Well, here I am exploring this new world of being a Goodreads blogger, because I'll be honest, I'd like to draw attention to my new novel, The Serpent and the Rose. This book was written after I spent an almost mystical month in Nérac, France, and was told that the ruins of the chateau in the center of town were once occupied by Marguerite de Valois and her husband, Henry of Navarre, who went on to become Henry IV of France. At first, I was interested in learning more about Henry, but very quickly my fascination moved over to Marguerite. Many people don't know that she was the first woman to write and publish her memoirs. I read them while in France, and though the language is archaic I got a very good sense of who this woman was, and she seemed very different from all the nonsense that has been written about her (by men, of course.) As I wandered the chateau, and through the Parc de Garenne that Marguerite personally beautified, I felt as though I were almost back there myself.

William Shakespeare wrote "Love's Labors Lost" about the court of Navarre. The Princess of France in that play is Marguerite, and the King of Navarre is Henry. Shakespeare was never actually there, but Marguerite and Henry manufactured enough gossip about themselves and the rambunctious goings-on at the chateau that even England had heard about them! (In my novel, the young Shakespeare makes an appearance, although in reality, he would only have been about 12 years old when I have him meeting them.)

I hope I have spurred your interest in the novel, which debuts February 19, and I would very much like to hear people's reflections on what they read.