Ravensdale Blog Tour: Spotlight

 

Publication Date: April 18, 2014
Formats: eBook, Paperback; 260p

 

Genre: Historical Regency/Comedy-Spoof

When the group of highwaymen headed by the disgraced Earl of Little Dean, Reynaud Ravensdale hold up the hoydenish Isabella Murray’s coach, she knocks one of them down and lectures them all on following Robin Hood’s example.

The rascally Reynaud Ravensdale – otherwise known as the dashing highwayman Mr Fox – is fascinated by her spirit.

He escaped abroad three years back following his supposedly shooting a friend dead after a quarrel. Rumour has it that his far more respectable cousin was involved. Now, having come back during his father’s last illness, the young Earl is seeking to clear his name.

Isabella’s ambitious parents are eager to marry her off to Reynaud Ravensdale’s cousin, the next in line to his title. The totally unromantic Isabella is even ready to elope with her outlaw admirer to escape this fate – on condition that he teaches her how to be a highwaywoman herself.

This hilarious spoof uses vivid characters and lively comedy to bring new life to a theme traditionally favoured by historical novelists – that of the wild young Earl, who, falsely accused of murder by the machinations of a conniving cousin and prejudged by his reputation, lives as an outlaw whilst seeking to clear his name.

‘Ravensdale’ is a fast paced, funny and romantic read from the writer of ‘That Scoundrel Émile Dubois’, following the adventures of his equally roguish cousin and set in 1792, just prior to the French Revolution, two years before ‘That Scoundrel Émile Dubois’.

Praise For Ravensdale

“This was a good book. Well written and funny. As far as historical romances go, this one is quite a page turner. She turned a historical romance into something fun and different with comedy added in.” – Brenny’s Book Obsession (Amazon.com)

“I liked how Elliot poked fun at the clichés of historical romances. The chapter titles made me laugh. They were these little parody’s which gave just enough lightness to the story without turning it into a joke.” – Lauryn April (Amazon.com)

“And despite all the satire there is still an enjoyable story taking place in this book. Elliot does a fine job of allowing the reader to not only laugh at some of the absurdities in this tale but also root for the players to find their happy ending. There is plenty of emotion and heart in this book as both Isabella and Reynaud are characters of admirable quality and depth. ..I applaud Elliot for making the poetic regency romances we hold dear to our heart into something fun and different. She never insults or tarnishes what we love about the genre but allows it to blossom with comedy making it something I particularly loved even more.” – JC @ All is Read (Amazon.com)

“This was a cleverly written story, similar to a tongue in cheek Jane Austen classic.” – Gidgeemamma (Amazon.com)

“Ravensdale achieves everything it sets out to do, playing with formulas and stereotypes of older romance novels with abandon.The writer manages to pay tribute to the genre while having fun at the same time. In one paragraph, the sturdy no-nonsense heroine muses on the cliches of the plot she finds herself in, capitalizing all the character types such as the Wild Young Buck, the Villain of the Piece, and the Sweet Young Maiden. You can see her eyes rolling as she teases. But then the novel transforms, as the stereotypes become real people under the clever typing fingers of Lucinda Elliot.” – Jo (Amazon.com)

“If you enjoy Georgette Heyer-style period romances, you’ll probably enjoy “Ravensdale”. However – and this is what is so clever about this novel – if you don’t, then there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy “Ravensdale” anyway. It provides you with both characters that you can genuinely like and care about, an interesting story, and a parody that is at times hilarious.” – Mari Biella (Amazon.com)

“I didn’t want it to end. Ravensdale is a thoroughly enjoyable read.” – Anne Carlisle PhD (Amazon.com)

“I was so engrossed that I couldn’t stop reading and ended up with a terrible headache, but it was worth it. What an amazing bunch of characters! First of all, there’s Lord Reynaud Ravensdale, the Disgraced Outlaw and Earl: this is a character to really fall in love with. He’s intelligent, quick, wild, impetuous, an amazing shot, and absolutely bursting with honor. ..Isabella is an amazing kick ass woman, and a true, perfect match for the larger than life Ravensdale.” – Ral in the West (Amazon.com)

Click Here For a Character Interview with Reynaud Ravensdale.

 

 

Watch the Book Trailer

 

 

Buy The Book

 

Amazon US
Amazon UK

 

 

About The Author

 

 

Lucinda Elliot loves writing Gothic style stories, which isn’t surprising because she was brought up in a series of big old isolated houses which her parents were refurbishing (it wasn’t so fashionable back then). After that, she lived, studied and worked in London for many years and now lives in Mid Wales with her family.

She loves writing about strong women to complement gung ho males.

Her interests do include weight training and body shaping,and she was once a champion Sports fighter, but apart from that her interests are quite geeky. Reading classic novels, conservation, gardening, and even names and their meanings (bring on the carrot juice). She loves a laugh above anything.

For more information please visit Lucinda’s website. You can also connect with her on Goodreads.

Ravensdale Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 22

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, September 23
Interview at Layered Pages

Wednesday, September 24
Review at Book Lovers Paradise

Thursday, September 25
Review at “Good Friends, Good Books and a Sleepy Conscience: This is the Ideal Life.”
Spotlight at Historical Tapestry

Saturday, September 27
Spotlight at Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers

Sunday, September 28
Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Monday, September 29
Interview at Let Them Read Books

Tuesday, September 30
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Review at Devilishly Delicious Book Blog

Thursday, October 2
Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Friday, October 3
Spotlight at SOS Aloha



 

 



Spotlight On This Is How I'd Love You by Hazel Woods Plus Giveaway!

I have had This Is How I'd Love You on my wish list ever since I saw this beautiful cover and read its unusual and intriguing synopsis. Now you have a chance to win a copy of your own! Continue below for information on this exciting new novel, the full blog tour schedule and how you can win a copy!


Publication Date: August 26, 2014 Plume Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback, MP3 CD
Pages: 320

Genre: Historical Fiction


As the Great War rages, an independent young woman struggles to sustain love—and life—through the power of words. It’s 1917 and America is on the brink of World War I. After Hensley Dench’s father is forced to resign from the New York Times for his anti-war writings, she finds herself expelled from the life she loves and the future she thought she would have. Instead, Hensley is transplanted to New Mexico, where her father has taken a job overseeing a gold mine. Driven by loneliness, Hensley hijacks her father’s correspondence with Charles Reid, a young American medic with whom her father plays chess via post. Hensley secretly begins her own exchange with Charles, but looming tragedy threatens them both, and—when everything turns against them—will their words be enough to beat the odds?

 

Praise for This Is How I’d Love You

“In This is How I’d Love You, Hazel Woods explores the enduring nature of an improbable love born of words, washed in tragedy, and sustained despite impossible circumstances. With prose as immediate and evocative as a painting, Woods accomplishes the magic of rendering sorrow into hope and fear into courage. It is as idealistic a tale as it is clear-sighted, a brilliant alchemy few novels achieve. Readers, prepare to melt” — Robin Oliveria, author of My Name is Mary Sutter

 

Buy the Book

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound
Powell’s

 

About the Author

Hazel Woods lives in New Mexico with her husband and two children. For more information please visit www.hazelwoodsauthor.com. You can also find her on Twitter.

 

 

 

This Is How I’d Love You Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, August 25

Review & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, August 27
Interview at Dab of Darkness

Friday, August 29
Interview at Book Babe

Monday, September 1
Review & Interview at Closed the Cover

Tuesday, September 2
Review & Interview at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, September 3
Review at The Bookworm

Thursday, September 4
Review at Booktalk & More

Friday, September 5
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Monday, September 8
Spotlight & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry

Tuesday, September 9
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, September 10
Interview at Caroline Wilson Writes

Friday, September 12
Review & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
 Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Monday, September 15
Review & Guest Post at Bookish

Tuesday, September 16
Review at Book of Secrets

Wednesday, September 17
Review at Book Nerd

Giveaway!

 

Thank you to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to offer up one paperback copy of This Is How I'd Love You here on Historical Tapestry! This giveaway is open to those in the US and you have until September 15th to leave a comment below to be entered to win.

For your comment let me know why you want to win the book. Be sure to leave your email address (no email, no entry!). For extra entries share this giveaway online and leave a separate comment with the link to where you shared. That's it! I will announce the winner on September 16th and email the winner for their mailing address. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before I pick another winner. Good luck everyone!



Spotlight on Bianca's Vineyard by Teresa Neumann Plus Giveaway!

Publication Date: November 12, 2010
All’s Well House Publishing
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction


Bianca Corrotti’s vineyard is more than a piece of mouth-watering real estate in Tuscany. It’s an inheritance; a storehouse harboring the secrets of her Uncle Egisto Bertozzi, a world-class sculptor, and his troubled wife — a woman whose destiny converges with Mussolini’s when WWII overtakes them all. Based on a true story, Bianca’s Vineyard follows a devoted family of strong-willed men and lion-hearted women waging an epic battle against a gathering storm intent on destroying their lives.

 

Praise for Bianca’s Vineyard

“Bianca’s Vineyard is many things: a striking portrait of wartime Italy under the Fascist reign of Benito Mussolini; a poignant story of family, torn apart and brought back together in the decades that spanned the Second World War; a love letter to the Tuscan countryside through its downfall and triumph. But beneath the lush descriptions of the Italian wine country and the startling brutality of a gruesome war that left a lasting impression on the entire world, it’s a story about forgiveness and second chances, and true love that prevails. The novel, ultimately, is a beautifully descriptive piece of historical fiction that spans nearly ninety years of one family’s history, focusing on one of the most pivotal moments of the twentieth century. The plot twists and turns with all of the provocative intrigue of family lore, but never fails to delight.” — The Portland Review

“Bianca’s Vineyard is involving and smoothly written, which is not surprising because Neumann is a journalist. Her dialogue is crisp and believable, and her evocation of the battle between partisans and Nazis is painful to read. Most of all, her story is of the secrets, compassion, family loyalty and long memories of people in small villages.” — St. Paul Pioneer Press

“Filled with drama and mystery, this page turner will have you longing for a vineyard of your own. Recommended for readers of historical fiction with lush settings and fans of family sagas.” — JoAnne Drake, Willamette Woman Magazine

"Bianca’s Vineyard is beautifully written and is rich in culture and complex characters. Neumann gives you a realistic picture of what people went through during the war and how they survived a terrible force bent on destroying everything they have worked hard for and loved. I highly recommend this story! You will fall in love with it the moment you start the first page. Five Stars! — Historical Novel Society, Layered Pages

“Teresa Neumann’s wonderful novel, born in the contemporary history of Italy, has the impact that only a true and deeply human story could deliver. This is no fluffy Under the Tuscan Sun affirmation of all the cliches about Italy that you’ve read in recent years. Yes, the long family table under the sun, the wine and the wonderful Italian food, and the charming Italian eccentricity are all there … but this book is a riveting human story told by a master storyteller. It transcends place and time. With the instincts of a detective, Neumann investigated the tangled and often missing threads of a family story that found its way through the decades down to her. She has created a story that a absorbs, stuns, and sometimes overwhelms the reader with its reality and immediacy.” — Dick Paetzke, Author of Postcards: Little Letters From Life

 

Buy the Book

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository
IndieBound

 

About the Author

Teresa Neumann was raised in a large, boisterous Irish-Catholic family from Iowa and is the author of “Bianca’s Vineyard,” and its sequel, “Domenico’s Table.” Both books are based on the true stories of her husband’s Italian family in Tuscany. She has lived in Oregon for over 30 years with her husband and three children. In addition to enjoying family, writing, reading, meeting her readers, wine tasting, traveling, and all things Italian, Teresa loves playing the fiddle with other musicians.

For more information on Teresa Neumann and her novels please visit her website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

 

Bianca’s Vineyard Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, August 11

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, August 12
Spotlight at Reading Lark
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, August 13
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Thursday, August 14
Review at Beth’s Book Reviews

Friday, August 15
Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Monday, August 18
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Review at Queen of All She Reads

Tuesday, August 19
Spotlight at Historical Tapestry

Wednesday, August 20
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Friday, August 22
Review & Interview at Bookish

Tuesday, August 26
Review at Luxury Reading

Giveaway

To win a Kindle eBook of Bianca’s Vineyard please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form HERE.

Two copies are up for grabs.
Giveaway is open to US residents only.
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on August 26th.
You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on August 27th and notified via email.

 



Spotlight on Daphne du Maurier

Daphne du Maurier was born in London, England, in May 1907, the daughter of the actor Sir Gerald du Maurier and granddaughter of the author George du Maurier. Her first novel The Loving Spirit, was published in 1931.

She lived in Cornwall for many years and chose to set many of her novels in the region. Her most famous novel was Rebecca, which was adapted to the big screen by Alfred Hitchcock. Many of her other novels were also adapted including some whith a historical setting - Frenchman's Creek, Hungry Hill and Jamaica Inn.  She wrote both fiction (she was known as a romantic novelist but also wrote other genres) and non-fiction (including biographies and plays) . She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1969 and died in April 1989.

She has a long list of published works, some of which have an historical setting:

Fiction

The Loving Spirit (1931)
I'll Never Be Young Again (1932)
The Progress of Julius (1933) (later re-published as Julius)
Jamaica Inn (1936)
Rebecca (1938)
Rebecca (1940) (play—du Maurier's own stage adaptation of her novel)
Happy Christmas (1940) (short story)
Come Wind, Come Weather (1940) (short story collection)
Frenchman's Creek (1941)
Hungry Hill (1943)
The Years Between (1945) (play)
The King's General (1946)
September Tide (1948) (play)
The Parasites (1949)
My Cousin Rachel (1951)
The Apple Tree (1952) (short story collection, AKA Kiss Me Again, Stranger)
Mary Anne (1954)
The Scapegoat (1957)
Early Stories (1959) (short story collection, stories written between 1927–1930)
The Breaking Point (1959) (short story collection, AKA The Blue Lenses)
Castle Dor (1961) (with Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch)
The Birds and Other Stories (1963) (republication of The Apple Tree)
The Glass-Blowers (1963)
The Flight of the Falcon (1965)
The House on the Strand (1969)
Not After Midnight (1971) (short story collection, AKA Don't Look Now)
Rule Britannia (1972)
"The Rendezvous and Other Stories" (1980) (short story collection)

Non-fiction

Gerald (1934)
The du Mauriers (1937)
The Young George du Maurier (1951)
The Infernal World of Branwell Brontë (1960)
Vanishing Cornwall (includes photographs by her son Christian)(1967)
Golden Lads (1975)
The Winding Stairs (1976)
Growing Pains -— the Shaping of a Writer (1977) (a.k.a. Myself When Young -— the Shaping of a Writer)
Enchanted Cornwall (1989)

Spotlight on Our Australian Girl - Grace

Last year, I saw a couple of posts on an Rebecca's Book Blog (an American blog which is kind of ironic in a way) talking about a new children's book series called Our Australian Girl.  After that I saw them mentioned on an Australian blog when the books were launched, and I was interested enough to see if I could track the books down. At the time there were four girls that we could meet, but since then another two girls have been added to the series. Today, I thought I would talk generally about the series, but then more specifically about the first girl, Grace.

The concept is that we meet a girl from a particular time in history and through a series of four books we get to follow her life. So far, the girls are:

Grace - a convict who is transported to Australia in 1808.
Letty - a free settler who is coming to Australia in 1841
Poppy - a young girl of Chinese/Aboriginal heritage who gets caught up in goldrush fever in 1864.
Rose - lives in Melbourne during the year that Australia became an official nation in 1901
Nellie - an Irish orphan who is sent to South Australia in 1849
Alice - a young girl with a passion for ballet who lives in Perth during the World War I (1918).

The publishers have done a fabulous job with the packaging of these books. Each cover features a photo of the girl, a charm bracelet where there is a charm for the year, the letter of the girl's name, the number of the book of the series, and then a charm that is relevant to the story within the books. Inside the book there are maps showing where the book is set, historical information from the time that the book is set in, as well as each author and the illustrator's Australian girl story, whether they were born here or if they immigrated to Australia. There is also additional content to be found at the associated website, including quizzes as well as additional information for teachers and parents.

Whilst I am not in the target range for these books, I love the way that the publisher has put this series together, and if I was a girl aged between 8 and 11, I am pretty sure that I would love these books! If you have a girl in your life who likes history, then these may well be a good gift idea for her!

In this video, we meet the girls who have been chosen to be the faces of  Our Australian Girls.

So let's meet Grace.

Grace is an orphan who lives with her uncle in the slums of London. He is a harsh guardian for Grace, and she has to work as a mudlark, looking for items of value in the mudflats at the edge of the Thames river. Like so many young girls through the ages, Grace is obsessed with horses. Visiting the horses nearby usually gives Grace great comfort, except when she thinks that they are also being mistreated. When she steals an apple from a nearby fruit stall to give to the horse, she is caught, spends time in prison and is eventually sentenced to be transported to Australia.

On board the ship, Grace faces harsh conditions, but she is lucky enough to make friends with Hannah and her mother Liza which helps her survive her time on board the boat.

Once she reaches Australia, she is sent to work on a farm in the country away from her new friends. There she meets the indigenous Aboriginal population as well as seeing the strange animals and flora that abound in the country. She likes her mistress but she is not sure that her master is pleased with her. Will her obsession with horses cause her trouble again, even though she is doing her best in difficult circumstances.

Grace is terrified that she will be sent back to the Factory (where the girls who haven't been employed are kept to work in horrible conditions) and so she does her best to make her master happy, but with his horse sickening due to Grace's actions, it is looking unlikely that she will be able to stay.


Originally posted at The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader

Spotlight on the Earth's Children series by Jean Auel.

Tomorrow. September 30, is the 30th anniversary of the release of The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel, the first book in the Earth's Children series. With the sixth and final book due to be released in March 2011, it seems a fitting time to do a Spotlight feature on the series.

Ever since I decided to write this post, I have been trying to remember the name of the couple that introduced me to these books. I think that they were Neville and Sue, and they used to be the neighbours who lived over our back fence. When I was in my mid to late teens I used to go and babysit for them, and it was during one of those occasions they introduced me to these books. I loved the world that Auel had created with it's mix of history, drama, love, tragedy, and the fact that they were all chunksters didn't hurt either, because this was at the stage in my reading life where the bigger the book was, the more likely I would want to pick it up and read it.

Jean Auel is one of those authors who doesn't seem to need to put out books very regularly but still can maintain a very loyal supporter base. There was a 12 year gap between the Plains of Passage and the Shelters of Stone, and by the time the final book comes out in March next year, there will have been a 9 year wait for the finale of Ayla and Jondalar's story.


The books in order (and the year that they were originally released in) are:

1. The Clan of the Cave Bear, 1980
2. The Valley of Horses, 1982
3. The Mammoth Hunters, 1985
4. The Plains of Passage, 1990
5. The Shelters of Stone, 2002
6. The Land of Painted Caves, 2011

So what are the novels about?

They are set in the Ice Age, and open with Ayla, a young Cro-Magnon girl who has been orphaned during an earthquake, and who is taken in by a Neanderthal clan (known throughout the novels as The Clan). Ayla is very different from her Neanderthal family but she learns to communicate with them, and learns various skills including healing, and weaponry, much to the clan leader's displeasure. She is, and always will be an outsider though.

Without wanting to spoil too much, the novels follow Ayla's journey as she travels to find others like her, as she learns more skills, and as she tries to balance the two different sides of herself. She struggles with socialisation, and with being a relatively independent woman in a very male dominated world.

There are times that Ayla can be something of a too-good-to-be-true character and certainly modern sensibilities are catered for. The last book was a little more average than I remember the earlier books being when I read them 20+ years ago. That doesn't mean that I won't be eagerly anticipating The Land of Painted Caves. You can be guaranteed that I will have my name down on the lists to get my copy as soon as possible when it comes out!

Below are a selection of covers of the different books showing the various styles of covers that have been given to this series over the years. It will be interesting to see if the publishers rebrand the whole series when the final book is finally released.

The other thing that is interesting is that I read somewhere that the author is looking forward to working on something different now. I can't imagine how hard it will be for her to move onto something new after working on the same series for 30 odd years.

Have you read the Earth's Children series? Are you looking forward to the last book? Share your thoughts on the series in the comments.

Spotlight On Anya Seton

Anya Seton was born Ann Seton in 1904 (some sources mention 1906 or 1916), the daughter of Ernest Thompson Seton, a known naturalist and anthropologist and his wife Grace. Her parents were both writers and travelers and it's not difficult to imagine that they had great influence in their daughter's choice of work. Not only did Anya Seton become an accomplished writer but she also travelled frequently and for long periods of time to the places she was writing about.

She was already in her thirties when she published her first book - My Theodosia - in the following years she would write 11 more novels, 10 of them historical, that quickly became best sellers. Two of them were adapted to the screen - Dragonwyck and Foxfire - and another two have stand the test of time to become classics - Katherine and Green Drakness. These last two are usually the ones mentioned when we talk about Seton. Her whole backlist was out of print for a while but they have recently been reprinted by Chicago Review Press making them available to a whole new generation of readers.

Although her books are usually considered historical romances she preferred to call them biographical novels. Anya Seton died in 1990 at the age of 86.

Bibliography:
My Theodosia (1941)
Dragonwyck (1944)
The Turquoise (1946)
The Hearth and the Eagle (1948)
Foxfire (1950)
Katherine (1954)
The Mistletoe and the Sword (1956)
The Winthrop Woman (1958)
Devil Water (1962)
Avalon (1965)
Green Darkness (1972)
Smouldering Fires (1975)

Spotlight on Fiona Buckley's Ursula Blanchard series

For a long time now, a look at the historical fiction shelves will reveal that one of the most popular eras in historical fiction is the Tudor period, particularly the life and times of Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I. This fascination is understandable - scandalous love lives, religious upheaval and dramatic events in world history all are factors in the fascination that readers have with these times.

Those factors are part of what makes the Ursula Blanchard series of novels by Fiona Buckley an entertaining read.

Full name Ursula Faldene Blanchard de la Roche Stannard, our introduction to Ursula is when she is a young widow who has recently arrived in the court of Elizabeth I. She needs to provide for her young daughter, Meg, as well as her servants. It isn't long before William Cecil has Ursula working for him in a variety of roles, placing her both in danger, but also in situations where she can show her resourcefulness and resolve.

There is definitely some similarity in tone and broad themes to Karen Harper's Elizabeth I mysteries series, but one of the key differences is that Ursula is not restricted to the court as Elizabeth I, as sleuth, needs to be for the most part. Being able to travel around means that Ursula is able to investigate events such as the death of Robert Dudley's wife (The Robsart Mystery) and various Catholic (The Doublet Affair) and aristocratic plots (To Ruin a Queen). Along the way, Ursula interacts with Catherine, Queen of France (The Queen's Ransom), Mary, Queen of Scots (A Pawn for a Queen and The Fugitive Queen) and also finds time to live her own life as well including dealing with deaths, marriages and raising a young girl to womanhood.

Like many other historical mysteries series, there are times when Ursula is too modern, and there are some things that happen that I didn't really like, but the positives outweigh those criticisms.

At this point in time, there doesn't appear to be any new Ursula Blanchard books due to be published, which is disappointing. Fiona Buckley is however the pen name for Valerie Anand who writes historical fiction/fantasy, and she has at least one long running series that I will try at some point.

I did find that this series started slowly, but the books did improve and the last few were very entertaining. I started reading this series before I started blogging so I don't have reviews for all of them, but I have provided the links where possible. The series in order is:

1. The Robsart Mystery (also published as To Shield the Queen)
2. The Doublet Affair
3. Queen's Ransom
4. To Ruin A Queen
5. Queen of Ambition
6. A Pawn for a Queen
7. The Fugitive Queen
8. The Siren Queen

Ellizabeth Chadwick Week - Spotlight on the Books

When we first decided to hold this event, I thought it would be fun to ask some other Elizabeth Chadwick fans if they would like to participate! The first to agree was Misfitandmom from At Home with a Good Book and the Cat, who also has a number of Listmanias on Amazon, including one focusing on Elizabeth Chadwick. Here's Misfit on the right - no pictures of mom as far as I know! *grin*

Misfit has decided to give us a tour through Elizabeth Chadwick's backlist. Welcome to Historical Tapestry Misfit!

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

I first discovered Elizabeth Chadwick’s books in early 2006 – whether they popped up on my Amazon recommendations or I found them on a Listmania, I’ve no clue. Heh, they probably were on my rec’s because I purchased PG’s books back in the early days of discovering historical fictionJ. Whatever – all I know is Falcons of Montabard was the first and it sent me on a whole new reading adventure and I’ve not looked back since. No one but no one can suck me into another century like EC does. To quote some of her book jackets it’s the next best thing to time travel.



The Time of Singing



EC’s latest novel tells the story of Roger Bigod, son of Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk, who and Ida de Tosney who was a mistress to Henry II. A big surprise was finding a young William Longespée in Ida’s story. I am patiently waiting for the sequel in 2010, To Defy a King.



The Scarlet Lion



The outstanding sequel to The Greatest Knight, this novel covers William Marshal’s life with Isabel as they face the dangers and terrors of living in the court of the King John, and then his time as regent for the young Henry III. I have to admit shedding more than a few tears at the last chapter, keep the tissue box handy.


A Place Beyond Courage



This is a prequel of sorts to The Greatest Knight, and is the story of John FitzGilbert, the father of William Marshal. The story takes place amidst the backdrop of England's civil war between Henry's daughter Matilda and her cousin Stephen, as John tries to juggle his perilous position between the two rivals for the crown. The author did a marvelous job of bringing John, Aline and Sybilla to life, and most especially young William. I was totally entranced at the way William was portrayed, from his exuberant first word to his innocent knowledge of the danger he was in whilst being held hostage by King Stephen.




The Winter Mantle



It is 1066 and William the Bastard has conquered England. He marries his niece to the soon to be rebellious Earl Waltheof of Huntingdon. This is two stories, first Waltheof and then his daughter Matilda.



The Falcons of Montabard



After dallying with the King’s mistress, Sabin is beaten by the King’s men and banished and he heads to Outremer (Israel). The setting for this story is a bit different from the EC’s other novels, but it’s still a personal favorite of mine, as is the hero Sabin – what a hottie. I loved watching Sabin grow and mature from a young hellion and womanizer into a caring, loving husband and father. Those of you who have read The Winter Mantle will recognize Sabin as the very young baby at the end of that book.



Shadows and Strongholds



S&S is the story of Fulke "Brunin" Fitzwarin, and follows him from childhood to manhood. As a young boy, Brunin withdraws into himself to avoid the pain from his domineering overbearing grandmother, and his father sends him to train as a squire with Joscelin de Dinan. I really loved the relationship between Brunin and Hawise and never tire of reading it (three times now). This is a great coming of age story and a prequel of sorts to The Lords of The White Castle – although Lords was written first.


Lords of the White Castle



While serving as a squire at the court of Henry II, fifteen year old Fulke FitzWarin runs afoul of a drunken Prince John and fights back when John attacks him with a wooden chess board, leaving a grudge that both men carry into adulthood. The FitzWarin family fights to have Whittingdon Castle, that was taken from them during the Civil War, returned to them, yet upon Richard I's death the now King John refuses to consider Fulke's plea out of spite. Fulke and his brothers rebel against John and become outlaws, living in the woods and robbing whenever they can from John (hmmm, a bit similar to a certain legend?).



Daughters of the Grail



This is one of EC’s earlier books and is also published under the title Children of Destiny. I loved this exciting tale of Cathars, Knights Templar, evil priests, Bridget and her daughter Magda - descended from Mary Magdalene, all battling the Roman Catholic Church that is bent on destroying them.



The Marsh King’s Daughter



This was a bit different from the author's usual story -- you really won't find many lords, ladies and knights in this one. Just the wool trade, an interesting footnote in history on the disappearance into the quicksand of John's treasure, a truly evil bad guy and a pair of lovers who take FOREVER to realize they are meant to be.



The Champion



An interesting concept using the tourney circuit as a back drop, giving you an entrance into an area most of us know nothing about. Of course the hero is wonderful, the villains truly evil (King John is really over the top in this one!) and we’re kept on the edge of our seat waiting to see if true love wins out in the end.


The Love Knot



A story set in the time of England's Civil War between Stephen and Maude. Catrin was stubborn to a fault, Oliver steadfast and honorable, a truly evil villain and a surprise return from the past of someone long thought dead. One of EC’s earlier novels and might feel too much like a romance for some historical fans but I loved it to bits.



The Conquest



Unputdownable! Is that a word? If not it should be, at least when describing this author's books. The Conquest is really two books in one, telling the story of two generations as it opens shortly before the Norman invasion of 1066. Saxon housewife Ailith loses her husband, brothers and new born child and attempts to take her own life, but is stopped by womanizing Norman knight Rolf de Brize. The second part of the book tells the story of their daughter Julitta.



Shields of Pride



One of EC's earlier books, this is the story of mercenary Joscelin de Gael, the illegitimate son of a prominent knight and Linnet de Montsorrel. Linnet's abusive husband dies in an accident and Joscelin is given the care of Linnet's holdings and young son, and marries her.



The Wild Hunt



EC's first novel and Book One in the Ravenstow Trilogy. Guyan, a Marcher Lord marries Judith of Ravenstow at the order of King William Rufus. They meet on their wedding day, and Guyan finds himself with a not fully mature 16 year old wife. As Guyan and Judith struggle with the treachery and intrigues of the courts of both William Rufus and his brother Henry, they manage to forge a strong and passionate marriage, and Judith grows into a strong willed woman and a force to be reckoned with.



The Running Vixen



Book two in the Ravenstow trilogy, this book tells the story of Guyan's newly widowed natural daughter Heulwen and Adam de Lacey who was raised in Guyan and Judith's household. Adam has just returned from escorting Maude/Mathidla from Germany back to England to be sworn in as Henry I's heir, to the chagrin of the Barons. IMHO this is the weakest book in the trilogy, but EC’s second best is heads and tails above many others.



The Leopard Unleashed



Book Three in the Ravenstow Trilogy, it opens as Guyan and Judith's oldest son and heir Renard is on crusade, that being the most expeditious method of his avoiding the civil war raging between King Stephen and Empress Mathilda. Renard involves himself with a beautiful exotic dancer, Olwen, and when the summons arrives for Renard to return home to his ailing father, she manipulates Renard into taking her along with him. Once home, Renard must marry the much younger Eleanor, who he was betrothed to ten years prior.



First Knight



My understanding is that this novel was written as a tie-in to the movie and is not your usual Chadwick. You won’t find that sense of time travel to another century that you usually get in an EC book and it’s best left for her die-hard fans like me J.



And last, but certainly not least is the book soon to be released in the U.S. by SourceBooks,

The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen's Champion



A fascinating look at a true, honorable and loyal man, who in the end was well rewarded for his loyalty by marriage to a wealthy heiress who became his life's soul mate. Much of the book is involved with the treachery and intrigue of the Plantagenet court and their lives -- you won't see as much heart stopping page turning excitement as you might have found some of the author's previous works, but still excellent reading just the same.

Spotlight On The Morland Saga by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

The Morland Dinasty series is, according to the author's website, the longest-running historical family saga ever! It's not difficult to believe it because it includes 32 books by now and covers the history of England from The Wars of The Roses to WWI. It seems the initial plan was to cover the period till WWII in 12 volumes but as the writing started so did the series start to grow.


The series focuses not only in the important political aspects of each period but also on the lives and problems of the fictional Morland family. It's interesting to see how the author combines both to enrich her story. In her own words:


THE MORLAND DYNASTY is the longest-running historical family saga ever, following the Morland family through five hundred years of British history. Though the Morlands are a fictional family, they interact with real historical events and characters, so you can witness through their eyes the great events of history from the Wars of the Roses through the Restoration, the French Revolution, the American Civil War, the Charge of the Light Brigade, and the sinking of the Titanic. More and more, people are coming to understand that history matters, that we cannot understand who we are unless we know where we have come from. The Morland Dynasty is both a family saga and a painless way to absorb the real history of this island and its people. It is intended to continue up to the Second World War. At present I have got as far as WW1.






Although the author has written other books (and has used Emma Woodhouse and Elizabeth Bennett as a pen name for some, which I felt was a nice nod to Jane Austen) the Morland saga is definitely her best known work. We have already reviewed the first two books at Historical Tapestry and we plan to continue with the series soon.

The Founding - Book 1

The Dark Rose - Book 2

Spotlight On Jean Plaidy

Jean Plaidy was born Eleanor Alice Burford in 1906. She wrote books under her own name and also as Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr, Victoria Holt and several other pseudonyms. Under the Jean Plaidy name she wrote a series of books of historical fiction covering an extensive period of the history of England and some dedicated to french, spanish and italian historical figures. Jean Plaidy died in 1993.

She was one of the most famous british novelists during the 1950s and 60s and her books sold millions of copies. For a time they were hard to find and very expensive in the second hand market but fortunately a number of titles are being reissued nowadays and they will possibly bring Jean Plaidy's novels to a whole generation of readers.

Bibliography:

Norman Series
The Bastard King Vol. 1
The Lion of Justice Vol. 2
The Passionate Enemies Vol. 3

Plantagenet Series
The Plantagenet Prelude Vol. 1
The Revolt of the Eaglets Vol. 2
The Heart of the Lion Vol. 3
The Prince of Darkness Vol. 4
The Battle of the Queens Vol. 5
The Queen from Provence Vol. 6
Edward Longshanks (The Hammer of the Scots) Vol. 7
The Follies of the King Vol. 8
The Vow on the Heron Vol. 9
The Passage to Pontefract Vol. 10
The Star of Lancaster Vol. 11
Epitaph for Three Women Vol. 12
The Red Rose of Anjou Vol. 13
The Sun in Splendour Vol. 14

Tudor Series
Uneasy Lies the Head Vol. 1
Katharine the Virgin Widow Vol. 2
The Shadow of the Pomegranate Vol. 3
The King's Secret Matter Vol. 4
Murder Most Royal Vol. 5
St. Thomas's Eve Vol. 6
The Sixth Wife Vol. 7
The Thistle and the Rose Vol. 8
Mary, Queen of France Vol. 9
The Spanish Bridegroom Vol. 10
Gay Lord Robert Vol. 11
Katherine of Aragon Vol. 2,3,4

Mary Stuart Series
The Royal Road to Fotheringay Vol. 1
The Captive Queen of Scots Vol. 2

James I
The Murder in the Tower

Charles II Trilogy
The Wandering Prince Vol. 1
Health Unto His Majesty Vol. 2
Here Lies our Sovereign Lord Vol. 3
Charles II Vol. 1,2,3

Stuart Saga
The Three Crowns Vol. 1
The Haunted Sisters Vol. 2
The Queen's Favorites Vol. 3
Last of the Stuarts Vol. 1,2,3

Georgian Series
The Princess of Celle Vol. 1
Queen in Waiting Vol. 2
Caroline, the Queen Vol. 3
The Prince and the Quakeress Vol. 4
The Third George Vol. 5
Perdita´s Prince Vol. 6
Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill Vol. 7
Indiscretions of the Queen Vol. 8
The Regent's Daughter Vol. 9
The Goddess of the Green Room Vol. 10
Victoria in the Wings Vol. 11

Queen Victoria Series
The Captive of Kensington Palace Vol. 1
The Queen and Lord M Vol. 2
The Queen's Husband Vol. 3
The Widow of Windsor Vol. 4

Queens of England Series
Myself My Enemy Vol. 1
Queen of this Realm Vol. 2
Victoria Victorious Vol. 3
The Lady in the Tower Vol. 4
The Courts of Love Vol. 5
In the Shadow of the Crown Vol. 6
The Queen's Secret Vol. 7
The Reluctant Queen Vol. 8
The Pleasures of Love Vol. 9
William's Wife Vol. 10
The Rose Without a Thorn Vol. 11

Ferdinand and Isabella Series
Castile for Isabella Vol. 1
Spain for the Sovereigns Vol. 2
Daughters of Spain Vol. 3
Isabella and Ferdinand Vol. 1,2,3

Lucrezia Borgia Series
Madonna of the Seven Hills Vol. 1
Light on Lucrezia Vol. 2
Lucrezia Borgia Vol. 1,2

de'Medici Series
Madame Serpent Vol. 1
The Italian Woman Vol. 2
Queen Jezebel Vol. 3
Catherine de’Medici Vol. 1,2,3

Henry of Navarre
Evergreen Gallant

French Revolution Series
Louis, the Well-Beloved Vol. 1
The Road to Compiegne Vol. 2
Flaunting Extravagant Queen Vol. 3

Spanish Inquisition Series
The Rise of the Spanish Inquisition Vol. 1
The Growth of Spanish Inquisition Vol. 2
The End of the Spanish Inquisition Vol. 3
The Spanish Inquisition Vol. 1,2,3

Other Titles
Together They Ride
Beyond the Blue Mountains
The Goldsmith's Wife (King's Mistress)
Daughter of Satan
Lilith
It Began in Vauxhall Gardens (Melisande)
Milady Charlotte
The Scarlet Cloak
Defenders of the Faith
Madame Du Barry
The Queen of Diamonds
The King's Adventurer (This Was a Man)
A Triptych of Poisoners
Mary Queen of Scots: Fair Devil of Scotland
King's Pleasure (Murder Most Royal)
The Unholy Woman (The Italian Woman)
Mary Queen of Scotland: The Triumphant Year (Royal Road to Fotheringay)
The King's Mistress (The Goldsmith's Wife)
Melisande (It Began in Vauxhall Gardens)

Children's Titles
Young Mary Queen of Scots
Young Elizabeth
Meg Roper; Daughter of Sir Thomas More

Source

Spotlight On: Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer (1902 - 1974) was a very British writer who became famous for writing novels set in the Regency period. Although she also wrote historical fiction set in different periods and quite a few mysteries she is better known for her long list of regencies. They are romance novels full of witty dialogue, some a comedy of errors, all set in the high society that gathered at Almack's or White's and whose main pursuits seemed to be attending balls, go to the theatre and generally patenting an appropriate behaviour according to the period and the Almack's patronesses. Like in Jane Austen novels her heroines are hoping to find love and also to marry well (meaning rich men).

Heyer was always very detailed and tried to be as accurate as possible. It is well known that she had many reference books and indeed her novels are an example of historical accuracy. Nowadays there are many historical romances and many regency romances being published every year, not everyone knows that Heyer is considered the creator of the regency romance genre.



Bibliography

Historical fiction
The Great Roxhythe (1923)
Simon the Coldheart (1925)
Beauvallet (1929)
The Conqueror (1931)
Royal Escape (1938)
My Lord John (1975)

Romance novels
The Black Moth (1921)
Instead of the Thorn (1923)
The Transformatrion of Philip Jettan (later republished as Powder and Patch)
Helen (1928)
Pastel (1929)
Barren Corn (1930)
These Old Shades (1926)
The Masqueraders (1928)
Devil's Cub (1932)
The Convenient Marriage (1934)
Regency Buck (1935)
The Talisman Ring (1936)
An Infamous Army (1937)
The Spanish Bride (1940)
The Corinthian (1940)
Faro's Daughter (1941)
Friday's Child (1944)
The Reluctant Widow (1946)
The Foundling (1948)
Arabella (1949)
The Grand Sophy (1950)
The Quiet Gentleman (1951)
Cotillion (1953)
The Toll-Gate (1954)
Bath Tangle (1955)
Sprig Muslin (1956)
April Lady (1957)
Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle (1957)
Venetia (1958)
The Unknown Ajax (1959)
A Civil Contract (1961)
The Nonesuch (1962)
False Colours (1963)
Frederica (1965)
Black Sheep (1966)
Cousin Kate (1968)
Charity Girl (1970)
Lady of Quality (1972)

Mysteries
Footsteps in the Dark (1932)
Why Shoot a Butler? (1933)
The Unfinished Clue (1934)
Death in the Stocks (1935)
Behold, Here's Poison (1936)
They Found Him Dead (1937)
A Blunt Instrument (1938)
No Wind of Blame (1939)
Envious Casca (1941)
Penhallow (1942)
Duplicate Death (1951)
Detection Unlimited (1953)


To know more about her:

GeorgetteHeyer.com
Heyer Listserv
A Book For All Reasons