Do you fancy a trip to medieval Britain and an encounter with a warrior knight? If you do, then let me introduce to Ella Matthews who has just released Under The Warrior’s Protection. Ella is a member of my local Romantic Novelists’ Association writing group. I was keen to discover more about how her role as a commissioning editor prepared her to become an author for Mills and Boon.
Did you dream of becoming an author when you were a child?
When I was a child I wanted to be an actress. There are two problems with this: I’m very shy and I’m a terrible actor. I thought that writing books is what other people did, so although I loved reading it never occurred to me that I could be an author too.
You were a commissioning editor for many years. Was it difficult to make the transition from editor to writer? What were the key pointers you had in mind when you started to write?
There is quite a lot of cross-over with my editor role and writing and because I was so immersed in the publishing world it was quite easy to transition from one to the other. As a commissioning editor you are always thinking of the commercial appeal of the books you work on and that was one of my focuses when I was putting my first manuscript together. I’d love to say that my experience as an editor made getting rejection letters easier because I know it’s not personal but sadly, that’s not the case.
Anna’s Book Blog
Under the Warrior’s Protection is set in the medieval period. Why did you select this period in history and how do you research the era?
I find it quite hard to research the medieval period. There is so much that’s unknown so I try and make an educated guess based on the research I do (mainly visiting castles and reading lots of books). My biggest concern is that I miss something and a reader picks it up.
I picked this time period because I’ve always wanted to live in a castle and this is the closest I’m going to get.
How many times do you draft a book before you send it to your editor? How many rewrites do you go through before the book is ready to release into the wild?
I go through a lot! I would say that, on average, I draft individual scenes about eight times before I’m happy with them. When I’ve finished the manuscript I will probably go through it another four times before I send it to my editor. Victoria will then get back to me with any changes she wants before it’s sent to a content editor who makes sure I haven’t written something crazy, like eating pizza at a medieval feast. After that, it’s the proofs and then finally it’s released into the wild.
Where do you get your ideas from? Do you find perfect medieval heroes and heroines walking our streets when you are out and about? If yes, then please give us a delicious example.
Gosh this is a hard question! I had the idea for the first book in the House of Leofric series so long ago that I’ve forgotten where the idea came from. All the other ideas for my medieval books have come from writing the other books. So, I had the idea for Under the Warrior’s Protection when I met the heroine, Katherine in my first book. She was a minor character, who caught my attention. Her story unfolded in my head as I was standing by the photocopier at work.
I’m terribly unobservant and I sort of walk around in my own bubble, so I never get my heroes and heroines from real life. Quite a few of my heroes seem to have Chris Hemsworth’s physique though!
Your novels always have distinctive settings. The latest book is set in a medieval castle. Is it based on a real castle and did you visit medieval castles to inspire you?
The castle, which features in all the House of Leofric books, is based on Oystermouth Castle in Mumbles (well worth a visit when Swansea opens back up again!). The hero of Under the Warrior’s Protection is an influential Earl and his fortress is based on Caerphilly Castle. I’m lucky to live in Wales where there are a range of medieval castles to visit.
What is the biggest challenge when writing a historical novel?
It has to be finding out the correct information. The medieval period lasted for several hundred years and so what was true at the beginning was not necessarily the case by the end. My novels tend to take place in the middle and I’m very nervous about the fiction not matching up with reality. That’s why my locations are fictitious and there are no real people from history in my novels. I might be braver in my next series!
What clothes do your characters own and are there any interesting, unfamiliar garments?
Clothing is another big challenge when writing medieval novels. When I started researching this time period I was surprised at just how colourful their clothing was. I think the women’s outfits aren’t wildly different to modern day women’s maxi dresses. My heroes tend to wear knight’s clothing because their everyday outfits were similar to the women’s and I don’t want to cause confusion.
Is your heroine, Katherine, a modern woman? Introduce us to Katherine and tell us what she would think of the way women dress and behave today.
Until the start of my novel, Katherine has led a very restricted life under the confines of an increasingly violent mother. She craves adventure and stability. I think she would be thrilled by how women behave today. She’d particularly love the freedom to travel anywhere in the world. If she lived now I think she would be a marine biologist! I do think she would be shocked by the mini skirt, though!
Your novels are presented as wonderful romantic escapes. What should readers expect to find in your novels?
Strong, confident alpha males and feisty, forward-thinking women who experience adventure and romance.
What do the readers say about your novels?
‘A story filled with drama, danger and fabulous characters that had me hooked.’
Anna’s Book Blog
‘This story…is full of angst, humour, and passion. Prepare to be romanced by another great author who is going on my favourites list.’
The Eclectic Review
‘This couple’s story kept me entertained, engrossed and I loved them more, the further I read.’
Goodreads review
Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children (probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else). Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children (probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else).
Please see all my author interviews at My Guests and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.
A copy of my novel is available here.
Gret interview. The answers were informative and entertaining – Ella is an author I clearly need to investigate further! Thanks, Jessie.
Really interesting to read about Ella’s view of both sides of the editorial process. Thank you for letting us share. The stories sound enchanting – that period of history is so dark and ripe for the imagination to be let loose.