Lisa Yarde's current project is Sultana:
Two Sisters, the third in a series on the last Muslim dynasty to rule in
medieval Spain. She has blogged on the project at The
Brooklyn Scribbler. It will be released in June 2013.
JK: Tell us a little about where you grew up and what you do/have done
besides writing.
LY: I was born in
Barbados and part of my love of history stems from childhood, where I grew up
surrounded by relics of Barbadian history. By day, I work for a small
non-profit in midtown Manhattan.
JK: Tell us about your book and its intended audience.
LY: In
Sultana: Two Sisters,
two lifelong friends become captives, sold into the harem of Sultan Yusuf of
Granada during a turbulent period for fourteenth-century Moorish Spain. The
friendship unravels and turns into a bitter rivalry. A young girl with a hidden
heritage becomes Butayna, the Sultan’s beloved first wife, while her
counterpart Maryam enjoys a life of pleasure and luxury at Yusuf’s side. Each
woman bears the Sultan a son and finds diverging paths in a dizzying rise to
power. The struggle between Yusuf’s wives threatens to destroy his kingdom. Only
one heir may inherit the throne and one woman can claim the revered title of
Mother of the Sultan.
This
book is predominantly for women, adults and above, who enjoy tales of intrigue
and adventure in varied settings. It takes place ten years after the events in Sultana and Sultana’s Legacy. Yusuf is the grandson of the protagonists in the
two earlier books. I have incorporated many historical figures and the
swift-changing politics of the time. The connections and disparities
between the religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam have shaped the
characters. Readers who are familiar with this period in Moorish
Spain’s history or who have visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain will find
affinity with the setting and culture. For readers who are unfamiliar with the
prior stories or Spain’s past, I hope Sultana: Two Sisters will convey a strong sense of medieval
Spanish society.
JK: How does real life affect your fiction?
LY: As I recently
explained to fellow members of the New York of the Historical Novel Society, I only
write about historical figures. Real life and history shape my storylines. Two
clichés often hold true; the devil is in the details and the victors often
write the history. It is my duty as a writer to sift through the facts for the
kernels of truth. When sources contradict each other, I often go with common knowledge,
except if a very strong reason leads in another direction.
History provides
the when, where and how, but the why is often missing. My focus revolves around
the development of motivations for the historical figures who serve as my primary
characters. I try to explain the course they decided on, within the realm of
reason. Nuggets of personality traits, personal appearances and other
information from chroniclers gets put to good use in my stories. My writing
emphasizes the underdogs, people who by virtue of their race, gender, religion
or personal defeats never left a record of their lives. Propaganda informs too much
of what we know today.
JK: What is your favorite book? What other things influence your
work?
LY: Frank Herbert’s Dune series is still a favorite. The
characters are unforgettable, as are their machinations. Herbert introduced the
notion of world building to me, which I try to incorporate into everything I
write. He inspired my love of intrigue and strong figures.
I love watching
people. Basic human nature, our feelings and fears, have not evolved over
centuries. I am often amazed at how the bloody politics of the medieval world
mirror corporate maneuvers: bloodless, but still devastating.
JK: Do you have a favorite word?
LY: As in one I use too
often? A word that always comes to mind when I am writing is ‘belied’ as it pertains
to the dialogue and deeds of my characters. In this particular story, many of
the characters rarely say what they mean, and their speech deliberately
contradicts body language or actions. When the truth is more likely to place
someone in danger, sometimes secrets are the wisest course for my characters.
JK: How do you use language to differentiate your characters and/or settings?
LY: Throughout my
novels, I tend to use some period terms or phrases. Sultana: Two Sisters features interactions between Muslim, Jewish
and Christian Spaniards. Arabic, Hebrew or Spanish words are in the narrative
and dialogue to reflect regional variations or convey my heroine’s immersion in
another language.
JK: In general, what is your inspiration? What was the specific
inspiration for your most recent project?
LY: Love of a good
story has always motivated my efforts. Historical fiction takes readers to
another place and time, but good historical fiction leaves them engrossed in
the storyline with fascinating details and memorable characters.
In college, I took
a religious studies course on the history of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and
learned of the Muslim presence on Europe. My series covers the history of the
last Muslim dynasty to rule in Spain, from their palace of the Alhambra in
Granada, Spain. Sultana: Two Sisters
focuses on the turmoil within the Alhambra in the fourteenth-century, when
Yusuf’s two wives vied to influence him and place their respective sons on the
throne. This is a remarkable period filled with contradictions. Cross-border
conflicts between the Christian and Muslim states occurred, while Muslim rulers
relied on corps of Christian guardsmen for their protection and developed
significant relationships with Jewish people.
JK: How much time a day do you devote to fiction writing? What is your
work area like?
LY: I write whenever I
can. This means on the morning and evening commutes, at lunchtime and on
weekends. When I am at home, writing takes place at a desk in my bedroom, with
the door closed in complete solitude. It is a struggle to concentrate if
someone else is in the room. Background music is essential. While writing Sultana: Two Sisters, flamenco,
Sephardic and Middle Eastern music helped set the right mood.
JK: When and why did you get started writing? What characteristics from
your first efforts survive today?
LY: As a friend on Facebook
reminded me, I started in junior high school with short stories of knights and
damsels in distress. I have always had a fertile imagination, coupled with a passion
for history, so writing historical fiction seemed a natural choice. When I
started studying medieval times, the realization grew that the period was more
fraught with danger, superstition and great discoveries. World building is
still very important. My favorite books usually leave me completely immersed in
a setting and time, an element I strive for in my stories.
JK: What kind of feedback do you get? Are your family and friends supportive?
LY: Ah, feedback! Where
would a writer be without it? I have been lucky over two years to receive
letters from readers and several reviews. The emails relate how enjoyable a
particular story was, the memorable characters, or requests for more
information on the actual history. I love that last bit the most, because the
research is vital to the idea of world building. It is difficult to convey the
traditions, societal rules and religious beliefs of a period without detailed
study. The library is growing and spilling on to the floor as a result, but I
could not write effectively without guidance from history.
JK: Do you have a definable fan base?
LY: My readership
grows, but some attributes I anticipated still hold true. Those who have read
my work, particularly the series which Sultana:
Two Sisters belongs, tend to be predominantly adults. They are also women
who share my fascination with the Alhambra’s history.
Family and friends
are generally supportive. It took a few years, but my mother has now read all of
my books, and has her favorite among them. I am grateful for the interest and
support so many have offered.
JK: Thanks so much for stopping by today and sharing your amazing books.
LY: Thank you for this
wonderful opportunity to connect with readers of your blog. I hope they find
this post interesting.
Find more about Lisa's books here: Website
Read her Blog
She also blogs at Historical Novel Review, History & Women
and moderates at Unusual Historicals
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