Interview with historical fiction author Maureen Thorpe

Historical fiction author Maureen Thorpe joins me today to chat about her new novel that has a hint of magic, Coventina’s Well.

Welcome, Maureen. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I have come a long way from my small coal-mining town in Yorkshire, England. Working as a Registered Nurse, I also raised two children and later enjoyed coaching runners, teaching yoga, travelling with my new husband, Jim and being a scaredy-cat scuba diver.

I am the author of the Annie and Rosamund Series. I also enjoy writing a popular monthly newsletter, Tales from the Cabin. My publisher is Ekstasis Editions, Victoria, Canada.

I live with my Canadian husband, Jim, who complains about not understanding my Yorkshire accent, in a log cabin in the mountains of British Columbia.

Please tell us about your current release.
Coventina’s Well is the third book in my trilogy featuring Annie Thornton, a Yorkshire midwife and hereditary witch along with her telepathic cat, Rosamund. In the story, three women, each from a different century, find themselves on a hazardous journey from the Roman fort of Eboracum (York) to Hadrian’s Wall on the roof of England. The story follows the three women and their native friends as they each make a separate journey to prevent a death. Back in Eboracum, Disaster awaits.

Annie and her aunt are time travel detectives. In the first book, Tangle of Time, they solve problems in a medieval village in Yorkshire. In book two, Sailing to Byzantium, they travel with Vikings to Constantinople (now Istanbul) seeking stolen twins.

What inspired you to write this book?
I grew up in England surrounded by stories of The Roman Army and its 400-year occupation. I lived near York and heard of the ghosts of soldiers seen there. I wanted to explore what the effect The Romans had on the local natives: how they adapted/or not, how they survived the invasion.

Excerpt from Coventina’s Well:
There were no clues as to where she was in time but if Aunt Meg sent for her, she could be in any century. As Annie huddled against a wall, a woman came out of the eating-place wearing a long, grey tunic of indeterminate shape with a cloth tied around her waist.

“Hey, you! You, lad! What you doin’ skulking over there? Up to no good, I’ll be bound.”

The woman walked over, looking curious. “’Ay, I thought you were a lad way you’re dressed but you’re a lass. Don’t look so scared. Are you lost? You’re not a runaway slave, are you?”

Annie’s witchy gift for languages made it easy to understand the woman’s lilting Celtic tongue. She shook her head vowing to strangle her aunt whenever she turned up.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Although I finished my Trilogy, the characters would not leave my head so I’m writing a fourth. Is that a trilogy plus one?

In this story, the characters travel from the past and the future and meet in the middle in London 1600. Master William Shakespeare is at the top of his game as a playwright but finds himself drawn into a search for a gang of thieves and murderers.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I started my first story when I was eight. It was always the same story about a pit pony. (My father was a coal miner and ponies were taken down into the pits to pull the coal wagons.) I never got past the third page because I insisted on drawing a pony (I was horse-mad). As I wasn’t happy with my drawing], I always stopped there.

I didn’t consider myself a writer until I had finished book two of Annie and Rosamund. It took a while to convince myself.

Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I am retired so I do not have to juggle work. I usually write for a couple of hours after breakfast then an hour before dinner. When I’m not writing, the characters buzz around in my head, sorting out what they will do next.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have no structure, no plan. I sit down at the laptop and follow the characters.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
All I wanted was to ride horses. As I was a coalminer’s daughter, this was not going to happen. Eventually, I decided I wanted to be a physical -education teacher but applied for nursing as it didn’t cost any money! Turned out to be a good career choice.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers.
I love history so I work hard to ensure my historical background is as authentic as possible I also love mystery and magic so they are thrown into the pot too. What is life without a little magic?

Links:
Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Maureen’s books are available on Amazon.com. Amazon.ca, Amazon.UK Amazon.com au Kobo, Kindle and B&N.

Thanks for being here today, Maureen!