Guest Author: Beth Elliott

This week on Unusual Historicals, we're welcoming Robert Hale author Beth Elliott, whose latest Regency romance, APRIL AND MAY, is set in Constantinople. Here's the blurb:

In Constantinople, 1804 Rose Charteris comes face to face with Tom Hawkesleigh, who broke her heart four years earlier. And now she is forced to work with him on a secret mission for the Ottoman Sultan.

The tension rises further when Kerim Pasha, the Sultan's chief and very handsome minister, falls for Rose's English beauty. A spirited heroine, two handsome suitors, danger everywhere...

***

'Plenty of wit, gusto, flair, charm and warmth! An unmissable treat for Regency fans everywhere!' ~ Single Titles

'An enjoyable read.' ~ The Historical Novels Review

' A sparkling romance.... Dive in and enjoy.' ~ Myshelf

***

A "yali", a waterside mansion where wealthy Turks spent the summer months.
Can you explain what the title APRIL AND MAY refers to?

Rose, the heroine, has her early romance cut off short, so her April comes to a frosty end. Later, she gets a second chance to blossom and we leave her as she reaches her May.

Tell us why you set this story in Constantinople.

Constantinople is a fascinating city, a blend of Eastern and Western elements. It has many exotic buildings and a long and rich history so it makes a wonderful setting for a story in any period. I also love the fact that the city is divided into three parts by the sea. Each part has a very distinct character yet they are tightly interlinked.

When I researched the history of the late Eighteenth Century I found that both the British and the French were desperate to have the Ottoman Sultan as their ally. Selim III, the Sultan at that time, knew that to save his empire from being swallowed up by the Russians, he had to modernise his army, even though his generals wanted to carry on in the traditional way. He was very pro-European and was seeking help either from Napoleon's French officers or from the British. That gave me a suitable reason for Tom to be in Constantinople in 1804. He is the secret agent advising on modern methods.

On a personal level, having a Turkish husband, I experienced much Turkish hospitality and came to understand their way of life. It is incredible how honoured a Turkish family is to receive a guest. I wanted to convey that in the story. My husband had worked as a tourist guide in his student days so he loved taking me to visit important historical sites. And when he showed me round these famous places, including the Harem in Topkapi Palace, he was always full of anecdotes to make the visit even more colourful.

The newly restored Fruit Room in the Harem.
So is this story based on your own life?

Only in showing Turkish customs from an outsider's point of view. Rose, the heroine, is interested in the Ottoman way of life, but not even the powerful and handsome Kerim Pasha, the Sultan's chief minister, can tempt her to stay in Constantinople. I like my heroines to have a choice of men but the truth is that Rose and Tom have never resolved the issues from their earlier romance. Until she can do that, she is not interested in any relationship.

I also turn the idea of being an outsider on its head, when Kerim Pasha comes to London and we see him observing the English way of life with eager curiosity. Rose and Tom have to unite their efforts to look after him, which draws them together again.

Are you planning any more stories with exotic settings?

THE RAKE'S CHALLENGE, which comes out in July, is set in Brighton. The Royal Pavilion there is about as exotic as you can get! And the hero is fascinating…

And I'm currently working on another Regency-set novel which opens the door onto the Eastern side of life in Constantinople. There are feasts in exotic palaces and festivals of Ottoman style events--and a drop-dead gorgeous oriental hero.

***

Thanks for stopping by today, Beth! Readers, Beth is giving away signed books to two winners. Just tell us which qualities you like to see in a hero. I'll draw the winner next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

Excerpt Thursday: Beth Elliott

This week on Excerpt Thursday, we're welcoming Robert Hale author Beth Elliott, whose latest Regency romance, APRIL AND MAY, is set in Constantinople. Join us Sunday when Beth will be here to talk about this fascinating setting, and give away a copy. Join us then! Here's the blurb:

In Constantinople, 1804 Rose Charteris comes face to face with Tom Hawkesleigh, who broke her heart four years earlier. And now she is forced to work with him on a secret mission for the Ottoman Sultan.

The tension rises further when Kerim Pasha, the Sultan's chief and very handsome minister, falls for Rose's English beauty. A spirited heroine, two handsome suitors, danger everywhere...

***

Rose draped the white silk shawl over her shoulders to cover the low neckline of her flimsy tunic. She grimaced as she ran a hand over her hair, pulled back in a long, thick plait. But no, she was not going to cover her head. That would give the messenger the wrong impression and cause alarm at the embassy. Feeling weary and cross, she followed Fatma down two floors to the reception room. She padded silently over the soft rugs that were spread everywhere. The elderly maidservant led her across a wide central hallway and pushed open the double doors at the far side.

'Salon,' she said, giving Rose's bare head a disapproving look as she stood aside for her to go in first.

A tall figure Rose recognised at once was pacing back and forth in the opulent room. His hands were clasped behind his back. His face seen in profile was rigid. Sudden alarm made Rose forgot all the awkwardness of confronting Tom again.

'H-have you had bad news from Cairo?'

At the sound of her voice he whirled round and stood as if turned to stone. For a long moment he simply stared. At least it gave her time to find her composure. Her unruly heart was beating at a terrible rate. It must be due to her bitter anger at having to see him.

There were subtle changes in him from the eager young man he had been. This was a man who had faced danger many times and triumphed, a man who carved his own path through life's hazards. And the years had made him even more handsome, his face so chiseled, his hair bleached blonder by the hot Mediterranean sun. His dark eyes, always expressive, were scorching her as he looked her up and down and down and up. His face darkened.

'So they have put you in the harem!' he growled at last.

She raised her brows. 'If you are referring to my garments, our kind hostess has given us fresh clothes while our own are laundered.'

'Yes but...' he opened his hands in an impatient gesture. He glanced around and seemed to listen. His gaze came back to her. Rose understood. Of course, someone was listening to their conversation.

Women Did It Better: The Reign of Women

By Lisa Yarde

In Ottoman Turkey of the 16th and 17th centuries, when religious and cultural mores kept most females secluded behind harem walls, five generations of women fulfilled their quest for influence. Each entered the Ottoman world as a slave, where the love of a powerful man meant access to power. They dominated the lives of their husbands and sons so that each became the power behind the throne, and influenced policy through their men. This period became known as the Reign of Women (Turkish: Kadinlar Saltanati)

Hurrem Sultan (appx. 1500-April 1558): Her name meant 'the laughing one' in Persian. While historians are not entirely sure of her origins in either the Ukraine or Poland, it is clear that when Hurrem entered the harem of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the teenage beauty captivated him. Soon, he put aside his then favorite, Gulbehar, and the heir apparent, their son Mustafa, and devoted himself to Hurrem.

She bore him at least five surviving children: four sons named Mehmed (born 1521), Selim (born 1524), Bajezit (born 1525) and Jihangir (born 1531), and a daughter, Mihrimah (born 1522). Eventually Suleiman married Hurrem and recognized her as his only legal wife, which his subjects viewed with horror, as the Ottoman rulers for almost a century before had taken only concubines.

In 1541, when the palace reserved for royal women burned to the ground, she moved into Suleiman's residence. It would not be the last time Hurrem shocked the court. She influenced Suleiman in the murder of his childhood best friend and grand vizier, Ibrahim Pasha, because he supported Mustafa's claim to the throne. Her son in-law Rustem became Suleiman's advisor, and with her support, swayed Suleiman to murder his eldest son. In this way, Hurrem ensured the ascension of her second surviving son as Selim II. She exchanged diplomatic letters with the Polish king Sigismund II Augustus, ensuring peaceful relations between the two states. Long after her death, her influence remained the political actions of her daughter Mihrimah, who also advised Suleiman.

Nurbanu Sultan (1520s-December 1583): When Cecilia Venier-Baffo, niece of Sebastiano Venier, the Doge of Venice, entered the harem of the future Selim II in 1537, her status quickly went from noblewoman to slave. She must have quickly deduced by the experience of her master's mother, Hurrem Sultan, that a woman could wield influence in the Ottoman court.

Interior of Atik Valide (Mother of the Old Sultan) Mosque, commissioned in Nurbanu's name.
She gave Selim three daughters before their son and heir, Murad, was born in 1546. She also became his legal wife. When Selim II succeeded his father in 1566, Murad remained his principle heir despite the births of five other sons with different women. At Selim's death, as the Valide Sultan (queen mother), Nurbanu hid his passing until her son could arrive from his post as a governor of an Ottoman province.

She immediately began her influence in the court of Murad III, so much so that the Venetian ambassador to the Ottoman court once remarked, "all good and bad come from the queen mother." She corresponded personally with Queen Catherine de Medici of France, and ensured her son's government adopted a pro-Venetian policy. When Murad's grand vizier Sinan Pasha commented that the counsel of women should not affect the empire, she had him dismissed in the year before her sudden death.

Safiye Sultan (1550–early 1600s): Nurbanu Sultan did not have any notable rival for her husband's affections, but the arrival of a new slave in Murad's harem, Safiye, tested the Valide's power over her son, Murad. Safiye entered the prince's household in the 1560s as a teenager. Her origins were likely Venetian, given her pro-Venetian interests. Born Sofia Baffo, she might have been a relative of Nurbanu.

She became Murad's favorite and he remained so devoted to her and to their children that his mother begged him to take other concubines instead of relying solely on his son, Mehmed by Safiye, as the potential heir. He must have followed Nurbanu's advice resolutely, eventually fathering twenty sons and twenty-seven daughters with his concubines. History does not record how Safiye must have felt about this interference. When Nurbanu died in 1583, Safiye became free to exercise sole influence over Murad. He died in 1595 and their son, Mehmed III, succeeded him. While Mehmed remained in power until 1603, Safiye managed affairs for him during the Austro-Ottoman war in Hungary.

Kosem Sultan (1590–September 1651): Mehmed III fathered a son, Ahmet I, who became ruler of the Ottoman Empire in 1603, at the age of thirteen. Before that he had spent several years in isolation in the Golden Cage, an apartment built on the orders of Selim II and reserved for princes younger than the reigning sovereign. Two years later, a fifteen year-old Greek girl entered his harem, re-named Kosem. She gave him at least three surviving sons, Murad, Bajezit and Ibrahim.

Unfortunately for Kosem, Ahmet died in 1617 and his brother, Mustafa I, succeeded him. All that time in the Golden Cage in his youth made Mustafa crazy. Courtiers deposed him twice before Kosem's son, Murad IV, came to the throne in 1623 at the age of eleven. His youth required the appointment of the Valide Sultan Kosem as his official regent. She presided over meetings of the Divan, her son's cabinet, from behind a curtain where she remained secluded from view. It was the first time in Ottoman history where a woman played such a prominent, official role.

Murad proved to be a cruel ruler in his majority, prohibiting drinking and smoking, while he abused both habits. His younger brother Ibrahim soon showed signs of by the same madness that affected Mustafa I. Kosem's hope that her remaining son Bajezit might succeed his incompetent brother ended when Murad ordered Bajezit's death after losing a contest to him. When Murad died in 1640 at the age of 27 because of his drinking, Kosem had to coax a fearful Ibrahim out of the Golden Cage. His ineptitude allowed her to oversee the empire again.

Turhan Sultan (late 1620s-mid 1680s): One night, in a fit of madness, Ibrahim I ordered 280 of his concubines drowned in the Bosporus Sea. One of the women who apparently survived this purge was Turhan, the Ukrainian-born mother of Ibrahim's heir, Mehmed. Turhan had arrived in the empire at the age of twelve, a gift from the Valide Sultan Kosem to her deranged son.

In August 1648, when courtiers murdered Ibrahim, Turhan should have inherited the position of Valide Sultan, by Ottoman tradition. Instead Ibrahim's mother Kosem re-asserted her power and took control of her seven-year old grandson, Mehmed. Both women divided the court into separate factions supporting their quest for power. Perhaps Kosem believed she could eliminate Turhan's power if she removed Mehmed.

In September 1651, she arranged for his assassination, but met her own death at the hands of Turhan's supporters. Kosem hid in a cabinet, but the conspirators discovered her and strangled the sixty-one year old with a curtain. Turhan reigned supreme as Valide Sultan, also serving as official regent for her son during his minority. When she died, the Reign of Women ended.

Guest Author: Michelle Willingham

This week on Unusual Historicals we're welcoming back Michelle Willingham, whose Harlequin Historicals Undone short story, "Innocent in the Harem," is set in 1565 in the Ottoman Empire. Michelle is a RITA® Award Finalist of over a dozen books and novellas. Today she joins us to talk about this short story and her her other fantastic Harlequin projects!

Prince Khadin knows his days are numbered. His death could come at any moment, but even he cannot help but be distracted by the Bedouin princess he sees making a daring bid for freedom from the slave market. Even in captivity, her courage and purity attract Khadin to her as much as her beauty. Unable to resist the temptation, he takes the maiden back to the palace harem—to be brought to him at night...

***

Tell us about "INNOCENT IN THE HAREM" and the background history of the story.

"INNOCENT IN THE HAREM" follows the journey of Laila Binte Nur Hamidah, a Bedouin horse whisperer, after she escapes slavery and is brought to Prince Khadin, the (fictional) son of Suleiman the Magnificent (also spelled Süleyman, 1494-1566). They share sensual nights together, even knowing that each night may be their last. And though Laila longs for her freedom, the longer she remains with her prince, the more she longs for both of them to escape the dangers of the palace.

In real life, Suleiman had eight sons, whom he sent off to various provinces within his kingdom, in order to avoid rivalry between the heirs. If one of his sons posed a threat to the throne, the sultan could have him killed. Nearly a hundred years later, princes might be isolated in The Cage, which was almost a form of house arrest. Some of them went mad from the confinement, while others were poorly prepared to rule, having been kept apart from palace life.

Murder, plots of intrigue, and danger were all a part of palace life. Even the concubines were fiercely competitive. One tried to kill another woman's son by throwing him into the baths, because sometimes the sultan would often make the mother of his child into one of his wives. I used this as a plot element for my hero, along with another true story where a woman traded her turn on the sultan's couch and was executed for it. Real life was definitely filled with danger!

What made you decide to write about the Ottoman Empire as a setting?

This was a personal challenge for me. I've been writing both Irish medievals and also in the Victorian time period, but I knew absolutely nothing about the 16th century Ottoman Empire. The exotic setting of a harem was fascinating to research, not to mention that the clothing was completely different from kirtles and petticoats. I'd always wanted to do a setting that was very unusual, and it was such fun to learn about the customs and the area of the Topkapi Palace. For me, it was like doing an Arabian Nights setting.

What was the most interesting bit of research you came across?

There were two things, that stood out to me. I never realized that the sultan's mother, the valide sultana, was involved in choosing which women the sultan slept with.

Second, it was surprising to find out that the blood of princes could not be spilled, so poisoning and strangling were the preferred methods of execution.

What's next for you after this?

My next short story for Undone will be released August 1st and is titled "PLEASURED BY THE VIKING." It leads into my next book, SURRENDER TO AN IRISH WARRIOR, which is the last in my Irish medieval MacEgan Brothers series. It's available August 1st from eHarlequin.com and September 1st in retail stores.

I'm offering up three prizes today for three lucky commenters. First, a free download code for "INNOCENT IN THE HAREM." Second, a code for "PLEASURED BY THE VIKING." And third, a signed advance copy of SURRENDER TO AN IRISH WARRIOR. All you have to do is tell me which would be your favorite hero: a Turkish prince, a Viking, or a medieval Irish warrior? Good luck!

***

Thanks for stopping by, Michelle! Visit Michelle's website for a list of current releases, excerpts, and more information.

Readers, what a great bunch of prizes. To make it clear, I'll be drawing three winners next Sunday. Let me know which hero you prefer, or if all three make your mouth water. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

Excerpt Thursday: Michelle Willingham

This week on Unusual Historicals we're welcoming back Michelle Willingham, whose Harlequin Historicals Undone short story, "Innocent in the Harem," is set in 1565 in the Ottoman Empire. Join us Sunday when Michelle will be here to talk about this short story and her her other fantastic Harlequin projects!

Prince Khadin knows his days are numbered. His death could come at any moment, but even he cannot help but be distracted by the Bedouin princess he sees making a daring bid for freedom from the slave market. Even in captivity, her courage and purity attract Khadin to her as much as her beauty. Unable to resist the temptation, he takes the maiden back to the palace harem—to be brought to him at night...

***

Ottoman Empire, 1565

Laila binte Nur Hamidah's heartbeat shuddered within her chest as she stood beside the other women in the slave market. The heat of the sun sent a bead of perspiration sliding beneath the ferace that covered her body. Fear paralyzed her, but she held her posture straight. All she could do was watch the other women and await her turn upon the auction block.

The air was a stifling blend of tobacco, spices and coffee, foreign odors that made her all-too-aware that she didn't belong here. When the next young maiden was stripped and inspected, strangers touched the slave's breasts and bottom, testing her skin for firmness. They examined her like a prized mare, fit for breeding. A hard lump formed in Laila's throat. Was this to be her fate? Fondled and pinched by strangers, humiliated before everyone?

Her vision swam, and she took a deep breath, trying to center herself. She tried to envision her father and brothers...the familiar black tents of the Bedouin camp. The lilting voice of her mother as she told stories that had been passed down for generations.

No more. They were gone, killed in battle when a neighboring tribe had attacked. Laila had tried to flee, only to be captured by the enemy. And now, here she stood. Her appearance and her virginity had kept her value high, which was why her enslaver had left her untouched.

With a light shove, she was forced to step upon the block of wood, a whip resting at her shoulder. "Do exactly as I tell you," the slave merchant ordered. "If you are fortunate, you may be taken into a man's harem to become a concubine. If you resist, you will feel the lash against your tender skin." Callused hands tore the ferace away, exposing her to the crowd.

Laila stared straight ahead, her teeth clenched. Ropes bound her wrists, and the crowd of men watched from below. She refused to cower before them, defeated . Regardless of this shame, she would survive it. The cold fear metamorphosed into a purpose--before she was handed over to a master, she might find a chance to escape.

Her gaze fastened upon the Arabian mares tethered nearby. Their necks craned with unrest, their hooves pawing at the ground. These animals were not meant to be crowded, nor did they like it.

If she could get close enough, she might be able to steal one of the horses and escape. There had to be a way to leave the marketplace. If she could only find it . . .

A man, wearing black robes and a white turban around his head, rode forward, blocking off the mares. His wealth was evident from the stallion he rode and the rubies set within the horse's bridle. Behind him, she spied a dozen guards, and she wondered who he was. A pasha or a lord, perhaps. She wondered what had caused him to stop. Noblemen rarely ventured within the marketplace.

She met his gaze without shame, not bothering to feign a demure presence before him. Though she was completely unclothed, she refused to surrender her pride. By the grace of Allah, she intended to free herself from this nightmare or die trying.

She ignored the hands reaching toward her and the lustful stares. Instead she remained focused upon the horses, determining which mare would obey her command. It would not be easy. Most Arabian horses were loyal to their masters; intelligent creatures who would balk at being taken. She had to find the right one.

As the men continued to bid, the pasha rode closer, his gaze fixed upon her. Laila stared back, surprised to see such blue eyes shaded by his turban. His face was darkened by the sun, his jaw firm. His features held an exotic cast, like a man whose mother was a great beauty, perhaps a woman from Al Andalus or farther north. He rested his hands upon his saddle, absorbing the atmosphere and ignoring the merchants who dared to approach him, asking if he cared to bid for her.

Laila met his curious expression, and then turned her attention back to the horses. The desperate need to escape consumed her. She would not be distracted by any man, not even a handsome one.

The pasha stared at her a moment longer, but at last, turned away. The merchants followed behind him, trying to cajole him into making a purchase. Raucous voices sounded in the marketplace. "My lord! For you, only one thousand kurush!" When he continued on his path, the merchant offered, "Nine hundred!"

The slight distraction was the opportunity Laila had been waiting for. She wrenched her ropes free of her captor, leaping off the block toward the horses. Running swiftly, she heard the crack of the whip. The tip of the lash missed her but caught the delicate skin of the mare, ripping through the horse's flanks. Furious, the mare reared up in pain, her hooves striking out.

Once again, the slave trader cracked his whip, and the other horses began to strain against their tethers, baring their teeth. Laila knew better than to step in front of enraged animals, but she had only precious seconds before the men might seize her again.

This was her last and only chance.

Guest Author: Diane Whiteside

This week here at Unusual Historicals we're happy to have Diane Whiteside back with us as she celebrates her May 25th Kensington Brava release, THE DEVIL SHE KNOWS, set in 1870s Arizona and Constantinople! Here Diane chats with fellow author Jean Marie Ward for us here at Unusual Historicals.

Portia Townsend once nursed an intense crush on her childhood playmate, Gareth Lowell, until he shattered her hopes of a future together and blindly treated her like a child. Nine years later, her vengeful ex-husband has blackmailed her into helping him overthrow the Turkish sultan. Alone and desperate, Portia must turn to the only man who can help, even if it means risking heartbreak once again.

Gareth learned all too young just how easily and brutally happiness could be destroyed. Portia is the last person he wants to see, but he can't refuse to help her, no matter how much that may cost him. And in the corrupt and deadly city of Constantinople, two damaged souls may find the ultimate treasure.

***

Why 1885 Constantinople?

I spent a high school summer traipsing around Italy and Greece, including a bunch of islands this close to Turkey. My group was supposed to take a weekend excursion to Constantinople (now called Istanbul) but it was cancelled at the last minute. When my heroine needed to get into trouble someplace far from her rich--but clumsy--father, and wealthy but super-protective uncle, I immediately thought of Constantinople.

Thankfully for my story's plot, the British and Russian empires had nearly started a world war there. Only the Turkish sultan's uncharacteristic defiance of Britain stopped that catastrophe from happening. (Wow, did he pay for that insolence, too!) As soon as I learned that, I knew I had my external conflict--and my reason to send Portia and Gareth to Constantinople.

And give me an excuse to happily wallow in research...

How did you begin researching the time and place?

The first places I looked for information were my beloved Russian and British nineteenth histories of the era. That was a bad idea, since they were so Anglo-centric that I couldn't get any sense of what life in Constantinople was like.

Turkish histories tend to focus on the earlier, more glorious portions of Muslim rule under the Ottoman dynasty, such as the mighty warrior Suleiman the Magnificent who built many mosques and married the glamorous Roxellane. THE DEVIL SHE KNOWS is set during Ottoman Empire's final twilight when it's being carved up by European powers--and the latest, fanciest building in town is where European bankers gather the empire's taxes, to ensure the interest on the sultan's debts is paid before anything else. That's just not how you'd prefer to remember great men's legacy mouldering into dust.

The most useful Turkish histories for me were the ones about the founding of the modern Turkish state. In 1922, Mustafa Kemal (or Ataturk) led the formation of a modern, secular Turkey and threw out the European and Russian armies who'd occupied Turkey after World War I. From my narrow perspective as a novelist, he also changed Turkey's alphabet from an Arabic-based one to Latin and fulminated against decadent Constantinople. This resulted in its name getting changed to Istanbul and Turkey's capitol moving to Ankara, a small city located high in the central mountains.

Of course, the alphabet change meant that many common phrases are translated differently into English by scholars, depending on whether you're discussing nineteenth or twenty-first century Constantinople (or Istanbul). Research sources also vary, depending on if you're looking for Constantinople (or Istanbul).

Where did you find your best material?

Decadent Constantinople was fabulously attractive both to foreigners--and to today's Turks who are moving into the city. Old Ottoman houses and textiles bring big prices and people want to restore them. Destination weddings in Turkey are very popular, especially for the British. What better clothing to wear than traditional Ottoman garb in a traditional Ottoman ceremony?

Interior decorating books about Istanbul were endlessly useful, as were "off-the-beaten-path" DVDs. Destination wedding websites could be readily double-checked against cultural museums for information on clothing and textiles. The thriving Turkish fashion and food industries are very proud of their historical antecedents, which also provided information.

What was the inspiration for your characters?

Gareth Lowell was introduced in THE IRISH DEVIL, the first of my Devil books, and Portia Townsend arrived in THE RIVER DEVIL, the second book. They met--and Portia fell in love--during THE NORTHERN DEVIL, the fourth book. I'd promised my fans and myself that this book would be about them.

I've always enjoyed the British Navy's move from sail to the first, sleek dreadnoughts. My villain's love of them reflects mine--and my father's. This gave me an excuse for my villain's background in the Royal Navy.

What surprised you about the period?

Nineteenth century Constantinople respected its womenfolk; who'd have expected that, after multiple books set in nineteenth century Europe and America? The Muslims in Constantinople were monogamous and had been so for decades, if not centuries. Slavery had been unknown for years. Women spied on their menfolk, just as much as the men spied on each other. Okay, so everybody spied on each other, in a totally democratic fashion. Husband on wife and vice versa. Brother on sister, father and daughter, etc.

Women could even hold property and be robbed in court, just like a man. Romance novels were a thriving business, which hints at even broader intellectual independence.

What were the greatest challenges you faced in presenting the time and place to a 21st century audience?

Constantinople was incredibly cosmopolitan, with an immense variety of people and religions. Sixty percent of the population was non-Muslim. The sultan was also the caliph so he was the head of the Muslim religion everywhere, even outside the Ottoman Empire. Therefore, all the different Muslim sects could be seen in Constantinople visiting him. This undoubtedly led to some fascinating diplomatic tensions, especially since Muslims from what is now Iran and Iraq were not part of the Ottoman Empire--but were still remarkably respectful of the sultan's status as caliph.

The religious festivals were very heterogeneous, with some incorporating elements of ancient Greece and Rome.

Yet the sultan was extremely paranoid because he'd seen too many assassinations in his immediate family. Espionage was a booming business and nobody trusted anybody else because the sultan always rewarded spies, whether or not their information was correct. After all, it might be the next time, right?

I hope I correctly painted that incredibly colorful street scene, where everybody looked over their shoulder.

When did you know that you'd gotten it right?

Bindalli embroidery is a style of Ottoman embroidery, done in gold thread on a crimson velvet background to resemble a tree with a thousand branches. At a wedding, the "abducted" bride is first wrapped in a bindalli cloak to show her acceptance into her husband's family. Then she's dressed into bindalli clothing as the month-long celebration progresses. (Bindalli clothing is made in separate pieces, such as a caftan, so it can fit different figure types.)

Bindalli embroidery is very beautiful and very expensive, since it requires the finest workmanship and materials. Like most Ottoman embroideries, it's also highly valued for its lineage. Unfortunately, the art of making it faded during the twentieth century.

While researching Gareth and Portia's wedding, I wanted to know if Portia would need to wear a bindalli caftan or if I could get away with just the bindalli cloak. So I asked my Turkish-American friend, who's lived in the US since she was a child. She promptly told me this was nonsense, since everybody wore regular wedding dresses. (YouTube has many videos of Turkish brides in white wedding dresses.)

I took a deep breath and asked her to check with her mother. My friend grumbled but said she would.

She came back the next day, very excited. Her mother wanted to know how on earth I'd learned about bindalli? The old women of her generation are now busily teaching young women to do it for destination wedding costumes and the fashion industry. (The Turkish fashion industry is developing an intriguing sideline for the modern Muslim woman who wants to look stylish but still respectable and traditional.) My friend's mother was even more surprised that I knew the difference between bindalli cloaks and caftans, since the cloaks had to be fully embroidered which makes them much more expensive.

It was a wonderful ah ha! moment before I returned to more obsessive researching for my next novel, THE DEVIL IN HIS EYES.

Thanks for inviting me to chat at Unusual Historicals!

By day, Diane Whiteside builds and designs computer systems for the government. By night, she escapes into a world of alpha males and the unique women who turn their lives upside down. Noticing the lack of a husband to keep Diane in line, her German Shepherd stepped up to the plate and makes sure that Diane does everything The Right Way--which means lots of walks and dog treats. For more information about Diane plus her alpha males, unique women, and dogs, please visit her website.

Jean Marie Ward is the author of fiction, nonfiction and all points in-between. As editor of Crescent Blues, the multi-genre web 'zine, she helped provide some of the greatest interviews and reviews on the web from 1998-2005. Her latest short story is the contemporary romance "Hoodoo Cupid" from Red Rose Publishing and she's the co-author of FANTASY ART TEMPLATES. She can be found at her website.

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Thanks for stopping by, ladies! Readers, if you would like to be entered for a chance to win a signed copy of THE DEVIL SHE KNOWS, please lease a comment for question for Diane. I'm sure she'd love to fill you in on more marvelous details about her research and travels, and to hear your opinions about this unusual setting! I'll draw a winner at random next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

Excerpt Thursday: Diane Whiteside

This week on Excerpt Thursday we're happy to have Diane Whiteside back with us as she celebrates her latest Kensington Brava release, THE DEVIL SHE KNOWS, set in 19th century Arizona and Constantinople! Join us Sunday when Diane will be here to answer questions and give away a signed copy. Here's the blurb:

Temptation this hot is worth the sin...

After avenging the murders of his family, Gareth Lowell headed west to put his demons to rest. Though several years have passed, he still carries the weight of his sins and doesn't believe he deserves to be loved--even by the beautiful Portia Townsend. He's known Portia since she was a young girl, and though she's blossomed into a voluptuous woman, he resists the deep longing she stirs in him.

When Portia realizes Gareth will never see her as anything more than the feisty, silly girl she once was, she decides to move on. Trouble is, Portia has once again gotten herself into a dangerous situation, and the only way out is to marry Gareth--if only temporarily. Turns out getting hitched was the easy part, while giving up a scorching passion is the last thing either are willing to admit...

Even a devil deserves the love of a good woman.

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The wind dived and tore Gareth's clothes, fast as a hawk striking at a dove. Sunshine might make the day warm and bright, but it also gave predators far too many advantages.

"It's a beautiful mosque," Portia commented.

"Even more so, on the inside," Gareth agreed absently.

Perhaps if he craned his head a little more, he might spot something which would reveal St. Arles' intentions, here at Constantinople's highest point. Or was he on a fool's errand, looking for clues amid the chaos of an old bazaar quarter?

"To have an ancient Greek church next to it, plus the ruins of another, is grand," Portia cooed in a splendid impersonation of sightseeing awe. "Where else could I see such wonders in one place?"

He grunted an acknowledgement, far more interested in that British warship. Had she moved out into the harbor a little more?

"And this Roman wall." Portia clucked her tongue. "Did it truly stop invaders for more than a thousand years?"

Gareth pulled his attention back from the distant Golden Horn's waters to his very close wife and the pile of rubble beside her.

Portia. His beautiful, courageous, stubborn friend, who insisted on calling him her husband. Even though she knew what he'd done in the past and that he planned to walk away from her in the future. Somebody to ride the river with, as his father would have said.

Portia, a woman he didn't deserve.

"Do you believe this wall could stop invaders again?" she asked, her cheeks nicely flushed by the wind.

If he bent his head a little more, he could pretend the single cypress tree concealed them from passersby and kiss her.

"Yes, it's Roman," he said softly, his lips very close to her ear.

Most importantly, he could pretend they had a future together.

"Yes, it did stand for more than a thousand years, including through multiple earthquakes."

Her lips trembled in a large, round O.

Movement beyond her shoulder caught his eye.

Gareth lifted his head--and reluctantly thanked God for the interruption. Kissing Portia rattled his wits far more than gunplay ever had and he couldn't afford to lose any edge now.

"But our Ottoman overlords let it fall into decline two centuries ago, Lady St. Arles," said a French accented voice. Familiar but not extremely so.

"In the same manner as they themselves forsook all manly pastimes and sank into the pits of degradation," growled another, far too well-known voice. The revolutionaries' leader at the palace, dammit.

Guest Author: Sarah Parr

Welcome to our Sunday guest post featuring Kensington Debut author Sarah Parr. She's here to celebrate the release of her first novel, an adventure romance called RENEGADE, set in 1762 Constantinople. Here's the blurb:

Far from England, alone for too long, Captain Jonathon Barry is captivated the instant he saw Jaline--she is too magnificent not to notice. There is a grace to her movements, an elegance to her bearing, that sets her apart even before she lifts her exotic black eyes or speaks. Her voice is intoxicating, soft as velvet with a sweet, lilting quality, as she recounts an evil bargain made against her will. She is to be his mistress, and he may do with her as he pleases...

Jonathon is deeply torn, for Jaline is indeed his by right. She is only a slave, the prize he has won in a Constantinople gambling den. Trembling, bared to him, body and soul--he can see how cruelly she has been treated. It is clear that Jaline is in danger still and he may well be her only hope. Yet even a renegade like Jonathon would risk anything to save so beautiful a woman...and to love her, if she will let him.

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Thanks for stopping by today, Sarah! So tell us about what sort of romance you write.

I write historical romance adventures. They are page turners--think Romancing the Stone and Indiana Jones with a heavier dose of romance. The pace is fast, the action is quick and the romance is hot.

Why did you choose Istanbul for your opening location?

I fell in the love with it, studied it and had the chance to visit it a few years ago. In 1762, it was known as Constantinople. The Seven Year War in Europe was coming to a close and power--power was shifting and the Ottomans were close to falling. Exciting and exotic, it was the perfect place where Jonathon and Jaline could meet.

What was your journey to publication?

RENEGADE and the untitled sequel that comes out in July 2010 are the first two manuscripts I have written. I sold them at my first RWA conference after my first editor meeting with Hilary Sares. It has been a whirlwind! Before writing, I worked for Carnival Cruise Lines in marketing and sales.

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Reviews:

"Lyrical, sensual, passionate." -- Shannon McKenna

"With non-stop action, humorous situations and plenty of emotion evoking scenes RENEGADE is one book that demands the reader’s attention right from the beginning." -- Romance Junkies

"Parr's debut is a wild ride of an adventure." -- Romantic Times

"Sarah Parr pens a wonderful tale that is both sparkling and fresh." -- Coffee Time Romance

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Again, thanks to Sarah Parr for joining us today! If you'd like a chance to win a copy of RENEGADE, leave a comment or question. I'll select a winner on Monday evening, after I get back from vacation! So you have plenty of time to enter and no excuse not to throw your name into the hat. Good luck!