Christy English

TO BE QUEEN: The Prologue

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011 | Eleanor of Aquitaine, To Be Queen | 5 Comments

I read from TO BE QUEEN during a signing and discussion at Pomegranate Books in Wilmington, NC earlier this month. In this video, I begin by mentioning that Eleanor was 82 when she died, “quite old” for that period. Women usually didn’t live that long. Men either, for that matter. Just one more way in which Eleanor is unique.

A copy of TO BE QUEEN will be given away as part of a celebration of the Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers Group on Goodreads. Join the group, and join us Friday for the celebration…

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/33864.Romantic_Historical_Fiction_Lovers

Crusading: For the Holy Land or For the Crown

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 | Eleanor of Aquitaine, Guest Posts, Richard the Lionhearted, The Writing Life, To Be Queen | 1 Comment

In medieval fiction, someone is always crusading for something. Cecily Neville supports husband and her son as they struggle to gain the crown in the War of the Roses (QUEEN BY RIGHT by Anne Easter Smith). Eleanor of Aquitaine crusades first to be Queen of France and then to free herself from the noose of  her first marriage in TO BE QUEEN.  Richard the Lionhearted leads his troops and brother kings on the Third Crusade to set Jerusalem free in LIONHEART, Sharon Kay Penman’s latest tour de force, and Elisabeth rides on Crusade in Nan Hawthorne’s novel BELOVED PILGRIM.

As a writer, I feel as if I am always crusading for my characters, either on the page, helping them in their struggles against their foes, struggles they do not always win, or as I work to get the word out about my own particular vision of Eleanor. I wonder if it is simply human nature to strive for what we do not yet have: Eleanor, for the Crown of France and then freedom from it, Cecily, for the crown of England for her husband and later her son, Elisabeth, for the freedom to live her life as she chooses, even in the confines of medieval Europe. I suppose that is one of the great joys of fiction and of story-telling…we get to suffer and triumph along with the characters we read about, and to think in turn of  our own lives, and what we are crusading for.

Please join us on Friday for an excerpt from Nan Hawthorne’s medieval novel, BELOVED PILGRIM.

And on Monday, I have the honor of hosting an interview with Anne Easter Smith about her new novel, QUEEN BY RIGHT.

Fabulous Reviews for TO BE QUEEN

Monday, April 11th, 2011 | Eleanor of Aquitaine, Reviews, The Writing Life, To Be Queen | No Comments

So far, so good. The reviews for TO BE QUEEN are trickling in, and they are all positive. Four and five stars, which is amazing. I am reveling in it. No doubt there will be someone at some point who doesn’t like what I’m doing or understand my vision, but so far, that has not been the case.

Good reviews are gratifying, because each reviewer is a reader first. They too want to read a good story and be transported to another world. To see that Eleanor has done that not only for me, but for them as well, is a wonderful thing.

Here are two of the reviews, along with an announcement of the Live Chat that I will be doing with Amy tomorrow evening on Passages to the Past at 6:30PM EST.

From Scandalous Women…thank you Elizabeth! Elizabeth Kerri Mahon has written her own non-fiction book, SCANDALOUS WOMEN which happily includes a chapter about Eleanor, my favorite woman of all time.

“I was beyond excited when I received my copy of English’s newest novel, TO BE QUEEN from NAL in the mail.  At the same time I was anxious.  Would this second novel live up to the promise of the first? Well, I’m happy to report that TO BE QUEEN is an even better, more accomplished novel.”

http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.com/2011/04/scandalous-women-in-fiction-to-be-queen.html

And Kayla Ponsey of the Pittsburgh Historical Fiction Examiner…thank you Kayla!

“To Be Queen” will be one of the best written and captivating historical fiction novels of the year as it features a writer who loves and understands the figure she is writing about, portrays one of the most complex and dynamic women in history, and is a captivating coming of age story.  “To Be Queen” is a historical fiction novel you will not want to miss!”

http://www.examiner.com/historical-fiction-in-pittsburgh/book-review-to-be-queen-by-christy-english

Such lovely reviews… and tomorrow night I will be on Passages to the Past, enjoying a Live Chat with Amy…please come and join us! Tuesday, 6:30PM EST on http://www.passagestothepast.com We’ll be giving away a coffee mug with the cover of TO BE QUEEN emblazoned on it…

Launch Day

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011 | The Writing Life, To Be Queen | 4 Comments

The day a novel is launched is a huge deal to the author. All the work and pain and joy that has gone into making that book the best it can be, and then the day that has been circled thrice on the calendar finally arrives. And when it arrives, it can be very quiet…unless you make your own noise.

Yesterday, TO BE QUEEN came into the world, and though there was no fanfare of trumpets, I felt as if there were. I made plans to celebrate with family and friends, both online and off, and the day was joyous from beginning to end.

I think that writers, at whatever stage of work we are in, need to make our own fanfare for ourselves. When the first draft is done, we should celebrate. When the first chapter is done, we should celebrate. There are of course the major milestones in a writer’s career: finding an agent, finding an editor to buy your book, the day your first book comes out. But just as we must sit and write alone, I think we should celebrate our successes with others. The loved ones who have sacrificed and helped us along the way want to raise a glass to our work, too. Whether after the first draft is done or on launch day, we should let them.

Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers Give Away Winner

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011 | Give Away, To Be Queen | 2 Comments

I am thrilled to say that we have a winner of the signed copy of TO BE QUEEN:

Amber Brown

Thank you all so much for participating in this give away, and for making the launch day for TO BE QUEEN even more exciting.

Tags: Give Away Results, TO BE QUEEN