Wordless Wednesday - Road Trip!

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Book Trailer Fridays - C.W. Gortner and The Tudor Secret

I'm completely fascinated with historical novelists, the depth of research they do, and the way they deftly mix fact and fiction, giving new life and personality to characters from our past.

C.W. Gortner is the author of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, and The Last Queen.  His latest novel, The Tudor Secret, came out in February to rave reviews.

Here's a description:

Summer, 1553: Brendan Prescott, an orphan reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family, is brought to court, where he finds himself sent on an illicit mission to King Edward VI’s brilliant, enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth.

But soon Brendan is compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth’s protector, William Cecil—who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past. 

A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth's quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder.

Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, The Tudor Secret brings this world to life from a new perspective, telling the story of a spy who becomes the protector of England's future queen.

Here's what people are saying about The Tudor Secret:

"Gortner handles action with aplomb, adding a riveting, fast-paced thriller to the crowded genre of Tudor fiction."—Publisher's Weekly

"An exciting, vividly rendered story of intrigue and espionage." —Book List

"A brilliantly executed plot and three-dimensional characters . . . this is historical fiction, and very well done at that; very highly recommended." —Historical Novels Review, Editors’ Choice

Here's the trailer:



And here's Christopher talking about his work:



You can follow Christopher on his blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Wordless Wednesday - Lazy

Book Trailer Fridays - Evan Dawson and Summer in a Glass

Evan Dawson's debut book, Summer in a Glass, hits shelves on April 5th. Evan, a Rochester news anchor, and managing editor of the New York Cork Report, spent two years interviewing Finger Lakes wine makers to uncover the stories of family, dreams and hope behind some of the great Finger Lakes wineries.

Here's the description:

How did a brilliant German winemaker end up in a small region in upstate New York after leaving his family in the middle of a harvest night? How did a Danish-born winemaker lose his family’s wine estate in southern France, only to see his career revived in the Finger Lakes?

Why are they here? How did they get here? And what is the world learning about the land they now inhabit?

These are the fascinating questions that permeate the wine in New York’s Finger Lakes region, and journalist Evan Dawson provides thrilling answers in Summer in a Glass: The Coming of Age of Winemaking in the Finger Lakes. After spending two years on the road, in the cellars, and in the vineyards with these talented men and women, Dawson tells their deeply personal stories in a way that stitches the new, emerging story of the region together.

Here's what people are saying about Summer in a Glass:

"Dawson stitches together diverse portraits to compose a useful travel guide, lessons in Wine 101, and, most important, a reminder of what makes wine so alluring. A fast, engaging read for wine lovers, especially those planning to visit the Finger Lakes region." 

--Library Journal

"Evan has the gift of a great journalist and storyteller. Summer in a Glass is an intimate glimpse into the lives, inspiration and perspiration of the brave men and women of wine in The Finger Lakes Region. . . without looking, the reader learns effortlessly about wine through entertaining, compelling and heartfelt stories. It’s a delight!" 

--Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan MW, author of The Great Courses: The Everyday Guide to Wine

"Every wine region of real quality deserves not just a champion–it’s too easy to be a mere booster–but a storyteller of grace, insight and affection. The Finger Lakes region in upstate New York has just such a storyteller in Evan Dawson, who brings to life–fires your imagination, really–the triumphs, travails and intimate personal decisions that are the real ingredients of fine wine. For once, the folks in Napa Valley should envy the Finger Lakes in winning the articulate affection of a writer as fine as Evan Dawson." 

--Matt Kramer, Wine Spectator columnist and author of Matt Kramer On Wine

And here's the trailer:



You can follow Evan on his website, Facebook, and Twitter.  Evan has some great (and wine-filled) book events coming up in the Finger Lakes and beyond.  Check out the schedule here.