The author, now retired, lives in a Victorian house with a large garden in South Devon. In his professional life, he was a lawyer specialising in planning law. He has always been an active musician, playing keyboards and the flute.
His other main interest is astronomy, and he is an honorary life member of the Torbay Astronomical Society, of which he was Secretary for many years.
As a Francophile, he is a student of the French language and culture and has visited France many times on holiday, to visit friends there, and on twinning visits.
Lionel, a young travelling salesman, works for a company selling electrical products. He and his family endured a dreadful time during the Second World War, but life is comfortable for them now. An excellent salesman, he is confident in his work, but rather shy with young women. He regrets never having had a girlfriend.
His manager offers him the chance to pay a week’s visit to a part of France of his own choosing, where the company do not currently do any business, to see if he can obtain orders there. He readily agrees and consults his family. For some reason, his grandmother is impelled to suggest that he should go to northeast France, near the border with Belgium.
Upon arrival, he discovers in a very strange way an unexpected fact about his family’s history. There is a prospect of romance for him, but will work pressures and his shyness get in the way of finding love?
At times he meets with anti-Semitism, which shocks him particularly as he is patriotically French, with secular attitudes. He encounters fascinating characters, whose lives have been impacted by the World Wars, sometimes tragically.
How will his life at work and at a personal level evolve? Will he succeed in business, as well as finding true love?
Meet Jacques, a charming yet aimless singer-songwriter and carpenter residing in the quaint French town of St Auban. Irresistibly good-looking and laid-back, Jacques seems content to let life happen around him, whether strumming his guitar for an enchanted audience or crafting intricate woodwork. Business savvy may elude him, but talent and affability are in abundant supply.
In a life unmarred by grand ambitions, Jacques finds solace in the simple things – a moment of daydreaming, the fleeting beauty of a rainbow. When a vivid rainbow arcs over the neighbouring village of Rocheville, it inspires Jacques to pen a new song, but also leads him to question if such symbols of luck and happiness could ever truly be his.
As we follow the ups and downs of Jacques’ existence, an unforeseen love threatens to add a layer of complexity he’s never had to face: the commitment and responsibilities of marriage. Will love finally give Jacques the focus he lacks, or will it prove to be another fleeting moment in a life spent drifting?
Journey with Jacques through the undulating terrains of love, friendship, and self-discovery, as he grapples with the possibilities of a life that could either find direction or continue to meander. Will Jacques unearth the fulfilment and happiness he unconsciously seeks, or will he remain a soul forever wandering?
Who exactly was King Arthur? Why are there many Welsh and Cornish place names in Brittany? What role did the Church play following the fall of the Roman Empire?
The novel gives answers by casting light upon this part of the ‘Dark Ages’ with a vivid picture of life in Britain and Brittany in the fifth century, a time of change and migration. The Roman legions had left Britain to its own devices and the Anglo-Saxons were invading. To escape, some Britons migrated to Brittany, taking their Celtic (Welsh or Cornish) language and their Christian religion with them.
The novel takes in known historical facts and puts flesh on their bones in a fast moving and compelling narrative. Two British bothers, Teged and Owain migrate to and settle in Brittany. They are wealthy, Romanised, devout Christians, literate in Latin and spoke the British (pre-Welsh) language. Cadwyr, the son of Teged, becomes an enthusiastic warrior. Teged’s daughter Nessa, who loves horses, becomes a successful horse-breeder.
The novel tells of battles, a warhorse, sea-voyages, saints, miracles, druids, monks, slaves, astrologers, and a pilgrimage, not ignoring daily life with its harvests, hunting scenes, and celebrations with music and rich fare.
Will Cadwyr and his young son prevail in a famous pitched battle?
We hear of historical characters: Arthur, Vortigern, Hengist, Consul Aëtius, Attila the Hun, St. Germanus, and more.
This fascinating period is brought to light by focusing on individual and colourful characters meeting the challenges of their age.
I have been getting favourable feedback about "the Migrants", my historical novel set in the fifth century. People seem to like historical novels, particularly those set in an unfamiliar period.I am w ........
My Meet the Author/Book Signing at Westcountry Books went well on 22 February. It was a busy Saturday in our town and the last weekend of half-term. There was a lot of interest in “the Migrants”: many ........
On Saturday 14th October, I did a book signing at Westcountry Books in Newton Abbot. The weather was fine and sunny but with a cool and bracing wind. It seemed ideal weather for some shopping and this ........
As I am a member of the Torbay Astronomical Society, people seem to think (incorrectly) that I know everything about astronomy and other sciences. Recently I was chatting to a friend about the terribl ........
As a classical musician, I was surprised to discover in 2024 that I liked both of these groups of musicians. I remembered André Rieu and his orchestra from years ago: a violinist who dressed up like J ........
I was listening to Radio 3. Mrs Kanneh-Mason, the mother of Sheku and other talented young musicians, posed the question, “Can you name ten female composers?”I had to rack my brains to do so.1. Abbess ........
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