Skip to main content

The Tudor Prophecy Coming in January


The launch of the next title coming out from OC Publishing is The Tudor Prophecy, an historical fiction written by Dr. Julie Strong. Release day scheduled for January 25th. 

 Julie, a soon-to-be-retired family physician, is also an award-winning short story author and playwright born in Manchester, England, who grew up in Wales, Australia, and Ireland, and emigrated to Canada in 1980. Her medical degree is from Trinity College, Dublin University, Ireland, and she holds a BA in Classics from Dalhousie University, Halifax. This is her debut novel. 

 The Tudor Prophecy is set in 1541, when Henry VIII, increasingly decrepit and paranoid, reigns from a contested throne. In parallel storylines it follows two young women, Lady Alice Grantmire and Hester Vaughan, cousins who each suffer greatly from the King’s unjust decrees. Hester, betrothed to a Welsh bard whose mentor had visions foretelling Elizabeth’s ascendancy, encounters the eight-year-old Lady Elizabeth, and the two forge a relationship whereby Hester can persuade the future queen to temper her own rule with mercy. 

Early reviews have been glowing:

 “An astonishment of riches—impeccably researched, gorgeous detail; wry, earthy humour; nimble, beautiful prose—The Tudor Prophecy recreates a world in which nature’s resplendence and humanity’s place in its order outshine the brutal throne and dominion of Henry VIII. Strong’s novel is fiercely ambitious, deeply felt, at once playful and wise as it reveals the eternal feminine in an era driven by animus and marked by violent schism. No holds barred, it reflects upon the mystery of genuine power in the sphere of humble human relations, its players’ melodramas guided by true nobility: the spirit of benevolence and love.” 

Carol Bruneau, author of Brighten the Corner Where You Are.

"A fast-paced, exciting narrative that follows the trials and adventures of two young women in the turbulent times of Reformation England. Spanning a few hectic months, and ranging from London to North Wales, Julie Strong’s novel presents the struggles of ordinary women and their families as she traces the perilous journeys of Alice and Hester in parallel storylines while they attempt to keep their tattered lives together, and find love along the way. The plot twists and turns in surprising and entertaining ways, introducing a vile Henry VIII and leading us through the pagan remains of the Goddess in Wales, to an encounter with a princess. Careful research comes to life in engaging prose, and a vivid story carries the reader along swiftly."

Dr. Elizabeth Edwards, Inglis Professor, University of King's College, Halifax 

Julie Strong
"The Tudor Prophecy is a tremendous read and testament to Julie Strong’s diligent research into Henry VIII and his break with the Roman Catholic Church. Amid dips into Welsh mythology and folklore, the stories of Hester and Alice are told with pathos tinged with defiance. An epic tale of Tudor machinations thwarted by loyalty and love."

Apple Gidley, author of the novels Fireburn, Transfer, and Have You Eaten Rice Today?  

We will launch a virtual book tour on January 13. Next week, we will post the line-up with links to the sites where you'll find the review of the book and interviews with Julie. If you are a reviewer/book blogger/YouTuber or Book Toker, and would like an advance review copy, email anne@ocpublishing.ca. For more information, visit Julie’s page on the OC Publishing website at ocpublishing.ca/julie-strong.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Adverbs & Cliches in a Nutshell - Guest Post by Jessica Bell

Too many adverbs and clichés in your writing? I've got just the fix for you. by Jessica Bell Writers constantly have rules thrown at them left, right, and center. Show, don’t tell! Stop using so many dialogue tags! More sensory detail! More tension! Speed up the pace! Yada yada yada ... it can become overwhelming, yes? I used to feel overwhelmed by it all too. In fact, I still do sometimes. It’s hard enough to get the words on the page, let alone consider how to put them there. In Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird , she says that in order not to be overwhelmed, a writer needs to focus on short assignments. She refers to the one-inch picture frame on her desk and how that little picture frame reminds her to focus on bite-sized pieces of the whole story. Basically, if you focus on one small thing at a time, the story will eventually come together to create a whole. I believe the same applies to learning the craft of writing. If writers focus on one aspect of the craft at a time, t...
1 comment
Read more

The Author-Preneur – Are you Ready for it? Book review: APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch

“Starting your book is only the first five miles of a twenty-six mile marathon that’s one-third of a triathlon.” APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur If you’re a self-published author or are contemplating taking the plunge (for whatever reason), be prepared for the demand of being an ‘Author-Preneur.’ Actually, it’s not a bad idea to do it even if you’re traditionally published. Start switching your mind-set from, ‘I’ve got to sit down and get a chapter done today’ to ‘I’ve got to sit down and write a chapter today AND post a tweet about my progress, share a sneak preview on Facebook, take that tutorial on how to convert to ebooks, and review the cover design proposals that are sitting in my in-box.’ There are plenty of books, blogs, websites, newsletters and videos out there on how to do it all... some helpful and others not so much. One that I would highly recommend is Guy Kawasaki’s and Shawn Welch’s APE: Author, Publisher,Entrepreneur . It takes you through the entire...
3 comments
Read more

The Last Witch on Skye goes on tour!

 I'm very exicted to give you a preview of the next title coming out from OC Publishing. The Last Witch on Skye , written by Carolyn J. Nicholson and illustrated by E.M. Gales (edited by Marianne Ward and book design by David W. Edeldstein) will launch on September 17th. Our virtual book tour has begun and we are thrilled to have the folks listed below on board to help build excitement for the launch. A bit about the book... The Ban the Witches and Fairies (BW&F) Party has chased all the supernatural beings out of the Isle of Skye. Only Magaidh, a young witch, remains, hiding in a castle disguised as a cat. But, she and the Queen of the Fairies have a plan to rescue the Fairy Flag, allowing the fairies and Magaidh to return to Skye. As Magaidh resumes her business, Spells Inc. she thinks about getting revenge but the Fairy Queen suggests peace would be a better plan. Throughout the book, Magaidh and her two fairy friends, Sean and Iain, go on many adventures together, including...
Post a Comment
Read more