Smith, Anne Easter

PERSONAL:

Born in England; daughter of a British army officer; immigrated to the United States; married second husband, Scott; children: (first marriage) Joanna, Kate. Hobbies and other interests: Biking, cross-country skiing, canoeing, sailing, acting and directing.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Newburyport, MA. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

During early career, was a secretary in London, England, and Paris, France; worked as a newspaper features and arts editor in Plattsburg, NY for ten years; has worked as a folksinger and as administrative director of a music school in Newburyport, MA.

MEMBER:

Richard III Society, Historical Novel Society.

WRITINGS:

A Rose for the Crown (novel), Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2006.

Contributor of articles and arts reviews to periodicals including Bluegrass Unlimited, American Rowing, and Lynchburg's Ferry.

SIDELIGHTS:

Anne Easter Smith was born in England and spent some of her childhood in Germany and Egypt, but has lived in the United States for most of her adult life. As a young woman, she took an interest in the history of King Richard III, and her debut novel, A Rose for the Crown, is set in medieval England during the time of his life and reign. Many of the settings in her fiction are actual buildings and places in England, some of which are part of the National Trust. Smith also puts a name to the legendary golden-eyed mistress of the king with her central character, Kate Bywood. In creating her story, the author attempts to correct misinformation about the controversial king. Kate, who marries at fourteen, is widowed at sixteen, marries again, and begins an adulterous affair with the handsome Richard, who is the Duke of Gloucester at the time. He becomes her faithful lover and father of her three children, while Kate is witness to historical events such as the Wars of the Roses.

A Publishers Weekly reviewer felt that as the tale develops to the point where Richard marries Anne Neville, and he and Kate spend more time apart, "the story loses its spark," but the critic added that A Rose for the Crown "fills in some historical gaps and conjures a winning heroine." A Kirkus Reviews contributor concluded by describing the book as "a delightful, confident novel that should be a favorite with lovers of the genre."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 15, 2005, Brad Hooper, review of A Rose for the Crown, p. 24.

Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2005, review of A Rose for the Crown, p. 1254.

Library Journal, Anna M. Nelson, review of A Rose for the Crown, p. 116.

Publishers Weekly, November 14, 2005, review of A Rose for the Crown, p. 40.

ONLINE

Anne Easter Smith Home Page,http://www.anneeastersmith.com (July 22, 2006).

Simon and Schuster Web site,http://www.simonsays.com/ (July 22, 2006), interview with Smith.