Incest and the Tudors

When the second wife of King Henry VIII of England, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded in 1536 she had been accused of "adultery, incest and plotting to kill the king". Modern historians find the accusations very unconvincing, but they cost her - and her brother - their lives.

Strangely enough some years prior to this tragedy King Henry had had no qualms of considering the possibilty of marrying off his young daughter by Catherine of Aragonia, Mary, to his own illegitimate son, Henry FitzRoy, even though that would have been a clear incident of incest.

Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset (1519–1536), was the son of the king by his mistress, Elizabeth Blount. He was the only illegitimate offspring whom Henry VIII acknowledged and he obviously loved him dearly. However, the Tudors lacked legitimacy as they, after all, only had a feeble claim to the throne. That's why it was so important to the king to have male offspring.
The suggestion to marry off Princess Mary to her own half-brother, Henry FitzRoy, came when their father, Henry VIII, began the process of having his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled. Those who were for this marriage thought that it would prevent the annulment and also strengthen FitzRoy's claim to the throne. It seems that they were anxious to prevent the annulment and Henry's eventual break with the Roman Catholic Church, so the Pope was even prepared to grant a special dispensation for their marriage.
To me even to consider such a "solution" is proof of a kind of double-standard that goes far beyond the modern use of that word: FitzRoy and Mary would commit the incest that cost Anne Boleyn her life the same year that the young son of Henry died ....

Ebooks and (the Lack of) Success

I love my books, both paper backs and ebooks, some more than others, but I do have feelings for all of them. However, I may feel the most for my ebooks as they were written and designed without the interference of editors or publishers. To write and create them gave me a feeling of freedom and creativity that was quite seductive.

Because I liked the process so much I kind of "forgot" that the mechanics of the book market do not favor books that haven't been through the ordinary marketing processes. My books never had the chance of becoming well known because I never had the reviews that creates fame. However, some of my readers have published favorable reviews of some of the books, which of course made me proud like a mother of her kids who are doing well in school

OK, fame begets fame, sale begets sale, etc., etc. and I couldn't afford a literary agent or had social connections to the press. That's the weak spot in this kind of publishing: The book may be all right - or even more - but it's "invisible" which means that one only sells a few and that it's forgotten before it's time - so to speak .... Still, I love my books and feel that they are worthy of being published. However, that's how all authors feel and it isn't in itself a proof that one is right. If I read them some years from now I may find that I hate them. I don't think so, but it may happen ....

Sex and the Flintstones

Wilma and Fred Flintstone sexy? Naaaah, more like cute, and I suppose that's why it was allowed to show them in bed.

 Now, after watching some programmes on MTV for a while, I'm flabbergasted at what is shown on TV, but even more about what is implied. The main thread is sex and being sexy. Actually, I think that being sexy is considered more important than sex itself. I suppose that the reason for this is that sex in a teenage universe means being grown-up, to be in command of oneself and of one's world. Or put another way: Sex is a proof of success ....

As to Fred and Wilma they soon get two children which of course prove that they do have sex, but do we see them either kiss or fondle each other? No, I don't think so because they do not imply sex even though they were - or may have been? - the first couple to be shown in bed together.