Katherine Longshore is the author of Gilt and the newly-released Tarnish, both historical young adult novels set in the court of Henry VIII. Katherine has been an actress, a waitress, and a professional traveler, and now lives in California with her family.

Could you tell us 5 random facts about yourself?



1. I’m afraid to revise in red pen — I use blue.

2. I’ve set foot on six of the seven continents and been tantalizingly close to the last one.

3. I once identified a criminal in a police lineup.

4. My interest in English history began with Shakespeare’s Richard III and the question, “Is that true?”

5. When I get writer’s block, I bake.

Tell us about your journey to becoming a writer.



I think I’ve always been a writer — I can remember sitting under the bar stools at the kitchen counter asking my dad how to spell “feel” so I could put it into a story. My journey to becoming a novelist was a bit longer and more haphazard. As a teen, I wanted to be an actress, so when I wrote, it was one-act plays and monologues. I spent half of my third year of college abroad and decided to become a travel writer, studying journalism and creative non-fiction.

I put it into practice after graduation through magazine articles—and lots of traveling. For years after I finally “settled down,” I skirted around the idea of fiction and finally dove in. A bit of a late bloomer, maybe, but with stories? It’s never too late.

What has surprised you about writing and publishing?



Reviews. I had always thought that everyone reads the same way I do. I knew that not everyone likes the same books, but I didn’t realize that everyone looks for something different in a story. I look for character and use of language. Other people look for action or theme or romance or feminist principles or any number and combination of other factors. Reading reviews of my own book was a wonderfully eye-opening experience and has broadened my own reading experiences immeasurably.

Why do you feel drawn to the stories you write?



I’m fascinated by history and by the characters who populated it. But those things are only the framework on which a story hangs. I think I’m drawn to the stories by the characters who come alive in my imagination.

Have any other fictionalized histories influenced your work?



I haven’t read any fiction about the Tudors since I started writing Gilt, back in 2009, because I didn’t want another author’s interpretation of the characters to affect my own. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t influenced by Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall or Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl. I think it was their elegant and detailed portrayals that made me want to write historical fiction in the first place.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?



When I had just started sending Gilt out to readers, someone called my narrative voice “coy and anachronistic.” That still makes me cry.

What has been the best compliment?



A reader who had been raised on Tudor history and born to be a writer told me, “For me, meeting you is like meeting J.K. Rowling.” That makes me cry, too.

Where’s your favorite place to write?


My parents own a cabin up in the mountains overlooking a river. There is no Internet and no cell reception, but there are deer and bear and skunks and bald eagles. And when the breeze comes in off the river in the evening, it’s writing heaven.

How do you approach writing villains or antagonists?



In much the same way I approach writing protagonists. Every villain is the hero of his own story, so he needs to have deep motivation and even sympathy. I love the psychology of writing and try my best to put myself into all of my character’s shoes.

How do you construct the world and tonal environment of your story?



The physical aspects of the world come from research — the layouts of castles, the descriptions of cities, the food and clothing and rituals. My job is to add the sensory richness to all of that — smells and tastes and emotions and tactile imagery. It’s part of my job that I absolutely love. The tone comes from the narrative character. In Gilt, Kitty is overwhelmed by the dichotomy of court—the luxury vs. the corruption. Anne in Tarnish has grown up in royal courts, so to her, the world is “normal,” and has to be described as such. Her descriptions stem from emotional reactions to the events that occur in her world.

Which is easier to write: The first line or the last line?



They can both be either simple or impossible, but neither one comes easy on the first draft. I have to know the story — and know it well — before I can find the fitting image. But when I do, it’s like being struck by lightning.

What is your favorite chapter or scene you’ve written recently?


I recently wrote a scene that sprang up — whole and visual and nuanced — completely out of thin air. One minute, there was nothing. The next, this scene played out in my mind and all I had to do was write it down.

Which one YA novel do you wish you had when you were a teen?



Skinny by Donna Cooner is about an overweight girl who overcomes her nasty inner critic—an invisible “Goth Tinkerbell” who she calls Skinny. I was underweight as a teen, but my inner critic was just as cruel and I wish I’d had Cooner’s spare and elegant story to help me combat it.

What is one thing you wish you’d known when you sat down to write your novel?



I’d been told, but I wish I’d known that it’s OK to write a horrible first draft. I relearn that with every book I write.

Do you have things you need in order to write? (i.e. coffee, cupcakes, music?)



Quiet, though I’ve done some of my best writing in crowded coffee shops. I always start with a cup of coffee. And always, at least once in a writing session, I need chocolate.

What are you working on now?


I’m just finishing revisions on a third book set in Henry VIII’s court. And playing with a new idea that’s got me completely hooked. 


Finally: Would you rather be a book, or a computer?

A book! Books have texture and dimension and personality and can travel just about anywhere.

About ‘Tarnish’:

Anne Boleyn is the odd girl out. Newly arrived to the court of King Henry VIII, everything about her seems wrong, from her clothes to her manners to her witty but sharp tongue. So when the dashing poet Thomas Wyatt offers to coach her on how to shine at court — and to convince the whole court they’re lovers — she accepts. Before long, Anne’s popularity has soared, and even the charismatic and irresistible king takes notice. More than popularity, Anne wants a voice — but she also wants love. What began as a game becomes high stakes as Anne finds herself forced to make an impossible choice between her heart’s desire and the chance to make history.

For More About Katherine Longshore:

You can follow Katherine on her Facebook page and on Twitter as @KALongshore. You can also check out Katherine’s blog and contact her through her website, KatherineLongshore.com. Tarnish and Gilt are available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.