31 March 2010

Arts and Music: Boys on Stage

By Zoe Archer

Female actors did not start appearing on the English stage until the middle of the Seventeenth Century. Prior to this date, women's roles were played exclusively by male actors, often adolescent members of the acting troupes, whose smooth, beardless faces and higher-pitched voices made for more convincing females. This is a fairly well-known fact about English theater history. But what many people don't know is that there were, in truth, entire Elizabethan acting companies comprised entirely of boys.

Some boy acting companies had their origins as choir boys performing in royal pageants up through the reign of Henry VIII. Yet it wasn't until after Elizabeth I took the throne that these groups became professional acting companies. In 1576, The Chapel Children (or Children of the Chapel) moved into a playhouse in the Blackfriars area (pictured above) in London--the same year the first adult players' theater was constructed. At around the same time, the Children of Paul's, or St. Paul's Boys, performed plays by John Lyly. Various changes of management occurred, and in 1582, the two boy companies united. They lost their commercial stage in 1584, but continued giving royal performances until 1590.

The boys were between the ages of eight and twelve. Just as in an adult acting troupe, the boys' companies had a repertory group of actors who each performed specific "type" roles. Sometimes, performing in the troupe was not a matter of choice, but rather the boys could be conscripted into the company if they had good voices and attractive faces. The companies had masters, including Richard Farrant, Henry Evans, Sebastian Westscott and Thomas Giles. These masters were responsible for training the boys in all aspects of theatrical performance as well as education. In addition to these responsibilities, the masters served as directors, costumers, set designers and theatrical managers. Boy troupes performed with their companies, and also acted alongside adult troupes, wherein they would often take the female roles.

In Hamlet, Rosencrantz does not look favorably on this trend of boy actors, perhaps voicing Shakespeare's feelings toward rival theatrical companies:
...there is, sir, an aerie of children, little eyases, that cry out on top of the question and are most tyrannically clapped for't. These are now the fashion, and so berattle the common stages--so they call them--that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goosequills and dare scarce come thither. (II.ii.)
The success of the boy troupes continued until 1589. The Martin Marprelate religious controversy caused Lyly and his acting troupe to be officially disowned by the crown. They stopped performing in 1590, and didn't resurface for many years.

Two boy companies returned in 1598. Theater impresario Richard Burbage rented the second Blackfriars Theater to the Chapel Children. With the accession if James I in 1603, the company received a new patent and a name change, when the troupe became Children of the Queen's Revels. The plays the troupe performed were not "dumbed down" versions of plays, nor were the plays altered in order to accommodate the child performers. The company performed plays by Ben Jonson, George Chapman, Thomas Middleton and John Marston and specialized in satirical, witty plays that appealed to a genteel audience.

Controversy continued to afflict the troupe. The play Eastward Ho, by Jonson and Chapman, caused the authors to be jailed and the company to lose its royal patent. More name changes followed, and yet more scandals due to the political and satiric nature of the works performed. They won, then lost royal favor, then regained it once more. Eventually, with profits declining and interest in child acting troupes waning, the boys' companies were incorporated into adult acting troupes. The group Lady Elizabeth's Men, granted a patent in 1615 was comprised largely of adult veterans of the boys' companies.

One of the last famous stage boys, Edward Kynaston

Later attempts to revive the boys' companies followed. One such attempt came in 1637 when Christopher Beeston founded the King and Queen's Young Company. The company was known more informally as Beeston's Boys. This company was variably successful, and was managed by Beeston's son after the elder's death, until the closing of all English theaters in 1642. After the theaters were reopened in the Restoration, Beeston's Boys performed again, but only briefly. Female actors had already begun to be seen on English stages, and the era of the child acting troupes was over.

30 March 2010

Arts and Music: The Stradivarius Violin

By Lisa Marie Wilkinson

Wurlitzer organ. Steinway piano. Les Paul, Gibson, and Fender Stratocaster guitars.

Some musical instrument maker names represent the gold standard of musical instruments, and at the top of the list is the Stradivarius.

The term "Stradivarius" refers to stringed instruments--including guitars, violas, cellos, harps and violins--created by members of the Stradivari family, beginning with craftsman Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737). Stradivari set up shop in the small Italian city of Cremona in 1680 and soon gained a reputation for the quality of his handcrafted string instruments. The "Golden Age" of the Stradivari violin, during which the highest quality violins were produced, is generally conceded to be from 1698 to 1720.

Stradivari experimented with form, construction methods, and the types of wood employed in the creation of his instruments throughout his career. Spruce was used for the top, willow for the internal workings of the instrument and maple for the neck and back. It has long been speculated that he treated the wood with various minerals, and used a custom varnish consisting of honey, Arabic gum, and egg white as the finishing touch.

Nearly 400 years later, we can still only speculate about what it is that makes the sound of a Stradivarius so unique in quality. A number of disparate theories have been explored, including the rumor that the wood used to make the Stradivari instruments had been removed from old cathedrals, or that the dense wood came from trees whose growth had been stunted during what is referred to as "The Little Ice Age" that affected Europe from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

Whether the sound quality results from the shape of the instrument, the minerals used to prepare the wood, irregularities in the wood itself, the special recipes used for the glue and varnishes, or some undefined "something" contributed by the art of the instrument maker has provided fodder for lively debate for centuries.

The one thing the world has been able to agree upon is that an instrument bearing the Latin inscription "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno (date)" is special, and the belief that there are fewer than 700 surviving genuine Stradivari instruments in existence today has created a high demand for them, resulting in steep prices at auction. Depending upon the condition of the instrument and the year it was made, a Stradivarius sold at auction can fetch anywhere from several hundred thousand to several million dollars. Famous musicians who have owned and played a famed Stradivari violin include Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, who owns a model referred to as The Soil of Strad of 1714, which is considered one of the finest of all the Stradivari violins.

In 2009, the famed Stradivarius lost in a competition against a modern engineered violin in a five-violin blind play-off held during a German forest husbandry conference. The Stradivarius, whose name has come to represent the modern standard of excellence, came in second.

29 March 2010

Arts and Music: Medieval Dance

By Lindsay Townsend

Four husbands into her career, Chaucer's Wife of Bath was still young and a lively soul:
Yong and ful of ragerie,
Stibourn and strong, and joly as a pie [magpie].
How koulde I daunce to a harpe smale
And singe, ywis, as any nightingale,
Whan I had dronke a draughte of sweete wyn!
So how would she have danced?

Dancing in circles has gone on for who knows how long, and the medieval carol--a circular dance and the songs that went with it--was popular with everybody but the church. The songs, involving a leader who sang the verse, music from harp, pipe and tabor or the vielle (a predecessor to the violin) and the dancers providing the chorus, could get distinctly rowdy, and clerics could impose sanctions against those who moved in an unseemly fashion or sang colourful lyrics in churchyards.

The lyrics from early carols are hard to come by, but one popular carol from the thirteenth century, Angelus ad virginem, whose English version begins "Gabriel fram Heven-king/Sent to the maide swete," has a bouncy tune ideal both for accompaniment with pipe and tabor and for the circular carol-dance. The music can be heard here, and possible steps have been suggested here.

Many dances thought of as medieval--such as the basse danse, branle and pavane--really belong to the Renaissance, when the first collections of dance music were made, but we can trace some formal dances like the saltarello, with its triple time and extravagant hop, back to the thirteenth-century.

If a solo dancer or tumbler took part in social dancing, there could be some seriously gymnastic capering. The sight of women dancing on their hands may have led to an emphasis on modesty in later instruction books such as Guglielmo Ebreo's fifteenth century Art of Dance, but in earlier times things were more freewheeling. A poem from the Benediktbeuren Manuscript of c. 1230 (Obmittamus studia) has a young student longing to abandon his lessons and go down into the street to watch the maidens dancing, 'white limbs moving/Light in wantonness,' as Helen Waddell translated it.

Now that would have appealed to Chaucer.

28 March 2010

JAZZ BABY Winner!

We have a winner for Lorelie Brown's JAZZ BABY guest blog. A free copy goes to:

VERONA ST. JAMES!

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: Deborah Schneider

This week on Unusual Historicals we're welcoming Deborah Schneider as she celebrates the release of PROMISE ME, a new western. Published by The Wild Rose Press, it's now available in paperback. Here's the blurb:

After spending years in an arranged marriage as the repressed wife of an older man, Amanda Wainwright has learned the hard way that money can’t buy happiness. She arrives in Willow Creek determined to keep a deathbed promise to her husband and do something to help other people. When Amanda meets a handsome, mysterious stranger who tempts her with sweet promises and long nights of passion, she discovers a fiery, passionate nature that could lead her to disaster.

For Samuel Calhoun, falling in love wouldn't just be foolish, it could be deadly. He's in Willow Creek, Montana as an undercover agent for the Secret Service. In order to maintain his secret identity, he accepts an offer from a consortium of mine owners to seduce, humiliate, and ruin the Widow Wainwright. Before long, Sam knows he’s met the woman who can banish the aching emptiness in his soul, and he's willing to risk everything--even his life--to be with her.
***

A love for American History drew Deborah to the field of education and teaching American History right after college. She resides in a small town near the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest, where she fulfills her dream of waking up every day to look at a mountain. She's the winner of the Molly Award for Most Unsinkable Heroine for her book, Beneath A Silver Moon. She loves writing about strong, smart women who aren't afraid to challenge the men they love. She's employed by one of the busiest library systems in the US, is the 2009 Romance Writers of America Librarian of the Year, and believes in the power of books to change lives.

You can see the book trailer for PROMISE ME here on YouTube.

***

Do you have questions for Deborah? Perhaps about the transition from notable and award-winning librarian to romance author? Or maybe about hardscrabble Old West mining towns as a setting for romance? Please leave a question for Deborah to answer throughout the week. I'll draw one name at random next Sunday, and that person will receive a signed copy of PROMISE ME. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

27 March 2010

Weekly Announcements - 27 Mar 2010

All of our heartfelt congratulations go out to the former Unusual Historicals guest authors whose books were recently nominated for the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award for published works. Those writers include Carla Capshaw for THE GLADIATOR (Best First Book and Best Inspirational Romance), Sherry Thomas for NOT QUITE A HUSBAND (Best Historical Romance), Michelle Willingham for TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR (Best Historical Romance), and Tessa Dare for SURRENDER OF A SIREN (Best Regency Historical Romance).

And we're so proud of our very own Margaret Mallory, whose KNIGHT OF PLEASURE was also nominated in the Best Historical Romance category!

That means locations as diverse as Wales, Ireland, the Virgin Islands, Pakistan, and ancient Rome all made the cut this year. You have to admit that we're seeing wonderful progress! Congratulations to all the finalists and best of luck!

***

The cover to Carrie Lofty's SONG OF SEDUCTION was featured twice in the latest issue of Romantic Times, once as an ad and once in this cute write-up for Carina Press. (Click to enlarge.) I'm especially amused at being declared "established"! Here's the newly-released and official cover blurb:
Tormented by guilt. Haunted by scandal.
Freed by love.

Austria, 1804

Eight years ago, composer Arie De Voss claimed his late mentor's final symphony as his own and became an icon. But fame has a price: fear of discovery now poisons his attempts to compose a redemptive masterpiece. Until a new muse appears, intoxicating and inspiring him...

Mathilda Heidel renounced her own musical gift to marry, seeking a quiet life to escape the shame surrounding her birth. Sudden widowhood finds her tempted by song once more. An unexpected introduction to her idol, Arie De Voss, renews Mathilda's passion for the violin--and ignites a passion for the man himself.

But when lust and lies reach a crescendo, Arie will be forced to choose: love or truth?
***

Join us Sunday when Deborah Schneider will be here to chat about her latest Western romance PROMISE ME. She'll also be giving away a copy. Don't miss it!

***

We'll also draw the winner of JAZZ BABY from Lorelie Brown's guest appearance last Sunday. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.

***

Stay with us through the coming weeks when we'll be featuring the best unusual historical authors! Jennifer Blake, P.L. Parker, Cat Lindler, and Cheryl Pierson will be our guests. Join us!

***

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...

25 March 2010

Excerpt Thursday: Deborah Schneider

This week on Excerpt Thursday we're welcoming Deborah Schneider as she celebrates the release of PROMISE ME, a new western. Published by The Wild Rose Press, it's now available in paperback. Join us on Sunday when Deb will be with us to answer questions and give away a signed copy. Here's the blurb:

After spending years in an arranged marriage as the repressed wife of an older man, Amanda Wainwright has learned the hard way that money can’t buy happiness. She arrives in Willow Creek determined to keep a deathbed promise to her husband and do something to help other people. When Amanda meets a handsome, mysterious stranger who tempts her with sweet promises and long nights of passion, she discovers a fiery, passionate nature that could lead her to disaster.

For Samuel Calhoun, falling in love wouldn't just be foolish, it could be deadly. He's in Willow Creek, Montana as an undercover agent for the Secret Service. In order to maintain his secret identity, he accepts an offer from a consortium of mine owners to seduce, humiliate, and ruin the Widow Wainwright. Before long, Sam knows he’s met the woman who can banish the aching emptiness in his soul, and he's willing to risk everything--even his life--to be with her.
***

Amanda swung the kitchen door open and nearly dropped the candle when her eyes clashed with a surprised amber gaze. A man. A strange warmth coursed through her as his eyes moved slowly down her body, lingering on her breasts before rising to scrutinize her face. Her cheeks flooded with heat, and she nearly turned to hurry back to her room, when a deep but gentle voice stopped her.

"I beg your pardon, ma'am, I didn't mean to alarm you."

Intrigued by the handsome stranger, she stepped closer. He was standing now, and she marveled at the way his wide shoulders, long, lean legs, and muscled arms seemed to fill the room to the corners of the kitchen.

She wet her lips, took a deep breath, and stepped even closer. Close enough to notice a gleam of mischief in his honey-colored eyes.

She lifted her chin to peruse him with the same bold look he was giving her. "I couldn't sleep, so I came down to fix myself some warm milk. I didn't expect to find anyone else up at this hour."

He grinned, his eyes challenging her. "You gave me quite a scare, you know. I thought you were one of the Lord's minions come to carry me away. But, I notice you don't have any gossamer wings, so I suppose I'm safe."

Amanda looked over her shoulder and gave him a flirtatious smile.

"We always take them off at bedtime; it makes it easier to sleep." A shiver of excitement rolled over her as the man's gaze flickered along the curves of her body. It was very inappropriate, yet her skin burned as he slowly considered her.

"Besides, are you quite sure when your time comes angels will be the apparition you'll be seeing?"

He held his hand to his chest, as if wounded, and moaned. "I hope with just a glimpse of me you haven't discovered I'm bound for hell. It usually takes at least a short acquaintance before a woman proclaims I'm destined to dwell with the devil."

Amanda laughed. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, she was having fun. It had been such a long time since someone had teased her, and she had missed it.

She knew she shouldn't be talking with a handsome stranger in the middle of the night, but that made it even more delightful. As tempting as forbidden fruit, despite all the warnings to leave it alone.

"Well, I agree, not knowing your identity or character, it's possible you are of good virtue and shall be escorted by seraphim to the hereafter." She gave him a playful grin and narrowed her eyes. "But, I really don't believe so."

He responded with a hearty laugh. The sound echoed in the small room enticing her with its promise of something delicious and secretive. She shivered as warmth spread through her limbs, and the beat of her own heart pounded in her ears. She'd never experienced such a feeling, and wanted desperately to explore it.

Amanda enjoyed the sound of his laugh; it was as warm and sweet as maple syrup. She knew she shouldn't be engaged in such outrageous behavior. After all, she was the poor Widow Wainwright. Of course, he didn't know who she was, and for a just a little while it was fun to pretend she was some other woman. She wanted to be a woman who didn't concern herself with the iron-clad rules of etiquette and propriety. A woman who flirted unabashedly with a man she didn't know.

She glanced down at the table, and swept a hand towards him. "Please, do sit down and finish eating. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I couldn't sleep. I'm afraid my restless wandering isn't such a good idea." With some reluctance, she turned to leave.

"My mother had a cure for insomnia. Perhaps you'd allow me to fix you a hot toddy. I guarantee it will make you sleep soundly as a baby."

The sultry tone of his voice mesmerized her.

All the deportment lessons she'd suffered since childhood came back to her in a flash. She should keep going back to her room, but his dark and hypnotic voice promised secret delights, and she didn't want to leave. She wanted to sit down and continue to banter with this mysterious man. If he thought her a brazen hussy, so much the better. For a few moments tonight, she'd be that other woman, the one who didn't care what others thought of her.

Swallowing her apprehension, she tossed her braid over one shoulder and crossed the small kitchen to take a chair at the table. She settled her candle next to the oil lamp and gave him an inviting smile.

"A hot toddy sounds perfectly wonderful. Are you sure it won't be too much trouble?"

The man leaned forward. The corners of his lovely mouth lifted slightly. "It would be my pleasure to assist an angel to bed."

She warmed from her cheeks down to her bosom. She had never in her life done anything as brash as this. What would Father Mikelson say? She didn't want to think about the penance she'd do when she confessed. Flirting wasn't the same as adultery, was it? Could she still be an adulteress if her husband was dead? Good Lord, why was she even thinking about such a thing?

When he turned his back to her, she knew what fueled her illicit thoughts. As he poured a concoction into a cup, Amanda forgot to breathe as she stared at the thick, dark hair curling at the edge of his collar, his lean torso and long legs.

"It's you," she whispered.

24 March 2010

Arts and Music: Medieval Stained Glass

By Lisa Yarde

Glass artists learned to mix sand and wood ash, and introduced color from metallic salts and oxides when the glass was still molten, to produce shades of red, blue, yellows and gold and green. In the hands of medieval glaziers and glass painters, stained glass became admired for both its utility and splendor, the best examples of which are seen in churches and cathedrals.

With its use of natural light to enhance the myriad, jewel-toned colors, stained glass windows have depicted religious scenes since at least the tenth century. A union of form and function, the windows served the dual purposes of making the church a special, sacred building, and teaching the largely illiterate masses about the Bible through its visual representations.

A twelfth century monk, Theophilus, wrote On Diverse Arts, in which he explained the technique of stained glass window construction:
...If you want to assemble simple windows, first mark out the dimensions of their length and breadth on a wooden board, then draw scroll work or anything else that pleases you, and select colors that are to be put in. Cut the glass and fit the pieces together with the grozing iron [a tool with a hardened steel point]. Enclose them with lead cames [a soft metal used to divide small pieces of glass]...and solder on both sides. Surround it with a wooden frame strengthened with mails and set it up in the place where you wish.
Europe has some of the oldest and finest examples of stained glass windows, in its great cathedrals. Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England showcases twelfth to fifteenth century glasswork (above) with biblical themes in its western and southern windows, including the Miracles of St. Thomas and images from the Old and New Testaments. Some of the artwork is high and difficult to see, especially the Ancestry of Christ, which depicts biblical figures interspersed with saints and the coat of arms of several noble families in the south window.

To the north of the country in Yorkshire, York Minster's Great East Window remains the largest medieval stained glass window in the world (above) and features biblical scenes from Genesis and Revelation. It is the size of a tennis court. The Five Sisters Window has glass from 1250, while the South Rose window glass dates from 1490. France's great cathedrals also have beautiful installations of glasswork, the most famous of which (below) is on display at the Gothic cathedral of Chartres, fifty miles outside of Paris. Most of its windows date from the early thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, including subjects such as the Last Judgment in the west Rose Window, prophets and saints depicted in the south Rose Window that dates from the 1230s, and the glorification of the Virgin and Christ.

23 March 2010

Arts and Music: The Falcon in Medieval Art

By Blythe Gifford

As I researched HIS BORDER BRIDE, my May release, I studied the ancient sport of falconry for the first time and became so fascinated that I used it as a symbol throughout my story.

In medieval times, hawking, whether with a falcon or another bird of prey, was not just a leisure pastime. It was a status symbol and the height of "conspicuous consumption." The imagery and language of the hunt permeated art, poetry, language, and even Shakespeare's plays.

Once you become aware of it, you can see references to this "noble sport" in many pieces of medieval art.

First, I'm including an image of a French tapestry from 1500 called Leaving for a Solitary Hunt. (Often, hunts were not solitary jaunts, but huge, elaborate affairs, more like processions than sport.) This beautiful tapestry shows the lord with his falcon, dogs, and an attendant and includes the beautiful millefleur, or "thousand flower" style of background. In this case, the subject is what it seems: the lord going on a hunt alone.

But in other cases, the art carried hidden meaning, for the complex dance of the falcon and the quarry was an oft-used symbol of love. Both men and women participated in the sport, though the most prized hunting falcons were female, not male. In an image, the bird could stand for the woman, the man, or love in the abstract.

The second example here, about 100 years earlier than the previous one, shows a woman holding a falcon being approached by a man who carries a small heart. Because she is holding the falcon, the interpretation is that she has control--that is he loves her more than vice versa, since he is bringing her his heart.

Those symbols may seem obvious, but some of the others in this work are less so. The falcon here represents the noblest of man's aspirations; the flower, the woman's virginity. We also see the lady's dog leaping up on her lap. This would have been understood to stand for male sexuality, as the "lap dog" was where the lover would like to be.

In addition, there are three rabbits woven into the scene. Why? Because in the French of that day, rabbits were called con, which was also the French word for the female sexual organ. (Think of a four letter word in English beginning with 'C' and you'll get the idea.) So while this lovely scene seems chaste, it carries an explicit message about love and sex.

The next image comes from a codex, or a series of bound medieval pages. Here, the woman holds the man and he holds the falcon, who seems to be nibbling on a snack. The interpretation is less clear here. She is in the "dominant" position, but he has control of the falcon, so it may be that he's in charge and has bent her to his will, e.g. she eats at his hand.

These examples are from France, the Netherlands, and Germany. But my book is set on the Scottish border, far from where such beautiful and costly pieces were created. I did discover an image, however, that captured my imagination and served as an important symbol for my book, and my heroine.

This final piece is a fragment of an aumônière, or pouch, embroidered with gilt thread, silk, and satin. It was created in the first half of the fourteenth century, and I like to think that something very much like it could have found its way to Scotland.

Labeled "The Falcon's Return," it shows a lover flying back to his mistress as a falcon would return to her. His arms are long and distorted; his hood and her cloak billow like wings.

To me, the piece is a reminder that even the most well-trained bird is still a wild thing, no more "owned" by the hunter than a lover. Each time the bird returns to the falconer's fist is a choice, as is each return of a faithful lover. No amount of training or force can capture a wild heart.

It must be given. Was this what the artist intended? Well, this is my interpretation. Read into it what you will.

Some of the analyses here were gleaned from THE MEDIEVAL ART OF LOVE, by Michael Camille, published by Harry N. Abrams, New York, in 1998.

22 March 2010

Arts and Music: Roman Wall Painting

By Michelle Styles

When most people think of Rome and art, they think about white marble statues, generally copies of Greek or busts of Roman senator. White on white. A bleached landscape.It is a shame because Rome was a city of vibrant colour. The place to see this colour is not in the statues but in the remaining mosaics and frescoes.

Until the Venetians invented painting on canvas, everything was either painted on wood or directly on plaster. The painting directly on to fresh plaster is known as a fresco. The Romans were masters at creating illusions with paint--trompe d’oeil.

The Romans did not live in a world of pastels but one where colour played an important part. Most of the frescoes that we can see today come from either Pompeii or Herculaneum. Some like the Maritime Villas from the House of Marcus Lucretius Fronto depict actual scenes. In this case, the seafront of Baia. (I found it very helpful when I was writing THE ROMAN'S VIRGIN MISTRESS as I had picture of the actual frontage from the right time period to use.) Others depict scenes from plays, or events or even idealised gardens.

Because of the very real problem of looting, most of the important frescoes have been removed from the sites and are now displayed in Naples. The ones left in Pompeii tend to be fragmentary. The other problem is that of conservation. The colours have become bleached with the passage of time.

However, the most evocative frescoes come not from Pompeii but from Rome, from the underground dining room of Livia's villa. The frescoes depict an idealised view of Livia's above ground garden in full bloom. From the paintings, scholars have been able to determine many of the plants that were being grown in Rome at the time. These include the bay laurel (Livia's favourite plant), the strawberry tree, oleander, date figs and cypress trees.

The frescoes were uncovered in the late 19th century and moved to the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme in Rome. You can only see them through timed ticket but it is worth taking the time. The tour also takes you through some of the better mosaics and a few other painted rooms but it is Livia's dining room which is the real highlight.

The frescoes were kept underground and never exposed to the light, and are completely intact, it is possible to get a sense of what the Romans, in particular Augustus and Livia must have actually experienced. Photographs do not do it justice (or indeed any fresco) and tend to bleach out the vibrant greens and blues. In fact, unless you have special permission are not allowed to take photographs of the walls.

Standing in that room, surrounded by paintings which go from the ceiling to the floor, you suddenly realise how much colour the Romans used and how vibrant their walls were. There is also a depth to the frescoes which is lacking in modern reconstructions. I know when I stood in that room, my whole conception of what Roman life must been like changed.

Michelle Styles's Roman set A NOBLE CAPTIVE is out now at eharlequin and will be available as an ebook everywhere from April.

21 March 2010

THE HORSEMAN'S BRIDE Winner!

We have a winner for Elizabeth Lane's THE HORSEMAN'S BRIDE guest blog. A free copy goes to:

BARBARA E.!

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: Lorelie Brown

This week on Unusual Historicals we're featuring contributor Lorelie Brown as she celebrates the release of her 1920s-set debut, JAZZ BABY. Let's hear it for Roaring 20s romance!

Of all the juice joints he had to bust, this one had to be hers...

In the world of illegal speakeasies, Kate Kirkland has her life running smoother than a Model T. Maybe moving the family bar into the basement wasn't the best choice for her alcoholic brother, but Kate's making them a living--until a local gangster tries to expand his territory. Right into her bar.

Luckily Micah Trent, her handsome and too-suave bootlegger, is ready and willing to offer her a helping hand. If Kate can bring herself to accept it. Since sharing one sensual dance to seal their deal, she can’t ignore the delectably wicked way he makes her feel.

Micah is keeping secrets of his own. He's a Prohibition Agent, sworn to shut down the gin mills and distilleries that keep illegal booze flowing. Kate's speakeasy is next on his list--right after he uses her as bait to catch the gangster hunting her.

But even if Micah and Kate can maneuver their way through the gangsters' dangerous underworld, will their love survive the trial by fire?
***

First, can you tell us a little about JAZZ BABY?

Released from Samhain on March 2, JAZZ BABY is the story of Kate Kirkland, speakeasy owner, and Micah Trent, the Prohibition agent who intends to shut down her bar--but only after he uses her as bait to catch a gangster. And only if he can get over this raging attraction he feels for her.

Since this is Unusual Historical, we have to know about the history – was there anything you didn't like researching about the Jazz age?

The Prohibition agents and bureau, definitely. Mostly because they were a hot mess. The US was unprepared to actually enforce the 21st amendment, and then the Prohibition Bureau went through so many changes over the course of Prohibition. Who they answered to, where they were funded, how they were structured. It was incredibly difficult (for me, at least) to pin down everything to a specific year. But I think I managed it. I'm sure if I screwed something up, someone will be sure to let me know.

Kate's speakeasy is called The Kirk and has curious methods of avoiding raiding by the Prohibition agents. Can you tell us more about that?

The shelves at the bar of The Kirk are rigged to drop if a warning buzzer is hit at the front door. Once they fold down, all the booze breaks and spills out into the sewers. Also, the door from the main bar to the liquor cellars looks like an unbroken section of wall and can only be opened with a looooonng, skinny piece of metal.

The really fun part? Both these things are based on the 21 Club in New York and were really used to avoid padlocking by Prohibition enforcement. Booze was never, ever found on the premises of the club, despite numerous raids. The 21 Club is still in operation and you can have dinner in the wine cellar, behind the hidden wall, if you've got the blunt.

What are you working on now? Sticking with the unusual historicals?

Of course! I've got a completed project set in the mining towns of Montana in the 1880s. It's a western with no cowboys or guns. I like life difficult! Right now I'm working on another western, but this one has plenty of gunslinging. Next up is a sequel to JAZZ BABY, which will be Jake and Susie's story.

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Thanks for stopping by, Lorelie, and congratulations on your debut! Readers, would you like to win a free copy of JAZZ BABY? Just leave a comment or question here for your chance. Maybe answer this: Does the Roaring 20s appeal to you as a romantic setting? Is it "historical enough" for today's romance market? Any of your thoughts would be appreciated! A winner will be drawn at random next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

20 March 2010

Weekly Announcements - 20 Mar 2010

Zoe Archer has the second cover from her "Blades of the Rose" quadrilogy, SCOUNDREL, which is due to be released from Kensington in October. Here's the blurb:
The Blades of the Rose are sworn to protect the sources of magic in the world. But the work is dangerous--and they can't always protect their own...

READY FOR ACTION...

London Harcourt's father is bent on subjugating the world's magic to British rule. But since London is a mere female, he hasn't bothered to tell her so. He's said only that he's leading a voyage to the Greek isles. No matter, after a smothering marriage and three years of straitlaced widowhood, London jumps at the opportunity--unfortunately, right into the arms of Bennett Day.

RISKING IT ALL...

Bennett is a ladies' man, when he's not dodging lethal attacks to protect the powers of the ancients from men like London's father. Sometimes, he's a ladies' man even when he is dodging them. But the minute he sees London he knows she will require his full attention. The woman is lovely, brilliant, and the only known speaker of a dialect of ancient Greek that holds the key to calling down the wrath of the gods. Bennett will be risking his life again--but around London, what really worries him is the danger to his heart...
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Congratulations to Lindsay Townsend, whose Egyptian-set romance BLUE GOLD was chosen as one of eight historical romance finalists in the DABWAHA tournament. That's so cool!

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Congratulations to Lisa Marie Wilkinson, whose latest romance, STOLEN PROMISE, received a 5 Blue Ribbon Rating from Romance Junkies. It also received 4.5/5 stars from SingleTitles.com and 5/5 Coffee Cups from Coffee Time Romance.

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Join us Sunday when Unusual Historicals contributor Lorelie Brown will be here to chat about her debut romance from Samhain, JAZZ BABY, set in 1920s New York. She'll also be giving away a copy. Don't miss it!

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We'll also draw the winner of THE HORSEMAN'S BRIDE from Elizabeth Lane's guest appearance last Sunday. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.

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Stay with us through the coming weeks when we'll be featuring the best unusual historical authors! Deborah Schneider, Jennifer Blake, P.L. Parker, and Cat Lindler 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...

18 March 2010

Excerpt Thursday: Lorelie Brown

This week on Excerpt Thursday we're featuring Unusual Historicals contributor Lorelie Brown as she celebrates the release of her 1920s-set debut, JAZZ BABY. Let's hear it for Roaring 20s romance! Join us Sunday when Lorelie will be here to discuss this sexy romance and give away a copy. Here's the blurb:

Of all the juice joints he had to bust, this one had to be hers...

In the world of illegal speakeasies, Kate Kirkland has her life running smoother than a Model T. Maybe moving the family bar into the basement wasn’t the best choice for her alcoholic brother, but Kate's making them a living--until a local gangster tries to expand his territory. Right into her bar.

Luckily Micah Trent, her handsome and too-suave bootlegger, is ready and willing to offer her a helping hand. If Kate can bring herself to accept it. Since sharing one sensual dance to seal their deal, she can’t ignore the delectably wicked way he makes her feel.

Micah is keeping secrets of his own. He's a Prohibition Agent, sworn to shut down the gin mills and distilleries that keep illegal booze flowing. Kate's speakeasy is next on his list--right after he uses her as bait to catch the gangster hunting her.

But even if Micah and Kate can maneuver their way through the gangsters' dangerous underworld, will their love survive the trial by fire?
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Dark enveloped the alley at four in the morning. Humid summer air lay heavy on Kate's bare arms. Dawn light slipped skinny fingers between the tall buildings. At this ungodly hour, the streets were quiet. Lucas and Nick shuffled and rustled behind her. Even the most determined revelers had stumbled home. Kate had shut down The Kirk an hour ago.

Headlights turned into the narrow alley. Nick shook off his doze and straightened from the brick wall. Lucas and Kate had already been alert. Lucas because he was always studiously observant in dangerous situations. Kate because she could seldom rest. When the Ford truck pulled even with the weathered door, she moved forward. Lucas stood behind her and to the right.

The driver's door of the battered truck opened and a man slid out. In the dim light, Kate could see only his outline. Tall and lean, he inclined his head to her. Kate's heartbeat leaped into her throat, the same silly reaction she'd had at every meeting over the last three weeks. She didn't move.

"Miss Kirkland." His voice was deep and buttery rich.

"Mr. Trent."

"I wish you would let me call you Kate."

She ignored the urge to say yes and eyed the man who had climbed out of the passenger side, Trent's partner. Jacob Sterling was shorter and stockier than Trent and while Trent managed to look elegant in his dark two-piece suit, Sterling only looked messy. "Hello, Mr. Sterling."

The man nodded, adding no greeting. It was normal for him. The most words she'd heard from him at one time were when he and Susie Nichols, The Kirk's resident songstress, snipped at each other.

Trent pulled a slim case from his jacket that gleamed silver in a stray beam of light. Behind her, Lucas tensed and lifted a hand to his waistband. Kate waved him off. Much about Trent made her nervous, from his wickedly edged smile to the heat in his gaze when he looked at her. The chance of him opening fire on them was not one. Trent smiled and his even teeth flashed pale white. Naturally he'd seen Lucas flinch, but it didn't seem to rattle him. Nothing did.

He held out the silver case. "Would you like a cigarette?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you."

"Always so unswervingly polite."

"I've found it serves in matters such as this to keep a cool head."

He slid the case back into his breast pocket. "I'd been under the impression that all you modern women smoked."

"I can't abide the taste." The dawn illuminated her, though it only backlit Trent, so Kate allowed a wicked smile to tip her lips. "From the source or from my men."

His chuckle was low and genuine. Something low in her belly took a tumble.

"I'll be sure to remember that in the future."

"Why do you believe you'll have a reason to? You've asked time and time again but my answer hasn't changed."

"I am incredibly determined. Like a mule."

She tilted her head. "Are you begging me to compare you to an ass?"

"I don't suppose it would convince you to finally accept my invitation to dinner?"

"Not a chance."

"I'll have to think of another tack for our next meeting."

"You're not determined, you're flat out stubborn."

Dramatically, Trent threw a hand over his heart. "You're starting to know me. I've got no hope now."

She smothered a laugh, even as her heart strummed heavily under her breastbone, and a low-level heat drew a taut sting of awareness through her.

Micah Trent was the one man who tempted her to mix business and pleasure. It was a damn shame that in her business letting her guard down and getting involved with the wrong man could get a body killed. Nick shuffled his feet behind her, always restless. Lucas waited patiently, but guilt flushed through Kate. The man had a wife and child at home, and she kept him out late while she flirted.

She propped a hand on her hip. "Time to show the goods, Trent."

"Are we back to business again?"

"We always were." Trent said nothing and the lie weighed heavy on her chest. She wished suddenly that she could see his eyes as more than a gleam in the dark. "Let's get on with it."

"Your wish is my command."

17 March 2010

Arts and Music: The Farting Man

By Jennifer Linforth

So. I was going to blog on opera until I added dates wrong in my third book and all hell broke loose. This led to the discovery of a major historical event that I now must write around. After much cussing and a husband who ran for the hills (for a dyscalculic author on a research rampage is never a pretty picture)I stumbled upon the farting man.

I will pause here to let that sink in.

Yes...the farting man. He was famous in 19th century Paris. So famous, he sold out the Moulin Rouge time and time again because of his unique--instrument.

Joseph Pujol was Le Petomane. He was an ordinary man, apprenticed to a baker at age 13, and owned his own business. While a young man in the national service, he entertained his friends by his unusual talent of inhaling water through his bum and shooting in out in a giant stream. Later he discovered he could do the same with just air.

If you can imagine for a moment a man headlining this act in a century where you didn't even speak of such things, let alone place them in print. But nonetheless, in 1892 Pujol convinced M. Vidler of the Moulin Rouge to put him on stage.

He wore a flamboyant costume of red and took the state prefacing each...act...with a description. Such as "this is a bride on her wedding night" (a small passing of air). Or..."this is a cannon" (loud thunderous...um...sound). Reports say the audience didn't know what to make of it until, once it settled in, they were rolling in the aisles in laughter. Women apparently had to be escorted outside for air. They were laughing so hard they were passing out in their corsets.

Pujol billed at the Moulin until 1914. Twenty-two years of farts. (Yes, I did that math right.) Upon his retirement, when he toured Europe and North Africa with his act, he settled in Toulon and opened a thriving biscuit factory.

You can't make this stuff up!

It all makes me wonder what the audience was thinking especially since this has been a important week for the stage. After all, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom sequel Love Never Dies premiered in London to rather unsatisfactory reviews. I wonder what folks were tweeting about as they sat through that show.

I lay odds if the folks were tweeting in their seats at Pujol's performance they'd say: "It's a gas."

16 March 2010

Arts and Music: Elaine Duillo

By Anna C. Bowling

Elaine Duillo has romance covered!

When illustrator Elaine Duillo first began her career in the 1950s, she often signed her work with male pseudonyms, as paperback illustration was, at the time, not a venue for women. Elaine certainly had a hand in changing that outlook, with over one thousand covers between the start of her career and her retirement in the 1990s. Best known for her romance covers for authors such as Bertrice Small, Johanna Lindsey and Rebecca Brandewyne, Elaine's repertoire includes covers for many genres, including westerns, mysteries, pulp, gothics and even 1960s editions of works by Emile Zola and Jack London.

Born in 1928 and a graduate of the Pratt School of Design, Elaine found her own personal hero in husband John Duillo, known as the king of western illustration. The two never collaborated on illustration, but produced two daughters, Melissa, and Bettina. Both daughters followed artistic paths of their own; Melissa in commercial illustration for a time, and Bettina using art in education. She has produced two art calendars, and is a member of the American Society of Illustrators.

Though many talented graphic artists of today create imaginative and innovative covers via computer technology, Elaine's work was done by hand. Preferring to work with acrylics for the final project, Elaine's dedication to her craft shone through in her attention to detail. The design elements on the back cover illustrations were often her favorite parts of an assignment, and alert readers will be able to spot locations and characters as described within the pages. She is quick to remind those who note the long, flowing hair of her heroines (and some heroes) that each strand was painted by hand. Art directors would sometimes request that Elaine use a particular model depicted with a prodigious mane, only to be told that the hair was all Elaine's creation.

No mention of Elaine Duillo would be complete without mentioning her role in the modeling career of Fabio Lanzoni (blame or thank her as you will.) Elaine spotted the Italian model's picture in a pile of head shots, and used him first on the back cover of Bertrice Small's Enchantress Mine and the front cover of Johanna Lindsey's Hearts Aflame. The rest, as they say, is history, including a national discount chain refusing to carry Bertrice Small's A Love For All Time, due to its supposedly racy cover illustration...which would have been an appropriate pose for a portrait of the period in which the book was set.

Now retired, Elaine is still active in mentoring younger artists and has turned her talents to non-figurative art with "very large brushes" and her enthusiasm for her art, in all its forms, shines through, and she speaks of her romance illustration career with great fondness.

15 March 2010

Winners & A Special Contest

Ugh! I completely forgot to draw a winner for last week's guest author, Erica Ridley. So the first winner I'm pulling from the magical random hat is for a copy of her debut, TOO WICKED TO KISS:

CANDY G!

Next up is the winner for Lisa Marie Wilkinson's STOLEN PROMISE. A free copy goes to:

BUSY BEE!

All winners: 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!

Next up, I want to urge you to participate in the DABWAHA Tournament. What is that, you ask? It's the Dear Author Bitchery Writing Award for Hellagood Authors, co-sponsored by Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. The prize for the best first-round bracket has been donated by Unusual Historicals contributors, as well as previous guests. Here's the prize list:

Zoe Archer - Half Past Dead
TJ Bennett - The Legacy
Lorelie Brown - Jazz Baby (ebook)
Elizabeth Lane - On the Wings of Love and His Substitute Bride
Maureen Lang - My Sister Dilly and Look to the East
Jade Lee - The Concubine and The Dragon Earl
Carrie Lofty - Scoundrel's Kiss
Margaret Mallory - Knight of Pleasure and Knight of Desire
Michelle Styles - Sold & Seduced
Sherry Thomas - Not Quite a Husband
Lisa Marie Wilkinson - Fire at Midnight

And of course there are many, many other prizes. Visit the DABWAHA website for more details. So get your game on! Fill out a bracket and vote! Best of luck to you all (I'm only saying that to be nice because I totally want to win all of the prizes).

Please note: We at Unusual Historicals are not affiliated with the contest in any way other than to donate prizes and participate enthusiastically. Thanks to all of those who donated to the prize pack, and to Lorelie Brown who thought it up and coordinated it with DABWAHA.

Arts and Music: Chinese Calligraphy

By Jeannie Lin

How do you express yourself when there are very specific rules? That's the crux of Chinese calligraphy--a limited set of brushstrokes, with an infinite number of ways they can be expressed. The art of calligraphy, called shu, is one of the four principal disciplines in Chinese culture along with painting, music, and strategy games.

The order of the strokes is important when drawing Chinese characters, so a student must not only learn what a character looks like, but also the proper way to write it.

There are seven basic brush strokes though up to 32 total strokes have been categorized. Calligraphy experts also study and classify different styles of calligraphy. Here are examples of two different styles of calligraphy from the same artist.

Calligraphy is considered to be the art form that is most revealing of character. Swordsmen, scholars, and statesmen were all expected to study calligraphy and, through it, learn both discipline and expression. Master calligraphers receive the same recognition an artist such as Da Vinci receives in Western culture.

Rubbing of a work of master calligrapher Ouyang Xun (557-641) from the Tang Dynasty

It's said that the appearance of the writing can be appreciated the way you can appreciate abstract art. Without understanding what the characters mean, the audience should still be able to sense the energy and spirit behind the technique. Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse declared that their work was influenced by the art of calligraphy. Perhaps by the concept of capturing the essence of an idea in a few lines and shapes?

Can you see any connection?

When the shape and style of the words themselves are such a beautiful art form, it's no wonder that Chinese poetry and literature contains such rich symbolism!