I’m delighted to welcome Christine Elaine Black here again for an interview and a peek at her historical romance, A Rose for Lancaster.
Hi, Christine. Tell us a little about your current release:
A Rose for Lancaster is set at the end of the war of the roses. Henry VII has won the crown of England but is far from secure as plots to remove him from power take shape. This is the story of a man and woman on opposing sides of the cousin’s war who are commanded to marry.
Blurb:
Blanche Langley is swept into King Henry VII’s ambitious maneuvers to secure the throne. Tensions flare as a plot to overthrow the king is discovered. York forces gather to make one last effort to win the throne. Will Blanche betray her king, and her husband, Giles Beaufort?
What inspired this story?
I love historical novels. My favorite are Egyptian, Roman, medieval, Tudor and Regency. I’ve always enjoyed the Tudors and find the conflict between the York and the Lancaster sides intriguing.
What is the best thing about being an author?
The best thing is creating a world of characters and situations and actually sharing it with the world. Positive feedback is wonderful, because it means you touched a reader and they shared their joy of experiencing your world, and they loved it. That is a very rewarding moment.
What is your favorite scene from this story and why?
At the risk of a spoiler alert, I’ll just say that when my main characters meet a royal person (or two) are favorite moments. Choosing one favorite scene is difficult for me. I do love the scenes when the characters begin to understand they are in love, even if they wish to resist the idea for a little longer.
What is your favorite food to cook or eat?
I love to make and eat stir fry. They are so easy and very nutritious, with lots of veggies, chicken or steak and served on a bed of rice. Yum.
Do you listen to music while you write? What are you listening to now?
I don’t listen to music when I write. I enjoy the silence. I have a teenager in the house and my husband works from home. (I’ll take the silence when I can get it.) lol.
Who first introduced you to the love of reading?
My mom always recommends books for me and I’ve passed on a love of reading and writing to my daughter. She’s light years ahead of me already, working on plays, musicals and novels.
What don’t most people know about you but you would like to share?
Most people may know by now that I’m Scottish, I married a Canadian, live in Ontario and love musical theatre. The rest is top secret.:)
These are few of my favorite things:
1. Chocolate
2. Tea
3. Spring and Fall seasons
And Christine has a question for you all: Who is your favorite royal person, past or present? Why?
Excerpt:
I heard a commotion at the far end of the hall as my household men jostled a group of strangers dressed in traveling clothes stained with mud. My immediate thought was to rush out of the hall to my rooms but as head of the house at Langley Manor I must deal with the arrival of newcomers. The steward talked with hasty gestures designed to delay the men, but they pushed past him and strode to the front of the hall.
I rose off my chair, regretting my choice of attire. The men looked roughened by hard riding and I had no wish to attract attention. They paused in a semi circle and shuffled their feet.
“What’s the meaning of this intrusion?”
A young man broke through the line of ruffians, boldly staring at my person. The sight of his proud stance, even though his dress left much to be desired, irritated me.
“We seek the mistress of the house.”
I flinched. He wore the livery of Lancaster and carried a missive bearing an official seal sending a shudder through my bones.
“You carry a message for Lady Langley?”
The young man held the parchment tightly. “It must be delivered in person.”
I dreaded the content of the letter. King Henry may use his power to remove me from my home and pass ownership to another noble, driving me into destitution.
“Follow me, if you will.” We moved through the passageway leading to my father’s private room, used for dealing in estate matters. My steward discouraged the others from following and I faced my unwelcome guest with impatience.
“I am Lady Langley.”
My hand reached for the letter but he eyed me dubiously and refused to hand over the message.
“I seek the mistress of Langley. The elder woman betrothed to Baron Somerset.” The strength and timbre of the voice belied his years, and cloaked in confidence his bearing held effortless grace. Steel gray eyes met mine without a shred of humility.
“Give me the message.” His hesitation irritated me into sharp speech, a thing I did when vexed by servants. “Now, damn you!” I tore open the missive and read it twice before laughing in contempt.
“Somerset is reported dead. I can no more marry him than I can marry Richard of England.”
“You are Lady Langley?” The cheeky lout stared at me with a curious quirk on his lips.
“I am Blanche Langley, mistress of this house.”
“Indeed,” he mused.
“The king orders me to marry Somerset within the month. Does he not know the man died?” I shrugged in confusion.
“I am Giles Beaufort, heir to Somerset.”
Bio: Christine Elaine Black, born and raised in the west of Scotland, currently resides in Ontario, Canada. Her favorite stories to write are romantic fiction with a historical setting. Two novels are available for purchase in her Imperial Desire series and her current release, A Rose for Lancaster is out on Amazon Kindle.
You can find Christine at:
Christine Elaine Black-Website
Christine Elaine Black-Amazon Buy Books
Christine Elaine Black-Twitter
You can find A Rose for Lancaster at: http://amzn.com/B00DQ25WDE
babettejames.com 
Great to be here, Babette. I’ll come back later and reveal the name of my favorite royal person. 😉
After reading the blurb, I am thoroughly intrigued and looking forward to reading “A Rose for Lancaster. My favorite royal pre-dates the Lancasters and Yorks, she is the fabulous Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Eleanor is fascinating. I’ve read her story a number of times in different historical novels. She’s hard to beat. Married to two kings and mother of ten children. A great choice.
Can I just say the Plantagenets? 🙂 If I had to choose one it would be Henry II. I would have loved to have met him and been able to sit and pick his brain. William the Conqueror runs a close second for the same reasons.
I love the Plantagenet dynasty. Thank you Henry II of England. Thanks for dropping by and sharing. 🙂
I have many loves and likes of royal persons throughout history but the one that stands out has to be Cleopatra. I’ve read many Egyptian historical novels and enjoy the intrigue and drama of the time period.
Thanks for stopping by everyone and please continue to add your faves to the list. 😉