Please join me in welcoming Tony Riches to A Literary Vacation today! He's here to answer some questions about himself and his newest novel, OWEN. Please enjoy!
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Hello Tony! Can you tell us a little bit about your newest novel?
My latest novel is OWEN – Book One of The Tudor Trilogy. Set in England 1422, Owen, a Welsh servant, waits in Windsor Castle to meet his new mistress, the beautiful and lonely Queen Catherine of Valois, widow of the warrior king, Henry V. Her infant son is crowned King of England and France, and while the country simmers on the brink of civil war, Owen becomes her protector.
They fall in love, risking Owen’s life and Queen Catherine’s reputation—but how do they found the dynasty which changes British history – the Tudors?
This is the first historical novel to fully explore the amazing life of Owen Tudor, grandfather of King Henry VII and the great-grandfather of King Henry VIII. Set against a background of the conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York, which develops into what have become known as the Wars of the Roses, Owen’s story deserves to be told.
Wow, OWEN sounds amazing! I love the Tudors, so a book about the origins of that infamous family sounds so intriguing. Moving on to publishing, what has been your favorite part of the book publishing journey?
It’s great to have feedback from readers all over the world and I am encouraged as a writer to see OWEN selling well in eleven countries. I like to know all the hard work of researching, writing and editing has been worthwhile, particularly if I can help raise awareness of men like Owen and Jasper Tudor.
What inspires you to write historical fiction?
I have always enjoyed reading historical fiction – a way to travel back in time and understand what it must have been like to live in the past. My first novel, Queen Sacrifice, was inspired by the idea of bringing a real chess game to life, with the whole of Wales as the ‘chessboard’ and thirty-two characters, kings and queens, bishops, knights and pawns, each with an interesting back-story. (I actually had to invent a few wives and female relatives, as there are of course only two female roles on a chess board.) The Tudor Trilogy was inspired by living close to Pembroke Castle and learning about Jasper Tudor, who once lived there.
What is your favorite book?
I first read Alice in Wonderland as a child and still think it has a special magic that few books achieve - although I didn’t really understand it then and am not sure I do now!
Who is your favorite author?
I read widely so it is almost impossible to pick a single author, although I’m currently reading Lamentation from The Shardlake Series by C. J. Sansom. For anyone new to historical fiction, Sansom is a great place to start, as he weaves fascinating historical details into his stories and really brings the medieval world to life. Another of my favourite authors is Anne O’Brien. I admire the way she evokes a real sense of time and place and it was Anne who sparked my interest in the fifteenth century, so I always look out for her new books.
Finally, do you have any advice for other writers/authors?
I often hear writers complain that they don’t have the time to write a book. My advice is to remember that if you only write one page a day, that’s a book a year!
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Publisher: Preseli Press
Publication Date: July 26th, 2015
Pages: 318
England 1422: Owen Tudor, a Welsh servant, waits in Windsor Castle to meet his new mistress, the beautiful and lonely Queen Catherine of Valois, widow of the warrior king, Henry V. Her infant son is crowned King of England and France, and while the country simmers on the brink of civil war, Owen becomes her protector.
They fall in love, risking Owen’s life and Queen Catherine’s reputation—but how do they found the dynasty which changes British history – the Tudors?
This is the first historical novel to fully explore the amazing life of Owen Tudor, grandfather of King Henry VII and the great-grandfather of King Henry VIII. Set against a background of the conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York, which develops into what have become known as the Wars of the Roses, Owen’s story deserves to be told.
*Book Two of The Tudor Trilogy - JASPER - will be published Easter 2016*
Tony Riches is a UK historical fiction author living in Pembrokeshire, Wales. You can find out more on Tony’s blog The Writing Desk and find him on Twitter. Owen – Book One of the Tudor Trilogy is now available in eBook and paperback on Amazon.
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