This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands,-- This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England. ~~William Shakespeare, Richard III



Friday, October 26, 2012

Recent Search Terms

I haven't done one of these posts in a while so I thought it would be amusing to see what has brought readers to my page lately. Sadly, there weren't too many that didn't have to do with the Titanic...

big henry viii - I don't know if Henry would be insulted or proud.

gwyn the heretic - I am insulted by this one!

hampton court eavesdroppers - Probably more than you think!

marie antoinette's diamond necklace scotland - I must have missed that connection.

photo of battle - Thanks! That narrowed it way down!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Not Liking the "New" Blogger

I've been trying to work on several reviews (GASP! I know....) but I am discovering that I do NOT like this new way of doing things Blogger has created.  Perhaps Blogger is just acting up this evening. I hope that's all it is as I don't remember having these issues when I posted my last review.

Rest assured, I do, finally, have some reviews to post. Some are way overdue but I guess better late than never.

Now if Blogger will just cooperate! Why do companies have to change things? I liked the old set up just fine.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Henry VIII's Crown Recreated

Readers of this blog will know that I'm not the biggest Tudor fan (because of the way they obtained the Crown of England). Elizabeth I is the exception to this rule. All that aside, it still horrifies me when I think about how all the Medieval Crown Jewels were broken up, melted down, and sold when Cromwell took control in 1649. All the coronation regalia that English monarchs had worn from probably the time of William the Conqueror through the Tudors was completely gone. It makes me sick to think about that complete erasure of history.

Now, after countless hours of work, Henry VIII's crown has been recreated in detail using Tudor era metalworking techniques. You can click HERE to be taken to an article about the project and the recreated crown. Its really fascinating. I'd like to think that this could be done for other pieces of the Medieval Regalia that was lost to history.


Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow Virtual Book Tour




I am super excited to be able to review and be a part of the virtual tour for Juliet Grey's newest novel! It covers people and a time period that I've never read about - Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution. Please look for my review on November 2! In the meantime you can head over to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours to see the entire schedule!


About the novel:

A captivating novel of rich spectacle and royal scandal, Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow spans fifteen years in the fateful reign of Marie Antoinette, France’s most legendary and notorious queen.

Paris, 1774. At the tender age of eighteen, Marie Antoinette ascends to the French throne alongside her husband, Louis XVI. But behind the extravagance of the young queen’s elaborate silk gowns and dizzyingly high coiffures, she harbors deeper fears for her future and that of the Bourbon dynasty.

From the early growing pains of marriage to the joy of conceiving a child, from her passion for Swedish military attaché Axel von Fersen to the devastating Affair of the Diamond Necklace, Marie Antoinette tries to rise above the gossip and rivalries that encircle her. But as revolution blossoms in America, a much larger threat looms beyond the gilded gates of Versailles—one that could sweep away the French monarchy forever.