Some insights into my writing life.
1. What are you working on?
I am refining The Tudor Enigma series progression so that the story flows from book to book and writing book 4, working title “Illusions of Intrigue”.
This is at the same time as marketing book 1, Court of Conspiracy Published today by Carina Press and available from these sources:
Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Carina Press Barnes & Noble
This is at the same time as marketing book 1, Court of Conspiracy Published today by Carina Press and available from these sources:
Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Carina Press Barnes & Noble
2. What is happening round you while you write?
At this moment, a red cardigan requiring some repair sits on the end of my desk as a reminder not to forget it. Rufus, my golden retriever spends a lot of time under my desk and sighs or comes for a cuddle or both. The washing is on downstairs as is the dishwasher and I am conscious that I need to tidy and clean the sitting room and decide what’s for dinner. If the weather is kind, I retreat to the Plotting Shed, an altogether more peaceful place where there are fewer distractions, save looking at the flowers and listening to the birds.
3. Explain your research routine.
I don’t have a research routine as such. It depends on what needs finding and in what depth. By the time I begin writing, I know the major events in the book and will have researched them both by Internet and my own source of Tudor reference books. If I’m on the Internet, I will either do a basic “fast and dirty” search and scan the results. If I find something that requires a deeper knowledge, I use Google Scholar. Although my books are set in an alternate Tudor universe, I am quite pedantic about recreating the world to be as authentic as possible. For political and state information, I usually go first to Alison Weir and David Starkey. For the day to day routines of domesticity, Alison Sim is unbeatable. I think I have all her books. Gervase Markham’s “The English Housewife” is another excellent source book.
4. Which comes first, plot strand, character, or…?
I’m writing a series, so my characters are already established although I like to add to the “family” when possible. My first thoughts will be the possible ramifications of a true event on my characters and then I play what-if? I’m always aware that my core characters must go through a learning process in each book and gain greater self-knowledge.
You can find April via these links.
Ah yes, the distractions... the bane of my life, and so many others. Mainly female writers, I note. Must be something in our make-up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Google Scholar tip. I forget it is available. And good luck with the series!