It's Friday - What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
A weekly catch-up from Jodi Taylor
This week, we have:
A video message from Jodi Taylor about The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal
Events: Two launch events for The Ballad of Smallhope and PennyRoyal
This week’s History Briefing is about Joan of Arc: The Maid of Orléans and French Heroine
A joke from the Silly Sunday thread in the Fans & Readers Facebook group
There’s plenty to read this week and you can see everything new on the blog too. CLICK HERE for the blog.
Have I gone mad or was it the book cannibals?
Events - Join Jodi for launch events for The Ballad of Smallhope and PennyRoyal
Thursday 5th September: In Conversation with Jodi Taylor
Waterstones Cheltenham - CLICK HERE for details and tickets
Tuesday 10th September - The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal launch event
The Battersea Book Shop, Battersea Power Station CLICK HERE for more information and tickets
Order a signed copy of The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal - CLICK HERE
Joan of Arc: The Maid of Orléans and French Heroine
Joan of Arc, also known as "La Pucelle d'Orléans" (The Maid of Orléans), is one of the most revered figures in French history. Born into a peasant family, she rose to prominence as a military leader and a symbol of French resistance against English domination during the Hundred Years' War. Her extraordinary life, marked by visions, military successes, and eventual martyrdom, has made her a national heroine and a saint of the Catholic Church. This History Briefing explores the life, achievements, and lasting legacy of Joan of Arc.
Joan of Arc was born around January 6, 1412, in the small village of Domrémy, in the Duchy of Bar, which was then part of the Kingdom of France. Her parents, Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée, were modest farmers. From a young age, Joan was known for her piety, attending Mass regularly and showing deep devotion to God.
At the age of 13, Joan began to experience mystical visions and hear voices, which she later identified as those of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret. These voices, she believed, were divine messages instructing her to support Charles VII, the Dauphin of France, in his struggle against the English and to help drive them from French soil. Joan was convinced that her mission was divinely ordained, and she vowed to dedicate her life to this cause.
The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) was a prolonged conflict between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France over control of the French throne. By the time Joan came of age, much of northern France was under English or Burgundian control, and the French were on the brink of collapse. The situation was dire for Charles VII, the uncrowned Dauphin, who faced internal dissent and external threats.
The turning point of the war was the Siege of Orléans in 1428-1429, a critical stronghold that the English sought to capture to secure their dominance over France. The fall of Orléans would have likely sealed the fate of Charles VII and the French cause.
In early 1429, Joan left her home village to present herself to Robert de Baudricourt, the local commander at Vaucouleurs, claiming that God sent her to save France. Initially dismissed, she eventually gained Baudricourt's support after her predictions about a French defeat near Orléans came true. She was then sent to the court of Charles VII at Chinon.
History and Happenings - click here to view more posts
Enjoy a joke from the Silly Sunday thread from the Facebook Fans and Readers group.
Thanks to Scott Saternye for this one…
My wife and I met at a Scramble tournament 20 years ago. Next week we're going back to renew our vowels.
Welcome to the Multiverse of St Mary's a place to play, laugh, and have fun, within the realms of the Chronicles of St Mary's and Time Police Series. Let your imagination run wild and help create a true community of like-minded souls and spirits having fun within the ethos that is St Mary's.
The Reading Companion and History Briefings eBook for Just One Damned Thing After Another. The eBook is 99p or FREE for subscribers.
It contains:
A foreword by Jodi Taylor
Background information on the characters
History Briefings giving information on the four main jumps in the book
Floor plans of St Mary’s Institute for Historical Research
A list of British idioms and expressions
How to make tea like a Brit
A recipe for Toad in the Hole
A full series guide and reading order for The Chronicles of St Mary’s series
Available in both epub and PDF formats. You can also download full-size images of the floor plans.