Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?
– Not one author in particular as there are so many I like and admire, but Barbara Erskine’s novel Lady of Hay inspired me to want to write dual time stories as I loved the format – you get two love stories for the price of one so to speak! I now also write time travel which only has one couple, but the historical and paranormal aspects are still there. My latest novel, LEGACY OF THE RUNES, features a 21st century guy who travels back in time to the Viking era and it was great fun to write!
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
– At first I wanted to be a librarian and later an archaeologist, but I was too lazy to do all the studying involved and ended up doing modern languages instead. That was easier for me because I grew up bilingual, Swedish/English, and I spent a lot of time in Spain too so had Spanish almost for free. French was added later. I still wish I’d become an archaeologist though!
Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
– For anyone who is not published yet, I would suggest finding other writers who are at the same stage as yourself and swapping critiques with them, do brain storming together and generally encourage and support each other. I would have given up a long time ago if I didn’t have my author friends! It helps if they are roughly at the same stage in the process as yourself so that you can truly empathise with each other. Also learn as much as you can about the craft of writing by attending seminars, workshops and the like. Listen closely to critique from professionals – if they take the time to give you pointers, it’s because they feel you are worth the effort and you have great potential. Also, go to events if you can to network and just chat about writing with other like minded people. It’s such a joy to be able to share your obsession with others because family members, however kind and supportive they are, will never quite understand what we do.
Has any hugely popular novel left you thinking you could write it better?
– No but I am sometimes dissatisfied with the ending of some popular books and sort of rewrite it in my head to make it more satisfying. I’m the kind of reader who wants a truly happy-ever-after ending plus all the various plot threads tied up neatly. It frustrates me when I feel that would have been possible but the author decided to leave things ambiguous.
Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym, and why or why not?
– I do write under a pseudonym because (a) I don’t particularly like my real name Pia as I find it too short and (b) it didn’t fit with the historical vibe of my novels so I wanted something more suitable. I went with my middle name, Christina, but I have since regretted it because it causes confusion and I should have just stuck with what I was born with.
Have you ever traveled as research for your book?
– Yes, all the time! I write about the Vikings (and sometimes Romans) so I have been to Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland and the Orkney Islands in search of inspiration and settings for my stories. For the Romans, I went to Pompeii and Herculaneum in Italy – it was fantastic! I find it helps immensely to see these places in real life. You can find out a lot through research and the internet, but certain things can only be discovered by actually being there. It’s the little details that add so much.
How do you come up with character names for your stories?
– I love coming up with names and I spend ages poring over baby name books and sites. Especially sites with names from the era and culture I’m writing about. If I happen to come across a name I like at other times, I add them to a list of favourites that I can dip into. For me it’s very important to have the right names for the characters – even if Viking names sound strange to us, that is what’s appropriate for my stories. Naturally I try to find the ones I like best and not totally weird ones that would put a reader off. It can sometimes create problems for the narrator of my books as I have to liaise with her about the pronunciation.
How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
– I try not to look at them because most authors have enough self-doubt, we don’t need to read bad things as well. I focus on the lovely comments I receive from others and take strength from that. Everyone has a right to their opinion, and I myself don’t always enjoy the books I read, but I usually don’t mention that as I prefer to be kind. So much work goes into writing a story, I wouldn’t want anyone to feel disheartened.
How important was professional editing to your book’s development?
– Professional editing is supremely important! Editors pick up on plot holes and inconsistencies that the author simply can’t see because we are too close to our own story. It doesn’t matter how many times you read it, there’s always going to be something you miss. I am immensely grateful to my editor(s) because she/they help to make my book the best it can be.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
– So far I’ve had 18 full-length novels published (although I’ve written a couple more), and 5 novellas. I don’t really have a favourite but the one that’s closest to my heart is probably ECHOES OF THE RUNES because it was the first Viking story I wrote and with that I started a new chapter in my life, changing publisher and acquiring an agent. (She and I are both Swedish so she was enthusiastic about me writing about our shared heritage).
Website: http://www.christinacourtenay.com
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LEGACY OF THE RUNES – A bond that even time cannot break!
Universal buy link: https://geni.us/LOTRCC C