Historically Obsessed

Hot HF January

2012-02-04T17:44:00.000-08:00

December

12.1.2011

Sprig Muslin, Georgette Heyer

12.6.2011

The Unexpected Miss Bennet, Patrice Sarath

12.27.2011

The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great, Eva Stachniak

January

1.1.2012

April Lady, Georgette Heyer

1.1.2012

The Queen and the Courtesan, Freda Lightfoot

1.3.2012

At the Mercy of the Queen, Anne Clinard Barnhill

1.3.2012

Eclipse: A Novel of Lewis and Clark, Richard S. Wheeler

1.3.2012

Secrets of the Tudor Court: At The Kings Pleasure, Kate Emerson

1.10.2012

The Crown, Nancy Bilyeau

1.31.2012

Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile, Julia Fox

1.31.2012

By The Kings Design, Christine Trent

1.31.2012

The Witch's Daughter, Paula Brackston

February

2.1.2012

Pistols for Two, Georgette Heyer

"Affairs of honour, affairs of the heart, and all the gallantry, villainy and elegance of the age that Georgette Heyer has made her own are exquisitely revived in these eleven short stories of the Regency".

2.7.2012

The Turning of Anne Merrick, Christine Blevins

"A tale of love and espionage from the author of Midwife of the Blue Ridge...

She spies for General Washington, betrays the Redcoats and battles for America's independence...

It's 1777, and a fledgling country wages an almost hopeless struggle against the might of the British Empire. Brought together by a fateful kiss, Anne Merrick and Jack Hampton are devoted to each other and to their Patriot cause. As part of Washington's daring network of spies, they are ready and willing to pay even the ultimate price for freedom.

From battlefields raging along the Hudson, to the desperate winter encampment at Valley Forge and through the dangerous intrigue of British-occupied Philadelphia, Anne and Jack brave the trials of separation, the ravages of war and an unyielding enemy growing ever more ruthless.

For love and for country, all is put at risk-and together the pair must call upon their every ounce of courage and cunning in order to survive".

2.7.2012

The Last Storyteller, Frank Delaney

"Frank Delaney, New York Times bestselling author of Ireland, Shannon, Tipperary, Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show, and The Matchmaker of Kenmare, is the unparalleled master of Irish historical fiction, bringing Ireland to life with exceptional warmth, wisdom, and wit. Now, in The Last Storyteller, Delaney weaves an absorbing tale of lasting love, dangerous risk, and the healing power of redemption".

2.16.2012

The Garden Intrigue, Lauren Willig

"As Napoleon pursues his plans for the invasion of England, English operative Augustus Whittlesby gets wind of a top secret device, to be demonstrated over the course of a house party at Malmaison. The catch? The only way in is to join forces with that annoying American socialite, Emma Morris Delagardie, who has been commissioned to write a masque for the weekend’s entertainment. Even so, it should leave plenty of alone time with Augustus’ colleague (and goddess), Jane Wooliston, who has been tapped to play the heroine. Or so Augustus tells himself. In this complicated masque within a masque, nothing seems to go quite as scripted… especially Emma".

2.21.2012

"Just in time for the centennial anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic comes a vivid, romantic, and relentlessly compelling historical novel about a spirited young woman who survives the disaster only to find herself embroiled in the media frenzy left in the wake of the tragedy.

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she's had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be a personal maid on the Titanic's doomed voyage. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men, one a roughly-hewn but kind sailor and the other an enigmatic Chicago millionaire. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes".

2.28.2012

The King's Agent, Donna Russo Morin

"The King’s Agent is based loosely on the life of Battista della Palla-a patriotic plunderer, a religious rogue-of the 16th century, a lifelong friend to the great Michelangelo.

As the cloistered ward of the Marquess of Mantua, Lady Aurelia is a woman with a profound duty, and a longing for adventure. In search of a relic intended for the King of France, Battista and Aurelia cross the breathtaking landscape of Renaissance Italy. Clues hide in great works of art, political forces collide, secret societies and enemies abound, and danger lurks in every challenge, those that mirror the passages of Dante's Divine Comedy. It is an adventurous quest with undercurrents of the supernatural, powers that could change the balance of supremacy throughout Europe".

~Lizzie~

Top Picks For 2011

2012-01-30T16:19:00.000-08:00

I know this is so beyond late it is not even funny. Normally I would have this up with in the first week of the new year but alas life has not been working in my favor lately and I have settled upon the fact that I can only do so much. I am in the middle of searching for a new job because this whole working graveyard thing has ruined me and not only is my blog suffering but my family and I are also. So just hang in there my ever patient readers and book lovers I promise I am going to find a way to make things work out it just is going to take some time. With out further delay I would love to mention my top picks of 2011, granted I did not get much reading done this past year so it is a short list this year but in no particular order here they are starting with my favorite categories.

~Most Beloved~
Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth
"From the award-winning author of The King's Daughter comes a story of love and defiance during the War of the Roses.

It is 1497. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, has set royal houses ablaze with intrigue and rocked the fledgling Tudor dynasty. With the support of Scotland's King James IV, Richard-known to most of England as Perkin Warbeck-has come to reclaim his rightful crown from Henry Tudor. Stepping finally onto English soil, Lady Catherine Gordon has no doubt that her husband will succeed in his quest.

But rather than assuming the throne, Catherine would soon be prisoner of King Henry VII, and her beloved husband would be stamped as an imposter. With Richard facing execution for treason, Catherine, alone in the glittering but deadly Tudor Court, must find the courage to spurn a cruel monarch, shape her own destiny, and win the admiration of a nation" AMAZON
~Most Beautiful~
To be Queen by Christy English
Chosen as one of the Top 10 Historical Fiction Novels of 2011 by the Pittsburgh Historical Fiction Examiner
The author of The Queen's Pawn delves into the early life of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine in her new historical novel.

After her father's sudden death, fifteen-year-old Eleanor is quickly crowned Duchess of Aquitaine and betrothed to King Louis VII. When her new husband cannot pronounce her given name, Alienor becomes Eleanor, Queen of France.

Although Louis is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by the church and a God that Eleanor doesn't believe in. Now, if she can find the strength to fight for what she wants, Eleanor may finally find the passion she has longed for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen. AMAZON

~Most Compelling~

Queen by Right by Anne Easter Smith
From the award-winning author of A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York, and The King’s Grace comes another masterful historical novel—the story of Cecily of York, mother of two kings and the heroine of one of history’s greatest love stories. Anne Easter Smith’s novels are beloved by readers for their ability “to grab you, sweep you along with the story, and make you fall in love with the characters.” In Cecily Neville, duchess of York and ancestor of every English monarch to the present day, she has found her most engrossing character yet.History remembers Cecily of York standing on the steps of the Market Cross at Ludlow, facing an attacking army while holding the hands of her two young sons. Queen by Right reveals how she came to step into her destiny, beginning with her marriage to Richard, duke of York, whom she meets when she is nine and he is thirteen. Raised together in her father’s household, they become a true love match and together face personal tragedies, pivotal events of history, and deadly political intrigue. All of England knows that Richard has a clear claim to the throne, and when King Henry VI becomes unfit to rule, Cecily must put aside her hopes and fears and help her husband decide what is right for their family and their country. Queen by Right marks Anne Easter Smith’s greatest achievement, a book that every fan of sweeping, exquisitely detailed historical fiction will devour. AMAZON

~Book Review: VLAD THE LAST CONFESSION By C.C. Humphreys~
"Dracula. A name of horror, depravity and the darkest sensuality. Yet the real Dracula was just as alluring, just as terrifying, his tale not one of a monster but of a man... and a contradiction.

AMAZON

~Book Review, MADAME TUSSAUD by Michelle Moran~

"The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin.

AMAZON

~Book Review, THE QUEEN'S RIVAL by Diane Haeger~
From the author of The Queen's Mistake comes the untold story of King Henry VIII's first well-known mistress.

AMAZON

~Book Review, THE DARLING STRUMPET by Gillian Bagwell~

A thrilling debut novel starring one of history's most famous and beloved courtesans.

AMAZON

~Book Review, SUNRISE OF AVALON by Anna Elliott~
She is a healer, a storyteller, and a warrior. When Britain is faced with threats both old and new, the strength of her love may be the kingdom’s downfall . . . or salvation.

AMAZON

~Lizzie~

Mailbox Mondays

2012-01-10T20:16:00.001-08:00

Sex with the Queen by Eleanor Herman
"In this follow-up to her bestselling Sex with Kings, Eleanor Herman reveals the truth about what goes on behind the closed door of a queen's boudoir. Impeccably researched, filled with page-turning romance, passion, and scandal, Sex with the Queen explores the scintillating sexual lives of some of our most beloved and infamous female rulers".
~Lizzie~

Fun Book Pictures

2011-12-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

~Lizzie~

Giveaway: THE SEPTEMBER QUEEN by Gillian Bagwell

2011-12-28T20:41:00.000-08:00

"Charles II is running for his life-and into the arms of a woman who will risk all for king and country.

Jane Lane is of marrying age, but she longs for adventure. She has pushed every potential suitor away-even those who could provide everything for her. Then one day, adventure makes its way to her doorstep, and with it comes mortal danger...

Royalists fighting to restore the crown to King Charles II implore Jane to help. Jane must transport him to safety, disguised as a manservant. As she places herself in harm's way, she finds herself falling in love with the gallant young Charles. And despite his reputation as a breaker of hearts, Jane finds herself surrendering to a passion that will change her life forever".

The Giveaway info: US and Canada only and up for grabs is one large ARC copy of The September Queen. Giveaway will end on 1.4.2012

For 1 entry enter your name and email

For 2 entries be a follower and say so in the form

For 3 entries share this and add a real link to where you shared it.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;~Lizzie~

My Art Work: Pony Tail Red Head

2011-12-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

This time around I did things a bit differently because I just could not help myself. Even though it literally kills my hands to do this I made this one completely with Prisma color pencils. No water color this time and this time the picture is completely un-edited. So this is the work in all of its natural glory. It is a pretty good size too being 11 x 10. I figure as always I live my life in color so the more color the better. I hope you all enjoy her.
~Lizzie~

Today In History: Happy Birthday Mary Queen of Scots

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Mary, Queen of Scots depicted in an 1885 engraving

469 years ago today Mary Queen of Scots was born on December 8th 1542. Happy birthday Mary

"Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow Palace on 7th December 1542, the daughter of James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise. Six days after her birth her father died, and she became Queen of Scotland. From her infancy, Scotland's rival pro-English and pro-French factions plotted to gain control of Mary. Her French mother was chosen as regent, and she sent Mary to France in 1548. Mary lived as part of the French royal family. In April 1558 she married the Dauphin Francis; she secretly agreed to bequeath Scotland to France if she should die without a son. In July 1559 Francis succeeded his father becoming King Francis II and Mary became Queen of France as well as of Scotland. In addition, many Roman Catholics recognised Mary Stuart as Queen of England after Mary I died and the Protestant Elizabeth I succeeded her to the throne in November 1558. Mary Stuart's claim to the English throne was based on the fact that she was the grand-daughter of Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII--Elizabeth's father. To the Roman Catholics, Mary's claim appeared stronger than Elizabeth's because they viewed Henry's marriage to Anne Boleyn as illegal. Mary's young husband Francis II died in December 1560 after a reign of 17 months. Mary, who was about to become 18 years of age, was left in a difficult position. Unwilling to stay in France and live under the domination of her mother-in-law Catherine De Medici's she decided to return to Scotland and take her chances with the Protestant reformers".

Mary's bedroom at Holyroodhouse.

At The Palace of Holyroodhouse Queen Victoria made sure that Mary Queen of Scots' bedroom and outer chamber were diligently preserved exactly the way it was left by Mary. It was in the outer chamber that Mary's beloved assistant David Rizzo was brutally murdered by her husband in front of her face. David was ripped from behind Mary's skirts and dragged across the floor before he was murdered. To this day you can take a tour of Holyroodhouse and see these beautiful rooms.

For more on Mary check out this site Marie Stuart and my previous posts on Mary Queen of Scots:

Lizzie

Mailbox Monday

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer

One of Heyer's funniest Regency romances, and one of readers' favorites.

The Talisman Ring is one of Heyer's funniest and fastest-paced romantic comedies, telling the story of a fugitive heir, a tempestuous Frenchwoman, and the two sensible people who try to keep them out of trouble.

"... A long-lost family heirloom, a young heir falsely accused of murder, a band of smugglers, two utterly delightful Heyer heroines, a taciturn, but highly resourceful older gentleman - all play their parts in a tale funny enough to have you laughing aloud."

Keeper of the King's Secrets by Michelle Diener Releasing 4.3.2012

"The second elegant and gorgeously written historical novel from new author Michelle Diener, featuring King Henry VIII’s deadliest courtier and a royally commissioned artist caught in a web of Tudor court intrigue. Susanna Horenbout’s chance meeting with a jeweler from Antwerp pulls her and her betrothed, courtier John Parker, into a deadly plot against the King. Ever since Henry VIII’s sister Mary gave him the spectacular Mirror of Naples, part of the French Crown Jewels, the King of France has been plotting to get it back.

After the French king is captured in battle, the secret deal struck for the jewel’s return is in jeopardy—and French agents in London are taking matters into their own hands. But the powerful Duke of Norfolk has caught wind of the secret deal and sees the planned theft as an opportunity to rid himself of a hated rival at court—even if it means plunging England into an unwinnable war with France".

~Lizzie~

Portland Oregon Exhibit: Titian's La Bella

2011-11-30T09:17:00.000-08:00

Titian's La Bella
Masterworks | Portland Oregon
NOV 25, 2011 – JAN 29, 2012

"This fall, the Museum’s popular Masterworks|Portland series continues with an exceptional painting of Renaissance Venice, Titian’s La Bella (Woman in a Blue Dress). The luminous La Bella is a classic portrait of a beautiful woman that illustrates the continually evolving and infinitely elusive ideal of beauty. La Bella has never been exhibited in the United States and Portland is her only West Coast appearance. The painting was recently cleaned and conserved in Florence, returning La Bella to her original glory.

A color catalogue accompanies this single-painting exhibition and not only describes the historical significance of the work but also details the recent conservation project.

This exhibition is organized by the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, in collaboration with the Foundation for Italian Art and Culture, New York, and is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Art and Humanities".

~From Wiki~
"Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490– 27 August 1576 better known as Titian) was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near Belluno (inVeneto), in the Republic of Venice. During his lifetime he was often called da Cadore, taken from the place of his birth.

Recognized by his contemporaries as "The Sun Amidst Small Stars" (recalling the famous final line of Dante's Paradiso), Titian was one of the most versatile of Italian painters, equally adept with portraits, landscape backgrounds, and mythological and religious subjects. His painting methods, particularly in the application and use of color, would exercise a profound influence not only on painters of the Italian Renaissance, but on future generations of Western art.

During the course of his long life, Titian's artistic manner changed drastically but he retained a lifelong interest in color. Although his mature works may not contain the vivid, luminous tints of his early pieces, their loose brushwork and subtlety of polychromatic modulations are without precedent in the history of Western art"

For more information on this exhibit check out the Portland Art Museum's website.
~Lizzie~

Hot HF Releases: November

2011-11-21T00:39:00.000-08:00

11.2011

A Queen's Journey, James D. Houston

"There are few more intriguing and captivating characters in the history of Hawaii than its last queen, Liliuokalani--the island monarch who could just as easily read Shakespeare as 'sit barefooted on a woven mat.

Told with mesmerizing detail by master storyteller James D. Houston, A Queen's Journeycaptures the deep ambiguities of Liliuokalani s magnetic personality and the tumultuous times in which she lived. Houston (1933-2009) was perhaps the only writer with the literary talent, courage, and deep knowledge of Hawaiian culture and history needed to tell this story, and although he died before finishing the novel that was to be his masterwork, we are lucky to have this first part, which stands alone as a fully realized and moving portrait of the queen and her time".

11.1.2011

Guinevere, the Legend in Autumn: Book Three of the Guinevere Trilogy, Persia Wooley

"Surrounded by traitors, trapped by destiny, Britain's spirited Queen Guinevere recounts the last, dramatic years of Camelot. At King Arthur's side, she reigned over the fabled heroes of the Round Table as her heartbreaking honesty, courage, and integrity were challenged by those she loved most. Torn between duty and desire as he rescued his Queen, condemned to the stake for treason, Lancelot swept her away as she bartered her soul to save Arthur and Camelot from the furies of fate. This is Arthurian epic at its best–filled with romance, adventure, authentic Dark Ages detail, and wonderfully human people".

11.1.2011

Mozart's Last Aria, Matt Rees

"The news arrives in a letter to his sister, Nannerl, in December 1791. But the message carries more than word of Nannerl’s brother’s demise. Two months earlier, Mozart confided to his wife that his life was rapidly drawing to a close . . . and that he knew he had been poisoned.

In Vienna to pay her final respects, Nannerl soon finds herself ensnared in a web of suspicion and intrigue—as the actions of jealous lovers, sinister creditors, rival composers, and Mozart’s Masonic brothers suggest that dark secrets hastened the genius to his grave. As Nannerl digs deeper into the mystery surrounding her brother’s passing, Mozart’s black fate threatens to overtake her as well.

Transporting readers to the salons and concert halls of eighteenth-century Austria, Mozart’s Last Aria is a magnificent historical mystery that pulls back the curtain on a world of soaring music, burning passion, and powerful secrets".

11.1.2011

A Civil Contract, Georgette Heyer

"Adam Deveril, Viscount Lynton, returns home from war to find his family in financial ruin. To help his family, he sacrifices his love for the beautiful Julia and marries plain Jenny Chawleigh, whose father is a wealthy businessman determined to marry his daughter into a title.

Adam chafes under Mr. Chawleigh's generosity, and Julia's behavior upon hearing of the betrothal nearly brings them all into a scandal. But Jenny's practicality and quiet love for Adam bring him comfort and eventually happiness. And over time, their arranged marriage blossoms into love and acceptance across the class divide".

11.1.2011

The September Queen, Gillian Bagwell

"Charles II is running for his life-and into the arms of a woman who will risk all for king and country.

11.9.2011

Catherine The Great, Robert K. Massie

"The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young German princess who traveled to Russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history.

Born into a minor noble family, Catherine transformed herself into Empress of Russia by sheer determination. Possessing a brilliant mind and an insatiable curiosity as a young woman, she devoured the works of Enlightenment philosophers and, when she reached the throne, attempted to use their principles to guide her rule of the vast and backward Russian empire. She knew or corresponded with the preeminent historical figures of her time: Voltaire, Diderot, Frederick the Great, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Marie Antoinette, and, surprisingly, the American naval hero, John Paul Jones.

Reaching the throne fired by Enlightenment philosophy and determined to become the embodiment of the “benevolent despot” idealized by Montesquieu, she found herself always contending with the deeply ingrained realities of Russian life, including serfdom. She persevered, and for thirty-four years the government, foreign policy, cultural development, and welfare of the Russian people were in her hands. She dealt with domestic rebellion, foreign wars, and the tidal wave of political change and violence churned up by the French Revolution that swept across Europe. Her reputation depended entirely on the perspective of the speaker. She was praised by Voltaire as the equal of the greatest of classical philosophers; she was condemned by her enemies, mostly foreign, as “the Messalina of the north.”

Catherine’s family, friends, ministers, generals, lovers, and enemies—all are here, vividly described. These included her ambitious, perpetually scheming mother; her weak, bullying husband, Peter (who left her lying untouched beside him for nine years after their marriage); her unhappy son and heir, Paul; her beloved grandchildren; and her “favorites”—the parade of young men from whom she sought companionship and the recapture of youth as well as sex. Here, too, is the giant figure of Gregory Potemkin, her most significant lover and possible husband, with whom she shared a passionate correspondence of love and separation, followed by seventeen years of unparalleled mutual achievement.

The story is superbly told. All the special qualities that Robert K. Massie brought to Nicholas and Alexandra and Peter the Great are present here: historical accuracy, depth of understanding, felicity of style, mastery of detail, ability to shatter myth, and a rare genius for finding and expressing the human drama in extraordinary lives.

History offers few stories richer in drama than that of Catherine the Great. In this book, this eternally fascinating woman is returned to life".

11.29.2011

The Scottish Prisoner: A Novel Lord John, Diana Gabaldon

"London, 1760. For Jamie Fraser, paroled prisoner-of-war in the remote Lake District, life could be worse: He’s not cutting sugar cane in the West Indies, and he’s close enough to the son he cannot claim as his own. But Jamie Fraser’s quiet existence is coming apart at the seams, interrupted first by dreams of his lost wife, then by the appearance of Tobias Quinn, an erstwhile comrade from the Rising.

Like many of the Jacobites who aren’t dead or in prison, Quinn still lives and breathes for the Cause. His latest plan involves an ancient relic that will rally the Irish. Jamie is having none of it—he’s sworn off politics, fighting, and war. Until Lord John Grey shows up with a summons that will take him away from everything he loves—again.

Lord John Grey—aristocrat, soldier, and occasional spy—finds himself in possession of a packet of explosive documents that exposes a damning case of corruption against a British officer. But they also hint at a more insidious danger. Time is of the essence as the investigation leads to Ireland, with a baffling message left in “Erse,” the tongue favored by Scottish Highlanders. Lord John, who oversaw Jacobite prisoners when he was governor of Ardsmiur prison, thinks Jamie may be able to translate—but will he agree to do it?

Soon Lord John and Jamie are unwilling companions on the road to Ireland, a country whose dark castles hold dreadful secrets, and whose bogs hide the bones of the dead. A captivating return to the world Diana Gabaldon created in her Outlander and Lord John series, The Scottish Prisoner is another masterpiece of epic history, wicked deceit, and scores that can only be settled in blood".

11.29.2012

Emily Hudson: A Novel of Love and Longing, Melissa Jones

"Based on an episode in Henry James's life, the captivating story of a young heroine with ambitions and desires beyond her time.

By the start of the Civil War, Emily Hudson has lost her entire family to consumption. Wholly dependent upon her puritanical uncle, Emily forms a close bond with her ailing cousin, William, an ambitious young writer. When a promising engagement is broken, William, obsessed by Emily's spirit and beauty, becomes her patron and takes her to England-only to manipulate and neglect her for the sake of his own creativity. There, Emily finally spurns her cousin's rules and sets out alone to pursue an artist's life in the eternal city of Rome. Reminiscent of the novels of Edith Wharton and the films of Merchant Ivory, Emily Hudson will resonate with anyone who has ever sought to be true to herself".

~Lizzie~

Portland Oregon Cavalia Show

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Now showing in Portland Oregon for a very limited time: Cavalia. At their site you can see videos and much much more including show times and ticket pricing.

Portland, Oregon, USA

from November 16, 2011 to December 04, 2011

Seattle, Washington, USA

from January 24, 2012 to February 05, 2012

"Cavalia is a fresh mix of equestrian and performing arts, multimedia and special effects. Conceived by Normand Latourelle and often labelled an equestrian ballet, Cavalia is a spectacular and moving tribute to the relationship between men and horses throughout history, a dream of freedom, cooperation and harmony. In a fairy tale setting filled with poetry and emotion, the show innovatively integrates acrobatics, dance, aerial stunts, live music and equestrian arts. Under the largest Big Top on earth, a 50-metre stage permits the horses to express themselves in all their splendour, nobility and strength, often completely free".

"ARABIAN
Admired for his distinctive thoroughbred profile, large eyes, and high intelligence, the Arabian horse lived among the desert tribes of the Arabian peninsula for thousands of years. Bred by the Bedouins as war mounts, in extreme climatic conditions, the Arabian horse evolved with a level of stamina, energy and unequaled endurance. The breed’s age-old affinity to man is legendary. Arabian horses often shared the tents of their nomadic owners, along with their food and water. Historical figures like Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Alexander The Great and George Washington rode Arabian horses. Beautiful and athletic, the Arabian horse contributed to the evolution of virtually all modern breeds of horses".
~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday

2011-11-14T06:00:00.001-08:00

The Wars of the Roses (A Royal History of England) Anthony Cheetham (Author), Antonia Fraser (Editor)

"From Henry IV, the first Lancastrian king, to Richard III, The Wars of the Roses follows the history of the kings of the houses of Lancaster and York who shaped this tumultuous period of English history. Anthony Cheetham provides insight into the politics, society, and economy of this time, and above all, he conveys the personal histories and characters of its rulers.

About the series A Royal History of England:
From the beginning of monarchical power in Norman times to the present queen, the British royal family has experienced many scandals, triumphs, and changes in public image, but few of their reigns can be described as uneventful. With contributions by specialist authors and contemporary illustrations of royal heraldry and coats of arms, Antonia Fraser has edited a definitive and entertaining history of one of the most powerful monarchies in the world".
~Lizzie~

Guest Post: Gillian Bagwell "Priest Holes"

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Priest Holes by Gillian Bagwell

After Queen Elizabeth I succeeded her hated Catholic sister Mary Tudor, who had come to be known as Bloody Mary because of the hundreds of Protestants who were executed during her reign, mostly by burning at the stake, England became virulently anti-Papist, and practicing Catholic rites was outlawed. There was particular hostility toward and fear of priests, who suspected of rousing their followers to rise against the Protestant queen.

So an Act was passed prohibiting Catholics from practicing the rites of their religion on pain of forfeiture of property for the first offense, a year’s imprisonment for the second, and imprisonment for life for the third. Anyone who refused to take the Oath of Supremacy, stating that the queen was the head of the Church of England, was labeled a recusant, and guilty of high treason. A law was also passed that if a Catholic converted a Protestant to Catholicism, both were guilty of treason and subject to the death penalty. And it was a hanging offense for a Catholic priest to say mass or otherwise practice as a priest.

Priest hole at Boscobel

In the early years of Elizabeth’s reign there was some tolerance. Catholics who practiced their faith privately at home were not persecuted. But after a Catholic rising in the north and various “Popish plots,” the laws were more strictly enforced. The perpetual threat posed by and recurring plots involving the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots only made the situation worse. In December 1591 a priest was hanged before the door of a house in Grey’s Inn for having said mass there the previous month.

After the Gunpowder Plot by Guy Fawkes and his conspirators, which aimed to kill the Protestant King James, was discovered on November 5, 1605, anti-Catholic sentiment became even more rabid.

One result of this oppression was that Catholic families began to build into their houses what became known as “priest holes.” These were little chambers, barely big enough to conceal a man, where a priest or forbidden items such as crucifixes could be hidden in case “priest catchers” came searching.

These small spaces were built into the structure of a house in such a way that they were not apparent. They might be sandwiched between the floor of one story and the ceiling of that below it, or constructed like a closet, with the entrance hidden under a staircase or in the paneling of a wall.

Many of these priest holes were built by the Jesuit Nicholas Owen, who devoted much of his life to constructing hiding places in the houses of many of the great Catholic families of England. As one scholar wrote, “he so disguised the entrances to these as to make them most unlike what they really were. Moreover, he kept these places so close a secret with himself that he would never disclose to another the place of concealment of any Catholic. He alone was both their architect and their builder, working at them with inexhaustible industry and labour, for generally the thickest walls had to be broken into and large stones excavated, requiring stronger arms than were attached to a body so diminutive as to give him the nickname of ‘Little John,’ and by this his skill many priests were preserved from the prey of persecutors. Nor is it easy to find anyone who had not often been indebted to his life to Owen’s hiding places.”

Boscobel priest hole.

Ironically, many years after Elizabeth’s reign, another class of fugitive made use of priest holes – Royalists fleeing from Parliamentary pursuers dung the Civil Wars. And when the young Charles II narrowly escaped with his life after the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651, and spent six weeks desperately trying to get out of England, he was hidden by Catholic families in priest holes at Boscobel House, Moseley Hall, Trent Manor, and Heale House while his friends sought to find him passage to France.

Boscobel priest hole.

After a day spent hiding in an oak tree behind Boscobel (for the story of the Royal Oak see my post at Lori’s Reading Corner (http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com/2011/11/guest-post-giveaway-with-gillian-bagwell.html), Charles was hidden in one of two priest holes in the house. One is behind the wainscoting of “the Squire’s bedroom.” It is in a chimney stack and has a narrow staircase leading to the basement so the fugitive had a second way out. The other is accessed by a trap door at the top of a flight of stairs leading to the attic. It is about five feet deep and about four feet square – not very comfortable for Charles, who was six feet two inches.

Charles had to take refuge in the priest hole at Moseley, when it was learned that Roundhead soldiers had wind of a Royalist fugitive, possibly the king, and were coming to search the house. This priest hole is under the floor of a closet off the bedroom in which the king had been resting. Apparently a frequent practice was to put a close stool or chamber pot over the hatch into a priest hole, which not only kept it from being seen, but also provided a strong scent that helped throw search dogs off the track of their prey.

Mosely priest hole.

Charles spent a total of fifteen days at Trent Manor in Dorset, staying in Lady Wyndham’s room, which was the most private and removed from the rest of the house, and also had sort of a double priest hole – a closet-sized chamber with a hidden entrance, and then a smaller hiding place in the floor of this closet, accessed by a hatch, from which it was possible to escape down into the brew house chimney.

Charles appreciated the fact that he owed his preservation to many “recusants,” and when he was restored to the throne in 1660, he strove to enact tolerance for religious freedom. But the smoke from the flames at Smithfield where so many Protestants had died, drifted down over the decades. Throughout Charles’s reign anti-Catholic sentiment remained strong, and when he died without a legitimate heir and his Catholic brother the Duke of York succeeded him as James II, the new king was soon ousted in favor of his daughter Mary and her reassuringly Protestant husband and cousin William of Orange.

Gillian Bagwell in the Trent priest hole closet.

Ironically, it is likely that Charles himself converted to Catholicism on his deathbed. He was visited and ministered to by Father John Huddleston, a Catholic priest who had lived at Moseley and had helped arrange Charles’s shelter and escape in those dark days after the Battle of Worcester.

Primary source: Allan Fea, Secret Chambers and Hiding Places (c. 1900, reprinted by Echo Library, 2008)
Gillian Bagwell’s novel, The September Queen, the first fictional accounting of the story of Jane Lane, and ordinary English girl who helped Charles II escape after the Battle of Worcester, was released on November 1. Please visit her website, www.gillianbagwell.com, to read more about her books and read her blog Jane Lane and the Royal Miracle www.theroyalmiracle.blogspot.com, which recounts her research adventures and the daily episodes in Charles’s flight.
Amazon
The Darling Strumpet
The September Queen
~Lizzie~

Coming Soon: The Queen's Pleasure by Brandy Purdy

2011-11-09T21:37:00.000-08:00

KENSINGTON TRADE PAPERBACK

THE QUEEN’S PLEASURE by Brandy Purdy

From the author of the bestselling historical novels The Boleyn Wife and The Tudor Throne comes a captivating, Tudor-era novel of loyalty and betrayal, duty and freedom—a fascinating portrait of both the rise of Elizabeth I and one of the most compelling periods in history...

Historical Fiction ISBN 13: 978-0-7582-6598-2 PRICE: $15.00/$16.95
PAGES: 384

"When young Robert Dudley, an earl’s son, meets squire’s daughter Amy Robsart, it is love at first sight. They marry despite parental misgivings, but their passion quickly fades, and the ambitious Dudley returns to court.

Swept up in the turmoil of Tudor politics, Dudley is imprisoned in the Tower. Also a prisoner is Dudley’s childhood playmate, the princess Elizabeth. In the shadow of the axe, their passion ignites. When Elizabeth becomes queen, rumors rage that Dudley means to free himself of Amy in order to wed her. And when Amy is found dead in unlikely circumstances, suspicion falls on Dudley—and the Queen...

Still hotly debated amongst scholars—was Amy’s death an accident, suicide, or murder?— the fascinating subject matter makes for an enthralling read for fans of historical fiction".

• The Boleyn Wife was a Sunday Times bestseller in the U.K. • With its fascinating, true-life love triangle, The Queen’s Pleasure is guaranteed to intrigue fans of Tudor-set historical fiction.

• Fans of Philippa Gregory, Robin Maxwell, Diane Haeger, Donna Russo Marin, and Kensington’s own Barbara Kyle will relish Brandy Purdy’s vibrant historical storytelling.

PRAISE FOR THE BOLEYN WIFE “Recommended for readers who can’t get enough of the Tudors and have devoured all of Philippa Gregory’s books.” —Library Journal

Readers can visit Brandy's website at: www.brandypurdy.com.

Please note this book is published in the UK as A COURT AFFAIR by Emily Purdy.~Lizzie~

Book Review, Sunrise of Avalon by Anna Elliott

2011-11-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

“Sunrise of Avalon” is a compelling take on the tragically romantic Arthurian legend Tystan and Isolde. This excellent trilogy starts with “Twilight of Avalon” (2009), “Dark Moon of Avalon” (2010), and the conclusion “Sunrise of Avalon” (2011) which was well worth the wait. If you have read previous novels on Trystan and Isolde this is not the same or typical spin on them. This trilogy is historical fiction gold for numerous reasons’ the top of them being my most favorite: a novel of two people who belong together but cannot be together because of outside forces that keep pulling them apart, that makes for good historical fiction reads. I am glad I was lured into this trilogy it is a new favorite of mine. Plus Trystan is literally the sexiest man name ever written down.

Trystan and Isolde were childhood best friends that were brought up into a mess of hate, fighting, and terrible things constantly happening. The days of the great king Arthur were violently coming to a close and both of them young as they were still were dragged into the battles of Camelerd with no choice. The fighting never stopped and the few antagonists like Trystan's father Lord Marche just kept stirring the pot and making it worse with every action. Lord Marche was a vile man he would be what we deem today as a woman beater and he later turned rouge lord and made a pack with the only other man as evil as he was Lord Octa of Kent. Octa was everyone’s enemy and he was planning an invasion he wanted to take everything over. He wanted all of England to himself. But Trystan knew he must do something to stop him and even though he and his father’s feud had turned escaladed to a bloody deadly high he still must risk everything to at least try to prevent the inevitable looming battle. With Octa and Marche everyone’s enemy Trystan had his own personal vendetta’s that demanded retribution against the two men.

In book one Isodle had been forced into marrying Lord Marche but in number Octa also had captured her but in three I really enjoyed the fact that Isolde took things in her own hands and made her own terms. She voluntarily went into her enemy Octa’s camp and not just to foil his attempts to kidnap her from her abbey sanctuary Saint Eucherius. This time Isolde had her own plans to infiltrate Octa’s camp and to secretly find high King Madoc of Gwynned’s five year old son and only heir who had been kidnapped. The child was being held as a form of ransom because Octa was not below hurting a child Isolde was his only hope of a way out.

Trystan had left Isolde at the abbey so she would be safe but with Octa always after her it was only a matter of time before he got to her. Isolde never stayed put but who would have guessed she would cross the line into the most dangerous place for her to go: Octa’s camp. Trystan and Isolde both had their own agenda’s for how they were going to sabatosh Octa and Marche before the whole country went to war. It was kill or be killed at this point and Octa had proven he had no qualms about fighting dirty. Isolde had made her choices and she knew she had to protect what was most important to her in the end. She made her choice she had to try and save Trystan even if it was himself who was bringing about his own downfall. Trystan loved Isolde but have you ever heard that song “your love is like a battlefield”? Trystan's love was like a battlefield and to protect Isolde even from himself he never really allowed his love to show. But trying to push it down and away made his love even stronger and even he could not control it in his darkest moments he would find Isolde was the only one that mattered. Isolde and Trystan have to save England from the blood lust lords before they tear all of England asunder before their very eyes but right when it matters the demons of the past keep all of England from healing and moving forward to better times. They must face it and they must do it together or die trying the scary part is the worst enemy is one who knows all your secrets.

5/5 Wonderful Arthurian legend mix. I do not read much on Tystan and Isolde but I have read some short stories and other things but this one is by far the best I have ever come across. I was elated that Elliott made these novels to her own tune and made a mixture of all the different versions of the legends. The ending in this version is the best to date and I know I am not alone in this thought. I do not want to ruin it for anyone but it way caught me off guard. I really enjoyed this series and really identified with Isolde and her inner strength she was one brave woman. I enjoyed this series and have to recommend it to all historical fiction lovers because if you are a sucker for a good love story then this is right up your alley.

Rating PG-13 for war violence
FTC-sent to me by the publisher for review

Amazon

~Lizzie~

Author Stephanie Dray On The Ancient Magic of Henna Tattoos

2011-11-02T01:19:00.000-07:00

The Ancient Magic of Henna Tattoos by Stephanie Dray The heroine of my novels, Cleopatra Selene, was the Queen of Mauretania and she ruled over the ancient Berbers, the descendants of whom still live in North Africa. For my first novel, Lily of the Nile, I researched the magic of ancient Egypt because I wanted to know the spiritual traditions with which Selene would have been familiar. But for Song of the Nile, I wanted to learn all I could about the life of the people who called Selene their queen. What I learned is that ancient Mauretania was every bit as exotic and sensual as Egypt, and that the women who lived there had a rich and colorful spirituality that expressed itself in their arts. We’ve all heard of Berber carpets. Perhaps we even own a piece of Berber jewelry. But the art of henna is largely associated with Indian culture now, even though it’s believed to have been of Berber origin. Henna is a plant that, when dried, crushed to a powder, and mixed with oil to form a paste, can safely dye the skin--and the color will remain for weeks. Because of this and other medicinal properties, henna became an important part of Berber culture. Like the Egyptians, the Berbers believed in a kind of sympathetic magic, whereby symbols could take the place and power of actual things. For example, whereas the Egyptians might carve a cobra or a jackal-headed god at the entrance of a tomb to guard it, the Berbers might paint a sharp object on a pregnant woman’s belly as if to pierce the evil eye. Whereas the Egyptians spent a great deal of time ornamenting tombs and creating magical amulets to be worn, the Berbers retreated to a more personal, more sensual connection to the supernatural world. By painting protective symbols on the body, the skin becomes its own talisman and magical protection. A manifestation of spirituality that is visible to anyone who might look upon the tattoos. It’s interesting to me that while I used bloody hieroglyphs on my heroine’s arms and hands as a way of the divine world speaking through her, I hadn’t considered the use of symbols on her arms and hands as a way for her to speak back. At least, not until I learned more about the Berbers among whom Selene built a new life for herself. While not exclusively reserved for women, Berber henna tattoos are inextricably entwined with women’s rituals. Henna tattoos are most often applied before a wedding, before and after birth, and before death. At all life’s thresholds, and, incidentally, all the times that a woman might need the comfort of others near her, rubbing her, pampering her, and seeing to it that she has adequate rest. The henna paste can be made with oils--sandalwood is a popular one--so that the long process of painting intricate designs on the skin can give aromatic pleasure to all those involved. Berber women couldn’t easily tattoo themselves, so it become a bonding experience, and one of giving over the body to others in trust. And if that’s not magic, what is?

More on Stephanie Dray...
Stephanie graduated from Smith, a small women’s college in Massachusetts where–to the consternation of her devoted professors–she was unable to master Latin. However, her focus on Middle Eastern Studies gave her a deeper understanding of the consequences of Egypt’s ancient clash with Rome, both in terms of the still-extant tensions between East and West as well as the worldwide decline of female-oriented religion.

Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has–to the consternation of her devoted husband–collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.

"Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra’s daughter has become the emperor’s most unlikely apprentice and the one woman who can destroy his empire…Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land.Forced to marry a man of the emperor’s choosing, Selene will not allow her new husband to rule in her name. She quickly establishes herself as a capable leader in her own right and as a religious icon. Beginning the hard work of building a new nation, she wins the love of her new subjects and makes herself vital to Rome by bringing forth bountiful harvests.But it’s the magic of Isis flowing through her veins that makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra’s daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother’s throne be more than she’s willing to pay"?

Berkley Trade in October 2011 (Trade Paperback)
# ISBN-10: 0425243044 and # ISBN-13: 9780425243046

B&N
IndieBound
Borders
Constellation Books
Powell's
Amazon
~Lizzie~

Happy Early Halloween Everyone!!!!

2011-10-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Okay so yes I have posted this adorable my little pony before but it is too cute to not do it again and this time add a few other cute Halloween inspired ponies. From my family to your have a safe and happy halloween everyone.

~Lizzie~

Giveaway: AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY by Jillian Stone

2011-10-28T13:53:00.000-07:00

"Detective Zeno “Zak” Kennedy is considered a hero in London after breaking up a plot against the Crown. But villainy never sleeps, and he’s now after a ring of Irish anarchists plotting a bombing campaign. When he discovers that one of these treacherous lords is acquainted with his new tenant, widowed Cassie St. Cloud, he sets out to get closer to the lady. Cassie is no Victorian prude; the daughter of two prominent doctors, she is a freethinking artist and a volunteer at a girls’ school. She’s set her sights on her handsome new landlord, and soon they’re enmeshed in the most passionate affair of her life. But when she discovers that their meeting was not purely accidental, will she be able to forgive him"?

The Giveaway

Giveaway ends November 4, 2011 at midnight west coast time. The giveaway is for one unfinished advanced readers copy and open to US Only.

For 1 entry enter your name and email

For 2 entries be a follower and say so in the form

For 3 entries share this and add a real link to where you shared it.

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Amazon
An Affair with Mr. Kennedy
~Lizzie~

Giveaway: THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE, by Simone St. James

2011-10-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

Hits bookstores March 6, 2012

"Sarah Piper’s lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis – rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts – has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah’s task to confront her in death.

Soon Sarah is caught up in a desperate struggle. For Maddy’s ghost is real, she’s angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair’s assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance – before she destroys them all"?

The Giveaway

Giveaway ends November 2, 2011 at midnight west coast time. The giveaway is for one huge unfinished 8x10 advanced readers copy and open to US Only.
For 1 entry enter your name and email
For 2 entries be a follower and say so in the form
For 3 entries share this and add a real link to where you shared it.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;Amazon

The Haunting of Maddy Clare
~Lizzie~

Fun Book Pictures

2011-10-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday

2011-10-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

"The Sister Queens" by Sophie Perinot In stores March 6th 2012

"Like most sisters, Marguerite and Eleanor were rivals. They were also queens. Raised together at the 13th Century court of their father, Raymond Berenger, Count of Provence, Marguerite and Eleanor are separated by royal marriages—but never truly parted. Patient, perfect, reticent, and used to being first, Marguerite becomes Queen of France. Her husband, Louis IX, is considered the greatest monarch of his age. But he is also a religious zealot who denies himself all pleasure—including the love and companionship his wife so desperately craves. Can Marguerite find enough of her sister’s boldness to grasp her chance for happiness in the guise of forbidden love? Passionate, strong-willed, and stubborn, Eleanor becomes Queen of England. Her husband, Henry III, is neither as young nor as dashing as Marguerite’s. But she quickly discovers he is a very good man…and a very bad king. His failures are bitter disappointments for Eleanor, who has worked to best her elder sister since childhood. Can Eleanor stop competing with her sister and value what she has, or will she let it slip away"?

"The Countess: A Novel of Elizabeth Bathory"by Rebecca Johns

Johns's creepily enticing second novel (after Icebergs) travels to 1611 Hungary as Countess Erzsébet Báthory--aka the Blood Countess--is being walled into a castle tower as punishment for the murder of dozens of women and girls. She begins writing her life story as an exposé of the many betrayals that have brought about this--as she sees it--outrageous and unjust imprisonment. The steady, calm tone of Erzsébet's narration lulls the reader along so that the first hints of madness in her girlhood engender doubt and discomfort rather than horror, and as her lack of remorse and grandiose sense of entitlement are unveiled, a matter-of-fact self-portrait of a murderer emerges. This is a carefully researched story, gothic in tone and grimly atmospheric, with subtly handled psychology and an initially unassuming tone. Unlike most serial killer stories, this rewards patience and close reading.

"Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages" by Vanitha Sankaran

"Medieval France is no place to be born albino: when Auda emerges from the womb undercooked and white as bone, an ignorant healer's apprentice tears out the child's tongue to keep her from spread[ing] the devil's lies. Though her mother dies in childbirth, a small stroke of luck graces Auda's childhood: her father makes his living as a scribe and a papermaker, so she learns reading and writing to compensate for her inability to speak. Together, father and daughter work to make his experimental paper the new standard for France's writing stock (replacing parchment); against the odds, they field an order from the local vicomtesse, who then takes on Auda as her personal scribe. At the palace, Auda grows more independent and finds romance with an artist who saves her from a witch-hunting mob. When Auda begins writing potentially heretical verse about women's empowerment, however, she tempts fate and the inquisition, setting off a chain of unlikely events. Though improbable plot twists detract, Sankaran has created a likable, easy-to-root-for protagonist in Auda".

Library check outs:
DK Eyewitness books: Arms and Armor
Bonding over Beauty by Erika Katz
~Lizzie~

Today In History: Marie Antoinette and Madame Guillotine

2011-10-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

October 16 1793, France

Marie ...you are never far from my thoughts especially on this day. Two hundred and eighteen years ago today you faced the greatest of outcomes and your courage always has given me courage. Thank you for being my inspiration in my darkest hours.

I found it fitting that instead of re-posting the same historical great paintings of Marie that instead we go with the fantastic Vogue photo shoot for the Marie Antoinette movie.

"She faced death with absolute self control and dignity, and stepped gracefully, even with hands tied, to the scaffold".

Penguin Group Is In The Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness

2011-10-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

PENGUIN GROUP (USA) IS IN THE PINK FOR
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

It’s time to think pink to shrink cancer

What’s black and white and pink all over? The initiative by the Penguin Group (USA) called Read Pink™ in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This literary embrace of a life-saving cause last year resulted in nearly 400,000 best-selling romances shipped with Read Pink seals and information about the charity it supports – the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. In 2010 and 2011, some 12,000 floor displays also carried the Read Pink message. The result raised awareness for BCRF, the only cancer organization to receive A+ from the Institute for Philanthropy.

“We are delighted to be able to continue this initiative in support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation for a second time. We hope that awareness for the Foundation’s work will only grow by bringing more attention to this important cause,” said Leslie Gelbman, President of Mass Market Publishing, Penguin Group (USA). To mark the occasion, Penguin Group (USA) is again making a $25,000 donation to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is very grateful to be part of Penguin’s Read Pink program again this year,” said Myra J. Biblowit, President, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. “This visible initiative will certainly raise awareness about BCRF.”

The donation provides vital funds to support the mission of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. As Dr. Laura J. Esserman, director of the Carole Franc Buck Breast Cancer Center at the University of California at San Francisco said,. “[BCRF] awards support leaders in translational science and assume that they will be able to best dispense the funds. This is invaluable. Most grants require a year’s lead time before ideas can be funded. The BCRF funds allow you to plan ideas a few months ahead, and are flexible in support. The awards also come with the promise of continuity to explore new ideas as they arise. I also really appreciate the annual awards ceremony and the expression of thanks to the scientists. We don’t often get that and it really is rewarding and inspiring to see that people appreciate us, even if we don’t come up with all of the answers. It is an expression of thanks for the efforts we put forward to try to find answers.”

The novels chosen for Read Pink 2011 are eight bestselling mass market titles by some of Penguin Group (USA)’s most beloved female authors. Included this year are Nora Roberts, Catherine Anderson, Christina Dodd, Jillian Hunter, Lynn Kurland, Amanda Quick, Bertrice Small and Lauren Willig. More than 300,000 copies of the special editions will be printed featuring Read Pink seals on the covers. In addition, Penguin Group (USA) is including information in the back of each book in an effort to make readers aware of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and encourage them to become actively involved in supporting the organization.

For more details about the Read Pink initiative and to view a complete list of the participating retail outlets, please visit www.penguin.com/readpink.

About The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® was founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder as an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical and translational research. In October 2011, BCRF will award $36.5 million to 186 scientists across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and China. Currently, more than 90 cents of every dollar donated is directed to breast cancer research and awareness programs. With exceptionally low administrative costs, BCRF continues to be one of the most efficient organizations in the country. BCRF has received an“A+” from The American Institute of Philanthropy. For more information about BCRF, visit www.bcrfcure.org.

About Penguin Group (USA)
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Viking, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne, among others. The Penguin Group (www.penguin.com) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.
~Lizzie~

Mailbox Mondays

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Song of the Nile, Stephanie Dray

"Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra's daughter is the one woman with the power to destroy an empire...
Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land.
The magic of Isis flowing through her veins is what makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra's daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother's throne be more than she's willing to pay"?

Inkblot, Margaret Peot

"Inkblots aren't just for psychology... Just as Leonardo was inspired by the haphazard swirls in marble, and Victor Hugo dribbled coffee and wine on paper to create new imagery, noted artist, printmaker, and Broadway costume painter Margaret Peot takes inkblots to new creative heights with this stunning, hands-on celebration of their beauty and potential. She presents the many insights and techniques she has gained throughout her career from basic tips and information on paper and ink to advanced techniques for transforming inkblots into works of art".
~Lizzie~

HF Movies For October

2011-10-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Anonymous 10.28.2011

Three Musketeers 10.21.2011

~Lizzie~

Safe Blogging for Teens

2011-10-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

I came across this information at the library and could not pass up the chance to pass on some wonderful information not just for kids but for parents also. We live in a time where computers have become a weapon of sorts. A online place where teenagers can be viciously bullied to the brink of severe consequences. As a parent I feel that we have to take the initiative and really play a proactive role in our children's lives even if they are age 7 or 17. The biggest online misconception out there is that what you put on the web it NEVER fully goes away and in the age of Facebook our young adults can find themselves in a bit of a pickle for acting on impulse. If you are being bullied please go to an adult, either your parents, an aunt or uncle, grandparents, a teacher, the school lunch lady anyone you are comfortable with because really people do love you and just because one person or group pushes nothing but negative junk at you it does not mean that you are not important. Trust me take it from someone who has been there it gets better and at this point in your life nothing is forever not even the jerks that have to tear everyone down to make themselves feel better.

Safe Blogging tips for teens

Be anonymous. Avoid postings that could help a stranger to locate you. This includes your last name, address, phone numbers, sports teams, the town you live in, and where you hang out.

Protect your info. Check to see if your services has a "friends" list that allows you to decide who can visit your profile or blog. If so, allow only people you know and trust.

Avoid in-person meeting. Don't get together with someone you "meet" in a profile or blog unless you are certain of their actual identity. Talk it over with an adult first. Although it's still not risk-free, arrange any meetings in a public place and bring along some friends, your parents, or a trusted adult.

Think before you post. What's uploaded to the Net can be downloaded by anyone and passed around or posted online pretty much forever. Avoid posting photos that allow people to identify you, especially sexually suggestive images.

Check comments regularly. Don't respond to mean or embarrassing comments.

Be honest about your age. Membership rules are there to protect people. If you are too you to sign up, don't lie about your age.

Information courtesy of ALA American Library Association, Illinois Library Association and Myspace.com

Kids and parents for additional information on this topic:
Connect Safely
Get Net Wise
If you would also like a PDF of this information in a printable bookmark check out www.ila.org/netsafe
~Lizzie~

Hot HF Releases October

2011-10-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

"The chilling story of Lucrezia de Medici, duchess to Alfonso d'Este, His Last Duchess paints a portrait of a lonely young girl and her marriage to an inscrutable duke. Lucrezia longs for love, Alfonso desperately needs an heir, and in a true story of lust and dark decadence, the dramatic fireworks the marriage kindles threaten to destroy the duke's entire inheritance–and Lucrezia's future. His Last Duchess gorgeously brings to life the passions and people of sixteenth-century Tuscany and Ferrara".

10.1.2011
The Rose Garden, Susanna Kearsley

"Acclaimed author Susanna Kearsley's previous works have won the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award, and finaled for both the UK Romantic Novel of the Year and the RITA awards. Eva Ward is a modern woman thrown back three centuries to 1715 only to find that might be exactly where she belongs. There she finds true love with Daniel Butler, but the discord surrounding Hanoverian King George plunges the lovers into a world of intrigue, treason, and love".

10.1.2011
The Toll-Gate, Georgette Heyer

"His exploits were legendary... Captain John Staple, back from the battlefront, is already bored with his quiet civilian life in the country. When he stumbles upon a mystery involving a disappearing toll-gate keeper, nothing could keep the adventure-loving captain from investigating.
But winning her will be his greatest yet...
The plot thickens when John encounters the enigmatic Lady Nell Stornaway and soon learns that rescuing her from her unsavory relatives makes even the most ferocious cavalry charge look like a particularly tame hand of loo. Between hiding his true identity from Nell and the arrival in the neighborhood of some distinctly shady characters, Captain Staple finds himself embarked on the adventure-and romance-of a lifetime".

10.4.2011

"From the New York Times-bestselling novelist, a stunning story of a great medieval warrior-king, the accomplished and controversial son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Richard, Coeur de Lion. They were called "The Devil's Brood," though never to their faces. They were the four surviving sons of Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine. With two such extraordinary parents, much was expected of them.
But the eldest-charming yet mercurial-would turn on his father and, like his brother Geoffrey, meet an early death. When Henry died, Richard would take the throne and, almost immediately, set off for the Holy Land. This was the Third Crusade, and it would be characterized by internecine warfare among the Christians and extraordinary campaigns against the Saracens. And, back in England, by the conniving of Richard's youngest brother, John, to steal his crown.
In Lionheart, Sharon Kay Penman displays her remarkable mastery of historical detail and her acute understanding of human foibles. The result is a powerful story of intrigue, war, and- surprisingly-effective diplomacy, played out against the roiling conflicts of love and loyalty, passion and treachery, all set against the rich textures of the Holy Land".

"Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra's daughter is the one woman with the power to destroy an empire... Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land.
The magic of Isis flowing through her veins is what makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra's daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother's throne be more than she's willing to pay"?

"Mary Boleyn (c.1500-1543) was no less fascinating than her ill-fated queen consort sister Anne. In fact, her own claims to fame are numerous: She was not only an influential member of King Henry VIII's court circle; she was one of his mistresses and perhaps the mother of two of his children. In addition, the apparently prolific Mary was rumored to have been also a mistress of the King's rival, Francis I of France. Alison Weir's Mary Boleyn substantially redeems her subject's reputation by disputing her scandalous portrayal in Philippa Gregory's novel The Other Boleyn Girl. Our most detailed view yet of a power behind the throne".

"Descended from Melusina, the river goddess, Jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before Joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the English rulers of France. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream. Jacquetta is married to the Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, and he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.
The Woodvilles soon achieve a place at the very heart of the Lancaster court, though Jacquetta can sense the growing threat from the people of England and the danger of royal rivals. Not even their courage and loyalty can keep the House of Lancaster on the throne. Henry the king slides into a mysterious sleep; Margaret the queen turns to untrustworthy favorites for help; and Richard, Duke of York, threatens to overturn the whole kingdom for his rival dynasty.
Jacquetta fights for her king, her queen, and for her daughter Elizabeth for whom Jacquetta can sense an extraordinary and unexpected future: a change of fortune, the throne of England, and the white rose of York.
A sweeping, powerful story rich in passion and legend and drawing on years of research, The Lady of the Rivers tells the story of the real-life mother of the white queen".

10.11.2011
Versailles: A Private Invitation, Guillaume Picon

"Exquisite photography of one of France’s most significant historical landmarks. The largest château in the world still holds a thousand and one hidden secrets. While Versailles has been described in detail since the reign of Louis XIV, numerous apartments in the palace and their outbuildings are inaccessible to the public due to their fragility or state of preservation. From the most renowned rooms to the gardens, passing through the Trianon or the Queen’s hamlet, Versailles contains many extraordinary details, transformed according to the light or the shadow. Whether it’s Marie-Antoinette’s boudoir, the wings of the Queen’s theater, or even the Orangerie on a beautiful wintery day, these singular photographs reveal the many facets of Versailles and offer readers unprecedented access to this historical treasure".

10.11.2011
Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart, Laurel Ann Nattress

"Stories by: Lauren Willig • Adriana Trigiani • Jo Beverley • Alexandra Potter • Laurie Viera Rigler • Frank Delaney & Diane Meier • Syrie James • Stephanie Barron • Amanda Grange • Pamela Aidan • Elizabeth Aston • Carrie Bebris • Diana Birchall • Monica Fairview • Janet Mullany • Jane Odiwe • Beth Pattillo • Myretta Robens • Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway • Maya Slater • Margaret C. Sullivan • and the winner of a story contest hosted by the Republic of Pemberley website

“My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” If you just heaved a contented sigh at Mr. Darcy’s heartfelt words, then you, dear reader, are in good company. Here is a delightful collection of never-before-published stories inspired by Jane Austen—her novels, her life, her wit, her world.

In Lauren Willig’s “A Night at Northanger,” a young woman who doesn’t believe in ghosts meets a familiar specter at the infamous abbey; Jane Odiwe’s “Waiting” captures the exquisite uncertainty of Persuasion’s Wentworth and Anne as they await her family’s approval of their betrothal; Adriana Trigiani’s “Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane” imagines a modern-day Austen giving her niece advice upon her engagement; in Diana Birchall’s “Jane Austen’s Cat,” our beloved Jane tells her nieces “cat tales” based on her novels; Laurie Viera Rigler’s “Intolerable Stupidity” finds Mr. Darcy bringing charges against all the writers of Pride and Prejudice sequels, spin-offs, and retellings; in Janet Mullany’s “Jane Austen, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!” a teacher at an all-girls school invokes the Beatles to help her students understand Sense and Sensibility; and in Jo Beverley’s “Jane and the Mistletoe Kiss,” a widow doesn’t believe she’ll have a second chance at love . . . until a Miss Austen suggests otherwise.

Regency or contemporary, romantic or fantastical, each of these marvelous stories reaffirms the incomparable influence of one of history’s most cherished authors".

10.20.2011

The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc, Kimberly Cutter

"The girl who led an army, the peasant who crowned a king, the maid who became a legend It is the fifteenth century, and the tumultuous Hundred Years’ War rages on. France is under siege, English soldiers tear through the countryside destroying all who cross their path, and Charles VII, the uncrowned king, has neither the strength nor the will to rally his army. And in the quiet of her parents’ garden in Domrémy, a peasant girl sees a spangle of light and hears a powerful voice speak her name. Jehanne . The story of Jehanne d’Arc, the visionary and saint who believed she had been chosen by God, who led an army and saved her country, has captivated our imagination for centuries. But the story of Jehanne—the girl—whose sister was murdered by the English, who sought an escape from a violent father and a forced marriage, who taught herself to ride and fight, and who somehow found the courage and tenacity to persuade first one, then two, then thousands to follow her, is at once thrilling, unexpected, and heartbreaking. Rich with unspoken love and battlefield valor, The Maid is a novel about the power and uncertainty of faith, and the exhilarating and devastating consequences of fame".

"The astonishing life of a long-misunderstood Renaissance virago
Wife, mother, leader, warrior. Caterina Riario Sforza was one of the most prominent women in Renaissance Italy—and one of the most vilified. In this glittering biography, Elizabeth Lev reexamines her extraordinary life and accomplishments. Raised in the court of Milan and wed at age ten to the pope’s corrupt nephew, Caterina was ensnared in Italy’s political intrigues early in life. After turbulent years in Rome’s papal court, she moved to the Romagnol province of Forlì. Following her husband’s assassination, she ruled Italy’s crossroads with iron will, martial strength, political savvy—and an icon’s fashion sense. In finally losing her lands to the Borgia family, she put up a resistance that inspired all of Europe and set the stage for her progeny—including Cosimo de' Medici—to follow her example to greatness. A rich evocation the Renaissance, The Tigress of Forlì reveals Caterina Riario Sforza as a brilliant and fearless ruler, and a tragic but unbowed figure".

10.25.2011
Cavalier Queen, Fiona Mountain

"Epic historical novel about the lives and loves of Charles I's queen, Henrietta Maria. An English Gone With the Wind.It was Charles I's love for his Queen Henrietta Maria which plummeted England into the darkness of the Civil Wars, but it was the love and loyalty of another man that sustained her through days of betrayal, destitution and death.
Tall and brave, Harry Jermyn is captivated by the witty French princess, just fourteen years old when she sails with him to Dover, queen of a land she has never seen, of a people whose language she cannot speak, who despise her for her faith -- and wife of a king she has never met.

Charles grows to love her but rebellion and the threat of execution force her into exile and into the arms of Harry, who risks his life for her sake. Together they work for the royalist cause, pawning the crown jewels, securing men and arms
and returning to England to lead an army south.

As England is torn apart, Henrietta's heart is torn between the two men she loves, between duty and illicit passion. The subject of dangerous gossip and public scandal, she is powerless to calm the storm which will lead to tragedy".

10.25.2011
A Crimson Warning: A Novel of Suspense, Tasha Alexander

"Secrets prove deadly in this new novel from Tasha Alexander featuring Lady Emily Hargreaves. Some very prominent people in London are waking up to find their doorsteps smeared with red paint, the precursor to the revelation of a dark secret – and worse – by someone who enjoys destroying livesNewly returned to her home in Mayfair, Lady Emily Hargreaves is looking forward to enjoying the delights of the season. The delights, that is, as defined by her own eccentricities—reading The Aeneid, waltzing with her dashing husband, and joining the Women’s Liberal Federation in the early stages of its campaign to win the vote for women. But an audacious vandal disturbs the peace in the capital city, splashing red paint on the neat edifices of the homes of London’s elite. This mark, impossible to hide, presages the revelation of scandalous secrets, driving the hapless victims into disgrace, despair and even death. Soon, all of London high society is living in fear of learning who will be the next target, and Lady Emily and her husband, Colin, favorite agent of the crown, must uncover the identity and reveal the motives of the twisted mind behind it all before another innocent life is lost".

September 2011
The Queen's Bastard: A Novel of Elizabeth I and Arthur Dudley, Robin Maxwell Paperback
Lady of the English, Elizabeth Chadwick
The Queen's Gamble, Barbara Kyle
The Unknown Ajax, Georgette Heyer
Road from the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred, Rosanne E. Lortz
The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen, and the King's Mother, Philippa Gregory, Non-Fiction Release
Sunrise of Avalon: A Novel of Trystan & Isolde, Anna Elliott
The Traitor's Wife: A Novel, Kathleen Kent
History of Ancient Britain, Neil Oliver
The Favored Queen: A Novel of Henry VIII's Third Wife, Carolly Erickson

~Lizzie~

Upcoming Release:Salome: A Tragedy in One Act by Oscar Wilde, Joseph W. Donahue and Barry Moser

2011-10-02T22:26:00.000-07:00

Releasing October 10th, 2011
Hardcover: 104 pages
Publisher: Univ of Virginia Pr October 10, 2011
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0813931916
ISBN-13: 978-0813931913
This one caught my eye because i have heard that this one is one of the banned books. Of ourse there is no synopsis on Amazon or Goodreads. I did find this little bit of info on Wiki:

"Salome (or in French: Salomé) is a tragedy by Oscar Wilde. The original 1891 version of the play was in French. Three years later an English translation was published. The play tells in one act the Biblical story of Salome, stepdaughter of the tetrarch Herod Antipas, who, to her stepfather's dismay but to the delight of her mother Herodias, requests the head of Jokanaan (John the Baptist) on a silver platter as a reward for dancing the dance of the seven veils".
Amazon
Salome: A Tragedy in One Act by by Oscar Wilde, Joseph W. Donahue and Barry Moser
~Lizzie~

Mailbox Mondays

2011-09-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Heaven Tree Trilogy by Edith Pargeter
"British novelist Pargeter is better known as Edgar Award-winner Ellis Peters, creator of the popular Brother Cadfael mysteries and the Inspector Felse series. This reissue contains her early historical novels, long unavailable in U.S.: The Heaven Tree , The Green Branch and The Scarlet Seed . Written in 1960, 1962 and 1963, respectively, they are well plotted and proficiently detailed in their depictions of domesticity, history, architecture and warfare, but they may disappoint some Cadfael fans, for they lack the crisp, canny characterization and punchy action of Pargeter/Peters's craft at its most maturely honed. The setting of each is the raucous 13th century, when King John "Lackland" clashed with the Pope and the Welsh nobility. In The Heaven Tree , sensitive Harry Talvace's artistic vision drives him to design a great church on the Welsh/English border for imperious patron Ralf Isambard, but his compassionate impulses make him a misfit in harsh feudal society. Rivalry springs between Harry and Isambard over Madonna Benedetta, a statuesque, titian-haired ex-courtesan who lives with the lord but loves the artist. Isambard condemns her to die with Harry, but one of the intended victims escapes to resurface in The Green Branch , the trilogy's best read. Here, Harry's son grows up vowing to slay the hated Isambard and gets trapped in the villain's castle, while the Welsh subplot features an adulterous liaison and its brutal aftermath. The Scarlet Seed wraps up the action with revised relationships and gothic surprises. Although not quite up to the high standards of Pargeter's later work, these colorful narratives--which rousingly depict artistic, political and romantic passions--are nonetheless a treat for her fans".

Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion by Janet Mullany

"It is 1810, and the Damned are out of favor—banished from polite society. Jane Austen’s old undead friends have become new neighbors, raising hell in her tranquil village just in time to interrupt Jane’s work on what will be her masterpiece. Suddenly Jane’s niece is flirting dangerously with vampires, and a formerly respectable spinster friend has discovered the forbidden joys of intimate congress with the Damned (and is borrowing Jane’s precious silk stockings for her assignations). Writing is simply impossible now, with murderous creatures prowling the village’s once-peaceful lanes. And with the return of her vampire characteristics, a civil war looming between factions of the Damned, and a former lover who intends to spend eternity blaming her for his broken heart, Jane is facing a very busy year indeed".

Dracula In Love by Karen Essex
"This variation on Bram Stoker’s Dracula tells the story from Mina Murray Harker’s point of view. As a child, Wilhemina was given to strange dreams and sleepwalking, which so alarmed her parents that at age seven she was sent to a boarding school for young ladies to “learn to control herself and her urges.” And she did become a proper young lady, with a proper fiancé, a young solicitor named Jonathan Harker. But the bewildering dreams continue, and one summer, which she is spending in Yorkshire with her friend Lucy Westerna, she sees a mysterious shipwreck at Whitby. After that the dreams become more like memories, and a presence, which she cannot see, follows her. Essex, who has been praised for her historical novels, has drawn a detailed picture of England at the end of the nineteenth century, including some of the horrendous psychological practices introduced from Germany. Essex’s twist on Stoker’s plot is sufficiently original, and the quality of her writing makes this novel stand out among the vampire offerings".
~Lizzie~

The Lady of the Rivers Philippa Gregory US Book Tour

2011-09-22T23:47:00.000-07:00

In stores 10.18.2011

Book Tour Schedule
16th October - NEW YORK - New York Times 2011 Great Literary Conversation, The Times Centre, 11:00am. With Rita Mae Brown, Lee Child, and Sapphire.

17th October – NEW YORK – Landmark on Main Street with Port Washington Library, Jeanne Rimsky Theatre, 7:30pm

18th October – ATLANTA - Ivy Hall Writers Series with Savannah College of Art & Design, 6:30pm

20th October – MILWAUKEE - Shully’s High Tea at Shully’s Garden Pavillion with Next Chapter Bookshop, 2:00pm

23rd October - CHICAGO - Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College with Anderson’s Bookshop, 2:00pm

25th October – SAN FRANCISCO - Commonwealth Club of California, 6:00pm

26th October - SAN FRANCISCO - Diablo Country Club with Rakestraw Books, 7:00pm

27th October - SAN FRANCISCO - Osher Marin Jewish Community Center with Book Passage, 7:00pm

29th October - MADISON, CT - Polson Middle School with R.J. Julia, 4:00pm

30th October - ROCKLEIGH, NJ - Rockleigh Country Club with Books & Greetings, 10:00am

1st November - TORONTO - St. Barnabas Church with Indigo Books, 7:00pm
Information curtsey of PG Notice Board

"Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of nineteen she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her house-hold for love, and then carved out a life for herself as Queen Margaret of Anjou's close friend and a Lancaster supporter - until the day that her daughter Elizabeth Woodville fell in love and married the rival king Edward IV. Of all the little-known but important women of the period, her dramatic story is the most neglected. With her links to Melusina, and to the founder of the house of Luxembourg, together with her reputation for making magic, she is the most haunting of heroines".

For more on Philippa Gregory check out her site, her Facebook page, and Twitter.
Amazon: The Lady of the Rivers: A Novel (The Cousins' War)
~Lizzie~

Early Mailbox Monday

2011-09-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

Why Read Moby-Dick by Nathaniel Philbrick
"The New York Times bestselling author of seagoing epics now celebrates an American classic.

Moby-Dick is perhaps the greatest of the Great American Novels, yet its length and esoteric subject matter create an aura of difficulty that too often keeps readers at bay. Fortunately, one unabashed fan wants passionately to give Melville's masterpiece the broad contemporary audience it deserves. In his National Book Award- winning bestseller, In the Heart of the Sea, Nathaniel Philbrick captivatingly unpacked the story of the wreck of the whaleship Essex, the real-life incident that inspired Melville to write Moby- Dick. Now, he sets his sights on the fiction itself, offering a cabin master's tour of a spellbinding novel rich with adventure and history.

Philbrick skillfully navigates Melville's world and illuminates the book's humor and unforgettable characters-finding the thread that binds Ishmael and Ahab to our own time and, indeed, to all times. A perfect match between author and subject, Why Read Moby-Dick? gives us a renewed appreciation of both Melville and the proud seaman's town of Nantucket that Philbrick himself calls home. Like Alain de Botton's How Proust Can Change Your Life, this remarkable little book will start conversations, inspire arguments, and, best of all, bring a new wave of readers to a classic tale waiting to be discovered anew".
~Lizzie~

Want a Czech copy of The Boleyn Wife by Brandy Purdy?

2011-09-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

PURDYOVÁ BRANDY: PANÍ BOLEYNOVÁ(which translates into English as Ms. Boleyn)

Nesmělá a nehezká dvorní dáma Jane Parkerová se na dvoře krále Jindřicha VIII., plného lesku a intrik, necítí nejlépe - dokud nepotká hezkého George Boleyna. Je zcela naplněna štěstím, když s ním její otec dohodne sňatek, ale její radost naruší setkání s novou švagrovou Annou. George je plně oddaný pouze své sestře, ke své nevěstě je naopak chladný a lhostejný. Kolem Anny se začíná rozrůstat okruh obdivovatelů, mezi něž patří i král, a Janina zášť roste...

"If anyone would like a copy of the Czech edition of The Boleyn Wife they can have one for the cost of postage, US only, I am sorry to do it that way but I spend over $200 a year on postage sending out copies for reviews and giveaways. By charging for it I am not making anything it goes to postage and the few cents left over towards the padded envelope". For more information you can contact Brandy Purdy directly through her blog. She is also on Facebook.

Amazon

The Tudor Throne

The Boleyn Wife

The Confession of Piers Gaveston

Vengeance Is Mine: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, and Lady Rochford--the woman who helped destroy them both.

~Lizzie~

Lizzie's Rocker Girl

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

This one was a random one but thought I would share just for fun. This is what happens to when you listen to Aerosmith and paint.

With a editing filter.

With no editing

The whole picture with the same filter as above.

The original made completely in watercolor pencils.

Here is what started it all: Aerosmith Cryin'

~Lizzie~

9/11 Ten Years Later

2011-09-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

"Remember the HEROES and those who gave their lives on 9-11-01. We honor their memory on this day. NO terror, NO enemy, NO destruction...will control us, strike fear in us, break our will. We stand UNITED and STRONG today and every day"!

Feel FREE to post this image or add it to your site.

"Remember and honor the thousands of innocent men, women, and children murdered by terrorists in the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001. Recognize the endurance of those who survived the courage of those who risked their lives to save others, and the compassion of all who supported us in our darkest hours. May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized, and the spirit reawakened be eternal beacons, which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom, and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance. “Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “ REMEMBER | REFLECT | RENEW | MOURN | RESPECT | HONOR

Amazon
A Place of Remembrance: Official Book of the National September 11 Memorial (9/11 Memorial)
9/11 - The Filmmakers' Commemorative Edition
A Decade of Hope: Stories of Grief and Endurance from 9/11 Families and Friends
Messages: Signs, Visits, and Premonitions from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11
Remembering 9/11
The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (Official Edition)
Fahrenheit 9/11
9/11 Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes: NYC - The First Battle in the War Against Terror!
~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday

2011-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Lady of the Rivers: A Novel (The Cousins' War) Philippa Gregory

"Passion. Danger. Witchcraft . . .
The Lady of the Rivers is #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory’s remarkable story of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, a woman who navigated a treacherous path through the battle lines in the Wars of the Roses.

Descended from Melusina, the river goddess, Jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before Joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the English rulers of France. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream.

Jacquetta is married to the Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, and he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.

The Woodvilles soon achieve a place at the very heart of the Lancaster court, though Jacquetta can sense the growing threat from the people of England and the danger of royal rivals. Not even their courage and loyalty can keep the House of Lancaster on the throne. Henry the king slides into a mysterious sleep; Margaret the queen turns to untrustworthy favorites for help; and Richard, Duke of York, threatens to overturn the whole kingdom for his rival dynasty.

Jacquetta fights for her king, her queen, and for her daughter Elizabeth for whom Jacquetta can sense an extraordinary and unexpected future: a change of fortune, the throne of England, and the white rose of York.

A sweeping, powerful story rich in passion and legend and drawing on years of research, The Lady of the Rivers tells the story of the real-life mother of the white queen".

Renaissance (Abbeville Stylebooks), Tracy Elizabeth Cooper

"YA--This hand-sized guide begins with an overview of the Age of Exploration, then concentrates on Renaissance architecture and design. The insides and outsides of buildings and furnishings of palaces and apartments, villas and farmhouses, public buildings, churches, gardens, theaters, piazzas, and the ideal city are all given attention. The double-page format includes many well-annotated photographs and reproductions. The book has sufficient information for brief reports or can be used as a good beginning for a more comprehensive investigation".

~Lizzie~

HOT Historical Fiction September

2011-09-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

9.1.2011 Lady of the English, Elizabeth Chadwick
Two very different women are linked by destiny and the struggle for the English crown. Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is determined to win back her crown from Stephen, the usurper king. Adeliza, Henry's widowed queen and Matilda's stepmother, is now married to William D'Albini, a warrior of the opposition. Both women are strong and prepared to stand firm for what they know is right. But in a world where a man's word is law, how can Adeliza obey her husband while supporting Matilda, the rightful queen? And for Matilda pride comes before a fall ...What price for a crown? What does it cost to be 'Lady of the English'?

9.1.2011 The Queen's Gamble, Barbara Kyle
Young Queen Elizabeth I's path to the throne has been a perilous one, and already she faces a dangerous crisis. French troops have landed in Scotland to quell a rebel Protestant army, and Elizabeth fears once they are entrenched on the border, they will invade England.
Isabel Thornleigh has returned to London from the New World with her Spanish husband, Carlos Valverde, and their young son. Ever the queen's loyal servant, Isabel is recruited to smuggle money to the Scottish rebels. Yet Elizabeth's trust only goes so far—Isabel's son will be the queen's pampered hostage until she completes her mission. Matters grow worse when Isabel's husband is engaged as military advisor to the French, putting the couple on opposite sides in a deadly cold war.
Set against a lush, vibrant backdrop peopled with unforgettable characters and historical figures, The Queen's Gamble is a story of courage, greed, passion, and the high price of loyalty. . .

9.1.2011 The Unknown Ajax, Georgette Heyer
A Georgette Heyer Regency romance that takes a close look at the smuggling trade of the period, full of humor, and with a scene of family bonding and theatrics that readers will remember forever.
When a Yorkshire cousin becomes heir to the noble Darracott name and fortune, he pretends to be the country bumpkin they're all expecting. Then a family crisis thrusts Hugo into the role of an unlikely savior, and the family farce begins to unravel. But not before Hugo establishes himself as the undisputed head of the family, and his beautiful cousin Anthea discovers she's met her match.

9.2.2011 Road from the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred, Rosanne E. Lortz

You've heard of the Knights Templar, you've heard of Richard the Lionheart--now learn the story that started it all with the adventures of the First Crusade.

Haunted by guilt from the past and nightmares of the future, a young Norman named Tancred takes the cross and vows to be the first to free Jerusalem from the infidels. As he journeys to the Holy Land, he braves vast deserts, mortal famine, and the ever-present ambushes of the enemy Turks--but the greatest danger of all is deciding which of the Crusader lords to trust. A mysterious seer prophesies that Tancred will find great love and great sorrow on his journey, but the second seems intent on claiming him before he can find the first. Intrigues and passions grow as every battle brings the Crusaders one step closer to Jerusalem. Not all are destined to survive the perilous road from the West.

9.6.2011 The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen, and the King's Mother, Philippa Gregory, Non-Fiction Release
PHILIPPA GREGORY and her fellow historians describe the extraordinary lives of the heroines of her Cousins’ War books: Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford; Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV; and Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII.
In her essay on Jacquetta, Philippa Gregory uses original documents, archaeology, and histories of myth and witchcraft to create the first-ever biography of the young duchess who survived two reigns and two wars to become the first lady at two rival courts. David Baldwin, established authority on the Wars of the Roses, tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the first commoner to marry a king of England for love; and Michael Jones, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, writes of Margaret Beaufort, the almost-unknown matriarch of the House of Tudor.
In the introduction, Gregory writes revealingly about the differences between history and historical fiction. How much of a role does speculation play in writing each? How much fiction and how much fact should there be in a historical novel? How are female historians changing our view of women in history?
The Women of the Cousins’ War is beautifully illustrated with rare portraits and source materials. As well as offering fascinating insights into the inspirations behind Philippa Gregory’s fiction, it will appeal to all with an interest in this period.

9.13.2011 Sunrise of Avalon: A Novel of Trystan & Isolde, Anna Elliott
She is a healer, a storyteller, and a warrior. When Britain is faced with threats both old and new, the strength of her love may be the kingdom’s downfall . . . or salvation.
Their love has overcome endless obstacles. Never ones to shy away from danger, former High Queen Isolde and Trystan, a mercenary with a lonely and troubled past, have already endured a perilous journey to keep the underhanded Lord Marche from the throne of Britain. But now a new traitor lurks amongst the kings on Britain’s High Council—and just when they’ve realized the depth of their love for each other, a new danger calls Trystan from Isolde’s side to test the strength of their secret marriage vow. Only Isolde knows that she is carrying Trystan’s unborn child.
As Britain’s armies prepare for a final battle in which they will either turn back the tide of the invaders or see their kingdom utterly destroyed, Isolde must undertake yet another daring mission—one that will bring her even nearer to a secret that Trystan has kept for seven long years. As the clouds of war gather, Trystan and Isolde must once again fight to protect Britain’s throne. Together, they hold the key that can defeat the Saxon king, Octa of Kent, and Lord Marche. But the cost of Britain’s sovereignty may be their own forbidden love.
Based on the earliest written version of the Arthurian tales, Anna Elliott’s Sunrise of Avalon breathes new life into an age-old legend and brings the story of Trystan and Isolde to an unforgettable end.

9.26.2011 The Traitor's Wife: A Novel, Kathleen Kent

This novel was originally published under the title The Wolves of Andover.

In the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts, Martha Allen works as a servant in her cousin's household, taking charge and locking wills with everyone. Thomas Carrier labors for the family and is known both for his immense strength and size and his mysterious past. The two begin a courtship that suits their independent natures, with Thomas slowly revealing the story of the role he played in the English Civil War. But in the rugged new world they inhabit, danger is ever present, whether it be from the assassins sent from London to kill the executioner of Charles I or the wolves-in many forms-who hunt for blood. At once a love story and a tale of courage, The Traitor's Wife confirms Kathleen Kent's ability to craft powerful stories from the dramatic background of America's earliest days.

9.15.2011 History of Ancient Britain, Neil Oliver
Who were the first Britons, and what sort of world did they occupy? In A HISTORY OF ANCIENT BRITAIN Neil Oliver turns a spotlight on the very beginnings of the story of Britain; on the first people to occupy these islands and their battle for survival. There has been human habitation in Britain, regularly interrupted by Ice Ages, for the best part of a million years. The last retreat of the glaciers 12,000 years ago brought a new and warmer age and with it, one of the greatest tsunamis recorded on Earth which struck the north-east of Britain, devastating the population and flooding the low-lying plains of what is now the North Sea. The resulting island became, in time, home to a diverse range of cultures and peoples who have left behind them some of the most extraordinary and enigmatic monuments in the world. Through what is revealed by the artefacts of the past, Neil Oliver weaves the epic story - half -a-million years of human history up to the departure of the Roman Empire in the Fifth Century AD. It was a period which accounts for more than ninety-nine per cent of humankind's presence on these islands. It is the real story of Britain and of her people.

9.27.2011 The Favored Queen: A Novel of Henry VIII's Third Wife, Carolly Erickson

From The New York Times bestselling author of The Last Wife of Henry VIII comes a powerful and moving novel about Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII, who married him only days after the execution of Anne Boleyn and ultimately lost her own life in giving him the son he badly needed to guarantee the Tudor succession
Born into an ambitious noble family, young Jane Seymour is sent to Court as a Maid of Honor to Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s aging queen. She is devoted to her mistress and watches with empathy as the calculating Anne Boleyn contrives to supplant her as queen. Anne’s single-minded intriguing threatens all who stand in her way; she does not hesitate to arrange the murder of a woman who knows a secret so dark that, if revealed, would make it impossible for the king to marry Anne.

Once Anne becomes queen, no one at court is safe, and Jane herself becomes the victim of Anne’s venomous rage when she suspects Jane has become the object of the king’s lust. Henry, fearing that Anne’s inability to give him a son is a sign of divine wrath, asks Jane to become his next queen. Deeply reluctant to embark on such a dangerous course, Jane must choose between her heart and her loyalty to the king.

Acclaimed biographer and bestselling novelist Carolly Erickson weaves another of her irresistible historical entertainments about the queen who finally gave Henry VIII his longed for heir, set against the excitement and danger of the Tudor Court.
~Lizzie~

Today In History: Happy Birthday Elizabeth I

2011-09-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Elizabeth I aka "Gloriana". 478 years later and the people still love you. September 7th 1533 will always be your day.

"There is no marvel in a woman learning to speak, but there would be in teaching her to hold her tongue"
— Elizabeth I
~Lizzy~

Hot Historical Fiction Catch up: August

2011-09-05T06:00:00.001-07:00

8.1.2011 April Queen: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Douglas Boyd
"Recreating the turbulent life of one of the most exciting women in European medieval history, this biography reveals a peculiarly "modern" queen Eleanor of Aquitaine was the only person ever to sit on the thrones of both France and England. This account of the adventures of the extraordinary mother of Richard the Lionheart and King John takes us into the heart and mind of the woman who changed the shape of Europe for 300 years by marrying Henry of Anjou, making him England’s Henry II. Eleanor was a European with a continent-wide vision and a woman who rejected the subordinate female role decreed by the Church. Brought up in the comfort- and culture-loving Mediterranean civilization of southern France, she also refused to be a consenting victim of ethnic cleansing. Using French, Old French, Latin, and Occitan sources, this biography lays bare as never before Eleanor’s relationships and vividly brings to life the world she knew".

8.2.2011 In a Treacherous Court, Michelle Diener
An unconventional woman. A deadly enemy. A clash of intrigue, deception, and desire. . . . 1525: Artist Susanna Horenbout is sent from Belgium to be Henry VIII’s personal illuminator inside the royal palace. But her new homeland greets her with an attempt on her life, and the King’s most lethal courtier, John Parker, is charged with keeping her safe. As further attacks are made, Susanna and Parker realize that she unknowingly carries the key to a bloody plot against the throne. For while Richard de la Pole amasses troops in France for a Yorkist invasion, a traitor prepares to trample the kingdom from within.Who is the mastermind? Why are men vying to kill the woman Parker protects with his life? With a motley gang of urchins, Susanna’s wits, and Parker’s fierce instincts, honed on the streets and in palace chambers, the two slash through deadly layers of deceit in a race against time. For in the court of Henry VIII, secrets are the last to die. . . .Brilliantly revealing a little-known historical figure who lived among the Tudors, Michelle Diener makes a smashing historical fiction debut.

8.2.2011 Three Maids for a Crown: A Novel of the Grey Sisters, Ella March Chase
In the second novel from Ella March Chase, we meet sixteen-year-old Jane Grey, a quiet and obedient young lady destined to become the shortest reigning English monarch. Her beautiful middle sister Katherine Grey charms all the right people--until loyalties shift. And finally Lady Mary Grey, a dwarf with a twisted spine whose goal is simply to protect people she loves--but at a terrible cost.

In an age in which begetting sons was all that mattered and queens rose and fell on the sex of their child, these three girls with royal Tudor blood lived under the dangerous whims of parents with a passion for gambling. The stakes they would wager: their daughters' lives against rampant ambition.

8.2.2011 The Wild Rose, Jennifer Donnelly
The vast multi-generational epic that began with The Tea Rose and continued with The Winter Rose now reaches its dramatic conclusion in The Wild Rose.

London, 1914. World War I is looming on the horizon, women are fighting for the right to vote, and global explorers are pushing the limits of endurance at the Poles and in the deserts. Into this volatile time, Jennifer Donnelly places her vivid and memorable characters:

- Willa Alden, a passionate mountain climber who lost her leg while climbing Kilimanjaro with Seamus Finnegan, and who will never forgive him for saving her life.
- Seamus Finnegan, a polar explorer who tries to forget Willa as he marries a beautiful young woman back home in England.
- Max von Brandt, a handsome sophisticate who courts high society women, but who has a secret agenda as a German spy;
- and many others.

8.9.2011 To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, Sandra Byrd
To Die For, is the story of Meg Wyatt, pledged forever as the best friend to Anne Boleyn since their childhoods on neighboring manors in Kent. When Anne’s star begins to ascend, of course she takes her best friend Meg along for the ride. Life in the court of Henry VIII is thrilling at first, but as Anne’s favor rises and falls, so does Meg’s. And though she’s pledged her loyalty to Anne no matter what the test, Meg just might lose her greatest love—and her own life—because of it.
Meg's childhood flirtation with a boy on a neighboring estate turns to true love early on. When he is called to follow the Lord and be a priest she turns her back on both the man and his God. Slowly, though, both woo her back through the heady times of the English reformation. In the midst of it, Meg finds her place in history, her own calling to the Lord that she must follow, too, with consequences of her own. Each character in the book is tested to figure out what love really means, and what, in this life, is worth dying for.
Though much of Meg’s story is fictionalized, it is drawn from known facts. The Wyatt family and the Boleyn family were neighbors and friends, and perhaps even distant cousins. Meg’s brother, Thomas Wyatt, wooed Anne Boleyn and ultimately came very close to the axe blade for it. Two Wyatt sisters attended Anne at her death, and at her death, she gave one of them her jeweled prayer book—Meg.

8.9.2011 Mummies, Cannibals and Vampires: the History of Corpse Medicine from the Renaissance to the Victorians, Richard Sugg
Mummies, Cannibals and Vampires charts in vivid detail the largely forgotten history of European corpse medicine, when kings, ladies, gentlemen, priests and scientists prescribed, swallowed or wore human blood, flesh, bone, fat, brains and skin against epilepsy, bruising, wounds, sores, plague, cancer, gout and depression.
One thing we are rarely taught at school is this: James I refused corpse medicine; Charles II made his own corpse medicine; and Charles I was made into corpse medicine. Ranging from the execution scaffolds of Germany and Scandinavia, through the courts and laboratories of Italy, France and Britain, to the battlefields of Holland and Ireland, and on to the tribal man-eating of the Americas, Mummies, Cannibals and Vampires argues that the real cannibals were in fact the Europeans. Medicinal cannibalism utilised the formidable weight of European science, publishing, trade networks and educated theory. For many, it was also an emphatically Christian phenomenon. And, whilst corpse medicine has sometimes been presented as a medieval therapy, it was at its height during the social and scientific revolutions of early-modern Britain. It survived well into the eighteenth century, and amongst the poor it lingered stubbornly on into the time of Queen Victoria. This innovative book brings to life a little known and often disturbing part of human history.

8.10.2011 Becoming Marie Antoinette: A Novel, Juliet Grey
This enthralling confection of a novel, the first in a new trilogy, follows the transformation of a coddled Austrian archduchess into the reckless, powerful, beautiful queen Marie Antoinette.

Why must it be me? I wondered. When I am so clearly inadequate to my destiny?

Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother’s political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.

Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become queen.

Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries, lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels, Becoming Marie Antoinette will utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike.

~Lizzie~

Today In History: Loosing Robert Dudley

2011-09-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sept 4th 1588 Robert Dudley left this life for the after life. Anyone who knows me knows that Robert is by far one of my favorite historical people besides Charles II. Why you ask? He was romantic and a bad boy all rolled into one. He loved his Queen Elizabeth I like no one else could and he even suffered with her before she was queen when no one else could help them. Their story is so tragic and maybe in another life they would have been together the way fate wanted them to be. Alas what is meant to be is meant to be and Elizabeth was meant to be not just any queen but Glorianna herself. When Robert died Elizabeth was not with him. She was devastated when she received his last letter to her. She did not come out of her room for days.

Dudley always "remained at the centre of [Elizabeth's] emotional life", as historian Susan Doran has described the situation. He died shortly after the Spain's Armada was defeated, and after Elizabeth's own death, a note from him was found among her most personal belongings, marked "his last letter" in her handwriting.

This video I found on YouTube of a British TV Series that I think aired some years back. Either way this really reminds me of Robert and what today we would call his "swagger". Here is the shows info BBC The Virgin Queen

Amazon
A Favorite of the Queen: The Story of Lord Robert Dudley and Elizabeth I (A Novel of the Tudors)
The Uncrowned Kings of England: The Black History of the Dudleys and the Tudor Throne
The Queen's Bastard: A Novel of Elizabeth I and Arthur Dudley
~Lizzie~

Book Review: The Tudor Throne by Brandy Purdy and Giveaway

2011-09-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

It was raunchy, sexy, and downright wild in all the right places, man I love the Tudors. Brandy Purdy really is coming in to her groove with The Tudor Throne here. Some readers however might not be able to overlook things like complete historical accuracy. If complete historical accuracy is a must in your readings then Brandy Purdy is just not the author for you. Purdy’s novels fall for me into this new type of genre being thrown around in the book world called “historical entertainment”. I feel that in that area of historical fiction authors take more liberties with the actual historical events. A prime very popular example is Carolly Erickson which I enjoyed her novels also. Brandy does take liberties yet I still felt I was left with a feeling that the novel was well written, and since I have read every spin on the Tudors I could ever shake a stick at, I admit I like a wild off the wall pure fun read every once in a while.

In the Tudor throne the novel is split between the two fractions. One part of the novel is Elizabeth I and the other Elizabeth’s oldest half sister Mary I. In the beginning of the novel readers follow sweet Mary as she goes from the doted on princess “marigold” of the Tudor court to the banished bastard of the unwanted wife Catherine of Aragon. Mary became a sad soul and one shining light in her life became her baby sister. Their relationship had its ups and its downs and even as Mary later regained the Tudor throne for catholic fraction she still failed to gain the people of England’s love. She always was so bleak even in the few glory moments she had because next to the future Elizabeth I, Mary would always be as dull as an old penny next to a shining dime like Elizabeth.

Elizabeth also loved her older sister even though she suffered real hardship for her ties to Mary. Mary did love her but that does not mean that she trusted her completely. They were of course of two different faiths Elizabeth the church of England and Mary a diehard Catholic. It was the same turmoil with her younger brother Edward and when Edward became king Mary had many problems with the path her brother chose. It drove a wedge between the siblings and when Henry VIII died it would cause problems for the years to come. Elizabeth was sent to live with her father’s last wife Catherine Parr after his passing. Catherine was beautiful, educated and still so young that she surprised her step daughter with a fly by night marriage to Thomas Seymour. Naughty Thomas Seymour would touch Elizabeth like no other and one of the biggest dangers of being around the Tudors is keeping your head even if the other Tudor was your own sister.

⅘ I think Brandy really impressed me this time around. I was extremely entertained with this novel but did not find it line crossing or to outlandish. I enjoyed “The Boleyn Wife” with its creepy Anne Boleyn ghost but I feel The Tudor Throne is done in a much better form. I have a feeling that Brandy’s next novel is going to be even better. I feel that this one was a bit wilder but...it still had the perfect mix of lust and history that was still very somewhat believable. I would love to recommend this novel to readers who have enjoyed authors like Carolly Erickson previously because if complete historical accuracy is a must then Prudy is be a no fly zone for you.

FTC~this novel was sent to me by the publisher for review. I do not get paid for my reviews.
R-Rating for graphic sexual references.

The Giveaway

The giveaway is for one finished paperback copy. Giveaway ends September 11th 2011 at midnight west coast time. The giveaway is for one autographed copy and open to US Only
For 1 entry enter your name and email
For 2 entries be a follower and say so in the form
For 3 entries share this and add a real link to where you shared it.

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Amazon
The Tudor Throne
The Boleyn Wife
The Confession of Piers Gaveston
Vengeance Is Mine: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, and Lady Rochford--the woman who helped destroy them both.
~Lizzie~

THREE MAIDS FOR A CROWN Author Ella March Chase: IN THE SHADOW OF THE AXE THE SISTERS OF LADY JANE GREY

2011-09-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

"In the second novel from Ella March Chase, we meet sixteen-year-old Jane Grey, a quiet and obedient young lady destined to become the shortest reigning English monarch. Her beautiful middle sister Katherine Grey charms all the right people—until loyalties shift. And finally Lady Mary Grey, a dwarf with a twisted spine whose goal is simply to protect people she loves—but at a terrible cost.

In an age in which begetting sons was all that mattered and queens rose and fell on the sex of their child, these three girls with royal Tudor blood lived under the dangerous whims of parents with a passion for gambling. The stakes they would wager: their daughters' lives against rampant ambition".

In stores as of August 2nd 2011, check it out on Amazon: Three Maids for a Crown: A Novel of the Grey Sisters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IN THE SHADOW OF THE AXE:

THE SISTERS OF LADY JANE GREY by Ella March Chase

“Lady Jane Grey had sisters and one of them was a dwarf!” I don’t even think I bothered to say ‘hello’ when I called my critique partner, Susan Carroll, with the news. Susan is used to calls like this. We still laugh over the story of the time I called her at midnight to tell her that when Charles II was a boy he took a stick of wood to bed with him like a binkie. If researching is a forest, I’m the kid that’s always wandering off of the path chasing a pretty butterfly (or a grisly one, in some cases. It is Tudor England!)

In my defense, I was ‘on task’ when I discovered my beloved Grey sisters. While researching Queen Elizabeth’s ladies for my first historical novel, The Virgin Queen’s Daughter, I stumbled across the delicious historical tidbit that Katherine and Mary Grey served as Queen Elizabeth’s Maids of Honor. Even more interesting: Elizabeth hated them-- understandable since the Greys tried to knock Elizabeth and Queen Mary out of the succession. But the Grey sisters had even more drama to offer: In the years prior to Elizabeth mounting the throne, Katherine and Mary Grey waited on ‘Bloody Mary’. The whole time Lady Jane was imprisoned in the Tower of London, all through Jane’s trial and after she was condemned Lady Katherine Grey was serving as a Lady of the Bedchamber, attending to Queen Mary’s most intimate needs. As England’s outrage over the queen’s proposed marriage to Philip of Spain grew, Katherine would have witnessed the unrest. She was attending Queen Mary during the Wyatt rebellion and could hear the cannon fire of the rebel army across the Thames in Southwark. Queen Mary’s household knew the Grey sisters’ father was involved in the plot. Imagine what it would have been like to be trapped behind palace walls at the mercy of the Queen your father is determined to overthrow.

Lady Jane Grey Preparing for Execution by George Whiting Flagg

Once the rebels were defeated Katherine and Mary had to know that monarchs could not afford to be merciful when it came to threats to the crown. Look what happened to the de la Poles and the Plantagenet princes in the tower. Katherine and Mary Grey must have expected they would share Jane’s fate. I couldn’t stop wondering: What would it have been like to wait upon the woman who had your innocent, sixteen year old sister beheaded? What would it have been like to live under the stigma of a father who died a traitor? How did their experiences mold them? All three Grey sisters showed courage when it counted most. All three took hold of the reins of their own destinies in the end—even the ill-fated Jane.

Lady Catherine Grey

What I discovered about these three sisters captured my imagination and my heart. The question I hear most often since the release of Three Maids for a Crown is why do we hear so little about Katherine Grey and almost nothing at all about ‘Crouchback Mary’? My guess is that Jane’s story is so tragic writers can’t resist focusing on it: a studious girl used by ambitious parents then left to suffer the consequences of their treachery. Her execution seems like such a natural ending for a book. Yet that only gives us one perspective. I wanted to explore what living through such traumatic events might have been like for all three sisters, how circumstances beyond their control affected their relationships and future decisions. Jane was a brilliant scholar, serious and religious. Katherine Grey charmed everyone she met. A noted beauty, she was frustrated by the fact that her devout sister shunned court pleasures. During Elizabeth Tudor’s reign many foreign powers believed Katherine Grey had a better claim to the crown than Anne Boleyn’s bastard. (Henry VIII himself had declared both his daughters illegitimate). In her time at court Katherine would risk everything for love and commit a sin so grave Elizabeth would never forgive her for it. Commit that sin not once, but twice.

Lady Mary Grey

Lady Mary Grey, the all but forgotten sister, intrigued me most of all. What must it have been like to be of royal blood, yet an outcast because of her deformity? How did Mary feel about living in the households of her royal Tudor cousins? Considering what befell her sisters, how did Mary Grey ever have the courage to seize a love story of her own?

Perhaps it was fate that led me to these three women from another time when I needed them most. In a time of great personal upheaval—both dark and bright-- their courage and determination to stay true to their own inner compass inspired me, encouraged me. The lessons they taught: To grasp every drop of happiness that you can and never take love for granted. Especially the love of your siblings. They are your first friends, your first rivals. They know your faults, share your history, know you in ways no one else ever can. In the best of times and the worst of times that love is one of the forces that will carry you through storms to the other side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more on Ella March Chase check out her website.

Thank you Ella for the lovely guest post on the three Grey sisters. I encourage Tudor lovers out there to check out this amazing novel and explore a new prospective on the Tudor court of England.
Amazon

Mailbox Monday

2011-08-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

The September Queen Gillian Bagwell

"Charles II is running for his life-and into the arms of a woman who will risk all for king and country.
Jane Lane is of marrying age, but she longs for adventure. She has pushed every potential suitor away-even those who could provide everything for her. Then one day, adventure makes its way to her doorstep, and with it comes mortal danger...
Royalists fighting to restore the crown to King Charles II implore Jane to help. Jane must transport him to safety, disguised as a manservant. As she places herself in harm's way, she finds herself falling in love with the gallant young Charles. And despite his reputation as a breaker of hearts, Jane finds herself surrendering to a passion that will change her life forever".

Eve: A Novel Elissa Elliott

"Elliott reimagines the story of Adam and Eve in a debut novel that richly evokes earliest biblical times. The story is told from the points of view of Eve and her daughters: Naava, the beautiful weaver; Aya, the quick-witted, club-footed cook; and Dara, the compassionate observant twin. Eve recounts the fall and how she and Adam wander until settling down to grow crops, raise livestock and start a garden of their own. Elliott offers readers vivid details about the first childbirth, the first intercourse, the first recriminations, the first environmental calamity and the first hunt, but the novel really comes alive when it departs from lushly imagined retelling and thrusts the family into unfamiliar territory when the brood encounters a city and city people. Elliott is at her imaginative and linguistic best describing city life, customs and architecture, building tension as Naava falls for a prince, fueling Cain's wrath. Elliott makes biblical fiction her own with a female perspective that emphasizes emotional turmoil, sensual experience and an impressive range of imagery that brings to life daily life in the beginning".

The Illuminated Language of Flowers: Over 700 Flowers and Plants Listed Alphabetically With Their Meanings Kate Greenaway

"Charming reproduction of rare volume by famed 19th-century illustrator includes abundantly illustrated list of over 200 plants and their figurative equivalents: tulip = fame, blue violet = faithfulness, etc. Selection of flower-related verses, including "To a Mountain Daisy" by Robert Burns, appears at back of book. 85 full-color illustrations. Contains alphabetical lists of flowers and the meanings associated with them. A very nice reprint copy of the 1884 edition".

~Lizzy~

Cover Alert: "By the King's Design" by Christine Trent

2011-08-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Christine Trent author of By the King's Design, coming January 31, 2012. Available for pre-sale at your favorite online bookstore. Titles on sale now: The Queen's Dollmaker, A Royal Likeness
Like Christine's novels? Check out her Facebook page: Christine Trent on Facebook

"Strong-willed Annabelle Stirling is more than capable of running the family draper shop after the untimely death of her parents. Under her father's tutelage, she became a talented cloth merchant, while her brother Wesley, the true heir, was busy philandering about Yorkshire. Knowing she must change with the times to survive, Belle installs new machinery that finishes twice the fabric in half the time it takes by hand. But not everyone is so enthusiastic.

Soon, riled up by Belle's competitors, the outmoded workers seek violent revenge. Her shop destroyed, Belle travels to London to seek redress from Parliament. While there, the Prince Regent, future King George IV, commissions her to provide fabrics for his Royal Pavilion. As Belle's renown spreads, she meets handsome cabinetmaker Putnam Boyce, but worries that marriage will mean sacrificing her now flourishing shop. And after Wesley plots to kidnap the newly-crowned King-whose indiscretions are surfacing-she finds herself entangled in a duplicitous world of shifting allegiances.

Painting a vivid portrait of life in the British Regency, Christine Trent spins a harrowing tale of ambition, vengeance, love, and complex loyalties against the dynamic backdrop of the early Industrial Revolution".

Amazon
The Queen's Dollmaker
A Royal Likeness
By the King's Design
~Lizzy~

Giveaway TO DIE FOR by Sandra Byrd

2011-08-22T06:00:00.001-07:00

To Die for by Sandra Byrd
"What would you sacrifice for your best friend? Would you die for her?

Meg Wyatt has been Anne Boleyn's closest friend ever since they grew up together on neighboring manors in Kent. So when twenty-five-year-old Anne's star begins to ascend, of course she takes Meg along for the ride.

Life in the court of Henry VIII is thrilling...at first. Meg is made mistress of Anne's wardrobe, and she enjoys the spoils of this privileged orbit and uses her influence for good. She is young and beautiful and in favor; everyone at court assumes that being close to her is being close to Anne.

But favor is fickle and envy is often laced with venom. As Anne falls, so does Meg, and it becomes nearly impossible for her to discern ally from enemy. Suddenly life's unwelcome surprises rub against court's sheen to reveal the tarnished brass of false affections and the bona fide gold of those are true. Both Anne and Meg may lose everything. When your best friend is married to fearsome Henry VIII, you may soon find yourself not only friendless but headless as well.

A rich alchemy of fact and fiction, To Die For chronicles the glittering court life, the sweeping romance, and the heartbreaking fall from grace of a forsaken queen and Meg, her closest companion, who was forgotten by the ages but who is destined to live on in our hearts forever"

More on the Tour,
Tour schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.blogspot.com/2011/07/virtual-book-tour-to-die-for-by-sandra.html
Author Website/Ladies in Waiting Web Page: http://www.sandrabyrd.com/adults-ladies-waiting.php
Sandra Byrd's Blog: http://sandrabyrd.com/blog/
Sandra Byrd's FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/sandrabyrdwrites
HF VIRTUAL TOURS on Twitter #ToDieForVirtualBookTour

The Giveaway,

The giveaway is for one finished paperback copy. Giveaway ends August 29th 2011 at midnight west coast time. The giveaway is for one copy and open to US, CAN, UK, AUS NZ.

For 1 entry enter your name and email

For 2 entries be a follower and say so in the form

For 3 entries share this and add a real link to where you shared it.

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Amazon
To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn
Piece de Resistance: A Novel
~Lizzy~

Giveaway THREE MAIDS FOR A CROWN by Ella March Chase

2011-08-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

"In the second novel from Ella March Chase, we meet sixteen-year-old Jane Grey, a quiet and obedient young lady destined to become the shortest reigning English monarch. Her beautiful middle sister Katherine Grey charms all the right people—until loyalties shift. And finally Lady Mary Grey, a dwarf with a twisted spine whose goal is simply to protect people she loves—but at a terrible cost.

In an age in which begetting sons was all that mattered and queens rose and fell on the sex of their child, these three girls with royal Tudor blood lived under the dangerous whims of parents with a passion for gambling. The stakes they would wager: their daughters' lives against rampant ambition".

Amazon
Three Maids for a Crown: A Novel of the Grey Sisters
The Virgin Queen's Daughter: A Novel

The giveaway is for THREE copies. This one is only open to the US. Giveaway ends August 26th 2011 at midnight west coast time.

For 1 entry enter your name and email
For 2 entries be a follower and say so in the form
For 3 entries share this and add a real link to where you shared it.

Happy Birthday Napoleon and Lizzy! Cool Free Graphic's to celebrate

2011-08-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

Happy birthday Napoleon Bonaparte! Today is a special day for me too. It is my 30th birthday. I know young but not young. Life this year has had so many changes for me I am not sure how I really feel about it. Number one I accomplished and have stuck with my goal of living smoke free. I officially became unemployed at the beginning of the year. One of my biggest hardships this year was losing my 15 year old dog this year. It still brings me to tears. I can honestly say I will be glad when this year is completely gone because even through it had its good moments it also has had its very bad moments. My ray of sunshine has been my blog and I am so thankful to have this wonderful circle of friends here that really have been there for me in some hard times. Thank you for everything you mean the world to me!!!!!

As a real thank you to all of you I made these adorable graphics that are FREE to use for anything!!!! Anyone can have it, post it on your site, post it on facebook, share it on Twitter do whatever pleases you and once again THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU! Be sure to check out the bottom of this post for some more on Napoleon Bonaparte. Please keep in mind that the Napoleon Quote card graphic below is exclusive to historically obsessed.

FREE for Everyone!

"Name at birth: Napoleon Buonaparte Born august 15th 1769

Not for use, exclusive to Historically Obsessed

Napoleon is the most charismatic general in French history, famed for his military successes and (at the same time) for not quite conquering Europe. Starting as a second lieutenant in the French artillery, he rose quickly through the ranks until he staged a 1799 coup that made him First Consul of France. (In 1804 he went further, proclaiming himself emperor.) He led his armies to victory after victory, and by 1807 France ruled territory that stretched from Portugal to Italy and north to the river Elbe. But Napoleon's attempts to conquer the rest of Europe failed; a defeat in Moscow in 1812 nearly destroyed his empire, and in 1814 he was deposed and exiled to the island of Elba. The next year he returned to Paris and again seized power, but this success was short-lived: the French army's 1815 loss to the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo finished Napoleon for good. He was sent into exile on the island of St. Helena, where he died in 1821. His body was returned to Paris in 1840, and his tomb there remains a popular attraction.

Extra credit: Napoleon was short enough that early in his military career he was nicknamed "The Little Corporal." According to Napoleon.org, at his death he was 1.68 meters tall, or about 5'6"... Napoleon died of an unidentified ailment, possibly stomach cancer; because traces of arsenic were later found in his remains, some have suggested he may have been fatally poisoned.." ~Lizzy~

Sourcebooks Celebrates Georgette Heyer's Birthday!

2011-08-13T06:00:00.001-07:00

"Tuesday, August 16 would have been Georgette Heyer’s 109th birthday. In honor of this most beloved author, who many call the Queen of Regency Romance, Sourcebooks is discounting EVERY SINGLE one of the eBooks we currently have available to $1.99 for one week, getting Heyer’s Birthday Party started a day early on August 15!

That’s 46 books by Georgette Heyer, plus the fabulous reader companion, Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester, available for $1.99 from August 15-August 21.

Below is the full list of titles, separated by category: regency romance, mystery, historical fiction and non-fiction. The eBooks will be available through Sourcebooks.com and major eBook retailers (and please give them some extra time if prices aren’t adjusted right away on Monday—this is a long list and a lot of data to update J). I wanted to let you know about this fabulous deal a little bit early but on Monday August 15th it will all kick off".

We’re looking forward to Monday, August 15 when our Heyer celebration begins! Enjoy!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MS. HEYER!
eBooks Available for $1.99
August 15-August 21, 2011
Heyer’s Birthday: August 16, 2011

REGENCY ROMANCE
1. Arabella
2. Bath Tangle
3. Beauvallet
4. The Black Moth
5. Black Sheep
6. Charity Girl
7. The Convenient Marriage
8. The Corinthian
9. Cotillion
10. Cousin Kate
11. Devil’s Cub
12. False Colours
13. Faro’s Daughter
14. The Foundling
15. Frederica
16. Friday’s Child
17. The Grand Sophy
18. Lady of Quality
19. The Masqueraders
20. The Nonesuch
21. Powder and Patch
22. The Quiet Gentleman
23. Regency Buck
24. The Reluctant Widow
25. Sylvester
26. The Talisman Ring
27. These Old Shades
28. Venetia
MYSTERY
29. Behold, Here’s Poison
30. A Blunt Instrument
31. Death in the Stocks
32. Detection Unlimited
33. Duplicate Death
34. Envious Casca
35. Footsteps in the Dark
36. No Wind of Blame
37. Penhallow
38. They Found Him Dead
39. Unfinished Clue
40. Why Shoot a Butler?
HISTORICAL FICTION
41. The Conqueror
42. An Infamous Army
43. My Lord John
44. Royal Escape
45. Simon the Coldheart
46. Spanish Bride
NON-FICTION
47. Georgette Heyer's Regency World
~Lizzy~

Eileen Clymer Schwab on SHADOW OF A QUARTER MOON and Giveaway!

2011-08-09T06:00:00.001-07:00

"Eileen Clymer Schwab’s captivating novel of pre-Civil War southern plantation life, Shadow of a Quarter Moon (NAL Trade Paperback Original; July 2011; 978-0451233288; $15.00), is highly researched and captures a turbulent time in the South with pitch-perfect accuracy.

In1839 North Carolina, Jacy has been raised in privilege as the daughter of a plantation owner. But when her father suddenly dies, her cold, unfeeling mother, Claudia, schemes to marry Jacy off to a well-positioned but lecherous suitor. In a fit of fury over Jacy’s protests, Claudia calls her a “foolish, infernal quadroon”—and reveals that Jacy is the offspring of a dalliance between her father and a slave. Furthermore, her biological mother and brother are still slaves on the plantation. After these revelations, Jacy’s sense of who she is and where she belongs in the world is destroyed and, starts to see herself and the South with fresh eyes.

Inspired by the countless stories of courageous people who risked their lives to find freedom on the Underground Railroad, Eileen Clymer Schwab’s Shadow of a Quarter Moon brings to life their harrowing journey and tales of heroism. Please let me know if you’d like a review copy of the book or to schedule a guest post or Q&A with Eileen Clymer Schwab".

Please welcome author Eileen Clymer Schwab to Historically Obsessed with a guest post today on her latest release Shadow of a Quarter Moon which hit bookstores everywhere July 5, 2011. Eileen has also graciously offered up an exciting giveaway of an autographed copy of Shadow of a Quarter Moon. With out further delay please take it away Eileen.

"Imagine fleeing the only home you know, alone, with nothing but the clothes on your back. Without shoes or a map, you tread through murky nights along landscape you have never seen. You have no idea where you are going or where you will end up, yet what you are escaping makes the treacherous journey the lesser hell. In the 1800’s the secret network of escape known as the Underground Railroad was the perfect example of the best of America in the worst of America, and it serves as a vehicle of transformation for the main character in my novel, Shadow of a Quarter Moon.

Early in the book, an unimaginable secret changes the course of Jacy Lane’s life; not once, but twice. First, when it is hidden from her, and then when it is revealed. As the daughter of a plantation owner, Jacy has been raised in privilege until she discovers that she is the offspring of a dalliance between her father and a slave. Amid the shock and complexities of her mixed heritage, Jacy is simply a woman longing for love, happiness, and a sense of wholeness; however the 1800s are not a simple time and Jacy begins a treacherous journey of denial and self-discovery that is fraught with danger and life-altering choices. She soon discovers that what she chases is as elusive as the secret network she hopes can save them.

Writing a novel against an historic backdrop requires a great deal of research. For me, research is a process of discovery – not just of historical facts, but of tendencies, beliefs, undertones, and nuances of the time. Through this process I become better acquainted with my characters and the world around them. I wanted to touch and see as much as I could, beginning at the library, as well as visiting places like the Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati and other historic sites found within our National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. So often the surprises discovered in research shift plotlines or shape characters in unexpected ways. For example, while doing some research in North Carolina, I came across Dismal Swamp. As a writer, I could not overlook a name so vivid and descriptive, and I knew it would be mentioned in my story. At the time, I had no idea that the bleak sounding region was so rich and storied in Underground Railroad history, or that it would play such a significant role in my novel.

My ability to breathe life into the characters of SHADOW OF A QUARTER MOON and my previous novel, PROMISE BRIDGE was aided by the voices I “heard” while reading the Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project of 1936-38. During FDR’s New Deal, the Works Progress Administration sent writers out to find and chronicle the thoughts and memories of former slaves, many of whom were well into their eighties and nineties. The narratives are an important piece of history that can never fade away with the passing of time. Some of the dialect and phrasing found in the narratives gives credible voice to my characters. The research phase was lengthy and often appalling. Yet, at other times, it was awe-inspiring.

As an author, I am inspired by the strength and courage of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. It was an honor to look back and give voice to a generation deserving of acknowledgment, tribute, and literary life. Remembering and discussing their trials and triumphs can be one way of paying respect for their role in our social evolution. My hope is that the spirit of the Underground Railroad will never be forgotten.

For more on Links:
www.ecschwab.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eileen-Clymer-Schwab/193999413946643
http://twitter.com/#!/EileenCSchwab

The giveaway is for one autographed copy. This one is only open to the US. Giveaway ends August 16th 2011 at midnight west coast time.

For 1 entry enter your name and email
For 2 entries be a follower and say so in the form
For 3 entries share this and add a real link to where you shared it.

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Amazon
Shadow of a Quarter Moon
~Lizzy~

Mailbox Monday

2011-07-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

Courting Her Highness: The Story of Queen Anne, Jean Plaidy

"A private battle rages at court for the affections of a childless queen, who must soon name her successor--and thus determine the future of the British Empire.

It is the beginning of the eighteenth century and William of Orange is dying. Soon Anne is crowned queen, but to court insiders, the name of the imminent sovereign is Sarah Churchill. Beautiful, outspoken Sarah has bewitched Anne and believes she is invincible--until she installs her poor cousin Abigail Hill into court as royal chambermaid.

Plain Abigail seems the least likely challenger to Sarah’s place in her highness’s affections, but challenge it she does, in stealthy yet formidable ways. While Anne engages in her private tug-of-war, the nation is obsessed with another, more public battle: succession. Anne is sickly and childless, the last of the Stuart line.

This final novel of the Stuarts from Jean Plaidy weaves larger-than-life characters through a dark maze of intrigue, love, and destruction, with nothing less than the future of the British Empire at stake".
~Lizzy~

The "Alice in Wonderland" Tree at the Library

2011-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

In Washington County Oregon there is a library that is built on a nature preserve. One very beautiful aspect of being a park is they built and modeled the library building around the existing wildlife and trees. Us Oregonians are real suckers for a pretty tree but we are proud of it because we will not cut a tree down unless we have to. This library is proof of that. My kids call this giant tree pictured below the "Alice in Wonderland" tree and insist on always wanting to look in it. They seem to think that they just might fall all the way in to Wonderland. The trees in that cluster are giants and must be at least 50 years old because if I had to guesstimate how big they were I would say three stories tall at least. To get a better prospective of the height of the trees check out the third picture below that has the library which happens to be a two story building.

This just shows how this library was designed around the beautiful trees.

The "Wonderland" hole

The "Wonderland" tree is in the middle at the front of the library.

Besides a beautiful entrance the library also faces out onto the giant duck pond that connects to a series of ponds, paths, and waterfalls. There even is soon to be working docks for electric cars which I think is a first for the county. Here are some of the other places in the park.

A beautiful bent set of trees that is still growing almost to the ground. Behind the bench is a stream that leads to a very large Lilly pad pond.

Lilly pads blooming.

A small waterfall from one of many connecting Lily ponds.

"Tree Island"

I encourage each and every one of you to explore your local libraries this summer because you just never know what you might find.

~Lizzy~

Boy and his Pig

2011-07-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

"The Boy and His Pig", originally I did this one to apply for a job as a childrens book illustrator. I never heard back from them but at least I have this work out of the whole thing. It was suppose to be "whymsical" which I think it is. I love this pig I branded her a girl I guess and you can click on the picture for a larger image.

I made this one in my typical way of water color pencil with ink and some pastels after it all dried. In reality it is 11 inches by 17 inches which is pretty big I think.

~Lizzy~

Late Mailbox Mondays

2011-07-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Road from the West, Rosanne E. Lortz

"Road from the West. Book I of The Chronicles of Tancred. Historical fiction set during the First Crusade. Available Sept. 2, 2011".

"ROAD FROM THE WEST: BOOK I of the CHRONICLES OF TANCRED

A tale of Courage, Conquest, Intrigue, and Honor

You know the Knights Templar, you know Richard the Lionheart—now learn the story that started it all in the adventures of the First Crusade.

Haunted by guilt from the past and nightmares of the future, a young Norman named Tancred takes the cross and vows to be the first to free Jerusalem from the infidels. As he journeys to the Holy Land, he braves vast deserts, mortal famine, and the ever-present ambushes of the enemy Turks—but the greatest danger of all is deciding which of the Crusader lords to trust. A mysterious seer prophesies that Tancred will find great love and great sorrow on his journey, but the latter seems intent on claiming him before he can find the first. Intrigues and passions grow as every battle brings the Crusaders one step closer to Jerusalem. Not all are destined to survive the road from the West".

Becoming Marie Antoinette: A Novel Juliet Grey

"This enthralling confection of a novel, the first in a new trilogy, follows the transformation of a coddled Austrian archduchess into the reckless, powerful, beautiful queen Marie Antoinette.

Why must it be me? I wondered. When I am so clearly inadequate to my destiny?

Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother’s political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.

Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become queen.

Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries, lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels, Becoming Marie Antoinette will utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike".

Frederica, Georgette Heyer

"One of readers favorites, Frederica is full of surprises
When Frederica brings her younger siblings to London determined to secure a brilliant marriage for her beautiful sister, she seeks out their distant cousin the Marquis of Alverstoke. Lovely, competent, and refreshingly straightforward, Frederica makes such a strong impression that to his own amazement, the Marquis agrees to help launch them all into society.
Lord Alverstoke cant resist wanting to help her
Normally wary of his family, which includes two overbearing sisters and innumerable favor-seekers, Lord Alverstoke does his best to keep his distance. But with his enterprising - and altogether entertaining - country cousins getting into one scrape after another right on his doorstep, before he knows it the Marquis finds himself dangerously embroiled..."

In a Treacherous Court Michelle Diener

"An unconventional woman. A deadly enemy. A clash of intrigue, deception, and desire. . . . 1525: Artist Susanna Horenbout is sent from Belgium to be Henry VIII’s personal illuminator inside the royal palace. But her new homeland greets her with an attempt on her life, and the King’s most lethal courtier, John Parker, is charged with keeping her safe. As further attacks are made, Susanna and Parker realize that she unknowingly carries the key to a bloody plot against the throne. For while Richard de la Pole amasses troops in France for a Yorkist invasion, a traitor prepares to trample the kingdom from within.Who is the mastermind? Why are men vying to kill the woman Parker protects with his life? With a motley gang of urchins, Susanna’s wits, and Parker’s fierce instincts, honed on the streets and in palace chambers, the two slash through deadly layers of deceit in a race against time. For in the court of Henry VIII, secrets are the last to die. . . .Brilliantly revealing a little-known historical figure who lived among the Tudors, Michelle Diener makes a smashing historical fiction debut.
~Lizzy~

Hot HF~July

2011-07-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

July 2011Releases

7.1.2011 Bath Tangle, Georgette Heyer

"Lady Serena Carlow is an acknowledged beauty, but she's got a temper as fiery as her head of red hair. When her father dies unexpectedly, Serena discovers to her horror that she has been left a ward of Ivo Barrasford, marquis of Rotherham, a man whom Serena once jilted and who now has the power to give or withhold his consent to any marriage she might contemplate. With her father's heir eager to take over his inheritance--and Serena's lifelong home--she and her lovely young stepmother, Fanny, decide to move to Bath, where Serena makes an odd new friend and discovers an old love, Major Hector Kirkby. Before long, Serena, Fanny, Kirkby, and Rotherham are entangled in a welter of misunderstood emotions, mistaken engagements, and misdirected love".

7.5.2011 Incognito, Gregory Murphy

"An elegant literary mystery set during the Gilded Age.
New York City, 1911. Representing the widow of a Wall Street financier, lawyer William Dysart travels to a small Long Island town with a generous offer for Miss Sybil Curtis's cottage and five acres of land. But when Sybil refuses to sell, the widow threatens to use her influence with the state to seize the property.

Intrigued by Sybil's defiance and afflicted by a growing affection for her, William develops a desire to help her that becomes an obsession he cannot define, one that tears away the facade of his life, and presents him with truths he's unprepared to face".

7.5.2011 For The King, Catherine Delors~Paperback

"After First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte survives an assassination attempt, Chief Inspector Roch Miquel, a young man with a bright future and a beautiful mistress, must arrest the assassins before they strike again. But in a city with royalists and revolutionaries alike conspiring to overthrow Bonaparte, Roch's task is near impossible. And when his own father faces the guillotine, Roch has no choice but to trust those most likely to betray him".

7.5.2011 The Borgias: Two Novels in One Volume, Jean Plaidy

"For the first time in one volume, Jean Plaidy’s duet of Borgia novels brings to life the infamous, reckless, and passionate family in an unforgettable historical saga.

Madonna of the Seven Hills:
Fifteenth-century Rome: the Borgia family is on the rise. Lucrezia’s father is named Pope Alexander VI, and he places his daughter and her brothers Cesare, Giovanni, and Goffredo in the jeweled splendor—and scandal—of his court. From the Pope’s affairs with adolescent girls, to Cesare’s dangerous jealousy of anyone who inspires Lucrezia’s affections, to the ominous birth of a child conceived in secret, no Borgia can elude infamy.

Light on Lucrezia:
Some said she was an elegant seductress. Others swore she was an incestuous murderess. She was the most dangerous and sought after woman in all of Rome. Lucrezia Borgia’s young life has been colored by violence and betrayal. Now, married for the second time at just eighteen she hopes for happiness with her handsome husband Alfonso. But faced with brutal murder, she's soon torn between her love for her husband and her devotion to her brother Cesare… And in the days when the Borgias ruled Italy, no one was safe from the long arm of their power. Not even Lucrezia".

7.5.2011 Courting Her Highness: The Story of Queen Anne, Jean Plaidy

"A private battle rages at court for the affections of a childless queen, who must soon name her successor--and thus determine the future of the British Empire.

It is the beginning of the eighteenth century and William of Orange is dying. Soon Anne is crowned queen, but to court insiders, the name of the imminent sovereign is Sarah Churchill. Beautiful, outspoken Sarah has bewitched Anne and believes she is invincible--until she installs her poor cousin Abigail Hill into court as royal chambermaid.

Plain Abigail seems the least likely challenger to Sarah’s place in her highness’s affections, but challenge it she does, in stealthy yet formidable ways. While Anne engages in her private tug-of-war, the nation is obsessed with another, more public battle: succession. Anne is sickly and childless, the last of the Stuart line.

This final novel of the Stuarts from Jean Plaidy weaves larger-than-life characters through a dark maze of intrigue, love, and destruction, with nothing less than the future of the British Empire at stake".

7.7.2011 The King's Witch, Cecelia Holland

"Of the women in King Richard's life, she is the least known-and the most powerful.

During the Third Crusade, deaths from fever and starvation are common, but King Richard the Lion-Hearted has a secret ally against these impassable enemies-a mysterious healer by the name of Edythe.

She was sent to him by his mother Eleanor, and Richard first assumes that Edythe is a spy. But when her medical knowledge saves his life, she becomes an indispensable member of his camp-even as his loyal soldiers, suspicious of her talent for warding off death, call her a witch".

7.12.2011 Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy, John Julius Norwich Non-Fiction

"A SWEEPING CHRONICLE OF ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT—AND CONTROVERSIAL—INSTITUTIONS IN HISTORY

With the papacy embattled in recent years, it is essential to have the perspective of one of the world’s most accomplished historians. In Absolute Monarchs, John Julius Norwich captures nearly two thousand years of inspiration and devotion, intrigue and scandal. The men (and maybe one woman) who have held this position of infallible power over millions have ranged from heroes to rogues, admirably wise to utterly decadent. Norwich, who knew two popes and had private audiences with two others, recounts in riveting detail the histories of the most significant popes and what they meant politically, culturally, and socially to Rome and to the world.

Norwich presents such brave popes as Innocent I, who in the fifth century successfully negotiated with Alaric the Goth, an invader civil authorities could not defeat, and Leo I, who two decades later tamed (and perhaps paid off) Attila the Hun. Here, too, are the scandalous figures: Pope Joan, the mythic woman said (without any substantiation) to have been elected in 855, and the infamous “pornocracy,” the five libertines who were descendants or lovers of Marozia, debauched daughter of one of Rome’s most powerful families.

Absolute Monarchs brilliantly portrays reformers such as Pope Paul III, “the greatest pontiff of the sixteenth century,” who reinterpreted the Church’s teaching and discipline, and John XXIII, who in five short years starting in 1958 “opened up the church to the twentieth century,” instituting reforms that led to Vatican II. Norwich brings the story to the present day with Benedict XVI, who is coping with a global priest sex scandal.

Epic and compelling, Absolute Monarchs is the astonishing story of some of history’s most revered and reviled figures, men who still cast light and shadows on the Vatican and the world today".

7.14.2011 Silence in the Mist, Leah Marie Brown

"After bloodthirsty revolutionaries murder her family, Françoise Despres vows to avenge their deaths and fight the violent mob destroying her beloved France. Becoming a spy for the counter-revolutionary cause, she knows great success, silently slipping between the shadows to carry secret messages that thwart her foes. But she never expected to come up against Sebastien de Brézé, a daring, clever cavalry officer in the revolutionary army and master spy hunter".

7.26.2011 Madame Bovary's Daughter: A Novel, Linda Urbach

"Picking up after the shattering end of Gustave Flaubert’s classic, Madame Bovary, this beguiling novel imagines an answer to the question Whatever happened to Emma Bovary’s orphaned daughter?

One year after her mother’s suicide and just one day after her father’s brokenhearted demise, twelve-year-old Berthe Bovary is sent to live on her grandmother’s impoverished farm. Amid the beauty of the French countryside, Berthe models for the painter Jean-François Millet, but fate has more in store for her than a quiet life of simple pleasures. Berthe’s determination to rise above her mother’s scandalous past will take her from the dangerous cotton mills of Lille to a convent in Rouen to the wealth and glamour of nineteenth-century Paris. There, as an apprentice to famed fashion designer Charles Frederick Worth, Berthe is ushered into the high society of which she once only dreamed. But even as the praise for her couture gowns steadily rises, she still yearns for the one thing her mother never had: the love of someone she loves in return.

Brilliantly integrating one of classic literature’s fictional creations with real historical figures, Madame Bovary’s Daughter is an uncommon coming-of-age tale, a splendid excursionn through the rags and the riches of French fashion, and a sweeping novel of poverty and wealth, passion and revenge".

7.26.2011 The Angel of Blythe Hall: A Historical Novel, Darci Hannah

"In a tumultuous battle, a beautiful and determined noblewoman claims her birthright while awakening great danger, exquisite passion, and the mystical realm in this enchanting novel of suspense and adventure.

Prepared to lay claim to her family’s magnificent ancestral fortress in the Scottish border country, Lady Isabeau Blythe is determined to restore her noble family’s good name and reclaim these stunning, strife-torn lands. But even the headstrong Isabeau’s firm sense of reality is shaken by the inexplicable allure of Blythe Hall, an entrancing castle haunted by dark secrets—and otherworldly creatures of light and desire.

Isabeau’s arrival sets in motion an epic power struggle: a ferocious fight for Scotland, her family, and her heart. Taunted and tempted by a sinister rogue knight, Sir George, who covets her land and her love, and trapped in the madness of her charismatic brother, Julius, who seeks power of unearthly origin, Isabeau can only surrender to the wild visions of the remarkable man she inexplicably longs for. With a bloodthirsty army amassing outside her gates, Isabeau summons help from Gabriel, the elusive man of her dreams. But does this alluring man possess the secrets of the castle and her destiny"?
June 2011 Releases
The Lady of Bolton Hill, Elizabeth Camden
The Quiet Gentleman, Georgette Heyer
Queen of the Summer Stars: Book Two of the Guinevere Trilogy,, Persia Woolley
The Fallen Kings (Morland Dynasty), Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Britain's Royal Heritage: An A to Z of the Monarchy, Mark Alexander Non-Fiction
The Borgia Betrayal: A Novel (Poisoner Mysteries), Sara Poole
The Red Queen: A Novel, Philippa Gregory Paperback
Fire on Dark Water, Wendy K. Perriman
Napoleon and the Rebel: A Story of Brotherhood, Passion, and Power, Marcello Simonetta and Noga Arikha Non-fiction
The Cecils: Privilege and power behind the throne, David Loades Non-Fiction
Revenger: A Novel of Tudor Intrigue,, Rory Clements
The Dark Enquiry (A Lady Julia Grey Novel), Deanna Raybourn
Effie: The Passionate Lives of Effie Gray, John Ruskin and John Everett Millais, Suzanne Fagence Cooper
Aristocrats: Power, Grace, and Decadence: Britain's Great Ruling Classes from 1066 to the Present, Lawrence James Non-Fiction
The Ring and the Crown: A History of Royal Weddings 1066-2011, Alison Weir, Kate Williams, Sarah Gristwood and Tracy Borman Non-fiction
Before Versailles: A Novel of Louis XIV, Karleen Koen
The Tudor Throne, Brandy Purdy
George II: King and Elector (The English Monarchs Series) by Andrew C. Thompson Non-Fiction
Katherine Parr: Complete Works and Correspondence by Katherine Parr and Janel