Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Lotharingia-Charlemagne’s Heir is my first novel. I did well at short stories before marriage and children but never tried my hand at novel writing. Eventually, my love of the middle ages got the better of me, and I decided to take the plunge. There are so many amazing women in medieval history that were almost written out of the sources. Their true personalities and deeds are often irrecoverable, and fiction offers a way to give them a voice.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Lotharingia will be the first in a series inspired by the life of Matilda of Tuscany, the most powerful woman in the 11th century. She was a total trailblazer, the first medieval woman to rule without a husband, and even led armies. What she achieved as a woman in a man’s world is absolutely incredible. Part of her fascination is that she is a very elusive, mysterious character. The ‘fake news’ of her days depicted her as the Pope’s lover but I am more interested in the depth of her relationship with the Holy Roman emperor of her days, Henry IV, a ‘Jim Morrison meets Hamlet’ personality. Nothing in the sources suggests that they might have been lovers yet a number of European writers have toyed with the idea, so I am not the only one to sense something there. 🙂
I am writing the second volume, entitled, The Road to Canossa.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do my best writing on trains and planes. There is something about looking at the world from a window that really unleashes my brain!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The idea for Matilda’s trilogy came from reading Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross. I realised I was not alone in loving the dark ages!
I also adore Bruce Chatwin’s The Songlines – travel is my other passion.
Umberto Eco’s The Name of The Rose, which is having a bit of a moment right now, is another incredible book, although you need to be Eco to pull it off.
What are you working on now?
The Road to Canossa, the sequel to Lotharingia. It will be out next year, and follows Matilda and Henry in the tumultuous next chapter of ther lives.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am trying out different things, it is a bit early for me to say. My books are a bit unusual, in that they are a blend of genres and tackle a relatively unknown page of history. My best results so far have been with Awesome Gang and The Historical Fiction Press promotions.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write write write.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up.
What are you reading now?
I am re-reading Sarah Dunant’s The Birth of Venus, alternating it with Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls.
What’s next for you as a writer?
After the Road to Canossa, I will write another book, maybe two, of the Comitissa series, and then move on to a prequel – which I have started drafting.
Then I will relocate to the 10th century, which also witnessed some incredible women who deserve to be more than ghosts and names.
My other plan is a mystery story set in Renaissance Italy, centred on Poliziano, Boiardo, and Pico della Mirandola.
What is your favorite book of all time?
The Odyssey. I read it every 5 years, and it never fails to surprise me.
Author Websites and Profiles
Lara Byrne Website
Lara Byrne Amazon Profile
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