The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau: Author Interview

The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau

Release Date: 3rd December 2018
Publisher: Endeavour Quill

Genres:  Historical Fiction

In eighteenth century England, porcelain is the most seductive of commodities.

In eighteenth century London, porcelain is the most seductive of commodities; fortunes are made and lost upon it. Kings do battle with knights and knaves for possession of the finest pieces and the secrets of their manufacture.

For Genevieve Planché, an English-born descendant of Huguenot refugees, porcelain holds far less allure; she wants to be an artist, a painter of international repute, but nobody takes the idea of a female artist seriously in London. If only she could reach Venice.

When Genevieve meets the charming Sir Gabriel Courtenay, he offers her an opportunity she can’t refuse; if she learns the secrets of porcelein, he will send her to Venice. But in particular, she must learn the secrets of the colour blue…

The ensuing events take Genevieve deep into England’s emerging industrial heartlands, where not only does she learn about porcelain, but also about the art of industrial espionage.

With the heart and spirit of her Huguenot ancestors, Genevieve faces her challenges head on, but how much is she willing to suffer in pursuit and protection of the colour blue? 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Do you write under your real name or is this a pen name you use? 

 

 My real name.

Where are you from? 

I was born in Chicago, Illinois. I now live in New York City.

List 3 interesting facts about yourself. 

 

I.) I was obsessed with horses as a young girl and I can sketch them very well to this day, the only creature or object I can draw.

2.) I was friends with the screenwriter of “Seven” when we both lived in a poor neighborhood of New York City in our twenties and the character played by Gwyneth Paltrow is in part based on me.

3.) I was a police reporter at one of my jobs and I'm still very curious about crimes and I have been known to try to get answers at crime scenes, to the horror of my friends.

What was the first thing you ever had published? 

An article in The Michigan Daily, my college newspaper. I've been a professional writer since I was 21.

Do you have a writing routine?

 None whatsoever. Whenever I can grab time, I write.

 

Do you have any writing rituals? 

Just fear of deadlines. Though when I'm stuck, I listen to music, whether it's Beethoven or the soundtrack to 'The Ninth Gate.’ Depends on my mood.

Where did the idea for your most recent book come from? 

From a visit to Hillwood, a museum in Washington DC that showcases the valuables collected by heiress Marjorie Post, ranging from Faberge eggs to Sevres porcelain.

Who was the first person you shared your book with? 

The friend of mine who reads my books as I go. Her name is Emilya.

Do you have a current work in progress? 

A fun mystery set in the same time period as The Blue, but not in that country.

Do you have any advice for budding authors?  

Try to exercise patience muscles. My first novel, 'The Crown,’ took me five years to write!

About the Author

Nancy Bilyeau has worked on the staffs of InStyle, DuJour, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Good Housekeeping. She is currently a regular contributor to Town & Country, Purist, and The Strand. Her screenplays have placed in several prominent industry competitions. Two scripts reached the semi-finalist round of the Nicholl Fellowships of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Website: http://nancybilyeau.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tudorscribe

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