Thursday 10 March 2011

Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespearian Delights

Anne Hathaways Cottage and gardens 15g2006.jpg





On a sunny March day a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon evokes Shakespeare and his times very convincingly, especially as re-enactors in 16th Century costume are wandering round all the local sites, and ready to chat if tourists want more information.


The garden at Anne Hathaway's Cottage had many herbs starting into growth. The orchard is prepared for the season and the willow arbour neatly trimmed at this season, although by summer it will be almost hidden by the waving strands of freshly growing branches.


   

In town, Shakespeare's Birthplace was full of guides in Tudor costume. They were all eager to share their knowledge of the period, whether in the dining room, where the table was laden with fine meats and a large round cheese, or in the parlour with its spare four-poster bed and spinning wheel. The making of gloves was demonstrated [Shakespeare's father was a glove maker] and upstairs we saw how a shelf could be drawn out from under the four-poster for the children to sleep on. Practical if not comfortable.

 Out in the garden, a pair of lovers held hands and talked earnestly. She looked very fine in her wide skirts, her hair braided under a sweet white cap sewn with pearls. He was as dashing as could be in his jerkin and padded short breeks, high boots, and his beret with its frilled edge. Ah, young love a la Shakespeare.

Friday 25 February 2011

The Large Print edition of 'April and May'

Another new step for me.

My third Regency tale, April and May, is published by Ulverscroft in a Large Print edition on 1st March.


1st March is also St David's Day which makes the occasion more special.


Monday 14 February 2011

Essential qualities for a Hero

This last week I was a guest on Carrie Lofty's Unusual Historicals Blog. The question I asked was : What qualities do you consider essential for a Hero?

The answers have been most instructive. It seems we still appreciate the traditional qualities that have always been part of the hero's characteristics.
Integrity, honesty, courage, loyalty, compassion, kindness, - these were mentioned by nearly everyone who commented. In addition, the hero should be smart, thoughtful, have lots of humour and be willing to do anything for the heroine. He should also be fierce and passionate.
The suggestion I liked most was protectiveness. It's a delicate balance to portray protection not possesiveness. The hero in 'The Rake's Challenge' becomes very protective of the heroine, against his will at first.

And there was a plea for a good guy hero. I wrote one of those in 'In All Honour'. Greg started out as a secondary character in 'The Wild Card', where he was a decent fellow, the hero's best friend. So I couldn't change his character. I love Greg but it was a hard story to write. I'm very glad he has an admirer. And it encourages me to try another decent guy as hero. He's there already, just waiting his turn.

This list of qualities inspires many ideas to create sympathetic and admirable heroes. Now then, what about their appearance?

Saturday 5 February 2011

#Unusual Historicals. Exotic but dangerous.

This week I'm guest blogging on the Unusual Historicals Blog.

http://unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/2011/02/guest-author-beth-elliott.html



Guest Author: Beth Elliott

This week on Unusual Historicals, we're welcoming Robert Hale author Beth Elliott, whose latest Regency romance, APRIL AND MAY, is set in Constantinople. Here's the blurb:
In Constantinople, 1804 Rose Charteris comes face to face with Tom Hawkesleigh, who broke her heart four years earlier. And now she is forced to work with him on a secret mission for the Ottoman Sultan.

The tension rises further when Kerim Pasha, the Sultan's chief and very handsome minister, falls for Rose's English beauty. A spirited heroine, two handsome suitors, danger everywhere...enjoy!


'Plenty of wit, gusto, flair, charm and warmth! An unmissable treat for Regency fans everywhere!' ~ Single Titles

'An enjoyable read.' ~ The Historical Novels Review

' A sparkling romance.... Dive in and enjoy.' ~ Myshelf




A "yali", a waterside mansion where wealthy Turks spent the summer months.

Can you explain what the title APRIL AND MAY refers to?

Rose, the heroine, has her early romance cut off short, so her April comes to a frosty end. Later, she gets a second chance to blossom and we leave her as she reaches her May.

Tell us why you set this story in Constantinople.

Constantinople is a fascinating city, a blend of Eastern and Western elements. It has many exotic buildings and a long and rich history so it makes a wonderful setting for a story in any period. I also love the fact that the city is divided into three parts by the sea. Each part has a very distinct character yet they are tightly interlinked.

When I researched the history of the late Eighteenth Century I found that both the British and the French were desperate to have the Ottoman Sultan as their ally. Selim III, the Sultan at that time, knew that to save his empire from being swallowed up by the Russians, he had to modernise his army, even though his generals wanted to carry on in the traditional way. He was very pro-European and was seeking help either from Napoleon's French officers or from the British. That gave me a suitable reason for Tom to be in Constantinople in 1804. He is the secret agent advising on modern methods.
On a personal level, having a Turkish husband, I experienced much Turkish hospitality and came to understand their way of life. It is incredible how honoured a Turkish family is to receive a guest. I wanted to convey that in the story. My husband had worked as a tourist guide in his student days so he loved taking me to visit important historical sites. And when he showed me round these famous places, including the Harem in Topkapi Palace, he was always full of anecdotes to make the visit even more colourful.
The newly restored Fruit Room in the Harem.

So is this story based on your own life?

Only in showing Turkish customs from an outsider's point of view. Rose, the heroine, is interested in the Ottoman way of life, but not even the powerful and handsome Kerim Pasha, the Sultan's chief minister, can tempt her to stay in Constantinople. I like my heroines to have a choice of men but the truth is that Rose and Tom have never resolved the issues from their earlier romance. Until she can do that, she is not interested in any relationship.

I also turn the idea of being an outsider on its head, when Kerim Pasha comes to London and we see him observing the English way of life with eager curiosity. Rose and Tom have to unite their efforts to look after him, which draws them together again.

Are you planning any more stories with exotic settings?

THE RAKE'S CHALLENGE, which comes out in July, is set in Brighton. The Royal Pavilion there is about as exotic as you can get! And the hero is fascinating…

And I'm currently working on another Regency-set novel which opens the door onto the Eastern side of life in Constantinople. There are feasts in exotic palaces and festivals of Ottoman style events--and a drop-dead gorgeous oriental hero.

***

Thanks for stopping by today, Beth! Readers, Beth is giving away signed books to two winners. Just tell us which qualities you like to see in a hero. I'll draw the winner next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

Saturday 29 January 2011

North of the Golden Horn

THE GALATA TOWER  was originally built in 1348 by the Genoese merchants who lived in the area north of the Golden Horn. From the top floor of the Tower there is a magnificent panorama of the whole city. Today you can enjoy this view while eating in the splendid restaurant there. For those Genoese merchants of old it was a look-out post and a way to know when their ships were arriving with the merchandise that made them wealthy.
Here is the view from the top of the Galata Tower. What a splendid vantage point.         
      
File:Golden Horn Panorama Istanbul.jpg


This part of Constantinople was outside the city, across the wide arm of water called the Golden Horn and was the designated place of residence for foreigners. The Greeks originally called this place "Pera", meaning the Fig Field. Then, when the Venetians became the majority group, the name Galata was added, and both names are still in use.
Traditionally, all foreign embassies were set up in Galata and all foreign visitors would expect to stay in this part of the city. Little by little wealthy Turks also moved northwards and the sultans and many members of the royal family established hunting lodges and palaces along the shores of the Bosphorus.



Here is Hatice Sultan's palace, designed in about 1800 by Antoine Ignace Melling, an Austrian artist. Hatice Sultan was the sister of Sultan Selim III.

Sunday 9 January 2011

Regency stories with an Ottoman element - First part

There is a new interest in Regency period stories set in Mediterranean lands or else in the Ottoman Empire. Harlequin Mills & Boon is actively encouraging Ottoman set stories but with a strong English link. And there are some good stories out there already. Among those I have read are Amanda McCabe's series, To Catch a Rogue, To Deceive A Duke and To Kiss A Count, which have an underlying theme of excavations in countries like Sicily, Italy and Greece. Before that there was the deliciously funny Mr Impossible by Loretta Chase, which takes place in 1820s Egypt. Then there is my own April and May, which is set half in Istanbul [when Istanbul was Constantinople] and half in London.


Constantinople is a splendid setting for a story. Where else is there a city that sits on two continents, and where so many different cultures mingled with a reasonable degree of tolerance. That was a typical feature of Ottoman society - and although Istanbul is still Mediterranean and multi-cultural, the best place left nowadays where there is still full evidence of this tolerance is in Lebanon.

Friday 17 December 2010

Istanbul - I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed:

Poem by Orhan Veli, recited by Cem Karaca

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed:
At first there is a gentle breeze
And the leaves on the trees
Softly sway;
Out there, far away,
I am listening to Istanbul.....

 Istanbul Dinliyorum [Orhan Veli, recited by Cem Karaca]