Deborah Swift's Blog, page 42
October 5, 2012
Contemporary romance writer Mary Metcalfe's Desert Island Books
Today I welcome women's fiction and contemporary romance novelist Mary Metcalfe whilst I am touring the blogosphere. Find my interview today at Fly HighAbout Mary:
Originally from the Toronto-Hamilton area of Ontario, Canada, Mary moved to Ottawa to study journalism and fell in love with the region. Shortly after graduating, she met and fell in love with her soul mate.
In addition to being a full-time novelist, Mary edits memoirs, fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. She's adopted the moniker Lakefront Muse to reflect (pardon the pun) her love of living by a small lake and gaining inspiration from nature in her rural surroundings. While her novels are set in or near Boston, she lives in the foothills of the Laurentians in Quebec, Canada.
'The whole point of a good novel, in my view at least, is to journey with the characters as they learn about themselves and what is important in life. We tend to learn best when we are challenged; when we have to dig down deep to our core values; to what’s negotiable and what’s not negotiable. I don’t cut my characters any slack when it comes to challenges.'
From an interview with P Y Delagrange
Here are Mary's choices:
Non-fiction: Official biography of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. She was an amazing woman who stood by her husband through thick and thin and helped keep up the morale of the Brits during WWII.Classic: The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. They are such wonderful stories, with bawdy women and shameless men and wonderfully archaic writing.
Fiction: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It's the first in an amazing series of books about an 18th century Scotsman and his time-travelling wife. Beautifully written with masterful storytelling, I'd read it again any day.... or several, as it's very long.
And below are details of Mary's latest novel, Winds of Change.
[image error] After losing her husband and daughter in a plane crash, Boston social worker Jennifer Barrett is rebuilding her life. Finding solace in her work, Jennifer helps young client Mark Powell find work at the seniors' residence where her father lives. After learning Mark hasn’t seen his father, an internationally-known broadcast journalist, in over four years, she can’t understand how a father could abandon his only son to chase war stories.
When Jennifer meets Ben Powell, she is prepared to dislike him, despite his charm and affable manner. But, when he reveals he’s been battling post-traumatic stress disorder, she realizes he didn’t want to bring his demons home to Mark, who has suffered from clinical depression. As Jennifer gets to know Ben, she realizes there may be room in her heart for laughter and new love.
Lana Fitzpatrick, a close friend of Jennifer’s and a young nurse helping care for Jennifer’s father, is also a widow, raising her young son Danny alone. As Lana gets to know her handsome co-worker, Mark Powell, and sees him bonding with Danny, she finds her heart swelling with love.
As new family bonds form, all discover the power of friendship and love to overcome loss so they can face life with renewed hope.
Find out more about Mary at her blog www.lakefrontmuse.blogspot.ca
October 4, 2012
The changing state of books - the Author today
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Here are just a few quotations from the Autumn edition of The Author, the journal of the Society of Authors (UK). All were extracts from stimulating articles about the state of the writing and publishing profession today. I can highly recommend the organisation and its journal. More information and how to join at
http://www.societyofauthors.org/
"Equally destructive is the trend towards pricing e-books at preposterously low levels, in an effort to increase sales of a given item tenfold. This strategem may work temporarily for a few books, but the long term effect will be to make all but the most sought after e-titles sell for peanuts (99p and less) and to reduce the overall revenues of authors and others in the industry dramatically."
Andrew Rosenheim
"By now there's hardly any point in submitting a novel if all you can say in its favour is that it is extremely well-written and has an utterly enthralling story. If the marketing department agrees it has those virtues but they still can't see it selling many copies, it's dead."
Malcolm Ross-MacDonald
"publishers have at last realised they must up their game in order to compete with the convenience of e-books. Go into any bookshop these days and you will see glittering tables full of sweeties. Books are now being better designed with better covers and paper, with innovative packaging. Books are becoming beautiful objects."
Tracy Chevalier
"The problem with companies such as ASI is the cynical way in which they exploit the naive aspirations of Sunday afternoon writers, encouraging them to believe that a vast readership is eagerly awaiting their book. As Author Solutions, 'now a member of the Penguin Group', helpfully explains on its website: 'Through our unique imprints, you can publish, promote, and sell your book around the globe, plus retain your rights and get in the market much faster than with a traditional publisher.' Easy Peasy!"
Liz Thompson
"There is no silver clock to be handed to you by the managing director, no pats on the back, no speeches. There are not even colleagues around to tell you that your time is up. Thousands of authors, all over the world, are working away right now without having noticed that they retired several years ago."
Terence Blacker
"Letters are often celebrated for their ability to capture an author's tone of voice, but to an even greater degree emails mimic the natural rhythms of speech and can result in a series of pithy exchanges that give a researcher or a biographer a picture of how their subject behaved in informal or unguarded moments."
Sophie Baldock (Archives in the electronic age)
"If you are not where you want to be with your career, think long. With increasing longevity, our productive lifespans now extend from 20 to 80 (at least), which provides six decades to accomplish something in a chosen genre, and plenty of time to make a mark if you've come late to writing.
The passing of time has a way of revealing truth. Writers, consider this radical idea: time is not the enemy, it is our friend."
Tom Butler-Bowdon
http://www.societyofauthors.org/
"Equally destructive is the trend towards pricing e-books at preposterously low levels, in an effort to increase sales of a given item tenfold. This strategem may work temporarily for a few books, but the long term effect will be to make all but the most sought after e-titles sell for peanuts (99p and less) and to reduce the overall revenues of authors and others in the industry dramatically."
Andrew Rosenheim
"By now there's hardly any point in submitting a novel if all you can say in its favour is that it is extremely well-written and has an utterly enthralling story. If the marketing department agrees it has those virtues but they still can't see it selling many copies, it's dead."
Malcolm Ross-MacDonald
"publishers have at last realised they must up their game in order to compete with the convenience of e-books. Go into any bookshop these days and you will see glittering tables full of sweeties. Books are now being better designed with better covers and paper, with innovative packaging. Books are becoming beautiful objects."
Tracy Chevalier
"The problem with companies such as ASI is the cynical way in which they exploit the naive aspirations of Sunday afternoon writers, encouraging them to believe that a vast readership is eagerly awaiting their book. As Author Solutions, 'now a member of the Penguin Group', helpfully explains on its website: 'Through our unique imprints, you can publish, promote, and sell your book around the globe, plus retain your rights and get in the market much faster than with a traditional publisher.' Easy Peasy!"
Liz Thompson
"There is no silver clock to be handed to you by the managing director, no pats on the back, no speeches. There are not even colleagues around to tell you that your time is up. Thousands of authors, all over the world, are working away right now without having noticed that they retired several years ago."
Terence Blacker
"Letters are often celebrated for their ability to capture an author's tone of voice, but to an even greater degree emails mimic the natural rhythms of speech and can result in a series of pithy exchanges that give a researcher or a biographer a picture of how their subject behaved in informal or unguarded moments."
Sophie Baldock (Archives in the electronic age)
"If you are not where you want to be with your career, think long. With increasing longevity, our productive lifespans now extend from 20 to 80 (at least), which provides six decades to accomplish something in a chosen genre, and plenty of time to make a mark if you've come late to writing.
The passing of time has a way of revealing truth. Writers, consider this radical idea: time is not the enemy, it is our friend."
Tom Butler-Bowdon
October 3, 2012
Alison Stuart talks about the Ghosts of the Past
Still to come at the end of this week, Desert Island Castaways Mary Metcalfe and Eliza Graham, whilst I am
touring the blogosphere with THE GILDED LILY. Have a look at my post on Passages to the Past, or the interview and Giveaway on Let them Read Books - Last Day to enter!
Meanwhile, I took some time out of my schedule to Interview Alison Stuart about her new time-slip romance GATHER THE BONES. I met Alison through the Hoydens and Firebrands blog where she invited me to join the other writers who are passionate about 17th century history.
Hi Alison, lovely to have you visit my blog.
Thanks for having me, Dee. Great questions!
What was the first story you wrote that you were proud to have written?
I have been writing stories probably since I could first hold a pen but my first “real” story was a school assignment in Form 3. We had an English teacher of the old fashioned kind (she wore a gown and tried desperately to drum grammar into our heads – on that count she failed). I can’t remember what the assignment entailed but it resulted in a ‘chapter story’ of a couple of thousand words called “The Stones of Chichen Itza” – my first foray into an archaeological mystery. I was inordinately proud of it (and the fact I had learned to use a Thesaurus in its creation). I bound it in a brown carboard cover illustrated with a Mayan head and I think it still lives in a trunk in the loft. Miss Robinson, who did not give praise easily, was fulsome in her review. I fell in love with writing.
Gather the Bones is set in the Great War. You and your husband both served in the Army Reserves, how did this impact on your understanding of the War?
My interest in military history probably stems from my father, who had been a career officer in the British Army. When I met my husband – we were both doing officer training in the Australian Army Reserve – I met my soul mate. Viewing the history of military campaigns with an understanding of the military mind brings a different perspective to the subject. When we lived in Singapore, to fill in those boring Sunday afternoons, we retraced the Fall of Singapore, visiting the various significant historical sites and reading the accounts. Our objective was to determine if the result would have been the same if Percival had held out for a little longer (we concluded - probably not).
D had been tracing his grandfather’s history. The family had known that he had been in the second wave at Gallipoli and had always assumed he had incurred his wound there. D discovered through the archives of the Australian War Memorial that he has survived Gallipoli and gone on to nearly two years in the trenches of the Somme. We found letters written to him while he was in hospital from his mates and now have a very clear picture of his military career. The result gave D a completely different perspective of his grandfather and he became very interested in visiting the battlefields of the Great War, which we did in 2005.
There is no doubt that the visit had a profound effect on us both. We were in Amiensfor the Anzac Day commemorations and traced D’s grandfather’s war to the village of Pozieres. Standing on the hills looking down into the valley of the Somme and looking at it from the perspective of soldiers, not historians, gave the experience some clarity. Soldier to soldier, we had a great and abiding understanding of the foolish notions that turned the war into such a shambles. Mercifully our own experience was one of a peace time army.
Tell me a little about where your love of history comes from.
Undoubtedly it came from my father (see answer above). He loved history and had a way of bringing it to life. He would take me to any “historical” film that was showing. As a child he would read us his favourite novels (not all of which may have been suitable for our tender ears) and I can still hear his beautiful, rich voice, transporting into imagined worlds of long, long ago. One of the books of his choice was DuMaurier’s The King’s General which instilled my passion and fascination for the English Civil War period.
What is it about the relationship between Helen and her cousin Paul that made them so fascinating to you?
Unfortunately Australia had not been discovered in the seventeenth century and I really wanted to create an Australian character. The Great War is so deeply instilled in the Australian psyche that writing Helen’s character gave me an opportunity to explore the experience of D’s family history and the many, many hours I have spent in reading and researching stories of the Australian experience of the First World War. Helen’s freedom is such a contrast to Paul’s repressive upbringing and his deep sense of honour and duty. I wanted to show them both as outsiders in the dying world of Edwardian English society that we see in Downton Abbey. Helen for being a mere colonial and Paul for being the poor relation and the wrong man.
What is your greatest indulgence when writing?
Fry’s Chocolate Cream. I have discovered our local chocolate shop imports it from the UK so at vast expense I reward myself, every now and then, with a bar. It is one of those taste sensations from childhood that never goes away!
You work as a lawyer, do legal concerns make an appearance in your writing?
Not if I can help it! In fact it probably explains why I tend not to write contemporaries. As soon as I move into a contemporary I find myself writing about lawyers. My military background has had a far greater influence on my writing than my legal profession.
You have been involved for many years with the Romance Writers of Australia. What does this network mean to you?
I would never have been a writer without Romance Writers of Australia. It was only be sheer chance I came across them and from the moment I attended my very first conference, knowing NOTHING about writing in general and romance writing in particular, I knew I had found my tribe. I was fortunate to be President for a number of years and have just seen the organisation grow from nearly folding to what it is today. My dearest, dearest writing friends have come through this network. Only writers really understand other writers.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
No...and yes. Not face to face as it were but I have experienced what I can best describe as “sensations”. I have found myself in places or situations where I have felt cold and what I can only describe as a tight band around my chest. Only last weekend on a “ghost tour” this happened to me and later the guide described the place where it occurred as being a well documented haunted spot. This has happened to me often enough now to recognise that there are indeed more things in heaven and earth...
For more information and to watch the trailer go to http://www.alisonstuart.com/gather-the-bones.html
touring the blogosphere with THE GILDED LILY. Have a look at my post on Passages to the Past, or the interview and Giveaway on Let them Read Books - Last Day to enter!
Meanwhile, I took some time out of my schedule to Interview Alison Stuart about her new time-slip romance GATHER THE BONES. I met Alison through the Hoydens and Firebrands blog where she invited me to join the other writers who are passionate about 17th century history.
Hi Alison, lovely to have you visit my blog.
Thanks for having me, Dee. Great questions!
What was the first story you wrote that you were proud to have written?
I have been writing stories probably since I could first hold a pen but my first “real” story was a school assignment in Form 3. We had an English teacher of the old fashioned kind (she wore a gown and tried desperately to drum grammar into our heads – on that count she failed). I can’t remember what the assignment entailed but it resulted in a ‘chapter story’ of a couple of thousand words called “The Stones of Chichen Itza” – my first foray into an archaeological mystery. I was inordinately proud of it (and the fact I had learned to use a Thesaurus in its creation). I bound it in a brown carboard cover illustrated with a Mayan head and I think it still lives in a trunk in the loft. Miss Robinson, who did not give praise easily, was fulsome in her review. I fell in love with writing.
Gather the Bones is set in the Great War. You and your husband both served in the Army Reserves, how did this impact on your understanding of the War?
My interest in military history probably stems from my father, who had been a career officer in the British Army. When I met my husband – we were both doing officer training in the Australian Army Reserve – I met my soul mate. Viewing the history of military campaigns with an understanding of the military mind brings a different perspective to the subject. When we lived in Singapore, to fill in those boring Sunday afternoons, we retraced the Fall of Singapore, visiting the various significant historical sites and reading the accounts. Our objective was to determine if the result would have been the same if Percival had held out for a little longer (we concluded - probably not).
D had been tracing his grandfather’s history. The family had known that he had been in the second wave at Gallipoli and had always assumed he had incurred his wound there. D discovered through the archives of the Australian War Memorial that he has survived Gallipoli and gone on to nearly two years in the trenches of the Somme. We found letters written to him while he was in hospital from his mates and now have a very clear picture of his military career. The result gave D a completely different perspective of his grandfather and he became very interested in visiting the battlefields of the Great War, which we did in 2005.
There is no doubt that the visit had a profound effect on us both. We were in Amiensfor the Anzac Day commemorations and traced D’s grandfather’s war to the village of Pozieres. Standing on the hills looking down into the valley of the Somme and looking at it from the perspective of soldiers, not historians, gave the experience some clarity. Soldier to soldier, we had a great and abiding understanding of the foolish notions that turned the war into such a shambles. Mercifully our own experience was one of a peace time army.
Tell me a little about where your love of history comes from.
Undoubtedly it came from my father (see answer above). He loved history and had a way of bringing it to life. He would take me to any “historical” film that was showing. As a child he would read us his favourite novels (not all of which may have been suitable for our tender ears) and I can still hear his beautiful, rich voice, transporting into imagined worlds of long, long ago. One of the books of his choice was DuMaurier’s The King’s General which instilled my passion and fascination for the English Civil War period.
What is it about the relationship between Helen and her cousin Paul that made them so fascinating to you?
Unfortunately Australia had not been discovered in the seventeenth century and I really wanted to create an Australian character. The Great War is so deeply instilled in the Australian psyche that writing Helen’s character gave me an opportunity to explore the experience of D’s family history and the many, many hours I have spent in reading and researching stories of the Australian experience of the First World War. Helen’s freedom is such a contrast to Paul’s repressive upbringing and his deep sense of honour and duty. I wanted to show them both as outsiders in the dying world of Edwardian English society that we see in Downton Abbey. Helen for being a mere colonial and Paul for being the poor relation and the wrong man.
What is your greatest indulgence when writing?
Fry’s Chocolate Cream. I have discovered our local chocolate shop imports it from the UK so at vast expense I reward myself, every now and then, with a bar. It is one of those taste sensations from childhood that never goes away!
You work as a lawyer, do legal concerns make an appearance in your writing?
Not if I can help it! In fact it probably explains why I tend not to write contemporaries. As soon as I move into a contemporary I find myself writing about lawyers. My military background has had a far greater influence on my writing than my legal profession.
You have been involved for many years with the Romance Writers of Australia. What does this network mean to you?
I would never have been a writer without Romance Writers of Australia. It was only be sheer chance I came across them and from the moment I attended my very first conference, knowing NOTHING about writing in general and romance writing in particular, I knew I had found my tribe. I was fortunate to be President for a number of years and have just seen the organisation grow from nearly folding to what it is today. My dearest, dearest writing friends have come through this network. Only writers really understand other writers.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
No...and yes. Not face to face as it were but I have experienced what I can best describe as “sensations”. I have found myself in places or situations where I have felt cold and what I can only describe as a tight band around my chest. Only last weekend on a “ghost tour” this happened to me and later the guide described the place where it occurred as being a well documented haunted spot. This has happened to me often enough now to recognise that there are indeed more things in heaven and earth...
For more information and to watch the trailer go to http://www.alisonstuart.com/gather-the-bones.html
October 1, 2012
Medievalist Roseanne Lortz chooses her Desert Island Books
Welcome to my blog today the last of my Desert Island guests Roseanne Lortz - a medievalist and historical fiction enthusiast. She will be minding my island whilst I am a guest at the following blogs: Dizzy C's Little Book Blog where you can read and extract of THE GILDED LILY and enter to win one of two copies,and at Hoydens and Firebrands with my post on the fascinating Old London Bridge
Roseanne says, "Ever since I was a little girl, I've always had one or two half-finished stories in the works. When I was around eleven years old, I presented my version of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" fable to our homeschool group. It was renamed "The Ant Who Cried Wolf," and I had rewritten the characters as ants, aphids, and ladybugs. The story was well-received, and one of the ladies there said it would be a shame if I didn't turn out to be a writer when I grew up.
It wasn't until I went to college that I knew I wanted to write about history. Mr. Chris Schlect, my history professor, inspired me with a love of historical research and primary sources. During my senior year, I wrote a hundred page thesis. While my fellow classmates groaned and agonized over their theses, I found (to my surprise) that writing mine was a lot of fun! I savored my sources, raced through my writing, and even derived a mysterious satisfaction from formulating footnotes. Loving to write stories and loving historical research turns out to be a great combination for writing historical fiction.
I'm afraid Rosanne will have to stop being a mum to her three boys for a while and enjoy a bit of relaxation under my shady palm trees. Can't be bad!
Here are Rosanne's choises:
For classics, I would choose "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoevsky. It's long--which would be a plus since I'm going to have plenty of time on my hands. The story is beautifully crafted, the characters are memorable, and (in case my misfortunes cause me to wax philosophical) it deals with timeless issues like the problem of evil in the world.
For contemporary books, I would choose "The Big Over Easy" by Jasper Fforde. It's one of his Nursery Crime books and features Detective Jack Spratt trying to solve the mystery of who did in Humpty Dumpty. It is chock full of hilarious allusions to classic nursery rhymes, and I figure if I'm going to be marooned indefinitely, I might as well have something to laugh at.
For nonfiction, I would choose C.S. Lewis' autobiographical book "Surprised by Joy." His description of the innate human longing for joy is one of the most beautiful and true things I have ever read.
Great choices, Rosanne. Surprised by Joy is a classic and one I might consider taking myself. After all, on a Desert Island there would be plenty of time to consider the human condition. Details of Rosanne's latest book are below, or visit her blog
I SERVE: A NOVEL OF THE BLACK PRINCE
A tale of arms, of death, of love, and of honour. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Hundred Years' War, I Serve chronicles the story of Sir John Potenhale. A young Englishman of lowly birth, Potenhale wins his way to knighthood on the fields of France. He enters the service of Edward, the Black Prince of Wales, and immerses himself in a stormy world of war, politics, and romantic intrigue.
Roseanne says, "Ever since I was a little girl, I've always had one or two half-finished stories in the works. When I was around eleven years old, I presented my version of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" fable to our homeschool group. It was renamed "The Ant Who Cried Wolf," and I had rewritten the characters as ants, aphids, and ladybugs. The story was well-received, and one of the ladies there said it would be a shame if I didn't turn out to be a writer when I grew up. It wasn't until I went to college that I knew I wanted to write about history. Mr. Chris Schlect, my history professor, inspired me with a love of historical research and primary sources. During my senior year, I wrote a hundred page thesis. While my fellow classmates groaned and agonized over their theses, I found (to my surprise) that writing mine was a lot of fun! I savored my sources, raced through my writing, and even derived a mysterious satisfaction from formulating footnotes. Loving to write stories and loving historical research turns out to be a great combination for writing historical fiction.
I'm afraid Rosanne will have to stop being a mum to her three boys for a while and enjoy a bit of relaxation under my shady palm trees. Can't be bad!
Here are Rosanne's choises:
For classics, I would choose "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoevsky. It's long--which would be a plus since I'm going to have plenty of time on my hands. The story is beautifully crafted, the characters are memorable, and (in case my misfortunes cause me to wax philosophical) it deals with timeless issues like the problem of evil in the world. For contemporary books, I would choose "The Big Over Easy" by Jasper Fforde. It's one of his Nursery Crime books and features Detective Jack Spratt trying to solve the mystery of who did in Humpty Dumpty. It is chock full of hilarious allusions to classic nursery rhymes, and I figure if I'm going to be marooned indefinitely, I might as well have something to laugh at.
For nonfiction, I would choose C.S. Lewis' autobiographical book "Surprised by Joy." His description of the innate human longing for joy is one of the most beautiful and true things I have ever read.
Great choices, Rosanne. Surprised by Joy is a classic and one I might consider taking myself. After all, on a Desert Island there would be plenty of time to consider the human condition. Details of Rosanne's latest book are below, or visit her blog
I SERVE: A NOVEL OF THE BLACK PRINCE
A tale of arms, of death, of love, and of honour. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Hundred Years' War, I Serve chronicles the story of Sir John Potenhale. A young Englishman of lowly birth, Potenhale wins his way to knighthood on the fields of France. He enters the service of Edward, the Black Prince of Wales, and immerses himself in a stormy world of war, politics, and romantic intrigue.
September 28, 2012
Desert Island Castaway Nancy Bilyeau tells me her choice of books
Nancy Bilyeau is the author of the new historical fiction smash, The Crown. Nancy has spent her life working with words - she has worked on the staffs of Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Good Housekeeping. Most recently, she served as deputy editor at InStyle magazine.Nancy has interesting ancestors. In 1661, Nancy's ancestor, Pierre Billiou, emigrated from France to what was then New Amsterdam when he and his family sailed on the St. Jean de Baptiste to escape persecution for their Protestant beliefs. Pierre built the first stone house on Staten Island and is considered the borough's founder. His little white house is on the US national register of historic homes and is still standing to this day.
Nancy lives in New York City with her husband and two children.
Whilst I am over at Unabridged Chick and at History and Women Nancy is keeping herself busy on my Desert Island reading her three books, and cooking up a wonderful meal - sorry Nancy it will be on an open fire, but you can always use it as research for your next Tudor blockbuster!
Nancy's choices:
Classic: "The Age of Innocence." The descriptive writing is gorgeous; the character work is so subtle. Only problem is how desperately I want Newland Archer to climb the stairs, in Paris, to see Ellen Olenska again. Oh, Edith Wharton... Contemporary: If I am to be airlifted to the desert island right now, then I must bring Deborah Harkness's "Shadow of Night." I'm about one-third of the way through, and I have to know what happens next. It's set in my beloved Tudor era--the late Elizabeth age--and I've already discovered that certain legendary poets were actually demons. Explains a lot!
Nonfiction: "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook." Because on a desert island I am obviously going to be barefoot, but on this particular island I'm hoping for a state-of-the-art kitchen and fresh ingredients so I can work on my cooking. My family will be delighted. Too bad they won't be on the island.
THE CROWN - An aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father—and preserve the Catholic faith from Cromwell’s ruthless terror. The year is 1537. . .Read more about Nancy and her books at www.nancybilyeau.com
September 27, 2012
Gabrielle Kimm tells me her Desert Island Book Choices
Gabrielle Kimm is the best-selling author of His Last Duchess and The Courtesan's Lover. I have dragged her away from Renaissance Italy where she is researching her next novel for a stay on my Desert Island whilst I am on my blog tour. Today Gabrielle is holding the fort here whilst I am at Legacy of a Writer and So Many Precious Books so Little Time. There is an interview and Giveaway of THE GILDED LILY too at Unabridged Chick.Gabrielle says,
"I first thought I might like to be a novelist when I was a child, and my mother bought me a copy of a book called ‘The Far Distant Oxus’, written by two schoolgirls: Katharine Hull and Pamela Whitlock. (The book was re-issued by Fidra Books last year.) I was entranced by it, and it began a longing in me to write my own novel. Being only twelve, and the two authors being fourteen and fifteen, I reckoned then that I had at least two years in which to fulfil my ambition! But as my first novel hits the shelves, some thirty six years later, perhaps in hindsight I have to admit that that assessment was just a little optimistic …"Gabrielle's time is now divided between family, writing and teaching English in a secondary school, and she will be able to take some time out from that busy life on my island.On her website she lists the things she loves as peace and quiet (something of a rarity !), and watching the changing of the seasons. Both of those she can enjoy on the island, but the other things, well I won't tell her there's not a hope of Radio 4, playing the piano, walking her dog, that perfect cup of tea, or chocolate.
(Well, ok, I'll allow her a small bar of chocolate as emergency rations), but she will have her choice of three books - here they are:Classic: Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. A book I've taught to GCSE students over a number of years. Each time I re-read, I find another perfect phrase, another beautiful comparison, another heartbreaking instant of tragedy. A stunning book.
Current: Florence and Giles, by John Harding. So hard to choose a current novel - I've been reading voraciously for months! But this extraordinary homage to Henry James's The Turn of the Screw is the book which I think has stayed with me the longest after reading, which has burrowed its way into my thinking.Non-Fiction: It has to be Daily Life in Renaissance Italy, by Elizabeth Cohen and Thomas Cohen. This book has been my bible since I began researching for His Last Duchess. I'd be lost without it!
Find Gabrielle on her website: www.gabriellekimm.com
September 26, 2012
Gillian Bagwell chooses her Desert Island Books
Gillian Bagwell is a very clever woman. Not only has she managed to write two stunning historicals, and is working on a third, but she's also able to be in two places at once. She's on her way to the Historical Novel Society Conference in London, and she's also here minding my deserted blog, my Desert Island, whilst I'm touring the blogosphere.
Today The Gilded Lily is being reviewed at Unabridged Chick, pop over to see what the verdict is. I am also a guest on Passages to the Past with my post on the artists that inspired The Gilded Lily.You can win a book at both sites by entering the Giveaway.
Now - more about Gillian.
Gillian Bagwell grew up in Berkeley, California, and began her professional life as an actress, studying at the University of California Berkeley and the Drama Studio London at Berkeley before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television. She moved into directing and producing theatre, founding The Pasadena Shakespeare Company, where she served as artistic director for nine years, producing thirty-seven critically acclaimed productions.
She united her life-long love of books, British history, and theatre in writing The Darling Strumpet, based on the life of Nell Gwynn.
Her second novel, The King's Mistress, is about Jane Lane, an ordinary English girl who risked her life to help the young Charles II escape after the Battle of Worcester.
Here are Gillian's choices.
Classic – Complete Works of ShakespeareI have to choose this – pound for pound it provides more material, and more compelling material, than just about anything else. Having acted in, directed, and produced a lot of Shakespeare, I find that it’s in my blood.
Current – Ian Rankin. He’s a best-selling author in the U.K. and not very well known in the U.S. for some reason. I’ve read all of his Rebus series, and now I’m loving his new series with a new protagonist, Malcolm Fox of the Complaints – the internal investigation bureau of the Lothian and Borders police. Both are crime fiction set in contemporary Edinburgh, and are just want I want to read when I’m writing historical fiction, i.e., something that is completely different than historical fiction!Non-fiction – all of Liza Picard’s books: Elizabethan London, Restoration London, Dr. Johnson’s London, and Victorian London. Ms. Picard provides a great deal of information about people’s everyday lives—what they ate, how much things cost, how they got around, entertainment and leisure, sex, health, etc. Just what I need when writing historical fiction!
I am a great fan of Liza Picard's books too, so I hope Gillian will leave her selection behind when she leaves!
You can find out more about Gillian and her books at
www.gillianbagwell.com www.facebook.com/gillianbagwell www.amazon.com/author/gillianbagwell Twitter - @GillianBagwell
September 24, 2012
Frances Garrood marooned - Desert Island Books
Today I am at Passages to the Past with my guest post on artists who inspired me when writing THE GILDED LILY. You can also find my post on old London Bridge at Hoyden's and Firebrands, and a Giveaway and extract at Dizzy C's Little Book Blog.
Today Frances Garrood is minding my Desert Island. Frances is up for this challenge as she has been corresponding with a prisoner on Indiana's Death Row. She says, "This is both interesting and rewarding. Most of the prisoners on Americ'a Death Row are poor (mine has difficulty finding enough money for stamps in order to write to me), and they are kept there for years. My pen friend has been in prison for just over a year, and his appeal - which will take at least eight years - hasn't yet started. The system is exceptionally cruel, and writing to a prisoner is one way of doing something about it (if you are interested, do contact Frances via her blog for details. New correspondents are always needed).
Frances has written many stories for magazines and three novels. Basic Theology for Fallen Women is her latest.
Her are Frances's choices:
So - Classic would be Anthony Trollope's Dr. Thorne, because I love Trollope and this is my favourite. It is amusing, romantic, and very, very English. In fact, English writing at its best.
Modern novel: Brothers, by Bernice Rubens. This disturbing novel charts the history of pairs of Jewish brothers, through several generations. It it beautifully written, but tragic (inevitably), and a gripping tale of love, courage, suffering and loss. It will remind me how fortunate those of us are who have not had to suffer the way the Jews have, and perhaps also make being marooned a little more bearable!
Non-fiction: a huge book of poetry, from the time of Shakespeare up until the present. I don't know enough poetry, and I could spend time getting to know more, and learning favourites by heart. That should keep me occupied until I'm rescued. Or not.
Deborah's note - the picture is from EHow. If you click on it it will take you to a link which tells you how to put together your own Poetry Anthology. That would keep you busy Frances!
Today Frances Garrood is minding my Desert Island. Frances is up for this challenge as she has been corresponding with a prisoner on Indiana's Death Row. She says, "This is both interesting and rewarding. Most of the prisoners on Americ'a Death Row are poor (mine has difficulty finding enough money for stamps in order to write to me), and they are kept there for years. My pen friend has been in prison for just over a year, and his appeal - which will take at least eight years - hasn't yet started. The system is exceptionally cruel, and writing to a prisoner is one way of doing something about it (if you are interested, do contact Frances via her blog for details. New correspondents are always needed).
Frances has written many stories for magazines and three novels. Basic Theology for Fallen Women is her latest.
Her are Frances's choices:
So - Classic would be Anthony Trollope's Dr. Thorne, because I love Trollope and this is my favourite. It is amusing, romantic, and very, very English. In fact, English writing at its best.Modern novel: Brothers, by Bernice Rubens. This disturbing novel charts the history of pairs of Jewish brothers, through several generations. It it beautifully written, but tragic (inevitably), and a gripping tale of love, courage, suffering and loss. It will remind me how fortunate those of us are who have not had to suffer the way the Jews have, and perhaps also make being marooned a little more bearable!
Non-fiction: a huge book of poetry, from the time of Shakespeare up until the present. I don't know enough poetry, and I could spend time getting to know more, and learning favourites by heart. That should keep me occupied until I'm rescued. Or not.
Deborah's note - the picture is from EHow. If you click on it it will take you to a link which tells you how to put together your own Poetry Anthology. That would keep you busy Frances!
September 21, 2012
Romantic comedy author Rhoda Baxter's Desert Island Books
Today I am giving away a book at Let Them Read Books, and guesting at Historical Tapestry.My blog is uninhabited again so I've asked another author to hold the fort whilst I'm gone.
For my Desert Island Books post today I welcome author of smart romantic comedy, Rhoda Baxter.
Rhoda is a former scientist who now works with intellectual property. Years ago, when she commuted into London every day, she read a lot. Now she writes the sort of books she wanted to read.
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The classic: Armadale by Wilkie Collins. There are some wonderful twists and turns in this book and each 'installment' has a cliff hanger ending (it was originally a serial, so you can feel the installments like a pulse through the book). It also has a wonderful villainess in it.
The contemporary: The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. This book makes me laugh every time I read it. I think it would cheer me up immensely if I was all alone on a Desert Island.
The non fiction: I'd have to take one of Ray Mears' survival guides. Not exciting, but very practical.
I can see that Rhoda will first terrify herself with the Wilkie Collins, then laugh herself silly with the Terry Pratchett - before getting to grips with the very serious-looking Ray Mears. Guess she'll be needing a bit of Post Traumatic Stress treatment when they finally rescue her.You can find more about Rhoda on her website www.rhodabaxter.com, or find her on Twitter (@rhodabaxter), Facebook or Goodreads. Her books are also available for Kobo and other eReaders
For my Desert Island Books post today I welcome author of smart romantic comedy, Rhoda Baxter.
Rhoda is a former scientist who now works with intellectual property. Years ago, when she commuted into London every day, she read a lot. Now she writes the sort of books she wanted to read.
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The classic: Armadale by Wilkie Collins. There are some wonderful twists and turns in this book and each 'installment' has a cliff hanger ending (it was originally a serial, so you can feel the installments like a pulse through the book). It also has a wonderful villainess in it.
The contemporary: The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. This book makes me laugh every time I read it. I think it would cheer me up immensely if I was all alone on a Desert Island.
The non fiction: I'd have to take one of Ray Mears' survival guides. Not exciting, but very practical. I can see that Rhoda will first terrify herself with the Wilkie Collins, then laugh herself silly with the Terry Pratchett - before getting to grips with the very serious-looking Ray Mears. Guess she'll be needing a bit of Post Traumatic Stress treatment when they finally rescue her.You can find more about Rhoda on her website www.rhodabaxter.com, or find her on Twitter (@rhodabaxter), Facebook or Goodreads. Her books are also available for Kobo and other eReaders
September 20, 2012
Encyclopaedias keep novelist and Desert Island Guest Kate Forsyth busy
Today I am guesting at Historical Tapestry and my Desert Island Guest today is the fabulous Kate Forsyth.
I came across Kate when she was kind enough to review The Lady's Slipperon her website (here)
Kate Forsyth is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than twenty books, ranging from picture books to poetry to novels for both children and adults.
Her most recent book for adults is Bitter Greens, a retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale interwoven with the dramatic, true life story of the woman who first told the tale, the 17th century French writer, Charlotte-Rose de la Force.
Her most recent book for children is The Starkin Crown, a heroic fantasy adventure set in the magical world of Estelliana, a place of wild magic and terrifying monsters.
Kate's The Witches of Eileanan was named a Best First Novel of 1998 by Locus Magazine and her books have been published in 14 countries around the world, including the UK, the US, Russia, Germany, Japan, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Poland and Slovenia. She is currently undertaking a doctorate in fairytale retellings at the University of Technology, having already completed a BA in Literature and a MA in Creative Writing.
Kate is a direct descendant of Charlotte Waring, the author of the first book for children ever published in Australia, A Mother's Offering to her Children. She lives by the sea in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, three children, a rambunctious Rhodesian Ridgeback, a bad-tempered black cat, and many thousands of books.
Here are Kate's choices for survival on my Desert Island. Wow, those Encyclopaedias will take some reading through. I had a similar set as a child, full of pictures of antiquated diving bells, blurry comets and zoo animals.
“Back to Basics: A practical Guide to Old-Fashioned Self-sufficiency” – I’ve had it for years, but its packed full of information on things like creating energy from water, making yourself a loom, or baskets, or clay pots, and milking goats and keeping chickens. Since I don’t know how to do anything like that, I’m sure it’ll come in useful.
The World of Wonder Children’s Encyclopedia – my favourite when I was a child. It’s packed full of fascinating articles on history, science, geography and so on – lots of happy browsing there.
‘The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England’s Legends from Spring-heeled Jack to the Witches of Warboys’ by Jennifer Westwood and Jacqueline Simpson – I’d choose this book because its enormously thick and enormously interesting, and full of tales and titbits. I could read one a day and still not have finished by the time I was rescued.
Kate's book, Bitter Greens is out now in paper and e-book.
You can read a great interview with her here
Find out more on her official website.
I came across Kate when she was kind enough to review The Lady's Slipperon her website (here)Kate Forsyth is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than twenty books, ranging from picture books to poetry to novels for both children and adults.
Her most recent book for adults is Bitter Greens, a retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale interwoven with the dramatic, true life story of the woman who first told the tale, the 17th century French writer, Charlotte-Rose de la Force.
Her most recent book for children is The Starkin Crown, a heroic fantasy adventure set in the magical world of Estelliana, a place of wild magic and terrifying monsters.
Kate's The Witches of Eileanan was named a Best First Novel of 1998 by Locus Magazine and her books have been published in 14 countries around the world, including the UK, the US, Russia, Germany, Japan, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Poland and Slovenia. She is currently undertaking a doctorate in fairytale retellings at the University of Technology, having already completed a BA in Literature and a MA in Creative Writing.
Kate is a direct descendant of Charlotte Waring, the author of the first book for children ever published in Australia, A Mother's Offering to her Children. She lives by the sea in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, three children, a rambunctious Rhodesian Ridgeback, a bad-tempered black cat, and many thousands of books.
Here are Kate's choices for survival on my Desert Island. Wow, those Encyclopaedias will take some reading through. I had a similar set as a child, full of pictures of antiquated diving bells, blurry comets and zoo animals.
“Back to Basics: A practical Guide to Old-Fashioned Self-sufficiency” – I’ve had it for years, but its packed full of information on things like creating energy from water, making yourself a loom, or baskets, or clay pots, and milking goats and keeping chickens. Since I don’t know how to do anything like that, I’m sure it’ll come in useful.
The World of Wonder Children’s Encyclopedia – my favourite when I was a child. It’s packed full of fascinating articles on history, science, geography and so on – lots of happy browsing there.
‘The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England’s Legends from Spring-heeled Jack to the Witches of Warboys’ by Jennifer Westwood and Jacqueline Simpson – I’d choose this book because its enormously thick and enormously interesting, and full of tales and titbits. I could read one a day and still not have finished by the time I was rescued.
Kate's book, Bitter Greens is out now in paper and e-book.
You can read a great interview with her here
Find out more on her official website.
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