{"product_id":"the-queens-musician-9781684633104","title":"The Queen's Musician","description":"\u003cb\u003eFor fans of Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir and Elizabeth Fremantle, an untold story about how the plot against Anne Boleyn entrapped a gifted young musician.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA glamorous queen, a volatile king, a gifted musician concealing a forbidden romance. Everyone knows Anne Boleyn's story. No one knows Mark Smeaton's. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOn May 17, 1536, a young court musician was executed, accused of adultery and treason with the queen. Most historians believe both he and Anne Boleyn were innocent--victims of Henry VIII's rage. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMark Smeaton was a talented performer who rose from poverty to become a royal favorite. He played for the king in private and entertained at sumptuous feasts. He witnessed Anne Boleyn's astonishing rise and fall--her reign of a thousand days. History tells us little about him, other than noting his confession and execution. \u003ci\u003eThe Queen's Musician \u003c\/i\u003eimagines his story, as seen from his perspective and that of the young woman who loves him. It all takes place amid the spectacle and danger of the Tudor court.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMartha Jean Johnson\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer of fiction and non-fiction and the author of a series of books and articles on public opinion and public policy. \u003ci\u003eThe Queen's Musician\u003c\/i\u003e is her debut novel. She also reviews trends in historical fiction and discusses her own love of reading and writing in her biweekly blog, \u003ci\u003eHistorical Magic\u003c\/i\u003e. She currently divides her time between writing and her work with the National Issues Forums Institute, an organization that encourages civil discourse and nonpartisan deliberation on national and local issues. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e During a long public policy career, she analyzed and reported on American public thinking, working with noted social analyst and public opinion pioneer, Daniel Yankelovich. She has published articles in \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Huffington Post\u003c\/i\u003eand appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and PBS. She is the author of a series of nonfiction paperbacks on major political issues, co-authored with Scott Bittle and published by HarperCollins. She holds degrees from Mount Holyoke College, Brown University, and Simmons College. She lives in Jersey City, New Jersey\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Sparkpress","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51298573844754,"sku":"9781684633104","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_d77be01a-0b11-4a6d-aa57-f363d1e175c7.jpg?v=1747827849","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-queens-musician-9781684633104","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}