A conversation with Historical Fiction author, Samantha Grosser. #Giveaway #biblical #HistoricalFiction @hfvbt @SamanthaGrosser

Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours Presents…

A conversation with Historical Fiction author, Samantha Grosser

Connected by love, divided by faith. A novel of faith, friendship, and betrayal set against the religious turbulence of 17th Century London.

England 1604

Two men, once friends, have long since gone their separate ways. But when the new King James commands a fresh translation of the Bible, their paths are fated to cross again.

For biblical scholar Richard Clarke, the chance to work on the new translation seems like a gift from God, a way back in from the cold where his friendship with Separatist Ben Kemp has kept him for many years. But Richard soon discovers there is a price to pay for his new-found favour, and that price is betrayal. Caught between love for his friend and his faith in his Church, Richard must make a decision that could cost him his soul.

Set against the background of the writing of the King James Bible, and inspired by true accounts of the community who became the Mayflower Pilgrims, The King James Men is a vivid portrayal of the religious struggles of the age, and the price of being true to your faith.

***

Hi Samantha, welcome to Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots. Please feel free to introduce yourself to my readers.

Hi Mary Anne, thank you so much for being a part of my tour!

I was born and brought up in England, but after studying for an Honours Degree in English in London, I spent several years travelling and working as an English teacher in South East Asia, Japan and Australia.

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, and I’m passionate about creating compelling and authentic stories that are set against momentous events in history. Writing historical fiction seems to me to be the perfect way to blend a lifelong love of literature with a slightly obsessive interest in research about the past.

These days you can find me on the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney where I live with my Australian husband and son, and a very small dog called Livvy.

e days you can find me on the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney where I live with my Australian husband and son, and a very small dog called Livvy.

Sydney's Northern Beaches

It is so empowering writing historical fiction and as you say, it make a great excuse to spend hours researching! What inspired you to write the The King James Men?

I honestly can’t recall the original spark that set things off, though I remember thinking that the creation of a book as important and enduring as the King James Bible must be a story worth the telling. But the challenge was to create a compelling novel within that story, and in the mountains of research I collected about the period, I discovered the story of the small community of nonconformists who would later go on to become the Mayflower Pilgrims. The story of The King James Men was born in the conflict between the world of the translation and the world of the Separatists.

Your book sounds amazing. Did you face many challenges while researching this period of history?

As well as the usual challenges for any historical fiction author – what did they wear and eat? What was their routine? What were the customs of the day? The King James Men presented particular difficulties because of the conflict of ideas at the heart of the book. For a modern-day outsider, the differences that caused the schism in the English church can be hard to appreciate, but for those involved it was a matter of life and death, a choice that could cost them their souls.

So the challenge for me was to interpret those differences in a way that was personal, and to imbue the characters with the spirit of their beliefs, so that readers would feel the desperation of making the right choice.

The Church had such a hold on the populace, it was certainly a very different world to the one we live in now.

Can you share with us three things that sets The King James Men apart from other books set in the 16th Century.

1.    The King James Men is set against the translation of the King James Bible, the most influential book in Western history, and was inspired by the story of the community who went on to become the Mayflower pilgrims.

2.    It’s a novel of friendship and faith, and of love and hope.

3.    It’s a vivid portrayal of the religious turbulence of the age, and the price of being true to your faith.

The more I hear about this book, the more I want to read it! Last question, could you tell us what you are currently working on? 

Currently, I’m working on another novel set in England in the 17^th Century. It’s still in the early stages of the first draft, and so I don’t want to jinx it by saying too much!

Thank you so much for coming onto the blog, I really enjoyed our conversation. I, and I am sure my readers do as well, wish you all the best with your fabulous new book!

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away one eBook & one paperback copy of The King James Men! You can enter:

HERE!

Giveaway Rules

• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 4th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

• Giveaway is open to US residents only.

• Only one entry per household.

• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

• Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Samantha Grosser

Historical fiction author Samantha Grosser originally hails from England, but now lives on the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney with her husband, son and a very small dog called Livvy.

Combining a lifelong love of history with a compulsion to write that dates from childhood, Samantha is now bringing her passion for telling compelling stories to the world.

Samantha has an Honours Degree in English Literature and taught English for many years in Asia and Australia. She is the author of wartime dramas Another Time and Place, and The Officer’s Affair. The King James Men, set during the turbulent years of the early years of 17th Century, is her third novel.

WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • INSTAGRAM •

 PINTEREST • GOODREADS