M. J. Rose on Tour: The Collector of Dying Breaths
M. J. Rose,
author of
Seduction,
presented on France Book Tours,
is coming back with her 14th novel !
***
Author M. J. ROSE
on Tour
March 25-April 13, 2014
with her
The Collector of Dying Breaths
[historical suspense]
Release date: April 8, 2014
by Atria Books
by Atria Books
ISBN13: 9781451621532
also available as an ebook
also available as an ebook
Hardcover, 384 pages
***
SYNOPSIS
From one of America’s most imaginative storytellers
comes a passionate tale of love and treachery, spanning the days of
Catherine de Medici’s court to the twenty-first century and starring a
woman drawn back, time and again, to the past.
In 1533, an Italian orphan with an uncanny knack for creating fragrance is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. To repay his debt, over the years René le Florentine is occasionally called upon to put his vast knowledge to a darker purpose: the creation of deadly poisons used to dispatch the Queen’s rivals.
But it’s René’s other passion—a desire to reanimate a human breath, to bring back the lives of the two people whose deaths have devastated him—that incites a dangerous treasure hunt five centuries later. That’s when Jac L’Etoile—suffering from a heartache of her own—becomes obsessed with the possibility of unlocking Rene’s secret to immortality.
Soon Jac’s search reconnects her with Griffin North, a man she’s loved her entire life. Together they confront an eccentric heiress whose art collection rivals many museums and who is determined to keep her treasures close at hand, not just in this life but in her next.
Set in the forest of Fontainebleau, crisscrossing the lines between the past and the present, M.J. Rose has written a mesmerizing tale of passion and obsession. This is a gothic tale perfect for fans of Anne Rice, Deborah Harkness, and Diana Galbadon. [from the publisher]
In 1533, an Italian orphan with an uncanny knack for creating fragrance is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. To repay his debt, over the years René le Florentine is occasionally called upon to put his vast knowledge to a darker purpose: the creation of deadly poisons used to dispatch the Queen’s rivals.
But it’s René’s other passion—a desire to reanimate a human breath, to bring back the lives of the two people whose deaths have devastated him—that incites a dangerous treasure hunt five centuries later. That’s when Jac L’Etoile—suffering from a heartache of her own—becomes obsessed with the possibility of unlocking Rene’s secret to immortality.
Soon Jac’s search reconnects her with Griffin North, a man she’s loved her entire life. Together they confront an eccentric heiress whose art collection rivals many museums and who is determined to keep her treasures close at hand, not just in this life but in her next.
Set in the forest of Fontainebleau, crisscrossing the lines between the past and the present, M.J. Rose has written a mesmerizing tale of passion and obsession. This is a gothic tale perfect for fans of Anne Rice, Deborah Harkness, and Diana Galbadon. [from the publisher]
***
ADVANCED PRAISE FOR
THE COLLECTOR OF DYING BREATHS
“Mysterious, magical, and mythical, this book is as heady as the
fragrances, potions and elixirs that saturate the pages.Twists and turns
abound in this book. It had me guessing to the very end. What a joy to
read!” New York Times Bestselling author Sara Gruen, Water For Elephants
“History, mystery, ambition, lust, love, death and the timeless quest for immortality—a riveting tale of suspense.” —B. A. Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of The Art Forger
“From the labyrinthine alleyways of 16th century Paris to the danger-infused woodlands of 21st
century Fontainebleau, M.J. Rose has crafted a superb, mesmerizing tale
of two people separated by centuries yet linked by a haunting secret.
Poison, obsession and undying love have never been so enticing—or so
lethal. I could not stop reading it!” – C.W. Gortner, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici
“With an alchemist’s skill, M.J. Rose mixes
present and past with the dark scent of love and an intricate mystery,
creating a blend that is splendidly, spookily magical.” —New York Times bestseller, Susanna Kearsley
***
Interview:
- Where did your idea from this book come from?
I
was doing research on another book and learned that Thomas Edison and Henry
Ford, who
both believed in reincarnation, supported the idea that in death, the soul
leaves the body with its last breath.
Edison’s
dying breath, collected by his son, Charles, is in fact on display at the
Edison Winter Home in Fort Myers, Florida. I was totally taken with the idea of
our souls being expelled in that last breath and it became the thesis of my
novel.
- What were you most surprised to learn in your research?
I
always do a lot of research into the time period. The most surprising thing I
learned was about an ingredient used in perfumes and remedies in the middle
ages called “momie” that is certainly one of the most fascinating I’ve come
across.
It is found in the tombs of the people who have been
embalmed with spices, as they used to do in ancient times. It’s found near the
brain and the spine. Instruction manuals from the 15th century
suggest it should be shining, black, strong smelling, and firm. And that the
white kind, which is rather opaque, does not stick, is not firm and easily
crumbles to powder, must be refused.
- What is the main message you want readers to take away from your book?
I
don’t really think about messages when I write but I love what this review said
about the book and I’d like to hope that readers take this away
“The Collector is a vibrant and vivid
novel that illuminates the path to immortality and the legacies we leave
behind. You will finish and wonder about the love you feel for your
family, friends and even yourself.” – Bookalicious Mama
What are you currently reading?
Fingresmith
by Sarah Waters
- Who is an author you admire and why?
Lee
Child. He’s exceedingly smart, has created an iconic character, can write rings
around anyone but never shows off, had amazing ethics is generous to more
authors than anyone can count and talks with the most charming accent.
- What else are you working on? What can we expect to read from you in the upcoming months?
I
am working on my next book, The Secret Witch of Rue Dragon. Deep into the
research right now. Thanks for asking.
M.J. Rose, is the international bestselling author of 13 novels;Lip Service, In Fidelity, Flesh Tones, Sheet Music, Lying in Bed, The Halo Effect, The Delilah Complex, The Venus Fix,The Reincarnationist, The Memorist, The Hypnotist, The Book of Lost Fragrances, and Seduction.Rose is also the co-author with Angela Adair Hoy of How to Publish and Promote Online and with Randy Susan Meyers of What to Do Before Your Book Lauch.
She is a founding member and board member of International Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz.com. She runs the popular blog; Buzz, Balls & Hype.
Getting published has been an adventure for Rose who self-published Lip Service late in 1998 after several traditional publishers turned it down. Editors had loved it, but didn’t know how to position it or market it since it didn’t fit into any one genre.
Frustrated, but curious and convinced that there was a readership for her work, she set up a web site where readers could download her book for $9.95 and began to seriously market the novel on the Internet.
After selling over 2500 copies (in both electronic and trade paper format) Lip Service became the first e-book and the first self-published novel chosen by the LiteraryGuild/Doubleday Book Club as well as being the first e-book to go on to be published by a mainstream New York publishing house.
Rose has been profiled in Time magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Business 2.0, Working Woman, Newsweek and New York Magazine.
Rose has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News, The Jim Lehrer NewsHour, and features on her have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers in the U.S. and abroad, including USAToday, Stern, L’Official, Poets and Writers and Publishers Weekly.
Rose graduated from Syracuse University and spent the ’80s in advertising. She was the Creative Director of Rosenfeld Sirowitz and Lawson and she has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.
She lives in Connecticut with Doug Scofield, a composer, and their very spoiled dog, Winka. [from her website]
***
VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 10
Spotlight at
Kerrie Ann Salsac / Writing For Life
Friday, April 11
Review at Mystery Playground
Spotlight at
Kerrie Ann Salsac / Writing For Life
Friday, April 11
Review at Mystery Playground
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