Historical Fiction Virtual Blog
Tours Presents…
A conversation with Historical Fiction author, Samantha Grosser
Connected by love, divided by faith. A
novel of faith, friendship, and betrayal set against the religious turbulence
of 17th Century London.
England 1604
Two men, once friends, have long since
gone their separate ways. But when the new King James commands a fresh
translation of the Bible, their paths are fated to cross again.
For biblical scholar Richard Clarke, the
chance to work on the new translation seems like a gift from God, a way back in
from the cold where his friendship with Separatist Ben Kemp has kept him for
many years. But Richard soon discovers there is a price to pay for his
new-found favour, and that price is betrayal. Caught between love for his
friend and his faith in his Church, Richard must make a decision that could
cost him his soul.
Set against the background of the
writing of the King James Bible, and inspired by true accounts of the community
who became the Mayflower Pilgrims, The King James Men is a vivid portrayal of
the religious struggles of the age, and the price of being true to your faith.
***
Hi Samantha, welcome to Myths,
Legends, Books & Coffee Pots. Please feel free to introduce yourself to my readers.
Hi Mary Anne, thank you so much for being a part of my tour!
I was
born and brought up in England, but after studying for an Honours Degree in
English in London, I spent several years travelling and working as an English
teacher in South East Asia, Japan and Australia.
I’ve
been writing for as long as I can remember, and I’m passionate about creating
compelling and authentic stories that are set against momentous events in
history. Writing historical fiction seems to me to be the perfect way to blend
a lifelong love of literature with a slightly obsessive interest in research
about the past.
These days you can find me on the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney where I live with my Australian husband and son, and a very small dog called Livvy.
These days you can find me on the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney where I live with my Australian husband and son, and a very small dog called Livvy.
e days you can find me on the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney where I live with my Australian husband and son, and a very small dog called Livvy.
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| Sydney's Northern Beaches
It is
so empowering writing historical fiction and as you say, it make a great excuse
to spend hours researching! What inspired you to write the The King James Men?
I
honestly can’t recall the original spark that set things off, though I remember
thinking that the creation of a book as important and enduring as the King
James Bible must be a story worth the telling. But the challenge was to create
a compelling novel within that story, and in the mountains of research I
collected about the period, I discovered the story of the small community of
nonconformists who would later go on to become the Mayflower Pilgrims. The
story of The King James Men was born in the conflict between
the world of the translation and the world of the Separatists.
Your
book sounds amazing. Did you face many challenges while researching this period
of history?
As well
as the usual challenges for any historical fiction author – what did they wear
and eat? What was their routine? What were the customs of the day? The
King James Men presented particular difficulties because of the
conflict of ideas at the heart of the book. For a modern-day outsider, the
differences that caused the schism in the English church can be hard to
appreciate, but for those involved it was a matter of life and death, a choice
that could cost them their souls.
So the
challenge for me was to interpret those differences in a way that was personal,
and to imbue the characters with the spirit of their beliefs, so that readers
would feel the desperation of making the right choice.
The
Church had such a hold on the populace, it was certainly a very different world
to the one we live in now.
Can you share with us three things that sets The
King James Men apart from other books set in the 16th Century.
1. The
King James Men is
set against the translation of the King James Bible, the most influential book
in Western history, and was inspired by the story of the community who went on
to become the Mayflower pilgrims.
2. It’s a novel of friendship and
faith, and of love and hope.
3. It’s a vivid portrayal of the
religious turbulence of the age, and the price of being true to your faith.
The
more I hear about this book, the more I want to read it! Last question, could
you tell us what you are currently working on?
Currently,
I’m working on another novel set in England in the 17th Century.
It’s still in the early stages of the first draft, and so I don’t want to jinx
it by saying too much!
Thank you so much for coming onto the blog, I really enjoyed our conversation. I, and I am sure my readers do as well, wish you all the best with your fabulous new book!
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Giveaway
During the Blog Tour we will be giving
away one eBook & one paperback copy of The King James Men! You can enter:
Giveaway Rules
• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on
December 4th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open to US residents only.
• Only one entry per household.
• All giveaway entrants agree to be
honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by
blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our
discretion.
• Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or
new winner is chosen.
Samantha
Grosser
Historical
fiction author Samantha Grosser originally hails from England, but now lives on
the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney with her husband, son and a very small dog
called Livvy.
Combining
a lifelong love of history with a compulsion to write that dates from
childhood, Samantha is now bringing her passion for telling compelling stories
to the world.
Samantha
has an Honours Degree in English Literature and taught English for many years
in Asia and Australia. She is the author of wartime dramas Another Time and
Place, and The Officer’s Affair. The King James Men, set during the turbulent
years of the early years of 17th Century, is her third novel.
Looks great, will be on my tbr for sure.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteGood Luck with the rest of your tour.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new book.
ReplyDelete