Painter of Romance - Edmund Blair Leighton

Edmund Blair Leighton

I'm not a huge fan of art. I never learned the true appreciation of it in High School, however there are a few artists that have captivated me. One of them is Edmund Blair Leighton. I'm sure you've seen these paintings around at one time or another, but if not, you're in for a treat today. Because his paintings are gorgeous. 

Leighton paints what is referred to as "historical genre scenes" with a very romantic feel. Typically, they are regency or medieval era. I'm including a few of my favorites with this post. :D

Edmund Blair Leighton was born in London, England on September 1, 1852. He attended college at both the University College School and the Royal Academy School. He began exhibiting his work in 1874 at the Royal Academy, and succeeded. Apparently, he did well enough as a professional painter to support his wife and two children. For Edmund's family, painting was a heritage. His father was a painter, which aided in Edmund's acceptance into Royal Academy, and interestingly enough, Edmund's son also followed in their footsteps and chose painting as a profession.

Accolade (1901)
Public Domain

Because I adore his art so much, it was shocking to me that Leighton was not considered among the ranks of truly great artists. In his obituary, which was printed in a magazine, Leighton was "a painter who, though he did not attain to the higher flights of art, yet played a distinguished part in aiding the public mind to an appreciation of the romance attaching to antiquity, and to a realisation of the fellowship of mankind throughout the ages."

Next Door Neighbor (1893)
Public Domain

Appreciation of the romance attached to antiquity. That must be why I like his work so much. :) To me, his work captures stories in still form. I could stare at them for a long time imagining what is happening in that scene. 

What do you think of his work? Who is your favorite painter?

 

The Grimke Sisters - Similarities and Differences

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Tuesdays are my favorite day here on the STT blog because it's the historical tidbit day. :D

Sarah Grimke

Today I thought I would share a little bit about the Grimke sisters, a pair of ladies who fought for civil rights during the Victorian era. I studied them while writing 12 Sisters Who Changed History, and their lives fascinated me. They were the first female advocates of abolition and women's rights in America.

Sarah Grimke was much older than Angelina, however they always shared a special bond. Raised in South Carolina on a plantation, they witnessed slavery first hand and God ignited a fire in their hearts to abolish it. They were pivotal instruments in the anti-slavery movement in America. They even supported President Lincoln in his fight to end slavery during the Civil War.

Angelina Grimke

The two sisters were quite different in personality, and even differed greatly in their beliefs and exercise of faith, but that never drove them apart. This is one of the aspects of their lives that fascinated me the most. Sarah, for example, was very intent on finding the will of the Lord even in daily mundane tasks. She didn't trust her own judgement of such things, so she would fret and worry over whether or not she had made the right decision. Is it the Lord's will for me to sweep the house today, or should I do that tomorrow?

Angelina on the other hand, was confident in the Holy Spirit's influence and guidance in her decisions. She would pray over a matter, make a decision, and move forward trusting that the Lord would work it out.

However, despite this interesting contrast, the two sisters had the same passion, and used the same methods of oratory and writing to advocate for their cause. The work they accomplished together makes them heroines of the American culture.

I discuss the Grimke sisters and their influence on America in more detail in 12 Sisters Who Changed History.

Speaking of that book, I have an exciting announcement. 12 Sisters Who Changed History has been nominated for the Christian Indie Award! But this is a vote-driven contest, so if you feel 12 Sisters is worthy of the award, I'd love it if you'd take just a moment to click over and vote for us.

You'll find us under the NONFICTION - BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR category. (You do not need to vote for every category if you don't want to.)

https://www.christianpublishers.net/19votes/

Boston and All Its Wonders

Good morning, friends! Amber coming to you today from the backseat of the traveling van.

There's nothing quite like visiting a place you have read, dreamed, and even written books about. Especially if you're visiting that place for the first time. This week, that's where I find myself. In the heart of New England experiencing all the history I have only read about. From the streets of Boston to the lighthouses of Maine, I am so excited to be standing where so much history and so much beauty converge!

So today I thought I'd upload a couple of pictures just to tell you what I've been up to.

Replica of the Boston Tea Party ships

We had the privilege of visiting the Boston Tea Party museum, where we saw the only surviving tea chest from the Boston Tea Party.

Posing with my buddy Sam Adams at Griffens Wharf

We've also seen the site of the Boston Massacre, Old North Church, the Paul Revere house, Lexington common, and the gravesite of Sam Adams.

Inside the Old South Meeting House

One stop that has been SUPER cool for me, is hearing the echoes of the halls where Samuel Adams made many of his speeches during the struggle for independence: the Old South Meeting house as well as Faneuil Hall.

Faneuil Hall

 Studying the life of Sam Adams was so much fun and so inspiring. The man was a dedicated Christian and a passionate patriot. Writing Dawn of Liberty was an honor, bringing this ambiguous character to life on the page. Since then, I have longed to walk the streets of Boston and see the city he so loved. Actually being here is surreal.

If you'd like to see more pictures and tidbits from our trip, you can join our newsletter. 

In the mean time, leave a comment to get your name in this week's drawing for an ebook edition of Dawn of Liberty!

Weekly Windup: Still Time to Enter for Adela's Prairie Suitor by Elaine Manders

Welcome to the Weekly Windup! We have a winner to announce!

Winner of 12 Sisters Who Changed History (ebook) by Amber D. Schamel is...Irene Smith!

  If you are a winner, please Contact Us to claim your prize.

This Week's Giveaway:

  Adela's Prairie Suitor (ebook) by Elaine Manders

A clean, Christian romance novella about a Victorian era, western mail-order bride.
Most of the ladies attending the Harvard Annex hope to attain a quality education and advance the status of women--except Adela Mason. All she wants is marriage and a home of her own.
After corresponding with Byron Calhoun, a Kansas farmer, for several months, she's convinced he's the man God has chosen for her. She accepts his invitation to visit the farm so he can "court her properly."
Byron finds Adela as sweet and charming as her letters have indicated, but will she marry him when she finds out he's in danger of losing the farm?
Worse, how can he even convince sweet Adela to stay when his ex-fiance and mother are doing everything they can to run her off?
Prequels to the long historical novel series, "Intrigue Under Western Skies", the Annex Mail-Order Brides novella series follows three courageous young women who find love through the mail.
Check it out on Amazon

Comment on any post now through July 30th to get your name in the drawing! Winner will be announced in the July 31th issue of the Weekly Windup.

 Paperback giveaways are for U.S. residents only.

Coming up this week:

Monday, 7/23: Devotion by Catherine Castle
Tuesday, 7/24: The Music of WWII by Terri Wangard
Wednesday, 7/25: TBA
Thursday, 7/26: Revealing Light, a book review by Linda Shenton Matchett
Friday, 7/27: Interview with Arthur Wilcox by Pegg Thomas
Saturday, 7/28: Character Interview with Cynthia Roemer

New Release Fun, Games and #giveaway - 12 Sisters Who Changed History

Raise your hand if you love new releases!


I do too. :D And since this week is special, I've got some fun games and giveaways lined up.

Wanna know why this week is so special? 
It is the release week of my very first EVER non-fiction title, 12 Sisters Who Changed History. This book tells the remarkable tales of 6 pairs of sisters who ended up changing the course of history. It was so much fun to research the history behind each of these women, and all of them have so much that we can glean from their lives.

Who is my favorite pair of sisters?
It's really hard to pick a favorite pair of sisters, but I really, REALLY enjoyed researching Rachel and Leah. In fact, my research for this book changed my opinion of them. I used to think of Rachel

Where did the idea come from?
Since I come from a family of 12 children, siblings are a favorite subject of mine. So when I was looking for a new blog series, I was intrigued by the thought of Sisters who changed or impacted history. That blog series went so well, and I had so much fun that I decided to expand it into a book.

Ready to see the cover?!!! Here's a jigsaw puzzle of the book cover, just for fun.

 

What do I hope readers take away from the book?

12 Sisters is so much more than just a biography of 12 women. It shares the main events in these sisters' lives, how they related to each other, and how they impacted the world. Besides being inspired by these amazing characters and the fascinating history readers will encounter, I hope they also walk away thinking about what they can do to change the world for the better.

While we're on the subject of sisters, Share with me your fondest memory with your sister to get your name in the drawing for an ebook copy of 12 Sisters Who Changed History!

 About the book:

The remarkable lives of twelve sisters who changed the course of history.

Historians paint pictures of amazing men and women who influenced the world, but seldom do we hear about sister duos that forever altered the course of history. Whether fighting together—or against each other—these twelve women set armies to flight, guarded homelands from invasion, transformed countries and religious systems, and begat nations. From mythical Athena and Artemis, to the English thrones of Mary & Elizabeth Tudor, the influence these women left behind is taken for granted. Join us on an inspirational journey through time as we explore the extraordinary lives of Sisters Who Changed History.

*Athena & Artemis (Ancient Greek Mythology)

*Rachel & Leah (Ancient Palestine)                                                                   

*Tru’ng Trac & Tru’ng Nhi (Vietnam)

*Mary & Anne Boleyn (England)

*Mary & Elizabeth Tudor (England)

*Angelina & Sarah Grimke (United States) 

Ebook only $2.99 on Amazon or Smashwords