We love this interview - video courtesy of Waterstones
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| Time's Convert - US/UK covers |
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A: I knew I had many more stories to tell about the characters, but I wasn’t exactly sure how to tackle them. Marcus’s story was far more complicated than I imagined it to be, as it turned out. I had originally set out to write about Matthew’s time in Tudor England before 1590, but that also turned out to be more complicated than I imagined. So I worked on both of them at more or less the same time. TIME’S CONVERT just reached the finish line first.
Q: TIME’S CONVERT centers on Marcus and Phoebe, and Marcus’s life before he became a vampire. Did you think about Marcus’s origin story when you were writing the trilogy, or did everything come to you when you started writing this book?
A. I thought about Marcus’s origins all the time. It was impossible to think about Matthew as a character without delving into what kind of father he was, and considering what kind of son Marcus was. Even though in the trilogy Marcus and Phoebe tend to be characterized as “minor characters,” in my opinion there is no such thing. Every character I write has the same amount of backstory, the same amount of detailed thinking required, the same application of imagination to their individual problems as Matthew and Diana do.
Q: As a scholar and professor of history, your life has been about research. What kind of research did you do for TIME’S CONVERT? Was it different than the research you did for the trilogy?
A. The research for Time’s Convert was different in the sense that I couldn’t draw as much on research I’d already conducted for teaching and my scholarly books. I usually end my courses around 1750. Marcus wasn’t born until 1757. So I while I definitely knew something about the period I write about (roughly 1750 to 1810), I had a great deal to learn. Once I realized how much work I needed to do, I tackled it like any other scholarly research project: I read historical monographs written by experts; looked at lots of images and material objects; and steeped myself in the primary sources of the period. The title of the book, for example, comes from a line in Thomas Paine’s Common Sense—Marcus’s favorite book.
Q: What was the most fun part of writing TIME’S CONVERT? The most surprising?
A. The most fun part was being a student again and learning a lot more about eighteenth-century history than I did previously. The most surprising thing for me is how complicated the eighteenth century is. It’s very difficult to get an overall grasp of a particular moment because there are so many distinct voices that offer up different perspectives.
Q: Your first book, A Discovery of Witches, has been adapted into a TV series airing in the UK this fall. What has it been like seeing your book come to life on screen?
A. It’s been fascinating. The process of making television is very like the process of writing a book. You have to imagine all sorts of possibilities, go through multiple versions of the final version before you discover the one that works, and survive months of editing and revising. In the end you just have to cross your fingers and hope that you got more of it right than wrong.
Q: Are you able to tell us what you’re working on next?
A. Right now I’m working on recharging my creative batteries. This involves reading widely, listening to lots of music, and doing very normal, everyday activities like walking the dog, spending time with horses, cooking, and decluttering my house of the piles of stuff that grow to mammoth proportions when I am busy writing. I have a lot more ideas for stories from the All Souls universe, but I also have a number of other projects that I’d like to tackle, too. As always, whichever characters shout loudest get the bulk of my attention. I’ll be as eager as you are to see what develops next.
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Time's Convert UK Tour Details:
Now ... for the rest of it! We were shocked and surprised when we checked our Amazon accounts on the 5th of February, 2018! There was a brand new book for us to look forward to (and pre-order!). Could we keep quiet about it? NO! But Deb was eerily silent ... that is until the 6th of February. That's when she shared the exclusive (how were we supposed to know we weren't supposed to see this thing yet?!) cover reveal by Entertainment Weekly.
UK cover reveal (at Waterstone's)
We are thrilled to have @DebHarkness herself to unveil the cover for her upcoming novel, Time's Convert. What is its significance for a book about what it takes to become a vampire? Don't miss the chance to pre-order your signed edition here: https://t.co/9R7fYPr8mu pic.twitter.com/NGglzAXP99— Waterstones (@Waterstones) June 1, 2018
On the 1st of June 2018 we got this UK cover reveal via Waterstone's Twitter account!
As of the 7th of February, we've got news via Twitter from one of the Headline publicists. The Bookseller released this announcement: New Harkness vampire novel to Headline
Time’s Convert by Deborah Harkness
So, here's what we know...
Publication date: September 18, 2018
686 pages per Deb
The description:
Set in contemporary Paris and London, and the American colonies during the upheaval and unrest that exploded into the Revolutionary War, a sweeping story that braids together the past and present.
On the battlefields of the American Revolution, Matthew de Clermont meets Marcus MacNeil, a young surgeon from Massachusetts, during a moment of political awakening when it seems that the world is on the brink of a brighter future. When Matthew offers him a chance at immortality and a new life, free from the restraints of his puritanical upbringing, Marcus seizes the opportunity to become a vampire. But his transformation is not an easy one and the ancient traditions and responsibilities of the de Clermont family clash with Marcus's deeply-held beliefs in liberty, equality, and brotherhood.
Fast forward to contemporary London, where Marcus has fallen for Phoebe Taylor, a young employee at Sotheby's. She decides to become a vampire, too, and though the process at first seems uncomplicated, the couple discovers that the challenges facing a human who wishes to be a vampire are no less formidable in the modern world than they were in the 18th century. The shadows that Marcus believed he'd escaped centuries ago may return to haunt them both--forever.
A passionate love story and a fascinating exploration of the power of tradition and the possibilities for change, Time's Convert will delight fans of the All Souls trilogy and all readers of magic, the supernatural, and romance.
Of course, for people who follow Deb and the news in this universe, this wasn't an out-of-the-blue surprise; she gave us a heads up that Marcus was in our book future with this picture via Instagram:
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| Deb shared the completed manuscript of Time's Convert (the book formally known as "Marcus' book") on Instagram |
Well, @EdwardBluemel has had many a conversation with me about important topics. @alicetroughton and @AiyshaHart have had sneak peeks at actual words. https://t.co/gwByqbf0wL— Deborah Harkness (@DebHarkness) February 6, 2018
Also, there's his reaction to her IG post:
World of All Souls Information:
Deb's interview with Amazon
Deborah Harkness Expands Her All Souls Trilogy
Deb's talk in Seattle
Q&A with The World of All Souls contributors!
-How did the idea for the project come about, and how did you become involved?
JILL: The project was inspired by the enthusiasm of Deb’s readers and their intense interest in the world Deb built in the trilogy. After SHADOW was published, Deb and her publishers saw readers’ enthusiasm and curiosity deepen, and I think that’s when Deb started to imagine a companion book to the series. I’d been working with Deb since the publication of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES and knew the books fairly well so I was happy to join the project, especially alongside such a talented team.
LISA: I got involved very early because I had been editing Deb’s drafts since A Discovery of Witches. Deb broached the possibility of my writing a companion volume around 2012, when Shadow of Night came out. We played with the idea, and shortly afterward Jill came into the mix. We had a good idea of the subjects we wanted to cover, but how would we find time to write and pull the whole project together at the same time? Then in 2015 Deb added Claire and Colleen to the project, and off we went!
CLAIRE: Discussions for a companion book to the trilogy had been going on for a long time. As the All Souls fandom grew, it became clear the community of readers were passionate about the rich and vast historical background to the trilogy. In the absence of a companion book, they had created their own forums to share and discuss all the different aspects of the world. There was clearly a need and desire for a comprehensive ‘World of..’ volume.
I was Deb’s UK editor at Headline and have worked with her since the first publication of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, publishing all three books there. When I went freelance I carried on working with Headline and Deb, and had just finished putting together the All Souls Real-Time Reading e-book for them when Deb approached me and asked if I’d like to work with her on creating THE WORLD OF ALL SOULS volume. Obviously, I squealed with excitement and said YES PLEASE.
COLLEEN: deb asked me a lonnnnngg time ago thru my tumblr account if i’d ever want to work on a project with her. i thought she was some freaky fan, wanting me to do a mural of gallowglass in their basement. but she proved to be legitimate. and then in 2016, she officially hired me to illustrate the TWOAS and i giddily said yes as then i knew she wasn’t a crazy person. :-)
-What part of the process of creating this book surprised you the most?
CLAIRE: There were lots of surprises and challenges throughout the whole process of putting the book together. Working as part of a team, and brainstorming ideas for all the things that could be included in the book, was so fun. As we got to work in more detail on each section, and delved into Deb’s inspiration cabinet, the incredible depth of the All Souls world kept astonishing me. Every aspect, from the science, alchemy and magic, to the people and locations, and down to the smallest historical details (such as the fact that Matthew Roydon really is recorded as living with a shoemaker in Blackfriars) is based on some real historical fact, person, place or fascinating concept. It’s a master-class in world-building!
COLLEEN: that the writers had to keep to word counts. FOR EVERYTHING!
LISA: I think the biggest surprise was the depth of the trilogy. I already knew that several of the characters were historically real, but in doing the research I discovered even more characters I hadn’t known were actual people. The line between fact and fiction started blurring in a very pleasant way, which is how I imagine Deb feels much of the time!
JILL: Even though we all lived thousands of miles apart, I was surprised by how intensely collaborative the project was. When you read any given paragraph, you’re reading something that was drafted by one of us, edited by a couple of others, then re-worked and embellished by a third person (usually Deb), and finally, beautifully illustrated and imagined by Colleen. (Also, we discovered plenty of surprises in the course of our research. For instance: poor, poor Jane Dee).
-What's your favorite thing about TWOAS?
LISA: My favorite thing is the way the different categories interweave and overlap, providing an incredibly rich combination of fantasy world building, history, alchemy, fashion, mythology, and art. The book is so much FUN—you don’t read it so much as you experience it. And I love the way both the trilogy and TWOAS make you think about the people and objects that have fallen out of the historical record. It gives me great comfort to think of a lost Holbein portrait of Margaret More, hanging over a loo.
JILL: I love learning new things so working on this book was a delight—I know so much more about Elizabethan fashion, and about people like Pliny the Elder (he had a terrible life/work balance), the functional and tactical differences between rapiers and broadswords, how to make candied violets, the relationship between phaeton carriages and Spyder cars, theories of time travel, etc. I pity my friends because now I’m THAT PERSON at dinner parties...
CLAIRE: It’s impossible to pick a favourite. There’s so much fascinating background to all the aspects I loved about the trilogy. Having studied history, I am always drawn to the wonderfully rich historical elements. And I love the way in TWOAS that this background is brought to life through the framework of the All Souls characters and their experiences – we never wanted the book to feel dry or too dense at any point. But looking at it overall, I think it’s the sheer scope of subjects covered that’s one of my favourite things about the book, and what really makes it stand out.
COLLEEN: the statues. the 3 sexy pages and the fashion. oh and the little chess pieces. all the little whimsical doodly bits, too!
-What was it like to work with Deborah on creating a book?
CLAIRE: Fun, exhilarating, inspiring and a hugely rewarding experience! Having worked with Deb on the All Souls trilogy since the first publication of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, I knew it would be an absolute joy. But now being in a position to work with her on creating a book from scratch was really special and something I feel SO lucky to have been a part of.
LISA: It was such a delight! I don’t have a fraction of her fictional creativity but I love to write, so delving into her fictional and historical world was an ideal way for me to participate in the process.
CLAIRE: When it started, she fed me, wined me, introduced me to oysters and champagne, her wonderful working family (and her rocking mom!) and from that point on she could have thrown me in a pit to crush rocks with a hammer and i’d happily do it. During the process, i gave her lots of “in process sneaks” but my main bosses were claire and the jill-lisa. I did have deb’s world, in my hands tho, for a year and THAT was thrilling.
JILL: It was lovely, actually. Deb is a wonderful teacher and a gentle editor.
--Do you feel like you got a peek into Deb's creative process and if so, what did you discover?
COLLEEN: Somewhat. I feel like i helped bring the world of ALL SOULS to visual life. I feel like i spent an INORDINATE TIME researching, museum crawling, google diving, and thinking and sketching and processing the HOW i wanted to go about the illustrations, which must have been like how she chose specific elements, periods, narratives, character aspects (fictional and historic) of the first 3 books. I ended up thru that process, discovering “deb patterns” of thinking and creating, understanding her aesthetic, her “eye” and the way she has her readers use ALL of their senses thru her scenes. and her extraordinary gift of sparking my imagination and making me really want to push my elf, creatively, to render her world with the highest compliment of my talents. :-)
CLAIRE: I wouldn’t say there’s a set process for Deb as such, but we definitely got an illuminating peek into how she used her vast knowledge and research as an academic to create the amazingly rich world that has captured readers’ imaginations. I also loved discovering some of the magical connections Deb said came to her while she was writing the books. One of my favourite examples of this magic is Deb’s story of when she was researching locations in Venice for THE BOOK OF LIFE. While being shown around a centuries old, beautiful palazzo (usually closed to the public) she noticed engraved in Latin on the fireplace in the main hall Christopher Marlowe’s phrase, “What nourishes me, destroys me”. This was all the sign she needed that it had to be Matthew de Clermont’s Venetian residence. Wonderful.
JILL: We got a lot more than a peek--we were absolutely immersed in her process (to mix a metaphor). Even though I know Deb’s a historian, I was gobsmacked by the breadth and depth of scholarship she brings to her novels. I’m all about the emotional journey when I read her books, but working on TWOAS reminded me that Deb is not only a student of human character—she’s also an astounding scholar.
LISA: I’d been getting peeks into her creative process for several years, so I had some idea of how she operates. But so much of her creative process is unknowable. I don’t think even Deb fully understands it—she just makes magic.
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*Q&A courtesy of Viking Books - download the .pdf here!
More information on The World of All Souls by Deborah Harkness
(Author), Colleen Madden (Illustrator), Claire Baldwin (Contributor), Lisa Halttunen (Contributor), Jill Hough (Contributor)
Publication date: May 8, 2018
THE WORLD OF ALL SOULS: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, SHADOW OF NIGHT, AND THE BOOK OF LIFE is coming to the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The book will be released on 8 May 2018, but it is available from your favorite book retailer now.
From Deb’s website: “A few weeks ago, I shared the beautiful covers for the US and UK editions of the new, comprehensive, gorgeously illustrated, and chunky (nearly 600 pages!) compendium guide to the world of the All Souls Trilogy. I’m happy to report that the book is now available for preorder through your favorite local bookstore or online retailer.”
So, maybe next ... The Serpent’s Mirror by Deborah Harkness ... ? Stay tuned!
Post by A. Hutter
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