Le Jeudi de Josephine: Sandra Gulland Guest Post + GIVEAWAY!

Today we have a double treat…

First: The brilliant author of the Josephine Trilogy and Mistress of The Sun, Sandra Gulland will be hosting le Jeudi de Josephine. I’m honored to have her guest post on my blog!





Second: Mistress of the Sun Giveaway! Please leave a comment AND your email address to let me know that you want to be entered in the draw.





Now…Without further ado, I present to you, Sandra Gulland:

Choosing between characters? Impossible!

Sandra Gulland

www.sandragulland.com


I've written four novels, but in my mind, there are only two: Josephine's . . . and Petite's. (For those who don't know, Petite is Louise de la Vallière, heroine of Mistress of the Sun.) It's like having two children, two loves, two passions. People ask: Which one do you love the most? Who would you rather be?


These are such hard questions to answer! Josephine was a part of my life for decades, and I still feel her presence: caring, steady, wise. Petite is more of a beloved, demanding, passionate angel — a wild, innocent, impulsive child.


If I were to choose a friend, someone to come to dinner, it would be Josephine — but if I had to choose who I would rather be, I would choose Petite. It's hard to explain why. I think it has to do with all the things Petite is that I am not: reckless, fearless on horseback, passionate in the extreme. (I am, I suspect, more like Josephine by nature, although without her instinctive social graces, which are such an important part of her character.)


And my next character? I'm thinking her through right now. She's the daughter of a theatrical star, confidential maid to an aristocrat (Athénaïs de Montespan), and a "fill-in" mistress to the Sun King. There's very little known about her personally; I have only scraps to go on. She is tall, I know, bold, and not that pretty — at least not in a conventional sense. She is practical; she looks after others. She is always the back-stage hand, the assistant — always in the shadows, second-best. I am watching people, collecting attributes. I begin with her eyes . . . .




Thank you so much Sandra!


To read my review of Mistress of The Sun, please go here:)

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