130 thoughts on “The Falcons of Montabard–Again”

1. Hi Sharon,
   Thank you so much for the recommendation of Falcons of Montabard. I purchased it in hardback from Amazon years ago. And I love it! All of Elizabeth’s Chadwick’s novels and yours are in my book collection.
   How is the Primo Don Richard the Lionheart? Is he still nagging you?
   I keep thinking I want to write about Ranulf FitzRoy’s Welsh mother and her how it came about that she was carried off by Henry I, but she is your character, so I would need your permission.
   Question for readers–I wonder if anyone else has become disillusioned with the quality of historical romance (so-called bodice rippers) these days. I keep purchasing these books with wonderful descriptions, but then they are off kilter and I can’t finish them. The hero is too wimpy, the heroine isn’t true to the time period etc. The sex scenes are clumsy. They keep doing stupid things! I cannot identify with badly written characters.
   I have figured out a couple of things that make this type of novel palatable to modern sensibilities, re: the first sexual encounter between hero and heroine (which is usually some form of coersion–to use a euphemism). These scenes only work if the hero doesn’t know who the heroine is, so its all a mistake! For which he gets to apologize! And of course then the heroine is innocent of wrongdoing and he has an excuse for his behavior. In your novels involving real and fictional characters in the MA you don’t have this type of man/woman violence–you came close in When Christ and His Saints Slept with Geoffrey and Matilda. Applying a modern viewpoint to marriage in the MA, doesn’t work because for most of written history, women and men were expected to marry for the good of their families, their government etc. and have sex to insure inheritance. I have been struck by the prevalence of heiresses in the MA, but it was because men were always getting killed in battle! No wonder there were so many orphans!
   To repeat, I love your novels and reread them from cover to cover almost every year!

2. I have read few of Elizaveth’s novels – it’s hard to get all the books you want here, and as my interests range far and wide, my backlog of books is great. Even worse, more books are coming out all the time 9not that I’m complaining about having more books to read). I’ve read The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, and A Place Beyond Courage. I greatly enjoyed all of them. I had only one problem, and that was with APBC. In the earlier books (TGK and TSL) William often mentioned relations between his mother and father greatly cooled after he was nearly hanged. This did not happen at all in APBC. I just like consistentcy, and I felt it was a railroading of the relationship in order to make the book end better.

3. Sharon, you aren’t helping my pocketbook at all by posting that medieval bookshop website, you know. Sigh.So many books, so little time and so little money (but seriously, thanks!) Falcons btw is one of the few I have not read by her, and was thinking of getting it soon. Think I’ll do that now (thank goodness for bookdepository.com – no international post fee!) Have a safe and enjoyable book tour (and hope you can make it out here, when its a wee bit cooler!)
   Kolby, I didn’t see a lack of consistency in the Marshall books.. In the first two, the books focus was on Wm Marshall, and his outlook was his own, looking at his parents from a child’s POV (and heaven knows most of us had very odd perceptions of what was happening, which changed when we became adults and got to know our own parents as actual human beings). APBC was about his father, and I thought Chadwick’s view of him and his motivations for his decisions made perfect sense, and probably would not have been known by his son. So it was just viewing the situation of the father and of the son.
   I do like her books, tho I fare better with the ones that are more historical than romance. The Marshall books, and her newest ones Time of Singing, I thought was a perfect balance for me, as was Marsh King’s Daughter and Shadows and Stongholds. But even in those, I find myself skimming pages of those scenes to get to what I want to read about. And she’s such a good writer that I can even forgive her for the scenes I avoid! 🙂
   Gayle, I am dismayed by some of the books out there, which seem to be very popular. They are often poorly written, out to tantilize and shock, and have little to do with history. That being said, you have to admit that we have been spoiled by writers like Sharon, and now expect the best from all books we read. I know I have to bite my tongue sometimes when someone esponds upon a book that I consider dreck, because these books do entertain, and if thats what you want in HF, then read to your hearts content. I aim my sights for more!

4. Sharon, thank you so much – you are very generous! Other than that, words almost fail me (not good for an author I know!). I am glad you enjoyed Falcons. I wrote my first novel when I was 15, inspired by a knight on a TV programme with a setting in the 12thC Holy Land. Something kept nagging me to go back there as a published writer and I just knew that if I didn’t get it out of my system it would bug me forever.
   Koby, I guess I should have written A Place Beyond Courage first, but that’s me (sighs at self) – always becoming interested in the beginnings once I’ve written the later material. Once I begin researching the ‘before’ in depth, I occasionally come across material that means the collar and cuffs don’t quite match. Do I go for accuracy, or fudge? For my own integrity I feel I have to go with what I now know, but sometimes that makes for a slightly clunky overlap – my apologies!
   Gayle, I used to really enjoy medieval romances, but I haven’t read many of late as they often have a very modern mindset. I think the last one I really, truly enjoyed was Silken Threads by Patricia Ryan. I’d recommend that one to anyone who enjoys a warm love story and characters who are believable and of their time.
   I think Sharon was spot on with Geoffrey and Matilda. I would guess a lot of medieval marriages weren’t made in heaven, although that’s not to say they were all hellish either. I guess it boils down to doing the research to provide workable scenarios and a feeling of integrity for the path the author chooses to take.
   Sharon, your editor Marian sounds wonderful. A supportive but perceptive eye is such a gift to have on board.
   I hope Richard and co are being cooperative and I wish you a very successful and enjoyable book tour!

5. Sharon, Thank-you Again…….”your Battle Discriptions,ARE !! the Best I will certainly read Elisabeths Book, now You have recomended” ? Thanks Again (Enjoy Your Trip, I just wish you were Coming to Portland!! Kind Regards James

6. Joining the “accuracy vs. good story” debate late, I know, but as one who threw a book from a certain “Tudor in character names only” series over the deck railing and begged my mowing husband to run over it, I go for accuracy.
   And just for more fun in your “free time” freerice.com has expanded their subject areas. I use this site with my elementary school students all the time-they love it.

7. I don’t know, Elizabeth. In truth, it didn’t bother me that much. I just felt uncomfortable with it. I acknowledge that Cindy may be right – William might not have seen the situation as it was. I think it’s just my inner fussbudget coming out. I like accuracy, and when a book is so very accurate, I feel all of it should be accurate. It truly didn’t bother me that much, and was my only problem with the story. I think that at the end, it did make for a better and more fitting story. And don’t feel bad about starting from the wrong time – I read many authors who did the same, starting at one time, and coming back later. One could even say Sharon did it, as Here Be Dragons is set right after Lionheart – although that isn’t exact, since it was part of the Welsh Trilogy, and not supposed to be connected.

8. I will be happy to tickle your funny bone any time you need it.
   Nan hawthorne
   http://nanhawthorne.blogspot.com
   Author of “An Involuntary King: A Tale of Anglo Saxon England”

9. Oh, a question I wanted to ask:
   After reading The Greatest Knight, I went over Here Be Dragons again, looking for descriptions of William Marshal. I noted only one that interested me: Richard (Fitzroy) observes that he’s rock loyal, of steady integrity, tied his fortune to the throne, and ‘of moderate ambition’. It does not seem to me that a man who rose from household knight to Earl would be of moderate ambition. But anyway, what more ambition can he have? As the Earl of Pembroke, he’s the greatest magnate in the realm, and as William Marshal, he’s got a powerful reputation. How could he rise higher? (Although he did later, becoming Regent)

10. I am still very much immersed in the world of Elizabeth Chadwick and am enjoying every moment. Another great book is The Winter Mantle- just make sure you have some tissues handy. I have just started Shields of Pride and even after just a few pages I am hooked.
    Sharon, thanks for the recommendation of Anya Seton’s Katherine. My moher has just read it and loved it. I will read it as soon as I have read all of my new Elizabeth Chadwick books.
    Koby, I have been finding your posts very interesting. I have read the William Marshall books but not A Place Beyond Courage. In regards to William Marshalls ambition I think the scenes in The Scarlet Lion where he is deciding whether or not to take on the regency are amazingly written, subtle and nuanced but powerful as well. I believed that William’s ambition was something that grew with his realisation that he was one of the best men of his time. In some ways greatness was thrust upon him as he was just so capable.

11. I just have to say that I absolutely love this site! Finally, I have found other people out there like me who love GOOD historical fiction. I really appreciate all of you ladies and gentlemen, and REALLY appreciate Sharon and Elizabeth!! Thanks.

12. Hi Sharon–Thanks again for another book reference! I have to agree with Cindyash about all the wonderful recommendations not helping the wallet any. Although for good literature, I am happy to go broke! 🙂 I agree with Erasmus. If I get a little money, I buy books. Then if any is left over I’ll buy food and clothes.
    I’m going to London at the end of September and one of the many reasons I’m excited is that I’m planning to stock up on Elizabeth’s books that I can’t get new in the US. I’ll probably end up having to pay a ton extra for weight on the way home! 😀 That reminds me, though. Are there any old London bookstores that any of you would recommend in particular for fun old books?
    I am a little less than half way through Time and Chance and am just so confounded at the apparent 180-degree change in Thomas Becket. I’m sure I’ll have an actual question–hopefully an intelligent one!–once I finish it, but I’m really intrigued by him. I need to read more about him, because it makes no sense to me for him to have done such a complete about-face. He’s another to add to my list. I am convinced that the Middle Ages bred people who were far more interesting than other time periods.
    Have a *wonderful* book tour, Sharon!

13. I am a devoted fan of historical fiction but I must thank you Sharon for your wonderful novels, in particular ‘Sunne in Splendour’ and the ‘Here Be Dragons’ Triolgy which are my all time favourites. I have them in paperback and they are completely falling apart, having been read so many times. I love losing myself and becoming a fly on the wall – it is the best type of escapism. I have just re-read ‘Sunne in Splendour’ again. In your depiction of Richard it would seem you believe he is a good person and wanted to do what was right. His life ended so sadly and then to be depicted throughout history as some kind of monster is so horrible. A shame that Edward IV took to gluttony, the way you describe him he seems such a powerful/physical man. What a waste! I believe his grandson is Henry VIII, may be some of Edward’s genes passed down the line?
    I also love Elizabeth Chadwick novels and have read as many as I can find. My favourite is ‘Lords of the White Castle’. Bernard Cornwell’s historical novels are a good read, I particularly liked ‘Crowning Mercy’ and ‘Fallen Angel’. And Phillipa Gregory’s books are enjoyable as well.
    What a fantastic invention the internet is that I can tell someone directly they are my favourite novelist…

14. Hi Sharon,
    Just thought I’d update you on my research into Llywelyn and Joanna’s children. In the link I will send to you shortly I have concentrated on Gwladus and Susanna, but have listed thumbnail sketches on the other seven known children!
    I have had to limit my research as I think, to go into the subject properly, would take up the rest of my life! I have been pouring over the posts on the ‘RootsWeb: General-Medieval Site’ and other sources and there are literally thousands of discussions, points of view and heated arguments, between eminent Genealogists, on the subject of Llywelyn’s 3? ‘marriages’ (Tangwystl, Joanna and Eva de Fitzwarren), and one previous betrothal (daughter of the King of Man); Joanna’s parents (her mother was possibly called Susanna, a mistress of King John and not Clemencia!);
    In my humble opinion, I think the weight of opinion is in favour of Gwladus being a legitimate daughter of Llywelyn and Joanna and in favour too of their having a daughter named Susanna, who was given up to King Henry 111 as a hostage in 1228 and passed on to the care of the Verdun family, subsequently marrying into the Scottish nobility. Her name sometimes being confused with a second ‘Ellen’, or ‘Helen’.
    The genealogists I reviewed are all quite eminent in their sphere and one would think that an HF author such as yourself would get short shrift! To prove how wrong you would be, I quote a few postings from some of them!…..
    “This is by no ways an academic response, however, if you have any inclination to reading fiction (NOT historical romance!), I recommend Sharon Kay Penman’s books, as fiction, as mystery and as history. Penmans historical accuracy appears to be adequate, if not more. …. They’re fun, interesting to read, and, again, as far as I can tell, pretty accurate. I wouldn’t use them in place of truly scholarly work, but for history, blended with well-written fiction, they are just fine”
    “I have just finished reading Penman’s Here be Dragons and enjoyed it very much! Now onto ‘Falls the Shadow’ and ‘The Reckoning’. I feel she is as historically accurate as a lot of the genealogical papers I read, which all claim to be correct”.
    “Speaking as a professional historian, I believe the above posts are absolutely correct about the use of HF. Unlike so many history texts, a work by Penman or Cecilia Holland can be of great help to the understanding of the context of our ancestors’ lives. So read, enjoy, learn and don;t apologise!”
    What about that then??????

15. Ken, I hope you will post your link here too — I’d be fascinated to read the results of your research!

16. Oh, and Kristin Elizabeth, I agree w/ you that one drawback of Time and Chance is that Beckett’s about-face seems to come out of nowhere and you never fully feel like you understand where it came from. I say this recognizing that the middle ages seems to be full of these seemingly baffling betrayals, and I’ve always found it a real strength of Sharon’s writing that she gets inside people’s heads so well that you can understand what motivates them, but I don’t think she quite gets there w/ Beckett. It did make more sense to me after a second reading, and I got more insight from reading Warren’s biography of Henry. I think initially Beckett feels pressure from the Church to prove that he is not just Henry’s lackey, and that’s what starts things off, but I think his ego gets wrapped up in it all, and the situation rapidly spins out of his control. And then once Henry starts to fight back on a personal level (trying to bankrupt him, exiling his household) then the sense of aggrievement and rancor on both sides grows to the point that you just know it has to end badly!
    BTW, I loved in DB the way that Henry has long cathartic conversations w/ Beckett’s ghost!

17. I quite enjoyed Elizabeth’s novel The Greatest Knight… I haven’t gotten around to her second volume of William Marshal’s life, but I will.

18. Just dropping in quickly to wish Sharon all the best on her book tour!
    Also to say that the more I have researched, the more I think William Marshal was very ambitious, but hand in glove with that ambition went his honour and his desire to do the right thing for the greater good.
    There is a telling letter belonging to the later reign of Henry II where William is in the Lake District with an heiress he has been given in wardship – he can marry her if he wants; Heloise of Kendal. Henry wrote to him, asking him to come and help him out on the Continent and said words to the effect of ‘You are always complaining that I give you nothing, but if you come, I will give you Denise de Berry in marriage.’ I’m very much paraphrasing here, but that was the gist of the letter. Denise de Berry was a much bigger heiress than Heloise of Kendal. Of course William eventually married Isabelle de Clare – also a vast heiress. He didn’t get Pembroke until John came to the throne – in reward for support? Was there a done deal? He had to do some very fast dancing to hold onto his French lands and at that point came very close to stepping over the line – although he didn’t. My HO is that William Marshal was very ambitious indeed, but still one of the good guys. That feeling about the ambitiousness has grown and deepened as I’ve continued to research and different facets have been exposed.

19. Hi Suzanne. I agree that a factor was probably Becket not wanting to appear to be Henry’s puppet archbishop. I don’t think the way Sharon wrote him is really a drawback per se. I was kind of like, “WTF? Where did that come from?” But from what little I know of Becket, his contemporaries were also saying, “WTF? Where did that come from?” as well, so he was an enigma from the get-go. But then there was certainly the issue of Henry getting riled and taking it personally, when I don’t really think that it was intended to be personal, and that, as they say, is that.
    It sounds like the Henry bio by Warren is worth a read! I will have to add that to my list, too. 🙂
    I just got my paperback edition of DB in the mail yesterday! I’m excited to read it, too. I’m only about halfway through Time right now, but I should get to it by the weekend.

20. Hi Sharon!
    Best of luck with your tour. I’m sure you’ll wow ’em; you’re a terrific speaker and graceful presence. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures when you return.
    And Falcons of Montabard is my favorite EC novel!

21. Hi Kristen,
    I agree that many of his contemporaries were also thinking WTF at times, but *I* as a reader (as opposed to one of his contemporaries) at least would like to know what was going on inside his head!
    I think Beckett went overboard at first, and chose the wrong issue to pick a fight on (that of criminous clerks, which really wasn’t terribly defensible), but Henry wasn’t guiltless either. They had essentially worked the issue through to a resolution of sorts and figured out some vague compromise language that Beckett could agree to at Clarendon (I think it was Clarendon — it’s been a while since I’ve read any of this and the various accords and provisions in different books all sort of blur together after a while!), but then Henry threw a wrench into the works by requiring the clerics to explicitly affirm exactly which rights they were assenting to. Henry’s passion for legal reform and getting everything regularized and written down was a real major advance for English law in general, and you can see how this request of his fit into his general philosophy of wanting to remove ambiguity and codify laws and practices. However, in this case, it was exactly the wrong thing. The church’s conception of its own role and relationship to the state had evolved since the time of Henry I, and while they would have been happy enough to affirm the old rights with just enough ambiguity to let things evolve along w/ current practice, they could not afford to let them be explicitly codified. Thus, Henry put the clerics in rather an untenable position without really understanding why. And unfortunately Beckett’s talents as a diplomat were not up to the task of dealing with it.
    Henry saw Beckett’s behavior as a personal betrayal. But Beckett was probably always a bit of a chameleon, embracing his current role, whatever it was. And like many ambitious men (apropos of Elizabeth’s comments on William Marshall above), he presumably had a healthy sense of his own self-worth and entitlement. Presumably he didn’t see his promotion to archbishop as a favor from a friend (and I’m sure he would have been offended at the suggestion that it was Henry’s way to keep the church under control — after all, he did essentially warn Henry beforehand that it was likely to change their relationship). Rather he would have seen it as just desserts for his years of capable performance and a vote of confidence in his ability to assume the role in its entirety. Not mention God’s will! Much as William Marshall would have seen ever-wealthier heiresses and titles as only his just due for his great honor, loyalty and abilities!
    Anyway, there are many people out here who are way more knowledgeable on this than I, but that’s just what I got out of reading Warren. Warren’s biography btw is informative but definitely not light reading — just a warning! (I actually found his biography of John to be much more readable.)

22. Just finished DB and absolutely loved Geoffrey.
    Never knew much of him before – he was always the brother who died young and the father of the incredibly tragic Arthur.
    But in DB he really came alive and I LOVE the way his mind works. Especially when talking to Henry.
    The conversation when Henry tells him (and I am paraphrasing wildly here) that it was a good thing he didn’t give Geoffrey the land he asked for because if he had Geoffrey would have had the means to continue his rebellion. Geoffrey replies if you had given me the land, I wouldn’t have rebelled.
    You can just see the words “you idiot” hanging in the air after that comment and the long suffering exasperation on his face!
    Best of luck with the tour.

23. Hi Sharon!
    This question is totally unrelated to any of the discussion that has been happening, but I was just rereading the books, so I was reminded that it was something I had wanted to ask (I also apologize if these books have already been brought up and I am way behind the curve). Have you ever read The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper? I ask because the last two books take place in Wales, and the first time I reread the series after reading your Wales trilogy I just couldn’t help the one reminding me of the other. There is one moments especially in I think Here be Dragons when I think Ednyved mentions the mountain Cader Idris, which is particularly a connection between the two, because that mountain figures heavily in the last two books, and it was that which made me wonder if you were familiar with Susan Cooper’s books (if you are not and at all enjoy fantasy, I highly recommend them – they are written for young adults, but are enormously enjoyable at any age). At any rate, Cooper certainly shares your appreciation of and love for Wales. Her writing and descriptions of the country have the same sense of awe and excitement.
    Has anyone else on this thread read them?

24. Although i mentione dthis on Facebook, I suppose I might as well phrase it as a question here, since it seems to have gone unnoticed:
    Sharon is there any chance that soemtime in the future you’ll be coming to Israel? A tour for Lionheart, or just a trip to see the sights you’re writing about? I can only hope…

25. Hello all,
    Just wanted to share that I got to meet Sharon on the first stop of her book tour and she was just as charming and gracious as she could be. If any of you have the chance to go to one of her events, don’t miss it! You won’t be disappointed.
    Joyce, I agree with you about Geoffrey, he ended up being one of my favorite characters and I ached for Constance after his death, and then knowing the fate their children would meet…so sad. I wonder how different history would be if Geoffrey had lived and succeeded Richard on the throne rather than John. But then we never would have had our beloved Joanna and Llewelyn!

26. Hi all.
    I too got to see Sharon last night. It was a good group at the book store. As always, Sharon, you were wonderful. Thank you so much (and thank Ballantine) for reviving the tour.
    And, Jenny, I can’t even imagine life without Joanna and Llewelyn!

27. Sharon,
    After reading your book I had to go read the original Devil’s Brood by Alfred Leo Duggan published in 1957. What a family and what a history! That is why I love historical fiction, it leads you to such interesting places that history books never go. I have read more history (NF) because of an interest sparked by a historical novel, than I ever would have otherwise.
    Keep up the good work.
    Val

28. I’ll have to join with Jenny and Sue. Can’t imagine life without having read Here Be Dragons, and loving their relationship.

29. Val, I did something similar; after reading the first three books, I found Thomas Costain’s Plantagenet series, three volumes of some of the most interesting writing on the subject. Reading it made me realize how well Sharon’s research was! (haven’t read Duggan, but I like his HF so I’ll try it)

30. Koby, I can still vividly remember where I was when I read the scene when Joanna burned his bed. That and when Llewelyn goes to her on the island are possibly my favorite passages of all time.

31. Sharon,
    I hope you’re enjoying the Welsh Cakes. Again, just my way of saying thank you for hours of reading enjoyment.
    Iechyd da,
    Dave

32. Hi Sharon
    Just to let you know that I have sent you a draft of my findings on Gwladus and Susanna ferch Llywelyn Fawr. I think you’ll find it of interest!
    Hope you are safely back from your book tour.
    Ken

33. Hello Sharon,…..My choice,for Best Knight would Be (Harry hotspur)..Doing his Fathers Work??(Just like Bran)Fighting the Scots and Welsh?? then Having his Head delivered too his Widow?? nice touch there? his Limbs on the Tyne Bridge. second would be the (Black prince)All Good History,..So its not just the welsh march;es, wich are Drenched in Blood, Both Knights Died in Battle?…….How Brave, Just like Johnnie Neville?? Futile wonderful History. My wife is from (brecon) So she Favours the Welsh-marches, And the red Rose! but Me,…I;m a white rose?…We have both Rose;s As Climbers !! in our Garden(I keep snipping The red-one;s) “shes Never Been on your Site”….Yet?…..Thanks Sharon, James.

34. Hi Sharon,
    I very much enjoyed your reading and talk last night in Ann Arbor. It was great to meet you in person, well worth the drive up. It was fun being around so many other people interested the Medieval world. I was interested to learn that you were an attorney as your previous carreer. After your discussions I can’t wait until Lionheart is published. I’m planning a trip to the UK in October and am planning to re-read The Sunne in Splendor on my trip – I like a little atmosphere with my travels. Again, thank you for keeping this blog available. It’s fun to read all of the different comments.

35. Hilary, I have read The Dark Is Rising Sequence and I agree–they are fabulous books at any age! I read them for the first time when I was about 8, and have reread them a couple times since. Each time I get something new out of it, while still getting sucked into the world that Cooper creates. They are definitely books I will be reading to my children.

36. James: I loved “I keep snipping the red ones”!

37. Hi Sharon…I just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to meet you in West Chester at the book signing. My friend Karen and I were the two teachers. I really enjoyed the evening. I have really a stickler about accuracy in the HF books I read so thank you for the heads up of new authors to read. I have started to read Elizabeth Chadwick’s books. I read The Greatest Knight and I have The Scarlet Lion to read. I need to order more of her books.
    I totally agree with Joyce about Geoffrey in DB. I really enjoyed reading about him and he really came alive for me. It would have been interesting if he hadn’t died so young…..BUT I definitely agree with Jenny, Koby, and Sue W., if Geoffrey hadn’t died and had become king after Richard instead of John, there might not have been no Joanna and Llewelyn and that would have been horrible. They are my absolute favorites. Here Be Dragons was my first Sharon Kay Penman book and it is still my favorite.
    I also am right there with Susan — I can’t wait for Lionheart either. Richard has never been my favorite king so maybe Lionheart will help to change my mind. I see him much differently after DB and Time and Chance. Maybe viewing him first as a child helped a little. Plus I just love reading Sharon’s books.
    Sharon – Thanks again for the tour.

38. Hi, I’m back home. Real life always seems to ambush me as soon as I come back from a trip like this, but I am sorting things out and hope to post a new blog entry this week. I really enjoyed the tour, especially getting to meet readers, some of whom I knew from my blog or Facebook. Special shout-outs to Susan, creator of my Devil’s Brood castles slideshow, to Ellie, Jenny, Gloria, John, my book club buddies from Fort Wayne, Florence, and our Dave, who brought me some sinfully delicious Welsh cakes!
    More soon. Sharon
    PS Ken, I got your e-mail safely, the one about your research; we’re all very appreciative of the research you’re doing.

39. Good to see you’re back!
    Looking forward to seeing your comments on my findings on Gwladus and Susanna ferch Llywelyn.

40. Sharon,
    Welcome back! It was such a pleasure to meet you in West Chester and thank you for taking the time to answer our questions even after the bookstore was going to shut us down! I met so many amazing people (thank you Dave for helping me understand the Welsh language better). After finally finishing Here Be Dragons (I literally skipped out of work early some days to run home and read it), I went back through your old blogs because I was very confused. The Richard you describe in Devil’s Brood is the not the same Richard described in Here Be Dragons. Thankfully, I read your blog and now I understand the disconnect. I’m halfway through Falls the Shadow but I wanted to know what happened to Henry’s half-brother Richard that played a prominant part in Here Be Dragons?
    Do we know how Joanna died? I don’t think I stopped crying the last half of Here Be Dragons because it was as if I could feel your character’s pain.
    My mother and grandmother were thrilled with their autographed editions. Thank you again for a wonderful experience!

41. Hi, Brenna,
    I am about to go get my poodle from the groomer’s; she was starting to look like a mutant dwarf sheep. Then I have to see my chiropractor; if not for that dear man, I’d be making regular pilgrimages to Lourdes. I am meeting friends for dinner tonight, so I probably won’t be able to get back here till tomorrow. I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed meeting you, too, and Dave and Jenny and the others at my book signings. And yes, my views of Coeur de Lion have changed quite a lot since I wrote Dragons more than 20 years ago. That subject alone could fill half a dozen blog entries!
    And no, we know Joanna’s death date, but not the cause of death. It is very rare when chroniclers are kind enough to mention details like that; most of the time, they are utterly indifferent to the needs of 21st century historical novelists. I felt like I’d found the Holy Grail every time I’d come across a nugget of pure gold in a chronicle, as when it was mentioned that Joanna’s Llewelyn had suffered a stroke. Sometimes we can assume the cause of death; for example if the person was known to be ill for some time, cancer is a good bet, as with Llewelyn and Joanna’s son Davydd. And some characters, bless them, made life easier for me by dying on the battlefield or drowning in the White Ship or in childbirth.
    Sharon

42. First of all, Sharon, welcome back!
    Second of all, Brenna, what was exactly the disconnect between Richard in Here Be Dragons and Richard in Devil’s Brood, and where can I find Sharon’s full explanation for this?
    Lastly, Sharon, did you hear of Davydd, Davydd’s son (Joanna’s Grandson)? I assume you didn’t know of him when you wrote Falls the Shadow, because there you wrote that Davydd thought himself barren.

43. Koby,
    The Richard in Devils brood is obviously not portrayed as homosexual, as is hinted at in Here Be Dragons. Henry also isn’t tied with Alys as he is in Dragons either. The whole demeanor of Richard is different, and maybe that is because you really get to know him in Brood rather than just the mention he gets in Dragons.
    Sharon addressed this in her March 2009 blog-here is a the paragraph that mentions this-
    “If I am doing a Mea Culpa for Dragons, though, I have more to explain than an occasional use of “crusade” or even “Plantagenet”. Someone reading Dragons after reading Devil’s Brood might well wonder if the same author wrote both books. In Dragons, John certainly does not share my doubts about Richard’s sexuality and he is obviously convinced that his father had taken the unfortunate Alys as his mistress. Richard and Henry were minor characters in Dragons, appearing only very briefly, and so I did not do the sort of extensive research about either man that I did for John; see my above comment about being obsessive-compulsive. Moreover, Dragons was researched and written more than twenty-five years ago, and history is not static; it is a river, not a pond, and previously unknown facts and nuggets of information are constantly being revealed by that surging current.”
    Sharon-good luck with getting back in the swing of things-traveling is so wonderful until you come home and have to deal with the reality of everyday life again!

44. Hi Koby
    That’s interesting! I haven’t heard of this second Davydd.
    The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography on Davydd ap Llywelyn and the ‘Rootsweb’ genealogy of the de Braose family both have Davydd (son of Llywelyn and Joanna) marrying Isabel de Braose in 1230 but states that Davydd died at Aber in 1246 ‘without heir!’
    What do you know of this ‘grandson’ of Joanna??

45. Hello Sharon,
    I just thought you would like to know that I received my book today. Again, Diolch yn fawr!
    Iechyd da,
    Dave.
    P.S. Were the Welsh cakes really that good?

46. Well Ken, for one thing, he was a bastard. Under Welsh law this shouldn’t have stopped him, but because of the agreement made between Llewelyn and John where only the legitimate sons of Dafydd ap Llywelyn could accede to the throne, he didn’t have any legal English claim. Moreover, he was a child when Dafydd died, so he couldn’t challege his cousins. His mother is unknown. He is the ancestor of the Prys or Price of Esgairweddan family, who bore the royal arms of Gwynedd as their own. The refrence came from here: Dwnn, Lewys; Heraldic Visitations of North Wales and Part of the Marches, Volume II, page 240 (plate CLXXII).
    Wikipedia actually has an article on him based on this refrence, with a bit more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dafydd_ap_Dafydd_ap_Llywelyn

47. Thanks for that Koby.
    I looked up your references and checked out rootsweb, etc, but the only mention I can find of a son of Dafydd ap Llywelyn, is in your Wikapedia article.
    I cannot get hold of the ‘Heraldic Visitations’ book by Dwnn Lewys. Do you know how to get access? (note that the original source of this document was dated 1588, some 377 years after the event).
    My references on the 1211 charter between Llywelyn and King John come from J. Beverley Smith: “There were finally two crucially important provisions concerning Llywelyn’s son Gruffudd. He was given to the king’s custody and placed entirely at his will. Llywelyn agreed that if he were to have no heir by Joan his wife he would cede all his lands to the king, both those which he released by the terms of his charter and those which he retained, except for whatever the king might decide to give to Gruffudd. The son, a bastard by a Welsh woman named Tangwystl, would have nothing as of right ….” (Note: Some argue that as this charter was made in 1211, it is clear that Joanna’s son Dafydd had not yet been born. Others counter this with the idea that Dafydd may have been born (1208?), but the charter took into account that Dafydd, or any other male child by Joanna, may not have survived to inherit!).
    It appears that John and Llywelyn agreed that the marriage pact with Joanna was subject to Llywelyn agreeing to disinherit his ‘illegitimate’ son Gruffudd and for him to ensure that only his first born ‘legitimate’ male heir (by Joanna) would succeed him. To ensure that this first-born legitimate son would be truly legitimate, John and Llywelyn arranged for the pope to legitimatise Joanna!
    There is no mention of the charter including ‘any legitimate sons of Dafydd ap Llywelyn.’ There is only reference to the restricting the inheritence to Gwynedd to the ..’legitimate son of Joanna and Llywelyn.’

48. Dave, to show you how good the Welsh cakes were—I’d left one temporarily on a plate on my kitchen counter, only to come back into the room and find it had mysteriously disappeared. But I’ve had a furry roommate for the past eight years who is something of an opportunist when it comes to helping himself to food. And since Cody is as tall as a Great Dane, he can counter-surf with the best of them. Sure enough, he was sprawled out on his bed with a very pleased look on his face, and while I didn’t find any cake crumbs in his whiskers, I’m betting any jury would have found him guilty. So both Cody and I can attest to your culinary skills.
    I was hoping to have a new blog entry up by now, but I had a lot of back pain on the tour and wasn’t able to see my chiropractor till yesterday, and until he could work his magic, I had to severely limit my time at the computer. And my computer time had to be spent responding to questions on Goodreads.com and Librarythings.com, where I am having simultaneous on-line chats. But today is the best day I’ve had since I got home, so I hope to be back soon.
    Sharon

49. Sharon,
    I’ll take that as a compliment then. By the way, i’m the same Dave, but my email address has changed. Maybe by your next book tour I’ll have perfected something else I saw. I was googling Welsh cakes when I came across a recipe for “Teisen Mel”(Welsh Honey Cake). I don’t know when I’ll try to make it, but I’ll keep you informed. See, I’m spoiling you. Now you’re going to start to expect baked goods from all of your readers. hahahahaha.
    Iechyd da,
    Dave

50. Well, wikipedia actually have alink for finding books. Here it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1844940160
    If it doesn’t work, go to the article, and click on the ISBN (last characters in the article).

51. Thanks Koby. Looked the book up.
    I also followed up some references from J. Beverley Smith’s ‘Magna Carta and the Welsh Princes’ to Powicke’s ‘The Thirteenth Century’, which likened the charter of 1211 which I mentioned in my post above, between Llywelyn and King John, to another charter between King Henry and Davydd in 1241. An extract follows:
    ‘Davydd ap Llywelyn came to Gloucester after Llywelyn’s death in 1240 to be knighted by Henry 111 and to do homage for North Wales. King Henry took advantage of Davydd’s succession, arranged by his father with royal and papal approval, in disregard of Welsh custom, to insist on a settlement. By a treaty made at St. Asaph in August 1241, Davydd undertook to release Gruffudd his brother and to submit to the king’s court on the lands to be allotted to Gruffudd, who was to hold these lands in chief of the crown. He promised to indemnify the king for all expenses and damages and remitted to him the homage of all noble Welshmen. At London in 1241, Henry went further, where in a separate agreement he was accepted as heir in North Wales should Davydd die without lawful issue (‘Principle of Escheat as had been enforced on Llywelyn). Gruffudd’s rights although freely given in the treaty, were not put into effect. In 1244, after Gruffudd’s death at the Tower of London, Davydd repudiated the treaty and revolted.
    Henry had to start over again and marched into Wales in late 1245. Davydd died in February 1246 but, ‘Left No Son.’’
    Then, as you say, Llywelyn and Owain, Davydd’s cousins started their battle for the succession. Yours is the only reference I have seen to Davydd ap Llywelyn having a son, legitimate or illegitimate.

52. We should all wish Sharon a Happy Birthday. This, of course, is assuming that Wikipedia provides accurate information.

53. Happy Birthday, Sharon! Many more to come, hopefully with lots of adoring fans and excellent books!

54. Penblwydd Hapus, Sharon!
    Iechyd da,
    Dave

55. Happy Birthday, Ms. Penman!
    Seems that I am a day late with birthday anniversary greetings (and that I also missed your signing at the Borders Bookstore in Bailey’s Crossroads, VA on July 29), but my family and ancestors have a history of being late (sometimes to our advantage, such as was the case of Clan Neal’s late arrival at Culloden Moor according to the mythology on my mother’s side of the family).
    My father, Wayne, and I especially enjoyed the advisor that you created for Llewelyn in Here Be Dragons and named Bleddyn. We both enjoy the art of policy advising, possibly, a family trait!
    We wonder what led you to choose Bleddyn as the name for the advisor. I’ve been told by native Welshmen that it would be rare for someone not of the lineage of Bleddyn (Wolf Pup or Little Wolf) to be given such a name. The mythology on my father’s side of the family is that we are descended from Prince Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, Prince of Powys and Gwynedd. I vaguely recall some talk of Llewelyn’s lineage coming to power as a result of the assassination or battle death of Prince Bleddyn; so, we are curious about the choice of Bleddyn as the name of the advisor to Llewelyn.
    We enjoy your historical novels (more accurately researched than our family history, no doubt). Keep on writing. Live long and prosper!
    Blessings,
    Neal ap Wayne ap Bleddyn (a.k.a. Neal Wayne Bliven among the English)

56. I wanted to toss in my two cents on Elizabeth Chadwick’s novels. I’ve read and enjoyed nearly all of them, especially those dealing with the Marshals, but The Falcons of Montabard is my favorite. It got into my head and set up residence, stuck with me long after the last page.
    On a side note, I’m enjoying the increased conversations in the comments. So many knowledgeable people in one place! Thank you, Sharon, for taking the time involved in this new approach.

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58. Sharons birthday,?….”how old is She “(OPPS)??Many Happy returns of the Day Sharon,Keep writing though??…….Kind regards James

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