BooksChatter: ℚ♫ Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva: Lady of Legend [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Eliza Redgold to talk about Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva (14 July 2015, St. Martin's Griffin, 322 pages), a Historical Romance/Fiction, book one of the new Lady of Legend series.

Synopsis | Teaser | Author Q&A | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

A very warm welcome to Eliza Redgold; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter.

What was the inspiration for Naked?

"I got the idea for NAKED: A Novel of Lady Godiva while writing about the popularity of the word lady (I’m an academic as well as an author).
The legend of Lady Godiva intrigued me and I became inspired to write my own version of her tale.

Here’s Wild Horses a ‘theme song’ I listened to while writing Godiva’s story."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"There’s a quote by Helene Cixous that I love: ‘Between author and character, what secret proximity’.

Authors are in every character they write, but they are not their characters. There’s a difference."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Naked - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"The painting used for the cover of NAKED by John Collier was in the Pre-Raphaelite style (1898). The original is in an art gallery in Coventry, England. When the publishers chose it I was thrilled because the girl in the painting has long hair just like my daughter’s."

Why should we read Naked and what sets it apart from the rest?

"As both an academic in gender studies and a novelist, I am passionate about the telling of the tales of women. I have presented academic papers on women and romance and am a contributor to the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Romance Fiction.

NAKED is the first in my ‘Legendary Lady’ series to take back the story of a legendary lady to tell it from her point of view and twist her tale."

Can you tell us something quirky about Naked, its story and characters?

"In NAKED, the characters were based on real historical figures so I didn’t choose their names – but truth turned out to be better than fiction. Godgyfu is the actual Anglo-Saxon version of Godiva’s name and it means God’s Gift. Leofric was the real name of Godiva’s husband – such a great name for a hero. And as for the villain of the story, Thurkill the Tall – that was true too!

I’ve also got a Victorian historical romance out now with Harlequin Historical called Enticing Benedict Cole. I chose Benedict because I like the name and Cole after a famous Victorian 19th century inventor Henry Cole (he invented the Christmas card!). The heroine is called Lady Catherine Mary St Clair and her nickname is Cameo, which is so evocative of the Victorian era. My younger sister is called Catherine Mary. She’s spending a lot of time at the moment holding up the book cover and saying ‘that’s me.’ :-)"

Who would you recommend Naked to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I’d recommend NAKED to all readers of historical fiction and historical romance who love a strong heroine – and Godiva certainly meets her match in Leofric in every way."

If you could / wished to turn Naked and the Lady of Legend series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"I actually wrote NAKED as a screen play before it turned into a novel. It always seemed to me a story that would make a fantastic movie. It’s got drama, battles, romance, treachery and of course the famous ride. I like to imagine who would play Godiva, Leofric and Edmund, the love triangle in the book. At the moment I like Emma Watson (Harry Potter) or Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games) for Godiva.

I’d also like English actor Clive Owen to be in it. He was born in Coventry, the home of Lady Godiva. I saw him in a play on Broadway recently and I gave him a copy of NAKED!"

Nice one! :-)

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I write both historical and contemporary fiction.

NAKED is the first in my ‘Legendary Lady’ historical fiction series. Two of my historical romances set in the Victorian period are to be published by Harlequin Historical. The first, Enticing Benedict Cole, is out this month.

My ‘Romance your Senses’ series of short contemporary romances are published by Harlequin (MIRA) Australia and Escape Publishing. They each explore one of the senses – it’s a romantic adventure!"

What is your writing process?

"I write every day, whether it is an academic paper, a manuscript, or simply in a journal."

What is in store next?

"Coming Soon …

Lost voices. Lost lore. Lost love.

That’s a clue! Who is the next Lady of Legend? Get in touch and let me know who you think it is – and I’ll send you a copy when it comes out if you’re right."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I visited New York just after I’d sent NAKED to my agent and was waiting to hear how it would go. My husband and I were wandering around Manhattan, we turned a corner and there in front of us was the Flatiron Building. It’s the most beautiful building I had ever seen. I was absolutely drawn to it and stepped straight into the lobby. My husband said – ‘look, this is where the publishers are’. I stared at the famous publishing names on the plaques and thought: How lucky some writers are to be published from such a magical place. I won’t dare to dream it will ever happen to me. But it did! Never give up. Keep dreaming!"