A Rose by Any Other Name ARC Giveaway & Sneak Preview

For subscribers only!

Hello, my pretties—

We are officially three months out from the release of A Rose by Any Other Name, and I just received my advance reader copies (ARCs)! Although I only have a limited number, I want to do a giveaway of a signed ARC for subscribers to thank you for all the support and love you’ve been giving the book!

All you have to do to enter is reply to this email, or leave a comment on Substack. Let me hear from you!

I’m floored by what some of my favorite authors have been saying about the novel:

“The must-read romantic historical fantasy of the summer.” —Constance Sayers, author of A Witch in Time

“A triumph of feminist imagination. Rose Rushe is the Dark Lady we've all been waiting for.”—Allison Epstein, author of A Tip for the Hangman

“A sensual and witchy look at Shakespeare’s England, as well as a compelling and singular take on the Bard himself… a masterful tale full of magic, poetry, and intrigue that will keep readers turning the pages into the dark of the night.” —Alyssa Palombo, author of The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel

“Timely, feminist, and wonderfully original.”  —Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, author of The Witch and the Tsar

Here’s a sneak preview of the first page!

Prologue

My name has only been whispered, heretofore, so that is where I’ll start. Rose, my mother christened me, for the thorny blooms in her garden. Rose Rushe. Her name for me was prescient. I grew to be much like those flowers: petaled, prickly, blood dark. Delightful to look at from a distance but like to make you bleed if touched.

Let no man fault the barbs in my disposition. I came of age during the latter years of Queen Elizabeth on the southeast coast of England, a time and place where women like me were especially scorned. I was the daughter of an ill-starred astrologer and a witch who refused to hide her Catholicism. A flower that grows in such a garden needs thorns.

Though my identity be hidden, much has been written of my character. It is true I am a wanton woman, no virgin, no goddess. It is true I broke my bed-vow; I loved my friend too much, my husband too little. I stand accused of using my wiles, or worse, some hellish power, to plague a certain poet with lust. 

The truth is, that poet—a pox on it, I’ll say his name—Will Shakespeare pursued me freely, of his own choosing. And the sonnets he wrote of our encounters, the bitter spew of a jealous lover, nearly ruined me. 

Stay tuned for another sneak preview for subscribers only later this year, and help me choose which excerpt to share below!

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t include a preorder link. Preorders mean so much to the success of a book, helping the publisher decide how many copies to print, which in turn helps determine how well-distributed a book is and ultimately how many copies it will sell. Please consider preordering if you can! And if you can’t afford to pre-order, you can help support me and the book by requesting A Rose by Any Other Name at your local library!

Save your receipts—as with Gothel, I’m running a pre-order campaign which will include a signed bookplate, a gorgeous bookmark with classic portraits representing Rose, Cecely, Will, and Henry, and a couple of surprises! All you have to do is fill out the preorder campaign form.

As always, thank you so much for your support!

Warmly,
Mary