Researching the Historical Novel by Allison Knight

RESEARCHING THE HISTORICAL NOVEL

Because I write historical novels, I spend a lot of time reading about the past. After all, things have changed - a lot. Of course, if you want to write about life a one or even two  hundred years ago, there are all kinds of great research sources available, dairies of people of the times, photographs, news accounts and letters of people who lived during those times. Just about anything your little heart desires.

However, if you want to go back to say a thousand years, or even seven or eight hundred years, you have a problem. There are very few writings. First, common people didn't read or write. They either didn't know how, if they did, they didn't have time.

There's almost nothing recorded about the lives of the farmers, or serfs, depending on your station in life. The nobles had some of their happenings transcribed by the minstrels of  the time but the performers tended to exaggerate the good parts and ignore the bad. Few songs survived to be passed down through the centuries because they were never recorded. Again, most of the people living then had no writing skills.

We do have the tapestries that depict life in the castles or battle fields, but if the tapestries were done for the master they often were embellished to make the master look good. There were no newspapers and few books, and very little that was recorded survived to this day. Paper was hard to come by and few people could write. Scrolls were often used for official communications, but ordinary messages were probably carried verbally.

So what is an author to do? Add to the lack of information, the misconceptions promulgated by Hollywood and you have a bigger problem.

With Battlesong, my medieval romance set in Scotland and England at the end of 13th century, I also had to find a Scottish clan living in the south of Scotland at that time. I certainly didn't want one of the famous clans, because mine would not be a very nice bunch of people. I spent hours studying the maps of Scottish clans and the dates they existed.

Let me list some of my problems writing about that period. Any suggestions are always welcome when it comes to finding information about these long ago times.

First there is the actual appearance of my characters. We have lots of information about what they wore, again from tapestries or paintings, but what did they look like? We do have the paintings of the nobles, but the appearance of the common people doesn't exist, except for the tapestries or paintings of the time. Were they tall, or short, with curly hair, or straight and how did they wear it?

There are records of deaths and births,  so we know people didn't have long lives. But, what kind of illnesses existed, and how were they treated? Most of the medical treatment was handled by the lady of the castle, but again, we know little about the herbs and treatment she used.

Of course, there is the food people ate and how it was prepared. No cake mixes back then. And what about the meat? They hunted for game, and we know they raised a lot of sheep. So how was it preserved? Salt was an expensive commodity. We have proof of that.  Some vegetables were grown, but in Scotland and England, crops don't grow well in the winter. And grain can mold.  So packaging was a problem. No plastic containers, no waxed paper, no tin foil. They wrapped their food in cloth, if it was available. But some of the foods we have today were either unknown then or considered poison. I love the story of the tomato. But that's for another time.

We have little information about daily life, although we can guess that without our electric conveniences life was tough. A couple of misconceptions need to be mentioned. Some of the castles had glass windows. They were little, expensive and the glass was wavy but they did have them. Also the walls of a castle were often painted or whitewashed, so they weren't the dark, drab places often depicted. We do have some knowledge of their entertainment, again from the tapestries, and certain celebrations were passed down from generation to generation until today, but we can only guess how much has changed over the centuries. You can get an idea of how that might happen if you ever played the game of telephone with your friends, where one person whispers something to one other and it's then passed around a group, until everyone has heard something. Of course, it's never the same as what has first whispered.

Then there's the inconsistency in some of the information available. Take the concept of the privy. Was the garderobe a privy as a lot of people suggest, or was it a closet? Did the shaft from the garderobe empty into the moat of the castle and what about the castles that didn't have moats? There were a lot of those.

And bathing?  Did they bath frequently? Many people say, no. but there are records of the lady of the castle helping with baths and that baths were always prepared for guests. So what's the real story?

I hope you see the problem, so what do authors do?  We guess. We make up names, descriptions, places, how things were done based on the limited knowledge we have and hope we haven't blundered too badly.

Will I stop writing about the times centuries ago? Nope. The third book of the 'song' series, is in construction at this time. Again, I'll have to make things up and hope I don't stray too far from the actual facts. Unfortunately, there's no way to check.

Happy reading!

http://www.AllisonKnight.com
Coming in August - Watch for 'Battlesong' the sequel to award winning 'Heartsong' from Champagne Books

Getting to know author Charlie Cochrane

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

Not at all. Like many teenagers I dabbled with writing ‘slash’ (only it wouldn’t have been called slash then) but it was pretty awful. It was only as I hit my late forties I got into writing again (fanfic) and sort of took it from there.

Your work is very popular with readers and reviewers; how does it feel to have such positive recognition for your work?

Gobsmacking. Mind boggling. Seriously, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to getting a good review or receiving one of those lovely e-mails from a stranger saying “I really loved your story, because…” To open the inbox and find one of those waiting is the highlight of my day.

Of course I get negative reviews/comments as well, but that’s part of the game. The only proper public reply to a naff review is, “Thank you”, then you can go and swear and gnash your teeth in private. As my writing hero E M Forster said, “Some reviews give pain. This is regrettable, but no author has the right to whine. He was not obliged to be an author, He invited publicity and he must take the publicity that comes along.”

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

It’s as simple (and as hard) as making the reader want to turn the page and find out what happens next. Maybe that boils down to having characters you care about or maybe it’s just a cracking plot. Or the book’s hilariously funny, like ‘Three Men in a Boat’.

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

Lessons in Desire is the second of the Cambridge Fellows series of historical gay romantic mysteries and it’s in print on 6^th July. I was inspired by all the wonderful holidays we’ve had on the island of Jersey. It really is a magical place, where you feel the weather’s always good, the food’s magnificent and you’ve almost stepped back in time. All those elements found their way into the book.

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

I love Jonty most because he’s gone through awful times and emerged whole and honourable. And he’s gorgeous. I pity one of his tormentors (his old House Master) because the man simply doesn’t understand what’s right and what’s wrong.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?

It’s a him, my muse. He can be placated with good music, sport, jelly babies and just writing about anything. Also, if I start scribbling/typing something not necessarily related to what I should be doing then he gets jealous and makes me focus again.

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects.

I have a Cambridge Fellows story set in 1919 that I’ve just finished and submitted. Otherwise, I have a short story coming out in an anthology and several projects I’m working on as the muse allows. 

 What is the most ridiculous thing that you have thought about doing to any of your characters but never did?

If I think of something ridiculous I usually do it (Jonty and Orlando rolling down a hill and thinking they’re going to die in Lessons in Desire springs to mind).

How do you keep track of your world building?

With difficulty. I do keep notes (to which I have to refer often) but my mind finds that uncomfortable. I like to keep as much as I can stored in my brain, partly because if I can’t keep tabs with who’s who and what’s where, how can the reader? (And does any of that make sense?)

 

Which author(s) is your favorite? And who has most influenced you work?

Patrick O’Brian probably heads the list. Talk about characterisation, world building and all the rest of it, because he had it in spades. And humour, too. I suspect consciously or subconsciously, he’s influenced my writing hugely, as have writers like Jerome K Jerome (for the right tone for my historical fiction) and Alan Bennett (for sheer invention and an appreciation of what it is to be English).

I also like ‘classic’ cosy mystery writers like Simon Brett and Ngaio Marsh – and for non-fiction, you can’t beat the thinking woman’s crumpet, Michael Wood.

 Do you feel your writing is character driven or plot driven? How do you balance these two elements?

Character, always. I only work from the vaguest plot outlines—getting from A to Z with no particular details about how we get there. I like to find out where my characters want to take me and if that means having to go back and rewrite earlier bits to keep a unity within the whole, so be it.

 What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time?

Master and Commander. I’ve watched it a bajillion times and still get choked up when the young acting lieutenant gets killed. The best viewing has been on a big screen, under the stars in a park on the island of Jersey, with bats flitting around and shooting stars in the sky. Perfect.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 things would you have with you?

Can I have a laptop with internet access and unlimited power? Or a satellite TV? (I have to be able to keep in touch with sport!) otherwise I’d like: the sweatshirt Sophia Deri-Bowen gave me, the one that’s absolutely wonderful to snuggle up in; paper, pens and pencils for writing and sketching; my black haematite necklace; and a huge supply of jelly babies. 

What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and writing?

Anyone who vaguely knows me could probably guess that it would be watching sport on TV. Rugby, cricket, golf, we don’t mind. And it’s great camaraderie, sitting as a family cheering on your team, especially on cold winter nights.

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

That’s really hard to answer. I suspect Lessons in Trust or Lessons in Power are my best books, but as they’re books 7 and 4 respectively in the Cambridge series, that might not be logical. Lessons in Love is the first in the series, so you could start there.

Where can readers find out what's new and how can they contact you?

My website is www.charliecochrane.co.uk, but I tend to update my blog http://charliecochrane.livejournal.com/ or facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000878813798 a bit quicker. If you want to e-mail me, cochrane.charlie2@googlemail.com usually gets through!

*~*

Sneak peek into Lessons in Desire now available in print and e-book from Samhain Publishing

Jonty drew his hand down his lover’s face, across his lips. It was the first time they’d touched with any degree of intimacy since they’d left St. Bride’s. The caress made Orlando shudder afresh, as if they were touching for the first time. “We may have two bedrooms, but do we really need to use them both? It’d be easy enough to slip across before the early morning tea arrives, if we set your alarm clock.”

Orlando looked up, determined to refuse. He was still feeling skittish about staying in a suite of rooms with his lover. Sharing a bed was beyond any imagining although, ironically, the item in question was a glorious double bed such as he’d dreamed, on many an occasion, of sleeping in with Jonty. “I’m not sure I feel sufficiently recovered from the journey to want to do anything except sleep.” He studied his hands, the shirt he was trying to hang up, anything but his lover.

“That would be fine. I’m as happy to simply slumber next to you as anything else. There are plenty of other days for romance—we could just be fond friends tonight, or pretend to be that old couple we played cards with. Still very much in love yet beyond the thralls of passion.” Jonty gently touched his friend’s hand.

Orlando felt as if a spider was crawling down the back of his neck, and his discomfiture must have been plain. “What if we slept apart, just for tonight?”

They had reached the crux of why he’d been so keen not to come on holiday. He was frightened of taking their relationship outside the college walls, displaying it to the world. Within the ivy-clad, male-dominated locality of St. Bride’s, it had been easy to maintain a friendship which was more than close without raising a suspicious eyebrow. He’d spent little time with Jonty out of Cambridge, apart from a visit or two to London, where they’d stayed in the relatively safe environs of the Stewart family home. To be with the man in a strange place was to put himself at risk of making a demonstration of his affection by an unguarded look or touch.

Any footman could walk through the streets of town in his bowler-hatted Sunday best, hand in hand with a parlour maid. A pair of dons could never be allowed such freedom; not in Cambridge and certainly not on Jersey. If they ever were mad enough to be tempted, all they had to do was remember the law—two years of hard labour and public disgrace would be no holiday.

Jonty slammed down the toothbrush he’d been unpacking. “Oh, go and sleep in the bath if you want to! I haven’t the heart to put up with this nonsense. I’m going to sleep in my own bed, in my own soft pyjamas, with my own book. If you change your mind and decide to join me, make sure you knock, because I might just have found other company.” He spun on his heels, entering his bedroom with a slam of the door which caused the windows to shake.

http://samhainpublishing.com/coming/lessons-in-desire-print

Getting to know Author Nicole Zoltack

Do you work on multiple projects at the same time?

Yes. All the time. I constantly go back and forth between two projects. That way, if I become stuck on one, I can work on the other. Most of the time, one project is a novel and the other is a short story.

What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

I hope to secure an agent and work up the publishing ladder to NYC publishing houses. Working on polishing up some query letters and I’ll start on the query-go-round.

When you're not writing, what do you like to do to just kick back and have fun?

Spend time with my family. I love to take my son to the park or to cuddle with hubby and watch movies. I also try to find some time to read in between too.

Do you ever experience writer's block? If you do, how do you cope with it?

Working on another project or skipping the scene that is giving me difficulty.

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

Oh yes. I read everything I could get my hands on. I enjoy reading just about anything and everything: fantasy, romance, historical, mystery, true crime, horror, YA…

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

My latest full length is Knight of Glory, the sequel to Woman of Honor. Knight of Glory delves more deeply into the fantasy aspect of the world. I wanted to create a world that was both medieval and fantastic and that was my inspiration for the book.

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

Bragging. Maybe then I’ll be more likely to speak up to those reading from ereaders and just happen to mention that I’m an ebook writer.

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

Joan of Arc. Come on, you knew I was going to pick someone from the Middle Ages. J

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

I love Jenanna, one of the main characters from Knight of Glory. She’s very human and relatable. Even though she has her doubts about her self-worth, she’s also a strong person, and very loyal. She was a character I greatly enjoyed creating.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her/him/it when she/it/he refuses to

inspire you?

For the most part. I worked really hard to finish my assassin story so I could pitch the completed

manuscript at the Lori Foster Get Together. Wrote 56K in 6 weeks. Ever since, she’s been on hiatus. Which I can understand the burnout but I’m pregnant and due the beginning of August and wanted to get as much writing done as possible before baby #2 is born so I’m more than a little annoyed with her right now. 

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

Champion of Valor, Book III in the Kingdom of Arnhem series. Woman of Honor was more historical inclined with Aislinn and her knightly training. Knight of Glory was fantasy, especially with the introduction of other species (trolls and dwarves and selkies). Champion of Valor will have a slight religious feel to it. For people in the Middle Ages, their religion affected every single aspect of their lives so it’s only fitting to incorporate religion to some degree with the book.

I also have the skeleton of a plot thought up as the sequel to my assassin story.

Have you ever experience weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?

Not really, unless silence or little to no interruptions count.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Website: http://www.NicoleZoltack.com

Blog: http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Nicole.Zoltack

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-Zoltack/93384618347

Twitter: http://twitter.com/NicoleZoltack

Myspace: http://myspace.com/scarlett9284

Excerpt:

Geoffrey slept and woke a short time later. The others still slept, and Jacob paid him no heed. He slowly climbed to his feet and stretched his back. Turning, he spotted a small creature in the near distance. Walking toward it, he realized It looks like a lost pony. Its fur was grey black, and its main dripped constantly. The fur seemed sleek, and Geoffrey reached out to find out if this was the case. The pony was cold, deadly arctic, and Geoffrey's fingers froze to it, he was unable to move his hand away.

"No! Geoffrey, you have to stop touching it!" Jenanna cried out. She gripped his arm and tugged hard.

He tried to turn his head to look at her, but even his neck muscles tightened, frozen. "I can't move!"

Jenanna pulled and yanked some more, but Geoffrey could not be freed.

The Kelpie neighed, a loud sinister sound, and its saliva dripped, turning into ice as it left his foaming mouth. It blew air out its nostrils, the breath turning to fog, giving the land an eerie, unearthly feel.

Jacob and Raulin rushed over. They attacked the creature with their swords, but the horse bucked and kicked, and even with such wild, reckless movements, Geoffrey remained attached.

"Take this, foul creature!" Jenanna shrieked, shoving a flame tree branch into the creature's side.

The Kelpie wailed and neighed. With a sudden rush of heat, Geoffrey collapsed. A loud splash sounded as the three surrounded his fallen form.

"What was that?"

"Not now, Raulin! Now is the time for a larger fire. Build one," Jenanna commanded. "And you, Jacob, the healer, aye? Do you know how to heal freeze burns?"

Jacob's face looked stricken in the pale flickering firelight. "I can try."

"Try isn't good enough. You must succeed." She knelt down and placed Geoffrey's head in her lap. "It will be all right, Geoffrey."

"S-so c-cold." Geoffrey's teeth chattered so loudly he barely heard his own voice. His body shook uncontrollably, the chills spreading from his hand to the rest of his body, lowering his core body temperature and slowly freezing the blood in his body. "God's T-teeth!"

The fire roared to life, greedily licking up the small remnants of grass nearby. "Good, Raulin, now go fetch my blanket." Raulin didn't even pause to nod.

Jenanna grabbed Geoffrey's wounded hand and tried to warm it with her own. Her fingers felt red hot, compared to his iciness, and her fingers kneaded his skin. "Quick, Jacob."

Jacob nodded and began to mutter incantations. He placed his hand above Jenanna's and Geoffrey's, and a bright yellow orange glowed from his hand.

As the cold moved closer to his heart, Geoffrey's shivering worsened. His body buckled from the severe shock cold waves.

Raulin returned and threw the blanket on Geoffrey, but it did nothing to help the nearly frozen knight. Jacob's voice grew louder, and the light responded, turning brighter. Jenanna moved her hand away, and Jacob laid his on Geoffrey's. Immediately, Jacob pulled his own away. "Too cold. My God, he's frozen!"

Link: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-69/%3Ci%3EKingdom-of-Arnhem-Book/Detail.bok

Meet Author Jennifer Linforth

Face it; there are a lot of women out there who want to get into Mr. Darcy's pants. There are a few authors out there who have dared to do it. I personally wanted to crawl into the lap of a black-masked Phantom in a certain French opera house and ask him why everyone thinks his mask is white and he has six pack abs...

Crawling into the heads of our characters is challenging enough. Expanding classic literature and diving in the heads of characters not originally ours is a whole other ball game. I have the richly rewarding experience of being contracted to expand Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera in a three book series. (Madrigal, Abendlied and Elegy which is forthcoming).

Many readers are curious as to what this involves and many more want to know why there are such broad interpretations on their favorite characters. Whatever happened to the original author's vision? If you are continuing classic literature, shouldn't your hero or heroine be as they were in original? Fans of Pride and Prejudice or Phantom of the Opera are passionate about the characters in their fandom. My reply is that one must understand the changing shape of canon and works in the public domain. Canon: from the Latin canon or "rule" is a standard of judgment based upon a determined body of text, like the Bible. Works in the public domain are copyright free-allowing an author the ability to shape a story, or character, to their imagination. We have Mr. Darcy as a vampire and zombie out there now, and love affairs between male leads.... the sky is the limit!

Personally, I side with those fans that prefer their characters to remain true to the original book. I adhere to Gaston Leroux's vision with slight changes to suit the limits of  my imagination. Partly due to the requests of my publishing house but, for me, I wanted to stick to Leroux because I appreciate what he did with the characters to begin with. I have seen Erik (for those of you unaware, that was the Phantom's name as given by Leroux) in various progeny with killer abs, green eyes, thick hair, only half his face deformed and a sex drive that doesn't end.  Quite different from the monster Leroux created.  Erik was described as a "living corpse"; a murderously vengeful madman at the center of a Death and the Maiden story, who Leroux wrote, "would have been one of the most distinguished of mankind! He had a heart that could have held the empire of the world; and, in the end, he had to content himself with a cellar."

I started questioning this shift in canon and began wondering what reader expectation would be when this series launched, very early on.  A few agents told me a continuation of Leroux's novel may be hard to sell. Why? So many identify with the wildly popular vision of Andrew Lloyd Webber and may not know the roots of the original story. Webbed did an excellent job of introducing his idea of the character and his idea of the canon for the story.

  So what do you do when you come across a book that expands your beloved favorite novel? I suppose a reader must have an open mind and the authors must understand that their vision may not be that of everyone else's and opinions will vary. Rejoice in them! So long as the author writes a solid, believable story readers will embrace it-good or bad-thus  allowing those classic characters to live on .

MADRIGAL blurb:

Years earlier Erik faked his death and vowed the Phantom would never again haunt the Opera Garnier. But strange packages left by Anna, an unwanted Samaritan turned unlikely friend, cause him to desire the unattainable-love. Battling the nobleman determined to lock him away, Erik must control his demons and tame a heart unexpectedly beating for two opposite women: Christine, who he longs to love, and Anna the woman who saw beyond his bitter soul to the man beneath the mask. In the midst of a brutal manhunt, can he be loved for himself or is he condemned to be The Phantom of the Opera? Murderer, Maestro, Magician, Mastermind.

MADRIGAL excerpt:

Erik's blood coursed so hard the pulse pounded in his throat. He caught himself before he leaned too far out of his shadow. Caressing the velvet of the armchair, he imagined stroking her sensuous form, whispering his adoration into her ear, and proclaiming his love for her in ways he only dreamed.

Yes, I gave you it all, Christine. I would have lassoed the moon for you.

"And you gave nothing in return?" Anna said incredulously. "He loved you."

The memory of how he'd shunned Anna wrapped around his heart like a rope of thorns. The raw passion he felt for her tightened those binds until he swore his heart would puncture. He forced such passion away. He didn't want it. Not now. He clamped his teeth in an attempt to govern the thoughts tumbling drunkenly in his mind. The velvet shredded beneath his fingers.

Damn it, you little minx. Stay out of my mind.

Christine wandered the empty stage staring out across the seats. "There was nothing I could give. Least of all love."

Ridges plowed into Anna's brow. "Why?""He was horrifically deformed. He frightened me. I was put through so much horror."

"Then why did you continue with the lessons?" Anna demanded sharply. "If you knew he loved you and you couldn't give that in return, why torment him?"

"I wanted to know the music for I had never experienced anything like it. I deeply respected the Angel of Music and cared for him, but I could never truly love him. Not in the way he wanted. His affections were so powerful-they frightened me." Christine shook her head. "A woman such as you could never comprehend the situation. He was a distorted soul, a madman. I couldn't be expected to look on that with love. No one could."

No one could? That? Respected? Rejected!

Erik tensed as he shook from head to toe. His hands crushed to his mask. He cursed his ugliness. Looking at the two women, he recognized the confusion Anna had mentioned. With all his being, he tried to control his demons. His inability to do so was not his fault. Man made him this way.

 He turned his attention to the woman beside her. Erik leaned forward avoiding the urge to fold himself over the velvet railing and scream to the women below.

Anna, make her understand me

*~*

ABENDLIED Blurb

Desiring normalcy is difficult enough with a price on his head, but when Erik is falsely accused of killing Philippe de Chagny, brother of his nemesis Raoul, he is launched toward madness.

Anna is an unlikely companion, sharing Erik's heart and the bounty on his head. As the manhunt heats, Erik's mysterious relationship with Philippe spurs the campaign against them forward, and exposes her darkest secret: defending her honor ended in murder.

Plagued by his past as The Phantom of the Opera, Erik's memories enslave his heart to Raoul's wife Christine, whose shocking confession brings a ruthless bounty hunter into the fray and blackmail to the Chagny bloodline. Blackmail from a hunter who cares little about the Phantom or Philippe, and everything about the one he has lusted for: Anna.

With the past weeping like an open wound, can love endure or will it take memories of one unlikely man to heal them all?

Memories of Philippe Georges Marie, Comte de Chagny...

ABENDLIED excerpt:

He thought to lean to one side and be done with it. The exhaustion over fighting his desires for Christine, the constant tug of war with madness coupled with fearing he would destroy the one woman who made him feel alive, was unbearable punishment.

"I never believed in Your sincerity of bringing Anna to me. Shocked are we? Surprised for a brief moment I believed?" Erik rolled his head toward the side and pressed his cheek to the stone. His accusatory eyes could have shattered the pinpricks of light across the heavens. "Congratulations, Oh Merciful God, You failed again. Anna can have You and Your Son." He yanked himself upright, his body going rigid with his anger. "I am pleased Philippe is dead!"

Spittle flew from sob soaked lips. His mouth spread upward. He may be alone for now, but not forever. There was to be an heir to his kingdom, a child with his mind and his madness. Erik spoke to the shattered stone below with an unblinking stare.

"I will have my child, in all his hideous imperfections. I will need no one but him and my music. I will need only his love. As for Christine?" Erik leapt to his feet. The wind flapped his cloak behind him. He leaned into the gust and taunted the streets below like a great yellow-eyed bird ready to swoop on unsuspecting prey. "Our character becomes our destiny. Music, like life, is inexpressible silence without its instrument. Am I not its master? I hold the baton. I will conduct what I want. I will have what I want. What is Erik without Christine?" Leaping back to the roof he retrieved his mask and turned to the opera house, his boots drumming a cadence so the ferryman could dutifully follow. A haunting whisper carried his sadness forward on the wind.

"What is Erik without the Phantom?"

REVIEWS

"Ms. Linforth's prose is phenomenally beautiful and hauntingly breathtaking." ~Coffee Time Romance

"... a sumptuous feast for any fan of The Phantom of the Opera." ~ Night Owl Romance

Jennifer Linforth
author, historical fiction
MADRIGAL-A novel of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera Highland Press Publishing
ABENDLIED: A novel of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera-book two of The Madrigals October 2009
ELEGY--book three of The Madrigals forthcoming 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpU_H43_1PY
http://www.jenniferlinforth.com
http://jenniferlinforth.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/jenniferlinforthauthor
http://www.facebook.com/comtessdechagny

Welcome author Ben Leyb

Were you an avid reader as a child?

Definitely. Avid everything: reader, TV-watcher, baseball fan. My favorite books as a kid were the Miss Piggle-Wiggle books about kids who misbehave and get sent to stay with a funny old lady named Miss Piggle-Wiggle, who cures them by letting their bad habits run wild till they reform.

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.  

My novel The Countess de Mondeau is a love story about two people who have to be together, despite all the odds. I enjoy love stories—just a romantic at heart. The book is set in Paris in the tumultuous Romantic era of the 1830s. I’ve always been fascinated by this time. Everything was up for grabs then, from the most intimate ways that women and men relate, to the largest political structures in society. One radical utopian movement predicted the coming of a female messiah, which figures into the book. It was also a time when salons flourished, and reputations were made or destroyed by a witty remark.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

I’ve never been good with outlines. Any time I had to do an outline for school, I froze. I just start writing, and then edit like crazy. I had very good editors at Eirelander Publishing who also helped a lot in shaping the book.

Did your book require a lot of research?  

Tons. I read every book I could find on this historical period. I sat in on classes for fashion design students on the clothing of this time. I found an account written by an English lady who traveled to Paris in the 1830s and complained bitterly about the plumbing, though she loved the cafes and restaurants. I even studied the history of birth control in this era.

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?  

The radical utopian group in The Countess de Mondeau says there are two types of people it comes to love, the constant nature and the mobile nature. I’m not sure which I am, but I have moments when I think I might be of the mobile nature.

What is the funniest/most embarrassing/scariest story from one of your books signings or events?  

I once took out a big manuscript of work at a reading, and before I could set aside the pages I was going to read, a member of the audience interrupted me and said, “You’re not going to read all of that, are you?” I was pretty bewildered, but managed to recover and say, “Not unless you want me to.”

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?  

Maybe Shakespeare. I’d love to see how he actually composed his plays. After Will went to bed, I’d sneak into his study and read what he’d written or edited that day.

What do you see for the future of publishing and ebooks?

I think ebooks are the way of the future, though personally I do love a beautifully printed book, and the texture of paper, especially paper with a high rag content that has the feel of linen. 

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?  

I like the lovers, Edouard and Amandine, because they care about each other, but also about the people closest to them, and about the world they live in. They are not just interested in their own lives. One of my favorite characters in the book is the Baron de Basse-Rivière, who is a jaded old aristocrat who teaches Edouard about lovemaking. He’s gay, but he ends up helping Edouard in his courtship of the Countess de Mondeau. One of my least favorite characters in the book is Auguste Lepetit, the head of the radical utopian sect. He’s a charismatic and handsome figure, but he ultimately cares more for his own power than for the beautiful ideals he claims to represent.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?  

I really believe in the muse. I like to create a scene and then let the characters take over, just hear them speak and write down their words. So far I’ve been extremely lucky. My muse has never deserted me, knock on wood.

 Sneak Peek Excerpt from The Countess de Mondeau by Ben Leyb

© 2010 by Ben Leyb

            "Mademoiselle Kerlec, we are grateful for your visit."

            "Her Excellency is kind to invite us." Cecile half-dropped a curtsy.

            "We don't use those ridiculous titles here." The countess waved her hand as if to banish such nonsense from her presence. "Call me Amandine. And have one of these delicious tartes aux fruits that my cook made. No, have two." She stopped the heavy-set, blonde serving-woman who was passing around a silver tray and Cecile selected a tiny apricot dessert in a circle of scalloped paper.

            Edouard couldn't help but notice that the countess had her blue dress cut low all around, exposing all of her lovely pale neck and shoulders. What looked like a mere suggestion of sleeves barely covered a portion of her thin upper arm. The dress allowed a generous decolletage to peek from her neckline. The countess is not at all deficient in that area, Edouard remarked to himself.

            "We'll start the program in a little while," Amandine said, "as soon as people have had dessert and a bit of amaretto to loosen their tongues. I love a good argument, don't you?"

            "I suppose I do," Edouard said, admiring her boldness.

Buy HERE

Meet Author Allison Knight

Tell us about your latest book/upcoming releases. Is it part of a series and if so, can we read it as a standalone or do we need to read the others in the series first?

 

On the 5th of March, the second book of a Gothic Romance series will be available. This has no connection to the other books of the series, so it's a stay alone and a short to boot.  Only 20,000 words, or about 5 chapters.

It's follows the theme of the series. Shadowed Hearts. It's a traditional gothic written in the first person, with the poor orphaned heroine. I won't say more, except this one has a supernatural being in the story, spelled a real for-sure ghost!  Maybe. 

 

What makes a good book to you? Story? Characters? Exotic locations? I

 

A good book to me has to have several characteristic. First, I have to care about the characters. There have to be something terrible wrong right at the beginning of the story. Locations are not that important but woo to the author if the story doesn't end well.  I hate books with sad endings.

 

What's your favorite pizza toppings?

 

That one's easy. I love extra cheese, sausage and mushrooms.

 

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done to one of your characters?

 

In Heartsong, my heroine is about to be burned at the stake. I think that's about as bad as it gets. But the way, the sequel to "Heartsong" is coming in August, from Champagne Books.  This too is a stand alone, and my poor heroine is treated to some bad attitudes in this one as well, but no stake burning this time.

 

Which of your books contains the sexiest love scene?

 

Actually, I think my third book in the Heartfire series for Kensington had my sexy love scene. The book has long been out of print, but I'm seriously considering revising it and reselling it.  I loved that book. (Oh, but I have this great affection for all my characters, darn it. I hate to see the stories shelved)

  

Which of your covers is your favorite?

 

Without a doubt "Heartsong" which is amazing, because one of my covers was done by a very famous cover artist for Kensington. However, there is something about the cover of Heartsong - perhaps the color, or the expression in the eyes, I don't know!  All I do know is when people see the cover they pick up that book. If they read any kind of historical they want that book.

 

Which of your books was the easiest to write? The hardest?

 

I think my last book for Champagne, A Treasure for Sara, was the easiest. Both characters stewed in my brain for a couple of years before I put them on paper. The question with that one was about where to locate the story. I wanted it in the west but after a trip to the Yukon I knew I had the site. The story just flowed.

 

And my hardest is the one I'm working on now. This takes place in England in 1665 and 66, during the plague and the fire. The research for this one has been the most involved. Trying to follow the king's movements during all of this and getting time and location of the plague, the fire, and putting my heroine and hero in all the right spots without ruining the plot has been a real challenge. I finally had to develope a time line and now the thing is flowing again. (Huge sigh of relief. This may be my favorite heroine. We'll see.  I love a lady who's not afraid to tell off a King)

 

What is coming in 2010 from you?

 

As I said, The Haunting of Hastings Hall will be released from Red Rose Publishing on the 5th of March. This is the Gothic Romance.

 

In August, the sequel to Heartsong, this one called Battlesong, will be released. No cover yet, but I'll give you a hint. It's called Battlesong because the hero and the heroine are willing to do battle  - with each other. If you've read Heartsong, then you will recognize the hero of Battlesong. He's the youngest Brother of Heartsong.

 

And I'd be very remise if I didn't mention the fact I'm appearing in a workshop at the Gulf Coast Chapter RWA in March, talking about e-publishing, why I chose it and why I think this is the future of books.

 

Where can readers find you on the web?

 

I have a web site and a blog. I manage to blog about once a week at www.allisonknjight.blogspot.com and it's frequently about my ongoing battles with my computer or some of the strange happenings in my life. And believe me, things are not quiet around here.  My web site is www.AllisonKnight.com

 

If you were able to meet any celebrity and spend one day with them, who would you choose and what would you do?

 

This will shock a lot of people, but what most people thing of when you say celebrities don't impress me. If I was given an opportunity to meet a famous person, I choose someone from the operatic world. Placido Damingo comes to mind. I grew up with classical music and my dad trained to sing opera. So people in that profession would be the people  I'd like to meet.

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The Haunting at Hastings Hall by Allison Knight.

Coming to Red Rose Publishing on March 5th

www.redrosepublishing.com

 

Ohio, January 1878

 

     It was a perfect day for a funeral. The gray sky heralded an approaching winter storm as cold wind whistled through the elm trees marking the entrance to the family plot. Icy snow flakes began to fall over the dirt and onto the pine box as Aunt Pheobe’s body was lowered into the ground beside the man who had made her life miserable for over twenty years.

     I stood by the carriage, trying to hold my tears at bay and ignore my step-cousins who ringed the mound of dirt. I saw not a single sign of grief on any of their faces. They were so much like their father.

     I didn’t miss the gleam of satisfaction on Opal’s face, Aunt Phoebe’s oldest daughter, as she glanced my way. I looked at Tom Harrow, now Opal’s husband. He had once been the man of my dreams but Opal had somehow learned I thought my heart entwined with his. It was not to be. A confirmed spinster at two and thirty. Opal made a play for him, securing her future with my pain. Or so I thought at the time.

     Now, I felt nothing for Tom except sympathy. The poor man looked much like a whipped dog, as he stood behind Opal, their two small daughters hanging on to his trousers.

     I turned my attention to Grace, newly married despite her advanced age of five and thirty but married to a man twice her age. She was so obviously pleased with herself, repeatedly stroking the velvet cloak and matching dress, a smile on her face. She was smiling as they laid her own step-mother to rest! How very callous.

     I glanced at the last of Aunt Phoebe’s stepchildren. Clearance at least carried a somber expression, but his wife paid no mind to the cleric who held his tattered bible and read from the psalms. She was conversing with everyone, those to her side, those behind.

    Oh, Aunt Phoebe, am I the only one who will miss you and your wise ways?"

     My uncle’s influence marked this group of ingrates. But Aunt Phoebe had been like a mother to me after my own mother had died of consumption. They took me in, despite my uncle’s objections and over the years, she had saved me countless times from the mean pranks of his children who wanted me gone from their home at any cost. Now the dear lady was gone and I had to face the world on my own.

     I waited until the family had left the grave site and climbed into my borrowed carriage. I shivered thinking about the days before me.

     First I’d have to endure the meals at Hastings Hall, before I could pack my things and arrange to leave the house that had been my home for these past sixteen years.