I can’t recall a time I couldn’t read. Wait. Now that I think of it, that’s not true I vaguely recall devouring picture books before I could follow the words. But once I did, I was captured. Wonderful worlds opened. Fairy tales, myths, folk stories from different cultures. It all grew into a fascination with history—what the world and people who lived before us were like. That love of history never left me, although somehow I managed to major in English and devote one career to print journalism. After a few years, I received my master’s degree and was off to teach English and journalism in college. Even my doctoral dissertation was in journalism—Media Ethics. But through it all, my love of history remained. And when I retired and tried my hand at writing, without thinking I turned to historical. Of course. To date, all but one of my books (a historical Western) have been medieval. Someday I’ll finish one of the Regencies I’ve started, but for now I’m snuggled into the 12th and 13th Centuries. I grew up in small town and rural North Missouri. After a few years in California, I returned to the Midwest. Now I’m retired in Southwest Missouri, where I’m happy to stay—except perhaps for one more visit to England and Ireland. And maybe one to…
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Title The Right Knight
Author Barbara Bettis
Genre Historical (Medieval) Romance
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
After her father dies, Annis of Roxley fears King John will award her home to one of his pet mercenaries. Still, she’s unprepared for the knight who arrives carrying John’s order: Wed the new lord or become the king’s ward. If the new lord is anything like his disheveled representative, she’s better off –elsewhere.
Rushing to claim the castle John’s finally granted him, Sir Hugh reaches Roxley looking so unkempt, Annis takes him for a servant. Before he can reveal his identity, she disappears with her cousin. Hugh knows John rejected the cousin’s claim to Roxley. Will the knight defy royal decree and force Annis to marry? Not if Hugh can help it.
Excerpt
“No.” Annis of Roxley crossed her arms and stood her ground.
Her ground happened to be directly in the path of an armed and armored knight, towering above her on his mount.
“I will not wed your master. Nor will I agree to become the ward of King John.”
The knight pushed down his mail coif and glowered from the back of his monstrous bay gelding. “Lady, by order of the king, you have no choice—it’s either one or the other.”
Annis blew out a breath from between narrowed lips. The knight raised both dark eyebrows, which intensified his scowl.
“We shall see,” she answered. Her stomach hitched at the expression in the man’s deep brown eyes. He looked entirely too determined. But she refused to show the uncertainty that had set her ears to ringing.
She held out a hand. “Leave the writ with me. I will study it. You may return to your camp while I decide.”
“I think not.” He spurred the gelding forward, tucking away the packet containing the king’s decree.
“Step aside, lady, or you’ll come to harm.”
She didn’t flinch. His bravado didn’t frighten her.
Much.
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Author Biography
Award-winning author Barbara Bettis has always loved history and English. As a college freshman, she considered becoming an archeologist until she realized there likely would be bugs and snakes involved. And math. Through careers as a newspaper reporter and editor, then a college journalism and English professor, she’s retained her fascination with history. Give her a research book and a pot of tea, and she’s happy for hours. But what really makes her smile is working on a new story. Now retired, she lives in Missouri where she edits for others and spins her own tales of heroines to die for—and heroes to live for.
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