Monday, February 7, 2011

Guest Blog & Giveaway with Michelle Moran

I'm excited to welcome back Michelle Moran to my blog. She is the author of Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, Cleopatra's Daughter and her latest release is Madame Tussaud, A Novel of the French Revolution...

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.

Visit Michelle's webiste at http://michellemoran.com/
Check out Michelle's blog at http://michellemoran.blogspot.com
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MADAME TUSSAUD
A Novel of the French Revolution

By: Michelle Moran
Coming February 15, 2011

The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin.

Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.

As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.

Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?

Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.

Where to buy:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders | The Book Depository
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GIVEAWAY:
Thanks to Michelle I have an awesome giveaway to offer you guys. One lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Madame Tussaud (hardcover) & a pair of Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings.  To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to everyone! The winner will be announced on February 22nd. Good Luck!!


48 comments:

  1. Would absolutely love to read this. I've seen a number of reviews on it.
    rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com

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  2. I would love to read this! It sounds so interesting :)
    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

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  3. Can't believe this giveaway is open to everyone! Would love to read this book.
    cynthia627 at gmail dot com

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  4. I would love to win this book. I am a big fan of Michelle Moran.

    mishamary@gmail.com

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  5. I would really like to win this book but I am afraid that Michelle would not want to send it to me.

    I won a book from a contest on her website about 6 months ago and when she sent it it was returned to her. It was then re-sent to me at quite a hefty cost and again returned to her.

    I was never advised of the books arrival by our postal service so never had a chance to collect it but I fear this may have made her reluctant to post to me should I get lucky.

    Anyway to good a chance to miss, so please enter me and I am holdings thumbs.

    Thanks

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  6. I would love this book. Sounds very fascinating.

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  7. Please count me in! I would love to read this. It sounds fascinating:)
    k_anon[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk

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  8. I would love to read this book. Please enter me marcie.turner@yahoo.com

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  9. Beautiful cupcake earrings! And looks like such a great book! Please enter me in the contest! Thanks!
    apereiraorama[at]gmail[dot]com

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  10. Not entering. Just stopping by :)
    Gonna read this book soon

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  11. I really want to read this one - thanks for the giveaway!

    cmdaphne(at)tds(dot)net

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  12. Sounds like a great read....

    vidishamun[at]gmail[dot]com

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  13. Lovely, please count me in!

    delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  14. I would really love to win this book. Madame Tussaud must have been so intelligent and a talended sculpter. Her name is know so well so long after she died.I have read a lot of reviews and all of them are very postive. Have my fingers crossed.

    Thank you for this giveaway.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  15. I love this author! Her book bout Cleopatra's daughter was great! bookgeeksrule AT gmail DOT com

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  16. Please enter me in the giveaway. Michelle's historical fiction is sone of my favorite reading.

    justpeachy36@yahoo.com

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  17. This looks like an interesting and different sort of book.
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

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  18. Thanks for the awesome giveaway! I'd love to win this, please count me in!

    chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com

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  19. It sounds like a very interesting book.



    lillieblue613@gmail.com

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  20. I adore this author. I would love to be entered!

    Ladytink_534(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  21. I love French history! Please count me in.

    the[dot]distant[dot]light[at]gmail[dot]com

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  22. Oh I have been wanting to read this book, especially after going to the museum in London. Thanks! openlaela at yahoo dot com

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  23. Those earrings are beautiful! Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
    Amy J
    djsfoxylady @ gmail.com

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  24. I think Madame Tussaud's story is fascinating! I'm loving the reviews for this as I'm learning more from each one.

    meredithfl at gmail dot com

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  25. I would love to read Madame Tussaud :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
    theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

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  26. This book has been on my to read list for some time. It sounds amazing.
    lamtvg@gmail.com

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  27. This really does sound fantastic! I love historicals!

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  28. This book looks so good, I'd love to win.
    Stephanie
    thegirlonfire27 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I would love to read this. Thanks for the giveaway :)

    ellen[dot]c[dot]jones[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk

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  30. What a fascinating history behind Madame Tussaud. I had no idea! I'd love to be entered in the giveaway!
    Thanks for the chance!

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  31. SOunds very interesting! I would love to be entered :)

    yavampire(at)hotmail.com

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  32. This sounds really good! Please enter me. I would love to read it! Thank you!
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Please include me in your giveaway.
    Thanks
    Debbie
    debdesk9(at)verizon.net

    ReplyDelete
  34. I'm sure this would be a fabulous book; would love to win it! Thanks for the chance.

    safoga at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I can't wait to read this!!!

    lovemybabysquid@yahoo.com

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  36. I've heard a lot of buzz about this book! can't wait to give it a try

    hense1kk aT cmich dot edu

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  37. I really want to read this, and the lovely earrings are a very cool added touch!

    Amy // artsyrockerchick at aim dot com

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  38. would love to read this

    sweetkarma212@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  39. This looks like a book I would enjoy.

    ama_bling-bling AT hotmail D0T com

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  40. The book sounds wonderful and those earrings are great!

    bittenbooks at gmail dot com

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  41. This book looks good!

    sykorova.p@gmail.com

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  42. The earings are beautiful§ I love them!!! And I'd really like to read this book, it seems interesting. Thank you for this giveway.

    maniezkelly@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  43. It seems like a really interesting book!
    I'd like to read it"

    thais_rpc(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  44. I am interested in this fascinating book.Thanks~
    thebookish96(at)gmail(dot)com

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  45. Sounds intresting, would love you read it

    Kayleigh_jude@hotmail.co.uk

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  46. I kept seeing this novel pop up in the blogosphere and love the beautiful cover! :-)

    Sounds absolutely exciting!

    I would love to experience living in Ancient Greece or Rome, then the Regency period and then the '20s. I would love to be a time traveler and spend a week each month in a different era :-)

    Thank you for the generous giveaway and for making it international!

    stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  47. I would love to read this book it sounds so interesting!
    Thank you so much for this great giveaway.

    forceofstars(at)yahoo(dot)dk

    ReplyDelete
  48. I'm looking forward to reading this book.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    megalon22 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete

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