I first met Katherine
Clements at a one-to-one consultation at the Winchester Writers’ Conference
(now the Winchester Writers’ Festival) three years ago. She showed me the
opening chapter of her novel and I was immediately struck by how powerful it
was – it drew me in immediately and, more importantly, it made me want to know
what would happen next! Katherine had an instinct for scene-structure and pace,
she didn’t overload the opening with back story and her writing was strong and
emotionally compelling.
Later, I helped her work
on that opening and her synopsis for the whole story, which I thought had great
commercial appeal. Imagine my delight when, after being longlisted in the
Mslexia novel competition, she went on to find an agent and land a three book
deal with Headline! The Crimson Ribbon
was published last week. It’s a tale set during the English Civil War, exploring
the developing roles of women in an era of turmoil and change. The novel deals
with superstitious fear, injustice and persecution. Her central character, Ruth Flowers, is torn between her desire for
liberty and the need for utter secrecy, for if people find out about the events
of her past she is in mortal danger. Her struggle is symbolised by her torn
feelings for the two people she is most drawn to. Bereft and hunted, Ruth finds
it hard to trust. She must be cautious in all she does – yet love demands risk.
Love demands payment. The Crimson Ribbon is eminently readable,
beautifully realised and totally involving.
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Here then, Katherine
answers questions about her novel and her path to publication:
You worked for some time for one of the examination
boards – how did you balance this with writing the novel? Was there anything in
particular about your work that helped or hindered your development as a
writer?
When I first started The Crimson Ribbon I was very lucky to
be able to take some time away from full time work. I got most of my initial research
and first draft done during that time. Once I was working full time again I had
to learn to prioritise my writing. That meant a lot of early mornings and
weekends, and saying no to distracting invitations. My job at the exam board
was demanding so it took a while to complete the book. But during that time I
led the development of the new Creative Writing A Level, a project that meant a
lot to me, both professionally and personally. I met a lot of great people
through my work, people who are passionate about books, writing and education,
and that was inspiring. I loved working with like-minded people and I think it
helped me to stay focused on my own goals.
Did you always want to write historical fiction?
Historical fiction felt
like the natural choice for me. I never really consciously made the decision.
When the idea for The Crimson Ribbon
came along, I didn’t question it. I studied History and Archaeology at
university and my fascination with the past has been there since I was a child.
I read a lot of historical fiction and watch a lot of costume drama. They say
you should write what you love and that’s what I wanted to do.
The novel is set during the English Civil War – was
that always a period that fascinated you?
Not at all actually. I owe
my initial interest in the 17th century to Rose Tremain’s novel Restoration, which is one of my
favourites. After reading it, some years ago, I became interested in the
Restoration period, because I didn’t know much about it (17th
century is mostly neglected in the history taught schools, or it certainly was
in my day). Pretty quickly I wanted to know what came before and found myself
totally fascinated by the Civil Wars. It’s such an important, exciting period
in British history that doesn’t seem to get much attention.
The novel’s themes are bound to attract readers – you
deal with women’s roles in the society of the time, political and military
rebellion and superstition/witchcraft – which of these was most
important/fascinating to you? What particularly triggered the writing of the
novel?
The first spark was
encountering the figure of Elizabeth Poole, a woman who gave evidence of
providential visions to the Army Council in an attempt to influence the trial
of Charles I. I came across mention of her in a biography of Oliver Cromwell.
There are questions about exactly why this relatively unknown woman was given
an audience with some of the most important men of the day. Further research
into Elizabeth revealed a dark, seductive world of illegal printing presses,
extreme spiritual obsession and a mysterious scandal. I knew she was the
perfect vehicle to explore some of the themes you’ve identified. I can’t pick
any one as most important as they are all intertwined. For example, I don’t
think you can deal with the politics of the day without considering religion,
and you can’t look at the witchcraft trials without thinking about the social
context. One of the things I love about the period is the way that all these
things came together to create this melting pot of ideas that triggered a
revolution. Of course the history is more complicated than that, but that’s how
I like to think of it.
Your central female characters embark on a forbidden
relationship – and I like the way you contrast conventional male-female
romantic love with a love which is against the rules of the day. What
challenges were there in depicting the relationship of Ruth and Lizzie? Did you
worry at any point that this might affect the commercial potential of the
novel?
Without wanting to give
too much away, I wanted to explore the different kinds of love that Ruth
experiences. I wanted to look at the nature and consequences of obsessive love.
Gender actually made little difference. I also came across some interesting
historical references to close female friendships and idealised platonic love
that got me thinking. I didn’t set out to write the relationships in the way
they ended up – it just sort of happened and, in the end, seemed inevitable.
The most difficult part
for me was showing how the relationship between Ruth and Lizzie changes over
time, as Ruth asserts herself, and doing it all from Ruth’s point of view. This
needed to be gradual and subtle and it took a while to get that right. Lizzie
is a complex character, and sometimes contradictory. I really hope I’ve managed
to convey this.
I didn’t worry about that
central relationship from a commercial point of view because I thought perhaps
it gave the novel an unusual point of interest, but I did think people might
accuse me of trying to write like Sarah Waters, of whom I’m a massive fan. I
can only tip my hat to her influence and hope that any comparison might be
favourable!
Was there any particular ‘Aha!’ moment when you were
researching the story?
There were many small
details I discovered that influenced the direction of the story but I can’t
remember any big ones. For example, I tried to make sure that the real
historical figures actually were where I said they were at the right times (or
at least that they could have been). There were a few occasions when certain
people conveniently turned up somewhere in the historical record, just where I
needed them.
Were there any times when you faltered or lost your
way or started to despair that you would ever finish?
There were many times when
I was doubtful and despairing, but I’ve come to think of this as a natural part
of the creative process. It always passes if I try to ignore the negative voice
in my head and just keep going. There was a period of a few months when I
didn’t write anything at all, due to other pressures in my life. That was
scary, but it passed too.
What has been most satisfying/given you the happiest
moment in the whole writing/publishing process?
The most satisfying thing
for me is having a really good, productive writing day when I know what I’ve
produced is good. That doesn’t happen very often but when it does it’s the best
feeling. The happiest is probably when I got my publishing deal. It was an
absolute dream come true. I was on a high for weeks.
How much revision/how many drafts did the novel go
through? Did you have to change much to suit your publisher?
I wrote the first draft in
a year and then spent almost three years revising it. It went through at least
two major rewrites and several edits. I think I have about 8 versions on my
computer! As you know, Lorna, I also
invested in working with you on refining and editing my first chapter, my
synopsis and submission letter to agents. I do believe this made a big difference.
It really helped to get an outside eye. I also got feedback from a couple of
trusted readers and that was informative too. Soon afterwards, the opening
chapter won a competition at Winchester Writers Conference, and I secured my
agent. Once the deal was signed I worked with my editor on a final draft. There
were some changes to be made, but not too many. I really enjoyed the process of
working with someone else and I got a lot from it. I learned loads in the copy
edit stage too.
How strongly do you believe a writer should have an
agent? How important has having an agent been to you?
I think having an agent is
important if you want to go down the traditional publishing route. For me it
has been essential. I’m sure I wouldn’t have got a three-book deal without that
knowledge, experience and negotiating power.
You’ve now given up your job to concentrate on writing
full time. How easy/difficult a decision was that?
It was easy in some ways,
it’s what I’ve wanted for years, but difficult in others. I’ve had to
significantly alter my lifestyle and living arrangements to accommodate. But I
couldn’t pass up the chance to do the one thing I’ve wanted for so long. Having
the time to completely focus on writing is wonderful.
Can you say anything about what you’re working on now?
I’m
working on my second novel – as yet untitled – which is a re-telling of
the legend of The Wicked Lady. (You might know the 1945 film with Margaret
Lockwood and James Mason that was based on the same story). The legend tells of
a noble born highwaywoman who terrorized Hertfordshire in the 1650s. I’m
bringing together research on the real life figure to whom the legend has
traditionally been pinned, and the myths surrounding her, to create something
entirely new.
What three tips would you give to anyone writing
historical fiction?
I think the rules of good
writing are the same whatever genre you’re working in, but here are three
things I’ve learned:
Know your history. You
need to know much, much more than will ever go into your book. I believe it’s
fine to change historical fact when writing fiction (though I prefer it when
authors are clear about exactly what they’ve changed) but you need to know the
facts before you can play with them.
Don’t overdo the
historical detail. Description and setting is important but readers only need a
few details to get a flavour. Try and include the things that are relevant to
your characters and the story.
Remember you’re writing
for a modern reader. People can get tangled up worrying about authentic voices
in historical fiction but I believe that’s impossible anyway. Anachronisms can
jolt the reader out of their experience, (unless, of course, you’re employing
them purposefully), but we’ll never know how people really spoke ‘back then’,
so make choices that feel authentic to your characters.
Thank you so much,
Katherine, for such full and fascinating replies! Good luck with The Crimson Ribbon and with the next novel!
