Hi There! I’m Rachel Fordham, author of A LADY IN ATTENDANCE, a story that has been in my heart a long time and will be in readers’ hands June 1st. It’s rich with historical details and a romance that made me sigh while writing it. I’m excited to give you story teasers using the title! Here goes: A-  A is for Attending. The first dental assistants were referred to as either attending women or ladies in attendance. Hazel accepts a job working for the local dentist. * L- L is for Love After spending five years in a New York State reformatory, Hazel has a blemish on her name. Can someone with a past like hers ever find love? A- A is for Authentic Hazel grew up in high society, spent five years behind iron gates, and is now working as a dental assistant (using a fictitious name). Discovering who she really is, is a journey. D- D is for Daring The past is forever haunting Hazel, keeping her from believing in the future. It takes courage and friendship for her to dare face the things she tried to leave behind. Y-Y is for Youth If Hazel could change anything,…

The Viking invaders played a big part in the Conquest world of 1066 England whose stories were featured in last month’s column.  With May being spring in Norway—when we lived in Oslo for three years, our landlord declared the second week of May to be officially “spring” and allowed us to clear any remaining snow off our lawns then—this month we will explore more stories that illuminate the Viking world by interpreting the lives of historic and legendary Viking women.  As with the world of 1066, this era seems to attract writers who produce multi-volume sagas.  What greater delight to an avid reader than discovering a new series? We begin with THE NORSE QUEEN by Johanna Wittenberg, which reinterprets the life of the Viking queen Asa.  In the ninth century, Viking power is just developing, with the land still fragmented into thirty warring kingdoms that continually raid each other to pillage and capture wives and slaves.  Fifteen-year-old Asa, daughter of the King of Tromoy, is sought as a bride by Gudrod, king of a neighboring province.  Her refusal to wed him sparks a bitter reprisal, in which her family is killed, and to save her people, she must marry her…

You’re a big believer in the importance of opening paragraphs. Please elaborate. I’ve got two favorites. The first is from A Tale of Two Cities, whose first sentence is, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I also really like: “Fear presides over these memories, a perpetual fear.” That’s from Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America. When I open a novel for the first time, I want to be intrigued or amazed or unsettled—right from the start. In addition, within a few sentences, I’m eager to get into the rhythm of literary language, which encourages me to continue to turn pages. The opening line of my debut novel in 2018—My Mother’s Son—has been commented on by almost all of the reviewers: “When you’re a kid, they don’t always tell you the truth.” It’s followed by, “They tell others that they don’t want to hurt you or they think you won’t understand. But in reality, it’s just easier if they tell you what makes them feel good, or what gets them out of a jam.” Readers tell me that this braces them for the unexpected, and this is precisely how I wanted them to react. Here’s…

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Glynis! We are excited to chat with you today. Please tell us a little about yourself and your new book, THE FORGOTTEN ORPHAN.  Hello, thanks for inviting me along! I’m 63 years old, married since I was 21 and am a mother of three adults. I am also a grandmother to four. Three granddaughters and one grandson. I’m a carer for my mother and am a retired nurse. I live by the sea in England. The town of Harwich was also the home of the captain of The Mayflower, Christopher Jones.  I enjoy fishing and when I get the opportunity, cross-stitch. What do you think appeals to readers about novels set during World War II? What do you love writing about this time period?  As a reader of the genre myself, I am drawn to the strength and resilience of the people who fought for our freedom. It is a story we cannot ignore and one which can be told in many different ways. Each country involved has a different part to play and it makes for interesting reading.   Your main character, Maisie Reynolds, was raised in an orphanage, was separated from her twin brother,…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN CUBA 2–What is it about? It’s inspired by the true story of Evangelina Cisneros, a Cuban revolutionary who was wrongfully imprisoned by the Spanish in a notorious women’s jail in Havana, and who became an international celebrity when her plight came to the attention of William Randolph Hearst, the owner and publisher of the New York Journal. Hearst used her as a rallying cry to provoke U.S. intervention in the war for independence between Cuba and Spain. Her life intertwines with that of Grace Harrington, an American journalist, and Marina Perez, a Cuban revolutionary working as a courier in Havana. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I really loved learning more about this period in Cuban history. It’s one I was previously somewhat unfamiliar with, and my research made me wonder what my ancestors’ lives would have been like during the fight for Cuban independence. 4–How did your main character(s) surprise you?  My characters are constantly surprising me! When I originally started researching the book, I didn’t know that I was going to tell Marina’s story from her point of view, but once…

Welcome back to Fresh Fiction, Renee! The last time you were here, we discussed Park Avenue Summer, and this time we’re chatting about THE SOCIAL GRACES. Can you tell us what drew you to write about Gilded Age New York?  Several years ago, I wrote another novel about Marshall Field, the Chicago retail tycoon called WHAT THE LADY WANTS which was set during the Gilded Age. I really enjoyed that time period and wanted to revisit that era. The gowns, the balls, the excess, and etiquette, which runs from practical to absurd, have always fascinated me. When I stumbled upon Caroline Astor and Alva Vanderbilt’s stories, I knew I could use New York’s Gilded Age as backdrop to create a completely different type of novel, filled with fun, juicy scandals, and all the glamour. The Astors and the Vanderbilts are synonymous with high society drama. Was there anything truly outrageous you learned through your research that was hard to believe actually happened?  Oh, my goodness, where to begin!!! I was really surprised by how understated and refined the Knickerbockers, (the old money and original settler of New York) were in the beginning. It wasn’t until the Nouveau Riche (representing the…

Coming out of a long winter after an even longer lonely miserable year, we look forward to a spring of hope and new beginnings.  In keeping with that, this month we’ll examine stories that reveal the backdrop to a moment of history that signaled a radical new beginning for England, when the ruling mastery of the island shifted forever from Saxon and Viking kings to the Normans.  But in a departure from the tomes of most historians, these novels look at these well-known events through the eyes of the lesser-known queens of the conquest era. We begin with SHADOW ON THE CROWN (THE EMMA OF NORMANDY TRILOGY #1) by Patricia Bracewell.  In 1002, young Emma of Normandy is sent across the Narrow Sea to marry much-older King Eathelred of England in a bargain to guarantee peace between the two kingdoms.  Told from the point of view of four protagonists—Emma, King Aethelred, his son Aethelstan and ealdorman’s daughter Aelfgifa of Northhampton, the story tracks Emma’s progress at the court.  Mistrusted by her husband, resented by her stepsons and harassed by a beautiful rival who would take her place, Emma must quickly learn to maneuver her way through the treacherous alliances of…

1–What is the title of your latest release? YOU BELONG HERE NOW 2–What is it about?  In 1925 Montana, a brusque, spinster rancher begrudgingly takes in three mysterious orphans, and when the oldest is jailed for freeing wild horses rounded up for slaughter, she discovers he is a dangerous fugitive from Hell’s Kitchen. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  The Wind. That cold Northern wind comes down and desiccates you in the winter. I joke about chapped butts in my book, but they are a serious thing, I can tell you. It’s also quiet and peaceful, something my fugitive from Hell’s Kitchen, Charles, loves because he’s slept on the streets and there was always racket. 4–How did your main character(s) surprise you?  Nara broke the law in a huge way, after espousing rules and law to Charles for most of the book. 5–Why will readers relate to your characters?  I write a big cast of lovable characters. There is someone for everyone to root for. Their all broken, like real people, but they put one foot in front of the other.   6–What was one of your biggest challenges while writing this book (spoiler-free, of course!)? …

Jen: What inspired you to write THE LAST NIGHT IN LONDON? Karen: Many things, but mostly my experience of living in a beautiful old building in London for 7 years when I was a teenager, and the frequent emails from readers wanting to know what happened to Maddie Warner from my two previous books, Falling Home and After the Rain.  I guess you can say I’ve been waiting for over a decade to find the perfect story to bring these two inspirations together. What brings Eva Harlow and Precious Dubose together in pre-WWII London? They are both beautiful young women with a passion for beautiful things, including clothes.  They are also poor and needing to earn a living, and they become models for a small couture house while sharing a small flat.  Working and living together brings them to become as close as sisters.  At least at first. When Graham St. John comes on the scene, how does their friendship change? Initially, it doesn’t.  Both women are both enjoying their newfound freedom and access to higher social classes, and the exciting social scene of pre-war London.  It’s only when Eva becomes romantically involved with Graham that she begins to see…

Friends–I am busy. Do you ever go through a time where you feel like you’re moving in a million different directions and yet you still feel like you aren’t getting much done? I’m having that moment right now. But somehow, I still find time to do something fun. It’s a huge personal indulgence of mine, but now, because of my future book release (Summer 2022!!), I can say I’m ogling… I mean looking… at covers for research. Here are some of my favorite covers of 2021 so far. I’ve noted which of these books I’ve read, too! WILD WOMEN AND THE BLUES by DENNY S. BRYCE (March 2021, Kensington) 1920s anything, I’m here for it. 1920s Chicago–my home city–take my money. I’ve read this book and it’s exceptional. This gorgeous cover is the perfect reflection of what’s inside. THE GIRL WITH STARS IN HER EYES by XIO AXELROD (April 2021, Sourcebooks Casablanca) A second chance, indie-rock romance? Yes, please! Reading this book such fun entertainment. And LOOK AT HER SUNGLASSES!! I love the little details on this cover. HANA KHAN CARRIES ON by UZMA JALALUDDIN (April 2021, Berkley) The movement on this cover is so intriguing, and the line drawing…