Godwine Kingmaker: Part One of The Last Great Saxon Earls
Description
<p><span><span>Harold Godwineson, the Last Anglo-Saxon King, owed everything to his father. Who was this Godwine, first Earl of Wessex and known as the Kingmaker? Was he an unscrupulous schemer, using King and Witan to gain power? Or was he the greatest of all Saxon Earls, protector of the English against the hated Normans? The answer depends on who you ask. He was befriended by the Danes, raised up by Canute the Great, given an Earldom and a wife from the highest Danish ranks. He sired nine children, among them four Earls, a Queen and a future King. Along with his power came a struggle to keep his enemies at bay, and Godwine's best efforts were brought down by the misdeeds of his eldest son Swegn. Although he became father-in-law to a reluctant Edward the Confessor, his fortunes dwindled as the Normans gained prominence at court. Driven into exile, Godwine regathered his forces and came back even stronger, only to discover that his second son Harold was destined to surpass him in renown and glory.</span></span></p>
Story Behind The Book
Have you ever had a place call to you? I mean an in-your-bones call to be there. Then, years later you make a shocking discovery that completely explains why. That’s what happened with me and Salem, Massachusetts.
I originally visited Salem as a teenager on a family trip to New England. For some reason the place really stayed with me, so much so that it inspired me to write a teleplay about modern witches in Salem.
Fast forward to 2019 and I was kicking around an idea for a novel that would be based on that story. The research was fascinating and took a shocking turn when I discovered, during a random genealogy search, that I was a Salem Witch Trials descendant. My 11th great-uncle, Nathaniel Ingersoll, testified against several of the accused and the initial questioning of witnesses took place at his tavern. Suddenly, my unconscious draw to Salem became crystal clear. It was in my blood.
Whispers of the Pale Witch was born out of my family's history and weaves that story into a modern-day psychological horror-thriller. After years of research, many of the details in the book are rooted in reality, making it feel as if what you are reading could have actually happened. It is a story about facing generational trauma and overcoming it. Some secrets stay buried, until they cannot help but come to light. So, with that in mind, shall we begin?