Q & A with Alisa Libby

When did you realise that you wanted to be a writer?
When I was little I wrote stories with crayons on construction paper; I’ve always had that urge to tell a tale!

When did you first become interested in Tudor history?
I’ve been fascinated by the Tudors – and royal families, in general – for years. As a teenager I read a novel about Lady Jane Grey, who was used as a pawn to take over the throne of England after King Edward’s death. So sad! Poor, sweet, innocent Jane!

Henry’s wives also fascinated me, especially Anne Boleyn, who was so bold and determined to marry the King and be crowned queen. Later, reading about Catherine Howard, I found her story interesting for very different reasons. She wasn’t the intelligent, ambitious match for Henry that Anne was – instead, she was a girl not unlike most girls, landing in a situation completely beyond her ken, manipulated by the adults around her so eager to use her power to their advantage. It struck me as fascinating and frightening.

There have been numerous biographies, novels, documentaries, mini-series
and films written about the Tudor period. Why do you think viewers and
readers are insatiable when it comes to the Tudors?
King Henry’s court was dangerous and decadent, filled with politics, secret affairs, hidden motives and desires. And there was Henry presiding over the banquet, the perfect host to the seven deadly sins. I think he embodied all of those sins in his very person: lust (first and foremost), greed, gluttony, pride, envy, wrath (his courtiers were never safe—his closest advisers were often cast aside or even executed) and, later in his life, sloth. He was a fascinating man and everyone was so eager to do his bidding in order to benefit their own agendas. And as if that wasn’t enough, the clothes were gorgeous and Henry threw fantastic parties.

Which of Henry VIII’s queens is your favourite and why?
I’m partial to Catherine Howard, of course. I read a lot about her during the course of writing my novel, The King’s Rose, so I feel like I got to know her. She had relatively little impact on history, but her story fascinates me on a much smaller, personal scale. To have been so young and new to court, and after a few months to catch the eye of the king must have been a powerful experience. My favorite book about her, A Tudor Tragedy by Lacey Baldwin Smith, likens her whole career at court to the brief and brilliant streak of a comet across the night sky. She married the king, became his queen (in name if never officially crowned), indulged in banquets and dancing and all the fun of royal life, and allegedly had an affair with the young man she truly loved. Her star fell from the heavens as quickly as it had ascended; her tale is sad, scary, but dazzling to imagine.

In your novel, the ghosts of some of Henry VIII’s discarded wives make
appearances. Are you a believer in the paranormal?
I’m both a skeptic and a believer – is that possible? I’m not ready to believe every story I hear, but I do believe that the spirits of those who have come before us may linger in particular places. Though I’ve never encountered them myself, that doesn’t mean they’re not there.

Is it true that you went in search of the ghost of Catherine Howard? What
did you discover?
My husband and I took a trip to England to visit some of the places important to Catherine’s story, in particular Hampton Court and the Tower of London. Supposedly Catherine’s ghost haunts a specific gallery at Hampton Court, which is where she was initially imprisoned in her chambers after details of her behaviors had come to light. Legend has it that she broke free from the guards and ran down this gallery, screaming Henry’s name. He did not answer, and I don’t think she ever saw him again. We took a special ghost tour of Hampton Court which was absolutely beautiful, but I didn’t see Catherine’s ghost. However, when we visited the site of her execution and burial and the Tower of London, I left a stone on her burial place to show that she had received a visitor (she’s often overlooked in favor of her famous cousin, Anne Boleyn). In the chapel, I certainly felt something—I like to think it was a feeling of gratitude, that she had received a visitor. I have a whole journal of the trip on my blog: http://alisamlibby.wordpress.com/

Are you currently working on any new novels?
I am! Slowly but surely. It took me a long time to find something to spark my inspiration after I finished The King’s Rose. I was looking for another historical character to sink my teeth into, but no matter how much I read, nothing really sparked. So I decided to take a break from historical fiction and write some straight fantasy, just for the pleasure of writing. I’m still working on that novel, and a couple other fantasy projects as well. I certainly wouldn’t call it easier than historical fiction, it simply offers different challenges. I do hope that I have another historical novel in me, though – it’s so fascinating to research and write about history, and there are so many wonderful people I would love to write about! It’s just a matter of finding the right story and the right voice.

I’m sure you have read many books in your life, do you have a favourite?
So many favorites. The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George (I tell everyone about this author, I’m fanatic about her), Dracula by Bram Stoker, Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Also, some young adult novels: Fade by Robert Cormier and The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs by Jack Gantos top my list at the moment. In five minutes I’ll think of about nine other books I should have mentioned.

If you could ask any historical personality a question, what would it be
and who would you ask?
Catherine, did you really have an affair with Thomas Culpeper? Were you in love with him? Was he in love with you? Did you really think that your royal husband wouldn’t find out about it? I would love to know the truth!