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 For your post-holiday reading!

Happy weekend!

 I hope you all have a lovely weekend!  And may there be many wonderful books in your new year...

More Tudor Holiday Feasting!

 Another short re-run article on the elaborate Tudor Days of Christmas!  My own holiday is much less fancy, but I do need to get to work on baking a pie or two...

One thing I learned as I researched my  book The Winter Queen  is that the Elizabethans really, really knew how to party at the holidays! The Christmas season (Christmastide) ran 12 days, from December 24 (Christmas Eve) to January 6 (Twelfth Day), and each day was filled with feasting, gift-giving (it was a huge status thing at Court to see what gift the Queen gave you, and to seek favor by what you gave her), pageants, masquerades, dancing, a St. Stephen’s Day fox-hunt, and lots of general silliness. (One of the games was called Snapdragon, and involved a bow of raisins covered in brandy and set alight. The players had to snatch the raisins from the flames and eat them without being burned. I think the brandy was heavily imbibed before this games as well, and I can guarantee this won’t be something we’re trying at my house this year!)

Later in Queen Elizabeth’s reign, she mostly kept Christmas at Greenwich, or sometimes at Hampton Court or Nonsuch Palace, but in the year my story is set, 1564, she spent the holiday at Whitehall in London. Elizabeth had only been queen for 6 years and was 31 years old, so hers was a young Court full of high spirits. This was also the coldest winter in memory, so cold the Thames froze through and there was a Frost Fair complete with skating, food and merchandise booths on the ice, and sledding. It was fun to imagine this scene, and put my characters (Lady Rosamund Ramsey, lady-in-waiting to the Queen, and Anton Gustavson, Swedish diplomat and excellent ice-skater) into the action!

Even though there were no Christmas trees or stockings hung by the fire, I was surprised to find we would recognize many of the traditional decorations of the time! Anything that was still green in December would be used–holly, ivy, yew, bay. The Yule log was lit on Christmas Eve using a bit of last year’s log saved for the purpose. It was brought in by the men of the household, decorated with wreaths and ribbons, and set ablaze so everyone could gather around and tell tales of Christmases past.

Food was also just as big a part of the holiday as it is now! Roast meats were favorites (pork, beef, chicken, fricaseed, cooked in broths, roasted, baked into pies), along with stewed vegetables and fine whit manchet bread with fresh butter and cheese. Elizabeth was a light eater, especially compared with her father, but she was a great lover of sweets. These could include candied flowers, hard candies in syrup (called suckets, eaten with special sucket spoons), Portugese figs, Spanish oranges, tarts, gingerbread, and figgy pudding. The feast often ended with a spectacular piece of sugar art called (incongrously) subtleties. In 1564, this was a recreation of Whitehall itself in candy, complete with a sugar Thames. (At least they could work off the feasting in skating and sledding…)

A couple fun reads on Christmas in this period are Maria Hubert’s Christmas in Shakespeare’s England and Hugh Douglas’s A Right Royal Christmas, as well as Alison Sim’s Food and Feast in Tudor England and Liza Picard’s Elizabeth’s London

Tudor Christmas Tidings

 (a re-run of a short post on my novella,  His Mistletoe Lady, in the anthology Tudor Christmas Tidings...)

I love the holiday season, and the Tudors certainly knew how to celebrate with their music, dancing, feasting, and wassailing.

I imagine that Christmas 1554 was one of Queen Mary Tudor’s most happy, and last happy, moments.  She’d come through decades of neglect and persecution to fight for her throne, combat the Wyatt Rebellion, led by noblemen centred in Kent who sought to dethrone Mary and replace her with Elizabeth (which our heroine Catherine’s father finds himself embroiled in), and marry her kinsman King Philip of Spain.  (Sources say Queen Mary fell deeply in love; his feelings were more doubtful, or should we say dutiful.)  Now England was reconciled with the Catholic Church, and she was expecting an heir.

Things were not so merry for long.  By the summer of 1555, the pregnancy was known to be a phantom one—there was no baby at all.  King Philip left to wage war in the Low Countries and Mary died in 1558, leaving the throne to her despised half-sister Elizabeth.

But I imagine Catherine and Diego’s story ends on a happier note.  They are loosely based on the true story of Jane Dormer and the Count of Feria, who also appear in our tale.  Jane and her count married soon after Queen Mary’s death, and she spent the rest of her very long life in Spain.  I envision Catherine and Diego, along with her parents, living in Andalusia, raising beautiful children!

Review:

His Mistletoe Lady - Amanda McCabe

Not long after Wyatt’s Rebellion, Catherine and her mother journey to Queen Mary’s court to celebrate the holiday season. There, they hope to find a way to free Catherine’s father who has been branded a traitor, but little do they know just how much of their fate is tied up with the mysterious Diego, a new courtier from the Spanish courts.

I liked this story quite a lot. It had the best and most believable romance arc of the three stories in this book and I felt it had the best characters. I really liked Diego and Catherine and I liked that Catherine very much had agency in her choices. I also liked the historical parallels between characters that were changed enough that unless you are super familiar with the history you wouldn’t notice them. It was nice seeing a story where Mary I isn’t vilified and where you can see her for the often kind woman she was. Because she was kind, kinder in several ways than either of her siblings or her father. Basically, I really felt this was the best story in the bunch.

A Tale of Two Palaces

 (this is a re-run of a guest post I did on another blog in--gulp!--2016!  I love doing the research for my Kate Haywood Elizabethan Mysteries, so thought I'd give it another look...)

One of the best perks of writing historical mysteries is the research!  I am a library junkie, and love spending time digging through dusty old books in search of just the right historical detail.  (Of course, this also means sometimes it’s hard for me to stop researching and actually, y’know, use the research in writing!).  Travel is also a fun way to immerse myself in a period, to imagine how my characters might have actually lived in Elizabethan times.  Murder at the Royal Chateau (Fontainebleau)  uses a sense of place even more than other stories I’ve written.  We glimpse two palaces in the story, one that is long demolished and one that still exists to be toured, and they were a perfect example of the differences between English and French life in the 16th century, which Kate Haywood discovers for herself when she’s sent to Fontainebleau on a mission for Queen Elizabeth….

The English palace, Greenwich (above), was originally built in 1433 by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, a brother of Henry V. It was a convenient spot for a castle, 5 miles from London and Thames-side, and was popular with subsequent rulers, especially Henry VIII. His father, Henry VII, remodeled the place extensively between 1498-1504 (after dispatching the previous occupant, Dowager Queen Elizabeth, to a convent). The new design was after the trendy “Burgundian” model, with the facade refaced in red Burgundian brick. Though the royal apartments were still in the “donjon” style (i.e. stacked rooms atop rooms), there were no moats or fortifications. It was built around 3 courtyards, with the royal apartments overlooking the river and many fabulous gardens and mazes, fountains and lawns.

At the east side of the palace lay the chapel; to the west the privy kitchen. Next door was the church of he Observant Friars of St. Francis, built in 1482 and connected to the palace by a gallery. This was the favorite church of Katherine of Aragon, who wanted one day to be buried there (of course, that didn’t turn out quite as she planned…)

Though there are paintings and drawings of the exterior, not much is known of the interior decorations. The Great Hall was said to have roof timbers painted with yellow ochre, and the floors were wood, usually oak (some painted to look like marble). The ceilings were flat, with moulded fretwork and lavish gilding, embellished with badges and heraldic devices (often Katherine’s pomegranates and Henry’s roses). The furniture was probably typical of the era, carved dark wood chairs (often an X-frame design) and tables, benches and trunks. Wool or velvet rugs were on the floors of the royal apartments only, but they could also be found on tables, cupboards, and walls. Elaborate tiered buffets showed off gold and silver plate, and treasures like an gold salt cellar engraved with the initials “K and H” and enameled with red roses.

It was a royal residence through the reign of Charles I (1625-49), but under the Commonwealth the state apartments were made into stables, and the palace decayed. In 1662, Charles II demolished most of the remains and built a new palace on the site (this later became the Royal Naval College), and landscaped Greenwich Park. The Tudor Great Hall survived until 1866, and the chapel (used for storage) until the late 19th century. Apart from the undercroft (built by James I in 1606) and one of Henry VIII’s reservoir buildings of 1515, nothing of the original survives.

Fontainebleau (above), on the other hand, can be seen in much the state Francois I left it in. On February 24, 1525 there was the battle of Pavia, the worst French defeat since Agincourt. Many nobles were dead, and king was the prisoner of the Holy Roman Emperor in Madrid. He was released in May, but only at the price of exchanging his sons (Dauphin Francois and Henri, duc d’Orleans) for his own freedom. In May 1526, Francois created the League of Cognac with Venice, Florence, the Papacy, the Sforzas of Milan, and Henry VIII to “ensure the security of Christendom and the establishment of a true and lasting peace.” (Ha!!) This led to the visit of the delegation in 1527, seeking a treaty of alliance with England and the betrothal of Princess Mary and the duc d’Orleans.

After his return from Madrid, Francois was not idle. Aside from plotting alliances, he started decorating. Having finished Chambord, he turned to Fontainebleau, which he loved for its 17,000 hectares of fine hunting land. All that remained of the original 12th century castle was a single tower. Francois built new ballrooms,
galleries, and a chapel, and called in Italian artists like Fiorentino, Primaticcio, and Vignola to decorate them in lavish style (some of their work can still be seen in the frescoes of the Gallery of Francois I and the bedchamber of the king’s mistress the duchesse d’Etampes). The marble halls were filled with artworks, gold and silver ornaments, and fine tapestries. Unlike Greenwich, this palace was high and light, filled with sunlight that sparkled on the giltwork.

I know it’s hard to comment on a research-type post, but I’m curious–after reading about both palaces, which would you prefer to live in? (I’m torn, but I lean toward Fontainebleau, just because I was so awestruck when I visited!). Where would you like to see a book set?

Holiday Romance on Sale!

 1.99 this week for your holiday reading!!!

The magic of Christmas in the country reunites a shy woman with a troubled veteran in this sweet and tender Regency romance.

Plain, sensible Rose Parker is a self-proclaimed wallflower, but she’s always dreamed of dancing with Captain Harry St. George . . .

Once, Harry wouldn’t even have noticed Rose. But now, after a hard war, Harry knows he’s a different man. Shy, sweet Rose intrigues him more than any gregarious young lady—but he must marry a rich bride to save his mortgaged estates . . . and Rose is no heiress. Now, more than ever, Harry needs the magic of a mistletoe kiss . . .

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Weekend Links

 The book was just turned in, yay!!!  Now it's the week to finish up holiday prep, order the pies, and relax a bit.  What are your plans for the rest of the year??

The lost romance of the sleeper train

Yesterday was Jane Austen's birthday!!

The Bloomsbury circle

10 best Mystery Bookshops

Allow Stanley Tucci to make you a drink

How women bankrolled a 17th century theater

10 idyllic Cotswolds hotels

Weekend Links

 

Hello, everyone!  I have a book due at the end of next week, and am going a little nuts about it (I always hit a point where I am convinced it's a terrible horrible, no good story, and should scrap it and start again, but can't because I only have a week!!).  So I'm procrastinating by looking for fun reads.  Here's some bits I've found this week...

10 bookstores worth traveling for

The mystery of a 280 year old yellow dress

What's in store for season 3 of "All Creatures Great and Small"  (coming to PBS in January! I can't wait)

7th century gold necklace discovered

Best museums in Paris

10 best historical fiction books in 2022

Marie Antoinette's guitar up for auction

Review Team

 Hello everyone!  I just got the ARC info for "Two Sinful Secrets" (Book 2 of The Scandalous St. Claires, released December 20!).  If you'd like a copy, or a sneak peek at future releases, and are willing to provide reviews, let me know at amccabe7551 AT yahoo.com

Happy reading!

A hundred years has passed since the bitter rivalry between the St. Claires and the Huntingtons began. But in London, the feud goes on . ..

Lady Sophia Huntington isn't what she appears to be. Born into a noble family, the impulsive, wild-hearted beauty has fallen on difficult times. Banished from her home, Sophia dreams of the day she can finally win her father's forgiveness and return to London. Until the sudden appearance of a suitor from the scandalous St. Claire family threatens to reveal her darkest secrets . . .

Dominic St. Claire vows to exact revenge upon the Huntingtons, who destroyed his family's fortune generations ago. His perfect target is the lovely but proud Lady Sophia. After using her to discover the Huntingtons' financial secrets, he will cause a great scandal by eloping-and then abandoning his bride. But his plot soon unravels when he finds his own heart ensnared-in a trap not of his own making.

New release!

 If you're feeling in the holiday reading mood, I have the stories for you!!  My dear friend Kathy L Wheeler (long live the Martini Club!) and I have collaborated on the story of Lady X and her exclusive gaming establishment in Georgian London--and 4 friends who find their perfect loves at Christmas in its lavish halls...

GAMING HELL CHRISTMAS - VOLUME 2: Mysteries abound at London's most fashionable Hell.

The Thief Who Stole Christmas - Amanda McCabe
A man who has never broken the rules, and a woman who just might break his heart! But Christmas is always a time for second chances...

As one of Miss Greensley's Girls, a member of the exclusive club la Sous Rose, and famous author Lady L, Victoria Lanford moves easily through Society ballrooms. Few people know how her unhappy childhood and anxiety led her to pickpocketing (yet, she did return the jewels)! When she comes face-to-face with old flame Rhys Neville, Earl of Hammond, she knows the kind-hearted, straight-laced, devilishly handsome lord is not for her—especially once the past comes back to haunt them. Why, then, can't she stop thinking about their kisses?


The Kerse Who Saved Christmas - Kathy L Wheeler
Kerse: He, of the no nonsense approach, is stymied by She, a woman considered long past prime marriageability who needs a keeper more than he requires a wife. Yet the dreamy-eyed, impractical, and much too optimistic Philomena still manages to steal his heart despite her unrealistic beliefs and trust in fortune tellers.


Other books by Kathy and Amanda:
Gaming Hell Christmas Volume 1
Regency Christmas Kisses - a collection of short stories

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Fun Weekend Links

 Happy Saturday!!  Taking a few minutes out of this busy (and chilly!) months to being you some distracting reading.  Enjoy!

Ride in historic carriages from the Orient Express

The type of love that makes people happiest

Notre-Dame will become part of a sustainable micro-climate

The oldest building in all 50 states

To find great female novelists, stop looking in Austen's shadow

Kensington Palace decorates the halls

Cookies inspired by cocktails