Tag: Q&A

Blog Tour/Q&A: Warrior of Woden by Matthew Harffy

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I’m thrilled to be hosting today’s stop on the tour for Warrior of Woden by Matthew Harffy, the fifth book in his exciting The Bernicia Chronicles series set in 7th century Anglo-Saxon Britain.

I interviewed Matthew when the previous book in the series, Killer of Kings, was published.  Clearly the experience didn’t put him off too much because I’m pleased to say he has agreed to answer some more of my questions about his latest book.  In our Q&A, Matthew talks about how the character of Beobrand has developed over the series, getting himself into the mind-set of the period and the importance of alliteration in book titles!

Be sure to check out the other great book bloggers taking part in the tour (see schedule below) for reviews of and features about Warrior of Woden.

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Warrior of WodenAbout the Book

AD 642. Anglo-Saxon Britain. Oswald has reigned over Northumbria for eight years and Beobrand has led the king to ever greater victories. Rewarded for his fealty and prowess in battle, Beobrand is now a wealthy warlord, with a sizable warband. Tales of Beobrand’s fearsome black-shielded warriors and the great treasure he has amassed are told throughout the halls of the land.

Many are the kings who bow to Oswald. And yet there are those who look upon his realm with a covetous eye. And there is one ruler who will never kneel before him.

When Penda of Mercia, the great killer of kings, invades Northumbria, Beobrand is once more called upon to stand in an epic battle where the blood of many will be shed in defence of the kingdom.  But in this climactic clash between the pagan Penda and the Christian Oswald there is much more at stake than sovereignty. This is a battle for the very souls of the people of Albion.

Format: ebook, paperback (596 pp.)     Publisher: Aria Fiction
Published: 1st April 2018                         Genre: Historical Fiction

Purchase Links*
Publisher (buy direct and save 25%) ǀ Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Kobo ǀ Google Play ǀ iBooks ǀ Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

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Interview: Matthew Harffy, author of Warrior of Woden

Without giving too much away, can you tell us about Warrior of Woden?

Warrior of Woden is set six years after Killer of Kings and Beobrand has become more settled in his position of lord of Ubbanford. He has wealth and battle-fame and King Oswald respects and likes him. He has been instrumental in several more victories for the King of Northumbria and Beobrand’s black-shielded warriors are feared throughout Albion. But peace never lasts long in Dark Ages Britain and war is again brewing on the border, as Penda, the King of Mercia, is amassing a great force with which to invade Northumbria. And wherever the threat of battles looms, you know Beobrand won’t be far behind.

This book tells the tale of one of the greatest battles of the age, where the pagan Penda and the Christian Oswald vie for power over the land and the very souls of its people.

Warrior of Woden is the fifth book in your Bernicia Chronicles series.  How do you approach meeting the needs of readers who have followed the whole series and those reading Warrior of Woden as a standalone book?  

Writing a novel is a unique challenge. Writing a series of books comes with an extra set of difficulties. Readers expect a certain flavour they have come to recognise. They wish to revisit the same characters they have grown to love, or hate. They want some familiarity, but at the same time, they do not wish to be bored. Readers want to be thrilled and excited by new, fresh twists, not to have the same old stories repeated. And then, as you say, there is the issue of new readers. It is always in my mind that a reader might come to the Bernicia Chronicles at any point and so each novel must stand on its own merit, providing a satisfying read as well as adding to the overall series.

Each book has a beginning, middle and end, telling a discreet story against the backdrop of the overarching story of Beobrand’s life. The threads from previous books get mentioned and moved along, but they are not crucial to the understanding of the plot and I hope each book can stand on its own merits. Being part of a series does give the characters an extra depth, I think, which makes them more engaging. The back story is all there to reference without seeming forced at all.

Warrior of Woden takes place six years on from the action in Killer of Kings. How has Beobrand fared in the years since the reader last encountered him?

In Warrior of Woden, Beobrand has grown as a leader of men and as a man. His friendships from previous stories have matured and he has less self-doubt. He has more wealth and is now secure in his position. But with that position comes greater responsibility and in this story Beobrand sees his prowess in battle tested more than ever and his oaths and loyalties stretched to the limit. He leads his friends into the bloodiest battle he has faced yet and, as with all warfare, not everyone returns alive and nobody escapes unscathed.

The passage of time since the action of the previous book has allowed me to start afresh to some degree, creating extra back story, adding new characters, both friend and foe, and providing even more depth to the world Beobrand inhabits.

Is it frustrating or liberating to be writing about a period which has relatively few contemporary sources?

I think on the whole it is liberating. I am sure some writers would hate it. Especially if they NEEDED to know that what they were writing was absolutely accurate. In my case, I am happy to research and, if I cannot find an answer to something, to take an educated guess. I see this as the role of the novelist, but I think there are some historical fiction writers who would not enjoy that leap into the realms of pure imagination, or at least would feel uneasy about the amount of artistic license I am often forced to take. As long as the stories feel authentic, I am happy. Historical accuracy is for historians. Novelists expose the imagined truth in history. The lack of detailed contemporary sources gives me a freedom that is not available to writers from other periods in history that have richer documented evidence of events.

Which scenes in Warrior of Woden did you find most enjoyable or challenging to write, and why was this?

When starting each novel, I know there will be certain key, pivotal scenes. They are often the most difficult to write, as they tend to be when story threads reach their climax, characters die, and that sort of thing. I write chronologically, starting at the beginning and going through to the end without skipping any sections on the way, and as I approach some scenes I find myself getting nervous or excited about them.

The opening scene of the prologue of Warrior of Woden came to me almost fully formed in my mind, and provided a great hook for the rest of the story. I can’t tell you which of the scenes caused me the greatest challenge without giving away spoilers. But suffice to say there was death involved!

What do you think is the key to creating an authentic picture of a particular historical period?

Firstly, you have to research and avoid obvious anachronism.  But after that, I think it is about trying to get yourself in the mind-set of the people of the time. What interested them? What kept them awake at night? Was it the same sort of things we worry about today?   To some extent I think people would have had the same concerns. Were their children safe and healthy? Was a man’s wife in a bad mood with him? Was there enough food? Did the roof leak? But there would be many other things that are alien to our way of life now. Would the gods accept my sacrifice? Would the crops fail? Had I fallen out of favour with my lord? Could I afford a new slave? Was my sword sharp and byrnie strong enough to protect me?   Balancing the fundamentally human aspects of the characters with specifically historical concerns really helps readers to connect with them.

Another important aspect of making a period seem authentic is to think of the language used, and to only use metaphors and similes that would mean something to the people of the time. Someone could “strike as quickly as an adder”, for example, but not “feel their skin prickling with electricity”. Of course, electricity existed, but nobody knew what it was or would speak or think of it in those terms. As an example, I decided from the beginning of the series that I would not mention periods of time such as seconds, minutes and hours, as I thought it was unlikely that everyday people would use those measurements. They had no clocks, after all! Hopefully, this type of omission in the language used, adds an overall feeling of authenticity and being different from now.

If the Bernicia Chronicles were to be made into a TV series (and wouldn’t that be wonderful), who would you like to see play Beobrand?

That would be wonderful! I really have no idea who I would like to play Beobrand. And let’s face it, if Hollywood came knocking, just like Lee Child with the Jack Reacher movie adaptations, I’d take the money and allow them to cast whoever they liked in the role – even someone as unlikely as Tom Cruise!

Is there another historical period you would be interested to write about?

I would love to write a novel set in nineteenth century America. The western frontier of the late nineteenth century really interests me and has a lot in common with seventh century Britain in that a bellicose people come in from the east and push the native population into the west.

The Serpent Sword, Blood and Blade, The Cross and the Curse, Killer of Kings, Warrior of Woden – you clearly have a liking for alliteration!  At what point in the writing process do you come up with the title for a book?

I like the alliterative titles as they evoke the oral tradition of story-telling of the Anglo-Saxons. However, I have to say it has proved to be something of a rod for my own back, as each title gets more difficult!  I tend to come up with the title after I have created the plot and I am some way into the writing process. Once the story is solid in my mind, I can think of titles and I find that after I have a title in place it helps me to focus on the story and honing it to fit the themes conjured up by the title.

What are you working on next?

I am now writing book six of the series. And I have already come up with the title: Storm of Steel. It will be released in spring/summer 2019.

Thanks, Matthew, for those fascinating answers to my questions.  I’m glad to see you’re continuing with the alliterative titles!

Harffy_MatthewAbout the Author

Matthew grew up in Northumberland where the rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline had a huge impact on him He now lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.

Connect with Matthew

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Blog Tour/Q&A: The Room by the Lake by Emma Dibdin

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I’m delighted to be joining the launch celebrations for the publication in paperback of Emma Dibdin’s dark, unsettling psychological thriller, The Room by the Lake.   I read the book when it first came out last year and really enjoyed it.  You can read my review below.

I was also thrilled that Emma agreed to answer some questions about The Room by the Lake, the inspiration for the book and her approach to writing.  Oh, and cauliflower rice!

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Didbin_THE ROOM BY THE LAKE_PBAbout the Book

A sophisticated debut thriller about a young woman drawn in by a cult, from the daughter of crime author, Michael Dibdin. Chilling, thought-provoking and terrifyingly plausible.

Caitlin never meant to stay so long. But it’s strange how this place warps time. Out here, in the middle of nowhere, it’s easy to forget about the world outside.

It all happened so fast. She was lonely, broke, about to give up. Then she met Jake and he took her to his ‘family’: a close-knit community living by the lake. Each day she says she’ll leave but each night she’s back around their campfire. Staring into the flames. Reciting in chorus that she is nothing without them.

But something inside her won’t let go. A whisper that knows this isn’t right. Knows there is danger lurking in that quiet room down by the lake…

Format: Paperback, ebook (320 pp.)                    Publisher: Head of Zeus
 Published: 5th April 2018 [10th August 2017]  Genre: Thriller

Purchase Links*
Publisher (save 25%) ¦Amazon.co.uk ǀ  Amazon.com  ǀ Hive.co.uk (supporting UK bookshops)
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Room by the Lake on Goodreads

Interview: Emma Dibdin, author of The Room by the Lake

Welcome, Emma! Without giving too much away, can you tell us a bit about The Room by the Lake?

The Room by the Lake is about a young English woman, Caitlin, who’s just out of university and on the verge of a breakdown. Desperate to escape after years of being a caretaker to unstable parents, she spontaneously books a flight to New York, which feels like a place she can become truly lost. Once there, she falls hard for Jake, a charming and slightly damaged former soldier who whisks her away to meet his family at their idyllic lakeside house upstate. But his family isn’t what it seems.

How did you get the idea for the book?

The idea to write about a cult came from a surreal encounter I had years ago in Seattle, with a man on the street who was protesting against then-president Barack Obama. The man was very young, about my age at the time (early twenties), and his argument was bizarre, illogical, as though he had learned it by rote or by brainwashing. He was polite, but dead-eyed, and the encounter really haunted me, particularly when I learned he was part of a far-right “political movement” which is essentially a cult. They prey on young people, I was told, often people cut off from their own families, and that got me thinking about what would make someone psychologically vulnerable enough to be sucked in.

The Room by the Lake is your first novel so can you tell us a bit about your writing journey?

I’ve always written fiction, for as long as I can remember – my mum loves to talk about how I used to write my own Animals of Farthing Wood stories when I was really young! Being an author was what I always wanted to do, but I went into journalism because it seemed like the best way of making an actual living from writing, and continued writing fiction in my spare time. I wrote The Room by the Lake during evenings and weekends, over the course of about two years, and I think the best thing about writing with limited time is that you can’t afford to be too precious – there’s no such thing as waiting for “the muse” to come.

In the book, Caitlin sees her move to New York as a form of escape.  Where in the world would be your dream place to escape to?

Well, funnily enough I really did move from London to New York two years ago, although not to escape! I think my dream place to escape to is anywhere my family and friends are. I’ve been craving a trip to Italy a lot lately – my parents lived there for years and we spent a lot of time there in my childhood, so I think my answer right now is Tuscany.

In The Room by the Lake, Caitlin comes across as a troubled, fragile, rather socially awkward young woman.  Do you think it’s necessary for readers to like the main character in a book in order to engage with them?

No, I don’t think so – I prefer characters that lean more towards anti-hero than straight hero, and any protagonist who’s not at least slightly troubled is a non-starter. Caitlin’s not necessarily somebody I’d want to be friends with, at least not at this point in her life, but I think her fears and insecurities make her fairly relatable. Female coming-of-age stories often get boxed into just being about sexual awakening, and while that’s definitely an element in Caitlin’s journey, I wanted her struggle to be psychological, and about the burden of mental illness in families.

How did you hope the setting of the book – the vast forest, the silent lake – would contribute to its atmosphere?  

The isolation of that setting is really key to Caitlin’s unravelling. Getting away from hectic city life and escaping to a peaceful forest sounds dreamy, but that experience can really turn on a dime if you’re feeling fragile. There’s such a weird duality to New York specifically: people always think of the city, which is one of the most densely populated in the world, but there’s also this vast expanse of very, very remote farmland upstate. I wanted to really draw out the contrast between those frenetic early chapters in Manhattan – where Caitlin’s shaky but at least engaged in the world – and this slow-paced retreat upstate, where she’s seemingly getting better.

Have you tried any of the dishes mentioned in the book – the sweet potato brownies, the cauliflower rice, or even the Apfelwein?

I’ve tried pretty much all of them! Cauliflower rice is great – I won’t pretend it tastes like the real thing, because it does not, but it’s a pretty good light alternative. I would never want to be fully paleo (in the immortal words of Oprah, I love bread https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2sx8Bc4mAw) but I do enjoy experimenting with ways to make slightly healthier versions of things, although there’s no substitute for a real brownie.

What was the biggest challenge you encountered when writing the book?

The third act was probably my biggest challenge, just working out how things should finally unravel. The first half of the book was always incredibly clear to me, Caitlin walking around New York in this alienated haze and becoming wilfully lost, but the climactic chapters at the cult went through a lot of different iterations. There’s a twist that comes towards the end of the book which wasn’t in my original draft, but came to me suddenly one day last December – and once I’d figured out that turn, everything else fell into place.

Which other writers do you admire?

Margaret Atwood, George Elliot, Elena Ferrante, Cormac McCarthy and Gillian Flynn are a few of my all-time favourites. I just read Robin Wasserman’s Girls On Fire, which was really vivid and intoxicating. I also love to read plays – I saw Angels in America while I was back in London over the summer, and just bought the text so that I can really dig into the language.

What are you working on next?

I’ve just started my second novel, a thriller that takes place in modern Hollywood, following a young journalist who becomes drawn into the life of a very famous actor she’s assigned to interview. Unlike The Room by the Lake, this book draws a bit from my own experiences (I’ve been in entertainment journalism for years) but with the drama cranked up several notches. I’m also working on a short story commissioned by Audible.

Thank you, Emma, for those fascinating answers…and the inside track on your next book.  

My Review

Following the death of her mother after years of acute mental illness, and feeling betrayed by her father’s relapse into alcohol dependency, Caitlin escapes to New York leaving no trace behind of her intended destination. Intelligent but socially awkward, Caitlin is introspective, a loner by nature with no previous serious relationships and hypersensitive to any signs she may have inherited the psychoses of her mother.

Caitlin is seeking a sanctuary and after weeks roaming New York alone dares to believe she has found it in the person of Jake. He seems to understand her and it appears Caitlin has at last found someone with whom she can share the thoughts and fears she’s kept hidden for so long.   When Jake invites her to travel upstate to meet the loving family he’s told her about, Caitlin readily accepts. What follows will test Caitlin’s resilience, her sense of her own identity, her strength of will and her very sanity.

The author creates a convincing picture of a damaged, traumatised individual making subsequent events believable. This is definitely a slow burner that builds in tension as with a growing sense of unease – like Caitlin – the reader starts to question whether what appears benign is really masking something more insidious and much, much darker.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers Head of Zeus in return for an honest review.

Emma Dibdin NewAbout the Author

Emma Dibdin grew up in Oxford, and now lives in New York. She is a writer and journalist whose work has appeared in Esquire, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Total Film. The Room by the Lake is her first novel.

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Room by the Lake PB blog tour