ROMANOVS’ UNUSUALLY LOVING FAMILY
December 15, 2014
A large part of their tragedy is that the Romanovs were an unusually loving family. In that time, it was not the custom for a father, let alone a Tsar to be so affectionate and present with his children. Nicholas was demonstrative and kind- under the most trying circumstances. When he returned from the devastating […]
ROMANOV’S LAST CHRISTMAS
December 6, 2014
As the holiday approaches, I am drawn back to Christmas 1918 on the old Calendar, the Romanovs celebrated later,their December 24th-25th was the new calendar’s January 6-7th l918. The family was imprisoned in the Governor’s House in Tobolsk, Siberia and had no way to know that this would be their last Christmas and the New […]
CHOOSING MARIE
October 12, 2014
When I was writing my novel, I instinctively chose Marie as my main subject and the narrator. Why? I was drawn to her sensitive beautiful face, her level gaze…All the sisters – Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia were so appealing but I always returned to Marie. She was endearing and modest, even about being teased regarding […]
ALEXEI’S SPANIEL, JOY, SOLE SURVIVOR OF THE MASSACRE
October 12, 2014
#1 BESTSELLING RUSSIAN HISTORY ON AMAZON
October 12, 2014
Thrilling news. The kindle Passion of Marie Romanov is #1 Bestselling Russian History Book on Amazon. And the PAPERBACK is now available also on Amazon So gratifying after so many years of research and writing, which were so rewarding the work itself was a pleasure. I love immersing myself in the Romanov world and finding […]
MARIE ROMANOV’S DIARY
September 29, 2014
I have long been intrigued that all the Romanovs and their retinue, relatives and friends wrote such frequent letters- often more than one a day to the same person, and kept up journals and often wrote poetry as well. The grand duchesses wrote down their daily events and thoughts in silk covered journals that Alexandra […]
TALES MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME OF THE ROMANOVS
September 29, 2014
My Russian grandmother would tell tales of Anastasia (she pronounced it Ana- stas-eea!” who made a deep impression on her.. She and her four sisters wore Victorian whites and great bonnets also…She studied four languages. But it was her sister, my Tante Dora, ten years younger, who really kept the Samovar on the boil…She had […]
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MARIE AND ANASTASIA
September 29, 2014
My obsession focuses on Marie and the youngest sister, Shvybz- best known to the world as Anastasia but at home, “the imp”. The girls were very different but I do feel that Marie would have been protective of her . They did tease each other- Marie was kidded about her tiny bit of baby fat- […]
WHY AM I A ROMANOV-PHILE?
June 13, 2014
In 1905, my grandparents fled Russia. They escaped with the clothes on their backs (“our best clothes” my grandmother always emphasized.) The women wore beautiful white lace “waists”, ankle-length skirts, high button shoes; the men were well-turned out in waistcoats with watch chains and fobs. In my grandmother’s case, she fled Russia with the hat […]
CONFESSIONS OF A ROMANOV-PHILE
April 28, 2014
I remember the exact moment when I became obsessed with the Romanovs. I was lying in a hammock suspended between trees at my country place in upstate New York. It was a late summer afternoon that can best be described as “languid” and I was feeling very languid indeed. A frosted glass of lemonade rested […]