• Author
  • Book
  • Story behind the book
  • Media Links
  • Reviews
Cynthia Haggard

Cynthia Haggard

About

Cynthia Sally Haggard was born and reared in Surrey, England. About 30 years ago she surfaced in the United States, inhabiting the Mid-Atlantic region as she wound her way through four careers: violinist, cognitive scientist, medical writer, and novelist. 

 

Cynthia graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University, Cambridge MA, in June 2015.

Her first novel, Thwarted Queen, a frustrating tale (hence the title) of Lady Cecylee (Cecily) Neville (1415-1495) who was nearly crowned Queen of England, was shortlisted for many awards, including the 2012 Eric Hoffer New Horizon Award for debut authors. To date, sales have surpassed 38,000 copies.

Her second novel, Farewell My Life, a Cinderella-ish tale with not-so-charming princes who inhabit the edgy setting of 1920s Berlin, won a Pinnacle Award (2019) and a Distinguished Favorite (New York City Big Book Awards, 2019).

 

When she’s not annoying everyone by insisting her fictional characters are more real than they are, Cynthia likes to go for long walks, knit something glamorous, cook in her wonderful kitchen, and play the piano. You can visit her at www.spunstories.com.

Fatal Rivalry: Part Three of The Last Great Saxon Earls

Fatal Rivalry: Part Three of The Last Great Saxon Earls

0.0
0 ratings

Description

<p>In 1066, the rivalry between two brothers brought England to its knees. When Duke William of Normandy landed at Pevensey on September 28, 1066, no one was there to resist him. King Harold Godwineson was in the north, fighting his brother Tostig and a fierce Viking invasion. How could this have happened? Why would Tostig turn traitor to wreak revenge on his brother?<br />The Sons of Godwine were not always enemies. It took a massive Northumbrian uprising to tear them apart, making Tostig an exile and Harold his sworn enemy. And when 1066 came to an end, all the Godwinesons were dead except one: Wulfnoth, hostage in Normandy. For two generations, Godwine and his sons were a mighty force, but their power faded away as the Anglo-Saxon era came to a close.</p>

Story Behind The Book

I started to write this novel about Cecylee Neville when I heard that Michael K. Jones, a British historian, had been combing through the archives of Rouen cathedral and discovered that Cecylee's husband Richard of York was absent for 5 weeks during the summer of 1441. Nine months later, Cecylee's son Edward, who later became King Edward IV, was born. This piece of research seemed to give credence to the idea that Edward was illegitimate. I wrote the novel because I had a burning question: What on earth did Cecylee say to her husband when he returned home from fighting the French?

Media Links

Reviews

<ul class="xoxo sidebar-list"><li class="widget widget_text"> <div class="textwidget"> <p>“THWARTED QUEEN is a gripping, well-researched historical novel, revealing a violent age. Cecylee and the other characters are well-drawn, with great subtlety and depth.&quot; Lindsay Townsend, author of TO TOUCH THE KNIGHT.</p> <p>&quot;The author immerses the reader in a complex and vivid world that is depicted with persuasive confidence.&quot; Curtis Sittenfeld, author of AMERICAN WIFE.</p> <p>&quot;THWARTED QUEEN is a wonderful novel to introduce Cecily Neville and historical biographical fiction to young female readers.&quot; Mirella Patzer, author of THE PENDANT.</p> <p>&quot;The characters in THWARTED QUEEN were very developed with great personality and really brought history to life.&quot; Star, from THE BIBLIOPHILIC BOOK BLOG.</p> <p>&quot;The pacing is phenomenal. THWARTED QUEEN is eminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. I anxiously await a second book&quot; Phillip Tang of PHILLIP TANG BOOK REVIEW BLOG.</p> </div> </li> </ul>