The Tudor Secret Virtual Book Tour February 2011

Join C.W. Gortner, author of the historical mystery novel, The Tudor Secret (Griffin, St. Martin’s Press, February 2011), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in February on his third virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book.

About C.W. Gortner

C.W. Gortner is the author of the acclaimed historical novels The Last Queen and The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. He holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis on Renaissance Studies from the New College of California. In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall and experienced life in a Spanish castle. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights and environmental issues. Half-Spanish by birth, he divides his time between Northern California and Antigua, Guatemala.

The Tudor Secret is the first book in Gortner’s The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles series.

You can visit the author online at www.cwgortner.com or his blog at http://historicalboys.blogspot.com/.

About The Tudor Secret

The era of the Tudors was one of danger, intrigue, conspiracy, and above all, spies.

Summer 1553: A time of danger and deceit. Brendan Prescott, an orphan, is reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Prescott finds himself sent on an illicit mission to the King’s brilliant, enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth’s protector, William Cecil—who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past.

A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth’s quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder. Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, The Tudor Secret is the first book in The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles.

Read an Excerpt!

There are moments that define our existence, moments that, if we recognize them, become pivotal turning points in our life. Like pearls on a strand, the accumulation of such moments will in time become the essence of our life, providing solace when our end draws near.

For me, meeting Elizabeth Tudor was one of those moments.

The first I noticed was that she was not beautiful. Her chin was too narrow for the oval of her face, her long thin nose emphasizing the high curve of her cheeks and proud brow. Her mouth was disproportionately wide and her lips too thin, as if she savored secrets. And she was too pale and slim, like a fey creature of indeterminate sex.

Then I met her stare. Her eyes were fathomless, over-wide pupils limning her gold irises, like twin suns in eclipse. I had seen eyes like hers before, years ago, when a traveling menagerie entertained us at Dudley Castle. Then, too, I had been captured by their dormant power.

She had the eyes of a lion.

“Lord Robert’s squire?” she said to Cecil. “How can it be? I’ve never seen him before.”

“I’m new to court, Your Grace,” I answered. “Your dog is foreign, is he not?”

She shot me a terse look; she’d not given me leave to speak. “He is Italian. You are familiar with the breed?”

“I had occasion to learn many things during my time in the Dudley stables.”

“Is that so?” She tilted her head. “Hold out your hand.”
I hesitated for a moment before warily extending my wrist. She loosened her grip on the chain. The hound thrust his muzzle at me. I almost recoiled as I felt his breath on my skin. He sniffed. To my relief, he licked my skin and retreated.

“You have a way with animals,” Elizabeth said. “Urian rarely takes to strangers.” She motioned me to my feet. “What is your name?”

“Brendan Prescott, Your Grace.”

Read the Reviews!

“Fast moving suspense . . . the velvet peril of Tudor England comes alive in this haunting look at Elizabeth I’s secret spy.”

–Margaret George, bestselling author of The Autobiography of Henry VIII

The Tudor Secret Tour Schedule

Tuesday, February 1

Interviewed at As the Pages Turn

Wednesday, February 2

Book spotlighted at The Writer’s Life

Guest blogging and giveaway at A Cozy Reader’s Corner Reviews

Thursday, February 3

Book reviewed at Broken Teepee

Friday, February 4

Book reviewed at Always with a Book

Monday, February 7

Book reviewed at Teresa’s Reading Corner

Book reviewed at Must Read Faster

Tuesday, February 8

Guest blogging at Book Tours and More

Wednesday, February 9

Book reviewed and giveaway at Book Reviews by Molly

Thursday, February 10

Book reviewed at Mom’s Tree House

Guest blogging, book reviewed, and giveaway at Wendi’s Book Corner

Friday, February 11

Book reviewed at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Monday, February 14

Guest blogging at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi

Tuesday, February 15

Book reviewed at A Room Without Books is Empty

Book reviewed and giveaway at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi

Interviewed at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Book reviewed and giveaway at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Thursday, February 17

Book spotlighted at Broowaha

Book reviewed at My Reading Room

Friday, February 18

Book reviewed at Life in Review

Book reviewed at Working Writers

Monday, February 21

Guest blogging and giveaway at Acting Balanced

Tuesday, February 22

Book reviewed at Acting Balanced

Book reviewed at Okbo Lover

Book reviewed, guest blogging, and giveaway at The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, February 23

Book Reviewed at By the Book

Book Reviewed at Healing Hearts

Thursday, February 24

Book reviewed at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, February 25

Guest blogging and giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Book reviewed at The Book Connection

Book reviewed at CelticLady’s Reviews

C.W. Gortner’s THE TUDOR SECRET VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘11 will officially begin on February 1st and end on February 25, 2011. Please contact Cheryl Malandrinos at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com by January 20th if you are interested in hosting and/or reviewing his book or click here to use the form. Thank you!

UPDATE: This tour is now closed.  We hope you’ll check our New Books for Review page to see what else we have available. Thanks to all participating blog hosts and reviewers!

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