Tuesday 1 April 2014

KINGS AND QUEENS - my new novel, coming soon!


Please note!  KINGS AND QUEENS was released on April 25 and is now available!



http://www.amazon.com/Kings-Queens-Terry-Tyler-ebook/dp/B00JX5ZU30



I'd been delaying about my new book, because I was originally going to approach literary agents with an ultimate aim of getting it traditionally published, but then I decided not to; I've written a post about why not, on my other blog, here:
http://ukartsdirectory.com/terry-tylers-literary-blog-9/

Okay!  Here goes, then!  Kings and Queens will be published on Amazon some time during this month (April!) (note from 24/4/14 - hopefully out on Friday 25/4/14!!) - it's just on it's final read through!  It's a bit longer than my others, which range from 80K to 96K words; Kings and Queens is 120K.  It's contemporary fiction/romantic suspense/family drama, very much in the vein of my other books - but it should also appeal to anyone with an interest in the Tudor era of British history.  Sounds a bit odd, I know - let me explain!


Here's the first version of the cover!

Kings and Queens spans 35 years, from 1971 to 2007.  It's the story of the life and loves of Harry Lanchester, a successful property developer in the south of England. But there is an echo from the past; Harry's story mirrors that of Henry VIII and his six wives.  It is, in effect, the story of Henry VIII, but translated into modern times.  




The story is told in the first person, from the point of view of each of the six 'wives', in turn.  They each have their section in the book, ending when their relationship with Harry comes to a close, for whatever reason.  The stories of the women are interspersed by short chapters from the point of view of Harry's best friend, Will Brandon (whose Tudor counterpart was Henry VIII's good friend Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk). 



Harry Lanchester's kingdom is his company, Lanchester Estates.  I've used the company as a metaphor for what was happening at Court and in England 450 years ago, but the primary focus of the novel is Harry's relationships with the six women who come into his life.  Obviously I've had to modify the story; people tend to get the sack, or resign, rather than have their heads chopped off (!!) and I've used an up-to-date equivalent where possible; for instance, Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, had a bit of a racy past, which in those days meant she had 'entertained' another man in her bedroom.  In Kings and Queens, my character Keira Howard has worked as a lap dancer.  Henry VIII's groom, Thomas Culpepper, becomes his driver, Danny Culpepper.  

Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Natalie Dormer, etc, as Henry and the six wives in The Tudors 

I will stress that it is not necessary to know anything about the Tudors at all - the book can be enjoyed as any contemporary drama, but those who do know about that period in history will enjoy seeing the parallels, some more obvious than others (and occasionally quite amusing; the rock band with whom Annette Hever - Anne Boleyn - hangs out is called Traitors' Gate!).  A couple of people to whom I've spoken about this novel have said that they don't know anything about the period but think they would enjoy it more if they did, so I have written a brief blog post about the life of Henry VIII, and will put a link to it in the Kindle version of the book.
If you wish, you can read it here:

http://harrylanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/a-micro-history-of-henry-viii.html 

I remember this from the 1970s - Keith Michell and Angela Pleasance as Henry and Catherine Howard.

I'm very excited about having a new novel out and hope you like it!  I've already planned the sequel, which will be about Harry's children... you will have heard of Edward VI, Queen Mary Tudor, and, of course, Elizabeth 1 of England!  



Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth in the film of the same name, 1998



20 comments:

  1. Good idea – although probably a real writing challenge – to write from the point of view of each of the six wives. I've just finished reading Naomi Wood's Mrs Hemingway which adopts the same structure, although old Ernest wasn't a patch on Henry with only four wives!

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    1. Thanks for reading, Anne! Most of my books have this structure, as it's one I like very much and love to read as well as write. I love the way that the reader sees the whole situation very differently as soon as she/he switches to the next point of view. I first came across it done by Susan Howatch, before I ever wrote a novel, and loved it so much that I've written most of mine like this. It's about writing what you like to read, isn't it! One of the most interesting I did was Nobody's Fault, which shows a divorce from the point of view of both the husband's teenage daughter and mistress. As for Ernest - lightweight, ha ha!

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  2. I am SO excited about this, Terry. Can't wait for it to come out!
    Love
    Jenny
    xx

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    1. Thanks, Jenny!!!! I am dead excited too - and nervous at the same time, as one always is! xx

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  3. Whoo exciting stuff. Can't wait for this one. Sounds great x

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    1. Thank you, Kerry! Hope you're well; not seen you in the Twittersphere much lately; I shall look!

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  4. No I've been soooo busy but hopefully I will have more time this weekend to pop on

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  5. An exciting departure for you Terry, and I believe this one is probably going to be a real tour de force, and just like Kerry and Jenny, very keen to read it. Lanchester Estates sounds just like a company that exists, as to all the characters, the mark of a true author.

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    1. Hope so! And thanks again for all your help with the listed building information!

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  6. Really so looking forward to this Terry! As you know, I've studied the period, so I'm sure I'll enjoy reading your contemporary take on the dastardly Henry immensely!

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    1. I'm looking forward to you reading it, Val - thank you!!!

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  7. This sounds fascinating. Can't wait for this one. I like the angle you've taken...These days most would've made old Henry a serial killer!

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    1. Carrie - brilliant, that's just given me a whole other idea - re-writing it and making him a homicidal psycopath!!! (joke...! but seriously, making him a serial killer would have been a whole other way of doing it!)

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  8. This sounds really interesting....but will it be a book? I guess not. Sad.

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    1. Eventually, I hope, but don't hold your breath. Go on, give the eReader another go. You do get used to it - I was the same at first. When you're really enjoying a book you don't even notice it!

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  9. This is exciting. I am obsessed with the Tudor era! Can't wait to read it!

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    1. Oh me too, Monique! Thanks - should be out next week! x

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  10. Oh my, I cant wait to see that spin on history. What a fascinating idea, Terry! Can't wait to read it (promise your usual style, right? ;-))

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    1. Yes, just the same as ever, Zoe - I can't write any other way!!! Thanks xx

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  11. Looking forward to this. I likes a bit of Tudor, I do :)

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