Connie and Tina: Blythe, we want to thank you for joining us for a chat. We appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to do our interview. We’ve looked forward to gaining some insight into you and into some aspects of your writing. Before we get right to the questions, Blythe, would you tell us something about yourself? What book you’re working on now, what it’s about?

Blythe: I started writing (and illustrating) my first historical novel at age ten. After many years in public relations, advertising, and marketing, I stopped sublimating and returned to my first love. I’m now working on another medieval romance, but I’m a little protective of the work at this stage. Let’s just say it’s set in fourteenth century England, but not on a pilgrimage!

Tina: I understand the basis for The Knave and The Maiden (Harlequin Historical January 2004 release), and the characters who are on a religious pilgrimage in the 14th century, is from Geoffrey Chaucer. Would you detail a bit for the readers what made you choose Chaucer, this setting and time period?

Blythe: When I was in high school, my English literature teacher made our class memorize the prologue to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in the old English, so I blame it on her. Amazingly, I can still recite most of it. I became interested in the 14th century before that, though. In junior high school, I read Anya Seton’s Katherine, a wonderful story that still inspires me.

The seed for my story began with the thought of a knight during the Hundred Years War, surrounded by death and destruction with nothing to give any hope. My original concept for the book was set in France with a pilgrimage to Compostela in Spain, but I had already had one manuscript roundly rejected because of setting, so I dragged the story kicking and screaming across the English Channel. That’s when the Chaucer references started enriching the story.

Tina: Wow, still recite most of it. I'm impressed.

Connie: Me too.

Tina: Are there any traditions you’ve come across in your research that are really bizarre or that you’d like to adopt?

Blythe: One of them triggered the story. I was amazed to discover that you could pay someone else to go on the pilgrimage for you and still reap the benefits! My hero in the book acts as such a "palmer," or surrogate pilgrim.

Connie: Speaking of research Blythe, I’m sure The Knave and The Maiden required extensive research. Could you tell us a bit about some of it for this book?

Blythe: I love the research and have to be careful or it will take the time I should be writing. I end up buying books on the specialties I need for my work. For this book, I found two or three books about shrines, pilgrimages, and miracles in the Middle Ages, as well as a handful about scribes and copyists. I also like to get picture books of the landscape and bought one wonderful one showing Dartmoor and Cornwall. It really helped me put myself in the story.

After the book was finished, I was in the Cluny Museum looking at a case of pilgrim’s badges, the little lead souvenirs the pilgrims brought home. I swear I stared at that case for five minutes, looking for a lead feather from the Shrine of the Blessed Larina before I remembered I made it up!

Tina: How difficult was it to get The Knave and The Maiden published? What was your process?

Blythe: Getting published is rarely easy. This was my second manuscript. (The first one was rejected all around despite nice contest results.) It also garnered good contest recognition, but my real break was when it finaled in RWA’s Golden Heart competition. Still, I had rejections from many publishers before my wonderful editor at Harlequin, Melissa Endlich, bought the book—with no revisions!

Connie: Have you ever been so discouraged that you’ve considered not writing? If so, what did you do to get through it? What would you tell an aspiring author who was discouraged to the point of considering not writing?

Blythe: I think all writers have faced discouragement. I got through it by writing this book. The heroine has a kind of writing that she wants to do and when her faith is shaken, she has to decide whether to carry on and do it anyway. I think the only cure is to keep writing. After all, the job is the same before and after you sell. You have to face the fear of the blank page every day.

Tina: That's all I'd have; a blank page.

Connie: Thinking of book reports and the Fun Picks are you?

Tina:

Connie: I’m sure you were on pins and needles when you handed off your first manuscript to someone to be read from start to finish. Who was the first to read it? What was their reaction? What advice would you give someone who just passed off their finished manuscript to someone to be read?

Blythe: Mmm. I don’t think anyone ever read my entire first manuscript. Even my mother didn’t read anything until it was in print.

I do remember sending the first chapter I ever wrote (twelve years ago) to a snail-mail critiquer, who, luckily for me, happened to be Alicia Rasley. She very gently explained that it was generally better not to change points of view in every paragraph. I have been fortunate to belong to Chicago North RWA, however. They have a wonderful critique structure that I’ve used many times to test my writing.

Tina: What writers have influenced you and your writing the most? How?

Blythe: Among my "aspirational" writers are Penelope Williamson, Laura Kinsale, and Megan Chance. I love their emotion, deep themes, and sense of time and place. Penelope Williamson wrote a wonderful book called The Outsider about an outlaw and an Amish woman, which helped inspire The Knave and The Maiden.

Tina: What is your writing process? Do you let everything flow go from start to finish? Or do you edit and edit some more as you go?

Blythe: Groan. My writing process is a real seesaw. At the beginning, I’ll just write: character stream of consciousness, scenes, anything. About 100 pages later, I’ll decide I have enough for a book, so I’ll sketch out a plot overview. (I do not write this. I draw it on big white paper.) Then it’s write and edit and write and edit and edit and edit and realize I’m not writing and go back and try to do new work! Periodically, I’ll discover I’m in a jam and go back and think about plot. It’s a very messy process.

Connie: That editing can really consume you if you're not careful...

Connie: Ok ladies. We’re off to the lighter side. What would be your favorite time of day? Why?

Blythe: Oh, I am definitely a morning person. I’d love to watch the sunrise. I’m much more energetic and creative in the morning and that’s when I write.

Connie: Morning is my time, too. It's beautiful, fresh and new. Quiet, too. I get more done then.

Tina: Not me.

Tina: Blythe, you say you "feed your muse" with art, music, and history, to name a few. Could you elaborate for us? What type of art, music, and history are you interested in? Are these interests used for relaxation as well as feeding your muse?

Blythe: Oh, absolutely for recreation and relaxation as well. My tastes are very broad. I visit the Chicago Art Institute regularly. My favorite gallery there is the Japanese woodcut prints and I have several prints at home that are Japanese or Oriental in feeling, as well as some modern art of the 60’s era, including a Robert Indiana "LOVE" print. Whenever I travel, I’ll try to hit the local art or history museum.

I have music playing virtually all day and I use it to set my mood. My collection ranges from Anonymous Four (an ethereal medieval group) to Allison Kraus to Frank Sinatra to Stan Getz to Led Zeppelin to the Broadway musical "Evita."

I’ve started putting together a "playlist" for each book, so when I sit down to write, I put on the writing music for that story. (A Paul McCartney composition called "Standing Stones" was part of the soundtrack for The Knave and The Maiden.)

As for history, I can get interested in almost anything. Right now, I’m reading The Great Influenza by John Barry about the 1918 flu epidemic. I can’t read history without coming up with a story nugget.

Tina: Your tastes are very broad, aren't they?

Connie: I'll take Frank Sinatra (though I'd really rather pick Dean Martin - umm hmm!) and my husband would take Led Zeppelin.

Connie: I think we all remember a favorite author, or series/book we favored as a teen. What was yours? What made it a favorite?

Blythe: My all time favorite as a child was the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace. The books take place in the early 1900’s and the main character, Betsy, wanted to be a writer. I absolutely identified with her!

Connie: What is the very first story you remember writing as a child? Could you tell us about it and who/what did you write it for? Did your desire to write stem from this experience?

Blythe: I know I always wrote, but the first thing I remember is that historical "novel" at age ten, though I don’t remember writing it "for" anyone except my own pleasure. It was a wagon train story and I think I got as far as Chapter Two. It is fascinating to read it now and recognize some of the rhythms I still use today.

Connie: How interesting to be able to recognize some of your writing elements from then with now. I've never thought of doing so.

Tina: A question to dream on...You’re stranded on a deserted island; would you choose books by your favorite author or TV? Movie star or closest loved one? What couldn’t you live without?

Blythe: I couldn’t live without a computer and Internet connection! I’d pick the books (I could get entertainment from the Internet). And no question: it would be someone I loved over a movie star.

Connie: Not being much of a shopper, you’d find things in my drawers and closet from last year to who knows when. Do you like to clothes, shoe, purse shop, or are you not much of a shopper?

Blythe: I used to enjoy shopping more than I do now, but I still enjoy a good browsing trip. As a matter of fact, my closet, too, includes things from "who knows when." Shopping for books and CDs, on the other hand, is a disease. I can always find something I want.

Tina: Which would you prefer; a maid for the day (Connie and I think it should be from dawn to dusk), paid of course, or, an all expenses paid weekend road trip?

Blythe: Mmmm. Tough choice. As a Sagittarian, I’ll always take the opportunity to travel, but the way my house looks right now, I could sure use the help. Before I answer, where’s the road trip to?

Connie: Umm...

Tina: You mean you aren't going to say Disney?

Connie: No. A weekend isn't long enough to go to Disney or Ireland.

Tina: True.

Connie: What would we find on your nightstand that you’re reading now or that is waiting to be read?  

Blythe: You caught me at a good time. I just cleaned out the stack of books I was tripping over before I got into bed every evening. In addition to The Great Influenza, I’m reading Trust Your Vibes by Sonia Choquette. My next fiction read will be either The Saint by Madeline Hunter (another aspirational author) or Dead Ringer by Annie Solomon of A Clean Slate by Laura Caldwell. Depends on whether I’m in the mood for historical, suspense, or contemporary.

Connie and Tina: And with that, and our thanks for a great interview, we’ll let you go. But first, is there anything we didn’t ask that you’d like the readers and fans to know?

Blythe: I would invite them to visit my site, www.blythegifford.com. Thanks so much for having me. This was a lot of fun!

Connie and Tina: You're very welcome, Blythe. We enjoyed our visit, too!

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