N. Gemini Sasson's Blog, page 11

Sarah Woodbury Talks About Time Travel to Medieval Wales

[image error]   [image error]Today, my guest is novelist Sarah Woodbury, who writes historical fiction, mysteries and time travel set in medieval Wales. I've asked Sarah to talk about why she decided to write historical fiction and to give us an introduction to her After Cilmeri series, which begins with Daughter of Time. I recently finished this book (which is FREE, btw). You know it's a good book when you get to the end and realize you really care about the characters!

(Meanwhile, you can find me over at Sarah's blog as I discuss Exploring the Lives of Real Historical Figures.)

*****
Writing Historical Fiction

Back in high school, I overheard two girls lamenting how awful their classes were and how they ‘hated’ history.  Since I was hiding in a bathroom stall at the time, I didn’t give voice to my horror at their sentiment, but it has stuck with me in the thirty years since.  How could they ‘hate’ history?

Unfortunately, all too easily if by ‘history’ they meant the memorization of facts and dates that had little or no bearing on their lives.  Why did they care what year the Civil War began?  Or who was the tenth president of the United States?  Or what happened in the fertile crescent of Mesopotamia (though knowing might clarify our wars in the Middle East today, but that’s a different topic).

That’s not what history is about.  History is about people.  It’s the anthropology of the past.  It’s about finding out why people did what they did; what they cared about; and the nitty gritty of how they lived and died.

I strongly believe with Donna Tartt that:  "The first duty of the novelist is to entertain. It is a moral duty. People who read your books are sick, sad, traveling, in the hospital waiting room while someone is dying. Books are written by the alone for the alone."

But along with entertaining, what I love about historical fiction is that it can bring history to life.

Because I have an academic background, research comes naturally to me.  When I decide on a topic for a new novel, I first spend a few weeks exploring the history, culture, and geography of that time period.  It is very important to me to know as much as I can about the history of the time, even if I end up changing aspects of it to suit my novel.  At the same time, I try to keep events as historically accurate as possible.

When writing about dark age and medieval Wales, however, there is so much we don’t know that sifting through the data to find out what ‘really’ happened is often next to impossible.  Many records were destroyed—deliberately for the most part—in the years after Edward I conquered Wales, but other records were lost to time, thrown away in ignorance, were never written down, or were lost when Henry VIII abolished the monasteries.

For the novelist, while knowing the birth date of the last Prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, would be helpful, it does leave enormous scope for fiction.

And that’s what makes historical fiction or historical fantasy so fun to write.  The impetus behind my After Cilmeri series is a dream I had in which I drove my mini-van through a time warp into medieval Wales.  I was fascinated by the idea of what it would be like for a modern person to live there.  Would life in the Middle Ages chew me up and spit me out?  How would I survive without hot showers, antibiotics, and coffee?

In the end, the dream was only the initial kernel of the story, which evolved into a four book series, plus a novella and has occupied my creative life for much of the last five years.

A shelf (or Kindle)-full of good historical fiction can be entertaining, but also gives us a window to the past and allows us to lose ourselves in other times and lives.  And ensures that we call can say:  I love history!




*****

Thanks, Sarah! Here are some links to Sarah's pages and books:


Sarah Woodbury's web page
Sarah on Twitter  
Sarah on Facebook
 Sarah's books on:
Amazon and Amazon UK
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
Apple

Goodreads Giveaway and Blog Tour for The King Must Die

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Goodreads Book Giveaway The King Must Die by N. Gemini Sasson Giveaway ends May 08, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.Enter to win Want to win a signed paperback copy of The King Must Die? Enter at Goodreads by clicking on the link above!

Meanwhile, I'm busily preparing guest blog posts for my Virtual Book Tour (May 28th-June 15th), organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Conquering a Chronic Condition

For over a year, I've been hoping I would one day be able to write this post... and now I can. I want to share this story to give others hope, in particular those who suffer daily with a chronic health condition, even though they may look entirely normal on the outside to others.

Most of us have times in our lives when nothing is going our way. Try as valiantly as we might, forces beyond our control sabotage our most determined and sustained efforts. If we're fortunate, we can identify the roadblocks, remove or work around them and fly toward our dreams. As I've been known to tell my kids, nothing truly worth doing is easy. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

But last year, I struggled to repeat those sayings, because every day I saw that no matter how badly my son Mitchell wanted to succeed in his chosen sport and no matter how hard he worked at it, his body just wasn't going to let him. In fact, even day to day activities were becoming increasingly challenging for him. Sometimes you begin to question if it's time to set aside the big dreams and just deal with the little obstacles and reclaim ordinary. He was there. 'Giving up' seldom seems admirable, but when reality keeps smacking you down, you figure maybe The Universe is trying to tell you to do something else.

When he should have improved steadily throughout each cross country and track season, instead he would backslide when it came to the post-season. His times were often erratic and unpredictable, which we chalked up to his exercise-induced asthma (EIA). He tried every inhaler known to medicine. We eventually found a couple that were mildly helpful, but none that reliably eradicated his symptoms. Sadly, the medication we found most effective for Mitch, Intal (cromolyn sodium), is no longer sold in the U.S. because the propellant used in it contains ozone-depleting substances. While I'm all for saving our environment, rah-rah, I can't tell you how exasperating this news was as a parent, especially considering the fact that such medications account for only a fraction of one per cent of the CFCs released into the atmosphere. The FDA seemed to think there were acceptable and equally effective alternatives. My son will tell you there is not.

Mitchell has loved distance running since his middle school days, and while he was a solid contributor to his high school team, excelling as an individual was always out of reach. Racewalking allowed him to fine tune his technique and become a contender, despite his physical limitations. For those who are not familiar with racewalking, it is a full-fledged Olympic event in which competitors must have one foot in contact with the ground at all times, unlike running, in which the runner loses ground contact for brief periods during the stride phase. Here's a video of phenom Trevor Barron, in case you want to see America's best at it.

Last year, during his senior year in high school, Mitchell came down with a respiratory infection. For two weeks, he nearly expelled his lungs. After a round of antibiotics, he quickly became ill again. It seemed he was sick from January through May. And not just sick, but exhausted to the point where he'd come home from school, crash with a 4-hour nap, wake up long enough to do homework, then sleep another 10 hours. Extreme daily headaches added to his problems. He no longer had the energy to do the things he loved most. The fatigue, headaches and recurring illness got so bad, that he eventually had to quit his senior track season. The kid who used to talk to people about going to the Olympics one day, who had earned an athletic scholarship for his racewaking, and who used to plaster Post-It notes with his goal times all over his walls and ceilings, no longer seemed to care. Why even try anymore?

Add to the asthma the fact that he constantly had problems with iron depletion, or borderline anemia, despite that we were pumping iron supplements into him and feeding him red meat as much as possible.We took him to several doctors and drew enough blood to give an elephant a complete transfusion. One doctor actually told us it was 'normal' for teenagers to sleep 12-14 hours a day. Every day? Naw, I don't think so.

Being the trooper Mitchell is and not wanting to burden others, he kept his problems to himself. I'm sure most of his friends, teachers and coaches never knew how terrible he felt. Anyone who's a parent knows you want to see your kid succeed, but more than that, you just want them to be healthy and happy. He was neither, anymore. I tried very hard to keep things positive with him, saying we can always find a lesson and a purpose in everything that happens to us, even the bad stuff. At times, that got really hard to do. I told him maybe this was to help make him grateful for the small things in life and if we figured this out and could overcome it, it would only motivate him that much more.

I was relentless and determined to figure out why he was not getting any better. The answer came with a simple post on Facebook. I mentioned how often my son had been sick and what his general symptoms were. My sister-in-law told me about her own bout with bronchitis and about learning that it was due to dust mite allergies. The light bulb went on.

So we hauled him to an allergist to get poked with dozens more needles. Lo and behold, not only was he allergic to dust mites and pollen, but wheat and soy. Food, like bread, cookies and spaghetti, for Pete's sake! Not only was he inhaling his allergens, he was ingesting them, too. Unknown to us, those weekly pasta dinners that are customary among cross country teams had been slowly poisoning him each season. The reason his body couldn't get enough iron, was because he wasn't even absorbing it to begin with. It bears mentioning that while he does not, to our knowledge, have Celiac disease, which is an intolerance of the digestive tract to the gluten protein found in wheat and other grains, his symptoms are very similar.

We have collected a few stories from walking into eating establishments and asking for an allergen menu. At one place, when we explained he couldn't have wheat, the hostess said he could have white bread instead. Um, hello? Bread is made from flour, which is made from ... wheat.

It took nearly six months for Mitchell to begin feeling 'normal' again. During his first indoor track season as a freshman competing for Goshen College, he busted his old Personal Record at the NAIA National Meet in March by going 14:16 in the 3 K race and placing 6th for All-American honors. Lately, he's started feeling so great that he keeps pushing himself at practice (thanks in part to his supportive teammate and school record holder Jake GunderKline) - so much so that during his first 5 K race last week, he clipped a minute and 35 seconds off his former PR and made the automatic qualifying standard for NAIA Outdoor Nationals.

It's been a long journey, but we've learned a lot along the way. Most importantly, we learned you have to educate yourself about your own health - and never give up hope that things will get better. Because they can and often do.


Best,
Gemi

The King Must Die - Now available on Kindle!... and where to find more great Historical Fiction

Just a quick note to let everyone know that The King Must Die (the sequel to Isabeau) is now available for $3.99 on Kindle and at Smashwords:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Smashwords (Epub, LRF, PDB)



I'd also like to mention two authors' collectives that I belong to which specialize in Historical Fiction. You can find everything there from Ancient civilizations to 20th century war fiction, mysteries, westerns and historical fantasy. Check out their amazing selections to find more great new reads:

Historical Fiction eBooks

Past Times Books


Happy reading,
Gemi

The Big Cover Reveal for The King Must Die

What is done cannot be undone.

England, 1326. Edward II has been dethroned. Queen Isabella and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer, are at the pinnacle of their power.

Fated to rule, Isabella's son becomes King Edward III at the callow age of fourteen. Young Edward, however, must bide his time as the loyal son until he can break the shackles of his minority and dissolve the regency council which dictates his every action.

When the former king is found mysteriously dead in his cell, the truth becomes obscured and Isabella can no longer trust her own memory . . . or confide in those closest to her. Meanwhile, she struggles to keep her beloved Mortimer at her side and gain yet another crown—France's—for the son who no longer trusts her.

Amidst a maelstrom of shifting loyalties, accusations of murder propel England to the brink of civil war.

In the sequel to Isabeau, secrecy and treason, conspiracy and revenge once again overtake England. The future rests in the hands of a mother and son whose bonds have reached a breaking point.

*****

The release of The King Must Die is coming soon! The paperback should be available in early April, followed shortly afterward by the Kindle book. I'll post here when and where the various formats can be purchased - or if you're a regular user of Facebook, sign up for my fan page (it still seems weird to me to say that). Don't worry - I keep my postings to about one per week, so I won't flood your newsfeed. You can also drop me a line via e-mail at imgnr "at" imgnr "dot" com and I'll add you to my e-mail list for new releases.

Some folks have wondered why I ended Isabeau where I did and why I didn't tell "the rest of the story" (not giving out any spoiler here, so forgive me for not elaborating further). Initially, I intended to write a single book, but there was just so much to tell about Isabella and Mortimer I knew I couldn't do it justice without writing an 800 page book. I don't know about the rest of you, but I find doorstoppers like that a bit daunting. Isabeau begins in 1308 with her wedding to Edward II, yet she lived until 1358. Covering that many years while moving the story forward and keeping it all connected was a challenge. So as I considered events, I decided there were two distinct periods in Isabella's life worthy of telling - and thus, two books.

For anyone who thinks I research and write fast enough to put out fresh new books every six months . . . uh, sorry, but I actually write much more slowly than that. I started writing over 12 years ago, while my kids were at school, and even while I was querying agents and then my lovely agent was circulating my manuscripts to editors, I kept writing. During the past two years, I've been mostly re-writing, adding a few new chapters here and there, learning about digital publishing and gleaning wisdom from the generous indie author community.

While I enjoyed my writing time, those 12 years were sometimes also lonely and frustrating years. There was a time when I thought The King Must Die would never be finished, let alone become a real book. It sat on my hard drive 2/3 complete for close to three years. I sincerely want to thank all the kind readers who have made the long struggle worthwhile. You are the reason I continue to park myself before the keyboard everyday. I hope that you learn a little bit along the way while getting lost in the world of people and events from the past.

Until later,
Gemi

Featured book this month at Historical Fiction e-Books

The featured book this month at Historical Fiction e-Books is The Honor Due a King. Check here for my blog post 'What was Robert the Bruce really like?'

P.S. Big cover reveal for the sequel to Isabeau, The King Must Die (scheduled for release in April 2012) coming soon!

Until later,
Gemi

Over at Writer Unboxed...

Last week I was honored to appear over at the fabulous writer's blog Writer Unboxed, courtesy of the gracious Anna Elliott, along with fellow indie authors Sarah Woodbury and Jennifer Becton. The topic was Advice for Indie Authors. As you can see, there are a variety of approaches to getting started and finding ways to get the word out about your books.

Speaking of which, I must finish my latest so I can get started on the next one...

Until later,
Gemi

3 more for under $3

I love, love, LOVE finding new authors to read. Equally, I love sharing about those books with other readers. The theme this time seems to be heroines who have to rise above some dismal and challenging circumstances or repair relationships gone awry. Here are three fantastic reads to check out:

***

1. Chasing Kate, by Kelly Byrne

"A woman, a girl, a Jeep. Add vodka, two measures of kidnapping, a splash of grand theft auto and a minor bit of arson. Shake silly. This is Kate's life.

Kate Denai is alone and at yet another crossroads when she finds a tiny stowaway, five-year-old Sadie Beck, in the back of her Jeep on Halloween night.

After returning Sadie to an aggressively negligent stepfather, Kate skips town the next day because of an unfortunate revenge-gone-wrong incident involving the mistaken identity of a water jug, a spot of nudity and one hell of a blaze..."

It's a rare story that can make you laugh on one page and later bring you to tears, but this is it. Kate Denai has made a mess of her life. In the beginning of the story, I found myself laughing our loud at her wry observations. Kate is a smart aleck, but despite the predicaments she winds up in, you know that deep down she's a loving, strong individual. It takes a serendipitous little stowaway, Sadie Beck, to bring out that side of her. Bit by bit, Kate inspects her past and what has brought her to this point. As her options dwindle, she's forced to take an uncomfortably close look at old wounds. She doesn't want to go there, but events keep pushing her in that direction.

Kate's new little friend Sadie is an absolute darling! A huggable 'old soul' whose innocence and optimism are precisely what Kate needs. Sadie and Kate are some of the most memorable characters I've ever come across and Kelly Byrne's ability to bring us so close to them and her gift with words make this one of the best books I've picked up in years. Do not miss this one!

***

2. When Horses Had Wings, by Diana Estill

"Pregnant at 16, Renee Goodchild drops out of school and marries. Now she's trapped in rural Texas with Kenny, her violent, garbage-collecting husband. A bleak future seems assured until she meets self-appointed relationship guru, Pearly.

"That's why you don't let 'em rule the roost. 'Cause you can't count on 'em to be there the next mornin' when it's time to crow," the worldly Pearly advises.

Renee narrates this tale of ruin and redemption where the damaged and downtrodden lead each other to unintended, sometimes heartbreaking, and often bittersweet outcomes. When Horses Had Wings examines the lives of broken people competing for the most basic needs: the primal urge for affection and the eternal search for acceptance."

What I most loved about this story was observing Renee's personal growth. There is a rare flow to events and emotions, which makes for a highly compelling read. The characters are very well drawn - from those you cheer and care for, to the ones you just want to pummel.

This is a story that many women, unfortunately, can relate to. It is about discovering inner strength for all the right reasons. Without a doubt, I'll be reading more by this author. Her narrative voice is distinctive and the story engaged this reader 100% from start to finish. Highly recommended!

***

3. Breaking Twig, by Deborah Epperson

"Set in rural Georgia in the 1960s, BREAKING TWIG is a coming-of-age novel about Becky (Twig) Cooper, a young woman trying to survive the physical and emotional abuse of her mother, Helen, a beautiful, calculating woman who can, with a mere look, send the meanest cur in Sugardale, Georgia running for its life.

Not even Twig's vivid imagination, keen wit, and dark sense of humor is enough to help her survive the escalating assaults of Helen and a new stepbrother, but help comes from an unexpected source--Frank, her stepfather. Sometimes, having one person who loves and believes in you is all a girl needs to keep hope alive."

Fantastic read! Breaking Twig definitely has its dark moments, but ultimately it's a story about love, forgiveness and the freedom that truth delivers. Twig's mother is an intriguing character that you'll love to hate and Frank is Twig's salvation and pillar. If you like a book where the characters are multi-dimensional and undergo not only the trials of life, but internal journeys of discovery and redemption, this is a must-read.

Happy reading,
Gemi

Guest blogging today over here >>>

I know, I've been very, very quiet lately. Working tirelessly to get the next novel ready. I'm happy to say The King Must Die, the follow-up sequel to Isabeau, is now with the editor and my amazing cover guy is working his magic. The book will be available by April. More news as it comes.

Meanwhile, I popped into Val-Rae Christensen's blog today to write about Isabella of France (Isabeau) in her series Flawed Heroines.

Check out some of the other features there this week, including posts by Rebecca Lochlann, Val-Rae Christensen, Gev Sweeney, and M. Louisa Locke!

Until later,
Gemi

How and where to find good books

I remember going to the library and spending hours browsing covers, pulling a book out, reading the back cover, putting some back, setting aside others and then toting home a stack that I'd sift through again when I had time to read the opening chapters. At the bookstore I often went with a favored author in mind, although I'd usually come home with just one or two books because of the cost. E-books now make browsing much easier and buying far cheaper. I can look for books at midnight or on my lunch break and download a sample to my Kindle.

Instead of getting overwhelmed at the library or having a bookstore's manager decide what to stick in the front of the store for you to see, it's easier than ever to browse in a customized and time-efficient fashion. Here are a few ways you can find new books and new authors that will suit your particular (or eclectic) reading tastes:


Also-Boughts
One very easy way to find books is to click through the Also-Boughts at Amazon. On any book's Amazon page, near the top you'll find a section that says "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought". The most frequent Also-Boughts appear first, but sometimes I go backwards through the list, just to be a rebel and see if I find anything brand new.


Blogs
Since I read a wide variety of genres, sometimes I like to be surprised by tripping across an interesting cover and book description. If you read strictly historical fiction, there are several HF book blogs in my blogroll to the right, but if it's variety you want, here are a few places you can find good deals for your e-reader - and most of them have a 'like' feature which means their daily listings will feed directly into your Facebook newsfeed. All of them feature e-books for under $10, some only books under $5 and all of them post FREE book finds:

Kindle Nation Daily

Pixel of Ink

The Frugal eReader

Daily Cheap Reads

E-Reader News Today

Cheap Kindle Daily

The Kindle Reader

(ETA:
Addicted to eBooks (Indie book listings)

Kindleboards (This is my favorite hangout! Check out the Book Bazaar and Book Corner, but feel free to jump into the conversation about Kindle Accessories, Not Quite Kindle and various e-readers here).

Word-of-mouth
Don't forget - word of mouth is the best way to share about books you've read and loved! How many times have you heard a friend mention a book and later checked it out? If you've enjoyed a book, tell your friends by posting a link on Facebook or tweeting about it. Join in forum discussions and let others know who your favorite authors are.


Reviews
Don't be shy about leaving reviews at Amazon or other online sites. You don't need to summarize the whole book, just say what you liked or didn't like about it and your overall impression. This helps other readers get a feel for what a book contains and how the story affects readers.


Tags
Interested in a specific topic/person/place? On Amazon, towards the bottom of a book' page, there is a section called "Tags Customers Associate with this Product". Feel free to add your own tag to help other readers find stuff. Or click on any of those to find related books.

That should keep all you readers busy for awhile!

Happy reading,
Gemi