I am delighted to be interviewing Nancy Blanton today, about her book When Starlings Fly As One. Isn't the cover beautiful? Scroll down to read the interview!
Nancy Blanton
The Great Irish Rebellion of 1641 began with a failed attempt to seize Dublin Castle, but then rebel forces in Ulster captured several strategic fortresses. Infused with passion and optimism the Irish clans united, and the rebellion spread throughout the country. When Starlings Fly as One is based on the personal account of Sir Arthur Freke, the owner of Rathbarry Castle in County Cork. Rathbarry was besieged by Irish forces for nine months in 1642—the longest siege in centuries of Ireland’s history. That history has long been told by English voices, but the Irish perspectives continue to rise. This story is not a classic hero’s journey, but a story of war, struggle, spirit, and survival—a story of two sides.
The story is told primarily from the viewpoint of ecretive and often bold Merel de Vries, who seeks only escape from the English nobility she serves. When Rathbarry Castle is besieged by rising Irish clans, she faces an impossible choice: allegiance to owner Sir Arthur Freke, loyalty to new-found love Tynan O’Daly, or trust in her own inner yearnings.
On the wind-swept coast near the village of Ross, the English settlers hoping to build a new life now seek shelter within the castle. Rathbarry’s former owners, the MacCarthy clan and its followers, have brought their armies to take it all back.
To Merel, a Dutch orphan, both sides are heroic and both sides seem unspeakably cruel. Worse still, the people she loves are on different ends of the struggle.
With no access to food or supplies, the castle residents face starvation, disease, and the constant fear of death. Sir Arthur is desperate to find a solution for rescue. Merel insists she can help—but no one will listen. When opportunity comes, can she truly do what her spirit urges? Or, will a sudden betrayal change everything?
Writing Interview questions
Why did you choose to write your book in this era?
I made a deliberate choice to focus my work on the 17th century for a few reasons. First, I’m an avid historical fiction reader myself, and grew tired of the number of books focused on Tudor England. A quick Goodreads survey found 69 books just about Anne Boleyn—and more, depending upon how you spell her name. Second, the 17th century tends to be overlooked, but it is loaded with stories that haven’t been told. It’s a time of sweeping change for human understanding, from believing in witchcraft and a geocentric universe, to proving the laws of planetary movement, claiming freedom of religion, and dismantling the Divine Right of Kings. I love discovering historical gems I’ve never heard of before and turning them into fresh, fascinating story.
Did you find researching this era particularly difficult? What was the hardest thing to find out, and did you come across anything particularly surprising?
I focused my research on Ireland because I’ve traveled there several times and love it, and because the value of my Irish heritage was drilled into me by my father. The difficulty is that Ireland was a conquered nation. The Irish fought and lost three wars for independence in the 17th century, and as we know, the victors write the history. However, in recent decades Irish historians have dug into records, letters, archaeological studies, and have found new information that sheds a brighter light on the Irish perspective. Their books and papers are like unearthed treasure to me.
Can you share something about the book that isn’t covered in the blurb?
Yes, it has been a joy to make use of those bits of Irish treasure. For example, I write about the battle at Clonakilty in Chapter 41 of When Starlings Fly as One. Several sources covering this battle claim that 800 Irish soldiers were drowned in the bay. This figure was repeatedly used, yet it seemed unlikely to me. The Irish had grown up in this area and certainly would have known how to navigate it. I knew English military leaders at that time were rewarded for victories not with money, but with confiscated land. With an eye to some fertile property, could that figure have been padded a bit to make someone look better to his superior officers? A librarian in County Cork led me to a source by an Irish historian who had carefully reviewed the battle site and documentation. He estimated the deaths by drowning to more likely total around 16.
If you had to describe your protagonist(s), in three words, what would those three words be and why?
Merel is bold, secretive, and willful. She is not particularly intimidated by her superiors and speaks her mind about things she feels are important, especially if she has ideas. On the other hand, she’s aware of her station as a servant, and to do what she wants she must be secretive. She uses this trait to her advantage, and she’s small which makes hiding and getting away with things easier. Being small also has its disadvantages. She resents being treated like a child because of her size, and sometimes acts like one when she’s angry. She’ll do things she believes are right, and only worries about hazards and potential repercussions later.
What was the most challenging part about writing your book?
Having come across Sir Arthur Freke’s personal account of the actual siege of Rathbarry Castle, I wanted to stay as true as possible to his timeline and sequence of events. At the same time, I was layering in the Irish accounts to give the reader both sides of the story. I worried at first that the structure did not strictly adhere to the classic hero’s journey, and I might lose readers at the midpoint. I tried shifting some events to different times but, after getting some feedback from readers my decision was to stick with the true timeline, month by month, to make it easiest for readers to follow.
What are you currently working on?
My goal is to work my way through the 17th century until I have books from end to end. For my next novel I am looking backward, to beginning of the century marked by the end of the Nine Years War and its aftermath.
What would you tell an aspiring author who had some doubts about their writing abilities?
Welcome to the club. There may be some out there, but personally I do not know any writers who don’t suffer from doubt. Let it drive you to second-guess yourself and keep trying to improve. Be open to constructive feedback. If you have a story nagging you to write, trust that it came to you for a reason. Treat it like a dear and needy friend and do your best by it.
Either or!
Tea or coffee:
In the mornings I love strong coffee with vanilla creamer. Addicted, actually. In the afternoons it is tea—specifically Barry’s tea from County Cork. It is smooth, energizing and relaxing at the same time. I love the Brit TV mysteries when the detective comes in, tells someone their beloved has just been murdered, and then puts on the kettle. Tea solves everything.
Morning person or Night owl:
Definitely a morning person, the earlier the better to enjoy the quiet before others begin to stir, and to watch the sun rise through the trees. It is a dreamier, more creative time, whereas by the afternoon writing begins to feel much more like work.
Paperback or ebook:
Since so much of my reading is research, I’ll take it in whatever form I can get it and be glad for it. I do lean toward paperback or hardcover though, because I like to mark interesting pages with stickers. There are ways of doing that on ebooks, but it is much less satisfactory.
Thank you for the interview, Beatrice! It was a pleasure ‘chatting’ with you!
ReplyDeleteNancy
You're more than welcome!
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