Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Happy Birthday Daphne du Maurier!

Webfetti.com


Today is Daphne du Maurier's 102nd Birthday! In honor of her, Sourcebooks is giving away one copy of Frenchman's Creek to a reader and one copy of My Cousin Rachel to a reader!

It is easy to enter - just tell me some fact about Daphne or something about one of her books - I don't care if you google her and find info that way - but then we can all learn more about this amazing author.

One entry per person - open to U.S. or Canada only. Contest will run for one week - ending May 20th at 6pm CST. MUST LEAVE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT!

Now, a little about the books.




Jaded by the numbing politeness of Restoration London, Lady Dona St. Columb revolts against high society. She rides into the countryside, guided only by her restlessness and her longing to escape.

But when chance leads her to meet a French pirate, hidden within Cornwall's shadowy forests, Dona discovers that her passions and thirst for adventure have never been more aroused. Together, they embark upon a quest rife with danger and glory, one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain death or risk her own life to save him.

Frenchman's Creek is the breathtaking story of a woman searching for love and adventure who embraces the dangerous life of a fugitive on the seas. (synopsis from book cover)





Philip Ashley's older cousin Ambrose, who raised the orphaned Philip as his own son, has died in Rome. Philip, the heir to Ambrose's beautiful English estate, is crushed that the man he loved died far from home. He is also suspicious. While in Italy, Ambrose fell in love with Rachel, a beautiful English and Italian woman. But the final, brief letters Ambrose wrote hint that his love had turned to paranoia and fear.

Now Rachel has arrived at Philip's newly inherited estate. Could this exquisite woman, who seems to genuinely share Philip's grief at Ambrose's death, really be as cruel as Philip imagined? Or is she the kind, passionate woman with whom Ambrose fell in love? Philip struggles to answer this question, knowing Ambrose's estate, and his own future, will be destroyed if his answer is wrong. (synopsis from book cover)




It's time to tell me what you know!



41 comments:

clenna said...

She was born 13 May 1907
(My daughter was born May 15th - my favorite month is May!)
i would love 'My cousin Rachael.'

traveler said...

This giveaway is the ultimate since Daphne Du Maurier is my favorite author. I started reading her books way back and adored them. The setting for many of her books was Cornwall, where she spent holidays with her family. Frenchman's Creek would be great. Thanks.saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

bermudaonion said...

Daphne du Maurier had 3 children. Please enter me for Frenchman's Creek. Thanks for the giveaway.

Sandra said...

The second book I read by DuMaurier, after Rebecca of course, was actually a non fiction about her family history in France. Called The Glassblowers, it was a fascinating look at this craft at a time when it had reached it's height in France. Most people tell me they haven't heard of it. I would love to be entered for My Cousin Rachel, but I'd certainly read Frenchman's Creek too if Rachel isn't available. Thank you for entering me.

Gaby317 said...

I've only read the book Rebecca, which is one of my mother's favorites and consistent recommendations. It has a famous opening line, "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."

Rebecca was made into a movie that won the 1941 Oscar for Best Picture.

Her short story The Birds was also turned into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock.


gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com

♔ jessica.marie said...

She was accused of plagerism is her novel Rebecca. It was claimed to be copied from a Brazilian author. ;)

I would be willing to read either one because they both sound great!

lovejessicamarie [@] gmail [.] com

Anonymous said...

Daphne du Maurier was one of five 'Women of Achievement' selected for a set of five British stamps issued in August 1996.

Either would be great!!

luckistarr4 AT gmail DOT com

Bridget said...

Hi! No need to enter me. Just posted on Win A Book.

Jessica said...

She is actually Dame Daphne du Maurier. She was made so by the Queen in 1969, but Daphne never used the title and didn't tell people about the honor.

I'd love to read either of these. Thanks!

Jessica said...

Sorry, here's my email address:

thebluestockingsociety AT gmail

scottsgal said...

Her father had a cigarette named after him.

Would love to read either of these

msboatgal at aol.com

nfmgirl said...

She wrote a novel called The Scapegoat that was later made into a movie starring Bette Davis.

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

Jayme said...

ummm, her novel Rebecca scared me when I was younger. i read it around the age of 13 and the housekeeper freaked me out.

jaymewhitson AT gmail DOT com

ibeeeg said...

She died in 1985 and her ashes were scattered upon the Cornwall cliffs.

ibeeeg(at)gmail(dot)com

KR said...

Her uncle, a magazine editor, published one of her stories when she was only a teenager and got her a literary agent.

I'd love My Cousin Rachel.

mj.coward[at]gmail.com

Kitten22 said...

This looks great! Please enter me!

I think it's so cool that she's Dame Dauphne du Maurier! How awesome!

BookCrossingKitten22[at]gmail[dot]com

Alyce said...

I would like to be entered for either book.

I learned from another site that she wrote The Birds. I had no clue.

akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com

Molly said...

both The Birds and Rebecca were made into films by Alfred Hitchcock.

I think I am going to teach Rebecca next year in my British literature class as a great example of gothic literature.

I would love to be entered to win My Cousin Rachel.

Thanks for the great giveaway contest.

Mstermind1 at gmail dot com

claire said...

She was the cousin of the Llewelyn Davies boys, who were J.M. Barrie's inspiration for the Lost Boys in Peter Pan.
I would love to win Frenchman's Creek, thanks.
dreamsongpoem at gmail dot com

BurtonReview said...

Please enter me for The Frenchman's Creek
marieburton2004 at yahoo dot com

Found this out: she was obsessed with her own family history, which she chronicled in Gerald: a Portrait, a biography of her father; The du Mauriers, a study of her family which focused on her grandfather, George du Maurier, the novelist and illustrator for Punch

Carlene said...

She began writing short stories in 1928, and in 1931 her first novel, 'The Loving Spirit' was published. Here is something about Daphne. I would love a chance to win her book.
Thanks
Carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net

LuAnn said...

I thought it was interesting that she lived the life of a fairy princess in a mansion in Cornwall called Menabilly, which was the model for Manderley in "Rebecca."

Anonymous said...

Her novel, Jamaica Inn was also made into film by Alfred Hitchcock. Not Hitchcock's best film at all, but the book is excellent.

I'd love either of these, but I have not read Frenchman's Creek yet.

Thanks!

manderley23@gmail.com
(yes, my email address is from Rebecca. I'm kinda Daphne Du Maurier's biggest fan;-)

Suzanne Yester said...

Daphne du Maurier wrote the short story that the Alfred Hitchcock "The Birds" is based on. Would love the Frenchman's Creek, but both sound great!

Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
quzy(AT)mac(DOT)com

Valorie said...

She was born in 1907. :D

Valorie
morbidromantic@gmail.com

Dawn M. said...

I've never read any of her books so I had to Google her. Did not know that she wrote the short story that The Birds was based on! I also learned that her book Mary Anne was based on the real life story of her great great grandmother.

Thanks! :0)
librarygrinch at gmail dot com

Sue W. said...

First of all I always thought that Daphne du Maurier was born in France although I knew she lived in England. She was awarded Dame Commander in the Order of the British Empire in 1969. I believe that is the same year my grandfather received an Member of the British Order from the Queen.
roylsue(at)telpage(dot)net

tea said...

Your needlepoint page is just gorgeous. I love Daphne DuMaurier's novels. I've read "Frenchman's Creek" and "Rebecca." I want to read "My Cousin Rachel."

Happy birthday Daphne DuMaurier!

Cindy said...

I love Daphne du Maurier's writings!

It was in her short stories that she was able to give free rein to the harrowing and terrifying side of her imagination. "The Birds", "Don't Look Now", "The Apple Tree" and "The Blue Lenses" are all short stories that were written to be tales of terror which shocked and surprised her audience.

In addition to her short stories and books, she also wrote 3 plays, an adaption of Rebecca, plus The Years Between and September Tide.

I would love to win anything that is written by this great author so please enter me to win either one of the books.

Thanks! I love your blog.

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Unknown said...

I know that she had a son who died before her.

bjhopper(at)me(dot)com

I would be happy with either book.

CherylS22 said...

Three movies adapted from her work were directed by Alfred Hitchcock - "Rebecca", "The Birds" & "Jamaica Inn".

Thanks!
megalon22[at]yahoo[dot]com

Carol M said...

She was born into a family with a rich artistic and historical background, the daughter of a famous actor-manager, she was indulged as a child and grew up enjoying enormous freedom from financial and parental restraint. She spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent with friends, and writing stories.

I would be thrilled to win either book! Thank you for the giveaway!
Carol M
mittens0831 AT aol.com

Melissa said...

I would love to win either of these!

One thing I've learned, from all the great reviews, is that her books aren't flowery romances! I'd always stayed away from them as thats not a genre I read, but from all the great reviews I think they sound wonderful.

Teddy Rose said...

No need to enter me. I added it to my Giveaways Galore post that will be up this weekend.

nfmgirl said...

I blogged it:

http://cerebralgirl.blogspot.com/2009/05/book-giveaways-in-blogworld-05-15-09.html

auntrene said...

I learned she had 3 children.
I would love the chance at the books.
Teddy sent me...

itsjustmerene2003 at yahoo dot com

Bingo said...

I would very much like to win either book. It has been SO long since I read anything by her. I found out this about her...She began writing short stories in 1928, and in 1931 her first novel, 'The Loving Spirit' was published. Thank you for the giveaway and a chance at one of her books.

Irene said...

Daphne's father wanted a son (he had three daughters), and so Daphne was a bit of a tomboy, had her hair cut short, dressed like a boy, and she adopted an alter ego who she named, Eric Avon. All to please her father.

I would love either book. Thank you.

cyeates AT nycap DOT rr DOT com

Libby's Library said...

I don't have a clue...because it's been sooooooooo long since I read any of her books. If I win one of these, I'll get back to you;-)

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Chris said...

I didn't know that Daphne du Maurier was a member of the Cornish nationalist pressure group/political party Mebyon Kernow - and yes, I Wikipedia'ed it. I have never read anything by Daphne du Maurier.

danunepthys(at)hotmail(dot)com

Marie said...

I had no idea that she wrote The Birds -- that's really amazing to me!

marielay@gmail.com

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