INTERVIEW WITH PRISCILLA ROYAL

     Now that Lionheart has been dispatched (via e-mail yet; ah, brave new world) to my editor, I am able to rejoin the world again and I am delighted to be able to share an interview with one of my favorite mystery writers, Priscilla Royal.  In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that Priscilla is a friend, but I became a fan before we met at the Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale.  I was struck by how well she seemed to understand the medieval mind; her characters are always firmly rooted in the 13th century, very much men and women of their times.  They are also sympathetic, yet very human; much of the action may revolve around an abbey, but there are no saints there!   Valley of Dry Bones is her seventh entry in the Eleanor-Thomas mysteries, and it kept me up into the early hours of the morning.  High suspense and a strong medieval ambience–who could ask for more?   But now I'll let Priscilla speak for herself.

What attracted you to medieval history?

My fascination probably began during my childhood in Canada, but chance has encouraged it. A high school teacher gave me a paperback copy of The Canterbury Tales because I liked Chaucer. At San Francisco State University, I accidentally signed up for a class taught by John Gardner, a controversial medieval scholar but one who vividly brought to life both the times and the literature. I became quite hooked. Much damage has been done to our understanding of medieval life, especially by the Victorians who viewed the era as either terribly romantic or awfully barbaric. To my mind, the Middle Ages are complex and rich, yet subtle, without the flashing opulence of the Renaissance. In any case, the medieval era is not just the commonly assumed centuries of lock-step religion, primitive art, suppression of women, appalling ignorance, superstition, and filth. All eras possess unspeakable brutality, as well as enlightenment, a pattern that has varied little throughout history. In the 12th century, there was creative intellectual debate while the 14th was a cruel time for the thoughtful dissenter. But in modern times, Stalin came after the progressive Alexander II, and the McCarthy years were followed by improved civil rights in the 1960s. History teaches that enlightenment and compassion are not modern inventions and that we must never assume they will be permanent features in any society.

 

What author first inspired you to write medieval mysteries?

Ellis Peters, the consummate storyteller who respected research while integrating it so well the flow of the mystery was never hampered. In Brother Cadfael, she created the perfect sleuth: the outsider who could see what others, blinded by familiarity and assumptions, missed. Since her detective lived in an anarchic era, he could explore the meaning of justice in any given situation because there was no rule of law. Although no reasonable person wants vigilantism, we also recognize that laws can be unjust or badly interpreted. Defining justice is always interesting to the mystery reader because we want a fair resolution of a crime within the spirit of law. As far as Ellis Peters' influence on my work, I only hope that I have learned enough from her to create entertaining variations.

 

Did you intend to write a series? If so, why?

I love series so planned a long one. One favorite author early on was Anthony Trollope, a writer who created an entire county and demonstrated that a series could remain vital as long as it was carefully paced and there were enough interesting characters for variety. As a reader, I love settling in with a world and its inhabitants, watching the evolution of both, and eagerly awaiting the next book. How will the author entertain, surprise, and inform me next? As a writer, I discovered the joy of slow character development, balancing humor and tension, as well as craft experimentation so the books do not become boring. And with historicals, I could add the fun of research and learning more about my chosen era. A series is like a marriage. To be successful, it needs work, trust, and dedication.

 

Tell us about your characters, how they developed, and what roles they play.

Eleanor arrived first: a small woman, determined and a bit fierce. I thought she'd make a good 21st century CEO or head of a social justice group. Imagine my surprise when she announced she was a 13th century English prioress. As my jaw dropped, she suggested I study the Order of Fontevraud to discover what clever young women (albeit high-born) could do in the Middle Ages. She also said that she might have a sincere vocation but she would have struggles with pride and a strong sexuality. Brother Thomas revealed himself more slowly. I did not want a Dr. Watson type. He had to be a powerful character in his own right or frankly both Eleanor and I would get bored with him. Unfortunately, he started evolving into good husband material for her. I wasn't interested in a series with romps in the monastic hayloft, but I couldn't imagine them as sexless characters either. They are both of an age when biology demands mating. Luckily, Thomas solved part of the problem by admitting he was gay. This gave him some rather profound issues to resolve. Although he must behave differently in the 13th century than he would in the 21st, I promised him that he would not fall into some easy solution that would insult his integrity. As a gay man, he is, and shall remain, a real mensch. His announcement also allowed me to investigate a lesser known, and often avoided, aspect of medieval society and to explore the complex nature of love as he and Eleanor evolve in the series. The main secondary characters arrived quickly, generously allowing themselves to reveal aspects of medieval life. Sister Anne illustrates a woman's choices when her husband decides to take religious vows. Ralf may be rebellious, but he is still the youngest son of minor nobility and family interests demand his loyalty. Gytha, the prioress' maid, comes from a family of pre-Conquest Saxon thegns. Now the conquered people, they struggle to achieve merchant class.

 

Why choose monastic sleuths rather than secular ones?

The answer partially lies in the monastic leader's authority as well as an element of Christian belief. An abbot/abbess or prior/prioress was the representative of religious law on Church property and for their monastics. As such, they had the right to investigate and often try any of their religious who committed felonies. So a presumed amateur like Eleanor has the right to get involved in crimes. Added to this was the belief that a religious might be a flawed mortal, incapable of perfection, but he/she was still obliged to strive toward God's perfection. If God was perfect, so was His justice. Thus Eleanor may rationalize her attempts to find a more perfect justice than that found in secular society—and sometimes the religious one. And, finally, the Church and the State were in constant war with each other over power and wealth. This adds tension and plot possibilities for my religious sleuths, liegemen of the Church, when they must deal with secular authority.

 

Why did you pick the late 13th century/early 14th?

I suffer the curse of once being a comparative literature major so sought a period with historical events that might resonate with us today. The late 1200s/early 1300s were perfect. I'm not trying to force comparisons between that era and today, but I do see hints of similarities—like an image in a pond when a breeze ruffles the surface. History rarely duplicates itself, but the past often illustrates the dangers of taking certain paths and the consequences of decisions made. And I thought it would be fun to play with the issue of transitioning generations: if people grew up learning the values of one era, what would they do when faced with changing ideals, practices, prospects? Whether deemed good, bad, or indifferent, Henry III's reign lasted fifty-six years. That was longer than the average lifespan in the 13th century. Then his son, Edward I, arrived, a man who tried to be his father's opposite. Relative peace exploded into many wars. Lax legal practices were reined in. Stricter laws enforced compliance. Bled dry by taxes and fees, all Jews were expelled from England. The Church rejected debate and experimentation, growing rigid and choosing violence to silence dissent. The causes of change were complex but included a global chilling which severely affected health and the economy. My characters will face interesting dilemmas as the series progresses!

 

Tell us about your newest book.

Valley of Dry Bones is now out in traditional print, audio, and e-reader versions. Although I try not to favor any amongst the series brood, this book was especially fun to write, in part because I could finally include liturgical dramas. In 2003, I saw The Play of Daniel, presented by Aurora Theater and the Pacific Mozart Ensemble in Berkeley CA, a work that may be 12th-13th century but reminded me of early opera with all the drama but fewer stage mechanics. It also had roaring lions, the perfect backdrop to murder. My excitement must have been contagious because many characters showed up for inclusion in Valley. I rejected several, bribing some with appearances in future books. Crowner Ralf's brother, the sheriff, did make final casting, and Eleanor's nemesis, the man in black, who is Thomas' spymaster. Although I once assumed this latter fellow, now named Father Eliduc, was a villain, I discovered he possessed interesting shades of gray. Since Edward I is now king, I also wanted to hint at coming events. Ralf and his brother see the advent of a new legal system: less overt corruption but fewer options for individualized justice. Father Eliduc foresees the evolution in the Church/State power struggle and recognizes the need to recruit men possessed of more zeal but probably fewer scruples. The future interaction between Eleanor and Eliduc promises to be exciting.

 

Thank you, Sharon, for inviting me to your blog. Your books have given me much pleasure over the years and are an ongoing source of inspiration as well as a major reason the medieval era continues to intrigue. Should any of your readers have questions about my series, my website (www.priscillaroyal.com) provides a link to my email. And if they are interested in blogs, I am one of the mystery writers at the Lady Killers (www.theladykillers.typepad.com

Thank you, Priscilla!  I know you're hard at work on another medieval mystery, so I appreciate your taking the time away from your writing and researching to pay us a visit.  

November 18, 2010