Christy English

The Queen’s Pawn on Enchanted by Josephine

Friday, June 4th, 2010 | Reviews, The Queen's Pawn | 2 Comments

There is a wonderful review of THE QUEEN’S PAWN on the website Enchanted by Josephine. It is such a blessing to me when readers understand what I am trying to do…my work is far from perfect, but when it speaks to someone, I know I have done my job. I write to honor Eleanor and Alais, and sometimes I succeed. Thanks for the careful read and the fabulous review, Lucy…

http://enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-review-queens-pawn.html

THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 | C.W. Gortner, Reviews | No Comments

I finished C.W. Gortner’s novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI early this morning. I stayed up last night to read it and got up early this morning to finish it.  A riveting portrait of a powerful woman who was never daunted by defeat. I will never see Catherine de Medici the same way again. Thank you, Christopher.

The Queen’s Pawn on Books by the Willows

Monday, May 17th, 2010 | Reviews, The Queen's Pawn | No Comments

A charming review of THE QUEEN’S PAWN was posted on Books by the Willows this Saturday. Thanks Marie!

http://booksbythewillowtree.blogspot.com/

Pomegranate Books and AWAY by Amy Bloom

Friday, May 7th, 2010 | Reviews, The Queen's Pawn | 2 Comments

The book signing for THE QUEEN’S PAWN at Pomegranate Books in Wilmington, NC was amazing! Thank you to all the brilliant staff and the lovely people who came to hear me read and who asked such lovely questions about Eleanor and Alais.

And on a different note, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Amy Bloom’s book, AWAY. I read it in one day, and was struck by her style and her story-telling ability. I am not doing her justice, so I will draw a quote from her novel and let her speak for herself. This is the moment when Lillian, the protagonist, hears that her little girl, Sophie, might still be alive…

"Sophie’s name, the sound of it in Raisele’s mouth, her name said by someone who had seen her, seen her laughing and chasing the chickens, seen her in her flannel nightgown and thick socks, braids one up, one down, seen her running across the yard, ducking Lev Pinsky’s dry red paw. Sophie’s name is a match to dry wood. Ice is sluicing down Lillian now, running off her in sheets. Trees of fire are falling across the frozen field, brilliant orange, blue-tipped and inextinguishable…""

This beautiful passage goes on. Grab AWAY if you haven’t already and treat yourself to Ms. Bloom’s brilliant prose. You will not be sorry.

Books Clubs, Booking Mama and The Queen’s Pawn

Friday, April 30th, 2010 | Guest Posts, Reviews, The Queen's Pawn, The Writing Life | 2 Comments

I have had the privilege of going to book clubs, raising a glass of wine, and listening as the members ask me questions about THE QUEEN’S PAWN, and then as they have the graciousness to listen to my answers. It is so amazing to see that my characters have come alive for other people besides myself. Sitting over wine and food, and speculating on Eleanor as a mother, and Alais as a princess, thrills me. 

If any book clubs are interested in hosting me in the future, just leave a comment here (I will not publish it) and I will get in touch.

And along this theme. here is a review from Booking Mama,

http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-queens-pawn.html

along with a guest post of mine in which I talk about my experiences with book clubs, both as a reader and as a writer.

http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/2010/04/book-club-exchange-christy-english.html