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Pamela Belle

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Misfit
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Pamela Belle

Post by Misfit » Fri August 7th, 2009, 5:35 pm

Anyone ever read her books? I just came across her via a recommendation at Goodreads. I've found four books set during England's Civil War, plus one during the time of R3.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Fri August 7th, 2009, 5:51 pm

The opinions I've come across are enjoyable, well grounded historical fiction. She hangs out on a couple of Yahoo lists where I do too, and I went for a coffee with her when I was on holiday in Wiltshire the other year! (she works in a library there).
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

annis
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Post by annis » Fri August 7th, 2009, 5:54 pm

I enjoyed her Civil War novels- I think she is an excellent writer, and you really get a feeling for the period and her characters. There are two series, one based on the experiences of a Puritan family, and one on those of a Royalist family. She later wrote a fantasy series which was also good, but she hasn't written anything for some time, which is a shame. She has expressed a desire to write a novel about Alfred the Great, but it doesn't appear to have happened, at this point anyway.
There's a fan tribute site here, which gives some info about the books and an author biography at the bottom of the page:
http://www.pamelabelle.com

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Post by EC2 » Fri August 7th, 2009, 5:59 pm

I think it's the getting published bit which is a problem Annis. There was a lot of blood on the tracks re historical fiction in the mid to late 90's and many authors didn't have their contracts renewed and that's where the problem stems from. I haven't heard from Pam in a while, but I think she's still around. Last I heard I think was either on the histfict Yahoo group or the UK Novelists forum, but I can't recall. Misfit, I think you would like the books.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Fri August 7th, 2009, 6:03 pm

Woohoo! I ordered Wintercombe and the second book in the CW series (library has book #1 and #2). They're kind of spendy on the Amazon used listings but I had better luck at Thriftbooks.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Fri August 7th, 2009, 6:13 pm

You might want to check out her Richard III novel too, The Lodestar.
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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Post by EC2 » Fri August 7th, 2009, 6:23 pm

Meant to add that Pam will tell anyone, it's no secret, that her biggest influence and inspiration as a writer is Dorothy Dunnett.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Fri August 7th, 2009, 6:40 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]You might want to check out her Richard III novel too, The Lodestar.[/quote]

Just ordered it. I really hate it when it's a slow work day. This is costing me a few pennies. I have this policy of not requesting ILL's when the book is under $5 or so.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Ariadne
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Post by Ariadne » Fri August 7th, 2009, 6:58 pm

I've read nearly all of her books and thoroughly enjoyed them, especially The Moon in the Water and its sequels. The first two are on Paperbackswap. I have a spare copy of Alethea, book three, if you'd like it -- just PM me. It has a frothy, historically inappropriate wedding scene on the cover (it's set during the Restoration).
Last edited by Ariadne on Fri August 7th, 2009, 11:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Fri August 7th, 2009, 9:38 pm

[quote=""Ariadne""]I've read nearly all of her books and thoroughly enjoyed them, especially The Moon in the Water and its sequels. The first two are on Paperbackswap. I have a spare copy of Alethea, book three, if you'd like it -- just PM me. It's has a frothy, historically inappropriate wedding scene on the cover (it's set during the Restoration).[/quote]

Thank you for the kind offer, but that is one of two that my library does have. You'll have to scan the cover though and share with us. I am really starting to feel like a kid in a candy store, I love these new discoveries.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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