Joan Fallon - Blog

Historical fiction blog tour: The Sons of Iberia

24/4/2017

This week's historical fiction novel takes us back into the Dark Ages of Spain. Warhorn is the first book in the historical series, The Sons of Iberia, and will wet your appetite to read more about this little-known period of history.

An ancient power struggle, an empire expanding and a proud, warrior people facing the end of their way of life.

It is 219 BC and Carthage has a new General who is intent on expanding their colonies in Iberia, but resistance is growing. Violent raids up and down the east coast of Iberia are occurring.
Caros is the son of a wealthy trader and discovers his family murdered after a raid on their village. Honour bound to avenge their murders, Caros turns from trader to warrior to hunt his family's killers. In doing so he befriends a gifted tracker, gains prestige among strange, foreign horsemen and falls in love with a beautiful woman.
For Caros, peace and happiness are elusive though as resistance to Carthage finally ignites a conflagration that will change the course of history. He finds himself riding to battle in the army of a young Carthaginian General and while doing so becomes a hero of his people. Even heroes can be broken though.....

'For those wanting a fast-paced historical novel set in a time and place we rarely get to read about, Warhorn is warmly recommended'

As a child my playground was the wide open veldt with the blue African sky overhead. Jungle gyms grew naturally from seed and the pet store was just beyond the garden gate. I wore shoes under protest and then only to school and church. I needed a bath every single evening.
I served as an ops medic in the army for two years and treated everything from gunshot wounds to arrow strikes. I've swum in the crocodile-infested Okavango river and seen whole villages succumb to malaria. I have hunted poachers and listened from my sleeping bag to prowling lions roaring beyond the firelight.
Life is a little tamer now. I have a beautiful wife and a strapping young man that is my son. In my spare time I write about what I love and what I love is the past. That is, the very ancient past and the people and heroes of those times. I am fortunate to have the life experiences that I have. I draw greedily from these experiences when writing when writing of the lives of men and women in a very much wilder Europe.

Warhorn and other books by J Glenn Bauer can be found on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Historical fiction blog tour: The King's Greatest Enemy

22/4/2017

This week's exciting historical novel is book 3 in the series The King's Greatest Enemy by Anna Belfrage. Set in 14th century England, this is a great medieval page-turner.

Under the Approaching Dark
(Book #3 in The King’s Greatest Enemy)

England in the early 14th century is a complicated place…
However, Adam de Guirande has cause to believe the turbulent times are behind him: Hugh Despenser is dead and Edward II has been forced to abdicate in favour of his young son. It is time to look forward, to a bright new world in which the young king, guided by his council, heals his kingdom and restores its greatness. But the turmoil is far from over.
England in the early months of 1327 is a country in need of stability, and many turn with hope towards the new young king, Edward III. But Edward is too young to rule, so instead it is his mother, Queen Isabella, and her lover, Roger Mortimer, who do the actual governing, much to the dislike of barons such as Henry of Lancaster.
When it is announced that Edward II has died in September of 1327, what has so far been a grumble grows into voluble protests against Mortimer. Yet again, the spectre of rebellion haunts the land, and things are further complicated by the reappearance of one of Adam’s personal enemies. Soon enough, he and his beloved wife Kit are fighting for their survival – even more so when Adam is given a task that puts them both in the gravest of dangers.
***********************************************************************
The King’s Greatest Enemy, is the story of a kingdom on the brink of civil war, of a weak king, an adulterous queen, a young royal heir, and an ambitious baron. In the midst of all this stands an honourable knight, torn apart by his loyalties to his lord, his wife and his king. Welcome to the world of Adam de Guirande!

Buy link

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a professional time-traveller. As such a profession does not exists, she settled for second best and became a financial professional with two absorbing interests, namely history and writing.
Presently, Anna is hard at work with The King’s Greatest Enemy, a series set in the 1320s featuring Adam de Guirande, his wife Kit, and their adventures and misfortunes in connection with Roger Mortimer’s rise to power.
When Anna is not stuck in the 14th century, chances are she’ll be visiting in the 17th century, more specifically with Alex and Matthew Graham, the protagonists of the acclaimed The Graham Saga. This series is the story of two people who should never have met – not when she was born three centuries after him.
Anna can be found on her website, on Facebook and on her blog. Or on twitter and Amazon

Historical fiction blog tour: LOCAL RESISTANCE

21/4/2017

The second historical novel in my blog tour is "LOCAL RESISTANCE" by JG Harlond and is set in World War II. Unlike many novels of this period, this is a crime novel set in a remote Cornish village. If you liked watching the TV series Foyle's War I'm sure you will enjoy this gripping story.

Local Resistance
by J.G. Harlond
World War II murder mystery

Porthferris is a little village with a lot of secrets,
some more sinister than others,
and one that could change the history of a nation

On a stormy night in March 1941, Maisie Rose Hawkins leaves her drunk husband, Stan, out in the rain--and he disappears. Detective Sergeant Bob Robbins and young PC Laurie Oliver are called out to investigate and discover that Stan's small fishing boat is gone, the rope sawn through. As Bob searches for answers, it becomes apparent that in this small Cornish village where everyone knows everything about everybody, nobody quite knows the truth.
Beneath the surface of village life, a fierce battle is being waged against wartime deprivations. Shopkeepers quietly evade rationing restrictions. Food inspector Archibald Bantry, charged with enforcing those restrictions, dies in a suspicious car crash. Various leads connect a sea cave full of smuggled black-market goods to the missing Stan Hawkins. And what seems like the work of local malcontents becomes more complex and dangerous when Bob stumbles on the truth in a disused copper mine, where a much deadlier affair is underway.

Author of 'Local Resistance', 'The Empress Emerald' and 'The Chosen Man' trilogy (work-in-progress) Harlond writes page-turning historical crime fiction that weaves fictional characters into real events. She is particularly interested in aspects of power; international intrigue and domestic politics are significant elements in her adult fiction. ‘The Doomsong Sword’, a novel for younger (and not-so-younger) readers, is based on part of the old Norse Volsung Saga.

'Dark Night, Black Horse' is a true short story about a young boy who rescues his father's favourite black stallion during the Spanish Civil War. This is now available in Spanish as 'Noche Oscuro, Caballo Negro'.

Harlond is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the British Society of Authors. Originally from the English West Country, she has travelled widely and is now settled in rural Andalucía, Spain.

Website: www.jgharlond.com

LOCAL RESISTANCE is available in paperback and as an ebook from PENMORE PRESS, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com and other on-line retailers.

A walk across the north of Spain

21/4/2017

This is a short extract from my novel SANTIAGO TALES, the story of a middle-aged woman who, in an attempt to make sense of her life, walks 800 km along the Camino de Santiago to the city of Santiago de Compostela. The people she meets along the way help her to put her own life in perspective.

"Today is her birthday. She has not told anybody. There is nobody here to tell. She is fifty. Fifty years and what has she done with her life? My God, what has happened to all those youthful plans and ideas that she had? She had trained as a journalist and planned to be a foreign correspondent; that was her aim. That was what they talked about when she was at university. That was all she ever wanted to be. Most of her friends were in the English faculty but only a handful of them wanted to be journalists; the rest used their English degrees as passports to jobs in teaching, at the BBC or, in one guy’s case, with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She wonders what has become of them now? Have they made a success of their lives or are they, like her, bemoaning the fact they have reached their half-century without really achieving anything? And what of her? Instead of becoming the anchor-woman on Channel 4 News, she became pregnant and married Joe.
  She is tired already and decides to rest. Thinking about her birthday has made her feel sorry for herself, something she tries to avoid. She knows there is no point in dragging over the past but it is hard not to.
   She sits on a boulder by the side of the path and looks about her. Ahead she can see the gleam of the river Erro, as it snakes its way through the valley towards the sea. The path twists and turns down the mountainside but, apart from a splash of red in the distance, probably the last of the pilgrims disappearing from sight, there is no-one about. Despite the sun, which by now is climbing steadily higher, she feels herself shiver. Even on the moors she has never felt as isolated as this.
   She gets up. If she follows the path, it will take her to the river’s edge where she can fill her water bottle. Gingerly she makes her way down the scree-covered slopes until she reaches the bank. The river is fast-flowing and the water tumbles over the rocks, creating mini-waterfalls that sparkle in the sunshine; she crosses it carefully, hopping from one stepping-stone to another until she reaches the far side. The grassy river bank is dry and spotted with wild flowers. She sits down again, letting her rucksack slip from her shoulders onto the ground beside her. There is no-one about. A silence hangs in the air like a spell waiting to be broken."

SANTIAGO TALES is available as an ebook or in paperback from Amazon and other on-line bookstores

Historical fiction blog tour: The Du Lac Chronicles

20/4/2017

Over the next few weeks I will be posting links to a variety of historical novelists whose work ranges from the 17th century Tulip Wars in Holland to medieval mysteries in Oxford. The first in the series is Mary Anne Yarde's The Du Lac Chronicles, set in Saxon Britain.

The Du Lac Devil
(Book #2 of The Du Lac Chronicles)
By
Mary Anne Yarde

War is coming to Saxon Briton.

As one kingdom after another falls to the savage might of the High King, Cerdic of Wessex, only one family dares to stand up to him
— The Du Lacs.

Budic and Alden Du Lac are barely speaking to each other, and Merton is a mercenary, fighting for the highest bidder. If Wessex hears of the brothers’ discord, then all is lost.

Fate brings Merton du Lac back to the ancestral lands of his forefathers, and he finds his country on the brink of civil war. But there is worse to come, for his father’s old enemy has infiltrated the court of Benwick. Now, more than ever, the Du Lac must come together to save the kingdom and themselves.

Can old rivalries and resentments be overcome in time to stop a war?

Links for Purchase
Amazon US
Amazon UK

About the author

Mary Anne Yarde is an award-winning author of the Amazon International Bestselling Series — The Du Lac Chronicles. Set a generation after the fall of King Arthur, The Du Lac Chronicles takes you on a journey through Dark Age Briton and Brittany, where you will meet new friends and terrifying foes. Based on legends and historical fact, The Du Lac Chronicles is a series not to be missed.

Mary Anne Yarde grew up in the southwest of England, surrounded and influenced by centuries of history and mythology. Glastonbury—the fabled Isle of Avalon—was a mere fifteen-minute drive from her home, and tales of King Arthur and his knights were part of her childhood.

Useful Links
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

A telegram used to bring congratulations or bad news

29/3/2017

A short extract from THE ONLY BLUE DOOR, the story of three young children sent as child migrants to Australia during WWII.

It is only two days later that the news arrives. Billy sees him first. He shouts upstairs to tell her. She looks out of the window and watches as the boy leans his bicycle against the post box and wanders along the street looking at the numbers on the doors. When he gets to their own blue door he stops, checks the envelope again and knocks. She feels a tightness in her chest and is unable to move. Irene knows from the moment the boy’s knuckles rap on her door that this marks the end of one life and the start of another. They will all remember that sound for a long time to come. She does not run to see is it good news or bad; her legs will not move. She lets Billy open the door and take the yellow envelope. She hears the voice of a young man, high and reedy.
   ‘Mrs Smith?’
   ‘Yes, that’s my Mum.’
   ‘Mrs Ronald Smith?’
   ‘Yes.’
   ‘OK son, give this to yer mum.’
   She hears the door close and the sound of Billy’s feet running down the passage.
   ‘Mum, it’s a telegram,’ he cries, waving it in the air.
   ‘Maybe it’s to say Dad’s coming home,’ suggests Maggie.
   She has Grace on her lap and is brushing her hair.
   ‘Thank you darling,’ Irene says.
   She takes the envelope from him and slips it into the pocket of her apron.
   ‘Come on Mum. Aren’t you going to open it?’
   ‘Yes, open it, Mum.’
   She looks at the fresh, hopeful faces of her children and the tears begin to form in her eyes. She pulls out the standard yellow envelope and holds it against her cheek. The only other telegram she has ever received was on the day of their wedding; Ronnie’s aunt May had sent it. ‘To wish you a long and happy married life,’ it said.
   ‘Mum.’
   Maggie is hopping from foot to foot in anticipation.
   Carefully Irene takes out a knife from the kitchen drawer and slides it under the fold of the telegram. She can sense the children’s eyes on her. She pulls out the folded paper and opens it.
   ‘WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU ...’
The words stab at her heart as she tries to focus. The uniform printed letters dance in front of her eyes; she can hardly make out what they say.
   ‘WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT PRIVATE RONALD BRUCE SMITH HAS BEEN KILLED IN ACTION ...’
      She struggles for breath. Her heart is banging so loudly she cannot hear what her children are saying. She thinks she will collapse.
   ‘What’s it say Mum?’
   ‘Is he coming home? Is Dad coming home?’
   ‘Mummy. What’s it say?’
   ‘What’s the matter Mum? Mum? Is it about Dad?’
   Irene lets out a long, agonised moan. Her legs give way under her and she grabs at the edge of the table to steady herself.
   ‘What’s the matter Mum?’
   ‘Mummy, why are you crying?’
   No, not her Ronnie, it can’t be her Ronnie. Please God, let it be a mistake. But deep inside she knows it is no mistake. She looks at the anxious faces of her children; she has to be strong for them. She has to give them an answer.
   ‘No darlings, Daddy’s not coming home.’
   The words are barely a whisper. She cannot hold back the tears.
   ‘Don’t cry Mummy,’ says Grace, clinging to her mother’s leg. ‘Don’t cry.’
   The children crowd round her, each trying to comfort her in their own way. Maggie pulls out a chair so she can sit down. Billy anxiously pats her hand and Grace climbs up onto her knee and puts her podgy arms around her mother’s neck.
   ‘Does he have to go to another war now?’ asks Billy.
   There is a lump in her throat that threatens to choke her; she swallows hard and says:
   ‘No, darling, he’s not going to go to any more wars, ever again.’
   ‘So he can come home then,’ says Billy, with a little skip of pleasure.
   Maggie picks up the telegram from the table.
   ‘No, silly, he’s not ever coming home again. He’s been killed. Killed in action.’
   She flings down the telegram and runs from the room.
   ‘Maggie ...’
   Irene does not have the strength to go after her daughter. She hugs her other children to her, rocking them back and forth like she used to do when they were babies. Billy is quiet now. Grace is crying. She tries to comfort them but she does not know what to say. What can she say? It just is not fair. Ronnie was a good man, a kind man; he was her husband. He was too young to die. And they are all too young to live without him. This bloody war. It is so unfair.

Available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Education can have more than one use

28/3/2017

This is a short extract from Book 2 in the al-Andalus series of historical novels,
THE EYE OF THE FALCON

Subh padded across the cool marble floor, the bells on her anklets tinkling as she walked. It was barely an hour since her lover had left yet already she missed him. As usual he had left her with a churning cauldron of emotions, from the satisfaction of a night spent in his arms to the despair of being parted from him, from the confidence that he was doing everything he could to ensure her son retained his rightful hold on the throne to a growing doubt about his motives. His antagonism towards al-Jundi worried her. On the face of it his anger was understandable but to dismiss the Khalifa’s most loyal and trusted servant would leave Hisham vulnerable. Subh did not want anything to happen to her son because, without him, she would return to obscurity, just another slave girl who had risen to the highest position she could only for it all to come to nothing.
‘Your bath is ready, Sayyida,’ Afra said, sprinkling some lavender oil in the hot water. ‘Would you like me to massage your shoulders first? You look rather tense.’
‘Yes, that would be lovely.’
She took off her robe and lay face down on the table. Afra was a good masseuse; her hands were strong but she was also gentle. She sighed as the slave began to rub her back and shoulders with oil smelling of sandalwood. ‘That’s a pleasant smell,’ she murmured. Already she was feeling sleepy.
‘It’s a mixture of frankincense, sandalwood and geranium. It’s to help release any tension,’ her slave said.
‘Well, it’s working,’ she said, a little sleepily as she let her thoughts drift back to before, to her early days in the harem.
**
After that first night, al-Hakim sent for her again, and the night after that, and the next one too. The women in the harem were astonished and badgered her with questions about what had happened.
‘What is he like?’
‘Is he handsome?’
‘Did you dance for him?’
‘Did you make love?’
‘You are so lucky, nobody has ever been invited to see the prince a second time.’
Some of the comments, such as, ‘What does he see in a bean pole like you?’ were hardly flattering, but she didn’t mind; her plan was working.
‘You have bewitched him,’ Zahr said. ‘It’s wonderful. At last someone has managed to get his attention. Now you just have to get him into your bed.’
She looked at her out of the corner of her eye and whispered, ‘Or have you managed that already?’
Subh laughed. ‘No, not yet. You have to move carefully in these matters,’ she said, as though she had been seducing princes all her life.
The general atmosphere in the harem was jubilant. Although some of the women were jealous of her success, they were also happy for her. It reflected well on all of them that the prince was taking an interest in one of the concubines and, more importantly, it had put Yamut and the Royal Wife in good spirits.
‘I have never seen Yamut smile so much,’ said Zahr. ‘He is as proud of you as if you were his own daughter.’
‘There is still a long way to go,’ Subh said. ‘But it is astonishing how kindly the prince treats me. Look, he had this book of poems sent to me this morning. It is from Damascus.’
She showed Zahr a beautifully illustrated book, covered in Arabic script.
‘Can you read that?’ Zahr asked in surprise.
‘Yes, of course. I told you that my mistress taught me to read.’
‘I know, but I didn’t realise that you were clever enough to read real books.’
It was only now that Subh truly understood what her mistress had been trying to do for her; she had given her a gift, the gift of an education that in her circumstances she would never have had, and by doing so, she had opened many doors for her. Subh doubted that her mistress had intended that she would end up in a royal harem, trying to seduce a homosexual prince, but she would have been well aware that an education could serve her maid in many ways.

Available on Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

One woman's rise from slavery to queen

26/3/2017

Subh umm Walad

In the year 950 AD or thereabouts, a young girl was captured by slavers. She was born in the north of Spain, probably in the Kingdom of Navarra. She was blonde, blue-eyed and beautiful and I'm sure the slavers thought they would get a very good price for her from the Moorish inhabitants of al-Andalus (what is now Andalusia in southern Spain).

Slavery was common in Moorish Spain in the 10th century. Muslims were allowed to own slaves as long as they were not Muslim, nor People of the Book (that’s to say, Jews or Christians). Many slaves came from northern Spain or were bought from the Viking traders. Naturally, blonde women were very popular in a part of the country where most of the population was made up of Arabs, Berbers and Muwallads.

The girl was bought by an educated family in Córdoba and named Subh. While she worked for them, she learnt to read and write in Arabic and to appreciate poetry. It’s not certain why she didn’t continue to live with the family, but it was common at the time for people to educate their slaves and thereby increase their value. The slaves could then be sold as book keepers or letter writers, for example. Owning a slave was a sign of prestige and especially if that slave was educated or had a white skin. Whatever the reason the next time we read of the girl, she is living in the caliph’s harem.

The Omayyad caliph, al-Hakim II, was a homosexual and had no interest in the women in his harem. Homosexuality was common amongst the upper classes in al-Andalus society, and although it was forbidden by the Koran, it was widely tolerated. But the ruler of the country had to produce an heir. His mother, the Queen Mother, the most powerful woman in the country, decided to do something about this. To keep her own position secure she needed her son to produce an heir. She instructed the chief eunuch, who ran the harem, to chose a special kind of concubine for her son, someone interested in poetry and music, in literature and all the things that occupied al-Hakim’s mind. She wanted someone with whom he could converse on an equal footing.
The chief eunuch chose Subh, who was tall and slim, very intelligent and by now, well educated, and he groomed her to seduce the reluctant caliph. The Queen Mother instructed Subh to cut off her hair and dress in men’s clothing when she went to see the caliph. Even though she was obviously not a man, the caliph eventually took her to his bed and a son was born. She was known from then on as Subh umm Walad (Subh, mother of a son). The caliph and Subh were said to become good friends and although he had already done his duty, another son was born a couple of years later.

The older son died when he was only 8 years-old and the younger one, al-Hisham, became the heir to the throne. In 976 AD, al-Hakim II died of apoplexy - what we would probably refer to today as a stroke - when he was only 50 years old. His young heir was just 11 years-old. And Subh umm Walad was now the new Queen Mother, the most important woman in the country.

How was such a young child going to rule a wealthy, complex country like al-Andalus, especially as it was surrounded by enemies? The new Queen Mother decided that a Regency should be formed to rule until her son was old enough to take control. She called together the Grand Vizier, General Ghalib and her lover, Abu Amir. They were all men she could trust - or so she thought - to protect her son. However this gap in the continuity of the rule of the caliphs meant things began to change. She didn't realise it but the eventual disintegration of the powerful Omayyad dynasty had begun.

You can read the fascinating story of Subh and what happened to the young caliph in Book 2 of the al-Andalus series, The Eye of the Falcon.

Available from Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
and other bookstores

Watch out for book 3 in this exciting series, due to be published in the summer.

Item 3 in the Vintage Voices Blog Tour

1/2/2017

The Yankee Years Books 1-3
By
Dianne Ascroft

After the Allied troops arrived in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland during the Second World War, life in the quiet, rural county would never be the same again.

The Shadow Ally

June 1941: When Ruth Corey finds a letter her journalist beau, Harry Coalter, has written, revealing details of the secret construction of an American flying-boat base, she fears it could destroy America’s neutrality and land him in serious trouble. The letter must not be posted. She enlists the help of attractive Italian-American civilian contractor Frank Long to help her stop Harry. Can Ruth safeguard this military secret and protect her beau?
Acts of Sabotage

December 1941: After the attack on Pearl Harbour, the new American flying-boat base must be ready when the first US troops arrive on Northern Ireland’s shores. But, despite Frank’s best efforts, religious conflict within the workforce and thefts on the construction site threaten to scupper the project. Frank confides his worries to Ruth and the pair devise a plan to catch the thieves. Can they stop these acts of sabotage and then what does the future hold for them?

Keeping Her Pledge

June 1942: Pearl Grainger’s life is much more exciting since the Allied troops arrived but she is unprepared for the harsh reality of war, and her RCAF boyfriend is determined to protect her from it. Can Pearl keep her pledge to do her bit for the war effort without losing the man she loves?

Links for Purchase
Amazon US
Amazon UK
About the author

Dianne Ascroft writes historical and contemporary fiction, often with an Irish connection. Her series The Yankee Years is a collection of Short Reads and novels set in World War II Northern Ireland. After the Allied troops arrived in this outlying part of Great Britain, life there would never be the same again. The series brings those heady, fleeting years to life again, in thrilling and romantic tales of the era.

Her other writing includes a ghost tale inspired by the famous Coonian ghost, An Unbidden Visitor; a short story collection, Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves, and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars

Useful Links
Website: www.dianneascroft.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DianneAscroft

Item 2 in VINTAGE VOICES' blog tour

25/1/2017

Blog Tour ~ SEDAHLIA #HistFic #BGSHF @ctoliver58

SEDAHLIA
By
Cynthia D Toliver
After fleeing post-Civil War Georgia, John Masters, Sr., his wife Virginia Masters, and their rebellious servant Jessie Lindsey have built new lives in Texas ranch country. Now their offspring, Johnny Masters and Rachel Lindsey, are in love. On the isolated, sprawling Sedahlia ranch, their youthful dalliances are largely overlooked until Rachel becomes pregnant, forcing Rachel to leave Texas for a freedman’s school in Georgia.

From the insulated Sedahlia ranch to the Jim Crow south, the rails both separate and unite - parting lovers, reuniting family, pushing out the old, bringing in the new. It is in these settings that the Masters and Lindseys live and love, and their personal needs and mores clash with society. The repercussions rumble through this family and the surrounding community, tearing them asunder and bringing them together as only love and tragedy will.

Book Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2X9KnqMINo
Link for Purchase US
https://www.amazon.com/SEDAHLIA-Cynthia-D-Toliver/dp/163490561X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484591402&sr=1-1&keywords=Sedahlia
Link for Purchase UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SEDAHLIA-Cynthia-D-Toliver/dp/163490561X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484592328&sr=1-1&keywords=sedahlia

Author Bio
Cynthia D. Toliver is a 1980 graduate of Rice University and a native Texan. She has enjoyed a varied career as an engineer, environmental consultant, educator and author. Sedahlia is her second novel and third book. She has two previously published works, Crown’s Jewel, a historical novel and Come See a Man, an inspirational book. She also hosts a Christian blog, Back to Eden at cynthiatoliver.blogspot.com. Follow Ms. Toliver at www.cynthiatoliver.net.

Inspiration
My inspirations come from multiple sources. Sometimes it is a word or title. Other times it may be a thought, observation or dream. From that seed, I will develop my characters and write an outline. The seed for Sedahlia was a dream about disparate lovers. Their story sprouted and grew to the family saga it is today.
I love the creative process, from beginning to end. My books are very much character driven. As a writer, I become invested in the characters and their stories. If I've crafted them well, my readers will do the same.
Other Links
Author website www.cynthiatoliver.net
Author blog http://www.cynthiatoliver.net/blog/
Christian blog, Back to Eden http://cynthiatoliver.blogspot.com/
http://facebook.com/cynthia.toliver
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCynthiaToliver/
twitter @ctoliver58