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Lady of Lincoln Gallops into the Chaucer Awards
I’m delighted to share some wonderful news: Lady of Lincoln has been named a Finalist in the Chanticleer International Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction.
It feels especially fitting to imagine Lady of Lincoln galloping into this space. The novel tells the true story of Nicola de la Haye, a medieval noblewoman who refused to be sidelined in a world designed for men, and who quite literally rode into danger to defend her lands, her people, and her legacy.
The Chaucer Award celebrates historical fiction that brings the past vividly to life, honouring works grounded in strong research, compelling storytelling, and memorable characters. To see Nicola’s story recognised in this way is deeply meaningful.
Thank you to Chanticleer for championing historical fiction, and to every reader who has ridden alongside Nicola on her journey so far. More news to come: the ride is far from over.
LADY OF LINCOLN scoops up another Gold Medal Award!
Lady of Lincoln, the historical novel about Nicola de la Haye, has won the Reader’s Choice Gold Medal Award
Herstory Refuses to Be Forgotten!
ady of Lincoln opens in 1168, when a fourteen-year-old Nicola de la Haye stood in the barracks of Lincoln Castle, a young girl surrounded by sleeping soldiers, determined to help a boy who didn't belong. It was a small act of defiance in a world that would soon demand much larger ones.
I'm honoured to share that Lady of Lincoln has been named a semi-finalist in the 2025 Chanticleer Chaucer Awards for Early Historical Fiction.
The novel has already won awards, and this is a highly prestigious one. Chuffed as I am, it’s not really about awards and recognition that I can weave a good tale (although I’m thrilled about that!). It's about what Nicola's story represents—a woman who inherited a barony and a castle in her own right, who found herself caught between impossible loyalties when her husband joined the Great Rebellion of 1173-4, and who chose to defend what was hers.
That’s what inspired me to write about her in the first place.
Another Accolade for LADY OF LINCOLN!
Besides winning a gold medal and ‘Book of the Year’ from the Coffee Pot Book Club, a ‘Notable Book’ Award from BlueInk Review (their highest accolade), and Five Stars from Reader’s Favorite, LADY OF LINCOLN has now been shortlisted for the Chaucer Award by the Chanticleer International Book Awards!.
Lady of Lincoln Awarded the Prestigious BlueInk ‘Notable Book’ Seal!
I’m delighted to share some wonderful news:
Lady of Lincoln has been awarded the BlueInk Notable Book Seal — an honour reserved for a very small number of books judged to be of exceptional merit.
BlueInk Review is one of the publishing industry’s most respected editorial review services, created by professional critics and editors who have written for outlets such as Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and major newspapers.
The Notable Book Seal is BlueInk’s highest distinction, highlighting titles that stand out for their literary quality, authenticity, and craftsmanship. Fewer than five percent of submissions receive this accolade.
Here’s some of what the reviewer wrote about Lady of Lincoln:
“Joyce’s rich characterization unfolds against a vivid, meticulously researched historical backdrop… a gripping account of courage amid the brutal realities of civil war.”
For a historical novel rooted in the real life of Nicola de la Haye, England’s indomitable Lady of Lincoln Castle, this accolade is deeply meaningful. It celebrates not only the countless hours of research and writing but also the historical women who refused to be forgotten.