Word Wenches

What We're Reading for November

Howdy folks. Joanna here.
Hope all those who celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday had a good one.

It's been a good month for reading, it being fall weather and brisk enough that the dog doesn't beg for a walk so much.

 

Andrea brings us a YA and a biography:

It was a strange reading month. I started and didn’t finish a couple of books, which is very rare for me. But they just didn’t catch my fancy. However, having enjoyed the Ron Chernow biography of Alexander Hamilton so much, I snatched up Washington: A Life,  his bio on George Washington, when it recently appeared on BookBub. (It won the Pulitzer Prize some years back) I’m only about a quarter of the way through it, but am really enjoying it.

 

Chernow has a wonderful knack of making his subjects come so alive. Washington’s early life is fascinating, and he comes across as a very different character from the solemn, stately president that the history books present. We see a full range of his humanity—he was a man of passions and pragmatism—and really paints a viid portrait of his many nuances. I’m very much looking forward to glomming through the rest of it in next little while.

Drawing Writing Inspiration from Family History with Elizabeth St.John

Nicola here. Today I welcome historical author Elizabeth St.John to the Word Wenches. I first met Elizabeth at the Historical Novel Conference in Oxford a few years ago. I confess to stalking her a little (in a completely non-sinister way!) because I knew she had a family connection to Lydiard Park, the glorious 18^th century stately home in Swindon near where I live, and I was desperate to meet her and chat about Lydiard and its history. It’s been a huge pleasure to get to know Elizabeth and discover her writing. Her books are set in the 17^th century, in an intensely turbulent period of English history, and they are intricate, immersive and beautifully-written. I’ve just started reading Written In Their Stars and I am hooked. Elizabeth evokes a rich historical world that draws you in from the very start of the book. Here she is to tell us more about her writing.

Elizabeth, welcome to the Word Wench Blog! Please tell us about your personal connection to the family you are writing about.

The St.John family in The Lydiard Chronicles share a common great-grandmother with me: Margaret Beauchamp, who was also grandmother to Henry VII. The seventeenth century family thought she was a very useful ancestor to increase their standing in society, and didn’t hesitate to use their “royal connection” to further their position. Sir John St.John, the First Baronet, was particularly enthralled, and thus commissioned the Polyptych in 1615, which stands in St. Mary’s Church at Lydiard Park. It’s an extraordinary monument, full of beautiful portraits which inspired my work—plus a gorgeous family tree, complete with Margaret at the top.

The HNSA Conference

A few weeks ago I attended the HNSA Conference — (HNSA = Historical Novel Society of Australasia) in Sydney. It was quite different from Romance Writers' conferences, which tend to be mostly about the craft of writing and business and publishing. The HNSA Conference was more about ideas — issues to do with research, fine lines to walk when writing about real people's lives, research challenges across eras, truth and lies in crime fiction, historical fiction screenwriting, sources of inspiration, and much more. You can link to the full program from here.

I loved the interview with Jackie French, a wonderfully prolific Australian author, who writes for children and adults and everyone in between, and whose historical novels I recommended on Word Wenches earlier this year. I was lucky enough to meet her in the green room, and she was as warm and charming as her books. She gave a marvelous speech about the importance of writing and representing people and telling the truth, and at the end I wanted to stand up and cheer. I restrained myself and clapped really hard instead. Her website is here.

It was both refreshing and inspiring, listening to people talk about historical writing from such varied points of view. As well, so many of the speakers and panelists were natural storytellers, and were so interesting I wanted to hear more, and so of course, bought their books. I learned things about history — mostly Australian history, but also South African and NZ and other times and places — that I knew very little about.

Book Winner!

Congratulations to Maryellen, who just won an e-copy of Susan King's LAIRD OF TWILIGHT! 

Thanks for being a Word Wenches reader, Maryellen. Hope you enjoy the book! 

If you'd like a chance to win a book from one of the Word Wenches, be sure to check our blog regularly and leave comments -- we often give away books, and you never know when it might be your lucky day!  

 

The Boy Inside The Man

Susanna here.

Eight years ago, when I was writing The Firebird, I did something I’d never done in a novel before.

One of my readers, Lee Ann Ray, had written to me asking whether Robbie McMorran—an eight year old boy in The Shadowy Horses—would ever get his own story. At the time, I’d thought to myself, “But he’s only eight (or, as he would have corrected me, eight and three quarters)—too young for a book of his own.” Then I realized that he had been eight and three quarters way back when I’d written that book in the mid-1990s, which meant that in 2011 he would have been in his mid-twenties—and even older by the time I wrote a new book and it actually got published.

The more I thought about it, the more I could see how Robbie’s gift of second sight could work to bridge the past and present in the story threads that were developing for what would be The Firebird.

So I gave him a try as the modern day hero of that book.

Audiobooks! Angel Rogue & The Christmas Cuckoo

by Mary Jo

FINALLY these two audio projects are available after a long time in process. Both are narrated by the most excellent Siobhan Waring, who has narrated four other of my Fallen Angels books. 

One of my goals has been to have all seven books in my Fallen Angels series available in audio, and with Angel Rogue, Fallen Angels #4, that goal has been achieved. 

I've always had a special fondness for Robin and Maxie, the protagonists of Angel Rogue.  Lord Robert Andreville is the black sheep son of an aristocratic family.  He first appeared as an ambiguous secondary character in the previous book in the series, Petals in the Storm.  After years of dangerous spying against Napoleon, he returns to his family home weary to the bone and with a bad case of PTSD before the term existed. 

 

Whisky Lairds

Susan here, introducing Laird of Twilight – the first book in my newest series, The Whisky Lairds – set in the Scottish Highlands. 

With gorgeous covers designed by the amazing Kim Killion and stories featuring the romantic, beautiful Highlands and even more romantic Highland heroes and heroines, this is a series I've been working on for a while--with lots more to do even as the first book comes out! Laird of Twilight, available now, will be followed by Laird of Secrets early next year, and Laird of Rogues later in 2020. This new series opens with two revised backlist titles and will continue with a totally new book next year, with more to come after that.

The first of the Whisky Lairds books, Laird of Twilight is a revised and updated version of a previous title, one of my Sarah Gabriel books written for Avon. Published originally as To Wed A Highland Bride, it has been expanded, improved (I'm a better writer now, I think--I hope!), updated with more research, and given a great new title and gorgeous new cover. I jumped at the chance to dive back into a story that I loved, one that (to be honest), I wrote very quickly, and so I was happy to return to it and refine the writing.

I'm a stickler for historical accuracy, even when I weave in a little paranormal, just a little sparkle here and there to make a story unique. This was the first book where I indulged in some genuinely magical elements, and what a treat to be able to return to that story to play with those elements again. I love this story more than ever now. The same is true for Laird of Secrets, revised, refined, more sparkly and more fun. If you read those early Sarah Gabriels, you will be pleasantly surprised with these fresh versions. And if you didn't--here's a chance to try the new and improved versions!

Set in Scotland and the Highlands in the 1820s and centering, in part, on King George’s visit to Edinburgh and Scotland in 1822, The Whisky Lairds series is filled with adventure, romance, hints of magic … as well as fairy legends and Highland lore.

A common thread running through the stories brings elements of the making (and sometimes the smuggling) of Highland whisky, the best of its kind in those days (some would insist today as well). Illicit or legally made, whisky was important in traditional Highland life, and at one point was crucial to the economic survival of Highlanders. The legends and history surrounding Scottish whisky are fascinating, especially at this time in history, when distillers, smugglers, and excise men—including men like Robert Burns—roamed the Highlands hills and byways. (A spelling note—“whisky” indicates what is specifically made in Scotland, while “whiskey” is used for Irish and American make, and often for whiskies produced outside of Scotland.)

AAW-Wenchly Secrets for Holiday De-Stressing!

Andrea here, This month our AAW question has to do with stress and the holidays—something I think we all can relate to! So the Wenches are sharing their secrets for dealing with this universal question: With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, things can sometimes get overwhelming, What do you do to de-stress? Any special ritual or routine that recharges and relaxes? Read on for the answers!

Anne: The holidays here come in summer, so it's important to keep cool as well as stay cool. We don't have Thanksgiving in Australia, only Christmas and New Year, but December is the end of the school and university academic year and the beginning of most people's annual holidays, so there are lots of "end-of-year" events and celebrations. Four weeks annual leave is standard here and many people head for the beach. So between finishing up school, the frenzy of Christmas shopping, closely followed by the new year sales, and trying to balance family commitments with packing for the holidays, it can get a bit hectic. I make sure I schedule time for me. I like to retreat to the garden with a long cool drink and a book, and just sit and read and listen to the birds.  I'd rather say no to a few things and have some quiet time in between. Makes for a happier me, which in turns makes me a more pleasant guest or hostess.

 

Touring the Danube

Pat here (and in Salzburg in the image):

I have spent most of my life reading about European history. My great-aunt once gave me an enormous picture book about the customs of different countries. It was much too advanced for my six-year-old prowess, but I poured over those exotic photos for years, so I was indoctrinated early. My life-long reading habit took me from the courts of Britain to the peasant huts of Russia. Research for my Regencies, including the Napoleonic Wars, immersed me in the histories of most of Europe. But reading about palaces and medieval towns isn’t the same as actually standing in them.

Time Travel with Anna Belfrage!

Nicola here. Today it's my very great pleasure to welcome Anna Belfrage to the Word Wench blog. I first met Anna at a Historical Novel Society Conference a few years ago when she and Word Wench favourite Christina Courtenay gave a fantastic talk about the pleasures and perils of writing timeslip and time travel books. In fact Anna says that if she had had the choice, her favoured career would have been as a time traveller, but as this isn't currently a job option (which I think many of us feel is a great shame!) she does the next best thing which is write. Her award-winning Graham Saga is set in the 17th century and is a must for all those readers who enjoy history, intrigue and romance! Today Anna is going to tell us about the research she has done into one of the most fascinating figures of the 17th century, Queen Kristina of Sweden. Read on for a real life story that is more astonishing than fiction - and for the chance to enter a giveaway for one of Anna's books!

A Winner

 

Anne here, with a quick Sunday post, to let you know that a winner had been picked for the Jennifer Kloester boon, JANE AUSTEN'S GHOST.

That winner is Annette N, who has already been notified privately.

Thanks to all of you who read the post and to those of you who also left a comment.

We at Word Wenches really appreciate you. 

Thanks also to Dr Jennifer Kloester for being a Word Wench guest.

Jennifer Kloester and Jane Austen's Ghost

Anne here, and today I'm interviewing a guest, Dr. Jennifer Kloester, who many of you will know as the authorized biographer of Georgette Heyer. She's been on Word Wenches before, here and here and here, but this time she's visiting as the author of a  new novel, Jane Austen's Ghost. It's been described thus "Magic and adventure abound in this genre-bending contemporary-historical paranormal romance with a Regency twist." 

Here's the blurb:

With her life a mess, Cassandra Austin seeks refuge in Winchester with her eccentric great-aunt – but Aunty B has problems of her own. Ghost problems.

Cassie doesn’t believe in ghosts but she’ll do anything to help the only person who’s ever loved her. Besides, a simple spell in the cathedral crypt couldn’t do any harm, could it? Well, except for the two-hundred-year-old curse on Jane Austen, that is. 

Overnight, life is suddenly a whole lot weirder and it’s up to Cassie to save the day with the help of a dour Bishop, two literary geniuses, a couple of wise-cracking geriatrics and the enigmatic Oliver Carling.

Anne: Welcome to the WordWenches, Jen. What inspired you to write a story about Jane Austen's ghost?

Jen: Actually, Anne, in a way it was you! You might remember the Jane Austen conference we went to in Canberra a few years ago. I was sitting beside you when an internal door behind the podium opened for no apparent reason and I leaned over to you and whispered "Jane Austen's Ghost"! You smiled at me and nodded. That night I dreamed about Jane Austen and the following morning I wrote the first half dozen sentences of what is now the first chapter of the book. Of course, it also helps that I love Jane Austen's novels as well as Georgette Heyer's AND so many of the Regency novels that have followed. I think that over the years I've absorbed a lot of Regency storytelling so perhaps it was inevitable that I write a novel with its own special Regency element.

Anne: Tell us about Jane Austen's Ghost.

Five Tips For Writing Haunted House Tales

Susanna here, and in the spirit of the season I’ve been thinking about tales of haunted houses—and not only as a reader, but a writer. I’ve been thinking of the stories—what it is that makes one work for me, and when I first began to fall in love with them

I’m fairly certain it was Edward Mulhare’s fault.

A Baltic Cruise, Part 2

By Mary Jo

Part 1 of our Baltic cruise covered Stockholm, Finland, and Estonia.  The cruise is called Viking Homelands, and many of the places we visited were founded as Viking trading ports. Now some highlights of the rest of our journey.

Russia;

St. Petersburg, Russia was the easternmost stop of our voyage, and it's a city with more than its share of glamour and drama.  It was founded in 1703 by Czar Peter the Great as his "window on the west." At the time, the country was largely landlocked (Archangel, the only other port in European Russia, is far north on the White Sea and frozen for a good part of the year.)

Peter wanted to make his country modern and European, so he toured the great capitals of Europe for inspiration.  Built at the mouth of the Neva River, the marshiness of the area led to numerous canals as well as grand boulevards, elegant palaces, and splendid churches with characteristic Russian onion domes.