Can you share with readers a little bit about your latest book?
The story revolves around a quest by the ancient Perdurare (Latin perdurare to endure), to lift an ancient curse on a world known as Old Earth. The Perdurare look like mortals but have God like powers which are drawn from the Sun and the Moon. They secretly maintain a stable existence for mortals, by managing and preserving time. They are assisted on the quest by mortal Knights from across history. The story is principally set in 19th century England, at the start of the Napoleonic wars, but as the Perdurare are time travellers, also covers events which take place in the 11th, 16th, 20th and 21st centuries.
What made you decide to sit down and actually start writing this book?
Sheer boredom and not being able to stand up, made me write this book. In 2017, I spent 7 months daily commuting between York and Sheffield in England. It was a horrendous train journey, with packed carriages, so very noisy and frustrating. To preserve my sanity, I went a bit Maria Von Trapp (Sound of Music) and thought about all my favorite things. Such as: my childhood in Surrey, holidays in Cornwall and Venice, the Georgian Period, the Art Deco Period, dancing, Arthurian Legends, riding horses and Jane Austen. After a while, these random recollections started to evolve into fragments of a story.
Tell us more about your main character. What inspired you to develop this character?
Theora Templeton is my attempt to conjure a truly realistic 19th century heroine. I wanted to bring to the page a woman who would be fully recognizable to a woman of her period (e.g. Jane Austen). I also wanted the character to be understood (and even envied), by women of the 21st century. Personality-wise, Theora is very much a reflection of the principles and standards of the 19th century. She is modest, a little reserved and overly worried about her reputation. She almost resents her physical charms, because they cause her to attract attention. Yet her spirit, beauty and intelligence inspire and bring out the best in the principle male characters. They are ultimately able to reward her with the three things most women want from the men in their lives: moral integrity, relational sensitivity and satisfying intimacy. That is why any 21st century women would envy her.
Who is your favorite character in your book and why?
My favorite character is Bricin De Lisle. Bricin is very much the ‘bad boy’ of the Perdurare. He’s murderously handsome, talented and rich. He is also selfish, proud and unsociable. So, why do I like him? Firstly, because I feel sorry for him (read the book to discover why). Secondly, I am an old fashioned woman who can’t help but be drawn to charmers and manipulators – although I’d never marry one!
Who is your least favorite character and why?
My least favorite character is a minor player called Timothy Holdsworth. He’s the typical pest, who bothers good looking women, despite no encouragement. As it says in the book, “Timothy was a man blessed with little imagination and a great sense of self-worth. It was inconceivable to him that any lady should not be attracted to him.” Timothy’s persistence is ultimately dealt with in a way which wouldn’t be acceptable now, but I enjoyed writing, nonetheless.
If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast?
If I had my pick I’d like Sarah Bolger, Philip Glenister, Hugh Laurie, Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Morgan. All actors whose work I hugely admire and who have the looks and the talent to fit the roles perfectly.
What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?
As I just started with a collection of fairly random thoughts which surfaced during a tedious commute, the hardest thing was to draw them together and make the book into a good read. Also, I found myself getting too bogged down in descriptive passages about scenery – probably as a reaction to the exceptionally boring view from my train window.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I most enjoyed the opportunity to ‘play’ with history. By creating Old Earth and allowing the Perdurare to travel through time, I was able to re-imagine the actions and personalities of a variety of famous characters. For example, nobody really knows if Henry VIII was a tyrant or a great king. Opinion is divided. So, I have chosen to portray my Henry as humorous, good at fighting and musically talented, all of which may or may not be true.
What role does research play in your writing?
Research is vital to my writing. I check my facts and have made Perdurare as historically accurate as it can be, bearing in mind it is a fantasy. For example, I have included Leonardo Da Vinci and portrayed him as in love with Cecilia Gallerani. We know that Leonardo Da Vinci frequently fell in love with his female muses. However, there is no evidence that he ever fathered a child (as happens in Perdurare) and it is most likely that he was gay. I attempt to respect these sort of details whilst bending the truth, a little. I think this is acceptable, as ‘Old Earth’ is not planet Earth.
What one person from history would you like to meet and why?
Horatio Nelson. He was an inspirational leader who built a team culture based upon loyalty and trust. He was bold and decisive and admired this in others. He was personally motivated, praised and rewarded his officers, supported them when they showed initiative and defended mistakes. We could all learn from his example. So, you will not be surprised to hear that Lord Nelson and his great ship Victory, also feature in Perdurare.
Want to learn more about Andria Marston?
Waking Writer 
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