Debra Brown's Blog, page 9
January 11, 2012
Going Macaroni
by Tim Queeney
"Yankee Doodle went to town,
Riding on a pony;
He stuck a feather in his hat,
And called it macaroni"
This bouncy song from colonial America is now more apt to be sung by children in elementary school. At the time the song was written in the 1760s, however, it was used by British army officers to mock the crudely-dressed American men of the colonial militia. British officers, in America to fight in the French and Indian War, saw Americans as unsophisticated rubes who thought the addition of a feather to their ragged tricorner hat was sufficient to transform them into fashionable fellows.
But what does Italian pasta have to do with sophistication? The macaroni reference comes from the informal group of young men in London who had been on the grand tour of Europe and were said to indulge in their love of Italian pasta, a food largely unknown in England. These fashionable fellows were said to belong to an informal "macaroni club" as they would dub items of high fashion as "very Macaroni." The term was the eighteenth century version of "cool." Thus, the song laughs at the rude American attempting to become fashionable with a feather.
Clothes are said to make the man and in my novel George in London my characters George and Darius find themselves in cosmopolitan London, accompanying their very "macaroni" aristocratic German business partner, the Baron Mowenholtz. Naturally, the simple clothes the pair have on their backs when they arrive in the capital simply won't do. George wears a very plain suit of brown homespun and worn boots, while Darius, a mariner, wears mariner's work clothes called "slops"-- short, wide linen pants to mid-calf, a striped linen or cotton shirt and perhaps a round, low-crowned hat or wool cap. The Baron wants them to present a prosperous image, so he brings the pair to his fancy tailor. With their new-found monies, George and Darius buy themselves somewhat more "macaroni" outfits:
"My new suit of clothes was composed of a dark green wool coat with buff waistcoat and sedge green breeches, a white linen shirt, white wool hose and brown cowhide shoes with brass buckles. My cheap, bob wig was replaced with a proper rig with a cue and ribbon. A buff tricorn hat and canary neck cloth finished me most pleasingly. As my brothers in New York would say, 'I be smokin' sharp.'
"The baron also chose well for Geo: a dark blue bombazine silk coat with crimson facing, basket buttons and crimson-piped mariner's cuffs, a crimson waistcoat with silver filigree embroidery and silver buttons, a crimson cravat, dark blue velvet breeches with white linen hose and silver-buckled black dogskin shoes. On his head Geo now flew a well-made horsehair buckle wig and atop it rode a dark blue Kevenhuller hat with a spray of eagle feathers."
George digs more deeply into his pocket for his new clothes, choosing silk, silver and velvet. In a day when most men wore wigs, George purchases a fancy "buckle wig" and tops it with a fashionable, broad-brimmed style of chapeau a tricorne called a Kevenhuller. Naturally, an American to the core, he finishes his ensemble off with some feathers stuck in his hat -- very "macaroni!"
Tim Queeney's book George in London the newly discovered tale of 19-year-old George Washington's adventure in London seeking his fortune is available at Amazon for Kindle http://amzn.to/q3OoRD and at Barnes&Noble for Nook http://bit.ly/uCIaAtThank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
"Yankee Doodle went to town,
Riding on a pony;
He stuck a feather in his hat,
And called it macaroni"
This bouncy song from colonial America is now more apt to be sung by children in elementary school. At the time the song was written in the 1760s, however, it was used by British army officers to mock the crudely-dressed American men of the colonial militia. British officers, in America to fight in the French and Indian War, saw Americans as unsophisticated rubes who thought the addition of a feather to their ragged tricorner hat was sufficient to transform them into fashionable fellows.
But what does Italian pasta have to do with sophistication? The macaroni reference comes from the informal group of young men in London who had been on the grand tour of Europe and were said to indulge in their love of Italian pasta, a food largely unknown in England. These fashionable fellows were said to belong to an informal "macaroni club" as they would dub items of high fashion as "very Macaroni." The term was the eighteenth century version of "cool." Thus, the song laughs at the rude American attempting to become fashionable with a feather.
Clothes are said to make the man and in my novel George in London my characters George and Darius find themselves in cosmopolitan London, accompanying their very "macaroni" aristocratic German business partner, the Baron Mowenholtz. Naturally, the simple clothes the pair have on their backs when they arrive in the capital simply won't do. George wears a very plain suit of brown homespun and worn boots, while Darius, a mariner, wears mariner's work clothes called "slops"-- short, wide linen pants to mid-calf, a striped linen or cotton shirt and perhaps a round, low-crowned hat or wool cap. The Baron wants them to present a prosperous image, so he brings the pair to his fancy tailor. With their new-found monies, George and Darius buy themselves somewhat more "macaroni" outfits:
"My new suit of clothes was composed of a dark green wool coat with buff waistcoat and sedge green breeches, a white linen shirt, white wool hose and brown cowhide shoes with brass buckles. My cheap, bob wig was replaced with a proper rig with a cue and ribbon. A buff tricorn hat and canary neck cloth finished me most pleasingly. As my brothers in New York would say, 'I be smokin' sharp.'
"The baron also chose well for Geo: a dark blue bombazine silk coat with crimson facing, basket buttons and crimson-piped mariner's cuffs, a crimson waistcoat with silver filigree embroidery and silver buttons, a crimson cravat, dark blue velvet breeches with white linen hose and silver-buckled black dogskin shoes. On his head Geo now flew a well-made horsehair buckle wig and atop it rode a dark blue Kevenhuller hat with a spray of eagle feathers."
George digs more deeply into his pocket for his new clothes, choosing silk, silver and velvet. In a day when most men wore wigs, George purchases a fancy "buckle wig" and tops it with a fashionable, broad-brimmed style of chapeau a tricorne called a Kevenhuller. Naturally, an American to the core, he finishes his ensemble off with some feathers stuck in his hat -- very "macaroni!"
Tim Queeney's book George in London the newly discovered tale of 19-year-old George Washington's adventure in London seeking his fortune is available at Amazon for Kindle http://amzn.to/q3OoRD and at Barnes&Noble for Nook http://bit.ly/uCIaAtThank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
December 30, 2011
Giveaway! Colonel Fitzwilliams Correspondence
David W Wilkin is offering a set of three ebooks or a signed copy of Colonel Fitzwilliams Correspondence. The book, a Jane Austen sequel, is discussed in the following interview. If you would like to enter the drawing, please comment below and be sure to leave contact information.Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
December 29, 2011
An Interview with Author David W Wilkin
David Wilkin has been a historical re-enactor for twenty-five years. Most of that he has taught the dances of those past times to other re-enactors. With a degree in history and a passion for writing he has turned his hand to penning several novels about the past. A member of the English Historical Fiction Authors blog, today I interview him to tell us a little bit more about his work and the time periods he specializes in.
Interview Questions
Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?
I am a Los Angeleno. Born in Los Angeles California. Went for two years of college at UC Santa Cruz before coming back to town and finishing at UCLA. I have spent the rest of my life here in Southern California.
You majored in History. How do you use that in your daily life?
In my daily life I have been a manufacturing executive for 20 years. History comes into play only when I relate stories to the workers about how we did it in the old day. Or an idea on how to counsel the employees. Citing how other companies in the world (I am an avid reader of business history) have overcome an obstacle and gone on to success. Talking about a Regency Dandy like Beau Brummels, or about Prinny, does me little good on the shop floor.
How did your interest in writing begin?
I liked creating stories when I was a child. Then in college I actually submitted an article and it was published. When I graduated, after my first out of college job ended, I tried my hand at writing stories. I find in comparison to what I create now, there was a lot more editing at the end of my drafts when I started then now.
How long have you been writing now?
Over thirty years. But the last ten have been the most fruitful period. And of that, two and half years ago we had to close my own company, Aspen Interiors. We made the woodwork found in the Cheesecake Factory restaurants. That was a blow, and so I turned to writing every day after sending out the resumes. I have written 9915 pages in the time between closing Aspen and reentering the work force. Lots of first draft material, some second draft, and some items actually now in print.
Where did your interest in the Regency Era come from?
That is a tale, and bear with me, I shall lead you to the end of the trail. I liked history enough from High School to make it my major in college. I specialized in Pre-Modern Asian history while getting my degree which is pretty far from the study of Regency England. But History, I have always found, is stories. I like stories and even before college I wrote some, but after, I started my quest to be a novelist. I also became an Historical Re-enactor.
I joined groups where we made the costumes of the era we were Re-enacting. I learned the dances from those times, and then actually taught well over 1000 people how to do them. Running regular dance practices. My early main focus was Medieval and Renaissance, but one day a friend said, 'Have I got a girl for you to meet,' and dragged me to a Regency Dance. Well, not that girl, but several years later, I met my wife, Cheryl at a Regency Ball.
To woo her (she was very far away), I wrote her a regency romance, a few pages a day, that turned into a novel. When taking a class to further enhance my writing, I resurrected the story and worked on it more. Then over the last ten years, found that a good third of my output was Regency Romances.
When did you first begin to think about writing a novel, and what motivated your
decision?
As I mentioned, when I left college I got a job right away. But six months later, nepotism and diminishing revenue meant cuts. I was out. So then I turned my hand to a science fiction, a tongue in cheek western, a fantasy. All have potential, but they need another edit based on all that I have learned about the craft. When unemployment ran out, and I only had rejection slips to show for it, I went back into the workforce.
Did you study the Regency when you were at University?
Not at all. I studied a little on the English Victorian era. I had a class on the American Revolutionary era, but otherwise I focused on premodern asian history, and then european, before Napoleon. The Regency era did not hold any interest then. I was college age and a guy. The medieval and renaissance had a lot of battles that appealed to me and the many stories such as King Arthur (whose time period is before the medieval era of course, but all the movies come out with medieval armor and fighting) or Richard Coeur de Lion.
What do you think is the hardest part of writing?
The middle is often hard. To keep everything energized when the Boy is struggling to redeem himself for the Girl, or to capture her interest. I have it plotted but often by the time I get there, secondary plot lines are coming into play and what I had originally glimpsed as interesting when I first thought to write, is now eclipsed by other better ideas. Then the true hard part is editing. Somedays I would rather take a catnap while reading my own words. I of course pretty much remember what they say and where it is going. (Not that I think so highly of my work knowing that it does need editing. But somedays a nap seems very appealing.)
Do you find it easy to choose character and place names
I cheat. I look up in the long list of peerages names and change a thing or two to get them right. Then for place names, I look for an area I want to put the action at, and if it needs to be fictitious I think up something. Using @@@@ford, or @@@@ ton often works. There are a lot of fords and tons in England.
Please tell us about your books.
I'll just talk about the Regencies if that is alright. By far the most popular is Colonel Fitzwilliams Correspondence. It is a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Originally I envisioned that the Colonel would emerge and have a romance, but I quickly put Kitty into the scene. With Lydia gone, I found Kitty torn between wanting to be a better young lady, than she had been while her more boisterous sister led her about, but also still a person of fun. I knew that the growth that occurs in all of us over time could be telling for one such as Kitty moving from being a girl to a woman.
I also knew that the war lasts for years, and a woman, if not married before her lover goes to war, most likely would not wait and appear to be on the shelf. When I placed the first letter in the story as a device to appease and contain the ever flighty Mrs. Bennet, I had no realization that would become the device I could employ for the entire story, but the truth is that England was growing closer by virtue of the post. Look to the original and the post between Jane and Lizzy telling of Lydia's flight. Look at the missive Darcy places in the hands of Lizzy to explain himself. There is a great deal of letter writing occurring.
I believe that carries my book. That it is also the change in our hero, who becomes a great correspondent and uses his connections back in England to keep him sane amidst the battlefields of Portugal and Spain. The crux of both his growth, and that of his love interest occurs when he returns from the war. I attempt to place my own use of language, as did Heyer, into the story. I think this is a dividing point for my readers. Some have related that they find this works for them, while others expecting this book to be our current use of language can't get past that.
The last caveat of a work based upon another's writing is that many have their own ideas of what should be happening to the characters the original author created after writing The End. I of course take all those characters in the direction I chose. I used the last few paragraphs as a guideline, and I used Aldous Huxley's view of Pride and Prejudice's Catherine de Bourgh portrayed by Edna May Oliver for mine more than some of the others. Austen says that Lady Catherine and Elizabeth will make amends in the final paragraphs of the novel. The Olivier movie (1940) I think shows that clearly. (Edna May beats Judi Dench in this portrayal, hands down-IMO)
My other two Regencies are a little more of the typical pieces one finds with my twist. I try to emulate as best I can Georgette Heyer. So I don't write to a Harlequin formula but my own. In each I tried to evoke certain parts of the history that is occurring. In The End of the World the location is Cornwall. At this time the first railroad track was laid, without a train, to transport the copper from the mines to the ships that carted it to wales. My fictitious mine is the site where this is first adopted. Not that it plays a central point to the entire tale, but it is there as background. Something our hero brings to the story.
In The Shattered Mirror we have a story that evolves around the true end of the war. It ended twice of course, since Napoleon came back. And when it ends a second time, our heroine, who wants a hero, is going up to Town (London) for her first season. When in Town, she meets, runs into, a man she played with as a child. He, however, is now crippled from an injury sustained in the war. I think that is a side we forget about and I find that most of my heroes have some sort of PTSD. They have seen demons and have to confront them and come to terms with them. I think a great many other heroes in the genre are not beset by such problems. None I have read at least.
Mr. Wilkin writes Regency Historicals and Romances, Ruritanian and Edwardian Romances, Science Fiction and Fantasy. He is the author of the very successful Pride & Prejudice continuation; Colonel Fitzwilliam's Correspondence.
His work can be found for sale at: David's Books, and at various Internet and realworld bookstores including the iBookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords.
He is published by Regency Assembly Press.
And he maintains his own blog called The Things That Catch My Eye.Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
Interview Questions
Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?
I am a Los Angeleno. Born in Los Angeles California. Went for two years of college at UC Santa Cruz before coming back to town and finishing at UCLA. I have spent the rest of my life here in Southern California.
You majored in History. How do you use that in your daily life?
In my daily life I have been a manufacturing executive for 20 years. History comes into play only when I relate stories to the workers about how we did it in the old day. Or an idea on how to counsel the employees. Citing how other companies in the world (I am an avid reader of business history) have overcome an obstacle and gone on to success. Talking about a Regency Dandy like Beau Brummels, or about Prinny, does me little good on the shop floor.
How did your interest in writing begin?
I liked creating stories when I was a child. Then in college I actually submitted an article and it was published. When I graduated, after my first out of college job ended, I tried my hand at writing stories. I find in comparison to what I create now, there was a lot more editing at the end of my drafts when I started then now.
How long have you been writing now?
Over thirty years. But the last ten have been the most fruitful period. And of that, two and half years ago we had to close my own company, Aspen Interiors. We made the woodwork found in the Cheesecake Factory restaurants. That was a blow, and so I turned to writing every day after sending out the resumes. I have written 9915 pages in the time between closing Aspen and reentering the work force. Lots of first draft material, some second draft, and some items actually now in print.
Where did your interest in the Regency Era come from?
That is a tale, and bear with me, I shall lead you to the end of the trail. I liked history enough from High School to make it my major in college. I specialized in Pre-Modern Asian history while getting my degree which is pretty far from the study of Regency England. But History, I have always found, is stories. I like stories and even before college I wrote some, but after, I started my quest to be a novelist. I also became an Historical Re-enactor.
I joined groups where we made the costumes of the era we were Re-enacting. I learned the dances from those times, and then actually taught well over 1000 people how to do them. Running regular dance practices. My early main focus was Medieval and Renaissance, but one day a friend said, 'Have I got a girl for you to meet,' and dragged me to a Regency Dance. Well, not that girl, but several years later, I met my wife, Cheryl at a Regency Ball.
To woo her (she was very far away), I wrote her a regency romance, a few pages a day, that turned into a novel. When taking a class to further enhance my writing, I resurrected the story and worked on it more. Then over the last ten years, found that a good third of my output was Regency Romances.
When did you first begin to think about writing a novel, and what motivated your
decision?
As I mentioned, when I left college I got a job right away. But six months later, nepotism and diminishing revenue meant cuts. I was out. So then I turned my hand to a science fiction, a tongue in cheek western, a fantasy. All have potential, but they need another edit based on all that I have learned about the craft. When unemployment ran out, and I only had rejection slips to show for it, I went back into the workforce.
Did you study the Regency when you were at University?
Not at all. I studied a little on the English Victorian era. I had a class on the American Revolutionary era, but otherwise I focused on premodern asian history, and then european, before Napoleon. The Regency era did not hold any interest then. I was college age and a guy. The medieval and renaissance had a lot of battles that appealed to me and the many stories such as King Arthur (whose time period is before the medieval era of course, but all the movies come out with medieval armor and fighting) or Richard Coeur de Lion.
What do you think is the hardest part of writing?
The middle is often hard. To keep everything energized when the Boy is struggling to redeem himself for the Girl, or to capture her interest. I have it plotted but often by the time I get there, secondary plot lines are coming into play and what I had originally glimpsed as interesting when I first thought to write, is now eclipsed by other better ideas. Then the true hard part is editing. Somedays I would rather take a catnap while reading my own words. I of course pretty much remember what they say and where it is going. (Not that I think so highly of my work knowing that it does need editing. But somedays a nap seems very appealing.)
Do you find it easy to choose character and place names
I cheat. I look up in the long list of peerages names and change a thing or two to get them right. Then for place names, I look for an area I want to put the action at, and if it needs to be fictitious I think up something. Using @@@@ford, or @@@@ ton often works. There are a lot of fords and tons in England.
Please tell us about your books.
I'll just talk about the Regencies if that is alright. By far the most popular is Colonel Fitzwilliams Correspondence. It is a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Originally I envisioned that the Colonel would emerge and have a romance, but I quickly put Kitty into the scene. With Lydia gone, I found Kitty torn between wanting to be a better young lady, than she had been while her more boisterous sister led her about, but also still a person of fun. I knew that the growth that occurs in all of us over time could be telling for one such as Kitty moving from being a girl to a woman.
I also knew that the war lasts for years, and a woman, if not married before her lover goes to war, most likely would not wait and appear to be on the shelf. When I placed the first letter in the story as a device to appease and contain the ever flighty Mrs. Bennet, I had no realization that would become the device I could employ for the entire story, but the truth is that England was growing closer by virtue of the post. Look to the original and the post between Jane and Lizzy telling of Lydia's flight. Look at the missive Darcy places in the hands of Lizzy to explain himself. There is a great deal of letter writing occurring.
I believe that carries my book. That it is also the change in our hero, who becomes a great correspondent and uses his connections back in England to keep him sane amidst the battlefields of Portugal and Spain. The crux of both his growth, and that of his love interest occurs when he returns from the war. I attempt to place my own use of language, as did Heyer, into the story. I think this is a dividing point for my readers. Some have related that they find this works for them, while others expecting this book to be our current use of language can't get past that.
The last caveat of a work based upon another's writing is that many have their own ideas of what should be happening to the characters the original author created after writing The End. I of course take all those characters in the direction I chose. I used the last few paragraphs as a guideline, and I used Aldous Huxley's view of Pride and Prejudice's Catherine de Bourgh portrayed by Edna May Oliver for mine more than some of the others. Austen says that Lady Catherine and Elizabeth will make amends in the final paragraphs of the novel. The Olivier movie (1940) I think shows that clearly. (Edna May beats Judi Dench in this portrayal, hands down-IMO)
My other two Regencies are a little more of the typical pieces one finds with my twist. I try to emulate as best I can Georgette Heyer. So I don't write to a Harlequin formula but my own. In each I tried to evoke certain parts of the history that is occurring. In The End of the World the location is Cornwall. At this time the first railroad track was laid, without a train, to transport the copper from the mines to the ships that carted it to wales. My fictitious mine is the site where this is first adopted. Not that it plays a central point to the entire tale, but it is there as background. Something our hero brings to the story.
In The Shattered Mirror we have a story that evolves around the true end of the war. It ended twice of course, since Napoleon came back. And when it ends a second time, our heroine, who wants a hero, is going up to Town (London) for her first season. When in Town, she meets, runs into, a man she played with as a child. He, however, is now crippled from an injury sustained in the war. I think that is a side we forget about and I find that most of my heroes have some sort of PTSD. They have seen demons and have to confront them and come to terms with them. I think a great many other heroes in the genre are not beset by such problems. None I have read at least.
Mr. Wilkin writes Regency Historicals and Romances, Ruritanian and Edwardian Romances, Science Fiction and Fantasy. He is the author of the very successful Pride & Prejudice continuation; Colonel Fitzwilliam's Correspondence.
His work can be found for sale at: David's Books, and at various Internet and realworld bookstores including the iBookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords.
He is published by Regency Assembly Press.
And he maintains his own blog called The Things That Catch My Eye.Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
December 5, 2011
Eleanor of Aquitane, Queen of the English
by Christy English
In my historical novel, To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, I explore the marriage of Eleanor to the French King, Louis VII. As my novel draws to a close in March of 1152, Eleanor of Aquitaine obtains an annulment and returns to her ancestral lands in Poitou. In history, the story does not end there.
Though cast aside by her first husband, Eleanor had no intention of retiring from the political stage. In May 1152, Henry, Duke of Normandy joined her in her capital of Poitiers and they married in secret.
Henry II, King of England
Henry and Eleanor ruled the combined lands of Normandy, Anjou, Brittany, Aquitaine and Poitou, and once they secured their lands from invasion by her ex-husband, Louis,they turned their eye on to Henry's ancestral throne of England. Henry's mother, the Empress Maude, had been denied her right to rule because as a woman she could not rally all the barons of England to her standard. Her young son, Henry, made it his life's work to re-conquer the lands that his great-grandfather, William the Bastard had taken from the Saxons less than a century before.
Through diplomacy and military strength, Henry forced King Stephen to acknowledge him as his heir. When Stephen died in 1154, Eleanor and Henry set sail from Barfleur in Normandy to reclaim Henry's throne.
Westminster Abbey in the Modern Day
I can only imagine Henry of Normandy's sense of triumph as he was crowned King of the English in Westminster Abbey on December 19, 1154. Eleanor of Aquitaine, pregnant with her second son, was crowned at his side, and became a reigning queen for the second time in her life. After years of long planning and hardship, Henry and Eleanor reached their goal. Though the Empress Maude never was crowned Queen in England, her son ruled until his death in 1189, and two of his sons, Richard and John, ruled after him.
Eleanor was vindicated by her marriage to Henry II. Cast aside by Louis VII for never bearing him a son, she went on to give birth to five sons and three daughters for Henry
and for England. She ruled for many years as a partner at her husband's side. Though their alliance later fell apart, the day they were crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1154 was a triumph for both of them.
Debra, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog.
I would like to offer a signed copy of To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine as a give away, open to the US, Canada, and the UK. Please feel free to visit me and hear more about my obsession with Eleanor of Aquitaine and all things literary on my blog.
Description of To Be Queen
Duchess at fifteen, Eleanor of Aquitaine marries the King of France. But will she find that she must pay too high a price to be queen?
Although Louis VII is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by forces in the Church. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Eleanor fights for her freedom and for the love of her life. In the arms of Henry of Normandy, Eleanor may finally find the passion she longs for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen.
To win a signed copy of To Be Queen, please comment below and be sure to leave contact information. Thank you so much for your visit to English Epochs 101!Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
In my historical novel, To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, I explore the marriage of Eleanor to the French King, Louis VII. As my novel draws to a close in March of 1152, Eleanor of Aquitaine obtains an annulment and returns to her ancestral lands in Poitou. In history, the story does not end there.
Though cast aside by her first husband, Eleanor had no intention of retiring from the political stage. In May 1152, Henry, Duke of Normandy joined her in her capital of Poitiers and they married in secret.
Henry II, King of EnglandHenry and Eleanor ruled the combined lands of Normandy, Anjou, Brittany, Aquitaine and Poitou, and once they secured their lands from invasion by her ex-husband, Louis,they turned their eye on to Henry's ancestral throne of England. Henry's mother, the Empress Maude, had been denied her right to rule because as a woman she could not rally all the barons of England to her standard. Her young son, Henry, made it his life's work to re-conquer the lands that his great-grandfather, William the Bastard had taken from the Saxons less than a century before.
Through diplomacy and military strength, Henry forced King Stephen to acknowledge him as his heir. When Stephen died in 1154, Eleanor and Henry set sail from Barfleur in Normandy to reclaim Henry's throne.
Westminster Abbey in the Modern DayI can only imagine Henry of Normandy's sense of triumph as he was crowned King of the English in Westminster Abbey on December 19, 1154. Eleanor of Aquitaine, pregnant with her second son, was crowned at his side, and became a reigning queen for the second time in her life. After years of long planning and hardship, Henry and Eleanor reached their goal. Though the Empress Maude never was crowned Queen in England, her son ruled until his death in 1189, and two of his sons, Richard and John, ruled after him.
Eleanor was vindicated by her marriage to Henry II. Cast aside by Louis VII for never bearing him a son, she went on to give birth to five sons and three daughters for Henry
and for England. She ruled for many years as a partner at her husband's side. Though their alliance later fell apart, the day they were crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1154 was a triumph for both of them.
Debra, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog.
I would like to offer a signed copy of To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine as a give away, open to the US, Canada, and the UK. Please feel free to visit me and hear more about my obsession with Eleanor of Aquitaine and all things literary on my blog.
Description of To Be Queen
Duchess at fifteen, Eleanor of Aquitaine marries the King of France. But will she find that she must pay too high a price to be queen?
Although Louis VII is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by forces in the Church. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Eleanor fights for her freedom and for the love of her life. In the arms of Henry of Normandy, Eleanor may finally find the passion she longs for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen.
To win a signed copy of To Be Queen, please comment below and be sure to leave contact information. Thank you so much for your visit to English Epochs 101!Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
November 29, 2011
Why I Love Jane Austen
This lovely watercolor is reported to be a painting of Jane Austen by her sister Cassandra. Jane was born Dec. 16th of 1775 and died on the 18th of July 1817, aged only 41. Born into a close family of lower-level landed gentry and never marrying, Jane had the leisure to develop as a writer. Having left home for their education while young, the two girls, Jane and Cassandra, returned in 1786, Jane remaining with their family thereafter until her death. Much of her education in dance, music and theater was to show up in her novels in time. Her enjoyment of life was reflected in the parody and comedy of her writings. Many of us love the story lines, often revolving around the need for a woman of the time to catch a moneyed man, but so much more has been taught to us through her books, and all the more so to readers now than in her time. The common things of life show up interestingly in a novel as compared to a history book. We see firsthand how a man was introduced to a woman, how those with money visited and helped the poor and how very strict the class divisions were. Snobbery of the upper classes was not only displayed, but in quite an entertaining manner and with the creation of unforgettable characters. With her fabulous stories now playing on screen, made over and over with everything Regency having been expertly researched, we see in vivid color what the era dress and decor was like. Gentlemanly manners appeal to many women of today, and we cannot get enough of the novels and movies. Having saturated myself with Knightley, Darcy and ulp, even Mr. Collins, I wanted the same, but new and more. Jane Austen's dying young and leaving many stories unwritten is what led me to become an "Authoress". My first novel, The Companion of Lady Holmeshire, is like what I suspect Jane might have written had she lived into the 1840s like her sister. This message is displayed if your browser does not support iframes. Click here to continue.This message is displayed if your browser does not support iframes. Click here to continue.
Regency Dress I Regency Dress II Regency Dress IIIThank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
November 1, 2011
Giveaway~ The Huguenot Sword
Shawn Lamb is giving away a copy of her newly released novel, The Huguenot Sword. The following post gives some information on the times in which it is set.
One winner will receive their choice of a print copy (if within the US) or an ecopy.
GIVEAWAY RULES
1. No purchase is necessary.
2. Your email address will not be given out or used for any other purpose than contacting you if you are a winner.
3. The prize is available to one winner. Should a prize not arrive, proof of shipping is all that may be required of the provider.
4. The contest begins on November 1st, 2011, and ends at 11:59 PM PST Sunday, November 6th, 2011.
5. The contest is being offered by author Debra Brown, 604 NW Linden Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330 USA.
6. Each prize will be valued at the price of the offered paperback or ebook.
7. The winner will be chosen by third party random drawing.Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
One winner will receive their choice of a print copy (if within the US) or an ecopy.
GIVEAWAY RULES
1. No purchase is necessary.
2. Your email address will not be given out or used for any other purpose than contacting you if you are a winner.
3. The prize is available to one winner. Should a prize not arrive, proof of shipping is all that may be required of the provider.
4. The contest begins on November 1st, 2011, and ends at 11:59 PM PST Sunday, November 6th, 2011.
5. The contest is being offered by author Debra Brown, 604 NW Linden Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330 USA.
6. Each prize will be valued at the price of the offered paperback or ebook.
7. The winner will be chosen by third party random drawing.Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
October 27, 2011
One of the Most Powerful Huguenots in History: Henri de Rohan
by Shawn Lamb
[image error] Like many who are historical fiction fans, there is one period in history that captures attention over others. For me, it is the 17th century and catapulted by the classic The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. While other teenage girls swooned over Mr. Darcy, I wanted to fight beside D'Artangan. Eventually, I did take up fencing and competed with an eye toward the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
But when I began writing my own musketeer story at age 16, my research took me down a different path. In Dumas' classic, Richelieu is the main antagonist to the musketeers, yet the entire story came from a Catholic slant. So who where these Huguenots at La Rochelle? And why did Richelieu want to destroy them?
Absent from Dumas' story and little mentioned in history, I stumbled upon a most
fascinating and key figure to the Huguenots – in fact to all of Protestantism during this time– Henri de Rohan.
Henri was the second son of the Viscomte de Rohan and born August 21, 1579. The family was considered a dynasty in France and he was cousin to Henry of Narrave, later King Henry VI of France. The Rohan family was well connected throughout Europe.
He began his military career at the age of sixteen and quickly distinguished himself in battle and strategy. Queen Elizabeth I called him her personal knight and he was named Godfather to Charles I. In 1603, Rohan was made a peer and given the title duke by Henry VI. Two years later he married Duc de Sully's daughter and solidified his prominence among the French nobility.
Yet unlike many noblemen of his day, Rohan remained stubbornly loyal to his faith,
friends and family. Even when Henry VI renounced the Protestant faith and embraced
Catholicism, Rohan didn't turn on him like others, who eventually assassinated the king for his betrayal. Instead, Rohan supported Henry's young son, Louis XIII, with his military prowess and counsel. In turn, Louis respected and even held affection for his father's friend and cousin. It wasn't until persecution of the Huguenots grew dangerous that Rohan turned his industry to defending his faith and raise armed rebellion. But he directed his attacks toward the Catholic Church and Richelieu, not Louis.
Conflict between the French Catholics and Protestants was a war, within a war. All of Europe was in upheaval whether vying for power, expanding their holdings or attempting to put down the rising Protestant religion. Rohan's influence spread far and wide due to his personal intrigue more than his family's reputation. He was among the few who couldn't be bought, cajoled, threatened or coerced. In this attribute lay his greatest asset and the one factor that made kings recoil and Cardinals to tread lightly.
Joined with his younger brother, Benjamin, Rohan led the fight of the Huguenots against total annihilation. His strength and fortitude kept the struggle alive even after humiliating defeats and terrible loses gained under Henry VI and the Edict of Nantes. Rohan held so much sway that a single act changed the course of the entire Huguenot population in France.
So my musketeer turned from of imitating Dumas to The Huguenot Sword, a novel highlighting the desperate struggle of one faith to survive. The dangers they faced in public for being different, the personal sacrifices of dividing families and eventually, the harrowing siege of La Rochelle, where the fate of all hung in the balance.
Website
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Blog
Twitter
Beginning her writing career in television, Shawn wrote for Filmation Studio's series BraveStarr. She won several screenwriting awards including a Certificate of Merit from the American Association of Screenwriters. Recently she became a winner in The Authors Show contest 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading for 2011. She currently lives in Nashville with her husband Rob and their daughter, Briana.Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
[image error] Like many who are historical fiction fans, there is one period in history that captures attention over others. For me, it is the 17th century and catapulted by the classic The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. While other teenage girls swooned over Mr. Darcy, I wanted to fight beside D'Artangan. Eventually, I did take up fencing and competed with an eye toward the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
But when I began writing my own musketeer story at age 16, my research took me down a different path. In Dumas' classic, Richelieu is the main antagonist to the musketeers, yet the entire story came from a Catholic slant. So who where these Huguenots at La Rochelle? And why did Richelieu want to destroy them?
Absent from Dumas' story and little mentioned in history, I stumbled upon a most
fascinating and key figure to the Huguenots – in fact to all of Protestantism during this time– Henri de Rohan.
Henri was the second son of the Viscomte de Rohan and born August 21, 1579. The family was considered a dynasty in France and he was cousin to Henry of Narrave, later King Henry VI of France. The Rohan family was well connected throughout Europe.
He began his military career at the age of sixteen and quickly distinguished himself in battle and strategy. Queen Elizabeth I called him her personal knight and he was named Godfather to Charles I. In 1603, Rohan was made a peer and given the title duke by Henry VI. Two years later he married Duc de Sully's daughter and solidified his prominence among the French nobility.
Yet unlike many noblemen of his day, Rohan remained stubbornly loyal to his faith,
friends and family. Even when Henry VI renounced the Protestant faith and embraced
Catholicism, Rohan didn't turn on him like others, who eventually assassinated the king for his betrayal. Instead, Rohan supported Henry's young son, Louis XIII, with his military prowess and counsel. In turn, Louis respected and even held affection for his father's friend and cousin. It wasn't until persecution of the Huguenots grew dangerous that Rohan turned his industry to defending his faith and raise armed rebellion. But he directed his attacks toward the Catholic Church and Richelieu, not Louis.
Conflict between the French Catholics and Protestants was a war, within a war. All of Europe was in upheaval whether vying for power, expanding their holdings or attempting to put down the rising Protestant religion. Rohan's influence spread far and wide due to his personal intrigue more than his family's reputation. He was among the few who couldn't be bought, cajoled, threatened or coerced. In this attribute lay his greatest asset and the one factor that made kings recoil and Cardinals to tread lightly.
Joined with his younger brother, Benjamin, Rohan led the fight of the Huguenots against total annihilation. His strength and fortitude kept the struggle alive even after humiliating defeats and terrible loses gained under Henry VI and the Edict of Nantes. Rohan held so much sway that a single act changed the course of the entire Huguenot population in France.
So my musketeer turned from of imitating Dumas to The Huguenot Sword, a novel highlighting the desperate struggle of one faith to survive. The dangers they faced in public for being different, the personal sacrifices of dividing families and eventually, the harrowing siege of La Rochelle, where the fate of all hung in the balance.
Website
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Blog
Beginning her writing career in television, Shawn wrote for Filmation Studio's series BraveStarr. She won several screenwriting awards including a Certificate of Merit from the American Association of Screenwriters. Recently she became a winner in The Authors Show contest 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading for 2011. She currently lives in Nashville with her husband Rob and their daughter, Briana.Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
October 18, 2011
The Tower of London~ Part One
Below is a link to my post, The Tower of London, on English Historical Fiction Author's Blog. Someday I will actually get back to writing posts for THIS blog! I've been terribly distracted.
~~~Tower of London~ Part One~~~Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
~~~Tower of London~ Part One~~~Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
September 23, 2011
English Historical Fiction Authors Blog~ Please Visit Us!
Join us at a new, multi-author blog, the English Historical Fiction Authors.
The blog will have a daily post on a topic sure to please those who love England and English history. We will also have a weekly book giveaway. I will let you check it out without further ado: Beam Me Up!Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
English Historical Fiction Authors Grand Launch Giveaway Event!
Join us at a new, multi-author blog, the English Historical Fiction Authors. We are having a grand launch giveaway. First prize is a Kindle, second prize is a $40.00 Amazon Gift Certificate, third prize, a $20.00 AGC and fourth, a $10.00 AGC. Besides that, we have many great books to give away.
The blog will have a daily post (we hope) on a topic sure to please those who love England and English history. I will let you check it out without further ado: http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot...
See you there!Thank you for reading my blog! I am always eager to hear back from you.
Debbie Brown
Author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
![[image error]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CiRk2lFpfNo/Tqm5-ZdgCdI/AAAAAAAAAjk/UjNvmIDq0gM/s1600/Henri_II_de_Rohan_by_Samuel_Hofmann.jpg){kind=link}