Author Interview: Katherine Longshore

Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into writing?

I think I started writing as soon as I started reading. I can remember sitting underneath the bar that separated our kitchen from our dining room, asking my dad how to spell words. I've always loved the sound of words, and the unique and beautiful ways they can be put together. I think that's why I fell in love with theater - because each word means something, and so much rests on interpretation. Writing fiction, I can dive into a character just like I did when I was acting, and breathe the words right into her.

Can you tell us a little about your new novel Gilt?

Imagine a world where people will do anything to be in the popular crowd. Where friendship means little if betrayal can be the means to an end. Where who you love doesn’t matter as much as who you’re with. And imagine it costumed in damask gowns, bedecked in gold and diamonds and set in the luxury of Henry VIII’s court.

Where did you get the idea for Gilt?

From history, and from experience. I'd spent years reading about Henry VIII and his six wives, and wondering what they were really like. My imagination took over. But I also wanted to create a story that was relevant to modern readers, and that's where experience comes in.

Gilt is YA historical fiction. Is this a genre you prefer to write in or is there any others you would like to try?

It's funny, because my reading pile is almost equally divided between contemporary YA and historical non-fiction. I love learning the history, following the characters, immersing myself in the images and attitudes. But I love stories that feel emotionally resonant in a modern way. I think that's why I try so hard to write a contemporary story within a historical context. One day I’d love to write something set in today’s world, but for now the drama of history keeps pulling me in.

The cover for Gilt is great. For some reason it reminds me a little bit like the Need series covers by Carrie Jones. I don't know why though, LOL. Who designed in and did you have much say in the designing of the cover?

I love the gold lipstick on the cover of Need! GILT’s cover was designed by Irene Vandervoort. I had no idea what it might look like until the image popped into my inbox one afternoon. My only input was to squeal and write back in all caps, “I LOVE IT!” It's so different from what I expected, but much more eye-catching than anything I could've come up with myself. Thank goodness for great designers!

Gilt is the first book in a series. Do you know how many books will be in the series?

There'll be three books in this series, all set in the court of Henry VIII, and each one featuring a different girl. There will be some characters who turn up in all three books in one way or another, but the narrators will be very different. The second book is currently titled TARNISH and is set twenty years before GILT.

Why should we read Gilt in one sentence?

Because it's not your mother's historical fiction.

You can buy Gilt at these websites:

IndieBound

Barnes & Noble

Amazon


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