Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Egyptian Law for Building Churches Angers Christians

Coptic Christians seek solace in their faith, 
while facing turmoil in Egypt.

(AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

A general view of the Cave Cathedral or St. Sama'ans Church on the Mokattam Hills overlooking Cairo, Egypt.

After long hoping for an end to restrictions on the building of churches, many of Egypt's Christians are infuriated and feeling betrayed after lawmakers passed a law August 30, 2016, giving authorities broad powers to veto construction for vague reasons including worries over 'national security.'
http://accesswdun.com/print/2016/8/439763


                       (Photo: Reuters)

-
The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, a faith with ancient Christian roots in Egypt. This current holder of this position is Theodoros II or Tawadros II, who was selected as the 118th pope on November 4, 2012.

He is also Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Cathedral, and in the photo above leads the Coptic Christmas Eve Mass in Cairo January 6, 2014.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Why Reader Reviews are Important

Did you know August 2016 is Write-An-Amazon-Review Month? No? I didn't either until I read Helen Hollick’s latest blog post on the subject.

This staunch supporter of Indie Writers and successful author in her own right puts it very succinctly why reviews are so important to us authors; so I won’t repeat what she said.

Rather, I urge you to read her excellent post here:

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/are-reviews-important-yes.html

And now, I better go and read another great Indie book out there so I can put my “review where my mouth is.”

Especially, since I "bragged" about my summer reading list on the B.R.A.G. blog. 

Most of the books on my reading-wish list have either been chosen to be on the Historical Novel Society's winner list (an association where Helen is a founding member), or were selected as B.R.A.G. Medallion Honorees for excellence in writing. 

So, whenever you see this medallion on a cover, you can be assured that it has passed the most rigorous selection.

Thus, while enjoying a great read, I thought I might as well glean some pointers from the best.

And now, don't forget to write that review. Time (and August) is running out. And know, the diplomatically critical ones are often the most helpful to an author...just don't go overboard if you find some negatives to report; writers are people too.

But we all appreciate your time and effort in Writing that Review on Amazon (or any of the other retailers from where you may be purchasing your reading).



Thursday, August 18, 2016

My Review of Regina Jeffers' ANGEL COMES TO DEVIL'S KEEP

Manners, Mayhem, Murder – and Love

...all in the rarefied setting of the British Regency Period.

There are two things I don’t like in a “review.” Spilling the plot so as to become a spoiler; and “I usually don’t read this genre.”
Well, as for the latter, I don’t. Yet, thanks to the author’s deftness in staying “in style” and her flawless writing, I began to enjoy the unraveling story to the point where I was reading instead of doing some previously planned chores.
Having grown up in a somewhat formal European environment, I found it easy to slip into the speech pattern of the British aristocracy with its often painfully reticent demeanor. Trust me, the veiled tongue lashings nevertheless carried a deliciously sharp sting.
It was refreshing to have mayhem and murder heaped upon one without the now sadly so prevalent usage of foul language, nor were there any explicit sex scenes to groan over; however, flowing from the masterful pen of Ms. Jeffers, it all stayed intricately suspenseful and—indeed—exquisitely titillating.
I know how much research it takes to write proficiently about a certain period. Everything has to be correct: mannerisms, speech and clothing, everyday life, titles, social expectations and restrictions as well as locations. As Ms. Jeffers has written many novels in the Regency Romance genre, I suspect by now it may well be second nature to her – and it shows.

No matter what the obstacles, the desires, the ambitions, in the end it all came down to what hasn’t changed over time: The Quest for Love. Indeed, I shut off my Kindle with a satisfied sigh: Well done, Ms. Jeffers. Your readers will be happy with this one.


You can buy your copy at these sites:


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

A New Regency Romance by Regina Jeffers

 Today, it is my pleasure to introduce to you
Regina Jeffers,
the prolific and award-winning author of historical cozy mysteries, Austenesque sequels and retellings, as well as Regency era romances.

She has worn many hats over her lifetime: daughter, student, military brat, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, tax preparer, journalist, choreographer, Broadway dancer, theatre director, history buff, grant writer, media literacy consultant, and author.


Living outside of Charlotte, NC, Jeffers writes novels that take the ordinary and adds some mayhem, while mastering tension in her own life with a bit of gardening and the exuberance of her grand joys.

Her newest book in her Regency Romance genre is:

Angel Comes to the Devil’s Keep


To give you a little taste, here is a brief Description:

Huntington McLaughlin, the Marquess of Malvern, wakes in a farmhouse, after a head injury, being tended by an ethereal "angel," who claims to be his wife. However, reality is often deceptive, and Angelica Lovelace is far from innocent in Hunt's difficulties. Yet, there is something about the woman that calls to him as no other ever has.

When she attends his mother's annual summer house party, their lives are intertwined in a series of mistaken identities, assaults, kidnappings, overlapping relations, and murders, which will either bring them together forever or tear them irretrievably apart. As Hunt attempts to right his world from problems caused by the head injury that has robbed him of parts of his memory, his best friend, the Earl of Remmington, makes it clear that he intends to claim Angelica as his wife.

Hunt must decide whether to permit her to align herself with the earldom or claim the only woman who stirs his heart--and if he does the latter, can he still serve the dukedom with a hoydenish American heiress at his side?

Here are a couple of Early Reviews:

The story is charming, with interesting and realistic characters, a complex plot with plenty of surprises, and a sweet romance woven through it all. The author has a good command of what it was like to be a woman in nineteenth-century England--almost as if she had been there. She really did her research for this one.

Angel Comes to Devil's Keep is a well-written tale of courage and sacrifice and what women went through in order to marry well in Regency England. The author did her homework and it shows in an authenticity that we don't often see in Regency romances.

Purchase Links:
Amazon-Kindle         Nook                  
Amazon-Print            Kobo           Smashwords 
                                              
(eBooks and Print copies available ~ Print copies include an autographed bookplate)


Check out all of this writers books on the Amazon-Author Page forRegina-Jeffers

Follow Regina on SOCIAL MEDIA:

Every Woman Dreams Blog - reginajeffers.wordpress.com
Austen Authors Blog - austenauthors.net
Website (excerpts, news and events, reviews, etc.) - www.rjeffers.com

Follow her on Twitter @reginajeffers     https://twitter.com/reginajeffers

And look for her on Pinterest, Goodreads, and LinkedIN

Friday, July 29, 2016

A New Hawaiian Adventure

I love Hawaii and have explored several of the islands' hidden paths on foot, by rental car over lava-strewn "moonscapes" forbidden by the rental companies, and from underwater.
I am therefore especially delighted to bring a new adventure series to your attention. It starts out in Hawaii but promises to take us to many exotic places.
* * *
Return of the Island Curse 
Book One
Freedom Adventures Suspense Series
by AP Pierce

A short entertaining summer read, the story is steeped in the Hawaiian Islands' History and Folklore and serves as an introduction to Pierce's exciting new private investigator series which combines suspense, thrills, and maybe a little mystery.

Kelly Yamada treks from one adventure to the next, tracking down lost property and missing persons, trying to earn a living any way she can.

Recently discharged from the Army where she worked as an MP at an Iraqi detention center, she waits anxiously to be accepted into a police training academy. Skip tracing, bill collections, and the occasional late night repo, nothing is below her when it comes to earning a buck.
Return of the Island Curse is an adventurous story that takes Kelly to the tropical islands of Hawaii. She is hired to return stolen property to a national park, and quickly gets immersed in island folklore.

Between a raging hurricane and hot molten lava spewing from a volcano, she couldn't have picked a worse time for her first visit to the tropics. Meeting a few island residents, she gets some other-worldly assistance in her project. With trouble standing in the way of her quest, can she get the job done? And just exactly who are these new friends of hers, and can they be trusted?

By the end, Kelly has learned there is far more to Hawaii than swaying palms, sandy beaches, and mai tais!



Girls of the Golden Gate: Freedom Adventures:
San Francisco
(Book 2 is already out with 234 pages)


The Freedom Adventures Suspense Series:
Return of the Island Curse: Hawaii
Girls of the Golden Gate: San Francisco

Coming soon:
Legend of the Shining Pearl: China
Rescue from Red Star One: North Korea
Death of the Black Dragon: Vietnam
Stalking the Silk Road: Mongolia
Captive at the Ghost Temple: Japan

* * *
AP PIERCE grew up in Los Angeles during the age of hippies, Nixon, and the Vietnam War, experiencing unforgettable family debates at the dinner table.

He began exploring the world while in college, where he learned how to sweat profusely in Egypt. Since then he has dodged wayward bicyclists in China, drank too much vodka in Mongolia, counted rainy days in the US Northwest, and shared a hacienda with a ghost in Taos, New Mexico.

He and his family consider wild and exotic Palolo Valley home. Semi-retired from a long and tedious career in health care, construction, teaching ESL, and commercial fishing in Alaska, he now writes novels under various pen names. In his time off, he can be found plotting his next excuse to run away from the responsibilities of daily monotony.

From these experiences, and monthly bills, he finds the inspiration to write international intrigue, suspense, and humor.


Wednesday, July 13, 2016

My B.R.A.G. Honoree Interview

To receive the coveted B.R.A.G. Medallion 
for Khamsin was a great honor. 

This took on even more meaning when I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Stephanie Hopkins for her wonderful blog "Layered Pages."

You can read the entire interview and some of the "back story" about Khamsin and Princess Nefret here: https://layeredpages.com/


Wednesday, July 6, 2016

My Review of "On The Account" by Helen Hollick


A Swashbuckling Voyage




    When the Sea Witch weighs anchor, you better have some Dramamine on hand, for ‘it’s going to be a bumpy ride.’
    In the beginning of On The Account, the fifth voyage of this fine three-mast square rig, its swashbuckling Captain, Jesamiah Acorne, finds himself ignobly languishing in a stinking jail, waiting to be hanged (ironically not for piracy). But preferably, he’d like to be rescued through the magic of his white-witch wife, Tiola. Alas, the lady meets up with her own troubles—and their seesaw rides begin; first separately on land while the Sea Witch lies beached, then together on the high seas.
    Introducing some of the actions and reactions in a fifth book of a series can be problematic for any writer. An author might be tricked into telling too much of what happened before, eager to fill the new reader in, or ignore continuity and simply shrug, ‘hard cheese; should’ve read my previous books.’ Either way, there is the risk of annoying some readers—unless it is handled by a pro, such as Helen Hollick.
    In On The Account, it’s not too much and not too little. This is the first book I have read in the series, and I had no trouble at all in mentally catching up nor imagining what led to the Who, the What and the Why. Apart from the main protagonists, I thoroughly enjoyed Maha’dun, a mythic, intriguing and shamelessly sensuous Night-Walker. That said—and hard cheese notwithstanding—I would much like to ask permission to come aboard the previous voyages.
    The only trouble with this novel was my fear I might run out of it before all was told. With a print book, I can finger the thinness of pages left; with this Advance Reading Copy I was provided by the author, I kept anxiously glancing at the percentage left to read on my Kindle. But all went well. I could finish with a happy sigh. This ride was certainly a bumpy one for all involved—but what a ride it was!
    And I hope to meet Jesamiah on his gallant ship with that marvelously motley crew again, as there was a strong hint of a sixth book, especially when I found “going On the Account” means going back to being a pirate. It’s Jesamiah’s destiny; ours is to find out what happens next.
    In the meantime, On The Account is highly recommended to all those who love a good seafaring yarn spun by an expert storyteller.


There is a marvellous companion article,
written by Helen Hollick on Diana Wilder's blog:


Get your Copy of On The Account directly here:

Website: www.helenhollick.net
Blog: www.ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HelenHollickAuthor
Twitter: @HelenHollick
Author Page on an Amazon near you: http://viewAuthor.at/HelenHollick

Friday, July 1, 2016

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Helen Hollick - ON THE ACCOUNT, A New Jesamiah Acorne Sea Venture

Helen Hollick’s SEA WITCH VOYAGES series is a pirate-based adventure fantasy. A fine blend of Sharpe, Hornblower and Indiana Jones all stowed on one fine three-mast square rig
.
As one reviewer (the noted historical fiction author, Sharon Kay Penman) states so to the point:
"In the sexiest pirate contest, Captain Jesamiah Acorne gives Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow a run for his money."

I happen to know how much author Helen Hollick adores her handsome pirate; a charming rogue who is tough to dislike even by landlubbers.

So, in order to dig a little deeper into his psyche, I asked to be allowed onboard the Sea Witch to speak with Jesamiah Acorne himself - knowing full well he is prone to fib a little when it suits his cause. (Laugh from Helen… “A little? That’s an understatement!”)
*
Me (trying to keep my stomach from shaming me even though the Sea Witch lies at anchor):
“Jesamiah, in your fourth voyage, Ripples In The Sand, Tiola, the love of your life, must resort to her secret powers to save you both from doom and death. Is she still part of this new, fifth venture of yours, On The Account?”

Jesamiah (his fierce countenance suddenly softening):
“What? I’d sail without her? Never! Well, probably never. Assuming she wants to come with me, of course. I get the feeling she could cheerfully drown me sometimes (grin). I’d probably deserve it! Sometimes. I do have some doubts during my latest Voyage though (On The Account). Jealous doubts. Tiola’s a beautiful woman and I’m not too keen on her over-friendliness to someone who joins us aboard Sea Witch - that’s the other love of my life: my ship.”

Me: “Ah, yes, of course: Your beloved Sea Witch.” (If I let him, he’ll be giving me a lot of bilge talk. So, I quickly try to change the subject back to the purpose of my interview.)

“Now, you don’t have to answer this. But with the relentless sea and your even more unrelenting enemies, do you regret having given up your piratical ways? Now, don’t bristle! You know, at heart you are a bona fide pirate. One with some scruples, I admit. Still, you did prey on innocent merchant ships plying the Caribbean, cheating them out of making an honest living, sometimes having sent them to a watery grave.”

Jesamiah (scowling):
“No not me…. I wouldn’t do that….I might steal a few things, a hold full of rum kegs, gold and silver from the Spanish, some rum, hogsheads of tobacco… did I mention rum? Us seafaring Brethren of the Coast we got a bad name because of scoundrels like Blackbeard and Charles Vane. We’re just honest seafarers trying to make an honest living stealing things from those overladen merchants. Doing ‘em a favour really. They’re such poor sailors most of ‘em would never make it across the Atlantic. We help ‘em out by lightening their load.

“Did you know most pirates don’t want a fight? When we’re on a Chase we make a lot of noise, shouting, firing our cannons and pistols, waving our cutlasses and all that, but most of it is bluster. If the Prize surrenders peacefully, we liberate their cargo and sail off. No one gets hurt. Least of all us. I suppose not all pirates are like this though. There are a few vicious ones.

“A rich Moghul ship was plundered in the Araby sea a few years ago now. On its way to Mecca, carryin’ the Sultan’s family (or whatever he was called.) His wives, daughters, grandmother, mother, aunts… The men were brutally killed, the women, even the old and young were repeatedly violated. Those who weren’t slaughtered killed themselves as the Muslim women regard it as a sin to be touched in that way by a man who ain’t their ‘usband. I don’t ‘old with that sort of piracy. Men, sailors, aye, they know what to expect, know how to fight back, but women and children? No, I don’t ‘old with that…

“I guess those rich, fat merchants sitting on their rumps in their fancy ‘ouses don’t approve of any of us though. They ain’t got no sympathy for ordinary folk, specially not for the poor. Did you know these pompous asses even hang women and children for as a little as poachin’ a rabbit or stealing a loaf of bread? Black Africans are forced into slavery, a woman can be stripped naked and flogged in public for adultery (nothing happens to the men – so far as I knew its takes two to …. well, you know). It’s a tough life in the early eighteenth century. You take what you can, give nothing back.

“As it happens, I do return to piracy in On The Account. But for a very good reason – some Barbary pirate scumbags kidnapped my wife…”

Me: “That’s terrible. But for now, I must ask you to calm down, young man. I didn’t mean to offend. You see, none of your loyal followers want to have you meet an untimely death. Promise us you’ll not take undue chances, even now fighting for justice.”

Jesamiah (laughs):
“I’m not that keen on an untimely death m’self! But what do you meanyoung man’? That’s downright condescending, Madam. I am a Captain. And I’ll be six and twenty on my next birthday, Fourth December 1719. Presents accepted. Rum preferably.”

Me: “All right, Captain. Just leave your cutlass where it is. You’ve been very forthcoming with me.”
(I notice he fidgets, his eyes roam up the spars, then down to his furled sails, with a nod here and there to the motly crew standing by). I sigh, “The Sea Witch is dancing around her anchor rode like a cobbled horse, and your nose is twitching like a bloodhound’s on a fresh scent. I realize it’s time to let you go, Jesamiah Acorne, you inimitable handsome rogue. Godspeed, and may you sail straight into the hearts of those who love you.”

Jesamiah: Thank ‘ee kindly ma’am. Yes, it’s time for you to leave.”
(Touches hat, gives a slight bow).
“I’ve got to set sail for my next adventure – or at least I have to supervise the Wench writing it. I’m a tad concerned as the sixth Voyage is to be called Gallows Wake….
(loosens uncomfortable cravat…. Walks off shouting orders to the crew to prepare to weigh anchor….)
* * *
He leaves me standing on his deck like an empty keg of rum and motions to a sailor who pushes me not too gently toward the entry port where a swinging rope ladder dangles. It hadn’t seemed that high when I clawed my way up just an hour ago. To gather up my courage, I take a last glance back at Jesamiah. He was making his way up to the wheel swaggering a bit as if to balance himself against the swell. I knew it was to show off his youth and his strength to this meddlin’ old gal. Somehow though, I feel I will meet up with him again; unless I broke my neck slithering down the slimy ladder into the waiting skiff.
“Goodspeed, Captain Jesamiah Acorne; may you be in time to save Tiola, and yourself.”
* * *
In case you missed the previous four books, they are:
Voyage One - SEA WITCH (also available for Kindle in Italian)
Voyage Two - PIRATE CODE
Voyage Three - BRING IT CLOSE
Voyage Four - RIPPLES IN THE SAND




Available NOW from Helen's Author Page on an Amazon near you: http://viewAuthor.at/HelenHollick

Also, read about "A Pirate and A Pony" on my other blog:
http://ingehborg.blogspot.com/



1066 Turned Upside Down (e-book) https://1066turnedupsidedown.blogspot.co.uk/


Saturday, June 25, 2016

Abu Simbel: Egypt’s Past Magnificence

In his colorful blog, Jefffrey Hagenmeier, an avid world traveler, brings us photographs and the story of the magnificent Abu Simbel temple complex (note the enormous size compared to the people in the foreground).

(photo: Jeffrey Hagenmeier)

To me, the story of the temple's reconstruction on higher ground is doubly significant as this wonder of ancient art was almost lost to the depths of Lake Nasser when the Egyptian Aswan Dam was constructed.

It makes me wonder whether the filling of the huge Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam catch basin will cause ancient treasures to be lost, or future lives to be enhanced,
(as speculated in The Nile Conspiracy, Book 5 of my Legends of the Winged Scarab series).

You can read Jeffrey Hagenmeier's entire article and see his great photos here: