Dragonblade: Book 1 in the Dragonblade Trilogy

Publisher Marketing: 1326 A. D. - Tate Crewys de Lara is the son of kings. The illegitimate son of Edward Longshanks, Tate has the qualities of a magnificent king. But fate is cruel, leaving him a mere knight protecting young Edward III during the uncertain days following the horrific murder of Edward II. While gathering allies for the young heir in Northumberland, he meets the Lady Elizabetha "Toby" Cartingdon. Daughter of the Lord Mayor of Cartingdon Parrish, Toby is a gorgeous woman with a mind for business. It is she who runs the parrish, not her father. Taken aback by the strong, bitter female, Tate is nonetheless intrigued with her. He soon discovers why Toby seems so hard; her father is a drunkard and her mother is an invalid, leaving Toby responsible to not only provide for the family, but also for the welfare of her small sister. Feeling something more than curiosity, Tate begins to break through the hard surface to discover the warm and compassionate woman beneath. Yet factions who would see the young heir dead make a sudden appearance, drawing Toby into their malevolent plan. Soon she finds herself linked to both Tate and the quest to take the throne from Roger Mortimer. It becomes Tate's destiny to not only win a throne for young Edward, but to win Toby's heart as well. Contributor Bio:  Le Veque, Kathryn Kathryn started out at age 13 writing a space-travel novel, inspired by a recently-released film called "Star Wars." The following years were filled with minimal writing, mostly on spiral notebooks in the days before personal computers. Then, in 1992, Kathryn decided to get serious. "Your writing can either be a hobby or it can be who you are. Make your choice." That was some advice she received from an established author. So she made a choice; she was going to make writing who she was. Historical fiction was her passion and she learned everything she could about it. The writing field isn't like being an actor or a singer; actors can be 'extras' and singers can be 'back up singers'. A writer is on her/his own. There are no supporting roles. A writer must stand on her/his own talents, so Kathryn decided to take the time to hone her craft. And that involved writing novel after novel, deciding what her style was, what worked for her, what didn't, and understanding how to write tight and perfect. It's still an ongoing process, but she's well on her way. Kathryn's Medieval Historicals have been called 'amazing' and 'character-rich'. She believes that total immersion in a time period and a subject is essential to create the perfect story. It's all a formula, like a mathematical equation: First, you need a great title. It sets the mood. Then, you need the perfect hero and heroine. Give your people flaws, because real people have flaws. And then hammer out the most interesting, touching and romantic story you can. Although Kathryn's passion is her Medievals, she is very prolific and proficient at writing her Contemporary Adventure Romances. Those are her most popular books and she has five of them to date, including three that are in a series, that are her best sellers. Her objects of interest? Biblical Relics, Egypt and the mysterious jungles of the Yucatan to name a few. Her heroines are strong, intelligent and beautiful, and her heroes are usually tall, dark, very handsome and VERY big. Kathryn doesn't have a hero in her contemporary novels under six feet four inches. But, just like her Historicals, the Contemporary novels are extensively researched and written with great thought and detail. Kathryn has been described as a reader's writer - she knows what readers like and she writes from the heart. Read Kathryn Le Veque's novels and fall in love again... and again... and again.... Kathryn is the author of 21 novels and counting.