THE CRIMSON FIELD. A REVIEW BY R .L. BARTRAM, AUTHOR OF 'DANCE THE MOON DOWN'

The Crimson Field  - BBC1 drama

Have you seen The Crimson Field on BBC1? I have and I liked it a lot. Anyhow it is not my review  you are going to read but Robert L. Bartram's , author of Dance the Moon Down, who is an expert of WW1 and historical fiction.  Robert doesn't agree at all with my enthusiasm,  but this doesn't mean I can't appreciate his point of view and his analysis. Read his guest post and, please, feel free to share your opinion on the show in the comment section. 

As a writer of historical fiction who has spent the last five years immersed in the facts of the Great War, I’m always interested when anything new appears in this genre and curious to see if anyone has discovered a different way of approaching it.

The latest offering is the BBC’s production of The Crimson Field written by Sarah Phelps. It’s a story of the nurses in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VADS) serving at a frontline field hospital in France during WW1. Nothing new so far, nevertheless a worthy subject and a golden opportunity to celebrate one of the many roles women performed during the Great War, most especially as this is its centenary year.

THE FOREST LORD SERIES: THE WOLF AND THE RAVEN BY STEVEN A. MCKAY - AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY

Steven A. Mc Kay was my guest back in September 2013 with an interview in which we discussed the first instalment of his The Forest Lord Series, Wolf's Head and his choice of writing a new saga focused on an old legend: Robin Hood. Steven is my guest again to present his new book, The Wolf and the Raven and to give you the chance to win a copy (book or audiobook at winner's choice). Read the post and good luck in the giveaway contest!

The Forest Lord series, so far, comprises two novels: Wolf's Head and The Wolf and the Raven. They are my take on the age-old Robin Hood legend, written in a modern style, with plenty of action and adventure while still (hopefully) being historically accurate and closer to the “true” Robin than any of the fictional versions that have been done before. Be warned though, this version of the legend is not for children – there's a lot of violence, bad language and the odd bit of sex. Just like real medieval life!

BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY - THE RIPPLE EFFECT, IMMERSED BY JENNIFER GRIFFITH

Immersed by Jennifer Griffith

Lisette Pannebaker speaks five languages and has a brilliant business plan—personal language immersion. Clients can hire her to shadow them and speak all day in any language they need to learn for business or travel—whatever. But there’s a major hitch: she’s far too pretty. Clients with less than honorable intentions sign up just have Lisette at their side. Solution? A make-under. Way under.It works like a charm. None of her male clients show her the least bit of interest. Until… Erik. Erik Gunnarsson is charming, kind, and smart—everything she’s ever looked for. Even though he seems to have a secret and she swore she'd never date a client, Lisette is tempted to shed her disguise—even if it means jeopardizing her career.

Amazon

PERIOD & MORE PERIOD: REIGN, JAMAICA INN AND NEW WORLDS

Reign: when history becomes a fairy-tale

This series recently wrapped at its 22nd episode after being on US CW Network for months . Though far from being historically accurate, Reign kept faith to the gist of the true history of Queen Mary Stuart and her life at the French court,  as the betrothed of Prince Francis, Dauphin of France. The two royals  were actually married for one year, until he died very young of an infection.

It is a smart series that winkles at teenage  and young audiences with   captivating photography, a somewhat-anachronistic soundtrack, doll-faced actors and actresses, intriguing love stories and a bit of sex, supernatural events and magic, wicked villains and gorgeous costumes. I am definitely not intended demographic, but I liked it,  anyhow. Well acted and well written, the show caught me at first sight.

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - A IS FOR ABSTINENCE BY KELLY ORAM

A if for Abstinence by Kelly Oram

Six-time Grammy Award wining musician Kyle Hamilton has it all—money, fame, talent, good looks, and a job he loves. His only regret in life: walking away from a certain notorious virgin because he was too prideful, stubborn, and even afraid to give her the only thing she asked of him—his abstinence. Four years and a broken heart later, Kyle realizes that sex isn’t everything, and he suddenly can’t stop thinking about the girl that got away. Virgin Val Jensen got under is skin like no one else ever has. He wasn’t ready for her then, but things are different now. He’s grown up, he’s learned a few things, and he’s finally figured out exactly what he wants, or, rather, who he wants. Kyle Hamilton wants a do-over, and this time he’s willing to do—or not do—whatever it takes.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - GODDESS BORN BY KARI EDGREN

Goddess Born

Pennsylvania, 1730 Selah Kilbrid keeps a dangerous secret: she has the power to heal. A direct descendent of the Celtic goddess Brigid, it’s Selah’s sacred duty to help those in need. But as the last of the Goddess Born living in the New World, she learned from an early age to keep her supernatural abilities hidden. The Quaker community of Hopewell has always been welcoming, but there’s no doubt they would see her hanged if her gift was revealed. When a prominent minister threatens to try her with witchcraft unless she becomes his wife, Selah has only one hope—that her betrothed, a distant cousin from Ireland, arrives as planned. Marrying Samuel would keep her secret safe, preserve her sacred bloodline, and protect her from being charged as a witch. But when news of Samuel’s death reaches the Colonies, Selah is truly on her own. Terrified, she faces an impossible choice—forfeit her powers and marry the loathsome Nathan? Or find an imposter to pose as her husband and preserve her birthright?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

THE GONDOLA MAKER BLOG TOUR - LAURA MORELLI: WHY I WRITE ABOUT ITALIAN CRAFTMANSHIP. + BOOK GIVEAWAY

  

As an art historian, naturally I studied the great Italian artists of the past—Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Tintoretto, the Lorenzetti, Modigliani, Balla, and others. However, after living in Italy for just a short time, I realized that some of the artistic traditions of the past are still living.

The medieval craft guilds may be long gone, but the techniques, the skill, the forms, the knowledge, the spirit of Italian tradition is still intact in world-class objects like Murano glass, Florentine leather, maiolica ceramics, even Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and grappa. These traditions are kept alive in the hands of thousands of artisans who take pride in their regional specialties, so ingrained that even in the twenty-first century the products of their labor are recognized around the world as a benchmark of quality.

Once I realized the importance of artisanal tradition within Italian culture, I was riveted; I wanted to know everything! It was the beginning of a journey that would take me from the Alps to Palermo, and become my obsession for more than a decade. I traveled to Sardinia to watch an 88-year-old woman swiftly work a wooden hand loom her grandmother had taught her to use when she was only five. I journeyed to Umbria to watch a ceramicist paint a rabbit on a terra-cotta pot, drawing inspiration from a 500-year-old ceramic fragment at his side. I went to the gastronomic capital of Parma to watch an inspector poke an aging ham hock with a horse-bone needle, and draw it under his nose to rate its quality compared to thousands of similar specimens he has tested over four decades.

CELEBRATING SHAKESPEARE IN A VERY BUSY FORTNIGHT

Another busy fortnight has passed at work. The end of the school year rapidly  approaches with its haunting burden of deadlines, decisions to be made, reports to be written. A nightmarish fortnight ahead and then some relax, I hope. 

What have you been dreaming of or  actually doing these latest couple of weeks? Unfortunately,  I could grant  myself very  little rest, hence I didn't have enough time for proper blogging, reading or reviewing but I could watch new TV series, go on with the ones I had started seeing and even go to an event in Rome to celebrate old Will's anniversary. I must do something different from the housework and schoolwork,  if I want to remain sane.  Women on the brink of a nervous breakdown has never been one of my favourite titles but it is simply perfect to describe my life.

BOOK COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY - THE LANCASTER HOUSE SERIES BY TAYLOR DEAN

COVER REVEAL!

Brand new covers for Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle!

~A paranormal romance series by Taylor Dean~

I love my OLD covers. (Pictured on the left.) I really do. They're different from the norm and that's why they captured my attention.

For Lancaster House, I liked the idea of a hand reaching out from the grave. It seemed appropriate to the story; Andre reaches out to Zoe from beyond the grave. It was Carrie-like and kind of creepy.

There's just one problem.

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - INQUISITOR BY R.J. BLAIN

Inquisitor by R.J. Blain

When Allison is asked to play Cinderella-turned-Fiancee at a Halloween ball, the last thing she expected was to be accused of murder on the same night. She has to find the killer and quick, or she'll be put to death for the crimes she didn't commit. To make matters worse, the victims are all werewolves. On the short list of potential victims, Allison has to act fast, or the killer will have one more body to add to his little black book of corpses. There's only one problem: One of the deaths has struck too close to home, and Allison's desire for self-preservation may very well transform into a quest for vengeance...

                                       Amazon 

 Excerpt  

Caroline was either the best actress I’d ever seen, or she was really dead. I crouched next to her, torn between touching her neck to feel for a pulse and running away before the sweet scent of a fresh kill overwhelmed my restraint. A clock chimed ten. The power of the full moon slammed into me, tugging at my heart, and tightening my chest. The need to embrace my inner beast and become one with the night quickened my breath.

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - MISSING LILY BY ANNETTE K. LARSEN

Missing Lily

“You don’t know who I am,” I whispered. He didn’t move—either away from me, or closer—and after an interminable moment, I stepped back and hurried out of the house. He didn’t follow me as I fled into the night. 

Lylin was not used to being alone—much less alone, hurt, and lost. So when she is separated from her guard and forced to abandon her horse, she counts herself lucky to stumble upon a manor house. Still frightened by those who chased her into the night, she keeps her identity a secret, calling herself Lily as she accepts the help of kind servants, and the compassion of Lord Fallon. When they fall into an easy friendship, she wonders if her secrecy was too hasty. However, as she gets to know the manor and its residents, Lylin discovers that she’s not the only one hiding secrets, and it may be a very good thing that her host doesn’t know her true identity as a member of the royal family.  

Purchase on AMAZON

THE RIPPLE EFFECT BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY - SECOND CHANCES 101 BY DONNA K. WEAVER

  

  Tour Schedule  

Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver

Thirty seven year old Francie Davis, a recent widow and empty nester, gets to attend college at last. She’s sure her luck has changed when she also lands a job on campus that will pay her tuition, as administrative assistant to a history professor. When her handsome new boss yells at her on the first day of work, Francie worries she will never be good enough. For Professor Alex Diederik, life is going downhill fast. Not only is his bitter ex-wife trying to poison their only daughter against him, but now his one place of solace—his work environment—is being complicated by his attractive new administrative assistant. She drives home his feelings of failure as a husband and father, and Alex wonders if hiring her was the right thing to do. Francie will have to put aside her hurt and insecurities or risk her dreams, while Alex must look outside himself if he’s to mend the breach with his daughter. And, perhaps, find someone who can help heal his pain.

Read an excerpt

The door burst open and a pretty girl with long strawberry blond hair stomped out. Her headlong rush drove her right at Francie, who squeezed against the wall, almost out of the way. Their shoulders hit, and they both stumbled. As Francie steadied herself, she could see tears in the girl’s heavily made up eyes. Staggering for a couple of paces, she managed to stay on her feet and then ran down the hallway.

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - SCENTS AND SENSES

Scents and Senses: Supernatural Friends. 

What the fairy tales didn’t tell you Playing the role of a knight in shining armor is more complicated than it seems in the storybooks, as sixteen-year-old Joy discovers when she repeatedly comes to the rescue of a fifteen-year-old human. But when she meddles in the girl’s social life, Starra sends her packing. Starra is determined to completely dissociate herself from the subterranean creature that has manipulated her life and cast her into the limelight. However, her resolve is soon tested when she becomes involved in a critical situation where supernatural assistance can enable her to carry out a daring plot. Eventually, Starra’s involvement with her new other-wordly friends extracts a heavy price when she is beset by challenges that range from the down- to-earth struggles of a typical teenage student, to the realm of the fantastic. Nothing prepares her, however, for the ultimate challenge.   

Amazon * Smashwords

Excerpt

Joy Ever since I’ve been old enough to kick off on a condor with my own two chicken feet, I’ve been drilled to mind my own business. Mind your own business, the first of the American Ten Commandments. It’s not one I subscribe to, even though in our community, not minding my own business means more than social suicide; it’s a crime when we ascend above ground. For thousands of years we deeems have kept away from the creatures running over our heads with their five-toed feet. So if anyone in my community gets wind of the risky job I’m on these days,

BLOG TOUR - THE VERONA TRILOGY BY LORY S. KAUFMAN: INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY

The Verona Trilogy is an adventurous series that takes readers along on the life-changing journey of three 24th century teens. Travel in time to 14th century Verona Italy with them and get lost in this exciting sci-fi, historical fiction tale. It's a pleasure to feature this incredible series here at FLY HIGH! and I'm really happy to share with you my interview with author Lory S. Kaufman. There's a giveaway contest for you! Take your chances in the rafflecopter form below this post. It is open internationally, you can win the 3 book in the trilogy either in ebook form or in print (winner will choose). The deadline is May 15. Enjoy the interview and good luck in the contest.

*****************************************************

Maria Grazia:  Welcome to FLY HIGH! Lory. My first question for you is: Time travelling and artificial intelligence are among the main features in your YA series, The Verona Trilogy.  What age would you like to travel back to if you could? And what special wish would you make come true if advanced artificial intelligence was at your service?

Lory: Where would I go to?  When would I go to? I love history, so I want to go everywhere, to see how people lived, thought, and to understand their motivations. But with my love of art and arcitecture, I think my choice of 14th century Verona was at the top of my list, and that’s one of the reasons I set my first series there. Now that I have travelled back in time to there, the place I am visiting in my own personal time machine is ancient Akkad, in Messopotamia. It’s the research for my next stories. So glad I have my own, personal time machine.

WORKING HARD, READING, WATCHING, LIVING - MISCELLANEOUS POST

Hello and happy beginning of May, everyone. What have you been up to? Great things, I hope. I've been working hard, reading, watching, living.  If you have some spare time to read, I'm here to share with you. 

Working hard

Just have a look at the picture on the right, focus on the image in the middle, consider it is May and draw your own conclusions. How would I answer the question "How are you?" these days?
I usually describe myself in these moments as "drowning in a sea of paper".
What kind of paper, you ask? Hundreds of sheets, all scribbled on with blue or black ink. They are supposed to be in English but I have some difficulty to decipher them at times. My students are quite creative, you know, and their speciality is Anglian (English with the addition of some Italian) or Italish (Italian with the addition of some English).
They will improve, they will improve, they will improve ... I must believe all my efforts and theirs (?) will end up with some good results. For now, I simply have to hold on and contribute a great deal of red ink to their uncertain attempts. It is almost over, let's hold on!  Summer is coming, the last day of school is near.