by Jean Gill
For news of Book 4 and a FREE ebook of ‘One Sixth of a Gill’, please visit www.jeangill.com and sign up for my newsletter. This collection of shorts was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf and SpASpa Awards
A book with ‘Wow’ factor - Geoff Nelder, Aria
A fantastic array of wonderful prose, from bee-keeping to Top Tips on Dogs! A FINALIST and highly recommended - The Wishing Shelf Awards
A rare treat - J.G. Harlond, The Empress Emerald'
An eclectic mix - quite unputdownable - B.A. Morton, 'Mrs Jones'
Five-minute reads. Meet people you will never forget: the night photographer, the gynaecologist's wife, the rescue dog. Dip into whatever suits your mood, from comedy to murders; from fantastic stories to blog posts, by way of love poetry.
Fully illustrated by the author in black and white; Jean Gill's original photographs are as thought-provoking as her writing. An out of body experience for adventurous readers. Or, of course, you can 'Live Safe'.
Not for you
the blind alley on a dark night,
wolf-lope pacing you step for step
as shadows flare on the walls.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to:-
my editor, Lesley Geekie;
my critical friends, especially Babs, Claire, Jane, Karen C, Karen M and Kris for your invaluable input and support.
A huge thank you to Monica Green and Priscilla Throop for permission to use their work on medieval medicine, which is an essential part of Estela’s story.
Excerpts from The Trotula, translated by Monica H.Green. reprinted by kind permission of University of Pennsylvania Press.
Excerpts from Hildegard von Bingen’s Physica, translated by Priscilla Throop, reprinted by kind permission of Healing Arts Press
Historical sources that were particularly useful were:-
Les Seigneurs des Baux -Pierre Conso
La Provence, Enjeu des Guerres Médiévales - Pierre Conso
The Art of Medieval Hunting - John Cummins
Medieval Hunting - Richard Almond
The Chronicle of San Juan de la Peña, translated by Lynn H. Nelson (University of Pennsylvania Press)
Poems of Arab Andalusia, translated by Cola Franzen (City Lights Books)
Chivalry - Maurice Keen
Historical Note
Dragonetz and Estela are fictional characters living in real 12th century events, which are set in the region now known as southern France. In this period, hunting, hawking and tournaments are not yet turned into the rituals they become in the 13th century and later. Coats of arms are also in their early stages as highborn families ‘discover’ their ancestors and emblems. I took the liberty of bringing forward the known appearance of the Baux motto, coat of arms and legendary ancestor, to suit my story, but there is nothing to prove that my version didn’t happen.
The basic family tree below shows some of the difficulties in research. Multiple dates (if any) are recorded for a birth or death; the same name is passed on for generations; Ramon Berenguer II is actually the nephew of Ramon Berenguer IV and heir to a completely different region. Names are spelled according to language and humour, so Ramon could also appear in research as Raymond, Raimon, Ramun; sometimes hyphenated, sometimes not.
I have tried to be consistent within the series and to give a flavor of the Occitan, French, Latin, Arabic and Jewish languages which were commonly used, without rendering place-names obscure. Marselha is Marseille, Ais en Provence is Aix en Provence and so on.
I hope you enjoyed your visit to 12th century Provence.
Historical Characters appearing in the series so far:-
Aaron ben Asher - Jewish sage, who annotated the sacred Torah known as the Keter Aram Sola/ the Aleppo Codex
Abd-al-Malik - the last King of Zaragoza, grandfather of my invented character Malik
Aliénor of Aquitaine/ Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of Aquitaine and Queen of France
Abraham ben Isaac/ Raavad II - Jewish leader in Narbonne
Alphonse, nicknamed ‘Jourdain’/ ‘Jordan’, Comte de Toulouse, father of Raymond, killed by poison in Caesarea in 1148
Alphonso, King of Castile, Emperor of Spain - died in 1144 leaving his estate to the Templars
Amaury - younger son of Mélisende
Archbishop of Narbonne, Pierre d’Anduze - brother of Ermengarda’s husband
Archbishop Suger - royal prelate in Paris, adviser to King Louis
Baudouin, King of Jerusalem - Mélisende’s son
Bèatriz - the future Comtesssa de Dia/Comtesse de Die and famous troubairitz
Bernard de Clairvaux - advisor to Louis, abbot leading and reforming the Cistercian order
Bernard d’Anduze - Ermengarda’s titular husband, brother of the Archbishop of Narbonne
Bernard de Tremelay, Templar Grand Master 1151
Chirkhouh - Nur ad-Din’s general, killed Prince Raymond of Antioch
Constance - widow of the Prince of Antioch, Mélisende’s niece
Conrad - Holy Roman Emperor, ruler of the Germanic peoples
Dolca - Etiennette’s sister, heir to Provence, grandmother to the young Comte, Ramon Berenguer II
Ermengarda/Ermengarde - Viscomtesse of Narbonne
Etiennette/Stéphania - widowed Lady of Les Baux-de-Provence
Everard des Barres, Grand Master of the Templars during the Second Crusade
Foulques, King of Jerusalem by marriage to Mélisende - died 1146
Geoffroi de Rançon (the father), Commander of Aliénor’s Guard 1148
Geoffroi de Rançon (the son) - possibly more than one
Guilhelm de Poitiers - married Bèatriz
Henri d’Anjou, King of England - married Aliénor (2nd husband)
Hodierne, Comtesse de Tripoli - sister of Mélisende, Queen of Jerusalem
Hugues des Baux - Lord of Les-Baux-de-Provence, son of Etiennette
Isoard, Comte de Die/Dia - Bèatriz’ father (very little known about Bèatriz)
Ismat ad-Dhin - Nur ad-Din’s wife, Unur’s daughter
Joscelyn, Comte d’Edessa - deserted and lost the city to Muslim forces, starting the Second Crusade
Jarl Rognvaldr Kali Kolsson - Prince of Orkney
Louis VII - King of France, married to Aliénor
de Maurienne, Comte - uncle and adviser to Louis VII
Maimonides - Jewish philosopher
Manuel Komnenos/Comnenus - Emperor of Byzantium
Manassés - Constable of Jerusalem
Mélisende - Queen of Jerusalem
Mujir ad-Din - ruler of Damascus, 1151
Nur ad-Din - Muslim Atabeg (ruler and general), uncle of Saladin
Pope Eugene III
Petronilla - Queen of Aragon, married to Ramon Berenguer IV
Porcelet family - (First names are my invention)
Pons family - the rulers of Les-Baux-de-Provence
Ramon Trencavel - brother to Roger and Comte de Carcassonne on his brother’s death in 1150
Ramon Berenguer IV -‘El Sant’, Comte de Barcelona, Prince of Aragon and Regent of Provence
Ramon Berenguer II - Comte de Provence, nephew to ‘El Sant’
Raymond V - Comte de Toulouse
Raymond Comte de Tripoli, Hodierne’s husband and relation of Toulouse, killed by Assassins in 1152
Raymon/Ramon/Raymond, Prince of Antioch - Aliénor’s uncle and rumoured lover, killed by Saracen troops in 1148
Raymond and Stephanie (Etiennette) of Les Baux - rulers in Provence
Raymond de Puy - Hospitalers’ Grand Master 1151
Roger Trencavel, Comte de Carcassonne - died in 1150
Saint Paul/ Saul of Tarsus - famously converted on the road to Damascus
Salah ad-Din/Saladin - Muslim leader during the Third Crusade
Sicard de Llautrec - ally of Toulouse
Unur - Muslim general, defended Damascus in the Second Crusade
Zengi/Imad ad-Din Zengi - father of Nur ad-Din, murdered in 1146
; The Hashashins/Assassins - the Isma’ili Muslim sect
the troubadours - Jaufre Rudel, Marcabru, Cercamon, Peire Rogier from the Auvergne, Raimbaut d’Aurenja/Raymon of Aurenja, Guiraut de Bornelh
Persian poets - Omar Khayyam, Sanai
Medical authorities - Galen, Nicolaus of Salerno, Trota, Hildegard von Bingen
In charge of the Templar Commandery at Douzens - Peter Radels, Master; Isarn of Molaria and Bernard of Roquefort, joint
Commander
About the Author
I’m a Welsh writer and photographer living in the south of France with a big white dog, a scruffy black dog, a Nikon D700 and a man. I taught English in Wales for many years and my claim to fame is that I was the first woman to be a secondary headteacher in Carmarthenshire. I’m mother or stepmother to five children so life has been pretty hectic.
I’ve published all kinds of books, both with conventional publishers and self-published. You’ll find everything under my name from prize-winning poetry and novels, military history, translated books on dog training, to a cookery book on goat cheese. My work with top dog-trainer Michel Hasbrouck has taken me deep into the world of dogs with problems, and inspired one of my novels. With Scottish parents, an English birthplace and French residence, I can usually support the winning team on most sporting occasions.
My recommendations, if you would like to read another of my books:-
If you want to read about my life in France, try How Blue is my Valley. Humorous travel/autobiography about my first year living in Provence and how it compared with Wales.
‘Laugh out loud in many places... such a vivid picture of fields of lavender, sunflowers and olive trees that you could almost be there with her.’ Living France Magazine
The true scents of Provence?
Lavender, thyme and septic tank.
How can you resist a village called Dieulefit, ‘God created it’, the village ‘where everyone belongs’. Discover the real Provence in good company ...
If you are a dog-lover, try Someone to Look Up To. Based on true stories. It’s a dog’s life in the south of France.
From puppyhood, Sirius the Pyrenean Mountain Dog has been trying to understand his humans and train them with kindness...
How this led to divorce he has no idea. More misunderstandings take Sirius to Death Row in an animal shelter, as a so-called dangerous dog learning survival tricks from the other inmates. During the twilight barking, he is shocked to hear his brother’s voice but the bitter-sweet reunion is short-lived. Doggedly, Sirius keeps the faith.
One day, his human will come.
If you like romance, try Snake on Saturdays.
‘One of the best books I’ve read this year.’ Nicolle, goodreads
Helen Tanner lives alone and likes it that way. She runs her own business, spends her evenings out with friends, and tries to think as little as possible about the tragedy she has left behind. Until, that is, a dark-haired vet walks into her shop and into her life.
Her first unpromising encounter with Llanelli vet Dai Evans turns into a tumultuous affair which brings about irrevocable changes for both of them. Dai becomes closer to his farming family, and helps them through the BSE crisis, while Helen is forced not only to consider a new future, but to face up to a troubled past.
If you like biographies and true war stories, try Faithful through Hard Times.
‘A most unusual military history book. There are few military non-combatant accounts of life in the Second World War, fewer still from an Other Rank. Based on words and feelings recorded at the time it is probably unique.’ - Don Marshall, Military History Enthusiast
This is not a WW2 memoir. It is a riveting reconstruction from an eye-witness account written at the time in a secret diary, a diary too dangerous to show anyone and too precious to destroy.
The true story of four years, 3 million bombs, one small island out-facing the might of the German and Italian airforces - and one young Scotsman who didn’t want to be there.
If you like Young Adult that works for adults too; if you’re left-handed or know a leftie, try On the Other Hand
A mix of gripping story with fascinating facts on left-handedness. Everyone should think left-handed - or so 14 year old Jamie thought when she tied her hand behind her back for a day-long protest in school, against persecution of left-handers over the centuries. Her best friend Ryan publicised their cause with a new series of articles in the school magazine but just when their campaign is going well, Ryan’s Mum drags him off from Wales to live in America. There he faces bullying at its most deadly and Jamie has to live from one email to the next to know whether her friend is coping. Teachers’ resource materials available free from www.jeangill.com/
If you like food and France, try A Small Cheese in Provence
Provençal food for the brain as well as the table. Cheese information, recipes, stories and quotations in French, Occitan and English with beautiful full colour photographs throughout. A must for cheese-loving Francophiles, who will discover the Picodon ‘a small cheese in Provence’ that even travelled into space on an Apollo mission.
Jean Gill’s publications
Novels
Someone to Look Up To (lulu) 2011
the story of a special dog
The Troubadours Quartet
Book 3 Plaint for Provence (The 13th Sign) 2015
Book 2 Bladesong (lulu) 2012
Book 1 Song at Dawn (lulu) 2011
The Llanelli Saga
Book 2 San Fairy Anne (lulu) 2010
Book 1 Snake on Saturdays (Gomer) 2001
Jamie and Ryan Books (middle grade)
Book 2 Crystal Balls (lulu) 2010
Book 1 On the Other Hand (Dinas) 2005
Non-fiction/Memoir/Travel
How Blue is my Valley (lulu) 2010
A Small Cheese in Provence (lulu) 2009
Faithful through Hard Times (lulu) 2008
4.5 Years - war memoir by David Taylor (lulu) 2008
Short Stories and Poetry
One Sixth of a Gill (The 13th Sign) 2014
From Bed-time On (National Poetry Foundation) 1996
With Double Blade (National Poetry Foundation) 1988
Translation (from French)
The Last Love of Edith Piaf – Christie Laume (Archipel) 2014
A Pup in Your Life - Michel Hasbrouck 2008
Gentle Dog Training - Michel Hasbrouck (Souvenir Press) 2007
