📚 A Bookish Chat with 'Going There: Tales from the Riviera and Beyond' Donna Fletcher Crow | Author Interview | #AuthorInterview #BlogTour #Interview #travel
Donna Fletcher Crow, Novelist of British History, is an award-winning author who has published some 50 books in a career spanning more than 40 years. Her best-known work is Glastonbury, The Novel of Christian England, a grail search epic depicting 1500 years of British history. The Celtic Cross is a 10-book series covering the history of Scotland and England from the 6th to the 20th century.
Crow writes 3 mystery series: The Monastery Murders, contemporary clerical mysteries with clues hidden deep in the past; Lord Danvers Investigates, Victorian true-crime stories within a fictional setting; and The Elizabeth and Richard literary suspense series, featuring various literary figures. Where There is Love is a 6-book biographical novel series of leaders of the early Evangelical Anglican movement. The Daughters of Courage is a semi-autobiographical trilogy family saga of Idaho pioneers.
Reviewers routinely praise the quality of her writing and the depth of her research. Crow says she tries never to write about a place she hasn’t visited and one of her goals in writing is to give her readers a you-are-there experience.
Donna and her husband of 60 years live in Boise, Idaho. They have 4 children and 15 grandchildren, and she is an avid gardener.
Author Links
On writing:
Where do you get inspiration for your books?
My inspiration always comes either from hearing of an historical event I want to recount through the adventures of my characters, or visiting a place that inspires me to set a story there. In the case of my newest book Going There, Tales from the Riviera and Beyond, it was definitely the latter. I hadn't planned to write about that trip at all but seeing my characters having adventures there inspired me.
What genre do you write and why?
History and mystery--always with a dollop of romance. I believe it's vital that we not lose the stories from our past. The lessons learned by the valiant men and women who went before us will be lost and humanity will have to learn them again if we don't learn from the past. I like to mix my history with mystery and romance because it makes it more alive to my readers and keeps the pages turning.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
The wonderful mystery writer J. Michael Orenduff once compared my books to the novels of Barbara Pymm. I was delighted because she is a writer I greatly admire.
What is your next project?
Next will The Wind in the Hebrides, a novel I have long wanted to write--this one based on an historical event. Sometime in the 1990s a friend told me about the amazing revival that took place in the Hebrides Islands after World War II. This will be a perfect story for Felicity and Antony from my Monastery Murders series.
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
Long and rocky--the publishing adventure is seldom smooth.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
I would give 2: Follow your passion and read voraciously.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
The wonderful mystery writer J. Michael Orenduff once compared my books to the novels of Barbara Pymm. I was delighted because she is a writer I greatly admire.
On rituals:
Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?
Heavens, no! Never. Nor do I listen to music. Nothing to break my concentration--I'm too busy watching the pictures in my head. Favorite snack for later: anything with a cup of good strong Yorkshire Gold tea with a dollop of milk.
Where do you write?
In my office--a wonderful room upstairs, furnished with a plaid carpet and Celtic knotwork around the ceiling, shelves spilling out books, a small sofa, and my computer. And a messy desk, of course.
Do you write every day?
Absolutely. Monday-Friday. Like any job.
What is your writing schedule like?
I have breakfast on a tray in my office and have my morning devotions while I eat. Then straight to my computer. My husband, whose office is below mine, and I meet in the dining room at 3:00 for afternoon tea, which serves as our lunch. In my younger days I used to return to work after tea. Now, in my eighth decade, I've slowed down. I do crossword puzzles, read, and do other chores until dinner time. Evenings are for time with my husband.
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
I began writing professionally in the 1980s. Everything was on paper then--handwritten notes, research material, multiple drafts of my typewritten books. Then the word processor--with printing the day's output daily. Finally, a computer and I slowly weaned myself from daily printouts. I still make notes on paper--especially in the middle of the night.
Fun stuff:
Favorite travel spot?
Anywhere in England or Scotland--although my current book is set in France and Switzerland.
Favorite dessert?
English Christmas cake with layers of marzipan and royal icing! I always get a big one (I used to make them) for the holidays and horde the leftovers all year long, sharing only with very special friends.
Any hobbies?
I love my garden and getting out with my roses is a great break after a day at the computer. In the winter it's reading and doing crossword puzzles. Of course, drinking tea is year-round. All that unless one counts being with any of my 15 grandchildren as a hobby.
What is your favorite thing to do in the fall?
Boise, where I live, means "City of Trees" I revel in the wonderful colors around us. Most days my husband and I walk in the park across the street from us--that is especially enjoyable in the autumn.
What is your go-to breakfast item?
For years and years it was muesli with almond milk. But now I've discovered avocado toast. But whatever I have it must be accompanied with English breakfast tea.
What is the oldest item of clothing you own?
As a devout Janeite and life member of the Jane Austen Society of America, I love dressing up in Regency clothing for events. I have a 19th century lace fichu (detachable lace collar) a friend bought for me in a lace museum. For street wear I still have a few pieces of my mother's clothing--my favorite is her full-length red wool coat. I get compliments every time I wear it.
Title: Going There: Tales from the Riviera and Beyond
Author: Donna Fletcher Crow
Publication Date: December 3, 2023
Pages: 152
Genre: Travel Memoir/Short Story Collection
In the summer of 2021 my daughter-in-law and I slipped through a brief window of sanity in a world driven mad by the Covid pandemic. Our purpose was to see my granddaughter Jane to a summer program in Monaco, then back to her ballet school in Switzerland. In spite of restrictions, protests, and nail-biting worries, the result was a marvelous experience.
I invited characters from my mystery series to join me in my imagination and have their own adventures in each setting. Their encounters are: Nice: “The Crime of Passion”; St Tropez: “The Mother Decrees”; Villefrance-sur-de-mer: “The Ghost Boy”; Monaco: “Fracas in Monaco”; The Loire Valley: “The Old Winemaker”; Saint Gallen: “Whispers of Legend”.
The final coda is “Home Another Way” As 2 years later I return from quite a different trip aboard the Queen Mary 2 and my characters join in the celebrations as worlds coincide.
More information on the book GOING THERE: TALES FROM THE RIVIERA AND BEYOND can be found at https://www.amazon.com/Going-There-Tales-Riviera-Beyond-ebook/dp/B0CPHBRVJH?ref_=ast_author_mpb.
The Writer’s Life
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Thank you for publishing my interview! I love to talk about writing!
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