Interview with C.W. Gortner, author of THE TUDOR VENDETTA

Yesterday I reviewed C.W. Gortner's newest novel, THE TUDOR VENDETTA. Today, C.W. answers some questions about the novel and his other works.

Welcome, Christopher! Congratulations on penning this most satisfying ending to your three-book Spymaster Chronicles series. It is quite evident from your writing that you felt a strong affinity for these characters. Which one of them will you miss most and why?

I’ll miss them all. I’ve lived with them for years, and as with any character that a writer creates, be it historically-based or fictional, you end up spending a lot of time with them. You get to know them intimately and they become your friends, even the ones who do rather terrible things. I also loved this series for the freedom it gave me, to search the crevices of history and develop suspenseful stories around certain events. But perhaps mostly, I’ll miss Brendan and Elizabeth. I think he has matured over the course of three books and come into his own. He’s been a wonderful, challenging character to inhabit. And Elizabeth, too, constantly surprised me as a character; she transformed, showing unexpected sides of herself. She did what she had to, to get ahead. I think she must have been quite something to know personally, and I’m honored to have had the chance to write about her.

Is there any historical evidence that someone of Brendan’s lineage might have actually existed?

There is, of course, evidence of royal bastards; Henry VIII sired at least one that we know of. But there is no evidence of someone with Brendan’s particular lineage. That was the fun part—to come up with a plausible origin for him and then explore how a man hidden from the world, unaware at first of who he is, must cope with his secret when he’s thrust into the thick of court and attempts to protect himself and those around him. I think that despite all the evidence we have of people who lived hundreds of years ago, there is still a lot we shall never know. Everyone has secrets; it’s not unreasonable to assume that Tudor royalty had secrets, too. This was a time of intense scrutiny and little privacy, but also a time of no paparazzi (though foreign ambassadors came close) and no cell phones or photos. People in the public eye could still hide things they didn’t want others to see, if they knew how to go about it.

In your opinion, were Elizabeth and Robert Dudley ever actually lovers? Do you think Elizabeth would give a man such power over her? 

I don’t personally believe Elizabeth fully consummated a sexual relationship with Dudley. I believe they were indeed lovers in almost every way that matters, certainly on an emotional basis, and to an extent, physically, as well. But I also think we romanticize them to fit our own needs; we want to believe Elizabeth found fulfillment as a woman and Dudley was her pining suitor. The truth, however, is more complex—and to me, more interesting. We must take into account the realities of sexuality in the Tudor era. Birth control was imperfect at best, and Elizabeth was no fool. Once she gained the throne, she did everything in her power to minimize risks to her position: her aversion to war, to the execution of her own cousin Mary of Scots, who posed a significant threat, among others, attest to her legendary caution. In addition, her adolescent exploits resulted in a scandal that put both her and her servants at risk, and ended with the beheading of a man who, by all accounts, she loved. And because of her mother Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth must have learned early in life to equate sexual surrender with danger and death. I think her adolescent imbroglio was the one exception; in her later years, she showed evidence of a lifelong sexual frustration through the demands she put on her women to remain unwed, her rage when one disobeyed her, and ceaseless need for adulation. But I also think she made the choice upon winning the crown to never submit, and Dudley was not a devoted lover willing to lie at her feet. He came from an ambitious family and was, like most noblemen, always seeking his advantage. He wanted more than she was willing to give, which created a tension that fueled their attraction. Elizabeth understood there is nothing more tantalizing than forbidden fruit; she knew how to play Robert and keep him enthralled, even if in turn, her ploy exacted from her a heavy toll. She never forgot that her mother lost her freedom the moment she let herself be won.

Are you surprised at the endurance of reader interest in the Tudor era? Do you think the craze will ever fizzle?

I think it has its ups and downs. Interest is waning now due to overexposure, but after another fallow period, the era will rise again. These are fascinating, larger-than-life people in a tumultuous time, who also are very human; we are drawn to them because of their struggles and weaknesses as much as their strengths or triumphs. Not a happy dynasty, but one that has all the elements we look for in stories—drama, passion, intrigue, death, love and loss. It really doesn’t get better than the Tudors, whose reigns precipitated so much upheaval and change, and whose iconography is forever cemented in our popular imagination.

Who are some “underused” historical characters from the Renaissance you would like to see feature in novels?

Certainly, Renaissance France deserves more attention. Northern Europe, as well. I’d love to see more books about the Ottoman Empire, too. English history tends to dominate historical fiction in the US because of our strong links to the UK, but the Renaissance was a widespread phenomenon. There are many underused characters whose stories are waiting to be told. The challenge is market-driven. Recognition factor is a key incentive for publishers in our current climate, so a novel about, say, the Tudors is going to be more appealing from a marketing standpoint than one about an obscure sultan in Turkey. But that might change; I think my own career has shown that you can write beyond the margins while taking into account marquee appeal, and still have strong books. Then again, it took me nearly fourteen years to get published!

As an experienced novelist, what aspect of writing still challenges you the most? Where have you made the greatest strides in your writing?

Accessibility always remains a challenge. To write the past, you must always bear in mind that your modern-day reader may know little or nothing of the era you are covering, and you can’t throw a thousand things at them. You can’t expect them to understand the world-view of your characters without detailing it, of course, but too much detail swamps the momentum of the story you’re trying to tell. Balance between everything you know with what the reader needs to know is a fine point in writing historical novels; my motto is, less is more. I’ve had a few reviewers take me to task for not “including the wider historical context.” But that’s really a compliment to me. My books focus on a single point of view in first person. I seek to reveal my character’s inner life as they navigate their particular circumstances. They only know what they know and see what they see. It makes it easier for me and my reader, because it creates intimacy. In the end, I’m not an historian seeking to teach you about Spain, France, or England in the Renaissance. I’m a storyteller, depicting one individual’s story through their eyes. I think I’ve made the greatest strides in mastering my enthusiasm for research with what actually ends up on the page. I know the wider historical context; I have to in order to write, but I’ve also learned that not everything my research has uncovered must, or even should, be included in my book. It’s my framework, the block of stone upon which I chisel out my characters. What remains is necessary: nothing more and nothing less.

Out of the seven novels you have written, do you have a favorite?

The last one is always my favorite. But beyond that, I am very proud of all of them for different reasons: THE LAST QUEEN is my novel of the heart, the one I struggled with for many years to see published, about a bold woman unjustly maligned by history. THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI is my most ambitious, in that I undertook an entire life in a very complex era, and found that my original intent to write a villainous narrator became a quest to reveal another woman who’s been misunderstood. THE QUEEN'S VOW was the most challenging, because of all my characters, Isabella developed her personality early in life and remained steadfast in who she was, despite her travails. Writing her was tough because in her core, Isabella did not change; she is nothing like me. But in the end, I empathized with her because I think she honestly believed she was doing her best. I don’t agree with her, but I understand her impetus. The three Spymaster books have been my playground, where my imagination could roam through a fictional male character who shares many of my beliefs about how the past can haunt us, my love for animals, my respect for loyalty and forgiveness, and the need for compromise.

Will you ever revisit Brendan, Kate and Raff again?

I hope to, in the future. I simply felt I had reached the end of this particular journey and wanted to explore other horizons. I’m not an historical novelist who can mine the same era over and over; I’m eclectic in my obsessions, with many interests beyond the Tudors. It was time to move onward, but I bear great fondness for these characters, and who knows what the future holds? For now, however, Brendan deserves this respite. He’s been through a lot!

Your newest novel, MADEMOISELLE CHANEL, about fashion designer Coco Chanel, will appear in March 2015. What prompted you to choose a subject so far removed from the Renaissance? Did writing about the 20th century pose different challenges than writing about the 16th?

Before I became a full time writer, my career trajectory included ten years of working in the fashion industry; I came to learn about Coco Chanel while undertaking my degree in fashion marketing. She was my style icon. I had a battered book of her designs that I referred to often when consulting with clients. Writing a novel about her was something I always wanted to do, but the idea sat on the sidelines for years. When I did decide to do it, it was on impulse. I had spare time after delivering two prior manuscripts; my editors were reading those, and while I waited for feedback, I made the spur of the moment choice to try writing a modern woman. I was not under contract for this book and had no idea if it would work, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. I wrote the first draft in five months— record time for me. Coco’s story presented different challenges, of course; she’s a 20th century figure who’s been extensively documented, and the choice of language and style for this novel had to fit her times. But again, my foremost challenge became what to include, much as with my 16th century novels. I had to find the intimacy in her story without overwhelming my reader with minutia. Still, writing a character who could actually telephone her friends was a plus! Communication is so much easier in our age. And portraying a woman who rose from nothing, not born to privilege yet who became a queen in her own right, was fascinating. And the clothes, of course: all those fabulous clothes. What’s not to love? She also made controversial decisions that blackened her reputation, so in some ways, MADEMOISELLE CHANEL is not so removed from what I’ve written previously. She is an extraordinary woman in an extraordinary era, who lived by her own rules, despite setbacks and personal tragedies. She shares certain traits with my 16th century ladies.

Whose journey, out of all the characters you have created, most closely mirrors your own journey as a writer?

Probably Chanel’s. Not that it’s a fair comparison; she faced obstacles I never have, foremost being misogyny. Because of her gender, she had to fight to be taken seriously in a time when women had few options. But as a gay man whose writing had been rejected over 300 times over the course of thirteen years, I understood both her frustration and determination to succeed. I also think I relate to her decision to live as she saw fit; gay men have faced prejudice and hatred because of our sexuality, and Coco experienced prejudice because of her lifestyle. She also reaped rewards, but she paid the price for who she was. I know what that feels like. Nevertheless, all of my characters carry a bit of me inside of them, or rather, I find a bit of me in them. It’s what writers do: we cannot live for years with characters we detest. We must find an echo of their souls in ours to bring them to life. Without that echo, the writing is empty.

Thank you for sharing this time with me. I hope your readers enjoy THE TUDOR VENDETTA. To find out more about my work, please visit me at: www.cwgortner.com

Review: THE TUDOR VENDETTA by C.W. Gortner

Time and again, Brendan Prescott has proven himself loyal to Elizabeth Tudor. As a trained intelligencer, he has uncovered lies, navigated treachery, and survived attempted assassination in his quest to protect England's new queen. But can Brendan's loyalty withstand the temptation to claim all Elizabeth has for himself? This is the challenge Brendan ultimately faces in THE TUDOR VENDETTA (St. Martin's Press, October 2014), the third and final volume of C.W. Gortner's Spymaster Chronicles.

Mere weeks after claiming her throne, Elizabeth recalls Brendan from exile in Switzerland, where he has fled for protection and further training. Her favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, has vanished in Yorkshire while caring for a nephew's sick child. A scrap of paper tucked beneath the saddle of Parry's wandering horse bears an ominous message: She must pay for the sin. Fearing for her attendant's life, Elizabeth sends Brendan to search for her. Although reluctant to leave the queen, who has narrowly avoided being poisoned by a tainted coronation gift, Brendan travels north. At the home of Lord and Lady Vaughan, Catholic sympathizers of the late Queen Mary, the mystery deepens to involve an elusive stranger intent on settling a vendetta with the Protestant queen. As Brendan investigates the fate of Lady Parry, he discovers a shattering secret about Elizabeth--a secret this enemy hopes to exploit in order to bring a quick end to the new queen's reign. Can Brendan stop him in time? And even if he does, can the intelligencer resist using the dangerous knowledge he has gained to further his own ambition?

THE TUDOR VENDETTA, like its companion books THE TUDOR SECRET and THE TUDOR CONSPIRACY, is a deftly plotted mystery that seamlessly weaves plausible rumor and imaginative innuendo into an accurate and convincingly evoked historical framework. Gortner handles the difficult task of refreshing the reader's memory of the events of the previous two volumes with aplomb. He never allows the complicated politics and religious factionalism of the era to overwhelm the narrative action nor loose ends to weaken the story's grip. Wary lest the twists and revelations that structure the plot appear gratuitous or overly convenient, he takes care to prepare the ground with timely hints and supportive backstory.

But more than the tight plot, it is the finely nuanced characters that make THE TUDOR VENDETTA an enjoyable read. A foundling who shares Tudor blood, Brendan struggles to overcome feelings of inferiority even as he chooses to hide the truth of his birth. He retains an endearing vulnerability that prevents him from lashing out at past oppressors or taking advantage of improved circumstance. All he wants from life is a sense of belonging and a home to call his own, yet these are the very things he must sacrifice in Elizabeth's service. As a man who takes his responsibilities seriously, he has difficulty forgiving himself his failings, to the degree that he risks his future happiness by dwelling on past transgressions. Elizabeth is equally well-rounded, fragile yet determined, loyal yet willing to sacrifice whatever she must to maintain her grip on the throne. She allows herself one weakness, her love for the vain and power-hungry Robert Dudley; even so, she maintains a level-headed awareness of his shallowness and her own dangerous response to his attentions. Archie Shelton, Brendan's rough and tumble father, demonstrates a touching but never mawkish devotion to the son he was forced to ignore for so many years. Brendan's beloved Kate suffers no illusions about her relationship with the intelligencer and knows that his devotion to Elizabeth will forever complicate his love for her. Although she shares his devotion to the queen, Kate must decide whether she can live with Brendan's divided loyalty. (She is the one character I would have liked to have seen more of in this novel, but the plot necessarily removes her for much of the story.) Gortner's characters leap from the page in a blaze of convincingly contradictory emotions and impulses that keep the reader wholly invested in their struggles.

THE TUDOR VENDETTA brings The Spymaster Chronicles to an entertaining and satisfying conclusion, one that closes the present cycle yet leaves open the possibility for future tales of intrigue and aspiration at the Elizabethan court.

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C.W. Gortner holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California. After a long career in the fashion industry, he now writes full-time and is the author of seven acclaimed historical novels. You can learn more about his work at his website and blog.

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I wrote this review as part of a Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour. To read other reviews of the novel and guest posts by the author, please consult the list of tour stops. Return here tomorrow to read an interview with C.W. about THE TUDOR VENDETTA and his other work.

Exhibition: Elizabeth I and Her People

Portrait of Kathryn Berain

An exciting new exhibition is opening at the National Portrait Gallery in London. "Elizabeth I and Her People" uses portraiture to explore the lives of Elizabeth's subjects. Portraits include those of nobility, craftsmen, merchants, soldiers and artists. The exhibition runs from October 10, 2013 through January 5, 2014. The website makes available a series of short films about the exhibition. Play the interactive game to discover your "inner Elizabethan"! If any readers are lucky enough to visit the exhibition, please come back and tell us about it.

Review: THE TUDOR CONSPIRACY by C.W. Gortner

THE TUDOR CONSPIRACY, Book 2 of C.W. Gortner's THE SPYMASTER CHRONICLES, provides an engrossing and entertaining escape into an England on the cusp of staggering change and the life of the man who can temper the blow.

It's the winter of 1554 and Mary Tudor has ascended to the throne, in no small part thanks to the efforts of Brendan Prescott, who in Book 1 of the series destroyed the Duke of Northumberland and foiled his plans to steal the crown. Queen Mary, rumored to be negotiating a marriage with Catholic Prince Philip of Spain, summons her Protestant sister Elizabeth to court and forbids her to leave. Elizabeth's protector William Cecil suspects that the Imperial ambassador, in whom Mary has placed unwavering trust, seeks Elizabeth's death in order to secure the succession for Mary and Philip's children. The spymaster also fears that Elizabeth has been drawn, willingly or not, into a plot with another claimant to the throne. Cecil challenges Brendan to return to court under his old alias and stop the ambassador. Ever loyal to Elizabeth, Brendan accepts the mission. The job ahead of him will not only test his skills as a spy, his fragile sense of self, and his personal loyalties, but his love for the woman he leaves behind.

THE TUDOR CONSPIRACY is C.W. Gortner at his best: an intriguing, well-paced plot; a lush setting replete with historically accurate details; convincing characters who continually reveal new facets of themselves. CONSPIRACY takes a lesser-known moment in Tudor history--the very first years of Queen Mary's reign--and elaborates the political situation in a clear and understandable manner so that the reader never feels lost or confused by the characters' emerging loyalties and objectives. Even better, Gortner intertwines Brendan's personal story with that of the larger situation in such a way that the suspense of each builds and feeds off the other.

Both Brendan and Queen Mary are on quests to define themselves. Brendan, having discovered part of the secret of his birth in the first book, learns even more in this one. The burden of his identity weighs upon him, especially when it becomes evident that he could use the knowledge to influence the greater course of events. Although loyal to Elizabeth, he feels a certain bond to Mary, and hopes to reconcile the two sisters. Mary, newly on the throne, is still finding her way. Despite her ties to her sister, she has come under the relentless influence of the Imperial ambassador, who feeds her hopes of restoring the Catholic faith to England. As she weighs a marriage with Spanish Prince Philip, Mary must decide whether her family loyalty, her Catholic faith, or her devotion to England will tip the scale. The looming question of Elizabeth's fate throws Mary and Brendan together and forces them to confront and decide their own destinies.

Gortner admitted to me how much fun he had writing this book, and his enjoyment is evident on every page. At total ease with Brendan's voice, Gortner writes his tale with an engaging naturalness. Loyal and true, brave and at times refreshingly foolhardy, Brendan Prescott captured my heart in this satisfying sequel. I had as much fun reading Brendan as Gortner did writing him, and I look forward to the next installment of THE SPYMASTER CHRONICLES.

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C.W. Gornter holds an MFA in Writing, with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies. Raised in Spain and half Spanish by birth, he currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. He welcomes readers and is always available for reader group chats. Please visit him at his website for more information.

I reviewed Book I, THE TUDOR CONSPIRACY, in 2011.

Review: THE TUDOR SECRET by C.W. Gortner

Novelists necessarily begin with the question "What if...?" C. W. Gornter's THE TUDOR SECRET, the first of his Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles, poses a major "What if?" question about Tudor genealogy and develops it into a riveting tale of intrigue and passion. Readers willing to stretch the bounds of possibility cannot fail to be swept up into the story of the fictitious Brendan Prescott, a foundling who rises from anonymity to become Elizabeth I's devoted courtier and trusted spy.

It's 1553 and John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, is king in all but name. He has sequestered King Edward, ailing to the point of death; Princess Elizabeth, Edward's sister, is determined to see her brother, despite the danger the visit poses to herself. She arrives in London on the same day as Brendan Prescott, a foundling raised by the Dudleys at their country estate. Brendan has been summoned to court to serve Robert, Northumberland's arrogant and ambitious son. In love with Elizabeth, Robert hopes to marry her and uses Brendan to carry his clandestine messages. But Brendan, mesmerized by Elizabeth and sympathizing with her orphaned state, warns her of Robert's machinations and quickly finds himself engaged by Elizabeth's protector, William Cecil, as a spy on her behalf. As Brendan works to keep Elizabeth free of the Dudleys' grasp, he unearths unsettling facts about his own history, facts someone at court has determined shall never come to light. By the time Brendan learns his true identity, he has gained the trust of both Elizabeth and her sister Mary; now he must decide what to do with a discovery that threatens the princesses' claims to the throne.

One of the strengths of the THE TUDOR SECRET is its male protagonist. It is refreshing to read the adventures of a main character who is free to come and go as he pleases and does not have to resort to elaborate subterfuges to escape the ever-watchful eyes of chaperones and parents. Brendan is a likeable and articulate character who has gone to great lengths to educate himself. He loves deeply and loyally and, determined to make his own way in the world, readily adapts to his changing circumstances. The infectious enthusiasm that infuses his voice makes his first-person narrative enjoyable to read.

Memorable characters are a hallmark of Gornter's fiction, and the novel's other characters are equally well-drawn. His young Elizabeth, fragile yet iron-willed, exudes an unrealized potential that captivates anyone in her orbit. She and Brendan share an immediate sympathy that blossoms into an unshakeable trust. Elizabeth's older sister, Mary, a tiny woman distrustful by nature and circumstance, nevertheless commands respect and exhibits a healthy regality. Peregrine, the quick-witted stable boy who becomes Brendan's sidekick, provides both humor and the street smarts necessary to rescue Brendan from his numerous scrapes. William Cecil straddles the moral spectrum; closed-mouthed and enigmatic, he tends his own interests as much as Elizabeth's. The villains, who will remain unnamed so as not to spoil the plot, tend toward the extreme but are given justifiable reasons for their wickedness.

The evocation of sixteenth century England resonates with well-chosen details, from the "tar-boiled heads" mounted on poles at the city gate to Mistress Alice, Brendan's surrogate mother, smoothing animal fat into leather shoes with a wooden spoon. Gortner always lavishes attention on his characters' dress, revealing personality traits through their clothing. Mary Tudor, for example, wears a "gable headdress that look[s] too heavy for her thin shoulders." Smells bring scenes to life, and the omnipresent scents of urine, vomit, and blood, as well as the sweeter odors of flowers, salve and ale, immerse the reader in the robust world of the sixteenth century.

The plot hangs together well, although the reader must pay attention to the details to understand Brendan's complicated origins and the Dudleys' convoluted schemes. It is important to remember that this novel is a mystery rather than straight historical fiction; the events depicted serve Brendan's story first and foremost. Given the power struggles surrounding the succession of Henry VIII's children to the throne, however, Gortner's imagined events are not implausible. As he explains in the interview that follows the story, "While nothing in THE TUDOR SECRET contradicts the known facts of what happened in the summer of 1553, I do mix things up and seek to reveal what might have been transpiring behind the scenes."

I thoroughly enjoyed THE TUDOR SECRET and look forward to the series' next installment. As SECRET closes, Brendan decides to keep mum about his identity for the time being. It will be interesting to see with whom he shares his discovery and how it affects his relationship with those who wield power. Add this uncertainty to the political intrigue he'll encounter as Elizabeth's spymaster and we have all we need for an engrossing and exciting series.

Learn more about C.W. Gortner and his books at his newly redesigned website.

Elizabethan Compendium

Although it focuses on England rather than France, here is an entertaining website chock-full of information on life during Elizabeth I's reign--a great way to pass some time when you're stuck writing a scene. [wry grin] Thanks to Susan Higginbotham for reminding me of it!

Interview and Giveaway: Karen Harper, THE IRISH PRINCESS

Author Karen Harper has just released her new historical novel, THE IRISH PRINCESS. Yesterday, I presented the book; today, Ms. Harper answers some questions about her research, her writing process, and her heroine.

Q: You are known for your Tudor era historicals, and THE IRISH PRINCESS fits that category, but has a different “feel.” Why an Irish heroine during the reigns of Henry VIII through Elizabeth I?

Karen Harper: While I was reading about Queen Elizabeth’s friends and confidants, I found one of them was an Irish woman Elizabeth (nicknamed Gera) Fitzgerald, a woman renowned for her beauty. What gives? I thought. The Tudors had trouble with the Irish, and Elizabeth was often jealous of beautiful women. So I started researching Gera, who I learned, would have been an Irish princess, except for the Tudors’ persecution of her people. Yet despite the ruination of her family, the Fitzgeralds of County Kildare, near Dublin, this Irishwoman remained the queen’s friend for years and married the dashing Lord High Admiral of England. It was a heroine I had to know and a book I had to write.

Q: Was the research of Gera easy to come by or more challenging, since her early years were lived in Ireland?

A: As usual, when researching most Tudor-era noble women, I had to glean information about Gera from the “more important” lives of those she touched. That meant the Tudors, of course, but for her Irish roots, it meant reading books about her father, “the uncrowned king of Ireland,” and her rebel brother who got the family in trouble. Also, the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, wrote a poem of admiration to “The Fair Geraldine.” (The Fitgeralds were descended from the Geraldines, which is where she got her nickname.)

Q: Were you able to travel to the sites used in the book?

A: I’ve been to English Tudor sites many times, so that part of the novel was easy for me to envision. My trip to Ireland was wonderful, and I spent time in Dublin and the Kildare area, but this was before I found Gera and decided to do a novel about her. So, since I could not get back to Ireland then, I was really helped by some on-site Irish researchers. For example, the caretakers of Maynooth Castle where Gera grew up corresponded and sent me their information as well as a list of sources to get through Interlibrary Loan.

Q: As in many of your novels, King Henry VIII comes off as quite a villain.

A: I usually sum up Henry with the quote, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” The older he got, the more paranoid he became about ruining any family that could threaten his power. I’ve just completed a book with his parents as the focus, so I see where he got this obsession, but for a supposedly religious leader and protector of his people, his tactics are horrible and inexcusable. THE IRISH PRINCESS begins with Gera’s lines, “I was going to kill the king. He was dying but I was going to kill him anyway.” With all that her family and Ireland went through, I could easily empathize with her desire for revenge. The book, however, is not just a revenge story, for, although she wants to hate all the Tudors, she finds that she has much in common with Elizabeth and even Mary Tudor.

Q: What are your work habits? I know you also write in another genre, contemporary suspense.

A: Yes, for the last ten years, I’ve had a split personality as a writer, doing a historical and then a suspense novel and so, working with two different publishers. I must admit, it has been a challenge. I need to be careful that I take a break between each genre, because I need an entirely different voice for each as well as vocabulary, culture, even sentence structure. However, both “voices” seem to come easily to me, once I immerse myself in the characters and settings. Settings are very important to me. One of my author talks is “Setting As Character." As for my work habits, a lot of my ideas obviously come from my research, whether I’m writing about the Irish or the modern day Amish. (My website, www.KarenHarperAuthor.com starts out, “from the Amish to the Irish…”). In short, I’m a plan ahead author. I’m an early riser, so I get a lot done in the mornings and fade mid-PM, when it’s time to answer e-mail or just get away from the laptop for a while. At least my days are varied, sometimes 5 – 6 hours of writing, sometimes editing, research, promotion… I write, then revise about 6 -7 times, then print out my chapters, then revise again from there.

Q: Do both of the genres in which you write sell about the same?

A: Alas, no. Any book that has a contemporary setting (and in my books, mystery/suspense) has a broader audience than historicals. Some of my suspense novels have been New York Times and USA TODAY bestsellers, but not the historicals (yet!). The readers of the historicals are actually a niche audience, often well-traveled, well-educated and, in my case, usually afflicted with what I call Tudormania. However, as a former college and high school English teacher, I’ve been really pleased to have quite a few readers say that they used to think history was dry, but after reading a Karen Harper book, now they love it—it has come alive for them.

Q: All of your books seem to have a heroine who rises above terrible circumstances. Is that intentional?

A: Yes, because that’s what not only makes a rousing good story but inspires the reader—at least I hope so. I do look for several things in a historic heroine before I spend months and years researching and writing about her. First of all, her life must impact some well-known figures. Also, I’m looking for a good love story in her life—and Gera Fitzgerald definitely has that. Her love for sailing and her forbidden love for sea captain Edward Clinton give the novel a swashbuckling feeling ala Johnny Depp and Liam Neeson—even Errol Flynn—movies. I also need some sort of resolution or triumph, in short a happy ending. And I do tend to say with English, Irish or Scottish heroines, since those countries and their pasts are my passion.

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Thank you, Karen, for this peek into your book and your life as a writer! Give it time -- your historicals are bound to become bestsellers, too.

Karen has offered a complimentary copy of THE IRISH PRINCESS to be given away here at Writing the Renaissance. If you are interested in the book, please leave a comment below with an email contact. Entrants must have domestic US mailing addresses. Contest closes at 10 pm PST Saturday, February 19. Winner's name will be posted Monday, February 21. Good luck to all! Look for THE IRISH PRINCESS online or at your neighborhood bookstore.

THE TUDOR SECRET by C.W. Gortner

February 2011 is an exciting month for new historical fiction releases from established authors. First up is C.W. Gortner's THE TUDOR SECRET, released today from St. Martin's Griffin. THE TUDOR SECRET is the first in a series about the rise of Brendan Prescott as secret spymaster for Elizabeth I. From the back cover:

Summer 1553: a time of danger and deceit. Brendan Prescott, an orphan, is reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Prescott finds himself sent on an illicit mission to the king's brilliant but enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth's protector, William Cecil, who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past.

A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth's quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and an audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies and murder.

Mr. Gortner sent me a copy of THE TUDOR SECRET, which I have just begun reading. It promises to be as exciting and engaging as THE LAST QUEEN and THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI. I will post a review as soon as I have finished. In the meantime, here is a guest post by the author.

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Interweaving Fact with Fiction: On Writing THE TUDOR SECRET

by C.W. Gortner

In my latest novel, THE TUDOR SECRET, Book One in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles, I set myself to a challenge that proved more daunting than I originally thought. Despite its shorter length, compared to my other novels THE LAST QUEEN and THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI, THE TUDOR SECRET is deceptively complex, interweaving three storylines—a factual one; a “What if?” one; and a fictionalized one. This was also the first time I decided to work with fictional characters interacting with historical ones, and these interactions were both unexpected and exciting.

My first storyline is factual, based on the tumultuous events surrounding John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and his familial conspiracy to replace Princess Mary Tudor in the succession following the untimely death of Mary’s brother, Edward VI. Though this event, known as the Succession Crisis of 1553, has often gotten short thrift in both biographical accounts of the lead players and in other Tudor-themed novels, I’ve always found it fascinating— a dramatic coup d’état staged by a powerful courtier, aimed at the Catholic heir to the throne, who was herself an embattled survivor of her father’s rupture with Rome. Northumberland had risen through the ranks to the pinnacle of success. In control of the realm after the execution of Edward’s uncle, he was resolved to protect his interests at any cost. Northumberland’s frantic race against time to secure the throne offers riveting contrast to Mary’s emergence from the shadows as the stalwart granddaughter of the famed warrior-queen, Isabella of Castile. Though many initially thought her cause hopeless, history proved differently.

My second storyline focuses on: “What if?” Though it’s established that Mary did in fact visit court to see her ailing brother several months before his demise, less is known about their sister, Elizabeth. Many believe Northumberland refused Elizabeth the same privilege, thus relegating her to her country manor, isolated from the events about to unfold. But my imagination was stirred by the idea of what if she’d ignored Northumberland’s refusal. Hindsight is everything when reconstructing historical events; we now know what Northumberland planned, yet what if Elizabeth, unaware of the extent of the duke’s plot, arrived unannounced in London, determined to see her brother? Rumors of Edward’s demise ran rampant and Elizabeth was known for being both headstrong and fiercely protective of Edward. The possibilities that opened before me as I envisioned this bold nineteen year-old princess descending upon Northumberland and his clan proved irresistible.

The last storyline is fictional. The idea for this series was to explore the birth of the grand era of Elizabethan espionage. I also wanted to envision this world through the eyes of an ordinary man, a foundling (as many were) who is brought to court to act as a squire. My lead character, Brendan, only seeks to persevere in his new post, perhaps even gain his freedom from servitude. Disdained by the noble family with whom he has spent his life, still mourning the death of the woman who cared for him, but also keen and observant, if ignorant of the treachery of the court, Brendan is the perfect vehicle for my story: a seemingly every-day youth who, unbeknownst to him, carries a secret that could overturn everything he believes in. His fateful meeting with Elizabeth as she seeks an answer to her brother’s disappearance throws these two characters into a labyrinth of deceit that will test their mettle and forge a lifelong alliance.

Lastly, THE TUDOR SECRET pays humble homage to my lifelong admiration of the spirited historical adventures of Alexander Dumas, Rafael Sabatini, Lawrence Schnoover, and the swashbuckling films of the 1950s. I hope you enjoy this foray into the underworld of the Tudors— a place where dukes battle princesses, betrayal is rife, and one man fights to save a future queen from destruction while unraveling the secret of his own mysterious past.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me. To learn more about me and my books, as well as access special features, please visit me at: http://www.cwgortner.com. Happy reading!

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Best wishes to Christopher as he launches this third book, which is sure to be one of the year's top reads! THE TUDOR SECRET can be purchased at your neighborhood bookseller as well as online. Be sure to check back soon for my review.

Mary Sharratt: The Crucible of Faith, Part 2

Here is the second half of Mary Sharratt's guest post on resistance to the Reformation in northern England:

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The Crucible of Faith: Reformation and Resistance in Northern England

by Mary Sharratt

[Mary Tudor's] successor was her half-sister, Elizabeth I, whose private religious convictions remain nebulous. Publicly Elizabeth had little choice but to embrace the Protestant cause. As Anne Boleyn’s daughter, the Catholic Church regarded her as illegitimate and this would have left her unfit for the throne, since her father’s many illegitimate sons would have taken precedence. A female monarch who elected not to marry and produce an heir of her own religion, Elizabeth relied on support from hardline Protestants whose views may have been far more extreme than her own. Still, at the beginning of her reign, Elizabeth appeared to tolerate Catholics as long as they attended Anglican services and kept a low profile. However, her stance became increasingly aggressive in reaction to a series of Catholic plots to dispose, and even assassinate her, and place her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, on the throne.

The Northern Rebellion of 1569, the first of several such plots, left law-abiding English Catholics in a very difficult place, especially after Pope Pius V issued his 1570 Papal Bull, which excommunicated Elizabeth and proclaimed that it was her Catholic subjects’ duty to overthrow her. The pope’s uncompromising stance made English Catholics traitors to the crown by default. Far more politically astute than her half-sister, Elizabeth used this Papal Bull as an excuse to end her policy of religious toleration. She told her subjects that they must choose between her and this foreigner. By the 1570s, being Catholic was regarded as traitorous and subversive, whether one took part in plots or not.

By the 1580s it became treason to convert to Catholicism. Recusants who refused to attend Protestant services were fined £20, a fortune in that era. It was treason for Jesuits or seminary priests to enter the country—those who knowingly provided them shelter were also guilty of treason. Those convicted of treason were punished by hanging, then being cut down and disemboweled while still alive. In some cases the beating heart was ripped out of the body. By 1593, recusants were restricted to staying within five miles of their homes.

Fearful of a Spanish invasion with local Catholic support, Elizabeth’s government kept close watch of recusant nobility, especially in the North. Lord Burghley’s Map of Lancashire depicts a bird’s eye view of all the gentry estates in the county. The properties owned by recusant families are marked with a cross. The unmarked estates belong to trusted Anglican gentry. Also marked are the beacons where loyal Anglicans could raise the alarm should there be a Catholic uprising.

This was the era of the English martyrs, such as Margaret Clitherow of York, born in 1556. After her family adopted Protestantism, she converted back to Catholicism and offered her home as a secret refuge for traveling priests. Arrested in 1586 on suspicion of harboring priests, she faced trial at the York Assizes where she refused to plead, probably fearing that her young children would be asked to testify and tortured. Margaret received the standard punishment for those who refused to plead—she was crushed to death beneath a door weighted by heavy stones. She died on Good Friday, 1586. In 1970, she was canonized as a saint.

There has been some speculation as to whether William Shakespeare, who may have lived in Hoghton Tower in Lancashire with the recusant de Hoghton family during his “lost years,” was a secret Catholic. We do know that his father was Catholic, as a testament of faith was discovered hidden in his house.

Mary Stuart’s son, James I, separated from his mother and reared as a stern Protestant, ascended to the English throne in 1603. He brought an even harsher set of laws to all Catholics. Convicted recusants who refused to receive Anglican communion were fined and their property was taken from them. They were barred from public office, had no recourse to courts of laws, and if one owed money to a Catholic, one wasn’t obliged to pay it back. Catholic resentment of James I culminated in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

By the time of the English Civil War, 65% of Royalist families in Lancashire were still Catholic. The Restoration brought no relief. In 1678, recusants were barred from Parliament, and in 1692, they incurred double land tax. In 1699, they were barred from purchasing or inheriting land.

The tide only began to turn toward the close of the 18^th century. The First Catholic Relief Act of 1778 permitted Catholics to own land. The Second Relief Act of 1791allowed Catholic clergy to legally exercise ministry. For the first time since Mary Tudor’s downfall, Catholics in England were allowed public worship under license.

The new Catholic churches built at this time were designed to resemble barns and thus remain as unobtrusive as possible, as not to attract too much attention. One such “barn church” still exists today, the Church of Saint Peter and Paul in Ribchester. The crosses were only added in the 19^th century and the stained glass more recently still. When first constructed, the building was meant to look secular and the Mass was conducted behind closed shutters.

The Emancipation Act of 1829 finally allowed people of the Catholic faith to hold public office and to sit in Parliament. English Catholics owe their thanks to Irishman Daniel O’Connell, who was responsible for pushing this law through in order to prevent a violent uprising in his own country.

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Mary Sharratt’s acclaimed new novel, Daughters of the Witching Hill, is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. To learn more about Mary and the true history of the Pendle Witches and their connection to pre-Reformation beliefs, visit her website: www.marysharratt.com .