Tell us about your latest book
CD: My latest release is called Ascent, the first in my new House of Normandy series about the early medieval women who forged the dynasty of Normandy. Ascent tells the story of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife to Rollo (or Hrólfr, as I call him) the Viking leader who rose to greater power in Neustria from AD 911. Both are real characters, but the novel is mainly from Poppa’s perspective, showing how she handled the challenges life – and Hrólfr – threw her way.
What is your preferred writing routine?
CD: I don’t have a routine as such, but I prefer to write in the afternoons, and into the evenings. I’m not an early bird.
I usually do some research upfront, but as I add new chapters, I seek new historical events that could fit into the narrative, so I also research ‘on the go’.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
CD: Read as much as possible in your chosen genre, to learn from other authors, and to get a feel for structure, style, narrative, and relevant tropes. Become familiar with the research those authors conduct, into how much/little detail they go, and how their characters develop through the story. Especially if new writers hope to break into a well-established market, or pitch to specific publishers, it’s really important to convey a sense of knowing the types of novels they publish.
What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?
CD: Author branding is an important part. Know your subject area, blog about it, chat about it and share news on social media. These days, readers want to engage with writers, know our inspirations. A solid social media presence is now essential, and it’s worth trying out different outlets to see which you’re most comfortable with.
But don’t fall into the void! Social media can be time-consuming, so you need to set aside time to write.
Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research.
CD: The most unexpected bit of information I found wasn’t through research – I came across it when chatting to my former neighbours in the southern French village where we used to live.
They were telling us about the renovation works in the kitchen of their old house. When they raised the kitchen floor, they found bones and part of a cranium!
There was an ancient Visigoth graveyard nearby, but not where our houses were. So where had these bones come from?
Of course I had to use this little adventure in a story, and it became the focal point of my dual-timeline mystery, Love Lost in Time.
What was the hardest scene you remember writing?
CD: I sometimes find it hard to write about the death of my main characters. Some death scenes are easier to write, but others not so. I found it particularly emotional to write Nanthild’s death in Love Lost in Time, as I’d grown close to her. Similarly with Poppa of Bayeux in Ascent.
But while Nanthild was fictional, Poppa existed. She was a living, breathing woman, so I had to give her an ending with her dignity intact.
I write historical fiction, so death features regularly in different ways, but I found it especially sad to write about the deaths of Nanthild and Poppa.
What are you planning to write next?
CD: I’ve just released Ascent, so I’m currently working on the second in the House of Normandy series, about Poppa’s daughter-in-law Sprota, a Breton woman, handfasted wife of Poppa’s son William Longsword, and mother to his heir.
Alongside this project, I work on the second in my series about the Affair of the Poisons, an event that shook the court of King Louis XIV of France.
Thank you again for inviting me, David. And for your fabulous questions. I had great fun answering them.
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