Winners of The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick!

Congratulations to the winner's of the giveaway of two copies of Elizabeth Chadwick's latest release, The Summer Queen!

The winners are:

Amanda Barrett and Shoshanah!

An email will be with you shortly requesting your postal details.

I am just a little bit jealous that you get to read this book soon!

Guest post: Finding Eleanor of Aquitaine (includes international giveaway)

I am super excited to welcome Elizabeth Chadwick back to Historical Tapestry. She has long been one of our favourite authors and I, for one, am very excited that it is finally release day for The Summer Queen! If you can handle any more excitement, we are also giving away two copies of The Summer Queen, and the giveaway is open to everyone!  Details of the giveaway are included below.

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A couple of years ago, I’d finished writing LADY OF THE ENGLISH for my UK publisher Sphere and that was the end of my contracted work for them. I had a dynamic new editor and the way was open for discussion on what I was going to tackle next. I had been considering writing about Eleanor of Aquitaine for some time. She kept crossing my path and I found myself becoming more and more intrigued by her. I had featured her in passing in a few of my novels, particularly the Marshal ones. The questions began to build up, as they always do when I become interested in a character from history. I wanted to remove the centuries’ deep layers of gilding, dust and detritus that had settled over her life story. I was curious to discover what she was really like, and perhaps in the process shed fresh light on the known (and often assumed history).

I was well aware that while I had been pondering, other authors had come along with their particular takes on Eleanor, but that didn’t bother me because I knew that our works were individual to us, and there was still plenty left to be said that hadn’t been. It probably also helped to an extent, that I had never seen Katherine Hepburn’s iconical portrait of Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter, so there was no chance of La Hepburn influencing the way I imagined my Eleanor.

My editor was very keen for me to write about Eleanor and we soon agreed a three book contract to cover the story of her life in fiction. We also agreed that she was to be called Alienor, which was the way her name was written in her own lifetime, and a nod of respect to her memory.

I already had an extensive library of books dealing with the 12th century, but I set out to purchase as many works about Eleanor, her life and times as I could. These included sources both primary and secondary and the inevitable slew of biographies, some of which I already had, some of which were new to my library.

As I began reading through the biographies, I began to realise how contradictory, and unsubstantiated, many views of Eleanor were. The authors often clothed her in their own opinions without any solid fact to back up their assumptions. Some seemed to be writing novels of their own, ascribing to Eleanor the emotions they felt she ought to have had, rather than sticking to what was known, and some, it has to be said, had a very shaky grasp on 12th century history, both the political and the social.

Her birth year was often reported as being in 1122, but most historians now believe that she was born in 1124. This was an important detail for me because it meant that Eleanor would have been married at the age of 13, not 15, which puts a very different slant on much of the history that comes afterwards. It might only be a difference of two years, but a significant one at that stage in a person’s life.

Two biographers and a historian gave Eleanor a half brother called Joscelin. But when I went to find out more about him in case I needed to write about him in the novel, I discovered that he was the half-brother of a different queen entirely. You can read about my detective work in this article I wrote for The History Girls. http://the-history-girls.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/eleanor-of-aquitaine-and-brother-who_24.html

There is no known description of Eleanor in the conventional historical record, but nevertheless her biographers have a good go at describing her. ‘Tall, with a superb figure that she kept into old age, lustrous eyes and fine features…it is likely that her hair was yellow and her eyes were blue.’ That’s Desmond Seward.

W.L. Warren in his biography of Henry II calls Eleanor a ‘black-eyed beauty.’

Frank McLynn in Lionheart and Lackland can almost barely contain his lust when he says of her ‘Eleanor of Aquitaine had a dark complexion, black eyes, black hair, and a curvaceous figure that never ran to fat even in old age.’

Meanwhile, others have cited a crowned auburn-haired figure on a mural at Chinon, as evidence for Eleanor being a red-head – and a green-eyed red-head at that. However, that figure is far more like to be her eldest surviving son Henry the Young King.

One prominent biographer has Eleanor buying in copious quantities of wine for her sister Petronella, but when primary sources are checked, Petronella turns out to have died several years before these pipe rolls were written.

The courts of love where Eleanor and her eldest daughter Marie are supposed to have presided over a court of ladies sitting in judgement of matters of the heart, has been proven never to have existed, although one biography dedicates numerous pages to the premise.

Then there is the whole idea beefed up by several biographers that Eleanor had an affair with her uncle while on the second crusade. You can read my views on that particular idea here: http://livingthehistoryelizabethchadwick.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/eleanor-of-aquitaine-raymond-of.html


During my research, I constantly heard statements that she was a ‘feminist’ and ‘a woman ahead of her time’. I think people would like these to be true, but they aren’t. She was a strong and charismatic woman, I agree, but she was of her time and struggling to hold her own in a society where women’s power was being constricted. But she wasn’t a feminist and even if she speaks across the centuries, her voice is of the 12th century world in which she dwelt.

Regarding my own connection with Eleanor, I have tried to do her justice and tell a story that has integrity and that shines a different light through the facets of her life, while still retaining a final glimmering layer of mystery that preserves her enigma and still begs the question ‘Who was and is Eleanor of Aquitaine?’ Make up your own mind.


Giveaway details:

- to participate, leave a comment sharing what it is that you find most fascinating about Eleanor of Aquitaine! Don't forget to include your email address in your comment.

- there are two copies of the book to be given away
- open internationally
- closes 30th June midnight GMT

2013's Most Anticipated New Releases

Marg: The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley. I actually claimed this book as my most anticipated new release in 2013 back in July! I am just that excited at the prospect of reading it! And I was very excited when I got an early copy of it in the mail a couple of weeks ago. There was squeeeing and happy dancing involved. I am kind of glad you couldn't all see it!

Kelly: The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin. I wasn't sure what I was going to choose, but when I heard that Melanie Benjamin had a new book out in 2013 I decided it was a safe bet. I really enjoyed both of her previous books!

Julie: As I have to wait until the Autumn of 2013 before my most anticipated release is available, there is not even a cover I can show you. The book is the latest in the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon and is to be titled "Written In My Own Heart's Blood". 

So, as I have to wait almost a year I have a selected a second book, one that I know will be a great success, as indeed the rest of the books by this author are.

That book is Mrs Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini and is released in the UK in January 2013.

Ana: I have been very undecided about what to choose for this feature. There are several books that interest me but I ended up writing down Patricia Bracewell's Shadow on The Crown. It is set during a different period than what I usually read and I don't think I have ever payed much attention to Emma of Normandy so it might be both an interesting and informative read. Shadow on the Crown will be out on Feb 7, 2013.



Nanette: I'm with Ana in my anticipation of The Shadow on the Crown. I love books that are set in this era, and there are so few of them.

The others that have piqued my interest:

  

Fever by Mary Beth Keane, which is a novel about Typhoid Mary, the Irish immigrant who unknowingly started a typhoid epidemic in early 19th century New York City. I've been fascinated by Mary Mallon since fourth grade, when I read her story on one of the history cards that my teacher had in her classroom. As far as I know, this is the first novel about Mallon, and the author is highly acclaimed. Fever will be released in the U.S. on March 12.

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig. I admit that I've fallen behind on Willig's Pink Carnation series, which is a shame, because it's a lot of fun. But this novel is a standalone, and it looks like a family saga--one of my favorite genres. I'll be looking for this one in April.

I know I've mentioned this before, but the book I'm most looking forward to in 2013 is Paullina Simons's Children of Liberty, which has been out in Australia since last fall, but isn't available in the U.S. until late February. I loved the Tatiana and Alexander series, and Children of Liberty gives the backstory of Alexander's ancestors.

Alex: This choice was quite difficult to make since several books already caught my attention, but Christine Trent's Lady of Ashes, a story about a Victorian undertaker, seems absolutely fascinating and unusual. Can't wait to read it !

The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick, a novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine, is also in my "most anticipated release" list for this year. Her books are always amazing !

What are your most anticipated new releases for this year?

A Place Beyond Courage by Elizabeth Chadwick

In honour of the US release (finally!) of A Place Beyond Courage, I am today posting a slightly adapted review of the book. I originally wrote this review 4 years ago, and I think that since that time, this book has kept a special place in my heart not because it is the book that I have rated highest by Elizabeth Chadwick but rather because of the way she was able to bring me around to like John Marshal. The cover and synopsis are from the newly released US version of this book.

The early twelfth century is a time for ambitious men to prosper, and royal servant John FitzGilbert Marshal is one of them. Raised high as the kin of the deceased King Henry battle each other for England's throne, John reaps rich rewards but pays a terrible price for the choices he makes - as do his family. His wife, fragile, naïve Aline is hopelessly unequipped to cope with the demands of a life lived on the edge and, when John is seriously injured in battle, her worst nightmare is realised. Sybilla, bright, forthright sister to the Earl of Salisbury, finds herself used as a bargaining counter when her brother seeks to seal a truce with his troublesome neighbour, John FitzGilbert. And then there is Sybilla's small son, William, seized hostage by the King for John's word of honour. But sometimes keeping your honour means breaking your word...

Before I read this book, I knew three things about John Marshal. The first was that he was father of William Marshal, a man I had read about, and swooned over, in two earlier Elizabeth Chadwick novels (The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion). The second was that he suffered a terrible injury at Cherwell when he was caught in a burning abbey, and a piece of lead melted onto his face causing permanent disfigurement and the loss of sight in his left eye. The third thing that I knew was that when William was four years, John was forced to give him to King Stephen as a hostage, and John famously said to Stephen that he didn't care if he killed William as he had the anvils and hammer to create more children (roughly paraphrasing of course).

To be honest, because of the third of those things listed above, I was a little surprised to hear that Elizabeth Chadwick had written a book where the main character was John Marshal, because I couldn't really imagine how she would go about making John easy to relate to, when it appeared as though he was quite unfeeling and callous as a man. I am very pleased to say that she succeeded!

This book is predominately set during the very troubled times in the mid 1100s when the war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda caused great upheaval and destruction across England. When Matilda's father, King Henry, died without naming an heir, there were many lords who bridled at the thought of being ruled over by a woman and therefore sided with the dead King's nephew, Stephen. Still others believed that it was King Henry's wish for his daughter to follow in his footsteps, and thus began a twenty year period of war when the countryside was ravaged.

This same period is covered extensively in Sharon Kay Penman's book, When Christ and His Saints Slept, and having that background certainly aided in my enjoyment of this book. Where Penman's focused heavily on what was happening personally with Stephen and Matilda, many of those same events are on the peripherals of the narrative of this book, except where the events directly touched on John Marshal's life.

John was the loyal Marshal of King Henry - the man responsible for making sure that there was order in court, for the procurement of supplies, horses, etc amongst other things - a man with his finger on the pulse of court life. When Henry died, he also filled that role for Stephen as well. However, there were many at court who were not overly fond of John, and his neighbours were also coveting his lands and were determined to take them, whatever the cost.

In order to preserve his life, and his possessions, John has to take the extraordinary step of swapping sides, and becomes part of Matilda's retinue. What follows are a series of skirmishes, battles and sieges, culminating with the siege at Newbury where John so famously denied his feelings for his son.

Lest you think that this is a book just of battles, Chadwick also gives us glimpses into John's two marriages. The first is to Aline, a somewhat timid and pious woman, who wants nothing more than to have John by her side, and to do her duty. She is a woman who is very obviously not up to the job of being wife to the Royal Marshal, with all the entertaining, and responsibilities that go along with that post. I did feel for Aline as she struggled within her marriage and home, but also for John as he realises that this marriage is one that cannot continue for both of their sakes.

Then, we see his marriage to Sybilla, a partnership that started out as a way to stop an escalating enmity with her brother, Patrick of Salisbury, one of John's neighbours. Where Aline was timid, Sybilla is bold and intelligent, with an ability to charm the people around her from the dairy maids, to those from the highest stations in the land.

Chadwick's portrayal of John Marshal is by no means of a saint who has been portrayed unfairly through the ages. There is no doubting his courage, his competence in his role, let alone his ambition and determination. He is a totally three dimensional character - warts and all.

Similarly, the authors skill in conveying the details of life and times of the twelfth century, from the dresses, food, smells and tastes is exceptional.

One thing to be aware of is that the author has to cram twenty years worth of events into just over 500 pages, so it is crucial to keep an eye on the dates at the beginning of each chapter to keep some kind of perspective in terms of time elapsed.

This was the third Elizabeth Chadwick book that I read and really enjoyed. Since then I have worked my through most of her back list! Still a few to go and I am being very slow, savouring my journey through them knowing that once I get through them all then I will have to wait impatiently for each new release.


Don't forget we are also giving away a copy of A Place Beyond Courage. All the details are here

Elizabeth Chadwick on Finding Her Hero (includes giveaway)

Today, in honour of the US release of A Place Beyond Courage, we are pleased to welcome back Elizabeth Chadwick to Historical Tapestry to talk about how she chose to write about John Marshal.

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A few years ago I wrote two novels that changed my life, not just by boosting me up the career ladder, but also by introducing me to the Marshal family. The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion were about one of England's greatest mediaeval heroes, a knight called William Marshal who rose from the ranks of the minor nobility and through a few useful family connections but mostly via his own prowess, charm and intelligence, became immensely wealthy and eventually the Regent and some say saviour of England after King John's death. He has mostly been forgotten by the country at large, but he has a strong global niche following, and when I wrote the novels about his life, they took off in a big way.

The novels completed, I looked around for my next subject to tackle, preferably with a Marshal connection. There was the father of William Marshal's wife, one Richard de Clare, soldier and adventurer, but his career was curtailed when he died from a leg wound relatively young. There was also the option of telling the story of William Marshal's children, and I may still investigate that particular one. However, since all five of his sons died untimely, working in the lighter moments would be difficult. However, there was another option waiting his moment in the wings…

While writing The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion I become interested in the father of William Marshal, John FitzGilbert. Some of you will know that William Marshal almost died in childhood. He was taken hostage by the King for his father's word of honour, and when his father broke that word, William faced being hanged. Obviously he wasn't, but the detail led me to wonder what kind of man would forfeit his son? When faced with seeing his six year old son killed, why would he say he did not care and that he had the anvils and hammers to beget better children than this one? On the surface, it didn't look promising. Even so I was curious; I wanted to know more.

Readers who follow my writing life, know that I use the psychic as one of several tools to find out about the past. For those who think it's all rubbish, I say just take it as another useful strand of imagination. When looking at a new project, I usually ask psychic consultant Alison King for taster sessions on different characters to see if they are the sort of person I want to write a novel about. We had taken a look Richard de Clare before I eventually decided not to choose him because of his early death. However, Alison accessed a vibrant red haired man with a powerful personality and a real delight in his baby daughter Isabelle.

When I asked her then to go to John Marshal, this was her initial reading.

I’m there and looking at something oval shaped with watery light on it. It might be an ornamental pool. It’s night time and the moon’s shining on it. I can see pincers and something like a modern rolling pin with handles and a roller in the middle. Now I am seeing something like a diagonal cross of a metal colour but a fabric texture on a metal background. Something to do with horses – it’s a piece of horse equipment. (The pincers were a symbol of the royal marshal, as was the horse equipment. We suspect the rolling pin thing is something to do with a pipe roll).

I can feel the character of John Marshal but I can’t see him. What I can feel is calculation. He’s not emotional. He’s strong, constant, he doesn’t veer off things once he’s fastened on them. He’s still youthful and not yet tempered by experience. He thinks well of himself and that he’s entitled to more than he has. He sees himself as ready for promotion.

I can see him now. He’s tall, well made, good looking, and straight like his attitude. Taut muscles, strong cheeks – of the kind that have lines down them. Strong mouth, straight across. His eyes are very interesting. They’re blue and tell a different story about his emotions. His eyes are powerful. They have an intense look, but it’s not an intensity of emotion although it might look like that externally. In reality it’s because he’s trying to work things out, to understand and calculate. People misunderstand it and take it for emotional intensity. It’s like when you get a pop star posing about these days and impressionable people think ‘Wow!’ but it’s a projection of their feelings onto the popstar and his look isn’t caused by what he’s really thinking at the photoshoot.

John Marshal is quite a dashing sort of man. I’ve got a feeling he wears his hair differently to the norm. It’s very short at the back, but there’s more of it on top, almost like a quiff. It’s light brown with lighter streaks in it. Hmmmm…very dashing, He works with his intellect more than his emotions and he is ambitious. Oh, must mention he has absolutely lovely skin – immaculate pores. So small you can’t see them.


Immediately I could visualise him through Alison's words, but even so he was still only one on the shortlist. The final choice came as I was heading out to do the weekly grocery shop with my husband and we stopped, appropriately enough at some traffic lights at a crossroads. Suddenly and very strongly I knew that I had to write about John Marshal. All the indecision fell away and by the time we returned home with the shopping, I was eager to get started.

Undertaking conventional research via primary and secondary historical sources, I began to come across a complex, intelligent man who not only knew how to fight his way out of a corner, but also how to play an astute game of politics. He was ice-cold under fire, and once he gave his word, he kept it, even if he had to face his own death, or sacrifice his son, who by his blood was an extension of himself. This may seem a contradiction when I mentioned earlier on that John Marshal broke his promise to the king, but it was one given under duress and to a man he did not serve, and the binding one was to John’s lady The Empress Matilda, and to her son, the future Henry II.

When A PLACE BEYOND COURAGE was published in the UK the first time around, it mostly featured a woman on the cover with John relegated to a corner of the picture. As a ‘nice dress’ cover it had a certain impact, but I never felt it did the subject matter justice. Now it has been reissued by Sphere in the UK with John in his rightful place, and is new out for the USA, published by Sourcebooks with a truly magnificent treatment. I’m an author. Of course I’m pleased for myself, but more than that, I am pleased for John FitzGilbert the Marshal. He deserves to emerge from the shadows and stand in his full light.

From L to R: US cover, new UK cover and original UK cover

Giveaway details:

- to participate, just leave a comment responding to the post or  maybe on which cover you like best. Don't forget to include your email address in your comment. Elizabeth Chadwick will pick the winner from the comments
- one entry per household
- open  to US and Canada only
- closes 9th September midnight GMT 

Teddy's Best of 2011

Here are my best books of the year:

To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick: To nobody's surprise here, Elizabeth Chadwick has become a favorite author of mine just within the last 2 years. For years, my colleagues here at H.T. had been telling me that I had to read her books and I finally listened. To Defy a King was published here in North America in March 2011.  Here is the link to my review. It will be posted here on H.T. soon.

Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick: Honest, these are my top two books of 2011!  Here is the link to my review.  It will be posted here on H.T. soon.














Other notable historical fiction books I read this year included:

Tiger Hills by Sarita Mandanna

The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry

 The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird

Deadly: How to Catch an Invisible Killer by Julie Chibbaro

Stranger Here Below by Joyce Hinnefeild

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Oregon Trail: The Road to Destiny by Frank young

Marg's Best books of 2011

Here are my best books of this year.

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley - I made a comment somewhere recently saying that I thought I was genetically predisposed to liking Susanna Kearsley's books, and this book was no exception! I loved it from beginning to end and literally gasped out loud at the twist in the tale. Whilst The Winter Sea is still my favourite maybe because it was my first read by her, this one comes close in terms of favourites. (My review)

Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick - Elizabeth Chadwick is one of my favourite authors, so it isn't a surprise to see her appear on a best of list, but I do think that she is getting better and better! This book is about the war between Empress Matilda and her cousin Stephen, but it is also about so much more. No one brings medieval times to life like Elizabeth Chadwick. One of the not so great things about 2012 is that there isn't going to be a new Chadwick book. We have to wait until 2013 for the first book in her Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy.

I have posted on my blog about the other books that I loved this year, and even have a giveaway running for one of them!


Other notable historical fiction books I read this year included;

Wallaby Track by Aaron Fletcher
The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore
Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay
Emily by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Angelique in Love by Sergeanne Golon
Imperial Highness by Evelyn Anthony
The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber
Camp Nine by Vivienne Schiffer
Lost and Found by Marilyn Harris
Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman

British History Week: Elizabeth Chadwick on British History

Many thanks to Marg at Historical Tapestry for inviting me to the blog and asking me this interesting question:

“Why is British History so fascinating to authors and readers? With a general answer to the question and then more specifically Elizabeth’s particular area of interest.”


British history does seem to feature largely in lists of historical fiction outside of the UK, especially in the USA and Australia doesn’t it? Of late there has been a widening out of the road, but it is still incredibly popular.

I think there are several reasons for this. A few hundred years ago, Britain was expanding and developing an empire, and British cultural influences were felt all round the world, much as American ones are today. Both wars and peaceful settlement established colonies of people with British roots around the globe. Even if those colonies broke away, the groundwork was still there, and in some cases it is only recently that such ties have loosened or disconnected. To the Brits themselves, their ‘glorious’ history was taught, fostered and remembered at home, so that it became a thing of pride to be celebrated.

Many British settlers in the USA and Australia had a need to follow their family trees back to their roots to learn about where they came from. The ‘glorious’ history was theirs too, with all its ancient and fascinating stories. American and Australian settler history is still young in comparison to European which is the home soil of the family trees, so it fosters a natural curiosity, and a desire to maintain those roots. Most people want to know about their ancestors and the way they lived, and most people love absorbing stories.

With this deep seated interest in the past and with a natural slant towards Britain, story tellers were always bound to mine that part of history for inspiration and they had an eager audience waiting to listen, to read and later to watch. The Victorians had become deeply and romantically interested in the past and authors such as Walter Scott and novels such as Ivanhoe, were eagerly received and devoured. The pre-Raphaelites were busy producing their romantic jewel-like visions of the past, and wherever the Empire builders went, they carried the words and images of British history with them.

Into the 20th century, British history made a prolific hunting ground for the film industry. We had Robin Hood, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and they were all fascinating subjects to make films around. Later there were TV series’ too, and here English social life and the country house set made its mark. Jane Austen became an international name. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre has always been a favourite round the world in book and film. They’re not historical novels in the sense that the authors wrote them about the times in which they lived, but they are historical to us now and with their delicate green and pastoral settings, or windswept moors, they evoke particular images of Britain that have become dear to readers’ hearts. Other British historical series that made their mark round the world included the adaptations of Winston Graham’s Poldark novels and Upstairs Downstairs. British TV has a particular skill in these adaptations and they make readers want to find out more about the period, or dwell in Britain in their minds, a while longer. With this strong background, it has been easy too for the new wave of TV adaptations to come out of America and take on the world by putting a very modern gloss on top of the history and reinvent it sexily - The Tudors for example. It’s historical soap opera writ large and Henry VIII and his 6 wives, already well known in history and legend, have hit super status and increased the wattage of the lamp shining on British history.

I don’t believe that British history is any more fascinating than anyone else’s, even though there are so many fantastic tales. It’s just that it was in a position to garner exposure during the years when reading had become the norm and the world was opening up. Film and TV were a natural progression that fed back into the reading and the interest in the history.

My own interest stems from having been born and raised in Britain (we moved around the country in my formative years before settling in Nottingham, central to the tales of Robin Hood) and from birth having imbibed a rich nourishment of historical tradition. Having said that, I was more interested in ancient Greece and Egypt as a child – because of the fantasy elements of the gods, and the gruesome fascination that most children have for mummies. My pattern of strong interest in the details of my own country came from reading up on the Angevin kings when I was writing my first novel – which had been inspired by a French TV series set in the Holy Land. I started to read about Henry II, Richard and John – the whole Angevin bunch really – and became hooked. As a reader, not a writer, I had also had a flirtation with the Regency period due to the novels of Jane Aiken Hodge.

The bottom line is that I believe past cultural events have conditioned many readers to particularly associate with British history, and that the present continues to mine it by building on foundations laid down by a couple of centuries of media exposure, and those foundations are built on the soil that contains a fertile tangle of roots and imagination. It’s a powerful starting point with a very long reach.

Elizabeth Chadwick has recently been awarded the RNA Historical Novel Prize for To Defy a King in the UK. This book is now available to US readers, having recently been released by Sourcebooks. To see what we here at Historical Tapestry thought of To Defy a King, check out our conversation about the book. (In summary, we loved it!)

HT News: Historical Novel Prize

A huge congratulations to Elizabeth Chadwick who was awarded the Historical Novel Prize by the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK this week for her book To Defy A King.

The other titles that were nominated for this category included:

Trade Winds by Christina Courtenay
The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean
The Wayward Governess by Joanna Fulford
The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall
Heart of Stone by Jane Jackson (Severn House)


A quick look through our archives will tell you that several of us here at Historical Tapestry absolutely loved this book, so we all definitely think that the prize is well deserved!

Coincidentally, Elizabeth Chadwick will be guest posting for us in the next few days as part of a special theme week that we have coming up.

And then it isn't too long to wait until the next book is released in the UK! I am counting down already!

Some Elizabeth Chadwick news

Those who are eagerly expecting the release of Elizabeth Chadwick's The Lady of the English (like us!) will be pleased to admire the beautiful cover of the book:

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'?

The Lady of the English will be released the 2 June 2011 in the UK. You can already pre-order it at The Book Depository or Amazon.co.uk

Thanks to Misfit who uploaded this new cover at Goodreads which immediately draw my attention to it.

Also, Sourcebooks came up with a wonderful Elizabeth Chadwick eBook Bundle that includes three of her novels:

Get ready for Elizabeth Chadwick’s highly anticipated new release…

If you haven’t read Elizabeth Chadwick yet – here is your chance. With her new release, To Defy A King, quickly approaching, Sourcebooks has developed the ultimate eBook bundle.

Hailed by the Times of London as “an author who makes historical fiction come gloriously alive,” Elizabeth Chadwick is a gifted storyteller who captures the passion, deceit, honor, and heartbreak of Medieval England like none other.

Now, get three books from historical fiction powerhouse Elizabeth Chadwick at one low price. This bundle includes The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, and For the King’s Favor, each on their own a shining example of a novelist at the peak of her powers. Taken collectively, you’ll witness an era you won’t want to leave.

Elizabeth Chadwick Bundle: The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, and For the King’s Favor

Sourcebooks Landmark

ISBN 13: 9781402261343

ISBN 10: 1402261349

DLP $35.99 U.S.

epub format (PDF also available)

3 books in one bundle; 1680 pages

November 2010

The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

Royal protector. Loyal servant. Forgotten hero.

A penniless young knight with few prospects, William Marshal is plucked from obscurity when he saves the life of Henry II's formidable queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. In gratitude, she appoints him tutor to the heir to the throne, the volatile and fickle Prince Henry. But being a royal favorite brings its share of danger and jealousy as well as fame and reward.

A writer of uncommon historical integrity and accuracy, Elizabeth Chadwick resurrects the true story of one of England's greatest forgotten heroes in a captivating blend of fact and fiction. The Greatest Knight restores William Marshal to his rightful place at the pinnacle of the Middle Ages, reflecting through him the triumphs, scandals, and power struggles that haven't changed in eight hundred years.

Let me set the stage for you. I blog here with four other bloggers. Or, should I say they blog and I pop in from time to time? One thing I know about them for sure, though, is that 3 of them love Elizabeth Chadwick. Teddy is like me and hadn't read Elizabeth Chadwick until recently. I have known Marg for years and she has been telling me that I should read Elizabeth Chadwick. Then, between her, Ana, and Alex there have been wonderful reviews of her books. With a gift card I received for Christmas last year I finally bought this book and then it took me almost a year to actually get around to reading it! I am so glad that I did, though. I had started it earlier in the year, but I couldn't get into. This time I sat down with it and the pages just flew by. Chadwick has a wonderful way with words, characters, and setting. She really made everything come alive.

This is a novel about William Marshal. He is a hero in Henry II's court. He serves the entire family before his term is over in some way and has connections to many of the great events that happen during the time period. The thing I really liked about the book was that while there was a lot of character building, there was also a lot of action. I like reading about battles and victories to keep the book flowing. If an author gets bogged down in what I consider trivial things I get a bit bored. Now once in this book, though, did I find myself bored. I kept wanting to know what was going to happen to William next. By the end of the book you will feel like you really know him. Chadwick has a real talent for throwing in little facts and tidbits. They don't take away from the story, but add to it.

I was also really interested in Chadwick's portrayal of the royal family. She actually made all of them a bit more human, so even if you hated them in the past you could almost sympathize with their actions. Eleanor has always intrigued me and I thought she really became human in this book. Yes, she was still interested in power and not in the midst of a great relationship, but there were those little moments where you could forget she was one of the great leaders of England and see her for the regular person she was. It was the same with her children. Henry interested me, too, because the more recent portrayal of him that I had seen was in Ariana Franklin's series. There were some similarities, but there were also moments where I felt I was reading about an entirely different person.

I just loved this book. It will be on my best of list for the end of the year for sure. I really feel this review is not doing the book justice at all, but I did love it! That's really all you have to know, right? Also, thank you to Marg, Ana, and Alex for bragging this author up every chance you got and finally lead me to take the plunge and read her. I appreciate it!

For the King's Favor by Elizabeth Chadwick

Ida de Tosney was a ward of King HenryII through childhood. As a teenager she was presented to the King who would determine her future. Hopefully he would find a suitable marriage for her and she would have a happy life. However, once set eyes on Ida, he decided to keep her for himself and kept her as his mistress. She had no say in the matter.

Ida prayed that she wouldn't become pregnant and have King Henry's bastard child. She took every preventative measure she could find however, she conceived a son. Though she was worried about the religious ramifications, she fell in love with her son. In the mean time, she became infatuated with Roger Bigod.

Roger had a story of his own. He rebelled against his father and took the side of King HenryII. He spent the majority of the time trying to win the Kings favor and getting his family land holdings after his father died. His rightful title was Earl and he wanted it.

Eventually, King Henry married Ida de Tosney off to Roger Bigod and they had many children of their own. However, the son she had with King HenryII, was kept from her.

Many of my friends, including those at Historical Tapestry have been encouraging me to read a Elizabeth Chadwick book for a very long time. I have had her on my TBR and finely had the chance to read one of her books when I received an invitation to review this advance readers' copy.

Chadwick did not disappoint! She had a good cast of characters from real life to draw from. She made them come back to life with richly textured scenes of England and Royalty. I felt like I was one of the maids, getting to witness everything that happened. I will definitely be reading more Chadwick in the future!

Note: For the King's Favor was released previously as The Time of Singing.

4.5/5

To Defy A King by Elizabeth Chadwick

A story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel.

A story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel.

The privileged daughter of one of the most powerful men in England, Mahelt Marshal's life changes dramatically when King John suspects her father of treason. Her brothers are taken hostage and to keep her safe, Mahelt's father marries her to Hugh Bigod, heir to the great earldom of Norfolk. Mahelt finds adapting to her new life hard and although she comes to care for her husband deeply, defying her powerful father in law brings disgrace and threatens her bond with Hugh.

As the Magna Carta crisis looms, King John sets out to subdue the rebellious Bigods and when the royal forces besiege Framlingham Castle, Mahelt is caught up in a heart-rending struggle, knowing that she and her marriage might not survive as wide rifts open between family members.

 
After having read the stories of William Marshall and Isabelle de Clare I was looking forward to read about their eldest daughter, Mahelt Marshall. Elizabeth Chadwick is another author that never lets me down and I am happy to say that To Defy a King was another wonderful read.


The book starts with familiar events but now from Mahelt's perspective. When her parents decide to go to Ireland they want to leave her well cared for and so negotiate a marriage between Mahelt and Hugh Bigod, the eldest son of the powerful Earl of Norfolk. Mahelt is very much aware of her importance as a Marshall and of her sense of honor which sometime clashes with her father in law's will. Hugh, however, realises that his young wife's spirit is what attracts him and that he will have to employ subtlety to make her grow up and learn where her loyalties must now lie.

Although they are in good standing with the King, the Bigods have to take care about who they associate with and Mahelt's reckless actions may well put them in danger. They are connected with the King through Hugh’s half brother William Longespée but the relationship between the two is strained at best. It will take some time and persuasion till Mahelt learns to balance her feelings and weigh what's really important, to think of herself as a Bigod. And while Mahelt and Hugh work on their marriage, King John continues his rule through war and fear. Soon Hugh and the other barons start plotting to limit his power and protect their rights and privileges. If her father was always the king’s man even when in disgrace, now Mahelt sees her husband rebelling against the king and take up arms to defend what he believes in.

To Defy A King is a lovely book! Chadwick’s characters are people that you can identify with, who have the same basic expectations about life, love and society in general that everyone has and in each of her books there's a solid background of research that really brings to life the everyday events of the Middle Ages without it being obvious.

If Mahelt is a strong heroine, Hugh is the one I appreciated all the more because of the way he read his wife and managed to make her grow up and learn her place without crushing her. I wonder how Chadwick manages to consistently write male characters that are wonderful examples of humanity and sensitivity without losing any of their manliness? There are many reasons to pick up this book, the solid historical background, the plot that makes use of it and the engaging characters will appeal to every historical fiction lover but the truth is that her descriptions of feelings, emotions and needs with which we can identify will make this a terrific read for everyone.

Grade: 5/5

** And don't forget to check on our To Defy a King conversation **

To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick

From acclaimed novelist Elizabeth Chadwick comes a story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel. 

The privileged daughter of one of the most powerful men in England, Mahelt Marshal's life changes dramatically when her father is suspected of treachery by King John. Her brothers become hostages and Mahelt is married to Hugh Bigod, heir to the earldom of Norfolk. Adapting to her new life is hard, but Mahelt comes to love Hugh deeply; however, defying her father-in-law brings disgrace and heartbreak. 

When King John sets out to subdue the Bigods, Mahelt faces a heartbreaking battle, fearing neither she, nor her marriage, is likely to survive the outcome ...

Magnificent in scope and detail, with characters that leap off the page, this is historical fiction at its finest.

Elizabeth Chadwick's last new book was released around about 20 months ago and consequently it felt I had been waiting for this book for an eternity. The problem with such highly anticipated books is that when you finally get to read it, the book often doesn't live up to the anticipated enjoyment of it. I am pleased to say that this is one occasion when that didn't happen! It was fortunate for me that my son wasn't well and so I had time to sit down and read, and I finished reading this book in just over a day.

In some ways this book is a rounding out of the various novels that this author has been writing over the last few years. The Greatest Knight was the first EC novel that I read, and it featured William Marshal, as did the follow up book The Scarlet Lion. Then I read A Place Beyond Courage which is about William Marshal's father John. The heroine of this novel is John's granddaughter, William's daughter, Mahelt. Similarly, Hugh is the son of Roger and Ida who were the main characters in The Time of Singing.

Mahelt is the cherished eldest daughter William Marshal, one of the most influential men in England. Being respected and influential isn't however enough to keep you safe from the machinations of one of the most changeable kings in English history - King John. With two of the Marshal's sons already being held hostage by the mercurial king, the Marshals are planning to stay out of John's way as much as possible by withdrawing to their lands in Ireland, but before they do that they want to marry their eldest daughter Mahelt to the best possible husband, in this case Hugh Bigod, son of another very influential and powerful man, Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk.

Mahelt is sent to Framlingham to live with her new family, although at this early stage she is married but not really a wife, and so it is a little difficult for her to find her place in the household. It is also difficult for her as she is a spirited and head strong young woman who is used to thinking for herself, and so she clashes with the very rigid and set in his ways Earl who struggles with her independence and her tendency to say what she thinks in quite a direct manner.

As the young couple truly begins their married lives together, they have to face challenges caused by these clashes with Hugh's father, as well as with the growing instability caused by John's constant demands, and then with the fact that Mahelt and her new family find themselves on the opposite side of the political arena to her own family. And when the Bigod's find themselves in danger, even if they survive the trials they are undergoing, there is no guarantee that Hugh and Mahelt's marriage can survive the aftermath.

Whilst there are many people who willingly go off into danger to protect the freedoms that we so often take for granted, I really am glad that we do not have to deal with the inevitability of our loved ones going off to fight to some degree every single summer. There is not only the danger of them being injured or killed, but also that they may be captured and held hostage.  I thought this scene between Ida (Hugh's mother) and Mahelt was very touching.

Ida bent over her sewing once more, but had to stop again as tears splashed on to the fabric. "My sons," she said in a grief-stricken voice. "I bore them from the travail of my body. I bathed and tended and watched over them and soothed their hurts with love and ointments. Now again and again they ride to war. Their father spent so many months away serving the King that our good years were wasted and in our twilight, there is only long familiarity like two stones rubbing together with the harder one wearing away at the softer until the softer is dust. I watch my boys leaving their wives and children - leaving me - and the pattern repeats itself all over again." She fixed a drenched gaze on Mahelt. "The first thing a man asks of his newborn son is 'Will he be a good soldier? Will he have a strong fist?' Never do they ask: 'Will he be a good husband and father?' And as mothers we never ask that question. That is what makes me weep.

"Unless our sons become monks, they are bound to be soldiers," Mahelt replied pragmatically. "It is their station in life. The first thing I would ask is: 'Will he be honourable? Will he be strong - not of fist, but of principle?' We should change what we can and make the best of what we cannot."

Ida wiped her eyes again and forced a smile. "That sounds like your great father talking."

Mahelt flushed. "It was what we were taught from the cradle." She gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I am too impatient. I want to change everything."

One of the interesting relationships in the book was between Hugh and his half-brother William Longespee, who in turn is half brother to King John. There had long been a difficult relationship between the two men which started in childhood, and relates to the fact that whilst William has royal connections, he was removed from his mother at a very young age. William is also the kind of man who has to be the best and have the best, almost as though trying to make up for his illegitimacy. He was fiercely loyal to his royal brother, King John, until finally events forced him to reconsider that position. The relationship between Hugh and William is multi-layered, often difficult, some times untrusting, and yet, they are brothers.

Once again Elizabeth Chadwick provides the reader with a tantalising glimpse into the medieval past, into the political machinations of the time, the business of running an important household, but never without losing sight of the hearts of the people involved.

Ne vuz sanz mei, ne mei sanz vus.

(No you without me, nor I without you)

Another excellent read from one of my favourite historical fiction authors. I gave this one a rating of 5/5


*** Don't forget to check out the conversation between Alex, Ana and myself about this book.

Winners Announcement

Over the last couple of weeks we have had two Elizabeth Chadwick contests going!

We actually have very exciting news regarding one of the contests. Initially we were giving away one gently used copy of The Time of Singing, but Elizabeth Chadwick herself contacted us and offered the winner a copy of both The Time of Singing and the new release, To Defy a King. Thank you so much to Elizabeth Chadwick for such a generous prize. The lucky winner of this prize is

Muse in the Fog

We still wanted to give away the original prize, so the winner of the copy of  The Time of Singing is

Teabird

In addition to that contest, we had the contest for 5 copies of To Defy A King. We were really pleased with the number of entries we received for this contest. We can only giveaway five copies so the winners are:

Holly from Bippity Boppity Book

Jennifer from Rundpinne

Gwendolynn B from A Sea of Books

Carey from The Tome Traveller

Melissa from Shhh I'm Reading

If all the winners could please email their postal details to us at historical.tapestry@gmail.com we will pass your details on and get your prize on it's way to you.

Look out for our reviews of this book to start appearing on the blog this week. In the meantime, if you haven't read it already, check out the the three way conversation between Alex, Ana and Marg here about To Defy a King.

Thanks to Hannah from Little Brown and Elizabeth Chadwick for their generosity, and especially for making it possible for this contest to be international, and to Alex for putting up one of the prizes as well.

Don't forget that we still have one giveaway running where you can win Band of Angels by Julia Gregson, and keep checking back as we have more exciting giveaways coming up very soon!

To Defy A King - A Conversation and a giveaway

Ana, Alex and Marg are all confirmed Elizabeth Chadwick fans from way back (we are trying to work on Teddy and Kelly, but despite all of our encouragement they haven't caved just yet! I am not sure what they are waiting for!!). We have all just finished reading Elizabeth Chadwick's latest release, To Defy a King, so we thought that we would do a conversation about the book. We will post our proper reviews later. 

Marg: So Ana and Alex, it's been a while since the last Elizabeth Chadwick new release, and we were all very excited about this one? Was it worth the wait?

Ana: Most definitely! I loved it! I would be happy with anything that EC chooses to write about but I definitely have a soft spot for her Marshall characters. And I loved Mahelt in this book. I loved how she grew up from a hot headed teenager to someone more serene and willing to think first and compromise but still strong and ready to defend herself and her family. And I loved Hugh for not crushing her and taking the time to know her and the best way to deal with her.

Alex: I couldn't agree more with Ana. I'll read anything by Ms Chadwick but the Marshal family has a special place in my heart. Reading about William Marshal and Isabel de Clare made me even more curious about their offspring. Mahelt is their first child and their only daughter for several years. I don't have any difficulties seeing her as her daddy's little girl. 

The wait was excruciating but it's always the case for Elizabeth Chadwick's books. I still have four of her books in my TBR pile to be read between future releases. It's hard to go more than 6 months without a Chadwick fix!

Marg: I have a few books left to go out of the back list as well. I am working through them very slowly because I don't know what I will do when I have to wait for new ones and not have any unread books left.

Ana: What did you think of Mahelt, Hugh and their relationship? I thought it interesting when Isabelle Marshall tells Mahelt in the end that they were afraid of giving her to the Bigods both for her and their sake.

Marg: Mahelt was certainly very confident and sure of her sense of self when she arrived to be his wife, and she never lost that sense of who she  was even when that set her to clash with Hugh, or more precisely with his father, and you are right, I loved that whilst Hugh had every right to try and crush that sense of independence and form her into a sombre lady who would meet the normal standards of  how a young lady would behave, he didn't do that. Whilst Mahelt had to learn to behave appropriately, he found other ways to encourage her to maintain her sense of self, for example, by buying her a flock of sheep.

Alex: Mahelt was a Marshal and acted like one, but without her father's tact, as Isabelle de Clare says. She knows what she wants for herself and her family and even if she knows that she is a Bigod wife, her loyalty is always, in the first place, to the Marshals. I think her mother feared that she might not be able to become part of the Bigod family and that her husband would crush her more exuberant and independent personality condemning her to more feminine and domestic tasks. I love that Hugh understands immediately that Mahelt needs to be more than a wife and a mother.  

Marg: William Longespee - good guy, bad guy or just misunderstood?

Ana: I didn't see him as a bad guy although he certainly did some things that I see as bad but I thought that he was mostly a flawed character. Being left behind by his mother as a child probably made him enjoy the fact that King John needed him so much to the point of being jealous of others. And he was very much aware that he was a King's son and as Roger Bigod so accurately puts it, he is bothered that he is a bastard and Hugh is legitimate and born to a fortune twice his. All this makes him a very troubled character to deal with especially to someone as different from him as Hugh is.

Alex: Definitely not a bad guy. For me he is just someone who tries very hard to find his place and most of the times in a very clumsy manner. The two horses scenes really incensed me! But, I could feel how he desperately wanted to belong somewhere. He didn't have a place with the Bigods, so he tries to please and be loyal to his royal brother. Of course, his ambition and competitiveness didn't always play in his favor. But his scenes with Ela were very sweet.

Marg: Let's talk about Ida and Roger. We first met them in The Time of Singing, and they are Hugh's parents so this book kind of follows on from their story. I must confess that I was saddened to see what had happened to them. Roger seems so rigid and set in his ways as he has gotten older, and I hated how he couldn't show Ida how much he still cared for her. Why do you think that was?

Ana: I have to confess I haven't read The Time of Singing yet and after reading this one I was actually happy with it because now I'll have a chance to see another side of Roger. If I had seen just this one I think I would have been really sad yes... he is a man who takes his responsibilities so seriously that his family life falls in the shadow. He managed to keep them all safe but at what cost?

Alex: Like Ana I didn't read The Time of Singing, but I remember reading some reviews and I was quite surprised by this Roger. I had some troubles warming up to him... He worries so much that he might loose what he has that he forget to enjoy his life with Ida and his children. When he wakes up it's too late. I was sorry for him, but mostly I was sorry for Ida.

Marg: Ladies, you need to read The Time of Singing! 

Ana: One thing I really liked was how so much of medieval life is conveyed without it being obvious. The food, the daily chores, the organization of the castle, the marriage traditions and the people's expectations about life, religion, king... not to mention the way the political events are woven in the story. This is really what HF is about isn't it?

Marg: This for me is really where Elizabeth Chadwick's strength is in her storytelling. I am always reminded when I read her books that whilst the house I live in now, my transport, and the way I live my life are all very different to what Mahelt and the other characters would be used, fundamentally our emotional needs are no different - our need to provide and protect our children and the need to come first with our chosen partner for example.

Alex: I'm always amazed how Elizabeth Chadwick brings back Middle Age to life. The moment I open one of her books, I'm gone for another adventurous journey many centuries back in time. The scene when Mahelt defends her "castle" from her brothers and trows them handfuls of salve, I could actually smell the thing. 

Alex: The story ends in 1218 just before several deaths in Mahelt's family changed her life completely. Did any of you wanted the story to continue or you were satisfied with the final scene?

Ana: I think it was right to finish when it did because most of the novel is about the conflict with King John. It shaped their lives till then and I saw it as fitting that the story ends when that conflict is resolved .

Marg: I always want more! Having said that, it did seem that the novel ends up at a point where as a reader we can just close the book knowing that the life of Mahelt and Hugh will go on without us, if that makes sense. They have faced many challenges, some of which could have destroyed them, and now they are ready to go forward together. Reading the author's note did make it obvious that there was so much that could have been written about Mahelt, but I was satisfied with where it did end.

Ana: Do you think we will have more Marshall novels? Or better yet is there any secondary character that interested you enough to hope for a book for them? I had one after reading The Greatest Knight but none in this story... Knowing that the Marshall name ended with this generation is kind of sad isn't it?

Marg: I am really not sure. What I do know is that regardless of whether there are more Marshal novels or if this is the last, whatever Elizabeth Chadwick comes out with next I will be reading because I know that I will end up with a really enjoyable read.  I am also pretty sure that like this book, I will find it difficult to put down the next book. There is a down side to devouring each new Chadwick novel as quickly as we all did and that is the wait for the next one!

Alex: That would be something interesting to ask Elizabeth Chadwick, but I'm sure she'll continue to give us incredible stories with extraordinary characters no matter what.

Marg: Do you have a favourite scene or line you would like to share?

Ana: Maybe the scene where Hugh and Mahelt are both at the loom after their son is born. I thought that was a symbolic scene of the life they were creating. Which was yours?

Alex: Ana's scene is also among my favorite, but I would add also Mahelt's "encounter" with Prince John (the girl finally did something that many of us would like to do to that creep), every scene with William Marshal because he is my favorite hero, when Ida shows Mahelt William Longespée baby shoes (I had tears in my eyes).

Marg: I enjoyed that scene, and also many of the scenes where Ida and Mahelt shared the page. I must confess to sighing out loud when I read the scene where Hugh left the note for Mahelt to read before he went off to battle.

Ne vuz sanz mei, ne mei sanz vus.

(No you without me, nor I without you)

Marg: If you had to give this a rating out of 5, what would you give it? It was a solid 5/5 for me.

Ana: definitely a solid 5 for me also.

Alex: A 5/5 for me too but I would give it a 10 if I could. To Defy a King is a must read for any historical fiction fan!

**********************

Now for the giveaway! Alex has a gently read spare copy of The Time of Singing, the book that tells the story of Hugh's parents, Roger and Ida, and she is happy to give it away! (This book is due to be released in the US later this year under the title For the King's Favor.)

- the giveaway is open worldwide

- only one entry per person

- please leave us a valid email address

- open until the 20th May 2010 midnight GMT

The winner will be chosen randomly (with random.org). Don't forget that there is still a giveaway To Defy a King. You can enter that giveaway by clicking here. Who knows. If you are lucky you could end up with both!

Good luck to everyone!