Spring is sprung

Spring is arriving at last in southern France where I am copyediting my novel, The Viking Hostage. I was delighted to revisit this quotation from Freda White’s Three Rivers of France: ‘the spring in Aquitaine comes flying from the west in a swirl of flowers, with summer hard on its heels, pursuing it by the…

Cover Reveal – The Viking Hostage

I am very excited to reveal the new cover for The Viking Hostage, which has been designed by Jessica Bell. The Viking Hostage was an Amazon bestseller in Australia on its first publication, back in 2014, and has been out of print for two years. I am especially excited, therefore, to welcome it back to…

Guest post on medieval Wales

Thank you to Tony Riches for hosting my guest post on the Turbulent Life of Nest Ferch Rhys, her relationship with King Henry I, and how she lived through the Norman conquest of Wales. Nest is the heroine of my Conquest trilogy. The first book, Daughter of the Last King, has just been reissued and…

Happy Saint David’s Day

Happy Saint David’s Day and happy publication day to me for the launch of the first book in the new edition of my Conquest trilogy set in 12th century Wales! Saint David was a renowned teacher and an eloquent preacher. He practised asceticism, encouraging the avoidance of meat and beer. He founded monasteries across southwest Wales,…

Today’s Launch of Daughter of the Last King

M.N. Stroh’s interview with me is posted today on the Historical Novel Society website to celebrate the publication of Daughter of the Last King and the launch of my imprint Meanda Books.

New Books

The revised editions of my Conquest trilogy, with new covers by Jessica Bell, are available on preorder now and publication starts on 1 March, Saint David’s Day. Saint David is the patron saint of Wales.

Happy Welsh Lover’s Day

January 25th is Welsh Lover’s Day, celebrating Saint Dwynwen, a 5th century princess who was thwarted in love. Dwynwen had 23 sisters. She fell in love with Maelon Dafodrill but her father, King Brychan, would not allow her to marry him. Dwynwen fled to the woods, and Maelon was turned into a block of ice….

Helen of Wales

Shortly after Christmas, 1106,* the Norman steward of Pembroke Castle in Wales, Gerald FitzWalter, and his wife, the Welsh noblewoman Nest ferch Rhys, were invited to feast with Gerald’s bitter enemies King Cadwagn and his son Prince Owain. Cadwagn gave lip service to the Norman king but Owain was one of the lead rebels harrassing…

An invasion and a curse

I am delighted to announce the new edition of Daughter of the Last King, the first novel in my Conquest trilogy on the turbulent life of the 12th century Welsh noblewoman, Nest ferch Rhys, and the reign of King Henry I. The book will be published on 1 March 2023, Saint David’s Day. The ebook…

King and Lover

On this day, 887 years ago, King Henry I died after eating too many lampreys. Henry was the youngest son of William the Conqueror. He took the throne of England and Wales in 1100 after his older brother King William II (Rufus) was killed in a hunting accident in the New Forest. Henry was a…