The Call of the Sea Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Call of the Sea by Sian Ann Bessey, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book:

Title: The Call of the Sea
Author: Sian Ann Bessey
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: November 1st, 2022
Genre: Inspirational Historical/Viking Romance

A Viking Historical Romance

On the eve of her betrothal to a nobleman she’s never met, Rhiannon seeks comfort on the shores of the sea she loves so well. But instead of offering peace to her uneasy heart, the ocean heralds doom with the arrival of dreaded Viking ships. A vicious raid leads to the death of her beloved father and leaves Rhiannon’s life in tatters. Heartbroken, she travels to Ynys Môn, where she takes up residence at the royal court of Owain Gwynedd.

Leif loves voyaging on the open water. As the son of a Viking chief, he’s accustomed to his people’s practice of plundering and looting. But when one of his companions ruthlessly kills an old man in front of the man’s beautiful daughter, Leif is haunted by the memory. Desperate to find forgiveness for the atrocity he allowed to occur, he’s offered a chance at redemption through the kindly teachings of an Irish priest and the unexpected arrival of a royal fugitive. Suddenly thrust into the midst of the Cymry’s political turmoil, Leif is reunited with the dead man’s daughter—Rhiannon. Forced to work side by side to uncover the truth behind the turmoil, they come to discover that love can grow from even the most tragic of beginnings. But with such incompatible backgrounds, surely a future together can never be theirs.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

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Author Interview:

1. How did you choose the title of the book?
   The hero and the heroine both have a special connection to the sea. “The Call of the Sea” came to me as a way of expressing the emotions they were each feeling.
   
2. What made you want to write in this era?
   I love including lesser-known historical events in my books. I grew up in Wales and so setting a book based on an actual event that involved the Vikings in my homeland was exciting.
   
3. What kind of research did you have to do to write this book?
   It involved so much research. I did historical research on the Vikings, the Cymry, and the Irish, and specifically on the events that led to the rift between Owain Gwynedd and his brother.
   
4. How did you come up with the names of your characters?
   Many of the names are the actual names of the people who lived through this time in history. The other names are names that would have been used in that era by those of the different nationalities.
   
5. What was the hardest part of writing this book?
   The research, and meshing the real events with fictional characters.
   
6. Did you have a character that you related more to?
   There were aspects of both Rhiannon’s and Lief’s characters that I could relate to. I particularly related to their love of their homelands and their desires to be true to their hearts.
   
7. How do you deal with historical accuracy?
   The 1100s was a messy time in history. Historians do not all agree on the details of certain events and much remains unknown. Whenever possible, I read multiple sources to learn about specific events and everyday life. It was fascinating to learn more about this era.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, but grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. She left her homeland to attend university in the U.S. and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in English.

She began her writing career as a student, publishing several magazine articles while still in college. Since then she has published historical romance and romantic suspense novels, along with a variety of children’s books. She is a USA Today best selling author, a Foreward Reviews Book of the Year finalist, and a Whitney Award finalist.

Although Sian doesn’t have the opportunity to speak Welsh very often anymore, she can still wrap her tongue around, “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.” She loves to travel and experience other cultures, but when she’s home, her favorite activities are spending time with her family, cooking, and reading.

Connect with Sian by visiting sianannbessey.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of The Call of the Sea, $25 Amazon Gift Card, swag bundle (including stickers, bookmark, button, cross necklace), virtual book club kit, and ebook of The Heart of the Rebellion.

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 31, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 7, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!