Princess Michael: Writing 'The Anjou Trilogy'

Started by cinrit, November 15, 2014, 02:15:44 PM

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cinrit

QuoteI am often asked: "How do you write your historical books? Choose your topics? Do your research?" and other such queries.

Strangely enough, each one of my chosen subjects about whom I have written has led me to the next. While researching I would fall upon a little known fact -- or just one which intrigued me about a peripheral character in my story. Curiosity would take me down an unexpected path to find with delight, the heroine of the next book.

Until the final book of my Anjou Trilogy to be published next year, I have not dared tackle the life of a man. I find few men write well about women, and few women write convincingly about men. Nevertheless, with caution, I accept the challenge and shall try to do justice to that great merchant of 15th century France, Jacques Coeur, a man who made the mistake of being richer than the king -- and paid for it dearly.

I am a night-writer. It is the only time I am undisturbed and often at my laptop until three or four in the morning. Many of my writer friends do the opposite, getting up at four or five in the morning, writing until ten, and then starting their normal day until crashing out early to bed. For me, the night feels like an embracing cocoon of black velvet, welcoming and warm; also mysterious -- layer upon layer of shifting thoughts allowed to overlap. Sometimes, quite late, I take the dog out to the field next door and although I admit she does not exactly inspire me, there is something curiously settling in following a dog meandering around a meadow while she sniffs at quite ordinary clumps of grass. Watching her empties my mind in almost the same way as meditation does, and ideas slip in.

More: From Midnight Walks to Medieval Murders: Writing 'The Anjou Trilogy' | Princess Michael of Kent

Cindy
Always be yourself.  Unless you can be a unicorn.  Then always be a unicorn.

TLLK

Thank you for the article about Princess Michael. While I knew she was a published author I have not yet read her books.

HereditaryPrincess

^^^ I haven't read any of her books either, though they sound like they would be interesting reads. Princess Michael seems to enjoy writing about these particular periods. I wonder if she will write about more modern periods, though there are some authors who seem to stick to the same periods - author Eva Ibbotson tends to stick to the WWI, Downton Abbey (20s and 30s) and WWII periods (though she was a little girl in WWII, and one of her books is based off her own experiences in the war).

cinrit

QuotePrincess Tells Harrogate Book Buffs About Latest Novel

A Royal presence graced the Yorkshire Post Literary Lunch yesterday as Princess Michael of Kent spoke about her latest historical novel.

Addressing a large audience at the Cairn Hotel in Harrogate, Her Royal Highness shared the little-known story of the first royal mistress of King Charles VII of France.

Her latest book, Agnés Sorel: Mistress of Beauty, is the second part of the Anjou Trilogy of historical novels based on royal life in early 15th century France.

The Princess said: "I first came to England to learn interior design. In Austria, if your house was good enough for your grandparents, it was good enough for you. Only the nouveau riche had interior designers, so only the nouveau riche had very nice houses."

More: Princess tells Harrogate book buffs about latest novel - Yorkshire Post

Cindy
Always be yourself.  Unless you can be a unicorn.  Then always be a unicorn.