Exclusive Interview with Author Barb Alexander
“I loved writing from an early age, probably around age 10 or so.”
What other writers inspire you?
“I adore Charles Dickens. His words and descriptions are brilliant, possessing both levity and gravity. Khaled Hosseini writes so beautifully. I’m a huge fan of the Harry Potter series! J.K. Rowling created something enviable, there. I devoured all of Frank McCourt’s books one summer; I couldn’t get enough of his storytelling. And this may sound unusual, but I love the passionate-but-approachable style that Jamie Oliver uses in his cookbooks. It’s the same concept I aim for when I write about history.”
“Thank you for those kind words! When I returned to the States after a few years in England, I missed it obsessively. I learned so much about royal history from visiting the sites — not just the Tower and Westminster Abbey, but also Framlingham, Castle Rising, Orford, Burghley House… I wanted to share what I’d learned but make it fun. My original target audience was preteens and teenagers. I began to gather information on each monarch of England from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II, but felt I could do the most at the time by concentrating on the Tudors. I started my blog, tudortutor.com, in 2009. Shortly after, I brought my blog to social media and then self-published in 2013. Skyhorse approached me about a second edition in the months that followed, and here we are.”
“Finding the time to get it all together was probably the biggest challenge!”
Which Tudor monarch is your favorite and why?
“I honestly don’t have one.”
“Not at this time.”
“I approached my book the way I approach my classroom: I want you to learn something, but I want you to have fun while doing it. Also, I like to think I share information without imposing my opinions on the topics we’re covering.”
“I’m not the person to give that advice. I’m a teacher and an author, but I don’t consider myself “a writer,” per se.”
“The literacy projects I work on with my Kindergarteners. :)”