About Chalice of Roses

Jo here, talking about the anthology Chalice of Roses, which has stories about the Grail.

The reviews have been great, including this one from Library Journal. "Based on legends surrounding the mystical Holy Grail, this quartet sweeps readers across time periods with emotionally compelling, often lyrically written tales of courage, sacrifice, love—and roses. A young woman of ancient lineage is destined to bring peace to 12th-century England when she finds her protector, and together they call forth the chalice in Beverley’s “The Raven and the Rose”; a Guardian must use her powers to keep the Grail safe during World War II in Mary Jo Putney’s “The White Rose of Scotland”; a debutante is charged with keeping the Grail out of Napoleon’s grasp in Karen Harbaugh’s charming “The English Rose: Miss Templar and the Holy Grail”; and an American grad student studying in England becomes involved in a strange fey tale involving the Grail in Barbara Samuel’s “Eternal Rose.” VERDICT: This beautifully crafted anthology by some of the genre’s best is graced with flawless writing, touches of humor, and magical, creative plots.”

I'll start with a bit of history -- business history. Most romance anthologies are put together by an in-house editor. There's a theme or link and she then looks for writers to do the novellas. (A novella is a story of about 10-20,000 words, though they can be longer.) I have to say that sometimes the blend of stories doesn't make a lot of sense, and sometimes the stories don't stick tightly to the theme.

In SF&F, a writer or two invite submissions and select stories, and generally their vision of the collection is stronger, as with another anthology I'm involved with -- Songs of Love and Death, edited by Gardner Dorzois and George R R Martin, whose names will be on the cover when it eventually comes out. The SF&F people are often bewildered by the romance genre system and keep asking why the editor isn't named. If you click on the cover of Irresistible Forces you'll see the editor, Catherine Asaro, named.

So, some years ago, four romance writers had an idea for a collection of linked novellas and decided to put it together themselves and then sell it. Thus was born Faery Magic. A few years later they did Dragon Lovers, and now, Chalice of Roses. The author are Barbara Samuel, Karen Harbaugh, and two of the Wenches -- myself and Mary Jo.

I asked the other members of the Faery Four contributors to give me a short description of the historical basis for their story.

Karen Harbaugh

Whose story is set in the Regency. "As with most conquerors, Napoleon Bonaparte sought to maximize his power in whatever way he could.  Whether he believed  the Holy Grail and the Spear of Destiny had actual powers or not is not precisely known, but what is certain is that the city fathers of Nuremburg, Germany were terrified that Napoleon would seize the Spear when he marched his armies toward that city in 1796, and so sent it out of his way, and that after the Battle of Austerlitz in the winter of 1805, Napoleon did indeed seek to get his hands on it, but it was smuggled out of the city and he did not succeed.  Napoleon's conquest of Italy actually brought the "emerald" grail (there is more than one, apparently) into his hands, but it turned out to be Egyptian glass and broke (could it be that someone substituted a glass cup for the real thing?)  I like to think that my hero, William Marstone, had a part in smuggling them into England, but the Spear and
the Grail seem to have a habit of appearing wherever it might affect the course of human events."

You can read an excerpt by clicking here.

Mary Jo Putney

Whose story is set in WW II. "There is a metaphysical tradition that says Hitler was fascinated by  ancient artifacts of power, and that he sent his people to search for such  items so he could use that power.  INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE  LOST ARK uses that tradition, with the Ark of the Covenant as the object,  while INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE goes after the Grail itself.  

So, since we were doing a Grail themed anthology and the Nazis make such  resonant villains, I decided to use World War II as a setting.  Other  historical bits I threw in were Rosslyn Chapel; a Canadian tradition of  Grail connections in the area of Halifax (that courtesy of Jo!);--and why did  Rudolf
Hess, deputy fuhrer of the Third Reich, really fly  to Scotland, claiming he wanted to negotiate for peace with the Duke of  Hamilton?  History has such lovely material to play with! 

I used the world developed while I wrote my Guardian trilogy because I  wanted an excuse to return there.  The World War II research was  interesting, and also tricky because it's within living memory.  In fact,  after I turned the story in, I wrote a blog on the research:  It was great fun!"

You can read an excerpt by clicking here.

Barbara Samuel

Whose story is set in the present day. "The historical pins in Eternal Rose came from my fascination with the old epic poem The Romance and the Rose, in which a rake is turned into a rose bya jealous fairy.  I've always loved the period of courtly poetry--forbidden love and bargains made by lovers, and secret trysts.  The setting of a small village in England comes from visits we make to my partner's mum's house in southern England, where there is a field I walk, and the tree that stands in the middle of it.  A white horse lives close by, and it all feels tremendously ancient and enchanted.  My story is contemporary, but in mood draws heavily from the period of courtly love."

You can read an excerpt by clicking here.

And now me.

Whose story is set in the middle ages. "As the Grail is strongly connected with war and peace, I set my story among one of England's civil wars, the period in the 12th century called The Anarchy. Henry I, whose early reign features in some of my medievals, had a son and heir, but the young man was tragically lost in a shipwreck when returning from France. Despite his attempts to beget another son, in the end he compelled his barons to swear to support the succession of his daughter, Matilda. The trouble was, she was married to a foreign prince, so when the time came most of the barons supported the rival claimant, Stephen of Blois, who was at least a man. Thus began war, chaos, and suffering which in the end the Grail is summoned to end.

In my research I discovered that the term grail wasn't used for the holy cup at this time -- it was still a common word for a dish -- and so in my story it's the Graal, an interestingly pre-Christian term connected to the Horn of Plenty."

You can read an excerpt by clicking here.

So as you see, we all have a different take on this deeply rooted mythical story.

“...four formidable authors stretch their imaginations...each unique voice
calls upon historical incidents and paranormal elements to contribute to an anthology
that lifts the human spirit.” 4 1/4 stars, Top Pick! Kathe Robins Romantic Times Book Club

The book has been out for a few weeks, and if you've read it we'd love your comments.

What does "the Grail" mean to you? Do you connect it most strongly to the Christian element of the cup used at the Last Supper, or is it a more general mystical entity?

What are your favorite Grail-related stories, in print or screen?

Do you enjoy anthologies, and do you prefer them to have a fairly tight theme?

We'll be picking four winners from among the comments on this blog and each will get a copy of Chalice of Roses from one of us, so have at it!

Jo -- and Davy.

Comments

[Patricia Barraclough]

Favorite grail story was the Indiana Jones movie. That was well done and the Ford/Connery pairing worked very well.
It seems odd to have a grail story set in present time. I tend to think of it in historical terms. Will be interesting to see how it is done.
When I think of the Grail, what comes to mind is the knight in the cave in the Indy movie. However, when I consider the Grail, I think of a quest to achieve what is good and right.
I love anthologies and have way too many on my keeper shelves. Because the stories are short, they are wonderful for a quick visit/reread when the mood strikes. They are also the perfect way to sample new authors. When they are written on a theme, it is fun to see how they tie together.
The cover on your book is lovely. With the 4 of you, there is no way the book could be anything but good.
Good luck with the release. I look forward to reading it.

[Linda Banche]

Since I'm a Regency nut, I look for Regency anthologies, theme or not. I miss those Regency anthologies from Signet. They had a Christmas one every year, and a few set in other seasons.

I especially dislike anthologies with mixed times. If an anthology has a contemporary thrown in with the historical, I'll take out the library copy and read the historicals. If I REALLY like the historical stories, I'll buy the book. So far, I've bought only one mixed time anthology because of the historical.

[Deb H.]

That was a really great post! It's fun to read novellas/anthologies that are connected. JQ's LADY WHISTLEDOWN anthology was fun. I like reading authors' takes on historical whys and wherefores. It doesn't matter if the stories have loose or tight connections. It's just plain great reading stories with a connected theme.

I have always thought of the word grail to mean Christ's cup. I'm a history nut and love all tidbits of historical info. :)

[Deb H.]

Oops, forgot to add that I usually read Regency era, but have been interested in the 1900-1940 era, too.

I, too, like the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade movie. (In fact, the year that movie came out, I used it for my welcome back theme for school: Miss N. and the Third Grade Crusade. The kids loved it!)

[CrystalGB]

My favorite Grail movie is the Indiana Jones movie. I think of the Grail in the terms of the cup used at the Last Supper.

I like anthologies. You get to read several authors works in one book. I am not picky about how the theme is.

[Patricia Rice]

The myth of a holy grail or bowl permeates history, so it's only fitting that you use it in various time periods. I played with a variation in the Mystic books and certainly see the appeal. I have the book beside my chair and as soon as I clear my desk of business clutter so I have a few hours available to settle into it, I'll brew my tea and light my fire and happily follow you to other worlds!

[B Knight]

I'm most familiar with the Grail as a religious concept, and am not crazy about obsessive preoccupation with "recovering" it. But in a fantasy anthology I think it's a very cool concept!

I like the idea of a theme with several stories around it, although they are necessarily shorter and less complex.
Generally I buy anthologies based on the names of authors I know and appreciate, or sometimes I page through unknown books to try to get a handle on the quality of the writing :)

[peggy]

I enjoy reading regency.my favorite movie king authur and the knights of the round table and there quest for the holy grail.I enjoy reading anthologies.To read about all the views people have on the same subject.

[Jo Beverley]

Ah, Peggy, a mention of the Arthurian side of the Grail mythology. For some people that's the central one.

Jo

[Sharlene Coumont]

My fascination with King Arthur began in university when a friend lent me a battered copy of T.H. White's The Once and Future King. To this day this remains my favourite book and I recommend it to everyone. This same friend also introduced me the fantasy genre with MZB's Mists of Avalon (art major looking out for the P.E. major) and I stumbled upon Mary Stewart's Merlin series. I love reading both fiction and nonfiction covering Arthurian legend whether it be in historical times or a modern day setting, as long as the plot/characters gives it substance.
I enjoyed both Irresistible Forces and Dragon Lovers, and look forward to reading Chalice of Roses. Keep up the great work. Thanks for many pleasurable hours of reading.

[Janga]

I like anthologies, but typically I find the quality of the novellas uneven. The Beverley/
Harbaugh/Putney/Samuel anthologies have been extraordinary in that I loved all the stories.

For me, the grail has strong connections to Christian tradition and to Arthurian legend, and the two are intertwined. I did my undergraduate work at an old, small, Christian college where one of the most cherished traditions was an elaborate dramatization based loosely on Tennyson's Idylls of the King. Seniors were knighted by Arthur in commendation for a particular quality. (Mine was friendship.) Decades later I can still quote the words "Arthur" spoke to me. The ceremony ended with the pure-in-heart Galahad's vision of the grail and the singing of the hymn "Follow the Gleam." I still know the words to the hymn too, and the grail story in Idylls of the King is still my favorite. :)

[gretchen fucio]

I love the "Indiana Jones " movie, but an even better story IMHO is one by author Margery Allingham. I think it was "The Mystery of Black Dudley" but I could be mistaken in the title- anyway, it dealt with an English family whose duty since the time of Arthur had been to guard the grail. Not a typical mystery novel-it was great reading though. P.S. One advantage of anthologies is that they often introduce me to new authors- I pick up the book because one of the contributors is a favorite, and often discover someone new to read.

[Robin Brandes Ray]

To me the Grail is a symbol of Hope. We as humans sometimes need physical proof of something. The idea of knowing that the cup from the Last Supper still exists to this day is inspiring.
I tend to associate the Grail not only with King Arthur but also with Jesus and thanks to other stories about it the Knight's Templar.
I think the Grail started out mainly as a Christan element but over the years and centuries it has become more Mythical to the point that it may be more legend than fact.
As for my fave Grail related stories, I'd say all those previously mentioned by others but I'd also include Monty Python and possibly Dan Brown even though his Holy Grail was a person and her story.
As for Anthologies I like them not only because they're a sort of sampler for authors I may not have read yet but also can be a way to learn the story of a minor character that is liked by readers but the author had not intended for them to have a full story. The one's with common elements are my favorite. Its interesting to see what each author comes up with when they all had identical guidelines.

[Robin Brandes Ray]

Oops, I just posted my comment but my name didn't show up next to posted by even though its typed into the name section. Its the one that starts out To me the Grail is a symbol of Hope.

[Jo Beverley]

I wonder how many people here read Holy Blood, Holy Grail? Or saw the TV program about it. That would be in the '70s, I think and I remember it as being fascinating.

Also, as Mary Jo mentioned in her bit above, there's a book called Holy Blood Across the Atlantic about the Holy Blood Line ( the sang real as opposed to the san greal, which I resisted weaving into my story!) which has Christ's descendents settling for a while in the place now called New Ross, Nova Scotia, and then moving to Montreal (Mont Real, see?) before going on to other refuges.

All such fun stuff!

Jo

[Eva M]

I have read some good stories with the Grail and Crusade themes.

I love anthologies in general, especially historicals and with a Christmas theme.

[Minna]

Definitely the Indiana Jones movie. And then there was this one Grail episode in Babylon 5.

[Jo Beverley]

Grail in Babylon 5, Minna, I don't remember that,

Jo

[Louis]

I'm an Indiana Jones fan since the first one came out. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade also had Sean Connery of 007 fame, another favorite.

Enjoyed all of the Grail stories.

Keep writing more. You all make a great quartet.

[Barbara Elness]

I enjoy anthologies, it's interesting to see the way they tie in to the theme, the closer they're tied together the better. I enjoy Grail stories, but the only one I can think of right now is the one everyone else is mentioning, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. I care more about the general mystical aspect of the legend of the Grail.

[maryjoputney]

Ah. the Babylon 5 Grail episode, with Michael York! He makes a very noble Arthurian hero, too. These mythic elements are deeply rooted in our culture, and can play out so many, many ways.

[theo]

I have become somewhat obsessed with the Templars. I've got several books I'm going through, researching for a story that's been simmering in the back of my head for awhile.

I suppose I too have to say the Indian Jones and the Last Crusade is what got me started as far as a real interest in the whole thing.

I don't dare call it a myth though. One never knows...

:)

[Ann]

I enjoy anthologies because that is how I've discovered new authors and you can tell how long that has been because the new authors that I remember discovering were Mary Jo Putney and Mary Balogh from Signet Christmas anthologies.
I've curious how the stories are placed with in an anthology. Which author gets the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and last story?

[Ranurgis]

Most of the Grail stories I have read and/or collected have to do with the original Arthurian-based epic. One of my favorites, THE HOLY GRAIL by Malcolm Goldwin, was unfortunately damaged in a water-related accident at my last residence along with some of my oldest and most favorite books. But I'm certainly these new stories will be very interesting for me.

Thanks, ladies.

[Julie]

I'm most familiar with the Grail of Christian and Arthurian legends, although Dan Brown certainly revived its popularity recently. (Does Monty Python count?)

Anthologies are kind of hit-and-run with me; I have to be interested in the majority of the novellas within to read it, much less purchase it. I don't really look to see how tightly the theme is woven into an anthology...a good story is a good story. :D

[Minna]

Jo, there indeed was such an episode:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grail_(Babylon_5)

[Rachel]

I loved Mary Stewart's Arthurian series but I'm not wedded to any one historical period – I enjoyed Indiana Jones (the first is my favourite, I think) – and I can't wait to see what the four of you have done with these different eras and different takes on the chalice/grail/cupful of change!

[NinaP]

Hi Jo! Great post. My favorite Grail movie is Indy, of course, but I am also a Sean Connery fan. I absolutely love him in First Knight. I’ve watched that moving so often, I can quote parts of it.

In my mind, the grail is the cup, thanks to Hollywood. But personal research and reflection has recently suggested a wholly different thought. The Holy Grail is not an object to be possessed by one individual because it exists w/in each of us. It is our God-given power to influence the world… for good or for evil.

Nina, looking forward to reading Chalice of Roses while recovering from tomorrow's ankle surgery.

[Linda Henderson]

Well I have to join some of the others and say Indiana Jones is my favorite grail movie. Of course Sean Connery being in it didn't hurt.

[Maggie Robinson/Margaret Rowe]

I am writing a novella for an anthology right now, and I have no idea what everybody else is writing. But I know Candice Hern is set to do another one, and there will be a contest to select the elements of the book that each writer has to include, which I think is great fun. It's interesting to see what creative people do with the same themes. The grail book sounds wonderful!

I guess I was most influenced by Arthurian tales and legends of knights seeking it.

[Sue]

The Holy Grail makes for wonderful plot lines, I'm surprised it isn't used more often. My favourites were the Mary Stewart books and one of Elizabeth Peters' Vicky Bliss books.
I love anthologies: they are perfect for traveling and I have found many a new author that way. I like them linked by a theme and not too loosely either! I can't wait to pick up this one - great for my trip to Havana in March.

[Helene D.]

I only buy anthologies when one of my favorite authors has a story. I wasn't too keen on the idea of Faery Magic at first, but, hey, Putney and Beverley? Gimme! Sometimes, an anthology will have a couple of unexpected, perfect jewels. A case in point, for me, is "Irresistible Forces", which I reread last week. I was actually rereading it while the middle of a Putney rereading, for "The Alchemical Marriage". Then I came to "The Trouble With Heroes". That's a deeply beautiful story, and it should be made mandatory reading in schools --yes, I'm serious-- in these troubled times.

As to the Grail, being from a country with strong French cultural influences (Québec), the legend does not have the same power for me. In fact, I'll be perfectly irreverent and tell you that my favorite Grail story, these days, is the French "Kaamelott" series, with very short the basis of which being Arthur and the Knights' everyday life, with the characters speaking in today's French (the DVDs have English captions). A mix of pure comedy, social criticism and cheeky political irony.

[Joanne]

I loved reading King Author and the Knights on the Holy Graal.

I love anthologies, especially around the holidays. Even Val's day would be nice. I do prefer Regency era, but sometimes, like once in a blue moon, I will read contemp/mysterys/etc. But the highest percent I read are Regency.