Queen of the Night Reviews: Virtual Tour & #Giveaway for Naked by Eliza Redgold

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold. Please leave a comment or question for Eliza to let her know you stopped by. You may enter her tour wide giveaway, where Eliza will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to one (1) randomly drawn commenter, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. You may follow all of the stops on her tour by clicking on the banner above. The more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.

Interview with Eliza Redgold

Maria: You've established yourself as a contemporary writer, were you fearful about how your first historical novel would be received?

Eliza: I’m an academic as well as an author. NAKED is a work of fiction published under my pen name Eliza Redgold (based on the Gaelic meaning of my name). I’ve written academic papers about Lady Godiva under my full name Dr Elizabeth Reid Boyd and recently had the chance to talk about Godiva at the Popular/American Culture Association Conference in the US. The first time I presented about Lady Godiva to my academic colleagues I was rather nervous, but I’m happy to say it has been very well received. I’m proud to be an academic and a romance writer too – even though as a genre romance fiction can be quite revealing. If you can’t handle exposure – don’t call your book NAKED!

Maria: What drew you to Lady Godiva's story and prompted the desire to not only tell her story but expand on the possibilities of why she was willing to ride through the town naked and her possible future?

Eliza: To look for Lady Godiva I made a trip to Coventry, England. It was difficult to find remnants of Godiva’s life, but I definitely experienced a strange feeling near the place where Godiva and Leofric are believed to be buried. Their spirits are in the air. It was in Coventry I became convinced there was an untold story. In most of the Godiva stories, Leofric of Mercia is definitely the villain of the piece, ready to impose heavy taxes and to force his wife to carry out her daring ride. Yet by the end of his life, I discovered historical documents reveal Lord Leofric was a changed man. This for me was the untold (love) story.

Maria: How much research and what kind of research did you do for Naked? A Novel of Lady Godiva.

Eliza: Before I wrote NAKED I couldn’t ride a horse. I needed to know how to horse ride to capture the famous scene of her naked ride, so I took lessons. I’d love to report that I became a brilliant horsewoman overnight, like my heroine Godiva, but I got worse instead of better. I took lessons at an amazing therapeutic riding center that has lessons for young and old, able-bodied and disabled riders alike, and some of the people I met were absolutely inspiring. I learned some life lessons – not just riding lessons.

Maria: An academic by day and a writer by night, what do you do to relax from a stressful day at work before you dive into writing?

Eliza: Music shifts me from one mood to another. Here’s Wild Horses a ‘theme song’ I listened to while writing Godiva’s story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb3XAP0c8WU

Maria: You have an upcoming historical series for Harlequin - when can we expect their release?

Eliza: A pair of my Victorian romances will be published by Harlequin Historical in 2015 and 2016. Enticing Benedict Cole (November 2015 release) is about an artist, a lady and a secret love:

When Benedict Cole shuns her request for painting lessons, Lady "Cameo" Catherine Mary St. Clair takes matters into her own hands. She arrives at Benedict's studio, only to be mistaken for a model! It's an opportunity she just can't turn down…

Benedict knows better than to let intimacy interfere with his work, yet he can't quell his fascination for the mysterious Cameo. And after one daring night together, everything changes. Will Cameo still be his muse when Benedict discovers who she really is?

Maria: What do you have planned for 2016 as a writer?

Eliza: NAKED is the first in my ‘Legendary Lady’ series to take back the story of a legendary lady to tell it from her point of view and twist her tale. NAKED is the first in my ‘Legendary Lady’ series to take back the story of a legendary lady to tell it from her point of view and twist her tale. Coming soon is the next book in the Ladies of Legend series:

‘Lost voices. Lost lore. Lost love.’

That’s a clue J Who is the next Lady of Legend? Get in touch and let me know who you think it is – and I’ll send you a copy if you’re right!

Quick Get to Know You Questions:

1. Favorite Color? Red gold

2. Favorite Flower? Redgold roses

3. Coffee, Tea or something else? I got addicted to mead (honey wine) while writing NAKED.

4. Upcoming Movie You Can't Wait to See? Star Wars

5. Heels, sandals or barefoot? Barefoot

Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva

By Eliza Redgold

Legendary Ladies, Book 1

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Release Date: July 14, 2015

Genre: Historical Romance/Fiction

Format: eBook/Print

Length: 322 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250066152

ASIN: B00R6C8D4K

About the book:

We know her name. We know of her naked ride. We don’t know her true story.

We all know the legend of Lady Godiva, who famously rode naked through the streets of Coventry, covered only by her long, flowing hair. So the story goes, she begged her husband Lord Leofric of Mercia to lift a high tax on her people, who would starve if forced to pay. Lord Leofric demanded a forfeit: that Godiva ride naked on horseback through the town. There are various endings to Godiva’s ride, that all the people of Coventry closed their doors and refused to look upon their liege lady (except for ‘peeping Tom’) and that her husband, in remorse, lifted the tax.

Naked is an original version of Godiva’s tale with a twist that may be closer to the truth: by the end of his life Leofric had fallen deeply in love with Lady Godiva. A tale of legendary courage and extraordinary passion, Naked brings an epic story new voice.

EXCERPT

If the rider heard he made no sign. Clad in a silver helmet and armored in brown leather, he galloped under the arches, my warning ignored. His great black horse circled the courtyard, raising dust as he halted in front of the steps.

For a moment he didn’t move. Nor did I, except to tighten my fingers on the handle of my blade.

He lifted off his helmet.

A pair of piercing eyes met mine.

This is not Thurkill.

The knowledge flashed into my brain. The man in front of me was tall and strong. Many years younger than my father, perhaps thirty years of age, his face a tanned brown. His hair, tawny as an owl wing, fell to the studded collar of his armor, its leather stretched across his shoulders.

He spoke. “You are Godiva.”

Hawk high I lifted my head. “I am. Who are you? Why have you come to my lands?”

Dirt swirled in the air as his horse hoofed the ground. River deep turned his gaze as he took me in, lingering on the thick braid that fell over my shoulder to brush to my thigh.

“Well?” A flame flickered though me, hotter than fear. A flame I’d never known.

“Who are you?”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

ELIZA REDGOLD is an author, academic and unashamed romantic.

Eliza Redgold is based upon the old, Gaelic meaning of her name, Dr Elizabeth Reid Boyd. She was born in Irvine, Scotland on Marymass Day and currently lives in Australia. She has presented academic papers on women and romance and is a contributor to the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Romance Fiction. Eliza has also written two upcoming Victorian historical romances for Harlequin Historical. Look out for ‘Enticing Benedict Cole’ in November 2015.

“NAKED: A Novel of Lady Godiva” was released internationally by St Martin’s Press New York in July 2015.

Follow Eliza Redgold on:

Twitter: @ElizaRedgold

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElizaRedgoldAuthor

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/elizaredgold

or subscribe to her newsletter at www.elizaredgold.com