The Legacy (42 page)
Thanks also to the people of the International Printing Museum Foundation in Carson, California, for giving me the opportunity to crank the handle on a real, live Gutenberg Press. The museum is open to the public, and they encourage donations to support their worthy cause (
www.printmuseum.org
).
Those interested in German nobility should check out alt.talk.royalty on the Internet. I am deeply indebted to an article written by Gilbert von Studnitz for its excellent explanation of the ranks of the German nobility. Once again, of course, any errors in fact are mine and mine alone.
While the main characters in this book are complete works of fiction, I did incorporate historical figures and events into the fabric of my tale. Dr. Martin Luther, Thomas Müntzer, Elector Frederick the Wise, Philip of Hesse, Duke John of Saxony, Dr. Philip Melancthon, printer Hans Lufft and artist/banker Lucas Cranach all lived during these dramatic times. Emperor Charles V sent German mercenaries to the region to deal with the peasant uprisings. Müntzer was eventually captured and returned to Thuringia, where he was tortured and executed for his role.
The Peasant’s Revolt took place from 1524-1525. I compressed the time in my story for literary purposes. Mild reforms were eventually enacted, but the peasants paid a high price. The nobles crushed the revolts. Somewhere between 70,000 and 100,000 poorly armed peasants lost their lives against the cavalry and artillery units sent against them by both Protestant and Catholic nobles alike.
I drew the story of how my fictional character Sabina von Ziegler escaped the convent from truth. Martin Luther aided the escape of twelve nuns from the convent in Nimbschen in the manner described in my book, gave them a place to stay, found them positions or husbands, and in fact, wound up marrying one of them himself—Katherine von Bora, Sabina’s friend “Sister Katie” from the convent.
Don’t miss the next exciting novel by TJ Bennett:
The Promise
In a dangerous world,
sometimes the greatest risk is love…
In 1525, Günter Behaim is a Landsknecht (a professional soldier in the service of Emperor Charles V). Günter has been betrayed by love and promises not kept. As a result, he has sworn to make few promises of his own and keep those unto death. However, when his friend is mortally wounded while saving Günter ‘s life, he gives a pledge to marry his betrothed. To keep his promise, Günter must use every weapon in his romantic arsenal to convince the reluctant woman to marry him. As his passion for her grows, he realizes he is falling in love. Is he prepared to risk his worst fear: having his heart rejected once more?
The Spanish beauty Alonsa García de Aranjuéz is determined to withstand Günter’s relentless pursuit. Haunted by a gypsy’s curse on any man who loves her, Alonsa yearns for Günter, but fear for his safety forces her to rebuff him. As she struggles to deny the growing attraction between them, she begins to realize that fate may have other plans. With danger surrounding them, will Alonsa bite from the forbidden fruit? Or will Günter be bitten instead by the mysterious misfortune that seems to plague any with the courage to become … Alonsa’s love?
ISBN# 9781933836966
US $7.95 / CDN $8.95
Historical Romance MAY 2009
www.tjbennett.com
BLAZE OF
LIGHTNING ROAR OF
THUNDER
HELEN A. ROSBURG
L
ouisa Rodriguez was out on the desert gathering fuel when the scalp hunters came, massacred her family and all the people of her village, shot her in the head and left her for dead. Regaining consciousness, she buried the people she had loved, and when she was done she stripped off her bloody clothes and walked naked into the mountains. Where she was reborn.
When horse wrangler Ring Crossman came across the half-wild woman in the western wilderness, she would not tell him her name. So he gave her one. Blaze, for the lightning-like streak of white in her long, black hair where a bullet had creased her skull. He gave her his heart, too, although he knew there was no room in her life for anything but revenge.
Vengeance consumed Bane as well. His life was devoted to finding the man who raped his Apache mother and fathered him. Then The Bringer of Thunder, as he was called by his people, crossed trails with the only human being whose thirst for a man’s blood was as great as his own. And when they discovered they stalked the same prey, the destructive power of the storm they unleashed consumed all around them. Including themselves.
ISBN# 9781932815641
US $7.95 / CDN $8.95
Historical Romance AUGUST 2008
www.helenrosburg.com
UNTAMED
HOPE TARR
They were friends—brothers—the Men of Roxbury, their young lives spent in an orphanage together. Now they are men grown. Two have found happiness. But the third?
Patrick O’Rourke is a rough and ready Scotsman, and a “verra” successful businessman. Lady Katherine Lindsey is a beautiful English spinster, a gentlewoman. At least, so she seems on the surface. But when she finds herself blackmailed into accepting a marriage of convenience with the handsome Scot, she lets Rourke see another side of her.
Following a hasty wedding, Rourke sweeps a seething Lady Katherine from the elegant and refined drawing rooms of west London to his crumbing castle in the Scottish Highlands. His sole guide to wooing and bedding his apparently untamable bride is a copy of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew,” given to him by his two well-meaning friends.
As their lessons in humility progress according to script, however, Rourke discovers Kat’s shrewish demeanor is a mask for a warm, generous, and loving heart. And, as the passion sparking between them flares to full-on flame, Rourke finds he may well be the one in danger of being tamed.
ISBN# 9781933836171
US $7.95 / CDN $8.95
Historical Romance
Available Now
www.hopetarr.com
A Knight’s Reward
CATHERINE KEAN
Assaulted and injured by her abusive husband Ryle, Gisela Anne Balewyne flees with her small son, Ewan. Hiding from Ryle, and working as a tailor in the town of Clovebury, Gisela struggles to save enough money to move north and start a new life. With her latest commission from rich French merchant Crenardieu—sewing garments from luxurious blue silk—she will finally be able to leave and be free of Ryle forever. All goes well until Dominic de Terre, back several years from the Crusade, accepts his lord de Lanceau’s mission to find out who has stolen de Lanceau’s cloth shipment, worth a fortune.
For Dominic is the father of her son, although he does not know it. And although they discover neither her love, nor his, has ever died, she still cannot tell him the truth. Not yet. Tragically, however, Gisela waits too long.
Dominic discovers not only that Gisela has lied to him about the stolen silks, and has concealed them in her shop, he learns Ewan is his illegitimate son. She has betrayed his trust not once, but twice, and Gisela expects him to arrest her and take Ewan away.
Crenardieu’s thugs, however, reach Dominic first, and Gisela realizes there is only one way to save his life. She must go to de Lanceau, admit her crimes, and convince him to let her help him save Dominic. And then she must confront Ryle, the dragon of her nightmares …
ISBN# 9781932815993
US $7.95 / CDN $8.95
Historical Romance
Available Now
www.catherinekean.com
THE FALL OF ROME
BETH CIOTTA
They gamble their lives with reckless abandon,
but are they brave enough to bet on love?
Famous for bending the law to get his man, former Wells Fargo detective, Rome Garrett signs on with the Peacemaker Alliance, a covert government agency intent on taming the west. Unfortunately, his first assignment involves teaming up with the only woman who ever broke his heart in order to entrap a cold-blooded killer. Bringing down Bulls-eye Brady would restore Rome’s tarnished career. As a personal bonus he vows to show his old flame how it feels to love and lose, vanquishing the beautiful hellcat from his dreams once and for all.
Retired cardsharp, Kat Simmons, has been in hiding for six years. Now she’s being asked to risk her hard won obscurity by baiting the very man she fears. Not only that, the plan involves spending intimate time with Rome, the only man she ever truly loved. Readopting her flamboyant persona, Kat joins Rome on a whirlwind poker tournament tour, gaining notoriety as they clean up at the tables. When word gets out that Kat Simmons is back on the circuit, with any luck, Bulls-eye Brady will show up to reclaim the woman who “got away.” Meanwhile Kat and Rome grapple with rekindled passion, past betrayals, and a secret that could prove their doom.
ISBN# 9781933836041
US $7.95 / CDN $8.95
Historical Romance / Western
JULY 2008
www.bethciotta.com
Judith James
BROKEN WING
Abandoned as a child and raised in a brothel, Gabriel St. Croix has never known tenderness, friendship, or affection. Although fluent in sex, he knows nothing of love. Lost and alone inside a nightmare world, all he’s ever wanted was companionship and a place to belong. Hiding physical and emotional scars behind an icy façade, his only relationship is with a young boy he has spent the last five years protecting from the brutal reality of their environment. But all that is about to change. The boy’s family has found him, and they are coming to take him home.
Sarah Munroe blames herself for her brother’s disappearance. When he’s located, safe and unharmed despite where he has been living, Sarah vows to help the man who rescued and protected him in any way she can. With loving patience she helps Gabriel face his demons and teaches him to trust in friendship and love. But when the past catches up with him, Gabriel must face it on his own.
Becoming a mercenary, pirate and a professional gambler, Gabriel travels to London, France, and the Barbary Coast in a desperate attempt to find Sarah again and all he knows of love. On the way, however, he will discover the most dangerous journey, and the greatest gamble of all, is within the darkest reaches of his own heart.
ISBN# 9781933836447
US $7.95 / CDN $8.95
Historical Romance
NOVEMBER 2008
www.judithjamesauthor.com