Sharon Kay Penman's Blog, page 2

I’ve never experienced anything like this…

I really don’t know precisely when their friendship began. It was sometime after she’d published The Sunne in Splendour. Sharon told me the story once, though she told me so many fascinating stories about her life over the course of our friendship, it’s hard to keep them all accessible in my memory. Her fan base … Continue reading I’ve never experienced anything like this… →

The post I’ve never experienced anything like this… appeared first on Sharon Kay Penman.

Richard, always Richard. More than a ���Magnificent Obsession,��� my lifelong companion!

Last April, I was asked by Sharon’s agent and publisher to host a Facebook Live event celebrating Sharon’s life and career. A portion of what I presented included something I said I would someday use as a blog post. As promised, here is a selection of entries from Sharon’s personal journal from which I picked … Continue reading Richard, always Richard. More than a ���Magnificent Obsession,��� my lifelong companion! →

The post Richard, always Richard. More than a ���Magnificent Obsession,��� my lifelong companion! appeared first on Sharon Kay Penman.

Richard, always Richard. More than a “Magnificent Obsession,” my lifelong companion!

Last April, I was asked by Sharon’s agent and publisher to host a Facebook Live event celebrating Sharon’s life and career. A portion of what I presented included something I said I would someday use as a blog post. As promised, here is a selection of entries from Sharon’s personal journal from which I picked … Continue reading Richard, always Richard. More than a “Magnificent Obsession,” my lifelong companion! →

The post Richard, always Richard. More than a “Magnificent Obsession,” my lifelong companion! appeared first on Sharon Kay Penman.

Historical Novel Society North America Tribute

A special thank you goes out to Jenny Quinlan and Vanitha Sankaran of the Historical Novel Society North America branch for arranging and producing this tribute to Sharon shown at their meeting in June, 2021. For information about the Historical Novel Society’s North American branch, visit their website. For information on the Historical Novel Society … Continue reading Historical Novel Society North America Tribute →

The post Historical Novel Society North America Tribute appeared first on Sharon Kay Penman.

Sunne in Splendour: From the Archives

Decades after having been written, Sunne in Splendour remains one of Sharon’s most beloved novels. When it came time to sort through Sharon’s files, we encountered many gems. Here are some pages from one of the earliest drafts of that book. See if you can spot any differences between these pages and the published work!

The post Sunne in Splendour: From the Archives appeared first on Sharon Kay Penman.

Facebook Live Event 4/22 in celebration of Sharon Kay Penman’s life and legacy (1945-2021)

Sharon Kay Penman: A Celebration of Her Life and Legacy Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 7pm EDT Free  · Facebook Live Join author Stephanie Churchill as she hosts a Facebook Live celebration of her dear friend and fellow author Sharon Kay Penman. We’ll celebrate the literary heritage Sharon left behind as we weave together memories of her … Continue reading Facebook Live Event 4/22 in celebration of Sharon Kay Penman’s life and legacy (1945-2021) →

The post Facebook Live Event 4/22 in celebration of Sharon Kay Penman’s life and legacy (1945-2021) appeared first on Sharon Kay Penman.

More on my Bernard Cornwell interview

I hope you all enjoyed my interview with Bernard Cornwell for War Lord. It is always fun, for it is easy to see where Uhtred gets his sense of humor. I hope , too, that all my readers and friends who celebrate Christmas had a peaceful holiday; mine was very nice if rather solitary thanks to Covid 19. At least we can now begin the countdown until this wretched year finally slinks away with its tail between its legs. Meanwhile, please take care and stay safe.

INTERVIEW WITH BERNARD CORNWELL FOR WAR LORD

SKP:  I have to confess that I began to read War Lord with some degree of trepidation.  I have loved your Saxon series about Uhtred of Bebbanburg and I was not sure I was ready to see his story end.  I was also nervous that you might kill off a character I’d come to care … Continue reading INTERVIEW WITH BERNARD CORNWELL FOR WAR LORD →

The post INTERVIEW WITH BERNARD CORNWELL FOR WAR LORD appeared first on Sharon Kay Penman.

The LAND BEYOND THE SEA AND WAR LORD

Let me share the good news first, at least for my British readers. The Land Beyond the Sea is an Amazon.UK Kindle Deal for the month of December, costing only 99 pence.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Land-Beyond-...
More good news; the newest entry in Bernard Cornwell’s superb series about Uhtred of Bebbanburg is now available in the US; it is been out in the UK and Australia since October. War Lord is the thirteenth and final book in Uhtred’s saga, and I thought it was wonderful; he gave Uhtred the send-off he deserved and I think most readers will find it highly satisfying. BC’ kindly agreed to do an interview on my blog, which I hope to post by week’s end. I will also be doing a review of War Lord, maybe as a way to celebrate the ending of this nightmarish year.
I know I keep apologizing for my disappearances, but they truly are beyond my control. I have mentioned that I was under siege by several different ailments. Well, one of them turned out to be more serious than we thought. I won’t pretend it is fun to be ailing, but there is no need to worry about me. As long as I don’t catch Covid 19 or poor Baldwin’s medieval leprosy, I won’t complain at all! Speaking of Covid 19, here is a website that could be very helpful for my American readers. Just enter your zip code and you will learn exactly what the virus risk is in your own county. Isn’t modern technology wonderful? https://www.cnn.com/resources/coronav...

Joan, Lady of Wales, Elegy to Murder, and The War Lord

I have lots of news to share, so that means I’ve had to spend a lot of time at the computer today since I still have to take frequent typing breaks. My fractured wrist is healing, just as its own pace. Thanks to my friend Fiona, I learned about the new (and only) biography of Joan, Lady of Wales, by Danna Messer. It came out in the UK last month but won’t be available in the US until late November. Fiona was able to obtain a copy by sheer stubbornness, and was kind enough to share her review with me. She gave me permission to share it with you all, so I will be back with that after I post this comment. It is a good time for new books. I’ve mentioned Priscilla Royal’s intriguing new medieval mystery, Elegy to Murder, and I am working on an interview with her for my blog. I know many of you enjoy her books as much as I do, so I wanted to be sure to spread the word.
And for fans of Bernard Cornwell, which probably includes anyone who loves history and knows how to read, the last book in his Saxon series, The War Lord, will soon be out in the US, in late November. It is already available in the UK, published on the 15th of October, although it won’t be available in Canada till next February. I have begun to read it; reality fades away and I am riding beside Uhtred as once again he makes ready to “fight for the wrong side.” I am taking my time since when I read the last page, I am sure to feel bereft. It is always so hard to say farewell to a beloved series, isn’t it? It is also hard for writers; I still miss writing about Henry II, so I have to admire Master Cornwell’s inner fortitude to make the decision to bring Uhtred’s story to an end. I will post more information about The War Lord tomorrow.
When I was in law school, we had to learn to read in a new way, paying close attention to every word in a case. We became very careful—if slow—readers, of necessity, and I remember joking with friends that we’d eventually get law degrees, but we’d also be remedial readers. Well, that is the way I feel about my typing these days. My dad never learned to type and I have so many fond memories of him hunched over his typewriter, writing a novel by the hunt and peck method; and yes, once I learned to type myself, I was happy to type up the final drafts for him. So as I stop and start and sputter through each paragraph, I remember his keyboard exertions and it eases some of my impatience. And I really cannot complain even though I do, of course. Being a klutz, I’ve taken some spectacular falls over the years and yet until my latest tumble, I’d only broken a bone once—when Cody, my shepherd, stepped on my foot.