Official Interview: Diana Forbes

[kandscreeley]

This author interview focuses on writer Diana Forbes. Her book is called Mistress Suffragette. You can access her book on Amazon by clicking here. Let's get down to the questions, shall we?

1. First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself.

I love history--especially American history. I had ancestors on both sides of the Civil War. I also have a lot that was handed down to me: letters from my ancestors and numerous photographs as well. I wanted a little bit of that longevity and respect for history to come through in my story, Mistress Suffragette.

2. What made you want to become an author?

I honestly don't think anyone wakes up and says "I want to be an author" these days because the business is so challenging. On the other hand, we all have stories to tell. To me, writing a novel is one way to tell a story. Informed by some of the letters I read from my ancestors, I wanted to tell a story that unveiled how things really were in 19th century Newport, Rhode Island, Boston, and New York City. I have a love for untold stories.

3. You have a book that's currently being reviewed by our review team, correct? Tell us about Mistress Suffragette.

The story is about a young woman who, almost by accident, gets drafted into the early Women's Movement. She does not know much about the cause before she finds herself working in it due to a special skill she has. However, as she grows in the Movement, her love life threatens to unravel everything that she's fighting for. My novel is about the choices one makes and whether they make any sense for what we are trying to achieve.

4. It looks like it takes place around 1893. I've always been interested in that time period especially being a woman during that era. What made you decide to set the novel during that period?

The Panic of 1893 was the greatest depression before the Great Depression. Overnight, jobs evaporated and livelihoods were lost. Meanwhile the Women's Suffrage Movement was in early stages. I thought it would be interesting to explore one woman's journey to independence through the disruption that 1893 created.

5. How much research did you do into the history of that time? How long did it take you to research?

I did a great deal of research. For two years before I sat down to write the novel, I read a lot of non-fiction books about the time period. I also read novels that were written back then as well as novels that were contemporary but covering the time period. Once I started writing the novel, my research involved visiting historical homes, going to historical re-enactments, re-reading all the letters my ancestors wrote during the time, poring through all the old photographs of my ancestors, finding old menus, locating ancestry records, and reviewing old advertisements from the time period. I love fine-tuning and revision, so I had a wonderful experience with this! From the time I had the idea for my novel through publication took five years. And my research started two years earlier.

[Review's note: WOW!]

6. Do you have any other projects or websites that you'd like your readers to know about?

I am writing the sequel right now. My website is: http://www.DianaForbesNovels.com My FB page is: https://www.facebook.com/DianaForbesAuthor/ And my Twitter feed is: https://twitter.com/dianaforbes18

7. What's next for you?

Hopefully, the sequel gets published and I start writing the third novel in the series!

8. How long did it take you to get your book published? Do you have any advice for others who are trying to make it as an author?

From idea generation to publication took five years. My advice: a novel is like a souffle. You have to wait until it rises. You can get impatient, but doing so won't make the souffle rise higher faster. When it's ready, it's ready and not before.

Now for some fun questions:

9. If you could give a million dollars to any charity, what would it be?

I like literacy causes, and I also think disaster relief programs are becoming more essential than they ever were before. So, I would split the money between those two causes.

10. If you had a time machine, where would travel? Past or future?

I would travel back to the 19th century, no question. Part of the fun of writing, of course, is that it's like having a time machine.

11. What's your favorite Holiday and how do you celebrate it?

I like Thanksgiving, which is celebrated with friends. And I also love July 4th. Between those two holidays, I probably prefer July 4th because it's all fireworks and fun without the heavy eating!

12. What's your favorite food? Restaurant?

I live in Manhattan, which has been experiencing a restaurant and food renaissance during the last ten years. There are so many choices. But I tend to like bistro-y food, what I think of as "French food, lite, hold some of the butter." A light white wine or rose is also perfect!

Thanks so much for your time. I look forward to reading your new novel when it comes out.

[Manang Muyang]

Mistress Suffragette is an intriguing name for a protagonist (or am I presumptuous?). Does this have to do with the women gaining the right of suffrage during that time?

I like her souffle analogy. I suppose she has a French lineage.

[kandscreeley]

It definitely has to do with the women's rights movement. Sounds like a great book. Thanks Miriam!

[Manang Muyang]

I just checked the book on Amazon. It looks quite interesting. The protagonist is Penelope Stanton, a suffragette, who catches the eye of a married millionaire. Will she become his mistress?

I also discovered that "suffragette" is a word that means "a woman who advocates suffrage for women" that has been in use since 1902. (Another word has been added to my limited vocabulary.)