Guest Blog: Jennifer Linforth

This week, we're welcoming historical author and regular contributor, Jennifer Linforth, with an excerpt from her upcoming novel, RONDEAU. Jennifer's here to talk about the book and give away a copy! Here's the blurb:

The Madrigals continue...

While on the run and hiding in Germany, Erik lives like anyone else—until one nobleman strikes back...

When Anna’s secret past is revealed and she is captured by Raoul’s bounty hunter, Erik is forced to avenge her. This time the madness of the Phantom cannot be freely unleashed.  Erik must rein himself in for the sake of his genius son and hideously deformed daughter.

With few allies as he takes to the streets of Paris in pursuit of Anna and his nemesis, Raoul, one man, The Persian, seeks to help while Christine seeks to keep Erik at large. Forced to turn over his control while spinning out of it, Erik’s past as The Phantom of the Opera roars to life before Paris and his unsuspecting children and only The Persian tries to talk sense to him.

But talk is senseless when speaking to a madman.

Overcome by his history and desperate to keep the past from destroying his life, Erik takes Paris by storm...

Two guns.

One bullet.

And a result that changes everything...

**A Q&A with Jennifer Linforth**

RONDEAU is the third book in your series that continues The Phantom of the Opera, MADRIGAL and ABENDLIED being the first two. Why did you wish to continue classic literature and why the original novel and not the widely popular Lloyd-Webber version?

Certain stories transcend time leaving more questions than answers. No author made me question as much as Gaston Leroux. My love for The Phantom of the Opera stemmed from a deep respect for a book that was a mystery, horror and romance rolled into one. After revisiting Leroux’s novel for the third time the questions in my head would not fade. Why—as a jurist—did he leave so many unanswered questions in such a fascinating book? The primary question I had was who was the “Shade” he spoke of.  From that idea came The Madrigals.

I focused on Leroux because Leroux created the story, not Lloyd Webber. Webber created iconic images with his musical and movie, but  Leroux’s original is quite different from the romantic, famous love triangle of Webber’s. Webber’s film created a mildly deformed man oozing sex appeal who happens to have murdered out of desperation and anger. What Webber wished was the basic romance as the focus. In Leroux, Erik was a murderously vengeful personality… a clear madman, while concurrently being a repressed and ardent gentleman. He was the central character in a Death and the Maiden tale and I wish to focus on that challenge instead.

How do you feel about finishing your series?

I actually wrote all three Madrigals in one year and spent the next several polishing the series before and during publication. I cried from relief when I finally polished RONDEAU. I put a great deal of pressure on myself to make sure this series remained true to Gaston Leroux yet still had enough of my vision in it to make it stand out. Now that the series is finished I feel very accomplished and am ready to move on to the next project. I may resist the characters down the road, perhaps continuing the story with primarily the secondary cast.

After spending so much time with these characters is there a sense of loss with the ending?

There is a sense of completion, not loss. I’ve spent seven years with this series from the start of my research to the last book published. A writer does get attached to their characters, however. I will miss crafting the secondary characters that revolved around Leroux’s original cast. I will miss making nasty villains, but I can do that for another work! I don’t feel loss over it because I know the door is open for great things to come in terms of my career as a writer and my personal goals to meet them.

Which were your favorite characters to explore in each book?

Crafting Erik as a true madman was always a delight from book to book. In the first, MADRIGAL, I loved bringing Madame Giry back to her roots. She is so often seen as Webber’s verison. I enjoyed making her that bumbling servant of the Phantom that she was.  In ABENDLIED exploring Philippe de Changy was my passion and still is. He is my favorite character in classic literature. He’s was a character begging to be explored.  I also loved Pappy. In him I enjoyed making a character utterly unexpected in a novel like this but who was pivotal to the growth of both Anna and Erik.  In RONDEAU the Persian was fun to write for he was another under explored character.

What’s next for you?

I am writing Regency romance now. I am working on a book with a unique spin on a heroine. I like to have characters that, like the Phantom, must overcome some mental or social stigma. I am also polishing a historical romance set in Austria for my publishing house.

Thank you, Jennifer, and all the best with RONDEAU. Remember, please leave your comment to win a copy of Jennifer’s latest!

Tragic Tales: The Elephant Man

By Jennifer Linforth

As soon as I type his name readers will know the tragedy of this man. An image will pop into their heads and they will nod, but it was not his outward appearance that made him a tragic tale of the 19th Century, but the brilliant mind the world would never embrace.

Joseph Carey Merrick, the "Elephant Man."

As a child, Mr. Merrick's story was the first that fascinated me. Like all children I was drawn to the difference setting him apart. As I grew older I understood more about him and he was far more than a deformity and medical marvel.

He was a quiet, brilliant man--though many assumed otherwise.

His doctor, Frederick Treves, first met Merrick at a freak show. His descriptions of what he saw of Merrick are horrifying and fascinating. (This I had a particular interest in, for it is said Gaston Leroux may have been influenced by Merrick's sideshow years when he crafted The Phantom of the Opera.) But the tragedy lies here in what Treves writes of the man behind the monster:

I supposed that Merrick was an imbecile and he had been an imbecile from birth. The fact that his face was incapable of expression, that his speech was a mere spluttering, and his attitude that of one whose mind was void of all emotions and concerns gave ground for this belief.

From: The Joseph Carey Merrick Tribute Website

This is an easy thing to assume for times have not changed. The world is still judged by outward appearance (Does anyone recall Susan Boyle and the audience reaction when she first walked on stage and spoke?) Furthermore Treves shows us this:

It was not until I came to know that Merrick was highly intelligent, that he possessed an acute sensibility and--worse than all--a romantic imagination that I realized the overwhelming tragedy of his life.

From: The Joseph Carey Merrick Tribute Website

That part of Merrick's life echoed with me again while writing The Madrigals, for Gaston Leroux wrote of Erik, the horribly deformed but genius Phantom, "...all he wanted was to be loved for himself."

For a topic on tragic tales I could have gone into Merrick's life, what he looked like and how he lived. Most of the world knows this. Instead I went with how he made me feel. His story is just a brilliant tale--the tragedy lies in the assumptions left in its wake.

What Surprised Me: My Heroine

By Jennifer Linforth

I am not autistic.

I met a critique partner of mine, an expert in the field of Aspergers, because I was blogging on anthropomorphizing--something commonly seen in autism and something I did as a kid. I am not autistic, yet I have an autistic heroine. What surprised me was how I came to write her.

This is where writing what we know turns into adding what others know and realizing our limits. I never sought to have an autistic heroine in my novel, until a reader asked me why she seemed autistic. Was I?

No, I'm not. I simply write what I know, and this heroine's thought process is similar to mine. I was taken aback. My delightfully quirky heroine was viewed as autistic? That was not what I intended! What now! I write historical fiction. This can't happen! I can't have autism in the 19th century, why that's--madness!

Sadly in that era...it was.

But that woman's comment made me wonder; perhaps I needed to see my characters through the opinions of others more often. We writers get locked in our stubborn little heads a lot and often don't come out. I am sure many writers have characters they refuse to budge on. I showed the draft of my heroine to others and they all said the same thing. I knew very little of the world of autism, in a particular Aspergers, but I started reading about it and until I met my critique partner I still was not convinced about his heroine....

Once I let go of my vision for her and embraced the vision of others--the story flourished.

If writers are going to tackle a project they must do so knowing the potential is there that we may be wrong. Our plots may be great, but we might be writing with the wrong characters. Once I listened to what I was being told and began the very scary process of research and networking in order to polish this heroine. (After all, like I said, I am not autistic. How do I approach someone and ask to interview them on very intimate details of their lives from daily living right down to love?)

I was delighted with how well she fit into the 19th century while still being compatible with 21st century readers. I was shocked during the research at how many people secretly supported books with heroes or heroines with challenges. They embrace the idea of reading a book with real characters with identifiable problems and hurtles. Many keep silent, because autism is a part of their lives and often something discussed only behind closed doors.

Sadly, that is madness.

I've learned that autism seeps into everyone's lives whether we realize it or not. In my line of work outside of writing I have yet to see a group of children that does not have one autistic child in their ranks. I am indebted to the people and experts I have reached out to who have educated me. My debut novel, MADRIGAL, was a whole other story--it involved years of research into expanding classic literature. I knew those characters inside and out. That success made me think I always would know my characters. What surprised me, is how important it is to remain open minded and accept the guidance of other writers, even strangers, when crafting our characters. More so, how important it is to sometimes say: I was wrong!

Guest Author: Jennifer Linforth

This week on Unusual Historicals, we're talking with contributor Jennifer Linforth as she celebrates the release of ABENDLIED. This is the second of her "Madrigals" series, which continues Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. ABENDLIED is available for purchase from Highland Press and all of the major online bookstores. Here's the blurb:

Desiring normalcy is difficult enough with a price on his head, but when Erik is falsely accused of killing Philippe de Chagny, brother of his nemesis Raoul, he is launched toward madness.

Anna is an unlikely companion, sharing Erik's heart and the bounty on his head. As the manhunt heats, Erik's mysterious relationship with Philippe spurs the campaign against them and exposes her darkest secret: defending her honor ended in murder.

Plagued by his past as The Phantom of the Opera, Erik's memories enslave his heart to Raoul's wife Christine, whose shocking confession brings a ruthless bounty hunter into the fray and blackmail to the Chagny bloodline. Blackmail from a hunter who cares little about the Phantom or Philippe and everything about the one he has lusted for: Anna.

With the past weeping like an open wound, can love endure or will it take the memories of one unlikely man to heal them all?

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This book is the second in a series. Must MADRIGAL be read first to understand the plot of ABENDLIED?

It doesn't. Naturally reading MADRIGAL first will enhance the experience in following the plot of ABENDLIED, but enough back story is built into this book to help the reader follow the plot and pick up MADRIGAL after the fact.

ABENDLIED highlights an unusual character from Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. Why did you choose Philippe de Chagny to play opposite Erik, the Phantom?

Philippe de Chagny is one of the most underexplored characters in classic literature. Leroux describes him as "a bit haughty toward men and overly kind toward women," yet a man with "irreproachable conscience and great heart." That line caught my attention. He was born and raised in the height of France's nobility and growing old in the days when titles were fossils. Extremely powerful and wealthy--his arrogance came with the territory. I liked that in his character. Yet he had scruples, that "irreproachable conscience" Leroux wrote about. Here was a character with a firm sense of right and wrong, which many readers of Leroux see as the "evil empire" for not permitting his younger brother to marry for love.

Empires were built on marriages of property and money. If you had 600 years of tradition to adhere to, you would marry for gain as well and keep a mistress on the side for emotional love. Philippe had his freedoms but what of his responsibilities? How does taking the reins of one of the most powerful families when barely a young man shape you and your view of what should and should not be done for the good of your name and title? When would you dare break tradition? In all the heartache he caused Raoul in the original novel, I don't think Philippe went charging into the vaults of the Garnier to do anything to prevent Raoul from marrying Christine as see in Leroux's original story.

So why did he go down there to begin with and lose his life in the process? I explored this and my views of Philippe as a philanthropic character throughout "The Madrigals." Though he is mentioned only briefly in book one, book two cracks into his story and explains him as man and mystery. Monsieur le Comte de Chagny is my favorite character of all classic literature. Barely seen in Leroux he is used as "wallpaper." I wanted to bring him to life.

What is harder to write, your characters or Leroux's?

Leroux's hands down, with the exception of Philippe. He rolled off my fingers. The Phantom of the Opera has an enormous fan base. Each "fandom" is devoted to the storyline they follow be it Leroux's or Webber's ideas. A writer can't please every reader with the characters we craft and that goes double when dealing with expanding classic literature. That being said, a writer expanding classic literature must also respect the original author's ideas. A great deal of research went into following Leroux's vision for his characters, but I added enough of a personal twist to them to appeal to my story and in turn my readers.

Erik is a character many find easy to sympathize with, but he is still the 'villain' of Leroux's novel. How did you adjust to this in your series?

I didn't adjust to it--I worked with it. I stand behind my belief that Erik was a madman. In Leroux he was a murderously vengeful personality while concurrently being a repressed and ardent gentleman. He is still that way in "The Madrigals." He had issues with maternal longings just as Christine had issues with paternal needs. While a highly sensual being, he was not a sexual object as many popular versions make him to be. Leroux penned him as a monster for a reason and I did my best to adhere to his original ideas for the story.

The nature of Erik past births sympathy in a reader, he is the deformed and misunderstood genius that everyone passes by in their rush to fend for themselves. I strove to build sympathy for Erik in ABENDLIED via his unique connection to Philippe, but sought to never lose sight of his history. Too often I find if you strip away the unattainable parts of Leroux, you are left with a story that loses many of the original themes and theories. The Phantom of the Opera is not, in my opinion, a strict romance as it is often thought of.

Your villain is an absinthe addict. Why did you choose this route for your historical?

The history surrounding absinthe in the 19th century just screamed to be explored in Loup. I wanted him to have an unforgettable edge that matched Erik's madness, and absinthe, labeled as dangerously addictive with psychotropic elements, was the appropriate vice. Absinthism was the condition coined for addicts of the "green fairy," and by the late 19th century absinthe was considered the worst alcoholic drink ever known to man. Today the psychotropic elements could be argued as being no worse than that of severe alcoholism.

It was rumored that absinthe gave the drinker clarity of thought, which is why many writers and artists favored it. I loved this element and used it to rock Loup between moments of crystal clear sanity and madness. I wanted the reader to always wonder what side of the fence he was truly on, and wanted a quirk to highlight his twisted mindset. Not to mention sipping it while writing proved to be delightfully tasty research!

Can you elaborate on the twist at the end of ABENDLIED with Philippe de Chagny?

I can... but I won't! The major twist in ABENDLIED comes directly from Leroux's original novel...

What's next for you?

We are on to book three in "The Madrigals," current working title of ELEGY. It picks up seven years after the events in ABENDLIED. In it, four characters seen in ABENDLIED are brought to life to bring the manhunt for Erik full circle. Lovers of The Phantom of the Opera will meet the Persian in full force in book three, (I am having a wonderful time rounding him out) and be introduced in depth to the last player seen in ABENDLIED. I am thrilled that I have already have had requests e-mailed to me to tell the story of this one unique character...

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Night Owl Romance 5/5 Reviewer Top Pick: "Jennifer Linforth's latest work is sweet and tender, dark and decadent, a treat to be reached for again and again. For anyone who read Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera and wanted more, this is the book for you!"

Paranormal Romance Reviews: 5/5 Top Pick: "Ms. Linforth has written another noteworthy tale about the Phantom!"

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Thanks so much for stopping by, Jennifer! Readers, if you're interested in winning a copy of ABENDLIED, please leave a comment or question for Jennifer. I'll draw a name at random next Sunday. If you're not a regular reader of UH, please leave your email address so we can find you! Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

Excerpt Thursday: Jennifer Linforth

This week on Excerpt Thursday, we're welcoming contributor Jennifer Linforth as she celebrates the release of ABENDLIED, the second in her Madrigals series, which continues Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. ABENDLIED is available for purchase from Highland Press and all of the major online bookstores. Join us Sunday when Jennifer will be here to answer questions and give away a signed copy.

Desiring normalcy is difficult enough with a price on his head, but when Erik is falsely accused of killing Philippe de Chagny, brother of his nemesis Raoul, he is launched toward madness.

Anna is an unlikely companion, sharing Erik's heart and the bounty on his head. As the manhunt heats, Erik's mysterious relationship with Philippe spurs the campaign against them and exposes her darkest secret: defending her honor ended in murder.

Plagued by his past as The Phantom of the Opera, Erik's memories enslave his heart to Raoul's wife Christine, whose shocking confession brings a ruthless bounty hunter into the fray and blackmail to the Chagny bloodline. Blackmail from a hunter who cares little about the Phantom or Philippe and everything about the one he has lusted for: Anna.

With the past weeping like an open wound, can love endure or will it take the memories of one unlikely man to heal them all?

***

He thought to lean to one side and be done with it. The exhaustion over fighting his desires for Christine, the constant tug of war with madness coupled with fearing he would destroy the one woman who made him feel alive, was unbearable punishment.

"I never believed in Your sincerity of bringing Anna to me. Shocked are we? Surprised for a brief moment I believed?" Erik rolled his head toward the side and pressed his cheek to the stone. His accusatory eyes could have shattered the pinpricks of light across the heavens. "Congratulations, Oh Merciful God, You failed again. Anna can have You and Your Son." He yanked himself upright, his body going rigid with his anger. "I am pleased Philippe is dead!"

Spittle flew from sob soaked lips. His mouth spread upward. He may be alone for now, but not forever. There was to be an heir to his kingdom, a child with his mind and his madness. Erik spoke to the shattered stone below with an unblinking stare.

"I will have my child, in all his hideous imperfections. I will need no one but him and my music. I will need only his love. As for Christine?" Erik leapt to his feet. The wind flapped his cloak behind him. He leaned into the gust and taunted the streets below like a great yellow-eyed bird ready to swoop on unsuspecting prey. "Our character becomes our destiny. Music, like life, is inexpressible silence without its instrument. Am I not its master? I hold the baton. I will conduct what I want. I will have what I want. What is Erik without Christine?"

Leaping back to the roof he retrieved his mask and turned to the opera house, his boots drumming a cadence so the ferryman could dutifully follow. A haunting whisper carried his sadness forward on the wind.

"What is Erik without the Phantom?"

Weekly Announcements - 13 Nov 09

Publishing under the pseudonym Ellen Connor, Carrie Lofty and her friend Ann Aguirre have sold three books to Penguin. They're not historical but they certainly qualify as unusual. Full details here, if you're curious.

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Lisa Marie Wilkinson's debut FIRE AT MIDNIGHT was recently named winner of the Fiction and Literature/Romance category of USA Book News Best Books of 2009. Congratulations!

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Jennifer Linforth's debut, MADRIGAL, is now available from Highland Press as an ebook.

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Join us Sunday when Unusual Historicals welcomes the return of Harlequin Historicals author Kate Bridges. She'll be discussing comedy, romantic screenplays, and of course, her newest release: ALASKAN RENEGADE, set in frontier Alaska! She'll also be giving away a copy. Don't miss it!

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We'll also draw the winner of Amanda McCabe's THE WINTER QUEEN. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.

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And stay with us through the coming weeks when we'll be featuring the best unusual historical authors! Carol Ann Didier, Margaret Mallory, Michelle Styles and Carla Capshaw 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...

Weekly Announcements - 11 July 09

Jennifer Linforth has been saving up her announcements! Her debut novel, MADRIGAL received excellent reviews from Paranormal Romance Reviews, Night Own Romance, Long and Short Romance Reviews, and Coffee Time Romance. How fabulous! Jennifer also received the cover for the sequel, called ABENDLIED, which follows Philippe de Chagny from Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera.

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Carrie Lofty has completed the book trailer for her January 2010 release, SCOUNDREL'S KISS. Hope you enjoy it!


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Join us Sunday when author Minnette Meador will be here to talk about her novel, THE CENTURION AND THE QUEEN, set in ancient Rome!

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We'll also draw the winner of Beth Williamson's THE REDEMPTION OF MICAH. There's still time to leave a comment for your shot at winning!

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Have a great week, and I hope everyone has safe travels to Nationals! There will be no announcements and no guest author next weekend, but we'll be back on schedule with Meredith Duran on July 26!

In the meantime, if you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...

Places You've Never Heard Of: The Catacombs of Paris

By Jennifer Linforth

There is nothing quite like shoving your heroine in a catacomb. I love my heroine, my editor loves my heroine, readers tell me they love my heroine...

But sometimes you have to wonder what is in a writer's head. There is a method to my madness just as there are certain places on this earth that simply cannot be described. One is the Catacombs of Paris--the tunnels beneath the city that house endless twists, turns--and souls.

Created at the end of the 18th century when the Cemetery of the Innocent was discovered to be the source of disease, and multiple complaints were filed against it, the Council of State ordered the removal of the deceased. But where the blazes do you put the bones? The removal and creation of the catacombs began on April 7, 1786 and was continued until 1788. It happened at night with great ceremony. Priests sang, while carts bogged down with bones draped in black cloth made their way to the highways underground.

Creepy dark places are magnets for the bizarre. In 1787, Lord of d' Artois, (Charles X), would bring his court ladies down there for a rip-roaring good time (there is fiction fodder for you). According to the museum in Paris such figures as Madame de Polignac and Madame de Guiche visited and in 1814, Francis 1st, emperor of Austria, had to see the creepy stuff for himself. In 1860, Napoleon III went down there with his son—male bonding you know.

Visitors to Paris can tour the Catacombs and the intricate bone walls. The remains of around six million souls reside down there. They are laid out in macabre patterns and piles...a network of graffiti on the walls helps to guide folks on their 'walks.' So why the bloody hell would I want to shove my heroine in a place like this? I reference these catacombs in MADRIGAL--they play a rather significant role--and then use them in book two. (Different city...seems creepy places are all over Europe.) I just can't get past the allure of them. If you were to hide from the authorities, wouldn't that be a perfect spot? Miles of pitch-black, water-filled tunnels, mapped only to a degree...the perfect place to wait out a winter if you ask me. Cold--but at least you would have company.

Eyeless company but company nonetheless

Weekly Announcements - 9 May 09

Michelle Styles took part in the Hexham Book Festival on 2 May, discussing the "Changing Face of Romance in 21st Century." Also, three of her novels are available as a special promotion pack in Spain this month. Históricos relatos que te transportaran a épocas pasadas donde vivirás amores sorprendentes, encuentros apasionados… seductores protagonistas ¡3 historias de Michelle Styles a las que no podrás resistirte!

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Jennifer Linforth is hosting a Gaston Leroux Birthday Tribute Drabble Contest. The prize is a Phantom of the Opera gift basket including a signed copy of Madrigal plus books from contest judges. In a nutshell: A drabble is a story or scene told in 100 words. No more, no less. Many times in the fan-fiction world drabbles are a bit longer. Knowing how restricting writing tight can be, the contest will have an upper limit of 300 words. Details on Jennifer's website.

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Join us Sunday when author TJ Bennett will be here to talk about THE PROMISE, set in 16th century Germany!

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We'll also draw the winner of Diane Whiteside's THE SOUTHERN DEVIL. There's still time to leave a comment for your shot at winning!

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Have a good weekend! If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...

PASSIONATE Winner

We have a winner for Anthea Lawson's PASSIONATE giveaway:

PAM P!

Contact Anthea to give her your 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 of her book! Congratulations!

In addition, no one claimed the copy of MADRIGAL from last week, so we've drawn a new winner:

BEE!

Contact Jennifer to give her your address.

MADRIGAL Winner!

We have a winner for Jennifer Linforth's MADRIGAL giveaway:

Rachel!

Contact Jennifer to give her your 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 of her book! Congratulations!

Weekly Announcements - 15 Nov 08

Michelle Styles has been featured in The Hexham Courant, her local paper, about her latest book, A QUESTION OF IMPROPRIETY

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Erastes has done an interview with Romance at Heart magazine and received a nice review for FROST FAIR:

The historical details are obviously very accurate, you can always picture the nineteen century London in which is set the story, and I bet that you can still follow the steps of Gideon around the city still now and seeing the same view he saw. The nice description of the FROST FAIR, an impromptu fair held on the frozen Thames, is the same you can see in some prints of the time.

FROST FAIR was released today, so you can pick up a copy here.

Gideon Frost is willing to do whatever it takes to earn enough money to save the printing shop that was left to him by his father. But when faced with the prospect of having to engage in acts society deems unnatural and the law declares punishable by death, he realized there are limits as to how far he'll go. Then he meets the privileged and handsome Joshua Redfern, the one man who tempts Gideon to break his own rules.

Joshua Redfern has no title or important relations, but his independent fortune allows him a life that is more than comfortable. And more importantly, it enables him to offer assistance to the unfortunate but beautiful Gideon just when the man needs it most. Joshua realizes his interest in Gideon is far more than charitable, but is the man similarly attracted or merely indebted?

When the Thames freezes over and London hosts the great Frost Fair of 1814, trouble and necessity bring Gideon and Joshua together. But just as ice is destined to eventually crack, will the circumstances break these two men as they learn that life isn't always fair?

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Elizabeth Lane received two reviews for THE BORROWED BRIDE from The Good, the Bad and the Unread. Wendy the Super Librarian wrote, "THE BORROWED BRIDE is an emotional read, and Judd is just the ticket for readers who adore haunted, wounded heroes," while Devon said, "The chemistry was good and the tension was involving. I was waiting for that first kiss."

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Hot on the heels of her first release, Jennifer Linforth just sold book two of The Madrigals. ABENDLIED, which weaves in Philippe de Chagny's role in The Madrigals, will be a 2009 release. More details to come!

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If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...

Book Party: Jennifer Linforth

Debuts are fun! This week we're talking with contributor Jennifer Linforth as she celebrates the release of her debut, MADRIGAL, available now from Highland Press.

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Years ago he faked his death and vowed the Phantom would never again haunt the Opera Garnier. But strange packages left by Anna, an unwanted Samaritan turned unlikely friend, causes Erik to desire the unattainable--love.

When Anna's haunted past puts Christine Daaé in danger, Erik is falsely accused of the vicious crime. The Phantom is reborn as Erik, forced to the brink of insanity, revisits his passion for Christine--the woman he once swore to possess. Fighting the injustice against Erik, Anna struggles to prove his innocence. Standing in the way is her past that cannot be transcended, and years of prejudice labeling Erik more monster than man.

Battling the nobleman determined to lock him away, Erik must save Christine, control his demons, and tame a heart unexpectedly beating for two opposite women. Christine, who he longs to love, and Anna: the woman who saw beyond his bitter soul to the man beneath the mask. In the midst of a brutal manhunt, can he be loved for himself or is he condemned to be The Phantom of the Opera?

Murderer, Maestro, Magician, Mastermind.

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MADRIGAL is a continuance of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. Why expand a work of classic literature? How long did this take?

Certain stories transcend time leaving many more questions than answers. No author made me question as much as Gaston Leroux. My love for The Phantom of the Opera stemmed from a deep respect for a book that was a mystery, horror and romance rolled into one. How utterly frustrating and wonderful is it to read a book that makes you ponder what happened after the final page? How many readers have thought about the nuptials of Darcy and Elisabeth after Jane Austen put down her quill? There are those readers who are merely content to question and those readers who seek answers...

After revisiting Leroux's novel for the third time the questions in my head would not go away. A voracious researcher, I began to read about France in the Victorian era which led to me studying the history of opera. This fostered a desire to understand Leroux on a deeper level. Why set this book in an opera house? What motivated him? How did he view France during the time of this novel? Much of Leroux's body of works focused on political satire and class differences. Why--as a jurist--did he leave so many unanswered questions?

While innocently poking around in my research I stumbled across a book which continued Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I loved every minute of it. In my opinion it flawlessly wove the original story with Austen's tale. From there I found other writers who continued classic literature: Brooks, Rhys... I was horrified at first--a bit shocked that authors would have the guts to expand upon a work in the public domain. But I had a way now to answer those unanswered questions. It took three solid years of research and revision to do, but was worth every moment.

The Phantom of the Opera has an enormous fan base. What was your biggest challenge in writing MADRIGAL?

By far breaking down the walls erected by Andrew Lloyd Webber. His musical sensation and 2004 movie staring Gerald Butler created an iconic image of both The Phantom and the story as a whole. Webber got his start through Leroux, and Leroux's original is quite different from the romantic, sexual tale millions of fans saw and fell in love with.

When I wrote MADRIGAL, I wanted to adhere as closely as possible to Leroux's original vision of a sensual madman. Erik (the Phantom) was not a sexy, buff man hidden behind a petite white half-mask. He was the central character in a Death and the Maiden tale. Erik was hideously deformed, hid behind a full black mask and slept in a coffin. Very different from the image of the mildly deformed gentleman with the famous romantic "swan bed" crafted by Webber .While he possessed the same genius Webber capitalized on, he was also a murderously vengeful soul. Despite that, he was a repressed and ardent gentleman seeking the most basic of human emotions--love. Yet how can one when love society sees you as nothing more than a deviant of the underground?

Webber said in an interview that he stripped down Leroux's original to the most basic love story. In doing so I found he lessened many elements that made this classic unique. Elements such as the social differences of the time period and the clash of the classes, Erik's inherent madness and Christine's push and pull between the loves of two men. Naturally certain elements of Leroux's story were changed to suit the limits of my imagination, but I tried to bring the reader back to Leroux.

I have received numerous emails from readers stating after reading MADRIGAL they purchased Leroux's original. That is a true reward!

Do your readers have to understand Leroux's original to be able to read MADRIGAL?

Absolutely not, and that is why it is so rewarding to know readers are seeking out Leroux's work. That is one of the reasons it took three years to research and polish this book. I wanted MADRIGAL to be able to stand on its own independent of Leroux's story. Just enough back story of Leroux's original is woven into MADRIGAL to be able to give the reader a flavor for The Phantom of the Opera.

The title itself is unique. Can you explain? I understand this is first in a series.

Opera and its history play a huge role in Leroux's original novel.

The story for MADRIGAL grew out of two elements. The first was my unending curiosity over one of Leroux's secondary characters, Philippe Georges Marie, the Comte de Chagny. His death in the original book at the hands of Erik never did sit well with me. Leroux wrote Philippe as an important secondary character, but never revealed much about his role in the plot. Why? Leroux was a jurist. Details and proof were his life yet he offered the reader no proof about this murder. I kept digging in-between the lines of his prose in order to uncover more about Philippe de Changy. Though not seen in book one, Philippe de Chagny's life and death play a large role in the series.

Coupled with my questions regarding Chagny was a bit of inspiration from opera itself. Philippe was the primary patron of the Opera Garnier and a high ranking nobleman of his time. In the 16th century the primary source of entertainment for nobles were madrigals--a type of secular vocal composition. The early madrigalists strung four madrigals together to weave a complete story via song. This became the foundation for modern day opera. Voices in a madrigal could be manipulated in such way the singer appeared to be crying, laughing or yelling in anger etc.

This to me was the inner workings of Erik's mind and madness. Mingled with the music consuming him were these voices of beauty, but they were coiled underneath the noise of his madness. The emotion behind MADRIGAL's madrigal was based off of Shakespeare's Sonnet twenty-nine. (When in disgrace and fortune in men's eye, I alone beweep my outcast state...) A story that is a lament relaying a man's deepest urges for popularity though his desires and wants are hidden and repressed beneath envy and suffering.

MADRIGAL is the first in a three book series (The Madrigals). There is a possibility for a fourth if readers desire.

Do you only write works that expand upon classic literature?

The Madrigals are only some of my unusual historicals. I write historical fiction and historical romances that focus on the social mores of the 19th century. My passion lies in Austrian culture and I have several historicals set in the Habsburg empire during the reign of Franz-Josef.

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Reviews:

"Ms. Linforth has written a love story sure to please Phantom fans old and new alike." ~ Amanda Ashley, NYT Bestselling author

"Reading MADRIGAL by Jennifer Linforth has been a wonderful experience. As a Phantom of the Opera lover, I've been able to read all the books based on this story and Ms. Linforth's work including plot, characters, and style makes this novel a gorgeous and unique creation. Ms. Linforth's love for the Phantom legend can be felt in every page, in every word which makes her novel a wonderful experience and a delight to the senses." ~ Sandra Andrés Belenguer, historian and creator of the foremost Phantom of the Opera history and fan site

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We featured an excerpt of MADRIGAL on Thursday, which you can read here. Interested in getting your hands on a copy? Leave a comment or question for Jennifer, and we'll draw a name from among the commenters.

Weekly Announcements - 08 Nov 08

Michelle Styles' A QUESTION OF IMPROPRIETY received a four-star review from Realms on Our Bookshelves. "Lovely is the first word that came to mind after finishing Michelle Styles' A QUESTION OF IMPROPRIETY. With it I reconnected with the genuine Regency historical romance, complete with the society gossips, the secretive seduction and wooing, the misinterpreted intentions and the budding feelings of love."

Also, the cover for AN IMPULSIVE DEBUTANTE appeared on the opening credits of the BBC 4 production of Consuming Passions, a docu-drama about the history of Mills & Boon.

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Join us tomorrow when our guest author will be Unusual Historicals contributor Jennifer Linforth. Jennifer will be talking about her debut release MADRIGAL, which continues Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera.

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We'll also draw the winner of Elizabeth Lane's THE BORROWED BRIDE. There's still time to leave a comment for your shot at winning!

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Have a good weekend. If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...

Excerpt Thursday: Jennifer Linforth

Thursdays on Unusual Historicals means excerpts! Here's one from Jennifer Linforth's debut release from Highland Press, MADRIGAL, which continues Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera.

Erik lurked in Box Five. Like a fragile leaf clinging to a branch, knowing if it fell it would have no set path, anticipation trembled within him. He stared down at the horseshoe auditorium, locking his sights on Christine. His mind hadn't quieted since the moment he'd seen her. He disregarded the madness he knew was on the rise. The bliss of years ago called to him like opium to an addict and he chose to ride on a wave of false euphoria.

How should he make his presence known? He didn't want to frighten her. It must have been shocking enough for Christine to discover her Angel of Music was nothing more than mere man. He could only imagine what it would be like for her to discover he wasn't dead.

His thumb stroked the fingertips on one hand. How he longed to hold her again. He could almost feel her.

"Mademoiselle, wait," Christine called. "Where did you hear such a story?"

Anna's shoulders lifted. "It is just a part of the mystique that lurks around this theater. Why? Is the story true?"

The delicate feeling on Erik's fingertips evaporated. He balled his hand into a fist. The distance between him and Christine was closing in, and now Anna had entered into his act uninvited.

I told you to leave my theater and yet you do no obey. Why, when I need you to leave my mind, do you continue to cling?

Anna purposely goaded a response. His glare could have melted iron.

"Yes, it is true," Christine replied. "The Angel of Music was a great teacher and he did love me. He inspired my voice. He all but gave me this opera house."

Erik's blood coursed so hard the pulse pounded in his throat. He caught himself before he leaned too far out of his shadow. Caressing the velvet of the armchair, he imagined stroking her sensuous form, whispering his adoration into her ear, and proclaiming his love for her in ways he only dreamed.

Yes, I gave you it all, Christine. I would have lassoed the moon for you.

"And you gave nothing in return?" Anna said incredulously. "He loved you."

The memory of how he'd shunned Anna wrapped around his heart like a rope of thorns. The raw passion he felt for her tightened those binds until he swore his heart would puncture. He forced such passion away. He didn't want it. Not now. He clamped his teeth in an attempt to govern the thoughts tumbling drunkenly in his mind. The velvet shredded beneath his fingers.

Damn it, you little minx. Stay out of my mind.

Christine wandered the empty stage staring out across the seats. "There was nothing I could give. Least of all love."

Ridges plowed into Anna's brow. "Why?"

"He was horrifically deformed. He frightened me. I was put through so much horror."

"Then why did you continue with the lessons?" Anna demanded sharply. "If you knew he loved you and you couldn't give that in return, why torment him?"

"I wanted to know the music for I had never experienced anything like it. I deeply respected the Angel of Music and cared for him, but I could never truly love him. Not in the way he wanted. His affections were so powerful--they frightened me." Christine shook her head. "A woman such as you could never comprehend the situation. He was a distorted soul, a madman. I couldn't be expected to look on that with love. No one could."

No one could? That? Respected? Rejected!

Erik tensed as he shook from head to toe. His hands crushed to his mask. He cursed his ugliness. Looking at the two women, he recognized the confusion Anna had mentioned. With all his being, he tried to control his demons. His inability to do so was not his fault. Man made him this way.

He turned his attention to the woman beside her. Erik leaned forward avoiding the urge to fold himself over the velvet railing and scream to the women below.

Anna, make her understand me.

Expansion & Invasion: I Was 11 During the Franco-Prussian War...

By Jennifer Linforth

I was eleven when I saw the first wrinkle of worry crack the well-crafted mask of indifference that was my brother's face.

All my younger years my brother, Philippe Georges Marie, the Comte de Chagny, was in charge. A philanthropist, womanizer and pillar of Paris, an outrageous risk taker and man of irreproachable conscience and heart—he was always smiling, always in control never--fearful.

Never, until the echo of Prussian boots fell upon the muddy streets of Paris, dull against the cobbles yet echoing loudly the change that was to come. The eighteenth of January was the day a new German empire was declared at Versailles, a place of revelry for my brother and his kin, a place where I, as the Vicomte de Chagny, longed to one day roam.

I would not be roaming there during the winter of my eleventh year.

The comte tried to explain to me best he could why several enormous armies were established in France's provinces--this in light of the German blockade of Paris. All I knew was I could not go to the city I so adored as a child. I could not taste youthful pleasure in the seat of a salon. I could not dine at my favorite cafés. My estate became my prison. Chateau de Changy became a tomb as we avoided being seen outside its marbled walls. The French troops were marching toward Paris, I was told, to attack the Germans from all sides.

The Germans were ill-pleased. They bombarded my beloved city, which only tightened our French resolve. "We will prevail, mon frere." My brother's words were the only thing keeping my youthful and rash head from leaping upon my horse and joining the ranks. Within a few weeks time war broke out across my country as the German armies lay scattered--for they were not prepared for an occupation the of the whole of France.

I thought we had prevailed. How wrong I was. My eleven-year-old mind could not comprehend the months that had passed since January, and by October 10th fighting erupted near Orléans. I remember the wrinkles deepening upon my brother's brow as he received word of the battle from Duc de Orléans. Would Chagny be next? The Germans were victorious as first--making my heart sink like a hunk of lead--until word came that my countrymen were triumphant at Coulmiers. At last! A light had cracked in the gloom of this war and November looked to belong to France. But the Germans--well-trained, numerous, with their needle guns--joined their forces from north to south and my countrymen abandoned Orléans by bleak and white December.

War continued until January of 1871. Paris was starving, innocent people--unprivileged, like I--were left in the cold streets, and my brother's ami, Jules Favre, traveled to Versailles to discuss peace with Bismark.

By now, I was approaching my twelfth year, and Bismark was a name I hated.

France was victorious in these talks--to a degree. Bismark permitted food convoys to enter Paris and I was left slightly guilty, for my belly was never empty through all this. Chagny had is secret stores--for didn't all nobility have secrets kept from the coffers of their governments? Bismark placed conditions on this aid--the Government of the National Defense was to surrender key fortresses outside of Paris to his Prussian army. Opposed, but realistic they could not defend Paris without their forts, the Government gave in. Our president resigned. Favre took over.

He surrendered two days later...

It would not be until 10th May that the Treaty of Frankfurt was signed and the war ended. Yet it would not be over not for those with titles to our name.

Paris was changed. Our government was changed. I watched The Commune rise. I avoided the dungeons, the anger, and the resentment of the lower class thanks to my brother. As I grew into my title, my title would grow to a fossil of a bygone era thanks to the first dull echoes of Prussian boots on muddy cobbles.

Many years later I would see the Communard dungeons deep below in the cellars of the Opera Garnier. I would not be placed there by the lower class Parisians resentful of my titled name. I would be shackled and chained there by a deviant madman--a Phantom of the Opera. But that is a story for another time. Until then, I would leave my legacy carved on the cold stone walls....

R. C.

It was then, the first wrinkle of worry cracked the well-crafted mask of indifference that was my face...

~Raoul Jean-Paul Marie, Vicomte de Chagny.

Weekly Announcements - 25 Oct 2008

This week's announcements include good news from RT and two small changes to our Unusual Historicals format. First, we now have a public calendar via our Yahoo group to let everyone know when authors will be posting or stopping by for a giveaway. Second, Thursday will now feature excerpts from our authors' works. Monday thru Wednesday will continue to be historical posts, Fridays or Saturdays for announcements, and promotional features with giveaways on Sundays.

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Carrie Lofty received four stars from RT for her December Zebra Debut release, WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS. "Lofty debuts with an adventurous romp that's a new take on the Robin Hood legend. The leading man will win readers' hearts as only a bad boy can. Lofty writes adventure romance like a born bard of old."

Carrie will be talking about her debut and giving away a copy here at Unusual Historicals on November 30. You can read an excerpt here.

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Michelle Styles also received four starts from RT for her newest US release, VIKING WARRIOR, UNWILLING WIFE. "A family in conflict, an ambitious hero bent on vengeance and a bold woman hiding a secret quest for salvation combine for a heady, tension-filled, passionate sequel to Taken by the Viking."

Here on Unusual Historicals, Michelle will be discussing her debut and giving away a copy on December 7. You can read an excerpt here.

In addition, Michelle conducted a well-received workshop on writing romance at the Berwick-upon-Tweed library as the National Year of Reading writer in residence. She also launched the Haydon Bridge High School Reading for pleasure reading group, again under the auspices of the National Year of Reading.

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Jennifer Linforth's debut novel, MADRIGAL, a continuation of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera, is now available for purchase. Congratulations on this wonderful accomplishment, Jennifer!

Unusual Historicals will feature Jennifer and MADRIGAL on November 9, so be sure to stop by for your chance to win a copy. You can read an excerpt here.

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Bonnie Vanak will be signing copies of THE SCORPION AND THE SEDUCER, her Egyptian historical, and her new werewolf Nocturne, ENEMY LOVER, at the Altamonte Mall Center Court, 451 E. Altamonte Drive in Altamonte Springs, Florida, on Saturday, November 1, from 2-5 pm.

Meet Bonnie and 18 other romance authors and stock up on wonderful holiday reading. Barnes & Noble will donate 20% of proceeds from book sales to Central Florida's non-profit Adult Literacy League. Be sure to shop early, because the first 75 book buyers will receive a FABULOUS goody bag stuffed with free books (most of them autographed), bookmarks, postcards, pens, and chocolate. For more information, check out the Central Florida Romance Writers' website.

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Join us tomorrow when our guest author will be Terry Blain. Terry will be talking about her novel KENTUCKY GREEN, set in the American frontier in 1794.

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We'll also draw the winner of Lynna Banning's TEMPLAR KNIGHT, FORBIDDEN BRIDE. There's still time to leave a comment for your shot at winning!

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Have a good weekend. If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...

Weekly Announcements - 11 Oct 08

Jennifer Linforth's trailer for MADRIGAL is now available here.

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Lisa Marie Wilkinson's work in progress, "Forget Me Not," just won first place in the Utah RWA chapter's "Heart of the West" contest.

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Christine Koehler is being published in December with a new e-publisher, Ravenous Romance. Under her pen name, Isabel Roman, the story is set in 1882 England. Congratulations, Christine!

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Join us tomorrow when our guest author will be Jade Lee, best know for her Tigress series. She'll present excerpts of her two newest novels, DRAGONBORN (a fantasy romance) and THE DRAGON EARL (a spicy Regency).

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We'll also draw the winner of Kim Lenox's NIGHT FALLS DARKLY. Leave a comment for your shot at winning!

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Have a good weekend. If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...

Social Movements: The Bohemians

By Jennifer Linforth

Degenerates are not always criminals. Anarchist and pronounced lunatics; They are often authors and artists ~ Max Nordan, Degeneration

I have spent the last three years in a dark and foreboding world far below the Paris streets. I have been wholly absorbed in researching the undergrounds of society to bring to life a little known man who was not a tight-tooshed Scotsman in a tiny white half-mask, but an ardent (yet completely insane) gentleman who lurked behind a full black mask and hid his murderously vengeful habits in the counter-culture of Paris.

You may all step away to read Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera now. I'll wait...

No social movement was more prevalent in Paris of the late 19th century where my debut historical romance, Madrigal: A Novel of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera is set then that of the Bohemian. The Bohemian movement was a counter culture effort to reject the values of mainstream Paris and mock the upwardly mobile bourgeoisie. While the Bohemian moment is not something overly prevalent in Leroux's original novel (or mine) it was a culture that influenced Paris in the Victorian era—whether you were a journalist, lawyer, aristocrat or artist. Those involved were not the upper class or the deviants of the underground, but the writers, students and artists who contented themselves with ignoring the social ladder-climbing around them.

The terms boheme and bohemian came to denote a generation that hated money and the work ethic. Bohemians were portrayed as vagabonds, misfits, drunks, philosophers and narcissists. The lifestyle was associated with idleness. Public opinion of the Bohemian movement was solidified after du Mauier's best selling novel of Bohemian culture: Trilby was published in 1894. (Ironically, this body of work closely resembles Leroux's original novel in other cultural ways mostly in the views of Svengali the Austria Jew, a social deviant who seduces a young singer and molds her to be the gem of society.)

Bohemians lived by their own sets of rules--they were wanderers of the most extreme extent. Social values were not their concern. Their lives were carefree events filled with drink, merriment, the arts and sexual freedom. They usually did not work, but poured themselves into living solely for the sake of art and literature. Renouncing private property made them glaringly different from the bourgeoisie that desired nothing more than to achieve the status of the aristocracy. Members of the culture shared this life with others in communal camps, an area I have had great delight in exploring in my body of works. Who can resist a vagabond who carries all his wealth with him and hangs his hat wherever the road may take him? What stories must they have?

The daily routine for a Bohemian might be to rise and work on a painting or poem. But the goal was not to be productive, rather to enjoy the salons, seek the latest sexual encounter and simply enjoy one’s company. You could spot a Bohemian (if the long hair and pockets overflowing with all they owned did not give it away) by their out of date fashions and clothes in glaring colors.

Bohemians were not just men; women joined the movement too. For women, it was the allure of freedom that called to them. Women of the mindset did not want to be ruled by marriage and it took a great deal for them to leave behind the stability that such a life might have offered. It was harder to break the ties with their former lives because women were encouraged to be respectable and upstanding individuals. These Grisettes were young women usually of the countryside who headed to Paris to find work--but Bohemia found them. They were carefree and longed for the best of both worlds: the money of the upper class and the thrill of being considered an equal in the eyes of the Bohemian man.

Though there are plenty of types of Bohemian cultures found in the 21st century, I think it would be fascinating to explore Bohemia of 19th Century Paris. Perhaps pour some absinthe from my earlier blog and wander to the Opera Garnier for a show. Then, drunk with daring, head toward the Cour de Miracles to see Paris culture in all its opposite glory.

Anyone up for a ride? What social movement would you like to see first hand?

(Photo by Adolphe-William Bouguereau: The Bohemian 1890, Oil on canvas, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts)

Weekly Announcements - 8 March 08

Sandra Schwab's April 2008 release BEWITCHED got a four-star review from RT. Kathe Robin had lovely things to say about the novel: "Enchantment and romance abound in Schwab's captivating tale of a spell gone wrong, a love potion gone right, deceit, revenge, black magic and redemption. Her romance captures the aura of the Regency and the essence of a paranormal, which should make it a surefire hit with fans."

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Jennifer Linforth has received the cover for her debut novel, Madrigal, A Novel of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. Madrigal will be a 2008 release, with more details forthcoming.

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Have a good weekend. If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie! See you next week...