Thanks
for having me as your guest. After two successful careers, first in teaching
then in disaster relief, I embarked on writing a
romance, mainly because it was
something I’d always wanted to do. I chose the medieval period because it’s my
favorite to read.
 |
| Anna Markland |
I have a
keen interest in genealogy. This hobby has had a tremendous influence on my
stories. I based the plot of my first novel, Conquering Passion, on a
bizarre incident that actually happened to a Norman noblewoman.
My
medieval romances are tales of family honor, ancestry, and roots. As an amateur
genealogist, I cherished a dream of tracing my own English roots back to the
Norman Conquest—most likely impossible since I am not descended from nobility! This
led me to make up a family and my stories follow its members through successive
generations.
I want readers to feel happy that the heroes and heroines have found
their soul mates and that the power of love has overcome every obstacle. For
me, novels are an experience of another world or time. I lose myself in the
characters’ lives, always knowing they will triumph in the end and find love.
One of the things I enjoy most
about writing historical romance is the in-depth research necessary to provide
readers with an authentic medieval experience. I love ferreting out bits of
historical trivia I never knew! But I have to admit I sometimes “tinker” with
the facts to make for a more readable story (and to ensure a happy ending). For
example the noblewoman whose life inspired Conquering Passion didn’t live a
happy life, and if I hadn’t changed some of the names in my latest novel, Pride
of the Clan, every male would have been called Robert!
Links:
Website: http://www.annamarkland.com/
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/author/annamarkland
@annamarkland
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/annamarkland1/
Newsletter
http://annamarkland.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=45ceb1d413011714e7cf65560&id=45c41a280d
6 comments:
Good luck with your third career. When folks love what they do, it shows in the result. I'm sure your novels are all the richer for your passion.
Thanks for being our guest today, Anna. I do agree with Linda - when we love what we do, it shows. And, I had to smile at your last sentence in relationship to my own family - my goodness there are three male names that appear in not just every generation but in most every family in that generation.
And, Anna or anyone else who is reading this comment: what is the difference other than setting between a Scottish Medieval romance and an English Medieval romance or one set in France, for example, during the same time period?
I enjoyed your post, Anna.
As to the differences question that Judith posed, I'm curious, too.
Great post! I think when a writer is passionate about their genre they are a better writer. Good luck with this new career. It sounds like it's off to a great start.
Sorry to be late replying. I spend most of Saturday at a local market selling my paperbacks. I would say one of the principal differences is the Celtic nature of medieval Scottish society. The Normans never did succeed in completely conquering them, as they did the Anglo-Saxons in England. Their society was more clanish and they had a more challenging landscape to deal with.
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