Commemorating the centenary of the Titanic disaster, Titanic Affair has been reissued in ebook format with a new cover. (Previously released in hardback in 2004)
Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US as well as other outlets
Synopsis
Emilia Cavendish is given a first class ticket for Titanic and heads off to start a new life with her godmother. She makes the most of her voyage to New York, enjoying the amusements Titanic has to offer and meeting some of the famous passengers on board. She discovers an unwilling attraction to Carl Latimer, a millionaire whose arrogance frustrates her as much as his dark good looks attract her. When the ship hits an iceberg, Emilia finds herself in danger from an old enemy and Carl is the only one she can turn to as Titanic begins to sink.
Author's Note
"It was very important to me, when writing this novel, to make sure that I presented an accurate view of life on board Titanic as well as providing a detailed account of the disaster. I researched it carefully from contemporary newspaper articles, survivors’ accounts and official documents to provide authenticity. Sometimes the eye-witness accounts varied and in these cases I used the account which best fit my story. Woven into the accurate portrayal of Titanic’s voyage and ultimate sinking is a love affair which transcends the disaster, providing a thoughtful yet entertaining read."
REVIEWS
This is a well-crafted and fast moving story. Using the setting of the maiden voyage of the Titanic takes a degree of courage on the part of any author and in this case it paid off. I was delighted to find a fresh slant on the well-known events of the tragic voyage. What stands out is the excellent use of historical detail such as the Crown Derby china, the electric horse, the Oxford marmalade and the author's ability to blend in real passengers like Mr Bruce Ismay, the chairman of the White Star Line, with her fictional characters in a seamless manner.- Myfanwy Cook, Historical Novel Society
Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US as well as other outlets
The sound of a bell ringing made her stop mid-sentence. She looked towards the crow's nest. 'What is it?' she asked. 'It's a warning,' he said. 'It means there's something up ahead.' Taking her hand, he led her over to the rail and they looked out to sea - and saw an iceberg directly in front of them. It towered over the deck, dwarfing the ship with its size.
Emilia gasped. She had wanted to see an iceberg, but not at such close quarters, and not in the path of the ship. She squeezed Carl's hand. 'Don't worry,' he said. 'The ship will turn to avoid it.' She heard a barking of orders coming from the bridge a little further down the deck, and slowly the bow of the gigantic vessel began to veer to port. She held her breath. The iceberg was coming ever closer, and yet the ship was turning so slowly. Its enormous length worked against it. For one heart stopping moment she feared it was not going to escape a collision. Unconsciously, she drew closer to Carl. He put his arm reassuringly around her shoulders. And then they bow turned still more, and she let out a pent-up breath as she realized the ship was going to miss the iceberg. The bow turned, and Titanic slipped majestically past. Or so she had thought. But at that moment there came a scraping sound, and a curious shuddering sensation, as though the ship was rolling over a thousand marbles. Then there was a sudden silence as the engines stopped. It was eerie. Titanic was like a ghost ship, adrift on the sea. In the darkness of the night, the silence was deafening. 'Why have we stopped?' she asked Carl. 'I thought we missed the iceberg?' Carl shrugged. 'We've probably just thrown a propeller,' he said. There came a coughing, spluttering sound, as though the engines were trying to start again, and then silence once more prevailed. 'How long will it take . . . ?' began Emilia. But suddenly there came a mighty roar, like the sound of a hundred trains rushing through a tunnel, and the rest of her words were drowned out in the deafening noise. Instinctively she put her hands over her ears. 'It's just the steam from the exhausts,' Carl shouted, to make himself heard over the din. He covered his own ears. 'If they had to stop the engines when the ship was going at twenty knots, they'd have needed to let the steam escape.' 'It sounds terrible,' she said, shouting, too. 'I wonder if we'll be able to see what's happened if we go over to the starboard side?' It was on the starboard side of the ship that the iceberg had passed by. 'We might as well have a look.' Taking her by the hand he led her across the deck.
