I am happy to have Patty Wiseman as my guest today. Thank you, Patty, for joining me on my website.

 

    Author Patty Wiseman

 

 

 

Patty, can you tell us about yourself and your background? What do you currently do outside of writing?

Thank you for having me, Jess. I’m really excited to be here. We’ve been friends for a long time and navigated this journey together. Look how far we’ve come! I’m retired from a 25-year career with an investment company. I enjoy traveling, attending festivals with my husband, Ron, who creates beautiful animals out of Freon tanks. We love selling my books and his art together at the many festivals around Texas. We have a crème lab. His name is Cutter, and I actually wrote a children’s book about him. Between us, we have 3 children, 11 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. My upbringing was in Seattle, Washington. I went to college in Bartlesville, Okla., and moved to Texas 40 years ago. Love the weather in Texas!

 

 

 

What books have you written, and what are their genres? What audience are they aimed at?

An Unlikely Arrangement – Historical Romantic Suspense (Book one of series)

An Unlikely Beginning – Historical Romantic Suspense (Book two of series)

An Unlikely Conclusion – Historical Romantic Suspense (Book three of series)

An Unlikely Deception – Historical Romantic Suspense (Book four of series)

That One Moment – Stand-a-lone Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Somewhere Between – Stand-a-lone Historical Suspense

Rescue at Wiseman’s Pond – Children’s Book – true story – for 0-10 years old (It rhymes!)

Silver’s Redemption – Stand-a-lone – Contemporary Romantic Suspense – targeting women over 40.

 

 

      The Velvet Collection

 

 

           That One Moment

 

 

   

       Somewhere Between

 

 

 

    Rescue at Wiseman's Pond

 

 

 

      Silver's Redemption

 

 

 

 Links to view Trailers:

 

The Velvet Shoe Collection - https://youtu.be/ZMyYkK49yKI

That One Moment - https://youtu.be/qMUfVl2BZKE

 

 

 

What prompted you to write what you did? [or Where do you get your writing inspiration?] What message(s) do you want readers to take away?

I was very young when the writing bug bit. But life got in the way—college, marriage, children. Finally, when I retired, I was free to pursue my passion, and I haven’t looked back. My grandmother told stories about her days as a flapper in the 1920s, and those stories stayed with me and inspired the historical romances of my 1st four books. From there, I just wrote what was on my heart at the time. I write about strong women who face tough odds but manage to pull through. My children’s book was inspired by our dog, Cutter, who was instrumental in saving two baby foxes who almost drowned in our pond. I’m waiting for him to do something else so I can continue the stories he inspired! My books all have happy endings and show what women can do once they put their minds to it. I hope my readers will see how strong women really are!

 

 

Do you write short stories, articles, or have a blog? Where can we find them?

I have written short stories, and I have a blog. You can find them on www.pattywiseman.com

I also have a podcast where I tell short stories. You can find that on https://anchor.fm/patty-wiseman

 

 

What do you find the hardest about writing? The easiest?

The hardest thing for me is research. I love it, but it is time-consuming. I try to make sure the settings are correct, so they don’t throw the reader off—especially historical books. The easiest thing is sitting in my office and letting the story flow. I tend to get it down on the computer and do my editing later. I love those sessions where the words come easy.

 

 

What’s next for you after An Unlikely Elegance?

This book is the fifth book in my series. I want to go back and try to write another children’s book next. I have so many other stories I want to write, as well. So many ideas. They come faster as time goes on.

 

 

What special thing about yourself would you like to share with readers?

Special thing? Well, I love to mentor new writers. I’ve been the President of the East Texas Writer’s Association for the past three years. I love to answer questions about writing, how to get started, etc. To watch them publish their first book is a great reward for me!

 

 

How can we follow or contact you?

Website: www.pattywiseman.com

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/patty-wiseman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PattyWisemanAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PattyWG

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pattywg/

MeWe:  https://mewe.com/i/pattywiseman

 

Where can readers buy your books?

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Draft2Digital, my website: www.pattywiseman.com

 

 

 

Awards & Recognition

  

 

 AN UNLIKELY ARRANGEMENT 2011

 

 Fifty Great Writers You Should be Reading 2013

 

AN UNLIKELY BEGINNING – 2013

 

 

AN UNLIKELY CONCLUSION -2014

      

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN AND THAT ONE MOMENT -2018

 

 

 

 

 RESCUE AT WISEMAN’S POND AND THAT ONE MOMENT 2018

  

 

 AUTHOR FAIRE

 

 

 

Salve Atque Vale! Hail and Farewell!

 

 

-JSH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am happy to have Timothy Donald Pilmaier as my guest today. Thank you, Tim, for joining me on my website.

 

 

Guest Author Timothy Donald Pilmaier

 

 

 

 

Timothy, can you tell us about yourself and your background? What do you currently do outside of writing?

 

I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. After joining the United States Navy at 19, I spent six years in the Naval Nuclear Power Program. I served aboard the ballistic missile submarine, USS Tecumseh SSBN-628. After leaving the Navy, I had a 32-year career in the domestic and international commercial nuclear power industries.  During that time, I completed my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Bellevue University.

My wife of 36 years, Joni, and I have raised two beautiful kids.  Samantha and Joseph are both in the medical field. My daughter is a physician, and my son is a nurse.  We have one grandson, Jack, who is a year old.

I am now retired and write full time.  When I am not writing, I enjoy hunting, fishing, golfing, and cooking.  I am the cook in our house and truly enjoy making a meal for friends and family.  A perfect day starts with a cup of coffee and the smell of homemade tomato sauce simmering on the stove.  Beyond that, I enjoy reading, specifically, WWII history and historical fiction.

 

What books have you written, and what are their genres? What audience are they aimed at?

 

My first novel, titled "Flight of the U-463," is the first in a series of historical fiction adventures. The book was a finalist for the 2019 Forward INDIES (Fiction-War & Military) and the 2020 Next Generation INDIE (Historical Fiction) book awards.  The book also reached #1 on Amazon for Military Thrillers. The story chronicles the daring escape of a young American, Peter Teufel, from Nazi Germany.

The book "Flight of the U-463" is a coming of age story and an escape story.  Against his parents' wishes, Peter stays in Germany to finish college as the European war breaks out. He meets a beautiful female Associated Press photographer, Marilyn Miller, and their relationship grows. Unfortunately, he is mistakenly identified as a German, detained by the German Army, and conscripted into the Kriegsmarine.  Stationed aboard a U-boat, he must find a way to escape back home to the woman he loves before his true nationality is discovered.

I am currently working on the second, third, and fourth books in the series. The series follows Peter as he enters the Office of Strategic Services and takes on hazardous missions for the United States during WWII.  The entire four-book series interweaves the fictional Peter with real events and real people during the second world war.

The book is intended for those who love WWII history, those who enjoy fictional thrillers, and those who like well-developed characters.  It is much more than "just a war novel." I have received tremendously positive feedback from women and men concerning the book.

 

 

 Book Cover to" Flight of the U-463 "

 

 

Here is a description of the book:

 

In the dark days before World War II, a young American named Peter Teufel makes the fateful decision to remain in Europe as the clouds of war descend. Steamrolled by the Nazi onslaught and mistaken for a German citizen, he finds himself conscripted into the vaunted German Navy. Forced to serve on a U-boat, his odds of escaping back to America are slim. If his true identity is discovered, he would be executed as a spy.

​Peter must find a way to escape, yet he is thwarted at every turn. Hounded by a brutal Nazi, Klaus Lübeck, who suspects that Peter is not what he appears to be, the American avoids detection at all costs. A chance meeting with the head of German Military Intelligence, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, may just be the key to his deliverance. With the odds of escaping stacked against him, the young American devises a bold and daring plan. Once in motion, there is no turning back.

 

What prompted you to write what you did? [or Where do you get your writing inspiration?] What message(s) do you want readers to take away?

 

I have long been interested in WWII history, especially submarine history.  As a former submariner, it seemed logical to write about something that I am very familiar with.  I knew that I wanted to write a book that involved submarine operations, but a storyline didn't materialize until a random discussion with my Father.

I was inspired to write "Flight of the U-463" after discussing it with my Father over coffee.  We routinely have coffee together every Saturday and talk about the books we have read. On one of those Saturdays, Dad recounted the story of Yang Kyoungjong.

In June of 1944, during the invasion of Normandy, an oriental man wearing a German uniform was captured by the Americans.  First thought to be Japanese, it turned out that the man, Yang Kyoungjong, was a Korean conscripted into the Wehrmacht.  During the war, he was captured in Manchuria by the Japanese and forced to fight for the Imperial Japanese Army.  He was subsequently captured by the Russian Army and then the German Army.  After each capture, he was conscripted into the Army of his captors.  As such, he unwillingly wound up defending the Normandy beaches on D-Day.

This story got me to consider a "what if" scenario. If a Korean could wind up in the Wehrmacht, could that also happen to an American?  That is how the book's main character, Peter Teufel, the son of an American diplomat who gets caught up in WWII, came to be. 

When his parents return to the United States, Peter is attending college in Germany. He elects to stay behind.  Defying his parent's wishes, Peter remains to finish college and, as a result, is caught up in the outbreak of the war.  Mistaken as a German citizen, he is eventually conscripted into the Kriegsmarine and forced to serve onboard U-boats. After realizing that he has made an error in judgment, he secretly tries to find a way to return to the United States.

The story of Peter Teufel is a coming of age story and a harrowing escape story.  My intent as a writer was to intertwine real historical people and events into a fictional account of a plausible outcome that differs slightly from recorded history. I want the reader to believe that the story is possible and that the places, people, and equipment are accurate.  I believe that it is a fun and exciting story.

 

Do you write short stories, articles, or have a blog? Where can we find them?

 

While I have dabbled in writing most of my life, "Flight of the U-463" is my first and only published work so far.  I have a web page, Twitter account, and Facebook presence.  They can be accessed at:

 

Facebook: Timothy Donald Pilmaier, Author @timothypilmaier

Twitter: Timothy Donald Pilmaier @timothypilmaier

Instagram: @timothypilmaier

 

What do you find the hardest about writing? The easiest?

 

The hardest part of writing a novel is the editing process.  For me, every word that I wrote was perfect in my mind.  I knew exactly what I intended to convey to the reader, and once I had written it, I didn't want to go back.  My editor read the draft that I considered "finished" …she had a different opinion. 

She carved up my draft pretty good.  I will admit that I had a few hurt feelings, yet I could not fault her comments when I cooled down.  As painful as it was, I revised and rewrote many sections of the book.  It was ultimately a tremendous learning experience.  She basically had me rewrite the main character throughout the book to clarify its involvement with the escape.  I had a fundamental plot element that was weak.  She helped me with that.

The most natural part was research.  I love reading and learning about WWII, so conducting the research to make the book accurate was a complete joy.  I pulled information from books, naval archives, a WWII U-boat web page, the internet, and of course, my Father.  I even used submarine video games as a source of information. All of that was just a blast to do. 

I tried extremely hard to make the historical places and military hardware correct.  For example, not many people know that the Nazis conducted flights during the war from Petsamo Finland to Japan.  This was a too-long flight, but it was accomplished with an FW-200 Condor variant fitted with extra fuel storage.  It took me hours to find this information and only minutes to write about it.  The effort was worth it to make the book historically accurate in a fictional story.

 

What's next for you after [Your Book]?

 

Great question!  The "Flight of the U-463" is the first in a series of books about Peter Teufel.  I currently have plans for three additional books in the series. I have started writing books 2 and 3, tentatively titled "The Valkyrie Variant" and "Flight from Flossenburg."  As yet untitled, the fourth book has been mapped out in a timeline, but I have not started writing it.  The four books take Peter through WWII.  After those four books, I intend to have Peter involved in the cold war, but I have not developed any storylines for subsequent novels.

Book two, "The Valkyrie Variant," has Peter, now an OSS agent, interceding with the July 20th, 1944 bombing plot to assassinate Hitler.  The villain from book one, Klaus Lubeck, and several fictional and historical figures, return for this book. 

Book three has Peter entering the Flossenburg concentration camp as the European war comes to an end to rescue a high-ranking Nazi intelligence figure about to be put to death. Again, Lubeck, with eyes on revenge, seeks to foil Peter's mission.

Book four sees Peter returning to Japan's boyhood home to rescue an American nuclear scientist being held at the infamous Ofuna prisoner of war camp.

That is the plan…after that, we shall see. 

 

What special thing about yourself would you like to share with readers?

 

Wow, a rare moment to reflect on my life. Let's see, I am a proud Navy veteran, serving six years, one month, and 24 days on submarines.  I am quite pleased that I served my country and feel that my government owes me anything.  In fact, my military experience was a crucial part of my education.  I earned two years of college credit in the Navy.  I took those credits, completed a BS in Marketing, matriculated onto an MBA, and was the Graduate Student Speaker at commencement for my MBA.  My two children were there to witness that.  To this day, one of my prouder moments.

I have been lucky enough to travel the world for work and fun: South America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Far East, and the Middle East.  My wife and I lived in the United Arab Emirates for 18 months.  It was a unique cultural learning experience for me.

I guess that I would want readers to know that I am a lucky guy.  I have been fortunate in my life so far, and I believe that it has been a combination of hard work and a bit of luck.

Finally, I am thankful for my relationship with my Father.  At 84, he is a tremendous source of information and inspiration.  We play golf together every week and coffee together on the weekends.  He always asks me, "how is the next book coming"?  A real motivation for me.

 

How can we follow or contact you?

 

Facebook: Timothy Donald Pilmaier, Author @timothypilmaier

Twitter: Timothy Donald Pilmaier @timothypilmaier

Instagram: @timothypilmaier

 

Where can readers buy your books?

 

The "Flight of the U-463" can be purchased on Amazon in Hardback, Paperback, or Kindle form.  You can find a link on my webpage at https://www.pingerpublishing.com

 

Awards / Recognition

 

I am proud to announce that my first novel has been named a finalist for two independent book publishing awards. "Flight of the U-463" is a finalist for the following:

The 2019 Foreword INDIES War & Military (Adult Fiction)

The 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award (Historical Fiction)

 

 

 

OPTIONAL

Photo from an event or other

 

Below I have attached a couple of photos from recent book signings.  The first is from an Omaha neighborhood book club who enjoyed the discussion of the book.  The second is from a presentation that I conducted at the Waterloo, Nebraska Public Library.  I am always honored and humbled to speak about my novel.

 

 

    Omaha Book Club

 

 

 

 

 

  Waterloo Book Presentation

 

 

 Thank you for joining me to meet Guest Author Timothy Donald Pilmier, until next time.

 

 

 Merry Christmas and  Salve Atque Vale! Hail and Farewell!

 

-JSH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Author Interview

 

I am happy to have Andrew Boyce as my guest today. Thank you, Andrew, for joining me on my website.

 

 

        Author Andrew Boyce

 

 

 

 

Andrew, can you tell us about yourself and your background? What do you currently do outside of writing?

I am from Glasgow, Scotland. I work in a bookshop and enjoy reading, and so it looks as if it was inevitable that I would write the book I had always wanted to write! I have always been interested in the Romans, and slowly my book idea came together.

 

What books have you written, and what are their genres? What audience are they aimed at?

 

 

I started off with "The Antonine Romans, and The Golden Torque" and self-published it on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Amazon. Being around 18,000 words, this seemed a nice short size and gave me the idea of making a series of these Antonine books.

Set in AD144 in the Antonine Wall area of Western Scotland, the books follow the Romans and the Natives. It is historical fiction, and I put age 18 on it as battles and sword fights!

 

 

What prompted you to write what you did? What message(s) do you want readers to take away?

 

I have always been interested in the Romans invading Scotland. The Antonine Wall ran across central Scotland, and there are remains of ditches, roads, forts, bathhouses, and numerous museum exhibits. As they say, you should begin writing about what you know or what interests you. The Antonine stories are the result.

In terms of what message I would like readers to take away, I simply want the readers to enjoy my books. If someone is interested in the Romans, then my books provide another author they can read.

 

Do you write short stories, articles, or have a blog? Where can we find them?

 

Yes. I started a blog on my page at goodreads.com. On any site I am on, I try to write a bit about myself.

My main writing is the Antonine series, but I can imagine other projects developing as I enjoy writing so much.

 

What do you find the hardest about writing? The easiest?

 

I enjoy writing! I have these characters and stories that come into my head, and then it is a case of writing it down, a little at a time. The next part then comes into my mind, and then I write that down and so on. I don't try to rush it.

The hardest part for me is after the story is complete! I started out by self-publishing using KDP Amazon, then promoting it by joining Facebook groups, Goodreads, and anything else I could google! A tip for aspiring authors with a completed book is to watch not to spend too much on sites promising you miracles!

 

What's next for you after The Antonine Romans and The Golden Torque?

 

For me, it's all about building a little series of Antonine books, and then we will see what happens after that.

I never thought I would ever manage to write an actual book, and so the next goal was to write a series of books.

 

What particular thing about yourself would you like to share with readers?

 

Accidentally, I left a clue in a previous answer when I said, "I don't try to rush it." I have always enjoyed the music of Rush, rock music, and music in general.

Maybe I shouldn't have admitted the "I don't like to rush it." clue was accidental, and everyone would have thought that was really smart, but I think this answer shows the magic of writing, where you can write something down, and it leads to something else.

 

How can we follow or contact you?

 

For the following, you can follow me on Amazon and Goodreads.com.

To contact me, my email address is andrew.boyce5@btinternet.com.

 

 

Where can readers buy your books?

 

Keeping it simple, you can buy my ebooks and paperbacks on Amazon.

It is incredible for me to see people buy from around the world! Please purchase and enjoy, just as I enjoy Jess Steven Hughes's work!

 

 

 

 

-JSH

 

 

 

 

 

I am happy to have Linda Hughes as my guest today. Thank you, Linda, for joining me on my website.

 

Young Author, Linda Hughes

 

 

Haha. My favorite photo of me. A good representation of my life.

 

 

 

 

 

                Author Linda Hughes

 

 

 

 

Linda, can you tell us about yourself and your background? What do you currently do outside of writing?

 

 

I write full-time. Before this, I spent twenty years as a seminar leader, traveling the world for work. It was the most amazing experience imaginable. Then I was a college professor for sixteen years. I loved my students and hated faculty meetings. Now I write.

 

 

 

What books have you written, and what are their genres? What audience are they aimed at?

 

 

With twenty books in print, including romantic suspense, women’s fiction, a children’s book, and some non-fiction, I’ll include the most recent six novels here. Women like my stories, and some men, too.

 

 

 

Novels by Author Linda Hughes

 

 

Becoming Jessie Belle is an ancestry quest story with a spray of romance.

 

         Ancestor spirits visit in the night.

 

 

 

 

Secrets of the Asylum is a family saga set in 1921.

 

Secrets of the Island follows the same family in 1943.

 

Secrets of the Summer, same family, 1965.

 

 

                Dark family secrets revealed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tough Rocks, romantic road trip! Flashbacks to the 1970s for lots of fun.

 

 

           Can old love be recaptured?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Forest, the first in my Shades of Hope Novella Collection.

 

 

 

War. Nazis. Murder. What a mother will do for her children.

 

 

 

 

What prompted you to write what you did? [or Where do you get your writing inspiration?] What message(s) do you want readers to take away?

 

These stories live in my head. I must get them out! Truly. I panic that I may not have enough years left in me to get all these fictional stories out of me.

 

 

 

Do you write short stories, articles, or have a blog? Where can we find them?

 

 

I write an occasional article, mostly for IrishCentral.com. They are ancestry-related stories.

 

 

I write a blog post: lindahughes.com, when the mood strikes me, which isn’t often.

 

 

What do you find the hardest about writing? The easiest?

 

 

The hardest part is sitting for long periods. I have to get up and walk around regularly, which is hard to make myself do when I’m really into the writing. Quite often, I put my laptop on the kitchen counter and type standing up.

The easiest part is coming up with ideas. Just walk around and read tombstones in a cemetery. There are enough stories there alone to last a lifetime. (Well, not their lifetimes, but you know what I mean.)

 

 

 

What’s next for you after Black Forest?

 

 

Gold Mountain, second in the Shades of Hope Novella Collection.

 

 

Searching for his wild son, a father, finds something else altogether.

 

 

 

What special thing about yourself would you like to share with readers?

 

 

When I traveled all over the country and the world for work for so many years, I felt like a gypsy. A wanderer and road warrior. A resident of everywhere. I loved it.

 

 

 

 

 

How can we follow or contact you?

 

Blog: Linda Hughes

 

Amazon: Linda Hughes

 

Facebook: Author Linda Hughes

 

 

 

Where can readers buy your books?

 

 

Amazon: Linda Hughes

 

 

 

Author Linda Hughes Awards & Recognition

 

 

 

 

          Mystery & Mayhem Award , Killer Nashville Silver Award , Indie Award for  Becoming Jesse Belle

 

 

 

 

 

OPTIONAL

 

 

 

 

Photo from an event or other

 

Book signing, with friends.

 

 

 

 

Anne Perry, one of my favorite authors, and me, at Killer Nashville conference, 2018.

 

 

Left: Author Anne Perry , and to the right: Author Linda Hughes

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is all for now. Until next time, Salve Atque Vale! Hail and Farewell!

 

 

 

JSH--

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Author Interview

 

 

 

I am happy to have Judith Arnopp as my guest today. Thank you, Judith, for joining me on my website.

 

 

 

 

     Author Judith Arnopp in costume

 

 

 

 

Judith, can you tell us about yourself and your background? What do you currently do outside of writing?

 

 

Hi, thank you for inviting me to your blog; it is great to be here. I live in Wales in the UK, and my home looks out across Cardigan Bay, an incredibly beautiful stretch of the coast. It is relatively quiet, especially in the winter, and on a good day, I often see dolphins swimming by on their way to feed. During my breaks, I can walk on the cliff path or go to the beach. I am very fortunate to live here. I couldn't write if I didn't have peace and quiet. In the winter, I do a lot of sewing in my spare time, and in the summer, I garden. Writing is my vocation, while history and gardening are my passions. I've been writing Historical Fiction professionally for ten years now. I set my early books in the medieval era, but now I concentrate mainly on the Tudor period.

 

 

 

 

             

                  Cardigan Bay

 

 

 

I've been interested in history since I was a child. I read every book I could lay hands on while I was growing up and into adulthood. It wasn't until 2007 that I began to write seriously. I studied English literature with creative writing at the University of Wales and went on to take a master's degree in medieval history. Once I graduated, it made sense to combine those skills and write historical fiction.

I now have twelve Historical Fiction novels and am also published in various non-fiction anthologies.

 

 

 

 

        Historical Novels of the Tudors

 

 

 

 

 

What books have you written, and what are their genres? What audience are they aimed at?

 

 

Although they are not series (except for The Beaufort Chronicle), you can follow the history of the Tudors by reading my books in the following sequence. The Beaufort Bride takes place during the reign of Henry VI, The Beaufort Woman takes you through Edward IV, and Richard III and The King's Mother covers Henry VII's time on the throne. A Song of Sixpence tells the story of Elizabeth of York, beginning just after the battle of Bosworth and encompasses the transitional rule of Henry Tudor. In this one, Henry VIII appears as a child. The novel I am currently writing will slip in here to cover Henry's early years as King when he was married to Catherine of Aragon.

 

 I then jump to Anne Boleyn in The Kiss of the Concubine, and Sisters of Arden covered the dissolution of the monasteries and the Pilgrimage of Grace when Henry was married to Jane Seymour. Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard's years as queen are covered in The Winchester Goose and Intractable Heart is the story of Katherine Parr. My latest novel, The Heretic Wind, tells the story of Mary Tudor from her infancy to her time as Queen of England and covers Henry's death and the rule of Edward VI, as well as that of Mary. So, all in all, my books provide a potted fictional history of the Tudor era (or will do once I've written more about Elizabeth).

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Judith Arnopp Historical Fiction Novels

 

 

 

 

 

What prompted you to write what you did? What message(s) do you want readers to take away?

 

 

Historical characters such as Margaret Beaufort, Mary Tudor, and Henry VIII are often dismissed as monsters, she-wolves, harridans, and accused of religious extremism. Still, I think there was a lot more to them than that. I don't believe they were purely evil; I think they were a complex mix of good and evil. We are all flawed. When I write, I like to get inside their head and try to write from their perspective. Instead of just telling a story about their actions, I want to unearth the reasons behind it and how they might have been thinking.  Both Henry and Mary Tudor committed brutal violence against their subjects. Instead of demonizing them, I use the characters to explain how why and what happened, and how it felt. Margaret Beaufort is often accused of having murdered the princes in the tower, but there is no evidence for this, and the idea has primarily sprung from fiction.  I disagree with the theory, but that is not to say she wasn't ruthless when she needed to be.  In The Beaufort Chronicle, Margaret tells her own story in her own words, as does Anne Boleyn in The Kiss of the Concubine and Elizabeth of York in A Song of Sixpence.

 

 

 

 

 

                    Audio Books on Audible!

 

 

 

 

I am less interested in sumptuous settings, clothing, and jewels and more concerned with the psychological development of the Tudor mind. Walking in their shoes is often uncomfortable, but by the time the novel is finished, I feel I know them much better than when I started, and hopefully, so does the reader. My main aim is to inspire my reader to rethink the past, see things from all angles, and please, don't believe in monsters!

 

 

 

 Visit Judith Arnopp and view her books at Amazon: Judith Arnopp.

 

 

 

 

 

That is all for now. Until next time, Salve Atque Vale! Hail and Farewell!

 

 

 

JSH--