Historical Fiction-Illiterate Medieval woman dictates life story to a scribe

Read this book Late 80's to early 90's
Estimated published date: 87-90
Cover was blue and gold.

It tells the story of a medieval woman's journey from the dirt poor farm that she grew up on and was sold (married off?) to another landowner when she was pre-teen. Has a child that is taken away from her, becomes a widow and eventually marries the wealthy man that caters to her whim to write down the story of her life.

As she is illiterate (as the time-frame dictates, women are not educated) a destitute scribe is hired to write it down for her. He disapproves of the whole situation, but needs the money and in writing down her story begins to admire the character of the woman he once thought just arm candy for a rich lord.

That sounds like A vision of Light (1989) by Judith Merkle Riley. Marrying a wealthy merchant, hiring a poor scribe to write down her story - that's definitely in the book. Do you remember a fantasy element, where Margaret is a kind of faith healer, and gets into trouble with the Church authorities?

If that's the book you're looking for, there was a sequel published fairly soon after, In Pursuit of the Green Lion. There was a third book, which for some reason was originally only published in a German translation, but it was finally published in the US a few years ago - The Water Devil.

Spot on, you nailed it in one. You're a rockstar, this has been driving me nuts for a long time. Thanks!

You're welcome!

I LOOOVE Judith Merkle Wiley. I am sad however, that The Water Devil was only published in paperback. It doesn't look nearly as nice on my shelf.