With HOT IN CLEVELAND returning to the air I have I RHODA on my mind. And then I realized I owed a post to both the wondrous Audiobook Jukebox and fabulous Simon & Schuster. There is going to be a reunion of the fab five from MARY TYLER MOORE on this season of HOT IN CLEVELAND which airs on TV Land and that is where the connection was made in my brain as I was setting up the show to record.

Well if there was a perfect narrator for this book it was Valerie Harper. I enjoyed every minute of this book and could have listened to her talk about her life and really anything she wanted to share. By the time I reached the last disc it felt like Harper was an old friend and did not want our time each day in the car to end. Maybe it was the feeling that Rhoda was with me or just that Harper has had quite an interesting life.

Without any idea how Harper made it to the little screen as Rhoda I enjoyed hearing about every moment she chose to share. Additionally, her timing, tone and nuances really made it feel like she was talking to just me. It was so enjoyable to reminisce about MARY TYLER MOORE as well as RHODA, it definitely made me want to return to these series and watch them again which I shall do.

I had no idea how many awards Harper won for her role as Rhoda and it certainly cemented her career. Harper has been on stage in the theater at the start and later in her career, first in the chorus as a dancer and later as the star of a one woman show. She has graced the small screen in two successful series and been in many made for TV and big screen movies. Yet one thing that has been close to her heart and part of her long career her activism and advocacy for a number of causes over the years. But interestingly enough Harper’s journey was never easy but she was a fighter and it paid off.

Harper was forthcoming about her personal life and it sounds like she was doubly blessed in this area. Her daughter is so lucky to have this memoir as a gift from her mother. As Harper is in for biggest fight in her life the timing of this book seems fitting for her to have shared her story.

If you love audiobooks you must run, not walk to Audiobook Jukebox: http://www.audiobookjukebox.com/

DEATH IN THE VINES is the third installment of Verlaque & Bonnet Provençal Mystery series. The town of Aix-en-Provence in the South of France is charming on its face but wine is disappearing and the body count is growing. The policeman and the academic who  date, must put their heads together to solve these crimes.

Every book in the series showcases the beautiful town of Aix and its surrounding environs. There is always discussion of the land, food, and drink. Love the covers of these books; the sketches give them just the right inviting touch. Longworth has the bones to be another Agatha Christie and see no reason why this series would not have the same long life.

While I look forward to returning each and every time and my biggest complaint regarding this series is the time in between. This is a series that my other half and I read together, happens so infrequently it creates a soft spot for them. I think we both secretly hope to visit Aix at some point and drop in on some of the spots in the book.

Although, not quite done with DEATH ON THE VINES I am thrilled to offer one lucky visitor the chance to join me in the South of France through the eyes of M.L. Longworth who happens to reside part-time in Aix which doesn’t hurt. To be eligible to win a copy of DEATH IN THE VINES, just leave a comment and share a favorite mystery series and you will be entered to win.

NOTE: Winner will be chosen from comments left up until Monday, June 17th at midnight PST. This giveaway is restricted to US mailing addresses only. Special thanks to Penguin Books for making this possible.

Joan Strasbaugh, herself a Janeite, in conjunction with Sourcebooks Casablanca, who never sway from loving Jane, and have joined forces to produce and publish this book. It is steeped in existing credentialed research and blessed by the President of the Jane Austen Society of Australia so you know you are in good hands.

To give you a taste but not spoil the contents some of my favorite lists are: Characters in the Novels, In Order of Appearance, Clothes she Wore, Spoiler Alert! Last Lines and my personal favorite that I plan to put to good use Cultural Outings in London.  I could go on and on and have revisited these pages, shared these lists and already plan to give this to the Janeites in my life.  If you love Jane or know someone who does stand up and embrace the lists!

As we are headed to England this Fall to celebrate Jane I will definitely utilize the delightful bits and bites included in this book in planning spots that we have to hit.  So you can see from amusement to travel this book has something for everyone that loves Jane Austen and that is worldwide.

My quote is from page 325:

I think the cover of this book is exquisite and was thrilled to be able to obtain a copy as well as be part of this release celebration with my fellow hash tag tweet book club peers.

To learn more about Williams and her writing visit her website:  http://www.beatrizwilliams.com/home.

Special thanks to Penguin Books/Putnam for the book, the artistry and for their book blogger joie de vie.

]]> http://poofbooks.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/blog-hop-a-hundred-summers/feed/ 2 poofbooks 6.3.13_AHundredSummers (2) http://poofbooks.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/the-secret-life-of-lady-julia-blog-tour-stop/ http://poofbooks.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/the-secret-life-of-lady-julia-blog-tour-stop/#comments Sun, 02 Jun 2013 13:14:26 +0000 poofbooks http://poofbooks.wordpress.com/?p=1972 Continue reading →]]> I had the pleasure of asking the author of THE SECRET LIFE OF LADY JULIA, Lecia Cornwall, questions for this post and her answers are just delightful and so worth reading!

Are any of the historical settings and happenings in THE SECRET LIFE OF LADY JULIA based on real events?

Everything except for the main characters and their personal stories is historically factual. When I decided to set the story in Vienna during the Peace Conference of 1814, I did a lot of research. It turned out to be one of the most interesting episodes in the history of that era—literally, even the most talented writer couldn’t make up the wonderful intrigue, social events, illicit romances, and misbehavior that took place over six months of parties and politics.  The setting is as real as I could make it without resorting to a heavy history lesson—even the palace occupied by the British delegation was the one the real ambassador stayed at in Vienna. One of the books I read as research, Vienna 1814: How The Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love, War, and Peace at the Congress of Vienna by David King was very enjoyable book, if you’d like to learn more.

Lady Julia’s story came from wondering just what a ruined lady might do to make a new life. The opportunities for women were rather limited at the time. Her family insists she must leave England when they disown her. I looked at events that were taking place in Europe at the time, and discovered the Congress of Vienna that way. Julia becomes a companion to the sister of a diplomatic aide.

Are any of the characters in the book inspired by historical or real people in your life?

The Secret Life of Lady Julia includes lots of historical figures—from the notorious French Ambassador Talleyrand and Lord Castlereagh to the charming Prince de Ligne and Madame Anna Protassoff. Anna was once served Russian Empress Catherine the Great as her Royal tester, meaning that she tried out the sexual abilities of court gentlemen who caught the Empress’s eye. They got the, um, position—or not—based on Anna’s recommendations. How could I not include her?

I have never used real historical figures as speaking characters before. I usually chose to write the story around them, but this was a tale that couldn’t be told without them. I hope I’ve done them justice. In Anna’s case, her jewelry is my invention.

I never, ever use people I know as characters! That could lead to really awkward questions at holiday parties, and my family are already shocked enough that my books include s-e-x.

What are some of the ways you do your historical research? I trust it involves a trip or two abroad to all of these wonderful places, e.g. London, Paris, and Vienna as in this book. 

I visited both Paris and London a few years ago. It was wonderful to finally go to the places I’d read about and longed to see all my life. I was standing in the street in Mayfair, staring up at the church of St. George’s Hanover Square, imagining the characters of the story I was working on at the time inside, saying their vows, when a modern London taxi nearly ran me over, ending my reveries! I loved walking the same streets my characters would have known, and visiting some of the same shops, like Hatchard’s, where the Duke of Wellington bought his books. In Paris, we visited Malmaison, the home of Napoleon’s first Empress Josephine. We arrived early on a beautiful summer morning, before the tour buses got there, and had the empty house to ourselves. It’s a sad, wonderful place, and one of the highlights of that trip.

I am now the proud mother of two university students. That means they travel, and I don’t. My son is currently visiting Kosovo (and Russia) on student exchange. He had a stopover at the airport in Vienna, and I was hoping he’d take some photos of the city and my book settings for me, but his connecting flight didn’t allow the time. Since both my children intend to live and work in Europe some day, I will be spending long holidays there before long. Until then, most of my historical research is still largely done through books.

Do you have multiple ideas rambling around in your consciousness waiting to get out, or is it one at a time?

I often say that being a writer means never having to go to the bathroom alone— there are hundreds of characters in my head clamoring to have their stories written. Right now, I have six stories rolling though my brain, and I am also doing the accompanying research for some of them. Remarkably, my World War II Nazis in Paris never get confused with midsummer rituals in the Scottish Highlands. I tend to forget character names at times, but I’m at that age where I yell three names at family members before I hit on the right one. I find that if I’m not actively engaged in a project, then ideas keep crowding in. I rewrite movie dialogue in my head, correct the grammar on roadside signs, or imagine stories starring the woman ahead of me in the grocery check out queue.

Can you share what it felt like the first time you held a copy of a book you wrote in your hand?

It happened in stages. First, I saw the cover design for Secrets of A Proper Countess, my debut novel. Next, the publisher sent galleys, which are pages laid out in book form for proofreading, but not bound. Then, my editor sent me four Advanced Reader Copies, mock-ups roughly bound for reviewers.

The most exciting moment was seeing my actual book on the shelf in a bookstore for the first time. Before it was actually published, I’d go to the spot where it would be shelved alphabetically and put my hand between the other books, anticipating release day. And then suddenly, it was there—an actual book with my name on it, with my words inside. It hardly seemed real. I bought one of my own books and just stood there staring at it and giggling. I go through that wonderful feeling every single time a new book comes out.

Besides your cat, what is one likely to find if they had a window into your writing place?

Four other cats? I have five… I make my writing home in my dining room. I imagine that the inside of my head probably looks a lot like my office—cluttered, but rather interesting, in a “Hoarders”, “Museum Secrets”, or “American Pickers” kind of way.

My desk is cluttered with research books, lists of books I want to read, and notebooks full of story details, all in teetering piles the cats have learned not to knock over when they jump up to remind me I’ve been working long enough, and it’s time a few cat biscuits were served up.

I currently have two computers on my desk, a new desktop model, and a six-year-old laptop. I’m in the process of switching over and getting used to the new one. Once the files are transferred, the laptop will move upstairs near the TV, where it will be used to look up actors we’re sure we’ve seen before, or movie reviews.

My laptop sits on a wooden box with two drawers that brings the screen to eye-level. The box holds notebooks, password lists, lip-gloss, and memory sticks. The outside is decorated with fortunes from fortune cookies (‘you have great skill in expressing yourself to be effective’ is my favorite), and has notation of ‘great moments’ glued to it—my release dates, the date I signed with my agent, and my first writer’s business card.

There are rocks on my desk—yep, rocks—picked up on beaches. There’s also an acorn from my former home in Ottawa, because it reminds me of a place I love, and because acorns symbolize creativity. There’s a single serving sized bottle of Writer’s Tears whisky, which is used to toast small writing triumphs in tiny sips, like typing ‘The End’.

My bookcase is crowded with file folders full of book details, publicity notes and reviews. There are stacks of author copies of my books. There’s a map of Britain folded wrong, and a huge battered atlas that pre-dates the fall of Communism (I used it to plan Lady Julia’s trip across Europe from Brussels to Vienna). I have a lucky marzipan pig from a German delicatessen someone gave me two Christmases ago. Research books are stacked in carefully balanced piles, and it requires a code-breaking degree to dislodge one safely. My National Reader’s Choice Award for Best Debut Novel of 2011 for Secrets of A Proper Countess) is proudly displayed.

There are photos of my family on the wall, and each of my book covers. There’s a postcard from the Louvre Museum of a portrait by David of Madame Recamier, a lovely Napoleonic beauty reclining on a chaise longue. She’s my muse—when she chooses to cooperate. There’s a Post-it note list of book deadlines, and a 2013 Chocolate Labs calendar, though not one of the model dogs as handsome as my Kipper. There are also photographs of Russia taken by my son.

Across the room, there’s a stack of magazines—English magazines with photo spreads of great houses, back issues of the BBC History Magazine, and food publications. Beside that, there is the most decrepit wing chair on the planet, once my father’s, and promised to my son when he eventually moves out. Until then, the cats use the chair to take turns minding me with one eye open as I work. They take shifts in the chair and the four-story carpet covered cat tower beside it.

I hook rugs—I design the patterns, cut up old woolen sweaters, and make them the pioneer way—and the first rug I ever made is on the floor in my office.

There are also props for The Secret Life of Lady Julia book trailer—long satin gloves, a plastic betrothal ring, dollar-store champagne glasses, and a fake peace treaty with red food coloring dripped on it to represent blood. My kids helped me put it together, and you can see it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEKAHBf7FSI

I love to hear from readers! You can contact me by e-mail at:

leiacornwall@shaw.ca, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lecia-Cornwall.

If you like to read historical romance this will not disappoint.  I am ready for the adventures of Lady Julia to continue.

I am still reeling that my knowledge of these orphan trains were unknown until I listened to THE CHAPERONE last year.  In Laura Moriarty’s book, the train was a background note for one of the main characters.  In this novel, the train set the stage for the story shared in OPRHAN TRAIN.  I am thankful to both of these authors for opening my eyes.

ORPHAN TRAIN does some time jumping by chapters which is not my favorite but in this novel it proved to be successful.  First I thought I wanted to stay in the past with Niamh the little girl pictured on the cover and when it jumped to the present I was not as interested in the character of Molly.  Baker Kline crafted a way to merge the storylines and then it becomes a very special read.

I found myself unable to hold back when I see ORPHAN TRAIN on the shelves, I just have to recommend it. I think TARGET might have to obtain a restraining order or praise me as I have sold one or two every time I go in the store and that is if there is one on the shelf. So see what all the buzz is about and pick up a copy today or find me in Target and we can talk more.

Special thanks to She Reads Book Club for putting yet another amazing read in my hands. It makes me sad to think I would have missed OPRHAN TRAIN if I had not been part of this amazing on line book club.  If you love to read and share with a community come on over: http://www.shereads.org/.

At the same time my better half and I read TARGETS OF REVENGE we also read TARGETS OF DECEPTION AND TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY as I do not like to join a series in mid swing.  We do not often read the same books but when given the chance we jumped at it so that we could read, discuss and collaborate on this post.

“Targets of Revenge” (as well as its predecessors “Targets of Deception” and “Targets of Opportunity”) is a modern era spy novel. The protagonist, Jordan Sandor, is a CIA agent who combats terrorism in all of its forms. More than a thinking man, Jordan is a man of action. The only spy novels I have previously read are all cold war era novels a la John LeCarre. In these books the enemy is the powerful Soviet Union, and the friendly spy is usually an intellectual along the lines of George Smiley. Through mental gymnastics the enemy is thwarted. Targets of Revenge is a large departure from this formula – instead we see intense covert CIA actions. Although Targets of Revenge is definitely not in my wheelhouse, I found that I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Jordan Sandor is most definitely not a modern-day George Smiley. Other reviews have likened him to James Bond moving at a Jason Bourne-like pace. What I liked most was there is a touch of Burn Notice to the writing, where certain tricks of the trade are disclosed to you along the way. My only critique is that I didn’t always relate to the tough guy dialogue of Jordan Sandor – but that is just a matter of preference. All in all a very entertaining read.

Rowenta is the older beautiful daughter that is now thrown into a world she does not want but seems to be powerless to keep at bay.  Victoria is the fragile younger Buxton daughter that does not like their new surroundings and continues to let everyone know this.  Prudence Tate the daughter of their governess was raised as one of Sir Philip’s daughters.  But her new surroundings prove to be quite different in acceptance and treatment of her and her place.

Yes all of the wonderful trappings of the Edwardian English society with its beautiful homes, lands, clothing and the rules of the house.  There is definitely an upstairs and downstairs separation and each pulls us in due to the world T.J. Brown has created in SUMMERSET ABBEY.

The only thing that made me sad about this book was how quick of a read it was.  But the good news is that I am in possession of the second in the trilogy, A BLOOM IN WINTER.

Since this cookbook arrived I have had a renewed vigor in the kitchen as there are ideas galore from “breakfast all day” to “best-in-show” which are desserts.  We have had something from just about every chapter in the cookbook but have spent a bit of time in “Italian favorites” as that is one category we both love.  We have had spinach and roasted red pepper ravioli casserole on more then one night and will do so again next week.

Two other stand outs about this cookbook are the “good idea” drop ins following recipes.  They are tips for items to serve with or for picking out fresh ingredients or gadgets to utilize for the best results.  You get the idea… I so appreciate the classic recipes that are presented and then some alternatives or new ways to think about these classics, ingredients and flavors.  If you are curious, and I trust you are, do not miss page 91 “best-loved snacks”.

So grab a copy and join me in the kitchen or better yet across the table enjoying something that we found inside of WEIGHTWATCHERS 50TH ANNIVERSARY COOKBOOK. For all of the cooks and those who worked so hard over the years and to anyone else that contributed to this cookbook a hearty and healthy thank you.

There were few times while listening to this book that I did not feel like my heart was being ripped from my body. Stedman knows how to capture love, loss and despair and its ability to blur the lines one might not cross normally.

One of the reasons I returned for more each day was to hear the voice of Noah Taylor.  His narration added to the experience of the story as an audiobook.  Often I wish there were more than one narrator in order to delineate between the characters, yet somehow Taylor struck just the right chord. Without question I would pick another listen by Taylor although I would like to try something a bit lighter next time.

Tom Sherbourne returns from years in the war and is looking for a quiet life far away from the horrors he has seen and been a part of.  He has taken a job as a lighthouse keeper on a remote island Australian island.  A young girl attracted to Sherbourne convinces him that she would be happy to follow him to the island and so off they go as husband and wife.

Life starts out in a lovely way for the honeymooners.  Isabel works to make this island their home, Tom takes to his duties as lighthouse keeper and the couple is happy.  The couple decide to start a family but it was not to be as she suffers two miscarriages and a stillbirth and is near the point of breaking as this island has now become a prison of her failures.  But what if your prayers brought a baby to the shore just after this last baby died?  Would you follow the rules or follow your heart and make a decision that seems so right but is so wrong.

Isabel saw this baby as a sign from God whereas Tom knew that she should be returned to her rightful home. But love is a powerful emotion and it wraps itself around Tom’s mind and heart he agrees to grant Isabel’s fantasy for a short time and then it becomes too late to turn back.  Things do lighten as the three of them become a family but Tom is tortured by this decision, Isabel crazed thinking about loosing Lucy and Lucy’s biological mother going crazy over the loss.

Years later the secret is out as someone has shared with Hannah, the biological mother, that her daughter is alive.  Lucy is taken away, Tom is arrested and feels relief but is focused on protecting Isabel whom has become a shell of her former self. Stedman draws out the these this sadness as these characters struggle with choices in the pages to come. At no point does Stedmen take the easy way out, the layers of love, loss and despair continue to ripple through the pages of this novel.

For me this was a beautiful disaster as there was little peace for the listener nor the characters but it was well crafted and executed.  An amazing debut from M.L. Stedman and to be sure there are many more novels to come.  Whoever cast Noah Taylor to narrate deserves a standing O as this made the audiobook exceptional.

To get a little bird’s-eye view into Tom and Isabel’s world view this clip: http://videos.simonandschuster.com/ML-Stedman’s-Debut-Novel-The-Light-Between/1749987219001.  A special thank you to Simon Audio who puts amazing audiobooks into my hands for which I am grateful.