A visual preview of the fall season, part three

I'm late in getting this final group of covers posted. The good news about my tardiness, though, is that many of these titles will be available in the very near future. See parts one and two here and here. Part one of my spring 2010 preview coming soon!


In 1815 Paris, a medical student from Edinburgh gets drawn into an underworld of outlaws and émigrés after a beautiful woman steals his coral specimens. Spiegel & Grau, September; also Weidenfeld & Nicolson (UK), Jan 2010.

Edghill (Queenmaker, Wisdom's Daughter) reinterprets another biblical tale from the feminine perspective. I was fortunate to read an early copy of Delilah and think it's her best yet. St. Martin's, November.



The conclusion of the authors' Colette trilogy, a family saga set in the West Indies during the early 19th century. This series is addictive, and I'll be indulging myself as soon as my copy arrives. Avon A, November.


Catalan novelist Rosales's fourth novel, set in the contemporary art world and at the royal court of 18th-century Barcelona, centers on a manuscript telling of a lost masterpiece by the Venetian painter Tiepolo. Carlos Ruiz Zafón gave it a great blurb. Alma Books, October.

Jarrettsville takes place in northern Maryland just after the Civil War, and looks deeply into the reasons behind the inexplicable killing of a Union hero by his fiancée. Based on a true story from the author's family history. Counterpoint, October.

A multigenerational epic of Canada, done up in the style of Michener and Rutherfurd, and inspired by the life of David Thompson, an early 19th-century Welsh immigrant who became Canada's greatest cartographer. I love the cover. Viking Canada, November.

Third in Gedge's King's Man trilogy, which follows the life of the renowned seer, Huy, in the last years of ancient Egypt's Eighteenth Dynasty. This volume begins as Huy becomes scribe and counselor to the young pharaoh, Amunhotep III. Penguin Canada, forthcoming [publication delayed, per publisher]



In the Aizu mountains of Japan in the late 19th century, a young peasant girl falls desperately in love with a samurai warrior, only to learn that the world she inhabits has no place for love. Alma, October, and available in the UK now.


An author known for her historical mysteries set in ancient Rome turns to the English Civil War and Commonwealth, a setting she calls her first love in historical fiction. Century, September.


Canadian novelist Holeman has written three historical novels for adults, all part of her Indian trilogy set in 19th-century India and Afghanistan. Her latest, about a woman in search of her missing fiancé, takes place in 1930s Marrakech. McArthur & Co (Canada) and Headline Review (UK), October.


A debut novel about a mysterious young woman named Rachel and the passion she and Vincent van Gogh shared. If you're not already a regular to Sheramy's blog, give it a visit for insights into the writing process as well as Van Gogh's life and art. Avon A, October.


In the third in her Languedoc trilogy, a man and woman haunted by loss in the Great War meet in the Pyrenees in 1928 and begin unraveling a tragic mystery extending back centuries. Orion, October.

Interesting cover...

After finishing up The Taste of Sorrow, I pulled my old copy of Wuthering Heights off the shelf (it has my former name and homeroom penciled in on the inside cover) and noticed the heroine on the cover looked familiar. What do you think — Catherine Earnshaw as a more demure version of Madame X?

Forthcoming titles, and an old book gets a makeover

I've finished compiling an update to the forthcoming books list on the Historical Novel Society website. It's only July, but a few publishers have their Winter 2010 catalogs out already. The main page lists titles through December, while those for January and forward appear on a separate page. Info on titles from US publishers was provided by me; Sarah Cuthbertson compiles the UK listings.

One of the new books on Sarah C's list, Mary Jane Staples's The Summer's Day is Done, caught my attention because the title seemed so familiar. A little googling revealed it was a reissue of a novel from 1976, one that I happen to own. The new and the old:

Mary Jane Staples and Robert Tyler Stevens were both pseudonyms used by Reginald Thomas Staples. He's best known for the Adams Family series of cockney wartime sagas written as Mary Jane Staples. Although he died in 2005, some of his older, non-series books are being reissued under the more familiar Mary Jane Staples name, which has been confusing some readers.

The novel's about a secret (fictional) love affair between Grand Duchess Olga and British agent John Kirby, who meets her at the Tsar's ball in 1911. The original edition was also published in the US, in paperback. Has anyone read it? Kind of a similar plotline to Catherine Gavin's The Snow Mountain, which a while back I mentioned as a favorite of mine.

Book review: Jude Morgan's The Taste of Sorrow

In historical fiction circles, the Brontës look set to become this year’s Tudors, prompting questions on whether the world needs yet another novel on 19th-century England’s most famous literary family. In this case, the answer is definitely yes. Jude Morgan has traced the dark paths to artistic genius before (his Passion is an absorbing look at Byron, Shelley, Keats, and the women in their lives). In his latest effort, he sweeps the aura of romantic legend away from Charlotte, Emily, and Anne and examines who they were as writers and as people, working separately and together. The Taste of Sorrow is a masterful work, written with admiration, deep understanding, and imaginative skill while remaining faithful to the historical record. It’s totally engrossing as well, the only downside being that it may spoil the enjoyment of other fictional accounts.

As the title suggests, a sense of melancholy pervades the Brontës’ lives. As Morgan details their personal histories, he makes it easy to understand why. But despite the suffering and tragedies they each experience, we’re also left with vivid impressions of the intellectual spark that helped them triumph over what could have been a wholly bleak existence.

The most harrowing moments occur toward the beginning and end. In 1824, Reverend Patrick Brontë, the strong-willed parson of Haworth parish in windswept, remote Yorkshire, helps his dowerless daughters plan for a lifetime of duty by sending the four eldest away to boarding school. The abominable conditions and abusive treatment leave them malnourished and despondent, yet they’re too proud to complain. Maria and Elizabeth, the oldest girls, eventually sicken and die of consumption, events recited as living examples of the dreadful “children’s stories” read by the school’s proprietor.

Charlotte’s childhood experience at the Cowan School clearly shapes her character (and writings, as we know from Jane Eyre). After their sisters’ deaths, she and her remaining siblings, including brother Branwell – gifted, unhappy, self-destructive Branwell – band together in a fertile literary synergy, creating imaginary worlds which to them are very real. The lands of Angria and Gondal become physical places where they spend time (and sometimes get lost), so strong is their pull. Literary genius, given life on the page.

Although Charlotte emerges as the main protagonist, Morgan ensures no one receives short shrift. We see how Anne, quietly independent, uses her frustrations with governessing as fodder for Agnes Grey, but Emily needs no outside inspiration. She finds all the knowledge she needs of passion, torment, and the complexity of human nature within herself; she is a wonderfully realized character. Though fiercely solitary, Emily's advice following Charlotte’s romantic rejection by her married mentor from Brussels shows perceptive insight. Even Maria and Elizabeth, the young leaders of their family group, have more than walk-on roles, and their absence leaves Charlotte, the original middle child, feeling vulnerable and exposed.

Not only does Morgan have a sure touch with character, but his wording is spot on. His phrasing is precisely crafted and setting-appropriate. When Anne notes that the unpleasantness she encounters as governess at Thorp Green Hall “rubbed like a nutmeg-grater at the quick of her self,” we know her meaning exactly. However, while the language reflects its time, the novel’s style is actually quite contemporary, and what’s remarkable is how well it works. Without excess drama or irrelevant scenes, it presents the Brontës in tune with what’s known of them, offering impressionistic fragments when full sentences won’t do. The narrative slips back and forth between their actions and thoughts; one scene told in a tangle of four contrasting inner voices is especially effective. Every word contributes to the whole, and the result reads seamlessly.

One result of this understated approach is that the sisters are allowed some of their intensely guarded privacy. For example, with a few exceptions, we don’t get to scrutinize the thought processes that went into the creation of their masterworks; those novels stand on their own, as they should. Other scenes fade out at a point when less practiced writers might have been tempted to continue. Knowing when to hone in versus step back is a powerful skill, and here, the silences speak as loudly as words. This restraint makes the emotional content all the more poignant, and the conclusion all the more heartbreaking.

-----

The Taste of Sorrow was published in hardcover this May by Headline Review (£12.99, 384pp, 9780755338894 ). Those outside the UK can order it, as I did, from Book Depository.

Win a copy of Julian Stockwin's upcoming Kydd novel, Invasion

Thanks to McBooks Press, I have five ARCs of Invasion, the 10th novel in Julian Stockwin's Kydd series, to offer to Reading the Past visitors. The series, based on real events from history, is the story of Thomas Paine Kydd's journey from pressed man to Admiral in the Great Age of Fighting Sail.

Readers new to the series will find that each volume stands on its own merits, while those familiar with Kydd should enjoy reading about his new adventures. A plot synopsis follows:

In the tenth book of the popular series, rumors fly of Napoleon's planned invasion of England, and British naval commander Thomas Kydd is sent to liaise with American inventor, Robert Fulton. The American has created "infernal machines" that can kill from a distance. Fulton believes that his inventions--the submarine and torpedo--will win the day for the power that possesses them, and Kydd must help him develop the devices. Despite his own scruples, believing that standing man-to-man is the only honorable way to fight, Kydd agrees to take part in the crucial testing of these weapons of mass destruction. In the end, their fire power just may decide the fate of England.

These five copies are galleys... not in the nautical sense, mind you, but pre-publication Advanced Reading Copies (paperbacks). Invasion will be published in October 2009, so this is your chance to read it early. The McBooks site as a whole, I might add, is worth checking out if you're into historical fiction at all, especially thrillers and multi-volume historical adventures.

To enter the drawing for Invasion, all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post, briefly mentioning why you'd like to receive a copy. Deadline is Saturday, August 1st, and the five winners will be selected randomly (and announced) the following day. Good luck to all the entrants!

Book review: Susan Holloway Scott's The French Mistress

(This is the first of three reviews of novels by authors consistently given Editor's Choice status by the Historical Novels Review. I take no credit for this, as the editors simply choose the novels that the reviewers recommend most highly. This also marks a stop on Susan Holloway Scott's online book tour; for more details, read to the bottom of the review.)

As the most honored mistress of Charles II of England and a spy for Louis XIV of France, Louise de Keroualle was in a unique position to nurture an alliance between their two countries. That she carried out her mission while remaining high in the favor of both men testifies to her cleverness, ambition, and unwavering devotion to her royal lover. It’s no surprise that Louise’s story is a compelling one, and Scott’s fictionalized memoir of this fascinating woman brims with color and vitality.

In the prologue, set in London in 1685, Louise looks back on her life to that point, acknowledging her bad reputation among the English while remaining proud of her accomplishments. We follow her journey beginning in 1668, when as a shy eighteen-year-old she joins the household of the English-born Henriette-Anne, Duchesse d’Orleans, as a maid of honor. Louise soon becomes the confidante of “Madame,” witnessing her abusive marriage and her close relationship with her royal brother, Charles, with whom she frequently corresponds.

After Madame’s tragic (and suspicious) early death, Louise obeys the Sun King’s request that she travel to England to seduce Charles and ensure his sympathy to French interests. It’s a dangerous game, for her nationality and Catholicism make her an easy target in that overly Protestant country, but Louise’s beauty, elegance, and kindness capture Charles’s attention. Surrounded by flatterers and enemies, Louise learns that the king is the only person she can trust in England, but she finds that sufficient.

Scott has the gift of creating appealing characters while simultaneously allowing us to observe their flaws. Louise retains her charm, even when we’re presented with hints that Englishmen had good reason to note her appetite for jewels and other royal gifts. Similarly, although Charles is hardly faithful, because we understand the values they share, we also share her assurance that Charles will always return to her. We don’t get the chance to fully indulge in the bawdiness of the Restoration court – though Louise observes it on occasion, she’s an unwilling participant – but this fits in with her narrative. The technique used for her dialogue, which omits French vocabulary save for titles and honorifics, feels quite natural to read.

The French Mistress presents a study in contrasts. Louis XIV rules by divine right; despite his magnificent public persona, he keeps his innermost feelings private, so much so that the only evidence his courtiers have of his ongoing relations with his mistress is her appearance on his daily schedule. On the other hand, Charles II’s open, outgoing nature shows in his attendance at Drury Lane theatres and the considerably more relaxed atmosphere at the English court. We also view his ongoing frustration with Parliament, particularly in his efforts to show tolerance to Catholics in his realm.

Through Louise’s jealous eyes we also glimpse her fellow mistresses: notorious Barbara Villiers, saucy Nell Gwyn, and bold, brazen Hortense Mancini, who briefly replaces her in the king’s bed. This provides an even fuller picture of Charles II and his age. And although Louise herself may be sorry to hear this, her narrative served to whet my appetite for two of her competitors’ stories, as recounted in The Royal Harlot and The King’s Favorite.

The French Mistress was published in July by NAL/Penguin ($15.00/C$18.50, 477pp including author's note + discussion questions, pb, 978-0-751-22694-1). To visit the other stops on Susan Holloway Scott's tour-du-blog, visit her News page.

What's next on the blog

This is really just a placeholder until I have more time for a proper post. Deadlines always have a way of creeping up, but during the past month, several have sneaked up behind me and smacked me in the back of the head.

I leave Friday for the ALA conference in Chicago. Saturday afternoon I'm speaking on "sharpening your resume for a tough job market" as part of the New Members Round Table (NMRT) President's Program, 1:30-3:30pm in the Hyatt Regency Chicago's Grand D North. I'm at the conference till Tuesday, after which I plan to come home, lie down on the couch, and not leave it for the next week.

The blog will likely be minimally attended until I get back, but I do have some plans for future posts. I'll be participating in Susan Holloway Scott's recent tour-du-blog, with a review of her latest, The French Mistress. As you may be aware, Susan is one of a select group of authors whose latest novels have all been named Editors' Choice selections in the Historical Novels Review. At the same time, I'll be covering newish releases by Jude Morgan and Cora Harrison, the two other historical novelists who fit this category... I'm eager to see for myself why HNR reviewers have been so enthusiastic about their works. (HNR hasn't yet reviewed Morgan's latest, The Taste of Sorrow, so we'll have to see if this streak continues.)

I still intend to post Part 3 of the Visual Preview for Fall. I'm not sure why I feel delinquent about this, since it's only the beginning of July, but some spring covers have already been spotted on Amazon. Meanwhile, the TBR pile next to my desk is starting to resemble Chenonceau, minus the river, so I need to get cracking on reading more of them... and I'll post reviews on as many as I'm able.

Hope to see some of you in Chicago this coming weekend!

And the books go to...

Copies of The Personal History of Rachel DuPree will shortly be making their way around the globe. The three winners of last Saturday's contest are: Michelle from Australia, Susan from the West Coast U.S., and Teddy Rose from Vancouver, BC. Please email me at sljohnson2 @ eiu.edu with your full name and mailing address, and your books will be on their way. Hope you enjoy the novel as much as I did!

An opportunity to read Rachel DuPree's personal history for yourself

Not long after I posted my interview with Ann Weisgarber on April 27th, she generously offered to send copies of The Personal History of Rachel DuPree for blog readers as soon as she received them from her publisher. I happily accepted.

So now I have three new paperbacks sitting on my bookshelf, and each awaits a reader. All you need to do for a chance to win is leave a comment on this post saying why you'd be interested in reading it.

If you didn't catch my earlier interview with Ann, click the link above for details. Deadline is Thursday, July 2nd. The names of the three winners will be drawn on Friday. International entrants welcome.

And the best news of all: At the time of the interview, The Personal History of Rachel DuPree had yet to be picked up by an U.S. publisher, despite its South Dakota Badlands setting and classic American themes. I was very pleased to learn that this has changed. I got the chance to meet Ann at the HNS conference two weekends ago, and while speaking as part of the "debut novels" panel, she announced that it had been acquired by Viking US. Publication will be next summer. Congratulations, Ann, and thanks for providing copies for Reading the Past visitors!

Good luck to all the entrants!

Book review: Anna Elliott's Twilight of Avalon

(I finished Twilight of Avalon before leaving for the conference, which meant I got the opportunity to mention it in my "best new historical fiction" panel. For those who were there, here's an extended version of my thoughts.)

Despite my longtime interest in Arthurian myth and fiction, the classic romance of Tristan and Isolde had never truly captured my attention. While reading Anna Elliott’s new historical novel Twilight of Avalon, I've been trying to analyze why. As tradition has it, Tristan and Isolde accidentally drink a love potion while en route to her wedding to his uncle, King Mark of Cornwall. This serves as the catalyst for an intense conflict between love, honor and duty that ends ultimately in tragedy for the young couple. However, I’ve always found it hard to believe in a romance enhanced by magical means, and in a strong, beautiful heroine made weak by love.

Other recent fictional takes on the legend include Dee Morrison Meaney’s heartrending romantic tragedy (Iseult), Rosalind Miles’s proto-feminist triumph (Isolde, Queen of the Western Isle and its sequels), and Diana Paxson’s complex historical fantasy epic (The White Raven). All are moving, poetically written, and worth seeking out. Among them, only the latter found a place among my favorite retellings. It relegates selfish Esseilte to the background while her more intelligent and rational cousin, Branwen, steals the spotlight and gets her man. All too often, Isolde has been a woman whose circumstances earned my sympathy but who I found difficult to like or even admire; that is, until now.

Twilight of Avalon bears small resemblance to the earlier novels and indeed to the Arthurian saga most are familiar with. The genealogical chart in the opening pages let me know I was in for something different. The novel is set firmly in 6th-century Cornwall, a land beset by political turmoil, seven years after Camlann. Arthur’s heir, Constantine, has been killed fighting the Saxons, or so it's believed, and his widow, Isolde, is left alone, distrusted by everyone. The bastard daughter of Modred and Gwynefar – King Arthur’s traitorous son and his adulterous wife – Isolde was married to Con in an arrangement of political necessity.

Now that her husband the High King is dead, Isolde is helpless to do anything except try to heal soldiers’ battle-wounds and ponder her unknown future with dread. She is thought by all of Britain’s lesser kings to be a witch, though her powers of Sight – inherited from her grandmother Morgan – have been blocked, and her pre-Camlann past forgotten through force of will. King Marche of Cornwall, who is chosen the new High King by his fellow monarchs, forces her hand in marriage, though Isolde refuses to submit to his mistreatment. Her only sometime ally is Trystan, a part-Saxon, part-Briton prisoner whose suspicious outlook and desperate actions reflect the violence of the age. They form an unlikely, reluctant partnership to flee from Marche’s clutches at Tintagel and uncover evidence of his treason.

Readers looking for scenes of chivalrous romance or sweeping Celtic enchantment won’t find them here: this is not a Camelot-style fantasy world but a vividly evoked early medieval Britain of uneasy alliances and swift, surprising brutality. The characters express a healthy cynicism about how their reality will be transformed over time into glorious legend, as has happened with their forebears, but accept its inevitability and work it to their own benefit. This isn’t to say there’s nothing magical about the tale, though. Aside from Isolde’s own limited supernatural powers, Twilight of Avalon celebrates the magic of storytelling in ways that pay tribute to both the legends and their historical origins. Most notably, Isolde, for all of her initial powerlessness, is never a weak character. She knows what she must do to escape her situation and the long odds of her success; she has a few tricks up her sleeve as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this inventive retelling, in all its gritty authenticity. It would be horribly unromantic of me to say it works better without the passionate love story, so I won’t go that far. Rather, it plants the seeds for a deeper connection between Isolde and Trystan that I’ll be eager to see develop in the next two volumes.

Twilight of Avalon was published in May by Touchstone Books ($16.00/C$21.00, 428pp, 978-1-4165-8989-9). Anna Elliott's website is http://www.annaelliottbooks.com/.

HNS conference linkfest

(me, Joyce Saricks, and Georgine Olson speaking at our "what to read and why" panel at 8:30am on Saturday)

I've been back in Charleston for three days, but my mind's still up north in Schaumburg. It was wrenching to come back home after having such an outstanding time meeting up with authors and readers, old friends and new, at the HNS conference last weekend.

I'd planned on doing a longer, more descriptive post, but so many bloggers have already done it for me. Below are other authors' and readers' summaries of the event, in no particular order, with occasional commentary from me.

Barbara Vey, contributing editor of Publishers Weekly, blogged from the event over the entire weekend, complete with photos, covering Margaret George's keynote, the late-night sex scene readings -- which has become a tradition -- and a nice wrap-up, complete with conference committee photo. If you haven't done so already, you must watch C.W. Gortner's hilarious drive-by interview with Barbara. Afterwards, responding to HNS authors' discussions on research, Barbara asked Beyond Her Book readers whether they require accurate details in their fiction.

I chatted with Barbara and Romance B(u)y the Book and B&N genre fiction columnist Michelle Buonfiglio in the hotel lobby on Saturday afternoon about book recommendations and the mission/history of the HNS. The organizing committee put a lot of effort into ensuring that many different types of historical novels (including historical romance) were well represented at the conference, so it pleased me to see this come out in her report. There's a photo of us three at Michelle's RBTB blog.

Julianne Douglas wrote an excellent summary of the event which covered many panels I didn't get to see. As I told her afterward on the Historical Fiction forum, the hotel used to be done up in Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style, though following last summer's renovation, it looks more like 2020 than 1920! Other bloggers include:

• Nancy Blanton, who got a photo of some costume pageant participants;


• Conference volunteer DL Larson, who writes about her book-signing experience;


• Joyce Moore, who moderated the "query letter" panel and who wore a gorgeous green linen gown at the costume pageant. Scroll down to Joyce's gallery for more photos.


• Sheramy Bundrick, on how she and Margaret George make connections with their characters;


• I shared a book-signing table with Doug Jacobson and thoroughly enjoyed the "historical boys" panel on Sunday;


• It was fun to catch up with Michelle Moran and get my copy of The Heretic Queen signed! Her blog has a few more photos.


• HNS reviewer and Facebook pal Laurel Corona has a great picture of all the Jane Rotrosen Agency clients who attended (quite a few!);


• Dawna Rand did an extensive writeup that covered some cool photos (of three-time conference attendees Vic and Jenny Brown, who bought me drinks and kept me up late in Salt Lake City in 2005), the "debut novels" panel, more great pics, and marketing tips from Karen Essex, C.W. Gortner, and Michelle Moran (which I couldn't attend because my panel ran concurrently, alas).


• Costume pageant winner Joan Baril, from Thunder Bay, Ontario, talks about Margaret George's unique writing method;


• And Gemi Sasson, whose summary made me proud to be part of the conference, and who created a clever logo!

Did I miss anyone's blog post? Let me know!

Coming soon - a review of Anna Elliott's Twilight of Avalon and a giveaway of Ann Weisgarber's The Personal History of Rachel DuPree.

Tote bag stuffing party: before and after

And so, the big conference adventure begins

It's Wednesday morning, and the trunk of our SUV is completely full of tote bags, programs, and assorted flyers and promo items sent by authors/publishers for the HNS conference this week. Mark's still asleep, and we haven't really packed anything else yet, though I've got a folder of notes and other printouts set aside.

The last week has been hectic, even beyond expectations. After BEA, we were home for exactly two days before taking off in the car again for my cousin's wedding in London, Ontario, a 9-hour drive, though we overnighted in Ann Arbor on the way out. The trip went smoothly, the wedding was lovely (beautiful sunny day, not too hot, held at a historical estate on the outskirts of London) and we got to visit with many family members from across the US and Canada.

More troublesome was the return trip to the States on Sunday, which Mark summarized succinctly on his blog. Yeah, we're armed and dangerous, all right. (Armed with book purchases, maybe. I did some historical novel shopping at a Canadian bookstore on Saturday morning.)

On Monday morning, we learned that one of our author guests of honor, Edward Rutherfurd, had a family emergency and had to return to England asap, so was unable to appear at the conference after all. He was extremely sorry about it, and we're disappointed we won't be seeing him there, but family comes first. Fortunately for us, conference attendee Sharon Kay Penman accepted our very last-minute invite to give Saturday night's keynote address in his place. Sharon's one of my favorite historical novelists, and I'm really looking forward to meeting her and hearing her talk.

Today's plan: head up to Schaumburg, unload all our stuff at the hotel, and meet up with editor/agent liaison Ann Chamberlin for the drive out to hotel liaison Winifred Halsey's house an hour west; she's been storing 120+ boxes of books in her garage for the past month and more. Publishers were very, very generous with donations for attendees, so there's lots of good reading to look forward to. These books will mysteriously reappear in conference attendees' tote bags when registration opens on Friday. We're renting a U-Haul and plan to do the big book move this afternoon and evening.

Inspired by a post by Susan on the HFO forum, I've set up a Twitter account, which I'd been mulling over since BEA, and will be posting news flashes from the conference there as time permits. Holly from Wonders and Marvels (tweeting as history_geek) and I are wondering what other historical novel folks are there, so if you're connected up, let me know! I'm coming late to the party and am still figuring out how it works - no snazzy backgrounds yet - so please bear with me. No doubt I'll be blogging more about the event as well, though maybe not until after it's over.

Looking forward to seeing many of you in Schaumburg!

A few photos from BEA and elsewhere

This was me about an hour ago, at my scheduled blogger signing at booth #4077 (cue theme music). Levi Asher of Literary Kicks, whose site/blog has been around for 15 years, is the blogger at left. I spent an entertaining hour talking to visitors about Reading the Past, historical fiction recommendations, and blogging in general. I've been to a few BEAs as a librarian and book review editor, but this was my first official appearance as a blogger. Thanks to Firebrand Technologies for hosting all of us.

The show's clearly winding down. Didn't pick up any galleys this morning, and yesterday I acquired just three, including Sherry Jones's The Sword of Medina and Shandi Mitchell's Under This Unbroken Sky, out from HarperCollins in Sept, about life on the Canadian prairie during the Depression. The third was for a nonfiction book called Shelf Discovery, given out at the book blogger panel yesterday afternoon, essays about "the teen classics we never stopped reading." It's amazing how many of the books profiled in there (Jane-Emily, lots of Judy Blumes, Jacob Have I Loved) were favorites of mine, too.

I spent most of yesterday in sessions; the book blogger panel was lots of fun (and introduced me to a bunch of new blogs). I caught up with NoveList colleagues at the morning session on writing annotations then sat in on a panel discussion on book reviewing in 2010.

And last night, somehow we ended up here... after a major subway rerouting due to Obama's impromptu visit to NYC.

I took home ten historical novels; carrying the bag on the subway was an adventure, but who could resist?

BEA report, day 1

I'm here at the official librarians' hotel at BEA in midtown Manhattan, completely exhausted after walking the exhibit hall all morning and then across Central Park and back during the afternoon (Mark and I decided to visit the Met, where I hadn't been since a 9th grade field trip). The day started out not so good, not just because of the crappy weather (50s and rainy) but also because of noise in the hallway in the early morning. I'm assuming that the woman yelling and slamming doors at 4:30am was not a librarian. The weather's cleared up, though, and after a large diet coke in the Ballfield Cafe in Central Park about an hour ago, I'm more awake than I should be.

Here's what I accumulated history- and historical fiction-wise during my exhibit hall wanderings this morning. I'm being very cautious to take only those books which interest me, since I'm hoping to fit everything in our suitcases rather than mail boxes home as usual. (click photo to enlarge)

Leila Meacham's Roses, 2nd from left, is a saga spanning three generations in a small East Texas town during the 20th century, out from Grand Central in January 2010. Next to it, Maureen Lindley's The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel, from Bloomsbury USA in Sept, is based on the real-life story of a Chinese princess turned spy in the early 20th century. (If you've read Ian Buruma's The China Lover, Eastern Jewel made an appearance there too.)

Robert Hicks's A Separate Country, which I previewed earlier this week, does in fact incorporate a female narrative. It alternates between the viewpoints of several characters, one of whom is Anna Marie Hood, wife of the novel's subject.

This BEA is noticeably scaled down from the usual show. There are fewer exhibitors (some of the publishers I work with for the HNS aren't here) and fewer galleys. Normally I'd be sending a 40-lb box home every day of the show, full of historical fiction and history titles for fall and winter, but today I picked up all of eight books, along with some duplicates to send out for review for Nov's Historical Novels Review. The only autographing sessions I attended were for Sarah Dunant's Sacred Hearts, at the Random House booth, and Diana Gabaldon's upcoming An Echo in the Bone (preview booklet, not the full galley). I debated waiting in line for the Dracula sequel in the main autographing section downstairs, but the line was hellacious long.

Tomorrow my plan is to take my time and speak with publishers more; I was too tired and dizzy from lack of sleep this morning to feel sufficiently coherent. There are a number of program sessions for librarians tomorrow as well, plus the blogger session at 2pm, which I hope to attend.

A visual preview of the fall season, part two

I really ought to be packing... I'm flying out tomorrow morning and hope to blog from BEA as time permits. In the meantime, here's another group of ten historical novels that will be out in late August and after.


Bradshaw, best known for her well-researched historicals set in ancient Greece and Rome, turns to the English Civil War with a novel about a young woman starting afresh in London, 1647. Severn House, November.


The sequel to The Jewel of Medina, set in 7th-century Arabia. (Same cover art as Nicole Galland's Crossed, but in reverse.) This is one of the very few historical fiction titles being promoted at this year's BEA; I understand the author will be there and wonder how long her signing line will be. Guess I'll find out. Beaufort, October.

From the author of The Red Tent, the story of four women who lived through the Holocaust and meet as refugees in a British internment camp in Palestine. Scribner, Sept.

A literary romantic epic set during the early days of the American Civil War in Kansas Territory. Mackey's latest has the same title as Sally Gunning's excellent novel of colonial Cape Cod, which surprises me; titles can't be copyrighted, but readers may confuse the two. Berkley, Sept.

The story of Shira of Ashkenaz, wife of Rabbi Meir ben Baruch of Rothenberg, who preserved her family's traditions during the rise of anti-Semitism in 13th-century Europe. The protagonists are the authors' ancestors; visit Cameron's website for more details. Pocket, Sept.


Historical suspense set in 1888 Whitechapel, about a female pickpocket, Grace Hammer, whose past is about to catch up with her and her family. The cover has an urban fantasy look to it. Norton, Sept.


Haeger writes lush historical fiction with a touch of romance. This is the story of Catherine Howard's brief, heartbreaking time as Henry VIII's fifth wife, a period brought to a close after her enemies discover her scandalous past. NAL, November.


A headless woman cover for the new novel by Hicks (Widow of the South), a biographical novel of controversial Confederate general John Bell Hood that focuses on his postwar life in New Orleans.


Per PW, this debut novel, set in New York City in 1901, revolves around a young workman on the first subway lines beneath the city and a beautiful mathematical prodigy, as the two are drawn into a tangle of overlapping intrigues -- which may include time travel. Putnam/Amy Einhorn, Dec.

The tagline on the cover reads "the most enchanting historical epic since The Mists of Avalon." In this sweeping epic adventure set in Iceland of 1000 AD, as Christianity threatens the old ways, Freya embarks on a journey to save her people. The website is IcelandTheBook.com. Plume, August; previously published in the UK.

Reviews of obscure books: Jean Clark's Untie the Winds

Clark, Jean. Untie the Winds. NY: Kensington, 1978. 498pp. Prev. published in hardcover, 1976. Out of print, copies readily available via PaperbackSwap and cheaply via ABE.

After reading the comments on Christine Blevins's guest post, most of which dealt with American history, I've been thinking of historical fiction about my own home state -- and how very few examples there are. One of my favorite settings is colonial New England, but how many historical novels set in early Connecticut can you name?

Aside from the children's novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond, that is... this is the edition I read in elementary school.

Anya Seton's The Winthrop Woman, about a historical woman who was once an early resident of New Haven Colony, is another. But I wasn't able to think of many more. With this in mind, I picked up the 1976 paperback edition of Jean Clark's Untie the Winds with interest, despite the bodice-buster artwork and back cover blurb which promised a story about: "The ravishing rebel. The tender teacher. Passion and principle." Ugh.

What can I say, it was the 1970s, but this mainstream historical novel is horribly served by its packaging. The red square is not a weird variation of the scarlet "A," I should add, but a price sticker I didn't remove for fear it would damage the book!

The title, also, seemed to be one of those abstract romancey statements, something that sounds good on paper but has no real meaning. How wrong I was. The line was originally spoken by Macbeth to the three witches in Shakespeare's play: "Though you untie the winds and let them fight against the churches..."

Fittingly, Untie the Winds tells the story of one woman, Ann Eaton, and her fight against the Puritan church and the local justice system in New Haven Colony in the 1630s and 1640s. Ann Lloyd Yale Eaton was a real person, an Englishwoman who became the wife of the colony's first magistrate and governor, Theophilus Eaton. Through her son from her first marriage, Ann became the grandmother of Elihu Yale, the philanthropist after whom Yale College (now University) was named. It's nowhere near a historical romance, and in fact there's barely a single love scene in the book, despite what the back cover would have you think about her sensuous nature and her illicit romance with lusty schoolteacher Ezekial Cheever.

While focusing on Ann and the problems her philosophical rebellion caused within her marriage, Clark establishes the political and historical context by alternating between the viewpoints of five different characters. These are Ann herself; her husband Theophilus; Rev. John Davenport, spiritual leader of the colony; Ezekial Cheever, a teacher who expresses public support for Ann's unorthodox views; and Lurinda Collings, the Eatons' indentured servant (a fictional character).

Ann is a strong, principled woman who loves her husband but refuses to tolerate injustice, such as the Colony's execution of a Quinnipiac Indian for a crime committed out of its jurisdiction and without benefit of a trial by jury. She walks out of the meetinghouse during Rev. Davenport's service as a protest against infant baptisms, as babies are too young to decide for themselves about Church membership. Her refusal to confess her sins and repent of her actions leads to her excommunication in 1644, something her husband does nothing to prevent.

Already middle-aged with grown children when the novel begins in 1638, upon her ship's arrival in the land of the Quinnipiacs, she's not a typical historical novel heroine, but her story is a compelling one. Through her eyes and others, we see early New Haven take shape from a settlement in the wilderness along the Connecticut shoreline to a lively colony, based in Biblical principles, that steadily grew as it annexed nearby towns (called "plantations") and formed a united confederation with other British colonies in New England.

From what I've been able to discern, Ann's story as presented here is grounded in historical fact, with the probable exception of her unconsummated love affair with Cheever (a very minor part of the book). Even the appearance of a phantom ship off the coast in 1646, an event made famous by Longfellow's poem, is recorded as part of New Haven history and legend. Ann's life doesn't always follow a dramatic arc (most people's lives don't), which detracts from the narrative tension at times. After her excommunication, the focus moves from her to Lurinda's romantic escapades, which are completely fictional and not nearly as interesting to read about.

Overall, Untie the Winds is well worth picking up if you like this period of history. Despite being from Connecticut, I knew next to nothing about the New Haven colony beforehand but have been happily googling for information about it since I turned the final page. A clearly written, fascinating novel about the founding of one of the lesser-known English colonies in America, one woman's brave dissent against Puritan theocracy, and the price she paid for it.

Giveaway winner

Good morning, everyone! I was up at 7:30am, on this first day of a holiday weekend, because of my neighbor's annoying habit of getting his lawn mowing done early. He has a huge lawn, so he's still at it.

It's time to announce the winner of the Tory Widow giveaway, which turned out to be a most excellent contest. I'd like to thank Christine for offering the opportunity and for thinking up such a great question, as it resulted in responses that were not only fascinating to read but educational as well. We had seven countries represented: the US, Australia, Canada, Finland, the Philippines, India, and Singapore, the country named after a lion. I spent some time cruising the web for country name etymologies and hope I'm right on this last one!

And the winner is... Kelly, from 101 Journeys in 1001 Days, who wrote about the pillars of the original Capitol building in Washington, DC. I've sent an email your way, and I hope you enjoy the book and goodies.

Thanks to everyone for your contributions and participation!

Guest post / giveaway from Christine Blevins: A Novel Idea

Historical novelist Christine Blevins, who I interviewed for Reading the Past last September, is stopping by with a guest post on unexpected finds during the research process and her fascination with early American history. She's also offering a giveaway. Welcome, Christine!

A Novel Idea

Research. I do an awful lot of it, entailing trips to sights, museums, and libraries, trawling the internet, tons of reading and the keeping of copious notes. As part of my process, I keep a series of scribbled-in notebooks.

In this constant quest for the choice tidbits I feel make my stories come alive, I sometimes bump into a tasty morsel that is altogether unrelated to the project at hand – but irresistible nonetheless. What do I do with it? I jot it down.


My debut novel, Midwife of the Blue Ridge, is a tale set in 1763 about a young midwife who makes her way as an indentured servant from the Scottish Highlands to colonial Virginia. When I was in the early stages of in-depth research for Midwife – concerning 18th century ocean travel specifically – I jotted down this unrelated fact:


The British Army controlled New York City for almost the entire war? Really? An invading force occupied the whole city for seven years? Wow…

With less then 300 years under our belt as a nation, the United States has, admittedly, a paucity of history when compared to other countries and cultures, and you’d think it would be easy for us Americans to know our history inside and out. The War of Independence is a massive event, and we begin learning about the birth of our nation from the moment we attend our first Fourth of July celebration. From the time we enter kindergarten to when we graduate high school, information about significant events like the Boston Tea Party, the writing of the Declaration, the winter at Valley Forge, and famous battles at Lexington, Concord, Saratoga and Yorktown has been drummed into us – the facts and dates etched on, and sometimes lost in the wrinkles of our brains.

I think for many of us, our country’s astounding history can easily become a boring series of tired facts memorized to pass a test or give a report. And because of that, we might lose sight of the magnitude of what really happened here – the fact that average, everyday people rose up and rebelled against their sovereign King – that regular people decided to take up arms and wage an impossible war against the world’s mightiest superpower. Add into that mix the development of a radical form of government and one can’t help but be reminded of how thrilling – how romantic – and how incredibly crazy the American Revolution really was!

And the British occupied New York City from 1776 to 1783? This was a revelation for me. In an instant I was boosted into a whole new realm of thinking. How different the wartime experience must have been for the people of New York City? How did rebellious New Yorkers manage to live day-to-day among their oppressors? How did the British cope with the rebels in their midst? Oh, I was intrigued. Not only did I jot the fact down – I double-bubbled it! That short little note scrawled in the top margin of a red notebook wound up being the embryo of my recently published novel, The Tory Widow.

In The Tory Widow, Anne Merrick’s adventure begins on the steps of St. Paul’s Chapel just after her marriage to a much older man. News of the Stamp Act’s repeal sweeps through the city and prompts a triumphant street celebration where she becomes the recipient of a wild, celebratory kiss from a handsome young stranger.

Ten years later, Anne has lost both her husband and child to smallpox. Blood is shed at Lexington and Concord, and thousands are dead and wounded at the Battle of Breed’s Hill. Against this backdrop of civil strife and revolution, Widow Merrick struggles to maintain her printing business. With British warships menacing New York’s harbor, true loyalties are questioned. The Sons of Liberty scour the city, pursuing and punishing supporters of the Crown. As the widow of a known Tory, Anne Merrick draws the attention of these fanatic Liberty Boys – one of whom she recognizes as the same man who’d kissed her on the steps of St. Paul’s years before.

When the Continental Army arrives to stem any British invasion, New York transitions into an armed camp. In spite of the widow’s apparent Tory leanings, Liberty Boy Jack Hampton finds he is drawn to Anne Merrick, and she finds it hard to resist the ardent patriot. Jack leads Anne to rediscover her true ideals, but their tenuous connection is severed when the Redcoats invade and occupy the city. In order to survive, Anne Merrick draws upon her Tory reputation to infiltrate British military society and work for the patriot cause. With cunning, stealth and courage her only weapons, Anne fights for her new country, and the man she loves.


Up the Rebels!!
Enter to win a signed copy of The Tory Widow, plus a Revolutionary survival kit: lavender water, a hankie, and a packet of Liberty Tea. Leave a comment with your favorite fact about your country’s history. The giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere. The deadline is this Friday, May 22nd.

Author Christine Blevins writes what she loves to read – historical adventure stories. Her debut novel Midwife of the Blue Ridge takes the reader to the wilds of 18th century colonial America, and was inspired by information unearthed while researching family history. Her second novel, The Tory Widow begins in New York City at the eve of rebellion. A native Chicagoan, Christine lives in Elmhurst, Illinois, along with her husband Brian, the younger two of four children, and The Dude, her ridiculously lovable golden-doodle. She is presently at work on the second novel in her Revolutionary War trilogy titled Hearts of Oak, due to be published in 2010, by Penguin/Berkley. http://www.christineblevins.com/

Conference schedule

I'm buried in HNS conference preparations, something that will undoubtedly continue through mid-June, but I thought I'd post about the conferences I'll be attending and/or speaking at over the next couple of months. If you'll be at any of these events, please stop by and say hello!

BookExpo America, NYC, May 28-31

I'll be roaming the Javits Center for three days, talking to publishers, sitting in on author panels, and acquiring ARCs of historical fiction titles for summer and fall. On Sunday 5/31 from 10-11am, you'll find me at the Firebrand Technologies booth (#4077) doing a blogger signing. There are 40 other bloggers on the schedule, and though it's not really a signing per se, we'll all be there to meet readers, publishers, and other bloggers. (That said, if anyone wants to drag my 4-lb tome through the exhibit hall, I'll happily sign it for you.)

Other must-dos on my list will be walking through Central Park, visiting The Strand, and having dinner at Mitali East, which has the best Indian food we've ever had anywhere. If you lived where I live, you'd understand why dining out at good restaurants is a highlight of any conference trip.

Historical Novel Society conference, Schaumburg, IL, June 10-15

As one of the organizers, I'll be arriving early and staying late, and I'm looking forward to meeting many authors and readers there. From 8:30-9:30am on Saturday 6/13, three readers' advisory librarians - Georgine Olson, Joyce Saricks, and myself - will be talking up our favorite recent reads and hopefully convincing you all why you should read them too. In the sessions opposite mine, Brenda Rickman Vantrease will be discussing point of view, and a great trio of authors and fellow bloggers (C.W. Gortner, Michelle Moran, and Karen Essex) will be speaking about building a career in the historical fiction world. Tough decisions! I'll also be participating in the group book-signing on the Saturday afternoon from 4-5pm.

American Library Association annual conference, Chicago, July 10-14

Besides attending as many programs (and eating in as many ethnic restaurants) as I can squeeze into four days, I'll be speaking at the New Members Round Table's President's Program, discussing job hunting in a down economy with two other panelists. At some point I'll undoubtedly be reviewing librarian resumes at the Placement Center. The rest of my schedule's not set, so drop me a line if you'd like to meet up!