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If you have come here after reading my review of “The Opposite of Me” on SheKnows.com, please look around and make yourself at home, I’d love to have you as a regular reader. To get you started, here are some other book reviews that might interest you:
Just in case you’re wondering, yes, I DO spend too much time with TLC on in the background on the days I’m home with Daniel and, yes, I WAS thinking of “Say Yes to the Dress” when I named this post. I’m aware mine doesn’t rhyme as well, but I’ve made my peace with that.
So I’m pretty much fresh off of a month of BLOB (a book ban acquisition game) and, after an initial buying spree, I’m actually doing much better resisting books now than I was before. I’m trying to reevaluate what I request, what pitches I accept, what I buy, even what I borrow from the library; I’m trying to learn how to keep this who thing manageable.
To do this, though, I have to think most about what it is that I accept, and why I accept it. I don’t mean about what my review policy says because, honestly, I don’t usually stick to that, I end up being much less strict than my policy states “oh, I’ll just make an exception for this book…” and so on. I could sit by myself and analyze the choices I have made and why, but that doesn’t sound that fun. Instead, I want to know why YOU say ‘yes’ to a book.
As I see it right now, there are two main parts to this question:
1) What are some hallmarks of a book you know you want to read?
2) What makes you decide to accept a book which may or may not line up with your idea of the perfect book?
Lindsey is sure that she is on her way to becoming the younger VP of advertising in her company’s history. Not that her mother can appreciate anything she does without making sure that she knows of her twin sister Alex’s successes. Alex has always been the pretty one – no, make that the gorgeous one. You know, the one who parlays a career in modeling to a career on television. Whatever, though, Lindsey doesn’t care too much about what Alex is accomplishing or how rich and handsome her fiance is, because Lindsey is rocketing through the world of advertising. Until, suddenly, she isn’t any more. When her career, the very thing that defines Lindsey, goes down the drain, Lindsey finds herself back at home and back in increasing competition (even if it may be mostly in her head) with Alex.
Oh man, I loved “The Opposite of Me.” I read Sarah’s posts at the Debutante Ball, where she is one of the 2010 Debs, every Tuesday. She has such a great voice and sense of humor in all of her posts, and her voice was exactly the same and just as fantastic as ever.
When I was about half way through the book, I thought it was going to be a pretty predictable plot. You know, girl loses job, girl finds self. Yes, it had elements of that, but Pekkanen took the story in a way I didn’t expect that was much deeper and more meaningful than the cliche storyline I was expecting. I was actually really enjoying the book even when I thought it was going the same old place; when I realized where “The Opposite of Me” was really going I went from like to love.
“The Opposite of Me” is sweet, hilarious, and full of win. I highly recommend it.
This review was done with a book received from Crystal from SheKnows.*
These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.
Sourcebooks has been kind enough to sponsor a giveaway for two lucky readers in the US and Canada. See below for details. I know you all want a copy of this book, since it has my blurb on it!
Many thanks to Devourer of Books for inviting me to the blog to talk about how I conduct my historical research!
I strongly believe an author needs more than just reference works to write absorbing historical fiction. If a story is to leap off the page, then the research should enter the world of 3D. My own method of research involves a five strand approach, these strands being woven together into a detailed and (I hope!) seamless braid. The below is how I went about researching The Scarlet Lion and it’s the blueprint for all my novels.
1. I use Primary sources. I read original charters, documents and chronicles to gain a feel for the period and the mindset of the period. These documents provide a social and political framework of the world in which my characters dwelt.
2. Secondary sources. I read numerous books on all sorts of subjects concerned with the period, generally from academic and university presses or specialist publications. I also use online study, but I am careful about the websites I use, as there is a lot of poor information out there as well as the useful material – this especially applies to genealogy sites.
3. Location Research. I visit locations mentioned in the novels where possible. So for example for The Scarlet Lion, I travelled extensively in South Wales, the Welsh Borders, Wiltshire and Berkshire and walked the Marshal’s home turf. I didn’t get to France this time around, but I have been there in previous years for research purposes. I like to get a feel for the places where my characters lived, even if the ground is sometimes very different now. I take numerous photographs, buy the guidebooks and make detailed notes.
4. Re-enactment. This is part of the 3D element. I re-enact with early medieval Living History society Regia Anglorum. The society does its best to be authentic for the period and conducts living history experiments on a regular basis. I own numerous exact replica artefacts, courtesy of craftsmen who work for museums and the re-enactment community. I know what it feels like to walk up and down castle stairs in flat shoes and a long dress. I have looked at the world through the eye slits of a jousting helm. I have worn a mail shirt and handled and used the weapons. I have used medieval cooking pots (better than stainless steel pans I can tell you!) and woven wool on a drop spindle. I can call upon the expertise of the members of Regia, many of whom are historians or archaeologists. There is nothing quite like experiencing it for yourself, handling artefacts, or talking to someone who has direct practical knowledge.
5. The Akashic Records. This is a form of psychic research based on the belief that everything leaves its imprint in time and that if you have the ability, you can access this resource and look at the lives of the people who have gone before. Their thoughts, their feelings and emotions. What they looked like and what they experienced. I don’t have the ability, but I have a consultant who does, and I employ her skills. You can find more on this particular subject at my website under this heading. The result is a bit like conducting an in depth interview with the historical person involved, or perhaps like seeing a documentary of their life in sensory detail. I have my transcripts of this particular resource looked at by members of the academic community and specifically someone with a doctorate in medieval studies. I am told that what is coming through is medieval mindset and thought patterns.
Taking these five strands, I add a sixth thread of imagination to fill in the gaps and weave the story, and voila – the finished novel! Of course not every bit of research goes into a novel, but even the unused material is never wasted because it is absorbed by the subconscious, and it’s all useful knowledge. The more an author becomes immersed in his or her historical period, the more the characters become of their time, and the more intense the experience for the reader. That’s how I see it anyway!
THE SCARLET LION BY ELIZABETH CHADWICK—IN STORES MARCH 2010
A page-turning novel of honor, intrigue, treachery, and love, continuing the story of England’s greatest knight of the Middle Ages, William Marshal. Bestselling author Elizabeth Chadwick, “an author who makes historical fiction come gloriously alive” (The Times of London), is known as a writer of uncommon historical integrity and accuracy.
By 1197 William Marshal’s prowess with a sword and loyalty with his heart have been rewarded by the hand in marriage of Isabelle de Clare—heiress to great estates— and their brood is growing. But their contentment and security is shattered when King Richard dies. Forced down a precarious path by the royal injustices of the vindictive King John, the Marshals teeter on a razor-thin line of honor that threatens to tear apart the very heart of their family.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth Chadwick (UK) is the author of 17 historical novels, including The Greatest Knight, Lords of the White Castle, Shadows and Strongholds, A Place Beyond Courage, the Winter Mantle, and the Falcons of Montabard, four of which have been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Awards. She won a Betty Trask Award for The Wild Hunt, her first novel. For more information please visit her website, her blog and follow her on Twitter
William Marshal has spent his life following his honor and his conscience, and it has landed him in the valued service of three kings. With Richard the Lion Heart and both Henrys, he maintained a fairly good relationship, but with King John, things are a bit more thorny. John doesn’t fully trust Marshal – or anyone, really – so things between the two of them will always be somewhat a battle of wits between the two of them. Luckily for William he has his wife Isabelle, a smart strong woman in her own right who loves him and is his most valuable counselor as he must negotiate the perilous waters of King John’s court.
Although I very much enjoyed “The Greatest Knight,” I absolutely loved “The Scarlet Lion.” Elizabeth Chadwick is a consummate author of historical fiction, so the difference was not that one work was less than another, I don’t think, so much as which part of Marshal’s life I found more interesting. In his early days, William Marshal was surrounded by Henry and Eleanor, by Richard. These personages are endlessly interesting, but Marshal himself was a knight and slowly gaining prestige. By the point of his life which is covered by “The Scarlet Lion,” Marshal had become one of the most powerful, respected men in England, and the story being told is a combination of his life with his family and the balancing act of maintaining power and favor under King John, which is a story I personally happen to find slightly more interesting.
So far Elizabeth Chadwick is 2 for 2 with me, and I would put her on par with Sharon Kay Penman for grand, epic historical fiction (and that is a very good thing in my book, being compared to Penman). I’m pretty much up for reading anything of Chadwick’s I can get in the States now, so I hope that Sourcebooks continues publishing her books over here. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction.
Edited to add: One thing I really appreciated about this book is how Chadwick made it stand on its own. She gives the reader enough background that if you know nothing about Marshal you would be fine (although a vague familiarity with what was happening in England at that time wouldn’t hurt), but also doesn’t spend a lot of time reiterating things that someone who read “The Greatest Knight” would think “yes, I know!” She walks a very fine line here and does it quite well.
Check back here tomorrow for a guest post from Elizabeth and a giveaway.
This review was done with a book received from Danielle at Sourcebooks.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.
The weather has been positively tropical here since March started, high 30s and even up to the mid-to high 40s! I believe yesterday got up to 47 degrees. Although this hasn’t been a particularly cold winter, this is still a nice change. I remember back in October when 40 degrees seemed so cold, now it feels too warm for my coat! Unfortunately it isn’t *quite* warm enough to get out and enjoy the weather, but it is warm enough to give us all hope as the snow melts. Perhaps we’ll have a green Easter? I wouldn’t be surprised if we get one more good snowstorm, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed for warm temperatures.
Daniel and I took a fun field trip on Tuesday to The Bookstore in Glen Ellyn, IL to celebrate the end of BLOB and visit some of my favorite booksellers, Margie (@justbooks), Sue (@suejustbooks), and Jenny, who I was introduced to on my visit (they have other great booksellers as well, but I don’t really know them). Margie and Sue had a little surprise for me when I got there, recommendation cards for me! Their staff put blue recommendation cards in their favorite books, and I was given my own bookmarks to place in some of my favorite books! You can see Margie’s blog post for more information.
Photo credit: Margie
On the reading side of things, I had what initially looks like a great reading week, but was really only a so-so one. I did finish four books, these three plus The Canterbury Tales
However, I had been listening to “The Canterbury Tales” for something like three weeks, so that was more just a relief to finally be done. ”Secrets of Eden” was also an audio book that I was only able to finish so quickly because I had two days at work where I had a project that basically required to just data entry that I didn’t have to think about too hard, so I was able to listen at work, which is a lot of hours of listening. So really I finished two books, and “The Happiness Project” I actually finished Monday morning after working on it most of the previous week.
But, though the quantity may not have been great, the quality was. Elizabeth Chadwick’s books always take me quite awhile, because I have to go more slowly than normal and soak them in; they are like Sharon Kay Penman’s books in that sense. My review of “The Scarlet Lion” will be up tomorrow, actually, and then I’ll have a guest post from Elizabeth on Tuesday.
Beth F
bermudaonion (Kathy)
Jennifer
Michelle
Sandy
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