adult & teen books
by Martina Parnelli
Love's Labour Started
Days of yore beckon us in this delightful play, carrying us off to the gaming fields of young lords and ladies – where some of them sport at more than the games!
As budding romances bloom, wisdom and folly come to the fore, directing – and redirecting! – the course of hearts’ pursuits until all arrive in the “game of love” at that happy point where Love has shown to each the proper place for his heart’s fulfillment.
Days of yore beckon us in this delightful play, carrying us off to the gaming fields of young lords and ladies – where some of them sport at more than the games!
As budding romances bloom, wisdom and folly come to the fore, directing – and redirecting! – the course of hearts’ pursuits until all arrive in the “game of love” at that happy point where Love has shown to each the proper place for his heart’s fulfillment.
Martina Parnelli has crafted for us an enjoyable play with solid insights into the ordo amoris (order of loves). Her rhyming scheme powerfully captivates and draws the reader into and through this tale as it unfolds. This work will be of great benefit to those studying English literature and Renaissance history. It will also bring delight to all who love a good poem and a wholesome tale.
~ Professor Mark Pestano, PhD. Dept of Philosophy, Grand Valley State University
~ Professor Mark Pestano, PhD. Dept of Philosophy, Grand Valley State University
Who Shall Wear the Wedding Veil?
Come, cast yourself into the year 1372 where conspiracies and confusion reign in the kingdom of Carlilsecoombe. Meet a king and queen in a tug of war over a wedding for their daughter. Partner with a pair of plotting princes, each with his scheme for winning a royal bride, and the merry monks who are aiding and abetting the action. Even a rough-cut tavern regular is snagged into the mix!
This story sweeps you along, surprise after surprise, on its way to its unexpected ending where the entire cast of characters finds that – after all! – they can live happily ever after!
Come, cast yourself into the year 1372 where conspiracies and confusion reign in the kingdom of Carlilsecoombe. Meet a king and queen in a tug of war over a wedding for their daughter. Partner with a pair of plotting princes, each with his scheme for winning a royal bride, and the merry monks who are aiding and abetting the action. Even a rough-cut tavern regular is snagged into the mix!
This story sweeps you along, surprise after surprise, on its way to its unexpected ending where the entire cast of characters finds that – after all! – they can live happily ever after!
A brilliant work of lyrical beauty, I marveled at this work, reminiscent of Shakespeare’s world in both its clever wordplay and its plot development. Who Shall Wear the Wedding Veil? is an uniquely crafted piece, an instant classic that I could easily see on stage around the world.
~ Gina Marinello-Sweeney, author of The Veritas Chronicles, 2013 Young Adult/ Teen Reader
Literary Award for “Best Prologue” – I Thirst.
Very enjoyable! Very pleasing flow and style – classical fairy tale meets Shakespeare meets musical. We can imagine the staging of it already!
~ Ben Moats, President/ Co-Founder, Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival, Saint Marys, KS
(www.flinthillsshakespearefestival.com)
~ Gina Marinello-Sweeney, author of The Veritas Chronicles, 2013 Young Adult/ Teen Reader
Literary Award for “Best Prologue” – I Thirst.
Very enjoyable! Very pleasing flow and style – classical fairy tale meets Shakespeare meets musical. We can imagine the staging of it already!
~ Ben Moats, President/ Co-Founder, Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival, Saint Marys, KS
(www.flinthillsshakespearefestival.com)