Wednesday, 23 March 2022

Special guest post by Tony Riches, author of Essex: Tudor Rebel

 



ESSEX - Tudor Rebel (Book 2 of the Elizabethan Series)
🇺🇸 Amazon US: https://amazon.com/dp/B09246T7ZT
🇬🇧 Amazon UK: https://amazon.co.uk/dp/B09246T7ZT

Tell us about your latest book

Essex - Tudor Rebel is the second book of my Elizabethan series, and follows the story of Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. A favourite of the queen, he was impetuous, irreverent, ambitious and charming. Some people suggest they were lovers, yet in truth he was more like the son Elizabeth never had. Elizabeth offered power, wealth, influence and status, while Robert’s attention made her feel young and attractive. The events leading up to his surprising ‘rebellion’ took a lot of research, but I believe my account is as factual as possible.

What is your preferred writing routine?

I’m an early riser and sometimes wake with entire passages of dialogue in my head which have to be written down. I write biographical fiction about the Tudors and Elizabethans, and over the years I’ve developed a system of writing one book a year. I research the person chosen for my next book during the summer, visiting actual locations and tracking down primary sources. I write throughout the autumn and winter, then send my book to my editor in the spring, for publication before the summer.


What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

If you can write just one page a day, that’s a book a year. It’s important to read the work of writers you admire, and learn from them.

What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?

Keep trying different things to reach new audiences. For example, I started a podcast, ‘Stories of the Tudors’ (https://tonyriches.podbean.com/) to talk about the research behind my books, and include excerpts from my audiobooks. (I’ve had over 156,000 downloads, which is encouraging.)

Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research

When I was researching the early life of Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, I was amazed to find he lived for some years at Lamphey Palace, twenty minutes from my home in Pembrokeshire.

What was the hardest scene you remember writing?

I was saddened to write about the execution of Owen Tudor, after spending so long studying every detail of his life. When Owen was led out into the market place at Hereford, he hoped to be pardoned, until he saw the executioner, waiting with an axe.

What are you planning to write next?

The manuscript of my new book, Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer, the third book of my Elizabethan series, is with my editor and will be published before the summer. I am now researching three books about Queen Elizabeth’s Ladies-in-waiting. The three I’ve chosen are rarely mentioned, yet were present at many of the key events of the Elizabethan era, and their stories deserve to be told.


Tony Riches


About the Author


Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the lives of the Tudors. He also runs the popular ‘Stories of the Tudors’ podcast, and posts book reviews, author interviews and guest posts at his blog, The Writing Desk. For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and find him on Facebook and Twitter @tonyriches


Links:


Blog: https://tonyriches.blogspot.com/


Website: https://www.tonyriches.com/


Podcast: https://tonyriches.podbean.com/


Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyriches


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyriches.author


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyriches.author/


Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/tonyriches




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