LORD OF THE NORTH WIND is available!

LORD OF THE NORTH WIND is now available! It's been a great launch so far, and readers are loving Aldfrith, my Philosopher King.

For those of you with Amazon Prime subscriptions who have been patiently waiting ... LORD OF THE NORTH WIND is now in Kindle Unlimited!

Aldfrith's character was modeled a real historical figure: King Aldfrith of Northumbria. 

Read about what kind of man he was and how he ruled in this guest post on Mary Anne Yarde's Historical fiction blog.

Here's what readers are saying about the book so far!

"I loved the realistic and engaging characters and the angsts of the passion and once in a life time love, that politically can never be." ★★★★★

Amazon review

"King Aldfrith, different as he is from most heroes I read, will stick with me for a while. I think I have a new favorite hero archetype - the philosopher king." ★★★★★

Amazon review

Intrigued?

Here's a snippet (one of my favorite scenes!) from the book for you to enjoy

***

“I'm sorry, milord.” Osana took another hasty step backwards. “I was taking a walk. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

His dark blue gaze remained upon her for a long moment, before his mouth quirked. “You aren’t intruding.”

Osana gave a hurried curtsey and backed off farther. “I bid you good morning, sire.”

She turned to flee, still clutching the half-eaten apple. His voice, faintly tinged with amusement, stilled her. “It’s Osana, isn’t it?”

She turned back, her face warming under his scrutiny. “Aye … Raedwulf of Hagustaldes is my husband.”

He nodded. “I noticed you at the feast last night.”

He said those words without the slightest flirtation, yet Osana’s cheeks grew hotter still at that. What was wrong with her? She never blushed. He had caught her watching him at the feast. She had been observing him, thinking his attention was elsewhere, when his gaze had snapped up, ensnaring hers. She felt mortified now, as she had at the time.

One did not stare at the king—he would think her common and far too bold.

But when she forced herself to meet his eye, she saw that the king did not appear offended or disdainful.

Instead, he was watching her with cool interest. A moment later his gaze dropped to the apple she still clutched. “I didn’t think they were ripe enough yet. Was it a good apple?”

Now he’ll think me a thief.

***

Get your copy here:

AMAZON.COM

AMAZON.CO.UK

AMAZON.COM.AU

Read a free sample of WIND SONG!

Book #2 of The Kingdom of Northumbria is available on preorder, and due for release n 15 November 2017. However, as it's on preorder, Amazon doesn't let you read a sample of the book.

To remedy that, I've put the first three chapters up on Instafreebie!

It's really easy to claim your copy. Just put in your name and email address (no sign up required) and they'll send you a sample to read on your Kindle, e-reader, tablet or computer.

Claim your copy on Instafreebie.




WIND SONG (Book #2: The Kingdom of Northumbria)

He rules the north, but she rules his heart. Two kingdoms collide in this epic tale of destiny, longing and love set in Dark Ages Britain.

Northumbria, Britain--684 AD. Hea isn't like other women. The feisty daughter of a seer, she lives alone in the fort of Bebbanburg and survives by selling flowers, herbs and potions. However, she has also inherited her mother's gift--and when King Ecgfrith requests her skills she can't refuse him.

Ecgfrith, the ruler of Northumbria, is having trouble with the Picts, the warlike people to the north. He needs a seer's guidance in dealing with them. The Pictish king, Bridei mac Beli is demanding freedom from his Angle overlord.

Hea and Bridei know each other. Bridei fostered at Bebbanburg, and Hea has longed for him ever since. Eight years later they meet again, and sparks fly. Arrogant and ambitious, Bridei is used to getting what he wants--and Hea discovers he's the only man she can't refuse.

Yet he's a Pict and she's an Angle. Bridei will do anything to win back his people's land from Northumbria, and Hea has sworn her loyalty to her king. As the shadow of war looms, it seems any chance they have at love is lost ... or is it?

Intrigued?

Claim your copy on Instafreebie now.

July update from Jayne - listen to a recording!

It's madness, I know—but I have three writing projects on the go at the moment: a Fantasy Romance, and two Historical Romances! 

To update you all on what each novel is about, I've done a recording. Just click on the link or the image below to listen. I hope you enjoy it. :-) 

Historical background to WIND SONG (Book #2: The Kingdom of Northumbria)

I'm now hard at work on Book #2 of The Kingdom of Northumbria. This novel is a Historical Romance, but like all my others set in 7th Century Britain the story is based on real historical events and historical figures.

WIND SONG – to be released later this year – is set in the later period of the 7th Century – when the Northumbria King, Ecgfrith (Oswiu’s son) takes on the Picts, and loses.

First up, here's a few facts about the Kingdom of Northumbria, to give some historical context:

• Northumbria – ‘Northanhymbre’ in Old English – has always been a frontier land. The Romans built Hadrian’s Wall there to mark the northernmost edge of their empire, for they were never able to conquer the Picts. The Anglo-Saxons after them had similar difficulty in ruling the wild lands to the north.
• Northumbria was one of the most important kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, lying north of the River Humber. 
• During its most flourishing period it extended from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, between two west–east lines formed in the north by the Ayrshire coast and the Firth of Forth and in the south by the River Ribble, or the Mersey, and the Humber.
• Its military strength was greatest in the 7th century, when the supremacy of three of its rulers, Edwin (616–632), Oswald (633–641), and Oswiu (641–670), was recognized by the southern English kingdoms. 
• Northumbria was formed from the coalition of two originally independent states—Bernicia, which was a settlement at Bamburgh on the Northumberland coast, and Deira, lying to the south of it. 
• The kingdom probably reached the west coast by the mid-7th century, and it also rapidly expanded northward, at one time extending as far as the River Tay. To the south, the power of Mercia checked further expansion of the kingdom.

WIND SONG is focused on a pivotal historical event: the Battle of Dun Nechtain – the Picts vs the Northumbrians

• The Battle of Dun Nechtain (or Battle of Nechtansmere as it was known in Old English), marked a turning-point between the Picts and the Anglo-Saxons. The battle ended with a decisive Pictish victory which severely weakened Northumbria's power in northern Britain.
• The battle was fought between the Picts, led by King Bridei mac Beli and the Northumbrians, led by King Ecgfrith on 20 May 685. Relations between the two kings had been worsening for years, especially since Ecgfrith saw the Pictish king as a sub-king rather than an independent ruler. During the battle, the Picts pretended to retreat and drew the Northumbrians into a bloody ambush at Dun Nechtain near the lake of Linn Garan.
• Ecgfrith was killed in battle, along with the greater part of his army. The Pictish victory marked their independence from Northumbria, who never regained their dominance in the north.

Bridei mac Beli is the hero of WIND SONG. Here are some facts about him:

• Bridei mac Beli – Bridei son of Beli was king of the Picts from 672 until 693. He ruled the Kingdom of Fortriu, in Southern Pictland (today southern Scotland).
• His father was Beli, King of Alt Clut, and his mother was an Angle – possibly a daughter of King Edwin of Deira. 
• Bridei spent most of his childhood living at Bebbanburg, under the charge of the Northumbrian king
• Bridei would have left Northumbria as a young man and returned to his father’s lands
• He was based at Dundurn, a hilltop fortress in southern Fortriu.
• Bridei was an expansionary and active king – he led violent campaigns throughout Pictland, claiming new lands and taking back old ones for Fortriu.
• The relationship between Bridei and King Ecgfrith of Northumbria was strained – Ecgfrith likely saw Bridei as a ‘sub-king’ rather than an independent ruler, and Bridei would have chafed under what he saw as the yoke of an Angle overlord
• Their worsening relationship led to the famous Battle of Dun Nechtain in 685, in which the Anglo-Saxon army of Ecgfrith was annihilated
• Bridei's death is recorded as the year 693.

There are no records as to whether Bridei married, or had any children, so in my story (WIND SONG: Book #2: The Kingdom of Northumbria – to be released later this year), I create a romance between him and a young Anglo-Saxon woman, Hea. Bridei and Hea are childhood friends during his time fostering in Bebbanburg. However, when they meet again years later, their relationship changes dramatically…

Find out more about WIND SONG: www.jaynecastel.com/coming-soon 

Five stars for THE WHISPERING WIND

I don't often post reviews about my novels on this blog—however, this one for THE WHISPERING WIND was so good that I couldn't resist.

It's always a delight when readers 'get' what I was trying to achieve with a novel, when my characters, setting and story resonate.

I'm pleased, and humbled, when a reader takes the time not only to review one of my books, but to put the time into a thoughtful review like this one from a reader on Amazon.

Enjoy!

--

 Captivating Dark Ages manhunt with emotional impact

This is an official request for historical romance readers to move out of their Regency-era and Scottish Highlander comfort zones. Author Jayne Castel had me completely immersed in her Dark Ages world of Northumbria. I could feel the rough clothes abrading my skin, see the poverty of the monks, thrill to a knife battle deep in the woods, and wonder at the power and depravity of an immoral king. This book also packs an emotional punch, since I actually teared up as I read about the desperation of Leofric and Aelfwyn. If you enjoy an emotional, eventful story framed around authentic history (the foreword, afterword and maps are fascinating), then I suggest you pick up books by Jayne Castel.

In the blurb for The Whispering Wind, the reader is informed that Leofric, a monk, finds a woman, Aelfwyn, washed ashore near the impoverished monastery where he is living. The hows and whys of Leofric's exile to the monastery play a key importance to both his personality and the plot. Castel has crafted a character in Leofric that has shades. He is impulsive and vain, kind and thoughtless, cheery and impassioned, proud and stupid. I didn't know what to think of him, and that is what made his character, and his character's journey, so engaging. However, once Aelfwyn enters his life he starts to become a worthy man. I love that he doesn't get it right all of the time, either.

Aelfwyn is a sweet girl marred by tragedy and personal abuse. Her emotional fragility is overwhelming in the beginning, but as the story develops she becomes stronger and more resilient. In the end, she is brave to the point of selflessness, with deep emotional impact on the narrative.

"Her ordeal at Bebbanburg had stripped away her illusions about life, but in doing so it had forged her anew. He [Leofric] noted the iron resolve in her and decided he liked it."

For most of the novel, Leofric and Aelfwyn are being hunted. It adds a desperation, and then a weariness, that even as a reader sitting on a couch I began to feel in my muscles and bones. Although much of the book is devoted to this aspect, it never feels repetitive. The interaction between Leofric and Aelfwyn was appropriate to how strangers in a strange circumstance would act. Adding to the stress is the fact that neither lead character is from the ruling class. That means food, money and loyalties are difficult to come by, and the absence of all three impacts choices. I learned a lot about Northumbria and the vagaries of a Dark Ages class system while Leofric and Aelfwyn were fleeing. Optimism, followed by crushing hopelessness, plagues them. I was enthralled to the thrilling end.

--

Intrigued?

Get your copy of THE WHISPERING WIND on Amazon!

Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk

Get THE WHISPERING WIND for just 99 cents!

Great news! THE WHISPERING WIND (Book #1: The Kingdom of Northumbria) has been released on Amazon.

As a special Early Bird offer, the Kindle edition of THE WHISPERING WIND is available for the next 48 hours for only 99 cents (or 99p if you're in the UK),

After 48 hours, it's going up to its regular retail price of USD3.49, so make sure you don't miss out!

Get your copy (Kindle and paperback editions available)

Here are the Kindle edition links to the Amazon stores:

Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
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Getting a novel ready for publication is EXHAUSTING!

Every book is a labor of love—also since I'm an indie writer, the work doesn't end once the editing and proofs are done. I organize cover design, e-book and paperback formatting, uploading, marketing, and then manage the entire launch myself. By the time it's all over, I feel in need of a week lazing on the beach!

I'm really pleased with the final version of THE WHISPERING WIND. This novel is not just a romance, but also an exciting adventure story. Leofric and Aelfwyn are easily my favorite hero and heroine so far. He's a likeable rogue and she's kind and big-hearted. It was sad to say good-bye to them at the end. I'm really proud of this story and hope you all enjoy it.
__________________________________________

Please consider leaving an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads

As many of you will know, I'm an indie author. This means word about my novels spreads one reader at a time! If you'd like to help other readers find my work, please consider leaving an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads. I would really appreciate it.

When you've finished the book, just click on one of the links below to leave a review:

Leave a review on Amazon.com
Leave a review on Amazon.co.uk
Leave a review on Goodreads
 

Thanks for all your support. :-)

Sneak preview of THE WHISPERING WIND

Exciting news! THE WHISPERING WIND (Book #1: The Kingdom of Northumbria) will be released on Amazon on 25 January 2017.

This novel tells the story of Aelfwyn and Leofric—two young people who are forced to run from their old lives and forge a new one together. Set in 670 AD, in Anglo-Saxon England, Aelfwyn and Leofric's romance is set in a world dominated by the warrior and the sword. It's a story about redemption and courage.

Find out more about THE WHISPERING WIND

Listen to an introduction to Book #1 of The Kingdom of Northumbria and a reading of the Prologue (recorded by yours truly). Enjoy! :-)

Cover reveal: THE WHISPERING WIND

I have been 'rebranding' my historical romance covers in an effort to make them more atmospheric, moody and sensual. 

The Kingdom Mercia has been redone, and I've just sent The Kingdom of the East Angles off to the designer as well.

Here's the new cover for THE WHISPERING WIND - the first book in my new series: The Kingdom of Northumbria. It's just back from the designer - what do you think?

THE WHISPERING WIND
Book #1: The Kingdom of Northumbria
(Due for release in early 2017)

He is her savior.
She is his salvation.

The day Leofric finds a young woman washed up on a windswept shore his life changes forever. 

A monk upon the island of Lindisfarne, Leofric is living in exile after shaming his family. The girl he saves is Aelfwyn. Once handmaid to a queen, she is now fleeing from a cruel king.

Thrown together by circumstance, Aelfwyn and Leofric escape the north and begin again—only neither is prepared for the bond that builds between them. He helps her heal, while she gives him a chance at redemption.

All too soon, the outside world puts their fragile happiness together at risk. Eventually, they understand that in order to escape their past, they must face it.

_______________________________________________________________

Would you like the chance to read THE WHISPERING WIND before anyone else?

Join my review crew!

Here's how it works. During the pre-launch period (early in 2017), I'll email you out a free e-book of THE WHISPERING WIND via Book Funnel—all I ask in return is an honest review on either Amazon or Goodreads (or both!).

Just email me at contact@jaynecastel.com to be added to the list - and write the following into the subject line: REVIEW CREW: HISTORICAL

Update on THE WHISPERING WIND

I'm well into the first draft of  THE WHISPERING WIND (Book #1 The Kingdom of Northumbria) now - around 60% through. The novel is steaming along and I'm really excited about it.

The new cover is at the designer so I will be able to reveal it soon!

THE WHISPERING WIND is the tale of Aelfwyn and Leofric. She's a handmaid to a queen and he's the disgraced son of an ealdorman. Their paths cross on a windswept beach and are then entwined.

He is her savior
She is his salvation

Here's how I envision Aelfwyn.

Innocent and gentle-hearted, and handmaid
to the Queen of Northumbria, Aelfwyn soon
 learns that if she wants to survive, she'll need
 to face life's harsh realities.

Here's how I see Leofric.

Cocky and reckless, Leofric has spent his life
pleasing himself - until a thoughtless comment
 sees him exiled to Lindisfarne Island, and 
life as a monk.

The story brings two very different characters together - a selfish young man and a sheltered young woman who are ultimately meant for each other. This romance is about the redemptive power of love. It can heal us, strengthen us - and redeem us.

More details on THE WHISPERING WIND coming soon - including details about the novel's various locations: Bamburgh, Lindisfarne, Whitby, Lincoln and York (which all had very different names in Anglo-Saxon times).