Hello, reader friends!
I'm Joanna Chambers and this is the blog tour for A Gathering Storm,
my new Cornwall-set historical romance. I'll be sharing thoughts
on my experience of writing about eccentric Victorian scientists,
pragmatic Romany land stewards and unscrupulous
mediums - come and comment to win a copy of the book and a
$25 Riptide gift card!
When grief-stricken scientist Sir Edward Fitzwilliam provokes public
scorn by defending a sham spiritualist, he’s forced to retreat to Porthkennack
to lick his wounds. Ward’s reputation is in tatters, but he’s determined to
continue the work he began after the death of his beloved brother.
In Porthkennack, Ward meets Nicholas Hearn, land steward to the
Roscarrock family. Ward becomes convinced that Nick, whose Romany mother was
reportedly clairvoyant, is the perfect man to assist with his work. But
Nick—who has reason to distrust the whims of wealthy men—is loath to agree.
Until Fate steps in to lend a hand.
Despite Nick’s misgivings, he discovers that Ward is not the
high-handed aristocrat he first thought. And when passion ignites between them,
Nick learns there’s much more to love than the rushed, clandestine encounters
he’s used to. Nevertheless, Nick’s sure that wealthy, educated Ward will never
see him as an equal.
A storm is gathering, but with Nick’s self-doubts and Ward’s growing
obsession, the fragile bond between the two men may not be strong enough to
withstand it.
Now available from Riptide Publishing and Amazon
Welcome to Porthkennack!
Welcome to Porthkennack, a charming Cornish seaside town with a long
and sometimes sinister history. Legend says King Arthur's Black Knight built
the fort on the headland here, and it’s a certainty that the town was founded
on the proceeds of smuggling, piracy on the high seas, and the deliberate
wrecking of cargo ships on the rocky shore. Nowadays it draws in the tourists
with sunshine and surfing, but locals know that the ghosts of its Gothic past
are never far below the surface.
This collaborative story world is brought to you by five award-winning,
best-selling British LGBTQ romance authors: Alex
Beecroft, Joanna
Chambers, Charlie
Cochrane, Garrett Leigh, and JL Merrow.
Follow Porthkennack and its inhabitants through the centuries and through the
full rainbow spectrum with historical and contemporary stand-alone titles.
Check out the Porthkennack Universe of stories.
Guest post with Author Joanna Chambers
Magical Technology
Most of my previous historical romances have been set in the 1820s, but "A Gathering Storm" is set in the 1850s and this is… a very different world for me.
A world with steamships and trains and the electric telegraph.
A world so morbidly obsessed with death that the Victorians are often spoken of having a cult of death.
A world into which spiritualism, a new religion, exploded.
The Victorian world was one in which magic and technology collided and merged in interesting ways. Things we may think of as basic scientific facts that every schoolchild should know were simply unknown. Things we may think of as superstitious nonsense were potentially respectable lines of enquiry. It's difficult for us, as 21st century readers, to put ourselves in their Victorian shoes.
One of my MCs, Ward, is a scientist. At the start of the book, he experiences something extraordinary--an encounter with the spirit of his twin brother, who he later discovers has died. This happens on board a ship during a violent lightning storm, and of course, Ward--being a scientist--questions what has caused this and whether he can replicate it. If there is a veil between the world of the living and that of the dead that he can penetrate.
Ward's search for answers leads him down both scientific and magical paths, and into the life of the very pragmatic Nick Hearn who has a very different take on what is driving Ward in his quest.
As a writer, I can't wait to spend more time in this Victorian world.
What's your favourite period for historical romance, and why? Comment below to be entered into both the Riptide giftcard giveaway and the TTC monthly giftcard giveaway.
Joanna Chambers always wanted to write. In between studying, finding a
proper grown up job, getting married and having kids, she spent many hours
staring at blank sheets of paper and chewing pens. That changed when she rediscovered
her love of romance and found her muse. Joanna's muse likes red wine, coffee
and won't let Joanna clean the house or watch television.
Connect with Joanna:
- Website: www.joannachambers.com
- Facebook
- Twitter: @ChambersJoanna
- Goodreads
To celebrate the release of A Gathering Storm, one lucky
winner will receive a $25 Riptide credit
and a copy of A Gathering Storm! Leave
a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight,
Eastern time, on April 22, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.
Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget
to leave your contact info!
Congrats and thanks for your own kind of magical technology ;-). Reminded me of how Ben Franklin would dazzle with what we call parlor tricks, based on his advanced knowledge of science, but back then people thought it was magical. I love your historicals, and history, especially the American Revolution period. But not too many good romances are set then. There are many more in the 1800s, but my fall back is the nautical/pirate story (gay versions of Hornblower meeting Sparrow). - Purple Reader,
ReplyDeleteTheWrote [at] aol [dot] com
Thanks for the post. The series sounds great & I'm looking forward to reading it!
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