A working woman in the Eighteen Century

The inspiration for my novel, The Magic of Moonlight, was a French female aritist, Madame Vigee-Le Brun. Marie Elisabeth Louis Vigee-LeBrun was born in Paris in 1755. Her father, Louis Vigee was a portrait painter and also painted fans.

At age six, Elisabeth was sent to a convent where she stayed for five years. Her father died when she was twelve. Her widowed mother then married a wealthy jeweler.

By the time Elisabeth was a teenager, she was already painting professionally. She applied to the Academie de Saint Luc, which reluctantly allowed her to exhibit her work, and she became a member of that august body.

I have to wonder if they would have been so reluctant if Elizabeth had been a woman.

At age twenty, she married, Jean-Baptiste-Pierr Le Brun, also a painter and and art dealer.

Elisabeth painted many portraits of the nobility, and she was invited to paint the queen, Maire Antoinette. Vigee Le-Brun painted over thirty portraits of the French Queen.

Vigee-Lebrun gave birth to a daughter, Julie, and painted a charming self portrait of herself and Julie in 1786. The portrait reveal how lovely young mother and beautiful child. Vigee Le Brun did another self portrait in 1790, in which she is wearing a white hat and a lovely lace collar on her dress.

The French Revolution caused Elisabeth to flee from France, but because of her talent and connections to the European aristocracy, her career continued to flourish. She painted in Austria, Russia, and Italy. She was admitted to the Roman Accademia de San Luca. While in Russia, she painted many portraits of Catherine the Great's family.

She returned to France when Napoleon became emperor.

Elisabeth Vigee-Le Brun died in Paris in 1842 at the age of 86. Her legacy includes over six hundred portraits and two hundred landscapes.

Elisabeth Vigee-LeBrun had a successful international career in a time when most women stayed home and took cared for their families.

I used her as the inspiration for my heroine, Charlotte Purcell, in my novel, The Magic of Moonlight. It couldn't have been easy for Elisabeth to compete in a man's world, and I admire her.

The Magic of Moonlight

I'm so happy to announce the release of my new novel, The Magic of Moonlight. This story is set in Regency England, but my heroine, Miss Charlotte Purcell, is not looking for a rich husband, although, being penniless, she could certainly use the security a match like that would offer. More than anything in the world, Charlotte wants to become a famous artist.

So when an old gypsy predicts that The Magic of Moonlight will unleash it's power on her at midnight, and Charlotte will see the face of her future husband in a mirror at midnight, Charlotte is unimpressed. Even when she sees the dashing Lord Knollton's face reflected next to hers, she doesn't believe in Magic. She believes in perseverance and hard work.

But The Magic of Moonlight believes in Charlotte, and she finds herself attracted to the handsome earl. Still, her passion to paint never wavers. Fighting her attraction to Lord Knollton, and against all odds, she sets out to pursue her goals. Moonlight, for Charlotte forgets that the second part of the Gypsy's prediction, which warns of terrible danger.

But dangers exist.

Why did I put these paranormal elements into a Regency set novel?

Okay, let me say right here that this is definitely not a paranormal story. It just has a few paranormal elements. But I put them in because I think life definitely has some paranormal aspects. Why do I believe that? I've had some things happen to me that were quite unexplainable.

A friend of mine predicted that I would marry a tall, fair-haired man who would be slightly younger than I was. Three months later, my husband asked me out. And yes, he is tall, with light hair, blue eyes, and he is two years younger than I.
I also had two very strange experiences, which I won't go into now, when I visited Scotland and England.

I don't think everything in life has a rational explanation.

Anyway, I hope you'll check out The Magic of Moonlight at www.fionaneal.com.

Writing good love scenes

I had a great compliment paid to me the other night. A person whom I've never net before told me she read Lady Clair's Cavalier and she enjoyed it so much. Then she asked me how I wrote such good love scenes.I had to think about that a minute--actually for more than a minute. I'm still thinking about it.


Writing love scenes is difficult for me. I'm shy. Not only that, but I try to make each scene different within the book and take place in different settings. I do try to infuse a lot of emotion, in addition to passion, in my love scenes. Yet, trying to analyze what I do isn't easy.

I'd really be interested in knowing what other authors and readers think about what makes a good love scene.

Hi, everyone. I would like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season. So far it's been a pleasant one for me--not too hectic. One of the things I love to do is watch Christmas stories on television. I also love to read them. I've written one too. A contemporary called Holiday Heat.

What kind of holiday stories do you like? Do you prefer contemporaries, fantasies, or historicals. I read and enjoy them all, but I'd like to hear from you and what you like.

Books make great holiday presents too.

I'd like to talk a little more aobut my book, Lady Claire's Cavalier. After ten long years of exile, Lady Claire returns to England. She hopes to live a quiet life, now that Charles II is restored. Unfortunately, she finds herself thrust into a vortex of terror and intriquen when she overhears a plot to assassinate the new kind.

To captures all the traitors, the king needs someone who can spy and discover their identities. He arranges a marriage of convenience between Claire and the prime suspect, Lord Barrington--the man she fled from ten years ago. Claire suspects he had a hand in poisoning her father...although her mother was accused of the murder.

But Barrington thinks Claire is one of the king's mistresses. Besides, he's heard rumors that Claire poisoned her first husband--just as her mother had. Since a woman almost murder him once, Barrington is in no hurry to become a victim again--no matter how desirable he finds his new bride.

Reviews

"Filled with unusual characters and unusual storyline, this story will transport you back to historical England, the balls, the conspiracy and the facades of that time. I especially enjoyed the fact that the author portrays the woman as almost an equal in the story. Usually, the woman is the destitue one and the man is knight in shining armor. In this novel, both Claire and Christopher needed each other. It was also an interesting read because the historical event around which this story is centered is a true story. So this adds to the authenticity and excitement of the novel. For all historical fiction lovers, this story will surely capture your attention. Highliy recommended!" Reviewd by Jasmine of Long and Shrot Reviews, 4 Books

"Lady Claire's Cavalier tempts the reader with a tumultuous love tory set against the backdrop of an intricate assassination plot. Ms. Neal paints an authentic picture of the opulence and pageantry of a time, where greed and lust often took precedence over loyalty and honor." Reviewd by Her Voice--Winter Haven Hews Chief, Florida.

You can read a 3-chapter preview at www.awe-struck.net