Roseanne thank you very
much for inviting me to participate in your blog tour.
1: Thank you for being here and welcome, Rosemary
Morris. Tell us, when did you first begin writing?
My mother said when I was a toddler I memorized
stories, and people thought I was reading. My love of reading and my
imagination grew together. Along with these loves I enjoyed history. My early
world was filled with people from times past.
2: What inspired you to
write?
From an early age I made up stories. The characters
in them seemed as real as my family and friends. At primary school I enjoyed
writing compositions so I suppose that sooner or later writing novels became
inevitable.
3: What do you like the most
and least about writing?
I enjoy the research for historical fiction,
studying non-fiction and visiting places of interest. I like creating
characters and writing the first draft of a novel.
By the time I have revised the novel three or four
times and am working with first a copy editor, then a line editor and finally
checking the galley I am impatient for my book to be published.
4: What do you for fun and
relaxation when not writing?
My grandchildren and I have fun together. For
relaxation, I garden organically, cook vegetarian meals, knit and enjoy other
creative crafts. To relax after long sessions
at the computer I swim and visit a health suite where I enjoy the Jacuzzi,
sauna and steam room.
I watch television costume dramas, and I found Downtown
Abbey absorbing and am looking forward to the next series.
5: Which authors do you like
to read?
The works of A.C.Bhativedanta Prabhupada, amongst
which are his translations of The Bhagavadgita As It Is and The Srimad
Bhagavatam. I am fascinated by the Indian classics such as The Mahabharat and
The Ramayana, both of which rival The Iliad and the Odyssey.
I also enjoy the King James Version of the Bible more
than any other because of its beautiful language.
Apart from these, there are too many to list. I
admire and enjoy Elizabeth Chadwick’s mediaeval novels. I relished both Helen
Hollick and Rosalind Miles’ Arthurian trilogies. Baroness Orczy, Georgette
Heyer, Elizabeth Goudge and M.M. Kaye remain old favourites. I’m partial to
some of Frances Parkinson Keyes novels. Amongst classical authors I
particularly like Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanho, Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the
D’Urbevilles, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Charlotte Bronte’s Jan
Eyre.
6: What’s the one thing you’d
most like people to know about you?
I do my best to capture the past in my historical
novels which are not about 21st century people dressed in
costume.
7: Tell me about your current
novel, where I can find it and your website/blog.
Tangled Love is set in England during Queen Anne’s
reign. Alone and penniless after her father flees to France and her mother
dies, the heroine, Richelda, treasures her father’s ruby ring.
She’s determined to honour her vow to regain
ownership of Field House, lost to her family after Charles I’s execution.
With the help of her childhood sweetheart, Dudley,
Richelda hopes to find the treasure rumour claims was hidden in Field House by
her ancestor. However danger threatens and Richelda is forced to choose between
Dudley and the viscount her wealthy aunt wants her to marry.
You can read The Prologue on my website or blog.
Tangled Love is available
from://http://museituppublishing/bookstore, Amazon
kindle usa & uk,Barnes & Noble, Bookstrand-Mainstream,Sony-e-reader,Kobo,Smashwords
& elsewhere.
8: Do you have any tips for
aspiring authors?
Most authors receive many rejections. The important
thing is to persevere and while doing so to perfect the art of writing through
books on How to Write, on line critique groups, Writing Circles etc.
9: Do
you base your characters on real-life people?
There are real life people
mentioned in my novels but most of my characters are imaginary.
10: Where
do you get your ideas and what inspired you to write this book?
Incidents in history provide a wealth of ideas.
The inspiration for Tangled Love was James II’s
flight to France, after which first his son-in-law, William, and daughter, Mary,
and then his daughter, Anne, became Queen.
When James II ascended the throne after the death of
his brother, Charles II, the peers swore oaths of allegiance to James, an
unpopular king. After his flight to France, the nobles were expected to swear
oaths of allegiance first to William and Mary and then to Anne. Some of them
refused to do so for as long as James lived.
What, I asked myself, happened to children of
honourable men who followed James to France?
My novel, Tangled Love, is about Richelda left in
England when her father went to France, and Chesney who accompanied his father
to France.
I also have two new releases set in the Regency era
being published by MuseItUp publishing. Sunday’s Child in June 2012 and False
Pretences in October 2012
11: What are you currently
working on?
I’m working on a new novel set in the reign of
Charles II, and revising two other novels, one set in Queen Anne’s period, the
other set in Edward II’s reign, which is the first of a trilogy.
12. Is there anything else you’d like us to know
about you?
I am indebted to my family who give me so much love
and support, as well as to all
those who have helped on my path to publication.
Tangled Love
Prologue
1693
Nine year-old Richelda
Shaw sat on the floor in her nursery. She pulled a quilt over her head to block
out the thunder pealing outside the ancient manor house while an even fiercer
storm raged deep within. Eyes closed, remained as motionless as a marble
statue.
Elsie, her mother’s personal maid,
removed the quilt from her head. ‘Stand up child, there’s nothing to be
frightened of. Come, your father’s waiting for you.’
Richelda trembled. Until now Father’s
short visits from France
Followed by Elsie, Richelda
hurried down broad oak stairs. For a moment, she paused to admire lilies of the
valley in a Delft
Elsie opened the great massive door
of the great hall where Father stood to one side of an enormous hearth.
Richelda hesitated. Her eyes searched for her mother before she walked across
the floor, spread her skirts wide and knelt before him.
Father placed his right hand on her
bent head. ‘Bless you, daughter, may God keep you safe.’ He smiled. ‘Stand up,
child. Upon my word, sweetheart, your hair reminds me of a golden rose. How
glad I am to see roses bloom in these troubled times.’
Richelda stood but dared not speak
for she did not know him well.
Putting an arm round her waist, he drew her to
him. ‘Come, do not be nervous of your father, child. Tell me if you know King
James II holds court in France while his daughter, Mary, and William, his
son-in-law, rule after seizing his throne?’
‘Yes, Mother told me we are well rid
of King James and his Papist wife,’ she piped up, proud of her knowledge.
With a sigh, Father lifted her onto
his knee. ‘Richelda, I must follow His Majesty for I swore an oath of
allegiance to him. Tell me, child, while King James lives how can I with honour
swear allegiance to his disloyal daughter and her husband?’
Unable to think of a reply, she
lowered her head breathing in his spicy perfume.
Father held her closer. ‘Your mother
pleads with me to declare myself for William and Mary. She begs me not to
return to France
As she nodded her cheek brushed
against his velvet coat. ‘Yes, I understand, my tutor told me why many
gentlemen will not serve the new king and queen.’
‘If you remain in England
If she remained in England
Smiling, he popped her onto her feet.
‘We shall ride. I have something to show you.’
*****
Before long, they drew rein on the
brow of a hill. Father pointed at a manor house in the valley. ‘Look at our ancestral home, Field House. The
Roundheads confiscated it soon after the first King Charles’ execution. Richelda, I promised my father to do all in
my power to regain the property.’ Grey-faced, he pressed his hand to his chest.
‘Alas, I have failed to keep my oath,’ he wheezed.
Richelda not only yearned to help him
keep his promise to her grandfather, she also yearned to find the gold and
jewels legend said her buccaneer ancestor, Sir Nicholas, hid.
She waited for her father to breathe
easy before she spoke. ‘If we found the treasure trove you could buy Field
House.’
‘Ah, you believe Sir Nicholas did not give all
his plunder to Good Queen Bess,’ he teased.
‘Elsie told me legend says he hid some of his
booty in Field House.’ The thought of it
excited her. In his old age, when Sir
Nicholas retired from seafaring, is it true that he put his ship’s figurehead,
Lady Luck, in the great hall?’
‘Yes, for all I know she is still
above a mighty fireplace carved with pomegranates, our family’s device.’
‘I would like to see it.’
‘One day, perhaps you will. Now, tell me if
you know our family motto.’
‘Fortune favours the brave.’
‘Are you brave, my little lady? Will
you swear on the Bible to do all in your power to regain Field House?’
To please him and excited by the
possibility of discovering treasure she nodded.
1 comment:
Hello. Enjoyed the interview. Best wishes with your books.
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