Sophie Perinot talks about her new book: The Sister Queens

Sophie Perinot was a guest here on The Write Time in July of 2011. Since her last visit her book The Sister Queens has been published. A historical fiction about the sisters who married King Henry III of England and King Louise IX of France. Sophie has been involved with the Historical Fiction community for years and is proud to have attended all of Historical Novel Society’s North American Conferences.

Sophie Perinot

As an aspiring author, whose manuscript is in the midst of a major rework, I am still dreaming of what it will be like to see my work in print. Tell us about what you felt when you saw the official book cover for the Sister Queens.

 Surprised.

Many readers don’t realize this but authors (at least those with major publishing houses) do not design their covers.  We are asked for ideas (typically to describe what we envision and for images of covers we love and covers we hate from other books) but we do not attend the “cover conference” for our book where the design and marketing departments brainstorm about our eventual cover.  Our editors are there to represent our interests in that setting.

So, while I knew my cover was going to be a painting rather than a photograph and that it would include my two sisters (with their heads!) in a field strewn with flowers, the actual unveiling of the cover image was a wow moment.  I was particularly excited by the deep, rich, eye-catching colors and the fantastic choice of lettering.

On a similar note, describe your feelings when you actually held a copy of your book in your hands.

I was very lucky in that my publisher did full color galleys of my novel (this is NOT a given).  Thus I had a chance to hold something very close to the final book months before publication.  It was unbelievable, and I still have one of those advance copies on display in my office.  But even that experience didn’t prepare me for the emotional wallop of seeing The Sister Queens in a store for the first time.  I believe I probably scared innocent shoppers as I snatched the top copy off the “new releases” table and posed for a picture with it.  Pure bliss!  Seriously, it was right up there with saying “I do” on my wedding day and seeing my children in the first moments after their births.

What page did you turn to when you opened the book for the first time.

The first time I opened a finished copy I paged through quickly to get an overall impression of the design and formatting.  Then, because that’s the sort of person I am, I started at the beginning—re-reading my dedication and preface.
Describe the journey once you had your publishing contract.

Oh I could write a separate book on the publishing journey.  Mine was fifteen months from contract to release (twelve to twenty months is about average for a major house.  Rather than lay out all the milestones here, I suggest writers currently on the road to publication visit the blog “Book Pregnant” (http://bookpregnant.blogspot.com/).  Book Pregnant is actually the name of a group of debut authors (myself included) with books releasing in 2012 and 2013, and the blog is is our public space—a place to share what we've learned and give other writers a look at what to expect when you're expecting... a novel.

You did a lot of work writing, revising, and working on the book. Once the publisher had it and asked for changes, was it hard to make those changes?

Making editorial changes certainly required a good deal of mental and emotional energy, and was time consuming, but I am not sure I would say it was “hard.”  I gained a highly skilled veteran editor when I sold my manuscript.  She was passionate about the book when she bought it, and equally passionate about making certain it was the best book it could be before it hit shelves.  So I took her input very seriously and approached her suggestions in a mindful, listening way.  As a result I believe The Sister Queens available for purchase is better than the novel I originally sold.

How did you choose the title for your book? Did the publisher change your title, or is the title the one you started with?

The title on my cover today is certainly not the title I started with because generally all my manuscripts are called “untitled,” lol.  I am really horrific at titles.  One of the great thing about working with a publisher is you have a whole collection of creative professionals to help with the things that aren’t your forte.  In the case of The Sister Queens my wonderful editor came up with the title.  Each of us made a list of “title candidates” and we all (including my agent) ended up liking The Sister Queens best.

Okay, so what were the titles on your list, and what were some of the other title candidates that the agent and agent came up with?

There were a lot of them.  I only remember a few (probably blocking out the worst of the ones I came up with) like:  Loyal Sisters, Royal Queens; Know Then My Heart: A Novel of 13^th Century Sister Queens; and The Saint’s Lover and the Queen of Hearts.  As for who came up with what, that’s grown dim as well, but I am sure I came up with that last one.

 Now that The Sister Queens is out, how are the sales? Is the book doing as well as you hoped it would, or has it exceeded your expectations?

I don’t have any sales figures yet.  I probably won’t for a couple of weeks.  And I am being very good about not checking my Amazon ranking.  I feel that there has been quite a bit of good buzz about my novel (starting before the launch), and I certainly hope that buzz will translate into sales.  But sales are out of my control so I am putting my energy into other areas—promoting the book with my massive world-dominating blog tour, visiting local book stores to sign stock and meet readers, working on the next novel.

Are the e-books marketed differently for Kindle vs Nook? What about the other platforms, do you have to have a separate plan for each, or is e-book its own world?

From my point of view (as the author) I don’t care what format people buy and read the book in, so my personal marketing is not focused on a particular format.  My focus is on making sure people know the book has released and making myself accessible to readers.

Have you seen your book on a store bookshelf?

I sure have!  The Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Historical Novel Society very kindly arranged their first ever meeting to mark my launch day.  A handful of us, including authors Kate Quinn and Stephanie Dray, enjoyed a nice lunch and then walked to a nearby Barnes &Noble to visit my book-baby.  Currently the novel is on the “New Releases” table and that’s a LOT more exciting than being on the shelves!!!

Since my initial  sighting I’ve received a dozen or more pictures of my book “on location” around the nation from friends and readers.  I am making a collection so that I can create a collage for over my desk.  SO if anyone reading this blog spots The Sister Queens, PLEASE snap a picture for me :)

So these fine folks snap a picture of The Sister Queens on a book shelf how do they get the photo to you?  I'm sure you would like the location the photo was taken at, right?

That’s right.  I got the most adorable picture this week of a fellow writer’s little girls holding up my book in New York State.  Since I am trying to hit all fifty-states and some exotic territories (a gal can dream) it would be very helpful readers sharing pictures tell me where they were taken.  Anyone wishing to share a photo can use the contact form on my website or message me at facebook or twitter to let me know.  I will then provide instructions for getting it to me.

(Links to twitter and her blog are at the end of this post.)

Now that you have your first book out, how much more do you have to do on marketing the book?

I am in the midst of the marketing storm.  Successful marketing can’t begin with launch, it has to precede it, but the 6-8 weeks surrounding the release of a book are intense.  Lots of published friends advised me not to plan to do anything but market for a month or two after The Sister Queen came out.  I am currently managing to write a bit as well, but only because I worked ahead and “banked” a number of guest posts and interviews so that I wouldn’t be totally overwhelmed in the first weeks after my novel hit stores.

Has marketing The Sister Queens effected writing your next book?

Absolutely.  But if I don’t market The Sister Queens there might not be a next book.  Writers today need to accept that marketing is part of the job.  Particularly with your debut it is important to do whatever you can to make sure you come out of the gate strong.

What is your current project?

I am currently working on a novel driven by the mother-daughter relationship.  It is set in the 16^th century, which is one of my all-time favorite periods in French history.  My main character is Marguerite de Valois, sister to three kings of France (Francis II, Charles IX, Henri III) and wife of a fourth (Henri IV).  Here is the tagline I am using to focus my writing:  “The mother-daughter relationship is fraught with peril—particularly when your mother is Catherine de Médicis.”

We all get discouraged and ready to throw up our hands and say, “I quit!” What keeps you going?

Passion.  I have a passion for writing.  Now that I’ve had my first taste of publication (remember the aforementioned emotional-wallop when I held The Sister Queens for the first time) I am addicted (and greedy).  I want that bliss again!

I know I asked this before, in light of publishing your first book, what do you feel is a key to your success. (I classify success as the fact you have your book in print. A lot of aspiring authors never see their work where yours is at.)

I am not sure there can be a “key to success” in a business where luck and timing figure so heavily.  I benefit from my share of both, but I also know my business background has helped me. Not sexy but true.  I understood from the get-go that writing needed to be about commerce and not just art.  Hey, somebody can write a 300,000 word literary-fantasy with a touch of comedy if that is what they are inspired to do, but they are not going to sell it.  A person who wants to write for publication—and I always did—needs to learn about the business of publishing and be open to conforming (somewhat) to the perimeters of that business.  I was willing to do both I’ve also been helped by the fact that I approach writing as a job.  I don’t wait for the muse.  I sit down and I write.  I suspect my “butt in chair” attitude is a legacy from my first profession where long hours and stretches of unbroken work days are common (I once worked twenty-seven straight 12-hour or more days in my former incarnation).

Sophie's Blog

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1st Week Reviews

Sophie writes historical fiction.  Here is a link to her blog where she discusses the launch of her book.

Five out of five apples for The Sister Queens check out the review.

Book Blurb:

Patient, perfect, and used to being first, Marguerite becomes Queen of France. But Louis IX is a religious zealot who denies himself the love and companionship his wife craves. Can she borrow enough of her sister's boldness to grasp her chance for happiness in a forbidden love?

Passionate, strong-willed, and stubborn, Eleanor becomes Queen of England. Henry III is a good man, but not a good king. Can Eleanor stop competing with her sister and value what she has, or will she let it slip away?

The Sister Queens is historical fiction at its most.

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Sophie Perinot talks about her new book, and how she finds time to write.

I’m excited about the new aspect of my blog. Guest Bloggers. I have several writing friends I’ve made at AQC willing to post, and some friends I’ve made on twitter. All writers, all with demands on their time. They will share their insights to writing and managing their time.

My first interview is Sophie Perinot who is about to publish her first book The Sister Queens. She has all the details on her blog

I met Sophie Perinot aka “Lit_Gal” over at Agent Query Connect (AQC) in some of the forums and in the Wednesday night chat room. She strikes me a very savvy and astute individual. Her posts in the forums are always informative and polite! I read many genres of books and I enjoy historical fiction. I write high fantasy and love medieval times. I admire historical fiction writers, because of the amount of research they need to do for the backdrop of their stories. Not an easy task. Research, writing, and blending it all together.

Overall writing takes a lot of time. So I asked if she would help me with a blog post on how she manages her time, successful writer that she is. She agreed to do a question and answer. Here is her interview.

Welcome to The Write Time Sophie.

First let me say I am delighted to be here on “The Write Time.” This is my first foray into blog interviews and I am glad to have a fellow AQConnect member on the other side of the virtual microphone. Now back to business.


What led you to writing historical fiction?

Historical Fiction was pretty much pre-destined to be my niche. I’ve been a life-long student of history (my undergrad degree is in history) and I come from a family of complete history nerds (my sister is a professor of history, my husband was a history major, my oldest child who has just started college is studying Art History. . .I could go on). As someone who studied French in abroad, and who is a hopeless devotee of Alexandre Dumas, père, French history was a logical starting point. So the manuscript that hooked my wonderful agent was set entirely in France, and the manuscript that sold to NAL and will hit shelves in March 2012 takes place about fifty-percent in France.


What time period, and location are your favorite?

I don’t have a favorite time period, except very broadly—13th century to 17th century—but I write books set in Western Europe. The novel I am working on now will again be set in France (16th century), but I have a project set in Italy planned as well.

How much time do you spend on research?

Lots :) But writers of historical fiction do have to be careful not to be sucked into research to the point where books don’t get finished. We are not writing academic history and the publishing schedule (the time span between publication dates for individual books) seems to be getting tighter in our genre. If you spend ten years researching each book it is hard for me to imagine making a go of it in publishing at this time.

I remember back at my very first Historical Novel Society Conference in 2005, the keynote speaker was Jack Whyte. During his address he said something that really stuck with me (and I am paraphrasing here because it’s been years) – “if your main character needs to do battle using a sword, by all means find out what type he would have used but you don’t need to learn how to forge one from scratch.”

What gives you story ideas?

One of the great things about writing historical fiction is that history is full of the fascinating, the bizarre, and the profound. It is a treasure trove of ideas.

Very often as I am researching I will come upon a fact or an event that makes me think, “wow, you couldn’t make stuff like this up.” So, I keep an eye open for ideas for future projects while I work on current ones. For example, the idea for my novel, The Sister Queens, came from a footnote in a history of Notre Dame de Paris that I was reading for a 16th century project -- a footnote about Marguerite of Provence, whose kneeling image is carved over that great church’s Portal Rouge, and about her sisters. I had never heard of these remarkable sisters from Provence and wondered how such extraordinary women could have largely slipped through the fingers of history. I started a folder with their names on it and began ruminating on ideas for a book about them.

Beyond the historical events included in my novels, the themes often come from my own life. I think the most important questions that we ask ourselves as human beings haven’t changed substantially in a thousand years. For example, One of the secondary themes in my current book is what does it mean to be a great man? Is professional competence the most important measure of “success?” Sometimes it can be more interesting and less “threatening” to examine “big issues” when they are removed from our everyday context and allowed to play out in the more remote setting of history.

When do you write?

Unlike many folks who are trying to do all their writing after hours, I have the luxury of daytime writing. All of my children are in school full time, so I can usually manage some time in my “writing lair” during the heart of the day. I don’t tend to write on weekends when my kids are home unless I have a deadline (I never miss deadlines – it’s a matter of personal pride for me). When I do have a deadline then weekends and even vacations or holidays are just “extra work days.”

When I am gripped by my muse I can (and do write any time and any where). I sometimes dictate portions of my work into a hand-held voice recorder. That gives me a lot of flexibility and allows me to “steal moments’ for writing. As a result, I’ve written sections of a book in the car and in the frozen food section of the grocery. I’ve also been known to get up in the middle of the night and creep off somewhere to dictate in the dark, lol.

How much time a day do you spend on your writing?

I consider “writing” to be all aspects of the process of getting a book to market – researching, writing, editing, and even some social networking or blogging (which falls under marketing). When you roll all that together I would say I try to spend at least 5 hours a day on my writing on weekdays during the school year. In the summer writing is more difficult.

How do you balance your writing with other aspects of your life?

When I first started writing it came second to pretty much everything else in my life. I was treating it like a hobby. I quickly realized, however, that if I wanted writing to be a job I had to start treating it like a job. So, I started to be stricter with myself (setting daily and weekly word goals) and with my family (telling my kids, “I am going to write for two hours, do not come to my office unless you are bleeding”).

Once I signed with my agent I became even more focused. I figured this was it – my shot. I didn’t want to fritter it away. So, while my agent was shopping one manuscript (ultimately unsuccessfully), I absolutely plowed through my next, completing it in substantially less time than my first. That extra push was worth it because that manuscript became The Sister Queens.

Despite being very focused, there are certain events I won’t miss for work. Where I draw that line today (as a writer) is different than it was when I was a lawyer, and that’s one of the reasons I stopped practicing law—to have more time for my family. The main thing I would remind other writers is that each person gets to decide on where the line is drawn in her/his life. I never compare my work habits or writing output with those of my writer friends. Their lives/circumstances are different than mine so of course they will arrange their writing schedules differently.

What do you feel is the key to your success?

Success – hm. On a major level whether or not I will be successful as a writer is still very much an open question. Yes, I have a wonderful agent and a super publisher behind me, but publishing is in flux, and the market is inundated with material. In this atmosphere many author’s first books become their last. When my book comes out in March 2012 I will have a very short time to “make an impression” on readers and book bloggers. I hope that I can do that, and I believe I’ve written a sister-story that will resonate with modern readers even as it paints a vivid picture of the high middle ages. But let’s face it, there are no sure things in this business.

The key to getting as far as I have, however, is something I feel competent to discuss. There are several important things I did that any other aspiring writer can do: 1) Learn everything you can about the BUSINESS end of writing. Don’t just spend your time on the artistic side. Invest in yourself as a professional—read about the industry; join on-line communities; attend conferences. 2) Be persistent but apply your effort wisely. Sometimes it IS time to set aside a particular project and move on to another. This is not the same as giving up, it is using your limited time in the manner most likely to yield the result you want, a publishable novel. 3) Write. Don’t talk about writing, or think about writing—do it. There is no substitute for practice. Writing is the only way to get better at writing.

Tell us about your new book and when it is out

My debut novel, The Sister Queens, is set in 13th century France and England. It tells the captivating story of medieval sisters, Marguerite and Eleanor of Provence, who both became queens — their lifelong friendship, their rivalry, and their reigns. While I certainly hope that fans of historical fiction will enjoy the book, I had a broader audience in mind when I wrote it. I am half of a pair of extraordinarily close sisters, and I wanted to write a novel centered on the dynamics of the sister relationship, exploring how our siblings mold us into the people we become. So, if you are a sister, if you have a sister, my book is for you.

The book comes out on March 6, 2012. For more information on the novel (including a back-cover blurb) or where it can be pre-ordered please visit www.thesisterqueens.com

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

I will refer readers back to the second paragraph of my “key to success” answer. I really do feel if you do those three things you are well on your way. I will also say, however, DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP when rejections come in. Writers tend to assume it’s them—their query isn’t catchy enough, their manuscript isn’t good enough—but the truth is this is a tough business and it is highly competitive. It is important to write because you love to write, not because you think it is going to replace your day job. I write because I just can’t stop.