Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Veetu Industries and Rae Gee: My Next Big Thing

Veetu Industries and Rae Gee: My Next Big Thing: Thank you to the awesome Wendy Steele for this. Head on over to her site and take a look at the great things she does. Lots of positivity a...

The Wizard's Cauldron: An Interview with Alex Granados

The Wizard's Cauldron: An Interview with Alex Granados: Alex Granados  Alex Granados works in radio and print newspapers and has just taken a step into the waters of Indielit publishing for Cr...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

History Trivia

November 20

284 Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor.

869 Edmund the Martyr died.  Saint Edmund was king of East Anglia. His gruesome death at the hands of the Danes led to legends and a shrine at what is now Bury St. Edmund's, West Suffolk.



1194 Palermo was conquered by Emperor Henry VI. 

1272 Barons swore fealty to Edward I. Upon the death of his father, King Henry III, Edward received the fealty of the English barons and succeeded to the throne.

1407 a truce between John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy and Louis of Valois, Duke of Orleans was agreed under the auspices of John, Duke of Berry. Orleans was assassinated three days later by Burgundy.

Tarol Nation: Marketing 101

Tarol Nation: Marketing 101: Today, Shen Hart, the prolific and unstoppable force behind Literary Plus, joins us to talk about a subject near and dear to all of our hear...

In the Midst: About Author Glynis Smy

In the Midst: About Author Glynis Smy: About  Author Glynis Smy: In 2005 I emigrated to Southern Cyprus. At 48 years old I no longer worked long nursing shifts. Out came my ...

Monday, November 19, 2012

History Trivia

November 19

1095 The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land, began.




1367 League of Cologne (medieval military alliance against Denmark signed by cities of the Hanseatic League on their meeting called Hansetag in Cologne) approved war against Denmark and Norway.

My Next Big Thing

Mary Ann Bernal was invited by the Green Wizard to participate in a blog-chain called “My Next Big Thing” (started by Andy Duncan, author of “The Badger-Boy Brouhaha).  The Green Wizard is featuring Mark Barry’s books, which can be found at:


 
As for me, The Briton and the Dane:  Concordia will be available in January 2013.

Now down to the nitty gritty!

What is the working title of your book?
The Briton and the Dane:  Concordia

Where did the idea come from for the book?
Concordia is a character from The Briton and the Dane trilogy, who wanted her own story, and naturally I had to comply.  The novel will be available early 2013.

What genre does your book fall under?
Historical fiction/romance

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The manuscript took me five months to complete.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Novels by Philippa Gregory come to mind.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
After reading Sir Walter Scott’s “Ivanhoe,” I became enthralled with early British history, and admit to being an incurable romantic Anglophile, and less nobly, and much more irritatingly, a Romanphile, accordingly to my favorite Brit and staunchest supporter.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Concordia is a flaxen-haired Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, coming of age in the reign of Alfred the Great. Spoiled by her indulgent father, cunning, manipulative, stubborn and willful, she is nevertheless full of energy and an explorer by nature.

Though besotted with a mysterious Moor, a diplomatic guest of the King's Court, she honors her promise to wed a besotted Anglo-Saxon warrior on condition that he accompany her to Rome prior to consummating their marriage.  In transit, their ship is boarded by bloodthirsty Saracen Corsairs.  Her husband slain, Concordia finds herself at the mercy of a dashing young Captain who considers her precious virginity his bounty.

Using only feminine cunning, Concordia must defend her honor and plot her escape while Anglo-Saxon warriors come to her rescue, somewhere inside steamy, unconquered, Moorish Hispania.

And now, I'll pass the baton to the following writers who kindly agreed teo participate in the blog chain...stay tuned to read about their Next Big Thing.

Bill Jones
http://thisblogblank.wordpress.com

Elise VanCise
http://gladiatorspen.blogspot.com