History is a Bitch - a weblog by Jeanne Kalogridis

When I started inhaling "The Borgia Bride," I could not believe that so many of the facts about Alexander VI were true. When I looked him up on the Web, I soon learned that most of your book was indeed true.

I must tell you I bawled when Sancha endured the loss of you-know-who (I won't give too much away). Your tale of the malignancy that infected the Borgias was masterful and riveting. I loved this book even more than "I, Mona Lisa," and I'm looking forward to reading more of your works.

I'm a writer myself, mostly nonfiction. I read a lot, and appreciate truly beautiful writing. I will remain one of your biggest fans.

Lisa,

Thanks so much for the kind words. I really felt I had to write an afterword for that book, because the Borgias did so many unbelievable things -- I wanted the reader to realize that these acts weren't the result of my hyperactive imagination.

I think the historical novelist's job is to take a bit of dry material: "Look, this character and her brother married into the same family" -- and without much information about either (not knowing whether they hated each other or were indifferent to one another) create a relationship between the characters that works. That's what gives a story heart.

I know that it`s been a few years since you wrote the trilogy "The Diaries of the Family Dracul", but I must say that it`s a very spellbinding read. I seldom read fictional works, but yours is excellent. Excellent in the sense that your style of writing is such that I can visualize, can see in my mind in vivid details the characters and what they`re doing and how they think. Whether a writing is fictional or not, in my opinion, a descriptive writer is a good writer; one who can make you personally live the story. I have personally read the book "Dracula Prince of Many Faces" by Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally. I have a first copy edition. Your research was great. I`m also familiar with "Goetia, The Lesser Key of Solomon" which you mentioned in The Diary of Abraham Van Helsing 23 January from "Children of the Vampire". I also have a copy of that too for my own researches. I`ve enjoyed this vampire trilogy very much. Thank you.

hi there, just wanted to say that have just read the borgia bride and loved it i found it beautifully written and thought provoking and full of what ifs, i cant stop thinking about it i am an avid reader of historical romance and have to say its one of the best ive ever read, i also wanted to ask do u think that cesare truly loved sancha? and do u think things could have changed for the best i mean if she had to have left jofre and married cesare? do u think her brother still would have lived? or would he have corrupted her and made her miserable and her brother die none the less? i cant wait to read more of your books im a big fan already!

Eiren,

I'm so glad you enjoyed THE BORGIA BRIDE. But wow, what questions! I'll try to answer, but there are a lot of possible scenarios. Do I think Cesare truly loved Sancha? Yes, as much as a twisted self-centered murderer can actually love someone -- and NO, I think her marrying Cesare would have been a horrible mistake, and would not have changed Alfonso's fate.

I LOVED The Borgia Bride. You are a truly exceptional writer. I have been trying to find more information about Sancia on the Internet, but have come across very little. Any suggestions?

Hi, Anna,
Unfortunately, there's very little information available on Sancha/Sancia of Aragon. Most of my information came in bits and dribbles from out-of-print books I found in the UCLA library. It's been a few years, and unfortunately, I can't remember the titles. I do remember they dealt with the history of Naples, and the parenthetical references to Sancha always came in connection to her father, the King.