PICTURES FROM MY ROMAN WEEKEND

(Trinità dei Monti - Friday afternoon - August 6th)

I’ve been away for a couple of days, in Rome. The big city is not a familiar environment to me, since I live among hills and mountains, woods and a beautiful river. But having such an enriching, exciting place at 1-hour- drive distance becomes a wonderful occasion for unforgettable trips. I can’t do this – meaning leave family duties and escape to freedom – too frequently but any time I manage to it is an invigorating , motivating experience.

So, let’s sum up what I did : Shakespeare’s Molto Rumore per Nulla ( Much Ado about Nothing) at Rome Globe Theatre  (on the right) on Thursday night; on Friday,  at the National Library in the morning,  leafing through useful and interesting books/articles,  and being a tourist,  shopping and sightseeing,  in the afternoon; on Saturday,  visit to a stunning museum and … back home in the afternoon.

(Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza - Friday afternoon- August 6th)

I’ve already written something about the show at Rome Globe Theatre (HERE). I wanted to add something about the Museo Nazionale Romano dedicated. It is one of the World’s most complete exhibitions of ancient art kept in the 19th century Palazzo Massimo alle Terme – formerly a Jesuit college – near Termini Station.

The great bronze statues of the “Pugile”(The Boxer) and of the “Principe ellenistico” (The Hellenistic Prince) particularly stand out.

(Principe Ellenistico)

On the ground floor that surrounds the courtyard the halls exhibit Greek originals found in Rome and examples of iconography and portraits that range from the Republican to the Imperial age, such as the famous statue of Augusto Pontefice ( Augustus Pontifex) .

The next floor offers the ancient Salone dei Capolavori del Museo delle Terme with the Discobolo Lancillotti, the splendid Fanciulla d’Anzio (Maiden from Anzio) and the sensual Ermafrodito dormiente (sleeping hermaphrodite).

(Discobolo Lancillotti)

(Fanciulla d'Anzio)

(Ermafrodito dormiente)

On the second floor , the complex frescoes, stuccos and mosaics are also particularly worthy. The marvellous paintings of Villa di Livia and the suggestively restructured painted rooms of the Farnesina constitute an effective testimony of the decoration of the rich Roman domus.

Visit the official site of Palazzo Massimo alle Terme

MURDER SHE WROTE ... AND NOT ONLY!

READ MY REVIEW OF LYNN SHEPHERD'S FIRST NOVEL MURDER AT MANSFIELD PARK AT MY JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB

MY BLOGGER BUDDIES - MEET JULIET D001 / LADY MARIAN D001

When I first noticed her I thought she wa  a romantic, passionate Juliet. Her Romeo was Richard Armitage, it seemed. I found her JULIETD001 videos  dedicated to Richard’s characters (especially Lucas and Guy) on Utube and liked them. Then I met her by chance on Twitter .Well,  I met LADYMARIAND001 , and that Lady Marian was a bit naughty but very amusing. At first I didn’t understand they were the same person! But after a while… I GOT IT!!!

Today I’m happy she’s my guest on Fly High! and glad to have the chance to ask her some questions.

First of all, shall I call you Juliet, Marian or… the Nightwatchman?

Hi Mary, I seem to answer to most things these days… but Juliet is probably the one I’d rather be known as…she’s a lot less complicated than poor Marian. In fact I’m really not sure how I got into the Twitter lark in the first place, or why I had the notion to use Marian as a character. Problematic at best.

Would you please tell us something more about yourself?

Well I am Juliet…and I live in the lovely UK not far from the beautiful city of Bath in Avon. I live with my OH and I have 3 cats that seem to see me as their surrogate mother, Cats! such funny animals. One aptly called Gisborne! And he certainly is a handful..

I am a senior Manager by day and sometimes night.. And let’s just say it can at times be both challenging and full of stress! But I love it and would happily work 24 hours if I could. I have a passion for Aviation and I’m currently studying for my PPL private pilots license. I enjoy music…history and visiting places of interest. I also have a passion for Art and have been lucky enough to have sold a couple of pieces.

Gisborne (not Juliet's cat, of course)

Both Marian and Juliet are passionate, unconventional heroines if we compare them to women in their relative historical contexts. Do you feel you are more like Juliet or Marian?

OOoh tough one, I’m fairly cynical about love and romance! However in Marian’s defense, I am fiercely independent and a bit of a rebel. Tell me something can’t be done and I’ll show you why it can. I’m something of a tomboy and a rebel at heart. So I guess I do have some of her traits…fiery and stubborn! But fiercely loyal…to my friends. I don’t suffer fools gladly…

Proud  and stubborn, OK.  But how could you resist him?

Now, this question comes naturally to my mind. Is your ideal man more a Romeo (a dreamer, conventional but passionate lover, a bit naive) or more a Gisborne type?

OMG! That’s a tough one; I tend to go for the bad boys so I guess…it would have to be Gisborne type. I’d rather be challenged by a man…in terms of intellect and respect. Not sure Gisborne falls into those categories?*smiles* but he’s awfully nice to look at!

Do you really think he is not your guy?

I'm afraid,  you don't know him very well Marian!  I bet he hides many interesting thoughts behing his frowning look. But let's go on...Of course Richard Armitage and his work is one interest we share. What is among his roles and characters the one you’ve liked the most so far and which is instead your least favorite?

I think my favorite would have to be Lucas purely from a character depth POV. Lucas has a lot of history; I’ve studied him pretty closely in my videos. He’s misunderstood, full of pain and questions everything. My least favorite gosh…about to run for cover here, most likely anything he’s done where he’s not had a primary role.*safe answer* I confess if we are talking from a personal gratification view then once again then Lucas and Gisborne …it doesn’t get much better than those two.

 Let’s talk about your videos. I love your Lucas / Elizabeta video “Tell me you love me?” I’ve watched it so many times! First of all because Lucas North in series 7 is one of the things I re-watch most willingly among Richard’s roles, then because I love his interaction with his ex-wife in the first episodes, finally because I’m fond of the Coldplay and, especially, of this song. Have you got one of your videos, which is special to you for any reason?

Well I try not to watch them if I’m honest once they go up, but I’m always interested in what the viewer draws from them. I’d say at the moment, and it does change, but Eternal Sleep Song is a favorite purely because it just came so easy. I like it when you find the right song and the clips just flow. It surprised me at just how much people did actually like it. I think a lot of it is about getting the song just right. So I like to spend a lot of time searching. Music speaks volumes about what you want to say on an unconscious level.

1. ETERNAL SLEEP SONG

 

VISIT JULIET D001 CHANNEL ON UTUBE

2. TELL ME YOU LOVE ME?



 

Does a project of yours usually start from the song or from the images?

Oh it has to be a song that inspires me to get on the laptop and start gathering clips together. Lyrics are equally important so you can set the theme and mood…helps me to decide the direction I want to take. Also depends on what mood I’m in too! LOL

 How long does it usually take you to create a video?

It’s a good question but a tough one to answer, if it’s a fast one…then I could do it in a couple of days if it’s a romantic one it usually takes more time. Experimenting with effects and overlays etc. Sometimes you just have to walk away if it’s not flowing and come back to it another day. You have to be in the right frame of mind or inspired and I like to say.

 My blog is dedicated to my interests which, Richard Armitage included, are reading, period drama, movies, blogging, art, theatre and long walks. Do we share anything more ?

Well I have a few passions..aside from the lovely Mr A. One being I studied a lot about the Arthurian Legend and it’s something along with history that’s always interested me. I enjoy period drama, The Tudors being another favorite of mine. I’m more of a history girl in the sense that I like. Greek mythology. I love films especially horror. I’m not conventional in the sense that I like chick flicks. I’m more of an action movie, sci fi kind of girl. Aliens being amongst my favorites. Where the hero is a woman! I like anything to do with ghosts and the paranormal. Always fancied being a ghost buster! lol

What is you most recurrent dream? Your most recurrent nightmare?

OMG thinks…um where I’m being chased by a tornado? Make of that what you will? Laughs.  I have no idea what it means. I do know I dream a lot less than I used to. But I do dream in color and I do see myself, as in I actually see myself in my dreams. Nightmare…probably the most recent one was of my mum, who sadly passed away about 12 years ago being in the room with me. That was scary.

I’ve discovered you can speak Italian. Can you explain how that comes and tell me something in my language about … love, for example. Hold your tongue, please! I BEG YOU. I have already my personal troubles at keeping Red-Self quiet on Fridays!

Sure, my father whose parents were Italian was born in a small town Misilmeri Nr Palermo. He came over to England with his parents when he was in his early teens. They lived in London originally and then moved to just outside Bath. Where he met my late mother…. and so the upshot being I was always brought up with a sort of dual heritage. And I love this! I love the history of Italy…*Yes I love the Godfather film too* I love the culture and the people. I inherited some of my father’s and I’m told some of my grandfather’s temper and stubbornness. But I see it as a gift not a curse. I still have family over there and we keep in touch. Something about love? Okay see below. This is a beautiful Italian sonnet, and was one of my father’s favorites. I believe he gave a copy to my mum. How romantic is that? It tells of a man struck from the moment he lays eyes on his true love. It is a beautiful sonnet .

Francesco Petrarca,  Love Sonnets

Benedetto sia 'l giorno, et 'l mese, et l'anno,
et la stagione, e 'l tempo, et l'ora, e 'l punto,
e 'l bel paese, e 'l loco ov'io fui giunto
da'duo begli occhi che legato m'anno;
et benedetto il primo dolce affanno

ch'i' ebbi ad esser con Amor congiunto,

et l'arco, et le saette ond'i' fui punto,

et le piaghe che 'nfin al cor mi vanno.
Benedette le voci tante ch'io
chiamando
il nome de mia donna ò sparte,

e i sospiri, et le lagrime, e 'l desio;
et benedette sian tutte le carte
ov'io fama l'acquisto,
e 'l pensier mio,
ch'è sol di lei, sí ch'altra non v'à parte.

English Translation
Oh blessed be the day, the month, the year,
the season and the time, the hour, the instant,
the gracious countryside, the place where I was
struck by those two lovely eyes that bound me;

And blessed be the first sweet agony

I felt when I found myself bound to Love,

the bow and all the arrows that have pierced me, t

he wounds that reach the bottom of my heart.

And blessed be all of the poetry I scattered,

calling out my lady's name,

and all the sighs, and tears, and the desire;

Blessed be all the paper upon which I earn her fame,

and every thought of mine, only of her, and shared with no one else.

 What do you like most of your virtual life? What are the cons, instead, of your online activities?
I enjoy it. But my housework tends to suffer! LOL

My last questions are for … Lady Marian. Have you forgiven Guy for what he did to you?

He burned my house to the ground. Stood by when I was in danger….although okay he did get me down from the tree…Hmmmm the list appears to be endless…he tried to kill Robin…should I go on? lol

Well, I actually meant ... did you forgive him for killing you but ... OK, if you're answering ... hence .. you're alive! But,  anyhow, do you realize it was your fault? That you misbehaved, tricked and cheated the poor man all the time? (Sorry for being so blunt! ) LOL

Me? Laughs.  And I thought I gave as good as I got!...he was bad…very very naughty

Gosh!  I can't totally agree with you... But ... OK. Last question . If you could go back in time, would you say YES to his passionate marriage proposal?

He tried to kill the king and then tried to lie about it, I could never marry a man who’d do that! Lol But between you and me Are you kidding? Hell ... Yes! LOL

Thank you Juliet /Lady Marian D001! It's been a great pleasure to have you here and knowing you a bit better. See you on Twitter or on Utube!

RA - FRIDAY YEPPEEE!!! ALONE , AT LAST!

Unbelievable but true! Black -self has gone away for a couple of days and couldn't prepare her RA-Friday. She even begged me to write down  something to post today. "Of course", I told her! Here I am. Ready... Steady ... GOOO!

First of all, my favourite pastime: gossip about Mrs Prof aka Black -Self aka that annoying woman who treats me like a pest. I've got my dignity! Well, it's hard to gossip about someone with such a boring life! But what I absolutely  wanted to say is ... Stop with the torture of closing me in that wardrobe. I hate it. Do you want to torture me? Waterboarding, please! Possibly on the same board as Lucas North or John Porter. Mind you, I mean tied to one of the two gorgeous men and sharing their sufference body to body ... AWWW! Let's stop here. What was I saying? Ah, yes! Gossip about Mrs Prof. and her boring life.  She's gone to Rome for a couple of days. To her friend's. They went to the Globe theatre on Thursday night for a  play, a comedy, titled ... mmm.... ah, yes! "Much Ado About Nothing" .  I wonder,  if nothing happens what should there be to be seen?  Usually she watches Robin Hood 2 on Thursday night and, while she was at the theatre,   they broadcast the final episodes , 11-12-13. Can one prefer the "Nothing" on stage to those gripping crucial episodes? She told me: "We've got the DVDs. We can watch those episodes as many times as we want!" Bla, bla , bla. Bollocks!  I can't understand her. Who was on stage? Richard? No, some other guys. See? What is there to be seen? Nothing. They say it even in the title!

Look at this GUY, instead ! This is MY guy! No other can compare...

If he looked at me like that ... awwww...  I would turn like this

and get him drowsy and tied  like this...

and ... I'd revenge Clarissa for what Lovelace did to her! What does Gisborne have to do with Lovelace? Nothing. But I'd take my revenge on HIM so gladly, so wholeheartedly, so selfishsly. In fact, I even hated that Clarissa! I can't bear her! But I'd take my revenge on Gisborne so willingly ... if you get what I mean.

I've got some other pictures here. How can one miss episode 11?  That's one of my best favourite in series 2. When Gisborne finds the Nightwatchman in the barn and discovers he is a SHE! And just that SHE! And Richard wonderfully expresses Guy's astonishment like this ...

and finally goes away furiously shouting: " YOU. DO NOT. SPEAK. TO ME!"

That's the right way to treat her! Well done, Sir Guy! You're perfectly right at being that furious.

Who does she believe she is to trick and cheat you like that?

After all barns  are very inspiring places, especially when it comes to Guy . For example in Angelfish's "Prisoners of Circumstance", Guy,  knowing who the Nightwatchman actually is , gives  Marian   her  comeuppance profiting from the situation. And what  profit!  What comeuppance! Ehm... Now I think I MUST start thinking about  a job. I  mean, once Black-self reads this post I'll have to look for a job to get a living.  She'll get furious and will want me out of here. No doubt. LOL

And guess what my dream job is? A clue? OK. I'll help you...

How much do these ladies get for that job? Enough money to live on? Well, I'd do it for ... definitely... utterly... totally... FREE!

(Thanks iz4blue. You are right! This is Hermione Norris helping Richard with the make - up while flying to Russia for Spooks 7)

I know, I know. This is something so many of you think about as their dream job but I had the chance to write it down in red ink today and... DID IT! So, If Black- Self sends me away from home I'll write to Strike Back production. Have you heard they'll produce a 10-part second series? Maybe, they'll need someone like me. I'm good at make-up but also at saying: "Go, go, go! " and "Sh**t" and "F**k".  Arent' I?

WHAT!!!!! Who put the asteriscs there instead of the letters? WHAT ?!? Black-Self ?!?  But she promised me no censorship!!!

AND YOU PROMISED ME NO BAD WORDS!!! DON'T YOU KNOW I CAN ENTER MY BLOG EVEN IF I AM NOT AT HOME!!! I WARN YOU!!! YOU RISK WHAT YOU'VE JUST WRITTEN: I'LL SEND YOU AWAY FROM MY HOME. I'M FED UP ... TO SAY THE LEAST! GET LOST!

HAVE A VERY GOOD WEEKEND YOU ALL !


P.S. FORGIVE RED-SELF'S RAMBLINGS. SHE CAN BE SO NAUGHTY, BLUNT AND RUDE.

AT THE THEATRE - MOLTO RUMORE PER NULLA (MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING)

At last I made it. I so wanted to see a Shakespearean play at the Globe and last night it became true. Well , I wasn't at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, actually. There you can see Miranda Raison (Jo in Spooks 4/5/6/7/8, on the left) as Anne Boleyn until 21 August. (HAVE A LOOK HERE)

I was at Shakespeare's Globe in Rome to see MOLTO RUMORE PER NULLA (Much Ado about nothing).

Shakespeare's Globe London (April 2008) - My picture

MOLTO RUMORE PER NULLA (MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING)

"Speak low if you speak of love”

There are two main plots: the Hero-Claudio plot, which belongs to the tragi-comedy type, and the Beatrice-Benedick plot, belonging to the comedy of wit. In this way we obtain different wiews of the same reality, views we might call respectively romantic and realistic.

The over-all theme of the play is “the power of report, of the thing overheard, to alter human destiny”. But most of all what is interesting in this text by Shakespeare is his analysis of the power of words in general. Words can destroy  a person's reputation and life but they can also manipulate their will, they can touch the most hidden corners of  a human soul and change it. For instance, the power of their friends' words , overheard "by chance", leads Benedick and Beatrice  to recognize their  feelings for one another, to believe they are in love with one another. The two have always denied their attraction and their sympathy to the other even to themselves.
Moreover, the power of words, even the words of a drunk man  like Borrachio, will lead to the unveiling of the truth.

The  performance  I saw is based on Loredana Scaramella's ( also the director and a brilliant Beatrice)  and Mauro Santopietro's (a handsome sparkling Benedick)  adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy and the surprise in the show were the songs , dances and music. Great, excellent, exciting choice. Shakespeare's play is set in an imaginary Messina , a city in Sicily. The company decided to sing and dance the "pizzica" ,  ancient popular tradition from the region of Salento (Southern Italy). The result was pure fun.

Excellent performances by the comic minor characters (excellent Balthazar , Carlo Ragone), who involved the audience in hilarious gags. Maybe purists won't like this kind of liberties. I personally think that Shakespeare wouldn't mind what they did of his text. He wrote for a popular mixed audience, his comic characters and their puns were trivial and even obscene. Music and dances popular at the time were not unusual in the staging of his plays.
It has been an unforgettable night with very romantic moments and spontaneous fits of laughter, with the audience clapping at the rythm of the pizzica and the actors joining the "groundlings" in a final dance.

THE ART OF SEDUCING - CASANOVA (BBC 2005)

"Marriage is the tomb of love" . This is one of Casanova's most widely-known quotes.

YES! My attraction to libertines and rakes couldn’t but lead into  Giacomo Casanova ’s arms. How could any woman resist his seductive charm? Usually Casanova’s name is confused with that of Don Juan but while the latter is a literary,  fictional rake, the first one is a real man, born in Venice in 1725 and died in Bohemia in 1798. He was so famous as a womanizer that his name remains synonymous with the art of seduction.

His memoirs are considered the swan song of the 18th century libertine. In Bohemia he died surrounded not by lovers but by books. “He did not go down shouting his disdain for morality, like Don Giovanni he went with a wry smile and a knowing joke as the curtain fell.” ( Ian Kelly, “Casanova: Actor, Spy, Lover, Priest”)

The  3-part BBC  version of Casanova I've been watching is extremely delightful. The cast is outstanding, especially David Tennant  as younger Casanova , Peter O'Toole as the older Casanova (who is narrating the story to a young woman years later). The sets and costumes are colorful and romantic and the script is generally witty and funny. David Tennant saying  : "You love your wife, I love your wife, we're on the same side!" is  just memorably brilliant. Most of the plot is focused on Casanova’s romantic relationship with his true love, Henriette (Laura Frazer) , who choses a convenient marriage to Grimani ( Rupert Penry-Jones )and condemns herself and his lover, Casanova, to a life of longing. She will always watch on Giacomo and will come each time he will be in need of help.  Henriette is a beautiful character, as are Rocco (Shaun Parkes ,  his loyal friend and servant) and Bellino (Nina Sosanya  , a castrato? a man! No, Casanova's almost - wife).

This mini – series is funny, irreverent, very fast moving and it keeps you watching. David Tennant portrays Casanova as a cheeky 21st century  rake and is immediately likable. At first sight.
Peter O'Toole, as the older Casanova explaining his life story to a girl of formerly high family who has fallen on hard times and is acting as his maidservant, performs his part with all the best elements of his enormous experience.

Giacomo Casanova died in 1798. A year earlier, Napoleon had brought an end to the long debauch of the Venetian republic and its even longer decline. The whole 18th century culture would soon die, too, fading away and leaving space to the Romantic ideals. Europe was about to become what playful, joyful Casanova could never manage to be: serious.

THE SUNNE IN SPLENDOUR by SHARON KAY PENMAN - A NOVEL OF RICHARD III

This is one of the most difficult reviews I’ve ever decided to write. Difficult is … to find the right words when something touches you so deeply. THE SUNNE IN SPLENDOUR  (1982) is honestly one of the most compelling and gripping novels I’ve ever read and a book to add to my “ the unforgettable”shelf . Actually it is still on my bedside table and it’ll stay there for long. Difficult is also to part from what and whom you love. And I have loved Ms Penman’s Dickon and his heartwarming story so much that it’ll be impossible to substitute him with other heroes for a while. Dickon was the family nick name for the last born son of the Duke of York. He would become the last Plantagenet king of England. He is perhaps the most controversial monarch ever to rule that island nation. Certainly the most vilified. He was Richard III.

THE PLOT (from the author’s site) The Sunne in Splendour reverberates with the sound of truth as it re-creates the life of this most complex and compelling man. Born into an England awash with intrigue and war, Richard was eight when his father was ambushed and slain, eighteen when he first blooded himself in combat. His times were torn by shifting alliances that made treachery and danger a part of life. Yet through it all, Richard remained firm in his abiding devotion to those he loved. It was his strength. And his undoing.

Caught in that vicious power struggle history has called The Wars of the Roses, Richard was raised in the shadow of his resplendent brother Edward. At nineteen and against all odds, Edward defeated the Lancastrian forces and claimed the throne for York. Headstrong, charming, and regally handsome, Edward was as famous for his sensual appetites as for his unfailing preference for the expedient over the correct. Despairing of his brother's follies, Richard nonetheless served him faithfully: through battle and exile, in war and in peace, despite the scandal of Edward's Court and the malice of his Queen. And he was rewarded with honors and lands, with titles and royal commissions, with, above all, affection and trust. Only one thing did Edward deny his favorite brother: the right to wed the woman he adored.

Anne Neville had fallen in love with Richard when they were both mere children. And he returned her love with an all-consuming passion that was to last a lifetime, enduring forced separation, a brutal marriage, and murderous loss. She was the daughter of his father's closest ally who was now his brother's worst enemy and she became an innocent pawn in a deadly game of power politics. That game was to inflict wounds of the soul that only Richard's patient tenderness could heal. The Sunne in Splendour is the story of Richard's fight to win her and to heal her.

Richard III - Shakespeare's Victim

For one who only knew Richard III as the cruel, ambitious villain, protagonist of Shakespeare’s tragedy, reading this book and entering the world of the numerous faithful Ricardians is a great lesson on history. I’ve read so many interesting articles and documents online , both during and after my reading of The Sunne in Splendour ,  that now I feel ashamed of my past ignorance.

Among the several enlightening texts I’ve found, a useful document is “What History has to say about Richard III” and you will also find a series of interesting essays HERE .

.

William Shakespeare’s play Richard III, written sometime between 1591 and 1593, can indisputably be called his masterpiece. In it, he has created a character of evil incarnate in the form of Richard III. Richard’s line, ‘I am determined to prove a villain’ foreshadows Shakespeare’s intent for the whole play.

If asked of an average person to describe King Richard III, most would probably come up with a picture straight out of Shakespeare. Paul Murray Kendall wrote, ‘While the Tudor chroniclers made up the minds of subsequent historians about Richard III, Shakespeare has made up the imagination of everybody else".

The list of ‘crimes’ attributed to Richard III by William Shakespeare is long. In the play, he satisfies his all-consuming ambition by:
1.Murdering King Henry VI and murdering Edward of Lancaster
2. Contriving the death of his brother Clarence
3.Killing William, Lord Hastings
4. And, most famously, the disposing of his two child nephews in the Tower of London
5.Not content with all this, Shakespeare also has Richard poisoning his wife in order to marry his niece.
6. Physically, we are presented with a Richard, ‘Deform’d, unfinish’d…’, a twisted hunchback with a shriveled arm, reflecting a profoundly evil character .
Penman’s detailed historical research permitted her not only to rescue King Richard III’s reputation from what the Tudors’ historians first,  then Shakespeare , did of it, but also to tranform the vilified king into a modern romantic hero. The deformed killer with no moral scruples becomes a man with a conscience and capable of deep love and loyalty, both reasons of his success and his undoing. A complex modern literary creature, not merely a chivalric hero.

In this thoroughful analysis I’ve found online Shakespeare’s work is compared to historical sources and the reasons for such a distorted portrayal are revealed: Richard III – Shakespeare’s Victim

Female characters

I loved the interaction between Richard and his charismatic brother, King Edward IV; Richard and Warwick, from whom he learnt both how to become a man after his father death and the painful lesson of a friend’s betrayal; Richard and his friend Francis Lovell, whose loyalty to him remained intact from childhood to death. But I find his interactions with the female figures the most touching and memorable. My romantic side always prevail, you know.

Anyhow, I think it is impossible to deny that the love story between Richard and Anne Neville is one of the best parts in the novel. Anne loved Richard since their childhood spent together a Middleham Castle, the house of the Earl of Warwick , her father, and Richard returned her love. They went on loving each other from a distance even when Warwick betrayed the House of York and was killed in a battle against Richard and his brother, King Edward. Their love survived the impossibility to get married, the marriage of her to a Lancastrian heir, the trauma she experienced in that marriage, all the intrigues and betrayals, the lies and hatred which surrounded them . Their marriage was unusual for the time, it was based on love, loyalty and faithfulness. Their love was so deep that Richard could not have endured and survived the tragic loss of his beloved for long.

I also liked Bess much, Richard’s niece, Edward’s eldest daughter . She is a very modern female character. She is brave, loyal, independent- minded, honest and even blunt when necessary. She faced her own mother’s ambition and hypocrisy, loved Dickon dearly and loyally against all odds. She will be Queen in the end. She will marry Henry Tudor, Dickon’s victorious rival, who will defeat him at Redmore Plain (Bosworth) , will have Richard’s corpse mutilated and vilified, and will took the crown as Henry VII. Bess and Henry Tudor’s marriage will not be for love but it will sign the end of the long and bloody War of the Roses. Bess will be the mother of Henry VIII.

I would go on talking about this novel and its characters for hours but I heartily recommend you to read it , if you haven’t done that already. And , before I end this review, I must thank one person for letting me know about the existence of this unique novel: Richard Armitage. I owe to Ms Sharon Kay Penman and to him the pleasure of hours of unforgettable emotions.

“The reader is left with the haunting sensation that perhaps the good a man does can live after him – especially in the hands of a dedicated historian” (THE SAN DIEGO UNION )

MY BLOGGER BUDDIES - MEET LUA FOWLES

Not long ago I found Lua’s comment on one of my posts, followed her avatar, got to  BOWL OF ORANGES and discovered a very sensitive and talented blogger. A friendly suggestion, after reading her answers to my questions, go to her blog to discover more about her and her writing. You'll be surprised.

 First of all Lua,  many thanks for being here with us today. As usual, before I start with my questions, I’ll let you introduce yourself to our readers...

Of course. I’m a twenty-something aspiring writer from Istanbul. I graduated from law school and practiced for a week before I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to practice law and write as a hobby. The desire to tell stories and become a published writer was too strong to resist and the fact-based world of law was not something I wanted to be a part of. So I quit my job to become a full-time writer. I wrote my first novel, ‘Closed Eyes, Change of Heart’ shortly after that and I’m currently revising it. In less than two months I’m moving to UK to get my MA degree in creative writing at the University of Kent.

 Wow! Kent is a wonderful region in  England. Fingers crossed for your degree, then! Back to our chat. I’ve always written and read much since I was a child. I dreamt of becoming a writer but left that dream back in the world of my childhood . It was not my life. But I find writing still so challenging, intriguing, relieving . To scribble has become a necessity. What is it so fascinating in writing to you?

I think that would have to be the sense of freedom it provides. I love writing, telling stories and creating worlds but there is something else which makes writing so vital for me. We live in a world where we’re bombarded with information all the time, and we constantly have to make choices about what’s right & wrong, good & evil, acceptable & inadmissible. We’re expected to choose, pick a side and stick to it.

A story is not the truth nor the lie but the point where those two lines intersect. It gives you the best of two worlds, and the freedom to be able to get out of your comfort zone, take risks and experience different perspectives.

Have you got any favourite topic /subject you love to write about? Your favourite genre? Do you usually write in English? 

I read widely, as widely as I possibly can because I believe that is necessary if you wish to become a writer. I write literary fiction. The main reason for that is because I find human nature fascinating. ‘Why people do what they do and why two people act differently when they face the same situation?’ These are some of the questions that inspire me to write.

I mostly write in English, this is partly because I want to get published in UK but also because I’m attending school there. But I still write short stories in my native language (Turkish) from time to time.

What about routines? I’ve heard many writers talk about their writing routines. It makes the whole thing so less charming or poetic. But I imagine you writing in front of your window looking at the sea, early in the morning, with a huge hot cup of coffee. Did I figure out the right scene?

Yes, you did!  I do have a routine because I can get distracted too easily, I have a very short attention span so keeping a routine is important for me to get some work done. That said, I do agree with you, it does kill the charm a bit and make the whole process a little less poetic.

I usually wake up around 6 am and have my breakfast, make a nice cup of Turkish coffee and sit down to write around 6.30. My goal is 2000 words everyday and it takes me three, sometimes four hours to complete my daily goal.

What is the best and the worst thing which has happened to you since you’ve decided to become a writer?

The best thing? I’ve never been happier in my life. That is probably because I haven’t started to query yet so if you ask me in about 4 to 5 months, the answer might change.
The worst thing? Many of my close ones, relatives and friends, didn’t like the idea of me quitting my job as a lawyer to become a writer. I had to listen to a lot of advice and preachment which I never asked for. They told me that writing is best done as a hobby. I disagree; I believe writing is best done as how you wish to do it. If you like to do it as a hobby, if that’s what makes you happy, then that is what you should be doing. But if you want to have a career as a writer, then you need to make some sacrifices and serious commitments.

I mentioned the sea because I imagine Turkey as a white and blue country. Something like the image I have of Greece. What is it like, instead, where you live? Would you like to live somewhere else? I live in the mountains and would love to live by the sea, for instance!

Istanbul is my muse. I was born here and grew up listening to the old tales of the Byzantine times and Ottoman Emperor. It’s the bridge, literally, that connects Europe to Asia and you can see the influence of both cultures here, it also proves that they can live together in piece and harmony. It is a true mosaic; many different cultures, ethnic roots and religious beliefs under one roof… It’s quite impossible to live here and not be inspired .

I’ve lived abroad before; 2 years in Switzerland and I am excited about living in the UK this year. I love to travel, discover new lands, hear new stories so I’m hoping this will be an exciting adventure!

You are a wonderful versatile blogger. Your personal blog , BOWL OF ORANGES , has got lots of readers every day. Your blogposts are thought - provoking and so well written! What do you think of the blogosphere? In what way can blogging help a writer like you in search of a publisher and readers?

First of all, thank you so much!  To tell you the truth, Bowl of Oranges is a place where I write to express my thoughts & feelings all thorough this journey of becoming a published writer so most of the time, I don’t think about what I should be writing but I write about my experiences and how I feel about them.

I truly believe the blogosphere is a great opportunity to become a part of a community that is difficult to find elsewhere.

When I started blogging eight moths ago, I pretty much had no idea how to blog, I didn’t follow any blogs at that time and wasn’t sure what I was doing. Then I stated to meet with other aspiring and published writers, fellow bloggers and realized that we have something unique here. Where else would you have the opportunity to get to know so many wonderful people who share the same interests as you do from so many different parts of the world? The feedback, the support and the motivation is what makes blogging so great.

That said, like everything else in life, it does have some down sides. It takes quiet bit of time and if you don’t watch it, it can become a distraction.

What kind of reader are you? Does writing leave any time to read?

I am, by all means, a slow reader!  First and foremost, I read for pleasure. When I pick up a book, I read it like a reader and then like a writer, I like to get lost inside the world and enjoy the story before I start analyzing it in means of art & craft.

I think ‘I can’t find the time to read because I write’ is not a valid excuse. Reading is not optional if you want to write, so I make sure to make time to read everyday. Not just because I have to but also because I LOVE books and reading.

What are your favourite authors and books?

Oh boy- I don’t think I can answer this one! I have so many but let’s see…

I’m a big fan of John Fowles, Milan Kundera, Orhan Pamuk, Borges, Poe and Doris Lessing…

When it comes to Jane Austen, I think the word ‘obsessed’ is more accurate, I don’t know the number of the times I’ve read the ‘Persuasion’.

Oh! Persuasion is my favourite Austen novel, too! I also love its adaptations, both. As you know, I love period drama very much, but also movies in general. What about you? Have you got any favourite ones?

Yes, I know that and since I started to follow your blog a couple of months ago, I think my knowledge of period movies relatively increased, I have to thank you for that!

I love all forms of story telling and of course movies are a big part of that. I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton ever since I saw the ‘Beetlejuice’ when I was 12. One of his movies, ‘Big Fish’ is one of the best movies ever made about the art of storytelling.

Beside reading and writing which are “profession”, are there any hobbies you spend your free time doing?

I have two dogs; Chuck and Apple, so in my free time, I like to take long walks with them. I also love photography but I’ll be the first one to tell you that I’m really not that good at it…

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I’m revising and editing my novel, hopefully in four or five moths I’ll start querying (fingers crossed). I’m also writing short stories meanwhile I’m revising my novel to keep the creative energy flowing…

Well, Lua this is all for now. You are a very talented and sensitive young woman and it's been such a pleasure to read your answers! I wish the best for your future. Keep up the good work on your blog. Good luck with your degree and your writing. I hope to have you back as my guest to present your first published novel! Very soon!

The best of Sundays to you all!

MG