Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Guest Post: Douglas Carlton Abrams & Giveaway

About a month ago, I read THE LOST DIARY OF DON JUAN by Douglas Carlton Abrams. I knew little, if anything, about Don Juan; however, I really enjoyed how the author chose to portray him -- you can read my review here. I am so grateful that Mr. Carlton Abrams is joining me today at Booking Mama with this great guest post. You will get some insight into another side of Don Juan -- the one who appears in the pages of THE LOST DIARY OF DON JUAN.

Was Don Juan truly nothing more than a rapist and a villain? You would certainly think so, judging by how he has been portrayed over the centuries.

From his inception, Don Juan has been depicted as a libidinous scoundrel, capable of rape, misogyny, and even murder. When Tirso de Molina first created the character of Don Juan in the early seventeenth century, he did so as a warning against the dangers of rampant male sexuality and the galanteadores, who were seducing the women of the time. Later, in Mozart and Da Ponte's opera Don Giovanni, Don Juan rapes a woman and kills her father almost before the curtain even rises.

But would Don Juan have been capable of feeling and doing much more? Male desire can be villainous and overpowering, but it is also multi-dimensional, ranging anywhere from heroic passion to caring tenderness. Any man long rumored to be the world's greatest lover would certainly have understood these subtler aspects of desire, as well as the unspoken needs of the women he loved.

It is this side of Don Juan's story that motivated me to write The Lost Diary of Don Juan. I wanted to explore the true nature of love and passion by creating a more complex Don Juan than the one we usually meet. His previous incarnations in plays, novels, and films have only allowed us to see the man from a distance, and we have judged him accordingly. Reading about his life in the form of an historical diary set in Golden Age Sevilla lets us go further into the body, mind, and heart of the man himself. What we find there is far more than an indifferent playboy, but rather a man for whom romance was elevated into an art form, a Casanova with a calling.

This is a Don Juan worthy of far more than mere lust and villainy, a man capable of forming deep and complex relationships with women. This 16th century Don Juan is worth recovering for the 21st century, if only to provide balance in a culture that all too often forgets the true complexity and mystery of desire.


I am very excited to have a copy of THE LOST DIARY OF DON JUAN to share with one of you! Please leave a comment with your e-mail address after this post. If you want to double your chances, blog about this post with a link back here. The contest is open until Friday, October 24th at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will announce the winner the following day. Unfortunately, this contest is only open to those of you with U.S. and Canada mailing addresses. Good luck!

125 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please throw my name in the hat for this book.
Thanks!

PlanetBooksWorldWide at gmail dot com

Ti said...

Toss my name in the hat too please.

thereedfamily[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

Mom of 5 Boys said...

And my name in the hat too, please.

Serena said...

This was a great book. I really enjoyed it. I also reviewed it here: http://savvyverseandwit.blogspot.com/2008/09/lost-diary-of-don-juan-found.html

traveler said...

What a great giveaway. Thanks for this chance.
saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Amanda said...

Thanks for the chance to win this. I've been hearing about it and am very curious. Great interview!

Darlene said...

Hi Julie, great giveaway. Please enter me. I've blogged about it here:
http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/2008/10/several-giveaways-going-on.html

bj19662001@yahoo.ca

Sara said...

Please enter me...Thanks!
Sararush at hotmail dot com

Alyce said...

I would love to be entered to win this book. Thanks!

akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com

Bridget said...

I've posted this at Win A Book. No need to enter the contest, though. Thanks!

Unknown said...

I've heard a lot of good things about this. Count me in!

jgbeads AT gmail DOT com

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Please enter me! I think this book sounds great and highly interesting.

-Lauren


lauren51990 at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

i would love to read this book! please enter me for the giveaway!!:)
ramyasbookshelf(at)gmail(dot)com
I blogged about it here:
http://ramyasbookshelf-index.blogspot.com/2007/09/giveaways.html

BoxingKing said...

It would be cool to win this, so please enter me! Also, will be blogging about this post. Thanks!

darbyscloset said...

Boy I bet this is a book we don't want to let get into the guy's hands!!! Pick me and I promse to keep it safe! ;-*
Thanks,
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com

Carol M said...

This sounds good. Thank you for the chance to win a copy!
mittens0831 AT aol DOT com

Amanda said...

I'd like to be entered to win a copy of this book. Thanks!
awalworth19@gmail.com

ChristyJan said...

Please enter me to win a copy of THE LOST DIARY OF DON JUAN.

hawkes (at)citlink.net

Re said...

thanks for a wonderful giveaway. i hope i'm the lucky winner :)

Anonymous said...

This looks just wonderful; thanks for the chance to win it!
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Back again...wanted to let you know that I just blogged about this as well:

http://shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com/2008/10/win-it-wednesday_15.html


-Lauren

Linda said...

Sounds like an interesting book. Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks.

lcbrower40@gmail.com

Karlie said...

Would love to win. Please enter me.

Alyce said...

I blogged about it here:

http://athomewithbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/weekly-giveaway-roundup_16.html

Anonymous said...

I love reading about Don Juan. I would love to read this one. Thanks for the chance. I really like Jonny Depp's version of Don Juan.

Diana Dang said...

Please enter me!

faked_sugartone at hotmail.com

Jessica @ Piece Of Me said...

I would love to win.
livlifelov at yahoo dot com

MOMFOREVERANDEVER said...

would love to win mrs.mommyyatgmaildotcom

mommyjen99 said...

Please enter me in to win!
thanks
jen62728@aol.com

Anonymous said...

i'd love to win this book! :)

tcarranco[at]yahoo[dot]com

Bonnie said...

Add my name please!

I blogged about it here:
http://redladysreadingroom-redlady.blogspot.com/2008/10/great-giveaways.html

Unknown said...

Please count us in too.

Abby said...

Please enter me to win this lovely book!

ajcmeyer AT go DOT com

pintolinda said...

Please enter me in the giveaway.
pintolinda(at)hotmail(dot)com

kdj617 said...

thanks for the chance

Andee said...

I'd love to have a chance to win this! andeeram(at)comcast(dot)net.

Unknown said...

Looks like a fab book...I love any Diary books..especially Samuel Pepys..thanks for the contest.

judybrittle said...

This book sounds great! I would love to be entered. Thank you!
judybrittle at aol dot com

valerie2350 said...

the book sounds great!

Anonymous said...

Enter me too, please! Thanks!

Think about it said...

I want this!

Anonymous said...

Looks like an interesting read. Please sign me up for your contest.

Anonymous said...

I am looking foward to reading this book. Cheers!

emerald420@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

I would love to win.

rebbi511 at peoplepc.com

toughturtles said...

sounds good thanks for the contest

ewalsh40 said...

It sounds fascinating and I would love to read it. Thank you!

idahomom said...

I love to read and this one sounds good.

agordon10 said...

cool book

sweetsue said...

I don't know anything about Don Juan either, but I would love to read about him!

smchester at gmail dot com

Nicole C. said...

I would love to read this!!

choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

Tammy said...

Sounds like an interesting book, please enter me! missporkchopATyahooDOTcom.

I've also blogged about it here.

Deborah Wellenstein said...

I love books and I would love to win this-thanks!

dwhogan said...

Good luck to all

Deborah said...

Your review and Abrams' interview has really made me interested in "The Lost Diary of Don Juan." Thanks for hosting the giveaway. asthenight[at]gmail[dot]com

ariyana9501 said...

Interesting book....I'd love to win a copy! Thanks!

Grumpy Olde Krowe said...

Oh that sounds liek a wonderful fun book, Count me in. :^)

sue14625 said...

sounds like a great read enter me please and GLA

Armywife73 said...

Sounds like it could be great read. Pls enter me.
abrockelman73[at]yahoo[dot]com

Sunnyvale said...

I'd like this.

Jo-Jo said...

I would love a chance to win this book! I thoroughly enjoy historical fiction.
joannelong74@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

How interesting. Count me in!

Anonymous said...

I've read quite a few other historical fiction books and absolutely loved those and this sounds like it would be a very interesting read. I'd love to get my hands on a copy of it.
beausdorei at gmail dot com

mverno said...

excellent idea

Valerie Taylor Mabrey said...

love this

Tonya said...

cool count me in

HilLesha O'Nan said...

Sounds interesting.

lilacbutterfly [at] earthlink.net

Anonymous said...

I'd like to read this book.
-Terra
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com

chromiumman said...

love to win a copy of this

zekebamm said...

This sounds like a really interesting book, and I'd love to win and have the opportunity to check it out! :)

Zoly said...

I'd like to read this book.

Unknown said...

I'd love to win!

Candie L said...

Wow. The introduction caught my attention. I definately want to read more

Anonymous said...

I love books from this time period. Would love to read this.

Marie said...

Sounds like a great book!

vmlay@artsci.wustl.edu

kygirl said...

I would like a chance to read the book

tatertot374 said...

Thank you for having this. This sounds like a fantastic read. Thank you!
tatertot374@sbcglobal.net

Amber said...

Please enter me - this book looks great! I love historical fiction and this looks exceptionally intriguing.

hurdler4eva (at) gmail (dot) com

madangle said...

would love to win and read the book, thanks

Asylumgirl said...

I would be interested in readin this to see the "other" side of Don Juan. LOL

Deidre
deidre_durance@hotmail.com

Tig said...

Wooo Hooo Make me a winner!

reddon30 said...

Great prize...thank you.

Bebe said...

Hi Julie!
This looks like it would be a fun read for a cool fall afternoon! Please enter me in your giveaway. Thanks bunches!!
Hugs, Bebe :)

bebespeachesanddreams(at)gmail(dot)com

Annie said...

Please and thank you!

Anonymous said...

I'd like to read this one. Thanks for the opportunity to win.

joycejacobs602@yahoo.com

Erica G said...

Interesting book! I'd like to read his "diary".

babychooch (at) gmail {dot} com

theamira said...

Sounds like a good read! I'd love to win. theamira1970 at gmail.com

Jinxy and Me said...

Sounds like a really good read.

purplepassion126 said...

Would love to read this--thanks!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to read this :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!

ols[dot]moonmaiden[at]gmail[dot]com

lydiaw said...

Thanks for the giveaway!

Michele said...

Count me in!

mcapri30@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

This would be so interesting to read. Count me in. Thanks
erma.hurtt@sbcglobal.net

kaylee8 said...

As a History teacher, this one would be a good one for me to read!

LINDALSHOT said...

Great prize. I'd love to read it.

Buki Family said...

sounds like a good book

Heather B said...

count me in please!

Francine Anchondo said...

Sounds like a good book. Thanks for the giveaway.

fmd518@inbox.com

Angela said...

I'd like to read this. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

That Don Juan is yummy!

theyyyguy@yahoo.com

mgster said...

Oh boy! My daughter would love this! Please enter me!

Carolyn said...

I love to read and what's better than a new book! Please enter me! Thanks!

CanAmBlond said...

Wow, looks like one he** of a read....please enter my name in your giveaway, too!

lunadelmar said...

I love historical fiction. Please include me in the drawing. Thnk you for a great giveaway
luadelmar_99@yahoo.com

djgroz said...

Reading is fun!

arvard said...

I would love to win this book. Please enter me.

angie said...

I love books~thanks!

Unknown said...

I would ,love to win this book. garrettsambo@aol.com

Becca said...

Thanks for this fun contest! sbcashortie (at) hotmail (dot) com

NesieBird said...

I would love to have this nice book!

Sahm Lee said...

Would love to win this! Thanks for the contest!
airalynn(@)gmail . com

Maja said...

angelina115@hotmail.com


i want it

klp1965 said...

PLEASE COUNT ME IN ON THIS AWESOME GIVEAWAY :)

Unknown said...

I've heard of this and thought I might like to read it. I'd love to win it!

RE said...

Would love to win this! Thanks for the great giveaway!

Donna said...

It sounds good. Count me in please.
donna444444@yahoo.com

/\Heather/\ said...

I'd love to read this one. Thanks so much!

Helen said...

I'd love to read it, sounds lik a great book.

bliss319 said...

I would love this, and as a book lover it would be great on my book shelves!!

bliss319@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Love the book so lets give this a chance.

Anonymous said...

Please enter me. Thanks.
Heidi
sweet_soul_sistermi@yahoo.com

Tammy said...

Please enter me.

Anonymous said...

I would like a chance to win this book. Thanks for the contest.
Kathy
kathleenyohanna@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

This sounds like an interesting book. Thank you so much for an opportunity to win!

Charlene Kuser said...

I would love to read Douglas
novel on Don Juan.I have read other
books about him and would love to see this side of the man.Thanks for the giveaway

CharlieGurl57@aol.com

Anna said...

I know I'm too late for the contest (still catching up in Google Reader) but I wanted to say I enjoyed this guest post. Thanks!

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric