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Barbara Erskine Books In Order

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Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Lady of Hay (1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Kingdom of Shadows (1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Child of the Phoenix (1992)Description / Buy at Amazon
Midnight Is a Lonely Place (1994)Description / Buy at Amazon
House of Echoes (1996)Description / Buy at Amazon
On the Edge of Darkness (1998)Description / Buy at Amazon
Whispers in the Sand (2000)Description / Buy at Amazon
Hiding from the Light (2002)Description / Buy at Amazon
Daughters of Fire (2006)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Warrior's Princess (2008)Description / Buy at Amazon
Time’s Legacy (2010)Description / Buy at Amazon
River of Destiny (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Darkest Hour (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon
Sleeper’s Castle (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Ghost Tree (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Dream Weavers (2021)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Barbara Erskine is an English novelist born on 10th August 1944 in Nottingham, United Kingdom. She is a historian by training and was educated at the University of Edinburgh where she studied Scottish History. She then worked for an educational publisher and then set out as a freelance researcher for books on history and art. It was that that she began to write and sell short stories. To date Erskine has authored thirteen bestselling novels and three collections of short stories. Most of Erskine’s literary works are about history and the supernatural. Erskine has also had her books published in more than 20 different languages. Erskine lives with her family at an ancient manor house in Colchester and also in a cottage near Hay-on-Wye. As a result of her great contribution to literature, Erskine was nominated by the British Fantasy Society for “Best Novel Nominee” in 1996 for her novel “House of Echoes”. The following is a biography of Barbara Erskine with an emphasis on her literary works.

Barbara Erskine’s first novel was titled Lady of Hay was published in 1986 and it has sold more than three million copies worldwide. The novel was in part inspired by Erskine’s time at the Black Mountains near Hay-on-Wye at the Welsh border. The novel published after 10 years as she had taken long to develop the storyline. However, Erskine found her passion and she promoted the novel at prime time TV. She also did a coast to coast tour to promote the book in USA. The novel House of Echoes which Erskine wrote in 1996 is a historical fiction ghost story. It is a classic story where a woman named Joss Grant inherits a stately manor and moves in with her young family but they are constantly disturbed by ghosts. Joss then travels down her family tree and discovers tragic and dramatic issues as she seeks to resolve violent, angry and powerful forces that seem to swallow her family.

Barbara Erskine’s second novel was “Kingdom of Shadows” in 1988. It is a story about an unhappy and childless marriage by a rich and beautiful woman named Clare. To complicate her situation further she faces a strange and fascination with an ancestress. She is haunted and has to look back at her family line and past for elusive answers. The setting of the story is in 1306 when Scotland is in war with her neighbours.

Barbara Erskine’s 2010 novel “Time’s Legacy” has had significant success. Erskine dwells on her favourite subject on haunting tales of mystical powers and dark forces. The novel tells the story of a present –day priest named Abi in Cambridge. She heads a notoriously challenging parish but operates under a charismatic but fundamentalist senior priest who objects to many of Abi’s ways. For instance, when she sees a vision of a congregation inside an old church, the senior priest terms that as witchcraft. However, Abi goes on with her mission and sees more visions rife with betrayals, dark family histories and there is a promise for a bloody revenge at some point. She must act to stop the imminent terror and fight off the demons that threaten her and the church.

Barbara Erskine’s most recent novel is “Sleeper’s Castle” which was published in 2016. The story is set in Hay-on-Wye and sets out two women who are separated by many centuries. As war starts in the Welsh borders, a lady named Catrin is about to mature into womanhood and she is falling in love for the first time. Her father is soothsayer and he plays loyalties to the English lords and Welsh princes. He signifies the many Welsh people who have considered themselves to be under the yoke of English rule. It seems as if the Welsh will get their fair share through the charismatic Owain Glyndwr. Catrin is caught in the middle of the war as she resides in the Sleeper’s castle. She is the one to foretell Wales’s fortune and destiny but she sees more war and blood ahead. In the present day a lady named Miranda has moved into the castle to grieve and escape. She keeps remembering about a young girl in a similar situation many centuries ago. In this novel, Erskine communicates of the tensions and the historical differences and issues that have existed in the United Kingdom among the member countries.

Barbara Erskine has also been widely successful with short stories. Her 1990 collection titled ‘Encounters” comprises of 40 stories that illustrate that indeed Erskine has been immensely talented with capturing the spirit of a place. Some of the popular stories from the collection include “A Step Out of Time” and “A face in the Crowd”. Other collections of short stories are “Distant Voices” (1996) and “Sands of Time” (2003. She has also written a chapbook titled “Milestones” which she did in 1992. In addition, Barbara Erskine’s literary works have been include in an omnibus in 2013 and 2015.

Barbara Erskine has a blog which celebrates her literary works. It presents the journeys of her books and gives readers and fans updates on how certain books and stories have been fairing. The books are now available in digitized forms such as audio while a good number are in hardcover. She remains a highly relevant author to this day writing albeit in a small way articles on her passion subjects on arts and the supernatural. She has also nit shied away from writing about controversial issues in her native United Kingdom. Moreover, Erskine has maintained the relevance of her literary works where her Harpercollins who are her publishers celebrate the publication of bestselling novels. For instance, on 30th July 2016, Erskine and her publishers were joined by many literature lovers to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Lady of Hay”.

Some of Barbara’s works have been licensed out to other parties. For instance, in 2016 Kimberly Young acquired two books from Erskine which are set to be published in 2018 and 2020. The books, were written in Erskine’s traditional genre and they are part of the diversification program to ensure that Erskine’s works are deeply entrenched in history and they not only sell record numbers but also inspire upcoming modern writers.

In an interview with the Dailymail, Erskine stated that she reads novels structured in a style similar to her own and on supernatural and historical themes. She also expressed her liking for quiet solitary life in a setting where she could venture into healthy living as she meditates dreams and writes. Her favourite writers are Joan Selby-Lowndes, Phil Rickman and Patrick Gale.

Book Series In Order » Authors » Barbara Erskine

2 Responses to “Barbara Erskine”

  1. Ian Rees: 2 years ago

    Hi,
    Have any of Barbara Erskine’s books been translated into the Welsh language? Especially The dream Weavers?
    Diolch yn fawr,

    Ian

    Reply
    • Graeme: 2 years ago

      Hi Ian – I had a quick look and I don’t believe so.

      Reply

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