Kate Robbins A Courtship in Linlithgow releases later this week, and she was kind enough to answer some questions for us.
You can get your copy of this delightful Scottish romance HERE!
Did you always know you wanted to be an author? What is the first story you remember writing? How did you get from there to where you are today?
I came into writing later in life after taking a film course. Over a weekend about halfway through the course, my classmate convinced me to sign up for a screenplay writing course over a weekend and I was hooked. I went on to write, direct, and produce a short film that was screened at a local film festival. From there I taught a youth theatre group and wrote more than half of the 25+ productions including two 45-minute one act plays.
My first novel began as an email thread between myself and two other friends and after a few days, one friend asked if I’d been saving the story as a word document. I replied I had not. She convinced me to save it all in one place and the rest is history.
Many works later and a great deal of courses, rewrites, and head scratching, I’ve grown to love the process of crafting characters and stories set in Scotland across the ages.
What is the most inspiring place you’ve visited and has it shown up in one of your books?
I’ve visited Scotland twice for research and am very much looking forward to going back. There’s so much to see and do there and at every turn, I’m inspired to write another story. From Edinburgh Castle to Tongue and Strathnaver, I’ve driven all over the country and would absolutely love to spend at least part of my year there in the future.
How much research do you do into the time period and places you write about? Do you have any experience dressing in character or participating in living history situations or are you more a fan of libraries and online resources?
I’m a very immersive reader. I almost always make some kind of purchase at the beginning of a new series. I’ve even had a miniature Viking longboat commissioned prior to writing my Spirits of the Norse series. I ordered a medieval gown from a maker prior to attending a romance conference in 2017. So yes, I would say I love dressing up, but I have amasses about a hundred resource books I love thumbing through as well.
What drew you to the era you write in? Is there something about the time period you think most people don’t know about? What do you think would be the most difficult part about living in that period?
I’m fascinated with the Stewart kings. My first series centers around King James I in the early 15th century and this new series around King James IV and his lavish Renaissance court. Conflict is easy to craft in these settings where there were so many in opposition or in favor of the particular monarch.
What are your favorite kind of characters to write? Do you have a specific trope that you’re drawn too?
I love feisty heroines and flawed, alpha heroes. They always need to learn a lesson and she is just the one to do so. Having said that, she must see growth as well. I have so much fun writing the banter between them that turns steamy.
Where is your favorite place to write? Does it change depending on where you are in the process?
I’m a nomadic writer. I need my laptop when I’m roaming around the house looking for inspiration, but other times, I just need to sit in front of my desktop and let the words flow.
Which comes first for you: the plot or the characters?
The setting/plot. Once I figure out which particular point in Scottish history, I can usually determine who my primary characters are fairly quickly.
Do you know where the story is going before you begin, or does it come to you as you write? Do scenes come to you fully formed or are you as surprised as the reader?
I’m always as surprised as the reader. I don’t plot as such though I have a general idea of the trope and overall conflict. I often say the left and right sides of my brain are at war when I’m writing my first drafts.
Does your writing process include any kind of ritual? Story specific playlists, tea, or candles, for example?
I have an instrumental playlist I created about 15 years ago including a 90 minute track of heavy rain. As soon as I turn that on, I’m in the zone.
Do you write better in the morning or evening? How do you handle the distractions of working from home, especially if you’re sharing the space with others?
I’m a morning person and so by mid-afternoon, I’m on a downswing. That makes writing sometimes challenging with a full-time demanding day job. But when I’m feeling the story it’s coming whether I’m tired or not.
When it’s difficult to physically travel, how do you find ways to escape?
Music or reading or movies. I’ll usually go for something that’s far removed from the kinds of stories I write. Big fan of horror movies and am always excited when the new ones come out before Halloween.
From all your books, who is your favorite hero and why?
Fergus Mackay in Promised to the Highlander. He’s always been my favorite ever since he first marched onto the page in Bound to the Highlander. He’s brawny, very alpha, and oh so flawed, but he’s honorable and loyal and hotter than hades.
What do you like to read when you’re not reading in your genre? Did you have a favorite book or series when you were growing up?
One of my go-to reads includes anything by Agatha Christie, but I also love Stephen King, and a little bit of Jane Austen.
