Diana talks to historical author Louise Wyatt about her forthcoming book, Secret Hayes.

Hi Louise. Good to talk with you.

Before we start, you have some exciting news to share. Can you tell me about it?

I am very excited to be doing another book for Amberley’s Secret series, this time for Chepstow in Monmouthshire. A lot of historical fans will know this town because of its’ castle and links to the famous William Marshal but I want to go further than that, discover the not-so-well-known characters and explore buildings other than the castle. I expect to be spending many winter weekends in the museum and library, no hardship really!

I have also been commissioned by Amberley to write a book on The History of Nursing. As a lot of people know, I am a District Nursing Sister by day so this one is close to my heart. Only have a blurred outline of this one at the moment – the origins of nursing, how nursing went from herbal remedies and folklore to the degree-standard we have today and who made nursing what it is. I want to get past Florence Nightingale and explore the unknowns.

Both due for publication next year.

I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it! Erm …

If your latest book, Secret Hayes,

was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role? Tom Hardy could play anything in my humble opinion!

What made you choose this genre? To state a cliché, it chose me. I’ve wrote short, humorous stories, attempted breath-taking historical novels (and failed), windswept romances and contemporary tales and enjoyed most of it, albeit with no success! I did have a couple of short stories published online many moons ago (now lost in the ether) with good feedback but I never, in a million years, attempted historical non-fiction. And bingo, that’s the genre that caught a publisher’s eye so I’m not complaining. What was a hobby innocently detailed on a blog has turned into a delightfully professional task.

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!) you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind? A time-slip mystery. I do indeed have an idea, based on good old family history; I have a very naughty ancestor who was shipped off to Australia back in the day. But reading what I have about his crime, the era he lived in, the trade he had to deal with has really upset and annoyed me – was so unfair back then - so I’m hoping to give him his five minutes of fame at some point.

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously. I’ve been asked this before and it always stumps me a bit as I have always written stories/poems so it seems a natural progression to me. I guess compelling would describe it – I can remember words being very enjoyable at school; I’m going back to when I started school so about five years old? I learned to read and quite literally, absorbed the books so quickly the teacher ran out of books for that class. I just ‘got’ words! I could make them dance over the page, feeding my rather independent imagination so stories were just natural to me. I remember, when I was in primary school, we had to say what our hobbies were. I got some odd looks when I said reading and writing as I thought most people liked sitting at home concocting stories of all descriptions! Turns out they didn’t. So I wrote for school, for fun and occasionally, for competitions (and yes, I won a couple!). I can honestly say I’ve wrote seriously since I was very, very young. I recently found some of those stories in the loft; made me smile.

Numbers on the other hand …

Marmite? Love it or hate it? I don’t hate it but don’t love it so I’ll go with like-it-when-in-the-mood

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...?? Not really … I can write with the tele or radio on, I don’t like silence. I love pencils (no idea why) so will start with a good old fashioned pad and pencil – I categorically do not trust to have all my hard work purely stored on a p.c!

I’m most definitely an early-to-bed-early-to-rise kinda gal but weirdly, my brain seems to come alive creatively last thing at night so yes, I do have a pad by my bed; I seem to think of words I don’t normally use when I’m most tired!

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters? Characters, without a doubt …

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job? To run an Animal/wildlife rescue sanctuary

Coffee or tea? Red or white? Tea and I’m tee-total
How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way? I usually have a very loose draft floating around – that’s where my pencil and pad come in. Once I get typing and the creative juices kick in, I let it take its course. One thing I’m finding writing my non-fiction book, is the way it seems to flow naturally; I just have to hone it every now and then. Best feeling in the world when it takes on a life of its own.

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose? Comic Sans! May become a bit tiresome but I think it’s a fun font. Is that sad?

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be? Oh my, that’s a tough one … I guess anything historical and the older the better; I would much prefer to have a diary of a normal, everyday person from the Anglo-Saxon period than anything royal, for example. I’ve recently purchased my first ‘old’ book – a first edition tome written by a historian that lived in the area I’m writing about. It’s from 1874 and in my opinion is quite young in the grand scheme of things but holding (and sniffing!) a book that is 143 years old is something else … I was almost too scared to handle it to begin with.

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!? I’m a firm believer in fact being much more stranger than fiction!

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips? I’m doing loads. I’m finding my time a university has helped with academic writing which I found much harder to begin with – there is no letting your imagination run riot. I honestly don’t know what I would do without the internet! I look for links within links online, names to Google and have learned to be patient as that one piece of information you’re looking for is embedded on page four or five of Google Search amongst the really random stuff! I still enjoy reference books – I seem to have a habit of falling into bookshops quite often and buy books that ‘may’ come in handy …

I do go on trips when time – and day job – allow. That’s how my Blog started off; we would go for walks and I’d stumble on old ruins, or a place with a strange name. My interest would peak and I would then just google it and would come up with so much interesting info I felt compelled to write about it. Writing non-fiction has triggered off an interest in etymology.

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot? Not really relevant for me at the moment I guess but I would never kill off a real character; I would write around them.
Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this? Nope, never. Absolutely not.

Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred? Yes, especially when I don’t use my reading glasses. ((I laughed out loud. D. ))

Sorry! In all seriousness, yes, I do. Research wise, the older the story, the more ‘chinese whispers’ you have to deal with – what actually happened to what people interpreted has happened over the years.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure? Historical fiction has always been my first love but over the past few years, I discovered crime/thrillers. It was quite refreshing reading something in the modern day. I also enjoy occasionally interspersing all this seriousness with some light-hearted tale – I think the cynical call it chick-lit!

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book? I always have water to hand but enjoy normal coke – yes, the proper coke everyone warns you about! I can’t drink diet drinks as the sweeteners affect my stomach and they taste rubbish anyway … ((A person after my own heart!! D))

Last but not least... favourite author? Oh, that’s a cruel question! I will go with what’s on my Keeper Shelf and ignore the historical faves sooooo … I’m afraid there are two. Christine Marion Fraser who wrote fiction about life and people on a Scottish Island; so absorbing and I can still remember smelling the flora and fauna she described on a windswept summer’s day. The other is Marian Keyes; a fabulous, heartwarming writer whose humorous take on everyday life tackles real problems and people struggling with personal disasters. Her play on words is fabulous.
About ''Secret Hayes'':

The town of Hayes, located in west London, has had a long and intriguing past. The area today is made up of what was originally five separate villages (Botwell, Hayes Town, Hayes End, Wood End, and Yeading). Historically in Middlesex, it became part of the London Borough of Hillingdon in 1965, but has a history that stretches back over a thousand years. Secret Hayes covers a wealth of topics about Hayes’ past, from its origins to being the home of both EMI and George Orwell. The book will be released on 15th December and is available to preorder from Amazon and Amberley .

About the author:

Louise realised her love of words and all things written when, at the tender age of five, she began devouring Ladybird books faster than her teacher could supply them. After winning various writing and poetry competitions throughout school, she ended up having her family then training to be a nurse, but always wrote for pleasure. Louise started a blog five years ago for her love of history and soon discovered she enjoyed unearthing little-known facts about certain areas. Over the past few years, Louise has become a book reviewer and proof reader, and is still enjoying the magic of words.

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Louise Wyatt 28/05/17

Diana talks to Annie Whitehead

Recently the new online book club, of which I am a member, chose the first book we will read and discuss. Almost exclusively, the book that received the most votes was To be a Queen by Annie Whitehead, the true story of Aethelflaed, the ‘Lady of the Mercians’, daughter of Alfred the Great, the only female leader of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom. 

I took the opportunity to ask Annie Whitehead if she would be happy to talk on Diana talks..... so without further ado! I am sure that you are tired of being asked the usual questions that would-be interviewers ask authors, so hopefully this interview is an interview with a difference and I have come up with some unusual questions!

Thanks Diana – these questions have certainly been interesting and challenging to answer!

First things first I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!

Nothing to do with my writing, directly, but I have a little fantasy about one day being interesting enough to be asked onto Desert Island Discs. My choice of eight tracks pretty much represent or remind me of most points of my life, one way or another. Marooned, I’d have sun, sea, I’d be able to do my workouts, I’d have my music, I’d be able to read, so the only luxury item I’d need would be pen and paper.

My tracks:

Won’t Get Fooled Again - The Who

Who Are You Now? – Blue Jays

Song for the Summer - Stereophonics

A Piece of Sky – Barbra Streisand

Theme from Out of Africa – John Barry

Little Bird, Little Chavaleh – Fiddler on the Roof (Bock/Harnick)

Solsbury Hill – Peter Gabriel

Backstreets – Bruce Springsteen

And my Book: It would have to be a fat one, so – English Historical Documents, Vol I, all 867 pages of it!

What is the genre you are best known for?

Historical Fiction, specifically set in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia.
What made you choose this genre?

I’ve always loved history, and writing stories, so a fusion was inevitable, I suppose.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

Always from studying history. I’ll read about a period, and simply find that as I’m studying them, the characters present themselves to me as sympathetic main characters, or villains, and I think ‘Yes, I want to write this story.’

Favourite picture or work of art?

Hobbema’s ‘Avenue at Middelharnis’ simply because it looks like where I used to live in the Netherlands (it’s actually just a few miles away from where our house was). I’ve been lucky enough to see it ‘in the flesh’ at the National Gallery.

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?

I remember trying to pen a letter to my father, just before I graduated, explaining that all I really wanted to do was write. I never sent the letter, and have found my other career as an Early Years Music teacher very rewarding, but there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. Music, history and writing – these are the ‘things’ that I love.
How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

Writing about historical events means that I have a ready-formed timeline, and I decide where to start the story and where to bring it to an end. There’s flexibility within that, such as the settings for each scene, and whose point of view I use.

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?

It would be an imaginary or lost one. As far as we know, there was never a Mercian document to rival that of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, and I’d love to find out if one was ever written in Mercia. Also, and alas, countless Mercian documents were destroyed during the Viking incursions. I’d love to discover a cache that survived, after all, and changed our thinking about that period.

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!?

I sometimes find them in parts of the country, witnessing documents, which simply doesn’t square with where I’d placed them in my story. That can be infuriating! But once I know a fact about them, I find it hard to ignore it, so I tend to work round it, annoying as it might be. If they manage to travel around without leaving documentary evidence, I’m fine with that; I’ll make stuff up behind their backs!
How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?

I do a lot of research; studying primary sources, and reading around the subject as much as I can. Research trips don’t help much in terms of checking out locations, because there are so few Anglo-Saxon buildings and the landscape has changed radically. But visiting sites does help me connect – and it gives me shivers to know that my characters, real people who lived over 1000 years ago, really stood on that same spot. All my holidays are sort of research trips anyway, as they are always to historic parts of the world. Our family breaks used to be accompanied by regular cries of “Not another castle please, Mummy” or “Does this castle actually have a roof on it Mummy?” One of my ‘kids’ (22 now) was asked if I do a lot of location research. She replied, “She stands in a lot of fields and gets emotional, does that count?”  ((Diana actually laughed out loud!!))

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?

It can be frustrating when real characters get in the way of my narrative. But usually I have thought about this at the planning stage, and since all my characters (with the exception of a servant here or there) are real, I either work with the irritating characters or make a conscious decision to leave them out of the story altogether if they are not going to behave themselves! I suppose the benefit of sticking so closely to the history is that I am forced to find reasons why people behaved as they did, so it’s quite a psychological exercise for me – I like examining human behaviour and analysing it.

Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?

Rarely. When I’m writing an historical novel, I’m trying to dramatise real events, so in my planning I’ve probably already put everything into place. The most I might do is move a minor character’s death by a few months, or, as I said above, rework the narrative so that I don’t have to include the obstructive scene/event/character.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?

I don’t often hate any of them. I don’t like pantomime villains, so I do at least try to find some motivation for any bad behaviour, although I’d stop short of excusing it. Love? Oh yes, I think it’s fair to say that I lost a piece of my heart to all three of my leading men.

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?

You might want a strong drink of ale or wine to feel part of the feasting scenes and perhaps to calm your nerves during the battle scenes and other tense moments. And to toast the happy couples during the more tender moments. So, essentially, yes, just wine or beer!

Last but not least... favourite author?

Can I only choose one? Okay, Sharon Penman. No wait, KM Peyton. Hang on, maybe RA MacAvoy. On the other hand, I read a lot of EV Thompson. And Helen Hollick…there’s also Mary Stewart and … I think it’s safe to say that I can’t answer this question! I’d better go before I shout any more author names at you. Thanks so much for talking to me – I’ve enjoyed it immensely. 

About Annie Whitehead:

Annie Whitehead is an author and historian, and a member of the Royal Historical Society. Her first two novels are set in tenth-century Mercia, chronicling the lives of Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, who ruled a country in all but name, and Earl Alvar, who served King Edgar and his son Æthelred the Unready who were both embroiled in murderous scandals. Her third novel, also set in Mercia, tells the story of seventh-century King Penda and his feud with the Northumbrian kings. She was a contributor to the anthology 1066 Turned Upside Down, a collection of alternative short stories. She has twice been a prize winner in the Mail on Sunday Novel Writing Competition, and in October 2017 she won the inaugural HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition and To Be A Queen was voted finalist in its category in the IAN (Independent Author Network) Book of the Year 2017. She’s also won non-fiction awards, and is currently working on a history of Mercia for Amberley Publishing, to be released in 2018.

Links:

Amazon: http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead
Website: http://anniewhiteheadauthor.co.uk/
Blog: http://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anniewhiteheadauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ALWhitehead63 

Earlier this year The Review's Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Heroines of the Mediaeval World, reviewed To be a Queen. You may read the review http://thereview2014.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/sharon-reviews-to-be-queen-by-annie.html but please note the competition is now closed.

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Annie Whitehead November 2017

Diana Reviews: "Earl of Shadows: A moving historical novel about two brothers in 18th century England", by Jacqueline Reiter

Two brothers are locked in a life-long struggle to fulfil their destinies.

John and William are the elder and younger sons of 18th century political giant William Pitt. The father is a man of great principle and a great orator. Twice Prime Minister, he accepts the title Earl of Chatham in recognition of his services to the British nation. But his death on the floor of the House of Lords deals a devastating blow to the family.

Forced to forego his military career, John inherits the title and a debt-ridden estate. William inherits the gilded tongue that will make him the brilliant rising star. John sees the problem looming, but the little brother cannot succeed without the big brother’s support. At the most critical moment John runs away from his responsibilities and his brother. It proves to be a fatal mistake.

Can John ever make amends and find forgiveness? Or will he continue to hold onto a pain that has almost become part of himself? Can he escape the long shadow of destiny?

This incredible novel charts the life of John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, from just before the death of his father, 'Pitt the Elder' in 1778, to 1806.

The author easily and confidently introduces the protagonist of the story; John Pitt, elder son and heir of William Pitt the Elder  and the other main players immediately seem to come alive in Dr Jacqueline Reiter'scapable hands, letting the reader know key details without ever feeling they are being taught or reading a lecture. Immediately the reader is made to understand that whilst he is the eldest, John Pitt is very much the underdog in his family.

He appears as a empathetic and warm man, not really geared for the life that birth has chosen for him. His empathy for his ailing father during Pitt the Elders last, disastrous political speech, is movingly  portrayed and then John's sudden shock, his realisation, that he is the one in charge sets the scene for his struggle to be Lord Chatham for the rest of his life. After his father's death, we feel John's despair, pain and bitterness as the life he has envisioned for himself turns to clay, causing a rift between him and his brother, Pitt the Younger. Throughout the book the love / hate relationship between the siblings in realistically and vividly described, the reader feeling in turn for John and William, often being able to see both sides and empathise with them both but realising just how deep their emotional bond is.

The narrative flows easily and conversation is realistic and it is not long before I became rather infatuated with John - (what was that Dr. Reiter? That I must join the queue??) This, to me, is a true test of a character, if I can actually develop real feelings for them. The easy flowing narrative, however, belies the depth of the story and the enormous amount of detail that it contains.

The first part of the book is set during the period of the American war, the machinations of which which were very well explained without tedium, allowing the reader to get a grasp of the necessary details without being bogged down with trivia. I never thought that I would find 18th century politics fascinating and easily understood, but being such a natural part of the plot, I 'soaked them up' and found them an enjoyable part of the book.

The wedding night of John and his bride Mary, is so beautifully described, without smuttiness or unnecessary detail, but with a tenderness and love that is movingly and touchingly described. To say that I felt I was there, makes me sound like some sort of voyeur! but I genuinely got the impression that I was witnessing their act of love.

Everything in the book is so meticulously researched that things as diverse as setting a broken leg,the political situation in Ireland, the inside of the Downing Street house, the ministrations for a serious fever ... all have their place in the narrative and the reader can be confident that the information that is being read is correct.

Such are the emotions the book raised in me, that when John is 'demoted, disgraced, destroyed', I cried so much that I was unable to read any more that day. (I also had a very strong desire to physically harm Dundas, but that is another matter!)

As I know from personal experience, the emotions brought about by John's alienation from his brother are truthfully, painfully and vividly told...

"William set his lips, but the anger in his face melted into fear as John took a step towards the door. ‘John, don’t go.’ 

‘You are no longer my Minister,’ John said. ‘You have no need for me.’ 

‘I am still your brother.’ The burst of fury John felt at those words took him by surprise. He spun round and William flinched. 

‘No, you are not my brother. You have never been my brother. I have always been yours, and you have no conception of how hard it has been to bear that knowledge all my life.’ William sat open-mouthed, his eyes strangely dilated. John braced himself for the attack that never came. Instead William’s face crumpled and he burst into convulsive tears. John was too stunned to move. He had expected anger, coldness, perhaps even indifference, but not this clear evidence that his words had wounded William more than he had ever been wounded before. What made it so much worse was that even now John had to fight the instinct to lower his weapons, to offer assistance, to surrender. Even now, after everything, he felt guilty. 

And then William made it a thousand times worse. He looked up at his brother and said, ‘I am sorry, John. I’m sorry.’ 

Nothing in the world would induce John to admit these were the very words he had awaited during the whole period of their estrangement. Once they might have been enough, but John had spent six years stewing in unfulfilled bitterness. He set his lips and told a lie. ‘I do not care.’ He tensed himself for William’s next attempt to keep him from leaving the room. Somewhat to his surprise nothing came. John felt a pulse of disappointment ..."

In his attempt to be his own man, John deals William a body blow, but which brother suffers the most from this?

Jacqueline Reiter's exquisite writing takes one not just to the heart of the matter, but to the emotion of the matter. She writes so much from the heart, they are not just characters in a book. They are not just distant historical people. They are warm and loving, living humans that we grow to know and love. I cannot praise the book highly enough.

Jacqueline Reiter has a PhD in late 18th century British history from Cambridge University. She has been researching the Pitt family for many years, focusing particularly on the life of the 2nd Earl of Chatham, whose nonfiction biography she has also written. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and their two young children, both of whom probably believe Lord Chatham lives in their house.

You may read more about Jacqueline in 'Diana talks to Jacqueline Reiter'

The author's nonfiction book about Lord Chatham is available from Amazon. The late Lord. Diana's review  of this excellent book may be viewed here:
http://thereview2014.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/the-late-lord-by-jacqueline-reiter.html

© Diana Milne, October 2017

Diana talks to the writing team of Gary Williams & Vicky Knerly

I am sure that you are tired of being asked the usual questions that would be interviewers ask authors, so hopefully this interview is an interview with a difference and I have come up with some unusual questions!

Hello! I am pleased to welcome you both to 'Diana Talks' ... I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!

We’ll pose a question that we get asked often. How do two people write as one? Contrary to what folks might think, we don’t divvy up chapters. Gary doesn’t take all the odd numbered chapters; Vicky all the even. Our process starts with an idea that we discuss turning into a story. Next, we create a chapter outline, which includes story timing, characters, mysteries revealed, mysteries solved, etc. We do initial research if needed. From there, we move to writing. Gary generally takes the first pass, then Vicky makes a second pass. Thus, our writing is layered. In this manner, we maintain a consistency of story flow and pace.

What is the genre you are best known for? Thrillers. To date, we haven’t strayed from this genre, although sometimes they border on mysteries and have been known to have a supernatural element to some of them.

If your upcoming book, provisionally titled Blood Legacy, was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

Blood Legacy, releasing early in 2018, marks our second full-length novel with American CIA Agent Samuel Tolen. We first introduced Tolen in the short story, Before the Proof, and he was subsequently featured in our best-selling novel, Indisputable Proof. We once had Denzel Washington pegged as our perfect actor to play Tolen, an African American in his mid-40s. Since a few years have slipped away, we feel either Shemar Moore, most recently of the American television series Criminal Minds, or Idris Elba, star of many popular movie thrillers, would be more age-appropriate choices.

What made you choose this genre? For Gary, it’s what he most enjoys reading. It’s the action, mysteries, deception, clues, and treasure hunts that appeal to him. Writers such as Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Matthew Reilly, Steve Berry, James Rollins. For Vicky, who has a love of the English language and teaches business writing to sometimes unwilling students, it’s about the escape into realms where action, adventure, and plot lines take precedence over form, style, and function.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters? Mostly from uncovering or learning about a historic mystery or some nugget of historical information that we find fascinating and that’s not general knowledge. In this way, it gives us an opportunity to educate our readers. We always make sure to include Authors’ Notes at the end of each novel to specify what information in the story is factual and what comes from our imagination.

Favourite picture or work of art? Gary: I consider manmade structures a work of art. With that said, I’m going with the Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau in Egypt. Vicky: One of my all-time favorite (I’m using the American spelling of this word!) paintings is by Salvador Dali.  It’s titled Lincoln in Dalivision, and it incorporates a number of themes into a single image. It’s a brilliant piece of work.

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)  you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?

Funny you should ask. As a side project, we’re working on a humorous book. We haven’t even mentioned it to our publisher, so we’re not sure when it will be finished or who might publish it, as our publisher specifically handles thrillers and mysteries. We have no timeline for completion, so we’ll have to see what happens.

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously?

For both of us, it was a later-in-life decision. Gary was in his mid-forties, still working full-time in the corporate business world, and had self-published some books, one of which Vicky read. While she liked the story, they needed rewrites and editorial work. This was how we met, when Vicky gave Gary feedback on a novel in late 2007. From there, Gary suggested that we team up. Even though we’ve never lived in the same city, by early next year we’ll have published our 8^th novel.

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

Gary: I had to look it up. Never heard of it. Based on the description, I think I’ll pass. Vicky: I tried Vegemite when I was in Australia, and it was ok.  I’ll try anything once!

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??

Gary: Not really. I just need quiet, uninterrupted time. When figuring out the plot, especially if there’s a snag, I tend to do it while highway driving, or some other rote activity that frees my mind. I think more clearly.

Vicky: Since I work a full-time job at a university, teach as an adjunct professor, and am currently a doctoral student working on my dissertation, writing is my “me time,” so it happens in the evenings and on weekends, and like Gary, I prefer chunks of quiet, uninterrupted time.

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?

Gary: I’m not answering this on the grounds it could incriminate me. Vicky:  Haha, I have to agree with Gary on this one, but just so you know, I’ve cried when we kill off a character in previous novels.

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?

Gary: I think I’d like to own a bar as long as I had enough capital not to worry about slowdowns in business.

Vicky: I’ve always wanted to grow grapes and make wine in Italy (when I retire).

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Gary: Definitely coffee. Not a big wine drinker; I prefer craft beers. Vicky: Coffee in the morning, hot tea in the afternoon, and red wine at night.  They are the elixirs of life!

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

As mentioned before, once we have an idea and characters, we outline each chapter. Although, truthfully, it’s a loose outline that we continually adjust as we write. Sometimes, it’s because we think of a better way to accomplish a scene. Sometimes, it’s because we learn a fact (maybe historical?) that we realize we should integrate into the plot. Because of how we create mysteries and sometimes lead our characters to incorrect assumptions, an outline is critical to keeping us sane as we write.

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?

It’s done in Times New Roman 12 pt. It works for us.

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?

Gary: I would love to get my hands on the historical documents that were lost in the fire that consumed the Library of Alexandria nearly 2,000 years ago. The amount of historical records lost was staggering. Vicky: The original of the U.S. Constitution.

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!?

No, can’t say that’s happened to us. The outline prevents it, although they may occasionally make odd comments or do quirky things.

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?

Research? Tons and tons. We ingrain history into every novel, so research is paramount. We have taken a few trips to scout out scene locations or attend academic lectures.

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?

We tend to keep real characters at bay. Although, for mild comic relief, we have named fictional characters after real people. For example, in our trilogy (Death in the Beginning, Evil in the Beginning, and End in the Beginning), one of the star players is named Curt Lohan. On multiple occurrences, he is forced to deny any ancestry to an actress bearing this same last name.

Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?

Absolutely. In our eyes, the best fiction takes something real, something tangible (place, people, history) and then bends the events into an interesting story. We constantly take those tangibles and ask, “What if?” to extrapolate possible scenarios that might have been or might be. The trick is to do so in a way that makes the story believable, unless you’ve already identified the plot as “beyond the realm of possibility.” This is the reason we specify at the end of each story what is real and what is fiction.

Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred?

Yes, and that’s a good thing, since that’s how we make our living.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?

All writers tend to fall in love with their protagonists and antagonists. You love them for their good and their evil. It’s like a parent will always love their children no matter what they do. The hardest part is killing off a protagonist that you’ve grown especially fond of. It’s like losing a family member.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Gary: Same as what we write: thrillers & mysteries. I do enjoy the occasional biography or non-fiction work based on some historical incident. Beyond that, I enjoy researching the Internet for articles on new historical finds.

Vicky: Reading for pleasure? What’s that?

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?

Gary: I’m always partial to a good IPA beer. Or maybe a red ale. Vicky: Whatever one’s favorite beverage of choice might be.

Last but not least... favourite author?

Gary: I think I’d have to say Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Vicky: That’s a tough one, because I love so many.  Other than that dynamic duo, Williams and Knerly, I’d have to go with Stephen King for the sheer variety and deliciously bizarre plots that come out of that man’s brain.

Books by Williams and Knerly are available here

You can catch the duo at their Facebook page or Twitter @WilliamsKnerly

About the duo:

Gary Williams was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, and resides in St. Augustine, Florida with his wife. He attended Florida State University and has a bachelor's degree in Business Marketing from University of North Florida. Once a corporate manager, he now writes full time. His hobbies and interests include reading, fishing, history, and football.

Vicky Knerly is a native of Syracuse, New York. She has two sons and currently resides in Melbourne, Florida. She has a bachelor's degree in English and two masters' degrees, and she has won awards for her research-based writing. She currently works as the Assistant Director of Student Services and is an adjunct professor for Florida Institute of Technology.

Gary Williams and Vicky Knerly partnered in 2008 and, in 2011, they signed with Suspense Publishing based in Los Angeles, California.

In August 2014, Amazon Publishing relaunched Williams and Knerly's digital titles: Death in the Beginning (The God Tools: Book 1), Evil in the Beginning (The God Tools: Book 2), Before the Proof, Three Keys to Murder, Manipulation, and their best-selling title, Indisputable Proof.

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Gary Williams & Vicky Knerly 2017

Heroines of the Medieval World - Nicholaa de la Haye

Heroines of the Medieval World
Today our very own Sharon Bennett Connolly stops by The Review on her 2-week long blog tour for Heroines of the Medieval World, with a signed, hardback copy of the book to give away. If you would like to be in with a chance of winning this wonderful book, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page. 

The draw will made on Wednesday 15th November.
Good luck! 

It's a pleasure to drop in at the Review on what has been a hectic - but fun - two-week blog tour. I thought I would share an extract from the book for this post, but couldn't decide which. So  Diana came to my rescue and chose her favourite heroine: Nicholaa de la Haye, who just happens to be my favourite too.

Nicholaa was a wonderful character whose lifetime spanned the reigns of Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, King John and Henry III . As castellan of Lincoln Castle, she withstood not one, but three sieges in her career. In the first, when she held the castle for Prince John against William Longchamps, Richard I's justiciar, she held out for 40 days before the siege was lifted after John's other castles at Nottingham and Tickhill were taken. In 1216 she prevented a second siege by paying off a rebel army, led by Gilbert de Gant, who had occupied the city of Lincoln.

An here's an extract from the end of King John's reign, when Nicholaa was castellan of Lincoln Castle, leading up to the third siege:

 "Nicholaa de la Haye and her husband are among the few barons who stayed faithful to John throughout his reign. Gerard de Canville died in 1215, but Nicholaa was able to retain Lincoln Castle. King John had managed to upset practically every baron in England, with his despotic and heavy-handed ways. In 1215 open rebellion was thwarted when John signed Magna Carta, a long, detailed document dealing with the barons’ particular grievances, but touching the whole system of government and including arbitrary fines and the exploitation of wardship. John ‘had broken the spirit of kingship’. John was soon writing to the pope to have Magna Carta annulled and England was plunged into rebellion. The barons even invited the French dauphin, Louis, to join them and make a play for the throne. Louis was the son of John’s erstwhile friend Philip II Augustus, King of France, and the husband of his niece Blanche, who was the daughter of his sister Eleanor, Queen of Castile. Louis and his men had landed on the Isle of Thanet on 14 May 1216. Louis advanced through Kent and took Canterbury before moving onto Winchester. John seems to have been undecided as to how to act; he sent his oldest son Henry to safety at Devizes Castle in Wiltshire. Dover Castle, under the command of Hubert de Burgh, held out against the French and rebel forces, as did Windsor and Lincoln. The northern barons ‘were defeated in their attempts to take Lincoln. A certain lady called Nicola, who was the custodian’s wife, freed herself from this siege with a money payment.’

Even John’s loyal barons were now beginning to turn on him, including his cousin the Earl of Warenne. John moved north, devastating the Isle of Axeholme ‘with fire and sword’ before arriving at Lincoln in September 1216, just days after the besieging army had departed with their payment. Nicholaa met the king at the eastern postern gate of the castle. She offered the keys of the castle to the king, claiming she was unable to continue with the office of castellan due to her great age. John is said to have replied, ‘My beloved Nichola, I will that you keep the castle as hitherto until I shall order otherwise.’When Nicholaa spoke of her ‘great age’ she wasn’t exaggerating. She was probably around sixty years old at the time, a great age in those days, but John still had great confidence in her and just a few days before his death, John granted Nicholaa the position of Sheriff of Lincoln in her own right, despite the fact her son Richard was now a grown man and able to inherit the position. As King John moved on from Lincoln, he contracted a violent fever and died of dysentery at Newark on 19 October 1216. The new king was now John’s nine-year-old son, Henry III, with the famous and redoubtable William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, acting as reluctant regent.

Support began to fall away from Louis, who returned to France to recoup his strength. In early 1217 he returned to continue the fight. An armed force under the Comte de Perche moved on Lincoln. He took the town, which was unprepared for attack, and laid siege to the castle, still in Nicholaa’s charge. Louis himself travelled to Lincoln to request the surrender of the castle, promising Nicholaa there would be no reprisals, no one would be hurt. Nicholaa refused and settled in for another long siege. Despite the French army outside her walls, she may have been quietly confident; this was, after all, her third siege and no one had ever managed to breach the walls. Lincoln Castle is a rather large fortress, sitting opposite the impressive cathedral and perched on the top of a bluff – the hill going down to the town is not named Steep Hill for nothing. However, this siege was going to last longer than the others. From March through to May, Louis’ forces battered the walls of Lincoln Castle. The French prince had brought impressive siege engines, leaving them at Perche’s disposal when he returned to London, fully expecting to hear of Lincoln’s capitulation within weeks, if not days.

However, he did not count on the tenacity of Nicholaa and her deputy, Sir Geoffrey de Serland, who rallied their troops and resisted the combined Anglo-French forces of the Comte de Perche, and awaited reinforcements."

If you would like to catch up on the rest of the Heroines of the Medieval World Blog Tour, which includes extracts, reviews and articles, just follow the links:
 Tony Riches' The Writing Desk; extract on St Julian of Norwich
 Annie Whitehead; review and extract on Aethelflaed
 The Henry Tudor Society; article, All For Love, comparing the love stories of Katherine Swynford and her granddaughter Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland.
 Sarah Bryson; article, Heroines Without a Sword, discussing the lives of St Margaret of Scotland and Maud de Braose.
 Susan Higginbotham's History Refreshed; an extract on Joan, Lady of Wales.
 Medieval Archives; an extract on Hildegard of Bingen.
 Kristie Dean; a review and extract on Anne of Kiev, queen of France.
 Stephanie Churchill; an interview with Sharon.
 Lil's Vintage World; a You Tube video review of Heroines of the Medieval World.
 Sara Hana-Black;
Amy Licence;
SJA Turney;
Medievalists.net;

Sharon Bennett Connolly has been fascinated by history for over 30 years.She has studied history at university and worked as a tour guide at several historic sites. She has lived in Paris and London before settling down back in a little village in her native Yorkshire, with husband James and their soon-to-be-teenage son.
Sharon has been writing a blog entitled 'History...the Interesting Bits' for a little over 2 years and has just finished her first non-fiction work, 'Heroines of the Medieval World'. The book looks at the lives of the women – some well known and some almost forgotten to history – who broke the mould; those who defied social norms and made their own future, consequently changing lives, society and even the course of history.

Sharon can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Heroines of the Medieval World,  is now available in hardback in the UK from both Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK and worldwide from Book Depository. It is also available on Kindle in both the UK and USA and will be available in Hardback from Amazon US from 1 May 2018.

Diana talks to Catherine Curzon, aka Madame Gilflurt

Hello Catherine. Thank you for agreeing to talk to me! Let us start right away...

What is the genre you are best known for?

Historical non-fiction. I suspect that I’m best known for my rip-roaring tales of Georgian royals. I skip from the scandalous to the sublime, with plenty of sauce and grisly details along the way.

If your latest book, Queens of Georgian Britain, was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

The book tells the story of the three queens of Georgian Britain and the queen who never was, Sophia Dorothea of Celle, so it would make a perfect ensemble TV series. Of course this means that there wouldn’t be one lead as such, but four queens and the kings they married, from childhood to death. I’d leave the casting up to the experts but with a couple of caveats - I’d love King George III and Queen Charlotte to be played by my wonderful friends, Adrian Lukis and Caroline Langrishe, both of whom I’m lucky enough to work with on our show, An Evening with Jane Austen. In fact, the more I think about it, the more perfect they would be. They have a wonderful chemistry and would capture the intense, occasionally absurd years of George III’s reign marvellously.

What made you choose this genre?

History has been my passion since early childhood, when my granddad told me the story of Marie Antoinette’s execution. He was a consummate teller of tales but that one really stuck with me and I went through a phase at drawing beheaded queens when I was about five years old. Heaven knows what my teachers though, but the impact was clearly long lasting!

Favourite picture or work of art?

Joshua Reynolds’ sublime 1784 work, Mrs Siddons as the Tragic Muse. It’s one of the most striking paintings I’ve ever seen, all the more so because the colours are so muted, with shadowy, threatening figures emerging from behind Sarah Siddons as though from a dream. Mrs Siddons was the quintessential Georgian leading lady and the portrait caused a sensation.

As a devotee of the theatre, I would have given anything to see her perform, but Reynolds has at least left a suggestion of her powers in his work.

Reynolds signed his name across the bottom of Mrs Siddons's dress and told her, "I have resolved to go down to posterity on the hem of your garment.”

Marvellous!

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)  you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?

I’m fortunate to be able to cross genres and I’ve written published fiction as diverse as tales of 18th century highwaymen, the trenches of World War I (that novel will be out in 2018) and even a short tale of a reluctant superhero-turned-Latin-teacher in 1950’s London!

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.

I’ve always written for as long as I can remember, so it certainly wasn’t a conscious decision. In fact, to not write would have to be a conscious decision, and an unthinkable one - I don’t think I could ever do it! I wrote my first novel when I was in my teens and I still have it, though it’s for my eyes only. It’s a vast, rather out of control and utterly bizarre tale of modern day medical horror set in a small US town. I like to think that I’ve rather matured as a writer since then!

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

I haven’t tried it since I was 12, so that’s nearly thirty years ago. I do love a Marmite cracker though, so the signs are good!

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??

Whenever I’m writing my occasional jokey blog posts as George Wickham, I always write longhand in a beautiful journal, and Mr Wickham just seems to spring into life on the page in a way he never does on screen. I’m working on a brand new project for the theatre now and that, too, is going into that journal in longhand.

I can’t write with the television on but always listen to music when I work, usually something that I know very well so I don’t end up listening to the lyrics rather than working.

Beyond that it’s just me and the laptop and lots and lots of tea.

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?

Both have their moments!

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?

I’m a full time author, so I already get to do my dream job, and the job I’ve always wanted. I spend my working days writing about what I love, I perform with an actor I’ve been a fan of for more than 20 years and I get to meet lovely people and speak at amazing venues - I’m living my dream!

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Tea for me, please. I don’t really drink much alcohol at all but if you insist, mine’s a G&T!

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

I plan, but I always let the muse take over wherever necessary - I follow the road as it reveals itself but I never lose sight of my destination.

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?

Georgia, love it!

Cornish clotted cream fudge or strawberry fudge? ☺

Clotted cream fudge, I think, though I’d prefer a very, very bitter dark chocolate.

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?

That’s an easy one for me! I dream of seeing the love letters that George IV wrote to Maria Fitzherbert, his secret wife. Sadly, Maria and Wellington burned them in her hearth following the king’s death so they’re lost to us forever.

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?

Oh my goodness, my life sometimes feels like one extended research session! My favourite trip was one to Windsor Castle last year. We were shown around by a friend of mine and it was one of the most marvellous experiences I’ve ever had - one could imagine George IV strutting about ahead of us and singing his own praises!

Authors of non-fiction have to contend with real characters doing their own thing. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the *plot*?

No, never. In non-fiction, the “plot” as it is wouldn’t exist without every player, so I owe each and every one of them a debt, from the valet to the queen and everyone in between!

How important to you is correct historical detail in tourist orientated venues?

Very, as anyone who was at Chatsworth with me this autumn can attest.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?

Not as such, but I’ve come to regard some of them as old and very dear friends, and some of the stories in my first book, Life in the Georgian Court, were heartbreaking to research and write. Telling the tale of a young Russian emperor who was thrown in prison at three years old and kept there until his death decades later was one of the most emotionally jarring things I’ve ever done and the death of George III never fails to move me. Happily, I can always turn away from that to Prinny’s love life and indulge myself in a few scandalous tales!

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

The same material I use for research - Horace Walpole’s diaries are a constant delight!

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?

Hot chocolate, just like Caroline of Ansbach, one of the queens featured in the book. She just couldn’t get enough hot chocolate, so it’s the perfect accompaniment!

Last but not least... favourite author?

Laurence Stern. Everyone should read Tristram Shandy and if you already have, go back and read it again!

Queens of Georgian Britain is available from Amazon. 

About the book:

Once upon a time there were four kings called George who, thanks to a quirk of fate, ruled Great Britain for over a century. Hailing from Germany, these occasionally mad, bad and infamous sovereigns presided over a land in turmoil. Yet what of the remarkable women who were crowned alongside them?

From the forgotten princess locked in a tower to an illustrious regent, a devoted consort and a notorious party girl, the queens of Georgian Britain lived lives of scandal, romance and turbulent drama. Whether dipping into politics or carousing on the shores of Italy, Caroline of Ansbach, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Caroline of Brunswick refused to fade into the background.

Queens of Georgian Britain offers a chance to step back in time and meet the women who ruled alongside the Georgian monarchs, not forgetting Sophia Dorothea of Celle, the passionate princess who never made it as far as the throne. From lonely childhoods to glittering palaces, via family feuds, smallpox, strapping soldiers and plenty of scheming, these are the queens who shaped an era.

About Catherine Curzon:

Catherine Curzon is a royal historian. She is the author of Life in the Georgian Court, Kings of Georgian Britain, and Queens of Georgian Britain (to be released in October 2017).

Her work has been featured on HistoryExtra.com, the official website of BBC History Magazine and in publications such as Explore History, All About History, History of Royals and Jane Austen’s Regency World. She has provided additional research for the sell-out show, An Evening with Jane Austen, at the V&A. Catherine has spoken at events and venues including the Bath Jane Austen Festival, Stamford Georgian Festival, Kenwood House, the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, Lichfield Guildhall, the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich and Dr Johnson’s House.

Catherine holds a Master’s degree in Film and when not dodging the furies of the guillotine, writes historical fiction. Her novels, The Crown Spire, The Star of Versailles, and The Mistress of Blackstairs, are available now.

She lives in Yorkshire atop a ludicrously steep hill with a rakish colonial gentleman, a boisterous hound and a tranquil feline.

Visit her online salon at www.madamegilflurt.com 

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Catherine Curzon 2017