Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Alana White on tour for The Sign of the Weeping Virgin,
February 11 – 22

Posted By amy @ 11:15 am | 10 Comments

Please join Alana White as she tours the blogosphere with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for The Sign of the Weeping Virgin from February 1122.

Publication Date: December 9, 2012 
Five Star Publishing
384p 

The year is 1480, and celebrated Florentine lawyer Guid’Antonio Vespucci and his nephew, Amerigo, return home to Italy from a government mission to find their dreams of peace shattered. Marauding Turks have abducted a beautiful young girl and sold her into slavery. Equally disturbing, a revered painting of the Virgin Mary is weeping in Guid’Antonio’s family church. Angry and fearful Florentines interpret these stunning events as signs of God’s wrath for their support of the city’s leader, Lorenzo de’ Medici, and Lorenzo’s refusal to end his war with the Pope.

Faced with losing control of the city, Lorenzo enlists Guid’Antonio, his friend and staunch political ally, to investigate the tears. In an evocative tale that brings the Italian Renaissance gloriously to life, following a seemingly unrelated trail of clues–a name whispered in the marketplace by a hooded monk, a secret message painted by Sandro Botticelli on the wall of the Vespucci family church–Guid’Antonio and Amerigo chase across Florence to the workshops of Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli, to churches where frescoes seem to fly off the walls, from Florence to the village where the girl disappeared, and, finally, to the hilltop of Vinci itself.

In The Sign of the Weeping Virgin, a finely wrought story that will appeal to lovers of medieval and renaissance mysteries everywhere, Guid’Antonio uncovers the thought-provoking truth about the missing girl and the Virgin Mary’s mystifying–and miraculous?–tears, all pursued as he comes face to face with his own personal demons.

PRAISE FOR THE SIGN OF THE WEEPING VIRGIN

“A Florentine lawyer must solve a murder to keep his city from imploding. One hopes that White’s clever tale, meticulously researched and pleasingly written, is the first in a series that will bring Florence and its many famous denizens to life.” – STARRED Kirkus Review

“Fans of historical mysteries will thoroughly enjoy this chance to visit the Italy of 1480 in the company of real-life historical figure Guid’Antonio Vespucci, a Florence lawyer. Backed up by sure-handed storytelling and scrupulous research into the period, White creates richly evocative descriptions of Renaissance-era Florence certain to please the amateur historian and armchair tourist.” – Publishers Weekly Review

“Intrigue and danger…White’s debut Renaissance mystery is overflowing with historical details and fascinating subplots…the author’s knack for describing settings is stellar. Ian Morson writes historicals with a similar tone.” – Library Journal

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alana White’s fascination with the Italian Renaissance led to her first short historical mystery fiction, then to a full-length novel, The Sign of the Weeping Virgin, forthcoming from Five Star Mysteries in December 2012. Set in Renaissance Florence, The Sign of the Weeping Virgin features lawyer Guid’Antonio Vespucci and his adventurous young nephew, Amerigo Vespucci, as they investigate crime in Renaissance Florence. Alana’s articles and book reviews appear regularly in Renaissance Magazine and the Historical Novels Review. In young adult+ books, she is the author of Come Next Spring, a novel set in 1940s Appalachia, and a biography, Sacagawea: Westward with Lewis and Clark. She is currently working on her second Guid’Antonio Vespucci mystery.

www.alanawhite.com

VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, February 11
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Interview & Giveaway at Enchanted by Josephine

Tuesday, February 12
Review & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, February 13

Review & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Guest Post & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court

Friday, February 15
Review at The Novel Life
Review & Giveaway at Words and Peace

Monday, February 18

Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Feature & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, February 19

Interview & Giveaway at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Wednesday, February 20
Review & Giveaway at Ageless Pages Reviews

Thursday, February 21
Review at A Bookish Libraria

Friday, February 22
Review & Giveaway at The Book Garden
 
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10 responses to “Alana White on tour for The Sign of the Weeping Virgin,
February 11 – 22”

  1. Betty says:

    I LOVE historical fiction and in fact, I am just finishing up a great one tonight “Shadow of the Sun” by Merrie P. Wycoff and have had a hard time putting it down. I have been trying to find a new read and have to say that I am thrilled that I stumbled across your post. Can’t wait to check out your book! It looks fantastic!

  2. Sandie says:

    I have not had the pleasure of reading any of your books yet, but by the reviews that I’m seeing I need to get some of your books and start! They sound fantastic!!!

  3. Sandie says:

    Your books sound so great. I haven’t had the opportunity to read one yet, but I really need to start, the reviews are fantastic!

  4. Jill Coon says:

    This book is hard to put down. If my schedule allowed, I’d read it in one go! Congrats Alana, the research and details are amazing. — Jill Coon

  5. Alice Duncan says:

    This book IS really good! I can vouch for it. In fact, it’s one of the best books I read all year. I only wish the cover were red and opulent. Oh, well. Can’t have everything 🙂

  6. Alana, congrats on the outstanding reviews! I expect your novel to be bought out quickly!

    Best,

    Jacqueline Seewald
    TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS–Regency romance now in all ebook formats

  7. This one looks really good!

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