Category: Book Launch Blog Blitzkrieg
On Tour — A Day of Fire
With one week and one day left before the launch of our collaborative novel-in-six-parts, “A Day of Fire” begins its blog tour. First up, A Maiden’s Court. Check out Heather’s review, and enter to win a copy of the book.
Cover Reveal: A Day of Fire
I am getting all FIRED UP! The “A Day of Fire” cover is here, and my co-authors and I hope you’ll agree that it is hot, hot, HOT!
A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii
Pompeii was a lively resort flourishing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius at the height of the Roman Empire. When Vesuvius erupted in an explosion of flame and ash, the entire town would be destroyed. Some of its citizens died in the chaos, some escaped the mountain’s wrath . . . and these are their stories:
A boy loses his innocence in Pompeii’s flourishing streets.
An heiress dreads her wedding day, not knowing it will be swallowed by fire.
An ex-legionary stakes his entire future on a gladiator bout destined never to be finished.
A crippled senator welcomes death, until a tomboy on horseback comes to his rescue.
A young mother faces an impossible choice for her unborn child as the ash falls.
A priestess and a whore seek redemption and resurrection as the town is buried.
Six authors–Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, Eliza Knight, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter,and I–bring to life overlapping stories of patricians and slaves, warriors and politicians, villains and heroes who cross each others’ path during Pompeii’s fiery end. But who will escape, and who will be buried for eternity?
For those who don’t already know I wrote “The Heiress” for this fantastic “novel in six parts.” In my story, spirited Aemilia is horrified by her betrothal to her father’s friend, Sabinus, a staid man with an obsessive interest in mechanical engineering and geology. Indulging in a clandestine flirtation with a handsome young artist restoring frescoes at her family’s villa, Aemilia pays scant attention to her future husband, or his scientific prognostications of doom for the city of Pompeii. When Vesuvius begins to erupt, however, Aemilia sees Sabinus in a new light—but is it too late?
“A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii” releases on November 4, 2014. Can’t wait to have the book in your hot-little-hands? DON’T—make a date with destiny, and make sure you receive your copy immediately by pre-ordering “A Day of Fire.”
Or enter below to WIN a copy of “A Day of Fire”
Three Ways to Win WITHOUT Wearing a Hairshirt
As my anniversary blog-tour continues I’ve dropped in at A Chick Who Reads to talk about a scratchy but fascinating subject—the hair-shirt and its place in medieval regimes of self-mortification. But even if you are neither a devotee of hair-shirts as Louis IX of France was nor intrigued by them as I have been since childhood there’s good reason to check out my post. Chick is hosting a giveaway, one of THREE currently on-going. 
Yep at the present moment there are THREE copies of The Sister Queens up for grabs in the blog-o-sphere. Besides Chick’s giveaway (which ends on October 19th), In the Hammock Blog is running a giveaway ending October 21st and Teddy Rose at So Many Precious Books So Little Time is hosting one that ends on October 25th. So spread the word to friends who’ve been waiting to read The Sister Queens until the time is right. That moment is now and with three chances to win their copy may be free. No hair-shirt necessary to win.
Lucky 7—Seven Months Since Launch That Is
Can you believe it? I sure can’t. This week marks SEVEN months since The Sister Queens was published. To celebrate I am treating myself to a little exotic travel—virtual travel that is. Yes, with the help of the incomparable Amy Bruno of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours I am on the road again beginning next Monday. There will be chances to win a copy of The Sister Queens, an interview, and a pair of guest posts including “Hair-shirts 101.” So please join me on my travels and we will celebrate seven months of book release madness together.
The Sister Queens Virtual Book Tour Schedule
Monday, October 8 –Review at My Reading Room; Author Guest Post & Giveaway at In the Hammock Blog
Tuesday, October 9 –Review at A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, October 11–Author Guest Post & Giveaway at A Chick Who Reads; Feature & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Friday, October 12 –Review at A Book Geek
Monday, October 15 — Review at Enchanted by Josephine
Tuesday, October 16 — Author Interview & Giveaway at Enchanted by Josephine
Forget Fifty Shades of a Certain Dark Color—How About Fifteen Reasons to Read The Sister Queens
On the fence about The Sister Queens? Looking for a little persuasion—a reason to add it to your “To Be Read” pile? Well, I am about to give you fifteen.
You see I keep a list of comments from reviewers—comments that rocked my world. And I noticed the other day that, with the 4 month anniversary of its release just around the corner, my novel has received in excess of three dozen really super reviews from bloggers and book-related publications. That’s not counting the more than one-hundred readers who have taken the time to write reviews for it at either Goodreads or Amazon.
So, at the risk of tooting my own horn most unbecomingly, I’ve decided to share a compendium of my favorite quotes grouped to support fifteen excellent reasons for any reader to take notice of The Sister Queens:
#1: The Sister Queens is amazing—don’t take my word for it (I am a little partial), it has received a staggering amount of good reviews:
“This is the must read novel of the summer for anyone with a passion for historical fiction.” (Fresh Fiction)
“THE SISTER QUEENS is probably my first Perfect 10 in well over a year—but it certainly merits at least that.” (Romance Reviews Today)
“Word on the street (rather, consensus among historical fiction bloggers) is that this is an author to watch whose book is a page-turner, fast-paced, emotional, passionate, well-written and carefully researched.” (School Library Journal)
“Historical fiction lovers rejoice! A new and true talent has arrived on the scene!” (Let Them Read Books)
“The Sister Queens is an amazing debut novel. Telling a story about history in a way that only the best historical fiction does.” (The True Book Addict)
“I’ll be recommending this to everyone I know who loves historical fiction and putting this author on my “buy immediately” list for her future releases” (Bippity Boppity Book)
“The Sister Queens is historic fiction at its absolute finest. I simply cannot wait to see what this author does next. She’s already won herself a spot on my list of favorite authors. In all of its colorful prose, deep and eccentric characters, and historical brilliance, this book can be summed up with one word: phenomenal. Brava!” (The Tulsa Book Review)
“In short, an excellent work of historical fiction . . . . Certainly the best I’ve read this year set in the Middle Ages. Highly recommended.” (Medieval Bookworm)
“This is one of the few historical fiction stories that I’ve read lately that I would consider a page-turner” (Debbie’s Book Bag)
#2: The story has it ALL: Whatever you like in your historical fiction you are going to find it in the pages of The Sister Queens, a novel that spans 40 years and locations including England, France, Provence, Cyprus & the Holy Land.
“The Sister Queens has it all… court life, balls, rivalry, politics, love and lust; with the added element of it seeming so real to the reader as though watching a film.” (Peeking Between the Pages)
“This is an excellent slice of an extremely interesting period of time. We get the politics and social aspects of not one but two countries (always a bonus!) as well as in the latter part of the book, Louis’ crusade to the Holy Land.” (The Broke and the Bookish)
#3 Rumor has it I can actually write:
“Sophie Perinot’s writing style is simple and honest and all the more eloquent for it.” (Let Them Read Books)
“I hope that Ms. Perinot is considering further books on unsung women in history as she does have a magical way with words. A way that brings long dead characters to very real life.” (Broken Teepee) 
“I couldn’t believe that this is Sophie’s first book. It reads like it’s written by someone with years of writing experience and dozens of novels under their belt.” (Book Drunkard)
“. . . this is a novel that I quickly lost myself in. It was written beautifully and Perinot does an amazing job of bringing these two characters to life.” (The Owl Bookmark)
“Perinot’s writing is almost flawless, and she brings to rich life characters who lived more than 600 years ago, no small feat.” (Briar Patch Books)
“Perinot is a great writer and I’m anxious to see what other books she comes out with in the future” (A Bookish Affair)
#4 So I am getting compared to some pretty well-known historical novelists (and I am both flattered and grateful):
“Fans of Philippa Gregory and Carolly Erickson will want to add this author to their collection.” (Joplin Loves 2 Read)
“I was reminded of one of my favorite historical fiction authors, Sharon Kay Penman. (Although Ms. Perinot’s style is deliciously more sexy :)” (Let Them Read Books)
“. . . Perinot’s writing style reminds me of my revered Jean Plaidy—that is high braise indeed from this reader. (historical-fiction.com) Continue reading Forget Fifty Shades of a Certain Dark Color—How About Fifteen Reasons to Read The Sister Queens
Celebrating 15 Weeks on Sale with Another Excellent Review
Can a book have a Quinceanera? The Sister Queens has now been on sale for 15-weeks. I almost forgot because I am hard at work on a new, 16th century, novel. Still a little celebrating is in order lest the toddler book get jealous of the new baby book. And just in time for the little anniversary party the novel received an excellent review from The Medieval Bookworm. Meghan kindly calls The Sister Queens:
an excellent work of historical fiction . . . . Certainly the best I’ve read this year set in the Middle Ages.”
and says:
It’s in part the relationships between the sisters, though, that makes this an excellent book. Yes, they have their children and their husbands, but they also always have one another, and it’s the sort of heartwarming female relationship that doesn’t always dominate mainstream fiction in quite the way it should.”
Cue the confetti!
Lucky Thirteen – Thirteen Things I am Grateful for on the Thirteen-Week Anniversary of The Sister Queen’s Release
For the superstitious, thirteen is hardly an auspicious number. And, as those of you who’ve read my blog post at Book Pregnant know, a novel more than three months past its release can start to get lost in the shuffle, leaving its author with a case of the not-so-new-anymore blues. Call me a cockeyed optimist but I choose to face the thirteen-week anniversary of the release of The Sister Queens with a list of thirteen reasons (in no particular order) that I am grateful to be JUST WHERE AND WHEN I AM.
1. My day started with this touching shout out from fellow writer Joey Francisco. Joey reminds us that reading can transport people—even people oppressed by pain and illness—and she challenges authors to “pay it forward” by donating a copy of their work to the book cart at their local hospital. What a timely reminder of the magic of fiction, and what a fantastic service idea!
2. Reviewers have been generous. To date The Sister Queens has received more than three-dozen very positive reviews. Most recently, The School Library Journal declared:
Word on the street (rather, consensus among historical fiction bloggers) is that this is an author to watch whose book is a page-turner, fast-paced, emotional, passionate, well-written and carefully researched.”
3. The Fans are FANTASTIC. I am constantly hearing from new people who love my book and support my writing. Readers, your notes, direct messages, and tweets mean so very much. Thank you. Thirteen weeks on, I am still receiving photos from Queen Spotters around the country. Got another picture of The Sister Queens lounging on a bed inMaine just this past weekend.
4. I’ve been invited to be a Presenting Author at the 2012 Baltimore Book Festival. What better way to spend the last weekend in September? I will be participating in a number of panels including a discussion of “Trends in Historical Fiction” and (oh JOY) a reconstitution of the “Sex and the Historical Novelist” panel that Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray and I created for our triple-author appearance in April
5. I hit my all-time high Amazon ranking for The Sister Queens in trade paperback on my twelve-week anniversary! Looks like buzz is building sales even if The Sister Queens is not a “new release” anymore.
6. High fives, hand-holding and the occasional shoulder as needed from fellow writers make a solitary profession less so. I’ve never been in a more supportive profession. From the marvelous writers whose blurbs grace The Sister Queen’s cover, to the twenty-nine fellow members of my debut author group, Book Pregnant, the past thirteen weeks have been full of fellow writers willing to lend an ear or a hand as I navigated my debut. Talk about renewed faith in mankind.
7. Team Sophie rocked the postcards. Team Sophie is made up of readers who signed on to share their enthusiasm about The Sister Queens. Their first mission was mailing a few custom postcards to recommend the novel to friends. Team S, you all made a serious dent in my pile of postcards 🙂 and I don’t doubt for a moment that the buzz you generated caused an uptick in sales.
8. Book clubs made me feel welcome. I am now a book-club veteran with both live and skype appearances under my belt (here’s a picture of the Georgia club that provided my first skype date). A chance to discuss the themes and characters in my novel—that’s like chocolate, red wine and good sex all rolled into one. Bless you book clubs. Bless you.
9. My wip (work in progress) feeds my need. Sometimes I love it. Other times . . . it makes me feel like I am trapped under something heavy. But the truth is I can’t live without the magical time-traveling rush I get from writing. So I am happy for my current manuscript which keeps me cocooned in the 16th century.
10. My family reminds me there are more important things in life than how many words I write each day. When the muse doesn’t cooperate and I descend from my office grumpy and fershimmeled the faces of my husband and children remind me the day is still a success in other, more important, ways. And when the muse does cooperate and I forget about making dinner, I am grateful that my family rolls with it (generally) without complaint.
11. The twenty-five readers who reviewed The Sister Queens on Amazon, and the many more who reviewed it on Goodreads took the time to make a difference. You have powerful voices and help others make reading and purchasing decisions. Particularly at Amazon your numbers move algorithms, influencing how often and where my book is recommended to other visitors. Thanks!
12. Nearly 300 people have “liked” either my book page or my author page at Facebook 🙂
13. My agent and my editor had faith in me (and in The Sister Queens). That faith permitted me to step on the roller-coaster that is publication. It’s been a wild ride so far, but I haven’t thrown up yet! That’s something isn’t it?
Here’s to the next thirteen weeks with all their triumphs and trials!
Fresh Fiction Gives The Sister Queens a Fantastic Review
Just in time for the 12-week anniversary of the novel’s debut, The Sister Queens has crossed the three-dozen-review mark. And just look what the kind folks at Fresh Fiction are saying:
This is the must read novel of the summer for anyone with a passion for historical fiction.”
And:
Sophie Perinot’s magical storytelling transforms history into a page-turner medieval saga.”
Let me tell you, it is not everyday a 500 page novel gets called a page turner! I am very grateful for the kind words. And I do hope fans and followers of Fresh Fiction will pick up a copy of my novel for their beach bags.
The Onyx Book Chateau Gives The Sister Queens 4 1/2 Stars!
I am very pleased to add another super review to The Sister Queens’ collection! With over thirty positive reviews now in, I am grateful for and humbled by this embarrassment of riches.
The latest praise comes from Onyx Book Chateau where Kyrsta gave the book 4 ½ stars and had this to say:
I absolutely adored this book! It was a fully engaging novel and remarkably relatable – I could totally imagine these two sisters carrying out a relationship through letters throughout their lives as rival queens.”
She had particular praise for the dialogue which she said was:
written effortlessly as it flowed in a natural way, it never felt forced or fake.
As for who should read the book, Kyrsta would:
recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction and especially to those of you out there who have a sister – I saw so much of my sister’s and my relationship in these pages (I saw myself being Marguerite and my sister as Eleanor) and I was able to reflect upon our own relationship.”
Another First – My Maiden Voyage Into Virtual Author Visits
I have to admit, I would rather have been there in person. After all, those present in the Metro-Atlanta area living room belonging to my hostess had wine and dessert. I had water and a cough drop. Still, the elements that really mattered – lively conversation, probing questions and moments of humor – translated across the miles last evening when I attended my first book club by skype. It was amazing 🙂 A great big thanks to all the ladies present for selecting The Sister Queens as their monthly read and for their warm hospitality.
