Leanna's Haunted London Blog Tour
The Hoydens would like to give a warm welcome to Leanna Renee Hieber, who is visiting us on the thirteenth and last day of her Haunted London Blog Tour. One of the founders (foundresses?) of Lady Jane's Salon, Leanna has combined her interest in ghost stories, London, and the Victorian era to create a ghostly Gothic tale of ancient prophecy and gas-lit intrigues.
Here's the blurb from the back of Leanna's book (and the incredibly gorgeous cover): "What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Considering how few of Queen Victoria’s Londoners knew of it, the great Romanesque fortress was dreadfully imposing, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met the powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadow, the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She knew simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow-white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gifts. But this arched stone doorway offered a portal to a new life, an education far from the convent—and an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death…"
And now, without further ado...
The STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL Haunted London Blog Tour – Lucky day 13 and final stop!
Last but certainly not least, hello my History Hoydens! Thank you so very much Lauren, for the invite and to the Hoydens for hosting me today on the final Strangely Beautiful Haunted London Blog Tour stop! Today is very special because I unveil a ghost from Book II of the Strangely Beautiful series – an exclusive sneak-peek excerpt!
For those of you just joining us, the purpose of the Haunted Blog Tour is to celebrate the release of my Gothic Victorian Fantasy debut, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, this Tour has introduced the real, documented London haunts who “ghost-star” in my book. When Professor Alexi Rychman and his Guard of spectral police make their rounds, it is to any number of London phantasms. Since these characters are familiar to The Guard, I don’t get to tell all their details. But here I can give them their due. Leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of the novel, first in the Strangely Beautiful series!
Oliver Goldsmith and Ye Olde Cock Tavern – 22 Fleet Street, EC4
While you may know Fleet Street from Sweeney Todd, there’s more than just a demon barber down Fleet Street. Of mid-16th century vintage, Ye Olde Cock Tavern is the oldest pub on Fleet. Writer and playwright Oliver Goldsmith (1730-74; She Stoops to Conquer, The Vicar of Wakefield) is buried in the graveyard of Temple Church which lies to the rear of the Tavern. A barmaid once exited the rear door and found herself face to face with a floating, disembodied head. It took a great deal to calm her down, and she only started up screaming again when, upstairs in the Tavern, she saw a portrait of Goldsmith on the wall, shrieking that his was the face she saw.
Here’s how I use his spectral presence in the Strangely Beautiful sequel – to be released May 2010…
“Busy night tonight, Lord Withersby,” Headmistress Rebecca Thompson stated with a partial smirk. “I was just on my way to Ye Olde Cock Tavern.”
Elijah made a face. “Oliver Goldsmith’s floating head again?!”
“Afraid so. It won’t take but a minute, just up Fleet Street.” Rebecca mounted her horse and they moved slowly, Elijah walking beside.
“Damn writers and their bloody legacy,” Elijah scoffed. “Loathe to leave anything. Damn them all, there isn’t a single noble profession in the world.”
“Save for those born with money and therefore need not labour?”
“Oh, no, my class is constituted entirely of sniveling idiots.”
“What then,” Rebecca laughed. “There must be some worthwhile aim-”
“Yes," Elijah said firmly. "Ours. We’re the only noble ones, Rebecca!” He then eyed her. “How are you faring these days?”
Rebecca snorted. “And where have you been these few days?”
“I was asking the question, Rebecca. I was wondering how it feels to be free of the looming shadow of His Highness for a bit,” Elijah grinned.
Rebecca thought a moment. “Not bad, I suppose. Not bad.”
“Good then. Keep your strength sound. Leader Alexi may be, but you of all people oughtn’t be kept at heel.”
“He did not put me at heel.”
“No, he didn’t,” Elijah’s gaze was uncomfortably frank. “You did. He respects you the most. But you never did yourself that honour, did you?”
Rebecca’s discomfited clearing of her throat satisfied Elijah.
“Hold onto your head, Oliver!” Elijah cried. “We’ve come for it again, you witless sot! I never did like a single one of your tired phrases!” Elijah threw open the tavern door and burst inside with a raucous yell, drawing a pretend sword and clearing the entire first floor in a few bounds.
Rebecca witnessed the instant commotion and couldn’t hold back a laugh. Before the burly man behind the bar could tackle him, Elijah held out his arms in one swift, grand gesture like a conductor halting a symphony and all was immediately quiet, the entire assemblage staring suddenly off into space, content and unaware.
Elijah, unable to help himself, waved his arms about a bit, seeing how the entire company moved their heads in response like marionettes on strings. This caused him limitless glee and Rebecca had to take his arms gently and lower them lest he play the giggling puppeteer all night.
“You allow me no fun,” Elijah pouted, a stray finger still making one slovenly drunkard’s gaze turn loops. Rebecca confiscated both his hands in hers and nearly pressed her nose to his.
“Ask Jane about all the fun she had. We cannot all entirely misbehave.”
“I thought I saw something about a children’s ward...”
“She was guilty as charged. Healed the whole ward.”
“Ah, brilliant,” Elijah grinned.
“You picked the locks, didn’t you?” Rebecca chided.
“What, and let Michael steal my mischief? If Alexi gets the privilege of a honeymoon, then we’ve most certainly the right to our own bit of fun.”
Elijah and Rebecca entered onto the back stoop in tandem. Sure enough, Oliver Goldsmith’s disembodied head bobbed at eye level, his transparent features looking entirely offended.
“Stop scaring the barmaids, Goldsmith! Let your prose do it for you!” Elijah pinned the writer by his century-dead eyes while Rebecca’s bold incantations settled to a soft hush.
The hovering skull of the infuriated writer soon dispatched, they crossed back through the quiet, lazing pub. Elijah relinquished his spell with a flick of his wrist only as the front door clicked shut behind them.
--- (End of Excerpt)
I confess, that’s some of the most fun I’ve had with a ghost story.
I’m indebted to Richard Jones, founder of the Discovery Walks of London and author of the fantastic compendium “Haunted London” and “Walking Haunted London” published by Barnes & Noble Books, a main resource for my research. Visit him at www.haunted-london.com. Come visit me at www.leannareneehieber.com to find out more about all things Strangely Beautiful! I hope you’ll pick up the book and love it as much as I loved writing it! If you have the book, enter my CONTEST! (Details on website). Be sure to comment here to be entered to win a signed copy of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker!
Thanks to those of you who have been ardent Tour followers, it’s been a joy to have you on board! I’ll be doing periodic ghostly tidbits and previews on my blog so stay tuned and keep in touch!
Strangely Beautiful Blessings!
Leanna Renee Hieber
Here's the blurb from the back of Leanna's book (and the incredibly gorgeous cover): "What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Considering how few of Queen Victoria’s Londoners knew of it, the great Romanesque fortress was dreadfully imposing, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met the powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadow, the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She knew simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow-white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gifts. But this arched stone doorway offered a portal to a new life, an education far from the convent—and an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death…"And now, without further ado...
The STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL Haunted London Blog Tour – Lucky day 13 and final stop!
Last but certainly not least, hello my History Hoydens! Thank you so very much Lauren, for the invite and to the Hoydens for hosting me today on the final Strangely Beautiful Haunted London Blog Tour stop! Today is very special because I unveil a ghost from Book II of the Strangely Beautiful series – an exclusive sneak-peek excerpt!
For those of you just joining us, the purpose of the Haunted Blog Tour is to celebrate the release of my Gothic Victorian Fantasy debut, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, this Tour has introduced the real, documented London haunts who “ghost-star” in my book. When Professor Alexi Rychman and his Guard of spectral police make their rounds, it is to any number of London phantasms. Since these characters are familiar to The Guard, I don’t get to tell all their details. But here I can give them their due. Leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of the novel, first in the Strangely Beautiful series!
Oliver Goldsmith and Ye Olde Cock Tavern – 22 Fleet Street, EC4
While you may know Fleet Street from Sweeney Todd, there’s more than just a demon barber down Fleet Street. Of mid-16th century vintage, Ye Olde Cock Tavern is the oldest pub on Fleet. Writer and playwright Oliver Goldsmith (1730-74; She Stoops to Conquer, The Vicar of Wakefield) is buried in the graveyard of Temple Church which lies to the rear of the Tavern. A barmaid once exited the rear door and found herself face to face with a floating, disembodied head. It took a great deal to calm her down, and she only started up screaming again when, upstairs in the Tavern, she saw a portrait of Goldsmith on the wall, shrieking that his was the face she saw.
Here’s how I use his spectral presence in the Strangely Beautiful sequel – to be released May 2010…
“Busy night tonight, Lord Withersby,” Headmistress Rebecca Thompson stated with a partial smirk. “I was just on my way to Ye Olde Cock Tavern.”
Elijah made a face. “Oliver Goldsmith’s floating head again?!”
“Afraid so. It won’t take but a minute, just up Fleet Street.” Rebecca mounted her horse and they moved slowly, Elijah walking beside.
“Damn writers and their bloody legacy,” Elijah scoffed. “Loathe to leave anything. Damn them all, there isn’t a single noble profession in the world.”
“Save for those born with money and therefore need not labour?”
“Oh, no, my class is constituted entirely of sniveling idiots.”
“What then,” Rebecca laughed. “There must be some worthwhile aim-”
“Yes," Elijah said firmly. "Ours. We’re the only noble ones, Rebecca!” He then eyed her. “How are you faring these days?”
Rebecca snorted. “And where have you been these few days?”
“I was asking the question, Rebecca. I was wondering how it feels to be free of the looming shadow of His Highness for a bit,” Elijah grinned.
Rebecca thought a moment. “Not bad, I suppose. Not bad.”
“Good then. Keep your strength sound. Leader Alexi may be, but you of all people oughtn’t be kept at heel.”
“He did not put me at heel.”
“No, he didn’t,” Elijah’s gaze was uncomfortably frank. “You did. He respects you the most. But you never did yourself that honour, did you?”
Rebecca’s discomfited clearing of her throat satisfied Elijah.
“Hold onto your head, Oliver!” Elijah cried. “We’ve come for it again, you witless sot! I never did like a single one of your tired phrases!” Elijah threw open the tavern door and burst inside with a raucous yell, drawing a pretend sword and clearing the entire first floor in a few bounds.
Rebecca witnessed the instant commotion and couldn’t hold back a laugh. Before the burly man behind the bar could tackle him, Elijah held out his arms in one swift, grand gesture like a conductor halting a symphony and all was immediately quiet, the entire assemblage staring suddenly off into space, content and unaware.
Elijah, unable to help himself, waved his arms about a bit, seeing how the entire company moved their heads in response like marionettes on strings. This caused him limitless glee and Rebecca had to take his arms gently and lower them lest he play the giggling puppeteer all night.
“You allow me no fun,” Elijah pouted, a stray finger still making one slovenly drunkard’s gaze turn loops. Rebecca confiscated both his hands in hers and nearly pressed her nose to his.
“Ask Jane about all the fun she had. We cannot all entirely misbehave.”
“I thought I saw something about a children’s ward...”
“She was guilty as charged. Healed the whole ward.”
“Ah, brilliant,” Elijah grinned.
“You picked the locks, didn’t you?” Rebecca chided.
“What, and let Michael steal my mischief? If Alexi gets the privilege of a honeymoon, then we’ve most certainly the right to our own bit of fun.”
Elijah and Rebecca entered onto the back stoop in tandem. Sure enough, Oliver Goldsmith’s disembodied head bobbed at eye level, his transparent features looking entirely offended.
“Stop scaring the barmaids, Goldsmith! Let your prose do it for you!” Elijah pinned the writer by his century-dead eyes while Rebecca’s bold incantations settled to a soft hush.
The hovering skull of the infuriated writer soon dispatched, they crossed back through the quiet, lazing pub. Elijah relinquished his spell with a flick of his wrist only as the front door clicked shut behind them.
--- (End of Excerpt)
I confess, that’s some of the most fun I’ve had with a ghost story.
I’m indebted to Richard Jones, founder of the Discovery Walks of London and author of the fantastic compendium “Haunted London” and “Walking Haunted London” published by Barnes & Noble Books, a main resource for my research. Visit him at www.haunted-london.com. Come visit me at www.leannareneehieber.com to find out more about all things Strangely Beautiful! I hope you’ll pick up the book and love it as much as I loved writing it! If you have the book, enter my CONTEST! (Details on website). Be sure to comment here to be entered to win a signed copy of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker!
Thanks to those of you who have been ardent Tour followers, it’s been a joy to have you on board! I’ll be doing periodic ghostly tidbits and previews on my blog so stay tuned and keep in touch!
Strangely Beautiful Blessings!
Leanna Renee Hieber
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