What if Guy Fawkes Won? Spec Fiction From Tony Morgan

One of the most vivid travel memories I have is flying into London on a November night and as we came low over England, small towns were blasting fireworks, so there were little starbursts all over the ground. Those demonstrations, of course, were in memory of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. As this plaque shows, it failed and the consequences weren’t great for Guy. But the story lives on. One author has asked the question: what if the plot to blow up Parliament had succeeded? The answer is a pair of novels: “Remember, Remember,The Sixth of November,” and “1617.”

Tony Morgan has taken the famous story of November 5th and created  his own world, playing my favorite writing game; “what if?” What if D-Day had failed? What if Columbus hadn’t made it back to Spain? What if my mother had married any of the three (THREE!) guys who proposed to her before she accepted my father? Actually, I try not to dwell on that one for all kinds of reasons. The point is, it’s a fascinating game.

What’s the Tony Morgan story?

Tony Morgan lives in Yorkshire in the UK, close to the birthplace of Guy Fawkes. His books have been described as a perfect read for lovers of the works of C.J. Sansom and S. J. Parris and anyone interested in how historic events have shaped our own times. Profits from both his books in 2017 are being donated to York Teaching Hospital Charity’s dementia appeal.

In a nutshell,what are the stories about?

In my first novel “Remember, Remember the 6th of November” I retell the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. It’s a pivotal moment in British history, celebrated annually on November 5th with bonfires and fireworks. Given few people know the details behind this, I’ve focused on the real-life events but couldn’t stop myself from including a few twists along the way.

In my new release “1617” I’ve inserted the twists from the start. An alternate history develops, where the Gunpowder Plotters have succeeded in blowing up Parliament and killing King James I. The story centres on the early years of the reign of his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, as she attempts to set the country on a different path towards religious tolerance. Of course, not everyone is supportive. Far from it, extremists and foreign agents wish to foil her plans. Closer to home, Elizabeth’s opponents plan to stop her ending the “plantation” of Ireland. With all this happening, can the young queen survive?

What is it about that time period or character that intrigued you and motivated you to write about it?

The first book is set in a world with fascinating, if alarming, parallels with modern times – terrorists on the streets of London, religious unrest, government surveillance and conflict with Europe. The history of the Gunpowder Plot is compelling, from the motivations of the Catholic conspirators, to the intrigue, betrayals, torture and so on.

In both books, it’s the people of the era which fascinate me most. Every Gunpowder Plotter was a man with a family, wives, children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters; as were those on the opposite side of the divide. In “1617”, how could Elizabeth face a world where her father and brothers had been murdered and she was likely next in line? How would the zealots on all sides react to talk of religious tolerance? What would be the impact in Ireland, in America and beyond be from these changes to history? Attempting to begin to answer these questions was motivation enough for me. I’m hoping readers will also develop their own thoughts and threads.

Without giving away the good bits, what are your favorite scenes?

In “Remember, Remember the 6th of November” it’s a secret discussion between spymaster general Robert Cecil and one of the plotters. There’s a significant reveal so I won’t spoil it but Cecil is my favourite character in the book. He’s a man with a ruthless controlling streak but he also has humour and understanding too.

In “1617” I enjoyed the interplay between the protagonist Sir Everard Digby and his Welsh friend and real-life navy captain and explorer Thomas Button. My favourite scene though is where the deadly French spy Linda Blanchet exploits the lecherous French ambassador in London in an attempt to cover her tracks.

Now let’s get shamelessly mercenary. Where can people find you and your books?

Remember, Remember the 6th of November is available in Paperback and Kindle ebook formats –

US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LICIBOK

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LICIBOK

1617 is available as a Kindle ebook –

US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075C3WY9P

UK – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075C3WY9P

 

A Very Different Wild West with Randi Samuelson-Brown

The expansion into the west was so much more than cattle drives and gunfights. City life as towns like Denver and Kansas City grew made for great stories that we haven’t necessarily heard a hundred times. That’s why I was so intrigued when Randi Samuelson-Brown told me about her book, The Beaten Territory.

Okay, so what’s the Randi Samuelson-Brown story?

I am a fifth-generation Colorado native – and because I was the geeky kid who kept pestering the “old people” with questions, from an early age I was filled with a wealth of strange and historical stories.  I’m from Golden originally, and now live in Denver. My undergrad degree is in History and I love the more unusual facets of history. In my free time, if I’m not writing, I’m off combing the mountains for old historical relics and enjoy traveling around the world. I am a member of Lighthouse Writers, Colorado Author’s League, Historical Novel Society and History Writers of America along with Women Writing the West.

The Beaten Territory isn’t a standard “cowboys on the prairie” Western. What’s the story in a nutshell?

The book is about Old West VICE – a 2nd rate Denver madam, her niece and a laudanum-addicted real estate woman and how their paths intersected in 1890’s Denver.

How does a (presumably) nice girl get interested in a story like that?

When I was about twenty I was driving with a friend, crossing a bridge near Market Street in Denver (long since gone) and she commented “Yeah – my Dad’s family has some bad blood. One was a Denver Madam and her niece was hooking for her and got killed.” I was FASCINATED and the story, or the notion of it, stuck with me ever since. I started doing the research and sure enough, there was a Denver madam named Annie Ryan and her operation was a family business. The laudanum-addicted real-estate woman had ties to my family, and I thought “I wonder what would have happened if these two women met” and I took it from there!

I love the “what if” game. What’s your favorite scene in the book?

My favorite scene in the book is when Annie is approaches an unsuspecting Saloon owner about the possibility of her running girls outside the back of his saloon. She flirts with him… and….Let’s just say alcohol was involved!

Where can people learn more about you and your book?

People can find the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Gale/Cengage (Five Star Publishing imprint), and the Tattered Cover in Denver. I’m also on Good Reads and would welcome reviews and more friends! People can find me www.RandiSamuelsonBrown.com ,  on Twitter@rsamuelsonb1 and FaceBook “The Beaten Territory” as well.

 

The California Gold Rush with Richard Roux

Love it or hate it (and I do a little of both) there is no place like California.  The history of the state seems to be completely disconnected from most of the rest of the US. One of the most interesting periods–and a metaphor for everything that’s happened there since, from Hollywood to Silicon Valley–is the Gold Rush. That time period has given us writers like Brett Harte and Mark Twain.

Richard Roux has now added his novel, A Branch Too Weak, to the mix. I was happy to talk to him and learn more. He was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. By profession, he is a high school history teacher and adjunct professor in history at Bakersfield Community College. With an interest in a variety of topics and activities, Richard brings to his writing a mixture of history, anecdotes, and humor. 

When not spending time with his family, teaching, playing hockey, and enjoying the outdoors, he continues to research and write. A series of new releases are planned for the future.

What’s A Branch Too Weak about?

A Branch Too Weak is a work of historical fiction based on the California Gold Rush. The main character, Danny Vance, is an ambitious young man. Like thousands of other Americans, he was enticed west when word of gold in California reached the rest of the United States. It became his goal to reach California to “see the elephant.” Faced with struggle, sacrifice, violence, and himself on a daily basis, he pushed his limits to achieve his dreams. The journey west wasn’t what he expected; it rarely was. Will Danny Vance make it to California, or give up like so many others? Will he find his fortune? Will he find himself? Only he could provide the answers.

This is the first book in the Golden Empire Series. Additional books will explore events and characters in California, mixing actual history and individuals with a fictional story line.

California is a fascinating place… actually several different places all smooshed together. What is it about that time period that got you going?

History has always been an important part of my life. For me, it is an escape. I love exploring how local history is intertwined with national events. And I have always been drawn to history of the American West. So, throughout my life, I have contemplated how my little corner of the world developed over time. My family has some property in the Greenhorn Mountains of Kern County. The area witnessed its own gold rush in 1853 and 1854.

For years, I imagined what type of people moved to the region—where they came from, what they did for a living, and what life was like for them. Over the last year, I started to formulate a story in my head about the California Gold Rush, and about how an individual might venture out to California to chase their dreams, and how they might end up in the Greenhorn Mountains. This last summer, after teaching six weeks of summer school, I found myself with four weeks off. I figured there was no time like the present, so I wrote this book.

In a sense, this book is a reflection of several decades of reflecting on the history of the United States, California, and the Greenhorn Mountains. It is my attempt to craft a compelling story with a likable character, all while relaying some history.

I know it’s an unfair question, but what’s your favorite scene in the book?

One scene in the book has Danny Vance walking up a rock-strewn, rutted track known as the Greenhorn Trail that leads to the Kern River Gold fields. The trail winds its way up a ridge that has oak, pine, and fir trees, as well as clusters of dense brush. That trail seemingly climbs forever. I describe how Danny felt walking up that trail. The heat and sweat, the burning muscles straining to reach the plateau, and the quest for shade. This scene means a lot to me, because I have walked that trail and have experienced the same feelings and struggle. In a way, I am Danny at that moment in time.

Where can folks learn more about you and your work?

I and my book can be found several places:

Amazon Author’s Page:

Goodreads: 

Greenhorn Mountain Books Facebook Page: 

Check Out the Short Story: Through the Arbor Vitae

Each year, the Naperville Writers Group puts out an anthology of writing from our members. This is my contribution this year, my third straight, and it’s bittersweet. By the time Rivulets 30 comes out, I’ll probably be living in Las Vegas and no longer an active member.

I can’t think the members of NWG enough for their support, love and assistance with my writing–not to mention just getting me out of the house and out amongst humans once a week.

Take a gander at this short story… based on a real snippet of conversation that blew across a parking lot and carried to its (il)logical conclusion.

You can read some of my other short stories on this site as well, just follow your nose….