To be published June 18th, 2013by Viking Juvenile.
Goodreads Blurb:
Anne Boleyn is the odd girl out. Newly arrived to the court of King Henry VIII, everything about her seems wrong, from her clothes to her manners to her witty but sharp tongue. So when the dashing poet Thomas Wyatt offers to coach her on how to shine at court--and to convince the whole court they're lovers--she accepts. Before long, Anne's popularity has soared, and even the charismatic and irresistible king takes notice. More than popularity, Anne wants a voice--but she also wants love. What began as a game becomes high stakes as Anne finds herself forced to make an impossible choice between her heart's desire and the chance to make history.
First I have a teaser from TARNISH to share:
"If I help you,” Wyatt says, “if the two of us gain your acceptance to this most unaccepting of courts—before long in this pretty, showy dance, you will want me in your bed.”
I laugh right in his face. “Would you like to place a wager on that outcome?”
A glimmer of shock crosses his face—quick, like a sun shadow.
“I never pass up a bet.”
“And if you lose—which you undoubtedly will—you will not press me further?”
“If I lose this bet”—Wyatt holds a hand to his heart—“I will write a poem about you that will be passed down through the ages as a masterpiece of all time. And I will always remain your humble servant.”
He bows to me with a flourish, and I am able to affix a mask of nonchalance before he rises. I can’t let him see that he’s already charmed me. I can’t let him see how much I need him.
“So what is your strategy?” I ask.
“I will pursue you. And you will encourage it.”
“And what will that gain me?”
“The attention of all the other men at court. At least the ones that count.”
“Like Henry Norris? No thank you.”
“Norris can get you places. He’s a favorite of the king.”
“So is my sister.”
Wyatt looks at me as one would an idiot child.
“But women don’t matter at this court, Anne. In our world, women have no influence, carry no interest.”
Have no voice. Have no lives of our own.
“It’s the men that matter,” he continues. “And most men are too stupid to see what’s right in front of their faces. The only time they want something is when they can’t have it, a jewel in someone else’s bonnet. They take notice of something when it flashes a signal—like the white tail of a deer. The signal for pursuit.”
“So you intend to be the flag on my ass?”
His grin broadens to double dimples.
“I intend to hold you up so that you catch the light.”
Katherine has shared a bit about her inspiration and her thoughts on the Anne and Wyatt scenes:
"I loved writing scenes between Anne and Thomas Wyatt. They were both wordsmiths, both highly intelligent, both played games of chance and skill with a certain amount of recklessness. Surely they recognized this in each other—and played it for all it was worth.
Their bet—and Wyatt’s plan to get Anne noticed—are entirely a fabrication on my part. I wanted to write about a girl who went from odd girl out to the toast of the court without having to change her looks or her personality to do so. Contemporary accounts gave mixed reviews of Anne Boleyn’s appearance. Some said she was a dark-eyed beauty. Others called her sallow, thin, uninteresting. It’s possible that these differences of opinion were political—by the time they were written, many people knew of the king’s interest, and even of his desire to divorce Katherine of Aragon and make Anne his queen. But it’s also possible that there was something else about her—something that couldn’t be seen at first glance. Charisma, charm, eloquence, vivacity. Things that might be invisible until something called attention to them. After all, we could all use a little poetic shine, right?"
Sounds fantastic! I'm so excited about this one and I hope you are too!Be sure to enter the giveaways for Tudor Tuesdays for a copy of TARNISH! One is US/Can and below that is one open Internationally.
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Make sure you check out all the past Tudor Tuesday posts to get more insight into the story before you start reading!
May 7th - Emilie @ Emilie's Book World
May 14th - Katie @ BlookGirl
May 21st - Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf
May 28th - Kathy @ A Glass of Wine
June 4th - Kelly @ Belle of the Literati
Sounds good! I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteMe neither! I've only heard good things so far :)
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