Interview with D.L. Bogdan

Good morning everyone.  It is my pleasure to host author, D.L. Bogdan today as part of her tour for her newest release The Sumerton Woman.  She has graciously taken the time to answer a few questions for us and stay tuned at the end for a great giveaway.  Without further ado…

Your books thus far have primarily focused on characters that are on the periphery of history, rather than about the historical stars themselves. Why choose these characters for your novels?

I was hoping to utilize a more original angle on a familiar story and shed light on some of the historical figures who are, at least to me, as fascinating as their much-covered counterparts. I feel the main cast has had more than enough wonderful works covering their lives and loves, and wasn’t sure what more I could lend to them. My hope was by introducing some new cast members I could keep interest in the Tudor story generated and show readers how other lives were affected by the tumultuous happenings of the time.

Is it more difficult to write about these less famous characters or is it more liberating because you have more freedom to create? Is it difficult to find information during your researching?

It was definitely a process I learned more about as I plodded along. In some ways I felt it was more liberating because as an entertainer I could find creative ways to fill in the gaps in their lives, which especially in the case of Mary Howard, the subject of my first novel, were not as well documented. Learning how to ferret out research, cross reference, and determine what sources were credible and would fit with my vision for the work posed quite a challenge. Sometimes the research process alternated between joyous discovery and frustrating dead ends with conflicting information, or no information at all! There are advantages and disadvantages to the device as there are with any other, but in all it was a great experiment for me and helped me learn more about writing historical fiction and how to express myself artistically while being as true to my characters as possible.

What is it for you that pulls you, as a writer, to the Tudor period? Are there any other periods or places that you think you might want to write about some day?

I enjoyed the Tudor period because of the powerful, dynamic characters/historical figures, each struggling with timeless issues so relevant to the human condition regardless of the era. But of course, I do love the fashions, along with the scope and magnitude of the settings (the vistas, castles, and palaces) so many fascinating stories took place. However, many eras have their own pull and I am very interested in exploring different periods, especially the 19th century. I enjoy the history of the British Empire and feel it lends itself well to many different eras, characters, and situations waiting to have novels crafted about them!

The covers of your books are gorgeous and I love that the one cover of The Sumerton Women you can see their faces. Have you had any contributions to cover selection?

Honestly, no I didn’t, but thank you so much for the compliment! I gave my editor the general idea of what my characters looked like along with pictures of the fashions from the era, and the art team at Kensington took it from there. I must say the cover for THE SUMERTON WOMEN is my personal favorite thus far, and I love that we can see their faces as well!

Are you currently working on anything new at this time? Is there anything that you want to share with us about it?

I have another Tudor era novel coming out in 2013, however, unfortunately, I cannot yet reveal what it is about, though I am quite excited about it. I am currently working on something completely different and am eager to take my work in a new direction!

Random question – if you could go back in time, where would you want to go and why?

I’d have to time travel hop! I’d make stops in 30’s-40’s Hollywood, Victorian England, Calcutta at the height of the British Raj, visit the Tudors and Plantagenets (and be perfectly behaved so as to leave with my head), and ancient Rome. There are too many amazing time periods and historical figures to confine myself to just one stop!

D.L. Bogdan is an ongoing student of history, musician, and avid reader who enjoys travel, the outdoors, and time with her family and friends. She is a proud wife and mother who makes her home in central Wisconsin. She is the author of Secrets of the Tudor Court, Rivals in the Tudor Court and The Sumerton Women.

For more information on D.L. Bogdan and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE.  You can also find her on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

You can follow the rest of the tour at the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour website or on Twitter using #SumertonWomenVirtualTour

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Now for the giveaway…I have one copy of The Sumerton Woman up for grabs.  The giveaway is open internationally.  To enter, simply fill out the form below.  Giveaway closes May 5th, 2012.  Good luck!

 

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