Melisende's Library

Stephanie Dray - Song of the Nile

2011-10-19T19:38:00.000+11:00

Stephanie has kindly contributed an excerpt from her latest book - Song of the Nile:

Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra’s daughter has become the emperor’s most unlikely apprentice and the one woman who can destroy his empire…

Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land. Forced to marry a man of the emperor’s choosing, Selene will not allow her new husband to rule in her name. She quickly establishes herself as a capable leader in her own right and as a religious icon. Beginning the hard work of building a new nation, she wins the love of her new subjects and makes herself vital to Rome by bringing forth bountiful harvests. But it’s the magic of Isis flowing through her veins that makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra’s daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother’s throne be more than she’s willing to pay?

Selene
Rome
Autumn 25 b.c.

My wedding day dawned rosy as the blush on a maiden’s cheek. Like the sun peeking between pink clouds to warm the sprawling city of terra-cotta roofs below, I must also shine for Rome today. As morning broke, I surveyed the middling monuments that blanketed Rome’s seven hills. I gazed to the Tiber River beyond, diamonds of dawn sparkling on its surface, and tried to see this day with my mother’s eyes.

She was Cleopatra, Pharaoh of Egypt, a woman of limitless aspiration. And I was her only daughter. She’d wanted a royal marriage for me. She may have even hoped my wedding would be celebrated here in Rome. But could she have conceived that this wedding would come to me through her bitterest enemy? In her wildest dreams, could she have imagined that the man who drove her to suicide—the same man who captured her children and dragged us behind his Triumphator’s chariot—would now make me a queen?

Yes, I thought. She could have imagined it. Perhaps she had even planned it.

Worn around my neck, a jade frog amulet dangled from a golden chain. It was a gift from my mother, inscribed with the words I am the Resurrection. On my finger, I wore her notorious amethyst ring, with which she was said to have ensorcelled my father, Mark Antony. It was now my betrothal ring, and I hoped it would steady me, for I was a tempest inside.

At just fourteen years old, I had neither my mother’s audacity nor the brazen courage that allowed her to so famously smuggle herself past enemy soldiers to be rolled out at the feet of Julius Caesar. I had heka—magic—but had inherited none of my mother’s deeper knowledge of how to use it. I didn’t have her wardrobe, her gilded barges, nor the wealth of mighty Egypt. Not yet. But the Romans often said I had her charm and wits and the day she died, she gave me the spirit of her Egyptian soul.

Today I would need it.

It was early yet in the emperor’s household; only the servants were awake, bustling about the columned courtyard, trimming shrubbery and hanging oil lamps in preparation for the wedding festivities. They were too busy—or too wary of my reputation as a sorceress—to acknowledge my presence beneath an overripe fig tree, where my slave girl and I made my devotions to Isis. My Egyptian goddess was forbidden within the sacred walls of Rome, but no one stopped us from lighting candles and using a feather to trace the holy symbol, the ankh, into the soft earth. The Temples of Isis might be shuttered here in Rome, her altars destroyed and her voice silent, but my goddess dwelt in me and I vowed that she would speak again.

Once we’d offered our prayers, my slave girl and I strolled the gardens with a basket because it was the Roman custom for a bride to pick the flowers for her own wedding wreath. The summer had been ablaze, so hot that flowers lingered out of season. I had my choice in a veritable meadow. Stooping down, I plucked two budding roses to remind me of my dead brothers, Caesarion and Antyllus, both killed in the flower of their youth. I chose a flamboyant red poppy for my dead father, the Roman triumvir, who’d been known as much for his excesses as his military talent. Finally, for my mother, a purple iris because purple was the most royal color, and my mother had been the most royal woman in the world. The sight of a blazing golden flower, the most glorious in the garden, reminded me of my beloved twin. But Helios was only missing, not dead, and I refused to tempt fate by plucking that flower from its vine. Helios promised me that we’d never live to see this day; he swore he’d never let me be married off to one of the emperor’s cronies, but the day had come and Helios was gone.

A startled murmur of slaves made me turn and see a shadow pass between two pillars. It was the emperor. Augustus. The first time I ever saw him, he was a dark conquering god, a crimson-faced swirl of purple cloak and laurel leaf, ready to mount his golden chariot and bear me away as his chained prisoner. Today he wore only a broad-brimmed hat and a humble homespun tunic cut short enough to expose his knobby knees. But the smile he wore with it wasn’t humble. This morning—the morning of the day he’d give me away in marriage—Augustus looked supremely smug.

He was without his usual retinue of barbers, secretaries, and guards. Even so, the slaves, including my Chryssa, all dropped to their knees and genuflected. He stepped over their prone bodies as if he were one of the Eastern rulers he derided for tyranny, for he was the master here. He owned everything in this garden: the Greek statuary, the marble benches, the colorful flowers, and the slaves. For four years now, I’d been his royal hostage and he believed he owned me too.

One day soon, I meant to prove him wrong.

“Good morning, Caesar,” I said, sweeping dark hair from my eyes.

Understand that the emperor wasn’t an imposing man. His power was all in the snare of his ruthless winter gray eyes which now darkened with suspicion, as if he’d caught me trying to slip past his praetorians with their crested helmets and crimson capes. “What mischief are you up to, Cleopatra Selene?”

After all the opportunities I’d declined to run away from him, it was strange that he’d suspect me of it now. I wondered what accounted for his latest paranoia. “I’m only gathering flowers for my wedding wreath.”

I showed him my basket, and seemingly satisfied, he glanced over his shoulder through the open doors to where he received clients and other morning visitors. The tabulinum was now empty except for the clutter of scrolls, brass oil lamps, and busts of his ancestors, the Julii, each painted to create the most lifelike rendition. “Walk with me,” the emperor said, and I did, for no one refused him. “This morning I granted an audience to an ambassador from Judea, Selene. King Herod sends a last-minute wedding proposal. He wishes to take you as his junior wife.”

The mere mention of Herod’s name made my steps falter. The Judean king had been my mother’s rival and had long urged the Romans to exterminate my whole family. The news that he wished to make me, the last daughter of the pharaohs, a part of his harem, actually forced a gasp from my lungs. The proposal would have been more insulting if it were anything other than a pretext to kill me. Herod had already murdered his most beloved wife to make an end to her Hasmonean dynasty. He wouldn’t lose a moment’s sleep over my death. “Caesar, you cannot mean to give me to Herod. You swore to make me Queen of Mauretania!”

Augustus smiled. I think it pleased him to see me lose my footing, to see my confidence waver. “Trust in Caesar, Selene. You’re already promised to another and in such an important matter as your marriage, I wouldn’t cater to the whim of a Jew—even if he’s already proved his loyalty, and you haven’t. Yet.”

I breathed, realizing that he’d told me this only to frighten me. To remind me of his largesse. To make me gasp with fear and then relief. Though Augustus was more than twenty years my senior, no wicked boy plucking wings off insects loved cruel games as much as he did. He stopped beside a small sphinx he’d pilfered from Egypt to adorn his garden. “Be grateful, Selene. By the end of this evening, you’ll be the wife of a newly made king, and the wealthiest woman in the empire. Not even your mother could have asked for more.”

Of course, she did ask for more. Offering her crown and scepter to him in surrender, she’d asked that her children be allowed to rule Egypt after her. Then she took her own life. My mother’s suicide had been convenient for him in every way, and I’m certain that his advisers all breathed easier when she breathed her last, but Augustus had been shocked by her death. Shaken by it. Octavian always wants most what he cannot have, she’d said, as if she’d known that it would ignite an obsession in him. He’d wanted her alive. He’d wanted her as a trophy. He’d settled upon me instead. “Half of Rome will be here for your wedding, Selene. Let my enemies bear witness to how kindly I treat Antony’s daughter. Your father’s partisans may whisper that I’m the descendant of slaves, but let them see how the grandson of a rope maker now gives away a royal princess in marriage.”

There it was. The cavernous insecurity at the center of his character that drove his every action. It didn’t matter that he’d vanquished all his rivals. Not his ever-expanding imperial compound with its marble and showy gardens, not the mountains of gold in his coffers, nor the might of his legions would ever conquer his fear that somewhere, someone was laughing at him. “Are you sure it shouldn’t be a simpler wedding, Caesar? More in keeping with austere Roman values?” I asked, because I feared Roman crowds and knew from bitter experience that they could be dangerous.

He tilted his head, his eyes shadowed beneath the brim of his hat. “I mean for your wedding to be a spectacle and you’re too ambitious to want it any other way. Today will make plain to Isis worshippers who foment dissent in Rome and rebellion in Egypt that they dare not oppose me, for I have a Cleopatra of my very own. Remember our bargain. Marry the man I choose for you and do as I command. Glorify me and I’ll show mercy to your surviving brothers, your countrymen, and to those who worship your loathsome foreign goddess. Be my Cleopatra and one day your mother’s Egypt may be yours.”

By late afternoon, the slaves had stripped my room bare. The golden incense burners, the red and green tapestries, the painted oil lamps, and even the kithara harp I played to amuse the emperor—almost everything that had ever lent color or comfort to my room here—all packed into trunks and satchels. Turning my eyes to my dressing table, I thought of the loose brick beneath it, the one Helios used to pull out of the wall so that we could whisper to one another when the Romans slept. We’d never do that again, I realized. Even if the emperor’s hounds hunted down my runaway twin brother and hauled him back to the Palatine, I wouldn’t be here . . .

With a sharp knock at my door, the emperor’s sister marched to my side to attend me. It was a mother’s duty to dress her daughter for marriage and Lady Octavia was the closest thing to a mother that I had left in this world. She’d been my father’s wife when he embarked upon his grand love affair with my mother. But after my parents were sealed in their tombs, Octavia had collected all my father’s children. Though she was a rigid woman, I’d come to love her. Even so, it felt like betrayal to let her take my mother’s place on this day. We were awkward together as we hadn’t been in years. “Well,” she said, both hands on her fleshy hips. “Let’s get you ready, Selene.”

She used a special comb to divide my hair into the six segments of the tutulus, the traditional hairstyle worn by Roman brides. “What a vicious little comb,” I hissed, wincing as she tugged mercilessly. “Why is it shaped like a spear?”

“It’s to drive out ill fortune,” she said, cheerfully. “It’s also to remind us of the Sabine women, the first Roman wives, forced to wed at the tip of a spear!”

“That hardly seems like something to be remembered with pride,” I muttered.

Octavia only tilted my chin with a sentimental sigh. “Oh, Selene, you’re going to be a lovely bride. Your father was always given to emotion, you know, and I think if he saw you, it would bring a tear to his eye.” In spite of the many wrongs he’d done her, Octavia never spoke against my father, for which I was grateful. “I think you have Antony’s best qualities.”

This puzzled me because my father had been a big jolly man with a raucous laugh whereas I was slender and decidedly sober. “I can’t imagine how I’m like my father.”

“He inspired people and so do you,” she said. “My daughters imitate you. Your royal poise, the way you hold your posture, and your piety. Because you work so hard at your lessons, the little ones study more. It’s your gift, Selene. You lead everyone around you to aspire to something greater. Even me.”

I stammered, because it was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me. “E-even you?”

As the emperor’s sister, Octavia had always held influence. Now that her son Marcellus had married the emperor’s daughter, Lady Octavia was the most powerful woman in Rome. Wearing her distinctively severe hairstyle with its knot over her brow like a crown, she lifted her chin. “As the emperor’s heir, my son is still young, untested. Marcellus will need guidance more than ever and I think I can help him. He and Julia need to win over the people so I’m going to find a way to fund a beautiful new theater as a gift to the city.”

“They’re fortunate to have an ally in you,” I said, knowing how this would irritate the emperor’s ambitious wife, Livia. Octavia had supplanted her role as First Woman in Rome. Truly, it was a new day.

Octavia seemed to feel it too. “You’ve made a good match, Selene! And your story sounds so romantic. Two scions of African royalty. Two orphans saved by the emperor and adopted into his family, only to become stewards over a new land. Why, if I were your age, I might even envy you this marriage. Your groom is such a handsome young man.”

“I’m familiar with his virtues,” I said, for Juba was no stranger to me. The deposed Numidian princeling was a scholar. Such a prodigy, in fact, that he’d been my tutor. Once I’d even counted him a friend. Now he was just the husband the emperor had chosen for me and the first step I must take on my path back to Egypt.

“You’re a lucky girl,” Octavia chattered on. “He’s going to be a splendid, civilized king. Rex Literatissimus, they call him. And such a fine specimen of a man—no woman in Rome can avoid following him with her eyes. But remember that he is a man. No sweet boy like my Marcellus.” Given the clumsy way her hands worked in my hair, and her unusually breezy banter, I realized that she was working up to something. “Selene, do you know what Juba will expect from you in the bridal bed?”

My cheeks burned. Everyone imagined my mother as a seductress with great knowledge of the sensual arts, but I’d been young when she died; she’d never shared any of that particular wisdom with me. “I—I think I can guess.”

Octavia now looked sour, as if she were about to face a torment of the spirit. “This is what will happen. When you’re alone in the bridal chamber, Juba will call you wife and draw you into his arms. But you mustn’t go willingly or he’ll think you’re a lupa.” A she-wolf, she said, but she meant whore. “You must shy away and struggle just enough to please him but not enough to make him angry. Then submit to him as your husband and your king.”

Helios is my king. The thought came to me so suddenly and unbidden that I feared that I’d said it aloud. My twin was the rightful King of Egypt and dearer to me than I could dare admit. Some said that it was for his sake that the city of Thebes had rebelled. I’d bargained for my twin’s life, so I’d have to submit to the emperor’s wishes and to Juba too. I’d just have to remind myself every day how fortunate I was not to be married off to old King Herod of Judea.

When my little gray cat leapt onto the dressing table, upsetting a tray of hairpins and ribbons, Octavia cried, “Wretched creature! I won’t be sorry to see that beast leave with you. I can’t see why cats are sacred in Egypt. They’re nothing but mischief.” Bast took no notice of this insult, purring and burrowing into my arms while Octavia scowled. “Oh dear. I’m making a mess of your hair. My fingers aren’t as nimble as they used to be. I’ll let your ornatrix fix it.”

My slave girl fixed my hairstyle, and then we dallied until dusk, trying to decide between two pairs of sandals, one of which was prettier but pinched my toes. At last, Chryssa helped me into my wedding garments. The white muslin tunica and accompanying girdle. The floral wreath and the orange flame-colored veil. This was the garb of a modest Roman bride, but in spite of all the years I’d lived amongst my father’s people, it still looked foreign to me. When I glanced into the polished silver mirror, I groaned in dismay. Octavia had bound my hair in such a way that it smothered everything unique about me. The white muslin left me looking pale, hiding what beauty I possessed, and I was all but suffocated by the saffron veil. “It’s horrible.”

“No,” Chryssa said, softly. “You’re a beautiful bride.”

But this was something people said to brides, whether or not it was true. I pulled the veil away. “I need . . . something else.”

Chryssa’s eyes widened. “It’s almost time for the wedding. Half the city is at the gates.”

This did nothing to calm me. Roman weddings were supposed to be small and modest affairs, simple contracts that required only a few witnesses. Mine would be different. The guests would be looking to see if I was just a Roman girl, the daughter of Mark Antony, or if I was Cleopatra’s daughter, a sorceress whose blood made flowers grow, whose hands left crocodiles docile in her wake. As the foremost worshipper of Isis in Rome, stories about me had passed from temple to temple, tavern to tavern, and the slaves and the lower classes whispered that I might bring them a Golden Age. I’d emboldened them. Perhaps I’d inspired them. So maybe I need not fear the crowds; I wasn’t a prisoner anymore.

Be my Cleopatra, the emperor said, and one day your mother’s Egypt may be yours.
Augustus was a grand actor in a pageant of his own creation and the only way to remain in his favor was to play my role. He wanted spectacle? Well, I would give him one. With deep resolution, I unwound the braids that Octavia had so painstakingly fastened, brushing out my dark hair so that it curled and cascaded, loose and free over my shoulders. “I won’t be a Roman bride,” I said. “My mother was Pharaoh and I’ll let no one forget it.”

Chryssa’s mouth formed a circle of surprise when I threw open my wardrobe chest, giving no care to the fact that the slaves had carefully packed it for the journey. I rifled through it until I found a beautiful diaphanous gown that Helios had given me. Octavia had tried to make it modest with stitches and brooches. Now I refashioned it. Removing the pins, I wrapped the gown under my arms and tied it between my breasts in the knot of Isis, the tiet, a loop with trailing sides that was a variant of the ankh. My wide-eyed slave girl watched me as if I’d gone mad. “You’re going to give insult. You’ll anger the emperor!”

“I know him better than you do.” Since I was a little child, I’d learned to play all the emperor’s games; this was just one more. Be my Cleopatra, the emperor had said, and I was young and foolish enough to believe I knew what that meant. “Don’t stand there gaping, Chryssa. Help me!”

Reluctantly, she went to my dressing table, searching for the proper cosmetic pots, as I told her what to do. My mother had been a Hellenistic queen, and when she dressed for the civilized Greek-speaking world, she dressed accordingly. But she’d also been Pharaoh of Egypt. It was that reminder of Egypt I wanted now, so I urged Chryssa to draw on my eyelids with black kohl, the dark lines of the wedjat—the eye of Horus. Then she used the greens and blues and reds of Egypt to color my face. When she was done, I held up the mirror and peered at myself with the green eyes of a jungle cat, exotic and wild. “You need more jewelry,” Chryssa suggested, finally warming to the idea. “Something sparkling to go with your little jade frog and betrothal ring.”

I knew just the thing. Carefully wrapped in the bloodstained dress I’d worn as a prisoner, was a golden snake armlet with gemstone eyes that my mother left for me when she’d foreseen her own death. I retrieved it from under my mattress, where I’d kept the bundle hidden for years, and slipped the armlet up until it hugged my bicep, its history merging with my skin. The effect was dazzling and scandalous. “You look like your mother’s portraits,” Chryssa breathed.

But I saw in myself someone entirely new.

About Stephanie:

Stephanie graduated from Smith, a small women’s college in Massachusetts where–to the consternation of her devoted professors–she was unable to master Latin. However, her focus on Middle Eastern Studies gave her a deeper understanding of the consequences of Egypt’s ancient clash with Rome, both in terms of the still-extant tensions between East and West as well as the worldwide decline of female-oriented religion.

Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has–to the consternation of her devoted husband–collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.

From Books To Blah

2011-08-28T13:53:00.000+10:00

Have you ever gone through a stage of really looking forward to reading a book only to find that part way through your anticipated joy has turned to blah. I am currently in that place with a couple a books right now.

Often in the past I have picked up and started a book only to place it back on the shelf, bookmark in place, never to reach for it again - though I continually promise myself that I will pick it up again just to finish the thing. I have quite a number of books with raggedy old dust-covered bookmarks wilting where they had been once proud virile things.

Often I am not disappointed - the book may have been one I have had for ages - whether new or second hand - or one that I really wasn't too keen on picking up in the first place. Often it is a case of having too many books on the go at the one time that I neglect all.

However, currently I have two tomes that have reached the blah stage - and both were books that I was really keen to read.

The first is "Heretic Lives: Medieval Heresy from Bogomil and the Cathars to Wyclif and Hus" by Michael Frassetto. Now for some strange reason I have not been able to "get into" this book despite being interested in this area of history. I am sure it is not fault of the author - afterall the subject matter is hardly boring and has been the cause of many important historical events. Yet I just can't progress past the first 20 pages. I will attempt again - though when is the question.

My second book is "Marguerite of Navarre - Mother of the Renaissance" by Patricia & Rouben Cholakain. I don't mind telling you I paid more than I normally would for this book (hardcover) as I had not seen it before in any of the book shops that I regularly haunt (yes, I still shop in person in shops where you can physically touch the product). Marguerite was an amazing woman in a time that was constantly changing - so I eagerly anticipated sitting down and getting to know her more.

But since December 2010 I have only managed to reach Page 117. Far from being a straight-forward biography of a remarkable woman, this book interposes an analysis or comparison of her books "The Heptameron" with current events in her life. So as her life unfolds on the pages before us, the authors then compare these events with the stories told in "The Heptameron" - with the usual proviso of "only the names have been changed, etc etc" - to see where or how Marguerite came to write these stories.

Maybe this is where I am losing interest. Maybe had this been a straight-forward biography I would have been more inclined to continue. But as the authors divert our attention, so too does my attention wane and interest decline. Quite possibly it might have been more interesting as an appendix at the conclusion to discuss Marguerite's works with key events in her life. I cannot say - but I shall persevere8965567y.

Or maybe it just time for a change of subject matter - something of the "fluff" variety to give the "little grey cells" a break - or a new challenge.

Hollow Crown

2011-06-24T22:00:00.001+10:00

As I own three books of pretty much the same title (Hutchison, Hollick & Rubin), I wondered just how many other "Hollow Crowns" there were.

The Hollow Crown: A Life of Richard II by Harold E Hutchison (1961).

"In this portrait Richard himself emerges as neither a tyrant nor a weakling, but an able mediaeval king."

"The brilliant abilities which Richard share with the rest of the Plantagenets were marred by a fitful inconsistancy, an insane pride, and a craving for absolute power."

The Hollow Crown: An entertainment by and about the kings and queens of england by John Barton (1962 & 2005) which was also published as: The Hollow Crown: The follies, foibles and faces of the kings and queens of England (1971)

The Hollow Crown: an ethnohistory of an Indian Kingdom by Nicholas Dirks (1993) - The only one on the list that does not concern England.

The Hollow Crown: Story of Saint Edmund by M. Champion (1997)

A Hollow Crown: the story of Emman, Queen of Saxon England by Helen Hollick (2004) - A tale of Emma of Normandy, wife and queen to both Aethelred II, Saxon King of England, and Canute, King of Denmark, Sweden & Norway and of England.

The Hollow Crown by Miri Rubin (2005 & 2006) - A history of 14th Century England.

The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare, Hobbs & the Changing Nature of Kingship from 1600 to 1650 by Timothy Zajac (2006)

Within the Hollow Crown by Margaret Campbell Barnes (2010) - A tale of King Richard II of England.

Cadaver Books

2011-06-20T22:33:00.003+10:00

I seem to have developed a macabre interest in anthropodermic bibliopegy – the practice of binding books in human skin. Rest assured that I am not a practitioner of this “art” but rather a curious onlooker.

Cudmore Book

The practice of anthropodermic bibliopegy was first practiced and documented in the 17th century and continued into the 19th century. However, the use of the human skin as a medium dates back to antiquity and is usually associated with warfare and the treatment of prisoners.

Surviving historical examples of this technique include anatomy texts bound with the skin of dissected cadavers, volumes created as a bequest and bound with the skin of the testator, and copies of judicial proceedings bound in the skin of the murderer convicted in those proceedings. There are a number of texts today that are bound in the skin which have found a home in a number of well-known academic libraries worldwide.

Examples in Academia:

Harvard Law School: Practicarum quaestionum circa leges regias Hispaniae, a treatise on Spanish law. A faint inscription on the last page of the book states:

The bynding of this booke is all that remains of my deare friende Jonas Wright, who was flayed alive by the Wavuma (an African tribe reputed to inhabit Zimbabwe) on the Fourth Day of August, 1632. King Btesa did give me the book, it being one of poore Jonas chiefe possessions, together with ample of his skin to bynd it. Requiescat in pace.

Brown University, John hay’s Library: contains three human-skin books, including a rare copy of the 16th century anatomy text De Humani Corporis Fabrica by Andreas Vesalius (1514 – 1564), and two 19th-century editions of a medieval morality tale, The Dance of Death.

Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley : 1676 French prayer book bound in human skin.

Wellcome Library: three volumes were reputed to be bound in human skin. It is now thought that only one is bound that way, a 17th-century text on anatomy that was rebound in the 19th century.

College of Physicians of Philadelphia: contains books on the skin condition trichinosis bound by medic John Stockton Hough, who used a patient's skin to bind three volumes.

University of Southern Carolina: is home to an early copy of Dale Carnegie's Lincoln the Unknown which is covered with a jacket containing a patch of skin from an African American man, onto which the title had been embossed.

Dr John Hunter (1728-1793), the famous anatomist, father of British scientific surgery, and the person after whom the London Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of England is named, reputedly commissioned a textbook on dermatology to be bound in human skin.

The classic medical text, Tables of the Skeleton and Muscles of the Human Body by Bernhard Albinus (translated from Latin into English in 1749), not only was bound in human skin, but the original white skin was dyed black. This was intended to reflect one of the subjects within: "On the location and cause of the colour of Ethiopians and of other peoples."

Dr Victor Cornil (1837-1908), the famous professor of pathological anatomy in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Paris and author of Syphillis (1882) the definitive work on the subject at the time, possessed a piece of tattooed human skin from the time of Louis XIII. He had his copy of The Three Musketeers, set during the time of Louis XIII, bound in human skin.

Bailey Library at SRU: contains a book of erotic Spanish poetry, El Viaje Largo "The long journey " by Tere Medina (Medina-Navascues) from South America was said created in 1972.

“The cover of this book is made from the leather of the human skin," it reads. "The Aguadilla tribe of the Mayaguez Plateau region preserves the torso epidermal layer of deceased tribal members. While most of the leather is put to utilitarian use by the Aguadillas, some finds its way to commercial trade markets where there is a small but steady demand. This cover is representative of that demand."

The book "Aurora Alegre del dichoso dia de la Gracia Maria Santissima Digna Madre de Dios" written by Joseph Bernardo de Hogal (d.1741) was bound in human skin (1748).

And a human-skin bound ledger was found in downtown Leeds, England, in 2006 written in French handwriting in black ink, appears to date back to the 1700s.

A copy of The Rights of Man and several copies of the French Constitution of 1793 were also said to have been bound in human skin.

While their credibility is questionable, there are some historical reports of a 13th century bible and a text of the Decretals (Catholic canon law) written on human skin.

Criminal Examples:

James Johnson

The earliest known instance of a criminal whose body was ordered by the court to be dissected is found in the sentence of one James Johnson, condemned to the gallows on March 19, 1818, by Mr. Justice Dallas of the Norfolk Assizes, who also ordered that the culprit's body "be delivered to the surgeons to be anatomized."

Following the execution, which took place on the Castle Hill, Norwich, in the presence of 5,000 spectators, the dissection was performed by Mr. Wilson, "a gentleman from London," and Mr. Austen, "a pupil of Mr. Dalrymple's," who prepared the body for a series of daily lectures delivered by a Mr. Crosse. " (Source: Norfolk Annals)

A copy of Samuel Johnson’s dictionary was bound in his skin.

John Horwood

John Horwood was an 18 year old miner from Hanham. John was 17yo when his relationship with Eliza Balsom ended (1820). The following year, Eliza was out walking with her new boyfriend, one William Waddy, when John saw them and in a fit of pique, threw a pebble at her. The pebble hit her on the head, making only a small wound.

John Horwood

Eliza was initially treated at home but when she went to Bristol Royal Infirmary to get the wound dressed properly, chief surgeon Richard Smith decreed that it had become infected and decided to operate. In those day, operating meant trephining – drilling a hole in the unfortunate girl’s head – to relieve pressure. This caused a fatal abscess and between some four to seven days later Eliza died (17/2/1821).

Despite the fact that Eliza did not die as a result of John’s impetuosity but rather through Dr Smith’s medical treatment, Smith gave John’s name to the police, and Horwood arrested.

Horwood’s trial took place at the Star Inn in Bedminster (11/4/1821), and Smith, who would hold the position as chief surgeon for 50 years, testified against him as chief witness for the prosecution. Horwood was condemned to death.

In the condemned cell, Horwood did admit to having violent intentions towards his former sweetheart, and on the day of his execution, he left behind a poignant verse which read:

‘John Horwood is my wretched name and Hanham gave me birth. My previous time has been employed in rioting and mirth. ‘Eliza, oh Eliza dear! Thy spirit, oh, is fled! And thy poor mangled body lies now numbered with the dead. ‘Curs’d is the hand that gave the blow. And curs’d the fatal stone, which made thy precious life blood flow. For it has me undone.’

He was hanged at New Bristol Gaol (13/4/1821), three days after his 18th birthday, and his body was requisitioned by Dr Smith for medical research. Horwood’s family pleaded that his body be released to them for burial, but Dr Smith refused. A group of friends and relatives even tried unsuccessfully to hijack the cart taking the body from the prison to the hospital.

Dr Smith dissected the corpse in front of 80 people at one of his medical classes. The findings were then bound with a transcript of the trial in a book. Smith’s final, macabre flourish was to send Horwood’s flayed skin to a tanner, where it was turned into leather and used to cover the book.

Its front was embossed with a skull and crossbones at each corner and the words Cutis Vera Johannis Horwood (‘The Skin of John Horwood’) were added in gilt letters.

Dr Smith kept the skeleton, complete with a noose round the neck, in a cabinet at his Bristol home, showing it off to guests, until it was moved to Bristol University. Horwood’s remains have now been buried by his family.

William Corder – the Red Barn Murderer

“The indictment charged William Corder with having on the 18th of May 1827 murdered Maria Marten by feloniously and wilfully shooting her with a pistol through the body and likewise stabbing her with a dagger The indictment consisted of ten counts.” (Source: Celebrated trials of all countries and remarkable cases of jurisprudence). The museum of Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, England contains an account of the trial proceedings against William Corder, bound in the executed murderer's skin.

The Red Barn Murder was a notorious murder committed in Polstead, Suffolk, England, in 1827. A young woman, Maria Marten, was shot dead by her lover, William Corder. The two had arranged to meet at the Red Barn, a local landmark, before eloping to Ipswich. Maria was never heard from again. Corder fled the scene and although he sent Marten's family letters claiming she was in good health, her body was later discovered buried in the barn after her stepmother spoke of having dreamt about the murder.

Corder was tracked down in London, where he had married and started a new life. He was brought back to Suffolk, and after a well-publicised trial, found guilty of murder. He was hanged in Bury St. Edmunds in 1828; a huge crowd witnessed Corder's execution.

In Search of the Musketeers

2011-06-19T20:02:00.003+10:00

From the Ottawa Citizen:

"A five-year quest to locate the tomb of d'Artagnan -- the inspiration for Alexandre Dumas's novel The Three Musketeers -- has led to a small Dutch church where new research suggests the swashbuckling hero is buried.

Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan died during the Siege of Maastricht on June 25, 1673, and, according to a leading French historian, was laid to rest only few kilometres away at Saint Peter and Paul Church in Wolder."

Dumas wrote The Three Musketeers in 1844 after reading about d'Artagnan's exploits in Les Memoires de Monsieur d'Artagnan, which was published almost 150 years earlier. Although he brought the action forward by 15 years and invented much of the storyline, the main characters are rooted in history."

Okay, now I have read "The Man in the Iron Mask" by John MacDonald (and highly recommend it for those with a interest in the period). It is an indepth research into 17thC France and the secrecy surrounding the identity of the Mask. Apparently all four Musketeers were real - and the man in the iron mask was not Fouquet as is popularly believed. There were three other important "political prisoners" jailed with Fouquet - one of which was the Mask. Whilst 17thC France is not my forte, this makes for very interesting reading.

Musketeer Reading:

The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas

Twenty Years After by Alexander Dumas

The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexander Dumas

Louise de Valliere by Alexander Dumas

The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexander Dumas

17th Century France - Novels:

The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley

Gardiner to the King by Frederic Richaud

The Courtier's Secret by Donna Russo Morin

To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker

Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland

Emilie's Voice by Susanne Dunlap

17th Century France:

Mirrors of Infinity: the French Formal Garden by Allen S Weiss

French Literature of the 17th Century eds: Frederic P Miller, Agnes F Vandome, John McBrewster

The Four Musketeers: the true story of D'Artagnan, Porthos, Aramis & Athos by KL Maund & Phil Nanson

The Days of the Musketeers by Pierrie Miquel

Louis XIII the Just by AL Moote

The Institutions of France Under the Absolute Monarchy 1598 - 1789 by Roland Mousnier

Seventeenth century Europe: state, conflict, and the social order in Europe by Thomas Munck

Richelieu: A Tale of France in the Reign of King Louis XIII by GRP James

Richelieu and the councillors of Louis XIII: a study of the secretaries of state and superintendents of finance in the ministry of Richelieu, 1635-1642 by Orest A Ranum

A Bundle of Borgias

2011-06-06T16:31:00.000+10:00

With the Showtime series "The Borgias" gaining in popularity, it's time to get your Borgia on. Here are a few tomes you may want to add to your reading list:

Borgias In Fiction:

The Borgia Bride & The Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis

Sins of the House of Borgia by Sarah Bower

The Second Duchess by Elizabeth Loupas

Poison: A Novel of the Renaissance & The Borgia Betrayal by Sara Poole

Poison in the Blood: The Memoirs of Lucrezia Borgia by M. Scarsbrook

Lucrezia Borgia: A Novel by John Faunce

Lucrezia Borgia and the Mother of Poisons by Roberta Gellis

Madonna of the Seven Hills (Lucrezia Borgia, #1) & Light on Lucrezia (Lucrezia Borgia, #2) by Jean Plaidy

City of God by Cecelia Holland

The Family by Mario Puzo

The Banner of the Bull by Rafael Sabatini

The Borgia Testament by Nigel Balchin

Lusts of The Borgias by Marcus Van Heller

Lucrezia Borgia:

Lucrece Borgia by Victor Hugo

Lucrezia Borgia Duchess of Ferrara by William Gilbert (2 vols)

Letters of Lucrezia Borgia & Pietro Bembo translated by Hugh Shankland

Lucretia Borgia by Ferdinand Gregorovius

Lucrezia Borgia: Life, Love and Death in Renaissance Italy by Sarah Bradford

Lucrezia Borgia by Maria Bellonci

Lucrezia Borgia – The Life of a Pope's Daughter in the Renaissance by Maike Vogt-Luerssen

The Life & Legend Of Lucrezia Borgia by M. G. Scarsbrook

Lucrezia Borgia - A Biography by Rachel Erlanger

Lucretia Borgia - According to Original Documents and Correspondence of Her Day by Ferdinand Gregorovius

Cesare Borgia:

Cesare Bogia by Robinson (1 vol of 3)

Cesare Borgia: His Life and Times by Sarah Bradford

The Life of Cesare Borgia: of France, Duke of Valentinois and Romagna by Raphael Sabatini

Cesare Borgia: His Life and Times by Sarah Bradford

Cesare Borgia: the Machiavellian Prince by Carlo Beuf

The Borgias:

The Borgias by Alexandre Dumas

The Borgias & Their Enemies by Christopher Hibbert

The Borgias by Marion Johnson

The Borgias: The Rise and Fall of a Renaissance Dynasty by Michael E. Mallett

At the Court of the Borgia - Being an account of the reign of Pope Alexander VI, written by his master of ceremonies, Johann Burchard.

In the Pillory: The Tale of the Borgia Pope (Damning Exposure of Romanism) by John Bond

The Fall of the House of Borgia by E.R. Chamberlin

The Renaissance Popes: Statesmen, Warriors and the Great Borgia Myth

The Borgias by Clemente Fusero (trans. by Peter Green.)

The Borgias by Ivan Cloulas

Chronicles of the House of Borgia by Frederick Rolfe

Knights Templar - Fact & Fiction

2011-06-06T15:40:00.000+10:00

I must admit to being very intruigued by this band of warrior monks for some time. I have read just about every book on the subject that my local library (and its offshoots) possess, in addition to supplementing my own personal library. However, nothing can compere with the plethora of tomes written on the subject.

Templars in Fiction:

Robyn Young has written a triology on the Templars - Brethern, Crusade & Requiem.

Micheal Jecks has written about 30 books with the Templars (I am a bit biased as he is one of my favourite authors).

Paul Christopher -The Sword of the Templars, The Templar Throne, The Templar Conspiracy and The Templar Cross (in no particular order).

Raymond Khoury - The Last Templar, The Sanctuary, & Templar Salvation.

Jan Guillou - The Road to Jerusalem, The Knight Templar & The Kingdom at the end of the road (also made into a film - Arn).

Steve Berry - The Templar Legacy.

Umberto Eco - Foucault's Pendulum.

Paul Doherty - The Templar & The Templar Magician.

William Watson - Last of the Templars.

Fact: (or as close to it as we can get)

Piers Paul Reid - Templars: The Dramatic History of the Knights Templar, the Most Powerful Military Order of the Crusades.

Malcolm Barber - The New Knighthood: A History of the Order of the Temple; The Trial of the Templars.

Sean Martin - The Knights Templar: The History and Myths of the Legendary Order.

Michael Haag - The Templars: History and Myth: From Solomon's Temple to the Freemasons;

James Wasserman - The Templars and the Assassins: The Militia of Heaven.

Alan Butler & Stephen Dafoe - The Warriors and the Bankers: A History of the Knights Templar from 1307 to the present.

Alain Demurger - The Last Templar: The Tragedy of Jacques de Molay Last Grand Master of the Temple (trans: Antonia Nevill).

Edward Burman - The Templars: Knights of God.

Regine Pernoud - The Templars: Knights of Christ.

Sharan Newman - The Real History Behind the Templars.

James Anthony Froud - The Knights Templars: Their Rise and Demise.

Mythos & Legends:

Marilyn Hopkins & Tim Wallace-Murphy - Rosslyn, Guardian of the Secrets of the Holy Grail

Michael Baigent & Richard Leigh - The Temple and the Lodge

Lynn Picknett & Clive Prince - The Templar Revelation

Erling Haagensen & Henry Lincoln - The Templars' Secret Island

Barbara Frale - The Templars & the Shroud of Christ; The Templars: The Secret History Revealed.

Karen Ralls - The Templars & the Grail: Knights of the Quest.

Peter Partner - The Murdered Magicians: The Templars & Their Myth.

Frank Sanello - The Knights Templars: God's Warriors, the Devils's Bankers.

Otto Rahn - Crusade Against the Grail: The Struggle between the Cathars, the Templars, and the Church of Rome

Queens & Empresses

2011-01-15T17:11:00.001+11:00

Back in November I was given the opportunity to read the lastest tome from Mark Hichens entitled "Queens and Empresses".

From the Press Release: "History is brought to life through the colourful stories of eleven queens and empresses. Their lives were often tempestuous and tragic, ending in execution, suicide, divorce or abdication. Some were child brides, pawns in political games, and most had unfaithful husbands."

As you may have guessed, Mark's new book focuses on the lives of a number of amazing women - some notable, some notorious, but all worthy of our attention. The ladies in question are a varied group, from Cleopatra VII of Egypt, Mary Queen of Scots, Christina of Sweden, Maire Antionette, and finishing off with Queen Victoria.

Each ruler has a generous chapter dedicated solely to her where Mark explores the lives, loves, victories and failures of these women. Form royal or humble beginnings, each woman has left her indelible mark on the pages of history. Mark does not let you get bogged down with unnecessary details, but keeps it simple and concise, outlining the main / important events in each woman's life. And each story is objectively written!

Mark provides further reading for those wishing to learn more about these women. I highly recommend that you grab a copy of "Queens and Empresses" (it's definitely a "keeper") and begin your journey!

About the Author:

Mark Hichens is a biographer, historian and retired teacher.

His publications include:

Oscar Wilde’s Last Chance: The Dreyfus Connection (Pentland Press)
Prime Ministers’ Wives – and One Husband (Peter Owen)
Wives of the Kings of England – from Hanover to Windsor (Peter Owen)
Wives of the Kings of England – from Normans to Stuarts (Book Guild Publishing)

The Celtic Dagger

2010-12-28T09:10:00.000+11:00

I was recently honoured in receiving a copy of "The Celtic Dagger" by Jill Paterson through a Goodreads giveaway. And am glad I entered! My copy arrived two days before Christmas, and not only was it signed, but there was a lovely hand-written card from Jill!

The Celtic Dagger is Jill's debut work - though you would never guess. The dagger in question is one of three artifacts linked to a murder. In the course of investigations, family secrets are unravelled, workplace relationships are put under the microscope, and we are taken on a spellbinding journey to the very end when all is packaged up for us.

The story is set in the academic world of a noted Sydney University and its Antiquities Department. We travel between states in Australia as clues are tantalising placed in our paths. I enjoyed being able to read of places that I am familiar with - being home turf.

There will be no spoilers here - you will have to read all for yourself. Suffice to say that I read this book in one sitting - I literaly could not put it down in my quest to discover all. I am so looking forward to Jill's next book!

About the Author

Jill Paterson grew up in Adelaide, South Australia before spending 11 years in Ontario, Canada. After returning to Australia, she settled in Canberra where she now lives with her husband, John.

After doing an Arts degree at the Australian National University, she worked at the Australian National University's School of Law before spending the next 10 years with the Business Council of Australia and the University of New South Wales, ADFA Campus in the School of Electrical Engineering.

You can find Jill @ Goodreads or through her website.

Stephanie Dray and The Uncelebrated Life of Cleopatra Selene

2010-12-06T19:50:00.000+11:00

Women of History is proud to welcome author Stephanie Dray who will give us a taste of her amazing new novel: The Uncelebrated Life of Cleopatra Selene.

Cleopatra’s daughter was born at the cusp of a religious awakening and came of age in a dangerous political world. When her parents lost their war with Rome and committed suicide, Selene, her twin Alexander Helios and their younger brother Ptolemy Philadelphus were all that remained of the Ptolemaic dynasty, so they were taken prisoner by the Romans.

Though she was only ten years old, Selene was marched as a chained prisoner through the streets of Rome. Prisoners were normally strangled or killed after a triumphal march, but Selene was an exception. The little orphaned princess and her brothers were spared by the emperor, then taken into the home of his sister to be indoctrinated with Roman values.

Such a policy of hostage-taking was fairly common in ancient times, so we might have expected Selene to fully embrace the Roman way in order to survive. Indeed, like her more famous mother, she forged important alliances with the Romans and charmed her way into power. It may even be argued that she did so more successfully; she certainly did so with less bloodshed. Though Selene came to Rome as a chained prisoner, she so impressed Augustus that he married her to Juba II of Mauretania, making her the most powerful client queen in the empire.

But Selene’s importance may have to do more with her religious influence than with her statecraft. Today, we take for granted the concept of personal spirituality or a relationship with god. In much of the ancient world, however, religion was a covenant between the state and the divine realm. Insofar as personal or household gods existed for the Romans, worship was more orthopraxy than orthodoxy. That is to say, the emphasis was more on correct ritual than on faith or intimate prayer. For the Romans especially, religion was more a matter for men than women.

All of this started to change with the rise of henotheistic mystery cults, and as a forerunner of Christianity, the Isiac religion was one of the few in the ancient world to concern itself with social justice. In challenging temporal authority, the spread of Isis worship nurtured a nascent concept of personal spirituality without which our world might be very different today. And were it not for the influence of Cleopatra Selene—who fostered the Isiac faith in Mauretania while it was being suppressed in Rome—such a transition may never have taken hold.

Though she never returned to her mother’s Egypt, Selene would rule a mostly peaceful nation for at least twenty years, spreading the influence of Hellenism and Isis worship to Northwest Africa. She appears to have had complete autonomous powers of coinage, and often minted monies with depictions of her mother or her goddess.

The most remarkable thing we know about Selene, however, is the name of her son. At that time period, any child she had should have been named after its father’s line. But Selene clearly considered herself the true ruler of Mauretania and her own family line to be superior because she named her son Ptolemy and he would rule after her.

Indeed, some scholars have suggested that upon the ascension of Ptolemy to the throne, coins were issued to honor his mother, perhaps reminding the people of their popular queen and legitimizing his rule.

About Stephanie:

Stephanie Dray is the author of a forthcoming trilogy of historical fiction novels set in the Augustan Age, starting with Lily of the Nile: A Novel of Cleopatra's Daughter. Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has–to the consternation of her devoted husband–collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.

You can follow Stephanie's Blog Tour

Stephanie is currently sponsoring the Cleopatra Literary Contest for Young Women, the deadline for which is March 1, 2011, but join her newsletter now for updates and a chance to win a free copy of Lily of the Nile and additional prizes.

The Countesses of Castello

2010-11-27T10:10:00.000+11:00

The Countesses of Castello by Milena Agus is a simple and yet intriguing tale of three sisters - the countesses of the title - and their search for that which will make them complete. The setting of the novel, the Countesses' palazzo, reminded me of the opening scenes of Hitchcock's "Rear Window" in which we take a panoramic view of the residents and yet we do not delve too deeply into their lives. The focus of the novel is on the three sisters - Noemi, Maddalena, and the Countess Ricotta.

I was honored to have received this book through a Goodreads giveaway and am glad I entered. I highly recommend both the book and the author, Milena Agus.

Other Works by Milena include:

* The House in Via Manno

* Madame Agnese

* La Contessa di Ricotta

About the Author:

Milena Agus was born in Genoa to Sardinian parents, and now lives in Cagliari where she teaches Italian and history at a secondary school. The House in Via Manno (published in Italy as Mal di pietre), her second novel, won three Italian literary awards, and has been a bestseller in Italy, France, and Germany. In December 2008, Milena Agus was awarded the prestigous Zerilli-Marimò Prize in New York. A film adaptation of the novel is in production.

Lancashire Witches

2010-08-10T15:45:00.001+10:00

I was very grateful to receive a copy of Mary Sharratt's "Daughters of the Witching Hill" recently. I had only heard mention of one the the characters in Mary's book - only briefly - and was not aware of the full story. So this was a delightful read.

The book opens with one Bess Southerns - Old Demdike - telling her story of how she became a "cunning woman" and goes on to detail her life in the Pendle Forest. She tells of her first meeting with her "familiar" and how local folk consulted her for cures and blessings. Little by little her family and close friends are drawn into her circle - some share in her gifts - others fear them.

The second part of the story is told by Alizon Device, Bess' granddaughter. Here there is more about Alizon, her brother James - a "simple" lad with an agenda of his own - and her half-sister Jennet. Without giving too much away, the family eventually implodes and when the local magistrate finally catches up with then, none of their cunning can save them from their ultimate fate.

"Daughters of the Witching Hill" is set in the latter years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and the early years of the reign of King James I (or VI of Scotland). The dominant religion of the time is that of the Reformers or Protestants. The Catholics are considered heretics and any attempt the maintain the "old religion" is dealt with quite harshly. It is into the cross-current of religious dogma that Bess and her family are caught. Many still remember and practice the "old religion" and disguise it in local folk remedies. Times are harsh for the folk of Pendle Forest and any misfortune is seized upon as the work of those of "ill-repute".

But ultimately, like it's Salem counterpart, the small community is torn apart by the political aspirations of one, the greed of others, by revenge of another, and through spite and misunderstanding.

Although Mary herself admits to some slight modification in the names of her characters (to save unnecessary confusion), the story is quite true.

In addition to Mary's wonderful book, I would also recommend an older and slightly different version of events in "The Lancashire Witches" by William Harrision Ainsworth, Esq (Pub: 1849).

Tuscan Countess

2010-05-16T14:57:00.002+10:00

Tuscan Countess: The Life and Extraordinary Times of Matilda of Canossa by Michele K. Spike

The book charts author Michele Spike's journey to discover the real Matilda of Canossa. It merges her modern journey through Tuscany with historical notes on the cities she visits, all the while taking the reader back to Matilda and the events that shaped not only her life, but the course of history.

Written in a similar style to Joann Fletcher's "The Search for Nefertiti" and Mary Taylor Simeti's "Travels with a Medieval Queen".

The Military Leadership of Matilda of Canossa
Matilda of Canossa

Further Reading
Matilda Countess of Tuscany by Mary E. Huddy
Matilda of Canossa, An Historical Drama in Five Acts by Benjamin Gott
Matilda of Canossa by Leone Tondelli
Matilda of Tuscany, la gran donna d'italia by Nora Duff
The Book of Love by Kathleen McGowan

Jane Whorwood - The King's Smuggler

2010-03-07T18:18:00.003+11:00

From the Press Release:

THE KING'S SMUGGLER: JANE WHORWOOD, SECRET AGENT OF CHARLES I by author John Fox (Pub: The History Press 8th February 2010).

It is the first biography of Jane Whorwood. She spied for the King and smuggled a huge amount of gold in order to raise funds for the army and the royalist cause in England's Civil War.

Most biographies about the Civil War relate to the men's stories and the women's escapades tend to get missed out!

Jane Whorwood was one of King Charles' closest confidantes - when he was imprisoned she set up correspondence networks, consulted the national astrologer, raised and moved money, and organised escape attempts, ending up in the hub of a naval mutiny.

So, who is this woman you are asking. I did too when first asked to review a copy of John's biography. Not only did I know nothing of her role in the English Civil War of the 1640s but I had not heard of her either. Upon a visit to my local library, I checked out various books on the English Civil War - and there was no mention of Jane at all.

John's book was an eye-opener on a woman who contributed much, lost it all, and was never recognised at all for her role. Flora MacDonald achieved world-wide fame for her support of Bonnie Prince Charles - but Jane was a "non-entity" or rather "non entry" on the pages of history.

Jane (or Joan, Jeanne, or Jean as she was variously known), was a member of a prominent Scottish family at the Courts of Kings James I & VI and Charles I of England. Her family (of which the branches of her family tree were numerous and fruitful) attained positions at both courts, and in particular that of Charles I.

And so the first third of the book deals with background information - vital to the story. It covers Jane's early years and her family rise through the ranks of the nobility culminating in the her step-father's appointment as "Black Rod". Next we deal with Jane's marriage and that of her sisters. We find Jane settling into the socially expected domesticity of her status.

The disputes between Charles I and his Parliament become the focus of the daily lives of the English peoples, especially the nobility. We find, like the American Civil War, families on opposing sides - in this instance - having "crossed the bridge".

The Parliament - which did not have the powers of Parliament as we know it today - were fearful of Charles' view of an "absolute monarchy" and in the "Divine Rights of Kings" - that is, the King is subject to God alone. The Courts of Kings James I and Charles I saw the introduction of Scottish magnates into the English dominated court. Conflict was inevitable of courtiers jostled for position and favouritism. With financial and religious difficulties, Parliament attempted to force the King to acceed to their demands. War was effectively declared.

One Mistress Whorwood in Oxfordshire, was wont to bring in intelligence to the late king, as well as to Oxford as to the Isle of Wight. She was sent several times of messages. Thomas Coke, interrogated in the Tower, May 1651

It was not only intelligence that Jane sent to the King, but money with which to sustain his army. Her activities were barely known - even after the event - as she used a system of codes to disguise both herself and the King. Her position and that of her family, gave her ready access to information - it was not as if she had to don a disguise to infiltrate royal circles. She was already there - on the spot.

Jane's service in the King's name ended with his execution and the abolition of the monarchy in England (30 January 1649). Jane herself was imprisoned for her loyalty to the late Charles I; her family lire crumbled around her with the return of her abusive husband; and she was in fact disinherited. Divorce and scandal ensued - and her family (more importantly her sisters) deserted her in her time of need.

But Jane survived - the monarchy was restored under King Charles II.

Consistent with the previous thirty years, Jane never cited her service to the Crown, as if governed by an unspoken etiquette.

She spent her final years petitioning for that which was due to her - fighting till the very end.

Few co-conspirators from Wartime were alive to notice Jane’s death. Poverty and isolation reduced her to childlike pleading with a king who either did not know, or preferred to forget that his father had once importuned her in a similar isolation. In the summer of her death the great and the good – the second Earl of Clarendon and Archbishop Sancroft – began to enquire about Jane’s and others’ role in Charles I’s final years. By then, Dugdale’s sources and memory were suspect or failing, most witnesses were dead, Jane was stilled and no one asked again for many years.

Jane was a woman of extraordinary courage and conviction - she stood by her monarch when others fell away - and she paid the price. I cannot but commend this book on a most remarkable woman. Hopefully one who will no longer be a footnote on the pages of history.

About the Author - John Fox:
John is an Oxford university trained historian and has spent 6 years working on the project. of Jane Whorwood John has also written "Forgotten Divisions" (1994) on WWI in Bonn and Manchester, (‘a publishing rarity’, Geoffrey Moorhouse), and "Macnamara’s Irish Colony" (USA, 2000) on British designs to annexe California in 1846 (‘fascinating evidence, superb cast’, Prof. Roy Foster). Besides the new "Jane Whorwood" entry in ODNB, he has written several local histories for his home community near Oxford.

Dirty Little Angles

2009-12-19T16:06:00.003+11:00

Wow - what can I say about Chris Tusa's "Dirty Little Angels" that has not already been written.

This is a hard as nails, in your face look at the life of a young girl burgeoning into womanhood in the seamier side of New Orleans. There are no white picket fences, no happy families, no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This part of New Orleans is reflective of the lives of those who live there - tough, gritty, and and barely surviving.

Hailey spends her days like most others - hanging out with friends, getting into trouble - but her actions have consequences. And when all else fails, she turns to religion.

Chris knows New Orleans - and it shows in his writing. These characters seem so real, and yet they are not the type that you would know as friends and neighbours. But their story will suck you in so much so that you cannot leave.

If contemporary literature and social commentary is your genre, make sure you read "Dirty Little Angels".

Chris on the web:

Chris Tusa - website

Reviews for "Dirty Little Angles"

Alberto O Cappas

2009-12-05T16:22:00.006+11:00

I have the pleasure of being an "i-friend" (ie: internet buddy) of Alberto. And as such, was honoured when I had the opportunity to read some of his works.

A Little About Alberto
Alberto O. Cappas is both a poet and social observer. His works reflect the changing conditions of Puerto Ricans in both their homeland and mainland America.

He is active in promoting self-empowerment among his local community and encouraging people to take life the the scruff of the neck and make something for themselves.

Dona Julia
A collection of poems that tell of life on the "other side of the tracks" - where life is both hard and cheap; where people struggle to eke out a living day by day; where violence dominates; and yet it is also a place of the home and family, of comfort and familiarity.

The language is not flowery and gossamer-like - it is harsh, sometimes brutal but always upfront and in your face. It is a reflection of reality - it is not something akin to the fantasy poetic worlds of Keats and Byron. It is poetry for today and for today's society.

Alberto provides a glimpse into the ying and yang of life.

Lessons For Myself
A work dedicated to young people who feel trapped by their environment; who feel that there is no possible way out of the day to day struggle with life; who feel nothing but despair and anger.

Alberto's work compels young people to "think outside the box" - to not accept stereotypes, to take charge of their destinies, to make the change necessary themselves rather than sit wallowing in self-depredation. Life is there to be lived, enjoyed, and experienced to the fullest - and only you can make that detour on life's great journey.

Never Too Late To Make A U-Turn
"Never Too Late" was specifically written with students in mind, and has been accepted and utilised within the American educational system.

Alberto speaks of his own trials and tribulations in an attempt to help young people cope with their own. He is the voice of experience in a world where the lessons of experience can sometimes comes at too late in life. He offers guidance and understanding to a youth that really needs a helping hand. A man dedicated to empowering our youth and thus the world we live in.

Visit: The Educational Pledge

Book of Outremer

2009-11-21T20:01:00.007+11:00

Anyone who is familiar with the history of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem cannot but be struck by the similarities in the Book of Outremer trilogy by Chaz Brenchley.

Book One - Tower of the King's Daughter
"The Kingdom of Outremer was born of blood and pain and passion; forty years on, enemies still threaten its borders and heresy still threatens its peace."

The First Book of Outremer is loosely based upon the first years of European settlement in the Holy Land after the First Crusade. It mixes a combination of magic and fantasy with the right amount of near history.

Feast of the King's Shadow
"The Kingdom of Outremer was raised on sands steeped in the blood of war, and to war it is returning. The Sharai tribes, bitter and divided in defeat, have regrouped in their stronghold of Rhabat. Observing an uneasy truce under the banner of the charismatic Hasan, they await the coming of the Ghost Walker, the long-promised deliverer of their people."

Hand of the King's Evil
"The Kingdom of Outremer was forged from the hot blood and cold steel of battle but a fragile peace has come at last. Still the threat of war stalks its borders and heresy lurks from within, the poison seeping from its own renegade state ... An army of poor is also marching to an uncertain end, following a preacher with a blessed relic and a gift for miracles."

Chaz on the Web:

Christopher Marlowe

2009-11-08T19:16:00.003+11:00

"O, thou art fairer than the evening air clad in the beauty of a thousand stars."

Marlowe was born in February 1564, about 2 months before Shakespeare. His father was a prosperous middle-class merchant of Canterbury. Christopher received his early education at King's School in Canterbury and at the age of 17 went to Cambridge, where he held a scholarship requiring him to study for the ministry. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1584 and a master of arts degree in 1587. Toward the end of his stay at Cambridge he evidently aroused the suspicions of the university authorities, who threatened to withhold his degree. The Queen's Privy Council intervened, however, and assured the authorities that Marlowe "had done Her Majesty good service." The nature of this service is still a mystery, but it is likely that Marlowe was involved in a secret espionage mission abroad.

Shortly after receiving his master's degree, Marlowe went to London. He soon became known for his wild, bohemian ways and his unorthodox thinking. In 1589, for example, he was imprisoned for a time in connection with the death of a certain William Bradley, who had been killed in a violent quarrel in which Marlowe played an important part. He was several times accused of being an "atheist" and a "blasphemer," most notably by his fellow playwright Thomas Kyd. These charges led to Marlowe's arrest in 1593, but he died before his case was decided.

His Death:
The circumstances of Marlowe's death first came to light in the 20th century. On May 30, 1593, Marlowe dined at Deptford with a certain Ingram Frizer (Fraser) and two others. In the course of an argument over the tavern bill, Marlowe wounded Frizer with a dagger, whereupon Frizer seized the same dagger and stabbed Marlowe over the right eye. According to the coroner's inquest, from which this information is drawn, Marlowe died instantly. Despite the unusual wealth of detail surrounding this fatal episode, there has been much speculation about the affair. It has been suggested, for example, that the deed was politically motivated and that Frizer (who was subsequently judged to have acted in self-defense) was simply acting as an agent for a more prominent person.

His Works:
Marlowe wrote only one major poem (Hero and Leander, unfinished at his death) and six or seven plays.

Tamburlaine the Great, a two-part play, was first printed in 1590 but was probably composed several years earlier. The play itself is a bold demonstration of Tamburlaine's rise to power and his single-minded, often inhumanly cruel exercise of that power. The hero provokes awe and wonder but little sympathy.

Although written sometime between 1588 and 1592, The Jew of Malta was not printed until 1633. The chief figure, the phenomenally wealthy merchant-prince Barabas, is one of the most powerful Machiavellian figures of the Elizabethan drama. Unlike Tamburlaine, who asserts his will openly and without guile, Barabas is shrewd, devious, and secretive.

Doctor Faustus, which is generally considered Marlowe's greatest work, was probably also his last. Its central figure, a scholar who feels he has exhausted all the conventional areas of human learning, attempts to gain the ultimate in knowledge and power by selling his soul to the devil. The high point comes in the portrayal of the hero's final moments, as he awaits the powers of darkness who demand his soul.

Books:

The Reckoning by Charles Nicholl (Review)
Christopher Marlowe by Park Honan
Christopher Marlowe by JE Bakeless
Who was Kit Marlowe? The story of the poet and playwright by Della Hilton
Christopher Marlowe by Philip Henderson
Christopher Marlowe by GM Pinciss

Links:

Queen Nefertiti

2009-10-28T20:06:00.008+11:00

Nefertiti, "the Beautiful One Comes", wife and consort of the Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled Egypt at a time of great upheaval. Very litle is known of this enigmatic Queen, whose daughter Ankhesenamun married the young Tutankhamun.

Akhenaten created controversy in Egypt by worshipping one God alone - the Sun God - Aten, and moving his power base to a new city, Armana, created in honour of Aten.

Kazimierz Michalowski speculates that at some point during Akhanaten's reign at Armana, the royal couple experienced "problems" and Nefertiti moved into another palace, with Tutankhamun and four of her daughters. Following the death of Akhenaten (1362BC), Tutankhamun became Pharaoh, and the royal court was moved back to Thebes. Nefertiti all but vanishes from history.

Nefertiti Resurrected on Discovery Channel - this presentation takes you on the journey of Egyptologist, Dr Joann Fletcher on her quest to find the final resting place of Queen Nefertiti (See also her highly recommended book: "The Search for Nefertiti").
Queen Nefertiti by Jimmy Dunn

Nefertiti is the subject of many a book ... a selection follows:
The Search for Nefertiti by Joanna Fletcher
Nefertiti, the Mystery Queen by Burnham Holmes
Nefertiti by Philipp Vandenberg
Akhnaten: the Rebel Pharaoh by Robert Silverberg
Nefertiti by Evelyn Wells
Akhenaten and Nefertiti - Cyril Aldred
The Life and Times of Akhnaten, Pharaoh of Egypt by A. Weigall
King Sun: In Search of Akhenaten by Joy Collier
Nefertiti Lived Here by M. Chubb
Pharaohs of the Sun: Akhenaten: Nefertiti: Tutankhamen by Rita E. Freed
Amarna, City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti by Julia Samson

Fictional accounts...
Nefertiti of Egypt by Mary Englar
Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead by Nick Drake
Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen by Joyce A. Tyldesley
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
Valley of the Kings by Cecelia Holland
The Golden Pharaoh by Karl Bruckner
The Lost Queen of Egypt by Lucile Morrison
Pillar of Fire by Judith Tarr
The Goddess Queen: A Novel Based on the Life of Nefertiti by Johanna Harwood
Sun Queen: A Novel About Nefertiti by Emma L. Patterson
Nefertiti by Alexandra Hamilton
Queen Nefertiti by Francis B. Rylance

Voices of the Sidhe

2009-10-25T13:53:00.010+11:00

Kenneth C Flint is an author whose works predominantly cover ancient Celtic or Irish mythology.

A great introduction into the Celtic Otherworld comes from the Sidhe Trilogy which relates the stories of the Tuatha de Danann:

Riders of the Sidhe
Out of the mists the Fomor came to enslave the isle of Eire, a dread race of twisted men ruled by an inhuman lord: Balor of the Evil Eye. But a champion came from out of the sea, a youth called Lugh, seeking his destiny, sent to Eire by the seagod Manannan MacLir to fulfill an ancient prophecy.

With Gilla, a jesting rogue, and Aine, a spirited warrior-woman he came to love, Lugh challenged the Fomor to restore the True King to the throne of Tara, and summoned the Silver Warriors of the Sidhe to fight in the realms of men.

Champions of the Sidhe
The evil lord Balor and his dark Druid Mathgen send the traitorous Bres with an inhuman army to recapture the isle of Eire. But the young hero Lugh and his band of champions join together to defend their homeland. As the de Danann warriors seek Queen Danu's cauldron on the mystic isle of Manannan Mac Lir, Lugh and his beloved Aine host the Silver Riders to rouse the people for a final battle for the throne of the High Kings of Tara.

Master of the Sidhe
Now the final battle approaches. The races of Erin join to free their homeland from the foul fomor and their nightmare engines. But the evil lord Balor plans a fearful vengeance, and captures the sea-god Manannan Mac Lir. On a deadly mission go the Champions of Eire: young Lugh, the Master of the Silver Warriors; his beloved Aine; the fearless Taillta; Morrigan, the Raven warrior-woman; Shaglan, the Pooka Shapeshifter; the mighty Dagda and his brave son Angus. Together they storm Balor's Glass Tower fortress, to end the dread reign of the Dark Lord forever.

Kenneth's other trilogy concerns the adventures of the Fianna, a band of ancient Celtic warriors.

Challenge of the Clans
Cumhal MacTredhorn, the proud chieftain of the Fianna warriors, had defied Conn the Hundred Fighter, Ireland's cruel High-King. Urged by the whispers of his evil Druid Tagd, Conn ordered the murder of Cumhal- and all his kin.

Warned by a vision, Cumhal's bride escaped with her newborn son. Raised in secret in the depths of the forest, this golden-haired youth learned the stealth of the fox, the speed of the stag, and the strength of the bear, and grew into a mighty hunter called Finn the Fair.

Pursued by the High-King's armies, and the dark powers of the Sidhe, Finn began a heroic odyssey to reclaim his heritage, aided by the mystic harper Cnu, the giant warrior Caolite MacRonan, and the hotblooded Fionulla, who taught him the ways of love. Then, at last, came the hour of his destiny, and he was determined that no sorcery or might of arms would stop his thirst for justice.

Storm Shield
Warrior, outlaw, poet, lover, born in the midst of strife and sorcery, such is the legend of Finn MacCumhal, the greatest hero of Irish history. This is the tale of his perilous quest to the magical realm called the Land of the Fair, to win a weapon of awesome power... Storm Shield.

The Dark Druid
Ireland's greatest hero, legendary warrior and lover, heir to a world of strife and sorcery, this is Finn MacCumhal. With steel and courage, he sets off on a perilous quest to save a desperate land and to free his beloved from the shadowy magic and thunderous evil of the one known as the Dark Druid.

And for ancient Ulster.....
Isle of Destiny
From a land lost in the mists of time, in a realm of myth and magic, where legendary heroes fought undying foes in ultimate battles of good and evil, comes the story of a proud and indomitable people and a magnificent nation whose birth was foretold by the darkest visions and the direst prophesies.

It is the story of Conaire Mor, the bastard son of Ireland's high-king and fated to be her greatest leader; Ulster's outcast queen Meave, willful daughter of the mysterious Sidhe; the powerful and spiteful King Conchobar, a man obsessed with his own might; Sentanta, the fearless young warrior of the notorious Red Branch; and the high-druid Calatin, whose twisted magic and dark cunning threatens them all.

Hound of Culainn - or A Storm Upon Ulster
The son of the god Lugh and Deichtine (sister of Conchobar mac Nessa), he was originally named Setanta - but gained his better-known name as a child after he killed Culann's fierce guard-dog in self-defense, and offered to take its place until a replacement could be reared. At the age of seventeen he defended Ulster single-handedly against the armies of queen Medb of Connacht in the epic "Tain Bo Cuailnge" ("Cattle Raid of Cooley"). It was prophesied that his great deeds would give him everlasting fame, but that his life would be short – one reason he is compared to the Greek hero Achilles.

Mary Queen of Scots

2009-10-22T20:42:00.005+11:00

There have been literally hundreds of books dedicated to this Queen - some fact, some fiction - and others falling somewhere in between. So, a brief tale:

A Death:
Shrewsbury: ” … Madam you must die, you must die!…”

The executioner held up the severed head of the Queen of Scots for all to see — but horror as the hair separated from the head, and the head dropped to the floor. There was a stunned silence from the spectators — the Queen, once considered the most beautiful woman of her time, had lost her hair and vanity dictated the wearing of a wig.

The Dean of Peterborough stood over the corpse of the dead Queen and uttered the words all longed to hear: “So perish all the Queen’s enemies”.

The body of the dead Queen was stripped, in readiness to be received by the embalmers — but the dead Queen’s corpse held yet another surprise. Concealed within her skirts was a small terrier, which positioned itself betwixt the severed head and the body, and nothing could move it. It alone remained loyal to the Queen.

But the indignity of the execution of the Queen of Scots was not over. The execution block, her clothing and any other object which could be considered a relic was burned at Fotheringhay, which was in lock down.

It was not until approximately four in the afternoon that the Queen of Scots’ body was prepared for burial — but not the burial one would associate with a monarch. No — the Queen’s lead coffin was walled up within the precincts of Fotheringhay Castle. It was not until her son succeeded as James I of England, that the Queen was accorded a suitable and more Christian burial at Westminster Abbey.

A Life:
Mary was born 8 December 1542 at Linlithgow, Scotland, the daughter of James V of Scotland (d. 1542) and Mary of Guise (d. 1560). From the day of her birth, Mary was betrothed to the future Edward VI of England — the vetoing of this marriage led to war with England.

In the ensuing conflict, the Scots were defeated at Pinkie (10 September 1547) by forces of the Duke of Somerset. A French alliance was decided upon. Mary was sent to the French court aged 5 (1548), where she received a Catholic upbringing under her Guise uncles. Mary married the Dauphin Francis at Paris, France (24 April 1558). Her husband succeeded to the French throne as King Francis II (1559).

Mary became Queen of France but shortly after, Francis died (1560/1561). Mary was returned to Scotland (1561), and upon her arrival promptly proclaimed herself rightful Queen of England as the granddaughter of Henry VIII’s sister, Margaret Tudor.

However, during her absence, things had changed in Scotland, and Mary had to adapt to the anti-monarchical, anti-Catholic, anti-French elements that now dominated Scotland. Then Mary embarked upon an ill-considered marriage to her cousin Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (29 July 1565) at Edinburgh, Scotland. Mary soon gave birth to a son, James VI (of Scotland) & I (of England) (1566).

The following year Mary was caught up in the scandal surrounding the murders of her Secretary David Riccio and her husband, Darnley (1567). From then on, Mary made mistake upon mistake. Soon after both deaths, Mary made a scandalous third marriage to James Hepburn, 4th Earl Bothwell (1567), who just happened to have been recently acquitted of Darnley’s murder. Mary claimed that this marriage was made under duress — but none were convinced. There was an immediate uprising of Scottish lords which resulted in military defeat for Mary at Carberry Hill and Langside (1568).

Mary fled Scotland for England and threw herself on the mercy of Elizabeth I, who kept her imprisoned in various strongholds. Following numerous intrigues to rescue her and place her on the throne of England, Mary was placed on trial (Oct. 1586). She was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death (25 October 1586).

After delaying for as long as possible, Elizabeth reluctantly signed Mary’s death warrant (1 February 1587) and Mary was executed at Fotheringhay (8 February 1587).

A Question of Legality:
Was the execution of a monarch of one country by a monarch of another lawful? Mary was initially brought to trial under the English Act of Association (1585) — which in the eyes of the English made Mary just as guilty as those who conspired against the Queen of England, either with or without her knowledge. Guilt by association — a phrase I am sure we have all heard of.

Mary herself said: ” … as Queen and Sovereign, I am aware of no fault or offence for which I have to render account to anyone …”

In fact, just how was it legal for a Queen of a foreign country to be tried for treason by a Queen whose subject she was not; in fact, how could one then execute this foreign sovereign?

The sovereignty of any monarch, at this period in time, was taken with all solemnity. Elizabeth I herself was fully aware of the implications — if Mary could be treated and punished like an ordinary subject, then what could Elizabeth herself expect should she venture beyond the English Channel? In fact, Mary could only be judged by her peers — and to this end, only Elizabeth filled this position — not the privy councilors or nobility.

The English jurists pondered over this question — if Mary committed treason, she should have been expelled from English soil. But in the end, the legal minds of England came up with a suitable solution. King Henry VIII claimed suzerainty over Scotland; thus, Mary was a subject of the English Queen and could be tried (and executed) for treason under English law.

As author Antonia Fraser wrote: “In the case of the trial of Mary Queen of Scots the traditional blindfold across the eyes of Justice was ruthlessly torn aside by English commissioners so that the desired verdict might be reached.”

A Selection of the Books:
Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser
Life of Mary Queen of Scots by Henry Glassford Bell
Memoirs of the Life of Mary Queen of Scots by Elizabeth Benger
Mary Queen of Scots Vindicated (3 Vols) by John Whitaker
Mary Queen of Scots by Carol Schaefer
Mary Queen of Scots & Her Accusors by John Hosack
Mary Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart by John Guy
Mary Queen of Scots by Mary Queen of Scots by Susan Watkins & Mark Fiennes
Mary Queen of Scots: Politics, Passion & a Kingdom Lost by Jenny Wormald

Mary: Queen of Scotland & the Isles by Margaret George
Mary Queen of Scots: Queen Without A Country by Kathryn Lasky
Fatal Majesty: A Novel of Mary Queen of Scots by Reay Tannahill
The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory
Mary Queen of Scots by Sally Stepanek
Mary Queen of Scots: The Fair Devil of Scotland by Jean Plaidy

Mary Queen of Scots: An Historical Play by Thomas & William Francklin
The Albion Queens (or the Death of Mary Queen of Scots) a play by John Banks
Mary Queen of Scots (or the escape from Loch Leven) a play by William Henry Murray

Jason Who?

2009-10-18T12:30:00.000+11:00

Welcome to my page on author extraordinare Dan McGirt. Never heard of him?? Well that's your loss. Dan McGirt is a force to be recknoned with when it comes to fantasy adventure novels. He is the author of the "Jason Cosmo Trilogy" (Jason Cosmo, Royal Chaos, and Dirty Work). These are not your typical fantasy novels, but then, Dan McGirt is not your typical fantasy author ... or is he??. So, to the books:

Jason Cosmo
Who is this Jason Cosmo? Well he is a woodcutter turned reluctant Superhero. Follow Jason as he does battle with nefarious villains, assorted monsters, wizards of the highest (and darkest) order; gasp as Jason is pursued by the cream of the Bounty Hunters; marvel as Jason is seduced by beautiful damsels in obvious distress (this is a fantasy book after all); be amazed as Jason comes to the attention of the Gods (and one scatterbrained Goddess in particular). All this is just a typical day in the life of a Superhero. Will Jason and his good friend the wizard Mercury Boltblaster save the Eleven Kingdoms from the Dark Magic Society or will Jason end up on the Superhero scrapheap. Jason soon learns that this Superhero business is not always what it is cracked up to be.

Royal Chaos
Terrorists have taken over the Tower!!! --- and once again Jason Cosmo must wear his underpants on the outside (hardly a fashion statement for today's aspiring Superhero). Just who is responsible for this dark and darstedly deed?? The Dark Magic Society have re-opened for business (Under New Management of course); the maniacal nobles are on the chilvalric warpath (well some of them are, the others are just on the warpath); every man and his monster wants a piece of our Superhero, and the good wizard Mercury just wants a piece of whoever is responsible. But who is this new kid on the block, putting forward his bid for Number One spot on the Charts of Evil, and just what has he done to upset our Superhero and his pal?? But wait, there is a late challenger breaking loose from the back of the pack??? This doesn't look good for our Jason and Mercury.

Dirty Work
...""Retirement just wasn't what it was cracked up to be - especially when no one would take your retirement seriously. SDtill, Jason Cosmo, the ex-woodcutter now known as the Mighty Champion, was sick of being an invincilbe hero. All he wanted to do was turn in his magic armour and his loyal, demon-slaying sword, his sun-goddess medallion and his secret decoder ring - and, of course, his Heroes Club charge card - and settle down someplace quiet to raise turnips. But rumour had it that the Superwand, the "ultimate implement of power" had just come back into the world, and no one but Jason stood a chance of finding it and pitching it out of the universe again before the arch Demon Lord got hold of it. So, depsite the ongoing distractions of persistent assassins, lesser demons, and murderous magicians, Jason and his soon-to-be sorceress love set out on an impossible quest that would take them from noble courts to pirate dens to the very gateway of Hell."

About the Author
Dan McGirt is the author of the Jason Cosmo fantasy adventure series, including the all new Hero Wanted and the original Non-Trilogy: Jason Cosmo, Royal Chaos and Dirty Work. He was recently named one of the 100+ Best Authors on Twitter.

Read more about Jason Cosmo at:

Jason Cosmo
SFF.net - Dan McGirt
Jason Cosmo Update
Cosmopedia
Trove Books
Smashwords - Interview with Dan McGirt

Welcome to Melisende's Library

2009-10-17T14:58:00.000+11:00

Welcome to my new blog wherein I shall add my favourite books and favourite authors; where I shall post blubs and news and other tidbits of information.