On Tour 10/1/18- 12/15/18 “Rough Passage To London” by Robin Lloyd

Release Date: October 1, 2018

About The Book :

In this harrowing story of war, sea, and political intrigue, former NBC News Foreign Correspondent Robin Lloyd seamlessly weaves maritime and family history into an epic tale in ROUGH PASSAGE TO LONDON.

Originally released in 2013, Lloyd’s debut novel will be out for the first time in trade paperback on October 1, 2018 via Lyons Press.

ROUGH PASSAGE TO LONDON opens in Lyme, Connecticut, in the early nineteenth century. Elisha Ely Morgan is a young farm boy who has witnessed firsthand the terror of the War of 1812. Troubled by a tumultuous home life ruled by the fists of their tempestuous father, Ely’s two older brothers have both left their pastoral boyhoods to seek manhood through sailing. One afternoon, the Morgan family receives a letter with the news that one brother is lost at sea; the other is believed to be dead. Scrimping as much savings as a farm boy can muster, Ely spends nearly every penny he has to become a sailor on a square-rigged ship, on a route from New York to London—a route he hopes will lead to his vanished brother, Abraham.

Learning the brutal trade of a sailor, Ely takes quickly to sea-life, but his focus lies with finding Abraham. Following a series of cryptic clues regarding his brother’s fate, Ely becomes entrenched in a mystery deeper than he can imagine. As he feels himself drawing closer to an answer, Ely climbs the ranks to become a captain, experiences romance, faces a mutiny, meets Queen Victoria, and befriends historical legends such as Charles Dickens in his raucous quest.

About the Author :

Lloyd is a direct descendant of the real Captain Ely Morgan, who made more than one hundred voyages across the Atlantic, gaining fame and renown on both sides of the ocean. ROUGH PASSAGE TO LONDON combines Lloyd’s meticulous research and reporting abilities with rich imagination and his close personal connection to the family drama at the core of the story. His search to find out more about his seafaring ancestor began with an oil portrait of Captain Elisha Ely Morgan he inherited from his grandmother. All he knew about this ancestor was that he was a ship captain who was a close friend of Charles Dickens. After two years of research, he had found intriguing anecdotes and scraps of historical information about Morgan, but no journals. He combed family records and found a typewritten copy of an actual letter Ely Morgan’s mother received from a sailor in 1816 when Ely was just ten years old. The letter notified her of a double tragedy- her two eldest sons, William and Abraham, were apparently lost at sea. The details about Abraham’s fate were puzzling and cryptic. The novel evolved from there. The result is a pitch-perfect historical fiction layered over a heart-pounding mystery that will prove irresistible to lovers of sailing, American history, British culture and great suspense.

Robin Lloyd’s early years were spent on the island of St. Croix where his parents owned a dairy farm and milk plant. As a boy, he grew up sailing in the Caribbean. Lloyd was a foreign correspondent for NBC News for many years where he reported mostly from Latin America and Africa. He also covered the White House during the Reagan and Bush administrations. Lloyd has created and produced news programs with foreign networks as well as documentaries and segments for domestic stations, including Maryland Public Television. Among his prestigious awards are four Emmys from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay region and an Overseas Press Award. He is the author of two novels—Rough Passage to London and the recently released Harbor of Spies. He divides his time between Camden, Maine and Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Book Blurbs :

Robin Lloyd is a great reporter, and he has shaped meticulous research into a rollicking story of the sea and the tall ships that sailed the North Atlantic in the 1800s. Amazingly, he hadn’t planned to write a novel when he began reading about his ancestor, Elisha Ely Morgan—who knew everyone of his day, from Charles Dickens to Queen Victoria. We can be glad that the more [Lloyd] read, the more he realized he had the makings of a fine story.”— Bob Schieffer, chief Washington correspondent, CBS News

“This epic seafaring tale comes highly recommended for its exciting narrative and historical acumen. Lloyd’s research and personal connection to the past bring this tale to life, and fans of Patrick O’Brian will want to add this work to their reading list.”— Library Journal

Blog Tour Schedule

Lindas Book Obsession – 10/15 –https://www.facebook.com/lindasbookobsession/

Frean Bean’s Book Trove – 11/1 –https://m.facebook.com/groups/126241141280364

Courtney Turns The Page – 11/6- https://www.instagram.com/courtturnsthepage

832 Book Review -11/10 –https://www.instagram.com/832bookreview

Karinas Book Emporium -11/10 –https://www.facebook.com/Karinas-Book-Emporium-1611647995621369/

Bookworm Mommy of 3 -11/12 –https://www.instagram.com/bookwormmommyof3

Texan Holly Reads -11/15 – https://www.texanhollyreads.com/

Marisa Gothie – 11/15 –https://m.facebook.com/groups/131878603663093

Bookapotamus -11/16 – https://www.instagram.com/bookapotamus

Bookish Nicole -12/1 –https://www.instagram.com/reading_with_nicole

Mary Beth’s Bookshelf -12/5 –https://www.instagram.com/my_book_journey_