Book Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Devlin Diary Book Blog Tour
Thanks so much to Sarah at Pocket Books for the chance to participate in this tour and for giving me the opportunity to give away 1 copy of The Devlin Diary! See below for details.
Description: London, 1672. The past twelve years have brought momentous changes: the restoration of the monarchy, a devastating plague and fire. Yet the city remains a teeming, thriving metropolis, energized by the lusty decadence of Charles II’s court and burgeoning scientific inquiry. Although women enjoy greater freedom, they are not allowed to practice medicine, a restriction that physician Hannah Devlin evades by treating patients that most other doctors shun: the city’s poor.
But Hannah has a special knowledge that Secretary of State Lord Arlington desperately needs. At the king’s Machiavellian court, Hannah attracts the attention of two men, charming courtier Ralph Montagu and anatomist Dr. Edward Strathern, as well as the attention of the powerful College of Physicians, which views her work as criminal. When two influential courtiers are found brutally murdered, their bodies inscribed with arcane symbols, Hannah is drawn into a dangerous investigation by Dr. Strathern, who believes the murders conceal a far-reaching conspiracy that may include Hannah’s late father and the king himself.
Cambridge, 2008. Teaching history at Trinity College is Claire Donovan’s dream come true — until one of her colleagues is found dead on the banks of the River Cam. The only key to the professor’s unsolved murder is a seventeenthcentury diary kept by his last research subject, Hannah Devlin, physician to the king’s mistress. With help from the eclectic collections of Cambridge’s renowned libraries, Claire and historian Andrew Kent follow the clues Devlin left behind, uncovering secrets of London’s dark past and Cambridge’s equally murky present, and discovering that events of three hundred years ago may still have consequences today….
This was a riveting mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. I have to admit I have a fondness for books that have two parallel story lines that span several centuries. Both Hannah and Claire are some what naive but I still came to like both their characters. I loved the way Phillips tied the two story lines as Claire is translating the diary of Hannah’s and telling the story of the murders of her father and several others and how she came to find the murderer. The modern day story line was a little more sketchy than the historical one so it would have been nice to have it fleshed out a little more.
It was great hearing about what it was like back in Hannah’s time to be a female practicing medicine in a male dominated profession and in which most women are held in suspicion. I find it interesting that no matter what time era I’m reading about there are always women who offer physicks, midwives or some other medicine women yet when it comes down to the official profession of doctors it was reserved almost entirely just for men.
If you enjoyed books like The Eight by Katherine Neville I think you will enjoy this one.
Q&A With Christi Phillips
Christi was kind enough to answer a few questions about The Devlin Diary and herself. Thank you so much Christi!
What inspired you to sit down and write The Devlin Diary?
First, I was intrigued by the Restoration period and the historical mystery the story is based on, the signing of a secret treaty between Charles II and Louis XIV. Then, after I had created the character of Hannah Devlin, a female physician in 1672 London, I felt compelled to tell her story.
Are any of the character’s personalities based on people you know?
No, I feel that would be an intrusion on someone’s privacy. Derek Goodman, thankfully, does not exist in real life (not in my life, anyway). The historical characters grow from my research. Only in one instance in The Devlin Diary is a fictional character based on someone real: Theophilus Ravenscroft is loosely based on the seventeenth-century scientist and architect Robert Hooke.
How do you go about researching the ideas you have for a new story?
I start with a wide net, by reading general histories of the time and place. Once I’ve constructed a story outline, I research narrower, more particular areas of interest. For The Devlin Diary, my primary interests were seventeenth-century medicine and the emergence of scientific inquiry.
What is your favorite book?
I don’t have a favorite book, but I do have favorite authors of historical fiction: Iain Pears, David Liss, and Philip Kerr.
What book is currently sitting on your night stand waiting to be read?
I’m reading Stone’s Fall by Iain Pears.
What book (other than your own) 
would you like to see made into a movie?
Learning to Breathe by Alison Wright. It’s the true story of a globe-trotting photojournalist who is nearly killed in a bus accident in Laos. Her doctors tell her that she’ll never be able to lead the same sort of life again, but through a very tough recovery she fights her way back, eventually reaching her goals of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and making a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet. It’s moving and inspiring.
Thanks again Christi! If you want to learn more about Christi Phillips visit her website: http://www.christi-phillips.com/
Giveaway
Rules to enter:
1. Open to residents of the US.
2. Leave a comment here for one entry.
3. Receive additional entries if you Tweet or post on Facebook, MySpace, etc. or blog about this contest. One extra entry per post/tweet/etc.
4. Another entry if you follow me in Google Reader or add me to your blogroll.
5. Contest is open until July 10.
If you want to see what others are saying about The Devlin Diary visit the other book tour blogs:
Posted in Books, Historical Fiction
June 29th, 2009 at 4:18 am
+1 enter me please
+1 I posted about it on my blog:
http://trishasbookshelf.blogspot.com/2009/06/giveaways-of-day_29.html
+1 I follow you..
lovestoread0708(at)yahoo(dot)com
June 29th, 2009 at 5:40 am
I would like to enter this contest
June 29th, 2009 at 5:56 am
Hi: I enjoyed Christi Phillips’ comments on books she’s reading! Hope you stop by for my interview with her re The Devlin Diary.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Hi Debbie! No need to enter me in the giveaway – just wanted to say how much I loved your review and interview! Good comparison with The Eight too! I loved this book AND The Eight!
June 29th, 2009 at 8:28 am
+1 Enter me please! This sounds like a really good book. I might have to buy it myself if I don’t win.
+1 And I follow you, too.
Thanks for the giveaway!
two_of_hearts_101@yahoo.com
June 29th, 2009 at 9:32 am
I’d love to read this! Thanks for the giveaway.
June 29th, 2009 at 9:34 am
I just became a follower!
June 29th, 2009 at 9:44 am
I added you to my google reader.
June 29th, 2009 at 9:45 am
(through email)
June 29th, 2009 at 11:07 am
I really want to read this.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:09 am
tweet
https://twitter.com/bridget3420/status/2390939142
June 29th, 2009 at 11:10 am
You’re on my blogroll
http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/
June 29th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Thanks for the chance to win a copy of this book! YAY!!! I am going to add this to my book giveaway page as well with a link back to you!
June 29th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I would love to read The Devlin Diary. I like the history and suspense. I am following you.
teakettle58@yahoo.com
June 29th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Here is the link to the giveaway…
http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/current-contests/book-blogger-friends-contests/
June 29th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Blogged about giveaway
http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/2009/06/629-book-giveaways-list-1.html
June 29th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
This sounds like a great book! Please count me in. Thank you!
nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com
June 29th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
I subscribe via reader
nfmgirl At gmail DOT com
June 29th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Sounds like a great book ~ please enter me in your giveaway!
Thanks so much=)
Luvdaylilies at bellsouth dot net
June 30th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Looks like a good book, please enter me into this drawing.
Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
jake.lsewhere[at]gmail.com
June 30th, 2009 at 8:30 am
I’ve also blogged about this giveaway here.
Thanks,
jake.lsewhere[at]gmail.com
June 30th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Please enter me. I’d love to read this. I blogged about here:
http://completepoppycock.blogspot.com/2009/06/devlin-diary.html
thanks
rebecca.bradeen(at)verizon(dot)net
June 30th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
count me in please!
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
June 30th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
blogged
http://throuthehaze.blogspot.com/2009/06/books.html
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
June 30th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
I think this looks great. Thanks for sharing.
smickelson1993 at yahoo dot com
June 30th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
I’d love a chance to win.
Blogged: http://www.morbid-romantic.net/2009/06/30/book-giveaways-june-29-july-5/
Tweet: http://twitter.com/morbidromantic/status/2416273047
I am a follower on Google Reader.
Valorie
morbidromantic@gmail.com
July 1st, 2009 at 9:26 pm
i’d love to win
July 1st, 2009 at 9:26 pm
email subscriber
July 1st, 2009 at 9:27 pm
http://twitter.com/valerie2350/status/2432145159
July 1st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
This book looks great! =) Thanks for the chance!
MovieMomma@gmail.com
July 1st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/CinemaSista/status/2432638996
MovieMomma@gmail.com
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:42 am
i would love to win this!
gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:43 am
i’m a follower
gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I would love to enter! Your link is posted on my blogroll at pagese.wordpress.com
page_eberhardt@yahoo.com
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:42 pm
I would love to win this book.
budletsmom at yahoo dot com
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:42 pm
I subscribe to your email.
budletsmom at yahoo dot com
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I’d like to enter. Thanks!
courtneytarver85 at yahoo dot com
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I subscribe via email.
courtneytarver85 at yahoo dot com
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Sounds like a good mystery. Please count me in – Thanks!
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I follow in Google Reader
July 4th, 2009 at 6:24 am
I blogged it:
http://cerebralgirl.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-giveaways-in-blogworld-07-02-09.html
July 4th, 2009 at 6:37 am
I subscribe
pls enter me
marieburton2004@ yahoo
July 4th, 2009 at 10:27 am
First off, I love the layout and look of your blog, it’s gorgeous!
I also really enjoyed your review of this book. I wasn’t really interested in it before reading it, but you definitely got me curious about it. So I’ll be reading this regardless of the contest =)
-I’m a new subscriber through google reader
-&& I posted a link to this contest on my sidebar.
Thanks so much,
mishtakes AT gmail DOT com
July 5th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Please enter me – this one sounds fascinating!
libneas[at]aol[dot]com
July 5th, 2009 at 11:02 am
I subscribed via my email – thanks.
libneas[at]aol[dot]com
July 5th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I want to win this book!
July 5th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I subscribe/follow!
July 6th, 2009 at 1:42 am
I would like to enter this one
mynglin(at)hotmail(dot)com
July 6th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Im a follower too
mynglin(at)hotmail(dot)com
July 6th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Count me in on this one
jen4777[at]hotmail.com
July 6th, 2009 at 1:49 am
I’m already a follower
jen4777[at]hotmail.com
July 6th, 2009 at 11:52 am
I’ve been wanting to read this one, it sounds really interesting.
July 6th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
[...] http://debbiesworldofbooks.com/2009/06/29/the-devlin-diary-book-blog-tour/ [...]
July 6th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Please enter me to win – thanks!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
July 6th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Pretty blog-I like the butterflies and flowers. thanks for the giveaway
July 8th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
A mystery addict …. I would love a chance to win. I like the Q & A with the author especially about their personal favorite authors..revealing.
Thanks for the chance.
July 8th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I’d love to win this book. Thanks for the chance.