Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Counterpoint: Barbara, Lady Villiers

Please join me in congratulating Elizabeth St. John on the publication of Counterpoint: Barbara, Lady Villiers, a companion novelette in her Lydiard Chronicles series. I had the pleasure of working with Liz on a copyedit, and I designed the cover. Here's the book description:

Barbara Villiers Palmer is one of the most famous courtesans in history. Mistress to Charles II and mother of five of his children, Lady Castlemaine's notoriety is legendary. This is the story of her namesake and grandmother, Barbara St.John Villiers. The apple did not fall far from the tree.

Barbara St.John Villiers has always despised her sister Lucy, and when Theo Howard, Earl of Suffolk, fell in love with her, Barbara thought she'd die of jealousy. Instead, she decided to get even by befriending someone even more scandalous than herself, Theo's sister, Frances Howard, Countess of Somerset. Unfortunately, Frances was then imprisoned in the Tower of London, accused of murder, and Barbara had to find a way to turn this to her advantage - and continue her vendetta against Lucy.

When I wrote The Lady of the Tower, the story revealed itself in the narrative of my ancestress, Lucy St.John. But, as with all novels, other characters appeared, and their voices grew strong and insistent, demanding their own story be told. This novelette is Barbara’s counterpoint to chapter thirty-one in the novel, in which Barbara manipulates Theo and his sister to gain much for herself.

A counterpoint is a melody played in conjunction with another, or an opposing viewpoint in an argument. Our lives are complex, and each one of us carries within us a counterpoint to another’s story. Here is one to Lucy St.John, the lady of the Tower.

Counterpoint: Barbara, Lady Villiers is available now in ebook format on Amazon and Amazon UK for 99-cents. Add it to your shelves on Goodreads, and check out Elizabeth's website and blog, where she shares tidbits and photos from her research and travels in her ancestors' footsteps.

Check out the full-length books in the series, The Lady of the Tower and By Love Divided!

Need an editor or cover designer?
Email Jenny anytime to chat about your WIP!
jennyq@historicaleditorial.com