A sweeping tale of ambition, treachery, and passion . . .
For generations Lady Diana de Vere’s family loyally served England’s crown. But after King Charles II’s untimely death, her father firmly opposes James II’s tyranny. Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St. Albans—the late king’s bastard son by actress Nell Gwyn—also rebels against his newly crowned uncle’s manipulation. Secretly pledging to wed Diana, he departs for the Continent to become a soldier.
Political and religious turmoil bring about revolution and yet another coronation before Charles returns to claim his promised bride. As companion to Queen Mary Stuart, Diana has followed her de Vere forbears into royal service. She expects Charles to abandon his military career after marriage, but he proves unwilling to join the ranks of the courtiers he despises and mistrusts.
In palace corridors and within their own household the young duke and duchess confront betrayals, scandals, and tragedies that threaten to divide them. And neither the privileges of birth nor proximity to the throne can ensure their security, their advancement—or their happiness.
Margaret Porter is the author of A Pledge of Better Times and eleven other British-set historical novels for multiple publishers, in both hardcover and paperback, including several bestsellers. Many foreign language editions have been published.
She studied British history in the U.K. and returned to the U.S. to complete her theatre training, and subsequently worked in film and television. After earning her M.A. in Radio-Television-Film, she was a freelance writer and producer for film and video projects. She worked on location for three feature films and a television series.
An occasional newspaper columnist and book reviewer, she has also written for lifestyle magazines. She contributes articles on British history and travel to numerous publications, and her photographs (travel, architectural, and nature) appear in a variety of print media and on websites. At national and regional writers’ conferences she presents workshops on historical research and writing techniques. Her poetry was featured in the literary magazine Granite Review and she spent a summer as Writer-in-Residence at Wesleyan College.
A member of the Authors Guild, Novelists, Inc., Historical Novel Society, London Historians, and other organizations, she is listed in Who’s Who in America; Who’s Who in Authors, Editors and Poets; and Who’s Who in Entertainment.
Margaret returns to Great Britain annually to research her books, and is an avid world traveler. She and her husband live in New England with their two lively dogs, dividing their time between a book-filled house in a small city and a waterfront cottage located on one of the region’s largest lakes.
More information is available at her website.
Category: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Gallica Press
ISBN 978-0-9907420-4-3 (trade paperback) $14.95
ISBN 978-0-9907420-0-5 (ebook, all formats) $6.99
Pages: 411
On sale: 04/14/15
Marketing: Reviewer ARCs, print, web, and radio advertising; author appearances (New England, South, Rocky Mountain West); blog tour
Readers Group discussion guide
Links to buy, A Pledge of Better Times:
Print edition at Barnes & Noble
Layered Pages 