The King's Retribution: Book Two of The Plantagenet Legacy By Mercedes Rochelle

7/11/2020

Multi-volume, multi-series, fiction and non-fiction author, Mercedes Rochelle, introduces us to the second volume in the series about Plantagenet kings, “The King’s Retribution”:
If you read A KING UNDER SIEGE, you might remember that we left off just as Richard declared his majority at age 22. He was able to rise above the humiliation inflicted on him during the Merciless Parliament, but the fear that it could happen again haunted him the rest of his life. Ten years was a long time to wait before taking revenge on your enemies, but King Richard II was a patient man. Hiding his antagonism toward the Lords Appellant, once he felt strong enough to wreak his revenge he was swift and merciless. Alas for Richard, he went too far, and in his eagerness to protect his crown Richard underestimated the very man who would take it from him: Henry Bolingbroke.

Quite an amazing story! Happily, the wait for the sequel to “A King Under Siege” is over.
I really enjoyed this story. The author has a knack for research and taking in the arid, dusty facts from hundreds of years ago and bringing those dry bones back to life! The historical figures really do come alive under the author’s pen.
The scene setting is wonderful, Mercedes includes lots of bits of information from the time period, food, furnishings and clothing that contribute so much to the story.
The political intrigue and backroom dealings make this such a fascinating story. People have not changed hardly at all. Then, as now, everyone is looking out for themselves, even while professing love and faithfulness. It really is lonely at the top.
Mercedes used a little bit of the vernacular of the time and it gave a nice texture. I like interesting and unusual words.
I award a score of 4.9 stars to “The King’s Retribution”!

You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/The-Kings-Retribution-Book-2-Plantagenet-Legacy
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-king's-retribution
https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-King's-Retribution

You can follow the author:
http://www.twitter.com/authorrochelle
http://www.mercedesrochelle.com
http://www.mercedesrochelle.net

I have reviewed other books by this author:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/a-king-under-siege-book-one-of-the-plantagenet-legacy-by-mercedes-rochelle

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-usurper-king

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/heir-to-a-prophecy-by-mercedes-rochelle-narrated-by-kevin-e-green

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/godwine-kingmaker-part-one-of-the-last-great-saxon-earls-by-mercedes-rochelle

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-sons-of-godwine

https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/fatal-rivalry-by-mercedes-rochelle

Tags: history, biography, fiction, medieval, European, Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, France, Normandy, historical, biographical,

Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction.

75 Comments

Mercedes Rochelle link

7/12/2020 11:23:00 am

Thanks for reviewing me, Mark! It's always a pleasure.

Mark

7/12/2020 02:03:31 pm

You are most welcome. I really enjoyed this book.
First question.
Please tell us more than what is in your bio on Amazon.

Mercedes Rochelle

7/12/2020 02:29:56 pm

What can I say? In my "real life" I sell Real Estate—or at least, I did until this year! I don't identify with myself as a Realtor, though. I definitely think of myself as an indie author with a mission to explore lesser-known history and distill it to anxious readers. Well, they don't have to be THAT anxious. I read history almost every day. I live in the country in New Jersey (yes, you heard it right) and spend most of my free time working in the yard; I prefer to naturalize my garden, which takes a lot of extra time. Like many writers, I'm pretty secluded.

Mark

7/12/2020 05:03:15 pm

I thought you lived in England.
I have not been to New Jersey, but I know there are some wild and beautiful places in the state.
I love a naturalized garden. The profusion of wild beauty is glorious. There are so many ways to create that look. I enjoy adding ferns and wildflowers around the other plantings.
Real Estate work has taken a hit like so many other industries, I imagine. Having virtual tours can help a great deal, I would think. Portland is still a pretty hot market, Two neighbors had pending sales after less than 10 days. One has already moved out.
Authors have to be somewhat solitary, in my mind, because writing that first draft can only be done by one person. After that other people can be brought into the process at different points. Alpha readers, beta readers, maybe a critique group, cover designer perhaps, editor, proofreader and then publish. Publishing might include a formatter also.
New questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
Are you in the business for love of writing or for money?
Does your work, or past work if you are retired, have any influence on your writing?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/12/2020 06:47:35 pm

I like to think of myself as a full-time writer, but to tell the truth, I spend the vast majority of my time marketing my books rather than writing them. Marketing has so many iterations that I can jump from one task to another without feeling that I am making any progress. Writing blog posts, maintaining a web page, staying current with social media, designing little ads and "teasers", staying current with social media again, learning how to market myself better... It goes on and on! I admit that I enjoy the work, so I'm not suffering. I'll be the first to admit that writing is real work; the rest is window-dressing.

I know better than to expect to make a living at my writing. Because I choose topics far from mainstream, I know ahead of time that many people will pass over my books. It's the story of my life! I always pick the hardest subjects; I did it all the way through school. Fortunately, I love what I'm doing and my husband is very supportive, so I'm content. There was a 20 year stretch in my life when I did no writing at all—I was running my own business—and I felt a big void. I was unfulfilled. I had hoped to appease my creative urges running the business, but it wasn't enough. Back then, I sold computer software and it was a challenge to stay on top of things, but the internet put an end to that! The experience honed my marketing skills big time, so I am grateful for the opportunity to apply—and build—my talents.

Mark

7/12/2020 07:15:52 pm

You certainly sound like a fulltime writer to me. Writing a book has a beginning, a middle and a 'the end'. Not so with marketing and promoting a book. I tell authors marketing is far more like an ultra-marathon than a sprint. It sounds like you are doing the promoting work quite well. There are so many different angles and avenues to pursue, it can easily become a fulltime job. That's okay if you plan on writing only one book. I suggest to most authors that they set aside an hour or two every week or two for promoting instead of writing. Slow and steady makes progress.
I was pretty certain you were going to pick the Love answer. It seems to be true for most writers, especially after the blush of publishing the first book wears off. You make a great point, you are doing it because you love it. If you don't love it, it simply becomes a job that pays quite poorly. Then it becomes time to find what you do love.
New questions.
Does any of your past work have any influence on your writing?
You have written several books in historical fiction and non-fiction. What inspired you to write in this genre?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/13/2020 10:00:45 am

To answer briefly, No. My day work and my writing never met at any point, except for learning how to market myself.

You know, I was reading and enjoying historical fiction before I even knew it was a genre. It all started when I specialized in the 19th century novel during my college years. I think the first time I had an inkling about historical fiction was while reading "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Medieval France came to life. Then I read "The Three Musketeers" and I was truly smitten. I still am. By the time I started writing my first novel, I still wasn't aware I was writing in any kind of genre; I don't remember referring to historical fiction as such in college. I took a special course where I could focus on one author, and I picked Sir Walter Scott. My professor had to read a couple of the books to keep up with me! Even then, I hadn't "pegged" the genre, but I was certainly absorbing the concept. Ironically, I thought I didn't like history at all; I didn't take any college history courses. It wasn't until I joined the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) that I understood that history was a living thing, and it didn't take long to associate living history with writing.

Mark

7/13/2020 10:20:23 am

That is a great story. That is funny that you didn't like history. I didn't like it when I was in school either. It was pretty easy for me, though, I was a big reader already.
The Society for Creative Anachronisms is a wonderful bunch of people, the original cosplayers. They actually live the time period. I was introduced to them shortly after I moved to San Francisco, I went to a Renaissance Faire in 1971.
New questions.
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
What do the elements on the cover represent?
Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/13/2020 11:57:39 am

Thanks for asking! I designed the cover myself, with a little help from Froissart. Actually, it started with the first book, A KING UNDER SIEGE, because the image was a perfect fit. Originally I was inspired by an older book I read, "A bloody field by Shrewsbury" by Edith Mary Pargeter (it has since been changed). A facsimile of a manuscript illustration was in the center. But I couldn't make it work, and I decided to expand the illumination to the whole cover. Both of these covers came from Froissart's Chronicles in the British Library. I had to pay for the privilege of using them (much more for the second book, interestingly, though not a deal breaker). When I went looking for an image for RETRIBUTION, this one jumped out at me. Ironically, I first thought the character being taken to prison was the Duke of Gloucester, who was the main target of Richard's revenge. Much to my surprise, it was Richard himself and that's Henry of Bolingbroke on the right. I should have noticed the different crowns! Henry is wearing a ducal coronet. I may have erred in my choice of images, because initially a couple of people thought this was a young adult book (because it was hand drawn, I suppose). But I think that confusion has faded.

The title of the first book was more of an accident, but I thought is was appropriate. The word "king" stuck with me, and I plan to use it for every book in the series. The third book will be entitled THE USURPER KING. Guess who?

Mark

7/13/2020 09:36:28 pm

I like the covers, they are refreshingly different from the flash that so many covers have. The covers look like an old tapestry or middle ages picture, they certainly fit quite well. I would never have noticed the difference between the two crowns, thanks for mentioning that.
The third title sounds very appropriate for a comeback of some kind.
New questions.
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/13/2020 08:18:21 pm

Writing contests get pretty expensive so I stay away from them for the most part. I had noticed that indie authors were posting so many rewards that the significance started to get lost in the shuffle. Like anything else, they are starting to look like too much of a good thing. I wonder if it matters more to the authors than to the readers? I do favor the "Brag Medallion" award and have been honored with their inclusion my last two books (they only award independent authors, so my first two books didn't qualify). And I have been very lucky to be included in the "Discover Diamonds" award by Helen Hollick.

Sorry to say I haven't written any non-fiction books. I am stymied by my lack of academic qualifications. So I channel all my historical inclinations into my fiction, which I try to keep as accurate as possible.

Mark

7/13/2020 09:37:53 pm

Some contests are very expensive, some are scams also. One of my favorite bloggers, Anne R. Allen, has a list of honest contests at the bottom of each blog she writes. Anything else should be vetted carefully.
Some authors seem to get a lot of awards on their books, it is amazing to see a book with five or more medallions on the cover. Sometimes the cover is almost obliterated.
New questions.
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you? How many books have you put in KU?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/13/2020 10:04:30 pm

Well, I will answer your questions in reverse. My fist two novels, HEIR TO A PROPHECY and GODWINE KINGMAKER were published by a hybrid press; in other words, they required some contribution toward the publication. My particular publisher had a scale of contributions depending on their confidence in the writer and in my case I felt my portion was acceptable (it was around $1200). The second book they published for nothing "up front". But the first book did not perform well and they were not willing to take the same risk on my third book, so they required a fee. By then, I decided to go off on my own, for a couple of reasons. First of all, I didn't have any input into the pricing, and both books are priced too high to make decent sales in the current market. Second of all, I didn't have any control over promotions. Thirdly, I felt I had to do all the marketing anyway, so why not go indie and control my rights? I don't regret it. Since then, I got my rights back for the first book and I repackaged it and published it on my own. I think it does better now.

I did make contact with an agent who represents the "big five", but although he liked my books he told me they were "high hanging fruit" in this market. I don't disagree with him! And I stopped my search right there. Why beat my head against the wall?

At first I tried to do Amazon without using KU and my books didn't perform very well. KU has given me more exposure. Let's face it; people want everything for free these days and there's a certain percentage that probably only use KU. However, with certain marketing platforms (most especially BookBub.com), apparently using KU is a disadvantage, so I'm trying to decide whether I should make a change. I don't know: I tried Ingram Spark with two of my books and the results have been dismal. More research is required!

Mark

7/13/2020 11:29:00 pm

That is a good description of a hybrid press. I think it's the first one I have heard of that uses a sliding scale to determine the contribution from the author.
Congratulations on getting your rights back on that book.
I agree with you, Kindle Unlimited is a real good deal for readers. Is it a good deal for authors though? I have reservations about that. I have heard that KU requires exclusivity for several months.
New questions.
When at an event for the Society for Creative Anachronisms are you able to sell your books? If so, do they sell well?
How is Richard II different from the person portrayed by Shakespeare?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/14/2020 11:07:03 am

With KU, just for the record, you are locked in for three months at a time. You can take a break then go back if you want. I believe (based on my own experience) that the unread KU books on a reader's Kindle will disappear in that time frame. Correct me if I am wrong!

In the SCA, I left sometime after my first book, so I didn't have much opportunity to sell there. I have, however, set up booths at Renaissance Festivals. I learned that the interest in fantasy (or the culture of the group) displaces real history. It was a disappointing and instructive lesson.

Shakespeare is the reason I was attracted to Richard II. When I saw his play the first time, I knew absolutely nothing about Richard, but the soliloquy when he was in prison captured me. In retrospect, I find that interesting because up until that point he was not a sympathetic character at all. Shakespeare portrayed him as flippant, inconsiderate, and thoughtless. But you felt sorry for him at the end. My research uncovered a very different person. Crowned king at age 10, the boy never had the chance to lead a normal existence. Admittedly it must have been a heady existence for a child. But I think insecurity plagued him his whole life, and he certainly never had the opportunity to develop normal friendships with people who would have supported him politically. The resentments that drove him to such extreme measures in THE KING'S RETRIBUTION sprang from very real offenses, as described in the previous book A KING UNDER SIEGE. And the fear that it might all happen again drove him to commit acts that precipitated the very events he dreaded.

Mark

7/14/2020 11:35:00 am

I am not a subscriber to Kindle Unlimited, so I do not know the details of how long a book is available to read.
Your book didn't sell at the Renaissance Festivals, a little bit sad. I suppose it proves that many are there for the fun and food and little more. That probably holds true for the actors also.
Richard is certainly an interesting figure. He had every material thing handed to him on the proverbial silver platter, but that wealth did nothing to meet the needs of his heart. Poor little rich kid. No personal relationships, especially after the merciless parliament.
New questions.
What are the three most important considerations for an independent author to be certain of when signing a contract with an independent or hybrid publisher?
Is using Twitter and other social media part of your marketing strategy?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/14/2020 02:09:27 pm

Most of us are totally ignorant of the fine points of contracts—including myself. We are so overwhelmed by the fact that someone has chosen to publish our baby that we sign whatever they give us. Not that we have much choice! I think the biggest risk is making sure you are signing with a legitimate publisher; from what I understand, there are a lot of vanity presses out there posing as the real thing. I would make sure you are not required to purchase a number of books yourself; that should not be part of the deal. What rights are you signing away? I was very fortunate that my publisher was not interested in audio rights; I have since published audio versions of both books on my own; otherwise it may never have happened.

There are a lot of things you cannot guarantee when signing up with a small press. You can't guarantee more than a minimum of advertising on their end. They might put you in their own newsletter or email blast. They might put you in a catalog. In my case, my publisher had a section on their website where I was to list all the places I arranged for my own marketing. I soon discovered that they did absolutely nothing with my contributions except ignore them. Once in a while I was able to get them to advertise a sale price on Amazon, but that dried up pretty quickly. All in all, I saw very little advantage to signing up with a small press compared to losing all my rights. Seeing the whole process from start to finish was worth one shot at the beginning, but after that, I had nothing to gain.

I soon discovered that the marketing was on me. Period. And so, following the advice I read, I started a platform on social media. I don't like Facebook because most people never see my posts unless I post to a group. I like Twitter very much, once I got the hang of it. I learned to "mute" people who never posted anything I was willing to retweet. Having a large number of interested followers (i.e., not names you purchase) is akin to free advertising, as I see it. I use "Buffer" to space my tweets apart so it seems like I am always active; also, I'm not aggravating people by tweeting a bunch of stuff in a row. It does take a lot of my marketing time, though.

Mark

7/14/2020 04:02:26 pm

I think you are right. Many new authors are so excited about having their book published they can't see beyond the champagne bubbles. A lawyer with experience in Intellectual Property law is essential for an author's protection and future financial security. That will be the best money spent ever.
Audio books are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of licensing possibilities. Foreign publishing, whether in English or a translation is another, large print, screenplays, graphic novels, streaming video, serializing are other possibilities. I forgot merchandising also.
Promotion and marketing is pretty much the author's responsibility with almost every publisher now. Their profit margins are so slim, the number of publishers has shrunk so much, most of them are hanging on by their fingernails.
Yes, buying followers, AKA fake accounts, is one of the worst ideas possible. They do you no real good, except lighten your wallet.
Buffer sounds like a tweet scheduler. Is that right? Did you know that Twitter is rolling out the ability to schedule tweets also. I have had it for several weeks, but I don't use it. I prefer Tweetdeck.
New questions.
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?
Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/14/2020 04:20:51 pm

No, I didn't know about Twitter's scheduling opportunity. I'll have to check it out, thanks! Buffer is pretty powerful unless you use the free version, which I do. You are limited to 10 scheduled tweets, which is good for the most part.

My all-time favorite book is "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas. Reading that book was an "Aha" moment for me; I suddenly realized what historical fiction was all about, and Dumas was a master at characterization. There's no wonder that the musketeers appeal in their own way to every generation. I go back and revisit that book every couple of years and it never fails to invigorate me.

As I child, I remember being so thrilled with "Black Beauty" that I told my mother I wanted to be a writer. She pooh-poohed me—shame on her. But I did go on to love animal books. I loved the Lad, A Dog series and I really think it helped my affinity toward animals.

It's hard to say which of my own books is a favorite, since I put so much into writing them. I guess I'd lean towards FATAL RIVALRY, the last book in the Great Earls series. I really felt that Tostig's story needed to be told; I don't think history has treated him fairly. FATAL is coming out in audio any day now, and I found that it translated to audio incredibly well (with thanks to my narrator, Kevin E. Green). Listening to it, I even got choked up a couple of times. Originally, I was going to write THE SONS OF GODWINE from the brothers' point of view (except Harold, because it was to be all about Harold). But when I finished the first draft, I knew it was unfinished and I went back and added all of his passages. And, of course, I realized it had to be two books rather than one because there was so much to say. Writing in first person was a revelation to me; I thought I didn't like it until I tried it. I really enjoyed being witty and sarcastic as Tostig, and in FATAL RIVALRY everything comes to a head. Though I admit it: doing first person point of view from different characters in the same book is a grueling challenge and I'll never do it again!

Mark

7/14/2020 05:47:42 pm

If you haven't tried Tweetdeck, it might be worth your while. I have not run into a limitation on the number of tweets yet. You can also choose what information you want displayed in different panes, including Direct Messages. Sometimes I find DMs in Tweetdeck that do not show on Twitter. Twitter also doesn't show me all of my new followers daily, as well.
I remember the joy of stories about animals also. Jack London wrote a book that thrilled me, The Call of the Wild, I think.
I love stories written in first person, I am brought right into the story, when it is done right.
Four of your six books are in audio now, and Fatal Rivalry is almost here. Will The King's Retribution be produced as an audio book also?
Heir to a Prophecy was made into an audiobook by Kevin E. Greene, he did a great job on that book. We included him in the interview for Heir. Did he do the other books? Will he do this one also?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/14/2020 06:13:58 pm

Kevin has been with me the whole time. I dare say, he was great in first person with SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY. I was truly impressed. Yes, I have every intention of putting RETRIBUTION on audible, but as you probably have guessed, it is an expensive proposition. Covid has robbed my revenue stream as well, sigh.

Mark

7/14/2020 06:31:00 pm

Nearly everyone has been affected by the covid or its side effects. But, your audio book fans will be happy when Retribution is available as an audio book.
New questions.
Was it hard to find a person to produce audio version of your book?
Can you explain the process you went through?
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/14/2020 09:05:44 pm

At the beginning I was very nervous about the whole audio thing, but one of my writer friends tried it and gave me some pointers. Audible has literally thousands of narrators of all skill levels standing by. You can either listen to their samples (which is a good starting point), or you can post your book and wait for them to come to you. The idea is to pick out a short chapter or a series of passages that would give them the opportunity to try different characters. At first I had no "takers" and I got very antsy about it. But my friend recommended I wait it out. After a week or so I got three queries, and all three were so different! But once I heard Kevin my heart went pitter-patter. He was the one. I felt so lucky.
There are a couple of ways you can pay your narrator on Audible, depending on what you want to pay up front (per recorded hour). For the most part, authors pay the initial negotiated fee (don't quote me, but it seemed like the average was $50, though the professionals demanded $200 and sometimes $400) plus a 50/50 split. The average book length for me was around 10 hours. Audible takes 60%, so the author's split comes out to 20%. And that is based on whether the reader has a monthly contract, which is a lot less than the advertised $24.95 you see on Amazon.

I think I have an ambiguous relationship with writing. As I once heard quoted (don't remember who), I don't particularly enjoy writing but I love haven written! That perfectly describes me, for the most part. Unless I'm feeling inspired (rarely), writing is a struggle for me. Because I write historical fiction, I find myself referring again and again to my source material for inspiration. A lot of what I write about is not well documented and I pick up opinions from historians about what might have been a person's motivations. Once I've agonized about a passage and sit down to write about it, when all goes well I come out with something surprising and it feels soooo good. Then I read it again and say "what's the big deal?". But I know, in my heart, that it didn't just pop out.

Mark

7/14/2020 10:54:31 pm

Thanks for explaining that process. I am sure it will help others who are considering the same jump.
I think most writers would prefer to have written, even if they love the writing process. There is a lot of tension and a million things to worry about. The good news is an author can keep working the book over and over until it's right. They don't have to make the first draft perfect, unlike brain surgery, for example.
New questions.
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/15/2020 12:52:10 pm

As for NaNoWriMo, I never tried it. I don't work well under pressure!

As for tapping into the character's emotions, I'm not entirely sure that's important in all cases. With first person, it's a no-brainer. You are that person. But if writing in third person—especially third person omniscient—there can be a distance between the character and the author that I think has possibilities. For instance, if writing about Hitler, or Stalin, do we really want to guess what is going on inside their brain? For some reason, I feel like a famous person is unapproachable—like his brain is off-limits.

I went through that conundrum while writing RETRIBUTION. During the second phase of his kingship, often called his "Tyranny", Richard did many unpalatable things. As an omniscient narrator, by definition I was supposed to know what he was feeling. But, since even a villain is the hero of his own story, there's every possibility that he was deceiving himself. Did I want to deceive the reader as well? No, it seemed too much like whitewashing him. I thought the better approach was to try to explain his actions by analyzing the circumstances that brought him to that point. We can see how a person reacts without tapping into his brain.

I am definitely an under-writer as you term it. Not deliberately: My first draft is totally concerned with getting the "facts" down, which is hard enough. I do throw a lot of dialog into the first draft because this helps explain things. During this phase, I spend a lot of time consulting my books and trying to piece things together; I often must sort through contradictory evidence concerning important scenes. Many times, I don't make a decision until I'm actually typing it out! I don't want to do this twice, so once I've developed a scene, I'm happy to move on to the next crisis. It's not until my second and third drafts that I flesh out the story and give it more texture. I rarely cut things out. When I finish my first draft, I'm usually about 80% of the way there.

Mark

7/15/2020 02:45:11 pm

NaNoWriMo is a pressure cooker, if nothing else. No doubt about that.
Good point about the antagonists, we may not want to know all that is in their heart.
I think many authors write like you do. The first draft is almost a skeleton, and needs muscles and skin added to it. Your research makes this building process necessary, especially when many experts are expressing their opinions. Multiple experts mean that there are multiple opinions because many of them are trying to stand out from the crowd and seek a leadership position in the community. You have your work cut out for you trying to determine the mindset of a person who lived hundreds of years ago.
New questions.
Do you prefer dialogue tags or action beats in your books?
What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?
Do you ever think about a person you know or know of that may be similar in some way to an ancient to help fill in some of the gaps?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/15/2020 03:56:39 pm

Honestly, I don't give dialog tags or action beats any thought while I'm writing. I just use what comes naturally. Thankfully. Otherwise, it would probably drive me crazy! I think for the most part I prefer action unless I am having multiple people in the same conversation. I like to have my characters doing something while they are talking. I wish people smoked cigarettes in the middle ages; that would save me some thinking. You see it in the movies all the time with those long drawn-out exhales. I'm so jealous!

Fleshing out characters is one of the toughest parts of writing for me. Whenever possible, I rely on their "action beats" to give traits away. Shifty eyes, that sort of thing. Or I have them thinking about what was just said. I don't spend a lot of time alone with my characters unless I have to; I prefer the "show, don't tell" style whenever I can pull it off. That's a good question, Mark.

I think often—more than I realize—pull impressions and even snippets of dialog from movies and actors. I loved Eleanor of Aquitaine telling her sons to "Promise them anything." I must use that some day! It's so much easier to absorb character traits from actors since they are putting so much effort into their portrayal. I got a lot out of the BBC's "Richard II" with Derek Jacobi (back in the late 70s) and I watch it over and over. I'm pretty sure I picked up a lot from it (I even had the Duke of York stutter a little in RETRIBUTION. That came from this production. He was perfect.). In real life, not so much.

Mark

7/15/2020 05:03:37 pm

I think about them as a proofreader because they are punctuated differently. I see many authors mix them up to good effect. The fewer 'he said, she said' the better, as far as I am concerned. When there is a lot of dialog and authors start floating in a lot of adverbs to replace the saids, it can get awkward. I expect to see more meat and fruit spearing and some apple peeling in your next book. Perhaps some seed spitting also. That's one way to have more action beats.
Thank you for the compliment.
I think I saw that production of Richard II. I don't recall anything about it, but I am not invested like you are. Stuttering is an interesting device, I have a stammer which is really similar to a stutter that shows up sometimes when I have a lot of tension or excitement. I have to pause, let the tension flow out of my mouth, before I can speak clearly and calmly.
New question.
Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?
What is one thing you hate about your protagonist and one thing you love about the antagonist?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/15/2020 07:36:27 pm

Interesting observation! I'll remember the seed spitting! My brother and I spat watermelon seeds at each other... too bad watermelon probably isn't medieval either.

In my books, there usually isn't a clear-cut antagonist. In real life, villains aren't so easy to spot, are they? Actually, I have a philosophy that no one is 100% good or 100% bad. Even Hitler loved animals. So I try to give my protagonists some unsavory characteristics and the bad guy has at least one redeeming feature. When I read a book where the villain does wicked things without good reason—just to be bad—I usually throw it aside. Ditto with heroes that can do no wrong. I love villains who you can't help but identify with; remember Alex in Clockwork Orange? He was very likeable, yet so bad. In my own books, the conflicts are often as internal as they are external.

So you see, I can't answer your second question! I feel too much empathy for Richard to "hate" anything about him. I think he was unable to achieve the glory of his ancestors and it destroyed his self-image. I suppose his antagonist was Henry Bolingbroke, but again, I sympathize with him too. He was forced into a position that he had to go "all the way" or face possible extinction. In fact, my next book (my current project) is from his point of view! Now that I am working on Henry, he's the good guy and Richard is the... uh... loser. What can I say?

Mark

7/15/2020 07:49:12 pm

Researching watermelons and the middle ages is another project for you. I wonder what other fruits and vegetables were common back then. I recall that tomatoes were thought to be poisonous at one time, in Europe, though I don't recall when that was.
I like how you let your characters be human, truth be told, we all have a bit of evil inside us, though it may be well tamped down. Each of us has our own self-interests at heart, at the end of the day.
Henry's story will be just as good as Richard's, coming from your pen. So far, Richard has been a loser in many ways. This will be ever so interesting. When do you think it will be published?
New questions.
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/15/2020 08:43:00 pm

Thanks for your vote of confidence! Yes, Henry's story is much more interesting than histories might lead you to believe (for some reason historians love to skip to Henry V. Not fair!). And I'm not finished with Richard yet, though I'm not sure his luck will change; depends on the point of view!

I'm cursed with a short attention span. I'm up and down, up and down while I write (perhaps the next thought is percolating). I work well in spurts, so I need to give myself a good stretch of time to fit in a good session. I absolutely write in a straight line. I can skip over minor stuff when I am stuck and come back to it in the next draft, but the major events must be thoroughly hashed out before I move on. And once I've done that, I don't really like to go backwards unless I find a new nugget in my continuing research. I've never been able to detour from the "straight and narrow"; I think that's how my mind works. I am a very linear thinker.

Mark

7/15/2020 09:18:52 pm

Point of view is everything. Your fans await the rest of the story.
The linear thing might partially be a product of the fact that you are starting with real-life events that happened a long time ago. There is no once upon a time here for you. You are taking the dry and boring facts, dressing them up and bringing them to life. Easier said than done, of course. Fiction writers have the luxury of starting the story wherever they please. Some writers write the last chapter first, so they can make sure that the story reaches the intended goal. They can easily write out of sequence and move bits and pieces around as it suits them. One of my guest bloggers, Rick Hall, has written an excellent post on non-linear writing.
You do sound like a linear thinker, or at the least that is how you are trained.
New questions.
Which is more important to a story pace or flow? How do you control it?
Did your writing process change much from your early writing to your current book or did it stay the same?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/16/2020 10:44:15 am

You do have a good point; I don't keep an outline, so writing events as they happened helps me keep everything straight. Of course, I read ahead (in my research) so I know where I am going; right now, I am reading about Henry V which is two books ahead. That way I can foreshadow future events when appropriate.

Although flow is important, I think that pace is a make-it-or-break-it proposition. If the pace is slow, you stand the chance of losing the reader. Everyone loves a page-turner. I think it takes a very skilled writer to break up the flow and hold the reader's attention. I know that if a book takes too much of a departure from one chapter to the next, I tend to get frustrated. Too many times and I'll put the book aside.

I hope that I'm getting better as I go along. Practice makes perfect! Each new book I write seems to be my best work; though I could be deceiving myself. I admit that sometimes, when I revisit an old book (like when it is put on audio) I am surprised by the writing. "Wow! Did I write that?" Very encouraging! In my first novel (HEIR TO A PROPHECY) I was waffling between historical fiction and supernatural elements; by the end of the novel historical fiction won the battle and I never veered away again. The trick, I think, is to remove the impression that I'm regurgitating history; I'm still working on that!

Mark

7/16/2020 11:41:10 am

Without an outline you are writing by the seat of your pants in a limited fashion. You know the barebones of the plot and story because you have read and researched exhaustively. It's the details and filling in the bits that history doesn't capture that keep you on the edge of your chair somewhat. It's working quite well for you, I will say. The foreshadowing is a big part of what makes a story exciting, we like to see justice served and the good guy win. That can change dramatically depending upon the point of view as we have already discussed.
The pace does need to vary. The reader needs moments of calm to catch their breath. Then the pace has to quicken, whether fast or slow, to reach some kind of goal or tipping point. I agree about the flow. Big gaps can take away a lot of the meaning.
The first time I picked up one of your books, I was concerned about the regurgitation possibility. It didn't take more than a few pages to realize my worry was unfounded.
New questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?
What is the one thing you hope readers will remember from your book?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/16/2020 02:25:49 pm

Thanks for the vote of confidence! It never seems to get any easier. Anyway, I'm happy to say I can't think of any changes I'd like to make. Occasionally I stumble across something in my research that adds color, or a missing piece of information, but so far nothing major, luckily. No, I don't see any themes that would comfortably relate six hundred years later. Although I do admit that sometimes I see traits in Richard that I also recognize in Donald Trump. Perish the thought! In his last couple of years, Richard found it easier and easier to lie in order to get his way. No one could trust him. Well, you can see he came to a bad end!

I'm really hoping to put Richard II on the Map, so to speak. Most people never heard of him and get him mixed up with the guy under the parking lot. And yet, he was the last Plantagenet king, and his story deserves to be told. Many historians think his deposition marked the beginning of the Wars of the Roses. I see him as a sad, misguided soul who never had a chance at a real life. Being king didn't necessarily make a man happy—as Henry IV was to discover, in his turn.

Mark

7/16/2020 03:18:27 pm

You are welcome. It doesn't get a lot easier in some ways. I attribute that to the inner liar we all struggle with. That small voice that says we will never measure up, our work is trash, etc. It goes beyond a sense of humility, it can be self-destructive if not kept in check.
Richard certainly exemplifies the adage, 'it's lonely at the top', without a doubt.
New questions.
Richard was the last Plantagenet king, is Henry the first Tudor king?
How were the two lines related?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/16/2020 05:45:46 pm

Are you sure about this? It ain't easy to follow!
Richard II was the last in the direct line of Plantagenets. After him, the kings are still descended from the Plantagenet line but through younger children of Edward III:
- Richard's father was Edward the Black Prince, the eldest son; the Black Prince died the year before Edward III.
- The next son was Lionel; he had a daughter who married and had a son (Mortimer). Technically Mortimer should have been next in line after RIchard, but he was passed over because his claim was through the female side (and because Henry IV usurped the throne).
- The next son was John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. He was the father of Henry IV
- The next son was Thomas of Woodstock, the Duke of Gloucester. He died in prison (in RETRIBUTION)
- The youngest son was Edmund Langley, Duke of York.
So... in the Wars of the Roses, the conflict was between the Lancastrians (heirs of Henry IV) and the Yorkists (descended from both Lionel and Edmund Duke of York. So the Yorkists arguably had a better claim to the throne.
Henry Tudor (Henry VII) was descended from the Lancastrian side through his mother, Margaret Beaufort (the bastard line of John of Gaunt); this claim was pretty watered down by that point. He was a Tudor on his father's side, but the Tudors were not royalty.
Clear as mud, isn't it? Took me months to sort it out!

Mark

7/16/2020 06:11:49 pm

I am not sorry I asked. I certainly see what you mean! The only thing more tangled is a bowl of wet spaghetti, maybe.
You did an admirable job of breaking it all down.
I hope this next question is easier.
Why were they called Plantagenets? That sounds very French to me; granted, I had only two years of French in high school. I have been to France three times in the intervening years since graduating from high school in 1971. I survived quite well, I could understand much better than I could be understood.
The Tudors. What is with that name? Yorkists make perfect sense to me.

Mercedes Rochelle

7/16/2020 06:41:47 pm

Ah, the name comes from Geoffrey of Anjou, father of Henry II (the first Plantagenet king). The story goes that Geoffrey would place a sprig of the planta genista, or broom shrub into his helmet, and the nickname stuck.
The Tudors were an aristocratic family from Wales, and Owen Tudor was a servant (or something) in Queen Catherine of Valois household; she was the widow of Henry V. They had a secret love affair and probably a secret wedding. Regardless, they had three sons; the eldest was the father of the future Henry VII who was born posthumously. Henry spent most of his youth in exile. He was an unlikely candidate for the throne, but history is full of twists!

Mark

7/16/2020 07:17:51 pm

A broom shrub? That sounds like a weed to me. I shouldn't be hasty, one man's weed is another man's herb. I guess I should look for a picture of the stuff.
A secret love affair and wedding? They didn't do a very good job of keeping that secret, did they? It sounds very human to me, fall in love with a person you are in close proximity to much of the time. The stuff of movies! Has a movie been made of that affair?
Was their son Henry VI? I ask because you jumped from fifth to seventh in the line of Henrys.
History is a twisty devil for many reasons. Not the least of which is the losers don't always have much of a voice.
Is all this going to be in the new series?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/16/2020 08:02:14 pm

You're getting there! Actually, Henry VI was Catherine of Valois's baby by Henry V who died young of dysentery. The baby was crowned king at age nine months thereabout—not a good thing for England! His uncles made a mess of things and lost the French territory gained by Henry V. Henry VI was the last Lancastrian king, very weak and prone to mental lapses in his adulthood (insanity inherited from the French King Charles VI through his mother). The infighting is what started the Wars of the Roses. And you're right. History is very twisted at times! Actually, author Tony Riches has written a very good series about Owen Tudor and the whole clan, so I don't have to go there. But I will keep my Plantagenet series going until the death of Henry VI. The Wars of the Roses has been extensively covered in historical fiction, so I don't need to get tangled up in it. I've got other projects up my sleeve!

Mark

7/16/2020 10:00:43 pm

That makes everything clear as mud. ;-) All these kings and regents and wives, I hope someone made some trading cards. If not, that might be a good merchandising idea to license off to someone.
I am glad you have more ideas in the pipeline. Your fans will be pleased.
New questions.
What popular modern authors have influenced you?
Are there any authors that influenced the writing of this book?
If you could meet your favorite author, what would you ask them?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/17/2020 11:47:11 am

At the top of my list is Sharon Kay Penman. Speaking of the Wars of the Roses, when I read her book "The Sunne in Splendour" I got a crash course—and to this day her novel sticks in my mind as the definitive version. In fact, this book showed me the way, so to speak, how to write the kind of historical fiction I love. It was like the proverbial light bulb going off in my head! Along the same lines, I was inspired by Colleen McCullough, whose series about Rome knocked my socks off.
As far as RETRIBUTION is concerned, I'm back to Shakespeare. His play, Richard II concerned only the last two years of Richard's life, all of which is covered by this novel. It took a lot of explaining to get to the famous joust between Bolingbroke and Thomas Mowbray. When I saw the play I didn't have a clue what it was all about, though I certainly appreciated the drama. Now that I have absorbed all the background, I enjoy the play even more. I wonder if the Elizabethans knew the history?
If I were to meet my favorite author, Alexandre Dumas, I would ask him how he did his research! His historical fiction was marvelous.

Mark

7/17/2020 02:46:38 pm

Penman's book must be marvelous. I am certain I would enjoy it also.
Rome is another popular topic. My next promotion is for a book set in the Dark Ages, in the British Isles. I do enjoy well written historical fiction.
I would think that history was very important to the Elizabethans. Formally or otherwise, it seemed to be a large part of their lives.
That would be a great question for Dumas.
New questions.
What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?
Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/17/2020 02:46:58 pm

As far as writing, I am a confirmed MS Word user. The formatting can be a little awkward, but I found a perfect guide in Smashwords, believe it or not. They have instructions for formatting to ebook that explains Word better than Microsoft does! Their instructions made the transition to Kindle (for Amazon) seamless.

My first book, HEIR TO A PROPHECY gave me a merry chase. I wanted to follow the story of Fleance, son of Banquo after he fled from his father's murderers in Macbeth. In the beginning, I had no idea that Banquo was the ancestor of James I, but I'm certain Shakespeare's contemporaries knew it. Fleance was going to be my protagonist. Imagine my surprise to discover he got himself killed pretty early on, after getting the princess of Wales pregnant. I had to write the story about his bastard son Walter, who carried on the witches' prophecy. My single historical source took him to Normandy and he ended up fighting on the Norman side in the battle of Hastings. That took some fancy plotting on my part, though I needed some help from the witches to move the plot forward. It's the only book I wrote with supernatural agents, and once again you can blame Shakespeare. Interestingly enough, though again I knew nothing about it, one of my minor characters, Alain le Rouge, Count of Brittany became one of the wealthiest men of all time (Forbes placed him 9th in the list of most wealthy historical figures). Not bad for an accident! As for Richard, the most difficult part was keeping the conflicting historians straight. He had no opportunity to trip me up.

Mark

7/17/2020 03:40:24 pm

That is a great tip about Smashwords, thanks.
The death of Fleance surprised me also, when I was listening to your audio book. I can imagine your shock.
The story of Alain le Rouge sounds like it might be interesting. It can't be easy to make the top 10 most wealthy men in history list.
New questions.
Do you have defined space for writing at home, or are you a coffee-shop writer?
Do you listen to music or have the TV on when writing at home, or do you need quiet?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/17/2020 03:49:51 pm

I absolutely have a defined space for my writing. In order to keep my rump out of the chair as much as possible, I purchased a short (but stylish) bookcase which is just the perfect height for my laptop when standing. I gave myself plenty of space to spread out my books, because unfortunately, there are many times I want to review a certain little fact bouncing around my head, and I can't find it. So I have to go through every book and scholarly article until I locate what I'm looking for. So I have two computers side-by-side: my desktop, where I do my regular work, and my laptop, where I write (and do my social media in the morning). Oh, and I require quiet or I lose my concentration. Since I'm working in a loft with an open great room, this can be challenging. Luckily there are only two of us and my husband's office is on the other side of the house.

Mark

7/17/2020 04:43:47 pm

You have created your own standing desk. Very good. I bought an adjustable lap desk after my prostate surgery last year. I had to stay in bed for some time. I have also used that lap desk as an occasional standing desk on top of my regular desk. It can be lowered and raised pretty easily.
An entire loft to yourself, that sounds pretty nice. If it gets too noisy in there you could always hang some heavy drapes on the walls to absorb sound.
I work in quiet also, especially when proofreading. That's when quiet is necessary for me. I do everything on my laptop. The only computer I have.
New questions.
Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?
Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/17/2020 10:13:41 pm

My husband has one of those adjustable desks, too. I think it's a godsend!

Whenever possible, I prefer dialogue. I think it's the best way to "show, not tell". In my current series, especially, much of the explanations come from what the king is thinking. Why is he acting the way he does? How can I get across the implications of his actions? I love to work this out in dialogue, because I can give it every angle and let him choose what to reject. Of course, when possible action can put you on the edge of your seat. Who can pass up a good murder scene? My biggest challenges are depicting a battle. Does one try to watch it from a distance like a general, or should I get into the eyeball-to-eyeball level? Too close and you lose the gist of the battle; however, so do the fighters. Too far and you risk spending too much time in description.

The senses are a good one. Touch and taste are hard for me, mostly because I forget about them. I do well with sight and hearing, especially because I like to distract my characters, especially in high emotional states. Sometimes I think I spend too much time in my character's head and I have to force myself to look at his world!

Mark

7/17/2020 11:09:51 pm

Mine is a little platform that can change shape and can be placed on a regular desk, used while on a couch or in bed. It is very portable and adjustable.
Dialogue is excellent. The books that I enjoy the most have lots of dialogue on the pages. It is a great way to hint at emotions and all manner of deviousness. That works well in your books. The king is seldom alone, somebody always wants a piece of him.
I can see why battle scenes could be tough. It would be very easy to spend several pages of describing the action.
New questions.
Have you ever participated in theater in some way, acted, behind the scenes or written a play? Besides whatever you did with the SCA.
What kind of marketing are you doing or planning on doing for your book?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/18/2020 12:17:33 pm

Well, to put it simply, no. Just never had the opportunity to act in a play (except when I was a kid).

As for marketing, that's a loaded question, isn't it? It seems you have to spend money to make money, and even that doesn't always work. I've already tried the Amazon Marketing platform (AMS), but the competition is so fierce nowadays that you can no longer make much progress experimenting with low bids. Is it really worth .50 for a click—or much more? I was content with balancing my expenses with my sales, but that hasn't happened in a long time. So now I'm trying to get "up to speed" with BookBub. There's a lot of ways to do it wrong, so back to trial and error. I was lucky enough to get a Featured Deal (Internationally only) for A KING UNDER SIEGE. Did you know that the International deals are much more affordable? For my $200 investment I accrued about $500 in sales. The domestic Featured Deal costs ten times as much and allegedly generates thousands of dollars in sales. But they are very picky and for the most part they turn you down. I read that if you only use Kindle Unlimited, that is a strike against you. Is it worth it to drop KU for the off chance I'll be accepted again. I just don't know.

I have noticed that most of the smaller advertising opportunities out there rely on their Twitter followers. It's a numbers game. So I've been slowly building my own Twitter numbers and relying on that for much of my exposure. Of course, you can't just keep sending your own BUY ME tweets. You have to include substance and slip in your own stuff. It takes a lot of time and energy. Does anyone have more successes to share?

Mark

7/18/2020 01:19:18 pm

After high school, play acting evaporated for me also. It was not a fun thing with my stammer.
Marketing and promoting is a huge issue for pretty much all authors. Even most mainstream publishers will do little to no real marketing for an unknown author. Some publishers won't even talk to an author unless they have a mailing list numbering in the thousands. That list of newsletter subscribers represents guaranteed sales to the publisher. Without making a profit they won't stay in business long.
Many blogs have been written about marketing on different platforms. If you do some poking around you may be able to save yourself some of that trial and error.
You are right, more numbers translate into more exposure and that is where it begins. People have to see something about your book in order to consider buying it. Have you thought about a book trailer? Those can be very attractive to the eye. Another investment possibility. If you do have a trailer made, I am happy to add that to my website for you.
You are correct, pushing your book only gets little to no response. Creating a personal connection with people takes time and effort. The adage is true, it's easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar.
Have you heard of the Rave Reviews Book Club? I have heard good reports about that group. It's not a silver bullet, but one option among many.
New questions.
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?
Do you have a newsletter you send out to fans? Why or why not?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/18/2020 04:12:09 pm

Thanks for the offer! Actually, I have a book trailer for every book; I put them together, myself. I'll send you my best ones, thanks. I'll check out Rave Reviews Book Club; haven't seen it. Since I leave a review on every book I finish, perhaps this would be a good venue thank you very much.

Well, like most of our click-throughs on the internet, I can't remember how I found your site (probably Twitter). But I do remember being impressed by the number of comments your reviews got! It wasn't until later that I discovered this was because of an interview with the author. No matter! I thought you had a clever approach and I jumped on board.

I do have a modest database and I try to send out a blast email every month, though not on any schedule. I use it mostly to announce special offers and new releases, though I also like to include an excerpt from my HistoricalBritainBlog.com. Staying in touch is always a good thing, though I've never been particularly chatty. I haven't had much direct response from these emails, but it can't hurt! I don't see it as a great marketing tool, but perhaps it needs to be more glitzy.

Mark

7/18/2020 04:45:40 pm

You are welcome.
Thanks, doing the interview has been very successful. It increases the number of views of the review. The best part has been getting to know the person who wrote the book.
If you are not already doing this, subscribe to emails for the hottest authors in your field plus a few outside of your genre. You might pickup some good ideas.
I just subscribed to your blog. I am looking forward to seeing what you send out. I am going to finish reading the post about killer and lascivious tomatoes!
New questions.
Which mailing service do you use for your newsletter? Is it the same one you started with or not? Why?
How did you know when this book was finished?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/18/2020 05:32:26 pm

I use PHP List for my newsletter, though I did have to climb a bit of a learning curve. They don't have templates or anything; their major function is database maintenance. I see that most authors use something fancier, though to tell the truth I prefer the "homey" approach. I don't want it to look commercial.

Since I like to write in a series, my endings can be kind of fluid. I like to carry my characters over into the next book, so the end has to come after a major event. I don't like cliffhangers, so I won't torture my readers with one (even at the end of chapters). Frankly, a lot has to do with the length of my first draft. I often find myself changing the "cut-off" place because the novel promises to be too long otherwise. It never goes the other way (yet). I'd rather add another book than take away from the story. Again, since I'm writing about historical characters, a death creates a natural ending! But even then, I realize there has to be some sort of denouement, or the reader feels cheated. I made that mistake once, and had to fix it after repeated complaints!

Mark

7/18/2020 06:21:03 pm

I understand the homemade approach. It can be a good way to stand out from others. There are many factors to consider there.
There are different kinds of cliffhangers, that is for certain. Some make you want to read the next book, some don't. It's a pretty individual thing.
You are right, death is a natural demarcation and deserves respect in one way or another. As your readers might have said, wrap up a few of these threads, please, the suspense is killing us.
New questions.
How long did it take you to write the first draft?
How many drafts did you go through to have a ready-to-publish manuscript?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/18/2020 07:39:11 pm

If I am starting out with a new series, it usually takes me a whole year to do enough research to start writing. While I am writing the first draft—which will take me another year—I am still doing research. So by the time I finish my first draft of book one, I've invested about two years into the project. By then I'm on a roll and I've been researching ahead for the next book—possibly two books ahead. So by the time book one is finished I'm ready to jump on book two, which I usually do within a week; but it will still take a year to write the first draft. I'm just not a fast writer, I guess. Once all my facts are down in draft one, I go back to the beginning and start fleshing out my characters and adding scenes—what I call segue ways. That part is difficult for me... connecting the dots! I can't just jump from one crisis to another; they have to be knitted together in a way that flows smoothly. In my mind, the first draft is the skeleton, the second draft the muscles and ligaments, the third draft the flesh, and the fourth draft the make-up. After four drafts, for the most part, I'm ready to go.

Mark

7/18/2020 07:56:29 pm

A year of research, I imagine there is a lot of note taking during this time. You gather the main events and the details are percolating in the back of your mind. It sounds like a good system for you. Finish a book, take a week off and start on the next. I like it.
Your connecting the dots is what makes these dusty old facts come to life.
New questions.
A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.
Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out some of the wrinkles before publishing? If you don’t, why?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/18/2020 08:52:02 pm

Good Beta Readers are worth their weight in gold. Yes, I find that a beta reader helps me focus. I send my manuscript off to them after the second draft; there is plenty of opportunity to make serious changes without feeling that I've gone too far in the process. I find them on social media; they are always writers, so I can return the favor. We start up a conversation and usually share the same ideas about writing. Interestingly, it helps to find more than one because each person brings something different to the table. I'm hoping my beta reader will tell me when there's something missing, when the story doesn't exactly make sense, or when it starts to drag. One beta reader was a nit-picker on historical detail, which kept me out of trouble!

Mark

7/18/2020 11:42:39 pm

I think finding beta readers that way is a good idea. I have fostered that idea myself. On my Twitter home page, I have lists of people who provide services to writers, one of those lists is for beta readers.
More than one is a very good idea, I think 5 or 6 is a good number.
More questions about beta readers.
Do you ask the beta readers to read through more than one draft of the manuscript?
Do you give them an e-version like a PDF or a hard copy you printed?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/19/2020 12:47:18 pm

My beta readers only read through one draft; I think they give me enough inspiration to finish it on my own. Unfortunately, they don't get the full benefit of reading the refined book! I always send them a signed paperback when it's done, but I don't know if they ever read it. During the beta phase, I find it works best to use a Word copy, because it has a built-in Comments module on the "review" tab.

Mark

7/19/2020 01:49:58 pm

Very nice. I am sure they enjoy helping you and they appreciate the gift of a signed copy. You answered my next question already.
I love that feature in Word. Some versions of PDF have a commenting feature also, but it's not as user friendly as MS word. I use the Comments extensively when I am refining a manuscript. It's also convenient because the author can ask me questions about my comments. I prefer Comments to Track Changes for two reasons. First, I don't like changing anything about the manuscript without express permission from the author. Second, I have some proofing software I use that is incompatible with Track Changes.
New questions.
Will you seek out new beta readers or work with the same ones as before?
Do you belong to any writing groups, virtual or otherwise?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/19/2020 02:00:39 pm

Interesting, isn't it, how there are so many incompatibilities with Word and other software? I even have occasional problems when exporting Word to PDF, mostly with Tables and their formatting. Oh well, nothing is perfect.

I do find that I change beta readers on occasion. Alas, the one I depended on the most passed away this year and I sorely missed his advice. Aside from that, beta reading can be very inconvenient (their urgency does not match my urgency) and I hate to take advantage! No, I haven't joined any writing groups; I am the proverbial lone wolf. I tried it once locally, and not a single person shared my genre. There was no point of reference!

Mark

7/19/2020 02:21:37 pm

Formatting is one of the first things to suffer when moving between platforms. I have experienced that with PDF and Word in the past. I have also experienced it with going between Open Office and Word. My comments didn't show in the manuscript until the author saved it again as a Word document.
Sometimes circumstances force a change of beta readers.
Very true, an author can't be in a hurry when someone is helping them for free.
I can appreciate that frustration in the local writing group. I bet you could find one online. If not, you should start one. Everyone would benefit. I recently promoted book, "Death at the Dakota" by Marni Graff. During the interview we talked about the online writing group quite a bit. You might find that useful.
New questions.
Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/19/2020 03:05:15 pm

I remember it well; it was in fifth grade when my teacher pulled me aside and encouraged me about my writing. I presume it was an essay, because I don't remember writing any stories then. In fact, I think I wrote one short story in my whole life—and it was terrible. I was inspired by a dream, so I neglected to have a plot. So no, I was a late bloomer. I didn't start writing until I had graduated from college, and BAM! I went right into my first novel. I didn't even take creative writing courses in college; I thought they were silly. So I guess I'm entirely self-taught.

I have to say I wasn't particularly inspired with my reading until my college days. I started out as a Psychology Major (until I got the "medical student's disease" thinking I had every neurosis under the sun). This may have started my thinking process about characterization, however. Then I switched my major to English Literature and I was smitten by the nineteenth century writers, especially Sir Walter Scott, Alexandre Dumas, and Victor Hugo. They were good teachers. I never did enjoy the early twentieth century writers, though. They were too "cut down" for me. I just tried another Hemingway book last summer, and my opinion hasn't changed. I must be a literary heretic!

Mark

7/19/2020 03:43:17 pm

That is a nice memory.
I had to do some creative writing in high school. I had no understanding of plot either, which some might think strange because I read so much. I consumed books without thinking about their structure or characters or scene setting. I ate and ate some more. My creative writing attempts were miserable failures. I passed that part of the course with a C or B minus.
You sound like me, umping in without what some consider proper preparation. We learn the hard way sometimes, and experience is the best teacher. In fact, experience is the only teacher if we don't listen to others.
There is a dark attraction to psychology for many, hoping to find a way to control their inner demons. It doesn't work for everyone, that is evident. You, however, made a great choice! Your fans will attest to that fact.
You are most certainly not a heretic! Just as every book has an audience and a non-audience, the same goes for writers. You don't have to love an author to be able to appreciate the author's skill with words.
New questions.
What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your latest book?
What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?
Do you have a hero, real or fictional?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/19/2020 07:43:49 pm

My latest book is part two in a series; it is so difficult to get it out there if it's not a stand-alone. Richard's story was just too complicated to do it any other way, but as a result it's hard to get it reviewed. I should have found a way to get reviews before I published it, if I can figure it out!

My first book was a long time in coming, so that's not easy to answer. Most importantly, I wish I had a thicker skin because my bad luck with two agents (it was easier in those days) gave me such heartache that I shelved the book for twenty years. When I brushed the dust off and tried again, it was a whole new world. I knew nothing about an author's platform, and didn't realize I'd have to do my own marketing. In my REALLY early days, when I composed three art indexes by subject (geared for libraries) and I only made about $5000 each, I thought I was being ripped off. If I only knew...

My hero is Sherlock Holmes! I always find myself asking what would he think?

Mark

7/19/2020 09:06:53 pm

Most authors don't give a thought about marketing and promotion until after the first book is done. They have spent all their time with their creative hat on they don't even know if they have a business hat most of the time. When their book doesn't fly off the shelf or agents and publishers are not breaking their door down, the truth slowly appears.
The story of Richard is great and the readers are left wanting more, every author wants a certain amount of that. A newsletter, social media and a website fill in the gap between books.
Sherlock was an amazing character. I have read many of his stories. You have had to become like him, ferreting out and deducing the smallest details from nearly-non-existent clues.
New question.
What are some challenges to writing Historical Fiction?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/19/2020 08:55:30 pm

Of course, the research is the biggest bugaboo. If you don't like to do research, don't even think about it. If an author hasn't done their homework, it shows up within a couple of pages. And the worst of it is that much of your research will never make it into the book. But if you don't know the background, you're bound to miss something important. As I heard on the radio today, there's always more to the story. The stupidest things stop me in my tracks. How do medieval people interact with their dogs and cats? Do they even keep pets? How long will it take for the hero to travel from point A to point B? How fast does an army travel? (Many people think Harold Godwineson learned about Harald Hardrada, gathered an army and flew to Stamford Bridge from London in a week (over 200 miles). But what about the time it took to send the message?) How long before a man can fight again after being wounded? (a LOT of authors fudge that one. It drives me crazy). Logistics are certainly a challenge. How did the king's household function with a permanent staff of 400-700 people? Where did they sleep? How did he feed them all? How did the courts work? It goes on and on. No wonder most people don't write about royalty! But of course, the lower in rank a person goes, the less we know, historically. Who bothered to write about peasants in the period? For me, I tend to get lost in the details and lose a lot of time as a result. And I still make mistakes.

Mark

7/19/2020 09:23:19 pm

Research. Some are good at it and some hate it. New authors make the mistake of trying to include as much of the research as possible into their book. And the story drags out into almost nothing and nearly disappears. The reader gets bored and closes the book. The end.
You make a great point about logistics, an army and staff travels on its stomach. That was partially why a scorched earth policy was so hard to overcome for an attacking army.
Pets. So funny and true. What does a cat sound like with a French accent? Does a Scottish dog roll his bar-r-r-rk? I am being silly, of course.
As you point out, there are a million and one things to consider when you are diving deep into a person's life.
New questions.
What happens when your historical sources don’t agree?
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/20/2020 11:21:36 am

Such a good question, Mark! Even now, with access to everything on the planet, experts still can't agree. Sometimes the loudest voice wins. It's no different in medieval history, when most of the chronicles are written by monks who most certainly had an agenda. Either that person was godless—or favored by God—or the monk had to be cognizant of their patron. Many historians have done us a favor by plowing through countless records and Parliament Rolls to sort out what really happened. The former are dry but reliable (they knew when Henry IV ordered medicines); I was unnerved to discover that Parliament Rolls, however, were written after the fact and susceptible to alterations. Luckily (but not always) the alterations were evident—pasted in, different handwriting, etc. Nowadays we have to trust that our historians don't have an agenda. So in the end, the author has to rely on common sense to sort out the discrepancies. This doesn't always help, but many times when I see a statement that is absolutely contrary to a person's character or behavior, I may well reject it altogether—even if it's firmly in the legend. Over the centuries, historians tended to copy an accusation verbatim. Here's a big one: it is thought that Richard II extended Henry Bolingbroke's exile to life. Most historians don't give it a second thought, but one in particular took exception to this, pointing out that the statement was made by only one chronicler who was hostile to Richard. If Richard had really done so, wouldn't Henry IV have used this illegal action as one of his justifications for taking the throne? And he did not. After agonizing over this question, I decided to go against the grain, because I found this argument most convincing. If I were writing a straight history, I would have given all the angles; with fiction, we must make a choice!

Advice? Never give up.

Mark

7/20/2020 03:20:46 pm

Thanks.
You are spot on! Agendas are everywhere and evident much of the time. Sometimes they can be ferreted out by positive or negative associations. The presence of a patron can cause a certain agenda or slant to be maintained. There are times when you can learn more about a person by who their enemies are, rather than their friends.
You spent a fair amount of time discussing Henry's banishment through several characters. I found it to be quite interesting.
I like that advice.
Last questions.
Do you think a strong ego is an asset or liability for a writer and why?
Can you describe the demographic of your ideal reader? Who is the person most likely to buy your book?

Mercedes Rochelle

7/20/2020 03:41:59 pm

I think that a strong ego is definitely an asset. We have to believe we are very, very good at what we do. Otherwise the odds against success would be too daunting. It's kind of like the parable about 500 men going into battle understanding that 499 will be killed, and thinking "the poor bastards". I am the one that will survive. I am the one that will succeed. Even faced with not-very-stellar sales, our ego will keep us writing that next book. Otherwise, why put ourselves through the aggravation and the disappointment?

What can I say? My ideal reader loves history. I don't think I do well with readers who love historical romance because that's just my focus. I find romances tend to follow the same formula over and over. If my protagonist has a "great love", then sure, I'd be happy to include a romantic subplot (I tried that with Harold Godwineson). Alas, in real life that doesn't happen for most of us. Aristocrats, especially, tended to marry for politics or family and rarely fell in love with their spouses. So I'm looking for readers who want to know the "real" story about what happened. Unhappily for me, I think my books are niche market and I'll just have to live with that.

Mark

7/20/2020 03:53:34 pm

Good description! All those guys are going to die. I will survive. Being a writer certainly requires a tough skin and strong belief in what you are doing. Realizing that you write in a small or niche market is important also. A book is a 100 year plan. It will be out there after we are gone.
Lovers of history for sure, but you could include lovers of political intrigue, action, military, and adventure also.
Thank you, Mercedes, I have really enjoyed our chat this time around. I learned more about what you do and I admire your grit. I have a new promotion beginning tomorrow, so I must bid you farewell and keep on writing.

Mercedes Rochelle

7/20/2020 04:02:38 pm

Delighted with the conversation! Thanks for all your thoughtful questions. See you next book!

The King's Retribution: Book Two of The Plantagenet Legacy By Mercedes Rochelle

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