Keira’s Books

Historical romance meets period history

A Review of The Importance of Sons Historical romance meets period history… love and hate, power and corruption, fear and jealousy. This feels like Tudor England but is a leap into Renaissance France through the lens of powerful women hobbled by patriarchy, a prequel to Morgan’s The Importance of Pawns. The ambitious and manipulative Louise …

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Louise de Savoie, Duchess of Angoulême

Countess Louise, Astrology, & January 1

What do Countess Louise, Astrology, and January 1 have in common? Readers of the Journal de Louise de Savoye, duchesse d’Angoulesme, d’Anjou et de Valois will know the answer. For the rest of you, let me explain. Three crucial events In the 20 years between 1496 to 1515, three crucial events in Countess Louise’s life …

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The Women of 16th-Century France: Fact and Fiction

I began this website with facts not fiction about the women of 16th Century France. It was too limiting. , I posted historical content about the women I was fictionalizing. It was too limiting. Now my site is more eclectic. I have lots about my fiction, the blog posts with historical content about the women …

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How I Became Interested In The French Renaissance

Many people ask me how I became interested in the French renaissance. It’s a long story. The year I was five, I lived with my grandparents to go to grade one. It was the most formative of my life. Escaping from the position as a middle child of three, I became a pampered only child. …

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Tony Riches of The Writing Desk interviews me about The Importance of Pawns

This post was originally published on The Writing Desk. The sixteenth century French court dazzles on the surface. But beneath its glitter, danger lurks for those caught up in its flux. Based on actual historical events and characters, this riveting story will keep you turning the pages until the end. It is also a timeless …

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The Story Behind The Importance of Pawns or How I Developed My Debut Novel

This post was originally published on Ruins & Reading. The story behind The Importance of Pawns or how I developed my debut novel is long and tortuous. Yet you could not have asked about a topic closer to my heart. Historical fiction has been my favourite genre since I learned to read at five. At …

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On Tour, The History in The Importance of Pawns

On tour today, the topic is the history in The Importance of Pawns. Before I wrote fiction I studied history, so you could say history is in my blood. And here’s a secret. My mother was a history teacher (among other steps in her career)—including author! I learned what I know about powerful women breaking …

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The Book Tour Continues Today!The Importance of Pawns

The Blog Tour Continues Today! Welcome to Day #4 of The Importance of Pawns (Chronicles of the House of Valois) hosted by the Coffee Pot blog tour. I am thrilled that the Blog Tour continues today at Tony Riches’s The Writing Desk. I admire his writing and Mary Tudor features in my book. Two of …

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A Brief History of Princess Renée de France: Staunch Huguenot

You’ll find my brief history of the life of Princess Renée de France, a stanch Huguenot, at The Freelance History Writer. I recently wrote a guest blog post there to celebrate the launch of my novel The Importance of Pawns. In the post, I give an overview of the tumultuous life that Princess Renée lived. …

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The Women in The Importance of Pawns

Who are the real women behind the a bit about the novel and the truth about its four principal characters. Importance of Pawns Plot Danger lurks beneath the glitter of the sixteenth Century French court for Claude and young Renée, heiresses to the rich duchy of Brittany. Their mother, Queen Anne, lies dying. King Louis, …

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