On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club: Rogues & Kings (Tales of Robin Hood) by Charlene Newcomb

 

Rogues & Kings

Tales of Robin Hood

By Charlene Newcomb

Deadly secrets. Hidden identities. A true enemy.

Silence is the only shield.

The year is 1216 and civil war rages in England. King John ravages the countryside against rebellious barons and a French invasion. Unbeknownst to him, his newest squire, Richard, is in fact the son of a man the king would hang without a second thought. A man the common folk call Robin Hood.

For years, Robin has lived as a knight in exile. But when his son is ensnared in the treachery of the royal court, Robin is forced out of the shadows, aided by his outlaw friends in the Hood.

There is no question for Richard where his loyalties lie but it’s more than his own life at risk. He has the trust of a dangerous king. Can he serve the Hood better from within John’s inner circle, or will schemes against the crown unravel? 

Rob from the rich, give to the poor takes on a whole new meaning.

Rogues & Kings is a sweeping tale of courage and betrayal in a kingdom on the edge of ruin, of a boy coming of age in the midst of war, and of legends being born.

Publication Date: February 4th, 2026

Publisher: independently published

Pages: 394

Genre: Historical Fiction

Excerpt

A shout rose from a sentry deep in the wood, and a covey of birds burst skyward across the crescent moon. The vielle fell silent and the dancing stopped.

Slinging his quiver over his shoulder, Robin scrambled to his feet. “Rider coming.” He reached for his bow.

The revelers retrieved swords and bows, whisking them from beneath their clothing or from the weapons stashed at the edge of the gathering. Women hurrying for cover at the tree line brandished daggers and cutting knives as the great fire lighting the wedding celebration crackled and tree branches rustled.

Allan studied the ancient oaks and birch, listening, his gray-streaked blonde hair stirring in the breeze. The violent snap of a twig and the damp, grinding crunch of leaves beneath a horse’s hooves betrayed the interloper’s approach. The sound grew louder, closer, until a familiar bird call pierced the air and Allan signaled for calm.

A collective sigh of relief swept the air as wedding guests peeked out from behind moss-covered tree trunks and prickly holly bushes. Firelight glinted off polished swords as the men slowly lowered their blades.

The rider came slowly, the darkened path to the camp mired in thick brush and uneven tree roots. Curses echoed through the forest. Recognizing the voice, Robin smiled and set down his bow before the last branches were swept aside.

The outlaws waved and clapped as Little John urged his horse into the clearing. As a child, “little” described him well—he’d been smaller than his orphan-friend Allan, who’d given him the name when they’d met on the quay in London. But he’d grown. And quite large, too, standing a head above most men.

Little John sprang from his horse and strode toward Robin. The outlaws’ greetings melted away as he held up his hand, the light from the fire revealing his grim face.

“King John has taken Richard hostage.”

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Charlene Newcomb

Charlene Newcomb, aka Char, is a retired librarian, a U.S. Navy veteran, mom to three amazing humans, and grandma to three. She writes historical fiction and science fiction.

Her award-winning Battle Scars trilogy is set in the 12th century during the reign of Richard the Lionheart. Her writing roots are in the Star Wars Expanded Universe (aka Legends) where she published 10 short stories in the Star Wars Adventure Journal, and published the original novel Echoes of the Storm.

Char returned to medieval times with Rogue and her latest novel Rogues & Kings, both in her Tales of Robin Hood series.

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On tour with Yarde Book Promotions: Quetzalcoatl: Time Stones Book II by Ian Hunter

 

Quetzalcoatl: Time Stones Book II 
By Ian Hunter

Jessie Mason lives with her nose in the pages of history. But she is discovering that the past is a dangerous place where she doesn't belong, and knowledge alone is not going to save her.

Jessie’s life has become a series of terrible challenges. Now she must lead her friends in the hopeless task Grandfather set them: hunt down and destroy the Time Stones. But her leadership has already failed. Tip has left them and Abe has simply disappeared, while she and Kes are trapped in the heart of an ancient empire in turmoil.

Thrust into a fractured, threatened Mexica nobility, Jessie is immersed in a way of life, fascinating and disturbing in equal measure, yet powerless before the approaching Conquistadors and the impending clash of cultures.

Even as the fabulous city of Tenochtitlan descends into savage violence, Jessie’s determination to succeed is undiminished. But with world history taking a new, bloody direction before her, she is finally forced to decide which is more important: continuing the task or simply surviving.

Publication Date: 22nd April 2021

Publisher: MVB Marketing- und Verlagsservice des Buchhandels GmbH

Print Length: 277 Pages

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Praise

“Quetzalcoatl (Time Stones Book II) by Ian Hunter is a tautly gripping novel that is written with a sensitivity to the era it depicts, but it is also a story packed with adventure and magic. Hunter’s vivacious storytelling made this novel impossible to put down. It is a story that has been penned with an impressive sweep and brilliance.”

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Ian Hunter

Books have been an important part of my life as long as I can remember, and at 54 years old, that’s a lot of books. My earliest memories of reading are CS Lewis’, “The Horse and His Boy” – by far the best of the Narnia books, the Adventures series by Willard Price, and “Goalkeepers are Different” by sports journalist Brian Glanville. An eclectic mix. My first English teacher was surprised to hear that I was reading, Le Carré, Ken Follett, Nevil Shute and “All the Presidents’ Men” by Woodward and Bernstein at the age of 12. I was simply picking up the books my father had finished.

School syllabus threw up the usual suspects – Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Hardy, “To Kill a Mockingbird” – which I have reread often, and others I don’t immediately recall. By “A” level study, my then English teachers were pulling their hair out at my “perverse waste of talent” – I still have the report card! But I did manage a pass.

During a 35 year career, briefly in Banking and then in IT, I managed to find time, with unfailing family support, to study another lifelong passion, graduating with an Open University Bachelors’ degree in History in 2002. This fascination with all things historical inspired me to begin the Time Stones series. There is so much to our human past, and so many differing views on what is the greatest, and often the saddest, most tragic story. I decided I wanted to write about it; to shine a small light on those, sometimes pivotal stories, which are less frequently mentioned.

In 1995, my wife, Michelle, and I moved from England to southern Germany, where we still live, with our two children, one cat, and, when she pays us a visit, one chocolate labrador. I have been fortunate that I could satisfy another wish, to travel as widely as possible and see as much of our world as I can. Destinations usually include places of historic and archaeological interest, mixed with a large helping of sun, sea and sand for my wife’s peace of mind.

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On tour with Yarde Book Promotions: Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure by Cliff Lovette

 

Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure 

By Cliff Lovette

Soviet circus performers arrived in America hoping to build cultural bridges. Instead, they became unwitting pawns in a Cold War game of international intrigue.

When the first privately owned Soviet circus arrived in 1990 in America as the Soviet Union disintegrated, its elite performers expected to build cultural bridges through spectacular shows. Instead, this prestigious troupe faced a perilous journey through Cold War America.

Circus director Yuri had to navigate treacherous waters where American mobsters, Soviet agents, and political forces circled like predators. Young aerialist Anton dreamed of becoming a clown against his family’s wishes, while forbidden romances and unexpected connections bloomed between Soviet performers and Americans who saw past the ideological divide. As high-stakes conspiracies threatened to tear the circus family apart, they had to choose between the authoritarian chains of home and the uncertain promise of freedom.

As the Ringmaster reminds us, “The best Soviet stories are like vodka—they burn with suffering, intoxicate with conflict, keep you stewing in reflection, and yearning for your heart’s desire.” This genre-bending tale explores whether human connection can transcend ideology—and whether storytelling can bridge the divides that separate us.

Publication Date: 1st March 2026

Publisher: Bim Bom Books

Print Length: 478 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction / Romantic Adventure /  Political Intrigue

An interview with author, Cliff Lovette.

Tell us about yourself and your writing journey.

I’m a storyteller in my bones. I first realized this in a smoke-induced haze at Tufts University in the late ‘70s, spinning fantastic yarns for friends—all made up— sounding plausible at first, then going off the deep end. How far could I go before someone said, “That’s one of Cliff’s BS stories, isn’t it?”

Ironically, Circus Bim Bom’s slightly satirical narrator, The Ringmaster, swears by the Russian storytelling creed: “Don’t let truth ruin great story.” Naturally, I made the Russian part up.

Fast forward to 1991. I was the lowest attorney on the totem pole at an entertainment law firm in Atlanta. I got the clients no one else wanted. In walks this long-haired, seasoned road manager named Bobby Liberman. Just finished a tour. He told me the unlikely story of a Soviet circus he’d road-managed—a privately owned circus from behind the Iron Curtain, KGB handlers watching every move, mobsters threatening their freedom, and impossible choices that would change lives forever. It was the sort of fantastical story I would have made up, except it was true.

I started collecting everything: articles, legal documents, original performance programs. I interviewed former Soviet performers. Over the years, as I moved from practice to practice and home to apartment, I purged my belongings—but never parted with what became several banker’s boxes of circus materials.

Fast forward to the pandemic. My best friend had just learned he had stage four pancreatic cancer. He urged me—no, badgered me—to finally write the novel. That was six years ago.

I’m a storyteller first, writer second. That identity permeates Circus Bim Bom. I’ve created character avatars and embedded music and video links to immerse readers in the Cold War era. The story didn’t need embellishment. It was too fantastic on its own.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?

Getting started. I carried this story in my head and in banker’s boxes for 30+ years. Who was I to write a novel? I’d spent my career as an entertainment lawyer— negotiating contracts, not crafting prose. Imposter syndrome hit hard. I had to rustle up the courage to learn an entirely new craft at an age when most people aren’t looking for new mountains to climb.

Then came the isolation. Law is collaborative—negotiations, conference calls, war rooms. Writing is you and a blinking cursor. No one to bounce ideas off. No one to tell you if a scene works or falls flat.

Once I settled on The Ringmaster as narrator and captured his voice, momentum took over. Creative ideas ambushed me on long walks. Characters materialized in the shower. There was no looking back. But summoning the courage to begin after 30 years of “someday”? That was the hardest part.

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

The Ringmaster. He’s my narrative voice, my co- conspirator, and frankly, the character who gave me permission to write this book.

When I first encountered The Ringmaster in my imagination, he arrived fully formed—teal top hat, stylized mustache, that knowing glint in his eye. He announced his creed immediately: “Don’t let truth ruin great story.” At first, I thought he was giving me license to embellish. But as I wrote, I realized he was offering something deeper.

He tells readers: “I may embellish for dramatic effect, or perhaps because my memory is tricky beast. But I stand by the essence of what I have to say. Besides, as ringmaster, my duty is to unbind your expectations, master your incredulity, and trade in illusions.”

That’s exactly what I needed to hear. I’d carried this story for over thirty years, worried about getting every detail right. The Ringmaster freed me to pursue emotional truth over documentary precision—to honor the essence of what happened while crafting a tale worth telling.

He also does the heavy lifting I couldn’t do as a straight narrator. He breaks the fourth wall, challenges readers’ assumptions, and weaves The Ringmaster between past and present with a wink. He makes the satirical commentary land. He earned my trust, and I hope he earns readers’ trust too—even when they suspect he’s not telling them everything.

What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

This is a duology, so the full answer unfolds across both books. But I can tell you what I hope readers carry with them from this first installment. Question your assumptions. About history. About “enemies.” About the people you think you know. We all belong to tribes—nations, political parties, religions—that shape how we see the world. But as Joshua Horkheimer explains during a pivotal Seder dinner, malevolent leaders manipulate our need to belong, stoking fear and hatred to maintain control. Individuals can choose differently. They can reframe their loyalties, reclaim their identities, confront their biases.

Understand the Butterfly Effect. History isn’t shaped by great men alone, but by ordinary people and their daily lives—the butterfly wings of countless small decisions. A chance encounter, a moment of kindness, a choice to see someone as human rather than “other”—these ripple outward in ways we can’t predict. Our circus performers’ lives intertwine with global events because that’s how history actually works.

And trust the power of storytelling. As Joshua tells our circus performers: “Stories speak to where our emotions reside, where our wounds fester, and where our prejudices harden. While our rational minds erect barriers of fear and mistrust, stories burrow beneath those defenses. Their true power lies in the subtext—what resonates beneath the surface of the narrative.”

Those who reject hatred are planting seeds for peace. Every movement starts with someone willing to believe change is possible.

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Join the Bim Bom Book Club - https://bimbombookclub.com/

Members receive:

✨ Discounts on Gifts and Merch

✨ Exclusive glimpses into the self-publishing journey

✨ Previews of historical curiosities about Soviet circus life that didn't make it into the book

✨ Exclusive "Rabbit Hole" bonus stories and other literary surprises

✨ A front-row seat to the book's development and launch

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What Makes This Novel Different

Circus Bim Bom offers an innovative multimedia reading experience. The novel includes 45+ YouTube links to period music, historical speeches, and cultural moments embedded throughout—readers can listen to the actual songs characters dance to as they waltz, and watch Reagan's Brandenburg Gate speech as it's referenced in the text.

The companion website (www.bimbombookclub.com) extends the story beyond the page:

• Character Avatars: 25+ talking video introductions where characters speak directly to readers

• Re-Imagined Circus Posters

• Book Club Experience: Interactive forums, live chat, and community discussions

• Historians Room (under construction): A space for Cold War history buffs to fact-check the novel, explore primary sources, and debate historical accuracy

Cliff Lovette

Father, storyteller, and dog lover living in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with London curled at his feet. Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure is the first book in his debut duology, followed by Circus Bim Bom: The Great Escape.

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On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club: Both Sides of the Pond My Family’s War: 1933-1946 by Barbara Kent Lawrence

Both Sides of the Pond
My Family’s War: 1933-1946

By Barbara Kent Lawrence

In January of 1939 when Barbara Greene, a beautiful young British actress, met Joe Kennedy, Jr., son of the American Ambassador, she could not have expected that their relationship would lead to her emigrating to the United States and learning to pilot a plane. Neither could her brother, Kent, have foreseen his bitter retreat from Dunkirk when he left England in January 1940 to fight in France, or his subsequent service on the frontlines in Cornwall, North Africa, Sicily, and Burma.

In this intensively researched war story of the author’s family, we also hear the stories of other ordinary people who survived extraordinary circumstances. Richly illustrated with photographs and documents, “Both Sides of the Pond, My Family’s War: 1933 – 1946” is a captivating book.

Publication Date: October 15th, 2025

Publisher: Sweet Fern Press

Pages: 393

Genre: Historical Fiction

Praise

"Author Barbara Kent Lawrence weaves a rich tapestry of the lives of her British mother and uncle from 1933 to 1946, before, during, and just after World War II. ...
War stories are very personal. This is such a story, and it offers insight into how two young people navigated difficult years that altered the trajectories of the lives they thought they would live. It is a worthy read, written beautifully. Don’t miss it."
~ Patricia Walkow, Military Writers Society of America

"I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. History and the complexity of human relationships unfold with uncommon grace."
~ Barbara Lazear Ascher, winner, most recently, of Pushcart’s Editors Book Award for Ghosting: A Widow’s Voyage Out.

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Barbara Kent Lawrence

Dr. Lawrence is the author of many articles and nine books, including an award-winning dissertation about the influence of culture on aspirations in Maine. Her new book, Both Sides of the Pond, My Family’s War: 1933 - 1945, is available in book stores and on Amazon.

A former professor, she has taught courses in anthropology and sociology, research, and writing non-fiction and memoir. Lawrence grew up in New York City and Washington D.C., then earned a BA in anthropology from Bennington College, an MA in sociology from New York University, and an Ed.D. in Administration, Policy and Planning from Boston University.

In addition to teaching, Lawrence has worked for the Department of Social Services and the Housing Development Administration in New York, directed a small museum in Maine, co-run a brokerage and construction company, consulted for the Rural School and Community Trust and KnowledgeWorks, and started four non-profit organizations supporting the environment and students.

When not working she loves to garden, knit, and go for walks, pastimes she learned from her British mother. She lives in Maine and is working on the third novel in her Islands series.

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