Featured Personality: Lady Isabella
Interviewed by Marie Leveau
Marie Leveau waited in the inner room of Lady Isabella's
suite for her return from visiting her sister. Marie had already
seen what was to come there and saw no need to make things
worse by interupting the two. It was going to be odd enough
for the Lady Isabella to meet her as it was. But, Isabella's
not one to be too startled (curiousity being one of the traits
they shared) so they settled in for a chat.
First one: Saxon England was much kinder to women than many another historic period but it still was drastically different from today's world. How do you deal with the mental differences between a woman of the real 1066 era versus the "hand behind" the story?
Sometimes the line between the historical persona and me becomes quite blurred *laughs*. I try to stick to history as best I can without writing a totally boring character who sits and embroiders all day, taking an occasional breather in the gardens. That said, Isabella, while stubborn to a fault, knows her boundaries as a woman yet she speaks her mind and starts trouble wherever she can. She knows the only way to influence any event of importance is through a husband, something Isabella is trying to avoid at the moment. And history, especially Anglo-Saxon history, is filled with strong women.
Emma, wife of three Kings and mother to two, is a prime example as is the lady Godiva, Matilda, her mother Alix, Edith Svaneshalls and many others. So while there are some historical boundaries that must be carefully considered, Isabella does share my love of mischief and adventure, something that comes off clearly in her character.
Second: How did the "Lady Isabella" come to you? *S* Some folks have told me that they just had some characters come fullblown into existence in their minds while others do copious research and the character develops as they go. Which method did Isabella use to make her presence known?
Actually Isabella was created for another novel called Beyond the Northwoods, a fun fantasy story that was my first attempt at writing at Pan. From there I decided to branch out into an area of history that I loved and that was the Conquest. Isabella was at this point my favorite character and I wanted her to be the one to create and be a part of this new novel that evolved into 1066: The Year of the Conquest.
While one of my favorites, Isabella has always been a troublesome character for me to write. She has changed and evolved and grown and yet still has plenty of way to go. She started off as a naïve young woman, a spy for her King who has now fled from her betrothed, attacked the King’s brother, made enemies of an Earl and insulted his wife, and about to loose her only family, her sister.
The only thing I knew for certain about Isabella is that she would be half Norman. I was fascinated by the events leading up to the Conquest and Edward the Confessor’s exile in Normandy. Slowly, Isabella’s biography emerged - a granddaughter of a prominent Norman supporter of Edward the Confessor. This gave her a new dimension and also a new path in1066 which will only get more interesting when the Conquest does take place.
Third: 1066 is -- obviously -- a novel with a very historic setting. Is history something you prefer to write or do you enjoy other genres like science fiction, fantasy or ??
I started RP in a story at AS set in the times of King Arthur, a story focusing more on the history than the fantasy and romance of the legends. That still remains one of my favorite settings but through the search for a “historical” Arthur my love for history and research developed. And while I feel most comfortable in a historical setting I have branched out and write in other genre’s. I am in Alltud which is an Action novel, Time Lords which is Sci-Fi and Bats in the Belfry which is Fantasy. Yet I think all the genre’s have something in common and that is research something that I enjoy doing no matter the setting!
Fourth: if you could go back and observe any one day in history to solve a historical question, what would be the question you chose to investigate?
There are so many to choose from honestly and so many whose answer could imact our world dramatically. One of those that I can think off involves the death of the Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria. He was found shot to death along with his mistress in a hunting lodge in Austria and his death was ruled a suicide. Archduke Franz Ferdinand became the heir presumptive.
This name might sound familiar for anyone who studied World War I for it was his assassination in Sarajevo that was the catalyst for the first world war. It would be interesting to see who killed him and why because reports after closer examination showed that his mistress did not die of a gunshot wound but was rather beaten to death and the Crown Prince was shot six times, the bullets not matching his own gun.
There are many conspiracy theories, some blaming the Hungarians, other’s the Serbs and yet his death set into motion events that not only lead to both world wars but continues to impact international policy and our world today.
Fifth and finally: if you were able to tell the story closest to your heart, what would it be?
Now this is a hard one! And I’m actually at a loss for words (who would have thought!) But not for long! It is here that I would like to jump into character and set the record straight - I, Isabella de Percy, am a good, generous, caring person! Yes, I spied on the Earl of Mercia, yes I’ve insulted his wife, the Lady Gwendolen, yes I ran away from my betrothed the Earl of Huntingdon and yes I did kick the Earl of East Anglia but in my defense I must say that Isabella is just - well - misunderstood.
You see I’ve had a hard life, loosing my mother when I was young and then my father in the Welsh campaigns of Edward the Confessor so I really can’t be blamed for all those things! And not to mention that I’m Norman - I mean that has to count for something! So please, don’t hold the stubbornness and temper against me, I really am quite nice!!! Besides, all of those mentioned above really did deserve it, I swear!
Marie smiles as she begins to fade from Isabella's presence -- "it is not my place to argue, My Lady, but I must thank you for the time you took to answer....."
