Sally Baker asked Candace Robb:

Delighted to hear that you have some plots simmering! My mother and I have both recently re-read the series and love the books even more. I seem to remember reading that you initially did academic research in York and that sparked your interest. How did you chose York to begin with and why were you interested in creating a Welsh connection in the stories?

Candace Robb Great questions, Sally! Years ago on a whirlwind month-long trip to England in the midst of my graduate study, I arrived in York and experienced an uncanny connection. I felt as if I were coming home. More so than any other city or town on that visit, York caught my heart. Once home, I could not stop thinking about it. So began a love affair with York; there's enormous potential for historical fiction in this one city--archbishops, wool merchants, royal visitors, the great abbeys in Yorkshire--and, in my new series, the drama of the early years of Henry IV's reign and York's shifting role in his kingship. And I love returning there both in body and in spirit. As for Owen being Welsh, I wanted a protagonist who wasn't native to York, a bit of an outsider. And Owen Archer was there. Perfect for the role. When I went to Wales to add depth to his character, I found a wealth of material. It's a magical country.

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