Guest Post & Giveaway Time with Michelle Moran

I am so honored to have Michelle Moran on the blog today. Not only a fantastic author, she is one of the friendliest authors out there...plus I really really enjoy her blog updates about ancient findings!

Michelle's newest book, Madame Tussaud is set for release this coming Tuesday (February 15th), my review will be out shortly. In the meantime, I have great news for my readers too! Thanks to Michelle, I have a chance to giveaway a signed copy of the book along with and adorable pair of Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings ! After reading Michelle's interesting guest post below, leave a comment telling me if you've ever been to a wax museum & if so where, then fill out the form to enter..easy, peasy.

Please give a warm welcome to Michelle....

MADAME TUSSAUD: The Woman

When most people hear the name Madame Tussaud, the first thing that comes to mind are the eerily lifelike waxworks which crowd her museums throughout the world. But who was the woman behind the name, and what was she like in the flesh?

Madame Tussaud’s story actually began in 18th century Paris. While most people know her from her famous museum in London, it was in France, on the humble Boulevard du Temple, where Marie first got her start as an apprentice in her uncle’s wax museum, the Salon de Cire. At the time, the Boulevard du Temple was crowded with exhibits of every kind. For just a few sous a passerby might attend the opera, watch a puppet show, or visit Henri Charles’ mystifying exhibition The Invisible Girl. The Boulevard was a difficult place to distinguish yourself as an artist, but as Marie’s talent grew for both sculpting and public relations, the Salon de Cire became one of the most popular attractions around. Suddenly, no one could compete with Marie or her uncle for ingenious publicity stunts, and when the royal family supposedly visited their museum, this only solidified what most showmen in Paris already knew — the Salon was an exhibition to watch out for.

But as the Salon’s popularity grew, so did the unusual requests. Noblemen came asking for wax sculptures of their mistresses, women wanted models of their newborn infants, and – most importantly – the king’s sister herself wanted Marie to come to Versailles to be her wax tutor. While this was, in many ways, a dream come true for Marie, it was also a dangerous time to be associated with the royal family. Men like Robespierre, Marat, and Desmoulins were meeting at Marie’s house to discuss the future of the monarchy, and when the Revolution began, Marie found herself in a precarious position. Ultimately, she was given a choice by France’s new leaders: to preserve the famous victims of Madame Guillotine in wax, or be guillotined herself.

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution is the story of Marie’s life during one of the most tumultuous times in human history. Her survival was nothing less than astonishing, and how she survived makes for what I hope is a compelling read.

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Review: Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Publisher: Crown

Released: September 15, 2009

Hardcover: 448 pages

ISBN-10: 0307409120

Recommended for: historical ficition lovers, people curious about Roman life, people who love a good story with a happy ending

Teaser quote:
"So we're alive! For now. And only because Octavan doesn't want to parade three stinking corpses through the streets of Rome. Wait until the Triumph is over," I warned. "Antyllus was murdered at the feet of Caesar's statue, and Caesarion was beheaded. What do you think will happen to us?"

"Exactly what he said. We will be given away in marriage."

"And how is that better than death? To marry a Roman?"

"Our father was a Roman."

My rating: 5 /5

My thoughts:

The story of Cleopatra & Marc Antony has been told over and over again in books, plays etc., but what happened to their three surviving children? Narrated by Selene, Cleopatra's Daughter tells us the lesser know story of Selene, her twin brother Alexander & younger brother Ptolemy. After Egypt is conquered by Octavian, the Emporer of Rome, and their parents commit suicide, the three children are taken prisoner and set sail for a new life in Rome with Octavian's sister, Octavia.

Selene was such a strong character. She was not your typical girl, more of a tomboy who had a love of architecture and like her mother and father, was not afraid to show compassion or take risks for what she thought was right. Through her eyes, we learn about the cultural differences between Egypt and Rome and class differences of the elite versus poor. The shared passion between Octavian's nephew, Marcellus, and Selene was beautiful to read and although you want them to be together, the path their relationship takes doesn't disappoint. Though the Red Eagle was not based on fact, I loved the addition of this character as it added such interesting facts about Roman life in that time. One can't help but root for the good guy and look for the clues in an attempt to find out just who this was.

I admire Michelle's ability to tell a story, making the characters felt so 'real' and the place so vivid that, over 2000 years later, I felt like I was there.

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (October 19, 2009)

Books I completed last week are:
What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell

The Christmas Cookie Club: A Novel by Ann Pearlman


Books I am reading this week:
Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel by Michelle Moran

Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie by Maggie Stiefvater I'm really hoping to have time for this one too :)

Tomorrow is a big day for me...I'm participating in my first blog tour!!!!!
Stop by for my guest post, review & giveaway for Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick