An Interview with Suzannah Rowntree

Tell us about yourself!

Sure! I’m everyone’s favourite eccentric Australian spinster aunt. In my life so far, I’m managed to learn horse riding, fencing, various different kinds of dance, a spot of military strategy, a law degree, and some canine-level Latin. I’m not 100% sure what this means for my future adventures once Gandalf arrives to take me on an adventure when I’m 50, but one can only imagine – and I do.

I live with my family in rural Australia, in an unfortunately spider-and-bat-infested attic, where I drink endless cups of fancy tea while binge-reading academic histories of the Crusader States as research for my current magnum opus, Watchers of Outremer, an epic nine-book historical fantasy series of which you hold the second volume in your hands. (Don’t worry – this one stands on its own and you can definitely read it first.)

All of my books have one thing in common: they’re all historical fantasy, set in various different kinds of anachronistic, magical or legendary settings from history. Besides Watchers of Outremer, I’ve also written Pendragon’s Heir, a retelling of Arthurian legend, plus a series of fairytale retellings set in diverse historical settings from Jazz Age New Zealand to medieval Byzantium.

What does NobleBright fantasy mean to you? Why is it important?

When it comes to noblebright fantasy, I always remember CJ Brightley’s definition – noble heroes inhabiting a bright world where virtue is rewarded. Ironically, I don’t consider myself a noblebright author, although many of the books I love and many of the books I write definitely fit into this category. Watchers of Outremer, for instance, was not consciously intended to be noblebright, because the heroes are not always noble and some are definitely in the process of aquiring a grim patina. And even though The Lady of Kingdoms does have a gloriously noble heroine, Marta is a bit of an exception in a world of fairly grim characters (which I hope makes her shine that bit more brightly). I do love noble characters, but as I’ve immersed myself in the history of this period, I’ve found that the vast majority of the historical people I’ve met exist in various shades of grey. And since I’m writing this particular series with very close attention to historical accuracy, that’s what you’ll find in this story.

However, there is part of the noblebright definition that will always, always find its way into my books. Moreover, it’s absolutely central to the theme of The Lady of Kingdoms. As a Christian, I believe that everyone reaps what they sow. Sometimes that reward comes during this life, and sometimes it comes after, but the truth remains that those who do good are blessed. As Marta finds in The Lady of Kingdoms, many would rather use raw power to achieve their goals, rather than trusting in virtue. Yet – as historian Tom Holland points out in his magisterial book, Dominion – the humble service of good people is far more powerful and has done far more good in this world than any effort to achieve lasting change via ruthless power.

So, sometimes I write grimbright fantasy, and sometimes I write noblebright fantasy. The Lady of Kingdoms is absolutely one of the latter, and I think you’re going to love it. 

How did you start writing?

I have always loved reading, daydreaming, and good stories. My very first stories were dictated to my father before I could even write, and I started writing my first (never-to-be-published) novel at the age of twelve. I finished that story when I was sixteen, and immediately vowed “never again.”

Reader, I didn’t even last fifteen minutes.

From that moment, I always knew I had to tell stories! I started pursuing a career in indie publishing about seven years ago, after a lightbulb moment in which I realised that I had developed my skills to the point that I would not be ashamed to share my stories with the world.  

Now, of course, I look back and laugh at how much I still had to learn!

What are some of your favorite books/authors? Why?

I have so many favourites! How can you ask me to choose? The Lord of the Rings is my all-time favourite, of course. My favourite book of the last 12 months was a gloriously gutwrenching indie fantasy set in an Asian-inspired world, ML Wang’s The Sword of Kaigen. A close second has been fellow Aussie (and close friend) W.R. Gingell’s City Between series, which is almost the only urban fantasy I’ve read of my own free will, but which features some of the most vivid, lovable characters I’ve ever met.

This is a horribly truncated list (what about Shakespeare? Lewis? Austen? Wodehouse? Gaudy Night? The Perilous Gard? The High Crusade?) but when I think about what all my favourite books have in common, I guess the main thing is a meaningful theme. Nearly all my favourite books have deep, important things to say and have stayed with me long after I read them because they didn’t just entertain me, they also touched my heart and mind and left me a bit wiser.

Please tell us about your world and your characters.

The Lady of Kingdoms occurs in a very historically accurate fantasy version of crusader history, in the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem that lasted for nearly 200 years after the success of the First Crusade in 1099. For perspective, that means it lasted more than twice as long as the current state of Israel has so far.

The Crusaders have a reputation these days for savagery and intolerance. In part, that reputation was deserved. But, side by side with that ferocity were genuine, remarkable achievements. For nearly 200 years, their rulers administered an astonishingly wealthy and diverse kingdom, leaving behind them amazing advances in trade, banking, administration, health care and architecture caused by the cross-pollination between east and west. Moreover, despite the violence with which the crusaders established their rule, they then went on to extend legal and social rights to their Muslim subjects, which even today are sometimes quite controversial. It was the peaceable and constructive achievements of the Crusaders, not their military ferocity, that inspired this series; although writing about them has certainly necessitated depicting both.

So many of the books about the Crusades that I read growing up were written from the perspective of western Europe. Like stories of Robin Hood and King Richard the Lionheart, these stories were usually much more interested in what happened after you got back from crusade, than what actually happened in the Holy Land either during or between crusades. So, when I sat down to write this series, I decided never to travel further east than Constantinople. And for my protagonists, I chose a family of native Greco-Syrian Christians to whom both the Turkish and Arabic “Saracens” and the Frankish crusaders would come as interlopers in an ancient land that has been a bone of contention for armies and religions since the dawn of time.

I’m sorry if that was a bit dry. So in closing, let me just say that Marta has been one of my favourite characters since I wrote the first draft of this story in 2015. Her motto might be: “The risk I took was calculated…but man, am I bad at math.” Also, she is partly inspired by my red-headed goddaughter, so if she sometimes seems to have the foresight and self-restraint of a toddler, well, now you know why.

Do you have any works in progress? Tell us about them!

I always have works in progress! Right now, I’ve got two projects on the boil. The third Watchers of Outremer book, A Day of Darkness, picks up the story of another of the Bessarions, John, as he battles to survive demons, assassins, and spies on his quest to put his family back together again. Meanwhile, to give myself a break between Outremer books, I’m also working on a totally different project – a gaslamp fantasy trilogy about monster hunters in 1890s Europe. It’s going to be super fun.

Where can we find you online?

Make sure to visit my author website, suzannahrowntree.site, where you can see all my books and download a free novella filling in what happened to the rest of Marta’s family after Oliveta! Otherwise, I’m always very chatty on Twitter (@suzannahtweets), and I post irregular life updates on Instagram (@suzannahsnaps), plus author updates on my Facebook page at Suzannah Rowntree Author.