Author Interview with Donna Russo Morin + International GIVEAWAY!!!

Passages to the Past is pleased to bring you an interview with the loverly Donna Russo Morin, author of The Courtier's Secret, The Secret of the Glass and her newest book, To Serve a King, which will be released tomorrow!!!

Donna has also graciously offered up a copy of To Serve a King to one of my lucky readers world-wide! Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post!

And now, to the interview....

How did the idea for To Serve a King come about?

I had always wanted to do a female espionage tale, had, in fact, developed a basic plot for one set during the American Revolution. But as happens, neither the market nor my editor (quite rightly so) supported the setting. Historical fiction set during the American Revolution is not only overdone, its not overly popular at the moment. Finding a truly unique take or plot for the period is very difficult. But I didnt want to abandon the woman spy idea all together.

Fast forward a few years, and a mammoth amount of research into European history, and I find Franois I, the king of France during almost exactly the same years as Henry VIII reigned in England. I thought of what he and I had in commonin historical fiction, the Tudor stories tend to be a bit more popular than those set in other European countries, like mine. And while Franois was not only more powerful and contributed more to the world, he has always taken a back seat to Henry in terms of the history of the period. These two kings, along with Charles V of Spain, were constantly trying to outdo and overthrow the other. In that, I found the context for my story.

In this book, as in my first two books (The Courtiers Secret 2/2009 and The Secret of the Glass 3/2010), there is always a subliminal theme which mirrors events or emotions taking place in my own life. To Serve a King is no different. I was going through one of the most challenging phases of my life while I was writing this book, so challenging in fact, I wasnt sure I would get it written. And as happens for many people in such circumstances, overcoming the emotions of such challengesanger and hateis the true test. And so it is for my main character, Genevive Gravois. To Serve a King is a s! tory of intrigue, murder, passion and betrayal. But at its heart, it is a story of redemption.

What drew you to set a book in the court of Francois I?

King Francois I of FranceAs I mentioned above, I found him to be a very sympathetic character. In most everything I read of him, he was portrayed as a selfish, power-hungry, lustful soul. All of which was true. But when I read further, past the years of glory and indulgence, I found a man who had suffered great loses, whoin his study of Humanismcould only have seen his own behavior for what it truly was and made his own condemnations of it. I hoped to show through his evolution that self enlightenment could bring one to remorse and ultimately to redemption.

Add to that the women of his courtastounding, aggressive, antagonist, and avaricious women. I was in heaven. Two mistresses controlled much of this courtthat of the KingAnne de Pisseleu dHeillyand that of his son HenriDiane de Poitiersand their machinations were fertile ground indeed for a writer of historical adventure.

One of the things that struck me the most while reading To Serve A King was the mutual love and affection that Francois I and his mistress, Anne d'Heilly had for one another. Could you talk a little bit about their unique and lengthy relationship?

Francois I's mistress Anne d'HeillyThis relationship was fascinating to me and another aspect of the period that enveloped me. I found it remarkably comparative to that of a couple in our own timeCharles and Camilla. Because of a military loss to the Charles V, Franois was forced to marry Charless sister, Eleanor. But before he met her, he had fallen madly in love with Anne de Pisseleu dHeilly. There was no hope whatsoever for Eleanor with Anne on the scene, as she would be until the Kings death. She was beautiful, brilliant, and bossy. Theirs was a tumultuous relationship to be sure, full of passions of all kinds. But the very fact that it endured through good times and bad, revealed that theirs was indeed a true and abiding love. They were both unfaithful to each other, and she could be quite the harridan, but through it all they could not deny their need and desire for the other.

You've written books that span several genres, why did you turn to Historical Fiction?

I feel my writing took the same precarious, zigzagging course that life itself can take. I knew from childhood that I wanted to be a writer, but finding my way and my voice were not as easy. I enjoyed some success with my short horror fiction, and was published in some critically acclaimed if little read anthologies. And the first manuscript I penned is a mix of horror and medieval fantasy, but it was never published nor was it good enough to get me an agent.

Now I have a confession to make hereas I began my writers journey, I was very untrained in the craft and ignorant of the business. My parents were children of Italian immigrants and my fathers father was a musician who came to this country to play the violin with the Rhode Island Philharmonic. He also made violins and viola! s by han d, one of which is the Smithsonian Institute. But my father new nothing but poverty as a result of his fathers artistry and he felt justified into urging his children to train for and strive for good real jobs. So my creative writing took a back seat to my college education in advertising and marketing. It wasnt until I learned to hear my voice and realize that it was the sound of the books I most liked to read, historical fiction, that I found success.

Who has been your greatest writing inspiration?

In terms of writing style, I would have to acknowledge Stephen King. I was obsessed with his work for a long while. His ability to tell a complex story simply, as if youre sitting beside him before a fire, is a gift and a talent one can only dream about. In terms of genre, it has to be Diana Gabaldon. Reading her Outlander series, discovering the blend of adventure and history, was a changing point for me and my writing.

Where will the next Donna Russo Morin novel take us readers?

I am having a wonderful time working on my next book, which will come out either Feb or March of 2012. The Kings Agent is an art history mystery, crossing the landscape of 16th century Italy to the homes of its greatest royalty, gathering clues from the work of the lands greatest artists, including Michelangelo. It is an adventurous romp with undercurrents of the supernatural that could change the balance of power throughout Europe. The Renaissance kings were obsessed with the acquisition of art, hiring men to procure said art by any means, legal or otherwise. Some call Battista della Palla an art dealer, others denounce him as a thief. Franois I of France calls him his agent, the kings agent.

Monna (Lady) Aurelia is a member of the Marquess of Mantuas household, but whether he is her guardian or her warden, is a! matter of heated debate. When Battistas work takes him into the heavily guarded Mantua palazzo, his stealthy swagger is not enough to make a safe escape and it looks as if he will loseboth the prize and his life. Aurelia helps him flee the fatal situation and for his gratitude, convinces him that he must take her on his search. Together Battista and Aurelia search for a triptych that reveals the location of an object King Franois craves. Together Battista and Aurelia must survive and triumph over three challenges that mirror the worlds in Dantes Divine Comedy. But Aurelia is not who Battista thinks she is, and the object is more than anyone can imagine.

If you could have 3 historical figures over for dinner, who would it be and why?

This is such a difficult yet intriguing question; I could ruminate on its possibilities for hours. There are so many periods in history that fascinate me and so many people within them who intrigue me. I know for a certainty that Galileo would be one of them. I found such empathy with his life and his beliefs when I studied him for my second book, that I would relish real time with him. Another that jumps quickly to mind is Benjamin Franklin. Like him, I am an ardent patriot and the revolution is a time in which I am greatly enamored, in which there lived so many people I would love to meet. But if youre going to party with any one from that time, it has to be Ben. The man doled out his wisdom with the same liberal hand as his Madeira. And for the last, I would have to choose Mary, the mother of Jesus. To hear her truths would be an astounding event; to share her pain as a mother of sons would be heart wrenching but profound.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Give your craft the respect it deserves. Not only must you believe in yourself, you must support it. Always strive to improve, attend classes, workshops,! and con ferences whenever you can afford. Give your writing time; make it a part of your day to day life and give it the time to succeed. Be prepared to take any constructive criticism that comes your way, ESPECIALLY from agent/publisher rejections, and learn from it. Give up the ego and do what needs to get done to make the sale. The ego can come when youve made the bestsellers list.

Now that's some great advice!! Thanks again to Donna for a fascinating interview and now here's the giveaway information!

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

- To enter, please leave a comment below and include your email address.

- Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY!

- For +1 additional entry each, please help spread the word by blogging, posting on sidebar, tweeting or posting on Facebook. You can use the SHARE buttons below and please include the info in the comment section below.

- Giveaway ends on February 5th.

SYNOPSIS

From her earliest days, Genevieve Gravois has known one fact above all: Francis I, king of France, is her enemy. Raised by her embittered aunt after her parents' deaths, Genevieve has been schooled in things no woman should know: how to decipher codes, how to use a dagger and a bow, and how to kill. For Henry VIII has a destiny in mind for the young girl--as his most powerful and dangerous spy.

When the time is ripe, Genevieve enters the magnificent world of the French court. With grace to match her ambition, she becomes maid of honor to Anne de Pisseleau, King Francis's mistress. Yet neither the court--which teems with ar! tistry a nd enlightenment as well as intrigue--nor Francis himself are at all what Genevieve expected. And with her mission, her life, and the fate of two kingdoms at stake, she will be forced to make deadly decisions about where her heart and her ultimate loyalties lie.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!