Olivia Rae and I connected over our mutual love of books. Surprising, right? I also got to interview her about Joshua’s Prayer and find out her favorite dessert and pet peeve!
When she told me that Adoration, the 5th book of The Sword and The Cross Chronicles was releasing April 12, I (travel lover that I am) wanted to travel to her setting. Of course, that’s a bit challenging since things have changed in the last 1000 years or so!
Anyway, I love what Olivia Rae shares about the setting of Adoration. Now I’m itching to travel to that time through her series!
Sometimes the Setting is the Seed
When Barbara asked me if I wouldn’t mind writing about the setting of my books, I paused. Not because I have never been to England, but because the idea of The Sword and The Cross Chronicles didn’t come to me when I was abroad, but when I was doing some research on the Crusades. There was a story about a golden knight that saved the Cross of Solomon from the Muslims. I don’t know if the story was true or not, but it got me thinking. So I began to write Revelation, which is the second story in The C & S Chronicles (Yes, the second story came before the first.).
However, the story did not have the depth that it needed until I went to London with my daughter and we went to the Temple Church. The Templars started building this church, which was their headquarters, in the 12th century. Walking into the church, it didn’t take me long to realize just how powerful the Templars were back then. At one time, the Templars were even in control of the royal treasury. This might be the kernel of truth that started so many Templar rumors and myths you hear about today.
As fascinating as all those stories might be, it was the stone effigies that are found in the floor of the church that really had an impact on me. Now I had a clear visual of what a Templar knight probably looked like. Granted my stories take place before the oldest effigy (William Marshall 1146-1219) was ever put into the floor. Yet, I couldn’t get their images out of my head. These knightly effigies gave testament to a very tumultuous time in history. The Templars originally were a warrior monk order whose main goal was to offer protection to pilgrims going to the Holy Land. Many of these early pilgrims were the infirmed and ill looking for healing in the water of Bethesda, and in some cases, the Sea of Galilee. As more and more Europeans came to the area cultures began to clash. More importantly, who was going to control the trade routes from the East? Like now, back then, power was everything. There were saints and sinners on both sides during the Crusades and which may explain why some where immortalized in effigies.
An effigy never appeared in any of my book until, Adoration. No, I don’t have a grand one like those in the Temple Church. But I do have a few simple headstones placed into a floor of a chapel. And yes, they do hold a secret.
So you see, a setting can give you a lot more than descriptive words. It can open a world of intrigue, danger and dark secrets. Now that’s a setting worth writing about.
Do you choose books based on setting? Comment below!
About Adoration
A Deathbed Confession Forces A Wedding…
Sir Darrin de Longue is desperate to get his lands back from Lady Faith de Sainte-Marie, the woman who betrayed him and may have had a hand in his father’s murder. But when King Richard discloses a secret on his deathbed–that Lady Faith is the king’s daughter–and then issues an ultimatum, Darrin has no choice but to obey. In order to reclaim his lands, he must marry Lady Faith and get her with child in a year’s time.
Without Love, She’ll Remain a Wife In Name Only
Left on a doorstep as a babe, Lady Faith has always been grateful for the home she was provided. Since childhood, she has loved the rowdy and bold Sir Darrin, but cannot be a true wife to the bitter, angry man whom she has wed. In order to gain his trust and love, she vows to find the truth about his father’s murder. But when she stumbles upon some dark and deadly secrets, will she be able to prove her innocence–and his–to erase the past and win Darrin’s heart?
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About Olivia Rae
Olivia Rae is an award-winning author of historical and contemporary inspirational romance. She spent her school days dreaming of knights, princesses and far away kingdoms; it made those long, boring days in the classroom go by much faster. Nobody was more shocked than her when she decided to become a teacher. Besides getting her Master’s degree, marrying her own prince, and raising a couple of kids, Olivia decided to breathe a little more life into her childhood stories by adding in what she’s learned as an adult living in a small town on the edge of a big city. When not writing, she loves to travel, dragging her family to old castles and forts all across the world.
Olivia is the winner of the New England Readers’ Choice Award, Illumination Award Bronze medalist, Buyer Best Book Award Finalist, a Kindle Book Award Semi-Finalist, I Heart Indie Award Finalist, and Grab Me Award Finalist. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.
Connect with Oliva Rae:
Website: http://www.oliviaraebooks.com
Facebook: https://www.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
So lovely to have you on the blog today, Olivia Rae, and congratulations on the release of Adoration!!
I’m really looking forward to reading Adoration! I’ve read and loved the other books in this series! I enjoyed reading more about the setting. Thank you for sharing this post today!
I admit that I haven’t read this series by Olivia Rae, but I’m super intrigued by them after hearing about the setting. I’m adding them to be my TBR list!
Hi Trisha,
I hope you enjoy the book and I am glad you stopped by today. Someday you should go and see the Temple Church. It really is worth the trip.
Olivia, I’m so glad you dropped by and thanks for writing this wonderful guest post!