Historical Fiction Bloggers Roundtable and a new review

It's May! Less than a month to go for the official launch of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. I'm getting excited - and nervous, of course. Promoting a book is tougher than ever these days; bookstores are cutting back on events because of lousy attendance; blogs are swamped with publicity requests; the economy is still sluggish, at best - in short, the odds are daunting. Still, it's my job to market my work, so let the fun begin. This blog will feature henceforth various examples of shameless promotion as I advertise my wares - but not to worry, I'll also try to make it as interesting as possible :)

To start us off on a high note, please join me on the Historical Fiction Bloggers Roundtable Event, starting on May 8. If you happened to miss the banner hanging over my masthead with my pensive writer's mug or the one of the side of the blog with the pretty pearl bauble (both graphics courtesy of the multi-talented Lizzy Johnson of Historically Obsessed) then check it out and stop by if you can. I'll try to keep you up to date on where I'll be during the event, too, via this blog. The event will feature interviews, guest posts, reviews and a special giveaway at the end from yours truly: this is a special pre-launch party organized by the terrific, hard-working ladies of the Roundtable, who go all out to support writers and deserve a very warm round of recognition for balancing kids, jobs, boyfriends and fashion emergencies in order to blog for the rest of us. Thank you, my fair maidens of the Roundtable! I'm in awe of all of you.

Next, I just got a new 4-stars review from Romantic Times. Here is an excerpt:

Gortner has reimagined the life of one of the most controversial women in history in a fresh, well-researched and powerful portrait of a queen and mother in the turbulent 1500s. With great sensitivity, he gives readers a woman struggling to keep her children and country safe. Readers will come away with new ideas, and that's just what historical fiction is supposed to do - open our eyes to new possibilities. - Kathe Robin.

Other reviews are in from Booklist and the Historical Novel Society but currently embargoed until publication. As soon as I can, I will post them.