Unabridged Chick

Mainstream vs non-mainstream historical fiction: my Historical Novel Society Conference workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

On Saturday, I'm going to be part of a panel at the Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference talking about non-mainstream historical fiction. Our workshop is 'Off the Beaten Path: Reading and Writing Outside of the HF Mainstream'

Here's the panel description:

Trends in historical fiction are beloved for a reason, but readers (and writers) have broader tastes than many realize. There is a wealth of historical fiction available that veers off the expected path, from non-traditional relationships to rarely visited locations to blended genres, with surprising protagonists and fascinating journeys hard to find elsewhere. In this panel, comprised of both readers and writers, we’ll discuss motivations for writing outside the mainstream, the challenges of doing so, and take a look at some of the best historical fiction off the beaten path–both recently published and upcoming. Panel members include authors Heather Domin (The Soldier of Raetia, Allegiance) and Julie K. Rose (The Pilgrim Glass, Oleanna), and book bloggers and reviewers Andrea Connell (former Historical Novels Review Indies editor) and Audra Friend (Unabridged Chick).

and Heather crafted this additional bit about what we mean when we talk about non-mainstream historical fiction:

There’s nothing wrong with popularity! But with so many books out there and only so much time and space for promotion, the most popular themes naturally get the most attention, while others remain out of the spotlight. In this panel we will explore current themes and trends in historical fiction and take a look at some books that veer off these paths. Our goal is to show readers the wide variety of historical fiction available to them, and to show writers that there is an audience for every story. If you’ve ever asked, “Doesn’t anyone write (…)?” this panel is for you.

In this panel, “mainstream” refers to the most well-known settings, eras, characters, and/or styles in current historical fiction.

What our definition of mainstream is NOT:
- A method of publishing
- A list of targeted topics
- Overdone (aka “popular = bad”)

Together, we came up with something like six pages of non-mainstream historical fiction to recommend, and once we do our workshop, I'll share the list here. Like the other panelists, I enjoy Tudor-era and WWII fiction, but I also love novels set in different eras, locales, or featuring different main characters. I'm excited to gush and hear from the other panelists about why they enjoy writing 'off-the-beaten path' and why we all love reading it. (Devastatingly, our panel is at the same time as a workshop featuring Margaret George, Stephanie Dray, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Kate Quinn and another with Jenny Barden, Nancy Bilyeau, Patricia Bracewell, Deborah Swift and Gillian Bagwell. Le sigh!)

What are some of your favorite off-the-beaten path historical novels?

Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference Panelist: Meet V. E. Ulett

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:20:00 +0000

I'm leaving this week for the Historical Novel Society Conference! Here's one last Q&A from one of the panelists, historical novelist V. E. Ulett's. Last year, I read Ulett's historical novel Captain Blackwell's Prize which was a fun romp. (I'm eager for the sequel!)

You can learn more about Ulett at her website. Be sure to check out the other Q&As at the #hns2013 tag.

How do you find the people and topics of your books?

Captain Blackwell’s Prize takes place during the time of the Napoleonic conflict, a popular era for historical and nautical fiction authors. There is a great deal of primary source material from this time period, with enough interesting characters and incidents to accommodate any number of fiction writers.

Where do you feel historical fiction is headed as a genre?

In all directions, it seems; literary (Hilary Mantel, Ken Follett), time-slip, multi-period, biblical, and alternate. I think there is room and readers for all of these sub-genres, historical fiction is popular and rightly so. People like to learn a little something as well as to be entertained.

What are your favorite reads?

My favorite writer is Patrick O’Brian. I love not only the Aubrey / Maturin series, but I’m a great fan of his non-fiction as well.

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 00:48:00 +0000

Two winners this week!

The winner of Jack Absolute is ... Heather of Between the Sheets!

The winner of A Dual Inheritance is ... JoAnn @ Lakeside Musing!

Congrats to the winners!

I've got one more open giveaway and I'll be posting a bunch of great new giveaways when I'm back from my conferences in a week or so!

Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference Panelist: Meet Sharman Burson Ramsey

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Just one week today until the Historical Novel Society Conference in St. Pete, FL! I am so desperately excited! (And stressed: in three days I leave for my work conference, and from there will go to this one!)

I'm thrilled to host another author and panelist, Sharman Burson Ramsey. (You can check out the previous Q&As at the hns2013 tag.) Ramsey is a new-to-me author, but after checking out her bio (her ancestor was a friend and neighbor of Andrew Jackson!), I'm eager to read her books. Check out this Q&A with her to learn more about her writing, her inspirations, and who she is as a reader. (How much do I love that she asked for, and got, Peyton Place (the book!!) and Lady Chatterley's Lover when she was 12?!)

What got you first interested in historical fiction?

My mother received books from the Book of the Month Club and developed quite a library. To get me started reading, she also ordered the We Were There juvenile historical fiction series and I read every one. From there I graduated to reading her books and read her entire library of novels (over 100 books!) the summer I was 12 years old. That Christmas I requested (and received) Peyton Place, Spoon River Anthology, and Lady Chatterley’s Lover. I can see the influence of each of these in the historical novels I write. I focused on British history when earning my undergraduate (University of Alabama) and graduate degrees (Troy University) in History, but the discovery of my Native American heritage through my genealogical research led to my writing about the American Southeast in the early 1800s.

How do you find the people and topics of your books?

As I read and research I continually find topics that interest and amaze me. I want to share these discoveries with others. When I discovered the family secret of my fourth great grandmother’s Native American heritage, I researched the area and era in which she lived. The Creek Indian War actually brought my grandparents into the area at the request of Andrew Jackson. During my first visit to Fort Mims, the overgrown and neglected site of the massacre that started the war, it seemed that the voices of those who died there cried out to have that story told. That led to my first novel, Swimming with Serpents, which introduces a multicultural family that begins a family saga written from the Native American perspective. Like Paul Harvey, I wanted to tell the rest of the story which was so much more interesting than what I learned in my fourth grade Alabama history class! After writing Swimming with Serpents, I was left with the question of what happened to the Red Sticks who survived Horseshoe Bend. That led to In Pursuit. Each character has a story and gets involved in the events that I find so intriguing. I guess the influence of those We Were There juvenile novels remains with me.

Do you follow a specific writing and/or research process?

When I find a topic that interests me, I read everything I can read on the topic. I look at weather patterns of the time. I study politics, dress, and cultural oddities. I gather notes. Then I write character sketches of the characters I anticipate participating in the novel allowing them to tell me who they are. I go online and find pictures of stars I would cast as those characters and then develop a table with those pictures and the characters names so that I can glance at the character sketch “board” and be reminded I try to begin with a moment that draws the reader into their lives and then I just start writing. It will probably be rewritten several times, but at least there is a start. The chronology of historical events and the characters involvement in those events dictates the action of the novel. Love, learning and laughter will always be vital elements of my novels.

Where do you feel historical fiction is headed as a genre?

Historical fiction will always have a large readership. We hunger to know about our past and find it much more palatable when the two dimensional figures of non-fiction acquire flesh and blood through the informed imagination of a writer of historical fiction.

Is there an era/area that is your favorite to write about?

I write about the South, its culture, history, recipes, genealogy, homes, weddings, and gardens on my website Southern-style.com. Everything I have written about there finds a place in my novels.

How about to read?

I love to read romantic novels set in England and Scotland during any era.

Is there a writer, living or deceased, you would like to meet?

Jean Auel, Wilbur Smith, and Diana Gabaldon are three writers for whom I have great respect and would love to meet.

What book was the most fun for you to write?

Start with Waverly plantation inspired by my grandparents’ home in central Alabama, season with a multicultural cast of friends and family, add a dash of the paranormal with the ingredients of a genetic memory, toss in drug dealers and psychotic serial killers in this and a previous life while spicing it up with gentlemen friends in shades of gray and you have book one of the Partyin’ on the Plantation series: Déjà vu All Over Again, the book I had most fun writing. Alabama author and friend, Michael Morris calls it Murder She Wrote marries The YaYa Sisterhood. This novel is still looking for a publisher, but I have already begun the second in the series entitled The Homecoming.

Can you tell us about your latest publication?

When little more than a child, Joie Kincaid rescues fifteen year old aspiring journalist Godfrey Lewis Winkel from certain death after the Massacre at Fort Mims. As an adult, Godfrey, now an established authority on the pirate Captain Kidd as the result of his discovery of a map locating Kidd’s treasure, agrees to speak at the British Museum so that he might seek out Joie Kincaid in London. There the two are kidnapped by the pirate Gasparilla who is jealous of Kidd’s notoriety and seeks Kidd’s treasure. He takes them to his island lair in Charlotte Harbor and demands that Godfrey write his biography and make him as famous as Captain Kidd. Godfrey must channel Caleb Connory, the hero of a novel he plans to write, to become the bold courageous man needed now to save Joie who suffers amnesia resulting from a blow on the head.

Joie escapes Gasparilla, is befriended by Millea Francis and gets caught up with Red Sticks Peter McQueen, Josiah Francis and Savannah Jack who survived Horseshoe Bend. Godfrey manages his escape when Jackson attacks the Indian village where Godfrey has distracted Gasparilla with the promise of the treasure of William Augustus Bowles. Jackson’s pursuit of the Red Sticks triggers the First Seminole War. A desperate Godfrey enlists Jackson’s assistance in finding Joie Kincaid. Joie’s brother Gabe Kincaid joins up with former British officer George Woodbine to cross the Atlantic to rescue his sister and gets caught up in a plot fomented by former British officers Woodbine and Robert Chrystie Armbrister who are driven by broken promises to the Red Sticks and the memory of the tragedy of the Negro Fort. Joined by the well-intentioned Scottish trader Alexander Arbuthnot, they have visions of a Florida Empire.

Time is Godfrey and Gabe’s enemy. In the midst of battle at Bowlegs Town, renegade Savannah Jack captures Joie and makes her the target for his vengeance. He uses her to lure her brothers to Dog Island where he plans to finally destroy the family of his nemesis Jason Kincaid. This lusty, action packed, adventure filled historical novel titled In Pursuit published by Mercer University Press will be available in September of 2013

The Registry by Shannon Stoker

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:11:00 +0000

Title: The Registry
Author: Shannon Stoker

Genre: Fiction (Future / Dystopia / Sexual Slavery / Teen Brides / Runaway)
Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow Paperbacks (6/11/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Disliked/unfinished
Did I finish?: I did not.
One-sentence summary: In a future United States where women are sold into marriage, a young bride realizes the greater world doesn't support this trade and escapes to find freedom and truth.

Do I like the cover?: It's fine.

First line: Pretty.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow, I guess -- you can check out a few chapters via this sampler.

Why did I get this book?: I like a dystopia now and then.

Review: Alas, this book wasn't for me, and I quit about one hundred pages in. While a unique premise, I wasn't sucked in for a few reasons.

Set sometime in the future, the US as we know it is gone. Instead, it is a series of regions dominated by, essentially, government-endorsed sex trafficking. At age 18, women are placed into the 'Registry', a federal program that allows men to buy the wife of their dreams. Daughters are favored, rather than sons (in the opening, we learn women are essentially killed if they have sons), and for some families, daughters provide the sole source of income. The government gets a percentage of their sale. The most profitable women are those who are pretty, demure, and stupid.

Stoker's writing is very straight-forward, very tell in style, and she moves briskly and pragmatically from scene to scene. This isn't my preferred writing style so I found it tiresome, but it does mean those who want a very beach-y read that isn't taxing might find this one easy to breeze through. Stoker doesn't dawdle, either: she opens with an emotional scene and rockets straight into the drama.

I found the characters, sadly, a bit flat, perhaps because there was no chance to know them before we're mired in transformative drama. Mia, our stunningly gorgeous heroine who garners the highest bride price in the history of ever, abruptly changes her mind about marrying after one (albeit traumatic) incident. From there, she goes from 0 to sixty in a page. She's thoughtless and impulsive and, well, kind of stupid, which fits the world Stoker has created -- Mia received virtually no education -- but at the same time, she learns in leaps and bounds once she decides to rebel.

Mia's flash decision to bail on her marriage is helped by the fact that the man who buys her is a sadistic hunter with secret government connections, a kind of mix between Atherton Wing and those blue-gloved men from Firefly. Then there's Andrew, a farmhand for Mia's father and one of the points in a presumable love triangle, beefy and handsome and dedicated to becoming the perfect soldier/man so he can buy himself a perfect wife. (We know he's good because he gets very upset when Mia's husband-to-be is rude to her.)

I found the world-building to be as flimsy as the characters, unfortunately. I didn't read far enough to learn just how long the Registry was in existence, but it was clearly long enough for at least one generation to be raised this way, if not more, and yet there were enough vestiges of 20th century culture remaining that felt arbitrary. The biggest one was the fact that Stoker's US waits for women to turn 18 before selling them. But why? The federal age of majority is 18 but legal consent can vary by state. Many cultures around the world use menstruation as an indication of womanhood while some religious traditions offer an age (which isn't 18). If we're living in a world that sells women for their looks and their sex, then tell me how the world changes in their attitudes about women -- because I guarantee that world doesn't politely wait until women are 18 to start selling them into marriage.

I'm super stunned to see this marketed as an adult novel -- I agreed to review it because I thought it'd be more in a Margaret Atwood vein -- but what I read felt very YA to me. (Is this the much vaunted New Adult genre I've been hearing about?)

If you're curious, few chapters are available via this sampler. Be sure to check out the other blogs on the tour as well as GoodReads -- there are some bloggers who love this one, and it gets a ringing cover blurb from Jennifer L. Armentrout, so it might just be me!

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 12:42:00 +0000

Somehow, I got very behind on announcing giveaway winners (I'm sorry!), so here's a huge glut of them. Thanks for your patience!

The winner of A Prince to be Feared is ... Angela of Persephone Writes!

The winner of Murder as a Fine Art is ... Shannon D.!

The winner of In the Garden of Stone is ... Ilene!

The winners of Spirit of Lost Angels are ... Terry M., Shannon G., and Lisa G.!

The winner of The Age of Desire is ... Lara N.!

Congrats to the winners! If you didn't win, be sure to check out my open giveaways!

Our Held Animal Breath by Kathryn Kirkpatrick

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:33:00 +0000

Title: Our Held Animal Breath: Poems
Author: Kathryn Kirkpatrick

Genre: Poetry (Nature / Ecology / Politics/ Contemporary / Feminism)
Publisher/Publication Date: WordTech Communications (9/4/2012)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked.
Did I finish?: I did, very quickly.
One-sentence summary: More than forty poems on current events, the devastation of world politics and personal loss, the challenge of living hopefully when the body fails, friends die, and the joy of nature around us.
Reading Challenges: Dive Into Poetry

Do I like the cover?: I do -- the woman's shoe on the fence is both sad and playful and rather captures the feel of the volume and in particular, reminds me of a piece included here, 'Some Rough Justice'.

I'm reminded of...: Diane Ackerman

First line: I'll admit it's rusty with disuse/so when I say it lately in a group,/it comes up like machinery through sludge., from 'On Being Told Not to Use the Word Moral'

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy.

Why did I get this book?: I like poetry and usually don't mind politics so much within a poetic framework.

Review: At ninety-five pages, this slim volume holds forty-four poems where politics brush shoulders with the stunning vistas from the Blue Ridge Mountains and other rural locales, and loss and fear are tempered with cautious hope and steely determination.

Extremely readable, Kirkpatrick's pieces share familiar actions -- hiking, gardening, meditating -- with emotions ranging from loss, confusion, and hurt to slow understanding and squared, pragmatic optimism. (The publisher has four poems from this collection posted for preview.)

I raced through this volume in one night, then spent a few days returning to the poems that really sang to me. As a news junkie, Kirkpatrick's anguish about current events resonated deeply, especially as she tried to go about her day doing other things.

Collectively, this volume painted a portrait of women I know -- the women from my work, my mother and her sisters, my neighbors -- and I felt a bit like I was reading their journals, seeing their private pains and personal passions. It felt intimate without being embarrassing.

Some of my favorite poems in the collection include 'Driving Home', which is posted online at Cold Mountain Review, a flash of fright and heartbreak that immediately resonated with me and that I've reread maybe a dozen times now!; 'Stroke', Kirkpatrick's response on hearing the news of her friend's death; 'Canning Globalization', on her attempts at preserving fruits in jars, an experiment that reminds me a bit of my only attempt at it, political commentary and all; and 'Rescuing the Garden', a moment of gardening that is heartbreaking and triumphant in its tiny, specific focus.

It's been rainy all week again, Biblical-like deluges, and this volume captured that mood. Everything is green, but sodden; I'm hopeful and dejected in equal part. Kirkpatrick's poems were good companions to commiserate with and keep me grounded.

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Our Held Animal Breath to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US/Canadian residents only, ends 6/28.

Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference Panelist: Meet Marci Jefferson

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:30:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to share another interview with a panelist for the Historical Novel Society's upcoming conference. Like me, Marci Jefferson is an Air Force brat. Her book Girl on the Golden Coin, a Novel of Frances Stuart will be released in 2014. Learn more about her by checking out her speaker bio here.

What got you first interested in historical fiction?

As a nurse focused on a career in administration, I'd neglected my love of reading for a few years. It wasn't until I was on pregnancy leave that I read The Other Boleyn Girl and decided I had to write historical fiction myself.

How do you find the people and topics of your books?

I first learned about the Royal Stuarts years ago during a trip to London. Atop a red double decker bus, someone pointed out the Banqueting House saying, "That's where Charles the First was beheaded." I thought kings did the head-chopping, not the other way around! I proceeded to study everything about the Stuarts they failed to teach me in nursing school.

Is there an era/area that is your favorite to write about? How about to read?

I absolutely love everything about Restoration Period England. After the Civil Wars and the restrictive Puritan Commonwealth, the Restoration of Monarchy was a time of celebration and hope. King Charles II brought the beauty and culture of Europe back to England. Common people recognized the hand they'd had in events, and began to develop a sense of civil rights. Dramatic events like the Anglo Dutch Wars, the Great Fire, and the Great Plague make for rich reading!

Can you tell us about your latest publication?

My debut novel, based on the life of Frances Stuart, will be released from Thomas Dunne Books of St. Martin's Press early 2014. She rejected three kings and graced England's coins as the model of Britannia. The title is to be announced!

Is there a writer, living or deceased, you would like to meet?

Because of HNS conferences I've already met many of my favorite authors. But I'd flip my lid for an opportunity to chat with Tracy Chevalier! An important character in my debut novel is a Quaker, similar to the man character in her latest release, The Last Runaway.

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Learn more about Marci Jefferson at her website, and be sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Interview with C.C. Humphreys

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Last month I fell madly in love with Jack Absolute -- the book and the man. I'm thrilled to share an interview with C.C. Humphreys, the author, so read on to learn more about him, his writing, and his fabulous novel. Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end!

What was the plot of your very first piece of fiction?

Very first? Like in childhood? Hmm, ancient history of course. I believe I tried to adapt the Battle of Hastings into a short play for my fellow ten year old’s at my English prep school. I think it was a little … epic for the confined space.

Do you have any writing rituals or routines?

Oh yes, must have some order to the chaos. I let the cat out, eat cereal, make coffee… then walk the twenty paces to my ‘hut’ – a cedar octagon. Give cat his treats, turn on computer… and I’m off! Very important to have boiled sweets at hand. Mint humbugs my favorite.

Was Jack Absolute the original title of your book?

Yes, never thought of any other. I think it’s a great title because it’s exactly what the book is – his story.

As you were writing Jack Absolute, was there a particular scene or character that surprised you?

John Burgoyne kept surprising me. Playwright, soldier, lover, the best dressed man on two continents… couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed writing him. He just leapt off the page – and made me certain if they ever make the movie, I am reserving him for myself!

In addition to being an author, you're an accomplished actor. What do you do to get into character when you write, and is it anything like what you do when you've got a new role?

C.C. Humphreys as Jack Absolute

They are similar processes. Though as an actor you have to be aware of so many technical things – either the audience in a theater or a camera before you. It’s always a little artificial no matter how much you believe in it. With writing, you can immerse yourself, especially as you have all the time you need to craft the portrait, go back, add more, subtract some. Its probably more akin to painting, in a way. Though being an actor definitely helps with exploring emotional reactions – and dialogue, which I love and love to use to move the action forward.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

Uh, think about writing? No, I love spending time with my family. We have a nine year old son and he loves games, as do we. Prefer board games to screens. Also I like to keep fit especially swimming. I live on an island in British Columbia and in the Summer I spend a lot of time in its lakes.

Read any good books recently?

I tend to read completely outside my genre, the rare times I get to read other than research. Read Michael Frayn’s ‘Skios’ – actually couldn’t put it down on a Transatlantic flight, read the whole thing. Hilarious!

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My thanks to Mr. Humphreys for his time. You can learn more about him and his work at his website.

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Jack Absolute to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/14.

The Sweet Girl by Annabel Lyon

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Title: The Sweet Girl
Author: Annabel Lyon

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 4th Century BCE / Aristotle / Ancient Greece / Historical Figure Fictionalized / Coming-of-Age / Father-Daughter Relationship / Romance / Marriage / PTSD / Greek Mythology / Sex / Women's Spheres)
Publisher/Publication Date: Knopf (6/4/2013)
Source: The publisher.

Rating: Looooooooooooooooooooved. (Although my heart was repeatedly broken.)
Did I finish?: In a matter of hours.
One-sentence summary: The coming-of-age of Aristotle's brilliant daughter Phythias, who by Greek custom and her father's beliefs, remains hidden behind her veil until her father's untimely death forces her to find a way to survive.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: I do -- very striking -- and captures the feel of the book.

I'm reminded of...: Emma Donoghue, Naguib Mahfouz, Melanie J. McDonald

First line: The first time I ask to carry a knife to the temple, Daddy tells me I'm not allowed to because we're Macedonian.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow, buy, just get it!

Why did I get this book?: Loved the premise and was grateful it wasn't called Aristotle's Daughter or The Philosopher's Daughter, etc etc.

Review: I wish was a) brave enough to do a video review or b) lived near all of you so I could just gush in person about this book, which would be easier than trying to write down with words how reading it made me feel. I loved this book -- it broke my heart about ten times -- and I found Lyon's writing style beautifully sharp, modern, slightly magical, a teeensy bit mysterious, and very, very human.

Set in 4th century BCE, the novel follows Pythias, beloved daughter of Aristotle. Brilliant, but not pretty, Pythias' life is unfair: doted on by her father, educated by him and once praised as having one of the most brilliant minds he's come across, but still a woman, and good only for keeping house. She must remain modest, chaste, veiled, silent.

When Alexander dies, Athens grows hostile to Macedonians, and Aristotle's family flees to a seaside town, heavily fortified by the army, where he has a family estate. After Aristotle's unexpected death, the impact of his passing is more than just an emotional loss. His mistress, the woman who raised and loved Pythias since she was four, is sent away, neither blood nor family nor a slave bequeathed to Pythias. When the family's stores raided, Pythias finds that the household slaves she loves do not feel the same way. Penniless and adrift, an unwanted woman among her father's acolytes, Pythias first fights to survive and then to find some measure of happiness.

Little is known about Pythias, so Lyon created a life for Pythias that is wild, complicated, incomplete (the story ends around, I think, Pythias' mid-twenties.) The strength of this story comes from Pythias, who is smart and striking, emotive and honest. Lyon's writing style is precise and sharp, yet heavy with inference and intimation. Pythias speaks in polite obfuscation at times -- ever the lady -- until her experiences shift her from someone reserved and polite to someone who owns her agency, decisions, voice. The plot follows this subtle transition; at some point the story drifts into the fantastical, but whether it is really magic or just hysteria (we learn earlier from Pythias' young friend about the wandering uterus), there's a disquieting sense that the concrete reality Pythias grew up with may not be the reality of the world she lives in.

Technically, this book might be a 'sequel' to Lyon's The Golden Mean, but I haven't read The Golden Mean and I don't think I missed anything. This takes place, I believe, some decades after the events in The Golden Mean and is a vibrant, beautiful novel about growing up in the shadow of someone brilliant, famous, and contradictory; coming-of-age in a brutal way; and the powerful agency claimed by this historically forgotten woman.

Edited to Add: Read this article, 'Who Was Aristotle’s Daughter?: Novelist Annabel Lyon on why she wanted to give voice to a Greek girl whose famous father was a screaming misogynist.' to get a sense of Lyon and how awesome she is.

Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference Panelist: Meet Mary Hart Perry

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Just twenty-one days until the Historical Novel Society Conference in St. St. Petersburg! I can't wait!

I'm excited to share another Q&A with one of the presenters at the conference. Mary Hart Perry is the psuedonym for Kathryn Johnson and she's the author of The Wild Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria’s Daughters and Seducing the Princess. (Both on my TBR!) Please read on to learn about her and her books and her thoughts on writing historical fiction.

Do you have a most interesting question or crazy anecdote related to your writing you would like to share?

The idea for The Gentleman Poet: A Novel of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" (written as Kathryn Johnson) came to me while I was honeymooning in Bermuda. My husband and I were married on the cruise ship, in New York harbor, before we sailed for Bermuda. In a romantic mood, as you can imagine, I was thinking about love stories and adventures that might be set on the island. When I learned of the legend that Shakespeare was inspired to write "The Tempest" after reading an account in 1609 of a ship wreck off the coast of Bermuda, I had the beginning germ of a novel.

Can you tell us about your latest publication?

My latest novel, writing as Mary Hart Perry, is Seducing the Princess. It's pure fantasy--a romantic Victorian thriller--but inspired by the life of Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria. This is the second novel in a series that I've been working on for the past three years. The first is The Wild Princess, based on events in the life of Princess Louise, one of the queen's middle children. (She had nine kids!) The third book is a work-in-progress, and each book stands alone so that they can be read in any order.

How do you find the people and topics of your books?

I look to people in history that I find most exciting personally to me. People I would have liked to meet and talk with, if I'd been alive when they were.

Do you follow a specific writing and/or research process?

I always research and plot and outline at the beginning of the process. But I force myself to stop the research when I have just enough to start the writing process. Later, I'll go back and do more fact checking and reading, as I need it for the book. But it's too easy to get lost in the research if you wait too long to begin the writing. I could easily spend years buried in facts, if I let myself linger there too long.

For you, what is the line between fiction and fact?

I'm dead center when it comes to the balance of fact and fiction. I want to include some facts for a realistic base on which to build the story. But it's the fantasy of my imaginary tale that has to come through, because that makes the story unique and surprising for the reader, and for me. I'm not writing a biography of my central character, after all. I leave that to the very talented non-fiction writers we have today.

Is there an era/area that is your favorite to write about? How about to read?

Currently, I'm all about the Victorian era. And so far, the stories have been centered in England. But I'm always on the verge of breaking out and trying new things. I love the variety of settings--places and times--that fiction allows. Very exciting!

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You can learn more about Mary Hart Perry at her website, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter. You can check out her speaker bio here (scroll down).

Mailbox Monday, June 3

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I've had a migraine I can't shake so no beach today. I stayed in bed mostly. I'm completely off schedule once more, so doing my Mailbox Monday post today. (Cool interview tomorrow!) In June, Mailbox Monday is hosted by Bellezza at Dolce Bellezza (a favorite blog of mine!).

For Review

Won

Won thanks to vvb32reads

Purchased/Swapped/Gifted

For my wife, not me, who says Bartleby's 'catch phrase' any time she's surly. (I also bought her the tote bag and t-shirt.)

Weekend reads and I'm melting...

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Fri, 31 May 2013 15:13:00 +0000

It's about ten thousand degrees Farenheit (actual true temperature) in Boston today and my work hasn't turned on the AC in the building yet, so I'm wilty and a tiny bit surly.

me and author Tara Masih

However...

Last night I had another fangirl night -- I got to meet author Tara Masih for dinner. Tara wrote Where the Dog Star Never Glows, an amazing collection of short fiction that converted me to short fiction, and that I loved so much, I gave it a shout out in Ladies Home Journal in 2012.

It's taken us that long to connect, but I'm so glad we did -- it was wonderful. At her suggestion, we tried out this Mexican restaurant I've been dying to go to -- we each had a glass of sangria (much needed, yesterday was nine thousand degrees) and we both opted for dessert (we were delightfully like-minded in many ways!).

We gabbed about books, publishing, my blog, her work, our personal lives -- it was such fun and made me feel preeeetty fancy and awesome. (Excuse my crazy squinting grin-y face; I'm apparently unable to smile like a normal person when around authors I like.)

So, amazing. Makes up for my rather bleh day. But I'm going to the Cape tomorrow with friends to park myself at the beach (it's so hot I may even venture into the always icy Atlantic!). I'm bringing along Jon Steele's The Watchers, Ellen Mansoor Collier's Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play, and Eli Brown's Cinnamon and Gunpowder.

What are you reading this weekend?

Tomorrow I'll be posting about The Paris Wife, the Literary Wives June read. If you've read it, please pop by and chat about it with me -- I've got complicated feelings!

A Dual Inheritance by Joanna Hershon

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Thu, 30 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Title: A Dual Inheritance
Author: Joanna Hershon

Genre: Fiction (Family Saga / 1960s / 1970s / 1980s / 2000s / Marriage / Daughters / Friendship / Infidelity / New York City)
Publisher/Publication Date: Ballantine Books (5/7/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked a very good deal.
Did I finish?: Yes.
One-sentence summary: Two friends, forty years, and marriage, work, love, lust, loss, pain, agony, betrayal, and forgiveness.

Do I like the cover?: Yeah, I guess -- for a book that covers four decades, it would be hard to nail down a single image to convey that scope. The three figures certainly hit the vague sort of triangle of the plot, but I wouldn't say that triangle is the primary thrust of the story -- and they were never this bucolic or pretty.

I'm reminded of...: Sigrid Nunez, Bart Schneider

First line: Had he described Hugh Shipley at all over the past three years, approachable would not have been a word he'd ever have used.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you like character-oriented novels about marriage, loyalty, and friendship.

Why did I get this book?: I'd heard good things about Hershon's previous novels and loved the premise and time span.

Review: I'm shocked I haven't heard more about this book already -- it has a kind of gossip-y, tawdry soap opera-y feel (marriage, divorce, adultery, social justice, social class) that makes it approachable with a sort of artsy writing style (not quite dreamy but not quite direct, omniscient, nearly 'literary'). It's being compared to The Marriage Plot, which sounds right -- Hershon's writing style reminded me of Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides.

Spanning 1962 through to 2010, this is a family saga, two friends and their families, the inevitable run of their lives. Opening at Harvard University in the early 1960s, the story follows Ed Cantowitz, a Jewish man from a working class family, ambitious and self-conscious, who abruptly, aggressively, and doggedly becomes friends with Hugh Shipley, a wealthy Boston blueblood.

For reasons both obvious and unlikely, the two become fast friends until they abruptly break contact -- ostensibly over politics but the reality is far crueler. Ed pursues wealth with the same hunger and drive as he did his friendship and studies, and finds his place in 1980s Wall Street as Hugh finds himself doing international aid work.

Both marry, have children, and their daughters -- Ed's Rebecca and Hugh's Vivi -- become friends when they meet at boarding school. Through their friendship, the families remain entwined -- occasionally embroiled -- in each others lives.

Vaguely, I had thought this book was going to be one giant extended look at the love triangle, and I was dreading it some. It's nothing of the sort: while sexual and romantic entanglements make up a large part of the story, the novel is really about friendship and loyalty, love and betrayal. It's about the times, too -- the 1960s and the 1980s -- and the mores of the last four decades.

No one is truly good or bad. At times, I hated this book -- I hated the characters and what they were doing -- and other times, I couldn't stop reading if my life depended on it. (Or, say, sleeping or eating.) I really went through the wringer with it, too: Ed's daughter Rebecca is infatuated with Hugh, the father of her best friend, and Hugh has become a rather shameless philander. Ed's relentless drive for what he wants, at the expense of everything, is horrifying -- yet his desire to better and improve himself and his life is the cornerstone of American life. Hershon remains nonjudgmental about her character and their choices, leaving the reader to decide -- and in the end, I really kind of felt for everyone.

I will admit to some confusion at times; Hershon's writing style isn't direct. She comes at the story sideways, and I'd often go back to reread a previous chapter because I felt I had missed a detail or hint. At the end of the book, I think I got it all -- I'm certainly satisfied -- but I still can't decide if the ending was happy or sad.

Fans of character studies will like this one; it's a smart beach read for those who want a tiny bit of challenge. (It's also a chunkster at 496 pages!) It's a novel of New York City and New England, of social class -- so those who enjoy the Downton Abbey-ish look at the rich and not rich might enjoy the similar themes here -- and a snapshot of the last forty years or so.

*** *** ***

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of A Dual Inheritance to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/14.

Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Wed, 29 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Title: Jack Absolute

Author: C.C. Humphreys

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 18th Century / American Revolution / Historical Figures Fictionalized / Espionage / British Army / Theater)
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Landmark (5/2013)
Source: The publisher

Rating: Liked a great deal -- practically loved.
Did I finish?: Oh yes, in just two days.
One-sentence summary: Former soldier Jack Absolute returns to the British Army and finds himself embroiled in a love affair, tangling with a secret society, and spying for the Crown.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: I do, I do -- it's the author, too, which makes it even more fun! (And this time, I'm gleeful that male models suffer the same fate as female models when placed on the cover of a historical novel.)

I'm reminded of...: Christine Blevins, Carol K. Carr, Donna Russo Morin, Judith Tarr

First line: The snow lay deep over Hounslow Heath and the light was failing fast.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you like Colonial US-era fiction.

Why did I get this book?: Love novels set in Colonial/Revolutionary US.

Review: I just need to get this out of my system: this book is an absolute riot. There. No more plays on the title, I swear.

This delightful, action-packed historical novel is inspired by a character from a real 18th century romantic comedy, The Rivals by Richard Sheridan. A popular hit, it was loved by both the English monarch and upstart American George Washington. Featuring a character named Jack Absolute, it's a romp of secret identities, forbidden lovers, duels, and eventual happy endings.

The author of this book played the part of Jack Absolute for six months in 1987 (it's him on the cover of this book!), a role he adored and could never shake off. The resulting fascination with that character has turned into this delightful novel.

Opening in 1777, Jack, newly possessed of a plantation on Nevis, is stopping over in England for a few weeks, leaving behind India for his new Caribbean home. No longer a captain in the British Army, Jack is stunned to find everyone in London knows his name, thanks to his bestie, playwright Richard Sheridan. Sheridan, Humphreys writes, co-opted Jack's name and romanticized an incident in Jack's past as the major plot to his popular play. When Jack starts a flirtation with an actress who has a beau, he finds himself in the midst of an illegal duel, which propels him to accept the offer from a former commanding officer General "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne. From there, he finds himself back in America, acting as chaperone, military attache, and spy.

Humphreys kicks off his story with dramatic panache: illicit sex in Chapter Two and a violent duel by Chapter Three. (The events establish Jack's character, but for good and bad, the cinematic fight scenes continue throughout the novel but the sexytimes dwindle to brief romantic asides.) By page 35, I was in love. (Just another notch for Jack, I suppose!)

The writing style is brisk, punchy, with a mix of banter-y dialogue (it's obvious Humphreys appreciates a good line!) and continuous action. I'll be honest, when I learned the author was an actor first, I was a little bit nervous about the meat of the story, but my anxieties were for naught: Humphreys has done his research. From dress to speech, customs, food, and gossip, the narrative was rich with detail without being too bogged down (although some of the military maneuvering made my eyes glassy, but that's just me).

Somewhere, I saw Jack described as a bit of James Fenimore Cooper's Hawkeye meets James Bond, and that's precisely the way I'd describe the character. He has a devoted, taciturn, and wryly sarcastic Iroquois sidekick (have you seen the movie The Brotherhood of the Wolf? I was reminded of that a bit, only without the mixed martial arts.) and a long string of love affairs with women he sincerely cares for. He's a bit older, so he's left off the brashness of youth and has some of that delicious self-deprecating resignation I'm a sucker for.

In addition to just being flat out fun, I loved this novel for the real personality Humphreys imbued it with. Humphreys love for the theater comes through the characters, who are all passionate for amateur theatricals (a major source of entertainment in this time), and everyone and their mother is a playwright (Burgoyne penned at least five plays!). Novels are sentimental claptrap, according to Jack Absolute, an attitude held by many; the theater was where true emotion and story could be told. Emulating many theatrical works, perhaps, this book even has a sort of play-within-a-play motif happening, as Jack finds himself performing 'his' role in The Rivals at one point, the other players significant actors in his real life.

I can't say how historically accurate some parts of the plot are (there's a secret society thing going on here, reminiscent of Dan Brown and National Treasure) but I enjoyed the mix of conspiracy with military espionage and adventure. A wonderfully zippy read. I'm grateful that there are two more Jack Absolute novels out there -- I will be reading them!

*** *** ***

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Jack Absolute to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/14. Be sure to check out my interview with C.C. Humphreys for another chance to enter!

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:02:00 +0000

I am all off schedule! Just now getting to my giveaway winners -- sorry for the wait!

The winner of Margaret Fuller: A New American Life is ... Lauren P.!

The winner of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena is ... Kirsten M.!

Congrats to the winners!

Folks have until the end of Thursday to respond; I'll redraw winners at that point. If you didn't win, be sure to check out my open giveaways -- as always, more to come, too!

Flashes of War by Katey Schultz

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Mon, 27 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Title: Flashes of War
Author: Katey Schultz

Genre: Fiction (Contemporary / Soldiers / War / Iraq / Afghanistan / Short Stories / PTSD / Military Families / Non-Combatants)
Publisher/Publication Date: Loyola University's Apprentice House (5/2013)
Source: MindBuck Media

Rating: Liked.
Did I finish?: I did, in a single morning.
One-sentence summary: Thirty-one short stories about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the soldiers, the survivors, and the citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan responding to the violence.

Do I like the cover?: I do -- it's simple and sparse. As many of the stories have the POV of someone young, the use of the toy soldier is smart, I think.

I'm reminded of...: Tara L. Masih

First line: Now there's waiting to get deployed and there's waiting to get shot at., from 'The Waiting: Part I'

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you're interested in stories about the military and those impacted by war.

Why did I get this book?: Curiosity.

Review: This slender collection of short stories and 'flash' fiction packs a punch; I sat down on a Sunday morning with a little bit of dread, I admit, nervous about how grim the stories would be and how the author -- who has no military experience -- would handle the topic. Despite my wildly liberal political leanings, I'm from a military family and the US military is a complicated animal for me. I wasn't interested in a wholly patriotic wash nor aggressive criticisms. I was surprised to find I'd finished this book just as my wife came in for her first cup of coffee -- and that I really liked it. (My experience isn't dissimilar to that of Vestal Review, and we both had the same thoughts upon finishing.)

Comprised of thirty-one short stories and flash fiction (shorts in 150 words), the stories share the points of view of active duty US soldiers, families in Iraq and Afghanistan affected by the conflict, military spouses and loved ones, the damaged and the healing.

While the opening piece felt a little too clever for me -- a soldier in Afghanistan is bitter about Americans watching Hollywood action flicks at the mall -- the rest of the collection wasn't self-conscious or smugly ironic. Sad, a little crude, bittersweet, frightening, and at moments, even happy, these stories run a range of emotions rather beautifully.

Schultz's writing is clear and to the point, no wasted words or flighty, aloof sentiments. While Schultz isn't graphic in articulating the violence these soldiers and survivors see, it's apparent, tempered with resilience and the grim determination to survive.

Some of my favorite pieces include 'The Quiet Kind', about a husband and father's 'quiet' PTSD and the frigid barriers between him and those at home; 'Deuce Out', in which the younger teenaged sister of a man serving in Afghanistan decides to emulate her beloved older brother; 'KIA', the sparse and heartbreaking outline of a man killed in action; 'Checkpoint', about the devastating impact of misunderstanding cultural gestures; and 'Aaseya & Rahim', about an Afghan couple in an arranged marriage who find themselves in love with each other as they both work hard to survive.

A surprising but satisfying collection, those who are interested in stories of the military and those impacted by war will likely enjoy these pieces. Schultz is another writer now on my 'to watch for' list.

Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference Panelist: Meet jay Dixon

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sun, 26 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

In anticipation of the 2013 Historical Novel Society conference, I'm excited to share a Q&A with panelist jay Dixon, editor and author of The Romance Fiction of Mills & Boon 1909-1990s. You can learn more about Ms. Dixon by reading her panelist bio at the conference website (scroll down).

(You can check out the other Q&As with panelists via my hns2013 tag.)

What got you first interested in historical fiction?

I've been reading historical fiction since I was a child, but I suppose I first realised I was reading historical fiction when I discovered Georgette Heyer's novels at about the age of 11.

For you, what is the line between fiction and fact?

First define 'fact'! I suppose anything that can be corroborated by two other independent sources is a fact, and fiction is what you then make of it.

Do you have an anecdote about a reading or fan interaction you'd like to share?

Not an anecdote, but as an English editor I wish writers would get English/European titles correct - the basics are very simple, and can be found all over the web! And I get really annoyed when it is assumed a title can be refused by the heir, or bequeathed to whoever the current holder wishes. A title is a name, with strict rules of inheritance attached to it, not a piece of furniture!

Where do you feel historical fiction is headed as a genre?

Towards more popularity at all levels, from category romance to Booker Prize winner!

Is there an era/area that is your favorite to write about? How about to read?

I don't write, but to read: Regency and Edwardian.

Is there a writer, living or deceased, you would like to meet?

No - let their works speak for them.

Interview with Jennie Fields

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Last year I read Jennie Fields' The Age of Desire, a historical novel about Edith Wharton's late-in-life love affair. It was a fantastic book not just at the famous author but at friendships that bridge social classes, the destructive joy of desire, and Paris in the early 20th century. Read on to learn more about Fields' novel and be sure to enter the giveaway!

What was the plot of your very first piece of fiction?

I wrote a 'novel' when I was six called Emmy. It was about a poor girl who lived in a tenement played in the alley behind her house. I grew up in little tudor house in a leafy suburb. I knew nothing about alleys. But I was enamored with a children’s book called “Twig” and I did my best to imitate it.

Do you have any writing rituals or routines?

I make a cup of tea about two p.m., read fiction for about a half hour and then start writing. By reading before I write, I come to the page as a reader, and it seems to help control the inner-editor in me who says things like, “You call this writing? This is utter rubbish.”

Was The Age of Desire the original title of your book?

Awesome question! Actually, the original title was The Age of Ecstasy, but my publisher said it sounded like the drug ecstasy, and therefore the “Age of Ecstasy” would have been the 1990’s.

As you were writing The Age of Desire, was there a particular scene or character that surprised you?

That’s another great question, because I do often find that my characters do things that I never planned. Are you a fiction writer yourself and that’s how you know that? I was surprised by the fact that Carl Snyder (a minor character) was drawn to Edith the summer after her affair with Morton began. I do think people in love give off a certain frisson that draws people in. I noted in Edith’s diary that summer, she said Carl Snyder interested her more and more. I found that curious.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

I love to walk, and I love to knit. I walk from four to five miles a day with my puppy, Violet Jane. And I knit every single day. To me, there’s nothing more relaxing. I also cook. Here in the South, I grill all year round. Simple, healthy food like grilled ginger trout, and comfort food like carrot cilantro soup and coq au vin are my specialties.

Read any good books recently?

Recently, I’ve really enjoyed The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty, Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, and Gilded Age by Claire McMillan. Interesting. All by women. I guess I do gravitate to books by women, although, of course, I do read male authors as well.

*** *** ***

My thanks to Ms. Fields for her time and responses. Learn more about her and her book at her website, on Facebook, or Twitter.

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of The Age of Desire to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/7.

Weekend reads and I'm feeling ambitious...

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000

I have a four day weekend ahead of me and I plan to read like a reading thing.

The proof of my ambition is here: I've got seven books in my queue to try this weekend. (Perhaps not try and finish, but at least have a go. I'm hoping to finish a few!)

Mette Ivie Harrison, The Rose Throne
C.C. Humphreys, Jack Absolute
Paula McLain, The Paris Wife
Adolfo García Ortega, Desolation Island
Katey Schultz, Flashes of War
Anthony C. Winkler, The Family Mansion
Felicity Young, Antidote to Murder

Happily, I'll be spending the weekend with a friend (a kind of staycation, from one suburb to another!) who is as much a reader as I; I anticipate she, I, and my wife will spend a good deal of time on the back porch in companionable silence reading, interrupted only by cooking. It will be a delicious weekend (no pun intended!)

What are you reading this weekend?

Spirit of Lost Angels by Liza Perrat

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:04:00 +0000

Title: Spirit of Lost Angels
Author: Liza Perrat

Genre: Fiction (Historical / France / 18th Century / Rural Life / Herbalism / Paris / French Revolution / Secret Identities / Revenge / Historical Figure Fictionalized / Motherhood)
Publisher/Publication Date: Triskele Books (2012)
Source: The author.

Rating: Liked a good deal.
Did I finish?: I did.
One-sentence summary: The tumultuous fifteen years in the life of an 18th century French village woman, from innkeeper to prisoner to reinvented storyteller.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction, What's in a Name?

Do I like the cover?: I really like it -- it's quite lovely and although it has the chopped head motif, the close focus is a nice change (rather than another long tall headless woman). There are plot elements featured on the cover as well.

I'm reminded of...: Michelle Diener, Sidney Sheldon

First line: The early light burns Victoire's cheeks, like a beacon warning her this summer day will bring something special.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy if you're a Francophile or enjoy dramatic historical fiction.

Why did I get this book?: I love books set during the French Revolution.

Review: This fun historical novel has the wild plot of a Sidney Sheldon with the kind of dramatic machinations of The Count of Monte Cristo (both very good things).

Set between 1768 and 1794, the novel follows Victoire Charpentier, a sweet girl from a rural French village. Her seemingly enchanted life -- loving parents, adored family, a childhood love -- is shattered when her beloved herbalist mother is drowned as a witch.

Sent to Paris as a maid for a noble family, she learns first hand the violent cruelties the wealthy heap upon those less fortunate, and she finds herself pregnant. After giving up her baby, Victoire returns to her home and finds herself married -- not to her childhood love, but to the father of her crush. To her surprise, it proves to be a satisfying relationship, and she and her older husband open a successful inn.

Happiness, however, isn't prone to lingering around Victoire, and tragedy strikes once more with devastating effect. There's prison, a notorious noblewoman, some shocking episodes, wild vengeance, mistaken identities, and a bittersweet ending. (I'm doing broad strokes here to save some surprises!)

With such an extravagant plot, there's potential for a book like this to just turn into a plot heavy 'and then she' style novel, but happily, Perrat balances the action with solid narrative, a nearly too-sweet-to-be-believed heroine, and lavish historical detail that made me think, now and then, I was in revolutionary Paris. (The sensory details of what a Paris street was like made my skin crawl!)

While our heroine Victoire was lovely, I must admit that my heart went to Jeanne de Valois, most infamous for her real life role in the 'affair of the diamond necklace'. It's obvious Perrat feels some warmth for the notorious figure, and her Jeanne is dangerous, amusing, shocking, and sexy. I could go for a whole novel about her! (According to Perrat's website, this is the first in a historical series, so color me excited!)

A delightful debut, this novel was escapist fun -- Francophiles will want this one and those who enjoy historical fiction that doesn't focus on royals will also rejoice. (If you're curious, you can read an excerpt here.) Great fun for the summer -- and I can't wait to see what Perrat does next.

*** *** ***

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer Spirit of Lost Angels to THREE lucky winners! One winner will get a paperback copy; two winners will get e-books. To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US and international readers, ends 6/7.

In the Garden of Stone by Susan Tekulve

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:18:00 +0000

Title: In the Garden of Stone
Author: Susan Tekulve

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 1920s / 1930s / West Virginia / Sicily / Immigrants / Coal Mining / Marriage / Family Saga)
Publisher/Publication Date: Hub City Press (5/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked a very good deal.
Did I finish?: I did!
One-sentence summary: Spanning almost fifty years, the story of a family in rural West Virginia and their passion for place, each other, the foreign and familiar.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction, Immigrant Stories

Do I like the cover?: I do -- months and bees feature rather prominently for two of the main characters.

I'm reminded of...: Jennifer Haigh, Ursula Hegi

First line: On Monday, washday, the two boys standing outside the white frame house looked like wizened old men.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you like fiction of place, immigrant stories, and the vignette-y look at family a la Jennifer Haigh's Baker Towers.

Why did I get this book?: The era, the place.

Review: I was interested in this book because my paternal grandmother's family were Sicilians who ended up in West Virginia and western Maryland coal country. We're a taciturn people on my father's side of the family; my wife and sister-in-law marvel at the long, drawn out conversations we have about weather -- the current weather, the past weather, the weather to come -- but for my brother and I, that's just how you communicate with those relatives.

My wife and sister-in-law, being bolder, nosier people who didn't get the memo that one talks about the weather, are unabashed questioners, a trait I've come to deeply appreciate as they've elicited some of the loveliest and surprising stories from that side of the family. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away after she and my wife met only once, and that brief glimpse into her family's life was eye-opening and fascinating. It's one of my greatest regrets I didn't get to talk to her about more than the weather.

In some ways, this book felt like I got a chance to continue that conversation.

Spanning almost fifty years, from 1924 to 1973, this novel is a collection of vignettes following a West Virginia family. Emma, a 16-year old Sicilian immigrant, loathes her mother's joyless existence and marries impetuously. Caleb, her new husband, works for the railroads and has a generous but drifting kind of focus that emerges even more strongly in his son Dean. Tragedy forces Dean from his family's land and upon his return, his devotion to the ground, the earth, the animals, and even the people he crosses creates joy and anguish in equal part. His daughter comes of age when her immigrant Italian relatives are old and frightening and the lure of the world outside of her family's property lines calls her more than her family's link to the land.

Tekulve's writing style is pretty, poetic, but not ornate or obfuscated. Each chapter feels like a self-contained short story in many ways; together, they show the arc of a family and place, but individually, there's a brilliant, bright, or blinding moment that stings or illuminates. I got the sense that some of the pieces were composed independently of the volume: Tekulve occasionally repeats an incident or a particular turn of phrase from one story in another, as if trying to offer context to a chapter were it removed from the collection. I didn't mind the repetition as it sort of emphasized the almost fairy tale quality to the family: fatherless children, magical gardens, temptations.

The familiarity of Tekulve's characters and place resonated with me as much as the writing. She articulated the nuances of rural poverty that felt authentic rather than shocking or exploitative. In her description of the Sypher family property, with the creeks and trees, random cabins, farm animals semi-feral, men obsessively working the land -- hauling, pulling, cutting, chopping -- I was reminded of my grandfather, father, and even now, my brother. (A trip to see that part of the family isn't complete without something being hauled, a cabin or milk house explored.)

I will admit to laughing a few times Tekulve's characters remarked on the West Virginia landscape as resembling Sicily; my family was stationed in Sicily for a few years when I was a child, and the country was gripped in a terrible drought the entire time we were there. My memory of Sicily is of a dry, stony, yellowed place, scrub and withering trees rather than the sort of verdant hilliness I associate with West Virginia. It wasn't until a few years ago when traveling in the Mediterranean did I see Sicily as it usually is -- fresh, green, hilly but alive -- but I still can't shake the sense of it as I knew it. (This isn't a knock against Tekulve's description of place!)

The vignette-y style reminded me immediately of Jennifer Haigh's Baker Towers and Ursula Hegi's Floating in My Mother's Palm, so readers who enjoy those kind of family sagas will enjoy this volume (grandmother with Sicilian background not needed). Highly recommended for fans of immigrant stories and rural American life in the first half of the 20th century.

*** *** ***

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of In the Garden of Stone to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/7.

Interview with David Morrell

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Yesterday I reviewed David Morrell's wonderfully grim, deliciously dark Murder as a Fine Art. I'm excited to share my interview with Morrell, who reveals, among other tidbits, that he's working on a sequel to Murder as a Fine Art! (I am so excited.) Read on to learn more about him, his writing, and this great novel, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

What was the plot of your very first piece of fiction?

My debut novel, published in 1972, was First Blood, the novel in which Rambo appeared. It’s an anti-war novel about the damage done to a man who was sent to war and discovered that he had a skill for killing, hating himself in the process. Ten years later, the film adaptation appeared, which follows the plot of my novel for the most part but reinterprets the story. It’s an odd feeling to be associated with a character that’s among the top five in the thriller world, using the criterion of characters who started in novels and then gained worldwide recognition through their film adaptations: Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, James Bond, Rambo, and Harry Potter. This is my forty-first year as a publisher author, an eternity in the publishing world where most careers last 15 or 20 years. I think the reason I’m still here is that I keep trying to find new ways to extend the idea of what a thriller can be.

Do you have any writing rituals or routines?

I work from 8:30 to 5, with an hour for exercise in the middle of the day. Exercise is important because I sit for so many hours. I write five pages each day and print them out. In the morning, I read those printed pages in a place that is different from where I write. Then I type corrections into the digital version and write another five pages, printing them out at the end of the day. This process gives me a fresh perspective on the previous day’s work.

Was Murder as a Fine Art the original title of your book?

Yes, Murder as a Fine Art was the original title. In 1854, my main character, Thomas De Quincey, invented the true-crime genre in the third installment of his essay, “On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts.” My novel is based on the notorious Ratcliffe Highway murders that De Quincey wrote about in his essay. I knew that my title would need to echo De Quincey’s title.

As you were writing Murder as a Fine Art, was there a particular scene or character that surprised you?

Although Murder as a Fine Art is a Victorian mystery/thriller, it is also a father/daughter story. In 1854, when the novel occurs, De Quincey was 69. His 21-year-old daughter, Emily, was his companion. The more I researched Emily’s relationship with her controversial father, the more fascinating she became to me. When I introduced her about 40 pages into the novel, I suddenly had the idea of having her speak to the reader via a journal (a common device in Victorian literature). I started the journal with this sentence. “This morning, I discovered Father again pacing the back courtyard.” Really, it was as if Emily were talking to me. With her bloomer dress and independent ways, she took over every scene in which she appeared and is the character that readers most ask about.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

To research aerial scenes in my novel about the mysterious Marfa lights of west Texas, The Shimmer, I became a private pilot. I try to spend once a week in the air. I enjoy hiking and swimming and am also an avid vegetable gardener.

Read any good books recently?

I tend to read a lot of non-fiction because the style of some novels can get into my head and affect the tone of the fiction I’m working on. In my recent reading, I was impressed by Glenn Frankel’s The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend. Frankel discusses the Indian abduction of Cynthia Parker in 1836 and the many ways that the abduction and the search for her was recounted, especially in Alan LeMay’s novel, The Searchers, and John Ford’s film adaptation of it. The book is a fascinating blend of historical and cultural analysis. Otherwise, I’m continuing my research into Victorian London in the 1850s for a sequel to Murder as Fine Art. In both novels, my goal is to convince readers that they are actually in Victorian London.

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Murder as a Fine Art to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/7.

Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:27:00 +0000

Title: Murder as a Fine Art
Author: David Morrell

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 19th Century / London / Thomas DeQuincy / Laudanum / Serial Killer)
Publisher/Publication Date: Mulholland Books (5/7/2013)
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Rating: Loved -- will likely make my top ten of 2013.
Did I finish?: Oh yeah.
One-sentence summary: A serial killer in 1854 London replicates -- and exaggerates -- a series of violent crimes from decades before, and laudanum-addicted writer Thomas DeQuincey is seen as the prime suspect.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: I do -- it's not super compelling but certainly evokes the feel of the novel: soot, fog, London, guys in hats.

I'm reminded of...: Matt Rees, Dan Simmons

First line: Titian, Rubens, and Van Dyke, it is said, always practiced their art in full dress.

Did... I die of surprise when I learned the author was the guy who invented Rambo?: YES. Morrell wrote First Blood in 1972 and was involved in the subsequent films. Crazy! I actually enjoyed this one so much I went out and got First Blood to read.

Do... I love the videos Morrell shares on his website about his research?: YES. He especially talks about how weird London in the mid 1800s was, which I appreciate, because hello, the Victorians were weird.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy if you like historical mysteries, the Victorian era, or unusual historicals.

Why did I get this book?: I've never seen DeQuincey featured in fiction -- how could I resist?

Review: I had such a flippin' great time with this book. From the first page, I was sucked in, and the only reason I didn't finish this one in a day is that I made myself slow down and enjoy the journey -- I could have taken another 300 pages and been only slightly satisfied.

Set in 1854, the novel opens with 'the artist', a violent serial killer bent on replicating -- and improving upon -- a series of violent murders from 1811. (And ew, are they grim.) For the police and the London public, these crimes are chilling and frightening, and one suspect immediately comes to mind: writer/philosopher/laudanum-addict Thomas DeQuincey whose essay 'On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts' detailed the 1811 murders and seemingly offered admiration for the killer.

DeQuincey, now in his 60s, is still infamous for his Confessions of an Opium-Eater, perhaps the first tell-all drug memoir published. Chased by creditors, DeQuincey returns to London after a mysterious missive promises to reunite him with a woman from his past, accompanied by his smart, pragmatic, bloomer-wearing daughter, Emily.

Two London police officers -- an Irish detective named Ryan and a British constable named Becker -- are tasked with arresting notorious writer/drug addict Thomas DeQuincey for the murders -- and that's when things get really hairy.

This book hit every note for me: wonderful sense of place and era, fascinating characters, a gossipy treatment of history, and a narrative style that has as much personality as the characters. In the (wonderfully fascinating) Afterward, Morrell explains this novel is his take on the 19th century novel; he employs a third-person omniscient viewpoint and intersperses the narrative with excerpts from diary entries. The effect is fun without being exhausting (Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was fun, but felt a bit much at times) and offered that lovely mix of 'education' (the narrative is peppered with trivia about the era) and escapism (there were some moments that were positively cinematic).

Hands down, Emily was my favorite character -- she might rank up there with my favorite heroines -- as she was smart, sympathetic, 'modern' (for the times), and vibrant. Morrell conveyed a Victorian woman raised with a rather unconventional thinker of father who still felt authentic to the era. She wasn't a contemporary woman in corsets (because Emily doesn't wear them, but you know what I mean.). I enjoyed every character, though, even our creepy 'artist of death', and I couldn't stop reading. There's non-stop action but the feel of the book isn't bombastic or exhausting -- having the cerebral DeQuincey helped temper the speed, I think, and balanced out the police officers and murders. He was certainly a fascinating foil for the story.

If you like Victorian London, take this trip. If you like historical mysteries, consider this one: the focus is less on the mystery since we know 'who' the murderer is (just not his name) and has a hint of the police procedural with a good helping of psychological profiling. I can't say whether or not DeQuincey nerds will approve of Morrell's portrayal of him and his daughter, but I just loved him and am super eager to read his works. (I kind of wish this would become a series with DeQuincey and company.)

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Murder as a Fine Art to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/7.

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Just two giveaways this weekend!

The winner of The Golem and the Jinni is ... Leah!

The winner of Fear in the Sunlight ... Nadia!

Congrats to the winners!

I've emailed folks who have until end of day Tuesday to respond. If you didn't win, be sure to check out my open giveaways.