Sharon Kay Penman's Blog, page 88

Missing blog

I wanted to let my Goodreads readers know that if they click onto the link that promises to take them to the new blog I put up on the 28th, Read This at Your Own Peril, they won't find it. I discovered a little while ago that it has been deleted on my blog, along with all of the reader comments. We are trying to find out now what happened; even for me, this is weird. I will be reposting it again, but in the meantime, it is still available here on Goodreads in its entirety, just not on my blog. And I didn't want anyone to click the link and wonder why it wasn't working. We have to take so much on faith when it comes to computers, don't we?

Lady Stoneheart and the Rogues

Nothing really resonated with me on June 30th in medieval history, assuming I have not forgotten anything of importance. Not to sound like a diva, but I need to feel motivated to do one of this Today in History posts. So I’ll fall back on one of my old standbys, something about Game of Thrones, which has become this amazing global phenomenon. Here is a link to a story that contains a spoiler alert, but only for those who’ve read the books. Those of you who just watch the HBO series (and interestingly, that includes many of the actors), weren’t disappointed by the omission of a certain character at the end of the season finale a fortnight ago, not knowing she even existed; some book readers were. Not me, though; I think the changes were for the better. But here is an interview with Michelle Fairley, who played Catelyn Stark, in which she confirms that there will be no Lady Stoneheart in the next season. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06...
Also, GRRM has a new book out---and no, not Winds of Winter. It is another anthology, similar to Dangerous Women, only this time it is the guys who take center stage. I contributed a story for Dangerous Women (yes, I actually wrote a short story!), and they were kind enough to ask me to do one for Rogues. Unfortunately I was then in a very scary battle with the deadline dragon and dared not take my eyes off him long enough to write anything that was not Ransom-related. Master Martin has a story of his own in Rogues, as he did in Dangerous Women, set in Westeros, of course, and he has a stellar supporting cast of fellow writers, too. I really wish I could have taken part, for there is never a shortage of rogues in any of my books. Some of them even have dangerous charm; yes, you, Davydd. Any other men in my books that you consider rogues?

An obscure battlefield death that changed the course of history

I am sure that Rania and/or Koby have already posted about the historical events occurring on June 29th, but here goes my entry. A significant death occurred on June 29, 1149, when Raymond, Prince of Antioch, was slain at the battle of Inab after foolishly engaging a much larger force. Raymond was the uncle of our Eleanor, and her supposed partner in incestuous infidelity during her brief stay in Antioch during the Second Crusade. This is highly unlikely; the best discussion of her supposed bad behavior can be found in Ralph Turner’s biography in which he demonstrates how sexual slander was the weapon of choice against women in the MA, and guess what, it still is.
But---drum roll here—Raymond’s death was probably not the most significant one to happen on the battlefield that day. IMHO, that would be Renauld, the Lord of Marash, one of Raymond’s vassals. Why? Because Renauld left a young widow named Agnes de Courtenay. Agnes was very beautiful and very unlucky. She was widowed at fourteen and she was fifteen when her father, the Count of Edessa, was captured by the Saracen emir, Nur al-Din, who refused to ransom him, instead ordering him blinded and thrown into an Aleppo dungeon, where he eventually died. Although Agnes no longer had a marriage portion to tempt would-be suitors, when she was in her early twenties, she caught the eye of the young lord of Ramla, Hugh d’Ibelin, who was willing to marry her anyway. Unfortunately for Agnes, Hugh was then captured by the Saracens. When Agnes went to appeal to the Count of Jaffa, the King of Jerusalem’s brother, hoping to gain help in raising Hugh’s ransom, the count became just as smitten with her as Hugh had been. One chronicler claims that she was taken by force, but she married the count, Amalric, instead of Hugh, and during six years of marriage, she gave birth to a son, Baldwin, and a daughter, Sybilla. Amalric became King of Jerusalem on his brother’s unexpected death without heirs, but Agnes’s bad luck continued to dog her and Amalric was compelled to end their marriage as a condition of becoming king; it was elective.
So Agnes never wore a crown herself, although she probably thought she wore one of thorns, for she became very bitter, not surprisingly. But her two children would both be crowned and her son Baldwin would tragically go down in history as the Leper King. The turmoil and political in-fighting that ravaged the kingdom due to his illness set the stage for Saladin’s triumph at Hattin. Had Baldwin been healthy, Hattin would never have occurred, for as great as the victory was for Saladin, it depended upon the circumstances that had led to the king in 1187---Guy de Lusignan---making one of the most bone-headed and reckless blunders in military history. Magically cure Baldwin of his leprosy, no Hattin. Remove Baldwin and his sister completely from the equation, again no Hattin. And that is what would have happened if Renauld of Marash had not died on that June day in 1149 due to another foolish military mistake, this one made by Raymond of Antioch.
Had Renauld survived, he and Agnes would have remained married and she would not have been placed in a situation where she aroused the lust of the Count of Jaffa. And of course, no Hattin, no Third Crusade, and the history of England, France, and Germany would have been dramatically changed, as well. There is a great line in The Lion in Winter in which Eleanor reminds her sons that she’d have stayed married to the French king if she’d given him sons instead of daughters, saying wryly, “Such is the role that sex plays in history.” That could apply to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, too.
In other happenings, on this date in 1509, Margaret Beaufort died. I will heroically refrain from commenting further. And in 1613, the Globe Theatre burned to the ground; fortunately it was rebuilt the following year. Even more fortunately, it has now been recreated in magnificent detail on the banks of the Thames . I stayed on in London after my Richard III tour ended last September, and my friend John Philipps took me and Stephanie and her husband, Steve, to the Globe to see Macbeth. It was a wonderful day, a delightful experience in quasi-time-traveling, made all the better by having such a knowledgeable guide in John; for example, he alerted us that we needed to rent cushions to soften those hard wooden benches. When readers ask me what to see if they have limited time in London, I’ve always advised them to be sure to visit the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and at least one of the city’s great museums. Now I’ve added a matinee performance at the Globe to my recommendations.

Read this at your peril

I finally have a new blog up, announcing the winner of the book drawing for Pull of the Yew Tree and then discussing books I really liked or hope to read in time, with suggestions from readers warmly welcomed. Here is the link.

http://sharonkaypenman.com/blog/?p=455

READ THIS AT YOUR PERIL

I am sorry it has taken me so long to put up a new blog, but no sooner had I finally vanquished that pesky pneumonia dragon than the deadline dragon moved in.   At least this delay gave more of you a chance to enter Pauline Toohey’s drawing for her novel, Pull of the Yew Tree.   Pauline and I are happy to announce that the winner is Barbara, no last name given, who posted the eighth comment.   Barbara, please contact Pauline at paulinemalley@hotmail.com or me at  sharonkpenman@yahoo.com, so arrangements can be made to send your personalized copy of Pauline’s novel.  Thanks to all of you who took part in the drawing.

Now, why the warning?   Because I’ve already enticed so many of you into joining me on the merry road to book bankruptcy, and I am about to do it again.   But I did have a twinge of conscience, so I decided to play fair.   If you continue to read this blog, you will find a number of books that you are going to find very tempting.   Some I have had a chance to read myself, others not yet thanks to the deadline dragon.   Because deadlines have become as tight as nooses nowadays, that means I have had to seriously limit my pleasure reading time, a real sacrifice for anyone who is an avid reader, which I’ve been since the age of five or so.   But they are all on my TBR list, and they are all books that I think are likely to interest my fellow lovers of history.

I’ll begin with the ones that I was actually able to read.   I’ve just finished M.K. Tod’s Lies Told in Silence, a novel set in France during World War I.    This was one of mankind’s most tragic wars, not only because of the staggering death toll, but because it need not have happened.    Most of you are probably familiar with the famous comment by the British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, as war loomed.  Looking out the window at a man lighting the gas lamps in St James Park, he said sadly, “The lamps are going out all over Europe.  We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.”     Considering the bloody history of the 20th century and the continuing global conflagrations in the 21st century, it is hard to argue with him.     M.K. Tod captures this sorrowful sense of loss as men and women were caught up in a tide beyond their control, one that would transform their lives beyond recognition.  She has created characters that readers will care about and has very effectively dramatized how soldiers suffered, physically and psychologically, in the so-called “Great War,” a theme that continues to resonate with us today.

I also recommend The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd, author of the  moving The Secret Life of Bees.    This novel is the story of two truly remarkable sisters, Sarah and Angelina Grimke, who were born into the aristocracy of the Ante-Bellum South, but were those rare individuals who were guided by conscience, not society’s dictates.  For the Grimke sisters, that meant a rejection of slavery, becoming abolitionists, and in time, suffragists.     I wish we had more people like the Grimke sisters, but I am glad we do have Sue Monk Kidd to keep them from being forgotten.

Another book I enjoyed was I am Livia, by Phyllis T. Smith, a novel about the Emperor Augustus’s formidable consort, Livia.   My views of Livia were formed by the classic BBC series, I, Claudius, which means I imagined her to be a woman you’d dare not dine with.   Ms. Smith  treats Livia more kindly than  Robert Graves, but I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt; after all, I hoped that readers would do that for my revisionist portrayal of Richard III.  And after I finished the novel, I investigated a bit; in other words, I Googled Livia, and discovered that her hands were not quite as blood-stained as I, Claudius would have us believe.

And I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to read the ARC for An Air of Treason, by P.F. Chisholm, the newest entry in her wonderful series about Robert Carey, the real-life, swashbuckling cousin of Elizabeth Tudor.   These books are so much fun, filled with action and humor and surprise twists and fascinating details of Elizabethan life.     An Air of Treason revolves around one of the most dangerous mysteries of Tudor England—the fate of Amy Robsart, Robert Dudley’s unwanted wife.   For those who have not yet had the pleasure of entering Robert Carey’s world, the first in the series is A Famine of Horses.  I cannot recommend these books highly enough; I think they are that good.

Briefly detouring into the realm of non-fiction, I have to mention Sharan Newman’s Defending The City of God, a biography of Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem in the early years of the turbulent 12th century.   And in the autumn, we can look forward to a new biography of Edward II, by Kathryn Warner, who probably knows more about Edward’s life than he himself did.     The next two books are not historical, at least not in the medieval sense, but I wanted to remind you how much I enjoyed Kirk Douglas’s I am Spartacus, his account of the making of this classic film about the slave who was able to threaten the very foundation of ancient Rome     And another compelling book is The Elephant Whisperer by Anthony Lawrence, written by a man who devoted his life to the preservation of these magnificent animals.

We all have series that we love, so here are a few of mine.  Steven Saylor’s Gordianus books are set in the waning days of the Roman republic.   Bernard Cornwell has created one of my all-time favorite characters in Uhtred, star of his Saxon series.  His latest is The Pagan Lord, and for new readers, the first one is The Last Kingdom. This next series is not at all medieval, but Dana Stabenow’s mysteries set in Alaska and featuring the unforgettable Kate Shugak and her equally memorable wolf-hybrid, Mutt, are so much fun that it might not be completely legal.     I also recommend Sharan Newman’s Catherine Levendeur series set in 12th century France, Priscilla Royal’s mysteries rooted in 13th century England, and C.J. Harris’s mystery novels set in Regency England.    Both Sharan and Priscilla delve into matters not often touched upon in novels of the Middle Ages, each having a character who has an outsider’s perspective, Solomon, a Jew who does not find life easy in a Christian society and Brother Thomas, a young monk who struggles to understand why God has given him forbidden urges that his Church condemns as mortal sin.  Both men are true to their times, reflecting the beliefs and mores of their medieval world, but their vulnerability can be heartbreaking and gives their stories a complexity not always found in novels meant to entertain.     Lastly, for my fellow dog lovers, there are the books of David Rosenfeld and Spencer Quinn, which combine suspense with humor and reflect their own affection for our four-legged friends.   The first in David’s Andy Carpenter series is Open and Shut, his newest Hounded, due out in July.   Spencer’s Chet and Bernie series has a new entry, Paw and Order,  which will be published in August, and the start of their career begins with Dog on It.

Now for books that I’ve not been able to read yet, which I hope to read in the future.    Laurel Corona’s The Mapmaker’s Daughter is set in Spain on the eve of the expulsion of the Jews.     Paula Lofting has written a novel set in 11th century England, Sons of the Wolf.    David Blixt’s Master of Verona sounds like a fascinating journey into Renaissance Italy, with no less a guide than the oldest son of the famed poet, Dante.    Margaret Skea ‘s Turn of the Tide explores clan loyalties in 16th century Scotland.   Charlene Newcomb has written a novel that I’d be interested in reading, Men of the Cross, the story of a young knight who follows the Lionheart to the Holy Land on the Third Crusade, where he finds a forbidden love and discovers the high price that battlefield glory exacts from soldiers; readers of A King’s Ransom know that I have great sympathy for the toll that PTSD has taken upon fighting men down through the ages.     And in the autumn, Judith Starkston’s novel about the Trojan War, Hand of Fire, will be published, as will Alix Christie’s Gutenberg’s Apprentice, set in medieval Germany and dealing with an invention of great importance to any book lover.     Finally, we were recently discussing on Facebook whether there were any novels written about Edward III.   Well, guess what I found?   Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks, which focuses upon that very king and the Battle of Crecy.

See why I gave you all fair warning?     This blog is like a banquet for book lovers, with delicacies to tempt every palate.     Please feel free to join the Book Bankruptcy Party and suggest books of your own that you either enjoyed or hope to read.   We can always argue that spending money on books is actually a virtue, right?

Now I shall go back to fending off the deadline dragon.  Once I finally got A King’s Ransom off to my editor, I’d hoped to see the last of him, but he was called back into service for the new book—Outremer, the Land Beyond the Sea–set in the Kingdom of Jerusalem during the latter years of the 12th century.     So far he has confined himself to lurking in the shadows, watching me with glowing red eyes and blowing smoke rings to amuse himself.  As long as he does not start snacking on sheep or spaniels or worse, like Daenerys’s fierce pets in Game of Thrones, I’ll try not to complain.

June 28, 2014

A wonderful dog rescue story

Here is a dog rescue story with a happy ending. But I bet I’m not the only one to find it heartrending that they found Murphy curled up in the woods on her old dog blanket. It was clever of her owners to think of that, and proves again that animals have far more complex emotional lives than many are willing to admit.
http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/m...

Why Justin de Quincy and I love Australia

Yet another reason for me to love Australia. Prince of Darkness has soared to the top of Amazon.Au’s Kindle bestseller list, and it is also #1 on their historical mystery bestseller list, the wind beneath its wings being that great $1.09 price, of course. And to prove that there is occasionally truth in that old cliché about a rising tide floating all books, all four of Justin’s mysteries are now in their top mystery ten. Unfortunately, Darkness also got its first review and not a good one.  But I guess I shouldn’t be greedy, and it is not as if Justin is going to read it and get his feelings hurt.
I was also very pleased to see that my favorite Brother Cadfael, The Virgin in the Ice, is keeping close company with Justin, as are several of that shrewd and lovable monk’s adventures. A mystery by my late friend, Margaret Frazer, is on the list, too; I like to think that somewhere she is smiling. And the wonderful P.F. Chisholm is on the list with a few of her Robert Carey mysteries. All in all, it is crystal-clear that the Aussies are readers of impeccable taste!
And to answer a question raised on Facebook yesterday, I am giving serious consideration to finding a way to resurrect Justin’s career after Outremer is done. Speaking of which, I am happy to report that the assassination in Acre went well—maybe not for the victim, but I found it very therapeutic myself.
Lastly, we have a winner in the book drawing for Pauline Toohey’s Pull of the Yew Tree, and I will have a new blog up with that announcement tomorrow.
http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/bestselle...

For my British readers

Sorry I've been off the radar lately. I hope to rejoin the 21st century very soon, but for now I am trapped in Outremer. I did want to let my British readers know that Amazon.UK is doing something unusual; for the second time, they have chosen my first mystery, The Queen's Man, as one of their special deals, and it can be purchased as an e-book for only 99 pence. Retreating again to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but I shall return. http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Queens-Ma...

Game of Thrones humor

I wish I could post a photo here, but this is a "translation" of the one I put on my Facebook pages.

GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE.
GEORGE RR MARTIN KILLS PEOPLE.

Death of an English king and last chance for book drawing

June 21st, 1377 was the death date of the Plantagenet king, Edward III. He was not yet 65, so I think we can consider his death in the What If game. Had he lived for another ten years, for example, his grandson Richard would have followed him to the throne as a man grown, not a child, and that would surely have changed British history, for better or for worse. Watching from the Hereafter, Henry II might have felt a twinge or two of envy for Edward’s parenting skills He had five sons and they gave him none of the troubles and grief that Henry’s four sons gave him. Edward is known for his devotion to his wife, Philippa, and then for his infatuation with his mistress, Alice Perrers. I have been trying to think if he has ever been the subject of a novel, but nothing came to mind. Readers?
I also want to remind everyone that today is your last chance to post a comment on my current blog, if you have not already done so; by doing that, you will be eligible for the drawing of a free, signed copy of Pauline Toohey’s novel, Pull of the Yew Tree, set in 15th century Ireland. The Fitzgerald clan were Yorkists and Pauline says the young Richard of Gloucester even makes an appearance in the book.
I hope you all have a good weekend. I plan to spend mine plotting an assassination in the sinful seaport city of Acre.