Interview with Author Jenny Kane
It’s a great time to be a Robin Hood fan, with a new movie expected, and the popular Robin of Sherwood TV series now enjoying a revival on audio. After the first full cast dramatized adventure was released in 2016, the producers, Spiteful Puppet, announced the release of four more adventures featuring the original cast, to be released later this year. In December 2017, a group of specially commissioned audio books, each read by a member of the cast was released.
It is my very great pleasure to welcome back Author Jenny Kane, who is here to tell us all about her own involvement in the project.
Q:
How did you come to be involved in the Robin of Sherwood audio project?
A:
It was a stroke of pure luck. The producer of the audio books, Barnaby Eaton-Jones, and audio writer Iain Meadows, both came across my novel Romancing Robin Hood a couple of years ago. When they were looking to recruit a writer for the new audio series they asked me to send in a Treatment (a story outline). I still can’t believe I was the lucky one whose story was taken up.
Q:
Were the story ideas given to you, or were they your own?
A: The Waterford Boy was my own invention- based on an idea I’d had when I was 14 yrs old. All I knew was that the story had to conform to what would be expected from Robin of Sherwood, and that it had to last 60 -70 mins.
Mathilda’s Legacy was a little different in that I knew beforehand that Michael Craig would be the narrator. It made sense to write something revolving around the Earl of Huntingdon. It was Barnaby’s idea that I write a story that had Robert of Huntingdon as a teenager.
Q:
What have been your greatest challenges?
A: The whole thing! I’d never written a script before. I had to Google to find out what a ‘Treatment ‘ was before I even started – but no way was I going to miss the chance to write for Robin of Sherwood- even if I never made it past the ‘interview’ stage.
Also- because Robin of Sherwood is a programme so close to so many people’s hearts, I felt a huge responsibility to get it right. Obviously, I knew I couldn’t please everyone- but I wanted to be as true and faithful to the original Richard Carpenter tales as I could. I had (have) a huge fear of letting people down.
I felt it was important to make sure every one of the characters we love had something to say. RoS is after all a group story. That was tricky- especially with Nasir!
Q:
How does writing short stories compare with writing novels?
A:
Script writing is much much harder. When you write a story you can give the whole picture. With an audio script you have to tell the whole story by explaining visuals using sound and dialogue. Too much description becomes too dull, and too little, and your listener hasn’t a clue what’s going on.
Q:
How did you feel hearing your stories read aloud for the first time?
A:
It may sound unprofessional to say it- but I felt emotional- stunned- amazed….I admit I had a lump in my throat when the theme music burst into life.
Q:
Did you have any involvement in the recording process, or with the actors narrating your stories?
A:
No. My job was over once the words were written, edited, tweaked, and my episodes were given the OK by both the Carpenter estate and ITV.
Q:
Do you have a favourite story and why?
A:
Mathilda’s Legacy. I didn’t expect to write a second tale- that was a fabulous surprise
It was also an honour and a privilege to create the character of Mathilda, Robert of Huntingdon’s mother. I loved playing with the history of the period (there really was a siege in Nottingham castle), and introducing us all to Robert de Rainault when he was just a sheriff-in waiting!
Q:
Will you be writing any future tales for Robin of Sherwood?
A:
I would love to. It all depends on how many copies of the audio books already available are sold. The project is self funding. We’re all doing this for love not profit! So if we make enough sales and enough people like what I’ve done with RoS- then maybe…
You can now buy these audio downloads- as well as 2 other amazing stories from Spiteful Puppet for only £5.99 each-
The Waterford Boy- “Robin is angered by the Sheriff’s new people tax… but his rage is nothing compared to that of Will Scarlet when he hears Alwin mutter the name, D’Marelle. For Will and the recruiter have met before… many years ago…”
Mathilda’s Legacy- “David realised why his offspring behaved in the way he did. After all, Robert of Huntingdon was Mathilda’s son. He was her legacy. The moment couldn’t be put off any longer. It was time to tell his son the story of how the Earl had met Robert’s mother…”
And don’t forget….
The Templar’s Promise, read by Phil Rose – “On the run and desperate for help, Brother Michael offers Robin and the outlaws the chance to secure a fortune in gold. If Robin is to get his hands on it, he must face betrayal and an enemy who is every inch his match…”
and
The Blood That Binds, read by Nickolas Grace – “The Hooded Man will face an adversary who is playing a long game, one that will see Herne’s son fulfil a destiny and set blood against blood in more ways than one…”
Bio
Jenny Kane is the author of the full length romance novels Abi’s Neighbour, (Accent Press, 2017), Another Glass of Champagne (Accent Press, 2016), Abi’s House (Accent Press, 2015), the best selling contemporary romance novel Another Cup of Coffee (Accent Press, 2013), and its novella length sequels Another Cup of Christmas (Accent Press, 2013), Christmas in the Cotswolds (Accent, 2014), and Christmas at the Castle (Accent Press, 2015).
Keep your eye on Jenny’s blog at www.jennykane.co.uk for more details.
Jenny also writes historical crime as Jennifer Ash. Recently she wrote an audio script for the revival of ITV’s 1980’s television series, ‘Robin of Sherwood.’
Jenny’s timeslip novel, Romancing Robin Hood will be re-released very soon.
Jennifer Ash’s medieval crime novel, The Winter Outlaw, will be published in March 2018
Social Media Links
Web site – www.jennykane.co.uk
Twitter- @JennyKaneAuthor
Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/JennyKaneRom...
Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jenny-Kane/e...tc20?qid=1492502979&sr=8-2-ent
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...Kane?from_search=true
