This week, we're welcoming author David Pilling, whose latest title is The White Hawk. The author will offer a free copy of the book to a lucky blog visitor. Here's the blurb:
"A Bolton! A Bolton! The White Hawk!"
England, 1459: the rival factions of Lancaster and York have plunged the kingdom into civil war. The meek and feeble King Henry VI presides over the chaos, unable to prevent his ambitious, bloodthirsty nobles from tearing each other to pieces.
Book One of The White Hawk follows the fortunes of one family, the Boltons, as they attempt to survive and prosper in this world of brutal warfare and shifting alliances. Surrounded by enemies, their loyalty to the ruling house of Lancaster will be tested to the limit in a series of bloody battles and savage twists of fate...
Learn more about David Pilling at:
England, 1459: the rival factions of Lancaster and York have plunged the kingdom into civil war. The meek and feeble King Henry VI presides over the chaos, unable to prevent his ambitious, bloodthirsty nobles from tearing each other to pieces.
Book One of The White Hawk follows the fortunes of one family, the Boltons, as they attempt to survive and prosper in this world of brutal warfare and shifting alliances. Surrounded by enemies, their loyalty to the ruling house of Lancaster will be tested to the limit in a series of bloody battles and savage twists of fate...
**Q&A with David Pilling**
How did you begin writing
and what keeps you going?
I’ve always had ideas for original stories swirling around in my
head. The setting of my childhood no doubt helped a great deal - I was brought
up in the West Wales countryside, a beautiful area soaked in history (and rain),
and spent many years dragging my poor parents up and down ruined castles. Added
to that, I always enjoyed creative writing at school, but there was a
significant lapse during my teens and early twenties. I started writing short
stories again about four years ago and since then the floodgates have opened.
What became of your
earliest efforts at writing?
Either rotting away in a cupboard somewhere, or long since lost
in the rubbish. Probably a good thing! My earliest attempt at a full-length
novel, a truly awful attempt at fictionalizing the life of William Marshall has
gone missing – again, probably a good thing! My second, a slightly less awful
effort based on the life of Hereward the Wake, is still extant. And no-one
shall ever read it!
What made you choose the
genres and time periods you write in?
I generally write fiction based in the medieval era, or
Tolkien-esque fantasy, and chose those thanks to my lifelong obsession with all
things medieval. The first full-length novels I ever read were the Lord of the
Rings and TH White’s The Once and Future King. I still rate White’s book as the
best version of Arthurian legend I have ever read.
What parts of the writing
process do you most enjoy, and what do you dislike?
The creative process is the most enjoyable, particularly those
moments where fresh ideas suddenly occur to me, and the putting together of a
storyline. The least enjoyable by far is editing and proofreading. These I find
a major headache.
Historical fiction requires
a great deal of research. What is the most memorable thing you have discovered
during this process?
The research for battle conditions during The Wars of the Roses
– the era of my current novel – was both eye-popping and terrifying. How anyone
had the courage to stand and fight on a medieval battlefield is beyond me,
considering the lack of medical knowledge and the appalling wounds men suffered.
Men like the Earl of Wiltshire were accused of cowardice for running away from
battles. Personally, I can only empathize with their good sense.
What is the best piece of
writing advice you have received?
It’s a cliché, but ‘never give up’ is probably the best advice.
There are so many naysayers and armchair critics out there. Self-belief and
drive are crucial. I have been fortunate in the response to my work so far, but
every so often someone does stick the knife in, and it’s often difficult to
pretend that doesn’t hurt.
Tell us something about
your current project.
My current novel, The White Hawk, is the first of a trilogy set
during The Wars of the Roses in 15th century England. Book One:
Revenge follows the fortunes of a minor gentry family, the Boltons of
Staffordshire, in their attempts to survive and prosper in an increasingly
brutal and uncertain world. I wanted to weave a story around the contrasting
fortunes of individual members of the same family, and how the savage and uncertain
politics of the time affected ‘ordinary’ people.
And finally, what’s next
for you?
My next novel, Nowhere Was There Peace, is due to be published
by Fireship Press, and I have another story in the pipeline based on the
exploits of King Arthur’s (fictional) grandson…
