Barbara Kyle

A NEW QUEEN OF HISTORICALS

BARBARA KYLE
Barbara is the author of the Tudor-era novels The Queen’s Gamble, The Queen’s Captive, The King’s Daughter and The Queen’s Lady, all published internationally. Barbara previously won acclaim for her contemporary novels under pen name ‘Stephen Kyle’ including Beyond Recall, a Literary Guild Selection. Over 400,000 copies of her books have sold. Her latest contemporary novel of suspense, Entrapped, written under her own name, is available as an e-book. Before becoming an author Barbara enjoyed a twenty-year acting career in television, film, and stage productions in Canada and the U.S. She lives in Ontario with her husband, where they enjoy sailing their Cal-46 ketch on beautiful Georgian Bay, Lake Huron.

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Barbara's latest book is a current release with a new contemporary suspense also available. I couldn't chose which book to feature so decided to show all.

THE QUEEN’S LADY The Thornleigh Series Book 1KensingtonSet in the nerve-jangled court of Henry VIII during his battle with the church for a divorce, THE QUEEN’S LADY is the story of Honor Larke, a ward of Henry’s chancellor, Sir Thomas More, and a lady-in-waiting to Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Forced to take sides in the religious extremism of the day, Honor fights to save the church’s victims from death at the stake, enlisting Richard Thornleigh, a rogue sea captain, in her missions of mercy, and finally risking her life to try to save Sir Thomas from the wrath of the king.

“Riveting, heady, glorious, inspired.” Susan Wiggs

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THE KING’S DAUGHTERThe Thornleigh Series Book 2KensingtonWhen Henry VIII’s bitter daughter, Queen Mary, launches her reign with a vow to annihilate heretics, young Isabel Thornleigh must act quickly to save her family. Determined to rescue her father from prison, she entrusts her mission, and herself, to ruthless mercenary Carlos Valverde. But Isabel is also pledged to spy for the rebel leader whose men are bent on overthrowing the Queen. Caught up in a dangerous maelstrom of intrigue and shifting loyalties, unsure of who is friend and who is foe, Isabel knows only that she must unmask the mysterious traitor bent on destroying her family.

“A complex and fast-paced plot, mixing history with vibrant characters.” Publisher Weekly

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THE QUEEN’S CAPTIVE
The Thornleigh Series Book 3Kensington

England, 1554. In the wake of the failed Wyatt Rebellion, a vengeful Queen Mary has ordered all conspirators captured and executed. Among the imprisoned is her own sister, twenty-year-old Princess Elizabeth. Though she protests her innocence, Elizabeth’s brave stand only angers Mary more.

Elizabeth longs to gain her liberty – and her sister’s crown – and in Honor and Richard Thornleigh and their seafaring son, Adam, the young princess has loyal allies. When Mary releases her from the Tower, hoping she’ll make a false move and condemn herself, the Thornleighs return from exile to help Elizabeth in the fight of her life.

To save her family and Elizabeth, Honor must turn a headstrong princess into a queen before "Bloody Mary" destroys them all.

“An exciting tale of the intrigue and political maneuvering in the Tudor court.” Booklist

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THE QUEEN’S GAMBLEThe Thornleigh Series Book 4Kensington
Young Queen Elizabeth I’s path to the throne has been a perilous one, and already she faces a dangerous crisis. French troops have landed in Scotland to quell a rebel Protestant army, and Elizabeth fears once they are entrenched on the border, they will invade England.

Isabel Thornleigh has returned to London from the New World with her Spanish husband, Carlos Valverde, and their young son. Ever the Queen’s loyal servant, Isabel is recruited to smuggle money to the Scottish rebels. Yet Elizabeth’s trust only goes so far—Isabel’s son will be the Queen’s pampered hostage until she completes her mission. Matters grow worse when Isabel’s husband is engaged as military advisor to the French, putting the couple on opposite sides in a deadly cold war.

“Action-packed adventure that expertly blends fiction with history ... a pulsating story of valor and greed, love and passion, and the tremendous cost of loyalty.” Publishers Weekly blog

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ENTRAPPEDASIN: B0056AEQVISet in Alberta, Canada, Entrapped is the story of Liv Gardner, an ambitious young oil executive intent on stopping farmer Tom Wainwright who is sabotaging her rigs after a spill of lethal “sour” gas poisoned his wife. Desperate to save the company she built, Liv plants evidence to frame Tom. But when the evidence is used to indict him for a murder he didn't commit, only Liv can save him.

“A cast of vivid characters, and none of them, from the slick oil baron to the vengeful radical to the not-quite-professional investigator are quite what they seem ... many jolts and twists and turns that will leave no one unsatisfied.” Giles Blunt, internationally acclaimed award-winning author of Crime Machine

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERSANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
BARBARA: Always, if it’s a well told story. It can be any genre. If the characters grab me, I’m theirs.

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?
BARBARA: That’s easy: my husband. We’re sailors, and while I’m often nervous, even scared, he’s always calm and resourceful – and he never yells 

ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
BARBARA: People who deny the seriousness of environmental problems.

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
BARBARA: I read a lot of research material for my writing, and that’s pretty constant. (I enjoy it, too.) For pure pleasure I read fiction and non-fiction that’s NOT for research, every night, in bed.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
BARBARA: Wind riding through the trees.

ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?
BARBARA: A short story about an opera singer. It was awful. Thankfully, I’m a quick learner *grin*

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
BARBARA: It’s a tie: “Howard’s End” and “As Good As It Gets”

ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
BARBARA: Definitely! Every time.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: Barbara, you write and think in two completely different time periods. Will your historical fans see a connection to your contemporary thriller work?
BARBARA’S GOTTA ANSWER: Yes, I think they will. I always feature a strong woman, and my characters always face huge challenges, so those are constants in both genres. Also, the heroines in my historicals and my suspense thrillers have to make hard choices about loyalty, another constant. I think such choices fascinate readers because we all face hard choices in our own lives.

BARBARA WANTS TO KNOW: I believe that, although the settings of my books are 450 years apart, human nature never changes. I’d be very interested to know if readers agree!

In honor of Barbara’s visit, I have a handful of romance trading cards to mail to a blog commenter. (Winner chosen by Random.org)
Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

Fans can CONTACT BARBARA at bkyle@barbarakyle.com
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