FEATURED BOOK AND INTERVIEW: Sheltered by the Warrior by Barbara Phinney

Her unexpected guardian 

Baron Stephen de Bretonne's sworn duty is to serve the king—and that means finding the Saxons plotting against the throne by any means necessary. Protecting a Saxon woman and her half-Norman child? Merely a means to that end. But the lovely Rowena proves to be more than just a pawn in his plan. And his admiration for her could ruin everything if he can't stifle his feelings. 

While Rowena must begrudgingly accept Norman protection for herself and her baby, she knows better than to trust any man. Yet in the face of danger, can she also open her heart to her unlikely protector?

 Interview:How exciting to have Rowena the heroine from Sheltered By The Warrior written by  Barbara Phinney a February  release from Love Inspired Romance .

1.  Rowena, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

I suppose that the most interesting thing about me is that I can figure out how people are feeling, although, I am not sure I like how I learned it. You get to be good at reading people when they turn on you at a moment’s notice.

2.  What do you do for fun?

Having been raised on a farm, I didn’t really have time for fun. But now I love to watch my son, so I suppose that’s my fun. He’s the joy of my life and watching him grow is truly the best thing I have ever experienced.

3.  What do you put off doing because you dread it?

I can’t say I put off anything, but what I dread the most is going to Lord Stephen’s manor. He took me in when my hut burned down, and the maids I share a chamber with are wonderful, but what am I teaching my son? That we need to be charity cases?

4.  What are you afraid of most in life?

I’m most afraid of being unable to raise my son. I am so scared that I will not be around for him, or that we can’t find enough food and money. I want to protect him, but what if I can’t? After all, someone who doesn’t want me here has razed my hut.

5.  What do you want out of life?

Just as I said a moment ago. I want to start my life again, raise my baby and give him more than I had.

6.  What is the most important thing to you?

My son. I called him Andrew and he’s so beautiful. I can’t even begin to express the love I feel for him.

7.  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

One thing? Oh, how I would love to be able to read and write! I would teach my son and he would be able to find work in some manor somewhere and I wouldn’t have to worry about him.

8.  Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

Well, I have a hen. She’s not a pet, but when you live on a farm as I did, pets can be either every animal or no animal. My friend, Clara, tells me we are all God’s creatures, big and small. So, I guess my little hen is a pet. Even after my hut burned, she came back to me and I am so grateful for her.

9. Can you tell us a little interesting tidbit about the time period you live in?

A few years ago, the Normans conquered our land. I thought they were so cruel because they enslaved us. But then I learned that not all are as brutal as the new king, especially Lord Stephen.

Friday Sisterhood with Barbara Phinney

Family Status: Married

What Is Your Favorite Beverage: grapefruit juice and mineral water

What Is Your Favorite Food: custard pie

What Is Your Favorite Thing to do During Free Time: write!!

Who Has Been the Most Influential Person in Your Life: my mother

First Book You Fell in Love With: Nine Coaches Waiting

A Book You Wish You’d Written: The above book

First Book Published: The Time Star

Most Recent Book: Sheltered by the Warrior

Out Next: Protected by the Warrior

How Many Have You Written: 15

What Do You Know Now That You Wish You’d Known Then: Just about everything!

What is Your Favorite Bible Story: Esther

What is Your Favorite Bible Verse: Phillipian 2:9-11

What is Your Favorite Hymn: I don’t really have one

What is an Ongoing Prayer Request You Have: for wisdom

History comes Alive!

by Barbara Phinney 

I continually get compliments from readers of my historicals on the research and history used. And I have to beam with satisfaction.

You see, I love research. There are some writers who hate it, and that's okay. They write wonderful contemporaries. Their research is in everyday life. 
For my Love Inspired Historicals, I bent to my love of the middle ages. Namely, the Norman period. 

It started in high school, but really took off when I traveled to Colchester, England, to visit my sister. Colchester is a town steeped in history. Rome made it their capital on the island, and William the Conqueror ordered a castle to be built there from the ruins of several previous castles. Queen Boadicea fought the Romans there, Old King Cole was said to have his castle there, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was written there. 

History grabbed me and I knew I wanted to write a story set in Colchester. 
It look many years, but Bound to the Warrior and Protected by the Warrior blossomed from my visit. (Sheltered by the Warrior is due out in February. You should see the cover! It's gorgeous!))

Bound to the Warrior

Protected by the Warrior

And when my husband gave me the The Doomsday Book (a reprint, of course!) I was swept even further out on the sea of history. And the other books I have acquired kept me on that sea. (There is one I cannot find anymore. It was entitled The Short History of the English People. All 1100 pages of it!)

My readers say that they've learned so much from my books. One said she learned what peat was used for. Another said she'd learned so much about daily life and midwifery and another said she now loves the Norman period of history because she's read my books. 

I am so grateful to God for this gift. In retrospect, I enjoyed geography more in school, although my history teacher was the kind of man who got fully involved in retelling history for us. He made it come alive. I still remember this little, bespectacled man, arms flying as he described what the Norman soldiers encountered as they tried to fight the Welsh, those tall, white-robbed men coming down the Welsh hills, singing to prepare themselves for battle. The pious, stodgy Normans must have thought they were angels! Now that's a tactic not taught in the army's basic training!

But me, third row back, near the window, hand holding my head up for most of my school day, well, I was captivated.

And I am blessed to be able to captivate readers with snippets of history. Life in a castle is more than a noblewoman strolling the parapet or bathing in rose scented water. It was hard, and the noblewoman's life was dedicated to keeping her castle safe from everything from enemy soldiers to the dreaded fever that could kill everyone. The lady of the keep was known to have ordered extra battlements built, preparing for a siege until her baron husband returned to free them. One Scottish queen took it upon herself to ensure each child in her castle, no matter what position the parents, was fed a decent meal each day. She would feed them herself with her own spoon, if necessary. 

That's the history I want to incorporate into my historicals. 

What is your favourite period of history? Is there any historical story that has caught your interest? Were you even interested in history in school?

Tell us in the comments section. I'd love to read them. 

Barbara Phinney