A story to make us smile
I am sorry for the long absence, but I injured my right hand and wrist and had to stay off the computer until it healed; there seems to be a law that when we injure a hand, it must be the one we use the most. I am sure that you all carried on quite well while I was gone, and I appreciate it that neither Stephanie nor Ken tried to stage a coup.
The world news is so horrific these days that I am going to start posting stories about hope every now and then, and I’d be happy if you all did the same. There are too many days when we desperately need a reason to smile. So here is one.
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/vid...
The world news is so horrific these days that I am going to start posting stories about hope every now and then, and I’d be happy if you all did the same. There are too many days when we desperately need a reason to smile. So here is one.
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/vid...
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Ouch. So sorry to hear of your injury. It's frustrating when things like that keep us from what we love to do. I was going to look for something heartwarming to share, but my news feeds don't have anything but the bad news. It as been an awful few weeks, hasn't it? At least there's a trailer out for the next Hobbit movie… Take care & don't overwork that hand/wrist.
Thank you Sharon for that heart-warming story and hope your hand and wrist soon heals. I broke my arm as a young girl and being left-handed it was my left hand I broke so know what you mean!I agree with Theresa's comments entirely too.
Animal are far more discerning than humans give them credit for and their love is unconditional. I only have cats now as I am not well enough to exercise dogs as much as I love them. People sometimes say cats are not loving but I can assure them they are. They always know when I am ill or down and give me lots of kisses and cuddles.
I will try and send good news whenever I find any too Sharon. There hasn't been much of it in the UK recently I must admit. xx
In the vein of sharing good news, this morning my husband and I were up at 4:45 to shower and get off to the airport for a 6 a.m. flight. Not that we were leaving on a jet plane but our daughter and granddaughter were arriving on one. There is nothing quite like love shared after long separations. Our six-year-old granddaughter just couldn't get enough hugs and I wasn't complaining.Oh, and more good news? I'm almost finished my final edit of my new historical!
Thanks for sharing this, Elaine How long can your daughter and granddaughter stay to visit?And what is the time period of your new novel?
No good news here in the UK? But it's sunny, it's summer, I see happy people wherever I go. Down at the beach; families, children, and very happy dogs. Out and about visiting old people in their homes who I've never met before this weekend, and all were happy to greet me and see such a polite young woman. This past week I've dispensed words of wisdom to inexperienced friends, assisted my father at work for no recompense, and managed to convince him to go and see the doctor (!) and try to give up smoking. This coming week I will be up early and going for a beautiful sunrise hot air balloon ride over Dartmoor National Park in Devon - moorland, rivers, lakes, and wild ponies. Lovely.
I think the UK has a monopoly on good news this year, Isis! I am glad you're having such a good summer. Say Hi to your dad for me; I wish I'd had more time with you both in York. I think it is wonderful that he is going to give up smoking. My mother always said it was the most difficult thing she'd ever done, but well worth it.
Hopefully we will be joining your next Eleanor/Richard tour. I am keeping all my fingers crossed that it doesn't coincide with my other planned holiday for next year - I have a friend coming over from the US and I have promised to take her on a whirlwind historical tour of the south of England - the British Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, then off to either Hever or Kentwell (both have Tudor recreation festivals in the summer), Butser Iron Age Farm, Chedworth Roman villa, Stonehenge, Cheddar Gorge, and finally off to the beach for a few days to relax after all that! Oh, and we are also hoping to squeeze in a day of Medieval jousting and horseback archery as well! I shall have the advantage there, I think, as I used to ride horses as a child, but it will still be a miracle if I manage to hit anything. I must admit to having a fondness for the knight's broadsword and longsword though, ever since handling one - they are so much lighter and well balanced than I used to think - though the armour is very weighty indeed.Whilst I am here and talking of medieval apparel, I may as well ask... Many years ago we were taken on a school trip to a medieval recreation place, and we had to make our own costumes for the trip. However, girls were instructed not to make our attire out of red because apparently only prostitutes wore red dreses in medieval and Tudor times. I've never read anything of this myself in the years since, and indeed I've seen several portraits of noblewomen and royal women wearing red. Surely red dresses cannot have been a sign of prostitution?
Sharon wrote: "Thanks for sharing this, Elaine How long can your daughter and granddaughter stay to visit?And what is the time period of your new novel?"
They are here in Ontario for 2 weeks, Sharon. And the second book in my Loyalist trilogy goes from near the end of the American Revolutionary war up to and including the War of 1812. Thanks for asking!
I gave some thought to doing a novel about the Revolutionary War, Elaine, which I see as our first civil war, but I finally decided it was not practical, as my readers expect my books to be set in the MA.What is the title of the first book in your trilogy?
Sharon wrote: "I gave some thought to doing a novel about the Revolutionary War, Elaine, which I see as our first civil war, but I finally decided it was not practical, as my readers expect my books to be set in ..."The Loyalist's Wife is the first book and the second is The Loyalist's Luck. Of course I have taken the British side which is different from all the literature out there about the Am. Rev. War. My heritage is loyalist so that this has been coincidentally even more interesting for me to research.
BTW I have loved reading your books since I first found The Sunne in Splendour and I often mention you as a favourite author of mine when I'm doing speaking engagements. Just so you know. :-)
My email is my first and last name, all lower case, at rogers dot com should you be interested in more information. I have some ideas about increasing my (and your) email lists as I've been doing a lot on marketing lately. Of course your reputation is already amazing!
Elaine, I often will mention a book that I think may be of interest to my readers; they understand that I usually have not been able to read these books myself but the subject matter sounds intriguing. I will definitely mention yours in my next blog about books. We joke that we are all going into book bankruptcy together.And thank you for letting me know you enjoy my books. Like me, I am sure you find reader feedback very gratifying
Why is it always the right hand that gets injured? I hope that it is healing well?I also started with The Sunne in Splendour and Once I finished that I ended up buying all your books!...Your writing is addictive Sharon, but I'm quite happily hooked....I am now nearly half way through 'The Queens Man' and so far I have picked about 4 culprits only to find it's not them!....But even as I head towards the end I will have three more to read:D....It will make finishing the first one a little easier:)
Also didn't Mary, Queen of Scots wear a red petticoat to signify martyrdom?....I am not an historian, but I thought that is what the colour represented?..But I've probably got it wrong....
I remember reading that Mary wore a red petticoat, too, Rebecca. I'd never heard what Isis was told, that red was reserved for prostitutes, am sure that was not true. Once Jews were forced to start wearing distinctive badges, which were often yellow, I read that yellow became an unpopular color, but I am not sure how accurate that comment is, either.Thanks for telling me, Rebecca, that you enjoy my writing. You got my day off to a good start.
It was a very strange assertion. There are well known portraits of Elizabeth I and Katherine Parr wearing red. Just goes to show that even school History teachers perpetuate the misconceptions and urban myths about the past. I had an A Level (age 18) History teacher once tell me that James II was Charles II's son. I promptly corrected her. Given the significance of Charles II NOT having a legitimate son on the course of history that was a bit of a howler!
How did she take your correction, Isis? I agree; that was a howler
Surpisingly well. At Parents' Evening she told my father I knew the subject better than she did. *chuckles* My English teacher used to take it less well when I corrected her. She used to make me show her in the dictionary before she'd believe me correcting her spellings.I'm not sure nowadays to be proud or embarrassed of the fact that I was a real smart alec at school. And probably still am, if I'm totally honest.
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And a friend of mine was over for lunch today with her daughter who will be taking some history. I got talking right away about your books and how entertaining, as well as informative they are. My friend looked at me like I was from outer space because science is her favorite, but give me English and history any day and I'm good, especially when there is a good author to teach me so much