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Category: Historical

Interview & Giveaway: Elizabeth Chadwick, author of For the King’s Favor

[ 168 ] September 2, 2010

Please welcome Elizabeth Chadwick, author of For the King’s Favor!

Interview

Probably the most obvious question to ask (given your research in into William Marshal, the early Plantagenets, and subsequently Roger Bigod) is why you do not touch upon the growing Robin Hood tales that arise from this time period? Do you feel that the Robin Hood of legend is based upon Marshal or Bigod or not based upon anyone in particular?

Elizabeth: I actually do touch upon the possibility of the Robin Hood legend in my novel Lords of the White Castle, which is about the Shropshire outlaw Fulke FitzWarin. Fulke is thought by many historians to be one of the originators of the Robin Hood legends that were later brought together from various sources. Robin Hood is very ephemeral in the late 12th century and there is no mention of him by name and deed in any primary source research material pertaining to the period covered by William Marshal and Roger Bigod – nor would I expect there to be. The Fulke FitzWarin story was actually written after William and Roger’s death, so is not of their period, which is why he isn’t in my books. If their timelines had worked out better, perhaps things would have been different!

You talk about the belief that “each person leaves behind an indelible record of themselves impressed upon sub-atomic material and that this record can be accessed if one has the ability to tune in at that particular vibrational level.” Do you have the ability to tune in or do you use solely the services of the Akashic consultant Alison King?

Elizabeth: I wish I did have the ability, but I don’t. Alison’s talent with energy work is a very precious and special one. I have no such ability. I am not gullible, but I do have an open mind and I am interested to see that quantum physics is gradually getting to grips with the science of what she does.

What is Akasha? Is this method used by many historical fiction writers? How did you come across this method?

Elizabeth: Unfortunately, I’m not an expert in Akasha; it’s something I turn to Alison (mentioned above) for. Alison does have other historical novelists who are clients, and I know several historians and archaeologists who use similar methods of their own accord. She also utilizes her skill for people interested in genealogy and learning about their ancestors. Readers can obtain a fuller explanation on my website: http://www.elizabethchadwick.com/akashic.html

Nonetheless, I have known Alison for almost 25 years and have always been aware that she is sensitive to energies. While working with clients in the field of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), she discovered that she could tune in and go back to things that had happened in their past that were still affecting them now. She realized that if she could go back 20 years, then why not 200, or 800. We were having an ordinary chat one day and she asked how my novel was coming along. I said fine, but I was having a problem finding out about a particular person because the records were scanty. She asked if I wanted her to tune in and find her. I said okay, and what came through was so astonishing, that I knew I had to investigate further. That was about 6 years ago now, and I have been using Alison’s extraordinary ability to help out with my research ever since. I get the details checked out by someone I know with qualifications in medieval history; I don’t take the details in blind faith. I also use them judiciously with other more conventional forms of research to weave the story.

Are you still actively involved in Regia Anglorum? Does this organization have any affiliation with the Society for Creative Anachronism (very popular in the US and Canada)?

Elizabeth: Yes, I am still involved in Regia Anglorum. This is an early medieval living history society with a brief to recreate life as it was in the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries. The emphasis is on being as accurate as possible. There is an American wing of Regia – RANA (Regia Anglorum North America). Some of the members are SCA members, but there is no affiliation as such

What attracted you to researching this era of history?

Elizabeth: My interest stemmed from when I first began researching historical fiction— the late Anglo Saxon, Norman and Angevin period. Henry II, Richard I and John are known as the Angevin kings, and before them it was the house of Normandy. I had fallen for a handsome knight in a TV programme who happened to live in the mid twelfth century. I began writing a sort of fan fiction about him and because I wanted it to feel as real as possible, I went to the library and began researching the period. The more I researched the more interested I became and the more I wanted to write about that time in history. But the original catalyst was a tall, dark, handsome guy in flowing robes with a sword in his hand!

What are your three favorite books of all time?

Elizabeth: This is a tough one! I don’t think anyone can choose their three favorite books. How do you narrow it down? Plus tastes change over time. I have books on my keeper shelves that are there because I loved them when I was 15, but not all of them have stood the test of time. I can tell you three books that are favorites though, among many favorites.

1. Hanta Yo by Ruth Beebee Hill

2. Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman

3. Alinor by Roberta Gellis

What are you working on next?

Elizabeth: A novel titled Lady of the English. It’s about two linked but very different women in English history; one an empress and one a queen. Matilda is the daughter of King Henry I and an empress by marriage to her German royal husband. When her husband dies, she returns to England, is forced into marriage with a 14 year old boy, and then has to fight for her right to inherit the crown. Adeliza is queen of England and Matilda’s stepmother, although she is in fact younger than her. When King Henry I dies, Adeliza remarries a baron on the opposing side to Matilda in the conflict for the English throne. She loves her husband and she loves Matilda and wants to be loyal to both. But how can she be? That is her dilemma. It’s about women striving to make their voices heard in a world ruled by men.

For more information, please visit Elizabeth Chadwick’s website.

Giveaway

I have 2 copies of For the King’s Favor to give away!

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This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on September 20th.

Giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Sourcebooks Landmark. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell

[ 5 ] August 27, 2010

Reviewed by Rachel M.

When I came across Maggie O’Farrell’s first novel, After You’d Gone, last year, I was blown away. I thought it was one of the best novels I’d read in a long time and instantly recommended it to several friends. So, as an immediate O’Farrell fan, I was very excited to read her newest book, The Hand That First Held Mine, and was pleased to discover it didn’t disappoint. The Hand That First Held Mine doesn’t have the raw qualities and shock that made me appreciate After You’d Gone so much, but it has the same lyrical prose, graceful composition, and hidden twists that seem characteristic of O’Farrell’s writing style. You can bet that after reading two such works, I’m going to check out everything else O’Farrell’s written too.

The Hand That First Held Mine moves between two parallel trajectories: the story of Lexie, an ambitious, unformed woman in the 1950s; and that of Elina and Ted, new, uncertain parents in the present. Lexie’s presence feels real to her, but the narrator frequently reminds us that it’s temporary, and already past. Meanwhile, as Elina’s temporary amnesia after the difficult birth of her and Ted’s child fades away, Ted discovers gaping holes in his own memory. Along the way, subtle patterns, parallels, and comparisons between the characters’ lives emerge, tying the two stories together in unique and fateful ways.

Part of the pleasure in reading this book is coming across these twists and turns for yourself–discovering connections and disappointments along with the characters–and I don’t want to give them away. Instead, I want to reiterate the pleasure that comes from reading such an accomplished piece of fiction.

Verdict: this is an exquisite read, both in terms of the way O’Farrell manipulates language and sets up the novel’s structure, and it has plenty of heartbreaking moments you don’t see coming. While you’re at it, check out After You’d Gone, too–it’s superb.

Rachel, who has a Ph.D. in English, is a freelance writer/editor and a voracious reader. You can talk to her about books at twitter.com/writehandmann.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall

[ 10 ] August 20, 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer J.

Set in the years leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917, The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall is the story of aristocratic pianist Valentina Ivanova during a bleak period in Russian history. The daughter of a financial minister to Tsar Nicholas II, Valentina is expected to uphold a certain set of expectations. However, Valentina has no interest in the fancy balls, gowns, or handsome military leaders that are part of a young aristocrat’s daily life. Instead, Valentina’s interests lie in becoming a nurse and marrying Jens Friis, a Danish engineer.

Valentina’s father Nicholai has other plans for her, forcing her into an engagement with wealthy Captain Chernov to save himself from monetary debts. Torn between her duty to her family and her love for Jens, Valentina determinedly sets out to find a way to satisfy both her father and her own longings. As Valentina and Jens finally come together as man and wife, the Bolsheviks’ plot to overthrow the Tsar becomes a reality.

The Jewel of St. Petersburg was my introduction to Kate Furnivall’s works, and I found it a challenging read. As I was reading, I wanted to kick myself for not brushing up on Russian history. Furnivall makes it very obvious that there is friction between the working class and the aristocracy, but I wish she had provided more explanation on the political structure. There were a lot of titles used (Duma, for example) that I can’t remember having come across before this novel.

Though the characters were well written and easily distinguished from one another, I was disappointed to find that I didn’t care much for any of them, including Valentina. She is fiercely independent and outspoken, and clearly loves and would do anything for her sister Katya. Those traits are admirable, but there are other instances where Valentina comes across as naive, irrational, and even despicable.

Throughout it all, Jens remains steadfast in his love for Valentina, and she proves that she is willing to do absolutely anything to be with him. The working class is best represented by Victor Arkin, the Ivanov family’s former chauffeur. While I wanted to sympathize with him, he repeatedly did one thing after another to destroy Valentina and her family. The energy he spent hating aristocrats could have been put to better use by supporting causes that would peacefully improve the government.

The history of Russia and the fall of the Romanov Dynasty has always fascinated me, and because of it I will try Kate Furnivall’s earlier works. I am especially interested in reading The Russian Concubine, which follows the life of Jens and Valentina’s daughter, Lydia.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Berkley Trade. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Emma and the Vampires by Jane Austen and Wayne Josephson

[ 8 ] August 15, 2010

Reviewed by Michelle S.

Emma and the Vampires, by Jane Austen and Wayne Josephson, is yet another work in a growing trend of “mash-up” books. This time, it seems that Emma’s world of Highbury has been infiltrated by vampires.

True to the original, our clueless heroine Emma spends her time matchmaking for her friends and neighbors. I say clueless, because despite Emma’s insistence that she knows everyone and everything, she somehow manages to misunderstand the actions and words of the residents of Highbury – as well as the fact that most of the men are vampires. Luckily for them, she’s better at wielding a stake than understanding love.

I hate to say it, but I really didn’t enjoy Emma and the Vampires. As much as I favor the original, I found the modernization of some phrases to be clunky, and longwinded. I also found many of the vampire references to be poorly added, in that even after re-reading it a few times I was still confused as to whether what was being stated was spoken or thought, or even understood or being kept secret. To that end, I was disappointed in the lack of explanation for the vampirism – some seem to be born vampires, others made vampires, some gentlemen and others wild. As far as the story goes, they just exist, end of discussion.

Also, I was disappointed in the lack of intelligence for all of the residents of Highbury (other than the vampires, of course). Emma is, by all rights, fairly clueless to begin with. However, neither she, nor any other non-vampire could see the differences between the ones she killed and the ones that walk among them. Could not one resident piece together the cold hands, black or red eyes, the lack of eating or the need for darkness to determine that others in their company were vampires as well?

Overall, to get past the lack of attention to detail and storyline, one would have to be as clueless as the characters in the novel.

Michelle recently returned to her West Virginia roots to re-invent herself. She is the principal (okay, only) web and graphic designer at Michelle My Belle Designs and uses the rest of her free time to write her own book blog 52 Self-help Books. Putting up with her madness is her husband Jason, dog Leo, and rabbit Macchiato.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Sourcebooks Landmark. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Aksandar by Judith Montgomery

[ 6 ] July 30, 2010

Reviewed by Erin N.

In the 1970s, Afghanistan was in political turmoil. Communist Russia had a tenuous hold on the country while various factions, including the religious, fought tooth and nail to overthrow the regime and establish their own government and way of life. One faction strove to establish a system of freedom and growth; a system that would attract all of the expatriates back home to a life not known for over a century.

This faction centered on a lofty idealist named Aziz Rashani who by day was a successful restaurant owner and by night, the brains behind a rebel force gearing up to stage a revolution on the next holiday season. That is, until Aziz’s path crossed that of an American teacher looking for a new and exciting life in the dangerous, yet mysterious, Middle East. Jenna Lantz gets caught in the cross fire of a small Afghani town and stumbles into the heart of Aziz in the process. Now Aziz is left with a painful choice. Does he remain loyal to the country he loves or does he leave everything he holds dear behind for the woman he loves?

Aksandar is very enlightening historical fiction. So much of the history of the countries in the Middle East is so jumbled and confusing. And yet, Aksandar provides a clear snapshot of the political landscape that led to the theocracy that ultimately flew planes into buildings half way across the globe. The back of the book claims that “Aksandar is a quest for truth and justice…”.  Judith Montgomery certainly has declared her own with the writing of this book.

Erin fell in love with the written word as a small child and subsequently spent most of her life happily devouring literature. She works as a freelance news, marketing, and technical writer. Erin lives just outside of Cleveland, Ohio with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Judith Montgomery. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Betrayal of the Blood Lilly by Lauren Willig

[ 7 ] July 29, 2010

Reviewed by Dimpel P.

In her sixth book in the Pink Carnation Series, Willig takes us to the exotic setting of Hyderabad, India. In this historical romance, Penelope Deveraux marries Lord Frederick Staines and moves to India. Once there, she learns that her husband is not the faithful man she believed him to be.

Penelope’s husband accepts a position as Governor General Wellesley’s Special Envoy to the Court of Hyderabad. He gambles away her dowry and has affairs with local bibi’s, the Indian counterpart of a mistress. Penelope, on the other hand, is a a brilliantly bold character.

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily starts slow and takes place during the Napoleonic Wars between Britain and France. It is filled with spies, emissaries and espionage, rich history and romance. It is a well-paced book with characters that are creative and vibrant. All the characters in this book are faced with questions of honor and principles. It is a novel that will keep readers who are mesmerized by romantic history interested from beginning to end.

Check out Lauren Willig’s website for more information about the Pink Carnation books!

Dimpel enjoys writing about Health &Medicine, Addiction & Recovery, and Self-Help. She previously worked as a medical assistant and did transcription and coding for medical and legal practices.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Berkley Trade. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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“The Glass Room” by Simon Mawer

[ 9 ] July 15, 2010

Reviewed by Claudia R.

” During the day the light from the windows flooded over it and rendered it almost translucent, as though a shallow pool lay between the entrance and the glass; during the evening the ceiling lights – petaled blooms of frosted glass – threw reflections down into the depths. On the upper floor there were rooms, zimmer, boxes with walls and doors; but down here there was room, raum, space. ” The Glass Room, Simon Mawer

The Glass Room is DEFINITELY not for everyone. It is not a quick read. It is not an easy read. It is not a lighthearted, prattle-babble laden read. It is not a beach read. It most assuredly is not a ‘just for the hell of it’ read.

What IT IS, however, is an elegant, articulate, clever, passionate and larger than life, read. It’s the kind of book that slips in to your veins and inundates heart and soul with it’s beautiful thought provoking boldness and seductiveness.

Behold the 1920′s, optimism, change and foresight are redolent, ripe breezes floating in the European air. Meet the Landauers, Victor, a rich, Jewish entrepreneur and his new, beautiful, gentile wife, Liesel. With the aide of visionary architect, Rainer von Abt, their new, uber-modern, futuristic home is born; an unconventional place where their love and lives are meant to unfold and flourish, a place where inside and outside meet and meld as one, perfection.

Or, perhaps, not so much. Destiny, as the Landauers discover, has a mind of Her own, despite the most creative planning.

Their marriage begins to quickly unravel. Liesel senses her husband’s withdrawal of attentions and turns to her best friend, vivacious and seductive Hana for comfort. Eventually the threat of war and racial/religious profiling becomes too much and even the wealthy Landauers are forced to flee their home, their obligations and their lovers for the safety of America.

Mawer intertwines their desperate tale of escape with the new and ever shifting fate of their abandoned home. Once an architectural landmark, it changes hands and becomes less and more, depending on it’s new ‘occupants’. Always, the Glass Room provides a ‘space’ in which passion, lies, love, lust, greed and confession can expand upon and appropriate the emotions and inhibitions of it’s inhabitants. Readers are accorded a close and personal view of the human heart and it’s eventual indiscretions despite any personal moral convictions.

Cruel, provocative and bold, The Glass Room dares the reader to think and feel ‘outside the box’ while confining them in the ‘glass room’. Upside down and inside out, Mawer delivers a story that is sure to affect anyone who reads it. The question, and the beauty of The Glass Room‘s deliverance, is HOW. Read on! It’s birth and death all ensnared in to one tasty morsel of a tale.

Claudia lives on Cape Cod with her husband and two children. She entertains her passion for reading in between being a full-time Mom, aspiring writer, avid photographer & volunteer for Missie’s Closet, an emergency food & necessities pantry for the low-income in her area.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Other Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Blog Tour: “The King’s Mistress” by Emma Campion

[ 7 ] July 6, 2010

Please join Emma Campion, author of The King’s Mistress, as she tours the blogosphere with TLC Book Tours!

To learn more about Emma Campion, please visit her official website!

Reviewed by Krista C.

I’ve read quite a bit of English history and historical fiction based in England, so I was excited to get the chance to read and review the The King’s Mistress by Emma Campion. However, my excitement soon faded as the story of Alice Perrers’ life plodded along at a maddeningly slow pace that contained few new enlightening tidbits of information. Alice Perrers was the mistress of King Edward III beginning in 1362, and has long been reviled in history as a gold-digger who took advantage of a dottering old man as he fell further and further into senility.

It would seem like there would be plenty of room for a rollicking good story with that plot outline, but Campion takes about half the book to describe Perrers’ early life and how she got to be a lady-in-waiting for Edward’s wife, Queen Phillipa. She implies that Queen Phillipa sanctioned the liaison between her husband and Alice. That the queen even went so far as to supply a new wardrobe for Alice when she caught the King’s eye. There are plenty of scenes involving walks in the inner gardens of various castles, and much discussion about fabric and textiles, but I kept waiting for an interesting story to develop. Sadly, it just never did.

Emma Campion is a penname of author Candace Robb. Robb has published two successful ongoing series of medieval mysteries set during approximately the same time period as The King’s Mistress: the Owen Archer mysteries and the Margaret Kerr mysteries. I’ve read a couple of books in both of those series. They moved at a faster pace, and probably taught me more about life in medieval England than this book did.

The author bio on the back cover of The King’s Mistress states that Emma Campion is the world’s foremost scholar on Alice Perrers. She may be the foremost scholar on Alice Perrers, but her story of about Alice’s experiences didn’t have much of a storytelling spark for me. Anya Seton’s classic book, Katherine, which focuses on another royal mistress who is a contemporary of Alice Perrers, was a much more memorable book about the era. Campion’s book seemed to skim across the surface of the issues of the time. We got a taste of what it was like to hunt with falcons, and about the fashions of the day, which I suppose saved the book from being a total loss, but it certainly didn’t live up to the hopes I had for it at the outset.

Krista lives just outside the urban sprawl of Portland, Oregon. Lamentably, her work as a technical writer and business analyst often interferes with her reading which is a true passion.

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Crown Publishing. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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