The Devil's Door (39 page)

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Authors: Sharan Newman

Tags: #Fiction, #Mystery & Detective, #General

BOOK: The Devil's Door

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GUINEVERE

Guinevere
The Chessboard Queen
Guinevere Evermore
The Witch in the Well
(forthcoming)

A Note on Sources

Of course,
The Devil’s Door
is a work of fiction. Catherine, Edgar and their families are pure invention. But the time they live in is not. I have done my best to make it as accurate as possible. This includes not only costume and customs but also attitudes and beliefs.

The story is woven around real events. The Council of Sens did take place, probably on the date I gave. This meeting, so crucial to the life of Peter Abelard, is not well understood. I found little agreement on who was there, why Henry Sanglier was displaying the relics (I guessed it was to raise money for the Cathedral, which was begun the following summer) or even the exact wording of the list of accusations read by Bernard. I have done my best to recreate it according to surviving accounts.

Many of the minor characters in the book also really existed. However, I have created their personalities from little or no information. William of Nevers and his son, Raynald, were never accused of anything worse than trying to keep tithes from the monks of Vézelay. I have no proof that Raynald was even married. And all I know of Peter of Baschi is that he borrowed money from Héloïse and the pope made him repay it. I apologize to anyone writing dissertations on these men.

I am particularly interested in writing about the diversity of medieval society, which is only beginning to be studied. There are a number of excellent books and articles now available on Jewish life in Europe, on women, both in and out of the convent, on the poor, on monastic life in general, and many other previously neglected aspects of medieval life. I have assembled a partial bibliography that I will send to anyone interested. Just send me a self-addressed, stamped envelope, in care of the publisher.

My work is intended to entertain first and foremost. But I also truly love this time and these people. My research is ongoing and I would be happy to hear from anyone who has made a special study of any aspect of twelfth century society I may have touched on. Please cite your sources so that I might enjoy them, too.

I have put this note at the end of the book because a number of people have asked me about the research. However, this is not a classroom; it’s a novel. I would much prefer that my readers just enjoyed the story. That’s why I wrote it.

With thanks,
Sharan

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.

THE DEVIL’S DOOR

A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Forge® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

eISBN 9781466817265

First eBook Edition : March 2012

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Newman, Sharan.

The devil’s door / Sharan Newman.

p. cm.