I am once again working alongside The Coffee Pot Book Club to help you choose your next great read. Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing Christine Hancock. Christine writes the most fabulous fiction set during the Viking era. But before we crack on with the interview, let's have a look at Christine's book.
Separated by anger and unanswered questions, Byrhtnoth and Saewynn are brought together by a tragic death.
Re-united, they set out on an epic voyage to discover the final truth about his father.
The journey takes them far to the north, to Orkney, swathed in the mists of treachery, and to Dublin’s slave markets where Byrhtnoth faces a fateful decision.
How far will he go, to save those he cares for?
What inspired you to start writing?
I never had any ambition to write, I was probably too busy reading! I have been researching my family tree for most of my life and decided I should write up some of the stories I had discovered. I saw a writing class advertised at the local adult education centre. Unfortunately (or was it fate?) I signed up for Writing Fiction, but decided to carry on to see what happened. After a few weeks of various exercises, I found myself writing about Byrhtnoth, immortalised in The Battle of Maldon, a famous Anglo-Saxon poem. I don’t know why I picked him, rather than one of my ancestors, but it was as if
he wanted me to tell his story.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
This is the fourth in a series, but the end of a particular plot line – the search for Byrhtnoth’s father. Unlike with the previous books I had to tie up all the outstanding loose ends and still leave the possibility of continuing his story – I have another forty odd years until I have to kill him off at Maldon.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
My favourite character has to be Saewynn, who I suppose is my representative in the books. She loves Byrhtnoth, and every author is a little bit in love with their main character. I have found that books set in the Anglo-Saxon period tend to be full of kings and battles, ignoring the women who suffer in the background, and I needed someone to put the women’s point of view occasionally. She started as the “romantic interest” and has almost taken over the series.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
I’m afraid I’m a bit out of touch with modern movies, and wouldn’t want to specify any particular actor as Byrhtnoth, although a friend said she imagines him as Chris Hemsworth in Thor, so someone like that. He would have to be young, late teens early twenties, and tall – Byrhtnoth is said to be 6ft 9in tall. He would have blue eyes and lots of blond hair. I am usually disappointed when books I have read are turned into films, the characters are never as good as I imagine them, because as a reader you make your own interpretation of the authors words.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I would like my readers to feel that they have lived in the period and discovered what life was like for ordinary people at that time: the limited prospects for women and the poor, but also the responsibilities of those in charge. Most of all I hope they find the story exciting and enjoy the experience enough to want to read the next in the series.
Buy this book
Christine Hancock
Christine Hancock was born in Essex and moved to Rugby, Warwickshire when she married. She a husband, two sons and two lovely grandchildren.
She is a long term family historian, leader of the local history group and town guide.
Christine had never thought of becoming an author - She just wanted to write about some her ancestors. In 2013 she joined a writing class. The class turned out to be about writing fiction. Before she knew it, she was writing a novel.
Byrhtnoth was a real warrior who died in the 991 Battle of Maldon, made famous by the Anglo-Saxon poem of that name. Growing up in Essex, Christine visited Maldon often, and attended the 1000 year anniversary of the battle in 1991.
She wanted to find out what made Byrhtnoth such a famous warrior.
She finished the book but discovered it had become a series - how long, she has yet to find out.
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