Phew, what a busy year I’ve had. Although I’m afraid to admit, it hasn’t really been so busy on the writing front. Back in the beginning of 2018 we realised it was time to leave Switzerland and return to the UK. It had not been an easy decision to make, but my son was growing up, I’d lost my mum and uncle a couple of years earlier and we wanted to move back to be closer to family. So in July 2018 we moved countries, meaning new house, new school (and school system!) for my little boy and hubby juggling the move while I had to start a new job. Now, having rented for a while, we’re trying to buy a house and sell our old house we’d rented out while we’d been overseas… blimey I’m exhausted just writing it all down!
I did manage to attend the UK Meet in September 2018, but apart from that I’ve not been able to do much to feed my writing since last summer. Snatching time to write when I could was limited, and I was so tired or my busy brain couldn’t focus. Worse part was, I had a set of edits sitting on my laptop since early 2018. Those edits were final copy edits, meaning that novel needed a couple of reads and a cover and it could be published (and I intended to self-publish), but to my shame it has taken over a year to scrape the mental energy to do those last few things. But with a wave of new year optimism that came with 2019, I had a new wind and Anthony, Earl of Crofton, is now ready for your reading pleasure. I feel I should apologise to some dear supporters who have been waiting for this one.
Now I need to capitalize of this positivity with the new release, and I’m happy to report I’ve returned to writing, still not at the level before I left Switzerland, but heading the right direction. I’m working on the next of this ‘Earls’ series called James, Earl of Crofton – Anthony’s great-grandson – who becomes the 4th Earl during the Restoration, set at the court of Charles II. I’ve been having fun with a new earl (and era), and his infatuation with two men – the first a new friend, the other a dashing highwayman…
But back to Anthony’s story. In this extract Anthony has joined Sebastian behind the scenes at the Globe after a performance, where Sebastian is talking to Richard Burbage (one of the leaders of the King’s Men theatre company):
“You think too much of me, Richard,” Sebastian said, and Anthony realised that, while he had removed his stage makeup, he was still in Romeo’s costume. “The court will always prefer to see the master, rather than a poor shadow of his apprentice.”
Richard waggled a finger at Sebastian. “Sometimes you are too modest, Sebastian. You should be more like Lord Crofton and be confident at court. If you wish to make a good marriage, you should make sure all the young ladies get to see the real you.”
“I have very little interest in making a good marriage. I doubt there is a woman who could stand being second to the great love of my life.”
Anthony saw the twinkle in Sebastian’s eyes.
Richard tutted and walked away, calling, “You can’t marry the theatre, Sebastian.”
Anthony flicked the lacy collar of Sebastian’s costume. “Another excellent performance, but I think you should change out of your costume. The ladies of court won’t be able to contain themselves if they were to see you as Romeo.”
“I will be quick. I do not wish to disappoint the court, now, do I?”
Anthony enjoyed the view as Sebastian walked away pulling the tunic over his head, but he also cautiously surveyed the room to see which other young men were still there. Sebastian was to have made it clear that Anthony would be present.
He wasn’t alone in his admiration in Sebastian. In particular, a young man, not even twenty, raced to help Sebastian off with his costume. The infatuated young pup could be Elias; he fitted the description Sebastian had given him, Sebastian having thought it best if Anthony knew who Elias and Jerome were as soon as possible. Blond and slightly mouse-like, Elias looked at Sebastian as if he had hung the stars. If this man was Elias, then Sebastian was mistaken about Elias’s attraction. Either that or he was a better actor than he’d been given credit for.
Anthony sauntered over to Sebastian, to give him a chance to introduce him to his shadow. “Will you be much longer, Mr Hewel?”
“Mere moments, my lord.” Sebastian batted away the hands of his helper, who’d had the audacity to think he would be welcome to unlace Sebastian’s breeches. “Please, Elias. I can undress myself.”
Anthony’s assumption proven correct, Elias blushed all the way to his hairline, his ears turning red like beacons. “Sorry, Sebastian. I just wanted to help.”
A tale set in Stuart England, where the king’s life depends on his most loyal of subjects.
Anthony Redbourn, Earl of Crofton, delights in his reputation as a charming rogue. Life is never quiet at the court of King James I, especially with his good friend and secret lover, Sebastian Hewel, by his side. As an actor with the celebrated King’s Men, Sebastian has his own admirers, but neither man has eyes for anyone else.
When a plot against His Majesty is uncovered it threatens Anthony and Sebastian’s charmed lives, and they are dragged into the political intrigue and the race to save the king from danger. Fear that a traitor is linked to the King’s Men leaves Sebastian and Anthony with no choice but to stage a very public dissolution of their friendship, so Anthony can be free to be the patron of a new rising actor, and Sebastian can be the prodigy of another noble.
It is a dangerous game they are playing to expose the plotters and still find a way to meet in secret, as Anthony is adamant that they will not sacrifice the love they have fought so hard to win. They will do whatever it takes to protect the king’s life, and their commitment to each other.
REBECCA COHEN spends her days dreaming of a living in a Tudor manor house, or a Georgian mansion. Alas, the closest she comes to this is through her characters in her historical romance novels. She also dreams of intergalactic adventures and fantasy realms, but because she’s not yet got her space or dimensional travel plans finalised, she lives happily in leafy Hertfordshire, England, with her husband and young son. She can often be found with a pen in one hand and sloe gin with lemon tonic in the other.
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