by Sarah | Jun 6, 2012 | Books, Guest Authors, Guest Post, Reviews, Wednesday Writers, Writing
[flickr id=”6030468849″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]A few weeks ago I had the great joy of having Rachel visit (side note: I think she’ll be back in July for her new book launch!). I love having other authors visit and reveal their awesomeness.
I also love to read. A lot. When I get in ‘the zone’ I read many books super fast. Other times I struggle to find the time to complete books. I’m in one of those times now – so to counteract I sort of signed up for something that will force me to get a few books in a month.
You may have noticed by now that lovely large button in my sidebar for “Bewitching Blog Tours”. So excited to say that I’ll be working with them, having authors stop by, or just reviewing their books. I have a few in my TBR pile already.
So I can finally do what I’d hoped to do for a couple of months now. I’m officially designating the middle of the week as “Wednesday Writers”. Whatever gets posted on Wednesday will have to do with an author or a published book. I know many of them will be linked to the BBT – but some will just be friends I’ve made along the way that I’ve asked to visit. I’m not restricting these posts to just Wednesday (sometimes there’s just too much awesomeness to keep on one day) – but I will be using every Wednesday for it. Already June is filled, and I can’t wait to see what July brings.
So keep your eyes peeled. I’ll be having some great guests – and some great book recommendations coming up!
by Sarah | Oct 24, 2011 | Giveaway, Holidays, Reviews
I don’t know about you, but this year just totally flew by in our house. One minute it was February, and now it’s suddenly the end of October! Christmas is coming up fast and I feel totally unprepared for it. I just bought the first couple of Christmas gifts Friday night. Compared to last year at this time when I had it ALL done…I’m grossly unprepared.
One thing I know I’m going to be using to my advantage is Shutterfly.
For the grandparents there are a ton of options. We can dive into the photo gifts shop. There we could find coffee cups, t-shirts and even necklaces that we can add images of their much-loved grandchildren to.
But, I think in the end the best grandparent gift ever is a calendar. 12 months of their precious grandchildren? What grandparent isn’t going to love that?
If they didn’t all read my blog I’d tell you what I am going to end up getting 🙂
For the first time ever this year I’m taking a big-girl step. I’m getting Christmas Cards together. I saw this style at Shutterfly and knew it would be perfect. I had so many great photos of the kids from our photo shoot back in June, that this card let me use a lot of them. And feature all three of the kids without leaving anyone short changed.
Now that I’m finally set on my cards, how would you like some help with yours?
I’m giving away THREE codes for 25 cards from Shutterfly! Put your pictures from this year to great use and get some FREE cards!!!
All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment here telling me what your favorite part of the holidays is.
That’s it!
With three prizes to be won, there’s no need for extra entries!
*Giveaway CLOSED
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*For my post I was received free cards. My opinions are my own.
**Are you a blogger? Want a chance at 25 free cards this holiday season? Register here: http://goo.gl/DDw7Q
by Sarah | Feb 4, 2011 | Books, Reviews
It is the man, and not the king, I love. ~Lady Catherine Gordon
Sandra Worth, captivated by one powerful 10-word statement has crafted a compelling novel that you’ll find impossible to put down.
In 1497 the Tudor line has wrested the throne away from the Plantagenet line. King Henry VII will stop at nothing to secure the Kingdom for his line. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, the son of King Edward and next in line for the throne threatens the very crown on his head. For this reason alone, he will do all in his power to stop the young fledgling king from succeeding in proving his claim.
Lady Catherine Gordon, however, is young and very in love with her husband. Never does she dream what trying to gain a throne that belongs to her husband would destroy every bit of the world she knows.
Sandra Worth follows the story of this young, sometimes naive young woman into the depths of a darkness unimaginable. Through it all, Catherine never stops hoping, never stops loving, never stops using her strength and intelligence to keep herself alive, and free of a king’s affections.
Weaving the depth of research, and creating a character with a soul so deep and rich that you feel like this is a woman you would like to have as your friend. Catherine manages to stand tall in a world crashing against her, humiliating her and her husband, but that leaves her with brief bursts of joy.
After Richard (or “The Pretender” as Henry VII calls him) is executed, Catherine lives in mourning. For the loss of her husband, and the son that was ripped from her arms. Carrying this mourning with her, she still manages to fight off the advances of a King, and form friendships in a world that seems so against her.
Despite endless tragedy, Catherine never stops holding her head up. She has her innocence ripped from her, but not her pride. She never abandons hope, or love.
You will want to know her.
You’ll be glad that Sandra used the power of her words, her skill at weaving a story, to take that one 10 word phrase and bring to life this long forgotten character.
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*I was given a copy of this book for free to review, but my opinions are my own.
by Sarah | Jan 3, 2011 | Reviews
This post was supposed to be all tongue in cheek.
So jokingly desperate in a desire to keep the phone.
To express that our short 6 week “trial” period to review this fun bit of a toy.
For weeks on twitter (hashtag of #VZWhAPPy will show you everyone’s reactions to the phone) I was jokingly wondering if they noticed that I’d returned my crummy little LG in place of the Droid. How my husband took it to work and declared he didn’t like it…that it was more of a “toy” than a phone.
Unlike most of the world that became addicted to Angry Birds as they played with the phone…
I found a different game.
One filled with bubbles…and my frustration at trying to pop them all.
Bubble Blast became my biggest addiction. I played it constantly.
My son found a few games and kept trying to snatch away the Droid at every opportunity.
My Droid went with me EVERYWHERE.
I tweeted. I facebooked. I played. I used all the camera apps I could.
If I was to be honest, the one thing I didn’t do a lot on it was make phone calls.
My one problem (that probably would have been solved if I’d read the manual) is that I kept hanging up on people with my cheek, or muting them. Even when the screen went black, one touch of my cheek seemed to activate it. I couldn’t figure out how to stop that from happening.
But then, my world turned upside down.
We were given the Droid for the Holiday season…to help make it easier/happier.
I never knew the impact it would have when my baby ended up THERE.
I didn’t realize how cathartic it would be to be able to tweet as we waited for an admissions receptionist that my baby was being admitted.
To be able to text/tweet/facebook w/ a Droid when my regular phone had no service.
To be able to use the games to distract my baby from her procedures. From the WAIT TIMES for procedures.
To watch her face light up with delight and ask for the “black phone” and the Sponge Bob game…instead of crumbling into tears at the wait or the upcoming procedure.
To be able to pull it out quick and get some amazing footage of my baby singing Christmas carols in the middle of the night when she refused to sleep.
The Droid filled the empty spaces.
No hospital stay is fun.
But the Droid helped.
I never expected to WANT to give it back.
But I really never expected just HOW MUCH it would come to my aide in this time.
My Verizon upgrade isn’t until November. I will feel the loss of this phone on so many levels.
So many thanks to Cherie for hosting the event that brought us this phone.
To Verizon Wireless (Michelle) and Kyle Communications for sponsoring the event and our trial periods with these phones.
Overall the phone was a WONDERFUL joy to our family. The few problems I had (battery life @the end of my 6 weeks has been BAD…and the aforementioned hanging up problem) were far outweighed by the good and the happiness that was brought to us…the added peace it helped for us in the days in the hospital.
by Sarah | Sep 9, 2010 | Books, Reviews
In the past few years I’ve been lucky enough to get a chance to review two new releases by the Historical Fiction Author, Sandra Worth. I’ve enjoyed both novels immensely, and when I learned that she would have a new novel coming out early next year, I asked if she would mind doing an interview. Thankfully she agreed to sit down and answer a few questions for me and my readers!!
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First of all, Sandra, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and let my readers get to know you better. I’ve enjoyed reading your last two novels, and am glad you could take the time to stop by for a quick interview.
Thank you, Sadie. It has been my great pleasure to have your lovely reviews of my books. Reading them has made my day on several occasions!
I was pleased to have a chance to review them! Your novels opened my eyes to a period of history I’d never known much about before.
Can you tell my readers a little about who you are?
Well, I’ve written five novels on the Wars of the Roses and the demise of the Plantagenet dynasty in England. I’ve won numerous awards and prizes for my novels, and each of my five books is a multiple-award winner.
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Pale Rose of England
I know you have a new book coming out in February 2011. Can you tell us what to expect from this story?
Pale Rose of England: A Novel of the Tudors follows the life and loves of Lady Catherine Gordon, princess of Scotland. Her first husband was the mysterious young man who claimed to be the younger prince in the Tower, Richard of York. You may recall that the Tudors said Richard III murdered his two nephews? That is disputed by historians. No one really knows what happened to the princes, and their disappearance remains a cold case file to this day. All that is known for certain is that they were never seen again past the autumn of 1483. A new book that came out about three years ago raises questions that can only be answered if Catherine’s husband was the true prince, Richard of York, as he claimed. The Tudors called this young man “Perkin Warbeck,” but he was believed by many of his contemporaries—and by all the crowned heads of Europe—to have been King Edward’s son. The news of his survival thundered and blazed across Europe, and rocked the fledgling Tudor dynasty.
The Princes in the tower
The story of the princes in the tower is fascinating, one I became familiar with thanks to your last release, The King’s Daughter. Richard’s re-emergence in England is wrapped in such scandal and deception. Can you tell me how you research something so wrapped in mystery?
With the help of a Ph.D. medievalist, a lot of delving, probing, many visits to the university library, and a few really good text books!
How much of the story becomes your own imagination versus research?
As regards Pale Rose of England, I’d guess that about sixty percent is research, and forty percent is imagination. The broad outlines of the lives of Lady Catherine and Richard/Perkin are well known, so I work within those confines. However, history didn’t record what Catherine and Richard thought, and little of what they said. This had to come from my imagination. Also, nothing is known about how these two young people felt about the monumental events that happened to them but what little is recorded gives us a peek into the kind of man Richard was, and into Catherine’s character. Extrapolating from her actions—and the few words she spoke that did get recorded—she was a remarkably spirited, adventurous, and courageous young woman, one who stood up for her convictions, even against a king.
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Previous Books & Your love for the Rose/Tudor times
Your previous books have all centered around the War of the Roses and the emergence of the Tudor dynasty. In fact your first books, The Rose of York series, all centered around King Richard III and Anne Neville. What first drew you to Richard III?
I would say the shock of discovering a gross injustice. In defense of Richard III, here’s something to consider: If Hitler had won the war, what would FDR’s reputation be today? The Tudors accused Richard III of murdering his nephews, his brother, his brother-in-law, and his wife. They said he committed incest with his niece and died a coward on the field of battle.
None of this is true. The Tudors rewrote history to justify their usurpation. Richard has been denied the presumption of innocence that he gave us! That is correct—surprising as it is, Richard III gave us a body of laws that together comprise the presumption of innocence. His laws were picked up by our Founding Fathers. Three hundred years after the outcome of the Battle of Bosworth, his legacy, silenced by the Tudors, rose again to blossom in the New World, making him the grandfather of democracy!
In Lady of the Roses, you chose the unique perspective of Isobel, Sir John Neville’s wife to display the War of the Roses. What makes you choose certain characters over others?
I’m not sure I know why. It just happens, like a spark to flame. Why do we choose to be friends with one person, and not with another? We’re drawn to them by something intangible. When I come across someone in history—someone admirable, of outstanding character, who tries to do the right thing in exigent circumstances, I’m drawn to them.
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The Future
After Pale Rose of England, what is next for you?
Ah, I am hard at work on a secret project!!! I’m dying to talk about it but I can’t. The time is not right, and I feel it’s bad luck. One thing I can tell you, though—it’s not set in England. I’m going farther afield for this one.
That sounds exciting! You definitely have me intrigued, and I look forward to when you can spill the beans a little about this new project!
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
There is something. I feel that reading is a chemical reaction between a person and a book. We each bring something to the experience. As the old adage goes, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” In the same way, one person may love a book, and someone else may loathe it; it may not be a great book, and it may not be a bad book. It may, in fact—whether positive or negative—say more about the person who read it than the person who wrote it. Authors (like cooks) can’t please everyone all the time, nor should they try. To my readers out there who have read my books with an open mind and an open heart, and who have taken the time to send in a review—and to those judges who chose them for the honors they have been given—I embrace you all!
That’s a wonderful take on it, and I totally agree! You can’t write for everyone, you can only write the story you love – and odds are others will love it too! I appreciate every opportunity to review a book, and am anxiously awaiting the day Pale Rose of England arrives in my mailbox!
Thank you, Sadie, for this interview, and the chance to meet your readers.
And thank you, Sandra. It was wonderful to have you stop by! I hope we’ll be able to do this again for your next book.
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Sandra Worth’s website can be found HERE. There you can read more about her five published novels and her love of the Plantagenet Dynasty.
To pick up her novels, or preorder her upcoming release, click one of the links below!
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*images from Sandra’s site*
by Sarah | Jun 10, 2010 | Books, Reviews
This post is a repost of a review I did two years ago. Since my old blog was lost in the shuffle I wanted to repost the review of this worthy (pun intended) book for my new readers, and because the author deserves it. I encourage you to pick up a copy today! I may even try to convince Ms. Worth to come by for an interview someday.
Elizabeth of York was the only woman to be a daughter, niece, sister, wife, and mother to English kings. Her wide connection to royalty did not prove to grant her a charmed life, quite the opposite.
Her life began as a charmed one, the daughter of Edward IV, she was loved by her father and lived a brief life of joy and contentment as the apple of his eye. When war struck their country again at the tender age of five, she and her family were forced into sanctuary, and thus the first hints of tragedy started to enter her life.
Her father survived the battle and lived until she was seventeen, but with his death came the beginning of a series of events that led this hopeful princess into a life filled with death and sorrow. Losing her father, her brothers, her nephew, her queen and friend, and then her beloved uncle (the man she also loved), she never lost her faith. When given an opportunity to run, she stayed behind, determined to let a royal marriage to a man who claimed the crown end years and years of battle.
From the moment you open this book, drawn into a game of revelry, to the end you are hooked into Elizabeth’s life as she tells it. Sandra skillfully relays a heartwrenching tale that pulls you into the heart of a queen. You find yourself enjoying each brief moment of happiness, and sharing each lonely moment of pain and fear.
“Elizabeth, the Good! Elizabeth, the Beloved! Elizabeth, the King’s Daughter!” You will want to know her. You will want to see her find peace. She will be made a part of you.
Thoroughly researched, you can see that Sandra loves her subjects in all of her novels. You are given a touching tale that will leave you with real tears…and you will learn of a period of history through a historical figure often forgotten – but certainly no less important.
*I received a copy of this book for free from Penguin two years ago. I’m reposting this review because I genuinely like the book and the author.
