20 Oct Helen Steadman Widdershins #Coffee Pot Book Club #Blog Tour #HistoricalFiction #Widdershins #Witches #Audiobook @hsteadman1650 @maryanneyarde
FEATURED AUTHOR: HELEN STEADMAN
It is my pleasure to feature Helen Steadman as part of The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held from October 18th – October 29th, 2021. Helen Steadman is the author of the Historical Fiction, Widdershins (Widdershins, Book 1) which was released by Impress Books on 25 June 2021 (370 pages; audiobook 8.5 hours).
Below are highlights of Widdershins, biographies for author Helen Steadman and narrator Christine Mackie, and Christine Mackie talking about the audiobook.
To follow the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page
HIGHLIGHTS: WIDDERSHINS
Widdershins
(Widdershins, Book 1)
Author: Helen Steadman
Narrator: Christine Mackie
The first part of a two-part series, Widdershins is inspired by the Newcastle witch trials, where 16 people were hanged. Despite being the largest mass execution of witches on a single day in England, these trials are not widely known about. In August 1650, 15 women and one man were hanged as witches after a Scottish witchfinder found them guilty of consorting with the devil. This notorious man was hired by the Puritan authorities in response to a petition from the Newcastle townsfolk who wanted to be rid of their witches.
Widdershins is told through the eyes of Jane Chandler, a young woman accused of witchcraft, and John Sharpe, the witchfinder who condemns her to death. Jane Chandler is an apprentice healer. From childhood, she and her mother have used herbs to cure the sick. But Jane soon learns that her sheltered life in a small village is not safe from the troubles of the wider world. From his father’s beatings to his uncle’s raging sermons, John Sharpe is beset by bad fortune. Fighting through personal tragedy, he finds his purpose: to become a witchfinder and save innocents from the scourge of witchcraft.
Praise for Widdershins:
The Historical Novel Society said of Widdershins: “Impeccably written, full of herbal lore and the clash of ignorance and prejudice against common sense, as well as the abounding beauty of nature, it made for a great read. There are plenty of books, both fact and fiction, available about the witch-trial era, but not only did I not know about such trials in Newcastle, I have not read a novel that so painstakingly and vividly evokes both the fear and joy of living at that time.”
Hanged Witches from Ralph Gardiner 1655 book, “England’s Grievance”
Trigger Warnings:
Domestic abuse, rape, torture, execution, child abuse, animal abuse, miscarriage, death in childbirth.
Buy Links
Amazon UK ♠ Amazon US ♠ Amazon CA ♠ Amazon AU ♠ Audible Link ♠ Blackwells
Waterstones ♠ Kobo ♠ iBooks ♠ iTunes ♠ Foyles ♠ Book Depository
E-BOOK OF WIDDERSHINS REDUCED TO 99 CENTS
CLICK Universal eBook link
AUTHOR BIO: HELEN STEADMAN
Dr Helen Steadman is a historical novelist. Her first novel, Widdershins and its sequel, Sunwise were inspired by the Newcastle witch trials. Her third novel, The Running Wolf was inspired by a group of Lutheran swordmakers who defected from Germany to England in 1687.
Despite the Newcastle witch trials being the largest mass execution of witches on a single day in England, they are not widely known about. Helen is particularly interested in revealing hidden histories and she is a thorough researcher who goes to great lengths in pursuit of historical accuracy. To get under the skin of the cunning women in Widdershins and Sunwise, Helen trained in herbalism and learned how to identify, grow and harvest plants and then made herbal medicines from bark, seeds, flowers and berries.
The Running Wolf is the story of a group of master swordmakers who left Solingen, Germany and moved to Shotley Bridge, England in 1687. As well as carrying out in-depth archive research and visiting forges in Solingen to bring her story to life, Helen also undertook blacksmith training, which culminated in making her own sword. During her archive research, Helen uncovered a lot of new material and she published her findings in the Northern History journal.
Helen is now working on her fourth novel.
Social Media Links:
Website ♠ Twitter ♠ Facebook ♠ Instagram ♠ Amazon Author Page ♠ Goodreads ♠ YouTube
NARRATOR CHRISTINE MACKIE TALKING ABOUT WIDDERSHINS
The new audiobook of Widdershins is narrated brilliantly by the talented actor, Christine Mackie, from Downton Abbey, Coronation Street, Wire in the Blood, and so on.
Below is a video of Christine Mackie talking about the audiobook.
NARRATOR BIO: CHRISTINE MACKIE
Christine Mackie has worked extensively in TV over the last thirty years in well-known TV series such as Downton Abbey, Wire in the Blood, Coronation Street, French & Saunders and The Grand Theatre work includes numerous productions in new writing as well as classics, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Comedy of Errors, Richard III, An Inspector Calls, and The Railway Children. In a recent all women version of Whisky Galore, Christine played three men, three women and a Red Setter dog!
Instagram: @coffeepotbookclub
Helen Steadman
Posted at 06:38h, 21 OctoberThanks very much, Linnea, for hosting today’s stop on the blog tour for Widdershins – greatly appreciated!
Best wishes, Helen
Linnea Tanner
Posted at 12:04h, 22 OctoberHi Helen–That was a pleasure to host your blog tour. This sounds like both an interesting read and listen with the audiobook. Hope you’ve had a successful blog tour.
Jan Sikes
Posted at 10:15h, 21 OctoberWhat a wonderful introduction to Helen! Thank you, Linnea!
Linnea Tanner
Posted at 12:02h, 22 OctoberThank you, Jan, for your visiting and commenting on Helen’s Steadman’s blog tour. It sounds like an interesting listen on the audiobook about the witch trial.
Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Posted at 22:58h, 21 OctoberHi Linnea, this sounds like a really good historical novel and this topic interests me.
Linnea Tanner
Posted at 12:01h, 22 OctoberHi Roberta–Thank you for visiting and commenting on Helen Steadman’s book. It does sound like a fascinating read on the witch trial.