"The Sign of the Weeping Virgin" by Alana White~Medici Historical Fiction

Romance and intrigue abound in The Sign of the Weeping Virgin an evocative historical mystery that brings the Italian Renaissance gloriously to life.

In 1480 Florentine investigator Guid Antonio Vespucci and his nephew Amerigo are tangled in events that threaten to destroy them and their beloved city.

Marauding Turks abduct a beautiful young Florentine girl and sell her into slavery. And then a holy painting begins weeping in Guid Antonio s church. Are the tears manmade or a sign of God s displeasure with Guid Antonio himself?

In a finely wrought story for lovers of medieval and renaissance mysteries everywhere Guid Antonio follows a spellbinding trail of clues to uncover the thought-provoking truth about the missing girl and the weeping painting s mystifying and miraculous? tears all pursued as he comes face to face with his own personal demons.

PRAISE FOR THE SIGN OF THE WEEPING VIRGIN

“Fans of historical mysteries will thoroughly enjoy this chance to visit the Italy of 1480 in the company of real-life historical figure Guid’Antonio Vespucci, a Florence lawyer. Backed up by sure-handed storytelling and scrupulous research into the period, White creates richly evocative descriptions of Renaissance-era Florence certain to please the amateur historian and armchair tourist.” - Publishers Weekly Review

“A Florentine lawyer must solve a murder to keep his city from imploding. One hopes that White’s clever tale, meticulously researched and pleasingly written, is the first in a series that will bring Florence and its many famous denizens to life.” - Starred Kirkus Review

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY SUMMARY :

Fans of historical mysteries will thoroughly enjoy this chance to visit the Italy of 1480 in the company of real-life historical figure Guid’Antonio Vespucci, a Florence lawyer. Returning from a government mission, he finds his home city distraught over the kidnapping of a wealthy young woman, Camilla Rossi da Vinci, supposedly by Turks. The Florentines are equally abuzz, though, over a painting of the Virgin Mary in Guid’Antonio’s family church that has miraculously begun to shed tears. Tasked with investigating by city leader Lorenzo de’ Medici, who’s preoccupied by his war against the pope, Guid’Antonio partners with his favorite nephew, Amerigo, and uncovers even more mystery, including a secret message painted by artist Sandro Botticelli on the church’s wall. Backed up by sure-handed storytelling and scrupulous research into the period, White creates richly evocative descriptions of Renaissance-era Florence certain to please the amateur historian and armchair tourist.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Five Star Publishing
Pages:  369 plus Study Guide  (384)
Genre:  Historical Fiction
More about this book:  Alana White
Buy your copy here:  Amazon


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Alana's passion for Renaissance Italy has taken her to Florence for research on the Vespucci and Medici families on numerous occasions.  There along cobbled streets unchanged over the centuries, she traces their footsteps, listing to their imagined voices:  Guid'Antionio Vespucci and his favoorite nephew, Amerigo Vespucci, was a Macavity Award finalist.  She is a member of the Author's Guild, Sisters in Crime, the Women's National Book Association, and the Historical Novel Society.  Alana loves hearing from readers, and you can contact her at www.alanawhite.com.  (Taken from the book jacket)  She is currently working on her second Guid'Antonio Vespucci mystery.


THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

While this appears to be a strong historically researched and presented book about Guid'Antoino Vespucci, his nephew and the Medici family, it was just short of being dry reading for a historical novel. The characterizations are plentiful but light, the streets and peoples are curiously drawn, and the details of Florence in the 1400s are pleasing, but, again, they are a bit shallow.  Thus, the whole is a juxtaposition of historical fact with a light fiction.  It seems to me it should have been more of one or the other. 

There is evidence that Ms White can be an excellent writer, of course.  Parts of the novel sing. Her inclusion of a certain important historical painter such as Sandro Botticelli is fun. But when nearly all the painters and artists of the Renaissance are mentioned or included in the story, it gets to be a bit much!  It's as if nothing can be left out of the Florentine city or moment, and it clogs up the storyline.

I thought the story in premise was a good one.  It just wasn't carried out to the best of its potential.  On occasion, contemporary jargon or monologue was also used in the book.  For example, at one point Amerigo says, "Oops," when a ball is shot back to a group of boys and hits the skirts of a monk.  This blend of blatant modern with the ancient didn't lend itself to the flow of things.

The weeping virgin component and a kidnapping mystery are interesting, but not especially captivating as they are carried out in reality.

All in all, I found the book a mixed bag.  It was a moderately good mystery, but it was couched in a dry mix of historical facts.  The mix was off-putting at times.  I thought, again, it would have been best as non-fiction or a stronger historical fiction on its own.

I'm sorry to say, it was only a 3 rating for me...which means just over "okay" in this case.

Deborah/TheBookishDame


NOTE:  You can find other opinions of this novel by visiting the entire tour as noted below! Some will include interviews and guest posts by the author.mine here: 

 Link to Tour Schedule at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/thesignoftheweepingvirginbooktour/

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"Lullaby" by Amanda Hocking ~ Magical New YA Series

SUMMARY :

Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers.

While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth?

Prepare to fall under the spell of Lullaby, the second book in the Watersong series from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Macmillan Audio/St. Martin's Griffin
7 hours on 6 CDs
Genre:  YA Fiction/Fantasy
Author:  Amanda Hocking   http://www.worldofamandahocking.com
Series:  "Watersong"
Narrator:  Nicola Barber
Find this audiobook:  Barnes & Noble


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

 

Amanda Hocking is the USA Today bestselling author of the Trylle trilogy and six additional self-published novels. After selling over a million copies of her books, primarily in eBook format, she is widely considered the exemplar of self-publishing success in the digital age.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans
Twitter: http://twitter.com/amanda_hocking



THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

This is a particularly YA targeted book.  I enjoyed it as an audiobook as I travelled, but it's not one I would recommend for adult audiences unless they are interested specifically in young mermaid/sirens and their rather evil sides.  While I thought the narration was exceptionally well done, I thought the book was absolutely YA quality.  Perfect for that genre, but not a cross over for adults.

Amanda Hocking is a sensation in and of herself, having made history by self-publishing and selling a boatload of books on her own.  She's the goddess that every self-publishing author aspires to.  Her Trylle trilogy is legendary, and are wonderful books for the YA crowd.  Anything she puts her hand to will be and are widely received.  No doubt "Lullaby" and the books in the "Watersong" series will be a great hit with a huge following.

I think she's a very good writer in her genre.  Her characters are well developed with striking personalities.  Her dialogs are interesting, and her novel is strong with its engaging and compelling story.  If she ever decides to branch out into adult genre, she'll give many a writer a run for their money. 

A great YA book on audio.  No question this one is a hit for that crowd!

5 stars                      Deborah/TheBookishDame

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"Break the Skin" by Lee Martin~Crushing Story!

 

SUMMARY :

 

Laney—a skinny, awkward teenager alone in the world—thinks she’s found a kindred spirit in thirty-five-year-old Delilah. Then the police come to ask Laney questions and she finds herself reconstructing a story of suspense, deceit, and revenge; a story that will haunt her forever.

Seven hundred miles away, in Texas, Miss Baby has the hardened heart of a woman who has been used by men in every possible way, yet she is desperate for true love. When she meets a stranger, a man who claims he can’t remember his real name or his past but who seems gentle and trusting, Miss Baby thinks she may have finally found someone to love, someone who will protect her from the abusive men who fill her past.

But Miss Baby and Laney are connected by a terrible crime, and, bit by bit, the complex web of deceptions and seemingly small misjudgments they’ve each helped to create starts to unravel—all the way to the shocking, tragic climax.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Crown Publishing
Pages:  288
Author:  Lee Martin
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Lee Martin is the Pulitzer Prize Finalist author of The Bright Forever, and three other novels, including Break the Skin. His other books are the novels, River of Heaven and Quakertown; the memoirs, Such a Life, From Our House, and Turning Bones; and the short story collection, The Least You Need to Know. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in such places as Harper's, Ms., Creative Nonfiction, The Georgia Review, The Kenyon Review, Fourth Genre, River Teeth, The Southern Review, Prairie Schooner, and Glimmer Train. He is the winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council. He teaches in the MFA Program at The Ohio State University, where he was the winner of the 2006 Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching.

 

Visit him at http://www.leemartinauthor.com

REVIEW BY BOOKISH DAME CATHERINE FAHY :

There is a moment, perhaps more than one, in every person's life that serves as a crossroads. A moment after which you say, "If only I had done this instead of that, things would be different."

 

Because those moments bear so much weight on the rest of our lives, they become indelible, inescapable. We try to escape them, deny their consequences or talk ourselves into some wary truce with them but ultimately we know they'll always be part of us so we learn to live with them, if we're lucky.

 

Lee Martin, a 2006 Pulitzer Prize finalist for his novel "The Bright Forever" about a 9-year-old girl's disappearance from rural Indiana in the 1970s, masters the small moment. The small, ordinary yet very weighty moment.

 

Behind the ordinary facade of a Wal-Mart store in middle America, a drama is unfolding when the shy and impressionable teenager Laney Volk befriends hot-headed Delihah Dade, a stick of dynamite whose explosion in the small town of Mt. Gilead, Illinois, can only lead to trouble. Eager to leave her childhood home, where even her mother's modest expectation that she develop her singing talent is too much pressure for her, Laney moves in with Delilah and another unmoored woman, Rose MacAdow.

 

While Delilah's poison is noncommittal men and her.38 Special, Rose is persuasive in amateur witchcraft. Laney pinballs between the two, who develop a potent animosity over their mutual affection for one of those noncommittal men — the lead singer in a local band who means well but has about as much backbone as his name, Tweet.

 

Martin's story of how these people's lives intersect would be gripping enough, even with veneer of doom and depression that overlays everything they do, but he weaves in the colorful plot twist of Betty Ruiz — aka Miss Baby.

Miss Baby is a tattoo artist in Denton, Texas, who one balmy night befriends a man who doesn't seem to have a past, so she fabricates one for him, which works well as the two develop the kind of gentle romance Miss Baby has been craving. That is until the police, who are already pestering Miss Baby for the whereabouts of her fugitive brother, Pablo, become suspicious of Lester Stipp.

 

It's revealed that Stipp, an Iraq War veteran with the indelible memory of a horrible crime on his conscience, is prone to bouts of dissociative fugues, a rare psychological condition that causes temporary but reversible amnesia. The fact that this condition is real makes Lester's flight from Mt. Gilead (where he was Laney's sweetheart) to Texas more believable. Stipp becomes the tie that binds, the one who picks up the loose threads of this tragic tale and brings them, irrevocably, together.

 

Martin lets the reader hate his characters if they must — "How could they do that?!" you might find yourself thinking. But he himself treats them very humanely, explaining their behavior as the lengths some people will go to for love.

 

As Laney narrates: "It was the idiocy of people so starved for love they didn't have a thought in their heads of how easily their lives could spin out of control . . . [It was] a story of want. A story of greed, but under it all a story of fear, which was the same as love, when push came to shove, and you found yourself shaking with the thought that you might never find someone, that you'd always be alone in a world where everyone but you — you'd swear this to be true — was happy."

 

The conclusion of the novel is horrifying and hinges heavily on one of those "if only" moments, so much so that even if you mourn Martin's brilliant and absorptive writing, you'll find yourself grateful for your own ordinary life.

 

4 stars        Catherine Fahy/A Bookish Dame 

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"The Good House" by Ann Leary~ Fabulous Audiobook!

SUMMARY:

Now a New York Times Bestseller!

How can you prove you're not an alcoholic?

You can’t.

It's like trying to prove you're not a witch.  

Hildy Good is a townie. A lifelong resident of an historic community on the rocky coast of Boston’s North Shore, she knows pretty much everything about everyone. Hildy is a descendant of one of the witches hung in nearby Salem, and is believed, by some, to have inherited psychic gifts. Not true, of course; she’s just good at reading people. Hildy is good at lots of things.  A successful real-estate broker, mother and grandmother, her days are full. But her nights have become lonely ever since her daughters, convinced their mother was drinking too much, staged an intervention and sent her off to rehab.  Now she’s in recovery—more or less.

Alone and feeling unjustly persecuted, Hildy needs a friend. She finds one in Rebecca McCallister, a beautiful young mother and one of the town’s wealthy newcomers. Rebecca feels out-of-step in her new surroundings and is grateful for the friendship. And Hildy feels like a person of the world again, as she and Rebecca escape their worries with some harmless gossip, and a bottle of wine by the fire—just one of their secrets. 

But not everyone takes to Rebecca, who is herself the subject of town gossip. When Frank Getchell, an eccentric local who shares a complicated history with Hildy, tries to warn her away from Rebecca, Hildy attempts to protect her friend from a potential scandal. Soon, however, Hildy is busy trying to cover her own tracks and protect her reputation.  When a cluster of secrets become dangerously entwined, the reckless behavior of one threatens to expose the other, and this darkly comic novel takes a chilling turn.

THE GOOD HOUSE, by Ann Leary is funny, poignant, and terrifying. A classic New England tale that lays bare the secrets of one little town, this spirited novel will stay with you long after the story has ended.

 

PARTICULARS OF THIS AUDIOBOOK:

Published by:  Macmillian Audio from St. Martin's
Unabridged
8 CDs
Narrated by Mary Beth Hurt
Author:  Ann Leary
Cost:  $39.99 on Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/The-Good-House-A-Novel/dp/1427228884/ref=tmm_abk_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1363614705&sr=1-1

Amazon Exclusive: Lee Woodruff Interviews Ann Leary

A note from Lee Woodruff on Ann Leary: I became an Ann Leary fan with her memoir An Innocent, A Broad. And like any fan, by the time I finally met her, I was mewling like a bucktoothed school girl at her first spin the bottle sleepover. She didn't disappoint. I loved Ann's first two books. I mean, the woman can write. She can really write, dammit. And in her second novel, The Good House, she weaves a tale that is engrossing, fresh and very, very real. These could be the people in your town, warts and all. I was eager to interview Ann and hear how this book had come together. And I'm happy to share some of these insights with you here.
Lee Woodruff: What was your biggest challenge in writing this book?
Ann Leary: My narrator was a bit of a handful. The Good House is told from the point of view of Hildy Good, who may or may not be an alcoholic. Her daughters think she is, but she is quite confident that she is not. So my biggest challenge was to make Hildy reliable enough to have the reader on her side and actually rooting for her, yet at the same time, question whether she's being completely honest.
LW: Is it fun or arduous to choose character names? And how do you?
AL: I love choosing names for my characters. This novel is set in the fictitious town of Wendover, Massachusetts, which is on Boston's North Shore, near Salem, Essex, and Ipswich. There are still people in that area who have ancestors who were involved in the famous Salem witch trials, so I chose to make my main character a descendent of a real witch, whose name was Sarah Good. I liked the name Hildy because it sounds like a witch's name. Frank Getchell, a fellow townie with whom Hildy shares a complicated past, was just always Frank, in my mind. I've never met a Frank I didn't like. Rebecca McAllister is the beautiful newcomer. I thought her name sounded lyrical with all the syllables, and there is a sort of flowing grace about Rebecca, at least Hildy believes there is when she first meets her. Then it was fun coming up with some of the nicknames "Sleepy Haskell" etc. Names people got when they were kids and that have stuck with them all their lives.
LW: OK--let's get past it–-the dreaded fiction author question--how much of you is in Hildy?
AL: I've written another novel and a memoir and have learned that when you write non-fiction, people always want to know what you made up. And when you write fiction, people always want to know how much of it is true. But the great thing about writing fiction is you can write about things that you wish were true and that's what I did when I wrote Hildy's character.
There is quite a bit of Hildy in me, as I have had my own personal struggles with alcoholism. But we are also very different. Hildy is in her sixties, and a real New England Yankee--wry, opinionated somewhat strident and I've always admired her type. I'd like to be a tough old bird. I'd like to not always be trying to please everybody.
LW: Whether or not we want to admit it, we all have our individual and sometimes weird writing rituals. Will you divulge yours?
AL: I try to write every day and I always write in the morning. We have a lot of animals–-dogs, cats, horses–-and I get up between 5 and 6 everyday to tend to them and then I return to my bed-desk and write. I write on my bed with my four dogs and there are papers and snacks and cold cups of coffee all around me. Really, it's disgusting. Think Grey Gardens. But that's how I write best, in a semi-prone position surrounded by snoring dogs.

--This text refers to hardcover only


About the Narrator:

Mary Beth Hurt began her Broadway career with "Crimes of the Heart."  She then went on to make her film debut in Woody Allen's "Interiors."  Other movie credits include "The World According to Garp," "The Age of Innocence," "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," and "Young Adult."  Hurt was also a recurring character in the television series "Law & Order" for thirteen years.


To hear an excerpt of this book see http://www.macmillianaudio.com  



The Bookish Dame Reviews :

This is the "must listen to" audio book of the season!  What a fantastic narrator Mary Beth Hurt is for a fabulous book.  A modern day "Goodie Good" of Salem, MA, fame couldn't be cast any better than Ann Leary has done, and if ever a book was made for the movies this would be the one.  Just a wonderful book to listen to, and I'm sure a great hardcover book, as well.

Ann Leary has taken her character, Hildy Good, and made her into one of the most endearing lushes I've ever known.  I'm not a fan of alcoholism, but Hildy makes her trips through the tulips with wine nearly a sacred passage of fun.  She's irrepressible!  And, although the town seems to know her business about having been off to a famous rehab.; and, of course she knows all their secrets, too...they make exceptions for each other.  Hildy pretends not to drink, and everyone including her daughters choose to think she doesn't.  It's a perfect conspiracy until things eventually get out of hand.

Hildy is also suspected of being a witch herself since her ancestor is the Goody Good of Salem witch trial fame.  She reads people once in a while as a dinner "trick" though she disavows any real validity to her powers.  That doesn't stop locals from believing her...  She's the epitome of the town's old family maven.  So lovable to the reader, and such a New England fixture to the town and its real estate market.  I found her irresistible.

This is a book on CD you will absolutely savor.  It has atmosphere, humor, a mystery and humanity.  What more could you ask for?  The North Shore of MA never looked more real or more enticing than when told through the eyes and life of Hildy Good.

Run to the nearest bookstore for this audiobook.  You'll love it!

5 stars

Deborah/TheBookishDame


 

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Interview: Author Syrie James of "The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen" and "Songbird"

SUMMARY : 
 

When Southern California radio deejay Desiree Germain hosts a contest on the air, she is immediately taken by the smooth, deeply masculine voice of caller number twelve, Kyle Harrison. Later that afternoon, the man behind the voice walks into her studio, and Desiree is instantly smitten. Kyle Harrison is not only devastatingly handsome, he is a brilliant, extremely wealthy entrepreneur from Seattle who is used to getting what he wants. Desiree can't help her attraction to Kyle—and if the intense way he looks at her and keeps delaying his flight back to Seattle is any indication, it seems her feelings are more than reciprocated. They embark on a thrilling, passionate love affair that plays havoc with the life Desiree has struggled so hard to carefully control. With a divorce under her belt and her career finally going places, she is concerned that their whirlwind romance is doomed to long-distance failure.

 It might take a Maserati, dozens of red roses, and a lot of airplane tickets, but Kyle is determined to sweep Desiree off her feet and claim her as his own—forever. Can Kyle convince Desiree to risk her heart and her career for love? Sexy, witty, tender, and deeply poignant, Songbird is a page-turning tale that will ignite your senses and bring a smile to your heart.

 

 PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF SYRIE JAMES:

 

 The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen “A novel within a novel honoring what we love most about Austen: 
her engaging stories, her rapier wit, and her swoon-worthy romance. James’s pitch perfect, brilliantly crafted prose will have you enchanted and in awe of her mastery until the very last page. 5 out of 5 Regency Stars!” —Austenprose

 

Forbidden “Hands down the most fascinating book I have read in quite a while... As the characters develop and the story unfolds you will find yourself wrapped up in their world, indulging in every kiss and holding your breath with every twist.” —Luxury Reading Nocturne

 

“You will love this beautiful and mysterious story, full of love and longing, but with a passion that sizzles through the pages. The characters are bold and imaginative, and our hero Michael is everything a woman looks for in a man, but just a bit more.” —The Romance Reviews

 

Dracula, My Love “Syrie James weaves a tale of quite a different Dracula: a mouth-wateringly handsome, powerful, cultured, and passionate one. And…I...Loved...It! This is a gripping story, infused with passion, excitement and emotional turmoil. It sheds a whole new light on Count Dracula. In true über-vampire style, he completely outdoes Edward Cullen and Buffy’s Angel in the sexy tortured soul stakes. This vampire can bite my neck any time!”” —American Book Center

 

The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë “For fans of biographical tales and romance, Syrie’s story of Charlotte offers it all: longing and yearning, struggle and success, the searing pain of immeasurable loss, and the happiness of a love that came unbidden and unsought. I did not want this story to end.” —Jane Austen’s World

 

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen “This fascinating novel will make readers swear there was such a man as Mr. Ashford and that there is such a memoir…Tantalizing, tender, and true to the Austen mythos…highly recommended.” —Library Journal, starred review

 

 

PARTICULARS OF "SONGBIRD" :

 

Published by:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Pages:  236

Find the book:  Amazon

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

 

Syrie grew up in San Jose, California. Her father, Morton Astrahan, was one of the fathers of computer science. Her mother, Joann, told Syrie: "You can be anything you want to be when you grow up. Except maybe a famous model. They need really good cheek bones."

When Syrie was in the sixth grade, her grandparents gave her an old typewriter and she wrote her first book. "I didn't finish it," Syrie says, "because I got stuck in the middle and didn't know how to end it. I learned a valuable lesson that I've never forgotten: Never write without an outline! But I was hooked. Creating stories and characters, and retreating into my imagination, was thrilling to me. I knew at that moment that I wanted to be a writer."

Syrie was Valedictorian of her high school class and graduated cum laude from U.C. Davis with a B.A. in English and Communications, where she was awarded a Departmental Citation for Outstanding Accomplishment in English.

Syrie has long been a fan of British literature of the 19th century. She also enjoys reading in a variety of other genres, including historical fiction, paranormal fiction, women's fiction, biography, memoir, romance, mystery, and the classics.

Two of Syrie's favorite authors are Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë. Syrie's husband Bill, who has joined her in watching all the film versions of Miss Austen's novels several times over and every film version of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights ever made, has come to share her enthusiasm, if not her obsession. Syrie also enjoys writing about brilliant, sympathetic, charismatic vampires ... and the paranormal. It was a truly wonderful experience to co-author the novel Forbidden with her son Ryan.

Syrie lived in Paris when she was seven years old, and had visited more than two dozen countries by age eight, which instilled in her a lifelong love of traveling. Her other favorite pursuits include movies, theater, great food, playing games with family and friends, Scrabble, photography, sewing, and the out of doors. Syrie designed and maintains this website. Like Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, Syrie is very fond of the countryside, and loves taking long walks.

Syrie is a member of the WGA, RWA, and a life member of JASNA (the Jane Austen Society of North America). She spent many years as a screenwriter and enjoys writing both novels and screenplays. Syrie writes practically every weekday from 10 - 6. She says, "Many people can't wait for the weekend to arrive. It's the opposite for me. I truly love my jam-packed weekends, but from the time I turn off the computer on Friday evening to the moment I'm back in my chair on Monday morning, I'm anxious to get back to the characters I left in limbo, who are just waiting for me to continue their story."

When she's not reading, exercising, researching, writing, or updating her website, Syrie's preferred activity is to spend time with her husband and family. Syrie married her college sweetheart, Bill James, and she considers their sons Ryan and Jeff to be her finest achievements. Syrie and Bill were thrilled to welcome two wonderful daughters to their family, Ryan's wife Yvonne, and Jeff's wife Yakun!

Check out Syrie's blog here.

 

 

 

INTERVIEW WITH MS JAMES:

 

Welcome, Syrie!  A Bookish Libraria is delighted to have you here today to answer some questions both professional and personal.  I know our readers are going to enjoy getting to know you better.  Many of us love your books, and look forward to reading this early, republished book of yours!  So, let's begin:

 

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

I’ve loved to write ever since I can remember! I hope that people would describe me as imaginative, hard-working, dedicated to my family and my craft, fun-loving, and fun to be around—when I’m not writing, that is. I have eight published novels that have been translated into 18 languages, and I can’t imagine doing anything else!

2)      Where is your favorite place to write?  Any special gimmicks, writing tools or keepsakes that you keep near you when you write…I hear authors can be superstitious!

I have an office upstairs in my house, with windows overlooking our back garden and the treetops and rooftops of the neighborhood. The room is lined with bookcases and includes a couch for thinking and a big L-shaped desk. Because it’s at the back of the house, it’s very quiet—in every way, the perfect environment in which to write.

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

I’ve been writing ever since I was a little girl—but I do remember the first person whose praise inspired me to write professionally. I’d been married for seven years and my kids were very small when I took a fiction-writing class for fun. The teacher said I was an excellent writer and that my writing style would suit romance novels. I’d never heard of romance novels—I’d majored in English in college and studied Austen, Brontë, and the classics. She said I could find romance novels at the grocery store. I couldn’t imagine how a book could be good, if you could buy it at the grocery store—but they were! And I thought: I want to try this!

A Romance Writers of America conference opened the door to an exciting new world. I realized that everything I’d learned as an English major was theory and analysis; but here were the practical pointers I needed to craft a novel of my own. Inspired, I wrote my first romance novel, Songbird, about a female disk jockey who falls in love with a man she first meets on the air—and I sold it. That book was followed by Propositions, book two in the series The Harrison Duet. I still love those first two books so much that I’ve just re-released them.

4)      Which contemporary authors do you most admire?

Just a few of the many contemporary authors whose work I enjoy reading are Diana Gabaldon (Outlander series), Deborah Harkness (Discovery of Witches), Ken Follett (especially Pillars of the Earth), Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind), and anything by Maeve Binchy.

5)      Which are your favorite classical authors?

My favorite author is Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is one of the most perfect love stories ever written. Every time I re-read Austen’s novels, I learn something new—which is why I love to write novels about her (The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen) or inspired by her (The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen). Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorite books, and it was such a thrill to write the story of Charlotte’s own fiery romance and journey to becoming a published author in The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë.  I also admire J.R.R. Tolkien, Agatha Christie (she is so clever), and L.M. Montgomery (I have loved all the Anne of Green Gables books since childhood).

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

Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. She’s smart, witty, lively, strong, accomplished—and in the end, she marries Mr. Darcy. What more could anyone ask for?

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

Jane Austen, Abraham Lincoln, William Shakespeare, Elizabeth I, Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo da Vinci, Jesus, Michelango, Cleopatra, and Elvis Presley. Okay that’s ten, but it makes a better dinner party. J

8)      Ocean or Lake?

I love walking on the beach and the sound and smell of the sea, but at times the ocean can be so rough and intimidating. I adore the mountains and the smell of the pines; there’s nothing quite so beautiful or serene as a calm, pristine Alpine lake. So I guess I enjoy them both equally.

9)      Favorite two TV shows:

At the moment, Downton Abbey and Elementary.

10)  Favorite movie of all time:

Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth version). Runners up: Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson), Groundhog Day, and Love Actually.

11)  Are you working on a new book?

Yes. Details will be coming soon. J

12)  Anything else I forgot to ask you?

I am thrilled to share with you my first two published novels, Songbird and Propositions, in newly edited editions, both very romantic love stories that Christina Boyd of Austenprose.comrated five stars and said kept her “turning pages well into the wee hours of the morning.” Both novels feature strong, intelligent, talented women who meet men who are every bit their equals, and who experience a love so deep, immediate, and profound, it forces them to rethink their future and the very meaning of romance. You can find out more about them and read excerpts on my website. Thank you so much for hosting this Q&A today, it’s a pleasure to be here!

-----

Again, Syrie James is the bestselling author of eight critically acclaimed novels, including The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë, Dracula My Love, Nocturne, Forbidden, and The Harrison Duet: Songbird and Propositions. Her books have been translated into eighteen foreign languages. Syrie lives with her family in Los Angeles, California. Connect with her on her website, facebook, and Twitter.

 

Please find my recent review of her nove "The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen" here: 

http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-missing-manuscript-of-miss-jane.html



 

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

SUMMARY :

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

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

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

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


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


A BIT ABOUT MS SMITH :

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


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

Portrait of a king

by Anne Easter Smith

 

Thanks for hosting me today!

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

Deborah/TheBookishDame

 

 

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

 

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"World Without End" by Ken Follett ~ The Movie

OVERVIEW :

Based on Ken Follett's epic novel of the same name, this eight-hour mini-series set in the Dark Ages finds England preparing for a prolonged war with France as the Black Death descends on Europe. As the war drums begin to beat, Caris and her lover Merthin defy both the church and the crown by forming a sovereign community in Kingsbridge. Meanwhile, an assassin targets the king, and a devastating development threatens to hinder the arrival of a new era of enlightenment.

PARTICULARS OF THE MOVIE :

Produced by:  Sony Pictures
Length:  Over 6 hours
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Taken from:  Novel by the same name and author
More about the novel/series:  Ken Follett


Mini Video of the Series/Movie:

THE DAME REVIEWS:

I was searching Netflix last weekend for something to watch while I was knitting, and fell upon this awesome miniseries made into a movie!  I was up until the wee hours of the morning watching the whole thing...actually, I stayed up until 4AM.  Killer movie!  It is full of stars, and fabulous acting.
I read the book last year, and this show really lived up to it. 

The location and scenery are excellent.  Clothing design is good, albeit some of the fabrics look a bit reproduction Italianette...particularly the ruling class costuming.  The characters are perfectly suited for the roles.  I thought the whole cast was extraordinarily perfect for their parts. 

This is a movie in series not to be missed.  I have the highest regard for it, and have to tell you it's one of my very favorite books to show.  Can't go wrong with this one.  The only thing I'd suggest is that you start early and expect that you won't want to stop watching before it's over!

5 stars            Deborah/TheBookishDame

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