Blogging HNS2013: Locations in historical fiction

I learned the most damning news at the recent Historical Novel Society conference: visiting every country where my stories take place is NOT required. Shut the front door! What? Boo, hiss! Of course traveling to a story's location is required; how else can readers obtain an authentic feel for a place in time if the writer hasn't even seen the sites? Sensory detail; the touch, feel, smell and even tastes of a locale establish themselves in a reader's mind through thorough exploration. Now, how am I supposed to justify any little jaunt as "research" if I'm not required to go? This question took me back to a moment where my nephew suffered some major disappointment that really affected his two-year old life (something about some broken toy) and with the saddest face ever seen on a kid, he wondered, "Now, what I gonna do?"

Well, according to the presenters Sophie Perinot (The Sister Queens) Eliza Knight (The Highlander's Triumph), Kathryn Johnson and Adelaida Lucena de Lower (The Red Ribbon) and the moderator, Stephanie Dray (Lily of the Nile) of Location, Location: Transporting Readers to Historical Settings, authors who can't travel to their settings in historical fiction should still keep calm and write on. Ladies, you shattered my world (or at least the little lies I tell myself to justify certain repeated trips).

There are practical reasons why accessibility to a site is not always possible. As Stephanie mentioned, the locations of her novels are in ruins and underwater or in places where travel is not safe. Kathryn and Eliza suggested in those instances an author can relying on virtual tours, Google Earth and YouTube tours. While setting feeds into the authenticity of a novel, lack of access to a particular site shouldn't discourage an author. Adelaida added that it also possible to substitute a particular geographic location. If you can have access to a site, then details come alive. Sophie said jot down or photograph those things you won't see later (unless you can easily revisit), the feel of the building material or the streets beneath your feet, and the available vantage points from various locales within your setting.

All the presenters agreed on several points:

• Even where the details aid a story, don't get bogged down in them. Your reader will be tempted and likely will skim the dreaded information dump, instead, include only those details of place and time which are compelling.
• Historical settings change over time. If you're using a detail, make sure it’s pertinent and  did exist in the period you've chosen.
• Balance the desire to convey information about a setting with the reality of your characters. He or she should not suddenly notice things that they would ordinarily take for granted, no matter how unique the item may be.
• Location isn't just about setting. The emotions that characters experiences in a particular location can engage readers. If your character is imprisoned, mentioning the thick stone walls, iron bars and the small, confined space helps convey the proper mood.  
• Your readers will fall in love with the setting if you have.
• If you've done the research into a location well, you can establish yourself as an authority and thereby gain readers trust.

Next up, one of my favorite topics - historical fiction outside the mainstream. It's not just all Tudors and Regency, you know.

Blogging HNS2013: Swordplay and Its Influences on Culture

Ya'll know I'm a history nerd buff who loves to experience places and elements of the past, right? So, what's the best thing you can do for a girl like me? Apparently, if you just put a sword in my hand, I'll be on top of the world! As I so delicately supported the weight of this steel sword here, the weapon of choice for several of my male characters and one female character, one thing struck me. The metal is not as heavy as I imagined it might be. Makes perfect sense because if you're trying to survive a battle, can you be really effective with a weapon you can't even lift up, much less wield?  At this particular moment where the lovely J.F. Ridgley helped me by taking this shot, all I could think was, "Thank you, Jesus! I can now die a happy woman because I have held this sword in my hands." J.F. actually wanted me to pose with this beauty; I was more concerned about cutting my hair, dress or those purple manicured toes you can't see in my sandals. Oh yeah, and of course, the lives of other attendees too. Next time, it'll be jeans and sneakers for that kind of demonstration. It couldn't get much sweeter than this moment, folks. Well, it could (millions of daily sales on Amazon would just about do it), but very little topped the swordplay session during the recent Historical Novel Society conference in St. Petersburg.

Swordplay and Its Influences on Culture presented by David Blixt (Her Majesty's Will)

So, who do I have to thank for this amazing opportunity? The very wonderful and personable David Blixt is an author, actor and as soon became obvious, David clearly loves historic weapons and historical fiction. He also enjoys teaching authors how their characters would properly use such weapons. More on that later! David started off with an introduction to our enthusiastic audience on the history of swords and the mechanics of wielding a weapon.  First, he talked about the parts of sword. There’s the boss or pommel, the non-pointy, other end of the sword, which can apparently be used to bash someone’s head in (never had anyone do that in my books before, but will remember that for use in future titles). Also handy for keeping a  sword in one's hand.

The grip or handle that always seems to be covered in leather strips is followed by the crossguard, or as my Norman / French characters might have referred to it, the quillon. It's the horizontal piece of metal. Interestingly, at least to me, the crossguard does not appear in earlier weapons, as I found out in researching warfare between the Norman English and Welsh. The pommel, grip and crossguard make up the sword's hilt. The blade has different parts to it; the tang is the blade shaft that fits into the hilt and the forte is the section closest to the hilt. The fuller or the groove down the center is mistakenly called a blood groove, but I can't remember why - sorry. The foible, which for a geek like me suggested the weakest part of the blade even before I was told just that, and the tip of the blade follow. The tip's what Arya Stark would call the pointy end or most of us would say is the "business" end of the weapon.

David talked about the evolution of swords firsts used as hacking weapons. Leave it to the Romans to figure out that while their Germanic enemies were essentially wearing themselves out by fighting against armored soldiers behind shields in formation, the best weapon to use would be something that could be easily pointed and thrust into someone's exposed parts. The gladius was born! The Romans always fought right-handed so that the left could be defended by the shield. The broadsword and longsword developed later and could be used with both hands. Then come rapiers for slashing and stabbing. Another interesting tidbit is that English rapiers were limited to 33 inches so people wouldn't walk around the court of Queen Elizabeth I cutting each other to pieces. 

David also mentioned a neat tie between dance and fighting; Shakespeare's dancing masters were also trained in the swords and dances of the time reflected weapons training. The particular bow adopted where one leg was extended also happened to allow the hands to quickly grab a sword as soon a person straightened. It may be that from this action where we can find the origins of  the phrase, "Break a leg" or rather make a leg. In his wrap-up, David also mentioned fight books detailing moves by the 15th century master Hans Talhoffer and Fiore dei Liberi are available if authors really want to study the moves and positions.

But what's better for an author than training with the weapons our characters use? There were broadswords, longswords, rapiers, daggers and axes on hand at David's session. Even better, everyone of us who wielded something managed to survive and not kill our fellow attendees, which is always a plus - blood is so hard to get out of thick carpets! David showed us how to put weapons to effective use. For our characters, of course!

  

David also provided a link to Starfire Swords Ltd., which makes a variety of swords and daggers. I have now found the best looking Middle Eastern scimitar I have ever seen and of course, must buy it. For decorative purposes, of course. In addition to thanking David for an excellent workshop, I also need to pick his brain about a match-up for a future book: need to know when comparing the medieval swords used by Christian knights and the scimitars of the Middle East, the sort of advantages one type of weapon might have held over another.

Next up will be another of my favorite sessions on locations in historical fiction! 

Live blogging from HNS 2013: Religion in Historical Fiction

Well, sort of live blogging. Hello from beautiful St. Petersburg, Florida! I know you might be thinking, "Wasn't she just on vacation in Barbados? What's she doing in Florida now?" Or not. I am very happy to be attending the 2013 Historical Novel Society's 5th Annual North American conference. This one is occurring at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort. I've been to the HNS conferences before, but after several years' lapse, I'm here and a member of the society again. I missed the Friday night banquet due to some luggage and travel issues - miffed, but I got over it. The setting has veered between being hot as all hell to a torrential downpour in a matter of minutes. Gotta love that unpredictable Florida weather! To make up for all that, the sessions have been spectacular! I'm sharing a few highlights of each one I've gone to so far.

Depicting Religion in Historical Fiction, presented by Stephanie Dray (Lily of the Nile), Kamran Pasha (Mother of the Believers) and Mary Sharratt (Daughters of the Witching Hill), and moderated by Teralyn Rose Pilgrim. 

As you may know, I have written about Muslim, Jewish and Christian characters, so I'm particularly sensitive to this topic. I'm a huge admirer of author Sherry Jones, but each time I write part of the Sultana series, I can't help remembering the tribulations Sherry so graciously endured when her Jewel of Medina was published. How does an author tread the fine line between engaging readers and courting controversy by discussing religion in novels?

As the discussants all mentioned, religion matters. Belief has shaped society and given it purpose. Authors at times are afraid to offend or think the characters of various religions will seem almost alien and won't foster connections with readers. Stephanie talked about how ancient world religions are foreign to most, yet she discovered in writing about Cleopatra's daughter that Isis worship is a forerunner to Christianity and many would be surprised at how some of its practices mirror those of the past. Scandalous! Kamran, as a practicing Muslim, is quite conscious and sensitive to the need to write with authenticity about his own religion, as well as the others he depicts. The biggest takeaway he offered was about overcoming one's own prejudices to write about belief faithfully. In his words, "Be cool with what you got" which means that if you are grounded and comfortable in your own convictions as an author, you can write with ease about other religions. There is the image we each hold of a religion and then there is the experience of that belief system, two very diverse concepts. Mary suggested that in writing about religions, authors refrain from criticism of beliefs which diverge from their own; personal conviction should be treated with respect because everyone has different POVs. Sound advice.

As with any controversial topic, some readers are liable to take offense where religion is involved. The panelists all suggested that this risk only adds to the discussion, so authors should not be afraid to take on the topic. Religion divides and unites universally. I think Stephanie put it best, "All spiritual people seek the same thing. Religion is a human experience."

Do you read or have you written works that incorporate religion and practices of faith? What do you think of novels that do this? How have your own personal beliefs been affected by what you have read? Are there recent novels you can think of which have handled religion very well?

Later, weapons in historical fiction, with pictures! Yours truly got to handle a broadsword, rapier and axe (I swear, no fellow attendees were harmed in this attempt).       

It's not about the money. It never was.

I saw a great article today at Wise Ink entitled Should Indie Authors Care About Money and immediately, my blood was up. It could also be that it's another hot day in the underworld aka New York City. Why did this article's title send me into a tizzy? After all, how dare someone even ask the question? Isn't an indie author just like any other author? Don't we sweat blood and tears over every word on the page? Don't we work with self-imposed deadlines to get a book out? Don't we scour the internet and bug other writers for the name of the best freelance editor / cover artist / proof reader we can afford? Don't we care as much about our books as those who've been "picked" by traditional publishing? My books are a second, full-time job. I take no vacation and lose countless hours of sleep until they are done. I spend at least $1,200 - $1,400 per title on the artwork, editing and proofreading alone. I won't add the costs of research books, because honestly, that's part of the fun of being a historical fiction writer. Damn straight, I want to get paid for what I do.     

The article talks less about money, more about the mission of writers and what our goals may be. I have a mission. Mine is to put forgotten places and people on the map, to make them as well known as Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII in the Tudor Age, or the sea rovers of the Viking age. Does my mission serve the greater good or change someone's life like a self-help book might? Of course not. It does (hopefully) entertain and enlighten readers who might not be familiar with certain periods of history, by introducing foreign concepts and people of the past who are at times strange and familiar. There's a certain magic that happens with a new historical fiction novel, where readers can learn about another time and place. This article made me wonder, would I still be a dedicated writer if I wasn't getting paid every month?

In my first month of self-publishing back in 2010, I made $99.01 with On Falcon's Wings. In the first quarter of this year, I've made $3,359.18 from six titles. I'm paying a few bills and enjoying little extras. Most of my writing income gets set aside for estimated quarterly tax payments with some towards the next title. If I stopped earning, of course I'd be disappointed. It would never stop me from writing. Self-publishing has never been about the money. If people are actually considering self-publishing because they hope to get rich right away, please reread the Wise Ink article again - Hugh Howey and Bella Andre are NOT the norm. The norm includes people like me. For me, self-publishing is still about the mission, which is at the heart of my passion for writing. I got started when I found certain periods of history interesting and wondered if there were readers out there who would like to know about them too. A bit of change in my bank account every month is a nice plus, but even if I didn't have a profit to show, lack of revenue right now wouldn't stop me. I'm thinking long-term, about the journey, rather than just the destination. The fact is my books won't be booted or buried by one distribution channel if they don't take off like a rocket making gobs and gobs of money. There are many things I admire, even envy, traditional writers for, but that particular pressure is not one of them.

I'd love to hear from other writers - what got you started and how important is the revenue for any future publishing plans?        

     

Sultana: Two Sisters Book Trailer

Final cover art - Sultana: Two Sisters

Another brilliant Lance Ganey production, ebook and paperback available summer 2013. 

Leibster Blog Award Challenge: 11 Random Facts & Questions

I've been nominated for the Leibster Blog Award Challenge. Thanks to Judith Arnopp for the tag. Judith is the author of historical novels and short stories, whose writing spans the medieval and Tudors era and immerses readers in the particular period. According to Judith, I'm supposed to list 11 random facts about myself, answer 11 questions Judith posed at her blog and then nominate 11 other blogs that deserve more notice.

First off, 11 random facts about me.

1) I was born in the parish of Christ Church, Barbados to two nurses. No kids of my own, but I'd love two or five. I have an older sister and two brilliant tween nephews. Grew up in an extended family of grandparents and lots (and I do mean lots) of cousins. We're all scattered now, with a few still in Barbados, the majority in the US and others in England and Wales. Family is very important to me and I love it when we get together. There are four countries and three US states represented in this family pic. (Can you spot me?)

2) I am not a morning person! Used to be, but the daily grind has sucked that out of me. My ideal job would start at 1pm and end around 9 at night. I'd only willingly wake up at the crack of dawn everyday to write.

3) While I use the middle initial J for my publications, I have two middle names: Janine Michelle. Why do I only use the first one? Official government forms forced me to pick one middle initial or middle name for my documentation. Janine came first, so that's what stuck. Sorry, Mum!

4) I'm soft-spoken. naturally shy and inhibited, unless a) there's no time to retreat into my shell, b) the person I'm with is a dear friend or loved one, or c) someone has really managed to piss me off and bring out the hell-fire in me.

5) Speaking of personality, I talk to myself on a regular basis and have answered too. Helps to reason things out. Anyone who knows me well doesn't judge. At least, not out loud or within earshot.

6) Cupcakes are my addiction, but I'm kind of a snob, as only the pretty ones will do. Being a diabetic doesn't go well with loving cupcakes, so more often than not, what I really have is cupcake envy.

7) I am not a cat person. Nuff said.

8) The writer I most admire in this world is Frank Herbert, who introduced the concept that's key to everything I write: world-building. Since his Dune series hooked me, I haven't found anything to equal it. George Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series comes a distant second, but Herbert is a master at political intrigue and tenuous relationships. So I want to be Frank Herbert when I grow up.

9) I'm a serious PC gamer, as in  long weekends glued to my computer building and blowing stuff up. If it can be played on  a PC, I think I've played it. Even better, the nephews are hooked and looking forward to test-driving new games at ComicCon in October. Once the next book is done, I'm taking a much-needed break for Bioshock.

10) At the age of eight, I decided to become a lawyer. Fifteen years later, I started to regret that decision. Now, I wish I'd never made it. I was born to write, but it doesn't pay the bills. Not yet.

11) If I had the time, I'd finish studying Portuguese and learn Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Japanese. If I had the money, I'd buy vacation homes and split my year between Barbados, Brazil, Italy, Morocco, New Mexico, Spain, Turkey and Wales.

How's that for random? 

The questions Judith asked are:

1. When you aren't blogging or writing what do you like to do best?
See the aforementioned gaming. I've embraced my geekdom. Don't judge me.


2. How did you become a writer?

Not on purpose. Several things converged; my love of reading history and stories of the past, and traveling to beautiful,  forgotten places. A historical fiction writer was born.


3. Which 11 people from history would you invite to dinner and why?

My writing revolved around the underdogs, the people who never got to tell their side because they lost, they were prevented from speaking because of race or gender, or their cause was misunderstood. So, I'd invite people like that to dinner.

• Fatima, the heroine from the first two Sultana books, so she could tell me how much of her history I got right or wrong 
• Genghis Khan, because I'd love to know what spurred his ambitions. He would have to promise not to kidnap or kill anyone at the table before, during or after dinner.
• Gwenllian of Gwynedd, of whom I've also written, so I could tell her how much I admire her sacrifice.
• Spartacus, whose struggle fascinates and whose choices mystify. 
• Queen Elizabeth I of England, so I could admire her jewels and wigs.
• Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, just to see what she really looked like. 
• Nat Turner, so he could tell what he hoped to accomplish.
• Boadicea, because I want to hear her side of the fight against Rome.
• Leonidas of Sparta, for reasons that have nothing to do with history and everything to do with comparing his abs to those Gerard Butler sported in 300. Shallow, I know.
• Harold Godwinsson, mostly to yell at him for force-marching a bedraggled army south when he should have rested them, and then to give him a hug for being so brave at Hastings. 

4. Tell us about your favorite place and what makes it so special. 

I have several, but my new favorite place is anywhere I can relax and read or write, without any distractions.


5. If  you were Prime Minister President what would you change?

My do-nothing Congress. There would be a special election to get some new members in who don't play games with American taxpayers' lives. Does that tell you how I feel about one branch of the US government right now?


6. What did  you do before you had the internet? - if you were born then of course :)

Played more outdoors as a kid and invented lots of games.


7. What people have influenced you in your life?

Hard to say, as I believe many people have shaped who I am as a person, a woman, a writer, a friend.


8. Can you remember what you wanted to be when you were five years old?

Happy and carefree. I'm still looking for just that.


9. If you were a character in a fictional classic, which would you choose to be?

I'd like to say I'd be Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, but I suspect my Charlotte Lucas brand of practicality might get in the way of waiting too long for my own Mr. Darcy. Either that, or I'd end a less miserable version of Mary Bennett. I'd smile more than she ever could.

10. Do you prefer wine or spirits, chocolate or cheese?

None. All make my belly hurt when I overindulge. No thanks. I'll have a cupcake.

11. Of all the blog posts you have ever written which is your favorite and why. Put a link to it here.

Two years ago, I wrote about the Ottoman Turk "reign of women" for Unusual Historicals; still one of my favorites because it helped me imagine how life must have been like for the medieval women I've chosen to write about and the moves they could have made behind the scenes.

Thanks again to Judith for the nod. Now I'm tagging in no particular order:

• Michelle Gregory at Beautiful Chaos
• Tara Chevrestt at Bookbabe
• Mirella Patzer at History and Women
• Julie K. Rose
• Colin Falconer at Looking for Mr. Goodstory
• Marie Parsons
• Patricia O' Sullivan
• Anita Davison at The Disorganised Author
• Consuelo Baehr at The repurposed writer 
• Alison DeLuca at Fresh Pot of Tea
• N. Gemini Sasson at My Dog Ate My Manuscript

And here are those questions for my fellow writers victims:

1. Who is your favorite writer and why?

2. If you had to pick any one spot on a map and move there, where would you go and why?

3. Who are your top real-life and fictional heroes / heroines?

4. How long does it take from first draft to published work?

5. Among your own books, who's your favorite character and what's your favorite book?

6. Why do you write about certain characters, settings or in a particular genre?

7. Who knows you best in life?

8. What's your earliest memory and why does it stick with you?

9. How did your first job impact what you do professionally today?

10. What did you buy with the first royalty payment?

11. If you weren't writing, what would you be doing instead?

The Music of Sultana: Two Sisters

How many authors out there listen to music when you're writing? I can't be the only one. Writing is a preferably solitary activity; seriously, I cannot think of what comes next, much less type one letter on the keyboard if anyone else is in the room. I'm not one of those writers who needs absolute quiet while at my computer; I just need the right kind of music to craft one good scene or several.

It's vital to the process, keeps the sometimes fickle Muse close at hand and ensures I stay focused and energized for long hours of writing and editing. The words, the feelings and thoughts of the characters just flow across the page when I'm inspired by background music. There, now you know my best secret for "getting in the zone" and evoking certain moods in scenes. While working books from the Sultana series, the rich musical traditions inherited from Moorish Andalusia connected me with each story even more. Apologies to the family and the neighbors for playing Juan Martin's Musica Alhambra every morning and the loud flamenco music on Sunday evenings. But how could anyone not be captivated or stirred by the oud or guitar?

With Sultana: Two Sisters, I began an exploration of the role of Jewish people in Moorish society. Naturally, my listening tastes now include music that evokes the Sephardi experience in Spain. One of my favorites is the most haunting song I've ever heard, "Nani Nani" by Hadass Pal-Yarden from the album Yahudice. It's supposed to be a lullaby sung by a betrayed woman for her young son, telling him of the sorrow his father has inflicted. Sets the perfect mood for a certain scene in Two Sisters. There's also Massel Klezmorim's "Sephardic Elegy" from Jewish Travels - A Historical Voyage in Music and Song, which emphasizes the guitar throughout. Most of what I listen to tends to be instrumental, but as with my favorite, "Nani Nani", that's not a rule set in stone. The vocals on that particular track are really stirring. Almost everything in my inspirational collection is available via Spotify and Youtube, both great resources for finding music that fits the mood.             

So what's most often on my playlist while I work on this title? Listen HERE for some of what sustains me.  If you'd like to create your own free playlist, visit PodSnack, which lets you compile collections from Youtube and / or your computer. Happy writing (and listening)!  

It's here! HerStory: Fiction Honoring Women’s History Month

In ancient times, women were regarded as sacred. They were thought to hold the mystical power of creation—responsible for the continuation of our species. With the rise of Science and Religion, these myths were dispelled and their plight began.

HerStory: Fiction Honoring Women’s History Month is a collection of Flash Fiction and Short Stories from today's top authors featuring female characters that exemplify strong strength of mind, body, and character. Some of these tales are based on real people while others are purely fictional. However, all are standing up for themselves and what they believe in.

Grab yourself a glass of wine or favorite hot beverage and get comfortable as you read about the lives of women who will light the fire in your soul.

It's finally here. HerStory. Available to the masses. And to honor release day, we're having a party. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter to win some terrific prizes. *U.S. residents only*

Here's what's up for grabs.

GRAND PRIZE

First Grand Prize

First Grand Prize

Because they have the same agenda: empowering girls/women, Keira's Kollection owner Mr. Wagstaff has graciously agreed to donate a Strong is Beautiful T-shirt. One very lucky woman is not only going to walk away with a paperback copy of HerStory and be empowered through words, but she will also be showing her empowerment right there on her shirt.

And that's not all, the grand prize winner also gets a pair of earrings from Cathy from Etsy, who runs Yesware. The earrings sparkle one side and have a message on the other side: the greatest story never told.
Only, we're telling it, the authors of HerStory. We are telling it.

SECOND GRAND PRIZE

Author Laura DeLuca has donated an incense diffuser to go along with some handmade soap from Greenchild Creations.

And we're throwing an e-book into this mix. Why soap and diffusers? What does that have to do with women's history?

In HerStory, Mathilda of Ringelheim runs a bath house. It seems appropriate to honor herstory this way.

AND as Mathilda seems to know, every woman needs soap and every woman needs time to relax. So one lucky winner will take a nice long shower with her fantastic handmade soap, set her diffuser on a table, and curl up with HerStory on her kindle. Who says you can't be relaxed and empowered at the same time? (and smell good)

THIRD GRAND PRIZE

Another donation from Laura DeLuca: an ebook, a Japanese tea set, and an Oriental incense diffuser. How does this tie into HerStory?

In Please Stay, Asuka, a Japanese wife of the 1600s, is preparing the evening meal while awkwardly trying to discuss a matter--somewhat delicate--but of great importance with her husband.

As you get lost in your ebook, in Asuka's story (penned by Becca Diane), you can pretend you are there. Perhaps you feel your husband's penetrating stare. But you serve him his tea, straighten your spine, and say what needs to be said...then wait, breath held, for his reply, incense lightening the tension in the air...

FOURTH GRAND PRIZE

One lucky winner will have a chance to make their voice heard on the radio...with a $25 Amazon gift card burning a hole in their pocket!

HerStory goes behind the scenes to locate the stories of women who lived, laughed, and touched the lives of generations...

Now, here is your chance to have your story told to the world....or your mother's...it's your chance to talk about the most inspiring woman or women in YOUR life. Shout it out! Tell listeners everywhere about this amazing person. Honor her!

This prize is being donated by Indie Reviews Behind the Scenes.

PRIZE 5, FOUR WINNERS, FOUR TINS OF EMPOWERMINTS

Four of these tins of mints are being donated by the Unemployed Philosophers Guild. That means four lucky winners are going to win a tin of mints to carry around in their pockets and every time they look at the tin, they'll be empowered!

The tin is also the perfect size to serve as a pillbox once the mints are gone. This is something you can keep for a LONG time.

PRIZE 6, TWO WINNERS, CROSS STITCH WALL HANGINGS

Author and editor Tara Chevrestt has a secret addiction and hobby. It makes her feel like an old lady, so she keeps it under wraps, but now the truth is out...

She likes to cross stitch!!!

And with the suffragette tales (Sister Suffragettes by Dahlia DeWinters and Chevrestt's own From You No and Silent Suffragette) in the back of her mind, she found a pattern on Etsy by Patternbird and set to stitching.

Two lucky winners will walk away with these. They are 3.25" by 6" and have a hard backing so they may be placed on a wall.


PRIZE 7, ONE WINNER, FLAPPER-STYLE HAT

Donated from Rakestraw Book Design.

Toni Rakestraw, one of the HerStory contributors, is stitching this hat so one lucky reader can--in her mind--march in a suffragette parade as she reads HerStory. Or perhaps this is something Margaret Sanger would have worn as she leaves the workhouse in The Woman Rebel.

PRIZE 8, ONE WINNER, ONE PAINTING

You've heard the term multi-published and many of HerStory's authors can place that before their name, but how about multi-talented?

Author Morgan Summerfield can not only write as she shoes us in Adella, but she can paint too! She is kindly donating a painting 27" wide by 11" high, titled Morning Poppies. The frame is handmade with real wood and she stretches all her own canvases. It is hand-painted-by her!-in multi media.

And last, but certainly not least, we have a lovely Coco Chanel quote pendant donated by the lovely Jewelry Designs by Lula. One winner will win this delightful pendant that says  A girl should be things: WHO and WHAT she wants.

We could not have said it better.

Enter for all prizes using the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is for three weeks. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond with their snail mail addresses. After 48 hours, new winners will be chosen.

Thank you and enjoy HerStory! Be empowered! Learn something. Believe in yourself and womankind.

I'm so pleased that my contribution to this anthology is The Legend Rises, the story of the twelfth-century Welsh princess Gwenllian, who led a valiant attack against English invaders. This short story is only one among twenty-seven such tales of bold and brilliant women who displayed their courage and helped shape our history. 

Buy links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

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Meet Characters of Sultana: Two Sisters - Safa and Leila

In the house of the slave merchant Juan Manuel Gomero, his trusted servant Sadiya prepares the captives Esperanza and Miriam for a private auction. Two women will arrive shortly to consider purchasing Esperanza and Miriam as slaves for the royal harem in Granada. They are the Sultanas Leila and Safa, the sister and mother respectively of the ruler Yusuf. Readers of Sultana's Legacy may remember both women as minor figures, but both play major roles in the events that develop in Sultana: Two Sisters. They are the only characters from the earlier books who return in this third installment of the series. When last readers heard of them, Leila as the eldest daughter of Sultan Ismail, Yusuf's father, anticipated a marriage before her father's shocking ending unfolded. Safa, the third of Ismail's wives, devoted herself to her son Yusuf, but her role soon became eclipsed by the presence of Yusuf's honored grandmother, the Sultana Fatima.

Before an encounter with the powerful women of Yusuf's court occurs, the slave dealer cautions Esperanza:

Juan Manuel lifted her chin and framed her face between his long fingers. “I require perfection from you today, for the Sultanas. Can you do this?”

Esperanza answered his question with her own. “Who are these women?”

“They are the relations of Sultan Yusuf, the Sultana Safa and the Sultana Leila. Both share equal power in the harem, but if the gossip is true, theirs is a tenuous peace. The harem can be a dangerous place for those who are not careful. Slaves who pass beyond the walls remain there at the mercy of the royal women, for it is their domain. Believe me when I say these women possess power over life and death. With a few words, they can change your circumstances for better or worse in an instant. You must be cautious and clever. Subdue your impetuous nature and learn from them, if you hope to survive.”

“What will they want from me?”

He shrugged. “They will accept nothing less than your obedience at the start. Perhaps in time, they will demand an heir for Yusuf. The possibilities are limitless, as you shall discover.”

“Who is this Yusuf?”

“He is a son of the Sultan Ismail, a proud and cultured man assassinated by his kinsmen almost eleven years ago. Yusuf is much like his father. He is the seventh ruler of Granada from his family line, the Nasrids. He became the sovereign when his elder brother Muhammad was also murdered, two years past.”

Esperanza sucked in her breath. “You expect me to live among such barbarous people.”

Juan Manuel’s mouth twisted into a wry smile. “I suggest tempering those misguided words. The Nasrids do not forgive easily and none would relish your opinion of them. They have been among my benefactors since the time of Yusuf’s grandmother. Theirs is an illustrious heritage.”

“One also mired in blood.”

He mused, “Perhaps. Perhaps more than their fair share. So, I ask you, tread carefully with these Nasrid Sultanas. They are women of influence and advantage, whose collective will dominates the existence of everyone in the harem. The only person they do not exercise authority over is the Sultan, the master of all.”

Chroniclers of the period have offered scant details about the women of the Nasrid Dynasty, whose husbands, fathers and sons ruled from the Alhambra in Granada. I  have a few notes that claim Yusuf's mother was a pious woman, still alive when he ascended the throne. It's interesting to consider what life for her would have been like when she existed in the shadow of Yusuf 's indomitable grandmother Fatima. At Fatima's death, Yusuf's mother could have finally exercised a dominant role in his life and within the harem. Any sisters Yusuf might have had are never mentioned, so the character of Leila is completely from my own imagination.

In the scene where Esperanza meets the Sultanas for the first time, her perception of both leads to an intuitive understanding of the troubles she may face in Yusuf's harem.

Two women strolled into the room, their footfalls in unison. If Esperanza did not already possess some familiarity with their identities, she would have known them for royal women anywhere. The pair took their seats on the high-backed chairs. Female slaves arranged themselves at the women’s feet, arrayed in bright silks with their faces uncovered, unlike their mistresses.

The slender lady closest to the doorway raised bejeweled, creased fingers painted with intricate patterns in henna. She loosened the white gossamer folds of the veil and tugged it below her pointed chin. Prominent blue-black veins ridged the back of her hand. Her thin eyebrows arched like crescents over large brown eyes, crinkled at the corners. High cheekbones flared in a narrow face. The yellow light cast by braziers caught and reflected in her stare, which flitted to her companion, who also removed an opaque indigo veil from the lower half of her face. The material on her head slipped a little and exposed black curly tendrils at her forehead.

She appeared younger than her counterpart did. Her heavy-lidded gaze, lined with thick kohl, alighted on Esperanza and the eyes widened. Her tapered brows rose for an instant before she leaned forward. Voluptuous lips parted and curved in a smile. Dimples appeared and her olive-brown cheeks became flushed. The elder woman beside her with her sharp features in profile now followed the direction of her stare. Esperanza peered at the carpeted dais, but not before she marked a sudden exchange of glowers between the women. Had the younger woman’s obvious interest sparked some jealousy?

A harsh breath escaped Esperanza’s lips. She fisted her hands in the folds of her delicate robe. Juan Manuel’s caution regarding a possible rivalry between the Sultanas raised concerns. Life among such women would be dangerous. If power resided with them, when they conspired against each other, neither woman would consider the consequences for the harem's occupants least of all her.   

She focused on the present moment and took in their rich garments. Black ankle-length leather boots peeked out from beneath the women’s clothes. Both wore brocaded robes covering them from the neckline downward. Gold thread shot through the blue-green material of the younger Sultana’s dress, dotted with turquoise, emerald and gold beads in bird motifs. The other royal woman wore a black silken robe, turned back to display a red damask lining edged with gold filigree. Where their robes parted at the knees, the same flowing trousers as Sadiya had donned also covered the women’s lower legs to the top of their footwear. All of Juan Manuel’s finery paled in comparison to their attire.                      

A fascinating and treacherous world awaits Esperanza within the Alhambra palace. She is determined to survive, but can she avoid the consequences of the ensuing power struggle between the two most influential women in Yusuf's life? Find out when Sultana: Two Sisters debuts in June.  

Power of Free: A Continuing Debate

In a sea of freebies available through from authors through Amazon KDP Select and online sites that curate the listings of available free e-books for their visitors, it's becoming increasingly difficult for authors to leverage the power of giveaways. How can we, rather our titles, stand out?

In almost three years of of self-publishing, I've offered a few freebies to grow an audience and encourage readership, and discussed the pros and cons HERE and HERE. The latest is for Sultana on the two-year anniversary of its publication via four channels; Amazon.com, Kobo, iTunes and Smashwords. This giveaway ends in five days, so get a copy before the offer expires. The goal is to boost interest in the series leading up to the third book, which comes out later this year. Since February 10, there have been 19,012 downloads of the title on Amazon, 2,319 on iTunes and maybe 120 via Smashwords; haven't paid as much attention to the latter. Kobo doesn't provide information on freebies downloaded, but the total tally is around 21,451 downloads in almost two weeks. I view this figure in a variety of ways; some will like the title and want more, or never read it, or just added another free book to their growing list. It's 21.5K people I didn't influence before the title was free.

If you're considering offering freebies, be prepared for the following:

• You won't be entirely able to control pricing updates, particularly if you're not enrolled in KDP Select or channels where you can easily edit the price. 
• You can't control when or if Amazon decides to price match, based on a  freebie offered elsewhere. Outside of KDP Select, experience suggests it takes up to a week for Amazon to offer a title for free and up to two weeks to revert to the original price. Why do you care if Amazon price matches? Because they have the most impact in the e-book market. For now.  
• You can't assume freebies will gain you additional reviews or sales of your other books; mine typically do, especially last year at this time when I offered Sultana for free and saw the boost in sales of Sultana's Legacy. Not so much now. Experience suggests going free works best when you have a series; I would never suggest it to an author who has only one book available, and slightly on par, if you write stand-alone books. 
• You must accept that some people hoard free books which they will (1) never read (2) never review  (3) trash with one-star reviews because it's not a genre they normally read (4) truly, only downloaded the title because it was free.  

So, what can you control?      

It still starts with the book. If you've written and edited the best book you could, you've laid the groundwork for lots of interest in your freebie. It might surprise you to know, but I think Sultana's Legacy is the stronger of the initial books in my series; Sultana sets up the relationships and conflicts to come, but the consequences that follow in the sequel make it richer and more poignant. But it's not one readers automatically gravitate to after they've read the first book. Interesting, but what do I know? I'm just the writer.

What happens if you haven't produced your best work? Be prepared for those one-star reviews. No amount of planning and promotion is going to help you if everyone thinks the book is a dud. Remember, you can lessen scathing comments by offering up your best work. Mistakes happen, which most except the truly unforgiving trolls will overlook in favor of a good story. Don't feed the trolls by giving them a half-baked book they can devour and spit back at you.  

Setting up distribution channels. You can determine when to make a book available for free via certain channels. For authors still enrolled in KDP Select, one of the benefits is having the power of free at your fingertips are at least for five days in your KDP dashboard. What about the rest of us?

Since removing my titles from KDP Select, this has meant relying on making a title free through Smashwords and its distribution channels. An action that more often than not led to wasted time, tremendous effort and nightmares in general, as certain channels took forever to alter the pricing. In the meanwhile, I'm sitting on my hands waiting for Amazon to price match - here's how it happened this time. I set the title free on Feb. 10. Sales during the week boosted it to the top 100 on Kindle in the Biographical category. Just as it's taking off, Amazon price matched. Figures.

Did you know that if you make your book available directly through Kobo, you can set the price as zero? You do now. Even better, there's now Draft2Digital, which lets you upload a title and distribute via Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo and Amazon (I haven't verified the latter due to my direct uploading to KDP). Even better, using Draft2Digital, you can alter your price to free AND see the number of downloads. Draft2Digital is still in its infancy and doesn't have access (as yet) to Sony, Diesel, Page Foundry, Axis 360 or Blio as Smashwords does. If you're like me and selling next to nothing on these sites, it may not matter. What does, if your title is going free or reverting to the normal price, is the ability to edit and see a change reflected in a business day. Keep an eye on Draft2Digital.  

Planning promotion. Another area you can influence is the number of sites that feature and promote your freebie. You aren't planning to do it all via your website, blog, social media outlets and newsletter, right? Word-of-mouth is key in building momentum for your freebie, especially when you want your title to stand out among the rest. The good news is that most if not all of these sites have Twitter and Facebook accounts that will gain your title more exposure. Experience shows there are tons more sites that will feature your title if it's free on Amazon than any other distribution channel AND there are many that expect you to pay for promoting your free title.

Yup, you read that right - expect to pay something to promote your free title. Seems strange to pay someone to promote what you're giving away, doesn't it? Doesn't mean you have to do it. Your title just won't be featured of those sites that ask for payment. The largest are E-Reader News Today (ENT) and Pixel of Ink (PoI), but BookBub is growing. So are their prices. BookBub did a free spotlight for me so I could test drive their abilities. Otherwise, I wouldn't necessarily want to pay a couple hundred to promote. I'm keeping an eye on them though.

These sites often operate as affiliates and earn commissions off of the traffic they deliver to the online retailers. Most affiliate sites book slots early and often. Here are a few you can approach that have little to no cost associated with featuring a freebie. Also, they don't just highlight Kindle titles.

AddictedtoEbooks.com: free titles on Kindle, but with links to distribution channels at Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Kobo and Smashwords
AskDavid.com:  free titles on Kindle
Epubdeals.com: free and bargain titles on Kobo
Ereaderperks.com: free titles on Kindle, Kobo and Nook
Trindiebooks.com: free titles on Kobo

Some sites indicate they don't take erotica. The two that I found, Free Erotica and Spicy Romance are either defunct or closed for submissions.

Interestingly, Amazon fired off an email to these sites and others participating in its Amazon Associates program that suggests sites which heavily promote freebies will see negative consequences. This might mean those sites would have less ads featuring freebies and more paid books, AND increase the likelihood of authors paying to promote. Personally, I like the latter scenario better than paying to promote a freebie. Author David Gaughran dissects the email in part HERE.

The debate remains whether free is a viable strategy for growing readership. As I've outlined above, there are ways to make it profitable but no guarantees. The takeaway from this post should be about the planning; (1) write a great book worth reading, (2) schedule distribution via channels where you can control the pricing and (3) promote the title as much as you can, through paid and free means. Your mileage may vary, but those three factors within your control will help you expand your reach as an author.