Jenna Jaxon Guest blogs!

Welcome to Tuesday everyone! Please help me welcome my special guest, Jenna Jaxon! Let's see what fun is in store for us today with Jenna!

Movies and the Middle Ages

There are many movies set in historical times, and a fair share in my favorite period, the middle ages. There are some wonderful films set in or near the same time as my medieval romance Betrothal. These are some of my favorites. How many of these have you seen?

1. Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. I love this movie and watched it so much on VHS that I know almost all the dialogue! The time period is that of the Third Crusade, roughly 1190, so it’s somewhat earlier than Betrothal, set in 1348. However, the costumes, settings, and props create a great feel for the period.

2. Name of the Rose. Another great movie that very realistically portrays the lives of lower class and clergy of the period. Set in 1327, this murder mystery is only about twenty years before my romance. And it’s true that monasteries were depositories for manuscripts when the only way to produce them was to copy them by hand. If you wanted to read (usually only clergy and nobles could) you had to own your own very expensive manuscripts or trek to isolated libraries to read them. In Betrothal, as Alyse is of nobility, she shows off her education to Geoffrey and the courtiers.

3. Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. Based on novels by Ken Follett, these two mini-series are fantastically close to the period of Betrothal. World Without End, in fact, covers the exact period. I urge you to watch both series--I made my husband sign us up for Showtime for the month Pillars came out, just so I could watch it. He bought me the DVD for Christmas. 

4. Braveheart. Yes, it’s set about 70 years too early, and has numerous historical inaccuracies. But it portrays King Edward I and Edward II, and Princess Isabella who are the grandfather, father and mother of King Edward III, a major historical figure in Betrothal. And it’s a great piece of action adventure and romance. The Princess’s costume is very well done and might have still been seen, in part, in 1348.

5. A Knight’s Tale. Love, love, love this movie! And I usually HATE movies with historical anachronisms. But this one is charming, it’s set about 20 years after my story, and it does include very realistic jousting sequences. Watch them and then read Betrothal to see what Geoffrey and Thomas would have gone through. Edward, The Black Prince, was the elder brother of Princess Joanna in Betrothal.

So there you have it, my top five medieval movies. If you haven’t seen them, and you love the period, you really must. And I hope I’ve whetted your appetite for all things medieval, because Betrothal, Book 1 of Time Enough to Love, is available on sale for .99 on Amazon through today!

Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Betrothal-Time-Enough-Love-ebook/dp/B00CF6UZFW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1372694958&sr=8-2&keywords=betrothal

I hope you enjoy!

BLURB:

Lady Alyse de Courcy has fallen in love with Lord Braeton, a nobleman in King Edward III’s court and a man to whom she has barely spoken. Fate, however, has decreed her betrothal to his best friend, Sir Geoffrey Longford—a handsome and imposing knight, yet hardly the man she wants to wed.

When Sir Geoffrey is bound in betrothal by his father, he could not have expected the beautiful stranger to win his heart the moment they meet. Nevertheless, the fascinating Lady Alyse has done exactly that, and his feelings for her only grow as he learns more of her gentle yet spirited nature. But Alyse’s infatuation with his friend casts doubt on whether she can ever return his regard and their wedding day is fast approaching… 

Will he have time enough to win her love?

EXCERPT: He kissed her hand and wound her arm through the crook of his as he led her away from the chapel toward Princess Joanna’s apartments. Although she was loath to admit it, his words, as well as his attentions, had soothed her ruffled feelings. She smiled inwardly to think that his regard for her ran so deep. A quick peek at him from lowered lids showed her his countenance bore a smile also. They seemed to have come far in but two days’ time.

As they approached the door of the Princess’s chamber, he turned and took both her hands. “My lady, I have news that I would share with you.”

He seemed both solemn and excited by whatever message he had brought. It had to be news indeed, for she had heard nothing, either last night or this morning, that would touch upon them. This mystery so bemused her that she almost failed to see him lean down, bringing his mouth mere inches from hers. She gasped, snatched her hands from his and ducked around him before he could draw closer.

“Would you share something else besides news, Sir Geoffrey?”

“That I would, little maid.” He spun around before she could back away. He darted his hand out to secure hers again and raised it to his mouth. “It seems, however, that I must be content with this.” He grazed her skin with his lips, skimming over the surface of her flesh with a floating touch that made her shiver. “And with my news. You know the king called for a joust, a Round Table, at Windsor next week to celebrate the princess’s betrothal?”

Alyse nodded and frowned. The mere thought of jousting sent a quiver of dread down her spine. But his statement was hardly news; the court had been preparing for the tournaments for weeks.

“It has been decreed by His Majesty that on the first day the festivities will begin with a procession of ladies and knights of King Arthur’s court, starting at the Tower of London and winding through the town out to the lists. There are to be twenty-five knights on the king’s side who will joust and fight in a pas d’armes. So there needs be twenty-five ladies as well, to escort them to the field.”

She nodded again. “Princess Joanna rides in this procession.” Her part in the festivities had been determined last week. Did he have anything truly new to impart?

“You have been chosen to be one of the ladies.”

Alyse’s mouth dropped open and a thrill coursed through her. “But I am only Princess Joanna’s attendant, Sir Geoffrey. Usually such honors are reserved for the queen and Princess Isabella’s ladies, or the Duchesses and Countesses in the Royal Family. Why did they choose me?”

“Because I am to be one of the knights, and I begged a boon of the king to allow you to be my lady.”

She stared at him in shock, almost unbelieving, though she knew he would not lie about such a thing. To think she owed such an honor to the man she would soon call husband, that he had asked the king himself to grant the favor, made her heart beat an unsteady march in her chest. Alyse parted her lips to thank him when he swooped forward, secured her chin in his hand and kissed her.