu, who will reshape Aurelia’s destiny. Aurelia and Batu are inexorably drawn to each other, but their relationship is forbidden as Aurelia is destined for an arranged marriage to further her father’s political ambitions. When Aurelia marries Lorenzo de Graziano, a nobleman with a dangerous reputation, Batu insists she take him with her for her protection. But Batu’s presence arouses violent passions that Aurelia, in her innocence, can never understand.
Pauline Montagna was born into an Italian family in Melbourne, Australia. She attended La Trobe University and has worked in public service and also in the film industry. The Slave is her first novel.
Book Reviews:
"The storyline rolls along easily, pulling readers with it, and between the action and romance scenes, depiction of daily life, rich characterisations, and clear descriptions, the book is difficult to put down." ~ Australian Reader
"The Slave is enjoyable, especially for readers who appreciate tales of forbidden love or..."sweet and savage" romances. " ~ Historical Novels Online
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