Just a quick note. I'm in the middle of writing a longer blog post - about sex (!!) which will be up tomorrow night, but I realised that although I've posted it on Facebook and a couple of other places, I hadn't mentioned on my blog that the work in progress about Mahelt Marshal and Hugh Bigod finally has a title. It's called ta da!
TO DEFY A KING.
Due out Spring 2010.
I had to write the catalogue blurb last week in around 100 words, and this is what emerged.
The privileged daughter of one of the most powerful men in England, Mahelt Marshal’s life changes dramatically when her father is suspected by King John. Her brothers become hostages and Mahelt is married to Hugh Bigod, heir to the earldom of Norfolk. Adapting to her new life is hard, but Mahelt comes to love Hugh deeply; however, defying her father in law brings disgrace and heartbreak. When King John sets out to subdue the Bigods, Mahelt faces her worst fears alone, knowing neither she, nor her marriage are likely to survive the outcome.
A story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel.
10 comments:
Great title! I can't wait to read it when it comes out.
I recently finished The Time of Singing and enjoyed it immensely.
Great title!
Sounds good. I'm a recent convert to your work, and very taken with what you do.
I like the title as well. Coming up with the perfect title can be very frustrating. I'm curious, out of all the books you've written, Elizabeth, what's your favorite title?
I love it. Can't wait either. This is the first October in a looong time that I haven't had a new EC novel to look forward to......
Thanks for the comments folks.
Stephen, I'm not sure of the answer to your question. My initial thought would be A Place Beyond Courage because it does so describe where the protagonists had to go in order to come through. I like The Greatest Knight too, because it does what it says on the tin. Same for the new title. I think a book title needs to encapsulate a major theme in the novel. These days titles seem to be fairly straight talking and literal. I was slightly shocked to read on Sarah Johnson's blog that a quarter of the autumn historical titles sent to her had 'daughter' somewhere in the title!
At what point in the process do you come up with the title? Is it something you have in mind from the very beginning, or something that develops along the way?
Just finished The Time of Singing, and really liked it. I esp enjoyed the bond between Marshall and Bigod. BTW there is a scene that I think is also in one of the Marshall books. When Ida is at Johns coronation, she spies a marchpane copy of the Tower of London and considers stealing a few pieces to take home to her children. Isabell Marshall comes to join her. I am remembering this scene, but with Isabell as the narrator. Am I remembering this correctly? If so, I think its very cool conjunction between two characters and two books!
Hi Cindy,
I owe you a reply at historicalfictiononline - will get around to it soonish!
Yes, that scene is present in both books but obviously seen from two different perspectives. Ditto William Marshal's wedding night. Ida and Roger are in the garden while William and Isabelle are in bed! There are a couple of crossover scenes between The Scarlet Lion and To Defy a King too - or added extras that you heard about offstage and never saw. Plus some new research that's come to light since - and which I'll have to explain in the author's note!
Hee, I think thats cool. (and yeah, I remember thinking the same in the wedding scene). As I said in the HO forum, its like Rosencrantz and Guilgenstern are Dead - the two minor characters become the foreground, watching Hamlet in the background, and giving the whole play a very interesting POV (and you don't have to respond to my post, you did here :)
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