Here we are, just a little over four months out from publication. I have received galleys of THE MAPMAKER’S DAUGHTER, and it looks just beautiful. It has been a wonderful experience working with my editor, Shana Drehs, and the rest of the team at Sourcebooks, and I look forward to a really special finished product.
Local speaking invitations have been coming in at a steady clip, and I look forward to the chance to talk about the book and the history of the Spanish Convivencia. Please take a look at the author’s introduction and synopsis pages for THE MAPMAKER’S DAUGHTER to understand why I think this is such an important and compelling subject.
I have received a great deal of praise from fellow authors, whose blurbs will appear on the cover or front pages. Here is a sampling:
“A riveting, often heart-rending tale set against the tragic backdrop of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Laurel Corona has crafted a heroine for all ages in Amalia, whose choices define an era of religious upheaval, courage, and sacrifice that still resonates today.” -C.W. Gortner, author of The Queen’s Vow.
“The many twists and turns in the life of The Mapmaker’s Daughter, Amalia, mirror the tenuous and harrowing journey of the Jewish community in 15th century Iberia, showing how family and faith overcame even the worst the Inquisition could inflict on them.” Anne Easter Smith, author of Royal Mistress and A Rose for the Crown
“The ghosts of the past are never far in Laurel Corona’s hauntingly beautiful tale of a woman whose life spans the Spanish Inquisition and the fall of Muslim Granada. Yet despite the dark times, a powerful love story ignites these pages, making the reader yearn for more as they come to know Amalia and Jamil, two of the most compelling characters in recent historical fiction. An absolute must-read!” Michelle Moran, author of Madame Tussaud and Nefertiti
“A close look at the great costs and greater rewards of being true to who you really are. A lyrical journey to the time when the Jews of Spain were faced with the wrenching choice of deciding their future as Jews—a pivotal period of history and inspiration today. This novel should be required reading for bar and bat mitzvahs, except that makes it sound like a chore whereas it’s a delight.” Margaret George, author of Helen of Troy and Elizabeth.
Well-researched, evocative, and a pleasure to read, THE MAPMAKER’S DAUGHTER intimately and convincingly portrays important players in the reconquest of Granada and the expulsion of the Jews from Spain.” — Mitchell James Kaplan, award-winning author of BY FIRE, BY WATER
Several more blurbs are yet to come, but so far it seems as if early readers are loving it. I am so excited, and I can’t wait for you to read it too!
