by W.H. Doyle
Date of Publication: April 9th 2019
Cover Artist: AM Design Studios
Publisher: Month9Books
Genre: Historical Fantasy
BLURB
In 16th-century England, two teenage best friends find themselves on an exciting journey from the country to the Queen’s court in the hope of being named ladies-in-waiting. But Sybille and Rose soon discover they aren’t the only girls who have their sights set on attending Her Majesty. The girls must compete against worldly and cunning opponents, among them mean-girl Avis and her entourage of back-stabbing co-horts, tipping the balance in their already-tenuous friendship.
Soon, the grand hall is more like the hallway of a prestigious finishing school, with girls fighting for the attention of a dashing, young earl, amid parties fueled by drinking and indiscriminate dalliances. As the tension between Sybille and Avis heats up, the focus on Rose wanes, allowing her to turn her attention to more important matters – like getting close enough to the Queen to learn her secrets.
But being close to the Queen is not without its challenges. And when rumors of Rose’s influence make their way around the castle, no one, not even the Queen, will be safe.
Excerpt:
They were
gorgeous, even as they sneered and giggled and pointed at Rose and Sybille.
Unblemished faces, perfectly coiffed hair, and the most fashionable clothes.
The men had trimmed goatees, starched linen ruffs, and wide shoulders that
tapered sexily to narrow hips. The women’s painted eyes and lips were framed by
long hair banded by strips of jewels. Their gowns—so different than the
old-fashioned ones of Gordonsrod—had low, square-cut necklines and a framework
that pushed out the dress around the buttocks, emphasizing their figures.
It was
everything that Sybille had always wanted. But not like this. Humiliation drove
into her like a punch as the stuff of her dreams reconfigured into her worst
nightmare.
Author Info
Growing up in Michigan, W. H. Doyle raced past the usual chapter books and went straight to reading YA. His writing career, however, took the opposite path. For over two decades, Doyle’s been writing best-selling books for younger readers with major publishers under the name Bill Doyle. Now, with over two million books in print, he’s making his YA debut as W. H. Doyle with the intrigue-filled Tudor Rose.
While working toward his MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Doyle was taught by the likes of Arthur Miller and David Mamet. He’s written for Rolling Stone, edited several magazines, created interactive experiences for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and developed critically-acclaimed digital storybooks. He lives on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
The Book Junkie Reads . . . Interview with WH Doyle . . .
How would you describe you style of writing to someone that has never read your work?
Genius! Fascinating! The absolute best EVER! Actually, I’d go with fast-paced and suspenseful. I’m all about a strong major dramatic question—and keeping the quest for the answer simmering in the background at all times—till it comes to a full, explosive boil.
What mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general whether you are working on a project or just free writing)?
Honestly, I think the best preparation you can do to write is just get your ass in a chair. If I were to spend too much time preparing to write or waiting for the right mindset or the perfect time to write, I’m worried that I’d never actually get to the writing.
Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon your character during story creation?
Oh! I love this question. I’ve never been asked this before, and it really makes me think. Hmmm. I have a background in writing magazine stories and non-fiction books where I’d spend a lot time interviewing people. And I think that kind of quick-intimacy that I was able to establish with many of those subjects shows how much I love digging into a person’s background and what makes them tick—but always in respectful manner. I would usually find something unexpected if I just asked the right question in the right way—and I think the same holds true with my characters. As I get to know them in my head, I just have to keep asking them the right questions and roll with the answers they give me.
Have you found yourself bonding with any particular character? If so which one(s)?
Yes! I love my supposedly wicked, villain-like character in Tudor Rose. Her name’s Avis, and she’s had a relatively rough go of things but she always manages to cling to a strong sense of who she is and who she is meant to be. I like, too, that she isn’t totally black and white, not all bad. She has a gentle side that comes out when she’s thinking about her siblings…and it’s that gentle side that can often confound her most vicious of plans, much to her consternation.
Do you have a character that you have been working on that you can't wait to put to paper?
Yes, for book two in the Tudor Rose series, I’m working on a new love interest for one of the main characters. And I have to say every time a new character trait pops into my head, I actually get a little giddy.
Have you ever felt that there was something inside of you that you couldn't control? If so what? If no what spurs you to reach for the unexperienced?
Good Lord. Have I ever felt that? Only everyday. I mean, don’t we all have something inside that we feel is out of control? I think as I get older that feeling actually gets even more intense as the filters and worries about what others might think start to drop away. For instance, I live most of the time in New York City, and I spend a great many hours jammed up against complete strangers in overstuff subway cars. I sometimes feel the need for space to be an actual physical need…one that will start me spinning like the Tasmanian devil as whirl around and around to create a little sphere of actual air around me. Of course, I haven’t given into that impulse…yet!
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