Scandalous Women
No, we’re not actually giving away scandalous women today…that would be illegal. Author Elizabeth Kerri Mahon has graciously offered to let me pick her brain AND she’s giving away a copy of her book Scandalous Women to one US reader.
I really enjoy Scandalous Women (does that sound funny to anyone else but me?). The book is a series of short chapters, each a profile of a woman who scandalized her contemporaries. I read one every evening–it’s great fun!
So, with no further delay, let’s meet Elizabeth! Leave a comment for her if you’d like to a) win this book, b) be entered into my monthly LOVE TO READERS contest.
Welcome to the blog!
As you know, I’m a big fan of your blog, Scandalous Women. You always find the best stories about ladies who shake things up. And now you’ve got a book by the same name! Tell us about your latest release!
Thanks Lisa for having me! SCANDALOUS WOMEN is about the lives and loves of some of history’s most notorious women. The book examines the lives of about 35 women from Ancient Times to the 20th century. Everyone from Queens, mistresses, artists, and crusaders are in the book. Some women people will recognize such as Cleopatra and Anne Boleyn, but there are several women who are less familiar to the general public like Carry Nation and Ida Wells-Barnett.
You must get this a lot, but who is your favorite scandalous woman?
You know that’s a really hard question! Hands down, it’s a toss up between Anne Boleyn and Emma Hamilton. I loved that Emma came from nothing and ended up the wife not only to the Ambassador to Naples but was also loved by one of England’s greatest heroes, Lord Nelson. She used the one commodity that she had which was her beauty but she also worked to improve herself, she learned French and Italian, singing and became a great friend to Maria Carolina, the Queen of Naples. Not bad for a girl born dirt poor near Wales. And Anne Boleyn, she’s always been my favorite wife of Henry VIII. She managed to keep him entranced for over ten years, and she gave birth to arguably England’s greatest Queen, Elizabeth I. Oh, and Henry VIII broke with the Church of Rome, becoming Head of the Church of England.
Where can readers learn more about you?
Readers can find me at my blog Scandalous Women which is http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.com
Favorite TV show: The Good Wife
Color socks you’re wearing: Purple
Pets: None
Hobby: Ballroom Dancing
Book you’re reading right now: SINS OF THE HOUSE OF BORGIA
One personal item on your writing desk: picture of my parents
Favorite calorie-splurge indulgence: Sachertorte
One thing you would change about yourself: I’m Impatient
Your greatest wish for the world (one word): Peace
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Want in on this scandalous action? Leave a comment for Elizabeth to win!
this sounds like a wonderful book. i would love to read it. i have always thought that they were only called scandelous until the rest of the world finally caught up with them and then they were called visionaries or trendsetters. i think i would have loved to have been a scandelous myself. besides it sounds like i would have been in good company.
“Scandelous women” sounds like a great book ! What a great idea …I dislike the word Scandelous, they were women that had the ability to stand up and take a stand
I look forward to reading this book !:)
Thank you for the interview and giveaway, Elizabeth and Lisa. Please enter my name in the contest.
I too love the scandalous side of history. My favorite scandalous woman is Heloise. Is she in the book?
Keep up the good work!
I would love to win this book because scandalous women are never boring! If Heloise is not in the book, I would love to read about her anyway, Would really love to win this book.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Hi,
What a wonderful compilation of stories. I too find Anne Boleyn fascinating.
I see you enjoy ballroom dancing. My husband and I are in a chat-chat routine with 5 other couples for our instructors annual dinner dance. We enjoy it too.
… Ruth
This post was fascinating and unique. The women mentioned deserve recognition and this book sounds memorable as are these women. Thanks for this delightful and insightful interview.
I am a follower on twitter and often retweet. nice work:)
Thanks for the interview. Like you, I really am enthralled by Anne Boleyn. What’s even more exciting is that I was able to watch the story of Ann and Henry unfold on The Tudors.
I adore scandalous women, the naughtier -the better.
I can’t dance anymore due to having very bad asthma.
Just one question for you about Sins of The House of Borgia. I did get the book and really struggled through to page 102 then gave up. I just couldn’t get to grips with it. Did I give up too easily? One of my sisters’ is currently watching the series on Showtime and she just raves about it. It’s probably jucier on the telly than the book. lol
Elizabeth -
I just wanted to let you know how much I love your blog Scandlous Woman and your reviews. I’ve found they are definately spot on!
If you were reviewing your book Scandolous Woman what is the first thing that you would point out to readers? I can’t wait to read it notorius women thru the ages. I never would have thought of Cary Nation as scandolous but instead forward thinking! The book sounds fascinating.
Please enter me in this contest. Can’t wait to read the book. Love your books Lisa. Just had knee surgery and have lots of time to read. If I am not reading feel like I am ready to go insane. Not use to not working. Should be happy but everyone else is working.
Hi Ruth, yes I do love ballroom dancing. Right now I’m taking salsa, American samba, rhumba and swing. It’s so much fun to watch Dancing with the Stars since I have some knowledge of what they are performing.
Jeanne, Carry Nation was forward thinking but the way that she went about it was certainly Scandalous for the time, running around with a hatchet, setting herself up really as a brand, with the Carry Nation pins and other paraphenalia that she was pushing. She really rubbed the women in the Temperance movement the wrong way because of her tatics. She was certainly notorious.
I think the first thing that I would point out to readers is that this is not a history book, I consider myself to be a reporter of history not a historian. I’d also point out that ever since the Garden of Eden, women have been active in history, making waves.
Mary Anne, Heloise is not in the book but she was one of the first women that I wrote about. I hope to return to her story in a future book.
This sounds like a really good book to curl up with,cant wait to read it,thanks for the great post an interview
vlbelk(at)hotmail.com
I would love to change my impatient self as well. This sounds like a very intriguing book. Thanks for the giveaway.
Hi Elizabeth!
your book sounds great! One of the things that I find fascinating about “scandalous women” is how a lot of times it was women simply being themselves, and being strong, confidant , and smart instead of meek, passive, etc that made them scandalous!lol
I loved reading about Anne Boleyn too. Though my favorite of the wives of Henry to read about was his first, Catherine, because she’s the one who survived for a long time. I found that interesting.
I have trouble reading books that are a compilation of stories or articles or something like that, but this does look interesting! I think I’ll look at the blog. And I think the word scandalous is quite fitting for the women so far mentioned, since they broke molds in their time periods. Right or wrong, that’s a scandal!
Scandalous women sounds like a very interesting read!
Hello old friends and new!
And thanks again, Elizabeth, for coming on the blog!
All this talk of ballroom dancing…Matt and I have been thinking about trying to sneak in some lessons before our wedding, but there’s just not enough time in the world!
I have to say that I like Catherine too (in terms of Henry’s wives). But maybe I just feel that way because I liked her on the first season of the Tudors.
Elizabeth–I love that you call yourself a reporter rather than a historian. Maybe that’s why your book is so readable!
Elizabeth – I’ve always loved scandalous women. Especially Mae West! I’ve collected some of those small books that have one liners by women like she.
I would love to read your book.
I have promised myself I would expand my horizons in my reading material – Scandalous Women sounds like the book to let me do that! I am really looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
Sounds like an interesting read! I’ve put Scandalous Women on my TBR
list as of today. Thanks for the giveaway!
Pat Cochran
I would love to read this book. It sounds wonderful.
I would love and be honored to win this book. I think scandalous in not the right word for these women..they are women who stands up and defends themselves and are not owned by any one person. Independent sounds good but scandalous adds FIRE and that is what we want to think. ha ha susan Leech garysue@dejazzd.com
Lisa –
I’m glad that you pointed out the different slant reading from a reporter’s point of view instead of a historian is one of the things that make Elizabeth’s books so interesting. I often wonder though when reading the newspaper if at times there isn’t more fiction than fact in the articles – especially here in Rhode Island.
PS: This is also a plug for Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier which is set in Rhode Island and for anyone who hasn’t already ready to run don’t walk to the bookstore to buy it! I loved it and highly recommend.
Brenda,
I’ve written about Mae West on the blog as well for RWA NYC’s newsletter. I find her endlessly fascinating, even though she became something of a caricature of herself in her later years.
Bella,
that’s an interesting point. Yes, these women were just being true to themselves, but unfortunately the mores of the time, meant that they were Scandalous. Particularly Jane Digby who went through 3 divorces at a time when even getting one was almost impossible.
Jeanne, You are so sweet! Thank you for the Slow Dancing plug. I have to admit–I was holding my breath to see if you would like it, since I know you’re from RI. I’m glad I can put the question to rest!
If you post your plug on Amazon or B&N, I can get you on my VIP list to receive a free bronze bookmark! (If you didn’t already,) Thanks!!!
Elizabeth, I LOVED reading about Jane Digby. Actually, I read her chapter twice. Her story is so out of this world–seems completely impossible. It’s not as if she bent the rules within her culture; she busted through them and might as well have made a home for herself on the moon! Just incredible. I’ll have to read more about her..
Your book sounds wonderful. I really ant wait to start reading it..I love reading about strong women taking back their control in a situation. I need to pick up 2 copies one for me and one for my mother. She is on her own for the first time in her life and needs that little extra push to make her see woma are strong and can do any thing they want too..Thanks so much
Heidi
I also loved the interview..
You know what they say about good girls… They seldom make history.
Your book sounds like a great read!
Jane Digby is fantastic, and her great-great however many greats niece Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward Harriman is just as interesting. Daughter-in-law of Winston Churchill, and then finally later in life Democratic party fundraiser and U.S. Ambassador to France.
Another favorite is Violet Trefusis. I would love to write a book just about Violet’s mother Mrs. Keppel, Violet and then Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. 3 Scandalous Women in one family!
I didn’t think about women in the past being scanalous. you can think of some of the past duchess in the royal family. I would love to know if there is any in any of the royal families in other countries?
horseunicornkey@aol.com
The book Scandalous Women sounds interesting…all my life I’ve heard of some of these women but didn’t really know their story..would love to read about them.
Arn’t we all a little scandalous at times…maybe just a little bit. Sounds like a good book for summer reading.