Alisa M. Libby, author of The King's Rose (May 18-29)
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1ablachly
Please welcome Alisa M. Libby, author of The King's Rose. Alisa will be chatting on LibraryThing until May 29th.
2ForeignCircus
Alisa,
I really enjoyed The King's Rose and would love to know why you chose to share this story as a young adult novel?
Colleen
I really enjoyed The King's Rose and would love to know why you chose to share this story as a young adult novel?
Colleen
3amlibby
Greetings to my LibraryThing readers,
Thank you for your question. I'm excited to be here on author chat!
I've always been drawn to telling stories of characters in their teen years. Catherine Howard's story had so many elements that appealed to me, that I thought would appeal to a young adult audience. Here is a teenage girl plunged into the middle of the court of King Henry VIII. When she catches the eye of the aging king, her relatives at court use this to their full advantage, instructing Catherine on how best to behave in front of His Majesty. She had no control over her own destiny, left at the mercy of her ambitious family, not to mention the King, himself. I could empathize with her feeling of having lost control of her life, and I felt that teenagers would be able to connect with her for that reason, as well.
Not only was Catherine young, but she was new to court and relatively unschooled in the life there before she became queen. This struck me as so frightening and fascinating: to be a teenager, a junior lady-in-waiting and suddenly - less than a year later - married to the King of England. So many futures and fates were suddenly spinning around the actions of this teenage girl at the center of Henry's maelstrom. Had Catherine produced a child, he would have been heir to the throne.
There are the elements of an unrequited love and an illicit - not to mention fatal - love affair, that I thought might also appeal to a young audience struggling with their own hidden desires. Though Catherine doesn't hesitate to indulge in the endless banquet of riches afforded a queen, she can't help but wonder what life would be like had she been able to marry her love, Thomas Culpeper.
I fell in love with the confused, fickle, self-defeating heart of this wayward queen. It was a story I was excited to tell in my own way.
Keep the questions coming! On a side note: the strange photo of me hiding behind a tree was taken in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace. According to legend, Catherine's ghost still traverses Hampton's halls, screaming Henry's name.
:)Alisa
Thank you for your question. I'm excited to be here on author chat!
I've always been drawn to telling stories of characters in their teen years. Catherine Howard's story had so many elements that appealed to me, that I thought would appeal to a young adult audience. Here is a teenage girl plunged into the middle of the court of King Henry VIII. When she catches the eye of the aging king, her relatives at court use this to their full advantage, instructing Catherine on how best to behave in front of His Majesty. She had no control over her own destiny, left at the mercy of her ambitious family, not to mention the King, himself. I could empathize with her feeling of having lost control of her life, and I felt that teenagers would be able to connect with her for that reason, as well.
Not only was Catherine young, but she was new to court and relatively unschooled in the life there before she became queen. This struck me as so frightening and fascinating: to be a teenager, a junior lady-in-waiting and suddenly - less than a year later - married to the King of England. So many futures and fates were suddenly spinning around the actions of this teenage girl at the center of Henry's maelstrom. Had Catherine produced a child, he would have been heir to the throne.
There are the elements of an unrequited love and an illicit - not to mention fatal - love affair, that I thought might also appeal to a young audience struggling with their own hidden desires. Though Catherine doesn't hesitate to indulge in the endless banquet of riches afforded a queen, she can't help but wonder what life would be like had she been able to marry her love, Thomas Culpeper.
I fell in love with the confused, fickle, self-defeating heart of this wayward queen. It was a story I was excited to tell in my own way.
Keep the questions coming! On a side note: the strange photo of me hiding behind a tree was taken in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace. According to legend, Catherine's ghost still traverses Hampton's halls, screaming Henry's name.
:)Alisa
4ForeignCircus
I remember touring Hampton Court when I was 12 (I had a thing for the Tudors) and that story totally freaked me out!
I do think the story works really well as a young adult novel, it just seemed like an interesting choice because I don't see a lot of historical fiction aimed at teens.
I do think the story works really well as a young adult novel, it just seemed like an interesting choice because I don't see a lot of historical fiction aimed at teens.
5Heather19
I read The Blood Confession and I really loved it. Did you intend for it to be an romantic story? I read a lot of reviews saying that it was, which made me a little apprehensive because I don't usually like romance novels. But when I actually read the book, it seemed that the relationship between Erzebet and Sinestra was more of a catalyst, and the romance itself was not focused on very much.
How much research did you do about Elizabeth Bathory in order to write this book? Was it fun/interesting/creepy to learn about her?
How much research did you do about Elizabeth Bathory in order to write this book? Was it fun/interesting/creepy to learn about her?
6amlibby
I think historical YA fiction is growing - a lot of historical and historical fantasy out there. Authors like Jane Yolen, Adele Geras, Jacqueline Kolosov, Anne Rinaldi, and Donna Jo Napoli, among many others, are using historical characters and settings.
Besides, I don't know about you but I love a nice corset.
Besides, I don't know about you but I love a nice corset.
7amlibby
I did research Countess Bathory - the countess who was the bloody inspiration for my first book, The Blood Confession. I read Dracula was a Woman by Raymond T. McNally and Countess Dracula by Tony Thorne (both non-fiction). I also read the novel The Blood Countess by Andrei Codrescu, which was wonderful. Researching her was very fun - very dark, very bloody. It took it's toll at times, though. I became afraid to google her because you never knew what graphic images would pop up with the click of a mouse. Beware! There are a lot of Bathory-fetishists out there.
I also read a lot about blood - the symbolism of it in religion and mythic beliefs - and I read a really interesting book about the history of mirrors, as that also plays a big part in the book. And then, of course, there were the fairy tales...it's amazing how researching can take you down so many different paths once you start.
Though I read a lot about Bathory I did end up fictionalizing the story of her life in order to come up with my own reasons as to why she did what she did, beyond being simply crazy. Just saying "she can't help it, she's a lunatic!" wasn't satisfying for me. I needed to get into her head and create a logic for her to follow. And that is where Sinestra came into the picture. He was absolutely, as you said, a catalyst for Erzebet's murderous actions. He responded to her fears, seducing her into committing acts of violence in order to protect herself (or so he told her). She was a beautiful but profoundly lonely young woman - who better to give her these corrupt directives than a magnetically beautiful man who understood her dark, inner cravings? I don't really think of it as a romance, though I did enjoy the darkly romantic, gothic elements in the book.
I also read a lot about blood - the symbolism of it in religion and mythic beliefs - and I read a really interesting book about the history of mirrors, as that also plays a big part in the book. And then, of course, there were the fairy tales...it's amazing how researching can take you down so many different paths once you start.
Though I read a lot about Bathory I did end up fictionalizing the story of her life in order to come up with my own reasons as to why she did what she did, beyond being simply crazy. Just saying "she can't help it, she's a lunatic!" wasn't satisfying for me. I needed to get into her head and create a logic for her to follow. And that is where Sinestra came into the picture. He was absolutely, as you said, a catalyst for Erzebet's murderous actions. He responded to her fears, seducing her into committing acts of violence in order to protect herself (or so he told her). She was a beautiful but profoundly lonely young woman - who better to give her these corrupt directives than a magnetically beautiful man who understood her dark, inner cravings? I don't really think of it as a romance, though I did enjoy the darkly romantic, gothic elements in the book.
8Storeetllr
#6 Corsets ~ ugh. I love to read about the past, but I'm so very grateful I am living today where such things as corsets are, well, a thing of the past.
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed The King's Rose. What a terrifying moment it must have been for her when she realized the King had repudiated her. No wonder her ghost haunts those corridors. One of these days, I'm going to have to get over to England and visit Hampton Court myself.
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed The King's Rose. What a terrifying moment it must have been for her when she realized the King had repudiated her. No wonder her ghost haunts those corridors. One of these days, I'm going to have to get over to England and visit Hampton Court myself.
9amlibby
I'm so glad you enjoyed the book. Yes, I really wanted that moment of the King's departure to really reverberate for Catherine, as she realizes what this must mean for her fate. As for the corsets, I find those Tudoresque corsets quite lovely...but I think I would think differently if I actually had to wear one, I admit.
When my husband and I visited Hampton on a little research trip, they were holding evening tours of "Haunted Hampton Court". Needless to say, Catherine was one of the ghosts featured on the tour. It was beautiful to walk through the dim halls of the castle at night, and to see the courtyard lit up an other-worldly blue. Catherine's "haunted gallery" was lit in red, making it especially creepy (which was their intent, I'm certain).
However, I didn't see Catherine's ghost. I've never had much luck with seeing ghosts (which may in itself be lucky, depending on how you look at it). When I was walking down that haunted gallery I imagined communicating with Catherine, telling her that I was here, that I had come all that way to visit her, and if she had anything to tell me about her story, this was her chance. Still, no dice. In retrospect I think this is for the best, for both of us. Perhaps it means that her spirit is at peace. I hope so, as she found little of it in Henry's court.
I think I felt more of Catherine's presence at her burial place in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, in the Tower of London. I made sure to schedule our visit on February 13, the date of her execution. Morbid? Yes, perhaps, but also very fitting. Catherine doesn't get many visitors coming specifically to see her (as opposed to her infamous cousin Anne) so I was happy we could oblige her this once. If you do go to England, please be sure to give her my best.
When my husband and I visited Hampton on a little research trip, they were holding evening tours of "Haunted Hampton Court". Needless to say, Catherine was one of the ghosts featured on the tour. It was beautiful to walk through the dim halls of the castle at night, and to see the courtyard lit up an other-worldly blue. Catherine's "haunted gallery" was lit in red, making it especially creepy (which was their intent, I'm certain).
However, I didn't see Catherine's ghost. I've never had much luck with seeing ghosts (which may in itself be lucky, depending on how you look at it). When I was walking down that haunted gallery I imagined communicating with Catherine, telling her that I was here, that I had come all that way to visit her, and if she had anything to tell me about her story, this was her chance. Still, no dice. In retrospect I think this is for the best, for both of us. Perhaps it means that her spirit is at peace. I hope so, as she found little of it in Henry's court.
I think I felt more of Catherine's presence at her burial place in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, in the Tower of London. I made sure to schedule our visit on February 13, the date of her execution. Morbid? Yes, perhaps, but also very fitting. Catherine doesn't get many visitors coming specifically to see her (as opposed to her infamous cousin Anne) so I was happy we could oblige her this once. If you do go to England, please be sure to give her my best.
10strawberryfields
Hey Alisa!
I was wondering how you develop your novels. I mean, how exactly do you go about with your research since there is so much out there and you obviously want to take some creative licensing.
For an example, in The King's Rose, which is fabulous by the way, you obviously had to research the dress, culture, court, manners and countless other tiny permutations most of us take for granted. The same goes for The Blood Confession. How did you figure out what exactly you needed to research and when to stop the actual process so you could write. Knowing me, I could easily research forever.
So, how do you determine which historical heroine (or villain, depending on your point of view) you want to write about and how you begin the research for them. And--even though I know this is long and wordy--how do you bring it to your final product.
In other words, what is the writing process of your novels?
I was wondering how you develop your novels. I mean, how exactly do you go about with your research since there is so much out there and you obviously want to take some creative licensing.
For an example, in The King's Rose, which is fabulous by the way, you obviously had to research the dress, culture, court, manners and countless other tiny permutations most of us take for granted. The same goes for The Blood Confession. How did you figure out what exactly you needed to research and when to stop the actual process so you could write. Knowing me, I could easily research forever.
So, how do you determine which historical heroine (or villain, depending on your point of view) you want to write about and how you begin the research for them. And--even though I know this is long and wordy--how do you bring it to your final product.
In other words, what is the writing process of your novels?
11amlibby
My writing process probably changes a little bit depending on the project I'm working on. That said, in general it involves a lot of writing, a lot of discarded pages, continual revisions, lots of tea, and often ice cream.
I work from an outline; I like outlines in general, but for historical fiction I find them particularly crucial. I don't know how else I would be able to keep all of those historical facts and details straight. For The King's Rose I did a lot of scribbling, writing in my notebook, experimenting with the voice, writing down ideas. I also took extensive notes from all of the books I read about Catherine Howard, and about the time period. All of these details were used to form I pretty unweildy outline, and I worked from this to write my draft. I needed this structure where I could reign in all of my free-wheeling ideas. It also helped me get a better idea of the book as a whole and to see how Catherine's character changed throughout the course of the book.
Overall, I agree with the sentiment that most of writing is actually revising. My first drafts are dumb, ugly things, unsure of what they are or what they want to be. I cut the first 190 pages (per my agent's wise advice) from my first draft of The King's Rose. I had told the entire story of Catherine's life, leading up to her arrival at court. While all of this backstory was important for me to know to help shape her character, it didn't need to appear in the final product. It took a few false starts before I realized that entering the story in the midst of the action added a great deal to the excitement and suspense of the overall structure. In the final draft, Catherine is told within the first ten pages that the king intends to marry her that summer. It may seem like a natural place to start, but it took a lot of writing before I managed to figure it out.
And yes, I think I could probably research a book in perpetuity. It was very difficult for me to let go of Catherine. However, at a certain point I start to fear that any changes I make will ruin what I have. It's difficult to let go, but it's comforting to know that there are so many other fascinating "bad girls" in history, so many other stories to tell.
I work from an outline; I like outlines in general, but for historical fiction I find them particularly crucial. I don't know how else I would be able to keep all of those historical facts and details straight. For The King's Rose I did a lot of scribbling, writing in my notebook, experimenting with the voice, writing down ideas. I also took extensive notes from all of the books I read about Catherine Howard, and about the time period. All of these details were used to form I pretty unweildy outline, and I worked from this to write my draft. I needed this structure where I could reign in all of my free-wheeling ideas. It also helped me get a better idea of the book as a whole and to see how Catherine's character changed throughout the course of the book.
Overall, I agree with the sentiment that most of writing is actually revising. My first drafts are dumb, ugly things, unsure of what they are or what they want to be. I cut the first 190 pages (per my agent's wise advice) from my first draft of The King's Rose. I had told the entire story of Catherine's life, leading up to her arrival at court. While all of this backstory was important for me to know to help shape her character, it didn't need to appear in the final product. It took a few false starts before I realized that entering the story in the midst of the action added a great deal to the excitement and suspense of the overall structure. In the final draft, Catherine is told within the first ten pages that the king intends to marry her that summer. It may seem like a natural place to start, but it took a lot of writing before I managed to figure it out.
And yes, I think I could probably research a book in perpetuity. It was very difficult for me to let go of Catherine. However, at a certain point I start to fear that any changes I make will ruin what I have. It's difficult to let go, but it's comforting to know that there are so many other fascinating "bad girls" in history, so many other stories to tell.
12amlibby
I just realized that today is May 29, so my chatting run on LibraryThing is over. Thank you all for posting such wonderful questions, it's really been a pleasure. If you have any other questions about my books, writing, publishing, Countess Bathory, Catherine Howard, Tudor England, ice cream, or any other topic, feel free to post a comment on my blog. I'm always happy to respond.
My very best,
Alisa
website: www.alisalibby.com
blog: http://alisamlibby.wordpress.com/
My very best,
Alisa
website: www.alisalibby.com
blog: http://alisamlibby.wordpress.com/
13Storeetllr
#12 Thanks, Alisa. It was good chatting with you.
#11 Do you have a new "bad girl" picked out yet?
#11 Do you have a new "bad girl" picked out yet?
