On November 23, 1221, 800 years ago, a baby boy was born in Toledo, Spain. He would go on to become King Alfonso X, el Sabio. He earned his wise reputation because he enthusiastically sought out knowledge wherever it could be found: in Europe, Africa, or Asia; with Christians, Jews, or Muslims. Attracting the top scholars of his time (a very sophisticated time!) to his court, Alfonso was the patron of works of science, literature, history, and law that have influenced scientists, authors, and lawyers for hundreds of years.
This open-minded embracing of different cultures for the betterment of humanity should be celebrated now more than ever. I'm doing just that with Our Lady's Troubadour. It's a book of ten short stories based on Alfonso's greatest work, the Cantigas de Santa Maria. The stories tell of people just like you and me dealing with relatable problems--and finding miraculous solutions.
I'm so excited to see Our Lady's Troubadour out in the world! It will debut on November 17, 2021. November 17 was my husband's birthday. I'm so pleased to be able to honor two of the most important men in my life with one book!
It's ready for preorder now, so you can be sure to have it in time to commemorate November 23. One ebook venue is here, and many sources for the paperback and hardback editions can be found here.
The Spanish edition will be available on the same day!
Happy 800th birthday, Alfonso!
And grab your copy of the extraordinarily entertaining companion volume, Empress of Misfortune:
- available for 99 cents at select outlets
- or FREE to my email subscribers
In still historical, but not medieval, news:
For October, I've gotten into the spirit of scary (the melancholic, Edgar Allan Poe kind) with a story based on the poem "The Lake." It's free to read on Vocal, and in fact, if you scroll to the bottom, you're really helping me out. Thanks!
