Sunday Spotlight | Lisa Klein

After I read Lisa's newest book, Lady Macbeth's Daughter, I was ecstatic when she agreed to tell us a little more about her inspiration for her Shakespearian novels and what kinda of adventures historical fiction has in store. Here is what Lisa had to say:

One of the most common questions readers ask is “Where do you get the ideas for your books?”  Short answer: from Shakespeare, from the past.  From anyplace I want to go in my mind; better yet if I can get there in body.

When  I thought about retelling a famous Shakespeare play from the perspective of a female character, Hamlet was a natural choice. Hence Ophelia, my first book. But Shakespeare’s Macbeth? Lady Macbeth, who helps her husband commit murder and, like Ophelia, goes mad and dies, did not seem a promising protagonist for a YA novel. So I started work on another book idea, when one day it hit me: I could invent a character who was not in Shakespeare’s play, but whose existence would make sense of the evil chosen by Macbeth and his lady. And thus Albia was born—the unwanted daughter of Scotland’s murderous king and queen. Lover of Fleance. Gifted with second sight. Revenger of her parents’ wrong. Yes!

I get really wrapped up in the books I write. I’m a stickler for accurate details. When I was writing Two Girls of Gettysburg I went and walked the battlefield and the town streets, and mingled among thousands of costumed visitors during a reenactment weekend, read histories of the Civil War and letters and diaries from the time. 

With Lady Macbeth’s Daughter, I realized I had a great story, but it just didn’t feel alive and real to me. I had no sense of place. How does one write about Scotland a thousand years ago? There are no written records from that time.

But there are amazing ruins! Henges of stone and burial cairns everywhere on remote islands, and in pastures where cows graze, oblivious. Most of these sites are over a thousand years old.  I saw the pictures in books. But that’s not the same as seeing them with your own eyes. So I went to Scotland, dragging my good-natured son along—who only asked to play some golf in exchange for trekking with me to the far reaches of Scotland.

And what I saw there stirred my imagination! In particular, the standing stones of Callanish inspired Stravenock Henge, where Albia and the sisters meet and perform their mysterious rites. After my trip, I finally had a sense of place and a mood that I could bring to the events of my story. And my character Albia came alive, because now she had a stage, a setting where she could move and interact and fulfill her (and Scotland’s) destiny.

Wow, I want to go to Scotland someday. Doesn't that Stonehenge look neat up against the green grass? Thanks so much for sharing with us Lisa! We can't wait to see where you'll take us next with your stunning historical fiction.....

Sunday Spotlight: Margaret Willey

with Margaret Willey

Since my childhood, I’ve always been a person who was deeply, obsessively affected by books.  I could go back to earliest childhood days—the fairy tale and poetry collections that were my mother’s with elaborate etched illustrations—how they thrilled me and owned me.  My favorite books are as much a part of my memories as vacations, birthday parties and special friends.  I remember reading A GIRL OF THE LIMBERLOST as a young teenager, a novel about a brave girl who raises money for her own schooling by finding and selling moth pupae.  Her name was Elnora and passages about her searching for moths through the Indiana swamps at dusk were amazing.  As I read, I could see the moonlit swamps, see moths in flight.  This 100-year old classic novel was one of the books that led me to a writing life.  So of course I had to eventually write about moths and swamps and old family secrets revealed in moonlight.  It took me many years to complete SILK MOTHS.  Along the way, I added a modern girl and a modern romance.

The moths in SUMMER OF SILK MOTHS are part of an old obsession.  It was lovely to resurrect it and to become a kind of moth collector myself.  I created a cast of characters who allow the captured moths to connect them to their missing personal histories.  I felt so lucky to be able to do this and I truly believe that this sort of healing can and does happen in real life.  

Today my office overlooks a snow-covered ravine and beyond the ravine is the western side of a sand dune.  No curtains or blinds in my office—I need to see the dune, trees, clouds and sky while I’m working.  Right this moment, three deer are moving horizontally across the dune.  In the woods, silk moths are hidden inside their cocoons, hard chambers spun from their own bodies that protect them through the winter, no matter how cold it gets and it gets very cold here in Michigan.  That still astounds me, even though I’ve moved on to a new book. You don’t have to be obsessive to be a writer, but it helps.

Wow, I never knew moths could be so inspiring and Michigan sounds very neat! Thanks for sharing with us today--I can't wait to find out what happens in the sequel. Celebrate A Girl of the Limberlost's 100 year anniversary by picking up a copy of A Summer of Silk Moths. You can also read my review of Willey's enchanting novel here!

Sunday Spotlight: Catherine Murdock

Sunday Spotlight is a new feature on BLT that puts authors or books I've recently read in the spotlight. This week we have a short word from Catherine Gilbert Murdock. After reading her book, Dairy Queen (see here), I wondered why she choose to write about a dairy farm. This is what she had to say:

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"I knew from the get-go that I needed to frame the story around two teenage enemies who become friends, then more than friends. The best way I could think of to accomplish this was by forcing them to work long days together until they learn to see each other beyond the labels. Farm work -- particularly dairy farming -- seemed an ideal mechanism for this. Also, I knew a bit about dairy farming given than my mother had grown up on a dairy farm. And I love cows. And I've hayed, which is SO HARD -- that description of haying's discomfort and itchiness came straight from my heart!"

Thanks Ms. Murdock for your time! Here are the rest of Murdock's books. Be sure to check them out your library today! For more fun (book covers, playlists, etc.) with Dairy Queen, visit catherinemurdock.com: