AddThis

Bookmark and Share

Friday 12 April 2013

Historical Fiction Book Fair - Welcome to Mr Crespi's bookshop

Welcome Book Browsers at the Historical Novelists Book Fair. 

Oh, good afternoon mistress, it's you. How delightful to see you again. Which book will you choose I wonder? You can see I have quite a few on my lovely shelves, but might I suggest these? You can see I have marked one of them at the top right with a slip of paper so I can find it easily. The other lies open at the bottom of the shelf, for as you can see I have just finished copying it especially for you. That was quite a labour of love I can tell you. 

 Painting by Giuseppe Crespi, 1665 -1737
What? You prefer a new-fangled typed version? Well I'm only too happy to oblige, but for that you will have to contact my apprentice Joseph Amazon. He is only a click away in the dusty warehouse. Last time I saw him he was trying to sort out a mountain of unsold books. I hope he manages to sell a few sometime, otherwise I fear the moths will eat the bindings and spidery cobwebs will glue them forever to the shelves. 

If you are still a little uncertain about your choice, can I suggest you use the magic lantern device below  which might tempt you with its live action tale of two sisters on the run in the gilded mansions and poor hovels of old London. This book has been a very popular choice amonst young ladies visiting my shop, second only to 'The Gentlewoman's Guide to Snaring a Man.' In fact many have said that they found it so thrilling they had to be revived with a nip of smelling salts by their worried husbands. 


A spellbinding historical novel of beauty and greed and surprising redemption.
England, 1660. Ella Appleby believes she is destined for better things than slaving as a housemaid and dodging the blows of her drunken father. When her employer dies suddenly, she seizes her chance--taking his valuables and fleeing the countryside with her sister for the golden prospects of London. But London may not be the promised land she expects. Work is hard to find, until Ella takes up with a dashing and dubious gentleman with ties to the London underworld. Meanwhile, her old employer's twin brother is in hot pursuit of the sisters.
Set in a London of atmospheric coffee houses, gilded mansions, and shady pawnshops hidden from rich men's view, Deborah Swift's The Gilded Lily is a dazzling novel of historical adventure.


You like it? That's splendid. By strange coincidence the book is on special offer at the moment, so hurry on over to the warehouse where Master Amazon will be pleased to deliver a copy of The Gilded Lily direct to your address. Now that's what I call service.


Many thanks for stopping by my humble bookstore and I hope to have the pleasure of serving you again in the near future. What's that? Oh yes, I'll send The Gentlewoman's Guide to Snaring a Man along with it. A plain brown wrapper? Certainly madam.

The other participating emporia are listed here

12 comments:

  1. Thank you for taking part, Deborah.

    Loved it, loved it. Great presentation! LOL: Joseph Amazon master apprentice. A must read - The Gilded Lily!

    best
    F

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hmmm I think I might steal a couple of those images....

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful Cover and great story I really enjoyed this Book.
    Marilyn

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love your book cover and the story looks intriguing, Deborah.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "A Gentlewoman's Guide to Snaring a Man" - loved it. Just as I loved the Gilded Lily which i read in one (long) go, resulting in a very unproductive morning at work the day after.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you Anna and Mari for your compliments about 'The Gilded Lily'. Thanks all of you who have stopped by so far - I'll be visiting your blogs over the weekend and look forward to sampling your wares!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great presentation of the themes, Deborah! Isn't it great seeing how all of us have responded differently to Francine's invite?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Greetings Mistress Swift. Thank you for sharing this excerpt. The Gilded LIly is sitting in my TBR pile!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm late to the book fair, but really enjoyed reading your entry -- and your book covers look amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have your "The Guilded Lily' on my list to read, Deborah. Thank you for taking part in the Fair!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi everyone, thanks for commenting. Those of you with The Gilded Lily on your TBR pile - many thanks. It is lovely to have new visitors!

    ReplyDelete