Alison Stuart on Claiming The Rebel's Heart and Giveaway!

We invited author Alison Stuart to tell us how she wrote her  CLAIMING THE REBEL’S HEART

A WOMAN, A MAN…AND A CASTLE – Alison Stuart on writing CLAIMING THE REBEL’S HEART

Thanks for having me here, Nas.

Writing a historical romance is made so much easier if you have a passion for the period you are writing about and my passion, since childhood, has been the period of the English Civil War (1642-1660). This often neglected moment in our past, saw the last great battles fought on English soil. Royalists and Roundheads, a King beheaded… brother against brother, father against son. A terrible, bloody time but wonderful fodder for a writer, particularly one with a romantic bent.

Three of my historical novels have been set in this period (including SECRETS IN TIME – my short historical time travel) and in all of them the hero has been a royalist. It is easy to find heroes among the defeated, particularly if they come with swords, bucket top boots and a “cavalier” attitude.  Contrary to popular belief not all who espoused the parliamentary side were dour puritans and I thought it would be interesting to explore a hero who chose this side for his own reasons.

For a heroine, I need look no further than the real life heroines of the English Civil War: The extraordinary women who defended their families and their homes, often against terrible odds.
In this (the first in a trilogy THE HARCOURT CHRONICLES) you will meet:  A woman…a man… and a castle!

War divides families…love unites hearts…

Herefordshire, England 1643


As the English Civil War divides England and tears families apart, Kinton Lacey castle is one of the brave few loyal to the roundhead cause.

With her father away, Deliverance Felton will do whatever it takes to defend her family home against the royalist forces ranged against it. She can shoot and wield a sword as well as any man and anything she needs to know about siege warfare she has learned from a book...but no book can prepare her for what is to come.

Captain Luke Collyer, soldier of fortune and a man with his own reasons for loyalty to the parliamentary cause, is sent to relieve the castle. Everything he knows about siege warfare in general and women in particular he has learned from experience, but when it comes to Deliverance Felton has he met his match?

Deliverance will not give up her command lightly and Luke will have to face a challenge to his authority as fierce as the cavalier foe outside the walls. He will do whatever it takes to win Deliverance’s trust but will he run the risk of losing his own, well guarded, heart?

For more information on Alison and her books and buy links for CLAIMING THE REBEL’S HEART:




Stop by and leave a comment and if you can tell me what date Charles I was executed (hint – the anniversary is this month) go in the draw to win your choice of any of my three English Civil War Stories:  BY THE SWORD, THE KING’S MAN and SECRETS IN TIME


16 comments:

  1. A great topic. We DON'T hear/read about the heroines of the English Civil War. Wishing you much success with Claiming the Rebel's Heart, Alison.

    xoRobyn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Robyn. No we don't and yet there are some extraordinary women. Antonia Fraser in her book The Weaker Vessel touches on some of them and that's probably where I first read about Brilliana Harley. Hoydens and Firebrands blog is a great resource for interesting stories about women of the 17th century.

      Delete
  2. Hi Alison

    I am so looking forward to reading this one and I do love that cover :) huge congrats on the release as for the question I am not up on my history but I do love reading historical stories

    Have Fun
    Helen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Helen... I LOVE the cover. The cover artist absolutely "got" the story right down to the red dress.
      I am sure you are going to enjoy this one!

      Delete
  3. I do enjoy this time period and I am a big history buff. These sound like great reads! (Jan. 30, 1649)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shelly... if you are interested in reading historical romances set in this period, I've written several (check out my website). Don't expect "light and fluffy" reads though... it was a dark time which is just wonderful fodder for a writer!

      Delete
  4. A big thank you to Nas and Crew for having me and I can't say what a thrill it is to hear people say how much they love the period. It has been such an uphill battle convincing publishers that this period of history does have an audience (like me...I'm a reader too!). Unless they can label a "historical romance" as "Regency" or "highland" a writer doesn't have a hope. If you do like to read meaty romances (I don't do light and fluffy!), then do check out my other books - all but one are set in the English Civil War.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Nas and Alison .. it is a short but very interesting period of English history - with families being split in two as you mention ..

    I imagine you've portrayed the time and history really well - and your trilogy sounds very interesting .. I enjoy learning via history ..

    Good luck - cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Hilary. I have an absolute passion for this period of history - so much so that it is in my blood I think. I believe in historical accuracy in novels - although I can't guarantee I am 100% accurate on every small detail - I hope I get the big ones right!

      Delete
  6. I grinned as I read the blurb. That's a definite set-up for some tension and conflict. Love it! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Melissa... it was a lot of fun to write :-)

      Delete
  7. Very cool. If I ever go historical, I'll write about the Victorian era. I love the literature and everything else about the period. I think Alison's period is also interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Medeia. I love the Victorian period too and I have a couple of ideas up my sleeve. I think it's important to write about periods of history that really interest you!

      Delete
  8. I love historical fiction but don't know if I've read much from the English civil war. The books sounds fascinating. According to Wikipedia Charles was executed on Tuesday Jan 30th, 1649 at approximately 2pm. I have no idea if that was accurate though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sadly it is very hard to sell romantic historical fiction outside of the regency, highlands and medieval (although even that is a hard sell these days!). You are right about Charles' execution :-)

      Delete
  9. Thank you everyone who stopped by and left a comment. I did pose a quiz question and 2 of you answered it correctly - Shelly and SP Bowers. I would like to offer you both the choice of one my English Civil War novels. Just have a look at my website for details and Nas will put us in touch :-) www.alisonstuart.com/books

    ReplyDelete

Join the discussion!