"Castles, Customs, and Kings..." ~ Historical Fiction True Tales

SUMMARY :


A compilation of essays/"True Tales by the English Historical Fiction Authors" blog, this book provides a wealth of historical information from Roman Britain to early twentieth century England. Over fifty different authors share hundreds of real life stories and tantalizing tidbits discovered while doing research for their own historical novels.

From Queen Boadicea's revolt to Tudor ladies-in-waiting, from Regency dining and dress to Victorian crime and technology, immerse yourself in the lore of Great Britain. Read the history behind the fiction and discover the true tales surrounding England's castles, customs, and kings.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Madison Street Publishing
Pages:  514
Genre:  Non-Fiction/ Historical England
Authors:  Historical Fiction Authors
Blog may be found here:  http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com
Purchase the book:  Barnes & Noble  or Amazon    5 star rating


BOOK SPOTLIGHT and About Author Barbara Kyle:

Barbara Kyle is one of the contributing authors of "Castles, Customs, and Kings..."  Here's a bit more about her and her latest book.

 

THE QUEEN'S EXILES

by Barbara Kyle

Publication Date: 27 May 2014

 

Synopsis 

1572. Europe is in turmoil. A vengeful faction of exiled English Catholics is plotting to overthrow Queen Elizabeth and install her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne. And in the Netherlands the streets are red with the blood of those who dare to oppose the brutal Spanish occupation. But amid the unrest, one resourceful young woman has made a lucrative enterprise. Scottish-born Fenella Doorn salvages crippled vessels. It is on one of these ships that she meets wealthy Baron Adam Thornleigh. Secretly drawn to him, Fenella can’t refuse when Adam enlists her to join him in war-torn Brussels to help find his traitorous wife, Frances—and the children she’s taken from him. But Adam and Fenella will put their lives in peril as they attempt to rescue his young ones, defend the Crown, and restore a peace that few can remember.  

With eloquent and enthralling finesse, Barbara Kyle illuminates one of history's grimmest chapters. The Queen's Exiles breathes new life into an extraordinary age when love and freedom could only be won with unmitigated courage.

 

Advance Praise for The Queen's Exiles

 

"This moving adventure pulses with Shakespearean passions: love and heartbreak, risk and valour, and loyalties challenged in a savage time. Fenella Doorn, savvy and brave, is an unforgettable heroine." - Antoni Cimolino, Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival

  

About the Author

 

Barbara Kyle is the author of the acclaimed, internationally-published Thornleigh Saga novels which follow a middle-class English family's rise through three tumultuous Tudor reigns:

 

The Queen's Exiles

Blood Between Queens

The Queen’s Gamble

The Queen’s Captive

The King’s Daughter

The Queen’s Lady

 

Barbara was a speaker in 2013 at the world-renowned Stratford Festival with her talk Elizabeth and Mary, Rival Queens and is known for her dynamic workshops for many writers' organizations and conferences. Before becoming an author Barbara enjoyed a twenty-year acting career in television, film, and stage productions in Canada and the U.S. Visit www.barbarakyle.com.

 

 

Praise for Barbara Kyle

“Real-life events merging with fiction vibrantly bring history to life in an exciting, accessible way. Kyle knows what historical fiction readers crave.” RT Book Reviews on Blood Between Queens

“An intimate look into the minds and hearts of the royal and great of Elizabeth’s England. A beautifully written and compelling novel. Again, Barbara Kyle reigns!” New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper on Blood Between Queens

“Gaspworthy treachery and the poignant sweetness of steadfast love make this a book of quickly and eagerly turned pages.” Best-selling author Sandra Byrd on Blood Between Queens

“An all-action thriller, bringing to life the passion and perils of the Tudor period.” Lancashire Evening Post on The King’s Daughter

“Riveting…adventurous…superb!” The Historical Novels Review on The Queen’s Gamble

“A complex and fast-paced plot mixing history with vibrant characters” Publishers Weekly on The King’s Daughter

“An exciting tale of the intrigue and political manoeuvring in the Tudor court.” Booklist on The Queen’s Captive

“Boldly strides into Philippa Gregory territory…sweeping, gritty and realistic.” The Historical Novels Review on The Queen’s Lady


INTERVIEW W/ MS. KYLE:

Happily Barbara has consented to an interview!!  Here it is:

1)      Tell us something about yourself, please.  How do most people describe you?

My readers would describe me as the author of five historical novels set in Tudor England. But my family might describe me as the lady who spends her days behind a closed door communing with imaginary people.

2)      Briefly, from where did the idea for your novel germinate?

The Queen's Exiles sprang from a character I'd previously created, Scottish-born Fenella Doorn. In The Queen's Gamble she played a small but crucial role as the young mistress of a garrison commander. I always liked Fenella, and it's been a pleasure making her the "star" of The Queen's Exiles. It takes place eleven years later and Fenella has become an entrepreneur who salvages crippled vessels. It's on one of these ships that she meets wealthy Baron Adam Thornleigh. Drawn to him, Fenella can’t refuse when Adam enlists her to join him in war-torn Brussels to help find his traitorous wife, Frances—and the children she’s taken from him.

3)      Who first told you you could write well, and how did it affect you?

I began as most writers do: with short stories. My first efforts were awful, full of high-flown language and no drama. But I learn fast, and I eventually wrote a story that won a contest. It was nothing grand, just a competition held by my county's library association, but winning it meant everything to me. Bless all libraries and librarians!

4)      Which contemporary authors do you most admire?

Fiction: Ian McEwan, Kate Atkinson, William Boyd, Robin Maxwell, Herman Wouk, James Clavell, Robert Harris. Non-fiction: Adam Hochschild, Charles Nicholl, Stephen Greenblatt, Caroline Alexander, Dava Sobel.

5)      Who are your favorite classical authors?

E.M. Forster. Dickens. Austen. Fielding. Shakespeare (on the stage; can't say I sit and read him).

6)      What was your first book as a child?  What’s your all time favorite book?

The first book I remember reading as a child was an Enid Blyton story, though I can't recall the title. It was one of her marvelous Adventure series and I went on to read them all. My all-time favorite novel is James Clavell's Shogun. (Proves my love of adventure tales, then and now.)

7)      Read any good books in the past 6 months?

I was knocked out by Jim Crace's superb Harvest, a hypnotically poetic tale. And I've just finished Robert Harris's brilliant An Officer And A Spy, which was so nail-bitingly exciting I could hardly put it down. Seriously, I would rush through making dinner just so I could dash back to the couch and read it.

8)      What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

A terribly boring play I did back in the 1980s. Before writing full-time I made my living as an actor on TV and on stage, and this particular play (it was about four women whining about their lives) was so tedious that many nights after the show my husband would have a martini ready to revive me!  

9)      What’s your earliest memory?

Tracing numbers with crayon in kindergarten. I can still see those vivid-colored crayons. And sunshine streaming through the window onto my big red-yellow-blue 8.

10)   What’s your most treasured possession?

A scarab necklace, the first gift my husband ever gave me, back when we were paupers. I wear it often. I also cherish a small pine cone that a reader sent me from the grounds of Hever Castle, the home of Anne Boleyn. The pine cone has pride of place on my desk.

11)   Are you working on a new novel?

Yes, I have a deadline to deliver the new manuscript to my publisher in a few months. It's an Elizabethan spy thriller. The heroine, code-breaker Kate Lyon, represents the third generation of the Thornleigh family in my Thornleigh Saga. And she's doing a fine job!

GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR ROSEANNE LORTZ:

We are so happy to have you visit us today with a guest post, Ms Lortz.  I've been wondering what specifically draws certain authors to write historical fiction.  I think you've given us a good grasp of what you and your fellow authors love about it.  Thank you for writing for A Bookish Libraria today!


By Rosanne Lortz:

"Most historical novelists are drawn to their craft not only from a love of history but also from a burning desire to share that love of history with others. There are stories that speak to us from the pages of creased letters, old chronicles, and dusty research books—we want to bring those stories before other readers in a new and more accessible way, to give the breath of life to things long dead so that they can speak once more and be heard.

We read and research and reconcile sources, creating a skeleton from the bones of the past on which to hang the flesh of fiction. That skeleton, if we do our job well, remains hidden beneath the story that animates it. But sometimes, we want to show everyone how the humerus connects to the ulna, and what exactly it is that makes the spine stand so straight. Sometimes, the bones are so lovely we want to let them show through.

The English Historical Fiction Authors blog, started by Debbie Brown in 2011, is the perfect venue for authors of British-related historical fiction to share interesting tidbits and little known facts gleaned from the research they have done for their novels. It is the perfect place to highlight the lovely bones that form the framework of our fiction. Every day one of our fifty-or-so member authors posts an essay on some piece of British history, ranging anywhere from Roman Britain and Boadicea’s revolt to the twentieth century and the history behind Downton Abbey.

My own period of interest is medieval. I love being able to share history that has formed the background for, but not been front and center in, my own historical novels—the power struggle between the popes and the kings of England, the role that dead saints like Thomas Becket played in medieval culture, and the possible Anglo-Saxon subtext stitched into the borders of the Bayeux Tapestry. I even get to delve into fun trivia like how the system of “B.C.” and “A.D.” dating started.

One of my greatest delights is reconciling conflicting primary sources, and in several pieces like my “Alternate Histories of the Norman Conquest,” I get to talk about what the different chroniclers say happened. This is the sort of thing that gets hidden behind the story of a novel. We novelists do our research, determine which account of things seems most plausible (or best suits the story!), and then present one viewpoint. We don’t clutter up the story with unnecessary exposition simply because it is interesting. But on the English Historical Fiction Authors blog, we get to let the research—the lovely bones—show through.

After a year of daily postings, one of the member authors suggested that perhaps these essays deserved to be not just background for novels, but a book in their own right. And so the idea was conceived for Castles, Customs, and Kings: True Tales by English Historical Fiction Authors. A selection of the best essays from the first year of the blog, it is a fascinating compendium of all aspects of British history. Elizabeth Chadwick, one of the most respected historical novelists in the field, describes it as “thoroughly enjoyable and diverse…leisure reading for any history fan.”

Coming in at over five hundred pages, this hefty tome is a little longer than your average novel. But just like with historical novels, the goal of the book is the same—a passion for the past that is meant to be shared—history brought to life by the people who love it."

 

Rosanne E. Lortz is a historical novelist, a copy editor, a former high school teacher, a mom to four boys, and a native of Portland, Oregon. She has two published novels, I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince and Road from the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred, and loves working with young authors to help develop their writing skills. You can find out more about her at her Author Website where she blogs about writing, mothering, and things historical.

http://rosannelortz.blogspot.com

*Note:  Both Barbara Kyle and Rosanne Lortz's novels are as follows:

By Ms. Kyle:

TUDOR PERIOD (1485-1603)

"The Queen's Lady"
"The King's Daughter"
"The Queen's Captive"
"The Queen's Gamble"
"Blood Between Queens"


By Ms. Lortz:

LATE MEDIEVAL PERIOD (1001-1485)

"I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince"
"Road from the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred"



THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS "CASTLES, CUSTOMS, AND KINGS:  TRUE TALES BY ENGLISH HISTORICAL FICTION AUTHORS:

When I very happily received this beautifully bound book in the mail, I was first completely boggled by the size of it and the gorgeous cover.  This is a weighty one and quite worthy of keeping on your bookshelf for reference and rereading over the years.  I read it through on a Sunday afternoon.  Actually, was mesmerized by it and took it in because it's written in small vignettes.  My husband couldn't believe I'd read the whole thing in one afternoon!  We were sitting at one of his real estate Open Houses.  It made the time fly by. 

I found the tales of queens and kings from the historical fiction I've loved and learned to treasure just absorbing in the small bites these authors provide.  I read about: Boadicea, the Warrior Queen of early Medieval times who led the Britons to war against the Romans; the strong and brilliant Eleanor of Aquitaine who nearly toppled kingdoms for her own ambitions; the beginnings of the Knights Templar; the Plague that really isn't an example of our "Ring Around the Rosies!"   I read about prophets, pirates, superstitions, medieval bathtubs/hotubs, the selling of orphans, Halloween in Tudor England, washing clothing in ancient times, mirrors, cross-dressing women, The Blue-Stocking Circle we've read about before, metrosexuals in Georgian England, interesting Regency Era Classified Ads, ladies' slippers and half-boots, Mr. Darcy stripping off his clothing!  I read about the joys of flirting with fans, and what The Rebecca Riots were all about...

This is a book just full of information on English history, and it's all wonderfully compiled and edited.  There's not one single dull entry!  I loved reading about all the above...  The historical chapters are 2 and 3 pages long; just snippets, just long enough to give you the information in short-hand but enough to inform in the most enjoyable way. They are light-hearted while the information is serious.

I highly recommend this book to all fans of historical fiction.  I've left out the obvious entries of queens and kings you know well...the Henry's, the Williams and the Tudor queens of old.  You'll find true stories about them and their times galore.  You need to buy your copy as a companion with your historical fiction asap!

5 stars                    Deborah/TheBookishDame

"The Tudor Conspiracy" by C. W. Gortner~Master of Historical Fiction!

SUMMARY :

Hunted by a shadowy foe in Bloody Mary’s court, Brendan Prescott plunges into London’s treacherous underworld to unravel a dark conspiracy that could make Elizabeth queen—or send her to her death in C.W. Gortner's The Tudor Conspiracy

England, 1553: Harsh winter encroaches upon the realm. Mary Tudor has become queen to popular acclaim and her enemies are imprisoned in the Tower. But when she’s betrothed to Philip, Catholic prince of Spain, putting her Protestant subjects in peril, rumors of a plot to depose her swirl around the one person whom many consider to be England’s heir and only hope—the queen’s half-sister, Princess Elizabeth.

Haunted by his past, Brendan Prescott lives far from the intrigues of court. But his time of refuge comes to an end when his foe and mentor, the spymaster Cecil, brings him disquieting news that sends him on a dangerous mission. Elizabeth is held captive at court, the target of the Spanish ambassador, who seeks her demise. Obliged to return to the palace where he almost lost his life, Brendan finds himself working as a double-agent for Queen Mary herself, who orders Brendan to secure proof that will be his cherished Elizabeth’s undoing.

Plunged into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a mysterious opponent who hides a terrifying secret, Brendan races against time to retrieve a cache of the princess’s private letters, even as he begins to realize that in this dark world of betrayal and deceit, where power is supreme and sister can turn against sister, nothing—and no one—is what it seems.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  St. Martin's Griffin
Pages:  329 plus Author's Notes & Reading Group Guide
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Author:  C.W. Gortner
Website:  http://www.cwgortner.com


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

 
C.W. Gortner holds an MFA in Writing, with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies. Raised in Spain and half Spanish by birth, he currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

He travels extensively to research his books, and has experienced life in a medieval Spanish castle and danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall.

A contributor to the magazines Historical Novels Review and Solander as well as an advocate for animal

He welcomes readers and is always available for reader group chats.

Please visit him at www.cwgortner.com for more information.  You can also follow Christopher on Facebook and Twitter.


THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

So much fun to read!  This historical fiction/mystery is filled with madcap twists, daring deeds and mayhem in the 1500's.  A great cast of characters who sort out a conspiracy involving both Queen Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I.  I couldn't put the book down, so I read the nearly 340 pages straight through on Saturday!

C.W. Gortner is known for being the master of historical fiction, so there was no question that "The Tudor Conspiracy" would be a good book.  However, I didn't expect it to have this lighter, yet so interesting a plot!  The muddles and turns of fate are not easily assumed, making the story exciting and engaging.  I never saw several of the events happening before they came up!  Loved the mystery of them all.  The ending was especially enjoyable and surprising.

While we know many of the characters from history, the central, created protagonist, Brendan Prescott (Beecham), could have been every bit as real.  Mr. Gortner has created him in full.  He's a living and breathing spy who plays amongst the actual historical figures as if he were one of them.  Amazing characterization.  I fell in love with him, his bravery, and his deductions in the care of both the rivaling Queen and Elizabeth.  In fact, it's the balance of this loyalty that I found endearing.

This is an intriguing court mystery filled with danger and twists of fate.  You'll love the historical characterizations.  While some things are left to Gortner's imagination, of course, they become alive and fleshed out to the point of believability.  Much of what Brendan sees and experiences as he narrates the story touches your heart.  I was especially moved by his seeing Lady Jane Grey in the Tower before her execution.

C.W. Gortner in this mystery genre is as compelling as in his other historical fiction!  I can't wait to read the first book in this series, "The Tudor Secret."   I look forward to more in the series, as well.

5 stars          Deborah/TheBookishDame



*Note:  This review was brought to you in cooperation with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
but the review itself reflects only my personal views and opinions.

Please follow the entire Book Tour here:  http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/thetudorconspiracyvirtualtour/

This is the UK cover of the book.  Interesting....  I like it.  It, too, tells a lot about the story inside!

"Queen's Gambit" by Elizabeth Fremantle~Interview w/ Author!

SUMMARY :

Widowed for the second time at age thirty-one Katherine Parr falls deeply for the dashing courtier Thomas Seymour and hopes at last to marry for love. However, obliged to return to court, she attracts the attentions of the ailing, egotistical, and dangerously powerful Henry VIII, who dispatches his love rival, Seymour, to the Continent. No one is in a position to refuse a royal proposal so, haunted by the fates of his previous wives—two executions, two annulments, one death in childbirth—Katherine must wed Henry and become his sixth queen.

Katherine has to employ all her instincts to navigate the treachery of the court, drawing a tight circle of women around her, including her stepdaughter, Meg, traumatized by events from their past that are shrouded in secrecy, and their loyal servant Dot, who knows and sees more than she understands. With the Catholic faction on the rise once more, reformers being burned for heresy, and those close to the king vying for position, Katherine’s survival seems unlikely. Yet as she treads the razor’s edge of court intrigue, she never quite gives up on love.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Simon & Schuster
Pages:  407  then historical character detail
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Author  Elizabeth Fremantle
Find the book:  Barnes & Noble and other places that sell books


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Elizabeth Fremantle holds a first class degree in English and an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck College London. She has contributed as a fashion editor to various publications including Vogue, Elle and The Sunday Times. QUEEN’S GAMBIT is her debut novel and is the first in a Tudor trilogy. The second novel, SISTERS OF TREASON, will be released in 2014. She lives in London.
For more about Elizabeth and her future projects, please visit her website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Pinterest.


INTERVIEW!!

Ms Fremantle has kindly agreed to an interview with A Bookish Libraria today, and we're so excited to have her and to have some pleasing insights into this gifted author.  Thanks so much for joining us, Elizabeth.  Let the games begin!!

1)       Tell us something about yourself, please.  How do most people describe you?

It depends who you ask – my children would describe me as the most un-cool mother known to man, my friends would probably say I was good at keeping a secret, my family would say I’m the tricky one, my ex husband might say I was neurotic but on the other hand he’d say I’m a good mother and a good friend, strangers sometimes say I’m aloof until I get to know them and they realize I’m just a little shy and me, well I suppose I’m the usual combination of contradictions.

 

2)      Briefly, from where did the idea for your novel germinate?

I had long suspected that Katherine Parr was more interesting than history has suggested and when I began to research her I began to see that it was true. I then decided to visit Hampton Court Palace (where she was married to Henry VIII) and found a reenactment of that wedding taking place. It seemed like such a wonderful piece of serendipity and really got my imagination going.

3)      Who first told you you could write well, and how did it affect you?

Funnily enough I don’t remember ever being told that, or not until fairly recently. But then I never showed my writing to anyone. I did an MA in Creative Writing and one of my tutors was very encouraging which was good for my confidence.     So many writers are shy about their writing...

        4)    Which contemporary authors do you most admire?

I am a big fan of Hilary Mantel and think as a prose stylist she’s astonishingly good; Rose Tremain’s a favorite of mine too, her writing is beautiful and she has a wicked sense of humor; I always enjoy Sarah Waters’s books, she manages to write gripping novels that also have great depth.     Interesting that you should say Sarah Waters because she doesn't get the attention she deserves.

         5)   Which are your favorite classical authors?

One of my favorite novels is BEWARE OF PITY by Stephan Zweig – all his work is good but that’s the best in my opinion; I love Henry James too, Flaubert’s MADAME BOVARY is a wonderful novel and Jean Rhys’s short stories are remarkable. I could go on and on…     Henry James is one of my favorites, too.

6)      Jump into any book~which character would you be?

Perhaps someone like Jane Austen’s Emma Woodhouse. She has none of the hardship of poverty and has a happy ending. But alas, life is not like that!

7)      If you could have 5 historical people to dinner, who would they be?  What would you have to eat?

Firstly I would like a full Tudor feast and of course I’d want Katherine Parr there. Perhaps I’d make it a girls’ night: Elizabeth Woodville; Mary Shelley; Penelope Devereaux (who I am researching for book 3) and Elizabeth I         Love that you threw Mary Shelley in the mix.  That should be interesting...

8)      Read any good books in the past 6 months?

BRING UP THE BODIES by Hilary Mantel: it’s as exciting as a thriller and yet literary too. MERIVEL by Rose Tremain: it’s hilarious and so beautifully observed        Reviewed "Bring Up the Bodies" here this year...what a great book.

9)      Favorite two tv shows:

I’ve been enjoying The Borgias – I know it’s historically inaccurate but so much fun, ditto The Tudors (my guilty pleasures I suppose)     Love, loved the Tudors!

10)   Favorite movie of all time:

The Awful Truth with Irene Dunn and Cary Grant (1937) I’m a big fan of screwball comedies and that is one of the best.     Two of my favorite old time actors.  I have to catch this movie some time.

11)   Are you working on a new book?

I am. SISTERS OF TREASON, about the two tragic younger sisters of Lady Jane Grey, is out next year and I’m researching a novel about Penelope Devereaux the sister of the Earl of Essex – called the ‘fair woman with a dark soul’, she’s a fascinating Elizabethan.      Absolutely can't wait for this one!  I love Lady Jane Grey's tragic story!

12)   Anything else I forgot to ask you?

I don’t think so. Thank you so much for having me on your blog.

 

 

Thank you so much for caring enough to visit my blog today.  Wonderful answers, and giving a great range of insight into who you really are as a person and a writer.  Thanks for sharing!

 

 

More about "Queen's Gambit" on Youtube:

 

 

Join me in a read of this beautiful and mysterious historical fiction novel this week... I'll be reviewing it in the coming month!


Deborah/TheBookishDame

"Royal Mistress" ~ Richard III Tour by Anne Easter Smith

SUMMARY :

From the author of A Rose for the Crown and Daughter of York comes another engrossing historical novel of the York family in the Wars of the Roses, telling the fascinating story of the rise and fall of the final and favorite mistress of Edward IV.

Jane Lambert, the quick-witted and alluring daughter of a silk merchant, is twenty-two and still unmarried. When Jane’s father finally finds her a match, she’s married off to the dull, older silk merchant William Shore—but her heart belongs to another. Marriage doesn’t stop Jane Shore from flirtation, however, and when the king’s chamberlain and friend, Will Hastings, comes to her husband’s shop, Will knows his King will find her irresistible.

Edward IV has everything: power, majestic bearing, superior military leadership, a sensual nature, and charisma. And with Jane as his mistress, he also finds true happiness. But when his hedonistic tendencies get in the way of being the strong leader England needs, his life, as well as that of Jane Shore and Will Hastings, hang in the balance.

This dramatic tale has been an inspiration to poets and playwrights for 500 years, and told through the unique perspective of a woman plucked from obscurity and thrust into a life of notoriety, Royal Mistress is sure to enthrall today’s historical fiction lovers as well.


 
PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :
Published by:  Touchstone
Pages:  512
Genre:  Historical Fiction
More about the book and author:  Anne Easter Smith


A BIT ABOUT MS SMITH :

Anne Easter Smith is an award-winning historical novelist whose research and writing concentrates on England in the 15th century. Meticulous historical research, rich period detail, and compelling female protagonists combine to provide the reader with a sweeping portrait of England in the time of the Wars of the Roses. Her critically acclaimed first book, A Rose for the Crown, debuted in 2006, and her third, The King’s Grace, was the recipient of a Romantic Times Review Best Biography award in 2009. A Queen by Right has been nominated by Romantic TImes Review for the Best Historical Fiction award, 2011.


A BOOKISH LIBRARIA HAPPILY HOSTS ANNE EASTER SMITH WITH A GUEST POST :

Portrait of a king

by Anne Easter Smith

 

Thanks for hosting me today!

 

So now we know! It was Richard III under the car park in Leicester, and the exciting announcement on February 4th made me cry. Now all of us who are Richard fans will have somewhere to go and pay our respects. It appears Leicester has won out in the re-interment battle between there and York Minster. A ceremony is being planned for early 2014, I understand.

 

Many of you may have seen pictures or videos already of the amazing and wonderful reconstruction of Richard’s face from his skull found in Leicester. I can’t tell you how powerful that was for me to see! You must agree with me, this is not the face of a murderous, evil tyrant. Sure, we have several portraits of him, but none of them is actually from his time. They are copies--estimated to have been done anytime during the 50 years following his death in 1485.

 

So if we have reproductions of actual paintings to look at, why was the facial reconstruction such a delightful surprise? Because we know the portraits were altered to fit the descriptions the Tudor historians had written about King Richard.

 

John Rous, who was writing during Richard’s time but quickly latched on to Henry VII’s coattails wrote that Richard had been in his mother’s womb for two years and emerged with a mouth full of teeth and a headful of long hair. Really! And they bought it? Well, if they bought that, then of course they would buy all the other nasty slanders slung at Richard. That he had a withered arm, that he murdered people and that he poisoned his wife in order to marry his niece. Jezum! What a load of codswallop (as we say in England).

 

There are several portraits of Richard that would have been done during his two-year reign when he was 30-32. On some commentaries you can hear an expert talk about how x-rays revealed the portrait in the Royal Collection was tampered with to create a haggard, older and bad-tempered face, added inches to the right shoulder, and turned the fingers into claws. Now the 16th century public had a portrait they could believe depicted the tyrant usurper Richard III!

 

 

 

However, if you look at the one belonging to the Societies of Antiquities in London, you will notice there is no discrepancy in the shoulder heights, his hands are elegant, and he looks more like a man of 30.

 

Of them all, I’ll take the reconstruction! Nicolas von Poppelau, a German visitor at Richard’s court in 1484, wrote in his journal that Richard was: “...three fingers taller than myself...also much more lean; he had delicate arms and legs, also a great heart...” No mention of a hunchback!

And Archibald Whitelaw, a Scottish Archdeacon, wrote: “Now I look for the first time upon your face, it is the contenance worthy of the highest power and kingliness, illuminated by moral and heroic virtue...never before has nature dared to encase in a smaller body such spirit and strength.”

The experts decided that even though Richard’s skeleton straightened measured 5 ft. 8 in., his scoliosis would have caused him to appear smaller. Scoliosis is quite common--in fact Usain Bolt has it--and Richard must have made up for his lack of inches with muscle and strength to have been able to wield those huge battle-axes and handle a destrier at the same time.

 

If a picture tells a thousand words--even if it’s computer-generated--then I’d say Richard was not evil-looking, but pretty handsome!

 

 

I agree, Anne!!  Thank you for visiting us today with such an interesting discussion.  I highly recommend your historical fiction to everyone, as well.  What a wonderful author you are!

 

Deborah/TheBookishDame

 

 

 This tour is brought to you by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.  Please see the list of all the tour stops here:   http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/anneeastersmithroyalmistress/

 

Giveaway!! "The Forgotten Queen" by D.L. Bogdan~Scotland's Queen

 

SUMMARY:

 

From her earliest days, Margaret Tudor knows she will not have the luxury of choosing a husband. Her duty is to gain alliances for England. Barely out of girlhood, Margaret is married by proxy to James IV and travels to Edinburgh to become Queen of Scotland.

Despite her doubts, Margaret falls under the spell of her adopted home. But while Jamie is an affectionate husband, he is not a faithful one. And nothing can guarantee Margaret’s safety when Jamie leads an army against her own brother, Henry VIII. In the wake of loss she falls prey to an ambitious earl and brings Scotland to the brink of anarchy. Beset by betrayal and secret alliances, Margaret has one aim—to preserve the crown of Scotland for her son, no matter what the cost…

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK:
Published by:  Kensington Books
Pages:  315 plus Reading Group Guide
Genre:  Historical Fiction
For more information on D.L. Bogdan and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

 

 

 

D.L. Bogdan is an ongoing student of history, musician, and avid reader who enjoys travel, the outdoors, and time with her family and friends. She is a proud wife and mother who makes her home in central Wisconsin. She is the author of Secrets of the Tudor Court, Rivals in the Tudor Court and The Sumerton Women.

THE DAME REVIEWS :

My eyes are burning and my bones are aching from staying glued to this book so many hours in the past two days!  What a wonderful walk through history and romance it is.  I was so taken up in the story from the first chapter as the young Margaret was swept by her father, Henry VII into her role as a mighty queen in purpose, to bond the great countries of England and Scotland.  Margaret was just a little girl, and her life had already become larger than imaginable.  I was breathless and anxious along with her.

D. L. Bogdan has a way of keeping the action moving while she entwines us with a perfect love story fit for the often delicate queen.  Margaret is strong in spirit, but tender of heart, that is.  And, Bogdan achieves the perfect balance of that character in her.  Mother, queen, sister and lover/wife, this Queen of the Scots is a gracious blend of womanhood.  I completely fell for her brilliance and gentleness.  As mother to the Scottish dynasty, she was loving and staunchly protective, traits that brought out the best in a young King James who was to eventually serve to unite the kingdoms of Scotland, England and France.

This is a novel written with close attention to history, but not in the least boring or difficult to glide through.  It's a glorious love story on many levels.  Bogdan is a writer of much power, and her work is both insightful and entertaining at the same time.

I strongly recommend this one to historical fiction lovers.  It's a novel that will not disappoint!

5 stars                   Deborah/TheBookishDame



This review is in conjunction with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours where you can find other reviews, interviews and guest posts on this book and the author.  Please click on the link:
 http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/d-l-bogdan-on-tour-for-the-forgotten-queen-january-21-february-1/
Twitter Hashtag: #ForgottenQueenVirtualTour

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY!!!!

 

A Giveaway of this book will be held for the month of January...ending Jan. 31st.

 

Please leave your name and email address to enter.

Also, please follow me on GFC on the sidebar!  :]

 

This is open internationally!!

 

Thanks,  Deborah