Book Giveaway for They Lost Their Heads

I am giving away 3 advanced copies of They Lost Their Heads, What Happened to George Washington’s Teeth, Einstein’s Brain and Other Famous Body Parts. Three lucky winners will also receive a special body part gift. You might get a finger in the mail if I am feeling feisty or you might get a squishy brain if I am feeling calmer.

All newsletters subscribers are entered to win. If you are not a subscriber, sign up here: http://www.raucousroyals.com/newsletter/signup.htm

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(Disclaimer: I send out a newsletter about once a year so no, your inbox will not be inundated with bizarre facts to impress your friends at dinner parties.)  

Winner of last week's giveaway

Winner of last week's giveaway is Sadie. Congratulations Sadie! My unscientific process for the giveaway was to ask my husband to pick a number between 1 and 5. He said "3"....(I had Amy as entrant 1 & 2).

I forgot to ask people to include their email so please email me by clicking on the link below the scary lady in the top left column. I will just need your mailing address to get out your $50 gift card and book.

Thank you to everyone you spread the word. I really do appreciate the support.

Quiz Time! Win a copy of I Feel Better with a Frog in my Throat

I Feel Better with a Frog in my Throat is now in book stores! And that means one thing.Well, actually two things. One, your child will never look at medicine the same way and will probably have a few two many leech facts roaming around in their brain. And Two....giveaway time!

I have said it over and over again - Celebrities are the new royalty, but now here is some art to prove it.

1. Angelina Jolie

2. Anne Hathaway

3. Cameron Diaz

4. Alice Cooper

5. Anderson Cooper (that other Cooper)

6. Willie Nelson

7. Dakota Fanning (awwww)

8. Robert Pattinson

9. Natalie Portman

10. Jim Broadbent

11. And last, my favorite: Amy Whinehouse

The Rules:

To play, list the following in the comments section:

1. The title of the painting

2. The artist

3. Who it depicts (if we know)

Whoever gets the most answers correctly by Friday will win a shiny new copy of either I Feel Better with a Frog in my Throat or The Raucous Royals. Your choice.

I am going to have some more medicine related quizzes next week and I will post the latest book reviews. (deep breath) Thankfully, they are all good!

If you are planning to buy the book from Amazon, using the link below is always appreciated. I get a small kickback that goes to supporting the cost of maintaining this blog, newsletter, library late fees, history books and hot chocolate consumption.



Sources: I will provide the sources for this beautiful digital work at the end of the contest.
You can find more of these amazing digitally manipulated paintings here. 

Quiz time: Win a copy of Boleyn, Tudor Vampire

It's Quiz time! I know the Anne Boleyn junkies are probably going to get the first one pretty quickly so I had to throw in a vampire question too.

1. There was a bird in Anne Boleyn's Greenwich garden whose screams drove her mad. What was that bird?
2. In the 18th century, what food may have given rise to the belief in vampires?

Leave your answer in the comments below. The first person to answers both questions correctly wins a copy of  Boleyn Tudor Vampire by Cinsearae S.

This one is for the US folks only.

Reminder: I will be giving away a copy of Heart of Lies by M.L. Malcolm to a lucky newsletter subscriber this week. If you are not a newsletter subscriber then you can subscribe here.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel: Cromwell finally gets to smile

The Winner
Winner of the Raucous Book of the month, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel is Katie Sue. Katie Sue I have sent you an email and just need your mailing address. This month’s featured book is Hubbub, Filth, Noise and Stench in England, 1600-1770(Review and give-away coming) The winner to the 12 days of Codpieces will be announced on Monday.

All newsletter subscribers are automatically entered to win The Raucous book of the month. If you are not a newsletter subscriber, then you can subscribe here.

Raucous Review of the month: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
I was so excited to start reading this book because I am obviously a huge Tudor fan, but have never got a sense of Cromwell, the man behind the mastermind. In most historical fiction, Thomas Cromwell’s meteoric rise from tradesman to the king's chief minister is seen only through the eyes of Henry’s wives. Finally, Crommie was going to get his say.

I started reading Wolf Hall the minute I got home from the hospital with a new screaming baby.

Well, after about 10 pages, I wanted to throw the book at my grumpy cat. Then I realized A. That would kill the cat (it’s a rather big tome) and B. I needed more than 2 hours of sleep to read Wolf Hall. So I put it aside and picked it up a month later when my sleep had increased to an astounding 4 hours a night.

Book Review: Take two
Hilary Mantel’s writing style is truly unique, but does take at least 50 pages to adjust to and at least a few working brain cells. The dialogue is not your typical “he said, she said” written from one point of perspective and Cromwell is always referred to as "he" instead of his name. The reader almost has to actively participate in the dialogue where you are holding the camera in each scene. It is kind of like watching a subtitled movie where you are forced to pay attention instead of writing your grocery list while watching it.

Like any good historical novel, the descriptions are captivating, but it’s not just the historical details that will have reader’s smelling Wolsey’s oranges. Mantel’s writing style doesn’t just bring Cromwell to life. She makes her readers become Cromwell. Often Cromwell’s thoughts are written as if he wants to speak them out loud so you literally feel like you are in Cromwell’s head wishing you could punch Norfolk in the face or tell More that he belongs in the crazy farm. But you can’t. Because you are trying to survive the political minefield of Henry’s court without getting a knife in your back or becoming a head shorter.

Master Cromwell's smile
At first, I found it difficult to come to terms with Mantel’s portrayal of Cromwell. I had always pictured Cromwell as the disgruntled man in Holbein’s painting who looks like his hose are too tight or he just got the worst Tudor tax bill of his life. Mantel gives a Leonardesque make-over to Cromwell and instead of the stately court profile, the reader gets the missing frontal portrait. We see Cromwell as a broken-down son of an abusive father or a loving father himself grieving the loss of his child. Mantel’s Cromwell is a survivor. He loses the Holbein scowl and replaces it with a naughty, sarcastic gleam in his eye and a mocking Mona Lisa grin. Other courtiers are condescending toward him, but inside he is having the last laugh.

Send me a Master Cromwell....
Mantel's Cromwell is also not just the financial wizard or loyal lap dog to Henry VIII. He is the guy who can fix anything (as long as it can be fixed). After reading this book, Cromwell is now my new favorite dead person I would like to share a glass of ale with. (Sorry, Elizabeth I....you have been bumped). In fact, I kind of wish I had a Cromwell in my life right now. He could balance my checkbook, edit my manuscripts, do my laundry, devise ways to buy shoes without my husband knowing and other odd tasks that require cunning and a certain amount of humility. (Although I would have to insist that he stop referring to himself as "he" because that would be just plain creepy).

And it’s not just Cromwell who is so vividly portrayed. I think Mantel’s true strength is in creating a strong contrast in characters. Anne Boleyn evokes a weird combination of awe and nervous fear. In contrast, Cromwell has an all-knowing calmness and strength, and a sense that despite his rise...he knows eventually the jig will be up. Both seem to know that their individual success will put them at opposite ends of this dizzying wheel of fortune.

We will have to wait for Mantel's sequel to see how Cromwell stays on top.

Etsy Shop Grand Opening and royal giveaway!

It must have been all that "nesting syndrome" during my pregnancy, but I took up a new craft called needle felting. It is basically stabbing pieces of wool roving with a barbed needle to form a soft, woolly creation. I was so hormonal during the last month of my pregnancy that I think the constant stabbing kept me from hurting my loved ones. The wool looks like this. I have sculpted with clay all my life, but never taken on soft sculpture and now I am addicted. If anyone is interested in a tutorial on how it is done, then I will post something on my art blog. The example to the left is my version of Edgar Allan Poe.

It's hard to let go of them after spending 40+ hours stabbing away but I have some of my creations for sale now in my new etsy shop called The Queen's Coffer (of course). I will also be doing custom pet portraits (shown right). I can do horses, cats, dogs, lizards...or whatever marsupial you keep as a pet. It's a great way to memorialize a beloved pet.

I also will be selling some of my jewelry designs soon. I have a series called the six wives of Henry VIII bracelets (The Catherine of Aragon is shown to the left). So in celebration of the Queen's Coffer grand opening, I will be giving away the matching Catherine of Aragon earrings shown below. They are made with Swarovski crystals in jet black and black diamond offset with silver seed beads. ($20.00) Of course, there will be a quiz to pick the winner....more to come later this week.


Other giveaways - reminder that all newsletter subscribers are entered to win The Raucous book of the month - Wolf Hall. I have not enjoyed a book this much since I was kid hiding my smutty V.C. Andrews books from my mother. Hilary Mantel's award winning book has a tad more intellectual prowess to it and I don't have to stash it under the pillows.

Raucous Book of the Month - Giveaway

June's Raucous Book of the Month is a little off the topic of royalty, but appeals to my evil twin's (named Jesse) greatest love - Sideshows. The title of the book, Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical, delivers what every circus poster of the 19th century once promised...a chance to look. In a collection of bizarre short stories, you will meet such characters as Madame Zelda - the local fortune teller, Molly - the teen bearded lady, Tia Nafretiri - the daughter of a 3000 year old Mummy, and an occasional three-headed rat. Each fast-paced short story ends with a strange twist and a modern spin on what it means to live on the outskirts of conventional society. Some of the stories are beautifully illustrated in a graphic novel format that makes your typical scary clown a tad creepier. Get this book for your vampire loving teen who just might be a werecat by night.

I will be giving an advance copy of Sideshow to one lucky newsletter subscriber. If you are not a subscriber, then you can subscribe here.

The Raucous Royals Book of the Month: Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland

As Showtime’s The Tudors comes to a close, royal junkies might be looking for their next Meyer replacement hottie. Sure...Henry VIII may have had a great calf, but he couldn’t hold a candle to Louis XIV’s delicately hosed gams. As skilled in the hunt as he was performing a ballet, Louis was the metro-sexual hunk of his day and women tended to fall into a helpless swoon in his presence.

One of the women to fall victim to Louis’ charms was Henriette-Anne, Duchess of Orleans. (shown here). Many historians have commented that Henriette-Anne would have made the perfect queen of France ….if she had not been already married to Louis’ brother, Philippe. But a forbidden relationship didn’t stop Louis and Henriette-Anne from spending way too much time together and soon their friendship attracted court gossip and the stern disapproval of Louis’ mother. In 17th century France, it was perfectly acceptable for Louis to have affairs, but not with his sister-in-law. Such an affair (if there was more than a friendship) was viewed as incestuous as having an affair with your actual sister. The scandal was just too much for even Louis. The solution was simple: create a diversion. Enter Louise de la Valliere (nicknamed ‘Petite’) — the unknowing beard to Louis’ indiscretions. But while Louis was trying to throw his mother off the scent, something strange happened. He fell in love with the beard.

Usually, Louise de la Valliere is portrayed as the perpetually teary-eyed, love-sick mistress better suited for a life in the convent than the role of Maitrise-en-titre. In Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland, Petite is no wallflower passively soaking up the Sun King’s attention, but a high-spirited idealists with several alluring talents. She was rumored to be the most beautiful dancer at court despite an injury that forced her to walk with a limp. Probably most impressive, was her skill as a horsewoman. It was said that she could ride a Barbary horse bareback by steering it with a single silken cord. The first few chapters of Mistress of the Sun are dedicated to developing Petite's character as a horse tamer. (She is going to need these talents later when she meets Louis). She develops a special bond with a wild stallion named Diablo until the horse runs amok and causes a tragedy to shatter her happy home life. Petite then meets a handsome huntsman in the forest who turns out to be someone who will change her life forever. In the end, Petite proves to be as fearless on a horse as she is in love. This is a story that needs little fabrication and thankfully Gulland fills in the blanks without distorting the real history behind her characters. And although this is an adult novel, it will also appeal to teens who love romance with a twist of equestrian lore.

As author of the Josephine trilogies, Sandra Gulland’s greatest strength is that she goes beyond weaving great love stories. In her usual meticulous attention to historical details, we also get a glimpse into the opulent court of Louis XIV and the superstitions that governed the era. Some of my favorite details are the superstitious medical beliefs surrounding childbirth. Examples: Enemas were used to widen the birth canal. ouch! Infants born on the third day after the new moon rarely lived. And my personal favorite postpartum treatment - a layer of St. John’s Wort oil followed by a thick rabbitskin lain over the belly. Perhaps other readers will just get swept along in the romance. To me, these little bits of historical trivia are like having a delicious feast that you know won’t make you fat.

This month, I will be giving away a copy of Mistress of the Sun to two lucky readers. All subscribers of the monthly Raucous Royals Newsletter are automatically entered to win. If you are not a subscriber, than you can subscribe here.

The Raucous Book of the Month: The King’s Rose by Alisa M. Libby

I have read a few fictional portrayals of Catherine Howard and most present her as a one-dimensional bubble head who only cares about dancing, masques, and whatever shiny bauble the king’s throws at her feet. In Libby’s portrayal, we meet a more human Catherine torn between her desire to please her family and her desire to follow her heart. This Catherine is no Paris Hilton stuck in the 16th century. In The King’s Rose, Catherine is smart enough to understand her responsibility as queen, but also painfully aware that she is in over her head. Catherine thinks, “I am not a magician. I am not a witch. I can make the king feel young again, but I cannot actually make him young.” Here lies her dilemma. Catherine is constantly being reminded of her responsibility to produce an heir and she feels time running out as Henry experiences one health problem after another. Will her desperate situation force her to take drastic measures?

If you’re a Tudor junkie, you might already know about the love triangle Catherine finds herself in when one of Henry’s courtiers catches her eye. And if you are just getting into Tudor history….well, I don’t want to give too much away. Libby does occasionally veer slightly from the real history for a smoother plot flow, but an author note at the back clarifies which parts were based on conjecture. Get this book for your teenage Tudor lover or better yet….treat yourself to a little Tudor intrigue and romance.

This month, The King’s Rose will go to one lucky newsletter subscriber. The newsletter goes out at the end of each month. If you are not a subscriber then you can subscribe here.

Winner of Who put the B in the Ballyhoo?

This month's winner for The Raucous Book of the Month was Barbara. I have emailed the winner. I will be doing the drawing for The King's Rose at the end of this month. Stay tune for a review...

All newsletter subscribers are automatically entered to win the Raucous Book of the Month.

Last Chance to enter the Book Giveaway

The deadline is today to submit your questions to author and historian, J. David Markham.

Reminder: Not only do you get those niggling Napoleon questions answered....you also get your name entered into the book giveaway. And if Napoleon just ain't your thing, then you might want to ask David about his fascinating bit of "what if" history. For example, Would President Lincoln’s assassination during the Gettysburg Address have left the Confederacy as a separate country? You will have to get the book to find out.

To participate in the interview and book giveway, enter your question at the bottom of this post. Good luck!

Get your Napoleon questions ready for the Book Giveaway

Most Napoleon fans are already familiar with J. David Markham’s books. I am very excited to have Mr. Markham as a guest interview at the end of February. You can visit his site to learn more about his books and I also recommend his fascinating Napoleon podcast that covers everything Napoleon from myth to military hero. (My favorite episode is of course the Josephine/Napoleon one!)

For those of you who might not be acquainted with Mr. Markham’s work, here is his biography:

J. David Markham is an internationally acclaimed historian, Napoleonic scholar and award-winning author. For over twenty years he has written and lectured about Napoleon and other historical topics. His other interests include Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar/Ancient Rome, and the French Revolution. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Olympia, Washington, USA. David has taught history and other subjects at the university, college and high school levels, and has received numerous teaching awards and recognitions.

David is President of the International Napoleonic Society, having served as Executive Vice-President and Editor-in-Chief from 1996 until 2008. He has produced a series of International Napoleonic Congresses in Europe, the Middle East and Asia and edited two editions of the journal, Napoleonic Scholarship.

David served as President of the Napoleonic Alliance from 2004-2007, and as Executive Vice-President for some years before his terms as president.

A collector of some note, he has one of the world’s finest private collections of Napoleonic snuffboxes, as well as a significant collection of miniatures and engravings. All of the images used in his books come from his collection.

Book Giveaway
Mr. Markham will be giving a signed copy of one of his books to one lucky reader.* I am going to do something a little different for this book giveaway. Instead of doing a random drawing from newsletter subscribers, the winner of Mr. Markham’s book will be drawn from THE TOP FIVE interview questions. Your question can be an author related question or something more specific about Napoleon. If your question is chosen, it will be used in the author interview and entered into the book giveaway. Readers are welcome to enter more than one question. Deadline for entries is February 5th.

Enter your questions below in the comments field for a chance to win!

Small discriminatory Print
US subscribers only for this one, but international newsletter subscriber can win the monthly book giveaway.

Raucous Book of the Month - Giveaway

Encyclopedia of the End: Mysterious Death in Fact, Fancy, Folklore and More
By Deborah Noyes

In her new book, Deborah Noyes braves the grim reaper to demystify death in an alphabetically-listed banquet of facts, folklore, science and history. The scientifically inclined will be intrigued by the process of rigor mortis, postmortem and near-death experience, to name just a few. The history buff will find fascinating stories of 19th century body snatchers, death masks, death portraits, and tales of Houdini convening with the spirit world. Looking for a lighter fair at the death banquet? Skip to the letter G and read about goths, ghosts and graveyards. Looking for something meatier? Noyes includes the different cultural viewpoints on death in a respectful, but never preachy tone. Best of all, each topic includes just the right amount of details to keep inquisitive readers of the dead (or undead) engrossed for weeks.

I have to confess that I was thoroughly indoctrinated into the Catholic religion at a young age with the Catholic School, strict Catholic parents, and 9 yards of Catholic guilt and I am not about to change my opinion of what happens after you “bite the dust.” But I do wish my religious upbringing had been less narrow on the topic of death. I can remember very distinctively a Jewish friend’s dad dieing when I was young and not understanding her process of mourning. (Noyes lists Shiva under S). I couldn't understand why her mirrors were covered. It made me uncomfortable when I should have been focused less on my own comfort level and more on comforting my friend.

I understand why my parents didn’t discuss death. Undeniably, no one likes to talk about death. We even avoid saying the actual word. Under the letter E, Noyes lists some of the popular euphemisms for death including “passed on”, “kicked the bucket”, and my personal favorite – “pushing up daisies”. We certainly don’t need euphemisms for discussing birth and you will find far more books on pregnancy and the birth of a new baby. Why are we so well-educated on how life starts, but procrastinate talking about death until our child’s pet dies or even worse a beloved family member? Why not talk about dying BEFORE it happens?

From A to Z, Noyes resists the temptation to impart her own beliefs. (You can see from the above that I could not resist the same temptation.) Her impartiality is what really honors the dearly departed. Only in the introduction do we get a glimpse into how the author began her research when she writes, “Life matters because it’s on loan.”

I personally found Noyes brave approach to unmasking death illustrated perfectly by the epitaph she found on an 1813 grave stone:

‘Lie still sweet babe & take thy rest
God call’d you home He thought it best ‘

This month, one lucky newsletter subscriber will win Encyclopedia of the End by Deborah Noyes. If you are not a newsletter subscriber, sign up here. The winner will be announced on Monday. The newsletter is going out soon...promise. This month I am featuring the most scandalous hats throughout history. And stay tuned for next week when I will be featuring the most famous maker of the dead – The life of Marie Tussaud

Enjoy your day on loan!

Conversations in a Talk Balloon and a Book Give away

You may have noticed that I added a monthly newsletter a couple of weeks ago to the Raucous Royals history offerings. I was honored to see how many people signed up for it. I really didn’t think anyone read my silly, little history blog. Someone asked me recently what my “stats” were and I had no clue what that meant. It turns out that there is this thing called Technorati. I joined a couple of weeks ago. If you blog you are supposed to sign up there and they tell you how popular your blog is. It is sort of like high school except you get an actual number ranking to remind you of your social order. If you blog regularly, it will kind of depress you to know how few people read your blog in relation to the amount of people blogging. And if you blog about history…well it just might make you never want to hit your post button again.

But wait I say. Who cares if no one reads your blog. The whole purpose of blogging is to find people who share your passions. Right? With who else am I going to debate the height of Marie Antoinette’s hair? My family and friends don’t even know I blog about history.

I recently tried to explain blogging to one of my nonhistory reading pals. It went something like this:

A Blogging Dramtization in one Act:

Friend: I liked your book. I still hate history, but it made me hate history a little less.
Me: (uncomfortable pause) ah thanks. Did you know I have a blog?
Friend: What’s a blog?
Me: It’s is an online journal where you write articles. Mine is about European History- scandals, rumors, trivia and such. (smug smile on my face)
Friend: Who pays you to write the articles?
Me: Well,… know one really pays me.
Friend: So you are writing for free.
Me: Well…ya sort of (smug smile gone)
Friend: That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Don’t you have a book due in 2 weeks?
Me: I did… but it got pushed back. The deadline is now in 6 months. I couldn’t really make the first deadline.
Friend: hmmm I wonder why?
Me: I throw my coffee over friend’s head and storm out never to speak to her again.

Ok not exactly. But my point to this drama is this: although 1 trillion and 500 thousand people would rather read some other blog, there are still more than 3 people who read my silly ramblings.

And like Pavlov’s dog (except much smarter), I must reward those people (all 4 of you). Therefore, I am doing a signed book giveaway next week for The Raucous Royals but ONLY for the people who have signed up for the newsletter.

Switching to Announcer Voice: But it’s not too late….you too can experience a monthly history newsletter that will give you enough information to astonish your friends, insert useless trivia at cocktail parties and impress your dates. YOU HAVE ONLY TEN DAYS TO ACT. Don’t miss this opportunity. Simply hit the subscribe button below by December 13th and you will not only receive the FREE Raucous Royals Newsletter, but you will also be entered to win a FREE signed copy of The Raucous Royals.


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The Raucous Royals is a monthly newsletter put out by author Carlyn Beccia. Email addresses are never sold. And even if I did try to sell them, no one would buy them. Statistical marketing analysis shows that less than 1% of history buffs need body parts enlarged or their mortgages refinanced. If at some point you want off the list, simply hit unsubscribe.