26 April 2014

Do your research!

If you're going to complain about a plot element in a review - and that element has something to do with the historical setting in the book - for goodness' sakes, do some research on it first!

Because chances are, the author most certainly did.

Case in point: my latest book is set in 1557. And I spent almost as much time researching that time period as I did writing the book!
Here's what one reviewer had to say (amongst other things):



"My problems with this book are, 1 in the 1500s Rose would have been married by the time she was 18 she most likely would have been wed at 14, as a daughter of good family she would've been engaged since birth."


That is simply NOT TRUE. Whilst royal princes and princesses were often betrothed in infancy to secure alliances, the average marrying age of most women in this period was in fact far higher than one might expect - many didn't actually wed until their mid to late twenties.

Furthermore, betrothal agreements between noble families also didn't happen until the individuals involved were of a marrying age. There was an extremely high infant (and child) mortality rate back in those days, it wouldn't have made sense to make wedding plans until it was clear that your son or daughter would actually reach adulthood.

Cases in point: the daughters of Sir Thomas Moore, close friend and advisor of King Henry VIII, as well as both the daughters and nieces of the Boleyns, to name but a few.

Not my usual blog topic but I just had to get this off my chest because it really irks me when thorough research is ignored and even criticised for the sake of a completely uneducated opinion.



25 April 2014

Good Intentions...

I am usually full of them, but when it comes to actually fulfilling my good intentions... well, sometimes I just deserve a sound spanking for procrastination.



So, I have decided to make two of those intentions public, in the hopes that someone will hold me accountable if I do not follow through.

Are you ready?

1. I intend to update this blog at least three times a week, ideally five.

and...

2. I intend to finish my rewrite of 'Summer Camp' by 9th May.


We shall see, people, we shall see. And yes, I will probably end up holding myself accountable.

24 April 2014

Presenting "Little Tudor Rose"!

Apologies for my absence; I've had my family staying from overseas and been too busy getting out and about with them to do much updating. However, in the meantime, my latest novella has finally been released on Amazon, Blushing Books and Barnes & Noble.

Little Tudor Rose

I am extremely proud that it's been doing quite well so far, it's even made it into the top 30 on Amazon in the medieval category!

To read the free sample, or better yet, to get your copy, please go to any of the sites listed above. Happy, hot reading!