Today, I’m delighted to welcome historical fiction author J.P. Reedman to Yarde Book Promotions to discuss her captivating novel, The Lost Yorkist Rose — a richly imagined story set against the turbulent backdrop of the Wars of the Roses. We’ll be talking about the inspiration behind the novel, the real historical figures who shaped the story, the challenges of writing medieval fiction, and the enduring fascination of the Yorkist era.
Mary Plantagenet is the second daughter of King Edward IV. Her best friend is her sister, Elizabeth of York, only sixteen months her senior. Two small girls who had once lived an almost faerytale life, the sisters are suddenly caught in the upheaval of the Wars of the Roses when Warwick the Kingmaker turns against their father and Edward flees into exile. Fearing capture, the girls rush with their heavily pregnant mother, Elizabeth Woodville, to sanctuary in the abbot's house at Westminster where they dwell in uncertainty and dread.
When they finally emerge, their father victorious at Barnet and Tewkesbury, the resume their roles as princesses, and Merrie England reaches its zenith, especially when their little brother, Richard of Shrewsbury marries the Norfolk heiress, little Anne Mowbray and Anne joins them in the nursery at Placentia in Greenwich.
But both power struggles and plague afflict England, and the lives of Mary and her family.
The Lost Yorkist Rose centres on Mary Plantagenet, one of Edward IV’s lesser-known daughters. What first inspired you to tell Mary’s story rather than that of her more famous sister, Elizabeth of York?
Elizabeth's tale is well covered in fiction and Mary almost never mentioned at all. She was fourteen when she died—very young, but not so young she wouldn't have memories of what her family had experienced at the height of the Wars of the Roses.
The novel begins during one of the most dangerous periods of the Wars of the Roses, when Edward IV is forced into exile. How did you approach writing these events from the perspective of children caught in political chaos?
I hope I could capture some of the helplessness that children would feel both then, and today, when faced with the prospect of war. Even royal children. With their father fled to Burgundy, all that was between them and the tumult of the regime change was a stout abbey door. Would sanctuary be breached? No one knew.
Mary and Elizabeth of York share a close sisterly bond throughout the story. How important was that relationship in shaping the emotional heart of the novel?
The two girls were, at first, together at Sheen with their governess. They saw each other more than any of their other siblings or their parents. They were near in age too, and I imagined that they would be very close, often dependant on each other in times of uncertainty and trouble.
The scenes in sanctuary at Westminster must have carried a strong sense of fear and uncertainty. What drew you to exploring this period of the princesses’ lives in particular?
Those were probably my favourite scenes to write. The danger, the whispers, and of course the girls' mother Elizabeth Woodville was heavily pregnant and gave birth in sanctuary. I always felt that the time in sanctuary has been usually overlooked with emphasis going to Edward's return.
You portray the Yorkist court both at its height and during its collapse. Did writing the contrast between those two worlds influence the tone of the novel?
Yes, while Mary lived, after Tewkesbury was won, England entered the phase that was sometimes called 'Merrie England.' Progresses, banquets, marriages. It was the height of Yorkist power...but there was always a darker side, such as the execution of George of Clarence.
Historical fiction readers are often fascinated by the Plantagenet family dynamic. How did you balance the grandeur of royalty with the more intimate moments of childhood, family and friendship?
In all my Wars of the Roses books, I have tried to give a more human side to my characters whether children or adults. I do find some historical fiction can be very serious and incessantly gloomy. The Middle Ages were bawdy and bright, and if you look at more recent times of war, people often joked and made the best of a bad situation. They didn't constantly sit around the long, moping faces!
Anne Mowbray and Richard of Shrewsbury also appear in the novel. What interested you most about including these young historical figures and their relationships within the royal nursery?
I have always been fascinated by Anne Mowbray's story especially the almost unbelievable way in which her coffin was found. After her marriage to Richard, Anne was joined at Greenwich Palace by Mary and Elizabeth; I like to think they may have been brought there from Sheen to help her adjust to royal life.
Mary grows up during a time when royal daughters were often valued for political alliances rather than personal ambitions. How did you explore the expectations and limitations placed upon her as a Yorkist princess?
Both Elizabeth and Mary had a number of potential matches on the cards. Suitors came and went as the political scene twisted and changed. The main offer was from Louis of France and his son the Dauphin. King Louis considered Elizabeth as first choice, and, if anything happened to her, Mary would fill the role. I made the girls slightly horrified as Louis was known to be rather ugly and dressed like a jester rather than a king! But they also were aware it was their duty to make advantageous marriages.
Much of your work focuses on women and girls overlooked by mainstream history. What challenges and rewards come with writing characters who left behind only limited historical records?
It can be hard! Obviously I have to do some invention but I try to use an actual timeline setting, and when I can find little in any records I will use background events that would have affected them in some way—family births and deaths, battles and rebellions, and so on.
The title The Lost Yorkist Rose carries a sense of nostalgia and tragedy. What does the “lost rose” represent to you within Mary Plantagenet’s story?
Mary died young, as so many did in her era. Whereas her sister Elizabeth became very famous as the first Tudor Queen, Mary is almost forgotten, a name mentioned only in a few records. I hope The Lost Yorkist Rose, Mary of York, can bloom a little longer through the medium of storytelling...
Thank you, J.P. Reedman, for sharing the inspiration and research behind The Lost Yorkist Rose. Your insights into Mary Plantagenet’s overlooked story, the emotional lives of the Yorkist princesses, and the human side of the Wars of the Roses offer readers a fascinating glimpse into both history and storytelling. It has been a pleasure speaking with you, and we hope this novel helps bring Mary of York’s story to a new generation of readers.
If you would like to read Mary of York's story then pick up your copy HERE
J.P. Reedman
J.P. Reedman was born in Canada but has lived in the U.K. for nearly 30 years.
Interests include folklore & anthropology, prehistoric archaeology (neolithic/bronze age Europe; ritual, burial & material culture), as well as The Wars of the Roses and the rest of the medieval era.
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See you on your next coffee break!
Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx