About
Michael E. Benson was born in a small coal mining town in Kansas. He moved to the deserts of Utah when he was twelve and there he learned to hunt and to survive in the wilderness. It was there he also learned of his affinity with horses. Later, his parents moved to Kansas City. After high school, he joined the United States Coast Guard. After he returned home, he worked at many occupations. Eventually, he became a private detective and later a police officer.He earned a Master of Science in Education degree in Criminal Justice and a Master of Arts degree in American History. He became a member of the faculty at Longview Community College in Lee's Summit, Missouri, where he stayed for the next twenty-five years teaching American History and Criminal Justice. After his retirement, he began his writing career in earnest. Today, Michael lives in south Texas with his wife Barbara
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
This book began as a game we played in the car. Pretend I've just escaped from prison and I call you. I know the authorities are listening and I have to give you a clue to a place we can meet that only you would know. From that game came the basic plot of the story.
