Peeking Between the Pages

...escape into the pages of a good book

Guest Post with Christy English, author of The Queen’s Pawn & GIVEAWAY

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Welcome to Peeking Between the Pages Christy! It’s a pleasure to have you here today. Christy English is the author of The Queen’s Pawn which released on April 6, 2010. I had intended to have my review post today but circumstances prevented me from finishing it as I had hoped. So I’m going to post the guest post/giveaway today and my review hopefully Friday. I can say though that the book is fantastic so far and I hated not having a chance to pick it up and keep reading! Let’s see what Christy has to say about…Location and Inspiration: Writing at the Cloisters…

The Cloisters is an extension of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, a separate branch that holds much of the museum’s medieval collection. It is a place of beautiful art, flowering trees, and square colonnades, or cloisters, where water runs in fountains all through the spring and summer, giving the visitor an oasis of peace in the midst of Manhattan’s constant motion.


The Cloisters is where I first wrote the outline for THE QUEEN’S PAWN, a novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine and Princess Alais of France. In one of the museum’s three outdoor cloisters, Alais and I settled down to work out the details of THE QUEEN’S PAWN. Writing a synopsis can be as much work for me as writing the novel itself, but the soothing, tranquil atmosphere of the museum relaxed me and gave me a feeling for the kind of religious devotion that sustained Alais throughout her childhood and for much of her life.


This statue of the Holy Mother and the Christ child, while from a later period, gives you a good idea of the kind of art Alais loved. The character as she developed on the pages of my novel has a deep devotion to the Church. She is especially drawn to the Virgin Mary, who serves as an aid and comfort to her during the dark, lonely days of her childhood, and later, after the events of THE QUEEN’S PAWN have drawn to a close

The Cloisters is full of such beauty, objects of devotion and shaded colonnades of tranquility. As I wrote, I felt as if I was given a window into Alais’ time in her own cloister, when she was able to escape the political tumult of her life, and spend her time in contemplation and prayer. I would have written the book without the Cloisters to shelter me, but the experience would not have been nearly as rewarding. I am grateful to the museum for creating such a place of serenity where, as with THE QUEEN’S PAWN, we can seek a window into the past.

__________

Thank you so much for the wonderful post Christy. I would love to visit the Cloisters. It sounds like a beautiful place for writing.
__________

About the Book (from Amazon.com)

A historical novel of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine and the one person she loved more than power-her rival for the throne.

At only nine, Princess Alais of France is sent to live in England until she is of age to wed Prince Richard, son of King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Alais is an innocent pawn on the chessboard of dynastic marriage, her betrothal intended to broker an uneasy truce between the nations.

Estranged from her husband, Eleanor sees a kindred spirit in this determined young girl. She embraces Alais as a daughter, teaching the princess what it takes to be a woman of power in a world of men. But as Alais grows to maturity and develops ambitions of her own, Eleanor begins to see her as a threat-and their love for each other becomes overshadowed by their bitter rivalry, dark betrayals, conflicting passions, and a battle for revenge over the throne of England itself.

About the Author (from Christy English’s blog)

I am a writer of historical fiction centering on Eleanor of Aquitaine, Alais of France, and the Plantagenets of the 12th Century. Look for my novel THE QUEEN’S PAWN from the New American Library, an imprint of Penguin.

My second novel, about Eleanor of Aquitaine’s marriage to Louis VII of France, TO BE QUEEN, will be published by the New American Library in April 2011.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have 1 copy of The Queen’s Pawn courtesy of the publisher to share with US residents only and I will offer up my very gently read copy to everyone! So, that’s 2 copies up for grabs! To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
  • For 2 entries follow my blog. If you do, thank you, and let me know in your comment please.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this post and giveaway.

I will draw for the winners on May 8, 2010. Good luck everyone!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. blodeuedd1 at gmail dot com

    I have been eying this book for some weeks. I have never read anything about Alais, and this sounds like one good book.

  2. The Cloisters definitely looks very inspiring! Looks like a great book, thanks for the chance to win.

    +2 I'm a follower

    Thanks.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

  5. one of my favorite genres nothing better than a good book on a rainy afternoon
    i follow i have learned about some great books thanks so much

  6. I have been to the Cloisters and it is a gorgeous little museum.

    I would love to win.
    thank you

    I follow
    kaiminani at gmail dot com

  8. This book sounds so interesting, and I enjoyed reading about the Cloisters – would love to visit it myself. Thanks for the giveaway.

    I follow through Google Reader.

  10. Very cool guest post! I would be so excited to win this book. It looks like a great read. Please enter me in your giveaway!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

    I am also a follower of your blog!

  14. Looks like a great book and thank you for hosting this giveaway.

    +2 I follow.

    mystica123athotmaildotcom

  16. This one looks good! Please enter me for it.

    I follow on google friend connect

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

  22. I would love to read this! Thank you for the giveaway!
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

  31. It's really cool how where you write can really impact your writting. No need to enter me for the giveaway as I already have it. thanks for the great guest post.

  32. I love historical fiction and thank you Darlene for introducing me to a new author in the genre. I can't wait to read The Queen's Pawn.

    I'm a follower and have tweeted about the giveaway.

  34. I love the cover of this novel. The dresses are so beautiful. I'm an historical fiction lover and would love to be entered in your drawing.

    I'm a follower

    mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

  39. I'd love this. And you're drawing it on my birthday… {hint, hint}
    Thanks for the giveaway!

    s.mickelson at gmail dot com

  40. I have never heard of The Cloisters!
    I must be living under a rock…..
    Historical fiction is my favorite and I would appreciate being entered
    in your book drawing.
    Many thanks, Cindi
    jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

  42. I am a follower of your blog. #2
    Many thanks to you….. Cindi
    jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

  51. I love historical fiction !! kindly enter me for this giveaway plz 🙂

    itzme(dot)insi(at)gmail(dot)com

  54. I am a Follower.

    librarypat AT comcast DOT net

    You have found the ideal place to work on your book. The quiet plus the atmosphere must be an inspiration of their own. I would think where you work would have an effect on you and the book you produce. I am looking forward to reading this one.

  55. It's been many, many years since I went to the Cloisters, but oddly it's come up three times in the last few days… hmmm…

    The book sounds very intriguing.
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    yes – I'm a new follower – great blog

  57. Eleanor Aquitaine is a fantastic character, lots of strength and always in the midst of any kind of trouble. But I must say that I do love to read about the stories of real characters in the shadows of the main players stories that are so often told. Sometimes you come across their stories in a few sentences of a book, and you can't help but wonder about the rest of that persons life. Alais seems to have been very much the pawn. I hope she had some happiness in her life. This book is on my wish list….but thanks for the chance to be in the draw to win!

    I am a follower

    nellista @ yahoo dot com dot au

  58. Thank you for the give away offer this looks like a great read.
    I also follow.
    jgoffice(at)cox.net

  61. I would love to be able to read this. Please enter me. 😀

    I'm a follower.

    Marie
    utah91960[at]yahoo[dot]com

  64. Hi Chriisty,
    The Cloisters must have been an amazing and inspiring place to write.
    I love the blurb I read and definitely have to read it.And the sequel in 2011.sigh…
    Carol L.
    Lucky4750@aol.com

  65. Sounds like a great book. I just finished an amazing book about Eleanore called Power of a Woman, which I could not put down.

    Holdenj – the cloisters are amazing. I had the chance to go during college and you would never think you were in the middle of NYC. Its like a world apart.

  66. I have always been fascinated by Eleanor of Aquitaine. I would have loved to sit down and talk with her, Queen Elizabeth the First and Dolly Madison. All strong women.
    Please enter me in the giveaway.
    JWIsley(at)aol(dot)com

  68. I love historical fiction, especially european history, I am a HUGE fan of Alison Weir and she has a new novel about Eleanor of Aquitane coming out this year, and it would be great to compare them.
    candc320@gmail.com

  70. Please enter me in this giveaway – Thanks!

    seizethebookblog(at)gmail(dot)com

    And I am a follower!

  87. This book sounds great and I'd love to be entered for it!

    ~Briana
    thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com