The Wayward Alliance: A Medieval Mystery (The Sir Law Kintour Series Book 1) by J. R. Tomlin

1/22/2023

Multi-volume, historical-fiction author J. R. Tomlin introduces us to the first volume in “The Sir Law Kintour Series” “The Wayward Alliance”:
Scotland, 1424: Sir Law, a crippled knight facing poverty and ruin, is condemned to scrabbling for survival.

In desperation, he accepts the humiliating task of tracking down a nobleman's runaway wife. He soon finds that nothing and no one are what they seem. And that the job comes with a body count — one of which if he is not careful could be his...

(Originally published as 'The Templar's Cross')

I loved this story! The author has a beautiful command of historical Scotland and Europe at large. Her intimate knowledge of the locales, period and politics provide a fascinating backdrop for seemingly unimportant murders in medieval Perth, Scotland.
Her wealth of daily minutiae makes the story come alive as we follow Sir Law Kintour, a crippled night fighting to regain a patron. I love the banter between Sir Law and Cormac, the troubadour where Law is staying.
I shall not say more to avoid any spoilers. I give 4.9 stars to "The Wayward Alliance"!
If you like this book, you will certainly enjoy her other books! I know that I do.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Wayward-Alliance-Medieval-Mystery-ebook
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-wayward-alliance-j-r-tomlin
https://www.kobo.com/the-wayward-alliance
https://books.apple.com/us

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/TomlinJeanne
http://www.jrtomlin.com
http://jeannetomlin.blogspot.com

I have reviewed another wonderful book by Jeanne Tomlin:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-douglas-bastard

Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

50 Comments

J R Tomlin

1/23/2023 11:41:41 am

Thanks for the great review!

Mark

1/23/2023 01:14:32 pm

You are welcome, Jeanne. I enjoyed reading your book a lot.

First questions.

You first published this story under a different title, "The Templar's Cross" and that was a pretty good title. Why did you change the title?

Did the cover change also?

J R Tomlin link

1/23/2023 03:12:11 pm

I changed it after quite a number of people complained that there were no Templars in it. I still like the title actually better than this one. I had thought that the reference to the Templar's *cross* would indicate that it was not about the Order of Templars which was wiped out of existence about a century before. The one place at that time that the Pope had no reach was Scotland because to put it mildly the King of Scotland and the Pope were on the outs. It is a rather interesting history. There were Scottish members of the Templars and there have always been claims that at least a few Templars fled to Scotland with some of the immense Templar treasury that had been in Paris. But the last thing you ever want a title to do is deceive readers as to what your story is about, so with regret I changed it.

1/23/2023 03:13:14 pm

I meant to say that I did change the cover as well.

1/23/2023 03:47:06 pm

The movie from Dan Brown's Book "The Da Vinci Code" catapulted me and millions of others into the Templar world. I had heard of them in passing over the years but had not read much about them.

So, the King of Scotland was not a Catholic. But he must have been a Christian of another branch. Your book is set before Martin Luther disputed the Roman practice of selling indulgences. What branch did the King follow?

New questions.

Who designed the new cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.

What do the elements on the cover represent?

1/23/2023 09:41:42 pm

Oh, the King of Scotland, King Robert the Bruce, was very much a Catholic. He was also excommunicated as was basically the entire Kingdom of Scotland. Eventually they made up but it took about twenty years. That was the period of the Templars' executions so fleeing there is not by any means unlikely.

That is the only series where I designed my own covers. I don't really advise DIY covers, but I could not at the time find a designer who gave me a cover that worked. I can manage to put together a fairly basic cover using Canva which is a service I suggest. It gives those of us who don't care to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars for a graphics programs a good set of tools. Mostly I use it for designing ads. Most of my other covers are designed by ebooklaunch.com and I do recommend them.

1/24/2023 08:08:10 am

That is interesting, thank you. I recall hearing about Robert the Bruce from Mel Gibson's movie, "Braveheart".

You are right about covers; it pays to put the best possible cover on your book because people do judge a book by its cover. A book with a sleek cover will almost always win out over a book with a cover that is not professional looking. Thanks for the tips.

New questions.

Was it hard to come up with a new title?

What was the process?

1/24/2023 12:16:39 pm

Robert the Bruce was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329, successfully freeing Scotland from English occupation.

With titles I always just brainstorm titles until I find something that seems like it works. I sometimes use bits of quotes. I particularly like titles that are a bit contradictory such as the title to my novel 'Noble Traitor'.

1/24/2023 01:03:22 pm

That is a fun way of creating a title. A contradiction can cement the title in readers' minds. The Wayward Alliance title seems to fit the idea also.

New questions.

Were the character names difficult to develop? How did you choose them?

Is this your newest book?

Will you be writing more?

1/24/2023 05:06:59 pm

I have an extremely strict rule about names. I only use names that are in the Scottish tax records of the period or in the Scottish parliamentary records. Those are easier to find than one might think. "Law" sounds a bit like a made-up name but is in the Aberdeen tax records of the 15th century. The only exception is of characters who are not Scottish and then I have to broaden my research a bit, but I make a strenuous effort for the names to be period appropriate.

1/24/2023 06:13:30 pm

I think that is a requirement for hist-fic writers. Authenticity is demanded by some fans. Church records of births and deaths is another useful source in some regions. I think your choice of records is superb.

New questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

Will you be doing more in the future?

1/25/2023 11:05:49 am

I don't do any public speaking. It is something I am just not comfortable with.

1/25/2023 12:57:30 pm

You have a lot of company, Jeanne. Public speaking is one of the top fears for most people. I learned a secret to overcoming my fear of public speaking many years ago. I had it pretty bad, too. I had a serious stammer that rendered me nearly mute in moments of great stress.

That secret is simple and profound, don't speak about anything you are not an expert on. If someone wanted you to speak about your book you could say yes unless the schedule was bad for you. You are the expert on your books, you know more than anyone else does.

That might open opportunities for promoting your books.

New questions.

Have you entered any writing contests?

Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

1/25/2023 05:05:20 pm

I have won some minor writing awards in historical fiction such as one last year from the Historical Fiction Company. I generally concentrate more on my writing and the necessary marketing than contests though.

1/25/2023 07:03:15 pm

I understand. There are only so many hours in a day and they must be used wisely. Some contests can be a lot of work or expensive. Not all contests are created equal. Here is a copy-and-paste link or use the search box below for our visitors about choosing contests carefully: Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests

New questions.

Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?

How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

1/25/2023 07:10:18 pm

Thanks for the information.

I won a poetry writing contest, very competitive, I am sure, in third grade. For a long time I mainly wrote non-fiction and poetry. In fact, I had an ambition to be a poet. I hoped to be female Ezra Pound (except for the fascist collaborator part). I assure you that the world is glad I gave up *that* ambition. I did for some time make a living writing non-fiction though. I always did a little fiction 'tinkering' but only about twenty years ago did I start working on it seriously.

1/25/2023 08:42:11 pm

Very nice. I played with poetry when I was a moody teen, but I had no idea what I was doing. I had never read poetry.

You made a living writing non-fiction and dabbled in fiction for years.

Are you still writing non-fiction while writing your historical fiction books?

Can a novelist help support themselves writing nonfiction?

Do you have any advice for the struggling author? so many authors wish they could quit their day job and write fulltime.

1/25/2023 08:56:15 pm

When you include all forms of non-fiction, there are more people who support themselves doing that than writing fiction. That does not necessarily make it easy to do. I know at least a number of fiction authors who make a considerable portion of their income from writing non-fiction. Many of them write non-fiction about writing fiction or about publishing in general. lol

It is the very rare exception who can make a living by writing without a pretty substantial back catalog. Very few of us make a million dollars the first novel out, so the best advice I can give is to keep writing and publishing. I saw a recent survey of authors indicating that most self-published authors who make enough money to be considered 'enough to live on' have a back catalog of at least thirty novels. That can depend on your personal circumstances but in my experience it is not that far off.

1/26/2023 08:10:27 am

That confirms what I have read and heard from other authors. The back catalog is the key to financial success and that takes years to develop. Having control of your intellectual property can make a big difference also. If you are not giving a portion of your profits to others that means more money in your pocket. Most publishers and agents are only interested in the new book because that is where they make most of their money.

New questions.

A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.

Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out a lot of wrinkles before publishing? If you don’t, why?

1/26/2023 12:48:20 pm

Beta readers are hard to find in my experience. I do use two at the moment. What I look for mainly is feedback on the plot making sense to someone who is not already conversant with the history, the characters being distinctive, and whether points in the plot move too fast or too slow. It is impossible for an author to look at their own work as a reader, so I want the reactions of an ordinary reader rather than an author or editor. Then of course it goes to an editor.

1/26/2023 01:45:53 pm

Yes, beta readers are essential to write a good book that reads easily. I have lists of beta readers on each of my Twitter accounts. Click on the three dots under the banner picture to access the lists. Check their requirements carefully before approaching them some are very choosy about what they read.

New questions.

How did you find your beta-readers?

At what stage in your writing process do you bring in the readers?

Do you give them an e-version like a PDF or a hard copy you printed?

1/26/2023 08:08:18 pm

I bring in beta readers while I am still writing and they work with word docs which makes feedback easy.

1/26/2023 08:48:47 pm

Microsoft Word is used in many parts of the world. I have Word 2019 because my laptop isn't upgradeable to Win 11. My copy of Word lists around 40 versions of English.

That is a good way of utilizing your beta readers. They can leave comments on the side of the document.

New questions.

Would you like to have more beta readers or work only with the same ones as before?

Do you reward the beta readers in any way particular?

1/27/2023 11:34:41 am

I pay my beta readers but it is a very small amount, really a token.

1/27/2023 12:52:19 pm

I think you are the first author I have heard that does that. Perhaps it's because your beta readers are not authors. Many authors trade the favor of beta reading. Quite a few authors give their beta readers a signed copy of the book, some give gift cards or something that will be meaningful to the beta readers.

New questions.

Do you have other writers you connect with, as in a critique group or support group?

How many critique group members show up for the meetings usually?

1/27/2023 01:16:54 pm

For me, having other authors look as beta readers missed the point of beta readers. I have professionals, my editors, for that. What I want to know is if what I am doing works for a reader. Of course, other people can look for something else from beta readers, which is perfectly legitimate.

Early in my writing career, I was a member of groups. I never found one that worked well for me and gave up on the idea. I do talk to other authors who are friends and we exchange ideas or advice, but not as a group, just as individuals. The problems in groups are pretty notorious which doesn't mean there aren't good ones out there. I just think they are outnumbered by ones that are little help or even counter productive.

1/27/2023 01:56:18 pm

That makes sense in terms of beta readers. Every writer has different needs and goals.

I have heard some similar stories about critique groups, many of them don't go well. Having relationships with other writers can make a critique group unnecessary.

New questions.

What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your latest book?

What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?

1/27/2023 09:42:11 pm

I think growing as an author is to a large extent an organic process, so I can't say there are particular things I wish I knew. The only way to get better at writing is to write in my opinion. And then write some more.

Now publishing is a different thing. I wish I had known when I first self-published that it is worth waiting until you have at least part of a series. I wish I had known how important a mailing list is. I wish I had known that most advertising is a waste of money - not that you should avoid advertising but that you need to be very selective in where you spend your money.

1/28/2023 06:29:26 am

You are right, the more you write the more you learn. There are so many good books out there that a writer can learn from. It takes time. Some new writers get discouraged after writing the first draft because they are comparing their first draft to another writer's final draft. The perfect first draft has never been written and never will be. The first draft has but one purpose and that is to get the story out of your head so it can be improved and polished.

That is good advice! Many readers like to read an entire series if they like the first book. So publishing each volume of a completed, multi-volume series a few months apart is a good plan. It helps to build the fan base quickly.

The importance of a mailing list to connect with a fan base cannot be overestimated also. A vibrant website is important also. Sell your books on your website is necessary. Don't put all of your eggs in one selling basket.

The advertising game is difficult. The major selling platforms use a bidding process to sell ads and that can get expensive fast. Some kind of promotion and marketing are necessary with a million books being published each year, it takes a lot to rise above the tide and get your book noticed.

One of my favorite blogs is about pursuing the local author angle. How to be a marketing star right where you live. Another copy-and-paste link or search the title in the box below: https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/ I would add a few tips, seek out literature teachers at the high school and college level to share in their class and there might be a club in the school. Local newspapers are a good resource for an interview as well as local cable access. There might also be a broadcast arts curriculum and/or a club at the high school and college level. Have some question ready to hand the interviewer if they seem uncertain.

If there are tourist destinations try and place your books with the local author angle. Museums, gift stores, motels, hotels, tourist attractions are all possibilities. Keep a box of books in your trunk. Get a counter-top holder for a few books, paste a picture of the cover on the holder behind the books and put re-ordering information on the back of the holder.

Consider renting a table at a comic convention, county fair, farmer's market or a flea market. Have free swag to hand out such as a bookmark and sell mugs or posters. There are so many ways to be the 'local author' I doubt I have exhausted the list of possibilities.

New questions.

Why and how did you choose this particular time period?

What kind of historical research did you do?

1/28/2023 11:44:33 am

I have a degree in medieval history probably influenced my choice. I was also influenced by the fact that so much of what is published about Scottish history is blatantly wrong. For example, the fact that Mel Gibson's 'Braveheart' is often cited as the most historically inaccurate movie ever made and that many people believe that utter tosh. And because of my Scottish father, I was steeped growing up in the tales of Scottish history.

And having seen in our own time so many wars that are wars that are unjust and unjustified, I was interested in writing about a war that was but that even so horrific and unjust things were done during it. That King Robert the Bruce saved Scotland's very existence but that so quickly things went horribly downhill after his death and that of his companions also interested me and was worth telling. There is no need to make stuff up and change the history. It is fascinating enough to write about as it really was (as far as we can tell).

And that little lecture shows why I write what I do. Obviously, it is my passion. How many people are blessed by making a living doing what is their passion? I am extraordinarily lucky.

1/28/2023 12:57:29 pm

I did not know that about "Braveheart"! So many others, including me, didn't know any better. If nothing else, it shows the power of a tale well told.

Not knowing history leaves many people ignorant. The aphorism is pretty accurate, those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Wars are filled with unjust and inhumane activities on all sides. Sometimes they are necessary to prevent further injustice.

New questions.

Which of your books chronicle the saving of Scotland by King Robert the Bruce and the ensuing problems after his death?

What are some challenges to writing Historical Fiction?

1/28/2023 01:22:03 pm

One of the frustrating things for me about Braveheart is that the real story is much more interesting than the Gibson twisted version. However, it was also a lot less simplistic. Let me just say that Wallace, hero though he was, was not the only leader on the Scottish side, and Robert the Bruce did not cravenly betray him.

My Black Douglas Trilogy is about the lifelong friendship between Robert the Bruce and James Douglas, known as the Black Douglas, during the First War of Scottish Independence. It ends when Douglas died carrying the heart of the Bruce on a crusade in Spain. The series I am working on now is about the Second War of Independence and the part the Black Douglas's bastard son played in it.

1/28/2023 02:23:27 pm

Thank you for setting the record straight in terms of the movie betrayal.

More questions about Scottish history.

Why is King Robert called the Bruce? Is that a title or simply a name?

Why is Black Douglas called that? Is Black his first name or is there another significance?

1/28/2023 02:39:33 pm

His family on his father's side was partially descended from Normans and the name was properly Robert de Brus. Brus was a place name which is the origin of many surnames. Robert the Bruce is the anglicized version of the name. His ancestor was a supporter of Scotland's King David I and was rewarded with lands and the title of Lord of Annandale. They then married into the Scottish royal family which is how the Bruces ended up Kings of Scots.

The Black Douglas was a sobriquet given to James, Lord of Douglas by the English. He was black-haired and probably had dark skin (for a Scot) as well as being much feared, hence the English calling him the 'Black Douglas'. The name was adopted by that entire branch of the Douglases.

1/28/2023 02:55:40 pm

Those are great stories. I love it.

New questions.

Other than measuring the value of your sources did you encounter any other controversies in the course of researching and writing your book?

What kind of Historical Fiction do you prefer to read? Real persons or fictional persons in a historical setting?

1/28/2023 03:03:18 pm

I can happily read either. Fictional characters in a historic setting are more common. Academics love controversy and doing some rewriting of history to suit their own biases. I have ignored more than one academic and chosen to go with the accounts of the people who were actually there. Fortunately few of my readers also read academic historians. lol

1/29/2023 09:10:36 am

That is a funny thing about academics. They have to find something unusual, unknown or unexplored in their field to write about and establish their reputation. The more unusual or controversial the topic is the better. That might be why there are so many opinions at times.
I think you have made wise choices.

New questions.

Do you have lots of ideas for future books?

If so, how do you keep them organized?

1/29/2023 11:17:09 am

I have a lot of ideas, but I can't say I have ever tried to organize them. Author Elizabeth Moon said once that when it was time for a new novel, she checked to see which of the characters in her head was making the most noise wanting to come out. My system is about along that line. King Macbeth has been a bit noisy lately but there are others waiting to have their say.

1/29/2023 03:26:12 pm

That is interesting. Tyranny of the loudest. I love it. Very similar to a personal favorite, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I have recommended to more than one author to have an idea notebook. Devoting only one or two pages to each idea as it shows up will prevent the loss of fleeting moments of inspiration. Even if you are in a place where you can't write something down a brief voice note or email to yourself will prevent losing the idea.

Macbeth is an interesting character, far beyond the limited portrait in Shakespeare's play, it seems.

New questions.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?

What has been the biggest surprise in your writing journey?

1/29/2023 03:38:28 pm

My *favorite* advice is Elmore Leonard's rule to "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip." Good luck with that one though although it is worth keeping in mind.

However, I think the best writing advice I ever read was from Stephen King who said, "Follow characters and situations and see where they go, instead of resorting to plot." I do have sort of 'plot' forced on me my historical events, but I never plot the exact part my characters will play or how they will feel about it. And the best parts of my novels, judging by comments from reviewers, are the ones when my characters took the story somewhere I did not expect.

1/29/2023 03:59:06 pm

I like the way Leonard thinks. Every good boxer has a plan that works fine until the boxer is hit the first time. Not practical but worth keeping in mind. For new writers that might be their favorite part of the story when a character has an eloquent story that goes on and on.

I have heard from many writers that follow King's advice, whether knowingly or not, they tell me they write the story to see how it turns out. Many good stories surprise not just the readers but also the author.

You are hampered by history to a certain extent, but the details are what really matter, and you make them worth reading. I don't skip any part of your books.

New questions.

What are common traps for beginning writers?

Do you think a strong ego is an asset or liability for a writer and why?

1/29/2023 07:56:03 pm

That is a tough question. A writer needs a healthy ego to withstand a lot of rejection and criticism. It does not matter how good your novel is, there will be *someone* who hates it and says so. If that is going to crush you, then you are in trouble. But at the same time you can't have so much ego that you can't take honest criticism. Beta readers, editors and proofreaders will find flaws and you need to be able to accept that, but still have enough ego to know that they may not always be right. So it is a bit of a balancing act.

1/29/2023 08:58:42 pm

You have described the balancing act quite well. That is exactly what it is. You don't have to trust the review of a stranger or an acquaintance, but the people who are assisting you need to be given careful consideration.

New questions.

Other than every person on earth, who do you wish would read your book?

Can you describe the demographic of your ideal reader? Who is the person most likely to buy your book?

1/29/2023 11:34:01 pm

The demographics of historical fiction readers are pretty mixed. More women than men read it but I think that is because women simply read more books than men. I write adventure that men read more than women, but I write about historical figures which women read more than men. Confused? I know I am. I write quite a bit about the food and environment which appeals to women, but I write about wars which supposedly appeals to men. Yep. Still confused. I have slightly more women readers than men as far as I can tell but it seems to be pretty close. Age seems to be 30 to 35 and up again as far as I can tell. What I end up doing is writing what I want to read and hope there are other people out ther who want to read the same thing.

1/30/2023 08:09:31 am

Demographics are confusing at times. No question about that. The important thing is that you have found a good niche for your writing. You published this book in August of 2016 and of today you have more than 1400 reviews. Your writing is loved by many and you are writing what people want to read.

More than one writer writes first to please themselves.

new questions.

Do you have an item or a routine you consider to be your writing lucky charm?

What is the biggest obstacle you face in writing?

1/30/2023 12:52:31 pm

I suspect that I am like many in that my biggest obstacle is a tendency to procrastination. It is amazing how often the house suddenly needs to be cleaned when it is time to sit myself down in my office chair and write.

1/30/2023 06:23:27 pm

There are many authors with a spotless house and a blank page. Eventually, words do get on the page and they wonder what took so long when they get in the groove.

Last questions.

Do you struggle with writer's block, if so, how do you overcome it?

Do you see an advantage of writing under a pseudonym, why or why not?

1/30/2023 06:35:25 pm

I really don't have a problem with writer's block. Sometimes I feel as though what I write is not very good or as though 'my muse did not show up today'. When that happens, I try to just keep putting the words down the best I can. It makes less difference in how the work turns out than you would think. And if it needs polishing, so does the rest of it that we wrote when the muse did show up.

Sometimes having to write when we just do not feel like it or we are not in the mood is not fun, but that is true of any profession. And if we are professionals, we just keep working.

1/30/2023 06:55:37 pm

You are right. Showing up for work, regardless of feelings, is the mark of a professional.

Thank you, Jeanne. I love your books and am honored to partner with you this week to promote your books.

I have another promotion starting tomorrow so I must bring our conversation to a close.

Until next time, keep on writing.

1/30/2023 08:12:12 pm

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy them. It is always a pleasure chatting.

The Wayward Alliance: A Medieval Mystery (The Sir Law Kintour Series Book 1) by J. R. Tomlin

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