Monday, June 5, 2017

"Sword Of Forgiveness" by Debbie Lynn Costello Blog Tour and GiveAway


Welcome to another stop on my blog tour! I'm glad you came by today. I’m giving away a copy of Sword of the Matchmaker or choice of my books and choice of format. Leave a comment or answer one of the questions I’ve asked or ask me a question to be entered (and it will count for an entry on the Rafflecopter, too!) 

PLUS 

Don’t forget to enter in the rafflecopter! There will be lots of ways to earn points. I’ll be giving away choice of a kindle fire with Sword of the Matchmaker or a $50 Amazon Gift Card, $15 Amazon gift card and much more! 



Sword of the Matchmaker is part of the Winds of Change Series. It’s a novella that tells Thomas’s story and contains much of the original cast of Sword of Forgiveness. But even as I am promoting the new release of the Matchmaker novella I am working on the full length sequel, Sword of Trust. 

And as an animal lover it's easy for me to find a rabbit trail in historical research when it deals with animals.


Kennedy doing her morning bible study. 


So as you can imagine when I stumbled across Medieval pets in my research for Sword of Trust, it had me at pets! We often have been told that medieval people did not have animals for pets, but in my research I'm finding that wasn't always the case. If we go back even further to bible times we find they had pets even in the Old Testament times. In II Samuel 12:3 we read: but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. That sounds very much like a pet to me! 



Winchester: Can I go for a ride? PLEASE mom?? 

Jump forward to Medieval times again. Dogs were used for many purposes, hunting and protection being the most common. But Dogs as well as other animals were kept as man’s best friend—however, not without criticism. Keeping a pet was considered frivolous and a waste of food that could have gone to feed the poor. It's easy to understand this when so many of the peasants didn't have enough food to feed their family.


Aiden: You want me to do WHAT? 


None-the-less some people chose to keep animals as companions anyway. Monks and more often nuns chose to keep dogs, cats and birds as pets. The church, unable to ban them from doing so, did request that they limit the number they kept and asked they not take them into the church. (My animals never get to attend church service with me.)

Cats were another animal that were used for working purposes. As you can imagine they were used as mousers and to keep the number of other vermin under control. But cats as dogs were kept outside of the working animal as companions. Although they certainly weren't found in every home or even as much as people today have animal friends, they were kept for the owner’s entertainment and companionship. We even have medieval paintings with people and their pets.





While dogs and cats don't seem like odd domesticated animals, nor do the parrots and singing birds which were another desired pet in medieval times, I found reference to monkeys, squirrels, and even badgers being kept as four-legged friends. Now I would consider those rather unusual. I grew up being taught to fear badgers!

After finding all these fun historical facts I couldn’t help myself and decided to have a little fun and mischief in Sword of Trust.

I have a faithful dog, a crafty cat, and a needy squirrel trying to steal the scenes. I plan to have lots of fun writing these little characters into my story.







Penelope Beatty made up her mind long ago she would live and die a Scottish warrior not a wife. But when nearly all her clan is killed and she is betrayed, she loathes doing the unthinkable, but must seek the help of an Englishman who owed her father his life.

Thomas Godfrey never married, but when a Scottish warrior lass shows up needing his aid, he finds her both annoying and irresistible. But the last thing he wants is to marry a woman who fights alongside him. If he was going to marry—which he isn’t—it would be to a soft, submissive woman. But when the Lady Brithwin meets the Scottish lass, she’s sure she’s found the perfect match for Thomas and nothing is going to stop her from seeing a summer wedding.



Purchase Here



Love Medieval Stories? Read the first book in the Winds of Change Series, Sword of Forgiveness.


After the death of her cruel father, Brithwin is determined never again to live under the harsh rule of any man. Independent and resourceful, she longs to be left alone to manage her father’s estate. But she soon discovers a woman has few choices when the king decrees she is to marry Royce, the Lord of Rosencraig. As if the unwelcome marriage isn’t enough, her new husband accuses her of murdering his family, and she is faced with a challenge of either proving her innocence or facing possible execution.
Royce of Hawkwood returns home after setting down a rebellion to find his family brutally murdered. When all fingers point to his betrothed and attempts are made on his life, Royce must wade through murky waters to uncover the truth. Yet Brithwin’s wise and kind nature begin to break down the walls of his heart, and he soon finds himself in a race to discover who is behind the evil plot before Brithwin is the next victim.

Purchase Here





My boy Trigger


Debbie Lynne Costello has enjoyed writing stories since she was eight years old. She raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina. She has worked in many capacities in her church and is currently the Children's Director. Debbie Lynne has shown and raised Shetland Sheepdogs for eighteen years and still enjoys litters now and then. In their spare time, she and her husband take pleasure in camping and riding their Arabian and Tennessee Walking horses.





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5 comments:

  1. Debbie CurtoJune 5, 2017 at 8:13 AM

    I haven't read this but have read "Sword Of Forgiveness" and loved it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Debbie Lynne CostelloJune 5, 2017 at 8:36 AM

    Thank you, Debbie. I hope you get a chance to read Sword of the Matchmaker too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Caryl KaneJune 5, 2017 at 4:31 PM

    Debbie Lynne's stories are AWESOME! I'm excited to read this one!

    ReplyDelete