Marty Ambrose has been a writer most of her life, consumed
with the world of literature whether teaching English at Florida Southwestern
State College or creating her own fiction.
Her writing career has spanned almost fifteen years, with eight
published novels for Avalon Books, Kensington Books, Thomas & Mercer—and,
now, Severn House.
Two years ago, Marty had the opportunity to apply for a grant
that took her to Geneva and Florence to research a new creative direction that
builds on her interest in the Romantic poets:
historical fiction. Her new book,
Claire’s Last Secret, combines memoir
and mystery in a genre-bending narrative of the Byron/Shelley “haunted summer,”
with Claire Clairmont, as the protagonist/sleuth—the “almost famous” member of
the group. The novel spans two eras
played out against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Italy and is the first of
a trilogy.
Marty lives on an island in Southwest Florida with her
husband, former news-anchor, Jim McLaughlin.
They are planning a three-week trip to Italy this fall to attend a book
festival and research the second book, A
Shadowed Fate. Luckily, Jim is
fluent in Italian and shares her love of history and literature. Their German shepherd, Mango, has to stay
home.
Q: What’s inside the mind of a historical mystery author?
A: I’m always thinking about some new aspect of
history that would make an interesting background “shade” for my characters. When I was plotting a scene in Claire’s Last Secret that was very
emotional, I decided to have it take place at Castle Chillon on Lake Geneva—a
medieval fortress that juts out into the lake.
I visited Chillon in the summer of 2016, so I could describe the “look
and feel” of the place so, as I wrote about it, my imagination could recreate
what it felt like to be inside the dungeon with my characters. Setting becomes all-consuming for me with the
sensory details, such as the sound of water lapping against the Castle Chillon
walls, and I find the fantasy world of place stays with me on most writing days.
Q: Tell us why readers should buy Claire’s
Last Secret.
First of all, I think
it’s a good story. Secondly, my book is
a new twist on a famous event (the “haunted summer” of 1816 when the
Bryon/Shelley circle lived in Geneva and Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, was conceived). I have always been interested in the “unknown
voice” of women in historical fiction.
We see so many great literary figures through the lens of history and
fame, but their contemporaries often saw them very differently. When I wrote Claire’s Last Secret, I chose to narrate it from the perspective of
Mary’s stepsister, Claire Clairmont. She
outlived the other members of the group by many decades and had the perspective
of age and experience when she later recalled the events of her youth. I found her an incredibly intriguing person
in her own right—and a missing voice.
Q: What makes a good history mystery?
A good historical
mystery is a blend of factual details and fascinating story. It should be based on an actual event(s) but,
also, make the era, people, and setting come alive for the reader. It’s a tricky task to achieve just the right
balance but, when that happens, it’s a beautiful thing to behold.
Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your work?
I invite readers to
visit my website and blog (https://martyambrose.com/),
Amazon Author page (https://www.amazon.com/Marty-Ambrose/e/B001JS89PA),
and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MartyAmbroseMysteryWriterMemoirist1957).
Q: What has writing taught you?
I think writing has
taught me that when life seems to turn in a negative direction, it’s really
just turning a corner. The more that I
understand that, the more I can move beyond specific events and try to see a
bigger picture (both for my characters and me).
Three years ago, I had one of those “karmic wheel” years when I faced
multiple challenges, both physical and professional, but it was the beginning
of a whole new life—not perfect, by any means, but different and exciting. I also find writing is a lesson in dealing
with fear: fear of rejection that readers won’t like my book, fear that I made
glaring historical errors, and fear that my book won’t do well in sales. Every writer must confront those uncertainties. I have realized over the years that all I can
do is write the best book possible.
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