Anne O'Brien
@anneobrienauthor.bsky.social
Writer of historical novels celebrating often invisible and silent medieval women who deserve a face and a voice.
Sunday Times Best Seller
New Novel for February 2025: The Queen and the Countess
Sunday Times Best Seller
New Novel for February 2025: The Queen and the Countess
Pinned
The Queen and the Countess is now out in the wild, alive and well. Thank you for all the kind wishes on Paperback Publication Day.
I will be running a giveaway shortly, so if you enjoy medieval fiction keep an eye open ...
I will be running a giveaway shortly, so if you enjoy medieval fiction keep an eye open ...
Signing out for Christmas.
Thank you all for you company through 2025.
My best wishes to all followers and lovers of historical fiction.
May you enjoy a few good moments of reading over the Christmas and New Year Holiday.
Thank you all for you company through 2025.
My best wishes to all followers and lovers of historical fiction.
May you enjoy a few good moments of reading over the Christmas and New Year Holiday.
December 23, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Signing out for Christmas.
Thank you all for you company through 2025.
My best wishes to all followers and lovers of historical fiction.
May you enjoy a few good moments of reading over the Christmas and New Year Holiday.
Thank you all for you company through 2025.
My best wishes to all followers and lovers of historical fiction.
May you enjoy a few good moments of reading over the Christmas and New Year Holiday.
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. So dark and grey this morning. Looking forward to this, when the snowdrops begin to appear in my garden. Not long now ...
December 23, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. So dark and grey this morning. Looking forward to this, when the snowdrops begin to appear in my garden. Not long now ...
#onthisday 22nd December 1476 died at Warwick Castle Isabel Neville, Duchess of Clarence, daughter of the Earl of Warwick. Her new-born son Richard died shortly afterwards. She 25 yrs old and buried in Tewkesbury Abbey.
She was outlived by 2 of her children, Margaret and Edward
She was outlived by 2 of her children, Margaret and Edward
December 22, 2025 at 10:44 AM
#onthisday 22nd December 1476 died at Warwick Castle Isabel Neville, Duchess of Clarence, daughter of the Earl of Warwick. Her new-born son Richard died shortly afterwards. She 25 yrs old and buried in Tewkesbury Abbey.
She was outlived by 2 of her children, Margaret and Edward
She was outlived by 2 of her children, Margaret and Edward
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Grey and damp. Hoping for a glimpse of sunshine later. The perfect day for some pre Christmas housework …
December 22, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Grey and damp. Hoping for a glimpse of sunshine later. The perfect day for some pre Christmas housework …
Celebrating the Winter Solstice today with this most iconic image of sunrise at Stonehenge.
The year turns and the days gradually, very gradually, will now grow longer.
The year turns and the days gradually, very gradually, will now grow longer.
December 21, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Celebrating the Winter Solstice today with this most iconic image of sunrise at Stonehenge.
The year turns and the days gradually, very gradually, will now grow longer.
The year turns and the days gradually, very gradually, will now grow longer.
Reposted by Anne O'Brien
Historical Fiction Spotlight: The Queen and the Countess, by Anne O'Brien tonyriches.blogspot.com/2025/07/hist... @anneobrienauthor.bsky.social #medieval #HistoricalFiction
December 21, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Historical Fiction Spotlight: The Queen and the Countess, by Anne O'Brien tonyriches.blogspot.com/2025/07/hist... @anneobrienauthor.bsky.social #medieval #HistoricalFiction
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Not light here yet, but posting this marvellous sunrise of 2 days ago to mark the Winter Solstice today when the year turns.
December 21, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Not light here yet, but posting this marvellous sunrise of 2 days ago to mark the Winter Solstice today when the year turns.
To everyone who sent me a reply and best wishes after my last post. I am feeling much better and should be fine and jolly by Christmas.
I might even do some writing.
Many thanks and to all who were kind enough to wish me well with good advice and hugs.
I am now almost capable of dancing ...
I might even do some writing.
Many thanks and to all who were kind enough to wish me well with good advice and hugs.
I am now almost capable of dancing ...
December 20, 2025 at 9:48 AM
To everyone who sent me a reply and best wishes after my last post. I am feeling much better and should be fine and jolly by Christmas.
I might even do some writing.
Many thanks and to all who were kind enough to wish me well with good advice and hugs.
I am now almost capable of dancing ...
I might even do some writing.
Many thanks and to all who were kind enough to wish me well with good advice and hugs.
I am now almost capable of dancing ...
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. There could be some sunshine.
December 20, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. There could be some sunshine.
Not at my best at the moment.
Not flu or covid but definitely under the weather.
No writing, since I doubt I could string two appropriate words together.
This is the best I can do for Christmas jollifications.
Not flu or covid but definitely under the weather.
No writing, since I doubt I could string two appropriate words together.
This is the best I can do for Christmas jollifications.
December 18, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Not at my best at the moment.
Not flu or covid but definitely under the weather.
No writing, since I doubt I could string two appropriate words together.
This is the best I can do for Christmas jollifications.
Not flu or covid but definitely under the weather.
No writing, since I doubt I could string two appropriate words together.
This is the best I can do for Christmas jollifications.
More contemplative advent angels.
Benedetto Bonfigli, Angels with Roses, Church of San Francesco al Prato, Perugia, circa 1466
Benedetto Bonfigli, Angels with Roses, Church of San Francesco al Prato, Perugia, circa 1466
December 18, 2025 at 11:29 AM
More contemplative advent angels.
Benedetto Bonfigli, Angels with Roses, Church of San Francesco al Prato, Perugia, circa 1466
Benedetto Bonfigli, Angels with Roses, Church of San Francesco al Prato, Perugia, circa 1466
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. A dramatic start but now the rain has set in. Nothing stops the crows digging in the pasture.
December 17, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. A dramatic start but now the rain has set in. Nothing stops the crows digging in the pasture.
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Grey and rainy again but the holly is in good form. The blackbirds haven’t yet stripped it so enjoying it while it lasts.
December 15, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Grey and rainy again but the holly is in good form. The blackbirds haven’t yet stripped it so enjoying it while it lasts.
Enticing doorways and windows at Ludlow Castle. Looking through the Tudor stone work, across towards the medieval.
December 14, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Enticing doorways and windows at Ludlow Castle. Looking through the Tudor stone work, across towards the medieval.
Enticing doorways and windows at Ludlow Castle. Looking through the Tudor stone work, across towards the medieval.
December 14, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Enticing doorways and windows at Ludlow Castle. Looking through the Tudor stone work, across towards the medieval.
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Caught this yesterday in the shrubbery undergrowth. What a lovely little gem in December.
December 14, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Caught this yesterday in the shrubbery undergrowth. What a lovely little gem in December.
Today 13th December Feast of St Lucy/ Lucia, a 4th century martyr who brought food to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candle-lit wreath on her head to light her way, leaving her hands free to carry her burden. Her feast day is celebrated as a festival of light
December 13, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Today 13th December Feast of St Lucy/ Lucia, a 4th century martyr who brought food to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candle-lit wreath on her head to light her way, leaving her hands free to carry her burden. Her feast day is celebrated as a festival of light
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Morning mist and frost. Quite beautiful.
December 13, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Morning mist and frost. Quite beautiful.
One of the autumn and winter tasks from the splendid illustrations in Tacuinum Sanitatis.
Harvesting onions.
Harvesting onions.
December 12, 2025 at 9:37 AM
One of the autumn and winter tasks from the splendid illustrations in Tacuinum Sanitatis.
Harvesting onions.
Harvesting onions.
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Mild and raining again. But this was three years ago in 2022. Great memories of a winter landscape.
December 12, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Mild and raining again. But this was three years ago in 2022. Great memories of a winter landscape.
More musical angels for Advent.
December 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
More musical angels for Advent.
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Pink skies over the orchards and one pigeon on the telegraph pole.
December 11, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Pink skies over the orchards and one pigeon on the telegraph pole.
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Sunshine at last. The crows are back in the past.
December 10, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Sunshine at last. The crows are back in the past.
#onthisday 9th December 1460 Richard Duke of York left London to march north to Sandal Castle, planning to face Margaret of Anjou. The result would be the fatal battle of Wakefield. Little remains of Sandal Castle today, but this is how it was shown on an historical postcard.
December 9, 2025 at 10:51 AM
#onthisday 9th December 1460 Richard Duke of York left London to march north to Sandal Castle, planning to face Margaret of Anjou. The result would be the fatal battle of Wakefield. Little remains of Sandal Castle today, but this is how it was shown on an historical postcard.
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Yellow Weather Warning. Wind and rain. No sign of the fieldfares this morning or the crows. A day for hunkering down with tea and a book.
December 9, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Good morning from the Welsh Marches. Yellow Weather Warning. Wind and rain. No sign of the fieldfares this morning or the crows. A day for hunkering down with tea and a book.