Get Lost in Medieval England with Rogue Knight!

Hi, there! It's Regan WALKER here... joining you today to tell you about my new medieval romance, ROGUE KNIGHT, and share a bit of the history and an excerpt, a teaser to make you want more!

This story follows THE RED WOLF'S PRIZE, which was #1 in Amazon's Top 100 Medieval Romances last year, and has just won the RONE award for Best Historical Novel for 2015 in the medieval category

Have you ever heard of the "Harrying of the North" that occured in England in the winter of 1069-70? Neither had I until I began my research for the series. It was the time when William the Conqueror decided to show no mercy. It wasn't enough to conquer and rule; he was bent on total submission and he eventually got it. The book is set in medieval York where it all happened.

Perhaps the most famous account of the Harrying comes from the ancient chronicler Orderic Vitalis, who stated:

“Nowhere else had William shown such cruelty. Shamefully he succumbed to this vice, for he made no effort to restrain his fury and punished the innocent and the guilty. In his anger he commanded that all crops and herds, chattels and food of every kind should be bought together and burned to ashes with consuming fire, so that the whole region north of the Humber might be stripped of all means of sustenance. In consequence so serious a scarcity was felt in England, and so terrible a famine fell upon the humble and defenceless populace, that more than 100,000 Christian folk of both sexes, young and old alike, perished of hunger.”

I can tell you such times make for some exciting scenes. ROGUE KNIGHT is the story of Sir Geoffroi de Tournai, one of the French knights who followed William to England and fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The short description:

Click on the cover to order

York, England 1069… three years after the Norman Conquest

The North of England seethes with discontent under the heavy hand of William the Conqueror, who unleashes his fury on the rebels who dare to defy him. Amid the ensuing devastation, love blooms in the heart of a gallant Norman knight for a Yorkshire widow.

A LOVE NEITHER CAN DENY, A PASSION NEITHER CAN RESIST

Angry at the cruelty she has witnessed at the Normans’ hands, Emma of York is torn between her loyalty to her noble Danish father, a leader of the rebels, and her growing passion for an honorable French knight.

Loyal to King William, Sir Geoffroi de Tournai has no idea Emma hides a secret that could mean death for him and his fellow knights.

WAR DREW THEM TOGETHER, WAR WOULD TEAR THEM APART

War erupts, tearing asunder the tentative love growing between them, leaving each the enemy of the other. Will Sir Geoffroi, convinced Emma has betrayed him, defy his king to save her?

USA Today Bestselling Author Kathryn Le Veque, who read the manuscript, described the book as "Mesmerizing medieval romance! A vivid portrayal of love flourishing amidst the turbulence of the years after the Norman Conquest."

Mayhap you would like to read of their first meeting… a bit ominous but remember, it led to love:

Dear God.

She crossed herself and covered her mouth, fighting the urge to spew at the sight of so much blood and so many bodies strewn about the clearing, blood congealed on their clothing, their vacant eyes staring into space. Some of the blood had pooled on the ground to catch the rays of the sun. The metallic scent of it, carried by the wind, rose in her nostrils.

At her side, the hound whimpered.

So many.

Until the Normans had come, Yorkshire had been a place of gentle hills, forests and thatched cottages circling a glistening jewel of a city set between two winding rivers. A place of children’s voices at play, some of those voices now silenced forever, for among the bodies lying on the cold ground were mere boys, their corpses cast aside like broken playthings.

At the sound of heavy footfalls on the snow-crusted ground, she jerked her head around, her heart pounding in her chest.

A figure emerged from the trees, so close she could have touched him.

She cringed. A Norman.

A tall giant of a knight, his blood-splattered mail a dull gray in the weak winter sun, ripped off his silvered helm and expelled an oath as he surveyed the dozens of dead. The sword in his hand still dripped the blood of those he had slain. He was no youth this one, at least thirty. His fair appearance made her think of Lucifer, the fallen angel of light. A seasoned warrior of death who has taken many lives.

Had he killed people she knew? Her heart raced as fear rose in her chest.

Would she be next?

Beginning about a year ago, I started doing Pinterest storyboards for my books. The storyboards document my research and provide a pictorial display of images from the book. Many of my readers love them. I thought you might like to see the one for ROGUE KNIGHT (link below).

Tell me what you love about medieval romance for a chance to win book 1, THE RED WOLF'S PRIZE!

Meet REGAN WALKER, our newest crew member!

E.E. here, to introduce you to our newest crew member. Let's give a big HUZZAH to bestselling historical romance author Regan Walker.

I met Regan at an RWA conference a couple years ago, but I'd been following her blog for some time. This fascinating lady is serious about her historical romance. She's my type of romance author because she weaves rich historical detail with passionate romance. 

Shirley Busbee calls her romances "riveting." Virginia Henley says "exciting." I say, HUZZAH! 

When I found out how much research Regan does to ensure accuracy, I knew we would be soul sisters for life! (I'm a research geek, too, in case you hadn't figured that out.) 

Californian by artist William Lowe

In fact, Regan set sail on a reproduction of a period schooner (the one in the William Lowe painting to the left) to do research for her current novel, To Tame the Wind. 

You can watch an interview with Barbara Vey to find out more about her adventure. It involves sailors...er, I mean sailor's manuals. 

http://www.reganwalkerauthor.com/about-regan.html

Regency & Georgian

Her latest novel, To Tame the Wind, a prequel to her Agents of the Crown series, is set in England and France in 1782. It's the story of Capt. Simon Powell, an English privateer, and the wild Claire Donet, a French pirate's daughter, who became the parents of Sir Martin and Capt. Jean Nicholas Powell, heroes in books 2 & 3. 

To Tame the Wind is also book 1 in the Donet duology. 

Echo in the Wind, the  story of Claire's dashing pirate father, is planned for 2016. 

Against the Wind is a finalist for the RONE award and To Tame the Wind is on the "short list" for the Best Self-Published Work of 2015, awarded by Books Go Social.

Historical Novellas

Regan also has three novellas out, including The Holly & The Thistle, The Shamrock & the Rose, and The Twelfth Night Wager. 

Medieval Romance

She recently began a medieval romance series that includes:

The Red Wolf's Prize, 2014

Rogue Knight, coming in Fall 2015

Besides writing, Regan reads...a lot. She's a top reviewer on both Amazon and Goodreads. Her "other" blog is dedicated to lovers of historical romance. http://reganromancereview.blogspot.com

Regan, in her own words...

I loved to write stories as a child, particularly those about adventure-loving girls, but by the time I got to college more serious pursuits were encouraged. One of my professors suggested a career in law, and I took that path. Years of serving clients in private practice and several stints in high levels of government gave me a love of international travel and a feel for the demands of the “Crown.” Hence my romance novels often involve a demanding sovereign who taps his subjects for “special assignments.” Each of my novels features real history and real historic figures. And, of course, adventure and love.

An interesting fact about me is that I had never read a romance until 2009. Since then I've posted 800 reviews on Amazon (with a 91% helpful rating), one of their top reviewers. Same on Goodreads. And once I discovered historical romance, my passion, I never looked back. I like the deep historicals, the ones that stick with me long after I've read the last page. You can see my Top 20 list here. 

Regan and Kaki
on Jacobite Steam Train

I recently took a trip to Scotland with author Kaki Warner (she's up for a RITA this year for her book, Where the Horses Run).

Regan in the heather

It was a research trip for me as I eventually plan to write a trilogy of romances from Skye's deep past, a series I've been contemplating since before I wrote my first Regency.

Regan and a fellow Walker
at the Highland Games in Pitlochry

Regan is a member of The Beau Monde, Celtic Hearts and Seattle and San Diego chapters of RWA. She's very active on Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest. Here's where you can find her:

Website    

Amazon Author page  

Blog

Twitter @RegansReview    

Facebook  

Goodreads   

Pinterest

Regan lives in San Diego with her golden retriever, Link, who she says inspires her every day to relax and smell the roses.

Welcome to Get Lost in a Story, Regan!  

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Get Lost in Medieval Romance with Regan Walker

Regan Walker is an avid romance reader, reviewer and a bestselling author. She has a new book out, a medieval romance featuring a feisty undercover bride and a simmering conquerer. Here's a look at The Red Wolf's Prize. 

Available on Amazon

HE WOULD NOT BE DENIED HIS PRIZE

Sir Renaud de Pierrepont, the Norman knight known as the Red Wolf for the beast he slayed with his bare hands, hoped to gain lands with his sword. A year after the Conquest, King William rewards his favored knight with Talisand, the lands of an English thegn slain at Hastings, and orders him to wed the heiress that goes with them, Lady Serena.

SHE WOULD LOVE HIM AGAINST HER WILL

Serena wants nothing to do with the fierce warrior to whom she has been unwillingly given, the knight who may have killed her father. When she learns the Red Wolf is coming to claim her, she dyes her flaxen hair brown and flees, disguised as a servant, determined to one day regain her lands. But her escape goes awry and she is brought back to live among her people, though not unnoticed by the new Norman lord.

Deprived of his promised bride, the Red Wolf turns his attention to the comely servant girl hoping to woo her to his bed. But the wench resists, claiming she hates all Normans. As the passion between them rises, Serena wonders, can she deny the Norman her body? Or her heart?

Here's an excerpt:

Renaud lingered at the high table in the hall until he glimpsed the servant girl with the brown plait carry a pile of linen through the entry heading toward the stairs to the bedchambers. Slowly rising, he nodded to Geoff and followed after her.

Quietly, he stepped through the open door of his chamber. The girl had her back to him as she freshened the bed, the stack of clean linen resting on a nearby chest. He did not acknowledge her but went directly to the trestle table, poured a goblet of wine and sat, pretending to examine a drawing of the lands surrounding the manor. 

She turned. “I can come back later, my lord.” She spoke meekly, barely looking at him as she hurriedly finished with the bed and began a hasty retreat to the door.

He replied in the English tongue, as he did to all save his men. “Nay, you may stay. Your work will not disturb me.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her back stiffen. Slowly, she retraced her steps and resumed her work. Her movements were rushed as if she were trying to complete her assigned tasks in haste. Was she nervous at being alone with him? Even with that, Renaud thought she was graceful as she walked to the shelves near where he sat. She held her head high, unusual for a servant in the presence of her lord. Though her long plait was the dull color of country earth, her profile was refined and her features delicate. He rose and silently moved to stand behind her where she dusted a carved box.

She must have sensed his approach.

“My lord?” she said, turning to face him.

Blue-violet eyes held his gaze only a moment before looking down at the floor. Set in her ivory face they reminded him of violets in the snow. So mesmerized was he that, for a moment, he forgot his question.

“Your name is Sarah?”

Keeping her eyes focused on the floor, she said, “Yea, my lord.”

“How long have you been at Talisand?”

“All my life, my lord.” Her voice was soft, a low purr, and with her words a flowery scent drifted to his nose. He was captivated and wanted to touch her. How long had it been since he’d had a woman? And this one was causing his manhood to stir.  

Turning back to the shelf, she resumed dusting the carved box, as if to put an end to the conversation. His gaze shifted to her hand as she set down the box. Delicate fingers and ivory skin. It was not the hand of a kitchen wench.

“Let me see your hand.” She started at his request, and though he could see she wanted to resist, she did not fight him when he reached for her hand and brought it close to his body turning her palm upward.

It told him much.

Meet Regan

As a child, Regan loved to write stories, but by the time she got to college, more serious pursuits were encouraged, so she became a lawyer. But after years of serving clients in private practice and several stints in high levels of government, she decided it was time for a change. She returned to her first love of writing. Her work had given her a love of international travel and a feel for the demands of the “Crown,” so her first novels, the Agents of the Crown trilogy, involve a demanding Prince Regan who thinks of his subjects as his private talent pool.

And now Regan has ventured into the medieval world with THE RED WOLF’S PRIZE, a William the Conqueror romance. Regan wants her readers to experience history and adventure as well as love. Each of her stories weaves in history and real historical figures.

Regan lives in San Diego with her Golden Retriever who reminds her every day to smell the roses. 

You can email Regan at Regan.Walker123@gmail.com, or find out more about her books here:

Regan’s website

Regan's Romance Review blog

Twitter: @RegansReview

Facebook

Goodreads 

Pinterest

The Interview:

E.E.: How often to you get lost in a story?

Regan: Often. I am an avid reader and reviewer of historical romance so I’m reading for my HistoricalRomance Review blog all the time, every night. I love being in the deep past, seeing history unfold as I’m falling in love with the hero.

E.E.: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

Regan: When I was a child, before I’d turned eight, I’d read the entire fairy tale section of our public library. I was big into fairy tales then. Even in later years, I read The Lord of the Rings twice. When my son came along, I read him the Harry Potter books, but for my taste now, it’s probably action and adventure. My novels all feature those elements, though occasionally there might be a glimmer of my past affection for fairy tales. There is a character in The Red Wolf’s Prize, Maugris, who sees visions.

E.E.: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?

Regan: I write all my books to music. I have a 3-hour playlist I use, comprised mostly of movie scores by the French composer Alexandre Desplat. But for some scenes, I use special music. I used Skyfall for some of the battle scenes in The Red Wolf’s Prize, as I did for the pirate attacks in Wind Raven, my last novel.

For the song that Rhodri, the Welsh bard, sings with Serena, I used Muladach Mi Is Mi Air M'aineol by Capercaillie on their Celtic Celebration album. It was just as I pictured them, sitting in the great hall, the firelight dancing on her face as she smiles at the Welsh bard and the Red Wolf observes in the shadows, mesmerized. Here's one of their songs on YouTube,

E.E.: Where do you read and how often?

Regan: I read every day…usually in bed at night for several hours. And I take my Kindle or a book with me everywhere I go, so that if I am forced to wait, I can take out my book and be happy in an instant. I am an AVID reader.

E.E.: What sounds do you love?

Regan: The ocean waves breaking on shore. Rain falling. Thunderstorms, especially when I’m tucked under the covers at night. Music to my soul.

E.E.: What was the first story you remember writing?

Regan: In grammar school, I wrote a story about a brave girl. I recall she had adventures. It was called “A 20^th Century Pollyanna.

E.E.: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Regan: It used to be Casablanca, but that has been replaced by Pride and Prejudice (the version with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen)—I like the happy ending.

E.E.: What is your biggest vice?

Regan: Dark chocolate, the gourmet kind. Currently my favorite bar is Triple Nut Temptation made by Chuao, but I would not turn down a chocolate truffle. Just sayin’…

E.E.: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?

Regan: Sometimes, but only if the heroine is strong and smart and courageous. I don’t like weak, whiny heroines who keep tripping on their gown as they are trying to escape. Please.

E.E.: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

Regan: The deep historicals, rich in historical detail with a believable plot and sincere emotion. I call them the two-Kleenex novels.

E.E.: Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?

Regan: I’d invite Lady Mary Campbell from Racing With The Wind. She’s smart, courageous and clever—and she always has some scheme she is working on. I’d not invite my villains. They’d insist on having their way and they’d not be kind about it.

E.E.: What three things are, at this moment, in your heroine’s purse, satchel, reticule, weapons belt or amulet bag (whatever she carries)?

Regan: From The Red Wolf's Prize, in Serena’s satchel: herbs, bandages and her deadly seax knife. She’s a worthy heroine, to be sure.

Regan is giving away a copy of The Red Wolf's Prize. All you have to do is leave a comment and enter the raffle.

Today's question for our readers: “What fascinates you most about the medieval period?”

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Welcome back Kris Kennedy!

Get Lost in This Story…

Irishman Kieran has a history of staggering successes and one truly awful failure. Now he's on a misson of revenge, and the men who betrayed him are about to pay. He planned everything, from how he'll lure them out, to how he'll hammer the last nail into their coffins.

Everything except the appearance of the woman who can bring the whole thing crashing down around him.

She wants the same thing he does.

And neither one is backing down.

Please welcome back to the blog my friend, Kris Kennedy, who is celebrating the release of her latest novel, DECEPTION!

Since we’ve interviewed Kris a couple of times in the past, today we are handing over the keys of the blog to her…

Everything’s Different Now

This is my favorite part of a book or a movie, that moment when the hero or heroine suddenly realizes nothing’s ever going to be the same again.  They know, with a deep, often unsettling certainty, that everything is different now.

Sometimes it’s a huge, life-altering realization, like in Star Wars when Luke Skywalker finds out...(spoiler coming—Darth Varder is his father.  Everyone here knew that, yes?)   Sometimes it’s a much smaller awareness, like that tingle up the heroine’s spine when the hero walks in.  But those smaller moments are like pebbles rolling down a mountainside: you know there’s more coming.

In great stories, this irrevocability happens over and over, with increasingly crushing implications, and the stakes get higher and the situations get worse.

I love it  when this happens at the start of a story, when the first moment of ‘everything’s different’ comes.  When everything seems same-old, same-old, then suddenly the bottom drops out.     I love that moment early on in a story, when the hero and heroine get ‘stuck’ together somehow, whether it’s a common goal between common enemies, or some other reason that forces them onto a joined path.   The connection has been forged.

In DECEPTION, the heroine Sophia is a woman who’s been pushed a little too far, a little too often, by men who are much too powerful, and she’s finally said ‘enough.’   She’s about to break into somewhere she doesn’t belong and steal something that is technically not hers.  But that’s not the real problem.  The REAL problem is the man who got there before her, and is sitting in the dark, watching her break in.   As for the hero, Kier,  he knows he’s facing a moment of irrevocability the moment he sees her, when he recognizes who she is and thinks, “It was as if someone had punched him in the chest...She. His battle coming.”

I also love those great, middle-story turning points, when people have a moment of choice to go all-in, or to turn away.  The stakes have been raised, the characters know what’s at risk, and they know danger is mounting.  They realize if they keep going, they’ll be stepping off some sort of cliff.  There’ll be no turning back.   And, even when they lie to themselves about why, they step anyhow.

In DECEPTION, Kier, the con man hero, knows his schemes are incredibly dangerous, and Sophia might get hurt.  Fatally so.  He might get hurt, if he follows his heart in the matter of Sophia once again.  But without him, she’s a dead woman, and he knows it.    And Sophia, well, she’s spent her entire life around criminals.  She knows very well not to trust her roguish criminal lover.  But with everything at stake, including their hearts, they join forces and dive deeper into his con.

But I especially love those late-in-the-story moments, the big shining moment of  “everything’s different now.”  The hero and heroine have been hemmed in, forced to make more and more difficult choices, which makes their path higher and narrower, and the options for escape fewer and fewer, and the stakes for failure worse and worse.  And then, when things look their blackest, when all hope is lost, then the hero and heroine have their choice to make, a sacrifice to get on with, and their choice reveals they are an entirely different person than they were at the start.  Because everything is different now.

In DECEPTION . . . .  Well, actually, I think you’ll have to read to find out.  :)    And I hope you love.

I’m giving away a copy of my previous release, Defiant, another sexy medieval set on the eve of Magna Carta with a very dangerous hero and an extremely—did I mention extremely?--determined heroine.   Just let me know some of your favorite “Everything’s different now” moments from your ‘keeper’ books or movies!

You MUST leave your e-mail in the comments section to be eligible…

Kris Kennedy writes hot historical romances about heroes and heroines who make irrevocable choices that lead to lots of sexy drama.  Her current release DECEPTION, received 4 1/2 stars from RT Book Reviews and is available now. Visit her website http://kriskennedy.net or excerpts, updates, newsletter sign-up, or just to drop Kris a note!

Please come back tomorrow, where we will celebrate the release of Heather Snow’s second novel, SWEET DECEPTION, that releases in stores Tuesday!