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Royal Blood: A HWA Short Story Collection
A HWA Short Story Collection - Book Three
‘The drama, intrigue, and clashing contrasts of Tudor times brought vividly to life.’ Imogen Robertson
Immerse yourself in the Tudor period through a diverse collection of informed and entertaining short stories narratives.
Read about some of your favourite characters from established series, or be introduced to new writers in the genre.
The stories in Royal Blood bring the Tudor era richly to life, presenting suspense, rivalry, espionage and historical drama.
This stunning new collection, brought to you by the Historical Writers' Association, also includes interviews with each author.
Find out more about their writing processes and what attracts them to the Tudor world.
Royal Blood is a must read for all fans of historical fiction.
Authors & Stories Featured in Royal
Judith Arnopp – ‘No Other Will Than His’ Katherine Howard
David Field – One for the Road
EC Fremantle – The Sum of Me
Philip Gooden – Exit Ghost
Michael Jecks – The Earl’s Purse
John Pilkington – A False Hawksman
Peter Tonkin – A Palpable Hit
Steven Veerapen – Lantern and Light
Michael Ward – The North-East Passage
‘The drama, intrigue, and clashing contrasts of Tudor times brought vividly to life.’ Imogen Robertson
Immerse yourself in the Tudor period through a diverse collection of informed and entertaining short stories narratives.
Read about some of your favourite characters from established series, or be introduced to new writers in the genre.
The stories in Royal Blood bring the Tudor era richly to life, presenting suspense, rivalry, espionage and historical drama.
This stunning new collection, brought to you by the Historical Writers' Association, also includes interviews with each author.
Find out more about their writing processes and what attracts them to the Tudor world.
Royal Blood is a must read for all fans of historical fiction.
Authors & Stories Featured in Royal
Judith Arnopp – ‘No Other Will Than His’ Katherine Howard
David Field – One for the Road
EC Fremantle – The Sum of Me
Philip Gooden – Exit Ghost
Michael Jecks – The Earl’s Purse
John Pilkington – A False Hawksman
Peter Tonkin – A Palpable Hit
Steven Veerapen – Lantern and Light
Michael Ward – The North-East Passage
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2020
50 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Judith Arnopp
49 books226 followers.A lifelong history enthusiast and avid reader, Judith holds a BA in English/Creative writing and an MA in Medieval Studies.
She lives on the coast of West Wales where she writes both fiction and non-fiction based in the Medieval and Tudor period. Her main focus is on the perspective of historical women but she is currently writing a novel from a male perspective, that of Henry VIII himself.
Her novels include:
A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, the Aragon Years
A Matter of Faith: Henry VIII, the Days of the Phoenix
The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace
The Beaufort Bride: Book one of The Beaufort Chronicle
The Beaufort Woman: Book two of The Beaufort Chronicle
The King’s Mother: Book three of The Beaufort Chronicle
The Winchester Goose: at the Court of Henry VIII
A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York
Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr
The Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn
The Song of Heledd
The Forest Dwellers
Peaceweaver
Judith is also a founder member of a re-enactment group called The Fyne Companye of Cambria, and makes historical garments both for the group and others. She is not professionally trained but through trial, error and determination has learned how to make authentic looking, if not strictly HA, clothing.
Her non-fiction book, How to Dress Like a Tudor will be published by Pen and Sword in 2023,
You can find her group Tudor Handmaid on Facebook. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.
Webpage: www.judithmarnopp.com
Author page: author.to/juditharnoppbooks
Blog: http://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot....
For more information please visit my website: www.judithmarnopp.com
author.to/juditharnoppbooks
She lives on the coast of West Wales where she writes both fiction and non-fiction based in the Medieval and Tudor period. Her main focus is on the perspective of historical women but she is currently writing a novel from a male perspective, that of Henry VIII himself.
Her novels include:
A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, the Aragon Years
A Matter of Faith: Henry VIII, the Days of the Phoenix
The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace
The Beaufort Bride: Book one of The Beaufort Chronicle
The Beaufort Woman: Book two of The Beaufort Chronicle
The King’s Mother: Book three of The Beaufort Chronicle
The Winchester Goose: at the Court of Henry VIII
A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York
Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr
The Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn
The Song of Heledd
The Forest Dwellers
Peaceweaver
Judith is also a founder member of a re-enactment group called The Fyne Companye of Cambria, and makes historical garments both for the group and others. She is not professionally trained but through trial, error and determination has learned how to make authentic looking, if not strictly HA, clothing.
Her non-fiction book, How to Dress Like a Tudor will be published by Pen and Sword in 2023,
You can find her group Tudor Handmaid on Facebook. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.
Webpage: www.judithmarnopp.com
Author page: author.to/juditharnoppbooks
Blog: http://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot....
For more information please visit my website: www.judithmarnopp.com
author.to/juditharnoppbooks
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 27, 2020
Find this and other reviews at: https://historicalfictionreader.blogs...
I wouldn't call myself an anthology devotee. I don't deliberately seek these publications out, but I am not averse to reading them, especially when the subject matter is something that interests me. This tendency, paired with a renewed interest in the Tudor era (thank you, Janet Wertman), led me to Royal Blood, a short story collection compiled by members of the Historical Writer's Association.
On the whole, I enjoyed this collection. I found the stories entertaining and liked that each submission felt unique. Having said that, I think it important to note wishing I'd tackled the book in small bursts. Two of the contributors wrote biographic shorts while the remaining authors wrote pieces that complimented existing mystery/crime series. The stories are all worthwhile, but the collection felt unbalanced when read straight through cover to cover. Historically speaking, I also wish the collection had been presented chronologically rather than alphabetically by author name. The Tudor period is relatively short, and while the stories aren't related, I was distracted at how the story order caused me to jump back and forth between monarchs.
Hate general anthology reviews? Me too. Check below for my thoughts on each individual story.
No Other Will Than His by Judith Arnopp: Though written as a standalone, No Other Will Than His acts as a fictional bridge between Kiss of the Concubine and Intractable Heart. Arnopp's interpretation of Katherine Howard is more grounded than most, and I liked how the story dug into the material and didn't attribute her downfall to her youth and naivety alone.
One for the Road by David Field: Field's submission, One for the Road, complements the Thomas Lincraft Mystery series. Set in provincial Elizabethan England, the story presents a unique view of life outside the court and the everyday deceits that put innocent lives at risk. Field was a new author for me, but his story's tone really appealed to me, and I look forward to reading him his independent works.
The Sum of Me by Elizabeth Freemantle (aka E.C. Fremantle): Unlike most of the stories in Royal Blood, Freemantle's submission is more of a character sketch or cut scene than it is standalone short. That said, I liked how the story complimented Sisters of Treason and the insight it afforded Katherine Grey.
Exit Ghost by Philip Gooden: Exit Ghost is my second favorite submission in the Royal Blood anthology. I was not familiar with the Shakespearean Murder series or Gooden prior to reading Royal Blood, but I loved the vibes that radiated from this piece. I don't know where Gooden got the idea to write a mystery series set against Elizabethan theater culture and Shakespeare's plays, but I can't wait to get my hands on the full-length Nick Revill narratives.
The Earl's Purse by Michael Jecks: The Earl's Purse is a less complicated story than those that preceded it, but I liked how Jecks used his submission to showcase the character of his leading man. Elizabethan cutpurse and adventurer, Jack Blackjack, has a knack for finding trouble, but he employs his skillsets at his discretion. I'm not familiar with the Bloody Mary Mystery series, but this character portrait presented in this story put the full-length novels straight into my TBR.
A False Hawksman by John Pilkington: A False Hawksman compliments Pilkington's Thomas the Falconer Mystery series. The story felt tonally similar to Field's, but Pilkington added a political twist that brought a special note to his submission. Most of the other tales take place in or out of the court, and I appreciated how this story afforded a sort of everyman perspective on the scheming vipers of the upper crust.
A Palpable Hit by Peter Tonkin: If writing a convincing bout of rapier-play is an art, Tonkin is a master. A compliment to the Master of Defense mystery series, A Palpable Hit finds Elizabethan sleuth Tom Musgrave wielding his weapon while puzzling over a murder. An action-filled short story with jaw-dropping and wonderfully rendered movement.
Lantern and Light by Steven Veerapen: Lantern and Light marks my first encounter with Veerapen and the Simon Danforth mystery series. I don't know if social dialogue is something Veerapen threads through all of his stories, but I really liked what Lantern and Light said about the ripple effect of interpreted behavior. Thematically, I felt this one of the strongest pieces in the collection.
The North-East Passage by Michael Ward: Ward is a new author for me, but his submission, The North-East Passage, proved my favorite of the anthology. The story is short but historically packed, tackling the shipping industry in the Tudor Era, the roots of the nation's trading Empire, and the ruthlessness of merchant dealings. The story is a sort of prequel to Rags of Time and prompted my immediate download of the full-length novel.
I wouldn't call myself an anthology devotee. I don't deliberately seek these publications out, but I am not averse to reading them, especially when the subject matter is something that interests me. This tendency, paired with a renewed interest in the Tudor era (thank you, Janet Wertman), led me to Royal Blood, a short story collection compiled by members of the Historical Writer's Association.
On the whole, I enjoyed this collection. I found the stories entertaining and liked that each submission felt unique. Having said that, I think it important to note wishing I'd tackled the book in small bursts. Two of the contributors wrote biographic shorts while the remaining authors wrote pieces that complimented existing mystery/crime series. The stories are all worthwhile, but the collection felt unbalanced when read straight through cover to cover. Historically speaking, I also wish the collection had been presented chronologically rather than alphabetically by author name. The Tudor period is relatively short, and while the stories aren't related, I was distracted at how the story order caused me to jump back and forth between monarchs.
Hate general anthology reviews? Me too. Check below for my thoughts on each individual story.
No Other Will Than His by Judith Arnopp: Though written as a standalone, No Other Will Than His acts as a fictional bridge between Kiss of the Concubine and Intractable Heart. Arnopp's interpretation of Katherine Howard is more grounded than most, and I liked how the story dug into the material and didn't attribute her downfall to her youth and naivety alone.
One for the Road by David Field: Field's submission, One for the Road, complements the Thomas Lincraft Mystery series. Set in provincial Elizabethan England, the story presents a unique view of life outside the court and the everyday deceits that put innocent lives at risk. Field was a new author for me, but his story's tone really appealed to me, and I look forward to reading him his independent works.
The Sum of Me by Elizabeth Freemantle (aka E.C. Fremantle): Unlike most of the stories in Royal Blood, Freemantle's submission is more of a character sketch or cut scene than it is standalone short. That said, I liked how the story complimented Sisters of Treason and the insight it afforded Katherine Grey.
Exit Ghost by Philip Gooden: Exit Ghost is my second favorite submission in the Royal Blood anthology. I was not familiar with the Shakespearean Murder series or Gooden prior to reading Royal Blood, but I loved the vibes that radiated from this piece. I don't know where Gooden got the idea to write a mystery series set against Elizabethan theater culture and Shakespeare's plays, but I can't wait to get my hands on the full-length Nick Revill narratives.
The Earl's Purse by Michael Jecks: The Earl's Purse is a less complicated story than those that preceded it, but I liked how Jecks used his submission to showcase the character of his leading man. Elizabethan cutpurse and adventurer, Jack Blackjack, has a knack for finding trouble, but he employs his skillsets at his discretion. I'm not familiar with the Bloody Mary Mystery series, but this character portrait presented in this story put the full-length novels straight into my TBR.
A False Hawksman by John Pilkington: A False Hawksman compliments Pilkington's Thomas the Falconer Mystery series. The story felt tonally similar to Field's, but Pilkington added a political twist that brought a special note to his submission. Most of the other tales take place in or out of the court, and I appreciated how this story afforded a sort of everyman perspective on the scheming vipers of the upper crust.
A Palpable Hit by Peter Tonkin: If writing a convincing bout of rapier-play is an art, Tonkin is a master. A compliment to the Master of Defense mystery series, A Palpable Hit finds Elizabethan sleuth Tom Musgrave wielding his weapon while puzzling over a murder. An action-filled short story with jaw-dropping and wonderfully rendered movement.
Lantern and Light by Steven Veerapen: Lantern and Light marks my first encounter with Veerapen and the Simon Danforth mystery series. I don't know if social dialogue is something Veerapen threads through all of his stories, but I really liked what Lantern and Light said about the ripple effect of interpreted behavior. Thematically, I felt this one of the strongest pieces in the collection.
The North-East Passage by Michael Ward: Ward is a new author for me, but his submission, The North-East Passage, proved my favorite of the anthology. The story is short but historically packed, tackling the shipping industry in the Tudor Era, the roots of the nation's trading Empire, and the ruthlessness of merchant dealings. The story is a sort of prequel to Rags of Time and prompted my immediate download of the full-length novel.
December 8, 2022
Tudor Bites
This collection caught my eye because I enjoy Judith Arnopp's books and most things classified as Tudor. I particularly liked the interviews with each author following their short story. The very last story, The Northeast Passage by Michael Ward, was fabulous! Sometimes, short literary bites like this collection are just what fits your day.
This collection caught my eye because I enjoy Judith Arnopp's books and most things classified as Tudor. I particularly liked the interviews with each author following their short story. The very last story, The Northeast Passage by Michael Ward, was fabulous! Sometimes, short literary bites like this collection are just what fits your day.
September 14, 2020
This is the third in the HWA Short Story Collection and this time the stories are focused on one of my eras, the Tudors!
I was so excited to read these, I couldn't wait to see if John Pilkington's story was about my favourite Falconer, Thomas Finbow. I was of course delighted that it was indeed a short story about Thomas, I literally can't get enough of that character!
The other authors I have previously read were Judith Arnopp, Steven Veerapen and David Field, both whom have provided great short stories for this collection.
I haven't read the work of the rest before now but thoroughly enjoyed each story and have noted the authors names so I can read more.
This is the perfect book for Tudor fans who want to enjoy some light, quick reading from exceptional authors.
Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!
I know I haven't read these short story collections in order but I will be reading the other two books in the series starting with Rubicon which features 10 short stories in the Roman era.
I was so excited to read these, I couldn't wait to see if John Pilkington's story was about my favourite Falconer, Thomas Finbow. I was of course delighted that it was indeed a short story about Thomas, I literally can't get enough of that character!
The other authors I have previously read were Judith Arnopp, Steven Veerapen and David Field, both whom have provided great short stories for this collection.
I haven't read the work of the rest before now but thoroughly enjoyed each story and have noted the authors names so I can read more.
This is the perfect book for Tudor fans who want to enjoy some light, quick reading from exceptional authors.
Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!
I know I haven't read these short story collections in order but I will be reading the other two books in the series starting with Rubicon which features 10 short stories in the Roman era.
May 25, 2021
This collection of short stories was recommended in GoodReads as having a work by Mike Ward. This is a collection of short stories and authors' interviews. They all focus on Tudor times. I enjoyed almost all of the stories and was interested in most of the interviews. I have several authors I'm going to be trying out to see if I like their series. Recommended.
July 12, 2020
A collection of short stories set in Tudor times by our popular historical fiction authors
August 12, 2020
3.5 stars rounded to 4. I enjoyed Judith Arnopp and Elizabeth Freemantle's short stories a great deal.. The rest were fine but not my style.
September 8, 2020
This was a.really good anthology of short stories set in the Tudor period of England. Recommended.
June 8, 2021
Some vry good short stories from some authors I have read before. Loved the stories - well written.
September 18, 2021
Lovely collection of short stories
I liked having different authors, subjects and time periods. Some had twists and all take place in Tudor times. A quick read.
I liked having different authors, subjects and time periods. Some had twists and all take place in Tudor times. A quick read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews