Wednesday, March 23, 2011

A Birthday Giveaway of The Queen of Last Hopes

It's Margaret of Anjou's birthday today! She was born on March 23, 1430 (or possibly March 24) in Lorraine, probably at Pont-à-Mousson or Nancy, to Rene of Anjou and his wife Isabelle, the daughter of the Duke of Lorraine. Although Margaret was the younger of Rene and Isabelle's two surviving daughters, she was the one eventually chosen to be the bride of Henry VI, as a marriage had already been arranged for her older sister.

Older sources give Margaret's year of birth as 1429, but C. N. L. Brooke and V. Ortenberg disproved this in an 1988 article in Historical Research entitled, "The Birth of Margaret of Anjou."

The Battle of Towton, where Margaret's forces were defeated on March 29, 1461, was fought just days after Margaret's thirty-first birthday.

Anyway, in honor of Margaret's birthday, I'm giving away two copies of my novel about her, The Queen of Last Hopes. One copy is reserved for a winner outside of North America. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment wishing Margaret a happy birthday! The giveaway ends March 28, as March 29 is a date Margaret would rather not think about. Please note whether you're an entrant outside North America and leave an e-mail where I can contact you. Good luck!

42 comments:

  1. What a neat way to honor Margaret! Happy Birthday!
    Thanks for the giveaway.

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  2. Anonymous10:01 AM

    Happy birthday Margaret! (Such a cool way of honouring her memory, by the way!)

    I'm from the UK, so outside North America!

    lizbetflynn(at)gmail(dot)com

    Beth

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  3. Anonymous10:36 AM

    A wonderful happy birthday to Margaret! And only a few days after my own!


    I'm within North America

    This is a cool idea, thanks!

    purplegenevre(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  4. Happy Birthday, Margaret!
    No need to enter me in the giveaway ... I ran out and bought this one one the first day. I am so excited for the winner to get to read such an amazing book! Thanks, Susan! :-)

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  5. Anonymous10:42 AM

    Happy Birthday Margaret! Enjoy today, not tomorrow!

    Melissa

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  6. what a wonderful thing to do!
    Happy Birthday to Margaret!

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  7. What a neat thing to do! Happy Birthday to Margaret!

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  8. Anonymous11:00 AM

    Happy birthday, Margaret! Finished Catherine de Medici a few months ago and was fascinated by Margaret and her daughter-in-law Margot. In the US, flj52452 at yahoo.com

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  9. Happy Brithday Margaret, although surely we should be giving you a present rather than us receiving one (indirectly) from you.

    I am from outside USA.

    I can be contacted at
    StuartMacAllister@hotmail.co.uk

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  10. What a wonderful giveaway! Happy Birthday, Margaret of Anjou!

    Thank you for the entry!

    Wendy
    wendysfictionaddiction(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. Happy Birthday Margaret!

    kcbrianne at gmail dot com

    I'm from the US :)

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  12. Happy Birthday Margaret!

    I'm in the US :)

    kcbrianne at gmail dot com

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  13. Happy birthday, dear Margaret!

    Thanks for the awesome giveaway! I'm in the U.S.
    truebookaddictATgmailDOTcom

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  14. Happy, Happy birthday! ;)
    I'm in the US.

    kimbers10[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  15. Happy Birthday Margaret!
    May your memory continue to live on!

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  16. Anonymous1:53 PM

    Happy birthday Margaret sorry that I have missed some of your birthday's

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  17. Anonymous2:17 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  18. Happy Birthday Margaret!

    nest (dot) rachel (at) gmail

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  19. Happy Birthday to Ms. Anjou!

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  20. Happy Birthday Margaret! Thank you for having a b-day because this way we are getting this awesome giveaway.
    ~Bella

    Nunezbella at hotmail dotcom

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  21. Wow! Almost 6 centuries! Happy birthday Margaret.

    jasyn9[at]hotmail[dot]com

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  22. Anonymous8:45 PM

    Happy Birthday, Margaret! You don't look a day over 400!

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  23. Happy birthday to one of my favorite queens!

    I am in the US, my email is - hemingway.was.here@gmail.com

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  24. Happy Birthday Margaret! (I'm in the US) susan(at)susancoventry(dot)com.

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  25. Anonymous10:26 PM

    Happy Birthday, Margaret!

    Thanks for the giveaway, Sharon.

    in North America

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  26. Anonymous10:28 PM

    Happy Birthday Margaret!

    Thanks for the giveaway, Sharon!

    USA

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  27. (Recusing myself from the prize) but wishing her Grace a most happy birthday!

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  28. Happy birthday!
    I'm in North America.
    tiredwkids at live dot com

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  29. Happy Birthday, Margaret! and thank you, Susan for this chance to receive a copy of your book.

    I am in the U.S. and my email address is vmburkhardt@gmail.com

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  30. Happy Birthday, Margaret!

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  31. Happy Birthday Margaret!

    This book is on my to buy when I can list so it would be super to win it. I already know that it is a great book. Fingers crossed!

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  32. Happy Birthday Margaret! Please don't enter me - I just wanted to wish her a happy birthday - I bought your book on release day and loved reading it. Hopefully the winner will love your book as much as I did. Good luck everyone!

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  33. Happy Birthday, Margaret!
    I don't need to win a copy, either - I already bought one. However, if you want to enter me, anyway, you could give me a copy of The Traitors Wife - it's your only book I don't own!

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  34. Happy Birthday Margaret!

    erinn.86@gmail dot com

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  35. Happy Birthday Margaret!!!!
    How fun! (I am in the USA)

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  36. Of course I would love a Kindle copy, Susan!

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  37. Happy birthday Margaret. May reading the book be a good way to get to know you. ;)

    (And I live in Australia.)

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  38. Happy birthday Margaret!
    Wow,another more March birthday party!:)

    Just read The Stolen Crown (twice) and I love it!

    I'm from outside North America;
    ela.pamic(at)gmail(dot)com

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  39. Anonymous6:39 PM

    Bon anniversaire, Margaret of Anjou.

    Love,
    mvgudlewski(at)gmail(dot)com

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  40. Happy (late) birthday to Margaret, and thanks for the giveaway! I'm in the U.S.

    susanna dot pyatt at student dot rcsnc dot org

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  41. Happy birthday, Margaret!
    I'm from outside the USA. :)

    kah_cherub at hotmail dot com

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  42. Happy Birthday Margaret - do you think she could imagine still receiving birthday wishes in 2012 and in this format
    eaburrows@yahoo.com

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