Family history??

Interested in learning about your ancestors? I definitely am. In fact, as Sean can attest, it's become a bit of an obsession with me. Finding and recording their stories is rather addictive. In the past couple of years I've discovered so many interesting characters in my various family lines. If you're interested in reading about them, join me over at my family history blog.

Teresa

My new writing gig...

Come visit me at my family history blog. Here's my first post from a February:

 My contradictory relationship with WWII ...  

How contest entries improve my writing...before I even enter!

In an effort to resume my writing on a more regular basis, I have entered one writing contest and am working on an entry for a second one. In doing so, I've been reminded just how helpful the act of preparing a contest entry can be.

Case in point - the contest I want to enter this month has a word count limit, rather than a page limit. This fact has forced me to edit even more closely than before. After going over and over this manuscript I was certain it was as tight as it could be, yet without too much trouble I managed to cut at least 20 words. Which left me wondering why they were there in the first place. How had they slipped through so many other times?

I realize that most likely I was editing for other reasons - not strictly for word count. Does that make sense? And it's not as though the words I removed were serving as padding, they were just, in the end, superfluous. But I didn't see that before because I wasn't focussed on making my prose tight - I was focussed on story, dialogue etc. 

Do you still enter writing contests? If so, how do you find they help you with your writing?

Some progress...

I had a rough couple of weeks (nothing really serious, but just not fun), however by Friday I was feeling well enough to tackle some writing. I'd booked the day off more than a month previously so had a good chunk of time, especially as Sean was working a double shift. Rather than messing around with plotting etc, I just opened my ms, read through the previous couple of scenes, then picked up where I'd left off (mid-scene) and just forced myself to write. Yep, didn't wait for the muse or hope for inspiration, just started listening to my characters and typing.

Is the scene perfect? Is it even finished? No and no, but it's more than 800 words longer than it was before, so I'm happy. As I've learned to do with other mss, when I ran into words/phrases etc I a) wasn't happy with or b) wasn't sure if they were in period, instead of stopping to mess about, I bracketed them and kept going. The ONLY thing I did do was look for some historical furniture to help set myself in the scene...but even then, I kept writing, rather than allowing myself to get lost in an endless search for the perfect sofa and wall paper for the parlour. I'm determined to keep moving on with this as the not writing is now getting worse than the seemingly awful dreck I think I'm producing.

I keep reminding myself of Nora's words about "fixing everything but a blank page."

How do you motivate yourself?

Plotting...the bane of my existence...

I've had problems lately with my plots. I get so far and the story peters out...so I went looking for help on the internet and found some good advice. A lot of it is stuff I already know, and which, in earlier mss, came naturally to me. Now, however, I'm reading again about Three Act Structure, character goals, theme and resolution and hoping they help jar something free so I can finish at least one of my three unfinished manuscript and, preferably, all three.

Here are some of the sites I bookmarked:

The Single Most Powerful Writing Tool You’ll Ever See That Fits On One Page

Your Plot, Step by Step

PLOT---Part Three: Making Plans and Consulting the Maps

How to Use a Plot Notebook When Writing a Book

I know part of my problem is that I'm so caught up with so many projects that I'm not focussing enough on just my writing. That comes from having sacrificed (willingly) so much while I was in school. I thought at first I'd just lost altogether my ability to write and plot, but discovered in the library at Whistler in January that when the ONLY thing I had to focus on was my story, I accomplished more than I had in a while. Maybe that's my secret - I need to lock myself in the Whistler Library!

How about you - what do you do when your story stalls?

Teresa

Decisions, decisions...

I'm trying to decide whether or not to enter The 6th Annual Alaska Break-Up Contest. I like the sound of it because it's a welcome change from the "First Meet" which always seems to focus on the first 30 pages or so of the manuscript. Not that I have a problem with my first 30 pages, but I've had lots of feedback, having entered them several times, both in local contests and in RWA's Golden Heart. And I do actually love the scene in What the Heart Remembers that sees the characters break up - it was a tough scene to write, but I believe it is a strong one.

Still, it's been a while since I've entered a contest and I know they can be real crap shoots (if you'll excuse the expression). While most judges are great, one can occasionally draw a judge who either just doesn't get your work or who doesn't have either the experience to do the job properly or the interest in certain types of stories. OTOH, I realize that this might be the best way to get back into the swing of things before submitting again.

What do you think of contests? Have you entered any lately?

Teresa

Revitalizing my neglected blog...

I have been terribly neglectful of my blog of late, I cannot deny that. While I was in school, I blamed my workload for my rare posts, but I've been done for almost a year now and still have been uninspired to post. It's odd, really, as I love this blog and have been keeping it up, at one pace or another for over seven years now.

Part of the problem, I believe, is not being focussed enough. Since finishing school I've been caught up at work, both my official job at the library and my volunteer work at the local museum. My writing has suffered as a result, though I am making more of an effort these days. I think a lot of the reason for my lack of interest in the blog lately relates directly to spending 3 1/2 years meeting constant deadlines in school. Having to blog felt like another of those deadlines. However, now, I find I'm missing it.

My writing is at a crossroads of sorts. Part of me wants to keep working on the three unfinished mss I already have, yet another part wants to go in a completely different direction. Every time I think I might be able to abandon one of those mss, the characters protest and I come back to the. That tells me that really, I have to write their stories before I can move on.

The biggest obstacle, however, is the problem with my plotting. I've mentioned this over on Facebook - my sudden inability to clearly see the end of the story. A plotter by nature, I've learned that I have to have at least a general outline of the story before I can move to far with it. That doesn't mean I have things worked out scene by scene down to the last detail and won't deviate, but it does mean I need to have a specific final scene in my head. With my earlier mss, this was always the case - the scenes were there from very early on in the writing process. Yet now, it just doesn't happen. I can't tell if this means it's the wrong story, the wrong characters or just that my mind is now filled with so many other details, that I"m not able to focus on my writing.

I did work before, but I wasn't as involved with it as I am with my work at the library. Part of that revolves around my work with the public - I give a lot of myself during the day, so a lot of my energy that would go to my creative side gets drained. Also, at least while I was writing my first ms, I used the writing as an escape from a job I really didn't like much at all. That is not the case now. OTOH, every time I think maybe I should just forget about writing, my characters protest very loudly and draw me back into their worlds.

Learning to balance my work life with my writing life is something I have to work on. Unlike some of my writing friends, I cannot function in that capacity at 5 am - I wish I could, but I just can't. The most I can do just after 6 am is drag myself down to the elliptical trainer or my yoga mat. My brain has never engaged at that early an hour. So it's back to evenings again - something I had to do in school. I fooled myself into believing that I'd be so well trained from doing work at night that it would translate to my writing. No such luck - I found I was so relieved to NOT have to do work in the evenings, I only wanted to read or surf the web.

Now, however, I realize that I have little choice - my characters want their stories to be told and given that I have evenings relatively free, I have to dedicate at least some of that time to my writing. No excuses. Writing has been a part of my life for so long that I can't just give up on it now, especially when it's clear that the stories are still viable, given that my characters demand my attention.

I'm hoping that by blogging about writing related topics again, on a frequent basis, that I will keep myself more focussed on writing and begin to produce new work on a much more regular basis.

What about you? How do you stay foccussed on your work?

Teresa

Review: Before Versailles by Karleen Koën

The Sun King, "L'état, c'est moi." Versailles...These are the first three things that come to mind where Louis XIV of France is concerned. But what about before he became the all-powerful monarch? Karleen Koën's fourth novel, Before Versailles, published this month in trade paperback by Sourcebooks, focusses on five months of the young king's life during the spring and summer of 1661, soon after he began his personal rule. Until then his mother, Anne of Austria (a Spanish princess) had been regent, guided by Cardinal Mazarin.

In May of 1661, Louis had been married to Maria-Teresa of Spain for almost a year and she was pregnant with his first child. The court was at Fontainebleu and had recently welcomed Louis' cousin and sister-in-law, Henriette, sister of Charles II of England. Into this glittering company came a young, impoverished noblewoman, Louise de la Baume le Blanc, to serve as one of Henriette's maids of honour. It is through her eyes that Koën tells the story.

An innocent in many ways, Louise is thrilled to have escaped the boredom of the Orléans household, in which she had served, to join the court of the young king. Soon she is caught up in the intrigue and jealousies of the king, his brother, his sister-in-law and the young queen. Additionally, she encounters a strange young man in an iron mask and seeks to learn his identity and the reason his face is kept hidden.

Counselling her are her cousin, François-Timoléon de Choisy and her friend Fanny de Montalais, another maid of honour. As the summer progresses, Louise finds herself drawn into a relationship with the king after confiding in him about the boy in the mask. Their love blossoms, but remains hidden from the prying eyes at court, while at the same time Louis grasps the reins of power for himself, seeking to eliminate all those who challenge him.

Known for her dedication to period detail and tight plotting, Ms. Koën has produced a masterpiece of historical fiction. The story starts slowly, introducing characters and laying the groundwork for a multi-threaded story that culminates in Louis' independence from all who seek to control him. By a third of the way through the book, the reader is reluctant to put it down as Louise and Louis begin their inexorable dance towards each other.

But it is more than the love story that entices, it's the brilliant portrayal of a court full of so many undercurrents it's amazing its inhabitants don't drown. Add in the smallest attention to dress, food, flora, fauna, architecture and social history, and it is little wonder that dedicated readers of historical fiction rave about Ms. Koën's work.

I loved her characterization of Louis XIV, as a young man transforming himself into the Sun King, taking control of his government, yet still maintaining some sense of himself as just a man, caught in a situation over which he has little control - married to a woman he doesn't love and whose destiny it is to rule a kingdom.

Louise also stands out, growing in confidence and maturity as she navigates the increasingly dangerous waters of a court obsessed with power and position. A typical teenaged girl of the time, she swings between poor judgement in some situations and acts of genuine empathy - it is easy to see why Louis is drawn to her. She is not perfect, nor does she behave like the more experienced women at court who sacrifice their souls to achieve power and wealth.

The supporting characters also shine, from the child-like queen to Viscount Nicholas, from Louis' brother Philippe to his mother's former lady-in-waiting, the Duchess de Chevreuse. Each has a role to play that adds to the story's depth without detracting from the central plot.

I did notice that on a few occasions Ms Koën hints to the reader of what will happen to certain characters beyond the scope of the book. This sporadic use of the omniscient pov would, in the hands of a less experienced writer, prove annoying and distracting, yet her skill is such that those passages fit naturally into the narrative.

Ultimately, what makes this work a successful and enthralling piece of historical fiction is the absolute sense of place and the believability of the characters and their mindset. Their motivations rang true and it was easy to get caught up in their lives, so easy, in fact, that I was disappointed when I reached the final chapter. This book is a veritable feast for anyone interested in 17th century France and its star, Louis XIV.

Never mind the sagging middle...mine just disappears!

Let me make it clear, I'm talking about the middle of my three works-in-progress, not my physical middle! It's just fine :) Anyway, from 2006 - 2008 I started three different novels and found that the story just petered out. I'm not sure why. For the first three of my mss, I had a pretty clear idea where the story was going and for at least one of the aforementioned ones, I thought I did too, but I just couldn't get through to the end with the plotting. All the difficult mss just bog down and refuse to move. I had moments like this with the first three, but was always able to work through it and keep writing. Even the really bad first ms! It had major problems, but at least the story kept rolling along.


I can't figure out where I'm going wrong. When I finished school I thought "Yippee, I can write again." But other than some editing on one of the completed mss, I find myself too scare to even try to fix what has gone wrong because I have no idea how even to go about it. I just can't believe that I've lost the ability to write a story...but maybe I have.


Part of the problem could be that I started each of the problem mss as part of NaNoWriMo, which meant just writing flat out without doing any analysis. However, that doesn't explain why I can no longer see an ending or why my plotting abilities have deserted me. It's as though my characters will go so far and then they'll dig in their heels and refuse to move. With my other mss, often just letting my characters take over at key points provided the necessary plot twists, but this no longer happens.


Am I trying too hard? Have I picked three wrong stories? 6 wrong characters? Argh! If this was my second ms, I could totally understand it happening - first was a fluke and really, I was kidding myself. But how does someone go from successfully completing three stories to not being able to complete even one more?


Thoughts?

Adapting to the non-academic life...

It's been fewer than two weeks since my graduation, so hardly surprising that I still feel a little lost without school work to do. Not that I'm unhappy by any means but it still feels very weird not to have something due, something to read or a discussion to join in. I keep feeling as though I should be doing something!

There are definite advantages to having this time free, though - I actually did some editing on one of my mss last week, began organizing my recipes, puttered in my garden and even cleaned my office! And I'm hoping that once summer finally arrives here on the Coast, I'll be able to spend lots of time outside with my camera.

I imagine that within another month or so, I'll have adapted to this new, non-school lifestyle and be able to just enjoy it :)

Teresa

I finally graduated!!!

Yes, at long, long last, I graduated from Langara College's Library and Information Technology program, so I'm officially a Library Technician.

Graduation day at Langara College

My final term was extremely busy, as it also included two work placements, one at the West Vancouver Memorial Library and another at the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives. I enjoyed them both immensely, even though for the West Van practicum, I had to be up at 4:50 every morning to get the ferry. The staff at both institutions were extremely welcoming and I loved learning new things. In fact, I'm staying on at the SCMA as a volunteer :)

My time at Langara was extremely challenging, but I was very impressed with the quality of the program and most of the instructors (those I didn't like were not in the LIT faculty). However, without the support of Sean (who cooked countless meals and talked me through difficult assignments), the rest of the family and the staff at the Sechelt Library, I would have been lost. My colleagues were endlessly patient with my many, many questions and were always happy to help me out with assignments when necessary. I learned so much more about how the library runs because of the various interviews I had to conduct as part of the program.


Other than the learning, the best part of my Langara experience is the friends I made - that is what I'll miss most of all, my daily interaction with my classmates. Fortunately, Facebook does provide an easy way to stay in touch, though it's still not quite the same as the Blackboard Social Cafe. 


So, what now? Well, I hope to get more hours at the Sechelt library, but I'm also looking forward to returning to my writing, a pursuit I pretty much had to put on hold over the last three and a half years. Publishing a novel is still a dream of mine :) And I know from long experience that when my mind isn't fully occupied with school work, my characters cannot be silenced for long. I also admit that a summer without school is looking pretty good at this point! What a concept - being able to enjoy the sun and take photos to my hearts content, not to mention getting my hands dirty in the garden.


So, that's it for now - I should be able to update this blog more frequently from now on!


Teresa

February update...

It's been a long time since I've posted, and for that I do apologize. My life has been so busy, but the end of school is now in sight - at long last! If all goes well, I'll graduate during the first week of June :) It's been a long haul - this is the fourth spring term for me and I'm feeling a little burnt out at this point. Fortunately, I've only been taking one course as well as working with a supervisor to arrange my final practicum. Even so, there has been a lot of work.

In other news, Sean and I took two mini vacations late last summer/early fall. The first was a camping trip to Lightning Lake in Manning Park - about 3 hours east of Vancouver. We hiked, biked and enjoyed campfires - even met up with some friends who had been camping nearby and decided to spend the night at the same campground we were at. The weather was a little cool, but we were snug in the camper every night and only got rained on a little. In late September we drove north of here to the West Coast Wilderness Lodge in Egmont, so celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary. Again, we went hiking and visited the museum in Egmont, which is fascinating, and ate lots and lots of lovely food.

Christmas was a noisy affair - lots of family and we enjoyed watching our young nephews run and play. We also spent New Year's Eve with the family up at Whistler, which was a lovely treat. Along more mundane lines, I'm continuing to work two days a week at the Sechelt Library, a job I continue to love. There's always something new to learn and it's wonderful to part of such an important community service.

That's about it for now. Once school is done, I hope to resume a more regular blogging schedule as I resume my writing and hopefully, my reviewing.

Teresa

Midsummer update...

Well, not that it's actually summer here *g*.

Anyways, I figured it was time to take a deep breath and raise my head from the school work to drop by and update this blog.

Starting in January I've been nose to the grindstone at school. In spring term I took three courses and since May I've been doing a course on Business in Canada (a required support course for my diploma). As in-depth financial analysis etc isn't exactly my forte, I've been having to slog through a lot of stuff that makes my head ache and my eyes very tired. Also in May, I did a 10 day library practicum at the Sechelt Library, on top of my regular 2 day/week shift...made for some busy weeks going 6 days!

Other than that, we've put in a veggie garden, Sean has built a ramp from the lawn to the deck, and we're looking forward to a big family week in early August when both our families will be out here at the same time :) I'm sure my camera will get quite a workout. A camping trip is also in the offing - we'll be off-the-grid at Lightning Lake in Manning Park for three days...should be fun, as the scenery is gorgeous and there is lots of hiking and biking in the area.

Come September I'll start my second-to-last term at Langara...it's hard to believe I'm so close to being finished!! It hasn't been easy, but OTOH, I've learned a lot and combined with my experience working at the Sechelt Library, I feel like I've finally found my career (well, the one more likely to earn me decent money...not sure my writing will ever do that!)

Speaking of my writing, I'm still plugging away as I have time, editing What the Heart Remembers and brainstorming on my three Works in Progress. I do miss being able to write as much as I did before, but I think all the time I've spent in school will make me a better writer and I'll certainly appreciate the time I do have to write once my diploma is finished. It will seem strange to combine p/t work and writing again :)

Finally, Chloe and Cleo are still as sweet as ever, loving life and finding new and inventive ways to have fun.

Hope you enjoyed this update :)


Teresa

Review: Staying at Daisy's by Jill Mansell

One of the reasons I love Jill Mansell's book so much is her characters. She really makes you care about them and  Daisy MacLean is no exception in Mansell's latest Sourcebooks release, Staying at Daisy's. A young widow who runs a hotel owned by her father, Daisy fights her attraction to a guest at a recent wedding reception, the charming rugby star, Dev Tyzack. The development of their relationship is the core of the story, but Ms. Mansell's subplots are another of her strengths. They feature an endearing mix of characters, each of whom is caught up in romantic circumstances fraught with complications, from Daisy's friend Tara, who is having an affair with her now married former boyfriend, to young Barney, recipient of one of Daisy's late husband's kidneys, each has a part in this enjoyable and heartwarming tale of love and life.

The area of Bristol is familiar territory for fans of Ms. Mansell, and once again she depicts it so effectively that the reader is left with a feeling of having actually walked beside the characters throughout the story and breathed the same air they did. The hotel is a character in itself, charming and a welcome refuge for its many guests.

The plot and subplots move along smoothly, integrated so well that when the many threads come together towards the end of the book, the conclusion feels natural. There are plenty of surprises along the way, as well as a fun storyline featuring a dog named Clarissa. While there is much to enjoy in this novel, there is a serious undertone that gives it depth, as several characters must face some truths about themselves and the way they've chosen to live their lives. Daisy especially has to decide whether to hold on to the past or let it go and begin anew with a man who appears ready to dedicate himself to her and her alone. They never fail to make me care and, dare I say it, even grow a little along with her characters .

So, for those of you who are looking for an entertaining, emotionally satisfying read, I highly recommend you seek out Staying at Daisy's.

Teresa

Review: To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick...

Each and every time I read a book by Elizabeth Chadwick I am certain she has written the perfect book that cannot be topped. And each and every time I read her next book, I find I am wrong. Such is the case, once again, with To Defy a King, published this month by Sourcebooks Landmark. Twenty years ago, Ms. Chadwick won the Betty Trask award and launched her historical fiction career. Since then she has moved from strength to strength, especially over the last few years with her novelized accounts of the lives of real people who played their parts in the history of medieval England.

In To Defy a King, the author weaves a rich tapestry from many threads, recounting some of the most important years in the life of Mahelt Marshal, daughter of the famed knight and warrior, William Marshal. Married while still a girl to a man ten years her senior, Mahelt leaves a household where she is loved and where her mother is respected for her brain as well as her lands and child-bearing, and finds herself at the mercy of her strict father-in-law, Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk. Fortunately, her husband does not share his father's opinion of women and soon they form a strong, loving bond that will be tested time and time again as Mahelt finds herself torn between loyalty to her family and loyalty to her husband.

England in the early 13th century is ruled by King John, a ruthless man who takes what he perceives to be his and proves an intractable enemy, especially when thwarted. His barons grow increasingly unhappy and many rebel, seeking to force some form of restraint on their sovereign. It is against this background that Mahelt and Hugh build their marriage, only to see it threatened by a mistake in judgement that ends with their son as a hostage.

The heart of this book is Mahelt, a woman true to her time, yet still strong and vibrant, and far from perfect. That is part of her charm - she makes mistakes and proves to be headstrong and stubborn. Hugh is a more than a match for her, honourable and strong, but also a fallible man forced at times to choose between his wife and his filial and political obligations. Together they pick their way along a treacherous path that could see them lose all in order to stand up to a man they believe is not fit to rule.

Far from being overshadowed by Mahelt and Hugh, the other central characters are equally well depicted, with their own strengths and foibles. One of Ms. Chadwick's many talents is the ability to create concurrent supporting storylines which complement the main plot while also following their own arcs. My favourite one is that which follows Hugh's tense relationship with his half-brother, William, Earl of Salisbury, who is also half-brother to the king, illustrating as it does the rivalries and jealousies that exist between men who want to like each other but can't.

As always, the historical background is impeccable, full of glorious detail. Ms. Chadwick has a knack for knowing exactly which historical tidbits to highlight in order to paint for her reader a living picture of the past. Without resorting to gadzookery, she imbues her dialogue and narrative with medieval words and cadences that sound natural, drawing her reader ever deeper into a near perfect recreation of the turbulent era.

The further I read into this wonderful novel, the harder it was for me to pull myself away. So when you curl up with it, be sure you have a few hours to devote...you won't regret.

Teresa

Update...

Yes, it's been a while. What's been going on with me lately, you ask? Well, first, from Octobert through early December of last year, I was working at the library almost full-time, involved in a project to convert our library to RFID technology. What that means is I spent two + months sticking RFID tags in the majority of our library's collection. Fortunately I was working with someone I liked...we had some great conversations that helped lessen the boredom of what was a very repetitive task.

At the same time, I was taking two courses at school, one of which contained some extremely challenging material. Eventually, I did conquer it, but for a while, things were pretty hairy as I worked during the day and did school work at night. This term, by comparison, seems positively, carefree *g*, even though I'm taking three courses.

Speaking of school, I hope to be done by spring of next year, assuming I can take my final support course (Intro to Business in Canada) over the summer. Yep, it's a shame to have to do school over the summer, but I know that if I have a four month break, it will be that much harder to get motivated again in September AND it means I should be able to graduate next April.

We had a quiet Christmas and holiday season, which was actually quite nice after my busy term. New Year's Eve saw us planted on the couch with lots of yummy fingerfood, champagne and The Pacific - a fantastic mini-series. To lighten the mood after a few episodes, we switched to Jeeves and Wooster :)

Since then, I've returned to my normal work schedule and am concentrating on my school work again. At times I'll admit it does get to me, but with just over a year to go, I just keep telling myeslf that it's all worth it to get that diploma. 

Needless to say, my writing has taken a back seat over this period. It's frustrating, but at this point, I don't see it changing till I'm finished. I'm still reviewing for Sourcebooks (my next review is coming up soon) and that does help. Also, when ideas come to me for my stories, I make sure to note them down and have faith my characters will be waiting for me when I have the time to devote to them again.

So, that's my life right now...I'll visit blogs again during my next break in late Apr/early May...

Teresa

Currently Reading: To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick

Review: The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

For years, Ms. Kearsley has enthralled readers with her tales of love set in the past and the present, in which her characters experience time travel through a variety of means. Her most recent book, The Winter Sea, published in the US by Sourcebooks in December, first appeared in the UK two years ago under the title Sophia's Secret. It is another fine example of her talent for transporting her readers to times past and holding them there, wishing the story wouldn't end.

Historical novelist Carrie McLelland travels to Scotland to do research on her latest novel set during the attempted invasion by the Old Pretender, James VIII, in 1708. Once there, she experiences deja vu and decides to take a cottage in the village nearby Slains Castle, the setting for her book. Her story flows from her fingertips, both exciting and frightening her. Not only has she not ever written so quickly, but she discovers she knows details of the period and its events she has never researched. And once the story starts to emerge, she finds she can't stop it, not even when she meets a local historian who has her questioning her nomadic lifestyle. It soon becomes clear that somehow she has tapped into the memory of her ancestress, Sophia Paterson.

Scotland past and present comes vividly alive in this superior piece of historical fiction - the rugged countryside, salty sea air and rich heritage are the perfect setting for this tale of love, loss and destiny. Carrie and Sophia are both engaging heroines, lively, impulsive and determined to follow their hearts, while the men they love, Graham and John prove to be heroes in every way. The secondary characters, from old Jimmy and his vain son Stuart to the Dowager Countess of Errol and the treacherous Duke of Hamilton, add depth to the plot without overwhelming the central stories. For those who love historical detail, there is plenty of it to revel in, yet never does it appear to be too much or smack of history lectures. Readers will find themselves flipping the pages eagerly, desperate to find out what happens next.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Winter Sea, curling up in a chair and losing yourself in it. You won't regret it.

Teresa

Review - The Making of a Gentleman by Shana Galen

The Making of a Gentleman is the second in Shana Galen's Sons of the Revolution series and picks up the story a few months after Book One, The Making of a Duchess (which I reviewed in June) concluded. Readers of Book One will remember that Julien needed to rescue his brother Armand, who'd been locked away in a French prison for twelve years. As a result of his imprisonment, he has lost the ability to speak and interact with polite society, so Julien and Sarah decide to hire someone to help him. What they don't tell Felicity Bennett, a well-educated woman in need of a position, is that her pupil is a grown man. Felicity has a secret of her own - a reprobate betrothed who is blackmailing her to free her from their marriage agreement.

Their first meeting leaves them both shaken, but drawn to each other and Felicity decides to stay to help Armand, despite his peculiar ways and haunted aspect. For his part, Armand finds Felicity is the one person who can touch him without pain and soon finds himself needing to be with her as much as possible. When a threat from his past resurfaces, he is even more desperate to protect this woman who is helping to free him from the prison of his mind. But will her past be the undoing of them both?
As with Making of a Duchess, Ms. Galen has brought together an engaging heroine and a tortured but noble hero in a rivetting story with lots of twists and turns. The setting is impeccable, with just the right amount of detail while the characters, major and minor, sparkle. It's wonderful to see Julien and Sarah's relationship continue, yet they don't overwhelm the developing romance between Armand and Felicity. The pacing is perfect as the narrative moves between Armand and Felicity and the subplots involving their secrets.
My only quibble is that one plot point involving Felicity, drags on for just a little too long, but this was merely a minor annoyance as the rest of the story is fresh, intriguing and full of the right combination of romance and adventure. This book was a delight from start to finish and I can hardly wait to read the concluding volume which promises to bring all three brothers together again. I highly recommend that fans of historical romance find and read this book.

Teresa

Where I write...

Melissa over at Writing with Style asked her readers to post about where they write - here's my response:

To the left you can see my office. It's where I write when I can find the time these days. The lamp is a very recent addition and I love it!

My office is very cozy and has everything I need, including a bookcase with loads of research books and binders with information on my characters, a window for natural light, room enough on my desk for a cat (or two) to snooze and keep me company, and speakers so I can plug my iPod in to listen to music while I write. The small table to the right of my desk belonged to my grandmother - she was one of the first people to encourage me in my writing, so it helps me feel close to her. Also on my desk is a small figurine of a boy and girl standing face to face. My dad bought that for me years ago as a gift while he was on a business trip - I treasure it and who knows, maybe that's what inspired me to write my first love story.

I also have photos of Sean and me, which helps remind me of the true nature of lasting love.

Teresa

30 Day Book Meme is on hiatus...

I've been assigned to a special project at work which will take up lots of my time...any spare time goes to my husband and my studies...I'll return with the Book Meme once the project is complete.

Watch for a book review of Shana Galen's upcoming release from Sourcebooks later this week...

Teresa