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Amazing Archer and Warrior
The Secret Rise follows a woman, her family, and allies as they face betrayal, curses, prophecy, and the unrelenting pressure of survival, all while a mysterious guiding presence known as the Lady shadows her path. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Our inspiration has been ongoing … often starting with a “What if …” as the two of us starting a writing session together. The original story that began in The Secret Journey (published in 2023 was the seeding. Did we know that Nichol would become a Lady Baron or have three children, and become the amazing archer and warrior? No. It all germinated as we worked forward.
How has character development for the main characters changed for you through the series?
Nichol’s kindness and caring for others were always there. Once she escaped the ruthlessness of her mother in book 1, The Secret Journey, all our “what ifs …” were all over the place. We always remained open for something else to drop in—but with the promise that her wisdom would be shared; the justice was important; and that protecting her family and friends would be upfront.
I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the novel. Did you plan this before writing the novel, or did the twists develop organically while writing?
Great question. We know some of the twists and turns … but also know as we write, variables will drop in. Now, we are working on book 4 The Secret Awakening. We storyboarded the major conflicts we saw coming … a huge variable is that the kids become young adults and take the lead. We knew how we would end the series … and we are marching forward to it.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Nichol and the direction of The Secret Awakening?
Ahhh …A huge twist is coming for Lucette and Aiden. As well as the quest for knowledge that Athena seeks with words. Lucette is truly her mother Nichol in many ways … the other two … oh my!
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Will Others Seek to Destroy Her?
Nichol’s story was introduced in Book 1, The Secret Journey when her beloved papa is murdered by her mother in the year 1000 AD. The darkening cloud spiraling around her made her the next target.
Fleeing Marseilles, she develops new powers, a vision of the future, and trusts the Lady’s voice. For those around her, a new world unfolds and carries them forward.
Overflowing with scandal, tragedy, and triumph, Book 3, The Secret Rise carries Nichol’s strengths to a higher level. Again, she must outsmart and out maneuver those connected with the church. Now the mother of three, her children begin to display powers she doesn’t possess and Shadow brings wolf pups to the mix.Will Nichol continue to be hunted by Fredrik, her evil half-brother?
Does Duke Richard have hidden motives in seeking Nichol’s advice?
Can the village of Harmonie become the model for hamlets within the Kingdom of Normandy?
Do Nichol’s children have the skills that she has, or do they have new ones?
Will the Kingdom of Normandy accept her family and their rising status?
Authors Judith Briles and Brian Barnes weave book series for readers to open and fall into. It’s historical fiction that unravels the 11th century. Out of the darkness comes the empowerment of Nichol, creating a sanctuary and a revelation of what women with vision can achieve with their knowledge and skills.
The Secret Rise is Book 3 of the Harmonie Books series. Get Book 1, The Secret Journey and Book 2 The Secret Hamlet. Book 4, The Secret Awakening will be published in 2026.
The Secret Rise, book 3
The Secret Rise is a sweeping tale set in medieval Normandy and England, where Nichol, once a girl betrayed by her family, becomes the guiding light of a hidden hamlet called Harmonie. Now a wife and mother, she carries the weight of leadership, navigating danger from enemies old and new, forging bonds with Queen Emma of England, and testing the limits of her own strength and foresight. The book follows Nichol, her family, and allies as they face betrayal, curses, prophecy, and the unrelenting pressure of survival, all while a mysterious guiding presence known as the Lady shadows her path. It is both a story of individual courage and of how a community holds together when secrecy is no longer an option.
I found myself swept up by the writing. It has a rhythm that shifts between tenderness and suspense, sometimes almost too swiftly, but that kept me hooked. The dialogue feels earnest, and the authors have a knack for describing how ordinary moments, like a meal, a walk with children, or the hush before a dangerous meeting, carry enormous weight when survival is always at risk. The prose leaned on repetition of themes like destiny and trust, yet I also caught myself underlining sentences because they had that raw, heartfelt punch that lingers. What struck me most was how alive Nichol feels. She is fierce, protective, flawed, and burdened, and that combination made me root for her every step of the way.
What surprised me was the warmth threaded through the peril. This isn’t just about battles and politics; it is about mothers feeding babies, children inventing secret languages, and villagers laughing together after fear has passed. Those touches gave me chills in the best way. I will admit, at nearly five hundred pages, the book sometimes meanders. Still, I never truly wanted to put it down. The presence of the Lady, that mysterious spiritual force, added a quiet shimmer to the narrative, and I liked how it blurred the line between faith, fate, and imagination. It made me question whether strength comes from within or from something greater that whispers in the dark.
I closed the book feeling both satisfied and a little restless, already curious about the next installment. I would recommend The Secret Rise to readers who enjoy historical fiction with a hint of the mystical, especially those who like stories centered on strong women navigating impossible choices. It’s a book for anyone who wants to be pulled into another time and place, not just through action, but through the intimacy of family and the resilience of community.
Pages: 540 | ASIN : B0FDV29WWF
Cooking with Judith: Comfort Foods Create WOW Eating
This book is pretty much a love letter to food and the joy of sharing it. Judith Briles lays out recipes that run from appetizers like bruschetta and chicken salad boats to soups like corn chowder and French onion, plus sides, salads, pasta, quiche, desserts, and more. She isn’t trying to be some fussy gourmet. Instead, she invites you into her kitchen with a kind of “let’s play with food” attitude. She talks about keeping baguette slices in the freezer, making up recipes on the fly, and calling her friends over to be taste-testers. It’s casual, approachable, and definitely centered on comfort food with a little flair.
Reading it, I felt like I was flipping through a neighbor’s well-loved recipe notebook. It’s not intimidating. The directions are clear, and the ingredients are normal, which I love because I hate chasing down some obscure spice I’ll use once and never again. Judith’s little stories tucked in with the recipes gave me a smile, like the time her guest asked to buy chicken salad boats straight from her fridge. Those personal touches made the book feel warm and lived-in. Honestly, it made me hungry just sitting there with it. Her enthusiasm for food is contagious, and I appreciated that she didn’t try to pretend everything was perfect. She admits some dishes needed tweaks, and that honesty was refreshing.
One of the things I really enjoyed flipping through was the photos. Each dish had this polished, professional look, yet it still felt like real food you could actually make at home. The pictures gave me a clear idea of what the finished plate should look like, which made me even more excited to try the recipes myself. It’s the kind of visual nudge that makes you want to head straight to the kitchen.
Cooking with Judith is perfect for people who love to cook for friends, host casual get-togethers, or just want some easy, flavorful recipes that feel homemade and real. If you’re the type who enjoys chatting in the kitchen with a glass of wine while the oven does its thing, this one’s for you.
Pages: 106 | ASIN : B0DVNHFPG9
“What if ….”
The Secret Hamlet follows a brave and intuitive young woman gifted with a mysterious spiritual connection who gives birth to her daughter under extraordinary circumstances, causing her and her found family to seek a life away from the threats. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It started with a “What if ….”. The ongoing barrage of news and media was woven with overwhelming stories around war. Brian starting thinking … Are women starting these wars? Are they involved in the planning? What if they did … and they were. Would the world be a different place today? Women aren’t the power brokers at the war tables. They, and children, are always the victims. What if women could have a deep and ongoing voice and strength?
Originally, more books were planned, but as we dove into it, multiple changes happened. More characters evolved. They spoke to us—even challenging some of the situations we wrote and the dialogue used. Skills started to surface in book 1, The Secret Journey that weren’t originally thought of, they just bubbled up as we wrote together—never in our minds in the beginning.
Brian had a first draft and joined forces with Judith, someone who had written several books and had an expertise in writing about women. Wanting to help Brian get the book done, the characters took her over, waking her at night. She was committed to completing the book, not realizing that they had a solid series in their hands.
We write differently from other partners. One of us will start a chapter in a Word document, then it’s Zoom time where Judith becomes the wordsmith and types away as they both talk, view, and verbally write together for a two or three hour stretch nonstop in a full collaboration.
Typically, we complete a chapter within one to two sessions. During those sessions, we banter back and forth as Judith writes and talk forward as to what we see is coming or needs to be created to fill a void that has bubbled up as we work together. What works here is we are both in the same place, with the same mind/talk think., bouncing live ideas off of each other … and then a “Yeah, that works…”
I found the characters in your story to be relatable and engaging. What character did you enjoy writing for?
Always Nichol and what we could do with her. The “what if she …” was a common phrase between the two of us. Nichol became part of us, almost like family—the one who bypassed fear did what needed to be done. Judith loves to describe her as a “badass young woman who can take down four men in one minute with a bow and arrow—something that was never imagined in the beginning. As Brian says, “Why not have a young woman do great things, unexpected things … why is it always the men in stories?” We let Nichol’s vision become the roadmap for us … often not knowing what she would reveal as the writing evolved.
The monk Timo was just this kind man who was open for Nichol to be what she was and would become. His nonjudgment has become a huge strength in her … and himself. Timo was always going to be a good guy and friend. We didn’t see him as a major character and he let us know he was and will be forward in the series.
Shadow, the wolf pup introduced in the first book, The Secret Journey, was a “bubbled up” storyline that became a major in all the books. As a protector of Nichol, she’s one smart wolf, reading sign language and anticipating Nichol’s and her children’s needs.
Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
Book 1, The Secret Journey introduced three cruel characters—Astrid the cruel mother, Fredric the vicious half-brother, and Priest Loupe who dripped with everything bad about the church. Astrid withers away in The Secret Hamlet, but we allowed Fredric and Priest Loupe to gather in building turbulence throughout and we planned deliciously for their downfall. What awful things could we do? You will see in Book 3 The Secret Rise!
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Women are hot! Women can be smart … Women can get it done. Women can meet and handle challenges. And that working together works. The theme of family and caring for others, even when they are family, is important—for them and for self. The power of building a community and creating a gathering place where the glue can be spread and trust developed.
In the beginning of The Secret Hamlet, with Nichol and her family on the run from the greedy and evil Priest Loupe, she comes across a young woman in a daze who recently gave birth from a rape and not wanting anything to do with the baby. She and the infant were thrown away by the young woman’s family. Instantly grasping the situation, Nichol, on the run herself, promises her sanctuary and saying, “Your child will become my son. All I ask is that provide him milk until he no longer needs it. I will care for him with my infant daughter.”
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
Empowerment runs through Book 3 The Secret Rise and the mystical Lady remains with her, her three children, and those she is in close contact with. Also scandal, tragedy, and triumph. Her strengths continue to grow and she now sees variations of them within her children. Nichol becomes a trusted advisor to Duke Richard—saving his life—and Shadow has pups, introducing them to become heroes and setting the stage for Book 4, The Secret Awakening.
Author Links: X | Facebook | Website
WINNER! American Fiction Awards … Fantasy Historial Fiction
Can the Hamlet of Harmonie Remain Hidden?
It’s the 11th century and Nichol with an infant daughter must escape Paris with her extended family. In Book 2 of the Harmonie series, The Secret Hamlet, the power of Nichol is turned loose. At her side is Shadow, her wolf-dog. In the bitter winter, she has become the target of the ruthless priest Loupe and her evil brother Fredric, both in pursuit of her and her daughter, Lucette.
With her expanding vision and skills coupled with the guidance of the Lady, Nichol leads her family, and those in need, to the creation and development of Harmonie. Hidden within the Kingdom of Normandy, Harmonie abuts No Name, another hidden hamlet.
Will the jeweled dagger stay in the hands of the rightful owner?
Will Nichol’s friendship with the new Queen of England benefit both?
Will the alliance with the Duke of Normandy protect the Harmonites?
Will more secrets be revealed by Nichol, Robert, Ezra, Helene, and Timo?
And … will the alliances last? Will the Lady stay by Nichol’s side?
The Secret Hamlet is Book 2 in the Harmonie series.
Authors Brian Barnes and Judith Briles weave a book series for the reader to open and fall into. It’s historical fiction that unravels the 11th century. Out of the darkness comes the empowerment of Nichol … a sanctuary, and the revelation of what women with vision can achieve.
The Secret Hamlet
The Secret Hamlet, the second installment in The Harmonie Books Series by Brian Barnes and Judith Briles, is a sprawling historical fiction novel that blends medieval intrigue, mystical elements, and family drama in a 1000 AD setting. The story follows Nichol, a brave and intuitive young woman gifted with a mysterious spiritual connection, as she gives birth to her daughter Lucette under extraordinary circumstances. As whispers of witchcraft and danger spread, Nichol, her husband Robert, and a group of devoted allies, including a loyal dog, a monk turned farmer, and a wise matriarch, are forced to flee, seeking safety in a secret land revealed to Nichol through visions. This is a tale of survival, belief, and the forging of a new community amidst threats from both church and state.
Reading this book pulled me into a richly painted world, and I often found myself surprised by how real the characters felt. The writing flows like a familiar story told around a fire. There were moments when the dialogue felt a bit modern for the time period, but honestly, that made it more personal. What stood out most was how the authors balanced the mystical with the grounded. I didn’t expect to care so deeply about a donkey named Moki or find a newborn’s connection to light so emotionally moving, but those scenes resonated with me. The pacing slows down at times with a lot of description, but the story always picks up again with a new challenge or twist that pulled me back in.
What I really appreciated was the heart behind the ideas. This isn’t just a book about a woman escaping danger. It’s about trust, rebuilding from nothing, and holding on to light when others call it darkness. The theme of found family shines bright throughout, and that really resonated with me. I also liked that the mystical “Lady” guiding Nichol isn’t explained too much. She’s a force, not a plot device. That restraint actually made her presence more powerful. The final chapters, where they start building their new haven, gave me chills. There’s real hope in those pages.
If you love historical fiction that leans into emotion and magic without turning into a fantasy epic, this book is worth your time. It’s perfect for readers who want strong women leads, tight-knit communities, and a little mystery wrapped in old-world charm. I’d especially recommend it to book clubs. There’s so much here to talk about, from gender roles to spiritual belief to survival under persecution. This is a warm, soulful book that doesn’t shy away from darkness but still manages to feel like a candle flickering in it. I closed it feeling deeply moved.
Pages: 428 | ASIN : B0CRXRD3JH
Cooking With Judith
Cooking with Judith is a warm-hearted cookbook from Judith Briles, who is less about fussy culinary rules and more about flavor, fun, and feeding people with love. The book walks through an impressive list of comfort food recipes, from cheesy crostinis and zesty soups to sweet treats like Kahlúa cake and baked pears. The tone is chatty and welcoming, with personal stories tucked between ingredient lists. Briles isn’t afraid to break rules, get messy, or adjust a recipe on a whim. This is a peek into the kitchen of someone who truly enjoys making people happy with food.
Judith’s writing is casual, quirky, and kind of addictive. She doesn’t pretend to be a professional chef, which actually makes the book feel more real and usable. Her voice jumps off the page and reminds you this book was written by someone who actually cooks, not someone trying to impress a food critic. The recipes themselves are solid. Some are simple classics, and others are fun twists with a personal flair. The Chioppino, for example, had me planning a dinner party before I even finished reading the recipe.
At times, the measurements were a little loosey-goosey. “A glob of mayo” and “adjust to taste” work great if you have some experience, but I feel that beginners might wish for more specifics. That said, I found it refreshing. It gives permission to play, to experiment, to mess up, and still serve something amazing. The little asides like freezing baguette slices or using Costco shortcuts made this feel like advice from a savvy home cook, not a textbook. The layout is friendly, the stories are sweet, the accompanying images are high-quality, and the love for food is front and center.
This book is a gem for people who cook from the heart. It’s ideal for folks who like to feed family and friends, who don’t mind a little improvising, and who believe food is meant to be shared. If you want joy in your kitchen and recipes that come with a side of laughter, Cooking with Judith belongs on your counter.
Pages: 106 | ASIN : B0DVNHFPG9
The Secret Hamlet
In The Secret Hamlet, authors Judith Briles and Brian Barnes continue the narrative of Nichol, their resilient protagonist from The Secret Journey. This second installment of the Harmonie Series transports readers back to medieval France, where Nichol, having fled from peril, seeks to establish a sanctuary for herself and others in danger. Surrounded by a blend of old friends and new, including her supportive husband Robert and parental figures Helene and Ezra, Nichol faces the lingering threat posed by her revenge-seeking mother and brother, allied with the corrupt priest, Loupe.
The novel shines with its richly depicted medieval setting and seamless integration of new characters who enhance the stakes of Nichol’s plight. The Secret Hamlet adopts a more reflective narrative pace compared to its predecessor, focusing on character development through dialogue and discussion. This approach allows for a deeper exploration of character motivations and relationships. The sequel also employs frequent shifts in point of view, offering a variety of perspectives that add layers to the unfolding events. These narrative techniques invite readers to engage more thoughtfully with the story, providing a rich tapestry of interactions that highlight the complexities of its characters and their medieval setting. Nichol remains a compelling central figure, particularly in her role as a mother. Yet, the enigmatic figure of The Lady who guides her remains underexplored. Clarifying whether The Lady is a religious icon or a mystical entity and detailing her motivations could lend greater depth to Nichol’s reliance on her visions, which are critical given her role as the linchpin in her community’s safety.
Crafted with evident care, The Secret Hamlet builds upon the strengths of The Secret Journey, deepening its exploration of resilience and community within a vividly rendered historical setting. While it adopts a different tone, focusing more on introspection and the strategic elements of building a safe haven, the narrative offers a compelling look at Nichol’s journey. The enriched insights into the characters’ personal motivations and their intricate relationships add depth to the unfolding story, reinforcing the series’ thematic focus on perseverance and unity.
Pages: 414 | ASIN : B0CRXRD3JH
The Author’s Walk
In The Author’s Walk by Dr. Judith Briles, aspiring writers will find a treasure trove of insights and practical advice for navigating the challenging journey of authorship. Dr. Briles, a seasoned publishing and book marketing expert with 43 titles to her credit, offers an authoritative voice in the literary world. Her extensive experience, having worked with numerous authors to achieve publishing success, lends credibility to her guidance.
Dr. Briles engages her readers directly, delivering advice on initiating their writing journey and identifying their unique path. The book stands out for its practical, step-by-step approach, pinpointing common obstacles writers encounter and offering strategies to surmount these hurdles. Covering a comprehensive range of topics, from the inception of a story idea through the writing process, managing distractions, responding to criticism, and ultimately, marketing the finished book, Dr. Briles demystifies the author’s journey. Her personal narrative of entering the publishing arena serves as an inspirational testament, encouraging writers with the message that if she could achieve success, so can they. This book struck a chord with me, an aspiring author, particularly in treating what Dr. Briles terms “Author Fatigue Syndrome.” She warns against the pitfalls of striving for perfection, advocating instead for writing from a place of passion and understanding one’s audience.
The Author’s Walk is an indispensable resource covering everything from the genesis of an idea to the practicalities of marketing. It is an ideal guide for budding and established writers seeking direction. The book’s succinct and accessible style makes it a recommended read for anyone contemplating the start of their writing journey.
Pages: 103 | ASIN : B0BX75MDZ9
LITERARY TITAN 