The King's Concubine

The King's Concubine

What can you tell our readers about your new novel The King's Concubine?

 

Alice Perrers was the notorious royal mistress who stepped into the perfect marriage between Edward III and Philippa of Hainault.  Alice did not know her place.  Traditionally rumoured to be of low birth, famously ugly, impossibly avaricious, she became the most powerful woman in England in the final years of Edward III’s reign.  And so she was hated, vilified and generally condemned for committing every possible sin.  And when Edward could no longer protect her, she was at the mercy of her enemies.  But was Alice as black as she was painted?  Had the remarkable Alice any redeeming features?  I decided that she deserved a voice – and so here is Alice Perrers in The King’s Concubine: survivor, businesswoman and woman of courage.

How much research did you have to put into the time period?

 

A considerable amount.  This was a period I knew next to nothing about, except for a general overview of 14th Century lifestyle and some knowledge of the Black Death, so I was starting from scratch.  It is not a hardship though.  I enjoy approaching something quite new and different.  It is like turning another page that I have not read before.  I discovered Edward’s reign to be both long and eventful, and peopled with exceptional characters.  I enjoyed meeting up with Chaucer again from a historical point of view rather than through his writings.  I investigated the Hundred Years War and enjoyed meeting the royal children.  And, most importantly, I fell into admiration for Edward and particularly Philippa. 

The internet is of enormous value for such research, but I also live near Hay-on-Wye, the Town of Books on the Welsh border, so browsing is a delight.

 

You have a background in History, how much has this affected your writing?

 

It has been vastly important.  ‘Write about what you know.’  Isn’t that the advice always given to new writers?  When I first considered writing anything longer than a short story – when I was no longer teaching history - it was history I was drawn to because I could find something to say.  And I dived head-first into the pool with a traditional Regency romance.  As I found my writing feet, I began to realise what opportunities there were for me.  In history there are so many great tales of romance and hatred, of conflict and conflict resolved, and so many fascinating characters to be discovered and written about to entertain the increasing number of readers who enjoy historical fiction.  These shadowy people may have lived hundreds of years ago but they were motivated by the same emotions that touch us today, even if the pressures on their lives were different.  At present I cannot imagine writing any other genre than historical fiction – but who’s to know in the future ...?

 

Has this period of history always been a personal favourite?

 

Ten years ago, if asked this question, I would have said the 17th Century with the English Civil War and the Restoration of Charles II as central to the period that I found most interesting.  The reign of Charles II has such complex politics and foreign relations, such dynamic relationships, such scandalous royal mistresses, all overlaid by Plague and Fire and the character of the King himself.  I expected to write about that period.  But then I came to live in the Welsh Marches and ...

 

You now live in the Welsh marshes, a place rich in history, how much does this affect your inspiration for your writing?

 

Coming to live here in this rural backwater, twelve years ago now, I was instantly hooked on medieval history.  It is still an isolated part of the world on the very edge of England with a wealth of half-timbered houses in the black and white villages, cathedrals, ruined castles and abbeys, stately homes and battle field sites.  It got under my skin.  Standing on the Wars of the Roses battlefield at Mortimer’s Cross, covered with fumes and dust from passing traffic, I realised that this was it for me.  And so I have written novels about Anne Neville, wife of Richard III, and the magnificent Eleanor of Aquitaine.  Owen Tudor, a character in my next novel, was executed in Hereford market place.  The atmosphere here inspires me.  I can still imagine armies marching along the dangerous border lands between England and Wales ...

 

You are actively involved in the Yorkshire Post Literary Lunch, Leeds Literary Festival and Lincoln Literary Festival, how important is it be involved in a community as a writer?

We have become a society of interaction, whether through social media or face to face.  Because of this it is vitally important for writers to reach out to their readers.  For me, I think it is essential to promote the historical fiction genre.  I am delighted to see that it is increasingly healthy, particularly with the number of authors writing to catch the interest of men who now read historical fiction. 

From a personal point of view, speaking at festivals is an excellent opportunity to introduce historical characters who may not be well known.  Eleanor of Aquitaine in my previous novel Devil’s Consort needs little or no introduction but Anne Neville in Virgin Widow has existed under the shadow of her more famous husband and father – Richard III and Warwick the Kingmaker.   Alice Perrers is definitely an unknown, shady character to many readers and Edward III’s reign a closed book.  Literary Festivals are well supported and the perfect medium for authors to pass on their enthusiasm to readers.    

And finally, I simply appreciate the opportunity to talk to readers who enjoy history.  Writing is a solitary occupation; it’s good to meet the reading public.  

 

Given that the mistress of Edward III has rarely been touched upon in novels, did you see this as a gap in the market that had to be filled?

 

This ‘gap in the market’, although it undoubtedly exists, was not something I actively thought about when deciding which female medieval character I would like to ‘unwrap’ after Eleanor of Aquitaine.  It was Alice herself who made the decision for me.  I came across her in George Kay’s Lady of the Sun, and she instantly grabbed my interest because she was utterly despised and condemned.  So it was Alice who determined that I write about Edward III’s reign – about which I too knew very little.  And how fortunate I was to meet up with Alice Perrers, because I believe she has allowed  us a glimpse into the world of a fourteenth century woman who was not well born and who, unlike most of her gender and rank, fought to make something of her life.

 

How do you go about writing historical fiction, without giving the reader an 'info dump' of detail about the period in time?

 

‘Don’t let the history get in the way of a good story.’ 

This excellent advice was once given to me and has been foremost in my mind ever since.  I could not agree more.  The history, where known, such as dates, events, motives, has to be exact and can not be altered for the sake of my ‘plot’, but the involvement of my characters has to shine through and the ‘page turning’ element must take precedence.  Relevant historical facts have to be woven into the conflict between the protagonists, rather than tacked on as detailed descriptions.  If readers want facts, they turn to a history book – as I would.  The pace of the novel is important to keep the reader’s interest, so sometimes events which have no bearing on the main plot have to be omitted. 

It is all a matter of balance between exploring the history, painting a glowing picture of the age in which the characters live, and engaging the empathy and involvement of the reader so that they, hopefully, cannot put the book down until it is finished.

 

What plans have you for your next novel?

 

The novel I have just completed is the dramatic but tragic life of Katherine de Valois.  A French princess, she became wife to Henry V.  Was she a romantic bride, as Shakespeare portrayed her in Henry V?  Or was she – as one historian calls her – simply an animated title deed to bring Henry the French crown?  Her second marriage is even more open to exciting possibilities for the historical novelist.  Katherine wed Owen Tudor, a servant in her own household – but how did she come to fall in love with him?  It is all scandal and rumour - and very appealing.  What a stirring journey it has been for me to discover Katherine’s life.  It will be released in 2013.

 

The cover of your novel boasts The Bookseller's quote, 'better than Philippa Gregory', how does this make you feel as a writer?

 

Philippa Gregory is of course one of our foremost authors of historical fiction with an enormous fan base. I have enjoyed her novels over the years, even before she adopted the Tudors.  This commendation was part of a review given by The Bookseller for my novel Virgin Widow, the story of Anne Neville, wife of Richard III.  It is, of course, for any author in this genre, high praise indeed.

Female First Lucy Walton

 

 

 


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