Anyone that knows me, reads my blog or follows me anywhere on social media knows I love history, but you’ll also know my heart lies with the Tudors (and the Plantagenets 😊) so I am thrilled to have Tudor author Karen Heenan here today on my blog! So without further ado, here we go!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I was an only child, which has really influenced everything that came after – I had to be self-amusing and made up elaborate stories for my dolls, which eventually became elaborate stories I wrote down. I like to be in charge, which makes me a very happy indie author. And I live in a small suburban town outside of Philadelphia with my patient husband, a cat who doesn’t like me very much, too many books, and a garden which is also my therapy.
How did you get into writing?
I’ve written ever since I was a little kid – ever since I realized that it was somebody’s job to write the books I loved to read. My first dream was to be a ballerina, but that took coordination I didn’t have and money my family didn’t have; writing seemed easier, and I didn’t have to wear pink.
What era do you write about and what drew you to that time period(s)?
My first series is set in Tudor England (my first historical love) and my second is set in Pennsylvania during the Great Depression. I’m pretty sure the Tudor era needs no further explanation, but I grew up listening to my dad and aunts tell stories and the 1930s felt like a very under-served period for historical fiction.
Can you tell us a little bit about your most recent book?
My most recent book came out on October 18. It’s called Coming Together, and it was the third and final book in my 1930s trilogy, which is about two estranged sisters rebuilding their bond and coming to terms with their own choices and the choices forced upon them.
Where can people order your book(s)?
Paperbacks are available everywhere (and also from me directly if you’re in the US), while my ebooks are Amazon-exclusive at this time.
Are you working on something at the moment? If so, can you spill the beans a little?
I’ve gone back to the Tudor era for the fourth book in my series, The Son in Shadow – a story of spies, Mary Queen of Scots, and the French Wars of Religion. Will Hawkins, the protagonist, has an uncomfortable relationship with the world, stemming from a fraught beginning with an overbearing father (who was a character several of the earlier books). Poor Will. I fully intend to drag him through everything before he gets anything close to a happy ending.
How do you go about your research?
I start with a character and an idea, and then I look around for the exact right slice of history where I can put them through the most. Then I start reading, and generally during this time as I’m becoming acquainted with the characters, I’ll write a lot of the scenes which are based on the story and hope that history doesn’t intervene and trip me up. Once I have the history down, I write a lot of the framing scenes and weave reality into what’s already been written.
Do you have a favourite historical source?
I’ll go anywhere the plot bunnies lead me, but for my 1930s books, I really enjoyed digging around on Newspapers.com – after writing about the 1500s, being able to just look at the front page of a newspaper to find out what people were talking about was almost restful! But it was a great help for those slice-of-life details like what things cost, what movies were playing in the theaters near where my characters lived, social events and important local political issues, etc. And Philadelphia is my home town, so I got to learn loads about a place that I thought I already knew.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring authors, what would it be?
Not to compare your writing to your favorite published work – it’s not even apples to orange at that point. You’re making a comparison to something that’s been written and rewritten and edited several times. Be as kind to yourself as you would to a friend starting out on this journey.
Can you tell us your favourite fiction and favourite non-fiction book?
That’s a hard one, and I’m going to cheat for the fiction and give you an entire series, because I can’t choose just one: Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles. It’s a master class on historical fiction and working with a difficult protagonist and every other thing I’d like to be good at. For non-fiction, it’s Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which I read just after it came out and which changed my relationship to food and my mind about a lot of things.
You can keep up with news about Karen’s writing and books using the below links:
For those with an interest in the Tudors, I’m sure you’ll be delighted to know Karen is working on another Tudor book, which will hopefully be with us next year! If you’re in the US, you may also want to consider contacting Karen directly for paperwork versions of her books if you’re looking for the perfect Tudor gift for Christmas!
Many thanks to Karen for joining me!
Amy McElroy 