Interview with Margaret George about her new novel Elizabeth I , from Pump Up Your Books

Margaret George is the author of six epic biographical novels, all New York Times bestsellers, featuring larger than life characters like Henry VIII and Cleopatra. Although painstakingly accurate historically, their real focus is the psychology of the characters. We know what they did, we want to know why. Her latest release is Elizabeth I.
Margaret’s research has taken her from the islands of Scotland to the temples of Upper Egypt, with experiences that include snake-keeping and gladiatorial training.
She lives in Wisconsin and Washington DC. Interests include reptile conservation efforts, Middle Eastern dance (aka bellydancing), and archeology.
You can visit Margaret George’s website at www.margaretgeorge.com.
On Elizabeth I: a Novel
Q: Can you tell us why you wrote your book?
Because she—Elizabeth—was there—the Mount Everest of monarchs. Seriously, because most books stop at the Armada. They have the Queen give her Tilbury Speech, on a white horse and in armor…the Spanish are defeated…fade out. Actually Elizabeth reigned another fifteen years, and those years were not dull. On the contrary, she had to face more Armadas and the last challenge in English history to the throne from an ambitious nobleman. But her greatest adversary was time, and it was running out for her. I wanted to write about that neglected, but very dramatic, period of her life.

Q: Which part of the book was the hardest to write?
The opening section, about the battle of the Armada. It’s a set piece and people expect it, so I had to write it. But Elizabeth herself doesn’t witness any of it—she is inside her palace. She does get to give her famous Tilbury Speech to rally her troops, but those were all land soldiers, not sailors. It is very hard to describe action second hand, through messages and messengers, and make it exciting.
Q: Does your book have an underlying message that readers should know about?
That destiny calls us but not always loudly and not for very long. We should always be listening.
On Writing
Q: Do you remember when the writing bug hit?
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write—something. As a child I drew cartoons and as soon as I could read I started writing little books. It was just something I did. A lot of kids do this, but most outgrow it.
Q: What’s the most frustrating thing about becoming a published author and what’s the most rewarding?
The most frustrating: perhaps that people don’t think it really is a job, and aren’t respectful of my time or commitments. Just because I don’t go to an office does not mean I don’t have work obligations. But people think I’m lazy. Like Faulkner—wasn’t he nicknamed “Count No-Count” because he seemed to be just sitting around and looking out the window?
The most rewarding: meeting people and finding out by accident that they have read my books. Nurses, receptionists, opera singers, athletes, old people, kids—it’s so much fun to see how many different kinds of people have read my books.
Q: Do you have a writing tip you’d like to share?
The Hollywood mantra I was taught in a screenwriting course, and have embraced: Don’t make it perfect and make it later, make it good and make it now. Don’t spend too much time polishing; trust your first choices. And never never polish the beginning while you make no headway on finishing. Wait until you get to the end to edit. Often the ending has gone differently than you had planned and that will change the beginning. If you had spent time polishing that original beginning it would have been wasted time—or you would have been so invested in it you would resist revising it.
On Family and Home:
Q: Would you like to tell us about your home life? Where you live? Family? Pets?
I live in Wisconsin, in a 1930s house that is looking more and more retro all the time. (Someone modernized it in the 1970s, but that only takes us up to Graceland era.) I’m married to a physician-researcher at the University of Wisconsin. I have a married daughter. My beloved pet is a 60+ year old tortoise, a senior citizen. We have had him for almost 30 years. He had a bit part in my children’s book “Lucille Lost.” I have thought about doing a children’s book about those mysterious 30 years in his life before we got him.
Q: Where’s your favorite place to write at home?
I have a large workroom that is half office—with computers, printer, fax machine, copy machine, and the other half a study, with bookcases and comfy chairs, and a stereo system.
Q: What do you do to get away from it all?
I enjoy traveling to places not connected to my work (otherwise it’s work). I also like taking up new interests that challenge me. After visiting the opera museum at La Scala in Milan I decided to learn about opera. I’ve taken some courses, and I try to see the live HD productions of the Metropolitan Opera that are shown in theaters all over the country. I will never catch up with real opera buffs but I’m enjoying the new experience.
On Childhood:
Q: Were you the kind of child who always had a book in her/his hand?
Yes, that describes me.
Q: Can you remember your favorite book?
I liked horse books a lot—“Black Beauty” and “The Black Stallion” were two I loved. I also liked “The Jungle Books” and a popular British series called “The Famous Five” about four children and a dog, who solved mysteries involving smugglers and secret passageways and private islands—all the things that fire a child’s imagination.
Q: Do you remember writing stories when you were a child?
Not only do I remember them, I still have them! My earliest ‘book’ was a horse story called ‘Indian Red.’ I got the idea for the name from a color crayon I had. Not very original. Later I wrote one about a white horse and came up with the name myself: Silverfire. I still love that title.
On Book Promotion:
Q: What was the first thing you did as far as promoting your book?
I had postcards printed to look like a birth announcement, since the book had taken so long to write. I thought this was very clever. I’m afraid I haven’t had many earth-shaking ideas since.
Q: Are you familiar with the social networks and do you actively participate?
I do have a Facebook Page and would like to invite everyone to check it out. I have found many old friends via Facebook and it’s fun to see their photos and ‘visit’ that way. It’s also fun to see what their lives are like now. Newer friends—I learn to know them by their posts.
Q: How do you think book promotion has changed over the years?
It has changed so very much it seems like a different universe. When my first book was published in 1986, all PR was by print and mailing. “Mailing lists” were my own friends, and after that, the people who wrote me fan letters. I kept all the letters and I tried to respond to each. When a new book came out, I would send a postcard notifying them. But there were many more review possibilities, and much more coverage of books in local papers. Everything was not centralized and syndicated, so a new author would usually get interviewed in the home paper. I think books were a much larger part of the cultural landscape then—they mattered more, so more attention was paid to the reviews. To be a published author still engendered awe. But all PR was done by the publisher. There was little an individual could to do promote his/her own books. There were stories of people driving around the country with a trunkload of books, promoting them at truck stops and so on, but that wasn’t an option for most people. Getting a mention from a famous person was a coup and could catapult a book into prominence (like Henry Miller’s comment did for “Fear of Flying”) but those were rare. Book trailers, blogs, author websites, self publishing, were just someone’s ‘what if’ dream back then.
On Other Fun Stuff:
Q: If you had one wish, what would that be?
That I get to meet Roger Bannister, Ray Bradbury, and Elizabeth Taylor, all on the same day. They are my inspiration and my three heroes—Bannister for sports, Bradbury for writing, and Taylor for mythic living. Taylor reportedly wants on her tombstone “While alive—she lived.” And how!
Q: If you could be anywhere in the world other than where you are right now, where would that place be?
On a rocky, windy, barren island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. I’ve never been there but always wanted to go—I’m not sure why.
Q: Your book has just been awarded a Pulitzer. Who would you thank?
The character I wrote about, for so generously sharing him/herself with me and letting me speak for him/her.