Women's History Month 2025

 

Good morning, dear readers! Just a reminder that I have a new blog set up at SamanthaWilcoxson.com, so my annual celebration of Women's History Month is taking place there with loads of new guests and stories of amazing historical women. Come join us!

New Year New Blog

Happy New Year, dear readers!

I have some news to share with you as we welcome 2025 together. Starting today, I will be phasing out the use of this blog. It has been ten years since I started my writing journey with this blogspot and the publication of Plantagenet Princess Tudor Queen, and I can't thank each of you enough for being here, especially those of you who have been here since the beginning.

The posts that are here will remain, but anything new (and perhaps republication of some of this content) will be at my new website, SamanthaWilcoxson.com. Many of you have already found me over there, where I have been sharing my event updates throughout 2024. Work continues to make the new website contain blog, bookshop, book club resources, and event schedule. Please, let me know if there's anything else you'd love to see there.

And, once again, thank you for your ongoing encouragement and support. Happy 2025!

~ Samantha

A British Perspective of the American Revolution

Hello, dear readers! Today we welcome my final guest for 2024. Can you believe another year has gone by? I'll be introducing some changes in the new year, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, enjoy this post from Avellina Balestri about writing a British perspective of the American Revolution for her latest novel, All Ye That Pass By: Gone for a Soldier.

Welcome, Avellina!

~ Samantha

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Remembered with Honor: Writing a British Perspective of the American Revolution

Guest Post by Avellina Balestri

This past July, I finally published first book of a projected trilogy set during the American Revolution. It is entitled All Ye That Pass By: Gone for a Soldier. I am already hard at work on the subsequent volumes, Kingdom of Wolves and Blood of the Martyrs.

This story has been a long time coming. It first began to take shape when I was twelve and found myself simultaneously reading The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest by Father John Gerard, SJ, and An Original and Authentic Journal of Occurrences during the Late American War by Sergeant Roger Lamb. The 16th-century English priest who suffered torture and imprisonment for his Catholic Faith inspired me in one way; the 18th-century Anglo-Irish soldier who suffered privations and imprisonment for his King and Country inspired me in another. 

Their stories of survival against the odds spoke to me down through the centuries and made me feel as if I had come to know both men intimately. Their hopes and fears bled through the pages, and their personalities burned brightly from the hearth of history. My youthful high spirits and intense emotions assured that their stories would overlap in my imagination to create a singular spiritual vision, dealing with the dichotomy of what it might mean to be, in the words of St. Thomas More, the King’s good servant but God’s first. 

In terms of my chosen focus and setting for this narrative, I have always found the British and Loyalist experience of the American Revolution particularly compelling because of my lifelong love of Britain and her multifaceted heritage. When I was in my tweens and early teens, before my family owned a computer or printer, I would save up loose change and go to my local library branches to pay for print-outs about historical figures who struck my interest. Most of them were “redcoats”, British soldiers from the Age of Horse and Musket, clad in their tell-tale scarlet tunics. I would compile whole folders of their biographies, then file them into volumes, and read through them regularly for story ideas to expand upon in my notebooks. I would become invested in the ups and downs of each character’s journey, and see them not solely as a part of Britain’s legacy, but of America’s as well, for we once were all one people, and perhaps on a level deeper than most of us are willing to admit, still are. On both sides of the sea, we remain the children of Lady Britannia.

The cultural roots of America, based in the original thirteen colonies, produced an out-growth of Albion in the New World. This fundamental fact put the historical framework into perspective for me, especially as a native of Maryland, the only colony established by English Catholics. The more I researched the Revolutionary Era, the more the division of the Anglosphere and cessation of America’s ties to kingship seemed tinged by tragedy and drenched in kindred blood, a reality rarely addressed with the solemnity it deserves. Brother slew brother, but unlike in the case of the American Civil War, in which the Union won, we are taught to downplay this aspect when it comes to the American Revolution because separatists triumphed and the split is celebrated. 

I, for one, could never help but grieve for the lost dual identity of British Americans, once proudly held and defended by so many before and during the war, and came fairly early to consider myself as a latter-day Loyalist at heart. I am an American, by birth and upbringing, shaped by my native land in countless ways, and yet I have always felt a spiritual tie to the kings and queens of Britain far more than any president because monarchy appeals to a transcendent authority, an incarnational sacredness, and a historical continuity that stretches back beyond the year 1776 or ‘83. I do celebrate the 4th of July, but not so much out of an enthusiasm for the Declaration of Independence as out of a general appreciation of America and all the good she has to offer.

Beyond this background, the reason I wanted to write a story focusing on the British experience of the Revolution was due to the very fact that they lost. In the great turning point of the war, the Saratoga Campaign, I cannot help but see a classical tragedy of fallen knights and broken tables, in which all the best and worst aspects of the British character are on full display. This little apocalypse, brought on by pride and passion, is pregnant with the potential to explore correlating topics and profound truths that were important to me as a Catholic author. If the Revolution resulted in a political schism, it reflected an earlier religious schism, when England severed herself from the See of Rome. The arguments made for both forms of separation could eerily parallel each other, and in some ways, they feel like a mirror being held up to one another. I imagine Catholics inhabiting the British Empire at the time would have seen the pattern and reacted to it in different ways. This story explores one such possible reaction through the pilgrimage of the protagonist. 

In some aspects, this tale retells the life of the famous Jesuit martyr St. Edmund Campion, if it were put forward from the 16th to the 18th century, switching out a priest for a layman and altering his career trajectory from that of a scholar to that of a soldier. As such, the premise is both quite original and quite familiar. St. Arsenios of Paros said, “The Church in the British Isles will only begin to grow when she begins again to venerate her own saints.” This story pays homage to the tradition of hagiography, for the saint is the only true revolutionary in the world. Christ was creating the universe while dying on the Cross, and the martyr recapitulates all things in Christ through the witness of blood.

In other parts of this story, I strove to go back even farther than Campion’s Elizabethan influence, touching upon the earliest consciousness of English identity and mythic history that permeates my Robin Hood series, The Telling of the Beads. I wanted Britannia to feel both thoroughly real and also more than real, with poetry infused into the mundane, for without a soul, the land is nothing. And if Britannia is nothing, America is nothing. This realization is something sadly lacking in most fiction dealing with the American Revolution, which reduces the Mother Country to a cartoonish landscape generated by revolutionary propaganda as opposed to our very womb, where we gained our first understanding of liberty and loyalty. 

When it comes to the process of writing characters, I believe that every person is “an allegory,” as J.R.R. Tolkien once said, “each embodying in a particular tale and clothed in the garments of time and place, universal truth and everlasting life.” We can never completely de-mythologize history any more than we can fully de-spiritualize mankind, though our increasingly secular society may work its woe. I take this principle equally seriously when writing stories set during the Early Modern Period as I do with stories set during the Middle Ages. It is fundamental for us as human beings to believe that our stories are worth telling, for all their bitter glory, and through Christian eyes, I see each passing generation as another act of a Mystery Play, unfolding the secrets of salvation in manifold ways.

This, boiled down to creedal basics, is the power of Christ’s dying and rising, which shall never be emptied. It is the foundational concept behind this trilogy and all those who pass by within it. Each man and woman finds themselves fighting the long defeat, living as crucibles of a fallen world, and to greater or lesser extents, being drawn into the drama of the Cross. When all earthly goods are despoiled, and death itself beckons the soul, they must confront the Absolute, that relentless Hound of Heaven from whom they can no longer escape, for He draws all men to Himself from the height of Golgotha.        

Get your copy of All Ye That Pass By: Gone for a Soldier

To Wear a Heart So White

 

Good morning, dear readers! You might recall that I have participated in anthologies by Historical Writers Forum in the past. (Find a list of them below.) This year's collection of short stories has a crime and punishment theme with stories throughout different eras in history. While I do not have a story in this edition, I am happy to share it with you and hope you find a new favorite author inside.

One of the authors included in To Wear a Heart So White is with me today to share her story inspiration. Brenda Clough has been a guest before, so it is a pleasure to welcome her back and learn more about A Dish Served Cold, her contribution to this year's anthology.

Welcome, Brenda!

~ Samantha

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A Dish Served Cold

Guest Post by Brenda Clough

In the 1960s the top best seller in the English language was The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins. This Victorian thriller kicked off the ‘sensational’ genre, the thrill-a-minute fiction that we still love today whenever we read Ian Fleming or John Grisham. Collins was a master of the vivid and exciting character, and he was unusual in his time for his female heroines. Marian Halcombe, the heroic female character in The Woman in White, was so vividly drawn that the publisher received marriage proposals for her from enamored fans.

Thus it’s a mystery to me, why Collins didn’t write more novels about Marian Halcombe. I, personally, wanted to hear more about her! Collins never did, and nobody else picked up the ball, either. So I sat down and wrote a dozen more novels about Miss Marian Halcombe, her adventures, her love life, her children. These were mainly to scratch my own itch -- if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

But the books also wound up being about the things we’ve forgotten. We no longer remember when a woman lost her legal identity when she married. (The quip was, ‘They become one flesh, and that flesh is his.’) When your husband talked to your doctor, because you shouldn’t trouble your pretty little head about your own health. When your male relatives could have you declared insane and lock you up in an asylum because they wanted to spend your money in peace and quiet. We take our rights for granted, and we should not.

This short story is about mercy. Because she’s the heroine and a well-brought-up Victorian lady, Marian is merciful. But you only get to abuse it once, because she is the most dangerous woman in Europe. And that’s my word for you, dear reader, in these parlous times. Give, be generous, forgive. But if it’s abused, draw blood.

Historical Writers Forum Anthologies

2024 Anthology

To Wear a Heart So White

An anthology of historical short stories about Crime and Punishment

Available in paperback or on Kindle for only .99!

FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

2023 Anthology

Masterworks

An anthology of historical short stories based on works of art

Includes my story, Legacy, featuring James Alexander Hamilton in the midst of the American Civil War.

Available in paperback or on Kindle for only .99!

FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

2022 Anthology

Alternate Endings

A short story anthology of historical what ifs

Includes my story, Tudors with a Twist, which envisions a happier ending for Queen Mary I.

Available in paperback or on Kindle for only .99!

FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

 

2021 Anthology

Hauntings

An anthology of historical ghost stories

Includes my story, Among the Lost, which takes place at the Northern Michigan Asylum in 1922. 

Available in paperback or on Kindle for only .99!

FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

The King's Intelligencer

I recently jumped at the chance to read an early copy of Elizabeth St John's new novel, The King's Intelligencer, and I am excited to share it with you today. First, I should say that I LOVED The Godmother's Secret, which is kind of a prequel to this novel, though they are not technically published as a series. Besides being jealous of St John's familial connection to these historic events, I share her feelings that there are buried truths that may never be discovered about the famous Princes in the Tower.

This author does a fantastic job of taking women at the edge of well-known history and portraying them as unique, realistic protagonists. (Did I mention they are her own ancestors? Yes, I know I did, but it's fantastic.) In The Godmother's Secret, Elysabeth St John (THEY HAVE THE SAME NAME!) is godmother to Prince Edward, better remembered as the eldest of the missing princes. I won't give away what happens, but it is well-written and historically plausible. Go read it.

The King's Intelligencer picks up almost two centuries later, during the reign of King Charles II, when a set of children's bones are discovered at the Tower of London. Right where Thomas More claimed the Princes in the Tower were buried.

Westminster Abbey Memorial

I have to be honest, I had never actually considered what it was like when those bones were found. St John does a fantastic job of demonstrating that there must have been questions. Lots of questions. Did people of the 17th century accept as fact that Richard III had killed his nephews? Did they think about those little princes at all? Did they wonder who had killed them or if they had actually been killed? Since we still discuss these questions today, I'm going to venture to guess that people of that time did as well, and St John transports the reader right into the middle of it.

The era is vividly recreated with scenes of debauchery at court, Princess Mary's emotional melodrama, the scheming over who would marry the "heir to the heir," and a search for the truth about the bones found in the Tower. Franny Apsley is a descendant of Elysabeth St John, and she is thrown into investigating what really happened and what her family's role in it was.

I don't want to give anything away, but if you can't help but get caught up in debates about the Princes in the Tower, you will enjoy this look at the mystery from the 17th century perspective.

I enjoyed Franny as a main character because she had depth and flaws. She is both independent and afraid to lose royal favor. She finds herself in love but is also intellectual enough to separate lust from other motives at play. Her relationship with Mary is . . . weird, but the author has made it historically authentic. I've really not read about this era, so I enjoyed learning about it.

This book is a slow burn, with real life getting in the way of Franny's objectives, giving the story another dash of authenticity and the reader deeper understanding of 17th century life. Fictional elements of the story are expertly blended with documented history, and the author helpfully explains which is which in her author's note.  (Another side note: the author's other books, The Lydiard Chronicles cover the same family through the English Civil War, so you'll want to pick those up as well if you love a great family saga.)

A highly recommended read for those who love 17th century fiction or those who typically read about the Wars of the Roses.

More about The King's Intelligencer

London, 1674: When children’s bones are unexpectedly unearthed in the Tower of London, England’s most haunting mystery—the fate of the missing princes—is reignited. 

Franny Apsley, trusted confidante to Charles II’s beloved niece and heir, Lady Mary Stuart, is caught up in the court’s excitement surrounding the find. Yet, as a dark family secret comes to light, Franny realises the truth behind the missing princes is far more complex—and dangerous—than anyone suspects. Recruited by her formidable cousin Nan Wilmot, Dowager Countess of Rochester, to discover the truth behind the bones, Franny is thrust into the shadowy world of intelligencers. But her quest is complicated by an attraction to the charismatic court artist Nicholas Jameson, a recent arrival from Paris who harbours secrets of his own.

Pursued by Nicholas, Franny searches for evidence hidden in secret family letters and paintings, and uncovers a startling diplomatic plot involving Lady Mary, which causes Franny to question her own judgment, threatens the throne, and sets England on a course for war. With only her courage and the guidance of an enigmatic spy within the royal household, Franny must decide how far she will go to expose the truth—and whether that truth will lead to England’s salvation or her own heartbreak.

In a glittering and debauched society where love is treacherous and loyalty masked, Franny must navigate a world where a woman’s voice is often silenced and confront the ultimate question: What is she willing to risk for the sake of her country, her happiness, and her family’s safety?

A captivating historical novel of conspiracy, passion, and courage, The King’s Intelligencer is one woman's quest for a truth that could change the fate of a nation. A companion to the critically acclaimed best-selling novels The Godmother’s Secret and The Lydiard Chronicles, The King’s Intelligencer weaves together beloved characters and actual events to bring a suspenseful mystery to life.

Get your copy of The King's Intelligencer or read it FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Connect with Elizabeth St John

Elizabeth St.John’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England's kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.

Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.

Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.

Elizabeth's works include The Lydiard Chronicles, a trilogy set in 17th-century England during the Civil War, and The Godmother's Secret, which unravels the medieval mystery of the missing princes in the Tower of London. Her latest release, The King’s Intelligencer, follows Franny Apsley's perilous quest to uncover the truth behind the sudden discovery of the princes' bones. In Charles II's court of intrigue and deceit, Franny must decide what she’ll risk—for England’s salvation, her family's safety, and her own happiness.

Connect with Elizabeth on her website, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Book Bub, Amazon Author Page, and Goodreads.