With an AB degree in history from Dartmouth College, J.
Boyce Gleason brings a strong understanding of what events shaped the past and
when, but writes historical-fiction to discover why. Gleason lives in Virginia
with his wife Mary Margaret. They have three sons.
His latest book is the historical fiction,
Anvil of God, Book One of the Carolingian Chronicles.
Visit his website at www.jboycegleason.com.
Thank you for this
interview! I’d like to know more about
you as a person first. What do you do
when you’re not writing?
I’m a husband and father (and soon to be a grandfather).
I’ve been married to my wife since we were in our mid-twenties and I’ve got
three great sons who make me proud and keep me on my toes every day. They are a lot of fun and, for the moment live
near me so I can enjoy their company on a regular basis. I still do some consulting (my first career)
in public affairs and crisis
management.
And for recreation, I play golf, head to the beach and take in a game or
two of the Washington Capitols, the Nationals or the Burgundy
and Gold.
When did you start
writing?
I remember writing early on in fits and starts at a very
young age, but it was always a love/hate kind of thing. I liked the opportunity to express myself,
but I was more interested in the power of the words than the message they
sent. I feared I had nothing to original
or important to say. It wasn’t until I
was in my forties that I started to write in earnest.
As a published
author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?
One Sunday afternoon, I sat down to see if I could write a
scene between a young Charlemagne and the last Merovingian King. It was a bit of a test to see if I had the
stuff to write a novel. After some
initial hesitancy, the story poured out onto the screen in front of me as if
the characters were writing it. It was
dark, violent and scared the Hell out of me.
I was afraid to show it to anyone.
That was when I first began to understand what writers talk about when
they reference their “muse.”
It still took me a long time to get up the courage to
undertake the novel, but after that moment, I knew it was just a matter of time
before I did.
If you could go
anywhere in the world to start writing your next book, where would that be and
why?
I usually write down at the Eastern Shore
in Delaware. But, I’d love to take up residence in Paris
or maybe Tours for a month or two
to get started.
If you had 4 hours of
extra time today, what would you do?
Spend it with my mom.
Where would you like
to set a story that you haven’t done yet?
London, Aquitaine,
Spoleto. I’ve already got plans to set a
novel in each of them.
Back to your present
book, Anvil of God, Book One of the
Carolingian Chronicles, how did you publish it?
I self-published through iUniverse (they call it “assisted
publishing”). I hope that it will attract the attention of an agent and a
publisher.
In writing your book,
did you travel anywhere for research?
Yes, I traveled across France
into Germany to
follow the route of one of the lead character’s journey.
Why was writing Anvil of God so important to you?
I’ve thought about writing it since I studied Charlemagne in
college. It is such a fascinating
period! It proved to be a pivotal time
for western civilization, Christianity and modern warfare. But to me, it is a story about people, the
choices they make and the consequences of their choices. I promise you, you won’t be bored.
Where do you get your
best ideas and why do you think that is?
I get the best ideas from my characters. If they are well formed and I can hear their
voices inside my head, the dialogue almost writes itself. I’m constantly wrestling with them to stay
close to the plot line. And to be
truthful, I don’t always win.
Any final words?
I think Anvil of God
is a compelling read for a number of reasons.
It brings to life an era that largely has been forgotten by modern
society and for the most part, sticks to a true story – at least, it is as true
as I could make it. Unlike most novels
of this genre, the two main characters are women and bring a perspective to the
story that moves it away from the political to the personal. It ultimately is a story of a family in
crisis, except this family’s power and influence affects an entire
continent. It’s a big, sweeping, story
that is bound to keep you enthralled. I
hope you enjoy it!
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