She who must not be named

The skeleton in the closet, the black sheep or he/she who must not be named, every family has one. There's always some distant aunt or uncle who is spoken about in whispers in front of the children, or who causes frail old aunts to huff, raise their eyebrows and say "oh yes, I remember him."

My family was no different. My grandfather was the dearest soul, but when it came to talking about his mother all hell broke lose. He would not tolerate her name being spoken in his presence. Other tongues lashed venom in spiteful helpings and vilified her very memory. Truly, I was descended from a wicked monster of a woman and her very name fascinated me.

Many years later I took up genealogy and spent several years tracing my family history. How could I resist hunting down this most wicked of women. Had all the stories about her been true? Or had three generations of flapping tongues distorted her life into a twisted fantasy? Part of me hoped that she really was the villain of family stories, and part of me hoped to discover a real flesh and blood woman with human flaws but a good heart.

As expected, my research discovered a woman who had been unfairly blamed for much, but whose life did not disappoint in adventure and scandal. I resolved to write a book about her unbelievable life but a straight biography made for dry reading. Instead I told her story in novel form.  I hope she approves of it.

Introducing the North American launch of my new novel The Regiment's Woman. This novel is based on a true story and is an epic tale from nineteenth century England. It deals with a woman's quest to become a lady in the face of class division. She is in turn promiscuous, piteous, manipulative, caring and cold and her adventures take her on a perilous journey through husbands, lovers, a military court marshal and murder.
The Regiment's Woman is an earthy story that engages and shocks in equal measure.

Voted semi finalist in the 

2008 Amazon 

Breakthrough Novel Award 

Ask at your local book store.