Laurel A. Rockefeller's Blog, page 24
July 26, 2023
Excerpt: Henry V Leaves for War in France
The very first biography I adapted for the stage was “Catherine de Valois.” Catherine has always been a favorite queen for me, a fascination inherited from my appreciation for Shakespeare’s play “Henry V.” In Shakespeare, Catherine de Valois was a one-dimensional character and clearly seen from a man’s eyes. The Catherine you meet in both the regular biography and the stage play is, naturally, seen from a female point a view and with all her human complexities.
In the following scene, ...
July 21, 2023
Life in America series: Book Descriptions and Links
It all began with a Yahoo Voices writing challenge: write a flash fiction western. Though I am known for writing books less than 50,000 words long (hence flash fiction is easier for me than for many authors), I have stayed away from the western genre. Not my thing. But with a challenge in place, I tried my hand at it and came up with a story about Irish immigration to Nebraska. The Life in America series was born: books that focus on USA history and the American experience.
The Lif...July 19, 2023
Excerpt: Prasutagus Falls in Love
Boudicca was one of the first books I ever adapted for the stage. Though all the Legendary Women of World History plays are period dramas, Boudicca introduced the challenge of how to stage a war that involved tens of thousands of combatants. In the process I learned a great deal about theatre.
Find Boudicca: a Play in Three Acts at a retailer near you including Amazon, Apple, Smashwords, and Barnes/Noble.
ACT I, SCENE IICrowded Roman street market in Camulodunum. BOUDICC...
July 14, 2023
Legendary Women of World History series: Book Descriptions and Links
It all began in March 2014. Women’s History Month in the United States. I casually polled people around me, asking them to name 10 women, living or dead, from across history. Fewer than 5% could do it. When I reduced the request to 5 women, fewer than 10% could. Initially upset at the lack of history literacy around me I decided to do something about it. Beginning with reading the account about Boudicca by Tacitus, I wrote and published Boudicca in less than 4 weeks. The Legendary Women of...
July 7, 2023
The Peers of Beinan Series: Book Descriptions and Links
My writing career began in 2010 when I discovered Netflix had a cherished show from my childhood available for rent: Benji, Zax, and the Alien Prince. Starring Christopher Burton, the series followed a boy-prince from the planet Antars on his adventures on Earth – aided by a protective droid and Benji, the dog.
Excerpt from Benji, Zax, and the Alien Prince. This favourite episode, “Good-bye Earth” had a particularly strong influence on The “Peers of Beinan” series, especially in its earli...July 5, 2023
Study Question Excerpt from “Eleanor of Aquitaine.”
Covid 19 has changed many things for most people around the world. When quarantine hit in 2021 schools closed everywhere, disrupting education for millions. Recognizing the educational value of the Legendary Women of World History I decided to make textbook versions of each of my books in which I add study questions after each chapter. It’s a format that I saw time and time again in my social studies textbooks from around 4th through 9th grade, the years when everyone has the same history cla...
June 30, 2023
Lyrics: Vive le Roi Henri (national anthem of Bourbon France)
New France was a dream of Cardinal Armand-Jean du Plessis, duc de Richelieu and first minister to King Louis XIII. One of many investments the good cardinal made towards the long term future for France. Across Bourbon France, this song celebrating King Henri IV served as the French national anthem in both France proper and her colonies all the way through the French revolution.
In Founding Mothers, the song is associated with Marie-Madeleine Jarret de Verchères (1678 – 1747). Avai...
June 28, 2023
Prologue to “Good-bye A672E92 Quintus: a Play in Two Acts”
Science fiction is not a genre you usually see on stage. After all, sci-fi tends to involve all manner of different technologies that can be difficult if not impossible to render without special effects. Special effects are a non-issue in film. But creating them for live stage presentations presents challenges that few producers or directions are willing to undertake.
In 2017 I learned about a London West End production of Jules Vern’s “The War of the Worlds” starring Michael Praed of “Robin...
June 26, 2023
History Minute: King Charles VI (the Mad) of France
In 2016 and 2017 Rachel Boswick made my History Minute informative videos for me. This was the second video that she made as background information for my popular biography “Catherine de Valois: French Princess, Tudor Matriarch.” Find Catherine de Valois in numerous languages at a retailer near you and on Audible in English, French, Spanish, and German.
June 23, 2023
Richard Mann performs “Veni, Veni”
In 2016 and 2017 made for me a series of videos. The following video was made as a book trailer for “Catherine de Valois: French Princess, Tudor Matriarch” using music Richard Mann sings in chapter one of the audio edition.
The tune he uses is not the accepted tune for the song. It was only years after he recorded the audio edition (which is now also recorded in French, German, and Spanish) that he informed me that he doesn’t read music and that’s why the tune he used deviates from th...
