The Naked Witch, by Wendy Steele; a review by Diana Milne

Lizzie Martin’s new boss has asked her to ‘bare all’ and become more corporate.

For Lizzie, swapping paisley for pin stripe is like asking a parrot to wear pea hen.

She has to choose between her job and her integrity, cope with an unexpected stay in hospital, monitor her fourteen year old daughter’s latest crush, continue seeking the truth about her father’s death and juggle two new men in her life.

There is hope though.

At the bottom of the garden is a little wooden shed that Lizzie calls Sanctuary. Within its warm and welcoming walls, Lizzie surrounds herself with magic.

***

The Naked Witch is so far out of my usual genres of reading and interest that I genuinely wondered if I would be able to enjoy it, gain anything from it, or even be able to review it properly, but my fears were groundless. From the first page Wendy Steele welcomed me into the world of the protagonist Lizzie Martin  and her teenage daughter Rowan and, without even using any witchy magic, just exceptional use of words, enticed me to not just read, but to thoroughly enjoy this wonderful book.

Immediately one starts to read, one feels the fun and laughter and determination of Lizzie, struggling against daunting odds to pick up the pieces after a broken marriage, a new home and a new job. She is a vibrant, colourful woman, who is also a witch. By witch, I am not talking about pointy hats and dark magic, but someone who is really in tune with nature and the old ways and gods and uses her rituals as a way to calm herself and focus her mind - (we could all learn a lot from her!) - and her shed, where she goes to be herself, is a calming sanctuary.

As a heroine, she is human and flawed and any mother, any working woman, can surely relate to her struggles to be everything to everyone and still be a woman in her own right. Ms Steele's depictions of a woman watching her daughter grow from a child to a woman and back, (all on the same day sometimes, as is the wont of teenage girls,) describes the confusion, fear, pride, relief and some other ineffable feeling that I cannot name, so perfectly. So many of us have been there, seen that and survived (just!)

Conversation flows naturally and has the ring of veracity and flashes of humour, one example  being someone calling Lizzie being a vegetarian, a 'vegetablarian.' This conversation between Lizzie and her ex's girlfriend describes Lizzie's 'faith' as a witch, to a total sceptic:

Bryony met Lizzie's invitation with wide, unbelieving eyes. "You're a witch?" she whispered, checking over her shoulder for eavesdroppers.
"I live my life with the Wheel of the Year, connect with the natural world, offer up prayers to the amazing universe we live in and meditate, allowing me to learn and travel on the astral plane, so yes, I'm a witch."
"I'm not ure. I don't know if I want to summon demons."
"Bryony, did I mention demons?"
"No, but ..."
"Earth, rocks, plants, animals, the sea vibrate with energy, with life. The same life, if you like, that courses through our veins.Witchcraft gives me a spiritual connection to the world around me. Best of all, I am never alone."
"I'venever thought about the sea being alive."
"It depends how you look at it, but one thing is certain. Women and the sea are ruled by the moon."
"Wow!"

We see and empathise with Lizzie starting out again on the dating, mating game and watch her growing friendship with her daughter's boyfriend's widowed dad with sympathy and warmth, a friendship that the reader hopes will become more after the book is over.

Throughout the book, Lizzie struggles with the relationship with her own mother and with her lack of knowledge about the death of her adored father and during a visit to her ex mother in law in Spain, sees a photo that begins to unravel the mysteries.

I really could relate to the characters and feel that Ms Steele has a rare talent for bringing interest to the day by day life of your average suburban witch, turning the mundane into a fascinating and readable story that I enjoyed from cover to cover - I totally loved the book and was able to completely escape into it. It was effortless to read because of the clever writing and I will willingly, happily add Wendy Steele to my 'read again' author list.

What other people say:

Rhea's Broomstick: 5 stars. Amazon verified purchase.

Another triumph for Witch Lit! Wendy Steele's The Naked Witch is a fun, easy read with a good storyline. Lizzie, the main character, is easily identifiable with if you are one of those women who are a little bit on the eccentric side, love magic and have the life skills to get down and do what it takes to juggle work, a teenager, an ex-husband and still have time to find love. Finding her unique fashion look from the charity shops and her sanctuary in a shed, she is a woman of resource, yet life throws her more than her share of challenges. In her search for the truth about her father Lizzie finds herself partying in Spain woven into a web of family intrigue. A brilliant book to snuggle down to a bit of 'me time' with.


You may buy The Naked Witch and Wendy Steele's other books by clicking on this link: Wendy Steele's books.

About the author:

In 1972, Wendy Steele came home from the Tutankhamun exhibition and wrote about her experience, beginning a writing journey which she still travels. Since working in the City BC (Before Children), she has trained in alternative therapies, belly dance and writing. Wendy combines these three disciplines to give balance to her life.

Her first novel 'Destiny of Angels' was published in 2012, closely followed by two short story anthologies and a non-fiction book 'Wendy Woo's Year – A Pocketful of Smiles', an inspirational guide, offering ideas, meditations and recipes to make every precious day, a happy one.

Moving to Wales, the fulfilment of a 15 year dream, inspired her to write the Standing Stone book series, set in Wales in the countryside she loves.

Writing workshops in Wales widened her writing perspective and the resulting short stories have been published online and in anthologies.

Wendy writes fantasy, with a dollop of magic, exploring the 'what if...?' the starting point for all her stories. She lives with her partner and cats, restoring her farmhouse and immersing herself in the natural world on her doorstep.

Wendy Steele


© Diana Milne 2018

Diana talks to Jane Risdon

Hello Jane. I love reading your Facebook posts about  your life in the music industry. Thank you for sharing so much of that time with us. 

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!

Is there life on other planets? I think there must be and they’ve sent a few of their eccentrics to earth.

What is the genre you are best known for?

Crime/mystery/thriller.

If your latest book (Only One Woman – to be published November 2017) was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

Having worked in Hollywood I would be concerned about who would play the parts. If the movie was to be International (made in the USA, distributed globally) they’d want to have an American lead. It is the way it works - I’ve been involved with movies there. Only One Woman is written from two POV (both female) and the object of their desire is a lead guitarist. It is set in 1968/69 and I cannot think of a present day actress or actor I’d like for the roles. Also, I am terrible in that I don’t have a clue who any of the present day actor/actresses are. And an author never gets any say in any choices, not even famous authors. Hollywood does not work like that.

What made you choose this genre?

I normally write Crime as mentioned earlier, but for some years Christina Jones and I have wanted to write together, about our experiences in the music business in the late sixties. Fashion, music and world events. When we found we both shared the same publisher, we decided to get on with it. Only One Woman was born. It is going to be marketed as Women’s Fiction.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

When I am writing (mostly but not limited to Crime) I often get my ideas from my experiences in the International Music Business which has been the greatest part of my life, and also from my time at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before then. Overheard conversations or a title will pop into my head, or as I mentioned, something which happened to me or others I know in Music, might set the little grey cells off.  If you know Hollywood (music and movies) you will know there is never a shortage of characters from which to draw upon.

Favourite picture or work of art?

I don’t have one. I am not a fan of modern art, preferring the old masters.

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?

Not really. I write pretty much what I want and I go where a story takes me. It may well end up as something other than crime as with Only One Woman. I have also written what I call observational humour based on overheard conversations at a bus stop…come to think of it I have dabbled in most genres apart from Sci-fi and Fantasy which leave me cold. At the time of writing I have four novels on the go and about 30 short stories most of which are crime, a couple are ghost stories and also humorous.

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 have written since I was very young but upon leaving school I ended up in the Diplomatic service. Way back then writing would never have been practical – it was all about earning a living. I married a professional musician and we had a child young and so with his touring and our lifestyle it was all we could do to find five minutes to ourselves. Later we went into management of singers, songwriters, record producers, and musicians and we were constantly touring, recording, or working so time was an issue.  I kept telling myself ‘one day I would write…’ One day came when we both semi-retired, passed our artists and business on and I found the time at last.

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

Love it and especially in sandwiches with sliced bananas. Yummy.

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

Nope. Not one for that. I do like to nibble liquorice and drink tea sometimes if I can’t get on with a difficult section. I had enough of rituals with my artiste’s in the recording studio or before going on stage, to last a lifetime. Music – well having lived it 24/7 for almost 48 years it is nice to have some peace and quiet. I might (rarely) have the radio or TV on in the background whilst writing, and sometimes my husband is playing his guitars and song-writing, if that counts.

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?

Our only son is grown up and long gone, and my husband spends his life writing and playing music so we are quite happy working alongside each other – often sitting beside each other - but completely absorbed in our tasks. It does not arise. Whoever is hungry makes food and whoever is not busy does the chores. Always been that way.

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

I used to think it was being a War Correspondent on a Newspaper but seeing how reporting has gone downhill, I am glad I didn’t go that route. I wanted to be Doris Day as a child but there is only one. A writer is what I have always really wanted to do, though having studied Forensic Science and Archaeology of late, I could be tempted into either career. Had I known back then, or had there been opportunities, I might have taken a completely different life path – but…

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Only Tea and Red wine – but only good stuff. If I drink anything else it has to be Crystal Champagne.

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

I write by the seat of my pants. I sit and it comes out, much like song-writing, as if from space. I don’t make notes and I have no idea how a story will end, let alone where it’s going. It flows eventually as if from somewhere else.

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

I never think about it. The publisher has to worry about this. I had enough worries years ago about production and promotion of records and artists, so I am pleased I don’t have to worry about such things. I would say that as I am short-sighted a really clear text suits me.

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

Having an interest in espionage and some experience of working in situations where spies were part of every- day life, I would like to get my hands on debriefing documentation relating to any of the big spying cases in the 20^th century – Burgess, McLean and so forth, from the Cold War.

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!?

All the time. I read back what they’ve said and done and wonder…where did that come from? I like it. I hate anything contrived - be it music, fashion or comedy, so love it when my story goes off in its own direction. I cope, it’s a blast!

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

I rely upon past experiences for a lot of my writing, but having said that I have never killed or trafficked anyone so I have to do research. I discovered early on that as a crime writer it is easy to come unstuck using old or inaccurate information or procedures (Police/Forensics etc) and I know that a writer loses all credibility if ‘found out.’ Yes, we write fiction and there is some poetic license allowed, but it is not good to be shown up for ignorance.

I’ve studied; taking (to date) seven courses in Forensic Science, Criminal Justice and Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology, so that I at least have some idea of what happens to the dead, how to identify someone from a skeleton, and the way the Justice system works from Police Investigations, Witness Interrogations to Miscarriages of Justice and also which Agencies are involved in Criminal Investigations. 

My series Ms Birdsong Investigates – in with my publisher – features a former MI5 Officer and so I have had to study the workings of our Intelligence Agencies and those overseas. I worked for the FCO and can use some of my experiences from my time there.

Only One Woman – both Christina Jones and I have backgrounds in music. She was a rock journalist and my husband’s (band) fan-club secretary in the late 1960s and so we both called upon our experiences back then. Music, fashion and world events and the way ‘teenage’ culture was emerging. We had to compare notes, research the Music Charts and so on…so much fun.

For my music themed stories I can fall back on life in the International Music Business, Hollywood and more…fact in my business was always stranger than fiction and a great pool of inspiration for my writing. The world of ‘wise guys’ and ‘family’ is never far away.

I do a lot of walking and photography and from day one I have taken photos as visual notes for my writing if I come across a location I think might work in a story. I put the photos aside until I am writing and need a location and a little ‘ping’ goes off in my head.

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 yet, but give me time. I do try to keep my characters to a minimum as I am told readers find it hard to keep track of a lot of characters. I never find it a problem when reading, but if we have to abide by rules as writers, I don’t mind this one.

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?

Of course, I write fiction. I try to keep the basics ‘real’ and then embroider around them. I try to disguise anything factual with something fictional and blur the edges if I can.

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

Our memories of events are very unreliable and after a period of time our brains fill in any gaps and tend to change our perception of the facts. I studied this in Witness Investigations (Police witnesses) and it is known that two witnesses to the same event see it and recall it in very different ways. The longer the time between an event and the telling of it can make the facts blur into what our subconscious thinks we saw/heard or experienced. That is why Police try to interview witnesses as fast as possible after an event and on their own, so two witnesses cannot influence each other by what they say.

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

No I cannot say I have. I know authors do, but not me.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Crime, Thrillers, Mystery, Espionage and Political Thrillers.

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

For OOW I suggest a Babycham, Vodka and lime, Rye and Dry or a Snowball.

For Ms Birdsong Investigates (when she comes out – be prepared) I suggest Scotch, Crystal Champagne or a really decent Red wine.

Last but not least... favourite author?

Gosh, I have so many from Agatha Christie, Daphne Du Maurier and Robert Louis Stevenson to John Le Carre, Peter James, Michael Connolly, Kathy Reichs, Tess Gerritsen and Karin Slaughter. Oh and let’s not forget Stella Rimington (former Director General of MI5) – I cannot decide.

Diana, thanks so much for allowing me to be your guest and thanks for such interesting and thought-provoking questions. It has been a blast.

About Jane and her work

Jane Risdon began writing over six years ago having had a successful career in the International Music Industry which has taken her all over the world working with everything from Rock, Thrash Metal, and R&B/Pop to Chinese Opera. Her work has taken her to North America, Europe, and Singapore: even to Taiwan.
She's been involved in Music Production, Television, Radio, and the Movies around the world.

Travelling extensively and living overseas she draws upon her life experiences when writing Crime/Mystery novels, short stories in all genres - including humour, and she has dabbled in flash fiction.

Some of these experiences have found their way into her short stories about the Music Business, and she is presently working on a novel which will bring a lot of her more crazy 'rock 'n roll' experiences into one tome.

Her main focus remains crime however, and she is working on a series of novels called 'Ms Birdsong Investigates' centered around a glamorous ex MI5 Officer forced into early retirement, who is trying to keep a low profile in a rural village in Oxfordshire. Her past experiences come to the fore when she finds herself investigating murder. Soon she finds herself back on old territory with Russian Mafia, Ukrainian People Traffickers and an old flame to deal with.

Jane hopes that this series of novels will be ready for publication in 2018.

In 2014 Jane signed a publishing contract with Accent Press Ltd.

Jane's co-written novel with award-winning author Christina Jones is entitled 'Only One Woman' and is due for publication by Accent Press Ltd November 2017. One lead guitarist, two girls and a journey through the heady, mad rock 'n' roll 1960s.

Her short story 'The Haunting of Anne Chambers' is included in Accent Press Ltd Halloween collection published in October 2014 called Shiver: a collection of horror stories published by Accent Press Ltd 9th Oct 2014.

Wishing on a Star: a collection of Christmas themed stories by Accent Press Ltd. published Dec 2015 includes Jane's story - Merry Christmas Everybody - which is set in a recording studio and is based on actual events one Christmas not long ago.

Jane has a short story in Ghostly Writes Valentines Anthology 2017 - called Eternal Lovers and this is via may outlets including Amazon and in e-book and printed versions Feb 2017.

In A Word: Murder available in Paperback and for Kindle via amazon.co.uk and amazon.com - her stories are: 'Dreamer' and 'Hollywood Cover Up'. Published by Margot Kinberg

In addition to her books and short stories for publication by Accent, Jane has also published many short stories in paperbacks, e-books and online with other publishers.

Another short story which is included in the anthology, Madame Movara's Tales of Terror, and entitled 'Haunting Melody.' This anthology was published 20th Oct 2016 in Hardback and paperback. Available via Lulu.com for a limited period only.

Jane has contributed towards is Ghostly Writes Anthology 2016 for Plaisted Publishing House and is published in paperback and for Kindle 31st October 2016. Her story is called The Beneficiaries of Secret Cottage. Available via Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and other sites.

She is also included in an anthology published May 2017: A Stab in the Dark: Cons, Dames and G-Men and her story is called Cue Murder. Available via Amazon.co.uk and other sites.

Previous publications with her stories are:

Telling Tales Anthology published by Moon Works Ltd in Hardback, Paperback, and for Kindle via Lulu.com. 'The Debt Collector' and 'The Ghost in the Privy' are her contributions.

I Am Woman Vol 1 published by FCN Publishing, available via amazon.com and amazon.co.uk for Kindle only. Her story is called 'The Look'.

Jane has published and had pod-cast many of her short stories and pieces of flash fiction and links to these are available via her blog, Jane Risdon Author at http://wp.me/2dg55. Voice Over actor, Elijah Lucien has recorded several of her short stories which are available on YouTube.

In addition to being a regular blogger, http://wp.me/2dg55, with a considerable following, she has an author page on Facebook with many dedicated followers there as well. You can find her at @Jane Risdon on Facebook and @Jane_Risdon on Twitter. She also has an amazon author page and an Accent Press Ltd page and on GoodReads too.

She continues to work on Ms Birdsong Investigates as well as several other novels including The White Haired Man set in Bollywood and based on true events.

Jane is a keen photographer and enjoys the countryside and visiting old buildings and historical locations and often uses photos as visual notes for her writing. She loves history and archaeology and is loves anything to do with science and astronomy.

With a background (early on in her career) in the Diplomatic Service in Whitehall, London, followed by a long career in International music, Jane has a wealth of experience and a huge pool from which to craft her stories.

Author Jane Risdon

http://wp.me/2dg55 http://www.facebook.com/JaneRisdon2 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00I3GJ2Y8

http://www.accentpress.co.uk/jane-risdon

https://twitter.com/Jane_Risdon

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5831801.Jane_Risdon

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Jane Risdon 2017

Diana talks to William Savage, author of the Ashmole Foxe Georgian Mysteries

Author’s interview – 2017. Diana talks to...William Savage

 

Hi William. I have not met you before so it will be a pleasure getting to know you and learning more about you and your writing. 

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!

Would you like me to give you a million pounds? Yes, please.

If your latest book “This Parody of Death” was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

I would be very unlikely to let it happen. The written word lets the reader ‘see’ the characters as they best imagine them to be. Once a film/TV show is made, the character is fixed by someone else. A lively imagination is a vital human characteristic and should be encouraged whenever possible.

What made you choose this genre?

If imagination is a good part of what makes us human, curiosity is up there with it. Mysteries stimulate both. A good puzzle gets the brain working.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

I read. Lots. I think even more. I can sit for hours with my eyes shut plotting — and sometimes snoring while I do it.

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?

No. I am very boring. This is it.

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 was 69, so a late developer. I’ve always written non-fiction of one kind or another. Feeling bored with retirement, I thought I’d try a creative writing course. I hated it! Far too regimented and prescriptive. Being a contrary sort, I determined to do things my own way and see what happened. I’m now on my seventh book in two-and-half years.

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

Loathe it! You know it’s made from the scrapings from under the devil’s toenails?

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

No, sorry.

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?

I have been blessed with a ferocious ability to concentrate. Once committed to something, I don’t notice anything else.

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

Being retired, as I am! Work is grossly over-rated and that includes writing. It’s wonderful not to have to worry about the money side of things.

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Tea, red.

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

I plan very carefully, then rarely follow the plan. I find the characters have minds of their own.

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

I do. I design and produce all my own paperbacks, including the covers, generally using Garamond or Caslon for the text and various display fonts elsewhere..

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

Sorry, no idea. I have enough to do coping with the vast number of source documents that actually exist for ‘my’ 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!?

Constantly. I go with them to see what will happen. Generally they know the way better than I do.

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

I research constantly and often take trips. I enjoy it and it makes sure I don’t drift away from the reality of the period I’m writing about. It also fuels my blog,“Pen and Pension”.

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?

No. Real characters are like real events or the real culture and technology of the time. If they annoy you, choose another period.

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?

No, never. That would seem to me dishonest and weak-kneed. All art thrives on discipline and difficulty. Nothing annoys me more than a ‘historical’ book or drama that gets the history wrong, whether deliberately or not. I have been known to hurl abuse at the TV and call down curses on sloppy or careless writers for the smallest mistake I notice. Born (and unrepentant) pedant!

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

Hopefully I blur them all the time. I want my readers to feel what I have written is ‘real’ — at least while they are reading the book.

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

Not that I am aware of.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Mysteries!

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

Artisan gin or a large margarita.

Last but not least... favourite author?

Georges Simenon.

About William:

William started to write fiction as a way of keeping his mind active in retirement. He had always lectured and written extensively on business topics, including three books, many articles and a successful leadership blog which garnered more than 5000 regular followers. He has no intention of letting his mind stagnate or his creativity wither. This means finding new sources of interest and inspiration.

Throughout his life, William has read and enjoyed hundreds of detective stories and mystery novels. One of his other loves is history, especially the local history of the many places where he has lived. It seemed natural to put the two together. Thus began two series of murder mystery books set in Norfolk. Four books have appeared so far and he is currently at work on a fifth.

William’s books are set between 1760 and around 1800. This was a period of turmoil in Britain, with constant wars, the revolutions in America and France and finally the titanic, 22-year struggle with Napoleon. The Ashmole Foxe series takes place at the start of this time and is located in Norwich. Mr Foxe is a dandy, a bookseller and, unknown to most around him, the mayor’s immediate choice to deal with anything likely to upset the peace or economic security of the city. The series featuring Dr Adam Bascom, a young gentleman-physician caught up in the beginning of the Napoleonic wars, takes place in a variety of locations nearer to the North Norfolk coast. Adam tries to build a successful medical practice, but his insatiable curiosity and a knack for unravelling intrigue constantly involve him in mysteries large and small.

William has spent a good deal of his life travelling in Britain and overseas. After obtaining his degree at Cambridge, he set out on a business career, during which he lived in most parts of the UK, as well as spending eleven years in the USA. He has been a senior executive, an academic and a consultant to many multinational companies. Now he is more than content to write stories and run a new blog, devoted to the world of Georgian England, which you can find at http://www.penandpension.com. You can also follow him on Twitter as @penandpension.

© Diana Milne January 2017 © William Savage May 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diana talks to... Lizzy Drake, author of The Elspet Stafford Mysteries

Hi Lizzy, lovely to meet you. Let us crack straight on...hopefully this will be a lot of fun and enjoyable for both of us and our readers

If your latest book A Corpse in the Cipher was made into a film, who would you like to see as the main character?

 

Oooh, great question! Who would play Elspet and who could be the Dowager? I would love the historian Ruth Goodman to play the Dowager – I think she could get the expressions perfectly (though she’d need a lot of makeup to look much older). As for Elspet – someone new and fresh who could act well.

 

What made you choose this genre?

I wasn’t always interested in Tudor – but Tudor kept chasing me. My MA was in Early Medieval Archaeology but I ended up doing an internship at an Early Tudor building in York (Barley Hall). Then I ended up joining a Tudor dance group, and then re-enactment… well, you get the picture. Tudor was stalking me since before the millennium. I ran at first, but now, to get revenge on the era, I write murder mysteries set in it.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

I first wanted Elspet to be disabled in some way – I wanted her to have the eyes and ears and brain to collect all the information she needed and solve crimes in the Tudor court, but she surprised me when I started writing. She refused to have a disabling illness or have been born with any problem that would have hindered her chances at marriage.

So, I needed another character to balance out Elspet’s youth and beauty. That, of course, is Elspet’s partner is crime-solving, the Dowager Duchess Lettice, a cantankerous personality whose glares have more power than even Medusa’s and whose tongue can clip even Thomas Howard short.

Where Elspet is shy, the Dowager is bold. Both are clever but with Elsept’s fresh approach, the Dowager’s mind gets the workout needed to enjoy life again.

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 used to (and still do sometimes) write teen fiction. I mean the dark, urban folklore teen fiction that keeps youngster’s paranoid and up at night wondering what that scratching in the closet was.

But my next series, I’m pretty sure, will be set in the Victorian Era. And not a murder mystery, though still histfic.

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.

How old? How serious? Does Attack of the Killer Sandcrabs at 8 years old count?

I’d always written, but after I’d married and moved to the UK, I had some spare time before my next job (I ended up working first at Unwins Wine Merchant, then Colchester Archaeological Trust). Between job applications, I drafted a teen fiction based on historical events in Coggeshall, Essex. It wasn’t much good – it sits still in my bottom drawer, filled with red pen – but it relit the fire for writing and after that I wrote another teen fiction which won an award.

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

I grew up in the US and during my postgraduate degree I used to make fun of the horrid ‘oil slick’ on my British roommate’s toast. I had some on a bet and never went back. I love it!

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

I must sit at my special chair. I must have silence. I must… eat. I can’t help nibbling when I write. Flaming Cheetos are my favourite, followed by a tall glass of milk.

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?

I’m not sure what you mean… All of my characters are family 😉

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

Everything, anything. Jewellery making, realtor (what I’m doing now in my day job), lifeguard, shop owner, garden designer, park ranger. You name it… I’ve probably done it!

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Green tea. Depends on the meal. Usually I go for water. I forget what I’ve poured if I pour a hot drink and then it’s too tepid. I can’t drink more than half a glass of wine without slurring my typing, so… milk (if with Cheetos) or water. Boring, eh?

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

I plan it all out. Then it goes differently when I write. My characters are both divas and bullies. Especially the Dowager.

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

I’d go for some hand-written style that looks like Anne Boleyn’s.

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

The ciphered letters that Catherine of Aragon sent to her father when she was between husbands.

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!?

OMG all the time! I replan everything and see where the heck she’s gone off to now.

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

Loads. For book 1 of The Elspet Stafford Mysteries I dedicated an entire year for research. Both original documents that have been uploaded to historic sites, visiting museums, archives and yes, loads and loads of research trips (and yes, it was very, very expensive). I kept on researching while I was drafting, but it was a lower key – just using published books on the era and (real) people in my books.

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?

I abhor Thomas Howard. I’d love to bump him off before he gets his nieces married to Henry and then killed. Alas, I can only dream…

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?

I only offroad on facts when there is a void or debate over details. If there is a massive historical fact, I do my best to stick to it. My background is in archaeology and I like facts. I get frustrated when other authors take giant liberties and confuse or befuddle (or just plain lie to) readers on what happened in the past.

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

Yes. Especially in contemporary accounts from the era. Visiting Spaniards might write what they observe with a taint of distaste, while others might have overexaggerated what really went down.

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

I’m not at liberty to say… sigh…

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

When I have time. Which seems not to be very often. I’m very particular in my reading tastes. Most of my literary loves are writers who have passed away (some decades, some centuries ago).

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

Water. It’s quite novel knowing that my characters would faint at the sight of seeing someone drink it.

Last but not least... favourite author?

Right now? Daphne Du Maurier. Or Agatha Christie. Mmmm, maybe Dumas. I’m in a Musketeers phase at the moment. Musketeers and mysteries lol.

Lizzy Drake has been studying Medieval and Tudor England for over 15 years and has an MA in Medieval Archaeology from the University of York, England. She has been writing for much longer but the Elspet Stafford Mysteries began her writing career in the genre.

When not writing or researching, Lizzy can be found reading or gardening. She balances time between her two homes in Essex, UK and California.

The first in the Elspet Stafford Mystery series, is available here !

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Lizzy Drake April 2017