Sharon Kay Penman's Blog, page 7

Now it is Lionheart's turn

It was heartbreaking to see so many of my favorite places in Gwynedd underwater and to learn that my friends in Llanrwst had been hit hard, as I’d feared. And after suffering through Storm Ciara, the besieged residents awoke yesterday to a snowstorm, serious enough to close some roads and to send the police out to rescue stranded motorists. So what was the news this morning? That the UK is going to be hammered with another storm this weekend. What next? The Biblical plague of locusts?
I do have some good news, though, about Lionheart. Like A King’s Ransom last month, Lionheart’s e-book edition is now available at the bargain price of $1.99 on all the major on-line book outlets: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Google, and Kobo. https://www.bookbub.com/books/lionhea...

Storm Ciara

I've spent much of the day following the accounts of the storm battering the UK, am horrified by the damage it is causing and on such a wide-spread scale. I've been able to reach friends in Yorkshire and one in Wales so far, but have had no word from my friends who live in Llanrwst, one of the hardest hit towns in Gwynedd. I heard there were extensive power outages, so I will keep trying to reach them. The streets of Llanrwst look like the canals of Venice. I hope all of my British readers are safe and dry and able to ride out the storm.
As promised, here is the Historic Novel Society’s review of The Land Beyond the Sea. I cannot remember if I posted the Publisher’s Weekly review here, too? Maybe someone could nudge my memory?
https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...

A real Hollywood love story

I was reading about Kirk Douglas today; many people don’t know that the celebrated actor was also the author of a dozen books. I actually have a “Kirk Douglas story” about one of them. A few years ago, I did a blog about books I’d enjoyed and recommended, and one of them was his I am Spartacus, his behind-the-scenes account of the making of that classic film and the fight he waged to defy the Hollywood Blacklist. I gave it a rave review. Much to my surprise, about a week later, I got a letter from Kirk Douglas, or at least so it said on the envelope address. When I opened it, I found a very sweet, handwritten note (!) thanking me for my praise of I am Spartacus. Obviously, someone on his staff called it to his attention, since I think we can safely say he was not a devoted follower of my blog. And yes, I went totally Fan-girl, spreading the news far and wide about his kind gesture. For those of you who have not read this book, I think you should; I found it riveting. And below is a link to his last interview, which he and Anne, his wife of 65 years, gave in 2017. I thought it was absolutely charming, the sort of interview that makes you think, “Wow, I’d love to know these people.” It sounds as if Anne and Kirk were very well-matched.
I also have good news about The Land Beyond the Sea, another good review, this one in the Historical Novel Society; I’ll post that one later. Meanwhile, if you have a few free minutes, spend them with the Douglases.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entert...

One of my most challenging death scenes

February 2nd was an important date on the medieval Church calendar, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, more commonly known as Candlemas. February 2nd is a secular holiday in the US this year—the date of the Super Bowl. And not to slight Punxsutawney Phil, it is also Groundhog Day.

February 2nd also resonated in several of my novels. Here is a post from several years ago about all that happened on this date; hope you all don’t mind a rerun.

February 2nd, 1141 was the battle of Lincoln, in which Stephen was defeated and taken prisoner by Robert, the Earl of Gloucester, on behalf of his sister, the Empress Maude. At the risk of seeming blood-thirsty, I like writing of battles and this was a good one, filled with high drama and suspense. February 2nd was also the date of an important Yorkist battle, at Mortimer’s Cross in 1461. Edward, who’d become Duke of York and head of his fractured family upon the death of his father at the battle of Wakefield barely a month ago, was trying to prevent Owen Tudor and reinforcements coming out of Wales from joining the Lancastrians, and he forced a battle not far from Wigmore. Even before the fighting began, he faced a challenge when a parhelion appeared in the sky, a phenomenon that made it look as if there were three suns overhead. Naturally this frightened his soldiers, but the quick-witted Edward cried out that the suns represented the Holy Trinity and was an omen of victory; he would later adopt this as his cognizance, the Sunne in Splendour. Having staved off disaster, he then proceeded to defeat the Lancastrians, captured Owen Tudor, and had him executed—not surprising, since the heads of his father and brother and uncle were even then on poles above Micklegate Bar in York. Edward then went on to receive a hero’s welcome by the city of London and shattered the Lancastrian hopes in a savage battle fought in a snowstorm at Towton on Palm Sunday. What is truly remarkable is that Edward was not yet nineteen years old.

I thought of Edward’s parhelion when I was reading a chronicler’s account of the building of Richard I’s beloved “saucy castle, “ Chateau Gaillard. I was familiar with the exchange between the kings over Chateau Gaillard. Philippe, fuming at seeing this formidable stronghold rising up on the Vexin border, vowed that he would take it if its walls were made of iron. When he was told this, Richard laughed and said he’d hold it if its walls were made of butter. But there is another story about Gaillard not as well known. In the spring of 1198, Richard was personally supervising the construction, as he often did, when a shower of blood suddenly fell from the skies. Naturally, this freaked out everyone—everyone but Richard. The chronicler reported that “The king was not dismayed at this, nor did he relax in promoting the work in which he took so great delight.” Now I confess my first reaction to this story was an uncharitable one, wondering if the chronicler, William of Newburgh, had been hitting the wine when he wrote this. Shower of rain and blood? But when I Googled it, I discovered that red rain has indeed fallen at various times, and there were even some unsettling photos of a red rain in India that really did look like blood. Clearly strong-willed men like Richard and Edward were not as superstitious as their brethren.

For me, though, February 2nd has another, sadder meaning, for on this date in 1237, Joanna, daughter of King John and wife of Llywelyn Fawr, died at Aber and was buried at Llanfaes, where her grieving husband established a friary in honor of her memory. Below is that scene from Falls the Shadow, page 26
* * *
Joanna closed her eyes, tears squeezing through her lashes. So much she wanted to stay, but she had not the strength. “Beloved…promise me…”
Llywelyn stiffened. She’d fought so hard to gain the crown for their son. Did she mean to bind him now with a deathbed bow? He waited, dreading what she would ask of him, to safeguard the succession for Davydd. Knowing there was but one certain way to do that—to cage Gruddydd again. And how could he do that to his son? How could he condemn him to a life shut away from the sun? But how could he deny Joanna? Could he let her go to her grave without that comfort?
“Llywelyn…pray for me,” she gasped, and only then did he fully accept it, that she was indeed dying, was already lost to him, beyond earthly cares, worldly ambitions.
“I will, Joanna.” He swallowed with difficulty, brought her hand up, pressing her lips against her palm. “You will have my every prayer.”
“Bury me at…at Llanfaes…”
His head jerked up. He had an island manor at Llanfaes; it was there that Joanna had been confined after he had discovered her infidelity. “Why, Joanna? Why Llanfaes?”
Her mouth curved upward. “Because…I was so happy there. You came to me, forgave me…”
“Oh, Christ, Joanna…” His voice broke; he pulled her into an anguished embrace, held her close.
* * *

A great website for book lovers

I received the first copy of The Land Beyond the Sea this afternoon, and as a totally unbiased observer, I can report that it looks spectacular. 😊
I have a post below that is two days late, since it deals with historical events on January 28th. And for those of you not familiar with the website BookBub, do check it out here. They will email you every day with ebook bargains on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other on-line bookshops. These books are offered at irresistible prices and sometimes are even free. Oh, and BookBub itself is free, too; all you need do is sign up.
https://www.bookbub.com/welcome Now here is my Today in History post.
On January 28, 1316, a Welsh nobleman, Llywelyn Bren, rebelled against Edward II. His revolt was short lived; he was forced to surrender two months later, winning respect by asking that he alone be punished and his men be spared. He was taken to the Tower of London and his captors, the Earl of Hereford and Roger Mortimer, urged Edward to pardon him. But two years later, he became the prisoner of Edward’s ruthless favorite, Hugh the younger Despenser. Hugh took him to Cardiff and there had him hanged, drawn, and quartered without benefit of trial; he also arrested Llywelyn’s wife and sons. This unlawful act aroused much resentment and was one of the grievances charged against Hugh when his own downfall came and he met the fate he so richly deserved, the same one he’d inflicted upon Llywelyn Bren. After Edward was deposed, Llywelyn’s sons were allowed to inherit his lands and the Earl of Hereford continued to give their mother a pension until her death.
In other happenings, Charlemagne died on this date in 814, and we have to give those ubiquitous Tudors a shout-out, I guess. Henry Tudor was born on January 28th, 1457 and his son, Henry VIII, died on the same date in 1547.

INTERVIEW WITH ANNE EASTER SMITH ABOUT THIS SON OF YORK

I have a new blog up, an interview with Anne Easter Smith about her latest novel, This Son of York, about one of our favorite medieval kings, Richard III. This is Anne's sixth book about the House of York, so many of you are already familiar with her writing. Here is the link.

http://sharonkaypenman.com/blog/?p=709

INTERVIEW WITH ANNE EASTER SMITH ABOUT THIS SON OF YORK

Anne Easter Smith is the award-winning author of The King’s Grace and the best-selling A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York, Queen By Right, and Royal Mistress.  She is an expert on Richard III, having studied the king and his times for five decades. Her sixth book, This Son of York, will be published soon. She grew up in England, Germany and Egypt, and has been a resident/citizen of the US since 1968. Anne was the Features Editor at a daily newpaper in northern New York State for ten years, and her writing has been published in several national magazines. She lives in Newburyport, MA with her husband, Scott.

Sharon: This Son of York is the sixth book in your series about the York family during the Wars of the Roses, Anne. I thought A Rose for the Crown was your Richard III book. Why have you chosen to write another about him?

Anne: As a matter of fact, Sharon, I thought Rose was my Richard book, too! I thought I had nicely tied up the series with Royal Mistress, and in fact had embarked upon a totally new project—a Portuguese prince and his lady-in-waiting lover—when Richard’s grave was uncovered in the car park in Leicester in 2012. It was then that my “first reader/editor” reminded me that Rose was Kate Haute’s book, not Richard’s and that this was the moment to retell Richard’s story. “But Sharon Kay Penman wrote the definitive Richard book, Sunne in Splendour,” I protested. She pointed out that with the discovery of Richard’s bones, surely there was now more to add to Richard’s story that Sharon couldn’t possibly have known in 1983. I knew she was right. And so poor Pedro was put aside, and I plunged back into the period I know better than my own in some ways. When I talked to you at the Denver Historical Novel Conference, Sharon, and you convinced me I was the right person to retell Richard’s story, it rekindled my passion for writing about this much maligned king.

Sharon: Were you as excited as I was when they found the grave after more than 500 years?

Anne:  OMG, I was thrilled! It so happened that I was visiting my sister in London when the news broke that August 25th. I had donated money along with hundreds of other Ricardians when the plea went out to the Richard III Society membership to help with the dig. Without that last fundraising push, the Leicester City Council would have been forced to hand over the car park property to the developers. So I felt like I’d had a vested interest in the dig! What was so exciting was that the August 25th discovery of his skeleton was most likely the same day Richard had been ignominiously buried in the shallow, too-short grave in 1485! What were the odds of that! I was on my winter break in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in February 2013 when the DNA study definitively identified the bones as Richard’s. I cried. Checking my in-box that morning, I saw dozens of emails from friends exclaiming they had seen it on TV and thought of me. Among them was one from PRI’s The World national radio news program that is based out of Boston’s WGBH (my local station). The host, Marco Werman, would like to interview you about Richard III and the discovery, the email informed me. So I Skyped with him an hour later and was excited to have been named as “a Richard III expert.”

Sharon: It looks like you have a new publisher for this book. Can you explain?

Anne: After Royal Mistress was published by Touchstone at Simon & Schuster, I was let go—as were several other historical fiction authors in their stable. Touchstone has now been absorbed by Atria at S&S. It took me a while to get over myself and continue writing, and despite being turned down by several other editors for the Portuguese Prince story, I thought it was the unknown historical figure that was the problem. But after finishing This Son of York, it seemed the market wasn’t right for a medieval male protagonist from any country, and so, after many rejections for Richard and my agent quitting the business, I found myself on my own after two years of trying. Enter two fellow authors who had also been let go by Harlequin after several books and who decided to combine their editing and business skills to start their own publishing house to help women authors like me floundering around in these new boggy publishing waters. I am delighted with the result, and thrilled that Richard’s book can now be “birthed.”

Sharon: What makes you think medieval Richard can buck the trend of female protagonists in World War II novels so popular right now?

Anne: Because Richard is a rock star! At least certainly in England he is ever since the bones were discovered. I was astonished that more than 20,000 people from all over the world crowded into Leicester for the reinterment. Leicester was gobsmacked too! I got up early that day as my husband had finagled a way to see the funeral on BBC-TV live. It was magnificent, and the slew of celebrities interviewed in the special glass booth on the cathedral grounds all day helped to put Richard’s name on everyone’s lips all over the world. I really think he is still a compelling historical figure for lovers of our genre, despite being medieval and male! I don’t think I, or anyone else, can eclipse the great Sharon Kay Penman’s take on this king but I think this new evidence is a wonderful opportunity to again bring his light out from behind Shakespeare’s monstrous depiction and try and restore his reputation, don’t you? I am hoping my book will help and that allowing me to guest post on your blog might start the ball rolling! Thank you so much.

Excerpt from This Son of York: https://anneeastersmith.com/excerpt

Buy books at: https://amzn.to/2IIMKNl

Sharon:    As my readers know, I never read another writer’s novel about a historical figure who has been featured in one of my books.  As Anne and my other writer friends can testify, we become emotionally invested in our characters, having spend years in their company while attempting to view the world through their eyes.  But I like to alert my readers to any book that is likely to appeal to them, and obviously This Son of York (clever title, by the way) falls in that category.  My readers share my fascination with Richard III and many of them are already fans of Anne’s earlier historical novels.   I am sorry I cannot add the photo of the book cover, a problem that will definitely be resolved with my new website, coming next month.  But you can see it for yourselves by clicking onto the Amazon link above.

Anne, thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview about a man very close to both of our hearts.

January 29, 2020

INTERVIEW WITH ANNE EASTER SMITH ABOUT THIS SON OF YORK

Anne Easter Smith is the award-winning author of The King’s Grace and the best-selling A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York, Queen By Right, and Royal Mistress.  She is an expert on Richard III, having studied the king and his times for five decades. Her sixth book, This Son of York, will be published … Continue reading INTERVIEW WITH ANNE EASTER SMITH ABOUT THIS SON OF YORK →

The post INTERVIEW WITH ANNE EASTER SMITH ABOUT THIS SON OF YORK appeared first on Sharon Kay Penman.

A King's Ransom, more computer woes, and the CVS Cat surfaces again

I wanted to alert everyone that this may be the last day to buy the ebook for A King’s Ransom at the bargain price of $1.99. You can still get it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google.
I have another bizarre computer happening to relate. This past week, I lost power suddenly, as did my entire neighborhood. When it was restored, I discovered that both of my computers, Draig (Welsh for Dragon) and Malice, had turned off my wireless connection, barring me from the Internet. After trying in vain to outwit them, I contacted the Geek Squad, and despite trying for two hours, their technician could not resolve the problem, either. Obviously, they had not just decided to go over to the Dark Side, were shoved across the border by a sudden jolt of electricity when my power was restored. So much for those vaunted surge protection power strips….sigh. I ended up having to lug both laptops in to my local Best Buy where another Geek Squad tech performed a quick and effective exorcism. I do feel somewhat picked upon by the computer gods, though, given my sad history with them. I am sharing this in case some of you have rogue computers like mine; if so, turn them off if you ever lose power! Surge protectors cannot always be relied upon, either.
I have some news about CVS Cat, the feline who’d been abandoned by his owners and had taken shelter in the CVS store where he’d gone for sales trips with them. CVS customers knew him and once his plight was known, they began feeding him. But he needed a real home and so they managed to get his story reported upon by the Philadelphia Inquirer. I posted about CVS Cat myself, thinking his chances of adoption would increase if his story became known. Well, below is a link to the update. I am happy to report that he is no longer hanging around the CVS, has a foster mom now, but this lovely lady cannot keep him permanently, as she already has four cats. So I hope my fellow cat-lovers will spread this story on your Facebook pages. CVS Cat deserves a loving home of his own.
https://www.inquirer.com/news/cvs-cat...

A good review, my favorite abbey, and the one Tudor I like

I have good news about The Land Beyond the Sea; we got another favorable review, this one from Publisher’s Weekly, which I will post as soon as it appears in their magazine next week. If I have already shared this news, sorry about that—my memory seems to have gone into hibernation for the winter. Apologies again for another long absence. I’ve been suffering from severe headaches for sometime now, and we think we may have finally been able to get a diagnosis; apparently, I have an acute sinus infection. So I hope to be able to post more regularly once the antibiotics start to do their magic. Meanwhile, I am enclosing a link to a fascinating story and video about one of my favorite places on earth, Mont Saint Michel; the story is in French, but Google offers the option of translating it into English. And here is a catch-up Today in History post.
On January 15th, 1478, a rather sad marriage took place, between the second son of Edward IV, Richard, and Anne Mowbray, daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. He was not yet five years old; she was around the same age. The idea of marriage between such young children is something hard for us to fathom today, and their wedding seems even more pathetic because we know that they both died so young, Anne three years later in 1481 and Richard most likely in 1183. Sad.
Those pushy Tudors crashed the party, too, for on January 15th in 1535, Henry VIII declared himself the head of the English Church and on that date in 1559, his brilliant daughter Elizabeth was crowned as Queen of England. Elizabeth has been well-served by writers in our time, for she has not one but two splendid novels about her life and reign. Legacy by Susan Kay covers her entire life and Margaret George’s Elizabeth I focuses on her twilight years after the Spanish Armada; I couldn’t convince Margaret that they should have called it The Lioness in Winter. 😊
https://www.microsoft.com/inculture/a...