THE SECRET LION: Secrets and Suspense in Tudor England
by Anonymous
SAN FRANCISCO, CA September 29, 2004 -- THE SECRET LION: Secrets and Suspense in Tudor England
“Everyone has a secret . . . Secrets are the coin of our world.”
The Renaissance is renowned for its great art, the onset of global trade, and ruthless politics. Few, however, know about the mysterious events that occurred in the summer of 1553 in England, which led up to the death of sixteen-year old Edward VI, son of Henry VIII. This is the subject of C.W. Gortner’s debut historical novel, The Secret Lion.
Brendan Prescott, a twenty-year old foundling squire raised in a noble household, arrives at court amidst rumors of the King’s disappearance.
Eager to prove his worth, Brendan agrees to deliver a message to the King’s enigmatic younger sister, Princess Elizabeth. He soon discovers nothing in his world is as it appears. A dark plot brews around Elizabeth’s resolve to find out the truth about her brother. Lured into her service as a spy, Brendan is caught in a lethal gambit to save the Princess, one in which the secret of his own birth may be concealed—a secret that will change his life forever, and cast an inescapable shadow over him, Elizabeth, and the crown itself.
The success of historical mysteries, particularly those set in the Tudor era, will make The Secret Lion appealing to fans of the genre. What sets this book apart is the dark mirror it holds up to a bygone society that holds uncanny similarities to our own, where the hunger for power and prestige, and the struggle to retain them, is as familiar as any episode of reality television.
Advance praise for The Secret Lion comes from well-known San Francisco author Linda Joy Myers, who calls it “a masterful accomplishment.”
Sacramento author Andrew F. O’ Hara hails it as “a deceptively complex gem;” and Liz Berry, author of the China Garden, declares: “This is the first novel that captures the strangeness and incredible presence of Elizabeth I. Riveting!”
Four years of research and access to period documentation went into the creation of The Secret Lion. “History is my lodestone,” says Gortner. “I wanted to explore the Tudor underworld in a way we can understand.” A life-long scholar, Gortner holds a MA and a MFA in Writing, with an emphasis on Renaissance History. He has taught seminars on the 16th century at various educational institutions, including the New College of California, and is the Secretary of the Women’s National Book Association— SF Chapter and a member of the Historical Novel Society. His agent representation has included the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency and Maria Carvainis Agency in New York.
The Secret Lion will be released on September 28, 2004 as a 6x9 hard cover (ISBN# 1933037369) and 5.5x8.5 trade soft cover (ISBN# 1933037350), 252 pages, from Heliographica Press in San Francisco; Baker & Taylor, Ingram distribution. The author is scheduled for local signings and readings, as well as an official book launch at the National Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) tradeshow in Oakland on October 1-3, 2004. Reviews from the Historical Novel Society and Renaissance Magazine, as well as a print advertising campaign, will appear in select national media.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Christopher Gortner, Author
(415) 586-8028
http://www.leonibus.com
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