The Secret Writer: An Interview with the Internationally Acclaimed ...

Robyn Young was born in Oxford and grew up in the Midlands and Devon. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Sussex and lives and writes in Brighton. Her first novel, BRETHREN, was the bestselling hardback debut novel of 2006. CRUSADE and REQUIEM, completed the trilogy, which has sold over a million copies and been translated into nineteen languages. The inspiration for Robyn's new trilogy, which began with INSURRECTION and continues in RENEGADE, grew out of an earlier research trip to Scotland and is based on the life of Robert Bruce.

A very warm welcome to you Robyn, and can I thank you, for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us today.

Thank you for inviting me!

For the benefit of our International readers can you tell us a bit about the part of the world that you are currently resident in and why do you like living there?

I live in Brighton, on the south coast of England. It?s a buzzing, cosmopolitan city, with a vibrant art and music scene. I hitchhiked here from Devon when I was nineteen and have been here ever since. I don?t think I?d live anywhere else in Britain. I have the sea on one side and beautiful Sussex countryside on the other, and London is only a train hop away.
Can I ask what sort of books did you like reading as a child?

My dad taught me to read when I was three and once I?d grown out of Ladybird books I devoured pretty much anything. Enid Blyton was a staple, followed by Judy Blume and Susan Cooper. Later, in my early teens, Steven King and Clive Barker introduced me to darker literary worlds. I also loved poetry, both reading and writing it. My favourites though were classics, such as C.S. Lewis?s The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Do you think the books that you read as a child have influenced your writing in any way?

I think the act of reading itself influenced me ? the love of escaping into worlds others had created just seemed to naturally translate into a desire to create those worlds myself.


Do you have a set routine when you are working on a novel? It depends on what stage I?m at in the process. Research and plotting times tend to be more fluid, as I?m usually reading or travelling. When I?m in the thick of writing I work best first thing in the morning or late at night. I find afternoons are fairly dead times creatively. I try to do a full morning?s work, then do admin or research after lunch, before going back to writing in the evening if I need to push on. It can get quite intensive towards the end of a book, when aiming for a deadline.


Where do you do your writing best? My study. I bought my house based on this room. It?s quiet, has a lovely atmosphere and plenty of space for books.
What else apart from your obvious interest in history helped you decide to actually write historical fiction novels?

It all came as rather a surprise. After writing poetry and short stories at school, and two fantasy novels in my early twenties, my path as a writer seemed fairly set. But I didn?t imagine I?d be penning history. It wasn?t a subject I did well in at school, or indeed of any real interest to me until I read a book on the Knights Templar, by historian Malcolm Barber. I?d listened to a conversation between two friends about these so-called warrior monks and my curiosity had been piqued enough for me to pick up this text when I saw it in a bookstore. Barber?s book, a harrowing account of the knights? downfall, brought the human element to history, which had been missing at school. The moment I finished reading, I knew I wanted to tell this story.

What made you decide to focus your stories within the history of the Middle Ages? Initially, the inspiration came from Barber?s book on the downfall of the Knights Templar, but once I was immersed in this world I realised what a gold mine it was in terms of stories. It?s a time of discovery and great upheaval, and a rich source for a writer. That said, I?m probably going to be moving on to other periods after this trilogy is finished. I?ve been working on a WWII screenplay with two writers this past year, which has been quite a galvanising shift. I think it?s good to keep stretching and challenging yourself as a writer; to keep stepping into new worlds.
When you are writing a novel, how do you place yourself into the time period that you are actually writing about? It?s all in the research. I begin by reading as many books as possible on the period, during which time I write an enormous amount of notes, trying to piece this historical world together. First, I?ll read a selection of texts that cover the broad era, then biographies of my main characters, then I?ll start getting into the finer details, researching what people ate, what they wore, what they believed in, what their homes were like. It?s about building up a picture. Even if you don?t use half the things you research, it will come across in your writing as confidence and authenticity. Web-based research is getting better, but I still only use the Internet when I have a good enough grounding myself to know which sites are good, and which aren?t. After the first bulk of reading is done, I try to visit as many of the locations as possible. I speak to historians and re-enactors about specific events or equipment and I like to try my hand at the various physical aspects of my novels. For Insurrection, I was taught to ride by a skill-at-arms tutor. I?ve tried sword fighting, worn armour, used crossbows, done extensive work with birds of prey, all of which have, I believe, added colour beyond the book-based details.
How do you go about imagining, developing and give real lives and personalities to the characters that we read about within in your books? Many of my characters, particularly in the Insurrection Trilogy, are real people from history, so again, research is key to understanding them, although I do have to give them personalities and bring them to life on the page, often from scattered and disparate facts. The fictional ones sometimes take lots of work, other times they simply introduce themselves. In the early stages, I?ll do detailed character biographies and outlines, working out who they are, what they look like, personality traits etc... Sometimes, in the writing, they turn out as I expect. Other times they surprise me.

Did you find it easy to get your first book accepted and published?

It was a fairly long slog, but not as long as other novelists. We all have different stories of how we got there in the end. It took me two years and thirteen rejections to find an agent for my first novel, Brethren. Then, it took us another two years to find a publisher. But when it did go, it went with a bang? two publishers bid for it in an auction, which turned out to be two of the most terrifying and exciting weeks of my life! What is your favourite book and why?

I can never answer that question, because it?s constantly changing. I?ve had different favourites at different times in my life. But some of my best reads have included Iain Pears?s An Instance of the Fingerpost, Matthew Pearl?s The Dante Club and Donna Tartt?s The Secret History.

Are you currently reading a book at the moment, and if so what is it?

I?ve had a bit of a reading drought recently ? not from lack of choice, but time. I?m going away this weekend and it?s going to be tough to pick a book out of the huge pile that has built up. I think I might go for Michael Connolly?s The Overlook, which a fellow author recommended to me recently.

Do you have any other hobbies or interests that you enjoy in order to give you a break from your normal routine and your writing? Since I spend most of my days hunched over a computer using my brain, I like to do physical things, such as running, ice-skating, hiking and swimming. I also love cooking, going to the theatre, listening to music and watching films, and seeing friends whenever I can is an important distraction from work.
Can you tell us a bit about your latest book ?Renegade?? In this, the second book of the Insurrection Trilogy, King Edward of England marches on Scotland, his campaign to unite the British Isles under one crown inspired by an Arthurian prophecy. He has already crushed Wales; now he needs only find the Staff of St Malachy, symbol of Irish nationhood, to achieve his implacable desire. Leaving his war-torn home, Robert Bruce sails to Ireland, determined to find the Staff and keep it out of Edward's hands. His veins run with the blood of kings and his destiny to fulfill his family's claim to the throne of Scotland burns in his mind. But on the run through the wild country, hunted by a relentless assassin, Robert seems a long way from achieving his ambition. And there are other eyes on Scotland?s crown, old enemies gathering against him. Can you give us a hint about any other books that you may have in the making?

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I?m getting ready to write the third book in the Insurrection Trilogy, the title of which is proving elusive at the moment. The novel follows Robert Bruce after he becomes king, through civil war in Scotland and turmoil in England, leading up to the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

Robyn, I have been absolutely delighted and very honoured that you agreed to be interviewed for my literary site. I would also like to thank-you again for taking the time to speak to us today. It?s been a pleasure. If you would like to find out more about Robyn and her writing, the link to her website is given below:

Robyn's latest book scheduled for release in the UK on 30th August 2012:

The Insurrection Triology

The Brethern Triology

Source: http://thesecretwriterblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/an-interview-with-internationally_12.html

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