Upcoming books

 Hello everyone!

This blog has lain dormant for nearly one and a half years, but finally, I am starting it up again. 

Things have happened since my last post on here, but it has taken me until now to finally re-activate this blog. I`m apologising to everyone who likes reading it, if indeed anyone does. 

Though a lot has been going on in the world, and in my life, I am focusing on the positive here, and this will be the centre of this first post after a long time:

New books I have written, shall write, or am currently writing.

(1) A book on John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, and his son, the ever-so-creatively named John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln. Brother-in-law and nephew respectively of Edward IV and Richard III, and guardian and foster brother (again, respectively) of Francis Lovell`s for some five years. The book has been provisionally titled "De la Pole, Father and Son: The Duke, the Earl and the Struggle for Power", and is going to be published by Amberley Publishing. There is no publication date yet, but I finished the manuscript in the summer of 2020, and Covid-19 allowing, it is meant to be published early next year.

(2) A book on Alice Chaucer, Countess of Salisbury and Duchess of Suffolk, mother and grandmother of John, Duke of Suffolk and John, Earl of Salisbury. A powerhouse in the early and mid-fifteenth century, a woman who was born a commoner and died a dowager duchess, who was close to a king and queen, who held political power and managed to come through the Wars of the Roses unscathed. A truly fascinating woman, living in a truly fascinating time. The provisional title for this book is "What is Better than a Good Woman? Alice Chaucer, Commoner and Yorkist Matriarch", and it, too, is going to be published by Amberley Publishing. I sent the finished manuscript to the publisher earlier this week, and presumably, the book will be published next year. 

(3) A book on mental health in late medieval England and France, and the many myths that have grown up around famous cases of men and women afflicted with mental illnesses at that time, their treatment and how such illnesses were viewed by their contemporaries. It is also going to explore the societal and religious implications of mental illnesses, and how these changed during the fourteenth and fifteenth century. Provisionally titled "Medieval Mental Health: Uncovering the Myths", this is the manuscript I finished in later September this year. It will probably be published in around a year, by Pen&Sword Books. 

(4) A book on the wardship system in medieval England, and the treatment of orphaned underaged heirs and heiresses. Though a fact of life for sadly very many rich and famous figures through the Middle Ages, it is a subject that has not really been examined in its own right. It will detail the advantages, but also the many pitfalls of the system, and use examples for the many weird, sad, odd and interesting things that could happen to an orphaned heir or heiress, whose wardship had fallen to the king or one of the king`s men - or women, for that matter. In fact, the part woman played in this system, of which they are often assumed to have been victims but not active players, will be a significant part of this book. Its title has provisionally been announced as "A History of Medieval Wardship: The Trials of Orphaned Noble Children", and the deadline for handing in the finished manuscript is 1 October 2022. Therefore, it will not be published before autumn 2023, also by Pen&Sword Books.

(5) A book on fertility, childbirth and all the many problems, theories and difficulties surrounding it during medieval times. This book is going to focus on the many, often conflicting, ideas of what caused infertility, how it was treated, how women who could not have children (be it because of any illness or problem they suffered from themselves, or due to some illness or problem their husband had) were treated, and how such (supposed) infertility could even have an effect on political issues. However, this is not going to be the only focus of the book. It will also discuss pregnancy, how it was regarded in medieval England, what remedies were suggested for any ailments or difficulties experienced during it, as well as childbirth and all the troubles that could arise during it, how they were anticipated, dealt with and often faced when they could not be avoided. Though the focus of it is going to be royal women such as Anne of Bohemia, for whom we naturally have much more evidence than for commoner women, there will be information about such less recorded women as well. Provisionally titled "Fertility, Pregnancy and Childbirth for Royal Women in the Middle Ages", the headline for handing in the finished manuscript is also 1 October 2022, and it will mostly likely be published around a year later by Pen&Sword Books. 

(6) A book on the FitzHugh family, their position in English medieval noble society and going into the careers and lives of the many interesting members of this family. It`ll lay a special focus on how this family could navigate the many pitfalls and difficulties of public life in the 14th and 15th century and manage to come out on top. The connections this family made by marriage will be examined, as well as their religious life and how this shaped society around them. Its provisional title is "The FitzHughs: The Barons of the North 1321-1513" and it is due on 1 November 2022, and will therefore most likely be published in the winter of 2023/4, by Amberley Publishing. 

(7) A book on medieval royal households, and how they were structured in England during the high and late Middle Ages. This book will examine the many interesting people who were involved in such an intimate way with various kings, what positions they were and how they could be used for political gain, as well as a tool to influence royal reputations. For this, a special focus will be laid on the households of Richard II and Henry IV, though others would naturally also be examined. Provisionally titled "Medieval Royal Households: Between Ambition and Service", it is due to be handed in on 2nd October 2023 and will probably be published around a year later, by Pen&Sword Books. 

(8) A book on William Stanley, the man widely known to have swung the Battle of Bosworth in Henry Tudor`s favour, and to have later been executed by him for treason. A man, for obvious reasons, better known to me as Francis Lovell`s stepfather. This book will examine all the political parts of his life he is famous for, and try to understand why he chose to take the actions he took. It will, however, also look at the less famous parts of his life, his quiet service under Edward IV, the support he initially gave Richard III and equally the relationship to his family, especially with his brother Thomas, with whom he is so often confused or lumped together. The book will also look at his private life, at the side of the man who married for love and was a doting father of three children. Its provisional title is "Medieval Kingmaker and Traitor", and the finished manuscript is due to be handed in by 1 March 2024. It will, therefore, not be published before 2025.