C.W. Gortner’s fascination with history, in particular the Renaissance, is a lifetime pursuit. He holds a Masters in Fine Arts in Writing with an emphasis on Renaissance Studies from the New College of California and has taught university seminars on the 16th century. In addition, he travels extensively to research his books. He’s experienced life in a medieval Spanish castle and danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall; dug through library archives all over Europe; and tried to see and touch — or at least gaze at through impenetrable museum glass — as many artifacts of the era as he can find.He wrote his first novel in his teens and started pursuing publication in his mid-twenties. After thirteen years of rejection, he independently published his debut novel of suspense in the Tudor Court, THE SECRET LION, which was praised by the Historical Novel Society as “one of the most exciting debuts in years” and went on to become a Barnes&Noble.com hourly bestseller. After independently publishing his second novel THE LAST QUEEN, he was discovered by his current agent, who sold THE LAST QUEEN via auction in a two-book deal to Ballantine Books, Random House. Published in hardcover in July 2008, THE LAST QUEEN became a Marin Independent Journal bestseller and is currently being translated into eight languages. Ballantine will publish his third novel THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI in 2009.
C.W. is half-Spanish by birth, fully bilingual, and was raised in Fuengírola in southern Spain. He lives in Northern California with his partner and their beloved Corgi. In addition to his love for writing, he is a passionate advocate for the environment, animal rights, and literary causes.
He is represented by Jennifer Weltz at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, Inc., and welcomes visitors at his website: http://www.cwgortner.com.
You know me...I'm a HUGE fan of The Last Queen -- it's one of the best, if not the best, books I've read in 2009. And I am off-the-wall excited for Confessions of Catherine de Medici!!! C.W. Gortner rocks! :)
ReplyDeleteI know it is by far one of the best books I have ever read. He made a crazy situation make logical sense from a womans stand point.
ReplyDeleteI quit Devil Queen because I just was not feeling it so much and I would rather my first read about Catherine be some one who actually inspires me. Which I know C.W. will do.
I haven't read The Last Queen yet but I have it near the top of my reading list. I recently saw Mad Love about Juana and it has made me want to read the book more now.
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ReplyDeleteYou have to read it I know you would love it and probably become a new favorite for you. We have almost identical taste and well you would just love it.
The Last Queen is really awesome, and I look forward to the Medici book as well. He is a wonderfully supportive author to bloggers as well!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy that he is really on the ball when it comes to bloggers it makes everything so much easier.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun to be involved with such a active author in the blogspear.
This is, hands-down, the best book trailer I have ever seen, the gold standard of book trailers. It's like a History Channel documentary and really makes you want to read not just THE LAST QUEEN, but C.W.'s other writing as well. Book trailers have never worked for me before because they've been static and didn't provide a compelling reason to pick up the book, but the footage of Spain in addition to images of the era in C.W.'s trailer, combined with his History Channel-style interview about Juana and 15th/16th c. Spain really makes the viewer eager to experience the journey, the world, and the book -- now!
ReplyDeleteGreat job, C.W.!
Stop reading my mind Leslie. I too thought this was the best book trailer I have ever seen. I love the fact that it is like a history channel show. Did you catch the part where it talks about how they still have not released documents on her to this day.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your very kind comments! The trailer was produced by ExpandedBooks, a marvelous company in Los Angeles; they worked very hard with Ballantine's marketing department and me to get the right "tone." Like Leslie mentioned, I too have found book trailers are often "static" and we wanted something that was both entertaining and informative. I'm so pleased it works!
ReplyDeleteI too have noticed that trailers can be so boring. This one though is like C.W. belongs on the history channel. I throughly enjoyed it and it was the first trailer I watched the whole way through.
ReplyDeleteI can not wait for the Catherine one!