Hello Sondra! Thank
you so much for visiting Written Butterfly with me today! It’s such a pleasure to chat with you. So tell me…
Q) How did you dream
up the dynamics of your characters?
I really didn’t have to dream up the dynamics. Because I write historical/literary fiction
that borders on biography I get to write about the crazy things that people
have done. People think that we’re
different now. I’ve come to realize that
we really haven’t changed, which I’m glad about. If we had, then there’d be nothing to write
about, plus we all know the adage that truth is stranger (or more entertaining)
than fiction. Well, it is true.
Q) Can you give a
fun or interesting fact about your book?
I wrote the
story of William Sinclair. He’s the man
who had Rosslyn Chapel (of The DaVinci Code fame) built. What’s interesting is how close he was to the
Norwegian crown. He could have become
King of Norway, but he never did, and I think I know why which I go into detail
of that in my novel.
Q) What do you think is your strongest
asset as a writer? …what is your weakest factor as a writer?
I’ve had
people comment that my dialogue sounds authentic, and then they ask how I
manage to do it. I know it sounds odd,
but I hear the conversation in my head and then put it down on the paper.
Q) Do you try more to
be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I actually write the way the story played out in real
life. I just embellish the events with
dialogue and extra little things here and there.
Q) Do you plan all
your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?
Nope, most are already fully formed when I get my hands,
or fingers, on them.
Q) Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to
build a body of work with connections between each book?
Each will be stand alone, sort of.
Actually it depends on how long, or complex the story is.
There are too many to count! I’m in the middle of writing my duology, and
I’m already beginning research on the story after that.
Buy Link
Blurb
In a world full of political machinations of the Scottish
Royal court, this novel follows the life of William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of
Orkney, 1st Earl of Caithness, and Baron Roslin through his life. Starting with
him when he was twelve years old and standing before King Eric of the Kalmar
Union to request the right for him to be recognized as the Earl of Orkney, to
the marriage of James Stewart, the third King of Scotland with that particular
name. From the assassinations of James I and James II to the Black Dinner and
its fallout, William Sinclair was privy to many of the events that Scotland,
England, and the Kalmar Union went through, for Sinclair while being the
highest ranked noble in Norway, could have become its king if he presented
himself to the nobles in Copenhagen.
Excerpt
“Roslin? What are you doing here?”
Gathering
my wits about me, I took a deep breath.
Before I could answer, Alexander Sutherland addressed the soldier behind
me. “Return his
sword. He is the uncle of the murdered
Earl.”
Turning,
I reached out my hand. The soldier who
still held my weapon fumbled for it while trying to apologize. When I was finally alone with the laird I
frowned. “I would not
have him, or any of the other guards punished.
They must have come from the Douglas lands for none recognized me.”
“I should have made sure that the
soldiers guarding the camp know who are with us. Apparently none of them did.” The laird indicated one of the chairs with a
sweep of his hand. “I though you were
still at Roslin.”
Taking
a seat, I shook my head. “Angus
came by during Advent and he stayed through Epiphany. It was only after he left that I heard about
this. I’m not all that surprised,
because the Dowager mentioned about the grumblings within the clan.”
“Angus is here.”
“Really?” This was different. “From his actions when he was at Roslin, I
would have thought he returned to his Earldom.”
Sutherland
gave a short laugh. “That? Roslin, that is how he learns what is
happening around him.”
“Oh….”
Somehow I pushed my surprise to the side. “Who is in the castle?”
Alexander
moved around the table and leaned forward so that his hands were flat on its
surface. “You know that
the King is at Stirling and being controlled by Livingston, and maybe even the
current Douglas. Right now it’s Lord
Chancellor Crichton.”
Slouching
in my chair, I closed my eyes. “Do
you think he was the one responsible?”
“The clan really doesn’t care at
this point. They’re out for blood.”
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