Christy English

A Quote from Eleanor

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 | Eleanor of Aquitaine, To Be Queen | 2 Comments

In my novel, TO BE QUEEN, Eleanor says, "A woman in the world of men is always at war…"

I wonder what other women of history would agree with her?

The Summer of Eleanor

Monday, June 14th, 2010 | Eleanor of Aquitaine | 8 Comments

I know…this whole year actually belongs to Eleanor, with at least four books coming out about her, but this summer is a particularly fabulous time for Eleanor of Aquitaine fans…in the space of three weeks in July and August, we will be getting not one but two Eleanor novels…

CAPTIVE QUEEN by Alison Weir on July 13 and THE SECRET ELEANOR by Cecelia Holland on August 2

Needless to say, I have pre-ordered both…

The Chapel Where Henry and Alais First Met

Friday, June 11th, 2010 | Princess Alais, The Queen's Pawn, Video Blog Entries | No Comments

Ok, in my novel, they actually meet in a stable, but they have their first real conversation in  a chapel very much like this one…

Travel Fun and Writing

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 | The Writing Life, To Be Queen | 2 Comments

I was in Charleston, SC and loved it. I am back on my borrowed porch now, ready to work once more on the manuscript for TO BE QUEEN. Travel is fun and Charleston is truly charming and beautiful, but I have missed Eleanor…

Beauty and Inspiration

Monday, June 7th, 2010 | The Writing Life | 2 Comments

I am very late with this post, but I have a good excuse…I am traveling this week, visiting beautiful Charleston, SC. What a verdant green country this is…so lush and dare I say, Hot. I am enjoying the beauty that is so different from my own hometown, Wilmington, NC and VERY different from my home of the last four years, New York City. The contemplation of beauty leads me to thoughts how the presence of beauty might influence my work.

I wonder if other writers feel as I do…no doubt they do…that when surrounded by the beautiful, thoughts flow in new ways, leading like unknown rivers to places that I otherwise might never have seen. I feel that way here. I have been to Charleston before, but never before has its charm captured my imagination as it has the last two days. The difference lies not in the city itself, but in me. I am more aware of the beauty here, and I see the city differently because of it. When I look back on the work I will do this week, I hope to see the influence of this place work its way into my words.