Guest Post by C W Gortner author of The Tudor Secret + Giveaway

Interweaving Fact with Fiction: On Writing THE TUDOR SECRET

  

In my latest novel, THE TUDOR SECRET, Book One in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles, I set myself to a challenge that proved more daunting than I originally thought. Despite its shorter length, compared to my other novels THE LAST QUEEN and THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI, THE TUDOR SECRET is deceptively complex, interweaving three storylines—a factual one; a “What if?” one; and a fictionalized one. This was also the first time I decided to work with fictional characters interacting with historical ones, and these interactions were both unexpected and exciting.

Edward VI

My first storyline is factual, based on the tumultuous events surrounding John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and his familial conspiracy to replace Princess Mary Tudor in the succession following the untimely death of Mary’s brother, Edward VI. Though this event, known as the Succession Crisis of 1553, has often gotten short thrift in both biographical accounts of the lead players and in other Tudor-themed novels, I’ve always found it fascinating— a dramatic coup d’état staged by a powerful courtier, aimed at the Catholic heir to the throne, who was herself an embattled survivor of her father’s rupture with Rome. Northumberland had risen through the ranks to the pinnacle of success. In control of the realm after the execution of Edward’s uncle, he was resolved to protect his interests at any cost. Northumberland’s frantic race against time to secure the throne offers riveting contrast to Mary’s emergence from the shadows as the stalwart granddaughter of the famed warrior-queen, Isabella of Castile. Though many initially thought her cause hopeless, history proved differently.

My second storyline focuses on: “What if?” Though it’s established that Mary did in fact visit court to see her ailing brother several months before his demise, less is known about their sister, Elizabeth. Many believe Northumberland refused Elizabeth the same privilege, thus relegating her to her country manor, isolated from the events about to unfold. But my imagination was stirred by the idea of what if she’d ignored Northumberland’s refusal. Hindsight is everything when reconstructing historical events; we now know what Northumberland planned, yet what if Elizabeth, unaware of the extent of the duke’s plot, arrived unannounced in London, determined to see her brother? Rumors of Edward’s demise ran rampant and Elizabeth was known for being both headstrong and fiercely protective of Edward. The possibilities that opened before me as I envisioned this bold nineteen year-old princess descending upon Northumberland and his clan proved irresistible.

Mary entering London with Elizabeth

The last storyline is fictional. The idea for this series was to explore the birth of the grand era of Elizabethan espionage. I also wanted to envision this world through the eyes of an ordinary man, a foundling (as many were) who is brought to court to act as a squire. My lead character, Brendan, only seeks to persevere in his new post, perhaps even gain his freedom from servitude. Disdained by the noble family with whom he has spent his life, still mourning the death of the woman who cared for him, but also keen and observant, if ignorant of the treachery of the court, Brendan is the perfect vehicle for my story: a seemingly every-day youth who, unbeknownst to him, carries a secret that could overturn everything he believes in. His fateful meeting with Elizabeth as she seeks an answer to her brother’s disappearance throws these two characters into a labyrinth of deceit that will test their mettle and forge a lifelong alliance.

Lastly, THE TUDOR SECRET pays humble homage to my lifelong admiration of the spirited historical adventures of Alexander Dumas and Rafael Sabatini. I hope you enjoy this foray into the underworld of the Tudors— a place where dukes battle princesses, betrayal is rife, and one man fights to save a future queen from destruction while unraveling the secret of his own mysterious past.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me. To learn more about me and my books, as well as access special features, please visit me at: http://www.cwgortner.com. Happy reading!

Thanks Christopher for your interesting guest post. I loved The Tudor Secret if you need further convincing check out my review here.

GIVEAWAY:

I am thrilled to be able to offer readers a chance to win a copy of The Tudor Secret thanks to the generosity of C.W. Gortner.

HOW TO ENTER:

*Competition is only open to followers of my blog (so if you're not a follower & you'd like to enter just click on the follow button on the right hand side of my blog - easy peasy)

*Leave a comment telling us your favourite Tudor person. Don't forget to include an email address.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

+ 2 comment on my review of The Tudor Secret.

+2 post about this give-away on twitter or your blog & leave a link

Competition is open to US, Canada, Australia & New Zealand.  Ends March 26th and the winner will be announced on this blog. Good luck everyone!

PS just wanted to let audio lovers know that The Tudor Secret is available from Blackstone Audiobooks. - love this cover

A Passion for the Arts: The Secret Side of Catherine de Medici - Guest Post by C W Gortner

  http://www.aboutfacts.net/

History has painted Catherine de Medici as a perennial black widow who wreaked havoc on France, a reptilian being without glamour. We forget that in fact she was once a pretty girl— thin, with the Medici’s slightly protuberant eyes and thick auburn hair. Though never described as a beauty, she had spirit. More importantly, she was a product of the Italian Renaissance, a well-educated princess who brought with her to France the seeds of a cultural heritage that continues to flourish today.

An avid patron of the arts, Catherine re-modeled the Louvre to house her collection and protect the paintings acquired by her father-in-law, Francois I, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Catherine also had a keen eye for portraiture—a direct reflection of her Renaissance upbringing, in which the individual assumed center stage. During her time as regent, artists created astonishing images of the most important people of the court, including Catherine’s own children, allowing us centuries later to bask in their near-photographic likenesses.

7 of Catherine & Henri's 10 children

Source: wikipedia.org

Architecture was another lifelong passion of Catherine’s; her chateau at Chenonceau is one of the most beautiful palaces in France. Another of her projects is the impressive tomb she had built for herself and her husband in the Abbey of St Denis, though sadly it sits empty since the plunder of the Revolution.

Perhaps most fascinating are the smaller contributions she made: Catherine is believed to have imported the first artichokes to France, as well as the first example of the modernized side-saddle. She was also the first documented user of female undergarments in France — which, if true, indicates that before she arrived, the ladies went commando under their gowns. It makes one wonder just how Catherine went about introducing the benefits of underpants to her companions!

Thank you so much for spending this time with me. To find out more about The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, as well as special features about me and my work, please visit: http://www.cwgortner.com/

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Thanks so much for the informative guest post Christopher, as always it is an absolute pleasure to have you visit my blog. Your new novel and your blog post inspired me to do some extra reading about Catherine & her pivotal role in this period in history & the introduction of undergarments for women :-)

Tomorrow, don't miss my review of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici and an awesome international giveaway thanks to C W Gortner!!