What made you decide to write this non-fiction work? My previous book, Women of Means, generated a great deal of buzz. Because the book’s topic dealt with fantastically famous women, my editor suggested I write another book on a similar demographic: royal women.
Click on the below link to Women of Means: The Fascinating Biographies of Royals, Heiresses, Eccentrics and Other Poor Little Rich Girls (Stories of the Rich & Famous, Famous Women) (Celebrating Women)
Can you talk about your experience of researching this non-fiction work? And the dates of when you began researching and when your research was complete? I began my research during the pandemic in 2020. For my research, I started out with a writer’s best friend: the Internet. I only investigate reputable sites such as The New York Times, the Washington Post, the Smithsonian and so forth. On the occasions that there is a dearth of information, I supplement my research with secondary sources. Each book takes approximately one year from twinkle in eye to completion.
Where did you do most of your writing for this non-fiction work? I write my books in my room at home.
What were your writing habits while writing this work- did you drink something as you wrote, listen to music, write in pen and paper, directly on laptop; specific time of day? I write my work on my laptop. My optimum writing time is early in the morning. However, I write whenever time permits.
Please include an excerpt of one FACT or one set of FACTS that you were most impacted by in this non-fiction work. The excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer.
In 1587, in the Great Hall of Fotheringhay Castle, Mary knelt and thanked her executioner with the words, “You will do me much good in withdrawing me from this world, out of which I am very glad to go.” With regal bearing, Mary approached the makeshift scaffold and cast off her black gown to reveal a red dress underneath-the shade of martyrdom. After several attempts to sever the queen’s head, the hooded axman held it aloft, a warning to anyone thinking of locking horns with Elizabeth Tudor. As the spectators recoiled in shock, the hangman dropped his gory souvenir, and he was left holding a red wig. Geddon, Mary’s Skye terrier, emerged from where it had been hiding in her dress and refused to leave her side. The words Mary had once embroidered on her pillow explained why she did not fear death, “In my end is my beginning.”
Click on the below link to purchase The Secret Lives of Royal Women: Fascinating Biographies of Queens, Princesses, Duchesses, and Other Regal Women from Amazon
Why was this one fact or one set of facts so compelling for you to discover and to write about? I found Mary Queen of Scots intriguing. She had such a dramatic and tragic existence, mainly stemming from her tumultuous relationship with her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
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