Dear Reader,

A few years ago, I became very hungry for a book. The book I had in mind would be a true story about a woman who'd lived a big, bold, thrilling, adventurous life. The kind of life we all dream of living. I wrote down a list of possible subjects; Joan of Arc was on that original list, as were Cleopatra, and Jeanne Baret (the 18th century French botanist and explorer).

Almost as soon as I began reading about Joan of Arc, I completely forgot about the other women on the list. No one else had such conviction. Such faith. Such ferocious courage. Also, unlike so many of history's great women, who were famous for standing behind great men, Joan stood alone. Behind no one. Her desire was her own; her glory was her own; her downfall was her own.

A great number of books have been written about Joan of Arc over the years, and some, particularly the biographies, are superb. But to my surprise, no one had ever really tried to imagine what it was like to actually be Joan of Arc, to imagine what it felt like to be that 16-year-old illiterate farm girl who believed that God spoke to her every day, the one who forever changed the course of European history. That's the book I want to read, I thought. That's the one I'm hungry for. And so of course, I had to write it.

I hope you'll enjoy reading The Maid as much as I enjoyed writing it.  

Yours,

Kimberly Cutter   

About The Maid

The story of Jehanne d'Arc, the visionary and saint who believed she had been chosen by God, who led an army and saved her country, has captivated our imagination for centuries. But the story of Jehanne -- the girl -- whose sister was murdered by the English, who sought an escape from a violent father and a forced marriage, who taught herself to ride and fight, and who somehow found the courage and tenacity to persuade first one, then two, then thousands to follow her, is at once thrilling, unexpected, and heartbreaking. Rich with unspoken love and battlefield valor,

The Maid is a novel about the power and uncertainty of faith, and the exhilarating and devastating consequences of fame.

Reviews of The Maid 

"Cutter brings fresh insight to the story of Joan of Arc in this dynamic page-turner...The exhilaration of her many triumphs on the battlefield, the bloody combat, the deadly jealousies and political machinations that begin her undoing, and her tragic end are portrayed with vivid imagination and brio. In this stunning debut, Cutter pays vibrant homage to this legendary woman." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)  

"A fiery portrait of one of history's most exalted heroines. Cutter's lavish imagery is outstanding and her dynamic characters are truly absorbing. The Maid is a triumphant re-imagining of a courageous, faithful and remarkably resilient woman."  

-Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana and A World on Fire  

To learn more, visit Kimberly's publisher page or follow her on Twitter. 

Kimberly Cutter is available to speak with your book club. Contact Kimberly to arrange a discussion.

Fiction / 256 pages / Hardcover
William Morrow / October, 2011

Christmas in Sugarcreek is a stand-alone novel that is connected to my series, The Seasons of Sugarcreek. It was a joy for me to return to the world of the Amish family the Grabers, their English friends the Allens, and the whole assortment of friends and relatives who make up the Amish community in Holmes County, Ohio. I hope you will pick up a copy of Christmas in Sugarcreek and see for yourself why I love their world so much.    

Celebrating Christmas in Sugarcreek means gathering with family and friends, making holiday baskets for the less fortunate, and finally finding the courage to love. Celebrating Christmas in Sugarcreek  means giving thoughtful yet simple gifts, eating at crowded dinner tables, and driving a horse-drawn buggy through the snow.

I hope you will enjoy my latest novel and fall in love with the old order Amish family who are the center of the Sugarcreek series of books. Perhaps you'll sympathize with Judith, who feels overlooked and underappreciated in her large family, or root for Ben to finally have a place to call home. Or maybe you'll enjoy Lilly's search to find the perfect gift for her husband, a man who values experiences rather than material things.

SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY IS GIVING AWAY 5 COPIES OF CHRISTMAS IN SUGARCREEK.  ENTER TO WIN A COPY.

Visit Shelley's website or Facebook page, and learn about her book tour:  to celebrate the release of Christmas in Sugarcreek, Shelley will be touring in Amish Country (view tour listings).

The Tigress of Forlì 

by Elizabeth Lev

Nonfiction / 336 pages / Hardcover

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt /  

October, 2011  

 

Dear Reader,

 

I was raising two children and writing a thesis in a small town in Northern Italy when I met Caterina Sforza, the Tigress of Forlì. Raised in the Ducal court of Milan, Italy's industrial center then as now, she had known every privilege of city life. She had then moved to Rome and become the darling of the papal court with her portrait done by Botticelli, but by age 21, all that was over and she was relegated to a relative backwater with a dissatisfactory husband and six kids to raise.

 

But after a life of luxury, it would be adversity that transformed her into a hero. Her husband's murder, threats to her lands, poverty, all brought out the best in Caterina. So much so that the ruthless Cesare Borgia found her his most formidable foe in his plan to conquer Northern Italy.

 

I was enthralled by her story, from her political gambits to her trials as a mother trying to raise her children in a tough  world where life often hangs by a thread. But besides her action-packed life, she also opened vistas on the most exciting centers of Renaissance Italy, Milan, Florence and Rome, allowing me to see these famous cities through the eyes of a contemporary of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and the Borgias.

 

I hope those of you who love stories of Italy, or adventure, or exceptional men and women will enjoy this book; every chapter taught me something new about a period I thought I knew a great deal about, whether it was developments in artillery in the 15th century or the proper diet of pregnant women in the Renaissance. But mostly, Caterina taught me a lot about myself and the amazing things one can achieve in any age with enough courage, determination, and perseverance.

 

About The Tigress of Forlì   

Reviews of The Tigress of Forlì   

To learn more, visit Elizabeth's publisher page.

Elizabeth Lev is available to speak with your book club. Contact Elizabeth to arrange a discussion.