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Tuesday, August 16, 2016

No Good Option


Sometimes you have a choice between bad and worse...and sometimes your choice turns out to be an unexpected blessing.

Over the weekend, my family had a lively discussion about the whiplash of women’s status through the ages, comparing gender equality in ancient Egypt and the modern Western world vs. women’s status in ancient Greece and some modern Middle Eastern countries.

Why would women let that happen? One nephew asked.

Women hardly let it happen. 

When a civilization collapses and you’re fighting for survival for yourself and your children, men’s superior physical strength quickly unlevels the playing field. 

The fall from equality to second-class citizen with the legal status of a child might be quick or slow, but I suspect it’s always a shock to the individuals involved—and it chafes future generations of women no matter how much time passes.

Because I write medieval romances, I think a lot about the tensions between men and women within society. Medieval women knew they deserved better and many got better from individuals, but they still faced institutional misogyny.

In An Unexpected Gift—available tomorrow as a stand-alone novella—the heroine is at her most vulnerable, physically and emotionally. She’s pitted against a society that sees her as someone to exploit or protect, but not stand beside or respect.

Ada is probably my most traditional heroine in that she is at a powerless moment in her life, which is how most of her historical peers would have lived their lives. She’s brave and strong and resourceful, but ultimately she cannot rescue herself, a fact that she hates.

She must place her faith in a stranger—a man who could be her savior or someone even more dangerous than the man who wants to kill her and her unborn child—and that is where the story begins.

Will her worst fears come true or will Ada find an unexpected gift?

Here's an excerpt:
He shrugged. “I have not brought you here just to see you killed. 
“Why would they not think me dead?” 
A secret lay in his hesitation. His looked over her left shoulder. “If they return to the road and find you gone, this is the first place they will look. The nuns will say naught to the attackers, but the men would easily find you in the warming room.” 
Ada stared at him. In a hundred years, she wouldn’t have thought of such danger. If almost a year in captivity hadn’t honed her thoughts, what had sharpened his? Montbray wanted her. No, he wanted Bew and thought to get it through her. She ran a hand over her stomach again. If she thought like her captor, killing Thomas and Henry made a horrible kind of sense, but why then leave her behind? 
Or had they? 
Fear rose with the swiftness of a thunderclap. She knew nothing of him, not his name, his family, his errand. He could be outlaw, for all she knew. 
Run! As if she could. She could barely get out of bed of a morning or rise from a bench if she sat for a long time. Running was impossible. She could throw herself on the mercy of the nuns, but who would protect them from these men?




As part of Prairie Rose Publications Third Anniversary Bash, I’m giving away a copy of An Unexpected Gift to two people selected from among those who comment on this blog by midnight Wednesday, Aug. 17.


Keena Kincaid writes historical romances in which passion, magic and treachery collide to create unforgettable stories. You can find out more about her books here. Leave a comment for a chance to win one of her books.

21 comments:

  1. Keena, I too ponder the question of women and their status throughout history. I will say, I love that you had the discussion and wish I could have been a fly on the wall.

    I also love your writing. The winner will be one lucky person. I take myself out of the running for the drawing, but want you to know who much I admire your work. Doris.

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    1. Thanks, Doris. Not to turn the conversation to politics, but it was an interesting discussion that grew out of the current anti-woman policies that some GOP governors seem to be shepherding through statehouses, what's going on at the national level, and if a backlash against women would happen if Hillary were elected. This is the first election my nephew can vote in, and he's being diligent about looking at the issues and trying to see beyond the rhetoric. His biggest question, though, is if all elections are this crazy. :-)

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    2. Keena, good for him. Regardless of a persons politics, women and their status in the world should always be a concern in my book.

      Also, excellent question about this being a 'crazy' one. Still would have enjoyed being theat fly on the wall. Doris

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  2. This sounds like a great read. Best of luck with sales.

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  3. Keena, as you know, I love your stories. And I truly admire your knowledge of all things medieval! This story really packed a punch, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt all of Ada's worry and anger. I was right there with her. You did a great job!

    Excellent post--as always!

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    1. Thanks, Cheryl. I enjoyed writing this story, but Ada was tough. Helpless heroines aren't my thing (are they anyone's?) and one who can't even run is pretty helpless. But Ada showed up as she was and told me to deal with it.

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  4. Great excerpt and post, Keena! I've got it preordered for sure. I am so grateful to have been born in the 20th century. Those amazing women who came before--Susan B., Margaret Fuller, the first female lawyer, the first doctor...paved such a brave way for us. I often wondered how fathers felt deep down--my husband knew from her birth our daughter could scale a mountain or rule the world--and he's supported her 110%. Were daughters always thought of only as marriageable chattel?. Sheesh.

    One thing I have learned in reading and research was that noblemen often trusted their wives with the "keys to their kingdom" when they went off to war or Crusade. And she ruled in his stead.

    Wishing you tons of success with the book!

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    1. Thanks, Tanya. Tons of success would be fabulous! As for the blog...some medieval women found tremendous respect and care from the individual men in their lives. But often these men viewed the women as the exception rather than the rule. Sigh.

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  5. An excellent read! Wishing you many sales!

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  6. I see what Cheryl means--I could feel the intensity climbing in the little excerpt. It's terrible the way women were treated in the past, but it makes for an excellent tale, and this sounds like a good one. Best wishes.

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  7. Keena, I loved this story and couldn't put it down, and am so happy for you that it is being released as a single title. I have enjoyed all your Medievals. Love the cover too. And your nephew sounds like a very intelligent young man, and please say thanks to him from us for being so diligent. Wishing you much success with this one.

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    1. Thanks, Beverly. I love hearing good things about my books almost as much as I love hearing good things about my nephew. He really is a wonderful young man, smart and handsome and very diligent.

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  8. Keena,

    Best wishes and happy release day. :-)

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  9. Keena, I loved all the stories in One Hot Knight--I even said so in Amazon review under my reviewing alias ;-). Good luck with An Unexpected Gift. It looks like a good read. Great post on the status of women in history. Good for your nephew! This will be my daughter's first election and she sure is taking it seriously as well.

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    1. Thanks, Patti. An Unexpected Gift was part of the One Christmas Knight anthology (which came out last Christmas). So there's two ways to read it. I'm glad you're daughter is taking the election seriously. I have great hope in the young people of this country.

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  10. Great premise! I'm looking forward to reading this one.

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