Stephanie Cage - Writer

Today on my blog I welcome Mary Morgan, author of the Dragon Knights series.  Hello, Mary! When and how did you first become interested in writing? I’ve always enjoyed writing. I started at a young age with poems and plays. With an overactive imagination, I loved creating stories within my mind and writing them down. However, it took decades for me to have the courage to bring them out into the world for others to read. What gave you the idea for the Dragon Knights stories? On my first trip to Scotland sixteen years ago. I was sitting all alone on a boulder in the Highlands, surrounded by the magic and mists of the land. The Dragon Knights were born that evening. You write about Scotland, which seems to be a favourite setting for romance writers (my friend Lizzie Lamb sets most of her stories there and they have been very popular).  What drew you to it, and how do you evoke the setting in your books? My love affair with Scotland began decades ago. I blame it...

The Boleyn King by Laura Andersen My rating: 4 of 5 stars A beautiful piece of historical fiction following from a clever premise: what if Anne Boleyn had a son who lived? The story follows that son, William, and others of his court including his friend Dominic, and royal ward Minuette. Surrounded by the struggles of power, can the three retain their integrity and friendship? The details of the Court are beautifully drawn, and the invented history blends seamlessly with the true past to create this compelling first instalment in a trilogy. I look forward to reading the other two books - my only annoyance was the feeling that the ending was just a little too inconclusive in order to leave the way open for the sequel. View all my reviews

The Scandalous Duchess by Anne O'Brien My rating: 4 of 5 stars I don't tend to think of myself as a fan of historical fiction, but lately every time I pick up a historical read, I love the escapism and the intensity of the story. Anne O'Brien's 'The Scandalous Duchess' is no exception. Lady Katherine is a fabulously strong, scrupulous heroine, so it's surprising to find her lured into an ongoing affair with the powerful, seductive Duke of Lancaster. More surprising still are the twists and turns in their longstanding relationship. I loved the historical detail and most of all the sense of a very private love constantly challenged by public standards and scrutiny. Still very much relevant today. View all my reviews

What a Woman Desires by Rachel Brimble My rating: 5 of 5 stars So nice to read a historical novel with a heroine who's strong and gutsy, without being insanely anachronistic. Monica Danes left Biddestone for the bright lights of Bath's Theatre Royal after a distressing incident with an unsuitable suitor. She's vowed never to go back, and the only thing that could change her mind is the knowledge that after her father's death, her mother and sister desperately need her help. Still, she plans to make her visit as brief as possible, but fate has other plans for her. Her mother's illness, her sister's loneliness, and the terms of her father's will conspire to tie her to the village, and then of course there's Thomas, her father's former groom and right-hand man, who's so obviously destined for Monica that the question is not whether, but how, the couple can breach society's carefully constructed walls to be together. While Monica is a li...

Thanks to one of the lovely authors at Crimson Romance for sharing this bizarre but brilliant resource.  Have you ever struggled with writing a period story and wondering whether the language you're using is appropriate?  Struggle no longer!  For any word you care to enter, this website will tell you how many times Jane Austen used the word, and which related words she used, or did not use.  It's probably more of a game than a serious resource since it doesn't differentiate between different meanings of the same word (just try entering 'flowers' or 'red' and you'll see what I mean) but it's enormous fun and could certainly help steer a historical author in the right direction. http://www.writelikeausten.com