Famous Horses in History -- Bucephalus (355-326 BC) with giveaway by Donna Schlachter

Alexander and Bucephalus, by John Steell (Wikipedia)

I grew up loving horses, and I loved reading about horses, so I thought that might be a good theme for this year—12 Famous Horses in History. Even if you aren’t horse-mad, there will be horses you’ll recognize by name or reputation, and I felt that learning more about history could be wrapped into the stories of these equines.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear Bucephalus, I always think of Father Brown’s trusty bicycle, as that was his name for it. In fact, the first time I heard him refer to it by that name, I had to look up the word, as I hadn’t heard of this horse before.

Bucephalus was born around 355 BC in Greece, and ultimately became the horse that Alexander the Great rode into many battles.

As the story by Plutarch goes, when Alexander of Macedonia (as he was known before he became a soldier), made a wager at the age of 12 or 13 with his father, who was a horse dealer. King Philip II was interested in the young Bucephalus, but he proved impossible to subdue. Alexander said he could do it, and if he didn’t, he’d pay the price for the horse.

Alexander taming Bucephalus by B.R. Haydon (Wikipedia)

 

 

After studying the horse, he realized the beast was shy of its own shadow, so he turned the stallion toward the sun so it couldn’t see what scared it. Others who’d tried to tame the animal had shouted and used harsh language, but Alexander spoke soothingly, and the horse responded. After ditching his fluttering cape—another trigger for the beast—Bucephalus responded to him.

In the legend that comprises much of the history of Alexander, King Philip II was so impressed that he told Alexander that Macedonia was too small for a man such as he, and for him to seek out a kingdom equal to and worthy of his gifts.

A second legend, the Alexander Romance, claims that Bucephalus was given to Philip and resided on his estate. Bucephalus was said to possess heroic attributes that exceeded those of Pegasus, and another romance by the Delphic Oracle tells Philip that the man who rides Bucephalus will be king of the world.

Alexander the Great mosaic (Wikipedia)

 

 

Whatever the truth about his origins and his abilities, Bucephalus was so named because of a mark on his haunch in the shape of an ox head. Overlay large and with a massive head, he bore a black coat and a white star on his brow. He had one blue eye, which was an anomaly, and he was “of the best Thessalian (Greek) strain” of horses.

Alexander’s hero was Achilles, and indeed, he claimed to be an ancestor of his. In so doing, he included his skill and ability with horses as a result of his godly origins. Achilles claimed that his horses were immortal because Poseidon gave them to his father Peleus, who in turn passed them along to him.

However, that immortality did not continue with Bucephalus, and he died in June 326 BC following the Battle of Hydaspes, from mortal injuries sustained in the fight. Alexander and his army defeated King Porus, but he lost his favorite mount.

Seleucos I Bucephalos coin (Wikipedia)

 

In memoriam, he founded a city, Bucephala, on the west bank of the Hydaspes River, in modern-day Pakistan. Today the town is called Jalalpur Sharif, and Bucephalus is said to be buried there.

The reputation of the horse grew alongside that of his master, with different legends claiming they were born at the same time, and later stories claimed they died at the same hour, but mostly these tales are viewed as fictional.

Alexander and Bucephalus by Domenico Maria Canuti (Wikipedia)

 

 

No matter the details, there is no doubt Alexander treasured Bucephalus, and most likely, his lineage is present in our modern-day horses.

Leave a comment about your like or dislike of horses, and I will draw randomly for a free ebook of “Hollenberg Hearts”, a Pony Express story. Cleverly disguise your email address so the bots don’t get you, for example: donna AT livebytheword DOT com

About Hollenberg Hearts:
A mail order bride. A crippled stationmaster. No way out for either of them—except with each other. Can they surrender their hearts and find true love?

https://www.amazon.com/Hollenberg-Hearts-Pony-Express-Book-ebook/dp/B098VZ38XY and the rest of the Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098WRMTM3

About Donna:
A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers eager to tell their story.

www.DonnaSchlachter.com

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Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucephalus  

Table for Two, Please - Romance Through the Ages

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Photo By: Anh Nguyen
Pexels CC

Happy February, Everyone! This is the month of love and I've come prepared. With Valentine's Day approaching, the most common way to celebrate is with a romantic dinner for two at a nice restaurant. But was that always the romantic gesture it is today?

No. In fact, even the idea of romancing one's spouse is a relatively new one.

First, the idea of romance in marriage wasn't always a given. In many societies, marriage was more about political connections, wealth, or convenience than it was about love and romance. People needed a workmate, someone to help provide daily needs and partner together to raise a family. It wasn't until the 1700's that the idea of marrying for love rose to the forefront, and not until 1850 when love became a primary consideration. The Victorian era was truly a revolution on that front. But even during this era, Valentine's Day was a time of romantic cards, poems and even gifts, but not dinner at a restaurant.

In the 19th Century, dinner at a restaurant was something taboo and scandalous. Mostly because "French restaurants" with romantic dinners were synonymous with brothels at that time. Emily Post advised in 1923 that “It is not good form for an engaged couple to dine together in a restaurant, but it is all right for them to lunch, or have afternoon tea . . . They should take a chaperon if they motor to road-houses for meals.”

Most culinary historians agree that it was around the 1930's that taking a lady out to dinner became an acceptable way to celebrate. That's when restaurant ads and menus start to mention doing so. Culinary historian Charles Perry believes "The tradition probably arose during the Depression, when any meal out was a special occasion. Popular restaurants like Sardi's had some tables with curtains so that couples could choose to see and be seen or have an intimate meal while still enjoying the sounds of the orchestra."

Couple Dining circa 1910
Art by Lester Ralph

At some restaurants, the heavy curtains and low light in private dining areas still lent themselves to questionable conduct. Especially if the restaurant also had a back entrance where people could enter and exit discreetly, making secret affairs easier to execute.

However, by the 1960's, it seems to have become common for husbands to take their wives to dinner in order to give them a respite from their homemaking duties. And what is more romantic than that?

Today, while our gender roles are less strict than they were in the 1960's, dining out still seems to be the way to go. However, for many, the idea is less about the restaurant itself as it is a return to the place where they first met, kissed or had a realization that they wanted to marry their date. It may not be the fancy place, or expensive place. Indeed, their friends might not understand why they spend the holiday of love in such modest surroundings. Maybe they choose to explain why...or maybe they don't. After all, shared secrets are a thing of romance too.

Do you like to dine out with your partner on Valentine's Day? What makes the day special for you and your significant other? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".

She lives near the Ozarks in her "casita" with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

Romance Novels in History – by Donna Schlachter – with Giveaway

Asad Photo Maldives from https://www.pexels.com/search/romance/

Photo by Asad Photo Maldives: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-man-and-woman-kissing-1024975/Photo by Asad Photo Maldives: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-man-and-woman-kissing-1024975/

Photo by Asad Photo Maldives: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-man-and-woman-kissing-1024975/

Romance…just the word is provocative, teasing, almost as though it needs another syllable—yet it says everything. We know what romance is—sort of—although the word probably means something different to everybody.

For some, it might mean flowers, an expensive restaurant, then a carriage ride along the Thames. For others, a beach, a luxurious condo, and plenty of “us” time. For a frazzled mother, you might envision romance as a sleepover for the kids, dinner delivered to your door, and an early night. For hard-working women, a foot rub might suffice. Or a back rub.

Whatever the activity associated with the word, I think we’d all agree on one thing: romance isn’t the ordinary. It implies that our love interest went to extra work to make it super special. Memorable. Inspiring.

For me, my perfect romantic time might include a walk through a cemetery, a buffet dinner, and a foot rub. Weird, I know.

The word romance comes from the word Roman, and refers to the amorous tales of knights and their ladies, which is how romance came to be associated with stories, either written or spoken. Nowadays, the word also refers to the love relationship.

So let’s delve into the story of romance throughout history.

Photo by Nicole Ashley Rahayu Densmoor: https://www.pexels.com/photo/ancient-carvings-on-a-stone-wall-5441912/Photo by Nicole Ashley Rahayu Densmoor: https://www.pexels.com/photo/ancient-carvings-on-a-stone-wall-5441912/            

The earliest known romance story that has survived the wear and tear of history is The Love Song for Shu-Sin”, written around 2000 BC in Mesopotamia, and it is actually a poem which also functioned as a song performed through Shu-Sin’s marriage ceremony. It was written on clay tablets, and parts of it survive to this day.

Photo by Jose Francisco Fernandez Saura: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sculpture-on-a-wall-22147690/

No doubt many other stories were written in the intervening years, but few are available to us today. With the invention of the printing press, however, books in general became more popular, and so was the availability of printed matter to common people. Prior to the press, books were copied by hand. As you can imagine, this was an expensive undertaking, so only the most important books—primarily the Bible and other religious documents and texts, as well as scientific texts—were purchased and financed.

Photo by Erik Mclean: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-faceless-person-with-letterpress-template-in-typography-4140908/

 

Photo by Erik Mclean: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-faceless-person-with-letterpress-template-in-typography-4140908/

However, books in general, and romance specifically, flooded the marketplace beginning in the 1700s and 1800s, readers were introduced to the romance genre, which focused primarily on the lives and struggles of female protagonists. For the first time, women learned they were not alone in their closeted lives, their passions, their hopes for a better future. Most of these books were written by women, about women, for women.

In most of these early romances, which were about white women because that’s who was doing the writing, the heroine defied social conventions or overcame personal struggles in pursuit of their own happiness. Usually, they found their soulmate and ended the novel safe and secure. These stories were emotionally satisfying to their readers, bringing a sense of “all is well with the world” in a time when all was not well.

The romance novel grew along with its audience, and soon authors were writing stories that met with reader expectations, while still allowing the heroines to express their individuality, achieve their own goals, and marry successfully, offering a form of escape and inspiration to their audience.

Photo by Gera Cejas: https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-couple-in-retro-clothing-standing-face-to-face-and-embracing-22601554/

By the 1900s, romance novels sought to include the happenings of the recent past, including the Civil War, slavery, suffrage movement, modern inventions such as the telephone, and modern improvements such as the railroad. During this time, historical romance came into vogue, as readers liked to read about “the good old days” to escape the now fast-paced modern life they lived.

By the 1950s, other genres such as gothic romance were catching on. It seemed readers couldn’t get enough of whatever was being published. Many authors chose a pen name and wrote several different genres at a time, exploring and creating subgenres that appealed to a larger audience.

In the 1950s and 1960s, readers saw a shift from everyday lives to exotic locations, with heroines working in careers outside the norm, or who were so rich they didn’t need to work. In 1949, Harlequin Romance hitched onto this publishing wagon with The Manatee by Nancy Bruff. They soon learned that the steamier the cover, the higher sales shot up. Enter stage right, Italian-American model Fabio, who became a popular cover model at more than four hundred and sixty books.

In 1972, a new subgenre appeared: the bodice ripper. Up to now, romance novels had portrayed very little sexually explicit material, but all that soon changed. In the basic story, a beautiful virgin catches the eye of a scoundrel who attempts to seduce her but finds he’s met his match, and by the end of the book, has lost his lascivious drive and instead commits to one woman for life—our heroine.

The problem with these stories is that they morphed into tales of abuse and violence toward women, which soon fell out of favor, even though the term has lasted. Around this same time, new female authors pushed the boundaries of the genre and explored romance from a different perspective, proving that authors didn’t have to write to what the market expected—they could create their own market.

And while some readers contend that romance novels are the same story told with different names and settings, one thing is certain: romance and it’s subgenres is still the highest selling category in the world.

Which makes sense. Who doesn’t love a good love story? It’s what the Bible is all about: God’s love for us, so much that He gave His Only Son to save us from ourselves. And doesn’t everybody love a happy ending?


If you’ve ever thought of writing a romance novel but you’re not certain where to begin, check out the last link in the Resources section below. And if you need help getting started, feel free to book a FREE 45-minute phone call with me at: https://calendly.com/thepurposefullwriter_2023_05



About A Fresh Start for Elizabeth:

Elizabeth Maddock, a widow and a chef, wants a new start. She answers an ad for a chef who wants to serve hundreds daily, and finds herself working at a TB sanitarium in Boulder, Colorado, passing her infant son off as her brother. She comes to love the patients and wants them freed from their plight, yet the town depends on the sanitorium to remain alive and to grow.

Evan Hamden, childless widower, searches for a cure for TB. While drawn to Miss Maddock, he resists falling in love, because he has a lifetime of work ahead of him and doesn’t want any distractions such as marriage or family. But when his patients start dying, he doesn’t know who to trust. Certainly not this invisible God Miss Maddock relies on.

Can Evan and Elizabeth discover whether his treatment plan is faulty, or is somebody behind the deaths? Can they trust each other—and God—to reveal the truth?

Check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Start-Elizabeth-Beginnings-Colorado/dp/1958897051 and you can check out the rest of the Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGM7Q2GM



Giveaway: Leave a comment to enter a random drawing for a free ebook of A Fresh Start for Elizabeth.



About Donna:

A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed career writers. 



 

 

Connecting Online:

www.DonnaSchlachter.com Stay connected so you learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive 2 free ebooks simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

www.DonnaSchlachter.com/blog

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-schlachter

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The Purpose-Full Writer: https://www.facebook.com/groups/604220861766651

Need a writing coach? https://www.donnaschlachter.com/the-purpose-full-writer-coaching-programs





Resources: 

Cuniform tablet: Nicole Ashley Rahayu Densmoor from https://www.pexels.com/search/ ancient%20writings%20on%20clay%20tablets/ 

https://www.nypl.org/blog/2019/02/15/brief-history-romance-novel-recommendations

https://cristinharber.com/archive/evolution-romance-novel/

https://www.pw.org/content/love_through_the_ages

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-what-is-a-romance-novel-learn-about-the-history-and-characteristics-of-romance-novels