Kate Warren

   Greetings readers and friends!  I keep meaning to post, and remembering that I did not do so at around 10:00 PM each night. A month or so ago I announced that there would be some big changes going on, and that I would blog about the details. Better late than never, right? Here's what's up.

   Many of you know that three of my four children have Autism Spectrum Disorders. Some of you also know that the youngest of the boys with ASD (who also has Type 1 Diabetes) has a history of aggressive behavior. It's hard to say what all factors are involved in the recent increase in his aggressive meltdowns--the transition to middle school, the start of puberty, the unpredictability of the diabetes--but regardless of the cause(s), the behavior has become a much larger concern over the last few months. In addition to the meltdowns at home he is having them at school as well.  

   We have connected with a BCBA (board certified behavior analyst) who has agreed to evaluate our son at home and at school and see if we can get these behaviors under control. The alternative is to seek an out-of-home placement. I've spoken with a few people about options and the best recommendation I've gotten is "next time he has a meltdown, call the police." Naturally that's not what the parent of a child with special needs wants to hear, but a sheriff's deputy I spoke with allayed some of my fears with regard to what would happen should that phone call become necessary. 

   And now, we interrupt this wall of text to bring you a refreshing picture...

      A regency style bonnet made by an extremely talented friend of mine.
  The picture is linked to her Etsy store, if you'd like more info on her work.

   Back to the subject...In the mean time, I've gone back to something I've researched off and on over the years since the boys were diagnosed...a gluten-free and casein-free diet. There has not been much in the way of scientific research devoted to this topic in the States, so mostly I'm relying on anecdotal American evidence combined with information from studies done in Europe. Certainly there is no guarantee that this diet would be helpful, it certainly has not helped everyone who has tried it, but the information I've found indicates that there is a fair chance it would help my boys, at least a little.

   Gluten-free is completely doable. My husband was diagnosed with Celiac Disease several years ago, so we're already comfortable with avoiding gluten. Casein-free is more challenging. Casein is in all dairy products, and several things you wouldn't think would have any milk or milk derivatives in them. Even most margarines are out, but there are alternatives available in the area, and what we can't find locally we can drive to LaCrosse for, or order online. If this helps either of the boys, it will be worth the time, the effort, the cost, and any frustration that comes as I figure out which recipes work and which result in excellent doorstops and paper-weights.

   Lest anyone worry, we are consulting doctors and a nutritionist about this. The boys have an appointment on Monday where we will discuss the benefits, challenges, research, and see if our GP can find out if insurance would be willing to pay for some tests to see if certain proteins are not being broken down properly by the boys' digestive systems. Why the insurance company can't tell me that information, I don't know, but that's life.

                    Here's another picture. This time it's a puppy!  

        This is Arthur. He's actually a lot bigger now, and his ears are up. 

​   Now...how will this impact my writing? Well the simple fact is that I haven't been able to write lately. No ideas will come to me in the midst of all of this. There's a brief window of a few hours between dropping our youngest son off at school and waiting to see if the phone rings and we need to either go and help or bring him home early, and my brain is not at its best during that time. When the kids get home, any chance of accomplishing anything goes out the window. So really the impact on my writing is a moot point. What it boils down to is that I'm taking a sort of leave of absence from the work I haven't been getting done anyway.

   My theory is that IF the diet helps, and IF we can attain some semblance of normality day-to-day, I'll be able to finally get back to work. When I do, the priority will of course be finishing The DeFord Chronicles, Part II.  

   And I will add a self-congratulatory note that I may finally get an office out of this. It will be necessary to add some counter space in the kitchen as I'll be using certain small appliances regularly, and it would not make sense to keep dragging them to and from storage--which means we need to move other things around, and my tiny corner needs to go elsewhere. It may be that my files and research materials go to the "office" and my desk stays in the kitchen area, while the laptop travels between the two locations as needed.

​   Chances are that in the coming month or three I will be very, very busy baking/cooking homemade GF/CF foods, calculating carbohydrates, and dealing with the inevitable upset when the kids don't like a replacement food. The blog will continue to be updated with interviews (mostly of historical figures, but occasionally of living people) and the odd narrative or musing from yours truly. I will continue to be randomly active on Twitter and Facebook as well. And of course I will answer emails, and respond to any comments or questions. Do let me know about any good books you've read--not writing has no effect on my reading addiction--and drop me a line any time.

See you around,

​Kate

Just so we're clear on this, it's Queen Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII. Not Jane Seymour the actress, though I imagine she would be a great interview subject herself.

Lovely picture, isn't it?  This is a miniature of Jane painted by Wenceslas Hollar. It's my favorite portrait of Jane as I've always pictured her in my mind as young, sweet, and innocent. Now, on to the interview...

Queen Jane, you held a special place in English history as one of only two wives Henry didn't divorce, annul, or have executed. If you had lived, do you think your marriage would have lasted?

Yes, I do.

​Was it a love match?

To some extent, yes. At first I wasn't thrilled at being courted by such a dangerous man, but Henry had a way about him. A woman couldn't stay indifferent for long. I grew fond of him rather quickly and by the end I think it's safe to say I loved him.

It was a pretty short marriage but did you have any real influence with Henry?

You would have to ask him.

You must have been very proud to give birth to a son. How does it feel knowing that you provided what none of Henry's other wives gave him?

I'm pleased to have given my lord a son, of course. But I didn't see marriage to Henry as any kind of competition. 

Tell us your thoughts about Henry's first wife.

I admired Queen Catherine greatly. She was a woman of principle and a good queen.

And his second?

Anne was very different from anyone the English court had known. Of course there were other women of spirit but they were more likely to hide their nature. Anne was the first in a long time to show her ambition openly. One couldn't help but admire her in the same way that one in modern times cannot help looking at a horrific auto accident or train wreck.

Did you have any qualms about marrying so soon after the death of Henry's last wife?

I did, but Henry was king. You try saying "no" to that man. I believe Anne Boleyn was the only person who ever did.

Did you ever fear that, should your child have been a girl, your life might be at stake?

The thought crossed my mind, but Henry was so very tender with me. I tried to be a source of peace for him and he appreciated that in me. I do think if your child had been a girl he might have been disappointed, but I feel sure he would have given me another chance.

To all accounts, you were a sweet and mild lady.  Is that an accurate portrayal of your personality?

For the most part it is correct. I did have a temper of course, but was not easily provoked.

What do you think it was about you that captivated Henry?

My temperament was the exact opposite of Anne's. After such a tempestuous relationship, he needed a calm wife who would not vex or grieve him.

Did he ever confide in you regarding the whole Catherine/Anne/Church of England thing? 

He discussed it with me briefly during our courtship, and only at my urging. It wasn't a subject he ever wanted to cover again, as he made clear to me. He preferred to leave it in the past.

​Now that all the wives are among the departed...do you ever get together? Is there a club, or maybe a support group?

We have tea twice a year. More than that would be too much for Catherine, who is still a little sore about Anne. But Mistress Howard has yet to attend one of our get-togethers. In fact, I don't think I've run into her at all up here.

Growing up, did you ever think you'd be queen of England?

No. I was content to be a daughter of the Seymour family; to serve God; to serve my country in any way I could. But queen? Never in my most vivid dreams.

I asked our readers to chime in with their own questions. One would like to know if you feel at all responsible for Anne Boleyn's downfall?

Goodness, no!  Anne did that largely by herself. She and Henry were far too alike. It was like setting a match to oil, those two together. It couldn't have lasted. Henry needed a wife who wouldn't try to control him, wouldn't ridicule or storm at him. Had she given him a son she would still have lost his heart, and when she realized the change in her status she would have become desperate and frantic. She would never have agreed to a divorce. So you see, her end was fairly inevitable.

Last question: what is your favorite color?

Yellow. 

Thank you all for joining us, please come back next time for a revealing chat with Anne of Cleves!

Coming up next on the blog (prior to the next Historic Interview) we'll have a chat with new author Jes Saint. She smart, she's funny, she's agreed to an interview. You do not want to miss that one!
​
Kate

Friends (and otters, of course) I emerge from my post-NaNo downtime to address the issue of the Post-NaNo Slump.  After a month of excitement and wordiness, you can feel pretty tired and a bit lonely. There's no more frenzied and frequent posting on the forums, no more scrambling (if you were scrambling) to meet that 1,667 words per day that leads to a win, no more...NaNo... [insert single tear coursing poetically down face here]

What's one to do when NaNo is done?  Why look ahead, of course.  Whether your novel is done or not, I've got some tips here for when you're ready to edit that baby!  The folks at Grammarly have put together a lovely look at the most common first draft issues and ways to deal with them.

You can click on the image to go to Grammarly's site, and see it full size, which I admit is going to be much easier to read.  This is basic stuff, and applies across the board, whether one NaNos or not. Or follow this link to Grammarly.com!

I'll be posting Historic Interviews again soon (Jane Seymour is up next), and will be interviewing my fellow Collier Bluff books author Jes Saint in the New Year.  She's hilarious, so you won't want to miss that one.

Kate

Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview.

Of course. And thank you for this opportunity. In the last few hundred years I haven’t had many chances to tell my side of things.

I think what most people want to know about you is why you went after Henry. How much was it family pressure? Ambition? Or were you really in love with him?

It was really a mixture. Of course I did rather fancy being queen. And Uncle Norfolk was always at me to advance the family. But there was a great deal of affection between Henry and me. Even had there not been, I doubt it would have made much difference. Have you ever been pursued by a king?

Uh, no. Can’t say that I have.

*smiling* Well it’s quite a heady feeling to have a man of such power at your feet, begging for your love and devotion. And Henry in particular was quite a man. I doubt any woman could have resisted.

Tell us about your time as queen.

At first I was caught up in the romance and excitement; the triumph of it all. But gradually I became aware that more and more people were distancing themselves from me. Even my own family. You see, I was made a scapegoat. All the troubles of the land were laid on my shoulders. It was really very clever of Henry, don’t you think? He wanted to be rid of me, and few would oppose him when he wanted something.

I’ve read excerpts from some of Henry’s letters to you during your courtship. He seemed very attached to you. What went wrong?

Henry and I were both so passionate and headstrong. When two such indomitable wills come together, eventually one must subdue the other. I was the victor, and Henry couldn’t stand it. He’d always got his way, you see —always been the strongest personality in the room. 

Your sister Mary was official mistress to Henry at one point. How did you feel about that?

At the time it didn’t bother me…much. Naturally I would have preferred to be the one singled out, but then I was the favorite later. By the time I was Henry’s queen their little fling was ancient history, so there was no reason for me to be unhappy about it. 

How was your relationship with your uncle, the Duke of Norfolk?

Strained, at best. I think he was jealous that I had better hair.

What about your parents?

To tell you the truth I barely knew them except by reputation for much of my childhood. Saw them from time to time, particularly when they wanted to impress upon visitors a sense of family harmony, but I didn’t get what you might call quality time.

You must be very proud of your daughter Elizabeth.

Certainly. She is my vindication. Could such a horrid woman as the stories make me out to be have produced such a superior ruler? 

Many people would credit her father’s genes and influence for her performance as a monarch.

And to some degree they’d have a point. But really, look at Henry’s other children compared to my Elizabeth. If his genes, as you call them, were the deciding factor, Edward and Mary would be remembered as the greatest rules of all time. But are they? Who gave England its Golden Age? My daughter, that’s who.

Did you really have six fingers on one hand?

No, I didn’t. In fact the whole rumor got started when I mistakenly purchased a pair of gloves made over the holidays. What with the rush and the constant celebrations there are so many mistakes made. I’m certainly glad I didn’t purchase any new headdresses that year!

Were you actually a witch?

*laughing* I wish I had been! I could have put a spell on Henry and been done with it.

What did you think of your predecessor, Catherine of Aragon?

She was all right as a person I suppose, but a dead bore socially. And no taste in clothes. 

Tell us about Henry Percy.

Oh yes, the “other” Henry. He was my first love. A childish infatuation.

And…

*arching a brow* And?

Well…um…would you care to share some details of your relationship with him?

I stand by my previous statements on that subject, as I’m sure my agent informed you.

Well, actually he didn’t.

He didn’t? Wait just a minute. *dialing on cell phone* Mitchell, darling! You’re fired, you incompetent boob! *hangs up, smiles sweetly* Now…where were we?

What’s your favorite color?

Deep red. You might call it wine or burgundy.

You were well known for your style. If you were alive today, would you pursue a career in fashion?

Women today have so many options. You really don’t know how lucky you are. However, back to your question: I believe I’d go into politics, though I wouldn’t rule out the fashion world as a side business. I think I’d design jewelry though, rather than clothing. What is that quaint little expression you young folk use? Ah, yes: I love me some bling.

What’s your favorite song?

Ooh! I can’t think of the artist, but it goes like this: “Don’t’cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? ”

Any last words for our readers?

I’d like everyone to know that I was really a rather nice girl considering my background. Henry corrupted me. The lesson that all women should take from this is to be careful who you love. It’s easy to lose your head over a man.

Great advice! Thank you so much for joining us. I’m sure our readers will learn a lot from this interview. And good luck to you in future history books.

Thank you. It’s been my pleasure.

That’s all for this week. As always, thank you for reading.  Be sure to join us next time as we interview Jane Seymour...no, not the actress, the queen. 

Hello and welcome to the first in a series of posts wherein I interview dead people who made a splash in history.  Per the request of my Facebook fans, we will begin with the wives of Henry VIII, and who better for the very first post than his very first wife?

***Disclaimer: this is all in good fun, and no actual communing with the dead has occurred.  Unless otherwise stated, yours truly wrote the answers and most of the questions.***

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Catherine of Aragon...

Thank you for joining us today.

It’s my pleasure.

First off, how’s the afterlife treating you?

I can’t complain.

You were Henry VIII’s first wife and it is well documented that you retained your affection for him even after he tossed you aside like an old glove. What was he like as a young man?

Old glove? I don’t think I much care for that phrase. As a young man, Henry was quite charming. Handsome, tall as an English oak, so sensitive and vivacious, and learned. In truth I never saw him as otherwise. The years did not touch him that I noticed.

So you were in love with him, then?

Of course. What woman who knew him wasn’t?

Is there anything you’d like to say on the subject of Anne Boleyn?

Well…the less said about that little tart, the better.

Her daughter Elizabeth turned out to be one of the greatest monarchs of British history.

Of course. Mistress Boleyn wasn’t without her qualities, few though they were. But young Elizabeth clearly took after her father. Her success is really a tribute to Henry. After all she barely knew the tram-…I mean, her mother.

It’s pretty well documented that Henry was a skank. How did you deal with his mistresses, most of whom were chosen from your ladies-in-waiting?

People have this idea that I was miserable as the long-suffering wife. True it did hurt at first, but in my time it was to be expected of a royal husband. Henry had a short attention span. He was always getting distracted by the latest shiny new thing. That was just the way he was.

It’s been said that your faith sustained you throughout the ordeal of being married to Henry and being removed from your position as queen.

My faith was always a great comfort. In a situation such as mine what else was there? Even had I not been raised in the faith, my marriage would have steered me toward a belief in a higher power. Henry was simply too changeable to be a final authority on much of anything.

Tell us about Prince Arthur.

I didn’t really know him well, but the time we had together was spent conversing on the spiritual and the philosophical. His health and inclinations really didn’t permit anything else. He seemed a fine young gentleman, though he was less than sanguine about the prospect of ruling, and there was absolutely no spark between us.

You insisted on retaining your title as Queen of England even unto your death. Why is that?

I think that should be fairly obvious. His Holiness refused to grant an annulment therefore I was still the rightful queen.

Yes, but Henry broke with the Catholic Church and created the Church of England with himself at the head.

I do not recognize the Church of England. I knew Henry had ego problems, but really—assuming God’s authority? That is a bit much. Besides, the annulment he granted himself was based on the premise that Arthur and I had consummated our union, and that did not happen.

How do you feel about your daughter Mary’s reign as Queen? About the persecution of Protestants that earned her the nickname Bloody Mary and spawned a perfectly hideous nursery rhyme?

The media can be so horrible, can’t they? The situation grieves me deeply.

That’s it? That’s all you have to say?

My lawyers have advised me not to comment further on this matter.

Oh, I see. Well then…what can you tell us about your parents?

They were like any other royal parents I suppose. Both were very busy. Mama could be quite distant at times, but we never doubted her love. Papa was really the one we would go to with our troubles. He was quite jovial and good-natured. Henry reminded me of him a great deal in that way.

Do you have a favorite color?

Green.

Really? I would have pegged you as more of a golden type.

I’ve always loved green—it’s part of the reason I felt so at home in England.

I’m afraid that’s all the time we have for today, but I want to thank you for taking time out of your…eternity(?) to join us. I’m sure our readers will be thrilled.

And I wish to thank you for offering me this opportunity.

Well…you’re welcome.

That’s all we have for today, readers. Please join us again next time.
 

Raise your hand if you're sick of summer!  Nobody?  Just me?  Well then...

So it's been a long several months in KateWarrenLand, with the kids out of school causing the usual chaos.  The family has been sick, one kid managed to stay up an entire! night! (insert huge dark circles under my eyes), and I've done the usual complaining about the heat, wishing I could move, etc...

I haven't posted in months, so to get back into the swing of things, and add a bit of excitement, how about a giveaway?  Who wants a free eBook?

First five comments win a copy of a new time-travel romance by up and coming author Angela Quarles.  The title: Must Love Chainmail.  This is the second in her Must Love series (the first was Must Love Breeches, set in the Regency period and yes I did love it).  Have to tell you, I've already read MLC and you are in for a treat!  So without further ado, here are the goods...

Trapped in the wrong time, she needs a knight in shining armor, but this damsel in distress might be the real savior.

A damsel in distress...

With a day planner attached to her hip, the last thing Katy Tolson wants is a romance that threatens her well-ordered life. She's set to marry the safe--but bland--guy, but something's not quite...right. A careless wish thrusts her through time into medieval Wales and into the arms of...

A knight in somewhat shining armor...

Sir Robert Beucol, half-Norman and half-Welsh, lives with the shame of his father's treason and vows to reclaim his family's holdings and thereby his honor. To prove himself to his king, he must be more Norman than a full-blooded Norman. What better way to show loyalty than to fight his mother's people? He has no desire to be sidetracked by the mysterious wench with pink toenails, peculiar habits, and passion smoldering behind her cool, collected exterior.

A rebellion that challenges both...

The Welsh uprising fits perfectly into Robert’s plans. Katy’s on the other hand? That’s a no. As they embark on a perilous journey through the heart of Wales, each passionate encounter pulls them closer together, but farther from their goals. When everything they value is at stake, can they save each other and their love?



Please mention your preferred eBook format in your comment.  Good luck!

Kate

Hello again and welcome back to KateWarrenLand, a place of enchantment...well not so much enchantment as chaos, but some people do find chaos enchanting.  This will be my last WeWriWa post for a while. I can't keep up (with most things lately) and I feel bad when I don't get all my visits made. Also I will be attempting a small goal for Camp NaNoWriMo's April session, in an attempt to get me back on track for finishing The DeFord Chronicles, Part II.

Speaking of Franken-novel...this weekend's excerpt continues from the one posted two weeks ago. Fair warning: it's not a happy eight.  In Chapter 24, the royal physician is having trouble isolating what is wrong with the princess and one of her ladies-in-waiting, the queen is fuming at her own helplessness, but there are others in the room as well.  The first line refers to the physician.


          He had applied leeches, and spoon-fed tonics to the patients, so far to no avail. 
          Lady St. Robert, at her own daughter’s side was weeping silently, bathing Lilia’s head with lavender water.  Her husband stood at the foot of the bed, stunned and helpless.  Lord Stanley St.Robert, respected by the king, wise in matters of the world, victorious in battle, could do nothing but stand silent watching his daughter’s life slip away.
          The door flew open and the dowager duchess of Langdon entered along with her son and a very tall, dark man who had arrived with the duke, but had been seen little at court.  She curtsied deeply and began to speak without leave, knowing that their majesties’ minds were on more important matters than formalities.  “I have brought Bashir.  He is an expert healer.”


The dowager duchess is the mother of the duke who is in love with the princess.  Said dowager is a formidable woman, and not one to sit back while the girl her son loves is in danger.  She's also a lot of fun to write.

I'll see you around the web, and I'll be back to posting regularly again at some point. Just not sure when. Thank you all for the kind words and support you always offer.  

Kate

Welcome back to the weekend everyone!  Spring is officially spring-ing.  The first of my crocuses (croci?) are up.  The yellow ones, lifting their petals to the warmth of the air, and announcing that the robins will be returning soon.  Don't know about you, but the sunshine, blue skies, and warmer temps are helping me a lot.
 
The consensus last week seemed to be that continuing was the best option.  While I would have loved to give you the end of that scene, it was only four sentences, so instead we'll head right into the next scene, which is also the start of Chapter 24.  Same crisis, different perspective.

          “What is it?  What is doing this to them?  How can you not know?”  The queen demanded angrily.  There was not a woman in Frandia who had as much power as she but there was no order, no command she could give that would fix this problem.  
          “I beg your majesty’s patience.  I am doing my best to determine the cause of the illness.” The physician replied calmly.


I wouldn't want to be in his shoes at this moment.  That is one high-pressure situation, treating a princess of the realm and the daughter of another powerful family as well and not knowing what you're treating.

This weekend is the opening of the new Cinderella movie, and I will be taking my daughter to see it.  That means I'll likely be late on most, if not all, of my WeWriWa visits, but I will get them done. :)

Kate

Hello friends. Life has been slamming me pretty hard this last week, so I'm going to keep my ramblings to a minimum and let you get straight to the excerpt after a shout-out to the awesome writers who participate in Weekend Writing Warriors.  Click on the link in the text, or on the image above to find your new favorite authors!

The vote was nearly unanimous to continue from last week's eight, so here we go. Does Princess Therese love Christian?


          The dowager duchess was certain she already knew the answer—who could help loving Christian—but she was not the one who needed to consider that fact.
          “She does.” He said quietly.  “She loves me.”
          “Then she will need you.”  His mother put a gentle hand on her son’s arm.  “She will need your strength.  Go to her--give her a reason to fight, to live.”


So that's the answer to the question.  Would you like to see what happens in the next scene, or shall we go back to random?  See you all around the hop, and next weekend as well.

Kate

Happy Weekend, everybody!  Click on the image above to visit the Weekend Writing Warriors, and read awesome eight-sentence snippets by awesome writers around the world.

The cold which plagued me last week is gone, but I'm still really tired. Seems I don't recover as well in my less-young age as I used to.  Anyhow, this week we're moving on from Duncan and Gillian to...whatever shows up on the page as I randomly scroll through the monster manuscript (which remains unfinished). 

This week we've landed in chapter 23. There has been an attempt on the lives of two of the princesses, leaving one princess and an innocent lady-in-waiting unconscious and in danger of dying.  The Duke of Langdon is explaining the situation to his mother, having briefly seen the princess lying insensible on her bed before bolting from the room.


                    
          “I cannot go back there.” Christian declared.
          “Nonsense.  You may be a boy, but you are also a duke and you will do your duty in this time of trouble.”  He looked ready to argue the point but she forestalled him with a question.  “Do you love her?”
          In his unhappy state it did not occur to him to deny it, particularly not to his mother who could always tell when he was being less than truthful.  “I do love her, mother.”
          “And does she love you?” 



Poor Christian has awful timing on this, as he's nearly engaged to someone else due to his late father's arrangement with a nobleman with a marriageable niece. Of course the princess has it worse. 

Let me know whether you'd like to continue from here next week, or go random again.

Kate