Dynasties: The Lancasters

By Margaret Mallory

We will finish the month as we started it, with John of Gaunt's descendants. While Blythe Gifford wrote about the Beauforts, the side of the family born on the wrong side of the blanket, I'll cover the Lancasters, the legitimate heirs who became kings.

I love this painting of John of Gaunt. Hot and dangerous, wouldn't you say? And he liked poetry too. What a man.

John of Gaunt (1340-1399) played an important role in government during the minority of his nephew, Richard II. He also became perhaps the wealthiest man in England.

Richard II turned out to be a poor king who lacked the military skills of his father, the famous Black Prince. When John of Gaunt died, Richard made the fatal mistake of disinheriting John's son Henry Bolingbroke and taking the Lancaster lands for the crown. Bolingbroke, who was in exile in France, landed in Northumberland allegedly to take back his inheritance. As he rolled across England, disgruntled nobles joined his cause. He took the crown from his cousin to become Henry IV, the first Lancaster king.

Henry IV (1367–1413)

When Henry Bolingbroke challenged Richard II for the crown, Richard took Bolingbroke's eleven-year-old heir hostage. The boy was not his father's favorite; Bolingbroke did not even pause. Fortunately, Richard had grown fond of the boy and spared his life. His cousin was not so merciful. The deposed king died in imprisonment...some say of starvation.

Henry IV spent much of his reign foiling conspiracies and putting down rebellions. Apparently, usurping the throne weakened the perception that the king held the throne by divine right. The king began to see plots everywhere. He was jealous of his son, Prince Harry, who was popular with the people and lauded for his military victories.

Henry V (1386/87–1422). Apparently this diligent king was too busy leading armies and running the kingdom to sit for a better portrait.

Henry V is the "king" in my series, "All the King's Men," and an important secondary character in the first two books. While many other royals seemed to put their personal welfare above their kingdom's, Henry V appears to have devoted every waking hour to his duties. He was the best of the Lancasters and a king for the ages.

In my first book, KNIGHT OF DESIRE, he is still Prince Harry, he is in command of the English army charged with putting down the Welsh rebellion. In my new release, he is king and at the height of his powers. He has returned two Normandy two years after his great victory at Agincourt to reclaim the lands his predecessors lost to France.

The painting, below, is of the famous Battle of Agincourt, in which a young King Henry V defeated the French against overwhelming odds. So many French nobles were killed in the battle that it is often said the "cream of French chivalry" died at Agincourt.

Henry V eventually laid claim not only to Normandy, but to the French crown. Under the pressure of the English king's military successes, Charles VI of France, agreed to marry his daughter to Henry. Henry allowed the ailing French king to keep his crown, so long as the French king disinherited his own son and named Henry as his heir.

Henry needed better lawyers, however, for no one seems to have anticipated that he might die before his father-in-law. Who knows what the map of Europe would look like today if Henry had not only inherited the French crown but lived to be an old man? Instead, he died at the age of thirty-five, probably of dysentery, a soldier's illness. His father-in-law died a few weeks later. With their deaths, Henry's nine-month-old babe was heir to two kingdoms.

Henry VI (1421–1471) King of England 1422–1461 and 1470-1471.

Not surprisingly, Henry VI's claim to the French throne was challenged early-on by the dauphin, Charles VI's disinherited heir. Eventually, Joan of Arc would be instrumental in turning the tide against the English.

Henry VI's right to the English crown might never have been challenged, however, if he had been a strong and skilled king like his father. A loyal cadre of Lancaster and Beaufort men made sure England was ruled competently during his minority. Once Henry VI ruled in his own right, however, he proved to be poorly suited to the task. Later, he suffered from bouts of severe mental illness, probably inherited from his French grandfather, "mad" King Charles. As was the case with Richard II, his disastrous rule opened the door to a challenge. And so began the War of the Roses....

NAVAJO NIGHT Winner!

We have a winner for Carol Ann Didier's NAVAJO NIGHT guest blog. A free copy goes to:

April A. Renn!

Contact Carrie to provide your mailing address. The book must be claimed by next Sunday or another winner will be drawn. Please stop back later to let us know what you thought! Congratulations!

Guest Author: Margaret Mallory

We're happy to welcome back one of our regular contributors, Margaret Mallory, as she celebrates the release of KNIGHT OF PLEASURE, the second of her "All the King's Men" trilogy from Grand Central.

THE GREATEST PASSION...

Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country.

...IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL

Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers--until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. When a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen must prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure...and that love can conquer all.

***

"★ ★ ★ ★ [A] riveting story, intertwining adventure and history...with a constantly increasing level of sensuality....[A] rare treat." ~ RT Book Reviews

"Margaret Mallory's passionate novel, KNIGHT OF PLEASURE, is an absolute delight for fans of historical romance." ~ Fresh Fiction

"You're not just reading a novel, you are stepping into the story...KNIGHT OF PLEASURE is amazing." ~ Gloria Gehres, The Romance Readers Connection

"Book two of Ms. Mallory's All the King's Men series is thrilling, romantic, and just plain good reading." ~ RomRevToday

***

Tell us a little about the unusual setting of your new release.

KNIGHT OF PLEASURE is the second book in my medieval series, "All the King's Men." The first book in the series, KNIGHT OF DESIRE took place during the last Great Welsh Rebellion, when Henry V was still Prince Harry. This second story begins a dozen years later, in 1417, during Henry V's "re-conquest" of Normandy. Most of it takes place in Normandy. As with my first book, I incorporate real historical events and characters into the story. I love history, so that part is always great fun for me.

A number of scenes take place in Caen Castle, which served as King Henry's headquarters in Normandy at this time. My hero, Sir Stephen Carleton, is in Caen with the English army when Lady Isobel Hume arrives from England to marry a French nobleman she has yet to meet.

This massive castle once belonged to Henry V's ancestor, William the Conqueror. Another ancestor, Richard the Lionheart, gathered his knights here before leaving on crusade.

Henry V claimed Normandy as the descendant of William the Conqueror, even though his line back to William was a bit…convoluted. Despite the fact that his father had usurped the throne, Henry V was confident in his divine right to rule England and Normandy. Later, he would add France to the list.

William the Conqueror, also known as "William the Bastard," built a men's and a women's abbey on either side of the town of Caen to absolve himself of the sin of marrying his cousin. I was surprised that this was considered a sin, but apparently it was nothing that couldn't be fixed by building a couple of magnificent abbeys. In the middle ages, the church was often pragmatic in dealing with the rich and powerful. Hence, William's sin was the church's gain.

My heroine's brother spends time with the monks at the men's monastery, the gorgeous Abbaye-aux-Hommes, above.

So tell us a little about your hero and heroine.

I have to say, I adore this hero, Sir Stephen Carleton. Stephen, who was the thirteen-year-old brother of the hero in my first book, proved to be such a charmer that I had to write a story for him when he grew up. Stephen is the sort of man I avoided like the plague back in my dating days—the fun, handsome guy who had too many women hanging off him. My sensible heroine will take one look and tell herself not to trust him further than she can throw him. But Stephen is always more than he seems. Beneath the good looks and charm, beats a true hero's heart.

Isobel is a serious young woman who has learned to put childish dreams aside. Her trust was shattered when the father she adored forced her to marry a disgusting elderly man in order to regain the family lands. When her husband dies, the lands she was promised are taken from her. Faced with only bad choices, she agrees to make a political marriage to a French nobleman at her king's behest.

The moment Stephen and Isobel meet, the attraction sizzles between them--and the King's plans for Isobel are in jeopardy. But trust doesn't come easy for Isobel. And putting her fate in the hands of a Knight of Pleasure does not seem a wise course at all.

Do you have a favorite scene?

I can't say which scene is my very favorite, but one of them is Stephen's opening scene. He's a disillusioned young man with tremendous potential who is headed down the wrong road fast. In this first scene, I show him waking up hung-over and not knowing where he is. When he turns to see who he is in bed with, he groans. Not her again. He's hit bottom, and he knows it.

What's next?

The third book in the series, KNIGHT OF PASSION, is scheduled for release in June. Except for the prologue, which takes place at the Louvre in Paris, this last book is set in England. The hero is Jamie Rayburn, who was a toddler in the first book and a teenager in the second. Other characters from the earlier books, including Stephen and Isobel, will make appearances in KNIGHT OF PASSION

I have plans for a new series after that, but I can't talk about it yet! Learn more about my books, events and contests, check out my website.

Thanks for telling us about your new release, KNIGHT OF PLEASURE!

I'd love to respond to comments! I will be in an airplane most of Monday, so please be patient with me that day. I will give an autographed copy of KNIGHT OF PLEASURE to one of the commenters.

***

Thanks for stopping by, Margaret. All right, dear readers, leave a comment or question for Margaret and you'll be entered into a random drawing for an autographed copy. I'll draw the winner next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Good luck!

Excerpt Thursday: Margaret Mallory

This week on Excerpt Thursday, one of our new contributors, Margaret Mallory, is back with a selection from KNIGHT OF PLEASURE, the second in her "All the King's Men" trilogy from Grand Central. Stop back on Sunday when Margaret will be answering questions and giving away a copy!

THE GREATEST PASSION...

Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country.

...IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL

Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers--until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. When a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen must prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure...and that love can conquer all.

***

Set-up: Lady Isobel Hume travels to Normandy to make a political marriage with a French nobleman at her king's behest. Shortly after her arrival at Caen Castle, which serves as Henry V's base for his "re-conquest" of Normandy, she meets Sir Stephen Carleton, an English knight.

***

Caen Castle, Normandy
1417

Whish! Whish! Whish!

The sound interrupted Sir Stephen Carleton's thoughts as he passed the storeroom. Drawing his sword, he eased the low wooden door open to take a look.

"Lady Hume!"

She looked as surprised as he was to catch her alone in a storeroom attacking a sack of grain with a sword.

"The poor thing is defenseless," he said, cocking his head toward the sack. Grain was seeping onto the dirt floor from several small tears.

"Close the door!" she hissed. "I cannot be seen here."

And what a sight she was, with her cheeks flushed and strands of dark hair sticking to her face and neck. God preserve him. He stepped inside and firmly closed the door behind him.

"I meant for you to remain outside when you closed it."

Though she took a step back as she spoke, she kept a firm hand on her sword. As she should. Aye, the lady had every reason to feel nervous at finding herself alone with a man in this secluded place.

"That sack cannot provide much of a challenge," he said, trying to put her at ease.

"You make fun of me." There was resentment in her tone, but he was pleased to see her shoulders relax.

"Now, do you want to continue playing at sword fighting?" he asked, deliberately baiting her. "Or do you want to learn how to protect yourself from someone who intends you harm?"

Green eyes sparking with fire, she raised her sword and said, "Teach me."

Oh, what he would love to teach her! God help him, she was breathtaking like this.

"You should carry a short blade, as well," he instructed as he fended off her attack.

"Why? You think you can knock my sword from my hand?"

"I can, but I will not have to. You will drop it."

He forced her to step back, and back, and back again. Once more, and her heel caught on a sack. She threw her hands up, sending the sword clattering against the wall as she tumbled backward.

The next moment, she was lying back on her elbows, her hair loose about her shoulders, skirts askew, chest heaving.

Stephen could not move, could not even breathe.

She looked like a goddess. A wanton Venus, sprawled on the dirt floor at his feet. Then she threw her head back and laughed. Not a light trill, but a full-throated, joyful laugh that made his heart soar.

"I'm afraid you have the advantage of me," she said, her eyes dancing. She reached her hand up for him to help her to her feet.

He took it and sank to his knees beside her.

"Not true, Isobel," he said in a harsh whisper. "'Tis I who am at your mercy."

His eyes fixed on her lips, full and parted. Well beyond thought now, he gave in to the inexorable pull toward them. The moment their lips touched, fire seared through him.

He tried to hang on to the thin thread of caution tugging at his conscience. But she was kissing him back, mouth open, her tongue seeking his. His ears roared as she put her arms around his neck and pulled him down.

He cushioned the back of her head with his hand before it touched the dirt floor. Leaning over her, he gave himself wholly to kissing her. He splayed his hands into her hair and rained kisses along her jaw and down her throat, then returned to her mouth again.

The sweet taste of her, the smell of her filled his senses. He was mindless of anything except her mouth, her face, her hair, his burning need to touch her.

He ran his hand down her side to the swell of her hip. When she moaned, he knew he had to feel her beneath him. Beneath him, pressed against him. Skin to skin.

Slowly, he lowered his body until he felt the soft fullness of her breasts against his chest. Sweet heaven! Oh God, the little sounds she was making. He let himself sink down further and groaned aloud as his swollen shaft pressed against her hip.

There was a reason he must not do what he wanted to do, but he could not recall it. And did not want to try.

The breath went out of him in a whoosh as he cupped the rounded softness of her breast in his hand. It felt so wondrously good he had to squeeze his eyes shut.

He froze the instant he felt the prick of cold steel against his neck.

"You are right," she said so close to his ear that he could feel her breath, "'tis wise to carry a short blade."

Dynasties: The Tudors

By Anna C. Bowling

Long before Jonathan Rhys Meyers declined to wear body padding to play Henry VIII, the real Tudors provided enough drama, passion, conflict and spectacle that some Tudor aficionados contend that the HBO series didn't have to change a thing to provide an entertaining tale. From Henry VII to his granddaughter, Elizabeth I, the Tudor dynasty has long been a favorite among writers such as Jean Plaidy, Bertrice Small and Philippa Gregory, not to mention the feast for the eyes in numerous films set in this era. As supporting players or leads, the Tudors left their stamp on everything they touched.

Henry VII came to power at the end of the Wars of the Roses in 1485. Henry, aligned with the house of Lancaster on his mother's side, united both factions by marrying Elizabeth Plantagenet of York, the niece of the defeated Richard III. The Tudor rose symbol pays homage to union of York and Lancaster. Henry and Elizabeth may have thought the united houses' future well secured with four surviving children, Arthur, Henry, Margaret and Mary.

Both girls married well, Mary to Louis VII of France and Margaret to James IV of Scotland. Arthur's marriage to Catherine of Aragon provided an alliance with the Spanish crown, and had Arthur survived, we might have seen history play out in far different fashion.

After only four months of marriage, Arthur died. Henry VII secured a papal dispensation to allow Prince Henry to marry Arthur's widow, Catherine. By the time the marriage took place, Henry VII had died and Henry VIII made Catherine his queen. Another point where history might have taken a vastly different turn; Henry and Catherine endured a string of stillbirths and infant deaths, including a son, Henry, Duke of Cornwall, who died at an age of less than two months. Only one daughter, Mary, survived, and Henry's desire to preserve his dynasty through the birth of sons only grew. Attempts to obtain a divorce within the Catholic church failed time and again.

What's a desperate monarch to do?

In Henry's case, break with Catholicism and form the Church of England, with the king as the head of church as well as head of state. Henry's appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, allowed for the dissolution of Henry's marriage to Catherine. Now single, Henry made his mistress, Anne Boleyn, his wife and new queen. Perhaps if their daughter, Elizabeth, called by many one of England's greatest monarchs, had been a male, Henry would have been satisfied, but fate was once again keeping the desired son out of his reach.

Anne would no longer suffice, and Henry was faced once again with getting rid of a wife he no longer wanted. Accusations of witchcraft, incest and high treason leveled upon Anne and though the validity of several accusations are widely contested among historians, it was enough to send Anne to her death. She was beheaded in 1536, after which Henry remarried, this time to Jane Seymour.

It was Jane at last who provided Henry with a son, Edward, though she died soon after his birth, leaving Henry distraught at her loss. Not distraught enough to put him off marriage, as he took a fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, his reluctance overcome when he saw a portrait of her painted by Hans Holbein the younger. The real Anne, however, did not suit him. Nor, apparently, did he suit her, as she agreed to an annulment, and was known thereafter as My Lady, the King's Sister. Henry had Thomas Cromwell, who had proposed the marriage, executed.

Henry was nothing if not determined. He married Catherine Howard, a cousin of the Duke of Norfolk. The marriage was doomed. Catherine, more than three decades Henry's junior, conducted an affair with one of Henry's favorites, Thomas Culpeper, and as one might guess, this did not go over well. Catherine was executed in 1542.

By 1543, Henry was back at the altar with Catherine Parr, who survived him upon his death in 1547...which is where things really get interesting. His will had restored Mary, his daughter by Catherine of Aragon and Elizabeth, his daughter by Anne Boleyn, to the line of succession. It did not, however legitimize them, as annulled marriage legally never occurred, so both girls were still legally illegitimate. Edward VI ascended the throne at the age of nine.

Had the boy king, a religious reformer even at his young age, survived, again, we might have a far different tale to tell, but Edward became ill in 1553, and the issue of Edward's successor came into play. Edward changed his father's will to allow his cousin, Jane Grey to succeed him upon his death. There's no telling what England might have been under Jane's rule, as she did not want the throne, and indeed did not technically have it, and her reign lasted only nine days before she was dethroned.

Henry's older daughter, Mary, became queen, and Jane, along with her husband, Guilford Dudley, were executed. Mary, who desired to make England a Catholic nation once more, married Prince Philip of Spain, a distant relative. Mary, however, inherited her father's bad luck with marriage, as Philip preferred to spend his time away from Mary. Though there were several reputed pregnancies, Mary produced no offspring. Though she could not produce a Catholic heir, her actions as eliminating Protestants earned her the name of "Bloody Mary." She died without issue in 1558, her half-sister Elizabeth as her heir.

Elizabeth has been known as the Virgin Queen, though there have been speculations about her relationship with Robert Dudley, her Master of the Horse and constant companion. Elizabeth never married, knowing that a woman's power and assets would go to her husband and preferred to remain in control of her own life and country. Politician, fashionista, poet, diplomat and true Renaissance woman, Elizabeth left her mark on the age that bears her name. Her speech at Tilbury on the eve of the Spanish Armada still inspires many to hold fast in the face of danger. Her court is synonymous with splendor and intrigue, and Elizabeth is as famed for her temper as her fashion sense.

If Elizabeth had accepted any of the many applicants for her hand, again, we'd have a very different history, but the Virgin Queen remained married only to England, and upon her death in 1603 unmarried and without issue, the sun set on the Tudor dynasty. Elizabeth was succeeded by her cousin, James VI of Scotland who became the first English king of that name, beginning a new age...but that's another story.

Dynasties: Inbreeding

By Jennifer Linforth

Sometimes it is just not a wise idea to marry your cousin.

For centuries the Hapsburg name has been synonymous with dynasties, and like any, they rise and fall. Presiding over the first global empire, they ruled Spain from 1516 to 1700, but the beasts that brought them down...were kissing cousins. Generations of intermarriage has been blamed for the fall of this particular part of the Hapsburg reign. As we know other reigns went on and on. Fanatical about the fashion of preserving heritage yielded a monarch for the Spanish Hapsburgs so inbred he was incapable of providing an heir, thus leaving the door open for power to pass to the French Bourbons.

According to a report published this year, scientists extensively examined a branch of the family tree of the Spanish Hapsburgs, in particular the lineage of King Charles II. The discovery was eye-opening to say the least. A victim of repeated marriages to close relatives, studies claimed him to be almost as inbred as if he were the offspring of an incestuous relationship between brothers and sisters or fathers and daughters.

The consequences? Infant mortality was high, with only half the Hapsburg kin living to see their first birthday. On top of that were rare recessive genetic illnesses and deformities like the now famous Hapsburg Jaw. Charles II was plagued with it so severely, eating was difficult and his tongue was said to be too big for his mouth, resulting in a drooling and incoherent monarch. Add to this the hallucinations, convulsive episodes, and edemas and you have a melting pot of problems stemming from marriages that, over 200 years, were often between first cousins or uncles and nieces.

The quest for power was all important in this day, but the need to keep blood as pure as possible was ultimately poison.

Dynasties: The Nasrid of Granada

By Lisa Yarde

The Moors were Islamic people of Arabian and Negro heritage, who invaded the Iberian Peninsula, beginning in the eighth century. They called the conquered land al-jazirat al-Andalus. The last dynasty to rule al-Andalus were the Nasrids.

With the Reconquista, Spanish Christians were determined to drive out the Moors. By the thirteenth century, only one Moorish kingdom remained, the Nasrid Sultanate of Gharnatah, nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The family came to Spain during the very early stages of Moorish rule, claiming descent from a contemporary of the Prophet Muhammad. They settled in the Arjuno region of southern Spain (modern Jaen province), serving in the armies of the Umayyad Caliphate, distinguishing themselves in their military leadership as officers and generals.

The first Nasrid Sultan, Muhammad I, was born in Arjuno in 1191, first of four brothers. Moorish Spain was confined to the lower half of the peninsula where a loose confederation of emirates, known as the Tai'fa states, evolved after the collapse of the Almohade Empire. A rival family, the Hud, controlled the south, but Muhammad was determined to overthrow them. In 1231, he became governor of his home region and soon conquered other principal cities, including Guadix in 1232, Granada in 1237, Almeria the following year, and Malaga by 1239. He had the help of powerful allies, the Ashqilula family.

In 1238 CE, Muhammad I began construction on his palace in the capital of Granada, which has since become one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in the West, the Alhambra. As the Spanish Catholics encroached on Moorish territory, Muhammad submitted to a period of vassalage to the kings of Castile and in 1248, helped them conquer Muslim Seville. Muhammad had four sons, the eldest of whom he chose to rule after him. But that was contrary to the interests of his allies, the Ashqilula. A brutal civil war erupted that divided Spain for several years after Muhammad's death in 1273. Then, the dynasty began a slow decline.

The Nasrid rule was a tumultuous end to the reign of Moors in Europe. At least fourteen of Muhammad I's descendants were dethroned or murdered, often by members of their own family. Muhammad III poisoned his father, Muhammad II. Nasr I dethroned his half-brother Muhammad III, eventually blinding and killing him. Muhammad II's grandson Isma`il was stabbed to death by his cousin in a quarrel over a slave girl, and two of Isma`il’s sons, Muhammad IV and Yusuf I, also met violent deaths. When Yusuf's son Muhammad V came to power, his stepmother, half-sister, and her husband conspired to drive him into exile in Morocco. Muhammad V recovered his throne, but his descendants rarely held it for very long. His grandson Muhammad IX lost and regained the Alhambra at least four times during a span of thirty-five years. Also, the jealous mother of Muhammad XII encouraged her son to rebel against his father, Abu'l-Hasan Ali, because the ruler favored his second wife and her children.

The repeated incidents of patricide and fratricide through the Nasrid history weakened a dynasty that was already on a slippery slope to disintegration, almost from its beginnings. When the Reconquista culminated in the defeat and surrender of the last heir of Muhammad I, on January 1, 1492 CE, the Nasrid dynasty collapsed completely. Its final ruler, Muhammad XII, went into exile in Morocco, and never returned to his birthplace.

ALASKAN RENEGADE Winner!

We have a winner for Kate Bridges' ALASKAN RENEGADE guest blog. A free copy goes to:

WANDA!

Contact Carrie to provide your mailing address. The book must be claimed by next Sunday or another winner will be drawn. Please stop back later to let us know what you thought! Congratulations!

Guest Author: Carol Ann Didier

We're happy to have Carol Ann Didier joining us today as she promotes the release of her latest American Indian romance from Kensington, NAVAJO NIGHT, set in 1860 New Mexico Territory. She's written us a lovely description of her journey into publishing. Stay tuned at the bottom of the post to learn what goodies Carol Ann is giving away!

UNSPOKEN PASSION YIELDS TO...

JoAnna Lund and her father are risking everything to settle safely out west and leave their tragic past far behind. And as a lone rider blocks their trail, they are prepared for trouble. But from the moment JoAnna locks eyes with the tall, proud Navajo brave, she feels an irresistible, dangerous desire...

FORBIDDEN PLEASURE...

Notah Begay wonders why the young woman and her father have ventured so deep into his people's territory. But he is fascinated by JoAnna's gentle spirit, and her honesty sparks a passion that his carefully-guarded heart can't deny. And nothing--and no man--will prevent him from claiming the woman who has made him hers forever...

***

Hi lovers and readers of historical novels,

I am so pleased and honored to be able to blog with you on this exciting website.

Someone asked me how I became so interested in Native Americans that I would write about them. This was my reply: "At twelve years of age, I fell in love with a dead actor who had played a dead Indian." It was movie star Jeff Chandler who played the part of the Chiricahua Apache leader, Cochise, in the 1950 movie BROKEN ARROW. After that, every term paper or book report I did in school was about our westward expansion and Apache Indians.

I never planned to be a writer, but I loved to read about our westward expansion and the stamina and determination of our early pioneers that carved a life out of what was once a wilderness. But later in my life, after a divorce and a move from Maryland to Florida to raise my two sons, I found myself reading Native American romances to ease the loneliness at night.

Later, through a meeting with some wonderful pastors and missionaries to the Apache and Navajo people, I was able to visit the very places I had read about. For ten years I spent all my summer vacations on the Apache and Navajo Reservations and attended Native American Pastor convocations. I met many wonderful Apache and Navajos, as well as people from other tribes. I was grieved and touched by the poor living conditions on the reservations and was appalled that we would let the real First Americans live like this in this day and age. That started my empathy and love for them as a people.

One day in l982, while my son and I were getting ready for work and school, a famous romance writer was on the TV show "Good Morning America" discussing her latest bestseller. I turned to my son as we passed each other in the living room and said, "I've read her books, and I know I could write one every bit as good as hers." My son answered, "If you think you can, then do it." He put the dare before me and I just had to prove that I could. So I wrote the first book in three months. I had not realized how much of the things I had read and learned about the Apaches and Navajos had stayed with me all these years.

When I started writing, I knew the story would have to include Cochise, the mighty Chiricahua Chief, even though he could not be the love interest of my white heroine, Amanda. It's a romantic historical saga about an Eastern Baltimore belle and an Apache warrior caught up in a taboo love that has the power to heal or harm a broken people. Set in historical southeast Arizona of l860-1880, APACHE WARRIOR proved love knows no color, creed or race. It happens in the heart, when and where you least expect it and if allowed to grow, can conquer differences in culture, hatred, and personal loss.

My second book for Kensington came out this past September, called NAVAJO NIGHT. While I was researching the Dinéh, The People, I discovered a not so well known fact concerning one of the darkest periods in their history--something they called "The Long Walk." It was very similar to the tragic "Trail of Tears" made by the Cherokee when President Jackson forced them to leave the Carolinas and Georgia and marched them to Oklahoma/Indian Territory. When I read about it, I knew I wanted to include that in my story as well as the taboo love between a Navajo holy man and a Virginia preacher's daughter.

In 1860, because of complaints about Navajo raids on white mining camps and ranches in New Mexico that General James Henry Carleton commissioned Colonel Carson to round up the Navajos. It was Carleton's shortsighted belief the if the Navajo were instructed in the benefits of becoming more like the white man, they could be civilized, Christianized, and eventually fit in to the white society.

Kit Carson, having made friends with the Navajos in earlier days, feared it would not be an easy task. Nor was it. He finally resorted to a "scorched earth" policy whereby the army burned their villages, destroyed their farm plots and peach orchards, killed their livestock or took them, and literally drove The People like cattle south from the four corners area. It was grueling march of over 400 miles. Many Navajo died from disease, lack of proper food and clothing, horrible weather conditions, as well as mistreatment by the army itself.

Once on the reserve, the ones who survived felt those who had not actually received the better end of it.

Into this struggle a man and a women from two different worlds try to find a bridge between two life-ways, to again prove that love knows no color, creed, or race. The question then became, could the Navajo holy man with a crippled heart, heal the white woman with a crippled foot?

In all my novels, I have tried to make them as historically accurate as I can, especially in dealing with the beliefs and cultures of the Native Americans. I try to use familiar settings and actual figures from history to make it more authentic while creating my own characters and love story.

For those who wish to write, I would say "Get to it!" Don't let go of your dream. Write that book of your heart. It may not be the one that sells at first, but it feels so good to see in on paper and type THE END when finished. I was not an overnight wonder. It took me ten years to get published, but in the end, when I walked into K-Mart and saw my book staring me in the face, I wanted to shout and jump and down and grab the first passerby and say, "Look! Look...it's my book on that shelf." Of course, I didn't do that, but I did have to restrain myself when a person came down the book isle shortly thereafter.

I encourage you to just read, read, and read some more. Keep up with your favorite genre and see how the books you love are being written. Join a writer's group like Romance Writers of America or one in your area. Find a critique partner(s) and go to conferences that specialize in developing your writing skills. You'll find great encouragement being with like-minded persons.

Thanks for taking the time to read my posting. I hope you will pick up a copy of both books and find your own time under an Apache moon and enjoy a Navajo night.

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Thanks for sharing with us, Carol Ann! Leave a comment or question for our guest author and you'll be entered to win a nice little gift package. Carol Ann is giving away an autographed copy of NAVAJO NIGHT, a bookmark, and an engraved pencil. I'll draw the winner next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

Weekly Announcements - 20 Nov 09

The covers of two of our regular contributors, Blythe Gifford and Margaret Mallory, have been named as finalists in The Seasons' Best Historical Covers of 2009 poll. Blythe's entry is IN THE MASTER'S BED, while Margaret has two entries: KNIGHT OF DESIRE and KNIGHT OF PLEASURE.

Voting will open November 30 to determine the best, but for now we'll just offer our congratulations at having made it this far!

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Jennifer Mueller just received an offer for large print, hardback and paperback rights from the BBC for her Regency novel A RUINED SEASON. Congratulations!

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Lindsay Townsend received a four-star review for A KNIGHT'S CAPTIVE from Lauren Calder at Affaire de Coeur. "Good solid writing and a steady paced tale draw the reader into the story. Ms. Townsend has a talent for entertainment and a flair for telling tales of knights in shining armor."

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Carrie Lofty received a four-star review from Romantic Times for her January release, SCOUNDREL'S KISS. "With its atypical setting and unique characters, Lofty's latest sweeps readers into a historical plot that tackles many contemporary themes in a meaningful and thought-provoking way. Kudos to Lofty for her innovative approach."

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Zoe Archer also received four stars for her Crimean War-set novella "The Undying Heart" in her duology with Bianca D'Arc entitled HALF PAST DEAD. "These zombie stories stand out in a genre dominated by vampires. The two tales of lovers reunited feature strong, courageous women who won't let zombies stand in the way of getting their man. Archer's imaginative and unusual tale will have you cheering for the characters, while D'Arc delivers a creepy and pulse-pounding story of danger."

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Join us Sunday when Unusual Historicals will welcome Kensington author Carol Ann Didier. She'll be discussing her latest American Indian romance, NAVAJO NIGHT, and giving away an autographed copy. Don't miss it!

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We'll also draw the winner of Kate Bridges' ALASKAN RENEGADE. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.

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And stay with us through the coming weeks when we'll be featuring the best unusual historical authors! Margaret Mallory, Michelle Styles, Carla Capshaw, and MJ Smith will be our guests. We hope you'll join us!

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Have a good weekend! Remember, you don't have to be an Unusual Historicals contributor to submit good news to the weekend announcements. If it has to do with unusual historicals, we'd love to shout it out to the world! Send announcements to Carrie. See you next week...